IN THE KNOW WITH RADHIKA – VOL. 9

Happy Independence Day! Hope you’ll enjoyed the day off and are ready for our stories from the global fashion scene this week.

Collaborations clearly seem to be big thing right now but I can’t really complain because I am super psyched about the McQueen and Hirst collab – 2 of my favourite crazies. Also, Riri teases us with a glimpse of her upcoming collection for River Island which I am already dreaming about. Also, handbag backed loans – whaaaaaat? Yes, you read correct! Read on 🙂

ALEXANDER MCQUEEN COLLABORATES WITH DAMIEN HIRST

Last year on my annual trip to London, I went for my first ever Damien Hirst exhibit at the Tate Modern. I have to say I was awestruck by his twisted genius. What impressed me most was one particular of his high security laden artworks, For the Love of God. Now, it’s no secret that I am distracted by shiny objects but this was another level of shiny – a cast of a human skull covered with 8,601 diamonds.

For the Love of God by Damien Hirst

It is thus only befitting that British fashion label Alexander McQueen team up with fellow Englishman Damien Hirst to celebrate the 10th anniversary of its iconic skull-print scarf.

Alexander McQueen Scarf

The British artist is to rework the classic into 30 exclusive limited edition designs, with each print being inspired by his Entomology paintings, featuring colourful insects such as butterflies, bugs, and spiders displayed to form kaleidoscopic geometric shapes, laid out to create the McQueen skull motif. McQueen chose Hirst for the anniversary collaboration because of the artists’ common interest in symmetrical design combined with strong references to the natural world.

The 30-piece collection will be available at Alexander McQueen boutiques and online from mid-November, and the scarves will be featured in a rainbow of colours in chiffon, pongé, twill and cashmere. Prices start at £135.

Read more: http://www.vogue.co.uk/news/2013/08/13/alexander-mcqueen-damien-hirst-scarves-collection

FANCY A QUICK LOAN, FASHIONISTA? 

Need a loan quick? Well, you might have heard of ‘investment pieces’ but if you’re in Hong Kong then you can literally put up your Gucci, Chanel, Louis Vuitton or Hermes handbag as collateral for a loan! While money lenders typically ask for cars and homes as collateral, Hong Kong’s Yes Lady Finance Co. seeks its customers’ beloved handbags.

The four-year-old company accepts handbags on the spot, assesses them for their condition and authenticity and then procures loans in 30 minutes at 80% of the bag’s value, as long as the bags are Gucci, Chanel, Hermès or Louis Vuitton. Occasionally, they’ll consider a Prada.

The four-year-old company brings in assessors from affiliate Milan Station Holdings Ltd., a chain for luxury secondhand purses, to check the bags’ condition and authenticity. The way we look at it, if you’re feeling low on cash this could be the ideal way to snap up some of McQueen’s limited edition Damien Hirst collab scarves – don’t you think?

Read more: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323585604579009622161718050.html

RIHANNA’S NEW RIVER ISLAND COLLECTION REVEALED

Remember when we told you about Rihanna’s take two with River Island? Well, now here is the first look at this collaboration redux (of sorts).There is still about a month to go until Rihanna‘s fall collection for River Island drops, but fans of the singer and her clothing line now have images and a behind the scenes video to tide them over.

The new ad campaign features select pieces from the 80-piece collection, which combines sophisticated chic and urban glamour. The line includes camouflage and midriff-baring tops and long skirts with bold stripes, as well as intimates with “RiRi” and “G4LIFE” written on the bands.

Read more & for images: http://www.vogue.co.uk/news/2013/08/12/rihanna-for-river-island-second-collection-pictures-unveiled

IN THE KNOW – WEEKLY NEWS DIGEST VOL. 4

Hello again! Paris Fashion Week 2013 is on and I have been keeping busy with the live streams of the shows. Elie Saab makes me want to create occasions just so that I can have the opportunity to see beautiful women wear the gorgeous pieces or better still be able to wear a piece of the delicious piece of art myself.

Well, someday! But I digress. Getting back on topic, Anna Wintour tweeted for the first time, Apple hires YSL CEO for special projects, Tiffany sees theft of $1.3mn and LVMH gets fined. Read on.

Apple Hired the CEO of Yves Saint Laurent to Work On Special Projects

Apple has hired the CEO of fashion house Yves Saint Laurent Paul Deneve to work on ‘special projects’ and will be reporting directly to chief executive Tim Cook.  Earlier reports had actually speculated that Deneve would be in charge of Apple Retail (which is in need of a boss) but instead will work on future wearable technology that Apple has in store.

Paul Deneve

Interestingly, Deneve actually worked for Apple from 1990 to 1997 as a Sales and Marketing Manager, comes a full circle back to the company after having spent some time at Courrèges, Nina Ricci and Lanvin before his tenure at Yves Saint Laurent.

Read more at Business of Fashion

Former Tiffany Official Charged With $1.3 Million Jewelry Theft

We can’t say that the gorgeous, expensive trinkets haven’t brought evil ideas to our head, but a former vice president of product development at Tiffany & Co. was actually arrested and charged with stealing more than $1.3 million worth of jewellery. Prosecutors claim that from January 2011 to February 2013, Ingrid Lederhaas-Okun, 46, checked out 165 pieces of jewellery, including diamond bracelets, platinum and gold earrings and platinum and diamond pendants, then sold them to an unnamed jewellery reseller in Manhattan.

Tiffany&Co.

She very ingeniously would only check out pieces worth under $10,000 so no one caught on. The default was discovered when Ms. Lederhaas-Okun was being downsized. If convicted, she faces up to 20 years in prison on the fraud charge.

Read more at NBC News

Jimmy Choo Autumn Winter 2013 campaign stars Nicole Kidman

Red-headed Nicole Kidman makes heads turn as she debuts in Jimmy Choo’s Autumn Winter 2013 campaign. The new face of Jimmy Choo is transformed into a mysterious and seductive woman sporting a short hairstyle. Shot by photographer Mikael Jansson, the latest campaign portrays the 46-year-old, award-winning actress as a seductive protagonist in a series of images that hint at the brand’s recurring themes of empowered glamour.

The brand’s creative director, Sandra Choi, stated, “Nicole has perfectly captured the mood of our Autumn/Winter 2013-14 collection; her character portrays the multifaceted qualities of the Jimmy Choo woman for this season — strong, sexy with a beguiling sense of mystery.”

Read more at People.com

LVMH fined €8 million over Hermes stake-building

LVMH has been ordered to pay a fine of €8 million, by France’s stock market regulator, AMF, over the notorious acquisition of its stake in Hermès. The AMF’s enforcement committee condemned the “unusual” way LVMH had amassed its 22.3% shares, buying equity swaps with a number of banks so as to avoid disclosure requirements and using foreign subsidiaries that were not listed as consolidated units. (Refer here)

Bernard Arnault

The luxury conglomerate, helmed by Bernard Arnault, has already made clear that it plans to appeal the decision.

Read more at Wall Street Journal

And if all this news wasn’t exciting enough for you already, you must hear what a little (blue) birdie had to say.

Anna Wintour tweeted for the first time ever

A longtime advocate of marriage equality, the Vogue Editor in Chief couldn’t help but express her joy about the Supreme Court’s toppling of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) in her first-ever tweet.

Anna Wintour

Posting on Vogue’s official Twitter account, the editor in chief included her initials at the end of poignant message to indicate that the tweet came from her. ‘Today’s rulings are a big step forward for all Americans striving to achieve equality. I couldn’t be happier or more proud. —A.W.’

I can’t help but wonder if Anna Wintour’s new fellow Condé Editor in Chief (for Lucky) Eva Chen, a tweeting master’s connect with her audience has urged her to hop onto the social media bandwagon.

Read more at The Cut

In the know – weekly news digest

Thanks for all the hits on the ‘in the know’ post last week.

While last week was all about new collaborations, this week’s global fashion scenario seems to be dominated with legal hassles. Some of the biggest names in the industry seem to be facing trouble. Read on to know more:

Hermès suits LVMH yet again

Hermès presented last July a criminal complaint against LVMH for insider trading and manipulation of its share price.

But now the Birkin bag creator has filed another lawsuit against the luxury conglomerate with the aim of annulling the equity swaps that enabled LVMH to attain its initial 17.1 per cent stake. The holding has since been upped to 22.3 per cent.

Hermes

France’s stock market watchdog, the Autorité des Marchés Financiers (AMF), recommended that LVMH be fined €10 million (£8.5 million), accusing the group of hiding its gradual stake acquisitions. The verdict for this will be revealed by July 31.

LVMH is currently suing a civil manager at Hermès – believed to be Patrick Thomas, CEO of Hermès International – after he implied that Arnault’s firm had acted “fraudulently” in its pursuit of the gains state certain reports.

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/04/hermes-sues-lvmh-lawsuit-stock-court-case_n_1853936.html

Balenciaga to sue Nicolas Ghesquière

Kering, formerly PPR, the luxury conglomerate which owns luxury label Balenciaga is reportedly suing its former creative director for ‘breach of confidentiality’ following a controversial interview that was published after his exit from the fashion house, in which he criticised the brand’s management.

Nicolas Ghesquiere

Published in System Magazine, Ghesquière revealed that he decided to leave the fashion house because he “ended up feeling too alone”, and as though he was being “sucked dry”. He also accused the label of “lacking in direction” and claimed that he had a lack of support from the business side of the relationship.

Ghesquière and Balenciaga announced the end of their 15-year relationship in November last year, and the designer was eventually succeeded by Alexander Wang as creative director.

Read more: http://fashion.telegraph.co.uk/news-features/TMG10128295/Balenciaga-to-sue-ex-creative-director-Nicolas-Ghesquiere.html

Dolce & Gabanna

This has been splashed all over making almost breaking news.  But still in case you missed it, Italian fashion designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana have both been found guilty of tax evasion by an Italian court and sentenced to jail. The duo were both sentenced to one year and eight months in prison, after being found guilty of failing to declare hundreds of millions of euros to the Italian tax authorities.

Domenico Dolce & Stefano Gabbana

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/19/dolce-and-gabbana-guilty_n_3466274.html

 

Play with Karl

Well, it’s not all grim in the fashion world.

In the Karl video game the Chanel creative director appears as an energetic Tokidoki cartoon. The objective is to try and remove his signature sunglasses – not an easy task thanks to the designer’s stealthy, ninja-like moves.

Karl Lagerfeld Tokidoki

Cartoon Karl also offers disapproving remarks after unsuccessful attempts, like, “You really need glasses”, and “What a shame”. If you’re too slow, he taps his foot and takes pictures with his camera, but his most cutting comments are left for when you fail at the game completely – to which he says, “Karl has no more time for you.”

The online game is part of a month-long partnership with Lagerfeld’s French eyewear distributor Optic 2000. The lucky French residents are able to claim prizes if they manage to triumph over Lagerfeld, which I can tell you first hand is by no means is an easy task.

Play here: jeveuxleslunettesdekarl.com.

Ring in the old, ring out the new

Interview with Nayantara Kilachand, founder and editor Mumbai Boss

“What was I thinking?” – a question women ask themselves often, about the men we date, desserts we consume, exercise classes we sign up for and well, the clothes we buy. Nayantara Kilachand asked herself a similar question when she went home and tried on the pleated peach skirt she had just purchased from Zara. “Every now and then when I decide to experiment with my look I end up with clothes I don’t wear,” she laughs. And a habit of buying things without trying them doesn’t help.

Peach pleated skirt with slanting hemline, Zara

‘Making sense of the city’ for the people of Mumbai, at work the busy editor is most comfortable in her now almost uniform of a T-shirt/ shirt and jeans. Even with the dresses and skirts for evenings out, she likes to keep it simple and classic. “I would much rather have one Chloe jacket that is ‘seasonless’ than buy trendy clothes every week,” she says. As an occasional shopper, she is quite unlike the stereotype of the impulsive, shopaholic woman – she knows exactly what she wants and only buys that!

New York is her favourite for the variety and value for money, while Paris for the boutiques and vintage. Nayantara shops for everything she needs once in a year from her favourite brands – Cos, Uniqlo and J Crew for basics and Topshop for denim. “But when I am travelling I actually don’t like to spend too much time shopping,” she says. Back in India, online stores with easy delivery and return policies are favoured.

Purchased in 2013; Number of times worn: 0

A lover of all things vintage, Paris is much-loved for the jewellery and New York for those special finds like a jacket from Chloe from the house’s Phoebe Philo days. “I still use my mum’s bag from the 70s,” she says. The small brown leather Hermes bag after being repaired by the company is now in mint condition. “Since I mostly have classic pieces in my wardrobe, I don’t throw away things quickly.” Otherwise she purges her wardrobe twice a year and the clothes go to charity.

For UK sizes 8-10, the cute pleated skirt with a slanting hemline is perfect for summer and a fun look to style easy or dressed up.

Model friend: Kadambari Sadekar; Location: Worli seaface; Styling: Rachana Nakra and Radhika Dhawan; Accessories: Radhika Dhawan and Rachana Nakra; Photographs: Karan Nevatia (karan1981@outlook.com)