Emanuel Ungaro Loses CEO?

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Fashion Designers, News, Rumors,

Jeffry Aronsson is believed to have left Emanuel Ungaro. The fashion house's chief executive officer (CEO) - who joined the company in June to "heal the bruises" of the label - has reportedly stopped commuting to Paris and is believed to have permanently returned to his investment and consulting firm Aronsson Group.

"Mr. Aronsson is still the acting CEO of Ungaro," Ungaro told WWD.

If the executive's departure is true, it is the latest in a string of high-profile exits from the fashion house. Giles Deacon became the sixth designer to leave in as many years when he quit in September after just two seasons. Before his exit, the company has seen Giambattista Valli, Vincent Darre, Peter Dundas, Esteban Cortazar and Estrella Archs work short stints for them since their founder retired in 2004.

Following his departure earlier this year, Giles said he was "proud" of what he had achieved at the French fashion house, but was keen to work ore with his Giles brand. He said, "I am very proud of the work that I - and my team - did at Ungaro, and it was a pleasure to work in Monsieur Ungaro's studio and with members of his actual atelier. I am going to concentrate on the global development of the Giles brand with some exciting one-off projects in the pipeline for next year - and I'm really excited about presenting the Giles Spring/Summer 2012 collection on Monday evening."

Quote of the Day: Marc Jacobs Compares Himself to a Pig

Posted by Robin Paulson Categories: Celebrities, Fashion Designers, Fashion Shows,

“I used to say in the beginning that I was like the pig in Babe when the farmer, who was not wildly emotional, expressed himself in a super-warm way. Mr Arnault does not express himself in a super-warm way, but he has softened up - I am that pig and he pats me on the back and says ‘That’ll do pig,’ and I just feel this is the highest praise. This is a man who does not throw out compliments or say things to please people - he just does not.”

- Fashion designer and creative director of Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs, on his relationship with LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault.

(Make sure to check out other notable quotes.)

Read More | Vogue

Calvin Klein Launches New Brand

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Fashion Designers, Health & Beauty, News,

Calvin Klein is to turn its CK One fragrance into a global lifestyle brand. The fashion house is keen to attract a younger customer base so will launch jeans, underwear and swimwear at more affordable prices, thought to be around 15 to 20 percent lower than Calvin Klein Jeans and Underwear.

“I think it could be bigger than CK Calvin Klein. CK is our bridge division in apparel and accessories, which we operate only in Europe and Asia at this time. By the price positioning of bridge, there is some limitation on how big that business can be. The focus and concept of ck one is young and sexy, and to some degree price-driven. The price points are lower than in bridge, and this is a global launch, which gives CK One the opportunity to be a much bigger business over time,” said Calvin Klein Inc’s president and CEO Tom Murry.

Click to continue reading Calvin Klein Launches New Brand

Dov Charney Denies No Uglies Policy, Will Answer Your Questions

Posted by Robin Paulson Categories: Health & Beauty, News, Rumors,

In light of a former (anonymous) American Apparel employee’s allegations that the hiring policy is heavily weighed by the attractiveness of the applicant, the international company has issued a statement denying such claims.

“American Apparel does not hire or retain applicants based on ‘beauty.’ Our main priority is finding people with a strong sense of style who can inspire customers as they make selections from our extensive line… It has never been the policy of American Apparel, as some blogs claim, to fire employees who are not “good looking” or any of the other accusations implied by the anonymous or unverified third party sources. The company legitimately reviews current photographs of job applicants and employees to consider their sense of style and the way in which they present themselves… This is a standard practice among fashion-forward retailers.

While they may call it “style,” I’m inclined to believe that it’s just another word for “beauty.” I mean, have you seen the hipsterbots at the store?

Moreover, the press statement addresses the topic of hiring process, but has made no mention of its irksomely precise grooming etiquette... If you’d like to talk to CEO Dov Charney about any of this, he’s made his phone number available to the public:

Click to continue reading Dov Charney Denies No Uglies Policy, Will Answer Your Questions

Read More | The Cut