Michael Kors: Recession Survivor

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

Michael Kors has survived the recession so far because his clothes are “seasonless.”

The American fashion designer believes sales of his clothing line have not faltered during the credit crunch because he has always worked hard to make sure his designs don’t become out-of-date.

“What has happened with the economy has re-enforced the things that I always thought. The idea that something should be unexpected but at the same time timeless, the fact that I think that most clothes should be seasonless. Things have to be versatile.”

However, Michael - who became a household name after appearing on fashion program Project Runway and whose celebrity fans include Michael Douglas - admits those wealthy enough to splash out on designer clothing must make sure they don’t look “obnoxious.”

“It is appropriate to look rich, if you do it without looking obnoxious. If you’re wearing something colorful, keep the line simple. If you’re wearing something ornamented, keep the shape sleek. Right now, to have over-the-top hair and a beaded dress and an over-the-top shoe and a lot of jewelery all at once, it’s too much.”

Christian Lacroix Now Designs Jets

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

From one runway to another, Christian Lacroix is set to design private jets.

The French designer, who filed for bankruptcy earlier this year, is in talks with Sheikh Hassan bin Ali al-Nuaimi—the nephew of United Arab Emirates ruler Ajman—about investing $70 million in the company. Al-Nuaimi wants to become the majority stakeholder and despite the current global economic downturn, the sheikh has bold plans for the brand. He is keen to transform the fashion label into a luxury lifestyle brand with a range of products including lavish palaces, planes and hotels.

Al-Nuaimi said, “The idea is not to focus on fashion by itself. We are discussing different activities in leisure… private jets, hotels, high-quality yachts, palaces, and interior decoration. We will focus on very exclusive areas and don’t want to sell his name cheap in the market.”

Lacroix, who counts Christina Aguilera among his celebrity fans, will need approval from a French court before the deal goes ahead. A decision is set to be made by the end of the month.

Naomi Campbell’s Recession Warning

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Naomi Campbell believes that the recession has stopped black models from getting work. The outspoken supermodel claims advertising executives are shying away from using ethnic minority models in their campaigns because they “don’t dare” risk losing sales.

She told Britain’s Sunday Telegraph, “This year, we have gone back all the way that we had advanced. I don’t see any black woman, or of any other race, in big advertising campaigns.”

Last summer, the 39-year-old beauty appeared in Vogue Italia’s Black Issue, in celebration of black women. Although she was initially positive about the shoot, Naomi is now concerned the ongoing global financial crisis has undone the impact it had.

“That made some noise but, unfortunately, we are the same as before. People, in the panic of recession, don’t dare to put a girl of color in their campaign, full stop,” Campbell said of the issue.

Fashion designer Bruce Oldfield has echoed Naomi’s comments: “It’s absolutely true that black models will not be as popular for advertising companies and magazine covers as white girls.”