Disney+ is doing a series about Karl Lagerfeld, Venice hosts an exhibition of Condé Nast archives + how to become a fashion buyer
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Lacoste is celebrating the 90th anniversary of the Polo shirt. For this occasion, the French fashion brand is releasing a new franchise collection of 5 polo styles that pay homage to the original polo by adding a modern twist through bright colors and graphic designs: the L.12.12 Polo, which references the original Lacoste polo design, the Paris Polo, the Movement Polo, the Polo Tennis, and the Polo Golf.
The history of Lacoste polo shirt
Although it wasn’t Lacoste who invented the polo shirt for the very first time, it was Lacoste that popularized it and transformed it from a purely utilitarian garment to a fashionable and desirable piece in the 20th century, and it never became old-fashioned. This is how the story started.
The founder René Lacoste lived in Bordeaux, France with his family and studied at the Polytechnic School. However, tennis was his passion, which eventually led him to abandon his studies and dedicate himself to playing tennis professionally.
In Boston in 1923, his captain promised to buy him a crocodile leather suitcase he had been admiring in a shop window if he won his next match. René lost, but he was very gifted and quickly became the best player in the world (he was even N°1 from 1926 to 1927), winning 7 Grand Slam titles.
He was called “The Crocodile” by the press and in the tennis world. René loved it, and asked his friend and stylist Robert George to sew a crocodile onto the white jackets he wore when arriving on the court. And that was the birth of the crocodile.
How did the polo shirt become mainstream?
Around 1933, René Lacoste was approached by the owner of a leading French knitwear manufacturer, André Gillier, who proposed that the two come together to sell reproductions of Lacoste’s knitted tennis shirt, complete with the infamous embroidered crocodile.
That same year, they founded La Chemise Lacoste, now known simply as Lacoste. It became the first brand to feature a visible logo on the outside of a garment. The creators began mass-marketing his shirts as tennis uniforms.
“In 1933, René Lacoste cut the sleeves off his shirt, going against the classic uniform imposed on [tennis] players at the time,” the brand said in a statement to WWD. “This simple gesture turned out to be a real revolution that would earn him the title of inventor of this wardrobe staple: the polo shirt.”
The new short-sleeved polo shirt in “petit piqué” cotton polo revolutionized the outfits worn on the tennis courts. It was more flexible, lightweight, and breathable, and provided more freedom of movement compared to regular tennis shirts.
In 1951, American manufacturer Izod gained a licensing agreement to produce and sell Lacoste shirts in the United States, and they quickly became a must-have piece. A polo shirt stopped being associated just with tennis or sportswear in general; people started wearing it on almost any occasion - at home, for leisure activities, and so on. Today, it is one of the most fundamental pieces of menswear.
What's happening in the industry this week?💚
Versace staged its Fall/Winter 2023 show in Los Angeles
This season, Versace had the show in Los Angeles instead of Milan, which to creative director Donatella Versace was drawn by the willingness of change and experience a different environment. In a statement to l’Officiel, she shared about the new collection, which this time had the purpose to move from streetwear and focus more on “classic elegance” and luxury:
"I wanted luxury after all of the streetwear from the past few years. I worked to enhance the foundations of the Maison Versace, of Gianni’s work. I started with a collection from 1995, and I found a renewed desire towards tailoring, architecture, shapes, and cuts.”
This was one of our favorite fashion shows this season. Discover the curated selection of our favorite Fall - Winter 2023 fashion shows inside our 365 days of fashion newsletter. Subscribe below.
Louis Vuitton is planning its next shows
The next show of Louis Vuitton - the pre-fall collection - will take place in Seoul on April 29, and this marks the first time the brand will stage a fashion show for a pre-fall collection. The precise location is still to be confirmed.
On the other hand, the next Cruise show of the French House is scheduled for May 24 at Isola Bella - a small island on Lago Maggiore, one hour from Milan. According to the brand, this marks the first time that the Borromeo family, headed by Prince Vitaliano XI Borromeo and his wife Marina, have authorized such an event on their lands.
Carolina Herrera unveils the destination of its next Resort show
Carolina Herrera’s next Resort 2024 show will take place in Rio de Janeiro on June 1 of this year, and this will be the first runway presentation the company stages outside New York City, where it was founded in 1981. The exact location is still to be confirmed.
A new Victoria’s Secret fashion show is coming
It’s been a while since we last saw Victoria’s Secret fashion show (in 2019) as the company was facing criticism regarding the lack of diversity in its casting, among others. But the lingerie retail giant has been working towards a more inclusive brand and is planning to reboot the show. The date is to be confirmed.
Chen Peng and MM6 Maison Margiela release a capsule collection
The Chinese designer Chang Peng collaborated with MM6 Maison Margiela on a capsule of puffers. The collection, to be released in September 2023, offers a range of quilted pieces including a nylon-textured parka-length coat with an integrated padded scarf, a faux leather gilet, and a cropped jacket with faux leather sleeves. The garments contain Chen Peng’s signature shapes and both brands’ logos.
“The capsule collection combines the design characteristics of two brands that break boundaries. I was a huge fan of MM6 since I started to study fashion design. Similar to my own brand, MM6 offers unconventional tailoring and extreme control of details,” shared Chen Peng with WWD.
If you aren’t familiar with the designer, Chen Peng was behind the design of the performance outfits at the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics. He was also shortlisted for the LVMH Prize last year and took home the grand prize at the inaugural Yu Prize in 2021 in Shanghai - an award that supports emerging Chinese fashion designers.
Aquazzura launches a handbag collection
The brand celebrated on Monday its expansion into handbags, launching several different styles, each available in multiple colorways.
The founder Edgardo Osorio told WWD: “When I was starting to work on bags, I wanted [to embrace] two directions. For the day I wanted things that were iconic, could stand the test of time and that were quite versatile - bags that you can wear from day to night.”
Zegna introduces the X digital customization tool
Developed in collaboration with technology partner Shin Software, Zegna X is an innovative technology with a 3D style configurator that will present more than 2,300 products that can be personalized. At first, 49 billion potential combinations of clothes and styles can be custom-made and delivered worldwide in less than four weeks.
Lauren Santo Domingo is Tiffany & Co’s first-ever artistic director for the home category
Vogue contributor and chief brand officer of Moda Operandi Lauren Santo Domingo will assume this new role as Tiffany&Co. is expanding into the home section. Her first collection will be released this April.
Venice to host an exhibition of photos from Condé Nast archives
A new fashion exhibition is coming up to Venice’s Palazzo Grassi, “Chronorama: Photographic Treasures of the 20th Century,” which is the first big exposition presenting the works found in the Condé Nast archives, which were acquired by the Pinault Collection in 2021. The exhibition presents more than 400 visuals that were taken for Condé Nast from the 1910s until the beginning of the 1980s by more than 150 photographers who shaped the photographic and artistic aesthetics of their time through the publication of their work in the various Condé Nast magazines, including Irving Penn, Edward Steichen, Lee Miller, Newton, Diane Arbus, Horst P.Horst, and many others.
In addition, the exhibition will host a project entitled “Chronorama Redux” that presents the works of 4 contemporary artists - Eric N. Mack, Tarrah Krajnak, Giulia Andreani, and Daniel Spivakov - who have created new works inspired by those in the Condé Nast archives.
The 2023 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund applications are open
Are you a fashion designer? You should know that the Council of Fashion Designers of America and Vogue have opened the application process for the 2023 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund. Applications are open until March 15. To be eligible, your business must be based in the U.S. and be running for a minimum of 2 years, have no more than 30 full-time employees, and not exceed a total revenue of $10 million per year.
Fashion Career Tip of the Week
Want to become a fashion buyer? We know how to get you started!
If you are interested in this career, we invite you to read our latest article here.
You will learn:
What are the responsibilities of a fashion buyer
How to get started as a fashion buyer
The most needed skills in this job
Which are the best degrees to land a job in Buying
Nice things 💖
Disney + will release a series about Karl Lagerfeld
Based on the biography Kaiser Karl: The Life of Karl Lagerfeld by Raphaëlle Bacqué, the six-part show “Kaiser Karl” will follow the life and career of Karl Lagerfeld in the world of 1970s Parisian high fashion. The late designer will be interpreted by Daniel Brühl. The shooting is currently taking place in France, Monaco, and Italy, directed by Jérôme Salle and Audrey Estrougo.
What to watch this week
We invite you to watch the latest Versace Fall - Winter 2023 show that took place in Los Angeles.
What to read this week 📚
Are you considering a career as a social media manager in the fashion industry, and want to hear tips from someone who's got experience working at Vogue and Miu Miu?
I recently interviewed Manuel Sinopoli, social media manager at Miu Miu. Manuel's path in the industry is interesting and inspiring because he went from studying styling to getting his first internship as PR Assistant at Ermenegildo Zegna, and later he landed jobs in social media at Vogue and Miu Miu.
In this interview, you will find out:
How Manuel went from graduating as a fashion stylist to working as a PR assistant at Ermenegildo Zegna
His experience as a social media manager at Vogue and what it's like working at Miu Miu
The difference between working in social media for a magazine vs a brand
Manuel’s favorite social media practices and what it's like working during fashion week
His advice for aspiring social media managers, and tips on how to get a job at a luxury fashion company.
Read the interview here.
Fashion Profiles to follow this week
Manuel Sinopoli, social media manager at Miu Miu
Edgardo Osorio, creative director at Aquazzura
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That’s all for this week.
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Giada Graziano, Inside Fashion Editor in Chief and Glam Observer Founder
Margarita Skacenko, Fashion Editorial Assistant
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