Who is AMQ's Sean McGirr, Prada x NASA, Naomi Campbell exhibition + how to answer "Why do you want to work in fashion?"
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PFW highlights: Part 2
The Fashion Week season has come to an end. Throughout September, we’ve been watching shows in New York, London, Milan, and Paris and bringing the highlights to you. Paris Fashion Week closed the season on October 3, so let’s see some of the best moments that happened the past week.
On September 11, 2023, Sarah Burton announced she would be leaving the brand, and her latest Spring 2024 collection in Paris, dedicated to the founder, was her last one. Just a few days later, Kering officially announced Sarah Burton’s successor: Sean McGirr.
If his name doesn’t ring a bell, you should know that he has built quite an impressive portfolio, having worked for many famous brands.
If we look at McGirr’s beginnings in the fashion industry, he graduated from the prestigious Central Saint Martins fashion school with a Master of Arts in Fashion in 2014. The Irish designer started his career as a stylist in both Tokyo for Vogue Hommes and Paris. Then, he transitioned into fashion design and worked for brands such as Dries Van Noten, Burberry, and Uniqlo under the leadership of Christophe Lemaire at the brand’s studio in Paris. He has also worked as a writer for the trend-forecasting company Stylus.
Sean McGirr is stepping into his new role as creative director of Alexander McQueen from his previous position at JW Anderson where he was head of men’s and women’s ready-to-wear.
His debut collection’s date for the British luxury house is yet to be confirmed. We are curious to see how he will write the next chapter in the history of Alexander McQueen since he will be the first designer not to have worked at the brand. Gianfilippo Testa, chief executive officer of Alexander McQueen, said to WWD that “With his experience, personality, and creative energy, [McGirr] will bring a powerful creative language to Alexander McQueen while building on its unique heritage.”
What do you think of this choice of creative director?
What's happening in the industry this week?💚
Let’s continue with the PFW recap.
Louise Trotter's debut show at Carven marked a new chapter for the 78-year-old label, which returned to the runway after a multiyear absence with a totally new identity. Indeed, her spring 2024 collection didn’t dive much into the house’s archives. “We intend to change everything — the stores, the logo, everything,” Carven creative director Louise Trotter told WWD in a preview. “It is rare that you have an opportunity as a creative to have a blank page,” she added.
Valentino’s latest show took place at a venue meaningful to the brand - École des Beaux-Arts, the school where Valentino Garavani studied fashion. To complement the collection, FKA Twigs took the stage with a group of dancers to offer an outstanding performance.
Christian Louboutin staged the 4th edition of the “Loubi Show”. This time, Louboutin tapped Belgian-Maroccan artist Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui for the direction and choreography of his live show that explored the fusion between humans and technology. Some 16 dancers performed onstage at the Sorbonne’s Grand Amphitheater, the most famed university in France and one of Europe's greatest cultural and scientific institutions.
Balenciaga’s Demna Gvasalia invited “unexpected” guests to the runway. Among models and celebrities, Demna invited close people, like his mother, who opened the show, his personal trainer, one of his former professors, as well as the journalist Diane Pernet, The Cut’s fashion critic Cathy Horyn, and Balenciaga’s head of PR, Robin Meason.
Stefano Gallici made his debut as creative director at Ann Demeulemeester, succeeding Ludovic de Saint Sernin whose journey at the label abruptly stopped in May of this year after roughly six months at the Belgian house. Gallici didn’t disclose the information about both the collection and the direction he would like the brand to take, only sharing a note on Instagram: “The freedom to be as one wants, boundlessly. This is what Ann Demeulemeester stands for today. Definitions are a killer”.
If you want to share your favorite show of the season, we would be happy to hear from you in the comments!
What else happened in the industry this week?
Naomi Campbell will be at the center of an exhibition
London’s Victoria & Albert Museum has announced an upcoming exhibition dedicated to Naomi Campbell. Named “NAOMI”, it will explore the supermodel’s career to date, and feature pieces from her personal wardrobe as well as 100 looks worn by her in various fashion shows. It will also celebrate Naomi’s creative collaborations, philanthropic activism, and far-reaching cultural impact. Elle noted that it’s the first time the museum has honored a model with a career retrospective, so it promises to be a one-of-a-kind exhibition, which will be open from June 22, 2024, to April 6, 2025.
ELLE UK launched a membership program
The British edition of the iconic magazine launched this Thursday its first reader membership program called “Elle Collective”. According to BoF, members will have access to exclusive content via a members-only site and app, special events, and discounts or early access to products and experiences like exhibitions on top of their standard print subscription - all for a fee of £149 ($181) a year. This initiative is part of the goal to create a new revenue stream for ELLE and other brands owned by Hearst UK. In addition, Elle UK’s editor-in-chief, Kenya Hunt, said “The idea is to give readers a taste of what it’s like to be an Elle editor”.
Norma Kamali launched a podcast
The 78-year-old American designer Norma Kamali launched on Tuesday her podcast called “Invincible Threads”. Its main topics will be fashion, music, and AI (Kamali completed a generative AI course at MIT earlier this year). You can already listen to the first episodes of the podcast, available on Norma Kamali’s website, as well as on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Phoebe Philo’s launch date announced
After Phoebe Philo’s announcement in July 2021 that she would be returning to fashion after a four-year break with her namesake label, the long-awaited designer’s first signature collection will go on sale on October 30 on phoebephilo.com. The new collection is expected to span ready-to-wear, leather goods, jewelry, eyewear, and footwear.
Prada will design spacesuits for NASA
The Italian luxury brand has teamed up with commercial space company Axiom Space, the architect of the world’s first commercial space station, to design the spacesuits for NASA’s Artemis III mission to the moon in 2025. According to Vogue Business, Prada’s engineers will work with the Axiom Space Systems team throughout the design process, including developing materials and design features that are fit for a mission space and in the lunar environment.
Besides the fact that luxury fashion will take over the moon, what makes this partnership even more iconic is that this will be the first crewed lunar landing since Apollo 17 in December 1972, and also the first time a woman has landed on the moon, with Christina Hammock Koch part of the crew.
Michael Kors to stage a fashion show in Dubai
For the first time in Michael Kors's history, the designer will stage a runway show outside of New York. The spring 2024 collection will be shown in Dubai on December 12 to about 250 guests including top clients, international press, celebrities, and influencers. It will feature looks from the spring 2024 Michael Kors Collection, which was shown in September in New York, as well as additional looks designed exclusively for the Europe, Middle East, and Africa region.
Michael Kors introduced a new print
The brand’s new statement print, called “the Empire Signature Logo”, will grace a range of Michael Michael Kors women’s and men’s ready-to-wear, footwear, and accessories. It is aimed to capture timeless glamour and modern ease.
Dior is launching a new sneaker
The new B57 sneakers are set to pre-launch online on October 10 before they hit stores on October 19. The latest design is a reinterpretation of Dior’s B27 style, introduced in 2020, and incorporates the CD initials it introduced with the sportier B30 design a year later. B57 will come in two-tone leather (gray, black, red, beige, or cream) or in Dior’s Oblique jacquard fabric. According to WWD, the brand hopes this new shoe, designed to be worn with any look, casual or smart, will become a new icon.
Puma x Swarowski
To celebrate Puma’s 75th anniversary, the German sportswear brand partnered with Swarovski on a capsule collection, dropping on Monday. Swarovski green crystals will grace two signature Puma icons - the suede sneakers and a hoodie. They were designed through Swarovski’s Creative Labs division - a platform launched in 2021 that is dedicated to creating cutting-edge designs and collectible items in partnership with international brands.
Stefano Pilati x Fendi
A few weeks ago, Stefano Pilato and Fendi’s Kim Jones teased an upcoming collaboration, and the official release date is set for October 26. Pilati’s “Friends of Fendi” collection will span menswear and womenswear, and the designer shared with WWD that it will honor the brand’s five founding sisters and the next generations of women who have been part of the house.
H&M x Paco Rabanne
H&M staged a surprise event during Paris Fashion Week to announce its upcoming collaboration with French fashion house Rabanne, which will launch on November 9. The collection will feature ready-to-wear, including Rabanne’s iconic metallic Space Age dresses, as well as accessories for women and men, and a homewares line, Dossena’s latest venture.
Kenzo x Levi’s
KENZO’s creative director Nigo and LEVI'S created a capsule collection of around 20 garments and accessories crafted mainly in Kaihara premium Japanese denim, fusing the cultural heritages of the Parisian-Japanese fashion house and the American apparel company. The collection is already available in the brands’ physical and online stores.
Fashion Career Tip of the Week
Are you preparing for a fashion job interview and wondering about common questions the recruiter may ask you?
If you are at the beginning of your career or you are in the middle of a career transition from another industry, the recruiter will certainly ask you why you want to work in fashion. So it’s important to answer it correctly to set the right tone for your conversation and create a positive impression from the beginning.
In our recent article, we share 5 examples of how to answer one of the most apprehended questions “Why do you want to work in fashion?” - one of the most apprehended job interview questions at a fashion company.
You will learn:
Why you shouldn’t say “I love fashion”
How to say instead why you like fashion in a professional way
What recruiters secretly expect you to say
Bonus tip: How to show your passion for the fashion industry
Read the article here.
Nice things 💖
Kendall Jenner and Bad Bunny couldn’t be happier fronting the new Gucci Valigeria campaign.
We have a thing for fashion show finales, and Mugler’s one really stood out.
What to read this week 📚
How much do you know about the history of Alexander McQueen?
While we are waiting to discover Sean McGirr’s debut collection for AMQ, now is a good time to take a look back at AMQ’s history and evolution under the founder “Lee” Alexander McQueen and his successor Sarah Burton. We share about it in our latest article on Glam Observer.
You will learn about Alexander “Lee” McQueen’s beginnings in fashion, famous Alexander McQueen designs, iconic AMQ fashion shows, and more interesting facts.
Read the article here.
Fashion Profiles to follow this week
Kenya Hunt, editor-in-chief of Elle UK.
Phoebe Philo, to stay tuned for the big launch.
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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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Very much looking forward to Naomi’s exhibition next year.