Menswear Fashion Designer Brett Johnson returns as a guest to the Before Tacky Fashion podcast. The head of the Milan based brand will talk about his latest collection and the state of men’s style.
“Luxury bags make your life more pleasant, make you dream, give you confidence, and show your neighbors you’re doing well.” Karl Lagerfeld
Luxury fashion brands decided going up is better than going down. Prices have increased on aspirational pieces. Chanel bags are now twenty percent more. The controversial Speedy Bag from Louis Vuitton menswear head Pharrell now goes for $1 million. Is this too much? Have the labels lost touched with aspirational clients? Recently there have been many articles and social media posts on an industry that is feeling more and more out of touch.
Instagram gave the world an entitled make believe reality of imaginary wealth, generating demand for high priced goods. In business, when there is increased desire, rise the prices, the Chanel Hobo Bag is now 6350 euros. However, consumers are now balking at forking over more a prized item. The biggest luxury corporations LVMH, Kering and Richemont have been caught off guard, reporting lower sales figures. As the economy slows, inflation bites, buyers have put off buying the latest expensive offerings. Is this only a trend or a new normal of shoppers thinking twice about trading upward? Dreaming keeps the spirits high, but during these times, customers feel money in bank is more secure.
The fashion world’s Internet has been buzzing with the return of Phoebe Philo to the design realm with her eponymous brand. The British born designer, former head of Celine comes at the best time as buyers shift to quiet luxury. My first reaction, “yes!” Phoebe has made sexy chic with a big dose of class. The pieces are not cheap but never the less sell out fast.
Luxury fashion buyers are forsaking flash for quiet luxury. I call this trend “the wink cause we know the cost of a piece.” Brunello Cucinelli continues to reap the benefits of the consumer shift to luxurious quality. According to business site Bloomberg, the Corciano, Italy based fashion house upgraded its sales forecasts after outpacing Gucci and other pricey labels.
Cucinelli has been about rich fabrics over classic design reinvention, a traditional approach relying more on style endurance than fashion for the moment. The brand appeals to wearers who are there, not trying to fake it.
From New York to London to Milan and now Paris, there is a trend. After reviewing fashion weeks looks and pieces for Spring 24, there is definitely a change happening. Wearable styles without selfie friendly monograms are charging down the runways.
Balenciaga. Balenciaga. Cristobal’s influential namesake brand was once a trailblazer of inspiring silhouettes and shapes. Today, not so sure what to make of the Paris label.
The Shoulder Glove Bag is another gimmick to stand out. Ugly is my word for leather that more like a costume from a Talking Heads video.
Demma Gvasalia continues to head the social media favorite luxury design house at a time when his contemporaries colleagues at Gucci and Moschino have exited. Wondering here, is gimmicky fashion in fashion? $4,250 for an over the awkward top accessory seems a bit out of place. Is it just me!
Another Fashion Earthquake shook the industry this week. Jeremy Scott, creative director of Moschino, departed from the Milan house. After a decade of creating merry whimsical designs mixed pop culture references, the Kansas City born announced his resignation. Four months after the Alessandro Michele’s shocking exit from Gucci. Jeremy was always good for the colorful, Katie Perry’s 2019 Met Gala look took a funny bite of the Red Carpet.
Famed for being tongue in cheek, Moschino, founded in 1983 by Franco Moschino, brought fun intertwined with sex appeal to ready to wear.
With sudden high profile resignations, the righting is on the wall, fashion seems to be shifting away from flamboyant. The question, Fashion:What is Going On? Who is next?
Milan Fashion Week Men starts on January 13th 2023. What is going to be the latest trend from the Italian city? A bit curious, I have not been to a mens week event since 2019. I am not just writing this cause of all the masculine models or encountering the sometimes “GROUCHY” press agents. Mens fashion weeks tend to be more intimate than the female counterparts.
Part 2 of the Before Tacky Podcast talks about Fast Fashion and buyers behaviours. What do consumers want? Is “buying better” a trend or only a social media slogan? The panel goes in depth on the subject.
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The Before Tacky podcast discusses the virtual Milan Fashion Week for Fall 21. What did we think? What are the upcoming trends? Who designed the sexiest looks? Click Below for Part 1.