After the buzz around the Met's 'Schiaparelli and Prada: Impossible Conversations' exhibition died down, so did the initial excitment about the brand's revival not helped, of course, by the big appointments at Dior and Saint Laurent, but this week the brand was back in the headlines.
During the Paris shows former Chanel muse Inès de La Fressange let slip that the announcement of the new creative director is imminent but at the time, she kept quiet about how she was privy to that information but now we know why. Today WWD confirmed that she's been brought on board to help with the relaunch. What that means exactly is still unclear but what the brand's spokesperson has revealed is that the role will involve consulting, something she already does for brands like Roger Vivier. In doing so, she joins by French model and actress Farida Khelfa who was recently hired as its spokeswoman.
Ever since it was announced that Schiaparelli will make a comeback, the rumour mill has been full of speculation about who will take the big creative director's job. The majority of people, like me, were desperate to see John Galliano join the brand as a part of a big comeback but Stefano Tonchi quashed the reports at the Met Gala last week. Jenna Lyons has a different idea.
This week the J. Crew president told the New York Post that she thinks Iris Apfel would be ideal for the role. 'She's so full of life, and she's got an incredible attitude,' she said. 'I don't think she'd want to, but I think she would be amazing.'
Last month rumours began to circulate that John Galliano will serve as the artistic director at Schiaparelli. While the reports were denied by his rep, his appointment does seem to make sense. The brand officially announced their comeback on the eve of the Met Gala as we all expected, and there's no denying that the fashion industry is desperate to have Galliano back. Sadly though, Stefano Tonchi dashed our hopes yesterday on the red carpet of the event.
'There's a lot of designers that I think would do a great job,' he told The Cut. Very soon they will make the announcement, so I already know a little bit too much. But I thought that it could be fun to have John back doing it - as in, Galliano.' As Charlotte Clowes points out, 'thought' suggests that any hope of Galliano coming back are pointless. He added: 'But you know, that too much of a risky proposition probably. At least for America. But I think he's really talented.' According to Vanessa Friedman, the announcement will take place in September followed by the brand's first show next March during Paris Fashion Week.
Anticipation for this year's Met Gala was high and the event definitely didn't disappoint. While it's true, there were several disappointing looks from people like Coco Rocha and Jessica Chastain, the majority of the looks were really strong and it was really good to see people research and commit to this year's Schiaparelli theme.
The above is a round-up of my favourite looks. Regular readers will know that I was on the dubious side about Joseph Altuzarrateaming up with Lana Del Rey but I was pleasantly surprised by the results. Her dress, along with her new dark hair, looked beautiful and so did Carey Mulligan in her golden Prada creation. As an Olsen fan, I'm generally impressed by anything either twin turns up in and last night was no different. The black dress from The Row that Mary-Kate Olsen was classically simple but still powerful.
Earlier on this week everyone began to speculate whether John Galliano would make his comeback by taking the reigns at Schiaparelli. Although the company refuted the claims, all of the facts seemed to point to a possible partnership. Unfortunately though, it looks like we all got excited too quickly. Today British Vogue spoke to the designer's representative who confirmed that the reports are 'rumours and nothing more'.
What the rumours do show is that the industry desperately wants to see Galliano come back. It's no secret that Dior hasn't been the same without him and while his actions were deplorable, there is no denying his talent. It's hardly a surprise, then, that his name keeps popping up in come back rumours. Last year for example, his name was linked to a collaboration with Topshop.
We all have the tendency to miss big news it seems. Last year it took Fashionologie to point out that Sarah Jessica Parker had confirmed that she had departed from her role at Halston Heritage in her US Vogue cover story, despite the fact that we all had read it. The same is true for the latest John Galliano rumour.
In yesterday's announcement about Derek Lam's departure from Tod's, WWD also suggested that the controversial designer could be working on a comeback: 'Lam’s departure coincides with continued speculation that John Galliano was in talks with the Italian firm to either do a Tod’s capsule collection or revamp its Schiaparelli brand. However, Della Valle firmly dismissed the rumors.'
Despite the fact that Della Valle rejected the reports, it has got everyone talking. Ever since he purchased the Schiaparelli trademark in 2007, he's been quiet about what he plans to do and who he has in mind to come on board as creative director. Fashionista also point out that he told WWD back in 2009 that he plans to revive the company by at least 2011 and if the reports are true, it would coinside pretty nicely with the Prada/Schiaparelli exhibit in May.
So 2009 proved to be the year of Rodarte. The label's S/S10 collection won praise and an unprecedented number of fans, so much so that Target had to get the duo onboard to design a line for its GO International range (and, of course, this was an instant hit, too). With all the success and awards designers Kate and Laura Mulleavy have amassed since the brand's inception in 2005, it was only a matter of time before the pair would be worthy of an official profile, courtesy of the New Yorker.
The profile looks set to be a rare insight into how the Mulleavy sisters live and work. For instance, their father, who also happens to be their business advisor and the label's CFO, explains that only 1,000 pieces are produced each year and as such, the pieces yield minimal profit. "What profit we make goes back into research and development and making samples for the next season," he said.
Olivier Theyskens is kinda like those beach balls people toss around at outdoor summer concerts. They keep bouncing around from place to place, and you never know where they're going to end up until they hit you in the head.
After Theyskens' very public dismissal from Nina Ricci, the rumours started swirling. He was going to Halston. To Lanvin. To a zillion other design houses whose names did not rhyme with "Tina Peachy". But one of the most pervasive rumours had him pegged to revive Schiaparelli - until company bosses said they'll wait until 2011 to relaunch. Anticlimactic, isn't it, that Anna Wintour's golden boy is still on the job hunt?
Moving to Esteban Cortazar, who reportedly parted ways with Emanuel Ungaro after a dispute over whether Lindsay Lohan would be the face of the brand. (He thought not and was willing to go to court over the fallout.) Now, says Cortazar, he and company leaders are "trying to work things out".
All we need is a few more displaced designers, and we have a hit reality show in the making. Karl Lagerfeld will be in charge of kicking off contestants each week.
