TWO FOR THE ROAD: Dior will unveil its men’s pre-fall collection in Hong Kong next 12 months, signaling parent company LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton’s confidence in the expansion outlook for the historic luxury hub. 

After his spectacular show in front of the pyramids of Giza in December, globe-trotting designer Kim Jones will bring the traveling collection to Hong Kong in the primary half of 2024, Dior said in an announcement shared exclusively with WWD. It didn’t provide further details of the show date or location.

“After Tokyo, Miami, London, Los Angeles and Cairo, this destination once more celebrates the artistic director’s passion for travel and world cultures — so dear to Monsieur Dior,” the home said.

The son of a hydrogeologist, Jones spent his childhood years on the African continent and continues to travel the globe to assemble inspiration and see rare and exotic animals of their natural habitat. Founder Christian Dior was also known for his international outlook, establishing global subsidiaries shortly after launching his house in 1947. 

The event will mark Dior’s return to Hong Kong after a women’s high fashion show in 2014 and a men’s display in 2016. Present in Hong Kong since 1980, the French fashion house has 11 boutiques there, of which six carry its menswear line.

Dior’s announcement comes just days before Louis Vuitton, one other marquee label under the LVMH banner, stages its first pre-fall men’s show in Hong Kong. 

Pharrell Williams, creative director of menswear at Vuitton, is ready to unveil his collection on Thursday in a harborside venue belonging to K11 Musea, the luxurious lifestyle complex founded by entrepreneur Adrian Cheng’s Latest World Development. 

Speaking after LVMH reported a slowdown in growth within the third quarter, Rodolphe Ozun, the group’s director of monetary communications, said Hong Kong and Macau bucked the trend with “a really strong increase in store traffic and sales.” 

Hong Kong is emerging from a difficult period, with antigovernment protests in 2019 followed by protracted border closures throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, strangling tourism flows. Consequently, many luxury brands closed stores within the special administrative region in favor of opening latest outlets in mainland China.

Hong Kong’s retail sales in the primary nine months of 2023 rose 18.6 percent compared with the identical period last 12 months, in accordance with the most recent figures released by the Census and Statistics Department. It quoted a government spokesman as saying that the retail sector should proceed to profit from the continuing recovery of inbound tourism. — JOELLE DIDERICH

ADDY’S AWARD: Campbell Addy, the photographer, director and publisher, will receive the Isabella Blow Award for Fashion Creator at The Fashion Awards, which happen Dec. 4 at Royal Albert Hall in London.

Born and raised in South London, and a graduate of Central Saint Martins, Addy has worked for publications including Dazed, i-D, Rolling Stone and The Wall Street Journal. He has photographed figures including Beyoncé, Edward Enninful, FKA Twigs, Naomi Campbell and Tyler, the Creator.

He was named one among the Latest Wave: Creative talents at The Fashion Awards in 2018 and 2019, and his work has been exhibited in galleries worldwide.

In 2016, Addy launched two platforms, Nii Journal, an arts and culture publication, and Nii Agency, a modelling and casting agency. Addy has said that each aim to showcase “underrepresented faces.”

Most recently, Addy worked with 180 Studios to create his first solo exhibition, “I (Heart) Campbell,” which featured 36 original pieces, including images, paintings and a brief film shot in Ghana.

Caroline Rush, chief executive officer of the British Fashion Council, described Addy as “a world-leading visionary who wholeheartedly dedicates himself to championing and spotlighting those from underrepresented and marginalized backgrounds. Through his progressive and fearless work, Addy has reshaped the perceptions of beauty and magnificence within the industry and brought diversity and inclusion to the forefront.”

Addy said he believes “it’s imperative that our industry is perpetually changing and perpetually moving, and awarding someone like me is an emblem of a vivid future for the style industry. I wouldn’t be here without my wonderful community and various incredible collaborators. I’ve strived to create work that enables people to be seen, and that celebrates the true great thing about diversity. I hope to have the option to proceed to alter minds and create latest worlds.”

The Isabella Blow Award for Fashion Creator is supposed to acknowledge innovators and creatives in fashion who’ve helped to alter the style landscape. Previous winners include Ib Kamara, Katie Grand, Amanda Harlech, Mert & Marcus, Nick Knight, Pat McGrath, Louise Wilson and Sam McKnight. 

Meanwhile, Pamela Anderson will present the inaugural Pandora Leader of Change Award on the Fashion Awards.

The British Fashion Council and Pandora said the brand new award is supposed to rejoice an individual “who leads with innovation to create positive change globally. They consistently challenge the establishment. Their work is empowering, progressive and forward-thinking.”

Each corporations said that in alignment with those principles, the award shall be presented by Anderson, a world ambassador for the Danish jewelry brand.

Anderson said she was proud to be handing out the award.

“Being a pioneer and being yourself is difficult to do in a world like today, which is always telling you to be something else. It’s difficult to decide on the trail nobody has walked before, and speak the words that aren’t those everybody else says. In times where trends take the complete globe throughout the blink of an eye fixed, we desperately need these unique thinkers who dare to step out of the sameness we see across so many platforms today,” she said.

Anderson, who has evolved from actress to social and animal rights activist through the years, can be the face of Pandora Lab Grown Diamonds, a variety offering diamonds which can be grown, cut and polished with one hundred pc renewable energy and set in recycled silver or gold. — SAMANTHA CONTI AND THOMAS WALLER

KNOLL REIMAGINED: Knoll is partnering with emerging artist Noel Mercado to reinvent three of its classic chairs. Mercado focuses on using repurposed materials to reinterpret classic forms and got here to the eye of Knoll’s creative team last 12 months when he reupholstered a vintage bentwood Knoll chair frame with the Kool Cigarette logo in vegan leather.

This time, Mercado has reimagined the Cesca, Spoleto and Wassily chairs with salvaged objects one might find at a automobile junkyard. For the Cesca chair, he used a whole bunch of Little Trees air fresheners, those brightly coloured pine tree aromatics which have grow to be a popular culture icons. Mercado says he at all times had one hanging from his automobile’s rearview mirror when he began driving while in highschool in Chicago.

“I just like the sculptural quality and the colourful colours,” he says.

Mercado reinvented the Spoleto chair with old automobile speakers and swaddled the Wassily chair in salvaged automobile seat belts, so it holds “you up moderately than holding you in.”

The Knoll pieces are consistent with Mercado’s upcycled ethos and reverence for twentieth and twenty first century icons. Earlier this 12 months, he collaborated with Swiss modular furniture maker USM on a set of bespoke pieces, including handmade vests and hats in signature USM color-blocked configurations and a credenza with a built-in clothing hanger.

For the Knoll collaboration, Mercado had complete creative freedom.

“The connection between art and design is crucial to the whole lot we do at Knoll,” Suzanne Michaels, Knoll’s senior director of worldwide brand creative, said in an announcement. “Noel’s work — which is positioned right on the intersection of those disciplines — challenges viewers to rethink on a regular basis objects.”

The three artworks shall be available for purchase on Mercado’s website (noel-mercado.com) starting Tuesday. — MARISA GUTHRIE

ONE TREE, MANY TRUNKS: Claridge’s has unveiled its Christmas tree, a sculpture created from Louis Vuitton wardrobe trunks that stands 17 feet tall within the hotel’s lobby.

The tree consists of 15 chrome, repurposed trunks of various heights which were stacked to create the silhouette of a standard Christmas tree, and styled to reflect the hotel’s Art Deco architecture. 

The sculpture has been set inside two huge trunks stacked on top of one another. Every one is adorned with vintage Claridge’s travel stickers and an oversize Louis Vuitton luggage tag.

At the highest of the tree is a model of Asnières, the Louis Vuitton family home and atelier in a northern suburb of Paris. Scattered across the silvery trunks and amid the snowy landscape of the tree there are 21 figurines, including one among Father Christmas.

Claridge’s general manager Paul Jackson said “Christmas is probably the most magical time for us here on the hotel, and we look ahead to welcoming guests and seeing visitors immerse themselves in Louis Vuitton’s world.”

The hotel and the brand have much in common. Each were founded in 1854, and had strong ties to Empress Eugénie, wife of Napoleon III. Monsieur Louis Vuitton was the non-public “layetier” to the Empress, the person liable for creating her arsenal of baggage, and packing the luggage.

The French royal made Claridge’s her winter residence, and she or he received so many visits from Queen Victoria that the hotel got here to be referred to as the “annex” to Buckingham Palace.

That is the thirteenth 12 months that Claridge’s has invited a top fashion house or designer to reinterpret the tree in its own distinctive style. 

Last 12 months, Jimmy Choo’s creative director Sandra Choi designed the festive tree, which she called The Diamond, a nod to the brand’s twinkling accessories.

In 2021, the hotel invited Dior’s Kim Jones to design the tree, and he paid tribute to craftsmanship and couture. — SAMANTHA CONTI

THE KING AND BLACKPINK: Lisa, Rose, Jisoo Kim and Jennie Kim from the K-pop band Blackpink now hold honorary MBEs from King Charles III.

The Member of the Order of the British Empire honor, or MBE, was awarded to the South Korean band at Buckingham Palace on Nov 22.

“I can only admire how they will prioritize these vital issues, in addition to being global superstars,” said the king, referring to their environmental efforts.

Blackpink are ambassadors for the COP climate change summit.

To gather her award, Lisa wore a dress and cape by Thai brand Asava; Rose wore a gray Saint Laurent suit; Jennie wore a tweed number from Chanel and Jisoo wore a black Dior Bar jacket with a shin-length skirt and high heels, in addition to a Cartier Crash watch in 18-karat yellow gold.

The king hosted the president and first lady of South Korea in London as a part of a state visit.

On Nov. 21, Blackpink was amongst guests on the state banquet held on the palace attended by the Prince and Princess of Wales.

On the state dinner, the king referenced his 1992 trip to South Korea with the late Princess Diana.

“Sadly, after I was in Seoul all those years ago, I’m undecided I developed much of what could be called the Gangnam style!” he said. 

The aim of the state visit was to strengthen trade links and military partnerships between the U.K. and South Korea with President Yoon Suk Yeol meeting with British prime minister Rishi Sunak and newly appointed foreign secretary Lord Cameron. — HIKMAT MOHAMMED

OPENING DAY: Gucci is finally reopening its Milan boutique positioned on Via Montenapoleone 5. The flagship was first closed in July 2022 and has been going through an intensive renovation.

The Italian luxury brand will reopen the doors of the shop on Dec. 7. A celebratory evening event shall be held on Dec. 13. 

The storied Milan flagship was renovated in September 2015, becoming the primary one designed by former creative director Alessandro Michele and reflecting his vision. Michele exited in November last 12 months and was succeeded by Sabato De Sarno, who joined in January.

The primary Gucci Milan store was opened on Via Montenapoleone in 1951 by Rodolfo Gucci, one among the three sons of founder Guccio Gucci.

Milan’s Via Montenapoleone along with Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue have been ranked because the world’s costliest retail venues this 12 months, at $2,000 per square foot and $1,766 per square foot, respectively. — ANDREA ONATE

CREATIVE-BORN: The International Talent Support contest, also referred to as ITS, has named its 2023 finalists, because it gears up for an IRL award ceremony on March 22 in Trieste, Italy, the town off of fashion’s radar that has been home to the talent seek for 21 years.

ITS said Wednesday it chosen 16 emerging designers across fashion, accessories and jewellery amongst 750 applications from up-and-coming talents hailing from 65 countries. Applicants were tasked to submit collections and projects that embodied the “Born to Create” concept, similar to the inherent human ability to create.

The list of finalists includes Chelsea Jean Lamm and Marcel Sommer from Germany; Clementine Baldo, Shanon Poupard and Lilian Navarro from France; Ju Bao and Kexuan Liu from China; Mert Serbest from Turkey; Momoka Sato and Tomohiro Shibuki from Japan; Richard Farbey from the U.K.; Silvia Acien Parrilla from Spain; Tal Maslavi from Israel; Daniel Bosco from Canada; Eun Ji Oh from Belgium, and Ivan Delogu from Italy.

“We’re at a generational shift of images, of reference points. A latest generation of designers is taking hold, and young talents are…charting different trajectories,” said Barbara Franchin, president of the ITS Foundation, which manages the competition and is the mastermind behind it. “Straight away, fashion is experiencing a moment of great confusion and readjustment, with an ongoing redefinition of the role of the creative director,” she added.

The Franchin-led jury includes Moncler designer Sergio Zambon; stylist and fashion consultant Tom Eerebout; in addition to Matteo Ward, chief executive officer and cofounder of sustainability-minded brand and platform Wråd; Thierry-Maxime Loriot, curator, author and inventive director, and Carlo Giordanetti, CEO of the Swatch Art Peace Hotel, amongst others. More guest jurors shall be added for the award ceremony next 12 months.

Finalists will compete for a variety of prizes including the 15,000-euro ITS Arcademy Award bestowed on probably the most creative, socially aware and progressive fashion collection, along with the ITS Media, Community, Fashion Film and Digital Fashion Awards, coming with a money prize of three,000 euros each.

Partners and sponsors of the ITS competition — which include Vogue Eyewear, EssilorLuxottica, the Swatch Art Peace Hotel, Lotto Sport, Wråd, Fondazione Ferragamo, Pitti Immagine and Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana, amongst others — may also hand out their very own awards. A special award recognized by the Friuli Venezia Giulia region of 10,000 euros may also be offered on this edition, in celebration of Gorizia, a city within the region named the European Capital of Culture for 2025.

Along with competing for the awards, all finalists will receive the ITS Residency Award, a latest prize which supplies talents the chance to participate in a collective project on the ITS Arcademy, the organization’s sprawling headquarters, archives and multifunctional space, replete with a “Museum of Art in Fashion,” announced in 2020 and eventually unveiled last 12 months with a seminal exhibition by Olivier Saillard.

The ITS competition, which marked its twentieth anniversary last 12 months, has been a launchpad for marquee contemporary designers prior to now including Bottega Veneta’s Matthieu Blazy and Balenciaga’s Demna, in addition to London darling Richard Quinn and Iceberg’s James Long, amongst others. — MARTINO CARRERA

FASHION AND CARS: Matches is collaborating with Aston Martin, the British maker of luxury sports cars.

The net retailer said it would gain access to a latest luxury customer base, while Aston Martin clients will receive early access to collection drops, in addition to a personal shopper based at 5 Carlos Place, Matches’ London town house.

Meanwhile, Aston Martin plans to open its events and previews of recent Aston Martin models to Matches customers.

“Partnering with Aston Martin, the synergies are seamless, and we come together to encourage our audiences within the excellence of service, exclusivity and emotion,” said Carl Tallents, chief business officer at Matches.

Oliver Turner, regional president for the U.K. and South Africa, hopes that the collaboration will provide “added value to our customers, in addition to excite Matches’ strong luxury network.”

Matches chief executive officer Nick Beighton hinted on the collaboration to WWD earlier this month when the retailer announced results for the 12 months ending Jan. 31, 2023.

The corporate said in the present fiscal 12 months, it’s specializing in its growth across the U.K. and U.S. markets; driving technology and operational improvements, in addition to starting a discussion with its shareholders and lenders regarding a lending facility for the tip of August 2024.

The brand reported its results for the 12 months ending Jan. 31, 2023, with revenues declining 1.7 percent to 380.1 million kilos.

Adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization losses widened to 33.7 million kilos from 25 million kilos.

The retailer revealed that customer orders totaled 758.2 million kilos, in comparison with 677.1 million kilos the previous 12 months. — H.M.

PRINCESS FAVORITE: Rebecca Vallance makes dresses fit for princesses — literally. 

Zara Tindall, the daughter of Princess Anne, was amongst people who got here together on Nov. 14 to rejoice Vallance’s eponymous brand relaunch at Harrods after stepping back throughout the pandemic.

“Zara’s worn quite a little bit of Rebecca Vallance through the years, and she or he traveled in 90 minutes to return to the event. Then, she went to King Charles‘s birthday dinner that night in one among our dresses,” the designer said in an interview.

The relaunch spotlighted Vallance’s newly released holiday collection, which the designer said took inspiration from Italy’s “la bella vita” lifestyle.

The gathering, titled Maria Amalia, ranges from 345 kilos for a rhinestone-embellished cropped bustier to 1,210 kilos for a full-length silk crepe evening gown featuring diamante appliqué flourishes. 

“It was inspired by the Italian lifestyle. You possibly can see the motifs within the designs of the evening gowns and the whole lot is sort of grand and additional,” she said.

The brand is launching its seventh boutique in Australia on Thursday with three more stores within the works to be opened in Latest York, Miami and London.

“We’re planning to double the scale of our store footprint across the subsequent two years, including exploring the international locations,” said Vallance.

The brand’s rapid growth may be attributed to its robust business.

“The brand is a world multichannel retailer, which has experienced exponential growth of 120 percent over the past two years, with 60 percent of sales coming from international markets; 55 percent of revenue comes from our [direct-to-consumer] businesses, which is split equally between retail stores and our online channel,” said the designer.

“We’re continuing to drive our growth through investment in our [direct-to-consumer] business. Retail stores are forecasted to grow at over 50 percent again this 12 months, a rate exceeding pre-COVID[-19] growth,” she added.

Launched in 2011, the brand has grown from festive occasion wear to incorporate the ready-to-wear, suiting, swim, resort, jewelry, bridal and kids’s categories.

Earlier this 12 months, the label partnered with Qantas airways to create a business class pajama and amenity kit on select flights. — VIOLET GOLDSTONE