DRIVING DESIGN: British designer Martine Rose is renewing her passion for the art of driving with a capsule collection with cult street brand Stüssy.

Launching Friday, the cross-pollination features T-shirts with Stüssy’s classic “Stand Firm” text and a hoodie with a graphic treatment, in addition to a fake leopard fur steering wheel cover; driving gloves; an air freshener; a co-branded automobile mat set; a fringed flag, and a collaged windscreen.

The capsule is accompanied by a series of images shot inside, or next to, a automobile, showcasing items from the gathering, in addition to depicting Rose’s signature laid-back urban cool that has won her quite a few fans, including Drake.

The designer’s love for cars will also be felt on the duvet of i-D’s fall 2022 issues, where Rose dressed Naomi Campbell and DJ Goldie in looks from her spring 2023 collection. Campbell sat in the driving force’s seat inside a red automobile, while winking to the camera.

The collaboration is the most recent one for Rose who previously has worked on a wide range of capsules and special projects for brands including Nike, Napapijri and Tommy Hilfiger.

For 3 years, she shuttled forwards and backwards to Paris, working with Demna on Balenciaga menswear. She is widely considered having been a serious influence on the brand’s oversize, distressed and vintage-flecked men’s silhouettes.

She made her international debut because the special guest designer at Pitti Uomo in January, bringing her uncool-is-cool flair to Florence, reinventing classics through a subtly sensual lens, on the time when rumors of her being considered to succeed Virgil Abloah at Louis Vuitton Men were circulating. While the highest job went to Pharrell Williams ultimately, in an earlier interview with WWD, Rose revealed that 2023 was going to be busier than ever, as she has designed a tailored clothing collection together with her long-term collaborator Nike that’s set to be released this summer. — TIANWEI ZHANG

NEW LINE: Franki by Francesca’s will introduce Franki Sport collection on Thursday, a tween athletic- and athleisure-focused line. It’s the brand’s first tween athletic collection designed to encourage young girls to feel comfortable and assured in themselves and their activewear.

Geared for sports akin to soccer, tennis or cheerleading or lounging at home, Franki Sport features sports bras, leggings, tracksuits, jackets, tennis skirts and run and bike shorts, for tweens ages 7 to 14. Prices range from $24 to $48.

Colourful styles, that are to be mixed and matched, were created with performance and moisture-wicking fabrics which might be lightweight, pill-resistant and sturdy.

“Franki Sport fills a void within the tween athleticwear space. Young girls should feel cool and assured and have the garments to match. The design is all about having options and delivering pieces that work for a spread of activities with long-lasting and sturdy fabrics for gym class, tennis practice, or hanging out with friends outside,” said Victoria Taylor, executive vp of merchandising at Francesca’s. “We wish all Franki girls to feel comfortable of their each day lives and Franki Sport extends our line of offerings for the tween age.”

Franki by Francesca’s is operated by Francesca’s Acquisition LLC, the Houston-based specialty retailer.

Franki worked with girls on this age group and brand ambassadors to gauge what the tween girl wanted in her wardrobe and located that this age group was very serious about reinvented sportswear that’s versatile for multiple activities. Franki has partnered with dancers, athletes, cheerleaders and others to assist create the road.

To further amplify the launch and reach goal audiences, Franki Sport is teaming with Varsity Spirit, a pacesetter in uniform innovation, educational camps, clinics and competitions. Varsity Spirit promotes the well-being of young athletes, most importantly at The Summit, Varsity’s biggest Championship event of the season, which brings together a few of the very best cheerleading teams in any respect levels of competition across the globe. At this yr’s Summit, Franki by Francesca’s will connect with the cheer community and have a branded booth. A sweepstakes with prizes from Franki by Francesca’s and Varsity Spirits will be entered through QR codes throughout the event. The Summit Event might be hosted at Walt Disney World from April 27 through 30. Franki Sport is out there in any respect Franki’s boutiques and on francescas.com/category/frankiforgirls.

Franki by Francesca’s is in around 100 of Francesca’s 460 locations within the U.S., and there are nine stand-alone Franki stores with two latest openings this spring.

SHOP & EAT: The appetite for brick-and-mortar shopping destinations hasn’t waned within the aftermath of the pandemic and luxury retailer Franz Kraler is betting big with a latest store opening in Bolzano, Italy, its hometown, which mixes retail and high-quality dining.

The corporate, which counts a network of seven stores in key ski resort destinations within the Dolomites, akin to Cortina d’Ampezzo and Dobbiaco, is relocating its Bolzano unit to an even bigger space on central Piazza Walter, contained in the Palais Campofranco, a 14th century estate that already serves as a shopping destination.

Covering 1,614 square feet, the space revamped by the Marastoni design studio is defined by a string of arches often framing big screens for video projections. The all-white classical space is peppered by contrasting beige carpeting running through the back of the shop.

Opening Thursday, the shop is poised to hold a choice of luxury brands, from Gucci and Valentino to Fendi and Christian Louboutin.

Furthering its commitment to experiential shopping, Franz Kraler has teamed with Meta, the high-quality dining destination founded by Gunther Stecher situated at the highest floor of Palais Campofranco. Next up is the opening of Meta Suite on the second floor of the palazzo, above the Franz Kraler store.

This is just not the primary such partnership. Kraler also owns a mountaintop ski-slope lodge in Cortina d’Ampezzo, near where ski lifts for the upcoming 2026 Winter Olympics and Paralympics might be installed, where it plans so as to add a Michelin-starred restaurant and refurbish the placement for lodging.

Last fall Valentino took over the placement, as reported, as a part of a string of activations several luxury brands were doing in the world. With 2021 sales of 53.8 million euros, Franz Kraler is amongst a roster of multibrand stores in Italy which might be redefining the wholesale business model. — MARTINO CARRERA

ELITE CHANGES: Elite World Group is expanding its board of directors with the appointment of  Michelle-Marie Heinemann Scaglia and has revealed latest corporate governance processes.

Chairman and owner Silvio Scaglia praised the brand new member’s “experience, her impeccable credentials, and her impressive record as an entrepreneur and a multitalented artist,” seeing them as “extremely invaluable additions” to the board.

Heinemann Scaglia is a Recent York-based socialite and entrepreneur, a painter and sculptress, and a classical pianist who has recorded two albums. She is the chief executive officer of luxury lifestyle brand Old Fashioned Mom LLC. She was awarded Goodwill Ambassador from the Swiss boarding school Le Rosey and was the Goodwill Ambassador to Utterly Global Youth Empowerment and trustee to the board. In 2005, she formed Blankets for Warmth, a nonprofit organization that distributed blankets to the less fortunate living on the streets in Manhattan. She and Silvio Scaglia were engaged last October.

While the role and functions of the model and talent agency’s CEO Paolo Barbieri won’t change, chairman and owner Silvio Scaglia assumes the lead and supervisory duties normally carried out by the nomination and compensation committee, by the strategy committee and by the communications committee on more complex company boards.

The chairman underscored “the superb job” done by Barbieri, “who has successfully led the extraordinary team of people that constitute EWG to latest highs in each market share and profitability.” Barbieri joined EWG in 2013. Vittoria Ceretti, Mariacarla Boscono, Kendall Jenner, Adut Akech, Isabeli Fontana, Pleun Keijsers and Loli Bahia are among the many models represented by the agencies of the group.

Scaglia has been within the media and gossip pages for the past yr on account of a really public divorce — that included court litigation — from his previous wife Julia Haart, reality star of “My Unorthodox Life” on Netflix, former La Perla creative director and ousted EWG CEO. — LUISA ZARGANI