****

Fashion International Herald Tribune

Monday, September 29, 2008 15
Futurism
in a
d rowned
world
he stark black and white

T armor shielding the body,

the scales shifting like tec-
tonic plates and the ruffs of
righteousness at the neck — Ga reth
Pugh’s compelling show might
have been a metaphor for fashion
holding together as the world turns.
But this creative collection,
which opened the summer 2009
season in Paris, had quite a different
inspiration, according to the 27-
year-old British designer who is one
of fashion’s high hopes.
‘‘It is always Ophelia — black and
white, half in and half out of the wa-
ter,’’ he said, referring to Hamlet’s
drowned love in the Shakespearean
tragedy. So intertwined with futur-
ism and in contrast to the rigidity of
a single gauntlet or plastic triangles
poking from eyelids, was a watery
THE INTERNATIONAL HERALD TRIBUNE WILL HOLD ITS EIGHTH ANNUAL softness: a wrap gown wafting in or-
ganza or stiff square plates col-
LUXURY BUSINESS CONFERENCE AT THE IMPERIAL, NEW DELHI ON lapsed into a drowned world,
emerging as a hooded coat.
DECEMBER 3RD & 4TH. The significance of Pugh is not so
much the clothes themselves — a l-
SUZY MENKES, THE IHT’S RENOWNED FASHION EDITOR, WILL GIVE THE though narrow pants and slender
OPENING ADDRESS AT SUSTAINABLE LUXURY - KEEPING UP GROWTH dresses represent a wearable futur-
ism — but the meticulous detail.
WITH RESPECT FOR THE GLOBAL UNIVERSE AND WILL BE JOINED BY Not since the 1980s era of Claude
Montana and Thierry Mugler has a
AN ILLUSTRIOUS LINE-UP OF LEADERS AND KEY DECISION-MAKERS designer created such power-wom-
an silhouettes with such intricate
FROM THE WORLD OF FASHION AND LUXURY. workmanship, from the sculpted
‘‘wet’’ hair through skeletal ‘‘frills’’
to two-tone black and white/posi-
CONFIRMED SPEAKERS INCLUDE: tive and negative at back and front.
The show might refer to the
H.E. KAMAL NATH, MINISTER OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY, INDIA* former fashion era, when Pugh,
born in 1981, was only a child, but
FRANÇOIS-HENRI PINAULT, CHAIRMAN & CEO, PPR the designer sees that time through
a cyberworld prism with its hyper-
modernity of body scanning and
ALAIN DOMINIQUE PERRIN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, COMPAGNIE FINANCIÈRE android persona.
RICHEMONT S.A. Having won the French Andam
fashion award for talent, and with
CHRISTIAN BLANCKAERT, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, HERMÈS INTERNATIONAL the support of the designer Rick
Owens, Pugh is zooming toward his
ANIL CHOPRA, ADVISOR - BEAUTY & FASHION, HINDUSTAN UNILEVER LTD. own fashion future. — Suzy Menkes GARETH PUGH
Photographs by Chris Moore/Karl Prouse
JOHN HOOKS, DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR & GROUP COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR
GIORGIO ARMANI S.P.A.
MOHAN MURJANI, CHAIRMAN, MURJANI GROUP
HANS-KRISTIAN HOEJSGAARD, PRESIDENT & CEO, TIMEX GROUP
STELLA McCARTNEY, DESIGNER
Web site offers ‘all access’
ELIZABETH HURLEY, ELIZABETH HURLEY BEACH
ROBERTO CAVALLI, DESIGNER
to McQueen show
ANNA ZEGNA, IMAGE DIRECTOR & PRESIDENT, ZEGNA FOUNDATION
TOMAS MAIER, CREATIVE DIRECTOR, BOTTEGA VENETA
MANISH ARORA, DESIGNER
NICOLAS GHESQUIÈRE, DESIGNER, BALENCIAGA
DRIES VAN NOTEN, DESIGNER
VIKTOR & ROLF, DESIGNERS
LAPO ELKANN, PRESIDENT, ITALIA INDEPENDENT AND INDEPENDENT IDEAS
PIERRE RAINERO, IMAGE, STRATEGY & HERITAGE DIRECTOR
CARTIER INTERNATIONAL
PATRICK CHALHOUB, CO-CEO, CHALHOUB GROUP
JEM BENDELL, DIRECTOR, LIFEWORTH
PETER SIMON, CHAIRMAN, MONSOON ACCESSORIZE PLC.
Courtesy of Net-a-porter
VINAY DIXIT, SENIOR DIRECTOR, ASIA CONSUMER CENTERS, McKINSEY & COMPANY The Web page introduction, above, to Net-a-
porter’s Sept. 29 online show by Alexander
AMIN JAFFER, INTERNATIONAL DIRECTOR OF ASIAN ART, CHRISTIE’S McQueen and two items in the capsule collection:
a two-piece suit and open-toed stilettos.
SERGIO LORO PIANA, CO-CEO, LORO PIANA GROUP
By Jessica Michault sons. The growing importance of
TOPICS INCLUDE: cruise or pre-collections has had
PARIS more and more designers present-
n Monday, while fashion ing mini fashion shows, both online
GREEN IS GOOD
DOING BUSINESS IN INDIA
LUXURY WITHOUT LOGOS
O journalists, buyers and
glossy magazine editors
are focused on getting to
the next Paris fashion show on time,
a style revolution will be under way
and off.
The speed with which chain stores
like H&M and Zara are able to repro-
duce cheaper interpretations of key
runway looks has made the tradition-
on the Internet, an event that could al lag between a show and the collec-
MADE FOR MAHARAJAS: INDIAN PRINCES change the way all of those front-row tion’s arrival in stores feel outdated
AND WESTERN LUXURY BRANDS names do business in the future. and obsolete. And the trend toward
The online luxury retailer Net-a- seasonless dressing — which can
BUILDING AN INDIAN DESIGNER BRAND porter is teaming with the designer find a shopper looking for light-
Alexander McQueen for a one-of-a- weight clothing even in the middle of
SUSTAINING CREATIVITY FROM PAST kind catwalk show that will give the winter — supports a fundamental
TO FUTURE Web site’s two million customers shift away from a rigid segmentation
their own front row seat at a Mc- of the fashion calendar.
JUST SAY NO! – TO FAST FASHION Queen collection. ‘‘Pre-Internet, maybe it took six
Eight looks from the designer’s months for a fashion message to get
BOLLYWOOD V. HOLLYWOOD pre-spring 2009 collection will be shown online and, once across to a customer base,’’ says Massenet. ‘‘Fashion mes-
the mini runway event is over, viewers will be able to pur- sages are now being sent out overnight, simultaneously, to
EVOLVING INSPIRATION FROM INDIA chase items from the Web site and have them delivered
within 24 hours in most locations. The event will give cus-
every market in the world.’’
The democratization of fashion, with photos and videos
DEEPER LUXURY tomers a jump on the rest of the fashion pack, who won’t
have access to the McQueen designs until they reach Net-a-
of almost every runway show in the world available online,
has created an Internet ‘‘all access’’ pass to the once inti-
CRAFT AND CONSCIENCE IN INDIA por ter’s brick-and-mortar competitors two months later.
‘‘It’s a super trunk show for the 21st century,’’ says Nat-
mate world of fashion. But more importantly it has built a
powerful need among consumers for instant gratification
LUXURY CONSUMER INSIGHTS: INDIA alie Massenet, chairwoman and founder of Net-a-porter.
‘‘It’s very democratic, and it’s taking fashion directly to the
and a frustration at finding the same outfits on offer,
whether in stores or on the Internet, day after day.
AND CHINA consumer.’’ To match those desires, Net-a-porter this month began
The clothing, some of which was shown during the de- uploading new items twice a week, on Mondays and
signer’s menswear presentation in June, are distinctively Wednesdays, instead of just once as had been done since
SPACES ARE STRICTLY LIMITED McQueen creations. In fact, the Net-a-porter video was the company opened in 2000. Massenet and her staff see
TO REGISTER CONTACT: bhagerty @ iht.com filmed directly after that sweltering menswear show in the McQueen partnership as another step in that effort.
Italy. Well-received by critics at the time, the pieces have a ‘‘It’s a win-win-win situation,’’ says Massenet. ‘‘It’s a
strong silhouette that contours the body to create some great showcase for the designer; it’s exciting for the con-
striking new power suits. sumer because it goes direct to her. And if we can give
In addition to the multi-angle video presentation, there them the access to the something new and fresh that every-
SPONSORED BY
also will be a behind-the-scenes video of the designer fit- one is talking about — obviously, we win as we get amazing
ting the models, tips on recreating the hair and makeup, sell through and traffic.’’
and a look-by-look breakdown of how the clothes are made This is not the first time that Net-a-porter has pushed
and fitted. There will also be comprehensive descriptions the envelope of luxury sales. In February, it offered two
of some of the finer details of the clothing, which some- outfits from the relaunched Halston line, with delivery the
times even those sitting in the front row during a live show day after the show. But, Massenet says, ‘‘that time, the show
have a hard time picking up. was for the press, and our customers just looked on.’’
*SUBJECT TO FINAL CONFIRMATION This new approach to retailing and runways has been With this collaboration, Net-a-porter.com has found a
bubbling under the smooth fashion veneer for a few sea- way take its clientele far beyond a fashion show’s front row.