Ami Updates Bourgeois Styles for Fall Runway Show at Paris Fashion Week 

French model Laetitia Casta presents a creation from the Fall/Winter 2024/2025 Collection by French designer Alexandre Mattiussi for Ami during the Paris Fashion Week, in Paris, France, 18 January 2024. (EPA)
French model Laetitia Casta presents a creation from the Fall/Winter 2024/2025 Collection by French designer Alexandre Mattiussi for Ami during the Paris Fashion Week, in Paris, France, 18 January 2024. (EPA)
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Ami Updates Bourgeois Styles for Fall Runway Show at Paris Fashion Week 

French model Laetitia Casta presents a creation from the Fall/Winter 2024/2025 Collection by French designer Alexandre Mattiussi for Ami during the Paris Fashion Week, in Paris, France, 18 January 2024. (EPA)
French model Laetitia Casta presents a creation from the Fall/Winter 2024/2025 Collection by French designer Alexandre Mattiussi for Ami during the Paris Fashion Week, in Paris, France, 18 January 2024. (EPA)

Ami designer Alexandre Mattiussi added a contemporary flair to classic bourgeois styles for his fall/winter collection, presented on the catwalk at Paris Fashion Week late on Thursday.

Men and women models marched out of giant double doors -- the set was a towering building facade -- parading long tailored coats, fitted suit jackets and glittering tops.

The idea was to evoke life in a Paris apartment building, Mattiussi explained after the show, when he was swarmed by guests.

“There was the idea of doing something very sophisticated, very evening-like,” he said.

Dressier looks included a trim, fake-fur top with three-quarter-length sleeves, a shimmering gold dress with plunging V-neck, and for men, a sheer grey tank top paired with high-waisted trousers.

Models included actors Diane Kruger, Laetitia Casta, Lou Doillon, Andres Velencoso and Audrey Marnay -- prompting murmurings of surprise from the audience as they walked by.

A winner of the French fashion prize Andam, Mattiussi founded the fast-growing label Ami in Paris in 2011. Within four years, the brand opened a store in Tokyo, followed by Beijing in 2018 and New York in 2021.

Paris Fashion Week's fall/winter menswear shows run through Jan. 21, and include presentations from some of the industry's largest brands, including LVMH labels Dior and Louis Vuitton, as well as Hermes, Valentino and Balmain, along with dozens of smaller labels including Sean Suen and LGN Louis Gabriel Nouchi.



Shein to Open Pop-up Store in South Africa to Woo More Shoppers

A view of a Shein pop-up store at a mall in Singapore April 4, 2024. (Reuters)
A view of a Shein pop-up store at a mall in Singapore April 4, 2024. (Reuters)
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Shein to Open Pop-up Store in South Africa to Woo More Shoppers

A view of a Shein pop-up store at a mall in Singapore April 4, 2024. (Reuters)
A view of a Shein pop-up store at a mall in Singapore April 4, 2024. (Reuters)

Fast-fashion giant Shein, known for its $5 tops and $10 dresses, will open a pop-up store in Johannesburg, South Africa in August as the online retailer aims to expand its brand recognition in the country.

Shein, founded in China, and its rival Temu have aggressively expanded worldwide as online shopping has surged after the COVID pandemic. They have been accused of exploiting tax loopholes by exporting China-made products in small quantities to avoid higher duties.

Shein will open its pop-up store from Aug. 2-11 as an "exhibition space" for customers to try on trendy fashion and lifestyle products and order them online at a discount, the company said in its South African Instagram post on Tuesday.

Local influencers were tapped for a pre-opening marketing campaign.

Brick-and-mortar and online fashion retailers have urged South African regulators to impose a 45% import duty on all clothing item imports, no matter the price, to level the playing field. Shein, which is planning to go public in Britain, taps a network of largely China-based suppliers which take small initial orders and scale up based on demand.

A Shein spokesperson told Reuters the retailer is engaging with South African regulators to ensure its continued compliance with local laws.

"That said, such tax measures are not critical to the success of our business or the competitive prices we offer our consumers. We keep our prices affordable through our technology-based on-demand business model and flexible supply chain," the spokesperson added.