Christian Siriano Nods to ‘Dune’ for Fall Line at New York Fashion Week

 Model Coco Rocha presents a creation at the Christian Siriano Fall/Winter 2024 collection show at New York Fashion Week, in New York City, US, February 8, 2024. (Reuters)
Model Coco Rocha presents a creation at the Christian Siriano Fall/Winter 2024 collection show at New York Fashion Week, in New York City, US, February 8, 2024. (Reuters)
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Christian Siriano Nods to ‘Dune’ for Fall Line at New York Fashion Week

 Model Coco Rocha presents a creation at the Christian Siriano Fall/Winter 2024 collection show at New York Fashion Week, in New York City, US, February 8, 2024. (Reuters)
Model Coco Rocha presents a creation at the Christian Siriano Fall/Winter 2024 collection show at New York Fashion Week, in New York City, US, February 8, 2024. (Reuters)

US designer Christian Siriano looked to the sweeping landscapes from science fiction epic "Dune" at his Fall/Winter fashion show, presenting a collection deeply rooted in the tones of the desert.

Models wore draped coats and jackets in earthy browns and reds, while frocks came in shiny metallics at the catwalk presentation on Thursday at The Plaza Hotel, held ahead of Friday's official start of New York Fashion Week: The Shows.

Dresses were often slit at the thigh while male models wore cropped jackets with wide-leg trousers. Iridescent materials and lamé provided a futuristic look.

"What would you wear if you were going to a cocktail party or a gala? I think they've got the futurism covered, but what would you wear if you wanted to be glamorous?" Siriano told Reuters backstage.

"That's what I want to give to that world if we had to live there."

"Dune", Frank Herbert's 1965 novel set in the future where noble families rule planetary fiefs, has been adapted for the screen several times, including David Lynch's 1984 version and Denis Villeneuve's 2021 movie, starring Timothee Chalamet and Zendaya. Its sequel is due for release this month.

Siriano said he wanted to offer a mix of silhouettes at his show, whose celebrity guests included actors Alicia Silverstone and J. Smith-Cameron.

"We start the show actually (with) a lot of really beautiful tailored pieces, great trousers, gorgeous cut jackets and then it kind of builds into a really beautiful, more romantic, glamorous evening world," Siriano said.

"I wanted people to see the range of dressing, and I think that that's really what my customer is looking for."

Nearly 50 brands including Carolina Herrera, Tommy Hilfiger and Brandon Maxwell will showcase their collections during New York Fashion Week, which runs until Feb. 14.



LVMH Shares Drop after Missing Second-quarter Estimates

A man walks past a shop of fashion house Dior in Paris, France, April 15, 2024. REUTERS/Manon Cruz/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
A man walks past a shop of fashion house Dior in Paris, France, April 15, 2024. REUTERS/Manon Cruz/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
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LVMH Shares Drop after Missing Second-quarter Estimates

A man walks past a shop of fashion house Dior in Paris, France, April 15, 2024. REUTERS/Manon Cruz/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
A man walks past a shop of fashion house Dior in Paris, France, April 15, 2024. REUTERS/Manon Cruz/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights

Shares in LVMH (LVMH.PA) fell as much as 6.5% in early Wednesday trade and were on track for their biggest one-day drop since October 2023 after second-quarter sales growth at the French luxury goods giant missed analysts' consensus estimate.

The world's biggest luxury group said late Tuesday its quarterly sales rose 1% year on year to 20.98 billion euros ($22.76 billion), undershooting the 21.6 billion expected on average by analysts polled by LSEG.

At 1000 GMT, LVMH's shares were down 4.5%.

The earnings miss weighed on other luxury stocks, with Hermes (HRMS.PA), down around 2% and Kering (PRTP.PA), off 3%.

Kering is scheduled to report second-quarter sales after the market close and Hermes reports on Thursday, Reuters reported.

Jittery investors are looking for evidence that the industry will pick up from a recent slowdown, as inflation-hit shoppers hold off from splashing out on designer fashion.

JPMorgan analyst Chiara Battistini cut full year profit forecasts by 2-3% for the group, citing softer trends at LVMH's fashion and leather goods division, home to Louis Vuitton and Dior.

"The soft print is likely to add to ongoing investors’ concerns on the sector more broadly in our view, confirming that even best-in-class players like LVMH cannot be immune from the challenging backdrop," said Battistini in a note to clients.

The weakness of the yen, which has prompted a flood of Chinese shoppers to Japan seeking bargains on luxury goods, added pressure to margins, another source of concern.

Equita cut 2024 sales estimates for LVMH by 3% - attributing 1% to currency fluctuations - and lowered its second half organic sales estimate to 7% growth from 10% growth previously.

The lack of visibility for the second half beyond the easing of comparative figures - as the Chinese post-pandemic lockdown bounce tapered off a year ago - is unlikely to improve investor sentiment to the luxury sector, Citi analyst Thomas Chauvet said in an email to clients.

"No miracle with the luxury bellwether; sector likely to remain out of favour," he wrote.

Jefferies analysts said the miss came as investors eye Chinese shoppers for their potential to "resume their pre-COVID role as the locomotive of industry growth and debate when Western consumers will have fully digested their COVID overspend".

LVMH shares have been volatile since the luxury slowdown emerged, and are down about 20% over the past year, with middle-class shoppers in China, the world's No. 2 economy, a key focus as they rein in purchases at home amid a property slump and job insecurity.

LVMH offered some reassurance, with finance chief Jean-Jacques Guiony telling analysts during a call on Tuesday that Chinese customers were "holding up quite well," while business with US and European customers was "slightly better".