Louis Vuitton Hires Advertising Chief to Run Communications

The logo of luxury brand Louis Vuitton is seen in New York City, on April 10, 2024. (Photo by Charly TRIBALLEAU / AFP)
The logo of luxury brand Louis Vuitton is seen in New York City, on April 10, 2024. (Photo by Charly TRIBALLEAU / AFP)
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Louis Vuitton Hires Advertising Chief to Run Communications

The logo of luxury brand Louis Vuitton is seen in New York City, on April 10, 2024. (Photo by Charly TRIBALLEAU / AFP)
The logo of luxury brand Louis Vuitton is seen in New York City, on April 10, 2024. (Photo by Charly TRIBALLEAU / AFP)

Louis Vuitton said on Thursday it had recruited Blake Harrop to be its next communications chief, replacing industry veteran Stefano Cantino, who was named deputy chief executive officer of Kering-owned Gucci earlier in the day.
Harrop's appointment to be Executive Vice President, Image and Communications at the LVMH-owned label, the world's biggest fashion brand, was first reported by publication WWD.
Harrop and Cantino's new jobs underline how central communications and marketing have become for high-end fashion labels at a time of rapid global growth.
Harrop is a high-profile, international advertising executive from outside the fashion trade - a rarity in the business - while Cantino worked for two decades at Prada before Vuitton.
Harrop, president of advertising agency Wieden + Kennedy since 2022, has extensive international experience, leading the US agency in China, Japan and the Europe, Middle East and Africa region, and running business with Nike in Japan, South Korea, the Middle East and Europe.
As part of his new job, Harrop will contribute to new campaigns aimed at elevating Vuitton's image, the brand's Chief Executive Pietro Beccari said in a statement to Reuters.
"I am confident of his capacity to inspire passion and collectiveness," Beccari said.
Louis Vuitton has become increasingly involved in sport, producing trunks specially designed to hold the medals in the upcoming Paris Olympics.



Paris Appeals Court Rejects Government's Request for Suspension of Shein's Marketplace

(FILES) This photograph shows the logo of Asian e-commerce giant Shein in its stall at the Bazar de l'Hotel de Ville (BHV) department store in Paris on November 4, 2025. (Photo by Julie SEBADELHA / AFP)
(FILES) This photograph shows the logo of Asian e-commerce giant Shein in its stall at the Bazar de l'Hotel de Ville (BHV) department store in Paris on November 4, 2025. (Photo by Julie SEBADELHA / AFP)
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Paris Appeals Court Rejects Government's Request for Suspension of Shein's Marketplace

(FILES) This photograph shows the logo of Asian e-commerce giant Shein in its stall at the Bazar de l'Hotel de Ville (BHV) department store in Paris on November 4, 2025. (Photo by Julie SEBADELHA / AFP)
(FILES) This photograph shows the logo of Asian e-commerce giant Shein in its stall at the Bazar de l'Hotel de Ville (BHV) department store in Paris on November 4, 2025. (Photo by Julie SEBADELHA / AFP)

A Paris Court of Appeal on Thursday rejected the French government's request to suspend Chinese online platform Shein's marketplace, defeating an appeal by the state after a Paris court ruled against the government in December.

Shein has ⁠been embroiled in ⁠a scandal since France's consumer watchdog DGCCRF found sex dolls resembling children and banned weapons for sale ⁠on its marketplace last year, prompting the government to attempt to suspend the platform.

In December, a Paris court had rejected the government's request to suspend the Shein site in France as a ⁠whole ⁠for three months, saying it would be "disproportionate", prompting the government to appeal the ruling.

Shein banned all sex dolls and suspended the adult products category from its marketplace globally on November 3 after the consumer watchdog's findings.


Zara Taps British Designer John Galliano for Partnership

Signage hangs at a Zara store in Granada on March 15, 2025. (AFP)
Signage hangs at a Zara store in Granada on March 15, 2025. (AFP)
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Zara Taps British Designer John Galliano for Partnership

Signage hangs at a Zara store in Granada on March 15, 2025. (AFP)
Signage hangs at a Zara store in Granada on March 15, 2025. (AFP)

Spanish fashion retailer Zara said Tuesday it has entered into a two-year "artistic partnership" with controversial British designer John Galliano.

The 65-year-old couturier will reconfigure pieces drawn from Zara's past collections into new designs, the company said in a statement.

"Guided by a haute couture process and approach, the collections will be unveiled each season throughout the duration of the partnership, starting in September 2026," it added without giving further details.

Zara is owned by Inditex, the world's leading low-cost fashion retailer which posted a record annual profit in 2025 for the third year running.

"To deliver fashion through that enormous platform -- that, of course, that's thrilling. And to be able to work with the kind of resources they have as well, that's equally thrilling," Galliano told fashion magazine Vogue.

Galliano, who previously headed artistry at Givenchy and Christian Dior, has dressed countless celebrities during his tenure, including Kim Kardashian, Kary Perry and Zendaya for red-carpet events.

Known for his flamboyant personality and daring designs, Galliano's career suffered a dramatic setback in 2011 following a drunken rant in a Paris bar where he hurled antisemitic and racist insults at the other patrons.

He was subsequently dismissed from Dior, underwent rehab in Switzerland and apologized for his behavior during a visit to the Central Synagogue in London.

Gibraltar-born Galliano returned to the fashion world in 2014 when he joined French label Maison Margiela as its creative director, a position he held until 2024.

With fast-growing budget fashion retailer Shein taking share at the cheaper end of the market, Zara has moved to attract more discerning shoppers and offered more expensive clothing in recent years.


Fashion Commission Hosts Discussion on Saudi Fashion Global Expansion

Fashion Commission Hosts Discussion on Saudi Fashion Global Expansion
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Fashion Commission Hosts Discussion on Saudi Fashion Global Expansion

Fashion Commission Hosts Discussion on Saudi Fashion Global Expansion

The Fashion Commission organized a virtual open meeting to discuss the international expansion of Saudi fashion brands as part of its ongoing efforts to support the national fashion ecosystem and boost the presence of Saudi brands in global markets.

The meeting aimed to highlight pathways for international expansion, explore opportunities for designers and entrepreneurs in the fashion sector, and review key challenges that brands may face during growth and expansion, SPA reported.

The session is part of a series of open meetings organized by the Fashion Commission to enhance dialogue with the fashion community in Saudi Arabia, sharing knowledge and expertise that contribute to the sector’s development and enable Saudi brands to transition from local growth stages to a global presence.