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Paris Fashion Week Outsider Highlights

US rapper A$AP Rocky presented his debut collection. Geoffroy VAN DER HASSELT / AFP
US rapper A$AP Rocky presented his debut collection. Geoffroy VAN DER HASSELT / AFP
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Paris Fashion Week Outsider Highlights

US rapper A$AP Rocky presented his debut collection. Geoffroy VAN DER HASSELT / AFP
US rapper A$AP Rocky presented his debut collection. Geoffroy VAN DER HASSELT / AFP

As well as the usual big-hitters at the menswear shows of Paris Fashion Week, there were some unexpected moments from emerging and avant-garde brands.
Here are a few highlights:
A$AP-style
A$AP Rocky, rapper and partner of Rihanna, launched a surprise with his first-ever clothing collection on Friday, said AFP.
The gangster vibes were strong, with models in balaclavas and luxury cars parked in the courtyard of a private hotel.
The rap elite were present, including Colombian icon Maluma, while Rihanna emerged in an evening dress and leather coat.
The clothes themselves combined baggy, XXL street wear plastered with the brand name American Sabotage AWGE.
The line may help with his legal fees -- he is currently facing prosecution for allegedly shooting his former friend Terell Ephron.
Rick Owens blockbuster
Rick Owens, the master showman of avant-garde art-fashion, excelled himself with his latest show, a homage to golden-era Hollywood historical epics at the Palais de Tokyo.
Instead of single-file, the models emerged in massed ranks, looking like a cross between fascist platoons, Ancient Roman processions and "Dune"-style otherworldly monks in their white gowns and hoods or pharaonic headdresses.
"It was a display of Rick's incredible talent and showmanship, creating a fashion moment that won't soon be forgotten," said Harrods buyer Simon Longland.
Beirenbonkers
Even by his own whacky standards, Walter Van Beirendonck pushed the limits of taste, with outfits that looked like pompom-laden devil clowns.
The Belgian veteran created oversized neon costumes, with smiley faces on hats and buttocks, little cardboard birthday hats, and twisted Joker-style smiles.
Not safe for work.
Friot's loud love
One new name creating buzz in France is young designer Jeanne Friot.
In a collection sponsored by Tinder, she stripped down gender codes with risque fishnet-dresses and fun innovations like a dress made entirely of belts, or another of tiny love-locks.
One model came out with the words "Love Louder" painted on his bare chest.
Backstage, the politically committed designer herself wore a T-shirt reading: "Why be racist, sexist, homophobic, transphobic when you could just be quiet?"

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Fashion

Nike's New CEO Plans to Go Back to Basics in Brand Overhaul Effort

The Nike swoosh logo is seen outside the store on 5th Ave in New York, New York, US, March 19, 2019. (Reuters)
The Nike swoosh logo is seen outside the store on 5th Ave in New York, New York, US, March 19, 2019. (Reuters)
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Nike's New CEO Plans to Go Back to Basics in Brand Overhaul Effort

The Nike swoosh logo is seen outside the store on 5th Ave in New York, New York, US, March 19, 2019. (Reuters)
The Nike swoosh logo is seen outside the store on 5th Ave in New York, New York, US, March 19, 2019. (Reuters)

Nike's new CEO Elliott Hill warned of a long road to sales recovery for the sportswear giant, but the veteran executive's plan to turn the spotlight on sports like basketball and running, allayed some investor worries.

The company said on Thursday it was expecting third-quarter revenue to drop to low double digits after the embattled sportswear seller's quarterly results beat market estimates.

Hill, in his first public address as CEO on the post-earnings call, said Nike had "lost its obsession with sport" and vowed to put it back on track by refocusing on sport and selling more items at premium prices, Reuters reported.

"The recovery is going to be a multi-year process, but he(Hill) seems to be going back to the roots, back to Nike being Nike," said John Nagle, chief investment officer at Kavar Capital Partners, which owns Nike shares.

"(Hill plans to shift focus) away from some of the streetwear and fashion that had taken over the brand, the heavy discounting and the neglect of retailers. Just taking it back to what worked," Nagle said.

Hill, who was with Nike for more than three decades, returned as CEO in October to revive demand at the firm that has been struggling with strategy missteps that soured its relations with retailers such as Foot Locker.

Earlier this month, Foot Locker CEO Mary Dillon said Hill was "taking the right actions for the brand" and the retailer was "working closely" with Nike to emphasize newer sportswear styles, including Vomero and Air DT Max.

"(The retailers) they want us to get back to being Nike, and they want us to have the unrelenting flow of innovative products... and they want us to get back to delivering bold brand statements that help drive traffic," Hill said.

The company's market share dwindled as rival brands, including Roger Federer-backed On and Deckers' Hoka , lured consumers with fresher and more innovative styles.

Hill also highlighted that a lack of newness led Nike to become too promotional and said he plans to shift to selling more at full price on its website and app.

"With another half year of franchise management coupled with investment to reinvigorate the brand, we believe the next four quarters could be the worst of the margin erosion and earnings per share reductions," Barclays analyst Adrienne Yih said.

At least seven brokerages cut price targets on the stock with some analysts pointing to the lack of a clear timeline for Nike to return to growth.

Shares of Nike, which have lost about half of its value in the last three years, were down nearly about 2% in early trading on Friday.

Nike's forward price-to-earnings ratio for the next 12 months, a benchmark for valuing stocks, was 27.53, compared with 33.47 for Deckers and 32.32 for Adidas.

"A rudderless ship now has a rudder, and a sailor who knows how to drive it," said Eric Clark, portfolio manager at the Rational Dynamic Brands fund that owns Nike shares.