Hamilton Models Kilt to Take Fashionable Approach to Title Run-In

Lewis Hamilton wore a kilt as he walked down the paddock of the Istanbul circuit. Ozan KOSE AFP
Lewis Hamilton wore a kilt as he walked down the paddock of the Istanbul circuit. Ozan KOSE AFP
TT

Hamilton Models Kilt to Take Fashionable Approach to Title Run-In

Lewis Hamilton wore a kilt as he walked down the paddock of the Istanbul circuit. Ozan KOSE AFP
Lewis Hamilton wore a kilt as he walked down the paddock of the Istanbul circuit. Ozan KOSE AFP

French Vogue has been setting trends for a century, from the post-war 'New Look' of Christian Dior through the sexual liberation of the 1960s to the dangling-cigarette waifs of the 2000s.

But as a new exhibition in Paris marks the magazine's 100th birthday, times are troubled at the fabled magazine.

Just last month, it was confirmed that its editor of 10 years, Emmanuelle Alt, was out and wouldn't be replaced.

She was not alone.

Looking to cut costs, owner Conde Nast International has axed editors across Europe over the past year, and put international Vogue editions under the direct control of global editorial director, Anna Wintour, in New York.

Like much of the media industry, Vogue is struggling with tumbling sales and ad revenue in the digital era.

But the latest twist is also part of the endless push and pull between New York and Paris going back to its early days.

"The whole history of French Vogue is one of back-and-forth with Conde Nast in New York -- growing more independent for a while, then being reined back in," said Sylvie Lecallier, curator of the new exhibition, "Vogue Paris 1920-2020", which opened this weekend after a year's delay due to the pandemic.

The Paris edition was often the loftier, more bohemian sibling to its more hard-nosed New York version.

But it was also the hotbed in which much of 20th century style and womenhood came to be defined.

"Paris was the place to hunt out talent and content and bring it to New York," said Lecallier.

The exhibition charts the evolution from art deco drawings of the 1920s through the erotic image-making of photographers like Helmut Newton in the 1960s and 1970s.

Its last peak was under editor Carine Roitfeld in the 2000s, who brought back a provocative Gallic identity by ridding the newsroom of foreign staff and becoming a fashion icon in her own right.

Her successor, Alt, was a quieter presence, though she still oversaw key moments including its first transgender cover star, Brazilian Valentina Sampaio, in 2017.

- 'Everyone's a threat' -

But internet culture has created "a perfect storm" for Vogue, says media expert Douglas McCabe of Enders Analysis.

"The first 80 years of Vogue's life, it had the market to itself, it was the bible for fashion," McCabe told AFP.

"But online today, there are so many other ways to get your information. Influencers, Instagram, YouTube -- everyone's a threat."

In a world where new fashion trends can blow up around the world in seconds, it has become much harder for a monthly magazine to set the pace.

"It's not that they can't survive for another 100 years —- but they will be differently sized," McCabe said.

Vogue has tried to branch out into different areas, including events.

"I used to work for a magazine, and today I work for a brand," Alt said on the eve of French Vogue's 1,000th issue in 2019.

But the big money was always in print, and Vogue Paris sales are dropping steadily from 98,345 in 2017 to 81,962 to 2020, according to data site ACPM.

It is perhaps unsurprising that the new top job in Paris, redefined as "head of editorial content", went to Eugenie Trochu, who was key to building the magazine's online presence.

She declared herself "thrilled to be part of Vogue's international transformation".

For the curator of the exhibition, it is ironic timing.

"We had no idea it would end like this when we started work on the exhibition," said Lecallier.

"Who knows where it will go from here."



Chanel Goes to the Opera in a Gleaming but Designer-Less Couture Collection

 A model presents a creation by the creative studio of fashion house Chanel as part of their Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2024-2025 collection show in Paris, France, June 25, 2024. (Reuters)
A model presents a creation by the creative studio of fashion house Chanel as part of their Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2024-2025 collection show in Paris, France, June 25, 2024. (Reuters)
TT

Chanel Goes to the Opera in a Gleaming but Designer-Less Couture Collection

 A model presents a creation by the creative studio of fashion house Chanel as part of their Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2024-2025 collection show in Paris, France, June 25, 2024. (Reuters)
A model presents a creation by the creative studio of fashion house Chanel as part of their Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2024-2025 collection show in Paris, France, June 25, 2024. (Reuters)

The show must go on, with aplomb. Chanel’s latest couture display Tuesday was a finely executed collection channeling theatricality.

Few Parisian fashion houses can fill the Paris Opera and gain applause from Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour and other luminaries without even having a designer. It's a testament to Chanel’s enduring power and its world-renowned atelier following Virginie Viard's abrupt exit on June 5.

Here are some highlights of the fall couture displays:

Chanel's opulence

Guests clutching Chanel opera glasses got happily lost as they explored marble staircases to find a stage in the Opera’s outer corridors, filled with red velvet opera boxes designed by French movie director Christophe Honoré. The stage was set with silhouettes evoking the opera and its heyday: dramatic capes, puffed sleeves and richly embroidered pieces.

The designs’ gleam rivaled only that of the sumptuous 19th-century atrium itself, with shimmering buttons and brilliant threads reflecting the light.

There were moments of drama, with guests reaching for their cameras to capture a black gown with puff sleeves whose feathers, beading and ribbons gleamed provocatively.

This season, there is a welcome move to less accessorizing, a departure from the hallmark of Viard. The focus was on the garments, highlighting the craftsmanship and luxurious materials. Feathers, tassels, embroidered flowers, precious braids, lacquered jersey, supple tweeds, silky velvet, illusion tulle, taffeta and duchesse satin adorned looks befitting the venue.

Although the necklines were a standout feature, the collection as a whole had a slightly disparate feel that sometimes seemed to lack a singular aesthetic anchor.

Chanel paid tribute to the ateliers of the "petites mains," or the dozens of artisans who work in six ateliers a stone’s throw from the venue.

Without Viard

Viard abruptly left after over 30 years with the brand. The overnight announcement of her departure was highly unorthodox, coming just weeks before the couture show.

Viard succeeded Karl Lagerfeld upon his death in 2019 and was his closest collaborator for almost 30 years. She had overseen record sales for Chanel, reaching a reported $19.7 billion last year. Ready-to-wear sales reportedly increased 23% during her tenure.

Yet in the fickle world of fashion, strong sales are not always enough. Viard’s tenure was dogged by controversy, most recently with criticism of her collections, including a poorly received mid-season show in Marseille. Viard faced backlash for runway shows that critics said lacked the grandiose flair defining Lagerfeld’s era, and she often received critiques for underwhelming design choices.

Though her appointment was initially seen as temporary, she was only the third creative director in Chanel’s over 100-year history after Lagerfeld and, of course, legendary founder Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel.

The fashion world speculates on her successor. Names like Hedi Slimane, Marine Serre and Simon Porte Jacquemus circulate, suggesting potential shifts in Chanel’s creative direction.

Mabille’s toast to glamour

Bubbles are never far away from the effervescent couturier Alexis Mabille.

Unfurling, undressing, and plays on corsetry were on the menu this season, starting with an opening number featuring a gleaming bustier that resembled an opening flower. The intimacy and ritual of getting dressed is a theme that pervades Mabille's work.

Varied looks sometimes surprised guests, such as a Bob Mackie-style feathered headdress that out-Cher-ed Cher. The extravagant piece had an almost equestrian flourish and was a real feat of couture execution, showcasing Mabille’s flair for Hollywood-inspired glamour.

A golden bullet creation, and a gleaming metallic power cape with an armor-like bustier, gave the collection a lot of attitude, if not always coherence. Mabille’s collections often embrace a wide array of silhouettes and themes, sometimes leading to a lack of unified narrative. However, the diversity is also part of his charm.