Designers Switching Houses & Moving to New Brands

[brandon J pierre]

Irdgi, what does going back to LVMH have to do with redemption? Go "home"?? Why on earth would you want to go where creativity goes to literally die. If he left Margiela for Givenchy that'd be the most uninspiring flatlining thing he's ever done. These people make me want to throw up

He would literally be a fool to go back there it would be a joke. Also as much as I love John and I do love him. That type of creative drama really doesn't exist or work in this modern world. we say we want it back but do we really? is it necessary to sell products. ?

Also this guy doesn't have an ounce of Tom Ford in him who is at home at 60 sitting on 2.5 billion dollars, While John is out conversating with people that stabbed him in the back and the public eye.

 

[brandon J pierre]

Another day another move this one is big

 

[Creative]

some context:

F***, that video is so moving. You can show me 1cm2 of a Dior by Galliano dress and I can totally recreate the show in my head.

That room where they were meeting brought me so many memories. It was like heaven on Earth for me. I forgot the name of that lady with the short hair, but she was amazing. She knows everything and doesn’t matter how many years she’s been working there, whenever she showed you something from the archives you felt her huge passion for the house and always had an anecdote to tell you. 🥹

Oh well… time passes by so fast. Its so sad to see where Dior is atm.

 

[brandon J pierre]

Can Galliano Go Home Again?​

Assessing all the endless, yet increasingly plausible, rumors suggesting Galliano’s LVMH homecoming—and where, precisely, he might land.
And if it’s even true…

I would not discount Bernard Arnault’s loyal nature: Galliano — pictured here with Arnault in 2004 — played a large role in the rise of LVMH. Photo: Stephane Cardinale/Corbis/Getty Images

Can Galliano Go Home Again?

Assessing the endless, yet increasingly plausible, rumors suggesting Galliano’s LVMH homecoming—and where, precisely, he might land.

puck.news

April 15, 2024

There was plenty to chew on from the Vogue World press conference in Paris back in February: The Place Vendôme coup, the buy-in of both LVMH and the French government, the sheer magnitude of staging such an event in the lead-up to this summer’s Olympics.

Walking out of the Ritz that night, however, all I could think about was the casual conversation I’d witnessed during arrivals between Sidney Toledano—the former C.E.O. of Dior, former head of the LVMH Fashion Group, and current head of the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture—and his long-ago designer, John Galliano.
The Maison Margiela creative director was seated on a curved-back sofa with his boyfriend, Alexis Roche, facing out into the gilded Salon Marie-Louise.

It wasn’t surprising that Toledano and Galliano were exchanging pleasantries. I had just previewed the documentary High & Low, the Condé Nast-produced, Kevin Macdonald-directed attempt at charting Galliano’s rise (he was appointed to Givenchy in 1995, and then to Dior), his fall (in 2011, following a drunken, antisemitic rant), and his third act at Margiela.

I wouldn’t say Macdonald did anything to exonerate the designer—his shortcomings are obvious—but the relationship between Toledano and Galliano is carefully, honestly, and vividly depicted. (Galliano’s visit to the Dior archives is the emotional peak.) Toledano’s feelings about Galliano—his addiction, his rants—are more believable than anything else.

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Hedi’s Fate & The Arnault Succession Effect

Look at that picture they want to eat he alive, they are soul bloodsuckers

 

[Creative]

Another day another move this one is big

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I’d die to see his Chanel. It’s the only designer with the magnetism, aura and grandeur to be in that position. But, at the same time, and as some of us mentioned before, why would Chanel want to disrupt what they have achieved and what’s working so well with so little effort for somebody that could leave in 5 years?

Are they thinking of launching menswear?

If that’s true I would feel so sorry for me to not be a woman and not be rich enough to be a Chanel client, lmao.

 

[brandon J pierre]

I’d die to see his Chanel. It’s the only designer with the magnetism, aura and grandeur to be in that position. But, at the same time, and as some of us mentioned before, why would Chanel want to disrupt what they have achieved and what’s working so well with so little effort for somebody that could leave in 5 years?

Are they thinking of launching menswear?

If that’s true I would feel so sorry for me to not be a woman and not be rich enough to be a Chanel client, lmao.

It would be a shame to lose her but he would be amazing, he would make Chanel sleek and slick IT would be a whole new era of couture.

 

[LadyJunon]

Another day another move this one is big

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Where get you even get this from?

I’d die to see his Chanel. It’s the only designer with the magnetism, aura and grandeur to be in that position. But, at the same time, and as some of us mentioned before, why would Chanel want to disrupt what they have achieved and what’s working so well with so little effort for somebody that could leave in 5 years?

Are they thinking of launching menswear?

If that’s true I would feel so sorry for me to not be a woman and not be rich enough to be a Chanel client, lmao.

It would be a shame to lose her but he would be amazing, he would make Chanel sleek and slick IT would be a whole new era of couture.

In this current climate, I'd love to see Slimane at Chanel. I've finally accepted that the era of Galliano's grandiose theatrics are over, so Hedi's androgynous, sleek silhouettes would be a good direction for Haute Couture to shift towards and Chanel's codes would be the perfect base for that.

 

[Creative]

Maybe Virginie’s contract was 5 years?

Just the idea of having him at Chanel makes me super excited. I can imagine mini tweed suits, little heel shoes, cute black & white dresses, all very 60’s but also very 00s… Very bourgeois but a little bit young and rock and roll (ew, hate to say this, it’s so cringe, but you know what I mean).

 

[brandon J pierre]

Maybe Virginie’s contract was 5 years?

Just the idea of having him at Chanel makes me super excited. I can imagine mini tweed suits, little heel shoes, cute black & white dresses, all very 60’s but also very 00s… Very bourgeois but a little bit young and rock and roll (ew, hate to say this, it’s so cringe, but you know what I mean).

Coco Chanel was bourgeoisie ! German and French, yes I know what you mean but in Chanel fantasy Tweed with an oversized hat it would be amazing.

 

[Olaffo]

I honestly don't think he'll go to Chanel or anyone at this point. VV is doing well and sales are rising so they'll keep her as long as she wants. She is barely 61 so at least 10 more years to go if not more. If Heidi is leaving Celine then probably he will just be an independent photographer.

 

[gallianostan]

He would literally be a fool to go back there it would be a joke. Also as much as I love John and I do love him. That type of creative drama really doesn't exist or work in this modern world. we say we want it back but do we really?

if he's doing what he did between 1997 and 2006 then i definitely want it back lmao

 

[gallianostan]

btw i also find this take that LVMH somehow "did him dirty" to be extremely bizarre?? they covered up his wild antics for years, had several conversations with him beforehand, offered him a sixth-month break... they only fired him because he was caught on live video praising hitler and talking about gassing jews. i adore this man but he absolutely deserved to be fired for what he said, drunk or not. and it was probably the best thing that could've happened to him as he's clean and sober now, and has been for thirteen years.

it's easy to demonise arnault and toledano but they clearly admired him and indulged his creative needs for quite a long time. if they want to welcome him back after his transgressions then i would totally support it, as long as he has a strong support network in place and is aware of the huge commercial demands of going back to givenchy. i'm not sure what the furore is about.

 

[Kimihiro]

The dream of John doing a big couture house again is just a romantic thing for me. I don’t know if it’ll be good for him or indeed, if it still has a place in this world. If anything, I just want one couture’s true few geniuses to have some sort of vindication. A talent like that deserves a better legacy.

…

As for Hedi, he’s fine for Chanel. They need a youth injection. Sure their sales are all good now but it wouldn’t be bad to try not lose an entire generation because they might be branded as something for older ladies. I’m just not convinced Hedi does dresses well.

 

[Lola701]

Hedi at Chanel…Yeah…Dreadful.
We have seen everything he has to offer in terms of womenswear and yet, people expect fireworks, a revolution in Couture. It will be another bead fest with silver and gold gowns, black and white, p*ssy bows…Yes, the partition we all know.

Even if I love the Hedi inspired collections Karl did, it was his genius to translate what he loved and wore from Hedi to what he presented on the runway.

I guess Hedi’s clothes with Chanel prices would be newsworthy though.

Even if I don’t think it will ever happen (the Chanel rumors have been going since 2007), let’s just imagine what it would look like:

- Hedi will design Chanel collections from his studio in Saint Tropez…Totally detached from the two Ateliers in Rue Cambon?
- Hedi will redesign the stores to his taste?
- Hedi will introduce his permanent collection?
- Hedi will be responsible for Chanel beauty? Chanel Haute Joaillerie?
- Hedi will shoot all the campaigns for all the activities?
- I guess reintroducing the menswear at Chanel will be a thing from him where I can’t put a question mark.

For Hedi to be considered for Chanel, it means that he is close to the Weirthemers, Bruno Pavlovsky or people from Chanel…Which is simply not the case since his fall out with Karl years ago (even if they reunited later).

Having Hedi at Chanel would probably mean for the house to change it Entire operation In order to accommodate 1 man, when, the brand is doing good financially.

I think Virginie got the job because it was the right thing to do but also the most comfortable thing to do. She comes to the Atelier, most of people from Karl’s previous team are there.

Chanel is a personal challenge and a goal for a lot of designers.
For Hedi to take that job means that he will have to compromise a lot. Karl did compromised.
Is Hedi capable of that?

 

[yslforever]

To be honest, I really doubt Chanel is working and selling well. That's what I heard from French execs (and family
- they are happy that Kering is the focus of the conversation
- they haven't attracted new customers in years, they just increase prices to the customers they have
- their quota bags policy isn't working as expected, it as a deterring effect.
- they are also unhappy because they don't have any clear strategy and directions for the 5/10 years to come. The Wertheimers (74 and 75 yo) have grown very desinterested and don't know what to do for their succession, every couple of years they are thinking of selling and every time they reached the same conclusion: who would buy us at 150 billions or more ?

 

[Alquimista]

Ghesquière is a much better choice for Chanel

But honestly, it's gonna be hard to replace Karl.

He was a great storyteller, pret a porter designer, couturier. He had incredible taste. He had a proustian, intuitive knowledge of Chanel clients, older and young. Where do you find a man like this in this day and age?

I wanted to see Ghesquiere as the new CD because he is a incredible pret a porter designer, I trust he has a couturier inside of him, and he can keep Chanel firm in the twenty first century. With him, Chanel could be as modern as LV.

Spoiler

You people create your fanfictions, I can create mine too

 

[gallianostan]

i agree that ghesquière would be perfect for chanel. i think he's the only person that could make it relevant and contemporary (save slimane) for a new generation. his talent is being wasted at vuitton.

 

[PDFSD]

btw i also find this take that LVMH somehow "did him dirty" to be extremely bizarre?? they covered up his wild antics for years, had several conversations with him beforehand, offered him a sixth-month break... they only fired him because he was caught on live video praising hitler and talking about gassing jews. i adore this man but he absolutely deserved to be fired for what he said, drunk or not. and it was probably the best thing that could've happened to him as he's clean and sober now, and has been for thirteen years.

it's easy to demonise arnault and toledano but they clearly admired him and indulged his creative needs for quite a long time. if they want to welcome him back after his transgressions then i would totally support it, as long as he has a strong support network in place and is aware of the huge commercial demands of going back to givenchy. i'm not sure what the furore is about.

3 videos - 3 different incidents caught on phone in video format .... as noted in the documentary of mubi He him self thought only one 🫣

i don't see or think its the best idea for him to be in that type high pressure work environment at a house like Givenchy

sadly you can see in the Mubi documentary he still has issues with accountability and recollection and under this controlled rehab image simmers his old issues, what keeps him safe from his own demise is the spotlight on him that he can't screw up in some way so he is on his best behavior but he is not fully himself for better or for worse.

 

[avonlea002]

I found that Galliano video rather uncomfortable to watch. I love what he has done as a designer but his personality, the way of being is off putting to me. He looks dead inside. There were no true emotions, just empty words.
I hope the LVMH rumours are false. John may still be a genius but he wouldn't survive a day in today's corporate climate. He should continue living in his Margiela bubble for few more years and move on to costume design or just retire. I wonder how much he is actually designing these day and how much of what we see on the runway is the work of studio people.

 

[Lola701]

To be honest, I really doubt Chanel is working and selling well. That's what I heard from French execs (and family
- they are happy that Kering is the focus of the conversation
- they haven't attracted new customers in years, they just increase prices to the customers they have
- their quota bags policy isn't working as expected, it as a deterring effect.
- they are also unhappy because they don't have any clear strategy and directions for the 5/10 years to come. The Wertheimers (74 and 75 yo) have grown very desinterested and don't know what to do for their succession, every couple of years they are thinking of selling and every time they reached the same conclusion: who would buy us at 150 billions or more ?

Among all the questions being raised about Chanel, you are raising the most important thing: The succession.
Karl said it many times, the Weirthemers told him they were going to sell if it didn’t work.

It worked wonderfully, more than expected and here they were, very comfortable with that man who seemed eternal.

Now they are in the 70’s. Nothing is known about the succession. As it is a private company, nobody knows anything about a possible involvement of their kids.

Having a not so charismatic designer at the helm has forced Bruno Pavlovsky to be more on the spotlight. The house had clearly lost in creative lead. The loss of Jacques Helleu was one thing but as Karl was bigger than life, his presence kinda take over everything anyway.

The Maureen Chiquet years were as glorious if more than the Arie Kopelman years. There’s no sense of long term vision about Chanel now even if the house still has it prestige.

I think that the succession at Chanel should be a question that goes beyond Virginie or Hedi because at this point, a lot of people can do the job.