Chanel Marks a Centenary, Tommy Taps a Judge, Balmain’s London Move – WWD

POWER COUPLE: To mark the centenary of the modernist home built by art patrons Charles and Marie-Laure de Noailles in the southern French town of Hyères, Chanel hosted a musical performance on Thursday at the 7L library in Paris, in the space that used to be Karl Lagerfeld’s photo studio.

Shelves lined with a staggering 33,000 books provided the backdrop for a preview of “Ressusciter la Rose,” the opera based on an original idea by Jean-Pierre Blanc, director of the Villa Noailles and founder of the annual Hyères International Festival of Fashion, Photography and Accessories.

“The place where we are tonight is unique,” said Bruno Pavlovsky, president of fashion and president of Chanel SAS. “It reflects its creator’s immense culture and insatiable curiosity for all the arts, including music, song, architecture, design and dance.”

Performers including French singer Camélia Jordana sang excerpts of the work, composed by Raphaël Lucas, dressed in white costumes created by artist Jacques Merle and embroidered by Montex, one of a stable of workshops owned by Chanel.

Members of the Wonsembe acrobatics troupe tumbled through the room as part of the spectacle, which will be performed in full on Sept. 16, 17 and 18 at the Villa Noailles.

It was part of a program of satellite events in Paris, Hyères and Marseille to mark the kick-off of the centenary celebrations, a multipronged affair that will also include a documentary film by Karim Zeriahen, and an exhibition dedicated to the wardrobe of Marie-Laure de Noailles.

“If people still talk about the Noailles today, it’s because they played a huge part in our country’s artistic activity in the early 20th century, and they had this extraordinary aura that few other art patrons enjoyed, at a time when the Culture Ministry did not exist,” Blanc told WWD.

“They supported these artists not just for one-off events, but almost their whole lives, by providing for them financially and nurturing their artistic endeavors, and that is really exceptional,” he added.

Among the artists the couple hosted at the Bauhaus-inspired villa, designed by architect Robert Mallet-Stevens, were Man Ray, Luis Buñuel, Salvador Dalí and Jean Cocteau.

Lagerfeld was among those fascinated with the place. In 1995 he published a book of photographs of the Villa Noailles, which had fallen into abandon before its 2003 renovation, and in 2015, he was the artistic director of the Hyères Festival. “Karl Lagerfeld changed the course of my life,” Blanc said.

Chanel is a major sponsor of the centenary, and 7L will publish new editions of the poems and novels of Marie-Laure de Noailles, who traveled in the same circles as founder Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel and regularly wore the designer’s haute couture creations.

In Paris, several galleries and institutions launched teaser events on Thursday. The India Mahdavi gallery is hosting screenings of “Les Mystères du Château de Dé,” a 1929 film shot by Man Ray at the Villa Noailles, while the Galerie du Passage has photographs of Marie-Laure de Noailles by the likes of Willy Maywald and François-Marie Banier.

Purchased by the city of Hyères in 1973, the Villa Noailles is set to undergo another round of renovations starting next year. — JOELLE DIDERICH

NEW JUDGE: Tommy Hilfiger, which is owned by PVH Corp., has tapped Yara Shahidi as spokesperson and judge for the New Legacy Challenge 2.0, the design competition developed through a partnership between Tommy Hilfiger’s People’s Place Program and Harlem’s Fashion Row.

“Yara’s not only a multitalented actress and producer — she is also a champion of inclusivity who shares our vision of supporting underrepresented talent in the creative industry,” said Tommy Hilfiger. “Having previously teamed up with Yara in the space of equitable global fashion representation we found her insight invaluable, so are excited to continue this partnership.”

Hilfiger has also revealed the three finalists of the New Legacy Challenge 2.0: Jameel Mohammed, Megan Smith and Tavon Davis. For the next step, the designers will be paired with a Hilfiger mentor to recreate their own prep styles to show in New York City, where the judges will decide the winner.

“For over a year, I’ve been able to both witness and participate in the many ways Tommy Hilfiger invests in a more equitable future,” said Shahidi. “I’m excited to have joined Harlem’s Fashion Row and the People’s Place Program to highlight the incredible BIPOC design talent who are redefining American prep.”

Meantime, the People’s Place Program has released a new episode of the “Invisible Seam” podcast where voices from the community give insights on how to open industry doors for underrepresented youth in fashion. Kimberly Jenkins hosts the conversation and is joined by Brandice Daniel, Megan Smith, Jonathan Hayden and Clarence Ruth.

This is the second year of Hilfiger’s partnership with Harlem’s Fashion Row. Founded in 2007 by Brandice Daniel, the organization supports emerging talent and provides a platform for designers from underrepresented communities.

“I’m so excited to see what our New Legacy Challenge 2.0 finalists bring to the table this year as we continue to build on our mission of championing and amplifying BIPOC talent in fashion,” said Randy Cousin, global senior vice president of Tommy Hilfiger Lab and People’s Place Program. “Our focus on the People’s Place Program has always been to offer career support and industry access for those underrepresented in the industry. We are excited to have Yara Shahidi join as a global program ambassador this season and help us deliver on those goals.” — LISA LOCKWOOD

MOUNT BALMAIN: Balmain has moved its London store, but it hasn’t gone far.

The brand, which opened a flagship on South Audley Street in 2015, has moved around the corner to 94 Mount Street, with neighbors including Simone Rocha and Marni. 

Balmain’s new, 1,077-square-foot store houses the women’s, men’s and accessories collections, and there is also a private suite for VIP appointments.

The store soft launched earlier in March, with creative director Olivier Rousteing officially cutting the ribbon this week with a cocktail for customers and a small, private dinner for friends and collaborators.

“Knowing that London is such an important destination for both British and international fashion lovers, it was very important for me and my team to create this special, one-of-a-kind environment, where we could welcome our guests into a distinctly Balmain universe,” said Balmain chief executive officer Jean-Jacques Guevel. 

Guevel said the interior of the new store was “directly inspired by the look and feel of Rousteing’s fitting rooms, where he and the house’s artisans oversee the final touches needed to perfect each new collections’ offerings. By channeling that unique house space, we not only have the opportunity to present our latest designs, we can also take advantage of that interior design to spotlight what truly sets today’s Balmain apart.”

The Mount Street space has in the past housed Pringle as well as an art gallery. The new store sits across the street from Scott’s and is a few steps from the Connaught Hotel, Christian Louboutin and Creed Fragrances.

To mark the opening, Rousteing held a private dinner at Apollo’s Muse, Richard Caring’s new private members club, with guests including Jourdan Dunn, Maria-Olympia of Greece, Poppy Delevingne, Isamaya Ffrench and Sam McKnight. — SAMANTHA CONTI

LOVE FOR COLOR: It was an evening of speeches at Horses on Thursday night in Los Angeles.

“I wanted to do a love letter about colors,” said Danish designer Stine Goya before describing her love of bright hues, their influence on her home in Copenhagen and work at her namesake label. “Colors has always been the core of my creativity.”

Goya was in L.A. hosting a dinner party with Nordstrom in celebration of the brand’s spring 2023 collection, available now at the retailer. Guests included stylist Marc Eram, and a slew of women dressed in Stine Goya: Rainey Qualley, Nina Agdal, Megan Suri, Olivia Welch, Meeka Hossain, Alyssa Coscarelli, Hayley Law, Brooke Wise, Rickie De Sole, Gavin Turek, Ganna Bogdan, Djuna Bell and Erica Cloud.

“It’s all about colors, and I am colorblind,” revealed Thomas Hertz, Goya’s husband and business partner, to awes and laughs. Hertz, serving as chief executive officer, kicked off the night with a few notes of his own.

“Usually, I do speeches without having a manuscript, but I decided to do it today,” he joked, before sharing their life story as creatives and as a couple married for 10 years, with four children.

“How do you work together?” he said they are often asked. “The answer is actually simple….It is about admiration and respect — and respect of different skills when you’re working together.”

Turning to the crowd before sharing a toast, he added, “It is so nice to feel the curiosity and warmness from all of you here in L.A.” — RYMA CHIKHOUNE

SUPPORTING ART: Fashion, technology and art are teaming up for a site-specific project. For the first time, MSGM is sponsoring Miart, Milan’s international modern and contemporary art fair, commissioning an installation by artists Eva & Franco Mattes.

It consists of digital channels that facilitate the passage of data, in this case of an invisible image, which will be sent casually to guests via AirDrop from the two artists’ personal phones — an idea stemming from the common practice among teenagers of exploiting crowds to AirDrop digital materials.

The initiative aims to create human connections in a place, such as a fair, where everything is usually based on commercial transactions only. The idea, at the end, is that everyone, even if not a collector, can have the opportunity to have a unique artistic content. 

Over the years, Miart has developed a series of prizes and commissions to support the artists featured at the fair. MSGM founder and creative director Massimo Giorgetti will launch a prize in his name to support young artists at the beginning of their careers.  

The winner will be an emerging artist who will pocket 5,000 euros for research and activities. 

Miart will run April 14 to 16 in Milan.

Giorgetti has been supporting the arts and in 2019 decided to put the former headquarters of his label, located in Milan’s Porta Romana area, at the disposal of a group of art experts to inaugurate an innovative cultural hub called Ordet.

Ordet was conceived as an experimental art center that thanks to the support of prestigious institutions — including the Kunsthalle Basel; Frankfurt’s Städelschule; Singapore’s Centre for Contemporary Art; Basel’s FHNW Academy of Art and Design; London’s Tate Modern; the Walker Art Center of Minneapolis and Pivô in São Paulo — would promote the exchange of art and culture contents through exhibitions, talks and special events. — ANDREA ONATE

BACK IN THE DESERT: Camp Poosh is back.

The lifestyle brand’s desert bash is back for the second year, this time aligning with Coachella.

It’s Poosh’s largest event to date, slated to take place April 13 to 17 at a 40-acre Palm Desert estate. More than 15 influencers will be invited to stay on the property Thursday through Sunday, with a party being thrown on Saturday from 1 to 5 p.m. It’s an invite-only event with 400 to 500 guests expected. Hosted in partnership with The H.wood Group, party goers can expect “camp activities, wellness activations, spa treatments, musical performances, and festival prep and recovery,” according to Poosh.

“I’ve always enjoyed fully committing to a theme — and to building out a vibes board on Pinterest — and over the past few years this has translated really well into Poosh’s immersive events,” founder Kourtney Kardashian Barker told WWD in an exclusive statement.

“I’m already a really detail-oriented person, but what makes the Poosh events so special is that I try to make them feel lived-in and immersive, not perfect or perfectly branded,” she continued. “We put a lot of thought into making our brand partner integrations feel seamless and authentic to the event, and we only work with brands that we love and that align with what we’re all about, so it won’t feel like your typical sponsored party.”

Sponsors include Smartsweets, Slip Silk, Shark Beauty, Aveda, Celsius, Hulu, Eucerin and Rite Aid’s Thrifty Ice Cream. There will also be Lonely Ghost merch and tattoos by Jon Boy.

“From the second someone walks into one of our events, I want them to literally feel like they’ve been transported to a different time or place,” Barker added. “And, I want them to settle in and enjoy themselves and experience new things, not just pass through to get some content. With Camp Poosh, I’m taking my love of all things nostalgic and bringing it to life in a way that feels authentically Poosh but also opens up our brand to a new audience. I loved summer camp as a kid, and I couldn’t think of anything more fun than creating Poosh’s adult version of summer camp.”

Poosh will be making some “sustainable” efforts including partnering with Boxed Water to donate to Climate Impact “to offset travel emissions and carbon footprint for up to 600 people” and plant 600 trees through the National Forest Foundation. There will be composting and recycling bins on site, water keg stations via Ophora Water and all vendors will use biodegradable utensils. — R.C.