Dior Names Jay Chou Global Ambassador – WWD

MAD ABOUT MANDOPOP: Taiwanese singer and musician Jay Chou — who has been described as the king of Mandopop — has been named a global ambassador for Dior.

Chou is also a songwriter, director and actor, and is considered one of the most popular singers in the Chinese-speaking world, having sold more than 30 million records.

According to Dior, he “embodies the spirit and singularity of Dior style, a modernity with a timeless signature” and the new alliance with Chou celebrates “the special ties uniting Dior and culture in all its forms.”

Last year, Chou recorded scenes for a music video in landmark department store Samaritaine Paris, causing an online frenzy in China. Samaritaine Paris, like Dior, is owned by French luxury giant LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton.

As an actor, Chou is perhaps best known for his appearances in 2011’s “The Green Hornet,” and “Now You See Me 2” in 2016.

On his Instagram account, which boasts 8.6 million followers, he posted scenes from his recent concert in Bangkok. The star recently appeared on the cover of American L’Officiel’s fall 2023 issue wearing Dior menswear by Kim Jones.

Luxury brands have been recruiting brand ambassadors at a furious pace this year. Last month, Dior added French actor Raphaël Quenard, star of Netflix movie “Gold Brick.”

The men’s roster of global ambassadors at Dior also includes actor Robert Pattinson; K-pop star Jimin of boy band BTS; soccer player Kylian Mbappé; K-pop quintet Tomorrow x Together, aka TXT, and Monaco businessman Pierre Casiraghi, the grandson of Grace Kelly. — Miles Socha

ARMANI‘S HIGH JEWELRY: Giorgio Armani has unveiled his latest Privé haute joaillerie collection, marked by geometric lines, and an invisible setting, which creates surprising pavé motifs, emphasizing the color and radiance of the gems.

The collection comprises three monochrome series: blue, with sapphires and diamonds paired with white gold; green, with tsavorites and diamonds paired with yellow gold, and red, with rubies and diamonds paired with rose gold.

Each series is composed of round lobe and pendant earrings, a necklace with a removable pendant, a bracelet, a ring and a brooch.

The Giorgio Armani Privé Haute Joaillerie collection was previewed on Dec. 9 at the Palace Hotel St. Moritz during the designer’s Neve event dedicated to his apres-ski casualwear. It is available until Dec. 27 at the Giorgio Armani boutique in Zurich. From Dec. 27 to Jan. 8 it will be carried by the Giorgio Armani boutique in Saint Moritz before arriving at the Armani Privé boutique and atelier in Paris for haute couture week from Jan. 18 to 30. It will be available in Milan at the end of January. 

Armani first introduced his Privé high jewelry collection in the spring of 2019. At the time the designer said it was “an expression of pure creativity,” with no price or design restrictions, in sync with his couture creations.

“The only challenge is to make it fulfill its promise,” Armani continued. “But that is the challenge in everything I do — how to bring a creative idea to fruition so that it stays true to the original concept,” he said then. — Luisa Zargani

CORPORATE UNCOUPLING: Ali Pew, Goop’s influential fashion and editorial director, has left Gwyneth Paltrow’s lifestyle brand after six years.

At Goop, she oversaw all things fashion, including the G Label by Goop apparel collection, creative campaigns and editorial content. The Times of London called her the brand’s “tastemaker in chief.”

The Los Angeles-based creative, who has become an Instagram star documenting her daily minimalist style heavy on Alaïa, The Row, Toteme, Attersee, Metier London and more, previously held positions at InStyle, Condé Nast Traveler and W magazines.

“I’m enormously grateful for the six years I spent at Goop and for the great privilege of working closely with Gwyneth and alongside so many other talented colleagues. I’m incredibly proud of how much we accomplished during my time there, especially with the evolution of the G. Label by Goop collection,” Pew said. “For this next chapter, I’m excited to bring all my creative and editorial expertise to other brands. One of my favorite parts about this job has always been collaborating with different companies. Each place has its own creative vision and goals, and I love helping them use those differences to strengthen their brand image and reimagine their aesthetics in a completely unique way. It’s an endlessly fascinating and thrilling challenge.”  

With extensive contacts in the fashion industry, Pew has already worked with Prada, Cartier, Chanel and other leading brands on marketing campaigns; and styled a number of celebrities, including Diane Kruger, Ana de Armas, Gwyneth Paltrow, Naomie Harris, Brit Marling and Riley Keough.   

Goop’s chief design and merchandising officer Shaun Kearney has also left the company, WWD has learned. — Booth Moore

STELLABRATION: Stella McCartney has the holiday spirit.

For the final Corner Shop pop-up of the year at Selfridges, the British fashion designer is installing an installation titled, “Stellabration” to commemorate the holidays through Dec. 28.

The colorful piece is a mix of eclectic ideas, from sustainability, fashion, art and festive British traditions reusing neons and store displays from the brand’s past Christmas celebrations.

At the Corner Shop, items from Stella McCartney’s conscious capsule will be available for purchase, as well as chocolates by Charbonnel et Walker.

The designer will be debuting her collection of bags and footwear made in collaboration with Veuve Clicquot using grape by-products and recycled corks, which can be preordered at the department store. 

To add an element of fun, McCartney has also designed a Champagne bottle holder and ice jackets with Stellabration messages.

The designer’s childhood friend, Andrew Logan, a British sculptor and performance artist, has created wearable art to purchase made from recycled and recyclable glass. The two friends collaborated on McCartney’s spring 2024 show.

Another installation will take place at the Corner Shop: “InterStella,” by light artist Chris Levine using neon and star elements.

McCartney, through the space at Selfridges, aims to shine a light on minimizing waste during the festive season with the majority of the materials used in the space being either recycled, recyclable or biodegradable.

The retailer is making a conscious effort to reuse items, such as artificial snow and disco balls in its windows and store display every year. – Hikmat Mohammed

From Monday to Jan. 19 the Barbican Centre will exhibit the costumes from “Poor Things,” Yorgos Lanthimos’ upcoming film.

To accompany the exhibition, two screenings of the film will be held on Thursday, ahead of its Jan. 12 U.K. release date.  

A surrealist’s delight, the film is a literal take on girlhood: once-dead Bella Baxter, played by Emma Stone, has been brought back to life by mad scientist-cum-father figure, Dr. Godwin Baxter, played by Willem Dafoe — Bella’s brain replaced with that of a baby.

As she adjusts to her new brain, Bella has the mentality of a toddler, something reflected in her wardrobe. Relearning to walk, she totters in ruffled baby-doll dresses, Victorian bloomers paired with puff-sleeved tops and even a bustle cage sans cover.

The film follows her on her quest to experience the world in her own terms, free from the male gaze that’s been imposed on her; as Bella matures, so does her wardrobe — with designs recalling confectionary delights soon discarded for a coat akin to a condom.

“I’m delighted that these costumes are going to be on display in this great iconic building. I’ve always been a huge fan of the Barbican — its thrilling architecture and all the wonderful things that go on here. I’m excited for visitors to the Barbican to be able to see these costumes up close,” said Holly Waddington, the film’s costume designer.

The head of the Barbican’s cinema division, Gali Gold, said she was thrilled about the exhibition and screening.

“We are always looking for new ways to engage our audiences in the transformative power of film and it’s a huge privilege to be able to showcase Holly Waddington’s extraordinary talent with these daring and irresistible costumes, which really bring the film to life. We’re also delighted to be able to offer our audiences exclusive previews of the film, which is already hailed as a masterpiece,” she added. — Violet Goldstone