Dior to Show in L.A., Design Lab Winners, Shinola’s Eyewear Deal – WWD

CALIFORNIA DREAMING: Itinerant fashion shows are back in earnest — and Kim Jones is feeling the wanderlust, too.

The British designer plans to unveil his spring 2023 men’s collection for Dior in Los Angeles on May 19, WWD has learned.

The venue, timing and other details are still under wraps.

Dior confirmed the California showing, and highlighted the French house’s long ties to the U.S., which date back to the founder Christian Dior. Shortly after his first show in 1947, “the New Look set out to conquer the world, and America was first to succumb, igniting a friendship that has continued to grow ever since,” the house said in a brief statement.

Dior also plans to participate in the next Paris Fashion Week for menswear, and will parade its summer 2023 collection by Jones in the French capital.

Last December, Jones paid tribute to “On the Road” author Jack Kerouac by taking his pre-fall collection for Dior menswear to London. Alongside the show was an  an exhibition of rare books and manuscripts from Jones’ personal collection.

A formidable globetrotter, Jones has visited more than 100 countries. He often travels in search of rare wildlife and is a discreet supporter of multiple conservation charities. The designer took his first trip to Ecuador when he was three months old, and by age four, he had been all over Africa with his family.

Destination shows are heating up, especially for the resort season, with Chanel heading to Monaco and Louis Vuitton to a yet-unnamed venue of architectural importance in California.

In addition, Gucci has earmarked May 16 for a coed show to be held somewhere in Europe, while Pucci is to unveil the first designs by its new artistic director Camille Miceli on April 29 in Capri. — MILES SOCHA

THE WINNERS ARE…: In an effort to support greater visibility for Black creators across fields of design, artist Theaster Gates and Prada Group have named the first cohort of creatives set to participate in the Dorchester Industries Experimental Design Lab.

The 14 awardees who will participate in the three-year design incubator program were formally named at an event Tuesday evening at Rebuild Foundation’s Stony Island Arts Bank on Chicago’s South Side, where the lab’s hub will be located. The program is a collaborative effort between Gates’ art and neighborhood transformation platform Rebuild Foundation, the design and manufacturing arm of his studio, Dorchester Industries, as well as Prada.

The Experimental Design Lab cohort includes fashion designer Tolu Coker; footwear designer Kendall Reynolds; fine jewelry designer Catherine Sarr; Germane Barnes, Mariam Issoufou Kamara and Maya Bird-Murphy, who are doing work in architectural design; product designer Norman Teague; a dance company led by Kyle Abraham; visual artist Kenturah Davis; fine artist Brandon Breaux; Salome Asega who’s working in art, technology and design; graphic designer Summer Coleman; chef Damarr Brown, and Yemi Amu, who’s doing creative work in agriculture.

Financing over the course of the program will allow the creators to develop and scale existing work, as well as provide room for innovation. Apart from sharing their work locally in Chicago, the cohort will participate in annual activations — including retreats and publicly accessible events — in New York City and Los Angeles to foster greater exposure. More info on the Experimental Design Lab and its ongoing efforts can be found at Dorchesterindustries.com.

“At the end of the day, if the talented designers in this cohort are supported to create new work imaginatively, unencumbered by finances and inspired by their fellow cohort members, this program was an astounding success,” Gates told WWD. “My greatest hope is that the world takes note of their talent and that thought leaders leverage their resources to invest in and amplify the work of rising designers of color further.” — TARA DONALDSON

SHINOLA’S NEW LICENSE: Shinola has signed a multiyear eyewear license with Marchon. The two companies unveiled the deal on Wednesday under which Marchon will oversee the design, production and global distribution of Shinola optical eyewear and sunglasses.

The first designs will be released in the fall of 2022 in the U.S. and Canada, with styles made available at select retailers and on Shinola’s website.

All of the eyewear will utilize Marchon’s proprietary Flexon material, which allows frames to be bent or twisted without damage. An initial range of men’s and unisex styles will include six optical designs and five sunglasses. Most of the designs take inspiration from key Shinola watch collections.

Marchon president Nicola Zotta said the company is “thrilled to partner with Shinola, a distinct brand that will fit well into our portfolio. We look forward to offering new eyewear styles that will complement our Flexon technology and stand out to customers who are looking for frames designed with expert, quality craftsmanship.”

Shinola’s vice president of creative design Ruthie Underwood added: “Shinola is known for classic design that proves to be distinctive and timeless, whether we’re styling watches, leather bags or home accessories. We’re excited to extend our legacy for delivering high-quality manufactured goods to eyewear consumers who treat their glasses as a meaningful symbol of who they are and aspire to be.” — MISTY WHITE SIDELL

SPECIAL CAR: The last chapter of Project Maybach, the late Virgil Abloh’s collaboration with Mercedes-Benz Group chief design officer Gorden Wagener, has been revealed.

The electric luxury show car, which was unveiled in Miami last December shortly after Abloh’s death, will be put into a limited run of production as Mercedes-Maybach S-Class S680. Only 150 will be manufactured.

Made by the German carmaker’s customization and craftsmanship team in Sindelfingen, the model’s exterior features the same two-tone color combination, with the upper part of the vehicle lacquered in a glossy black and the lower part painted in a sand hue. The interior also follows the bicolor scheme.

Each car will also come with a bespoke user interface, a car cover and a custom-made wooden box covered in napa leather emblazoned with the Mercedes-Maybach and Virgil Abloh logos, containing a 1/18 scale replica of the car, car keys and a carabiner hook.

The release of the car will coincide with the release of an Off-White capsule collection designed by Abloh. Featuring logo T-shirts, hoodies, gloves, baseball caps and balaclavas, the capsule will be available on the brand’s online store, selected retailers and Farfetch. — TIANWEI ZHANG

HELPING HAND: Veronica Beard will host a “Make It Happen” event in Miami on Wednesday.

The event will include a panel discussion at the ZZ’s Club in the Miami Design District moderated by Veronica Swanson Beard and Veronica Miele Beard, cofounders and codesigners of the brand. The sisters-in-law will be having a conversation with model and entrepreneur Karolína Kurková, Karla Martinez, the editorial director of Vogue Mexico and Latin America, and Alexandra Wilkis Wilson, the cofounder of Gilt Group and Glam Squad.

Among those slated to attend are Katie Sturino, Jessica Wang, Liv Perez, Melodie Monrose and Arlenis Sosa, among others.

In addition, Beard has launched its second-quarter #VBGivesBack partnership with the International Rescue Committee in support of the more than 4 million refugees who have been forced to flee Ukraine, as well as other refugees around the world displaced by conflict and disaster.

Following the panel discussion, the attendees will be invited to return to the Veronica Beard store in Miami’s Design District on Thursday, where 10 percent of all in-store sales will be donated to the IRC as part of the first #VBGivesBack Day. The event will be hosted by the Beards. In addition, #VBGivesBack days will be held at all 16 Veronica Beard stores nationwide. Through the end of June, a donation from each veronicabeard.com order will benefit the IRC.

“As we watched the events unfold in Ukraine, Veronica and I immediately felt compelled to help, and our #VBGivesBack program is the most effective way for us to do that,” said Veronica Miele Beard.

Veronica Swanson Beard also praised the IRC, adding the designers are “inspired by the meaningful assistance they are able to provide.”

Ourania Dionysiou, vice president of international philanthropy and partnerships at IRC, said, “The IRC is honored to be featured as the newest nonprofit organization participating in the #VBGivesBack campaign. With millions of refugees and their families having already been displaced by the conflict in Ukraine, support for our teams in the region is needed more than ever.” — LISA LOCKWOOD

EMILY’S SUPER GIG: Superga has tapped Emily Ratajkowski as its latest global ambassador.

The model appears in the brand’s spring campaign, which was shot in Los Angeles in January at Milk Studios by Zoey Grossman. The shoot was styled by New York-based stylist Emma Morrison. The partnership also features a spring 2022 collaboration with the model-author in which she created her own shoes with the label, tweaking the original designs of the 2750 Classic and Alpina.

“I’ve been wearing the brand for years. I wear sneakers all the time because I live in New York City and I have a giant dog that I have to walk and now a baby,” Ratajkowski told WWD. “So sneakers have always been the way I make myself look fashionable while also practical.”

One of her favorite go-to Superga sneakers include the 2750 Classic as well as any of the other “simple, white, straightforward ones.”

Experiencing pregnancy and now being a new mom, the model’s style actually has not evolved much seeing that living in New York City already calls for a more practical wardrobe.

“I think that I’ve always needed a little bit of comfort. One of the things that I love about New York is that you leave the house and you want to feel like you can go anywhere and do anything for the whole day,” Ratajkowski said. “What I like about Superga is you can take them with you all day and you can dress them up or you can dress them down.”

The partnership feels immediate and natural for Ratajkowski, who has been a fan of the Italian brand.

“I’m just happy to be affiliated with a brand I think is so natural to me. And I, of course, have a real soft spot in my heart for Italy,” she said. “I go there almost every year. So it’s really great for me to be working with an Italian brand.” — LAYLA ILCHI

DECIEM TRIMS: Deciem, maker of The Ordinary, is closing several of its smaller brands.

The business will wind down HIF, Hylamide, Abnomaly and The Chemistry Brand. Products will remain for sale until they sell out, the company said in an Instagram post where it unveiled the news.

The Ordinary, Deciem’s most successful brand, will continue operating, as will Niod, the company’s high-end skin care offering.

The company said the new, more focused approach will allow it to do more of what customers love, “while allowing us the space to innovate with new brands in the future.”

“As our little company has grown, we’ve discovered that focus is absolutely necessary in order to give brands the love they deserve,” the company wrote.

Deciem is now majority owned by the Estée Lauder Cos. Lauder initially invested in 2017, and acquired a majority stake in 2021 that valued Deciem at $2.2 billion. At that point, the company was doing about $460 million in sales, primarily driven by The Ordinary.

Several other Lauder businesses, including Becca, Rodin Olio Lusso and the Aramis and Designer fragrances division, have closed during the COVID-19 pandemic as the company has looked to funnel money towards areas of growth. — ALLISON COLLINS

MARC’S VINTAGE TURN: Marc Jacobs is going into vintage with the help of one of Los Angeles’ favorite vintage retailers.

The fashion brand has tapped Los Angeles-based vintage retailer Aralada Vintage and its founder Brynn Jones to curate a collection of vintage pieces to be sold at the brand’s new Heaven store located on Fairfax Avenue.

“After the Marc Jacobs/Heaven team approached me, we spoke about their demographic and what they generally like,” Jones said. “They also gave me a price range [that] was $80 to $600. I love when I’m given certain boundaries to curate within. It makes the sourcing a fun challenge and the perimeters are also very helpful. After speaking with their team and lurking through their Instagram, I felt pretty tapped into who the Heaven customer is and what they like.”

Jones described the curated vintage collection as “playful and a little offbeat,” incorporating many pieces inspired by the 1990s and early Aughts. The collection includes vintage Marc Jacobs and Marc by Marc Jacobs pieces, as well as vintage pieces from brands like Prada, Anna Sui, Christian Lacroix, Comme des Garçons and Courrèges.

“I was so thrilled when they reached out because Marc Jacobs was the very first designer that I really fanned out to many, many moons ago and his designs were what really got me into designer fashion,” she said. “So when I was approached to curate for his new store, it felt like a full circle moment for me.”

Marc Jacobs’ Los Angeles store opened last spring, offering his new Heaven polysexual, streetwear-inspired collection and reflecting Jacobs’ own 1990s grunge aesthetic. The store offers apparel and lifestyle products.

Aralda Vintage has been a mainstay in the Los Angeles vintage scene since 2016, offering unique vintage pieces from virtually every major design house. Jones’ store was recently brought into the spotlight in the second season of HBO’s hit show “Euphoria” where costume designer Heidi Bivens enlisted Jones to curate a lavish vintage closet in a scene where Alexa Demie’s character Maddy is babysitting for her wealthy boss. In the scene, Demie’s character is seen trying on an array of vintage pieces from Thierry Mugler, Chanel, Dior and Halston, which all came from Jones’ store.

Aralda Vintage’s curated collection is available now at Marc Jacobs’ store at 334 North Fairfax Avenue. — L.I.