Dior’s New Men’s Ambassador, ‘Wednesday’ Star Turns Out at Gucci – WWD

BRANCHING OUT: In the latest pairing of a luxury brand with a K-pop celebrity, Dior has signed South Korean singer, dancer and songwriter Jimin, a member of boy band BTS, as a global ambassador.

The band’s relationship with the French luxury house dates back to 2019, when Dior menswear designer Kim Jones designed stage outfits for their “Love Yourself: Speak Yourself” world tour. BTS has worked with brands including McDonald’s, Coca-Cola, Samsung and Louis Vuitton, which named them as brand ambassadors in April 2021, a partnership that has now ended.

Both Vuitton and Dior belong to French luxury conglomerate LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton.

BTS, who released their first album in 2013, shocked fans worldwide by revealing in June that they were taking a break for band members RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook to explore solo projects and complete their mandatory military service. Jimin recently collaborated with Bigbang’s Taeyang on his new single “Vibe.”

Dior’s signing of Jimin indicates that each band member can individually flex their branding might. “The South Korean artist now embodies the spirit and singularity of Dior style, modernity with a timeless signature,” Dior said in a brief statement.

The house is no stranger to the power of K-pop stars. Jisoo, a member of Blackpink, has driven crowds wild since signing on with Dior as a global ambassador for fashion and beauty in March 2021. Dior and Jisoo have several times scored the social media post with the highest value during Paris Fashion Week, according to data and insights firm Launchmetrics. 

On the men’s side, Jimin joins a group of brand ambassadors that includes Sehun, a member of Exo, and Astro’s Cha Eunwoo. Both attended the brand’s pre-fall show held in front of the pyramids of Giza in Egypt. — JOELLE DIDERICH

AGAINST THE WIND: “Wednesday” actor Percy Hynes White attended his first fashion show on Friday in Milan, taking in Gucci’s fall 2023 men’s collection, which had models parading around a rock band jamming on a circular dais.

“It’s pretty cool,” he said before the show, pausing for some photos with Korean pop star Kai and Gucci chief executive officer Marco Bizzarri.

Gucci’s hip-dockworker look for next season might look right at home in Hyne White’s hometown of St. John’s, Newfoundland, which is known for its rugged weather.

“You can like walk up the street like, completely horizontally when it’s windy. It’s crazy,” said the actor, who now lives in Toronto.

Told Marc Ribot’s Ceramic Dog, a “noise rock” trio, would be the featured attraction, Hynes White was intrigued. “I’m very excited to see. I don’t know the band.”

Also taking in the show was actor Idris Elba, musician Nick Cave and Los Angeles Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey.

Gucci was the first big show of men’s fashion week in Milan, which ran through Monday. It was a closely watched display as it featured the first collection realized by Gucci’s design studio without creative director Alessandro Michele, who exited the brand last November after an acclaimed seven-year stint. — MILES SOCHA

Multifaceted Man: Valentino has appointed Suga its latest brand ambassador.

The much-loved member of the pop BTS boy band joins the company’s ambassadors called Di.Vas, an acronym that stands for Different Values.

Creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli defined Suga as “a multifaceted artist; he is an interpreter and uses his talent and his work to express himself with energy and authenticity. He perfectly embodies everything that DI.Vas testimonials stand for: diversity, inclusivity, creativity and passion.”

For his part, Suga said “all individuals have different dreams and values.” He said Valentino and Piccioli “have been supportive of diversity which is something that I also believe in.” The artist will also front the Maison Valentino Essentials campaign, dedicated to the brand’s menswear staples.

In May 2022, Valentino took its collaboration with Sir Lewis Hamilton a step further. The seven-time Formula 1 World Champion was appointed the first Valentino menswear DI.VAs for the Valentino Pink PP advertising campaign.

In September, doubling down on local engagement in the Chinese market, the brand tapped the popular singer and husband of Rainie Yang, Li Ronghao, as a brand ambassador for the Greater China region.

The popular South Korean band BTS has been rubbing shoulders with the fashion world for some time. As reported, Dior just signed the band’s member Jimin as its global ambassador and in 2021 the group modeled for Louis Vuitton. — LUISA ZARGANI

NEW ROLE: Lululemon has named Elizabeth Binder chief merchandising officer, a new post.

Binder, who started Monday, will be based in Vancouver and reports to Sun Choe, chief product officer.

Most recently, Boden was chief product officer at the U.K.-based Boden, which she joined in October 2020. Earlier, she spent 12 years at Burberry and led her team through the brand’s biggest growth years, driven by digital and international expansion, specifically in Asia. She has also held merchandising roles at J. Crew, Club Monaco and Ann Taylor.

“Throughout her career, Liz has proven her ability to bring teams together through times of immense acceleration and business expansion, and lead with clarity and vision,” said Choe. “Liz’s proven leadership coupled with an astute understanding of consumer needs will help accelerate and scale all that is possible form a product, design and distribution standpoint.”

Binder added, “I’m drawn to Lululemon for its commitment to people, and its leadership in product innovation. There is significant potential across all categories as consumers look for products that deliver without compromise when it comes to versatility, performance and style. I’m excited to build on the momentum of the brand and play a part in shaping the future of how people want to dress.”

Lululemon, the Canadian apparel, accessories and footwear manufacturer, revealed third-quarter earnings last month that showed improvement in top and bottom lines with strength in all channels. However, last week, the brand rattled investors with a fourth-quarter outlook that showed some gross margin slide even as profits were seen coming in on target. — LISA LOCKWOOD

BEST FOOT FORWARD: Fashion house Jean Paul Gaultier and shoemaker J.M. Weston are the two latest members of French luxury association Comité Colbert.

Although the house’s founder retired from the runway in 2020, Gaultier has kept its haute couture division active with one-off collections conceived by guest designers.

Following Chitose Abe of Sacai; Glenn Martens of Y/Project and Diesel, and Balmain’s Olivier Rousteing, it will be Haider Ackermann’s turn to present his creations for the brand on Jan. 25.

“We are very happy to join the Comité Colbert and its prestigious members, and proud to be able to contribute to the influence of French know-how, in particular through a new and collaborative approach to haute couture,” said Vincent Thilloy, chief brand officer for Jean Paul Gaultier.

“The values ​​of inclusivity and diversity specific to our house will be at the heart of our contributions,” he added.

J.M. Weston, meanwhile, raised its visibility with the appointment in 2018 of fashion historian Olivier Saillard as artistic, image and culture director. Saillard has directed a number of performances for the shoe brand, most recently a dance class led by leading choreographers Mathilde Monnier, La Ribot and Asha Thomas.

The latest additions raise the number of luxury houses that are members of Comité Colbert to 93. The organization includes 17 cultural institutions and six European members.  

“Comité Colbert welcomes the arrival of these two new members, whose history, excellence of craftsmanship and international influence promise mutual enrichment at a time when the resilience of our industry is a source of pride for France,” said Bénédicte Epinay, chief executive officer of Comité Colbert. 

The organization’s objective is to promote luxury, preserve the ancestral know-how of its houses, to work on legislative and regulatory issues and to anticipate future challenges in the sector.

As luxury firms struggle to recruit young artisans despite the boom in their sales, Comité Colbert hosted a three-day educational fair last month aimed at promoting careers in craftsmanship to students. — J.D.

ANIMAL KINGDOM: The bustling Boulevard Haussman, home to Galeries Lafayette and Printemps department stores, will soon welcome polar bears and gorillas among its chic boutiques.

It’s all the work of renowned animal sculptor Michel Bassompierre, who will unveil his largest sculpture to date at the opening ceremony Feb. 1. The new piece, titled “Le Mélèze,” stands just above 13 feet and will tower over the famed shopping street. An open-air exhibition of 11 pieces will run until March 31.

Other pieces from Bassompierre’s series “Fragile Colosses” will also be on display at the nearby Mogador Theater. The sculptor is known for his depictions of endangered species in bronze and marble.

The exhibit, brought together by the Comité Haussmann association and Galeries Bartoux, is meant to shine a spotlight on the existential environmental threats species face due to climate change, human encroachment on their habitats and ecosystem collapse.

“I am one of the nature lovers, who are in awe of life. Our duty may be to share our sense of beauty to make others admire the wonders they pass by without noticing,” said Bassompierre. “I hope my exhibit ‘Fragile Colosses’ in the Haussmann district, one of the most beautiful in the capital, will make as many people as possible aware of the need to respect and preserve our environment.”

The exhibit is meant to depict animals in a different light, and was created with the support of primatologist Sabrina Krief and Cesar-winning actor Jacques Weber. Bassompierre is known for the way he transforms animals into soft, rounded forms to depict a more peaceful nature. The sculptures serve as ambassadors to help humans see what are often thought to be fearsome animals from a new perspective.

“In the heart of one of the most prestigious Parisian neighborhoods, the monumental sculptures of Michel Bassompierre will raise awareness this winter of the threatened beauty of nature. We are happy to join forces with the Comité Haussmann, whose values we share, on this exceptional exhibition which will awaken and amaze people’s consciences,” Galeries Bartoux noted.

“Every day, we are committed to offering our visitors a different experience of Paris through artistic events in the urban space, accessible to all, like this exhibition. We are very happy to associate ourselves for the first time with the Galeries Bartoux to offer our visitors an exceptional exhibition and create a unique route in the heart of our emblematic district of the capital,” added Comité Haussmann president Alexandre Liot.

The works will be on display at from Feb. 1 to March 31. Pieces from the collection were last on display in Paris’ Jardin des Plantes in 2021. — RHONDA RICHFORD

Mushrooms x Makeup: Daniel Martin, celebrity makeup artist and Tatcha’s global director of artistry and education, has partnered with MycoWorks, the creators of a leather alternative, to create a reishi leather makeup brush roll.

The partners met during the pandemic, and Martin said the collection was years in the making. 

“This friendship grew from that over like two years, and they asked, ‘if you ever got a hold of this material, what would you create?’ I had this brush roll that I’ve had for almost 20 years that I’ve always wanted to recreate,” Martin said.

“They gave me the opportunity to do it in this incredible natural leather.”

MycoWorks’s reishi mushroom leather has to be grown to size, so each roll is made to order. There are only three produced, and only two of them will be sold.

“I want to auction two of them off for charity,” Martin said. “If we can get it at a really cool place and it helps somebody out, that’s nice. But so much of the partnership was just understanding the material, understanding the brand.”

Martin joins a range of collaborators with MycoWorks, including Hermès.

“As a company founded by two artists, MycoWorks is always eager to collaborate with artists and artisans from other fields who share our values and vision. Daniel is an excellent representation of this. His devotion to creativity, aesthetics and craft aligns with ours,” said Xevi Gallego, artist and MycoWorks’ vice president of brand and marketing. “Reishi is a new kind of natural, luxury material that can be used anywhere leather or leather alternatives are used — and do more. It has been adopted by industries spanning fashion, home décor, automotive and art — and we see opportunities for it in beauty and beyond.” — JAMES MANSO