Kors Names JC-T, the Royals Christmas Parade, a Potential Italian Yachting Deal – WWD

NEW FACE: Michael Kors has tapped Chinese actor and singer JC-T as the luxury fashion brand’s Greater China brand ambassador.

The 33-year-old performer will be featured in upcoming campaigns for the brand with additional social media collaborations and appearances. According to the company, JC-T’s cool sensibility, along with his “talent, style and powerful stage presence epitomize the energy and chic of the Michael Kors brand.”

The performer, who has starred in hit TV series, has also topped music charts. He has appeared in such TV roles as Sima Zhao in “The Advisors Alliance,” and Cao Pi in “Secret of the Three Kingdoms,” and will be featured as Gu Yun in the upcoming “Winner is King.” A solo artist, he was previously a member of the Chinese boy band, M.I.C.

Last April, he released his first album, “Dreams.”

“JC-T is a magnetic force when it comes to his work and his style,” said Michael Kors. “We’re thrilled to welcome him to the Michael Kors family.”

“I truly appreciate the versatile, modern and elegant designs of Michael Kors,” said JC-T. “It’s an honor to join the Michael Kors family, and I eagerly look forward to a journey filled with excitement and passion.”

In July, Kors named Dahyun, a member of the South Korean global musical group Twice, its newest global brand ambassador. She appeared in Michael Kors’ fall/holiday campaign, and will be featured in the spring campaign as well. — LISA LOCKWOOD

A ROYAL CHRISTMAS: The Waleses 2023 family Christmas card may have turned up the glamour a few weeks back with a black-and-white family portrait, but Christmas at Sandringham, Norfolk in the East of England, on Christmas Day called for wrapping up warm and blending in with nature’s surroundings.

King Charles and Queen Camilla led the family to church, with the Waleses following behind. Also joining them were Prince Andrew; his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, and their daughters with their respective partners: Princess Beatrice with Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi and Prince Eugenie with Jack Brooksbank.

Kate Middleton wore a royal deep blue Alexander McQueen overcoat with a navy roll neck that matched her suede boots and bow-detailed hat featuring a feather.

Princess Charlotte, holding her mother’s hand, wore a moss green peacoat, while Prince Louis wore a navy double-breasted coat with green tartan trousers.

Princes William and George were in their usual suits — one in black, the other in navy.

It has become tradition for the British royal family to attend a Christmas Day service at St. Mary Magdalene Church, where they are then greeted by crowds outside as the group walks back to the royal residence.

Last Christmas, the new Princess of Wales rewore a custom structured military green coat from Alexander McQueen featuring flap pockets. She debuted the coat in January 2020 when she visited the City Hall in Bradford’s Centenary Square.

She topped that outfit with a Philip Treacy wide-brimmed hat in the same shade as her coat, decorated with a simple bow and feather. — HIKMAT MOHAMMED

SHIPS AHOY: Leading Italian maker of made-to-measure yachts Sanlorenzo and Florence-based Sawa, a company owned by Leonardo Ferragamo, revealed the signing of a memorandum of understanding on Thursday.

Sanlorenzo said in a statement that the agreement involves an exclusivity period to evaluate possible “joint strategic opportunities” between Sanlorenzo and Sawa’s Nautor Swan Group, a company known for its sleek Swan sailing yachts.

Nautor Swan was founded in 1966 by Pekka Koskenkyla in Pietarsaari, Finland. It has been owned since 1998 by Leonardo Ferragamo, who built its image worldwide.

Sanlorenzo remains one of Italy’s top shipyards driving the uptick of the nation’s yachting industry, now a main catalyst of the economy. In recent years it has grown its image as a specialist in floating luxury homes fueled by collaborations with high-profile names like designer Patricia Urquiola. The La Spezia-based company booked 740.7 million euros in sales of new yachts in 2022, benefiting from a surge in demand for luxury vessels.

Revenues generated by Italy’s nautical sector as a whole surged 20 percent in 2022 to 7.33 billion euros, according to the nation’s Marine Industry Association. By comparison and according to the French Nautical Industries Federation (FIN), France’s boating sector registered 4.95 billion euros in sales in the nautical industry and services between 2021 and 2022, the last fiscal year reported.

A strategic partnership with a leader like Sanlorenzo would allow Swan to innovate and upgrade on a sustainable level and would further strengthen its “long-term vision,” Ferragamo explained in a statement.

“A strategic partnership with Sanlorenzo Group would offer several opportunities to move forward on this virtuous path with joint investments in innovative technologies, in sustainability, and in a more extensive service network for our customers globally,” he said. — SOFIA CELESTE

LOTTO LICENSE: WHP Global, a leading brand management company and owner of the Lotto brand, has signed a long-term license agreement with Fashioncenter GmbH, based in Norderstedt, Germany. A subsidiary of the Schmidt Group, Fashioncenter has had the Kappa brand for 25 years and will now take over the product development and distribution of Lotto’s lifestyle footwear and sports fashion brand in Germany and Poland.

Fashioncenter will work closely with Lotto Sport Italia SpA, which operates the core performance categories for the Lotto brand in Europe, among other key markets. The new Lotto lifestyle collections will be presented in summer 2024 and are slated to hit stores at the start of fall 2024.

With this partnership, Lotto will expand its presence in Central Europe in the lifestyle and fashion sector.

“We are excited to welcome the Schmidt Group as our partner, leveraging not only their experience in distributing lifestyle brands, but also their extensive network within two of Europe’s top markets. We expect this partnership will significantly increase our footprint in this important region,” said Stanley Silverstein, chief commercial officer of WHP Global.

Cornelia Schmidt, chief executive officer of Fashioncenter, added, “We are looking forward to expanding Lotto’s brand presence in Germany and Poland. Our team is full of ideas and zest for action and is already working on the first lifestyle collections.”

Under the name “Lotto Life’s,” Fashioncenter GmbH will offer both apparel and footwear collections that have a sporty foundation but are designed for everyday wear with a distinct fashion component. Lotto Life’s will combine the lifestyle and active segments to offer retailers a variety of products for sport and leisure.

WHP Global acquired Lotto more than two years ago. Headquartered near Venice, Lotto was founded in 1973 and its double-diamond logo has been seen on professional athletes including Grand Slam champions Martina Navratilova and Boris Becker as well as on more than 40 soccer teams and 500 athletes around the world.

In other WHP Global news, the company said Friday it has closed on its acquisition of fashion brand G-Star Raw, which it agreed to buy in September, as reported. In tandem with the closing, WHP Global will open a new European office in Amsterdam.

The sellers will retain a minority stake in the brand and current G-Star Raw leadership, led by CEO Rob Schilder, will continue to operate the brand’s core omni-channel operations out of the Amsterdam headquarters. — L.L.