Michelle Yeoh Wins Kering Award; Alexis Stone as Jean Paul Gaultier – WWD

WINNING STREAK: The rewards keep on coming for Michelle Yeoh. Hot off an awards season that saw her scoop an Oscar and a Golden Globe, among other prizes, the Malaysian-born actress has been named as the winner of Kering’s 2023 Women In Motion Award.

The ceremony will be held during the French luxury group’s annual dinner to honor women in cinema at the Cannes Film Festival, which runs from May 16 to 27.

Yeoh became the first Asian to win the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in “Everything Everywhere All at Once” and has used the platform of different awards ceremonies to deliver speeches touching on issues such as diversity, racism and ageism.

“Through her iconic roles, Michelle Yeoh has managed to shatter every stereotype,” François-Henri Pinault, chairman and chief executive officer of Kering, said in a statement.

“Together with the Festival de Cannes, we wanted to recognize her significant contribution to cinema, and her ability to inspire future generations of talent. Presenting her with the Women In Motion Award was the obvious choice,” he added.

Yeoh said she was “very moved” to receive the Women in Motion award.  

“I’m convinced that times are changing; public awareness has certainly grown in recent years. It’s vital that women — in front of the camera and behind it — keep playing roles and telling stories that reflect the diversity and complexity of the world,” she said.

Previous recipients of the prize, launched in 2015, include Viola Davis, Salma Hayek, Gong Li, Geena Davis, Susan Sarandon and Jane Fonda.

Best known for her roles in “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” “Memoirs of a Geisha” and “Crazy Rich Asians,” Yeoh is enjoying a career resurgence that highlights her skills both as an actress and an action-film heroine.

Among her upcoming projects is the film adaptation of the stage musical “Wicked,” “Avatar 3” and the Disney+ series “American Born Chinese,” due to premiere on May 24.

“We are thrilled to be honoring Michelle Yeoh, an actress who is passionately dedicated to her films and has made her mark on the industry in so many different ways, and who we had the great pleasure of welcoming to the jury of the Festival de Cannes in 2002,” said Thierry Frémaux, director of the Cannes Film Festival.

“Throughout her career, she has relentlessly explored new possibilities — to the point where this has become her trademark for a large international audience. The awards she is receiving are simply the inevitable outcome of this exceptional journey,” he said. — JOELLE DIDERICH

DOUBLE TAKE: If you think Jean Paul Gaultier is springing across a Parisian street holding a baguette aloft in his brand’s latest ready-to-wear campaign, look again.

It’s actually British drag performer and makeup artist Alexis Stone who donned looks out of the “Dress Like Jean Paul” spring collection, inspired by the French designer’s Breton top, also known as a marinière, and kilt.

Revealed on Wednesday on Instagram, the images were shot by London-based photographer Grant-James Thomas in Paris’ Les Halles neighborhood.

In one image, Stone-as-Gaultier wore a kilt-and-mariniere ensemble that nods to one of the best-known portraits of the French couturier, a 1994 image shot by photographer Jean-Marie Périer for the French edition of Elle that saw him don that seminal striped top and kilt ensemble.

Elsewhere, it’s not one but four Gaultiers that face off at table tennis, three of them wearing long-sleeved stretch tulle gowns with a striped anatomic motif, while the last wears a pinstripe suit and white tank top with a jaunty white sailor hat.

These are among the pieces that will be available from the collection launching Friday that spans ready-to-wear, accessories and swimwear. Expect a profusion of sailor-inspired pieces, many with trompe-l’oeil details, nodding to Gaultier’s 1984 “Homme Objet” and 1996 “Cyberbaba” collections. The kilt too will come in variations that range from the traditional Scottish garment to stretch tulle and swimwear pieces.

In a statement announcing the collection, the British artist said the French designer’s work “encouraged you to be yourself, whoever you are” and was “exactly what fashion should inspire when it is done well.”

“And that’s why transforming myself into Jean Paul Gaultier was easy, because I see myself in this community that he has created,” the performer continued.

An expert at transformation, Stone has attended fashion shows as Jennifer Coolidge, the fictional Mrs. Doubtfire, Dolly Parton and even himself, as well as slipped into the looks of Kim Kardashian and Kate Moss. — LILY TEMPLETON

Safe Space: Hailey Clauson has been named co-owner and creative director of Margaux, the Los Angeles-based boutique modeling agency.

“I’m very excited about this full circle moment,” said Clauson, a model who has been signed to the agency. With more than 15 years of experience in the fashion industry, she has appeared in brand campaigns for Gucci, Jean Paul Gaultier and Dsquared2 and walked fashion shows for Zac Posen, Calvin Klein and Versace. 

“I feel like I’m able to take my power back from any negative experiences that I’ve had as a model and use it to build the safe space I always wanted for myself with agencies,” she continued. “I love the creative expression that comes with modeling as well as the business side of the industry, so I am really looking forward to bringing these two worlds together within this role. It’s also very important to me to support talent from all backgrounds — age, body type, culture, gender and sexual identities — and to be able to champion the shared dream of succeeding in this exciting industry.”  

Clauson joins cofounder and director Regina Annotti.

“Margaux’s continuous growth as an agency has been a direct result of listening and learning from our own talent, and not being afraid to evolve in an unpredictable industry,” said Annotti. “So, for us, it is invaluable to have Hailey’s perspective and experiences as a professional model. Hailey has had an incredible journey of highs and lows within the fashion industry, which I believe will provide excellent mentorship to our talent and within our team.”

Launched in 2015, Margaux currently represents models Brigitte Nielsen, Celeste Romero, Vivica Dehi, Trystin Valentino and Pyper America, as well as creatives Jacinda Pender, Ivy Price and Kitty Umina. — RYMA CHIKHOUNE

Shopping x Art: Saks Limitless, the retailer’s invite-only loyalty program, will host an exclusive pop-up shopping experience for clients in Dallas.

From April 18 through April 19, Saks will invite Limitless clients to shop from an assortment of Saks.com designer merchandise inside the private rooftop penthouse suite at the Joule Hotel in downtown Dallas, a first ever pop-up for Saks in Dallas.

The pop-up will showcase a full lifestyle array including men’s and women’s ready-to-wear from top European brands, as well as shoes, bags and accessories.

As part of the pop-up experience and the brand’s continued commitment to the Dallas art and fashion community, Saks will partner with Dallas Contemporary as a major sponsor for the spring exhibitions “Eduardo Sarabia: This Must be the Place,” a major immersive installation recreating a Mexican hacienda and considering notions of home, and “Ceramica Suro: A Story of Collaboration, Production, and Collecting in the Contemporary Arts.” It is the first comprehensive American presentation of the studio’s influence on contemporary art through the collection amassed by José Noé Suro and his wife, Marcela.

A special dinner will also take place at Sassetta at the Joule to celebrate the opening of the spring exhibitions and the ongoing partnership between Saks and the Dallas Contemporary.

“As we continue to deepen our relationships with digital clients, we are excited to bring this special pop-up to life in a growing market for the Limitless Program. We always strive to deliver the best luxury experiences and our partnership with the Dallas Contemporary museum allows us to connect with our clients in a more meaningful and impactful way,” said Mariel Sholem, vice president of client engagement at Saks.

On April 18 at 4 p.m., a Saks Live will take place featuring Ali Bloom, senior stylist, Limitless private digital styling, and Carolina Alvarez-Mathies, executive director at Dallas Contemporary, to discuss the intersection of art and fashion as well as the best in spring fashion.

As of March, Saks Limitless includes more than 5,000 top clients across the Saks Fifth Avenue ecosystem. Membership benefits include digital and in-person styling and personal shopping services, early access to new designer launches and the latest runway collections, and access to exclusive events and experiences around the world. — LISA LOCKWOOD

Brooklyn Built: The Brooklyn Nets are looking to the art world for their latest collaboration.

The NBA team is teaming with Brooklyn, New York-based artist Kaws for its 2023-24 Nike NBA City Edition uniform. The uniform marks the start of a two-year partnership between the artist and the basketball team.

“As a proud Brooklyn resident, I was thrilled when the Nets asked me to create a new uniform design,” Kaws said. “The history, community and passion of this borough create an energy that inspires my studio practice, the players and the fans. My design aims to capture the vibrancy that we experience daily when navigating Brooklyn.” 

Kaws took inspiration from his 10-part art series, called “Tension,” for the City Edition uniform. The uniform incorporates Kaws’ signature, abstract design and utilizes a color palette of gray, teal, navy and coral. The artist reimagined the Nets logo in a new graphic style and included his autograph and signature “XX” motif on the uniform.

“The Brooklyn Nets brand transcends the court in many ways, and we are excited to partner with another Brooklyn icon, Kaws, to deepen our connection to the borough with this newest City Edition uniform,” said Andrew Karson, senior vice president of brand marketing, strategy and solutions for BSE Global, which is the Brooklyn Nets’ parent company. “Brooklyn is home to some of the world’s greatest creators across genres of culture, including fashion and the arts, and we feel inspired to have the unique ability to marry basketball with the best of our borough.” 

Kaws’ uniform comes after the Brooklyn Nets paid homage to artist Jean-Michel Basquiat’s work last season with its 2022-23 City Edition uniform.

The Brooklyn Nets 2023-24 City Edition uniform and accompanying merchandise collection will be available on the team’s website and at the Barclays Center starting this fall. – LAYLA ILCHI