Saint Laurent Hits the Road, Gisele’s Back, Bulgari Taps Anne Hathaway – WWD

MARRAKECH EXPRESS: Cementing the long-standing ties between Yves Saint Laurent and Morocco, Saint Laurent creative director Anthony Vaccarello plans to unveil his spring 2023 men’s collection in Marrakech on July 15, according to sources familiar with the matter.

The house could not be reached for comment.

The founder of the brand maintained a home in the city from the ‘60s, drawing inspiration from its colors and local clothing styles. His legacy lives on in the Yves Saint Laurent Museum, located next to the Majorelle Garden, which Saint Laurent and his partner Pierre Bergé bought to save it from destruction.

Vaccarello has made traveling men’s shows a signature of his tenure at Saint Laurent, skipping Paris Men’s Fashion Week to stage itinerant shows in destinations including New York City and Malibu, Calif. His show in Venice last year coincided with the city’s Architecture Biennale and featured a specially commissioned installation by artist Doug Aitken.

It was the house’s first physical show in more than a year, after Saint Laurent, which is owned by luxury conglomerate Kering, revealed in 2020 that it would drop out of Paris Fashion Week and set its own pace for showing collections, as brands pivoted to adapt to the coronavirus crisis.

It has since resumed its women’s ready-to-wear displays in Paris, staged within a stone’s throw of the Eiffel Tower on spectacular sets, such as the wall of scaffolding that erupted with falling water that provided the backdrop for the spring 2022 show.

The men’s show in Marrakech will coincide with an exhibition focused on Saint Laurent’s love affair with Morocco. Titled “Love,” it will run from June 5 to Oct. 31 at Palácio Duques de Cadaval in Évora, Portugal. — JOELLE DIDERICH

BÜNDCHEN AND BURBERRY: She’s back.

Gisele Bündchen has been keeping a low profile of late, but she’s bounding back into the public eye courtesy of her friend Riccardo Tisci, chief creative officer at Burberry.

Bündchen is the face of Burberry’s 2022 Summer Monogram campaign, and wears a variety of sporty looks, including a check bikini and workout gear suited to her beloved yoga, and beachy pursuits.

“I was so happy to see Riccardo again after such a long time and shooting with my sweet friends Luigi and Iango is always a blast. It was so special spending time with everyone.

“We had so much fun on set,” said Bündchen, who specifically chose to work with Tisci, and with Luigi Murenu and Iango Henzi, who are known creatively as Luigi & Iango.

The campaign also features previously unreleased black-and-white stills of Bündchen that the creative duo shot a decade ago.

Current looks were styled by Suzanne Koller while the campaign makeup artist was Georgi Sandev. The campaign video features “Initials B.B.,” written and performed by Serge Gainsbourg.

Bündchen is the latest in a lineup of hot talent that Tisci has tapped over the past four years. In 2019, it was Gigi Hadid, followed by Kendall Jenner and Naomi Campbell. The Thomas Burberry Monogram, designed by Tisci and the graphic designer Peter Saville, was first unveiled in August 2018.

This year’s Summer Monogram collection includes cotton gabardine trenchcoats, caftans, wool-blend cardigans, eyewear, silky bomber jackets and wool sweaters. Accessories include the bestselling Lola and Freya, tote bags, linen high-top sneakers and Neoprene sandals.

During his first public appearance for Burberry last week, the new chief executive officer Jonathan Akeroyd said Burberry would maintain its luxury positioning, and that collaborations and special in-house collections, such as the Summer Monogram, would continue to be a big part of the strategy.

Akeroyd said luxury creates desire for customers and value for the brand. He added that he has confidence in Tisci, and described the designer as “consistent” in his vision for the Burberry with a “strong eye and pulse for what the market needs.” — SAMANTHA CONTI

HATHAWAY’S WONDERS: Anne Hathaway has been named Bulgari’s newest ambassador.

On Tuesday, Bulgari released its latest campaign, called “Unexpected Wonders,” featuring the actress alongside Zendaya, another spokesperson for the brand, as the two wander around a sumptuous palazzo wearing different statement pieces by Bulgari with the two stars taking turns narrating the video.

The campaign was shot in Rome and directed by Paolo Sorrentino, the award-winning filmmaker behind “La Grande Bellezza.”

Hathaway made her debut as an ambassador during the Cannes Film Festival last week, where she wore a custom white sequined column gown by Armani Privé paired with Bulgari’s Mediterranean Reverie necklace and a matching sapphire ring from the brand’s high jewelry collection. She was styled by Erin Walsh.

Besides the Oscar-winning actress and Zendaya, Bulgari’s new media campaign will include Blackpink’s Lisa Manoban, Chinese actress Shu Qi and Priyanka Chopra Jonas, all of whom will present Bulgari’s jewelry and watch collections.

In the images, Hathaway is wearing pieces from the brand’s classic Serpenti range as well as jewelry and watches from the Divas’ Dream collection. Zendaya is shown wearing pieces from the B.Zero1 and BB collection, while Chopra Jonas dons pieces from both the high jewelry and Serpenti collections. Manoban, known professionally as Lisa, wears necklaces and rings from the B.Zero1 and Divas’ Dream collections.

Hathaway and Zendaya were photographed by Dan Jackson while Lisa and Chopra Jonas were shot by Chris Colls.

Zendaya and Lisa have been ambassadors for Bulgari since 2020, while Chopra Jonas was named one last year. Qi has been a longtime spokesperson for the brand. — CONCHITA WIDJOJO

DUMAS’ NEW GIG: The Agnelli family’s holding Exor N.V. on Tuesday appointed Axel Dumas, chief executive officer of Hermès International, as a non-executive director for a term of one year.

“Axel is the sixth-generation leader of a family-owned company that is the very epitome of excellence and tradition, and is also renowned for its success in seeking renewal and change,” said John Elkann. Concurrently, Exor has appointed a new chairman, senior non-executive director, Ajay Banga, separating this role from that of the CEO, both previously held by Elkann, who will continue to serve in this position.

Dumas joining the board of Exor further strengthens the ties between the holding and the French luxury group. As reported, at the end of 2020 Exor, the owner of Ferrari and The Economist Group, invested in Hermès International’s China project Shang Xia.

Exor has been expanding its reach, investing in a minority stake in Christian Louboutin and in a luxury apparel collection for Ferrari, staging runway shows in Maranello, where the company is headquartered, and, in February in Milan as part of the city’s Fashion Week. Elkann has underscored this is a long-term project for the brand, entailing global investments and opening dedicated stores in cities such as Milan and last November on Rodeo Drive. The collection is designed by Rocco Iannone, who is tasked with shifting the clothes from Ferrari’s previous merchandising approach to ones that speak of design, fashion and lifestyle, reflecting the brand’s luxury positioning.

Banga has been a member of the board since May 2021 and has served most recently as chair of Exor’s Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance committee. He served for more than a decade as president and CEO of Mastercard Inc. He has also served on the boards of Kraft Foods and Dow Inc.

Today, he is vice chairman of General Atlantic, a leading global private equity firm, and is also an independent director of Temasek, the Singapore-based global investment company. Prior to joining Mastercard, Banga was CEO of Citigroup Asia Pacific.

“Ajay shares our purpose, which is to build great companies,” said Elkann. “His additional responsibility as chairman will strengthen Exor with the experience and wisdom he brings. This will also align Exor’s governance model with that of our companies, allowing me to concentrate on our next phase of development.”

“Our world is in a rapid change cycle on so many fronts and John and the Exor team continue to transform our company for its future,” said Banga.

Among other appointments, former Marks & Spencer CEO Marc Bolland also joined Exor’s audit committee and chairs the compensation and nominating committee.

Owing to other commitments Joseph Bae stepped down from the Exor board. — LUISA ZARGANI

NO LONGER ALONE: Modern love, like everything else, has been reconfigured by the pandemic. Now the streetwear brand Lonely Ghost is giving new meaning to “wearing your heart on your sleeve.”

The company launched a capsule line, called the “Text Me When You Get Lonely” collection, that addresses modern loneliness. Indy Blue, the label’s founder and a social media influencer, is trying to play up positivity and make loneliness not such a taboo. Noting how people are lonely any day of the year, the founder is trying to foster self-acceptance in that area and to let the lonesome know “you aren’t alone even when you’re lonely.”

The prevalence of loneliness caused by lockdowns and the pandemic has increased in recent years with younger adults being among those more greatly impacted. The socialization effects of COVID-19 caused severe loneliness to hike to 21 percent, compared to 6 percent prior to the pandemic, according to a survey of respondents in 101 different countries. The issue of loneliness is becoming addressed more openly in public forums. Earlier this month, Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge encouraged people to reach out to those suffering from loneliness with “small acts of kindness,” during a taped radio broadcast tied to Mental Health Awareness Week.

To sweeten the appeal of the solitary life, Lonely Ghost has joined forces with the chocolate company Tony’s Chocolonely. The first 600 orders will receive a special Tony’s Chocolonely chocolate bar. That also makes them eligible to win one of three prizes by finding a “lonely ticket.” Along with whatever lonely-inspired attire they purchased, the three winners could win a year’s supply of Tony’s Chocolonely — 365 candy bars; a $250 Lonely Ghost gift card, or round-trip tickets for two people to visit the Lonely Ghost team in Utah. The candy company aims to ensure equality in the cocoa chain, and to fight against illegal child labor on cocoa farms, especially in West Africa.

The range of Lonely Ghost TMWYL products include sweatshirts, a baseball cap, phone case, a key chain and a lighter retailing from $8 to $65. — ROSEMARY FEITELBERG