Industry News – May 5th, 2016

Curated fashion industry news links for Thursday, May 5th, 2016…

ALBER ELBAZ FINALLY OPENED UP ABOUT LANVIN LAST NIGHT – NYMag
“Alber Elbaz was handing out tissues and candy to the crowd last night for his speech at Parsons. The tissues, he said, were for the tears that might ensue when talking about what he archly referred to as “my tragedy” — being fired by Lanvin last year — while the candy, it seems, was just for the heck of it. When not distributing Hershey’s Kisses and hugs to the packed house of 600 people, the designer opened up about his feelings about Lanvin (it’s the first time he’s spoken at length about what happened). He also spoke about what he thinks of the state of fashion today, and his newfound life as an Instagram star. Here, some highlights from the talk.”

UNDER ARMOUR SHAKEUP – RetailingToday
“Under Armour is losing two key members of its executive team. Chief merchandising officer Henry Stafford and chief digital officer Robin Thurston are both stepping down from their positions in July. No reason was given for their departures. ”

ALEXANDER MCQUEEN WELCOMES NEW CEO – Forbes
“The departure of long-time Alexander McQueen CEO Jonathan Akeroyd however, welcomed a new era in terms of company management. Akeroyd allegedly left his CEO position at Kering -owned brand Alexander McQueen, to pursue other endeavors outside of the French luxury conglomerate. His successor is the 42-year-old Frenchman Emmanuel Gintzburger. Gintzburger’s past work experience of 17 years, include duties as Worldwide Retail and Wholesale Director at fellow Kering brand Yves Saint Laurent, in addition to a 3-year tenure as Lanvin’s Retail Director.”

NEW U.S. RULES MAKE FOREIGN GOODS BETTER DEAL FOR ONLINE SHOPPERS – TheWallStreetJournal
“A change in trade rules is making it cheaper and easier for American consumers to buy overseas goods online, heartening merchants abroad but threatening stiffer competition for U.S. retailers. Since about a month ago, the government has allowed Americans to import up to $800 at a time of most foreign goods without having to pay import duties or tax. That’s quadruple the previous exemption of $200.”

EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED AT CHANEL’S #COCOCUBA CRUISE SHOW – Elle
“Chanel shared the invite to their 2017 show on their Twitter just a few days ago, confirming the show would take place at the El Paseo Del Prado in Havana, Cuba, a popular promenade near the city’s waterfront. The show is culturally significant because a luxury brand hasn’t had a presence in Cuba since the ’50s. The hashtag for the evening’s events? #CocoCuba.”