Blackpink’s Jennie for Chanel, Justin Timberlake for Vuitton, Ala?a’s Pieter Mulier Does Ballet
SEOUL SISTER: Blackpink’s Jennie Kim is the face of the new campaign for Chanel’s 22 bag.
The K-pop artist was captured on the streets of the South Korean capital Seoul in the ad images shot by Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin, which broke on Tuesday.
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A Chanel brand ambassador since 2017, Kim has previously appeared in campaigns for the Coco Neige ski wear line and Coco Crush jewelry. She embodies the mini version of the 22 bag, after previous ads released last year showed Lily-Rose Depp, Margaret Qualley and Whitney Peak with the tote and backpack versions.
“The campaign continues to make the codes of pop culture resonate with those of the house,” Chanel said in a statement, explaining that the fourth installment was based on Kim’s tastes and personality.
“Inez & Vinoodh call me ‘My Girl.’ It’s comforting because they see me as a young woman, not just ‘Jennie’ in the spotlight,” the performer was quoted as saying. “As a member of Blackpink, I’m constantly in the spotlight, but these images are an accurate representation of who I really am.”
In the campaign, Kim is seen wearing an ivory tweed jacket trimmed with pink ostrich feathers with a black leather belt with a diamanté clasp, fishnet holdups, and a pink version of the small 22 bag. A campaign film is due to follow on April 3.
Behind-the-scenes images show her reclining in bed, cradling a kitten and posing in front of a window after dark wearing a chic black evening gown with a sheer skirt.
Jennie, as she is known professionally, is most famous for being one of the four members of popular South Korean girl group Blackpink, which also includes Ji-soo Kim, Lalisa Manobal and Chae-Young “Roseanne” Park, known simply as Jisoo, Lisa and Rosé to their legion of Blackpink fans known as “Blinks.”
Kim was appointed a Chanel ambassador for fragrance and beauty in December 2017. In May 2018, her purview was extended to fashion, as well as watches and fine jewelry. Her presence at the brand’s shows in Paris guarantee not only large crowds, but considerable digital attention.
Kim’s appearance at the Chanel fall 2023 show on March 7 generated 17.3 percent of the brand’s total media impact value (MIV) from both her posts and echo, according to data and insights firm Launchmetrics. She also had the top post for the show, worth $1.6 million in MIV, it said. — JOELLE DIDERICH
MAKING AN ENTRANCE: Justin Timberlake makes his campaign debut for Louis Vuitton in a new series of ads for the French luxury brand’s collaboration with Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama.
Following a first round of images lensed by Steven Meisel, which broke in late December, Vuitton is rolling out new portraits by the photographer to coincide with the second drop of the “Creating Infinity” collection.
In addition to Timberlake, the ads feature Cate Blanchett, tennis star Naomi Osaka, South Korean model and actress Hoyeon Jung, French actress Léa Seydoux and Chinese actress Zhou Dongyu.
Timberlake, accompanied by his wife Jessica Biel, attended his first Vuitton show in October 2019. The two were a ubiquitous presence at men’s fashion week in Paris last June, attending shows by Vuitton, Dior and Kenzo — all brands owned by luxury conglomerate LVMH Mo?t Hennessy Louis Vuitton.
Nonetheless, the “SexyBack” singer is not an official Vuitton brand ambassador but rather a “friend of the house,” a spokeswoman clarified.
For the new campaign, makeup artist Pat McGrath and her team painted the faces and bodies of the models with colorful motifs inspired by Kusama’s distinctive designs, which appear on Capucines and Monogram handbags touted by the celebrities.
A flower crawls up Blanchett’s neck and across her jaw, while colorful pumpkins run down Timberlake’s arm. A face encircles Seydoux’s eye, while big blue dots appear on Jung’s face and collarbone.
Under the creative direction of Ferdinando Verderi, the campaign was styled by Carine Roitfeld, with Guido in charge of hair. The ads broke on Monday in Japanese magazines and will appear on billboards from Wednesday.
Creations from drop two of the collaboration will be available in Vuitton stores worldwide on March 31, as reported. — J.D.
MAKING A MOVE: Supple armor is how Ala?a describes the costumes its creative director Pieter Mulier created for “Pit,” a frenetic new ballet by choreographers Bobbi Jene Smith and Or Schraiber that premiered at the Paris Opera on Friday.
Titled “Pit,” the one-hour ballet is scheduled for nine performances at Palais Garnier through March 30.
Smith and Schraiber are perhaps best known for the 2020 film “Aviva,” in which they both starred and danced.
“Pit” features a “modern and figurative” stage design, while the music includes Sibelius’ Violin Concerto and an original composition by Celeste Oram, adding up to “a sensual, tribal and dramatic universe,” according to a description on the Paris Opera site. “A hot mess” is how a New York Times critic summed it up.
According to Ala?a, Mulier employed iconic materials used by the house and took inspiration from “the free movements of the dancers.” The clothes, all in black and white, were designed to match the bodies of the dancers and highlight their movements.
Smith and Schraiber both trained at the Batsheva Dance Company in Tel Aviv, Israel, under Ohad Naharin.
Iowa-born Smith has created works for the Martha Graham Dance Company, the L.A. Dance Project and the Royal Danish Ballet, while Schraiber, an Israeli national, has directed, choreographed and acted in several short films.
It’s been a busy 2023 so far for Mulier, who in January unveiled Ala?a’s “summer-fall” collection at his sprawling rooftop apartment in Antwerp, Belgium. — MILES SOCHA
A NEW APPLE: Ten years later, Mansur Gavriel’s signature bucket bag is getting a reboot — in apple skins.
The new version was 18 months in development and is manufactured in Italy with partner Mable Industries using 26 percent apple leather, 18 percent cotton, 20 percent polyester and 38 percent polyurethane.
“As a brand we’re always researching new materials and experimenting in ways to better impact the environment. Nature is a big source of inspiration to the brand, and we know it’s essential to find better ways to protect it,” said cofounder Floriana Gavriel to WWD.
The Apple Leather Bucket Bag is available beginning Tuesday on MansurGavriel.com for $495 in four colorways to start including black, sun yellow, jade and dusty rose. As with the leather bags, this edition is waterproof, durable and high-saturation.
“By working with this material, every kilogram of apple used means we can reduce the use of CO2, making it a carbon-neutral material. The material is beautiful, with the same quality and feel of our classic bags. It’s waterproof, durable, and we love that we’re able to offer our customers more choice in this iconic shape,” said cofounder Rachel Mansur, to WWD.
Mansur Gavriel plans to introduce new shapes following spring 2023, innovating on its bio-based materials to contribute to a fashion industry with less of an impact on the environment. The brand also will continue to introduce its upcycled seasonal capsules, which incorporate excess trimmings. — KALEY ROSHITSH
NEW BRIDAL: Just in time for peak wedding season, footwear brand Naturalizer and bridal designer Pnina Tornai have released their first shoe collection together.
The partners announced in August that they were teaming up to create two collections featuring memorable shoes for the entire wedding party, uniting Tornai’s luxurious aesthetic with Naturalizer’s comfort capabilities and size and width options.
The spring 2023 offering consists of nine special-occasion looks, including mules, platform heels and flats in a palette of whites, nudes, metallics, black and the designer’s signature Pnina Pink hue, elevated with rich materials and accents drawn from Tornai’s bridal gowns.
“The design codes of my bridal and evening collections — from my lace designs, beading and embellishments to the exact shade of silk white I use in my dresses — are precisely reflected in my shoe collection,” Tornai said. “I made sure to include signature Pnina bows — a large and dramatic one for bolder brides and a more delicate one for those who love the beauty of smaller details. Each shoe has a sparkle crystal heart charm, a signature detail that I included as a token of love from me to everyone that wears them.”
The collection ranges in price from $200 to $325 and is available now on Naturalizer.com. Beginning on March 26, it will also be sold through select retailers in-store and online, including Nordstrom, Kleinfeld Bridal, Dillard’s, Von Maur and Zappos. To celebrate the launch, Tornai is scheduled for a personal appearance at the Nordstrom NYC flagship on April 29.
With the top-performing bridal brand at Kleinfeld, Tornai is perhaps best known from the TLC reality series “Say Yes to the Dress,” which films inside the New York bridal salon and is now in its 22nd season. She also has a partnership with Jared for a jewelry line. But the collaboration with Naturalizer marks her first commercial footwear collection. (She previously has created only bespoke, custom shoes for clients.)
She said the partnership is another way for her to fulfill her mission of helping brides achieve their perfect day. “My personal goal is to connect with as many brides as possible to share my experience with them,” Tornai said. “Creating shoes that are beautiful, comfortable and also accessibly priced allows me spread my message of love to many more brides.”
For its part, Naturalizer, which is a division of Caleres, said Tornai has been the ideal collaborator as the brand looks to bolster its special-occasion business. “We have experienced growth in bridal and occasion footwear for the past two years,” said John Malpiedi, senior vice president and general manager of Naturalizer.
He noted that in 2022, the brand moved up seven positions to third in the women’s dress footwear market, according to data from The NPD Group. And Malpiedi sees the bridal category as an opportunity for continued gains. “Naturalizer continues to drive size inclusivity for the industry and we have our sights set on innovating the wedding/occasion category even further by marrying our timeless designs and world-class comfort with a partner who has made countless brides’ dreams come true,” he said. — JENNIE BELL
A PIECE OF ART: For many, interdisciplinary artist Daniel Arsham’s creations are out of reach, but fractional collectible platform Rally is trying to make at least one of them more attainable.
From Tuesday at 12 p.m. EST, those 18 or older with a U.S. Social Security number can purchase $20 fractional shares of the Arsham x Stone Island, a refurbished 1963 Mercedes Unimog 404 with coachwork by the apparel brand Stone Island. The asset is a security, qualified by the SEC, and fractionalized to allow access to all investors. With a total value/market cap of $135,000, there are 6,750 shares being offered for the vehicle. Knowing “it’s really hard to get in on the ground-floor of anything Arsham-related,” Rally’s cofounder Rob Petrozzo said this venture offered “an approachable price point to start the relationship.”
The artist’s collaborations had been a recurring topic of conversation among the team at Rally, and both parties first connected about possibly linking up last year. “We share a collective mindset more than anything else. He’s not just [designing] cars, art or objects — he’s a collector at heart, just like we are,” Petrozzo said.
Rally and Arsham also have other connections such as Porsche, which Arsham works with and which has invested in Rally, Petrozzo said. For Rally’s annual 15-mile drive to The Bridge, a showcase for post-war sports and competition cars in Bridgehampton, New York, last summer, the company recruited Arsham to join the brigade. The seemingly manageable short distance is a serious undertaking in the height of summer traffic in the Hamptons. “It stops along the way. It really takes all day. The problem is when you get a bunch of people with collector cars together, they tend to have conversations about the cars for hours at a time. The 15 miles end up taking about six hours,” Petrozzo said.
The artist brought his reconceived stripped-down version of the 1955 Porsche 356 Speedster, which “was the hit of the entire event,” he said. “That turned into a ‘What can we do together?’ conversation.”
The fact that Arsham’s studio is also located near Rally’s SoHo base was a plus. After checking out the cars in his personal collection, the craftsmanship of the 1963 Mercedes Unimog 404 stood out. Although the artist wasn’t planning on parting with it, that was agreed upon after both parties discussed how Rally fans would gravitate toward it. The collaborative military-and-modern style car with Stone Island was wrapped up a year ago. Aside from the $135,000 payment for the car, Arsham is not receiving any additional payment or equity directly from the offering. — ROSEMARY FEITELBERG
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