Ian Connor at Kanye West’s Yeezy Season 3 presentation. Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Yeezy Season 3
These are the stories making headlines in fashion on Thursday.
Fashion has turned a blind eye to stylist Ian Connor
To date, six women have publicly accused stylist and creative Ian Connor of rape. The allegations against him first surfaced in April 2016, when Malika Anderson, now 25 and a masters student at Columbia University, claimed in a blog post that she had been raped by Connor in October 2014. But the industry has chosen to turn a blind eye to these allegations, despite the rise of the #MeToo movement, which saw a slew of notable fashion photographers get blacklisted for their history of sexual abuse. Connor’s career, however, has taken off: He’s launched a clothing label, starred in magazine editorials and sat front row at top fashion shows, in addition to serving as a muse for the likes of Virgil Abloh, Kanye West and ASAP Rocky. {Business of Fashion}
Why the department stores of New York mattered
“It is true that retail is a Darwinian world, one in which only the ruthless and omni-channel-adept survive,” writes Vanessa Friedman. Henri Bendel, which will permanently shut the doors to its 57th street flagship on Saturday, and Lord & taylor are among the department stores that are shuttering as fast as print magazines. Friedman mourns their loss by remembering when and why the department stores of New York mattered. {The New York Times}
Accessories line Trademark to cease operations
It’s a sad day for fans of gingham-print totes and small leather bucket bags: Trademark, the five-year-old accessories line founded by Tory Burch‘s stepdaughters Pookie and Louisa Burch, is closing. Trademark was founded as a ready-to-wear and accessories venture in 2014, but later narrowed its scope to focus on accessories. Resort 2019 will be its final collection sold in stores. {Business of Fashion}
Versace and 2 Chainz to release new sneaker and ready-to-wear capsule
Versace is teaming up with rapper 2 Chainz on a new “2 Chain Reaction” sneaker, as well as on a men’s athleisure collection. Details on the clothes are scarce, but the shoes will feature an embossed croc neoprene collar with dual zip closure. The collaboration will launch in a pop-up boutique in Atlanta’s Wish Gallery on Feb. 1 and on versace.com. {WWD}
The British Fashion Council calls for a second referendum on Brexit
The British Fashion Council has announced its support for a second referendum vote on Brexit after the government failed to agree on a deal for their withdrawal from the European Union. The organization released a statement on Wednesday emphasizing that a no-deal Brexit should be avoided. “The ongoing uncertainty and confusion that a no deal creates will have a negative impact on our industry, where investment is already impacted from the uncertainty being faced,” the statement reads. {The Independent}
Rent the Runway debuts exclusive designer lines
As a way to steal market share from department stores and other multi-brand retailers, Rent the Runway has partnered with designers Derek Lam, Prabal Gurung and Jason Wu to produce clothing that will be exclusive to the rental platform. The new “Designer Collective” lines, which will consist of about 10 to 15 items per designer, leverage data pulled from Rent the Runway customers on fit and preference to constantly adjust the assortment available to borrow. {Business of Fashion}
Source: Fashionista