Justin bieber

GHOSTED: Less than 24 hours after stating that it would continue to sell a collaborative collection with Justin Bieber — despite the musician publicly criticizing those designs and saying he did not approve them — H&M has reversed course and has stopped selling the pieces.
On Monday, Bieber posted to Instagram Stories that he hadn’t approved any of the H&M collection, posting “All without my permission and approval [SMH] I wouldn’t buy it if I were you.”

He later posted to his 270 million Instagram followers: “H&M merch they made of me is trash and I didn’t approve it. Don’t buy it.”

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The Swedish fast-fashion chain countered that claim on Monday, telling WWD that “as with other licensed products and partnerships, H&M followed proper approval and procedures.” At that time, the company said the merchandise would remain on sale but said “we need to look into this more to understand, before we take action.”

By Tuesday, however, H&M had changed its tune a bit. In a statement, the retailer reiterated Bieber’s involvement, but noted that the designs are no longer being sold. A company spokesperson told WWD Wednesday, “As mentioned in our previous statement, H&M has followed proper approval procedures. Out of respect for the collaboration and Justin Bieber, we have removed the garments from our stores and online.” 

Representatives did not respond immediately to requests for comment Wednesday.

Bieber’s image was featured on a dress, sweatshirt, T-shirt and tote bag. A phone case and one $40 hoodie were imprinted with “I miss you more than life” — a reference to the lyrics from his song, “Ghost.”

The alliance was not a one-hit wonder for the Grammy winner and the Swedish retail behemoth. The two parties had teamed up back in 2017 for a “Stadium Tour” collaboration, after Bieber had canceled the last leg of his “Purpose” tour dates. The assortment consisted of hoodies, T-shirts with graphic designs, bomber jackets and sweatpants that were reminiscent of his official tour merchandise.

Given their social media reach, global superstars like Bieber have the influence to sway millions of consumers toward or away from a brand. In the past few years, select incidents have led to legal action, including a lawsuit that Ariana Grande brought against Forever 21 in 2019.

The H&M spokesperson did not respond immediately as to whether the retailer is considering or has taken any legal action against the 28-year-old musician. A representative for Bieber did not respond Wednesday to a request for comment regarding any potential legal action against H&M.

He and his wife Hailey have an abundance of endorsement deals and business ventures, including her recent launch of Rhode Beauty. — Rosemary Feitelberg

SHOW MORE: Haute couture week may end on Jan. 26 but the shows will go on, with Patou and Zadig & Voltaire holding off-calendar shows on Jan. 27 in undisclosed locations in Paris.

Starting the day will be Patou, with a 10 a.m. show, the second under the tenure of artistic director Guillaume Henry.

Julia Fox closing the Patou spring 2023.

Courtesy of Patou

The brand’s chief executive officer Sophie Brocart said the date segued with a desire to create “an enjoyable event, a true ready-to-wear show the morning just after couture, a friendly moment with coffees awaiting attendees, for example.”

The morning after couture is “an alternative moment that suits well Patou, less crowded day when we can do things differently, when there is less pressure for attendees and models to run from one show to another, when the agenda isn’t packed” like the womenswear schedule of Paris Fashion Week, she continued.

Patou’s debut show last July was held in the brand’s Ile de la Cité offices, with Julia Fox closing the show in a formfitting dress in a Belle Époque-inspired print.

Zadig & Voltaire, on the other hand, staked the 8:30 p.m. spot on Jan. 27.

Its return last June after five years of showing in New York marked the French label’s reinvention and a doubling down on its roots as a “French fashion house with French DNA,” according to designer Cecilia Bönström.

She told WWD at the time that Zadig & Voltaire had “really grown into an international company” and that it was important for the brand to return as they “really want to be anchored there.”

To follow up June’s scaffolding-inspired set in the Musée des Arts Décoratifs that symbolized its brand being under construction, communication and image director Jordan Henrion said the “effortless luxury” brand would “set everything on fire” for fall 2023. — Lily Templeton

MOVING UP: Matt Rock has been named president, Americas, at Pentland Brands. The role oversees Speedo as well as Pentland’s full portfolio, which includes Endura and Mitre for the Americas region.

Matt Rock

courtesy shot

Rock succeeds Jim Gerson, who is retiring at the end of this year after the successful transition of the Speedo North America business from PVH Corp. into Pentland Brands. Tom Whitmer, previously executive vice president, operations, Americas, has been promoted to chief operating officer, Americas.

Rock, who was formerly president, Asia Pacific, began his career working in sales for Puma and joined the Pentland Brands business in 2005 as sales director for Ted Baker footwear. He was promoted to managing director in 2007 and during that time, increased Ted Baker footwear sales by more than 800 percent and grew distribution from eight to 28 markets. Rock joined the Pentland Brands executive team as global supply chain director in 2015 and was appointed president, Asia Pacific, in 2018, responsible for both the global supply chain and the regional commercial teams. During this time, Rock transformed both functions into multibrand operations and led the development of a “digital-first” China strategy, resulting in a 100 percent growth in sales.

Chirag Patel, chief executive officer of Pentland Brands, thanked Gerson for “his steady leadership throughout the transition. His knowledge, expertise and deep understanding of people were instrumental in successfully onboarding the Speedo North America business,” he said.

Succeeding Rock as president, Asia Pacific, is Abhy Thomas Joseph, and Charlotte Cox continues in her role as president, EMEA.

“The acquisition and transition of the Speedo North America business means we are now a truly global organization. With strong leadership teams now in place across our three key regions — North America, Asia Pacific and Europe — we’re in a great position to deliver on our ambition to build a global portfolio of pioneering brands that make life better,” Patel said.

In 2020, following its acquisition of the Speedo North America business from PVH for $170 million in cash, Pentland Brands outlined its plans to drive an increased emphasis on sustainability and bigger opportunities for its core brands — Speedo, Berghaus, Endura, Ellesse and SeaVees — in the U.S. market. — Lisa Lockwood

IN-HOUSE EXECS: The Fashioneering Lab, a Dallas-based fractional consultancy and think tank that aims to help brands grow, has added eight new executives in residence to offer advice and directions in a number of areas.

Kate Sheldon, founder of The Fashioneering Lab.

Courtesy

Kate Sheldon, Fashioneering’s chief executive, said the new executives include Lars Nilsson, a CFDA member and founder and creative director of Mr. Nilsson; Daryl Kerrigan, a CFDA Perry Ellis award winner and founder of Daryl K., and Kristen Sosa, a former executive of Saks Fifth Avenue.

Other recently added executives in residence are Sharon Graubard, Michael Cleghorn, Elena Bertone, Irene Bernadis and Timothy Parent.

The Fashioneering Lab was launched last year by Sheldon, who has worked as a designer, a design consultant and spent a decade at Neiman Marcus as a buyer of designer collections including Chanel and Christian Dior.

She started her business after noticing her consulting clients, big and small, needed advice on a range of topics, not just design, but also sourcing, optimizing e-commerce, regional expansion, supply chain issues and tech.

The Fashioneering Lab was conceived as a way to offer growth insights from a number of experts for less than the price of full-time hires and to create more communication between strategic advisers.

“When launching The Fashioneering Lab’s consultancy and think tank, I sought to build an entire ecosystem of strategists, thought leaders, and tacticians focused on preparing both emerging and heritage brands for the future,” Sheldon said. “Leveraging our deep-rooted and broad industry expertise, culture of collaboration and knowledge sharing, we are focused on accelerating the adoption of sustainability, circularity, inclusivity, fashion technology and adapting to shifts in work culture and business models.” — Deborah Belgum

Swedish fast-fashion retailer H&M has responded to accusations leveled by singer Justin Bieber that he had not approved merchandise featuring his likeness and lyrics.
The singer posted to Instagram Stories Monday afternoon to express his disapproval.

“I didn’t approve any of the merch collection that they put up at H&M,” Bieber wrote. “All without my permission and approval. [SMH] I wouldn’t buy it if I were you.”

Bieber’s likeness appears on items including a sweatshirt, a dress, T-shirt and a tote bag. The lyrics “I miss you more than life” from his song “Ghost” appear on a hoodie that retails for $39.99, as well as a phone case.

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In a second Instagram Stories post, Bieber further encouraged fans to stay away from the items. “I didn’t approve it, don’t buy it,” he said, and called the line “trash.”

In a statement released to WWD, a spokesperson for the Swedish brand stated: “As with all other licensed products and partnerships, H&M followed proper approval procedures.” The brand said the merchandise will remain on sale. “As it stands now,” the representative said, “we need to look into this more to understand, before we take any other actions.”

Bieber and H&M have a history. The singer collaborated with the brand back in 2017 on a collection of merchandise after Bieber canceled the last leg of his Purpose tour dates.

That collaboration was called the Stadium Tour collection, which featured hoodies, sweatpants, graphic Ts and bomber jackets that resembled his official tour merchandise and were priced from $20 to $60. Designs included flag prints and skate-style logos, as well as images of the singer.

Bieber also previously collaborated with Forever 21 on a collection of tour merchandise ahead of his Purpose tour, which featured his official logo and likeness, and ranged from $18 to $35, and with accessories brand Claire’s on a collection of hats, phone cases, pillows and backpacks.

Montreal, brace yourself.Not only will Justin Bieber’s “Justice World Tour” be making a stop in the city on Tuesday, but the superstar is expected to stop by Ssense to get a first-hand look at the immersive experience the retailer is unveiling for his Drew House brand.
The pop-up within Ssense’s five-story, 9,380-square-foot Montreal flagship marks the first time Drew House has expanded beyond its own direct-to-consumer site. The relationship between the brand and the retailer will continue this spring when Drew House is added to the Ssense mix in May, effectively bringing the brand to a global audience for the first time.

The mobile e-commerce studio at Ssense in Montreal.

Bieber, in partnership with his friend and onetime stylist Ryan Good, created Drew House in 2018 with a mission to build “a community, a place where you can be yourself and loved, encouraged, safe and valued,” according to its website. Since its launch, the entertainer, his wife and his fans have been seen sporting the unisex brand’s smiley face logo with the lower-case word “drew” in place of the mouth, all over the world.

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The Drew House smiley face.

Good said he’s been working with Bieber for 13 years, since he left his role as Usher’s assistant to be the singer’s stylist. They quickly became friends and four years ago when Bieber started brainstorming with him about starting a brand, they came up with Drew House and have been working together to build it since then. Good officially serves as the brand’s creative director.
The casual streetwear-infused line of sweatshirts, jackets, T-shirts, hoodies, short-sleeved shirts, sweatpants and accessories, including hats, bags, plush toys and slippers, doesn’t feature Bieber’s name anywhere on the label, but his millions of fans and followers — 226 million on Instagram alone — know Drew is his middle name and he’s solidly behind the business.

A peek inside the Drew House installation at Ssense.

This isn’t the only way Bieber is embracing his Canadian roots. Last week, the Ontario, Canada native and Drew House partnered with the National Hockey League and Adidas to reimagine the Toronto Maple Leafs sweater. A fan version of the jersey, which features a Drew House-inspired gold trim and element of the motif inside the Maple Leaf logo, is already sold out.
That kind of demand is exactly what Ssense and Drew House are hoping will be replicated when the installation debuts. It is the first time the brand has collaborated with any other company on an in-person activation and is the only one planned for Bieber’s world tour. It remains in place through April 3.
Good said before the pandemic, Drew House had opened a few physical pop-ups globally, but the health crisis put an end to that. “But this is the first time we’ve partnered with a wholesale account,” he said. “We haven’t been too quick to partner with someone else. We’re comfortable distributing it ourselves.”
But the conversation began recently about finding the right partner to expand the reach of the brand and Ssense fit the bill, he said.
“The timing is right. This will give us an avenue to tell our story.” The brand has a “lofty goal,” he said, which is to “tell our story in every culture in the world and we’re starting with Montreal.”

Gina DeYoung, senior director of marketing for Ssense, said all conversations start with product and the buying team began talking to the brand a couple of years ago and realized that they were committed to the same values. One thing led to another and it culminated in the installation.
“We want to create impact and make desirable product accessible,” she said.

A Drew House sweatshirt.

“Ssense is thrilled to partner with Drew House at such an exciting time in the brand’s development,” said Federico Barassi, vice president of menswear for Ssense. “We’ve been in conversations for years and found we have a natural synergy with shared values and communities. We’re excited to launch the full collection at Ssense in May and to help expand Drew House’s community worldwide.”
The installation, which spans three floors, includes Drew House graphics developed by the Ssense team splattered on the facade of the store that are designed to draw shoppers inside. In the lobby, stuffed mascot animals and home objects have been installed, along with a video wall providing content about the brand. Store customers will be distributed a Polaroid camera to capture images of their experience in the space.

Ryan Good outside Ssense in Montreal.

On the first level, a living room has been recreated with large screen panels as contour walls. The second level features a gallery-style presentation of portraits, graffiti and other visual ephemera from the brand and tube televisions showing Drew House content. Finally, on the fifth floor, a mobile e-commerce studio where the collection will be shot has been installed and Good will be on site styling the images. That will also be livestreamed in the lobby, DeYoung said.
The entire experience is designed to recreate “iconic moments from the L.A. Drew House,” DeYoung said. Good described Drew House as “an actual place. A house in the San Fernando Valley where our community actually hangs out.”
In addition to Drew House merchandise, Ssense will showcase other brands during the installation including Balenciaga, Lu’u Dan, Vetements, Lanvin and I’m Sorry by Petra Collins.

A Drew House hat.

DeYoung said that Ssense has worked with a few other brands in the past on similar initiatives including Burberry, which invited the merchant to reimagine the retail experience in its SoHo store in New York last June, followed by an installation for Pharrell Williams’ House of Humanrace last September in its Montreal store.

“But with this one, there’s an opportunity to interact and leave a mark,” she said.
For Good and Drew House, the newly inked partnership with Ssense will allow the brand to further its mission. “Working with Ssense for Drew House’s first global partnership brings together our shared visions of acceptance, value, empowerment and love. Drew House is a place, a community, and a metaphor for a home where everyone is welcome and where joy is available. Partnering with Ssense allows us another avenue to continue to tell that story. A story that communicates that every single person on this planet is loved and of infinite value,” said Good.
Ssense generates an average of 100 million monthly page views to its online store and 80 percent of its audience is between the ages of 18 and 40. The flagship is located at 418 Rue Saint Sulpice in Montreal in the first building in Canada designed by David Chipperfield Architects.

MAKING IT OFFICIAL: Talk about meta: not content with being a walking billboard for Balenciaga, Kim Kardashian West stars in the fashion house’s new advertising campaign.
Dropping in several installments throughout the season, the images by photographer Stef Mitchell show friends of the brand that include Justin Bieber and Isabelle Huppert, as well as models Tommy Blue and Marie-Agnès Diene. Each is shown in a familiar home or work environment.
For the second installment, released on Tuesday, Kardashian West is portrayed in her Calabasas home, taking a selfie alongside a fluorescent Le Cagole handbag with a customized tag featuring the initials “KKW” while wearing a black catsuit and shoes reminiscent of her all-black Balenciaga outfit at the Met Gala in September — minus the face covering.

Kim Kardashian West in the Balenciaga campaign.
Stef Mitchell/Courtesy of Balenciaga

Another image shows her in a leopard-print coat with the Le Cagole handbag and matching boots. The name of the handbag is a tongue-in-cheek reference to a slang word commonly used to refer to women from the South of France who wear too much makeup and loud clothes.
A third image shows Kardashian West in executive woman mode, wearing a strict tailored black coat with a white Hourglass handbag, sock stilettos and Bat sunglasses. Billboards of the campaign, which focuses on carryover products, are going up in locations worldwide, including the Théâtre de la Ville in Paris.

Kim Kardashian West in the Balenciaga campaign.
Stef Mitchell/Courtesy of Balenciaga

SEE ALSO: 
Kim Kardashian West’s Blue Balenciaga Outfit Causes Spike in Fashion Searches
Kim Kardashian West Looks to Balenciaga for ‘Saturday Night Live’ Hosting Debut
Balenciaga Reigned at the 2021 Met Gala

Photo: Getty
Hailey Bieber has been delivering a masterclass in wedding-guest dressing over the last few days (when in doubt, sequins!), but her downtime Miami uniform has been infused with the same sort of glamour that’s noteworthy in the run-up to party season – two words that wreak havoc in the minds of lo-fi dressers, and conjure sheer delight in those of secret divas.
Bieber, who has recently switched up her stylist and now employs her husband’s dresser Karla Welch full time, has a few cool-girl tips to take when RSVPing yes this winter. Tick off the key trends, but never compromise on your personal style seems to be her mandate.

For a night out in South Florida, Hailey demonstrated her deftness at pulling off the miniskirt trend again, by going matchy-matchy in a lime-green Agr twin set that would have piqued Cher Horowitz’s interest. She dialled down the fluffy brush knit coords with chunky Marni loafers and a Saint Laurent Le 5 à 7 shoulder bag, so the mood was more schoolgirlish than super club.
The color-block micro coords and penny loafer combo is one we have seen from Bieber before. Remember her June Paris trip, when Hailey and her husband gave Europe a taste of Hollywood style? Her all-lavender Raf Simons and The Attico look was, incidentally, one of the first from Welch, who is responsible for Justin’s unique brand of hypebeast streetwear.
Hailey doing all-purple in Paris in June. Photo: Getty
Bieber’s other secret weapon besides her searing twinsets – which, by the way, would look equally chic in muted colourways, as demonstrated by Vogue France editor and miniskirt enthusiast Eugénie Trochu – is her stash of Nensi Dojaka’s spliced-and-diced tops and dresses. By now, it’s de rigueur for any It-girl to have posted at least one mirror selfie strung up in the London-based designer’s sheer negligée-style pieces, but Hailey has been layering hers and framing them with her signature baggy jeans for a point of difference.
Bieber styling Nensi Dojaka her own way: with beachy braids and low-slung jeans. Photo: Instagram.com
Of course, party season means nothing to a woman who dresses up for a living, but – whether you’re bracing yourself for a month of cheap fizz or raring to hit the dance floor – it’s worth noting that putting your own spin on the trends always pays off. Nearly naked dress or not.
Originally published on Vogue.co.uk

MOONLIGHTING: A meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron wasn’t the only thing on Justin Bieber’s Paris agenda last month.
Rumors that the “Sorry” singer had taken advantage of his romantic getaway with wife Hailey Bieber in the French capital to shoot a Balenciaga campaign were confirmed on Friday, when the brand dropped the first of a series of portraits by American art photographer Katy Grannan.
To be revealed in three phases, the visuals also feature French actress Isabelle Huppert, alongside regular Balenciaga runway models Eliza Douglas, Awar Adhiero Odhiang, Anania Orgeas, Isabelle Weldon Herouard, Minttu Vesala, Litay Marcus, Emmanuel Culkin Mugisha, Abdou Diop, Taishi Suzuki and Hans Schmidt.

Isabelle Huppert in the Balenciaga campaign. 
Katy Grannan/Courtesy of Balenciaga

Shot on sets that evoke the atmosphere of Los Angeles parking lots, in a nod to Grannan’s street portraits, they show the models in seasonless ready-to-wear and accessories, including the Le Cagole handbag, named after derogatory French slang for people with a tacky dress sense.
Bieber wears the introduced DIY Runner sneakers, which feature a one-of-a-kind, handmade vintage look by using raw cuts, stitches and glue for the mesh and leather upper.
In the fall, Balenciaga unveiled a giant billboard on the side of the Louvre museum starring Cardi B, reclining on fake grass surrounded by kids’ toys. Stars including Hailey Bieber, Kim Kardashian and Kanye West are regulars at creative director Demna Gvasalia’s runway shows, including his recent debut at Paris Couture Week.

Balenciaga’s Le Cagole handbag. 
Courtesy of Balenciaga

SEE ALSO:
Cardi B Takes Over Louvre With Balenciaga Billboard
Inside Balenciaga’s Couture Comeback
Launch of Balenciaga Runner to Be Offered Exclusively at Kith

Inside La Samaritaine – Paris. Courtesy Karla Otto
Before French President Emmanuel Macron met with Justin Bieber and his wife Hailey, at the Elysées Palace in Paris, he was alongside LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault to cut the proverbial ribbon on one of the most beloved department stores in all of France. The reopening of la Samaritaine—affectionately referred to as “la Samar” by Parisians—has finally occurred, 16 years after closing for renovations.
La Samaritaine Paris. Photo by Matthieu Salvaing. Courtesy Karla Otto
The department store is featured in a 1907 steel frame and glass Art Nouveau building by Belgian architect Frantz Jourdain that overlooks the Seine on the right bank in the 1st arrondissement. It is listed as a historical monument by the French Ministry of Culture since 1990. La Samaritaine houses the French art de vivre, which translates to shopping, eating, and culture. No less than X fashion houses are curated to offer a very French mix and match style–think Alaïa, Loewe, Alexander McQueen, Chloé, Chanel, but also regional names like Shourouk and Vanina are alongside a blend of Scandi-cool brands like Ganni, Rotate, and Rains. Meanwhile, avant-garde Parisian sneaker brand Shinzo Paris offers a unique concept featuring 100 m2 of exclusive, ethical, and responsible sneakers, each one fulfilling one of their five criteria: local, recycled, vegan, organic, or reconditioned. Look closely and shoppers will see there are many limited editions and previews available to La Samaritaine along with what is the biggest beauty space in Europe exclusively featuring Dolce & Gabbana Beauty, Helena Rubinstein, Clé de Peau Beauté, SK-II, Fragonard, Orveda, and Sulwhasoo. There are also five beauty spaces including a spa and a house of perfume.
La Samaritaine beauty space. Photo by Matthieu Salvaing. Courtesy Karla Otto
There are 12 spaces to eat everything from caviar to burgers, while books by Assouline and a pop-up Perrotin Gallery will seduce tourists and Parisians alike. Take the elevators to the top to witness the spectacular Art Nouveau peacock fresco restored to its former glory. At 3.5 meters high and 115 meters long, it is the work of the architect Jourdain’s son Francis. Alternatively, shoppers can also climb the 270 original oak steps . The railing has been restored with 16000 gold leaves. The artist Francis was also commissioned by his father to decorate the store facade with enameled Volvic lava that serve to soften the structure. Adding a touch of contemporary architecture are the glass waves forming the facade of the Rivoli street side designed by Japanese architects of the Sanaa agency.
For a lucky few, after a full day of shopping and sightseeing, La Samaritaine is adjoined by a Cheval Blanc Paris hotel, complete with a Dior Spa.
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