A Gianni Versace Throwback, Australian Fashion Awards Winners – WWD

Icons only: Twenty-five years after his death, Gianni Versace is the subject of an independent retrospective, the largest exhibition of the Italian fashion designer’s work at the Groninger Museum in the Netherlands.

The exhibition features women’s and men’s clothing, accessories, fabrics, paintings, interior designs and images from Versace’s heyday in the 1990s, drawn from the archives of major collectors. The Versace family and company did not participate and did not support the event.

Visitors In 1994, Elizabeth Hurley rose to international stardom with pieces such as the Safety Pin Dress, on loan to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, and key looks in the Fall 1991 Supermodel Moment, with a cast including Linda Evangelista, Christy Turlington, Cindy Crawford and Naomi Campbell.

“Gianni Versace understood the power of the media better than anyone. It laid the foundation for today’s influencers. Instead of fashion journalists, Versace placed celebrities in the front rows of his shows,” the museum said in a statement.

“He also wore them for red carpet looks and performances. Rapper 2Pac has worn the designer’s silk shirts on stage several times and performed at the 1996 Versace show in Milan. Versace’s strategy was very effective in reaching a large audience,” he added.

The Gianni Versace Retrospective, curated by Karl von der Ahe and Saskia Lubnow, runs from December 3rd to May 7th. It was organized in collaboration with the collectors Antonio Caravano, with Sabina Albano as curator of the collection, as well as Salvatore Alderuccio and Franco Jacassi, owner of the Milan store Vintage Delirium.

The exhibition is organized around sources of designer inspiration and each gallery has a unique decor. One of them is devoted to US pop culture of the 90s and features a multicolored print of Marilyn Monroe, inspired by Elton John’s music and art for Versace’s spring 1991 collection. – Joel Diederich

Australian winnersAustralian artist Ken Don has won the 2022 Australian Fashion Awards Lifetime Achievement Award.

The award, considered the industry’s pinnacle trophy, was one of seven Australian Fashion Awards presented at a luncheon at Sydney’s Museum of Modern Art on Tuesday.

A nationally acclaimed artist whose work has been shown in more than 100 solo exhibitions in Australia and around the world, Donne, now 82, is now 82 years old, leaving behind a successful career as a creative director for advertising agencies in New York, London and Sydney. In the year By 1980, they were painting full-time. Images of Australia’s liveliness, naivety, and Sydney landmarks in particular, helped define the cultural zeitgeist of the 80s in Australia and proved a commercial gold mine, particularly the decade’s boom in Japanese tourism.

At a gallery in Sydney, Donne and his wife, Judy, began selling T-shirts and sweatshirts emblazoned with the prints, which proved popular. Expand into swimwear, resort wear, bedding and other home furnishings. By the end of the decade, they were operating 15 stores around the country.

Ken Don’s merchandise was not only a star in Olivia Newton-John’s 80s retail chain Koala Blue, which operates in America, Asia and Europe, he also designed the brand’s logo. His many licensing arrangements, during his lifetime, included deals with Mervyn’s Department Stores and Bart Jacobs in California.

Designer of the Year at this year’s awards was won by sibling designer Camilla Freeman-Topper and Mark Freeman of the Camilla & Mark label.

Designer of the Year was won by Leslie Jermanus of Alemais label after taking home the 2022 National Designer Award in July.

Designer of the Year was awarded to Laura Thompson, founder of Aboriginal social enterprise and fashion label The Gaps.

Sarah Munro and Robert Sebastian Grinkofsky of the Sarah & Sebastian Jewelry brand received the Sustainable Innovation of the Year award. Long focused on sustainability, the duo recently pledged to donate one million Australian dollars, or $667,000 at current exchange rates, to ocean conservation efforts over the next decade.

The winner of the Carla Zampatti Leadership Excellence Award was presented by Leela Naja Hibri, CEO of the Fashion Council of Australia.

Rebecca Vallance won the People’s Choice Award, which was voted on at Australian Fashion Week by naming rights sponsor Postpaid. – Patty Huntington

Brunello’s New Home: Brunello Cucinelli seems to have taken root in Los Angeles.

The designer, executive chairman and creative director of his eponymous fashion brand, is the new owner of a 1920s-era Spanish Colonial Revival home in Runyon Canyon.

The mansion was purchased off-market for $5 million, according to Dirt, the property was previously owned by entertainment executive Robert Geary for decades. The five-bedroom, three-bathroom home is said to be two stories and over 3,800 square feet. The site’s Susan Andrews and Justin Roberts of Compass represented the seller, while Brent Watson and Marco Salari, of Coldwell Banker Realty, both worked with Cuccinelli on the deal.

Born in Castel Rigon near Perugia, Italy, Cucinelli is known to have lived in a 17th-century villa in Solome, Italy since the 1980s. His company headquarters is nearby. In the year Launched in 2012, the brand has grown exponentially since its early days. In the year Launched in 1978 with a line of colorful cashmere knitwear, Cuccinelli is known worldwide for its range of luxury goods.

In LA, his neighbors reportedly include composer Harald Kloser, filmmaker Alan Ball, actress Katey Sagal and actor Julianne Morris. – RYMA CHIKHOUNE

In the cleaning: A golden pop-up.

British jewelry brand Misoma has opened its first pop-shop in London’s Covent Garden. The business reports 74% growth in sales to £33m in 2021, compared to £19m in 2020.

The temporary physical store is meant to allow the brand to test the retail temperature. Missoma already has counters in department stores Selfridges and Liberty Jewelery Hall.

“This feels like a new opportunity, because it gives us the freedom to experiment and create the way we want. We can make the rules by doing special styling events like Missoma x Mirabeau Late Night Shopping every Thursday and featuring some amazing partners. [to be announced soon]Marisa Hordern, the brand’s CEO and creative director, told WWD.

“As we grow, we’re creating physical spaces where we can connect with our community, and our community can interact with our products in real life. We recognize that physical retail is critical to increasing our market share and growing our brand.”

It was a brick and mortar request from the Misoma community. The brand will be neighbors with the annual Christmas tree in Covent Garden, a conscious decision from Hordern.

“Our jewelry is made by artisans – from the design in our Notting Hill studio, the hand-carved gemstones are added by hand and we paint our enamel,” says Hordern, admiring the four pillars of Missoma that have helped the brand. Successful: community, craftsmanship, sustainability and style.

The business is also working on their Worn on Repeat campaign, which focuses on longevity and wearability. “This is tied to our drive to create less, but better,” Horden added.

“Our main focus will be on our sustainability initiatives and how we work to reduce our carbon footprint. This year, in partnership with Central Saint Martins, we will be taking our first steps towards circularity. We will be handing out our prized jewelery to MA Design students to add new pieces of our winning designs to new rooms. This design will be sold on the site. It inspires a limited edition collection,” said Horden.-HIKMAT MOHAMMED

Stella’s Vacation: For the holiday season, Stella McCartney has partnered with Neiman Marcus to create a capsule collection of ready-to-wear party wear and accessories. To celebrate the special collection, Neiman Marcus is hosting three pop-ups in Coral Cables, Florida. North Park, Texas and San Francisco areas.

“Fusing a celebratory spirit with a sensual sensibility, the capsule showcases timeless sexiness in a vibrant, nature-based palette,” the brand said in a statement.

The capsule collection includes 10 cocktail and evening dresses, two vegan falabella bags and one crystal mesh slide in the brand’s cruelty-free and responsibly sourced materials. McCartney dresses boast a festive attitude with lead-free, heat-sealed crystal accents. Both the collection’s crystal embellishments and curved, cut and sculpted bra details are said to be references to the designer’s fall collection. – Emily Mercer