Michael Kors’ and Olivia Culpo’s Cause, Rimowa’s New Prize, Alison Lou Lands at The Mark
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KORS’ CHOICE: Michael Kors has revealed the Watch Hunger Stop 2022 campaign in aid of the United Nations World Food Programme, featuring Olivia Culpo and several global influencers toting two special-edition styles designed in partnership with artist Bonny Guo, also known as NYSometimes.
In the past, Kors has featured such celebrity partners as Kate Hudson, Halle Berry and Lupita Nyong’o. This year’s annual campaign invited influencers including Lady Amelia Spencer, Lady Eliza Spencer, and Culpo to serve as ambassadors for Watch Hunger Stop.
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Also featured are Matilde Gioli of Italy, Ki Eun-Se in South Korea, and Gao Yuanyuan, Fei Weng and Zhang Xiaochen of China.
Culpo was filmed at the Santa Monica Pier with her nephew supporting the cause.
Entitled “Love Makes the World Go Round,” this year’s social-media campaign taps into friends of the brand from across the globe to help amplify the partnership’s mission to end world hunger and spread the message that “Food Is Love.”
Kors collaborated with NYSometimes, a multimedia artist with a background in chemical engineering who lives and works between China and the U.S., to create the Watch Hunger Stop 2022 styles: a black Love tote for $98 and a canvas Food Is Love pouch for $58. NYSometimes created the design for the pieces, putting their graffiti-inspired spin on the longtime tag line. All profits from the sale of the tote and pouch go to WFP.
A special filter called “Share Your Heart” features a heart logo that users can add to their post to join the community. Each post using the “Share Your Heart” filter triggers a donation of the value of 50 meals to WFP. The filter can be found on the @michaelkors Instagram profile in the filters tab.
Since 2013, Michael Kors’ Watch Hunger Stop campaign has focused on helping WFP provide school meals to children in food-insecure regions of the world. Watch Hunger Stop reached the milestone of delivering 29 million school meals through WFP’s school meals program this year.
The Love tote and Food Is Love pouch are available online and in select Michael Kors Lifestyle stores. Throughout the month of October, Kors customers can make a donation to WFP at select Kors stores or they can donate at WatchHungerStop.com. — LISA LOCKWOOD
ON THE MOVE: Rimowa is the latest luxury brand to launch a design prize, with the inaugural competition challenging university students at German schools to address the topic of mobility.
Prized for its grooved aluminium roller suitcases, the Cologne-based company said students are “encouraged to freely interpret the theme by creating designs that both consider mobility’s global impact and acknowledge Rimowa’s tenets of resilience, excellence and quality.”
The winners will be selected by an expert jury, and revealed in April, with the grand-prize recipient pocketing 20,000 euros, the runner-up 10,000 euros and three others offered 5,000 euros. Finalists will also benefit from a mentorship program spearheaded by one of the jurors.
The jury consists of Rimowa chairman Alexandre Arnault and chief executive officer Hugues Bonnet-Masimber; Manuel Goller, founder and creative director of New Tendency; interior and furniture designer Gesa Hansen; Mateo Kries, director of the Vitra Design Museum; industrial designer Julia Läufer of Läufer & Keichel; creative director Mike Meiré, and Julius Wiedemann, chief curator at online platform Domestika.
Rimowa noted that the annual prize will also offer participants various networking opportunities, working spaces and other support to bring projects to life.
“It’s increasingly important for us to support and nurture the next generation who will be shaping the future legacy of German design,” commented Bonnet-Masimbert, noting that the students would also tackle “global issues that will affect the way the world navigates design in the future.”
Among the 15 participating universities are the State Academy of Fine Arts in Stuttgart, Folkwang University of the Arts in Essen, Anhalt University of Applied Sciences, Muthesius Academy of Art in Kiel and Deggendorf Institute of Technology.
Rimowa is controlled by LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, sponsor of an annual prize for young fashion designers. Loewe, also part of the French luxury group, spearheads an annual craft prize. — MILES SOCHA
ON THE MARK: Fine jeweler Alison Lou, known for its cheeky designs and engagement rings for celebrities like Jennifer Lawrence and Emily Ratajkowski, has opened a new boutique.
The label, founded in 2012 by Alison Chemla, has opened with a jewel box-sized store at 994B Madison Avenue, which is part of the Mark Hotel.
The 490-square-foot space houses all of Alison Lou’s collections, and has a special earring bar so shoppers can easily style their lobes with the brand’s colorful studs and hoop earring charms. Ear piercers will routinely hold events onsite as a courtesy to more adventurous clientele.
The store also includes an area dedicated to customizable pieces that can be ordered in a wide array of punchy enamel colors.
Chemla previously operated a store for three years at 20 East 69 Street, which closed just before the pandemic. She decided that it was time to open a new space as a way to celebrate the label’s first decade in business.
“I had my eye on the storefront for years, so it was a dream come true when it became available. I can’t think of a better way to celebrate our 10-year anniversary this November,” she said.
“I wanted to get into retail again after the pandemic because people are getting really excited about shopping in person. Jewelry is a larger purchase so people waning to see it and try it on was important,” Chemla added.
It helps that the store’s location helps give the brand a built-in clientele. “I love the area, the black-and-white awning is perfect for our brand. It’s one of the most condensed spots on the Upper East Side, people who live on the Upper East Side are always walking around and it’s amazing for tourists to discover the brand,” the designer said. — MISTY WHITE SIDELL
AT THE SAVOY: Gucci has set up shop inside London’s famed luxury hotel, The Savoy.
The brand has taken over the Savoy Tea Shop on the ground floor for three months, which usually sells tea and cake.
The short residency is a celebration of Gucci’s travel offerings, including trunks, trolleys, duffel bags, suitcases, garment bags, travel sets, stationery and pet accessories.
Ryan Gosling recently appeared in Gucci Valigeria’s campaign shot by photographer Glen Luchford. He joins the brand’s high-profile celebrity portfolio that includes Harry Styles, Florence Welch and Jared Leto.
In the early 20th century, Guccio Gucci worked as a luggage porter at The Savoy. His observations of guests coming in and out with their exquisite luggage is what inspired him to start an artisanal luggage atelier in 1921.
The brand has since expanded into the world of accessories, ready-to-wear and cosmetics, as well as becoming synonymous with modern-day elegance.
In 2021, the hotel collaborated with Gucci on the transformation of the Royal Suite, featuring pieces from the Gucci Décor line: wallpaper with the brand’s double G logo; monogrammed cushions; scented candles, and more.
The Savoy has always been at the forefront of modernity, as it was one of the first hotels in the U.K. to have electric elevators, en-suite bathrooms, and to be lit by electricity. — HIKMAT MOHAMMED
RIDING A WAVE: Lee, the denim and apparel brand, has launched its 2022 campaign under the LeeOriginals platform. Shot once again by Mark Seliger, the campaign was styled by costume designer and stylist Arianne Phillips and is set to a new song by Nashville songwriter Sam Tinnesz titled “New Wave.”
“This campaign embraces those moments where denim and self-expression merge,” Seliger said. “Casting was important. I wanted multifaceted individuals who may be well known but feel very familiar and real. We created a storyline for each character and gave them the space to put their stamp on the film and incorporated their personalities by using some of their own personal items. The result showcases that as they wear Lee, they remain true to themselves and original.”
Lee, owned by Kontoor Brands, launched the LeeOriginals equity campaign last year. It also partnered with influencers to raise the brand’s awareness, and sponsored the Bonnaroo music festival in June.
Brigid Stevens, vice president, global brand marketing at Lee, said, “We love a great story and this season’s cast of Originals has plenty of tales to tell. Tai Verdes started working at a mobile phone retailer and now is performing on stages around the nation; Yuka Mannami was discovered as a model while working as a nurse and now walks runways around the globe. These are just a couple of examples of how our cast has carved their own path and done the unexpected.”
In addition to Verdes and Mannami, the campaign features actor Deakon Bluman, body positivity model and singer Natalie Nootenboom, dancer Vinson Fraley, artist Mell and activist and snowboarder Cherokee Jack.
The digital component of the campaign launched on TikTok, Meta and Snapchat as well as streaming video via OTT, and on YouTube and Twitch. A curated out-of-home campaign will target specific neighborhoods in New York City, as well as select locations in Los Angeles, California; Chicago, Illinois, and Atlanta, Georgia. — L.L.
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