Must Read: Behind Chanel's Quiet Move Into Menswear, Revolve to Launch Site Aimed at Gen-Z Consumers
Plus, Theory's CEO Andrew Rosen is stepping down in April.
These are the stories making headlines in fashion on Wednesday.
Behind Chanel's quiet move into menswear
Chanel has emerged as a coveted name in menswear in the past few years, particularly in hip-hop. And this week, the French fashion house announced its first-ever capsule collection, made in collaboration with Pharrell Williams. But the label isn't exactly courting male consumers, and it's never produced a full menswear collection. It does, however, offer a handful of men's looks, sneakers and accessories every season that attract the wallets of high-profile males, because they're super rare. {GQ}
Revolve to launch site aimed at Gen-Z consumers
Revolve will take a break from its influencer world tour to launch Superdown, a shopping site aimed at a younger demographic. The new Gen Z-focused site will carry an assortment of in-house brands in addition to J.O.A., BB Dakota, Levi's, Brixton, Minkpink, Amuse Society, Agolde and 8 Other Reasons, among other lines. "Superdown represents an opportunity to serve an expanded demographic with a large and growing spending power," said Michael Mente, Revolve Group cofounder and co-chief executive officer, in a statement to WWD. "We're incredibly excited to see it launch, but not in a position to share any performance projection." {WWD}
Theory's CEO Andrew Rosen is stepping down in April
Andrew Rosen will step down as CEO of Theory on April 1 and will be succeeded by Dinesh Tandon, the company's current chief operating officer. Tandon joined Theory in 2013 as CEO of the Greater China and Southeast Asia market, where he oversaw aggressive business growth. He was named Theory's chief operating officer in 2017. Rosen, a founder of the label, will become an adviser. {WWD}
Fashion shows are bigger business than ever
In the age of social media, fashion shows are no longer geared at print magazines and department store buyers. Instead, they've become Instagram-friendly spectacles geared at capturing the attention of millions. For this reason, specialized production companies are enjoying a period of financial success. Thierry Dreyfus's Eyesight, a Paris-based production company that works with Comme des Garçons and Off-White, recently raised €5 million in investment from BNP Paribas. While Bureau Betak, which helps stage around 100 productions per year, reported that it generates over €50 million annually. {Business of Fashion}
Alexander Wang to launch second collection with Uniqlo
Alexander Wang's second collaboration with Uniqlo will focus on using the Japanese retailer's AIRism technology. The collection's loose-fitting tees, bike shorts, leggings and scoop-neck crop tops are made up of moisture-wicking fabrics in pastel hues like mint, sky blue and peach. "Innovation has always been at the forefront of our design and creative process, and functionality serves a huge purpose in the way I and our customers dress," said Alexander Wang in an official press release. "Therefore, through the influence of innovation, technology and functionality, the special AIRism collection was born." The 15-piece range will hit stores on April 11. {Fashionista inbox}
LVMH to launch a blockchain to track luxury goods
LVMH is planning to launch a blockchain in order to track and prove the authenticity of high-priced goods. The platform is code-named AURA and is expected to go live in May or June with Louis Vuitton and Parfums Christian Dior. "To begin with AURA will provide proof of authenticity of luxury items and trace their origins from raw materials to point of sale and beyond to used-goods markets," a source working on the project revealed to Coindesk. "The next phase of the platform will explore protection of creative intellectual property, exclusive offers and events for each brands' customers, as well as anti-ad fraud." {Coindesk}
