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Martine Rose appointed creative director at Balenciaga

Fashion house move marks breakthrough in white, male-dominated industry For the first time in its 109-year history, the fashion house Balenciaga is to be led by a woman, with the British designer Martine Rose appointed as creative director of the brand. Her appointment at Balenciaga marks a breakthrough in the white, male-dominated fashion industry. Rose is only the second Black woman to lead a major European house. Her appointment follows Grace Wales Bonner, who in 2025 was announced as the men’s creative director at Hermès. Continue reading...

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Fashion and tradition: how John Smedley is innovating in a tough market

In the final article in a series on high-end British manufacturing we look at a clothing brand that dates to the 18th century but is increasingly on-trend Making jeans again: the Hiut Denim factory in Cardigan Rolls-Royce rides high on craze for customisation Luxury leather: from wallets to cigar cases Tina is wielding a large pair of scissors with authority, slicing with immense skill and precision. With 38 years of experience, she is an important member of the 230-strong manufacturing team producing fine knitwear for the John Smedley brand. Using a chalk, a semi-circular guide and a sharp pa

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A-listers and AI stylists: how high-street brands are staging a fashion comeback

Gap, M&S, Topshop and more are taking a leaf from luxury label playbooks to satisfy savvier generation of shoppers High street brands that boomed in the noughties before the squeeze of both sustainably minded consumers and the rise of ultra-cheap online labels are staging a comeback. This time, rather than focusing solely on trend-led affordable designs, the names familiar to any shopper are courting luxury fashion, A-list collaborations and enhanced services in an attempt to engage consumers. Continue reading...

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Fast-fashion giant Shein outperforms several Australian retailers on ethics, report says

Ghanda and Windsor Smith are among lowest-rated in Baptist World Aid ethical fashion report based on metrics such as wages and sustainability Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Online fast-fashion giant Shein is outperforming many Australian high street retailers on ethical standards, according to an industry review. The 11th Baptist World Aid ethical fashion report, released on Tuesday, assessed the ethical practices of 138 Australian and international companies, representing 543 fashion brands. Continue reading...

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Alessandro Michele designs for the dancefloor at Valentino’s Paris show

Italian designer plays with ‘idea of glamour in the wrong way’ in collection of see-through gauzy fabrics and mis-buttoned blazers Alessandro Michele is the Italian designer who, during his seven year tenure as creative director at Gucci, made maximalism a meal ticket for the brand. His challenge now is to bring the same hot sauce to Valentino. He’s been in the top creative job for just 30 months but time moves fast in fashion and he’s already rolled out 10 collections and four catwalk shows. At Paris fashion week on Sunday afternoon, he ticked off show number five. Continue reading...

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Daniel Roseberry adds ‘aerodynamic‘ edge to Schiaparelli’s surrealist glamour at Paris show

American in Paris showcases new simplicity with stretch cocktail frocks, but there’s still plenty of gold-foiled nipples and peekaboo fabrics to wow the frow In a world of mega brands, the house of Schiaparelli is small but perfectly formed. There are only 10 points of sale worldwide where Schiaparelli clothes can be bought. The size of the business has risen from $6m in 2020 to around $100m today, but Schiaparelli is still small fry compared with other names on the Paris catwalks. However, the Schiaparelli name punches above its weight. An exhibition at London’s V&A museum this year made

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Terrible idea or major coup? Galliano’s Zara collection launches after Met controversy

Collaboration regarded as ‘really big thing’ for retailer in some quarters despite backlash around designer’s antisemitic remarks in 2011 A month after it was announced that a planned exhibition dedicated to fashion designer John Galliano at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art would not proceed, his debut collection for fast fashion company Zara has been released. Called Re{form}, it was, according to a press release, “authored by the couturier John Galliano. Built from our memory. Made for now.” Continue reading...

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Peta claimed victory when fashion stopped using fur – so why are they back hijacking catwalks?

The animal welfare group has revived their runway-storming tactics from the noughts, now targeting the use of wool Her walk was poised, her outfit – crop top, tailored trousers, high heels – so on point that when Josie Knowles strutted down a London Fashion Week catwalk last month she could have passed for a model. That is, had it not been for the sign the Peta protester held saying “H&M: Wool is Bloody Cruel.” Still, as one social media commentator put it when praising her strut: “you cant tell me Peta didn’t know what they were doing when they hired this diva”. Continue reading...

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Stella McCartney makes waves with ‘sea life, not sea food’ theme in zero-wool Paris show

Designer showcases wool alternatives and ocean-inspired clothes and says ‘kindness requires real work’ Stella McCartney has been talking about animal rights at fashion week for 30 years. She is usually a lone voice, but the issue is back in the headlines this season. Outcry over the physical restraining of a Peta protester at a catwalk show by Steven Kolb, the president of New York fashion week’s governing body, has put cruelty in wool production – previously considered niche compared to the hot button topic of fur – on the news agenda. “There is no wool on the runway this season, and I’m prou

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‘It’s luxury that wants to be seen’: aristocrats and eccentrics inspire Demna’s vision for Gucci in Milan

Collection by the designer, brought in to return the ailing fashion house to profit, is on the money He’s the mononymic designer who has been charged with rescuing Gucci from plummeting sales. So where better for Demna to stage his third catwalk show than at the forefront of commerce – a purpose-built Gucci shop. During Milan fashion week on Friday, the designer transformed a convention centre into a sprawling retail space that mirrored the design for the brand’s new boutiques. Continue reading...

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‘I wanted to find the slowest fashion imaginable’: the woman growing her own dress

Looking for an alternative to fast fashion, Eve Ogden Schaub decided to create a garment from homegrown flax From crop tops to shorts and brightly patterned dresses, many of today’s clothes are the result of fast fashion. But one woman is taking a radical approach to challenging this trend by growing her own dress. Eve Ogden Schaub is in the midst of a project to create a linen garment made from flax she is growing at home, documenting the process in videos shared on her Instagram account. Continue reading...