Source: The Business of Fashion
Summary
Kering, the luxury fashion conglomerate, has launched a new business unit dedicated to creating, producing and directing fashion shows. The unit will be headed by the company’s chief sustainability officer, Marie-Claire Daveu. The move is part of Kering’s efforts to further professionalize and industrialize the fashion show sector. Kering has not disclosed any further details about the new unit. According to Kering, the new business unit will enable the company to better support its brands.
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The trend returns with a new name.
Kering’s move into fashion show production is a calculated step to consolidate its influence in the industry. The company’s brands, including Gucci and Saint Laurent, have been at the forefront of the fashion show revival. The new business unit will likely serve as a platform for Kering to further centralize its control over the fashion show narrative. This development is reminiscent of the 90s, when fashion conglomerates began to exert greater control over the fashion show circuit. The look feels familiar because it’s a rehashing of the same power dynamics that have always driven the fashion industry.
Consolidation of Power
Kering’s move to create a new business unit dedicated to fashion shows is a strategic attempt to consolidate its power in the industry. By taking control of the fashion show production process, Kering can further centralize its influence and dictate the direction of the fashion narrative.
The Fashion Show Revival
The fashion show revival, which began in the early 2010s, has seen a resurgence in the importance of the runway as a platform for fashion brands to showcase their designs. Kering’s brands, including Gucci and Saint Laurent, have been at the forefront of this revival, using the runway to create immersive and theatrical experiences that generate buzz and drive sales.
A Familiar Power Dynamic
Kering’s move into fashion show production is not a new development in the fashion industry. In the 90s, fashion conglomerates began to exert greater control over the fashion show circuit, using their influence to dictate the direction of the fashion narrative. This power dynamic has continued to shape the industry to this day, with large conglomerates like Kering wielding significant influence over the fashion show landscape.
A Calculated Step
Kering’s decision to launch a new business unit dedicated to fashion shows is a calculated step to further industrialize and professionalize the fashion show sector. By taking control of the production process, Kering can ensure that its brands are showcased in the best possible light, and that the fashion narrative is dictated by the company’s interests.
A Centralized Control
The creation of the new business unit will likely serve as a platform for Kering to further centralize its control over the fashion show narrative. This development is reminiscent of the 90s, when fashion conglomerates began to exert greater control over the fashion show circuit. The look feels familiar because it’s a rehashing of the same power dynamics that have always driven the fashion industry.
Author: Evan Null
