Wang at Balenciaga – Anderson at Versus

Fashion_Carrousel_Wang_kane_Anderson

It is official, Alexander Wang is Balenciaga‘s new Creative Director and will replace Nicolas Ghesquière at the French fashion house, who officially leaves today, after 15 years at the helm.

Sandra_Bauknecht_Alexander_wangAlexander Wang with me

Rumors had been out quite awhile that the American designer  would be the perfect choice for the PPR-owned fashion house Balenciaga, because Wang knows how to make edgy and groovy commercial. Congrats, Alexander, well-deserved! (If you are interested to read an interview, I did with Alexander Wang two years ago, please click here!)

Christopher-Kane-600x697Christopher Kane with me

Another one, editors were considering for the job, was Christopher Kane, who has just left his position at Versus to focus on his own line.

Gianni Versace Spa follows a new strategic repositioning of the Versus brand. Digital is the key word and under Donatella Versace’s creative leadership, there will be collaborations with young designers, stylists, and creatives from different walks of life, to develop capsule collections, co-branding projects, limited editions. Yesterday, the first designer to create a capsule collection for Versus has been announced: Jonathan Anderson, the designer behind the J.W. Anderson fashion label for men and women. The launch event is planned for March/April 2013 in New York.

Bruce_Weber_versus_1996Bruce Weber, 1996

For the capsule collection, Jonathan Anderson was particularly inspired by an image from a campaign shot by Bruce Weber with Donatella in 1996. “For me,” said Jonathan, “this iconic image says it all, that’s how I see Versus. It’s all about the relationship between a boy and a girl, a girl and a girl, a boy and a boy. Purity.”

The New York Times is reporting rumours that Nicolas Ghesquière‘s next move might be his own label at LVMH. It seems like this time , the designer carrousel is one where everyone turns out to be a winner.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Versus, Style, J.W. Anderson, © Wenn, © Sandra Bauknecht

Nicolas Ghesquière To Leave Balenciaga

GhesquièreLeaves_Balenciaga

Today marked the end of an era. Nicolas Ghesquière, Creative director of Balenciaga since 1997, has announced that he will be leaving the company at the end of this month. Abrupt and surprising for the fashion world. Nicolas Ghesquière has been given the label a new lease of life over the last 15 years and is considered one of the most talented designers of his generation.

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ABOUT BALENCIAGA
Cristobal Balenciaga presented his first collection in 1937. He opened his doors in Paris, at 10 avenue George V, having an instant success. In 1946, he launched his “tonneau” (barrel-shaped) line, set off with an embroidered bolero. In 1952, the first non-fitted suit. In 1969, the puffball dress

Balenciaga-Back-To-The_Future

The years passed and the fashion house forgot the sublime outline invented by its founder. Since his arrival at Balenciaga in 1995, Nicolas Ghesquière has been working to revive the brand. He has invented a style inspired by science fiction. Over the seasons, his designs – a meeting between sensuality and futurism – set the trend.

BalenciagaEdition

In 2000, the Gucci Group bought Balenciaga. Consulting the company archives, Nicolas Ghesquière has taken his inspiration from these treasures, reinterpreting them in the ready-to-wear line. He conceived Balenciaga Edition, a collection that draws on original creations from 1930 to 1968. And he has reissued six to eight of these pieces every year. The visionary genius of Cristobal lives once more. Let’s see who will succeed…

Personally speaking, I am even more curious about Ghesquière’s next move!

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LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Balenciaga and via style.com

A Space Odyssey

Balenciaga

„Cosmonauts and seventies Formica. Packaging and food boxes. Synthetic foam and plywood. And a kind of rigidity“. That was the inspiration behind the F/W 2010 Balenciaga shoes, said designer Nicolas Ghesquière.

Is this the shoe of the season? One thing is for sure, those striking platforms are the coolest new-age footwear ever, a perfect playful fusion between futuristic and retro chic.
Either you like them or not, but the design and creativity involved is definitely worthy the review. The colour-block, geometric heels are a piece of art, designed by Pierre Hardy for his pal Nicolas Ghesquière.

SpaceOdysee

The F/W 2010 Balenciaga collection was among the most modern ones on the runways with an overall result of an organic carapace and noteworthy colour combinations.
A space Odyssey that would be the perfect “Back-to-School”-look.

Absolutely stunning, a total must, to die for.

LoL, Sandra