The brutal death of Alexander McQueen on February 11, leaving the fashion house orphaned, the PPR group has spoken this morning about its future.
Francois-Henri Pinault, the head of the group that bought the brand in 2001, announced that the best tribute we could pay to Alexander McQueen would be to continue the development of the house. The Alexander McQueen ready-to-wear house currently has 11 of its own stores around the world and nearly 180 employees, not to mention the financial weight of the label, which has been profitable for the past three years and represents a key element of the PPR group.
Given the difficulty of replacing the original designer of a label, especially one like this, the question on everyone’s lips today is who will succeed the visionary and so avant-garde Alexander McQueen. Moreover, the fashion house, although recognized worldwide, is relatively young, and it is difficult to imagine its evolution without its founder, as noted by fashion historian Florence Muller, when you buy Gaultier, Rykiel or McQueen, “you buy a part of the universe and personality of the designer. With Dior, it is the brand that rhymes with a pure artist like John Galliano.
The name of Hedi Slimane is whispered, but nothing has been officially announced yet. Formerly of Yves Saint Laurent, it is with virtuosity that he carried the men’s line of the house Christian Dior until 2007 when he retires, and thus makes a name in the world of photography. He shares with Alexander McQueen this rock attitude a little provocative, and obviously an undeniable genius.
Fashion week obliges, it should not take too long to know the new face of the house. As for the March 9th parade in Paris, it would apparently be maintained, just to enchant us one last time.
Andrea Ottaviani
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