December 2021 – LAZIN MAGAZINE

Fashion
Art

The BoF Podcast | Decoding Paris Haute Couture: Wonder, Restraint and the Call of the Void

Amidst a record-breaking heatwave, top brands and independent designers soldiered on, showcasing the creative obsessions and aesthetic shifts that defined the haute couture Autumn/Winter 2026 season. Imran Amed and Tim [...]

Gucci Beauty’s Identity Crisis

This week, Coty’s agreement to relinquish Gucci’s beauty licence one year ahead of schedule was a major win for Kering and L’Oréal, but making the most of the opportunity will [...]

Adidas Got an Early Lead Stealing the World Cup Spotlight

Data through the end of June suggests Adidas edged out Nike in grabbing attention, but there’s still plenty of time left in the tournament. [...]

Shein Gets Approval for Hong Kong IPO

The e-commerce giant has received approval from a Chinese regulator to move ahead with its planned initial public offering in Hong Kong, capping a yearslong effort. [...]

Zara Womenswear Chief Steps Down After 40 Years at Inditex

Inditex SA’s veteran executive Beatriz Padín has stepped down after more than 40 years at the company, including two and a half decades in charge of womenswear at its flagship [...]

Valérie Duport Elected President of Hyères Festival Organiser Amid Restructuring

The former Chanel and Kering executive succeeds Pascale Mussard, who held the role for a decade, as the global fashion talent incubator restructures operations. [...]

Uniqlo-Owner Fast Retailing’s Shares Slide After Warning on Weak Yen

The Tokyo-based retailer lifted its full-year operating profit forecast but warned that it expected the depreciating yen to drag on its fourth-quarter results. [...]

Covergirl Stops Chasing Gen Z to Focus on Middle-Aged Women

The Coty-owned brand, bought from P&G a decade ago, needs a ‘significant reset.’ It’s hoping Gen X can help it pull it off. [...]

Phia Shopping App Took Credit for Sales It Didn’t Drive

Testing found that the app, which has attracted the attention of investors and the fashion industry, overrode legitimate referrals from other publishers to claim credit for purchases. [...]

How To Make a Celebrity Fragrance Last Forever

As the world's best-selling celebrity fragrance, White Diamonds, celebrates its 35th anniversary, Revlon and the Elizabeth Taylor estate are angling towards a younger consumer. [...]

Secondhand Chic: Resale’s Appeal to Wealthy Clients

Higher-spending luxury clients, not budget-conscious consumers, are the most engaged secondhand shoppers, according to BoF Insights and McKinsey. [...]

How to Fight Extreme Heat in Fashion’s Supply Chain

Record-breaking temperatures are threatening worker health and disrupting production, but there are simple, cost-effective steps the industry can take to adapt. [...]

How Beauty Brands Can Build Intuitive Customer Journeys

At The Business of Beauty Global Forum 2026, BoF’s Annabel Bolton sat down with Klaviyo’s vice president of product marketing Kelly Thacker to unpack the ever-evolving customer path to purchase, [...]

Fendi’s Austere New Era

Maria Grazia Chiuri’s haute couture debut for Fendi was technically faultless but oddly somber, writes Angelo Flaccavento. [...]

Used Gold Rolex Prices Have Slipped Since April

Prices for secondhand gold watches are dropping, in tandem with the US-Israel-Iran war-driven bullion market slump. [...]

The Debrief | Luxury’s New Reality

As luxury shoppers push back against relentless price hikes and uninspiring boutique environments, BoF's Mimosa Spencer and Robert Williams break down why emotional connection has overtaken heritage as the primary [...]

The Great Gucci Beauty Handover

Priya Rao dives into the early transfer of one of cosmetics’ and fragrance’s most desirable licences and offers an update on Cos Bar. [...]

Wealthier Americans To Cut Back-to-School Spending by 20%

Higher-income US parents plan to reduce spending while less-wealthy families are trading down to cheaper products amid economic worries, a Deloitte survey found. [...]

Are There Too Many Beauty Sales?

As Prime Day stretches into Prime Week, and retailers crowd the calendar with overlapping promotions, beauty brands are rethinking how to discount without eroding their long-term value. [...]

Hugo Boss Board Rejects Frasers Takeover Bid

Hugo Boss AG recommended shareholders reject Frasers Group Plc’s takeover offer, saying the bid fails to capture the German fashion company’s long-term value. [...]

Hermès to Stage First Couture Show in January

The push into couture, piloted by women’s artistic director Nadège Vanhée, will offer the French leather goods powerhouse another way to engage its wealthiest clients and cement its top-end positioning. [...]

Levi’s Raises Forecast as Premium Denim Gains Traction

The denim maker raised its annual net sales forecast as it beat quarterly estimates, but shares sank on its full-year profit outlook. [...]

Is ‘Elle’ the New Blueprint for Product Placement?

The ‘Legally Blonde’ prequel series is taking the ties between product and plot to another level, incorporating its stars into spots and referencing the show in corresponding social content. [...]

Why Brand Experiences Are Redefining Luxury

Luxury value is increasingly measured through the access, moments and memories linked to a brand, according to BoF Insights and McKinsey’s latest report. [...]

How To Win on TikTok Shop

As beauty brands rethink distribution, TikTok Shop is becoming an increasingly important piece of the puzzle. On the final morning of The Business of Beauty Global Forum, TikTok Shop’s Ajay [...]

In Paris, Continuity and the Present Moment Collide

Pierpaolo Piccioli’s couture debut at Balenciaga delivered predictable grandeur, while Duran Lantink took an irreverent turn at Jean Paul Gaultier. [...]

M&S to Make London Fashion Week Debut

Marks and Spencer Group Plc is looking to the runway to burnish its fashion credentials, having also hosted its own show at the British Grand Prix last weekend. [...]

Brazil’s Natura Revenue Drops on Lower Domestic Sales

The cosmetics maker said it ⁠is taking measures to restore growth in Brazil, including ‌supply-chain adjustments and an acceleration in franchise store openings. [...]

The Body Care Category Ripe for Gen Alpha

Personal care conglomerates and small indies alike are setting their sights on the deodorant market to get under the arms and into the beauty routines of young consumers. [...]

Estée Lauder Boosts Cost of Restructuring Moves to $1.75 Billion

The US conglomerate forecasts restructuring costs of $1.75 billion, up from $1.55 billion previously, owing to job cuts and workforce reductions in addition to other expenses. [...]

Urban Jürgensen: Introducing Elite Watchmaking to New Audiences

Chief executive Alex Rosenfield explains in 'Face to Face With Luxury Clients' how the historic, ultra-high-end watchmaker is engaging lifestyle customers and the next generation of ‘gearheads’ with a Timothée [...]

The Quiet Rise of Ponte

Loewe alum and LVMH Prize finalist Harry Pontefract is exhibiting pieces from his startup label Ponte at Dover Street Market Paris this week. [...]

Turning Brand Equity Into a Growth Engine for Beauty Players

At The Business of Beauty Global Forum, Front Row’s chief revenue officer Christopher Skinner joined BoF’s Yasmine Dahlberg on stage to explore why the beauty brands pulling ahead treat marketplaces, [...]

Haute Couture’s Heroes in Training

Standing Ground’s Michael Stewart is risking everything as the new couturier in town, but after seven years at Schiaparelli, Daniel Roseberry is also taking a flier on a daring new [...]

Opinion: LVMH Needs to Beware China’s Luxury Minefield

The French conglomerate must be more strategic in picking its battles to avoid creating reputational problems in markets that drive future growth, writes Bloomberg’s Juliana Liu. [...]

Coty and Kering Agree to Early Transfer of Gucci Beauty Licence to L’Oréal

Coty will receive approximately $400 million and continue to operate the brand until at least June 30, 2027, terminating its prior agreement a year earlier than originally signed. [...]

Matthieu Blazy Puts Enchantment to Work at Chanel

The designer asked himself, ‘How can we juxtapose fairy tales and the adventure of the everyday?’ — and then gave us a dazzling answer. [...]

Tory Burch Names First Chief Brand Officer

Klitos Teklos previously held creative leadership roles at Sol de Janeiro, Estée Lauder Companies and Air Paris. [...]

Worldview | India Seizes Its Couture Moment in Paris

This week’s round-up of global markets fashion business news also features Nigeria’s textile debate, Saudi Arabia’s next luxury mall and Louis Vuitton’s trademark victory in China. [...]

Valentino to Sell Bonds to Repay Bank Debt

The funding represents a step forward for the fashion house, which last year required a capital injection from shareholders and struck a deal with lender banks to refinance its liabilities. [...]

De Beers Slashes Diamond Prices for Shrinking Group of Buyers

The mining giant, which long kept prices above market rates to avoid hurting overall sentiment, made sweeping price cuts and reduced its handpicked group of buyers to funnel gems to [...]

Travis Kelce Is Becoming Fashion’s New Favourite Athlete

Opinion: How Not to Manage Succession at LVMH

The drama over the estate of the late Italian eyewear billionaire Leonardo Del Vecchio is a real-time reminder of what could go wrong at the world’s largest luxury group, argues [...]

Glossier’s Plan to Reignite Its Marketing Magic

As the beleagured Millennial beauty brand works on its turnaround, a campaign in partnership with the New York City Tourism Board recalls its early marketing stunts. [...]

Jones Road CEO Cody Plofker Steps Down

The marketing executive and son of founder Bobbi Brown announced his departure from the makeup and skincare label after a year and a half at the helm. [...]

Makeup Label Manasi 7 Secures First Investment

The organic Swedish beauty brand has received strategic minority investment to support its next phase of growth. [...]

Lutz Huelle: ‘Fashion Is Not Just Luxury Products’

The Wolfgang Tillmans muse and early Martin Margiela collaborator has signed a licensing agreement that will bring stability to his namesake label as it offers an alternative to ‘corporate’ luxury [...]

Jessica McCormack: How a Challenger Is Seizing the Jewellery Opportunity

The London-based independent jewellery label, which sells high-end pieces for everyday wear, has boosted sales by leveraging jewellery as a means of self expression. Chief executive Leonie Brantberg details in [...]

Inside the BoF and Clinuvel Community Lunch Exploring the Future of Skin Health

Investors from Goldman Sachs, L Catterton and Bansk Beauty joined leaders from L’Oréal, Harrods, Space NK and Unilever at The Business of Beauty Global Forum to examine how advances in [...]

Jody Quon Named Editor-in-Chief of T Magazine

The New York magazine creative director will join the New York Times-operated title. [...]

Exhibition in Bogotá shows off more than 1,000 repatriated pre-Columbian artefacts

On public view for the first time, the objects were all returned during outgoing president Gustavo Petro’s administration [...]

Gelman Collection controversy reaches Mexican courts

Legal proceedings seek to halt a long-term loan agreement authorised by Mexican authorities concerning works by Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera and other national treasures [...]

Trump’s arch clears preliminary review—and could upend years of precedent over building heights in Washington, DC

Meanwhile another giant memorial-arch project in Salt Lake City, Utah, has local residents up in arms [...]

Auction houses made significant recoveries in 2026, ArtTactic report finds

Data from Sotheby's, Christie's and Phillips shows confidence from major single-owner sales is trickling down to the rest of the art market [...]

Phillips counts on luxury watches for sales in first half of 2026

Three timepieces are among the house's top five highest-priced lots this year [...]

Unesco reviewing controversial ‘black cube’ project in Florence amid outrage

The high-impact redevelopment of the former Teatro Comunale opera house has attracted widespread criticism and a criminal investigation [...]

Tasmania’s Museum of Old and New Art announces plans for Thailand outpost

The private museum has signed an agreement with Asset World Corporation to establish Mona Bangkok [...]

Bayeux Tapestry arrives at the British Museum in London after secret English Channel crossing

The medieval embroidery was delivered to the museum from France in the early hours of the morning ahead of the September exhibition opening [...]

The story behind Iran’s only Van Gogh: ‘At Eternity’s Gate’

Once owned by a US vice president, the print was acquired by the Shah’s wife and is now at the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art [...]

No one is sending postcards any more—but English Heritage is fighting back

Free limited-edition postcards will be given out in the UK in an attempt to revive the custom, as research finds only 8% of adults now send a card once a [...]

Bacteria that causes Legionnaires’ disease found in Guggenheim Museum cooling tower amid neighbourhood outbreak

The building remains safe for both visitors and employees, as city inspectors continue to test for Legionella across Manhattan’s Upper East Side [...]

Hauser & Wirth cleared of Russian sanction charges

The gallery was charged after selling a Condo work on paper to the collector Alexander Popov [...]

Midjourney strikes back: sued AI giant demands Hollywood’s secrets

According to a recent court filing, the company is adamant that Disney, Universal and Warner Bros reveal their internal use of artificial intelligence [...]

Happy birthday Hockney: late British artist’s 89th marked with special London screening

A special evening is taking place at Lightroom in Kings Cross, while another exhibition continues to draw tens of thousands [...]

K-pop stars BTS and British Museum band together for art trail

The London institution has collaborated with the Korean music group as part of a citywide experience supporting the BTS world tour Arirang [...]

The ‘stuff’ of life tells the story of Audrey Amiss, whose promising career was derailed by mental illness

Wellcome Collection’s exhibition includes paintings and drawings by the prolific artist, as well as the ephemera through which she chronicled her life [...]

Los Angeles's Post-Fair will expand to Paris during Art Basel week

The alternative fair’s first international edition will occupy two architecturally distinctive venues in the Marais [...]

Icom adopts new code of ethics for museums in bid to address a ‘rapidly changing world’

The new code provides revised principles on how institutions should handle issues ranging from education to their relationship to society [...]

Hundreds of ancient coins and inscribed pottery fragments discovered at Byzantine site in Egypt

The 'Ain al-Sebil site in the Dakhleh Oasis had an organised village plan, with a fortress, watch towers and a fourth-century basilica at its centre [...]

Flamenco, fashion and freedom: three photography shows to see at Les Rencontres d'Arles

Our pick of the highlights of this year's photography festival [...]

New Museum names Massimiliano Gioni as new director

The longtime artistic director takes the helm at the recently expanded New York institution [...]

White, patriarchal and Christian: White House’s vision for the National Museum of American History

A surprise 162-page report released on 4 July reveals the Trump administration’s efforts to shape US history and culture through the Smithsonian [...]

Buckingham Palace doubles number of paintings on display in rehung picture gallery

Works from the Royal Collection by Vermeer, Rubens, Rembrandt, Titian and others are on show, some for the first time in decades [...]

Patti Smith and Soundwalk Collective’s sprawling Arles installation offers haunting world view

The collaborative show 'Correspondences' at Luma Arles in France marks the first major European presentation of the film works [...]

Gang steals jewellery worth €4.5m from Lalique Museum in France in 11-minute heist

Three masked men broke into the museum in the early hours of Sunday morning and stole 27 crystal pieces, according to the local prosecutor [...]

Ukraine gives its troops a handbook on protecting cultural property

The guidelines aim to make international laws readily accessible to soldiers on the ground, and reflects Ukraine's experience in the war against Russia [...]

The Nevada Museum of Art puts sustainability at its core

Since its foundation in 1931, the institution has promoted climate action across all its activities [...]

July Book Bag: from a selection of US folk art to a closer look at the work of YBA Gary Hume

Our round-up of the latest art publications [...]

A new biography looks at how Michael Andrews shifted from slow burner to innovative creator

The School of London artist, equally at home in Soho society and rural Scotland, was also a noted painter of celebrities [...]

Joseph Beuys was ambitious, ‘perhaps to the point of megalomania’, says a new book about the German artist

A new reading of the life and work of Beuys is no hagiography, seeing Beuys as someone who was fiercely determined and created myths about himself [...]

Our books editor dips into some recent art-historical fiction

Topics covered in the publications range from a Renaissance sculptress and Baroque Rome to 1930s Manchester and Frida Kahlo [...]

How novelists continue to be inspired by artists

Several books out this summer use art as a springboard—we speak to some of their authors [...]

The worst of us: a philosopher’s guide to the world’s most depraved art

The academic Daisy Dixon discusses her new book investigating the art that has provoked outrage over the centuries [...]

An expert’s guide to Gustave Courbet: five must-read books on the French painter

The best Courbet publications, from a comprehensive monograph to a look at how he was “a skilful media strategist”—selected by the curators Sonja Pizonka and Anna Brohm [...]

Interest in art’s benefit to health grows as Wales and Greece take major steps

Government awareness is increasing globally as the emphasis shifts from treatment towards prevention [...]

Sotheby’s partners with the Virgil Abloh Estate to sell a set of rare prints to fund university scholarships

The pieces come from a beloved 2015 collaboration between Abloh and his alma mater, the University of Wisconsin-Madison [...]

Raven Halfmoon brings her giant doubles to Ballroom Marfa

The Oklahoma-based artist’s first travelling exhibition lands in Donald Judd’s West Texas [...]

When two become one: the complex dance of museum mergers

The Neue Galerie’s merger with the Met—the world’s fourth-largest museum—serves as a recent example of a smaller US institution uniting with a larger neighbour [...]

Experts blame extensive earthquake damage in Venezuela on decades of government neglect

Numerous heritage sites were among the 58,000 buildings destroyed by the deadly twin earthquakes last month [...]

National Gallery in London adds to its collection of women artists with Angelica Kauffman donation

A painting by the 18th-century artist was given to the museum by Dallas-based collectors Richard and Luba Barrett, alongside two other works [...]

Can a Riga fair foster a new generation of collectors in Latvia?

The Baltic state is bidding to bolster its nascent art market [...]

Man jailed as Sotheby’s due diligence foils antiquities fraud

Andrew Crowley, based in Bristol in the UK, has been sentenced for trying to sell statues with forged provenance documents through the auction house in London [...]

Comment | American museum expansions must go beyond glass and steel to serve modern audiences

While increasing their built footprints, US museums also need to expand their accessibility to the public. By failing to do so they risk blowing a chance to democratise new spaces [...]

Tottenham talent: Lee Alexander McQueen’s foundation launches north London art hub

Sarabande Foundation’s new space features artist studios as well as a cafe and an education space [...]

Smithsonian museum will loan more than 200 works to institutions in all 50 states and Puerto Rico

The Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden and the Art Bridges Foundation have teamed up for the nationwide loan programme spanning from Huntsville, Alabama, to Big Horn, Wyoming [...]

Etruscan frescoes worth €15m go on display in Rome as part of Italian acquisition strategy

The Francois Tomb fresco cycle, now on show at Rome's National Etruscan Museum, is the state's third major acquisition in two months [...]

British Museum to turn red for second fundraising ball

Tickets for this year's event will cost £3,500 a head to raise funds towards the museum's billion-pound transformation [...]

Pop star Jay Chou’s Matisse dream comes true with $20m purchase

The Taiwanese musician has fulfilled a long-held ambition to own a work by the French artist, buying a painting at Sotheby’s New York [...]

‘Even sewing a button can be subversive’: Ai Weiwei opens vast new show in Manchester

The Chinese activist-artist's exhibition, titled ‘Button Up!’, at Factory International’s Aviva Studios also features a reenactment of his incarceration in 2011 [...]

Epstein files reveal Leon Black as a key Van Gogh buyer

The New York collector acquired five of the artist’s works, including a landscape worth over $60m [...]

Lazin Magazine – High Keys – December 2021 (Digital PDF)