Entertainment
Gucci hits runway as fashion world awaits new designer
Gucci kicked off Milan fashion week on Friday with a lineup of slouchy, androgynous menswear styles, forging ahead with its latest collection while the industry waits for owner Kering (PRTP.PA) to name a new designer for the label.
French luxury group Kering faces pressure to quickly find a replacement following the abrupt departure in November of Alessandro Michele, the flamboyant designer who was a favourite of Harry Styles and Lady Gaga and reignite sales growth at its largest brand, which accounted for two-thirds of profits in 2021.
The question of who will steer Gucci’s creative direction loomed over the megabrand’s first men’s show in the Italian fashion capital in three years. Events run through Jan. 17, drawing an audience that includes major retail buyers sizing up which styles might be future top sellers.
There were echoes of Michele’s eccentric, gender-fluid styles at Gucci’s catwalk presentation on Friday.
Models circled a darkened room to the growling music of live band Marc Ribot’s Ceramic Dog, parading oversize suit coats with wide lapels and ample, pleated trousers in pale beige and pastel tones, with new renditions of house classics, along with reminders of Michele’s tenure, including furry, horse-bit embellished slippers.
“A palette cleanser from the collections we have seen across the past few seasons,” said Simon Longland, head of menswear and womenswear at London department store Harrods.
He said the show provided a “new approach” to house styles, with a range of fabrics and jacket shapes that would likely appeal to fans of its signature, looks as well as new customers.
Show notes, which buyers scrutinize for signs of the label’s next steps, referred to improvisation and collaboration.
“When the free impulses of individual minds interweave, collective expressions are conceived,” the brand’s notes said.
Shimmery silver pants and quilted motorcycle boots added touches of flamboyancy to the neutral-colored looks, which were taken in by celebrities in the audience including K-pop star Kai, American football player Jalen Ramsey and Italian rock band Maneskin.
UBS expects Kering’s Feb. 15 earnings release will show the label’s fourth-quarter sales declined by around 11%, likely one of the more pronounced slowdowns among the world’s top fashion labels, as strict COVID-19 restrictions weighed on business in China.
“The longer the wait for a new Gucci creative director, the worse the outlook for Kering,” said Luca Solca, an analyst with Bernstein, noting that “more of the same” would not help the label regain its relevance with shoppers.
TIMELESS FASHIONS, MARKETING INVESTMENT
Analysts at HSBC, meanwhile, said efforts taken before Michele’s departure could ease the transition, predicting improvement this year regardless of who takes up creative direction.
They pointed to a recent emphasis on timeless fashions and higher-priced products as well as a ramp-up of marketing spend and an increase in the number of collections as likely serving to accelerate business.
Gucci held back on marketing investments during the pandemic, while larger rival LVMH’s two biggest labels Louis Vuitton and Dior pushed ahead, a move that analysts say helped them gain ground on rivals.
Kering’s other, smaller fashion houses Saint Laurent, Bottega Veneta and Balenciaga had been growing strongly heading into the end of last year, but Balenciaga got caught up in controversy after a holiday ad campaign drew accusations of inappropriate imagery with children.
Despite the current turbulence at Kering, however, expectations are high given the group’s strong track record nurturing brands, analysts say.
The group’s brands are known for “capturing the Zeitgeist” noted Solca, who said Gucci’s past success was “the most impressive turnaround story in luxury history.”
The industry is also expecting big changes at other blockbuster labels.
Top management changes at Louis Vuitton and Christian Dior announced this week prompted talk that a design team reshuffle could follow, including at Louis Vuitton’s menswear division, which has leaned on the design studio team since the death of creative director Virgil Abloh in late 2021.
Ahad Raza Mir and Dananeer Mobeen are making headlines with their ongoing drama ‘Meem Se Mohabbat’, which has garnered a great deal of attention from viewers.
However, it’s not just their on-screen chemistry that has fans talking. Off-screen, the duo has also become the subject of dating rumours, with fans speculating about the growing bond between them.
Ahad and Dananeer’s families have also become close in recent months. Ahad’s father, Asif Raza Mir, stars alongside Dananeer in ‘Meem Se Mohabbat’, and Ahad’s mother.
Adding fuel to the dating speculations, Dananeer recently shared a heartfelt Instagram story featuring a picture of her favorite dish, Dumba Karahi, cooked by Ahad’s mother Samra Asif using her own mom’s recipe.
This thoughtful gesture from Ahad’s family has left fans wondering if there’s more to their relationship than meets the eye.
It is to be noted that a few months ago rumours were rife that Ahad is in relationship with actress Ramsha Khan. But now latest buzz suggests that he is no longer seeing her.
However, there has been no official confirmation regarding any of these speculations.
Earlier, Ahad and his father also celebrated Dananeer’s graduation, further strengthening the bond between the two
A leaked video from the film’s set recently went viral on social media.
It shows Salman stepping out of a kaali-peeli taxi in a rugged look, wearing a blue shirt and jeans. The shoot took place in Mumbai under tight security, and parts were also filmed near Hyderabad’s famous Falaknuma Palace.
While the Ek Tha Tiger actor is seen sitting beside the driver, a few others can be seen sitting in the backseat. As the taxi stops, two other taxis coming behind are seen pulling their brakes.
A couple of months back, Bollywood superstar Salman Khan reportedly purchased bulletproof SUVs from Dubai, amid the death threats issued by the Lawrence Bishnoi gang.
After around 8 months of the firing incident, Salman also upgraded the security of his home in Mumbai’s Galaxy Apartment.
However, recently, Sallu was spotted travelling in a ‘Kaali Peeli’ taxi and the video has gone viral on social media.
Salman Khan is ready to wow his fans once again with his upcoming film Sikandar. Directed by AR Murugadoss, known for hits like Ghajini and Thuppakki, the movie promises intense action and drama. Produced by Sajid Nadiadwala, Sikandar will release on Eid 2025.
Richard Gere has opened up about moving to Spain from the United States with his family.
In a recent interview with Elle España, the 75-year-old said that since making the move with his wife Alejandra Silva and their children — sons Alexander, 5, and James, 4, in addition to Silva’s 11-year-old son Albert from her previous marriage to Govind Friedland — they are “happier than ever.”
“The truth is that you are seeing us in our momentum. We are happier than ever,” he told the publication. “[Alejandra], because she is at home and I because, if she is happy, I am happy.”
The Pretty Woman actor first revealed he was selling his home in Connecticut with the goal of moving to Spain back in November 2024.
The home had been originally purchased in 2022 for $10.8 million.
Back in April that year, the Runaway Bride actor opened up about wanting to leave the U.S. and start a life with Silva in Spain so she could spend more time with her relatives.
Silva, 41, is originally from La Coruña, Spain, though she’s spent considerable time with Gere in the States since their 2018 wedding.
Gere met Silva in Positano, Italy, in 2014 when he was still married to his second wife, Carey Lowell — with whom he shares 24-year-old son Homer. Before Lowell, the Hollywood star was married to supermodel Cindy Crawford from 1991 to 1995.
“For Alejandra, it will be wonderful to be closer to her family, her lifelong friends, and her culture,” Gere told Vanity Fair Spain at the time. “She was very generous in giving me six years living in my world, so it is only fair that I give her at least another six living in hers.”
The Agency actor further discussed the move while speaking on The Today Show in November. “My wife is Spanish, and we’re going there for her family, her friends, her culture,” he said. “The kids are bilingual, so it’s really going to be great for them.”
Gere isn’t the only well-known figure to have left the U.S. Eva Longoria also revealed in a November interview with Marie Claire that she and her family were splitting their time between Spain and Mexico City.
“I get to escape and go somewhere. Most Americans aren’t so lucky. They’re going to be stuck in this dystopian country, and my anxiety and sadness is for them,” she told the outlet.
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