Golden Goose differentiates itself in the global marketing universe, leading with action and real product, not only words. As a brand, it has always respected and tapped into a universal creative impulse of humans wanting to make things. ‘Golden Happens’ is a deeply personal message, within this reality and context.
Among creatives, there are varying degrees of an understanding that customers, clients and VICs increasingly act as the ultimate authentic intermediaries who reject the ‘empty words’ of corporate disruption, based on old models of the luxury brands business.
Today’s VICs are often traveling alongside us in their own minds. They want to experience synchronicity first hand, and not by reading fashion magazines or attending designer fashion shows.
The traditional concept of star designers and their — but usually HIS — muses is giving way to a much more creative and often democratic process that is horizontal and not vertical.
In the world of haute couture, VICs desire to know the makers, not only the designers. In the words of Maria Grazia Chiuri:
A trial underway in Hong Kong’s High Court has indirectly drawn attention to how Chanel handles unsold and discontinued inventory on a seasonal basis. Court documents reveal details of Chanel Hong Kong’s once-routine destruction practices.
Yes, it’s staggering to read that the house reportedly destroyed between 10,000 and 20,000 discontinued Chanel products every six months as a matter of standard business operation.
This allegation is not fake news! But it’s old news and should be treated as such.
AOC has covered this topic extensively and is pulling from the archives to give us all a reality check on the facts. Generally-speaking, all the major luxury houses have stopped destroying unsold products.
Legislation went into effect in the European Union on July 19, 2026, that not only puts a legal stop to the destruction of luxury house products but requires all the major houses to file regular documentation on how they have handled the issue of unsold goods every year.
In late May, 2026 LOEWE creative directors Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez, founders of New York-based Proenza Schouler, shared one of their first major high-profile, non-runway cultural projects since stepping into the helm of the LVMH-owned Spanish luxury house after Jonathan Anderson’s move to the creative director’s position at Dior.
This is the first time in LOEWE’s 180-year history that the brand is serving as an official tailor for a national sports federation. The initial four-year agreement with the Royal Spanish Football Federation secures LOEWE’s spot as the official off-pitch and travel wardrobe partner through 2030.
Bruno Pavlovsky, president of fashion and president of Chanel SAS, put the success of Friday’s announcement that Chanel has acquired the heritage shirtmaker Charvet, squarely on the shoulders of Chanel artistic director Matthieu Blazy and the almost immediate rapport that Blazy kindled with siblings Anne-Marie and Jean-Claude Colban, who today run Charvet, bought by their father in the 1960s.
There’s major romance in this Chanel buys Charvet business story, spring-boarded by the intense love affair between Coco Chanel and Arthur ‘Boy’ Capel. As a stand-alone human relationship story between the couple, the facts are cinematic.
Like Anne before him, Matthieu Blazy knew nothing of this love story until he began going throughn the Chanel archives. Armed with the knowledge that Coco Chanel bought shirts for her lover Boy Capel at Charvet — and probably borrowed them regularly — Blazy decided to introduce himself to the famous shirtmaker, then owned by siblings Anne-Marie and Jean-Claude Colban.
Anne Shreds & Trashes Lauren Sherman Gross Attack on Pharrell Williams
When an editor bills themselves as the definitive fashion voice of a generation, the industry expects rigorous, fact-based journalism. Instead, Lauren Sherman over at Puck News has developed a predictable, cynical but also clever habit of throwing stink bombs on Pharrell Williams, creative director of Louis Vuitton Men.
Her June 2026 "Line Sheet" briefing, titled Pharrell Inc., is a prime example. In it, Sherman attempts to paint Pharrell as a slick operator taking LVMH for a ride. In her columns, Sherman treats Pharrell’s creative output as a distraction and a sideline hustle that comes at the expense of Louis Vuitton.
It is a lazy, superficial take on Pharrell Williams that collapses under the slightest scrutiny. A closer look at the actual corporate timelines, contract structures, and cultural contexts that swirl around Pharrell’s everyday life reveals that Sherman isn't just missing the point—she is entirely failing to do the homework. Sherman deserves every stink bomb we throw right back at her — except ours contain platinum level facts and analysis. She should try using some.
We have big news out of Wimbledon, where Ms.Serena Williams will return to play single singles, after accepting a wild-card invite, the All England Club announced Sunday. Serena was already on the roster with sister Venus after accepting a wild-card invite to the doubles competition.
Serena feels that she has unfinished business in women’s tennis and we support her drive for two more grand slam titles. Williams has won 23 Grand Slam singles titles, leaving her one win away from tying Margaret Court’s all-time women's record of 24. She would need two wins to hold the record outright. Seven of those Grand Slam wins came at Wimbledon.
LVMH brand Loro Piana [IG] taps New York/Amsterdan-based photographer Annemarieke Van Drimmelen [IG] for their Resort 2026 Campaign, shot in Palm Springs, California. Models Ida Heiner, Just Verhoeff and Selena Forrest are styled by Aleksandra Woroniecka, with creative direction by Thomas Persson. / Hair by Diego Da Silva; makeup by Fulvia Farolfi
In a moment where unique fabrics are key to VIC [Very Important Customer] demands in luxury market fashion, Loro Piana’s most recent innovation comprises both a yarn – a blend of silk and merino wool – and a fabric, which combines silk and cashmere, writes Wallpaper.
The relaunch of Playboy [IG] magazine as a high-end print quarterly features Colombian superstar Karol G as its Spring 2026 cover star. Photographed by Gray Sorrenti [IG], this relaunch issue marks a significant shift in the brand's creative direction under new editor-in-chief Phillip Picardi. It will hit newsstands on Tuesday, April 14, 2026.
Karol G is interviewed by Paola Ramos, with emphasis her special moment tonight, as the first Latina headliner at the 2026 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, known as Coachella.
Models Ajok Daing, Neelam Gill, Sherry Shi and Zak showcase the Body by Victoria 2026 [IG] campaign. Photographer Dan Beleiu [IG] captures the sleeping beauties styled by Priscilla Polley./ Designer Adam Selman; hair by Sonny Molina; makeup by Jezz Hill
Chanel’s Matthieu Blazy welcomes us with open arms and joy in his heart, while Anderson is . . . I don’t know . . . looking in the mirror. Anderson’s ambition is staggering and mazel tov to all that. But I live in the ‘Less I, More Us’ camp . . . the phrase expressed by Maria Grazia Chiuri in her recent Fendi debut.
In a long dialogue with Gemini on Friday, I blurted out “Jonathan Anderson just reminds me of Peter Thiel.” Then I gasped, saying “I don’t believe I said that, G.”
G’s response to my statement was affirming, not critical. S[he] spewed out a doctorate-level analysis of how LVMH might be covering their bases, not knowing where the world is going. Dior could be on a new course, knowing that many wealthy people share Thiel’s Eurocentric, white nationalism views.
For a rose-colored glasses optimist like myself, G’s half-empty glass analysis was difficult to embrace. But I did listen as each point was made — followed by “Do you understand my point, Anne? Are we good here? That bold comment was no accident and no apology for the outburst is required.”
As a House Ambassador for Louis Vuitton since June 2023, the Jose Alcaraz historic grand-slam victory is closely tied to the prominent global luxury brand and its increasingly famous tag line: Victory Travels in Louis Vuitton.
Aisle 9 Celine Cleanup: Hedi Slimane Did Not Take 4-5 Years to Deliver His Vision
In a recent discussion about why Jonathan Anderson should be given the same 4-5 years to deliver results at Dior, that Hedi Slimane took at Celine, AOC just sighed as we got out the mop and bucket and headed for Aisle 9. “No way,” Anne mumbled as she gave the bucket a good kick in exasperation.
“Hedi Slimane brought almost immediate results to the Celine brand. Why doesn’t Suzie Q check her facts the way we do. We pay $180 a year to read her nonsense. She should stick to recommending lip gloss.”
Committed to facts and knowing that we all make mistakes — including AOC — Anne ran SQ’s “it took a long time at Celine” assertion through AI to confirm our position.
WWD has confirmed with Maison Alaïa that its Belgian creative director and designer Pieter Mulier has resigned his post at Alaīa Paris. Alaïa said Mulier would conclude his tenure as creative director after Alaïa’s summer-fall 2026 show during Paris Fashion Week in March.
While his next position remains unconfirmed, it’s widely expected that the designer will join Versace, now owned by Prada group. WWD posits a potential announcement from Prada Group next week.
Parent company Compagnie Financière Richemont expressed gratitude to Mulier, adding an important compliment to this breaking news. Their statement praised the designer for his contributions to a corporate culture “that values creative exploration, transcending any one individual, and lives through the hands, eyes, and sensibilities of the maison’s teams.”
Suzie Q’s use of the word ‘mess’ to describe Jonathan Anderson’s challenges at Dior, created by former creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri, ran counter to everything I knew about her tenure at the #2 brand at LVMH.
AOC has been really confused by the persistent statements that it could take 4-5 years for Anderson’s Dior vision to codify — including by the designer himself.
Today, we stay focused on that topic. Also Anne clarifies what might be a misunderstanding of what these writers are actually saying, and what she is hearing.
We have our first Aisle 9 Cleanups in the queue [1] Hedi Slimane’s timeline creating success at Celine and [2] why it might take as long as five years to “get Dior back on track”.
AI never comes close to writing Anne’s posts. But I do run my core thinking through AI in case it responds “that’s bullpucky”.
Rereading Suzie Q’s posts. I stopped to read a third commentary on the Saks bankruptcy and whether an international VIP should step in to score big for his own stockholders.
Honestly, Suzie Q needs to stay away from financial topics completely. She’s in way over her head.
And her assertion on the MGC mess she left at Dior not only got an AI bullpucky. It came out in all caps. [Okay, I made up the part about the caps.] But it shredded Suzie Q’s assertion with a meat cleaver gone mad. You’ll see.
After further sleuthing, we learned that Alo has been in the market for capital with a $10 B valuation since 2023, which sounds way high. The concept is impressive and very sound before the arrival of Petruzzo, who will be a big help in raising capital and instituting sound financial management systems and international marketing rules.
As much as AOC LOVES this concept, there are flags on the field in China.
Jing Daily reports that Alo will probably face challenges in the China market, as it prepares to open stores in Shanghai and Beijing. JD writes that “years of rampant counterfeiting” have already shaped how Chinese customers view the brand. Those perceptions will impact what customers are willing to pay for product.
There are tariff-related risks, as well. With most of its manufacturing done in China, major risks introduced by President Trump’s deeply personal and punishing approach to tariffs adds extra volatility to Alo’s expansion plans.
Birthday-girl Irina Shayk celebrated her 40th birthday on January 6, several months after being the lead-off cover girl for the Winter 2025 issue of The Face [IG]. Irina puts on her best sexy woman face, styled by Danielle Emerson in lingerie-inspired images lensed by Drew Vickers [IG]./ Hair by Olivier Schawalder; makeup by Yadim
Two divinely-talented, beautiful and sexy women — that would be Hailey Bieber and Maty Fall — launch a Victoria’s Secret Valentine’s Day [IG] campaign for love: self-love and the family, friends and lover[s] who feel your glow. Photographer Adrienne Raquel [IG] captures the retro mood and music, with Hailey and Maty styled by Gabriella Karefa-Johnson. Executive creative direction by Adam Selman./ Hair by Bryce Scarlett; makeup by Mary Philipps
Fashion, beauty and bridal veteran Amandine Ohayon becomes CEO of Givenchy, effective Friday, January 9th, in a sequence of executive moves at LVMH. Ohayon succeeds Alessandro Valenti, who becomes deputy managing director in charge of commercial activities at Christian Dior Couture, effective Monday, the 11th.
The former CEO of Stella McCartney, before the designer separated her brand from LVMH, Ohayon reports to Pietro Beccari, who assumed the title of CEO of LVMH Fashion Group on January 1st. Beccari retains his title of chairman and CEO of Louis Vuitton. LVMH Fashion Group brands include Fendi, Celine, Loewe, Kenzo, Marc Jacobs, Pucci and Patou in addition to Givenchy.
The Mombasa, a bag created by Tom Ford for Yves Saint Laurent in 2002, is reintroduced by today’s Saint Laurent [IG] creative director Anthony Vaccarello with a new campaign headlined by Bella Hadid.
Photographer /director Glen Luchford [IG] captures details of the bag, including the leather handle, which was made of deer horn in the original Mombasa. Hand-carved, no two handles were alike.
