Fashion Scoops
Beachy Keen
No one does summer like Simon Porte Jacquemus, who brought his signature stripes, breezy spring collection and branded pétanque sets to SaintTropez as part of a multifangled takeover.
Habitués of the popular café and brasserie La Renaissance in picturesque Place des Lices would have already discovered it has been redecorated by the exuberant French designer, who cannot pass a lemon tree, bowl of pasta or a Mediterranean vista without creating a mouthwatering image.
The food and beverage menu has been refreshed, too, with the restaurant cuisine signed by chef Ella Affalo and café offerings elaborated by chef Ana Maria Cadena. You can bet your linen slipdress there’s a salade niçoise option.
Special merchandise available on- site includes beach rackets, dominos, card games, travel mugs, magnets and postcards, all designed by Jacquemus.
The striped upholstery on restaurant chairs extend to umbrellas and sun beds as part of a Jacquemus takeover of the Indie Beach club, which he initiated last year in yellow stripes and switched to green for the 2024 season.
Selections from the Jacquemus spring collection will be on offer in a mini boutique inside Indie Beach, while a temporary boutique has sprung up on the Avenue Foche, an olive’s throw from the Place des Lices.
That location will showcase the designer’s “Les Sculptures” collection, originally paraded in the hilltop village of Saint
Paul- de-Vence in the South of France, along with beachwear and Le Tote Marcel and other items sporting the same stripes seen in his Saint-Tropez takeover.
— MILES SOCHA
Longer License
Men’s Wearhouse shoppers can expect to find Joseph Abboud product in its stores for the foreseeable future.
WHP Global, the brand management firm that purchased the intellectual
property rights to the Abboud brand in 2020, has signed an extension of its licensing partnership with the retailer. Men’s Wearhouse and Moores, both divisions of Tailored Brands Inc., carry the Joseph Abboud brand of tailored clothing, sportswear and furnishings exclusively in their stores in the U. S. and Canada, and also offer the brand in their made-to- measure and rental programs.
John Tighe, president of Tailored Brands, said the deal “solidifies our relationship with WHP for the Joseph Abboud brand, which resonates with our customer.” He declined to say how long the new agreement would last, only referring to it as “a longterm partnership.”
Tighe also pointed to the success of the American- made Joseph Abboud product that is manufactured in Tailored Brands’ plant in New Bedford, Mass. The “beautifully crafted” suit separates, which retail for $ 599, as well as the madeto- measure product are made in that factory.
Yehuda Shmidman, chairman and chief
executive officer of WHP Global, said: “Tailored Brands is an outstanding partner led by a winning management team. We look forward to continuing to work together to further elevate the Joseph Abboud brand and expand its reach in North America.”
— JEAN E. PALMIERI
A Taste Of Capri
Need a new address for a pizza while in Capri? Ask Remo Ruffini.
The cult pizza restaurant Concettina ai Tre Santi that the entrepreneur invested in last year through his Archive Srl vehicle is set to land on the island.
Expanding on its presence in Naples’
Rione Sanità district, the restaurant will open a location a few steps from Capri’s iconic Piazzetta on June 1 — just in time for the summer season and to attract the fashion crowd flocking to
Capri for the Jacquemus show on June 10.
Founded by the Oliva family in 1951, Concettina ai Tre Santi is known for its gourmet pizza based on traditional high- quality ingredients — ranging from San Marzano tomatoes to buffalo mozzarella
— as well as its deepfried versions and wine selection. The informal mood of the format, enhanced by the friendly staff and the vibrant colors of the majolica tableware, have made it a go-to food destination for locals and tourists alike through the years.
“Concettina ai Tre Santi in Capri is a simple project, and therefore a challenging one: to bring on the island the preparations that represent us the most,” said Ciro Oliva, part of the fourth generation of the family business. “Our added value is in the use of seasonal ingredients and in a strong relationship of exchange and trust between those who prepare and serve and those who sit at the table, thanks to our team who shares the family project with us.”
When Archive Srl acquired a 47.5 percent stake in the restaurant, it was the firm’s second investment in the food industry. The deal followed the acquisition of a 40 percent stake in Langosteria Holding Srl in 2018, which operates the tony seafood restaurants first opened in Milan in
2007 by Enrico Buonocore. The company currently operates seven restaurants in key destinations in Europe, as well as upcoming units in London and Miami.
Last month Archive Srl made its fourth investment, and second in the fashion sphere. As reported, the firm acquired a minority stake in Copenhagenbased technical cycling apparel brand Pas Normal Studios. The deal adds to the acquisition of a 49 percent interest in womenswear brand The Attico, founded in 2016 by Gilda Ambrosio and Giorgia Tordini, in 2018.
The operation was in line with Archive’s diversification strategy and overall mission to invest, through the acquisition of minority shareholdings, in companies operating in the apparel, food and beverage, and hospitality sectors.
Helmed by Pietro
Ruffini — son of Moncler’s chairman and chief executive officer — and managing director Stefano Marcovaldi, Archive Srl is an investment company controlled by Ou( r) Group, one of the two holding companies of the Ruffini family. The other family holding company is Ruffini Partecipazioni Holding, which controls a 15.8 percent stake in Moncler, through Double R.
GU’s New Home
GU, the Japanese apparel retailer and sister brand of Uniqlo, is setting up a permanent shop at 578 Broadway in SoHo this fall. The brand has had a 2,900- square-foot pop- up store in SoHo since 2022, which is scheduled to close in July.
The new flagship will offer women’s and men’s clothing across two floors, as well as shoes, bags and accessories. While Uniqlo is known for its high- quality basic apparel, GU is lowerpriced and more trenddriven.
GU will also open an online store with the same product lineup as the physical store that will launch simultaneously. GU’s retail prices range from $ 4.90 to $ 99.90.
With a sales floor of 10,225 square feet, GU NY SoHo will be a showcase for the GU brand concept.
“For about a year and a half since opening our first pop- up store in the
U. S. in the fall of 2022, we have been able to provide GU products to many customers, so we have great expectations for our business development in the U. S.,” said GU CEO Osamu Yunoki. “We have applied what we learned from the pop- up store to establish a framework for product development and business operations at a global level, and we are extremely pleased to be officially opening a store in the U. S. this fall. We will also launch our online store at the same time, and hope that even more customers will enjoy GU fashion.”
The New York pop- up experienced success after they optimized the product mix and adapted to local needs.
GU ( pronounced as the letters “G” and “U”), was established in 2006 as a sister brand of Uniqlo, and currently operates about 470 stores in Asia, mainly in Japan. This is the first official opening of a permanent store outside Asia. In September 2023, GU established a product division in New
York to promote product development at a global level.
GU’s fiscal year 2023 revenue and profit
increased considerably, with revenue totaling $ 1.89 billion ( U. S.), up 20 percent, and operating profit reaching $ 166 million, up 56.8 percent, according to Fast Retailing. GU opened 52 new stores in fiscal year 2023, primarily in Japan.
Going forward, GU will strengthen local recruitment of designers, pattern makers and other positions to establish a product development base, aiming for further business expansion.
— LISA LOCKWOOD
Swim Team
Sports Illustrated has new partners for its women’s swimwear line.
The magazine has tapped Swim USA to design and produce an 83- piece collection of swim tops, bottoms, one- pieces and coverups that will be sold exclusively on the Sports Illustrated storefront on Amazon.
The launch of the line coincides with the release of the 60th anniversary edition of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit magazine that dropped on Monday. One of the rookie models featured in the issue was Chanel Iman, a mother of three, who was photographed in the X- Back Underwire Bikini Top and the High Leg High Waisted Bottom from the new Sports Illustrated swimwear collection.
The collection, which will feature bright tropicals and bold graphics, will be priced from $ 30 to $ 60 and offered in sizes XS to XXL.
“Throughout its 60year history, the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit franchise has celebrated the beauty of women from all walks of life, inspiring confidence, and redefining beauty norms. This new swimwear collection is a natural extension of what we’ve seen on the pages for decades, and we’re excited to offer our vibrant community and new fans alike, another way to engage with the brand,” said Christina Shanahan, senior vice president of entertainment marketing at Authentic Brands Group, which purchased the intellectual property for Sports Illustrated brand for $ 110 million in 2019.
In 2020, Authentic had licensed Venus Fashion, a women’s swim and apparel manufacturer, to produce Sports Illustrated swimwear, but it was discontinued during the pandemic and Authentic switched partners to Swim USA.
Authentic has had some challenges of late with the Sports Illustrated brand. In January, the brand owner terminated its license with Arena Group, the digital media company that it had contracted with to run the magazine, following
its purchase. Arena had missed a $ 3.75 million payment to Authentic, and when it was informed it was in breach of its contract, it threatened to end the print edition and fire most of the staff.
But the next month, Authentic signed a 10-year license with an option to extend to 30 years, with Minute Media, a digital media firm that specializes in sports. Under this new licensing deal, both Sports Illustrated’s print editions, as well as the Swimsuit issue, were retained along with its staff. — J. E. P
Spain Again
The Italian advanced contemporary womenswear label Forte_ Forte is continuing its expansion in Spain. After the opening of the first store in Madrid in 2020, the brand decided to land in the Spanish “Costa del Sol,” specifically the Puerto Banus, Marbella.
Located on Calle Ribera, at No. 12, like the other units it reflects the vision of the brand’s cofounder, Giada Forte, and her partner, art director Robert Vattilana. The opening marks the brand’s third seaside opening, joining units in Forte dei Marmi, Italy, and Cannes.
The entrance door is placed at the center of the floor-to- ceiling window, which offers clients a clear view of the store from outside. The floor and walls are covered in Calacatta, a refined quartzite from Brazil, which features gray hints over a white backdrop, recalling the colors of the crystal waters of the Costa del Sol.
On the ground floor, the space is decorated with a suspended wall made with brass tiles in contrast with the full- height sagecolored velvet curtains of the dressing rooms. Two curved wooden armchairs embellished with gold leaf with perforated leather cushions stand in the middle of the space, together with a triptych of hand- crafted brass mirrors.
“The concept of the Forte_ Forte space is an evolving path in which each location follows a different rhythm, telling unique stories. Each boutique is conceived as a different and unique project of its own, a unicum that is created by merging the identity of the brand with the context that surrounds it, generating a sort of spark,” said Vattilana. “Through this concept, the authenticity of the place is amplified through the interpretation of the space with materials, shapes and details where the product exists in a spontaneous and natural way.”