LVMH: First Stop; Bvlgari. Next Stop; Hermès?

The LVMH group is on a news headline winning streak this week! The French holding company now has the prestigious name of Bvlgari to add to its list of top tier fashion houses in which it has shares. However, trying to win over Hermès has not gone as smoothly. The over 150 year old company which has been family ran for 7 generation is not very impressed with LVMH's CEO, Bernard Arnault. The recent troubles with Galliano at Dior have not tickled their fancy either. Hermès feels Arnault has a reputation of gaining control over fashion houses, replacing their key people with youngsters and "modernizing" them. Which, in essence is not entirely false.

Here's a look at the Hermès leather-fest fall/winter 2011 collection from Paris fashion week. Inspired by travel destinations from around the world, virtually every look is breathtakingly beautiful. The color blocking techniques used in some of the pieces were also stunning and very Balenciaga. 

This is just my opinion but I think Hermès is doing just fine on their own.

Gareth Pugh opens new Hong Kong store!!!

Always one to give his onlookers a show, avant-garde designer Gareth Pugh has finally opened his first store on Hong Kong’s infamous Ice House Street! Situated near fellow avant-garde and couture houses such as Comme des Garcons, Anna Demeulemeester, Martin Margiela and Hermes, the store is 658 square feet of pure Pugh genius.

The  I.T. Group who now owns Pugh's Hong Kong retail rights spared no expensive when it came to making his unorthodox vision come true.  The interior features jet black rubber paint and glossy black tiles in the main space and ash gray walls and carpet in the fitting rooms. This of course is in addition to the cement floors.

The all black exterior does not have traditional window display, but rather a large glass wall that will show through to an LED screen in the back of the shop.

If you’re in Hong Kong and like your fashion with a twist you definitely need to stop buy shop to experience the Gareth Pugh madness in person!