Week in Review | Louise Wilson, Vuitton Cruise, Insta-Banned, Marzotto, Flash Sales, Thailand

SAN FRANCISCO, United States — Last Saturday evening, as guests were settling into their seats at Nicolas Ghesquière's first ever cruise collection show for Louis Vuitton, news began to circulate amongst the British press of the death of Louise Wilson, who passed away the night before at her sister's home in Scotland.

This week, tributes have poured in from across the fashion firmament and from around the world. A couple of British editors wondered aloud if their papers would allow them to run big stories about Louise, but in the intervening days the tributes and obituaries have appeared everywhere, including a large feature in yesterday's Thursday Styles section of The New York Times. This is remarkable for a woman who very much operated behind the scenes of fashion, and speaks not only to her massive impact but also to the growing visibility of fashion within mainstream culture.

I have also been thinking about the potential long-term impact of Louise's passing on Central Saint Martins — and London Fashion Week by extension. The roll call of Louise's students reads like a who's who of British designers. So, even though her feedback could be harsh (and often times acerbic), Louise was able to push her students to find their own creative voice, and then help them to develop and refine it. This was an extraordinary contribution to British fashion and something we in London are all very grateful for. She will be missed.

Here are our top articles from the past week:

Fashion Professor Louise Wilson Has Died
Louise Wilson, the legendary fashion professor to designers like Alexander McQueen and Christopher Kane, has died.

Louis Vuitton and the Business of Globe-Trotting Cruise Collections
BoF sits down with chief executive Michael Burke and artistic director Nicolas Ghesquière to understand the thinking behind Louis Vuitton's push into the ready-to-wear market.

The Trouble with Flash Sales
Last week, Sir Philip Green announced an investment in Australian flash sales site Mysale.com. But the power of the once-hyped business model remains questionable.

Matteo Marzotto Joins with Not Just a Label to Unite Fashion and Jewellery
Under Matteo Marzotto, Italy's leading jewellery fair has teamed up with Not Just a Label, a global sales platform and community for emerging designers, to cross-pollinate young fashion companies and Italian artisans.

Insta-banned: the Kink in Fashion's Instagram Love Affair
Today, the CFDA announced that it was adding Fashion Instagrammer of the Year to its list of awards. But is the platform's strict no-nudity policy, which resulted in Grace Coddington's account being temporarily suspended, out of sync with fashion's liberal attitudes?

French Fashion Awards Come of Age
A flurry of activity around France's leading fashion prizes has resulted in a more complete ecosystem of support for young designers. BoF reports.

Thailand's Split Personality
How can a market embroiled in political turmoil, street clashes and extreme uncertainty keep the world's fashion brands smiling? Market GPS is sponsored by Marvin Traub Associates.

Whistles Continues Global Expansion with Department Store Strategy
Whistles is launching its first physical presence in the US with Bloomingdale's, continuing an international expansion strategy rooted in department store partnerships.

And don't forget, check out BoF Weekly, a week in review published with Flipboard and updated every Saturday.