Agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice for the global fashion community.
MUMBAI, India — The monsoon rains arrived one month late here in Bombay, just as I arrived to participate in the jury for the International Woolmark Prize's India and Middle East edition, where young designers from all over the region — from Beirut to Dubai, and Lahore to Delhi — came to share their designs and dreams of building global fashion businesses.
Last year's winner from the region, Rahul Mishra, went on to win the global prize against some formidable global competition, including Joseph Altuzarra from New York and Sibling from London, proving more than ever, that world-class creativity exists all over the globe, not just in Europe and North America.
Indeed, last night's winners were the Golkar brothers, behind the Dubai-based menswear label The Emperor 1688, and Rayya Morcos of Bird On A Wire, an upstart womenswear brand based in Beirut. We wish them the best of luck in the global finals which will happen early next year in London and Beijing.
Meanwhile, with the close of the menswear shows, we have been covering the ins-and-outs of the global menswear business, bringing you in-depth conversations with Kris Van Assche and Brunello Cucinelli, as well as some insights from the latest Paris men's shows, characterised by "liquid-like morphing" across seasons, genders and forms according to our clever new columnist Angelo Flaccavento.
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Check out our menswear hub to get the full lowdown on the men's season gone by and have a great weekend, everyone. Happy Fourth of July to all of our readers in the USA!
Here are our top stories from the past week:
CEO Talk | Brunello Cucinelli, Founder and Chief Executive, Brunello Cucinelli
In our latest CEO Talk, BoF sits down with Brunello Cucinelli to discuss the unique business philosophy behind his cashmere and luxury lifestyle business, which generated $444 million in revenue in 2013.
In Paris, Ambiguity is in the Air
This season, the Paris men's shows were marked by ambiguity and a kind of liquid-like morphing across seasons, genders and forms, reports Angelo Flaccavento.
Kris Van Assche Says Do What You Are Good At A decade ago, Kris Van Assche wanted nothing more than to have his own fax number. Today, the Belgian-born designer is a fixture of the Paris menswear establishment at the creative helm of both Dior Homme and his own brand, which, this season, celebrates 10 years in business.
Along the Ugly Path to Beautiful Jewellery
Mining precious metals and stones can often have devastating human, environmental and political impact. What's being done about it?
Op-Ed | Fragrances Should Qualify for IP Protection
To maintain incentives for the kind of innovation that keeps Europe at the heart of the global fragrance industry, scents should be protected by intellectual property law, argues Kimiya Shams.
And don't forget, check out BoF Weekly, a week in review published with Flipboard and updated every Saturday.
Imran Amed Founder and Editor-in-Chief