Etro’s New Line, Vaccarello’s Belgian Win – WWD

TWO WAYS: Betting big on menswear while going coed — at Etro, both ways are possible. The company said Monday it’s launching a new men’s line while its next runway show will be staged in February during Milan Fashion Week, planned to run Feb. 20 to 26. 

“Imagination is a land of endless opportunities and in February we will seize them by bringing together our male and female universes in a unique narrative that will convey the brand’s codes in all their unifying force,” said Marco De Vincenzo, who took the creative helm of Etro’s women’s, men’s and home lines more than a year ago. 

That doesn’t mean the fashion house will stay on the sidelines during the city’s men’s fashion week, which will run from Jan. 12 to 16.

On Jan. 14, Etro will mark the debut of its new men’s tailoring collection, unveiling its first store exclusively dedicated to the line and the made-to-order service. While details are still under wraps, the new unit opening in Via Montenapoleone will coincide with the presentation of the collection to select international buyers at Etro’s headquarters.

De Vincenzo made his men’s debut for the brand last January with a strong fall 2023 collection that already showed a penchant for groovy tailoring cut in ‘70s-inspired elongated silhouettes and wavy velvet suits spotlighting the brand’s textile heritage. Other options, such as tuxedo pants delicately embroidered with flowers at the waist, were paired with check shirts for outfits that evoked Etro’s DNA without the need for literal references.

“When it comes to menswear, all it takes are a few ingredients to make a garment shine.…And it really takes little to turn something into ‘Etro’: You put together an embroidery and the right print and the brand is there, it speaks for itself. It’s a little bit like magic,” De Vincenzo said at the time.

That effort was followed by a youthful spring 2024 lineup, imbued with more relaxed sartorial options, including suits pairing maxi vests with fluid pants and oversize blazer jackets coming with roomy below-the-knee shorts. — SANDRA SALIBIAN

PROUDLY BELGIAN: Anthony Vaccarello was named the designer of the year at the recent Belgian Fashion Awards.

“[He] knows how to bring change in an interesting way at a high level, both for men and women,” declared the 2023 jury led by Serge Carreira, head of emerging brands initiative at the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode. “Not only did he make Saint Laurent relevant again, but he has been building his trajectory for a very long time with a certain consistency that has never been rewarded until now. It’s time to pay tribute to that.”

Previous winners include Glenn Martens, who won in 2022 and 2018, Nicolas Di Felice, Christian Wijnants and Raf Simons.

Meanwhile, Antwerp-based Jan-Jan Van Essche was awarded this year’s jury prize, considered the BFA’s top prize and which honors the career of a designer who is either Belgian or working for a Belgian fashion house.

With his 13-year-old eponymous label, he “brought slow fashion even before the phenomenon had a name” and won “because he demonstrates that it’s not about the size of your business but about your talent.”

Distinguished in previous years were Stéphanie D’heygere, Dirk Van Saene, Walter van Beirendonck, Martin Margiela and Dries Van Noten.

After winning three prizes at this year’s edition of the International Festival of Fashion, Photography and Accessories — Hyères, Igor Dieryck can add the Belgian Fashion Award’s emerging talent of the year gong to his shelf.

Having impressed the jury with “his determination and hypercreative, almost poetic designs,” he will receive a 5,000-euro cash prize and see one of his silhouettes purchased by Fashion and Lace Museum of Brussels for its permanent collection.

The BFA’s inaugural accessories prize was handed to designer Sarah Levy, who won the public’s vote at the 2019 Hyères festival and has freelanced for labels such as Marine Serre, Patou and Givenchy.

Other winners of the edition include digital artist Frederik Heyman, who was named professional of the year; contemporary artist Laetitia Bica as changemaker of the year for her “unique perspective, creatively expanding the view of the human body”; Leslie Novignon, this year’s most promising graduate, and brand of the year Orta. 

The jury, led by Carreira, consisted of Caroline Esgain, director of the Fashion & Lace Museum; Elisa De Wyngaert, curator of the MoMu Antwerp museum; Eve Demoen, curator of Modemuseum Hasselt; designer Meryll Rogge; Thomas Tistounet, founder and chief executive officer of Paris-based showroom Untitled, as well as members of the press.

The awards have been organized since 2017 by Flanders DC, a nonprofit organization launched by the Flemish government to promote the design and fashion sector; the MAD Brussels fashion and design platform; Wallonie-Bruxelles Design Mode, which supports the internationalization of labels based in Brussels and the French-speaking Wallonia region, and publications Weekend Knack and Le Vif Weekend. — LILY TEMPLETON

PLENTY TO TALK ABOUT: Before this year officially folds, Fern Mallis will sit down with one of her nearest and dearest at the 92nd Street Y.

Stan Herman will be the guest of honor on Dec. 12, and the pair will have plenty to talk about. At age 95, Herman is still a working designer, routinely appearing on QVC to sell his label and designing uniforms for FedEx and JetBlue. Activism has also underlined his career, which stretches 60-plus years. Herman and Mallis have a long history both personally and professionally, having previously worked together at the Council of Fashion Designers of America.

Herman’s just-released memoir “Uncross Your Legs: A Life in Fashion” will provide plenty to discuss. Along with unearthing Herman’s most memorable moments, Mallis is keen to learn why he wanted to write the book, what he wanted everyone to know about his life and his work and whether he “was settling any scores?” She also wants to know if there are still some stories that he held back and if so, why.

Their long friendship should lead to a certain amount of candor. Mallis described his Rizzoli-published book as “very honest and quite explicit about his sexuality.” She continued, “I want him to talk a little about that.” 

As for her own favorite moments with Herman, Mallis said those would be hard to pick “as we [have] shared so many years, tears and events. But ultimately, I think cooking with him at his house on Big Fresh Pond [in Southampton, N.Y.]  have been as memorable as sitting together at so many fashion shows in the tents, and also being together at the White House in the private quarters with then-First Lady Hillary Clinton to launch Fashion Targets Breast Cancer [in 1994].”

Mallis will kick off 2024 with another “Fashion Icons” talk with Hal Rubenstein on Jan. 22 at the 92NY. He also has a new book to discuss, “Dressing the Part: Television’s Most Stylish Shows.” Rubenstein’s book draws back the curtain on the roles that stylists play and how standout ones like “Sex and the City” stylist Patricia Field have shaped pop culture.

Like Herman, Rubenstein and Mallis go way back and have been friends for more years than Mallis said she can remember. Having always admired him and his “honest, take-no-prisoners opinions on everything,” Mallis said she is looking forward “to hearing his thoughts on how TV ladies have influenced fashion.” — ROSEMARY FEITELBERG

BASEL PROGRAMMING: Istituto Marangoni Miami is offering a full slate of programming to celebrate Art Basel.

The Italian fashion school is hosting several panels and events starting Tuesday to celebrate the upcoming art fair, which takes place in Miami this weekend. The programming runs through Friday and covers topics across fashion, art and design. 

“Art Basel is one of the most important moments for Miami — it probably is the most important moment where an international audience is in town,” said Hakan Baykam, founder and chief executive officer of IMM. “We as a top leading fashion college with an interest in art and design, we need to be part of the ecosystem. We always do things that are pioneering in the city. I think that it’s a great moment to do collaborations with companies, to open our doors and to be part of whatever is happening in Miami.” 

The programming kicks off Tuesday with a panel on sustainability and innovation with Vogue Brazil culture and lifestyle editor Nô Mello and the vice president of marketing at Brazilian footwear brand Melissa. 

The following day, IMM is hosting a cocktail reception with Italian design company Kartell. During the reception, the school will unveil a 2024 design competition where a student will win the opportunity to see their furniture design be prototyped. 

“I think it’s a match between the strategies of the brands that want to be part of that week,” Baykam said on how the school chose the programming’s participants. “I think we choose the brands that allow us to do the most in terms of partnership with the students and activities.” 

The school’s programming will end on Friday with a panel between Scott Ramon Seguro Mescudi, also known as rapper Kid Cudi, and the Webster’s founder and creative director Laure Hériard Dubreuil. The rapper will also be working with the school to open a pop-up on its campus for his Members of the Rage brand, which will be supported by the Webster. The pop-up will be open through Dec. 15, with all proceeds going to the IMM Scholarship Fund. 

The school will award Kid Cudi an honorary master’s degree in fashion design. 

“We are always looking for great balance and it’s a great moment to see what is happening in the world around this big movement between hip hop and fashion,” Baykam said about the honorary degree. “I think he has a big potential.” — LAYLA ILCHI