Posts by Kevin Harson
From the Archive: The Evolution of the Met Gala, From Society Supper to Global Spectacle
It’s been said that the best way to get a party started is to bring your friends. That’s exactly how the Met Gala, fashion’s most coveted invitation of the year, became fashion’s “party of the year.” The planning began in 1944, when Dorothy Shaver, then chairwoman of the Costume Institute’s event committee, along with Eleanor…
Read MoreInside Paris’ Most Fashionable Pilates Studio
Before he ever picked up a camera, DeMarcus Allen was playing ball. A former college football player-turned-fashion photographer, his unlikely trajectory — from parole officer to shooting for the world’s leading magazines — has culminated in Dream Seven, a light-filled Paris wellness studio where sculpture, sound, scent and sport meet. Dream Seven is just steps…
Read MoreAnne Hathaway Goes Gothic
Anne Hathaway turned to one of Iris Van Herpen‘s early 2020s designs for Thursday night’s red carpet screening of her new film “Mother Mary” in London. The Oscar-winning actress turned to the Dutch label’s spring 2020 couture collection, which debuted as part of Paris Couture Week in January 2020. Largely inspired by “neuroscience illustration and…
Read MoreLes Deux Delivers Double-digit Growth Amid Physical Retail Push
PARIS — Danish menswear brand Les Deux continued its long-running growth streak in 2025, reporting a 13 percent increase in revenue year-over-year. The company posted gross profit of 16 million euros, up from 13.9 million euros the previous year, with profit before tax reaching 8.68 million euros, in numbers released Friday by the privately held…
Read MoreSimon Kim Unveils Three Dining Concepts at 550 Madison in Midtown
For restaurateur Simon Kim, opening 550 Madison marks a massive homecoming. “I came from Korea when I was 13 years old, and always wanted to open my own restaurant. Fast forward, here we are, opening 550 Madison,” says Kim, who opened the first location of his Michelin-starred Korean steakhouse Cote nine years ago in NoMad,…
Read MoreHow a Comme des Garçons Superfan Became One of the World’s Biggest Fashion Collectors
PARIS — Somewhere in a warehouse in the east of France, one of the world’s biggest private collections of vintage fashion is waiting to see the light of day. After three decades of stealthily amassing designs by everyone from Cristóbal Balenciaga to Comme des Garçons, fashion expert Jean-Denis Franoux is ready to lift the lid…
Read MoreU.S. Retail Spending Increases in Early Spring, but Consumer Pressures Signal Caution Ahead
U.S. retail spending showed modest growth heading into spring, but underneath the surface, consumer behavior remains shaped by a complex mix of economic headwinds and short-term tailwinds, according to a report from Circana LLC. Overall, U.S. retail sales rose by 3.3 percent year-over-year in March, with unit demand up 1 percent across discretionary general merchandise,…
Read MoreBeyond Basics: How Mills Are Reinventing Denim for F/W 2027–2028
Denim mills aren’t playing it entirely safe for Fall/Winter 2027–2028. While sustainability remains a central focus—driven by fiber innovation, resource-efficient dyeing and circular design—producers are also pushing creative boundaries with color, textures and elevated storytelling. These forward-looking developments were on full display last week at Kingpins Amsterdam. Soorty presented several concepts inspired by consumer trends.…
Read MoreKingpins Amsterdam Highlights Smarter, Greener Denim Solutions Amid Global Challenges
Despite persistent economic headwinds and ongoing global conflicts affecting trade and transportation, the mood among exhibitors and attendees at Kingpins Amsterdam last week was notably more optimistic than at the previous two editions. Companies presented Fall/Winter 2027-2028 concepts and collections grounded in efficiency and practicality as well as cost and resource savings. Approximately 80 percent…
Read MoreHow France’s Luxury Furniture Industry Compares to Italy, French Firms Rally at Milan Design Week
MILAN — With its proximity and distinct savoir faire, France has a way of enchanting Italy. Le Design Défilé, French for The Design Fashion Show, is a collective of luxury furniture firms that will showcase the best in high-end French design here with a selection of 13 French heritage and contemporary houses and 53 furniture…
Read MoreKnitWell Group Brands Provided Hundreds of Pieces for ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ Filming
Ahead of “The Devil wears Prada 2” premiere Monday night, one company will be on pins and needles to see what clothing is worn and shown in the movie. During the filming of “The Devil Wears Prada 2” last summer, the KnitWell Group‘s portfolio of brands — which includes Talbots, Ann Taylor, Lane Bryant, Soma,…
Read MoreNoé Duchaufour-Lawrance Brings a Couture Touch to His New Lamp Designs for Dior
PARIS — For Noé Duchaufour-Lawrance, working with glass is like draping cloth for a fashion designer. For his latest collaboration with Dior, to be unveiled at Salone del Mobile.Milano, or Milan Design Week, the French designer delved into the fashion house’s archives and endeavored to translate fabric patterns and textures into light. He has revisited…
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