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Paris Couture in Review: The Week’s Most Striking Moments

This is Beirut, 11/07 15:55 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

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Paris Haute Couture Week has wrapped up after four days of shows that featured the end of an era at Balenciaga, the start of a new one at Maison Margiela, and some surprise appearances and absences. AFP looks back on the key moments of the Autumn-Winter 2025-2026 season: New Eras Demna bowed out at Balenciaga after a decade in charge with a ...

Jane Birkin’s First Hermès Birkin Bag Breaks Auction Record

This is Beirut, 10/07 18:55 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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The first-ever Hermès Birkin bag, custom-made for Jane Birkin in 1984, was sold at auction in Paris on Thursday for €8.582 million, including fees, according to Sotheby’s. This oversized black leather tote was the original prototype of what would become one of the most iconic and expensive handbags in the world. Until now, the most ...

Demna bows out at Balenciaga with star-studded Paris catwalk show

This is Beirut, 09/07 18:40 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Fashion Week Luxury Paris Celebrity Culture

Maverick Georgian fashion designer Demna bowed out after 10 years at Balenciaga on Wednesday with a star-studded Paris show featuring Kim Kardashian and veteran supermodel Naomi Campbell on the catwalk. The final collection from the 44-year-old - who is switching to fellow Kering-owned brand Gucci - was watched by celebrities from Nicole Kidman ...

Paris Fashion Week Opens With Demna’s Farewell at Balenciaga

This is Beirut, 07/07 14:55 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Fashion Luxury Haute-Couture Week Paris Culture

After 10 years at Balenciaga, provocative Georgian showman Demna is to take a final bow during Paris Haute Couture Week, which began on Monday with a star-studded show by Schiaparelli. Demna, known for his daring work as well as controversies during his decade-long stint at Kering-owned Balenciaga, will unveil his final collection on Wednesday in ...

Jonathan Anderson Set for Dior Debut at Paris Fashion Week

This is Beirut, 23/06 15:20 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Fashion Week Luxury Men's Fashion Week Dior Fashion Paris Culture

Men's Fashion Week returns to Paris on Tuesday with heightened anticipation as Jonathan Anderson shows his first creations for Dior and Saint Laurent rejoins the official calendar. Following a flurry of artistic director changes, the spring-summer 2026 menswear season reflects the industry's instability: Milan scaled back its program and London ...

Art Market Banking on New Generation of Collectors

This is Beirut, 23/06 12:45 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

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The global art market is not immune to current economic and geopolitical tensions and is counting on a new generation of collectors to revitalize the momentum. Some big transactions were concluded last week during Art Basel, the world's top contemporary art fair, notably by London's Annely Juda Fine Art gallery, which sold a David Hockney ...

Gucci-Owner Names Ex-renault Chief Luca de Meo as CEO

This is Beirut, 16/06 19:45 - Reading : less than a minute

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French luxury group Kering announced Monday that it had appointed Luca de Meo, who helped drive automaker Renault out of crisis, its new chief executive as sales at its leading brand Gucci have slumped. The appointment "marks a decisive step in the evolution of Kering's governance and strengthens the Group's leadership as it enters a new phase of ...

Maria Grazia Chiuri Steps Down as Dior Women’s Artistic Director

This is Beirut, 29/05 15:10 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

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Dior announced Thursday that Italian designer Maria Grazia Chiuri was stepping down as artistic director of the French fashion house's women's collection after almost a decade on the job. Dior has boomed since Chiuri took over in 2016, becoming the second-biggest brand in the stable of luxury labels owned by French powerhouse LVMH. Her ...

The House of Worth Takes Over Paris Fashion History

This is Beirut, 05/05 13:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Petit Palais Paris France Culture Art Luxury

For the first time, the House of Worth—considered the birthplace of haute couture—is featured in a Paris exhibition showcasing rare archival pieces and revisiting the story of one of France’s luxury icons. Organized in collaboration with Palais Galliera, Paris’ fashion museum, this retrospective at the Petit Palais, titled “Worth, ...

Christian Lacroix Reveals His True Calling in Costumes

This is Beirut, 17/04 10:30 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

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He describes himself as an “impostor” in haute couture: at 73, Christian Lacroix is now fully dedicated to what he calls his “real profession”—that of a costume designer. His flamboyant style, shaped by fashion history, folklore, and painting, now finds its true expression on the stage. “As a child, I thought in terms of costumes, of ...

When the Giants of Chic Face Uncertainty

Christiane Tager, 16/04 22:35 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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The world of luxury may shine bright, but it’s not immune to economic storms. On Tuesday, the biggest names – Kering, Hermès and LVMH – saw their shares take a hit, with a stock market slump that was anything but glamorous. The biggest blow went to LVMH, whose first-quarter 2025 results showed a 2% drop in revenue. It’s the first slap in ...

Luxury Perfume Bottles Go Electric in France’s Glass Valley

This is Beirut, 09/04 10:30 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

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In rapid succession, molten drops of glass fall into molds, giving shape to iconic perfume bottles from Lancôme, Chanel, and Guerlain—now produced with a lighter carbon footprint thanks to a new electric furnace at the Pochet du Courval glassworks in Normandy. An intense heat surrounds the furnace, which continuously melts a mix of raw ...

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