Top Fashion Stories of the Week: January 6 – HYPEBEAST

Kicking off the new year, fashion presented a diverse mix of business dealings, creative director changes and new collaboration launches. If anything, it revealed the forthcoming year in fashion is set to include a wide array of discussion-worthy moments big and small.

adidas and Thom Browne appeared in court regarding their ongoing three stripes trademark dispute; Kering Q4 forecasts suggest that Balenciaga’s ad controversy could contribute to declining numbers; California became the first state to ban fur sales; and Louise Trotter exited Lacoste as its creative director. Outside of business, Marni and Carhartt WIP teamed up for a funkadelic offering, the Dior x ERL “California Collection” dropped at DSM, Louis Vuitton launched its Yayoi Kusama collaboration in NYC and Fendi and Tiffany & Co. united for a sterling silver Baguette Bag.

Below, HYPEBEAST has rounded up the top fashion stories of the week so you can stay up to date on trends in the industry.

adidas and Thom Browne Go to Court Over Three Stripes Trademark Dispute

This past Tuesday, adidas and Thom Browne appeared in Manhattan’s Southern District Court regarding an ongoing Three Stripes trademark battle. Although a trademark infringement and dilution complaint was filed against Thom Browne in June of 2021, the recent appearance marks a new point for the high-name matter. The sportswear brand claims that Browne’s brand “imitates [its] three-stripe mark in a manner that is likely to cause consumer confusion and deceive the public regarding its source, sponsorship, association, or affiliation,” which, in turn, is “irreparably harming adidas’ brand and its extremely valuable [mark].”

As such, adidas is seeking $867,225 USD in damages for would-be licensing fees alongside $7 million USD in profits, according to adidas’ attorney R. Charles Henn Jr. of Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP via WWD. Check out the post in the link above for more details about both sides’ claims in court.

Kering Q4 Forecasts Imply Balenciaga Ad Controversies Could Contribute to Declining Numbers

Balenciaga is not out of hot water yet and as a result, it is looking like Kering will take a hit. Due to Balenciaga’s ad controversy in 2022, the brand has suffered significant business losses in the U.S. and U.K. markets, according to a WWD report on recent HSBC equity research.

The report details Q4 forecasts for Kering, which could see a 3.1% fall, which is comprised of Gucci’s 12.5% drop and an improvement figure of 8% from its other brands. But since the official figures report is yet to be released, it remains unclear to what degree Balenciaga’s controversy will harm Kering. Alongside Balenciaga, Gucci’s recent changes are set to produce changes at Kering as well given the recent departure of creative director Alessandro Michele.

Balenciaga represented roughly 10% of Kering’s 2021 group sales, while Gucci’s figure rests at 55%. Stay tuned for more details about Kering’s Q4 when the official Q4 report releases next month.

Louise Trotter Exits Lacoste

From Alessandro Michele exiting Gucci to Raf Simons closing his eponymous label, 2022 was a year for big creative directorship changes – sending waves through the industry. Well it’s looking like 2023 is continuing that trend as Louise Trotter has exited Lacoste as creative director following a four-year run.

Trotter came on board with Lacoste in 2018 and showed her first runway with the brand in 2019 during Paris Fashion Week. Upon her exit, Trotter showed her final collection to a private group last year and will be apart of the brand’s SS23 collection.

California Is Officially the First State to Ban Fur Sales

California took a new step in the direction of animal protection and environmental equity by becoming the first state to ban fur sales. The ban went into effect on January 1 and prohibits the sale and manufacturing of new animal fur products.

For clarity, the law does not prohibit the sale of used fur products that would appear via secondhand retailers or nonprofit thrift stores. The law also does not affect fur ownership rights. Therefore, it is still legal to wear real fur garments in California. Additonally, the ban does affect department stores like Bloomingdale’s, Macy’s and Neiman Marcus in the state which have either closed their fur salons or shut not fur sales, according to WWD.

“We are grateful to California for taking a stand against the cruel fur industry by implementing this statewide ban on the production and sale of new fur products,” said Jenny Berg, California state director for the Humane Society of the United States, in a statement.

Take an Official Look at Marni and Carhartt WIP’s Funkadelic Fusion

Francesco Risso’s Marni first teased its collaboration with Carhartt WIP last year, and now the collection has finally been revealed. To bring the funky collaboration to life, the brands enlisted Bootsy Collins, his wife Patti Collins, Bootsy’s grandson Vincent and Babyxsosa.

Fusing Marni’s whimsical and colorful cadence with Carhartt WIP’s workwear style, uniform pieces take form in color-blocked constructions and floral prints with collaborative branding. Collection highlights include the Active and Chore jackets, which appear in green/white, yellow/black and warm-hued colorways.

The Marni x Carhartt WIP collection releases on January 14 at Carhartt WIP stores, Marni boutiques and on Marni’s website.

Dior and ERL’s “California Couture” Collection is Dropping at DSM This Week

Dior and ERL have finally released their “California Couture” collection at Dover Street Market, which was first revealed back in May. Filled with an array of dreamy colors, elevated style meets Cali comfort in the highly anticipated collaboration.

Pieces like quilted puffer jackets, pastel-colored satin suits and more graced the show’s bold blue runway. Dior’s Kim Jones noted that the glamour of Christ Dior’s period in the United States served as a focal point in crafting the collection. HYPEBEAST recently caught up with Kim Jones and Eli Russel Linnetz to discuss the collection’s vibrantly fun influences.