There is another way to get attention during fashion week, of course: hire a new designer. All the industry’s antennae immediately go “bing”!
This time round there were three brands in the spotlight: Hugo Boss, where New York designer Jason Wu (he of Michelle Obama inaugural dress fame) was making his debut as artistic director of womenswear; Marc by Marc Jacobs, aka the powerhouse of the possibly soon-to-be-public Marc Jacobs empire, where the man with his name on the label ceded the design reins to Brits Katie Hillier and Luella Bartley in an attempt to re-energise and differentiate the line; and Coach, where another Brit, Stuart Vevers, unveiled his first collection, which also happened to be the handbag brand’s first ready-to-wear initiative.
The latter was the most under-the-radar of the three, being a presentation and not a show, perhaps wise as the concentration on sheepskin and boxy 1960s shapes, while an engaging start, did not quite feel like a whole new identity.