Fashion shows always start late, but sometimes that’s okay because you get good gossip while you wait.
That’s what happened to Lauren Goldstein Crowe of Fashion Inc yesterday in Milan.
She spoke with someone who was on the inside of the recent Valentino deal, and got some insight into a few things that have been puzzling fashion observers.
Earlier this summer Proenza Schouler sold 45% of of their company to Valentino Fashion Group for $3.7 million. Given their current successes, that seemed like a low figure to many.
Lauren speculated that there was a “hidden sweetener” that hadn’t been publicly revealed.
It turns out her hunch was right:
The Proenza boys were promised the design job at Valentino once Val himself retired.
But then Valentino got sold to Permina Holdings, and Mr. Valentino protested Jack and Lazaro’s appointment, saying they were too young. Earlier this month ex-Gucci designer Alessandra Facchinetti was given the position.
Poor Proenza!
We expect their next collection to feature lots of black, and maybe some red gowns deconstructed with a razor blade…
—ANNA FIELDING GRIGGS
posted by Kim
Sep 27, 2007 7:53PM
i'm glad they didn't get the valentino job. they are too young and their aesthetic does not mesh with the brand at all. i like what they're doing now, and i think they should keep working on building their company.