July 11, 2017 |
Change is afoot at the house of Lanvin. Following last weeks departure of Bouchra Jarrar, the Parisian house have turned to Olivier Lapidus to turn things around after a reported 23% fall in revenue last year. Who is Olivier? Well, good question. He was at Balmain Homme and has since worked alongside his father Ted Lapidus (he famously clothed the Beatles) at his company, Maison Lapidus.
Olivier’s change is set to begin with the company’s HQ, which, since it’s inception by Jeanne Lanvin in 1889, has been in Boissy d’Anglas. But, under Lapidus, it will move to the suburban Levallois area scheduled for the end of the year.
Lapidus, who started his new role as creative director on Monday, has spoken previously on his desire to create a lifestyle brand, to transform Lanvin into a French Michael Kors, “You don’t create a product, you create a universe,” he told Bonjour Paris in 2014. “Lifestyle is the last link in the chain of fashion design.” It seems another link to that chain may well be couture, with a representative from Lapidus’ couture house revealing to BoF that Lanvin “is currently envisaging making haute couture again with Olivier.”
Stay tuned.
