On January 15, the French luxury lifestyle group PPR bought a 51% share in the British fashion house Christopher Kane!
I was really excited to hear this good news and happy for the fashion house! In general, a lot of people see a small company being bought out as a bad thing, but this is not necessary true for small or medium sized fashion companies. The PPR group also owns brands such as Stella McCartney and Alexander McQueen. Independent fashion designers can definitely benefit from the resources and existing operations of such a large group. It is difficult for designers, as idealistic artists, to run the logistics and business side of their fashion house which leaves very little time for their actual creative process. PPR comes with beautiful showrooms, guaranteed buyer traffic, various supplier connections and established warehouses. But more importantly, it brings a team of creative business people who can preserve and create greater possibilities with Kane's talent!
One of the greater possibilities include the first physical retail store in 2014, which is some designer's lifelong dream! As we are seeing some improvements in the global economy since 2008, by the time Kane is ready to grow big, the world will be ready for it. I can't wait to see the clothes he will create with more time on his hands! His first show under PPR will be in February during London Fashion Week. As mention in the Financial Times, this transaction between PPR and Christopher Kane will likely propel the interest of other luxury groups in buying out independent fashion houses, especially in London. This is great news since the young, cool, and modern clothes put out by British indie designers are what to die for!
