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Sandro debuts Louise Bourgeois-inspired collection, amid creative surge

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Paris-based brand Sandro has debuted a Louise Bourgeois-inspired collection almost a quarter-century after the great French-American artist unveiled her most famous work.
 
The collection comes to market amid a powerful creative surge at Sandro, which staged an impressively elegant presentation of its latest ideas inside the Musée Bourdelle earlier this month.

Spiral-striped sunhat and minimalist white tank top nod to Louise Bourgeois’ symbolic motifs. – Louise Bourgeois x Sandro

 
Twenty-five years ago, Bourgeois’ legendary giant spider named “Maman” dwarfed the Turbine Room when Tate Modern was opened on the banks of the Seine. Though the Sandro collection is far more about spirals than spiders, the house’s founder and artistic director, Evelyne Chetrite, delves deeper into the artistic universe of Louise Bourgeois. Hence, this Spring/Summer 2025 collection plays on the symbolic resonance of spirals to Bourgeois, which evokes memories of her childhood.
 
Highlights include pale blue and white linen tea dresses, halter-neck picnic dresses, azure and cream geometric-pattern poplin cotton blouses, and black and white spider-web tops and pants.

The Paris-born but New York-based artist Bourgeois worked frequently with textiles, using fabrics from her own wardrobe and home as raw materials in her creative process—ideas that find their roots in her own parents’ art gallery, which dealt mainly in tapestries.

Selection of spiral-themed pieces from the Louise Bourgeois-inspired collection by Sandro.
Selection of spiral-themed pieces from the Louise Bourgeois-inspired collection by Sandro. – Louise Bourgeois x Sandro

 
“Long before upcycling became a trend, Louise Bourgeois had already integrated it into her creative process. This attention to extending the life of materials resonates particularly with Sandro’s values and has inspired the design studio,” Sandro explained in a release.

Earlier in March, Sandro held a swish cocktail in the Montparnasse museum, where the latest looks were positioned on stockmen among the great works of sculpture by Antoine Bourdelle. 

For women, the highlights included très chic funnel-neck suede curvy blousons worn with ruffled denim skirts and double-face wool coats paired with worn jeans and silver-tipped suede biker boots. These looks stood proudly beside a giant “Death of the Last Centaur” plaster statue.

For men, the presentation featured flared-pants suits with double-breasted jackets in pebble-dash wool, surgically cut burgundy leather jerkins, and 10-button tobacco wool double-breasted coats with real dandy insolence.

Graphic spiral-print slip dress with delicate strap detailing from Sandro’s Spring/Summer 2025 line.
Graphic spiral-print slip dress with delicate strap detailing from Sandro’s Spring/Summer 2025 line. – Louise Bourgeois x Sandro

 
​Sandro is a Parisian brand that has long been a leader in the accessible luxury segment. It is known for its men’s and women’s collections, which are both refined and quirky, with an added dose of bold attitude this season.

Evelyne Chetrite, founder and creative director since 1984, is noted for her precise aesthetic: modern, sophisticated clothing that doesn’t cause much pain at the cash register. Since 2008, Ilan Chetrite, Evelyne’s son, has been developing the Sandro Homme line, focusing on classics reimagined with a modern touch—a little like Bourdelle, whose mum was a weaver by profession.

Sandro boasts over 750 points of sale worldwide. Today, it is the key brand in the Sandro, Maje, and Claudie Pierlot Group, known as SMCP.

Copyright © 2025 FashionNetwork.com All rights reserved.



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TikTok Shop to launch in Italy, France, Germany on March 31

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By

Ansa

Translated by

Nicola Mira

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March 30, 2025

TikTok Shop is keen to challenge e-commerce platforms like Amazon and eBay, and will officially launch in Italy, France and Germany on March 31, featuring short videos, customised digital shopfronts, and live-streaming sessions in which questions by potential customers can be answered in real time.

TikTok

Users will be able to purchase the products that appear in their ‘for you’ video feeds, or directly from the social commerce platform during live-streamed sessions. While vendors, from major brands to local SMEs and creators, will promote their products via interactive videos and live shopping sessions. The latter in particular are a faster, more interactive way of connecting with customers, something of a 5.0 version of TV shopping channels.

In Italy, 22.8 million TikTok users will be able to purchase items showcased by creators in real time or via recorded content.

“The experience is similar to buying in a physical store: vendors can answer live questions from users, show their products from different angles, and provide highly personalised advice,” said Jan Wilk, head of operations at TikTok Shop UK.

TikTok’s algorithm, as it does for non-sponsored videos, will display to users the content and hence products that best fit with their preferences. TikTok Shop said there will be “strict checks on products and vendors,” in line with the platform’s rules, but consumer associations are perplexed. In Italy, Codacons said that “the very essence of TikTok, which can generate forms of compulsive shopping” is one of the service’s “critical issues.” 

TikTok Shop is a member of Netcomm, the association of digital commerce operators in Italy.

Featuring on TikTok Shop “will boost Goovi’s digital presence, amplify engagement with our community, and enable us to reach new audiences with a strong inclination for social commerce,” said Giorgia Lixi, digital and e-commerce manager for natural cosmetics and supplements brand Goovi, talking to the ANSA agency. “We believe TikTok Shop can contribute significantly to the growth of our online sales segment,” she added.

“We’re expecting a positive impact, both among my existing followers and those who will discover my brand and products for the first time,” said fashion and lifestyle TikToker New Martina, who underlined that “my live sessions clock up on average 100,000 views, leading to increased site traffic and more orders.”

Copyright © 2025 ANSA. All rights reserved.



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Five women to launch legal claims against Al-Fayed’s estate: lawyers

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AFP

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March 31, 2025

Five women who allege being abused by the late billionaire Mohamed Al-Fayed are planning to launch a legal claim against his estate, UK-based lawyers said Monday.

Al-Fayed – AFP

Law firm Leigh Day said it had taken the first step in the legal process to bring personal injury claims against the estate of the Egyptian tycoon, who died in 2023 aged 94, on behalf of five women who worked as nannies and private air stewards.

Hundreds of women have in recent months alleged sexual abuse and rape by the former boss of the upmarket London department store Harrods.

The allegations follow the airing of a BBC documentary last September that detailed claims of rape and sexual assault perpetrated by Al-Fayed, most of which were made by women who were employed at Harrods.

The new claims are from women who were employed by Al-Fayed’s private airline Fayair or by his family’s businesses outside of Harrods between 1995 and 2012.

The five women were subject to “serious sexual abuse, harassment and mistreatment”, with some facing “verbal abuse and threats” when they tried to raise concerns, said lawyer Richard Meeran.

“It is important that his estate is also made legally accountable for the widespread abuse he perpetrated against those who may never have had dealings with the famous store,” added Meeran.

The “pre-action” letters sent to Al-Fayed’s estate “mark the first formal step in the legal process prior to the commencement of court proceedings,” a Leigh Day spokesperson said.

The law firm is in total representing 27 women who allege abuse by Al-Fayed and his late brother Salah Fayed.

The lawyers are pursuing civil compensation claims and pressing for an independent public inquiry.

More than 100 potential victims have contacted London’s Metropolitan police after it opened a new investigation into sexual assault claims against Mohamed Al-Fayed.

The Justice for Harrods Survivors group has received over 400 inquiries, mainly related to the store, but also regarding Fulham football club, the Ritz Hotel in Paris and other entities.

Harrods has said that it has been contacted by more than 250 people seeking to negotiate an out-of-court settlement.

Three women have also accused the last surviving brother, Ali Fayed, 81, of assault. A spokesperson for Ali Fayed said he denied the accusations.”

Copyright © 2025 AFP. All rights reserved. All information displayed in this section (dispatches, photographs, logos) are protected by intellectual property rights owned by Agence France-Presse. As a consequence you may not copy, reproduce, modify, transmit, publish, display or in any way commercially exploit any of the contents of this section without the prior written consent of Agence France-Presses.



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Italian retailer Modes hits a rough patch as CEO Simon Whitehouse steps down

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Translated by

Nazia BIBI KEENOO

Published



March 31, 2025

Italian luxury retailer Modes has hit a turning point. Months after hinting at behind-the-scenes challenges and a need for fresh investment in an interview with FashionNetwork.com, CEO Simon Whitehouse has officially stepped down. The high-end multi-brand retailer, led by entrepreneur Aldo Carpinteri, is now without a chief executive as it navigates a complex restructuring phase. Whitehouse’s exit comes after one year at the helm.

Modes boutique in St. Moritz – Modes

Carpinteri told WWD that the business remains under a court-supervised restructuring process and that Whitehouse will continue to work with Modes in an advisory capacity.
 
On LinkedIn, Whitehouse commented on his departure, stating that “all is OK” and signing off with a blue heart emoji. “Aldo and I have known each other for a while, and although the business looks different today than it did 12–18 months ago, it’s in good shape and profitable,” said the former JW Anderson CEO. He added that his personal label, EBIT – Enjoy Being in Transition, is gaining momentum and that he remains open to executive roles or strategic projects alongside his consulting work with Modes.

“We’re still standing—bruised, but in rebuild mode,” Carpinteri wrote, quoting Whitehouse in the same post. “It’s time for us to return to physical retail, reimagined for the present. A place where people experience something unique, see your creative vision, and feel your point of view.” The message signals a strategic shift back to brick-and-mortar retail.

Simon Whitehouse
Simon Whitehouse – DR

Modes filed for court-supervised restructuring with the Milan commercial court last May and has continued operating while focusing on cost optimization and redefining its business model.

The company has felt the effects of the broader luxury market slowdown in 2024, further compounded by the termination of its partnership with Farfetch. The e-commerce platform faced significant financial trouble and was later acquired by South Korea’s Coupang, which is now attempting to relaunch the business—so far with limited results. Modes also struggled with overexposure to the B2B channel.

Today, Modes’ core offering is men’s and women’s ready-to-wear, with established partnerships with leading brands such as Chloé, Alaïa, The Row, and Dries Van Noten. More recently, the product mix has expanded to include performance labels like Hoka, On, and Salomon.

Interior of the Modes store in Milan
Interior of the Modes store in Milan

The company now operates four physical stores, down from 19 in 2022, with locations in Milan, St. Moritz, and Portofino. Brick-and-mortar retail has once again become a priority. According to industry sources, Modes is targeting €8 million in revenue for 2025, with a long-term goal of €20 million over five years.

At its peak in 2022, Modes posted €122 million in revenue across 19 boutiques in cities such as Paris, Gstaad, Forte dei Marmi, and Cagliari. Over the past year, 15 stores have closed.

In 2023, Modes reported €105 million in revenue, with EBITDA of €8.2 million and a net profit of €71,000, while also carrying €88 million in debt. The company had previously announced plans to open new stores in Rome and Venice despite financial pressure.

Copyright © 2025 FashionNetwork.com All rights reserved.



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