Christian Dior, the renowned French luxury fashion house under the LVMH Group, is strengthening the teams of its Creative Director, Jonathan Anderson, by bringing Michela Kalb back to its ranks. The Sardinian-born Italian previously distinguished herself during a decade-long tenure at Dior in the mid-2000s, where she served as director of women’s ready-to-wear before holding the same role at Louis Vuitton.
Michela Kalb – Christian Dior
She has now been appointed director of haute couture, women’s and men’s ready-to-wear, women’s shoes, and baby collections at Christian Dior. “In this capacity, she will join the management committee,” the company stated.
The ready-to-wear expert is set to take up her post on October 1, the same day Anderson’s debut women’s ready-to-wear collection will be unveiled at Paris Fashion Week. Kalb will become Anderson’s de facto right-hand woman, coordinating all aspects of the house’s collections, from creation to retail.
“I’m delighted that Michela and Dior’s paths are crossing again. I am convinced that she will draw on her vision and knowledge of the house, as well as her extensive product expertise, to develop ever more desirable collections in close collaboration with the creative direction,” said Christian Dior CEO Delphine Arnault in a note shared by the house.
Armed with a degree in business administration from Milan’s Bocconi University, Kalb began her career in 1993 at Italian department store La Rinascente, where she managed women’s ready-to-wear purchasing. Six years later, she joined Prada, advancing from assistant merchandiser to merchandising manager for both Prada and Miu Miu, before relocating to Paris.
In the French capital, she joined the LVMH Group, first at Christian Dior from 2006 to 2017, then at Louis Vuitton, where she continued her role as director of women’s ready-to-wear.
This article is an automatic translation. Click here to read the original article.
Calvin Klein opened on Tuesday a new global flagship in New York City, marking the brand’s return to its hometown.
Calvin Klein opens new flagship store in SoHo, New York. – Calvin Klein
Located at 530 Broadway in SoHo, the over 3,000-square-foot store draws inspiration from New York’s signature loft apartments, characterized by open wood ceilings, cast columns and concrete flooring, paired with neutral tones and stainless steel fixtures.
Meanwhile, the store’s exterior is finished in the brand’s charcoal tone, with large windows displaying a seasonal visual concept created in partnership with Perron Studios.
The store features curated spaces with denim and underwear at the center of the assortment, alongside men’s and women’s apparel and accessories. Beginning in spring 2026, the location will offer select styles from Calvin Klein Collection during designated periods. To mark the opening, the SoHo flagship is releasing a limited capsule collection of tees, sweatshirts, hats and totes featuring custom Calvin Klein SoHo branding.
“We are proud to return to one of the world’s most fashionable cities – and the birthplace of our iconic brand – with an elevated retail expression,” said David Savman, global brand president, Calvin Klein.
“This new global flagship, located just steps from our landmark Houston Street billboard, is a tribute to Calvin Klein’s New York heritage. It represents both the evolution of our retail experience and a tangible expression of the world of Calvin Klein. Calvin Klein embodies a distinctive, global way of living that meets culture, and this store is the latest step on our journey of taking our brand to the next level.”
The store follows recent flagship openings in Paris and Tokyo and reflects the company’s strategy to create premium lifestyle destinations built around its minimalist design DNA.
“New York is central to the DNA of the Calvin Klein brand,” added Stefan Larsson, CEO, PVH Corp.
“This homecoming is a key milestone as we build Calvin Klein into one of the most desirable lifestyle brands in the world. Step by step, we’re deepening brand relevance, driving consumer engagement and strengthening brand positioning across North America and globally.”
The Italian competition authority said on Tuesday it had opened two investigations into Swiss watchmaker Swatch and Japan’s Citizen Watch.
Reuters
The probes involve an alleged infringement of European rules on the fixing of retail prices displayed online by the groups’ authorised distributors.
The two companies may be limiting price competition among their retailers through a vertical agreement, by imposing retail prices on their distributors and adopting “retaliatory commercial measures” against those that fail to comply, the antitrust authority said in a statement.
The agency’s officials carried out inspections at the Italian offices of Swatch and Citizen on December 3.
Swatch and Citizen did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
British retail tycoon Mike Ashley has pledged around 670 million pounds ($890.6 million) worth of shares in his sportswear and fashion retailer Frasers Group Plc as collateral for a loan from HSBC, according to filing on Tuesday.
Reuters
Ashley’s holding company, MASH Beta Limited, which holds the majority of Frasers’ issued share capital, pledged about 103.6 million ordinary shares.
Frasers’ shares were down about 1.3% at 646.5 pence as of Tuesday’s last close.
This move comes after the company’s heavy investments in newer geographies and taking or increasing shareholding in recent months across companies, from fashion groups to electrical retailers. Mike Ashley holds roughly a 73% stake in Frasers, according to data compiled by LSEG.
The company whose portfolio includes Sports Direct, House of Fraser and Flannels, reaffirmed its full-year profit forecast earlier this month.