Montana Takes Clout to Lanvin
Paris designer Claude Montana is going into the haute couture business. He’s been named the new designer for the House of Lanvin and will show his first collection next January. Montana’s own ready-to-wear collections have made him a fashion star since he went into business 10 years ago. And there have been rumors that he was offered the couturier’s position at Christian Dior, as well as Jean Patou, before he accepted the Lanvin offer. He says he chose Lanvin because he likes the new chairman, Leon Bressler, who took over operations there when the money-losing house ($15.8 million in 1988) was recently recapitalized by Midland Bank.
Princess Stands on Ceremonies
Princess Diana, never one to downplay her love of pretty dresses, made an appearance at London’s Designer of the Year ceremonies this week and even bequeathed the prize to the winners--Graham Fraser and Richard Nott of Workers For Freedom--whose collection is filled with linen and lace blouses, cropped silk trousers and chiffon skirts strewn with artificial flowers. Other nominees were Katharine Hamnett, Joe Casely-Hayford, Rifat Ozbek and Arabella Pollen, one of the princess’s personal favorites.
Boutique on the Blue Danube
“By midday the cash register wouldn’t hold any more money,” an amazed Estee Lauder told Listen, just hours after the world’s first free-standing Estee Lauder Cosmetic Beauty Boutique opened in Budapest, Hungary on Tuesday. In partnership with the Hungarian retail chain, Aranypok, the free-standing boutique is located at 12 Vaci Utca, a cobblestone shopping street that’s also home to an Adidas sports shop and a McDonald’s. The 80-something cosmetics magnate says there was some nostalgia involved in selecting this location for her first shop; her mother was born in the Eastern Bloc nation. She says women have been standing four-deep at her newest beauty counter, waiting to purchase skin care and fragrance. She was even more impressed with “everyone being so beautifully coiffed, whether they were wearing jeans or silk. They really care about beauty here.” They must; one big spender purchased 11 products for a grand total of $235.
