Goodbye Marc Jacobs
Easily the biggest fashion news of the year: Marc Jacobs departing Louis Vuitton, after 16 years at the helm. The news was officially announced just seconds after the spring 2014 show, and in November it was confirmed that Nicolas Ghesquiere, formerly at Balenciaga, would succeed Jacobs as artistic director of the French brand.
Next year, Jacobs will focus on expanding his namesake brand, while Ghesquiere will present his first collection for Louis Vuitton in March. Expect great things.
Young Talent Time
A great year to be young and talented, with international luxury conglomerates investing in young fashion designers like never before. PPR (renamed as Kering in March) acquired a 51 per cent stake in Christopher Kane in January and a minority stake in Altuzarra in September, while Louis Vuitton's parent company, LVMH, invested in the young designer J.W. Anderson and footwear brand Nicholas Kirkwood.
The rise of Lorde
Lorde's musical achievements were incredible, with the fashion community here falling under her spell from the beginning - and hoping she'll continue to wear their clothes as her international fame grows. Her style - much like her music, message and outspokenness - was a refreshing change to the onslaught of mindless raunch elsewhere (hello Miley!). What next for our Lorde? Looking into my fashion crystal ball, my predictions are: she'll wear dark lipstick to the Grammy's, will attend a Chanel fashion show as Karl Lagerfeld's musical guest, and will feature on the cover of a top fashion magazine.
Questions Asked
Bangladesh's Rana Plaza factory disaster in April, the deadliest garment-factory accident in history that saw more than 1000 clothing factory workers die, shone a very harsh spotlight on the origin of clothing - bringing the question of where your garments are made - and by who, in what conditions - into the limelight. Make it your goal to make more informed clothing choices in 2014.
