Must Read: Balmain to Launch Beauty, Christie's Introduces Luxury Streetwear Department
Plus, Rhuigi Villaseñor discusses his Bally debut.
Photo: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images For Balmain
These are the stories making headlines in fashion on Monday.
Balmain and Estée Lauder partner to launch Balmain Beauty
Expected to launch in 2024, French luxury house Balmain has partnered with cosmetics giant The Estée Lauder Companies to develop a new luxury beauty brand. In a statement, Balmain creative director Olivier Rousteing said, "The Estée Lauder Companies made it very clear that they support Balmain's distinctive vision, as well as our goal of disrupting the global luxury beauty paradigm. Knowing that — and knowing that Estée Lauder is the paragon of excellence — well, I can't wait to start working with them." {Fashionista inbox}
Christie's launches Department X
Auctioneering company Christie's is launching a new department specializing in luxury streetwear, sneakers and sports collectibles entitled Department X. "We've watched the classic luxury departments start incorporating these elements of sneaker culture and streetwear through the leadership and the guidance of people like Virgil Abloh and Kim Jones," said Caitlin Donovan, Christie's head of handbags, streetwear and sneakers. "...I see this as a very expansive and important department to grow into, but also these collectors are serious and educated." The department will kick off with a private auction of two sneakers from the collection of Kanye West. {WWD}
Rhuigi Villaseñor discusses Bally debut
For Harper's Bazaar, Rachel Tashjian profiles the new lead designer at Bally, Rhuigi Villaseñor. The 30-year-old is best known within the fashion community as the founder of his brand Rhude, which gained a following for its inventive menswear. Now, he is tasked with redefining womenswear for the Bally brand. The designer said, "It's about creating a woman that's celebrated. That's effortlessly sexy...Womenswear has the bandwidth to create something fluid. Something that can reinvigorate the brand, you know?" The debut is set to focus on sportswear-inspired silhouettes, cocktail dresses and Villaseñor's first handbag. {Harper's Bazaar}
Beauty entrepreneurs issue open letter to Brad Pitt regarding his new skin-care brand
Six founders of beauty companies have issued an open letter to Brad Pitt critiquing his new skin-care line. The letter states, "We are a collective of beauty founders who have decades of experience in this industry, and who quit their jobs to create better ways forward...We tirelessly work our asses off day in and day out." They go on to explain, "We can't waltz into your industry and star in a movie. If we could, we would so you would know how this feels." The signers propose that celebrities should begin investing in existing small beauty businesses rather than infiltrate the industry as a what could be considered a cash-grab. {Beauty Independent}
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