The Buzz: Chanel’s ethical stance, its new Netflix documentary, and Raf Simons in trouble at Calvin Klein

The Buzz: Chanel drops exotic skins and heads to Netflix, while stormclouds gather over Raf Simons at Calvin Klein

By the time this column hits the newsstands, Chanel will be in the final stages of its Metier d’Art show in New York. And while this catwalk celebration of craftsmanship has always been a highlight of the fashion year, this year it comes with an announcement that suggests the tide has finally turned in the industry.

The fashion house’s president, Bruno Pavlovsky, took the opportunity on Monday to say Chanel would “no longer use exotic skins in our future creations”. This includes fur, which is rare in Chanel collections anyway, as well as crocodile, lizard, snake and stingray. “The future of high-end products will come from the know-how of what our atelier is able to do,” Pavlovsky said.

With the increasing focus on sustainable and ethical fashion, animal skins and fur in particular have been dropped by several luxury houses in the past two years, including Givenchy, Burberry, Gucci and Versace. In July, even Fendi, a fur house by heritage, introduced into its couture collection pieces that looked like fur were made from organza, chiffon and velvet.

For Chanel, leathers and textile development increasingly will focus on the “agrifood” industries. Pavlovsky acknowledged the new mood, saying: “We did it because it’s in the air, but it’s not an air people imposed to us. It’s a free choice.”

While we’re on Chanel, don’t forget to tune into Netflix on December 21 for the first of its 7 Days Out documentary series, which in this instance focuses on the week leading up to the house’s January haute couture show. Having been lucky enough to attend the show in Paris, Buzz for one is as intrigued to see how the Grand Palais was transformed into a rose garden with trellises and fountains as to the creation of the collection itself. Director Andrew Rossi has fashion form: he also directed the Met Gala doco, The First Monday,in May.

Apparently there are dark clouds gathering over Calvin Klein HQ in New York, with third-quarter sales for the PVH-owned brand not meeting expectations. As a result, some are beginning to question whether designer Raf Simons, who was put in charge of the entire creative vision of the brand in 2016, will have his contract renewed come August. There seems to be a disconnect in results between Simons’s renamed high fashion side of the business, 205W39NYC (a nod to the brand’s address in New York), and its bread-and-butter jeans and knickers businesses — the former has even taken a bit of a battering.

In its earnings statement last week, PVH chief executive Emanuel Chirico said: “The Calvin Klein brand continues to command strong brand health and desire in all markets; however, the business in the third quarter experienced softness. 

While many of the product categories performed well, we are disappointed by the lack of return on our investments in our Calvin Klein 205 W39 NYC halo business and believe that some of the Calvin Klein Jeans relaunched product was too elevated and did not sell through as well as we planned.”

Chirico flagged an increased focus on “a more commercial product and marketing experience” next year. With tensions said to be rising, some are suggesting Simons may walk even sooner.

In other international news, Spanish label Delpozo has introduced a new creative director, Lutz Huelle. While he will oversee the next autumn-winter collection, presented by appointment during London Fashion week in February, his full vision will come to life for the spring 2020 season, unveiled in September next year.

Former creative director Josep Font stepped down in September this year. He had been brought in to relaunch the label in 2012. Buzz for one will be hoping that Huelle continues to deliver the sartorial confection for which the label has become known.