The French style icon bringing change
Carine Roitfeld and her son Vladimir are aiming to bring the luxury-fashion runway to a wider audience. They tell Bel Jacobs how.
More than 5,000 people gathered earlier this summer on the Piazzale Michelangelo, overlooking Florence and the river Arno, to watch the inaugural CR Runway; a staggering multi-brand catwalk show organised by fashion titan Carine Roitfeld to celebrate 90 years of super-luxe Italian retailer LuisaViaRoma. The Mayor of Florence and designers Virgil Abloh and Eva Cavalli were among the guests sipping champagne while the setting sun turned the dome of Santa Maria del Fiore to gold.
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In a custom-built stadium, constructed around a towering bronze replica of Michelangelo’s David, 60 of the world’s top models including Gigi and Bella Hadid, Irina Shayk and Mariacarla Boscono presented 105 looks, selected by Roitfeld, from the autumn/winter collections of Alexander McQueen, Balenciaga, Burberry, Prada and more, alongside archival work by Helmut Lang – worn by 1990s icons Alek Wek and Kirsten Owen – and vintage Mugler, worn by Joan Smalls.
Getty ImagesThe 1990s references are intentional, relating both to LuisaViaRoma’s birthday – and to Roitfeld’s favourite decade. “The 1990s were my beginnings in fashion,” Roitfeld tells BBC Culture, wistfully. “It was the most perfect moment, because of designers like Helmut Lang, Martin Margiela, Rei Kawakubo. I went to see all those shows in the 1990s, so it was very emotional to see the same girls, wearing the same looks on the catwalk.”
And while the front row and after-show party were indeed star-studded, the rest of the audience were 4,000 ordinary members of the public, offering a revolution in the way luxury fashion is presented. The event took a year to plan and more than 1,000 people a month to build. Fashion show producers are used to pulling off the impossible, but even with the most experienced on hand, this was an effort of Herculean proportions.
Getty ImagesThat it happened at all is due to Roitfeld’s frankly iconic status in fashion – along with her chutzpah and undeniable flair. She has worked as stylist and muse for Tom Ford and Karl Lagerfeld. From 2001 to 2011, she was editor-in-chief of Paris Vogue, during which time the magazine hit record levels of circulation and advertising.
And she hasn’t rested on her laurels. Since stepping away from Condé Nast, Roitfeld has launched CR Studio, CR Fashion Book and a suite of fragrances while working as Harper Bazaar’s global fashion editor across all 26 of Bazaar’s international editions. Earlier this year, after winning the prestigious 2019 CFDA Founder’s Award, she was announced as Style Advisor for the Karl Lagerfeld brand – an appointment she has described as the designer’s “last blessing”.
CR Runway was conceived and orchestrated by Roitfeld and her son, business partner, Vladimir Restoin-Roitfeld. What was the inspiration for CR Runway? “For the past seven years,” he says, “[Carine] has created this fashion show at amfAR, the Foundation for Aids Research. I always wanted to create a platform for Carine to express her voice on a big scene – to create an exclusive event that was also open to the public.” When Andrea Panconesi, CEO of LuisaViaRoma, approached them, they knew they had found the perfect partner.
CR Runway x LuisaViaRomaFor decades, the runway show has been a rarefied event for an elite industry set of fashion editors and influencers. That exclusivity is still going strong. When Dolce & Gabbana presented Alta Moda last year, the show took place in candlelit gardens on the shores of Lake Como, in front of an exclusive coterie of international clients. Meanwhile, unauthorised fashion-week ticket sales are reportedly at an all-time high, as frenzied fans fork out $3,500 (£2,900) for tickets to invite-only shows.
Lexicon of luxury
But luxury fashion, like everything else, is changing. Last November, the Savigny Luxury Index, compiled on the stock values of 18 leading luxury companies, reported a drop in average stock prices. And while the number of mega-rich may be going up – by 10.6% in 2017 according to the World Wealth Report 2018 – the rest of us are falling behind.
CR Runway x LuisaViaRomaFactor in a new, digitally powered, ecologically aware millennial market with an ever-shifting idea of just what constitutes ‘luxurious’ – and you have a whole new world. When asked about priorities in fashion in the coming year for the State of Fashion 2019, Balenciaga CEO Cedric Charbit replied: “The thing [that] is going to be important is how we engage with our audience. It’s about communicating and conveying messages and values to the entire community of the brand.”
Terms like ‘consumer-driven pop-ups’ and ‘brand experience’ now pepper the lexicon of luxury fashion, while brands work out the logistics of ‘see-now-buy-now’ on the catwalk. Meanwhile, runway shows are transforming into multi-activity playgrounds that include all strata in society. This year, Olivier Rousteing launched the Balmain’s Men’s Spring 2020 music festival with the words: “We all know that fashion has to move past its long failure to celebrate all members of society.”
CR Runway x LuisaViaRomaFor now, Carine and Vladimir can sit back and relax, knowing they have upped the ante – in terms of spectacle, ambition and inclusivity. What was it like on the night? “I won’t lie,” says Vladimir, slowly “There were moments… but generally, it was all exceptionally well-organised. The biggest challenge was bringing together brands on this scale. It hadn’t been done before so we were stepping into the unknown.”
Pulling the team together proved no problem – everyone wanted to get involved – but handling conflicting schedules and larger-than-life personalities was something Carine knows well. “When you’re working on such a big project, teamwork is key,” she says. “Everyone has to be considered so that they are happy to be part of the project. I talked to all the models and all the designers to explain that nothing had been done like this before.”
At the core of CR Runway – and CR Studio and CR Fashion Book – is the relationship between Carine and Vladimir. “Without Vladimir, all [this] wouldn’t exist,” Roitfeld told Business of Fashion. The respect is clearly mutual: “When you see your mum working, when she comes home and shows you her pictures, you don’t see the sweat and hard work behind it,” says Restoin-Roitfeld.
CR Runway“I've always admired Carine, but now I have beyond admiration for what she does because I can see on a daily basis how much work it has been for her to gain the experience and the respect she has today.
“I don’t work on fashion shoots,” he continues. “I’m not a creative person, per se. But I've had a chance to grow up surrounded by beautiful images and talented people so I do feel very comfortable in this environment.
“The long-term idea is to create a strong DNA, a brand, that speaks to a wide audience. We were very lucky to find each other because we work well together,” he laughs. “We’re very complementary.” And what does Roitfeld have to say about this obvious filial devotion? “I’ve found someone to make my dreams become reality,” she says.
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