These are the stories making headlines in fashion on Wednesday.
Billie Eilish lands Vogue video cover, talks climate
Vogue’s first-ever video cover star Billie Eilish spoke with eight climate activists, including Quannah Chasinghorse and Wawa Gatheru, on the future of the planet. The innovative video cover is a carousel of conversation, children signing and other aesthetic shots. Directed by Mike Mills, Eilish and the activists spoke about topics like climate anxiety, navigating academia and politics, leading grassroots campaigns and environmental racism. In the cover story, Eilish also reflected on her personal journey with her body, romance and current boyfriend Jesse Rutherford. {Vogue}
Independent designers brace for recession
As a recession looms ever nearer in 2023, independent designers are bracing for lean times and doubling down on what sells in order to keep their businesses going. But it’s already been a challenging past few years for independent designers who may have been affected by supply chain issues or loss of sales to an e-commerce boom. On top of everything, investors are turning away from what’s considered a risky fashion investment. “It’s almost like a rule. When recession hits, stop investing in fashion because it’s [seen as] too unpredictable,” Gary Wassner, chief executive of luxury and fashion advisory Hilldun Corporation, told the Business of Fashion. {Business of Fashion}
Adidas and Thom Browne battle over stripes in court
Adidas and Thom Browne are in the midst of a legal battle over each company’s trademarked stripes. Adidas, which trademarked its trio of parallel stripes that have been a brand signature since the 1940’s, claims that Thom Browne’s use of four parallel stripes is too similar. The German sportswear company is seeking $867,225 in damages in addition to $7 million in profits that Adidas alleges Thom Browne made while selling its own striped apparel and footwear. Thom Browne argues the delay in this complaint is too long since Adidas did not object when Thom Browne debuted four stripes in its 2008 fashion show. Plus, Thom Browne says customers aren’t actually confused that the brands are the same. {WWD}
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Christian Louboutin’s lawsuit against Amazon could hold the retailer accountable for counterfeits
French shoe and accessory designer Christian Louboutin (of the iconic red-soled shoes) is taking Amazon to court. The suit alleges that the shopping giant should be liable for the sponsored posts featuring counterfeit Louboutin shoes that include the brand’s trademarked red soles. Brought forth in 2019 in Belgium and Luxembourg, the case is still being decided by E.U. courts. However, judges appeared sympathetic to Louboutin in preliminary ruling. Amazon historically hasn’t done much to stop counterfeits from being sold on its platform, which is one reason why most luxury and high-end designers have avoided it. Glossy.co found that searching “Gucci,” for example, populates results replete with counterfeits. Louboutin isn’t seeking money, but rather a change in Amazon’s ad policies that currently allow for ad hijacking. {Glossy}
Homepage Photo: Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images
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