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Bloomberg
11-07-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Bloomberg Law:Lululemon Sues Costco Over Alleged Dupes
Susan Scafidi, a professor at Fordham Law School and director of the Fashion Law Institute, discusses Lululemon suing Costco, accusing it of copying its designs. June Grasso hosts.
Elle
03-06-2025
- Business
- Elle
Are Influencer Brands at Risk Without Influencers?
Style Points is a column about how fashion intersects with the wider world. In 1912, the first influencer cancellation took place. (Well, unless you count Marie Antoinette's.) Lady Duff-Gordon, a socialite and designer of the line Lucile, survived the sinking of the Titanic—but was rumored to have bribed the lifeboat's crew not to save as many people so she could make it to safety. When she reached dry land, a trial ensued, with many of her Lucile-wearing stans in the audience. By those standards, today's influencer scandals—like this winter's tempest around Swedish influencer and Djerf Avenue designer Matila Djerf's alleged mistreatment of employees—pale in comparison. But that story is proof that influencers have always been around in some form, and that their role as social lightning rods is nothing new. And with so many influencers now not just promoting, but designing, brands, it's a markedly strange time for the industry. While in the past, a celebrity or model's behavior could sink an endorsement deal, what happens when the spokesperson themselves also owns the means of production, so to speak? 'Any time you put a name on a label, whether it is an influencer brand or a designer's name, you risk that individual running into reputational issues and harming the brand in some way,' says Susan Scafidi, the academic director of Fordham's Fashion Law Institute. While influencers are using their vast followings to leverage their own brands, that following is 'built on shifting sand. There is always a danger that something will happen and the whole sandcastle will crumble.' To avoid that 'key person risk,' as it's known in the business, there are a few ways to future-proof an influencer-led brand. Some investors will ask for a 'morals clause.' Says Scafidi, 'It sounds very 19th-century, but it is about reputation.' She always recommends to emerging designers that they create some sort of separation between the personal and the professional. For example, not making the name on the label their own, and maintaining separate social media accounts. At the same time, 'we want someone to follow who isn't just a generic company without a face. So we're basically dealing with a double-edged sword,' she says. 'On the one hand, a great influencer with a personal touch and appeal to followers is brilliant marketing. On the other hand, humans are fallible.' Which explains why several brands founded by influential people, like Toteme (co-founded by Elin Kling) and Anine Bing, don't lead with the image of their founder front and center. (An approach famously pioneered by Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen at The Row.) Lia Haberman, author of the In Case You Missed It newsletter and creator economy expert, points to Emma Chamberlain and her coffee company as a sort of Gallant to some fellow influencers' Goofus: 'She's trying to establish a good product versus [it] simply being an extension of who she is and who her fandom is. She has encouraged fans to approach and consume Chamberlain Coffee, but at the same time, she has not pinned all its success on herself. She doesn't post constantly whenever there's a new product launch; it's a pared-down presence. And I think that's smart.' Muddying the waters is the fact that the definition of 'influencer' has morphed so much in recent years. Designers like Olympia Gayot and Joseph Altuzarra now command huge social media audiences, as do some editors and stylists who were previously relegated to more behind-the-scenes roles. While they're increasingly expected to 'influence' as well as design, edit, or style, with all those new eyes on them, they may face the same pitfalls as more traditional influencers. Then there's the matter of the economy. (You knew we were going to get there at some point, right?) In times of financial turbulence, says Scafidi, 'people start to blame fashion. And because fashion is close to the body and therefore closely affiliated with the person [wearing it], fashion gets blamed more than, say, real estate. We save our rancor for fashion, not for someone who has a big house, because we don't see the house, but we see the person on Instagram living an amazing life, apparently having a limitless supply of outfits. And because of that, resentment bubbles up.' (On the other hand, cancellations rarely stick these days. As Haberman says, 'If you hang in there long enough, everyone can make a comeback.') Haberman predicts that micro- and nanoinfluencers, who have the most average-Jane appeal, will rule the next few years, while mega-influencers will ride out any small scandals and be fine. But, she says, 'I do think the middle class of influencer is going to struggle. Through no fault of their own, just because of that perception that they're neither relatable nor aspirational.' It's a tough balance to master—just ask Lady Duff-Gordon.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
How Kim Kardashian's Outfit Became Her Shield in Court: Unpacking the Symbolism of Her Paris Trial Look
An outfit is worth a thousand words and a few million dollars for Kim Kardashian. The cofounder of Skims gave an emotional testimony to a Paris court on Tuesday, speaking for more than three hours in the courtroom. Meanwhile, her look — a vintage, tailored skirt suit designed by John Galliano and a million dollars worth in diamonds — was seen as a straightforward message to the 10 people accused of robbing the reality star in October 2016. 'Often celebrity dressing in the courtroom involves trying to dispel any appearance of wrongdoing, whether the high-profile individual is charged with a crime or embroiled in a divorce or other dispute, with ensembles chosen to emphasize the wearer's status as an innocent, upright citizen. In this case, Kim Kardashian is appearing in the role of victim and survivor,' professor Susan Scafidi, founder and director of the Fashion Law Institute, told WWD. More from WWD Jenna Ortega Brings Galliano's Dior Newspaper Dress Back to Life for the 'Hurry Up Tomorrow' Premiere Kim Kardashian Testifies in Paris Trial Over 2016 Jewelry Heist Wearing John Galliano and $3 Million Diamond Necklace: 'I Absolutely Thought I Was Gonna Die' Kim Kardashian's $4 Billion Skims Brand to Open in London in Summer 2026 Kardashian's black suit featured a dramatic silhouette, which can be interpreted 'simultaneously as a nod to traditional courtroom attire, a reminder of feminine vulnerability in its wasp waist and skirt rather than trousers, and a reclamation of power through its broad shoulders,' according to Scafidi. Shortly after her court appearance, searches for Kardashian's Alaïa sunglasses spiked on Google, reinforcing her status as a fashion influencer. For Scafidi, the choice of wearing sunglasses to the trial was strategic. 'The sunglasses add glamour but can also hide any unflattering traces of tears, whether red eyes or smudged makeup,' she said. The entrepreneur also sported a $3 million diamond necklace by Samer Halimeh New York, crafted in 18-karat white gold and featuring a total of 80 diamonds. 'The diamonds are a reminder of the stolen jewelry and of her wealth and celebrity, but the shape of the necklace is also a conservative complement to the classic suit,' the professor said. Her accessories included more luxury pieces from jewelers Repossi and Briony Raymond. 'Kardashian's look would be wrong for an accused wrongdoer, but it is well-chosen for an anticipated judicial victory. Whatever the outcome of the case, the ensemble is a winning combination — would that every crime victim who relives a terrifying moment in court were protected by a metaphorical suit of armor and the hardest of gems,' Scafidi said. Kardashian was held at gunpoint at the Hôtel de Pourtalès in Paris in 2016. A group of 10 people is accused of stealing an estimated $10 million in jewelry and cash and a $4 million engagement ring from her hotel room. Two of the defendants, Yunice Abbas and Aomar Ait Khedache, have admitted to the charges against them. The rest deny them. During her testimony on Tuesday, Kardashian recounted the events of the robbery. 'I absolutely did think I was gonna die,' she said, according to BBC. The trial concluded its dramatic testimony phase. The final verdict and sentencing are yet to be determined. Launch Gallery: Kim Kardashian's Best Fashion Moments Through the Years [PHOTOS] Best of WWD Celebrities Wearing Zara: From Melania Trump's Controversial Coat to Kate Middleton's Blazer Collection [PHOTOS] The Stories Behind Audrey Hepburn's Wedding Dresses and What Happened to the Gown That Never Made It Down the Aisle La La Anthony's Style Through the Years: Met Gala Looks, MTV Days and More Photos
