Latest news with #Vuitton
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
EXCLUSIVE: Louis Vuitton's New Travel Campaign Highlights the Beauty of China
GREAT ESCAPE: Chinese consumers may have paused luxury spending, but the country remains firmly in the sights of industry leader Louis Vuitton. Days after opening a Shanghai flagship in the shape of a cruise ship, the brand has unveiled its new travel campaign, set in China. For the first installment, U.S. photographer Alec Soth shot the lush green scenery and karst limestone mountains near the Li river in Guilin. More from WWD Designer Nicole Miller and Model Carol Alt Help Judge Albanian Fashion Show Welcome to Can Nikita, an Oasis Made of Love in Ibiza MAC Cosmetics Debuts 'Musical Spaceship' Concept for Nanjing Flagship The brand's Monogram Horizon rolling case and Soft Keepall bag are showcased against a traditional fisherman's bamboo raft. Its Alzer briefcase and small travel trunks are among the items strapped to bicycles crossing the river. 'The campaign's images and video invite viewers to discover the country's lesser-known gems and move beyond the familiar narratives often presented in Western portrayals,' Vuitton said. The campaign launched in display on Tuesday, with print insertions due to begin on July 5, a rollout on Vuitton's local social accounts on July 8, and its global social platforms on July 24. The brand will unveil two more destinations in the coming months: Zhangjiajie, home to the quartzite sandstone pillars of the Wulingyuan District, and Datong, one of the nine ancient capitals in China. Vuitton's last travel campaign, in 2022, was shot by Viviane Sassen in Iceland. Soth, who is based in Minneapolis, is best known for his large-format photography that blends documentary realism with lyrical storytelling. He has published more than 30 books — including 'Sleeping by the Mississippi,' 'A Pound of Pictures' and 'Advice for Young Artists' — and is a recipient of the Guggenheim Fellowship. A member of Magnum Photos, Soth is represented by Sean Kelly in New York, Weinstein Hammons Gallery in Minneapolis, Fraenkel Gallery in San Francisco and Loock Galerie in Berlin. Best of WWD Longtime Vogue Editor Grace Mirabella Dies at 91 First Lady Dr. Jill Biden Helps Forbes Celebrate Its 50 Over 50 List Mikaela Shiffrin Gets Personal in New Series for Outside+
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
EXCLUSIVE: Louis Vuitton and Felix Team on 2025 Silver Lockit Collection for UNICEF
PARIS — Louis Vuitton has teamed with K-pop star Felix for this year's edition of its Silver Lockit jewelry collection, designed to raise funds for UNICEF. The French luxury house tapped the Stray Kids member, a Vuitton brand ambassador since 2023, to help design the line, which features its signature miniature lock engraved with a blue heart and the word 'dream.' More from WWD EXCLUSIVE: MarcyPen Capital Partners Invests in the Gld Shop EXCLUSIVE: Louis Vuitton's New Travel Campaign Highlights the Beauty of China Nordstrom Taps Boutique Muse as Anchor for Reimagined Jewelry Hall at NYC Flagship 'The heart represents love, compassion and empathy,' said Felix, who is also a UNICEF goodwill ambassador for South Korea. 'I wanted the blue in this collection to symbolize that sense of peace and security for the children we are supporting, giving them the freedom to dream of a brighter future,' he said in a Q&A. 'It's a soothing color that evokes feelings of serenity and optimism.' Made of certified recycled silver, the collection consists of an earring, a bracelet available in either a silver chain or cord version, and a pendant. For the 2025 edition, the cord bracelet and pendant are available in four colors: yellow, blue, pink and black. The limited-edition line will be available in stores worldwide from July 18, with the exception of the Silver Lockit yellow cord, which is an online exclusive. The brand donates $100 for every cord bracelet or earring sold, and $200 for every silver bracelet or pendant. Vuitton's partnership with the United Nations agency for children began in 2016, and sales of the Silver Lockit collection have raised $24 million so far. In 2024, the brand supported UNICEF programs in Madagascar, Guatemala, Haiti and Vietnam. 'It's inspiring to see Louis Vuitton using its influence to raise awareness and funds for the world's most vulnerable children. And UNICEF is doing vital work in defending children' rights and providing them with the support they need,' Felix said. 'Every child deserves the chance to grow up in a safe, healthy and nurturing environment, with access to education, health care and protection,' he added. Celebrities including Nicole Kidman, Chloë Grace Moretz, Léa Seydoux, Jennifer Connelly and Millie Bobby Brown have supported the charity initiative. Best of WWD Why Tennis Players Wear All White at Wimbledon: The Championships' Historic Dress Code Explained Kate Middleton's Looks at Trooping the Colour Through the Years [PHOTOS] Young Brooke Shields' Style Evolution, Archive Photos: From Runway Modeling & Red Carpets to Meeting Princess Diana
Miami Herald
06-07-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
She's accused of fleecing $3.6 million from Jackson Foundation. Here is what we know
Charmaine Gatlin was on her way to becoming the top executive of Jackson Health Foundation, the fundraising arm of Miami-Dade County's public hospital system. She received high marks on her evaluations as the nonprofit's chief operating officer and was described by her bosses as a 'highly ethical' leader. 'I always do things for the betterment of the foundation,' Gatlin wrote in her 2021 evaluation. Two years later, she said in another evaluation that she was 'refining and enhancing my skills so that I can lead as President/CEO when the time comes.' In late October, Gatlin's rising star imploded. She was put on paid administrative leave while an internal investigation 'related to potential misconduct' got underway. In early November, she was 'terminated for cause' by the Foundation's chairman. Her termination letter, obtained by the Miami Herald, did not elaborate. Her abrupt dismissal led to an FBI probe and a shocking revelation in May: Gatlin, 52, a Foundation executive over the past decade, was arrested on charges of fleecing $3.6 million from her former employer, fabricating fake invoices from vendors and receiving $1 million in kickbacks from them. She used the money to buy Louis Vuitton and Gucci goods, including a Vuitton bag for $4,350, and had a $15,617 rose gold golf cart delivered to her Weston home, court records show. Her alleged defrauding of the Jackson Health Foundation, however, extended well beyond Miami, according to an indictment. It stretched all the way to Atlanta, where an unnamed 'audiovisual company' and a 'co-conspirator' suspected of collaborating with Gatlin submitted $2 million in 'false and fraudulent' invoices to the Foundation for purported services that were instead provided to a civic organization in Georgia's capital, the indictment says. Atlanta connection While the indictment doesn't identify the company or the co-conspirator, the Herald has learned from multiple sources that Gatlin allegedly schemed with Yergan Jones, the CEO of American Sound Design in Atlanta. Public records obtained by the Herald show Jones' company submitted dozens of invoices to the Jackson Health Foundation that Gatlin approved between 2019 and 2024. The indictment alleges the company's invoices were for 'audiovisual services that did not occur' at Jackson Health System or the Foundation. Instead, the Herald has confirmed those services were provided by Jones' company to the civic organization in Atlanta, which is 100 Black Men of America, with chapters nationwide including South Florida. The indictment further alleges that half of the Foundation's $2 million payments to the audiovisual company were 'returned' by the co-conspirator, Jones, to Gatlin's personal bank account. And 'to conceal the kickbacks,' the indictment says, they 'created false invoices making it appear as though Gatlin did 'event management' for the audiovisual company events' at Jackson Health System or the Foundation. Both Gatlin's defense lawyer, David Howard, and Jones' defense lawyer, Hector Flores, declined to comment. Gatlin pleaded not guilty to multiple conspiracy and fraud charges in mid-June in Miami federal court. Jones did not respond to an emailed inquiry by the Herald, and he has not been charged in the case. David Zambrana, president and chief operating officer of Jackson Health System, recently told its governing board that Jackson 'terminated the employees believed to be involved' in Gatlin's alleged scheme. He did not say how many were fired nor did he identify them. Jackson Health System spokesperson Krysten Brenlla declined to provide more details, saying Jackson 'will not be commenting on ongoing criminal proceedings.' In a statement, the 100 Black Men of America said it was not aware of Gatlin's alleged false invoice and payment kickback scheme with Jones and his audiovisual company, including billing the Jackson Health Foundation for services that his firm instead provided to the Atlanta organization. Jones provided those services to the youth mentoring group for its annual conferences between 2019 and 2024 under a different audiovisual company, American Electronic Entertainment, aka, AEE Productions, 100 Black Men of America confirmed. In fact, 100 Black Men of America said it directly paid Jones' company more than $500,000 for his work, but the organization did not provide details of the payments. '100 Black Men of America, Inc. has no knowledge of Ms. Gatlin's alleged receipt of cash payments or fraudulent invoices being submitted by Ms. Gatlin or any other vendors in the indictment involving Jackson Health Foundation,' the organization said in the statement provided to the Herald, adding that 'Gatlin has never been paid by the 100 BMOA as a 'go-between' to then pay vendors for services provided to 100 BMOA.' Gatlin had worked for 100 Black Men of America from 2009 to 2014 before Jackson's Foundation hired her a decade ago. During her tenure at Jackson, she continued to work with the Atlanta organization as an unpaid volunteer. After the Foundation dismissed Gatlin last November, 100 Black Men of America hired her in January as a contractor for its annual conference in 2025 —but fired her in May when the organization said it learned about her indictment. 'We are fully cooperating with law enforcement and will continue to do so until this matter is concluded,' the organization said. Atlanta lawyer Ronald Freeman, who represents Jones' company, AEE Productions, which provided services to 100 Black Men of America, said it was not the audiovisual company referenced in the Gatlin indictment. In a statement, he said: 'We remain confident that the legal process will fairly and accurately determine the facts.' Fraud and money laundering charges Gatlin, a University of Florida graduate with a bachelor's degree in French, was arrested on May 21 in a town near Savannah where she now lives. The indictment, filed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Young, charged her with a single count of conspiring with other individuals to commit wire fraud, 26 counts of wire fraud and five counts of money laundering. If convicted, the charges carry sentences that could send her to prison for years. Gatlin is accused of authorizing Jackson Health Foundation funds to pay not only Jones' audiovisual company in Atlanta but also a store that sold designer goods and an event planning company in South Florida that created videos, a website and other services for a family member's softball team in Broward County, the indictment says. She's also accused of using the Foundation's money to buy school supplies that were delivered to a church in Riceboro, Georgia, where she lives with her husband. After her arrest, Gatlin was granted a $30,000 bond. Court records show that one of the conditions of her bond was not to contact four contractors, including Jones, who 'were paid' by the Jackson Health Foundation based on 'purported invoices for goods and services approved by' Gatlin, according to the indictment. Trail of 'false' invoices By far, Gatlin's dealings with Jones dominated her alleged criminal activity, the Herald has learned from sources and court records. Jones' company, American Sound Design, submitted about 40 invoices to the Foundation that Gatlin approved between 2019 and 2024 for services that his firm says were provided to the Jackson Health Foundation, according to financial documents obtained by the Herald through a public records request. But Jones is better known as the president of AEE Productions, which on its website claims to have done business for major corporations, such as Coca-Cola, Delta Airlines and Walmart, along with NASCAR and 100 Black Men of America. The Jackson Health Foundation was also one of its clients, according to a testimonial by Gatlin, the Foundation's former COO. 'Working with AEE Productions is always an exciting time for me. They listen to my ideas and help me create 'the wow' that I am looking for during each event,' reads an online testimonial by Gatlin on AEE Productions' website. 'I have been working with Yergan and his team for over 15 years and each event is better than the last one.' In the aftermath of her arrest, AEE's website is no longer active. Financial records obtained by the Herald show the Jackson Health Foundation received millions of dollars worth of invoices ranging from $5,900 to $81,500 each from Jones' company. American Sound Design claimed in those bills that it provided lighting, sound, staging and production management services for events at Jackson Health System or the Foundation, the invoices show. But the Gatlin indictment says that Jones' company, though not identified by name, never provided any of these services. And it's unclear from the indictment how many of these events hosted by the Foundation even took place. One American Sound Design invoice for $5,900 was billed to the Jackson Health Foundation for services that Jones' company purportedly provided at the Foundation's annual 'Guardian Angel' luncheon at the Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne in November 2018. The event, which featured a runway fashion show and a performance by Grammy-nominated recording artist Flo-Rida, raised over $500,000 to support the pediatric neurosurgery program at Holtz Children Hospital, part of Jackson Health System. The Herald has confirmed the event happened. But the indictment says Jones' company provided no services. Another American Sound Design invoice for $30,250 was billed to the Foundation for a 'back-to-school block party' that was held at Gibson Charter School in the Overtown Youth Center in August 2019. Academica, which operates the charter school, did not respond to the Herald's attempts to verify if Jones' company provided services for the event. 'Future CEO' Gatlin, who was described as 'future CEO' in one of her earlier evaluations, managed the Jackson Health Foundation's day-to-day operations while it transitioned several years ago into its current leadership structure, where the president's job was split between Gatlin and co-president and chief development officer Flavia Llizo. In 2023, Gatlin had an 'extensive discussion' with Ana Milton and David Coulson, members of the Foundation's volunteer board, and was given a salary increase and bonus, according to her most recent evaluation. The Foundation's executive committee approved the raise. Gatlin's yearly salary as the Foundation's chief operating officer rose to about $300,000 in 2024. When Gatlin was put on administrative paid leave last fall, Llizo became the Foundation's CEO. Caution label for foundation After Gatlin's firing and the subsequent scandal, the Jackson Health Foundation now has a 'Proceed with Caution' label on the website of Charity Navigator, a nonprofit that rates U.S. charities on a variety of measures, including stability, efficiency and sustainability to help people with their donation decisions. The charity rater references Miami Herald and South Florida Sun Sentinel reporting as the reason for the warning. The month-long investigation and subsequent firing of Gatlin in November came after Jackson Health System discovered a 'misappropriation of funds' while 'restructuring' the Foundation's leadership last year to develop stronger oversight and accountability, according to Zambrana, president and COO of Jackson Health System. Zambrana told the Public Health Trust during its May 28 meeting that the health system had 'fully cooperated' with the investigation by the FBI and the U.S. Attorney's office. New safeguards, including additional 'financial controls and administrative oversight,' are now in place over the Foundation and Jackson has 'terminated the employees believed to be involved,' he said. 'The allegations of money stolen from the public's health system are egregious, and we are all still reeling from the profound breach of trust and the impact it has on our team, our community and the many people who support Jackson,' Zambrana said, noting that 'integrity is non-negotiable.' 'We will not allow this incident to jeopardize its reputation or its momentum.'
Fashion Network
04-07-2025
- Business
- Fashion Network
Galeries Lafayette Haussmann enjoys rapid growth, amid store revamp and tourism boom
Business at Galeries Lafayette 's famed Boulevard Haussmann flagship is booming this year, amid a huge flood of tourists into the nation's capital, and a significantly refreshed retail offer. In the first half of 2025, the flagship achieved double-digit sales growth, outperforming the estimated 9% increase in tourists visiting France during the same period. Annually, some 37 million people visit the handsome Art Nouveau store, Europe's largest – 60% of them non-French, a remarkable figure when one considers that 89 million people visited France in 2024. The recent increase in traffic and business has also been driven by a substantial revamp of key floors in this luxury bazaar. 'We have worked hard on improving the customer experience and offer and consumers have reacted very positively,' stressed Guillaume Houzé, board member and director of image, over a summer lunch Thursday. Specifically, the store has expanded its space for prominent French runway brands such as Jacquemus, Lemaire and AMI, particularly in their menswear department, and has focused even more attention on their major league brands on the ground floor. Not surprisingly, the store's top-selling brands are Louis Vuitton and Chanel. In an ongoing revamp of the huge store, private salons have been added to key brands' shop-in-shops at Haussmann. 'The goal is to make the customer experience comparable to a Vuitton flagship. Right now, we believe that Vuitton's store in Galeries Lafayette Haussmann is among the top five stores of Vuitton worldwide,' noted Houzé, great-great-grandson of the store's founder Théophile Bader, who opened the debut store in 1894. Under buying director and board member Arthur Lemoine, the store has also expanded the presence of leading international labels, recently opening a striking Phoebe Philo boutique, adding Bottega Veneta and creating a 110-square-meter store for Paris' favorite new American label, The Row. It has also added the only French shop-in-shop of LVMH marque Patou, which will stage its next show this Sunday in Paris. Meanwhile, the boutique of Courrèges – thanks to the direction of the brilliant Franco-Belgian designer Nicolas Di Felice – has expanded from 20 square meters to 110 square meters. 'We want to nourish that difference in our offer, with more directional fashion, compared to other places in Paris,' explained Lemoine at a suitably Lucullan lunch in Galeries Lafayette's VIP salon. Courgette flowers stuffed in crunchy vegetables served on Andalusian gazpacho, followed by cumin-inflected grilled sea bream, washed down by a rare white Bordeaux, Smith-Haute-Lafitte. The fine menu complements the sophisticated mode available in this giant retailing complex. Familiar fixtures at major runway shows, the duo of Houzé and Lemoine are very excited about the recent debut show of Jonathan Anderson for Dior, where they sat front row. 'Personally, I thought it was formidable! We already have three Dior men's spaces, including for shoes and fashion. And cannot wait to get Jonathan's ideas for Dior in here in early January,' enthused Lemoine. A tour of the main building, or buildings – there are four large, interconnected spaces at Galeries Lafayette Haussmann, including a beautiful Art Nouveau structure topped by a glass cupola – underlined how chock-a-block they are this summer. After a couple of years where the space slowly emerged from the Covid pandemic, it is now packed, with lines outside hot brands' spaces. 'Do you know, the Christmas before Saturday, over 300,000 visited Galeries Lafayette Haussmann, which is pretty special,' marveled Lemoine, who is also gradually renewing its beauty, scent and wellness offer, even if Haussmann already has the largest beauty space in Europe. The growing traffic means that the famed flagship alone will break €2 billion in turnover in 2025, impressive numbers for a store with a total retail space of 70,000 square meters. Breaking down revenue by key categories, women's ready-to-wear and men's ready-to-wear each count for 20% of sales; leather goods and bags for 20%; watches for 10%; beauty for 5%; while gifting, books, home, tabletop and restaurants make up the final 25%. Internationally, this family-owned French institution is not resting on its laurels. Galeries Lafayette already has six large department store flagships outside of France, spreading from the Gulf to Jakarta to Shanghai. Next up, a debut store in Mumbai, where work has already begun inside an architecturally distinguished Victoria Gothic building near the central city zone of the Maidans. 'Most of the property like that is owned by the municipality, making alterations very complicated. But our building is privately owned, so we can make the sort of changes to create an exciting store,' enthused Houzé. Galeries Lafayette Mumbai, with 7,000 square meters of shopping space, will open at the end of 2026. One suspects Théophile Bader, whose bust in the VIP salon looks out at the rooftops of Paris to the July sun shining on Sacré-Cœur on Montmartre, would have been pleased.
Fashion Network
04-07-2025
- Business
- Fashion Network
Galeries Lafayette Haussmann enjoys rapid growth, amid store revamp and tourism boom
Business at Galeries Lafayette 's famed Boulevard Haussmann flagship is booming this year, amid a huge flood of tourists into the nation's capital, and a significantly refreshed retail offer. In the first half of 2025, the flagship achieved double-digit sales growth, outperforming the estimated 9% increase in tourists visiting France during the same period. Annually, some 37 million people visit the handsome Art Nouveau store, Europe's largest – 60% of them non-French, a remarkable figure when one considers that 89 million people visited France in 2024. The recent increase in traffic and business has also been driven by a substantial revamp of key floors in this luxury bazaar. 'We have worked hard on improving the customer experience and offer and consumers have reacted very positively,' stressed Guillaume Houzé, board member and director of image, over a summer lunch Thursday. Specifically, the store has expanded its space for prominent French runway brands such as Jacquemus, Lemaire and AMI, particularly in their menswear department, and has focused even more attention on their major league brands on the ground floor. Not surprisingly, the store's top-selling brands are Louis Vuitton and Chanel. In an ongoing revamp of the huge store, private salons have been added to key brands' shop-in-shops at Haussmann. 'The goal is to make the customer experience comparable to a Vuitton flagship. Right now, we believe that Vuitton's store in Galeries Lafayette Haussmann is among the top five stores of Vuitton worldwide,' noted Houzé, great-great-grandson of the store's founder Théophile Bader, who opened the debut store in 1894. Under buying director and board member Arthur Lemoine, the store has also expanded the presence of leading international labels, recently opening a striking Phoebe Philo boutique, adding Bottega Veneta and creating a 110-square-meter store for Paris' favorite new American label, The Row. It has also added the only French shop-in-shop of LVMH marque Patou, which will stage its next show this Sunday in Paris. Meanwhile, the boutique of Courrèges – thanks to the direction of the brilliant Franco-Belgian designer Nicolas Di Felice – has expanded from 20 square meters to 110 square meters. 'We want to nourish that difference in our offer, with more directional fashion, compared to other places in Paris,' explained Lemoine at a suitably Lucullan lunch in Galeries Lafayette's VIP salon. Courgette flowers stuffed in crunchy vegetables served on Andalusian gazpacho, followed by cumin-inflected grilled sea bream, washed down by a rare white Bordeaux, Smith-Haute-Lafitte. The fine menu complements the sophisticated mode available in this giant retailing complex. Familiar fixtures at major runway shows, the duo of Houzé and Lemoine are very excited about the recent debut show of Jonathan Anderson for Dior, where they sat front row. 'Personally, I thought it was formidable! We already have three Dior men's spaces, including for shoes and fashion. And cannot wait to get Jonathan's ideas for Dior in here in early January,' enthused Lemoine. A tour of the main building, or buildings – there are four large, interconnected spaces at Galeries Lafayette Haussmann, including a beautiful Art Nouveau structure topped by a glass cupola – underlined how chock-a-block they are this summer. After a couple of years where the space slowly emerged from the Covid pandemic, it is now packed, with lines outside hot brands' spaces. 'Do you know, the Christmas before Saturday, over 300,000 visited Galeries Lafayette Haussmann, which is pretty special,' marveled Lemoine, who is also gradually renewing its beauty, scent and wellness offer, even if Haussmann already has the largest beauty space in Europe. The growing traffic means that the famed flagship alone will break €2 billion in turnover in 2025, impressive numbers for a store with a total retail space of 70,000 square meters. Breaking down revenue by key categories, women's ready-to-wear and men's ready-to-wear each count for 20% of sales; leather goods and bags for 20%; watches for 10%; beauty for 5%; while gifting, books, home, tabletop and restaurants make up the final 25%. Internationally, this family-owned French institution is not resting on its laurels. Galeries Lafayette already has six large department store flagships outside of France, spreading from the Gulf to Jakarta to Shanghai. Next up, a debut store in Mumbai, where work has already begun inside an architecturally distinguished Victoria Gothic building near the central city zone of the Maidans. 'Most of the property like that is owned by the municipality, making alterations very complicated. But our building is privately owned, so we can make the sort of changes to create an exciting store,' enthused Houzé. Galeries Lafayette Mumbai, with 7,000 square meters of shopping space, will open at the end of 2026. One suspects Théophile Bader, whose bust in the VIP salon looks out at the rooftops of Paris to the July sun shining on Sacré-Cœur on Montmartre, would have been pleased.
