Tommaso Aquilano

>> In a move that wasn't entirely unexpected, Gianfranco Ferre creative directors Tommaso Aquilano and Roberto Rimondi — who also design under the moniker Aquilano.Rimondi — are out at the brand. They joined Ferre in 2008, after the founding designer's successor Lars Nilsson was dismissed in February of that year.

A "well-placed" source told WWD that after the Fall 2011 show, “sales didn’t go well at all" and "the designers have already left.” While attending February's show, new Ferre owners Abdulkader Sankari and son Ahmed (of Paris Group) already seemed lukewarm about Aquilano and Rimondi. “We will see,” was all they would say when enquired about the designers' future at the brand.

A retailer who asked to remain anonymous also blamed poor sales for the designers' departure: “We bought a minimal amount of the collection for the sake of carrying the brand, but there simply were not enough samples. There was almost no daywear and evening wear was fairy-tale-like, something for the Oscars. It may work for a small, niche brand, but not for such a global brand.” Aquilano and Rimondi's Ferre designs were also known to be expensive, putting the brand on par with the likes of Chanel.

>> Douglas Song, an executive at US private equity firm Prodos, which has emerged as the final bidder for Gianfranco Ferre, attended the label's fashion show on Friday. Prodos, together with Samsung, has made a binding offer of just more than €10 million ($13.5 million) for the brand, which went into bankruptcy protection last year. The Italian government is expected to make a final decision on the offer within two weeks' time.

It is understood that of the five bidders for Ferre since the auction process launched in June, Prodos and Samsung prevailed because of their deep pockets, vital for the expensive relaunch of the brand which has struggled since the death of its namesake designer three years ago. Already, Ferre has pulled out of many markets; in the US, only Bergdorf Goodman still sells it.

As part of the deal, Prodos has committed to keep the company's 150 employees; sources indicate the new owners also plan to open stores in Asia through franchise partners. As for the Ferre's current designers, Tommaso Aquilano and Roberto Rimondi, whose expensive designs place the brand in competition with the likes of Chanel, it is unclear whether they will stay.

As the Wall Street Journal wrote of the just-shown Spring 2011 Ferre collection: "The challenge for Ferre’s new owners will be to build up a new following for this tarnished house. They may need to start with less-expensive clothing than what was shown Friday." And Style.com noted: "In general, this collection didn't have the distinctive point of view you expect not only from these designers, but also from one of Milan's once major houses."

>> Milan is infamous for being one of the hardest markets to break open for models of color, and unfortunately, that still seems to be the case, based on tallying by The Cut.  The worst offenders? Burberry, Giorgio Armani, Missoni, Fendi, Salvatore Ferragamo, who all only used one model of color, while Gianfranco Ferre, Jil Sander, and Prada didn't use any.

Meanwhile, buyers have spoken on their Milanese favorites: Jil Sander, Prada, Marni, Bottega Veneta, Giorgio Armani, Gucci, Pucci, Roberto Cavalli, and Gianfranco Ferré — surprisingly, Missoni was not in the mix.

A number of critics and retailers have Tommaso Aquilano and Roberto Rimondi on their lists as Milan's most promising up-and-coming talent, but their situation at Gianfranco Ferre is currently tenuous — the front row Friday included three government-appointed special administrators, a reminder that owner IT Holding faces bankruptcy proceedings, and could take Ferre, Just Cavalli, John Galliano, and Malo down with it.  Regardless, hopes are high — as Linda Fargo, fashion director of Bergdorf Goodman, put it, "Tommaso Aquilano and Roberto Rimondi continue to show the promise of world-class design for the future — both in their own line and at Gianfranco Ferré. We hope the dust settles favorably on Ferre as the two designers are hitting the right notes."  

Other highlights on the to-watch list: Christopher Kane at Versus and, for next season, Vionnet, under the care of Prada alum Rodolfo Paglialunga.
*image: source

Fashion loves the "one to watch" story, a boon to young designers struggling to showcase their wares to the often callous and entitled editorial class. It is the great irony of the fashion hierarchy that even as we pretend to nuture the new we too often ignore it in favor of more palatably established older lines. And yet season in and season out each Fashion Week lays claim to a hyped designer such that we may sacrifice them on the alter of the new. It isn't that fashion cares per say about the new designer, its just about giving good face.

And so Milan's duo to watch has been Tommaso Aquilano and Roberto Rimondi, despite not being so "new" as Rimondi has 20 years at MaxMara, but certainly because of their first collection at Gianfranco Ferre after the legendary architect and designer's death. And while said collection was generally positively received, it said little about their personal design, a subject of much interest about the shuttering of their equally "one to watch" line 6267. Production and textile junkies would do well to note that 6267 was produced by Castor srl, a production house run Picozzi family known for their luxury production and product development.

The duo has emerged with their own self titled line, free of any ties to Castor (and pity the poor house as 6267 was one of their better selling clients) on top of their work at Ferre. And yet one can't help but feel they are stretched too thin. The line looked beautiful, and we have little doubt the quality is stellar given their background, but palazzo pants, fringed coats, Lurex and lots of gaudy dresses didn't give us much of a chance to learn about the real philosphy behind the duo. The entire collction felt overstyled as baubles, bangles and even a Fez competed for our attention. We hope that this pair can refocus itself so we can learn something about this creative pair.

>> Ch-ch-changes are in order at Malo.  Tommaso Aquilano and Roberto Rimondi left the brand in April to become creative directors at Gianfranco Ferre — Malo and Ferre are both owned by IT Holding, so it's all in the family — and now their vacancy has been filled by one Alessandro Dell'Acqua. 

Dell'Acqua's first collection for the Italian luxury knit company will be for the Spring 2009 season in September, and he will also continue to design his own eponymous collection.  Instead of showing Malo at New York Fashion Week, as Aquilano and Rimondi did, however, Dell'Acqua will present the line in Milan.

*images: source