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Philipp Plein, Jean Paul Gaultier and Aaron Esh: 2024 in interviews

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(From left) Pierre Cardin president Rodrigo Basilicati-Cardin, designer Robert Wun, designer Philipp Plein and designer Jean Paul Gaultier. Credits: (From left) Courtesy of Pierre Cardin, HKTDC, Plein Sport and ©Launchmetrics/spotlight

From CEOs to big name designers, FashionUnited’s interview archive has been inundated with influential names this year, each giving insight into the inner workings of the fashion industry. Here are some of the top interviews of the year…

January

Designer Philipp Plein on Plein Sport and luxury sportswear

Fashion designer Philipp Plein is known for his eye-catching looks with lots of glitz and glamour. With the Plein Sport sportswear line, the designer wants to break new ground and not polarise with the sports collection as much as with his fashion line, nor does the designer have the luxury world in his sights…

Philipp Plein’s new direction: Plein Sport, luxury sportswear for the masses

Peachaus founder Gillian Whittle on lingerie’s new reckoning

At a time when the industry has never been faster, the cry for a much needed change is becoming ever present. “People are beginning to set a new standard,” confirmed Gillian Ridley Whittle, the founder and CEO of UK-based lingerie, sleepwear and loungewear label, Peachaus. In fact, it was Whittle’s own relationship with the industry that led her to create this brand, where the people – not the product – are at the core of the vision…

Peachaus founder on setting a new precedent for lingerie and business

Designer Tony Ward on the new landscape of haute couture

Credits: Tony Ward

On the heels of Paris Haute Couture Week January 2024, FashionUnited caught up with Lebanese designer Tony Ward, who presented his SS24 collection at the Palais de Tokyo. During the conversation, Ward spoke about his beginnings in fashion, the business of Couture, from private clients to the red carpet, Lebanon and the consequences of the Russia/Ukraine war…

Designer Tony Ward: ‘The ban on the Russian market is a catastrophe for the world of couture’

February

Wasserman president of brands Elizabeth Lindsey on the evolving influence of Super Bowl ads

The final line up for the Super Bowl LVIII has been decided. The Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers are preparing to face off. For some, this is a cause for celebration – for fans of both the teams and for Taylor Swift, the billionaire Chiefs guest that has become a regular fixture at recent games. For others, while we patiently await the always highly anticipated halftime show – this year starring Usher – our attention will also be drawn to the equally infamous ad slots that dominate each quarter…

The past, present and future of the Super Bowl’s multi-million dollar ads

Modibodi CEO Kerry Cusack on the rise of the period pants market

Kerry Cusack, Modibodi CEO and executive director. Credits: WSN.

It’s an exciting time to be in the lingerie industry. Its growth is coupled with a buyer that has become more educated, self-assured and involved in the process, making concepts and brands a lot more in-tune with their mostly female audience. A culmination of this is the Period Pants industry, a one that has not only benefited from the widening awareness of women’s needs, but has contributed to just that, giving this demographic a better understanding of often more hygienic alternatives to deal with their monthly flow…

Rise of the period panties: Modibodi’s Kerry Cusack on the menstruation market

Designer Pamella DeVos on the future of Pamella Roland

Since the brand’s inception in 2002, Pamella Roland has steadily grown into an eveningwear staple, finding a firm footing among red carpet elite and luxury retailers, alike. To establish such a status, president and designer Pamella DeVos has put her emphasis on catering to a confident woman that demands a versatile wardrobe, and as such seeks pieces that reflect this throughout their wardrobe…

From red carpet to runway: Pamella Roland gears up for year of growth

March

Happy Socks CEO Alexander Meyer on the dominating the colourful socks market

How do you turn a supposedly boring product - as socks are often seen to be - into a real statement piece? One example that has taken the industry by storm in recent years is entirely encasing the socks with fresh patterns, colours and designs that stand out from standard black, grey, brown or white designs. Happy Socks has played a key role in shaping this new category. Since its founding in 2008, the Swedish sock brand has become one of the pioneers in the statement sock business…

Happy Socks CEO: ‘My vision is to create the Happy Group’

Decathlon CDO Jimena Almendares on the digital transformation of the retailer

Decathlon went back to the drawing board and put a new vision on paper. The French sports fashion retailer wants to develop further as a 'multi-specialist-company' under the motto 'Move People Through The Wonders of Sports'. Part of the new strategy is digitalisation. FashionUnited spoke to chief digital officer Jimena Almendares during a strategy launch event in Paris…

Decathlon’s chief digital officer on making digitalisation the ‘new normal’

Designer Aaron Esh on the current landscape of young designer support

Aaron Esh for BFC's NewGen announcement. Credits: British Fashion Council and Rankin Archive

Earlier this year, Aaron Esh took to the London Fashion Week runway for the second time in his career. The collection, made up of elevated autumn/winter staples for London’s elite, at first appeared as a direct exploration of the city’s mundane life, mirrored in a subdued colour palette and architectural shapes. Yet, on closer inspection, it becomes clear that Paris in the 50s was actually at the core…

Aaron Eah reflects on London’s emerging designer landscape and fashion week support systems

April

Replay CEO Mattei Sinigaglia on cultural authenticity and connecting with Gen Z

Vintage is all the rage among Generation Z - especially those active on the video platform TikTok - who have recently discovered and reinterpreted numerous fashion trends from the past. The Italian denim brand Replay is capitalising on this phenomenon and reissuing a denim classic from the 90s: the '9zero1'...

Replay CEO: ‘Genuineness and authenticity are currently the greatest luxury’

Hoff founder Fran Marchena on growth within the saturated sneaker market

Fran Marchena, founder and CEO of Hoff. Credits: Hoff.

What started as a fledgling online business in the Spanish province of Alicante - the cradle of the country’s footwear par excellence with the city of Elche as its main representative - has ended up becoming a meteoric company that has closed a turnover of 53 million euros and a 90 million retail price. In less than eight years, Mediterranean sneaker brand Hoff has managed to conquer the national and international map, thanks to strategic partners such as The White Company and artist John Booth in the UK or Printemps and Lafayette in France…

Fran Marchena, CEO and founder of Spain’s Hoff: ‘Franchises have become a great ally in our expansion’

MCM president Sabine Brunner on brand transformation and repositioning

'Modern Creation Munich' - that's what MCM once stood for when the fashion brand was founded in 1976. But how do you guarantee that creations always remain modern and how do you manage the balancing act between tradition and innovation for a new generation of luxury customers?

MCM president Sabine Brunner on ‘mavericks’, marketing and the metaverse

Taipei Fashion Week’s associate director on the evolution of the local market

The face of Taipei Fashion Week has been under constant construction since its launch in 2018, as those behind the Taiwanese event continuously explore, experiment and shift their approach in order to grow awareness. This differs from the already well-established creative market that has a prominent place in the country in the form of cultural parks and crafts markets, where smaller entrepreneurs set up a base to display their wares to local and international consumers…

Taipei Fashion Week’s associate director on the emerging market and evolving heritage

May

Nona Source buyer Romain Brabo on the deadstock materials market

Nona Source, the platform specialising in the marketing of deadstock materials from fashion houses, has introduced a solid business model. In a sector that is still poorly mastered eco-circularity, Nona Source pays particular attention to remaining economically balanced, while retaining awareness of the other factors that need to be taken into consideration. In this way, it is proving that creative circularity is not a burden for companies, but rather an essential driver of tomorrow's production model…

Nona Source: Why the success of its business model favours a new circular model

Designer Jean Paul Gaultier on the freedom of fashion and early days in the industry

Jean Paul Gaultier at the exhibition "Cinémode" SCAD Lacoste Credits: F. Julienne

As the Spanish Puig Group, owner of the Jean Paul Gaultier brand, transforms into a public company, the now-retired designer continues to make a name for himself. Invited to show his work at the ‘Cinémode’ exhibition at the Scad Lacoste campus in the US, Gaultier gave FashionUnited and the students a lesson in freedom. Here are some selected excerpts from the conversation…

Jean Paul Gaultier: ‘Freedom is the first lesson I learned from fashion’

Modest Fashion Week CEO Ozlem Sahin Ertas on the growing demand of the market

Regardless of one’s reason for covering up - protection from a harsh environment or unwanted attention, personal or cultural reasons - modest fashion has been around since the beginning of fashion and is in every person’s wardrobe - whether they call it ‘modest’ or not…

’Modest fashion is one of the boldest fashion trends globally’: Modest Fashion Week CEO

June

Designer Hoor Al Qasimi on the brand’s return to LFW and its incubator programme

London-based fashion brand Qasimi, with a Middle Eastern heritage, returned to the catwalk during London Fashion Week’s June edition, marking the first live showcase under creative director Hoor Al Qasimi, who took the helm in 2020 after the death of her twin brother and brand founder Khalid Al Qasimi…

Qasimi returns to the catwalk at LFW

Patagonia’s EMEA CEO Nina Hajikhanian on achievements under new ownership

Standing still is not an option for outdoor brand Patagonia. In 2022, the brand transferred ownership to a non-profit trust and in April this year, opened its first store in the Netherlands. FashionUnited spoke to Nina Hajikhanian, general manager for the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region, about the brand’s mission and community…

4 Questions for Patagonia’s EMEA CEO Nina Hajikhanian

Designer Daniel Chong on 10 years in the accessory sector

Daniel Chong, founder and creative director of his namesake brand. Credits: Daniel Chong.

For Daniel Chong, backpacks, wallets, shoulder bags and fanny packs with minimalist shapes, yet enveloped in prints and colour have become his main hallmark. In the designer's eyes, it was vital to give accessories the importance they deserved and to abandon monochrome. More than 10 years ago, he not only found a clear niche in the market, but also responded with his own brand. Now, he is proud to say that he has gone from sales of 300,000 euros in 2020 to two million in just three years…

Daniel Chong, accessories designer: ‘Fast fashion must become aware of its production volumes’

July

GrandTex general manager Mel Chen on Sacao, the textile made of chocolate husk

In the realm of functional sportswear, Taiwan’s textile industry stands above all. One of the leaders in this sector is none other than GrandeTex, which, like its portfolio of materials, is a multifaceted firm. Carrying out pre-production, post-production and everything in between, the 2010-founded company has established an extensive line up of performance materials for some of sportswear’s biggest names…

From husk to yarn: The business behind Taiwan’s cacao textiles

The Pangaia team on the brand’s first UK store and intentional retail settings

Pangaia, the apparel brand that takes a science-based approach to production, has chosen the city of London to launch its debut UK store. Located on Carnaby Street, the 1,500 square foot space is the second standalone store the brand has opened to date, and looks to serve as an extension of Pangaia itself, reflecting its ecocentric values in an interior housing a genderless collection of “earth-conscious” apparel…

A store to entice the senses: Pangaia opens first UK retail spot in London

Bluestar Alliance CEO and co-founder Joseph Gabbay on Scotch & Soda’s comeback plans

American group Bluestar Alliance is the owner of Dutch-heritage brand Scotch & Soda. Since its take-over in 2023, however, it has not all been smooth sailing. CEO and co-founder of Bluestar Alliance Joseph Gabbay shares the plans for the brand and the current market…

Scotch & Soda parent company breaks silence: CEO on store openings, partners and growth

August

Birger Christensen Collective CEO Denise Christensen on the future of Rotate amid retail debut

Danish fashion brand Rotate, part of the Birger Christensen Collective with Scandinavian label Remain, has opened its debut flagship store in the brand’s home city of Copenhagen. The opening, which coincides with Copenhagen Fashion Week running until August 9, is located at Kristen Bernikows Gade 6, which is home to the Birger Christensen Collective head office, and is described as a “natural steppingstone in the growth” of the womenswear label…

Rotate opens its first flagship store in Copenhagen

PdPaolas CEO Jason McNary on entry and expansion into the US

Jason McNary, CEO of PdPaola Credits: PdPaola

With a first opening scheduled for November in New York and other cities such as Dallas also in its sights, the Spanish jewellery firm PdPaola is firmly advancing in its expansion strategy in the US. To lead this ambitious project, they have placed their trust in Jason McNary as their new chief executive officer. The executive has 25 years of solid experience in the retail sector, which includes supporting other Spanish brands such as Unode50 or Hoss Intropia in North America…

PdPaolas’ new CEO on North America: ‘Expansion will come with physical stores’

Goodwill Industries International CEO Steve Preston on the importance of US textile hubs

We are quickly entering the age of regulation. And as we arrive at this next destination, it's imperative that we do so well prepared and with tangible next steps to ensure effective execution. That was the mindset of those who took part in last week’s two-day Goodwill Sustainability Summit, at least, where both private and nonprofit industry leaders, recyclers and researchers came together to discuss what exactly needs to happen in order to arrive at a regulated and sustainable future together…

Goodwill Industries launches two million dollar textile recycling project at first sustainability summit

September

Designer Robert Wun on his Hong Kong homecoming and the meaning of couture

This week marked the first time London-based designer Robert Wun had brought his now synonymous theatricality to the runway in his home region of Hong Kong. Ahead of the anticipated occasion, the city itself had been brimming with excitement, and as such bestowed upon him the honour of being the first designer to host a fashion show in the Hong Kong Palace Museum…

Robert Wu on Hong Kong homecoming and the meaning of couture

Designer Tolu Coker on the struggles of being an emerging designer

Tolu Coker SS24 Credits: Jason Lloyd Evans

One of the hottest emerging talents at London Fashion Week has to be Tolu Coker, a West London-born, British-Nigerian designer and multi-disciplinary artist who is part of the British Fashion Council’s NewGen programme…

LFW SS25: Tolu Coker talks the struggles of being an emerging designer

AAFA president Steve Lamar on the US election year and conscious regulation

The US election is continuing to heat up, with voting day now visibly on the horizon. While at the forefront of debates are the policies and outlooks presented by political candidates, there is much behind-the-scenes work by industry representatives that goes well beyond the deadlines of ballot entries. For fashion, the American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) is one of those leading the way…

AAFA president on the US election year, counterfeiting and conscious regulation

Wolf CEO Simon Philip Wolf on the product box market and stepping into retail

The watch industry has experienced a well-received boom in recent years. One niche aspect of this market that is often overlooked by outsiders, but retains importance among watch enthusiasts, is that of boxes and cases for the cherished accessory. It is a market, alongside jewellery boxes, that Wolf has been championing for 190 years, yet it is only now that the brand has ventured into the physical retail space for the first time…

Wolf opens first physical store in 190 years: The business behind luxury watch cases

October

Donald Schneider on his past at H&M and his future with Elho

Even a brief glance at the vita of Donald Schneider, founder and creative director of Donald Schneider Studio, reads like a chapter out of fashion history. The Swiss-born creative, who doesn’t quite identify with the title of an art director – a term that doesn’t come close to describing the breadth of his work – made his mark in New York in the 1980s…

From H&M game changer to Elho ‘re-founder’: Donald Schneiders’ creative masterplan

Kurt Geiger CEO Neil Clifford on the brand’s educational platform and uplifting young talent

Sophie Johnson, head of the Business by Design Academy, and Niel Clifford, Kurt Geiger CEO, at the academy graduation ceremony. Credits: Kurt Geiger / Getty.

Joel Anokye has become the first full-time internship recipient of Kurt Geiger’s Business by Design Academy, an initiative the footwear and accessory brand set up last year in order to support young, underrepresented talent in entering the fashion industry. Anokye was one of 20 to take part in the first edition of the educational business course, which brought participants directly under the wing of Kurt Geiger’s own team over the course of a seven-month period…

Kurt Geiger CEO and internship winner on how the brand’s academy is changing the learning landscape

Pierre Cardin president Rodrigo Basilicati-Cardin on returning the brand to its former glory

Storied brands are continuously positioning themselves as educational beacons to younger generations. Such partnerships can go both ways, however; as heritage can help in the provision of long-existing skills to up-and-coming designers that can, in turn, also present to brands new perspectives in a bid to retain relevance. It was this that was at the heart of Pierre Cardin’s launch of the Young Designers Award, the first of which took place in 2022 to honour the 100th anniversary of the fashion house…

Pierre Cardin takes to Taipei Fashion Week with Young Designer Competition and SS25 show

November

O My Bag CEO Paulien Wesselink on starting a company with ethical and sustainable roots

As a child, Paulien Wesselink often wondered why she couldn't invite her entire class to her birthday party. "I never liked excluding people," says the founder and CEO with a smile during a video call with FashionUnited. This early example of social responsibility forms the foundation for what would later become O My Bag, a Dutch handbag brand focused on social impact in India…

This is how O My Bag CEO Paulien Wesselink approaches corporate social responsibility

Pandora SVP of LATAM and Asia Martín Pereyra on the importance of lab-grown diamonds

While called many things - lab-grown diamonds, man-made diamonds, and lab-created diamonds, among others - upon seeing manufactured diamonds, there’s no way to differentiate them from their natural counterparts. The fact these diamonds were not made in nature, also doesn't mean they aren't real…

All about lab-grown diamonds: Why are they a more sustainable option?

Reju CEO Patrik Frisk on the misconceptions around recycling and the challenges of building a hub

Reju CEO Patrik Frisk. Credits: Reju via CGPR

“I’ve spent decades working for brands (Under Armour, The North Face, Timberland, Jansport, Smartwool, Reef, Peak Performance, Gore-Tex, Vans) that make clothes that people love. Yet, too many of these garments have ended up in landfills or incinerated. And increasing global consumption and fast fashion are only accelerating this problem,” says Patrik Frisk after decades in the garment industry…

Reju CEO Patrik Frisk: ‘There is very little that you can’t reuse’

SilkFred CEO Emma Watkinson on the waning influence of trends and bolstering young brands

When Emma Watkinson, together with her friends Kate and Stephen Jackson, set out to start their own fashion e-commerce company in 2011, it was on the premise of both addressing the lack of excitement Watkinson felt towards existing propositions, and the absence of support for small brands attempting to step onto the thorny fashion ladder…

SilkFred CEO on AI, platforming indies and the waning influence of trends

December

10 Corso Como CEO Gianluca Borghi on international expansion and 2025 expectations

Despite the difficult market environment, ‘10 Corso Como’ is in a positive mood and the year is even exceeding expectations. The company has achieved double-digit growth since the beginning of September. Further locations in Europe and Asia are now planned to establish the concept store, which is one of the first of its kind, as an international brand…

10 Corso Como: ‘Our goal is to open up to six more stores’

Zalando commercial director Premium Nichole Styrdom on AW25 and fading trends

Fashion retailers are keeping a close watch on their sales leading to Christmas amid a sluggish consumer sentiment, at the same time many are already preparing for the AW25 buying season starting in January. What's going well at Zalando right now and what trends does the online retailer bet on for womenswear in 2025? Zalando's commercial director Premium Nichole Styrdom talks about trends, fashion fatigue and chaotic individualisation…

Zalando’s premium buyer on sleek kicks, chaotic individualisation and volatile weather
Aaron Esh
Interview
Jean Paul Gaultier
Pamella Roland
Philipp Plein
ROBERT WUN
Tony Ward