China already had one of the most lively online e-commerce set-ups before COVID-19, and the pandemic drew even more activity online (see Lucire issue 42, and Lucire KSA September 2020). Emporio Armani is no exception in its dealings inside the Middle Kingdom, with Chinese spokesman Song Weiling (宋威龍), the actor and model, launching its Meccanico skeleton watch collection on Tmall on September 13.
   Song’s appeal to Generation Z (born between 1995 and 2012, according to some) is said to help broaden the brand’s appeal to a younger audience. Since joining Tmall in 2016, Emporio Armani has pushed a number of “hot” products appealing to younger buyers, including a gypsophilia watch series.
   Earlier marketing efforts in September 2019 and August 2020 (for the Qixi Festival) saw Emporio Armani team up with actress Tong Liya (佟麗婭).
   Emporio Armani says that Generation Z will account for 40 per cent of overall consumer purchases this year, hence its keenness to attract the group. Purchases in the 2,500–5,000元 segment have risen by 90 per cent. Tmall, in particular, has managed to appeal to Generation Z users, with the men’s watch category increasing 14 per cent between 2018 and 2019.

Mihail Iosip

With COVID-19 still infecting people around the world, there was no Festival de Cannes to report on in May, but Venezia has managed to kick off a restricted version of the 77th Mostra internazionale d’arte cinematografica, or the Venice Film Festival, for 2020.
   September 1 saw the start of the Corradi Cinema Lounge at the Ausonia Hungaria hotel, which hosted the cast of Daniele Luchetti’s Lacci, this year’s opening film at the Mostra. The Lounge also hosted directors Andrea Segre (Molecole) and Carlo Hintermann (The Book of Vision).
   September 2, the day of the opening ceremony, saw the Lounge host director Christos Nikou and actress Sofia Georgovassili from Apples, Giona A. Nazzaro, and Jacopo Chessa. Sky Cinema 1 also filmed an episode there for broadcast on September 4 for its 100 × 100 Cinema programme with host Piera Detassis.
   On the red carpet for the opening were president of the jury Cate Blanchett, Adriano Giannini and Gaia Trussardi, Anna Foglietta, Daniele Luchetti, Diodato, Elena Bouryka, Élodie Yung, Ester Expósito, Giulia Rosmarini and Alberto Barbera, Giulia Valentina, Laura Morante, Linda Caridi, Luigi Lo Cascio, Marracash, Paola Turani, and Taylor Hill.
   Tilda Swinton was awarded the Golden Lion award and wore a Chanel white cotton blouse with smocking motifs and a long black crêpe layered skirt from the spring–summer 2020 haute couture collection, accompanied by the Chanel haute joaillerie Tweed frangé earrings in 18 ct white gold and diamonds, and the Plume de Chanel ring in 18 ct white and yellow gold and diamonds. Chanel also created her make-up.
   The Lounge showcases the exterior designs from Corradi, and is now in its sixth year at the festival. It has partnered with Hotcorn.com, a cinema website.

Mihail Iosip

Top and above: By Mishco’s limited-edition masks have proven to be strong sellers. Below left: Ketz-ke’s bold mask designs.

New Zealand label Ketz-ke, featured in Lucire KSA’s September 2020 issue, has, like numerous other fashion labels, created designer masks. Masks—as predicted in Victoria Whisker’s recent story—have become a fashion item, and Ketz-ke’s more than qualify, with their bold designs. They’re retailing at three for NZ$36·50.
   They’re not alone. A new label set up in August reached a milestone when it sold 50 limited-edition masks per hour. By Mishco, founded by Ayla Bligh, set up to provide work for six women made redundant or suffered reduced hours because of COVID-19, sold out of its limited-edition lines within a week.
   Bligh referred to recent statistics that revealed that over 90 per cent of the 11,000 redundancies in New Zealand during the second quarter of 2020 were faced by women. It was her aim to empower women and keeping production local.
   By Mishco has scaled up production of its cotton–linen blend masks to meet demand, and is launching a line of children’s masks. Locals can collect using contactless methods. The company sold through a Facebook group called Chooice and more information can be found at bymishco.co.nz.

Harold Cunningham

With the start of Geneva Watch Days on Wednesday, CEOs from Breitling (Georges Kern), Bulgari (Jean-Christophe Babin), Ulysse–Nardin (Patrick Pruniaux), H. Moser & Cie. (Edouard Meylan), MB&F (Maximilian Büsser) along with the Conseil d’État de Genève’s Mauro Poggia and other VIPs joined together to open the event. Breitling launched its Endurance Pro sports’ watch at the event, and brought in its spokespeople—Ronnie Schildknecht, Daniela Ryf and Jan van Berkel—to the Hotel Four Seasons for it.
   The Breitling Endurance Pro is described as ‘the ultimate athleisure watch’ with a COSC-certified Breitling Caliber 82, with a SuperQuartz movement (said to be 10 times more precise than regular quartz), and far brighter colours than we’ve come to expect from the Grenchen-based firm.
   The case measures 44 mm, and despite the size, the watch is particularly light, with the company’s Breitlight material, which is 3·3 times lighter than titanium and 5·8 times lighter than stainless steel. Breitlight is non-magnetic, thermally stable, hypoallergenic, highly scratch- and corrosion-resistant, and feels warmer to the touch than metal. Hour and minute hands are coated with fluorescent SuperLumiNova. Price-wise, it is expected to be lower, bringing in new customers.
   The Endurance Pro features a pulsometer scale and a rubber strap that matches the inner bezel ring. Customers have the option of adding Outerknown Econyl yarn NATO straps. The watch is water-resistant to 100 m and comes with a two-year warranty.
   Inspiration comes from the 1970s’ Breitling Sprint, which incorporated a pulsometer, and which also came in a series of bright colours.

In time for the Qixi Festival, often branded in the occident as the Chinese Valentine’s Day, Net-à-Porter has unveiled its social media campaign featuring five short romantic videos, of people meeting their loved ones at different ages. In addition, celebrity couple model Emma Pei (裴蓓) and Rojamtic Wang (王朱筱寅), who had appeared together promoting Princess Cruises in 2016, have appeared in the new Net-à-Porter campaign.
   The retailer will also launch an art exhibition centred around the festival, in association with Leica, featuring the works of photographers Tan Sibo (覃斯波), Vincent Keyue Zhang (章轲越), and Laurent Bu. Bloggers and illustrators will also publish their works.
   Participating brands in the promotion include: Buccellati, which is offering an exclusive, limited-edition series of necklaces and bracelets; Ahkah, with a little red heart necklace and bracelet; and Baume & Mercier, with an exclusive Net-à-Porter Classima ladies’ mechanical watch.
   The promotion began on the 19th in the lead-up to the Qixi Festival on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, or August 25 on the Gregorian calendar this year. There are limited-edition greeting cards with love poems and special packaging. More information can be found via Tmall or Taobao, using the keyword NAP, or visit the Net-à-Porter Tmall store.

The Simpsons might not be part of the cultural Zeitgeist in the same way it was in the early 1990s, but over the last 30 years it’s built up a immense following—enough for it to remain a tempting licensing target. Vans is the latest, and arguably one of the higher-profile, fashion brands to pay tribute to Springfield’s yellow-skinned family, with a collection of footwear, apparel and accessories.
   The Simpsons family appears on the Sk8-Hi shoes, both in their original form from The Tracey Ullman Show and in their definitive form once they were spun off into their own series; individual characters can be found on Old Skool and Sk8-Hi designs. There are Lisa Simpson items with ‘Lisa Simpson for president’ slogans; a Sk8-Lo shoe design features Bart Simpson’s ‘El Barto’ graffiti tag. Subsidiary characters get a look-in, too, with Krusty the Klown, the Bouvier sisters, Otto, Moe, Lenny, Carl and Barney, and even Itchy and Scratchy, and Blinky the three-eyed fish. Socks, caps, fleece hoodies, and T-shirts complete the collection.
   In New Zealand, the collection will be available from August 15. More information can be found at vans.co.nz/thesimpsons.