Question about licensed menswear

[thc]

Obviously a lot of the designers out there license out there menswears lines rather than designing it themselves. My question is about the principally womenswear (and mostly old-line) designers with licensed menswear lines like Givenchy, Emanuel Ungaro, Oscar de la Renta, and others. For some of these licensed lines, they seem to have their own stores. For instance, I know in Paris there's a Gentleman Givenchy store, and my friend who just came back from Hong Kong said she saw a Balenciaga menswear store. Here, in the U.S., they're usually found in stores like Macy's and other lower-end department stores and solely rest on the laurels of the name. So, are these lines well-regarded abroad? Like, would a suit from Gentleman Givenchy in Paris be the equivalent of buying a Zegna suit?

 

[GQgeek]

I love balenciaga women's stuff heh... and no i'm not a ***********er. Wish they had a proper men's line.. Bet they'd have some nice stuff if they did =/

 

[pstoller]

I love Balenciaga women's stuff...Wish they had a proper men's line. Bet they'd have some nice stuff if they did.

Rumor has it that Ghesquiere is going to start a men's line at Balenciaga. Stay tuned...

 

[jetLab]

My friend purchased a Balenciaga jacket a few weeks ago I think it was from the first men's collection.


Feb 6, 2002/ FWD/ --- Balenciaga's Nicolas Ghesquiere will stage the house's fall/winter 2002 women's ready-to-wear collection on Wednesday, February 13 in the Gagosian Gallery in Chelsea.
The decision to show in Gagosian's downtown outpost dovetails perfectly with Ghesquiere's particularly arty fashion sensibility, and comes as news emerges that the designer also plans to unveil his first men's designs for Balenciaga for fall 2002.

Don't expect to see any of Ghesquiere's first men's clothes for Balenciaga on the runway in New York next week though.

Instead, Balenciaga, one of 10 luxury labels within Gucci Group, will present Ghesquiere's opening men's ideas to a small group of retailers later this month in New York.

A spokeswoman for Balenciaga said the men's collection would be around 15 pieces and include pants, jackets and knitwear, but not coats, as has previously been reported.

Balenciaga plans to "slowly but surely" phase out its existing men's license and replace it with the Ghesquiere-designed collection.

At present, the sole Balenciaga men's boutique, located next to the house's flagship women's store on Paris' George V, retails classic men's tailoring, none of which is designed by Ghesquiere. The two stores are due to be renovated and converted into a single space for women's wear and accessories.

 

[GQgeek]

Good to know, thanks guys.