VALENTINO IS A BILLION-DOLLAR BRAND NOW

Valentino spring 2016 haute couture show. Photo: Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images

As first reported by WWD, Valentino has reached its goal of bringing in annual sales of $1 billion, a milestone that the brand and its owner, the Qatar-based Mayhoola for Investments SPC, aimed to cross by the end of 2017. In 2015, the Italian fashion house hit €987 million (about $1.09 billion) in revenue, a 48 percent jump from the year prior. 

We've reached out to Valentino and Mayhoola and are waiting to hear back with comment. Valentino CEO Stefano Sassi told WWD that the brand's steady success owes to the work of creative directors Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli, as well as customers' interest in its accessories and menswear. "The one-billion figure is symbolic," he said in an interview. "We have arrived at a dimension and critical mass that the brand did not have, with significant cash and profitability." And despite its recent missteps when it comes to cultural sensitivity, Valentino continues to occupy a warm place in the mainstream psyche, thanks to its consistent red carpet appearances and its surprising involvement with a certain public stunt in Zoolander 2's marketing attack.

Sassi also shut down rumors of Valentino nearing an IPO — at least before 2017 — because "market conditions are unfavorable." Instead, the brand will focus on its expansion for 2016, including adding 20 to 30 store locations and relocations in London, Miami, Honolulu, as well as Germany, Japan, Korea and the Middle East. Valentino again expects double-digit growth in 2016, and from the looks of it, we'd guess the fashion house will meet that goal, too.

BALMAIN'S OLIVIER ROUSTEING PLAYS WITH PASTEL SUEDE AND SATIN FOR FALL

Binx Walton in the fall 2016 Balmain runway show. Photo: Imaxtree

It feels like only yesterday that Kim Kardashian showed up at the fall 2015Balmain runway presentation with platinum blonde hair, effectively stealing the show. Flash forward to Thursday in Paris, when her powerful family was represented in the front row of the French house's latest paparazzi-targeted event by Kris Jenner and Kanye West. They left the spotlight-hogging to Kendall Jenner: The buzzy brunette model opened the show in a blond wig, followed by Californian blonde Gigi Hadid in a dark brown one, a switch-up repeated by a host of other top models. Two things to note: clearly Jenner has the most cache in the #BalmainArmy (she also closed the show), and there's a certain irony in trying to disguise the identities of models whose name recognition is the main reason they are hired. That's so meta. 

In terms of the clothes, designer Olivier Rousteing went deep on skintight suede in soft pastel blue, pink and camel, taking the form of thigh-high boots, waist-cinching minidresses and tight trousers. Those core Balmain pieces also came in stretchy satin in a metallic paisley and a vertically striped pink and blue pattern, sometimes accentuated by flowers. It reminded me of 18th-Century French wallpaper. The head-to-toe pastel striped looks also slightly recalled pajamas, albeit not very comfortable ones. And sheer lace pants and tops trimmed with ruffles along the arms and legs were a statement-making take on lingerie. 

Of course, it wouldn't be Balmain without thick, intricate beading and fringe, fur and cross-stitching accents that scream luxury. A black and pastel blue fringe skirt — Gigi's second look — was particularly impressive in motion. It kicked off the second half of the show's more evening-appropriate looks, featuring a darker color palette (with some flashes of kelly green) and a standout black and gold gown modeled by Binx Walton that probably deserved to close the show. It was gilded and glamorous and revealing in a way that felt newer than the rest. Oh, and obviously, it was perfectly designed for any number of the Kardashian/Jenner/Wests.

SHOWGOERS PILED ON THE DENIM ON DAY 3 OF PARIS FASHION WEEK

On the street at Paris Fashion Week. Photos from left to right: Imaxtree (2), Emily Malan/Fashionista

With nearly a third of Paris Fashion Week complete, showgoers are starting to get a little comfier with their day-to-day looks. Perhaps it was yesterday's streetwear-leaning runway show by Vetements — already a favorite among the street style set — that inspired the casual ensembles. But it wasn't just hoodies and sneakers that were spotted throughout the city: trusty blue denim was layered, doubled and piled on as a way chicer version of the Canadian tuxedo. 

Margaret Zhang draped an oversized jean trench coat over cuffed boyfriend jeans, and juxtaposed the slouchy silhouette with more feminine pieces like a black neck scarf and pointed pumps. Other examples include a military-inspired jacket over everyone's favorite high-waisted, patchwork-butt jeans by — you guessed it — Vetements, as well as a distressed moto-style jacket paired with kick-flare jeans. 

Of course, there were a few street style stars on the opposite end of the casual spectrum. Yasmin Sewell walked out in head-to-toe Gucci, while Anna Dello Russo switched from a patterned full-length cape to a, well, patterned full-length fur coat as the day progressed. (Both outerwear options perfectly matched her pink streaked hair, naturally.)

See our favorite street style from the third day of Paris Fashion Week in the gallery below, and stay tuned for our daily roundups as the shows go on. 

Collaborations (Obviously)

Hardly a day goes by now without news of a new high-low pairing set to drop or a rapper gearing up for a social media onslaught to promote his signature shoe, but that (usually) somehow doesn’t make these partnerships any less exciting.

The cultural cachet of a collaboration is obvious – you take two cool things and make them make a baby, with the theory being that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. It doesn’t always happen that way, obviously, and can result in a snot-nosed devil child of a shoe which everyone will try to love because they know that’s the right thing to do, but god is it difficult…

Sometimes, though, it just clicks – like Common Projects and MRPORTER’s recent hook-up. It’s hard to predict what’ll appear this year – collabs usually tend to drop from the heavens like those frogs in Magnolia – but if 2015 was anything to go by, we’re onto a winner once again.

One of our favourites was cult German store A Kind Of Guise’s partnership with adidas – a hard to find drop that’s definitely worth searching around for: a deft mix of waffle sections, webbed outsoles and cool ‘raw cotton’ styling.

Retailer Skate also hooked up with New Balance for a car-inspired camel and black suede block dubbed the M998 ‘PRMR’, and who can overlook last summer’s heady brew of Italian label Diadora, Packer Shoes and Wu-Tang Clan’s Raekwon for the N9000 ‘Purple Tape’ to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Rae’s legendary album Only Built 4 Cuban Linx? We’ve got fingers crossed for more of the same.

DIADORA X PACKER SHOES X RAEKWON N9000

PREMIER X NEW BALANCE 998 PRMR

Old-School, Low Skate-Style Shoes

The wave of counterculture appropriation just keeps on washing over us, the fervent aesthetes, who want to look like a skateboarder without all the unwavering dedication, talent and broken bones it takes to actually be one.

Thankfully, the puffy Etnies of old have ollied their last. In their stead are slightly less bloated, low-profile skate silhouettes versatile enough to be worn off-the-ramp but sturdy enough to be scraped and battered and only get better with age.

Vans Old Skools, for example, are a certified design classic (not the hi-tops, mind – they are all kinds of terrible) and come ‘Ye-approved, while Converse’s Jack Purcells are still sitting comfortably in that smart-casual sweet spot. Ditto the chunky low-tops from the likes of Novesta and PF Flyers.

If you really want to spunk your rent money, Visvim’s luxe Skagway slip-ons have that perfect trust fund-meets-The Big Lebowski vibe. Which is a thing. Trust us.

VANS OLD SKOOL

GREATS

CONVERSE JACK PURCELL

Current Styles

Fashion Trainers

It’s no secret that fashion houses have been jumping on trainers over the past couple of years in a bid to take a bite out of the sneakerhead market. And every label worth its stitching has at least an in-house pair or two.

Usually offered at an astonishing mark-up, purchasing a pair of these is an undeniable lifestyle flex. Designers Raf Simons and Rick Owens have garnered a lot of chatter for their adidas collaborations, but mainstays like Lanvin (arguably a key progenitor of our current obsession with kicks), Italian-made Koio Collective and esteemed London cobbler John Lobb have recently brought out stellar efforts, too.

Lobb’s ultra-minimalist Levah – a lightweight summer-ready sneaker available in suede and velveteen calf leather – caught eyes last year, and Parisian disruptor Damir Doma’s sub-label SILENT delivered the goods with the colour-blocked Fedka low-top.

With millennials an increasingly important market for high-end labels, expect to see plenty more superbly crafted ‘accessible’ styles, at less than accessible price points.

The Biggest Men’s Trainers Trends For 2016

2015 was the year that trainers truly went mainstream, and we’re all the more comfortable for it. Any self-respecting club won’t turn its nose up at a pair anymore and they’re – in some cases – even office-safe, saving us a packet on single-purpose hard-sole shoes and taking pounds off our poor peds.

At a healthy estimated value of $55bn per year, the international sneaker market doesn’t show any signs of dipping just yet. And this year, there’s plenty of newness to whet your appetite. Here’s our rundown of what’s trending in trainers.

Woven

If there was a Trainer Construction League Table – and trust us, someone is beavering away on one somewhere – then leather (and other, leathery-but-not-leather synthetics) woven strips bolted onto responsive soles are very much in the medal positions.

2016 is taking the woven trend and really running with it. Converse has already dipped a moulded rubber toe box in the waters with luxurious woven suede takes on its iconic Chuck Taylor 70 and Deck Star 67 slip-on styles, and Nike is set to drop at least nine different colourways of its low-key suede Mayfly Woven in spring. Meanwhile the Portland pioneer’s Free Inneva Woven model is getting two new fresh licks of paint come April.

CONVERSE WOVEN LEATHER PACK

NIKE MAYFLY WOVEN

NIKE FREE INNEVA

Current Styles

Jacket Over The Shoulder Fashion Trend 2016

Wearing a structured jacket or blazer over one’s shoulders on a sunny day is currently the epitome of carefree style. This laid-back look is so easy to emulate and is making a comeback from old Hollywood movies and your stereotypical varsity college with the best-dressed girls and guys giving it a go. Shoulder pads and tailored structure is integral to this trend, allowing for the lovely draping of the fabric around the wearer. A jacket over the shoulders goes so sweetly with a short, a-line dress on a mild day and can be worn with almost any smart-casual outfit. Whether for work or play, a jacket over the shoulders is chic for any occasion and is one of the more cost effective and effortless trends of the season.

Fur Pom Poms

There’s nothing like a puff of fur to add texture, detail and a healthy dose of fun to your handbag. This season cheerleaders aren’t the only people carrying pom poms, everyone is! Of course the fashion variety is smaller, made of fur, and hanging off your bag. These quirky attachments were seen dangling their way through the streets of Paris this year and are perfect for transeasonal dressing. Useful for turning a classic bag in to a statement piece, fur pom poms are great in any colour. They can even be paired with a mini bag or multiplied for greater effect.

Get The Look

Fringed Bags

Continuing on with this year’s 70’s trend, fringed bags made a large appearance at Paris Fashiaon Week Spring 2016. Whether it was covering the front of the bag or in an oversized tassel, fringingwas kept modern through innovative applications. Mostly appearing in sleek leather and matching the colour of the bag, fringing was spotted on all bag styles from clutches to cross-body bags.