KO & Bano eeMee in Paris
Paris is always a good idea… Especially when your friend happens to be the very talented designer who won the emerging designer showcase at the WWD Magic Showcase in Las Vegas and is chosen to present his latest collection to the buyers at Galeries Lafayette. Recently I accompanied Aleem Arif of Bano eeMee to Paris on his adventure as the “Créme de la Créme” of WWD Magic emerging designer showcase. I knew what an amazing opportunity this was for Aleem. Over the past decade and a half every time I am in Paris I pay homage to the Parisian shopping Mecca to see what beautiful wares are showcased while I ooo and ahhh at all the beautiful luxurious goods. This was an opportunity of a life time for Bano eeMee and I quick jumped on board to offer Aleem any support I could.
MAGIC MARKET WEEK is the largest global market week for contemporary mens and womens apparel, footwear and sourcing and the most comprehensive destination for fashion buyers and brands in the world. Every February and August, the industry gathers in Las Vegas for inspiration, connection, and to shop a portfolio of ten expertly merchandised and curated shows across every category, trend and price point. In fueling the business of fashion, MAGIC MARKET WEEK impacts what the world will be wearing. Last May 2013 Aleem entered Bano eeMee in the Emerging Designer Showcase at WWD Magic for the August 19-21/13 at the Las Vegas Convention Centre. I was thrilled to find out that Aleem had won.
The meeting with Galeries Lafayette’s buyer went very well. She provided insight into the classic chic woman Bano eeMee is designing for, and complemented the collection’s quality by providing comparisons in the current Galeries Lafayette market place. While this buyer is used to meeting with collections such as Balenciaga that are on average 90 pieces per collection, Bano eeMee in it’s emerging stages only has approximately 35 pieces per collection that go into production. The buyer mentioned she would like to see the expansion of this collection and the evolution in leather as a fabric in addition to variation of colours for the french market in the future.
After the much anticipated meeting with the buyers, Aleem and I were taken on a private tour of Galeries Lafayette by Edouard Bailliencourt who is the International Sales Manager. Christopher Griffin, the Vice President Sales for WWD Magic accompanied us. We had a fabulous lunch at Angelina, ate macaroons from Pierre Hermes and washed them down with Champagne in The Galeries Lafayette Suite for Personal VIP shopping suite where we were joined by Catherine Viot, the International Sales Representive for WWD Magic.
This was such a tremendous opportunity for both Aleem and myself to gain an inside track into a major luxury European Retailer and a Massive Organization like WWD Magic. Spending time with Edouard, Chris, Deborah, and Catherine was such a pleasure and we both felt very lucky to have received the Galeries LafayetteVIP treatment. It is exciting to see where these invaluable introductions and relationships will lead Bano eeMee.
Bano eeMee is a Canadian luxury clothing label led by finance professional turned fashion designer Aleem Arif. The label is recognized for its supple leather designs for the modern woman. Bano eeMee’ssilhouettes are chic, versatile and elegantly timeless. They exude quality from every stitch. In the brand’s short but illustrious history, each season Aleem utilizes and transforms lamb leather, an age old classic fabric, into creations that are fresh, aesthetically appealing and fit conscious. Bano eeMee’s perfect balance of creativity, fresh perspective, focus on quality and commercial appeal have allowed the label to gain attention of leading North American fashion connoisseurs and International Retailers.
Chocolat Chaud at a Cafe, (Aleem in his own design)
Aleem posing for a picture in the lobby of the Galleries Lafayette Headquarters
Edouard De Bailliencourt International Sales Manager for Galeries Lafayette, Aleem and Christopher Griffin
Vice President Sales for WWD Magic
View from the roof of Galeries Lafayette
Aleem on the roof top of Galeries Lafayette
Aleem with Edouard
View of Basilica of the Sacré Cœur from The Galeries Lafayette Suite for Personal VIP shopping
Me and Aleem
Celebrating in The Galeries Lafayette Suite for Personal VIP shopping
For 100 years, Women’s Wear Daily (WWD), a property of Fairchild Fashion Media, has been the daily media of record – and THE industry voice of authority – for senior executives in the global women’s and men’s fashion, retail and beauty communities and the consumer media that cover the market. Often referred to as “the fashion bible,” WWD provides a balance of timely, credible business news and key fashion trends to a dedicated readership of retailers, designers, manufacturers, marketers, financiers, Wall Street analysts, international moguls, media executives, ad agencies, trend-makers and socialites. As an increasingly complex marketplace heightens the need for information and competitive intelligence, WWD delivers with frequency, integrity, independence, spirited coverage and a long tradition that demands staffers get the story and get it first. This publication is an inside track into the fashion world from all angles and I look forward to getting my hand on a copy every time I am in New York for fashion week. All encompassing, every aspect that WWD covers is exciting to be a part of.
