Lanvin Expansion Plans

The new C.E.O of Lanvin, Paul Deneve, has finally spelled out his plans for expanding the brand. Lanvin, designed by the charming Alber Elbaz, is a favorite of fashion editors but the product is very expensive and very hard to find.

Early last summer, I was told by an investor that the company's owners, the Korean Shaw Lan Wang, and her son, Sing-Ming Chu, had been looking for backing, which was hard to come by as rights to sell in lucrative Asian market had been signed away to a license partner long ago.

They found an alternative -- last August they sold the rights to produce Lanvin fragrance and cosmetics to Inter Parfums for 22 million Euros. The article in today's WWD makes no mention of a partner in Asia, but does say that global partners are part of the forthcoming growth plan.

To take two key money makers -- Asia (if it is true) and Beauty -- out of the equation, was a bold move. The company now says it will focus on opening about 12 boutiques in the next year and on improving production of the women's line (which is currently 65 percent of sales), on building the increasingly popular men's business (sales of which were up 80 percent for Spring, but from a small base), on building its new categories, bridal and the lower priced 22 Faubourg label and, perhaps most promising of all, expanding the last real money-spinner it has, accessories.

If there was ever a designer who deserves success it is the chubby and charming Elbaz whose shows can delight the toughest of critics by doing the one simple thing so many designers find so challenging -- creating clothes that make women smile.

(Photo by Getty Images)