Lanvin’s Siddhartha Shukla Discusses ‘Brand Framework,’ Future Plans
Lanvin plans to sit out the official Paris Fashion Week calendar this week — meaning no show, no press presentation and no reviews.
But the French house is gearing up on multiple fronts behind the scenes.
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Peter Copping, who started earlier this month as artistic director, is working on his first collection for Lanvin for the fall 2025 season.
“The format and timing for its revelation is still under discussion,” said Siddhartha Shukla, deputy general manager of Lanvin. “At present, the plan is to stage two coed shows in 2025.”
Meanwhile, the house has just released the third installment of its “Character Studies” campaign by Steven Meisel, which debuted in 2022, telegraphing a quieter form of chic linked to Lanvin’s claim to fame as the oldest fashion house in Paris.
“The mood at Lanvin today is energetic, collaborative, hopeful,” said Shukla, who joined the French company from Theory at the end of 2021.
Since then, the brand has unveiled a rejiggered logo, initiated a comprehensive reset of its product strategy, accentuating leather goods and accessories, and unveiled special projects under the new Lanvin Lab banner, which has already logged collaborations with rapper Future and conceptual artist Erwin Wurm.
In an exclusive interview, Shukla gave an update on where Lanvin is at, and where it’s heading:
WWD: Many fashion houses undergo a clean sweep on products and image when a new creative director arrives. That doesn’t seem to be the case at Lanvin. Why?
Siddhartha Shukla: Setting a new direction for Lanvin was my objective — and a business imperative — from the start and something I had discussed at length with the owners before accepting the challenge to lead the house. There were important systemic and strategic issues to address, from the back of house to front, and there was no time to lose — so we hit the ground running. The return to Jeanne Lanvin’s “chic ultime” and the proposal of a new French sophistication are essential to the brand framework and informs all of our decisions and activities — from product and image to people. The cultural relevance of the house, the pace of the industry, the expectations of the market — all meant that the formative groundwork would be done in parallel with the search for a new creative leader.
WWD: How important are the Steven Meisel images in setting the tone for the house and expressing its style position?
S.S.: The work we have done with Steven Meisel is critically important in the establishment of a global visual standard and vocabulary for a new Lanvin. The “Character Studies” portraits were first released in 2022, shortly after the product reset was in place, and with this third chapter remain consistent in their photographic gesture, the showcase of individuals in their essence, the heralding of a new tribe of modern elegance and chic. Seen against the landscape of brand image today, I believe there is boldness in this valorization of the individual, in the photographic purity of the image, in the artistic direction and reimagined logo from M/M.
WWD: So we can assume Peter Copping aligned with the advertising imagery and its continuity?
S.S.: He is. We had discussed the campaigns and brand image prior to his nomination and we continue to do so as we imagine what will be next.
WWD: I understand Lanvin will go dark on reviews for its spring 2025 collections. Can you explain why?
S.S.: We have developed a summer collection that I am confident will be well-received by our clients and forms a strong continuity to the spring collection shown in June. Its critical reviews, however, seem unnecessary given Peter is in the house and actively at work on what will be a new silhouette and aesthetic proposal.
WWD: How has not having a creative director for more than a year impacted the Lanvin business and development?
S.S.: Not having an artistic director, despite the obvious challenges, presented the teams with an extraordinary opportunity to democratically showcase their talent, passion and commitment. As I said, we operate the house today within a clear framework that has given discipline and direction to the various functions collaborating as they keep the brand and business thriving.
WWD: What other changes might we anticipate with the arrival of Peter Copping as new creative director?
S.S.: The spirit of Lanvin will continue to be elaborated as modern couture and this will certainly find new expressions and life with Peter.
WWD: Lanvin Group’s first-half results release said Lanvin would be “aggressively executing initiatives to increase retail and digital traffic” through the balance of 2024. Can you be more specific?
S.S.: Like many of our competitors, we are working vigilantly to secure market share and power our business in a complex climate through calculated strokes of investment and prudence. We have fantastic products and exciting initiatives in the pipeline and campaigns to support them through the end of what has so far certainly been a challenging year.
WWD: Any update on your progress in leather goods and accessories, which are also a key development thrust?
S.S.: The continued success of our sneaker programs and the Cat bag family, as well as last year’s introduction of the iconic ballet flat, have delivered strong results to the category and a message to the marketplace. We have ambitious plans for leather goods and accessories that will be timed with the debut of Peter’s first collection next year.
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