Articles by AFP
Czech Republic: 70,000 pairs of shoes destroyed in a fire
A fire in a warehouse in Zlin, Czech Republic, destroyed 70,000 pairs of shoes on Thursday. The warehouse is located on the site of the former Bata shoe manufacturing empire. The company Vasky, which manufactured the shoes, reported its losses at seven million dollars. No one was injured, firefighters confirmed. They added that the fire was...
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French court bans Shein from selling products imitating Lacoste crocodile in EU
Paris - A French court on Thursday provisionally banned the Asian e-commerce giant from selling items on its platform that feature the famous Lacoste crocodile logo. Pending a final ruling, the Paris judicial court “has taken provisional measures throughout the European Union”. The aim is to “prevent infringement of Lacoste’s renowned trademarks...
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Martin Margiela auction reaches 1.39 million euros
Paris - After a career spent scrupulously avoiding being photographed, Belgian fashion star Martin Margiela auctioned off part of his personal archives on Thursday, fetching over one million euros. Fans of the 69-year-old pioneer, who retired in 2009, had the opportunity to acquire items ranging from sketches to one of his signature white work...
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Light and stars: highlights from haute couture week
Paris - Paris haute couture week, which concludes on Thursday, delivered several memorable moments. From a luminous mini-dress to fully reversible pieces and the presence of stars like Bad Bunny and Pedro Pascal, here are five key highlights. Luminous attire Fractal Universe dress, Iris Van Herpen haute couture AW26. Credits: ©...
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Fire at Chinese shoe factory causes "heavy casualties", says President Xi
Beijing - A fire at a shoe factory in China on Thursday resulted in “heavy casualties”, according to President Xi Jinping. Nearly 200 firefighters and rescue workers were mobilised, according to official authorities and media. The fire broke out around midday (4am GMT) at the Huiteng factory in Jinjiang, in the Fujian province (south-east of the...
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Hermès to present its first ever Haute Couture collection in January 2027
Paris - Luxury group Hermès is launching into haute couture and will present its first ever collection in January, AFP learned from the group, confirming a report from WWD. French designer Nadège Vanhée, who has headed the group's womenswear collections since 2014, will be responsible for creating this first collection, the French brand...
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Viktor&Rolf focuses on mirrors and Franck Sorbier on a journey to the past at Paris Haute Couture
Paris - Paris Haute Couture Week concludes its final day of shows this Thursday, July 9, closing an edition dedicated to the autumn/winter 2026-2027 season, which has been presented in the French capital since last Monday. The Dutch duo Viktor&Rolf presented a collection based on contrasts, with an original staging. On a revolving stage...
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Bernard Arnault reclaims top spot as France's wealthiest professional, according to Challenges
Paris - Bernard Arnault and his family, who control the luxury giant LVMH, have reclaimed the top spot in the annual ranking of French professional fortunes, published on Wednesday by Challenges magazine. The position was taken from them last year by the heirs of Hermès. Once the richest man on the planet, he is now significantly behind Elon...
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Paris Haute Couture: Between Mabille's reversibles, Germanier's beadwork and Armani's dark elegance
Paris - Kicking off with Schiaparelli, Paris Fashion Week Haute Couture experienced one of its most anticipated days on Tuesday. The day featured the second haute couture collection from Matthieu Blazy for Chanel and Jonathan Anderson's collection for Dior. On the same day, Alexis Mabille presented his collection. It was an original proposal...
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At Chanel, Matthieu Blazy turns Gabrielle's bookshelf into couture
Paris - Designer Matthieu Blazy presented his second haute couture collection for the legendary French brand on Tuesday. The collection featured references to fairytales like “Jack and the Beanstalk” and historical pieces from the Chanel archive. Set against a backdrop of colourful flowers, vines and magic mirrors at the Grand Palais near the...
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