Fashion's ever-revolving door spins again. Edun, the label founded by Ali Hewson and hubby Bono in 2005, announced that their creative director of six seasons Sharon Wachoub is leaving the brand to focus on her eponymous line.
This season, the Edun boy and girl went downtown with some rather dark takes on youth classics. The collection felt a little more hard-edged than in
Under some train tracks in an outside alley in Chelsea, Sharon Wauchob debuted her first collection for Edun. Edun is, of course, the eco-label founded by Ali Hewson and her famous husband. You know who it is. He sings in a band. He wasn’t there. (Gavin Rossdale was, however.) Edun has been plagued by some inconsistency issues since its inception in 2005. After a big welcome from retailers in the beginning, the Wall Street Journal recently reported that Edun was carried at only 67 stores worldwide, down from hundreds at its heyday in 2006. The company floundered further after creative director Rogan Gregory left in 2007 and the industry as a whole was hit by the recession. Enter LVMH, who purchased 49% of the company in 2009. Sharon Wauchob was hired as creative director, and most of the company’s production was moved to China after retailers complained about the quality of the garments coming from African facilities. Ali told the WSJ, “It’s a fashion company. That needs to be first and foremost.” Some t-shirts, denim, and jewelry will still be produced in Africa, and the company is hoping to increase African production in the future.
Socially-conscious fashion label Edun has had an interesting couple of years. After breaking up with designer Rogan Gregory, the label kind of floated for awhile, and no one was quite sure where it was going. That is, until founder Ali Hewson signed a deal with LVMH, which injected a bit of cash into the company, allowing Hewson to hire new creative director Sharon Wauchob. Not only is the Paris-based, Irish born designer's first women's collection for the brand getting rave reviews (it's selling at Barneys like hot cakes, we hear), but she and Hewson have also re-launched menswear, which debuted at Bloomingdale's last night. (Apparently, these collections were designed by a freelance team, not Wauchob. Regardless, they looked great, and I'm assuming the general direction of the firm is set.)
Where have all the fashionably fabulous people gone? St. Tropez, that's where. Kate, Lila Grace, Leo, editors, designers. They're here on hols where I
