Fashion’s silent titans: The secret lives of press officers

French fashion businesses here in France tend to go one of two ways: either they fail, or they thrive, before being bought up by a powerful luxury group. But some companies do manage to resist that fate – weathering economic crises, the challenges of a globalised economy and now the pandemic, all on their own. So how exactly do they do it and what makes them tick? We went to meet independent shoemakers Arche in the Loire Valley and Paris-based Weston to find out.

The death of Black designer Virgil Abloh at the age of just 41 has served as a reminder that fashion still has a way to go when it comes to diversity. Abloh, an African American, studied civil engineering and architecture, but was increasingly drawn to the world of music and later set up his own streetwear label, Off White. In 2018 he was named head of menswear at Louis Vuitton, becoming the first Black man to become the lead designer of a major French fashion house. For Abloh, fashion was inherently political; a means of furthering the fight against racism. We took a closer look at his legacy.

The year 2021 didn’t get off to a great start, to say the least. The Covid-19 pandemic had already brought the world as we knew it to a standstill, and this year – once again – fashion weeks from London to New York were struck from calendars in the same of social distancing. But nevertheless, fashion has always known how to adapt. A new-found focus on inclusive casting and sustainable processes has been the result. FRANCE 24 takes a look back at some of the year's fashion highlights.

For decades, Tunisia has been seen as a producer of fashion, but rarely a producer of fashion designers. But that's rapidly changing. For proof, look no further than the 12th edition of Tunis Fashion Week, which this year was held not in the capital, but in the city of Tozeur, on the edge of the desert. We take a closer look at three larger-than-life Tunisian designers: Hedi Ben Mami, Seif Dean Laouiti and Braim Klei.

The online world is increasingly an integral part of our lives, especially with the arrival of the metaverse. The world of fashion is eagerly eyeing up how the metaverse can be a place where we construct parallel identities, complete with digital wardrobes. But at what price? We get some answers from designer Julien Fournié, psychiatrist Serge Tisseron, as well as Pierre-Nicolas Hurstel, co-founder of Arianee, a platform that helps brands create new digital experiences.

French fashion designer Thierry Mugler, who dressed Beyonce and Lady Gaga, has died aged 73, according to a statement on Mugler's official Facebook page confirming earlier French media reports. Mugler, who reigned over fashion in the 1980s, was known for his daring theatrical designs featuring broad shoulders and plunging necklines. He dressed the likes of Beyonce, Lady Gaga, David Bowie, Diana Ross and Duran Duran - among many others - during his career at the top of the fashion industry.

Dino Brandão is considered one of the most promising young stars on the Swiss music scene. The half-Swiss, half-Angolan musician recently released a debut EP under his own name. "Bouncy Castle" features five afro-folk tracks and is a multicultural melting pot of sunny and yet melancholic songs. Oscillating between tropical melodies and darker folk tunes, he honestly addresses physical ailments and mental issues. He speaks to FRANCE 24's Florence Villeminot about the importance of opening up.

January's summer 2022 Couture Fashion Week showcased the latest sartorial offerings from 17 labels, just over half the number included in the official calendar due to ongoing Covid restrictions. Dior's Maria-Grazia Chiuri offered an ode to embroidery at Paris's Rodin museum, Jean Paul Gaultier handed the reigns of his empire over to Belgian designer Glenn Martens, while Alexandre Vauthier embraced the Roaring Twenties as an homage to our collective resilience in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic. FRANCE 24 takes you to the catwalks.

London Fashion Week is back, with an increasing share of brands cutting the use of fur and aiming to show off their green credentials. We find out more. But first, we take a closer look at the EU's new €150 billion investment plan for Africa.

The eastern French town of Lunéville has played a key role in France's fashion history. It's the birthplace of Lunéville stitch embroidery, which features on UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage list. To teach it, there is only one person left: Aude. Her students come from all over the world to learn the techniques passed on to her by her grandmother. We also take you behind the scenes at Hermès, whose square silk scarves are made by a highly skilled team near the French city of Lyon.

For the ninth edition of FIMO228, Togo's international fashion festival, the event's founder Jacques Logoh is training the spotlight on a diverse cast of models. Larissa Solim Amelete, the face of this year's event, has succeeded in getting her family to support her modelling career, while Cathy Crussy, a TV producer, is in her 50s. Then there's Rebecca Attiogbé, who drives a forklift truck for a day job, and Alex Sef, the androgynous muse for Ethiopian label Afropian this season. FRANCE 24 went to meet them.

With war raging in Ukraine, it's not easy to know how to speak about fashion – if at all. The best answer is to face the paradox. Thanks to the French Federation for Haute Couture and Fashion, Ukrainian designer Lilia Litovskaya is now safe in Paris. At Balenciaga, Demna Gvasalia, who fled a Kremlin-backed civil war in Georgia in 1993, offers up a hostile backdrop for his collection. Labels Marine Serrre, Atlein, Benmoyal and Germanier, meanwhile, are championing freedom of expression with their eco-friendly offerings.