Articles by AFP
'Watch the holes': Paris fashion crowd gets to know building sites
One of the hottest trends in fashion right now is hosting catwalk shows in empty office blocks or disused car parks. The appeal was evident again during the just-concluded Paris Men's Fashion Week, where designers sought out stripped-back buildings to showcase their creations. The lower rental prices compared with a plush hotel or cultural venue...
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Phan Huy: the fashion prodigy putting Vietnam on the map
Phan Huy has had a thrilling -- but quite stressful -- journey to making history at Paris Haute Couture Week on Thursday where he will become the youngest and the first Vietnamese designer to present a collection on the official calendar. The early part of his week was spent anxiously waiting for his designs to arrive in France from Vietnam...
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McQueen restructuring plan: one-third of Italian workforce at risk
British luxury brand McQueen could lay off one-third of its Italian employees, according to a statement released by three local unions on Wednesday. The company's management has announced a restructuring plan. According to the unions Filctem CGIL, Femca CISL and Uiltec, this plan involves cutting approximately one-third of the total workforce....
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Swiss watch exports contract by 1.7 percent in 2025
Zurich - Hit by US tariffs, Swiss watch exports contracted by 1.7 percent in 2025 despite a rebound in December, according to statistics published on Thursday by the Swedish watch federation. In 2025, Swiss watch exports amounted to 25.6 billion francs (33.32 billion dollars). This marked a decline for the second consecutive year, following a...
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Interparfums acquires David Beckham and Nautica fragrance licences
Interparfums, which produces fragrances for brands including Jimmy Choo and Coach, announced on Thursday the acquisition of two additional licences for David Beckham and Nautica. “Interparfums today announced the signing of an exclusive 20-year global licence agreement with David Beckham for the creation, development, production and distribution...
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Amazon to reduce global workforce by 16,000 roles
E-commerce giant Amazon is cutting 16,000 jobs worldwide. The company has not yet specified which roles will be affected as it concentrates its efforts on artificial intelligence. “The reductions we are implementing today will impact approximately 16,000 roles across Amazon, and we are working (...) to support everyone whose position is...
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British designer Victoria Beckham receives prestigious French honour
British designer Victoria Beckham was named an Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters (Officier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres), a prestigious French cultural honour, on January 26, 2026, at the age of 51. The French Ministry of Culture announced the honour during a ceremony in Paris held at the beginning of Paris Haute Couture Fashion...
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Blazy takes flight of fancy with bird-themed Chanel show
After reaching for the stars in his first show for Chanel, new chief designer Matthieu Blazy took a feathery flight of fancy for his debut Haute Couture collection inspired by birds and nature on Tuesday. The vast Grand Palais exhibition space in central Paris was transformed into an enchanted and psychedelic forest populated by giant mushrooms...
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Okaïdi files for administration for its French operations
The IDKIDS group, owner of the childrenswear brand Okaïdi, announced on Tuesday that it is filing for administration for its French operations. The group employs 2,000 people in France. A hearing will take place in February before the Lille Métropole commercial court, IDKIDS told AFP. The filing concerns the brands Obaïbi (for ages 0 to 3), Okaï...
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Haute couture: Moment of truth for Matthieu Blazy at Chanel
Will Matthieu Blazy build on his success at Chanel? Following a highly praised womenswear collection in October, Paris eagerly awaits the designer's first haute couture show on Tuesday. This unprecedented undertaking will be closely scrutinised. The show, held as usual at the Grand Palais in the morning, is the highlight of this haute couture...
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