Black in Fashion Council and IMG Launch Directory of Black Professionals, The Rise of Perfume Collaborations

Plus, Giorgio Armani on his long career and legacy.

These are the stories making headlines in fashion on Wednesday.

Black in Fashion Council and IMG launch directory of Black fashion professionals
Color of Change and IMG‘s #ChangeFashion, along with the Black in Fashion Council, have launched a directory aimed at solving fashion’s exclusivity problem with a road map and resources for racial equity. The first-of-its-kind guide contains profiles and resumes of more than 300 Black industry professionals — from photographers to makeup artists, set designers and more — worldwide. The directory is only available to companies that have signed on to the #ChangeFashion Roadmap. {WWD}

Perfume brands tap into the potential of collaborations
“As the perfume market grows and collaborations become de rigueur for consumer goods, collaborative fragrances offer ample opportunity for both streetwear and niche fragrance brands to expand their reach,” writes Emily Jensen for Business of Fashion. In the piece, Jensen explores how collaborations became an attractive alternative to standard licensing deals for niche perfume houses. “A successful partnership can be mutually beneficial for both the perfume brand and the streetwear collaborator, as the former can gain a coveted stamp of approval with a young, fashion-forward audience, and the latter can gain the expertise of an established brand within an esoteric product category.” {Business of Fashion}

Giorgio Armani on his long career and legacy
Jessica Iredale interviewed Giorgio Armani, the legendary 87-year-old designer who remains the “emperor of luxury fashion and business,” in a profile for the March issue of Town & Country. Armani is an outlier in an industry dominated by conglomerates and consumed with youth, building Giorgio Armani SpA, of which he has retained complete control. The designer discussed his lengthy career with Iredale, stating that he wants to leave a legacy of “hard work, respect and attention to reality.” {Town & Country}

Why minimalist luxury brands are shrinking their designs
If a tot-size capsule from The Row is any indication of the fashion lengths parents are willing to go for a trendy child, then you can bet that the future of kidswear appeals to minimal-leaning, luxury-wearing grown-ups. Elizabeth Holmes took a closer look at this shrunken adult aesthetic in the March issue for Elle, writing about the smaller, cult-favorite brands offering their popular slouchy styles for elementary-age children.{Elle}

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