Fashion
Maison Kitsuné appoints Abigail Smith as creative director
Translated by
Nazia BIBI KEENOO
Published
September 25, 2025
More streamlined, more pared-back, and with a more restrained use of its emblematic fox logo — Maison Kitsuné’s recent collections have hinted at a new creative direction. That shift is now confirmed with the official appointment of British designer Abigail Smith as the brand’s new creative director.
The Paris-based brand, founded in 2002 by Gildas Loaëc and Masaya Kuroki, also operates cafés, music production, and hospitality ventures — including a site in Bali — and has recently launched a wellness arm. The company has now tapped an experienced designer to lead its creative future. Abigail Smith has worked in fashion and design for over twenty years, contributing to luxury houses and independent labels, including Calvin Klein, Celine, Chloé, Burberry, Victoria Beckham, and Stella McCartney.
“We are delighted to welcome Abigail Smith as our new creative director. In her role, she will redefine the Maison Kitsuné silhouette. Thanks to her talent and expertise, and in close collaboration with our Parisian atelier, she will envisage a new, modern Parisian wardrobe — opening the next chapter of our house,” the founders said in a statement on 25 September.
Since late 2024, Abigail Smith has been working with the brand, which has Franco–Japanese roots. The Spring–Summer 2026 collection, to be presented in Paris in the coming days, will be her first full collection for the label.
“I’ve always admired Maison Kitsuné for its ability to fuse fashion, music, and culture into a unique art of living,” explained the Sheffield-born English designer. “My vision is to create a contemporary, functional wardrobe that reflects Parisian elegance while honoring the brand’s Paris–Tokyo identity.”
Over the past ten years, the brand — which boasts 35 cafés, 33 own boutiques, 43 franchises, and more than 350 retailers worldwide — has notably tapped the creative talents of Yuni Ahn and, more recently, Marcus Clayton, whose last collection was Spring–Summer 2023.
The brand does not disclose its turnover. However, the company does file its accounts. For the 2024 financial year, which ended in March 2024, Kitsuné France reported a turnover of €94 million and a profit across its activities, although this does not necessarily encompass the brand’s entire business.
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The two-day conference aims to provide a platform for deliberations on policy, investment, sustainability, exports, infrastructure development, and technological advancement in the textile sector. It aligns with the government’s vision of positioning India as a global textile manufacturing hub by 2030, with a focus on boosting exports, employment generation, and inclusive growth, in line with the ethos of ‘Vikas Bhi, Virasat Bhi’.
The National Textiles Ministers’ Conference 2026 will be held in Guwahati from January 8, focusing on policy, investment, sustainability, exports, and innovation to position India as a global textile hub by 2030.
Organised by the Ministry of Textiles, it will also spotlight North-East textiles, handlooms, silk, women-led enterprises, and flagship initiatives like PM MITRA Parks.
The inaugural session on January 8 will be attended by the Union Minister of Textiles Giriraj Singh, Chief Minister of Assam, Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma, Minister of State for Textiles, Pabitra Margherita along with other dignitaries. The inaugural session will also feature the opening of an exhibition and pavilion, showcasing India’s textile strength, innovation, and rich heritage.
The conference will feature sessions covering key areas such as infrastructure and investment, expanding India’s textile exports, raw materials and fibres, technical textiles and new-age fibres, and preserving and promoting handlooms and handicrafts. Special focus will be placed on flagship initiatives such as the PM Mega Integrated Textile Regions and Apparel (PM MITRA) Parks, sustainability and environmental compliance, technical textiles, innovation, and integrated value-chain development, the Ministry of Textiles said in a press release.
A conclave on ‘Strengthening and Empowering the Textiles Sector of the North-Eastern Region of India’ will also be held on January 8, in which textile ministers from North-Eastern states, members of Parliament, and senior officials from the centre and states will participate. The conclave will focus on unlocking the potential of the North-East’s silk, handloom, handicrafts, and bamboo-based textiles, with special emphasis on Eri, Muga and Mulberry silk, women-led enterprises, branding, and market access. The National Textiles Ministers’ Conference is expected to strengthen centre–state collaboration and chart a clear roadmap for a competitive, sustainable, and inclusive textile sector.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (RR)
Published
January 8, 2026
Mexico remains a key market for Skims as it expands internationally, with the brand now operating four stores. Notably, the local operation, run by Retail Fashion Group, a subsidiary of Grupo Sordo Madaleno, makes Mexico the only Latin American market where the brand maintains both a physical and digital presence.
The most recent opening took place in Los Cabos, inside the Animal Village shopping centre, which aims to establish itself as a new fashion and luxury destination in the region. This location joins the stores previously opened at Artz Pedregal and Antara in Mexico City, as well as at Andares in Guadalajara.
In the US, Skims operates around 20 stores and recently opened its first store in Dubai, marking further progress in its shift towards a model with a larger physical footprint. The company has reiterated that this approach will be a priority in the coming years, alongside the expansion of its portfolio of categories.
Co-founded in 2019 by Kim Kardashian together with Jens and Emma Grede, the brand has built its brand positioning on an inclusive sizing approach and a product offering centred on shapewear, underwear and minimalist basics.
Its recent growth has been underpinned by a significant capital injection: in November it reported securing $225 million in new funding, lifting its valuation to $5 billion.
According to the company, the funds will be used to expand its shapewear, sportswear, and clothing lines, as well as to strengthen its retail presence and accelerate its international expansion.
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The talks come at a pivotal moment in India-EU economic relations. After remaining stalled for over nine years, FTA negotiations were re-launched in June 2022, marking renewed political will on both sides to deepen economic integration. Since then, 14 rounds of negotiations and several ministerial-level dialogues—most recently in December 2025—have been held, reflecting sustained efforts to finalise a comprehensive and mutually beneficial trade pact.
The European Union is currently India’s largest trading partner and a key investor, with bilateral trade in goods significantly bolstered in the 2024-25 fiscal. This agreement is envisioned not just as a trade deal, but as a comprehensive partnership that addresses modern economic realities.
India’s Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal will visit Brussels from January 8 to advance India-EU FTA talks, reflecting intensified engagement to conclude the long-pending agreement.
Re-launched in June 2022 after a nine-year pause, negotiations have seen 14 rounds and multiple ministerial dialogues.
Goyal will hold high-level talks with EU trade leaders to resolve key issues.
During the visit, Goyal will hold high-level dialogues with the European Union’s commissioner for trade and economic security, Maros Sefcovic. The primary objective of these interactions is to provide strategic guidance to the negotiating teams, resolve pending issues, and expedite the conclusion of a balanced and ambitious agreement, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry said in a press release.
The leaders are expected to carry out detailed deliberations across key areas of the proposed agreement, aiming to narrow divergences and ensure clarity on outstanding matters. The ministerial engagement follows a week of intensive deliberations in Brussels, building upon the groundwork laid during high-level discussions held earlier this week between India’s commerce secretary, Rajesh Agrawal, and the director-general for trade of the European Commission, Sabine Weyand.
A central pillar of India’s negotiation strategy, guided by the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is to secure an agreement that translates into tangible benefits for the common man. India is pushing for zero-duty access for its labour-intensive sectors—such as textiles, leather, apparel, gems and jewellery, and handicrafts.
Both India and the EU have expressed strong political resolve to deliver a comprehensive deal. The upcoming talks are expected to reaffirm the commitment of both sides to a rules-based trading framework and a modern economic partnership that safeguards the interests of farmers and MSMEs while integrating Indian industries into global supply chains.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (RR)
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