"Weekend Reading" is a weekly rundown of our favorite stories from around the web.
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Balenciaga is Kering's Fastest Growing Brand
"Men and young "millennial" shoppers are the main drivers of a sales explosion at Balenciaga, the storied couture firm turned edgy label now posting the fastest growth rates within the Kering group, its chief executive said on Tuesday."

via: Business of Fashion

Why Is it So Hard to Talk About Sustainability?
"That’s the reason that the Copenhagen Fashion Summit exists. Held once a year in Copenhagen’s spectacular Koncerthuset, it’s an annual gathering of industry heavyweights that aims to discuss, analyze, and ultimately solve the fashion industry’s many harmful practices."

via: Highsnobiety

Interview Magazine Closes, Ending a 50-Year Survey of Manhattan Cool
"Magazine founded by Andy Warhol closes after months of turmoil, including a lawsuit brought over back pay and the resignation of a fashion director."

via: The Guardian

Is LeBron James the Sneaker World's Last Real Signature Athlete?
"Fifteen years after signing his first contract with Nike, LeBron James is still King of the court and the signature shoe game. But as sneaker trends continue to lean towards lifestyle over performance footwear, he may be the last of a dying breed."

via: Complex

SpongeBob to Supreme: How Vans Became the Brand That Can Do No Wrong
"Most sneaker brands have a founding myth — the Nike waffle iron, the adidas Olympic spikes. From these improbable stories come the totems of our time...And then there’s Vans."

via: Highsnobiety

Will Shoppers Ever Really Care About Sustainability?
"“[Brands think] this forgives the worst of our behavior,” said Paul Dillinger, vice president and head of global product Innovation and premium collection design at Levi Strauss & Co., during a panel. “The circularity thing makes it so we can double our business without worrying about things like straining water systems around the world. In fact, no. If six out of 10 garments we produce end up in a landfill or incinerated within the first year of production, should we have made those six?” The audience broke into applause."

via: Racked

Alibaba’s Anti-Counterfeiting Efforts Appear to Pay Off
"In recent times, China’s e-commerce giant Alibaba has been making a significant push to fight against online counterfeiters. According to the latest results released by Alibaba during its IPR Protection Summit in Seattle, the company seized counterfeit goods worth 4.3 billion RMB ($700 million) in 2017, up from $438 million worth of fake goods they captured the year before. The 2o17 efforts also resulted in 1,910 leads to law enforcement that led to the arrest of 1,606 suspects and the closure of 1,328 facilities."

via: Jing Daily

The LVMH Prize Finalist Finding the Beauty in Fragility
"Originally studying menswear at Central Saint Martins, Hwang was convinced to pursue womenswear by late legendary tutor Louise Wilson, and, following his graduation, decided to work in the industry rather than starting his own label immediately. After stints working at Louis Vuitton, Chloé, and Céline under Phoebe Philo, the designer decided to put those lesson to the test with his own brand. “Luxury can be many different terms–you can have a strong visual–but the quality of the garment has to be there too,” Hwang explains."

via: Dazed

Rwanda Does Not Want Our Used Clothes and is at a Standoff with the U.S. as a Result
"Do you know what actually happens to your cast off clothing once you donate it? Or better yet, do you know what does not happen to those garments? For one thing, they are not sold in the U.S. Not in the vast majority of cases, at least. Instead, your discarded Zara wares and H&M sweaters are–or in a growing number of cases, were–shipped to Africa, India, Pakistan, and other far-flung locales, where they are sold to traders, who will then sell them to consumers."

via: The Fashion Law

At Last, There’s a Plan to Fix NYC’s Broken Subway
"It’s ambitious: Byford wants to see new elevators at 50 stations, additional signals added to the subway’s busiest lines, and over 650 new cars running along the tracks. To supplement subway service, he also wants to completely redo the city’s bus network, which the plan notes has not been revamped since the Cold War."

via: Fast Company

Tags: weekend-reading