Philipp Plein
I saw a story about a man who started from nothing and became rich by working in the fashion industry. As you can see, I love these stories of people from nothing who become rich and succeed their project and their dream.
Philipp Plein studied law in 1998. He started working in interior furniture, using stainless steel and crocodile leather. He makes dog furniture as well. To avoid waste, he took advantage of falling materials to create bags and accessories, which he began to sell next to his furniture.
The designer knows a turning point in his career in 2003, when he is asked to set up the lounge lounge of the brand Moët & Chandon at the German show CPD Düsseldorf, where he is also invited to present and sell his line of clothing. A year later, in 2004, he created his first brand, offering casual clothes, at the origin of the current ready-to-wear brand.
In 2016, Plein was voted Man of the Year by GQ Germany in the "Designer of the Year" category. He participates in the American show Top Model USA as a mentor and coach.
The brand
In 2004, Philipp Plein launched its first collection of military jackets decorated with a skull in Swarovski crystals. His very first creation was sold at the Salon de Maison et Objet in Paris.
In 2006, the range of accessories was introduced and in 2008 the "Couture" collection was launched, supported by an advertising campaign starring Naomi Campbell and Marcus Schenkenberg.
In 2008, Philipp Plein presented his heavy metal collection at the fashion show of Germany's Next Top Model in Barcelona organized by Heidi Klum.
In 2009, he collaborates with Mattel and presents the Barbie doll by Philipp Plein on his 50th birthday at the Nürenberg toy fair.
That same year the first mono-brand store was opened in Monte Carlo, and the first commercial showroom in Milan. The relatively unknown brand began to pursue a global expansion strategy that would lead to the opening of more than 30 flagship stores in international locations in less than four years.
In 2010, Philipp Plein opened boutiques in Vienna, Moscow, Saint-Tropez, Cannes, and Kitzbühl, next to the opening of another showroom in Düsseldorf.
The Women's Autumn / Winter-2011 collection is presented during the Milan Fashion Week period in February. It took place in a sixteenth century disused church filled with white roses where the parade took place under baroque frescoes and mosaics of the Italian masters and the afterparty led by DJ Pierre Sarkozy, who was also the face of the campaign for the Men's Spring / Summer 2011 collection.
Mischa Barton was chosen for the Fall / Winter-2010 season, while Lindsay Lohan posed for the Spring / Summer-2012 campaign.
In 2011, Philipp Plein opened boutiques in Forte dei Marmi and Düsseldorf and the showroom in Hong Kong was inaugurated. The women's A / H-2011 fashion show, which took place in February, was opened with an orchestra performance.
In 2012, Philipp Plein opened ten boutiques, including Marbella, Moscow Crocus, Baku, Milan, Dubai, St. Petersburg, Seoul, Macau, Amsterdam and Berlin.
In 2012, Philipp Plein signs a contract with the AS Roma football club to dress the players from the 2012/13 season for four consecutive seasons.
In 2013, the expansion in distribution allowed the opening of stores in Porto Cervo, a third store in Moscow, Paris, Miami, Casablanca, Courchevel, Kiev, Hangzhou, Seoul.
During the 2014 Men's Parade in Milan a Las Vegas-style casino was created, Iggy Azalea opened the Women's Spring / Summer-2014 show with his Work tube, followed by Liya Kebede and only black models on the podium.
This has been considered a controversial statement in an area where black models often do not perform as well as their white colleagues.
In 2014, the brand opened several stores in Hong Kong, Los Angeles and New York, which followed those of Ibiza, Bodrum, Doha, Philipp Plein's first "duty free" at Vienna Airport.
The Fall / Winter 2014 Men's Show was directed by show producer Étienne Russo. The Women's Autumn / Winter-2014 show featured Rita Ora, Naomi Campbell, Irina Shayk and Anne V.
The Men's Spring / Summer 2015 parade and afterparty were held in a historic, abandoned public pool that was renovated for the show. In January 2015 Snoop Dog opened the parade, followed by the women's parade in February.
Philipp Plein has never ceased imagining fashion shows that have been among the most eccentric and most anticipated of the male and female fashion weeks in Milan. The women's Spring / Summer 2017 parade, held in September 2016, was called "Alice in Ghettoland" and starred Fergie in a vintage cabriolet touring an imaginary neighborhood alongside rapper Fat Joe.
For the final, Paris Hilton and the other models are mounted in a giant carousel. It was with this event that Philipp Plein said goodbye to Milan. I read that his parades were very expensive, recently a parade cost him $ 5 million.
In 2016, the Philipp Plein group is created and brings together the original Philipp Plein brand, Billionaire Couture, whose majority share was acquired in May, and the full-service luxury sports brand, Plein Sport, launched in September.
Thus 500 outlets were installed during the 4 weeks of the first sales campaign. The Billionaire and Plein Sport fashion shows took place during Milan Fashion Week Fall / Winter 2018.
At the end of 2016 there were 107 Philipp Plein single-brand stores in the world and
3 Plein Sport stores in Paris, Amsterdam and Berlin which were inaugurated in December.
In January 2017, he also opened three points of sale in Milan, Beijing and Hong Kong.