Mid-Week Fashion News Alert: Condé Nast College Shanghai Edition, Kendall Jenner’s Harper’s Bazaar Cover, and Menswear Expands to $40 Billion

 Does Condé Nast rule the world? Well, with opening another college in Shanghai, world fashion domination may not be far behind. Condé Nast opened its first college in the UK in 2013. The Condé Nast College so far has graduated over 400 students.

“Condé Nast is deeply committed to China and to meeting the needs of the market and our business partners in the fashion universe. It is natural to expand our activities in this direction,” Jonathan Newhouse, chairman and chief executive of Condé Nast said.

Condé Nast’s Fashion & Design Centre in Shangai is scheduled to open in the fall and will offer courses in fashion design, photography, styling, marketing, digital communication and branding. At a later stage it will add courses in merchandising, e-commerce, social media, retail and illustration.

Another one for Kendall Jenner

Kendall Jenner continues to have a ubiquitous presence. Jenner’s Harper’s Bazaar cover on the May issue proves that Jenner is not a fashion splash in the pan.

Seen through the eyes of BFF Karl Lagerfeld, in the May issue Jenner talks about her friendships with Lagerfeld, Cara Delevinge, Gigi Haddad, and Joan Smalls. She also comments on being the best dressed in her household.

The cover and inside photo editorial was styled by Amanda Harlech. Jenner is outfitted in a Chanel frock and a romantic Valentino dress.

The men outpace the women

Menswear sales outpace women’s wear sales. Yes, you heard it right, menswear is starting outpace women’s wear .

According to market research company, Euromonitor International, menswear sales in 2014 increased by 4.5 percent reaching $440 billion in sales compared to 3.7 percent in women’s wear with $662 billion. Menswear is expected in 2019 to total $40 billion in the global apparel market.

“Globally, men’s annual disposable income is still 50 percent higher than women’s,” said Head of Apparel and Footwear research, Magdalena Kondej. “Menswear presents a great opportunity for fashion brands looking to diversify their product portfolios and reach out to new consumers,” as reported in a fashionmag.com article.

Concurrently, traditional women’s wear brand are began to open separate men’s stores with mega department stores revamping menswear display as a response to the increase in menswear sales. “The more effectively brands are able to harness wealth and unique consumption cultures of male consumers, the more successful they will be,” explains Magdalena Kondej.

—William S. Gooch