By Marcellous L. Jones

October 7, 2009


Paris, France - It has been a long wait. Well, maybe not so long, but definitely nail-biting. And at its end, Christian Lacroix will continue thanks to an exceptionally generous buyout offer by the Shiek of Ajman.

Shiek Ali al-Naimi has stepped in as previously reported. Court administor, Régis Valliot has declared the deal “fully satisfactory”. In his comments made to the AFP, Valliot stated that the negociations with the Falic Group, actual owners of the Christian Lacroix company, for control of the house was the easy part. However, those with the original founder and name bearer of the brand, Mr. Lacroix himself, took longer but in the end, everything is working out to the delight of everyone.

This is wonderful news for the entire fashion world. Had no deal come about to save the embattled brand which has never made peace with profits, it nonetheless would have been a tremendous blow to the image of French haute couture and international prestige in the field of luxury. However, thanks to the new deal by the shiek, all 104 persons still employed at the house in both the haute couture and read-to-wear divisions will keep their jobs. This deal has been qualified as “idea” and “beyond all hopes and expectations”.