Great News! Martine Sitbon is Back in Business as "Rue du Mail"! FASHIONTRIBES FASHION BLOG

(a Martine Sitbon look; photo: michelesintl.com)

Because her former partner - Shamzie of South Korea - still owns her name, Sitbon is opening after two years under a new name with a new financial invester, Hong Kong's Jimmy Chan.  Sitbon will own 20% of the new venture, Chan 70%, the other 10 % will belong to Yasao Umetada, the brand's new president (and the former head of Yohji Yamamoto in Europe).

The new line is being named for its headquarters, a 7000 square foot space currently under construction until July on the Right Bank in Paris, at 5 Rue du Mail. "I'm still the same designer as I was in the past, and I have the same sensibility," Sitbon told WWD, "but now it's updated for today's mood." She plans to show Fall 2007 in Paris, introduce four collections a year, and even menswear sometime soon.   "We may have lacked a strong management team in the past," said Sitbon. "Now that we have that in place, I am very confident for the future." (via WWD)

- Lesley Scott

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