Must Read: LVMH Wants to Dominate the Luxury Menswear Market, Kering Names New CEO at Bottega Veneta

Plus, behind the rise of virtual influencers.

A look from Louis Vuitton Men’s Fall 2019 collection. Photo: Imaxtree

These are the stories making headlines in fashion on Tuesday.

LVMH wants to dominate the luxury menswear market
LVMH made a string of high-profile changes in its men’s businesses in 2018, bringing Off-White designer Virgil Abloh to Louis Vuitton and moving Kim Jones to Dior. It also appointed Hedi Slimane as head of Celine, which came with the news that he would also be introducing menswear. It’s clear that the French conglomerate is placing greater muscle behind its men’s strategies. But since there is no overall menswear strategy across the group’s brands, Business of Fashion outlines the opportunities for several of the leading labels in the portfolio, and where they might face challenges ahead. {Business of Fashion }

Kering names new CEO at Bottega Veneta
Bartolomeo Rongone is succeeding Claus-Dietrich Lahrs as the CEO of Bottega Veneta. Rongone, who will assume the role on Sept. 1, is the third former Saint Laurent executive to take on a CEO role at Kering. At Saint Laurent, Rongone oversaw ready-to-wear, leather goods and shoes, as well as global retail operations and client engagement. {WWD}

Behind the rise of virtual influencers
Advertisers are now quick to partner with fake people who act real on social media. In a new piece for The New York Times, Tiffany Hsu traces the rise of virtual influencers, and why brands like Calvin Klein, KFC and even YouPorn are on board. {The New York Times}

Ami launches womenswear
Ami, the 8-year-old menswear line by Alexandre Mattiussi, is launching womenswear as a category for its Spring 2020 collection with a co-ed show on Tuesday. Mattiussi decided to expand into womenswear after seeing females flock to his masculine silhouettes. The show will feature 20 looks each for men’s and women’s, with the same affordable price points and urban aesthetic that Ami is known for in the men’s circles. {Business of Fashion}

Bridal is one of the most disrupted retail markets
The bridal and wedding market has struggled over the past five years as fewer people have been getting married and as weddings have become less formal. The largest mass-market player in the space, David’s Bridal filed for bankruptcy protection in November, and J.Crew shut down its own bridal store in 2016. Two years ago, bridal retailer Alfred Angelo, which ran 61 U.S. stores and provided wholesale merchandise to more than 1,400 stores, abruptly shuttered. “Legacy retailers only have themselves to blame for their predicament,” explains Ray Hartjen, the marketing director at RetailNext. “The problem at its core is their insistence on marketing weddings as the most important day of a person’s life to younger consumers who just aren’t buying it.” {RetailDive}

Chanel owners invest in Icelandic outerwear brand
66˚North, an Icelandic outerwear brand with a mission to do for technical gear what athleisure has done for athletics wear, has received an investment from the New York-based fund controlled by the family that owns Chanel. The 93-year-old outerwear company started out by manufacturing clothes to protect fishermen from harsh North Atlantic weather, but now it wants to enter the fashion market. {Business of Fashion}

Heron Preston wants to push the limits of what is considered streetwear
For his Spring 2020 show, which will be held in Paris on Tuesday, Heron Preston wants the world to think differently about him, and the streetwear category as a whole. To do this, Preston will present tailored pieces and offer a substantial women’s line. He’s also increasing his focus on environmentally friendly materials, a priority which separates him from his streetwear peers. “I’m really trying to push proportions that you might see on the runway, really elevating and going above and beyond what you might see on an everyday person on the street,” the designer tells Business of Fashion. {Business of Fashion}

What online retailers can do to minimize the losses caused by excessive returns
Over time, most retailers are realizing returns are a serious problem and a major threat to profitability. To mitigate their negative impact, online retailers will need to establish firm policies for returns. Antony Karabus, CEO of HRC Advisory, says policy incentives such as free returns for a specified time or only on goods of salable quality is advisable. He also advocates for a firm cutoff of so-called “serial returners.” {WWD}

Gucci teams up with Melet Mercantile in Montauk for summer pop-up
Gucci is collaborating with Melet Mercantile, a vintage shop in Montauk, for a three-week summer pop-up that will be open from July 3 to July 28. The space will feature a highly curated selection of Gucci merchandise, as well as a range of vintage goods from Melet’s personal collection. {Fashionista inbox}

Leyna Bloom fronts a lingerie campaign for Playful Promises
Transgender actress, supermodel, dancer and activist Leyna Bloom fronts a new campaign for Playful Promises, an inclusive lingerie and swim brand based in London. The label wanted to partner with Bloom after hearing Ed Razek’s remarks on why transgender and plus-size women are not invited to participate in the Victoria’s Secret fashion show. “Inclusivity has revolutionized the fashion community, which is why we pride ourselves on using diverse models in our campaigns to ensure that all voices are heard,” Playful Promises Founder and CEO Emma Parker said in an official statement. “We selected Leyna Bloom because she shares our message of acceptance and we want everyone to know that: you can sit with us.” {Fashionista inbox}

Leyna Bloom for Playful Promises. Photo: Courtesy of Playful Promises

Love Ball 3 unveils artist-designed trophies
The third Love Ball fundraiser will take place in New York on June 25. The event, which seeks to raise life-saving funds for the CFDA/Vogue HIV/AIDS Initiative at the New York Community Trust, will allow members from the ballroom community, celebrities and nightlife icons to compete for six-foot tall sports trophies designed by Brian Donnely (KAWS), Kenny Scharf, Lucy Dodd, Raul de Nieves, Jack Pierson and Tony Oursler. You can see all the trophies in the gallery below. {Fashionista inbox}