This Bill Blass situation is turning out to be a quagmire.
After resigning last week designer Peter Som was coaxed back to the Bill Blass label. Sources say editrix Anna Wintour convinced the young designer to stay on board “for the sake of the label”. It was Wintour who crusaded to bring Som to Bill Blass in the first place.
NexCen which owns Bill Blass is having a whole slew of financial problems and is forced to sell the Bill Blass label. They’re basically broke and so can’t back Som’s grand visions for the label. They can’t even afford a runway show in September at Bryant Park.
So Bill Blass is on the block looking for buyers. While they look, Som will stay on as designer and it’s up to the new owner to “cut their own deal with [Som] and romance him.”
“He’s definitely back on board, and that will be crucial to the sale of Bill Blass,” a source said.
