Suzi Roher, the Toronto based belt designer, created Swarovski’s newest one of a kind fashion belt.
The belt will be displayed at Swarovski’s showroom at the Rockerfeller Center in New York and will travel to various events around the country.
“Swarovski is a world leader in a man-made crystal,” Roher said. “They are recognized for their strict demand for quality and design. Being a part of this and their brand reflects strongly on us. We jumped at the opportunity to participate.”
Roher designs her fashion belts custom and handmade, inspired by the theory that all women enjoy a little bit of fantasy in her wardrobe. Roher has always used Swarovski crystals in her designs, and you’ll see she went all out in her Holiday 2010 collection.
Montblanc announced on July 30 that they are adding a boutique in Beverly Hills.
On August 3rd, the luxury boutique will open their collection to Rodeo Drive with an official ribbon cutting ceremony. The boutique will not only house Montblanc’s classic collections, it will also sell one of a kind goods that are exclusive to the location—think men’s and women’s diamond pieces, jeweled writing instruments, handbags and a brand new collection of colored gemstones.
“Montblac is a world-class brand and we are very excited to open our new flagship location on Rodeo Drive,” Jan-Patrick Schmitz, President and CEO of Montblac in North America, said. “We are very proud to have an even greater retail presence in Beverly Hills.”
The label has always helped people in need, and they will continue to do so. Montblanc recently announced their campaign in support of UNICEF. The “Signature for Good” collection was designed around this campaign, giving 10% of the retail price to UNICEF.
Black Coffee, a fashion label from South Africa, has beat out the competition within its continental boundaries, and is headed off to Europe and other parts of the world.
Black Coffee won Mercedes-Benz 2009 Award for Fashion by flaunting South Africa’s heritage through bright and contemporary designs.
The line was founded in Johannesburg ten years ago by Jacques van der Watt. In 2004 Danica Lepen joined the team, stretching the label’s collection. The newest collection features designs that specifically remind viewers of colonial Africa—think oversized helmets and mosquito nets.
“We have started using a lot of hand-dying, printing and beading methods,” Watt and Lepen said. “This gives each garment a unique, one of a kind, feel.”
In celebration of their accomplished label, Black Coffee will open a new store in collaboration with label, Love Jozi, in Johannesburg this September.
Prada’s fall 2009 fashion show’s black liner and stiff designs start the newest look: goth.
E!’s celebrity Kim Kardashian picked up the rising fad for her new look this fall.
“Since vampires are all the rage right now, Troy Jensen (Kardashian’s makeup artist) and I thought it would be cool to try out a more gothic, almost sinister look!” Kardashian blogged. “It is so unlike anything I’ve ever done!”
Since we know Kardashin changes her look every few months, it only leaves us wondering what she’ll come up with next!
Former Sheriff Deputies created a new product to assist military and law enforcement personnel cover up their tattoos, other than wear-away make up or crazy huge Band-Aids.
This new product, called Ink Armor cover up sleeves, is just as it sounds: a sleeve that slips onto your arms and covers up all variations of tattoos, scars, skin conditions, etc. The sleeves, selling on inkarmor.com, come in light colors and tan colors, full sleeves and half sleeves. You don’t have to worry if you live in a hot weather climate either; they are very breathable and comfortable.
“They offer a way for people to express themselves with tattoos and still comply with their employer’s policies,” Mo Nelson, co-founder of Ink Armor, said.
Global fashion brand Gap Inc. is hoping for a cozy, indoor winter season, according to their new clothing line.
This season, the three Gap Inc. brands Gap, Old Navy and Banana Republic will be selling a combination of comfy, casual, indoor styles—perfect for your friendly, Holiday cookie swap.
Though the styles and fabrics are soothingly cozy, Gap Inc. chose a variety of eye-catching, cheerful colors to suit any personality this winter. Between the lumberjack plaid jackets at Gap and the moccasin slippers printed with Scandinavian knit patterns at Old Navy, the three stores have cooked up enough to fill up your wardrobe.
As always, men’s, women’s and children’s collections hold fast to their plaid designs, following suite from past seasons.
These pieces aren’t just suitable for personal use either. Even Gap Inc.’s Banana Republic is selling off chic accessories retailing under $100.
The cut out trend started fresh early this year. Popping out in magazines, showrooms and runways alike, this chic, casual look hit the big time.
Though the designs are more prominent in this years fall fashions, we are eager to wear these lightweight styles through the summer heat.
However, no one has created this signature new look like Gareth Pugh and his rockinrolla top. The tight, slashed torso reveals skin in a sexy, yet stylish, way. Letting the cool air in and keeping your aurora, not your skin, hot.
Gareth is no stranger to the spotlight or creating trends that make a huge splash. The designer made his design premier at London Fashion Week in 2006 and hasn't looked back since. British Vogue called his Spring 2007 collection "an incredible, unmissable show" where "his genius is undeniable." And his most noted accomplishment was gaining the support and respect of American Vogue Editor and icon Anna Wintour.
Claus Arnold and Mila Micic, two designers from Berlin, combined their impressive design backgrounds to reinvent the traditional silk scarf.
Debuting this fall, Arnold and Micic’s new line, Aschön, will artistically change the way we see scarves. Aschön means “atypical beauty” in German; a sentiment clearly portrayed in these graphic, multi-layer designs.
The scarves are true creations of the duo’s Academy of Fine Arts Berlin-Weissensee upbringing. Each scarf is available in limited edition quantities, only 200, and offer luxurious sizes, 110 x 110 cm and 128 x 128 cm. Aschön’s scarves are digitally printed on the highest quality silks and hand-rolled at the edges in Germany.
Escada, German’s fashion hub, announced last week that their finances are running low and face a debt construction deadline on July 31.
Almost half the creditors Escada needs to accept a bond exchange has agreed to it. Escada must convince their bondholders to change out their old notes for cash and new notes—amounting to 40 cents per one dollar. If Escada’s creditors don’t make the switch before the end of the month, banks will not discuss a new loan to support a capital of $41 million.
Escada was founded in 1976. Presently, the company has 182 stores and 225 franchises in more than 60 countries across the globe.
“Without a successful restructuring of the old loans, bankruptcy in the short term is unavoidable,” Escada chief executive, Bruno Saelzer said.
Models strutted 2010 swimsuits by Fiber, Poko Pano, Diesel, Ed Hardy and others at this year’s Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim in Miami Beach, FL.
The annual fashion show, made 80% of bare skin, is held at the Raleigh Hotel each year. Starting July 15, and ending July 19, celebrities, supermodels and guests sat poolside, sipping cocktails as they watched the models walk along the Raleigh’s beautiful Art Deco pool.
As always, the show attracted quite a crowd. The photos of the runway say it all; and judging by the pictures and the press, it’s obvious why Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim never fails to impress.
Fashion and the movies, across the globe, are colliding together to offer those who have only dreamed of Jimmy Choos to see the fashion industry in action. It all started with Sex and The City... Carrie, Samantha, Miranda, and Charlotte attacking New York with the fervor of a seasoned fashionista. The camera would zoom into their shoes and their accessories causing women around the world to covet the latest everything.
After that, it was a snowball affect. The Devil Wears Prada follows Anne Hathaway as she falls in love with the pretty and ugly side of the fashion business...watching her transformation literally made hearts beat faster with possibilities. Confessions of a Shopaholic made recessionistas everywhere smile with pride as they held their Hermes' scarves closer to their hearts. Bruno caused us to laugh at ourselves and not take everything too seriously, reminding us that fashion is entertainment, no matter how we look at it.
Then, the documentaries started pouring out. 11 Minutes by Jay McCaroll showed us that making it in fashion is not as easy as it seems, this multi billion dollar industry requires that even the best pay their dues. Valentino also allowed cameras into his life as he globe trotted around the world, with his dogs, leaving admirers on the edge of their seats wanting more.
And now, Anna Wintour, Vogue Editor-In-Chief, rumored to be the meanest woman in fashion, whom the Devil Made Prada was based upon, is releasing her documentary, The September Issue, on August 28th of this year. It follows Wintour as she puts together the September issue of Vogue, the issue that sells to 13 million people each year. Trailer is below:
A long time ago, the fashion industry was a secret shared by only the insiders. No one else was allowed inside. However, due to stores like Forever 21, H&M, and Target, movies like The Devil Wears Prada and September Issue, and this economy, outsiders are welcomed into this world; not as a member, but as a onlookers who feed the glamorous what they need...the spotlight.
Hong Kong is re-strategizing their fashion industry due to the recent big drops in clothing exports. As a result, everyone, including the government, is stepping in to make sure Hong Kong stays Asia's fashion center. Here are some of the changes they are making:
Hong Kong Fashion Week is now mixing their runways with trade shows. This encourages retailers, line reps, and buyers to have more than one reason to attend the shows.
Hong Kong Fashion Week is making sure the focus is about the designers and not entertainment. Hair, makeup, show and accessory companies are sponsoring designers to ensure they have the bucks to be in the shows. This is a great system of support because now designers are less likely to drop out and sponsors win because they want to be associated with a stand out designer.
Hong Kong designers are changing the way they make their clothes by focusing on Asian consumers. Because apparel exports are dropping, Hong Kong designers are now focusing on their supportive and lucrative clients right at home.
The Hong Kong government is putting 1.3 million dollars back into the fashion industry to ensure creativity continues to pump. The balance of fashion and entertainment is a goal of the reinvestment. They want the audiences to enjoy the shows and the industry, but they want consumers and buyers to shell out the bucks.
As a result on the new focus on design and not entertainment, students are finding jobs, sponsors are supporting designers, and consumers are beginning to enjoy their one of a kind "un-western" designs. It’s a great model for other fashion weeks and fashion cities going forward to examine.
The Forbes report is out. Who are fashion's big money makers? Whether you want to admit it or not, fashion is a multi billion dollar industry. Everyone in the world has to wear clothes all day, everyday. Just like any other industry, fashionistas have racked in billions and billions of dollars. Who are they, where are they from, and how did they do it? Let's take a look at the top 5:
Number 1: Bernard Arnault LVMH....$16.5 billion That's right, fashions top earner makes 16.5 billion dollars. It all started from an investment Arnault made using his fathers construction fortune. He put $15 million from that business to buy Christian Dior in 1985...Today, he's the richest man in France, he owns Fendi, TAG Heuer, Louis Vuitton and more.
Number 2: Philip Knight Nike...$8.2 billion Knight owns Nike, there's no other explanation need. Today it’s the largest shoe company in the world that started out with him and a coach in 1965.
Number 3: Francois Pinault & Family PPR...$7.6 billion Never heard of PPR? No problem because we know you've heard of Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent, Puma, Chadwicks, and Learner. These luxury and recessionista friendly brands have made the family billions. Fracnois is also a billionaire of fashion and lifestyle. He also owns a winery that's been around since 1331 and a personal art collection to die for.
Number 4: Fisher Family Gap...$4.9 billion Gap, the music and jean store started in 1969 in San Francisco and became public in '76. Seems fashion billionaires love their art, Doris and Donald, founders, own a large contemporary art collection that's would make many envious.
Number 5: Ralph Lauren Polo Ralph Lauren...$3 billion You all know Lauren as an American luxury designer who focuses on apparel, luggage, furniture, fragrances, and now watches. Polo is seeing some bad times right now, with shares down by 30% since last summer, the brand is getting hit hard. .
Burberry hadn't been reporting the best sales recently, but a magical actress has changed the companies UK sales. Ever since Emma Watson was featured in the Burberry ad campaign, Britain says sales in the stores went up 12 percent in the last three months.
That's pretty amazing for one endorsement campaign. However, Burberry had recently taken all the necessary steps to ensure that they are surviving the economy.
They made the appropriate cuts and got the expected results. They reduced inventory by $50 million and created a $50million efficiency program. They shed 15% of its workforce last year (170 from their sewing facilities).
It's certainly sad to hear of people losing work, but with the right precautions, Burberry will be hiring again, very soon.
Here's some news that is sure to get gobal attention. Seems like Michael Jackson's line of clothing will still be coming out despite his death, giving fans around the globe something to look forward to.
This 300 piece collection of clothing and accessories will including the signature red jacket he wore in Thriller, wine glasses, sleep masks, belt buckles, handbags, tea sets, and much more.
The great part about the launch in the United States is that not only did Michael approve all the designs, but he also helped design many of the items. They were supposed to be released with the launch of his concert in London, but do to the pop stars death; they'll be released a little differently.
The line will come out soon and will be sold not only online but also in Target and JC Penney. We are pretty sure that this will probably be a "sold out" experience, so stay tuned here for all the latest news about the release so you can grab your good first. .
This upcoming Spring, Swarovski launches its new concept store, Swarovski CRYSTALLIZED in New York City. The exciting part is that the new store will allow consumers the opportunity to customize their jewelry as well as purchase the extensive ready wear collection.
Besides their amazing ready to wear collection, you can also get a personal stylist when you walk into their new store as well as digital and interactive fun. According to Swarovski: "For those who require a helping hand, interactive fun can be had with two specially created software tools. The online Jewelry Store’s design tool allows customers to discover their design preferences and create customized pieces. The tool can be used at home or in-store, where staff can offer hands-on guidance. It offers a whole range of individual templates, where crystal colors, shapes and cuts can be altered."
After you go through the process, your designs are made to order and can be picked up at the store in two weeks. The personal stylist can also help you pick jewel shapes and color based on your hair, eyes, skin tone and facial features.
Another new movie is being launched about the life of Coco Chanel. However, this movie will be focusing on the life of Chanel after she became famous. Coco was a pioneering woman who allowed women to feel powerful all over the world because of her clothing and her revolutionary fragrance.
Before Coco became famous she was an orphan and an ambitious soon to be business woman. The new movie is based on the book L'irreguliere. Check out the trailer:
You think Micheal Jackson's death was a global mourning? How about the fact that Christain Lacroix announced Tuesday that his Paris fashion show would most likely be his last haute couture show.
However, the reality of fact is that Christain Lacroix is a victim of the economy, money was so tight that his friends and supporters had to pitch in to make the show happen. Only 12 models were paid, a shoe company donated the shoe.... an embroidery label worked for free.... the list goes on. Here are some qoutes from some of his admirers:
"People are very moved," said Didier Grumbach, who heads the Chambre Syndical, which regulates Paris' haute couture labels. "There's no question he is an artist and needs to express himself. The difficulty is that we are in an industry, we are not in contemporary art."
"I must admit I was really touched because for me, he is simply the greatest," said longtime fashion critic Isabelle Chalencon
"It's simply not possible that a label like this one can disappear," said Chalencon, a journalist at France-2 television.
"I can't think this is the end," Lacroix said in a backstage interview. "It's the beginning of something, I hope."
The most touching moment of the show was when Christian made his final lap around the catwalk as fans held up a banner that read "Christian Lacroix forever".
Giant replicas of Chanel number 5 perfume bottles were an unforgettable and noticeable presence on Karl Lagerfeld's haute couture show at the Grand Palais last night. Not only did Lagerfeld remind the fashion industry that during hard economic time, ingenuity, like fragrance and other products, can help the keep fashion houses afloat. Coco Chanel not only understood that, her fragrance continues to be a favorite today.
The show was stunning, but we loved the way reinvented some of Chanel Classics including the day suit. Check out the innovative recreations:
During these economic times fashion weeks have been receiving disappointing reviews from newspapers and online news websites around the globe. From designers feeling the return on their investment was null and void due to the lack of buyers to the press feeling that the events were put together badly, fashion weeks around the world have been falling short.
However, recently the New York Times (NYT) gave Berlin Fashion Week the seal of approval by writing a great editorial and praising the shows; calling the entire fashion week full of "raw energy".
According to the Mayor of the city that Berlin Fashion Week was held, "Berlin ist arm, aber sexy" or "poor, but sexy." which is the same reason the the NYT gave Berlin such a great review. According to them:
"Scattered slabs of concrete, still daubed with their original graffiti, are pertinent reminders that 2009 marks 20 years since the fall of the Berlin Wall. But the cultural revolution that came with the fusion of the city’s East and West is even more visible as arty photographs in smart spaces, music pulsating from abandoned government buildings and fashion that reflects this hot, hip and happening city.
From the discomforting sight of homeless people from public shelters as models at Patrick Mohr’s show, to the gritty glamour of the Boss Orange line strutted through a former electricity plant on the city’s outer fringes, Berlin Fashion Week, which closed last weekend, had a distinctive raw energy."
Fashion is art, and in times of struggle the creativity of designers should flourish.
Using the power of Web 2.0, Sonnet Models is launching a global modeling competition using Facebook.
The competition allows voters to choose the winner of the "Sonnet Face of the World" competition. With 33 locations and available modeling contracts with Elite, Scene and Click as well as Diva, the competition is definitely worth entering.
The interesting part of the competition comes from Sonnet's searching technology used with Facebook and other social networking applications. According to sonnet:
"Although simple and intuitive, the application is also incredibly powerful. By gathering millions of consumer opinions from around the world, the patent-pending sorting algorithms will allow modeling agencies to instantly find the best models - even if they have to meet very specific criteria. Finding a model who appeals specifically to women in Miami aged 35-40 may seem like a difficult task, but a simple search on Sonnet will locate the best candidates in seconds."
Yesterday Forbes reporter Lauren Sherman names the World's most stylish cities. New York and Madrid got major props, but who got the coveted number one spot? Here's the breakdown:
10 Barcelona
Fashion PR firm XXL brings Stella McCartney and Tom Ford press samples on sale
Contemporary furniture style
Funky Architecture
Amazing boutiques
9 San Francisco:
Amazing number of second-hand vintage boutiques carrying hand me downs Yves Saint Laurent and Chanel
Product and Industrial Design Communities
Apple headquarters
8 Madrid:
Historic architecture
Famous Madrid Fashion Week
Amazing designers
7 Tokyo:
Famous designers like Comme des Garcons Rei Kawakubu and Yoji Yamamoto
Influential street fashion
6 Los Angeles
CFDA Designers including Rodarte and Band Outsiders
Modern architecture
Amazing bodies
Hollywood glam
5 Rome
Garden design and architecture
Fashion inspired movie history
Neoclassic buildings
4 London
Amazing street fashion
Emerging designers
Central Saint Martins where Stella McCartney and Alexander McQueen graduated
Affordable shopping spots like Topshop
3 New York
5th avenue and lower east side shopping
Affordable vintage
New York Fashion Week
Art galleries
Fashion icons like Anna Wintour, Calvin Klein and Chole Sevigny
2 Milan
Flashy designers frequent there like Roberto Cavalli and Versace
Suzi Roher, the Toronto based belt designer, created Swarovski’s newest one of a kind fashion belt.
