Comments (0)

By sally, July 8, 2010 1:57 pm

LADIES, breathe a sigh of relief. After seasons of teetering on towering stilettos, battling with abstract wedges and navigating the perils of platforms, spring/summer brings an end to the balancing act. Welcome the new low heel.

We know, they haven’t always scored high on the lust front, but with Chloe, Stella McCartney, Marni and Missoni pioneering the new heel height you can expect to be impressed. Chloe’s take their shape from a pirate boot, with wide saddle leather buckled straps, while Marni’s bronze and black suede sandals make a great evening option, and Missoni’s boast a wooden sole (jump on the bandwagon; wooden soles are everywhere this season).

Warning: once tried, you’ll never want to wear heels again.

Comments (0)

By sally, July 7, 2010 3:13 pm

The Haute Couture Fashion Week has begun and the high fashion market has posted some very positive sales news. Top Parisian labels, including Chanel, Dior and Jean Paul Gaultier, have revealed a marked increase in both sales and demand. ”We have received so many orders, we are not sure we can deliver them,” said Dior ceo Sidney Toledano. “The demand is here. The number of clients has increased – they are looking for high quality, and haute couture is the summit. I’m very optimistic for the future,” he continued. “In the business of couture, the numbers are becoming interesting. The rise has been credited to an influx of orders from China, the Middle East and Russia. Chanel has seen a rise “between 20 and 30 per cent” over the past year.

“There is no end of the season,” said Bruno Pavlovsky, president of fashion at Chanel to WWD. “The people who are interested in couture, they are quite active at the moment. They can come at any time.”

Kicking off this week’s shows today are Bouchra Jarra, Dior, and new comer Axelis Mabille. Tomorrow sees new offerings from Armani Prive, Chanel and Givenchy – the last time the label will show its highest end collections in catwalk format after it opted to conduct individual appointments. Elie Saab, Gaultier and Valentino will round up the event. This year’s event will also see the introduction of jewellery on the official couture schedule. Van Cleef & Arpels and Chanel Joaillerie will both present their new collections.

Comments (0)

By sally, June 24, 2010 2:18 pm

Amsale Aberra was born in Ethiopia, Amsale  at first just want to come to the United States to study commercial art courses for some time, but left her hometown of political turmoil had to remain in the United States to continue their studies. In order to work-study program, Amsale started trying to design their own clothes, and all kinds of different kind of African style clothing for her customers greatly welcomed.  Amsale at the University of Massachusetts political science degree after leaving Boston, and went to Fashion Institute of Technology to study fashion design after graduation, Amsale smoothly as Harve Benard designers.  In 1985, Amsale found in organizing the wedding to find an elegantly simple wedding turned out to be so difficult, so she decided it-yourself design aesthetic dream wedding, this same time she also found that waits to be the wedding design industry Perhaps it would become a turning point in her career, so she chose to rent a loft in her new career began.  Experienced 20 years of ups and downs, Amsale wedding today has grown to include series, gown series, and custom evening wear fashion brand in New York.

In autumn and winter 2010 conference in New York, whether it is Kenneth Pool’s gorgeous dream, or Christos Bridal elegant atmosphere, or Amsale simple, attention to detail style characteristics, are beginning to pay attention so that everyone behind the scenes of the soul of those dazzling wedding master of Amsale Aberra .

Comments (0)

By sally, June 23, 2010 4:11 pm

Stefano Gabbana and Domenico Dolce celebrated 20 years of their menswear business in Milan on the weekend with a multi-media event, exhibition, and gala in Piazza della Scala. The duo were joined by Hollywood heavyweights including Rachel Weisz, Morgan Freeman and Matthew McConaughey and by some of the biggest names in Italian fashion - Franca Sozzani,Francesco Scognamiglio, Giovanna Battaglia, Roberto Rimondi and Tommaso Aquilano and Margherita Missoni.

Eva Herzigova, Peaches Geldof and Monica Belluci were also a part of the Dolce & Gabbana-clad crowd that toasted the boys’ menswear success with the new Martini Gold by Dolce & Gabbana – a fitting tipple for such a milestone.
Many models were in different stages of undress; this was a Dolce & Gabbana show after all. Bare-chested and in boxer shorts or swimming trunks (which at one stage appeared in a 1970’s stripy retro guise), the beefed-up models stormed the catwalk from a back stage area which was filmed and broadcast live on screens in the main hall. It turned out to be a ‘Best Of D&G’ collection, with a distinctive rugged and ripped look, dominated by braided leather accessories and rustic knitwear.

Comments (0)

By sally, June 22, 2010 11:09 pm

The ashes of late British fashion designer Alexander McQueen have been scattered on the Isle of Skye off Scotland’s west coast, in line with his final wishes, his family said on Monday. McQueen, who rose from a modest background to become one of the world’s most flamboyant and high-profile designers, committed suicide in February on the day before his mother’s funeral.  A  family statement said: “On the 29th May 2010, Lee Alexander McQueen was laid to rest on the Isle of Skye. ”Lee cherished the times that he was able to spend on the Isle of Skye — he enjoyed the beauty, peace and tranquillity. It was Lee’s final request that his ashes should be buried at Kilmuir,” it said.  They also thanked Isabella MacDonald and her family at the local Kinloch Lodge Hotel on Skye, “whose support at this sad time was of immense help in making it possible for them to carry out Lee’s wishes.” The body of the 40-year-old was found hanged in a wardrobe in his central London flat. An inquest into his death concluded in April that he had taken cocaine, sleeping pills and tranquillisers before killing himself. McQueen was one of fashion’s superstars and designed for Givenchy before being creative director of his own label. His death cast a cloud over New York’s and London’s Fashion Week, which was just about to start when he died.

Comments (0)

By sally, June 21, 2010 3:54 pm

JONATHAN SAUNDERS was last night crowned Scottish Designer of the Year at the fifth anniversary Scottish Fashion Awards, held at Glasgow’s Science Centre. Complete with its own tartan – as opposed to red – carpet, guests to the annual celebration of Scottish design talent included David Gandy, Amanda Wakeley, Graeme Black, Antonio Berardi, Markus Lupfer, Peter Jensen, Holly Fulton and Louise Gray – all of whom enjoyed a VIP dinner and runway show from Swarovski after the night’s winners were revealed.

Holly Fulton scooped Scottish Young Designer of the Year, while Scottish Accessory Designer of the Year went to William Chambers. Lisa Omond took home the award for Scottish Model of the Year and Markus Lupfer won International Designer of the Year (for use of a Scottish fabric), and, as we revealed last week, Malcolm Edwards was inducted into the Scottish Hall of Fame. ”Tonight the Scottish Fashion Awards have once more proudly showcased and celebrated the best of the country’s fashion talent, talent that can be seen taking over the industry all over the world, in every role – from models to designers, photographers, hairstylists, textile designers and more,” said Tessa Hartmann, founder and producer of the event. “The event has proved yet again that Scotland’s so-called ‘fashion moment’ is in fact no such thing – Scots are ruling the runways and they’re not going anywhere.”

Comments (0)

By sally, June 20, 2010 10:19 pm

Rachel Zoe (born September 1, 1971) is an American fashion stylist and author best known for working with celebrities, fashion houses, beauty firms, advertising agencies, and magazine editors. In 2008, the first season of her Bravo reality television series The Rachel Zoe Project debuted. She is married to Rodger Berman, with whom she went to college at The George Washington University, in Washington, DC.

After years of speculation, it’s all happening! Rachel Zoe–she of the catch phrases and maxi dresses –is launching her own apparel collection, which will be manufactured by mammoth firm Li and Fung. The celebrity stylist already does accessories and outwears collection for QVC, but this line will be a little more upscale. She’ll be selling to boutiques, as well as department stores like Bloomingdale’s and Nordstrom. In fact, it seems like the line will be competing against former protégé Nicole Richie’s collection, Winter Kate, for floor space. Zoe said that her signature looks–fake fur, Halston-inspired dresses–will be present. (However, she’s still in the midst of hiring a design team.)

Comments (0)

By Nwinkus, June 16, 2010 10:26 pm

Kogals (コギャル kogyaru, lit. “small/child girl”) are a subculture of girls and young women in urban Japan, one of several types of so-called gals. They are characterized by conspicuously displaying their disposable incomes through unique tastes in fashion, music, and social activity. In general, the kogal “look” roughly approximates a sun-tanned California Valley girl, and indeed, the similarities between the two extend to the linguistic, for both subcultures have derived entire sets of slang terms (コギャル語 “ko-gyaru-go”). Kogals are not to be confused with the ganguro subculture, although they are similar. Kogals are known for wearing platform boots, a miniskirt, copious amounts of makeup, hair coloring (usually blond), artificial suntans, and designer accessories. If in school uniform, the look typically includes skirts pinned very high and loose socks (large baggy

socks (large baggy socks that go up to the knee). Kogals’ busy social lives and desire for new material goods leads them to be among the first consumers of Japanese cell phone technology, and their taste in clothes tends toward names such as Burberry scarves and Louis Vuitton handbags. Kogals spend much of their free time (and their father’s income) shopping, and their culture centers around the Shibuya district of Tokyo, in particular the 109 building, although any major Japanese city is sure to have at least a small population. During the summer, kogals may sometimes be seen at the beach. They are generally not seen in high-end department stores. Critics of the Kogal subculture decry its materialism as reflecting a larger psychological or spiritual emptiness in modern Japanese life. Some kogals support their lifestyle with allowances from wealthy parents, living a “freeter” or “parasite single” existence that grates against traditional principles of duty and industry. A small minority appear in pornography to finance their habits. More may engage in the practice of “compensated dating”, or enjo kōsai, which may at times border on quasi-legal prostitution. Internet-based usage of this term has led some Western observers to the mistake of believing that “kogal” means “prostitute”.The kogal phenomenon emerged in the mid-1990s and its effects can still be seen today in its numerous off-shoots of sub-categories, although conservative tastes in dress and hair color seem to be on the upswing. Interestingly enough, the Gothic Lolita aesthetic has been described as a reaction to the kogal look.

Comments (1)

By Nwinkus, June 14, 2010 8:07 pm

materials of the world is an Adidas brain child , forever the forward thinkers they produced a range of different material shoes modelled in their image one such range was the gazelle and they numbered 500 pairs only, as the fable goes, well at least in the LAND OF THE SNEAKER, however the material used for the Gazelle was the Vlisco (Hollandis)  a lot of them looked okay but if I had to design them I would probably us the material sparingly to add value as opposed to an entire base judge for yourself  here  are some of the entries above and  below.

Comments (1)

By Nwinkus, June 9, 2010 2:31 pm

Vlisco over the years have brought us a lot of fantastic and unique  pattern designs, and if the truth be told the African fashion scene and the interests that have began to show up in world fashion. Now the Vlisco brand have decided to go one step further and enter into the bag accessorie with set of designs called HAUTE MAROQUINERIE  the picture on the left is a tote bag with a cotton wax print  laminated with a clear PVC film which not only enhances the souplesse of the material but protects it thereby making this bag  unique when viewed through the different looks of the specific Vlisco flower prints. While in the shawl accessory market with a 100 % silk shawl they have called MAMA . It’s a known fact that the accessories market is big business and its quite exciting to see how Vlisco intends to enhance the spark  in a trendthat is African fashion, in what is a very crowded accessories market, but one that is begging for something totally different. I have always felt that trends are seasonal and cyclical, but style is continuous and morphs, in general different parts of the globe have their own style and colours though there is a lot of overlap distinctions are highlighted as opposed to parallels, this will not be the first attempt at using this fabric to create accessories, but I hope it is about to become the most visible and sustained and with the clout and financial backing of this print design company I would expect that in some part of the global fashion establishment you might be seeing the birth of  a sub-genre in the accessory market which will be aligned with our distinct African style.