Fashion war in Bangalore
With a new fashion weekend ready to take on the city's fashion week, the similarity in the titles has the organizers battling it out
There's nothing as exciting as a little disharmony in showbiz. The fashion scene in Bangalore may not be as vibrant as in Mumbai or Delhi, but an interesting title tussle between the organizers of two upcoming dos in the city may provide just the right spark. The promoters of the Bangalore Fashion Week, which has had seven editions so far, are now arming themselves to protect their name, as a new event called the Bangalore Fashion Weekend is on the anvil.
Feroz Khan, of the Bangalore Fashion Week (BFW), says, "We will not allow people to alter the name and have an event by banking on our popularity. One can have another fashion event in the city; we have no issues with that, but only as long as it doesn't interfere or piggyback on our name. What is the point of trademark and copyright laws if we aren't allowed ownership of titles that we've registered."
Meanwhile, Prasad Bidapa, who is organizing the Bangalore Fashion Weekend, defends his event. "This is going to be a twoday event with brands and designers exclusively from the city. Unlike the other event, where most of the city's fashion fraternity does not partake in the shows, this will have all the big names from the industry participating. We had registered the logo for Bangalore Fashion Weekend long ago."
And while Prasad is ready to take on the BFW head-on, it is interesting to note that the latter has in the past managed to stop events with similar titles. These include names like the Bangalore International Fashion Week and Bangalore Couture Week. Feroz says, " We have sought the opinion of our legal team to take care of this event too, as we want to protect the interest of the brand that we've built over the past four years."
Prasad, who was in Colombo for an event when we spoke to him, says, "We are keen on promoting our designers as we will have big buyers attending the fashion weekend. Once I'm back in Bangalore, I will deal with all other issues, if there are any."
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Make way for Pakistan’s fashion bloggers
Make way for Pakistan’s fashion bloggers
Recent years have seen a tremendous surge in the field of fashion blogging — with prominent fashion bloggers like Katherine Kallon and Tavi Gevinson getting front row seats at major fashion shows, being treated like Vogue and Marie Claire editors.
The Pakistani fashion industry, with all its progress in recent years, has also observed a healthy influx of fashion bloggers itself. Let’s take a look at some of Pakistan’s best fashion blogs, which have made marks on radars of avid fashion followers with their quality of work, in-depth coverage and frequency of publication.
Pink 2.55
Launched back in 2010, Pink 2.55 is the brainchild of Amara Javed, who has been running it solely ever since.
Known for its extensive coverage of fashion from red carpet events in New York to Bollywood, the runways of Lahore and event launches in Karachi, Pink 2.55 is one of the most popular and well-recognised fashion blogs to have come out of Pakistan.
Taking its name from the iconic Chanel 2.55 bag, Pink 2.55 has created quite a niche for itself among fashion lovers in Pakistan.
It was the winner of Best Fashion Blog at the Pakistan Blog Awards in 2011 and Javed was declared as one of the top 140 Twitterati of 2011 by The Express Tribune as well.
She declares Muse, Sania Maskatiya, Fahad Hussayn, Kamiar Rokni and high-street brands such as Khaadi and Daaman as the big guns in the industry right now.
Secret Closet:
Secret Closet might be a new entrant but in its short time span of existence, it has found itself a dedicated readership due to its curtailed and refined coverage of fashion in Pakistan.
Secret Closet hails itself more as an online fashion portal than a blog, the very feature that distinguishes it from a bevy of other online fashion supplements coming out of the country.
Managed by a dedicated team of content writers and guest contributors, Secret Closet is providing something that even the established fashion councils failed at doing – the provision of detailed profiling of designers, collections and upcoming events.
With a directory maintaining profiles of over 120 designers and an ambition to discover and promote new talent, Secret Closet has garnered a fan base of over 7,000 and witnessed 200,000 plus visitors so far.
It has offered contributions to The Express Tribune Life & Style pages recently as well.
A Wardrobe Affair:
Run by Anber Javed, A Wardrobe Affair is from one of the new crops of fashion bloggers who have created an impact with their peculiar take on celebrity style.
Launched in March this year, a healthy dose of both Pakistan and Indian fashion can be found on this blog. Javed’s work is more red carpet oriented than runway.
She covers red carpet looks and celebrity appearances replete with pictures and a careful dissection of their head-to-toe appearance.
Engineer by day and fashion blogger by night, Javed is based in Islamabad and says the one thing she would like to see changing in the industry is fashion council politics.
Style Stripped:
Style Stripped is one of Pakistan’s earliest fashion blogs and one which has sustained for quite long. When it comes to trend and style spotting, Style Stripped has unarguably the keenest eye of all.
The blog found its way to prominence due to its extensive knowledge and penchant for Western fashion which set the benchmark for its features like ‘Bag Spotting’ and ‘Seeing Double’.
Style Stripped started out in 2008 and has witnessed everything from fashion week upheavals to the invasion of the red carpet culture.
Speaking about the industry’s current dynamics, Style Stripped finds the retail pricing issue to be tricky and finds inflated abnormal prices by designers as off-puting sometimes.
Its current favourites include Elan, Bunto Kazmi and Sania Maskatiya.
Recent years have seen a tremendous surge in the field of fashion blogging — with prominent fashion bloggers like Katherine Kallon and Tavi Gevinson getting front row seats at major fashion shows, being treated like Vogue and Marie Claire editors.
The Pakistani fashion industry, with all its progress in recent years, has also observed a healthy influx of fashion bloggers itself. Let’s take a look at some of Pakistan’s best fashion blogs, which have made marks on radars of avid fashion followers with their quality of work, in-depth coverage and frequency of publication.
Pink 2.55
Launched back in 2010, Pink 2.55 is the brainchild of Amara Javed, who has been running it solely ever since.
Known for its extensive coverage of fashion from red carpet events in New York to Bollywood, the runways of Lahore and event launches in Karachi, Pink 2.55 is one of the most popular and well-recognised fashion blogs to have come out of Pakistan.
Taking its name from the iconic Chanel 2.55 bag, Pink 2.55 has created quite a niche for itself among fashion lovers in Pakistan.
It was the winner of Best Fashion Blog at the Pakistan Blog Awards in 2011 and Javed was declared as one of the top 140 Twitterati of 2011 by The Express Tribune as well.
She declares Muse, Sania Maskatiya, Fahad Hussayn, Kamiar Rokni and high-street brands such as Khaadi and Daaman as the big guns in the industry right now.
Secret Closet:
Secret Closet might be a new entrant but in its short time span of existence, it has found itself a dedicated readership due to its curtailed and refined coverage of fashion in Pakistan.
Secret Closet hails itself more as an online fashion portal than a blog, the very feature that distinguishes it from a bevy of other online fashion supplements coming out of the country.
Managed by a dedicated team of content writers and guest contributors, Secret Closet is providing something that even the established fashion councils failed at doing – the provision of detailed profiling of designers, collections and upcoming events.
With a directory maintaining profiles of over 120 designers and an ambition to discover and promote new talent, Secret Closet has garnered a fan base of over 7,000 and witnessed 200,000 plus visitors so far.
It has offered contributions to The Express Tribune Life & Style pages recently as well.
A Wardrobe Affair:
Run by Anber Javed, A Wardrobe Affair is from one of the new crops of fashion bloggers who have created an impact with their peculiar take on celebrity style.
Launched in March this year, a healthy dose of both Pakistan and Indian fashion can be found on this blog. Javed’s work is more red carpet oriented than runway.
She covers red carpet looks and celebrity appearances replete with pictures and a careful dissection of their head-to-toe appearance.
Engineer by day and fashion blogger by night, Javed is based in Islamabad and says the one thing she would like to see changing in the industry is fashion council politics.
Style Stripped:
Style Stripped is one of Pakistan’s earliest fashion blogs and one which has sustained for quite long. When it comes to trend and style spotting, Style Stripped has unarguably the keenest eye of all.
The blog found its way to prominence due to its extensive knowledge and penchant for Western fashion which set the benchmark for its features like ‘Bag Spotting’ and ‘Seeing Double’.
Style Stripped started out in 2008 and has witnessed everything from fashion week upheavals to the invasion of the red carpet culture.
Speaking about the industry’s current dynamics, Style Stripped finds the retail pricing issue to be tricky and finds inflated abnormal prices by designers as off-puting sometimes.
Its current favourites include Elan, Bunto Kazmi and Sania Maskatiya.
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Metallics, florals and futuristic edge rock London fashion
Metallics, florals and futuristic edge rock London fashion
Rainbow coloured metallics, abstract prints and edgy florals sashayed down the runway on day four of London Fashion Week, which featured a star-studded line-up of designers from Peter Pilotto to Christopher Kane and Burberry’s Christopher Bailey.
The day opened with Peter Pilotto, which saw its designers Peter Pilotto and Christopher de Vos take a step back from their usual colour palette, with a collection of monochrome pieces featuring boxy cropped jackets, revealing pencil skirts and ruffled peplum details.
“We never did black and white before, so it felt really fresh,” de Vos told Reuters backstage after the show.
The design duo is famous for their use of digital print, which was used across the collection in an abstract and contrasting way.
“It’s always print. Digital print is core of it, and it’s just so great because you can just express so many things, so in different ways you can make all these different layers, it’s just so limitless,” he added.
Graphic prints and geometric shapes gave the clothes a modern feel, with square mirrors, beading and woven embroidery adding another layer of texture to the clothes. Day dresses featured lace cut-outs and cap-sleeves in cross bodice tops.
Cobalt blues, scarlet reds, and bright lilacs served to enhance the monochrome pieces at first, before flourishing into full bursts of colour on the catwalk intermixed with black and white effects.
Scottish designer Christopher Kane added a futuristic edge to his vision for Spring/Summer 2013, fusing nuts and bolts, bows and plastic ruffles.
The collection featured boxy white jackets, candy-coloured pleated dresses held together with nuts and bolts, and tailored dresses in white, canary yellow and muted neutral prints embellished with bows, detailed beading and masking tape.
The designer revamped his trademark bandage dress using plastic ruffles and nipped-in waists, added floaty skirts to draped dresses and kept accessories minimal, with models wearing matching shoes in neutral shades, detailed with spikes, spirals, nuts and bolts.
“It’s such extraordinary sophistication combined with absolute creative brilliance, it’s so out of the box the way he is thinking, and it was just incredible, and I think that’s increasingly what London is becoming known for,” Lucy Yeomans, editor-in-chief of fashion retail site Net-A-Porter.com, told Reuters after the show.
Wild side
Fashion designer Christopher Kane (2nd R) watches a rehearsal before the presentation of his Christopher Kane Spring/Summer 2013 collection at London Fashion Week, September 17, 2012. — Reuters pic
Kane, 30, has become a staple of British fashion after launching his own label in 2006, gaining recognition for his creativity with colour (using solely neon hues for his first collection) and shapes, presenting bold and vibrant creations.
Designer Erdem Moralioglu introduced a wild side to his collection of pastels and florals for spring/summer 2013, adding snakeskin panels to his feminine dresses.
Models at Erdem wore sleek side-parted hairstyles as they walked down the runway in vibrant pinks, oranges, yellows and blues, with floral embroidery on sheer and light fabrics. While the shapes were kept lady-like with long tailored skirts and modest sleeveless tops, the vivid colors lent playfulness to the collection.
Canadian-born British designer Moralioglu has been making waves with his innovative use of intricate prints since his own label launched in 2005, and won the British Fashion Council’s (BFC) Fashion Forward Award in 2005, and the BFC and Vogue’s Designer Fashion Fund in 2010.
Burberry Chief Creative Officer Christopher Bailey finished the day with an explosion of saturated metallic hues, drawing his inspiration from Norman Parkinson photographs and the company’s archive of capes and corsets.
“The collection was a bit more joyful and quite sassy and a bit sexy,” Bailey told reporters backstage.
“It’s about taking those kind of authentic signature DNA elements from what Burberry is about, our heritage and our history. But then making them, of the moment and kind of giving them a spirit.”
Bailey delivered an explosion of rainbow-coloured metallic trench coats, fitted corsets, slinky pencil skirts and sleek silk dresses in raspberry pinks, emerald greens and sapphire blues also featured laced with a metallic edge.
The trench coat — a Burberry staple — appeared in a variety of different forms. Classic styles were covered in colored metallic lace, capes came in both long and short versions and cropped structured jackets created boxy shoulders with slim silhouettes.
The show was streamed live to stores worldwide and online.
“I think when you do a show, it’s kind of a perfect opportunity for people to feel your brand and your image and kind of these ideas, music, lights and beautiful girls.”
US Vogue Editor Anna Wintour, tennis player Andy Murray and performer Dita von Teese all turned up for the show.
“The coats are always one of my favourite things but I’m really loving all the accessories right now too,” von Teese told Reuters.
Rainbow coloured metallics, abstract prints and edgy florals sashayed down the runway on day four of London Fashion Week, which featured a star-studded line-up of designers from Peter Pilotto to Christopher Kane and Burberry’s Christopher Bailey.
The day opened with Peter Pilotto, which saw its designers Peter Pilotto and Christopher de Vos take a step back from their usual colour palette, with a collection of monochrome pieces featuring boxy cropped jackets, revealing pencil skirts and ruffled peplum details.
“We never did black and white before, so it felt really fresh,” de Vos told Reuters backstage after the show.
The design duo is famous for their use of digital print, which was used across the collection in an abstract and contrasting way.
“It’s always print. Digital print is core of it, and it’s just so great because you can just express so many things, so in different ways you can make all these different layers, it’s just so limitless,” he added.
Graphic prints and geometric shapes gave the clothes a modern feel, with square mirrors, beading and woven embroidery adding another layer of texture to the clothes. Day dresses featured lace cut-outs and cap-sleeves in cross bodice tops.
Cobalt blues, scarlet reds, and bright lilacs served to enhance the monochrome pieces at first, before flourishing into full bursts of colour on the catwalk intermixed with black and white effects.
Scottish designer Christopher Kane added a futuristic edge to his vision for Spring/Summer 2013, fusing nuts and bolts, bows and plastic ruffles.
The collection featured boxy white jackets, candy-coloured pleated dresses held together with nuts and bolts, and tailored dresses in white, canary yellow and muted neutral prints embellished with bows, detailed beading and masking tape.
The designer revamped his trademark bandage dress using plastic ruffles and nipped-in waists, added floaty skirts to draped dresses and kept accessories minimal, with models wearing matching shoes in neutral shades, detailed with spikes, spirals, nuts and bolts.
“It’s such extraordinary sophistication combined with absolute creative brilliance, it’s so out of the box the way he is thinking, and it was just incredible, and I think that’s increasingly what London is becoming known for,” Lucy Yeomans, editor-in-chief of fashion retail site Net-A-Porter.com, told Reuters after the show.
Wild side
Fashion designer Christopher Kane (2nd R) watches a rehearsal before the presentation of his Christopher Kane Spring/Summer 2013 collection at London Fashion Week, September 17, 2012. — Reuters pic
Kane, 30, has become a staple of British fashion after launching his own label in 2006, gaining recognition for his creativity with colour (using solely neon hues for his first collection) and shapes, presenting bold and vibrant creations.
Designer Erdem Moralioglu introduced a wild side to his collection of pastels and florals for spring/summer 2013, adding snakeskin panels to his feminine dresses.
Models at Erdem wore sleek side-parted hairstyles as they walked down the runway in vibrant pinks, oranges, yellows and blues, with floral embroidery on sheer and light fabrics. While the shapes were kept lady-like with long tailored skirts and modest sleeveless tops, the vivid colors lent playfulness to the collection.
Canadian-born British designer Moralioglu has been making waves with his innovative use of intricate prints since his own label launched in 2005, and won the British Fashion Council’s (BFC) Fashion Forward Award in 2005, and the BFC and Vogue’s Designer Fashion Fund in 2010.
Burberry Chief Creative Officer Christopher Bailey finished the day with an explosion of saturated metallic hues, drawing his inspiration from Norman Parkinson photographs and the company’s archive of capes and corsets.
“The collection was a bit more joyful and quite sassy and a bit sexy,” Bailey told reporters backstage.
“It’s about taking those kind of authentic signature DNA elements from what Burberry is about, our heritage and our history. But then making them, of the moment and kind of giving them a spirit.”
Bailey delivered an explosion of rainbow-coloured metallic trench coats, fitted corsets, slinky pencil skirts and sleek silk dresses in raspberry pinks, emerald greens and sapphire blues also featured laced with a metallic edge.
The trench coat — a Burberry staple — appeared in a variety of different forms. Classic styles were covered in colored metallic lace, capes came in both long and short versions and cropped structured jackets created boxy shoulders with slim silhouettes.
The show was streamed live to stores worldwide and online.
“I think when you do a show, it’s kind of a perfect opportunity for people to feel your brand and your image and kind of these ideas, music, lights and beautiful girls.”
US Vogue Editor Anna Wintour, tennis player Andy Murray and performer Dita von Teese all turned up for the show.
“The coats are always one of my favourite things but I’m really loving all the accessories right now too,” von Teese told Reuters.
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Fashion Face-Off: Amanda Bynes vs. Lindsay...
Fashion Face-Off: Amanda Bynes vs. Lindsay...
It's the battle of the hot trainwrecks!
Both share a love of driving into things, pleading in front of judges and ruining their careers, but when it comes to these two child-actors-turned-bad-girls, who will get your vote for hottest fashion disaster: Amanda Bynes or Lindsay Lohan?
Even we at Fashion Police are having a hard time wrapping our heads around some of the choices these babes have made—in life and in fashion—which is why we need to examine the evidence thoroughly before throwing one of them into a padded cell.
See our fashion face-off between Kim Kardashian and Fergie!
Starting with fake tanning savant, Amanda! The bottle blonde was out in Studio City and dared to mix itty-bitty animal print with button-up patriotism in homage to truckstop workers the world over.
Meanwhile, LiLo's cazh look while dining out in Hollywood followed a similar "Short-shorts, men's shirt, ballet flats, no problem!" kinda vibe. Just as equally sloppy and just as painful for our eyes.
Moving on to what we like to call Courtroom Classy which, as any budding starlet on the brink of a nervous breakdown knows, is über-important to winning those crucial papz sympathy votes.
Here, Bynes is guilty until proven innocent of looking like a cheap secretary in a skintight pencil skirt, white button-up blouse, tailored jacket and stiletto heels.
Whereas la Lohan pulls out her '70s-inspired powder blue pantsuit, navy blouse, black pumps and equally aggressive bag in order to prove that she's a serious lady who is serious about not seriously partying anymore.
The evidence has been laid out before you and now it's time for final judgment: Which troubled starlet should face fashion jail time for her crimes? Tell us below and check out our full gallery of looks!
It's the battle of the hot trainwrecks!
Both share a love of driving into things, pleading in front of judges and ruining their careers, but when it comes to these two child-actors-turned-bad-girls, who will get your vote for hottest fashion disaster: Amanda Bynes or Lindsay Lohan?
Even we at Fashion Police are having a hard time wrapping our heads around some of the choices these babes have made—in life and in fashion—which is why we need to examine the evidence thoroughly before throwing one of them into a padded cell.
See our fashion face-off between Kim Kardashian and Fergie!
Starting with fake tanning savant, Amanda! The bottle blonde was out in Studio City and dared to mix itty-bitty animal print with button-up patriotism in homage to truckstop workers the world over.
Meanwhile, LiLo's cazh look while dining out in Hollywood followed a similar "Short-shorts, men's shirt, ballet flats, no problem!" kinda vibe. Just as equally sloppy and just as painful for our eyes.
Moving on to what we like to call Courtroom Classy which, as any budding starlet on the brink of a nervous breakdown knows, is über-important to winning those crucial papz sympathy votes.
Here, Bynes is guilty until proven innocent of looking like a cheap secretary in a skintight pencil skirt, white button-up blouse, tailored jacket and stiletto heels.
Whereas la Lohan pulls out her '70s-inspired powder blue pantsuit, navy blouse, black pumps and equally aggressive bag in order to prove that she's a serious lady who is serious about not seriously partying anymore.
The evidence has been laid out before you and now it's time for final judgment: Which troubled starlet should face fashion jail time for her crimes? Tell us below and check out our full gallery of looks!
Monday, September 17, 2012
Fashion Moves South
Fashion Moves South
ew York Fashion Week may have moved uptown from Bryant Park to Lincoln Center two years ago, but this season's shows demonstrated that designers are increasingly picking up their stilettos and heading south.
Hundreds of events consolidated this year in the Meatpacking District and along the High Line, far from the operation's center on the Upper West Side. Designers balked at higher labor costs and management fees, while looking for a hipper scene.
The number of events at Lincoln Center dropped to 67 this month from 87 in September 2010, according to an analysis of the independent FashionCalendar.com, which tracks the shows. A representative for IMG Fashion, the show's producer, said the number has held roughly steady at 88, but that a large number of events didn't make it into the fashion calendar for unknown reasons.
Moreover, turnover is high as many brands sought out venues that were more intimate and less corporate-feeling. Just 33 of the 87 designers who held their events at Lincoln Center in 2010 did so this fall, according to FashionCalendar.com.
Some of those defectors were among New York's most influential labels, including Tommy Hilfiger, Derek Lam, Prabal Gurung and Narciso Rodriguez.
"The reason we moved to a smaller venue was to have a more intimate show where the guests would be closer to the work," said Mr. Rodriguez, who held his show this season on West 37th Street.
During Fashion Week, from Sept. 6 through last Thursday, designers showed their spring 2013 collections at venues across the city, from the James A. Farley Post Office on West 33rd Street, to the Dia Art Foundation on West 22nd Street, to the Jane Hotel in the West Village. "The shows feel more spread out," said Michael Fink, dean of School of Fashion at the Savannah College of Art and Design, a longtime observer of Fashion Week.
IMG said the important point wasn't where the events are but how many there are. "The goal of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week has always been to help centralize the exhausting schedule of shows and events in a way that is efficient and convenient for buyers and the press," the company said. "Of course designers will sometimes choose to show at locations that work for one-off events or limited numbers, but that's beside the point."
An analysis of FashionCalendar.com showed that there were roughly 80 fewer for New York's fall Fashion Week, compared with September 2010.
Messrs. Hilfiger, Gurung and Lam didn't respond to requests for comment.
Some fashion observers saw utility in having shows at Lincoln Center. "If you're an editor going to multiple shows you'll hang around the tents and check it all out. It's convenient," said Alex Lebenthal, an investment adviser and author who attended several Fashion Week shows.
Designers and fashion executives have privately grumbled about IMG's management fees for its venues and Lincoln Center's union labor requirements.The large plaza at Lincoln Center allowed companies to dot the landscape with booths advertising products that seem to have little direct connection to fashion, such as energy drinks and Mercedes-Benz. That, coupled with the requirement that attendees wear passes on lanyards, gave the scene the air of a trade show—not exactly the image luxury brands selling $2,000 dresses wanted to portray.
Alternative venues have cropped up to attract designers' business. Mazdack Rassi started offering his photography venue, Milk Studios, for free to designers in 2008 in an attempt to give opportunities to emerging designers during the height of the financial crisis. Demand was so great, he helped form a company, MADE, to produce the fashion shows at Milk and the Standard Hotel on Washington Street.
MADE produced 50 shows this month, up from 41 during Fashion Week in February—its busiest ever season. "It's grown into an amazing sort of fashion collective," he said.
Sponsors have followed designers down south. Maren Hartman, lead U.S. trend analyst for WGSN, a global fashion consulting firm, started splitting her time between the tents at Lincoln Center and Milk Studios because, she said, her firm was missing out. This season, WGSN sponsored both venues: IMG's tents and MADE at Milk Studios.
"We wanted to be part of all of New York fashion week," Ms. Hartman said.
Jennifer Blumin, president at the Skylight Group, which renovates industrial spaces for high-end events and photo shoots, said clients are drawn to an ambiance of New York's history they don't find in spaces such as Lincoln Center.
"It gives a little bit of a sense of timelessness," she said. "When you're showing next spring's collection six months before, there's still a connection to times past, and the history of New York. That's something that the tents at Lincoln Center will never be able to do."
Mayor Michael Bloomberg praised both parts of his city, noting that Lincoln Center is a "fantastic home for Fashion Week." He also said: "Downtown has always been synonymous with cool, so it's no surprise that people are looking to those neighborhoods."
ew York Fashion Week may have moved uptown from Bryant Park to Lincoln Center two years ago, but this season's shows demonstrated that designers are increasingly picking up their stilettos and heading south.
Hundreds of events consolidated this year in the Meatpacking District and along the High Line, far from the operation's center on the Upper West Side. Designers balked at higher labor costs and management fees, while looking for a hipper scene.
The number of events at Lincoln Center dropped to 67 this month from 87 in September 2010, according to an analysis of the independent FashionCalendar.com, which tracks the shows. A representative for IMG Fashion, the show's producer, said the number has held roughly steady at 88, but that a large number of events didn't make it into the fashion calendar for unknown reasons.
Moreover, turnover is high as many brands sought out venues that were more intimate and less corporate-feeling. Just 33 of the 87 designers who held their events at Lincoln Center in 2010 did so this fall, according to FashionCalendar.com.
Some of those defectors were among New York's most influential labels, including Tommy Hilfiger, Derek Lam, Prabal Gurung and Narciso Rodriguez.
"The reason we moved to a smaller venue was to have a more intimate show where the guests would be closer to the work," said Mr. Rodriguez, who held his show this season on West 37th Street.
During Fashion Week, from Sept. 6 through last Thursday, designers showed their spring 2013 collections at venues across the city, from the James A. Farley Post Office on West 33rd Street, to the Dia Art Foundation on West 22nd Street, to the Jane Hotel in the West Village. "The shows feel more spread out," said Michael Fink, dean of School of Fashion at the Savannah College of Art and Design, a longtime observer of Fashion Week.
IMG said the important point wasn't where the events are but how many there are. "The goal of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week has always been to help centralize the exhausting schedule of shows and events in a way that is efficient and convenient for buyers and the press," the company said. "Of course designers will sometimes choose to show at locations that work for one-off events or limited numbers, but that's beside the point."
An analysis of FashionCalendar.com showed that there were roughly 80 fewer for New York's fall Fashion Week, compared with September 2010.
Messrs. Hilfiger, Gurung and Lam didn't respond to requests for comment.
Some fashion observers saw utility in having shows at Lincoln Center. "If you're an editor going to multiple shows you'll hang around the tents and check it all out. It's convenient," said Alex Lebenthal, an investment adviser and author who attended several Fashion Week shows.
Designers and fashion executives have privately grumbled about IMG's management fees for its venues and Lincoln Center's union labor requirements.The large plaza at Lincoln Center allowed companies to dot the landscape with booths advertising products that seem to have little direct connection to fashion, such as energy drinks and Mercedes-Benz. That, coupled with the requirement that attendees wear passes on lanyards, gave the scene the air of a trade show—not exactly the image luxury brands selling $2,000 dresses wanted to portray.
Alternative venues have cropped up to attract designers' business. Mazdack Rassi started offering his photography venue, Milk Studios, for free to designers in 2008 in an attempt to give opportunities to emerging designers during the height of the financial crisis. Demand was so great, he helped form a company, MADE, to produce the fashion shows at Milk and the Standard Hotel on Washington Street.
MADE produced 50 shows this month, up from 41 during Fashion Week in February—its busiest ever season. "It's grown into an amazing sort of fashion collective," he said.
Sponsors have followed designers down south. Maren Hartman, lead U.S. trend analyst for WGSN, a global fashion consulting firm, started splitting her time between the tents at Lincoln Center and Milk Studios because, she said, her firm was missing out. This season, WGSN sponsored both venues: IMG's tents and MADE at Milk Studios.
"We wanted to be part of all of New York fashion week," Ms. Hartman said.
Jennifer Blumin, president at the Skylight Group, which renovates industrial spaces for high-end events and photo shoots, said clients are drawn to an ambiance of New York's history they don't find in spaces such as Lincoln Center.
"It gives a little bit of a sense of timelessness," she said. "When you're showing next spring's collection six months before, there's still a connection to times past, and the history of New York. That's something that the tents at Lincoln Center will never be able to do."
Mayor Michael Bloomberg praised both parts of his city, noting that Lincoln Center is a "fantastic home for Fashion Week." He also said: "Downtown has always been synonymous with cool, so it's no surprise that people are looking to those neighborhoods."
Saturday, September 15, 2012
Fashion designer Pinto teams with Chicago museum
Fashion designer Pinto teams with Chicago museum
Designer Maria Pinto, well-known for dressing first lady Michelle Obama and Oprah Winfrey, used her eye for fashion to curate antiquities from the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago for a new exhibit that includes a century-old shredded bark Brazilian ceremonial costume and a woven monkey fur necklace.
The materials are a stretch from the rich, bright purple silk Pinto used to design the sheath Obama wore during the 2008 Democratic National Convention. “Fashion and The Field Museum Collection: Maria Pinto” opened Friday and includes an Inuit raincoat made of seal intestines. It was the first item that caught Pinto’s attention, she said.
“I could totally see anyone wearing it,” Pinto said. “What I loved about these creations was they had limited resources. They needed a raincoat and they realized they could use seal intestines. How creative is that?”
Pinto walked through the vast storage areas under the museum and chose items that appealed to her. Pinto and co-curator Alaka Wali chose 25 garments and adornments to pair with seven pieces from Pinto’s collections. The museum items are juxtaposed with Pinto’s designs.
“Part of the point is you can’t tell if she designed them or someone in the Andes Amazon designed them,” said Janet Hong, an exhibition project manager at the museum.
Another highlight is a full outfit designed by Pinto, who closed her Chicago boutique more than two years ago because of the poor economic climate. The outfit includes a structured blue wool coat, red fur collar and skinny pants. It was inspired by a Chinese theatrical headdress.
Pinto found herself particularly drawn to weapons, tools and armor in the museum collection. She matched metal elbow-length samurai gauntlets with a wool green suit for the office, saying the suit is modern-day armor for women.
“The whole idea of armor plays into a lot of how I envision what we wear every day,” Pinto said.
Other Pinto designs in the exhibit include a sequined chiffon shoulderless cocktail dress from her 2008 fall collection and a knee-length black silk taffeta, bias-cut cocktail dress from her 2010 spring collection.
The exhibition has a trendier feel than many other exhibits at the museum known for dinosaurs and mummies. A large video is projected on one wall showing images from the exhibit accompanied by techno music that might be heard on runways in New York.
“I wanted it to be something more contemporary,” Pinto said. “Make the music have an influence over the experience to the degree of making it more of an art gallery.”
Designer Maria Pinto, well-known for dressing first lady Michelle Obama and Oprah Winfrey, used her eye for fashion to curate antiquities from the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago for a new exhibit that includes a century-old shredded bark Brazilian ceremonial costume and a woven monkey fur necklace.
The materials are a stretch from the rich, bright purple silk Pinto used to design the sheath Obama wore during the 2008 Democratic National Convention. “Fashion and The Field Museum Collection: Maria Pinto” opened Friday and includes an Inuit raincoat made of seal intestines. It was the first item that caught Pinto’s attention, she said.
“I could totally see anyone wearing it,” Pinto said. “What I loved about these creations was they had limited resources. They needed a raincoat and they realized they could use seal intestines. How creative is that?”
Pinto walked through the vast storage areas under the museum and chose items that appealed to her. Pinto and co-curator Alaka Wali chose 25 garments and adornments to pair with seven pieces from Pinto’s collections. The museum items are juxtaposed with Pinto’s designs.
“Part of the point is you can’t tell if she designed them or someone in the Andes Amazon designed them,” said Janet Hong, an exhibition project manager at the museum.
Another highlight is a full outfit designed by Pinto, who closed her Chicago boutique more than two years ago because of the poor economic climate. The outfit includes a structured blue wool coat, red fur collar and skinny pants. It was inspired by a Chinese theatrical headdress.
Pinto found herself particularly drawn to weapons, tools and armor in the museum collection. She matched metal elbow-length samurai gauntlets with a wool green suit for the office, saying the suit is modern-day armor for women.
“The whole idea of armor plays into a lot of how I envision what we wear every day,” Pinto said.
Other Pinto designs in the exhibit include a sequined chiffon shoulderless cocktail dress from her 2008 fall collection and a knee-length black silk taffeta, bias-cut cocktail dress from her 2010 spring collection.
The exhibition has a trendier feel than many other exhibits at the museum known for dinosaurs and mummies. A large video is projected on one wall showing images from the exhibit accompanied by techno music that might be heard on runways in New York.
“I wanted it to be something more contemporary,” Pinto said. “Make the music have an influence over the experience to the degree of making it more of an art gallery.”
Friday, September 14, 2012
New York Fashion Week: Designs aim to lift mood says designer Michael Kors
New York Fashion Week: Designs aim to lift mood says designer Michael Kors
Just because times may be tough doesn’t mean women want to wear shrouds,” stated American fashion designer Michael Kors backstage, amid racks of some of the most optimistic clothes to hit the runways of New York fashion week.
“We’ve got to remember what a mood transformer fashion can be,” he pointed out. “Put something bright and beautiful on, and your whole attitude changes.” That’s certainly the theory behind fashion these days, unlike years gone by, when clothes were seen as a barometer of our socio-political climate.
See trends photo gallery here
And so, in defiance of America’s current uncertainty, the wildly successful Kors sent out a graphic collection inspired by West Coast architecture. His sharp tailoring and riffs on horizontal and vertical, thick and thin stripes, indicated this designer’s vision is crystal clear.
The modern, graphic approach to spring prevailed in other collections, too, most notably Marc Jacobs, whose bold offering was a complete turnaround from last season’s heavy play on Victoriana. In one of the most striking shows of the week, Jacobs took on a ’60s op art sensibility with his play on stripes, mostly in black in white, but also in beige and white and Bordeaux and white combos. The renegade designer also toyed with lengths, and dished out some yummy minis. Low slung skirts, dramatic column gowns, and a sequined black and white striped jumpsuit were all standouts, with footwear mostly low-heeled and pointy-toed. For his more accessible Marc collection, aimed at cool girls, platform shoes and sandals were worn with heavy socks, in a patchwork mix of checks and patterns that was brave, colourful, and ultimately relaxed.
Designer sisters Kate and Laura Mulleavy — their label is Rodarte — concocted imaginative outfits fit for a female knight. Front row guest Kirsten Dunst lapped up their Medieval fantasy fare, which had a bit of a sci-fi attitude. It included princess gowns and came in a variety of fabrications, from leather, pewter lame, brocades and chiffon to lace and crochet knits. Fringed leather jackets and one pair of tight leather lace-up pants, which sported rows of grommets, gave the collection a sexy edge, but knowing the Mulleavy sisters, it was romance that ultimately drove their creative steed.
At J Crew models styled like the label’s president, Jenna Lyons, in sleek ponytails and geek chic glasses, sported a colourful assortment of quirky pieces, jammed together in sassy ways. Brocade short shorts and blazers, striped shirts and floral print pants, pajama tops and skinny skirts.
Some designers still insist on sticking with just plain pretty. In that department, it’s hard to beat Oscar de la Renta. This season, he did get a little risqué with a couple of red latex garments. But overall, beautiful pieces like his macramé embroidered jacket, ribbon-embroidered dresses, evening jumpsuits, cocktail shorts and magnificent striped ball gowns reminded us why the man is a master.
Eastern influences inspired exotica on the catwalk, and at least two collections were inspired by India. Vera Wang played with shades of azure, cypress green, chartreuse, amethyst, and navy, and went to town with gold embroidered lace. The results were gorgeous, with damasks, brocades, jacquards, and chiffons all blossoming at the hand of the designer. At Marchesa, Georgina Chapman and her partner Karen Craig took their cues from the spirit of India in the ‘60s, citing the Beatles’ experience with the Maharishi as having informed their lovely collection. Ornate embroideries and jewel embellishments adorned gowns and dresses in lace, tulle, and brocade, and colour ran the gamut from chartreuse and teal to garnet, fuschia, coral and hot pink. Silk fringes added to the sensuality, and kitten-heel shoes punched up the ‘60s sensibility in this ultra luxe vision of red carpet exotica.
Exotic luxe was also the driving force behind Jeremy Scott’s edgy “Arab Spring” collection, and the irreverence that Scott is famous for surfaced in spades. “He’s opening the show with a burka,” screamed PR guru Kelly Cutrone backstage. Scott’s iconic print for the season was a whimsical combo of dollar logos, gilt and leopard, and his shiny bikini and over-the-knee boots, aqua snakeskin baseball shirt and flowing chiffon harem pants, all topped off with baseball caps, was a bazaar of eye candy. Canada’s own Jeremy Laing did us proud in the Big Apple once again with a strong array of silky architectural fare. His marshmallow white boxy garments, some constructed of pieces which snapped together, featured graphic strips of metallic beaded embroidery.
Meanwhile at Proenza Schouler, designers Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCullough’s play on leather and snakeskin made for spectacular garments . Inspired by the German painter Gerhard Richter, who produces paintings both abstract and photorealistic, Hernandez and McCullough dove into bright reds, greens, and blues, creating patchwork and perforated pieces that were absolute stand-outs.
So whether it’s graphic images, bold colours, brave cuts, or something as simple as razor sharp tailoring, Spring 2013 is shaping up to be a season of strong statements with a cacophony of clothes that are bound to be as empowering as they are mood transforming.
Just because times may be tough doesn’t mean women want to wear shrouds,” stated American fashion designer Michael Kors backstage, amid racks of some of the most optimistic clothes to hit the runways of New York fashion week.
“We’ve got to remember what a mood transformer fashion can be,” he pointed out. “Put something bright and beautiful on, and your whole attitude changes.” That’s certainly the theory behind fashion these days, unlike years gone by, when clothes were seen as a barometer of our socio-political climate.
See trends photo gallery here
And so, in defiance of America’s current uncertainty, the wildly successful Kors sent out a graphic collection inspired by West Coast architecture. His sharp tailoring and riffs on horizontal and vertical, thick and thin stripes, indicated this designer’s vision is crystal clear.
The modern, graphic approach to spring prevailed in other collections, too, most notably Marc Jacobs, whose bold offering was a complete turnaround from last season’s heavy play on Victoriana. In one of the most striking shows of the week, Jacobs took on a ’60s op art sensibility with his play on stripes, mostly in black in white, but also in beige and white and Bordeaux and white combos. The renegade designer also toyed with lengths, and dished out some yummy minis. Low slung skirts, dramatic column gowns, and a sequined black and white striped jumpsuit were all standouts, with footwear mostly low-heeled and pointy-toed. For his more accessible Marc collection, aimed at cool girls, platform shoes and sandals were worn with heavy socks, in a patchwork mix of checks and patterns that was brave, colourful, and ultimately relaxed.
Designer sisters Kate and Laura Mulleavy — their label is Rodarte — concocted imaginative outfits fit for a female knight. Front row guest Kirsten Dunst lapped up their Medieval fantasy fare, which had a bit of a sci-fi attitude. It included princess gowns and came in a variety of fabrications, from leather, pewter lame, brocades and chiffon to lace and crochet knits. Fringed leather jackets and one pair of tight leather lace-up pants, which sported rows of grommets, gave the collection a sexy edge, but knowing the Mulleavy sisters, it was romance that ultimately drove their creative steed.
At J Crew models styled like the label’s president, Jenna Lyons, in sleek ponytails and geek chic glasses, sported a colourful assortment of quirky pieces, jammed together in sassy ways. Brocade short shorts and blazers, striped shirts and floral print pants, pajama tops and skinny skirts.
Some designers still insist on sticking with just plain pretty. In that department, it’s hard to beat Oscar de la Renta. This season, he did get a little risqué with a couple of red latex garments. But overall, beautiful pieces like his macramé embroidered jacket, ribbon-embroidered dresses, evening jumpsuits, cocktail shorts and magnificent striped ball gowns reminded us why the man is a master.
Eastern influences inspired exotica on the catwalk, and at least two collections were inspired by India. Vera Wang played with shades of azure, cypress green, chartreuse, amethyst, and navy, and went to town with gold embroidered lace. The results were gorgeous, with damasks, brocades, jacquards, and chiffons all blossoming at the hand of the designer. At Marchesa, Georgina Chapman and her partner Karen Craig took their cues from the spirit of India in the ‘60s, citing the Beatles’ experience with the Maharishi as having informed their lovely collection. Ornate embroideries and jewel embellishments adorned gowns and dresses in lace, tulle, and brocade, and colour ran the gamut from chartreuse and teal to garnet, fuschia, coral and hot pink. Silk fringes added to the sensuality, and kitten-heel shoes punched up the ‘60s sensibility in this ultra luxe vision of red carpet exotica.
Exotic luxe was also the driving force behind Jeremy Scott’s edgy “Arab Spring” collection, and the irreverence that Scott is famous for surfaced in spades. “He’s opening the show with a burka,” screamed PR guru Kelly Cutrone backstage. Scott’s iconic print for the season was a whimsical combo of dollar logos, gilt and leopard, and his shiny bikini and over-the-knee boots, aqua snakeskin baseball shirt and flowing chiffon harem pants, all topped off with baseball caps, was a bazaar of eye candy. Canada’s own Jeremy Laing did us proud in the Big Apple once again with a strong array of silky architectural fare. His marshmallow white boxy garments, some constructed of pieces which snapped together, featured graphic strips of metallic beaded embroidery.
Meanwhile at Proenza Schouler, designers Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCullough’s play on leather and snakeskin made for spectacular garments . Inspired by the German painter Gerhard Richter, who produces paintings both abstract and photorealistic, Hernandez and McCullough dove into bright reds, greens, and blues, creating patchwork and perforated pieces that were absolute stand-outs.
So whether it’s graphic images, bold colours, brave cuts, or something as simple as razor sharp tailoring, Spring 2013 is shaping up to be a season of strong statements with a cacophony of clothes that are bound to be as empowering as they are mood transforming.
Thursday, September 13, 2012
New York Fashion Week spring - summer 2013: Tory Burch
New York Fashion Week spring - summer 2013: Tory Burch
Tory Burch chose the second-floor atrium of Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center as the backdrop for her spring-summer 2013 runway collection which showed on Sept. 11 during New York Fashion Week, with floor-to-ceiling windows giving the audience the same bright, sun-drenched feel as the clothes that came down the catwalk.
The inspiration: “American prep remix. We were thinking about a stylish magpie who picks up special pieces while traveling around the world and always mixes them with classic sporstwear.”
Photos: NYFW Week celebrity sightings
The look: Yellow wheat patterns printed on silk faille dresses, patchwork jackets and shorts, honeycomb eyelet dresses and dresses covered in a floral print of the daisy’s kissing cousin, the black-eyed Susan. In all, enough field flora to induce an attack of hay fever.
But there was also a tribal influence that could be found in colorful beadwork on shirt hems, button plackets and shoulder stripes, tie-dyed skirts and wax-printed, hand-dyed cotton skirts and dresses. In addition some of the handbags were covered with woven Mexican blanket patterns.
The scene: Several attendees noted that the bench seating, which had recently been painted the same cheery shade of yellow as the cover of the show notes, was still tacky to the touch, causing a momentary fear that the fashion flock would leave the show like a swarm of oddly branded yellow jackets.
Tory Burch chose the second-floor atrium of Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center as the backdrop for her spring-summer 2013 runway collection which showed on Sept. 11 during New York Fashion Week, with floor-to-ceiling windows giving the audience the same bright, sun-drenched feel as the clothes that came down the catwalk.
The inspiration: “American prep remix. We were thinking about a stylish magpie who picks up special pieces while traveling around the world and always mixes them with classic sporstwear.”
Photos: NYFW Week celebrity sightings
The look: Yellow wheat patterns printed on silk faille dresses, patchwork jackets and shorts, honeycomb eyelet dresses and dresses covered in a floral print of the daisy’s kissing cousin, the black-eyed Susan. In all, enough field flora to induce an attack of hay fever.
But there was also a tribal influence that could be found in colorful beadwork on shirt hems, button plackets and shoulder stripes, tie-dyed skirts and wax-printed, hand-dyed cotton skirts and dresses. In addition some of the handbags were covered with woven Mexican blanket patterns.
The scene: Several attendees noted that the bench seating, which had recently been painted the same cheery shade of yellow as the cover of the show notes, was still tacky to the touch, causing a momentary fear that the fashion flock would leave the show like a swarm of oddly branded yellow jackets.
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Avril Lavigne Talks Design Inspiration, Runway Playlist at Fashion Week NYC
Avril Lavigne Talks Design Inspiration, Runway Playlist at Fashion Week NYC
Avril Lavigne stepped back into the spotlight for the first time since announcing her engagement to Nickelback frontman Chad Kroeger to reveal the latest designs from her skater-punk fashion line Abby Dawn Monday (Sept. 10) at New York Fashion Week.
Billboard.com caught up with the punk-loving musician at her show to chat about her music and fashion inspirations. While creating her line, Lavigne said that she looked to several musicians for inspiration, including "Joan Jett, David Bowie and the Sex Pistols, to name a few."
Joan Jett's edge was particularly noticeable in this season's collection, as leather jackets, skull-printed T-shirts, and a black leather dress with bondage-inspired rings around the waist. Meanwhile, the feminine flamboyance of other pieces in the collection -- white babydoll dresses, fitted bodysuits, and pink and green hair extensions -- referenced David Bowie.
Lavigne also talked about the music she selected for the show, which included her own hit "Sk8er Boi." "I picked all the up-tempo fun songs of mine for this show," Lavigne told Billboard. "I wanted people to have fun and be able to rock out at the show." Clearly, it worked. All through the audience, fashionistas were mouthing the lyrics as Lavigne's songs blared through the tent.
The youngest of the Kardashian clan, Kylie Jenner, opened and closed Lavigne's show, walking the catwalk in rocker chick spring designs. "Thank you to Kylie Jenner and all the beautiful models who rocked the Abbey Dawn runway tonight!! Kick ass," Lavigne tweeted after the show.
Avril Lavigne stepped back into the spotlight for the first time since announcing her engagement to Nickelback frontman Chad Kroeger to reveal the latest designs from her skater-punk fashion line Abby Dawn Monday (Sept. 10) at New York Fashion Week.
Billboard.com caught up with the punk-loving musician at her show to chat about her music and fashion inspirations. While creating her line, Lavigne said that she looked to several musicians for inspiration, including "Joan Jett, David Bowie and the Sex Pistols, to name a few."
Joan Jett's edge was particularly noticeable in this season's collection, as leather jackets, skull-printed T-shirts, and a black leather dress with bondage-inspired rings around the waist. Meanwhile, the feminine flamboyance of other pieces in the collection -- white babydoll dresses, fitted bodysuits, and pink and green hair extensions -- referenced David Bowie.
Lavigne also talked about the music she selected for the show, which included her own hit "Sk8er Boi." "I picked all the up-tempo fun songs of mine for this show," Lavigne told Billboard. "I wanted people to have fun and be able to rock out at the show." Clearly, it worked. All through the audience, fashionistas were mouthing the lyrics as Lavigne's songs blared through the tent.
The youngest of the Kardashian clan, Kylie Jenner, opened and closed Lavigne's show, walking the catwalk in rocker chick spring designs. "Thank you to Kylie Jenner and all the beautiful models who rocked the Abbey Dawn runway tonight!! Kick ass," Lavigne tweeted after the show.
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
New York Fashion Week spring-summer 2013: Diane von Furstenberg
New York Fashion Week spring-summer 2013: Diane von Furstenberg
Diane von Furstenberg, Council of Fashion Designers of America president and grande dame of New York Fashion Week, showed her collection on Sunday afternoon at Lincoln Center, and tried to bring fashion a little more into the future while she was at it by collaborating with Google to launch "Glass by Google" glasses on the runway.
During her runway lap, Von Furstenberg and Google co-founder Sergey Brin modeled the futuristic eyewear, filming the scene from their own point of view. It was quite a kick seeing her in the slightly cyborg-looking wearable technology, even if no one in the crowd was quite sure what it is supposed to do. (Eventually, the technology could be embedded in optical lenses and function as a hands-free smartphone and digital camera.) And who knows? At the rate fashion moves, we could all be wearing Google Glass by next season. On Thursday, you will be able to preview the technology.
The inspiration: Globe trotting to exotic locales. Colors, silhouettes and ornamentation inspired by la dolce vita in Rome, the gardens of Marrakesh and the deserts of Jaipur.
The look: Gypsy princess with a whiff of "I Dream of Jeannie" humor. Palazzo pants, draped jumpsuits, tailored crepe jackets and vests with contrasting color borders, tunics with beaded collars, pearl-encrusted T-shirt, flowing caftans worn with slim silk faille trousers, dresses wrapped like saris, sandals with chunky chain ankle straps, silver ball or leather curlicue decoration. Rich color palette of coral, lime, green and violet.
The scene: A who's who of the fashion and media industries including Valentino, Oscar de la Renta, Bravo's Andy Cohen and Sarah Jessica Parker.
The verdict: A fresh take on the boho look. Just fun enough without being costumey or kitsch. Tapped into the emerging trend of bedouin-inspired layering for spring. And kudos to DVF for always keeping technology in the fashion discussion. (She is obsessed with her iPad, and even designed a special handbag a couple of years ago to carry it.)
Diane von Furstenberg, Council of Fashion Designers of America president and grande dame of New York Fashion Week, showed her collection on Sunday afternoon at Lincoln Center, and tried to bring fashion a little more into the future while she was at it by collaborating with Google to launch "Glass by Google" glasses on the runway.
During her runway lap, Von Furstenberg and Google co-founder Sergey Brin modeled the futuristic eyewear, filming the scene from their own point of view. It was quite a kick seeing her in the slightly cyborg-looking wearable technology, even if no one in the crowd was quite sure what it is supposed to do. (Eventually, the technology could be embedded in optical lenses and function as a hands-free smartphone and digital camera.) And who knows? At the rate fashion moves, we could all be wearing Google Glass by next season. On Thursday, you will be able to preview the technology.
The inspiration: Globe trotting to exotic locales. Colors, silhouettes and ornamentation inspired by la dolce vita in Rome, the gardens of Marrakesh and the deserts of Jaipur.
The look: Gypsy princess with a whiff of "I Dream of Jeannie" humor. Palazzo pants, draped jumpsuits, tailored crepe jackets and vests with contrasting color borders, tunics with beaded collars, pearl-encrusted T-shirt, flowing caftans worn with slim silk faille trousers, dresses wrapped like saris, sandals with chunky chain ankle straps, silver ball or leather curlicue decoration. Rich color palette of coral, lime, green and violet.
The scene: A who's who of the fashion and media industries including Valentino, Oscar de la Renta, Bravo's Andy Cohen and Sarah Jessica Parker.
The verdict: A fresh take on the boho look. Just fun enough without being costumey or kitsch. Tapped into the emerging trend of bedouin-inspired layering for spring. And kudos to DVF for always keeping technology in the fashion discussion. (She is obsessed with her iPad, and even designed a special handbag a couple of years ago to carry it.)
Monday, September 10, 2012
Showers at NY Fashion Week, spring in their steps
Showers at NY Fashion Week, spring in their steps
A flurry of assistants rushed to protect racks of clothes at New York Fashion Week from Saturday’s sudden downpours – perhaps as potent a reminder as any during these spring previews that seasons can be temperamental. Maybe that’s why leather is as common in these previews for spring and summer 2013 as the pops of color and chiffon you might expect.
“You can wear those leather jackets all year long,” said stylist June Ambrose. “They’re sleek enough to go under a parka or a vest and buttery enough for spring.”
Designers have been moving away from seasonal dressing, meaning that models at Rag & Bone endured layers of leather in a roasting un-air conditioned preview Friday.
“I’m not designing specifically for ‘the show’ or even for spring,” said Tom Mora of J. Crew, which has a preview Tuesday. “We have deliveries once a month and we always want it to look new.”
The crowd traded tank tops and open-toed shoes Friday for long sleeves and boots Saturday as rain leaked through the tents at Lincoln Center. Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week previews for retailers, editors and stylists continue for eight days, before the fashion crowd heads for London, Milan and Paris.
PRABAL GURUNGPrabal Gurung is proposing a little more freedom in a woman’s wardrobe.
The looser, less-constructed silhouette was seen from the first look, an ethereal white hand-embroidered jacket with beads and a trail of chiffon floating behind, to the last, a blush-colored strapless cocktail dress with ostrich feathers and “creeping sequins.”
“Clothes are moving slightly away from the body. You know, especially what is happening around the world right now, especially in America with politics and everything, the idea of giving freedom to women sounds very, very exciting to me,” he said backstage before the show.
Gurung didn’t shy away from the heavily embellished path, even if it meant going his own way this round of previews, where other designers have pared down their looks.
He also took into account that women are always in motion. Maybe that explains the new take on “sweatpants” – in printed silk.
EDUNOne doesn’t usually think of harsh military green as a color that will come off well on the fashion runway.
But at Edun, the label founded by U2 rocker Bono and his wife, Ali Hewson, the color is used by designer Sharon Wauchob to embody toughness. Along with designs like a camouflage print, cargo pants, and utility vests, it’s part of a protective “outer layer” that envelops softer, sexier items in fabrics like silk and chiffon.
“That’s the duality of the Edun girl – soft but edgy,” Hewson said after the show. “This time, we wanted to take the intimacy of the bedroom out to the street. So for example you have cargo pants – but in silk.”
Edun was founded in 2005 by Bono and Hewson to promote change through a trading relationship with Africa. The Edun shows are big draws for fellow celebs, often musicians. On Saturday, singer Alicia Keys was on hand, as well as R.E.M. frontman Michael Stipe.
“I love sexy clothes, so this was good for me,” Keys said after the show.
JILL STUARTDesigner Jill Stuart says spring is her favorite season, and she tried to convey that in a runway collection that celebrated lightness and femininity.
That’s what Stuart does these days: pretty clothes that don’t reinvent the wheel. There was a delicate white lace tea-time dress, and lingerie-inspired silk tap pants with a bustier top covered by a trench. A high-neck, bone-colored blouse was made of lace and dotted with flower appliques, and a seafoam-green, one-shouldered dress with a keyhole cutout on the top and a pleated skirt gave the catwalk a shot of color.
She is aiming for “timeless, elegant dresses that are always capturing the season,” Stuart said backstage, but that could really be worn anytime. “I want to wear the black lace dress that’s opening the show right now, tonight.” (She has a dinner date with her daughter.)
REBECCA TAYLORRebecca Taylor’s muse for the spring season is the city girl – normally quite content where she is – who allows herself to dream of that tropical vacation from time to time.
On the runway, Taylor transported her to Hawaii. Of course, this urban dweller doesn’t have board shorts. She packs a coral-colored hibiscus print T-shirt dress with sexy cutouts.
The collection also included soft, washed denim pieces contrasted with silk ones studded with jewels. When this girl touches back home and is ready to return to work, Taylor offered her a textured turquoise leather jacket, black dotted bra top and flirty black knit skirt.
“I think sexy is changing. Strong is a good way for a woman to feel sexy – not overtly feminine, but not the power shoulder of the ’80s and ’90s,” Taylor said before the show. “I’m not quite going there.”
CHRISTIAN SIRIANOSome of his fashionista fans and “Project Runway” followers may not know this, but Christian Siriano danced ballet when he was younger, as did his sister.
And so, when the designer was seeking inspiration for his latest collection, he found it in ballet, specifically in American Ballet Theatre’s production of “The Dream,” which evokes a sumptuous fairy-tale world filled with pastel-colored tulle. “I was feeling very romantic,” he said in a backstage interview.
Siriano, who won the fourth season of “Project Runway” and has done more with that launching pad than any other winner, thrilled his audience with a series of graceful, delicate and sometimes dramatic designs, in colors like ballet pink, sea foam, mint, ivory, champagne and watercolor (that last color looked exactly like it had been mixed at Monet’s easel.)
He saved the most dramatic gesture for the end: There was an audible gasp when not one but three models came out to show the final look, striding three across with one slightly in front, as if in a ballet sequence. They wore flowing tulle applique dresses, one in watercolor, one in pink and one in sea foam.
BILLY REIDThe town met the country when designer Billy Reid infused his men’s and women’s collections with some of his Alabama charm.
Ascots, pelican prints and fishing shirts took over a very urban space Friday night sandwiched between art galleries in Chelsea. He offered a coated cotton utility jacket paired with high-waisted trousers and a gold linen shirtdress with exaggerated pockets for women, and a leather peak-lapel jacket, worn with a linen mock turtleneck and sharkskin-texture trouser for men.
When Reid’s two worlds come together, the audience sees charm, good taste and a bit of wit. Perhaps more importantly, though, there’s a sense of reality here: There are stylish linen sportcoats, luxe – and on-trend – leather looks, and well-tailored suits, including chic, slim pantsuits for women, that one could imagine being worn by the finicky fashion crowd and everyone else.
The warning should come that while the styles have broad appeal, the price tags might not.
Reid seems to favor rich fabrics and materials, especially suedes, lambskin and leather in beige, bone and tobacco.
CUSHNIE ET OCHSThe Cushnie et Ochs spring collection was full of chic, sharp lines, but designers Carly Cushnie and Michelle Ochs didn’t use a razor’s edge to get them.
It was clean without the mean on this runway at the downtown Milk Studios at New York Fashion Week Friday.
A group of white dresses – one a slinky jersey, one with butterfly sleeves and another with skin-baring slits on the bodice and seemingly held together at the bustline by a metal triangle – set the tone of relaxed elegance, while a parade of black dresses, dressier in silk faille and satin that emphasized sheath shapes and high waists, sealed the no-nonsense deal.
Sandwiched in between the black and white were the shades of ocean blue that have proven popular along with black and white at these previews.
CHARLOTTE RONSONCharlotte Ronson said it with fishnet accents and see-through vinyl varsity jackets during a runway show filled with flouncy dresses in sea greens, ocean blues, lemonade and mint.
To the beat of her DJ twin, Samantha, the designer Friday also sent out a water lily print in black, blue and taupe for dresses, skirts and bralettes. Dresses were girly, some with pleated bottoms above the knee. Others were done with sheer panels also used in peplum blouses and with a denim stripe print.
Paris Hilton, Rachel Zoe, Kimora Lee Simmons and her ex-husband, Russell Simmons, sat in the front row with their daughters.
TOMMY HILFIGERTommy Hilfiger wants men to put some prep in their step with his varsity-inspired collection, that is fit for an afternoon cricket match or a leisurely day on the yacht.
Seersucker blazers and shorts in Hilfiger’s signature red, white and blue were adorned with college emblems and gold insignia buttons. Slim-fitted suits were paired with crisp, button-down shirts or V-neck cashmere sweaters. And there were stripes – lots and lots of stripes in a collection inspired by Hilfiger’s style icons: James Dean, Paul Newman and the Kennedys.
“We think that stripes are really going to be the rule of the spring/summer for men,” Hilfiger said before the show.
Gold-medalist swimmer Nathan Adrian sat front row alongside Joshua Bowman and Gabriel Mann, stars of ABC’s “Revenge.”
“I’ve been wearing Tommy since high school and it’s just so sharp,” said Mann. “I think that’s my favorite style actually: prep with edge.”
A flurry of assistants rushed to protect racks of clothes at New York Fashion Week from Saturday’s sudden downpours – perhaps as potent a reminder as any during these spring previews that seasons can be temperamental. Maybe that’s why leather is as common in these previews for spring and summer 2013 as the pops of color and chiffon you might expect.
“You can wear those leather jackets all year long,” said stylist June Ambrose. “They’re sleek enough to go under a parka or a vest and buttery enough for spring.”
Designers have been moving away from seasonal dressing, meaning that models at Rag & Bone endured layers of leather in a roasting un-air conditioned preview Friday.
“I’m not designing specifically for ‘the show’ or even for spring,” said Tom Mora of J. Crew, which has a preview Tuesday. “We have deliveries once a month and we always want it to look new.”
The crowd traded tank tops and open-toed shoes Friday for long sleeves and boots Saturday as rain leaked through the tents at Lincoln Center. Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week previews for retailers, editors and stylists continue for eight days, before the fashion crowd heads for London, Milan and Paris.
PRABAL GURUNGPrabal Gurung is proposing a little more freedom in a woman’s wardrobe.
The looser, less-constructed silhouette was seen from the first look, an ethereal white hand-embroidered jacket with beads and a trail of chiffon floating behind, to the last, a blush-colored strapless cocktail dress with ostrich feathers and “creeping sequins.”
“Clothes are moving slightly away from the body. You know, especially what is happening around the world right now, especially in America with politics and everything, the idea of giving freedom to women sounds very, very exciting to me,” he said backstage before the show.
Gurung didn’t shy away from the heavily embellished path, even if it meant going his own way this round of previews, where other designers have pared down their looks.
He also took into account that women are always in motion. Maybe that explains the new take on “sweatpants” – in printed silk.
EDUNOne doesn’t usually think of harsh military green as a color that will come off well on the fashion runway.
But at Edun, the label founded by U2 rocker Bono and his wife, Ali Hewson, the color is used by designer Sharon Wauchob to embody toughness. Along with designs like a camouflage print, cargo pants, and utility vests, it’s part of a protective “outer layer” that envelops softer, sexier items in fabrics like silk and chiffon.
“That’s the duality of the Edun girl – soft but edgy,” Hewson said after the show. “This time, we wanted to take the intimacy of the bedroom out to the street. So for example you have cargo pants – but in silk.”
Edun was founded in 2005 by Bono and Hewson to promote change through a trading relationship with Africa. The Edun shows are big draws for fellow celebs, often musicians. On Saturday, singer Alicia Keys was on hand, as well as R.E.M. frontman Michael Stipe.
“I love sexy clothes, so this was good for me,” Keys said after the show.
JILL STUARTDesigner Jill Stuart says spring is her favorite season, and she tried to convey that in a runway collection that celebrated lightness and femininity.
That’s what Stuart does these days: pretty clothes that don’t reinvent the wheel. There was a delicate white lace tea-time dress, and lingerie-inspired silk tap pants with a bustier top covered by a trench. A high-neck, bone-colored blouse was made of lace and dotted with flower appliques, and a seafoam-green, one-shouldered dress with a keyhole cutout on the top and a pleated skirt gave the catwalk a shot of color.
She is aiming for “timeless, elegant dresses that are always capturing the season,” Stuart said backstage, but that could really be worn anytime. “I want to wear the black lace dress that’s opening the show right now, tonight.” (She has a dinner date with her daughter.)
REBECCA TAYLORRebecca Taylor’s muse for the spring season is the city girl – normally quite content where she is – who allows herself to dream of that tropical vacation from time to time.
On the runway, Taylor transported her to Hawaii. Of course, this urban dweller doesn’t have board shorts. She packs a coral-colored hibiscus print T-shirt dress with sexy cutouts.
The collection also included soft, washed denim pieces contrasted with silk ones studded with jewels. When this girl touches back home and is ready to return to work, Taylor offered her a textured turquoise leather jacket, black dotted bra top and flirty black knit skirt.
“I think sexy is changing. Strong is a good way for a woman to feel sexy – not overtly feminine, but not the power shoulder of the ’80s and ’90s,” Taylor said before the show. “I’m not quite going there.”
CHRISTIAN SIRIANOSome of his fashionista fans and “Project Runway” followers may not know this, but Christian Siriano danced ballet when he was younger, as did his sister.
And so, when the designer was seeking inspiration for his latest collection, he found it in ballet, specifically in American Ballet Theatre’s production of “The Dream,” which evokes a sumptuous fairy-tale world filled with pastel-colored tulle. “I was feeling very romantic,” he said in a backstage interview.
Siriano, who won the fourth season of “Project Runway” and has done more with that launching pad than any other winner, thrilled his audience with a series of graceful, delicate and sometimes dramatic designs, in colors like ballet pink, sea foam, mint, ivory, champagne and watercolor (that last color looked exactly like it had been mixed at Monet’s easel.)
He saved the most dramatic gesture for the end: There was an audible gasp when not one but three models came out to show the final look, striding three across with one slightly in front, as if in a ballet sequence. They wore flowing tulle applique dresses, one in watercolor, one in pink and one in sea foam.
BILLY REIDThe town met the country when designer Billy Reid infused his men’s and women’s collections with some of his Alabama charm.
Ascots, pelican prints and fishing shirts took over a very urban space Friday night sandwiched between art galleries in Chelsea. He offered a coated cotton utility jacket paired with high-waisted trousers and a gold linen shirtdress with exaggerated pockets for women, and a leather peak-lapel jacket, worn with a linen mock turtleneck and sharkskin-texture trouser for men.
When Reid’s two worlds come together, the audience sees charm, good taste and a bit of wit. Perhaps more importantly, though, there’s a sense of reality here: There are stylish linen sportcoats, luxe – and on-trend – leather looks, and well-tailored suits, including chic, slim pantsuits for women, that one could imagine being worn by the finicky fashion crowd and everyone else.
The warning should come that while the styles have broad appeal, the price tags might not.
Reid seems to favor rich fabrics and materials, especially suedes, lambskin and leather in beige, bone and tobacco.
CUSHNIE ET OCHSThe Cushnie et Ochs spring collection was full of chic, sharp lines, but designers Carly Cushnie and Michelle Ochs didn’t use a razor’s edge to get them.
It was clean without the mean on this runway at the downtown Milk Studios at New York Fashion Week Friday.
A group of white dresses – one a slinky jersey, one with butterfly sleeves and another with skin-baring slits on the bodice and seemingly held together at the bustline by a metal triangle – set the tone of relaxed elegance, while a parade of black dresses, dressier in silk faille and satin that emphasized sheath shapes and high waists, sealed the no-nonsense deal.
Sandwiched in between the black and white were the shades of ocean blue that have proven popular along with black and white at these previews.
CHARLOTTE RONSONCharlotte Ronson said it with fishnet accents and see-through vinyl varsity jackets during a runway show filled with flouncy dresses in sea greens, ocean blues, lemonade and mint.
To the beat of her DJ twin, Samantha, the designer Friday also sent out a water lily print in black, blue and taupe for dresses, skirts and bralettes. Dresses were girly, some with pleated bottoms above the knee. Others were done with sheer panels also used in peplum blouses and with a denim stripe print.
Paris Hilton, Rachel Zoe, Kimora Lee Simmons and her ex-husband, Russell Simmons, sat in the front row with their daughters.
TOMMY HILFIGERTommy Hilfiger wants men to put some prep in their step with his varsity-inspired collection, that is fit for an afternoon cricket match or a leisurely day on the yacht.
Seersucker blazers and shorts in Hilfiger’s signature red, white and blue were adorned with college emblems and gold insignia buttons. Slim-fitted suits were paired with crisp, button-down shirts or V-neck cashmere sweaters. And there were stripes – lots and lots of stripes in a collection inspired by Hilfiger’s style icons: James Dean, Paul Newman and the Kennedys.
“We think that stripes are really going to be the rule of the spring/summer for men,” Hilfiger said before the show.
Gold-medalist swimmer Nathan Adrian sat front row alongside Joshua Bowman and Gabriel Mann, stars of ABC’s “Revenge.”
“I’ve been wearing Tommy since high school and it’s just so sharp,” said Mann. “I think that’s my favorite style actually: prep with edge.”
Saturday, September 8, 2012
Fashion grads from Asia have their New York moment
Fashion grads from Asia have their New York moment
Liu was among nine jury-selected master's degree graduates -- all women -- from San Francisco's Academy of Art University fashion school whose creations Friday got the kind of runway exposure usually reserved for top designers.
Five of the newly-minted designers hailed from Asia, underscoring the region's rise as a fashion power, and Friday's well-attended show was a prized opportunity to be spotted by international buyers, talent scouts and journalists.
"This is a way for them to be seen across the globe," said university spokeswoman Edith Mead Barker.
Backstage at Lincoln Center, ground zero for the ongoing spring-summer 2013 collections, 32-year-old Liu reflected on her long and winding journey from her seaside hometown of Penglai, in China's eastern Shandong province, to New York.
"I was just like most women when I was young. I loved to dress Barbie dolls," she told AFP during a break from steaming out the creases of the silk outfits she created with Belgrade-born textile design classmate Tanja Milutinovic.
"When I was grown up I was still obsessed by fashion ... and after I worked as an accountant for three years (in Toronto, Canada, where she got a first degree in accounting), I just realized that I would enjoy doing it every day."
The eight distinctly modern looks Liu sent out Friday, with their sharp lines and angular silhouettes, drew inspiration from London-based sculptor Anish Kapoor and Beijing's "bird's nest" Olympic stadium, she said.
Liu's ambition? Her own label, like those now firmly established by pioneering young designers of Asian origin like Alexander Wang and Jason Wu, with a firm hand on every aspect from initial design to final distribution.
"That's my long-term goal," she said. "In the short term, I'm looking for suitable position (in New York next year), maybe an associate designer position, just to sharpen my design skills."
From Taiwan, Ginie C.Y. Huang, 28, let the hypercolorful floral still lifes of Japanese photographer Ninagawa Mika inform skirt-and-jacket combinations that strolled down the runway in lime, red, orange and fuchsia.
"Actually, my whole collection is really tailored, but I added feathers to make it crazier, but not by too much," the Taipei native told AFP. "I design for the woman who is really willing to take a risk, who knows what she is doing."
Also a fashion devotee since childhood, Huang faced stiff resistance from her banker father and teacher mother when she first aspired to break into the business -- resistance that eased only after she first got a business degree.
"I just held out and finally they understood," she said, and indeed the entire family was on hand for Friday's show.
Jarida Karnjanasirirat, from Bangkok, had no such problem with her next of kin. In fact, she said, she enlisted them to send over "hundreds and hundreds" of swatches of Thai silk, of which she picked a handful, some of them antique.
The result seen Friday comprised silk tunics, dresses, shorts and jackets in shades of champagne, silver, rose and white, with three-dimensional lapels and pleats inspired by relief sculptures at a church near her San Francisco home.
"I kept looking at it for three years," Jarida said. "I took that as my inspiration because I liked it so much."
A big fan of Calvin Klein creative director Francisco Costa's designs ("I want them all, even the menswear"), she too dreams of having her own label in Thailand, and teaching as well.
But for the immediate future, her sights are on New York: "The fashion industry in Thailand is not as developed as here. I want to get experience and then I can go back home and develop."
Other Asians participating in Friday's graduate show were Jisun Lee from Seoul, who reinterpreted men's suits from the 1920s as women's wear for today, and Yanfei Fan, from Shijianhuang, Hebei province, China, whose silk and organza looks were inspired by the windows of modern buildings.
Liu was among nine jury-selected master's degree graduates -- all women -- from San Francisco's Academy of Art University fashion school whose creations Friday got the kind of runway exposure usually reserved for top designers.
Five of the newly-minted designers hailed from Asia, underscoring the region's rise as a fashion power, and Friday's well-attended show was a prized opportunity to be spotted by international buyers, talent scouts and journalists.
"This is a way for them to be seen across the globe," said university spokeswoman Edith Mead Barker.
Backstage at Lincoln Center, ground zero for the ongoing spring-summer 2013 collections, 32-year-old Liu reflected on her long and winding journey from her seaside hometown of Penglai, in China's eastern Shandong province, to New York.
"I was just like most women when I was young. I loved to dress Barbie dolls," she told AFP during a break from steaming out the creases of the silk outfits she created with Belgrade-born textile design classmate Tanja Milutinovic.
"When I was grown up I was still obsessed by fashion ... and after I worked as an accountant for three years (in Toronto, Canada, where she got a first degree in accounting), I just realized that I would enjoy doing it every day."
The eight distinctly modern looks Liu sent out Friday, with their sharp lines and angular silhouettes, drew inspiration from London-based sculptor Anish Kapoor and Beijing's "bird's nest" Olympic stadium, she said.
Liu's ambition? Her own label, like those now firmly established by pioneering young designers of Asian origin like Alexander Wang and Jason Wu, with a firm hand on every aspect from initial design to final distribution.
"That's my long-term goal," she said. "In the short term, I'm looking for suitable position (in New York next year), maybe an associate designer position, just to sharpen my design skills."
From Taiwan, Ginie C.Y. Huang, 28, let the hypercolorful floral still lifes of Japanese photographer Ninagawa Mika inform skirt-and-jacket combinations that strolled down the runway in lime, red, orange and fuchsia.
"Actually, my whole collection is really tailored, but I added feathers to make it crazier, but not by too much," the Taipei native told AFP. "I design for the woman who is really willing to take a risk, who knows what she is doing."
Also a fashion devotee since childhood, Huang faced stiff resistance from her banker father and teacher mother when she first aspired to break into the business -- resistance that eased only after she first got a business degree.
"I just held out and finally they understood," she said, and indeed the entire family was on hand for Friday's show.
Jarida Karnjanasirirat, from Bangkok, had no such problem with her next of kin. In fact, she said, she enlisted them to send over "hundreds and hundreds" of swatches of Thai silk, of which she picked a handful, some of them antique.
The result seen Friday comprised silk tunics, dresses, shorts and jackets in shades of champagne, silver, rose and white, with three-dimensional lapels and pleats inspired by relief sculptures at a church near her San Francisco home.
"I kept looking at it for three years," Jarida said. "I took that as my inspiration because I liked it so much."
A big fan of Calvin Klein creative director Francisco Costa's designs ("I want them all, even the menswear"), she too dreams of having her own label in Thailand, and teaching as well.
But for the immediate future, her sights are on New York: "The fashion industry in Thailand is not as developed as here. I want to get experience and then I can go back home and develop."
Other Asians participating in Friday's graduate show were Jisun Lee from Seoul, who reinterpreted men's suits from the 1920s as women's wear for today, and Yanfei Fan, from Shijianhuang, Hebei province, China, whose silk and organza looks were inspired by the windows of modern buildings.
Friday, September 7, 2012
4th Fashion's Night Out draws celebs, shoppers worldwide
4th Fashion's Night Out draws celebs, shoppers worldwide
Donna Karan mingled with Miss Piggy, Michael Kors judged karaoke with Kate Upton and Kim Kardashian signed perfume sets Thursday as shoppers broke out their stilettos -- and their wallets -- for the fourth annual Fashion's Night Out.
The celebrity-studded night lured shoppers into stores for celebrity spotting, music, giveaways, food and drinks, and, just maybe, shopping.
By early evening in New York, the basement beauty floor of Bergdorf Goodman was packed. Madeleine Russell of Manhattan, wearing her FNO shirt from last year, got her nails done ahead of a long line. She attends FNO events every year.
"I'm inspired by all the fashion around me and I get my own ideas," she said.
Like the FNO pro she is, Russell planned to head home from Bergdorf to put on makeup and her Manolo Blahniks to see Cyndi Lauper at the Blahnik store promoting her new musical, "Kinky Boots."
Across town, Kim Kardashian signed $123 gift sets of her perfume True Reflection at Lord & Taylor and was ready to hop a plane to Charlotte, N.C., for an after party for the Democratic National Convention.
"Because it is a lot of running around I wanted to be comfortable," she said. "This Tom Ford dress is, like, stretchy. So at least I'm really comfortable."
Fashion's Night Out -- launched in 2009 in New York by Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour -- has proven so popular that it's now a fixture in some 19 countries, over three weeks involving tens of thousands of shoppers.
By dusk in Paris, the luxury shopping district was awash with thousands of people out to see spectacles like the one at Chloe, where a parade of dancing cheerleaders descended from a Chevrolet truck.
"There are too many people here to buy clothes. But people get to know the brands, and buy another time. Today, it's all about fun," said Corine Marneffe, 50.
In London, models Yasmin and Amber Le Bon (wife and daughter of Simon) were walking in a fashion show at the Westfield shopping center along with Lizzy Jagger (daughter of Mick).
But the splashiest events were in New York, where Donna Karan schmoozed with Miss Piggy at the DKNY store on Madison Avenue, the pig in a black dress designed by Karan herself -- fittings and all. The two fashionistas posed together with hunky New York City firefighters featured in the fire department's calendar, their ladder truck parked outside.
Michael Kors helped judge a karaoke contest with Debra Messing and Sports Illustrated swimsuit cover girl Upton at his Madison Avenue store. He called Fashion's Night Out the trifecta: "It's starting the new season, you're excited to see what's in stores. You're reminded it's fun to shop and you can feel the energy."
At the nearby Ann Taylor store, bank worker Lenore Muller of Manhattan headed inside for a chance to be made over by stylist Mary Alice Stephenson and get counted among 50 women to pose in the store's windows for the crowds outside.
"We call it window glamming," Stephenson said.
At Bergdorf Goodman, crowds out to see Victoria Beckham, Rachel Zoe and Robert Verdi wore Burger King-style hats promoting the store. A glass bar in the Donna Karan department shattered and a kid ate ice cream -- chocolate -- dangerously close to the Pucci department. Nearby Bendel's was too crowded to enter later in the night.
Pharrell was at Bloomingdale's promoting his collaboration with designer Mark McNairy. "It makes sense as fashion has given so much to me for us to try and give back and support the movement for what these guys do," he said.
At the Macy's in Herald Square, 38-year-old customer service rep Keisha Carter from Brooklyn picked up two shirts and a dress on sale, but she admitted she hadn't realized it was Fashion's Night Out -- for the second year in a row! She said she enjoyed the energy.
"People are more helpful," Carter said. "There's a busy-ness feeling, even more than usual."
In the makeup department, Lorrin Lynn, 24, a CPA, got a free makeover at Bobbi Brown after buying her special FNO lipstick. She also went hunting for reality star Bethenny Frankel showing off her shapewear line in the intimates department and "Bachelorette" star Emily Maynard at the Benefit Cosmetics counter.
"It's fun to go out to the stores, see the trends, and there's free booze!" said Lynne, cruising the night with a friend for their second FNO.
At Lord & Taylor, several hundred people lined up for Kardashian's autograph.
"Kim is the only person I put my life on pause for," said Aaron Ward, 26, a personal trainer from the Bronx who showed up at 4:30 p.m.
He bought the Kardashian perfume gift set for his mother and has purchased more than 50 other items from the Kardashian brand as gifts.
"I love Kim but I am not a girl," he added. "I am a Kim Kardashian curator."
Does all the starpower and hoopla help at the register? "Ask me tomorrow," Max Azria said with a laugh backstage before his BCBG presentation at New York Fashion Week. He said it can't hurt to meet shoppers.
Stores across the U.S. also held events, though less star-studded. In Chicago, Saks Fifth Avenue offered free cocktails, hors d'oeuvres and music; in Atlanta, Lenox Square Mall gave out gift bags and makeup touch ups at Aveda.
Models walked a quarter mile runway at the Galleria Dallas. The mall's fashion expert Holly Quartaro said that by the end of the night, each model will have walked a mile and a half in heels. NorthPark Center featured runway shows, beauty stations for mini-makeovers and an exhibit of Roberto Cavalli gowns.
"We've got an amazing crowd out here," said the shopping center's director of public relations, Victoria Snee, adding that some shoppers were "dressed to the nines."
Fashion's Night Out, timed for the first day of New York Fashion Week, also coincides with the final night of the Democratic National Convention. A Vogue spokeswoman said the event was planned a year in advance with thousands of retailers.
She added that Wintour is a supporter of President Barack Obama and noted that shoppers had five hours of events -- plenty of time to get home to watch Obama speak if they wish.
Thakoon Panichgul -- who has dressed first lady Michelle Obama -- planned to do just that. But the conflict didn't bother Simon Doonan, the creative ambassador-at-large at Barneys: "That's what Tivo's for."
NBG Productions analyst Brian Sozzi said Fashion's Night Out started inconspicuously but has gained traction over the years.
"It gets customers into stores in a non-peak hour after work and it gets them energized," he said. "It's a win-win for retailers who are piggy backing on Fashion's Night Out's own marketing so it's not a big investment for them."
On Twitter, Fashion's Night Out's hashtag, (hash)FNO, was one of the top trending keywords. Laura Ashley tweeted about goodie bags while designer shoe label Christian Louboutin shared a special Fashion's Night Out Spotify playlist.
Kelly Talamas, director of Vogue Mexico & Latin America, said that last year's Fashion's Night Out boosted local sales. For its second year, Fashion's Night Out Mexico more than doubled the number of participating stores, to 250 from 100 in 2011. FNO Mexico will also expand to the Mexican city of Guadalajara, where activities will be held Sept. 13.
"Mexico is one of the strongest countries in the fashion scene, there is knowledge about fashion and interest in shopping," Talamas told the AP. "All the brands representatives told us that they sold a lot. There were some who said to us: `Wow, we sold more than ever! This has been the most successful day in the year,"' she said.
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2012/09/06/4th-fashion-night-out-draws-celebs-shoppers-worldwide/#ixzz25lhoUSAF
Donna Karan mingled with Miss Piggy, Michael Kors judged karaoke with Kate Upton and Kim Kardashian signed perfume sets Thursday as shoppers broke out their stilettos -- and their wallets -- for the fourth annual Fashion's Night Out.
The celebrity-studded night lured shoppers into stores for celebrity spotting, music, giveaways, food and drinks, and, just maybe, shopping.
By early evening in New York, the basement beauty floor of Bergdorf Goodman was packed. Madeleine Russell of Manhattan, wearing her FNO shirt from last year, got her nails done ahead of a long line. She attends FNO events every year.
"I'm inspired by all the fashion around me and I get my own ideas," she said.
Like the FNO pro she is, Russell planned to head home from Bergdorf to put on makeup and her Manolo Blahniks to see Cyndi Lauper at the Blahnik store promoting her new musical, "Kinky Boots."
Across town, Kim Kardashian signed $123 gift sets of her perfume True Reflection at Lord & Taylor and was ready to hop a plane to Charlotte, N.C., for an after party for the Democratic National Convention.
"Because it is a lot of running around I wanted to be comfortable," she said. "This Tom Ford dress is, like, stretchy. So at least I'm really comfortable."
Fashion's Night Out -- launched in 2009 in New York by Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour -- has proven so popular that it's now a fixture in some 19 countries, over three weeks involving tens of thousands of shoppers.
By dusk in Paris, the luxury shopping district was awash with thousands of people out to see spectacles like the one at Chloe, where a parade of dancing cheerleaders descended from a Chevrolet truck.
"There are too many people here to buy clothes. But people get to know the brands, and buy another time. Today, it's all about fun," said Corine Marneffe, 50.
In London, models Yasmin and Amber Le Bon (wife and daughter of Simon) were walking in a fashion show at the Westfield shopping center along with Lizzy Jagger (daughter of Mick).
But the splashiest events were in New York, where Donna Karan schmoozed with Miss Piggy at the DKNY store on Madison Avenue, the pig in a black dress designed by Karan herself -- fittings and all. The two fashionistas posed together with hunky New York City firefighters featured in the fire department's calendar, their ladder truck parked outside.
Michael Kors helped judge a karaoke contest with Debra Messing and Sports Illustrated swimsuit cover girl Upton at his Madison Avenue store. He called Fashion's Night Out the trifecta: "It's starting the new season, you're excited to see what's in stores. You're reminded it's fun to shop and you can feel the energy."
At the nearby Ann Taylor store, bank worker Lenore Muller of Manhattan headed inside for a chance to be made over by stylist Mary Alice Stephenson and get counted among 50 women to pose in the store's windows for the crowds outside.
"We call it window glamming," Stephenson said.
At Bergdorf Goodman, crowds out to see Victoria Beckham, Rachel Zoe and Robert Verdi wore Burger King-style hats promoting the store. A glass bar in the Donna Karan department shattered and a kid ate ice cream -- chocolate -- dangerously close to the Pucci department. Nearby Bendel's was too crowded to enter later in the night.
Pharrell was at Bloomingdale's promoting his collaboration with designer Mark McNairy. "It makes sense as fashion has given so much to me for us to try and give back and support the movement for what these guys do," he said.
At the Macy's in Herald Square, 38-year-old customer service rep Keisha Carter from Brooklyn picked up two shirts and a dress on sale, but she admitted she hadn't realized it was Fashion's Night Out -- for the second year in a row! She said she enjoyed the energy.
"People are more helpful," Carter said. "There's a busy-ness feeling, even more than usual."
In the makeup department, Lorrin Lynn, 24, a CPA, got a free makeover at Bobbi Brown after buying her special FNO lipstick. She also went hunting for reality star Bethenny Frankel showing off her shapewear line in the intimates department and "Bachelorette" star Emily Maynard at the Benefit Cosmetics counter.
"It's fun to go out to the stores, see the trends, and there's free booze!" said Lynne, cruising the night with a friend for their second FNO.
At Lord & Taylor, several hundred people lined up for Kardashian's autograph.
"Kim is the only person I put my life on pause for," said Aaron Ward, 26, a personal trainer from the Bronx who showed up at 4:30 p.m.
He bought the Kardashian perfume gift set for his mother and has purchased more than 50 other items from the Kardashian brand as gifts.
"I love Kim but I am not a girl," he added. "I am a Kim Kardashian curator."
Does all the starpower and hoopla help at the register? "Ask me tomorrow," Max Azria said with a laugh backstage before his BCBG presentation at New York Fashion Week. He said it can't hurt to meet shoppers.
Stores across the U.S. also held events, though less star-studded. In Chicago, Saks Fifth Avenue offered free cocktails, hors d'oeuvres and music; in Atlanta, Lenox Square Mall gave out gift bags and makeup touch ups at Aveda.
Models walked a quarter mile runway at the Galleria Dallas. The mall's fashion expert Holly Quartaro said that by the end of the night, each model will have walked a mile and a half in heels. NorthPark Center featured runway shows, beauty stations for mini-makeovers and an exhibit of Roberto Cavalli gowns.
"We've got an amazing crowd out here," said the shopping center's director of public relations, Victoria Snee, adding that some shoppers were "dressed to the nines."
Fashion's Night Out, timed for the first day of New York Fashion Week, also coincides with the final night of the Democratic National Convention. A Vogue spokeswoman said the event was planned a year in advance with thousands of retailers.
She added that Wintour is a supporter of President Barack Obama and noted that shoppers had five hours of events -- plenty of time to get home to watch Obama speak if they wish.
Thakoon Panichgul -- who has dressed first lady Michelle Obama -- planned to do just that. But the conflict didn't bother Simon Doonan, the creative ambassador-at-large at Barneys: "That's what Tivo's for."
NBG Productions analyst Brian Sozzi said Fashion's Night Out started inconspicuously but has gained traction over the years.
"It gets customers into stores in a non-peak hour after work and it gets them energized," he said. "It's a win-win for retailers who are piggy backing on Fashion's Night Out's own marketing so it's not a big investment for them."
On Twitter, Fashion's Night Out's hashtag, (hash)FNO, was one of the top trending keywords. Laura Ashley tweeted about goodie bags while designer shoe label Christian Louboutin shared a special Fashion's Night Out Spotify playlist.
Kelly Talamas, director of Vogue Mexico & Latin America, said that last year's Fashion's Night Out boosted local sales. For its second year, Fashion's Night Out Mexico more than doubled the number of participating stores, to 250 from 100 in 2011. FNO Mexico will also expand to the Mexican city of Guadalajara, where activities will be held Sept. 13.
"Mexico is one of the strongest countries in the fashion scene, there is knowledge about fashion and interest in shopping," Talamas told the AP. "All the brands representatives told us that they sold a lot. There were some who said to us: `Wow, we sold more than ever! This has been the most successful day in the year,"' she said.
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2012/09/06/4th-fashion-night-out-draws-celebs-shoppers-worldwide/#ixzz25lhoUSAF
Thursday, September 6, 2012
U.S. fashion world pays tribute to Oscar de la Renta
U.S. fashion world pays tribute to Oscar de la Renta
The career of Dominican designer Oscar de la Renta was recognized Wednesday by the Couture Council at an event to kick off New York's Fashion Week.
"For me, it's an honor to receive an award, above all for something that I love doing. For me, fashion is a passion, something I've been involved with for many years," the designer told Efe before receiving the lifetime achievement award from New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg at a heavily attended event at Lincoln Center.
De la Renta told Efe that despite his five decades in fashion, he is still "learning, there's still a new challenge" for him in pursuing his successful career during which he has created a fashion empire.
In addition, De la Renta is one of the preferred designers of women from first ladies to stars like Sarah Jessica Parker, who attended the event in a summer ankle-length dress with red and white checks.
The 80-year-old fashion icon - whose empire also includes underclothing for both men and women, perfumes and accessories, articles for the home, collections for children, shoes and jewelry - recalled that his muse has always been his wife, whom he has been designing for since 1965 when he created his firm in New York.
De la Renta, who attended the event accompanied by his wife Annette, added with satisfaction that during the last four decades his wife went from being a housewife to a woman "involved in all sorts of social activities ... and a great contributor to current society." EFE
The career of Dominican designer Oscar de la Renta was recognized Wednesday by the Couture Council at an event to kick off New York's Fashion Week.
"For me, it's an honor to receive an award, above all for something that I love doing. For me, fashion is a passion, something I've been involved with for many years," the designer told Efe before receiving the lifetime achievement award from New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg at a heavily attended event at Lincoln Center.
De la Renta told Efe that despite his five decades in fashion, he is still "learning, there's still a new challenge" for him in pursuing his successful career during which he has created a fashion empire.
In addition, De la Renta is one of the preferred designers of women from first ladies to stars like Sarah Jessica Parker, who attended the event in a summer ankle-length dress with red and white checks.
The 80-year-old fashion icon - whose empire also includes underclothing for both men and women, perfumes and accessories, articles for the home, collections for children, shoes and jewelry - recalled that his muse has always been his wife, whom he has been designing for since 1965 when he created his firm in New York.
De la Renta, who attended the event accompanied by his wife Annette, added with satisfaction that during the last four decades his wife went from being a housewife to a woman "involved in all sorts of social activities ... and a great contributor to current society." EFE
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Fashion’s Night Out: Retailers and designers will host events to attract shoppers
Fashion’s Night Out: Retailers and designers will host events to attract shoppers
In those dire days at the height of the recession in 2009, Vogue magazine came up with a shopping concept called Fashion’s Night Out in New York City to get consumers to come out, open their wallets and support the fashion industry.
While there were no special sales, it was an excuse to dress up and check out various stores that became party central with DJs, free food, champagne and mega-designers and supermodels making appearances.
The concept has since become an annual event and has now gone global.
This year Canada joins countries such as Brazil, India and Australia, to name a few, for the shop-till-you-drop party on Thursday Sept. 6.
But what benefit is there for shoppers since there are no deep discounts offered as incentives?
“It’s a great opportunity to celebrate fashion retailers and designers,” says Laurie Belzak, who works for the City of Toronto as sector development officer, and also acts as a liaison with the local fashion industry.
Major retailers like Yorkdale Shopping Centre to small independent boutiques like Rue Pigalle on Queen St. W. will be hosting a variety of events in celebration of Fashion’s Night Out.
Some of the major events will be a street party hosted by Holt Renfrew.
Bloor St. W., from Yonge to Bay Sts. will be closed for the party — it also happens to be the luxury department’s 175th anniversary — and the store will be open until 11p.m.
MasterCard has a ‘Stylicity Lounge’ at Hazelton Lanes Oval Square where one can shop and sip cocktails.
Shops in the area are hosting the Shopping Soirée, where money spent means entry into a draw for VIP gala tickets to Fashion Cares, and part of the proceeds also benefit the Elton John AIDS Foundation and the AIDS Committee of Toronto.
The Bazaar by RAC — a popup market with over 20 designers and retailers — will take place over at the Burroughs Building at Queen St. W. and Bathurst St. where DJs will spin and cocktails will also be served.
But amidst all the revelry, one has to wonder if anyone will put down their cocktail long enough to try something on or make a purchase?
Belzak is confident there will be shopping . “How can it fail? There is so much excitement online surrounding it already,” she says, adding there will already be huge amounts of people out for the opening night of the Toronto International Film Festival.
“That’s a tremendous and powerful combination,” she says.
In New York, the event, which also coincides with the beginning of New York Fashion Week, draws lengthy lines of people. But questions and criticisms on its relevance have been raised.
“It’s hugely successful for us,” says Fiona Zeman, a spokesperson for the New York Ted Baker London stores — which featured a young hip band playing in their Meatpacking District store at the event last year. “There is a huge amount of foot traffic.”
According to Zeman, the event is not sales driven. “That’s not the focus of the evening, it’s an innovative branding vehicle.” Zeman says the company uses the event to raise visibility of its new stores, like the 5th Ave. store that will host a party at this year’s event.
But it was the no-discounting aspect of the evening that drew Comrags designers Judy Cornish and Joyce Gunhouse to participate in FNO in Toronto. “We hate everything to be about discounting,” says Cornish.
The designers will host an editor from Plaid, a hipster art and fashion magazine, in their Dundas St. W. store to offer styling advice to customers that evening.
As for any hopes that this event will be a blockbuster in terms of sales, the duo is taking a wait-and-see approach.
“We think it might draw a younger and different crowd than would normally visit the store,” she says. “We’re more interested in seeing how things will go on this first Fashion’s Night Out.”
In those dire days at the height of the recession in 2009, Vogue magazine came up with a shopping concept called Fashion’s Night Out in New York City to get consumers to come out, open their wallets and support the fashion industry.
While there were no special sales, it was an excuse to dress up and check out various stores that became party central with DJs, free food, champagne and mega-designers and supermodels making appearances.
The concept has since become an annual event and has now gone global.
This year Canada joins countries such as Brazil, India and Australia, to name a few, for the shop-till-you-drop party on Thursday Sept. 6.
But what benefit is there for shoppers since there are no deep discounts offered as incentives?
“It’s a great opportunity to celebrate fashion retailers and designers,” says Laurie Belzak, who works for the City of Toronto as sector development officer, and also acts as a liaison with the local fashion industry.
Major retailers like Yorkdale Shopping Centre to small independent boutiques like Rue Pigalle on Queen St. W. will be hosting a variety of events in celebration of Fashion’s Night Out.
Some of the major events will be a street party hosted by Holt Renfrew.
Bloor St. W., from Yonge to Bay Sts. will be closed for the party — it also happens to be the luxury department’s 175th anniversary — and the store will be open until 11p.m.
MasterCard has a ‘Stylicity Lounge’ at Hazelton Lanes Oval Square where one can shop and sip cocktails.
Shops in the area are hosting the Shopping Soirée, where money spent means entry into a draw for VIP gala tickets to Fashion Cares, and part of the proceeds also benefit the Elton John AIDS Foundation and the AIDS Committee of Toronto.
The Bazaar by RAC — a popup market with over 20 designers and retailers — will take place over at the Burroughs Building at Queen St. W. and Bathurst St. where DJs will spin and cocktails will also be served.
But amidst all the revelry, one has to wonder if anyone will put down their cocktail long enough to try something on or make a purchase?
Belzak is confident there will be shopping . “How can it fail? There is so much excitement online surrounding it already,” she says, adding there will already be huge amounts of people out for the opening night of the Toronto International Film Festival.
“That’s a tremendous and powerful combination,” she says.
In New York, the event, which also coincides with the beginning of New York Fashion Week, draws lengthy lines of people. But questions and criticisms on its relevance have been raised.
“It’s hugely successful for us,” says Fiona Zeman, a spokesperson for the New York Ted Baker London stores — which featured a young hip band playing in their Meatpacking District store at the event last year. “There is a huge amount of foot traffic.”
According to Zeman, the event is not sales driven. “That’s not the focus of the evening, it’s an innovative branding vehicle.” Zeman says the company uses the event to raise visibility of its new stores, like the 5th Ave. store that will host a party at this year’s event.
But it was the no-discounting aspect of the evening that drew Comrags designers Judy Cornish and Joyce Gunhouse to participate in FNO in Toronto. “We hate everything to be about discounting,” says Cornish.
The designers will host an editor from Plaid, a hipster art and fashion magazine, in their Dundas St. W. store to offer styling advice to customers that evening.
As for any hopes that this event will be a blockbuster in terms of sales, the duo is taking a wait-and-see approach.
“We think it might draw a younger and different crowd than would normally visit the store,” she says. “We’re more interested in seeing how things will go on this first Fashion’s Night Out.”
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
'Fashion incubator' part of €200m investment plan to create 3,000 jobs
'Fashion incubator' part of €200m investment plan to create 3,000 jobs
A planned €200 million investment in Limerick Institute of Technology’s Limerick and Tipperary campuses, launched yesterday, aims to create 3,000 jobs across the construction, teaching and services sectors.
Most of the first €20 million of investment has been secured.
The master plan includes the proposed development of an “Irish Fashion Incubator” to house fashion enterprises set up by LIT students to target the best fashion houses across the globe.
“The incubator will focus primarily on knitwear – that’s a particular strength that we have in the college of art and design,” said Jimmy Browne, secretary financial controller at the Limerick institute.
“We already have equipment that is used to run a couple of businesses that have export potential at the moment, so it will build on that reputation and generally look at the design and creation of new products.”
He said that over time, “we it might see that it will become part of replacing the history of Limerick lace and the history that Limerick has in this particular creative history”.
The investment will see an additional 50,000 sq m of new facilities as well as extensive refurbishment works across LIT’s four existing campuses and at a new, 7,000 sq m campus at Coonagh, Limerick.
Other key elements will include added student villages, an integrated transport system and a plaza linking the college and Thomond Park stadium.
LIT president Dr Maria Hinfelaar added: “This is not just a milestone moment for our institute, but our city and region, as we truly believe that this will be a catalyst in the transformation of Limerick and the wider region.”
Dr Hinfelaar said the college’s unprecedented level of expansion was critical for it to continue to meet increased demand for its undergraduate and postgraduate courses. “A good example of the current demand for places at LIT is our school of art and design, which is ranked in the top 50 such colleges in the world but has 900 CAO applications for just 200 places each year,” Ms Hinfelaar said.
The college aims to cater for 8,500 students by 2030. “Even if the level of participation in third level stays the same, we are going to have to cater for larger numbers. Simply, we need more space,” she said.
Part of the master plan has already been granted planning, but the bulk of the proposed development will be lodged with planners before Christmas.
A planned €200 million investment in Limerick Institute of Technology’s Limerick and Tipperary campuses, launched yesterday, aims to create 3,000 jobs across the construction, teaching and services sectors.
Most of the first €20 million of investment has been secured.
The master plan includes the proposed development of an “Irish Fashion Incubator” to house fashion enterprises set up by LIT students to target the best fashion houses across the globe.
“The incubator will focus primarily on knitwear – that’s a particular strength that we have in the college of art and design,” said Jimmy Browne, secretary financial controller at the Limerick institute.
“We already have equipment that is used to run a couple of businesses that have export potential at the moment, so it will build on that reputation and generally look at the design and creation of new products.”
He said that over time, “we it might see that it will become part of replacing the history of Limerick lace and the history that Limerick has in this particular creative history”.
The investment will see an additional 50,000 sq m of new facilities as well as extensive refurbishment works across LIT’s four existing campuses and at a new, 7,000 sq m campus at Coonagh, Limerick.
Other key elements will include added student villages, an integrated transport system and a plaza linking the college and Thomond Park stadium.
LIT president Dr Maria Hinfelaar added: “This is not just a milestone moment for our institute, but our city and region, as we truly believe that this will be a catalyst in the transformation of Limerick and the wider region.”
Dr Hinfelaar said the college’s unprecedented level of expansion was critical for it to continue to meet increased demand for its undergraduate and postgraduate courses. “A good example of the current demand for places at LIT is our school of art and design, which is ranked in the top 50 such colleges in the world but has 900 CAO applications for just 200 places each year,” Ms Hinfelaar said.
The college aims to cater for 8,500 students by 2030. “Even if the level of participation in third level stays the same, we are going to have to cater for larger numbers. Simply, we need more space,” she said.
Part of the master plan has already been granted planning, but the bulk of the proposed development will be lodged with planners before Christmas.
Monday, September 3, 2012
2012 Durban Fashion Fair becomes stand-alone event, fashion workshop
2012 Durban Fashion Fair becomes stand-alone event, fashion workshop
The Durban Fashion Fair 2012, formerly part of the annual Durban Business Fair, will be a stand-alone event on Friday 21 September 2012, offering an important platform for Durban's creative industries to access national and international markets.
Its theme, 'Today's Past is Tomorrow's Future', includes four fashion shows, which will showcase various designer categories - Young Designers, Emerging Designers and Invited Designers and a collection by this year's International Invited Designer, Massimo Crivelli from Milan, Italy.
The theme has not only been chosen to pay homage to the rich legacy of South African fashion and design but also to inspire emerging talents to be open up to future trends and developments within the field of design.
The Young Designer show will run from 2.30pm, the Emerging Designer show from 4.30pm, the Invited Designer show from 6.30pm and the International Invited Designer show from 8.30pm.
Workshop, business fair
Behind the scenes, the eThekwini Municipality hold a five-day business workshop and conference for emerging SMME designers 15-21 September, presented by internationally acclaimed stylist, Helene Blignaut. This will be followed by the annual Durban Business Fair, from 21-24 September, which will include a fashion pavilion that will promote over 30 designers.
With a strong belief that promoting Durban designers cannot stop at the end of the runway, Sindi Shangase, business support program manager for the eThekwini Municipality business support, tourism and markets unit, says that an on-going fashion academy and international internship programme will see successful candidates that perform well during the business workshop making their way to Italy for a two-month long programme that will hone their skills for the fashion industry.
"What better way to promote local designers, link the creative industries to local and international retail opportunities, access international markets and train emerging designers than by holding workshops that can create a real sense of the 'business of fashion'? This is a sector that is not just about looking good but doing good business in every sense of those words," she says.
She says she expects the Durban Fashion Fair to become an iconic annual event on the designers' calendars and a week of fashion inspiration, for which the city will be known.
The Durban Fashion Fair 2012, formerly part of the annual Durban Business Fair, will be a stand-alone event on Friday 21 September 2012, offering an important platform for Durban's creative industries to access national and international markets.
Its theme, 'Today's Past is Tomorrow's Future', includes four fashion shows, which will showcase various designer categories - Young Designers, Emerging Designers and Invited Designers and a collection by this year's International Invited Designer, Massimo Crivelli from Milan, Italy.
The theme has not only been chosen to pay homage to the rich legacy of South African fashion and design but also to inspire emerging talents to be open up to future trends and developments within the field of design.
The Young Designer show will run from 2.30pm, the Emerging Designer show from 4.30pm, the Invited Designer show from 6.30pm and the International Invited Designer show from 8.30pm.
Workshop, business fair
Behind the scenes, the eThekwini Municipality hold a five-day business workshop and conference for emerging SMME designers 15-21 September, presented by internationally acclaimed stylist, Helene Blignaut. This will be followed by the annual Durban Business Fair, from 21-24 September, which will include a fashion pavilion that will promote over 30 designers.
With a strong belief that promoting Durban designers cannot stop at the end of the runway, Sindi Shangase, business support program manager for the eThekwini Municipality business support, tourism and markets unit, says that an on-going fashion academy and international internship programme will see successful candidates that perform well during the business workshop making their way to Italy for a two-month long programme that will hone their skills for the fashion industry.
"What better way to promote local designers, link the creative industries to local and international retail opportunities, access international markets and train emerging designers than by holding workshops that can create a real sense of the 'business of fashion'? This is a sector that is not just about looking good but doing good business in every sense of those words," she says.
She says she expects the Durban Fashion Fair to become an iconic annual event on the designers' calendars and a week of fashion inspiration, for which the city will be known.
Saturday, September 1, 2012
Fashion statement for every bride
Fashion statement for every bride
The exotic variety of bridal attires and accessories on display on Friday at the inaugural show of the three-day ‘Bridal Mantra 2012’ left spectators dazzled amidst an array of beautiful collections.
Coupled with lilting, rustic music, the fashion show featured the wedding necessities of a bride. It was a surprise to see undercurrents of tradition in every one of the collections presented. There were several pavadai-dhavani ensembles, besides the usual lehangas, churidars and saris.
The richly-embroidered Moghul collection from Studio Virtues, the simple but elegant designs from Ritu Kumar, the extraordinarily glittery outfits from Falguni & Shane Peacock and the luxuriant swathes from Ecru left the women and men in awe of the designers’ creativity and the beauty of Indian weaves.
Actor Asin, who launched the second edition of Bridal Mantra, said she would set store by the element of tradition accompanied by the contemporary if she were to choose her bridal wear.
“My bridal mantra would be traditional, classic, elegant and minimalist,” she said.
While the exotic garments came from designers, GRT Jewellers presented that touch that no Indian wedding can do without — a stunning array of gold and diamond jewellery.
The garments and jewellery displayed at the fashion show on Friday will be presented at Hyatt Regency on Anna Salai on Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., said Arun Anant, chief executive officer, The Hindu.
The exotic variety of bridal attires and accessories on display on Friday at the inaugural show of the three-day ‘Bridal Mantra 2012’ left spectators dazzled amidst an array of beautiful collections.
Coupled with lilting, rustic music, the fashion show featured the wedding necessities of a bride. It was a surprise to see undercurrents of tradition in every one of the collections presented. There were several pavadai-dhavani ensembles, besides the usual lehangas, churidars and saris.
The richly-embroidered Moghul collection from Studio Virtues, the simple but elegant designs from Ritu Kumar, the extraordinarily glittery outfits from Falguni & Shane Peacock and the luxuriant swathes from Ecru left the women and men in awe of the designers’ creativity and the beauty of Indian weaves.
Actor Asin, who launched the second edition of Bridal Mantra, said she would set store by the element of tradition accompanied by the contemporary if she were to choose her bridal wear.
“My bridal mantra would be traditional, classic, elegant and minimalist,” she said.
While the exotic garments came from designers, GRT Jewellers presented that touch that no Indian wedding can do without — a stunning array of gold and diamond jewellery.
The garments and jewellery displayed at the fashion show on Friday will be presented at Hyatt Regency on Anna Salai on Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., said Arun Anant, chief executive officer, The Hindu.
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