Fashion Faceoff: Lindsay Lohan vs. Charlize Theron

Ding, ding! Today's Fashion Faceoff contenders are Lindsay "Hot Mess" Lohan, known for her frequent arrests and car crashes, and Charlize "Oscar Winner" Theron, known for her performances in movies like "Snow White and the Huntsman" and her sophisticated red carpet style. Lohan's chances don't look good! Time to decide ... who wore it best?

What They Wore: Designer Dion Lee's Illusion dress in black, featuring a halter neckline and cutouts throughout.

When They Wore It: Lohan donned the dress November 20 on "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno," while Theron chose it for the CinemaCon Big Screen Achievement Awards in Las Vegas on April 26.

How They Styled It: Both ladies left their locks down. Lohan added Christian Louboutin ankle boots, Cartier earrings, and a sparkly bracelet. Theron wore her frock with Giuseppe Zanotti sandals.

Judge's Scorecard: Lohan wins points for, well, showing up on time for an appointment without any major mishap, although she loses big points when it comes to the fit of the frock. Theron's dress fits her like a glove, and the length hits the former model just right. Still, is that enough to win today's Fashion Faceoff? You decide!

Fashion FYI: Vogue documentary on HBO

"In Vogue: The Editor’s Eye” will debut at 9 p.m. Dec. 6 on HBO, coinciding with the 120th anniversary of the fashion magazine. The documentary takes a look at some of the world’s most influential fashion images, as conceived by the magazine’s iconic fashion editors. Drawing on Vogue’s archives, the film features behind-the-scenes interviews with editors who have contributed to the magazine’s legacy, including current editor Anna Wintour, and Vogue subjects such as Nicole Kidman and Sarah Jessica Parker.

Details: www.vogue.com

WOMEN OF BEAUTY

Naxos of America has released three DVDs devoted to three iconic women of beauty and fashion: Helena Rubinstein, Elizabeth Arden and Estee Lauder. The DVDs sell for $19.99 each.

Details: www.naxosusa.com

FASHION SHOW

Nadia Salon in Shadyside is hosting a fashion show at 4 p.m. Sunday as part of the Holiday Promenade on Walnut as Continuum Dance Theater transforms the salon into a holiday masterpiece of fashion, music and performance art. Fashion show tickets are $15; $30 for VIP.

Details: www.thedanceticket.blogspot.com

SHOP N SIP EVENT

Enjoy wine, cheese, chocolates and a gift with purchase from 5 to 8 p.m. every Thursday in December at Crossroads Boutique & Cattiva in Greensburg.

Details: 724-832-8900 or www.crossroadsboutique.com

SHOW OFF YOUR LEGS

With the holiday party season upon us, People Style Watch offers tips to help bare your legs so they will be smooth, bronzed and glowing.

Exfoliate: Soften skin with a scrub that cleanses and smooths. Apply it in circular motions from your feet up. For better results, use a loofah or body brush.

Bronze: Get an instant glow with a temporary bronzing gel. A matte formula minimizes imperfections in a natural way. Make sure to apply it in front of a full-length mirror to avoid streaks. If you want a more-subdued color, mix it with moisturizer.

Luminize: For added sparkle, finish with a shimmery powder or cream. To make legs look extra-long and lean, apply it just down the center of your thighs and calves.

ORGANIZE IT

Allure magazine talked with Jeanine Lobell, a makeup artist and the founder of Stilla Cosmetics about how to organize a makeup bag.

“Foundation inevitably leaks, shadows crumble and powder explodes — I’ve learned how to minimize the mess,” she says.

Look inside: A bag with nylon lining is easier to clean than a leather or cotton one. Keep makeup-remover wipes in there so, if anything does spill, you can clean it up quickly.

Double-check: It sounds simple, but the crucial step in preventing disaster is tightening all of the caps. Any compacts with iffy hinges should go in a plastic bag. Eyeliner caps always pop off, so I prefer twist-up pencils.

Sort brushes: Stash brushes by type in long, narrow, snack-size bags, so dark shadow brushes don’t contaminate your blush brush.

Start over: About once a month, “I empty my bag, flip it inside out, and give it a good wipe-down with a brush cleaner and paper towel. And four times a year, I do an overhaul: I keep my concealer, bronzer and cheek color, but to update things, I slip in a new lipstick or shadow that’s hot for the season,” says Lobell.

Zuoan Fashion Limited Announces Reporting Date for Third Quarter 2012 Financial Results

Zuoan Fashion Limited (ZA) ("Zuoan" or the "Company"), a leading design-driven fashion casual menswear company in China, today announced that the Company will report its third quarter 2012 financial results before the market open on Wednesday, December 5th, 2012.

Zuoan's management will host an earnings conference call on December 5th, 2012 at 8:30 a.m. US Eastern Time. Listeners may access the call by dialing +1-913-981-5507. A webcast will also be available via www.viavid.net. A replay of the call will be available through December 12th, 2012. Listeners may access the replay by dialing +1-858-384-5517, access code: 9427782.

Zuoan Fashion Limited is a leading design-driven fashion casual menswear company in China, and is head-quartered in Shanghai. Zuoan offers a wide range of products, including men's casual apparel, footwear and lifestyle accessories, primarily targeting urban males between the ages of 20 and 40 who prefer stylish clothing that represents a sophisticated lifestyle. Through extensive networks of distributors and retail stores, Zuoan sells its products in 29 of China's 32 provinces and municipalities. As of June 30, 2012, Zuoan had 1,331 stores located in China.

The Top 10 Fashion And Beauty Startups This Year

One of the highlights of working for a publication such as Springwise is the sheer breadth and variation of the ideas that we are exposed to on a daily basis. We rely on a network of 15,000 “spotters” worldwide to submit innovative startups they’ve discovered during their week from virtually any industry in the world, from automotive to publishing, from financial services to tourism. We then review these, and share the best with our readers.

Once a month however, we like to focus our attention on just one sector, and pull out our favorite ideas from that area over the last 12 months. This month we’re looking back on the top startups from our “Fashion & Beauty” section.

Even the briefest glance at the selection below will reveal an emphasis on fashion startups that facilitate or rely upon social connections. C&A’s ingenious Facebook hangers and Volga Verdi’s discount service are both based on the premise that knowing what others consider fashionable and in vogue influences the individual’s shopping behaviors. This is, of course, nothing new. We have always relied upon style icons and lookbooks to help inform purchasing decisions, but using social networks as a guide to what’s currently fashionable, rather than individual trend leaders, could point the way to a democratization of such “trend setting” in the future.

A recent conversation with a friend at fashion label Lucas Nascimento highlighted how services such as Moda Operandi and Springwise-featured FashForward.com are enabling members of the public to purchase outfits straight from the catwalk, rather than waiting for a retailer to buy a collection and make it available. Of course there will always be a need for style leaders to guide tastes, but, similar to the C&A initiative and Volga Verdi, it’s easy to see how Moda Operandi and FashForward.com can be read as another step towards putting more power into the hands of consumers before major trend setters are involved.

Another obvious trend to pick out from the list is the desire for garments to do more than simply look good or keep us warm — the iLoad fabric featured below, which can deliver therapeutic medicines transdermally, is a striking example. Aesthetically, designers such as Marios Schwab have made good use of thermochromic dyeing in the past, and Alex Wang’s new collection even features glow in the dark outfits (skip to around 8.30 in the video). However, going a step further in this top ten is Refinity, looking to enable the wearer to constantly redesign the pattern and look of their clothes, just as BLESSUS allow wearers to alter the cut and design of garments using a zipper system. Echoing the thinking behind the Naturalis appliance also featured below, these startups all recognize that consumers have a real desire for clothes and beauty products that are customizable in some way, making them more unique while also enabling the user to involve themselves in the design process.

With those thoughts in mind, I leave you with Springwise’s top ten startups from our Fashion and Beauty category over the last 12 months. There’s plenty here to inspire, and it’s always worth considering how some of the thinking behind these great ideas could be applied to other industries as well…

1. Online retailer focuses on stylish but modest fashions

 We always like discovering businesses that go against the grain, and Mode-sty caught our attention because of its refusal to accept the status quo in the fashion world. While many high street chains focus on the younger and more liberal market to shape their collections, Mode-sty prides itself on stocking conservative items for women who are uncomfortable with revealing garments.

2. Anti-aging products personalized with customers’ stem cells

 Many brands have been adding twists to their products that enable consumers to add personalized touches in recent years. However, U Autologous took this one step further with their advanced technology that uses the stem cells of customers to create a tailor-made anti-aging product. The company collects these cells from the customer at a young age and then stores them for use in later years.

3. New DIY appliance enables consumers to make their cosmetics at home

 A DIY approach is favored by many in a world where transparency and customization are major selling points. Naturalis may well be welcomed by resourceful types then, as it encourages users to make their own cosmetic products at home. The thinking behind this device is that users can customize products as they see fit, and avoid using scents or ingredients that they dislike or are allergic to. Empowering the consumer is an appealing business approach, and one that may prove popular in this increasingly saturated market.

4. Fabric ink can change the design of a garment on demand

 Children often marvel at the “magic” behind Etch A Sketches, where their drawings can vanish with one push of a plastic wiper. Perhaps an adult equivalent is this fabric ink from Refinity, which can be washed away by a special detergent – leaving the garment unadorned and ready for a new pattern or color. For those keen to experiment with their clothing, this could be a useful way of avoiding shelling out for new items on a regular basis. It also means that the ink can be easily removed from a garment before it is recycled, making the sorting of fabrics by color during the recycling process much easier. The company is currently developing an in-house service for printing and removal.

5. Brazilian fashion retailer displays Facebook ‘likes’ for items in its real-world stores

 Linking the online and offline worlds is an aim that many businesses dedicate a considerable chunk of their time to. C&A achieved this by displaying Facebook ‘likes’ on the hangers of their clothing. Small screens embedded in the hangers show the increasing tally of ‘likes’ different items of clothing are receiving from the online community. An interesting retail tactic to encourage online engagement while tapping into people’s desire for others’ approval.

6. Reloadable fabric administers medicine via the skin

 While the majority of the innovations we see in fashion are focused on aesthetics, iLoad took a unique medicinal approach to their new material. Their reloadable fabric can administer medicine via the skin – potentially perfect for busy people who may well forget to take regular doses throughout the day. Any innovation that has efficiency at its core is sure to be greeted with interest by time-strapped consumers.

7. Modular outfits created and customized with concealed zippers

 BLESSUS created a line of clothes that can be modified through zippers in the clothing. Many professional women can find themselves carrying several outfits in their bag to accommodate a clothing change for a night out, so adaptable clothes that can be adjusted to fit with different occasions could be a useful alternative to lugging a number of items around all day. A lightweight innovative approach to fashion fans fond of wardrobe changes.

8. For every online shopper, a clothing size profile via webcam

 Online clothes shopping is an increasingly popular way of purchasing new items without taking a trip to the shops. However, the lack of a chance to try before buying can be a huge downside to this mail order model. Berlin-based UPcload seems to have provided a solution though through its sizing service, which can obtain the specific measurements of its users and then suggest sizes accordingly. If this saves online customers having to return items through the post it can only be a welcome innovation in the fashion world.


9. Jeans connect to social networks

 Most consumers today now expect easy access to the web, particularly their social networks, at all times. Denim retailer Replay recognized this demand and responded with their Social Denim range, a line of jeans that includes a small pocket for a bluetooth transmitter so that wearers can link up their smartphones and update their mood on their social networks through the click of a button.

10. Fashion brand offers discounts based on a shopper’s social influence

 In a similar vein to the C&A campaign that makes use of Facebook ‘likes’ to encourage customer purchases, Volga Verdi in Italy encourages their customers to make full use of their social networks in order to receive discounts on items. The more contacts a person has, the higher the discount they can receive. This provides an easy way for retailers to tap into the wider networks of their customers to promote their brand, and encourages customers to spread the word far and wide by increasing their pool of contacts with the reward of discounts.

Grandfather takes China by storm - as women's fashion model

Liu Qianping was visiting his 24-year-old granddaughter in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou recently when the women's clothes the aspiring fashion entrepreneur was packing into boxes caught his eye.

His visit came as the model that granddaughter Lu Ting and four friends had booked for a photo shoot to promote their online fashion business suddenly canceled, dealing a setback to their new venture.

But Liu, a 72-year-old former farmer visiting to escape the chilly winter of central Hunan province, stepped in to help.

"I walked into the room and saw them packing up some clothes and I thought they looked quite interesting and quite cute," Liu told Reuters.

"So I tried on a jacket and they found it really funny, and I thought it was quite funny. So they asked if they could take pictures of me and post them on the Internet to sell the clothes. And I said, 'why not?'"
It was at that time two weeks ago that a star was born.

Liu, known affectionately as "MaDiGaGa" - funny elderly - is now one of China's most recognized models.
Delighted with his new fame, Liu says he now sometimes looks at fashion program on television for ideas on how to pose but generally relies on Ting's team for direction.

He does, however, have his own opinions on styling.

"He will tell us which items should be stronger and what should be improved," Ting said.

"He really likes bright, contrasting colors while I prefer more tone-on-tone combinations. So he gives lots of advice when we try different combinations, so we have some very different styles."

Since her grandfather became involved, visits to their online site have increased four-fold and continue to rise.

Liu, who traveled to Shanghai with his daughter for the first time last week after they were invited to appear on television, said he had been approached by other companies to model for them but had turned them down.

"I never dreamed of lucky things like these happening to me. Now, my name has spread to everywhere in the country," he said.

Ting has been criticized on the Internet and accused of using her grandfather, but he insists the experience has put a spring in his step and she says they are now closer than ever.

"We have no firm plans on how long we will continue, it depends on my grandfather," Ting said. "If he is happy and his health is fine, we will keep using him as our model."

From Catwalk to London Streets, British Blokes Are Models of Men’s Fashion

The Sartorialist, aka photographer/blogger Scott Schuman, had a hand in it. And obviously Tom Ford. And really, centuries of designers and men who cared just a bit more than the average male. But in the end, it's all Becks' doing.

Thanks to him, more and more men are actually paying attention to what they wear. No longer content to throw on that free T-shirt they got with a beer purchase, men are buying fashion magazines, reading fashion blogs and yes, even buying clothes based on fashion. Nowhere is this shocking trend more evident than in the UK.

You see, the man knows how to dress, and he cuts a damn fine figure to boot. Being married to one of the most stylish women in the world certainly forces his hand a bit, but you get the sense that he has a genuine interest in, and decided taste for, the clothes that go on his back.

Great Britain, of course, has a long and rich tradition of excellent tailoring and above-standard men's clothing. But it was not exactly the norm to be fashionable. Credit Beckham and his counterparts for the recent global shift of focus in the way we view men's fashion.

This past summer saw the launch of The London Collections: Men (or LC:M, as GQ dubbed it). LC:M was an entire event devoted to men's fashion, three days of male-focused style that was so big Prince Charles himself hosted a lunch to celebrate the event (a gallery of the prince's style choices is on the event's website).

Considering London's longstanding history of bespoke and high-street style (not to mention the breeding ground that is the fashion college of Central Saint Martins at University of the Arts, London, among others), it only makes sense that London would be a launch pad for menswear into the next level of fashion. Plus the Beckham effect, of course.

Now preparing for a January encore, LC:M is the perfect platform for established menswear designers and newcomers alike to showcase their expertise in a field that, compared to women's fashion, has been historically left by the wayside.

Many of us know and love big names like Burberry, Paul Smith, and Christopher Kane. But it's the opportunity for young British talent to showcase work that makes LC:M so exciting. MAN — a joint operation from established names in the field — proudly supports hand-picked newbies through sponsorship and mentorship (they have a knack for being spot on, too: J.W. Anderson and Christopher Shannon are testament).

In January, all eyes will be on Agi & Sam (ideal client: "Ace Ventura Pet Detective"), Astrid Andersen and Shaun Samson (ideal client: "some guy loitering on the street looking cool") as the three MAN talents of the season.

So, ladies and (especially) gentlemen, welcome to the era of the fashionable male. David Beckham inspired it, Scott Schuman voiced it, and now it feels like all of London is designing it, with The London Collections: Men paving the way for the entire industry to notice. It seems menswear is having its Swayze moment: These days, nobody is putting it in the corner.

Black Friday - Glamour on a Budget at Bella Fashion Jewelry

Bella Fashion Jewelry is offering excellent Black Friday deals all weekend, with over 100 items available for under $1. In addition, Hair Barrettes Wholesale adds a new shopping option - 6 packs, 8 packs, in addition to dozen packs.

Hayward, CA (PRWEB) November 23, 2012
Black Friday is the day of the year when the most dedicated bargain shoppers put their deal hunting skills to the test. Those looking for some of the best value for their money can head directly to bellafashionjewelry.com or bellafashionwholesale.com for $1 deals, and even items priced at below $1. Bella Fashion will be a can’t-miss stop on Black Friday shopper’s lists, with its sale lasting from Friday, November 23rd to Sunday, November 25th at midnight.

The sale will offer over 100 of the websites’ hot items at amazingly low prices: a beaded multi-strand necklace and earring sets, with teardrop shaped earrings, at $1 set. The Black Friday sale at Bella Fashion, available to both wholesale and retail shoppers at the respective sites, is an all weekend event that offers shoppers the opportunity for unparalleled glamour on a budget.

Many new arrivals will reach Bella Fashion just in time for the Black Friday $1 sale, including styles so unique that friends will never believe the price tag. Hoop-shaped earrings with rows of gold tone on black, and antique gold-tone earrings with jewel toned accents are sure to be favorites. Trendsetters will fall in love with the dangle earrings: a metallic chain design with sweeping, geometric ornaments in silver and gold-tone, and a two-sided dangling chain with butterflies or hearts.

For wholesale shoppers looking for opportunities this weekend, Hair Barrettes Wholesale offers a new buying option that is even more flexible for its valued customers. In every category, Hair Barrettes Wholesale will begin offering select items available in six pack, 8 pack options in addition to dozen packs for buyer’s convenience. The website is pleased to offer this compromise to retailers who want items at low prices but in smaller quantities, allowing a convenient balance between pricing and quantity.

The Bella Fashion family has its customers as its first priority this holiday season: that’s why the Black Friday sale will last all weekend, and Hair Barrettes Wholesale has opened up flexibility. With delightful dollar deals and six pack options, customers know exactly where to turn on Friday.
About Hair Barrettes Wholesale

Bella Fashion Jewelry is a leading provider of fashion jewelry and fashion accessories to help customers stay up to date with the latest fashion trends at affordable prices. Bella Fashion Jewelry has been in the business of fashion jewelry and accessories for over 21 years, and has just launched its new wholesale subsidiary, Hair Barrettes Wholesale. Bella Fashion Jewelry, owned and operated out of Hayward, California, now operates at three levels: at retail site, bellafashionjewelry.com, no minimum order amount is set, and pricing is at everyday discounted retail pricing. Free shipping is offered for orders of $30 or more. At bellafashionwholesale.com, 1st and 2nd tier of wholesale pricing are offered, minimum order amount is set at $30, and shoppers are allowed to buy 1 each of each style or color with free shipping for orders of $60 or more. At its newly launched wholesale site, hairbarretteswholesale.com, minimum order amount is set at $45. Products at hairbarretteswholesale.com are 6 packs, 8 packs, or dozen packed, and pricing is at 3rd tier wholesale pricing which competes with buying direct from China factories.

Fashion designer Vahan Khachatryan named among VOGUE Award finalists

Armenian fashion designer Vahan Khachatryan was named among 10 finalists for the MUUSE x VOGUE Talents Young Vision Award 2012.

60.000 fashion lovers have placed their votes to select their favorite 10 designers among 300 young talents from top design schools worldwide.

Senior Fashion Editor of Vogue Italia & Vogue Talents, Sara Maino will next select this year’s winner. She will be looking for a young talent with clear design vision and the potential to make a mark in the fashion world.

The winning designer will join MUUSE and design a capsule collection to be produced and sold by MUUSE. In addition, the winner will be featured in the Talents section of vogue.it.

As Vahan Khachatryan told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter, the contest gave him a unique opportunity to share his vision with the world and promote his work on international level.

A former Florence Art Academy student, Vahan Khachatryan had worked as haute couture designer at Dolce & Gabbana luxury fashion house.

Guerrilla Fashion: The Story of Supreme

A crowd of hundreds of street kids flashing a dandy streak in their camo and their leopard print had been assembling like a slow-motion flash mob since the night before — ever since word trickled out that the 2012 spring-summer collection for Supreme, the cultish street-wear brand, was about to drop. In certain urban circles, a new Supreme line qualifies as an event, on par with a new iPhone. Fans camp out on folding chairs and sleeping bags.

The die-hards, however, can get restless, so to break the tension, the young man, adopting the role of hip-hop hype man, decided to “make it rain” — to use a strip-club parlance. As ASAP Rocky’s rap anthem “Peso” thumped from a car parked nearby, he sent bills fluttering over the whooping crowd before tumbling into a triumphant crowd surf.

Passers-by in suits offered quizzical looks. But that’s perfectly fine with Supreme. No offense, but if you don’t know about Supreme, maybe it’s because you’re not supposed to.

For much of its 18-year existence, Supreme was confined to the in-crowd, a scruffy clubhouse for a select crew of blunt-puffing skate urchins, graffiti artists, underground filmmakers and rappers.

“It is a little club, a secret society,” said Tyler, the Creator, the rapper with the group Odd Future, who showed up at last year’s MTV Video Music Awards decked out in Supreme.

Word, though, is getting out. Once dismissed as skate-wear by fashion people, Supreme has been embraced by a new global tribe eager to crack its code.

Huge lines, once endemic to its New York flagship in SoHo, now form at satellite stores in Los Angeles, London, Tokyo and other cities. The current issue of British GQ Style, a men’s fashion bible, hails Supreme as “the coolest streetwear brand in the world right now.” And the Berlin culture magazine O32c called it “the Holy Grail of high youth street culture.” The Business of Fashion site called it “the Chanel of downtown streetwear.”

On the red carpet, Supreme has become a certifiable thing for rappers and pop stars. At the recent Paris Fashion Week, Kanye West arrived at the Céline show wearing a green-camouflage pullover field jacket by Supreme. In September, Frank Ocean performed on “Saturday Night Live” wearing a Supreme hockey jersey adorned with a Southwestern-style thunderbird.

For any other brand, such sightings would be considered a P.R. coup. But they are beside the point for Supreme, which is so fiercely protective of its anarchic downtown heritage that it would rather be ignored by the masses than misunderstood.

“Most businesses just have a goal of getting as big as possible,” said Glenn O’Brien, the style writer. But Supreme does not “try to be in every department store in the world,” preferring instead to stay underground and boutique.

“Supreme is a company that refuses to sell out,” he said.

SUPREME is also a company that plays hard to get. That uncompromising spirit starts with the stores themselves.

Opened in 1994 by its press-shy founder, James Jebbia, the Lafayette Street store pioneered an art-gallery-cum-storage-facility chic, with its white walls and plywood shelving.

The Container Store this was not. The retail experience — from the Bad Brains blaring overhead, to the store clerks who sized up visitors with blank stares — could be forbidding.

Shoppers could look but not touch, especially during the early days, recalled Aaron Bondaroff, a founder of Ohwow gallery who worked at the shop in the 1990s. Anyone who mussed the folded T-shirts could expect a scolding.

The subtext was clear: One had to earn the right to shop there.

“I walked in there and, even as a girl, I still felt intimidated: these were real skate kids,” said Vashtie Kola, a downtown music video director and party promoter, recalling her visits in the ’90s. Like the skate world in general, the store, she added, was “a place where authenticity is of extreme importance.”

“People can pick up on your scent,” she continued. “It’s a hard world to gain respect in.”

Then, as now, the merchandise was every bit as coded. Supreme channels various underground style currents: the punkiness of Dogtown-era skatewear, the macho utilitarianism of military gear, the brash colors of ’80s hip-hop — and merges them into a singular aesthetic.

Prices are hardly astronomical (jeans are about $130; hoodies, $170), but Supreme cultivates the same covetous frenzy that might greet a new $9,000 Hermès Birkin bag.

Limited runs help stoke demand. A corduroy shell jacket, a collaboration with North Face listed at $298, recently sold out in one minute online and appeared almost simultaneously on eBay for $700, according to Peter Panagakos, of Strictly Supreme, a members-only Web site where Supreme zealots trade rumors and merch. (Invitations to the site are themselves highly coveted.)

Collaborations with bien-pensant contemporary artists further enhance Supreme’s esoteric air. The current fall-winter collection, for example, includes an Army-style M-51 jacket, featuring artwork by the skateboarder and artist Mark Gonzales, for $298. Skate-deck collaborations with artists like Damien Hirst and Richard Prince may retail for less than $100, but are “collected like art,” Mr. O’Brien said.

Fashion, Glamour and Sophistication Merged at SM Accessories' Supreme Four Launch

In a world where standing out matters more than blending in, one must be able to rise above the clutter. SM Accessories, the Fashion Accessories Authority, is known as the style-setter and star of wardrobes of the country’s hottest and most stylish set. Aside from being the biggest accessories mecca in the country, SM Accessories boasts of colors, styles, and designs that ultimately make one stand out from the rest. SM Accessories is known for chic, trendsetting items that are consistently spotted on the country’s who’s who.

To seal the brand’s position in the industry, last November 15, SM Accessories gathered the “it” crowd at Republiq Club for a night of fashion, glamour, and sophistication that featured a spectacle of trends to push the fashion envelope from typical, to extraordinary. Fashionistas and partyphiles alike witnessed the grand unveiling of the Supreme Four of SM Accessories: Xian Lim, Georgina Wilson, Richard Gutierrez, and Anne Curtis through an elaborate production which featured the brand’s Holiday Collection, styled by Millet Arzaga and celebrated fashion stylist Liz Uy. The Hunter Street Collection showcased pieces with eclectic prints fit for the free-spirited people of the world type; Urban Glam featured sleek, tapered and classy pieces; Baroque showcased pieces highlighting sophisticated elegance; Blue Royale will be a definite standout with its regal and eye-catching pieces. With this, the Holiday Collection became the perfect epitome of the Supreme Four.

The star-studded event was graced by personalities from all over the industry; celebrities like Annabelle Rama, Eddie Gutierrez, Raymond Gutierrez, Tessa Prieto-Valdes, Nancy Castiglione, Sarah Lahbati, Frencheska Farr, Kylie Padilla, Rocco Nacino, Enzo Pineda, PBB Teens housemates Ivan Dorschner, James Reid, Bret Jackson, and Devon Seron,  One Mega’s  Sari Yap, Preview’s Lyca Puno and Anna Canlas, and supermodel Danica Magpantay.

Also spotted were Marie Lozano, IC Mendoza, Bianca Roque and Chino Lui Pio who were covering the launch. Guests danced to the beats of crowd favorite DJ Mars Miranda, and were treated to prizes such as SMART Bro Tablets and an iPhone, courtesy of SMART. The event was sponsored by Max Factor and SMART.

With the addition of Xian, Georgina, Richard, and Anne to their roster of ambassadors, SM Accessories definitely made its mark as the Philippines’ Fashion Accessories Authority.

Designing a fashion capital

Widely recognized as a shopping paradise, Hong Kong hosts nearly every global fashion brand, showcasing their best and latest designs. But prosperity on the commercial side alone is not enough to justify the title of fashion capital. To live up to that moniker, a platform that nurtures future designers is vital, fashion educators say.


The Savannah College of Art and Design is the only university in Hong Kong focusing exclusively on art and design education. This autumn, the university rolled out four fashion-related programs bachelor of fine arts in fashion and in fashion marketing and management, as well as two masters programs in luxury and fashion management.

The launch of SCADs fashion degree programs will energize Hong Kongs development as Asias fashion capital, and further enrich our contribution to the citys cultural and creative industries, said SCAD Hong Kong vice president John Paul Rowan.

The new fashion programs will also add to Hong Kongs appeal as Asias international education hub. A number of SCAD fashion students in the United States have already enrolled to study in Hong Kong.

The US-based university currently has campuses in Savannah and Atlanta, Georgia, as well as Lacoste, France.

Its Hong Kong campus was opened in 2010, housed in the historic North Kowloon Magistracy building entrusted by the Development Bureau for conservation and revitalization.

Grant Preisser, associate vice president for SCAD Hong Kong, believes Asias booming fashion industry calls for more local design talent, and the SAR is the definite choice to set up such a platform.

Hong Kong used to be focused on material sourcing and manufacturing, he said. However, as the city is waking up to creativity, so as to maintain brands and market share, the cultivation of local designers is just the logical next step.

Textiles have always formed a pillar industry in Hong Kong. In the 1960s and 1970s thanks to low labor costs textile factories mushroomed. In the 1980s, the number of factories and workers employed in clothing manufacturing peaked, hitting 10,000 and 300,000, respectively.

Since then, with the rising cost of local labor and opening up of the mainland, many Hong Kong manufacturers moved their factories north across the border in order to stay competitive.

According to a report by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, there were only 766 manufacturing establishments in the territory employing 5,787 workers as at last December.

In line with the global landscape and fierce competition, Hong Kongs textile industry has been moving up the value chain, catering to demand for upmarket products with original designs or brands.

Today, the local industry is mainly but not solely focused on higher value- added activities such as sales and marketing, quality control, and design and development, while offshore plants handle the production.

Against this backdrop, Preisser pointed out the SAR enjoys two major advantages that make it attractive to fashion talent. First is its established network and experience in material sourcing, and second, its relationship with the mainland, which not only serves as the manufacturing base, but is also growing into a huge market for upscale fashion products.

SCAD Hong Kong now has 330 students, including 120 freshmen. Students come from different countries and they inspire each other in discussions and interaction, Preisser said.

Since mentorship is a crucial element, SCAD brings award-winning designers to share experiences with students on building fashion education into rewarding creative careers.

This year, the university invited American designer Mimi Plange to work with students. Plange, born in Ghana and raised in Southern California, was honored with the International Emerging Designer of the Year award by Africa Fashion International in 2011.

Her luxury designs have been worn by style icons including Michelle Obama, Princess Astrid of Belgium, and singers Rihanna and Alicia Keys.

Plange encouraged Hong Kong designers to find inspiration here and share that with the rest of the world. Find something lost, and bring it back to life again, she urged.

Spain's Mango fashion house defies recession

Beating the odds in Spain's deep recession, the Mango fashion powerhouse in Catalonia says sales are booming worldwide, and even at home.

Owned by media-shy billionaire Isak Andic, Mango typifies an export-led business savvy that is the pride of many Catalans, who will hold snap regional elections November 25 over a pro-independence push.
Mango's budget-minded clothing is sold as far afield as Pakistan and Myanmar.

But perhaps a greater achievement is its success back home in Spain, where a year-long recession is expected to extend into 2013, bad loan-ridden banks are being rescued and one in four workers is unemployed.

"It doesn't affect us at all. In Spain we have sold 20 percent more this year than last," said Enric Casi, its general director, at the company's base near Barcelona in northeastern Spain.

Mango has nevertheless had to react to the crisis, dropping its prices by a fifth this year, and absorbing the cost of a recent rise in sales tax so as not to scare off customers.

Though prices have been lowered overall, there are no special discounts and profit margins will be maintained in 2012 at the same level as last year, Casi said.

"Last year we sold 1.4 billion euros' worth of clothes and this year it will be about 1.7 billion or thereabouts."

At Mango's base, known as the "Hangar", 600 sharply-dressed designers from various countries, most under 30, produce designs for the clothes later to be modelled by the likes of Kate Moss and Barcelona footballer Gerard Pique.

Near the Hangar, two logistical centres work round the clock dispatching 5,000 samples a year to be stitched by subcontractors in China, Vietnam, Morocco, Turkey and India, and redistributing the clothes once they are made to stores worldwide.

Like its rival Inditex -- owner of the Zara chain, based on the other side of Spain in Galicia -- the Catalan firm designs its clothes at home, but it differs in contracting out all production, while Inditex has its own factories.

Spain's two richest men are the founder of sector-leader Inditex, Amancio Ortega, and Mango's Andic.
Neither of the two men gives media interviews.

"We have many differences," Casi said of the companies. "They are two models of success, each in its way."
Mango in 2010 set itself a target of doubling its sales in four years and Casi says it is on track to do so, while aiming to launch lines for children and teenagers, swimsuits, underwear and sportswear.
Troubled Spain remains its biggest market with 18 percent of sales, but is likely to be overtaken as others such as China grow strongly.

In 2013 it is due to open new stores in French Guiana and the Caribbean island of Saint Martin.
"We are just getting started," said Casi. "There is still a lot for us to do."

Despite the success of firms such as Mango, Catalonia is Spain's most indebted region.

Catalonia argues that Madrid levies far more in taxes in the region than it returns, and it resented being forced to seek 5.4 billion euros ($6.9 billion) in Spanish rescue funds to service its debt.

That resentment is being fed by Spain's crushing economic crisis, which has forced Catalonia, like most of the country's 17 regions, to adopt harsh austerity measures.

File photo of a model presenting a creation by fashion house Mango in Barcelona. Beating the odds in Spain's deep recession, the Mango fashion powerhouse in Catalonia says sales are booming worldwide, and even at home.

Advanstar Global LLC to Acquire ENK Fashion Tradeshows

Advanstar Global LLC  ("Advanstar Global"), a multi-platform events and information services company and owner of Advanstar Communications, today announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire ENK International LLC ("ENK").  ENK organizes leading fashion events in New York, Las Vegas, Europe and Asia, featuring properties such as Fashion Coterie, Intermezzo and Accessorie Circuit.  Through this acquisition, Advanstar Global will significantly expand its global event portfolio, adding ENK's brands to its MAGIC, PROJECT, FN Platform, Licensing International, and other tradeshows, conferences, and events.
"Having ENK, MAGIC and PROJECT within the same family of companies provides the fashion industry a choice of intimate and customized environments that satisfy their market needs.  This allows us to be more responsive to our customers as we work to coordinate dates and venues, which makes the process more valuable for exhibitors and retailers," said Joe Loggia, Advanstar Global's CEO.  "Moreover, Advanstar Global has made significant investments in new technology that will enable our company to further drive value, service and solutions across the entire fashion marketplace."

Advanstar Global's financial sponsors, which include Anchorage Capital Group LLC, Ares Management LLC, and Veronis Suhler Stevenson, are confident that with ENK, Advanstar Global will provide a destination and total solution for buyers and sellers in the fashion community – across all platforms and segments worldwide.

While ENK and Advanstar Communications will continue to be operated separately, ENK customers will have access to Advanstar Global's new "Shop the Floor" digital solution, slated to launch in early 2013.  Shop the Floor combines the power of personal connections with the convenience of an online marketplace, creating fashion's largest digital business network. Shop the Floor will extend MAGIC and ENK beyond the show floor to cover the entire market cycle, improving the in-season experience for buyers and brands alike.

Leaders in the industry are advocates of this alliance.  According to David Witman, GMM Menswear, Nordstrom, "The evolution of MAGIC, PROJECT, and ENK will form the most comprehensive collection of tradeshows serving every major fashion segment.  As retailers, we benefit from expanded access to all of the key brands, diversity of in-market offerings, and a more impactful experience.  It's the smart thing to do for our industry."

Likewise, leading fashion brands support the acquisition and the benefits it provides.  "The combined talent driving this initiative will create the best show space in our industry.  We support it and look forward to an evolution of concept and a curated experience that will help us anticipate trends and drive growth in our business through broader access to key retailers," offered Jeff Rudes, Founder and CEO, J Brand.

Fashion Legacies of a Different Kind

Italian luxury brands are typically associated with style, quality and understated elegance. But increasingly, some fashion leaders also want to be known for legacies of a different kind.

 Many are giving back — in the form of financial aid and sponsorships at a time when their country needs them, as well as with assistance for projects in developing countries. And while the efforts enhance the reputations of the brands, the leaders of the companies also talk about genuinely altruistic intentions.

It was natural for Tod’s to choose to restore a monument that is arguably the best-known symbol of Italy in the world, said Diego Della Valle, chief executive of the fashion group that is financing a €25 million, or $31.7 million, renovation of the Colosseum in Rome. “We represent an Italian company that creates products that contain the DNA of Italian lifestyle, culture, beautiful things.”

And as the global economic downturn forces the Italian government to drastically cut spending — especially, some critics say, for culture — “it’s the duty of successful Italian companies to help out their country,” said Mr. Della Valle, who also supports the storied La Scala opera house in Milan.

Since he announced the Colosseum project, which is scheduled to begin in December, Mr. Della Valle has been an outspoken advocate for corporate largess, encouraging his counterparts in the business world to act similarly. “We need to give the message that we are close to a country that needs signs, both of form and of substance,” he said.

In addition to Tod’s, Rome’s historic fabric has attracted patronage from other fashion brands, like Valentino and Yagi Tsusho, the Japanese fashion company that is helping to restore the only remaining pyramid in Rome, near the cemetery with the tombs of Shelley and Keats.

“Until now, the most concrete response has come from the world of fashion designers, which has shown itself to be particularly sensitive to the needs and the improvement of Rome’s archeological patrimony,” said Mariarosaria Barbera, the Ministry of Culture official who oversees Rome’s ancient artifacts.

“This allows us to hope that other people may follow suit, given that people who are able to influence the tastes of so many individuals throughout the world have chosen to express their support and solidarity by restoring archeological monuments,” she added.

Laura Biagiotti said that she was proud to give back to the city that has lent its name to some of her famous perfumes, including her best-selling “Roma” for women.

The restoration of the twin Baroque fountains in the Piazza Farnese was an expression of an intervention that “solders the ancient to modernity,” much like fashion is intertwined with culture, Ms. Biagiotti said.

She also supported the restoration of Michelangelo’s grand staircase leading to Campidoglio Square, where the city hall squares off with the Capitoline Museums. Contributing to these projects “has been a great source of personal enrichment,” she said in an e-mailed statement.

Some Italian fashion figures have reached beyond their home country. Giorgio Armani worked with Red, a charity backed by Bono, the lead singer of U2, and is now focusing on “Acqua for Life,” a Unicef clean water project. Salvatore Ferragamo worked with the Louvre on the restoration of Leonardo Da Vinci’s masterpiece “The Virgin and Child With Saint Anne.”

The chief executive of Diesel, Renzo Rosso, began the Only The Brave Foundation in 2008, and says he was following the advice of the Dalai Lama: “He told me to go public with my approach to solidarity, and put my name out there. He said more people would follow.”

The businessman, who has built his fortune on jeans, said the nonprofit organization mainly works in Africa, which he describes as “a young continent with a young population,” and as having a lot of untapped potential.

The foundation runs several projects, most notably in Dioro, Mali, a village that Mr. Rosso began sponsoring after Bono put him in touch with Jeffrey D. Sachs, the U.N. special adviser on Millennium Development Goals, which includes fighting extreme poverty.

“This village is where we could intervene directly,” Mr. Rosso said of the foundation’s multifaceted project, which touches on all aspects of daily life in the small village. “I’d like to show that you can help so much with so very little,” he added.

The foundation does, however, set aside 10 percent of its aid for Italy, and is sponsoring a microcredit project for companies affected by the earthquake that hit the northern Italian region of Emilia-Romagna in May.

Through her foundation, Carla Fendi, another Rome fashion icon, has embarked on a multiyear restoration of a 19th-century theater in Spoleto, the Umbrian town that is home to the Festival of Two Worlds , which she also sponsors. “It’s being restored a bit at a time, first the foyer, then the curtain,” said Ms. Fendi of the “neglected jewel” of a theater, the Caio Melisso Spazio Carla Fendi. The restoration is expected to take five years

Ms. Fendi said she had long admired American patrons of the arts, whose support has been essential to culture — a tradition that has struggled to take root in Italy. That is in part, critics say, because the state offers few incentives to private donors.

“What I hope, is that examples like mine can be a sort of invitation to others to do as much as they can for our patrimony,” she said.

Ministry of Culture officials in Italy are plainly relieved to receive support at a time of shrinking budgets.

“The presence of private sponsors is fundamental,” as they permit museums to offer high-quality programming, Antonia Pasqua Recchia, a top official at the ministry, said at a news conference in October for the beleaguered contemporary art museum called Maxxi. The Rome institution has been infused with new life thanks to sponsors like Ermenegildo Zegna, which co-produced a show this year, and the Fendi brand, which is the main backer of a coming Jeff Koons exhibit of four sculptures.

And while art has always mixed with fashion, Dolce & Gabbana recently approached the idea in a different way: financing the restoration of Federico Fellini’s 1969 film “Satyricon.” The brand’s gift of an undisclosed amount allowed the debut of the revitalized film at the New York Film Festival in October.

Nigeria, on the Fashion Catwalk

The cornrow hair traced the scalp above a rainbow of eye shadow and a mouth polished with pink lipstick. On this curvy figure, the multipatterned dress flowed down toward fantastical platform-soled shoes.

Kola Kuddus at the end of his summer 2013 show during Lagos Fashion & Design Week.

And that was just one occupant of the front row during the fashion shows in Lagos last month.

The Nigerian people, upbeat and enthusiastic, seemed to relish the chance to watch shows rotating on the runway, or the opportunity to view an exhibition of bold purses. Woven, feathered and beaded by skillful fingers, these carefully crafted accessories gave a whole new meaning to “hand” bag.

In an international fashion world where a blasé boredom often engulfs the audience, the Lagos Fashion & Design Week was a tonic.

First came the fabrics: patterns put together with the crazy intricacy seen on the streets, but in a controlled and convincing way. A narrative print of stick figures, as if from some local event, walked the vivid yellow surface of a Tiffany Amber jumpsuit.

At Jewel by Lisa , the cup-shaped boats surfing the undulating silk fabric had a message: the life of the ancient Hausa-Fulani people.

“I did a lot of research — and I always want to bring it home. It is about what we are about,” said Lisa Folawiyo, the designer behind the label.

The slender silhouettes and wax print patterns in strong colors from Jewel by Lisa will be one of several brands on sale next month in a pop-up boutique inside the London store Selfridges. Love-to-shop Nigerians figure at No.5 among the store’s big-spending Chinese, Middle Eastern and Russian clients.

Judd Crane, Selfridges’ director of women’s wear, says: “We are delighted to launch this special showcase featuring some of the best fashion from Nigeria. We have been taking note of the development of the fashion scene over there for a the past couple of years and been thinking of bringing them to London for a while. It felt right this year to demonstrate the power and originality from Africa.

“The designers from Lagos offer our customers the opportunity to discover new ways to experience luxury fashion,” he adds. “The impressive craftsmanship and the use of fabric, pattern, color and embellishments will surprise.”

Behind the Lagos Fashion & Design initiative, now in its second season, is its organizer: Omoyemi Akerele, trained as a lawyer, but now administrator and organizer of fashion brand-building.

Determined to push forward the disparate talents in her native country, she has sought the support of Abimbola Fashola, first lady of the Nigerian state of Lagos, as well as finding sponsorship to present its fashion to the world.

“People here are hungry for knowledge about fashion and other creative industries — but how do we learn more and gain access?” says Ms. Akerele, who feels that she has only begun to put things in place.

The summer 2013 collections were vibrant in color, joyous in spirit and shown on curvy models to mirror the glamorous figures in the front row. If there were some echoes from the international collections — Riccardo Tisci’s mouthpieces, Mary Katrantzou’s postage stamp patterns and John Galliano’s newspaper print, the shows still seemed inventive.

The pan-African fashion magazine “Arise” has been promoting the continent’s designers since its debut in 2009, organizing events during New York fashion weeks, in Paris, Johannesburg and its own fashion weeks in Lagos, most recently showing the work of 77 designers over four days in March.

Ms. Akerele also means business. This year she took a handful of local designers to show at the Pitti Immagine women’s event in Florence; and again to a talent contest in Milan put forward by Italian Vogue.

Scheduling the Lagos catwalk shows back-to-back was slightly frustrating. It seemed like the same models were in a loop, running through the convention center of the Eko Hotel. But the relative calm of the shows’ pace offered a kind of parallel world to the madness of the oil-rich, construction-crazy city of Lagos, with its high-rise buildings and traffic chaos in streets cleansed by a new sweeping initiative.

The swagger of the Lagos man was captured by the jaunty tailoring of Emmy Collins or the mix of Madras checks from Kola Kuddus . On a quieter note, the Sudanese designer Omer Asim expressed in long, light fabrics, shown on barefoot models, a graceful spirit.

Getting the right dose of urban and tribal is the skill of Anita Quansah , a Nigerian-born designer living in England. Her striking pieces of jewelry might better be described as totems: rings of beads or feathers worn on the head or around the neck.

What Zara, the World's Top Fashion Retailer, Tells Us About Innovation

Zara didn't have to invent a brand new product to become the world's biggest fashion retailer. It just had to invent a new process. And process innovation is dominating the global economy.There are three steps to being a successful fashion company. Step one: Make clothes that people want to wear. Step two: Sell enough clothes for more than you made them. Step three: Do it again, and again, and again.

Easy enough to list. But each step is fraught with its own difficulties. First, style is fickle and fleeting. For example, the naked abs and lightly perfumed stores that once sold millions Abercrombie & Fitch shirts are now gauche reminders of last decade's trends (the stock is down 60% from its 2008 high). Second, distinguishing yourself is expensive. Savvy designers and memorable advertising cost a lot of money. Both are essential if you want to stand out in a crowded global marketplace for clothes, where you're dong battle with department stores, legacy brands, online upstarts, and boutiques.

Zara, the world's largest fashion retailer, has an innovative solution to both the style problem and the marketing problem, as Suzy Hansen explained in the New York Times magazine this weekend. Rather than hire world-class designers, Zara, which is based in Spain, politely copies them. Then it relies on a global network of shopper-feedback to tweak their designs. Corporate HQ absorbs thousands of comments and sends tweaks to their manufacturers in Europe and Northern Africa, who literally sew the feedback into their next line of clothes. The clothes are shipped back, and the stock changes so quickly that shoppers are motivated with a "now-or-never" choice each time they try on a blouse that won't be in-store in a few weeks. It's the user-generated approach to fast fashion.

That's the design challenge. How about advertising? Basically, Zara doesn't do it. There is no ad budget. Instead, the company spends ungodly amounts of money buying storefronts next to luxury brands to own the label of affordable luxury:

"The high street is really divided according to brand value," says [Masoud Golsorkhi, the editor of Tank, a London magazine about culture and fashion], who is also a consultant for fashion brands. "Prada wants to be next to Gucci, Gucci wants to be next to Prada. The retail strategy for luxury brands is to try to keep as far away from the likes of Zara. Zara's strategy is to get as close to them as possible."...

Zara stores cozy up to the most famous brands in the world to sing their luxury ambitions even as they profit off a brilliant, cheap, short supply chain that delivers similar fashion at a much lower price.
Supply chains sounds boring. But they're the secret to Zara's success. Rather than ship skirts and dresses from Chinese plants where they arrive in-store after the style has peaked, Inditex (the parent company) makes the bulk of its clothes in Spain and Morocco. A hemline suggestion goes from a customer's lips to a sales rack at record speed. The company, now the largest fashion retailer on earth, has grown overall sales by about 50% in five years to $17.5 billion. Its employees have gone from 80,000 to 110,000 in that time, despite being headquartered in a depressed Spanish economy, and selling predominantly to a very sick European continent.

The Zara Model is successful, global, and enviable. But one wonders: Is it really innovation?
Two weeks ago, Clayton Christensen, the man who coined the "Innovator's Dilemma", described three forms of innovation. First, "empowering" innovations create jobs by selling elite products to the masses. Much of the manufacturing revolution that put cars and toasters in every household falls under this category. Second, "sustaining" innovations replace old products with new models (i.e.:Ford phases out the Taurus and builds better cars each year) and have a basically neutral effect on overall employment. Third, "efficiency" innovations reduce the cost of products and services and can eliminate more jobs than they create.

Which kind of innovator is Zara? It's creating jobs by bringing elite fashion to the masses, which sounds empowering. It's competing with other global fast-fashion corporations, like H&M, for a sliver of your apparel budget, which sounds sustaining. And it's cannily reducing the cost of making high-fashion clothes, which is purely efficient.

But Zara's most important contribution isn't a new product. It's a new process: fast fashion, directed by customers, and enabled by a short manufacturing leash. Process innovation is the story of modern retail -- especially here in the U.S. Amazon showed us you can shop with a mouse, deleting thousands of storefronts in the process. Groupon and LivingSocial moved the coupon business to our inbox, arguably helping merchants clean out their slowest inventory. And then there's Walmart, the largest employer in the United States, which used supply chain management to push down prices, forcing local businesses to follow, and increasing productivity throughout the retail business.

The outcome of process innovation in the retail sector has been clear in America: Lower prices, less waste, and fewer workers. Retail employment grew alongside population for most of the 20th century. In the 1990s, it stopped. Here's a graph of total retail employment in the United States compared to professional business services and the health/education super-sector. This isn't the end of retail. But it is something like the end of retail employment growth.

Zara and other process innovators are welcome for cash-strapped customers and they're a good story for Spain and other countries in its global family that have seen 40,000 jobs created as a result of Inditex' genius. The question isn't whether Zara's strategy is innovative. It is. The question is what is their innovation costing us?

Victoria’s Secret Apologizes for Fashion Show Gaffe

The annual Victoria's Secret fashion show taped last Wednesday caused a minor stir last week — but not because of any sexy underwear on display.

Model Karlie Kloss (pictured at left) set off some controversy when she walked the runway wearing a Native American headdress (also called a war bonnet), a culturally insensitive faux pas that led the company to pull the footage of the offending outfit from its planned Dec. 4 broadcast.

Several Native American groups called the lingerie company out for the blunder. Native Appropriations, a blog covering imagery of indigenous cultures, accused the retailer of "egregious cultural appropriation, stereotyping, and marginalizing of Native peoples." Ruth Hopkins, a columnist for a Native American news site, wrote that "after years of patronage and loyalty to the Victoria's Secret brand, I am repaid with the mean-spirited, disrespectful trivialization of my blood ancestry and the proud Native identity I work hard to instill in my children." Putting a headdress on a white model is particularly offensive, she wrote, because among the Sioux tribe, war bonnets are exclusively worn by men, with each feather symbolizing an act of valor.

The $12 million show, which had musical performances by Rihanna, Justin Bieber and Bruno Mars, showcased plenty of not-meant-to-be worn ensembles, including circus-themed outfits and a $2.5 million "fantasy bra." Last year the show averaged nearly 10.4 million viewers, up from 8.9 million in 2010, according to Horizon Media. (This year's show was taped on Nov. 7 and is set to air Dec. 4.)

Kloss, who walked the catwalk in a leopard bikini, turquoise beaded jewelry, high-heeled moccasins, and a floor-length feathered headdress (with the word "Thanksgiving" projected on a screen behind her), issued an apology via her Twitter account on Sunday: "I am deeply sorry if what I wore during the VS Show offended anyone. I support VS's decision to remove the outfit from the broadcast."

Victoria's Secret, owned by Limited Brands (LTD) also apologized on Twitter, and issued a statement: "We are sorry that the Native American headdress replica used in our recent fashion show has upset individuals. We sincerely apologize as we absolutely had no intention to offend anyone. Out of respect, we will not be including the outfit in any broadcast, marketing materials nor in any other way."

Whether the controversy will put any kind of dent in Victoria's Secret's sales is questionable. By apologizing and pulling the offending clip from the show, the company addressed the goof quickly, so the damage will likely be minimal, says Brad Adgate, director of research at Horizon Media. With a presence in nearly every shopping mall in the country, it's the biggest specialty retailer for intimate apparel. In 2011 Limited Brands sales sales increased $751 million to $10.364 billion, while Victoria's Secret Stores sales rose $601 million to $6.121 billion.

The lingerie seller isn't alone among big-name retailers accused of insensitivity. There was a fair amount of anger aimed at American Apparel, which sent an e-mail blast to customers during Hurricane Sandy for a 20% off sale for people living in the affected states, with a tagline that read "In case you're bored during the storm."

The headdress gaffe also — oddly -- comes soon after the band No Doubt pulled its music video last week after getting complaints that it was insensitive to Native Americans. In the video for "Looking Hot," band members dress up in stereotypical cowboys and Indians attire.

Lauren Laverne on plus-size fashion

Has there ever been a more gag-inducing phrase than "celebrate your curves"? It is the apotheosis of its particular genre: poisonous, simpering, pass-agg tabloidese. Every time I read it (currently around thrice per hour) I feel like I'm going to barf up a lung.

It's not just the faux-friendly tone that annoys. It's the casual co-option of a righteous concept (women of all sizes looking great, feeling happy in their skin) by the primary source of judgment and snark in British culture today. It's the delineation between women and their bodies (their "curves" are not just… them). It's the implicit reminder that the supposed "celebrant" is being looked at, always. A chummy phrase coined by the worst best friend ever: it takes something beautiful, smashes it to bits, then wraps a bow around it and tries to give it back to you as a birthday present.

I feel sad when I hear women using it sincerely, I can't help wishing they had words of their own. It's understandable, though. Despite having more than a quarter of a million distinct words, the English language includes few complimentary descriptions of a sizeable female body. Comely? Ample? Lusty? Buxom? No ta. And you can keep your comparative adjectives: "Larger" ladies? "Plus" size? Plus what? No wonder we had to steal the Yiddish word zaftig. It really is the only one I'd be happy to wear.

As you might have guessed, this week I'm focusing on fashion for size-16s and above. If this is you, read on and please do send feedback. It is a topic we're bound to return to soon.

Size and shape are two different things. If you're an hourglass (of any size) Katya Wildman's creations will look old-school fabulous on you. Of course, not everybody with bosoms to put Christina Hendricks in the shade wants to look retro. Saint Bustier specialises in cuts of all kinds for cup sizes D to H.

As a fan, I'm disappointed that Topshop caters for tall, short, pregnant women and infants, but for some reason finds it impossible to stock its main line beyond a 16. Asos is ahead of the game here: Curve runs to a 26.

Clements Ribeiro sharpens up Evans's style credentials with gems like this kimono dress and Simply Be has upped its game lately, with offerings like these on-trend trews.

Beyond the high street, many designers are opening their eyes (and tills) to the demand for high-end fashion over size-14. How pleasing to see that Net-a-porter stock items up to a 20, including Marc Jacobs.

Finally, for something different, try Navabi – a site with a great mix of designers including Anna Scholz and Parisian label Manon Baptiste.

Fashion film festival kicks off in Paris

France, a country famed for its movies and fashion, has finally combined the two in the form of the international fashion, style and beauty film festival.

Now in its fifth edition, the ASVOFF festival is showcasing over 80 short documentaries, advertisements and art-house movies with a fashion theme over two days until Sunday.

Festival jury president and artist Orlan said: "Over the last few years, style and fashion films have cropped up so much that it's now become a genre of its own."

Columbian artist Jessica Mitrani won the festival's Grand Prix for her humorous take on the Middle East conflict through headwear in the short film entitled "Headpieces for Peace."

Many of the films — from some 50 countries — are being projected free for the public.

NuORDER, the Leading Fashion Wholesale Platform, Announces Series A Financing Led by GRP

NuORDER, the leading digital wholesale solution founded by Heath Wells and Olivia Skuza, has secured over $3 million in growth capital. The groundbreaking software now utilized by the world's leading fashion brands and over 40,000 retailers has acquired impressive backing from a global network of fashion icons and venture capitalist power players. GRP has led the first round, with additional investment by Greycroft, Aileen Lee, David Tisch, Creative Artists Agency, Brian Spaly, Mortimer Singer and Rachel Zoe Inc.

NuORDER is poised to revolutionize the fashion industry with an innovative two-way sales solution and marketplace that allows users to conduct their wholesale business online. Eliminating the need for pen and paper, the cloud-based platform empowers brands to sell more in less time and allows retailers to make purchases more effectively. In short, NuORDER is e-commerce for wholesale.

In a class of its own, NuORDER provides the most feature-rich enterprise ready platform wrapped in a beautiful fashion-forward interface. Brands are able to create custom line sheets, place orders, and update inventory in real time, and the offline iPad app allows brands to conduct business anytime, anywhere.  Buyers can access collections online and are able to place digital orders with ease. The technology is scalable to both large and small businesses, integrates seamlessly with users' back-of-house systems and supports all currencies.

"Much has been written about e-commerce innovation for consumers yet there is equal value in using modern technology to transform the way the supply chain works," said Mark Suster of GRP Partners. "We were blown away by NuORDER and the quality of the product its co-founders Heath Wells & Olivia Skuza have built that links retailers directly to fashion brands to streamline ordering. We have been investing in this sector for 20 years. We believe that NuORDER is positioned to have a major impact on how brands ultimately reach their target market."

Helmut Lang, Levi's, Elizabeth and James, Adidas, Ted Baker, Cheap Monday, Alternative Apparel, and Citizens of Humanity are among the top labels that use NuORDER to facilitate their core wholesale business.

Over 750,000 units have been sold through NuORDER in the last 12 months, and independent research has shown a 17.6% sales increase after brands adopted the solution.

"We are here to give the fashion industry the game-changing tools to navigate wholesale business more efficiently than ever before," said Heath Wells, NuORDER co-founder. "Olivia and I value that our investors recognize the market gap NuORDER fills and the immense potential of the solution to transform the industry. Their support will provide us with the opportunity to propel the growth and product development of NuORDER, which is the most comprehensive and user-friendly solution on the market. The development pipeline is very exciting."

Online fashion retailer Yoox bucks economic slowdown

Online fashion retailer Yoox (Milan: YOOX.MI - news) is expecting higher sales and profitability by the end of this year after an improved domestic market helped boost profits in the third-quarter.

Yoox, which powers sites for top brands such as Valentino and Giorgio Armani alongside its own multibrand websites, has heavily invested in its logistics to better serve shoppers in fast-growing markets and offset weaker demand in Europe (Chicago Options: ^REURUSD - news) .

Investments eroded profitability in the first half of the year but net profits grew 72.7 percent to 1.2 million euros in the three months to September, broadly in line with analyst expectations.

Net (Xetra: A0Z22E - news) profits had fallen 25.6 percent to 2.2 million euros in the first half compared to the same period of 2011.

Sales in Italy returned positive in the third quarter after falling in the previous months, indicating improved consumer confidence in the recession-hit country especially among younger mobile shoppers.

Yoox said it expected revenues and profitability to improve in the fourth quarter, when it will launch its joint venture with French luxury conglomerate PPR (Milan: PP.MI - news) .

Online clothing retailers such as Yoox and British rival ASOS (LSE: ASC.L - news) have offset weaker retail sales in their home markets as more shoppers turn to their smartphones to buy leather bags and fashion accessories.

Victoria's Secret fashion show prepares to tape

The annual Victoria's Secret fashion show, set to air Dec. 4 on CBS., will be  taped Wednesday night in New York.

The show will feature Victoria Secret "Angles" Doutzen Kroes, Adriana Lima, Joan Smalls, Candice Swanepoel, Lily Aldrige, Erin Heatherton,  and Alessandra Ambrosio, who will be wearing the $2.5 million "Fantasy Bra."

The Floral Fantasy Bra, created by London Jewelers, features amethysts, rubies, sapphires and diamonds (including a 20-carat white diamond in the center), all set in rose and yellow gold.

Several models have recently taken to Twitter  as  they got ready for the year's highly-anticipated fashion show.

UCOL Fashion and Beauty

UCOL Fashion and Beauty students will have their time in the spotlight on Wednesday night.

The Dream Believe Achieve Parade and Show is the culmination of 18 weeks intensive study for the 10 Certificate in Fashion and Beauty (Level 1) students. It is their chance to bring all the components of their fashion and beauty modules together into one amazing show.

Among other fashionable highlights, the students will model the garments they have designed themselves and made from fabrics from Arthur Toye Fabrics.

They will also show an outfit they each assembled from one visit to the Hospice Shop.

Leigh Carlton (foreground) practices her ‘walk’ during a catwalk tutorial by Miss Manawatu organiser Kate Balfour (right). Raquel Maea, Holly Anderson, Tarren Blackler, Marama Marshall and Feiloaki Hala wait for their turn.

Fashion Lecturer and Show organizer Sheran Merritt says, “The students are looking forward to showcasing their creations and what they have achieved this semester.”

“They have worked incredibly hard to put the show together,” she says. “You will be entertained and, I assure you will be amazed at the high standard of work.”

There will be plenty of surprises on the catwalk as the UCOL ‘Studs’ model menswear from Factorie. The entries in the Decorate a Bra contest get their first public appearance.

UCOL staff member Faryn Te Atatu will show her musical talents with performances during the evening.

The Parade and Show is supported by local fashion outlets Factorie, Cotton On, the Sugar Plum Fairy Shop, Arthur Toye Fabrics and Arohanui Hospice Shop. All proceeds from the gold coin entry fee will go to the Arohanui Hospice.

Fashion week is back with a stylish flourish

THE fourth annual Oxford Fashion Week starts today with a range of events across the city.

Oxford Fashion Week will run until Saturday, showcasing up-and-coming designers at themed fashion shows.

Carl Anglim, 26, started Oxford Fashion Week in 2009 with his partner Victoria Watson, and they have run it every year since, until now. This year, they have taken a back seat.

Mr Anglim said: “We created a production team, BMLY (Big Me Little You), and they have been responsible for producing it.

“I am really excited to see how they have put the week together, and for the first time to be a guest at something we helped to create.”

Oxford’s previous three fashion weeks featured the work of such big name designers as Alexander McQueen, Matthew Williamson and Valentin Yudashkin.

Events for this years begin tonight at Oxford’s oldest independent cinema, the Ultimate Picture Palace.

The venue will host an invite-only black tie event, showing a special screening of the 2009 film Coco before Chanel, starring Audrey Tautou.

OFW’s official launch party will kick off on Tuesday night at the Living Room in Oxford’s Castle Quarter.

But it’s not all black-tie and VIP as city-shoppers will have the opportunity to experience a free cat-walk show at the Claredon Shopping Centre on Wednesday.

One of the new events for this year will be a free, ethical fashion fair at Oxford Town Hall on Thursday.

The fair will feature talks from experts in the subject, stalls and ethical fashion workshops, making it more interactive than a catwalk show. It takes place between noon and 5pm.

Also on Thursday is the cosmopolitan show, at the Town Hall, between 8pm and 10.30pm, which is a showcase for independent designers to demonstrate their wares, particularly focusing on pret a porter (ready to wear) and lingerie.

Friday sees the elysium concept show, for avant garde fashion, between 8.30pm and 11.30pm at the town hall.

The main event is the black tie haute couture show at the Ashmolean Museum on Saturday. There will be a red carpet reception, with celebrities, the national press and fashion buyers in attendance.