The Reality of FASHION The Reality of AIDS NY Fashion Week Creator Defends February 9th Reality Star Concept

The Reality of FASHION The Reality of AIDS (http://www.realityontherunway.com) is a New York Fashion Week fundraiser slotted to take place on February 9, 2013 in New York City. The open to the public event is slated to have names such as Deena Cortese of Jersey Shore, Janice Dickinson, Alex McCord, Courtney Robertson, Tiffany "New York" Pollard, Lil Kim and more walking the runway to raise money for AIDS. RFRA has received considerable praise along with an even amount of backlash. Shocked at many of the mixed messages surrounding the HIV/AIDS awareness event, the creator of RFRA released a statement:

"I am well aware of the reputation that many Reality Stars carry. However, everything that you see on television is not real. Many people have stated to me that reality stars have no talent and that I should not be showcasing them. That showcasing them during a time like NY Fashion Week promotes that they somehow are entitled to this fame," states 31-year-old CEO of Beautiful Planning Marketing & PR Monique Tatum. "If you ask me, Reality Television is not going anywhere. If a single cast can get millions of viewers to tune in episode after episode for family arguments, Cabo travel, or a night on the town, then when they stand up for something that's real and quite serious, such as AIDS, people will listen. It is not about talent. We love them, and love to hate them because reality television is relatable. We see aspects of our lives, people we know and friends. That is why I created this event. People will listen because these stars are relatable."

The 300,000 people estimated within the U.S. that are infected with HIV / AIDS and are unaware of that fact is what Monique Tatum hopes the public will listen to. The messaging in recent months for the event states that these staggering numbers continue to grow yet can easily be slowed and diminished by regular testing, educating yourselves, family and friends.

"I have worked with these stars over months of show planning. These stars are intelligent, warm hearted, and extremely proactive about the cause. They are not being paid for their charity efforts for RFRA and are using the fame that many people believe they do not deserve for a much greater good. That is a fact that should be recognized and highly commended," continues Tatum.

Victoria Beckham Says When It Comes to Fashion, She's a 'Control Freak'

Victoria Beckham has managed to balance a successful fashion career with her family life – but not without some criticism ... from her children!

In the March issue of Elle UK, the 38-year-old mother of four says her cooking skills don't align with her design talents and her brood will attest to that.

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"You know what they say to me, because I'm not the best cook, although I try really hard? They always say to me: 'Mummy, we know that the main ingredient in what you make is love,'" she says.

But when it comes to her clothing line, Beckham is the expert.

As her family moves back to the U.K. after years in Los Angeles while her husband David played for L.A. Galaxy, Victoria says she's had to learn to rely on others more as she continues to articulate her vision in a growing fashion empire.

"You've got to trust people," she says. "And because I am a control freak, that's difficult for me because I want to micro-manage absolutely everything. I can't hand over," she said. "But I'm trying to do that more. It's hard because I have such a specific vision."

Beckham credits her own work ethic – and that of her husband – for catapulting her into the upper echelon of the design world, where the former Spice Girl was a fashion plate in her own right before earning global respect for her clothing and product lines.

"It was never my intention to prove anybody wrong," she says of her success. "I wanted to prove to myself that I could do it. I don't have to work. I need to work. I believe you can achieve anything if you work hard enough to get it."

L.A. fashion district project to include college, hotel

Ambitious plans have been unveiled for a 3.3-million-square-foot development that would bring a college, hotel, offices and apartments to the fashion district of downtown Los Angeles.

The owners of about three blocks' worth of faded commercial properties hope to build a project valued at $500 million to $1 billion called the City Market of Los Angeles. It would rise in an area that once housed wholesale produce businesses and is now home mostly to garment industry shops and warehouses.

City Market is in the early stages of seeking approval for the project from city officials, a process that could take more than a year. The boundaries of the proposed 10-acre development are roughly San Julian and San Pedro streets between 9th and 12th streets.

As planned by the six property owners led by Peter Fleming, City Market would hold a campus for one or more private colleges, 945 units of new housing, 210 hotel rooms and more than 500,000 square feet of creative offices, stores, restaurants and entertainment uses.

"With new academic facilities, creative office space, residences, hotel rooms, restaurants, nightspots, and event and exhibit spaces, the project seeks to become a globally recognized destination," said Fleming, chief executive of City Market.

Some existing buildings would be reused and others would be razed, said architect Douglas Hanson, design partner at Smart Architecture. The usable existing buildings probably would be developed first but the sequence of development would follow market demand.

"Ideally, we would all love to have the school there as the first phase," Hanson said. It would probably be a private post-graduate institution focused on fashion design.

It could take as long as two decades to complete the project, he said.

Koreatown apartment building sold

A 1920s-era apartment building in Koreatown has been acquired by a Los Angeles investor who plans to renovate the brick Tudor Revival-style complex near Wilshire Boulevard.

The six-story Windsor Apartments at 3198 W. 7th St. and an adjacent parking lot zoned for future development were sold for $10.75 million to a limited liability corporation, according to investment banking firm George Smith Partners.

The Windsor was built in 1926 at 7th and Catalina streets as an upscale apartment hotel in what was then suburban Los Angeles.

"It's a distinctive example of the great apartment buildings that characterized the neighborhood at the time — luxury living in a burgeoning area between Westlake (now MacArthur) Park and the Ambassador Hotel," said Linda Dishman, executive director of the Los Angeles Conservancy.

A Times story about renovation work at the Windsor in 1973 said the apartments were in easy walking distance of the hotel and the I. Magnin, Bullock's Wilshire and Saks Fifth Avenue department stores — all of which closed years ago.

The neighborhood fell out of favor in the latter decades of the 20th century but has experienced a jump in prosperity in recent years as new businesses and residents, many of them of Korean descent, have moved to the area.

The former Windsor restaurant in the apartment building is now a Korean restaurant called the Prince that has retained the Windsor's formal red-leather and low-light decor. It has been used for filming the television show "Mad Men" and other period pieces.

"The historic distinction of the Windsor building adds great value to the asset, while the development space that was included with the sale provides potential for future expansion," said Shahin Yazdi, a vice president at George Smith Partners.

The property's seller was La Senda Properties. The head of the corporation that bought it is Alireza Ghafouri, according to real estate data provider CoStar Group.

New offices for Beats by Dr. Dre

Musical electronics retailer Beats by Dr. Dre will move its headquarters from a plush office park in Santa Monica to gritty-looking former warehouses in Culver City.

Beats will occupy the entire 40,000-square-foot building at 8476 Steller Drive, plus 26,400 square feet in two adjacent properties at 8401 and 8454 Steller, real estate broker Joshua Gorin of Stanley Inc. said.

The electronics company that sells such music-related products as headphones, earphones and speakers is now in the Water Garden, a luxury office complex dating from the early 1990s. The Culver City warehouses that will become its offices were built in the late 1940s.

"This transaction provides an opportunity for Beats to move from a more traditional corporate venue to an exceptionally creative campus setting, better reflecting its brand and offering a vibrant, open work environment for its employees," Gorin said.

Terms of the lease were not disclosed, but real estate experts familiar with Culver City's burgeoning creative office market valued the deal at about $20 million.

Stylesight Expands Partnership with Luminosidade to Bring Sao Paulo Fashion Week to New York City

Stylesight and Luminosidade marked the expansion of their United States partnership on January 24 at Stylesight's New York City headquarters with Brazil in NYC, an event that featured Stylesight's F/W 13: Best of Brazil report  presented by Sharon Graubard, SVP Fashion Director of Stylesight, and a panel of Luminosidade executives, including Augusto Mariotti, Content Director; Fabienne Muzy, Strategic Planning Director; and Camila Silva, Communication Director on fashion and culture from Brazil. Stylesight, the industry leading global content and technology solution for professionals in the style, fashion and design sectors, and Luminosidade, creators and owners of the Official Brazilian Fashion Calendar, Sao Paulo Fashion Week and Fashion Rio, joined with key fashion and design executives to discuss the global emergence of Brazilian fashion trends from Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo runways.

"Bringing creative and innovative fashion concepts to the forefront is part of Stylesight's core mission," said Frank Bober, Founder and CEO of Stylesight. "This partnership allows us to emphasize a platform that brings a critical point of view to the world of fashion and we will continue to seek opportunities that enable talented designers to bring their visions to life on a global scale."

"Luminosidade has been a strategic partner with Stylesight in Brazil for six seasons," said Jorge Grimberg, Marketing Director for LATAM at Stylesight. "Expanding our partnership gives New York designers and buyers direct exposure to the Brazilian market and helps retailers connect with Latin America's most creative professionals."

"Brazilian designers are gaining traction around the world," said Augusto Mariotti, Content Director of Sao Paulo Fashion Week. "It is a tremendous moment for Brazilian fashion and we are excited to enhance our partnership with Stylesight as we reinforce our talent and influence on a global level."

Stylesight has been an exclusive partner of Luminosidade since 2010, collaborating on projects including Sao Paulo Fashion Week, Fashion Rio, Clube SPFW and Rio-a-Porter, the official Fashion Rio tradeshow. Now evolving into the United States, the partnership was formed to raise awareness and stature around Brazilian fashion and Sao Paolo Fashion Week in key markets including Paris, London and Hong Kong.

Fashion Eyewear Launches Oakley Clearance Sale

As it comes to the end of the month, Fashion Eyewear is pleased to announce that, more products have been added to their successful January sales pages. Now is the perfect time for ski goggles as this is the heart of the ski season. Fashion Eyewear is aware of this and to get everyone ready and geared up they have added an Oakley clearance sale page perfect for winter sports. This sale page distinguishes itself from the other sale pages as it is specifically for the snow season and centers on Oakley ski goggles.

Fashion Eyewear has slashed their prices at up to 50% off and aim to clear last season's stock. All of the Oakley clearance goggles are in stock and in store which means once the order has been placed the product will be shipped out the next day. The company pride themselves in their next day delivery service which is prompt and trackable, using one of the best courier services; DPD. Delivery in the UK is free with charges made to international areas.

All of the products are 100% genuine and in pristine condition. Ski goggles are the ultimate accessory needed in winter sports to help protect and perform. Oakley are the number one performance and sporting eyewear brand. Their goggles are engineered for the mountains, with innovative frame construction and 100% UV lens protection. There are different styles, ranging from different prices, with 15 models altogether currently on the site. However, sale pages are always updated, so it is encouraged that customers keep checking for the latest models on offer.

A diverse selection offered is unisex and some of the models are limited so do not miss out. Eyewear in winter sports must be durable and flexible to ensure safety and comfort. Oakley promise this which is why they are number one. Though these products are on sale the option of being able to return and refund applies. The refund policy is 14 days after delivery/collection, so long as products remain in the same condition with all the tags on. This gives people the chance to try on at home and see for themselves. If customers have any queries or are unsure about anything, they can call up the customer service team or if they would prefer, e-mail them.

Unique Fashion Company Majella LeBlanc Has Just Launched Their Exciting New Concept: Design it Yourself Couture Fashion

Planet Fashion TV Has Found an Innovative Fashion Company. Majella LeBlanc Fashion Design Firm Has Launched an Amazing "Come to You" Couture Concept, Where People Participate in the Design of Their Own, Hand Made, Original Custom Fitted Wardrobe!

Miami, Florida (PRWEB) January 23, 2013
What if someone could manifest the inner fashion designer in another person, and literally make a custom fit Wardrobe based on that person's vision? Well its not a fantasy, now anyone can have just that! The design firm Majella Le Blanc has come up with the idea and it lets people explore their style in the most compelling and personal way.

Deep down everyone is an artist. It may be more apparent in some than others, but it still exists in all of us. When most people think of artists they think of painters, poets, or musicians, but everyone has a bit of an artist inside. Art is about passion, and fashion is art. It is an outward self expression of our individuality.

Marie-Joelle LeBlanc founded her couture fashion company based on this idea. As a young painter LeBlanc found herself drawn to the overall essence of the human form. She had a unique ability to capture ones inner and outer beauty and present it through her canvas paintings. LeBlanc also began to discover her love for fashion and the connection between the two mediums.

In today’s world perception is everything. Presenting an outward appearance of success might have the distinct possibility of good things following. The tradition of wearing a pressed suit or power skirt is not dead. Maybe now more than ever it is important to remember that we dress to impress and yet it's also important to maintain our individuality while doing so. That is where LeBlanc comes in.

LeBlanc offers a full clothing line specifically tailored to each client. She utilizes her unique ability to to truly read the aspiration of an individual. She also draws from her extensive international fashion experience to create a couture line for a person that is literally one of a kind.

The great thing about what LeBlanc offers the client is creative control. People can show her pictures, color combinations, and day-to-day input—call it interactive fashion if you will. LeBlanc sketches client’s ideas too, and she or someone from the team will even come to the client if necessary. The company will create 5 to 8 pieces. The price starts at around $5000, a total bargain!

LeBlanc’s innovative fashion company is about independence, which is why most of her fabrics are sourced from sustainable community projects that employ predominantly disadvantaged women. She believes that everyone deserves a fighting chance to succeed and prove to the world that his or her presence is unique and worthy of a third or even a fourth glance.

2nd Inaugural Fashion Set for Presidential Library

While a first lady's first inaugural gown is traditionally donated to the Smithsonian, Michelle Obama's second inaugural gown is destined to be among the first objects in a future Obama presidential library.

The White House said Monday that the ruby colored chiffon and velvet gown designed by Jason Wu is being donated to the National Archives for now, along with her navy Thom Browne coat and dress from the inaugural ceremony and parade.

Smithsonian Curator Lisa Kathleen Graddy, who oversees the first ladies collection at the National Museum of American History, says second inaugural gowns are traditionally exhibited at presidential libraries. The museum won't discuss whether it hopes to acquire something else from Obama.

The National Archive oversees the presidential library system to house an administration's documents and artifacts.

Foodie fashion and chef-inspired tees

Once upon a time, T-shirts were simply underwear, an extra layer of insulation worn under dress shirts or lumberjack plaids.

When they eventually ventured outside -- soloing as a sartorial statement -- it was to tout rock bands, sports teams, the ubiquitous smiley face and the advisability of making love, not war. But lately, we've been seeing a very specific type of tee worn by chefs and foodies, alike, and what they're touting is tripe, lard and other edibles.

We're not talking about Planet Hollywood tees or joke shirts with doughnuts chasing doughnut holes ("You complete me"). We're talking clever, chef-inspired foodie fashion, such as the "Bacon is the new black" T-shirts from Ryan Farr's 4505 Meats in San Francisco, and Prather Ranch's "Praise the Lard" tees, sold at the San Francisco Ferry Building.

In fact, there's now an entire line of casual culinary fashion options available, thanks to a clever Los Angeles-based T-shirt designer who has begun marketing "Acid Trip" shirts -- with a squirt of lemon -- from Chicago chef Rick Tramonto and tees designed for San Francisco's Chris Cosentino and Los Angeles chef Ludo Lefebvre of LudoBites fame. Lefebvre's shirts warn bystanders to keep their hands off his foie gras.
"It's an avenue for more expression," says Dominique Crenn, the chef behind San Francisco's Michelin-starred Atelier Crenn. "Funny but serious, too."

Flavour Gallery was the brainchild of former music manager Alfredo Malatesta, whose high-end, retro AC/DC and ZZ Top shirts helped launch the mock-vintage rock 'n' roll T-shirt trend in the early 2000s. Two years ago, Malatesta and his wife began looking for a new niche.

"We're both passionate about food," the Peruvian-born T-shirt designer says. "Everything revolves around food, from our travels to what we enjoy doing on weekends."

They started thinking about the uniforms worn by artists. A surfer wears trunks or a wet suit when he's practicing his art, Malatesta says, but out of the water "the surfer puts on his Quicksilver, his Billabong, very powerful brands that reflect their identity and passion."

When chefs doff their whites, what do they wear? So they made a few food shirts -- with knives stacked high or "mise en place" splayed across a high-quality, black cotton tee. They gave a nod to Paris' Jazz Age with Le Boeuf sur le Toit -- a favorite of Washington, D.C., chef and former Top Chef-testant Spike Mendelsohn. And they started sending the shirts out, hoping to drum up interest among the biggest foodies of them all, the organizers of the Pebble Beach and South Beach food and wine festivals, and people such as Cosentino -- the "Top Chef Masters" winner, executive chef of San Francisco's Incanto and proponent of all things offal.
It was late 2011, and the food scene was exploding -- there were cooking and food shows on every channel, save for C-SPAN and ESPN. Food blogs were everywhere.

"Americans are having fun finding their identity and culture through food," Malatesta says. "If they get so happy about putting a picture of the taco they're eating on Instagram and Facebook, they'll like this as well."

Now Malatesta does shirts for the James Beard Foundation -- "Such an honor," he says -- as well as the big festivals, and his line of chef-inspired shirts continues to grow. Cosentino's line includes shirts that proclaim the wearer has been "Inspected for wholesome goodness," a retro "Eat tripe for vim and vigor" and others too naughty to describe here.

And Crenn, who first met Malatesta on Twitter, is designing custom aprons for her kitchen staff. Soon it won't just be the crew at Atelier Crenn wearing her signature dark sage green aprons with baby blue stitching -- the aprons and eventually a line of Crenn-inspired shirts will be available for the public, too.

The design, she says, "looks simple, but it's complex, like my food. It's food and fashion."

The fashion designers of tomorrow

It's the biggest fashion event on Dunedin's calender, and all over the world young people are putting the finishing touches to their frocks in preparation. Thirty one young designers from New Zealand, Australia, the UK, Ireland and China were announced over the weekend as the finalists of the iD Emerging Designers Awards, which is part of iD Fashion Week, an event held in the southern city in March. 

Chosen from a pool of more than 100 entries from some of the world's best fashion schools, the finalists will present their designs before a panel of judges, as well as an audience of thousands, on 14th of March.

This year's selection committee - consisting of fashion designers Tanya Carlson, Margi Robertson (NOM*d) and Mickey Lin (MisteR) were impressed by the high standard of applicants displaying incredible new technologies and creativity.

"It was a really difficult process to take the huge number of entries and select the finalists as there were so many applicants who were of a very high standard," says MisteR co-founder Mickey Lin.

Prizes include NZ$5,000 for first place winner, $3,000 for second place, $1000 for third place, with other special prizes yet to be announced.

Highlights from the 2013 iD International Emerging Designer Awards will feature on the runway at the iD Dunedin Fashion Show on Friday 15 and Saturday 16 March. Tickets are still available for the iD International Emerging Designer Awards on Thursday 14 March and the iD Fashion Show on Friday 15 March, and there are still limited tickets for the iD Fashion Show on Saturday 16 March.

Acquires Children's Fashion Subscription Brand FabKids

JustFab, the innovative fashion-subscription service and lifestyle fashion brand, today announced the acquisition of the children's fashion brand and personalized e-commerce service, FabKids, which was launched by ShopStyle founder and serial entrepreneur, Andy Moss, and mom and actress Christina Applegate, in August 2012. The acquisition follows JustFab's successful category expansion and will give FabKids access to the matured manufacturing, operations and marketing infrastructure of JustFab.
 
JustFab gives FabKids access to its over 10 million members and the ability to scale faster and expand its categories, product offerings and global reach with its operations in Germany, UK and Canada.  In addition, with JustFab's infrastructure, FabKids can leverage the fully integrated supply chain from source manufacturing to the fulfillment center in Louisville, KY, which currently ships out over 250,000 packages a month. The strategic synergies have already commenced with FabKids now scheduled to launch its boys clothing line in Q3 of 2013 and JustFab offering the highly requested children's category to its members.
"What we loved most about FabKids is that it has been very successful in a category that we were interested in and their business has many of the same great attributes as JustFab," said Adam Goldenberg, co-CEO of JustFab. "FabKids has a high repeat purchasing pattern, a low attrition rate and a passionate and engaged membership base. The businesses were primed to come together and expand the fashion-subscription marketplace."

 "We are thrilled to join JustFab and have great respect for the leadership position they have established in fashion-subscription commerce," said FabKids Founder & CEO, Andy Moss. "We are very excited to bring FabKids to JustFab's 10 million plus members - and to take the FabKids brand to new heights, especially with the launch of Boys and International in the next year."

"Children's apparel is a natural progression of our fashion brand, which has expanded from shoes and bags into denim and jewelry most recently. The opportunities for cross promotion among the brands are vast," said co-CEO of JustFab, Don Ressler. "Many JustFab members have daughters who are mini-fashionistas and the mothers of the FabKids girls love to spoil themselves with a little glamour."

The FabKids team will remain based in San Francisco and will continue to be led by CEO and Founder, Andy Moss, together with Creative Partner, mom and actress Christina Applegate.  JustFab will migrate FabKids.com onto JustFab's existing platform and its product and technology team will join JustFab's team. With both businesses rooted in the fashion subscription space, the platforms and teams are perfectly aligned.

Rihanna's fashion collection to debut in Feb.

Rihanna's collection for British brand River Island is slated for its debut next month during London Fashion Week.

Fashion week organizers listed the pop star on its official calendar of fall previews as they sent out registration materials on Thursday to the editors, stylists and retailers who cover designer collections.
The 24-year-old's first collection of clothing and accessories will be shown Feb. 16. Items will be available in River Island stores in Great Britain, and in the United States and Japan at Opening Ceremony starting on March 5.

Rihanna said in a statement that an appearance at fashion week is "a dream come true."
She already has another fashion commitment this year: She signed on to executive produce and star in the Style network reality series "Styled to Rock."

Spotlight Shines on Montreal Fashion Week: Fall/Winter 2013 Edition Will Highlight Variety

Preparations are in full swing for Montreal Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2013 (MFW F/W 13), produced by Groupe Sensation Mode in collaboration with P&G Beauty & Grooming. This season, the excitement is being felt more than ever and the event has announced several new features that will rest on attributes that MFW is known for: variety and quality. This rendezvous, which brings together the fashion community, will take place February 4 to 7 at the Arsenal, a contemporary art complex.

"From edition to edition, interest in MFW is undeniable," said Jean-François Daviau, co-founder and co-president of Groupe Sensation Mode. "The number of people that have registered to date is very good and we are expecting more than 20,000 visitors, including fashion professionals, designers, artists and media representatives."

In addition to being a platform for Canadian designers to introduce their new collections, MFW provides a varied fashion experience and offers numerous activities, such as conferences, exhibits, artistic performances, and a new concept that marries fashion with cinema: the Fashion Premiere. This series of 21 fashion films, selected by MFW in collaboration with FAT Arts & Fashion Week Toronto and TRIPTYQUE, will be presented throughout the event and will include a tribute to RAD HOURANI directed by Parisian Jean Du Sartel. The McCord Museum will also offer two free activities dedicated to the history of fashion on February 2 and 6.

Among other firsts: MFW F/W 13 will feature a new space at the Arsenal called the Designer Studio by Target, allowing greater flexibility to designers that want to have more creative freedom and stage a non-traditional fashion show or installation with maximum impact.

For the first time, designers participating in MFW will be able to benefit from an international partnership with Russia Fashion Week, which will provide visibility in a growing market with MFW content being broadcast to influencers from the Russian fashion industry.

A large variety of designers, both established and emerging, will show their Fall/Winter 2013 collections at MFW, each representing the different facets that Canadian fashion has to offer. The designers chosen by the MFW selection committee include:

Ecco Domani Fashion Foundation Announces 2013 Award Winners

Ecco Domani® Wines of Italy announces today the recipients of the 2013 Ecco Domani Fashion Foundation awards: TOME in the women's design category; Ian Velardi in the men's design category; Deborah Pagani in the accessories design category; and SUSAN WOO in the sustainable design category. Each winner, selected from a pool of up-and-coming designers, receives a $25,000 grant to help showcase their style on the most sought after runway: New York's Fall 2013 Fashion Week.

Now in its 12th season, the Ecco Domani Fashion Foundation has awarded more than $1.7 million in support of emerging designers, and helped to launch the careers of many of today's best and brightest fashion stars, including: Zac Posen, Derek Lam, Proenza Schouler, Rodarte, Alexander Wang, and Prabal Gurung.

Embodying the idea that good taste is always in vogue, Ecco Domani wines are crafted to add a special touch to the everyday. With bright fruit flavors and a fresh, approachable style, Ecco Domani wines are at once a perfect food pairing and an effortless complement to any occasion.  To celebrate this fusion of good taste in wine and style, Ecco Domani created the Ecco Domani Fashion Foundation.

"Through the Ecco Domani Fashion Foundation, we are able to support talented fashion designers who are committed to celebrating style every day," said Molly Davis, Vice President of Marketing for Ecco Domani Wines of Italy. "Today, we are proud to raise a glass to this year's award recipients and welcome them into the exclusive group of Ecco Domani Fashion Foundation alumni."

Ecco Domani Fashion Foundation judge Marylou Luther, editor at the International Fashion Syndicate, furthered Davis' sentiments, saying, "By supporting emerging design talent for more than a decade, Ecco Domani has expanded the definition of style and extended its reach from the wine glass to the runway and beyond."

Camo print: fashion’s ultimate power weapon

Tough as nails and strikingly powerful despite its uncomplicated nature, it comes as no surprise that camo print has stood the test of time and become fashion’s favourite form of abstraction. The it print as envisioned in endless guises, camouflage print is currently being highlighted as one of the most anticipated comebacks of the upcoming season, standing tall amongst spring 2013′s fashion trends. To coin an adage: once a camo girl, always a camo girl!

Professional Photoshopper Shares How The Fashion Industry Justifies Selling A Lie

The widespread use of Photoshop in fashion is often criticized for promoting unrealistic expectations of beauty and body image.

One high-end retoucher did a revealing Reddit Ask Me Anything about what he wishes he could change about the industry.

Pratik Naik, owns Solstice Retouch. His clients include top magazines and fashion houses.

He explained how the industry justifies using Photoshop:
"This will change based on who you ask in the field. A common answer people give is that fashion has always been about selling a fantasy or feeling rather than the clothing itself (in many instances). For example, take Abercrombie. Typical jeans and apparel, but the selling point is the lifestyle portrayed. Similarly, Victoria's Secret sells sexy. What if the same bras were sold at Walmart under a different name, would they sell less? Probably.

Is this fair and is this misleading? It's probably very unfair and it is misleading, but knowing this will help tremendously. Be careful before you buy it, name doesn't mean everything, but it is associated with quality by the public. Whether this is true, is based on the buyer."

He said that retouched images are becoming increasingly realistic:
"Before, I would see a lot of people take a brush, and brush over the skin in sweeping strokes so they remove every pore, that was the true definition of 'plastic.' I am happy to say we're starting to move past that."

Northeast fashion gets new platform

New Delhi, Jan 10 (IANS) Following the first ever Shillong Fashion Week (SFW) in 2012, Guwahati is set to host the North East Fashion Fest (NEFF). The event, endorsed by Bollywood actress Soha Ali Khan, will give the local talents a chance to promote their craft and boost their business.

The four-day festival, organised by Basics Concepts and Marketing, will start Feb 20 at the Hotel Brahmaputra Ashok in Guwahati, Assam's main city.

"The core value of NEFF is to provide a platform for all contenders within the northeast Indian fashion industry to network and alliance with national and international partners and makers for increase in sales and development of their business," Manish Jha, one of the organisers, told IANS.

As many as 16 designers from New Delhi, Mumbai and northeast regions have been roped in to showcase their collection. A few confirmed names are Nida Mahmood, Rajdeep Ranawat, Raakesh Agarvwal and Janjum Gadi.
Soha Ali Khan has been roped in as the festival ambassador, while actresses like Mugdha Godse, Huma Qureshi, Evelyn Sharma and Jiah Khan are expected to walk for the designers during the fashion gala.

"There have been a lot of fashion shows happening in Shillong, but our idea is to not only do the same shows, but also to involve couple of Bollywood actors to draw national attention. Bollywood really helps in promoting a new venture in a big way," Jha added.

Apart from fashion shows, there will be open studios, workshops, lectures, exhibition of fashion and lifestyle products and cultural programmes and activities during the fest.

Nida Mahmood, known for her quirky collections, feels the northeast culture has received very little attention despite the fact that its people are few of the most fashion forward. She is confident that events like these will help the cause.

"I have spent a short time of my growing up years in the northeast. So, I have seen what a beautiful place it is and what amazing textiles they have. Though since then, I never got the chance to go there and explore. So, I thought this is great opportunity to exchange thoughts and design inspirations," Mahmood told IANS.

"It is one of those small steps that is going to have long lasting impression as there is so much to explore in those regions," she added.

Scouting Report

A month out from Fashion Week, Isaac Mizrahi, proving yet again that he’s fashion’s consummate showman, is ready to take the stage. If you’ve always wanted to experience his antics, like sending models out in an indoor rainstorm, Thursday is the night to see “ISAAC LIVE!” Don’t expect a runway show, though. It’s more of a one-man cabaret act during which the designer will sing standards like the Pretenders’ “Show Me” and “The Sun, Whose Rays Are All Ablaze” from “The Mikado.” At the Laurie Beechman Theater at the West Bank Cafe, 407 West 42nd Street, on Jan. 10, 24 and 25 at 8 p.m. For tickets ($40), visit theatermania.com or call (212) 352-3101.

PERSONAL SHOPPING

If, for you, a little thing called “first full workweek of 2013” means less time for shopping, there is PS DEPT., an iPhone app that serves as a direct line to associates in New York stores. During sale season it is a great way to message them to send pictures of deals to be had. Shop the sale racks from the palm of your hand for cozy finds like a Comptoir des Cotonniers rabbit-trim Neline duffle coat ($222.50), a Gant Rugger “Grandpa 3/2 Roll” blazer ($357), or one of Marc Jacobs’s madcap pilings (curly mohair dress with yarn embroidery, $2,160). There is more from places like Creatures of Comfort, Rag & Bone, Kirna Zabête, Barneys New York and Bergdorf Goodman. And complementary messenger service within Manhattan will be offered to any client who makes a purchase through this weekend. Download the app free at bitly.com/P1fzPR.

SALES

According to the fashion calendar, now is the time to start buying platform sandals. But why not step confidently into the new year with great deals on more weather-appropriate designer footwear? NICHOLAS KIRKWOOD is offering 50 percent off fall styles like scalloped ponyhair ankle boots ($570) and Erdem, Peter Pilotto and Prabal Gurung collaborations. ROBERT CLERGERIE end-of-season merchandise, like the knee-high Barry boot, is also half price ($547.50), as is footwear at BRIAN ATWOOD, including the Pipi suede ankle boot with knotted fringe ($599).

Lower prices abound at SAKS FIFTH AVENUE, where new goods from Saks stores across the country have been brought in for the designer consolidation sale that starts Friday. Take an additional 25 percent off merchandise already reduced by 60 percent.

Events combine food and fashion at Vancouver's Dine Out winter festival

Foodies and fashion lovers may both find something to their taste at a couple of new events included in this year's Dine Out Vancouver Festival.

The designer boutiques at Holt Renfrew on Dunsmuir Street are the setting for an intimate dinner prepared by Hawksworth Restaurant, named by Maclean's magazine last fall as Canada's restaurant of the year. Models will show off spring 2013 menswear and womenswear collections throughout the meal.

And at the Bar None nightclub in Yaletown, tapas will be served during fashion shows presented by two local designers highlighting their latest collections.

The 11th annual festival, running Jan. 18 to Feb. 3, features prix fixe meals at 240 restaurants across the city, the most ever.

Other special events include culinary walking tours of the East Village and Railtown, an evening of ravioli and wine, dinner at a drag queen cabaret, and a speaker series with such topics as Asian-inspired cocktails, Canadian whiskies and "Wine versus beer: which is better with cheese."

Photo gallery: Fashion, fun and frolics lined up for Norwich Fashion Week’s return

Organisers of Norwich Fashion Week are gearing up for another week of fashion, fun and frolics after revealing the provisional programme of shows and events for March.

The week kicks of with The Launch Show at The Forum on March 7 and follows with shows and events from Norwich Lanes, the city’s vintage and independent quarter, high street retailers and local and up and coming fashion designers.

New this year is an alternative fashion event at Norwich Castle. Skin II: On the Street showcases street style, unique fashion exhibits and live fashion made in Norwich.

Vintage Norwich run by nationally renowned fashion blogger Retro Chick is also bringing the glitzy side of fashion to Norwich at an vintage awards night at the Norwich Puppet Theatre.

One of the headline events will be the return of The Vintage Show. This year the show is being held at Norwich Cathedral and fuses a daytime vintage market featuring some of Norfolk’s increasingly popular vintage shops and designers with an evening vintage catwalk show.

Another highlight is The Designers Show, which showcases the work from some of Norfolk’s established and up and coming fashion designers. Held at Epic on Magdalen Street, the catwalk show will feature sets by Norwich eco fashion designer Marian Eve Williams, who has showcased at previous Norwich Fashion Weeks, alongside Norwich designers showing for the first time. The show will also see the launch of the second collection from Norwich label Cocoon, set up by fashion students at City College Norwich.

Enterprise events and projects coordinator at City College Norwich and organiser of the Norwich Fashion Week Designers Show, Fiona Muller, said: “The show aims to highlight the wealth of talent we have in Norwich and Norfolk and is a platform for up and coming designers to get their work noticed. It’s a chance to take a look at original fashion made in Norwich.”

Primarily, Norwich Fashion Week celebrates the diversity of fashion in our fine city. From mainstream brands to independent boutiques to the vibrancy of Norwich Lanes, fashion retailers, cafés, restaurants, bars and clubs are being encouraged to prove that Norwich has what it takes in the style stakes.

Now in its fourth term, the week creates a positive focus for retailers who have had a tough few years, with recession, high rent and rates, and a lack of consumer spending cited as some of the reasons for many shop closures.

The week is expected to bring in shoppers and fashion lovers from outside Norwich. Shona Richards from Visit Norwich and a representative for Norwich Lanes at Norwich Fashion Week, believes that the variety of shows and events has a positive impact on businesses in Norwich.

“Norwich Fashion Week is a great way to help celebrate Norwich as a top ten place to shop and as a centre of creativity,” said Ms Richards. “We have a variety of fashion on offer, so it is no wonder that people travel from all over the East of England to shop in Norwich. Events such as Norwich Fashion Week raise the profile of the city centre even further, attracting new businesses and visitors and cementing Norwich’s top ten shopping destination position.”

The week also aims to raise the profile of Norwich’s growing fashion design industry. Integral to this is the increasing number of up and coming fashion designers currently studying fashion and textiles at City College Norwich and the fashion degree at Norwich University of the Arts. The latter will produce Norwich’s first fashion graduates in May this year.

Founder of Norwich Fashion Week, Louise Lace, believes that the diversity of fashion in Norwich and Norfolk is the reason why fashion week is such a success.

Ms Lace said: “Norwich Fashion Week offers an eclectic mix of fashion, arts, culture, business and learning that really gets to the heart of what fashion in Norwich is all about.

“Norwich used to have a thriving shoe and textile industry and now it has a growing fashion design quarter with independent designers and makers, and fashion courses at both City College Norwich and the Norwich University of the Arts. Norwich also offers a unique independent shopping experience. All these elements are showcased in shows and events at various locations across the city at the beginning of March.”

More announcements will be made in the run-up to Norwich Fashion Week, which takes place from March 7 to 15.

For more information and to see the full provisional programme of events go to the Norwich Fashion Week page on Facebook www. facebook.com/Norwich Fashion Week

Your Evening News will be bringing you all the news from on and off the catwalk from now until the end of March.

As part of the Norwich Fashion Week celebrations, retailers are being urged to decorate their shop windows with a fashion edge. Any shop, café or restaurant, large or small can get involved and all entries will form part of a competition run by the Norwich Retail Skills Academy in conjunction with Norwich Fashion Week. For more information or to take part contact Alex Hill on 01603 667668 or email alex.hill@ccn.ac.uk

Tickets will be available for the above shows in February. You can see the full list of shows and events at www.facebook.com/NorwichFashionWeek

A Plane Carrying Top Italian Fashion Boss Vittorio Missoni Has Gone Missing

The plane carrying fashion executive  Vittorio Missoni, along with his wife and several other people, is missing in Venezuela.

The 58-year-old, his wife Maurizia Castiglioni and two crew members are among those missing, according to Reuters.

Vittorio is the son of Missoni's founder and runs the fashion house. The plane went missing yesterday.
“It disappeared yesterday. They have been looking for it with helicopters and ships, but have not found anything yet. They are still searching for it this morning,” the Italian consul in Venezuela, Giovanni Davoli, said.

Missoni is an upscale brand known for its vibrant striped patterns. The fashion house had a highly successful collaboration with Target in 2011.

Fabulous Homes Of Fashion A-Listers

Iconic bridal gown designer Vera Wang is world renowned for combining modern designs with traditional elegance. It should come as no surprise then that her home surroundings are just as polished. It’s a continuation of her fashion persona, says Dr. Iris Mohr, a St. John’s University marketing professor. “Because she is highly recognized for her elegance and beauty, we would expect to see the same distinction in her home,” Mohr says. And we do.

The sleek and sophisticated mid-century modern Beverly Hills mansion Wang purchased two years ago is heavy on luxury. The nearly $10 million architectural gem underwent a three year renovation by celebrity designer Steve Hermann, who helped lend a serious minimalist chic to the entire property. The airy manse has giant walls of glass and also boasts a movie theater, an infinity-edge pool and sweeping canyon views.

Fashion mogul Georges Marciano of Guess Jeans may have built—and recently lost to bankruptcy—his fortune with casual clothing, but the style maestro’s stunning seven-bedroom, nine-bath Beverly Hills home, now on the market for $24.5 million, is more the “little black dress” of luxe living. Tucked behind high walls and wrought iron gates, his iconic Old Hollywood estate was designed in 1927 and once belonged to Harry Cohn, the legendary founder of Columbia Pictures.

The stunning mansion has a two-story wood-paneled foyer with a sweeping staircase, elegant living and dining room, a tony professional screening room, library, family room, billiards room, card room and two full-sized kitchens. And that’s just on the first level. Outside, Marciano’s lushly landscaped property also has a greenhouse, sunken tennis court with a pavilion, a large swimming pool, cabana and two guest cottages.

In Pictures: Fabulous Homes Of Fashion A-Listers

Further proof that a fashion background helps in designing a gorgeous home is Michelle Smith, the designer and owner of Milly clothing. From polka-dot PVC trench coats to daytime shift dresses, Smith has an eye for youthful and feminine. Gwyneth Paltrow, Beyoncé and Kate Middleton are among the fans worldwide who count on Smith’s popular designs. “My mantra for the Milly collection is “smart, sexy and glamorous,” Smith says. Her Manhattan home is not exempt. “I designed my apartment to embody the same vibe, while still respecting its original 1920′s gothic-revival heritage.”

Fashion Tycoon Tory Burch Becomes A Billionaire (Thanks, In Part, To $200 Ballet Flats)

Five years ago this month, fledgling womenswear designer Tory Burch landed on the cover of Town & Country magazine. The accompanying profile tried to explain the growing popularity of her fashion line, launched from her kitchen in 2004.

“Her tunics became the uniform for everyone from the Upper East Side lady who lunches,” it read, “to women across America who wanted to look like an Upper East Side lady who lunches.”

Tory is set to join the 2013 Forbes World’s Billionaires list in March as one of a handful of women who made their fortunes rather than inherited them, including Oprah Winfrey and Meg Whitman. The 46-year-old Penn graduate and former fashion PR is now the second youngest self-made female billionaire in America; Spanx inventor Sara Blakely, who joined the rich list in 2012, is the youngest at 41.

Paradoxically, Tory’s newfound billionaire status comes as a result of her ex-husband’s latest business move. One-time company co-chair Chris Burch sold part of his 28.3% stake in the brand to two new investors this week, putting to rest months of lawsuits and counterclaims that threatened to derail a future IPO.

Chris’ deal values the company at $3.25 billion, according to private company analysts PrivCo. Representatives for the fashion house would not comment on that figure, but Forbes’ own calculations using price-to-revenue ratios for similar public companies suggest Tory Burch LLC is worth at least $3.5 billion. This makes Tory’s own 28.3% stake in her eponymous firm worth $1 billion.

Our valuation could well prove conservative should Tory and her board decide to take the company public in coming months. Tory Burch LLC brought in close to $800 million in revenues in 2012. By way of comparison, fellow American-luxe womenswear designer Michael Kors’ company brought in $800 million in revenues in 2011, went public that year, and now boasts a market cap of over $10 billion.

Tory hit the big time in 2006, with the launch of her her best-known product, a $195 pair of leather ballet flats in every conceivable color with her signature ‘double T’ medallion logo on the top. She named the shoes “the Reva” after her mother.

In 2008, she cemented her status in the fashion firmament by winning the industry’s version of the Oscar, the Accessory Designer of the Year award from the Council of Fashion Designers of America. In 2010, queenmaker Oprah Winfrey included Tory’s Reva flats in her final Favorite Things episode, elevating them to wardrobe must-haves. That year, the company opened its first standalone stores in Europe and Asia.

Then came the bump in the road that put a long-rumored IPO on hold indefinitely. The trouble between exes Tory and Chris began in 2011 when Chris launched C. Wonder, a preppy clothing chain bearing a striking resemblance to Tory’s multi-billion dollar brand but at a far cheaper price. Since then, Chris has been forced off the board of Tory Burch LLC, but retained a 28.3% stake in his ex-wife’s company.

In October, Chris sued Tory and the majority of her company’s board, alleging they were trying to hinder his relations with suppliers and hamper his attempt to sell some of his stake. Tory Burch LLC countersued in November, claiming C. Wonder “is a knockoff brand…with mass-market versions of the top-selling Tory Burch items.” (You can judge for yourself: scroll through the images in this counterclaim.)

On January 1st, the board at Tory Burch LLC and Chris announced they’d settled “all pending legal claims”, putting an end to what the presiding judge had called a “drunken WASP fest”. That same day, Chris announced the sale of most of his 28.3% stake to two new high-profile investors, philanthropist Chuck Feeney’s General Atlantic and Warren Buffett banker Byron Trott’s BDT Capital Partners.

None of the parties involved disclosed exactly how much of his 28.3% Chris sold, nor the price paid by these new minority shareholders. PrivCo got their hands on the offering memorandum and value the sale at $812.5 million, although a representative for Tory Burch LLC wouldn’t corroborate that figure. (Calls and emails to Burch Creative Capital, Chris’ holding company, were not returned.)

PrivCo’s number-crunchers say Chris, as well as Tory, is now a billionaire thanks to dividends and other assets. The 59-year-old retail veteran has indeed made some canny investments over the years, including stakes in phone gadget manufacturer Aliph, which owns popular Bluetooth handset Jawbone; pricey Norwegian artesian bottled water brand Voss and wireless charging outfit Powermat. Watch this space: Chris may well join his ex-wife in the Forbes billionaires’ club.