99 shows, 22 countries: Bonjour Paris fashion week

The world's largest traveling circus of fashion editors, models, buyers and journalists has descended on the French capital, clutching their metro maps and city guides, to cap fashion season for nine days of intensive ready-to-wear.

And this fall-winter 2013-14 is the biggest to date, with some 99 "on-calendar" shows that see the week almost tearing at the seams, starting earlier and finishing later than ever.

"There are 12 shows a day. Twenty-two different nationalities this season. With new top designers at work," says Didier Grumbach, president of the French Fashion Federation. "It's an impressive mix, an energy that sets Paris apart from what's going on elsewhere."

Tuesday — day one — saw collections dominated by three up-and-coming Belgian designers: Veronique Branquinho, Cedric Charlier and Anthony Vaccarello, who dressed actress Charlotte Gainsbourg at last Friday's Cesar film awards.
The similarities start and end with their nationalities; all three threw together strong but highly individual collections.

If Branquinho was elegance, Charlier was edgy architecture, and Vaccarello was retro sex-appeal.

In other shows of the day, Le Moine Tricote spiced up the bread-and-butter knitwear with woven fabric.

Wednesday's shows include Guy Laroche, Damir Doma and London's enfant terrible, Gareth Pugh.

ANTHONY VACCARELLO
The no-holds-barred sex appeal for Anthony Vaccarello is not for the faint-hearted.

The third Belgian designer to show on Paris fashion week's first day served up a black-and-white ode to the early '80s in a show that featured micro skirts, chainmail, a lot of skin and lashings of sensual leather.

Strong retro shoulders, asymmetrical, diagonally cut skirts, upturned lapels and cowl collars set the fashion time dial firmly back to the era of the New Romantics.

This was fused with the innate sexiness of his variations on the Little Black Dress.

The best look was a black kimono-style top, which billowed in great contrast to the tight, bright shiny black mini.

Subtle this was not, but then, subtle isn't glam-loving Vaccarello's thing.

VERONIQUE BRANQUINHO
It was the modern bohemian woman on parade.
Veronique Branquinho mixed and matched eclectic references, from wooden African bracelets to Obi-style dresses with belts.

The soundtrack included Marilyn Monroe's sultry "One Silver Dollar" from the Western "River of No Return," which played as cowboy boots and denim studs peppered the looks.

Stetson cowboy hats in Shetland went too far, but overall it was a strong collection for the up-and-coming designer — reined in only by its feminine silhouette proportions and textural contrasts that unified the show.

The graceful, slouchy style, now a Branquinho signature, was seen on several of the dropped waist looks, often in beige and fawn.

LE MOINE TRICOTE
Fall-winter sees bright-eyed designer Alice Lemoine brimming with ideas.
First of all, in the unique presentation of her Le Moine Tricote collection via three different mediums in three different rooms: there were edgy photos, vintage-looking video projections, and the clothes themselves on mannequins.
Second of all, there were new ideas in the direction of the up-and-comer's knitwear line itself, which saw the repertoire this season spun out to include stricter woven fabrics. They provided a subtle but welcome contrast to the more feminine thick-knit tailored jackets in black, beige and gray.

The strongest piece in the show was a fantastic black mid-length coat dress that had pockets, a lapel and sleeves in billowing wool to imitate fur.
Despite sporty flashes, the collection overall remained thoroughly feminine, thanks to the natural roundness of the thick-knit silhouettes.
This season, ladylike is the name of the game.

CEDRIC CHARLIER
Architecture, "art brut" and Dutch Master Brueghel were all inspirations behind Cedric Charlier's diverse show.

The first pieces, among the collection's best, mixed up sharp geometric paneling alongside oversize coats with fluid, rounded shoulders.

Ensembles were made up of several layers, like square navy skirts on top of knee-length leggings with a rectangular bib form hanging down.

There were also some great structured sheaths in silky navy and black leather.
It's a far cry from the more fluid looks seen in Charlier's last collection.
The designer said medieval painter Brueghel inspired the bright colors of some of the prints and patterns, as did an early 20th century movement called "art brut" that celebrated art from shunned circles, like mental asylums.

Dark times at Milan Fashion Week

Fashion designers at Milan fashion week delivered a dark palette and masculine styles for autumn-winter wardrobes in a reflection of Italy's bleak economic and political landscape.

Giorgio Armani, Gucci and Roberto Cavalli were among the fashion houses whose darkly colored catwalk collections for the 2013-14 autumn/winter season catwalk shows evoked the anxiety over grim expectations for Italian fashion sales, worries over European economic health and uncertainty over domestic politics.


Designer Miuccia Prada, whose sleek collections are eagerly awaited at the Milan week, chose a post-industrial setting to present her look for a modern woman hemmed in by the grim realities of life since an economic downturn began in 2008.

"It seems to me that in the contemporary world you cannot let yourself go completely," Prada said after her show.

Armani re-worked a masculine style for a collection that included suspenders and jumpsuits in black velvet accessorized with black berets.

"We must create clothes that women wear," Armani said backstage from a show attended by Princess Charlene of Monaco.

Luxury retailers have fared better than other industries during the prolonged recession in southern Europe thanks to demand from wealthy travelers from Asia, the Middle East and Russia.

But global sales of Italian fashion - including those of smaller brands hit hard by the crisis - are expected to fall by 3.5 percent this year after dropping 5.4 percent in 2012, textile and fashion body Sistema Moda Italia (SMI) said.

Designers expressed concerns about stability in Italy, where the uncertain outcome of parliamentary elections held during the fashion week rekindled fears of a new euro zone debt crisis.

"We need infrastructures to attract tourists but we also need a long-term government for such long-term measures," said Michele Norsa, chief executive of Salvatore Ferragamo.

Gucci designer Frida Giannini offered jackets narrowed at the waist with egg-shaped shoulders and worn over pencil skirts below the knee. A mostly pragmatic look designed for work.

Giannini, who is going to have her first baby in a couple of weeks, used colors like purple, rust, moss green and dark blue for a femme fatale she said was "steely yet sexy".

If colors were dark, materials were bold.

Neoprene, lurex and vinyl surfaced everywhere, with Versace delivering the most daring looks in a rock-and-roll show.

Creative head Donatella Versace showed ankle-length silk dresses with vinyl details contouring the body, while oversized coats came in bright yellow and black-and-white colors.

Ad Feedback

Designers reserved their boldest ideas for accessories, where sales have risen during the recession because they are more affordable in price and can be used for more than a season.

"Sales of my accessories are growing," Armani said, after showing shoes with sculpted heels and a variety of handbags.

Versace opted for silver spikes on chain necklaces and studded boots, while Roberto Cavalli crafted necklaces in the shape of snakes and roses and large earring enveloping the ears.

Dolce & Gabbana, who drew inspiration from Byzantine mosaics, had shoes with inlaid sculpted heels, capped their models with golden crowns and draped them in jewels.

Other trends for next winter include zips, seen at Etro, pleated skirts from Blumarine, and a return of padded shoulders.

Some Play to the Crowd and Some Are for Real

More and more high fashion resembles an extreme sport, the X Games of glamour. Everything is amped-up: furs, glitter, nice Italian tailoring. Even the language wears extra padding.

This was especially true at the Oscar ceremony, where the red carpet is, after all, a marketing arm of the fashion industry. Dior, Prada and Giorgio Armani were the night’s big winners (“We did well,” an Armani executive said before the designer’s show here), but between the frantic commentary of cheerleading pundits and the mad race to wear spectacular fashion, you are less aware of a star’s charm or personality than an empty space on the carpet.

In Milan, because of the sheer number of outfits on a runway and the blinding amount of redundancy, you can see and not see. Dolce & Gabbana showed 75 looks, nearly twice as many as other designers. Half the collection was in the rich red and gold patterns of Catholic icons. The other chunk was in bourgeois-looking tweeds.

But the problem was not that the opposing selves refused to meet, or that the church pieces looked like costumes — some were dazzling. Rather, it was the sense of waste. How many of these garments will be produced? And if only a selection of the runway pieces winds up in stores, what are the many reviewers at the show or online really reviewing?

The public knows that much of fashion is smoke and mirrors. It’s also entertainment and part of the social-media contract, with Twitter feedback increasingly used by companies to decide which styles to push. At Ferragamo, the designs of Massimiliano Giornetti can be generically sophisticated, but you have to give him credit this season for emphasizing sleek coats and a sexy pair of lace-up boots with a semidetached pump. They’re visually grabbing, ideal for digital imagery.

Still, the most arresting fashion has a strong human element. It’s not shamelessly touting brand power. Nor is it all brain, which was the problem with the Jil Sander show and, to a lesser extent, Tomas Maier’s collection for Bottega Veneta. Peter Dundas is a somewhat underrated designer, but his Pucci show was full of unfettered charm. He nicely reprised the house’s 1960s Otto print for silk tunics and blouses, and kept the silhouette short and breezy, using wool shorts and stick-thin suede boots. So far, he’s one of the few fur-friendly designers to think playfully, turning shaved marabou or curly sheepskin into chic fuzz balls.

“Languid is the word,” said Angela Missoni of her deceptively simple collection based around pajama dressing. Well, PJ’s are in the air. They also suggest a longing for a more realistically intimate connection with fashion, and that’s what Ms. Missoni offered with gorgeously soupy coats in cashmere and alpaca knit, silky pants and jackets that appeared to be printed but were in fact knitting bonded with chiffon.

Marni looked as if it had been abducted by Prada mavens. Except for a lighthearted shag coat in autumn-lead shades, the collection was as dark as it was drenched in fur. Maybe the company’s new partner, Renzo Rosso, who was in the front row, will help restore some of the Marni funk.

Though black with silvery white was the dominant tone at Armani, and the collection retold the boy-girl theme, there were some good switch-ups. One was the low-slung cut of trousers, mixed in with the more classically elegant Armani tailoring, and another was the everyday use of black velvet. Rather shrewdly, Mr. Armani also stuck to lightweight fabrics, and throughout the collection used a man’s vest in clever ways, glazing it with smoky sequins or violet petals for evening.

Despite misgivings among women about wearing wool (it’s too hot), Mr. Maier made a statement with it at Bottega Veneta. Boiled, bonded or washed, the wool left a dry impression, though it gave him the precise shapes he wanted, especially for belted coats with a ’40s flair and skirts with raised, fluttery pleats.

There were also a few slim black dresses lightly mixed with black duchess satin, and one in black wool twill with a flat knitted bodice set at a slight diagonal. These were more successful, to my eye, than the collaged or pleated numbers.

Ms. Sander’s collection was all about control, and, as her press notes stated, the shapes indeed cut “a regal figure.” She also used the word “incorruptible.” I knew what she meant, from the serene lines of the clothes, but I thought: impenetrable.

Why does control obsess designers? Again, the effort to create rigor seemed another case of extreme thinking, without a drop of emotion. Strangely, she had a gem of that buried in all that minimalist wool — a silky brown coat in beaver that was rough on top and smooth on the bottom. That bewitching piece could have been the starting point for an entire collection.

Fashion show documentary highlights the importance of diversity

Anna and Pat Cleveland talk to the director of Versailles '73: American Runway Revoultion during the filming of the documentary. Photo courtesy of Coffee Bluff Pictures.

Kent State hosted a screening of “Versailles ’73: American Runway Revolution” Saturday night to fundraise for a trip that MODISTA: Minority Fashion Group will take to New York City in April.

The event, in honor of Black History Month, opened with a VIP reception where guests were able to speak with film director Deborah Riley Draper and models Billie Blair and Pat Cleveland about the groundbreaking fashion show in 1973.

Draper said the fashion show was originally meant to raise money to fix $60 million of damages at the Palace of Versailles. She said the event did much more than raise money — it made American history and would forever change the fashion industry.

“The most significant part about Versailles is how American designers who were unknown at that moment were able to step onto the global stage and show the entire world the level of creativity and talent and design that was in New York, because at that time everyone looked up to Paris for fashion,” Draper said.

American designers who chose the models to wear their garments for the Versailles fashion show included Halston, Anne Klein, Bill Blass, Stephen Burrows and Oscar de la Renta.

Draper said out of the 36 models chosen for the fashion show, 11 were black, which created a huge shift in American and fashion history.

Pat Cleveland, a black supermodel who modeled in the Versailles show, said people in the ‘70s enjoyed the presence of the black models.

“People liked the rhythm and culture of the black models. It was a time when America loved music and jazz and wanted that feeling,” Cleveland said. “It was just the right moment.”

Cleveland said many emotions filled her while on the runway.

“I think what I was feeling the most was that I had to represent my country. I was very patriotic and dedicated,” Cleveland said. “We were like a family that allowed everyone to partake in America’s creativity.”

Billie Blair, also a black model in the Versailles show, said she didn’t realize they were making history during the event.

“For me, the experience is still blossoming and it will continue to blossom,” she said

Tameka Ellington, assistant fashion design and merchandising professor, said the event was very important to Kent State.

“They traveled around the world and changed the fashion industry. Before 1973 black models and designers were very rare, they were mostly underground,” Ellington said. “The Versailles event brought them mainstream.”

Dawn deFoor, receptionist at Vacca Office of Student Services, said she was excited to meet the models and better understand the history of the event.

“Hopefully I’ll get to learn about the journey of how these people got to Versailles and how it still impacts the industry today,” deFoor said. “I think this made a big splash and there’s still a rippling effect going on today.”

Draper said four months after the show in 1974, Beverly Johnson was the first black model to appear on the cover of Vogue.

“The show really elevated the presence of African American models,” Draper said.

Ellington said she hopes the documentary taught people how important diversity is in the fashion industry.

“I’m hoping that being able to showcase this movie and showing how important it was for these women to be recognized and that the world started to view diversity in a better light, people will see how important it is to accept everyone for their own individual beauty,” Ellington said.

Cleveland said the greatest advice is to “use the gift you were given.”

“You should build a team to work together like a family. It’s not a one-man show, it’s more like a circus,” Cleveland said. “All that dreaming, just don’t stop it. Your dream makes the world go ‘round.”

A Front-Row Seat via Video

As the Belstaff runway show began in New York City last week, buyers, designers and bloggers crowded into their seats, jotted notes and took smartphone photos as the models strutted by.
Enlarge This Image

Belstaff live streams its shows, and the online behavior of its Web viewers is used to help predict which of the runway items might be hits.

But it was another crowd, outside the tents, that Belstaff executives were particularly interested in this season. For the second time, it was live streaming its fashion show. And the Web viewers were not just potential fans, they were data sources to help Belstaff predict which of the runway items might be hits in stores this summer.

“If you can have a bit of information that helps you beat the market and pick more winners,” said Damian Mould, Belstaff’s chief marketing officer, “you’d be stupid not to take it.”

Fashion Week, which wrapped up last week in New York and moved on to London and to Milan this week, used to be an insular industry event. Buyers and editors attended and made calls as to what their customers would want months from now.

But that has changed. Fashion houses in recent years started to sidestep the middleman by giving the public a front-row seat via webcam video. While that was more of a marketing tool at first, live streaming — and other ways to give consumers digital access to runway fashion — is now being seen as a research opportunity.

As more brands offer live videos of the shows, regular viewers see exactly what the buyers and editors are seeing, and influence what will be made by pausing on an outfit or posting Twitter messages about a particular style.

On retail fashion Web sites like Lyst and Moda Operandi, designers are allowed to track consumers’ early orders to gauge demand before they make clothes. And a handful of brands, like Burberry, are allowing regular customers to order runway clothes as the shows are live streamed.

Increasingly, the public is weighing in on fashion — and designers are listening. “It’s creating a commercial opportunity around an event that was previously an industry event,” said Aslaug Magnusdottir, the chief executive of Moda Operandi.

Mass-market apparel has long embraced the Web, but high fashion brands were wary of even having e-commerce sites a few years ago, fearing that would cheapen their brands. Now, the embrace of the Twitter-using public is causing some tension in the high-fashion world, where buyers’ tastes used to reign supreme.

“Of course the buyer knows their customer,” said Mortimer Singer, chief executive of the retail consulting firm Marvin Traub Associates, “but I think it’s hard to ignore when someone turns around to you and says, by the way, we got 50 preorders of this style.”

Live streams are an important way of measuring customer interest. They became popular a few years ago and are now regularly syndicated on fashion blogs and style sites.

“It’s not only what consumers are watching, but the devices they’re on, the geographies that they’re in, the engagement — what part of the video stream was of most interest, where did they abandon the video,” said Jay Fulcher, chief executive of Ooyala, which makes a video player that streamed Fashion Week shows, including those for DKNY, Marc Jacobs, Oscar de la Renta, Belstaff and Tory Burch.

According to B Productions, which produced the video for those shows, viewership has grown by about 20 to 40 percent every year for brands that have been streaming for a few years, and the data is becoming more precise.

“It’s not just that they stopped watching five minutes in,” said Russell Quy, president of BLive by B Productions, “but we’re able to attach that to an actual outfit.”

Belstaff, a British brand known for its outerwear, gathered data via the live stream of its recent women’s show in a few ways. It syndicated the live streams on a number of fashion sites.

By looking at Twitter mentions timed to the live stream, the company saw that the first five looks — new twists on classic jackets — drew enthusiastic responses.

“I’ve informed the buying team of that interest, so I know they’re going to buy big and deep in that category when the product comes in,” Mr. Mould said.

Mirror, Mirror: Fashion Week on iPad: So close yet so far

I giggled last week when Betsey Johnson led models through a mock workout routine wearing froufrou sportswear - carrying champagne bottles as weights.

The next day, I dreamed of owning my own cap-sleeve sheaths that Badgley Mischka sent down the fall runway.

And the day after that, I was surprised that the collection by the usually light and airy Nanette Lepore was edgy and black.

During New York Fashion Week, I tweeted about clutch bags, blogged on hairstyles, and didn't have to guess whether any of the models were wearing red or pink lipstick.

That's because I snagged one of the best seats I've ever had - right in front of my iPad.

While most newspaper journalists sit near the fifth row at Lincoln Center shows, I ended up watching (and rewatching) the majority of the collections live on the event's website. The shows that weren't live-streamed were eventually posted on designers' Web pages or on Style.com.

As a trend watcher who needs to consume as many shows as possible and deliver the news as quickly as possible, this is an effective way to see collections and translate trends to readers. In fact, if I left it up to Lincoln Center's slow WiFi connection, you probably wouldn't see my Twitter, Facebook, or blog posts until next season's collections came out.

So just as shopping online makes more sense for time-crunched women, watching shows online makes more sense for journalists with deadlines.

Yet the technology that makes reporting more efficient will likely also rob the shows of their intimacy. With all these resources used to telecast the inside activity to people outside the building, less attention is paid to the tactile experience. On a screen, people can't truly study the movement of a train, the crispness of a suit, or the way an iridescent coat sparkles in the light of the runway. So in an effort to broadcast fashion's appeals to the masses, what remains is little more than a series of 15-minute commercials.

In my 10 years as a fashion writer for The Inquirer, I've watched New York Fashion Week morph from a trade event at the Bryant Park tents, where clothes were the focus, to a magnet for celebrities who snarl Sixth Avenue traffic. Still, until recently, its objective seemed clear: Introduce buyers and journalists to collections and have us digest trends.

Then New York Fashion Week moved to Lincoln Center in September 2010. At first, organizers tried to convince us this was the same experience, just at a new, uptown address that was clean, and much harder for fashion devotees to crash the show. Instead, it's more like a rock concert, with corporate-sponsored lounges, overpriced lunch cafes, and $15 cocktails. (No more free wine!)

These days, there are so many people tweeting - from Joe Zee to the kid who took the train from Toledo - that most tweets hang out in a kind of WiFi purgatory until those phones see the light of day again.

Yikes.

Of course I didn't cover all of Fashion Week from 801 Market Street in Philadelphia. Over the weekend, I saw in person (although not up close) nearly a dozen hot shows, including Tracy Reese's rocker-chic collection, Diane von Furstenberg's long-sleeve perfect-for-work dresses, and the splendid gowns of Philadelphia's own Ralph Rucci.

I headed to the Meatpacking District, where Milk Studios hosts collections by emerging designers.

I even attended a reception at the Time Warner Center where J.C. Penney introduced its new designer, Duro Olowu. Although there were lots of fashion insiders there - stylist Robert Verdi, former model Bethann Hardison - organizers looked confused by my request for a press kit. Clearly, they didn't need me to get the word out.

Nonetheless, being at the shows meant being a part of the energy of Fashion Week. I was excited to be there, even as I interviewed designers and compared notes with trend analysts. I was, however, unable to get any writing done.

So Sunday night I headed back to Philadelphia to watch the rest of the week's shows from my office. I didn't have to fight a path to the runways, nor did I have to kick crashers out of my seat. I wasn't forced to talk my way into shows to which I wasn't invited, and most important, I could see models from head to toe - shoe booties, socks, and all.

Toronto Fashion Incubator Brings Press & Buyers Brunch to Fashion Week

The Toronto Fashion Incubator (TFI) will debut its popular TFI Press & Buyers Brunch onsite at World MasterCard® Fashion Week (WMCFW) for the first time ever this upcoming season. The new partnership with IMG Fashion will bring the TFI to the tents on March 21st and March 22nd from 12:30pm to 2:30pm, and will continue for the next two seasons, ensuring the TFI''s presence onsite throughout 2013 and beyond. Homegrown designers will exhibit their work in the Studio space during an intimate brunch that invites media, buyers and fashion industry VIPs to discover new brands and collections.

The TFI Press & Buyers Brunch will be presented with a renewed look and location, providing an ideal opportunity for the Toronto fashion community to come together. Beginning at 12:30pm, guests will join exhibitors for a light brunch, catered by The Ritz-Carlton, and peruse the curated selections of Fall/Winter 2013 ready-to-wear apparel and accessory collections from entrepreneurial Canadian designers.

"TFI''s Press & Buyers Brunch has always served as an effective and accessible platform to introduce designers to the market," said Susan Langdon, TFI''s Executive Director. "We are thrilled to be hosting our next event right in the hub of Canada''s main fashion event, giving participating designers the opportunity to interact with national and international media, retailers, and industry influencers."

As Executive Director of the TFI for almost 20 years, Susan Langdon continues to inspire, mentor and support Canada''s talent. Committed to promoting the Canadian fashion industry, Langdon has harnessed valuable relationships and partnerships for TFI, including this new synergistic partnership with IMG Fashion, who produces World MasterCard® Fashion Week.

"World MasterCard® Fashion Week is the home to Canada''s top designers and in collaboration with programs like the Toronto Fashion Incubator Press and Buyer''s Brunch, it also offers emerging designers key opportunities to grow their business outcomes," says Jarrad Clark, Director of Global Production, IMG Fashion Events and Properties. "We are excited to work with TFI to include this significant Canadian platform into the eco-system of events at World MasterCard® Fashion Week and further support the Event''s mission to move fashion forward in the global market."

TFI and IMG Fashion will co-curate the list of talented, handpicked exhibitors that will participate this March through a jury review process. Canadian apparel and accessory designers are invited to apply for a spot on the Studio floor before the closing date for applications, February 28, 2013. Interested Canadian designers should submit an application to TFI at tfi@fashionincubator.com. Applications are available online at www.fashionincubator.com. The selected designers will have the unique opportunity to gain important industry contacts including a post-event list of media, buyers and VIP attendees, showcase their brand alongside top calibre talent, enjoy complimentary catered brunch, and participate in a professionally coordinated event.

Fashion gets gender unspecific

It's been a bit hard to tell the difference between men's and women's runway presentations at the fall 2013 fashion shows.

Nautica's Black Sail collection had its male models in banana-yellow skinny pants rolled at the ankles. Coats with oversize fur collars featured a slight A-line flare.

Designer Patrik Ervell's presentation last Sunday included an iridescent, emerald-green cape with a wraparound, cowl-neck collar.

Even Michael Kors - whose manly clothes are typically classic American with a dose of Old World sophistication - dressed a model Wednesday in a fuzzy, short-sleeve sweater and skinny slacks, while another wore a bright-orange, belted trench.

Specialty Fashion's online focus pays off

Speciality Fashion Group's focus on growing its online sales has paid off, with the retailer almost tripling its first half profit.

The company reported a net profit of $17.97 million for the six months to December 31, significantly higher than the $6.16 million made in the previous corresponding period.

The result sent Specialty Fashion shares soaring, closing 7.5 cents, or 7.89 per cent, higher at $1.025.
The company said it had achieved the improved result mainly because if its focus on internet sales.

"Despite the challenging economic and retail market conditions throughout the half year, Specialty Fashion Group achieved a turnaround in its financial performance through sales growth and margin expansion, largely as a result of aggressively pursuing online sales growth, improvements made in its supply chain and minimising inflation of its costs of doing business," the company said in a statement.

It delivered earnings before interest taxation depreciation and amortisation of $37.2 million, which was in line with the guidance the company provided on January 25.

Specialty Fashion declared a two cents per share interim dividend for its shareholders.

It also expects an improved trading performance in the second half compared to the same period last year.
"The strategic initiatives in relation to eCommerce, customer relationship management and the supply chain are expected to continue to be the key drivers of improvement in performance," the company said.

"However, the company remains cautious as to the extent to which macroeconomic factors, both in Australia and abroad, may adversely influence consumers propensity to spend on discretionary items."

While the retailer said it would continue with its plan to close underperforming stores, it now expects to open new stores as rental market conditions have improved in some areas.

Options Xpress analyst Ben Le Brun said Specialty Fashion had done well in a tough climate and the market was impressed with its internet sales.

"I think the market was quite surprised by a couple of things the company had to say, specifically the success in their online sales and it liked that it seemed quite well leveraged for a turnaround in consumer confidence later in the year," he said.

City Index analyst Peter Esho said the result was at the higher end of expectations, the dividend was encouraging and the investment in online was a positive.

"It's good to see a retailer being proactive," he said of Speciality Fashion's online focus.

Rihanna shows off raunchy first fashion collection

Pop star Rihanna showed off her first fashion collection on Saturday in London, with a raunchy street-style range displayed to the sound of thumping hip-hop beats.

The Barbadian singer has said it was a "dream come true" to design a line of clothes and accessories for the high street chain River Island, a range which had its worldwide first outing amid London Fashion Week and will hit the shops next month.

At the Old Sorting Office in London, the 24-year-old swapped a catwalk for a stage separated into compartments which the models moved between as hip-hop pumped out from the speakers.

The clothes on offer were street-style, with bra tops, dresses slashed to the thighs, tummy-baring tank-tops and thigh-high boots.

Rihanna came out at the end to give the designer's traditional bow and wore a short black dress with sparking jewellery.

"I've wanted to design my own fashion line for a very long time," she said beforehand.

"This has been something I wanted to do ever since I started loving fashion. I got passionate about it and I just felt like every time I saw something on a rack there was something that I would want to do to it to change it.

"And so I felt like the only way I could do that is by designing the perfect thing for me."
She said they were "clothes for young women with young, sassy personalities".

Meanwhile at London Fashion Week, Victoria Beckham, the Spice Girls singer turned designer, was on the judging panel of the International Woolmark Prize, which celebrates designs made from wool.

She was joined on the panel at the ME Hotel by fellow fashion heavyweights Donatella Versace and Diane von Furstenberg.

Elsewhere it was retro night with Mod girls, punk vibes and late 1980s ravers.

The achingly cool House of Holland took over the third floor of a car park in Soho, laid out some drab brown carpet as a catwalk and let rip the retro funk in what designer Henry Holland described as a "70s meets 90s nostalgic homage".

London's current 'it' crowd of models, actresses, singers and DJs packed the front row to view an autumn/winter collection of 1970s-style prints in oranges and greens, parkas, denim jackets and sweatshirts embellished with jewels, wool and neon zips.

Here were clubbers dressed to dance, stand outside in the cold queuing and even get up the next day and sway elegantly into a late lunch.

They might have bumped into the punk ladies of Moschino Cheap and Chic, the Italian label's lively little sister which rocked the normally elegant ballroom at the Savoy Hotel by the River Thames.

The collection was a mix of girly pink mini-skirts, suits and dresses with black leather and multiple ear piercings; monochrome and leopard prints matched against bare legs; and towering black shoes with silver heels.

Across town, Jasper Conran maintained the retro vibe by invoking the spirit of the 1960s with straight skirts and mannish shirts reminiscent of the Mod girls but updated with a spectacular palette of oranges, pinks, reds and blues.

The shapes were simple, echoed by neat hair in low ponytails under oversized cloche hats, sheer tights and low-heeled patents, and embellished with square pockets and the occasional burst of sequins glittering in the spotlights.

Rihanna arrives for the 55th Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, California, February 10, 2013. Rihanna showed off her first fashion collection on Saturday in London, with a raunchy street-style range displayed to the sound of thumping hip-hop beats.

A model presents a creation by Moschino Cheap and Chic during the 2013 Autumn/Winter London Fashion Week on February 16, 2013.

London Fashion Week kicks off in monochrome, metallics

Monochrome dresses with bold bursts of colour and dashes of feathers and fur kicked off London Fashion Week on Friday as designers showcased elegant and minimalist creations for Autumn/Winter 2013.

Blacks, whites and greys formed the base palette for the collections that hit the runway on the London leg of the international fashion circuit, but outfits were spiced up with splashes of neon and exotic motifs.
PPQ, formed from fashion duo Amy Molyneaux and Percy Parker, showcased lime green outerwear and a hand-painted surrealist print before eveningwear of black velvet gowns with feathered cuffs swept down the catwalk.

"I was looking at doing a print that was a bit more freestyle this season, so I delved into surrealist shapes that weren't so regimented," Molyneaux told Reuters.

One of the big four catwalk fixtures alongside Paris, New York and Milan, London Fashion Week is best known as a cradle for cutting-edge talent and avant-garde trends.

Monochrome dominated other collections including that of British designer Zoe Jordan, who opened Fashion Week.

Jordan, an architect by training, said Italian cathedrals and the urban skyline of Hong Kong inspired the sharp silhouettes and metallic finishes of her designs.

"What we are trying to do is that nonchalant glamour, it's a very London thing, you know, the girl who doesn't try too hard," Jordan told Reuters after the show.

LONDON TALENT
Jordan praised London Fashion Week for nurturing new talent.
The city's art and design schools have been a treasure trove for fashion talent, producing designers such as John Galliano, Alexander McQueen, Stella McCartney and a raft of others.

"London really stands out as a fashion week because they are trying to help support younger designers and find emerging talent. It's not just about praising the big guys, they're looking for the next big thing," Jordan said.

London blends its up-and-coming names with veteran designers like Vivienne Westwood in a semi-annual burst of creativity to entice recession-weary consumers back into shops.

The direct value of the British fashion industry to the United Kingdom's $2.5 trillion economy is 21 billion pounds ($32.60 billion), the British Fashion Council (BFC) said.

Jean-Pierre Braganza, a graduate of London's Central Saint Martins fashion school, looked east with his tribal collection, dominated by geometric panelling and eastern designs reminiscent of Chinese dragon shapes in navy and grey.

Burnt pumpkin offset fashion duo Fyodor Golan's collection of black, ivory, adorned with baroque sketches or embellished with beads.

Skirts and dresses were subtly sexy keeping thighs and chests covered while showing off shoulders and the nape of the neck.

"For us it's all about sexuality - exploring, showing it but not in a perverse way - just going for it," Fyodor Podgorny, who shares the label with Golan Frydman, said of London Fashion Week.

ROARING TWENTIES
Contrasts of colour and texture also starred in London-based Turkish designer Bora Aksu's collection, which drew inspiration from the opulence of the roaring Twenties.

Models floated down the runway in leather corsets, loose shift dresses with high lace collars and cropped jackets in dove greys and bright fuchsias.

"The whole idea of the Twenties is this contrast," Aksu, who has dressed Keira Knightley and Sienna Miller told Reuters.

"There is this structure (to the clothes) but with it is such floatiness and dreaminess, like a fairytale kind of mood," he said.

Sheer capes were layered over fitted leather dresses, knitted jumpers were paired with sheepskin jackets and crochet and lace details were fused onto silky separates.

"I just love the way that he used all my favourite materials in one outfit. It's just so elegant and also really fun," said British singer Kate Nash from the front row of Aksu's show.

Looking ahead, the spotlight will shine on American designer Tom Ford, who will be showcasing his womenswear on the catwalk for the first time in London, having previously limited viewings to select fashion insiders and editors of glossy magazines.

Singer Rihanna will add a touch of A-list glamour on Saturday with the launch of her first clothing line with British high street retailer River Island, one of the 56 catwalk shows taking place over the five-day event.

Fashion Feature Package

The following feature package is a roundup of feature stories dealing with Fashion and is appropriate for special sections and for general use.

For each story included in this package, you will find the first paragraph of the feature release below, as well as its headline linked to the full text.

This is the latest in a series of topical feature packages PRN will carry as part of its regular Feature News Service.  Coming up in 2013 are features on:

Fashion Feature Package
1. Bloom's New Photo Sharing Beauty App Lets You Shop Your Favorite Looks Bloom.com, a photo sharing site and mobile app for beauty is bringing the beauty inspiration experience full-circle by allowing mobile users to shop the looks they want to recreate. It's no secret, image sharing apps are becoming more and more popular, but consumers are also gravitating toward niche social sites that provide a steady stream of photos appealing to their personal interests. 

2. Peepers Reading Glasses Launches All-New Designer Sunglasses Line
Peepers Reading Glasses, a leading manufacturer of both classic and fashion-forward eyewear for more than 30 years, has launched an all-new line of Designer Sunglasses. The line is voguishly designed for both men and women and comprised of nearly 40 pieces. With a variety of colors and 37 different styles, they will quickly become a staple in all wardrobes, especially with humble prices between $17 and $40.

If you would like a copy of the complete schedule, or if you would care to comment, please email featuredesk@prnewswire.com.  We welcome suggestions.  Copies of previous packages are available for the media.  Feature packages and feature photos are also available on the PR Newswire Web site,

Fashion statement: red carpet rules the roost, but real life can intervene

Once the red-carpet season gets underway, we become used to seeing the stars all dolled up, as if that's what they look like when they eat breakfast or pop out to the shops.

Couture gowns and trailing skirts are the norm at this time of year, but they've also become an essential part of designers' collections. There's a certain mindset that bemoans that the red carpet has come to bear so heavily on those who are trying to make their way in the industry. Award-ceremony exposure can make or break a label – celebrities choosing Zac Posen and Jason Wu made those designers household names. At the collections, it's easy to see the pieces destined for the Oscars – the long, spangled ones. But there are those who complain that creating dresses for celebs has become a distraction for young designers, who neglect the more mundane pieces that their less glitzy customer might want to wear.

In the old days, the gowns were made by the hallowed Hollywood costumiers – Edith Head or Adrian, for example. Marlene Dietrich was one of the first screen sirens to work with a fashion designer –Christian Dior – in 1951 . They worked out the angles and aspects that would feature most and devised the ultimate in statement dressing. Today, there's less choreography but no less planning. Stylists work for months to pick the best gowns for their clients. Then there's the jewellery, shoes and the perfect clutch.

But you can't avoid every pitfall. Take Barbra Streisand's sheer Arnold Scaasi tunic and trousers, which became almost transparent under stage lights. And Jennifer Lawrence's mishap last week, when a chair on her hem ripped apart her Dior couture. That's the problem with clothes and the red carpet: no matter how glamorous and magical they might be, real life can always intervene.

A fashion-forward guide to NYC

New York City is the most fashionable place to be seen this week when Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week rolls into Lincoln Center. One of the biggest draws of the event is the opportunity to rub shoulders with the fashion elite: models, photographers, designers, stylists and celebrities. Here's a guide from industry insiders for the best spots to catch a glimpse of a model, a drink with an editor or a bite with a fashionista. See you in the Big Apple in your stilettos.

Christian Siriano Flagship Store, 252 Elizabeth St., in Nolita; 212-775-8494. In August, the Annapolis-native opened Christian Siriano, a 1,000-square-foot boutique where he sells his frocks, shoes and purses. Siriano said he tries to visit the store every day, so chances are you might see him there.

Toy, 18 Ninth Ave. at 13th Street in the meatpacking district; toyrestaurant.com; 212-660-6766. Siriano celebrated there with friends the night of his show last fall. The hot spot is ideal for late-night dining, dancing or after-dinner lounging. The restaurant/lounge is designed to cater to "foodies, fashionistas, art-lovers, clubgoers and night/day-life aficionados," according to its website.

Miss Lily's, 132 W. Houston St. at Sullivan Street in downtown Manhattan; 646-588-5375; misslilysnyc.com. Siriano loves snacking on the Caribbean cuisine of this Jamaican-style diner. The restaurant is a collaboration between Paul Salmon and Binn and Genc Jakupi. Salmon owns and runs Rockhouse Hotel in Jamaica as well as serving as one of the founders of Joe's Pub in Manhattan. The Jakupi brothers are a part of some of New York's hottest nightclubs, including Bungalow 8, 1Oak, and The Box. The ambience is a huge draw for Siriano. "The servers all look like models and have Jamaican accents," he said.

Antiques shops: On the weekends, you might catch Siriano and his boyfriend, Brad Walsh, locating treasures. "We bought a bunch of things in the Hamptons," Siriano said. "We got some knickknacks and lamps from a store in Paris. We love the Chelsea antiques."

Zoey Washington

A fashion editor and stylist with ties to Baltimore, Zoey Washington knows the spots where fellow fashion gatekeepers choose to spend their time discussing trends and looking fabulous. After the runway, she suggests these spots:

INA boutique, 21 Prince St. in Nolita; 212-334 9048; inanyc.com. "It has the best consignment shopping," she said. "Balenciaga, Miu Miu and Lanvin galore from current and recent seasons. I always pick up a few dresses and jackets there before show season."

Barbico Enoteca, 2020 Broadway (Upper West Side); 212-595-2805; barciboenoteca.com. "I always hit it up for Lincoln Center postshow cocktails," she said. "Great Manhattans and handmade cocktails, and some of the best risotto."

Pad Thai Noodle Lounge, 114 Eighth Ave.; 212-691-6226; padthainoodlelounge.com. "If I am downtown for shows, then I always hit them up for their amazing lunch special," Washington said. "It is tiny and lovely, with just the right amount of ambience."

The Carlyle Hotel, 35 E. 76th St., Manhattan. 212-744-1600; http://www.rosewoodhotels.com/en/carlyle. "If you want to be seen, then hit up the Carlyle Hotel for drinks post-uptown shows," Washington said. "It was the outpost for every displaced fashion editor and model during Superstorm Sandy. But if you are only interested in sightings, then hang out at the Empire Hotel bar, the Starbucks ... near Milk Studios or across from Lincoln Center. Every fashion maven needs a jolt, and it is the smartest way to spot them."

The Ellicott City native's handbags have been stocked by the likes of Bergdorf Goodman, sold from Fifth Avenue to Tokyo, and carried by tastemakers like Rachel Zoe and Anna Dello Russo. Oprah Winfrey bought 5,500 of her bags in 2011. Her fashionista favorites include:

Piperlime store, 121 Wooster St. in Soho; 212-343-4284. A self-confessed fan of piperlime.com, DiFerdinando was excited to learn that the popular site was opening a store in New York. "Piperlime is my go-to store to shop the latest fashion-forward trends," she said. "It's got a boutique feeling but has everything I need in one store — apparel, shoes, jewelry and handbags." For shopping, she also recommends anywhere in Soho or in the West Village.

Lincoln Center, 10 Lincoln Center Plaza (Upper West Side); 212-875-5456. "It's a great a place to mingle with fashion insiders," she said. "Everyone from the industry is in one concentrated area at one time. It's great."

Hip hotels: "If you're unable to make it to the shows at Lincoln Center, great fashion hangouts are the Jane Hotel, the Mercer Hotel, Ace Hotel and Crosby Hotel," according to DiFerdinando. "There are excellent lobby bars and cafes for a great social scene."