Luxury Fashion
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The 2012 Jewellery Show To Expand
Posted by kevin in Dec 18, 2011, under Fashion Jewellery, Luxury Fashion, Luxury Jewellery
BIRMINGHAM, England, December 2011 – The Jewellery Show 2012 will feature prestigious new suppliers, present a new section showcasing watches brands, and focus strongly on new trends.
The event, which will take place from February 5-9 at the Birmingham NEC, will communicate the newest trends in retail in a bid to boost the quality of the experience for both retail buyers and suppliers.
Big brand Swarovski, celebrated for its crystal jewellery, will be exhibiting at The Jewellery Show for the first time and Pandora will return, again sponsoring the popular catwalk.
“From the research that we did in 2011, we understood that buyers want to see something new. They want to see what is the next new trend, what is the next new brand coming through,” said Julie Driscoll, Event Director.
“We’ve got Swarovski at our show – a lot of our clients had said they would really like to see Swarovski — for the first time in 2012.”
The presence of Swarovski and Pandora is a coup for The Jewellery Show in 2012, as Swarovski has not exhibited in the UK for many years, and Pandora exhibits in the UK solely at The Jewellery Show, Driscoll said.
Ti Sento and Ken Carr London will return to The Jewellery Show as exhibitors, and new brands Phantasya, Tresor Paris, London Pearl Company, Dan Jewellers, and Charles Green, will exhibit for the first time
New precious brands are coming too. St. Maurice, which features diamonds and bridal rings, will be at The Jewellery Show for the first time, and Breuning will return after an absence.
HEIGHTENED FOCUS ON WATCHES
The Jewellery Show, responding to strong demand for watches at retail jewellers in the UK, has created a section to bring together watches brands for the first time.
“Watches of a certain level are really moving well in the UK, selling through the retail jewellers,” Driscoll said.
She said that while many retail jewellers visited BASELWORLD to order top-end watches, there will be an opportunity for many of Britain’s 4,500 retail jewellers who do not go to Basel to buy watches at The Jewellery Show.
“We have found that there is a gap in the market, so we have created a section called Time – this is just under 100 watch brands. Brands such as Festina, Storm watches, Oasis, Puma, Switch, Danish Designs, and Alessandro Baldieri,” Driscoll said.
“This is very much a reflection that watches brands are fuelling the jewellery industry to a certain extent,” she said.
No Longer A Secret
Posted by kevin in Dec 18, 2011, under Fashion, Fashion Clothing, Luxury Fashion
VICTORIA’S SECRET has promised to investigate claims of child labour, after reports emerged that the company it uses to create its fairtrade cotton – the Burkina Faso programme – beat and abuse its child employees.
“[The allegations] describe behaviour contrary to our company’s values and the code of labour and sourcing standards we require all of our suppliers to meet,” said Tammy Roberts Myers, the lingerie brand’s parent company Limited Brands Inc’s vice president of external communications. “Our standards specifically prohibit child labour. We are vigorously engaging with stakeholders to fully investigate this matter.”
According to Bloomsberg, Victoria’s Secret made a deal in 2007 to buy cotton “fairtrade” and organic from Burkina Faso. The products were launched in shops in 2009 and were labelled “Good for women. Good for the children who depend on them.” Bloomberg Markets has since discovered that the farmer, Victorien Kamboule, who produces the cotton whips and denies food to his child work force, using 13-year-old Clarisse Kambire as a case study.
“If I leave the child out, how will I be able to do the work?” Kamboule said. “I sometimes beat her. “This is when I give her work and she doesn’t deliver.”
LFW Shapes Up
Posted by kevin in Dec 18, 2011, under Fashion
THE provisional London Fashion Week schedule has been released and with it plenty of shows to look forward to.
Replacing Paul Costelloe in his traditional opening spot on Friday February 17 is Antoni & Alison, which is making its official return to the LFW calendar. On Saturday 18, Twenty8Twelve will be showcasing its autumn/winter 2012-12 collection – after taking a break last season. The most anticipated show of the day though will be undoubtedly be Stella McCartney, who is making an one-off London comeback. Jonathan Saunders, Matthew Williamson and Richard Nicoll will take centre stage on Sunday.
Monday will see the fashion pack rushing to and from the capital’s key shows, as Christopher Kane, Erdem, Burberry, Giles, Fashion East and – new this season – Alexander McQueen’s diffusion label, McQ.
Mary Katrantzou, Roksanda Ilincic and Meadham Kirchhoff will round up the proceedings on Tuesday, followed by Menwear day on Wednesday.
The Miss Muubaa
Posted by kevin in Dec 18, 2011, under Fashion, Fashion Clothing
LOVED by girls who know how to wear a battered leather jacket – including Alessandra Ambrosio, Cheryl Cole, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Charlize Theron – Muubaa is fast making a name for itself as the go-to brand for effortless cool. Next season’s offering not only brings the label’s signature distressed jackets and gilets, but also shorts, skirts and trousers – and the label’s growth won’t stop there.
“Immediate plans are to expand our international presence in the world’s top fashion stores,” head designer Christiana Nicolaou told us. “We’re currently in Harvey Nichols in UK and Hong Kong, Liberty in London, and top boutiques in New York, Paris and Milan. We aim to become the brand famous for defining and then continually redefining what is possible in leather and any other material we may move into. Our ultimate vision is to become a luxury lifestyle brand known for pushing boundaries and inspiring with new possibilities.”
The brand’s secret lies in the craftsmanship and care taken with each garment – from hand finishing and dye treatments, to vintage wash effects, and sculpted collars and cuffs – and, after almost five years, Nicolau says the brand really knows its customer.
“She is a fashion leader and styles herself with originality and unexpected combinations,” she said. “She is creative and a bit of a risk taker both in life and fashion. The Muubaa customer instinctively knows what looks good and her friends look to her for style advice and inspiration. She is most likely an urban girl between 25 and 40 who works hard and is well rewarded for it. Customers buy into Muubaa because we inspire them with the unexpected and help them achieve effortless individuality. Once they find out about us, they know they’ve found something special.”
The Fashion Fund Shortlist
Posted by kevin in Dec 18, 2011, under Fashion Clothing, Luxury Fashion
THE BFC/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund 2012 shortlist is in – and lined up to win the coveted prize is Jonathan Saunders, Mary Katrantzou and Meadham Kirchhoff, Marios Schwab, Nicholas Kirkwood, Peter Pilotto, Roksanda Ilincic, Richard Nicoll and Zoe Jordan. The designers were chosen by an impressive panel, which included British Vogue editor Alexandra Shulman, Samantha Cameron, Joan Burstein, Caroline Rush and Marigay McKee.
“It’s very exciting to see such a talented group making up the shortlist and the winner will certainly be very deserving of the prize,” said Shulman. “In this third year of the award we also hope to build on the support we can give them all at this stage of their careers.”
The final winner, who will be named in the March issue of Vogue, will receive £200,000, as well as bespoke mentoring provided by the industry’s leading figures. All eight runners-up will also be allocated a mentor throughout the Fund.
“The calibre of this year’s BFC/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund shortlist reflects the exceptional talent that exists within the British Fashion industry today,” explained BFC chairman Harold Tillman. “Each designer has enhanced the capital’s profile as a centre of fashion innovation, and we are proud to be able to offer the winning designer the financial support and mentoring needed to help their brand grow internationally. Special thanks must be given to all of the funders involved with the scheme.”
Previous winners of the award have included Christopher Kane and Erdem.
The Vogue Celebrations
Posted by kevin in Dec 18, 2011, under Luxury Fashion
THE Vogue app won Digital Fashion Magazine of the year at the 2011 Digital Magazine Awards, which took place last night in London. The awards consider entries from over 20 countries and are chosen by a distinguished judging panel, which this year included Thomson Reuters chairman David Schlesinger and CNN International Digital vice president and global manager Peter Bale.
“Vogue is classy, clean, has excellent photography, art direction and very good usage of interactive content,” a statement written by the judges said. “Its design makes the most of the platform.”
Vogue fought off competition from fashion apps including ASOS.COM, Company magazine and Pandora. Another of the night’s big winners was Wired, which won Digital Magazine of the Year, Editor of the Year and also Best Technology and Gadget Magazine of the Year.
The Wang Man
Posted by kevin in Dec 18, 2011, under Fashion Clothing, Luxury Fashion
VERA WANG is launching a men’s formalwear line, after signing a licensing deal for tuxedos with US retailer The Men’s Wearhouse Inc.
Although few details have yet been released, the range is to be produced by Flow Formalwear – which also manufactures tuxedos for Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren, according to reports by WWD.
Wang currently designs bridalwear, ready-to-wear, accessories, footwear, homeware and childrenswear.
Pleats And Leather
Posted by kevin in Dec 18, 2011, under Fashion Clothing, Luxury Fashion
Remember Melanie Griffith’s famous quote from Working Girl—”I have a head for business and a bod for sin”? We’re not sure the actress wore a pleated leather skirt in that classic eighties flick, but every time we see one on the runway, that’s the line that goes through our mind. One part lady, another part badass, they turned up at Celine and Prada for Spring and more recently at Calvin Klein Collection—glimpse model Jasmine Tookes working those buttery folds at last week’s pre-fall show. Karl Lagerfeld did one for his new collection, Karl, too. And we’ve got proof positive that these skirts make the cut on the streets. Model-off-duty Sara Blomqvist was snapped wearing a short version between shows in Paris, and we spotted actress-of-the-moment Felicity Jones working the look at the Bulgari holiday party in L.A.
Mozafarian party provides platform for Vendorafa
Posted by kevin in Dec 10, 2011, under Fashion Jewellery, Luxury Fashion, Luxury Jewellery
LONDON, December 4, 2011 – An invitation-only party at a prestigious London location provided a showcase for luxury jewellery brand, Vendorafa.
The party, which took place in the five-star Grange Hotel St Pauls on November 19, was hosted by the Knightsbridge jeweller Mozafarian, one of the first UK retailers to stock Vendorafa which is being distributed in the UK by Advalorem, part of the WB Creative Jewellery Group.
Some 70 guests were treated to champagne and canapés and given the chance to view and try on jewels from the Vendorafa range in a relaxed atmosphere whilst admiring paintings of The Venice Carnival by the acclaimed artist Lynne Russell.
Jewellery from Mozafarian’s own collection and a number of other key brands was also on display.
“The star of the show was definitely the Dune Collection,” said Advalorem’s business development manager, Ben Williams.
“Everyone seemed to love its tactile quality. The larger statement pieces, particularly the cuffs and bangles, were extremely popular.”
Bahareh Mozafarian, who hosted the event, was also delighted with the evening.
“These events give us the opportunity to entertain our customers and to spend time getting to know them better,” she said.
“We were very pleased that Vendorafa could join us on this occasion. The feedback from our customers was excellent and I have no doubt that the evening is an indicator of things to come with Vendorafa.”
The Posh Gear
Posted by kevin in Dec 10, 2011, under Fashion Clothing, Luxury Fashion
VICTORIA BECKHAM has been named Top Gear’s Woman Of The Year for her work styling cars as ” creative design executive” of Range Rover.
“Sceptical we may have been, but the artist formerly known as Posh Spice has turned out a rather nifty vehicle,” Top Gear officials said, as reported by the Daily Star. “Kudos, Mrs B. Car design? A piece of cake for the multi-talented Mrs Beckham.”
Beckham oversaw the design of a new motor for a special edition of Range Rover’s Evoque model, which was also named Car Of The Year.
