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Russia Fashion Week Fall 09: Lena Karnauhova

Posted by fashionentrepreneurreport On Tuesday, March 31, 2009 0 comments

Lena Karnauhova Russia Fashion Week Fall 09Lena Karnauhova’s women’s wear line of earth tone dresses was relaxed and simple.
Wool, silks, twill, and leather embodied the fall season.  The dress that stood out from the rest of the collection was the gray sheer knit dress.  Long billowy sleeves gave coverage yet the rest of the dress left little to the imagination.
-Oriana DiNella 

Lakme Fashion Week Fall 09: Tarun Tahiliani

Posted by fashionentrepreneurreport On Monday, March 30, 2009 0 comments

Tarun Tahiliani and Akshay KumarCreating a refined version of denim from iconic brand LEVI’s Tarun Tahiliani was set to dress the Indian woman.  Worked and re-worked the denim display came out in four stages.  
Ripped and cropped, tight and fitted this was the Chintz and Chains collection.  Next came the Space Denim which was more of a play on color where fabrics were worked in a soft almost brushed style of citrus.  Some evening renditions with paisley metallics came next and then traditional Indian denim trend completed the four part act displaying acid washed styles, embroidery and a little bit of bling.  Akshay Kumar, Indian superstar strutted down the runway to thunderous applause closing the show in anticipation for the garments arrival into stores.
-Lynn Furge

Seoul Fashion Week Fall 09: Choichangho

Posted by fashionentrepreneurreport On Monday, March 30, 2009 0 comments

ChoichanghoAll the looks in Choichangho’s collection either had a suite coat or trench coat incorporated into them.  Deigning for both men and women, all looks were tailored and well it to the body.
The men’s looks consisted soley of suits while the women’s were rounded up with ankle skimming skirts. Black was the dominant color with pops of yellow and red. 
-Oriana DiNella

Russia Fashion Week Fall 09: O.K.M.

Posted by fashionentrepreneurreport On Monday, March 30, 2009 0 comments

O.K.M. Russia Fashion Week Fall 09Back to basics. O.K.M went the Western route in women’s wear by showcasing sets of basics.
Tops and bottoms comprised of above the knee skirts and relaxed fit tops with button closures.  The sporty looks came in an array of spring colors of pale yellow, sea foam, light purple, grapefruit and with the obvious choice of black.  Lovely little ruffle skirts finished off the show feeding off the light hearted vibe. 
-Oriana DiNella

Lakme Fashion Week Fall 09: LEVIs Gennext

Posted by fashionentrepreneurreport On Sunday, March 29, 2009 0 comments

Tuhina and Paul Shukla Fall 09The best of new Indian Fashion gathered this morning for LEVI’s Gennext Event.  Designers: Atithi Gupta, Gopal Roy, Paromita Banerjee, Shweta Chhawcharia, Sonam Mehta, Tanvi Kedia, Tuhina and Parul Shukla and Vinit Argawal all took turns displaying innovative collections in the spirit of “the next new design star”.
Nolcha noticed Tuhina and Parul Shukla to be stand-outs.  Their mix of Western and Indo-western silhouettes was a welcome break to the traditional dress that we have been seeing throughout the week.  The Fall 09 collection was called Metamorphosis and the collection played with checks and damask prints for asymmetric pleats, folded dresses, tulip shapes, cowls in tweed, with a mix of net and solids, for dreamlike costumes that had mystery on their minds.
-Lynn Furge

Seoul Fashion Week Fall 09: Latulle by Cho Sung Kyong

Posted by fashionentrepreneurreport On Sunday, March 29, 2009 0 comments

Latulle by Cho Sung KyongAmidst a sea of black came Cho, who served Seoul Fashion Week with a healthy portion of color.  Emerald, gold, red and pinks shone brightly.
The collection was very playful, as it incorporated ruffles, lace and above the knee skimming skirts.  The stand out piece was the unisex beige fur vest.
-Oriana DiNella

Russia Fashion Week Fall 09: Slava Zaitsev

Posted by fashionentrepreneurreport On Sunday, March 29, 2009 0 comments

Opening Russian Fashion Week, Slava Zaitsev, The Patriarch of Russian Fashion made a haute couture tribute to Ballets Russes.  His clothing was exquisite and meticulously made. 
Understanding both beauty and the consumer, Zaitsev knows that men and women want to look amazing and function in what they wear.   
“The collection is very powerful and breathtakingly beautiful. Each item is an object of art,” says Zaitsev. “It’s for those who value beauty in fashion. However, it doesn’t mean that I create clothes that are hard to wear. Despite their artistic value, my creations are functional and comfortable. I’m not a fan of abstract style in clothing. It’s boring. Besides, I have to sell my collections to customers.” –Slava Zaitsev  
Furs, brocades, jewels, beading, embellishments, velvet, tassels, hand embroidery, feathers, flowers, pearls, lace encompassed his whole collection.  Nothing was spared. 
Red, cobalt blue, emerald green, white, brown, black and gold were the colors of royalty. Men were dressed as Kings walking down the runway.  No ripple of a recession, just beauty and nothing is more refreshing than that.
-Oriana DiNella

Covering Lead Times in Manufacturing

Posted by fashionentrepreneurreport On Sunday, March 29, 2009 0 comments
Whether providing 20 pieces to an independent boutique or selling hundred plus item line to a major retailer, knowing what to expect when dealing with contractors is essential to having a proficient design business. FABRIC:  Lead times on ordering bulk fabrics can work one of two ways. It can either be for immediate delivery (or nearly so, within 2 weeks or so) or for planned (seasonal) delivery.
 
     1.       If using a fabric from a vendor’s stock program aka “continuity” purchasing, communicate closely with the vendor so you don’t get caught in an inventory lull. Be sure to tell the appointed sales rep at the mill when you anticipate needing the goods. If the goods are in stock (and they usually are with stock programs), a designer should be able to get goods delivered within a week or two at most. 

     2.       If buying goods for planned or seasonal delivery, be advised that just as manufacturers (designers) design seasonal products, so do mills. If after sampling and market dates close, not enough vendors wanted fabrics prototyped for a given season, those won’t be produced. These are called drops. Again, ongoing communication is key. Typically, those goods will have planned delivery dates usually commencing four to six weeks prior to when manufacturing would have to start to make delivery of finished goods for a given season. If a fabric you’d wanted to use is dropped, you’ll have to move fast to make substitutions or you’ll also have to drop the style and advise your buyers. While buyers don’t like drops, they’re used to it because it happens all the time. 


A sample of the design, made of the anticipated fabric, should take about a week. If one is making the pattern or having it made by a service, it depends on in-house scheduling. In other words, just because one can make a pattern in a day or less, doesn’t mean you’ll get it then. If one makes their own pattern, it doesn’t mean the contractor can use it. Typically, there are problems with it; it hasn’t been made according to the specifications of the contractor’s equipment

TRIMMINGS:  Designers should have the capacity to do this in house, separate and apart from the question. Tagging guns are inexpensive. Regardless, “tag and bag” is something a contractor will do for a customer for a separate fee. 

FINISHINGS:  (Garment wash, special applications like fades etc.) You want to either select a contractor who has established relationships with other contractors who provide finishing or, you want to select your finishing contractor to be geographically close to you.  The contractor and can arrange delivery to and fro but keep in mind that takes extra time. 

QUALITY CONTROL:  QC is done in two steps. One, it goes through QC at the factory. They shouldn’t ship anything that doesn’t pass.  In most plants, it is done at the tale end of sewing and takes a matter of minutes per garment. Note:  Until the contractor is proven to be consistent, you should inspect everything that comes in the door before you ship it to your customers. How long does it take you to inspect a garment? Again, it should only be a matter of minutes. The problem lies administratively. If something fails, you need to process the paperwork and return it to the contractor for repair. That takes considerably longer. Repairs are tedious for anyone. Even if it’s just a little thing, expect repairs to take as long as it took to make the garment in the first place. 

SHIPPING:  If one is selling to a major retailer, they have complex, multi-hundred page shipping standards with which one must comply or risk chargebacks if not outright product returns. If you have a proven contractor who can provide fulfillment services (recommended that you only select a service that is approved by your customer and as such, is in compliance with their myriad procedures and preferences), processing an order from their warehouse to your customer is likely to be much less time than what it’d take you; a matter of hours at most. Regarding transit time, this depends on the shipping company, the location of your customer and that of the fulfillment house, as well as the priority level of service you’ve selected. Often, your fulfillment house will have vendors they prefer. I recommend sticking with those.  I can’t imagine a fulfillment service that wouldn’t have daily pickups from UPS, Fed Ex and the like. Average shipping time coast to coast via UPS ground service is five business days.

Material in this article was derived from The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Sewn Product Manufacturing by Kathleen Fasanella, and Fashion-Incubator.com, the number one B2B internet site for advice on starting a clothing line. You can contact Kathleen by phone 575-525-1577 or via email Kathleen@fashion-incubator.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Japan Fashion Week Fall 09: writtenafterwards

Posted by fashionentrepreneurreport On Saturday, March 28, 2009 0 comments

writtenafterwards black and white dressOne of the reasons fashion icons like Gwen Stefani and even social-celeb Paris Hilton site Tokyo as one of their biggest influence is the risks designers take.  New textiles, outlandish shapes, sculptural aspects that become more innovation that functionable fashion. 
writtenafterwards by designers Yoshikazu Yamagata and Kentaro Tamai are following in the footsteps of their predecessors as the ones to watch in modern Japanese fashion culture.  Yamagata graduated from Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design majoring in womenswear in 2005. He won three categories of the International Competition, "its#3". After working for John Galliano as an assistant designer, he returned to Japan.  Tamai graduated from Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design majoring in menswear in 2004. He worked for Margaret Howell UK and Japan as a menswear designer.  Their Fall 09 collection was massive on volume.  Many pieces were placed to construct each garment, and although probably difficult to wear in the streets, the black and white pieces had just a touch of reality that I could see a risk taker actually sporting it to an event, provided that they had their own V.I.P. for space.
-Lynn Furge

Lakme Fashion Week Fall 09: Mai Mumbai

Posted by fashionentrepreneurreport On Saturday, March 28, 2009 0 comments

Naomi Campbell Mai Mumbai Lakme Fashion WeekNaomi Campbell opened a show that for an evening was more about support with a bit of style mixed in.  Mai Mumbai was held to raise awareness and funds for Citizens for Justice and Peace, in a show of solidarity against the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.  Put on by Vikram Chatwal hotels. 
The sensational Indian designer line up had Anamika Khanna, Anand Kabra, Anuj Sharma, Anupama Dayal, Arjun Khanna, JJ Vallaya, Lecoanet Hemant, Malani Ramani, Manish Malhotra, Nachiket Barve, Nandita Mahtani, Narendra Kumar, Nikasha Tawadey, Raghavendra Rathore, Rajesh Pratap Singh, Rakesh Agarwal, Rina Dhaka, Rohit Bal, Ritu Kumar, Sabyasachi Mukherjee, Sanchita Ajjampur, Savio Jon, Varun Bahl, Vikram Phadnis and Wendell Rodricks. 
The international creators were Anna Sui, Badgley Mischka, Carolina Herrera, Dennis Basso, Diane von Furstenberg, Dolce & Gabbana, Donna Karan, Isaac Mizrahi, Louis Vuitton, shoes by Manolo Blahnik, Matthew Williamson, Naeem Khan, Nanette Lepore, Oscar de la Renta, Roberto Cavalli, Ungaro, Vera Wang, Versace, Valetin Yudashkin, YSL and Zac Posen.
(Looks from the runway are being auctioned on eBay the proceeds will be donated to Citizens for Justice and Peace.)
The event was another in the string of Fashion For Relief events that have raised millions for communities in need all over the world.  The first Fashion For Relief show was held in 2005 in New York City during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, and raised more than $1million dollars for Hurricane Katrina relief. In 2007 the event was held in London and raised £1 million for the Rotary Flood & Disaster Appeal and last year Naomi teamed up with First Lady Sarah Brown in support of The White Ribbon Alliance. 
Past participants and supporters of Fashion For Relief include: Vivienne Westwood, Tracey Emin, Cheryl Cole, Olympic heroes Rebecca Adlington and Sarah Ayton, Beyonce, Christian Slater, Claudia Schiffer, Erin O’Connor, Faye Dunaway, Iman, Jamelia, Jessica Stam, Kate Moss, Kelly Osbourne, Lily Cole, P. Diddy, Princess Beatrice, Rio Ferdinand, The Duchess of York, Tyson Beckford and many more.
-Lynn Furge

Lakme Fashion Week Fall 09: Narendra Kumar

Posted by fashionentrepreneurreport On Saturday, March 28, 2009 0 comments

Narendra Kumar white suit Fall 09Known for his innovation in menswear, Narendra Kumar's  Fall 09/10 collection was no different, although this time the concentration was in denim.  Working with a completely black and white color palette, the detailing was carefully created to match the fabric texture. 
So there were pin tucks, blind tucks, pleats, piping, cording, satin insertion and very bold embroidery. Particularly interesting were the piped holster pockets on the slim pants.  The change of denim from casual to dress made the entire collection a pleasant surprise.
-Lynn Furge

Seoul Fashion Week Fall 09: Enzuvan by Eun Ju Hong

Posted by fashionentrepreneurreport On Saturday, March 28, 2009 0 comments

Enzuvan by Eun Ju HongBreaking away from the tailored look was Enzuvan by Eun Ju Hong.  Her ability to create effortlessly flowey pieces without looking sloppy allowed her to stand out at Seoul Fashion Week.
Feminine and sweet with an edge is exactly the sort of style one would expect to see on the streets of New York City.
-Oriana DiNella

Japan Fashion Week Fall 09: @IZREEL

Posted by fashionentrepreneurreport On Friday, March 27, 2009 0 comments

@IZREEL grey suitThe textured tweed and the new length of pant.  Two properties found all over the mens collections has reappeared at Japan Fashion Week. 

Designer Kazuhiro Takakura put forth strong silhouettes, classic in nature but with twists of mod like a shorter pant leg or an oversized blazer.  Almost as if the fragile models thrifted clothes from England in the 60’s that were too grand for their slight frames.  Over all a more casual look at the classics.

-Lynn Furge


Lakme Fashion Week Fall 09: Anupama Dayal

Posted by fashionentrepreneurreport On Friday, March 27, 2009 0 comments

Anupama Dayal orange dressWith major accolades from style.com, Elle, Vogue, (who declared her as “London’s New Best Friend”) and London Fashion Week, Anupama Dayal has done it again with her current show. 
Inspired by Tennyson’s poem The Lotus Eater, Dayal sent down sexy silhouettes with exquisite embellishments.  Fabrics of brocade, jacquard, satin, lurex, organza and silk, just to start were placed into the perfect mélange of pattern and texture differences making this collection wearable beauty instead of over the top “Bollywood”
-Lynn Furge

Seoul Fashion Week Fall 09: Jain by Jain Song

Posted by fashionentrepreneurreport On Friday, March 27, 2009 0 comments

Jain black Dress Seoul Fashion WeekJain streamlined her women’s wear collection with men’s cut silhouettes.  Artfully pieced together separates in black, plum, gray and a hint of plaid comprised her collection.  
Several tops looked as they had been slashed or torn due to cutouts.  Her collection was a balance of masculine and feminine.
-Oriana DiNella

Miami International University of Art and Design Graduate Show

Posted by fashionentrepreneurreport On Friday, March 27, 2009 0 comments

Funkshion Miami International University of Art and DesignWe all know Miami is tropical, fabulous, trendy and full of Art Deco cutting edges, yet these are also the words that best described the garments that strutted the catwalk during Miami International University of Art & Design’s annual student fashion show at Funkshion Fashion Week in Miami Beach.
Sitting front row at the Ocean Drive main tent on the sands of South Beach was Fashion Group International’s director Christina Martin, Global Trend’s manager Valerie Biener, Inside Fashion World’s marketing rep Diana Ivey, alumni fashion designer Juliana Costa, and Fashion Times’ editor Tim Clark.  
"Our fashion students today are very aware of their surroundings and what is happening in the industry.  I do feel that this goes into their designs.  I find that the students think of what will represent them and in the end help them to get a job.  I find that our students are perhaps more concerned with what will sell if it is hanging in a store and what a potential  employer will want when they view their collection and their portfolio.  They are however very conscious of the global trends so they do reach out to fill both the needs of the industry and their own designs."  – Charlene Parsons Department Chair for Fashion Design and Fashion Merchandising 
The students truly outdid themselves by presenting to the fashion industry, press, and media one of the best-produced creative shows during fashion week. Each student showed 2 to 4 pieces on the runway that truly reflected their craftsmanship expertise and design education combining exotic prints, a strong color palette, and bold patterns. The designs varied in inspiration from classic to contemporary and from renaissance to retro showing a true diversity in taste and style. The show incorporated eveningwear, menswear, resort pieces, and some avant-garde outfits as well.  


Winners in the design competition include:
Ø       COLLECTIONAWARD                             CHAN YUK HUN
Ø       EDITIORAL AWARD                                GOHAR RAHABZABEH
Ø       EVENING AWARD                                   AMANDA DAY
Ø       COUTURE AWARD                                  VIVIAN VALERIUS
Ø       TREND AWARD                                       MICHELLE RESTREPO
Ø       SPORTSWEAR  AWARD                         NATALIE WALTERHOEFER
Ø       AVANT GARDE AWARD                        BORIS LLOYD
Ø       READY TO WEAR AWARD                     ANASTASIA SOROKINA
Ø       COCKTAIL AWARD                                 NELSY BENSCOME
Ø       MENSWEAR AWARD                              DAMAR FAIRBANKS
Ø       ACCESSORY AWARDS                          NICHOLAS LABROOY
Staying up all night sewing yards of fabric for homework really paid off at the end…leading them to bright futures from Miami’s trendy fashion scene to Paris and Milan’s chic industry.

-JOSE RESENDEZ - FREELANCE FASHION WRITER - jresendez@aii.edu

How PR Can Help Your Brand

Posted by fashionentrepreneurreport On Friday, March 27, 2009 0 comments

Whether you are just starting out or you are on your tenth collection, PR is a very important addition to the growth of your brand. In order for people to know about you, professional promotion is key.


Here are a few reasons why:
 
·         By getting your brand name in the papers, magazines, on blogs, television or radio, you have the ability to reach tens of thousands of people in your target market all at one time.

·         PR is much, much less expensive than traditional advertising, after all writing press releases that will be picked up by various wire services costs next to nothing. 

·         Editorial coverage of your brand lends so much cache to your product. It makes consumers think you have “made it.” This is also crucial for buyers, as they tend to buy collections that will have a following.

·         Utilizing a PR campaign can also lead you to stylists that can get your clothing to celebrities and in turn noticed by the world due to its use in photo shoots, magazines and on television. 

·         You need a well done visually enticing press kit. No questions. None! Having one done by an expert will make you look very professional and you will be taken more seriously. This needs to include a press release describing your line, any press clippings, line sheet/lookbook, a list of stores that carry your line, and a bio on you as a designer. All of this information is crucial when it lands in the right hands

·         Finding an experienced PR person with strong contacts will save you a great deal of time and money. Anyone can look at the masthead of a magazine and call, but you will not be taken seriously and will be extremely lucky to get the journalist on the phone. A seasoned professional can get you in the door with ease.

·         Investing in a well thought out publicity campaign can position you and your brand to exactly the right market and lead on the road to success.  

Whatever direction you want to go with your business, a thoroughly thought out and well executed PR campaign will only serve to enhance your brand name and cost less than any other publicity you can pay for, and if you have someone in house on your team who can do this for you then you are all the more ready for success.  

-Rebecca Strong

Social Season

Posted by fashionentrepreneurreport On Thursday, March 26, 2009 0 comments

Lela Rose Dress with RufflesThere are still ladies who lunch, and spring means the social season is upon us.  Debutant balls, charity events, calendars are full. 
With trend reporters world wide projecting that the consumers are looking for “that one special piece” to splurge on, designers are focusing their collections for spring on smaller runs but more stand-out items.  Buyers are supplementing their smaller stock supply with a larger number of trunk shows, giving that customer the attention that they need to select something that is perfect for them.  The grab and go society seems to have gone and what we are left with is quality designers turning out impeccable products.  After all… at country clubs, women’s boards and private ballrooms all over the country…the show must go on. 
Alexander Wang white dress
(Ruffle Dress: Lela Rose $1095, White Mini Dress: Alexander Wang $595, Coral Jumpsuit: Stella McCartney $995, Emerald Strapless Gown: Zak Posen $2595) 
(Shot on Location at the private estate of Martha Michaels in Raleigh North Carolina.  Photography and Art Direction: Lynn Furge;  Hair and Make up: Fiquet Bailey for Luxe Apothecary in Raleigh North Carolina; Models: Lisa WIlliams and Liz Applegate from Directions Modeling Agency; All Clothing Provided by Vermillion 919-787-9780)

Japan Fashion Week Fall 09: Lessthan

Posted by fashionentrepreneurreport On Thursday, March 26, 2009 0 comments

Lessthan Military coatMenswear has always been a strong suit in the Japanese fashion market and Lessthan by Ohal Ando is no exception. 
Producing right to trend with military coats and plan infused ready-to-wear, Ando’s man is young and sporty.  The layers were thought out and well put together, a puffy coat with matching bottoms, motorcycle inspired outerwear and pops of color that were refreshing but strong.
-Lynn Furge

Seoul Fashion Week Fall 09: DongJun Kang

Posted by fashionentrepreneurreport On Thursday, March 26, 2009 0 comments

Don Jun Kang menswearDong Jun Kang, a menswear designer, also put women in suites this season. If it was not for the red lipstick, these women could easily be mistaken for men. 
Well-tailored leather jackets were the standout staple in black, hunter green and a burnt tan.  Scarves that skimmed the floor rounded out this refined look. 
-Oriana DiNella

An Evening of Re-Invention: Saks FIfth Avenue

Posted by fashionentrepreneurreport On Thursday, March 26, 2009 0 comments

Oriana DiNella and Elline SurianelloHeld at Saks Fifth Avenue’s shoe floor, the magnificent atmosphere had nothing on the speakers, Elline Surianello, Valerie White, Ph. D. and Lois Joy Johnson.
These three strong and remarkable women spoke on topics of overcoming traumatic events, such as hair loss to reach greatness, how a positive attitude directly affects our lives and secret insider beauty and style tips.  Each woman brought her own story of how they shone even in times of darkness. Wine and hordoerves were passed.  There was a beauty bar with make up applications by Estee Lauder.  I cannot think of a better way to spend a cold rainy New York evening.   The event was sponsored by LeMetric Hair Center Inc. and BettyConfidential.com. 
-Oriana DiNella 

Esquire The Big Black Book Event

Posted by fashionentrepreneurreport On Thursday, March 26, 2009 0 comments

Esquire Big Black BookHeld at B & B Italia in Soho, their luxury lifestyle furnishing complimented the chic Esquire vibe. The event was celebrating The Big Black Book, which is neither black nor a book but instead, a magazine supplement put out by Esquire biannually to celebrate men’s fashion while dishing out fashion tips with a tongue in cheek approach.
In attendance was Wendell Brown, Esquire Sr. Fashion Editor; Nic Screws, Esquire Fashion Market Editor; Giorgio Canali, Canali; Stephen Jacoby, Esquire Associate Publisher/Marketing; Marcia Kline, Esquire Associate Publisher/Advertising; Jonathan Friedlander, B&B Italia USA Inc and Marty Staff, CEO, JA Apparel.  The crowd looked as if they had walked right off the pages of the magazine itself with men specifically coiffed in that “devil may care” way.  A bar generously dolled out drinks while a DJ Suga Ray spun.  Relaxed and Stylish, the outpourings of fans echoed the inner pages of the “book” itself. -Oriana DiNella 

Japan Fashion Week Fall 09: G.V.G.V.

Posted by fashionentrepreneurreport On Wednesday, March 25, 2009 0 comments

G.V.G.V. by MUGInconsistent and incongruent, G.V.G.V designed by MUG, had some good pieces but no overall theme or “collection” to the show. 
The rock and roll edge was nice, cut well and fun but nothing original, and the long floral maxi dresses were out of place for both fall/winter and the general theme of the several looks that came down the runway before them. 
-Lynn Furge

Lanvin Trunk Show: Barneys New York

Posted by fashionentrepreneurreport On Wednesday, March 25, 2009 0 comments

Lanvin Fall 2009The exquisite tailoring and drape is what makes Lanvin stand in a class by itself. Held at Barney’s on Madison, droves of women were flocking to get the remarkable goods. Lanvin was showing their cruise, wedding and complete fall collection.
Their bright cruise collection captured the playfulness that one expects on a vacation.  The wedding collection was demur and sweet comprised of an ombre of off whites.  Huge jewelry and oversized handbags dominated in silk and satin metallics with chunky metal hardware.  The clothing was in black, tan, gray, plum, cranberry and gold.  Eighties inspired silhouettes with big shoulders were balanced out with fitted waistlines.  Raw edges were visible as were heavy beading and detailing.  Felted wool was a dominant fabric choice.  All this beauty was rounded out with a healthy dose of absolutely fabulous furs.
-Oriana DiNella

Japan Fashion Week Fall 09: Aguri Sagimori

Posted by fashionentrepreneurreport On Tuesday, March 24, 2009 0 comments

Aguri SagimoriGoth at it’s tailored finest, with School Marm maxi dresses and contrasting hot pants paired with asymmetrical detail. Aguri Sagimori wowed the audience at HARAJUKU Quest Hall this evening. 
A bit of a Rick Owens edge but in a more flattering homage rather than straight up copying.
-Lynn Furge

Japan Fashion Week Fall 09: Motonari Ono

Posted by fashionentrepreneurreport On Monday, March 23, 2009 0 comments

Motonari Ono Fall 09With a bit of inspiration from British Aristocracy and even “The Hunt” Motonari Ono kicked off Japan Fashion Week in Tokyo this morning at the HARAJUKU Quest Hall. 
Sheer blouses with rosettes and ruffles around the neck and sleeves, an earthy palette that was heavy in mustard yellow and hair styled into almost a horses mane trotted down the runway.  And for those not interested in wardrobing themselves for the outdoor side of fall, beautiful lace layered slip dresses completed a well-rounded collection.
-Lynn Furge

Japan Fashion Week Fall 09: Theatre Products

Posted by fashionentrepreneurreport On Monday, March 23, 2009 0 comments

Theatre Products Fall 09 JapanIf skiing in Stowe Vermont is on your agenda for winter ’09, Theatre Products has a collection for you. 
Designer duo Akira Takeuchi and Tayuka Nakanishi sent Nordic sweater prints, plaids and quilted bibbed mini dresses down the runway.  Warm and cozy with a flirty edge the pieces stood well on their own, but looked better layered together.  All we needed was the hot cocoa.
-Lynn Furge

Miami Fashion Week 09: Amato

Posted by fashionentrepreneurreport On Saturday, March 21, 2009 0 comments

Amato Gown Miami Fashion WeekDubai means money right? Right... Furne One’s collection for his Amato Couture line at Miami Fashion Week was just that, rich and glamorous like Dubai itself.
“My inspiration came from the rich Arabic culture and my concept was sparkles!” Furne tells Nolcha exclusively backstage.  
In my opinion, Furne One truly has what it takes to be a world-renowned designer. His shiny collection was beautifully crafted and the details were phenomenal. The models strutted down the runway to Madonna remixes since he wanted to show how elegant and sophistication can still be both fun and young. One of the models was on America’s Next Top Model and among the front row celebs was haute designer Nicolas Felizola. Furne used a loud color palette with combos of hot pinks, ruby reds, and sunny orange fabrics with a purple backdrop. Although Middle Eastern women are way more conservative, his cuts and draping were a bit more revealing than last years Dubai designers at Miami Fashion Week 2008. Some choices of materials were silk, wrinkled fabric, lace, and lots of fringe! Fringe was everywhere, kind of tacky, but at the same time it was fresh to the eyes to see fringe on even the shoes. Another big trend was corsets with pants and having a mini dress version of each gown, along with see-thru dresses which may have been a bit disrespectful for Middle Eastern culture. For décor he showed vines, leaves, and flowers to ornate his Easter-colored evening wear. He also made sure the shoes did not match the outfits and that the eye shadow on the models was deep and neutral, which to me was very Mardi Gras/New Orleans-ish.  
Furne’s Amato line is definitely made up of ‘show-off’ pieces for Bollywood situations in my opinion, and his garments reminded me of Jasmine’s closet in Aladdin.  
Furne One is a young Filipino designer based in the UAE; he is inspired by McQueen and Galliano. His Amato Couture collection can be found in his fabulous Dubai boutique and www.AmatoHauteCouture.com
-Jose Resendez, Freelance Fashion Writer, jresendez@aii.edu

Do Designers Have to Design for the Flip Flop?

Posted by fashionentrepreneurreport On Friday, March 20, 2009 0 comments

Katie Holmes flip flops boyfriend jeanGone are the days when flip-flop sandals were only worn by starving college students and beach bums in bright colors and plastic materials. High-end designers have finally caught onto the versatility and simplicity of the flip-flop sandal 
and they are gradually becoming a staple in spring and summer collections. The extremes of platform stilettos and flat flippy sandals have not been missed throughout the runways. 
Rubber flip-flop maker Havaianas was a major sponsor of the Fall 2009 Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. The Brazilian label distributed four thousand pairs of men’s and women’s sandals, valued at $20 each and as a line of eager fashionistas crowded the booth in order to attain free customized flip-flops with the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week logo printed on the soles.  Havaianas investment into Fashion Week was proven to be sound as they successfully promoted their label as a must-have fashion product.  
Younger celebrities such as Katie Holmes and Mischa Barton have been photographed wearing flip-flops in rain or shine.  And, as far as borrowing your boyfriend’s clothes… the flip-flop is the one type of shoe that both men and women around the world can agree on and inevitably own at least one pair of!  
Finding that simple slip on shoe is the only way to deconstruct some dresses, Spring 09 gave us a bevy of possibilities from jewel encrusted with an African Influence (Jimmy Choo, Manolo Blahnik, Guiseppe Zanotti) to Logo’ed out (Tory Burch and Gucci).  The element of a laissez-faire ensemble that ends with a breezy carefree foot accompanies the jumpsuits and tribal safari elements seen on all the catwalks.  Designers know that women are not taking themselves too seriously and their dressed down mentality can look casual yet polished with the simple flip of a show. 
Notable labels, tend to customize and embellish their designs for the simple shape, for example, luxury label Chanel released their own range of flip-flops and as you would imagine they came with a $345 price tag and sold out before they could even hit the stores.  Largerfeld’s message was not only that the quirky jelly shoes are back, but a more 80’s style sportswear assimilation with the obvious logo (camellias were rampant on each shoe be it taffeta or PVC).  While the materials are simple enough, high-end designers are careful in adorn the sandals with their signature designs and so it seems to make their sandal the one to buy they put a great deal of intention into their creations.  
With designers like Vanessa Bruno, Alice Temperley and Jovovich-Hawk making easy dresses that can be layered for day and embellished for evening, a simple thong sandal now seems the easiest way to go.

LG Fashion Week Toronto Fall 09: Evan Biddell

Posted by fashionentrepreneurreport On Friday, March 20, 2009 0 comments

Evan Biddell LG Fashion Week TorontoIn stark shades of yellow, black and purple, Biddell’s collection was dominated by motorcycle jackets, baggy tapered pants, and severe mini-dresses which contoured the body rather than skimming its lines.  
The women who buy these pieces will be the ones with the right attitude to pull them off, like the cleavage-revealing hooded black mini-dress. Reminiscent of 80s power dressing, this collection could be called aggressively feminine, rather than softly so.
-Laura Ashdown

LG Fashion Week Toronto Fall 09: Lucian Matis

Posted by fashionentrepreneurreport On Friday, March 20, 2009 0 comments

Lucien Matis LG Fashion Week TorontoA fairy garden fantasy! Muted earth tones, tie-dye inspired, batik print dress with hair in huge teased ponytails and accessorized with an antler headpiece! Lucian Matis' collection evoked the magic of nature and ethereal beauty.  
Desert boots with purple tights, golden yellow body-hugging dress, and a black sequined sheath dress which drew gasps from the crowd. Only two pairs of straight-leg black pants in a sea of dresses in every style, shape and colour. Piles of gold bangles and belted black trench coats. Edgy and whimsical, but pretty enough to satisfy the needs of any woman, perhaps sans antlers.
-Laura Ashdown

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