Steve’s New Girl… Aquazzura Takes Hong Kong
2014 August 4. | Szerző: shannon
Peace Sign
Steve Madden is California dreaming. The namesake exec has a new blogger collaboration, this time with Shea Marie, the Los Angeles-based designer behind Peace Love Shea. “I had never met him, and I thought they just wanted to give me a pair of shoes,” Marie recalled. “I didn’t expect Steve to be there or want to work with me. I tried to play it cool and said, ‘Yeah, okay, maybe.’” The partnership eventually worked out — and seven styles will launch at select Steve Madden stores and online on Sept. 4. Retailers such as Shopbop , Nordstrom and Macy’s will stock the line beginning Sept. 8. The collection features boots with pony hair touches, stilettos with lug soles, a mixed-material loafer and a studded sneaker. “I bring a bit of laid-back cool, edgy and a little bit grungy,” Marie said. To fete the Peace Love Shea x Steve Madden collaboration, the brand will host an influencer party to kick off New York Fashion Week. Here, Madden gives his two cents to Spy.
1. Why were you drawn to Shea Marie?
“She’s an American girl, she loves fashion and [likes] to vamp it up. I really connected with her after the [campaign] shoot. She was sharing her texting secrets, but I can’t tell you [what they are about].”
2. Shea is based in California. What is your favorite part about the West Coast?
“I love to play golf in Southern California, and I like to drive around — it’s physically beautiful between the mountains and the ocean and the canyons. It’s really unbelievable, very different from New York City and this concrete jungle we live in.”
3. What excites you about bloggers, and who could be next as a partner?
“We just did a great collaboration with The Blonde Salad [Chiara Ferragni], and we have Man Repeller [Leandra Medine] for Superga. We’ve been very lucky with it. They all get Gucci and Louboutin, but they also understand Steve, so I appreciate that. I really like Cupcakes and Cashmere blogger [Emily Schuman].”
Shopping Spree
Aquazzura’s Edgardo Osorio recently ventured to China for an event at Lane Crawford’s IFC Mall store in Hong Kong. Consumers came ready to shop the Aquazzura x Olivia Palermo collection. “One customer arrived and bought everything available in size 35. Another arrived with her personal assistant and managed to shop the collection, pre-order and get her shoes signed in under 15 minutes. Now that’s power shopping,” Osorio said. Then he added, “Another person saw that I posted I was at Lane Crawford on Tuesday, flew to Hong Kong and went to the store — but she was two days too early for the event!” The fashion designer said he “was amazed by how young and fashion-forward the [Hong Kong] clientele is. They responded incredibly quickly through social media.” Plus, he had the chance to reunite with his muse. “It was a pleasure to see Sarah Rutson, [Lane Crawford] fashion director, who has always been in my mood boards and whose style is always an inspiration,” he said.
Wild West
Welcome to Hollywood, Danner Boots. This December, its Mountain Light Cascade style will make its film debut in “Wild,” starring Reese Witherspoon. Based on the best-selling book by Cheryl Strayed, the movie takes its heroine on a journey of self-discovery across more than a thousand miles of the Pacific Crest Trail. “The costume designer reached out to see if we could replicate the boot [worn] in the book, and we came up with this style based on our original [circa-1980s] Mountain Light style,” said Will Pennartz, senior marketing manager. More than 20 pairs of the look were ordered for Witherspoon, who, in one scene, throws one boot off a cliff, according to Pennartz. For those who want to walk in Witherspoon’s shoes, the hikers will be available in October at retailers including American Rag, James Perse and REI for $299.
Tall Order
Talk about workplace perks. REI head Jerry Stritzke said he didn’t have to go far from home to plan for an upcoming trip up Seattle’s imposing Mt. Ranier. The CEO — who’s set to summit the 14,410-foot glacier-topped mountain this month — sat in on an in-store class at the retail co-op to help prepare. “I went to one of our classes in our flagship store in Seattle — I was there with about 150 people,” he told Spy. “The only downside as I looked around is I was probably the oldest guy in the room.” Stritzke, who joined REI last year from New York-based Coach, said he’s appreciating the Kent, Wash.-based retailer’s outdoor culture. “We have some phenomenal athletes, and so that’s kind of one of the neat things about being here. You have a lot of people who enjoy doing the kind of things that are intriguing to you,” he said.
Kylie Jenner’s MMVA Style Ruled Too
2014 June 17. | Szerző: shannon
Poor Kylie Jenner. With sisters like tabloid queen Kim Kardashian and actual, legit, up-and-coming model Kendall Jenner, the 16-year-old is constantly getting upstaged by practically everyone in the Kardashian family (even Rob, amidst his much-publicized weight issues and the family’s rumored ire over him skipping the Kimye wedding) and missing out on all the attention typically reserved for the baby in the family.
I mean, sure, she dates the ridiculously cute and equally famous Jaden Smith; has nearly 10 million Instagram followers; and recently “wrote” a young adult novel, so yes, she gets her fair share of time in the spotlight. But when it comes to fashion, at least, it’s rare that the youngest Kardashian klan member is the topic of conversation.
Take Sunday’s 2014 MuchMusic Video Awards, for example. Hosted by both Kendall and Kylie, I would wager that at least three-quarters of the buzz surrounding the annual event and its fierce fashion has to do with Kendall’s insanely sexy, double-slit, super-leg-baring gown, or even the cutout-back, python-print dress she slipped into during the awards show. And as much as these sultry looks earned the limelight they received, it must be said: Kylie’s ensembles deserved their fair share of praise and attention, too.
Let’s just start with her red carpet look. Yes, it was short. Yes, it was tight. And yes, it showed a fair amount of skin (or, at least, the illusion of skin). But that rich orange hue looks absolutely divine against her olive skin and dark locks (hey, where’s the blue?!), and the all-over beading really is a work of art (though the shoes are a total snooze fest).
Hitting the stage in a new ensemble, baby Jenner also looked undeniably pretty in her printed mini dress, a look she kept pared down with minimal jewelry, another nude lip, and basic strappy sandals.
Switching in the middle of the show, Jenner ditched her short hemlines in favor of a fresh, color-blocked ensemble that — while leaving room for improvement in the pants department — looked both playful and mature (and most definitely fashion-forward) all at the same time.
Let’s see a close up of that amazing top.
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Just as I expected: Structured, satiny, and oh-so chic. And even though it’s showing a little more skin than I would want my 16-year-old daughter (or sister or niece) revealing, there’s no denying that it’s a fierce piece of fashion that goes beyond your typical Kardashian klothing. And that’s something to be applauded, right?
Cape Town designer stars on the red carpet
2014 June 7. | Szerző: shannon
A local designer is in the spotlight after actress and model Tanit Phoenix wore one of his designs to the Hollywood premiere of Maleficent.
Jas Myburgh, a fashion and design lecturer at Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT), has designed four evening gowns for Phoenix, one for each of the premieres. The rest will take place in Tokyo, London and Sydney.
Phoenix is dating South African actor Sharlto Copley, who plays the part of King Stephan in the dark fantasy film. Maleficent is Disney’s spin on Sleeping Beauty. Copley co-stars with Angelina Jolie and Elle Fanning.
Jolie wore a Versace gown to the May 28 world premiere at the El Capitan Theatre, while her husband Brad Pitt wore Gucci. But Phoenix opted for a South African designer.
Myburgh studied fashion design at CPUT in 1990. He spent two years working in Spain, and started designing under his own name when he came back.
He is passionate about teaching, and the clothes he makes. Myburgh has dressed several South African models and celebrities, and has been involved in national and international competitions.
He met Phoenix – who was born in Durban – in 2006. He designed her lingerie for a shoot, and they stayed in touch and became friends. In August last year, she told Myburgh she’d love to wear a local garment to the premiere.
Phoenix was in the country for three months last year, and Myburgh started working on the gowns.
“I tried to keep a very unique look for her. The garments are African and South African inspired,” he says.
“There is so much inspiration in Africa. It is one of the big trends at the moment, with lots of colour. We took that and transformed it into a glamorous evening gown. Something special with a story behind it.”
The bodice is made of silk tulle, with an Ndebele pattern embroidered on it. Black crystal beads were hand-sewn. It took about a month to make.
“In the South African clothing industry, the seamstresses get so little credit for what they do,” says Myburgh. “It’s something that’s dying out. The specialists in this field are getting old, and the new generation aren’t interested in this aspect of design.
Myburgh is passionate about keeping it alive, as the “fabrication” – creating the details on fabric by hand – is very important to him.
“Hand beading, embroidering, and how a garment is finished off … the reason for couture is how a garment is made,” he says.
While Phoenix wasn’t part of the film, her dress did attract a lot of attention. Myburgh says his social media profile spiked considerably.
“It’s a designer’s dream to dress a celebrity and to be in the spotlight, and on the same platform as Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. I’m on cloud nine. It’s the beginning of something new, and very exciting,” he says.
While he can’t reveal what the other garments look like just yet, Myburgh says they are all African-inspired pieces of couture.
“I just hope the movie gets an Oscar. I really want to make her dress for the Oscars,” he says.
Who’s that girl?
Model and actress Tanit Phoenix, 29, was born in Durban, but now lives in Cape Town and Los Angeles.
Phoenix has been in a relationship with actor Sharlto Copley since January 2012. Copely, who acts in Maleficent, also starred in Elysium and District 9. Phoenix has appeared in Spud, Death Race: Inferno, and Safe House.
She started her career in Durban at the age of 14 and has appeared in local and international commercials, on magazine covers and in lingerie campaigns.
Her name seems like the perfect stage name, but it is her real name.
On her Facebook fanpage, Phoenix writes that she is inspired by her work.
“I love everything about modelling, film and acting and it has always stemmed from observing people and understanding the human condition,” she writes.
When acting and modelling, she shows her vulnerability.
“It’s such amazing self-expression, showing raw emotions. It’s empowering and exhilarating. Such a challenge.”
Alia Bhatt In Kenneth Cole Short Dress
2014 June 4. | Szerző: shannon
Alia Bhatt was seen in a monochrome dress by designer Kenneth Cole. The actress who loves to look different and unique was spotted in this lovely number for a talk show that will be aired on July 14. Alia Bhatt in this short dress looked just amazing. Recently, we saw Alia Bhatt in one of her upcoming movie promotions where she had a nasty wardrobe malfunction. The young and bubbly actress showed off her white knickers through a sheer patiala pant when Varun Dhawan lifted her leaving her embarrassed.
Alia Bhatt in this Kenneth Cole allex, fit and flare short dress looked chic and pretty. What we liked most about the short dress worn by Alia Bhatt was the flare at the hemline which matched her nature. The bodice of Alia Bhatt’s dress was designed in such a way that it hid her tummy (though she has a flat toned tummy). It was sleeveless, showing off her flawless skin and her perfect complexion.
To make this look all the more interesting, Alia Bhatt’s Kenneth Cole monochrome dress was paired up with Kenneth Cole silver pointed heels. The shoes were of a perfect match with her dress and we are glad she did not opt for a black pair as it would not have given out this contrast in colours. The Dior earrings were indeed an eye-catcher with the Kenneth Cole flared dress Alia Bhatt wore. She completed the monochrome look with an Atelier Mon ring on her index finger. With little accessories to go with the Kenneth Cole black dress worn by Alia Bhatt, it was a perfect look she gave us of herself. Her hairstyle too was plain as her soft brown beach curls lay gently over her shoulders at all times. Do you like Alia Bhatt look in Kenneth Cole’s monochrome short flared dress or you prefer to see her in Indian attires?
Fashion: The world wakes up to globetrotter glam
2014 May 2. | Szerző: shannon
It’s always worth paying attention to Chanel shows. Nobody has their antenna attuned to the moment quite like creative designer Karl Lagerfeld.
Take the brand’s spring 2014 show: recognising the prominence of art fairs such as Frieze and Basel, Lagerfeld transformed Paris’s Grand Palais into an art installation, displaying fashion as an art form in its own right.
The brand’s AW14 show was just as suggestive. A giant globe was erected in the middle of the venue, covered with flags showing where Chanel has stores. But rather than simply demonstrating the label’s reach, the set also reflected a wider movement in fashion.
With emerging economies in South America and Africa, combined with the continued rise of Asia, designers are looking to all corners of the world for inspiration. And, thankfully, the global traveller aesthetic has come a long way since the days of simple khaki jackets, stereotypical African prints and the styles you’ll only dig out on holiday.
Dior set the new mood with its AW13 couture show. The world of couture is inextricably linked with Paris but designer Raf Simons made it his mission to show just how global it is.
The line-up ran like the parade at an Olympics opening ceremony. We had Russian-style embroidered dresses, striking Masai jewellery, sari-type dresses, bold colours and draping that spoke of Africa and a hint of American sportswear thrown in for good measure.
Even proudly Italian label Missoni got swept up in the new mood for spring, with an Africa-by-way-of-Mexico feel. Givenchy’s Riccardo Tisci departed from the fun Disney characters and fantastical motifs of seasons past in favour of a more ethnic aesthetic with dusty desert tones on über-wearable African draping and Kimono-style tuxedos.
But jumping on board doesn’t mean going OTT. Donna Karan’s spring show demonstrated how easy the trend can look. Since the 2010 earthquake, Haiti has been a firm fixture in her collections and her spring line is brimming with nomadic pieces such as languid scarf dresses, chunky low-slung leather belts and woodwork accessories, all in earthy tones.
Ottoman Hands is the perfect way to go, jewellery-wise. The brand, which is now available in Topshop, ranges from rustic arm cuffs to bold rings, all in a similar colour palette. Contemporary label Baukjen offers a more subtle take on the trend. The transformed label has draped dresses and separates that are also classic enough to last into next season.
California-based designer Raquel Allegra has long mastered the global traveller look. Her spring collection manages to make tie-dye sophisticated rather than gap-year chic.
For more of a statement, take styling cues from Valentino, which, unsurprisingly, is a decorative affair full of long black lace gowns embellished with brightly coloured details and dramatic heavily embroidered fringed capes.
Even Peter Dundas went to town with exotic bold-coloured embroidery, giving Pucci’s signature minis a new lease of life with intricate, bold-coloured embroidery.
On the high street, Zara’s beaded crop top is a good bet and Asos Africa’s Nigeria-inspired collection is full of statement prints that are ideal for dressing up basics. The charm of embracing this end of the spectrum is that you’re not faced with the ‘what do I wear with this?’ question because the trick is to keep everything else simple.
How to Shop for Vintage Fashion Like a Pro: Arden Wohl Shares Tips from NYC
2014 April 25. | Szerző: shannon
There’s no shortage of well-dressed women in the world, but the ones who continuously catch our eye seem to have mastered the art of mixing vintage and secondhand pieces with current high street and designer labels. Each day this week, we’ll ask one of them to share her tips and tricks—from where to find the best Thai silk fisherman pants to how to avoid looking like a period actor. Today, Arden Wohl, the New York–based designer and filmmaker, shares her love of dresses and loud prints.
What are your favorite vintage stores or flea markets?
Of course Resurrection Vintage in Nolita and Southpaw Vintage in Midtown. I also love the Manhattan Vintage Clothing Show held at the Metropolitan Pavilion every year. My friend Rachel Zabar always has a fantastic stand there and I once bought an amazing Todd Oldham dress from his first collection!
What’s your favorite vintage find?
A polka dot Marimekko dress I bought at Sasparilla Vintage in Miami.
Do you have any strategies when it comes to vintage shopping?
I look for color and anything vintage Moschino! For me, it’s all about print.
Do you collect anything?
I am always looking for dresses–that is my main goal when vintage shopping. There’s so much energy in a dress. I love imagining where it’s been worn, who’s worn it, and what kind of person they were.
How do you avoid looking like you’re wearing a costume?
I always look costume-y and I think that’s fashion. I believe that I wear the dress and find the dress that I can overpower rather than the other way around.
What label or era are you constantly hunting for?
I am a seventies and eighties and early nineties girl. I do also love a lot of earlier stuff but I find that they tend to be very delicate and hard to wear. I do love Geminola and all of the amazing older fabrics that Lorraine Kirke works with there.
What are you willing to splurge on?
Moschino, Jean Paul Gaultier, Ossie Clark, and Vivienne Westwood!
What’s on your current vintage wish list?
A wild, long Halston disco gown from the seventies!
Pakistani fashion gala finale pays ode to women empowerment
2014 April 14. | Szerző: shannon
In a country where women are still finding it tough to enjoy full freedom in the way they dress up, showcasing at PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week 2014 a collection that pays an ode to “women empowerment” was a bold step. Designer Hassan Sheheryar Yasin feels that it is a step to give back to the country that has nurtured him and given him so much.
In the spirit of his 20th year motto, Hassan Sheheryar Yasin showcased a collection titled “Sher” under his label HSY which was in homage to and in support of, women empowerment.
As part of the initiative, Team HSY collaborated with the Anjuman-e-Khuddam-e-Rasul Allah (AKRA), a renowned voluntary organisation in Shergarh, Okara district, which is working towards improving education and poverty alleviation.
There are nearly 4,000 students in AKRA’s 30 schools in and around Shergarh, more than half of whom are girls. AKRA also runs a teacher training centre in Shergarh and employs most of the graduates in its schools.
HSY draws from the strength of AKRA, with a project called “Sher”, named in homage to the village Shergarh itself.
“The initiative looks at giving back to the country that nurtured me. It also seeks to empower specifically the women of the village Shergarh, through employment opportunities and highlighting the work of their female artisans through the embroideries, embellishments and detailing found on HSY’s collection at the fashion gala,” said the designer.
“The initiative’s focus is not on charitable donations alone but on giving long term and sustainable working and educational opportunities to underprivileged women by empowering them with the skill and resources to earn independently,” he added.
HSY is best known for combining contemporary silhouettes with the traditional techniques of old and this is what one witnessed at the show’s finale. The designs were not only wearable but also very modern and elegant in approach.
The collection featured both men’s wear and women’s wear in luxurious fabrics including pure chiffons, silks, and georgettes paired with indigenous embroideries fashioned by the female artisans of the village Shergarh.
Diverse colour palette inspired by earthy colours naturally observed in the rural environment, particularly in Shergarh, dominated the line. The colour of wood, water, pure indigo, beige, chilli red and turmeric yellow were prominently featured in the collection.
Some of the key trends that were highlighted with the brand’s collection included looser silhouettes, varying options of short and long hemlines, indigenous embroideries and summer jackets.
All in all it was a finale that was the mix of contemporary meets class with some cause involved in it.
Fashion forward
2014 March 17. | Szerző: shannon
Recently, Alannah Hill likened the end of her partnership with her eponymous brand to “a death”. Kit Willow, who was ousted from the label she began, said “my heart was broken”. Collette Dinnigan and Ksubi have shut their shops. Lisa Ho’s company collapsed spectacularly (although it is set to revive in a different incarnation). Is this any climate in which to hold the rebranded Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Festival?
Well, yes. Behold, Melbourne’s new fashion saviours, a group of up-and-coming designers, models and innovators who offer the promise of change and new invention. VAMFF’s Graeme Lewsey, the chief executive of the festival, recognises the challenges facing the fashion industry, but has responded by shaking things up. A breakfast called “I will survive: the challenges in establishing and protecting your business” is a sign of the times. There is still the usual fabulous glitz afoot: Eva Longoria is the hostess of a Vue de Monde cocktail party, wearing her L’Oreal Paris Global Ambassador hat, and Cara Delevingne is rumoured to be flitting around events as an unofficial guest following her girlfriend Michelle Rodriguez’s visit to the Grand Prix. But what should get fashion-watchers really excited is the range of new blood that will be seen on the runway.
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This year’s VAMFF will introduce previously unheard-of fashion figures. Adele Varcoe is an artist who creates faux fashion performances to explore the psychology behind fashion. Thea Baumann is an inventor who has created ”appcessories” – fashion accessories that work with social mobile apps. And then there are the initiatives designed to showcase new talent. Future Runway presents the work of year 11 and 12 students, while tertiary students strut their stuff at the National Graduate Showcase. The Tiffany & Co National Designer Award is the most prestigious of the bunch, presenting a new designer with a kick-start that includes a $10,000 cheque and pop-up store at Westfield Doncaster. Past winners include Dion Lee, Josh Goot, Toni Maticevski and Yeojin Bae.
One of this year’s entrants, Christina Exie, is an RMIT graduate who won reality TV show Project Runway. What she does differently with her “luxury avant-garde” brand is to host a global store from Melbourne. Via the internet, she sells her garments to Kuwait and Russia. She hasn’t restricted her brand’s sales to Australia because, “I use heavier fabrics, and also the price point of my clothes – $80 for a basic top to $3000 for a customised jacket – means that there’s a very small amount of Australians who are willing to invest in the garments I make”. She represents the new breed of designer who prefers to make investment pieces for a greater good. “A lot of people want to produce, cut and sew garments whose only use is to make women feel better, but the garments are ultimately useless – they go into landfill. We need to be smarter, and ask if these garments have another use. Can they be recycled or re-used? There are a few designers who’ll produce things that will never be thrown away.” Exie plans to be one of them.
Another of the Tiffany & Co award finalists is Strateas. Carlucci. Mario-Luca Carlucci and Peter Strateas started their Australian label unconventionally – by debuting their collection in Paris. “We’ve been focusing on the international market,” says Carlucci. So far, that includes selling to stores in Russia, Ukraine, Finland, Italy and China. “We wanted to give it a red-hot shot, and thought, ‘Why build it locally and slowly? Let’s go straight overseas and see how it fares.'” To do so, they “steered away from what was known as the Australian ‘look’ – people think of Australia as being a surf culture, and relaxed, easy and lighter”. ”We use Australian merino wool, a lot of leatherwear, a lot of suiting.”
They attribute their success to the internet, because “back in the day, people had to be in the front row of a fashion show or see it printed in a magazine six months later [to know what was in fashion]”. ”Now you can watch a show in New York on your iPhone at the same time. A brand like us in Melbourne can be seen as an international brand, even though it just happens to be based out of a Brunswick studio.”
That said, there are still up-and-coming designers who prefer their wares to look Australian. Pageant (also Tiffany & Co award finalists), a men and women’s sports luxe label, is the brainchild of Amanda Cumming and Kate Reynolds who display their nationalist pride through using local factories and also teaching fashion design classes at RMIT. “In the Australian fashion industry, everybody’s trying not to reference where they’re from, but celebrating that is really important to us,” says Reynolds. Their innovative approach sees them collaborating with unexpected partners, such as local filmmakers and videomakers, and referencing art through their designs. Art and fashion seem to be closer bedfellows than ever: even the well-established designer Megan Park, whose label has been going for 18 years, collaborated with photographic artist Nairn Scott and illustrative artist Dylan Martorell in 2013 to develop her prints.
But all these designers recognise that their audience has changed. And expanded, no pun intended, according to plus-size designer Kate Millett, whose Bombshell Vintage label will be showcased in VAMFF’s Curvy Couture Roadshow. At that event, customers can meet designers who focus on size 14 upwards. Millett’s retro-looking label began when “my plus-size friends said that they couldn’t find vintage anywhere for their size”. She realised that vintage lines – promoting hourglass shapes – often suited plus-size customers. But it’s her inclusion in VAMFF that makes her realise that times really are changing. “There are so many beautiful women out there of all sizes. On the catwalk, there’s a resurgence of body diversity that I’m glad to see,” she says, adding that runways still need to embrace women who might be larger and shorter than the traditional model. “If the majority [of current plus-size fashion] is in dark colours and act as a hiding mechanism, people draw the conclusion that those women want to hide and be concealed. But I’ve met so many women who want to wear bright colours and glitter and spandex and be noticed. I want to change the perception of what plus-size fashion means, and what a plus-size woman is. It’s about loving your body and not reflecting what other people think your body should look like.”
The modelling world is changing, too. Melbourne high school student, Shanali Martin, 17, was the runner-up of the most recent Australia’s Next Top Model TV show. With an Australian father and Fijian-Indian mother, her looks are exotic. “I’m not as diverse as a brunette who can go for a few more things for me, but when I get a job, it’s because they want me for my look,” Martin says.
Even that, though, is no longer enough. “A model isn’t just a coat hanger any more. With the advancement of technology and Instagram, people are personalities now.”
That’s a sentiment shared by Georgia Geminder, 20, a student of criminology at university. She is the official ambassador of the 2014 Formula 1 Rolex Australian Grand Prix, and will also be walking in VAMFF. “The internet has changed the face of modelling worldwide. I know a lot of girls at the agency who get booked weekly because of Instagram.” She says that it’s hard to strike a balance between being a public face and a private person, especially as she’s the granddaughter of the late billionaire businessman, Richard Pratt. “You want to put yourself out there and promote what you’re doing, but … as I’m getting more exposure, I have to be careful with things I post and how I present myself to the world, because people can manipulate [those images].”
Melbourne-raised and New York-based model Paris Roberts, 20, will appear exclusively on the Mimco runway during VAMFF as its campaign’s new face, and says that social media doesn’t just keep people being interested in you; it almost supersedes the way you look. “It’s not just about being physically attractive; you have to have something that other people can connect to. If you can connect with people, you may not be the most amazingly beautiful person, but you can still attract [consumers], and clients will find that attractive.”
The key to success in fashion, it seems, is to not let others define you. Take Stef and Jess Dadon, sisters in their 20s whose blog, How Two Live, has defied expectations. What began as a clothes diary has translated to 93,000 followers on Instagram, landing them prestigious advertising campaigns with the likes of Mimco.
Stef and Jess will talk about blogging at a VAMFF workshop. And this, perhaps, is how the future of fashion will evolve. Industry insiders are no longer content to play particular, confined roles. They see themselves as change-makers, rather than trend-setters.
Porsche Polo Diaries: where fashion meets sports
2014 March 13. | Szerző: shannon
With the Porsche National Polo Open for the Quaid-e-Azam Gold Cup underway at the Lahore Polo Club, Porsche Centre Lahore presented the Porsche Polo Diaries Fashion Show featuring 17 of Pakistan’s leading design houses.
HSY opened the night with structured black, sequined jackets over long dresses. He brought a rugged sensibility to his outfits and paired riding boots under his maxi dresses. Cropped jackets and riding pants were all the rage for men throughout the night. Wish HSY had added more colour to his collection to make it pop for a daytime sporting event though.
Tony & Guy kept up with international make-up trends and gave the models popping bright orange lips. Ladies, orange lipstick is a must have this spring, be it daytime or night time; there is a shade out there for everyone. It was also interesting to see Shamaal Qureshi take inspiration from the Polo pony tail for the hair dos. Flattened out, rolled up braids gave the styling a truly sporty feel.
Maheen Karim went retro chic with her capsule collection and psychedelic prints on silk. She used greens, whites, blues and the occasional pop of red in her prints. From classic Parisian dresses to rompers and harem pant jumpsuits, Maheen Karim brought her own sensibility to the sport.
The House of Kamiar Rokni made preppy sexy with his capsule collection. His silhouette, based collection had a very dominatrix feel to it with sheer net and organza backs, paired with bustiers peeking out.
Sonya Battla missed the memo on what Polo fashion is all about and her collection failed to show anything even remotely close to preppy chic aura around the sport.
Nida Azwer was a breath of fresh air as she reinvented herself and brought to us sports day chic. Embellished hats added the oomph factor while the best piece of the collection would have to be her white belted jacket.
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Munib Nawaz is a costume designer at heart and his entire collection focused on the riding pants he had designed. While the velvet jackets were a bit much, they added a bit of drama to the evening.
Fahad Hussayn showed structured pleated dresses styled with fur baleros. The highlight of his collection would have to be the Carrie Bradshaw-inspired feathered head dresses.
Faraz Manan upped the game with sheer embellished capes that are perfect for the Lahori spring. Sania Maskatiya, however, sadly missed the mark. The collection seemed too haphazard and not well put together. The collection lacked the design house’s sport signature sensibility.
Trust Ali Xeeshan to add some much needed drama to the evening. While his Faberge prints that have been a bit overdone around the globe, his creative head gear is what made his capsule stand out.
Wardha Saleem’s 1970s-inspired polka dotted collection had one or two fun elements and a whole lot of problems. While her motif of a bird carrying a polo stick was cute, the ill-fitted outfits just did not hit the spot.
Zara Shahjahan’s decision to pair floppy beach hats with blinging evening gowns was a creative choice that we just did not understand. Deepak Perwani’s capsule exuded his natural style and sensibility. The beautiful prints took the runway by a storm, and with actual polo players walking down the ramp in sleek tailored velvet jackets, this collection was very Deepak and extremely Polo-centric.
Fashion heirs who inherit family businesses have big shoes to fill
2014 August 8. | Szerző: shannon
A couple of years ago, luxury fashion tycoon Bernard Arnault installed his son Antoine as CEO of menswear brand Berluti, and his daughter Delphine as executive vice-president at Louis Vuitton – both brands, among a prestigious plethora of others, that make up Arnault’s LVMH empire.
Fashion watchers interpreted the move as significant: could Arnault, now 65, be pitting his son and daughter against one another to potentially fill his own shoes once he steps down?
Arnault’s perceived quandary, such that it might be, is one that could be understood by a number of high-powered luxury brands that continue to be controlled – whether creatively, financially or both – by families. Ferragamo, Missoni, Fendi, Zegna, Bulgari, Swarovski, Hermès – some of the most stellar labels in the style universe are now in the hands of descendants of the founder, and these young people are being entrusted with maintaining the aesthetic and legacy of an ancestor’s vision.
In a 2011 edition of Universia Business Review, the European business publication, Italian management academics posed the question: “Why are luxury firms often family firms?” The article surmises that succession from one family member to another works when there is a successful family strategy in business, which researchers describe as “the four Cs”: continuity, community, connections and command. “It has been proved that family businesses tend to exist longer than their counterparts, which are more subject to [mergers and acquisitions].”
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Certainly, there are storied family firms that have had to become part of a larger machine: Gucci, which was founded in 1921 by Guccio Gucci, fell prey to infighting, and family members ended up selling off their shares. It is now a subsidiary of French conglomerate Kering, helmed by François-Henri Pinault. On the other hand, Pucci, run by the founder Emilio’s daughter Laudomia, sold 67 per cent of its brand to LVMH in 2000 – but she retains creative and image control.
For families who have been successful at keeping their luxury brands not just alive but thriving, the term “inherited legacy” means everything.
James Ferragamo is the group women’s leather director of Salvatore Ferragamo, the Florentine fashion and accessory brand; he is also the grandson of Salvatore and the son of Ferruccio, the company’s CEO. He represents a new breed of fashion heirs – smart, accomplished, refreshingly lacking in any air of entitlement – and seems to know what it takes to make stepping into a family business work. “I would say, stay true to the values of your family, and work hard to bring your own original contribution, because you’re not there to reproduce what others did before you, nor to subvert it, but to develop and enhance it,” he says.
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Indeed, various family members still sit on the board, including Salvatore’s other children, Leonardo, Fulvia and Giovanna. And a recent handbag launch was inspired by James’ late aunt Fiamma, who died in 1998 and who designed the footwear and leather accessories for the brand for 40 years.
“[It] is dedicated to all the women of our family who have always played central roles in the development of our business,” Ferragamo says. “Fiamma embodied our brand at its best.”
Family businesses that have successfully passed the baton from one generation to another need to be savvy enough to choose the best candidate for the job, same last name notwithstanding. Margherita Missoni is known widely as a model, actress and heiress to the brand founded by her grandparents, Ottavio and Rosita Missoni, in 1953.
But the 31-year-old graduate of Columbia University is far more than that: she is in charge of the accessories, beachwear and children’s lines while retaining her position as “brand ambassador” – a role she stepped into seamlessly when she was 18 and wearing the Missoni label at all the hot spots. “I began hitting the party scene, and people were seeing this fresh, reborn brand on me,” she says. “The clothing and me were well-suited for each other.”
Still, Missoni says she struggled somewhat with her heritage in her early years, and decamped to New York for a while to get into acting and modelling.
“Clothing and design have been part of my life since I was born, and I kind of wanted to get away from it to understand who I was,” she says. “Now with my responsibilities, I’ve found that I have more drive than ever before. I respect the family I come from and my job. I know I wouldn’t be in the place I am if I hadn’t grown up in this family, but this is also the reason why I can be good at this job – I was born into and grew up surrounded by the Missoni vision. So I don’t need to adapt my taste to its aesthetic, because I have integrated it into my own self since I was a child.”
The greater challenge would appear to be for a family member to maintain an entrenched aesthetic when new owners take over. Last year, brothers Sergio and Pier Luigi Loro Piana, descendants of Pietro Loro Piana, who established the brand in 1924, sold a majority stake in their company to LVMH while staying on in advisory roles. Pier Luigi says the decision to sell off most of his family’s business to the LVMH empire was based on it being “for the best of the company”.
“Considering the family story was to secure the company’s success … LVMH was the group that has more vision and capacity to develop Loro Piana into the future … not always [can] the story of the future of the family be exactly the same as [what] is best for the company.”
In the meantime, members of families involved in the business are resigned to the fact that their personal, family and business lives are intertwined – and they do feel the weight of responsibility of maintaining a generations-old reputation.
“On a personal level,” Ferragamo says, “it means having the courage and capacity to act with self-assurance and coherence, a passion for my work, pride in belonging to the world of Ferragamo, and a sensibility towards individuals and respect for their needs.”
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