Category Archives: BREAKING MODE
SAVE MY BAG
SMB (Save My Bag), as the name suggests, comes from the idea of creating a handbag cover made which is waterproof, washable, soft and elastic, and could act as a cover protecting handbags from shocks, rain etc. Save My Bag is born and it is so full of personality that it becomes a cult bag on its own.
The young brand is born in Bergamo in 2013 from Stefano and Valentina Agazzi’s idea, aimed from the beginning on the philosophy of “Be cool beyond the rules”, reassessing the rules and the cliché of fashion.
SMB is a desire that becomes product, ironic and iconic, an historic style with no price responsibility and made accessible for every type of women.
Save My Bag is an iconic bag by excellence, realized in more than Continue reading
LADY IN BLACK
The Lady in black is inspired by the 20s. Her allure and mystery are highlighted by black tulle, French velvet draping, total black or night blue dresses. Nothing is left to chance, the aim is creating a super-feminine, intriguing figure.
The roaring 20s of the Great Gatsby, when women wore drop-waist dresses embellished with sequins and stones, or with exotic detailing, like the feathers at Costume National. Evening dresses adorned with sequins are fluid and do not emphasize the curves, elegance, playfulness and sensuousness are found also in the sartorial details.
Ruffles, flounces wrap the body like black rose petals. Explicit and provocative, the tulle dress leaves little to the imagination, or the plunging V-neckline with tulle insert.
LIKE A CINDERELLA
I wanted to feel like a princess in my palace, rather than the old lady who lived in the shoe. Then the typical slipper wasn’t working for my lifestyle any longer: I wanted something more suitable to an elegant environment.
I ventured out to specialty stores in my neighborhood but do not find what I had in mind. So I went to where you find everything and anything these days: the Internet. My search became more of a quest. I had a very clear image in my head of the perfect slipper.
I decided to draw some ideas on a paper and after I showed my ideas, I was encouraged to not only have them made, but also to sell them in our stores. I then studied shoe design, who offered me wonderful guidance as I embarked on this journey. Continue reading
FASHION STORY
Paul was born in a Parisian working class family in the late 1870’s. He used his natural charisma to enter into some of the most exclusive workshops of the “Belle Époque”, and rose to become one of the twentieth century’s great “fashion modist”. However, he failed to adapt to the changing times after the end of the World War I. He died penniless and embittered, his once-great label long forgotten.
But beyond the drama, the soaring highs and crushing lows, there is another, lesser-known story – one that went untold until Poiret’s silhouettes and innovations found new resonance at the turn of another century. Most important, Poiret was the first couturier to embrace draping over the more traditional techniques of tailoring and corsetry. Continue reading
MARTIN MARGIELA PRE 2016
ANOREXIA PUNISHED
Last Thursday French lawmakers adopted a bill forcing ultra-thin models to provide a doctor’s certificate confirming they are healthy and the magazines that Photoshop their silhouette to tag the images as “touched up”.
The bill stipulates that models must obtain a medical certificate stating that their health, “assessed in particular in terms of body mass index, is compatible with the practise of the (modelling) profession”.
Breaches of the law will be punishable by up to six months imprisonment and a fine of 75,000 euros ($82,000). Continue reading
DISCRIMINATION AT A. MCQUEEN
Christopher Policard and Duana Davis, two African-American employees in New York were falsely accused by the management of theft without evidence in front of the other employees and customers.
The two African-American employees have then sued the British fashion house Alexander McQueen and its owner, Kering Americas Inc., for racial discrimination. They worked at Alexander McQueen on Madison Avenue and say that the company “systematically rejects African-American job applicants who seek positions on the sales floor where they can be seen by customers or positions where they might have authority over white employees, relegating the few African-Americans who are hired to menial positions behind the scenes.”
Continue reading
ERIC FOR EVER
The world looked on as Paris was the host of the Haute Couture week. However this season the Paris fashion week will be everywhere except in Paris. Nowadays the magical blow is coming from China.
Fortunately some French designers like Eric Tibusch represents our country, France and are the heir of Jacques Mouclier who was the first to promote France first in Japan then in China where he created a fashion school in Dalian.
However thank to Mr Grumbach, Wargnier and so on who refused Eric Tibusch at the Chambre Syndicale. It is true that EricTibusch, despite his talent, is not a friend of the leaders of the French leaders at the head of the French Fashion Federation. It is probably him who will welcome you in China when France fashion week will Continue reading
ALEXANDER WANG PRE FALL 2016
WHO LEADS THE SOCIAL MEDIA IN LUXURY ?
In the US, the top performing brands in social media are Christian Louboutin, the jewelry firm Tiffany & Co. and Valentino according to a survey produced by technology and data company Engagement Labs.
On Facebook, high-end shoe brand Christian Louboutin ranked first as it leveraged short posts and included professional photography accompanied by the hashtag #LouboutinWorld, which enabled the brand to generate the most likes and shares per 1,000 fans.
Tiffany & Co. ranked first on Twitter, with posts ranging from photos of celebrities purchasing its products, to user-generated content from popular fashion bloggers, and promotions for new products. Continue reading
ACNE STUDIOS BAG COLLECTION
“For me a bag is more than an object, it’s a personaI thing. When I started looking at bags, the intention was not to do an ”it-bag”, but to explore the world of bags and create different styles and characters. I really enjoy designing bags since it’s so sculptural, almost like creating a piece of art”, Jonny Johansson, Acne Studios Creative Director.
Not only do people who are already obsessed with bags love them, but they’ve seeped over into the consciousness of much more casual fashion-watchers, often through some sort of celebrity- or entertainment-focused notoriety.
From rope stitching to graphic clean lines, the first full range of bags by the brand includes three models: Buckle jeans, Hero jeans and Continue reading
ZAC ZAC POSEN PRE FALL 2016
DOUGLAS TOMPKINS PASSED AWAY
U.S. environmentalist and businessman Douglas Tompkins, the founder of outdoor clothing and equipment company “The North Face”, died on Tuesday during a kayaking trip in Chile, according to local health officials. He was 72 year old.
Tompkins founded the brand “The North Face”, now part of VF Corporation (VFC.N), in the 1960s as a small ski and backpacking retailer in San Francisco. The company markets clothing and gear to hikers, mountain climbers and other outdoor enthusiasts.
“We are all deeply saddened at the news of Doug’s passing. Doug was a passionate advocate for the environment, and his legacy of conservation will help ensure that there are outdoor spaces to be explored for generations to come,” the company said in a statement. Continue reading
WHO IS PASCAL MORAND
Pascal Morand is professor of economics at ESCP Europe where he has been Director since 2006. Before he was Director of the IFM (from 1987 to 2006). He is the author of La victoire de Luther. Essai sur l’Union économique et monétaire (published by Maison des sciences de l’homme/Vivarium, 2001).
In June 2012, he is publishing Les religions et le luxe. L’éthique de la richesse d’Orient en Occident (IFM/Regard).
He said : “The paradox of luxury products and brands is that, while they are a glaring illustration of globalization, it is rare, even frowned upon to impose the ordinary standards of marketing and consumption on them. Continue reading
COMMITTEE VUITTON
Luxury group LVMH will be opening a new Vuitton flagship in the Hôtel Heuzé de Vologer, on the corner of the Place Vendôme at the coner Rue Saint-Honoré. Several rumours had been circulating about this prestigious location in the French capital since the summer of 2014, when the LVMH group obtained the green light from the CDAC (the French commission which decides if a company can go forward with a proposal for a commercial space) for a commercial space of more than 1,700 m². Vuitton and Bulgari had both been mentioned. Continue reading
CHANEL METIER D’ARTIST
Paris in Rome! This week, the new Chanel “Métiers d’Art” collection inspired by French actresses and Italian cinema, Karl Lagerfeld chose a legendary place where all imaginary worlds and creative desires come together: the famous Cinecittà Studios in Rome.
Over the last decades Chanel has ruined the real Maîtres d’Art in using and abusing them. Besides, the only Maitre d’Art in Haute Couture is Franck Sorbier. Karl Lagerfeld is not a Maître d’Art. He is only a “couturiers” designing for Chanel. Therefore, in using Métiers d’Art as term for a collection Chanel tries to convince that his ready-to-wear collection is a Continue reading
FENDI PRE FALL 2016
HERMES ON TIME
Will hermes become Vuitton ? The new international watch Hermès manager, Dordet Laurent, is restructuring the brand on the stronger assets of the company whereas the watchmaking sector is sailing in turbulent waters.
Laurent Dordet, 47 years old, took control of the watchmaking branch of the famous Parisian leather goods in March, succeeding to Luc Perramond, who had led the brand for six years before joining the US group Ralph Lauren.
Hermès group is copying Vuitton development group and will soon become a monster where every vertical segment will be worked Continue reading
LVMH RAID ON AN ITALIAN JEWELLER
LVMH has taken a minority stake in Italian jeweller Repossi. The House of Repossi was founded in 1920 in Turin and the great-granddaughter of the company’s founder, Gaia Repossi was born in 1986 in Turin, Italy. Surrounded very early by her father’s experience and passion for creating artistic jewelry pieces, she develops an unconditional love for drawing and later painting.
She studied painting at the Beaux Arts of Paris, and obtained a master’s degree in archeology. During her studies, Gaia gradually entered the world of Repossi. In 2007 at the age of 21 years, Gaia was appointed Creative and Artistic Director of the House.
In 2010, Gaia collaborated with her friend Alexander Wang for his New York Fall / Winter runway show. The Repossi collection is sold at 90 locations in the world. Its turnover is estimated at around 15 million euros ($15.8 million). Delphine Arnault, deputy managing director at Louis Vuitton, said in the interview that “Gaia’s work points to a promising future” for the brand. Continue reading
H AND B NEXT STEP: FRAGRANCE !
H&M and Balmain is launching a fragrance. While fashion addicts around the world are still snapping up pieces from the Balmain and H&M clothing collection, the Swedish giant is about to unveil a new balmain fragrance which will be available on December 3.
The release of the capsule collection produced for H&M by Balmain, designed by Balmain’s creative director, Olivier Rousteing, was a major event in the fashion world this Autumn. Fight & crush in the H&M stores went viral.
This collaboration is set to continue at the beginning of December with the launch of the new Balmain and H&M fragrance which will be available in a limited edition in selected stores. Will the fragrance be sent in Sephora? What it is sure is that the perfume stinks. Continue reading
FASHION IS FLYING LOW
Jean-Paul Gaultier is going to create a collection with the supermarket chain Target. Apparently, the French designer will create fashion clothes for women, men and children as well as products for home, about in all 100 pieces will be available in 2016
“Each time I come to Australia, I am impressed by the relaxed confidence of the Australians. This philosophy is mine and there is a true synergy with my own approach of fashion and style ” says Jean-Paul Gaultier.
To create accessible collections has become a way of life for the French designer who launched a fashion line with the Japanese retailer “Seven & i” last month. Continue reading