e-social networking sites inspire designers

It was bound to happen, what with the growing popularity and easy global accessibility of social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter, designers are now seeking inspiration here. Raakesh Agarwal finds Facebook beautiful, versatile and structured, much like his own designs. He has been quoted to have said, “Facebook is interactive, practical, versatile, young in feel and bridges the generation and geographical gaps.” Designer Rahul Mishra loves the faces on Facebook, and even said “The face is the mirror of a person, so when you interconnect with friends, relatives and strangers from all parts of the world, it’s the face that you connect to.” American designer Zac Posen has claimed that his upcoming Spring-Summer 2010 collection “will be wearable and Facebook inspired”. Stella McCartney has resorted to Twitter for inspiration and sale.

Indian designers head out with trunk shows

Trunk shows have become an easy option to make a quick sale in low season and Indian designers are not missing out. Rahul Jain visited Paris in May with a trunk load of his designs and having met success, is holding one in the US as well. He reportedly said, “Trunk shows, especially in these months, give us an opportunity to release a lot of stock. Moreover, all of this results in instant cash.” Reynu Taandon, the Delhi based designer, visited Dubai, US and Hong Kong with her trunk show. Leena Singh, the spokesperson for the Ashima-Leena design team, said, “Trunk shows bridge the gap between different strata of clients and designers. For instance, I have a lot of clients in the Middle East who pick up stuff from me in bulk.” So she heads to the US in September and will be seen in the Middle East in the month of Ramadan with her trunk load of kurtis and Kaftans etc. Designer Abhijeet Khanna reportedly said that it was important to have a fixed base of clients or contacts before heading out for a trunk show. He asks, “If you do not have the right network, who will purchase from you?”

Nikasha Tawady’s first flagship in Mumbai

Nikasha Tawady, the self trained designer has opened her first flagship boutique on Mumbai’s Linking Road. Her latest spring/summer 2009 collection will be available at her new address. Commenting on the beautiful interiors done in ethnic style, akin to her clothes lines, Tawady said, “I was getting a little impatient and wanted a space that would reflect my style and allow edgy and alternative designs where I could experiment creatively. It’s also a great platform to meet my customer, who I feel is ready for that ‘something different’ now.”

Fawaz Gruosi’s collection of jewelry for de Grisogono

de Grisogono, the Geneva based luxury watch and jewelry brand, has launched a new line of chic, hi-end jewelry comprising multi-colored necklaces studded with sparkling precious stones, rings in white gold with turquoise, emeralds, rubies etc. The line is available at their mono brand store in the Emporio Mall in New Delhi.

Farah Khan’s nature inspired jewelry unveiled in Macau

Gemologist and jewelry designer Farah Khan Ali, in collaboration with designer Manav Gangvani, launched her collection of nature-inspired jewelry at the IIFA fashion extravaganza in Macau. She has used gems like emeralds, rubies, tanzanites, sapphires, spinels, and yellow and blue diamonds to create inspired necklaces, earrings, bracelets, cuffs, rings, brooches and pendants. Gangwani’s garments were accessorized with Khan’s jewelery. Hrithik Roshan and his wife Susan were the show stoppers.

Need of the hour–‘Affordable to wear’ Fashion Show

The Vogue City, an online lifestyle magazine catering to the bargain-savvy yet stylish New Yorker, will host a first-of-its-kind ‘Affordable to Wear’ fashion show in New York at the showroom of Savvy & Co. The show will premier on 1st July and end on 29th June 2009. The apparel is being provided by Wear Today Gone Tomorrow, a new national women's clothing rental website that provides a weekly rental system similar to movie rental websites, but instead with the highest quality designer clothing, at 90% off retail, and with no monthly membership or late fees. The inauguration will see creations by such designers as Herve Leger, Nanette Lepore, Diane Von Furstenberg and many more.

Burka Ban proposal in France sets off debate

Nicolas Sarkozy, the French President, has questioned the use of Burka in France and asked for it to be banned and set off a debate with not all backing the move. A similar decision was taken by the French government in 2004 to ban the Muslim headscarf in state schools and public building. The owners of large luxury fashion houses and top-end hotels, have rich Arab clientele or are Arabs themselves, worry that it might scare away the public. Marigay McKee, fashion and beauty director at the Mohamed Al Fayed owned Harrods, naturally does not agree. As also Lebanese designer Elie Saab and Zayan Ghandour, co-owner, head buyer and creative director of S*Uce, a four-store fashion chain with locations in Dubai and Abu Dhabi both worry about the secularity and originality etc. Zufi Alexander, the Dubai born accessory designer, spells it out, “If a sheikh or a princess comes to France and wants to wear her burka and wants to go to spend 100,000 euros [or $140,850 at current exchange] in, say, Louis Vuitton, would Paris like to stop her? I don’t think so. It’s like being told you won’t be allowed to wear jeans. It’s their daily wear. There’s no legitimate reason why women would not be allowed to wear burkas.”

Fashion Targets Breast Cancer (FTBC) - by Ralph Lauren

“Fashion Targets Summer Fridays” is a new campaign launched jointly by the the Council of Fashion Designers of America, Net-a-porter.com and Susan G. Komen for the Cure, whereby they are promoting the sale of the FTBC polo shirts as Friday dressing. The proceeds from the sale of the $55 Polo shirts designed by Ralph Luren will go towards fighting cancer and creating awareness. Natalie Massenet, founder and chairman of Net-a-porter.com. reportedly said, “Every shirt purchased will help provide meaningful assistance to women with breast cancer and their families, friends and communities and raise further awareness.” The program will start from 3rd July to 25th September.

Revolutionary Made-to-Measure line from Prada

Prada chose the men’s fashion week in Milan to launch a unique concept of made-to-measure men’s shirts that create the option of millions of permutations and combinations and variations to make THE shirt. Prada will take four weeks to deliver the finished product which will be made to desired specification of the options of three different fits, necklines, cuffs, pockets, fabrics, prints (archival references available), buttons etc. Presently only the Via Montenapoleone boutique of Prada in Milan is offering this service.

‘Wall Clothes’ – the collection inspired by the Berlin Wall

Daniel Rodan, the German leather designer based in Berlin, has revisited the two decades old moment of fall of the infamous Berlin wall, by designing a line that is inspired by the images from the East Side Gallery, created by artists and painters who have decorated the surviving section of the Berlin Wall since 1989. The collection, called Mauerkleider, or ‘Wall Clothes’, comprises outfits like evening gowns, trench coats, T-shirt, jackets etc in leather. One such famous image on the bodice of a mint-green mini dress is that of the kiss-of-death between the Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev and Honecker created by artist Dmitri Vrubel.

Japan’s iconic akoya pearl industry on the brink of death

A lustrous, flawless, round pearl string is the evergreen accessory steeped in elegance. Mikimoto made a huge impact on the pearl industry in 1890, when he created the first cultured saltwater akoya pearls. By 1990 the domestic production peaked at $900mil. However, in the face of stiff competition from the Chinese, who have flooded the market with cheaper fresh water pearls, the recession and the ‘red tide’ of deadly phytoplankton in mid nineties that washed in each year and killed nearly two thirds of the akoya oysters, also added to the woes of the debt ridden Japanese cultivators. Recession has also compelled the upscale retailer Tiffany & Co to decide on shutting down its pearls only store.

Diane von Furstenberg settles copying charges out of court

Diane von Furstenberg, the Belgian born designer was accused by Jennifer Halchuk and Richard Lyle of Mercy of Canada of copying a copying the design of their floral print jacket from their Spring ’08 line for her Spring ’09 collection. More shocking was that Furstenberg is the president of the Council of Fashion Designers of America and an active supporter of the federal Design Piracy Prohibition Act yet under proposal. On being discovered and confronted by Halchuk, Furstenberg has owned up error, agreed to a public apology and made an out-of-court settlement for an undisclosed amount. She has also agreed to discontinue using the design. Now she is being hailed for her forthrightness and courage in owning up.

Finally fashion mag editor too nixes size-zero models

Alexandra Shulman, the editor of the British edtition of Vogue, had until recently defended skinniness to a fault; to the extent that back in 1997 Omega had withdrawn its ad in Vogue over this issue. She has finally spoken up against the anorxic models, not because she doesn’t like thin models but bacause it is not what her readers want to see. Shulman was quoted in The Times: : “I don’t want to be too specific about it, but it was very recently. I found myself saying to the photographers, ‘Can you not make them look too thin?” The designers are creating their styles for anorexic frames so much so that even regular thin supermodels like Linda Evangelista, Naomi Campbell, Daisy Lowe etc are finding it impossible to fit into these clothes. Reportedly Shulman has written about her concerns to all major designers across the globe such as. Domenico Gabbana, John Galliano, Stella McCartney, Alexander McQueen and Donatella Versace.

The Men’s Fashion Week spring/summer 2010 has just concluded in Milan. Here are some highlights from the show.

In the age of rapid mechanization and high tech advancements it is the artisan who holds the thread of a tradition of ancient skills. Cut away from the mainstream these artisan groups struggle to hold on to what they have inherited and many social groups have come forward to support them. Newsvision introduces its readers to various artisan groups and their crafts in this column.

UNCTAD grants GI certificates to artisans

The United Nations Trade on Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has filed applications for patenting and grant of GI status for 17 new products and crafts from India that are unique to areas. This translates to mean that the artisans of various regions will be able to retain their originality and uniqueness of their products with a patent. These would include weavers of Banarasi saris, Bhagalpuri silks etc. Already 106 products and crafts of India, like Darjeeling tea, Lucknow Chikan craft, Kashmir Pashmina and Muga silk of Assam have been granted GI status.The move will prove more beneficial to the artisan/worker as a survey carried out by the UN agency showed that consumers are willing to pay 10-15% more for GI certified products. A similar study carried out by Rajasthan Government has benefited the artisans of Kota Doria Sarees which earned their GI status in 2005.

Shopaholic, style conscious, brand obsessed –the new male

The new age male is displaying the classic symptoms that have been known to afflict the female of the species. These observations were made by none other than Michael Bastian, the ex fashion director of the high end store, Bergdorf Goodman, who currently has a label of his own. Reportedly Michael Bastian said, “Every time you turn a corner, there’s a guy wearing skinny jeans, an ironic cap, a low V-neck tee, vintagey high-tops and a scarf. It’s the equivalent of the ‘Sex and the City’ look that was such a thing for women a few years ago.” Although Michael Bastion is old school, he has gained much acknowledgement and respect all around by reworking a slimmer and snazzier silhouette for the all-American clothes like military shirts, khakis, wool tweed trousers, rugby shirts etc. John Jones, owner of a regular men’s wear boutique George Greene, nods in agreement. He does stock a Bastian label alongside the upscale Yohji Yamamoto, Thom Browne and Dior Homme.

Charity helps create world’s largest pair of jeans

This news item would be of more interest to the keepers of Guinness World book of Records. Croatia’s Cockta Jeans Fashion have stitched up a giant size pair of jeans, which measures the size of six tennis courts, using 8,023 pairs of unwanted jeans donated by people for charity. A local association that provides therapy to the disabled was paid the equivalent of $1.3 for each pair of jeans donated. The finished denims were displayed in Croatia’s capital Zagreb and slowly auctioned over a few months.

Re-defining values in fashion

The growth of branding has been a powerful force in marketing in the 20th century. It has played a valuable role in pithy communications that imbibe not only physical attributes but also personal values. Like with most things, a non-judicious use can make brands misleading and counterproductive for the consumer. Thus we have seen an era where brands get away with flagrant overcharging, restrict the growth of competition and capture an imbalanced portion of the consumers mind (especially youngsters). Added to this is the fact that branding is very much a Western concept being imposed in a very different marketplace such as the East which traditionally is more fragmented and individualistic. Branding does not lend itself to cultural, co-operative, small scale or individualized efforts. It often trivializes the human worth. That is why we welcome conscious initiatives such as Geographical Indications and suggest that it should be implemented much more intensively. Our columns also salute the artisan. Finally, we have added a new column that recognizes new imperatives and environmental concerns that transcend brands and place before consumers not only issues concerning human existence but re-define values in fashion.