Signature looks from Rachel Couture for Summer Parties

Rachel Couture in London's prestigious Knightsbridge sells designs by French Couture designer Rachel Elbaz that range from casual to formal evening wear.   Her signature look uses luxurious fabrics from France and Italy to create tailored dresses and suits for all occasions. 
With summer almost here and a social calendar of activities, Royal weddings perhaps and races (such as the Royal Ascot) to go to, Rachel  is proposing a selection of crisp, bright suits and ensembles from her new collection created for real women not afraid to show off their feminine curves.
Rachel also complements her own collection with a carefully selected range of ready to wear of luxury labels from France and Italy.

Rachel has dressed many celebrities - including Shirley Bassey, sopranos Lesley Garrett and Angela Gheorghiu (who sang for Her Majesty the Queen during the Millennium celebrations) and TV presenter Liz Fuller amongst them.  In a recent fashion show in her shop, Rachel proposed a Cocktail Hour Collection comprising smart LBDs (Little Black Dresses), silky figure-hugging dresses - with asymmetrical sleeves, bright patterns and leopard prints dominating.  

In the final part of the show the models swished down the catwalk in glamorous evening gowns perfect for red carpet events and glitzy balls.

The show ended with full length black and white gowns worn with large brim hats in the Mayfair Lady style and reminiscent of the glamour of the Edwardian era.  For more on Rachel's new looks, click here.

Designer bags for Red Cross Japan

London-based fabric and wallpaper design company, Yukari Sweeney Design of London, has created a tote-bag for the aid of Red Cross Japan. 
The bags are in 100% cottonand measures at 43 cm x 25 cm. It features red and blue Koi fish on a white background on one side, and the Yukari Sweeney logo is on the reverse.  Koi fish symbolise bravery, good fortune and strength - characteristics that the designer hopes to bestow on the Japanese facing the many challenges in the coming months. It   The design has been adapted from their 'Wish You Were Here' collection and named 'Wish We Were There' to demonstrate their empathy with the Japanese people.
The bags are sold at £12.50/€15.50 each and can be purchased online at www.garrendennylane.co.uk or at the
Yukari Sweeney Design of London website (click here).
The proceeds will be donated to the Red Cross.

Yukari set up her design company in London after many years of working in fashion houses in Japan and later trained in London, mentored by Eley Kishimoto and Paul Smith.  Her passion lies in merging English tradition with Japanese style and sensibility, embracing influences from Europe, America and of course her home country Japan. 

Based  in Royal Hill in Greenwich, Yukari has designed wall coverings for the likes of Anthopologie, and among her many products are lampshades and home textiles.

 

 

 

 

 

Among her latest designs are wall panels, such as the Japanese Grden Ai - a one panel wallpaper shown here on the left.

This may be combined with other coordinating panels from the range for added effect.

Inspired by the need for wall panels in Japanese micro-homes, these wall panels also offer a unique change from the feature single wallpapered wall.

These are available on Yukari Sweeney Design of London website.

Wall panels offer something different from wallpaper on all four walls. Place the wall panels in alcoves, along a long wall, or simply to mark a particular area in an open plan place to bring drama and a new perspective to an area.

These yellow Silk and Snowy Owl wall panels are by Scandinavian Surface, launched at 100% Design 2010.

The panels can be use singly or with others to show the wildness and beauty of the Norwegian wilds - available at Garrendenny Lane. 

Vintage fashion items available on new website

With the 80s look being such a big fashion statement this year, why not go for the real thing. Leepo & Susu is a new London-based online vintage site that provides an eclectic mix of garments and accessories for today’s style conscious men and women. The collection features pieces cherry picked from fashion hotbeds around the world that will stand the test of time, such as the 1980s Jacques Vert Green Peep-Toe High Heel Asymmetric Shoes with White Flower Detail shown here .
Collectable on-trend pieces from other designer labels such as Ralph Lauren, Moschino, YSL, Chanel, Christian Dior, Nina Ricci, Russell & Bromley, Gina, Roland Cartier, Gucci, Lancetti, Maud Frizon and Charles Jordan are also available.   There are also a few items on the "gifts and home" page.

Founder, Dubliner Suzanne Salam, said: “Vintage clothing used to be about pieces of treasure dug up from the nooks and crannies of Camden or Paris flea markets now it’s everywhere. Nowadays good vintage clothes are unaffordable and the rest aren’t worth the hangers they’re hung from. I saw a gap in the market for good quality but affordable vintage clothes and accessories and had so many amazing pieces picked up from my travels that I didn’t wear that I decided to set up Leepo & Susu. I see it as a dressing up box for guys and girls who dare to experiment with styles from all eras.”

She added that the Leepo & Susu website is like an Aladdin’s cave of rare one-off pieces, stretching from the 20s through to the 90s.  Presently available are fine cashmeres and delicate raw silks, well preserved furs, lace, and angora knits to name but a few. Colourful hand rolled scarves whisper of well-heeled Park Avenue ladies who once lunched, and hand stitched flapper dresses are reminiscent of high society balls in Berlin at the turn of the 20th century. There are also block colour knitwear, sequined shoulder-padded "Dallas" tops, jumpsuits, kimono dresses, Elvis-style tank tops, bejewelled New York hi-tops, and in your face 90s neon tie-dye mini-skirts.  For men there are tweeds, plaid, and corduroy offering a dandy feel.  Military items such as officer coats, lace up boots, trousers and shirts as well as Russian Navy striped tops and sailors hats rock out that Pop-eye look!  To check it out, click here.

Dubai is a destination for architectural marvels - New and Old

In the last 5 - 10 years, Dubai has emerged on the scene as a destination for the rich and famous due to its tremendous retail and property boom.


Skyline of Dubai
All photos here by Lucia Carpio

Today, the skyline of high-rises in downtown Dubai - spear-headed by the Burj khalifa (at over 828 metres or 2,716.5 feet with more than 160 stories, it is the world’s tallest building) - is the view that most people hold when referring to this desert wonderland that boasts the most-est and the best-est built. But since the global economic downturn, Dubai's property sector has been hit hard, with billions of dollars-worth of projects put on hold or cancelled, while property prices slumped as much as 60%. High-profile projects that Dubai has put on hold or cancelled as a result included Dubai Properties' Tiger Woods residential and golf course project and developer Nakheel's kilometre-high tower.

At a press conference last week, Sultan Butti bin Mejrin, director general of the Dubai Land Department, told reporters that property transactions worth 123 billion dirhams ($33.49 billion) were concluded in 2010. Meanwhile the emirate of Dubai is pushing ahead with 220 residential projects this year, according to the head of the emirate's real estate watchdog - Marwan bin Ghalaita, chief executive of the Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) as reported by Reuters, and that any projects that are not good for investors would be discontinued. Mr. Ghalaita said as of last December, some 115 projects had been scrapped since the financial downturn, but "less than ten" projects upon which construction had started.


Buildings on and around the 30-acre Burj Khalifa Lake

Walking around the vicinity of the Dubai Mall ( the world's largest shopping, leisure and entertainment complex, part of the US $20 billion Downtown Burj Dubai development) and the vast buildings surrounding the Burj Khalifa Lake, one is overwhelmed by the enormity of these buildings. In Dubai size matters. But the city is much calmer today, and is beginning to come to its own as an efficient city for doing business.

These skyscrapers are a stark contrast to the traditional architecture of Dubai and those in the UAE. To get a real sense of old Bur Dubai is the Bastakiya conservation area beside the Creek where historic courtyard houses have been restored.

The Sheikh Juma Al-Maktoum House (seen above) is a superb example of Arab structural design, and I was inspired by its simplicity that combines tranquility with harmony and mythical beauty.

Built in 1828, the compound helps you learn about the indigenous building materials used – mountain stone, mud, coral stone and gypsum – and the importance of windtowers for internal cooling.   An off-set entrance leads to a central courtyard surrounded by verandas and rooms for various purposes. Traditional Islamic buildings are characterised by repetitive patterns, openings, recesses, doors and windows and inter-linking spaces. 

Decorations are both aesthetic and functional, adding artistic beauty to simple structures.

Earth - an inspiration for Swarovski Elements

The recent tragedy of the catastrophic tsunami caused by a devasting earthquake in Japan demonstrated the power of nature and our helplessness when mother earth decided to show her power.  A few days before the catastraphic tragedy of Japan, I attended a presentation organised by Swarovski Elements on the themes and influences for trends for the Spring/Summer 2012, and learned that "Earth" was one of the major themes for the new season.


Necklace by Caleidosc-ópio, inspired by the Earth theme of Swarovski Elements

Mirroring society’s current concerns, Spring/Summer 2012’s trends speak of a collective quest for happiness, simplicity and a closer connection with nature.

Annabelle Brameshuber, Head of Communication & PR of Swarovski Elements Business, who’s based in Austria, along with Roman Rzeznitzek, a designer of product development, were in London to explain their Spring/Summer 2012 trend inspirations.  They told me that there’s a general interest in happiness in the market, as more than ever, we seek to find joy in life. This sense of optimism is fuelled by the growing realisation that our relationship with the Earth in which we live – her beauty and bounty – is the source of our happiness.

So it may be difficult now to talk about the re-discovering of earthly pleasures, perhaps it is easier to understand the importance of finding happiness in the smallest of details. 


Crystals in Bronze Shade

Nevertheless Earth as one of the main themes of inspiration for Spring/Summer 2012 at Swarovski, reminds us the need to reconcile with nature in order to walk hand-in-hand with our future. We are not to look to dominate or override nature, but to seek total harmony and a sense of unity. Under this theme, Swarovski has developed crystal mosaic, stones, beads, pendants and buttons in natural plant colours and sunlit shades of citrus green, offset by dark olive and cool browns.

Another theme is Chalk, highlighting powdery pastels and pearly tones, while Rocks is a theme that homes in on darkened gray and earthy neutrals, aquatic blues, opalescent green and turquoise. Precious metal is a theme for glamorous hues with light-catching qualities, iridescent colours, warm browns, golden and rich tones of precious metal.

The final theme is Sand - highlighting harmonious tones of natural colours and spice, desert tones and colours rooted in earthbound matter – beiges, yellow neutrals and rusted browns.

Swarovski Elements brings international designers numerous inspirations of cut crystal as a creative material each season for their forthcoming collections, be it in fashion, jewellery, accessories or interior design. 

Crazy 4 U Heart by Manish Arora

Among the designers working with Swarvoski is India’s Manish Arora, who in partnership with Swarovski,  has conjured up a witty, touching and deeply romantic story on the theme of love, with a collection of five heart shapes in crystal; each one tracking a different stage of love, going by the whimsical names of Crazy 4 U Heart, Devoted 2 U Heart, Miss U Heart, Forever 1 Heart and Truly In Love Heart. Available in one color and five effects, including the exclusive and subtle Crystal Astral Pink, they conjure warm Indian spices and rich, floating saris.
German designer, Michael Michalsky, whose label is famous for its classic style combined with edgy attitude, has collaborated with Swarovski to produce nine sparkling transfers. Designs By Michalsky draw on the theme of nature in peril, featuring endangered species, among them the Atlantic puffin, eagle and lynx.

Today, the Swarovski group, still family-owned and run by 4th and 5th generation family members, has a global reach with some 24,800 employees, a presence in over 120 countries and a turnover in 2009 of 2.25 billion Euros. Swarovski comprises two major businesses, one producing and selling loose elements to the industry and the other creating design-driven finished products. Swarovski crystals have become an essential ingredient of international design.

Japan Fashion Week cancelled

Understandably, due to the developments in Japan following last Friday’s devastating earthquake and tsunami and subsequent problems with nuclear power plant generators, organisers have cancelled the 12th annual Japan Fashion Week - the autumn-winter 2011 edition - as well as the concurrent Tokyo Collection Week.  The events were due to take place next week. The organisers said multiple concerns regarding current electricity shortages, unreliable transportation, and general safety concerns, have contributed to the decision, while news of radiation risks from its nuclear plants continue to dominate the airwaves. Several fashion and designer brands had already cancelled or postponed their shows indefinitely.

As Japan is just starting the long process of digging out from last week’s massive earthquake, reportedly the catastrophes are estimated to have claimed more than 10,000 lives, but the country’s economic slowdown is expected to trim only 0.1 to 0.2 percentage points off global economic growth this year, according to today’s WWD (Women’s Wear Daily)’s report, and economists say the country’s plight is likely to have only a small impact on the global economic recovery.

Using as guideposts other natural disasters, such as the 1995 Kobe earthquake and Hurricane Katrina in 2005, experts are predicting the disaster will slow Japan’s economy for a quarter or two until the rebuilding process stimulates activity in building and other sectors. This assumes officials racing to shut down several damaged nuclear power generators are able to prevent widespread fallout — the fear of which has prolonged the initial phase of the disaster, rattled global markets and prompted some people to leave Tokyo, at least temporarily.

Dubai Fashion Week launches its Autumn/Winter 2011 season in April

The Dubai skyline.  Photo by Lucia Carpio.

The skyline of skyscrapers is an iconic image of Dubai.  Set against the Creek, it has come to represent modern commercialism in recent years.  Among the highrises, on the Burj Khalifa side of the river, the sight of the Grand Mosque Dubai and traditioanal architecture are reminders of its Arabic Islamic traditions.



Photo by Lucia Carpio.

Now Dubai wants to forge a new image that will be encapsulated in its own Dubai Fashion Week which is due to take place 19 - 23 April at the in Zabeel Hall, at the Dubai World Trade Centre (pictured below).

The new venue will boast a 90-foot international standard runway, an enlarged media-pit, schooled media centre & media lounge, a VIP hospitality lounge, Buyer Lounge, designers and sponsors installations and on-site sponsor activities.  Organisers at Capital Marketing, owner and organiser of Dubai Fashion Week® (DFW), are expecting to see a surge in VIPs, buyers, sponsors, media attending the five-day event.  As an economy steeped in tradition, the Dubai Fashion Week will be a testament to its unique culture.


HSY

 Young designers and fashion brands set to showcase their prêt-a-porter collections will include HSY, Mariam Al Mazro, Abeer Al Suwaidi, Grand Finale Designer Rajesh Pratap Singh.
Commenting on the upcoming season, Manoj Bhojwani, Capital Marketing and Dubai Fashion Week’s Chairman said, “We are committed to Dubai Fashion Week as one of the most important components of fashion design industry, providing a one of its kind regional avenue to give designers the opportunity to showcase their seasonal collections twice every year to all industry stakeholders. This year we have 49 designers participating for DFW FW2011, which include 20 Arab designers, of which 8 are UAE nationals.”

Returning to the show this year is Hassan Sheheryar Yasin(HSY) who has always been a DFW highlight with his elegant and glamourous fusion of modern and traditional designs; Shrekahnth whose fashion career has been steering upwards since his critical acclaim for the collection inspired by Ibn Battuta at DFW 2010; and Rabia Z, whose collection is inspired and targeted towards the modern muslim women and defines her world of fashion as a world where modesty is style among many other stand alone collections.



Manish Malhotra



Also showcasing will be this season’s Emerging Talent winners: Anna Gurgacz, Polish, (E.G.O. gurgaczio), Azadeh Zandi, Syrian, (Voguish), Kay Li, Chinese, (Fight to Survive), Sara Al Refai, Syrian (Gypsy Girl), Sarah Mrad, Lebanese, (Sarah Mrad), and Sophie Wanney, German (Fiokafini).

The Grand Finale will showcase Rajesh Pratap Singh’s collection, the international face of contemporary Indian fashion Industry whose creativity and ingenuity has consistently impressed the fashion audience.



“Our experience from last season has highlighted the passion that designers, buyers and the trade have for DFW, and our responsibility is to take on board all feedback and continue improving each season. By working together with partners to develop the DFW brand, and by providing first class facilities for the event, we will ensure DFW continues to be the most sought after avenue for regional fashion design industry for all stakeholders including designers, media, buyers, industry professionals & sponsors, said Rohit Sabikhi, Event Director, Dubai Fashion Week”.

This season also sees DFW partnering with Dubai Cares as an exclusive ‘charity partner’ considering its commitment to CSR among many new event sponsors and media partners.

Fashion experts to discuss latest trends for women at the Ideal Home Show in London

Primark limited edition spring 2011

The intimate link and cross-referencing of trends and influences between fashion and interior design has always been strong.  At the forthcoming Ideal Home Show in London, a panel of experts from the fashion industry will inform guests in a chatty, informal format the latest up-coming trends in womenswear and accessories for this Spring/Summer 2011.

The "Ideal Woman" event is part of the Ideal Home Show on Friday 25th March at Earls Court, in London. The Ideal Home Show attracted an audience of more than 260,000 last year, and throughout the course of the exhibition this year, there will be also catwalk shows and style seminars. The target audience expected at the event is 45-50+ interested in fashion but not particularly trend or style aware, mainly shopping at major high street stores.

The panel will be hosted by Stephanie Finnan – owner of The Fashion Careers Clinic.   One of the panel speakers will be trend forecasting house Mudpie CEO Fiona Jenvey who will discuss SS11 womenswear trends. “I am delighted to be involved in the trend discussion panel and I will be unlocking the secrets as to why the high street shops follow a ‘me too’ mentality in trends and colours,” said Fiona.

As a forecaster that predicts trends up to two and a half years ahead of season, Mudpie CEO Fiona Jenvey will describe how the fashion industry interprets the predictions for the high street giving some tips and explain key pieces to look out for this season. “Consumers are often unaware of how much research and development goes into the clothes on sale and I will be explaining how the industry works and how it affects what appears on the high street,” she added.
The Ideal Woman discussion panel will also include Alex Brownless, Designer and Owner of Artsthread.com and Emily O’Brien, editor of myfashionlife.com.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the Japanese people!

With TV coverage of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan dominating the airwaves three days on since the natural disaster struck Japan, it is still hard to comprehend the magnitude of the natural disaster on life there and its impact on all of us around the world.  While reading the on-line version of Women's Wear Daily (WWD) that life in the capital city of Tokyo is slowly easing back to normal as Japan copes with the largest earthquake in its history, it is heart-wrenching to hear this morning that the official death toll has mounted to more than 1,600 and authorities are expecting it to rise to as high as 10,000.  Images of eye-witnesses' account show horrific footage of the destruction and remind us of our vulnerability and helplessness in the hands of mother nature.  
Naoto Kan, Japan's Prime Minister has expressed that Japan is facing its toughest time ahead since World War II.  Japan is the world's third largest economic power but analysts expect this recent disaster will have a lasting impact on its economy.  It will certainly have a lasting psychological impact on its' citizens.  Our thoughts and prayers are with the Japanese people at this difficult time.

Kate and William's Official Wedding Website launched

Still on the subject of wedding (can't get away from this theme this year if you're a celebrity and royal wedding watcher), Prince William and Kate Middleton have launched their official wedding website for all to catch up on everything they like to share about forthcoming wedding.  To be updated on all the facts, news, trivia, gossip pictures and even merchandise to commemorate their big day, click here to go to that official royal wedding website.

Meanwhile, if you're planning your own wedding, and wish to have your flowergirls, bridesmaids and page boys dressed to the nines for the occasion,  Little Bevan in Pimlico of London is one of the UK's only children's coutueriers. Their specialist boutique creates one-off made to measure outfits for any weddings and Christenings. Their client list includes many high profile names including Gywneth Paltrow and Sophie Wessex...

For those who can't travel to London to visit their beautiful boutique, Little Bevan has introduced a capsule collection called Little Bevan Star. This is a made to order collection in set sizes, allowing you to choose your fabric and colour so that it is exactly how you want it for your big day!  With the Royal Wedding fever taking a hold over the UK, their beautiful silk bridesmaid dresses and page boy outfits are exactly how to dress the little ones to emulate the big day.

Riccardo Risci to replace Galliano at Dior?

If we are to believe the rumours, words are already out that Givenchy creative director Riccardo Tisci is to be named as John Galliano’s replacement at Christian Dior imminently, according to fashion news sources.  Tisci, a graduate of Central Saint Martin's in London, was appointed as the creative director of Givenchy’s womenswear and haute couture divisions in 2005, a role that, ironically enough, once belonged to Galliano before his promotion to head Dior.
Tisci is known for his sensuous, romantic aesthetic designs, peppered with gothic touches and a dash of melancholy.  Other names that were rumoured to be in the running for the Dior post after Galliano’s sacking included Haider Ackermann and artistic director of Lanvin, Alber Elbaz, two current fashion favourites.


Success seems to breed success.  It was announced just two days ago that Tisci is to act as magazine editor of the 60th celebratory issue of Visionaire.  As director of the whole magazine, he bases the issue on one theme: religion. Works specially commissioned include Carine Roitfeld photographed by Karl Lagerfeld, perfumer Yann Vasnier to create a religious scent and a surprise feature from Helmut Lang. There’s only one condition given by Tisci; no credits for Givenchy. The limited edition is 228 pages long, hardback and in case inspired by a church altar. Out in June, it will be available from Givenchy stores and select worldwide book stores.

Top designers to show at White Gallery London bridal show - May 22-24

Alan Hannah's bridal designs on show at White Gallery London in May

This is no doubt the year for 'royal' weddings here in the UK.  Of course there are the two Kate's (that is, Miss Middleton and Miss Moss - considered by many as queen of the catwalk) and Zara Phillips (Princess Ann's daughter)  all tying the knot in 2011.  So along with the world media and papparazzi, those involved in bridal gown designs have plenty to look forward to.  

Stuart Parvin

International media attention will also be on the UK ’s only designer bridal exhibition, White Gallery London, which will be staged 22 - 24 May at Battersea Evolution, three weeks after Kate Middleton's marriage to Prince William, and organisers say the bridal fair is attracting even leading retailers from as far as Japan.  This could be due to the line up of important British designers such as Amanda Wakeley, David Fielden, Ian Stuart, Sassi Holford, Matthew Williamson, Stephanie Allin and Stewart Parvin.

According to Edwina Ehrman, Curator of Textiles and Fashion at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, and author of the book "TheWedding Dress- 300 years of Bridal Fashions", the bridal gown is not only about costume, but also about the cultivation of the image of the bride. So the designers' job is also to deliver that special image on the special day.

At the forthcoming White Gallery London show, Amanda Wakeley Sposa will be presenting fresh new shapes and contemporary, light fabrics with special details such as cord embroidery on the bodice of a satin gown, or a parachute hem to give a fresh twist to the traditional train; David Fielden will be showcasing his 25 signature gowns - structured yet soft, romantic and floaty in slinky satins; cut-out work and soft, fuller skirts with embellished bodices will be key features.  Ian Stuart will be showing a selection of classic elegant gowns, full skirted dresses with asymmetric tiered styles, luxe fabrics, brocade and taffeta with lace.


Matthew Williamson

Matthew Williamson will be launching the full bridal collection showcased for the first time ever in a glamorous catwalk show at White Gallery London.  Fong Ee, a spokesperson for the designer, said: ’Matthew Williamson Bridal is a natural extension of the mainline eveningwear; the pieces are characterised by a soft and feminine silhouette in richly-embellished luxurious fabrics. Elements of the designer’s signature style, fine embroidery and intricate beadwork, are central to the look. The personality of the collection encapsulates elegance and opulence and combines them with a bohemian spirit’.
Stewart Parvin will be presenting pretty embellishments and flowing light fabrics with fluid lines. Classic structured A-line dresses are key to the collection with lace and chiffon offering a contemporary take on traditional styles. Waistline detailing creates perfect silhouettes and look and feel ultra feminine.
Also showing will be stylist Charlie Brear who has brought together her years of experience in fashion to create The Vintage Wedding Dress Company, showcasing the Decades Collection which is a new range of vintage-inspired dresses, each capturing the essence of an era, from the 1900s through to the 1970s. With an unrivalled knowledge of vintage dresses Charlie has created a beautiful capsule collection of gowns each elegantly constructed using the silhouettes of past decades.

Ritva Westenius

Along with the old are the new.  This year, White Gallery London will introduce a small group of new UK wedding dress designers.  According to Event Director Alejandra Campos: “It is important that the industry recognises the names that will shape bridal in the years ahead. The high-voltage talents we have on board for White Gallery London are every bit as individual as they are exciting. It is thrilling that White Gallery London will help them on the next stage of the journey”.

To learn more about the evolution of the wedding dress, the book: "The Wedding Dress - 300 Years of Bridal Fashions" draws on wedding garments in the V&A's collection, photographs, letters, memoirs, newspaper accounts and genealogical research to explore the history of the wedding dress and the traditions that have developed around it from 1700 to the present day. It focuses on the white wedding dress which became fashionable in the early nineteenth century and is worn today by women across the world. The book considers the way couturiers and designers have challenged and refreshed the traditional white wedding dress and the influence of the wedding industry, whose antecedents lie in the commercialization of the wedding in Victorian Britain.  This book is a glorious tribute to an exquisite, stylish, glamorous gown, the romance of its evolution and the splendour of its design.

Sarah Burton to design Kate Middleton's Wedding Dress, it is rumoured!

While details of Kate Middleton's wedding dress is under wraps and is kept in strict confidence, it has being circulated in cyberspace that Sarah Burton, the creative director of Alexander McQueen, will be designing the most important dress in the future princess' life for the world to see.  According to fashion sources, the design of the dress would be a combination of Miss Middleton's own ideas and Mrs Burton's, who took over as creative director of the Alexander McQueen label after  McQueen's suicide last year.  If the news is true, it will one amazing prize for any designer of the century.
Mrs. Burton's womenswear collection for the McQueen label was presented at the September 2010 Paris Fashion Week after she took over the creative post from her sadly departed mentor, and was praised for her unique feminine style.

Gok Wan to launch new collection for Sainsbury's

In view of many home-makers' need to economise on their limited time, many families shop for non-food items such as clothes and home wares in supermarkets, such as Sainsbury's whose Tu fashion label is growing rapidly. According to Verdict Research, over the past five years, Sainsbur'sy has seen its share of the UK £9.9bn value fashion market more than treble.  Its share has risen from 1.8% to 5.9%.
Sainsbury's has now announced a new partnership with TV personality and style guru Gok Wan who will create a number of womenswear collections for the supermarket, with the first due to hit the shelves this autumn.

Gok Wan's claim to fame was his successful TV programme - How to Look Good Naked.  Now he's trying to make women look good dressed.  According to Gok, the collections will reflect his philosophy of making women feel confident, stylish and positive about their bodies, whatever their size or shape.
Gok Wan said: "I can't wait to get started; this is a first for me. While I've styled thousands of women over the years, soon millions of women are going to be able to wear something I've created."

Luke Jensen, Sainsbury's non-food managing director, said: "TU clothing has become a major growth area for Sainsbury's, based on the concept of delivering style and quality, at affordable prices."

"Over the next few years we will continue to dedicate more space to clothing, with new store openings and the development of existing sites. As we continue to grow and expand our ranges, we're delighted to bring Gok's unique talent, as a democratiser of style and fashion, to our millions of customers. We're looking forward to working with Gok and to learning new ways to make our shoppers look and feel fantastic," said Jensen.
Sainsbury's launched its Tu clothing range in September 2004. The brand now accounts for 3% of all clothing, footwear and accessory sales in the UK , spanning womenswear, menswear and childrenswear, according to Kantar Worldpanel National Household Ratings,  - 24 week data ending 26 December 2010.

Luxury goods market in Asia continues to grow

The global luxury goods market is forecasted to reach the value of US$499.3bn in 2015, compared to US$320.5bn in 2010, according to retail intelligence research firm Verdict, which reveals that the market is driven by rising expenditure on luxury goods in Asia Pacific and growing investment in e-commerce.  In the recent report, Verdict said the global luxury goods market is poised for further expansion, after shrinking in 2009, driven by particularly strong growth in the Asia Pacific region.


Ferragamo

 It is in this climate that news emerged yesterday, that the Florence-based Ferragamo group has sold eight percent of its luxury clothing brand - Salvatore Ferragamo - to to Hong Kong businessman Peter Woo and his family.  The group also said it would increase its "equity interest in the Ferragamo group's distribution companies based in the Greater China (covering Hong Kong, China, Taiwan and Macau)" from the current 50 percent (60 percent for Macau) to 75 percent in January 2013.

The announcements represented "significant developments involving (Ferragamo's) long-standing relationships with the Chinese world", and with the Woo family, which has been its partner in Greater China for over 20 years.  Woo, who's also chairman of the Wheelock and the Wharf Holdings Limited, with  vast property investments in Hong Kong and China, also owns the privately-held, high-end luxury retail group LCJG, which includes the presitigious Lane Crawford luxury fashion chain store and the premier fashion house, Joyce.

Hong Kong - where high earners have an insatiable appetite for high-end luxury goods
Photo by Lucia Carpio

The Ferragamo group opened its first Hong Kong store in 1986 and the first in mainland China in 1994. The Ferragamo distribution network now has over 90 points of sale in Greater China, almost half of which are directly operated, it said.  Signor Ferruccio Ferragamo, head of Salvatore Ferragamo Italian Spa, said he hoped the new developments would strengthen the Italian group's presence "in a key area of the luxury business for the third millennium," signalling a long-term vision of the group, at a time when China has developed an appetite for luxury goods that seems insatiable.

According to a recent survey by market research firm Synovate, Hong Kong leads in the region in luxury spending even during the economic downturn.  Among the findings of the survey, Hong Kong’s high earners were the most likely to own jewellery items worth more than US$1,000 (32.5 per cent) and a luxury watch of the same value (28.8 per cent). They are also most likely to spend on designer clothes and leather goods worth US$1,000 or more (16.1 per cent) and to buy luxury accessories and footwear. In the 2010 study, Synovate tracked media and digital consumption, prosperity and influence across 11 markets: Australia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand.

John Galliano has fallen from the pinacle of his profession!

The  news today that John Galliano has been sacked by the French fashion powerhouse, Christian Dior , where he had been for over a decade its creative director, folllowing mounting allegations that the designer originally from London had made anti-Semitic remarks on various occasions in Paris alledgedly made while in a drunken state, has sent shocking waves across the world of fashion, just on the eve of Paris Fashion Week.  This is the week when fashionistas around the planet descend onto Paris to view the Autumn/winter 2011 collections from the top fashion houses, following New York, London and Milan.  Dior's own runway show is scheduled for this Friday, susposedly followed by Galliano's own brand runway show (the brand is also owned by Dior) on Sunday.  This is the same week also when the UK Fashion & Textiles (UKFT) reports a record of 290 British designers are also showing in Paris.
In a brief statement, Dior said because of the “odious behavior” of Galliano portrayed in the video circulated on the internet that Dior has started proceedings to fire him.  Sidney Toledano, Dior’s president and chief executive officer, said the comments made by John Galliano were in total contradiction to the longstanding core values of Christian Dior.

Galliano's rise to fame has been remarkable but his fall from grace has been astonishing, hastened by the video release yesterday on a British tabloid website. Galliano joined Dior in 1996 after a year with Givenchy and was often referred to as the genius who rescued the house of Dior.  These recent allegations have possibly exposed a designer who seems to have acted irrationally and thus raise in our minds many questions.  Why has someone who has been living in a privilege world of high fashion, whose creativity has been admired or even adored by followers around the world, could allow himself to descent into such a state?    It is also a shame that Galliano 's comments caught on cyber space has allowed himself to be "sentenced" even before being tried in court.  People who have lived their lives in the limelight, including politicians and movie stars, need to be aware of the impact their words and actions have on society today.  To coin a phrase from the first Spiderman movie, with power comes responsibility.
Now what will happen to the signature brand, the perfume, the clothes, the jeanswear, the childrenswear and accessories, and what will happen to the man himself?  I can't help but feel sad for the fallen genius of our generation.