HRQ22

Sorry guys been away for a while

Fri, 12 Oct 2012 04:17:00 -0400

(vievenne westwood spring 2013)

Been away for a while and just haven’t had time to post anything on:(, however i’m back now and will be updating you with the new trends for spring 2013 yeeaahhh!! lol. (so chech my page Qtrend analysis)

Also I’ll be updating about the art and design galleries have recently visted and how and the very iunterestin things have i’m learnin on my foundation degree course in art and design.

SO WATCH THIS SPACE!! lol

publicschoolnyc: CFDA AWARDS BEHIND THE SCENES: “SHE IS READY”...

Thu, 28 Jun 2012 11:44:50 -0400

publicschoolnyc:

CFDA AWARDS BEHIND THE SCENES: “SHE IS READY” w/ Edita Vilkeviciute. Photos by @WilliamYan mmm this is soo hot so up my street

Dark but sexy and still YSL!

Fri, 22 Jun 2012 16:05:15 -0400

Dark but sexy and still YSL!

Photo

Fri, 22 Jun 2012 16:00:00 -0400

Photo

Fri, 22 Jun 2012 15:59:00 -0400

Photo

Fri, 22 Jun 2012 15:57:00 -0400

Ethiopia's ENZI footwear

Fri, 22 Jun 2012 15:46:30 -0400

I was recently in Ethiopia for the Origin Africa event and on top of having a fantastic cultural experience and history lesson (Addis Ababa is truly an amazing city) I also had the pleasure to hang out with the lovely guys from ENZI Footwear firstly over an ‘interesting’ shared plate of chips at Lime Tree Cafe and then out to Club H20, dancing to the sounds of DJ Edu representing with Afrobeats, old school R’n’B and Ragga – yep Ethiopians know how to party especially to their reggae to my delight (unshamedly my inner Jamaican heritage erupted into dance).

I had heard about this new African based shoe brand who use the highest available grade of Ethiopian cow, sheep and goat leather. on my network ‘radar’ and so made it part of my heaving schedule to meet up with them and get to know the minds behind the company and the aims and design innovations of this upcoming footwear label.

So with a vision to “..change the perception of Africa and develop its manufacturing capacity through the production of high quality and well designed footwear while maintaining a commitment to social and environmental responsibility”, and with their London launch looming this coming Thursday, I would like to introduce to you Azariah, Jawad, Sam and Christian of ENZI Footwear.

AFG: With such an inspiring vision please tell us just how did Enzi Footwear get started.

Enzi: ENZI was officially established last year, but the idea and been in the minds of co-founder Jawad and Azariah for nearly 11 years now.

Azariah: It was mostly birthed out of frustration. Jawad and I grew up together in Kenya and after graduating from high school we went our separate ways (Jawad to England, and myself to the USA) to continue our education. The ignorant perceptions we both encountered in the “West” deeply frustrated us. It’s a story almost any African living abroad can relate to you, the offensive questions, jokes that aren’t funny and assumptions that formed from a 30 second news clip.

A few years into our studies we met back in Kenya during a summer break with several other classmates, and almost all of us experienced the same frustrations. There was a difficult balancing act Be African, but don’t act African, that some of us had to manage if we wanted to be accepted socially in our new environments. It never felt right. So this group of former classmates started talking about how amazing it would be to start a brand that represented us, and the Africa we were proud of, something to challenge the stereotypes and that would an external reflection of your inner pride. We had no idea how we’d do this, in fact we didn’t even have name, but passionate discussion began nonetheless.

image courtesy of ENZI Footwear

Enzi: The real vision for ENZI began years down the road when Jawad and I were living together in London. Over the next two years of living together we formulated what type of brand we wanted to create, and what the mission would be. A few years later I had moved to Ethiopia, and Jawad came to visit me and we discovered Ethiopia’s amazing leather. It took a little over a year of R&D to settle on our local partners, and once we had that in place we reached out to our business partners Sam Imende and Christian Ward.

Sam is a childhood friend who grew up with Jawad and Azariah. Christian is also a long time friend, and the relationship between us has been invaluable in our business development. We do have organizational structure (Sam – CEO, Christian CFO, Jawad Head of Design and Development, and Azariah COO) but apart from Jawad’s lead in designing, all our roles overlap to a large degree. We try to operate as stakeholders rather than employees. Everyone does their best to tackle whatever task is in front of them.

AFG: Why was it started?

Enzi: As we were coming up with the concept, we started to see other brands coming to Africa to produce footwear. We thought to ourselves “if they are doing it, why can’t we?” It was really that simple. Yet we didn’t want to create a “pity product”. If we were going to tackle the negative perceptions associated with our continent we knew we had to create a high-end product that could stand toe to toe with well-respected brands on the market. We knew we would have access to some amazing leather, but we wanted to make sure we created an aesthetically pleasing shoe with an emphasis on craft. It took time to find a local partner we could do this with, but once we did we really began to take the steps to launch the company.

AFG: We spoke about the background of the logo you use. Can you describe this again for our readers what it means and where it came from?

Enzi: We LOVE our logo! It is inspired by a full stop in Amharic, a language that dates back to biblical times and is also the national language of Ethiopia. The same way a period comes at the end of a complete thought or sentence, our logo is the mark of a complete creative process. It’s our mark of quality and completion. We love the logo not only because we think it looks cool, but it’s inspired by the deep and rich history of Africa.

image courtesy of ENZI Footwear

AFG: You proudly promote Made in Ethiopia as the country of production for your shoes how important is this for the brand?

Enzi: The label “Made in Africa” can be annoying. You never see a product that said, “Made in Asia” or “Made in Europe” on the tag. It says “Made in China” or “Made in Germany”. Why shouldn’t we receive the same distinction with our products? We do recognize ourselves as an African brand, but we are also are very aware of how often people refer to Africa as if it were one large country. The heart of our vision is to change people’s misconceptions of Africa, and we feel that being specific about where are products are made we do that in a small way. As we expand our production in the region we will continue to recognize the country and people who are making the products. We have already begun integrating artisan designs from Kenya and talking to textile manufactures in Uganda. Each country has unique offerings that will help us build our brand and we want to communicate that to the market.

AFG: Do you then source and produce everything locally? And how ethical is your sourcing and materials you use too?

Enzi: To be honest we haven’t been able to source everything locally. Our goal when we started was to source everything locally and produce a completely eco-friendly shoe. We were very ambitious, and perhaps a little naïve when we started this process. It is still our passion, and our vision to do so in the future. In fact, part of what has taken us so long to launch our product has been our reluctance to compromise on our sourcing and environmental impact. We are hoping that as we grow and work with local partners we can place orders that are large enough to fit into a leather tanneries production cycle. In the end we realized that our first mission was to change perceptions, and we felt we couldn’t compromise the look or quality of the shoe to do this. As we work with local partners, and as we grow will be able to do so without compromising.

Deola Sagoe

Fri, 22 Jun 2012 15:39:40 -0400

Deola Sagoe has built up a hard reputation as a brand to be reckoned with. Its branding speaks elegance, exclusivity and elite-ness (does this word exist even?! Well, I am adding it to the vocabulary now!), as seen in their product pricing (how about spending £1,696 on a dress? Yes, I may be able to read your mind and I am sure it says E X P E N S I V E!). Their product quality, the attitude of the designer & brand (you don’t see them everywhere and they don’t just feature in any type of event or publication!) and also their point of sale. Their flagship store in Ajose Adeogun Street in Victoria Island, Lagos which is very airy, light, glass made and clutter free contemporary space – just what you would imagine/expect of a brand of such calibre.

1) Look:

On first impression at Deola Sagoe, I expected a more exclusive, elegant and a newer image to welcome me rather than the outdated one that is presently on the homepage. After entering the site, I was then not sure about where to click next as I was bombarded with different mish-mashed images representing different information points on the website. Where is the exclusive brand continuity I begin to ask myself? Surely this is a misleading representation of their brand’s image?

The David Tlale bio speaks about priding itself on challenging mediocrity however on first impression, the website could definitely be more appealing. The 2 tone black and gold colours are not so bad…they are very masculine and sure speaks about the power, position and strength of the brand. Nevertheless, the images portrayed could’ve been visually more fluid and beautiful representing the elaborate and haute couture pieces that the David Tlale brand has come to be associated with.

image copyright David Tlale

On the other hand, the Jewel by Lisa new look website vividly displays the brand’s vintage inspired Spring/Summer collection. It is a postcard/gateway to the good old days gone by which is what the collection promotes; unique pieces reminiscing the days where fashionistas wore unique items to create their own fashion statement. The JBL brand has excellently recognised the importance of “visual” display in a fashion website and they are using this to maximise the image and position of their brand.

2) Relevancy:

Do the sites have what its customers could be looking for? Okay so let’s imagine, what would a customer be looking for? Information about a new collection (look book) perhaps? A designer bio? A progress report on what the brand is doing behind the scenes, which is a way of keeping a brand constant in the minds of an audience (blog)? A point of sale address (plus any stockists information) and contact details of the store and the team behind the brand?

What is then presented?

Do the sites have what its customers could be looking for? Okay so let’s imagine, what would a customer be looking for? 1) Information about a new collection (look book) perhaps? 2) A designer bio? 3) A progress report on what the brand is doing behind the scenes, which is a way of keeping a brand constant in the minds of an audience (blog)? 4) A point of sale address (plus any stockists information) and contact details of the store and the team behind the brand?

http://www.africafashionguide.com/2012/06/fashion-africa-brand-analysis-what-does-your-website-say-about-you/

What is then presented?

For Deola Sagoe, a badly presented lookbook/collection section which is clearly not easy at all to locate, too many pictures of the designer with no clear relevancy on the bio page, the address of the store which is also very difficult to view (is it my browser?) because it overlaps with the images presented of the store and to top it up, no contact information for the Deaola Sagoe team! The blog is outdated with a post on “Clan” (the head designer’s daughters’ new label) written in October 4, 2011. The question that pops up in my head is does Deola Sagoe now want to be hip and hop or exclusive and elite? I was confused as to why they would feature ”Clan” on their blog albeit I understand the label is founded by the head designer’s daughters.

Okay, so let’s move on! My next question was how would a would-be customer get in touch with the brand as this is not on their website? Is this information left out because they are trying to maintain their exclusivity? Are they very comfortable with the clients they have that they no longer need more? Plus, is nothing going on behind the scenes at house of Deola Sagoe worth reporting to us about? Too many confusing messages sent out to the audience!

Borawear: The fashion house with a difference

Fri, 22 Jun 2012 15:35:52 -0400

It’s not rare for Kenyans who’ve traveled abroad to want to come back home after they complete their studies or make enough money, but it’s quite odd for a person born in America to Kenyan parents to want to return. For James Muna, that’s exactly the case and the sooner he moves back ‘home’, the better.

“When I’m in America I’m the Kenyan guy, but when I’m in Kenya I’m the American guy so that’s always tough. People are always making fun of me in Kenya because I don’t speak three or four languages,” Muna said.

He returned to Kenya after his junior year for an eight week internship at the International Livestock Research Institute, but he felt it was a waste of time because he was under utilized.

“For seven of those eight weeks I was sitting in my office running regressions on my computer,” he explained. “I was in Nairobi and I kept thinking, ‘I could be doing this in the States, so what’s the point of being here right now?’” he added. While in Kenya for his internship, he received some unexpected inspiration from his aunt and uncle who run a residential development firm. “When I was out there I saw them building a lot of homes and employing a lot of people and that’s when I started thinking of entrepreneurship as a career,” he revealed.

With entrepreneurship on his mind, he returned for his senior year at Cornell and started his own fashion company called Borawear.

“The original idea was that it would be a graphic t-shirt company with the theme of ‘Africa redefined’ because the only images that the West really see’s of Africa is poor children sitting in sewage with flies all over their faces,” he explained. “I’m not saying that those images don’t exist in Africa, but there’s more to Africa than those trite images that we’re shown all the time,” he added.

He graduated from Cornell University in May 2012 with a degree in economics and a minor in international relations, but he decided not to apply for any jobs, opting to pursue his dreams of being an entrepreneur. Muna said that he’s been working on Borawear for the last seven months after he got an idea in his room one night to cut up a kikoi and shuka that were lying around and turn them into t-shirts.

“I asked some friends what they thought of it and they loved it,” he said. “It was just me and my sewing machine and the first month I did $20 (Sh1,707) in sales, the second month I did $40 (Sh3,415) in sales, but in April I did like $700 (Sh59,762) in sales,” he revealed.

With the sudden success of Borawear starting to earn him a profit, Muna began to realize the potential for the business and determined that he wanted it to be made in Kenya by Kenyans because “the power of the movement is really in employing others”. “We’re employing HIV positive women in Embu to make the shirts and then we’ll sell the shirts here in America and part of the proceeds will go to an orphanage in Embu for HIV positive children called Toto Love,” he explained.

“It’s just a men’s wear line at the moment but the whole idea is to empower people through the apparel, not in some cheap marketing way, but by providing these women with employment and by helping the children at the orphanage,” he added.

He chose to begin production for Borawear in Embu, a town located on the southeastern slopes of Mount Kenya, because that’s where his parents were raised and much of his extended family still lives in the region. Muna has launched a website, www.borawear.com, which features a quick video explaining the brand and what he’s trying to accomplish, while showcasing what the new clothes will look like.

http://www.africafashionguide.com/2012/06/borawear-the-fashion-house-with-a-difference/

Savile Row tailors open doors into exclusive world

Fri, 22 Jun 2012 15:30:23 -0400

But don’t expect him to start dishing out the gossip, because absolute discretion is a professional hallmark of the tailors on Savile Row in London, whose customers over some two centuries of service stretch from famed military hero Horatio Nelson to Michael Jackson and Britain’s Prince William.

The now master cutter at Dege & Skinner collected one of his most favorite anecdotes at the tender age of 18, when he was given the task of dressing then British Prime Minister Winston Churchill for Queen Elizabeth’s 1953 coronation.

“It was an amazing thing…being at Westminster Abbey and actually having to dress the great man,” Skinner told Reuters on a visit to the Row in honor of London’s first ever standalone event for men’s fashion over the weekend.

Skinner has spent a lifetime on Savile Row, a street known around the world for the bespoke clothing made by a handful of traditional firms such as Dege & Skinner, Gieves & Hawkes, H. Huntsman & Sons and Henry Poole & Co as well as modern designers like Ozwald Boateng and E. Tautz.

The Beatles, Michael Jackson, Queen Elizabeth as well as Admiral Horatio Nelson and the man who defeated Napoleon at Waterloo, the Duke of Wellington, have all had clothes, robes, suits and military uniforms from the tailors gathered here.

Skinner who runs one of the last remaining family-owned businesses left on Savile Row with his son William, opened their showrooms and workshops to the public as part of last weekend’s first London Collections Men fashion event.

“We’re not a sort of hocus pocus bunch of people behind frosted windows. We’re actually pretty decent people who do a pretty decent job doing our damnedest to make really nice clothes and that’s what gives us the buzz,” Skinner said.

“It is exciting to be part of the fashion week and to showcase Savile Row and what we do as a trade in terms of the craft industry, making clothes in the time-honored fashion for the individual,” William Skinner said.

Two-piece suits from the country’s top craftsmen in men’s clothing start from 3,000 pounds ($4,719), but customers who may be daunted by the eye-watering prices for bespoke clothing from a Savile Row tailor have some options.

Dege & Skinner provides many alternative methods of payment to encourage people to buy on Savile Row, added Michael Skinner.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/06/20/us-fashion-britain-savilerow-idUKBRE85J0RM20120620

Cheap, Chic, And Made For All: How Uniqlo Plans To Take Over Casual Fashion

Fri, 22 Jun 2012 15:26:11 -0400

Uniqlo is gaining on Zara, H&M, and Gap as the world’s king of casual clothing. But can Tadashi Yanai ride toasty, dry underwear to $50 billion in revenue by 2020?

BY JEFF CHU | JUNE 18, 2012

Uniqlo founder Yanai uses design and technology to improve upon classic American sportswear—and now he wants to sell it back to Americans. | PHOTO BY KAREEM BLACK

On a drizzly Wednesday afternoon in Tokyo, Tadashi Yanai is hunting for hamburgers. We’re in the Tokyo Midtown mall, speed-walking through a brightly lit Uniqlo store—one of 1,100 in the global clothing chain he has built over the past 30 years.

“A hamburger can have just a patty only,” Yanai had told me a few minutes earlier, 31 stories upstairs in his office. “Or maybe it has pickles or lettuce! You may want ketchup or mustard—you name it!—depending on your taste. You definitely want more than buns and patty. Only then can you have a great hamburger.”

I don’t think we’re headed to the food court. Yanai, who can speak in koans, is talking about Uniqlo’s proletarian sportswear, which is all around us.

“Too often, we have tended to fall into a trap of creating plain hamburgers.” Yanai zeroes in on a lumpen gray sweatsuit, a 1,490-yen ($20) example of what to wear if you want to void all attractiveness on your person. “This,” he says almost triumphantly, “is a plain hamburger. It’s got nothing. You see no trace of a design commitment. We are probably selling it because it sold well last year.” He pauses, and then looks at me. “Would you wear it?”

“No,” I say. “Would you?”

“Of course not!” he says. “And my point is that I’m still not satisfied with it. It’s still not finished.”

I ask him to show me a once-plain hamburger that’s been transformed. He thinks for a moment and then darts to a corner of the store that, from afar, looks like a Pantone color grid and, up close, is a set of cubbyholes packed with socks. “We started out with a few different colors,” he says, “but then we came up with this crazy idea: Why not 50 colors instead of 10?” The rainbow of hosiery is at least a Five Guys burger.

The best example of a hamburger transformed may be Uniqlo itself. Fifteen years ago, it was, according to one Uniqlo exec, “like the Old Navy of Japan, but not as nice.” Uniqlo didn’t even have a Tokyo store. Today, it sells socks, underwear, T-shirts, jeans, blazers, and dresses in 12 countries. Despite that sweatsuit, it has appeared on innumerable fashion hot lists, having scored much-praised collaborations with designers including Jil Sander and Charlotte Ronson. It offers perhaps the most technologically advanced textiles of any mass-market retailer in the world. And the results have been dramatic: In fiscal 2012, Uniqlo is expected to tally about $10 billion in revenue and $1.5 billion in profit, making it the world’s fourth-largest clothing retailer, after Zara, H&M, and Gap.

None of this is enough to satisfy Yanai. By 2020, he wants to quintuple Uniqlo’s worldwide revenue. He is aggressively exporting Uniqlo’s everyman, everywoman, and everychild style around the globe. In June, Uniqlo opened its first store in the Philippines. Next up: Indonesia, Vietnam, and, later, India. “This is the big flow of history,” he says of his expansion into Asia and his wooing of its burgeoning middle class.

“AMERICA, FOR ME, IS THE COUNTRY WHERE, IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING GREAT TO OFFER, YOU’LL BE VALUED HIGHLY,” SAYS UNIQLO FOUNDER YANAI, WHO GREW UP IN OCCUPIED JAPAN PINING FOR THE U.S.A.

At the same time, Yanai sees the United States—whose middle class, like Japan’s, is a bit woebegone—as a major opportunity for both growth and validation. “America, for me, is the country where, if you have something great to offer, you’ll be valued highly,” he says. Today, the company has just three U.S. stores, all in Manhattan. Within eight years, Uniqlo intends to have more than 200, bringing in at least $10 billion in stateside revenue. Not only is that more than Uniqlo’s current worldwide sales, but it’s also about triple the revenue of the current American market leader, Gap, with its 900-plus stores.

Put another way, Tadashi Yanai is very, very hungry.

http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/167/uniqlo-tadashi-yanai

Doo-Ri Chung Is Leaving Doo.Ri the Label

Fri, 22 Jun 2012 15:08:00 -0400

Much like Simon Spurr’s mysterious exit from his eponymous label in March, Chung is departing from the brand she founded in 2001, without explanation (yet). WWD has few details, other than a quote from the Tharanco Group, Doo.Ri’s owner, who “wishes Chung well in all her future endeavors.” Also:

Market sources said that, while a sale of the firm is a possibility, the trend is for firms to shift to a licensing model, one that could work for the Doo.Ri brand.

Chung just came off a pretty good year, partnering with Macy’s Impulse (“I was really flattered and pretty shocked, honestly, since my customer is so different from theirs. I’ve never had the opportunity to do something with such wide appeal and distribution, so it’s a huge deal for me,” she told The Cut last October) and dressing Michelle Obama for a state dinner honoring South Korea.

http://nymag.com/daily/fashion/2012/06/doo-ri-chung-is-leaving-doori-the-label.html

Of Course Pierre Bergé Is Thrilled With YSL’s New Name

Fri, 22 Jun 2012 15:06:00 -0400

Former Yves Saint Laurent CEO Pierre Bergé is tickled pink by all the changes that new creative director Hedi Slimane is making to the label, including its name change to Saint Laurent Paris. This might come as a surprise, since he normally hates what anyone who isn’t Yves Saint Laurent — his partner in business and life — creates for the brand (he vocally denounced the work of both Tom Ford and Stefano Pilati). But, in this case, his endorsement makes some sense, since Slimane’s rebranding strategy involves reverting the label’s aesthetic, including fonts and other details, back to the way it was in 1966 — the late designer’s heyday. Bergé tells WWD:

I’m very happy. Anything that makes the house more Saint Laurent is welcome … I am happy that Stefano Pilati is gone, just as I was happy when Tom Ford left.

He’s not even upset that Slimane has made what some consider a blasphemous decision to work out of Los Angeles instead of Paris, because, in the end, who cares as long as the designs look good: “The creative studio is in a designer’s head, it resides within the person,” he said. “Hedi lives in Los Angeles. He should be left to do fashion in a city he likes.”

Although Slimane’s first collections, women’s resort and men’s spring 2013,won’t be shown to press (they’ll be revealed to buyers only from June 28 to July 4 at the Grand Palais in Paris), he’s apparently already casting models for his much-anticipated runway debut this fall and has secured a few exclusives.

http://nymag.com/daily/fashion/2012/06/pierre-berge-is-thrilled-with-ysls-new-name.html

Saint Laurent Paris

Fri, 22 Jun 2012 14:59:55 -0400

ELLA ALEXANDER

21 June 2012

HEDI SLIMANE is changing the name of Yves Saint Laurent to Saint Laurent Paris as part of his makeover for the label. Slimane took over from Stefano Pilati as the fashion house’s new creative director in March this year.

READ HEDI SLIMANE’S LIFE STORY

The new name is expected to be introduced in the coming months and should be implemented by the time Slimane’s debut spring/summer 2013 collection lands in stores, WWD reports. The designer will use the same font and nomenclature that the label’s eponymous founder first used when he launched his ready-to-wear line in 1966, then called Saint Laurent Rive Gauche.

A spokesperson for the label told WWD that Slimane will use the house’s “original branding” in order to restore “the house to its truth, purity and essence - and taking it into a new era”, while “respecting the original principles and ideals”. The brand’s logo will also remain the same.

Slimane’s debut pre spring/summer 2013 collection will be shown to a small group of buyers imminently, while his first catwalk show will be unveiled during Paris Fashion Week - which starts on September 25 and finishes October 3.

http://www.vogue.co.uk/news/2012/06/21/yves-saint-laurent-renamed—-saint-laurent-paris

Saunders’ New Man?

Fri, 22 Jun 2012 14:58:14 -0400

ELLA ALEXANDER

22 June 2012

JONATHAN SAUNDERS could soon have a new celebrity client in the form of Johnny Depp.

“His stylist went crazy for them when he saw our menswear in LA,” Saunders told us. “I love the way he dresses - he always looks great. He’s a little bit wacky - I like that.”

Saunders, although best known for his beautifully-printed, colourful, feminine womenswear, showcased his spring/summer 2013 menswear collection at London Collections: Men last weekend to much critical acclaim.

“It was phenomenal,” said Saunders. “I’ve never had so much great feedback. It was really nice to do a presentation - I love doing shows, but when you do a presentation, it feels much more about the clothes. It’s all still in its infancy, but I love wearing it. What I do translates to menswear quite simply. It’s nice to come at what I do in a more subtle way. That what men want - it’s a subtle approachto colour combinations.”

SEE SAUNDERS’ LATEST MENSWEAR COLLECTION

Back to womenswear, the Scottish designer is currently working on his spring/summer 2013 collection and, he says, we can see a hint of what’s to come in his recently-unveiled pre spring/summer 2013 offering.

“This graphic modernity will be quite key,” he said. “There will be a colder palette of colours and it’ll be quite light. It’ll be tighter in terms of message.”

SEE SAUNDERS’ RESORT COLLECTION HERE

Saunders says that the resort collections are becoming increasingly important to his label.

“Commercially, they’re vital to the growth of the business,” he said. “I love the process of it and how it really makes me think about the customer’s wardrobe. It really opens your customer bracket up.”

Does he have any advice for what we should all be wearing this summer?

“A sweater and a skirt,” he said. “And don’t be afraid to mix and match your prints. Team browns with brights and then maybe a few basketweave prints.”

http://www.vogue.co.uk/news/2012/06/22/jonathan-saunders-resort-and-menswear-interview

Dior Preview

Fri, 22 Jun 2012 14:56:27 -0400

JESSICA BUMPUS

22 June 2012

“EXCITING, beautiful and new” - this is what we can expect from Raf Simons and his debutChristian Dior collection (couture, no less), according to master milliner Stephen Jones. And he should know, for he’s the man making the hats for what is easily one of the most-long awaited collections of the year, following Simons’ appointment to the house back in April of this year.

STEPHEN JONES TALKS RAF SIMONS’ DIOR ON VOGUETV

SEE THE CHRISTIAN DIOR SHOW ARCHIVE

“His aesthetic is informing what I do. I’m very excited,” said Jones yesterday at Royal Ascot. “He telephoned and asked me. I’ve known him on and off for years and people had kept saying we needed to get together and eventually, yes, now we’re working together and on the biggest stage in the world.”

SEE WHO WAS AT ROYAL ASCOT 2012

Christian Dior couture shows have always heralded a huge sense of excitement in the fashion calendar - for the drama that John Galliano ( the former creative director who was dismissed from the label in March 2011), instilled and consequently the journey the label has been on ever since. Bill Gaytten, Galliano’s right-hand man, led the design helm following the disgraced designer’s departure, though his first couture collection was greeted with mixed reviews.

SEE THE COLLECTION HERE

So what of Simons’ couture offering?

“That’s so top secret, I can’t even give you a hint,” said Jones, staying suitably tight-lipped when questioned further.

http://www.vogue.co.uk/news/2012/06/22/stephen-jones-on-raf-simons-dior-couture-show

Milan Menswear Begins

Fri, 22 Jun 2012 14:53:41 -0400

ELLA ALEXANDER

22 June 2012

MILAN Menswear Fashion Week kicks off tomorrow, starting with its most highly-anticipated show - Jil Sander, when the label’s eponymous founder will show her first collectionsince she decided to return to her brand in February this year. It is the third time the German designer has worked at the house since its beginnings in 1973.

READ THE JIL SANDER STORY IN FULL

Sander will be followed by Marni, Dolce & Gabbana (although, sadly, we’ve been told that the label’s muse, David Gandy, won’t be making a catwalk appearance this season), Burberry and Versace on Saturday, while Sunday’s highlights will include Bottega Veneta, Calvin Klein Collection, Prada and Roberto Cavalli. With Prada having recruited last season’s star catwalk models (including Gary Oldman, Willem Dafoe and Jamie Bell) as its current campaign faces, we’ll be watching carefully to see who makes this season’s show line-up.

SEE THE LATEST MENSWEAR SHOWS

The schedule will continue on Monday, with new spring/summer 2013 offerings from Emporio Armani, Gucci, Etro and Alexander McQueen. Tuesday will wrap up the week’s collections with Giorgio Armani and Marc Jacobs, before the action moves to Paris on Wednesday. For the first time ever, menswear season began in London this year, with the inaugural London Collections: Men last weekend.

SEE ALL THE ACTION HERE

As well as being an excuse to gaze at the world’s most handsome men, the menswear shows are a chance to predict what we might expect from this autumn’s womenswear collections - so make sure you stay tuned to see the latest offerings as soon as they arrive. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook to make sure you don’t miss out on this weekend’s key shows.

http://www.vogue.co.uk/news/2012/06/22/milan-menswear-fashion-week-begins

wgsn: Alberto Murtra styles Lily Cole in Damon Baker’s tribute...

Fri, 22 Jun 2012 13:25:31 -0400

wgsn:

Alberto Murtra styles Lily Cole in Damon Baker’s tribute to fashion individuality and London for El Pais’ S Moda June issue. The accompanying article features quotes from our WGSN Youth Think Tank editor Laura-Jane Preston. I really want these Dr.martins trying to save up! lol

wgsn: More yellow and blue styling from Pitti Uomo, mixing...

Fri, 22 Jun 2012 13:23:32 -0400

wgsn:

More yellow and blue styling from Pitti Uomo, mixing cobalt blue houndstooth check suiting with a banana yellow belt, and another great pair of wingtips. These pants are too tight lol!

wgsn: Umbrellas as a chic accessory seem to be a...

Sun, 17 Jun 2012 14:58:38 -0400

wgsn:

Umbrellas as a chic accessory seem to be a recurring theme at London Collections: Men, perfectly modelled here. personally i’m not a fan on guys who wear skinny jeans but its a cute look here.