Lisa Dengler
Jess A
Kellen Hofer
Weronika Kumanek
Mikko Puttonen
Increasing pollution from vehicles and industrial units, deforestation, excessive use of chemicals, plastic, metals and other non-biodegradable material, expanding landfill sites are leaving devastating impacts on the environment.
This has intensified the need to minimize the environmental damages and make the earth a better place to live not only for the present generations but also for the future generations to come.
Fashion Industry is one of the most polluting industries in the world. It is the second largest water-consumer of all the industries of the world.
An interesting area of research is to emancipate the role of technology integration in the fashion industry and its contribution in the emergence of an ethical and green fashion value-chain.
The intervention of green technology in the fashion industry is bringing forth various aspects such as green material, green design, green manufacturing, green transportation, green retail, and green post-consumer management and so on.
These concepts have relevance to various key areas in the fashion value chain where eco-friendly technology and alternate solutions can replace the conventional methods.
The coming years are going to witness integration of green technology in various stages from fibre to fabric, from raw material to the finished fashion goods.
This will encompass the whole value-chain from across, farming, sourcing, designing, manufacturing aspects and manufacturer to retailer and finally to the consumer covering the warehousing, ordering, transportation, retailing, consuming and post-consumer management.
Between Fragrance, Beauty, Fashion and Accessories, the story of Vanessa Paradis and the House of Chanel continues. Karl Lagerfeld has been won over by this well-rounded artist; Vanessa Paradis moves with ease from actress, to singer, to composer.
The artist and the designer have enjoyed a long friendship, and benefitted from numerous collaborations, beginning in 2004 with the “Cambon” leather goods ad campaign, followed by “New Mademoiselle” in 2005. Most recently, Vanessa Paradis brought her musical talents to the Cabaret Chanel Club, during the “Paris-Shanghai” show in December 2009.
In a new campaign coming this May, Vanessa Paradis, ambassadress for Chanel Fashion, will be the face of the Coco Cocoon. Karl Lagerfeld has photographed the actress-singer in his campaign for the leather goods line, which has been enriched with several new designs this spring. The campaign will feature images that highlight the actress’ style, characterized by her blend of subtle audaciousness and fragility.
Fila and ATP World Tour tennis star James Blake debuted the second season of their co-branded Thomas Reynolds by Fila men’s tennis apparel line at the 2010 Australian Open. Inspired by Blake’s contemporary sports lifestyle and keen sense of style, the expanded Spring 2010 collection includes men’s training apparel.
Blake debuted the new collection during his first match at the Australian Open, a hot, challenging environment ideal for displaying the excellent performance characteristics of the Thomas Reynolds by Fila collection. The versatile line will carry Blake through the US sweep of the ATP World Tour calendar including the Fila sponsored BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, CA and Sony Ericsson Open in Miami, FL.
Blake collaborated once again with Fila’s international design team to develop a collection that embraces both the heritage of the Fila brand and Blake’s own signature look that has strong emotional ties to the styles worn by his father the lines namesake. Blake subtly blends this authentic and personal commitment into his designs, such as adding a reflective heat seal to the sublimated Crewneck shirt as a nod to his father’s professional career at 3M. Consistent with Blake’s desire for transitional flexibility from court to a night out, the silhouettes, lines, and designs of the Thomas Reynolds collection are imbued with intelligence, strength and elegance qualities that Blake adheres to on and off the court.
The expanded spring collection sticks primarily to an elegant black and white theme with hints of jester red detailing and embroidered TR Fila logos. Blake also chose to add additional pieces to the line with a particular emphasis on training. Light, warm and comfortable with a look that works both on and off the court, long sleeve warm–up tops include a french terry snap placket top with high collar, a half zip knit sweater with high collar that features blended wool and cashmere for ultra softness, and a long sleeve top for warm climate training with side vents and patterned front --- with a jacquard design that was inspired by a tennis net. Two jackets include a short collared track jacket in poly twill and a signature Fila knit jacket in cotton/poly/spandex with jester red detailing and high rib knit collar. Two different pant styles, both in black, offer two weights and performance qualities to compliment the choice of tops – one in 100% matte polyester cire with a rib knit waist and the other a peached poly twill with elastic waist.
Blake’s signature long shorts in two colors (black and white) are complimented by five different 100% polyester short sleeve shirt styles, all with curved hems and drop tails --- three crews and two elegant polos. Comfort being Blake’s mantra for optimal flexibility and performance, his crews are eye catching: A solid crew (black, white and jester red) cools and vents using mesh side panels; a mesh crew (black and white) cut from popcorn mesh offers the ultimate in moister control with unique contrast inserts; and a sublimated crew (black/white and Jester red/white) made from printed poly interlock. Blake’s polos offer extraordinary patterns – the horizontal striped polo in gray heather and black cut from coconut carbon jersey with popcorn mesh side panels, and the uniform box patterned jacquard polo in both black and white.
James Blake has been a Fila athlete since signing with the brand in 2008. The Thomas Reynolds name was selected and the TR trademark designed by James Blake. The collection, launched in 2009, is branded with the Thomas Reynolds R-dot logo and the linear Fila logo. Thomas Reynolds is carried at Dick's Sporting Goods, Sport Chalet, Tenniswarehouse.com, Tennis Express, fila.com and select specialty retailers around the country.
Victoria Beckham wants to dress Michelle Obama.
The singer-turned-fashion designer says she would love to create a dress for the US First Lady because she's such a "strong woman".
Victoria - whose clothing lines have won widespread praise - said: "I would love to dress Mrs. Obama absolutely absolutely absolutely! I just think she's incredible and she's a very strong woman and she's beautiful. "I love women and I just want to make women feel good and beautiful and it's just been a huge compliment that ladies have enjoyed wearing my dresses and they look great! It just goes to show they can flatter women of all different shapes and sizes, all different heights, and that's what it's about. It's about creating an illusion and having a great cut."
Victoria - who is married to soccer star David Beckham - admits she gets a huge buzz when she sees someone wearing one of her designs.
She said: "Seeing anyone wearing my clothes is exciting, whether it's someone famous, a family member or a stranger. A few weeks ago, I bumped into a woman wearing a design of mine and screamed with excitement. I'm sure she thought I was crazy."
Celebrities to have donned some of Victoria's creations include Sarah Jessica Parker, Elle Macpherson and Heidi Klum.
An event based around hundreds of fashionistas flying in from all over the world was never going to be a convincing platform for environmental campaigning, but designers in Paris haven't let that stop them.
While British designer Vivienne Westwood regularly rails against global warming, fashion king Karl Lagerfeld trumped her with a rival theory at the Chanel show on Monday: the globe is in fact cooling, and he has an iceberg to prove it.
"Have you felt any warming this winter?" Lagerfeld, with trademark black sunglasses and white ponytail, told reporters after showing his autumn collection, referring to freezing cold weather outside. "Maybe that's all nonsense, who knows."
Lagerfeld had erected a huge iceberg in the middle of the glass-domed Grand Palais to mark his chilly theme, dressing models in fake fur trousers and yeti boots to prepare them for the coming ice age.
"In any case, nature has its surprises," he added wisely.
Chanel's classic tweed suit was reinforced with fur-trimmed sleeves and hems. The tweed itself was lightened up as Lagerfeld used wool-embroidered organza instead of classic heavy tweed.
Animal fur has been making a comeback on catwalks in recent years, despite fierce protests from animal rights activists, but Lagerfeld said he had opted for a compromise.
"There wasn't any real fur, it's all fake. The word 'synthetic' is horrible, fake fur used to be hideous but there's been enormous progress," he said.
In a celebration of Lagerfeld's northern German roots, a deep male voice sang "Ich moechte ein Eisbaer sein" ("I want to be a polar bear") over techno beats as models trotted around the iceberg in swinging long coats and snug white dresses.
It was not the first time Lagerfeld has dabbled in green politics. At the spring collection last year, he staged a country fete around a barn and declared that environmental activists had a point but should learn to dress better.
Oscar's red carpet swung into fashion action on Sunday ahead of the Academy Awards where several women including director Kathryn Bigelow and Sandra Bullock are favored to claim their share of Hollywood glory.
Vera Farmiga, nominated for best supporting actress playing a traveling businesswoman in "Up In the Air" wore a ruby red strapless gown from Marchesa with a dramatic ruffle.
Recording star Mariah Carey, who has a role in best film nominee "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire," showed off a plunging neckline and much leg in her navy gown, joking that she feared a breeze might raise the bottom and make her look like the iconic photograph of Marilyn Monroe.
"I love Marilyn but I was concerned about a Marilyn moment," she joked with reporters on the red carpet, all the while tinkering with the fabric that fluttered at her leg.
But after the red carpet ends, all eyes will be on the world's top film awards where Bigelow and her Iraq war film "The Hurt Locker" and her ex-husband James Cameron's hit adventure "Avatar" are front-runners for the year's best film.
Bigelow is widely expected to win the golden Oscar for best director and make history as the first woman to win that award in the 82 years of the Academy Awards.
"America's Sweetheart" Sandra Bullock is favored to earn her first Academy Award for best actress for her role as a strong mom in "The Blind Side" only one day after being given a worst actress "Razzie" by a group of Hollywood critics.
No performer -- male or female -- has ever been best and worst in 30 years of that dubious distinction.
If Bullock fails on Oscar night, pundits say the likely best actress is veteran Meryl Streep as trailblazing chef Julia Child in the culinary comedy "Julie & Julia."
If she takes the Academy Award in her record 16th nomination, Streep will be just one victory short of legendary Katharine Hepburn, who had four Oscars in her lifetime, more than any man or woman.
BEST FILM DRAMA
Comedian Mo'Nique has claimed almost every supporting actress honor in sight for her dramatic turn as an abusive mother in "Precious: Based On the Novel 'Push' By Sapphire," and she is favored at the Oscars, too.
Jeff Bridges seems to be a lock for best actor as a drunken singer in "Crazy Heart" and Christoph Waltz is favored for supporting actor as a menacing Nazi in "Inglourious Basterds." Both have claimed numerous other awards for their work.
Yet, even with the acting categories all but sewn up, Oscar watchers say some drama remains in the top race for best film.
As Hollywood's award season has played out since December, Bigelow and her reality-fueled "Hurt Locker" have trumped Cameron and his effects-filled "Avatar" at nearly every event.
But in the past two weeks, "Hurt Locker" began seeing some unsavory headlines after producer Nicolas Chartier was caught campaigning for best film by disparaging "Avatar," causing the Academy to banish him from Sunday's ceremony.
At private Hollywood parties, there have been whispers that the 5,800 Oscar voters may prefer "Avatar" with its $2.5 billion at global box offices, compared to about $20 million for "Hurt Locker."
"We thought we were going to make some money but not nearly as much as we did," Cameron said on the red carpet.
As important, some Oscar watchers think a preferential voting system and 10 best film nominees for the first time since 1943, could cause the front-runners to split the vote and allow "Inglourious Basterds" or "Precious" to claim the award.
And if the drama around the night's biggest award fails to prove exciting, producers brought in Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin as co-hosts to turn up the laughter.
If green is the color of hope, John Galliano's latest collection for Dior perfectly captured the mood at Paris fashion week Friday as designers and fans dared to show optimism.
From Dior, where soft dresses in greens and pinks were spiced up with riding jackets and flirty stockings, to Vivienne Westwood, who matched princess gowns with paupers' rags, fashionistas acknowledged the tough times while allowing themselves to have some fun.
Bags, huge hats and thigh-high boots on the catwalk kept executives happy as accessories continue to be the bestsellers of the fashion world.
"It was gorgeous, very daring and beautiful," France's stylish economy minister, Christine Lagarde, told Reuters after the Dior show, lifting her thumbs and shouting: "Up!" when asked what this meant for French exports.
Her presence was a sign of the changing mood. Last year, French politicians avoided the shows, wary of sipping champagne with the elite while voters were struggling with the economic crisis.
This year, the bubbly was back, and so was the elite, although some front-row seats were empty.
Hollywood wild child Lindsay Lohan, who will show her second collection for fashion house Ungaro next week after a widely panned debut, failed to turn up for her special appearance at Dior. She was seen hurrying toward the Dior tent in the sun-dappled Tuileries gardens just as the last models were wiping off their make-up, more than an hour after the show.
SHOULDER POWER
Other than Lohan, there were few A-listers, a reminder that despite moments of frivolity, budgets are still far from boom-time levels. Many shows were staged in a freezing hangar outside the city center, and even the creative side reflected the difficult conditions.
At Lanvin, designer Alber Elbaz drew strength from the 1980s power woman, with voluminous shoulders in a tribal-inspired collection.
"Shoulders are really a symbol of power," Elbaz told journalists, switching to a more tongue-in-cheek tone when explaining the black wigs worn by all his models.
"I see many women going to same doctor to get the same lips, the same eyes, the same hair. I just wanted to show how it looks when everybody looks alike," he said.
Westwood also played with strong shoulders and stronger heroes, building a collection around Prince Charming. Princely coats and Little Red Riding Hood dresses were worn with colorful paper crowns, knotted headscarves or huge fur hats.
Grey shrugs, held together with safety pins, gave an edge to romantic floral-patterned dresses and shimmering gowns.
"Fairy tales are all about injustice and cruelty and danger," Westwood told reporters backstage. "That's why it's very good for children to grow up with that -- in the end, it works out, and Cinderella goes to the ball."
Men looking for quality, timeless design to help get the most out of their apparel budget will find that the Spring 2010 line from Scott Barber fits the bill.
Scott Barber, creator of quality casual apparel for men, is known for his simple, classic and confident styling that has proven the test of time. Those are traits that today's savvy consumers look for in clothing as the past recession has shaped what true luxury stands for – quality and functionality vs. novelty and flash.
"Our spring presentation is filling an important void for the sophisticated consumer in today's economy," said Scott Barber, designer and owner of the apparel brand. "Our comfortable designs in shirts, knits, pants and shorts are made for those seeking true luxury sportswear, but wanting to maximize their investment in things that will last."
Spring features include:
• Unique use of color with knits (polos in 18 colors, sweatshirts in 10 colors and 19 tee shirt colors)
• Tattersall, gingham, vintage plaids, cotton fancies and broadcloth check styles showcase the iconic Scott Barber woven shirt assortment
• Cotton poplin camp shirts
• Wider selection of silk and cotton items including shirts, pants and Bermuda shorts
• New colors in silk and cotton flat front pants
• Extensive offering of Peruvian Pima cotton knits, including pique polos, jersey polos, tee shirts, and sweatshirts in crew neck, zip mock and cardigan vest styles
Gallatin, Westport and Chelsea Collections
Scott Barber offers his line in three distinct collections based on fabrics, styles and wearing occasions.
The Gallatin Collection – the most informal part of the offering – includes linen solids and patterns, cotton broadcloth vintage plaids and gingham cotton fancies.
The Westport Collection – the season's largest assortment – carries a variety of plaid, check and stripe designs in coral, orange, French blue, purple and green. This season, the collection will introduce gingham checks in soft blue, melon and spring green.
The most formal collection, Chelsea, is perfect for evenings out or business with its silky cotton twills in stripe and check patterns.
Scott Barber, designer and creator of high-end men's casual apparel, began Scott Barber Apparel in 1994. Since then he's been supplying men with an exceptional array of casual clothing that includes woven shirts, knit shirts, silk/cotton shirts, pants, jeans, shorts and sweaters. The Scott Barber collection is known for its casual, comfortable feel and classic look. Scott Barber develops each season's offering from scratch, creating his own unique color combinations for over 100 shirt designs.
By combining years of experience and product development the market leader within outdoor wear now introduces essential gear for anybody who wants to combine athletic functionality with style and comfort. Climatic – More than just functional clothing. More like an attitude. Times have changed since you could get only impractical outdoor clothing that was heavy and took ages to dry.
Thanks mainly to constant development and years of know-how gained by Haglöfs. The exclusive, light Climatic fabric is just one of the many innovations – quickdrying, wind-resistant and ensuring excellent moisture regulation. That's how Climatic makes your life easier in every terrain. The material is also lighter, without loosing any of its functionality.
New style, proven Haglöfs quality: The new, cool-look Climatic pants with Low Cut for women and stylish Loose Cut for men. Take a look at the Mid Q Trail - designed for active sportswomen who appreciate material with excellent moisture regulation offering ease of movement at the same time as the latest feminine style. And there's plenty of style too in the men's Mid Trail Loose Cut. Four deep pockets at the front and back give both the women's and men's pants a thoroughly modern look and plenty of space.
The two spacious drop-in back pockets - one fitted with zipper and security pocket – also provide plenty of storage space without limiting movement. With a choice of three colors plus the attractive, feminine and comfortable Low Cut, athletic women can now dress fashionably even at high altitudes. Fashionable natural tones complete the color range for the men's Mid Trail models. The two new models feature more than just a stylish cut and good looks though. They manage to combine years of experience and proven technology with current trends.
Perfection is no coincidence. The 2010 Collection also sees the classic Climatic line in new colors and optimized design – like the proven Mid Flex men's model, for example: These color coordinated versatile trekking pants are made with medium-weight Climatic fabric with matching FlexAble stretch panels at critical points for increased comfort and improved fit. The front and back pockets are secured by zippers.
Critical conditions outdoors require specialist equipment. Climbers, mountaineers and every other kind of outdoor athlete needs to be able to rely 100% on their gear at all times. Tough, warm and breathable are the key characteristics where Haglöfs functional clothing really makes a difference thanks to years of expertise and ongoing development.
A classic example: Rugged Ridge men's pants are as tough as they sound. The men's Rugged Ridge Pant lives up to its name as one of the heavyweights from the Climatic functional pant range made by Haglöfs. Weight isn't the primary issue here though - it's all about the virtually indestructible ruggedness of the material.
Available in two stylish natural tones, this new men's pant offers both unbeatable functionality and absolute comfort with the new Loose Cut fit looking good, even while balancing on a slackline. Drop-in pockets round off the scenario, comfortably located to the front and back. Something else that is new to Haglöfs: extended sizes in the Climatic Pant line. The 2010 Collection now offers women's styles from sizes 34 to 46, with XS to XXXL available in the men's range.
NEW YORK - Italian designer Gianni Versace was shot dead in Miami in 1997 at the height of his creative prowess, marking not just the high water mark for his fashion house but also the celebrity culture he helped create.
"House of Versace: The Untold Story of Genius, Murder, and Survival," by Deborah Ball tells the story of how Gianni, with his flamboyant sister Donatella as muse, not only became the cutting edge of 90s fashion but symbolized the era.
"The 90s saw globalization, the Internet, huge wealth creation and the media was hungry for more things to cover," said Ball, 41, by telephone from Zurich. Gianni "was able to tap all of this, all at the same time."
The 320-page book begins with Gianni's rise from humble beginnings to events 10 years after his murder at 50 walking back from a local coffee shop.
Along the way, the book provides compelling insight into the economic and lifestyle excesses of the 90s, the luxury goods industry and the big business aspect of fashion.
Under Gianni Versace's rule class and style went from subdued to glitz and glamour. Celebrity was key and luminaries included Britain's Princess Diana.
But the story Ball weaves, of the family dynasty where Gianni Versace could be creative because his brother, Santo, took care of the business decisions, is about a man who saw the changing future of women's dress.
"His taste appealed to the baby boomer's daughter," said Ball
Versace, a homosexual, also recognized branding early and put his stamp not just on clothes but perfumes, cosmetics, watches and home furnishings.
His rise was possible in part because cheaper air travel allowed American and Japanese shoppers to access Europe while American Vogue, which had typically focused on American designers, was giving European houses much more coverage.
And the Internet was adding to coverage by traditional media of runway shows in New York, Paris, Milan and London at the same time as countries like South Korea, Russia and Brazil were enjoying sharp gains in national income, Ball said.
Versace's knack for making celebrities out of models such as Naomi Campbell, Christy Turlington, Linda Evangelista and Cindy Crawford only added to the allure.
His death at the hands of a serial killer is central to the book but also opens a new dramatic phase. Unexpectedly, Versace left his half of the $2 billion empire to his 11 year-old niece and Donatella's daughter, Allegra, allowing his sister to take creative and business control.
Donatella, who typically handled the stars and celebrities, had her own personal problems to deal with, while the familial infighting with Santos didn't help the firm's transition.
Ball's reporting background shows in the attention to details from the 220 interviews with the family's friends, rivals and clients. Ball explains clearly how it was not just Gianni Versace's death that created problems for the fashion house but how the culture he created was used against them.
Economic downturns and savvy stylists forced fashion houses to pay celebrities to sit at their shows. The famous were offered clothes with no guarantee they would be worn in public.
Simultaneously, big business became more and more a part of the fashion culture. Large companies with multiple luxury brands got bigger discounts in fashion magazines, reducing the visibility of smaller rivals like Versace.
Versace sales dropped after Gianni's death and though a series of business managers stemmed some of the declines and Donatella overcame her addictions, the firm still struggles.
Ball makes no prophecies on what will become of Versace as Allegra takes control of the company alongside her mother and uncle.
Donatella "may be out of touch with consumers," Ball said, noting Versace fashions are a harder sell in a tough economy. And "the big mystery is what Allegra wants for the company."
