Paweł Lewandowski
Lisa Dengler
Manuella Lupascu
Ala Konturek
Ben de Lisi has created a dress made entirely from tissues.
The renowned designer hand stitched the stunning cream gown using 21 metres of Kleenex Ultra Soft tissues, with TV presenter and friend Lisa Snowdon modelling the dress.
Ben says he was inspired to use the unusual material as he searched for the ultimate fabric to flatter women.
He said: "My philosophy is to design clothing that encapsulates understated glamour. If you can get this right and combine it with the right material then the minute a woman puts it on, she will feel and look gorgeous.
"This is exactly what I've achieved with my tissue dress - I wanted to create something that would show off Lisa's womanly figure and whilst working with tissue was an interesting challenge due to its delicate nature, its softness and strength lends itself to the dress shape and looks simply stunning on her."
Model Lisa - who has previously dated George Clooney - was very impressed with Ben's design.
She said: "I'm amazed at what Ben has created, if feels so soft against my skin, I could be wearing silk or velvet. Getting up at 5am each day and working as a radio presenter, means I don't get dressed up on a daily basis. So it's those little everyday indulgences that can make me feel gorgeous from wearing my best underwear, a spritz of my favourite perfume, or a super soft tissue."
Continuing her innovative influence on the new media generation of laptop loving, social media surfing, Web 2.0-ers, Vivienne Tam partnered with luxury style network CHECKYOUdaily.com to present her Fall 2010 collection live from New York Fashion week. Presenting her collection in a fresh vehicle, there is backstage, on stage and after footage raw and re-styled, hosted on a dedicated website within CHECKYOUdaily.com.
As you know, Vivienne Tam has made strides in her presence in the digital media market and positioned herself as a designer in tune with current trends online for sourcing fashion and style information. With this partnership she steps beyond her contemporaries who risk being left in her digital dust.
The Fall 2010 Vivienne Tam Experience with CHECKYOUdaily debuted Fashion Week February 12 , 2010 via the portal www.checkyoudaliy.com by clicking the Vivienne Tam page-peel and streamed exclusive footage from the Fall2010 Presentation on February 13,2010 and be available until end of the month.
Vivienne Tam has become well known for creating beautiful clothes that appeal to all ages, ethnicities, and income levels. She has earned the reputation for offering a stylish and high-quality product while at the same time inviting the consumer to experience the inspiration behind it. A longstanding dedication to innovation and exotic imagery, Vivienne Tam is truly one of the world’s most passionate and symbolic designers in fashion today. As a designer of clothing that “suggests tolerance, global acumen, and a Fourth of July faith in individual expression,“ Tam, in the words of fashion critic and curator Richard Martin, possesses an “idealistic globalism that transcends politics and offers a more enchanted, peaceful world.”
Born in Canton, China, Vivienne Tam moved to Hong Kong when she was three years old. Her bi-cultural upbringing in the then British colony was the first stage in the development of her signature East-meets-West style. After graduating from Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Vivienne Tam moved to New York where she thrived on the excitement and energy of the fashion world. New York became a home for her and a continuing source of stimulation for her designs.
In 1994, Vivienne Tam launched her signature collection of Eastern inspired clothing with a modern edge on the New York runways. In 1995, she introduced the influential “Mao” collection that triumphantly crossed over from the fashion world into the art world. Then in 1997 Vivienne Tam launched the venerable Buddha collection. The public and celebrities around the world quickly embraced both collections. Some of the images became so popular that scores of design . Then in 1997 Vivienne Tam launched the venerable Buddha collection. The public and celebrities around the world quickly embraced both collections. Some of the images became so popular that scores of designers even adopted the look into their designs. Pieces of the collections were ultimately incorporated into the permanent archives of the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh, The Museum of FIT and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.
In an era where the fashion industry is populated by numerous names and emerging new talents, Vivienne Tam has shown that she can consistently appeal to everyone from high-society to urban to teens, offering them fresh collections every season. She is poised to become the next multi-tasking, multi-successful designer and businesswoman.
Sarah Jessica Parker's new scent is a "snapshot of Carrie Bradshaw".
The 'Sex and the City' actress - who plays Carrie in both the TV series and movies - says her latest fragrance, SJP NYC, was designed as a homage to a vision of her character.
She explained at its launch at New York's Sweetie Pie restaurant: "What I really wanted to do was capture an image, a snapshot in my head of Carrie Bradshaw, that sort of freeze-frame of her walking down any New York City street at an idyllic time of year in a floral-print dress on her way to meet somebody or to do something, or surrounded by her women friends.
"You can go anywhere with that, because we live in a fragrant city,"
Sarah also said she was surprised when the ingredients for the fragrance came together, as it is concocted of scents - wild strawberry with gardenia and vanilla - she wouldn't usually choose.
She added: "What we arrived at was very surprising to me because it's not notes that I generally cotton to - but I love it."
SJP NYC comes in a multi-print bottle inspired by the custom-designed Oscar de la Renta dress Sarah wears in the ad campaign for the fragrance.
Kate Moss and Lily Allen were among a host of stars who watched James Small's debut menswear collection yesterday (24.02.10).
The supermodel and the 'No Fear' singer came out to support the up-and-coming designer as he showcased his Ground Control creations at Somerset House as part of London Fashion Week.
Kate was sat next to ex-boyfriend Jefferson Hack - father of her seven-year-old daughter Lila Grace - as James impressed the audience with the collection, which is described as "classic tailoring for the young man with a modern element".
Speaking of the show, he later told BANG Showbiz: "I was really pleased with it and just glad everyone made it."
Guests then went on to an exclusive Playstaion3 SingStar after party at Circus in nearby Covent Garden.
To celebrate his successful debut, James and his father got up and entertained the crowd with a version of David Bowie's 'Let's Dance' on the SingStar.
Other guests at the party - which was curated by Fran Cutler - included Mark Ronson, Jarvis Cocker and Alexa Chung.
A productive synergy taking place between the organizations
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The RFID Research Center at the University of Arkansas has appointed Avery Dennison Corp. to its advisory board. The center, which is widely regarded as the global RFID industry’s most authoritative research center and proving ground for radio-frequency identification, is housed in the Information Technology Research Institute in the Sam M. Walton College of Business.
“Avery Dennison is a great addition to the RFID Research Center as it represents new perspectives on the use of RFID in the apparel and retail industries,” said Bill Hardgrave, director of the RFID Research Center.
Avery Dennison’s Rose Depoe, global director of RFID strategic solutions and alliances, sees a productive synergy taking place between the two organizations.
“We have enjoyed a close relationship with the university’s RFID Research Center and worked with its members on recent retail initiatives, such as the university-sponsored item-level RFID project at Bloomingdale’s,” she says.
“We are delighted now to be named to the center’s board, which oversees the creation of RFID standards, conducts critical testing and aids in the development of RFID technology. As a board member, Avery Dennison will partner with the university to offer intelligent in-store solutions to retailers and brand owners. Our efforts will deliver a host of business benefits ranging from improved in-store inventory management and loss prevention to simplified stocking and greater loss visibility.”
Depoe adds that RFID solutions reduce in-store labor requirements even as retailers enjoy greater assurances that popular items are available on store shelves and can eliminate the need to apply and remove conventional security hard tags.
“We will put our RFID experience and resources to work in ways that enable businesses to enrich their customers’ shopping experience, cultivate loyalty and ultimately improve sales and gross margins,” she says.
Avery Dennison is a recognized industry leader that develops innovative identification and decorative solutions for businesses and consumers worldwide. The company’s products include pressure-sensitive labeling materials; graphics imaging media; retail apparel ticketing and branding systems; RFID inlays and tags; office products; specialty tapes; and a variety of specialized labels for automotive, industrial and durable goods applications. A Fortune 500 company with sales of $6 billion in 2009, Avery Dennison is based in Pasadena, Calif., and has employees in more than 60 countries.
Hardgrave, who is also a professor and holder of the Edwin and Karlee Bradberry Endowed Chair in Information Systems, said, “We are continually seeking ways to help businesses find the value in the use of RFID and other RF technologies so we are very pleased to have Avery Dennison as a part of our advisory board.”
The RFID Research Center officially opened its laboratory in the Fayetteville Industrial Park in June 2005. It currently has 56 business and industry sponsors and several academic collaborators. The facility, strategically positioned in the epicenter of retail RFID activity, primarily conducts research on the most efficient use of RFID and other wireless and sensor technologies throughout the supply chain, with special interest on the retail supply chain.
In September 2005, the laboratory became the first academic EPC/RFID research laboratory worldwide to receive the EPCglobal Performance Test Center accreditation. EPCglobal Inc. is a global not-for-profit standards organization commercializing the trademarked Electronic Product Code and RFID worldwide.
In 2007, the University of Arkansas RFID Research Center — along with research centers in Germany and Italy — founded the Global RF Lab Alliance, a confederation of radio-frequency-focused laboratories from around the globe. The alliance’s objective is to provide a mechanism for communication and research collaboration among the radio-frequency labs. It recently established an academic journal, International Journal of RF Technologies: Research and Applications
Not every bride is a "perfect 10." In fact, sizes 14 and 16 are the two most common sizes ordered, according to designers at Enzoani, one of the country's leading bridal manufacturers. Even in California, where women are seemingly obsessed with squeezing into their skinny jeans, plus sizes in bridal are ordered daily. And that's exactly why Trudy's Brides of Campbell, Calif., is hosting a totally new kind of fashion show - one dedicated to real women with real curves.
The runway extravaganza will feature Enzoani's "Gorgeous With Curves" collection, a unique and luxurious line of gowns that specifically flatter fuller figures. The event will take place March 7, noon, at the Aperture Studio right next to Trudy's Brides in Campbell's Pruneyard Shopping Center. Attendees will have the opportunity to try on the gowns they've seen immediately after the show, plus receive a special incentive to order that day.
"When it comes to choosing a wedding gown, there are many options for those ladies who are anything but petite," says Trudy Blechman, the store's owner. "The fact that most brides aren't fitting into a size 6 is significant because there's this perception that all the beautiful gowns are for super-slender ladies. It's just not true, and our fashion show will prove it."
With over 30 years' experience in bridal retail, Trudy has often heard these customers comment on their sizes and shapes. However, today's fuller-figured brides simply want to look fantastic - just like anyone else. And yet these ladies usually assume that their options are limited to modest styles or those designed to conceal certain aspects of their bodies.
"These women are glowing because they're in love and engaged, and they're often proud of their figures and self-confident," Trudy says. "What I'm now hearing is that they don't want to hide behind a ton of material, but show off their radiant beauty instead. So we've asked Enzoani to present this collection so that this particular audience can see just how many options they have. The show should be exciting and different because when was the last time you saw a fashion show with models who weren't a size 2?"
The "Gorgeous With Curves" line includes approximately 25 gowns, in sizes 16 thru 26. Enzoani created the collection after researching and gathering its top-selling, plus-sized gowns. The Enzoani designers have teamed up with the nation's leading, independent bridal salons to present the line and will be on-hand for gown consultations on the day of the show.
The supermodel - who won the Outstanding Contribution at this week's Elle Style Awards - admires the 'Material Girl' singer's fashion sense and her ability to reinvent herself time after time.
She said: "I think my style icons are people that reinvent themselves - they come back with a different look, a different vibe, a different sound and Madonna is definitely one of those people.
"It's just amazing to watch her through all these decades-she just keeps coming back."
Naomi - who received the award in recognition of her 25-year career and her work with safe pregnancy charity The White Ribbon Alliance (WRA) - also revealed she is a huge fan of Lady Gaga's unique look.
She told people.com: "She's definitely a big style icon for everyone, and it's made everyone go a bit more edgy with their fashion.
"I think Lady Gaga is extremely talented-she is a composer, a pianist, she's an opera singer and she does classical music too. I think we haven't even seen her talent yet."
Miss Philippines candidates pose for a photo as they are presented to the press at a plush hotel in Manila, Philippines on Thursday Feb. 18, 2010. Twenty four candidates from all over the country will vie for Miss Philippines and the chance to represent the nation in international beauty pageants.
Amanda Wakeley stated to be thrilled to be collaborating this season with Danish shoe designer Camilla Skovgaard, with whom she has created killer heels for summer (in zebra or chocolate brown).
The exclusive shoe collection is going to be available to buy in Amanda Wakeley designer clothes stores and online in early February. Signing up to the Amanda Wakeley newsletter, members receive free delivery for the Camilla Skovgaard for Amanda Wakeley shoe collection.
“This is truly a shoe for women designed by a woman “ said Amanda Wakeley, “Supremely se xy but utterly comfortable and wearable. I know that I for one will be living in these shoes this summer!”
The Camilla Skovgaard for Amanda Wakeley shoes were shown at Amanda Wakeley’s Spring Summer 2010 London Fashion Week in September 2009.
Gaining recognition for their aesthetic fluid-edges style combined with high quality shoe making, her shoes are embraced by fashion’s most influential editors and tastemakers around the world.
Amanda Wakeley’s Spring Summer Womenswear Collection has been passionately inspired from Indian traditionally dressed men and women, past and present, from Kerala to Rajasthan, by the way the women wear their sari’s with such creative ease; the soft silhouette; the flowing of fabric; the wrapping of the strong hot colours around the body; layering of textures; flashes of embellishment; flashes of skin between the choli and draped sari; the wrinkled texture of the churidaar and dhoti pants.
Amanda Wakeley’s women’s designer dresses silhouette is soft, but bold in drape, wrapping around the body encompassing pleats, ruches, tucks, twists and gathers. Soft tailoring fabrics of fine wool and cottons drape rather than restrict and are layered over sarong type dresses and designer summer skirts with ease and fluidity.
Fabrics are a real mix of textures and are intended to be worn as layering pieces; satinised chiffon, fluid and light with degrade colour; lightest chiffon jersey has full drape which flows around the body; crepe backed satin slides over the body, suspended from leather knotted necklaces. Degrade sequin creates amazing texture with its glossy sheeting effect; a new solid scuba feel jersey mixed with light viscose draped jersey, circle cutting contours around the body softly.
Amanda Wakeley launched her signature label in 1990 and over the last two decades has developed an international reputation for designing stylish, supremely luxurious, womenswear and accessories. She is the winner of several awards including three British Fashion Awards for Glamour. She has recently been appointed OBE by Her Majesty The Queen.
Teen fashionistas are seizing the opportunity to showcase their talents in The Art Institutes Passion for Fashion Competition.
High school seniors from across the U.S. and Canada submitted their best fashion designs and fashion marketing, merchandising and retail management concepts to a participating Art Institutes school. The local winning entry from each school is sent to New York City where a panel of fashion industry professionals evaluates the entries for originality, feasibility and execution.
The panel of judges for the Passion for Fashion Competition 2010 includes: Leanne Marshall, Winner of Project Runway Season 5 and fashion designer; Suede, contestant on Project Runway Season 5 and fashion designer; Patty Hughes, a fashion show producer who has appeared as a fashion expert on The Rachel Ray Show; Leslie Bettison, Owner, Sol de Ibiza clothing store in New York City; and Bruce E. Dempsey, Vice President, Academic Affairs Specialist, The Art Institutes.
On the line is a full-tuition scholarship to study (i) Fashion Design or (ii) Fashion Marketing, Fashion Merchandising or Fashion Retail Management to The Art Institute school the winner represents in the Competition. And the fabulous part is that the grand prize winner in each category wins a trip to New York Fashion Week and a chance to meet staff from Seventeen Magazine.
"We continue to see the caliber of entries being submitted into The Art Institutes Passion for Fashion Competition increase every year. It's rewarding evaluating the hard work of these talented students who clearly demonstrate their enthusiasm and knowledge of the fashion industry within their entries," says, Bruce E. Dempsey, Vice President, Academic Affairs Specialist, The Art Institutes.