Julia Alcântara
Samantha Mariko
Izzy Bea
Lina S
The Creativity Collection by Paris Hilton is now available at Zellers across Canada! The whole line was created and designed for teens and young adults. The line consists of scrapbooking accessories, albums and embellishments for the consumer to personalize their memories, objects and fashion accessories.
"I am so excited to be working with Wooky Entertainment to launch Paris Hilton, the Creativity Collection in Canada," explained Paris Hilton. "These fashion kits reinforce creativity and individual style. I hope my collection will inspire young women and give them a greater sense of accomplishment and self confidence."
Paris Hilton is doing a monthly blog on scrapbooking.com. In December, Paris is showing us a gift box she made for her sister Nicky for Christmas with the scrapbooking layout concept. "The gift box is a fun and easy way for everyone to add a personal touch to a gift. It's easy and so appreciated." In January, Paris will share with her fans and other scrappers the importance of high self-esteem.
Traditional batik producers in Cirebon, West Java, have demanded that the government protect the batik industry from competition from textile imports from China.
Batik industry lobbyist Katura warned the government of the influx of Chinese textiles with batik motifs.
He said people would rather buy Chinese textiles because they were cheaper and had a wider range of designs. "Without concrete measures, Chinese-made batik could displace traditional batik, including Trusmi batik, which hails from Cirebon's coastal area."
Quality-wise, Katura said, traditional batik was superior, but its higher pricing and weak marketing pushed many people to buy China-made batik.
He said the government should take seriously the threat to traditional batik, which he said was an integral part of the nation's cultural heritage.
"We urge the government not to procrastinate and downplay effects from the influx of Chinese-made batik.
"I have received reports Chinese-made batik is being sold in markets in Semarang and Surakarta at cheaper prices. This is a cause for concern," Katura said.
He also expressed concern that higher volumes of Chinese-made batik would push aside traditional batik. "It would certainly put traditional batik producers, as well as Indonesians in general, at a disadvantage," he said.
With 700 batik producers, Trusmi village in Plered district, Cirebon regency, is the biggest batik production center in West Java. "Apart from preserving our cultural heritage, batik is also the main source of income for people in Trusmi. If the government doesn't protect this tradition, the villagers could lose their livelihoods," Katura said.
The West Java provincial administration has promised to support and protect traditional batik from Chinese competition.
"We will help protect traditional batik and its artisans from foreign competitors, such as batik motif textiles from China. We are committed to preserving batik as a national heritage," Ano Sutrisno, head of the West Java Administrative and Development Coordinating Agency (BKPP) regional III, said.
The BKPP regional III assists the West Java governor in coordinating the administration and development of Majalengka, Indramayu, Kuningan and Cirebon regencies, and Cirebon city.
Ano said protecting traditional batik would begin by exposing batik producers to a wider market. "We will help market batik domestically and internationally. Hopefully this will help counteract impacts from the influx of foreign products," he said.
South Korean actress and singer Jeon Hye Bin takes a photo shoot for 'SURE' magazine.
Photographers and videographers train their cameras on a model as she presents a creation from the Rosa Cha Spring 2010 collection at New York Fashion Week, September 10, 2009.
A model displays a creation as part of DSquared 2 Spring/Summer 2010 men's collection during Milan Fashion Week, June 23, 2009.
Models present creations by German designer Karl Lagerfeld as part of his Spring/Summer 2010 women's collection for French fashion house Chanel during Paris Fashion Week, October 6, 2009.
A model walks in central Madrid after the show of designer Maria Lafuente at Cibeles Madrid Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2010 show in Madrid, September 21, 2009.
Models display creations by designer Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel's 2009-2010 cruise collection at the Excelsior hotel on the Venice Lido, May 14, 2009.
Models present creations by Kazakhstan's Kenje design house during Kazakhstan Fashion Week in Almaty, October 30, 2009.
German designer Karl Lagerfeld appears with models at the end of his Spring-Summer Haute Couture 2009 fashion show for French fashion house Chanel in Paris, January 27, 2009.
Vogue editor Anna Wintour and designer Tory Burch view pieces from Burch's Spring 2010 collection during New York Fashion Week, September 16, 2009.
Israeli models display wedding dresses made mostly from toilet paper in Tel Aviv, September 8, 2009.
Participants eat lunch at the backstage during the MODELS 2009 fashion model audition in Tokyo, October 18, 2009.
A model presents a creation by designer Gareth Pugh as part of his Spring/Summer 2010 women's collection during Paris Fashion Week, September 30, 2009.
A model presents a creation by South Korean fashion designer Lie Sang Bong as part of his Spring/Summer 2010 women's collection during Paris Fashion Week, October 1, 2009.
A model presents a creation by German designer Karl Lagerfeld as part of his Fall/Winter 2009/10 women's ready-to-wear fashion collection for French fashion house Chanel during Paris Fashion Week, March 10, 2009.
A model presents a creation by German designer Karl Lagerfeld as part of his Fall/Winter 2009/10 women's ready-to-wear fashion collection for French fashion house Chanel during Paris Fashion Week, March 10, 2009.
For many employers, Facebook, MySpace and other social networking sites are already a scourge that cut into productivity. Now they have something else to worry about -- the games hosted by these sites.
This new genre of social gaming is called "asynchronous" or "appointment" gaming and allows people to play with their friends without having to be online at the same time.
The low-intensity engagement has made games such as FarmVille, Cafe World, Restaurant City, Pet Society, and Happy Aquarium -- developed by firms Zynga, Playfish, Crowdstar and Slashkey -- popular among employees who often log on during office hours.
According to a recent survey conducted by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India, about 12.5 percent of productivity in the corporate sector is misappropriated each day by social networking sites.
"What we are seeing is that more and more people and organizations are recognizing the productivity lost so probably more chief information officers are blocking Facebook applications," Rebecca Wettemann of Nucleus Research said.
Boston-based Nucleus Research, which conducted a recent study into the effects of social networking sites on productivity, said nearly half of office employees in the United States access social networking sites at work, which leads to an average loss of 1.5 percent of total office productivity.
Facebook, which has 350 million users, says at least 20 percent of its members play games online.
Sebastien de Halleux, CEO officer and co-founder of online game creator Playfish said Asia is growing at a faster pace than other regions.
"We had no idea that it would spread so fast... when we had 100,000 users after one month, we thought it was the biggest success ever. Now with 60 million users we think this is only the beginning of something much bigger," he added.
Playfish is behind Pet Society and Restaurant City.
Zynga's FarmVille, the best known with over 70 million active users till date, allows players to own a virtual farm where they can grow crops, raise animals and build a farm house.
While companies try to curb access to social networking sites, not everyone sees the games as harmful.
Anand Tatambhotla, a consultant at an advisory firm in Bangalore, says playing online games is akin to taking a break to chat or smoke a cigarette, only better.
Psychiatrist Santosh Chaturvedi of the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences in Bangalore agrees.
"Playing these games is like a break, without actually taking a physical break. It changes the mindset and when the person comes back to their original work, it might actually improve their concentration and productivity," he said.
Radii Footwear, an upscale footwear line, announced the release of their Holiday collection. The brand, whose product is worn by celebrities such as Jay-Z, Jay Sean, The Black Eyed Peas and Gwen Stefani to name a few, continues to push the envelope when it comes to innovative designs and style.
Launched in 2008, Radii Footwear has seen tremendous success in spite of a failing economy. In the first six months of production, the company grew dramatically with domestic and international sales exceeding over seven figures. Since then, Radii Footwear has expanded its distribution to over 10 countries and 300 stores in the United States. Radii Footwear’s CEO, Casey Arisohn, 26, believes his team’s tapped ear into the current marketplace is responsible for the brand’s ongoing growth.
“We’re conscious of the ever-changing trends in the sneaker industry,” states Arisohn. “I believe our untraditional take on traditional shoes is what keeps our customers coming back for more. We read their emails. We listen to their wants and needs and fill the void that’s missing in the footwear industry whether its specific price points, materials or designs. The holiday line is no different.”
“Radii is always my first choice when it comes to footwear for my male clients,” says former Pride Magazine fashion editor and celebrity stylist, Ruki Garuba, whose celebrity roster includes Kelly Rowland, Keyshia Cole and Jay Sean to name a few. “I am constantly on the hunt for unique pieces that will pop on stage, work well for appearances and are luxurious enough to work on the red carpet. Radii never fails to surprise me and my clients with something amazing that gets heads turning and that’s why I will always be loyal to the brand.”
The Holiday line arrives just in time for the holidays with new colors of the brand’s top selling 420 Tops and Straight Jackets while introducing the Moon Walker, Ecto-1 and Timeless Deluxe.
Today, Radii Footwear bases a relatively modern in house staff at its Southern California headquarters and is currently working on the 2010 collection. Still emphasizing high-end fashion and couture to appeal to the line’s existing demographic, Radii’s expansion into casual product will open the brand to a new audience of entrepreneurs, CEOs and business savvy consumers wishing for an office appropriate sneaker. Exceptional fashion and eccentric taste makes Radii Footwear a leading brand to keep an “I” on for years to come.
Headquartered in Southern California, Radii (ray-dee-eye) Footwear brings an unbridled passion for art and couture to the world of sneakers and high-end footwear. Launched in 2008, Radii, defined as a range of influence, set forth to show there is no limit to fashion, creative styling, and opportunity.
Carpe Diem Canada, exclusive Canadian Distributor of luxurious handcrafted environmentally certified beds from Carpe Diem Beds of Sweden, and Goodnight & Sweet Dreamzzz Mattresses & More announce a new relationship that positions Sweet Dreamzzz as the cornerstone member of the Canadian retail dealer network. Goodnight & Sweet Dreamzzz was specifically chosen to carry this premier line because of its reputation for providing exceptional products and service to their customers. Beds are currently on display in the Sweet Dreamzzz showroom and the highly trained staff are ready to bring luxury to the Canadian bed market.
"The synergy between a luxury brand like Carpe Diem and the beautifully appointed retail location in Newmarket is striking" said Allan Madonik, VP of Sales for Carpe Diem Canada. "Consumers in this space require the proper atmosphere to take the Carpe Diem Experience - it is an investment in yourself and your partner that merits attention to detail. The team at Sweet Dreamzzz has already invested in training sessions and visits to dealers outside of Canada to ensure that they continue to build on their reputation for consumer education and customer support."
Carpe Diem Beds of Sweden offers the best possible sleeping environment, and with that comes better health and an enhanced lifestyle! "The Canadian consumer is becoming more educated - and more open to education - than ever before" said Debi Chewerda, President of Goodnight & Sweet Dreamzzz. "The benefits of a healthy lifestyle are important to people and good sleep is an essential part of that. A Carpe Diem bed will deliver many years of the best night's sleep that we can provide customers with."
Environmental certification is a hallmark of Carpe Diem beds; all models carry SWAN Nordic Eco-label and OEKO-TEX certifications. These prestigious certifications ensure that a Carpe Diem bed will promote longevity and leave a minimal and chemical-free footprint on the environment when it is eventually returned to the Earth. "Only the finest raw materials are used in Carpe Diem beds" said Madonik. "Swedish pine from the northernmost managed forests, natural Talalay latex, certified New Zealand wool, 100% cotton and finely tempered steel spring systems made from pure virgin steel alloy combined with world-renowned Swedish craftspeople create a product worthy of the 25 year warranty."
"We encourage customers or the curious to come and see us, and look forward to visiting with our existing and future customers at our kick-off event in the showroom at 6:00pm on January 20th. Take the time to tell us a little about yourself, and any physical issues you may be having and let us help you through the Carpe Diem Experience and show you how it will improve your quality of life" said Chewerda.
