Rebekah Wing
Julia Alcântara
Izzy Bea
Luci Matheus
Mikko Puttonen
C.L.A.S.S. - Creativity, Lifestyle And Sustainable Synergy - is pleased to present the exclusive collections SS 2011 by fashion partners including Caira Design, G.O.D.D., Juste un Sac, Mori-Mondo, Rianne de Witte, Yoshiki Hishinuma, Così nero quasi blue, Reggiani, 959.
Caira Design collection, belonging to the Repurposed and Recycled category, is designed by Francesca Caira, fashion stylist who transforms old clothes and fabrics into new creations. Details, fabrics and vintage shapes are re-designed following couture procedures which characterize the exclusive Unique line, consisting of only unique items. A man's jacket becomes a skirt, a shirt becomes a top, a waistcoat becomes a kimono-jacket. Light and natural colours combine with intense and deep hues which enhance the perfect balance between purity and sophistication.
The G.O.D.D. (Garden of Denim Design) collection, in the Naturals & Organics category, is born from the eco-chic idea of the Design Factory team, fashion design studio based in Istanbul. A line consisting of both vintage inspired creations and exclusive interpretations of denim which blend contemporary comfort with a highly fashion-oriented style. Tops, vests and t-shirt dresses are characterized by graphic prints, worn-out effects and sensual cuts created with the addition of recycled material such as seatbelts.
The Juste un Sac collection, in the Naturals & Organics/Innovative Renewables category, expresses all the elegance and appeal of organic fibres such as cotton, linen, bamboo, hemp and vegetable tanned leather shaped into a bag. It creates true accessories characterized by a versatile, ultra-contemporary and timeless style. A series of refined and functional models, for both day and evening show true Italian craftsmanship and range from rigid and shaped silhouettes to soft and unstructured volumes.
The Mori-Mondo collection, Repurposed and Recycled category, reuses and recycles old garments giving them a second life through a unique restyling. The creations are tailored (also upon request) according to the fabric and the colours of the recycled garments.
Blazers, shirts, waist coats, tracksuits, shorts and t-shirts reveal their two-fold soul through creative and fancy styles inspired by contemporary taste and high quality handmade items. It's a new fashion process called "Fabric Surgery", because fabrics are literally ‘operated' by adding original decorations, transformed with sartorial cuts, tanned and enriched with random prints which range from urban spirit to a vintage touch with a casualstreet wear confidence typical of the modern wardrobe.
Rianne de Witte from the Netherlands designed a collection belonging to the Naturals & Organics category, characterised by the use of pure and innovative materials. By following the "slow fashion" philosophy, she creates refined and minimal style clothes which last beyond time and trends.
The "Seascape" collection is characterized by clean lines and shapes with close-fitting parts and soft drapes. Hyper feminine, sensual and easy to wear, the total look studied for the next S/S 2011 proposes the timeless navy stripes, fish prints and micro check from the Eighties, along with vibrant tones such as turquoise and purple, and pastel shades like yellow and green.
The collection of the Japanese stylist Yoshiki Hishinuma, in the Naturals & Organics category, has organic cotton as its main fabric: an absolutely white canvas or dyed with the colours of flowers and plants such as Gardenias, Irises and Cherry Blossoms. Shapes are clear and minimal; the design is conceptual, as natural as straight or wavy surfaces moved by gatherings and very light pleats. True sensations are transformed into essential and versatile clothes to be worn in different ways. They are not fashion uniforms but aesthetic expressions of our moods.
They are intimate, discreet, luxurious, not only owing to the noble fabrics but also for their durability and contemporary dynamic nature where quality and emotion load up with memories, places and timeless atmospheres.
The "capsule collection" that launched the ‘Così nero quasi blue' line (So black it's almost blue), designed by Federica Martin Wedard, reflects an extremely refined and versatile creative vision, where women's elegance codes are based on the most exclusive contrasts.
Beyond the surface, contemporary femininity is brought out by the perfect balance between sartorial taste and design innovation, exalted by the use of organic fabrics which express the endless potentials of sustainable materials. These fibres are treated and processed to become light, breathable and hyper-comfortable: Biosatin, Biodenim, Bamboo linen, Shatul (a mix of silk and hemp with a pearly effect) and Farfara (a jersey obtained from a crab shell fibre).
The collection designed by Elena Reggiani is the official debut of a unique and exclusive project, born from Italian know-how, where sartorial craftsmanship, cuttingedge fabrics and colours create the new codes of modern style. The revolutionary prêt-à-porter line proposes clothes made of natural materials with a body-modelling fit and highly elastic qualities based on the concept of elegance in movement. The garments enhance the body's form through a new wearability.
Dedicated to the refined and independent character of contemporary women, the collections consist of models with timeless and pure forms decorated by small fans, curls and sensual flounces. Besides the extraordinary body-modelling techniques and the delicate ‘modern retro' taste, Elena Reggiani's creative vision chooses the colour as the new aesthetic and stylistic guide, unveiling a palette of vibrant and sophisticated colours.
959 is an original, versatile and innovative eco-design line created by designer Paolo Ferrari. The brand's name stands for 1959, the year Volvo introduced seatbelts. Every design piece signed 959 is absolutely Made in Italy and derives from the recovery and reuse of seatbelts. The belts are washed, sanitized and divided according to their surface type. Finally they are cut, stitched and assembled by expert craftsmen giving birth to a unique range of objects with a distinctive, essential, timeless style.
Mouawad, the luxury jewelry brand with a 120-year heritage, will showcase the exclusive "Masterpiece Collection" on the runway of this year's Victoria's Secret Fashion Show on November 10, 2010 in New York City.
The Mouawad "Masterpiece Collection" will stunningly accompany the Victoria's Secret show-stopping lingerie down the runway, boasting the world’s finest diamond jewelry. New York is the perfect stage for diamonds of this caliber to be revealed; as each and every piece is as mesmerizing and unforgettable as the city itself. This year, many of the Victoria's Secret Bombshells will be adorned with 'one of a kind' Mouawad creations. The "Masterpiece Collection” will make a triumphant statement at this year’s fashion show.
"Each jewel from the collection is as gorgeous and breathtaking as the Bombshell wearing it," says Pascal Mouawad, co-guardian of the Mouawad brand. The jewels to shine on this year’s runway were selected to complement the intricate designs and respective theme of the fashion show.
The Mouawad "Masterpiece Collection" was officially unveiled at the Mouawad Showroom in Los Angeles, where Hollywood’s elite attended to get a first look before it hit the runway. Pascal Mouawad, along with his brother, are co-guardians and now the fourth generation of family members to lead the Mouawad business and brand. Pascal Mouawad has been behind the inspired collaboration with Victoria’s Secret for nearly a decade, taking the fashion show and world of lingerie to new heights with innovative creations of sheer excellence and beauty.
A warning issued by Ministry of Commerce of China on November 2 said according to Agencia EFE report a proposal was put forward on an international footwear conference held in Mexico October 21 that called for a joining boycott shoes imported from China, the countries of Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela, Colombia, Chile, Uruguay, Ecuador, Paraguay and Spain are involved in the joint proposal.
Argentina Footwear Association president said so far Argentina has reduced the imports by 70% on Chinese shoes that has played a significant role on protection of local shoemaking industry.
The AWEX Regional Indicators finished 3.9% higher, on average, at sales in Sydney, Melbourne and Fremantle last week, when the average AWEX Superfine Micron Prices Guides rose by a further 5 to 9% on top of last week's rises of 5 to 7%.
The market is operating independently of the US exchange rate which rose by a further rose by 3.1% this week.
51,522 bales were on offer, compared with 50,028 bales last week. 4.7% were passed in, comprised of 3.2% in Sydney, 3.3% in Melbourne and 9.6% in Fremantle. Pass-in rates for Merino fleece and skirtings were 4.4% and 3.5%, respectively.
858 bales (1.6%) from the expected offering of 52,380 bales were withdrawn prior to sale and re-offered bales made up 6.7% of the final offering. 49,122 bales were cleared to the trade.
The US exchange rate rose back above 99¢ on Tuesday following the 0.25% lift in the official Australian interest rate earlier in the day. This was not expected by most experts and had not been factored in the exchange rate prior to the Reserve Bank announcement. The rise to above parity on Thursday was associated with the announcement of a further stimulus package in the United States and a weakening of the US Dollar.
There was an exceptionally strong start to the week with large price rises across all micron ranges and wool types on Wednesday, particularly at the fine end, where the average AWEX MPGs were up by 86¢ and 98¢ respectively for 16.5 and 17.0 microns. Further large rises were seen at the fine end on Thursday. The gains in the fine wool MPGs from the start of the season can be seen on the last page of this Review.
There was some easing from 20 microns up on Thursday, but not enough to cancel out the previous day's large gains.
The closing EMI has risen by 83¢ in Australian currency in the last three sales.
The previous highest daily closing EMI was 992¢ in February 2008 and the previous highest day-to-day change in the closing EMI was 41¢ in November 2007 when the EMI rose to 1000¢ from 959¢ on the last day of the previous week.
When looked at in US terms, the EMI at 996¢ is 82¢ above the previous highest value in January 2008. Thanks to some information supplied by Brian Clancy of the Weekly Times, it may to be at its highest level ever. It is 55¢ above the value of 941¢ in mid-April 1988, when the EMI reached 1271¢ in Australian currency and the exchange rate was 74¢.
The trade reports strong enquiry continuing after Thursday's sale.
Demand for skirtings again followed the fleece types with keen demand and good prices, particularly at the fine end, where prices were reported to be up by 30 to 40¢ greasy on Wednesday. Crossbred average AWEX MPGs all rose on Wednesday, but eased on Thursday. Nevertheless, all average crossbred MPGs were up for the week except at 28 microns where it fell by 1¢. Oddments had a mixed week, with strong rises in the North on Wednesday, followed by a slight easing on Thursday. Overall, the average AWEX Merino Cardings Price Guide was up by 1.3%.
Buyers from China were again dominant followed by buyers for India and Europe.
The increase in demand from Europe and India has played a major part in the lift in the market this season. This increase in demand is reflected in the latest export data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics which shows that the share of Australia's exports in the first three months of the season have changed as follows:
• India has moved from 7.8% for all of last season to 10.6% this season.
• Italy has moved from 2.8% to 5.3%.
• The Czech Republic has moved from 3.4% to 4.6%.
• China has moved from 78.1%% to 68.6%.
Sales will be held in Sydney, Melbourne and Fremantle next week, when 51,235 bales are currently rostered for sale. Present estimates for the following two sales (Weeks 20 and 21) are 47,450 and 46,750 bales, respectively; an increase of 6.1% over the three sale period when compared with last year.
The New Zealand Merino Company is rostered to offer 3,000 bales in Week 20.
In South African sales, the Cape Wools Indicator was up by 3.9% since last week against a 1.7% appreciation of the Rand against the US Dollar and a 0.2% appreciation against the Euro. 9,960 bales were on offer.
The first ever two-day International Denim Conference' opened on October 29, to a rousing reception, from the more than 500 plus delegates, who included the who's who of the Denim & Jeans industry, present on the occasion, at the hallowed campus of the Indian Institute of Management (IIM-A), Ahmedabad
The conference had been organized by fibre2fashion, the leading global B2B portal for the textile, apparel and fashion industry in conjunction with the Ahmedabad chapter of the Textile Association of India (TAI), which is the foremost textile professional body in India & the largest in the world.
Dr PR Roy, Director of fibre2fashion and President Emeritus of TAI, began the proceedings by announcing the theme of the conference. He aptly said, Denim is a subject that does not need to be introduced, but needs to be experienced, touched and felt, to understand the fabric.
More than 25 eminent speakers from the global denim and jeans sector had been lined up at the conference and who were able to attract the eyeballs and ears of all the delegates. It was said that, these delegates broke all previous conventions to be present in full strength, even during the closing hours of the second day of the conference, which goes to show the high level of deliberations, conducted at the conference.
The topics lined up at the conference ranged from overview of the Indian and US jeans industry, technology developments and innovations as well as marketing strategies in the denim & jeans sector, recovery and recycling of cotton waste, branding and retailing, Indigo wool and silk, organic cotton denims and many more. The highlight of the conference was a panel discussion on denims.
All in all, most of the delegates left on a satisfied note, enlightened and awed by the high level of topics discussed at the conference and admired the order in which, the conference deliberations were conducted and were also full of praise for the sumptuous delicacies lined up for them on both the days.
Speaking about the overall success of the denim conference, Dr PR Roy had this to say; " I am extremely delighted the way the industry participated and supported this great event. This for the first time, allowed the denim and jeans sector stalwarts, to come under one roof and interact. I sincerely believe that this will substantially help India, to position itself as a leading global denim player in the foreseeable future".
The top model, style icon and fashion designer Kate Moss has visited the Coty factory in Granollers, near Barcelona to see her new fragrance, Vintage Muse, coming off the production line.
Upon her arrival, Kate was greeted by the factory director, Patrick Bourque, who revealed that the factory is producing a staggering 60 bottles of Vintage Muse per minute, around the clock.
Kate was taken on a tour of the production line, where she met with the plant manager, Joan Castan. Ever friendly and approachable and clearly enjoying her visit, Kate chatted with production line workers before posing for photos with the factory team and signing the first Vintage Muse bottles off the production line.
Kate’s visit was completed with a meeting with Frank Völkl, the perfumer who created Vintage Muse. Both Kate and Frank were interviewed about the creation process for the new fragrance. During this, Kate explained that Vintage Muse was inspired by a Warhol-style black and white image that conveyed a strong, iconic feel, and that she designed the fragrance for strong, confident women. She also spoke of her love of the ‘sexy, night-time feel’ of musk, the key note around which Vintage Muse is built. And revealed that she is passionate about fragrance - she keeps a bottle in her handbag and wouldn’t leave the house without wearing it.
Perfumer Frank Völkl explained that musk was chosen as the centrepiece of Vintage Muse as it’s such a favourite scent of Kate’s, and represents her sensuality and femininity. This warm, velvety note is dressed with a touch of flowers and fruit for freshness, and chocolate for maximum addiction.
Vintage Muse: The Fragrance
Available from September 2010, Vintage Muse is a unique expression of Kate, the woman, and her role as a muse. This modern floral musk has a clean and hidden dimension that reflects Kate’s multi-faceted charm. Sophisticated and memorable, Vintage Muse evokes Kate’s breath-taking beauty and feminine allure.
The Levi’s brand today announced its new Water-Less jeans – made using significantly less water. The average pair of jeans uses 42 litres of water in the finishing process. The WaterLess collection reduces the water consumption by an average of 28% and up to 96% for some new products in the line.
"We challenged ourselves to operate at the intersection of style and sustainability. These Water-Less jeans have great styles and finishes, but are made with a lot less water,” said Erik Joule, Senior Vice President of Merchandising and Design of the Levi’s brand. “We’re excited about the results we’ve achieved so far, and we know we can make an even bigger impact by applying this innovative thinking to other aspects of our production process.”
During the production process, a typical pair of jeans are “finished” in large washing machines and dryers to create a unique look and feel. Using traditional garment washing methods, the average pair of jeans undergoes 3-10 washing cycles – adding up to approximately 42 litres of water per unit.
Levi’s Water Less jeans have reduced the water consumption in the finishing process by making simple changes to the process.
Some examples:
-Reducing the number of washing machine cycles by combining multiple wet cycle processes into a single wet process.
-Incorporate ozone processing into the garment washing.
-Removing the water from the stone wash
"What’s different about the WaterLess collection is that we’re still using the same materials and techniques to create finishes for our jeans but we’ve substantially reduced water’s role in the equation,” said Carl Chiara, Director of Brand Concepts and Special Projects of the Levi’s brand. “Sometimes, the way to achieve a more sustainable design is to rethink a traditional process and find a way to do it better.”
The first collection of WaterLess products will be available in January of 2011 and will include over a dozen classic Levi’s jeans, including the Levi’s 501 jeans and the popular 511 and 514 jeans, as well as the Levi’s trucker jacket.
The Levi’s spring 2011 product lines will contain more than 1.5 million pairs of jeans with the WaterLess method, saving approximately 16 million litres of water. The line will also include jeans made with brand’s traditional rigid finish which, by its nature, utilizes virtually no water in its production.
The Levi’s brand will continue to introduce these finishing techniques to even more supplier factories around the world with the goal of increasing the numbers significantly in Fall 2011.
The company also launched the “Care Tag for Our Planet” campaign, changing the product care tags in Levi’s jeans to include instructions about ways consumers can reduce the environmental impact of their clothes by washing less, washing in cold water, line drying and donating to Goodwill when no longer needed.
ABOUT THE LEVI’S BRAND:
The Levi’s brand epitomizes classic American style and effortless cool. Since their invention by Levi Strauss in 1873, Levi’s jeans have become the most recognizable and imitated clothing in the world – capturing the imagination and loyalty of people for generations.
Today, the Levi’s brand portfolio continues to evolve through a relentless pioneering and innovative spirit that is unparalleled in the apparel industry. Our range of leading jeanswear and accessories are available in more than 110 countries, allowing individuals around the world to express their personal style. For more information about the Levi’s brand, its products and stores.
Exporters of textiles at the Canton Fair, China's largest trade fair, say they are struggling to survive amid rising raw material and labor costs.
"Wages have increased as much as 30 percent. But several of our partner plants have stopped production because of the worker shortage," said Chen Su, the assistant to the general manager at Sunvim Group, China's biggest home textile company, Thursday.
In addition, prices of raw materials are rising rapidly. Cotton prices have risen from 18,160 yuan (2,720 U.S. dollars) to 27,405 yuan per tonne, a 51 percent increase. The prices of other fabrics are also rising.
Furthermore, labor and raw material shortages often hampers the production of textile plants, leading to delivery delays, one of the greatest concerns for buyers.
Elliot Gessle, a British buyer at the Canton Fair, thinks Chinese textile products have lost their competitiveness. "Prices of most products are rising. But delivery delays have been the greatest headache," he said.
China's textile industry is facing competition from other Asian countries with low labor costs.
"Quality and efficiency in those countries are improving. They will catch up with China some day," said Gessle, who also purchases from Laos and Cambodia.
China exported 149.8 billion U.S. dollars of textile products in the first nine months of the year, a year-on-year growth rate of 23.14 percent. But exporters say the numbers are misleading.
The numbers are growing only because buyers are making bulk orders, said Luo Ping'an, the deputy general manager of Anhui Garments Import and Export Co.
"In the past, buyers ordered goods of one or two months of demand. But now they buy half a year's goods in one order."
Luo said buyers are making larger orders as they expect prices to rise and they want to avoid delays in delivery.
Chinese textile companies must focus on innovation and branding to address the many challenges they are facing, said Huang Yuefeng, an official with China's Ministry of Commerce.
Guangzhou-based Nandadi Garment Co. succeeded by putting traditional embroidery on jeans. It established its own brand -- Vigoss in the United States, said a company representative surnamed Wu at the Canton Fair.
"We have opened thousands of stores abroad, significantly increasing revenue and awareness of the brand," Wu said.
The crisis is an opportunity for the competitive companies who will survive after small and medium-sized companies are forced out of the market, experts say.
According to recent statistics, in this year's third quarter, the entire performance of Chinese apparel and textile industry stayed steady. Among all sectors, textile industry continued to grow steadily, whereas apparel manufacturing and chemical fiber industry went steady with a tendency of a slight decline.
In the third quarter of this year, China Textile Industry Index recorded 101 points, 1.1 points more than the previous quarter. China Apparel Industry Index hit 99.1 points and China Chemical Fiber Industry Index stood at 100.3 points with an increase of 0.1 points, in comparison with the second quarter.
Meanwhile, China Textile Enterprises Index registered 128.9 points, 2.8 points up compared to last quarter whereas China Apparel Enterprises Index recorded 146.8 points, rising 6.3 points from previous quarter and China Chemical Fiber Enterprises Index stood at 134.5 points, advancing 0.6 points from the second quarter.
The analysis of the indices suggested that Chinese textile industry is now confronted with multiple pressures. Global economy is recovery at a slow pace, adding burden to the recuperation of textile and apparel industry. In China, coupled with the growing demand for energy saving and emission reduction in the production, the continually rising prices of textile raw materials have made it more difficult for the country's textile industry to recover. Given the circumstances, it is anticipated that the indexes in the next quarter will have a tendency of declining.
One of the hottest names in fashion is Phillip Lim, the new darling of the American catwalk. Gan Tian explores his success story.
Top models and celebrities were out in force, and the fashion runway was perched on top of Dongbianmen, a 600-year-old landmark in Beijing. This was Chinese-American fashion designer Phillip Lim's first show in Beijing, and he was wowing the gathered fashionistas with his collection of slim-cut jackets, black-and-white shirts, loose pants, leather bags and gloves. His outfits were hanging on the country's top models, including Du Juan, who was making a rare appearance at home with Lim's white qipao-inspired evening dress, shimmering with diamonds. Also on the catwalk were top models Pei Bei, Sun Feifei and Qin Shupei. And right with them were A-list celebrity guests Geng Le, actress Gong Beibi and Japanese football player and fashion icon Hidetoshi Nakata.
For designer Phillip Lim, the show was "paying tribute to my homeland" and his Chinese ancestry.
"It is the perfect time to introduce us to Beijing. My partner and I are both Chinese, and my parents came from the mainland. We are amazed by what's happening in Beijing and how fast things are changing," the 36-year-old says.
Lim founded his own label with Wen Zhou in the autumn of 2005. Because the two were both 31 at that time, they named it 3.1 Phillip Lim.
To illustrate the label's core value, they chose a white rose as the logo - simple and elegant.
But it was not until 2007 that success came. On a morning during the New York Spring/Summer Fashion Week, Anna Wintour, editor-in-chief of American Vogue, had her assistant wake Lim up, saying she wanted to take a look at his collections.
Later, she promised Lim that he was "sure to succeed", and if he needed any supermodels, to just give her a call.
Lim soon shone under the spotlight. Celebrities like Cameron Diaz, Nicole Richie and Scarlett Johansson added jackets, short skirts and evening dresses from 3.1 Phillip Lim to their wardrobes.
He was named the best new designer by the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) in 2007. The same year, his first flagship store opened at SOHO, New York, and Wintour came to celebrate and congratulate the young designer.
Lim seldom uses traditional Chinese icons such as the color red or dragon and phoenix symbols, but he believes Chinese culture is deeply rooted in him.
"Chinese design is not about an exclusive garment. It's about mystery, essentiality, intrigue and a quiet appeal that is yet loud and powerful," he says.
These ideas came with his education. Lim is the youngest child and when he was growing up, the whole family depended on his mother, who worked as a tailor in a factory.
Lim's mother had hoped he would become a lawyer, a doctor or a banker.
"I lived two lives. In the day when I went to school, it was Western culture, but when I was back home, it was completely Chinese. We spoke Chinese, ate Chinese and I was taught to respect the elders. This was always something I grew up with," Lim says.
He admits that this conflict was the push factor. In five years, the designer had expanded his business to 400 boutiques and stores in more than 50 countries.
Now his designs are everywhere. His latest fan is "Queen Bee" Leighton Meester, who was spotted wearing a Phillip Lim shorts-skirt in a scene of TV's Gossip Girl.
Women who love Lim's designs have a preference for simplicity. He believes a simple dress is the hardest to make, and he is spare on details, so much so that his creations give the illusion of looking basic. But his inspiration is drawn from an eclectic range.
It can be from works of art with depth like when he presented a collection inspired by Picasso's work Mosqueteros during the 2010 Paris Spring Fashion Week.
Or he looks for inspiration from street culture, or the films made by Hong Kong director Wong Kar-wai.
People may jump to the conclusion that his Asian designs stem from his Chinese heritage, but Lim says: "I don't design Chinese clothes. I design global clothes."
Another generality that dogs him is the growing success of Asian names such as Jimmy Choo, Vera Wang, Jason Wu and Alexander Wang, which some dismiss as a transient vogue.
Lim does not think it is a trend.
" The Chinese have been in fashion since when there was no fashion. It only means there are more opportunities now. It's not coincidence, and there is no real connection except the fact that we are all of Asian descent."
