Victoria Beckham Enters E-Commerce

VICTORIA BECKHAM has launched an e-commerce website today. While the label's former digital home served as a way of showcasing lookbook pictures of recent collections, the designer's latest site is the first time the brand has offered online shopping.

"My new website has been in the making for a very long time," said Beckham. "It was so important that the concept, tone and look of it were true to me and my aesthetic and that the shopping experience was the very best that it could be for my customer. The site will be ever evolving featuring never seen before insights into my world through the medium of film. I'm incredibly excited with what I have created and the unique access to the brand I am now able to offer."

The site is divided into two sections, Look and Shop. The first option gives users the chance to watch show footage, documentary content and browse collection inspirations and latest news, while the second category features the designer's handpicked selection of spring/summer 2013 pieces.

The website will sell Icon - a line of ready-to-wear dresses inspired by the label's most popular designs and available exclusively online - in addition to accessories, eyewear, denim and Beckham's contemporary line, Victoria, Victoria Beckham.  Customers will be able to shop from the UK, USA and Europe, although there are plans to expand to additional regions in the future.

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 ELLA ALEXANDER |  26 MARCH 2013  |  Article Link 

Vera Wang Charges Customers Try-On Fee

VERA WANG has started charging shoppers at the label's new Shanghai bridal store a fee for trying on gowns. Customers are required to pay 3,000 yuan (£317.70) for a 90-minute time slot. 

If a purchase is made the cost will be deducted from the final price, but it is otherwise non-refundable. The boutique, situated in the Huangpu district, showcases around 80 dresses priced between 30,000 yuan (£3,177), to 300,000 yuan (£31,770).

The Global Times reports that the policy aims to "protect the copyright of the designer", as a statement from the company read. Photos are also forbidden.

The luxury label has become a popular choice with many high-profile brides-to-be, with Victoria Beckham and Kate Hudson both having worn the brand's gowns for their respective nuptials.

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 ELLA ALEXANDER |  25 MARCH 2013  |  Article Link 

Harrods Partners With Dior On Store Takeover

HARRODS is partnering with Christian Dior on a huge-scale store takeover this spring. The famed department store will become a tribute to the French fashion house - featuring never-before-seen exhibitions, displays and in-store activity.

The Brompton Road store windows will be transformed by Dior's instantly recognisable colour scheme of grey and white - with the theme a blend of "French Savior Fair and British charm". Iconic London post boxes and telephone boxes will feature prominently, featuring a series of exclusive limited edition Dior products and silhouette cut-outs, while Royal Beefeaters will wear costumes designed by the house's creative director, Raf Simons.

"Like the house of Dior, Harrods is reputed for astounding and satisfying its elegant women all over the world," said Sidney Toledano, president and CEO of Christian Dior. "The inspired collaboration with Harrods not only draws attention to Monsieur Dior's relationship with the fabled department store but also affirms the house of Dior's continued high standards via creation and discernment."

Inside the store, and Harrods' fourth floor will become "the ultimate Dior experience". Visitors will first come face-to-face with a reconstruction of the façade of 30 Avenue Montaigne - the famous Paris Dior headquarters - before exploring a host of different displays; focusing on everything from the house's Lady Dior handbag to its instantly recognisable scent, J'Adore.

Sketches and mini-mannequins help bring past looks to life, while the Stars in Dior installation features the actual dresses worn by famous faces including Emma Watson, Marion Cotillard and most recently, Jennifer Lawrence. Finally, the Café Dior pop-up restaurant will serve a host of dishes to reflect Monsieur Dior's love of good food - from lobster club sandwiches to Dior cupcakes.

"Our archive team at Harrods unearthed wonderful images of Christian Dior visiting Harrods in the Fifties and this is a beautiful part of the exhibition. Equally stunning dresses worn by the likes of Elizabeth Taylor, Princess Margaret and Lady Diana alongside contemporary designs by Raf Simons are a real highlight," said Marigay McKee, chief merchant at Harrods. "The Dior at Harrods windows will also highlight exclusive product created especially for the collaboration, in a truly inspirational presentation which celebrates Dior's love of London. We hope our customers will experience a fascinating journey through the store, unveiling intricate details of Dior's rich heritage and that they will be inspired and delighted by the collaboration."

The Harrods Dior takeover will run from March 16 to April 14, 2013. See a preview of the exclsuive products on offer in the gallery feaured left.

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SARAH KARMALI |  12 MARCH 2013  |  Article Link 

Alessandra Facchinetti Departs Uniqueness

ALESSANDRA FACCHINETTI has stepped down from her position of creative director at Uniqueness. The designer - who formerly helmed both Gucci and Valentino - launched the brand in collaboration with Italian label Pinko in 2011.

"Pinko and Alessandra Facchinetti, who jointly created the Uniqueness label, have today announced the end of their partnership," read a statement released this morning. "The president, Pietro Negra, thanks Alessandra for her creative vision which contributed to the brand's international success, embracing a new digital audience."

Facchinetti in turn thanked Negra for giving her "the opportunity to spearhead such an innovative project crossing the paths of fashion and visual art".

It's not yet been confirmed what the designer's next move will be. A successor will be announced shortly.

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SARAH KARMALI | FEBRUARY 20, 2013 | Article Link

Stella McCartney Advised Christopher Kane To Sign PPR Deal

CHRISTOPHER KANE turned to Stella McCartney for advice ahead of selling a majority stake in his eponymous label to PPR in January. McCartney signed an acquisition deal with the luxury conglomerate in 2001.

"I know some people will wonder why we sold a majority share," said Christopher Kane. "But looking at PPR's history of nurturing the creative as well as the commercial side, and talking to Stella, who said 'go for it', it seemed right. There's freedom within a framework. We need that infrastructure. I don't have ultimate control and if it ever goes wrong… but it's not going to go wrong."

The next step for the British brand is to hire a CEO, so that Tammy - Christopher Kane's sister, who is known for overseeing the business side of the company - can dedicate more time to her role as creative director. A London store opening and a website launch is in the pipeline, as well as a new accessories line.

"We're also surprised sometimes that we made it this far," Tammy Kane told The Telegraph. "There were times when there was no money in the bank and we'd be hammering things ourselves into clothes the night before a show thinking: 'What the hell are we doing?'"

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ELLA ALEXANDER | FEBRUARY 20, 2013 | Article Link

Cara Delevingne Trademarks Her Name

CARA DELEVINGNE has trademarked her name. The Vogue cover girl registered her name as an official trademark with the Intellectual Property Office - giving her an exclusive right to use it as a marketing tool.

The model - who is currently appearing on the international fashion week catwalks - submitted the registration in December last year, reports The Sunday Times. The trademark prevents a wide variety of product ranges from being released under her name - unless she chooses to do so herself - ranging the usual handbags and perfumes, to the more unusual walking sticks, emery boards and umbrellas.

The business-savvy 20-year-old also recently registered her own company, Cara & Co - for which her father, Charles Delevingne, is listed as co-director. The model recently told vogue.co.uk in an exclusive interview that she'd like to design her own collection of onesies or a range of "simple, well-cut tops and T-shirts".  

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SARAH KARMALI | FEBRUARY 25, 2013 | Article Link

Introducing P.A.C.E.: Empowering Female Workers Around The World

Gap Inc. cofounders Doris and Don Fisher opened their first store in 1969 with a belief that they were creating a different kind of business. Today, Gap employees around the world work every day to do more than sell clothes.

For Don Fisher, who passed away in 2009, “do more” meant a lifelong commitment to investing in communities. Some 40 years later, Gap Inc. is carrying on Fisher’s legacy with a community investment program educating female garment workers around the globe.

The development of Gap Inc.’s P.A.C.E. (Personal Advancement & Career Enhancement) program began in 2007, when the company decided to align its community investments closely with its business to create a more sustainable and scalable impact, says Dotti Hatcher, Executive Director of P.A.C.E. Global Programs.

P.A.C.E. teaches women comprehensive life skills like communication, problem solving, time management and financial planning. About 80% of garment workers worldwide — as well as 70% of Gap’s retail and corporate employees – are women, the company says.

But one of the greatest lessons P.A.C.E. offers comes not from Gap Inc., or even its vendors, but from the participants themselves. In the seven developing countries where P.A.C.E. operates – from India to Bangladesh to China — female role models speak volumes.

In developing countries, women like Sujatha, a P.A.C.E. participant and newly promoted supervisor, are more than just leaders: They’re mirrors reflecting the potential of other women. “Watching Sujatha makes me want to give a better education to my daughter,” narrates her older sister in a video about the program. “She’s my younger sister — and I want to be just like her.”

“It’s so important for women to be able to see women like themselves growing and advancing, because that means they can do it, too,” Hatcher says.

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Lisa Wirthman, P.A.C.E. | January 31, 2013 | Article Link

Bottega Veneta Profits Boom

BOTTEGA VENETA saw a 46.7 per cent boost in operating profits in 2012, rising to €300 million (£259 million), compared to €204 million (£177 million) in 2011. The Italian label reported annual sales of €945.1 million (£817 million), increasing 38.5 per cent from €682.6 million (£590 million), the previous year.

"I attribute this to a combination of our type of product, an extraordinary creative director [Tomas Maier], which eases my work, and strategic choices in line with the brand," Bottega Veneta president and CEO Marco Bizzarri told WWD. "We have been consistently focused on uncompromising strategies, and we took no shortcuts to pump up our sales."

Leather goods account for 85 per cent of the label's sales, although ready-to-wear is growing. The PPR-owned brand will open its second store in Milan in the next coming year - an expansive space, covering 7,560-square-feet, and will open its first Los Angeles retail outlet in April.


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ELLA ALEXANDER | FEBRUARY 22, 2013  | Article Link

Lady-like elegance features at London Fashion Week

Models present creations from Julien Macdonald
Autumn/Winter 2013 collection during London Fashion Week
- Source: Reuters

Up-and-coming design talent brought military influences while established brands exhibited ladylike elegance on the second day of London Fashion Week, one of the big four catwalk fixtures alongside Paris, New York and Milan.

On a pillar box-red stage, boxy Sixties silhouettes in canary yellow and shocks of fluorescent orange burst into the packed show of British designer Jasper Conran.

Earthy olives muffled loud neons, while cloche hats in matching shades added a feminine finish to the collection, which was viewed from the front row by actor Richard E. Grant.

"There is a hell of a lot of bright colour, which is balanced off with dark aubergines and blues and chocolate browns ... really in your face," Conran told Reuters before the show.

With buyers from 39 different countries attending, the British Fashion Council estimates orders of more than 100 million pounds are placed during London Fashion Week each season.

The direct value of the British fashion industry to Britain's $2.5 trillion economy is 21 billion pounds (NZD $38.54) billion), the council said.

Conran, who also has a high street range at British department store Debenhams, said Britain should see garment manufacturing as a business opportunity.

"China is going to be a huge emerging market for this country, and they want things that are made in Britain. We don't have a manufacturing industry but that doesn't mean we can't create one," he said.

 Sea forts

Coral pink mohair bags and oversized green coats pinned at the waist with matching belts featured in John Rocha's collection.

Rocha, a household name in Britain who also has a range at Debenhams, said he took his inspiration from the countryside surrounding Dublin, where he has lived for more than 20 years.

"It's based a lot on the Irish winter countryside, so almost like tree barks, or roses, it's all about trying to mimic the colour I see outside," Rocha told Reuters after the show.

"I'm just trying to bring all these things together and make something that's beautiful."

The five-day London Fashion Week blends up-and-coming names with veteran designers such as Vivienne Westwood and is best known for its cutting-edge talent and avant garde trends.

Christopher Raeburn, who graduated from London's Royal College of Art four years ago, said he drew inspiration from World War Two sea forts off the coast of England for his quilted, metallic jackets.

"There were these lovely metal structures, they're rusted and they're beautiful and they have such character, so I was really keen to bring some of that into the collection," he said.

Silky, fitted dresses and accessories with military mesh materials featured at his presentation, attended by fashion editors Suzy Menkes from the International Herald Tribune and Vogue's Sarah Harris.

Later, singer Rihanna will add a touch of A-list glamour with the launch of her first clothing line with British high street retailer River Island, one of the 56 catwalk shows taking place.

Looking ahead to Monday, eyes are on Christopher Kane's show, whose label was bought into by French luxury group PPR in January, and American designer Tom Ford who will be showcasing his womenswear on the catwalk for the first time in London.

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Reuters | February 17, 2013 | Article Link