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

Yasmin Sewell Names New Mentorship Recipients

RENOWNED fashion consultant Yasmin Sewell has welcomed three new emerging designers to take part in her mentoring scheme, which aims to promote and nurture rising fashion stars. Reece Hudson, Joe Duke and Elliot Atkinson join Joe Richards, who became the first recipient of the programme in September last year and is preparing to unveil his debut collection for autumn/winter 2013-14.

Reece Hudson is a New York-based accessories label that specialises in unfussy pared-down handbags - "one of the only new independent cult bag brands out there," as Sewell describes  - while Joe Duke focuses on prints, already working on a freelance basis for labels such as Alexander Wang, JW Anderson and Oscar de la Renta ("He is the secret weapon to a lot of today's key brands.")

Former Fashion Fringe finalist Elliot Atkinson boasts a tough, yet feminine aesthetic. "We hope that the support that Elliot receives will ensure that he can take this business to the next level," added Sewell.

The scheme - which Sewell runs with senior consultant and fashion forecaster Jemma Dyas - focuses on collection direction, pricing structures, sales strategy, market positioning and general business advice.

"Really we are there as advisors and supporters, so that if they need to talk something through they know that they can come to us," explained Dyas. "We really believe that these four designers have such talent and we want to give them a support network that will help them grow."

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ELLA ALEXANDER | FEBRUARY 22, 2013 | Article Link

Dresses That Give You a Flat Stomach

Don't be surprised if people can't stop commenting on your leaner silhouette—it's up to you whether you divulge these crunch-free secrets.

The "Your Waist Is So Little!" Black Dress

The LBD is a wardrobe staple, which makes it all the more important that you feel more attractive than Victoria Beckham on the arm of David Beckham while wearing it. A mesh panel in the waist smooths out any would-be muffin top, so you're svelte without sucking in.

The "Have You Been Doing P90X?" Dress

This color-blocked style melts away pounds—or at least creates the illusion of it. The black band down the center widens just below your widest part, making your hips look slimmer, and the pale gray sides at the waist make your obliques look as toned as if you've spent a month doing Tony Horton's Ab Ripper X.

The Camera-Doesn't-Add-Any-Pounds Dress

The V-neck wrap style has long been a staple in TV anchors' wardrobes—the three-quarter-length sleeves keep your arms from jiggling, it's body-slimming without feeling snug, and in jewel tones, it makes your skin glow. This one goes a step further: The built-in undergarment makes you look like you've dropped a dress size overnight.

The "Wow, You Look Gooood" Dress

The navy stripe running from the boat neckline to the at-the-knee hem on this plus-size number means your face and ever-flattering collarbones are the first thing people notice—your tiny waist, the second thing.

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Candace Braun Davison | Read More Article Link

Kate Moss Named Hat-Wearer Of The Year

Picture credit: Lachlan Bailey

KATE MOSS has been named 2013 Hat Person of the Year. The model received the highest number of votes in an online poll conducted by The Headwear Association.

"Kate Moss' oft-imitated London street style is legendary, and she is well known for her love of hats," said the Headwear Association. "Hats off to you, Ms Moss. Your style is impeccable."

While Moss gained 40 per cent of the votes, singer Bruno Mars came a close second with 38 per cent. Anne Hathaway received just 14 per cent of votes. Previous winners include the Duchess of Cambridge (2012), Johnny Depp (2011), and Brad Pitt (2010).

The Headwear Association also announced earlier this year that it was inducting Hugh Jackman, Nicole Kidman, Tom Waits and Rachel Zoe into its 2013 Hall of Fame. Carey Grant and Josephine Baker are also to be inducted posthumously.

"Each year, the 104-year-old Headwear Association selects individuals renowned for wearing hats with signature style," explained THA president Stephanie Carter. "The six chosen to be inducted into the 2013 Headwear Hall of Fame are all known for frequently wearing hats and have all elevated the visibility of the headwear category." 

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SARAH KARMALI | FEBRUARY 19, 2013 | Article Link

Rihanna Unveils River Island Campaign

RIHANNA has unveiled her River Island campaign, hiring Jourdan Dunn and Charlotte Free to showcase her debut collection. Other featured models include Tao Okamoto, Ataui Deng and Bambi Northwood Blyth. Today also marks the first time that the singer has unveiled cut-out images of the range in full.

Photographed by Mario Sorrenti, the shoot - as with the clothing itself - is inspired by the Nineties. Models lounge on a car - against a backdrop of vibrant colour - wearing a mixture of pieces from the collection, including a black floor-length dress with daring side split, a navy jumpsuit which is unbuttoned to the navel and a striped bra top and high-waisted shorts.

The Vogue cover girl debuted her long-awaited fashion offering for River Island on Saturday night during London Fashion Week. The range lands in stores on March 5.

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ELLA ALEXANDER | FEBRUARY 19, 2013 | Article Link

Beyond Concealer: 6 Makeup Ideas to Make You Look More Awake

Concealer alone won't make you look beautifully rested. (In fact, too much draws attention to tired eyes.) Here are six ways to wake up your look; each one lets you fake an extra hour of sleep.

◘  Curl Your Lashes

When your lashes are upturned, your eyes look more open. For the biggest payoff, squeeze a lash curler once at your lashline, once in the middle of your lashes and once at the ends. Enhance the effect—and seal the curl—with a layer of lengthening mascara.


◘  Layer Your Liner

Lining your upper lashes with two different tones—one deep, one vibrant—will counteract shadows underneath your eyes and make the whites look brighter. First, use a dark brown or black pencil eyeliner. Top it with a liner in a vibrant jewel tone, like a sapphire blue or emerald green.


◘ Line Your Lower Lashes

But don't use black. To make your eyes look bigger and brighter, trace a nude eyeliner (like Tarte EmphasEYES™ Inner Rim Brightener, $18; Sephora.com) on the inner rims of your lower lashline. "Make sure the liner is a beige-y color and not too white," says Tim Quinn, celebrity makeup artist for Giorgio Armani Beauty. "Beige looks more natural and does a better job of neutralizing redness in or around the eyes."


◘ Build Up Your Brows

Full, softly arched brows make your eyelids look lifted, and draw attention up and away from undereye puffiness and dark circles. Use short, feathery strokes to fill in your brows with a pencil (a taupe shade works on most brow colors and skin tones) and then brush them up and out with a spoolie brush. Dior's Diorshow Brow Styler Ultra-Fine Precision Brow Pencil ($29, Sephora.com) is a favorite among makeup artists. "The texture is dry enough to stay put all day, the universal color really does work on everyone, and it has a spoolie on one end," makeup artist Troy Surratt says.


◘ Even Out Your Complexion

A sheer, dewy foundation can do more than a concealer alone to make you look beautifully awake. Case in point: An actress we recently worked with arrived at our O shoot straight from a red-eye flight—yet looked as if she'd just woken from a long, delicious nap. She credited a layer of Koh Gen Do Aqua Foundation ($62, KohGenDoCosmetics.com). "It's luminous and totally imperceptible," she raved. "Even though it's light, it evens out redness and discoloration, and makes me look instantly refreshed."


◘ Wear Blush

A pop of color on your cheekbones brightens your entire face and distracts from shadows underneath your eyes. Look for a rosy blush with a hint of gold to counteract blue tones in your undereye circles. (Avoid shades that are too orange, which can make eyes look tired.) "There's a reason why Nars Orgasm Blush is so incredibly popular—that shade of slightly peachy pink, flecked with gold, makes almost everyone look vibrant," says one makeup artist (who shall remain nameless because he works for another brand).


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Jenny Bailly | Read More Article Link