The clothing produced under the Loxion Kulca label seeks to project “street feel” and initially involved clothing with a loose fit

Loxion Kulca

The Loxion Kulca brand offers a case study of a radically different character to

that of either Sun Goddess or Stoned Cherrie. What is distinctive about Loxion

Kulca is that it is an enterprise that is centrally focused on brand construction and

232 URBAN FORUM

development rather a direct focus on design, production and distribution processes.

The Loxion Kulca label was established as recently as 1999 and presently is

owned jointly by Sechaba Mogale and Wandi Nzimande, both of whom were

born in 1976, the year of the Soweto uprising. Close school friends, at age 24 the

two founders, with no formal education in fashion, were looking for ways to

make money in the late 1990s. As representatives for a fashion business known

as ‘Fashion Fever’ selling hats their awareness developed of the importance of

branding. The pair wore crocheted close-fitting skull caps and local people began

asking them where these caps could be purchased. This provided the impetus

for the two partners to encourage friends and family and others to produce the

hand-knitted ‘beanies’ which were sold either out of plastic bags or car boot.

An important turning point in the growth of the enterprise was the taking-on

of a white business partner, a former successful clothing manufacturer, who assisted

the two black entrepreneurs to grow Loxion Kulca into a mass market

brand. The brand collection diversified from the initial focus on hats into urban

street-wear, mainly of denims, printed T-shirts, and sport shoes and later to include

branded overalls and men’s suits (Nuttall, 2004). The clothing produced

under the Loxion Kulca label seeks to project “street feel” and initially involved

clothing with a loose fit with pockets “in the right place’ for keys or cell phones.

Marketing was a critical factor for the early success of Loxion Kulca as the clothing

label was surrounded by kwaito and hip-hop music and street culture (art and

graffiti) that allowed the brand to capture and retain ‘street cred’ (Rubin, 2003).

The name Loxion Kulca was created out of the belief of its designers that

urban locations or townships (Loxion) were similar in their cultural vibe (Kulca).yanzic0626.

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Steve Biko and shebeen queens have enabled a blend of traditional design

Stoned Cherrie

blends images of boxing champions, beauty queens, and musicians from Drum,

a magazine that was extremely popular in the 1950s, integrating them into contemporary

fashion styles (Nuttall, 2004: 436) Various emblems and prints depict

Steve Biko and shebeen queens have enabled a blend of traditional design, South

African history and modern urban design, which is projected at “an expressly

cosmopolitan target audience” (Nuttall, 2004: 436). For this unique blend of design,

Stoned Cherrie has been hailed as “a true South African brand” by the

Programme Director of the South African Fashion Week, Dion Chang (2005).

In terms of business development, whilst Nkensani believes that black economic

empowerment must be a central feature of the Stoned Cherrie business

strategy, the core criteria for employment is level of skill rather than racial considerations.

This approach is emphasized by Nkensani’s philosophy that ‘being

African is not about being black’. Indeed, until recently, one of the major designers

employed at Stoned Cherrie was a white woman (Cameron, 2004). All production

of Stoned Cherrie clothing is outsourced to local manufacturers either in

Johannesburg or Cape Town.

The domestic high income South African market is the core of Stoned Cherrie’s

current business. Currently, Stoned Cherrie does not export its products. Nkensani

has taken the strategic decision to first build the enterprise and brand with a solid

foundation in the South African market. Future planning for Stoned Cherrie does

include potential initiatives to market their goods, particularly in Japan and the

USA. Overall, the main business goals of Stoned Cherrie, going forward, are to

grow their market, both locally and internationally, as well as to diversify into the

home-ware market. yanzic0626.

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KARL LAGERFELD, known for his versatility, creativity, and graceful design aesthetic

KARL LAGERFELD CHANEL Born in Hamburg, Germany, in 1938, Karl Lagerfeld was mesmerized by art and fashion even as a child. When he was only 15, he went to Paris to enter a competition with a coat he had designed and walked off with first prize. It wasn't long before the talented young designer was snatched up by the couture houses of Paris. In 1963 he started his own line of clothing and began a longstanding collaboration with Fendi, for which he still designs. In 1983 he became artistic director for Chanel. Known for his versatility, creativity, and graceful design aesthetic, he's won praise for bringing new freshness to the classic label with out altering it too dramatically.
The lavish, theatrical elements in many of Lagerfeld's designs make them a natural for the Oscars. In fact, his clothes have been stars themselves as costumes for European and American movies and operas.
When he's not designing gowns for the world's most glamorous women, Lagerfeld devotes himself to restoring old houses, collecting 18th-century furniture, and photography, which he has turned into a second career. He also recently completed a collection of illustrations for a new children's book based on--appropriately enough--"The Emperor's New Clothes."
MIUCCIA PRADA PRADA
The Prada trademark dates from the early 1900s when Miuccia's grandfather Mario opened two leathergoods stores in Milan. He stocked them with designs created from the exotic materials he collected during his travels--rare fish skin and tortoiseshell from the Orient, and parachute nylon from the United States. Although the business declined after Mario's death in the 1950s, Miuccia took it over in 1978 and made it her mission to infuse new life into the family label.
She's done that--and more. Miuccia introduced her first collection of shoes in 1985 and, in 1989, launched her debut women's collection. Her sleek, sophisticated, modern edge was a perfect fit with the understated, minimalist climate emerging in fashion, and it wasn't long before the Prada name gained cachet with the young and fashionable crowd. Among her devoted fans are Caroline Bissette Kennedy (Mrs. JFK Jr.) and Uma Thurman. In fact, the elegant lavender Prada gown Thurman wore to the 1995 Oscars is hailed by some as a bellwether in the simple-chic Oscar-fashion trend.
Prada herself describes her style as a blend of practicality and whimsy, stemming from her dual background in political science and theater arts. Whatever the inspiration, her work continues to earn accolades and celebrity clients.
JOHN GALLIANO CHRISTIAN DIOR
Sure, critics are praising understated navy silk pantsuits these days, but there's always room for flair and flamboyance on a glamorous night like the Oscars. And that's where fashion impresario John Galiano comes in. He was already a force int he couture world when the took the helm at Christian Dior in 1996. His Oscar-night creations are among the boldest and most unforgettable, and it takes a bold, confident start to wear them (Madonna, Celine Dion, Nicole Kidman, for example). A chartreuse gown with mesh back, Chinese embroidery, and fur tassels might sound like a potential disaster--but when Galliano conceives it and Kidman carries it off, the fashion press swoons.
If, as some say, the most innovative designers in Paris are British, galliano. certainly fits the mold. Born in Gibraltar in 1960 and raised in England, he combines the best of British tradition with thoroughly modern and wildly imaginative designs that have been called everything from "poetic" to "eccentric." for inspiration he has drawn on such diverse sources as Mata Hari, Japanese art, Toulouse-Lautrec, Napoleon and Josephine, and the Scottish Highlands.
Galliano introduced his first collection in 1985 and, after enjoying success on his own, was lured to Givenchy in 1995 to help give the classic label a fresher, more modern image. His collections won the British Designer of the Year award as well as Spain's most prestigious fashion award. However, a year later he was lured to another of haute couture's most prestigious houses--Dior.
So far it seems like a perfect fit.
OSCAR FACT: How the Oscar got its name: In 1931 Margaret Herrick, an Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences employee, commented that the statuette "looks like my uncle Oscar." Other employees picked up on the nickname, and in 1934 it appeared in a newspaper column for the first time. yanzic0619.

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wear padded clothes and full-face helmets

A gearhead's guide to hardtails, wheelie drops and fall's hottest outerwear
Name: Kim Steed Age: Twenty-seven Hometown: North Vancouver Sponsor: Santa Cruz Bicycles Day job: Owns a bike shop. Major recent injuries: Hip hematoma, broken rib, back knocked out of alignment. Going on a free ride: "Free riding is a bit of a circus. You find the most rugged terrain that you can and do as many stunts as possible: 360 drops, wheelie drops, spins. Hardtails -- bikes without shock absorbers on the rear wheel -- are more maneuverable and better for stunts, but they're pretty painful on the drops." Location, location, location: "Moab, Utah, is Mecca for free riders -- such nice, slick rock there that you can ride for hours and hours. But many of the top pros are now coming from what we call the north shore of Vancouver. We've got some of the biggest drops you'd ever want to see, and because it's so wet, it's incredibly challenging." Organ donors: "My friends and I will take six-hour helicopter rides to try out some untested trail. We wear padded clothes and full-face helmets, but there's always somebody who gets loaded onto the helicopter and rushed to the hospital. In the last six months, four of my friends have had to have their spleens removed. But the injuries aren't slowing anybody down. The risk is part of the thrill."
"By the time I was nine, I was already burned out on BMX. Mountain biking is more adult."
Name: Brian Lopes Age: Twenty-eight Hometown: Laguna Beach, California Sponsor: Volvo-Cannondale Professional ranking: 1998 U.S. champion in the downhill; 1999 U.S. champion in the dual slalom. Major recent injuries: Torn ligaments, broken collarbone, a dislocated shoulder. Silly rabbit, BMX is for kids: "I made the move from BMX racing to mountain biking seven years ago, because there are too many kids in BMX. Mountain biking is more adult and more of a technical challenge. You have to remember that I started racing in BMX events when I was four years old. By the time I was nine, I was already getting burned out. I quit and played the normal sports that all my friends were playing, like baseball. Boring." Breaking the speed limit: "Every course is different. The fastest is probably the Kamikaze, in Mammoth, California. You hit about sixty miles an hour there." Give me land, lots of land: "If I'm in an office on the phone for three or four hours, I start going crazy. I have to get outside." The simple pleasures of the good life: "For me, the best part of mountain biking is doing something you love and getting a chance to hang out with your friends."
Name: Wade Bootes Age: Twenty-five Hometown: Dallas (by way of Sydney, Australia) Sponsor: Trek-Volkswagen Professional ranking: Placed eighth in the 1999 dual-slalom World Cup in his first year on the circuit. Major recent injuries: None. Folks said, "Wade, move away from there:" "I first came to the United States to do the BMX circuit. I bought a van for $350 and drove from race to race, living from whatever prize money I could take. Now I travel the world and own a house on six acres of land, with a practice track in my back yard. I'm probably going to move now that I'm doing mountain biking. California is the place to be." Survival of the fittest: "It's so hard, the downhill. People fall and get hurt all the time just walking on the courses. It's always in the back of your mind that if you hit one rock wrong, you'll hit a tree and really fuck yourself up. But you have to stay positive, because if you keep thinking that way, then you will hit the tree. I just try to get down the course. That's a big part of the thrill of a good run: getting to the bottom and saying, 'I made it! I beat the odds.'"
Name: Maya Labat Age: Twenty-nine Hometown: New York Sponsor: Brooklyn Machine Works Major recent injury: Blown-out anterior cruciate ligaments in one knee. NYC blue: "It's very rare to find a top cyclist from New York. I mean, forget mountains. Here, training means chasing the crackheads trying to steal your bike. I started out by setting up jumps in Washington Square Park with some friends. But it's tough to get the attention of sponsors or magazine editors unless you live out West." Sign o' the times: "Downhill biking is hot now -- just look at Busta Rhymes in that Mountain Dew ad." Head over heels: "You're consistently taking huge shocks, hitting baby-head-size rocks at full speed, and you have to adjust just to keep going. When you're gripping the brakes so hard, you sometimes get 'eagle claw': Once you stop, you just can't get your hand to release the grip. One time I caught a flat in my front tire, but I was going so fast, I didn't realize it. The tire didn't roll up onto the next rock I hit, so I flew over the bike by about fifteen feet and landed on a rock. I opened up a gash in my leg like a bellybutton pierced open. The problem is, you take so many falls, you're not immediately sure if you're hurt badly. In every big race, some cat leaves on a stretcher." yanzic0619.

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David Hasselhoff dressed as a road warrior, still looking hopelessly geeky

EVENTS WE ALWAYS SEEM TO MISS
The Philadelphia Museum of Art featured 100 photographs of men's feet taken during orgasm. No thanks, we see enough of our own feet during sex.
ConFurence, the "original full-furry convention" held yearly in California for folks who are interested in "furry" characters. Here you really could wake up next to a dog.
The 1,600-person tug-of-war contest in Taiwan. Reportedly, two men had limbs torn off and 45 other people were injured, including a few ambassadors. You should have seen the three-legged race.
OUR KIND OF GUYS
Major General Perry Smith (retired), above left, military consultant to CNN, who quit after the network broadcast a shaky report that the United States had used lethal nerve gas against American defectors during the Vietnam War.
Alan Greenberg, an executive who donated $1 million to buy Viagra for impotent men who can't afford it.
Michael Collins, above center, Command Module Pilot of Apollo 11, who did his job, stayed in orbit while Nell and Buzz played golf, never complained, and as a result has been completely forgotten.
Katsuo Katugoru, a Tokyo problem-solver who designed rubber briefs that could inflate to 30 times their normal size as protection in case of a tidal wave. The underwear, it was reported, inflated in a crowded train, causing pandemonium.
Never one to shy away from a challenge, Jean-Noel Charolais of France, above right, broke the world record for resistance to cold and pain (narrowly beating Barbara Boxer's husband). Charolais spent 42 minutes and 31 seconds sitting in a small hole filled with ice and snow, lined at the bottom with ground glass.
NOT OUR KIND OF GUYS ANYMORE
David Hasselhoff dressed as a road warrior, still looking hopelessly geeky.
Sean Connery reportedly doing karaoke in Paris, forever shattering his cool image.
Best Health News
You can stop fretting about the undead. British researchers examined a handful of zombies in southern Haiti and found that they were actually mentally ill, wandering strangers who only resembled dead people. Couldn't the same be said about people at those Renaissance fairs?
Pork chops may hold the secret to a healthier, longer life. A common type of fat found in meat, called conjugated linoleic acid, may help prevent diabetes, according to Purdue and Penn State researchers. Their findings suggest that this fatty acid is as effective as some new drugs in preventing the disease. One researcher hopes that someday, "We'll have a value-added pork chop that could help fight cancer and diabetes." Pick it up in the meat section of your local pharmacy.
Ever wonder why tickling yourself doesn't work? You're not alone, strange one. With the help of magnetic resonance imaging, researchers found that the brain warns you beforehand when you try to tickle yourself.
Marijuana may help cure a stubborn case of hiccups, suggests a researcher writing in the Lancet, a medical journal. After hiccuping for nine days, a patient took a few tokes, and the spasms stopped permanently. Of course, now he can't stop giggling.
Omelets may prevent scrambled vision, Two key nutrients with hard-to-pronounce names (lutein and zeaxanthin) have been found in egg yolks. The nutrients may protect the eye from age-related damage that leads to vision loss.
Worst Health News
According to the USDA Livestock Behavior Research Unit at Purdue University, earlier castration reduces stress. We'll say!
Our brains apparently shrink more rapidly than women's do, according to researchers. We're happy to take that kind of shrinkage over others. yanzic0617.

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It's a goofy synthetic shell you shove down your pants to make your package appear larger than it is

Not the worst, but certainly the most creative: The Hot Dog Snow Mobile. Like the name says, it's a snowmobile made from a hot dog. The recipe features cottage cheese (for the snow), cheese spread (for hair and flames), and pretzels (playing the part of the steering wheel). Joe Kita, one of our editors, fetched this from his mom's recipe box. You should see what she does with fish sticks.
Worst fashion statement
The Bulge. It's a goofy synthetic shell you shove down your pants to make your package appear larger than it is. Great for Speedos, spandex shorts, underwear, and pants. Save the 20 bucks and stuff a sock in it.
Were tired of...
Cargo pants
Coffee as religion
Nicolas Cage and dumbass action movies
The flood of bogus herbal workout supplements
Thinking about the stock market
Talking about the Web
Hearing about Viagra
Hot-air balloonists
Size does matter."
South Park
People who still believe soccer will catch on in America
Beanie Babies
Ben Affleck
SCARIEST SEX DEVICE ON THE PLANET
Even the name is scary. The Eroscillator is a mechanical aid developed to "help women achieve faster, more intense orgasms." lit comes with four interchangeable heads--all of which look like they came straight out of Alien Resurrection. This device, which operates at 3,600 oscillations per minute, is recommended by Dr. Ruth Westheimer, who also operates at 3,600 oscillations per minute.
OFFICE STUFF
Coolly intimidating: An office chair made of antlers, from Crystal Farm.
Ominously intimidating: The Anytimer executive organizer. The top half appears to be an appointment book, complete with binder and pen. Beneath it is a foam insert, shaped to hold a handgun. Makes a real impression at year-end reviews!
Stupid: Billed as a "silent business partner," the MotivAider is an electronic device that vibrates as often as once a minute to remind you to "take action, so you follow through like you've never done before." It reminds you to stay focused, praise employees, and avoid injuries. It also reminds you that you spent S 5 bucks on something really stupid.
More Stuff to Worry About
Vibration-induced white finger. It's a disorder linked to "hand-transmitted vibration." From now on we're cutting back to three times a week.
Cuddling a kitty could give you an ulcer. In a recent report, doctors described a man who had 10 stomach ulcers caused by an animal strain of bacteria. One genetic sequence of the bacterium was 100 percent identical to that found in his cat. This may also explain his compulsion to bury his doo-doo in the sandbox.
Some Disneyland employees can wear their theme-park suits to and from work. How can we give Mickey the finger if he cuts us off?
TV violence is bad. But is it as bad as the TV itself? Two studies document injuries sustained by kids when large TVs fell on them. Parents, take your kids to the park; Frisbees are easier to catch.
Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus is no longer just a book. It's now a magazine, too.
It may really be over when the fat lady sings. Listening to opera while driving can kill you, according to Britain's Royal Automobile Club, which claims that listening to "Ride of the Valkyries" can stir up a driver's emotions and lead to accidents. The only thing worse: listening to those ads for Ensure.
Cocaine use may be even more dangerous on hot days, say doctors. Is that why all the young actors are moving to Anchorage? yanzic0617.

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I see more cases where a customer who normally only buys cheaper items like T-shirts is now buying art

Consumers have embraced the new offerings. "I see more cases where a customer who normally only buys cheaper items like T-shirts is now buying art, which costs more than 100,000 yen [$810 at current exchange] without hesitation," said Yuichi Yoshii of Loveless, a specialty store in the Aoyama district here.
Boutiques that simply sold photography books or art tomes have begun mounting art exhibits and selling artwork. At Loveless, for example, art events are held regularly. During a recent photo exhibition by Stephane Queme of the French band Daft Punk, 20 works ranging from 49,350 yen to 165,900 yen, or $399 to $1,342 at current exchange, sold the first day. At a subsequent exhibition at Loveless, "Stones," by lacquer artist Akito Akagi and pottery artist Kouichi Uchida, 60 out of 200 pieces sold with prices ranging from 180,000 yen to 650,000 yen, or $1,456 to $5,257.
Meanwhile, Wut Berlin, owned by H.P. France, earlier this year exhibited photographs by Anna Schlaeger. During the show, 10 out of 23 pieces were sold, including large prints priced at 17,750 yen, or $144, and medium prints for 12,600 yen, or $102.
While art hasn't performed as well as fashion, Loveless' Yoshii said the results are still quite good. "It has the effect of cultivating new customers since we have new people who had never been to the boutique visiting for the art exhibitions," he said. "Also, we can use art as a topic to open communications with our customers. It adds to the intimacy factor."
For some boutiques, art is an important tool used to convey the store concept. Restir, for example, said it will hold exhibitions at the entrance of its midtown boutique. Other stores are featuring artists who worked on their catalogues and mailings. Tomorrowland, a specialty store, sold works by Valerie Roy and Fabrice Moireau at its Shibuya boutique and Maison Galerie Vie, its boutique and cafe in Aoyama. Since Roy and Moireau are well-known for their collaborations with major luxury brands, devoted fans from Tokyo and beyond came to the opening reception this spring.
"It is our philosophy to introduce lifestyle products, not only fashion," said Akira Ueno, general manager for the shop development division of Tomorrowland. "The name of our Aoyama store, Galerie Vie, means 'lifestyle gallery.'"
Tomorrowland has been selling items such as home and decorating products, stationery, posters and postcards for more than 20 years. It became more aware of the potential for selling art when prints by photographer Arthur Elgort blew out during the boutique's Shibuya opening. "Originally, art could not be purchased outside a limited number of places such as galleries," Ueno said. "There are more people looking for real art now, yet many are not aware of where to go. We are hoping such customers enjoy art through stores like ours when they visit."
Tomorrowland works with artists to ensure prices are affordable. For example, at Maison Galerie Vie, an exhibition of Graldine Gonzalez's works on paper in June was priced at 31,500 yen, or $255, for small pieces, and 47,250 yen, or $382, for large pieces, which was well within Tomorrowland customers' budgets.
Competition is stiff in the Tokyo specialty boutique arena, which makes enhancing a store's image with art increasingly important. At Loveless, sales of CDs and books are booming and the shop believes it's possible for half the stockkeeping units to eventually shift to nonfashion products. Boutiques such as Loveless have also found an added benefit to selling art: regular exhibitions provide excitement during off-peak selling periods when there's a lull in the stores. yanzic0613.
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Fashion - A Contribution of Neighborliness and Peace

There are 20 original couture models from Berlin and other German collections, many presented for the first time. Seven are from Marlene Dietrich's wardrobe, including the three-piece evening dress "Saphir" from spring 1948, in which she reportedly "stole the show" at the 1951 Oscars; the day suit "Acacias," (spring 1949), which she wore on-screen in gray in Alfred Hitchcock's "Stage Fright" and offscreen in blue, as seen in Berlin, and a two-piece day dress and matching hat from the Dior New York prt--porter deluxe collection from fall 1950 for the U.S. market.
Also on display are 24 original costume jewelry sets of rhodium, tombac (pinchbeck) or bronze with Swarovski glass stones and Dior pearls, produced between 1955 and 1957 for Dior by the Pforzheim, Germany, company Henkel & Grosse. Dior was a strong supporter of costume jewelry, as clearly stated in his "ABCs of Fashion," which was also published in German in 1954.
The house's choice of a German firm to do costume jewelry in what was at first a local and then a global license caused a political uproar in France, but financial considerations played a crucial role. Known for excellent quality, Henkel & Grosse, founded in 1907, had a strong international business prior to World War II, selling to stores like Harrods and Saks Fifth Avenue in the Thirties. Due to such contacts, the company could guarantee a minimum turnover "which would have amounted to twice the total French costume jewelry export volume," catalogue essayist Maria Spitz wrote.
Dior's licensing division was set up in 1950, and the first German license for Christian Dior stockings went to Werner Uhlmann in Lippstadt. "Dior - Made in Germany" handbags were produced by Goldpfeil in Offenbach, and by 1963, the Paris house had concluded more than 65 licensing agreements worldwide.
The first show to the public, organized by the fashion magazine Constanze, attracted 3,000 people to three sold-out shows in Hamburg in December 1949. The proceeds of that show, as well as those that followed in Bad Godesberg and Dsseldorf in 1952, and Munich, Essen and Dsseldorf in 1953, were given to German and French aid agencies. The press frequently dubbed the Dior mannequins "diplomats of fashion," and indeed, after the Hamburg show, the French consul general told Dior's German representative "that we have done more for French-German relations and for the prestige of our country" than he himself had achieved in six months.
The designer's first and only trip to postwar Germany in October 1955 was similarly greeted with headlines such as "Fashion - A Contribution of Neighborliness and Peace."
In a six-day, six-city whirlwind tour to make business contacts, visit licensees and meet the press, Dior kept his patience and courtesy in countless, hopelessly repetitive interviews. Contemporary journalists have written how dapper and handsomely accessorized Dior looked in the famous photo of him strolling down Berlin's Kurfrstendamm, while those of the day noted, "You might take him for a bank manager or university professor."
Still another dared question the master on fit, suggesting the man who owned "18 companies on five continents and is the ruler of the worldwide realm of fashionmust, simply must, possess the creative spark - even though he does hide it beneath a rather too-fitted dark blue pinstripe suit."yanzic0614.
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These companies have impacted the fashion world as significantly as rap once changed the musical landscape

The skyrocketing urban-sportswear market grosses an estimated $5 billion a year, propelled by brands like Enyce (pronounced en-EE-chay), Mecca, Fubu, Phat Farm and Ecko Unlimited. Michigan-based Pelle Pelle, one of the most successful new labels, grossed a remarkable $69 million last year. These companies have impacted the fashion world as significantly as rap once changed the musical landscape. "The term urbanwear is kind of tired," says twenty-five-year-old Ryan Cross, the marketing and advertising director of Mecca. "We just consider ourselves a men's collection." Indeed, brands like Fubu and Enyce are making inroads into suburban malls across the country.
"'Urban' men's lines," scoffs Def Jam cofounder and chairman and Phat Farm founder Russell Simmons. "It used to be the ethnic-clothing division. At least it's not the nigga division. The big deal about Phat Farm is, we sell pink golf sweaters -- a lot of them. You can't call that urban. That's the most non-urban thing, in terms of what a buyer's looking at."
Since the Eighties, hip-hop kids have put their own tags on the clothes of the stodgy upper class, coopting and customizing upscale brands like Tommy Hilfiger and Polo. Hilfiger started out designing "very preppy, traditional classics," says his brother, Andy, the company's vice president of public relations. "But around 1992, Grand Puba started rapping, and he gave Tommy a shout-out in one of his songs. And in the urban neighborhoods, all the kids started picking up on Tommy."
"It's called anti-culture," says Billy Ceisler, vice president of marketing for SRC, an innovative marketing company whose clients include the Wu-Tang Clan. "Young urban America, when they rocked Fila or Ralph Lauren, they used to say to the rich people, 'Fuck you, I can wear what you wear. I'm gonna rock it differently -- I'm gonna wear my hat to the side and everything big and baggy -- but fuck you, you're no better than me.'"
Eventually, in the early Nineties, enterprising minds -- many of whom were clothing and shoe fanatics who weren't seeing exactly what they wanted in stores -- decided to take out the middleman with their own home-grown, grass-roots alternatives to Polo and Tommy and Calvin. "We filled the fashion void in the young-men's market," says Ecko designer Marc Echo, 26, whose loose, colorful designs are worn by hip-hop kids and skateboarders alike. "The generation that had been bringing product to the marketplace grew up on thirteen TV channels and had no clue what the Internet or MTV meant. Department stores would send three 40-year-old white guys over to Italy to get inspired and design things for 16-to 25-year-olds. They didn't have a clue. The consumers are reactionary, fickle, over-sensitized by so much stimulus. We relate to those kids. We are those kids."
Back in the day, a shopping trip for most guys was equivalent to a prostate examination. That has changed. "When's the last time you heard a lady going, 'Guys hate to shop'?" asks Jeff Tweedy, executive vice president for Sean "Puffy" Combs' new clothing line, Sean John. "Remember that? It's not like that anymore." He laughs. "It's like, 'What? Shop? Let's go!'" yanzic0613.
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http://ocassionaldress2013.blogspot.com/2013/06/heres-how-boys-in-hoodies-are.html

Here's how the boys in the hoodies are influencing the fashion mainstream

Baggy overalls, pink golf shirts and $100 kicks -- it all adds up to a$5 billion business for home grown clothing companies like FUBU, MECCA and ENYCE. Here's how the boys in the hoodies are influencing the fashion mainstream.
The headquarters of Fubu, high atop the Empire State Building, is a seamless blend of old- and new-school decor: Classic darkwood-paneled walls and a polished conference table right out of Law and Order look at home near a tubular state-of-the-art stereo system that's adorned with a red, black and silver Fubu banner. A TV plays a Mya video, another an Aaliyah video and a third features footage of don't-try-this-at-home motorcycle tricks. Retail buyers hurry in and out, while the receptionist announces over the PA, "Keith? Has anyone seen Keith?" Everywhere -- in the conference rooms, on the walls, on the owners and staff -- are the colorful, meticulously designed clothes that brought in $200 million last year for Fubu's men's line.
And here's Keith -- Keith Perrin, one of the four founders of Fubu, along with Daymond John, Carl Brown and J. Alexander Martin -- ambling down the hallway dressed in baggy denim overalls, a cream ribbed sweater and a white wool cap. All, of course, by Fubu. Perrin and his Fubu partners are all under thirty and hail from lower-middle-class beginnings in Hollis, Queens. They're now gathered around their office pool table (they often play at the close of the day), surrounded by an explosion of bright shirts, sneakers, jeans, NBA-licensed jerseys, leather jackets. Hell, there are even Fubu basketballs.

"We had just started to do shirts, and we decided we needed LL to wear one in a magazine, to get some more exposure and to seem more legit than we were," explains John. So the partners camped outside LL's house, then corralled him into posing for a photo with the shirt on before he stepped into his limo. "He wasn't too happy about it," says John, "but he was trying to help out some guys from the neighborhood." The photo was used for a Fubu ad in The Source. Now LL is the company's spokesman.
The four founders, who are close friends given to finishing each other's sentences, established Fubu -- which stands for "for us, by us" -- with a mission. "We started it after years of hearing that other major clothing companies really weren't acknowledging the African-American market," says John. "Not that we make it only for African-Americans. We make it basically for a culture, a generation. There's cool skate guys that like what we have. They listen to hip-hop, but they listen to rock also."
Everyone nods. "One of our biggest markets when we started out was Seattle," says John, picking up a pool cue. "That was surprising. So it wasn't just hip-hop, in a sense -- guys like Korn wear it." yanzic0613.
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http://fashionlover2013.blog.fc2blog.us/blog-entry-20.html

The sector had EBIT margins of 21 percent, well above the 10 percent in apparel

The key, though, is to define luxury. "Affordable luxury is not luxury -- it wants to be," he added.
But the fashion business generally has been booming across all categories, according to a new study. In fact, business has been so strong for the 39 publicly traded international companies polled that, on average, 2006 sales were up 14 percent, EBITDA rose 13 percent and EBIT climbed 15 percent, compared with the previous year.
Those were among the financial highlights detailed in the latest Fashion & Luxury Insight survey, which was compiled by Milan-based SDA Bocconi School of Management, Altagamma, and Ernst & Young. Combined, the survey's brands posted $200 billion in annual sales for fiscal year 2006. During that same period, the return on investment increased 15 percent and the return on equity jumped 17 percent.
Perhaps the most surprising statistic -- and there were many -was the claim that best performing apparel companies cater to the mass market, with the average return on investment being 19 percent compared with 10 percent for more high-end firms. And having a total or partial retail presence is essential to a company's future, according to Altagamma's executive director Armando Branchini.
"Companies that have been created as manufacturers or designers have to become more and more retail-focused," extending their reach from the U.S. and Europe to Asia and India, he said. Regardless of their specialities, the 39 companies surveyed are centered on the U.S. and Europe, which account for more than 50 percent of their sales. With the exception of Luxottica SpA, all of the companies that are focused on the U.S. market are based in the States.
During a series of presentations and a panel discussion, speakers pointed to upbeat shoppers, including younger ones and Baby Boomers, who are focused on high-end items as key factors in bolstering brand recognition. In addition, a wave of store openings fueled growth more so than acquisitions. For example, top performers Coach Inc. and Abercrombie & Fitch Co. increased their number of freestanding stores by 18 percent and 14 percent, respectively, in fiscal year 2006. As a result, Coach ended up with an EBIT of 36 percent and A&F wrapped up 2006 with a 20 percent EBIT margin.
All in all, accessories lived up to its reputation of being a high-return business with margins well above those of apparel, said SDA Bocconi School of Management's professor of finance, Barbara Rovetta. The sector had EBIT margins of 21 percent, well above the 10 percent in apparel. yanzic0611.
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http://ocassionaldress2013.blogspot.com/2013/06/a-platinum-silk-satin-crepe-dress-with.html

a platinum silk satin crepe dress with Victorian sleeve details and gunmetal leather jeans

On Monday, he put the finishing touches on his first collection for the label wearing an ecru cashmere sweater, corduroy jeans and white Puma sneakers accentuated with striped blue socks.
Wilson couldn't be more different from Buchman, the quietly spoken Baby Boomer and vice president of design of the eponymous company, who that day was pairing a black knitted top with black pants.
Yet both said their professional union couldn't be a better fit. With the fall collection, Wilson is taking over the creative direction of the Buchman division of Liz Claiborne, and it is widely expected he will put a fresh spin on the bridge label. In a twist, Buchman said she was in such agreement with Wilson's aesthetic that he practically had "carte blanche" to do as he pleased with the brand, which includes the Collection, Casual and db Life labels. "Max has a lot of freedom, and then I come in and get wowed," she said.
Wilson comes to the brand with a background in designer collections. He worked at Polo Ralph Lauren for 11 years, eventually as vice president of women's design, and, for less than a year in 2004, he was vice president of women's apparel at Sean John. More recently, he taught at Parsons The New School of Design, which he has continued to do part-time since joining Dana Buchman last October.
"I hope to bring a modern edge, a luxury, a sense of fresh proportions, an energy," Wilson said. "I will take what exists and explode it; make it more feminine, more chic with a designer mentality, so it feels like a collection. You have the hallmarks of the brand -- femininity and quality -- and tweak them. The thing I want to do is to take the Dana look, which is very pulled together, and make it seem more effortless."
Wilson comes to Buchman at a crucial time. The move to bring him in could be seen as a sign that Claiborne is looking to fix the brand, which by the mid-Nineties had become a leader in bridge departments, but has been struggling recently. Over the last few seasons, Buchman has tried to update her aesthetic, and Claiborne has indicated the business has been on a healthier track. According to sources, Dana Buchman's total annual volume is in excess of $150 million.
"I wanted one voice to be in charge of the three labels," said Buchman, who is entering her third decade in business. "I make different kinds of product as well as licensed product. I want there to be consistency across all of Dana Buchman."
She added that she continued to address the same customer, and hoped to attract a new one with Wilson on board.
"The customer will notice a difference," Wilson promised. "The shapes are a little more dramatic; there is a lot of collar interest. The play of proportion and the way things are put together will be different. It's how you put it all together."
In his new role, Wilson comes up with monthly themes and puts together a collection "in the spirit of the house," he said. The fall themes include "Russian Princess," "Mod," "Town & Country" and "City Safari." "I think Max's fresh perspective is just what my customer is looking for," Buchman said.
For fall, looks include a red patent leather trench, a plaid wool coat with exaggerated collars, a platinum silk satin crepe dress with Victorian sleeve details and gunmetal leather jeans. "There is a fashion but a timelessness to them," said Wilson. "These are designs to be worn by real people." yanzic0611.
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http://bonnie220.blogs.experienceproject.com/1802861.html

Brooks Brothers pioneered the wrinkle-free look with Brooksweave shirts

THERE'S JUST ONE WRINKLE ... Though the technology has improved dramatically, the styling of many iron-free garments leaves something to be desired. Here's a look at a few of the best (and worst) garments we checked out. SHOW YOUR STRIPES Well made in a fairly quiet stripe, so anyone can wear it. All-cotton twill performed great; didn't even need warm-iron touchup. (Nordstrom; $69.59) TIE ONE ON Rather bright and shiny-part of Brooks' bid for younger customers. Billed as stain-resistant, and it is. (Brooks Brothers; $75) NO SLACKER Softened up after washing-nice feel, but needed a warm iron for really smooth look. Color is non-traditional but classy. (Izod; $70) COLOR BLIND Who looks good in this color? We're still searching. Cloth performed very well, but solid colors expose even minor wrinkles, so you may want to press briefly. (Nordstrom; $59.50) TRICK OR TREAT To be worn on the night of Oct. 31 only. At least we assume that's what they were thinking. Water-resistant, as claimed. (Nordstrom; $49.50) PLEAT PLEAS Wash 'em, dry 'em, hang 'em up, and they look just about perfect. Now if only those pleats went the other way and the bottoms had cuffs. (Nordstrom; $45) DIAGRAM: THERE'S JUST ONE WRINKLE … MANO-TECHNOLOGY Brooks Brothers pioneered the wrinkle-free look with Brooksweave shirts in the 1950s. BROOKS' introduction of non-iron shirts in 1953 made the concept respectable, but sales never took off. They were stiff, scratchy, and hot because their key ingredient was Dacron, a marvelous material that's now used in space suits but has no business in terrestrial clothing. The giant leap for mankind had to wait until 1999, when Brooks debuted all-cotton non-iron shirts, which now account for the vast majority of its shirt sales. yanzic0531. www.mltailor.com is a premier online tailor, custom making high fashion event dresses, wonderful and good designed dresses. Look at The dress a-line-sweetheart-floor-length-chiffon-stylish-evening-dress we recommended for your good taste. http://betty4175.hubpages.com/hub/Seasonal-Whispers-Swarovski-crystal-gold-plated-metal-and-polyester-satin-cuff

Italian firms which produced garments and leather goods

Currently, Italy is the southern European country with the largest Chinese population. At the end of 2003, 100,109 Chinese lived in Italy legally (Caritas 2004). By contrast, the number of Chinese migrants in Spain was 66,486 in 2004.1 During the early years of their settlement in Italy, almost all of the newly arrived Chinese migrants worked for contracting firms performing manufacturing tasks for Italian firms which produced garments and leather goods. Powerful ethnic networks helped them to find work in the Chinese-operated workshops. This offered some advantages: they found work relatively soon after arriving in Italy, and they did not have to deal head-on with a new cultural and linguistic situation. Furthermore, they worked in a job sector in which the time needed to move up from worker to selfemployed seemed to be particularly short*a situation often described for ethnic niches (Portes 1994; Portes and Jensen 1987). This particular ethnic niche provided the new Chinese migrants with inroads into the fashion industry, an industry consisting of a combination of economic sectors that are still central to the Italian economy.2 Even though Chinese migrants’ work has become an issue regularly highlighted in the Italian media, it is still unclear to what degree the Chinese have entered the garment business by taking advantage of the so-called vacancy chain (Waldinger 1996). It is also not clear to what degree their economic model*which is characterised by high flexibility, exploitation of ethnic labour and self-exploitation* has displaced Italian subcontractors. Until now, no research has been done on this topic in Italy. This article aims at filling part of this gap by focusing on Chinese-operated ethnic businesses in two Italian industrial districts: Prato in central and Carpi in northern Italy. It shows the mixed characteristics of the businesses, thereby defying simplifications into a single explanatory model with clearly defined borders. yanzic0603. http://www.mltailor.com/products_empire-strapless-sweep-train-chiffon-stylish-evening-dress-mlsw21562-8922.html
 http://aviva521.fotopages.com/

Justin Thornton will show 35 looks, including wraparound silk shirtdresses and soft tailored pants

BOOK THAT TOWN CAR OR MAKE SURE YOUR STILETTOS ARE MADE FOR WALKING. THIS SEASON'S LINEUP IS JAM-PACKED WITH A SLEW OF NAMES THAT ARE NEW TO THE NEW YORK RUNWAYS.
GILLES MONTEZIN: Tuesday, Sept. 4, 1 p.m., Verdura, 745 Fifth Avenue
Pedigree: An education at Paris' Ecole de la Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne served Montezin well at Christian Lacroix, where he worked on the haute couture collection for five years. The Canadian-born designer went on to assist at Azzaro under Loris Azzaro, but eventually grew tired of the hierarchical French design world ("I was not patient; I've never been very patient," he says), and launched his namesake line two years ago.
Stats: Wholesale prices are about $550 for tops and $600 for dresses, but can go up to $1,110 for elaborate eveningwear. The collection is available at Saks Fifth Avenue, Frances Heffernan in Winetka, Ill., and Kleinfeld in New York.
Spring forecast: Sparkle aplenty - sequined dresses and lam dominate the lineup of 30 looks, inspired by, Montezin says, "what Sophia Loren would wear on the Riviera."
JEN KAO: Tuesday, Sept. 4, 1 to 4 p.m., 250 West 39th Street
Pedigree: Kao is an alum of Jill Stuart, Twinkle by Wenlan and Southpaw. Although she has a penchant for the avant-garde, "I think working at those companies taught me about taming things down," she says. Her undergraduate work with mixed-media sculpture at New York University also informed her approach to "piecing together fabrics that don't usually go together," such as cotton and chiffon, or denim and lace.
Stats: This will be Kao's first collection to be sold in the U.S. Her fall 2007 debut was sold exclusively to Loveless in Tokyo. Wholesale prices begin at $250 and go up to $1,000 for evening dresses.
Spring forecast: Kao plans to show 15 looks with a backdrop of photographs by art star Ryan McGinley.
AGATHA RUIZ DE LA PRADA: Tuesday, Sept. 4, 4 to 8 p.m., 135 Wooster Street
Pedigree: In her native Spain, de la Prada is a one-woman design force. Aside from clothes (she launched her collection in the early Eighties), everything from tiles and plates to stationery and electrical plugs bears her name. And what's more, she is completely self-taught.
Stats: The designer's 10 European stores and her outpost in New York's SoHo all carry the line, which wholesales from $27 to $273, with handmade pieces starting at $110.
Spring forecast: "You like it or you hate it, but you don't forget it," de la Prada says of her signature Day-Glo palette. Inspired by a Sixties vision of outer space la Paco Rabanne, her spring collection of 20 to 25 looks incorporates metals, polyurethane and patent leather.  yanzic0604.
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http://ocassionaldress2013.blogspot.com/2013/06/wrap-styles-that-tie-in-back-to.html

wrap styles that tie in the back to accentuate a woman's back

Sophie Thallet knows a thing or two about luxurious craftsmanship.
Before moving to New York, the French native worked closely with Azzedine Alaa for 10 years, and with Jean Paul Gaultier for three years, picking up quite a few tricks from the two masters. Her collection, which is now into its third season, is full of light and luxurious dresses with details such as panels of ruffles inserted for a flirtatious effect.
"My target woman is intelligent, well aware of what's going on in the fashion world and wanting to feel beautiful and strong, not overly sexy, but with a little je ne sais quoi," Thallet said. "She is looking for real quality and not just for the latest trend."
Thallet is no stranger to New York fashion circles. She was once a designer for Nars Cosmetics, and started the Motu Tane apparel collection with beauty guru Franois Nars in 2005, offering lightweight and floaty looks that catered to a year-round resort lifestyle. Nars and Thallet decided to end their collaboration last year. "After the success I had with Motu Tane, I was encouraged by different retailers to continue and do my own line," she said.
Her resort collection centers around dresses and tops, with a multitude of ruffled dresses, ones cinched at the waist with an army belt, and wrap styles that tie in the back to accentuate a woman's back. Thallet uses a light cotton as her core fabric, which she likes to mix with satin and chiffon. She credits her years at Alaa for informing many of her technical skills. "He taught me the respect for the tradition of making beautiful clothes, and to do it with passion," she said.
Thallet's line already has been picked up by such stores as Barneys New York, Tomas Maier in Miami, Blake in Chicago, Maxfields in Los Angeles, Mix in Houston, Colette in Paris and The Cross in London. Wholesale prices range from $300 to $500 for tops and $500 to $800 for dresses. Thallet declined to give sales projections, citing current negotiations with potential investors as the reason. Her next step? "My vision is to build a lifestyle brand and then open a store," she said.  yanzic0604.
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http://april0013.skyrock.com/3166376490-No-two-suit-brands-are-cut-the-same-way.html