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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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
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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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