Pink city fashion

  The original fashion capital of the country, Jaipur hosted the Rajasthan Fashion Week from the May 24 to 26, bringing together 30 Indian and international designers to showcase their immaculate creations.

Designer Vikram Phadnis put a spectacular ending to the fashion fete displaying his beautiful creations of lehengas, saris, sherwanis and fusionwear. Adding to the glamorous display of clothes was actress Raima Sen who did the showstopping act for the designer.

Promoting their film Rowdy Rathore, actors Akshay Kumar and Sonakshi Sinha were spotted at the fashion week, too, presenting their "Rowdy" line of clothes.

Showing that cricket and fashion are no strangers, not just models and Bollywood celebs but cricketers Pankaj Singh, Ashok Maneria and Dishant Yagnik from the IPL team Rajasthan Royals also walked the ramp for designer Rohit Kamra.

While Delhi and Mumbai have completely diverse fashion sensibilities, Jaipur saw a mix of both the fashion capitals.

With lots of interesting designs and intricate detailing, the designers displayed everything from floral maxi gowns, heavy embroidered lehengas to flowy kaftans, anarkalis and much more.

With all the glamour and entertainment just like any other fashion week, this one also had its share of controversies and confusions. From the organisers facing legal problems over using the name 'Rajasthan Fashion Week' illegally to the opening designers Rahul- Gunjan backing out at the last minute, the event saw it all.

However, for a start-up event such as this, the fashion week fared well in terms of participating designers, vivid creations, Bollywood glamour and the gossip, of course.

Hugging the Seine: Fashion, Design Restaurants and Club

Paris has many places to take in contemporary art, including the avant-garde Pompidou Center, the trendy Gaîté Lyrique and the newly renovated Palais de Tokyo. But the city was missing an all-encompassing hub for fashion and design until last month, when Les Docks, Cité de la Mode et du Design (34, quai d’Austerlitz, 13th Arrondissement) was officially inaugurated.

Designed by the architects Jakob+MacFarlane, whose projects have included Georges restaurant at the Pompidou Center in 2000, the 155,00-square-foot industrial angular lime green caterpillar-like structure is difficult to miss. Stretching along the quays between Austerlitz and Bercy, Les Docks adds color to the southeastern Parisian backyard filled with nondescript glass-and-aluminum office towers.

When fully open, Les Docks will consist of a range of fashionable retail outlets as well as restaurants, bars and a cafe. The space was inaugurated last month with a Balenciaga and Comme les Garçons show. Other events like gigs and club nights are set to start at the end of May, and most bars and restaurants officially open in September.

The studio of Maison Yiqing Yin, the up-and-coming high-end prêt-à-porter label is already open, along with an outpost of the Musée Galliera, Paris’s fashion museum, currently closed for renovation until spring 2013. A PGL by Pigalle concept store is also set to open its doors at Les Docks this spring; it is the second boutique for the store’s founder, Stéphane Ashpool, who is also part of the collective that started the popular speakeasy bar, Le Pompon in the 10th Arrondissement. A pop-up space dedicated to fashion labels will also open, allowing six-month occupancy. The first label to take over the space will be the Bleu de Paname, a French label that specializes in vintage uniforms. And Silvera Outdoor, M1 and M3 are already open and showcasing the latest in contemporary furniture on the first floor.

Fashion and design outlets aside, in the coming months, Les Docks will be home to four stylish bars and restaurants: Café Praliné, Wanderlust, Moon Roof and Le Baron. The cultural heart of the project, Wanderlust, a venture by the creators of the Social Club, will fill 21,500 square feet with a club, restaurant, terrace and pavilion. Events at Wanderlust are set to start at the end of May until October. Le Baron will sit on the rooftop of Les Docks, with parties starting this summer.

Rajasthan Fashion Week promises to be grand

 The Pink City is all set to host its first ever fashion week and the three-day Rajasthan Fashion Week (RJW) extravaganza promises a heady mix of creativity, innovativeness, business and glamour when it kicks off Thursday.

Organisers Raahul Dhyani and Sharad Patel of VCS Events and Entertainment Pvt Ltd feel that the Indian fashion industry needs innovation and that the event will pave new paths.

"The Indian fashion industry needs diversification and innovation to generate greater business opportunities both within the country and globally.

"Several international buyers have shown interest in the Indian market. RFW aims at leveraging from this interest and celebrating fashion in India in a big way and opening newer roads in the business of fashion," the duo said in a joint statement.

The first season of the RFW will have as many as 30 national and international designers participating in it. Some of the names include Vikram Phadnis, Shaahid Amir, Lina Tipnis and Rohit Verma. German designer Julia Bruchwitz, known for her couture collection, will also take part in the event.

Bollywood celebrities Vivek Oberoi, Zayed Khan, Rannvijay Singh, Riya Sen and Payal Rohatgi are expected to dazzle on the ramp and jazz up the event.

Renowned jewellery houses and accessory designers are expected to add bling and colour to the show.

If things go as planned, star cricketer Rahul Dravid is likely to walk the ramp for designer duo Rohit and Abhishek.

Why choose Rajasthan as the venue?

"We want to revive Rajasthan as the next big fashion hub in the international fashion industry. RFW will definitely be an enriching experience for all those who are involved with the fashion week and I am sure the result will help to boost the Indian fashion industry," said Dhyani.

Achla Sachdev, a regular name at the Lakme Fashion Week, will choreograph the shows.

From films to fashion- Cannes rolls out red carpet for all

It is the most celebrated cinematic jamboree across the globe, but the annual Cannes International Film Festival also rolls out the red carpet for the latest and best in the fashion world.

From international divas like Angelina Jolie and Diane Kruger to Bollywood beauties like Aishwarya Rai and Mallika Sherawat, everyone puts her most stylish foot forward at the gala.

The best movies are screened at the fest, with top-rated filmmakers and A-list stars from the world congregating at the French Riviera. But what's not amiss is a lot of fashion - elaborate cocktail gowns with intricate embroidery and superflous trails, teamed with eye-catching accessories.

Some like it over-the-top, while some keep it minimalistic, but the fashion quotient at the 12-day red extravaganza doesn't go unnoticed as the paparazzi keep a constant tab on the hits and misses year by year.

From Angelina Jolie's strapless black gown, Natalie Portman's white ruffled dress by Givenchy to the Atelier Versace gown worn by Freida Pinto or Sonam Kapoor's classic white gown by designer Jean Paul Gaultier - fashion divas have been setting statements and trends with their red carpet appearances at the event.

According to designer Shane and Falguni Peacock, who have designed for the likes of international icons including Madonna, Britney Spears and Katy Perry, "Cannes is a fabulous place for fashionistas."

"Cannes is a classy haute couture affair where all fashionistas come out to play. The look needs to be nothing less than perfect with the perfect synergy between high levels of fashion, glam and elite class," Falguni told IANS.

"It is abuzz with a high dose of film and fashion and is where everyone looks their best. It is a compliment to us as designers, if a celebrity chooses to wear one of our creations for an event of such calibre," added Shane.

What with some of Aishwarya Rai's disappointing choices of attire in previous seasons of the fest, Indian beauties, including Aishwarya, now go out of their way to get the perfect look for their red carpet moment.

Designer Pria Kataaria Puri said: "Cannes film fest is a big and great opportunity for designers to showcase their talent since it has become a big fashion and film glamour event."

"Everyone eagerly waits to see what everyone is wearing, and there are some points one needs to keep in mind when selecting an outfit. One should realise it's an international event, and people should keep in mind the colour and silhouette trends abroad."

Freida, who had a fairytale ride to fame with "Slumdog Millionaire", grabbed camera lenses with a pink Michael Angel gown on the first day of this year's fest May 16. Her lime green coloured Atelier Versace number on day two also won a thumbs up from fashion critics.

Bollywood's "Maiyya maiyya" girl Mallika Sherawat, who is at Cannes for the fourth time, sported a a bold nude-coloured gown with a high neck and a low back. The dress was so body-hugging that the actress took to Twitter and said it was "literally stitched" on her body.

It was a welcome change from the over-the-top, blingy, attention-seeking golden ensemble she wore for her first appearance at Cannes in 2005 when she accompanied international action star Jackie Chan for "The Myth".

All eyes are currently set on Aishwarya, whose post-pregnancy weight has become the talk of the town in the Indian and international media alike.

Earlier, the former beauty queen-turned-actress received many brickbats for her sunflower yellow sari, parrot green sari and shimmering white gown, but she made up for her fashion misses with her selection of a one-shoulder gown by Elie Saab last year.

Sonam, who is Cannes-bound this year too, stole the limelight during her debut appearance at the festival in 2011 when she opted for a white gown by Jean Paul Gaultier.

Among Hollywood bigwigs, Jessica Chastain, Diane Kruger, Berenice Marlohe and Jane Fonda have impressed fashion critics with their wardrobes.

Chastain's nude chiffon Gucci gown with gold detailing on the bodice, Kruger's gold sequin-encrusted Vivienne Westwood gown and Marlohe's gold lame Emilio Pucci gown have turned out to be head turners at the ongoing edition so far.

At 74, Fonda, who proves glamour is ageless, grabbed eyeballs with a bronze Atelier Versace and black and white Stella McCartney gown.

In the past, international artists including Rachel McAdams have sported designs by Indian jewellery brand Amrapali at the gala as well.

With such a plethora of designs and colours from all nooks and corners of the world, Cannes seems to be becoming another fashion hub.

Twiggy hosts festival fashion show

Twiggy is rolling back the years to her 1960s heyday by hosting a fashion show at a summer festival.

The 62-year-old model will be at the Vintage Festival in July showing off the styles that made her the face of swinging London as a teenager.

She said: "It's fabulous to be part of the 1960s style scene in the UK. It was a decade full of fun, creativity and innovation and a time when music and fashion really came together."

The festival, in the grounds of Boughton House, Northamptonshire, is founded by fashion designer Wayne Hemingway and will also feature performances by St Etienne and Chic.

Wayne said: "Twiggy is undeniably one of the most recognisable and timeless models of all time and the look she pioneered in the 1960s still resonates and looks fresh today.

"Her style was a breath of fresh air, a complete contrast to other models of the period; the real queen of mod. It's certainly going to be an event not to be missed."

Twiggy, who recently appeared in a string of Marks and Spencer adverts, was a fixture on the capital's social scene in the 1960s where her trademark short hair and androgynous style made her a star.

The model - born Lesley Hornby - also appeared in films and musicals and released a string of singles in the 1970s including top 20 hit Here I Go Again.

Fashion Fighting Famine -- Where High Fashion Meets High Hopes

So many times, I've walked the glittering hallways of malls around the world, ogling designer bags or heels or spent an evening putting together stylish outfits on Polyvore, only to feel a guilty superficiality wash over me knowing that my love of all that glitters seems to conflict with my desire to work for social justice and a more equitable global community.

Fortunately for me, a group of my like-minded friends combined their love of fashion and philanthrophy and established the now five-year-old non-profit, Fashion Fighting Famine. Through the years, we have put on annual fashion shows raising money to benefit charities such as the Ilm Foundation, that works to eliminate poverty and homelessness in Southern California, and the Widow's Cooperative Program in Mali, that provides micro-financing for widowed women who wish to support themselves and their families through small entrepreneurial efforts.

Fashion Fighting Famine's annual fashion show and bazaar will be in the Pacific Ballroom at the University of California, Irvine campus on the evening of June 3. The show will feature some of the industry's leading designers as well as upcoming designers, some hailing from as far away as Dubai and Singapore.

This year, the show's proceeds will go to benefit the charity One Laptop Per Child whose mission it is to educate the world's poorest children by providing them with rugged laptops that include Internet access and continually updating software. The collaboration between Fashion Fighting Famine and One Laptop Per Child hopes to empower underprivileged children and open new worlds and new opportunities to them.

If you're anything like me, Fashion Fighting Famine's show will be a perfect opportunity to spend an evening with amazing women, enjoy spectacular global fashions, and contribute to a worthy cause.

Luxury car sales accelerate on pricing

A mantra in the auto industry is that product, product and product are the three most important factors in attracting customers. But something else is helping to keep sales of Canadian luxury vehicles red-hot – prices.

BMW dealers have been advertising 320i sedan leases for $348 a month and $5,600 down. Leasing an Audi A4 sedan will set you back $368 a month with $5,998 up front. Putting $6,000 down and shelling out $385 a month covers the lease on a Mercedes-Benz C250.

Those prices are in the same ballpark as a Toyota Camry XLE ($358 a month with $5,500 down) and a V6 version of the Honda Accord ($346 and $5,000).

So, for about the same amount they would pay for a high-end mass-market car, drivers can move upscale and acquire the cachet, quality and elite service that are – theoretically, at least – associated with a luxury brand.

“The consumer is saying ‘I can get more for my dollar within a brand that used to be unattainable for me,’ ” says veteran Toronto dealer Shahin Alizadeh.

The luxury boom has transformed the Canadian market and will reshape it even more over the next decade. Sales of new luxury vehicles soared 67 per cent between 2001 and 2011 and are projected to grow by another 100,000 vehicles by 2020 from the 148,627 sold last year. If that forecast comes true, high-end autos will represent 10 per cent of the vehicles on the road in Canada by the end of this decade, double the percentage in 2001.

“As Canadians become more affluent, they also aspire to different products, different brands,” says Tim Reuss, president of Mercedes-Benz Canada Inc. “The overall luxury segment – even through the crisis – grew.”

Luxury auto makers are squeezing mass market companies not only through aggressive pricing, but also by entering segments where they have not competed before, such as small crossovers and subcompact cars.

Baby boomers are well into their high-wealth-generating years and they want distinctive vehicles so they’re turning to luxury players, notes industry analyst Dennis DesRosiers, president of DesRosiers Automotive Consultants Inc.

“That’s the maturing of the boomer,” Mr. DesRosiers says.

The trend has blessed Mercedes-Benz and its Germany-based rivals BMW Canada Inc. and Audi Canada in particular. Those three companies watched their market share more than double between 2001 and last year.

The competition is growing, however, in such dealership clusters as Burrard Street in Vancouver’s Kitsilano district, Heritage Meadows Road in Calgary and along the Don River east of downtown Toronto, where Audi and Mercedes-Benz stores are a couple of doors apart just across the river from BMW’s flagship store.

Mr. Alizadeh has turned it up a notch in Toronto by investing almost $20-million to open a Lexus dealership across the street from Mercedes-Benz. The presence of the German brands nearby helped convince him to buy an old Volvo store and transform it.

“I don’t think anybody else has spent that kind of money on a standalone Lexus [dealership],” he notes.

In another example of the luxury fever gripping dealers, there is chatter that an Audi store in southern Ontario recently changed hands for eight times earnings, compared with three times earnings for transactions involving mass-market brands.

“If there’s a BMW store for sale, or a high-end store for sale, you have to beat the buyers off with a stick,” says Michael Lewicki, a partner at Ernst & Young LLP, whose specialty is advising Toronto-area dealers.

The dealerships are on the front lines as the companies slug it out on products, pricing and – increasingly – customer experience.

BMW Canada has taken the unusual step of allowing customer ratings of its dealerships to be made public for any potential customer to see.

That’s one way to find out what needs to be done to improve customer service, says Eduardo Villaverde, president of BMW Canada. If customers are unhappy with the way their cars are washed during service, the process can be changed.

The company’s dealers spent about $60-million last year, an amount that included the opening of three stores, one in each of Langley, B.C., Barrie, Ont., and St. John’s.

Mercedes-Benz is also adding outlets. The auto maker has 52 now and will expand to 60 by the end of 2013.

There’s also a flood of new vehicles coming from most of the luxury brands. Among the 12 new or redesigned vehicles arriving this year from Mercedes-Benz are a redesigned B Class in the compact segment and C Class and E Class coupes that will be available for the first time with the company’s 4Matic all-wheel drive system.

BMW is far from complacent. The 6 series grand coupe, which Mr. Villaverde describes as a four-door sedan with a coupe design, arrives this year.

Australian Designers Hurtle Toward Fast Fashion

 Australia’s [URL=http://www.fashionproduct.us/]fashion product news[/URL] Week is in its 17th year, but it’s still got some growing up to do.
One of its most pressing issues is timing – its May scheduling means designers are too late for local spring-summer collections and too early for resortwear lineups, which typically arrive in the middle of the year.

This is something IMG, which organizes Australia Fashion Week, is trying to fix, said Jarrad Clark, IMG’s global production director and a guest judge on the country’s reality show “Project Runway.”
“The reason the event is when it is now is because of decisions that were made 17 years ago,” said Mr. Clark, “but the world has changed. The buying side has changed, the retailing has changed and the consumer interaction has changed, so we definitely need to make a change to our timing.”
That’s not to say Sydney’s fashion industry hasn’t evolved. Buyers used to wait months to get their hands on catwalk items, but this year Sydney-based label Toi et Moi is distributing nearly a third of its “Frenchie chic” collection within hours.

Compare that to Burberry, regarded by many as the global leader in the runway-to-reality trend, which sold key pieces from its spring-summer collections online last year so that they arrived in customers’ homes within weeks of being shown. Australian brands An Ode to No One and Bless’ed Are the Meek have similar plans to speed up their distribution, selling shoes directly from the catwalk within three hours through Australian footwear website StyleTread.

But fashion week isn’t limiting its sights to the domestic market. Mr. Clark said IMG is working with some of Australia’s designers – including Dion Lee, who pulled out of the event at the last minute to focus on London Fashion Week in September – to help them expand overseas.
“We want to be working with them across the 12 months, so if they want to go to other markets, we’ve got a footprint there,” he said. “This event should be a springboard for designers looking to grow their businesses internationally.”

Gentleman's Resale- Luxury Consignment Store for Men Builds New Consumer/Consignment Platforms to Success

  KEY TO OUR SUCCESS:
Launching in October 1992, for over the 20 yrs,  Gentleman’s Resale has serviced a wide range of  menswear consumers.   The Demographics range from recent college graduates -seeking fine suits for the interviewing process- to young men on the hunt for luxury, casual-wear, as well as older gentlemen simply looking for that special piece, not necessarily for any function in particular.  Gentleman’s Resale aims for higher-end labels that stand to be about 2-3 yrs old.  The biggest and moreover exciting challenge here is sifting through the Authentic Prada Bags Onine store and finding wonderful apparel upgrades. 

we receive,” says Gary Scheiner, President and founder of Gentleman’s Resale, “ A well-trained eye chooses - with respect to what we take in, and hopefully a potential consigner will  not get offended- if by some chance we say no to their consignment.”
The consignments are very important to this thriving business as well as the retail sales.  With good consignments, all parties involved are pleased.
 Twice a year in both July and February, Gentleman’s Resale has a clearance sale with up to 70% off.  Once the sale is over (it runs for 2 weeks), the fall preview will begin in August and the spring preview respectively will begin in March. At present, approximately 10,000 direct mailings are sent out to customers within the data base.

 September- December is the busiest season.  For this brand, the best advertisement is word of mouth and the store has definitely benefited by that.  Many times a customer walks in and says that people ask” where did you get that suit, jacket, shirt etc…. and he would say “Gentlemen’s Resale”.
 Strong customer relations and healthy product selections work well for a future customer.  Many tourists approach the store to find unique apparel and one-of-a-kind gifts.  Our customer-centric mission has built up a strong consumer base over the years, both shoppers and the consignees.


Diminished Appetite

"Psychologically, if you see the value Authentic Discount Prada Handbags of your home falling, you're unlikely to be a strong luxury consumer," said Lorne Baring, managing director at B Capital SA in Geneva, which oversees almost $500 million. "The worry is that slowing GDP growth in China combined with falling house prices diminish the appetite for luxury goods."

Italy keen to set up Gucci, Armani stores in India

New Delhi: Terming India’s decision to allow 100 percent foreign direct investment (FDI) in single-brand retail

as a “revolution”, Italy today said several companies have shown interest in setting up stores in the country.

Italian Trade Commissioner Erica Di Giovancarlo said businessmen of both the countries can collaborate in sectors

like automobiles, fashion and textiles through joint ventures.
“This decision (allowing 100 percent FDI in single–brand) of the government is a revolution in this market. I am

sure it will catch interest of lot of companies…,” Giovancarlo told PTI.

The decision has paved the way for global Italian chains like Armani, Gucci and Prada to have full ownership of

their India operations.

Italy, a world leader in fashion designing, is interested to setting up businesses here. “Italy is known for

fashion. Indian designs are growing very fast. It will be interesting to see how two countries can match. We are

working hard on
this,” she said.

She said in order to bolster trade ties between the two countries, Italy is also organising a three-day ‘Expo Riva

Schuh Fair’ here from 5 July.

The exhibition will offer high-end products which include bags, belts, footwears and leather accessories. “Its a

good meeting point of local needs and Italian products,” she said.

However, the third-largest economy in Europe, will wait for the economic situation to recover in its region, before

making investments here.

The Italian companies, mainly the SMEs are facing tough situation due to slowdown. “We have to wait as situation in

Italy is very tough but the interest in this country (India) is very high,” Giovancarlo added.

The bilateral between India and Italy stood at $ 8.8 billion during 2010-11.