30/10/2009

3D Print

Esquire looks to energize print with 3D animation

Oct 29 by The Associated Press



NEW YORK (AP) — Hold Esquire's December issue in front of a webcam, and an on-screen image of the magazine pops to life, letters flying off the cover. Shift and tilt the magazine, and the animation on the screen moves accordingly.
Robert Downey Jr. emerges out of the on-screen page in 3-D, offering half-improvised shtick on Esquire's latest high-tech experiment for keeping print magazines relevant amid the digital onslaught.
Esquire's top editors are clearly enthused about the new technology, called "augmented reality."
Triggering the animation is a box just below Downey's cover image, resembling a crossword puzzle and looking a little out of place. The magazine has printed about a half-dozen boxes inside the issue, each calling up a separate interactive feature, plus a couple of ads. The issue will be available nationally by Nov. 16.

(This is exactly what GE did last summer, I remember holding up a printed off black and white image to a webcam on the GE site and it would become a moving, 3D image that you could interact with by blowing into the webcam. Very cute.)


It may be the future of print or just a dying medium's last desperate grab at attention as the Internet swallows more of peoples' time.
With the Web drawing some ad dollars and readers from print, publishers have made various attempts to give more oomph to the medium. Time Inc. has tested personalized magazines that allow readers to mix and match sections from eight different titles. Entertainment Weekly ran a video screen in some copies of its fall TV preview issue. Last year, Esquire animated the front of its 75th anniversary edition with digital e-ink, the same stuff used in Amazon's Kindle electronic-book reader.
Esquire Editor-in-Chief David Granger acknowledged the issue is costing more than usual to put together, "the magazine won't be able to use the technology every month, but would like to as often as possible."
For the December issue, when held up to a webcam, on the page is Esquire's regular men's fashion spread, while on the screen, the model is pelted by a computer-animated snow storm. Granger gives the page a quarter rotation, the weather turns sunny and the model starts throwing on summer clothes.
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It's nice to see that it's not all Print media vs Online media, and that someone has finally managed to find the inbetween. Like I said earlier, it's nothing new, the technology has been used before by GE, (General Electrics), but it still hasn't reached a whole new audience yet like 3D has. It is, however a cool a gadget it is, more work or the company and more work for the customer. Although they won't lose out if they don't hold their magazine up to the webcam, if they have one, they will be missing out on what should come more easily to them. People are waiting until they can buy a magazine made out of digital pages that just get updated every month, or twice a month, but have it in their hand like a magazine instead of on the internet. Until then, I don't think everyone will be bothered to go through the steps of receiving the technology, they want to be spoon fed and have it quicker, e.g. as soon as they buy it. I'm waiting for a fashion magazine to do a 3D issue, with 3D specs included... here's hoping!

Online, Onphone

Fashion Forward

HOT on the technological heels of Gucci, which last week launched its own iPhone/iTouch app and micro social networking site,

Gucci Social Networking site GUCCIEYEWEB.com

Salvatore Ferragamo SpA and Giorgio Armani are getting in on the digital act - launching an online store and unveiling plans for a mobile commerce site respectively.

"The internet has certainly revolutionised our shopping habits and now even luxury shoppers are looking for direct contact with companies," Ferragamo chief executive officer Michele Nors explains. "The search for information and the desire to shop should not be limited by time and place." Its virtual shop doors are immediately open to customers in Italy and the UK with the US and other European markets set to follow in the next few months.

Salvatore Ferragamo Online Store

Meanwhile, Armani's new online venture, powered by Internet retailer Yoox Group, is set to go live on November 25 and will enable all countries that currently have access to e-commerce on EMPORIOARMANI.COM to shop for new collections from their phones wherever they may be.

"This project is the natural progression of the Emporio Armani online e-commerce store and is designed to mirror the overall experience a customer would receive in one of my freestand stores," Armani tells WWD.

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It's amazing how quickly all of technology and the consumer habits are shaping the way brands think. They are all now, not designing for the customer, but selling for the customer. Their products and prices haven't changed, but they're trying to get themselves out there more. Have you seen Burberry's networking site "Art of the Trench"? It hasn't officially launched yet but it's intended to bring together like minded shoppers or Burberry. It will allow members to submit photos of themselves wearing the clothing, plus Christopher Bailey has already commissioned Scott Schuman, blogger of The Satorialist, to take photos of Burberry buyers in major cities.

Art of the Trench used to be the name of their customisation program in 2007 where a shopper could go in for a consultation and customise a raincoat. The process was:

1: choose a model
2: choose a chest size
3: choose a length size (for belt/pocket placement)
4: choose a fabric
5: choose a variety of liner options
6: specify a length for the hem of the coat, and
7: specify a length for the sleeves of the coat.

But anyway, I'm guessing they will allow all of that to happen online and on your phone by the end of Jan 2010. Now all we need is an iPhone, otherwise we're all missing out... so that's how they manage to sell technology to us...

Interesting quote by Michael Nors, chief executive officer of Ferragamo:

The internet has certainly revolutionised our shopping habits and now even luxury shoppers are looking for direct contact with companies...

Luxury shoppers were the lucky ones to go in store and have first class service for buying out the whole shop. Do they really not have time for that anymore that they want to shop on their phone instead? The only reason why they would is if they did what Gucci has: made something exclusive just to the iPhone app. Surely they want to enjoy being waited on? An what about people who save up for a bag, so go to the luxury store on regent street and also want to be treated like a queen, would they rather buy online? Then again, some staff are quite rude in those high end shops who end up looking down at you if you're not wearing designer. They basically think "you're not in here to buy and we know it, so we're not serving you." Remember Pretty Woman? Anyone without a wealthy background will feel like a stripper on Regent Street.

29/10/2009

Fashion Night Out 2

FNO Is Back

THE biggest night in the fashion calendar, Fashion's Night Out, is back for 2010. The international editions of Vogue confirmed this morning that they plan to repeat the global shopping celebration on September 9 2010, following the event's international success in 2009.
"The international Vogues want to make good things happen for our readers and for the fashion and retail industries," Jonathan Newhouse, chairman of Condé Nast International, told VOGUE.COM this morning. "Fashion's Night Out was highly successful, generating more store traffic and higher sales, and it was a lot of fun too. We are proud to be leading the effort again."
This year's event saw shoppers embrace the start of the autumn/winter season as department stores, designer boutiques and high street shops stayed open late across the world to help stimulate the global economy. Designers and celebrities attended events in New York, London, Paris, Milan, Berlin, Madrid, Moscow, Athens, Taipei, Tokyo, Beijing, Sao Paolo, Rio and New Delhi to encourage shoppers to invest for the new season.

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Fashion Night out by Vogue was a global success. It was a great idea knowing that if you were involved, so was everyone else in every major city in the world, and you were all doing the same thing.

The 2010 Fashion Night Out no doubt will be bigger next year, but I have a feeling it will turn out like the Fashion Show: only trade will be able to attend and it will be an exclusive event housed in a building. Let's hope they keep this one for the public.

27/10/2009

3D home

Ready or not, the latest 3D technology is coming home

Competition Advertising

ugg boots uk

ugg boots sale

Whooga Uggboots is giving away a free pair of Ugg boots to one competition winner who manages to put one of the above on their blog.
I'd like to state that I hate Ugg(ly) boots and would never wear them, and that the competition is closed, so I'm only adding them to my blog to point out how brands are now getting bloggers to advertise for them, even if they don't have google ads. It's a very clever idea, making it seem like their advertising is benefiting the blogger. However, the point is that it's seen. I'm sure the winner is the one who has the most popular blog and got them the most click-throughs. But would bloggers who get up to 10,000 views a day bother to put this up to win a pair of Uggs? They'd already have it I'm sure with all their freebies to review.

26/10/2009

Job Secure?


My email:

24 October 2009

Security breach - Guardian Jobs


Dear Firuze French,


We learned yesterday evening that the Guardian Jobs website has been targeted by a sophisticated and deliberate hack, which has breached the security of the data on the site. You have used the site to make one or more job applications and we believe your personal data, relating to those applications, may have been accessed.

We are absolutely committed to the privacy of our users, and would like to assure you that we are treating this situation with the utmost seriousness. The matter has been reported to the police, who are now undertaking a full investigation through the police central e-crime unit at New Scotland Yard.

The supplier who runs the site has identified the manner in which it was hacked and taken steps to prevent a recurrence.

We have no reason to believe that any financial or bank data was compromised in this incident. However the police advise that those whose personal data may have been stolen in this way should take a number of precautionary measures. These are outlined below:

1) Contact your creditors, even if they have not been affected, so that they can monitor your accounts to ensure they remain protected.

2) Contact a credit reference agency: Callcredit, Equifax or Experian provide suggested steps to resolve the situation and prevent it happening again.

3) Contact CIFAS protective registration: If you think you have been a victim of identity theft you should consider subscribing to CIFAS. This places a notice on your credit file indicating that your name and address may be used to perpetrate identity fraud.

In addition the following websites are sources of useful information:

www.met.police.uk/fraudalert/
www.stop-idfraud.co.uk
www.banksafeonline.org.uk
www.getsafeonline.org

We will continue to work with the police whilst the investigation is carried out. Please refer to the following page for updates:

jobs.guardian.co.uk/securityupdate.html

Please do not reply to this e-mail.


Half a million user accounts are affected in a web attack on the Guardian Jobs site this weekend.

In a statement on its site and in an email to all Guardian Jobs account holders, the site says the hack has been reported to the Police's central e-crime unit.

The e-version of the newspaper hasn't lost any bank or financial details according to the Guardian.

In the statement, the company says this is a "deliberate and sophisticated crime and... only a minority of Guardian users are at risk."

The Police are keeping information on the online theft to a minimum for the sake of investigations.ADNFCR-2575-ID-19426364-ADNFCR

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So you don't really think that having a job site hacked will be a big deal. I mean, there's hardly enough information on there to steal your identity... is there? Hackers are becoming more and more able to steal information from you just from finding out little things. Keeping one password the same for example, we all do it, but it's probably the biggest mistake we could ever make. Why is it that whether online or in real life, nothing is really safe? Why don't they hire these hackers to actually create computer programs to prevent hackers? Oh yeah, they'd get less money than if they stole £3,000 from an account each day. What ever happened to an honest lifestyle?
Technology is rapidly evolving, and with it, supposedly, our ease of life. But doesn't having to put all your details online even more of a risk? You can find out pretty much anything on the internet these days, and how secure are those "secure" webpages when we enter our credit card information?
I'm waiting for an iPhone application that will let you hack into celebrity twitter accounts or find out their email contacts.

25/10/2009

Real Time YouTube

From The Inquirer

Youtube joins the real-time revolution

I want it all and I want it now
Friday, 23 October 2009, 16:22

YOUTUBE IS LEAPING
onto the 'we want it all now, give it to us' bandwagon and bringing out a real-time comment search function.

Facebook and Twitter announced yesterday that they would be partnering with Microsoft's search engine Bling, er, Bing to offer real-time search function, so you don't miss a single lunch-related comment. Google also linked up with Twitter to offer the same kind of service, though not in real-time.

The Youtube comment searching function is actually quite similar to the current Twitter search, complete with 'trending topics' showing most talked about subjects.

The Twitter, Facebook and Youtube announcements are a sign of the growing trend toward absolutely instant information. Greed may be bad when it comes to bankers, but it's good for online content, apparently, or at least the people running these companies seem to think it's essential.

Case in point is Mozilla's new open source email management project, Raindrop. It will allow users to view Youtube directly in their Inbox, because everyone hates having to wait all that time, clicking on a link and waiting for a window to load.

One of the obvious benefits of real-time search is the immediacy of news that can be sourced. As well as the latest fashion, technology, cars and so on, people want the latest news and information and they want it fast.

Not to mention the money that can be made from brands that want to see what people are looking at in order to get in on the action and sell them more stuff.

But if you ask us, a lot of people say a lot of things on the Internet, and not all of it is really relevant or even vaguely interesting. With real-time, you'll get all the annoying dross as well.

So, practically, we can see it'll be interesting to watch what are the most discussed topics and there's no doubt that there is a lot of value in social media data. But only if the wheat can be separated from the chaff, we think.

24/10/2009

3D Week on 4


Channel 4 invites you to stick on your 3D specs and celebrate 3D! Watch astonishing unseen footage of The Queen during her Coronation year, Derren Brown's 3D Magic Spectacular with some of the world's greatest and most shocking magic performances, and a whole heap of 3D films. Get your glasses and get involved!

http://www.youtube.com/3dweekon4


Channel 4 wants you to get involved with 3D Week
Channel 4 wants YouTubers to get involved with our upcoming week of 3D programming.

Submit your 10-second 3D videos with the theme, number 4, and your clip is in with a chance of appearing on Channel 4 during the week.

It's really easy to make a 3D video. Just follow Ally & Morgan's simple steps in the 'How-To' and then send in your clip as a response: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-r9gRhT1Ts

If your video is good enough it may be shown on Channel 4!

Make sure you check the terms and conditions at http://www.channel4.com/programmes/3d-week/articles/terms... and we look forward to seeing you in 3D.

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3D comes back on TV! I remember getting those red and green 3D glasses and sitting in our living room with my family, flicking between 3D and double vision green and red. Oh how it's changed. Instead, for example when I went to see Beowulf at a Cineworld, the glasses were more like geeky ray bans make from plastic instead of paper. What's nice is that all YouTubers can create a 3D video, as long as it has the theme of 4, and it will be shown on TV. Great for publicity, a shame if you're not picked. The date for the 3D week hasn't been specified yet, probably because they're not sure how many people will actually attempt to create 3D films via YouTube, and don't want to guarantee a week slot and have nothing to show.
Interesting that the glasses are available from Sainsbury's. They have pretty much specified that their target market shops at Sainsbury's rather than Waitrose, Marks or Tesco. But are they free? Hopefully.

23/10/2009

iPhone Apps

Top Brands Tap iPhone as Personal Shopper

Marketing Vox, 23rd October 2009

Sportswear icon Nike, Inc. is one of a growing number of high-profile consumer fashion brands creating mobile applications that promote the ease and social benefits of personal shopping. The company recently launched a new iPhone application that enables users to design their own customized sneakers and order them straight from the app.

The move is the latest by a major fashion brand to provide consumers with personalized shopping experiences that extend beyond websites and onto mobile devices and social networking platforms.

The free app, called NIKEid, is a mobile extension of the NIKEiD website, which lets consumers customize a pair of Nike shoes and order them directly from the manufacturer.

The iPhone app also includes a variety of new features, including the ability to browse through the a user’s photo gallery, select an image, and then choose two colors present in the image to include in their customized shoe design. Additionally, users can choose colors from a color picker available in the app, and can filter search results to find the type of shoe they want – for example, men’s athletic shoes or unisex running shoes – and save their favorite designs as well as access those they created on the website.

Once users are content with their design, they have the option of shaking their iPhone to shuffle the colors they selected. They can also personalize their sneakers further by adding their name or a customized logo before ordering their sneakers and sharing their designs via e-mail or Facebook.

Rugby iPhone App

In a similar move toward customizable shopping via mobile, last month the Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation launched a Rugby iPhone application, which enables users to customize 19 products, including shirts, sweaters, and sweatshirts, and purchase their designs on their iPhone or iPod Touch.

The application, intended for the Rugby brand’s 18-25 year-old target demographic, lets users download a picture of themselves wearing the customized shirt and order it directly from their mobile device.

Taking this customization to another level, the app lets users personalize the shirts with patches that include numbers and letters, and - similar to the Nike app - lets them share their creations with friends via e-mail and Facebook.

Users can also rate and purchase each other’s designs. The highest rated design is featured as the application’s “look of the day.”

StyleCaster Gets Personal

Rugby is also the inaugural sponsor for a new iPhone and iTouch application from StyleCaster, an online fashion-lifestyle website.
That application includes a “Daily Looks” feature that provides fashion recommendations based on a user's style preferences, their location and the weather conditions in their area.

If a user likes the suggested look, he or she can access information about the products used in the featured outfits and where to purchase them.

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NikeID

This application allows you to choose swatch colours from photos and apply them to your own style of sneaker, then order it from the application itself. Easy if you're bored, but wouldn't you prefer to try it on? It would be alright if you had the pair already and just wanted a different colour. A nice application, but I wonder how many will buy from it and how many will just play around, especially since it's free.


Rugby Ralph Lauren

You can take a photo of yourself and stick it on top of the body of a rugby player, then edit the t-shirt to suit you, then buy it. A nice way of personal shopping, but again if you're sticking it to someone else's body instead of your own, how will you know what it will look like before you try it? It would be even better if you were able to add in your measurements and it would create an automatic model of your body, then shape the t-shirt to suit you. Then again, Rubgy shirts aren't intended to be flattering and figure hugging.

StyleCaster

Only one rating on this application and it was 1 and a half stars. It's nice to combine what the weather is like with what to wear, but if you have a rainy day, find an outfit then buy it, sod's law says that the rest of the year will be sunny and you've lost the use of your outfit. It doesn't necessarily let you buy from the application either. The news is typical of what you can find on the internet anyway, so there's nothing special about that.

22/10/2009

Free Archive...By appointment

Chez Amies

THE doors to the house of Hardy Amies are about to be opened. To coincide with the designer's 100th birthday, the fashion house will open its extensive and largely unseen archive to the public at its newly refurbished No.14 Savile Row London premises - its home since the business was established in 1946.

Curated by Austin Mutti-Mewse, Sir Hardy Amies: A Century of Couture will pay homage to the designer, his association with royalty (he was dressmaker to HM Queen Elizabeth II from her accession to the throne until his retirement in 1989), as well as his time on Savile Row. Photographs, personal diaries, letters and sketches never seen before - of Princess Elizabeth and his costumes for 2001: A Space Odyssey - will also be on show alongside a specially commissioned documentary film with insight from those that worked with Amies.

The Hardy Amies Archive will be open at No.14 Savile Row, London, W1. Entry is free and by appointment.

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Savile Row recently established their own kitemark, and so it's natural for them to really ascertain themselves among the current public as a historical brand. Amies has accomplished much in life, and so it's necessary to have his past on view. By making it appointment only, it would be interesting to see who would go to the effort to see the archive. The current generation wants everything to be as easy as email, so having to call up and speak to a person on the phone is really more like the... er... buyers of Savile Row and Hardy Amies.

Food for Thought

Fashionable Feasts From The CFDA

ON Tuesday night, New York's Saks Fifth Avenue celebrated the launch of Assouline's American Fashion Cookbook with a party at Café SFA that drew Charles Nolan, Richard Lambertson, Selima Salaun, Yeohlee Teng, Stan Herman and Diane von Furstenberg, all of whom came out to sample Elie Tahari's Lamb Chop with Mint Sauce, Victor Costa's Vidalia Onion Crustless Tart and Zac Posen's Butterscotch Wafers, among other designer delectables.

"Food and fashion both start with an 'f,'" said von Furstenberg with a laugh. "And all designers love to cook!"

That certainly seems to be the case, judging from American Fashion Cookbook, the latest in a series of fashion-related tomes published by Assouline, for which the Council of Fashion Designers of America convinced more than 100 of Seventh Avenue's finest to provide their favourite recipe alongside a sketch representing the dish, be it Tory Burch's Andalusian Gazpacho, Costello Tagliapietra's Big Boy Buttery Popovers or Rachel Roy's Chocolate Ganache.

"It's kind of this hybrid cookbook/art book," CFDA executive director Steven Kolb said of the project, which boasts a forward by Martha Stewart and is the fifth - and bestselling - book produced by the CFDA.

"Cooking is hot - the Food Network is all anybody watches," he added as guests nibbled the wares while reading quotes from the book, which were reproduced on the floor of the café. "What this cookbook does is offer a personal glimpse into a designer and their lives - and people like that."

And who could resist Gela Nash-Taylor's Psychotic Exploding Chestnut Stuffing?

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An interesting, if not eccentric, combination, combining fashion with food doesn't seem to be the first thing on a fashionista's mind after looking at those size zero models. It's almost as if the world can't make up their mind, should you be skinny, or indulging in home cooked food? It would be nice to have a look at, but I believe I'm at the stage where I am a student looking for quick, healthy meals rather than with time to cook a three course meal. I should really find out if my mother would be interested...

21/10/2009

Techno Gucci

Gucci Technology

ABSORBING yourself into the world of Gucci has just been made easier - the luxury fashion house today launches its first iPhone/iPod Touch app - following in the virtual footsteps of NET-A-PORTER.COM, Chanel and Ralph Lauren.

With a 24-hour music channel, hotel and restaurant tips, as well as playlists and a turntable for mixing tracks by music producer Mark Ronson, the free application will also enable consumers to buy an exclusive model from the limited edition Ronson sneaker collection.

"Apps are the new virtual accessory, so I approached the design of Gucci's first app in the same way I do with a bag or shoe from my collections," Gucci creative director Frida Giannini explains. "I looked to provide the essence of the Gucci lifestyle experience in a way that takes full advantage of the technological capabilities of the revolutionary iPhone and iPod touch. Of course Mark Ronson's contribution ensures that the Gucci App is truly unique."

The collaboration with Apple also coincides with the opening of the Gucci's travelling sneaker store, which opens in New York on Saturday and comes hot on the heels of the launch of Gucci's new social networking micro-site, Gucci Eyeweb, to promote its new collection of sunglasses.

Meanwhile, Gucci is keeping itself busy in the real world, too, having designed a scarf in recognition of its title sponsorship role at this year's Gucci Masters. The design features the bold and iconic interlocking GGs.

For further information regarding Gucci's new sunglasses, visit www.guccieyeweb.com.

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I tried this iPhone application as it was free, and I was pleasantly surprised! The Mark Ronson gadget was quite fun, it had different sounds you can mix and match (much like Garageband) and then you can record your own compilation. Also available were views of collections, new products and information about their Gucci pop up store, Gucci Icon-Temporary selling sneakers made by Frida Giannini (Creative Director of Gucci) and Mark Ronson. The store will pop up around the world with 18 styles, (16 for men, 2 for women) and will also have one pair of sneakers only available to those with the iPhone application. The store will begin in New York and stay there for two weeks, then move on to Miami in December. Looking forward to it coming to London, but they'd better have all the men convinced.

20/10/2009

Affordable Junk

Ex-students brings vintage fashion to Preston



Vintage fashion guru, and ex-UCLan graduate, Judy Berger has brought the Affordable Vintage Fashion Fair to the city

Published Date:
20 October 2009
Fearne Cotton and Alexa Cheung eat your hearts out.
The recession may have forced the Preston's Oxfam Vintage to revert to a regular charity shop, but a former UCLan graduate came to the rescue of second-hand fashionistas.

Judy Berger, founder of The Affordable Vintage Fashion Fair, who studied fashion promotion in Preston, brought the event to 53 Degrees.

She said: "I just really enjoy looking at things from different decades and putting them together and mixing them up.

"I've wanted to come back to Preston for two years. It brings back good memories, it's great."

Hundreds of people came through the doors to rummage for bargains – from sheepskin coats to beaded head dresses, prom dresses to retro T-shirts.

Gemma Rice, 20, who studies textiles and lives on Ladywell Street, said: "I'm really interested in vintage because there's a story behind all of the clothes.

"I like charity shops because my mum took me when I was little and you can find a lot of things. Topshop sometimes but we're not all made of money."

Fashion styling student Daisy Auberson, 22, said: "I like the fact that fashion is a way of expressing yourself.

"These days, especially in this country, everyone looks really different and I think British style's very eclectic.

"I've bought three old keys to make into a necklace. In London everything's really expensive and the charity shops have all caught onto the vintage thing but here, people aren't really looking for the same things as me so I get quite a lot of good stuff."

Sameera Ali-Hilley, 18, from St Annes, who studies photography and fashion brand promotion said: "My coat is from Afflecks Palace (in Manchester) and was £45. I like the 80s, but I tend to dress from a lot of different eras.

"I do like charity shopping."

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Slow news day, but anyway...
It's very easy to put on a fashion fair, even I did my own frock exchange at uni. The only thing that boggles me is how she managed to make Vintage items affordable... where did she find those to sell? Did she steal them?

Bride Oldfield

British couturier Bruce Oldfield opens new wedding shop

Oldfield proves design can be in two places at once


British couturier Bruce Oldfield (center) opens new wedding shop. Oldfield has designed the wedding dresses for high-profile brides, including, Queen Rania of Jordan (left), and Jemima Khan, (right). Photo: AFP/ANDREW CROWLEY/PA

The British couturier, Bruce Oldfield, has opened a new atelier and boutique at No.34 Beauchamp Place, London, SW3, designed as the perfect bridal destination.

The new shop, Bruce Oldfield Wedding, is almost directly opposite his existing ready-to-wear and couture boutique, at No. 27, which opened in 1984.

Oldfield, who has designed the wedding dresses for a host of high-profile brides, including Samantha Cameron, Queen Rania of Jordan, and Jemima Khan, intends the new boutique to function as a one-stop shop.

Apart from bridal dresses, Oldfield will design for the bridesmaids and mothers of the bride. Co-ordinating shoes and bags will also be available, together with an eclectic collection of vintage accessories. The custom-made bridal collection will start from £2,500. Couture prices are on application.

Oldfield, who was awarded the OBE in 1990, has been a famous name in British fashion for more than 30 years, best known for his red carpet and couture occasionwear for Hollywood stars, British and international royalty, and the European aristocracy. His roll call of clients reads like a hall of fame and includes Diana, Princess of Wales; Queen Noor of Jordan; Barbra Streisand; Faye Dunaway; Catherine Zeta-Jones; Diana Ross; Charlotte Rampling, Joan Collins; and, more recently, Sienna Miller and Taylor Swift.

Oldfield was brought up and educated in the care of the children’s charity, Barnardo’s, and remains one of its great success stories. He was educated at Ripon Grammar School, Sheffield College and Ravensbourne College. He graduated from Central St Martin’s school of art in London in 1973. He launched his ready-to-wear label in 1975 and opened his couture atelier for private clients in 1978. Diana, Princess of Wales, became a client in 1980.

Oldfield has Honorary fellowships to the Royal College of Art and the Universities of Durham and Sheffield. He is also a vice-president of Barnardo’s. He published his autobiography, ‘Rootless’, in 2004.

Last year, Oldfield broadened his design cv by redesigning the staff uniform for McDonald’s.

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When I was 11 I had the opportunity to work with Bruce Oldfield and his Couture team at Beauchamp Place. They were such a lovely team of people and Bruce himself was so kind. Growing up in the care of Barnardo's has no doubt made him the most decent and genuine fashion designer with charity in mind.

Although he has always designed bridal couture, opening a Boutique may be the newest way for him to receive even more business and clients more often. Good luck to him, I wish him well.

Louis Up

Vuitton Up

HAVING set its sights on expanding in Lebanon and Mongolia, Louis Vuitton has yet more good news: parent group LVMH has announced a double digit rise in Louis Vuitton sales over the nine months to September 30.

According to DRAPERSONLINE.COM, LVMH said like-for-like sales dropped 3 per cent in the past three months to September 30 - with total sales of £10.9bn - as brands like Celine suffered from poor wholesale performance, but Louis Vuitton's success contributed to a boost in its overall performance.

The opening of stores in China and the launch of the first Louis Vuitton fine jewellery collection were cited as contributing factors as well as the performance of LVMH's fashion and leather goods sector, which achieved like-for-like revenue growth of one per cent for the first nine months of the year.

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Interesting that as soon as Burberry and Louis Vuitton make their brand more available by showing their collections online, they both receive an increase in sales. Whether it be a publicity stunt, a form of marketing or an opportunity for the designer to show off their performance art, it seems that showing collections online is a way of improving the identity of the brand as well as their awareness. I think many designer labels will attempt to follow, and then the lower luxury and high street brands will follow suit, not to increase sales, but just so that they won't be left behind and left old-fashioned. There must be another way to appeal to the online audience?

19/10/2009

Rainy Cages

Lulu Guinness and Fulton have joined together to make this absolutely adorable umbrella for those horrid rainy days ahead. Only £28 too!

Invites you probably didn't get

Collector's Lot

THE shows might now be over but we'll always have the memories - in the shape of the invites which, not only a badge of sartorial rank and front row politics, are collector's items too - and now the subject of a new exhibition in Milan from the Design Library, RSVP. Thousand Fashion, Art and Design Invites.

A project by Ines Paolucci and Patrizia Scarzella in collaboration with Silvia Motta, the exhibition - as the name might suggest - showcases 1000 invites from presentations and fashion shows from Milan's Design and Fashion Weeks with an entire section dedicated to Moschino, which has become known for its quirky and collectible invites.

"The invite for a Moschino show is an introduction. A foreword to a story that the fashion show will tell. I think since the beginning of our history the invite has been a short explanation that puts the guest at ease: it is like when you invite somebody to dinner, it hints at what is to come. It is in this way that the invite is very important, because it gives in advance details that will be unveiled during the fashion show as part of the collection itself," explains Moschino creative director Rosella Jardini.

A book will also be published showcasing the invites that have been selected.

RSVP. Thousand Fashion, Art and Design Invites runs October 21 to 28 at Design Library Milan, Via Savona 11.

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Wow it's annoying that this is in Milan. Guess we'll all have to buy the £50 coffee table book, unless we saved all the invites from all those fashion weeks we were invited to....



The invitations are an insight to what some will never be able to see, plus they're a great insight into the creative marketing that goes on around Fashion Week. Really wish I could have seen them, the ideas would be a great insight.

Online De Milo

New Frontiers

NOT content with an LFW return this season, Jasmine Di Milo is also busy expanding on other frontiers - launching an ecommerce shop. Founded in 2003, designer Jasmine Al Fayed has shown her Jasmine Di Milo collection in Paris since 2006 but returned to London Fashion Week this season before turning her attention to the online opening.

"Going online was about being more accessible, democratic and global with our presence," told VOGUE.COM following the launch. "We wanted to celebrate the woman we are designing for by giving her access to the Jasmine Di Milo universe and making her a part of the design and direction of the brand."

Users can shop by look, taking Jasmine's suggestions on board, and can save their own wish list in the site's "dreambox", which can also be shared with others (for that not-so-subtle Christmas gift request). The designer has also collaborated with domestic violence charity V-Day this season to create a T-shirt which is available online.

View the collection at www.jasminedimilo-shop.com.



A really nice collection, and it's great to see something that's quite high end have it's own ecommerce site, rather than sell from Net-A-Porter.com or Cocosa.com. It will be interesting to see whether there will be an increase in sales due to the collection being available online, but it will be hard to really calculate as their sales are most likely confidential.

Rimmel Jagger

Jagger Girl

NOVEMBER Vogue cover girl and rock daughter Georgia Jagger has been named as the new face of Rimmel London. The cosmetic giant, which counts Kate Moss, Lily Cole and Sophie Ellis-Bextor among its spokespeople, has also signed Coco Rocha alongside Jagger for the spring/summer 2010 campaign.

"We needed a wider palette of faces to show the makeup results of our new products," said Stephen Mormoris, senior vice president of global marketing at Coty Beauty, told WWD of Jagger's appointment. "Rimmel embodies the London look, which is very resonant with young people all over the world who look to London as a centre of multiculturalism and freedom of expression," adding that Jagger was chosen because she is "edgy, experimental and provocative."

Mormoris also added that, in order to further Rimmel's appeal worldwide, three additional spokesmodels of different ethnic backgrounds will be signed to the brand by January.

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What do I love about this girl? She's got imperfect teeth. It's a very small thing but if you have perfect teeth, you won't like her teeth, if you have a gap (like me) you'll love that someone like her has been chosen for a brand like Rimmel. It just makes it all the more believable (even if it's not likely) that someone that's a little imperfect can make it as a model. She does, however, have famous connections.

To make Rimmel into a stronger worldwide company, they will hire more spokesmodels with different background in order to show that they are ethnically aware and can relate to many different girls/women.


18/10/2009

No Not Megan

ARMANI fans 'not impressed' with Megan Fox casting

October 17, 5:02 AM Entertainment News Examiner Ellen Cromanche



Fashionistas worldwide have been left unimpressed as 23-year-old Megan Fox brings to fruition plans to front high-end fashion line Armani for one full year. According to published reports, Fox will receive a six figure payment to pose in underwear for the fashion retailer, with further reports claiming the photos have already been shot and are waiting editing. Hours after the rumor was confirmed, fashion blogs begun dissecting the news and have reached a fashionable verdict.

They don't want her!

Fox, famous for leaning over a broken down Camero in the first Transformers flick and for learning over a motorcycle in the sequel hinted at the prospect some weeks ago, a rumor that caught fire on the internet. According to the now confirmed reports, the raven-haired star will appear in a series of print and billboard advertisements for the brand but will not be photographed with male spokesperson, Cristiano Ronaldo.

The actress, who refers to herself as 'not very stylish', is reportedly pleased with Armani's decision to bring her on board as celebrity spokeswoman.

However, the move has struck some bubbling controversy amongst the fashion crowd, with some claiming Fox is "not notable for being credible" and is somewhat undeserving of her fame, let alone a prestige celebrity endorsement.

Says one blogger, "How can Victoria Beckham, a globally known fashion icon, be replaced with someone who has no brains, no talent, no style and no respect? There are a million better picks than Megan Fox."

Others believe Fox' otherwise 'trashy' image will taint the sophistication and stylish appeal of the Armani brand and that although she is a popular choice, she may not be a suitable one.

Fans of the actress support her new endeavour, claiming the project may encourage the seriousness of her career, while others speak of it's counterpart, stating Fox does lack seriousness in her career and would be a more suitable spokesperson for 'target'.

Ouch. Perhaps unfairly judged?

Fox, who may be killed off in the upcoming Transformers installation for her unkind words about director Michael Bay has not yet commented on the news nor its backlash.

The Jennifer’s Body star should appear in campaigns for the brand in 2010.

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I told you so I told you so I told you so, women don't like Megan Fox! And now it's not only because of her sex appeal, women don't like her so much that they say she's "undeserving of her fame" with "no brains, no talent, not style and" definitely "no respect". Hopefully she won't break down and cry like Lindsay Lohan did after the press hated her Ungaro show.
However, most of the trash talk about the trashy Fox has come from bloggers and the fashion crowd, which may or may not include the press who, undoubtedly, have to remain unbiased when reporting of the new face of Armani. Hopefully, and I mean hopefully, Megan Fox will be able to surprise us all, and do something more tasteful than her FHM shoot. After all, who'd 'av thunk it that Lily Allen would be the face of Chanel? Megan Fox is a character that appeals to men, and most fashionistas are women, so the success of the advertising may not be life-saving for Armani, especially if the current criticisms are so savage (but fair).

17/10/2009

Burberry Rising

Burberry enjoys a sales rise

Luxury goods brand's transformation has been a success as its profit forecasts are marked up by analysts

guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 14 October 2009 19.00 BST Julia Finch

Three weeks after Burberry's triumphant return to London Fashion Week, the luxury goods label has unveiled a recession-defying trading update. The designer label, which pulled in celebrity names including Victoria Beckham, Twiggy, Gwyneth Paltrow and Samantha Cameron to its London catwalk show and party in September, posted much better-than-expected second quarter sales of £343m, some 5% higher than the same period last year.

The shares, which are now in the FTSE 100 and have doubled this year, rose 28.5p to close at 565.5p as analysts marked up their full-year profit forecasts. Stacey Cartwright, the Burberry finance director, suggested that the "upper end" of the City's £160m-£190m range was most likely.

Most luxury goods firms have been hit by the recession, but Burberry took swift action to cut costs and jobs. The 150-year-old brand, which is known for its trademark beige plaid and trenchcoats, has been resurrected as a high fashion label. It has also been boosted by new Asian stores and weak sterling.

The sales improvement has been boosted by Burberry's handbags, such as its totes, which range from a small nylon version for £150 to a large black alligator tote, trimmed with a barbed wire chain, for £12,250. Snoods – pull-on scarf-cum-hoods which Burberry is selling for £150-£195 – have also been big sellers.

Retail sales, which account for more than 50% of group sales, were up 14% in the first half – or 27% taking into account the boost from the pound/dollar exchange rate – with most growth coming from new store space and the buoyant Middle East market. Nine new stores have been opened in the last six months, including new outlets in Singapore and Tokyo. Six stores were closed. Europe and Asia, led by Britain and South Korea, remain the best-performing markets with the US and Spain – traditionally a big market for the brand – recording large falls.

Wholesale sales were down an underlying 23% as customers cut back their orders to reduce stocks. Nearly half the decline, however, was the result of Burberry's own actions, such as shutting down the younger Thomas Burberry brand and changing Middle East outlets from wholesale to retail. Nine new franchised stores opened, including seven in China. Burberry now has 44 outlets in China, including a specialist children's store in Beijing.

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Could the rise in sales be due to allowing the participation of potential customers to view the show online? By getting a sneak peak at what's on offer, then finding out that you can get one of those bags for £150, it must have boosted sales. By making Burberry more of an available brand, having kid's and now adult's favourite Emma Watson as the head of their campaigns, and bringing back the Burberry print (but not on a cap or scarf) has increased their popularity, as well as careful business decisions to disable Thomas Burberry and changing wholesale stores in the Middle East to retail, are all causes for an increase in sales. Let's just hope they continue to show in the UK and don't move to New York or Paris. After all, it's a traditionally British brand and so should stay that way.

16/10/2009

Temperly Zoetrope

Temperley London Circus Zoetrope from LEGS on Vimeo.


Zoetrope by Temperly

To showcase her spring/summer 2010 Temperley London collection, Alice Temperley created a zoetrope installation inspired by the circus theme of her collection. Watch as a contortionist, ballet dancers and models show off the designs.


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After watching the video of how this moves and how huge it really is, I thought it absolutely beautiful and ingenious to reflect the brand. It's the sort of thing you'd expect with Twenty8Twelve's first ever collection. The idea of brands incorporating technology is basically fast, fast, fast, advanced, advanced, advanced. This is something that used to be the pinpoint of technology and a highlight in the moving picture industry, and it's been brought back with finesse. It was shown at first at New York Fashion Week and then was moved to London Fashion Week. It has been made through a collaboration with Legs.

Rodents wearing Giles Deacon


Cadbury Caramel Bunny: her legs are too hairy

marketingmagazine.co.uk 13-Oct-09, 13:07

LONDON - Sarah Golding, managing partner of CHI & Partners, reviews the new look of the Cadbury Caramel bunny.

Ah, the Cadbury Bunny takes me back. Her luscious tanned legs, her cheeky pink neckscarf and long, long lashes, as smooth and delicious as the chocolate itself.

Flirty, cool and all woman. Girls wanted to be like her, boys wanted to be with her, and we all wanted to eat her bar (so to speak).

When Cadbury, following the recessionary vogue for nostalgia, brought her back, I, for one, cheered.

There she was in glor-ious purple and yellow technicolour, lounging louchely on the back of buses, flirting with us again. All the warm feelings for the brand and its sinful, gooey loveliness flooded back, and newsagents were packed with 80s throwbacks like me.

Yet, what have they done to her to launch this product? Hairy legs? A designer dress? That wasn't the deal. She was sensuous and alluring. Now you've made me see her for what she really is - a rabbit. From Jessica to Bugs in one swift step. She's no longer the animated siren she once was; she's just a cartoon rodent flogging her chocolatey pellets.

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My goodness would Karl Lagerfeld be annoyed: a fashion conscious female wearing Giles Deacon with hairy legs? Why do large companies always assume that with the demand for new products we demand change to the advertising? What was wrong with the old Caramel bunny? I guess if she appeared on a poster or a label not everyone would realise how special it is that she's back. Still, I don't think resembling her to a rodent rather than a cartoon is the best option for Cadbury's. They should have instead had the Cadbury mum and her teenage daughter, showing that Caramel Cadbury's is for all generations. Plus it's for the nibbles, the bitesize piece of the Caramel, so having the younger generation of bunny would have worked well.

Heels that Heal

The ultimate retail therapy!


Save cash and womens lives at the first Heels That Heal walk and shopping day.

- Do you want to shop 'til you drop, rub shoulders with celebs and break a world record?
- Bag discounts at Oasis, Karen Millen, Coast, La Senza, Barratts, Hobbs and many more?
- See pop acts including Dolly rockers and Mini Viva live on stage?

Of course you do, so get signed up now! Join stars Claudia Winkleman, Katherine Jenkins, Kirsty Gallacher and Danielle Bux in our record -breaking high heel walk on 31st October.

After doing a one mile lap of the mall, you'll be entertained by bands and a host of star guests.

It costs just £5 to take part, and all the money raised will be donated to the Heels That Heal campaign, run by Fabulous magazine and health charity Wellbeing of Women. Shopping while helping people - that's what we call retail therapy!

To find out more about Heels that Heal, a full list of discounts and to register go to www.heelsthatheal.com/walk


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A great advantage for a large store like Westfield is that it can hold great publicity events and they already have a venue. Helping out charity is always a bonus for the customer, plus it draws more of a crowd who will most likely shop whilst in the center.

15/10/2009

Tour of the Clemens en August

Clemens In Town

PACKING its sartorial suitcases Clemens en August has once again hit the road to showcase its autumn/winter 2009-10 collection as part of its international touring concept, which returns to the UK from today, for three days only, until October 17.

Located at 36 Great Titchfield Street, the men's and women's collection will be on sale from 11am to 8pm daily and, this season, have a touch of Gallic elegance about them. Think fine silk wools, soft jerseys in gentle and muted shades, delicate prints, cocktail frocks, blouses and underwear as outerwear - a strong trend to note for spring/summer 2010 too.

And, new to the Clemens en August wardrobe for autumn/winter comes the Coco Jacket, boasting shapely shoulders and contrasting satin detail.

The Clemens en August tour travels to 11 cities including New York, Tokyo, Berlin and Zurich.

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I think it's a great idea to have a traveling clothing line that's global. It saves on overhead costs as well as bringing a sense of fragility that you have to be quick to capture, kind of like a bubble. It's not around for long, so you have to get there fast and first, then you'll definitely buy something knowing that there is no way in hell you'd be able to have time to think about it.

By doing a tour it also means that it's making itself globally aware, bringing a very easy form of publicity and a hint of limited availability, which attracts shoppers better than a dog to a bone.

14/10/2009

Model Meg

Megan Fox For Emporio Armani

ACTRESS Megan Fox has been named as the new face - and body - of Emporio Armani Underwear and Armani Jeans. The Transformers star will front the women's campaign for spring/summer 2010 opposite the world's most expensive footballer Cristiano Ronaldo.

Sadly, for anyone hoping for a movie star/sport star power pairing, the two will not appear in the same images, as their predecessors Victoria and David Beckham did. Fox's images were shot at the weekend in LA by renowned fashion photographers Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott. Ronaldo's campaign pictures have yet to be taken.

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The women chosen to advertise a label reflect the label itself. Basically if you like Megan Fox, chances are you're going to like the advert, and if you like the advert you're going to look at it longer and possibly buy what she's wearing. However, and I don't know about all girls, but some that I talk to don't like Meghan Fox because of all the hype around her. The controversy of being bisexual, her rumoured relationship with Robert Pattinson, girl's just can't be that keen! Men like her, not women. She should be advertising the menswear. It's like getting Robert Pattinson to do a menswear campaign; most guys are fed up of their girlfriends swooning over him, so would they really be keen to buy from him? I think there's so my hype about women wanting their men to be like him that men just don't want to anymore.

I see a Model and I want to Paint it Black

French Vogue: outrage over 'blacked up' model

French Vogue, the fashion magazine, has prompted outrage by featuring pictures of a Dutch model with her pale skin painted black.