Wrangler Europe Site

Wrangling it in.
The original Wrangler Blue Bell website was definitely something new when it came out about 6 months ago, but it wasn't something that other brands picked up on. Perhaps they weren't too keen on the idea of removing the clothing rather than trying to put it on customers. So Wrangler learned from their own, and created a new interactive flash website, with what seems to be more of a story.
Perhaps I'm enjoying this because I'm watching it late at night, and so the dark screen is really worth it (I'll have to take a look at it in the morning and see whether it has the same effect a second time round) but it just seems to be so effective that the clothes look better quality than even competitors such as Diesel and Lee.
You can download individual frames, publish them on your facebook or your twitter page, but this isn't exactly very useful - you're not getting anything out of posting a picture except a nice image of a rugged looking man for your friends to look at... like I said, not very useful.

Hermès J'aime mon carré

How To Hermès.
Hermès has decided that it's not enough to have a renowned name for themselves - it's time to get new customers and promotion is the key. J'aime mon carré, or 'I love my scarf' to the non French speaking Brits, will be a new collection launched in September on their under construction website.

Hermès will also launch a fanzine and hold promotional events in order to gain loyalty from a younger market - and so the prints will be bold, colourful and not necessarily as classic as their other collections.

The label has recruited British photographer Matt Irwin and stylist Francesca Burns to create the fanzine project with four women wearing their favourite scarves in New York, Paris, London and Tokyo.

The brand is also going to offer a 'How To' section on their website, showing women how to tie knots and wear the scarves. What's interesting about this, is it was very privileged information that was only gifted once a Hermès had been purchased in the form of a tiny little book. Hermès is one of few brands that is currently standing out because they've pulled down their exclusive barriers and are welcoming a new type of customer. Remember Liberty's selling Hermès scarves? Instead of holding them on display behind closed doors, they encouraged the customers to hold the scarves, and offered workshops on how to tie them. Perhaps they realised that going digital and promoting their new innovative 'touch me try me' attitude would pay off.

Prada Film

Prada Blues

The Fall/Winter 2010 advertising campaign can be viewed here on Prada.com. Music 'Fever' performed by Katey Judd and badly dubbed by the models of the campaign...

Elie Saab Couture

History Repeating
Find me a woman who wouldn't feel like a goddess in Elie Saab Couture - it's not possible. Although every season of his couture has strong similarities to the last, you can't deny that Saab is just good at what he does - make enviable clothing that will forever be in fashion.

Elie Saab's Autumn Winter collections have always seemed to be more sophisticated to me than his Spring, mainly due to him constantly bringing in hundreds of brightly coloured dyes in his fabrics and never really having a theme like he does with his Fall collections. He seems to pick just 5 base colours and creates patterns through twists and miles of fabric, then embroider embellishments that weigh 10kgs all over.

The dress above is my personal favourite of this collection because if done by another designer could have looked like a dyed old vintage wedding dress, but Elie Saab makes it sexy beyond belief, despite it being a colour not best suited for every woman.

Burberry's Profits

Bravo Burberry.
Angela Ahrendts, CEO of Burberry told Vogue.com, "The period 2009 - 2010 was a great year for Burberry - we delivered record profits in what was a challenging economic climate thanks to a truly gifted team. The success of Burberry is built not only on product and marketing excellence but on operational excellence too. Together these set us apart this year."

Burberry's innovative take on the digital world and clever marketing tactics could be the key factor in the British brand's recent success. Figures increased 7% from £1,202 million in 2009 to £1,280 million within the last year with revenue increasing by 19%.

Burberry's tactics both within the company through it's performance and between the brand and it's current and potential customers seem to be right on the money - and it seems to be down to humility. Their realisation of how a high quality brand should be functioning at this time rather than operating the way brands always have, has forwarded them above any British brand currently on the market - but it will be a while before all of the public catches on to the reinvented 'chavvy to savvy brand'.

Chanel Couture

A Russian Roar
Karl Lagerfeld's Chanel Couture show took place once again in the Grand Palais in Paris, decorated by a majestic lion holding a pearl, out of which came fur trimmed or glittering Prussian beauties. The lion theme continued through to the end, with Lagerfeld's muse Baptiste Giabiconi wearing a lion head as the finale.




Vintage style

Couture Fashion Week

Dior Floral Bouquet.
Christian Dior Couture designed by John Galliano was an upside down floral bouquet with what looked like plastic wrap as headdresses, and carnation style layers and prints.






As Couture fashion week kicks off there has been an increase in requests for the high quality products, especially from Russia, China and the Middle East. The demand increase has been a welcome sign of relief for many couture brands after the unfortunate collapse of Christian Lacroix who showed his last collection of Autumn Winter 2009/10.

Website

Rebranded.

The website www.firuzefrench.com has been updated to suit my new branding. Take a look and let me know what you think.


I'll also post photos of my branding a little later.

Click here to view site

Update:
Photos of the send out to specific companies.

Underwear Gaultier

Outerwear becomes underwear.
Jean Paul Gaultier has teamed up with La Perla to create an underwear collection for release in November this year.

The bra in this set reminds me of the outerwear Gaultier designed for Madonna, although a little more practical. By the way, what's wrong with her leg in the image above? Looks a little twisted.


It's surprising that Jean Paul Gaultier hasn't ventured out into the lingerie department before, considering his focus on underwear in all his womenswear. I guess when you're famous for making underwear to go on top, there's no need to dive in to the lingerie market, as you've already attracted the type of woman that wouldn't want to cover up.

Viktor & Rolf - La Roux

Viktor & Rolf's La Roux Muse
Viktor & Rolf have found their muse in La Roux's Elly Jackson.

I just love this photo of La Roux at the Viktor and Rolf Spring Summer 11 Menswear show in Milan - she pretty much embodies the brand while pulling off the Buddy Holly look in a modern way. The star, Elly Jackson, performed In for the Kill and Bulletproof for the show while wearing pieces from the collection.

"Fashion and music have always gone hand-in-hand and this was an opportunity to do something different with the songs and in a completely different setting," Jackson told Vogue.com. "It was very intimate and very exposed. There was a real sense of two creative worlds coming together."

Out of all the celebrities Viktor & Rolf could have chosen as their muse, I believe they've got it perfect with La Roux's Elly Jackson, especially when she wears the designer's iconic thick framed glasses.

Burberry New Campaign Images

Bring on Burberry.

The latest Burberry Autumn Winter 2010 campaign has arrived with an all British cast.




I also recommend the interactive versions of the campaign
Click the links below to find out more, or visit http://www.Burberry.com/ and use the right hand menu.
Use your mouse to move the models back and forth and the camera left and right. An interesting campaign and a forward thinking way of presenting their latest collection. Burberry just keeps on being ahead of the rest.
It would be nice for the images to be more interactive though, where you can select the items being worn by the models and buy them immediately.

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The cast of the Burberry campaign consists of model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley with her English rose look, Gwilym Gold, lead vocalist of 'Golden Silvers', Nina Porter, actor Douglas Booth, Sam Rollinson, lead vocalist of The Cheek Rory Cottham, Charlotte Wiggins, the iconic blond from the Burberry shows Thomas Penfound, music producer Caspar Smyth, singer of Avius, Seb Brice and Samuel Fry, vocalist of Life on Film.

Alexander McQueen

View the show here.

D&G Menswear

More Live Stream from D&G Menswear.
View the live stream on their site here

Prada Menswear SS2011

Prada.

Watch the Prada Menswear Spring Summer 2011 show at www.prada.com

Burberry Menswear SS2011

Burberry Live.
Burberry Prorsum will be showcasing their menswear Spring Summer 2011 at 2pm so quick,click here to view.

Outerwear and accessories will be available to order straight from the runway.

Topshop Blow Dry Bar

Up for a quick blow job?
Hershesons Salon has set up shop within the Oxford Street branch of Topshop - and not a pair of scissors in sight. For £22 you can select a style, then get your hair washed and blow dried within 30 minutes. You might be wondering, when will such an occasion occur that I will be shopping and need to have my hair done? Well, it seems as though lately many shoppers are buying for the moment, buying in the day to wear something in the evening, and simply impulse buying. It wasn't exactly busy, but if you know it's there and want to get your hair done without going near a pair of scissors and you want it done by a professional salon, the blow dry bar seems like a good option.

Tamara Mellon

The Choo Empire.
Tamara Mellon, stiletto mogul and a hit on the UK rich list, is soon to be commended by the Queen as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE), and so a little dedication is in order.
As one of the It girls that became one of the most successful business women of the 21st century, Mellon has not only faced trials with her former husband Matthew Mellon (for email snooping of all things) as well as her own mother, former Chanel model Ann Yeardye, and had the paparazzi breathing down her neck during her affairs, and has had a very public admittance into rehab, but has also had to deal with the issues of the company she co-founded in 1996 - Jimmy Choo.

Accused of causing a backstabbing move by creative director Sandra Choi on her uncle (Jimmy Choo), and accusing her mother of stealing from the company has meant that her career hasn't exactly been clear sailing, but the woman just won't let down. Not only has she fought off suits throwing numbers in her face and threatening her position, forcing her to cut her holiday short to start a battle plan (which included the collaboration with high street brand H&M), she's somewhat brutally forced the buying and selling of the portions of her company in order to increase it's value, despite family and friends.
Tamara Mellon shot by Deborah Anderson

Powerful women such as Mellon are either loved or hated - with nothing in between. You're either jealous of her and admire her, or jealous of her and so hate her. Oh, and being on the arm of Christian Slater only makes us more jealous. Did I mention she was over 50? Jealous yet?

"At the end of the day, the person who has the money has the control."
- Tamara Mellon.