Adidas Wilson's Blog, page 176
March 23, 2017
Investing in Fashion
Popular trends of daily life style in clothing, footwear, accessories, makeup, body, or furniture are commonly known as fashion. Since ancient times, in majority of the cultures (around the world) these life style trends also indicate the social status achieved by the members of the society.
Historical evidence tells that influential men and women of the society used valuables like gold, pearls, diamonds in their clothing and accessories. Ancient Greeks used gold embroidery on their wearable’s as well as they wore girdles at the waist in gold. These ancient trends were followed by the influential people throughout the history.
In fashion industry trends from the time before the 1920s are referred as antique, while trends from the 1920’s to 20 years back are known as vintage. Producing vintage style becomes popular in fashion industry as designers copy the style of previous era and reproduced product (clothing or jewelry) is a fresh copy of older design or product. Also products look alike original vintage massively produced but one can judge that these just have casual resemblance to the original product.
Original vintage are considered assets in physical form just like other physical assets including commodities like gold and other precious metals, real estate or other financial assets but when it comes to the value factor vintage pieces has an advantage over other investments as the value increases as time goes on due to the fact that it is genuinely belongs to past era, unlike the gold prices, real estate prices or stock prices which are victim or market fluctuations because of demand and supply contributions.
According to a vintage specialist business is expanding at a pace of 20 to 30 per cent. As for investment point of view vintage pieces does not depreciate over the time, if someone buys any vintage product to wear, can sell it in market for profit in a few years’ time. A vintage collector received an offer of twice the price she invested for her “Gabrielle Chanel” (1924 hand beaded ribbon dress) just after 18 month of her purchase but she turned down the offer from Chanel to buy back.
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Fashion products produced recently are usually called modern or contemporary fashion. In recent times due to rapid advancement in technology fashion industry is getting plenty of attraction. It becomes the most dynamic business because what’s trending now could also be obsolete tomorrow, before one even realizes.
Advances in technology with the help of growth in e-Commerce enabled introduction of latest trends seen on the catwalk and on celebrities in a short space of time to the customers and this also helps customers to get what they want more quickly. This efficient process is known as ‘fast fashion’, and it requires an impressive command in supply chain. There is an argument by the critics that the fast fashion produces low-quality products which are highly disposable. But the retailers who can master their supply chains achieving success and the kind of turnaround they are getting suggest that fast fashion is what many customers ultimately want.
Beside vintage or fast fashion, market place is still alive for luxury fashion whether its clothes, accessories or jewelry. Over the years luxury fashion has seen many highs and lows for the demand in Gold (the yellow metal), the two decade of the past century was its popularity boom, but then white gold and platinum become more popular as gold prices shot higher to historical levels. In latest trends of fashion industry has noticed that in last couple of years once again gold is trying to regain its supremacy. As gold prices are tilting down usage of gold in luxury fashion is in demand. Everything including jewelry and clothing is in yellow gold as it looks royal, sophisticated and luxurious.
Since the historical times everyone understand the importance of precious metals (including Gold, Silver, Platinum) and precious stones including (Diamonds, Sapphire’s, Ruby) in luxury fashion but recently investing in luxury fashion products which are waitlisted or limited edition is becoming very popular to get the most resale value in comparison with traditional investment pieces. Chanel Lego bag and Dior Tribal earrings were sold above the retail price because they very hard to find in stores while in the recent years the Hermes Birkin bag were considered even a better investment than Gold. Classic luxury watches like Rolex and Cartier were always considered a good investment as they could be sold double the price in very short time of original purchase.
There are many new products which could be considered as a good investment pieces for future, for example in Watch Industry “Tudor Heritage Black Bay” “Breitling’s Navitimer” “TAG Heuer Silverstone Limited Edition” and “Patek Philippe” and In Bags “Hermes Kelly” “Chanel Classic Flap” “Chanel Boy Bag” and “The Louis Vuitton Neverfull” are making their way to beat the other investments.
Fashion industry provides good opportunities for investment either you are investing in to start your own fashion house or you are just looking to invest in luxury investment pieces and in vintage. If you are looking to kick off your own house than you need to keep in mind that many join this industry because they are attracted by the glamour associated to the style industry, but they end up facing cruel reality of this business which results failure. Only those entrepreneurs who are willing to give time and can keep themselves updated can make fortune with this dynamic industry.
Source:
https://www.fxempire.com/education/article/investing-in-fashion-395500
Online fashion shoppers to more than double to 130 mn by 2020
The number of online fashion shoppers in India will double from 55-60 million today to 130-135 million by 2020, and with a significant shift in the user profile. Mobile is going to be the single biggest driver for the growth of the fashion industry in India, both offline and online.
These are the findings from Fashion Forward 2020, a report launched by The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) along with Facebook India. Umang Bedi, managing director, India & South Asia, Facebook; and Abheek Singhi, senior partner and managing director, BCG, spoke to Mint about the report and its insights. Edited excerpts:
Why did Facebook partner with BCG?
Umang Bedi: Why BCG and Facebook came together was around the fact that we wanted to connect businesses with the trends that we are seeing but we leaned in on fashion and selected that for three core reasons which is really the context of this report on Fashion Forward 2020, which is really a look into the future of where BCG as well as Facebook believe this industry is going to head from an Indian context in 2020.
So the top three trends are first, the consumer is evolving really fast. Second, on Facebook and externally also we found that fashion is at the forefront of the entire categories that are on fire from an e-commerce or offline perspective.
And the third thing we found that Also, the lines between online and offline were blurring due to consumer behavior that is enabled by technology.
Coming to the consumer of today, what we found at Facebook is that by 2020, 70% of all internet users in India will buy online, 76% of them would be digital shoppers, which means that may not buy online but will be digitally influenced, but 71% would be actual shoppers transacting online.
So that is the first big data point. Second, while these shoppers buy online, the rate of growth of digital shoppers in India will be the highest when compared to any other market.
If you look at developed nations like the US and the UK, they will be at 1% rate of growth in 2020, we in India will still be growing at 19.6% in 2020 and that too in a country where we only have 30% of the people connected to the Internet because there is that stark digital divide.
Interestingly while users grow, e-commerce growth in sales is also going to grow. So today we are at a humorously crazy growth rate of 76% but that’s off a very small base. Once that base becomes substantial, we believe it will settle down at somewhere 22%. Even at 22% it will be greater than the global average.
Also, today mobile commerce as a percentage of e-commerce is the highest in India. We are at 42% in India today and the global average is 34% and this is predicted to go up to 88% by 2020. So 88% of all e-commerce transactions will happen through a mobile phone or a mobile commerce interface.
So that’s the context: the market is moving fast, the consumer is evolving, mobile is causing that disruption, e-commerce will rise, rate of mobile shoppers will increase and it will drive exponential growth.
Why did you select fashion?
Umang: Here is the interesting insight. BCG and Facebook both found that one out of every three people that are shopping online or externally, buy apparel and fashion so fashion is a good logical entry point. Basis what we see, for Facebook users in India the 184 million people plus, 56% highlight fashion as an interest category, and if you break that down to the demographics it is the 18-34 year old that are driving this category.
So fashion, apparel, shopping, lifestyle, footwear all dominate Facebook—and we heard the same thing from BCG. Even Instagram users are interested in fashion and one out of two users purchase the brand they follow on Instagram.
According to BCG’s research, what are the big themes from the report?
Abheek Singhi: This report is based on the work that BCG has been doing for the last 2 years in the digital space, and is based on a sample of close to 18,000 consumers that we surveyed. The fashion market in India is currently estimated at $70 billion. Online contributes to about 5% of the total at around
$4 billion. The online fashion market is estimated to treble by 2020, to reach $12-$14 billion. This will translate to a significant 11%-12% share of the total fashion market. Also by 2020, nearly half the fashion buyers will be digitally influenced. Digital influence in fashion has grown more than 5x since 2013. 40%-50% of branded spends are already digitally influenced.
It is estimated that by 2020, 60%- 70% of the branded apparel market will be digitally influenced; that will be equivalent to 2-2.5x the consumer spend on e-commerce. Despite the magnitude of digital influence on fashion, media spends on digital have lagged behind compared to TV and print.
Digital media spends of brands and departmental stores are only 10%-15% of total media spends. Spends by e-commerce players, on the other hand, seem commensurate. In the recent past, many branded apparel players have started dialing up on digital.
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March 22, 2017
Salma Hayek Pinault Dishes on ‘Latin Lover’ at Balenciaga
MEXICO’S MOMENT: Salma Hayek Pinault has teamed with her compatriot Eugenio Derbez for his first English-language starring role in “How to Be a Latin Lover,” which he also produced. The movie is scheduled to hit U.S. theaters on April 28.
In it, Derbez plays an aging Latin lover who gets dumped by his sugar mama and is forced to return to live with his estranged sister. An actor, writer, director and producer and one of Mexico’s best-known stars, Derbez scored a worldwide hit in 2013 with the Spanish-language film “Instructions Not Included.”
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“He’s huge in Latin America. I’ve known him for more than 20, 25 years, and I’m extremely happy that we got to play brother and sister, because this is the kind of relationship we have,” Hayek Pinault said at the Balenciaga show in Paris on Sunday. “It’s very rare to find a good, fun brother-and-sister film.”
The actress was accompanying her husband François-Henri Pinault, chairman and chief executive officer of Kering, which owns the Balenciaga brand.
Source:
Salma Hayek Pinault Dishes on ‘Latin Lover’ at Balenciaga
Italy launches award for most eco-friendly fashion brand
The national fashion chamber has joined forces with sustainability brand consultancy Eco-Age to launch the “Green Carpet Fashion Awards”, which will be held in Milan’s iconic Scala opera house.
Brands from Fendi to Giorgio Armani, Gucci, Prada and Valentino will be competing with emerging designers, with the first edition to be held September 24th, the fashion chamber said in a statement late on Wednesday.
Livia Firth, the founder of the Eco-Age initiative – which has seen celebrities increasingly swap traditional red carpet attire for recycled or vintage gowns – said Italy’s design heritage put it in a unique position to lead the push for greener fashion.
“This must now be developed, and built on the values of environmental protection and social justice in our supply chains, which will uniquely allow Italy to be the added value designer and manufacturer on the global fashion stage,” said Firth, who is married to actor Colin Firth.
Italy’s Economic Development Minister Carlo Calenda said it was also a way of keeping Italian tailoring relevant in a world of brand rip-offs and cheap mass-market clothing production.
Celebrities who have supported the “Green Carpet” trend so far include Game of Thrones actress Sophie Turner, supermodel Lily Cole, British actress and activist Emma Watson, and Irish actor Michael Fassbender.
Cole and Turner turned the Oscars red carpet green last year with outfits by Vivienne Westwood and London’s Galvan, while Watson teemed up with Calvin Klein on a custom gown made of sustainable cotton and recycled plastic yarn.
Source:
https://www.thelocal.it/20170223/italy-launches-award-for-most-eco-friendly-fashion-brand
Where to Find Japanese Kawaii Fashion: Shop In Wonderland
NESTLED ON THE SECOND FLOOR OF A SHOPPING CENTER in Bellaire is Shop In Wonderland, that most unexpected and fantastical shop within a coterie of Asian retail outlets, bakeries and restaurants. This is Houston’s darling home of Japanese Lolita fashion, a boutique so precious I found myself oohing and ahhing aloud as I took in the styles on display. Doll-inspired dresses filled the room, some embellished with a delicate lace trim and others were made up of ornate patterns. Each piece reminded me of a different fairytale. I fell down the rabbit hole.
Lolita is an iconic and cultural style that emerged from Japanese street fashion. The clothes typically embody the aesthetic of a doll. Much of it is hyper-feminine and inspired by Victorian fashion, with plenty of frills, ribbons and lace, though the vibe can range from gothic to royal-inspired. It’s not a style that Houstonians see too often on the streets. That is precisely why Deneice ‘Trinity’ Leigh opened Shop in Wonderland in 2015.
“Finding Lolita fashion has always been a severe issue for fans outside of Japan,” said shop manager Daniela Michel. “What is worse is not having the capability to feel and try on the clothing. Taking the risk of using shopping services also makes the fashion really difficult to obtain. Having a local store in the states gives U.S. residents a huge help in shopping for Lolita.”
Michel got into the Lolita look out of curiosity, but soon found that she constantly looked out for unique pieces to add to her own wardrobe. “It is a hidden quirk I have when it comes to fashion and Lolita fulfills it perfectly,” she says. Knowing that no one else has the same pieces created an exciting sense of individualism, which is precisely what Lolita fashion is about.
The boutique acquires all of their dresses directly from Japan. They currently carry brands such as Angelic Pretty, Metamorphose, Atelier Boz, Putumayo and Triple Fortune, ranging in price anywhere from about $100 up to $500 or more. To attract new and aspiring Lolitas, the boutique hosts monthly workshops, holiday events and most recently an end-of-the-year tea party to bring the entire Houston-based Lolita community together.
“Houston is home to many aspiring and old school Lolitas [and] also possesses many who love Japanese culture,” Michel says. “It may not have yet reached to the level of New York or San Francisco, but plunging straight into the middle of the U.S. only proves that Lolita is far from dying.”
Source:
https://www.houstoniamag.com/articles/2017/3/16/japanese-lolita-fashion-houston-shop-in-wonderland
The $7 Billion Japanese E-Tailer That’s Targeting the USA
TOKYO, Japan — The vast differences between Japanese and American fashion consumers can be boiled down to a matter of inches. Consider this: when Japanese e-commerce behemoth Start Today first launched its social-commerce app Wear in the US in the autumn of 2016, it asked beta users to disclose their height, a strong indicator of clothing size in Japan. But Americans were confused by the query. Why would an app meant for uploading and sharing outfits require this measurement? After all, in a country where people are as physically diverse as the US, height indicates very little when it comes to fit.
“People are very homogeneous in Japan. We tend to wear the same things, the seasonal changes are similar,” says Masahiro Ito, chief executive of Start Today Engineering. “When a look trends in Japan, it trends everywhere. In the US, things are very different.”
Ito runs the development wing of the Japanese company, best known for its popular online fashion concessioner Zozotown, which claims to be the country’s largest fashion e-commerce site. The market capitalisation of Start Today, which also operates Zozoused — a second-hand clothing business — and the Zozo Flea Market, a peer-to-peer selling platform, is $7.6 billion. In its 2016 fiscal year, the company generated net sales of about $544 million, with $1.59 billion of transactions taking place on Zozotown.
Ito, who joined Start Today in 2014 after it acquired his then-14-year-old tech company, has also been tasked with making Wear viable Stateside. While Wear posts link directly to Zozotown product in Japan, thus driving sales, it is simply a social-sharing app in the US, similar to the string of now-defunct fashion apps launched in the early 2010s.
A company of our size needs to look at international growth. Wear is a great way to learn about the US market and the US consumer.
Despite attracting an active and engaged fan base, apps like Fashism, Go Try It On and Pose — which now directs users to Wear within the app — had difficulty getting many users to actually shop and generated little revenue from those who did. Start Today, however, says it’s using its American incarnation of Wear not to drive sales, but instead as a serious research tool, one that will offer insights when it does eventually expand its business beyond Japan.
“The reason we launched in the US — and we’re still in the very early stages — is because Start Today, as of right now, doesn’t have any presence there,” Ito says. “A company of our size needs to look at international growth. Wear is a great way to learn about the US market and the US consumer.”
If the height hiccup is any indication, Start Today has a lot to learn about Western consumers before it begins selling product there. However, the unique culture of the Start Today business indicates a willingness — and ability — to innovate and iterate towards success.
Start Today was founded in 1998 by former rock musician Yusaku Maezawa as a mail-order compact disc and record business; Zozotown was launched in 2004 as what Maezawa calls an “online fashion mall.” Like a department store that operates on a concession model, Zozotown does not invest in inventory, but instead takes a commission on sales from its 3,900 brands, most of which are Japanese. Its wares sit in the low-to-middle segment of the market, with prices in line with those of specialty retailers like J.Crew.
In 2013, Maezawa launched Wear as a new way to drive interest around Japanese brands, which had been supplanted by the growth of international fast-fashion players like H&M and Zara. The idea was to celebrate the idea of kikonashi — the Japanese term for how well you wear something — not necessarily to drive a tremendous volume of sales.
Given the Japanese obsession with street style, creating an online community around the concept seemed like a natural next step. “Kikonashi is something that is very difficult to portray, especially in e-commerce. It’s kind of like a mix tape, if you will,” Ito says. “Wear is a platform for the fashion hobbyist — the fashion enthusiast — to discover brands, new looks, new styles and interesting people. Unlike other social media, it’s really just focused on fashion. It’s a niche, but we think there’s great potential. It’s a service we provide. We don’t see monetisation as a main objective.” While the company declined to disclose number of active users, it said that the app has been downloaded more than 8 million times.
Start Today’s success rests, at least in part, on an unusual company culture. The company employs just over 800 people — half of which are women, uncommon in Japan — and all of which earn the same basic salary and bonus, dependent on profits, a year. The billionaire executive says that it’s about sharing the wealth. “We don’t like a competitive environment between employees, and thought this would keep it peaceful in a way,” Maezawa says.
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China is Showing Explosive Growth in Patent Application Filings
The United Nations’ intellectual property agency says China is showing “extraordinary” growth in international patent applications, putting Chinese applicants on track to outpace their U.S. counterparts within two to three years. Francis Gurry, director-general of the World Intellectual Property Organization (“WIPO”), says China posted nearly 45-percent growth in such patent applications last year, saying “the country continues its journey from ‘Made in China’ to ‘Created in China.'”
Overall, the United States was first for the 39th straight year and accounted for nearly 56,600 applications under the Patent Cooperation Treaty, followed by Japan at over 45,200 and China at nearly 43,200. China’s state-owned ZTE Corporation in Shenzhen, one of the world’s biggest suppliers of network switching gear, was the No. 1 applicant last year, topping crosstown rival Huawei. U.S.-based Qualcomm was third.
Patent law, a form of intellectual property law, is designed to encourage inventors to disclose their innovations in technology for the purpose of promoting the common good by offering the incentive of a limited-time monopoly on such technology. A patent grants its holder the exclusive right to prohibit others from making, using, importing, and selling the patented innovation for a limited period of time.
WIPO’s findings come on the heels of a November 2016 report from the agency after China became the first country to file 1 million patent applications in a single year. Gurry said at the time that the bulk of China’s 1.01 million applications were for domestic protection in patents, trademarks and industrial design, with only some 42,154 filed abroad.
Such innovation in China in terms of patentable inventions is particularly interesting given the country’s seemingly unending production of counterfeit goods. In a U.S. Customs raid at the Port of Tacoma in Washington State, U.S. Customs and Border Protection in the past week seized an ocean cargo container of 2,100 LCD televisions from China with counterfeit trademarks and four containers of ceiling fans with improper safety labels. Moreover, a shipment of 950 microphones and cables was also seized because the merchandise was labeled as being made and “Manufactured in the U.S.A.,” but the boxes they came in said made in China.
The recent bust represents just one of a truly significant trade issue; last year, 83 percent of Homeland Security’s counterfeit seizures originated in mainland China or Hong Kong.
Source:
http://www.thefashionlaw.com/home/china-is-showing-explosive-growth-in-patent-application-filings
Thinking About Writing Literary Fiction?
In 2013, James Patterson, the paperback writer whose volumes are typically consumed somewhere between 25,000 and 32,000 feet above ground, made $90 million from book sales. Ninety million dollars. With publishers finally quashing the old-school idea that big-name authors should release no more than a book a year, Patterson opened the floodgates. After assembling a 16-member gang of ghostwriters (provided by Little, Brown and Company, his publisher) and sketching a series of boilerplate plot lines, Team Patterson started cranking into the lowbrow literary universe two to four “BookShots” a month. He says he looks at writing “the way Henry Ford would look at it.” He also says he’s responsible for about one-third of his publisher’s overall book sales.
The established literati, as you might imagine, wasn’t impressed. When Patterson’s 2013 windfall earnings made news, Bill Morris, a staff writer for the literary website The Millions, deigned to sample the Patterson oeuvre by reading (while on an international flight) Pop Goes the Weasel. It didn’t go well. “Books like Pop Goes the Weasel,” he wrote, “are for people who don’t really like to read but love to be able to say they have read, much as fruity cocktails are for people who don’t really like to drink but love to get knee-walking drunk.” Alcohol analogy notwithstanding, the assessment is fairly standard among readers and writers who prefer Proust over Patterson. The man’s literary bona fides are, in short, nil.
But according to Clayton Childress, assistant professor of sociology at the University of Toronto and author of the forthcoming Under the Cover: The Creation, Production, and Reception of a Novel, the smart set might tone down its snobbery. Big-name writers such as Patterson, he tells me, are “doing the literary world a favor.” Noting that an estimated “85 percent of a publisher’s titles fail to return on investment,” Childress argues that the income generated by Patterson-like authors (J.K. Rowling and Stephen King come to mind) subsidize the risks publishers take on unknown writers who show literary promise. “The system of book advances,” he says, “are redistributive.” Patterson’s success subsidizes the dreams of future Saul Bellows and Toni Morrisons.
Given that Patterson, the world’s best-selling author since 2001, could easily self-publish on Amazon, it seems appropriate — if not obligatory — for struggling novelists with literary ambitions to send him a brief but sincere thank you note.
Nobody goes into the business of novel writing to get rich. Throughout American history, even the most well-known writers, at least early in their careers, had to earn a living beyond the bounds of books. As Childress reminds us, Herman Melville was a customs inspector, William Faulkner a postmaster, and Kurt Vonnegut a car dealership manager (Saab). Even Patterson worked at an advertising agency.
Noting that “85 percent of a publisher’s titles fail to return on investment,” Childress argues that the income generated by Patterson-like authors subsidize the risks publishers take on unknown writers who show literary promise.
Still, many young authors today complain about not being able to make a living through a singular emphasis on writing. Childress thinks this complaint is more mythology, if not entitlement, than a legitimate gripe. There was never an authorial golden age. The employment history of famous writers — Octavia Butler was a quality control inspector of potato chips! — is therefore critical to framing Childress’ most compelling claim: Novel writing in the United States today — that is, the production of high-end literary work — is “perhaps more profitable than ever before.”
In addition to the big-name trickle down affect, Childress highlights the rise of MFA programs as the other development essential to the fate of working novelists. The first such program — the Iowa Writers Workshop — was founded in 1936, but it did not start to take off until the early 2000s, when MFA programs exploded to accommodate an upsurge of students who, facing an uncertain economy, took out loans to enroll. “More MFA programs in creative writing have been founded since 2000,” Childress writes, “than were founded throughout the entire twentieth century.”
These programs have tangibly and systematically helped struggling writers. They “provide income to novelists, short story writers, poets, and other creative writers,” enabling them, according to one writing instructor Childress interviewed, “to earn a living while writing.” Again, no one in this scenario is breaking the bank, but MFA programs, according to a Stanford University English professor, comprise “the largest system of literary patronage for living writers the world has ever seen.”
Grading student papers takes time but, for the aspiring novelist, it’s better than assessing the quality of potato chips (at least as a long-term professional endeavor). The students of MFA programs, despite the burden of loans, end up doing relatively well, too, with a high percentage landing real jobs in the arts.
There are other advantages to the MFA model beyond steady literary employment. As Childress explains, writing programs shelter experimental authors from culture war crossfire. Prior to the rise of MFA programs, novelists primarily turned to the National Endowment for the Arts for economic support. But with the aggressive interference of ideological firebrands such as Jesse Helms, the South Carolina senator who condemned Erica Jong’s NEA-supported feminist novel Fear of Flying as a “reportedly filthy, obscene book” (and with Allen Ginsberg bragging that he used his NEA grant to by a Volkswagen bus for a friend), the NEA decided to pursue another tact.
Source:
https://psmag.com/thinking-about-writing-literary-fiction-2226dd42018#.gupo9zdxn
Fashion exhibit highlights African-inspired designs
Breanna Moore, a businesswoman and designer who was recently featured in Teen Vogue, will showcase the latest collection from her fashion label LaBré at a new exhibit titled “Threads of Africa.” A free opening reception will take place on Thursday, March 9, at Art Sanctuary.
“LaBré is transforming the way we think about African fashion,” according to Moore.
The designer, who graduated from Penn, has a big mission for her work. Since the fashion line launched in 2016, it has worked to increase economic growth in Ghana by employing women from the West African nation.
“All of our products are handmade by Ghanaian designers, seamstresses and tailors,” states the LaBré site.
Moore didn’t stop there, however. She also provides African artisans with increased access and exposure to the international market through her Fashion Made in Africa Initiative and LaBré Bazaar.
As part of the Fashion Made in Africa Initiative, the upcoming exhibit will include other designers besides Moore.
Attendees will view designs by several Ghanaian and Nigerian designers.
Expect to see gowns in modern styles created from traditional African fabrics. Accompanying the fashion will be photographs, art and live music.
Attendees are invited to shop the collection, too. For every seven LaBré “Threads of Africa” Spring 2017 gowns sold, the company will donate a dress to a high school Philadelphian-in-need who cannot afford a prom dress.
Those who attend the free opening reception will be treated to wine and hors d’oeuvres while exploring the exhibit.
There’s more than one date to view the fashion, however. It will be on display from Tuesday, March 7, through Saturday, April 15.
Source:
http://www.phillyvoice.com/fashion-exhibit-highlights-african-inspired-designs/
Saint Laurent Was Asked to Change “Degrading to Women” Spring Ads by French Authorities
Days after showing a critically lauded fall 2017 collection during Paris Fashion Week, French fashion house Saint Laurent is in a bit of hot water over images French advertising authorities are calling “degrading to women.”
France’s advertising watchdog, Autorité de Régulation Professionnelle de la Publicité (ARPP), asked the fashion brand to change two images from its spring 2017 campaign after receiving over 50 complaints about the way the ads portray women. The first photo shows a model in a leotard and stiletto roller skates bending over a stool, and the other shows a woman in fishnets and a fur coat lying on her stomach with her legs spread. The pictures were taken by famed fashion photographer duo Inez and Vinoodh to showcase designer Anthony Vaccarello’s debut collection for the brand.
In an email interview with The Hollywood Reporter, ARPP managing director Stephane Martin said that the photos “suggest an idea of sexual submission, trivialize sexist stereotypes, and are in this sense likely to shock [public] sensibility.” According to Martin, the agency has “asked YSL to take all possible measures to stop the distribution of this campaign.” Martin also expressed concern over how thin the models in the campaign are, due to the potential impact it may have on fashion-conscious teenage girls—a concern that led France to establish a bill for ensuring a model’s healthy weight before they’re able to work in the country.
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This isn’t the first time that Saint Laurent has faced criticism over its advertisements. Under the helm of former creative head Hedi Slimane, the brand’s spring-summer 2015 campaign was banned in the U.K. for featuring a shockingly thin model. A U.K. watchdog agency called the ad “irresponsible” due to how prominently 18-year-old Kiki Willems’ rib cage was shown in the photos.
The advertising ethics jury will rule on the most recent round of complaints on Friday, and may ask Saint Laurent to withdraw the ads if the complaints are deemed valid. Saint Laurent has yet to respond to the controversy, but we have reached out for comment.
Source:
http://www.glamour.com/story/saint-laurent-asked-to-alter-degrading-ss17-campaign-images
