The Fashion Industry

Image: Telegraph.co.uk

Betsey Johnson and her business partner Chantal Bacon celebrated the 30th anniversary of their business yesterday at Betsey Johnson’s Soho store in New York. Johnson and Bacon met in 1975 and launched the Betsey Johnson brand in 1978.

Johnson’s collection, known for its girlishness, became an instant hit in the 80s, with ruffled miniskirts, tutu dresses and wildly printed bodysuits. They were so popular that she plans to launch the Betsey Johnson Vintage Collection this fall, bringing back some of her most loved designs.

Source: FWD

Image: The Sydney Morning Herald

This is only a sample of the strange and freaky designs by Chinese fashion institute graduates during a fashion show in Beijing, China, last year. The Chinese capital hosted the 10th China Fashion week which showcased original designs from across a country often criticized for producing cheap knock offs of designer goods. If this is what they come up with, no wonder they have to copy designers.

Source: The Sydney Morning Herald

Image: WWD

Diet Coke is heading out in style for women’s fashion week in Milan at the end of this September.

Designer Roberto Cavalli dressed up the hourglass bottles in three different fashionable sleeves featuring his traditional animal spots and stripes.

These are really cute. Too bad we won’t be finding them here in the states.The limited edition bottles will only be available in Italy for a few short months this fall.  Cavalli likens his designs for the curvy Coke bottles to that of creating dresses, making them, “seductive and feminine, in typical Cavalli style.”

Source: WWD

Image: heels.com

Paris Hilton was showing off her new fall shoe collection at the Las Vegas Macy’s Fashion Show earlier this week. The collection features a variety of footwear, from platform stilettos, pumps and  flats, to boots.

Paris was reportedly inspired by the major fashion runways of New York, London, Paris and Milan.

The first 300 people that purchased the celebrity designer shoes between July 19 and July 29 at the  show had the opportunity to meet the star and receive a signed photo when she appeared in person this past Tuesday.

Paris Hilton Footwear is sold at Macy’s, Kitson, Bakers, as well as online at Zappos.com and Endless.com.  Prices range from $59 to $195.

Source: film.com

Image: nymag.com

French born Catherine Malandrino got her start in Paris working for designers such as Louis Feraud Haute Couture, Et Vous and Emanuel Ungaro. She came to the U.S.  in 1988, where she worked as head designer for Diane von Furstenberg before launching her own label, Catherine Malandrino Limited Edition in 1998. She quickly gathered a following of celebrities who admired her rock inspired sexy styles.

When speaking of her designs Malandrino says, “I want to design irresistible clothes that make a woman desirable, clothes that a man just wants to discreetly take off.”

She now has stores in New York’s’ Soho and Meatpacking districts, East Hampton, and L.A. The label is also available at Bergdorf Goodman and Saks Fifth Avenue.

Source: nymag.com

Image: WWD

Brazilian footwear brand Melissa, known for its plastic shoes, commissioned Architect Zaha Hadid to create limited edition styles from synthetic materials. The shoe is said to evoke Hadid’s buildings with their fluid lines and rounded toe.

Hadid said of his experience, “The project with Melissa is about creating something fun and new — something that feels good. The design engages with the fluid organic contours of the body and the asymmetric quality conveys an inherent sense of movement, evoking a continuous transformation. We designed the shoes to emerge from the ground and climb up the foot and leg with a soft elegant movement. There is an implicit sense of lightness that blurs the boundary between body and object.”

Despite all of Mr Hadid’s self glorifying art-speak, these shoes are hidious. I don’t know about evoking images of buildings. More like images of red rubber galoshes (remember those?). These probably would be good in the rain for that matter, but I think Mr Hadid should stick to designing buildings.

How much will these beauties set you back? About $350.

Source: WWD

Image: Popcrunch

After an absence of nearly a decade, Calvin Klein will return to New York runways with its fall 2009 men’s collection and leave behind the Italian fashion capital of Milan. Calvin Klein’s Fall 2009 men’s collection will be presented in Manhattan next February during New York’s Fashion Week.

In a press release the company insists that they plans to return to Milan for future shows but no date was given. Some are seeing the move as a strategic move in a time of a distressed economy and rapidly rising cost of travel to Europe.

The Calvin Klein men’s show will be held in the ground floor space at the company’s New York headquarters, the same site where the label’s women’s shows have been staged for the past several years.

Source: Fashion Wire Daily

Image: Wmagazine.com

NexCen Brands Inc. announced today that Peter Som, the creative director that we all thought was out the door at Bill Blass , has not resigned after all, but instead of a runway show he will bel presenting the spring 2009 collection to retailers only.

In a statement the company said.”Nexcen very much looks forward to working with Peter as his continued creative direction during this period of transition is important to the future of the brand and its sales process.”

Problems between Som and owners of Bill Blass have been developing for some time now, mainly due to NexCen’s inability to provide financial support for Som’s vision for the business.

According to Women’s Wear Daily there is more to come on this revolving door story. So stay tuned!

Source: WWD

Image: ApparelNews.net

I couldn’t resist this gorgeous gown from the St. John Spring 2009 collection. The compamy was showing off it’s new line at the Orange County Performing Arts Center in California this week. In the past, the St. John design team was headed by Maria Lopez, who resigned as vice president of design in June. She was replaced by British-born George Sharp, who looks to be creating some exciting buzz for the company.

Also new chief executive Glenn McMahon has brought about a number of changes to help the company reach it’s goal of $400 million in revenues for 2009. First on his check list was to find a replacement for celebrity Angelina Jolie, who was the face in all of St. John’s ads for three years. Her contract expired in May. McMahon chose to take a new direction with classically beautiful models to promote the new line of knit suits, evening dresses and sportswear. St. John sells at department stores such as Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue and Nordstrom with prices that start in the hundreds and average around $1,000 to $2,000 a piece.

Source: ApparelNews.net

Image: FWD

Here it is the middle of sweltering summer and everyone’s already thinking about the holidays… well in the fashion world at least. Designers are rolling out their most festive designs yet and no where is this more apparent than with the Kenneth Cole Holiday 2008 line. Using a base of dark grays and inky blacks and adding a mix of fuchsia, teal and cherry red for sweaters, tops and dresses, the Kenneth Cole Collection is bound to get you in the spirit.

For men, things are a little more toned down with rolled up shirt sleeves and that casual slightly wrinkled look. And no need for tuxedos this year, just a nicely detailed tuxedo shirt will do the job. Men are going to look so sexy this holiday. I’m feeling in the mood already… for the holidays that is!

Source: FWD