January 30th, 2008

Up Close With Alexander Wang:

Louise Vuitton Wants Your TV:
Ubiquitous high-end mass-luxury line Louis Vuitton has decided the best way to reach your wallet is to grab your attention by advertising on TV -- "The ads, dreamed up by the Ogilvy & Mather agency, with Christian Reuilly as creative director and Bruno Aveillan as director, will break February 15. They're set to run on select cable and satellite channels, and also on movie screens."

Online Clothing Sales Experience Tremendous Growth:
"Clothing, shoes and accessories make up the fastest-growing segment of the global online shopping industry and are now second only to books among the most popular goods bought on the internet, new research says . . . Among internet users, the highest percentage shopping online is in South Korea (99%), followed by the UK, Germany and Japan (all 97%). The US lies eighth at 94%."

The Dirty Little Secret of the Fashion Industry:
"Unlike the US, European Union legislation on labelling is weak. A Prada handbag assembled in a factory in China, which has its handle attached in a town outside Florence, can still label itself Made in Italy . . . 'Yes, luxury handbags are made in China,' Dana Thomas writes (in her book 'Deluxe: How Luxury Lost Its Lustre'). 'Top brands ... that deny outright that their bags are made in China make their bags in China, not in Italy, not in France, not in the United Kingdom.'"

Net-A-Porter Scores Exclusive Deal with Newly Revived Halston:
"This season, fresh off the runway will take on a whole new meaning -- and it could shake up the fashion system . . . The day after the (Halston February 4th) show, Net-a-porter will begin selling two of Halston's fall runway looks on its site, with same-day delivery in London and New York and anywhere else in the world the day after . . . 'We will go live within 24 hours of the show, with exclusive content of the show,' said Natalie Massenet, chairman and founder of Net-a-porter.com. 'The customers can log on and be the first women around the world to wear the new Halston.'"

Proenza Schouler Tells Fashion Blogs to Go To Hell:
"We just got an email, addressed to the FabSugar team but somehow sent to us, saying that FabSugar wouldn't be allowed into the Proenza Schouler show. Whether blogs should be let into big fashion shows is of course another issue, and one we're not prepared to wrestle right now - but we do find it funny that Jack + Lazaro's most useful fans are the bright young things . . . whose every outfit gets chronicled by us, by WhoWhatWear Daily, by pretty much the fashion blogs and no one else."

Ralph Lauren Inaugurates New Wing at Cancer Center:
"Since opening its doors in 2003, the Ralph Lauren Center for Cancer Care and Prevention in Harlem has had 34,000 patient visits, with more than 4,000 patients screened for colon cancer. On Monday, Lauren inaugurated a 2,700-square-foot endoscopy wing, which will enable on-site colonoscopies and other endoscopic procedures. The addition is the result of a $2.5 million donation to the center by the Polo Ralph Lauren Foundation . . . 'This is saving lives, this is real,' the designer added. 'This is a wonderful cause and I am proud to be a part of it.'"

Narciso Rodriguez Bucks the Trends, Celebrates 10 Years in Fashion:
"The future looks bright thanks to a new partnership with Liz Claiborne Inc. that gave his company an influx of cash, a spring line that won almost unanimously rave reviews and the loyalty of his customers who don't stray from his elegant, structured look no matter what the 'in' look of the season is . . . 'The women I dress are quite smart,' he says. 'They come to me for style, not trend. They'll get a dress that lasts, something that will be a part of their life a long time.'"

Check out Rodriguez's widely praised Spring 2008 collection below: