February 2008 Archives

NYC Puts the Smackdown on the Counterfeit Trade:
"Yesterday the city shuttered 32 vendors of counterfeit goods on Canal, Walker, Center, and Baxter streets, dubbed the "counterfeit triangle" by Mayor Bloomberg and the gazillion tourists looking for cheap holiday gifts . . . Though the police seized $1 million in goods from the 32 shops yesterday, $25 million worth of counterfeit goods were seized in 2007, three times as much as the previous year. Bloomberg said the counterfeit goods cheat the city out of $1 billion in sales tax a year and called it 'organized crime.'"

That's right, all you fakers -- Mayor Bloomberg just Pwned your sorry asses!

Paris Runways Highlight the Generation Gap Among Designers:
"The generation gap was on show at Paris Fashion Week on Wednesday with collections from Esteban Cortazar, the 23-year-old new designer at Emanuel Ungaro, and Karl Lagerfeld, the 74-year-old maestro of French fashion . . . To Lagerfeld's directional show of darks suits and long, structured skirts, Cortazar -- who was also scheduled against top fashion names Givenchy and Christian Lacroix -- offered an alternative as far apart as their birth dates."

***While it's certainly not a case of "Out with the Old, and In with the New", luxury brands could nonetheless use some rethinking for their new audiences. Marc Jacobs appears to be shaping up to be the new Karl Lagerfeld (workaholic, directional collections, a terse relationship with fashion critics), but who's in the wings to be the next Marc Jacobs?

Dries Van Noten Refines His Aesthetic for Fall 2008:
I have to admit to not being much of a fan of Dries Van Noten in the past. I've considered his collections too self-consciously boho, too deliberately shapeless and anti-fashion, to be taken seriously, but he's reworked his look for his Fall 2008 collection, and instead of the usual baggy, post-hippie chick blues, he's gone all refined and sophisticated on my unsuspecting ass. I love him for it.

It's not mustard, it's Grey Poupon!

Skinny Model Eats, Puts on Five Pounds, Gets Sent Packing from Paris:
"17-year-old model Ali Michael was heading home to the U.S. far earlier than anticipated. Miss Michael was last season's model du jour, and she looks wraithlike, with a still-developing body and a 23-inch waist. But this season, after gaining five pounds, Miss Michael was told by casting directors for the runway shows that her legs were too plump . . . Her mother, a stunning woman who was once a model herself, said her daughter's model friends have struggled to get thinner in recent months and that her daughter, worried about her health, chose not to starve herself . . . 'If you look at the girls, they are not beautiful like models were 20 years ago,' says Jimmy Pihet, spokesman for the Federation Française de la Couture, which oversees Paris fashion shows. 'The girls are thin, they have strange faces. ... At first, you look at them and you're not sure if they're beautiful or disgusting.'"

Alessandra Facchinetti Triumphs Behind the Wheel of Her New Valentino:
"While Valentino kept alive an old-fashioned, courtly devotion to the decorativeness of women, Facchinetti . . . silenced critics today with a collection that captured the air of refined seduction that is the essence of Valentino, while bringing the look bang up to date . . . there was a suppleness and wit to the clothes which marked a departure from the anachronistic formality of Valentino's aesthetic."

Designer Thakoon Panichgul and the Creation of His Pixel Pink Lipstick for Lancome:

Stefano Pilati Steps Up and Makes YSL His Own:
"Tonight, Stefano Pilati hammered out his best Saint Laurent collection since he became creative director. This is the first group of clothes that has captured the energy of the Rive Gauche era and at the same time feels contemporary . . . Pilati carries forward the simplified lines of the spring collection and now adds more sex appeal, more flare to the geometry . . . You are no longer looking at any trace of the old Saint Laurent."

New Balance Teams with Designer Eyan Allen for New Collection:
"Athletic products maker New_Balance has worked with sportswear designer Eyan Allen on its new autumn 08 functional running collection. The range takes inspiration from the Shanghai skyline, the company said. Athletic innovations include zips being placed at angles on running tights, ipod/mps player features on the forearm for ease of use in motion, hand snugs, watch ports, zoned venting and '360 degree reflectivity' for night runs." ***Eyan Allen was appointed Creative Director of Hugo Boss in May of 2007.

Balenciaga Exhibits Edgy, Sculptural Looks for Fall:
"The show opened with two little black dresses, but there was nothing simple about them. With that Balenciaga construction shaping the hips into two round curves -- leaving the impression of a tiny waist -- they were as much sculpture as dresses . . . For Mr. Ghesquiére's latex jackets, liquid latex was poured into molds with patterns in relief. These were then painted by artists. The result is a painting in relief on the torso, arms and shoulders of a scuba-thick jacket. They rode the models' thin bodies like coats of armor."

"I may be stiff and wooden, but my clothes are ALIVE!"

***The UK's Guardian rhapsodizes over the collection, calling Nicolas Ghesquière's Balenciaga "the label that other labels copy" and "the most influential in the design world."

Scottish Youths are the Worst Dressed on the Continent:
"The worlds of fashion and politics have collided after an MSP branded Scottish youngsters the worst-dressed in Europe. Last night fashion experts defended the country's youth after Christopher Harvie, a 63-year-old politician and history professor, accused them of wearing 'what must be the ugliest clothes' in the 'entire continent'."

NY Police Bust Major Chinatown Counterfeit Ring:
"Police raided a major hub for counterfeit goods in Chinatown on Tuesday, seizing more than $1 million of fake Gucci, Prada, Fendi, Rolex and Coach merchandise . . . 'People that come to this city and want to have a business here are getting defrauded and robbed by those who counterfeit their brands,' Bloomberg said, 'and we want all companies in this country and this world to understand if they come to New York, we will protect their rights.'"

Zac Posen Named as New Australia Target International Designer:
"The 28-year-old New York fashion star, a favourite of Gwyneth Paltrow and Katherine Heigl, has been announced as the next international big name to create a designer discount range for the store . . . A red carpet success, Posen put Heigl in a stunning white gown with fishtail hem at the Emmys last year and he's recreated the look in red for Target. This time it comes at a fraction of the Hollywood price, at $299.99."

Check out Zac Posen's Fall 2008 collection below, for a glimpse of the flair he'll impart to his Target line:

Luxury Group PPR Announces 51% Income Hike:
"French luxury goods group PPR remains confident of continuing success in 2008 after recording a 51% hike in net income during 2007 . . . 'These results reflect the strength of our brands and retail concepts, active in the fastest-growing consumer and luxury goods segments in over 90 countries,' said chairman and CEO François-Henri Pinault."

Victor & Rolf Miss the Mark with Message-Swamped Collection:
"A 'NO!' rising up off a model's shoulders and emerging like a hunchback behind. Lots of 'NO!' painted on models' faces. And 'DREAM ON' or 'WOW' similarly built into clothes. To which I say, 'Huh?'"

Guys, put the scissors down and back away -- and go take your meds!

Christian Louboutin Offers Lots of Style with Little Comfort:
"Renee Zellweger might have looked stunning on the red carpet in her sparkly silver Carolina Herrera dress and sharp pointed Christian Louboutin shoes but as the night wore on, it seems she wished she'd gone for a more comfortable footwear option. According to the New York Daily News, after presenting the Film Editing award, Renee was spotted backstage with the $2000 shoes over her shoulder. The newspaper quotes Johnny Depp as telling the Bridget Jones star: 'I like your shoes.' Renee replied: 'Thanks man. I used to like the shoes.'"

Oscar de la Renta Cashes In By Adding Handbags to his "O Oscar" Diffusion Line:
"Oscar de la Renta has announced that he'll be adding handbags to his lower priced O Oscar line available at department stores like Macys . . . 'Handbags are an important accessory for the modern woman who is constantly on the go, adding both style and function to her look,' de la Renta told Women's Wear Daily.

Diane Von Furstenberg's American Express Commercial:

Two UK Men Arrested for Selling Fake Burberry Shoes:
"Two men have been found guilty of selling fake Burberry shoes - which they bought from a supplier for just 67p (about US $1.30) each . . . the pair were found guilty of attempting to sell over 100,000 pairs of the shoes, at £5 (about US $10.00) a pair . . . The men bought the Chinese-made shoes from a supplier in the United States."

Study Finds that Most Luxury Brand Websites are Low Quality and Inadequate:
"In January of this year, consultancy Conchango examined the global sites of major names including Dior, Paul Smith, Molton Brown, Gucci and Louis Vuitton . . . The results of the survey show that the majority of luxury retailers are struggling to take their brands online . . . While Gucci scored extremely well on readability, its site was undermined by offering poor help and support - the equivalent of creating a beautiful store then staffing it with unhelpful assistants . . . Even the second-placed brand site, Paul Smith, tripped up by using confusing graphics and photos that were off-brand."

***The majority of Luxury Brand sites I've visited function mostly as placeholders, with very little information about the brand and its collections, while sites that offer their own items for sale online are frustratingly rare and often difficult to navigate and/or purchase from. While Gucci's online customer service may not be so hot, at least they offer a wider array of items than a good portion of their competition -- for example, the newly launched Sergio Rossi online shop is clunky and offers only a fraction of the actual collection. Same with YSL.

Yohji Yamamoto Presents a Collection of Artistry for Fall 2008:
"Mr. Yamamoto is one of those rare designers who is an influencer -- people from the fashion world take photos at his shows with their pocket cameras because they want to remember the details, and museum curators show up because they think his work is art . . . While many European designers have been looking to the 1960s and 1970s for inspiration, this Japanese designer didn't bother with re-plumbing the 20th century ad nauseam -- he went straight back to the 16th and 17th centuries."

"We're the very models of a modern major fashion show."

***Yamamoto also partnered with Hermes to design a line of croc-leather portfolio bags which he debuted at the end of his catwalk show in Paris. Japanese-French fusion . . . reminds me of a restaurant I visited while in Tokyo. Loved it. Would go back in an instant.

Converse Celebrates 100th Birthday This March:
"CONVERSE celebrates a hundred years in fashion this March. From the invention of the All Star trainer in 1917 to the birth of the NBA, Converse has been worn by iconic figures throughout history - this being something the label plans to remember and share over the year to celebrate their centennial through product, advertising, retail displays and online campaigns."

You Want Fur? Gaultier Shoves It In Your Face:
"With Catherine Deneuve looking shocked in the front row, enfant terrible designer Jean-Paul Gaultier got our attention with fur. Not sanitized mink and fox coats. He gave us visceral fur: a fox coat with two fox heads swinging back and forth on the model's back -- noses, eyes, teeth and all. A crocodile coat with the big lizard's skinned tail trailing down to the floor. Animal heads, legs, tails and feet and claws rode the models' heads or swung from their shoulders all the way down the runway."

2008 Oscars Lowest Rated Ever, Red Carpet Parade a Snore:
As a friend of mine said, "I slept through the Oscars but I watched some of the after-shows." That seems about right:

Alessandra Facchinetti Prepares for First Valentino Show:
"Facchinetti is showing nerves of steel ahead of her debut this Thursday at Paris Fashion Week. When Valentino retired, after 45 years in the business, he bowed out with a highly acclaimed show and a standing ovation from the fashion world. Facchinetti knows she has a lot to live up to. 'It's a dream and an honour to follow in Valentino's footsteps,' she says. 'I have enormous admiration for his grand style. The first time I went to meet him in Rome it was the most exciting day of my life.'"

JCPenney Panics, Slashes Prices on Newly Launched Ralph Lauren Line:
"One day after J.C. Penney launched the advertising campaign for its newest brand, (Ralph Lauren's) American Living, the mid-tier department store operator has slashed prices for the upscale line by roughly 25 to 40 percent on its Web site . . . Kate Parkhouse, a Penney spokeswoman, said the price cuts were in line with Penney's typical strategy for introducing a new brand. While the American Living prices were marked down, she said they are still among Penney's most expensive."

Luxury Consumers Shun China, Prefer Goods from US and Europe:
"'Luxury consumers show a definite preference for luxury goods manufactured in certain countries,' says Pam Danziger, president of Unity Marketing. 'Overwhelmingly, they associate countries like the US, Italy, France, and Germany with better quality luxury goods. On the other hand, China emerged as the country most associated with poorer quality luxury goods' . . . The results of the survey are seen as a warning to luxury goods makers considering a cost-cutting move at a time of financial turmoil in the US and the dollar weakening against international currencies."

Paris Dior Show Offers Ostentatious Luxury for Beginners:
"As for Galliano, instead of plundering the history books and referencing couture-inspired, Forties and Fifties silhouettes, the show proved to be a serious play for the emerging markets . . . one fashion editor summed up the obvious, ostentatious luxury that sauntered down the catwalk as "luxury for beginners". As everyone knows, Dior is not a house that is known for its stealth-wealth approach: why add a smattering of rhinestones to a jacket when you could add a bucketload?"

"We know you all have money now, so cough it up!"

Westwood Receives Both Applause and Boos in Paris:
"Westwood called her collection "Chaos point" and that was a shared sentiment at the end of the show, both applauded and booed . . . Westwood's eco-warriors still wore their tattered army uniforms, camouflage gear and peaked caps, but customised with primitively hand-painted butterflies, snakes and magic flowers, and fake fur pelts slung round their shoulders. Urban pin stripes, tartans and taffeta were jumbled in."

Hollywood Plays it Safe for 2008 Oscar Red Carpet:
"'I thought people looked generally really good -- and really safe,' Hal Rubenstein, fashion director at InStyle magazine, told The Associated Press. 'I don't know if it had to do with the mood out there with the strike just over and parties canceled, but in fashion now so much is about sheer, print and color, but this was one solid strapless dress after another' . . . He labeled French actress Marion Cotillard's ivory-and-silver gown by Jean Paul Gaultier with scalloped fabric that looked like fish scales the most distinctive of the night."

"If I tone it down for a recession, does that mean you won't carjack me?"

The Jelly Is The New Entry Level Luxury Item:
"The jelly sandal is back -- and this time it's not just the floppy rubber shoe in the bins at the 99 cents store. Luxury brands such as Givenchy, Gucci, Marc Jacobs and Fendi (as well as Chanel) are all making jelly shoes for spring that cost vastly less than anything else they make . . . Some of the top-dollar styles -- such as the $165 Mod peep toe sandal from Givenchy -- have great thick straps, which add an architectural element (a big trend in spring shoes). And the shiny rubber makes them look sleeker than your average jelly."

The Encroaching Cult of the Supremely Thin:
"Yes, extreme thin is in, and not just for the reimagined Karl Lagerfeld (whose dramatically reduced circumstances I had the opportunity to observe not eating at a nearby table in a New York restaurant) . . . Even the names for what we want are getting smaller: The aptly named Wii is outselling the much-hyped PS3. Jeans are "skinny" and our cottons and cashmeres mere 'tissue weight' . . . Face it, folks, we are so into thin that the real reason we shell out for a new TV is that the old one is looking, well, kind of fat."

NY Mag Offers Its 100 Most Fabulous Looks for Fall:

"Excuse me, but did someone say 'fabulous'? Cuz we are so there!"

***You can check out their "hideous" list here: 100 Most Hideous Looks

Paris Fashion Week Opens with Cacharel Show:
"The husband-and-wife team of Eley Kishimoto, one of London's best-known design duos, are making their Paris debut as the new creative force at Cacharel . . . Their 170-piece, autumn/winter 2008/09 collection for Cacharel, a household name in France, features knitwear, tailoring and cocktail dresses in more than a dozen different prints and embroideries including eccentric florals, trompe l'oeil stripes, camouflage clouds and a Paris cityscape inspired by pavement artists."

Bottega Veneta is Shining Star in PPR Portfolio:
"Designer Thomas Maier, who had worked at Hermès before joining Bottega Veneta in 2001, reintroduced soft woven bags from the company's archives and added shoes. The company went from an operating loss of about $26 million in 2003 to an operating profit of $82 million in 2006. 'Bottega Veneta has turned into one of the biggest value creators of the luxury world in the past three years,' said JPMorgan analyst Simon Irwin. 'Nothing else has had such spectacular success.' . . . Profit at the fashion units is likely to rise by almost 50 per cent in the next two years, Mr. Irwin estimates."

The Fashion Industry's Dislike of Computers Remains Its Biggest Flaw:
"Why does it matter if Alber Elbaz of Lanvin doesn't know one end of a laptop from another, when he makes such stylish, modern clothes? If Paul Smith can wow the Japanese with his wit and style, who cares if the designer is not surfing the Internet or that, as his wife Pauline admits, neither of them even has a cellphone? The answer is that fashion is spawned from the culture that surrounds it. So designers who turn their backs on the virtual world are not getting inside an intense new culture."

***A designer that rejects modernity is a designer that rejects your need for wearable, accessible clothing.

Oscars Find that Everything That Glitters is Now Really Really Expensive!:
"With gold at an all-time high, the price of each gilded Oscar to be presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Feb. 24 has jumped to a record $500 from $400 last year, academy spokeswoman Teni Melidonian said . . . The 8 1/2-pound Oscar depicts a knight holding a sword and standing atop a reel of film. It is made from pewter that is plated in successive layers of copper, nickel, silver and gold, and then lacquered and buffed. The finished piece is bolted to a 2-inch high black, nickel-coated brass base."

British Designers Blame Lack of Factories for Inability to Compete:
"A decades-long decline in British manufacturing is back in the limelight with the launch of government-funded research to find out if, despite acclaim, young designers like Marios Schwab are at a terminal disadvantage to French and Italian rivals because they don't have a factory on their doorstep."

I blame wonky British designers (I mean, really!):

Chinese High-End Consumers Choose Quality Over Luxury Branding:
"The survey appears to debunk a long-held myth about Chinese consumers' obsessions with flaunting the familiar luxury logos to boost their social status; at least in the case of the top spenders surveyed by MasterCard Worldwide, consumers overwhelmingly attribute their choice of favorite brands to be driven by quality concerns, offered by 92.7% of respondents, far ahead of other considerations such as brand recognition, which nonetheless scores a high 68.3%, or fashion design, with 58.5%. Unconventionally, 48% also put down environmental friendliness as a key criterion."

Givenchy Turns Teeny-Bop for New Fragrance Campaign:
"(Justin Timberlake) has been officially announced as the new face of Parfums Givenchy's all-new men's fragrance that will be unveiled this fall . . . The president of the French perfume brand Alain Lorenzo confirms the earlier reports regarding their endorser as saying, 'Beyond his huge celebrity appeal, we chose Justin Timberlake because he is a world recognized trendsetter who redefines modern elegance.'"

Someone must have changed the definition of "elegance" when I wasn't looking:

La Coquette Reports on the New Gucci Flagship Store in NYC:
"The store is really underlining the heritage of Gucci, emphasizing that they came from trunk-making, craftsmanship. They're highlighting old pieces from their archives in a sort of in-store museum downstairs. Frida is using old fabrics for inspiration. Everyone loves quality. As opposed to a stronger sexy image during the Tom Ford era, the heritage/quality line appeals to our most noble human tendencies, which seems to be the way to go when our economy isn't doing well. 'Tom Ford who?' -- Susie, Betsy and I said those exact words after the tour."

Modesty Is The New Scandulous:
"Modesty has been creeping back into vogue for some time. It's a development not without benefits. The bare midriff, the evocatively named muffin top, the de rigueur paparazzi shot of a knickerless celebrity emerging from a car, now look very old hat. Covering up could be a really scandalous new tactic for the publicity-hungry celeb."

Vogue's Anna Wintour Sparks Chaos, Resentment Among Italian Designers:
"Anna Wintour, the editor of American Vogue, said she had requested Armani, Versace and Dolce & Gabbana to shift their shows so that she could return to America before Paris Fashion Week begins next Tuesday. As a result, a logjam of catwalk shows at the beginning of the week caused havoc . . . 'Instead of one week's worth of shows, most of the important ones were crammed into three days,' said Marina Garzoni, the founder of Fashion and Technology, a fashion consultant . . . Roberto Cavalli blamed the fashion editors. He said: 'If we take our advertising out of their newspapers, you'll see that they'll come here not just for one day of Italian fashion but for all ten.'"

Fall 2008 -- The Return of the Grown-Up:
"While the baby doll dresses and loose-fitting shifts were a true joy to wear on weekends, they simply weren't appropriate attire for conservative or male-dominated workplaces. Let's face it, it's difficult to be taken seriously by colleagues and clients when one is dressed like Mia Farrow circa 'Rosemary's Baby' . . . That's precisely why I'm so excited to see a certain more formal, 'grown-up' aesthetic emerge from the Fall/Winter 2008-09 runway shows."

For a classic example of an understated, grown-up aesthetic, check out the Bottega Veneta Winter Collection below (take care not to drool all over your keyboard):

Anya Hindmarch and the Power of the Handbag:
"My mother gave me one of her Gucci cast-offs when I was 16 and it made me feel fantastic. The power of that handbag was the impetus for my business . . . But I'm not a slave to fashion. However nice it makes you feel, it is a frivolous subject in that it doesn't save lives."

8 Trends for Your Upcoming Fall Wardrobe:
#8) "Show-stopping accessories -- Hats, fur stoles, elbow-length gloves, big cuff bracelets, colorful shoes and bold necklaces are just some of the bold accessories designers are showing for fall. The Proenza Schouler collection paired suede pumps in bright colors with colorful opaque tights. And statement purses, from oversized totes to roomy clutches, are here to stay."

At Dolce & Gabbana, the Long Extravagant Party is Over:
"Dolce & Gabbana is the first label to have the courage to go unequivocally for the calf-length skirt, for solid clothing and for a new, anti-party look. There was almost nothing of their slinky or trashy, nightclub clothes, although the male tailoring, which is their signature, had a walk-on role. Since fashion often reads the tea leaves better than the analysts, perhaps the party really is over and the "R" word (recession) has given to these two powerful designers a new edge."

Below is a video clip of the collection that subdued the fashion crowd:

But never fear -- DSquared2 is happy to pick up where Dolce & Gabbana left off:

Oscar Week Fashion Frenzy is ON!:
"The Oscars generate an estimated $130 million for the local economy alone, according to the Los Angeles Economic Development Corp. This includes $51 million spent by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for the ceremony and all related events; $56 million in studio spending on Oscar campaigns; $5 million in gifting and "perk" related business; $3 million on parties (this is usually $4 million but cancellations this year brought it down), and $2.5 million on hotels."

Prada Offers Austere Sensuality, Elegant Minimalism for Fall 2008:
"'Very Italian, very dignified and very elegant, but also very serious,' was how Miuccia Prada described the clothes, which featured lace as their main fabric. She played with lace's traditional associations with different aspects of a woman's life and character, from a christening, to a wedding, to a 'femme fatale', as Miuccia Prada put it. She added that she wanted to focus on, 'minimalism and simple shapes', for which she needed to use a fabric with an interesting surface."

You can see a clip of the Milan show below:

Stuart Weitzman Unveils Revamped Beverly Hills Boutique:
"Designed by Italian architect Fabio Novembre, the more than 2,000-square-foot North Rodeo Drive flagship reopened after three months of renovations. It features a new color palette of white and icy blue, and a ribbon shelving concept that evokes a mazelike feel throughout the store . . . 'We needed something quite special and unique,' said Weitzman. 'We couldn't open a store without a very special and beautiful, modern design, so it triggered the search for a great idea, and it will be just as important in the U.S., where we do most of our business and where we are based.'"

Dolce & Gabbana Snags Matthew McConaughey for New Ad Campaign:
"The new commercial campaign, which will be revealed next month, promotes the 'real men's fragrance' in which they have combined grape, coriander, basil, ginger, orange flower, cedar and tobacco."

Marni Surprises Milan with Simple, Wearable Show:
"It opened with a fizz of color - pink coat over scarlet skirt - that instantly marked it out from the general somber and autumnal shades of the winter 2008 season. The colors sang in sweet harmonies of canary yellow, shrimp pink, turquoise or green, but were either toned down with neutral beige or contrasted with other, plainer clothes . . . 'I wanted it to be personal. A woman putting things together for her wardrobe,' the designer, Consuelo Castiglioni, said backstage. That mix-and-match idea - an update of a 1970s concept - worked because the pieces were so graphic and simple."

"The clothes may be simple, but I'm very, uhm, like, you know, complicated?"

***Meanwhile, Milan faces recession worries and the damage a strong Euro is having on fashion sales: "From the scarcity of glitzy parties, to the empty seats in the VIP section at the shows, to the sobriety of the styles, the current week of Italian preview showings promises a somber fall-winter 2008-2009 season. Recession is the talk of the town, and the strong euro is visibly taking its toll. The streets usually filled with fashionistas taking advantage of the shows for an Italian shopping spree, are sadly quiet, and the once bustling stores often empty."

Old Navy Sales Plunge, CEO Steps Down:
"San Francisco retail giant Gap Inc has parted company with Dawn Robertson, the president of its Old Navy value-price family apparel brand, after just 16 months in the job . . . In the fourth quarter to the 2nd of February, Old Navy's same-store sales fell 5%, making it the worst performing of the company's Gap and Banana Republic chains."

International Consumers Clamor for Colorful Plastic Crocs, Revenue Soars:
"Crocs Inc., the maker of colorful plastic shoes, said Tuesday its fourth-quarter profit jumped 84 percent as revenue nearly doubled on a surge in international demand . . . Domestic sales rose about 47 percent to $115.8 million, while international sales more than tripled to $109 million."

Christopher Bailey Pitches a Cohesive Fall Collection for Burberry Prorsum:
"After a couple of seasons fumbling for direction in tough-chic/hard-glam territory, Christopher Bailey sent out a Burberry Prorsum collection that was fresh, cohesive and lovely, not to mention a major reminder of what put him on the map in the first place . . . He gave classic jackets a gently beautiful twist in coppery tweeds, feathery chenilles and silk wool dégrades, all of them done in a gorgeous palette of muted earth and jewel tones referred to backstage as 'drab fab.'"

The accessories took center stage over a backdrop of fine tailoring and muted tones.

Fashion Houses Ditch the Rules in Favor of Sales:
Remember when white used to be a no-fly zone during the winter months? Then Winter White crept into the equation, and now we have Resort and Fall/Winter collections proffering flat-out bright whites for cold-weather wear. Fashion houses are now tearing down another commonly accepted style rule in favor of pushing more sandals and open-heeled shoes in cooler climates: "Ever since our tragic middle-school science teacher wore Birkenstocks with sport socks, we've considered the sandals-and-socks combination to be one of fashion's biggest sins. But after watching Anna Sui, John Galliano and Rei Kawakubo send models down their spring catwalks wearing anklets with open heels, our position began to wobble. Then Hermès and Givenchy picked up on Balenciaga's fall tights-and-sandals concept, and a bevy of stylish celebrities - including Julianne Moore and Jessica Alba - started turning up on red carpets in open heels with opaque tights . . . and, then, well, we had to admit: It looked pretty good."

Fashion Houses are Gearing Up for This Year's Oscars:
"The merging of Hollywood and the fashion world is a high-stakes business. A star wearing Dior, Versace or Chanel generates millions of dollars worth of free publicity for that fashion house, while a little-known designer can be catapulted into the spotlight on the basis of one gown."

The pics that can launch a thousand container ships.

R&B Pop Star Andre Benjamin Debuts His Line of Retro Men's Wear:
"The debut line, called Benjamin Bixby, contains some 70 pieces, which the Atlanta MC plans on selling at Barneys New York and other high-end stores . . . Benjamin Bixby has a collegiate and athletic theme and was inspired by football players from back in the thirties. Speaking with New York Magazine, Andre Benjamin described the line also as 'kind of like your uncle, or your granddad, and he has a closet full of experiences and clothes, and he's been around the world.'"

Manolo Blahnik Disgusted by Hollywood Actresses Wearing His Shoes:
"'Who are these dreadful women?' Manolo Blahnik screams in horror as he brandishes the latest edition of a smart society magazine. An assistant points out kindly that they are four of Hollywood's top female stars. Looking pained, Blahnik turns away muttering 'Dreadful, dreadful,' before adding, with a roll of his eyes heavenwards: 'I'm totally confused. I don't even know what taste is any more. Frankly, I can't bear to buy magazines. I just get so upset.'"

Below is a video clip of Blahnik's Neiman Marcus Trunk Show in Boston:

Marc Jacobs Alleged to Have Copied Scarf Design Without Permission:
"A 55-year-old man from Arvika in western Sweden believes that he may own the rights to a scarf currently being marketed by top US fashion designer Marc Jacobs . . . 'I was very surprised when I saw the new scarf. It looks like a clear case of plagiarism,' he told The Local . . . 'It looks he has just copied it straight off, this Marc guy. I definitely don't think he has been to Härjedalen,' Malin Nyqvist, a spokeswoman for the local tourist office, told Metro."

"It looks like he copied it straight off, this Marc guy . . . "

Diane Von Furstenberg Chosen as New Face for AmEx Campaign:
"American Express announced that fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg will be the new face of the company's major forthcoming advertising campaign. The commercial, which was directed by Bennett Miller (Capote), is scheduled to air during the Academy Awards on Sunday, Feb 24. 'Women inspire me and I inspire them to be independent and free which is how I feel when I use my American Express Card,' said Ms. Von Furstenberg of her involvement." -- I guess nothing says "freedom" like Credit Card debt.

Google Silences Website Critical of Controversial Gucci/UN Party:
"Matthew Lee is the editor-in-chief, Webmaster and pretty much the only reporter for Inner City Press, a pint-sized Internet news operation that's taken on Goliath-sized entities like Citigroup since 1987. Since 2005, he's been focusing almost entirely on stories that deal with internal corruption inside the U.N., posting several stores online almost daily . . . But beginning Feb. 13, Google News users could no longer find new stories from the Inner City Press. 'I think they said, 'If we can't get this guy out of the U.N., let's disappear him from the Internet,'' Lee said."

***Among other things, Lee has been persistent in questioning the recent use of UN Grounds for a Madonna "charity event" that Gucci used as a platform to promote the opening of their new flagship store in New York City. While $4 million dollars was raised by the charity auction for Madonna's as yet unregistered Raising Malawi charity (which critics have claimed benefits Madonna's favorite Kabbalah Center more than poor children in Africa), Gucci allegedly paid over $5 million dollars to host the event, provide wardrobe for high-profile celebrities and hand out promotional handbags and other gift items. Ban Ki-Moon, the Secretary General for the UN, pulled out of attending the star-studded party after he was informed of Gucci's use of the event as PR for its new retail location, though he didn't insist the event be cancelled or moved to another venue.

Giorgio Armani Reacts Poorly To Criticism:
"Armani had decided not to invite me to his show and, of course, that was the intent of the letter, once I had read it. He didn't like the tone of my comments about his January couture show in Paris . . . A year ago Armani complained backstage about something I had written, and Italian journalists reacted to the complaint like a machine, turning an off-the-cuff remark into headline material. That's often how it seems to work in Milan, and it's no wonder that cynicism, and not mere drama, is born."

House of Gianfranco Ferré Turns Out a Wan Homage:
"Whatever collection the designer Lars Nilsson had concocted for Gianfranco Ferré before he was so brutally ejected two weeks ago, it could not have been worse than the empty vessel that was proffered Monday . . . this timid effort, with its neat skirts worn with white hose and little booties or tweedy high-rise pants looked like a line done by a licensee."

"I may not look a million bucks, but I'm sure I cost it anyway."

New Japanese Stretch Denim Fibre Set to Revolutionize Denim Market:
"Dow XLA for denim is a stretch fibre that allows for a range of effects, such as destructive denim finishes, without loss of comfort. The fibre enables denim to maintain the authentic look and feel of cotton denim, with little to no shrinkage, sagging or bagging - even after multiple wears, machine washes, or dry cleanings." -- I can't count the number of times I've purchased a pair of jeans that looked great when I tried them on in the store, only to find out they're an ass-sagging, waist-baggy mess after one hour of wear, so this sounds like nothing short of a welcome and long-overdue miracle to me. Thanks, Japan -- I owe you one!

Liz Clairborne Cuts Full Year Profit Forecast:
It seems that the recent hire of Isaac Mizrahi isn't a silver bullet against economic recession -- "Shares of Liz Claiborne plummeted by the closing bell on Thursday . . . the mass exodus from the stock came after the women's apparel brand pre-reported a range of weak fourth quarter earnings and lowered its guidance below analyst estimates for 2008. The company pre-announced it earnings for the fourth quarter of 2007, where it gave an adjusted earnings per share range of 15 cents to 25 cents as compared to 94 cents per share in the same period the year prior."

***In related news, Liz Clairborne Inc. sells off its Ellen Tracy brand for $42 million during ongoing restructuring.

Hugo Boss Parts Ways With CEO Dr Bruno Sälzer:
"The German fashion group said his departure, slated for the end of the month, was caused by a clash of views with the company's board over its future business policy. It intends to start a search for his successor immediately."

For Takashi Murakami, Is It Art, Is It Commerce, Does It Matter?:
"So, in Tokyo, an art museum was displaying luggage, a luggage shop was exhibiting art, an artist had developed a branding campaign -- and nobody thought anything out of the ordinary . . . 'In Japan, a gallery has no meaning, and a Louis Vuitton shop is a more powerful place to see something,' said Tomio Koyama, Murakami's dealer in Tokyo . . . The brightly colored Murakami line (for Louis Vuitton) has been phenomenally successful, with sales reported to be in the vicinity of $300 million."

If a painting hangs in a gallery and no one buys it, is it art?

The Recession on the Horizon:
"If the trend until recently has been middle class Americans trading up to the trappings of luxury, we might expect a counter-trend of people with means consciously trading down. Remember how grunge got its start in the recession of the early 90s? This could be the moment for a fashion retailer like Steve and Barry's to complete its transition from rock-bottom discounter to cheap chic choice."

New French Political Scene Votes for Couture:
"Eager to look their best in the court of Nicholas Sarkozy, where appearance is often as important as performance, French ministers are beating a path to the doors of Dior, Chanel and Yves Saint-Laurent . . . Jacotte Perrier, a stylist for cinema and advertising, said the politicians were regarded by the top designers as desirable 'models' for their wares. 'They are young, attractive to the media and have model figures,' he said. French consumer expert Dominique Culliver said the top labels were changing the focus of their marketing. 'The total number of celebrities is declining. The politicians arrived at just the right moment,' she said."

The Fashion of Fur is Back for a New Generation:
"While in the Nineties real fur crept off the London and New York catwalks in shame - following the high-profile "I'd rather go naked than wear fur" supermodel campaign led by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) - Milan has always revelled in the decadent display of animal pelts. In the past few years, real fur has crawled back stealthily into the collections of designers all around the world, including Britain. Celebrities - most significantly former PETA models Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell - have unashamedly sported pelted coats."

"Pass the chinchilla, baby -- PETA is so, like, last century!"

The Only Things Missing Are the Clothes:
"The exposed metal studs, the shopping-cart-sculpture-cum-display-stand and the fashion house executives from Paris were all in place. The hipster-chic customers picked their way past trash bins in an alley leading to the Hernando's Hideaway-style entrance. Perfume bottles and brightly colored wallets were artfully arrayed and ready for sale. The only things missing from the launch of Comme des Garçons' first "guerrilla store" in the United States were the clothes. They were stuck in U.S. Customs at the Port of Los Angeles."

Vivienne Westwood Croaks Up a Last, Tired Collection Before Retirement:
"The 69-year-old British fashion icon, who dressed the punk movement in the Seventies . . . is planning to retire after nearly 40 years in the business . . . "Vivienne is seriously considering retirement and will be slowly scaling down work commitments to have more time for herself," says a friend."

They shoot phony-punk wankers, don't they? Or do they just put them out to graze?

Too Many Designers, Not Enough Hours in the Day:
"The Fall-Winter 2008-2009 womenswear preview showings are barely under way, but the fur is already flying in Milan as designers vie not only for the best looks but for the juiciest spots on the packed fashion calendar . . . The current week's calendar includes more than 100 shows, many scheduled less than an hour apart, and at least as many showroom presentations."

Designer Narciso Rodriguez Lobbies Congress for Copyright Protection:
"Narciso Rodriguez went to Congress yesterday to make his case for protecting designer clothing, as the Design Piracy Prohibition Act has been stuck in committee, unable to reach House and Senate floors because the fashion industry can't agree on its language . . . (Rodriguez) designed Carolyn Bessette's famously simple wedding dress when she married John F. Kennedy Jr. in 1996. Yet he only sold 40 of those dresses, while copycat designs sold 7 to 8 million."

***The U.S. Chamber of Commerce estimates that $12 billion was lost in revenues due to counterfeiting and piracy in the fashion and apparel industry in 2006 alone. Take a gander at Mr. Rodgiguez's Spring 2008 collection below, and see what he is keen on protecting:

Rodnik Breathe Spunky Life into London Fashion Week:
"The boys continued their popular collaboration between music and fashion, shunning an over intellectual approach in favour of a simple, flattering silhouette which captured their spirit of "rock brand chic" . . . In the endless stream of sterile catwalks, it was a treat to be part of an actual show where the inspiration and the clothes are presented together in a complete performance, and the models dance like real girls gone wild."

***Rodnik have already caught the favorable attention of American Vogue editor-at-large, André Leon Talley. "They're the most exciting thing since Warhol," Talley was overheard saying during New York Fashion Week.

Master Shoe Craftsman Raymond Massaro Still Turns Out Covetous Creations:
"For 60 years, Raymond Massaro has been living and breathing fashion. Carrying on a business started by his grandfather 114 years ago, the Parisian makes shoes for the rich and famous, as well as for fashion house Chanel . . . 'Everything is hand made,' he said, smoothing out the wrinkles of his white laboratory coat. 'A shoemaker's work is to achieve perfection . . . The business is only 10 people. Everything is done here . . . the head of the workshop has been with us more than 30 years. Once someone starts working here, they don't leave. It's the guarantee of good work. We're a tight-knit team.'"

Are London Designers Their Own Worst Enemies?:
"Consider Gareth Pugh. He's one of London's most closely watched young designers. But still, after three seasons, only one of the looks he showed on the runway could actually be worn by real women in the real world . . . London designers are taking inspiration from the wrong places. Many collections seen this week have seen heavy references to the designs of Alexander McQueen's most cutting-edge work. What they should focus on in this time of stiff competition is references to McQueen's more commercial work."

Nothing rings up big retail sales like a Goth-Punk-Alien-Vampire look.

Bangkok Produces First Superbrand Euro-Luxury Fashion Week for Thailand:
"A first in Thailand, and perhaps the rest of Asia, the recently concluded six-day event, dubbed by many as the high-end equivalent of Bangkok's annual fashion week, featured the 2008 Spring-Summer RTW collections of such European powerhouses as Chanel, Chloe, Emilio Pucci, Kenzo and Valentino . . . 'Some of these super brands have done shows here before, but not on this scale,' said Kriengsak Tantiphipop, senior managing director of the Emporium Shopping Complex . . . In the case of Valentino, it was the first time its outgoing designer, the venerable Valentino Garavani, agreed to show his clothes outside Europe."

Istanbul Positions Itself as Global Fashion Player:
"Homegrown cotton means that Turkey can provide raw materials. It's also known as a production centre, with manufacturing facilities geared to both fast fashion and high-end goods (Hugo Boss, for example, opened a plant there in 1999) . . . In 2005, Newsweek ran a cover story declaring Istanbul cool. In 2006, Harvey Nichols, one of Britain's most forward fashion retailers, opened a store in one of the city's new and distinctively upscale malls. Last month, Women's Wear Daily ran a story about the luxury still booming in Istanbul and about the new Sephora, Dolce & Gabbana, Jimmy Choo, Chloé, Coach and Prada shops coming this year."

Marios Schwab Engages London Fashion Week with Unique Collection:

4th Quarter Profits for Italian Fashion Group Aeffe SpA Fall 17%:
"Italian fashion group Aeffe SpA on Thursday said fourth-quarter profits fell 17.3 percent, but eased concerns its business would slow further by reporting a 10 percent rise in sales of the spring-summer collections (Aeffe operates the Alberta Ferretti, Moschino and Pollini brands and produces collections for Jean Paul Gaultier) . . . but despite the fourth-quarter slump, Aeffe's full-year profits climbed 62.2 percent . . . Aeffe chairman Massimo Ferretti said he was 'particularly satisfied' with the results, which met 'all our objectives at the beginning of the year, despite the growing macroeconomic uncertainties.'"

Modern Parents Discover that Children Are Not Aesthetically Pleasing:
"Suddenly they were confronted with a question that had never before occurred to them: given the way baby gear and toys take over households, the uncivilized habits of toddlers and the dangers posed by sharp-edged contemporary furniture, could Ms. Brown and Mr. Friedman continue to live their high-design dream? . . . 'I'm pretty sensitive aesthetically, and it does something for me when I look at a pretty room,' said Debra Cherney, 49. 'Looking at what the (dining) room used to be was the visual equivalent of listening to Bach or Mozart. Now it's the visual equivalent of listening to Barney.'"

Rodarte Fall Collection Receives High Praise:
"Sisters Kate and Laura Mulleavy, the creative force of Rodarte, were praised by the editor of the American Vogue magazine, Anna Wintour, for their autumn/winter 2008/09 collection at last week's New York Fashion Week . . . 'Their mentor is Gucci Group executive vice president James McArthur,' said Wintour. 'I think it has really, really helped them broaden the pieces they're doing and made them more accessible. I thought it was a giant step forward.'"

You can catch a video clip of their creative, accessible collection below:

The 1980's Dominate London Fashion Week:
"Call it the curse of a country that is forever navel-gazing at its past, or the imagination brought out by an art college training that sees references as a stimulation for imaginative design . . . But the problem with these looks is that they are so reminiscent of the 1980s era of Thierry Mugler, Claude Montana and even of Body Map, who could have been the inspiration for the patterned body suit."

French House Christian Lacroix Seeks Investors, Cash Infusion:
"WWD has learned that Lacroix, owned by Florida-based Falic Group, has engaged London-based Savigny Partners LLP to explore the possibility of a minority investor to accelerate the fashion company's expansion . . . Nicolas Topiol, Lacroix's chief executive officer said he could not rule out an outright sale of the company, but stressed the goal is to seek "intelligent money" to help Lacroix realize its sales and profitability targets . . . Lacroix's sales last year slipped by about 5 percent."

Oscars Back in Play for 80th Anniversary Show:
The entire fashion industry heaves one huge, collective sigh of relief. The mad scramble to tackle the nearest celebrity and cram her into a Luxury Brand dress ensues . . .

Christopher Kane Romances London with a Mature, Feminine Look:
"'I am a romantic,' said Kane, whose clothes shimmered with the reflection of paillettes, the decoration giving a subtle elegance to simple clothes. Kane, considered London fashion's boy wonder, knows how to keep his feet on the ground. The show opened with knits - long and loose, with paillettes gleaming from the neckline. They soon morphed into fairy tale armor, as a snug gray sweater was contoured with the disc-shaped beading."

"Oh flibbertygibbets -- the sitter's at the door and I can't find my galoshes!"

Kane's Catwalk Show is below:

***Fellow London Fashion Week Presenter Marios Schwab also drew raves for his long, slim silhouettes, authoritatively banishing last years tent dresses and baby doll smocks to the dustbin (where they belong).

The (Deserved?) Demise of the Cheap Shoe:
"Analysts believe women have wised up to the fact that cheap shoes are uncomfortable and liable to disintegrate at the first sight of a puddle, so although they might buy fewer pairs, in future, they are likely to save up for more expensive shoes: one-third of women questioned said they now pay more."

Successful London Chain TopShop Set to Open First Location in New York:
"Sir Philip Green, the king of fast fashion with his TopShop stores, is finally taking the plunge into international waters. He has just signed a deal to open a flagship store New York, with India, Hong Kong and China also in his sights . . . 'It's going to be now about special products, good people, good customer service, innovating, doing things that are new,' Green said. 'And my belief is that, if you look at the market, everybody is running to price - and I am actually running away from price. I am running to special. And that's what I think is going to see who wins and who loses.'

The Secret History of Nathan Jenden:
"Gold, black and blue, the colour palette was select but incredibly rich, its decadence enhanced by heavily embellished masks which, bedecked in jewels, flashed from afar. High necks and ruffled collars fanned into pleats on sharp tailored jackets that Sir Francis Drake might have worn, boasting swags, folds, ripples and layers of lapels folded on top of one another . . . He is a man who knows how to get our attention and everything about this collection was so fanciful and flamboyant, we couldn't help but fall in love with it all."

Staid Fashion House Jaeger Stages Its Own Intervention:
So what do you do when you're a creaky, 124 year old UK fashion chain with a fatal reputation for dowdy suits and uber-bland accessories? You stick a fork in the nearest wall socket and resurrect the corpse, that's what! Jaeger unleashed its younger, trendier side with its Jaeger London show on day one of London's Fashion Week, and I think it's safe to say that no one will ever look at Jaeger the same way again . . . and that's a good thing:

Foreign Retailers Snap Up U.S. Designers, Citing Cost and Quality:
"Big retailers based in Europe and Asia hit New York's Fashion Week in ever-greater numbers, as they look to fill their racks and shelves with more clothing from American designers . . . A weak dollar is helping fuel the trend, but foreign merchants say US designers also have made strides in recent seasons . . . 'These days, the New York designer does seem a lot more organized than, let's say, an emerging London designer, said Lina Basma, a buying manager for Selfridge's, the upscale London department store. 'They're getting better at everything from production to shipping the goods.'"

After Years of Neglect, the Waistline is Back in Fashion:
"The collections presented under the Bryant Park tents last week took inspiration from several previous decades in fashion, but whether designers chose belts or corsets, strategically placed embroidery or tucking shirts into pants, the emphasis was on the natural waistline . . . 'It's all about women looking like women,' said Peter Som, designer for Bill Blass and his own namesake line. 'No more baby dolls or shapeless silhouettes. Let's celebrate the female body, not disguise it.'"

Louise Vuitton Debuts its First Television Ad:
"Luxury moguls have built fortunes tapping into something deeper than the desire for well-crafted textiles. To follow fashion is to watch billionaire businessmen like Bernard Arnault tremble before the spasmodic whims of 27-year-old urban women, who are in turn jockeying with one another, throwing out signals like crazed fireflies, waiting for another designer to present another story they can manipulate."

Toss Out the Washer/Dryer, Scientists Develop Self-Cleaning Fabrics:
"Wool socks, skirts and silk ties may soon clean themselves of smells and stains in the sunshine, researchers in Australia and China suggest . . . The secret is a nano particle coating, one already used to keep windows clear, that could lead to "self-cleaning" versions of wool and silk fabrics . . . The coating, which is non-toxic, can be permanently bonded to the fibre and does not alter its texture and feel, they note, so a silk tie would still feel silky."

Fall '08 Trends Show Immediate Impact, Overpower Spring/Summer Lines:
"The fall runway clothes of the week will not move into stores until late summer, but never mind. The conversation has already changed. The ideas offered here almost immediately affected how people think about style."

Spanish Government Pledges to Overhaul Women's Sizing System:
"The yearlong study, which used laser beams to measure more than 10,000 women aged from 12 to 70, claims that 4 out of 10 have trouble finding clothes that fit them, mainly because sizes are inconsistent from one outlet to another and because what is on the racks is too small . . . Armed with the new data, the government hopes to overhaul the sizing system used by the Spanish fashion industry for 35 years and eliminate the skinny stereotype that it says encourages eating disorders."

"I was skinnier yesterday. Really. Can you just put that in your notes?"

Quelle Horreur! France's First Lady Falls Flat in Her Loafers:
"Many a foot fetishist's breakfast was ruined on Monday by pictures of the former Miss Bruni sporting a truly horrendous pair of Gucci-style loafers . . . For the First Lady to commit this faux-pas when flats are particularly fashionable . . . and for this to be the First Lady of France to boot, well, it's almost an international disaster."

Speedo Teams with NASA to Create Space-Age Swimsuit:
"Made from an ultra lightweight, low drag, water repellent, fast drying fabric, unique to Speedo, called LZR PULSE, the LZR RACER is the world's first fully bonded swimsuit that is ultrasonically welded and gives the effect of no seams at all. Ultra low drag LZR Panels are embedded into the base fabric to create a 'Hydro Form Compression system' helping to compress the entire swimmer's body into a more streamlined shape and enabling them to cut through the water with more power and agility."

***Speedo has also enlisted the talents of Comme de Garcons' Rei Kawakubo for a set of Limited Edition designer suits that the U.S. Olympics team will unveil this year in Beijing.

Hungry For Style? Cook Your Shirts!:
"Kean Etro has taken natural dye techniques to the next level by playfully suggesting edible ingredients be infused to create unique "Cooked" shirts . . . There are three different styles: Blueberry (blueberries, sugar, blueberry juice over a white shirt and baked at 330F for 40 minutes), Coffee (which is a crisp white shirt soaked in six liters of coffee for eight hours, then hung out to dry), and Salt (white shirt layered with coarse cooking salt for 40 minutes at 350F)."

"Mmmm, mmmm, mmmm -- that there's some fine shirt pie!"

P. Diddy Goes Met-Sex With Mixed Results:
"Dear Sean John, Diddy, P. Diddy, Puffy, Puff Daddy -- I would like to write a brief note to you regarding your fall 2008 men's line. Please, please do not take this in the wrong way, but I believed the line was geared towards the metro-sexual/bi-sexual man. The sequin tops, the extremely fitted suits and sparkly scarves gave me reason to feel this way. Was I wrong? . . . I thought we would see more Flatbush Avenue; instead you gave us Hollywood Boulevard."

For India, It's the Rise of the Brand Freak:
"India's elite have long enjoyed luxury goods imported from the West. In recent months, though, Indians who can't afford $600 sunglasses -- but who still have some disposable income -- have been splurging. Designers including Prada, Jimmy Choo, Gucci and Louis Vuitton, as well as brands such as Rolls-Royce and Mont Blanc, have either set up shop or beefed up operations here . . . 'This year, India really unleashed the brand beast,' said Saloni Nangia, associate vice president of Technopak, an India-based marketing research firm that estimates the middle and upper-middle classes at 8 million to 9 million people and growing."

Finally, the Pharrell Williams Jewelry for Louis Vuitton:

U.S. Retailers Slump In Further Signs of Slowing Economy:
"Most worryingly, the slowdown seems to be crossing all sectors - including teen retailers like Pacific Sunwear of California, American Eagle Outfitters and Hot Topic, mall-based apparel chain Limited Brands, discounters such as Wal-Mart Stores, and even those targeting more affluent shoppers, like Nordstrom."

Gucci May Love New York, But New York Sues Gucci:
"The famed fashion house Gucci may experience some legal heartaches for its takeoff of the trademarked "I (love) N.Y." for a marketing campaign. A top executive with Empire State Development, the agency that controls the ubiquitous slogan, which substitutes a heart for the word love, said the Italian fashion trendsetters did not have permission to use a similar slogan, "Gucci (loves) N.Y.," the New York Post said Sunday. Gucci officials reportedly were trying to negotiate a deal to avoid a legal battle."

I love New York, Gucci loves New York, trademark lawyers love New York . . .

John McCain's Daughter Blogs About Fashion and Politics:
"When Henry Kissinger announced his support for McCain, Meghan McCain posted a high-resolution photograph of his black dress shoes. 'Who doesn't want to know what kind of shoes Dr Kissinger wears?' she wrote, entirely accurately."

***You can find Meghan McCain's blog here: McCain Blogette

Donna Karan Tweaks the Silhouettes of Power and Prestige:
"No one constructs a sexier suit than Karan, who combines masculine tweeds with fragile chiffons to evoke delicious tension. At a time when we are considering what ultimate power looks like when it is embodied by a woman rather than a man, Karan makes one want to believe that authority, sex appeal, elegance and smarts can blissfully coexist."

Catch the video clip of her Fall/Winter 2008 Collection:

London Designers Turn to the East as U.S. Recession Looms:
"'Anyone with half a brain understands that America, which always used to be the biggest consumer market, is suffering,' said Jeweller Stephen Webster's Russian-born wife and business partner Anastasia. 'So the new way is to look to Russia, China, all of the developing markets, because that is the new luxury consumer,' she said."

Not All is Gloom as Sales of Christian Dior Soar:
"Citing strong sales of ready-to-wear, fine jewelry and iconic handbags, Christian Dior said fourth-quarter sales gained 9 percent . . . 'We're focusing on more expensive products, meaning higher prices in all product categories,' said Sidney Toledano (Dior's President and CEO). He also cited a return to Dior's roots, reflected in 'sophisticated' and 'elegant' designs by couturier John Galliano. The fall collection posted 'very strong double-digit' growth and the cruise collection has also been 'a big success,' Toledano said."

US Retailers Ditch London Fashion Week, Citing Weak Dollar & High Prices:
"British designers are considered expensive, partly because their smaller production runs do not allow big economies of scale. But the weakness of the dollar has made their pieces even less competitive at a time of economic pressure in the US . . . One New York retailer, who asked to remain anonymous, said: 'The London designer prices are just exorbitant. You can buy a piece by Balenciaga [the French label that is hot in world fashion] for a certain price, and a piece by Giles [Deacon, the less well-known British designer] for the same price, and when you put them on the floor, which do you think will move faster? That's the problem.'"

50 Fashion Questions You Should Be Asking Right Now:
"If your shoes aren't remarked upon by strangers, you're missing the point."

Bill Blass Revival Offers A Collection of Beauty, Wow and Desire:
"Watching the 47 looks float past us, we were struck by not only the collection's beauty, but its desirability. Mary Alice Stephenson, Harper's Bazaar contributing editor and VH1 star, couldn't agree more. 'This is what a rebirth of a house is about. Herve Leger - blah. Halston - boring. This was wow. I think a lot of times it takes growth. But he didn't need that, just, what, three months? These are clothes I want to wear and I've never worn Bill Blass in my life!'"

Take in the new Bill Blass look in the video clip below:

New Gucci Flagship Bets Big on the Affluent Consumer:
"Gucci has been looking to position itself among the most high-end, exclusive brands and attract a higher-income bracket. They're not necessarily relying on the mass market, says luxury-goods analyst Pam Danziger. 'Gucci is building a flagship store to make a branding statement,' she says. 'I think strategically it's a very smart move to bring their luxury brand to a bigger presence in the United States.'"

Marc Jacobs Fall/Winter 2008/2009:
"'We were creating glamour and beauty,' he said. 'And calm.'"

Models Fail Weigh-In for Madrid Fashion Week:
"Spanish media reports that three British models have been banned from taking part in Madrid Fashion Week because organisers say they are underweight . . . In 2006, Madrid's regional government, which sponsors the show, introduced bans for models with a BMI of less than 18 from taking part. The move followed complaints that girls and young women were developing eating disorders by trying to copy the models' rail-thin looks."

Calvin Klein Fall/Winter 2008:
The American Designers held their own this year, with Calvin Klein attracting attention for the severe minimalism of the collection -- "The fabrics were the best and most advanced high-technology can offer - polished, hammered cashmere, razored, geo-cut boiled wool, bonded wool and technical wool/silk crepe . . . But there was a quiet, dramatic beauty to these minimalist pieces, plain as paper and constructed with a minimum of seam."

Marc Jacobs Starts On Time As Fashion Week Ends:
"In a complete reversal from last season, Jacobs' went prim and covered-up -- long, nearly shapeless coats, slouchy trousers, high-necked tops with serious pleating, almost pad-like, at the shoulders. The palette was muted -- cream, soft pink, ice blue, mint green, heather gray . . . the show was a talker, the fitting end to a long week of vaguely uninspiring clothes that more often seem to be about styling than true design."

"I had a dream it was 1988, and when I woke up I was dressed like this!"

Halston Pieces Sell Out on Net-A-Porter in 48 Hours:
"I just ran in to Natalie Massenet, founder of Net-a-Porter.com, at Zac Posen. Those new Halston designs that went from the runway to her online luxury retail site sold out 48 hours after going up for sale the day after Monday's show. The small sizes sold out within two hours . . . Ms. Massenet wouldn't say how many of the dresses sold, except to call the number 'substantial.'"

***I was indifferent to the new Halston launch. It was nice but not wow-inducing, with a bland color palette and an overly deferential reverence towards the archives -- when you have senior-citizen Liza Minelli gushing in the front row, you know you've played it way too safe. Max Azria, on the other hand, executed his Herve Leger revival with snap, crackle and success.

Anya Hindmarch Gives Good Party:
"Traditionally, the Black and White party is a chore for the party's senior figures, a drab affair that resembles an explosion in a cummerbund factory with lots of talk of "Rhodesia" and Enoch. This year, Anya - Designer of the Year - had transformed the venue in Battersea Park into a series of gardens, all beautifully illuminated, each with a theme . . . Even the packets of seeds and books had been specially designed. Relaxed, chic, imaginative: was this really a Tory Party event?"

Derek Lam Goes Out of Africa for Fall:
"Derek Lam cites Isak Dinesen (author of 'Out of Africa') as his muse for fall, and his collection swings between luxury and austerity. The bulk of it was in black; some dresses and gowns were almost Pilgrim-like, with long hemlines and high necklines. A couple employed gorgeous white pleated crinolines, which undulated so effortlessly it looked as though the models were walking on clouds . . . Fur stoles, cocktail dresses adorned with sequins and feathers, lots of rich velvet and tulle. It was a fascinating dichotomy, further proof of how versatile Lam can be, even when working within his own strict aesthetic."

Check out a video of his Fall 2008 collection below:

Controversy Continues Over Gucci's Use of UN Grounds for Posh Party:
"Gucci's creative director, Frida Giannini, admitted that she was surprised the UN had allowed them to hold the event there. 'When our PR team proposed it I didn't think it would be possible,' she said. 'I mean, why would they let some stupid fashion party inside the United Nations?' Why indeed."

***From The Guardian: "Critics have questioned whether hosting a corporate charity fundraiser is the best use of the UN's grounds, especially when it was tied to the opening this week of a Manhattan Gucci store, as inaugurations of designer stores are not traditionally cause for celebration at the UN." The UN Secretary General had made plans to attend the high-fashion party, but ducked out amid growing concerns about Madonna, her as-yet-unregistered charity and Gucci's hijacking of the event for its own PR purposes.

Zac Posen Disinvites Celebrities From His Fall Runway Show:
"Designer Zac Posen's runway show is usually a celebrity free-for-all with boldfaced names lining his front row, but this year . . . celebs were told through publicists that they weren't welcome. Rumors were ricocheting around the tents all day speculating why Posen pulled the plug. One had the designer unhappy that celebs who wore his dresses for free weren't coming back for purchases."

With style this fine, who needs a bunch of trampy, free-loading celebrities?

Gianfranco Ferre Fires Creative Director After Only Five Months:
"Italian fashion house Gianfranco Ferre has parted ways with Lars Nilsson just five months after hiring him as creative director . . . The collection to be sent down the catwalk (in Milan) on February 18 was designed by the house's creative team and not Nilsson, even though he was supposed to have made his runway debut this year, a source said."

Pringle of Scotland Profits Take a Tumble:
"PRINGLE of Scotland, the luxury knitwear brand favoured by the likes of footballer David Beckham and model Sophie Dahl, has slumped further into the red as annual sales tumbled by almost a quarter . . . According to the firm's latest annual report, turnover fell by 24 per cent to just under £19.5 million in the year to the end of March 2007. Sales had risen slightly the year before. Meanwhile, operating losses in the latest period widened to £9.3m from about £8m last time."

Prada Releases Its Animated Promotional Video -- Trembled Blossoms:

NBC's Lipstick Jungle Focuses on Luxury Chic for the Career Woman:
"While the clothes on Sex and the City were playful and ripe for parties, Lipstick Jungle's fashions are chic and sophisticated -- suited for working women . . . 'Where the women on Sex and the City were trying to get there, the women on Lipstick Jungle are already there,' said Costume Designer Dan Lawson. 'This is about 40-something chic. They aren't young girls. They are vibrant, strong and sexy women with a wardrobe to reflect their position in life.'"

Michael Kors Trots Out Kennedy-esque Glamor:
If your idea of high-style is a fantasy of Jackie O in a head-on collision with Grace Kelly, then Michael Kors created his Fall 2008 collection just for you. Hitchcock, Camelot, check out the video below:

Hermes CEO Braces for Long Term Decline in Japan:
"French luxury goods group Hermes International is optimistic about prospects for 2008 despite bracing for long-term decline in Japan, its chief executive told Reuters in an interview on Thursday . . . He said 2007 was particularly strong for silk scarves, small leather goods and men's ready-to-wear, but the group's watch business posted flat like for like sales and growth in Japan slowed slightly in the fourth quarter."

Gucci Uses United Nations Charity Event to Promote Retail Presence:
"Pop star Madonna hosted a celebrity-studded event on Wednesday on the lawns of the United Nations to aid Malawi orphans, the U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) and -- controversially -- to inaugurate a new Gucci store . . . critics have objected to the use of the U.N. grounds to kick off a Gucci store opening . . . Despite announcing the fundraising event in November as a celebration of the opening of a new Gucci store in New York, Lee said on Wednesday that 'it's a coincidence that we happen to be here and we're opening an important store on Friday.'"

***And in related news, it's always very important to get A LOT of cosmetic surgery done right before a charity fundraiser . . . Madonna shows you how to get your face lifted, your eyes tucked and your cheeks sculpted -- for the children of Malawi, y'all!

Nothing says charity like posing for a few glamor shots.

Revenge of the Wimps -- Men's Catwalk Goes Pencil-Neck:
"In many of the (male) model castings, which tend to be dominated by a handful of people, the body style that now dominates is the one Charles Atlas made a career out of trying to improve . . . George Brown, a booking agent at Red Model Management, said: 'When I get that random phone call from a boy who says, 'I'm 6-foot-1 and I'm calling from Kansas,' I immediately ask, 'What do you weigh?' If they say 188 or 190, I know we can't use him. Our guys are 155 pounds at that height.'"

"If you'd all stop exercising and quit eating, we'd hire you in a second."

Women's Apparel Chain Talbots Struggles with Slowing Economy:
"Talbots Inc., the struggling Hingham clothier, said yesterday it would slow store openings, reduce capital spending, eliminate television and national print advertising, and shutter another 22 shops . . . last month, Talbots said it planned to exit the children's and men's business, close 78 stores, and slash its workforce 5 percent."

Fashion Critics and Peers Dish the Future of Marc:
"Once, he was the golden boy of New York fashion week, and his collections inspired hyperbole and were copied extensively by the high street, particularly in the UK. This week, mention of his name has prompted weary eye rolls and catty jokes . . . 'I sometimes wonder if the criticism or flattery designers receive reflects their talent. Often the personality or cool factors come into play in the fashion world,' says Robin Givhan, fashion editor of the Washington Post."

***In related news, Jacobs' diffusion line, Marc by Marc Jacobs, is receiving positive reviews, which bodes well for his high-end Marc Jacobs show on Friday evening. Watch the video below:

Rodarte Surprises with Experimental Yet Gorgeously Wearable Collection:

Marc Jacobs International Investigated for Possible Bribery Charges:
"Top fashion designer Marc Jacobs' company is under investigation by New York's attorney general for possibly bribing an employee of a state armory to hold a fashion show there, the attorney general's office said on Wednesday . . . James Jackson, who ran the armory for over eight years, is charged with demanding over $30,000 to allow Marc Jacobs to hold fashion shows and other events at the facility."

LVMH Chairman Dismisses Negative Impact of a U.S. Recession:
"French luxury goods group LVMH predicted further growth in results this year, arguing that its customer profile and geographical spread will limit the impact of any US recession . . . The company's clientele is little affected by short-term economic swings, said CEO Arnault, citing its high purchasing power and growing presence in non-Western markets. He also indicated that LVMH had experienced a 'good month' in December, while January had seen double-digit growth in organic sales for all divisions, in line with 2007."

***Despite Arnault's expressed optimism, LVMH has recently backed away from rumored acquisitions of Swiss vodka brand Absolut, and French beauty group Clarins.

Tory Burch + Lance Armstrong + the Fug Girls = Drama!:
"Even Tory seemed to tense up when she spied the one-balled cycling wonder hiding in a hallway just out of view of the camerapeople, who were filming Burch as she greeted (Angie) Harmon but clearly expecting him to stroll into view and sweep her off her feet into a wet smooch. Tory's eyes flickered between Angie's face and Lance's. The tension was almost as delicious as our wine."

Payless Hits the Runway:
"In contrast to the Manolo Blahniks used by other designers -- that sell for several hundred dollars -- Payless hit the runway with shoes created and shown by Abaete by Laura Poretzky, Lela Rose and Stacey Bendet for Alice + Olivia . . . 'Payless' vision is to democratize fashion,' Chief Executive Matt Rubel said of the designer licensing deals. 'Our philosophy has been to find the young emerging talent, then bring it to our customer at affordable prices.'"

"Who needs Blahniks when it's just pizza and a movie . . . again?"

Fendi Relaunches Flagship Store with Charity Auction:
"The (Rodeo Drive) boutique, designed by architect Peter Marino, is intended to reflect the brand's renewed focus on modern luxury. The store has a seamless glass facade, with waving curved travertine marble, steel and white aluminum panels along the interior walls and a unique skylight highlighting the area where ready-to-wear and fur collections are displayed . . . exclusive versions of the (Fendi 10th Anniversary Baguette) bag will be auctioned to support Arts for NexGen, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art free youth membership program. The bags will be displayed at the 3,000-square-foot Rodeo Drive store from Feb. 13 until early April."

Gucci's UN Event Dogged by Controversy Over Marketing, Madonna and Kabbalah:
"When a corporation openly uses the UN's name to promote its business, what happens? The question was raised Tuesday to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, concerning Gucci's statement that an event Wednesday night on the UN's North Lawn "will celebrate the opening of Gucci's New York 5th Avenue Flagship store." While his chief of staff Vijay Nambiar had said that "Gucci has gone too far," impacting Ban's plans, and his Under Secretary-General for Management Alicia Barcena said on camera that Gucci's statement was inappropriate, Ban dodged the question, saying that the event's proceeds will go to UNICEF for a humanitarian purpose."

***Reason Magazine sums up Madonna's commitment to Malawi: "On February 6, Madonna will help save Africa by attending the opening of the planet's largest Gucci store. The party she's hosting is expected to raise approximately $2 million for children who will never get to visit even the planet's smallest Gucci store . . . can we really have our Godiva layer cake with hazelnut ganache and donate it to sub-Saharan AIDS babies too?"

Retailers Fret as They Watch Apparel Sales Slow:
"Women's apparel sales in the U.S. grew 2 percent in 2007, compared with 5 percent the year before, and will decline this spring for the first time in seven years, retail analyst Marshal Cohen predicted . . . Women's apparel sales will decline as much as 3 percent in the first six months for the first drop since 2001, Cohen predicted. Sales reached a record $104 billion in 2007."

"I got nothin' . . . what about you?"

Australian Court Rules In Favor of Parallel Importing, Ralph Lauren Loses:
"Ralph Lauren took court action to stop Adam Ziliani buying its shirts cheaply in the US and then selling them in Australia at a profit. The practice is known as parallel importing . . . Ralph Lauren argued that because Ziliani was not a licensed owner of Ralph Lauren copyright in Australia, he should not be selling goods he bought in the US. The Federal Court in Sydney yesterday ruled in favour of Ziliani. The court ruled that the 'pony' logo on the shirts was in fact a 'label' making it exempt from copyright laws."

The Dire State of Shopping in U.S. Department Stores:
"I went to Macy's, Bloomingdale's, Nordstrom's, Lord & Taylor and honestly couldn't tell which store I was in once I crossed the threshold . . . The same product, the same brands, the same horrible lighting and dingy dressing rooms, but mostly it was the product that depressed me. How many pairs of cheap, made in China, ballet-flats with giant baubles stuck to them do they think we need? . . . I got the eerie sense that they were coming out of the same factory, with a little Chinese man at the end putting different tags into them willy-nilly."

Swiss Bling Still Has That Swing:
"Switzerland's watchmakers and other luxury goods makers are set for further growth in 2008 as strong demand in Asia and the Middle East offsets economic gloom in the US and Europe . . . John Cox, a luxury goods analyst at Swiss bank Landsbanki-Kepler, said that any downturn will only hit sector players in the second half, as at present their order books are still chock full."

Peter Som Blows It Out with Tailored Elegance:
"Peter Som's collection was my favorite so far. Rich in texture, color and ideas, Som created the look for the fabulous, wealthy spinster aunt I always wanted but never had. He mixed plaids with abstract florals, with ombre-dyed furs and yet somehow pulled all those crazy ideas together not only with aplomb, but with utter chic."

Check out highlights from his Fall Collection below:

***Fashion label Proenza Schouler is quickly moving into consideration as a fashion-trend bellwether, and they showed a collection today that was as richly toned, finely tailored and elegantly feminine as Peter Som's -- the narrative for Fall 2008 is taking shape:

Max Azria Shows Three Collections, and Still Has the Energy to Drink & Dance:
"Max Azria, the design world's most adorable happy little man, just completed the très impressive feat of launching three different collections (BCBG, Hervé Léger, and Max Azria) in the span of four days . . . he insisted that he hadn't even broken a sweat getting three different lines off the ground. "On a CD, you have twelve songs," he exclaimed. "I could make twelve collections!"

Gucci Rome Celebrates 70th Birthday with Flagship Makeover:
"Gucci's Rome store is celebrating its 70th birthday with a brand new look and, just like the New York flagship, it reopens today . . . "This concept is the absolute expression of modern architecture in the total respect of Gucci's materials and iconic elements," said Gucci Creative Director Frida Giannini. "I wanted to amplify the sensation of luxury with a design concept that was in harmony with the current image of the brand. It was important to me to play up the store's original architectural elements."

Fashion Industry Democrats Torn Between Hillary and Obama:
"Going down to the wire, some former Clinton supporters appear to be changing their tune, giving Obama the slight edge . . . Calvin Klein gave $4,600 to Clinton's campaign last year but has since switched over to Obama, whom he's said to be organizing a fund-raiser for . . . As for Tom Ford, he said, 'I am a Democrat and will vote for the Democratic nominee whether that is Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama. Both are excellent candidates.' But he seems to be putting his money behind Obama, to whom he gave $2,300."

***In related news, Hillary Clinton Picks Her All-Time Worst Outfits:

"It'd be nice if a roomful of Yes-Men told me 'No' once in a while . . . "

Hermès and Bugatti Team Up to Produce Super-Luxe Automobile:
"Hermès and Bugatti have decided to collaborate on an industrial design project that marries their respective expertise of the craftsmanship of the Parisian-based saddle maker and the precision automotive engineering of the Molsheim-based car maker. The project will revive a relationship initiated in the 1920's between Emile Hermès and Ettore Bugatti." Wow -- could this result in a Bugatti Veyron with an Hermès interior? I might just die and go straight to heaven."

The Fug Girls Diss Miss Sixty, Fawn Over Jovovich:
"First of all, if you get the chance to play poker with Milla Jovovich, do it. That girl cannot keep a straight face. Throughout, she seemed to be making a running commentary to Olsen and Paula Patton; she burst out laughing once or twice and acted particularly perplexed -- even, one might say, horrified -- by a huge pair of fringed mukluks. Meanwhile, the look on Chloe Sevigny's face devolved from "blank but pleasant" to "kinda grossed out," and we haven't seen that kind of golf clap at a show's conclusion since ... well, since the perfunctory applause at Rock & Republic last night, but still, it was surprising."

"Why are we even here? These clothes, like, suck and stuff."

Thom Browne Treats the Fashion Hungry to a Banquet of the Absurd:
"The short capes over jackets over shirts over pants reminded me of the well-known Viktor & Rolf show where the models wore multiple layers of clothing like Russian matryoshka stacking dolls. Others models wore high-waisted (nipple-grazing) trousers -- dare i say, clown pants? Two models had to make their way around the runway bound from shoulder to ankle in necktie restraining straps. Another had wing-like gussets under his arms and in between his legs, similar to a human cannonball's costume. It was all incredibly entertaining and wonderfully produced, as any circus should be."

Rodarte -- the Hottest Fashion Show in Town?:
"It was my first Rodarte show and it reminded me of a Kubrick film -- really eerie, bewitching. The models looked like Technicolor zombie ballerinas."

Oscar de la Renta Showcases Classic Elegance:
"Full taffeta and tulle skirts swished by, ornately embellished -- all with grandeur. At times, the checkerboard tweed overcoats, shimmering skirt suits, and vivid silks were so beautiful I found myself subconsciously holding my breath . . . They all had one thing in common -- the appearance of decadence. Ultimately, that's what Oscar is all about . . . a classic decadence."

"If lovin' him is wrong, I don't want to be right!"

Halton Revival Offers Accessibility Over Creativity:
"So much of the line seemed, strangely, to replicate another designer altogether: Calvin Klein. The sandy, muted colors; the column-like dresses; the exquisite minimalism. As a collection, it was very wearable and accessible, but as an attempt to re-animate the Halston brand and its particular kind of louche glamour, it was a bit too cold, a bit too clinical, a bit too Calvin."

Max Azria Breathes New Life Into Old Label Herve Leger:
"Azria brought a freshness to a brand where there's not a lot of wiggle room. Taking the bandage a step further, he airbrushed them, added slivers of crystals, skirts of organza, and flower appliques. The finale of micro minis confirms the return of the kind of skirt last seen in Robert Palmer's "Addicted to Love" video."

Check out a video of Azria's successful Leger presentation below:

DVF Bucks Trends, Presents Retro Feminine Glamor:
"Diane von Furstenberg favored retro glamour with an international flair, bucking just about every trend that seemed to be emerging at New York Fashion Week . . . von Furstenberg's color palette was similar to some of the other runways at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, including gray, ink blue, plum and chartreuse, but it looked different in her more refined silhouettes."

Take a look at her New York Fashion Week runway show below:

Prada Tarot Cards for Stylish Psychics (and Their Label-Hungry Clients):
"Miuccia Prada is taking a step into the world of fortune telling with Prada Tarot cards . . . The Prada tarot cards come in a beautiful logo embossed leather case with 1970s phychedelic-fairyland drawings." Hmmm, I see lots of shoes in your future -- lots of shoes, bags and branded perfume . . .

Cosmetics Firms Kiss and Make Up With Beauty Blogs:
"Two years ago, when beauty bloggers called makeup companies to request free samples, many calls went unreturned . . . But in the past year or so, as more women turn to blogs for advice on bronzers or facial scrubs, and magazines like Allure and Glamour have started their own beauty blogs, the cosmetics industry has stopped seeing bloggers as bottom feeders . . . It's unclear to what degree bloggers boost sales, but publicists say their opinions matter. For instance, when Lancome sent Kristen Kelly of BeautyAddict and dozens of other bloggers a limited-edition lipstick created by the designer Behnaz Sarafpour before it reached the shelves in 2006, their approval made it an immediate hit."

Montreal Labour Union Protests Tommy Hilfiger:
"A dozen bound and gagged union members demonstrated in front of the Ste. Catherine Tommy Hilfiger store Thursday to protest working conditions at the clothing company's Montreal distribution centre. The demonstration, organized by international labour union UNITE HERE, was part of an international campaign last week against alleged union-busting tactics and poor work conditions at the Montreal centre, with other protests occurring across Canada, the United States, and Germany."

New Research Says Stilettos Are Good For Your Sex Life:
"A new study has found that wearing a pair of moderately high heels can tone the body, condition muscles and even improve a woman's sex life without the need for onerous exercise sessions . . . 'This is wonderful news,' said Manolo Blahnik. 'I've been hounded for years about how bad it is for posture, but I always thought it was contradictory. Until my mummy was 87 she was wearing 5in heels and she looked wonderful. She is my living example that heels are good for you."

"Get outta my way -- I have nations to rule and enemies to crush!'

New York Fashion Week Kicks Into Gear:
"Designers have chosen their muse: The tough-as-nails city chick with a heart of gold, who's just as hot for severely skinny pants as she is for a cozy sweater."

***Related trend alerts: mini skirts with leggings; menswear for women; and the tailored military look is still in, though often hand-in-glove with something soft and feminine. Label Rag and Bone is receiving positive reviews for a collection that often paired slick tailoring and moody colors with soft fabrics and pleated skirts, and Hervé Léger is back with a tight, sexy vengeance.

Preppy Lacoste Takes to the Slopes:
"Lacoste designer, Christophe Lemaire, turned a tent in mid-town Bryant Park into a winter wonderland with a fake snowfall and a catwalk made from several thousand square feet of organic sheepskin . . . The inspiration for his autumn/winter 08/09 collection was the ski resort of Megeve, in which he envisaged a bevy of girls, fresh from a Swiss finishing school, cavorting, après-ski, in chic ensembles inspired by the slopes."

"Why would we actually ski when there's drinks in the Lodge?"

Will Halston Survive Its Latest Resurrection?:
Is Marco Zanini, the head designer for newly resuscitated high-glam label Halston, finally the one to steer them into success? "Mr. Zanini comes from Versace, where he spent eight years as Donatella Versace's chief assistant. Before that, he worked for Dolce & Gabbana and Lawrence Steele . . . And maybe for that reason he knows the facile tricks of postmodernism, like leaving the edges of a dress raw, and avoids them. 'With this collection, I've tried not to over-design,' he said -- 'I like (Halston's) effect of stripping down a garment of anything that isn't necessary without it becoming boring.'"

Under Armour Astonishes with High Profit Numbers:
"Fourth quarter net income jumped 42.4 percent to $16.9 million, or 34 cents per diluted share, at Under Armour, Inc., from $11.9 million, or 24 cents per diluted share, a feat that chairman and CEO Kevin Plank attributed to 'the ongoing demand for our technical performance products by consumers.' Sales increased 29.2 percent to $174.8 million from $135.3 million a year ago."

Another Fashion Maestro Gets the Film Treatment:
Following in the footsteps of his more famous and experienced peers (Lagerfeld and Valentino), Marc Jacobs is the subject of a new biopic -- "Loïc Prigent's documentary, "Marc Jacobs & Louis Vuitton," which airs (Monday) at 8 p.m. on the Sundance Channel, offers a rare peek behind the doors of the fashion titan's New York studio and French boardroom . . . The film delights in the chaos of Jacobs' professional life, tracking him through the creation of his pieces and behind the scenes at runway shows." We even find out what Jacobs himself had to say about his controversial Louis Vuitton Tribute Patchwork bag that left fashion bloggers recoiling but which sold out its limited run almost immediately:

"That is sick in the head," he said (and I agree).

Charity Contest Seeks to Design the 27th Letter of the Alphabet:

"Sponsored by the Art Directors Club and Moleskine, the competition is open exclusively to the Young Guns, a group of the visual communication club's members under the age of 30 . . . Participants can create the letter through any media, from type design and websites to video and photography . . . 'The undiscovered letter is an opportunity to find the intersection between analog and digital and determine how oral and written communication work in the future,' says Ami Brophy, executive director of the Art Directors Club."

Alice Temperley Chats Up Vogue About Her New Collection:

Boring Product, Unwearable Designs, Could Be Cause of Shrinking Retail:
"'Consumers are frankly a bit bored by what they see out there, and designers need to do something that excites and encourages the consumer to part with those dollars from their pocketbook,' said portfolio manager Patricia Edwards . . . In an NPD survey of 32,000 women in October, 81 percent said they had trouble finding clothes that fit. 'What is in the mind of fashion designers?' said Arlyn Imberman, an executive coach in Manhattan, and disappointed shopper. 'Are they really thinking about the woman or are they thinking of the reviews the shows are going to get?'"

The New Year-Round Designs:
"Thanks to recent mild winters and last fall's sluggish sales, designers including Donna Karan, Tracy Reese, Malo, 6267, Badgley Mischka, Peter Som and Nanette Lepore are focusing on more seasonless clothing . . . Designers will show collections filled with lightweight fabrics such as chiffon and jersey, more commonly found on spring runways . . . Many are pushing looks that involve layering several lightweight pieces and topping them off with a heavier coat, with the idea that some layers can be removed if the weather is warm."

***The globalization of the fashion industry is pushing this trend more than any fluctuations in seasonal temperatures. Don't forget that half the globe is moving into Spring/Summer when the Northern Hemisphere markets gear up for fall, and a chunky sweater or thick wool dress isn't going to make cash registers sing in tropical climates like Singapore. Season-less collections are a good business decision more than a reaction to environmental issues.

Gucci's Giannini Continues to Wow the Consumer Market:
"'They are performing extremely well, despite the slowdown of the general consumer market,' says luxury analyst Yasuhiro Yamaguchi of UBS in London. 'Coach, Tiffany and Burberry are all saying they've started to see slowdown, but Gucci is resisting the cyclical downturn and delivering double-digit growth' . . . For (Head Gucci Designer Frida) Giannini, emphasizing wearable over sexual was part of the plan. 'Women of my generation have a real life,' she says. 'They need to work. They have personal lives. I want to design something for them, something personal, something that comes from the brain.'" (Ouch! Methinks that was just the tiniest bit of a claws-out swipe at Tom Ford.)

***In related news, Gucci makes another savvy business move and hires its first Asian "Face" -- Actor Huang Xiaoming:

"China Red is the new black!"

Is Sustainable Fashion Just Another Designer Fad?:
"Top designers united to support 'FutureFashion' a runway show that presented 30 looks that were created using sustainable materials . . . (the designers) celebrated FutureFashion by creating garments that are made with sustainable materials that included sasawashi, piña, bamboo, organic cotton and wool, corn-based fibers, recycled fibers or fabrics and biopolymers . . . FutureFashion celebrates environmentally conscious fashion by working with the industry to promote renewable, reusable and nonpolluting materials and methods."

Market Analysts Downgrade Ralph Lauren, Shares Slide:
"Shares of high-end apparel maker Polo Ralph Lauren Corp. slipped on Thursday, after two analysts downgraded the stock, bearish on a softening U.S. economy that has many retailers struggling to report strong sales . . . Banc of America Securities analyst Robert F. Ohmes said the company should gain long-term global market share, but thinks it will be difficult for the company to drive earnings per share and sales, given a tough U.S. retail environment this year. Consumers have been scaling back their spending, given weakness in the credit and housing markets, higher gas prices, and a tightening job market."

Fast Fashion Retailer H&M Still Going Strong:
"Sweden's Hennes & Mauritz on Thursday said fourth-quarter profits grew 14 percent and eased concern its business would wilt in the tough economic environment by reporting sales in January increased 16 percent . . . 'It was a strong quarter,' said Nils Vinge, H&M's investor relations manager, in a conference call. Vinge added H&M would open its first stores in Russia, in and around Moscow, starting in 2009."

Fashion Designers Lean Conservative for Fall:
"In collections for fall that American designers plan to present starting on Friday, when another Fashion Week begins in New York, many will jettison the baby-doll dresses, the thigh-high skirts and the disco boots of the spirited Warhol years -- touchstones of recent seasons -- in favor of a meticulously tailored look that evokes the White House years of Jacqueline Kennedy . . . 'We have certainly reached the time where people want to feel good again, to go back to Camelot and pre-Camelot days,' said Marshal Cohen, chief retail analyst with the NPD Group, a market research firm."

When Nature Doesn't Cooperate with the Red Carpet Photo-Op:
Kate Hudson poses for photos on the Red Carpet for the premier of her new movie, Fools Gold -- but the Los Angeles winter winds weren't about to do her any favors.

A designer that was hoping for positive exposure is sobbing into his pillow.

Herve Leger is Back:
"The label, started by a French couturier and transformed by designer Max Azria, will make its runway reappearance during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, which begins tomorrow . . . Under the auspices of his Los Angeles-based BCBGMaxAzria-Group, the brand has gained momentum on the red carpet with celebrities such as Catherine Zeta-Jones, Kate Bosworth, and Victoria Beckham."

Fashion Writer Dana Thomas Exits Newsweek for Conde Nast's Portfolio:
"Dana Thomas, Newsweek's Paris-based European fashion and culture writer and author of "Deluxe: How Luxury Lost Its Luster," is leaving Newsweek to join Portfolio where she will become the magazine's first European correspondent. Throughout her career, Thomas has contributed to The New Yorker, Harper's Bazaar, Vogue, The New York Times Magazine and The Washington Post. Thomas had been with Newsweek for twelve years and is one of the few chroniclers of fashion and luxury to routinely draw attention to the seedy origins and hidden costs of the counterfeit luxury goods market."

***I read her book and found it quite the fascinating page-turner. She's an excellent writer, bringing a piercing intelligence to examinations of the fashion industry from both the business and consumer sides. Her detailed reporting on the multi-billion dollar luxury counterfeit market was chilling.

Industry Critics Say Ethnic Diversity is Glaringly Absent from Today's Catwalks:
"Of the 101 shows and presentations posted on Style.com, more than a third employed no black models, according to an article in Women's Wear Daily . . . Along with the obvious - and serious - issue of racism, some wondered whether it wasn't all becoming just a little boring. Which is why, when Fashion Week opens tomorrow at Bryant Park, observers won't just be looking at the clothes - they'll also be looking for a serious change in who's wearing them."

"Underneath this stepford-white skin, we're all the same."

***In related news, Naomi Campbell Boycotts as Fashion Week Sets Up Camp in Bryant Park: "'Women of color are not a trend,' stated Campbell. 'That's the bottom line. Fashion needs to go back to the way it used to be when wonderful designers like Yves St. Laurent, Gianni Versace and [Azzedine] Alaia just had a great lineup of beautiful women - white, black, Chinese, Hispanic' . . . If the designers were to assault the working class, she'd be totally cool with that though."

The Worst Building in the History of Mankind:

"It's the Ryugyong Hotel in North Korea, where the world's 22nd largest skyscraper has been vacant for two decades and is likely to stay that way ... forever . . . In 1987, Baikdoosan Architects and Engineers put its first shovel into the ground and more than twenty years later, after North Korea poured more than two percent of its gross domestic product to building this monster, the hotel remains unoccupied, unopened, and unfinished."

Luxury Brands Continue to Do Boffo Business in Japan:
"Japan's rich have never been as well off. Luxury goods are reporting record sales, despite turbulence on the country's stock exchange and currency markets . . . Japan's wealthy have been known to be willing to pay good money for high-quality goods and to be very brand-conscious. As a result, medium-quality products have steadily lost market shares over the past years to the advantage of high-priced brands."