March 2008 Archives

The Canary in the Retailing Coal Mine:
"J. C. Penney on Friday slashed its earnings forecast for the first three months of the year by 33 percent, blaming an outright drop in consumer spending that bodes poorly for competitors . . . chief executive of Penney, Myron E. Ullman, said that 'consumer confidence is at a multiyear low . . . J. C. Penney,' he said, 'counts half of American families as its customers, and they are feeling macro-economic pressures from many areas, including higher energy costs, deteriorating employment trends and significant issues in the housing and credit markets.'"

Mass Market Retailers Stock Their Shelves with Runway Interpretations:
"When consumers can afford to revamp their wardrobes on a semi-regular schedule, says Ingram, the stores know they have to keep up with trends. The resulting increase in fashion-forward looks on the rack means buyers can experiment . . . 'They see what the designers are doing on the runway,' says stylist Kay Ingram of Kithe Brewster, Inc., 'and they reinvent it . . . (not) everybody can afford a Karl Lagerfeld.'"

Spot the designer trend-snatching in this H&M Spring 2008 collection clip:

Giorgio Armani to George Clooney -- Shut Up and Get a New Tuxedo!:
"Designer Giorgio Armani was so sick of seeing George Clooney is his old suit that he begged the Hollywood star to stop wearing the designer clothing and sent him a new tuxedo. Clooney has boasted about wearing the same Armani outfit to awards shows and premieres for a decade . . . 'Giorgio Armani actually sent me a new tux and said, `Please either wear this or stop saying you're wearing Armani, because it's frayed',' Contactmusic quoted him, as saying."

***In other news, Armani Among the Latest Luxury Brands Charmed by India's Growth:
"Giorgio Armani is to become the latest of a horde of high-end brands to target India's growing appetite for luxury goods . . . The first Armani outlet will be opened at a new "super luxury mall" being built by DLF, which also has a partnership with Dolce & Gabbana, in New Delhi. By the end of the year, Armani expects to have around five stores across the subcontinent."

Is India the New Promised Land for Luxury Brands?:
"With the report estimating India's population of dollar millionaires at about 100,000, it said growth rate was more than twice that of the US. Estimates suggest that India has more consumers for luxury goods than the adult population of several countries . . . The size of India's luxury market is estimated at around $3.5 billion. Experts say that given the right impetus, it could easily leapfrog to $30 billion by 2015, riding on a consumer class of an estimated 400 million people with rising disposable incomes and a sense of optimism."

A report below on luxury fashion in India:

Carla Bruni-Sarkozy Gives Dior Sales a Healthy Boost:
"After proving a fashion hit during last week's state visit, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy may have given Christian Dior an advertisement better than money could buy . . . Mrs. Sarkozy's choice could have been a savvy business move, engineered by leading French businessman Bernard Arnault. The Times reports that Arnault, a good friend of the President's, could be calling on his friends in high places to help give Dior a revival, after the label received mixed reviews for its last collection. Industry sources claim that exposure could be worth in excess of over £1 million of sales for Dior, after fashion pundits worldwide applauded Mrs. Sarkozy's look."

Check out a video clip of Dior's Fall 2008 show below:

The Synthetic Secrets Behind Your Favorite Perfumes:
"Today, your favourite scents are not coming to you from the garden, but rather straight from a laboratory - they are created from synthetic molecules, not from flowers . . . When a kilo of rose absolute can cost up to £4,000 and its synthetic equivalent costs only £400, it's not hard to see why the perfume industry has embraced synthetic scents . . . In a year when Burberry clothing sales were down, its profits went up 17 per cent - due to perfume sales. Designer Yves Saint Laurent once confessed that perfume made up 85.3 per cent of his house's revenues."

Fashion Houses Increase Their Demand for Seal Fur:
"The commercial hunt virtually collapsed after the European Union banned imports of whitecoat pelts in 1983. In the early 1990s, the hunt took about 60,000 animals annually, but the numbers have risen steadily since the mid-1990s as demand increased from Europe's fashion houses. The landed value of the hunt was pegged at $12 million last year, according to federal officials. The average price per pelt was $52."

It's Your Fault Those Shoes Cost So Damn Much:
'"Footwear is having its runway moment,' says Marshal Cohen, chief analyst for New York market research firm NPD Group. Designers are 'raising the cachet of the brand by having one extravagant style, and that one makes the other pairs seem more reasonable' . . . the going price for a luxury designer pump has climbed from $350 in 2004 to $500 in the last year. Mary Janes, an "it" style for spring, range in price this season from $575 for a sleek patent leather pair by Gucci to $690 for suede ones with zaftig curves by Prada . . . (but) don't fault Lanvin or the retailers for your financial blisters. 'This is a free market,' says Milton Pedraza, chief executive of the Luxury Institute, a retail research firm in New York. 'The consumers are to blame for paying these prices.'"

Oprah introduces Christian Louboutin to her, uhm, less than wealthy audience:

Zac Posen Designs Amazing Collection for Target Australia:
"Having been so unimpressed with the latest Target GO International designers (we had such high hopes for Alice Temperley, and Erin Featherston was just plain disappointing), the new Zac Posen pieces for Target Australia are a breath of fresh air. Zac Posen has a bigger brand than many of the previous GO designers...so why isn't his collection being sold in the United States as well?" -- Why, indeed? This collection looks amazing -- and it's for frickin' Target! It beats the H&M Roberto Cavalli collection with a great big stick.

Indian Consumers Rank Third on the List of Luxury Brand Awareness:
"According to the latest Nielsen Global Luxury Brands study, nearly 35 per cent of Indians, who participated in the survey, confirmed buying luxury brands. This is the third highest percentage globally. Greece leads the pack with 46 per cent, followed by Hong Kong at 38 per cent . . . India has also made it to the top ten markets for some of the brands. India is the third highest purchaser of Gucci products. It is ranked at the sixth position for Calvin Klein, ninth for Diesel and tenth for Fendi."

France's First Lady Steps Out in French Designer Dior While Visiting Abroad:
"Bruni-Sarkozy, an Italian-born pop singer and former model who married the French president in February, caused a mighty splash in Britain, a country where politicians and their spouses are more stolid than stylish . . . Her appearance on the trip . . . was one of demure elegance -- and British commentators were charmed. Wednesday brought three daytime ensembles: all gray, all Christian Dior . . . For Wednesday's state banquet, Bruni-Sarkozy wore a midnight blue silk georgette dress from the same designer. British observers noted the aptness of the choice. Dior is a French fashion house whose chief designer, John Galliano, is English."

Below is a clip of the British media frenzy that followed the Sarkozy couple during their visit -- note Carla Sarkozy in a striking Violet top coat (Dior, I assume):

Cleveland Area Woman Gets Jail Time for Selling Counterfeit Designer Goods:
"Juanita Trois . . . sold fake designer purses, scarves and jewelry at the Kirtland Grange in February 2007. A jury convicted her of trademark counterfeiting and possession of criminal tools . . . During the sentencing hearing, Lake County Common Pleas Judge Eugene A. Lucci said he was concerned that not just Troisi but also those who buy counterfeit purses did not recognize the severity of the
crime. 'What I found interesting and somewhat disheartening is there were a lot of prospective jurors who said they've been to these knock-off purse parties. One said she'd even been to one held by the defendant,' he said. 'That indicates to me that it's pervasive in the community.'" -- In case three years in jail sounds harsh for selling fake handbags, Ms. Troisi had a previous conviction from 1999 for the same offense. The judge at one point asked her if she had learned nothing from her previous arrest and conviction.

Stella McCartney Takes the Express Passage to India:
"Stella McCartney is planning to open six shops in India after (signing a) new contract (for) long term distribution with TGS Internationa Marketing Pvt. Ltd, the company (that also distributes) brands Alberto Ferretti and Lanvin in Asia . . . Stella is planning to open the first two shops by the end of 2008 . . . TSG has the exclusive rights on the designer name in India and will be responsible for the building of the brand in that area."

A video clip of Stella's Spring/Summer 2008 collection follows below:

Laura Ashley Bucks the Downward Economy, Revenues Surge:
"Profits at fashion and homeware retailer Laura Ashley surged by more than 60% in 2007, despite what the company described as a 'challenging trading environment' . . . Dresses were among Laura Ashley's best sellers in the spring/summer season, while the company's expanded coat range was a strong performer in autumn/winter."

Advice From Dries Van Noten:
"Everybody dresses the way they want to dress. David Beckham--he's trying very hard. I'm not so fond of his look, but I think a lot of people consider it extremely stylish. So who am I to say it's unstylish? I'm not a dictator . . . Listen to what other people are saying about the way you dress, because in the end, fashion is a way of communicating. When you get your message wrong, it's good that the people around you let you know."

Samsonite Turns Itself Around from Near-Bankrupt Drab to Global Fab:
"Former Louis Vuitton CEO, Marcello Bottoli, is turning Samsonite from an American basket case into a European, multibrand powerhouse . . . 'I predict 10% growth a year, for five years,' says its 46-year-old Italian-born CEO Marcello Bottoli, who was until 2004 CEO of an even more iconic brand, Louis Vuitton . . . As well as building on a hugely successful expansion into footwear and a move into the women's handbag market - 'which once would have been considered outrageous,' laughs Bottoli - the current transformation will involve a big push into eyewear, men's and women's fashion accessories, timepieces, mobile phones, stationery and various hush-hush projects."

Below is a video clip preview of Samsonite's 2008 Black Label Collection:

Women Got 'Em, Fashion Designers Want to Hide 'Em:
"(Vogue) Fashion director Lucinda Chambers makes it clear that a girl's best assets are worse than last season: they are over, over, over, and must be disguised at all costs . . . Breasts, one may infer, represent the difference between the haute and the high street. Where flat chests are chic and classy, so heaving bosoms are judged trashy, de trop . . . A straining cleavage has become the benighted preserve of the glamour model and aspiring Big Brother starlet."

Emerging Markets are the Lifeline of the Luxury Brands:
"Gildo Zegna said sales would slow this year partly because of US subprime credit fallout, and that his company is relying on emerging markets to take up the slack. 'Sales will be up, but I don't think they will be double-digit,' he predicted. 'There is a slowdown in the American economy, Japan is flat, but we still can count on a decent increase in Europe, a stronger increase still in China, South-East Asia and Eastern Europe.' . . . According to Franck Petitgas, international investment banking chief at Morgan Stanley, despite the US downturn and slower sales growth in Western Europe, luxury companies posted results for the third quarter of 2007 that showed an average growth of 12% to 16%. Emerging markets, he says, played a substantial role."

Speedo's New Suit May Be Too Slick for Its Own Good:
"A spate of swimming world records have led the sport's governing body to call a meeting with Speedo to discuss the properties of the company's recently launched LZR Racer swimsuit . . . it is the 13 world records -- 12 in the Speedo LZR -- since mid February that have turned heads at the FINA . . . 'We are going to meet with the manufacturers in Manchester [in April] and review the regulations and we are going to look at the thickness of the material,' FINA chief Cornel Marculsecu told BBC Sport."

A video clip of Speedo's new LZR Racer below:

Gryson Teams Up With Target for Mass Fashion Handbags:
"Like Rafe, and Devi Kroell before, the bags are unmistakable in styling. What they lack in material quality, they make up for in design aesthetic. As a matter of fact, partnerships like these, do allow someone who is a slave to fashion (or who just knows what they like, even if it is out of their price range) to own a bag that looks like the real thing...with full designer brand sanctioning. No need to even consider counterfeits when the designers are basically knocking themselves off."

Savvy Consumers Shop with Blackberry in Hand:
"The majority (67 percent) of today's Web-savvy shoppers spend more than 30 percent of their total shopping time researching products on the Web . . . Web-informed buyers' rely on multiple information sources for their product research and have developed sophisticated behaviors and requirements as they use the websites of manufacturers and e-tailers to determine what to buy and where to buy it . . . 'This is one of the periods where the customer is empowered,' said John D. Morris, an apparel industry analyst for Wachovia. 'The retailer knows that the customer is enduring tough times -- and is more willing to be the one who blinks first in that stare-down match.'"

H&M Sets Its Future Sights on Celebrity Design Trends:
'Celebrities set the trends now. That and what's going on in the street," says H&M Creative Director Margareta van den Bosch. 'Kate Moss is still another influence,' added head of women's wear Ann-Sofie Johansson. 'Rihanna is another, as is Chloë Sevigny and models like Agyness Deyn. Our costumers aren't interested in [catwalk] designers. They look at celebrities.'" -- H&M has successfully collaborated with top designers in the past, such as Stella McCartney, Victor & Rolf and Roberto Cavalli. Expect them to start collaborating in the future with celebrity style makers. Victoria Beckham and Katie Holmes, perhaps?

A video clip of the creative process behind Roberto Cavalli's collaboration with H&M:

North America Cools on Desire for Luxury Brands:
"When looking at who actually buys designer brands today, the United Arab Emirates and Hong Kong come out on top. Almost one-third of survey respondents living in these areas claimed to buy the brand with the iconic interlocking-G logo. Only 7% of North American shoppers polled buy Gucci products . . . While designer goods are certainly desirable in emerging markets, North America was the least interested in luxury brands, with 35% of respondents claiming they would not be tempted to buy even if money was not an issue. When quality comes into play, 34% of respondents in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America believe designer goods have the highest quality vs. non-designer; that figure falls to 20% for both Europe and North America."

Vogue Cover Image Stirs Up Racial Controversy:
"(On) the cover of the April 2008 'Shape Issue' of Vogue. Basketball player LeBron James can be seen with his arm around Gisele Bündchen, not unlike how King Kong held Fay Wray . . . James' brutish physicality is being sold as athletic prowess; however, hasn't the ideal athlet(ic image) been one of grace and strength? Haven't images elevating athletes aimed to strike down the ignorant jock? Favor(ing) classical over primal? Yet, James is not even a well-oiled machine -- he's hunkered and roaring. The first black male to appear on Vogue is playing the Beast to Bündchen's Beauty . . . "

"Is there a rule that we must have our mouths WIDE OPEN for Vogue?"

It's worth taking a look at Ralph Rucci's Fall/Winter 2008 collection:

Vogue Editor Anna Wintour Makes Worst Dressed List:
"Vogue editor Anna Wintour has long been considered an arbiter of taste stateside, but she isn't getting much love in her native UK: In what is no doubt a shameless publicity ploy . . . the Daily Mail has anointed the austere bob-rocking editor to its worst-dressed list. 'Despite her huge resources,' says the Mail, Wintour 'never looks as though she is enjoying what she is wearing: her hair is too rigid, her back too straight.'"

The Secret Success of Eskander:
"Eskandar, a small designer brand with a devout following, has a growing footprint at Bergdorf Goodman . . . 'We are a little-known brand, and we don't do much in the way of advertising,' designer Eskandar Nabavi said at the March 6 opening of the shop. 'But we have a very high turnover at Bergdorf Goodman. We are kind of a secret success.' . . . 'We are extremely proud of our relationship with Eskandar,' said Jim Gold, Bergdorf's chief executive officer. 'He has his own aesthetic. It's a multicultural, eclectic sensibility, yet extremely luxurious. And the label is ours exclusively in Manhattan.'"

Yohji Yamamoto To Stage Fashion Show in Beijing's Forbidden City:
"Yohji Yamamoto could inadvertently stir up a whole batch of drama in China when he stages a fashion show in Beijing's Forbidden City next month . . . in an effort to defuse potential China-Japan tension over the event, Yamamoto is organizing the show in collaboration with the Chinese government and will use the occasion as a personal apology to the Chinese people for Japan's atrocities during its World War II invasion, according to a spokesman. The event also will include the unveiling of a fellowship from the Yohji Yamamoto Fund for Peace to sponsor a Chinese designer to study."

Jimmy Choo Adds Sunglasses to Its Fashion Vocabulary:
"Just when you thought sunglasses couldn't get any bigger or any more over-the-top, leave it to Jimmy Choo to come out with a glam version with almost goggle-like proportions . . . Inspired by oversize frames from the '70s and '80s like Linda Farrow, they're perfectly in keeping with the Jimmy Choo vibe of fame and fabulousness . . . Best-seller the "Rock" comes embellished with a huge Swarovski crystal on the side of the frame, in black, topaz or rosy pink. Retailing at $430, it's the most expensive pair in the collection."

Her future's so bright, she's gotta wear Choos . . .

***In related news, hot Canadian design duo DSquared2 are also launching a new eyewear line: "Eyewear was our missing link and we feel it's important because a pair of glasses can make a distinctive statement and pull a look together," said Dan Caten. "We plan a sporty chic look by working with sharp and linear shapes and using color and enamel details."

Puma Plans for Next Phase of Growth with Designer Hussein Chalayan:
"Last month at the Paris fashion shows, Puma announced it had made British designer Hussein Chalayan a full-time creative director, and had also bought a majority stake in the designer's fashion business . . . 'We changed the equation [by using fashion designers]. Since then others have followed suit so we decided it was time to take the next big step forward and bring in Chalayan.' . . . The two-time winner of the 'British Designer of the Year' will now oversee design for all of Puma's footwear, clothes and accessories which will be reflected in the winter 2009 collections."

Alexander McQueen is the Coolest Clothing Brand in the UK:
"Aston Martin has been named the UK's coolest brand, followed by Alexander McQueen clothing and the iPod, at the CoolBrands Awards, part of the Superbrands organisation . . . Agent Provocateur clothing, which recently featured Kate Moss in an advertising campaign, was fourth, while Jimmy Choo footwear was ninth."

Catch the video clip below of Alexander McQueen's wildly inventive show in Paris this past March:

US Customs Intercepts Chinese Shipping Container Full of Fake Designer Bags:
"With an estimated domestic value of over $500,000 and Manufacturers Suggested Retail Price of over $22 million . . . CBP officers at the Los Angeles port of entry discovered . . . a container arriving from China containing handbags bearing counterfeit trademarks of Coach, Gucci, Chanel and several other famous brands. 'These counterfeit products violate federal law pertaining to intellectual property rights. CBP maintains an aggressive program to intercept shipments containing commodities which violate any laws of the United States,' said Kevin W. Weeks, CBP director of Field Operations, Los Angeles."

Hermès Group Posts Full Year Profit Despite Currency Fluctuations:
As if anyone is at all surprised that Hermès can still manage to post a profit even in the bleakest of retail outlooks -- "Revenues in Japan edged up only 3%, but rapid growth in China pushed sales up 15% in Asia. Silk and textiles had a good year with growth of 16%, a figure matched by the company's leather bags . . . Hermès will open or renovate about 40 stores in 2008, in the US and Asia, and particularly in China. It will also open its first store in India, located in New Delhi."

***Meanwhile, mid-range retailer Guess is on a roll, reporting record earnings for their 4th quarter with international sales numbers coming in hot hot hot. When and how did Guess become hip again? Is it because of commercials like this?:

Katie Holmes Denies Reports That She Will Design for Armani:
"OK! magazine had claimed the actress planned to roll out three collections over the next two years, the first of which would be aimed at toddlers. The 'Katie Holmes for Armani' range would then release a line for older children, with women's clothing and handbags following in 2010. However, her representative swiftly moved to quash the rumours, saying: 'She is not designing a children's line for Giorgio Armani.'"

Donatella Versace "Startles" Herself in the Mirror:
We think we know why . . .

Man Sells Over $7 Million Worth of Bogus Gucci Stock:
"A Canadian man pleaded guilty to U.S. charges that he sold $7.3 million in bogus stock options in Gucci Group NV . . . Timothy Khan admitted Tuesday that he deceived an investor in 1995 when he claimed he was on a Gucci advisory board and offered to sell the options at a price discounted from the company's initial public offering . . . Khan said the unidentified investor paid him $7.3 million for options to buy shares in the IPO and other offerings." ***Damn, even the stocks are now fake . . .

Thieves Snatch Over $60,000 Dollars Worth of Anya Hindmarch Loot:
"ANYA HINDMARCH's new Bond Street store was broken into last night at around 11pm, thieves making off with £30,000 worth of the stylish designer bags from the label's spring/summer collection . . . So coveted are each of the new additions to the company's leather bags and accessories (including this season's Cooper bag that has already found its way on to Angelina Jolie's arm), that the Ledbury Road store was also targeted last year."

Photos of Jolie carrying Hindmarch's Cooper Tote created instant demand.

Louis Vuitton Wins Copyright/Trademark Lawsuits in China:
"Louis Vuitton has won a lawsuit against a Chinese hotel who leased space to a shop selling counterfeit products using the French luxury producer's logo, state media reported Tuesday . . . Separately, the French firm has also won another suit against a Chinese handbag producer in Beijing for copying its trademark design, according to sources at a court in the Chinese capital, Xinhua said. The handbag company obtained a Chinese patent in October 2003 for a handbag design, but Louis Vuitton said it was too similar to its trademark design and took the company to court in April 2007."

Katie Holmes Set to Release a Fashion Line Under the Armani Label:
"The actress is set to release her own clothing line with fashion powerhouse Giorgio Armani, aptly named Katie Holmes for Armani . . . her first collection will be aimed at the much smaller shoppers: toddlers. Using nearly two-year-old daughter Suri as inspiration, the chic line will be out as soon as Spring 2009 . . . From there, Holmes has a line for older children to hit stores in Fall 2009 and finally a line of women's clothes and handbags for Fall 2010." ***Victoria Beckham must be positively seething . . .

Former Chloe Designer May Take the Reins at Celine:
"Phoebe Philo, the former creative director of Chloe, may be about to return to the fashion the world after a semi sabbatical of three years as the designer of Paris label Celine . . . Fashion circles had been obsessed with the future plans of Philo since she dramatically quit her job at Chloe in 2005, in the most prominent example of designer burnout this century . . . The return of the highly acclaimed Philo would be a significant coup for Celine and for its owner, French luxury conglomerate LVMH . . . Despite intensive talks, both sides are understood to be significantly apart in terms, with Philo requesting a salary several times as large as Celine's current designer, Croatian-born Ivana Omazic."

For a look at the kind of creative, sophisticated buzz Phoebe Philo brought to Chloe, check out the video clip below:

Reebok Fined $1 Million Dollars for Toxic Bracelets:
"Reebok International has been fined $1m for importing and distributing charm bracelets containing toxic levels of lead . . . The charm bracelets were provided as free gifts with the purchase of various styles of children's footwear. In March 2006, a 4-year-old boy from Minneapolis who swallowed the bracelet's heart-shaped pendant died."

Giorgio Armani Comes Down With a Case of Amy Winehouse Fever:
"Amy Winehouse has been offered $1million (£500,000) to perform live at the forthcoming celebrity party at the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute in New York on May 5 . . . Giorgio Armani, who is hosting the bash, asked George Clooney and Julia Roberts to help sign up Winehouse . . . 'Giorgio has made no secret to his friends that he would love to work with Amy', an anonymous source is quoted as saying. 'He sees this party as an ideal opportunity to sound her out about future projects.'" -- Isn't he just a little behind the curve on this one? I mean, Karl Lagerfeld has been glomming onto Winehouse for the last six months or so, if not longer . . .

Botkier is the Latest Fashion Brand to Go Target:
"Sources said designer Monica Botkier is designing a line of bags for the mass merchant. Rafe, Devi Kroell, Loeffler Randall, Hollywould and Gryson most recently did lines for Target."

Shiny Fashion does a little piece on Botkier Bags:

Ralph Lauren Mulls Men's-Only Boutique on Madison Avenue:
"Retailers seem to have finally realized that men actually do like to shop, and that they need more places to do so. Just a few days ago, it was revealed that J.Crew execs are planning a men's-only boutique in Tribeca. Now, news of an in-the-works men's-only Ralph Lauren boutique has surfaced . . . The preppy American design house has decided to turn its Rhinelander Mansion store into a menswear shop, which will open sometime next year."

Uber-Luxury Car Brand Maybach Goes Kaputzky:
"After years struggling to make its ultra-exclusive Maybach brand more than just a costly asterisk on the auto industry sales charts, could Daimler AG be getting ready to call it quits in the rarified ultra-luxury market? . . . Last year, the world's wealthiest motorists purchased just 146 Maybach vehicles, some of which can nudge over the $500,000 mark with the right level of customization. That number is barely a tenth of what the then-DaimlerChrysler AG originally projected for the brand, which was a revival of a once-legendary German luxury marque, but one which hadn't seen production since before World War II."

Below is a video clip of the Maybach Exelero concept car:

Hillary and Her Horrible Wardrobe Choices:
"Of course a woman shouldn't be denied the presidency just because she can't dress well, but that is not the point with Clinton - she has always carefully tailored her style to what she thinks the electorate desires. Just look back at photographs from when Bill was elected and Hillary was wearing pleated skirts and alice bands, looking very much like a Sloane circa 1984. In short, she is doing what she thinks she should as opposed to having a splinter of courage and being true to herself. Which kinda makes you wonder what sort of leader she would be."

Nike Develops Second Thoughts About Using Factories in China:
"Not only are the costs of manufacturing in China soaring, but falsified documents, underage workers and unpaid wages are still hampering the country's progress according to a new report from Nike . . . the findings are particularly alarming given that China is widely thought to have one of the top social compliance regimes in the industry, boosted by a new labour contract law introduced at the beginning of this year."

Donna Karan Returns to Menswear:
"Liz Claiborne Inc. and Donna Karan International, the fashion design house, will launch a new collection of men's sportswear, called DKNY Men's, for the "better" market in the US and Canada . . . DKNY Men's will represent the modern yet timeless sensibility of the DKNY brand. It will combine stylish function and versatility, the core of a complete men's lifestyle brand, and will offer an array of product from wovens, knits and trousers to blazers and outerwear. Price points for the line will range from $59.50 to $595. DKNY men's will debut in department stores for Fall 08."

Collapse of Bear Sterns Will Likely Impact Luxury Brands:
"Robert H. Parks, professor of finance at Pace University's Lubin School of Business in New York and a former Wall Street economist, isn't so sure that current crisis will resolve itself quickly. 'The credit markets will kill the fashion and retail industry. I am anticipating a systemic financial meltdown across the United States....Liquidity has evaporated. Hedge funds, banks, and private equity won't touch anything that looks like a risky move' . . . 'Retailers have been suffering to this point,' said Paul Nolte, director of investments at Hinsdale Associates. 'Their stock prices have been suffering for almost a year and there will be more of the same for awhile, at least until we get halfway through whatever recession this currently is.'"

***Meanwhile, analysts speculate that Coach may be among the hardest hit of the luxury brands due to a growth model that relies heavily on the aspirational, mass market consumer: "But some analysts and investors worry that the very strategies that made Coach's ascent so spectacular may compound its challenges in a declining market. The consensus is that elite brands like Vuitton, Hermès, and Gucci are less susceptible to a recession because their customers will still splurge, regardless of the economy's ebb and flow. European brands are more diversified, producing ready-to-wear clothing that can offset a decline in handbags and accessories. Coach, meanwhile, sells mostly handbags and accessories (and it doesn't do business in Europe, where it would be unlikely to gain traction on a continent that is home to so many high-end fashion houses, so even the strong euro won't help)."

The Skinny Look for Men is Easing Into Mainstream Fashion:
"At the height of the fashion world, super-slim is in -- for men too. Maharishi T-shirts that hug the handles. Rag & Bone skinny jeans. Dior Homme suits cut for 28-inch waists on 6-foot frames. Chicagoan Zachary Bailey, who stands 6 foot 1 and weighs 130 pounds, can attest. He was discovered at age 16 and landed modeling gigs for DKNY, John Varvatos and Triple Five Soul . . . 'It used to be really hard to find clothes that fit me,' Bailey says. 'In high school all my clothes would be designer. Now I can shop at the Gap.'"

In the Year 1995:
Fashion excess in the heady Internet bubble days of the mid-90's when cash flowed like champagne and big names were being made.

Perfumes Now Celebrate Body Odors Rather Than Cover Them Up:
"In the world of perfume, sex is selling . . . Perfumers today build perfumes around accords of saliva and sweat, and advertise ejaculation. What is advertisement without semen? Images of sex and death inundate us; perhaps their odours are becoming less taboo. Perhaps culture has convinced people to become so clean, so antiseptic, that the smells of dirt and decay are desirable. Perhaps it is a CSI effect: People are fascinated with the forensics of blood, semen, decomposition. Or perhaps it's all marketing."

Shoes Continue Making Gains on the Handbag as the Fashion Favorite:
"Certain 'it-shoes', such as the Tribute stiletto by Yves Saint Laurent . . . are selling out fast. Department store Harvey Nichols reports a 15 per cent rise in shoe sales this season and a higher demand for catwalk heels - the towering shoes which models wear in the fashion shows - than 'selling' heels, the shorter, tamer versions normally sold in stores . . . 'I think it will pan out differently to the it-bag trend,' says (shoe designer Jonathan) Kelsey. 'Not everyone can wear a 12cm platform. As a designer, you have to offer the shoe in varying heights and formats; there'll have to be a broader spectrum of styles. There are more things to take into consideration - all the decoration will have to be different. The challenge is going to be finding the right balance.'"

Tommy Hilfiger Plans 5th Avenue Flagship:
"Tommy Hilfiger announced Wednesday it will open a 22,000 square foot global flagship store at 681 Fifth Avenue, between 53rd and 54th Streets . . . The new flagship location will cover 4 floors of retail space, and will be the first Tommy Hilfiger store to offer all its product lines, including the runway collection, men-swear, womens-wear, childrens-swear, tailored, footwear, accessories, home and its denim collection."

Video clip below of the Hilfiger Fall 2008 Runway Show:

Tom Ford -- "Parisian Men Don't Know How to Dress":
Tom Ford speaks candidly with Fantastic Man magazine regarding plans for the expansion of the Tom Ford brand -- "'[We'll have] about 50 stores in the next two years. Except Paris. Paris is not a priority. Our stuff is not aimed at tourists coming in and taking a lot home--and Parisian men don't know how to dress!'"

Hugo Boss in Disarray After Third Top Executive Resigns:
"Guiseppe Vita, The chairman of Hugo Boss's supervisory board, has resigned after a row with Permira, the fashion company's private equity owner. Guiseppe Vita will step down after Hugo Boss's annual meeting on May 10 . . . Mr Vita's expected departure is believed to follow a demand by Permira for a special dividend to help to repay loans of approximately €1 billion that it took out to buy the company . . . Gert Bauer, who represents the IG Metall union on the supervisory board, said: 'We fear [the company] will be bled in instalments. I had no choice other than to vote against it because we could not obtain conditions that would have secured the company's site.'"

Limited Edition Clinton, Obama T-Shirts Compete for Your Dollars:
"While presidential hopefuls Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama compete for the Democratic nomination on the campaign trail, another silent battle is being waged on the fashion front. It's a bidding war. And the objects of desire are limited-edition T-shirts featuring the faces of Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Obama . . . 'I think that people really want to wear their choice for presidential candidate on their back,' said eBay pop culture expert Karen Bard. 'It's almost like wearing your vote.' Over the past several weeks, she said, the Clinton shirt sold for an average of $65.58 and the Obama shirt sold for an average of $381.39."

United States Sees Big Fall in Retail Sales as Economy Slumps:
"Retail sales in the US fell by an unexpectedly large amount in February, the latest sign that the world's largest economy may be in trouble . . . 'The slowdown that we know is happening in the banks has manifested itself on Main Street,' said Joe Francomano from Erste Bank in New York. 'These economic numbers are going to get much worse and after the retail sales number, we saw the dollar trade lower,' he added. Analysts had been expecting a rise of 0.2% in retail sales."

***In related news, the increase of millionaire households in the United States in 2007 saw its slowest growth in years.

Gucci Customers are the Happiest of All:
"High net-worth consumers rated Gucci the fashion brand that offers the best customer experience in the 2008 Luxury Customer Experience Index survey from the independent New York-based Luxury Institute . . . Respondents commented that Gucci has "leading edge style," and "immediate recognition." Louis Vuitton and Faconnable ranked second and third, respectively."

A look at Gucci's Fall 2008 collection below:

US Menswear Label Joseph Abboud to Expand to the UK:
"US menswear brand Joseph Abboud will debut in the UK next year, to take on premium brands such as Hugo Boss and Polo Ralph Lauren . . . 'The brand will appeal to customers that are looking for something different to other more highly distributed designer brands,' said senior vice president of licensing, Kenton Selvey. 'Joseph Abboud has a more European feel than a lot of US fashion brands, and we want the UK to be our first European market.'"

Virginia Police Crack Down on Designer Brand Counterfeits:
"Police detectives confiscated more than $100,000 worth of counterfeit versions of designer and name-brand products from a store in Portsmouth . . . Based on the information gained in (undercover) operations, the detectives went to the (Now Fashions) store on Thursday morning and seized $100,000 in counterfeit items bearing such brand names as Baby Phat, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Coach and NFL."

Smash and Grab Gangs Wreck Havoc on Britain's High-End Shops:
"A motorcycle gang struck in the West End for the second time in two days with a failed smash-and-grab raid on a designer shoe shop. The thieves smashed the window of the Jimmy Choo boutique in New Bond Street last night - less than 200 yards from Tuesday's attack on Italian fashion retailer Salvatore Ferragamo . . . Other stores in Bond Street and Sloane Street have stepped up security following a wave of motorbike raids. The royal jeweller Asprey has been hit at least six times, losing some £400,000 worth of watches in one raid alone. It led to Asprey importing 22mm reinforced glass for its shopfront at huge cost. Gucci, hit at least twice in Bond Street and three times in Sloane Street, now employs 24-hour security guards."

Why buy fakes when you can buy stolen items that are the real deal?

Up and Comer Richard Chai Tapped for Target's Next Designer Collaboration:
Richard Chai will be the 12th high-end designer to work with mass market retailer Target for their popular Go Target line of ready to wear. Chai is known for his minimalist chic style, and his collection for Target will be available this coming August.

Check out a video clip of his Fall/Winter 2008 show from New York:

Online Retailers Discover the Male Shopper, and Like What They See:
"This group is a retailer's dream: When shopping online, they spend more, make snap decisions -- and return less stuff. Who are these desirable shoppers? Men . . . Some retailers, such as Italy's Yoox Group SpA, are launching shopping sites just for men, while others, including Neiman Marcus Group Inc. and Saks Inc., are beefing up their men's sections and tweaking their sites to make it easier -- and faster -- for men to shop."

Fashion Critic Cathy Horyn Barred from Shows and Could Care Less:
"The subject of banning journalists from fashion shows seems as quaint as the practice itself, neither a commendation to the industry nor a badge of honor to the critic. Indeed, fashion is the only creative field that attempts to bar the news media . . . This is 2008. Two hours after a hot show like Prada or Balenciaga anyone, not just reporters, can pull up images on the Internet and post their opinions on blogs around the world. The wonder to me is not why a designer like Mr. Armani bans a journalist. Rather it is why he doesn't use the power of digital technology to take his message directly to the public, effectively knocking out journalists who complain that his clothes are out of touch."

Dolce & Gabbana Progress from Tax Evasion Charges to Criminal Investigation:
"Last week the fashion house was ordered to pay a $3 million fine for tax evasion. But this criminal investigation is a whole other bag. It seems the company that owns Dolce & Gabbana, Luxembourg-based Gado Sarl, is a legal entity used to avoiding Italy's higher corporate taxes. Investigators are also looking into potentially shady books at the house's U.S. subsidiaries."

Hot Brand Balenciaga Opens A Boutique in Los Angeles:
"The 5,000-square-foot freestanding store . . . on Melrose Avenue in West Hollywood is the only Balenciaga boutique in the U.S outside Manhattan. The other retail units are in London, Paris, Milan and Hong Kong . . . Each of Balenciaga's stores has a distinct look and feel, a standard that creative director Ghesquière and his store design partner, French artist Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster, are determined to achieve. The elaborately designed, two-floor West Hollywood space looks like something out of a high-glamour, futuristic film."

Dries Van Noten to Receive International Designer of the Year Award:
"Belgian designer Dries Van Noten will be honored with the International Designer Award on Jun 2, 2008 during CFDA's gala night when the Council recognizes the outstanding achievements of American designers."

I liked Van Noten's Fall 2008 collection from Paris better than I've liked, well, any of his previous shows -- he seems to have made a genuine and very real leap forward in both design and accessiblity. Below is a video clip:

The "It" Shoe Replaces the Bag as the Must Have Accessory:
"Think less in terms of a nifty pair of pumps to carry you from A to B, and more sci-fi fantasy footwear to transport the wearer into an all-new fashion dimension . . . 'Gone are the days of Vivienne Westwood being the only extreme-shoe producer - now they are all at it,' says Gaia Geddes. 'Platforms, wedges, enormous block heels, and even heel-less heels are de rigueur. It may have something to do with models not being as tall as they used to be in the Eighties, or that the clothes are becoming more couture-like, which means you need a stronger shoe to balance the look.'"

Alexander McQueen's Statement Shoes Fail the Water-Cooler Test:
"Women love heels because they make their legs look longer. And by lifting you up on to the balls of your feet, they force you to clench calf and thigh muscles, which makes your legs look shapelier. But the (McQueen) chopines offer none of these benefits. I was eight inches taller after I put them on, but fell to the ground within 30 seconds, so the hike didn't last long. They might as well have been stilts: all I could do was shuffle to the water cooler like a demented geisha. I rarely employ the vernacular of LA teenagers, but these shoes are damn fugly."

In an alternate reality, these shoes are worn by the gods . . .

The House of Burberry May Be In Play:
"Burberry Group Plc, the maker of $3,100 metal-studded Knight handbags, rose for a second day in London trading on speculation the luxury brand may be bought . . . London's Times newspaper this weekend said Coach Inc., the largest U.S. luxury-goods maker, was a 'possible predator,' citing 'vague' bid speculation." Burberry's stock price has fallen nearly 50% in the last year, which makes it a more attractive target for takeover. Gucci Group owner PPR is also rumored as a potential buyer.

Falling Out of Love with the "It" Bag:
"'Women have become more cynical about celebrity-endorsed products. Many will no longer be as quick to spend hundreds, even thousands of pounds on a bag just because the likes of Posh Spice have been snapped with one. Especially when these days the must-have looks are quickly translated to the high street,' says Katrin Magnussen, senior fashion analyst at Mintel . . . 'We've been writing this for some time at The Times,' says fashion editor Lisa Armstrong. 'It was such an obvious outcome for a phenomenon that had been endlessly hyped. Customers are wise to the fact that celebrity "endorsements" have become devalued when the celebs all get bombarded with freebies.'"

Weak Dollar Continues to Pinch at European Luxury Brands:
"Everywhere one looks, currency woes are eroding the profits of European companies that pay most of their costs in strengthening euros, but collect most of their revenues in declining dollars . . . The falling dollar is even tempering the good times for luxury brands long considered the most resilient sector of the market . . . 'Most definitely, the falling dollar has affected European luxury goods firms that exported to the United States,' said Milton Pedraza, chief executive of the Luxury Institute, a research firm in New York. 'Recently both Gucci and Louis Vuitton announced price increases, and we know anecdotally that many others have been increasing prices since 2004 to leverage the good times and insure themselves.'"

If you wait until tomorrow, it's only going to cost you more . . .

Designer Anti-Knockoff Bill Stalls Before It Reaches Congress:
"High-end designers have been moaning about copyright protection and the proliferation of knockoffs for years, but after working with the American Apparel and Footwear Association to iron out a fashion copyright bill called the Design Piracy Prohibition Act, the CFDA just received some bad news: The AAFA has rejected the compromise bill, which they feel would not adequately ensure original designs get protection, and they fear the costs and lawsuits that would arise as clothing makers try to avoid being copycats."

***In related news, Designer Derek Lam thinks the CFDA Anti-Knockoff bill is bullshit: "There's no such thing as original design, and I'd be the last person to say that I hadn't been inspired by people like Chanel and Yves Saint Laurent," said Lam last night at a launch party for his new sunglasses line at ILORI. "In a way, that's what fashion's about."

Tom Ford Styles a Suave New Spy for a Retro Generation:
"James Bond is forsaking tuxedos made by the heartbreakingly expensive Brioni. Tom Ford has won the licence for twill . . . Close examination of Tom Ford's oeuvre shows that, when it comes to tuxedos, he is old-school. The appointment represents a decision to ignore the foibles of modern fashion and stick with slick. Which means that, in the forthcoming Quantum of Solace, the celestial Mr Craig will be back in black tie."

"Who does a super spy have to gun down to get a decent tux around here?"

Ready to Wear is the New Haute Couture:
"The recently concluded Paris Prêt-a-porter season surprised many with the ready-to-wear collections that almost approximate haute couture in terms of fabric and cuts, including the embroidery and tailoring techniques . . . collection after collection surpassed the normal specs for luxury ready-to-wear to the point that it is nearer haute couture . . . Like the vinyl records that were replaced by the CD, or the VHS video player/recorder that has been replaced by DVD today, haute couture will find itself as a white elephant if it does not change or to use today's lingo - upgrade."

What Your Purse Says About You:
"Clutch, hand bag or purse -- whatever the name of your all-inclusive accessory, it can say a lot about you. Whether you love those over-the-shoulder boulder holders, or if tiny totes are your thing, your pocketbook is telling the world more than you realize."

Chloe Gets a New Designer:
"French fashion house Chloe said Monday it had appointed Britain's Hannah MacGibbon as its new chief designer, taking over from Sweden's Paulo Melim Andersson. The 38-year-old MacGibbon has worked at Chloe for the past five years, as lieutenant to fellow Britons Phoebe Philo and Stella McCartney, and has also designed for the Italian designer Valentino. The luxury fashion house did not give a reason for Andersson's departure."

Below is a video clip of Andersson's last collection for Chloe for Fall 2008:

They Rocked the Runways, but Will They Fly Off the Shelves?:
"Fashion designers get two sets of score cards. One comes from the fashion critics and magazine editors who watch runway shows and weigh in on the creativity of a collection . . . The other score cards come from store buyers. They want pieces that will sell . . . Generally, a mere 20% to 30% of the designer clothes sold in stores come from the runway. The rest come from so-called pre-collections -- clothes sold ahead of fashion week -- that are less dramatic, made to be sold rather than photographed."

A video clip of Lanvin's Fall 08 collection -- most of this collection is very consumer friendly which created a buzz of excitement not only with fashion critics, but also with buyers:

Yet Another Chinese Counterfeit Ring Busted in Britain:
"Lily Lee, aged 44, was told by Judge Robert Moore QC at Sheffield Crown Court she had six months to pay back the proceeds of her crimes - or face 10 years in prison . . . The former chairwoman of the Chinese Community Forum headed up a sophisticated operation which saw millions of pounds worth of counterfeit goods smuggled into Britain from China . . . Officers searched the Wang Lee premises where they found fake branded goods including Nike, Dolce & Gabbana, Louis Vuitton, Levi, Armani, Paul & Shark, G-Star, and Evisu."

Dolce & Gabbana Clobbered with Back-Tax Charges of Over 90 Million Euros:
"Italian fashion designers Dolce & Gabbana have been forced to pay 90 million euros in taxes which authorities say they avoided by declaring income abroad . . . finance police had found their company had channelled 260 million euros of income through a company in Luxembourg in 2004-2006 . . . Italy's government has launched a campaign to clamp down on tax evasion and celebrities have not been exempted. Last month motorcycling champion Valentino Rossi agreed to pay 35 million euros in back taxes related to his decision to take up residence in Britain and still spend time in Italy."

Roland Mouret Teams with Victoria Beckham for Limited Edition Line:
"Victoria Beckham is creating a limited edition clothing range with fashion designer Roland Mouret . . . A source said: 'This is going to be immense for Victoria. Her denim and sunglasses ranges have been hugely successful but this takes her profile to another level. Roland Mouret is a hugely credible designer. For him to agree to team up with Victoria proves she is a real fashion force to be reckoned with in her own right, and not just a celebrity name.'"

A video clip of Victoria Beckham, the future fashion icon, below:

Global Luxury Brands Add Some Indian Spice to the Mix:
"Big names in fashion have come up with stunning designs that feature stylish inspirations from India . . . Explains Shantanu Mukerji, country head, Zegna India, 'As India gains credence in the world economy, the designs and the inspiration for designs become all the more attractive. So as India becomes bigger, the interest in the economy will just become more and more visible' . . . Iconic fashion designer Alberta Ferretti confesses to the strong influence that Indian fashion has in the West. 'Fashion in India is a continuous source of impulses for my job too! That's hardly surprising considering that India has already become one of the largest and progressive Asian nations known.'"

Ralph Lauren Loses Trademark Suit Over Horse and Rider Logos:
"Polo Ralph Lauren has lost its bid to prevent the United States Polo Association and its merchandising partner, Jordache Ltd., from using logos that resemble its famous trademark of a horseman whacking a ball. The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals this week refused to overturn a jury's 2005 finding that three out of four logos used by the Polo Association didn't infringe on Ralph Lauren's mark."

Bugatti Hermes Collaboration Unveiled at Geneva Car Show:
"This, the world's most fascinating car, has pushed back the limits of physical engineering to offer a completely new sensation for driver and passenger alike, but it has also adopted a radically different stance to that of other sports cars: its features and finish are sure to impress the most demanding clientele. Hermès and designer Gabriele Pezzini have lavished attention on the interior and exterior of this exceptional car, to create the new Bugatti Veyron 16.4: the 'Bugatti Veyron Fbg par Hermès'."

Want me, need me, hold me, love me . . .

Get a (very brief) glimpse of the new Bugatti fbg par Hermes below -- only two shots of the interior, but hopefully more will be available later:

Roberto Cavalli Courting Private Equity Funds to Invest in His Company:
"Italian designer Roberto Cavalli is moving closer to selling a stake in his fashion house to a private equity fund . . . In October (of 2007), Cavalli told Reuters he would consider selling as much as 30 percent of his firm, which he valued at a total of over 2 billion euros. However, stock markets have declined and world economic woes have cut investor appetite for equity since then. One banker familiar with the luxury goods sector said a valuation was now closer to one billion than two billion euros."

Lagerfeld Dismisses Attention on Anorexia, Says People Should Focus on Obesity:
"'In France there is a high percentage of young girls who are overweight, while less than one percent are thin. So, let's talk about those 25% who have problems with being overweight or obese. It is not necessary to discuss those of whom there are less than one percent. Anorexia has nothing to do with fashion,' Lagerfeld said."

SATC -- "Everything Is More Expensive, More Beautiful":
"Sex and the City" behind the scenes featurette below -- note the tables groaning under the weight of handbags, shoes and jewelry. Kim Cattrall states that the wardrobe sessions were full 8 hour days of just trying things on:

Giambattista Valli Offers Drama and Bold Statement, but Who Can Wear It?:
"Even the Mary-Kate Olsens of the world . . . don't make enough red-carpet appearances for all of the statement-making clothes Valli showed. Mundanities like sweaters, pants, trenchcoats, and other building blocks of a Fall wardrobe are certainly part of his oeuvre, but he neglected to put them on the runway."

"I starved myself for 6 months to get this job and the dress STILL makes me look fat!"

Kate Moss Loses Best-Dressed Crown to Model Agyness Deyn:
"Britain's self-styled queen Kate Moss has been knocked off the top of a best-dressed list by model of the year Agyness Deyn . . . the up-and-coming Deyn, 25, was awarded the top spot in Tatler magazine's annual list this year . . . While Deyn may be the new it girl, Tatler says Moss's style has influenced women for years, and earned her second place on the list. 'If she wears it, the rest of the world follows suit,' it says. 'She has proven her designer credentials with her sell-out Topshop clothing range.'"

Toronto Man Arrested with Over $5 Million Worth of Counterfeit Luxury Goods:
"A 65-year-old man has been charged after police found millions of dollars worth of counterfeit merchandise - including knock-offs of Tiffany jewellery - in his basement . . . A search warrant executed at the Don Mills Road and Van Horne Avenue home on Thursday netted about 45,000 pieces of fake jewellery, wallets and handbags in the style of Chanel, Christian Dior, Gucci and Louis Vuitton. Other brand look-alikes included Apple Bottom, Baby Phat, Betty Boop, Disney, Harley Davidson, Hello Kitty, Juicy Couture, Major League Baseball, Nike and Playboy. The goods are estimated to be worth between $5-million and $7-million."

Once Step Forward, Two Steps Back for Chloe:
Not that that's a bad thing -- "After two seasons of bringing his own point of view to the house of Chloe, Paolo Melim Andersson delved back into the archives. Back to the floral-printed chiffon dresses when Karl Lagerfeld designed for the house in the '70s, and back to the floaty embroidery of Phoebe Philo earlier this decade."

Check out the video of the pretty, nostalgia-laden Fall collection below:

Lanvin Wins Praise for its Effortless Chic and Stylish Practicality:
"As strange as it may seem, what makes the Lanvin collection for fall so irresistible is its practicality . . . designer Alber Elbaz . . . crafts a vision of a woman dressed for work and play that is strong, sexy, glamorous, smart -- and yet possible. It's easy to imagine his clothes on a street crowded with commuters or in the candlelit corner of a restaurant. It doesn't take a leap of faith to believe that a woman could navigate life -- including subways, Starbucks and an unexpected downpour -- in a Lanvin frock. Call it a realistic fantasy."

The new Lanvin collection is nearly the polar opposite of the showy, difficult collection Giambattista Valli offered for Fall. While Alber Elbaz presents cool sophistication, Valli is like a little boy jumping up and down on a street corner screaming, "Look at ME!" Whatever. Valli used to make stunning and yet still wearable clothing -- maybe he'll return to that in the future. In the meantime, for a look at what makes a fashion collection a success, not just with fashion journalists but with consumers in the real world, watch the video clip below:

Stefano Pilati Finds His Footing at Yves St. Laurent:
"Finally, on Thursday night, four years after he was appointed creative director of YSL, Mr. Pilati crossed that mysterious bridge to the big stage. In their movement, shape and attitude, the clothes evoked the swagger and spirit of the Rive Gauche era, when Saint Laurent ruled . . . Mr. Pilati has imagined his clothes in stark contemporary terms. And in Mr. Pilati's case, they are enormously appealing."

"I'm so sharp and sleek, they had to register my fashion sense as a weapon!"

Drug-Addict, Train-Wreck Winehouse is the Toast of the Fashion World:
Amy Winehouse was paid one million dollars to perform at the Louis Vuitton Fall 2008 Runway Show during Paris' Fashion Week. She was also the featured performer for Fendi, celebrating the opening of their new Paris flagship store on Avenue Montaigne the same week. Kids -- stay in school! You know, cuz', uh . . . oh what the hell, just shoot up a bunch of smack, shack-up with an asshole and see where it takes you . . .

Gentlemen May Prefer Blondes, But The World Prefers Gucci:
"In an online poll of 25,000 consumers in 48 countries ... one in five respondents said they would choose to buy Gucci over any other luxury brand if money were no object . . . Though Gucci came out on top overall, different regions of the world expressed different tastes in luxury brands. The Chinese liked Chanel the most; Russians preferred Christian Dior; Latin Americans went for Giorgio Armani, Calvin Klein, and Yves Saint Laurent; and the Japanese prefer Hermès."

Lanvin Wraps Up Paris Fashion Week with a Tour de Force of Innovation:
"If there is one collection that encapsulated everything that's best about Fall--and gave it a high degree of personal expression--it would be Alber Elbaz's for Lanvin . . . Every calibration of usefulness was represented, from plain wool work-ready day dresses and pantsuits through knockout fur and patent coats, asymmetric body-molding cocktail options right up to blindingly brilliant dresses made of vertical ribbons loaded with gold sequins."

Who Do I Have to Blow to Get A Seat Around Here?:
"Every season, year after year, even after I launched the Time fashion supplement and other houses were giving me front row seats, Jean Paul Gaultier would not give me a seat. Every year I would fax and every time I checked into my hotel, nothing. So I would ring Lionel, the PR and say, 'Hello, Lionel, It is Lauren from Time.' And he would say, cheerfully, "Hello, Lauren, how are you?" And I would say, 'Lionel, I am not so well. Because every season I fax you a request for a seat and every season nothing.' And then he uttered the immortal words that made me realize just how ... confused this industry can be: 'Lauren, I do not know that Jean Paul Gaultier has a relationship with Time magazine.' What can you say to that?"

GAP Slows the Bleeding, But Still In the Red:
"Cost cutting and tight controls over inventory helped Gap Inc to a 21% jump in fourth quarter profit, but did little to stem sliding sales at the Gap and Old Navy chains . . . The San Francisco-based company has pledged to open fewer stores in 2008 and reduce the size of many existing outlets. It may also cut its advertising budget, and trying to develop "great product" to lure people back to its stores."

Alexander McQueen Spins a Breathtaking Tale of Romance for Fall:
"The one element that has gone missing in the collections is the spine-tingling, eye-welling emotion of a show so exceptional to witness that--despite all exhaustion, cynicism, and workaday pressures--it suddenly transforms being involved in fashion into a magical privilege. Just when it seemed like that feeling was virtually extinct, Alexander McQueen handed his audience a self-imagined fantasy of crinolined princesses and British-colonial romance of such beauty, it arguably surpassed anything he's achieved in 14 years."

Marc Jacobs Buttons Things Down for Louis Vuitton:
"Clean structured lines put the emphasis on the cut and quality of the fabric, as well as ruching, draping and moulded volume which nodded towards vintage Balenciaga . . . The handbags, too, had undergone a make-under, and in place of cartoonish colours and designs, these modestly sized bags featured the Louis Vuitton name stamped more discreetly on to quieter shades of leather."

Paris Designers Display Uncertainty Over Gobal Recession:
"Paris Fashion Week ended on Sunday, capping a ready-to-wear season overshadowed by fears of a U.S. recession that saw many designers shunning ostentatious luxury for a more timeless . . . Designers have responded in different ways to the economic turmoil and weak U.S. dollar that have caused North American retailers to tighten their purse strings this season. Cedric Charbit, general merchandise manager at French department store Printemps, said some labels had ramped up the luxury while others were going down-market, with few finding the right balance."

Christian Lacroix Embraces the New Mood for Fall 2008:
"Christian Lacroix toned down his usual flamboyance in his autumn-winter collection on Wednesday, showing refined clothes which immediately looked more wearable than his cutting-edge couture."

The Fashion Industry's Continued Pursuit of Disposable Beauty:
"Moving on from size zero, the big look right now is the 'sacrificial virgin': the trembling ingénue straight out of school, all gangly and underdeveloped. Why? Because everyone is clamouring for the credit of discovering the latest new face . . . 'This is no-name beauty,' says Claudia Croft, Style's fashion features director. 'They're so young, you can't really communicate with them, and nobody can be bothered to find out their names because they're over after one season . . . It's hard to sell a sexy or sophisticated brand such as Halston or Donna Karan using skinny virgins,' says Croft. 'It's children trying to work women's clothes. It just doesn't match the brands.'"

***Funny, but that's precisely what I thought when I saw the photos from the Halston show. There were all these skinny little 15 year old girls traipsing down the runway in dresses designed for sophisticated, mature women. It looked off-kilter, and the show ended up suffering critically because of it.

If Fashion Magazines Ignore the Recession, Will It Go Away?:
"The scent of a recession -- much like day-old Chanel No. 5 -- wafts before us. Housing prices are down, gas prices soar. And yet the fashion industry soldiers on blindly in its $1,200 python pumps like an heiress with amnesia in a Wal-Mart . . . The real question is this: Will the fashion magazines even acknowledge the fact that our economy is heading for a downturn. An interesting AP article quoted Allure editor Linda Wells saying: 'All that ridiculous bling and 'it' bags -- there will be a shift away from that.'"

LVMH Rumored to be Eyeing a Takeover of Tiffany & Co.:
"Market chatter swirled this week that French luxury-goods house LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton was considering a bid. Tiffany shares advanced more than 8% to $40.46 in a single day, their biggest percentage gain in two and a half years . . . Antonia Branston, an analyst with research firm Euromonitor, said LVMH could give Tiffany an edge with this international expansion. 'LVMH could give Tiffany the sort of financial might and operational know-how to conquer new markets, as it already has a large presence in many emerging countries,' she said."

I called my local Hermes store about the sleek messenger bags featured in the Yohji Yamamoto Fall 2008 collection just recently shown in Paris. The sales clerk promised me he would find out what he could, and I received an email from him today which included a copy of a memo sent out to all Hermes stores.

Apparently, there will only be 100 of these bags manufactured for the worldwide market, so they're quite the limited-edition item. They will be available in three sizes: 35cm (13.75"), 38cm (15") and 41cm (16.25") and only one color and skin -- a caramel-hued smooth leather. There was a black crocodile version slung across a runway model's shoulder in Paris, but the memo stated that the black crocodile version would not be manufactured for sale (drat it all!).

Interestingly enough, the memo also stated that the bags would not be offered in any Yohji Yamamoto stores, only exclusively through Hermes. Prices are expected to range from mid-$7K USD to mid-$8K USD, with the first availability scheduled for September.

I was excited when I first heard about the Yohji-Hermes collaboration, as Yamamoto is delightfully avant-garde and bracingly minimalist while Hermes is all about handcrafted quality and perfection of finish. While the bags featured in Yamamoto's show were originally just one-offs created especially for the runway, I'm pleased that Hermes has decided to offer at least one hundred of them for sale to consumers like me who go ape-shit for this kind of Western Tradition meets Eastern Precision accessory.

Besides, it'll make one hell of a Christmas gift -- "Oh, that? There were only 100 of them made, so it's irreplaceable and all your friends will hate you for it. You're welcome."

Alessandra Facchinetti's First Collection for Valentino:

Luxury Brands Stella McCartney, Alexander McQueen Finally Reach Profitability:
"On Wednesday, PPR reported that both London-based businesses (McCartney and McQueen) had moved into the black in 2007, a goal that Robert Polet, chief executive of their parent, Gucci Group, had originally set in December 2004 . . . An upbeat McQueen told WWD his single biggest challenge so far has been 'communicating that I am a businessman -- as well as a creative director,' adding that his biggest reward has been 'witnessing the transition from niche brand to key player in the luxury goods sector.'"

Women Over 50 Learn to Dress With Attitude:
"Women who are now in their 50s and 60s were the first to wear miniskirts, Biba lipstick, tie-dyed T-shirts, hippie dresses made of Indian bedspreads, Laura Ashley sprigged pinafores and safety pins through our unlined cheeks . . . We loathe the idea of dressing old, for to dress old is to have someone take you at face value: that you are old. But what to wear instead? . . . Alexandra Shulman, editor of British Vogue, turned 50 in November. 'I didn't do a wardrobe edit the moment I turned 50,' she says. 'I really believe it's how the individual looks and feels. I think you are hugely helped if you have great legs as you get older, and if you have a sure sense of style, there's no reason to get into a navy suit.'"

Curators of Spain's Balenciaga Museum are Giving Away the Goods:
"A museum dedicated to the work of the Spanish fashion designer Cristobal Balenciaga has become embroiled in a scandal over allegations that the legendary couturier's creations have been given away. Items missing . . . include 139 sketches by Balenciaga with his handwritten notes, a pair of white leather gloves, a pair of three-quarter-length velvet evening gloves, and five scarves of silk, wool and taffeta . . . The pieces are alleged to have been 'given to the wives of councillors in the town halls of Getaria and Zarautz', according to an internal report by the Balenciaga Foundation, a conservative MP in the Basque regional government claimed yesterday."

This Aint Your Momma's Polyester:
"As Paris fashion week wraps up, several designers are lauding polyester as high fashion's next big thing . . . Designers say recent improvements in the synthetic fiber have made polyester lighter, thinner and more delicate. Mr. Elbaz, who got a standing ovation for a series of $5,800 polyester evening gowns at his runway show last fall, said the texture of the new polyester was like cream. "It was so light," he said, as he rubbed an imaginary piece of cloth between his fingers . . . Giorgio Armani, an early adopter of the new synthetics, says he now prefers polyesters to natural fabrics such as linen, which wrinkles. The Italian designer, who himself enjoys wearing cashmere-and-polyester blend jackets, urges men to wear blends for better fit and elasticity."