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.”
