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?”
