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Friday, September 5, 2008
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Hold Your Nose and Jump
"JUMPING AT SEVERAL SMALL OPPORTUNITIES MAY GET US THERE MORE QUICKLY THAN WAITING FOR ONE BIG ONE TO COME ALONG."
-Hugh Allen
-Hugh Allen
Friday, August 29, 2008
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Right Back Atcha
"A SUCCESSFUL MAN IS ONE WHO CAN LAY A FIRM FOUNDATION
WITH THE BRICKS OTHERS HAVE THROWN AT HIM."
-David Brinkley
WITH THE BRICKS OTHERS HAVE THROWN AT HIM."
-David Brinkley
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Monday, August 18, 2008
Friday, August 15, 2008
Daks by Giles Deacon Fall 08 Runway Milan
Now in his third season at Daks, Giles Deacon has shown what he is made of by putting together a cohesive, complete collection. (That's why we are showing so many looks!) He started things off with leather outerwear, moving from a soft-shouldered olive trench to a brown cocoon coat with a gathered neck—both as smart as they were sensible. More sportif were a quilted jacket in safety orange and a black hooded stadium coat. The show's strongest toppers were trapeze-shaped and came in a substantial purple or iridescent gray tweed; he used the same fabric for a pencil skirt and a blouson jacket. Other skirtsuits—cropped and fitted jackets worn with the season's new calf-grazing, narrow skirt—came with neat little scarves tied at the neck, a reminder of this British label's proper past.
Who Amoung Us Is Not, At Times, Unlovable?
Who among us is not, at times, unlovable? And are not these the very times when we secretly yearn and need to be loved the most? Oh! The magic of receiving kindness in return from one to whom we have been un-kind...the miracle of hearing, when we have said, "I'm sorry I said such cruel things," the answer, "What cruel things? I didn't hear them."
Then the heart bursts with joy and our cup runneth over. For this most ancient alchemy secret of all is such a simple secret.
Then the heart bursts with joy and our cup runneth over. For this most ancient alchemy secret of all is such a simple secret.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Love Magic
All love is capable of energizing wishes into reality, but love between two people whose personal auras have thus harmoniously blended creates the kind of vibration poets write about, and can manifest marvelous magic.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Saturday, August 9, 2008
POPE INNOCENT
"My children, errors will be forgiven.
In our obsession with original sin, we do often forget...original innocence."
POPE INNOCENT, OF ASSISI
15TH Century A.D.
In our obsession with original sin, we do often forget...original innocence."
POPE INNOCENT, OF ASSISI
15TH Century A.D.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Scandinavians Form Fashion Association
COPENHAGEN — As some 55,000 visitors arrive here to see the latest Nordic collections at the capital’s fashion week opening today, the fashion bodies of Sweden, Iceland, Norway, Finland and Denmark have joined together in a bid to make sustainability the future hallmark of Scandinavian or Nordic fashion.
The Swedish Fashion Council, the Icelandic Fashion Council, Oslo Fashion Week, Helsinki Design Week and the Danish Fashion Institute will today unveil the Nordic Fashion Association in a move to extend Scandinavia’s global reputation for healthy living and sustainable energy to its fashion industries.
“The ambition is to become front-runners in this area,” said Eva Kruse, executive director of the Danish Fashion Institute, who explained the aim is to strengthen the region’s apparel industries by tackling environmental and social production challenges and put Nordic fashion firmly on the map.
“Many individual companies around the world have gone far in this direction,” Kruse continued. “But nowhere in the world is a whole region setting goals like this.”
The association’s aim is to implement a code of conduct for the Nordic countries’ estimated 3,000-plus fashion and textile players, plus draw up a 10-year plan to meet a host of environmental and social targets, dubbed the Nordic Initiative Clean and Ethical project, or NICE.
“We know that the fashion industry is one of the big sinners, not only in terms of the environmental impact from the production of textiles, but also because lots of textiles, jewelry and fashion are produced in low-cost countries, often in very poor conditions,” Kruse said. “The theory is that we now have a bigger voice to make a difference in production which takes place in countries far, far away from northern Europe. If we are going to change how they produce clothing in China, for example, we need to pool our resources.”
Key to NICE’s success will be the participation of Nordic fashion companies, who will themselves formulate the code of conduct, which likely will include social concerns like working hours and pay, plus issues such as reducing the environmental impacts of dyeing. The association will solicit the input of the region’s leading players, such as Sweden’s Hennes & Mauritz and Denmark’s Bestseller, plus trend-setting labels in the hope that their commitment will prompt others to follow.
Labels like Danish brand Noir already have helped ethical issues enter the high-fashion marketplace. “[Corporate and Social Responsibility] is part of our national heritage,” said Noir’s designer and founder Peter Ingwersen. “Paris will always have haute couture and prêt-à-porter, London has its street-savvy style, New York has its sportswear, Milan has its knitwear and its over-the-top Cavalli. The DNA here is ethics, equality and high quality.”
Once the code of conduct and 10-year plan have been agreed upon, they will be signed at a fashion summit to be held next year. The summit will coincide with the United Nations’ Global Climate Change Summit here, where the world’s political leaders will meet to draw up a pact to replace the Kyoto Protocol, which expires in 2012.“
The fashion industry normally doesn’t set an agenda within politics,” Kruse acknowledged. “But it’s vital for us to be addressing global issues, along with the world’s biggest companies and with politicians.”
While developing its own Nordic label isn’t one of NICE’s fixed goals, the potential of existing international labeling systems, such as fair trade certification, will be evaluated. Other initiatives include developing an educational program for companies, plus a three-year research project into CSR conducted jointly by each nation’s business schools and spearheaded by the Copenhagen Business School.
In another move to boost the global competitiveness of the Nordic fashion, design and textile industries, the region hopes to open doors into the fast-growing Baltic and Russian markets by staging Nordic Look, a series of shows by new and established designers as well as conferences in Latvia during the fashion week in the country’s capital, Riga, in November.
Source : WWD.com
The Swedish Fashion Council, the Icelandic Fashion Council, Oslo Fashion Week, Helsinki Design Week and the Danish Fashion Institute will today unveil the Nordic Fashion Association in a move to extend Scandinavia’s global reputation for healthy living and sustainable energy to its fashion industries.
“The ambition is to become front-runners in this area,” said Eva Kruse, executive director of the Danish Fashion Institute, who explained the aim is to strengthen the region’s apparel industries by tackling environmental and social production challenges and put Nordic fashion firmly on the map.
“Many individual companies around the world have gone far in this direction,” Kruse continued. “But nowhere in the world is a whole region setting goals like this.”
The association’s aim is to implement a code of conduct for the Nordic countries’ estimated 3,000-plus fashion and textile players, plus draw up a 10-year plan to meet a host of environmental and social targets, dubbed the Nordic Initiative Clean and Ethical project, or NICE.
“We know that the fashion industry is one of the big sinners, not only in terms of the environmental impact from the production of textiles, but also because lots of textiles, jewelry and fashion are produced in low-cost countries, often in very poor conditions,” Kruse said. “The theory is that we now have a bigger voice to make a difference in production which takes place in countries far, far away from northern Europe. If we are going to change how they produce clothing in China, for example, we need to pool our resources.”
Key to NICE’s success will be the participation of Nordic fashion companies, who will themselves formulate the code of conduct, which likely will include social concerns like working hours and pay, plus issues such as reducing the environmental impacts of dyeing. The association will solicit the input of the region’s leading players, such as Sweden’s Hennes & Mauritz and Denmark’s Bestseller, plus trend-setting labels in the hope that their commitment will prompt others to follow.
Labels like Danish brand Noir already have helped ethical issues enter the high-fashion marketplace. “[Corporate and Social Responsibility] is part of our national heritage,” said Noir’s designer and founder Peter Ingwersen. “Paris will always have haute couture and prêt-à-porter, London has its street-savvy style, New York has its sportswear, Milan has its knitwear and its over-the-top Cavalli. The DNA here is ethics, equality and high quality.”
Once the code of conduct and 10-year plan have been agreed upon, they will be signed at a fashion summit to be held next year. The summit will coincide with the United Nations’ Global Climate Change Summit here, where the world’s political leaders will meet to draw up a pact to replace the Kyoto Protocol, which expires in 2012.“
The fashion industry normally doesn’t set an agenda within politics,” Kruse acknowledged. “But it’s vital for us to be addressing global issues, along with the world’s biggest companies and with politicians.”
While developing its own Nordic label isn’t one of NICE’s fixed goals, the potential of existing international labeling systems, such as fair trade certification, will be evaluated. Other initiatives include developing an educational program for companies, plus a three-year research project into CSR conducted jointly by each nation’s business schools and spearheaded by the Copenhagen Business School.
In another move to boost the global competitiveness of the Nordic fashion, design and textile industries, the region hopes to open doors into the fast-growing Baltic and Russian markets by staging Nordic Look, a series of shows by new and established designers as well as conferences in Latvia during the fashion week in the country’s capital, Riga, in November.
Source : WWD.com
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Friday, August 1, 2008
United Bamboo Fall08 Runway
United Bamboo is known for blending slightly twisted takes on preppy classics with kawaii elements. Cute returned for autumn with a leitmotif of bows, which popped up in different forms throughout the show. If some experiments with industrial materials (like a sequined dress with an overlay of cord and metallic tubes) fell flat, a series of ladylike blouses paired with paper bag-waist pants and skirts lifted the duo to higher ground – Laird Borrelli-Persson (Style.com)
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Yves Saint Laurent's Art Collection Up For Auction
PARIS (Reuters) - The private art collection of French fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent and his partner Pierre Berge has been put up for auction and will be sold in February 2009, auction house Christie's said on Wednesday.
Saint Laurent, one of the leading figures in 20th century French fashion, died in Paris in June at the age of 71.
Contacted by Reuters, Christie's, which will organize the auction in partnership with auction house Pierre Berge and Associates, said it would announce the items to be sold at the end of September.
The auction house declined to estimate how much the collection was likely to fetch until those items had been identified, but experts have put the figure between 300 and 500 million euros, ($472 million-$787 million).
Sources close to Christie's said the figure was "not wrong."
French daily Le Figaro said the collection features several hundred pieces including Renaissance jewelry, paintings by masters such as Picasso and Matisse, and manuscripts of the works of French authors Gustave Flaubert and Andre Gide.
Berge, who had amassed the collection with Saint Laurent over a period of almost 40 years, told Le Figaro he "couldn't carry out the sale until after his (Saint Laurent's) death," adding that "the page has turned."
Antique dealer Alexis Kugel, who told Le Figaro his relation with the collectors was the closest a dealer could have with his clients, said: "For Yves Saint Laurent art was a vital need, indispensable for his inspiration, like water to survive. It soothed his depressive character."
Saint Laurent, one of the leading figures in 20th century French fashion, died in Paris in June at the age of 71.
Contacted by Reuters, Christie's, which will organize the auction in partnership with auction house Pierre Berge and Associates, said it would announce the items to be sold at the end of September.
The auction house declined to estimate how much the collection was likely to fetch until those items had been identified, but experts have put the figure between 300 and 500 million euros, ($472 million-$787 million).
Sources close to Christie's said the figure was "not wrong."
French daily Le Figaro said the collection features several hundred pieces including Renaissance jewelry, paintings by masters such as Picasso and Matisse, and manuscripts of the works of French authors Gustave Flaubert and Andre Gide.
Berge, who had amassed the collection with Saint Laurent over a period of almost 40 years, told Le Figaro he "couldn't carry out the sale until after his (Saint Laurent's) death," adding that "the page has turned."
Antique dealer Alexis Kugel, who told Le Figaro his relation with the collectors was the closest a dealer could have with his clients, said: "For Yves Saint Laurent art was a vital need, indispensable for his inspiration, like water to survive. It soothed his depressive character."
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Abaete Fall 2008 Runway
Laura Poretzky's strength is in making ever more understated, chic clothes that are long on commercial appeal. There is something to be said for ably translating trends into simple, well-priced looks. Check out some of her Fall 2008 Runway Show pics below... 
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
N.Y. Authorities Raid Alleged Sweatshop
NEW YORK — An investigation conducted by the New York State Department of Labor has uncovered significant labor violations at a factory manufacturing garments for Macy’s, Gap, Banana Republic, Express, Victoria's Secret, Limited and Coldwater Creek.
Jin Shun Inc., a garment contractor operating out of Long Island City, in the borough of Queens, is alleged to have underpaid more than 100 mostly immigrant workers by nearly $3 million in minimum and overtime wages since 2005.
The investigation found that prior to 2005, Jin Shun Inc. operated under the name Venture 47 and allegedly withheld nearly $2.5 million in minimum and overtime wages.
Officials raided two factories this morning and tagged more than 10,000 garments with a label stating the garments were unlawfully manufactured.
Jin Shun contracted with a Manhattan-based manufacturer called Urban Apparel that has already paid $60,000 in underpayments to have the tags removed on the items tagged this morning.
The DOL’s Apparel Industry & Fair Wages Task Force found factory workers worked 12-hour days, often six or seven days a week. Employees were paid on a piece-rate basis and were instructed to fill out two time cards — one for Monday through Wednesday and a second card for theremainder of the week — ensuring that no more than 40 hours of work would show on any card. According to the timecards and the factory's production, workers were completing an entire item of clothing in less than a minute. Investigators even found a question-and-answer sheet meant to coach workers on how to respond to labor investigators without raising suspicions.
By Ross Tucker
For complete coverage, see Thursday’s WWD.
Jin Shun Inc., a garment contractor operating out of Long Island City, in the borough of Queens, is alleged to have underpaid more than 100 mostly immigrant workers by nearly $3 million in minimum and overtime wages since 2005.
The investigation found that prior to 2005, Jin Shun Inc. operated under the name Venture 47 and allegedly withheld nearly $2.5 million in minimum and overtime wages.
Officials raided two factories this morning and tagged more than 10,000 garments with a label stating the garments were unlawfully manufactured.
Jin Shun contracted with a Manhattan-based manufacturer called Urban Apparel that has already paid $60,000 in underpayments to have the tags removed on the items tagged this morning.
The DOL’s Apparel Industry & Fair Wages Task Force found factory workers worked 12-hour days, often six or seven days a week. Employees were paid on a piece-rate basis and were instructed to fill out two time cards — one for Monday through Wednesday and a second card for theremainder of the week — ensuring that no more than 40 hours of work would show on any card. According to the timecards and the factory's production, workers were completing an entire item of clothing in less than a minute. Investigators even found a question-and-answer sheet meant to coach workers on how to respond to labor investigators without raising suspicions.
By Ross Tucker
For complete coverage, see Thursday’s WWD.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Harmony, Health, Peace
In praying for another, know that your silent inner knowing of wholeness, beauty, and perfection can change the negative patterns of the others subconscious mind and bring about wonderful results.
Friday, July 11, 2008
U.S. Identifies $80M in Illegal China Transshipments
WASHINGTON – Trade officials said today they had identified more than 1,000 cargo containers of illegally transshipped apparel from China valued at $80 million that entered the U.S. in 2006 and 2007.
The goods, shipped from China but declared to be from 11 other countries, will be charged to China’s quotas. Ten apparel categories will be affected, including cotton knit shirts and cotton trousers. The shipments contained more than four million dozens of apparel from over 900 individual importations, according to trade officials.
Transshipments are defined as goods made in one country, but labeled as having originated in another country, usually with the intention of sidestepping quotas and tariffs.
The announcement was made by U.S. Customs & Border Protection, the Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements, a group chaired by the Commerce Department, and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.
The goods, shipped from China but declared to be from 11 other countries, will be charged to China’s quotas. Ten apparel categories will be affected, including cotton knit shirts and cotton trousers. The shipments contained more than four million dozens of apparel from over 900 individual importations, according to trade officials.
Transshipments are defined as goods made in one country, but labeled as having originated in another country, usually with the intention of sidestepping quotas and tariffs.
The announcement was made by U.S. Customs & Border Protection, the Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements, a group chaired by the Commerce Department, and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Our Decision Of Who We Are
The more that you talk about a person as a social construction, or as a confluence of forces, or as fragmented or marginalized, what you do is you open up a whole new world of excuses. And when Sartre talks about responsibility, he's not talking about something abstract. He's not talking about the kind of self or soul that theologians would argue about. It's something very concrete, like you and me talking, making decisions, doing things and taking the consequences. It might be true that there are six billion people in the world and counting; nevertheless, what you do makes a difference. It makes a difference first of all in material terms, it makes a difference to other people, and it sets an example. In short, I think the message here is that we should never simply write ourselves off and see ourselves as the victim of various forces. It's always our decision who we are.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Who Says Money Doesn't Go With You?
Diamond Geezer...
Perhaps taking his cue from luxury retailers, Damien Hirst swapped dead sharks for precious stones, encrusting a life-size cast of a human skull in 8,601 diamonds. When the blinged-out head sold for a reported $122 million to an anonymous investment group, the British artist's genius for the grand gesture was confirmed (he later told Paradis magazine that his business manager felt they should have asked for twice as much). Hirst himself is said to be one of the investors, but there's no word on whether Kimora Lee Simmons is involved.
Perhaps taking his cue from luxury retailers, Damien Hirst swapped dead sharks for precious stones, encrusting a life-size cast of a human skull in 8,601 diamonds. When the blinged-out head sold for a reported $122 million to an anonymous investment group, the British artist's genius for the grand gesture was confirmed (he later told Paradis magazine that his business manager felt they should have asked for twice as much). Hirst himself is said to be one of the investors, but there's no word on whether Kimora Lee Simmons is involved.
Friday, July 4, 2008
The Story Of Life
Sometimes people come into your life and you know right away that they were meant to be there, to serve some sort of purpose, teach you a lesson, or to help you figure out who you are or who you want to become. You never know who these people will be (possibly your roommate, neighbor, co-worker, long lost friend, lover, or even a complete stranger), but when you lock eyes with them, you know at that very moment that they will affect your life in some profound way. And sometimes things happen to you that may seem horrible, painful, and unfair at first, but in reflection you find that without overcoming those obstacles you would have never realized your potential, strength, willpower, or heart.
*Everything happens for a reason*
Nothing happens by chance or by means of good luck. Illness, injury, love, lost moments of true greatness, and sheer stupidity all occur to test the limits of your soul. Without these small tests, whatever they may be, life would be like a smoothly paved, straight, flat road to nowhere. It would be safe and comfortable, but dull and utterly pointless. The people you meet who affect your life, and the success and downfalls you experience help to create who you are and who you become. Even the bad experiences can be learned from. In fact, they are probably the most poignant and important ones. If someone hurts you, betrays you, or breaks your heart, forgive them, for they have helped you learn about trust and the importance of being cautious when you open your heart. If someone loves you, love them back unconditionally, not only because they love you, but because in a way, they are teaching you to love and how to open your heart and eyes to things.
*Make every day count*
Appreciate every moment and take from those moments everything that you possibly can for you may never be able to experience it again. Talk to people that you have never talked to before, and actually listen. Let yourself fall in love, break free, and set your sights high. Hold your head high because you have every right to. Tell yourself you're a great individual and believe in yourself, for if you don't believe in yourself, it will be hard for others to believe in you. You can make of your life anything you wish. Create your own life and then go out and live it with absolutely no regrets. Most importantly, if you love someone, tell him or her, for you never know what tomorrow may have in store. Learn a lesson in life every day you live.
That's the story of life...
*Everything happens for a reason*
Nothing happens by chance or by means of good luck. Illness, injury, love, lost moments of true greatness, and sheer stupidity all occur to test the limits of your soul. Without these small tests, whatever they may be, life would be like a smoothly paved, straight, flat road to nowhere. It would be safe and comfortable, but dull and utterly pointless. The people you meet who affect your life, and the success and downfalls you experience help to create who you are and who you become. Even the bad experiences can be learned from. In fact, they are probably the most poignant and important ones. If someone hurts you, betrays you, or breaks your heart, forgive them, for they have helped you learn about trust and the importance of being cautious when you open your heart. If someone loves you, love them back unconditionally, not only because they love you, but because in a way, they are teaching you to love and how to open your heart and eyes to things.
*Make every day count*
Appreciate every moment and take from those moments everything that you possibly can for you may never be able to experience it again. Talk to people that you have never talked to before, and actually listen. Let yourself fall in love, break free, and set your sights high. Hold your head high because you have every right to. Tell yourself you're a great individual and believe in yourself, for if you don't believe in yourself, it will be hard for others to believe in you. You can make of your life anything you wish. Create your own life and then go out and live it with absolutely no regrets. Most importantly, if you love someone, tell him or her, for you never know what tomorrow may have in store. Learn a lesson in life every day you live.
That's the story of life...
Thursday, July 3, 2008
LIV TYLER IS HAUTE
Tyler made black and white fresh again in a polka-dot Givenchy dress and Roger Vivier sandals. The actress attended the design house's haute couture fashion show during Paris Fashion Week.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Momma's Words of Advice
AS YOU THINK, YOU TRAVEL
AND AS YOU LOVE YOU ATTRACT.
YOU ARE TODAY WHERE YOUR THOUGHTS HAVE BROUGHT YOU
YOU WILL BE TOMORROW WHERE YOUR THOUGHTS TAKE YOU.
YOU CANNOT ESCAPE THE RESULT OF YOUR THOUGHTS
BUT YOU CAN ENDURE AND LEARN...
YOU WILL REALIZE THE VISION (NOT THE IDLE WISH) OF YOUR HEART
BE IT BASE OR BEAUTIFUL...
FOR YOU WILL ALWAYS GRAVITATE
TOWARDS THAT WHICH YOU SECRETLY, MOST LOVE.
WHATEVER YOUR PRESENT ENVIRONMENT MAY BE,
YOU WILL FALL, REMAIN OR RISE
WITH YOUR THOUGHTS, YOUR VISION, YOUR IDEAL.
YOU WILL BECOME AS SMALL AS YOUR CONTROLLING DESIRE;
AS GREAT AS YOUR DOMINANT ASPIRATION.
Monday, June 30, 2008
DIOR MENSWEAR DIRECT FROM PARIS
"On their way to the gardens of the Paris Observatory, where Kris Van Assche presented his latest Dior Homme collection, guests passed antique telescopes and old photos of the moon, reminders that man's reach has exceeded his grasp from the moment he first stood upright. So perhaps it was appropriate that the show itself offered another such reminder. The soundtrack provided by Justice had a stop-start quality that could have been interpreted as a metaphor for larger issues—like the way that Van Assche's creativity ebbs and flows in such a random manner. You can sense the ideas trying to get out, but something happens between brain and hand.
So the attempt to give the lean silhouette a little volume interest by inflating the backs of jackets went awry because the results were so leaden. (The multi-pleats of a cobalt blue jacket looked like the curtain covering the screen at the old Rialto.) The cutouts in a white cotton shirt and a black leather jacket might have been construed as a new lace if they weren't so simplistic. And the Zsa Zsa zing of the giant stones that studded gold sequined jeans was simply a bling too far. The overwhelming impression was that Van Assche was simply trying too hard. Even the glasses the models wore were overwrought. The solution is obvious: Take a deep breath and relax."
— Tim Blanks (style.com)
So the attempt to give the lean silhouette a little volume interest by inflating the backs of jackets went awry because the results were so leaden. (The multi-pleats of a cobalt blue jacket looked like the curtain covering the screen at the old Rialto.) The cutouts in a white cotton shirt and a black leather jacket might have been construed as a new lace if they weren't so simplistic. And the Zsa Zsa zing of the giant stones that studded gold sequined jeans was simply a bling too far. The overwhelming impression was that Van Assche was simply trying too hard. Even the glasses the models wore were overwrought. The solution is obvious: Take a deep breath and relax."
— Tim Blanks (style.com)
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