THE MAKE-UP artist behind the controversial BBC “glitter boobs” tutorial has hit back at critics who claimed the clip was just “soft porn”.
Charlene O’Malley, 30, has defended the video claiming that critics are just jealous of her fake breasts.
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Make up artist Charlene has defended her ‘glitter boob’ tutorial
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The beautician showed viewers how to apply the glitzy chest adornment in a one minute video
The short video showed Charlene applying silver and pink body spray to her chest before applying gems and glitter with glue.
She opens the clip by dancing in front of the camera and showing off her handiwork.
The beeb came under fire for showing the festival-themed clip with some claiming it was a waste of licence-payers’ money.
But Charlene has blasted her – predominantly female critics – claiming they are envious of her fake boobs.
BBC Scotland uploaded the minute long vlog to their YouTube channel with the accompanying caption “Shake your t**s it’s Friday”.
Labour MP Chi Onwurah claimed the video was a “desperate attempt to demonstrate relevance” while Helen Lewington, a Mediawatch UK campaigner, described the content as “soft porn”.
Charlene told The Mirror that she believed people were just envious of her.
She added: “Most of the criticism has been from females. People were saying: ‘she’s a stripper,’ and all sorts of things about my breasts.
“I think because I’ve got fake breasts, people have a lot to say.”
The mum also blasted her critics who described the video as pornographic.
She said: “I’m a make-up artist and this is art. I don’t see it as anything sexual at all.
“For me, it’s a trend, it’s happening at festivals right now and I just covered it because I thought it was relevant. Young people pay the licence fee too.
“I think someone criticising this said their children could be watching this on the internet and I was thinking, ‘Children shouldn’t be on the internet unsupervised.’
“My daughter’s 11 and she doesn’t get on the internet because she’s just not old enough to see some of the things on there.”
A BBC spokesman said: “The Social has a specific remit to create content aimed at 18 to 34-year-olds and the topics covered are led by our audience.
“In this case, the content was all produced by young women and aimed at their peers.
“The overwhelming response from the 160,000 who viewed it was very positive.”
This year’s Glastonbury was full of the brazen trend, with plenty of women – and some men – sporting the nearly naked look.
At The Sun, we decided to put the look to the test and our model hit the streets to test the glitter boob trend in busy London hotspots.
[“Source-thesun”]
“For me, it’s a trend, it’s happening at festivals right now and I just covered it because I thought it was relevant. Young people pay the licence fee too.
“I think someone criticising this said their children could be watching this on the internet and I was thinking, ‘Children shouldn’t be on the internet unsupervised.’
“My daughter’s 11 and she doesn’t get on the internet because she’s just not old enough to see some of the things on there.”
A BBC spokesman said: “The Social has a specific remit to create content aimed at 18 to 34-year-olds and the topics covered are led by our audience.
“In this case, the content was all produced by young women and aimed at their peers.
“The overwhelming response from the 160,000 who viewed it was very positive.”
This year’s Glastonbury was full of the brazen trend, with plenty of women – and some men – sporting the nearly naked look.
At The Sun, we decided to put the look to the test and our model hit the streets to test the glitter boob trend in busy London hotspots.
The exhibition at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris opens on Wednesday. Photograph: Emma Summerton
The golden age of haute couture may be decades past, but – thanks to the success of shows such as Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty – we are now living in the golden age of the blockbuster fashion exhibition. Even in that context, it is unusual to see a show of such ambition as the 32,000 sq ft homage to France’s best-known couturier – Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams – which opens at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris on Wednesday.
The exhibition marks 70 years of the house of Dior and begins simply with a classic gown from 1947. Wasp-waisted with a full, pleated skirt, in so-called “satan red”, it stands out like a traffic light against the gallery’s black lacquered walls. This is Dior’s “New Look” – the silhouette that brought the designer instant fame and ushered in a new, post-war ideal of hourglass femininity.
“After the New Look the house of Dior became visited by tourists like a monument,” says one of the show’s curators, Florence Müller. “It also represented the rebuilding of Paris as a place to see fashion after the war – Dior was an ambassador for that.” Certainly, there is a sense of deification in the opening rooms, where a long, dark corridor is dramatically inlaid with spotlit perspex boxes containing mementoes from the designer’s early life – a tiny pack of cards; his “lucky” gold star – like the relics of a secular saint.
The rest of the show is thematic, intermingling Christian Dior’s creations with the classical busts, Renaissance paintings and surrealist sculptures that inspired them, and with designs by the creative directors who followed after his death in 1957: Yves Saint Laurent, Marc Bohan, Gianfranco Ferré, John Galliano, Raf Simons and the current, first female, holder of the post, Maria Grazia Chiuri.
The show’s use of colour is staggering: one long “Colourama” display features shoes, bags and perfume bottles arranged chromatically – an orange-hued backless dress by Raf Simons beside a clementine-coloured mohair dress-coat by John Galliano, running on and on in tiny increments from mustard to zingy yellow to cream to dove grey to teal to ballet slipper pink to cream to baby blue to lilac to rich purple and burgundy. Later, in a muted, wood-panelled white and grey neoclassical drawing room, there are frothy corseted dresses in Versailles hues: pale pinks, soft blues.
Another room examines the inspiration Dior drew from gardens – a haute couture minidress covered in little green sprigs introduces an unlikely AstroTurf-meets-cocktail hour moment – while a Monet iris painting hangs from the wall and, overhead, the ceiling is blanketed in thousands of tendrils and vines made from delicate white paper.
The second half of the show brings out the big guns, starting with the white “bar” jacket, with its padded hips, styled with a full black skirt and a basket-style hat, an outfit immortalised in so many fashion history books. After that there are rows of triple-height glass display cases filled with Dior’s superlative, precise grey suiting, and a long, narrow brightly lit room packed with the original toiles of hundreds of sculptural creations, which appear to float like ghosts into infinity owing to the mirrored ceiling. Upon reaching the large final gallery – the “Dior ballroom” – where a shimmering projection of stars cascades over gowns such as Elizabeth Taylor’s 1961 Academy Awards dress and gold Galliano haute couture, visitors with only a passing interest in fashion may find themselves running out of superlatives.
There are little threads here that may surprise even the most dedicated Dior heads. Early on, one room represents the influential crew Dior ran with in the 1920s, including Salvador Dali, Man Ray, Calder and Giacometti; Ray’s Perpetual Motive, in which an eye is attached to the pendulum of a metronome, and Dali’s Retrospective Bust of a Woman, which features an inkwell and a baguette balancing on a woman’s head, are on display. In another gallery we read letters between Dior and his father touching on the little-known story of his sister, Catherine, who was part of the French resistance during the second world war, and was rescued from a concentration camp.
The main takeaway, though, is pure sensory overload, an excess of pattern and colour that will have visitors ignoring the polite little captions explaining which of the dresses are by Dior himself and which are by Raf Simons or John Galliano. Galliano’s fantastical creations often steal the show: a coat-gown decorated with Hokusai’s Great Wave and a full-length python dress worn with an ancient Egyptian death mask are among the stand-out pieces. Reminding viewers of Galliano’s technical brilliance – and squishing his work in with that of the revered master – is a sleight of hand that helps the exhibition to gloss over one of the house’s biggest controversies; Galliano’s departure in disgrace in 2011.
Galliano is not the only creative director to have struggled with the pressures of leading such a revered fashion house. Raf Simons spoke of long hours and stress when he left in 2015; Maria Grazia Chiuri has remained upbeat and philosophical when talking about her role, but has met with mixed reviews from critics expecting not just attractive gowns but era-defining surprises.
Grazia Chiuri’s haute couture show took place on Monday in the searing heat outside in the garden of Paris’s Hôtel des Invalides. Having made headlines with her debut collection – which included feminist slogan T-shirts – this time her empowering manifesto was less explicit and more thematic, nodding to female explorers. One shearling jumpsuit looked like a haute take on Amelia Earhart’s aesthetic, while a series of grey suits echoed Christian Dior’s famous tailoring – currently hanging in a museum just a few kilometres across the Seine – almost exactly.
New British Vogue editor Edward Enninful and his friend, model Naomi Campbell, who will also contribute to the magazine. Photograph: Matt Baron/BEI/Shutterstock
For a new boss to dismiss the “old guard” who were the legacy of their predecessor and bring in new faces is not unusual. Indeed, when Alexandra Shulman vacated the editor’s chair at British Vogue, having occupied it for a quarter of the magazine’s 100-year history, it was wholly expected that her replacement, Edward Enninful, would bring in a team to put his own stamp on the industry glossy.
Last week Emily Sheffield, Shulman’s deputy and predicted by many as a shoo-in for her job, handed out invites to her leaving party, while Enninful – who officially takes the helm on 1 August – announced film-maker Steve McQueen and long-time friend Naomi Campbell as contributing editors. Kate Moss, already a contributing editor and regular cover girl, will continue working for the title.
That his shake-up would cause ripples beyond London’s Vogue House, or the front row at last week’s haute couture shows in Paris, was unthinkable. That is, until Lucinda Chambers, the long-serving fashion director ousted in favour of Enninful appointee Venetia Scott, vented her frustrations in a little-known industry publication – and it went viral.
It was the sometimes scathing and often cynical comments Chambers made about the fragrant world of glossy magazines that caused a public furore, and it spread faster on social media than a Kardashian wardrobe malfunction.
“The June cover with Alexa Chung in a stupid Michael Kors T-shirt is crap,” Chambers remarked of a Vogue shoot she’d done under commercial constraints. “He’s a big advertiser so I knew why I had to do it. Truth be told, I haven’t read Vogue in years … The clothes are just irrelevant for most people – so ridiculously expensive.”
While many in the industry are terrified to speak out, fearful of biting the bejewelled hand that feeds, she spoke candidly to Anja Aronowsky Cronberg, the founder and editor of Vestoj, a niche magazine that aims to “bring together academia and industry in a bid to combine academic theory, critical thinking and a bit of good old-fashioned glamour”.
Chambers’s recent comments have reopened the debate about the challenges facing the world of fashion publishing in the digital age. Catwalk shows used to be held twice a year for a closed shop of editors and buyers, who would reveal their carefully considered vision of trends to readers and customers a few months down the line. Now runway shows are live-streamed and consumers can order the clothes as soon as they have appeared.
Thus, the glossy magazine doesn’t have the power it once did. While Voguetransports the reader to a fantasy world of high fashion – in much the same way watching a film offers an escape from the everyday – and is still seen by many as the bastion of high-end style, the magazine’s influence has nevertheless been diluted.
“The evolution of technology and social media has allowed all consumers to have a voice,” says Professor Frances Corner, head of the London College of Fashion and an adviser to Vestoj. “The fashion world has been shaped in the same way as politics – where Trump, Corbyn and Macron have captured the imagination of sections of society who previously went unheard. Fashion is now far more democratic. There is no one bible and there is a marked shift in the way we consume fashion: the sources of our inspiration are increasingly fragmented and tailored to more specific audiences.
“I follow numerous Instagrammers and bloggers who appeal to my personal aesthetic, and there are many niche, magazines challenging the status quo of traditional fashion publishing and setting a different agenda for diverse audiences.”
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Former fashion director at British Vogue Lucinda Chambers at Paris fashion week last year. Photograph: Dvora/Rex/Shutterstock
So how does the slow-moving monthly magazine keep pace with the frenetic speed of social media and the almost instantaneous coverage from bloggers and online media? Does a publication such as Vogue still have a place in modern society? “Magazines aren’t going to disappear,” says Bronwyn Cosgrave, former features editor at British Vogue. “People still like to have something tangible to browse – the book industry was predicted to collapse in the wake of the Kindle, but it has rebounded. I think magazine publishers simply have to work harder for attention in a competitive market. They need to diversify and become omni-platform businesses – Alex Shulman successfully launched the Vogue festival, which is a massive revenue stream for them now.”
Condé Nast recently attempted to expand into the retail sector, aiming to create an online shopping portal that would sell products featured in the editorial pages of its portfolio of magazines.
After all, Net-a-Porter had created a beautiful print magazine, Porter, to sell its collections. Launching with fashion brands, but failing to attract the hoped-for sales figures, the beleaguered venture collapsed a fortnight ago with losses of £78m. So, diversification isn’t always the way to go, and there’s still the dilemma of the future of the print publication and how it meets the needs of modern readers. “I don’t think news reporting is the way to go for print publications, that’s why I’ve shaped Vestoj to be more about reflection and analysis than the latest anything,” Anja Aronowsky Cronberg explains. “Reading longform writing on paper is still my preferred method. Photographs also tend to look much more enticing on a page than on a screen. One of my big bugbears when it comes to fashion publishing is how homogenous most magazines are. I’d love to see more diversity in how fashion is dealt with.”
The August issue of Glamour, one of Vogue’s Condé Nast stablemates, has just hit the newsstands, with the coverline “The Instagram issue”. Shunning professional models in favour of an array of social media influencers – including a plus-size model, a baker, a beauty vlogger and more – the magazine is turning to the digital space to provide print content.
“There is a certain prestige that comes from appearing in the print media that takes those people from the online world into a different sphere,” says editor Jo Elvin. “Speaking to powerful, high-earning social media stars such as Estée Lalonde and Tanya Burr, they tell me that being in or on the cover of a magazine is the final word in validation for them. And Glamour sells more copies now than many magazines I worked on in the 90s, pre-internet/smartphone, because we’re part of a fluid mix of media they consume and part of the conversations they want to be involved in.”
Ultimately, the fashion industry is a commercial behemoth with the remit of selling clothes – and lucrative, profit-heavy accessories, fragrance and cosmetics with the attached kudos of each coveted brand. Prior to the digital revolution, designers and fashion businesses were heavily dependent on the magazine industry to help them reach customers and endorse their collections.
“The one thing that has changed dramatically in recent years is the direct relationship brands now have with their consumers,” says Imran Amed, founder and editor in chief of the Business of Fashion, an independent publication that has become to industry insiders what the Financial Times is to the City.
“In this new hierarchy, the consumer has the ability to amplify or negatively impact on business, through sharing positive or negative responses. Once brands and magazines dictated what we should buy, now consumers are telling us what they like and want, and the power structure has been turned on its head.
“We are at a time of disruption in the wider world, and all businesses, in fashion and beyond, are testing new models to see what works and keeps them relevant to their audience.”
THE CHALLENGERS
The Gentlewoman
Writer and academic Penny Martin launched her twice-yearly magazine in 2010 to “celebrate modern women of style and purpose with a fresh perspective … on the way women actually dress”.
The Business of Fashion
A blog started by Imran Amed in 2007 to challenge Women’s Wear Daily now runs on subscriptions, and has a roll-call of respected writers, spin-off print editions and an events arm.
Vestoj
Founded by another academic, Anya Aronowsky Cronberg, this annual journal aims to look at “fashion as a cultural phenomenon”, and “encourage and champion a critical and independent voice”.
10 magazine
Founded by Sophia Neophitou, who began her career with a placement at British Vogue, 10 is a cult quarterly that sells around the world. “I chose the title because, at school, 10 out of 10 symbolised excellence.”
The campaigners aim to expose the mistreatment of black actors. Photograph: Warren Goldswain/Getty Images/iStockphoto
As if the scarcity of roles for black actors in Britain wasn’t bad enough, those who are cast in TV productions often find their hair and makeup needs are being ignored or at worst abused.
A new campaign to tackle inequality in behind-the-camera treatment has been launched by Peggy-Ann Fraser, a black actor. She is aiming to expose the mistreatment of black actors, and calling for better hair and makeup training, as well as greater employment for black hair and makeup artists.
Fraser, who has appeared in TV dramas including Casualty and The Bill, claims that black actors are frequently asked to do their own hair and take their own makeup on to sets. “When I’m on a set, most of the time they do not have experience doing afro hair. Sometimes they try and work around it, but most of the time they will put you in a scarf or suggest you get your own haircut.
“There have [also] been many occasions when I have been left looking ashen-faced or with a grey complexion because the wrong colour foundation and face powder have been used by makeup artists.”
Fraser, who is on the black-members committee of the broadcasting union Bectu, has also won the backing of Equity, the entertainment-industry union, to examine the issue and decide what action to take. Equalities and diversity organiser Hamida Ali said: “Equity members met with Bectu’s hair-and-makeup branch last October and drew up a plan of action including looking at training and workshops, policy and guidance and the diversity of hair and makeup professionals.”
Equity and Bectu aim to “plug the knowledge gap that exists among industry professionals about black skin and hair”, through a week-long pilot or taster course due to start towards the end of 2017, led by black makeup and hair-care specialists.
Black models are also unhappy about the discriminatory treatment they receive at the hands of hairstyle and makeup crews. Model Pippa Christian wrote on Instagram in March that she’d had enough of the industry not being able to “handle” her afro. Meanwhile, model and presenter Lilah Parsons revealed on Twitter that model agencies often sent out casting calls with the proviso: “Hair type: all except afro.”
Employment laws and social media have made it easier for black actors and models to publicise the demeaning practices they encounter and call out industry racism. But such negative experiences still make actors feel unwelcome, says Fraser. “You don’t feel part of a production or included. There is a real opportunity to bring about much needed change”.
On the left, a work by Brad Troemel; on the right, a dress from the Vika Gazinskaya Spring 2018 collection.
COURTESY BRAD TROEMEL INSTAGRAM
A few looks from the Vika Gazinskaya Spring 2018 ready-to-wear collection appear to take direct inspiration from the work of artist Brad Troemel—without permission, acknowledgement, or arrangement. Through a few posts on Instagram, Troemel alleges that, after making a back-to-back comparison, the dresses, which made their debut during the shows in Paris last week, directly lift designs and imagery from paintings he first showed at Tomorrow Gallery in New York last November.
The fracas erupted yesterday, after Troemel posted the looks from the Vika Gazinskaya collection next to images of work from “Freecaching,” his show at Tomorrow (which has since merged with Hester gallery to become Downs & Ross). In that show, the work on the walls served as certificates that authenticated his studio inventory, which Troemel said he had hidden in Central Park (you can read the full explanation here), and consisted of grids that contained 130 blocks, alternating between colored blocks, white blocks, numbered blocks, or blocks covered in snippets of text.
Brad Troemel.
WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
The looks designed by Gazinskaya, who has been at the helm of her Moscow-based namesake line since 2006, allegedly lift not only the aesthetic of the work in “Freecaching,” but also, at times, the precise design scheme—the dresses consist of grids with colored blocks, white blocks, numbered blocks, and blocks of text. Sometimes, the arrangement appears to be nearly identical.
“It’s a swatch-by-swatch copy from the upper left black to the lower left yellow to the text breaks between the green and yellow to the text break between the pink to the blue,” Troemel wrote in a comment on Instagram. “There’s really no room left for coincidence.”
Troemel implies in his initial post that he came across the appropriation in a Vogue review of the show, which lists as influences the choreographer William Forsythe, the actress Katharine Hepburn, and thrift stores in London and L.A.—but makes no mention of the artwork that it ostensibly copied. The story has not been updated to include any mention of Troemel’s influence, and the lead image is still of a dress with the Troemel-aping grid.
Installation view of ‘Freecaching’ at Tomorrow Gallery in November 2016.
COURTESY DOWNS & ROSS
Representatives for the Vika Gazinskaya line did not respond to a request for comment. However, the designer appeared to be posting in the comments section of Troemel’s Instagram posts and other posts. The first occurred after the handle @gentle_virus, which appears to be the Instagram presence of the artist Mark Fingerhit, wrote “Copied from brad troemel” on one of the @vikagazinskaya Instagram posts. The designer responded immediately, saying: “Actually, it is too obvious to ‘hide’ it. So, it is an inspiration. And I can use art in my clothes as much as I want.”
This seems to be a confirmation that she had at the very least used Troemel’s work as a jumping off point. A few hours later, Troemel doubled down on the accusation, sharing with his 60,000 followers a screenshot of her statement where she admitted to the work being an “inspiration.”
“If my work was an inspiration as you say, you probably would’ve mentioned me as an inspiration when asked what influenced your line in Vogue,” Troemel wrote. “Instead, you covered it up, thinking your world was so large and mine so small that you could get away with ripping me off without anyone noticing. You are an international fashion brand selling goods that are direct copies of my work for thousands of dollars. I’m a working artist trying to figure out how to pay my rent next month. This is not a horizontal relationship of influence.”
A comparison of the painting and the dress.
COURTESY BRAD TROEMEL INSTAGRAM
Gazinskaya jumped into the fray immediately after, saying that she had seen an image of Troemel’s work in “Freecaching” while making the line and even went so far to share that image with Amy Verner, the fashion critic who wrote the story for Vogue—but didn’t know the name of the person who made it. She also alluded to a note she had sent Troemel, and implied that she will retroactively credit him as an inspiration.
“I wrote u that I had no idea who u are and never hided the picture which inspired me,” Gazinskaya said. “I were showing it to buyers and Amy. But we both did not know. I wrote u this, saying that we will add the ‘inspiration’ being u. Since now I figured out your name. But u prefers to stay angry – I thought artists are more kind and spiritual.”
“im not angry at life im angry at you for directly copying my work and profiting from it,” Troemel responded. “You say you had ‘no idea it was my work’ but it was obviously *someones* work, there arent 140 block gradients with numbers and text excerpts growing on trees. At which point you directly copied the series block by block.”
Vika Gazinskaya in Paris.
COURTESY PINTEREST
A few comments later the tone shifted and Gazinskaya became more contrite, saying “‘Shame on me’ I did not know your work” and adding that “for me it is great to know and point your art was an inspiration.” She also said that, contra his claims of fighting a much larger fashion world machine, she too struggles to make a profit when the retail stores mark up the costs of her dresses by a factor of five.
In a profile of the brand, leading online trade the Business of Fashion says that the “label is currently stocked in luxury boutiques such as Fivestory in New York and Symphony in Dubai, as well as online at Net-a-Porter, Avenue 32 and Moda Operandi.” A green draped ruched dress from Vika Gazinskaya retails on Lyst.com for $1,575. Katy Perry wore a Vika Gazinskaya skirt when she appeared on The Late Late Show in May.
The commentariat was quick to condemn Gazinskaya and compare the predicament to other instances of brands swiping ideas from artists, such as when Supreme borrowed liberally from Barbara Kruger’s aesthetic to create its iconic logo. Kruger had an immortal response to a reporter’s inquiry on the matter: “What a ridiculous clusterfuck of totally uncool jokers. I make my work about this kind of sadly foolish farce. I’m waiting for all of them to sue me for copyright infringement.”
For Troemel, too, this must seem like a bit of an absurd situation—his practice also dissects and sends up issues of appropriation and ownership, fashion and retail, social media and digital influence, all of that. It almost seems like he could’ve cooked up the whole controversy himself.
When reached over text, Troemel said he declined to comment until he speaks with his attorney later this afternoon.
Essence of Mildew? Eau de log flume? Or how about semen cologne? Perfume is getting quirkier – or so says exhibition ‘Perfume: A Sensory Journey Through Contemporary Scent’, a new show at London’s Somerset House.
READ MORE: Want to smell like kitten fur? There’s a perfume for that
According to co-curator Lizzie Ostrom, the days of wanting to smell of pleasing floral notes are long gone. Instead, some people are seeking out fragrances that evoke memories and experiences.
“We’ve also got a fragrance which smells of different bodily fluids, so from blood to sweat to milk. That one is again not a traditional perfume but it’s saying something really interesting about why we wear perfume, what are we covering up, what are we wanting to flaunt and, again, that one has a real cult following because it’s a bit risque.”
On display at the exhibition are scents a long way from your usual duty free products. Few of the perfumes on show are household names, though they are real products, on sale to the public.
READ MORE: ‘SNL’ debuts new perfume ‘Complicit’ from Ivanka Trump
Ostrom says many of the fragrances tell a story far deeper than a mere smell, instead inviting people to see their perfume choice as an holistic experience, interesting rather than just pleasing.
“Traditionally we wear perfume because we want to smell nice and we probably don’t put much thought into it. We’ve got a bottle at home, quick splash in the morning, off you go,” she said.
“But there is another way to wear perfume, which is to see it as a real experience, as something that is perhaps telling us a story, taking us on a journey somewhere and that we might want a perfume to be interesting rather than just pleasing.”
The perfumers behind these unusual smells are being hailed as artists, with curators calling them ‘perfume provocateurs’.
But it’s not just quirky fragrances on display, with some classics also being celebrated, like Calvin Klein’s CK One from 1994. The first gender neutral fragrance in the west, it’s credited with starting the so called ‘clean’ scent trend.
Retired perfumer Alain Garrosi, on hand to explain fragrance to eager exhibition goers, explained that perfume tastes change due to what is going on in society.
Garrosi claims that when a society is in financial turmoil, the public will seek out more exciting smells in order to forget their problems.
belgian designer liesbet bussche has created a series of five large necklaces in the city of namur. these site-specific artworks are part of the her ongoing series titled ‘urban jewellery’ – in which she brings jewellery, usually experienced as an intimate gift, into public space.
liesbet bussche, ‘sculptures dans la ville’: les bijoux urbains, namur, summer 2017
stainless steel chain, cable, plate and rod; fishing floats
for this project, liesbet bussche enlarges archetypal jewellery and links them to urban elements, creating unexpected encounters in daily life. the five necklaces are placed along the rivers meuse and sambre in namur. during the summer, the quays along these waters change into sunny promenades – allowing local people and tourist to stroll along the river, enjoying the sun on a boat or playing with their children on the banks. hence, the function of the rivers transforms from work to leisure.
stainless steel plate and rod; ship’s rope
to emphasize this transformation and to celebrate the role water can have in a social environments, bussche has decided to make the five necklaces out of nautical material. these include thick ship’s rope, colourful fishing floats and heavy stainless steel chains combined with precious jewellery components. finally, five stainless steel pendants influenced by summer and aquatic life adorn the necklaces.
stainless steel plate and rod; ship’s rope
the work can be discovered on a route that starts in the city at rue du pont, and goes to the harbour of namur along quai des chasseurs ardennais and quai de meuse. ‘sculptures dans la ville: les bijoux urbains’ are on display until august 27th, 2017.
stainless steel plate and rod; ship’s rope, fishing floats
stainless steel plate and rod; ship’s rope, fishing floats
stainless steel chain, plate and rod
stainless steel chain, plate and rod
stainless steel chain, plate and rod
stainless steel plate and rod; ship’s rope, fishing floats
stainless steel plate and rod; ship’s rope, fishing floats
poster design by anthony lewin
designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.
New love for the Old Skool. (Getty Images/Melodie Jeng)
In 1977, the sneaker brand Vans introduced a new shoe style. It was a low-top skate shoe, decorated along its side with a single squiggly line, called the “jazz stripe,” that had originated as a random doodle by Vans co-founder Paul Van Doren. At the time, the shoe was known as the “Style 36,” but since then it has been renamed the Old Skool.
At 40, the Old Skool is old enough to have been worn by the parents of many of the teens and 20-somethings buying the shoe up in droves today. The simple, canvas skate classic has gradually emerged as one of fashion’s favorite shoes, dovetailing perfectly with a few of the major trends driving what people are wearing. And Vans is reaping the rewards. The Old Skool has recently become its number-one classic style, Steve Rendle, CEO of Vans’ parent company VF Corp., said on a call with analysts today (July 24).
The Old Skool has a lot working in its favor right now. Shoppers have been clamoring for retro sneakers and prioritizing lifestyle shoes over performance. At the same time, fashion has an ongoing fixation with streetwear, which has roots in Southern California’s surf-and-skate scene, the same breeding ground that produced Vans in the first place.
Skate culture has consequently grown over the past couple years into a particularly hot commodity in fashion’s trend cycle. These forces have made Vans Old Skools a common sight on celebrities, Instagram influencers, and industry insiders. Upscale fashion boutiques, as well as major sneaker retailers, are stocking the style.
Notably, the shoe has unisex appeal, giving it a big audience. Last summer, for instance, men’s magazine GQ picked the Old Skool as the next sneaker to blow up, and a month later fashion blog Who What Wearran a roundup of women in the shoe at New York Fashion Week.
The Vans business as a whole is currently going strong. Rendle noted that other styles, such as its classic slip-ons, are also seeing substantial growth. The brand, in fact, is the largest and fastest-growing in VF Corp.’s portfolio, which includes outdoor gear maker The North Face and footwear brand Timberland.
At the moment, the Old Skool is a major contributor to Vans’ success. It’s 40th birthday looks like a happy one.
My entire girlhood I spent obsessed with magazines, a journey I can map exactly: It started with furtively reading 16 and Bop and Teen Beat at the grocery store, ogling pictures of JTT and Devon Sawa. I had a subscription to American Girl, a magazine for elementary schoolers with advice about dealing with friend drama and instructions for craft projects. I remember one about how to make a tiny model of a barbecue grill. When I was 10, I discovered Twist, a (now long-defunct) alterna-teen mag with cover stars like Fiona Apple. In it I learned about summer jobs, birth control, and how to dress for my body type (I WAS 10). I soon had subscriptions to YM, Teen People, Cosmogirl, and Elle Girl. (RIP one and all.) I remember the 2003 Young Hollywood issue of Vanity Fair, where the cover story jokingly began, “Welcome to the launch party for Teen Vanity Fair.” I did not understand the irony and momentarily tried to find out where I could subscribe.
By my midteens I was on to Glamour, Jane, Vogue, and W, which I read cover to cover every month instead of doing my homework. Seeing an issue I had not yet gotten in the mail at the store would send me into such fits of covetousness that sometimes I would make my dad buy it for me, so I eventually had two copies. I reread my magazines and hoarded them, organizing them in a file cabinet that my parents supposedly still have in storage somewhere. I’m honestly afraid to ask about it.
In the hours I was reading my magazines I was fantasizing about making them, too. I have weird little pages in my childhood diaries where I invented fake teen pop stars and interviewed them. They were always dating hot celebrities like Paul Walker. The goal to work at a magazine seemed so natural — do what you love! — and I saw the dream of the magazine job modeled everywhere: in movies like How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days and on TV, where The Hills’ Lauren Conrad got a job as an intern for Teen Vogue. I realize now that magazine jobs are also idealized by magazines themselves: Staffers were often the guinea pigs in their own stories, where they tried out fashion trends or weird beauty treatments or sex positions.
Vogue, especially, would feature pictures of their tan and classy editors who were learning to invest in art or work the season’s new skirt length into their wardrobes. The July 2017 issue of Vogue contains an article about a writer trying out pantsuits, wearing a pink Adam Lippes suit “to supper at Le Coucou” and a tartan suit by Racil “for a day at the races with friends.” It is common knowledge that the entire luxury industry is buoyed by the concept of aspiration, so selling a sophisticated lifestyle might mean promoting the idea of making a magazine as the chicest work imaginable.
For the adult reading the pantsuit article, there might be the question of how the writer can afford to wear three different designer suits, each costing a few thousand dollars, in one week. (I never had this question as a child.) In most depictions of magazine work, there is an emphasis on perks and freebies, editors’ clothing allowances, and an overflowing editorial fashion closet. There is less emphasis on the independent wealth and breeding of some in the magazine world, although Cat Marnell, in her magazine and addiction memoir (also a memoir about magazine addiction), How to Murder Your Life, admits that her parents paid her rent when she was only making $26,000 as a writer at Lucky.
How to Murder Your Life makes some efforts to separate magazine work from its fictional depictions. Marnell explains how she got a magazine-worthy wardrobe by shopping at thrift stores and consignment shops and became an expert in beauty and makeup by trying copious free samples. She goes on glamorous free trips with brands, works constantly, and makes almost no money. But even as she deflates myths about the magazine industry, she clings to them, since the prestige attached to her profession (“I’m an editor at Condé Nast,” she tells everyone who will listen, in rehabs and mental hospitals) is the chief indicator that she is not a failure.
Cat Marnell in 2008, when she was still at Lucky. Photo: CHANCE YEH /Patrick McMullan via Getty Images
When she was hired as one of the founding editors at the online magazine xoJane, where she was given free rein to create her own style of wacky and wacked-out beauty content (“Cat Marnell Snorts Bath Salts at Work,” reads one memorable headline), she was resentful of the permissive atmosphere of online publishing — the very atmosphere that permitted her to become the writer she is. “I wasn’t happy with the site,” she writes. “It was nothing like a magazine! Where were the unattainable physical ideals? Where were the aspirational fantasies?” One of the chief myths that How to Murder Your Life deflates is the dragon-lady stereotype of magazine editors: The editors whom Marnell works with are all kind, smart, cool, and nurturing, giving her, as she descended ever deeper in her addiction, ever more chances to make things right.
But there is some weird mother-longing in both of these depictions of the editor: Marnell disdained online publishing because she saw it as about quantity over quality, whereas legendary magazine editors are famous primarily for saying no, something the excessive Marnell relied on. In the documentary The September Issue, which depicts the process of an issue of Vogue going to print, the magazine’s legendary editor-in-chief Anna Wintour is shown as the archetypal distant mother, getting off on being withholding like Lucille Bluth, mercilessly vetoing outfits, removing photographs from fashion spreads, and nixing stories altogether.
Meryl Streep as Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada. Photo: Twentieth Century Fox
In The September Issue and its fictional counterpart, The Devil Wears Prada, magazines are shown as serious business for editors but not for writers. The September Issue features a scene where Anna Wintour meets with executives from department stores and discusses how to get designers to deliver their inventory on time. The Devil Wears Prada, the most famous and cartoonish depiction of magazine work in recent memory, has an iconic scene where Miranda Priestly, Meryl Streep’s Wintour homage, explains to her doubtful assistant Andy Sachs how magazines direct the trends of the clothing market from runways to bargain bins. Nevertheless, a job at Runway magazine is hardly Andy’s dream. It is a dreary gauntlet of nonstop availability, impossible errands, diets, and constricting clothing, a sort of female-gender-expectation Olympics, until Andy can use the cachet she earns there to become a serious journalist at a paper resembling The Village Voice.
Many forget that the also-ran 2003 romantic comedy How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days has the same premise: Kate Hudson’s character Andie [!] has a degree in journalism in Columbia but has landed a job at a magazine as their “how-to girl.” She longs to write articles like the one she shows her editor called “How to Bring Peace to Tajikistan,” but instead has to write puff pieces about how to deter potential suitors.
This view of women’s magazines — and the tyrannical whims of their Cruella de Vil-esque editors — as an alternately frivolous and harrowing rite of passage for serious writers is condescending and simplistic. But it must illuminate something about the way we think about modern womanhood, since some version of this dynamic is in most of the zillion fictional depictions of magazines, from the most light-hearted (13 Going on 30 and Ugly Betty) to the most dark and satirical (Dietland, Absolutely Fabulous, and, lest we forget, The Bell Jar, where a summer job at a magazine sparks Plath’s heroine’s descent into madness). The creators of the new Freeform series The Bold Type, which is based on the inner workings of Cosmopolitan magazine, emphasize the seriousness of magazine work, name-dropping writers with a magazine pedigree in its pilot, including Joan Didion and Meghan Daum. The series will have storylines based on the unexpectedly tough political coverage of women’s magazines in the past year, including Lauren Duca’s viral Teen Vogue editorial, “Donald Trump Is Gaslighting America,” and Ivanka Trump’s contentious interview with Cosmo’s Prachi Gupta.
Teen in an adult body Jenna Rink (Jennifer Garner) shows up to work at Poise. Photo: Columbia Tri-Star
“We always joke that the tagline of the show should be ‘Searching for the right shade of lip gloss to wear while smashing the patriarchy,’” The Bold Type’s showrunner, Sarah Watson, told The Hollywood Reporter. This tagline is perhaps more telling than Watson means it to be. As Julia Carpenter pointed out at The Washington Post, women’s magazines have always been political. But in this way, they walk a strange line: Lip gloss and smashing the patriarchy aren’t necessarily in conflict, except for that most lip glosses are sold by enormous corporations run by men.
Barbara Bourland’s new mystery novel I’ll Eat When I’m Dead takes the lip-gloss-and-patriarchy argument even further, as one of the staffers at the fictional RAGEFashion Book, Cat Ono, dropped out of her Ph.D. program at the University of Chicago and sees her work in fashion as an extension of her interest in feminist semiotics. She quotes from John Berger’s Ways of Seeingabout how “men act and women appear.” She lectures a rude New York City policeman, telling him that women are not “blind narcissists” but instead “self-aware pragmatists.” (This ambivalence guides the tone of the book, which is somewhere between satire and homage: RAGE runs fashion spreads called “Judy and the Technicolor Housecoat” and “’Dotty for It,’ the Sylvia-Plath-in-a-mental-hospital-themed spread.”)
Vogue editor Anna Wintour with Stefano Tonchi at the Armani F/W 2017 show. Photo: Bertrand Rindoff Petroff/Getty Images
Even in the over-the-top world of the book, where the editors of RAGE use their clout to force humanitarian and environmental production standards for all clothing companies on earth, it’s difficult to know what the end of Ono’s philosophy is. Why is she encouraging women to live pragmatically, squarely within the constricting and unjust paradigm that Berger has identified? Why, indeed, are women so complicit in our own oppression?
What a great question! Sandbagged by other questions about race, class, education, and desire! I will pretend, for now, that that is not my question. I want to know why our culture is so interested in the women’s magazine as workplace, and the answer can most likely be found, once again, in the iconic figure of the editor-in-chief. In the mid-20th century, the editors of women’s magazines, including Diana Vreeland and Helen Gurley Brown, were powerful and creative figures who reimagined what it meant to be a women in the public sphere, wielding influence in publishing, fashion, and every corner of culture. Vreeland, in particular, is probably the dreamiest and most visionary editor ever to work in fashion, creating spreads and layouts for Vogue that were colorful, graphic, simple, and full of movement — that look, in fact, exactly how Vogue’s layouts still look today.
Vreeland famously wrote a column for Harper’s Bazaar before she began at Vogue called “Why Don’t You?” filled with both practical and impossible advice. “Why don’t you,” she asks, “have two pairs of day shoes exactly alike, except that one pair has thin rubber soles for damp days? Any cobbler can put these on.” At another time: “Why don’t you have an elk-hide trunk for the back of your car? Hermes of Paris will make this.”
Vreeland spoke explicitly of creating dreams in Vogue, wanting to transport her reader to a reality where she could order an elk-hide trunk from Hermes. Joan Juliet Buck was editor of Vogue Paris from 1994 to 2001, where she masterminded the transformation of the magazine to a colorful playground for the imagination, overseeing shoots including the one of Thierry Mugler as a centaur with a giant erect penis. As Buck writes in her memoir The Price of Illusion: “Vogue is a potent drug women get lost in. We are making more than magazines, we are making the most addictive substance there is — the dream.”
Diana Vreeland, editor of Vogue. Photo: Standard/Getty Images
But the editor is a tragic figure too: As much a trope of the magazine story as the dynamic, seemingly all-powerful editor-in-chief is her ultimate expendability at the hands of the men even higher up. There is an arresting scene the end of The Devil Wears Prada where Andy walks in on a makeup-free Miranda Priestly in her hotel room in Paris Fashion week, her face streaked in tears. She fears she will be fired and replaced by the glamorous editor of Runway’s French edition.
The Price of Illusion begins with a strikingly similar scene, with Condé Nast chairman Jonathan Newhouse sitting Buck down during Paris Fashion Week in 2001 and giving her a piece of paper containing one word: “Cottonwood.” This, bizarrely, was a rehab she was supposed to check herself into, even though she did not drink or do drugs, during a forced “two-month sabbatical” from Vogue. She knew, of course, that she was actually being fired. Before Vogue, Buck was a film critic who had published two novels. “Two thoughts collided and set off a high-pitched whine in my head,” Buck writes of the moment she was fired. “No more Vogue. Back to writing.” So these magazine stories, in the end, are about the precariousness of women in power and the dilemmas of the creative life: do you make something small, for and by yourself, or make something grand, and have it constantly threatened by your collaborators and patrons? It is easy to forget that Diana Vreeland was eventually fired, too.
Women allow ourselves to be sold a dream: that we can work our way up, transform things from the inside, that the beauty we create offsets the ugliness it’s ultimately selling. That there’s a space that’s actually ours. But I can’t say I regret ever aspiring to work at a magazine. As a kid I was moved by YM and CosmoGirl! because they spoke directly to me, understood my interests, answered my questions. As Marnell’s mentor Jean Godfrey June told Into the Gloss, “I just always wanted to be a writer. I wasn’t particularly interested in beauty. What I discovered as I became a writer is that everyone relates to beauty.” I wanted to relate with people too, intimately and as myself: to be a woman, and a writer.
The scent is musky and sophisticated — almost oriental. It’s the kind of perfume that makes me feel glamorous and mysterious, like someone who wears silk gowns and puts on jewels for dinner.
I admire the chunky glass bottle, with its gleaming gold top and discreet gold letters spelling out the name of the fragrance, NIGHT. Then I look at the price, and can’t quite believe my eyes. The cost of this gorgeous perfume? Just £8.99.
Welcome to the new world of Eau de High Street.
Forget spending £50 upwards for a designer perfume, because the big High Street chains are muscling in on the market with affordable, mass-produced versions of their own.
The smash-hit fragrance of the summer isn’t from Dior, Chanel or YSL — it’s from fast fashion label Misguided.
From New Look to Zara, fashion chains are selling perfumes that rival the smell of designer scents
Called Babe Power, it’s the bestselling perfume of 2017, according to The Fragrance Shop. It sold out within three hours and racked up sales that were 500 per cent greater than predicted. And at £28 for an 80ml bottle, it’s less than half the price of some designer alternatives.
But even £28 is pricey compared to some of the new options out there.
Night, the scent I tried, was made by New Look — but all the big chains are at it: Zara offers scents from £3.99, H&M’s start at £6.99, while Primark has come up with a perfume that costs just £2. On the pricier end of the High Street, The White Company, Oliver Bonas and Zadig & Voltaire are getting in on the act, too.
oor quality?
Gordon Fletcher, retail expert at the University of Salford, thinks not.
‘The cost of the actual perfume itself will represent less than 3 per cent of the retail price,’ he says. ‘The major cost is the packaging and marketing.’
Of course, High Street chains can use cheap, mass-produced packaging, while their marketing costs are lower, too.
Mr Fletcher explains: ‘If you are relying on your existing customers, then you don’t need to spend a lot on marketing. You also don’t need an expensive celebrity when your own brand’s logo is free.’
THE BEST
ZARA – ROSE GOLD
The name is confusing; I don’t get any rose in this. Instead I get white flowers such as gardenia, magnolia and tuberose.
But I love this perfume. It reminds me of a chic hotel room and smells way more expensive than the price tag.
The scent will last well into the evening and is sexy without being brash. And all the Zara bottles get a massive gold star for stylish packaging.
£12.99Shop
MONSOON – ROSE GOLD
Same name as the Zara perfume, but a very different smell.
This reminds me of a garden rose wrapped in cashmere. There’s orange blossom to add a fresh ping, and some woody base notes that bring a gorgeous warmth to the skin.
Just a shame the bottle is not as impressive as some of the others.
£35Shop
MARKS & SPENCER – BUTTERFLY GARDEN
This is a teenage girl’s dream — sweet but refreshing, with pear and peach notes.
Honey and honeysuckle bring sweetness but it’s not sugary, more like nectar. It probably contains loads of synthetics but, nonetheless, it’s delicious.
Plus a beautiful bottle in a Marc Jacobs style.
£14Shop
And many of these scents are remarkably similar to other, more expensive perfumes. Zara’s Rose Gold is said to be very like Paco Rabanne’s Lady Million — at a fifth of the price. Marks & Spencer’s Aqua is reminiscent of Issey Miyake’s L’Eau d’Issey.
And in a blind test of Next’s Just Pink perfume, 11 out of 30 people could not tell the difference between it and Ralph Lauren’s Romance. Of the 19 that could, 13 preferred the Next scent.
There are now websites such as smell-a-likes.co.uk which allow you to find the cheaper, High Street equivalent of traditional perfumes and this is great publicity for High Street shops, who use perfume to build brand loyalty with existing customers and bring new ones in the door.
Brand expert Nick Ede adds that affordable perfumes offer purchasers something couture perfumiers cannot.
‘High Street stores have seen a gap in the market. Their perfumes are aimed at a younger audience who don’t have enough money for designer perfumes.’
NEXT – CASHMERE
At first I was disappointed because this doesn’t smell anything like its namesake, Donna Karan’s Cashmere Mist.
But it’s been compared to Estee Lauder’s Sensuous Nude and, after a while, this settles beautifully. It opens with soft fruits then melts into a powdery whisper.
A lovely grown-up scent that’s perfect for the office and won’t give everyone a headache in the lift. Beautiful bottle in a teardrop shape.
£12Shop
NEW LOOK – NIGHT
Perfect for party season, this reminds me of twinkly fairy lights, cold nights and sparkly make-up.
The notes are roasted sticky peaches, candied oranges seeped in syrup and a tiny hint of cloves but not too spicy.
If you like scented Christmas candles, this one is for you.
£8.99Shop
ZADIG & VOLTAIRE – THIS IS HER
This smells bright and fresh thanks to pink pepper and sparkly jasmine.
There are creamy, nutty scents, too, that cling to the skin wonderfully.
It’s like the perfume equivalent of tinted moisturiser — still you, only better.
£38Shop
And even fragrance experts have to admit that some of the affordable bottles are rather good. Perfume consultant Alice du Parcq says: ‘Affordable does not mean bad quality. High Street perfumes might have fewer natural ingredients and a larger quantity of synthetics, but synthetics can smell spectacular.’
And she says that cheaper doesn’t necessarily mean they won’t keep so long.
‘One of the big preconceptions is that cheaper perfumes won’t last. It’s all about the molecular weight of what’s being used. A lemony fragrance (whether that’s from Primark or Prada) is made with citrus extracts that have smaller molecules, so they evaporate faster. Heavier ingredients such as vanilla, sandalwood and musks have larger molecules, so they stick on the skin for longer.’
But which High Street perfumes should you add to your collection and which might leave you smelling like room freshener? Alice puts her expert nose to the high-street offerings. She says:
. . . AND THE WORST
PRIMARK – SCANDAL
Smells like a tanning shop. Such a shame because the bottle is great — it looks like YSL.
Another Primark offering, PS Rose, isn’t any better. The cloying smell gave me a headache.
£3.50Shop
MONSOON – LOVE LILY
This has been compared to Stella McCartney’s Pop, but to me smells like a cheap body spray — it smacks of bad synthetics and although it lists raspberry, orange, jasmine and vanilla as the notes, I can’t distinguish any of these.
It just reminds me of a car air freshener.
£19Shop
RIVER ISLAND – CRYSTAL GLOW
This is supposed to be fresh and airy but instead it’s medicinal —and the synthetic papaya and water lily smelt wishy-washy and insipid.
Smells like fungal foot spray. Even the bottle looks naff.
£14Shop
NEW LOOK – AFTER GLOW
After Glow wasn’t any better. It smelled of bad liquor left on the top shelf of a bar — the bottle that never gets opened.
Kolkata, Aug 3 (PTI) Apparels made by inmates of Presidency Correctional Home, who have been mentored by a reputed fashion designer in city, will be available from state-run handloom cooperative outlets this Durga puja.
Apart from the diverse range of gowns, modern day jackets and Nehru jacket and tuxedo, there will be a variety of accessories like fabric-made footwear and bags made by the jail inmates on sale.
These will be put on display at different outlets of state-run Tantuja as part of Biswa Bangla Puja collection, the fashion designer Abhisek Dutta told PTI. “The stitching and embroidery had been done within the correctional home(jail) premises by 40-45 convicts under the guidance of my production team for the past three months and the products have contemporary references in Indo-western style,” he said.
“For instance a jacket with Baluchari motif will revive the interest of a youngster about the heritage of Bengal and also help the cause of weavers of Baluchari silk in the state,” Dutta said.
The prices will not pinch the pocket considering the cause and the affordability of the common people, he said.
A senior officer of the correctional home said, “We are happy about the way the inmates got the training. The authorities wish that they return to the mainstream and not be ostracized. We will extend every help to realise this objective.”
Dutta said the apparels made by the correctional home inmates were showcased during a recent fashion show when celebrities including eminent film makers, actors and sportspersons walked the ramp wearing them.
The show was attended by representatives of another correctional home in north India who evinced interest to take a similar initiative, he added. PTI SUS KK
As the convergence of digital and physical continues to evolve, the business of fashion apparel retailing is being redefined.
On the product front, the convergence is one of function and fashion, and is influenced by the Internet of Things. On the shopping, buying and transaction side, the convergence involves reimagining physical stores as destinations where consumers explore and discover — and can buy online, in the store, or have it shipped to their home.
Regarding product development, the wearables segment is the clearest example of where technology meets fashion. One of the biggest players, Flex, makes about 75 percent of all of the wearables in the world — including products for the textiles, fitness and medical markets. The sector is poised to reach $37 billion by 2020, according to Flex.
Flex offers a “Sketch-to-Scale” platform for manufacturers, which can help companies develop products that feature stretchable sensors and flexible circuits.
“The whole concept of a ‘wearable’ is expanding as new devices are available in different forms that provide a range of functions,” the company said. “While the idea started with clip-on pedometers, it’s expanded to fashionable wristbands, rings or smartwatches, and can even be embedded into jackets, shoes or a motorcycle helmet that will give someone the equivalent of eyes in the back of their head.”
Mike Dennison, president of the Consumer Technologies Group at Flex, told WWD that the “convergence of fashion and technology is well under way.”
Mike Dennison Courtesy image.
“But it is requiring a lot of collaboration,” he added.
Indeed. As retailers and brands jostle for market share amid an environment undergoing rapid transformation that is driven by changing consumer preferences, Dennison said fashion and accessory brands “will need to engage in a cultural shift” within the organization. That means creative directors working side-by-side with tech-savvy product developers as well as vendors such as Flex.
The goal is creating solutions for consumers — who are living in and also demanding a more connected environment. “Fashion has a role in the connected world,” Dennison said. “It’s how people are really living.”
The convergence is one of form and function, and fashion, Dennison said. The list of notable fashion brands that have launched wearables continues to grow, and now includes Tommy Hilfiger, Nike, Under Armour, Adidas, Casio, Timex and Montblanc. But the convergence of fashion apparel/accessories and technology is not just about smartwatches and wristbands. The convergence is also about forming collaborations on the manufacturing side of the business.
Nike, for example, turned to Flex to help reduce wait time for its customized footwear. Flex said that “manufacturing personalized shoes with traditional die-cutters and hydraulic presses created large amounts of material waste and long wait times [for Nike].” So Flex worked with them to increase production speed as well as develop “laser-cutting technology” aimed at streamlining the process and reducing waste.
Karen Harvey Courtesy image.
Aside from manufacturing, the act of shopping itself is a key element of the technology convergence trend. Karen Harvey, founder of Fashion Tech Forum and principal of the firm that bears her name, said the fundamental shifts occurring in the retail market are centered on the growth of e-commerce as well as “mono-brands increasing efforts with direct-to-consumer – and that includes online and with physical stores.”
“I strongly believe that there’s opportunity for physical stores to offer real consumer engagement – supported by technology,” she said. “Shopping online is still a convenience and will continue to grow.”
Harvey said these shifts are also redefining the roles of executive leaders at retailers and brands. She said the chief digital officer onboarding today “has to have a very deep understanding of all technology that’s out there in the market. And that includes knowledge about the supply chain, logistics and e-commerce.”
Without that broad knowledge base, the “chief digital officer will not be able to be a producer of success.” Moreover, they have to also be “business-centric and consumer-centric.” Harvey said the chief digital officer is charged with being the leading agent of change at retailers and brands and that “they should bring data to the forefront.”
But the transformation has been a painful process for many retailers and brands. Harvey noted a rash of store closings and bankruptcies as evidence of the challenges faced. For department stores in particular, this retail segment “needs to create a destination — a place where people want to go. They’ve lost that,” she said. “What’s needed from department stores is community building and engagement.”
Harvey acknowledged that repositioning in today’s environment does take time. And gleaning business insights from executives and market leaders of successful brands and retailers is critical. It’s one of the reasons why she created the Fashion Tech Forum, which is designed to foster a “high-level conversation between ceo’s and other leaders in the industry, she said.
This year, Harvey is debuting the Fashion Tech Forum in Los Angeles on October 6. Dennison is slated as a speaker and will be joined by musician and innovator will.i.am, Angela Ahrendts, senior vice president of retail at Apple Inc., and Stephanie Phair, chief strategy officer at Farfetch, among others.
The earthly color faux leather ballerina shoes makes the perfect match like no other for the attirIt has an inner layer of artificial fur to keep her feet warm….
Fast Company published a report this week exploring why third-party accessories that make use of Apple’s Smart Connector remain few and far between, almost two years after the connector first debuted on the iPad Pro. The magnetic Smart Connector allows the iPad Pro to communicate with and power compatible accessories, like the company’s own Smart Keyboard, without the hassle of wires.
The first supporting third-party accessory, Logitech’s Create Smart Connector keyboard, launched the same day as the iPad Pro in late 2015, shortly followed by the Logitech charging base, and more recently a Logitech keyboard for the 10.5-inch iPad Pro. However, this close partnership between Apple and Logitech is one of the reasons for the dearth of Smart Connector accessories from competing vendors, according to the report.
“With an iPad Pro keyboard on the market already, we are evaluating the market’s appetite for another iPad Pro keyboard and identifying if there are any gaps that we can fill,” a spokeswoman for Incipio told Fast Company. “So we are developing with having a point of difference in mind rather than developing to be quick to market.”
Other issues are said to relate to procuring Smart Connector components, with manufacturers reporting longer lead times compared to other accessories, making them time- and cost-prohibitive. “For a business like us, we’ve got a very rapid product development cycle,” said one vendor source, who asked to remain anonymous. “When you’ve got a long lead time component that’s close to six months, that’s just not tenable.”
Logitech Create Smart Keyboard
Meanwhile, some accessory makers simply preferred Bluetooth as a better fit, especially for iPad keyboards, with more room for maneuver in terms of accessory design. For instance, the Smart Connector only works with keyboards in landscape mode, whereas some users prefer to type in portrait orientation. The issue of Bluetooth battery life has also been minimized, with smaller batteries now lasting for months rather than weeks.
There are only four Smart Connector accessories currently on the market – three offered by Logitech, one by Apple. Fast Company was told by Apple that multiple companies are now developing Smart Connector accessories, but going on this report, iPad Pro owners looking to further exploit the potential of Apple’s proprietary connector could be in for some wait yet.
Topshop is the jewel in the crown of billionaire Sir Philip Green’s retail empire.
But with the chain losing its sheen amid tough competition there are fresh attempts to keep it ahead of the game.
In the latest shake-up at Sir Philip’s parent company Arcadia, Topshop’s creative boss Kate Phelan is leaving, as is Topman’s Gordon Richardson.
Arcadia has announced that they will be replaced in a combined role by former Vogue art director David Hagglund.
In addition to this latest creative appointment, a new chief executive starts next month – Paul Price.
It signals a new era for Topshop, once the go-to destination for young shoppers keen to snap up the very latest fashion trends on the High Street.
Profits at Arcadia, which also includes Miss Selfridge, Burton, and Dorothy Perkins, plunged by 79% last year.
Tough competition in the clothing market – and the failure of the now-defunct BHS chain – contributed to the poor performance.
Ms Phelan moved to Topshop from fashion magazine Vogue in 2011, and Mr Richardson has been at Topman for 17 years.
Image captionSir Philip Green’s retail empire includes Topshop and Topman
In Arcadia’s statement, Sir Philip said: “The appointment of David Hagglund, in the newly combined role, continues to mark the start of a new era for Topshop Topman in moving both brands forward in their ongoing global expansion.
“I am delighted to welcome David who will be joining Paul Price, our new chief executive, on the same day and I look forward to working with them both to drive the business forward.”
Top of their agenda will be Topshop’s future. Nimbler online rivals such as Boohoo and Misguided are eroding Topshop’s market share. They’re cheaper, too.
Online retailer Boohoo saw profits double in April thanks to new overseas markets.
And online fashion retailer Asos has also been eating Topshop’s cake, with sales jumping in its latest results.
We will have to wait and see whether Topshop seeks to move upmarket, or tries to up its game in the fiercely competitive online world.
Everyone knows you don’t buy a car or bike, put your wallet back in your jeans and that’s the end of it – we spend large coin on additions, add-ons and accessories for the ride itself, but also for ourselves, for our passengers, and so on. Here’re some cool pre-labor day accessories; check ’em out.
David Yurman Dharma Wheel Amulet with Diamonds (chain sold separately)
David Yurman
Dharma Wheel Amulet with Diamonds
David Yurman, in case you aren’t familiar, is a high-end American jewelry brand founded in 1980 by David Yurman and his wife, Sybil. Yurman became an apprentice of sculptor Jacques Lipchitz in the 1960s. When he met his wife, painter Sybil Kleinrock, they created Putnam Art Works, a company that specialized in sculptural jewelry. For the next decade, David and Sybil showcased their jewelry and artwork at various galleries, where they learned more about the business. They were married in 1979, and created the David Yurman company a year later.This $650 amulet is but a very small representation of their exquisite works.
Vanguard Motorcycle Helmet
Vanguard
Vanguard Carbon Helmet
All helmets definitely aren’t alike, and we like this one. Vanguard, the new motorcycle company based in New York City that debuted to critical acclaim at the December 2016 International Motorcycle Show, is launching its first line of full-carbon, ultra-light, connected helmets in partnership with helmet manufacturer Veldt and riding tech innovator Fusar. The two helmets they offer – one carbon, one aluminum – are fully ECE/DOT-approved and among the lightest and closest fitting that can be found in the market, with an average total weight of 2 lbs 6 ounces (1,080 grams). They can optionally be factory-fitted with Fusar Bluetooth headsets and combined with the Fusar Handlebar Remote Control, giving access to the newest technology and app for motorcycling.
Vanguard
Vanguard Carbon Helmet
The functional, utilitarian and minimalistic design, combined with the integration of Fusar riding technology, makes the Vanguard helmets one of the best helmets available right now, and the ideal riding complement to the (future) Roadster. $590 (including shipping for direct orders), and $650/$720 with optional Fusar technology packages.
With a MSRP of $590 (including shipping for direct orders), and $650/$720 with optional Fusar technology packages, Vanguard’s helmets are priced to offer a great value to riders. The helmets are available now at Vanguard’s webshop and soon at retailers worldwide.
Shock Pro Laptop Backpack
ShockPro Backpack
Bikers (and motorists, but mostly bikers) need something to carry their laptop in to keep it from being smacked around en route. The $195.00 Shock Pro laptop backpack is a full-featured stronghold ready to take on the elements at a moment’s notice. It’s got a ballistic nylon exterior, rubberized laptop compartment zipper as well as a dry compartment for when you suddenly find yourself in inclement weather.
ShockPro
ShockPro Backpack
GTX T-Outliner T-Blade Trimmer
GTX T-Outliner® T-Blade Trimmer
Stubble’s in, boys, but scraggly ain’t. This trimmer’s so small it can fit in your sidebag if need be and will work for light-duty touch-ups as well as all-around outlining, dry shaving and fading. This $111.00 unit’s got a brawny, close-cutting, carbon-steel T-blade for detailing and its powerful, high-speed motor runs cool and quiet.
Marshall Major II Bluetooth Headphones
Marshall
Marshall Major II Black BT Headphones
Still using wired headphones or earbuds? Tsk!
Marshall’s Major II Bluetooth headphones ($149) give you the freedom and convenience of a wireless headphone combined with over 50 years of tried and true Marshall performance. The double-ended coil cord with mic & remote is detachable and compatible with any music player that utilizing a 3.5mm jack. When listening to music wirelessly, you can use the empty 3.5mm socket to share audio with someone else, say, at the beach. It also minimizes audio/video syncing issues, allowing you to watch movies while wearing the phones without experiencing those pain-in-the-neck lip sync issues. Using the analogue control knob you can play, pause, shuffle and adjust the volume. Phone functionality is also included so you can answer, reject or end a call with a few simple clicks.
Amid the ’90s nostalgia of 2017, no designer’s legacy is more pervasive than that of Martin Margiela. Considering that the Belgian nonconformist set out to challenge the fashion system—not just with his designs, but also with his way of conducting business—the industry’s current fixation on him is more than a little ironic.
Flashback to the late ’90s. The corporatization of the industry was creating a surfeit of celebrity designers: John Galliano, Alexander McQueen, Marc Jacobs. Margiela was not among them; he declined to be photographed and communicated with the press strictly via fax. By choosing to remain anonymous, Margiela focused the spotlight on his work, “making,” as one critic put it, “clothes about clothes.” One of his late-’80s collections featured a top made out of a plastic bag and a vest cobbled together from broken plates and wire; for his Fall 1994 collection, he enlarged a doll’s wardrobe to human scale.
Such iconoclasm seemed worlds away from establishment fashion and brands, the most bourgeois being Hermès, where Margiela was named creative head of womenswear in 1997. The appointment raised more than one eyebrow. “At first, this idea seemed really abstract to some people,” the designer admitted to Voguenot long after his debut. “But now that the collection has been seen, it’s no longer a question of two worlds—young/old, avant-garde/conservative—or opposites; it’s more about a shared point of view.”
Though Margiela’s designs for Hermès didn’t resemble the forward-leaning work he created for his own label, he did apply a deconstructivist philosophy to his work at the French luxury goods brand. Exploiting his access to the finest materials and craftsmanship, Margiela created adaptable clothes built to last: Seamless sweaters could be worn inside-out; a coat might have removable collars and closures. By highlighting quality, Margiela aimed to create a forever wardrobe. But he wasn’t playing safe; the subversive result was to discourage the conspicuous consumption our industry relies on.
At Hermès, Margiela created clothes that worked for the women they were designed for, rather than ones that caused a stir on the runway. As a consequence, they were partially overlooked in their time. That situation has been somewhat rectified by “Margiela: The Hermès Years,” an exhibition at Antwerp’s MoMu organized by curator Kaat Debo with help from Margiela himself. “Something that was really important for Martin [was] to explain the innovations he introduced in materials and techniques together with the team of Hermès,” Debo said by phone. “He also felt that at the time, people really didn’t grasp it entirely.”
Structured as a dialogue between Margiela’s work for his own maison and for Hermès, the exhibition indeed makes it clear that both endeavors were linked. “The interesting thing,” said Debo, “is that the ideas kept coming back at the maison and [at Hermès]. At the time, Martin himself was not really aware that he was doing that. It really shows that it’s one DNA translated into two different worlds.”
“Margiela: The Hermès Years,” has attracted nearly 50,000 visitors since it opened in March. As it nears its conclusion, we are adding eight of the 12 collections Margiela designed for the French house to our Runway archive. Images from these low-key affairs, presented in the brand’s Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré store to a greatly pared-down guest list, are almost as rare as vintage Margiela for Hermès pieces. (This in contrast to an active Maison Martin Margiela market in which museums and collectors vie for hard-to-find treasures.) “I think the reason is that a lot of women are still wearing [them],” explained Debo. “When we borrowed objects from private lenders, some women were really hesitating to give the pieces. All of them said, ‘We’re still wearing these pieces,’ which to me [demonstrated that] the concept really works how Martin envisioned it. It’s true that you can [wear his pieces for Hermès] for 15 or 20 years. And that’s amazing.”
Over the past 12 months, women have been sharing snaps of their faces with just half of their make up completed to demonstrate the transformative power of cosmetics.
And now, Sydney woman Kelly McCarren has taken on the challenge – with very impressive results.
In a YouTube video, Kelly, who is the PR and Content Manager at online clothing boutique, Showpo, used 20 make up products to create her flawless make up look while leaving one half of her face completely bare.
‘Today we’re going to do the power of make up which is basically just showing you how transformative make up can be,’ she said.
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Sydney woman and Showpo employee, Kelly McCarren, made up half of her face as part of the ‘power of make up challenge’ on YouTube
In a YouTube video, Kelly, who is the PR and Content Manager at online clothing boutique, Showpo, used 20 make up products to create her flawless make up look while leaving one half of her face completely bare
‘You probably already realise somewhat what it can do, but even as you are just scrolling through your social media everyday and you think “oh my goodness that person is so beautiful” and “why can’t I look like that?”
‘They don’t even look like that.
‘I’m going to show you just how powerful make up can be by doing one half of my face really glam and this half all natural’
Kelly started by removing redness with a colour corrector and smoothing the skin with primer before applying concealer and foundation.
‘I’m going to show you just how powerful make up can be by doing one half of my face really glam and this half all natural,’ she said
Kelly started by removing redness with a colour corrector and smoothing the skin with primer before applying concealer and foundation
‘This isn’t even a high coverage foundation it’s just one that I have fallen in love with,’ Kelly said of the Milani foundation she used.
She then added some concealer to hide her blemishes, added a healthy glow with MAC’s strobe cream and set her make up with powder foundation.
She then filled in her brow before glamming up her eye with shadow, liner, mascara and false lashes .
The look was then completed with blush and bronzer, some highlighter and two lipsticks.
She then added some concealer to hide her blemishes, added a healthy glow with MAC’s strobe cream and set her make up with powder foundation
The look was then completed with blush and bronzer, some highlighter and two lipsticks
‘Well guys, hopefully this shows just how transformative make up can be, because I don’t look like this,’ Kelly said
‘Well guys, hopefully this shows just how transformative make up can be, because I don’t look like this,’ Kelly said.
Kelly is far from the first to take on the challenge, with Sydney-based make up artist, Sarah Laidlaw, recently doing the same thing on a client and sharing the results on her Instagram page.
‘The two faces of Indi Lavers… make up can alter a face so much,’ the make up artist wrote on her Instagram account next to the stunning image.
Kelly is far from the first to take on the challenge, with Sydney-based make up artist, Sarah Laidlaw, recently doing the same thing on a client and sharing the results on her Instagram page
‘This is why I love makeup so much. She is beautiful with her freckles and a tiny scrap of makeup and she is beautiful all painted up.’
The talented artist managed to transform the natural beauty’s complexion and completely cover her freckles, imperfections and any redness.
She also shaped her brows, gave her a bold red lip and used a heavy eyeliner and gold eye shadow to make her eye pop.
‘The two faces of Indi Lavers… make up can alter a face so much,’ the make up artist wrote on her Instagram account next to the stunning image
Indiah’s hair was also straightened on the left side and hair extensions were added – a stark contrast to the other side which was left natural with soft waves.
Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, Ms Laidlaw said to her, make up is primarily fun and that both natural and dramatic looks are equally as beautiful.
‘Being able to alter how we look is akin to creating a mini piece of art each day. I love how much makeup can transform a face and, in turn, transform our mood,’ she said.
‘Beautiful makeup changes how we feel about ourselves in the same way well cut clothes do.
‘I love both ends of the spectrum…. the smallest scrap of makeup for an essentially raw, natural look right through to the full dramatic transformation.
In 2015, YouTube beauty guru Nikkie de Jager (pictured) did the same experiment, inspiring thousands of women to share their own versions
Many women shared their snaps to hit back at those who had ‘make up shamed’ or accused them of wearing make up to please others
‘I loved shooting this half/half look… my model Indiah is absolutely beautiful both ways, and it was fun to show how different you can make a face look.’
Beauty guru Nikkie de Jager started experiment in 2015 and inspired thousands of women to share their own versions with the hashtag #ThePowerOfMakeup.
Each of the women shared their snaps to hit back at those who had ‘make up shamed’ or accused them of wearing make up to please others.
In the original video, Nikkie explained that she had become tired of convincing people that she was the same glamorous girl from her YouTube videos – and shared the half-half look to prove it once and for all.
Many of the women participating in the challenges explained that they wore make up for themselves and not to impress others
Tutorial demonstrates the incredible power of make-up
Dozens of women – and some men – took on the challenge, posting their results and more often then not tagging Nikkie in their posts.
‘Yesterday I watched my favourite youtuber @NikkieTutorials on her “Power of Makeup” video,’ one fan wrote.
‘I loved what she did and did my own version of it. I wear makeup because its fun, I don’t wear it because am insecure or so ppl would like me. [sic]’
‘I don’t care if people judge me, thinking that I do makeup because I don’t love myself,’ another said.
‘Yesterday I watched my favourite youtuber @NikkieTutorials on her “Power of Makeup” video,’ a fan wrote
Not all the women did half and half looks for the challenge, with some opting for simple before and after shots instead.
The challenge revealed exactly what the women altered on their face with the make up, whether that be thin or faint brows, enhanced eyelashes or an evened out complexion.
By revealing their natural features, each of them hoped to prove that they were not ashamed of the way they look, despite regularly applying make up.
Essence of Mildew? Eau de log flume? Or how about semen cologne?
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Kolkata, Aug 3 (PTI) Apparels made by inmates of Presidency Correctional Home, who have been mentored by a reputed fashion designer in city, will be available from state-run handloom cooperative outlets this Durga puja.
David Yurman
Vanguard
Vanguard
ShockPro
Marshall
