Designers to Watch: Charlotte Ronson (New York)

Falling somewhere between Isabel Marant and Chloë Sevigny on the vintage-inspired-downtown-chic fashion spectrum, somewhat lesser known than her twin sister who famously dated Lindsay Lohan, designer Charlotte Ronson has nonetheless managed to carve out a significant niche for herself in the fashion world, and with a surprising business partner: J.C. Penney. What could a New York scenester and a

Assistir Filme »

The new face of retail: Personalized service for all

Business as usual just doesn't cut it anymore. The recession has proved to be fertile ground for innovation as lackluster business shift their strategies to keep up with our fast-changing world. According to a recent article in the NY Times, even super-sized Wal-Mart stores is cutting brands and streamlining inventory, while moribund department stores Sears and JC Penney are entering the 20th century by copying Barnes & Noble's longtime innovation of offering in-store customers the use of computers linked to the store's inventory system. If something they're looking for is out of stock, t

Assistir Filme »

News flash: High-end copycats?

And the copycat saga continues... In an especially egregious copycat case, CFDA president and prominent anti-copying advocate Diane von Furstenberg voluntarily settled out of court with under-the-radar Canadian label Mercy after a newspaper columnist accused her of copying a floral-print jacket, above right. Mercy co-designer Jennifer Halchuk explained to the National Post that the jacket pattern

Assistir Filme »

Designers to Watch: Beth Ditto for Evans (London)

A proud size 28, singer Beth Ditto is an unlikely fashion icon -- but icon she is, having played Fendi's after-party in a custom-designed (by Karl himself!) costume, which she proceeded to strip off, and gracing the cover of Love magazine's first issue with her ample curves. As the frontwoman for Gossip, a West Coast punk band, she made a splash by talking openly about her weight and homosexualit

Assistir Filme »

Going green: YSL New Vintage comes and goes in a single day

Maybe it's the continuing appeal of limited-edition wares, or perhaps a sign that it really is time for luxury houses to go green, as the NY Times's Cathy Horyn so elegantly put it at her talk last Saturday. No matter how you explain it, though, the much-anticipated 60-piece YSL New Vintage collection had mostly sold out by the midpoint of its opening reception, reports WWD. Made from "vinta

Assistir Filme »

News flash: Department stores, up and down

Wal-mart shareholders just got out from their star-studded annual meeting, in which Ben Stiller, Miley Cyrus, and various company execs celebrated the mega-retailer's status as one of few chains with, um, not-so-terrible sales amid the recession. Meanwhile, in Germany, the department-store and catalogue group Arcandor has filed for bankruptcy in another American Apparel-like situation: Three

Assistir Filme »

News flash: The high/low trend reaches new heights, er, lows.

Okay, okay, we know there's a recession on and that everyone should be grateful for the jobs they have. But perhaps designer Max Azria is overdoing it a bit? On top of reviving the Hervé Leger line – and with it the slinky bandage dress trend – running his lovely eponymous line, and the throw-all-the-trends-at-the-wall-and-see-what-sticks BCBG line, he's announced a new collabo with… Miley Cyrus?

Assistir Filme »

Join us on June 8 for a sustainability round-table!

Been thinking about going sustainable, but don't know where to start? Next Monday, we're gathering 8 panelists from the fashion, architecture, packaging, and events industries at our New York office, and we're inviting you to follow along online as they discuss the challenges and rewards of making your design-related business green. To register, click here and just follow the instructions!&n

Assistir Filme »

Going green: New York catches bicycling fever

Forget that nasty swine flu – New York has a fever, and it's a fever for bicycling! First came transportation commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan, who installed 180 miles of new bike lanes; then the David Byrne-led bike rack design competition; and now, a fashion contest at FIT to design fashionable biking clothes, judged by the North American head of LVMH. The winner, 21-year-old Jessica Velasq

Assistir Filme »