Young British Designers

While everyone’s eyes are on the Big Apple, we are packing our bags for someplace else – London is calling. Known for being home to quintessential British brands such as Paul Smith, Jasper Conran, Betty Jackson and Vivenne Westwood, and to the world-best emerging designers such as Christopher Kane, Erdem, Marios Schwab and Richard Nicoll, London Fashion Week yet again delivers a promising schedule. read more

The Tents at Bryant Park, image courtesy Second City Style

It seems even fashion took a vacation this summer, as New York experienced some of the  warmest months on record, and it was simply too hot to wear much of anything at all. But come September 9, the flip-flops and crop-tops will inevitably be replaced with mile-high stilettos (and a pair of Repettos) – as New York Fashion Week (officially Mercedes Benz Fashion Week) marks the beginning of the sartorial season ahead, and gives us the first peek at what we’ll all want to be wearing come Spring/Summer 2011. read more

Who's Next and Premiere Classe, in their 33rd edition

WHO’ S NEXT Paris has been the essential meeting point for industry fashion for 20 years, alongside with PREMIÈRE CLASSE, the reference trade show for fashion accessory designers, both managed  by WSN Development.

Up to 55 000 buyers per session (with strong 45%  from abroad), a selection of more than 1200 brands (750 at WHO’ S NEXT and 470 at PREMIERE CLASSE),  and around 1000 attending press members from Moscow to Toronto heading off to Paris twice a year.

Established in 1994, WHO’S NEXT have aimed at „defending creation”. Originally conceived as a platform for young upcoming artists across all disciplines in fashion, music and arts, WHO’S NEXT continues positioning itself as a place of expression, with the participation of artists with very different backgrounds and influences. read more

Strøget. Image: Copenhagen Fashion Council

Copenhagen Fashion Week ran from 11 to 14 of August, and was considered to be a success this season, with rising number of visitors to the main trade shows, including streetwear trade fair CIFF, contemporary CPH Vision and trends-setting Gallery. The numbers indicate what the experts predicted a long time ago – Scandinavians are strong in business. read more

“It Girls” and “A List” celebrities charge up to $100,000 for a single fashion show appearance. But to designers–minus Marc Jacobs and Carolina Herrera who have banned stars from their front rows–the shining and recognizable faces of Hollywood´s elite can garner special attention and attach a star power to the product that may even be worth the high price tag. According to a recent article in the UK Guardian, a study shows that “when processing an image of a famous person endorsing a product, there`s a burst of activity in the medial orbitofrontal cortex.” Thus, the positive associations one has with the person will be transferred onto the clothes being paraded down the catwalk, displayed in the magazine, on the billboard… read more

Oscar de la Renta: High-end success

Not a week goes by without a new story on the debate over whether luxury brands should sell their goods online. Is a luxury still a luxury if it can be bought over the internet? How can a retailer of luxury goods embrace e-commerce without degrading it’s brand essence, which is traditionally linked to exclusivity and “a human touch”?

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