The exploration of new territories, distinctive element of Fornari Group’s DNA, have led the company to take up a new adventure in the fashion world. Fornarina’s workshop launches the first LTD collection. It is a line of apparel and shoes with a soft style inspired to the new glamour: sophisticated and peculiar. The collection is conceived to enhance the soul of Fornarina women and to complete the possible uses of the garments in the different life styles.

A dash of the past and a salt of the future; irony, utter femininity; retro-tinted glamour and plastic fantastic pop: the LTD collection for spring/summer 2007 is eclectic in a very sweet kind of way. Vichy checks and ice-cream colors provide a sugary vibe, while bold multicolor prints and strong black and white graphic motifs, make for a visually stunning outcome. The tidy, proper but-not-too-proper Happy Days inspiration shares space with gung-ho 80s flamboyancy and then some stark op art severity; technical fabrics are mixed with lurex, sequins, colored studs; otherwise, things take a dolly turn. Irreverence and a proclivity for odd, playful mixtures are the LTD signature.

First step in a succession of paid homages from label April77 to those who make or have made Rock ’n’ Roll. Starting from December 2006, 500 unique and numbered copies of slim griffé Gibson jeans will be sold in 3 prestigious sales points: colette (Paris), Dover Street Market (London) and Loveless (Tokyo). A part of this « collector item’s sales - dedicated to all you rock fans - will be given to charity… 500 copies only, not one more!

If rumours are to be believed the mighty KU USA will be leaving Japanese shores and entering the European market early next year. KU USA is widely considered the first and foremost Japanese Brand and remains today an inspiration for virtually all world- renowned Japanese designers. KU USA blends innovative denims with mindful materials which combine to create a truly unique style. If you get a chance have a butchers at this one, it could be even bigger than Evisu!

Dolce & Gabbana Autumn/Winter 2006 is, as usual, totally uncompromising. Dolce & Gabbana continually manage to achieve the impossible by retaining their sublime style and classic couture whilst simultaneously presenting a “chic street” edge. Dolce & Gabbana are no less than fashion geniuses which is again reflected in their A/W 2006 Collection.

Paul Smith Autumn/Winter 2006 radiates traditional classic style with the inimitable Paul Smith twist. Bold checks, stripes and solids, classically matched with cords, knits and wool. The whole feel is contemporary urban classic - no one does it like Sir Paul Smith!

Paul & Shark Jacket Parka with goose down padding, wind and waterproof exterior, fleece lined collar and detachable fur lined hood (no reference to whether this is real or fake - for the brand’s sake let’s hope it’s fake!). Ultra-accessorized, the parka comes with a large rucjsack featuring outside pockets, hooks and a folding tent for easy assembly.

Cutting edge and bold, RAW 7’s couture designs have revamped cashmere’s image from traditional to avant-garde and street-chic. Founded in 2003, RAW 7 was inspired by a love of urban art. The collection features vintage and pop art designs, “rock icons” and well-known university emblems, all remixed and reinterpreted to reflect RAW 7’s unique edginess. Made from the best quality cashmeres, silks and imported leathers, the Los Angeles based luxury brand has become known for its rock and roll inspired tops for men and women that are not only comfortable, but are wearable works of art.

This week Adidas opened the world’s biggest Adidas Sports Performance store on the Avenue des Champs-Elysées in Paris . In attendance were some of the world’s greatest athletes, including soccer player Zinedine Zidane and tennis star Justine Henin-Hardenne. “The Champs-Elysées has a very special meaning for us,” said Roland Auschel, senior vice president of Europe, the Middle East and Africa . “Not only is it the most famous shopping street in the world, (but) we celebrated the World Cup here in 1998.” The company expects a footfall of 150,000 visitors before the end of the year, of which 70 percent tourists.

Adidas France is outperforming the company’s home market in Germany and claims to control 14 percent of the French sportswear market. Nike says it controls 11.8 percent of that market. “Adidas is the leading sports apparel business on the French market,” André Maestrini, president of Adidas France , told WWD. He said women’s sportswear and soccer were the main drivers of the French business. “The women’s category is essential, we wanted to create a feminine atmosphere and intimate space where shoppers can feel relaxed,” he said, commenting on the second floor of the store which is devoted to women’s wear. An 860 square foot area is devoted to Stella McCartney for Adidas.

Comme des Garcons is widely consider at the vanguard of the new world of intense-fashion-collaborations. Although the brand has a strong collaborative tradition it would be a tradegy to deny Comme des Garcons’ incredible contribution to fashion within its own right.

Fashion Designer Rei Kawakubo, founder of Comme des Garcons, was born in Tokyo in 1942. Being untrained as a fashion designer, but having studied fine arts and literature, she conveys her ideas verbally to her patternmakers. After graduation Kawakubo worked in a textile company and began working as a freelance stylist in 1967.

In 1973, she established her own company, Comme des Garcons Co., Ltd in Tokyo. Starting out with women’s clothes, Kawakubo added a men’s line in 1978. Two years later, she moved to Paris and presents her fashion lines there each season. At the same time she opened up her first boutique in Paris.

Following her breakthrough in Paris, Comme des Garcons clothing was often subject of exhibitions around the world.

Comme des Garcons specializes in anti-fashion, austere, sometimes deconstructed garments, sometimes lacking a sleeve or other component. Her garments are primarily in black, dark gray, and white, often worn with combat boots.

Her designs have inspired many new designers like e.g.the Belgian Martin Margiela and Ann Demeulemeester, as well as Austrian designer Helmut Lang. The newest offspring of Kawakubo’s fashion think tank is former apprentice Junya Watanabe, who has recently attained much attention in the fashion business.

So Bapesta Sneakers finally takes the plunge and ventures from the cozie world of the AF1s and embraces a new concept predictably called, Roadsta. Roadsta sneakers have a more athletic feel to the design and will be available to Bapeheads in early 2007. Whether the gel heel is for practical purposes or show is yet to be determined.

Put your finger on a map of downtown New York City and you can feel the pulse of Heatherette. Richie Rich and Traver Rains have created a lifestyle brand that truly cultivates the popstar in everyone. Glitter, sequins, and dreams have driven Heatherette every step of the way, transforming them from the quintessential downtown buzz brand to a respected and revered player in the fashion industry. Heatherette will take you from the red carpet to the street, uptown downtown and every stop along the way. “THIS IS HEATHERETTE!”

Heatherette came out with a bang in late 1999 when Richie and Traver began collaborating on t-shirts and leather goods as a hobby on their living room floor. Richie showed up at a party in one of his own customized leather tops and caught the attention of a buyer at the downtown store Patricia Field who ordered twenty of them on the spot. The exposure at Patricia Field led to an almost instant celebrity following. Rapper Foxy Brown personally asked Richie and Traver to design a custom outfit for her to wear to the MTV Video Music Awards. The word spread and soon Gwen Stefani was featured wearing one of their tops in Entertainment Weekly, Rich and Rains found themselves on tour with Aerosmith creating nightly wardrobe magic, and a young not-yet famous Paris Hilton was buying Heatherette creations off the rack as fast as the boys could make them. Patricia Field asked Richie and Traver to create one of their “Name” shirts for Sarah Jessica Parker’s character on Sex and the City. The now famous Heatherette “Carrie” t-shirt was featured worldwide in HBO’s massive Sex and the City ad campaign.

All appears rosie in Burberry’s checked garden, with sales figures the highest they have ever been in the brand’s history and accessories selling out before they even make it to the shop floor. That said, Welsh factory workers are not amongst those sharing the wealth. Workers at a threatened Burberry factory in south Wales on Thursday held a demonstration against its closure at the Welsh assembly. The Rhondda-based factory, which employs 309 people, is in consultation about closing at the end of the year and moving production abroad - wink wink.

Earlier this month, there were protests outside the designer’s store in London about the closure. Thursday’s lunchtime demonstration will be addressed by Rhondda politicians Chris Bryant MP and Leighton Andrews AM. Mervyn Burnett, senior organiser for the GMB union, said: “This is the next step in the GMB campaign to gather support from elected representatives and others to maintain Burberry production in south Wales .”

The factory in Treorchy makes polo shirts and production will go where costs are lower, possibly to Asia or South America . Burberry has said the factory is no longer “commercially viable”, but it would not abandon the UK. The union is asking the company to consider bringing new work to the Rhondda.

It says Burberry could make raincoats in Wales rather than increasing the amount of rainwear they make in Castleford, West Yorkshire . If the company was to make the extra 45,000 coats they plan to in Rhondda instead, the GMB says the company could save 220 of the 300 threatened jobs. The firm would need to move to a smaller site than its Treorchy base, but the union believes one could be found in the area, possibly with help from the assembly government. A Burberry spokeswoman said the company would look at all options, as the intention to close was “only a proposition”.

45rpm, the famous Japanese denim brand, has evolved into something of a phenomenon with a loyal cult following. Product diversification includes everything from sweaters to tees and even an honest little moleskin jacket number:

“The moleskin material is used for navy’s jacket. This material is known for a smooth texture created by intense weaving with fibers on its surface trimmed. The only minuses of vintage moleskin are its stiffness and heaviness.

45rpm use soft and high grade thread to overcome the minus without destroying the whole scent of vintage moleskin. This jacket is very particular about details such as piping used at collar and pockets, smoked metal change buttons, and hand embroidered emblem.”

In 1981 Yohji Yamamoto presented his first Yohji Yamamoto collection in Paris and in 1984 he presented his first Yohji Yamamoto pour Homme collection . Yohji Yamamoto designed a collection for women based on men’s garments, cut in uncluttered shapes, washed fabrics and dark colors.These clothes expressed a functional elegance that Yohji Yamamoto would reaffirm, a few years later with Y’s for men. Fabric is always the starting point of Yohji’s design, and he is occasionally referred to as the Massimo Osti of the Far East because of the ingenuity and sublime practicality of his designs.

Yohji Yamamoto clothes destructured and ample In the begining, evolved through time into something more structured , fitted to the body in a spirit of couture -with- a- twist. The Yohji Yamamoto + Noir collection is based on classic and timeless pieces of theYohji Yamamoto line. Each season half of the collection changes, while the other half stays the same. Yohji Yamamoto +Noir is almost entirely black with a punctuation of bright colors.

Today the fashion-conscious buyer has the privilege of buying Yohji Yamamoto denimwear. Yohji jeans rival the very best denim and compare with RMC, Sugar Cane, Evisu and Kohzo.

The Denim collection fuses the heritage and essence of authentic denim with a range of modern fits, distinct style and WESCô signature details. With exclusive premium Japanese selvage denim, produced on vintage shuttle looms and handmade ecological finishing processes, each pair is unique. Constructed using traditional manufacturing techniques and classic details, the collection maintains the integrity and durability of denim jeans with the definitive WESCô aesthetic.

We Are The Superlative Conspiracy!

Following the acrimonious split with Rock & Republic Jeans, Vicky Beckham is taking the initiative with her new fashion venture dVb Jeans. Hats off to the raging Essex girl for refusing to lay down and if rumours are to be believed dVb Jeans are actually far superior to the heavily counterfeited Rock & Rupublic jeans. In adition to the denimwear, dVb also offers aspiring fashion queens a collection of clothing, bags and shoes. Keep your eyes peeled.

This season, Limited Edition Supremebeing sneakers are available for a lucky few. The Supremebeing sneakers are rumoured to be Limited by necessity and not as a marketing ploy because they are handmade. Supremebeing’s reputation for marketing and fashion integrity backs this up.

Supremebeing is based around the lives of people who love their music love their art and love their board sports. They are basically a family of artists, some paint, some sketch, some use computers, some make music… They just all live to produce inspiring things whether audio or visual. They have had quite alot of shouts lately which for them is a little strange but you may have seen them on various bands and other popular people, they look after a few snowboarders musicians / breakers / and generally nice people. Supremebeing has been on the backs of many Hip Hop artists including Roots Manuva, Hexstatic, Taskforce, Braintax, Mark b, Jehst, Rodney P & Phi Life Cypher to name a few.

Paul Smith opens New York flagship, 142 Greene Street, October 2006.

“For the first time in New York we have together in one space all Paul Smith collections, which include the three for women, and the various collections for men, plus objects, some furniture, and a great book shop. The design of the shop is based on a selection of rooms respecting one of the former occupants’ fantastic history for showing art (Pace Gallery). The first thing you see is a piece by British artist Richard Woods and that’s all I am going to tell you at the moment, because you should visit the shop… it’s full of surprises.” Paul Smith.

Hysteric Glamour is a quintessential Japanese fashion brand. The brand is heavily influenced by all things Americana but has that added Japanese twist which only the Japanese can create.

Design concept of Hysteric Glamour is based on the 1960’s and 1970’s American cultures that influenced Nobuhiko Kitamura during his childhood, especially music, comics, automobiles, and mass media cultures such as package designs, neon signs, etc….  He adopts those images into his imagination, which is expressed in his clothing line. There is not a fashion show held for Hysteric Glamour but the new collection is presented quarterly at Hysteric Glamour’s exhibitions for each season.

Hysteric Glamour products are sold 51 Hysteric Glamour store locations all across Japan. In August 1997, the flagship store was opened on Meiji Street in Shibuya, Tokyo. In November 2001, the largest Hysteric Glamour store was opened in Minami-horie, Osaka. Nobuhiko Kitamura directed every aspect of this stores design.

Hysteric Glamour U.K. is started in 1991, which mainly features T-shirts made in the U.K. It can be found at selected boutiques in London and other European countries. Hysteric Glamour Hong Kong store was opened in 1999. This store carries the collection from Japan.

Hysteric Glamour is a clothing line for guys and ladies high teens to twenties. The line features daily wear such as T-shirts, jeans, jackets, tops, accessories.

Peter Werth Menswear was founded in Islington, North London in 1975. Over the last 30 years the brand has developed into one of the UK’s most respected brands, continually delivering up to the minute fashion. The Peter Werth Autumn/Winter 2007 collections take their influence from the move towards urban elegance. Gone are deconstructed frayed edges and heavy washes. Welcome back clean lines, serious silhouettes, luxurious feel fabrics and “make that extra effort” attire.

“My customers love clothing but are not interested in hype. They are fashion aware but not fashion obsessed. They are truly confident, unafraid individuals that have graduated from youth fashion and street labels. They want a smart look that is accessible and like the fact that Peter Werth garments are unique and uninfluenced by corporate pressure. I design honest, affordable garments that I believe in”. PETER WERTH.

The Staff Jeans collection for Spring-Summer 2007 has a Rock influence with emphasis on the “authentic”. The collection boasts hi-fashion and basic 5 pocket fitted jeans for men and women, skinny, fashion and loose fitting jeans, backed by an elaborate fashion line of tops & tees. The “Dolly” women’s jean and the “Morrison” men’s jean are the highlights of the collection.

Following the success of their Tokyo store, Juicy Couture is opening its first store on Manhattan ’s Upper East Side. The store encompasses 2,000 square foot over two stories, with a “Madison Avenue meets Alice in Wonderland” feel to it, according to co-founders Pamela Skaist-Levy and Gela Nash-Taylor.

The design concept will provide a blueprint for other Juicy Couture boutiques.“Pam and Gela ’s influence is stronger than ever in this store,” said Philip Johnson, Juicy Couture’s visual director. “We are really starting to infuse their taste level into the design of the stores, and we will begin to update the existing Juicy stores accordingly.” By the end of this year, the company will have 19 stores worldwide and 20 more are planned for 2007. These will include locations in Milan , Hong Kong , Chicago , Malibu and Palm Beach .

Greedy Genius exclusive holiday 3M reflective sneaker pack. 4 new reflective sneakers by Greedy Genius are all made with colored reflective and premium leather and are available in November.

The HER2 Genes Campaign

According to the American Cancer Society, an estimated 212,920 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer and approximately 40,970 will die of the disease in the United States in 2006. About one in four women with breast cancer has too many copies of the HER2 gene, which causes cancer cells to grow and spread more quickly. Unfortunately, many women with breast cancer are unaware of their breast cancer’s HER2 status.

Daniella Clarke, founder and owner of the fashion denim company Frankie B., the Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization, and Genentech, Inc., a leading biotechnology company, have joined forces to inspire women to learn about HER2-positive breast cancer…through fashion.

Daniella has designed a pair of HER2 “Genes” as a symbol of empowerment for the thousands of women who will be diagnosed with HER2-positive breast cancer each year. For each pair of HER2 “Genes” sold through FrankieB.com, the exclusive distributor, from September through November, Frankie B. will donate $107 to Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization.

This October, during National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Daniella Clarke will debut the HER2 “Genes” at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Smashbox Studios in Los Angeles (Oct. 15 - 19, 2006).

For more information on HER2-positive breast cancer visit http://www.her2genes.com/

Levi’s is set to launch a new line of environmentally friendly denim this November. “Levi’s Eco” will be made from 100% organic cotton and all external packaging will be made from organic fabric or recycled paper and printed with soy-based ink. The new line will be accesorized with a few subtle hints toward the ‘green’ image including an embroidered lower case “e” and naturally colored “Levi’s” tab.

A spokeswoman Levi’s Eco said: “When you wear them, you can honestly say that you are making a small contribution to a better world.” You Nguyen, Levi’s senior vice president added: “There is clearly a trend towards organic and environmentally responsible products. With Levi’s eco jeans, we are reaching out to fashion-conscious consumers interested in high-quality products that demand less from the environment.”

The dye does not use any chemicals but instead is made from a process involving natural indigo, potato starch, mimosa flower and Marseille soap. But it could also prove to be a profitable winner at a time when older jeans brands are seen as less trendy by today’s youngsters who associate them with their middle aged dads. Levi Strauss revenues around the world fell by one per cent in the second quarter of this year compared to the same period a year ago. Levi’s brand president Robert Hanson said: “As the inventor of jeans it is critical for us to continue to innovate with our products and within the category itself in order to drive positive change. Given our history as a leader in responsible manufacturing and business practices, this initiative is about quality and responsibility never going out of style. With Levi’s Eco, consumers who seek to minimize their personal impact on the environment can choose jeans that demand less from the environment without forfeiting the style or quality they’ve come to expect from the Levi’s brand.” Levi’s is hot on the heels of a growing demand of organic fashion, including Edun, Sugar Cane and Loomstate.

The jeans will be available in November 2006 exclusively at Levi’s U.S. stores with additional products to be introduced in spring 2007. The fall U.S. introduction is part of a global launch of products made with 100% organic cotton. In Europe, the Levi’s brand will offer certified organic denim versions of its most popular styles — the Levi’s(R) 506 Standard Fit Jean for guys and the Levi’s(R) 570 Straight Fit Jean for girls.