Paul Smith has created a new rubbish bin for London. The ‘New London Rubbish Bin’ will be popping up in Covent Garden and Holland Park for a four-month trial period from 28th May.

The giant rabbit bins, with ears that light up when anyone puts rubbish in them, are Paul Smith’s contribution to Super Contemporary – an exhibition which opens on 3rd June 2009 at the Design Museum.

The ‘New London Rubbish Bin’ is just one of the intriguing responses to a challenge to several of London’s most successful designers to give something back to London – the city that has inspired so much of their work.

“I was pleased to be asked to be involved in the Super Contemporary exhibition at the Design Museum,” says Paul Smith. “I must admit I found it quite challenging, because in any city there are always so many things you love and so many things you don’t and so many things you want to improve. I tried to keep my idea simple and hopefully interesting – I am always amazed how bad people are about litter and how they are so thoughtless. My exhibit is hopefully a tiny step towards making people be better with their rubbish.”

Although Paul’s 5ft-high rabbit bins are intended to be a bit of fun, they still point a brightly coloured finger, or paw, at a serious problem. Every day, the equivalent of 100,000 dustbin bags of rubbish land on the capital’s streets.

Super Contemporary will showcase a wide range of commissions which have also been designed to make London life a little better or more contemporary – from new bus shelters to new uniforms for the ‘Beefeaters’ at the Tower of London.

Burberry Chief Executive Angela Ahrendts and Burberry Creative Director Christopher Bailey hosted an event to celebrate the lighting of the Burberry sign across Manhattan.

Over 300 guests gathered to watch the fifty foot long Burberry logos on top of the new Burberry Americas Headquarters at 444 Madison Avenue being lit for the first time, including Expected guests include: ANGELA AHRENDTS, CHRISTOPHER BAILEY, ORLANDO BLOOM, CLAIRE DANES, HUGH DANCY, BLAKE LIVELY, PENN BADGLEY, ROSE MCGOWAN, CARLA GUGINO, MOLLY SIMS, HELENA CHRISTENSEN, JAMIE BURKE, TARA SUBKOFF, DEREK BLASKBERG, ALEXA CHUNG, LILY DONALDSON, KELLY KLEIN, DARREN ARONOFSKY, AMY SACCO, SEAN AVERY, BRENDAN SHANAHAN, NICO STAI, AARON YOROS, JUSTIN LONG all of whom wore Burberry.

Music at the event was provided by British TV presenter Alexa Chung who played a DJ set as well as British band One Night Only who played a live set.

Canapés and drinks had a British theme.

The event coincided with today being declared Burberry Day in New York by the City’s Mayor Bloomberg.

Burberry also announced today that a $500,000 commitment to the Robin Hood Foundation to support public education and job training in New York City is being made by The Burberry Foundation.

To further celebrate Burberry Day, 20% of all purchases which were made today in Burberry New York stores at 57th Street and Spring Street in SoHo will be donated to The Burberry Foundation.

The Downtown Armory was the setting Wednesday evening for the 37th annual Fragrance Foundation FiFi Awards. The winners list is as follows:

Fragrance of the Year — Women’s Luxe: Harajuku Lovers Fragrances — Love, Lil’Angel, Music, Baby, “G” — Coty Prestige

Fragrance of the Year — Men’s Luxe: I Am King — Sean John — Sean John Fragrances

Fragrance of the Year — Women’s Popular Appeal: American Beauty Beloved — BeautyBank

Fragrance of the Year — Men’s Popular Appeal: McGraw by Tim McGraw — Coty Inc.

Fragrance of the Year Unique Boutique: Tom Ford Private Blend Champaca Absolute — Tom Ford Beauty

Fragrance of the Year Women’s Nouveau Niche: Chloé Eau de Parfum — Coty Prestige

Fragrance of the Year Men’s Nouveau Niche: Burberry the Beat for Men — P&G Prestige Products Inc.

Fragrance of the Year — Private Label/Direct Sell: Victoria’s Secret Sexy Little Things Noir Eau de Parfum — Victoria’s Secret Beauty

Hall of Fame: Marc Jacobs

Female Celebrity Fragrance of the Year: Paris Hilton

Fragrance Hall of Fame: Tie, Davidoff Cool Water — Coty Prestige, and White Diamonds Elizabeth Taylor — Elizabeth Arden

Perfume Extraordinaire of the Year: Mane for à Travers Le Miroir Thierry Mugler, Clarins Fragrance Group (Perfumer: Alexis Dadier, Mane Paris).

Editorial Excellence in Fragrance Coverage: Women’s Scent Feature: Allure for “Uncommon Scents”

Men’s Scent Feature: Elle for “This Year’s Model: What a Boy Wants”

“Scent Bite” (short feature): Elle for “Advanced Chemistry”

Blog: Bois de Jasmin for “Scents of Cities: Kiev”

Technological Breakthrough of the Year: Mane USA for Aquafine

Bath and Body Line of the Year: Angel “Les Parfums Corps” by Thierry Mugler, Clarins Fragrance Group

Interior Scent Collection of the Year: Nest Fragrances Collection Candles — Candela Group

Best Packaging of the Year Women’s Prestige: Tie, Harajuku Lovers Fragrances — Coty Prestige, and Ma Dame — Jean Paul Gaultier, Beauté Prestige International

Best Packaging of the Year Men’s Prestige: R1X Rocawear — Elizabeth Arden

Best Packaging of the Year Women’s Popular Appeal: Avon Bond Girl 007 — Avon Products Inc.

Best Packaging of the Year Men’s Popular Appeal: McGraw by Tim McGraw — Coty Inc.

Best Media Campaign of the Year Women’s: Sensuous — The Estée Lauder Cos.

Best Media Campaign of the Year Men’s: Dirty English From Juicy Couture — Elizabeth Arden

Retailer of the Year: QVC and Tova Borgnine

MAYOR BLOOMBERG DECLARES 28 MAY AS BURBERRY DAY IN NEW YORK

London, 27 May 2009 - Burberry is pleased to announce that Thursday 28 May has been declared Burberry Day in New York City.

The proclamation, by New York City’s Mayor Bloomberg, is in honour of the continued investment and commitment Burberry makes to New York and the US and coincides with the official lighting of the Burberry logo on the rooftop of the new Burberry Americas headquarters at 444 Madison Avenue. The site at 444 Madison Avenue is one of only six grand fathered signage locations in New York.

The fifty foot long Burberry logos will be lit across the iconic Manhattan skyline for the first time this Thursday evening, during an event to celebrate the occasion being hosted by Burberry Chief Executive Angela Ahrendts and Burberry Creative Director Christopher Bailey for over 300 guests.

The new 68,000 square foot Burberry Americas headquarters at 444 Madison Avenue opened in April 2009 and mirror the 160,000 square foot Burberry global headquarters in London. Both headquarters, designed by Burberry Creative Director Christopher Bailey, capture the quintessential British values which Burberry represents and feature modern contemporary office space and cutting edge show rooms.

To further celebrate Burberry Day, 20% of all purchases made in Burberry New York stores at 57th Street and Spring Street in SoHo on the day will be donated to The Burberry Foundation.

The Burberry Foundation is committed to dedicating global resources to help young people realise their dreams and achieve their potential through the power of their creativity. The Burberry Foundation invests in select charities focused on supporting young people in the key cities in regions where the majority of Burberry employees live and work, and where they are able to participate in volunteer roles with Burberry Foundation charity partners on the ground.

Burberry currently has two stores in Manhattan and today announces plans to double this figure with two brand new 1600 square foot stores either side of the new Burberry Americas Headquarters at 444 Madison Avenue. The new stores will open at the end of October this year.

STAND TO ATTENTION - DUCK AND COVER AUTUMN WINTER COLLECTION 2009

London May 2009, For Immediate Release - Stand to attention with this Autumn Winter season’s military offering from urban lifestyle clothing brand Duck and Cover. Taking cornerstone influences from both the Cold War and industrial workwear styles, Duck and Cover fuses military detailing with the brand’s artisanal individuality template to create a highly wearable yet contemporary clothing collection for men. Key elements throughout the range are coated zips and velcro fastenings, diamond 3-layer quilting, multi pocket functionality, and welded / fused seam and applied detail. This attention to detail, coupled with a monochromatic industrial colour palette of black, dark grey and navy’s affords the wearer to build a stylish look with a nod to the brand’s British heritage.

Shirts, outerwear and denim are key silhouettes for this particular range. Fabrics are formed around waxed weather-proof coated cottons, lightweight performance jerseys and knits and directional plaid shirtings. Carefully placed electric highlights of neon citrus yellow, synthetic green, burnt orange and vivid pinks complete the overall mood, whilst the addition of specially coded graphics and digitalised branding details ensure the coming season has a futuristic look and feel. Marketing Manager for Duck and Cover Richard Whitbread says of the Autumn Winter range: “Duck and Cover strives to constantly be a leader in the marketplace with a passion for design and innovation. Our ever-present attention to detail, premium quality and trendy fashion led approach creates an ageless aesthetic with a modern Duck and Cover twist. Our products simply look good and feel great. It’s all about the fit, the feel and the attitude.”

Always highly contemporary and built around innovative detailing, Duck and Cover’s Autumn Winter offering this 2009 plays true to its military heritage whilst giving a strong sense of attitude to the wearer. Duck and Cover is stocked in more than 200 independents and House of Fraser stores across the UK and Ireland.

The ETHICAL FASHION SHOW® Paris is back:

From 1st to 4th october, during the fashion week
AT THE TAPIS ROUGE
67, rue du faubourg St Martin 75010 Paris

A lot of people ask, exactly what is ethical fashion? There are numerous answers from brands like NOHARM, Loomstate and Edun. The issues extended from:

Agenda 21 - One of the main documents created during the Eco 92 climate conference in Rio de Janeiro. Based on this document signed by 170 countries, a global action plan for social and environmental sustainability was created, ultimately resulting in many local agendas all over the world. Many eco fashion initiatives have also been inspired by Agenda 21.

all the way to…

Vegetarian Animal Free - Referring to products that have been produced without the use of leather or animal tissue products. Examples are shoes or bags made from “vegetal leather” using Amazonian rubber instead of animal skins.

Aquascutum’s owner is believed to be in talks to sell the brand to YGM Trading. It emerged on Friday that Kim Winser, the CEO of Aquascutum, has quit after failing in a rival bid that she had spent 12 months trying to negotiate. According to sources at Daiwa Securities, the bank that is handling the sale, the talks with YGM are at a delicate stage.

Aquascutum has been owned for the past 19 years by the Japanese company Renown, but the group has been experiencing financial difficulties and is keen to raise cash. The impending sale has caused huge anxiety within Aquascutum, particularly over the future of its factory in Corby, Northampton-shire, where 120 people are employed making the group’s expensive clothing.

Lord Mandelson, Secretary of state for Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform, is taking a close interest in the matter, and through the British ambassador in Japan has contacted Renown to ensure British jobs will be protected. The government is also thought to have notified David Norgrove, the pensions regulator. Aquascutum, which employs 400 people in the UK and has annual sales of about £200m, is thought to be faced with a sizeable deficit in its pension fund. Norgrove will want to ensure that some of the sale proceeds are used to reduce this deficit.

The great majority of Aquascutum outerwear is made in England at Northamptonshire factory underscoring the company’s support of the British textile industry and ensuring impeccable standards are maintained.

Made in England pieces celebrate all the British hallmarks of Aquascutum – attention to detail, traditional craftsmanship and authenticity. Aquascutum invented the first waterproof cloth in 1853 and created the raincoat to protect English gentlemen and ladies from the elements and preserve their stylish appearance. This understated approach to solving a perennial fashion problem (how to look elegant in the hustle and bustle of city life) has continued for over 155 years.

Martin Yat Ming (Ksohoh) GUEST SPEAKER AT “IVE”- The Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education in Guantang, formerly known as Kwun Tong Technical Institute (established in 1975). The Campus has an academic emphasis on Business, Advertising and Marketing, Branding, Digital Movie, Television, Digital Animation, Role Design, Digital Media Design, Electronic and Information Engineering programmes.

Martin Ksohoh gave a lecture and discussed History and philosophy of RMC Martin Ksohoh. Combating counterfeit apparel, protection of intellectual property rights, marketing and various other topics related to the fashion industry.

NOHARM Organic Cotton T-Shirt. Displays the NOHARM logo plus the NOHARM strapline: “Truth Is That Which Can Do NOHARM” Available in Expresso Brown and Moss Green. Made in Canada. NOHARM is actively against production of apparel, footwear and accessories in all too common sweatshops throughout the world and will only work with manufacturers who provide a fair wage and humane working conditions.

A sweatshop is a working environment with conditions that are considered by many people of industrialized nations to be difficult or dangerous, usually where the workers have few opportunities to address their situation. This can include exposure to harmful materials, hazardous situations, extreme temperatures, or abuse from employers. Sweatshop workers often work long hours for little pay, regardless of any laws mandating overtime pay or a minimum wage. Child labor laws may also be violated.

NOHARM - Never Made in Sweatshops!

Visit NOHARM

PF Flyers releases the Albin for Spring 2009, saturated spring tones gain depth and subtlety in luminescent leather finishes and iridescent metal weaves. Bridging classic sport, modern design and refined casual fashion, PF continues to set the standard in fine sneakers.

This “court couture” style is a favorite in a 70-year PF Flyers tradition of creating styles that merge fashion with a classic sports shoe. The clean-lined, low-top court silhouette of the Albin unites the shape of a dress shoe and the wearability and comfort of a sneaker. This style features welt-stitch joining of the upper and outsole, luxury linings as well as Abzorb®, the latest Posture Foundation insole for state-of –the-art comfort.

Created from a combination of fine, cultured materials, detailed craftsmanship and exceptional comfort, the Albin demonstrates PF Flyers’ reclassification of the sneaker, shattering the distinction between dress and casual.

Burberry will become the newest addition to the Manhattan skyline from 28 May 2009 when three 50 foot long neon Burberry signs will be lit above the new Burberry Americas headquarters at 444 Madison Avenue in New York. The site is one of only six grand fathered signage locations in New York.

The new 68,000 square foot Burberry Americas headquarters at 444 Madison Avenue mirrors the 160,000 square foot Burberry global headquarters in London. Both headquarters, designed by Burberry Creative Director Christopher Bailey, to capture the quintessential British values which Burberry represents, feature modern contemporary office space and cutting edge show rooms.

On 28 May, Burberry Chief Executive Angela Ahrendts and Christopher Bailey will be in New York to host an event to celebrate the lighting of the Burberry name across the Manhattan skyline.

Angela Ahrendts, Chief Executive of Burberry, said:

“We are thrilled to have a Burberry marquee on such a landmark building in the centre of New York. We’re even more excited to be relocating our new headquarters for the Americas in the building. This investment further reinforces our flagship strategy in New York and America.”

Christopher Bailey, Creative Director of Burberry, said:

“We are all so excited about Madison Avenue. It’s such an iconic building which we feel is the perfect new home for Burberry in America and will be another huge chapter in our rich history. The aesthetic mirrors our new global headquarters in London and really emphasises to our American consumer the modern expression of the brand - a balance of what we have always stood for, what we represent today and where we are going.”

Burberry is a global luxury brand with a distinctive British heritage, core outerwear base and one of the most recognised icons in the world.

Burberry, which is headquartered in London and listed on the London Stock Exchange, was founded in 1856.

This Spring, Paul Smith launches ‘Project 10: Bag’ - a new and refreshing take on design and individuality in a world full of mass production.

Paul Smith has taken one bag shape, the ‘Flight Bag’ and created 138 individual designs for it - 138 in total, for every Paul Smith shop in Japan. Each shop will stock just one design inviting customers to get something very rare and special.

Designs include everything from vibrant graphic prints to more muted colours and new takes on the signature multi-stripe.

Re-evaluating large-scale manufacture, each design is limited to an edition of 10 – the result is a unique, inspiring and entirely individual collection of bags.

‘Project 10: Bag’ launched exclusively in stores in Japan on 10th April and will be exhibited at The Design Museum from 18th May until 2nd June.

“I wanted to show that creativity is not just driven by money or commerciality and that it can be about a simple idea and effort. Designing 138 prints at the same time for one project was both extremely challenging and rewarding at the same time. I wanted to give and show something interesting and unique to the customer, and hopefully we have achieved that” Paul Smith

“The Project 10: Bag designs are a breath of fresh air. They’re like an encyclopedia of design thinking” Deyan Sudjic, Director of the Design Museum

PAUL SMITH PROJECT 10: BAG IN JAPAN EXCLUSIVELY SHOWCASED AT THE DESIGN MUSEUM
18th May – 1st June 2009.

Lacoste creative director Christophe Lemaire wanted a fun feeling for LACOSTE RED! Fall 2009 / Winter 2010 collection. Lemaire chose Paris-based art collective Andrea Crews to create an exclusive capsule collection of T-shirts to complement his Lacoste Red! Collection.

With Lacoste Red! aimed at a younger and more urban-oriented customers, collaborating with Andrea Crews is a logical choice for Lemaire. Both a brand and a multidisciplinary collective of international artists, Andrea Crews is experimental and playful and thus making it a perfect fit for Lacoste Red!

Taking the iconic Lacoste crocodile as the main inspiration, Andrea Crews gave it “with a more funky style and attitude; more party croco than classy croco.”

“We offered the crocodile a new youth. He’s playful and colorful and shows energetic behavior from 7 to 77,” said Crews.

One of Hong Kong’s first-ever public art installations has been unveiled – courtesy of Louis Vuitton. Richard Prince, the American artist best known for his “appropriation” style and his collaborations with Marc Jacobs, has wrapped the Hong Kong Museum of Art with enlarged replicas of pulp fiction novel covers.

The installation, which takes its theme from Prince’s “After Dark” series, heralds a significant exhibition of paintings, photographs and video installations collectively called “Louis Vuitton: A Passion for Creation” that will be displayed inside the Museum of Art from May 22 to August 9 as part of Hong Kong’s annual French May Arts Festival.

The exhibition draws from the permanent collection of the Fondation Louis Vuitton pour la Création and features works by Jeff Koons, Bertrand Lavier and Stephen Sprouse.

LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton chairman Bernard Arnault, will attend the opening festivities next week along with Marc Jacobs, Prince, Takashi Murakami and Frank Gehry. The latter designed the Fondation Louis Vuitton’s permanent museum outside Paris, which is slated for completion in 2012.

Rosie Huntington-Whiteley has knickered Kate Moss’s place as the face of risqué lingerie firm Agent Provocateur owned and operated by the son of Vivienne Westwood.

Rosie, 21-who dates Tyrone Wood, son of Rolling Stone Ronnie-steps confidently out of her clothes and into the stilettoes of supermodel Kate Moss.

Agent Provocateur lingerie is an opulent range of inspirational creations, designed to intensify life’s pleasures and unlock innermost desires. Agent Provocateur elegant ranges, designed with both the boardroom and the boudoir in mind, ensure that women can be sexy and professional as the mood takes them.

BURBERRY WRAP STRAP TIMEPIECES

SPRING/ SUMMER 2009

BU8059
Previewed at the Burberry Prorsum Spring Summer 2009 men’s runway show. Antique palladium case with military inspired dial and dark brown bridle leather inspired multi-wrap strap. Hour, minute hands and numbers in luminova. Water resistant to 3 ATM/30m. Swiss made.

Price: £325

BU8060
Previewed at the Burberry Prorsum Spring Summer 2009 men’s runway show. Antique gold-plating case with military inspired dial and stone bridle leather inspired multi-wrap strap. Hour, minute hands and numbers in luminova. Water resistant to 3 ATM/30m. Swiss made.

Price: £395

Stella McCartney follows the beat to the NOHARM drum with Italian made ethical vegan footwear.

At an appearance last week at her Barneys trunk show, British designer Stella McCartney dished to Insider about her latest collection and green ethics, as well as her ability to carry a tune (for the record: she claims she’s not bad). After a quick intro from Barneys Creative Director Simon Doonan (below, left, with the designer), McCartney talked about the difficulties her vegan-only standards create in accessories. “Our shoes are 70 percent more expensive to make because we don’t use conventional methods,” she said of her Italian-made line. “When you’re not working with leather, you really have to think outside the box.”

A history of hope

Levi Strauss & Co. (LS&CO.) has a long history of commitment to equality and social justice. LS&CO. has been a pioneer in issues of particular concern to the LGBTQ community. From progressive employment policies and practices to marketing campaigns and partnerships to funding HIV-prevention and social-justice organizations through the Levi Strauss Foundation, LS&CO. leads by example through actions rather than words.

History of hope timeline

Early 1980s First major corporate foundation to fund HIV/AIDS organizations (then GRID - Gay-related Immune Deficiency). Co-founder of Business Coalition on AIDS

1992 First Fortune 500 company to provide domestic partnership health benefits

2003 Nondiscrimination/non-harassment policies expanded to include gender identity

2007 LS&CO. is only company in California to file an amicus brief with the CA Supreme Court supporting same-sex marriage

2008 Proudly co-chairs the No on Prop. 8 Business Council

LS&CO. Continuously

Co-chairs the Human Rights Commission Business Coalition, lobbying for all-inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act and the passage of Domestic Partnership Tax Equity Act

Creates gay-themed television advertising and marketing campaigns (nominated for 2008 GLAAD media award)

Scores consistently a perfect 100% on the Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index (CEI)

Employs numerous openly gay men and women in senior leadership positions and across global organization

Supports Hetrick-Martin Institute: home of the Harvey Milk High School

Levi Strauss Foundation

The Levi Strauss Foundation funds organizations that address the stigma and discrimination associated with actual or perceived HIV status including homophobia.

Among other nonprofit organizations supporting the LGBTQ community, the foundation has provided multi-year support for organizations such as:

The Hetrick-Martin Institute
Lambda Legal
Centers for HIV Law/Policy
Human Rights Watch
International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission
Funders for Lesbian and Gay Issues

Gucci are another designer brand following the NOHARM lead into high fashion footwear & clothing. Bravo all around!

“Frida Giannini, the creative director of Gucci, has designed a $185 limited-edition T-shirt made of organic cotton and natural dyes. Sergio Rossi is launching a stiletto shoe called the Eco Pump, whose sole and heel are made of liquid wood.

At Bottega Veneta, there’s a specially-designed environmental tote bag free for customers spending more than $1,500, and Alexander McQueen has come up with a signature scarf featuring a picture of the earth morphed into a skull.

The Gucci Group is going green big time next month, to coincide with the launch of a new movie about the plight of the planet Earth that is being sponsored by Gucci’s parent, France’s PPR Group.

The movie, called “Home,” is by French aerial-photography specialist Yann Arthus-Bertrand, and will be released worldwide on June 5 in movie theaters and on TV in more than 80 countries - and especially online.

Google has agreed to stream the high-definition movie on specially-dedicated YouTube pages for 10 days. In the U.S. it’s being distributed by Fox and will be shown on the National Geographic channel.

At a time when sales of luxury goods are reeling from the economic slump, giving brands a green tinge amounts to a different - but potentially risky - way of keeping them in the public eye.

François-Henri Pinault, the CEO of PPR, whose $13 million sponsorship covered most of the movie’s costs, insists that he’s not supporting the project for its potential effects on business, but as part of a bigger commitment to reduce the company’s environmental impact.

“We’re not doing this for our revenues,” Pinault told Fortune. He acknowledges that there’s a risk for a consumer-goods company putting so much emphasis on ecology since it opens the various brands up to criticism of any production methods or products that don’t meet a high environmental standard.

“No brand is perfect,” Pinault says. “It’ll be the responsibility of the brands not to disappoint.” He gives one example: “I hope Frida (Giannini) will now say no to using fur.”

Whatever the motive, it’s an opportunity that the Gucci brands aren’t letting pass by - and are eager to tell the world about their philanthropy. Profits from most of the products will be donated to a charity that Arthus-Bertrand founded.

Stella McCartney may end up making the biggest splash. A vegetarian who has long refused to use leather or fur in her designs, McCartney is planning to host a special screening of the movie at her store in West Hollywood on June 5 with a range of VIPs in attendance, including Laura Dern, Ben Harper, Anjelica Huston and Salma Hayek - who is married to Pinault.”

Bel Esprit, the online showroom for international fashion designers of ecological, fair trade, sustainable and responsible fashion, brings
together talented designers who create collections from couture to streetwear with respect for the world around them: organic fabrics, eco-friendly textile treatments and dyes, as well as purchasing materials, supplies and labor that provide a livable wage to farmers and workers in developing nations, or supporting local suppliers and artisans with fair wages and fair pricing. Nolcha the online fashion portal, has invited Bel Esprit to produce the first runway event of sustainable fashion during New York Fashion Week, September 14-17, 2009. Nolcha has produced runway events at New York Fashion Week for the past seven seasons to an enthusiastic audience, receiving extensive coverage. The runway event will be the culmination of several months of events and promotion, advertising the participating designers and building awareness about sustainable fashion and lifestyle.

This is a great opportunity for related sustainable businesses to showcase their products and services, not only to an “eco-friendly” audience, but also to a worldwide industry and consumer audience not familiar with the availability of sustainable products.

Nolcha Fashion Week: New York is being hosted by the Consulate General of the Czech Republic at the Consulate headquarters in New York. The participation of the current presidency of the European Union has raised this New York Fashion Week event to an international stage. The Bel Esprit event will give designers and sponsors the opportunity to participation in a high-profile event and spotlight their commitment to sustainability. Bel Esprit and the showroom designers will show the public that innovation; creativity and success are not quelled by a dedication to ethical business principles and products. In addition to the runway events, Nolcha presents a series of seminars to industry professionals. Bel Esprit and Nolcha will be organizing a seminar on sustainability issued for the fashion industry. Prominent sponsors of the Bel Esprit event will be invited to be part of the panel discussion.

The Bel Esprit offers designers of responsible fashion a platform to display their collections 24/7 to fashion industry professionals around the world, and provides marketing, promotion and sales services to help designers grow their business. Bel Esprit organizes group exhibits at international trade shows and events, enabling designers to participate at a shared cost. Bel Esprit offers designers, partners and sponsors opportunities to showcase their social and environmental responsibility with style.

There are still opportunities to be a part of this chic, high class, well-attended and publicized event. Please feel free to contact Bel Esprit for details. belesprit@ureach.com

For Autumn/Winter 2009, the Aquascutum London collection references the brand’s heritage for creating elegantly-tailored, modern city pieces. The iconic 1960s film ‘The Collector’ was taken as the primary reference, with the style of Terence Stamp informing the look. Under the design direction of Graeme Fidler, Head of Menswear Design, the collection continues to develop whilst celebrating the British hallmarks of Aquascutum – attention to detail, craftsmanship and authenticity.

Outerwear forms the heart of the collection, including the trench coat, which this season is re-worked in leather and heavy melton wool jackets and coats with leather detailing. Aquascutum is one of only a few remaining British luxury brands to still manufacture the majority of its outerwear, including all trench coats at its Corby, Northamptonshire based factory. ‘Made in England’ reaffirms the company’s luxury positioning and its commitment to ensure impeccable standards are maintained, whilst continuing to support and nurture the British textile industry.

The AquaMac, the ultra lightweight foldaway mac that is perfect for the inclement British weather, is updated with a ‘Primaloft’ wadding for warmth and new colours added include olive, mustard, silver and deep red.

The finest nappa leathers are used to create three luxurious coats. The trench coat features the authentic detailing of epaulettes, gun flap, belt and wrist straps with a narrow silhouette. The shearling lined jacket features zip pockets and detachable fur collar, whilst the short bomber adds a sporty touch. New downfilled coats provide warmth: from a sleeveless, functional gilet to a blouson with detachable quilted house check hood. Each is made from a high tenacity nylon, making them wind and rain proof.

A luxury story at the top end of this collection showcases a prestigious range of modern, hand-finished, full canvas suiting, eveningwear, and coats inspired by icons of the silver screen such as Humphrey Bogart, Richard Burton and Michael Caine. These pieces deliver the ultimate in traditional craftsmanship and exclusive fabrics, with a contemporary silhouette. The collection includes four suit styles; one, two and three button single breasted and a tuxedo; each has a strong sartorial edge particularly when worn with the hand-finished shirts and knitwear.

Understated British Elegance. The British weather is famed for its inclemency and unpredictability. Aquascutum invented the first waterproof cloth in 1853 and created the raincoat to protect English gentlemen and ladies from the elements and preserve their stylish appearance.

This understated approach to solving a perennial fashion problem (how to look elegant in the hustle and bustle of city life) has continued for over 155 years.

Fine craftsmanship, luxurious tailoring and attention to detail have been applied to all matters sartorial, creating a company with a quintessentially British point of view for whom the pursuit of style is a way of life.

Online Selection of Aquascutum here

Here’s a sneak preview of the long await RMC Martin Ksohoh Red Monkey denim shorts. They’re due to land in-store any time now and have reputedly been seen on 50 Cent and Snoop Dog. The collection includes a full range of colours and each pair has the signature top quality selvedge denim and internationally recognised logo. The multi-coloured stitching and buttons are accompanied by a jazzy keychain. Definitely worth a butchers when they drop in-store.

BURBERRY DRESSES BRITISH SUPERMODELS
AT METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART COSTUME INSTITUTE GALA

London, 1 May 2009 - Burberry will be dressing British supermodels Agyness Deyn and Twiggy at the Metropolitan Museum Of Art Costume Institute Gala in New York on Monday 4 May 2009.

The Gala marks the opening of “The Model as Muse: Embodying Fashion” exhibition, which explores 50 years of iconic fashions throughout the women whose faces, figures and attitudes shaped and personified them.

Twiggy and Agyness - two of the most iconic British supermodels who have shaped the look of fashion over the last 50 years - will be wearing custom one-off pieces by Burberry Creative Director, Christopher Bailey.

Burberry, which is headquartered in London and listed on the London Stock Exchange, was founded in 1856.

TWIGGY
- British supermodel
- Twiggy became internationally known as the world’s first supermodel in the mid 1960’s
- Is known as the “Face of the 1960s”

AGYNESS DEYN
- British supermodel
- Face of Burberry the Beat fragrance campaign
- Has been in over 4 Burberry advertising campaigns
- Co-hosted the Burberry the Beat for women fragrance launch in London with Christopher Bailey in 2007
- Named Model of the Year at the British Fashion Awards 2007
- Regularly features in Burberry Prorsum catwalk shows

Bravo announced a new fashion competition series “Launch My Line.” Previously announced as “Celebrity Sew-Off” the show features twins Dean and Dan Caten of DSquared2 as hosts . Launch My Line is based on the premise of 10 established fashion designers paired with pop culture notables, who are highly regarded in their own field of expertise, but have always dreamed of having their own line.

Launch My Line will premiere on Bravo later this year. The brothers will host and judge competition between aspiring designers who dream of launching their own fashion label.

On their Sirius radio show, you get to see a completely different side of the DSquared2 twins: “We are doing radio because music is one of our soul inspirations. Music tells a story. It completes the 360 degree message that we are trying to convey when we do a show, especially with fashion shows. We cut the music for our shows, and we edit it in the studio. It’s a huge part of our life.”

Whether all this extra curricula froth will help or harm the DSquared2 brand only time will tell.

Ben Sherman, the original British MOD brand, will no longer produce footwear.

A statement issued Friday said the company plans to leave the shoe, kids’ and youth sectors by the end of 2009 to concentrate on men’s and women’s apparel instead.

“Together with many other leading companies in the U.K. fashion sector, we are experiencing challenging trading conditions, which are exacerbated by the effect of the fall in sterling against the dollar,” Miles Gray, CEO of Ben Sherman Group Ltd., said in the statement.