Is the fashion world’s current obsession with camoflage a reflection of a injured world. Here’s Louis Vuitton’s attempt to jump on the bandwagon:
With Monogramouflage, Marc Jacobs and Takashi Murakami have made their mark on a new creative landscape: camoflage. In this highly original canvas, designed by the Japanese artist, the Monogram motif appears on a forest background. The collection features luggage, city bags and small leather goods.
For its first retrospective in Mainland China, Comme des Garçons didn’t delve into its archives of avant-garde fashion. Instead, the Japanese label converted 5,300 square feet of gallery space into a maze of iconic Comme des Garçons print matter — corporate images, magazine advertisements and invitation cards — from the past 25 years.
“Printed matter is a crucial part of expressing the spirit of Comme des Garçons,” Adrian Joffe, the company’s managing director and the husband of creative director Rei Kawakubo, told WWD before the exhibit’s opening this month.
Mariah Carey, Justin Timberlake, Beyonce and Rihanna will perform at the fifth annual Fashion Rocks concert celebrating the relationship between music and fashion.
The event will be held Sept. 5 at Radio City Music Hall, and will air in a two-hour special on CBS the following night. Proceeds will benefit Stand Up to Cancer, a program established by the Entertainment Industry Foundation to raise money for cancer research.
Also performing: Keith Urban, Chris Brown, Kid Rock, Fergie, Lil Wayne and the Black Eyed Peas.
“Fashion Rocks uniquely celebrates the intersection of two of the most sexy cultural paradigms: fashion and music. This year, we have a spectacular lineup of talent and performances that will take the show to a whole new level,” Richard Beckman, president of Conde Nast Media Group, which produces the event, said.
Following perhaps years of speculation, D&G Dolce & Gabbana take a tartan exploration. Whether tartan has the potential to become a part of mainstream fashion only time will tell.
Established in 1985, Dolce & Gabbana is one of today’s leading international luxury goods groups. The two founders, Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana, have always been the creative and stylistic source of the two brands, Dolce & Gabbana and D&G Dolce & Gabbana, and the originators of a growth strategy based on balanced development and focus on the core business. The Group designs, produces and distributes high-end clothing, leather goods, footwear and accessories under the Dolce & Gabbana and D&G Dolce & Gabbana brands. Through a series of licensing agreements, it also produces and distributes fragrances and eyewear for the Dolce & Gabbana and D&G Dolce & Gabbana brands and timepieces and jewels for the D&G Dolce & Gabbana brand. Continuous growth over the years has given the Dolce & Gabbana group a solid base, and paved the way for further expansion. In addition to being the sole owner of the two brands, the Group is also wholly responsible for the management and control of the three business divisions: Production, Distribution and Licences. The Group has direct control over the entire value chain, from creation to sale, for both brands, with the exception of products under licence. Manufacturing operations are headed by Dolce & Gabbana Industria S.p.A., which operates the two production facilities, in Legnano and Incisa in Val d’Arno.
The wholesale distribution in Europe of the Dolce & Gabbana and D&G brands is managed by the head offices from Milan. The directly operated stores are controlled by DGS S.p.A in Italy and by local companies, reporting directly to Dolce & Gabbana S.r.l., throughout the rest of Europe. The monitoring of foreign markets is carried out by the subsidiaries in New York, Tokyo and Hong Kong, which, entirely controlled by Dolce & Gabbana S.r.l. co-ordinate the management of retail and wholesale distribution in their respective territorial areas. With specific reference to the Chinese market, the Hong Kong branch operates directly on the territory via local structures in Shanghai, Hangzhou and Taipei. In addition, branches in Rome, London, Paris, Barcelona and Düsseldorf have recently been opened for the distribution of the D&G Dolce & Gabbana brand.
Results
Also with the fiscal year 2006/2007, which ended 31 March 2007, the Dolce & Gabbana group confirms the positive growth trend of the last few years, registering significant increases in its main business and financial aggregates. Wholesale revenues - of Dolce & Gabbana and D&G Dolce & Gabbana brand products achieved by the Group and licensees - reached 1,554.3 million euros, a growth of 35% with respect to the previous year. The figure includes revenues, equal to approximately 200 million euros, from sales of the new Motorazr V3i Dolce & Gabbana, the fruit of a special co-branding project between Dolce & Gabbana and Motorola. For the same period, the consolidated revenues of the parent company, Dolce & Gabbana Luxembourg S.à.r.l., came to 1,050.9 million euros, representing a growth of 30% with respect to the previous year; the Ebitda increased by 30%, reaching 298.8 million euros; while the Ebit grew by 31%, standing at 213.4 million euros; net income amounted for 149.7 million euros, with an increase of 38%. Again as of 31 March 2007, the Group has an overall workforce of 3,140 units and a directly managed distribution network comprising 93 stores and 11 factory outlets.
Celebrities and fashionistas joined Longchamp managing director Jean Cassegrain and Belgian artist Jean-Luc Moerman Monday night to help the French accessories brand celebrate its 60th anniversary.
Jean-Luc Moerman is famous for his tattoo inspired designs on photographs and flesh and collaborated on Longchamp’s limited edition anniversary collection, which features his signature loops and scribbles silk-screened onto the bags. Each bag will be slightly different from the others — Moerman silk-screened individual bags with an original design — and sold for $6,500.
It looks like JAY-Z is wearing the latest Yoropiko Bandana Scarf in this image. JAY-Z is a massive Martin Ksohoh fan and is often seen in RMC jeans.
British hip-hop star Dizzee Rascal went straight in at the top of the UK singles charts on Sunday, the Official UK Charts Company said. The new entry, “Dance wiv Me”, knocked American R&B artist Ne-Yo’s “Closer” into second place. This is supposedly the first time in 12 years an independent lable has gone straight in at No.1
Dizzee Rascal is a big RMC and Yoropiko fan and is often seen on stage in either RMC or Yoropiko jeans and a Yoropiko denim jacket.
Dylan Mills (born 1985 in Bow, East London), known professionally as Dizzee Rascal, is an English rapper and record producer. His (largely self-composed) music is a blend of garage MCing, conventional rap, grime and ragga, with extremely eclectic samples and more exotic styles. His debut album, Boy in da Corner, won him the 2003 Mercury Prize.
Dizzee grew up in the East End of London in South Bow on a council estate. As a teenager, he was detained for stealing cars and robbing a pizza deliveryman, and expelled from four secondary schools. Jeff Chang in his article titled Future Shock explains Dizzee Rascal as a “fatherless child coming up in the East London council estates, aimless youth failed by the schools and the system but saved by music, bedroom beat-head who went top of the pops by representing his streets but can’t escape their judgment. Right outside his front door, mates have turned predators…Childhood school chums who grow up to knife and shoot each other. There are no great leaps here. The daily is never routine. There are only moments for Dizzee to capture, encapsulate, and preserve, griot-like.” A sympathetic music teacher introduced him to music production on a school computer. He began MCing on pirate radio and at raves at fifteen, but since his mainstream success he has distanced himself from the now growing scene. He used to be a member of the Roll Deep crew, until a conflict with former friend Wiley.
Dizzee has come a long way…
Cruise, arguably the UK’s premier fashion chain, will rebrand its Limeys stores as Cruise, as part of the company’s development strategy. The rebrand will take place during late August across Limeys stores in Derby, Birmingham and Sheffield. “It has always been our intention to introduce the CRUISE concept throughout the UK. The acquisition of Limeys simply accelerated the natural roll out of stores, giving us access to key cities in the Midlands”, commented John Heath, Chief Executive Cruise. “We began online trading at the end of 2007 and will open our 21st store in Bristol later this year. Cruise is now recognized as a national brand and we feel it is the right time to re-badge the midlands stores in line with our move south.”
The rebrand will coincide with the launch of the autumn/winter season across all Cruise stores, and will see the introduction of new brands under the Cruise banner including Marc by Marc Jacobs, D&G, PRPS and Vivienne Westwood. The Cruise brand mix will be tailored to suit each city. The stores will be cosmetically refreshed during the rebrand, adopting the Cruise brand identity.
Despite the brand’s expansion, Heath is certain that the stores will retain their independent, boutique feel, stating: “Thanks to our fantastic staff both in store and at head office, we are in a position to identify and respond to the needs of our customers at a local level. Rebranding the Midlands branches creates consistency and familiarity for our customers on a UK wide basis.”
Established in Edinburgh in 1984, Cruise is renowned for delivering personalised service within unique shopping environments. The luxury retailer offers a mix of international designers, directional street-led fashion and premium denim brands. Limeys in Derby, Sheffield and Birmingham will re-launch as Cruise on Monday 25th August 2008, and Cruise will open in Leicester’s High Cross development in September 2008.
Following recent chat on Kitmeout about RVCA clothing and RVCA jeans inparticular, this is the official brand profile by RVCA:
The concept of RVCA was conceived by the company’s founder and designer, PM Tenore. For over a decade, PM’s vision has been to create a design-driven brand without compromising its roots in an active lifestyle. Somewhere between contemporary and active, RVCA is free from the passing trends of the surf, street, skate and snowboard industries. RVCA designs appear as natural on the shelves of boutiques as on those of a local skate shop. Disenchanted with action sports branding and design constraints, and acutely aware of the “legitimacy barriers” confronting mainstream sportswear companies, PM created RVCA to be a more organic brand that didn’t have to follow industry rules. RVCA Clothing takes its roots in American workwear and adds function and fashion for every day… every situation. Wearability, Nature, Industrialization. Today. Tomorrow. Life.
Enter Conan Hayes. PM and Conan became childhood friends when they met while surfing the north shore in 1988. Later in 2002, they met up in New York, where PM shared his vision of RVCA—a brand that represents balance of opposites and how they coexist: water, oil, air, land, destruction, industrialization, art, science, foreign, domestic, order, anarchy, past, present.
Conan, an established professional surfer, found himself doing something he would have never previously imagined: declining a lucrative pro surfing contract to pursue PM’s vision. Conan recounts the decision as “one of the biggest of my life.” As RVCA grew, so did the RVCA’s Artist Network Program—an ongoing program to showcase the talent of establishing as well as unknown artists who inspire our generation. Artist/Pro Skater, Ed Templeton (whom ten years previous to RVCA’s beginning, would show his art in PM’s skate boutique) became the first artist to participate in the Artist Network Program. Donating his proceeds to The Luggage Store Gallery in San Francisco, Ed paved the way for other artists to use their works to help raise awareness and benefit the community.
Mega group De La Soul are massive Sugar Cane fans and are seen here wearing their favourite denim brand with Flavor Flav the prolific hype man of Public Enemy.
De La Soul is a Grammy Award-winning hip hop group from Amityville, New York. They are best known for their eclectic sampling and quirky, surreal lyrics, and their contributions to the evolution of the jazz rap subgenre. The members are Kelvin Mercer (Posdnuos, Mercenary, Plug Wonder Why, Plug One), David Jude Jolicoeur (Trugoy the Dove, Dave, Plug Two) and Vincent Mason (P.A. Pasemaster Mase, Maseo, Plug Three). The three formed the group in high school and caught the attention of producer Paul Huston (Prince Paul) with a demo tape of the song “Plug Tunin’”. Prince Paul was also sometimes referred to as Plug Four.
With its playful wordplay, innovative sampling, and witty skits, the band’s debut album, 3 Feet High and Rising, was hailed as a hip-hop masterpiece.[citation needed] It is also the band’s biggest commercial success to date, with their subsequent albums selling progressively less, despite receiving praise from critics. A measure of 3 Feet High and Rising’s cross-over appeal was the fact that it was voted Album of the Year by NME Magazine, a title better known for its taste in guitar-based music. De La Soul has influenced numerous other hip hop artists such as Camp Lo, Black Eyed Peas, and Digable Planets. They were also instrumental in the early stages of rapper/actor Mos Def’s career, and are a core part of the Spitkicker collective. They are the longest standing Native Tongues Posse group, after the Jungle Brothers.
Paul Smith shows his SS09 collection in Paris, Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Lenotre 99 Rue de Rivoli 75001 Paris. The feedback from buyers and press alike was great.
Has the “Cyber-Fence” known as eBay finally got its comeuppance. SKY NEWS has reported that a list of major brands have finally taken the long-awaited initiative against this obscene and covert trade in counterfeit fashion. The funds of which are used to perpetuate all types of illegal activity, including illegal weapons and terrorism. Hopefully, eBay will receive more than a mere slap on the wrists!
Luxury brands are joining forces to tackle the sale of counterfeit goods online. Retailers Louis Vuitton, Dior, Guerlain, Kenzo and Givenchy are suiting eBay for ‘culpable negligence’ of its goods in France.
The handbag and luggage section of Louis Vuitton is demanding compensation of around £20m and Dior’s couture section wants £17m for “illicit sales” of their products.
The companies say eBay knowingly let people use the site to sell fake bags, lipstick, perfumes and clothes purporting to be from the famous names.
The court case has been going on for a year and a half and was originally three separate cases that France’s justice system judged should be dealt with all together because of their similarities.
Today’s upcoming verdict comes after a flurry of legal action against the online giant, which claims to have some 84 million active users in 39 markets worldwide.
Earlier this month, eBay was convicted by a French court of selling counterfeit goods and ordered to pay £20,000 in damages to French luxury group Hermes.
And last September, the cosmetics giant L’Oreal launched legal action against eBay in five European countries including France, over the sale of bottles of counterfeit perfume.
They said eBay was responsible for the sale of counterfeit copies of their goods on its site because it had not done enough to prevent such sales.
Hugely successful, eBay says that in 2007 the total value of items sold on its platform was nearly £30bn.
Louis Vuitton Menswear Spring/Summer 2009 has something of a Safari meets Soho Joe look to it. Cool and Creepy in equal measure!
Just got this in from the Ninja camp : DJ KENTARO on his European tour was decked out in “Ninjins”!
So fashionistas are saying Gucci has gone gaudy for their men’s Spring 2009 Collection:
Milan - Gucci took off on a rock and roll tour Monday in Milan with a men’s collection where the models looked like Flower Power guitarists or arty bassists checking into a faintly louche hotel after their latest gig.
Rarely have we seen a men’s collection with so much embroidery, as Gucci’s creative director Frida Giannini sewed tropical flowers on everything from torn striped jeans to white cricket boots or jacquard tuxedos.
As people have been interchanging Gucci and Gauche-i on Kitmeout for the past 2 years, it’s perhaps not the case that Gucci have gone gaudy but simply Gucci (or Gauche-i) remain gaudy!
Martin Ksohoh of RMC Red Monkey Company is videod signing the T-Shirt being offered in the official Red Monkey Competition:
Following the lead of NOHARM footwear, Oliver Sweeney is going ethical and green. Luxury footwear and accessories label Oliver Sweeney, is gearing up to show its greener side by launching a shoe amnesty program. The initiative is set up in association with Green World Recycling in a bid to raise funds for the developing world. Oliver Sweeney is calling for customers to donate any brand of used shoes, which will then be re-sold to raise money for environmental and sustainable projects. Initially, the program will be held at the Oliver Sweeney standalone stores located in London and Leeds. With the shoe amnesty, the label aims to help reduce waste created by the current fashion throwaway culture and in return improve the livelihood of communities in Africa, South America and India.
Oliver Sweeney will act as a collection point for Green World Recycling that takes the donated shoes back to one of their 600 clothing banks. The shoes are then sold in the UK and Europe where money raised goes to under developed countries providing alternatives to current local environmental and social challenges. Projects include improving conditions in village schools, redeveloping irrigation systems and setting up agricultural training schemes.
Running alongside the shoe amnesty, Oliver Sweeney will be offering customers who donate any shoes a 10% discount off of the mainline collection.
Oliver Sweeney was born in Leicester in the heart of England, but left home while still in his mid-teens to seek a living in London.
The story of how he secured a job as a shop-boy in a grand old shoemakers in the heart of London’s West End has become part of the mythology of Oliver Sweeney.
But every bit of that story is absolutely true: Sweeney worked his way up from unpromising beginnings, learning every trick of the trade and the craft of creating quality shoes for men, as well as a good deal about the art of retailing.
This exceptional grounding has stood Oliver Sweeney in strong stead ever since – he has a technical understanding of the business of shoemaking unmatched by any other men’s shoe designer operating in the modern-day market. That’s also why his shoes have a superb fit – and why customers usually end up becoming customers for life.
When Oliver Sweeney finally launched his own label back in 1990, initially in a link-up with famous London department store: Harrods, he quickly established a reputation as a creator of ‘classic-with-a-twist’ shoes for the footwear cognoscenti.
Today he’s still that, but also a good deal more. While his collection still features plenty of those ‘classic-with-a-twist’ styles, it is no longer the core of his business. Sweeney has moved into the fashion arena in a major way - and is now one of the names setting the pace in modern footwear design.
In the year 2000 Oliver opened his own store in Middlesex Street in the City of London. A success in it’s own right leading to the birth of the new flagship store in the heart of London’s, fashionable, West End. The Kings Road store is a must-see for any fashion conscious visitor to London.
In the UK market, he is also one of the most successful British designers, with more than 120 stores stocking Oliver Sweeney shoes and accessories countrywide.
Sweeney has always been appreciated by the fashion press, right back to the early 90s when he was championed by Arena, then considered the most influential of Britain’s men’s style magazines. In those days, his best-selling shoe was the Storm Derby, an immaculately crafted, hard-wearing rubber-soled Derby which Arena staff took to wearing around town.
Oliver Sweeney’s impeccable pedigree has been recognised by many other companies over the years. In the 80s, he was head of design behind the historic McAfee name. Since the late 90s, he has worked with Marks & Spencer; Britain’s biggest clothing retailer and Clarks; the World’s No.1 shoe brand.
Oliver Sweeney shoes combine the creative energy of great British design with the consummate flair of Italian manufacturing prowess. The designer says he has found his spiritual home in Italy. “We use the best shoe factories in Italy”,” he says. “”That means the best factories in the world. The degree of expertise is unrivalled.”
Over the years, the designer has developed a growing celebrity following who love wearing his shoes. His celebrity customers span an incredibly mixed range, from Aussie Olympic gold medallist swimmer: Ian Thorpe to soccer star: David Beckham. The extensive list of customers also includes Brad Pitt, Michael Owen, Prince Naseem, Will Smith, Trevor Nelson, Noel Gallagher, Paul Weller, and many more.
The Company has also had great links with the sporting world:The England RugbyTeam, Scotland Rugby Team, BAR Honda F1 Racing. Oliver Sweeney is currently sponsoring The England Cricket Team.
Official Red Monkey jeans Competition has a signed RMC Signature Logo T-Shirt up for grabs:
RMC by Martin Ksohoh, RMC Signature Logo, white crew neck regular fit t-shirt Gold printed RMC Logo on front, printed signature logo on back of neck Short sleeve, woven tab, fine ribbed crew neck Woven signature logo tape inner back neck and shoulder seams Turned back waist and sleeve with double stitched hems 100% cotton. Made in Japan. Size XXXXL.
Full competition details here:
http://red-monkey.rmcjeans.co.uk/official-competition/win-signed-rmc-t-shirt-404.html#post9392
Dover Street Market will feature Chanel on its fifth floor. The pop-up boutique features an edited selection of Ready to Wear, accessories, and shoes from the Metiers d’Arts Paris-Londres Collection. Dover Street Market is a retail concept from Rei Kawakubo of Comme des Garcons.
It is the first time that Chanel will be available at Dover Street Market and will display limited edition pieces, in addition to a selection of iconic pieces from the Chanel collection. From 9th to 25th June. The Metries d’Arts Paris-Londres collection will be available from 9-25th June.
“Speculation is mounting in Europe that Lanvin owner Shaw-Lan Wang is seeking a minority investor.
According to industry sources, the Taiwanese publishing magnate, who bought Lanvin from L’Oréal in 2001, has not given anyone a mandate to sell the business, but has been in contact with potential partners at a time when the brand is enjoying strong momentum and rapid sales growth, sources said.”
Don Ed Hardy Says Tattoo Designs infringed by Christian Audigier
Don Ed Hardy, the first American tattoo artist to study with Japanese experts, sued a former licensee for copyright infringement.
Hardy, who came to tattooing with a degree in printmaking from the San Francisco Art Institute, formed Hardy Life in 2004 for the purpose of licensing his intellectual property to third parties, according to the May 29 complaint filed in federal court in Los Angeles.
One of his licensees was Christian Audigier, a high-profile French entrepreneur and fashion designer. In September 2004, Hardy licensed 1,800 tattoo designs to Audigier and Los Angeles- based Nervous Tattoo Inc.
Celebrities such as Shakira, Madonna, Parish Hilton, Leonardo Dicaprio and Kanye West have been photographed wearing clothing derived from Hardy’s designs.
After some initial disputes, the parties negotiated a new license agreement for a 10-year term. This agreement presently covers the business relationship between them, according to court papers.
Nervous Tattoo and Audigier have “refused to comply” with “repeated requests” for samples of packaging, labeling, advertising and products bearing the licensed IP, Hardy said in his complaint.
Beginning in 2007, Nervous Tattoo and Audigier began designing and distributing products with a tagline “Ed Hardy by Christian Audigier,” that Hardy says he never approved. They are also using unauthorized copies of Hardy’s designs, and have created unauthorized derivative works, according to court papers.
Hardy also claimed the defendants transferred ownership of his domain name “Donedhardy.com” to themselves without his consent, and created five additional domain names containing his name.
He asked the court to find that Audigier and Nervous Tattoo infringed his copyrights, are knowingly using counterfeit trademarks, and have misappropriated his domain name. He seeks an order barring additional infringement, seizure and destruction of infringing material and money damages. He asked for additional financial compensation to punish the defendants for their conduct, and for attorney fees.
John J. Dabney, Elliot Silverman and Rita M. Weeks Siamas of Chicago’s McDermott Will & Emery represent Hardy.
The case is Hardy Life LLC, v. Nervous Tattoo Inc., 2:08-cv- 03524-PA-CT, U.S. District Court, Central District of California (Los Angeles).
A Manhattan federal judge has ruled in favor of Dooney & Bourke in a four-year trademark battle with Louis Vuitton.
U.S. District Court Judge Shira Scheindlin said Dooney & Bourke’s “It Bag” monogram design did not infringe on Vuitton’s Monograme Multicolore handbag collection.
Yves Saint Laurent, one of the greatest fashion designers in history, died at his home in Paris late Sunday at 71 after a long, undisclosed illness. He had been bedridden recently and friends said in the last week he had been unable to eat or talk. Saint Laurent had been rarely seen over the last year, and even then he was wheelchair bound and weak.
Born in Algeria in 1936, Yves Saint Laurent established houses of couture and boutiques in Paris and New York. He was the foremost assistant to Christian Dior and became his successor as head of the House of Dior at the age of 21.
His early collections were noted for their extreme, maverick quality. He opened his own Paris house in 1961, featuring the “chic beatnik” look; knitted turtlenecks; thigh-length boots; and short jackets. He revolutionized the fashion world by creating trousers and broad-shouldered suits that were images of power for women.
His later designs include sophisticated tweed suits, the Mondrian dress, pleated skirts, updated peasant costumes, tuxedos for women, and heavy costume jewelry. He also designed for the Ballets of Roland Petit. By the mid-1970s his design empire included sweaters, neckties, eyeglass cases, linens, children’s clothes, and fragrances.
French fashion house Christian Dior said Thursday it has dropped Sharon Stone from its Chinese ads and released a statement from the actress apologizing for saying China’s earthquake may have been bad karma for its treatment of Tibet.
The 50-year-old actress said she was “deeply sorry” for causing anguish and anger among Chinese people with her remarks in an interview last week. Stone models for Christian Dior SA, and the company’s Shanghai office issued the statement.
Stone’s comments caused considerable anger in the Chinese media. The official Xinhua News Agency said in a commentary Thursday she was the “public enemy of all mankind.”
The public relations manager for Dior in Shanghai who gave only her surname, Guo, said Stone would no longer appear in the company’s advertisements in China.
Following the opening of their store in Beijing, Moschino is heading to the Meatpacking District to open its New York flagship.
This fall the designer label, which is part of the Aeffe Group SpA, will unveil a boutique at 401 West 14th Street in what used to be a local landmark, the former Quality Meats building. Moschino’s home has 2,500 square feet with 40 feet of frontage on the north side of 14th Street.
Following some lean years on the fashion scene this looks like a true statement of intention from one of the fashion greats.
