Fashion in the news is a collection of articles and blog entries that catch my attention, and is in my opinion worth reading. Enjoy!

The video above presents highlights from the spring/summer 2011 haute couture collection by Armani Privé. The collection is a departure from Armani’s normal aesthetic for the line – the designer adopts a space age look this season using strong jewel tones and cut-out silhouettes that mainly accentuate the hips. The fabric and colour combinations contribute to the stunning and captivating characteristics of this collection.

Asian shoppers thirst for luxury (BBC) – "China is emerging as what will soon be the biggest luxury market in the whole world... their buying power will shape the needs and demands of the rest of the world.”

Prada Said to Decide on IPO (Bloomberg) – “An announcement could follow as early as February, paving the way for a possible listing in June or July... Hong Kong is among markets Prada is looking at for a possible listing.”

Inside Berlin Fashion Week (Flare.com) – Good friend and fellow blogger, Danielle Meder of Final Fashion recounts her experiences at Berlin Fashion Week by contributing a series of blog entries on Flare.com.

U.S. retail invasion gathers steam (Globe and Mail) – U.S. retailers are posed to invade Canada as early as this spring and the Globe and Mail lists 12 companies which Canadian should watch out for.

Japanese Department store sales fall 3.1% in 2010 (Japan Times) – “Japan’s department store sales in 2010 declined 3.1% from the previous year on a same-store basis, down for the 14th consecutive year due to weak consumer confidence amid the economic downturn.”  

With Target, Canada’s retail landscape set for massive makeover (National Post) – “HBC sold the bulk of its weakest chain, Zellers Inc., to the U.S. retail giant. Target will assume control of up to 220 Zellers stores and said it will spend more than $1-billion to convert 100 to 150 of them to its own banner within the next two to three years.”

Fashion blogger designs first collection for H&M (Reuters) – Hennes & Mauritz and "Swedish fashion blogger Elin Kling had created a minimalist collection to be launched exclusively in Sweden on February 3."

The first time I fell in love with Jean Paul Gaultier’s work was in the mid-1990s. I was watching Fashion Television on a Sunday evening and was instantly captivated by the outrageous and in-your-face designs.

Since then, Gaultier has flourished and matured in his craft presenting heavily themed and story driven collections. Last month, he showed his spring/summer 2010 haute couture collection channelling the Latin American soul and paying tribute to traditional Mexican style and cultural history.

As you watch the videos of the runway show, you’ll instantly feel the need for a margarita or piña colada. The sombreros, bolero jackets and the mariachi music brought back flashes of the Latin American history I studied in university. I love how Gaultier weaved in countless details, transforming black leather chaps with embellishments such as embroidery, fringes and woven gold lamé. Also, elements of the conquistador period were found in the finale pieces of the show; the royal blue dress with steel chest plates and head piece, and a cream coloured corset style top with a woven palm leaf skirt were stunning.  

Videos from YouTube

Fashion in the News is a collection of articles and blog posts found online that catches my attention, and is in my humble opinion worth reading. Enjoy!

Alexander McQueen fashion label to continue (BBC) – An announcement by French luxury group, PPR (Pinault-Printemps-Redoute) confirming they will continue Lee Alexander McQueen's label which currently has 11 boutiques and employs 180 people worldwide.

CEO Talk | Robert Duffy, President, Marc Jacobs International (Business of Fashion) – President of Marc Jacobs International, Robert Duffy, answers questions about his foray into the realm of social media; using Twitter to communicate the development and lead up to the presentation of Marc Jacobs’ fall 2010 collection during New York Fashion Week and the lesson learned about tweeting.

Why London matters (The National) – Article discusses the renaissance of London Fashion Week with the emergence of a new crop of designers, the restructuring of the British Fashion Council (BFC) and it being the first fashion capital to stream live catwalk shows online.

Fashion's Online Numbers Game: Faking an Audience (Signature 9) – An insightful article by YM Ousley which talks about online measurement of fashion websites and blogs, as well as the inflation of audience numbers.

Who Sits Where at Fashion Week and Why (Vanityfair.com) – Ever wonder who sits in which seat during fashion week and how organizers keep track of the hundreds/thousands of invites? Vanity Fair takes you behind the technological innovations during New York Fashion Week.

Fashion's New Fever: Bloggers in Spotlight As They Aim for Fame (WWD) – WWD takes a look at the shifting attention by designers from celebrities and onto fashion bloggers. Tavi Gevinson of Style Rookie is heavily mentioned throughout the article. Blogger relations/outreach by companies and events focusing on the fashion blogging community, such as the Chictopia and Independent Fashion Bloggers conferences are referenced.

Social Media: The New Front Row of Fashion (WWD) – Designers are embracing social media and are streaming their shows live online. Founder and Chief Executive Officer of CreateThe Group, James Gardner, attributes it to two things, lower “cost of streaming ... And consumers’ appetite seems unquenchable for fashion.”

One of my favourite collections by Alexander McQueen:

Video from Fashion Television on YouTube

This past week I had the opportunity to finally visit the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) since its renovation. Frank Gehry definitely created wonders on the exterior and interior of the building. I remember when a lot of fuss was made over the architectural changes to the structure of the building; city counsellors, news media, the public and everyone and their grandmother criticized Gehry and the direction CEO Matthew Teitelbaum was taking project Transformation AGO. In the end the finished product surpassed everyone’s expectations and critics called “Mr. Gehry's AGO a restrained masterpiece, and a reminder of the power of architecture to reinvent ideas, institutions and cities” (Globe and Mail).

However, I digress… while walking through the AGO and its galleries, looking at each painting and sculpture I was reminded of three things:

1. Art and beauty is in the eye of the beholder
2. When you think you have an open mind art always takes you further, beyond expressions, emotions and expectations
   
3. I need to go to art galleries more often

This is very much what you have to keep in mind when seeing new fashions appearing on the runway, particularly when haute couture designs take clothes to an imaginative and often abstract level – they may not always be practical but they are beautiful works of art.

I’ve included some pictures of items featured in the AGO’s galleries which use fashion to transform the perception of everyday items we wear. In order they are:

• Image #1 – Tears Dress by Elsa Schiaparelli (1938), Surreal Things exhibit
• Image #2 – Shoe Hat by Elsa Schiaparelli (1937), Surreal Things exhibit
• Image #3 – Sole Reunion by Willie Cole (1955), Contemporary exhibit
• Image #6 – Mother and Child by Willie Cole (1955), Contemporary exhibit

Following up on my previous blog entry The house is falling, reports from the news media say Christian Lacroix may be saved from bankruptcy. Investment group, Bernard Krief Consulting is planning to make an offer as early as Monday to Lacroix and if all goes well fashion lovers around the globe will jump and shout for joy at this eleventh hour announcement…. But wait what’s the catch?

Louis Petiet, the president of Bernard Krief Consulting says he hopes to “Multiply Lacroix's sales by five, bringing them from 30 million euros ($43 million) in 2008 to 150 million euros ($213 million) over the next five years” (Laurent Lemel, Associated Press). This will prove challenging since Lacroix has failed to create any revenue within the house’s 22-year history – and you wonder why he declared bankruptcy.

It’ll be interesting to see what changes will take place within the fashion house once the deal with Bernard Krief Consulting is finalized. There’s no doubt Lacroix will be under high expectations to succeed after being saved from bankruptcy, and he’ll have to make compromises in order to appease his new investors and to maintain his work. A strong arm and sound business advice may be all he needs to succeed. However, any business advice Lacroix receives now has got to be better than before.

(Image from Vogue UK) vrytuxh6d4

Friday marked the end of fall/winter 2010 haute couture week in Paris. I’ve included footage and my reviews from the shows of some of my favourite houses: Chanel, Givenchy and Valentino. Have a read through and let me know what you think of these collections.

Chanel: Recession… What recession? The 2010 fall/winter collection for Chanel took place in the Grand Palais, Paris with towering white bottles of Chanel No.5. As you watch the video it appears Karl Lagerfeld is using the simplicity of these sculptural bottles to offset the richness and texture of this collection. His aim was “to combine extremely pure silhouettes, which evoke ‘unencumbered graphic effects and asymmetric lines’” in his garments (Chanel.com). Individually I think each outfit is beautiful, however as they appeared on the runway I couldn’t help but feel there was a lack of cohesion in the collection – the silhouettes seem to lose its purity with long trains and I found the lace hats distracting and out of place. Grade: B+

Givenchy: all I have to say about the Givenchy 2010 fall/winter collection, by Riccardo Tisci is WOW! I am completely floored by his work. It is one of the most dynamic, haunting,and captivating collections I’ve seen during this past week and most likely the whole year. Watch the accompanying video and you’ll see that the clothes speaks for itself. Suit me up Tisci! Grade: A+

Valentino: newly appointed designers to the House of Valentino, Pier Paolo Piccioli and Maria Grazia Chiuri have received mixed reviews for their second collection for fall/winter 2010 (see New York Times and Associated Press articles). The duo is carving out their own niché and creating a different vision of the Valentino woman and being the house’s former accessories designers for years they have a personal and professional relationship with the company which can work for or against them. They present the evolution of the Valentino woman who is youthful with a little bit of an edge. I find this new vision for the house refreshing and sexy, but Piccioli and Chiuri need to be reminded the House of Valentino should be transformed in stages rather than in a wave of change so they don’t alienate their pre-existing audience and customers. Grade: B

(Videos from www.telegraph.co.uk and YouTube.com)

Last year several friends and I had the opportunity to attend the North American première of Valentino: The Last Emperor during the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). This documentary gave viewers the rare glimpse into the personal life and work of famed Italian courtier Valentino Garavani – for me it was an emotional and very moving experience.

At the end of the movie the house lights went up and the crowd was utterly shocked and overwhelmed with emotion to see the icon himself, Mr. Valentino, had attended the première. The audience instantly took to their feet and gave him a standing ovation lasting for several minutes; my hands hurt from clapping and my eyes were tearing up but I didn't care since this was a once in a life time opportunity to be near, let alone in the same building as Mr. Valentino (sigh). To read a little more on the event the Toronto Star covered the movie première in an article here.

For those true fashion lovers if you haven’t had the opportunity, I highly recommend seeing this movie because it will move you and make you love Mr. Valentino even more.

Valentino: The Last Emperor opens today (July 10, 2009), in Canada at:

• Varsity Cineplex, Toronto
• Cinemark Tinseltown, Vancouver
• Cinema Du Parc, Montreal

For other locations please go to the movie’s official site here.

(Video taken from www.valentinomovie.com)

I couldn’t resist writing another blog entry so soon after my previous post, The House Haute Couture Built, but for the love of fashion I felt the need to share with you the story of Christian Lacroix who sadly maybe another casualty of the global recession. 

Briefly, Lacroix is a French haute couture designer who established the House of Lacroix in 1987 – he is very well-known and highly regarded by his peers and the international fashion community. On May 21, 2009 the House of Lacroix filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy which came as a stunning blow to all, especially when the field of haute couture designers is very small (background article, New York Times). Yesterday, Lacroix presented what maybe his last couture show which could not have been possible without the support and devotion of his employees, suppliers, friends, and local coffee shop who donated their time and services for free to help present this collection. Hearing this greatly moved me; people coming together for a cause they strongly believe in and feel passionate about. I genuinely hope and pray this couturier master finds a way to carry on his work of creating beautiful clothing.

(Video from www.telegraph.co.uk)

Monday marked the kick off to a week of winter 2010 haute couture collections in Paris, France. News outlets such as the New York Times, Associated Press and Women’s Wear Daily (WWD) were filing stories left, right and centre about the relevance of couture in these difficult economic times. Couture garments are a work of art taking countless man hours to produce,but they also run the cost of a small island off the coast of Africa.

Therefore it’s rightly so that WWD ask, “Do dresses with six-figure price tags have a place in fashion magazines at a time of economic crisis?” In the world of fashion and fantasy where every girl is Carrie Bradshaw I say yes. However, according to Statistics Canada in May “Employment decreased by 42,000 (jobs and) … The unemployment rate rose… to 8.4 per cent, the highest rate in 11 years” this is a reality which cannot afford excess. There are only a select few who can afford these ostentatious outfits and they are the monetary staple of the exclusive haute couture club.

The outfits pictured in this post are by John Galliano for the House of Dior – beautiful colours and tailoring but the lower half of the garments seem to be missing. One could assume Galliano ran out of money to buy fabric to finish the rest of the skirts or the lack of cloth is a play on the sign of the economic times. What I know for sure is these outfits don’t exactly qualify as winter wear. Obviously they haven’t been to Canada.

(Images from @itsmechaneliman and New York Times photographers, Chris Moore/Karl Prouse.)

Welcome to The Souls of My Shoes I’ve decided to join the blogging community of the world after careful thought and consideration, conversations with friends who blog, and online research.

I first thought of blogging a few years ago but decided against it at the time because I didn’t know what to write about. Would people like what I have to say? Would I bore anyone? So I chose to be a reader and commentator on many blogs since I could input my two cents and be done with it.

Present day – What finally drove me to start blogging are recent changes taking place in my life: career, relationships, outlook, and a need to express myself creatively.

Changes in my life = It’s time to start something new (I’m sure a lot of you can relate to this)

At The Souls of My Shoes, I’ll provide my insights and thoughts on fashion and the retail industry covering everything from couture to street fashion, customer service, campaigns, and hopefully interviews with some influencers. Fashion makes my heart beat faster and eyes light up, it is my passion and first love.

I’m really excited about sharing this new project with you and look forward to reading your comments, remember to please play nice,and for those of you I know personally – I know where you live… Just joking!

Special thanks to Corrinne, Chris C., Jess, Lava, Uncle Roderick and my parents for helping me pick out a blog name and for the support.

Kimberly

(Image Above: Christian Louboutin black leather pumps)

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