Monthly Archives

March 2009

Fashion

Burberry Sport Collection S/S 2009

Burberry sport collection S/S 2009

BURBERRY MENSWEAR SPORT COLLECTION SPRING SUMMER 2009

Introducing Burberry sport collection for Spring Summer 2009 which references Burberry icons including the Burberry established 1856 logo, trench coat detailing, quilting and equestrian knight.

Burberry has a history of providing functional weatherproof performance wear, reinforcing its heritage in supplying clothes for explorers and sportsmen since its foundation in 1856 and is synonymous with quality, innovation and style with a unique British sensibility.

Key pieces from the collection include super-light filled parkas and bombers, yachting shells, cabans, bomber coats, running shorts, articulated leg slim trousers and hooded sweats.

Building on its heritage of fabric innovation and development, the Burberry sport collection includes technical performance-enhancing fabrics including waterproof nylon laminates, bonded nylon windproof jersey, shower-proof nylon, superfine piqué, featherweight nylon corduroy ripstop, silk jersey and breathable nylon jersey.

Details include bonded waterproof zips, mesh panels, reflective fabric detailing, seamless knitwear, and high gloss black hardware.

Colour palette includes Burberry iconic colours of black, red and white with seasonal highlights of grey, vermilion, dark yellow and marine blue.

The sports collection also includes accessories including trainers, flip flops and collection of nylon bags.

The Spring Summer 2009 sport collection will be available in Burberry stores worldwide and online at Burberry.com from spring 2009.

Burberry Menswear Apparel

NOHARM Vegan Boots Competition

NOHARM Vegan Boots Competition Win a Pair of Size 9 NOHARM Lace-Up Ankle Boots at The Discerning Brute – The Ethically Handsome Man!

Are you a size 9? The Discerning Brute has teamed up with NOHARM to give away a pair of snazzy vegan ankle boots in US size 9! You can easily win these handsome leather-free shoes worth $300! Wowee!

Directions:

i) You must be a US size 9 – otherwise these are worthless to you!
ii) Take a photo of you holding the shoes you typically wear to work or to get dressed-up, and send it to me at: thediscerningbrute@gmail.com
iii) The photo of the most beat-up, pathetic, gross, terrible pair of shoes will prove you deserve these!
iv) Include your name, what you do, and contact info so that if we decide you are the most in need of a new pair of vegan kicks, we can send them to you!

Mens Vegan Shoes & Boots
Deadline is April 30th. The winner will be announced on the blog May 1st.

These stylish and ethically responsible ankle-boots are hand-crafted in Italy. NOHARM is strongly opposed to child-labor and worker exploitation. Wear these kicks to a dressy fundraiser or with jeans. Either way, these are some of the finest mens’ vegan footwear out there. Good luck!

Ethical Fashion Fashion

C-PAS eco-apparel by etnies

C-PAS eco-apparel by etnies Another brand following the NOHARM lead is etnies. Pierre André Senizergues, the founder of skate brand is to launch his newest venture, C-PAS, a line of contemporary eco-apparel. etnies Founder and Gran Fromage Pierre Andre Senizergues is no stranger to the media. He’s been featured in several publications for his notable skateboarding achievements, innovations in skate footwear and his radical environmental attitude. The NOHARM mantra is catching on across the fashion world.

Fashion

Dirty English Clothing

Dirty English Clothing Finally, a smart marketing move from the Juicy girls. It’s just amazing it took over 5 years for the girls to realise no man is going to buy a brand called Juicy Couture!

Dirty English debuted its first full line in Spring 2009. Dirty English is now sold in Juicy Couture retail locations worldwide. Dirty English replaced the Juicy Couture For Men line which debuted in 2003 and includes denim, ready-to-wear, accessories, fragrance and sunglasses.

With an eye towards swaggering punks and sexy rock stars, Dirth English embraces a distinctly edgy sensibility. “Our male customers are sophisticated and worldly, and at the same time edgy and free-spirited. We felt the name Dirty English sums up the attitude and essence of the men’s collection, toffs, bad boys and anglophiles! It’s bloody great!” says Juicy Couture co-presidents Gela Nash-Taylor and Pamela Skaist Levy.

Fashion

Uniqlo + Jil Sander

Uniqlo + Jil Sander Jil Sander Set for New Challenge at Uniqlo?

Uniqlo take responsibility for all facets of their business including fabric weaving, dyeing and spinning, product design, manufacture, marketing, distribution and sales. Uniqlo have close relationships with a select group of world class suppliers and take a very rational approach to product development. Uniqlo are a company driven by their customers’ needs and requests, and strongly believe that customer satisfaction is the foundation for being a genuine global leader. As a consequence, Uniglo aim to develop collections of “finished components” that allow individuals around the world to craft their own personal style and never dictate a “look“ to their customers.

“If the clothes shout louder than the person, the person can not be heard”

Tadashi Yanai, founder and Chairman, UNIQLO.

Fashion

Is Kenzo a la mode, again?

Is Kenzo a la mode again?

At the Kenzo show, French actor Andy Gillet said he turned manga for his latest movie, which was just released in South Korea. “It’s a kind of thriller, a little bit strange,” Gillet said, adding his next project is an Italian movie this spring. “I am playing a French guy who only speaks a little Italian, which is lucky,” he chuckled.

Actress Karine Viard said she would next hit the big screen in “Les Derniers Jours du Monde” (“The Last Days of the World”). “In it everyone thinks that life will never end. It’s a blend of humor and anguish,” she said, adding Burberry lent her outfits for the film. Next up, Viard plays a sister who, with her brother, prevents their father from falling in love with a homeless woman. “My look is an older person who still dresses like a teenager who really doesn’t take too much care about her appearance,” she said. Later, Viard attended Paul & Joe along with a shades-wearing Emmanuelle Béart.

Fashion

Marc Jacobs to Wed

Marc Jacobs to Marry

Marc Jacobs and Lorenzo Martone are engaged. The designer and his ad executive boyfriend, who have been together for about a year, will go public with the news beginning Thursday, when they arrive in Brazil wearing rings. The couple is headed to Martone’s native Sao Paolo for a fete celebrating the Marc Jacobs multibrand store there, which opened in January. They have not set a wedding date.

Fashion

Red Monkey Jeans – Katsushika Hokusai

Red Monkey Jeans - Katsushika Hokusai These lifestyle shots really show the quality and artistry of the RMC Octopus jeans.

The Dream of the Fisherman’s Wife Tako to ama, Octopus and Shelldiver is an erotic woodcut of the ukiyo-e genre made around 1820 by the Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai. Perhaps the first instance of tentacle eroticism, it depicts a woman entwined sexually with a pair of octopuses, the smaller of which wraps one of its tentacles around the woman’s nipple and kisses her, while the larger one performs cunnilingus. Hokusai created The Dream of the Fisherman’s Wife during the Edo period in when Shinto was making a resurgence; this influenced the piece’s animism and playful attitude towards sexuality. It is a celebrated example of shunga and has been reworked by a number of artists. Similar themes of human females having sexual intercourse with sea life have been displayed since the 17th century in Japanese netsuke, small carved sculptures only a few inches in height and often extremely elaborate.

Red Monkey Jeans

Fashion

Burberry’s Christopher Bailey at Barneys

ED WESTWICK AND BARNEYS HOST EVENT IN HONOUR OF CHRISTOPHER BAILEY IN NEW YORK

British actor Ed Westwick and Barneys hosted an event in honour of Burberry Creative Director Christopher Bailey at the Barneys store in New York tonight.

Over 200 guests attended the cocktail event on the men’s floor at Barneys, including Christopher Bailey, Ed Westwick, Mary Kate Olsen, Simon Doonan, Amy Sacco, Celerie Kemble, Tara Subkoff, Jamie Burke, Leigh Lezark, Max Minghella, Byrdie Bell, Dani Stahl, Lydia Fenet, Polly Delevinge, Maggie Bettz, Katie Lee Joel, Emma Snowdon Jones, Zanna Roberts and Derek Blasberg all of whom wore Burberry

Music on the evening was provided by DJ Nate Lowman.

The event also celebrated the arrival of the new Burberry Prorsum Spring Summer 2009 menswear collection in store. The collection references classic pieces from the Burberry archive and heritage in a modern, unstructured and effortless way.

Burberry is pleased to be celebrating its rich heritage in providing sartorial menswear and outerwear dating from the company’s foundation in 1856.

Fashion

Pepe Jeans S/S09

Pepe jeans S/S09

Denim label Pepe Jeans is launching two exclusive denim styles for SS09. For men, Pepe Jeans created a versatile denim, which is washed and hand finished in Italy. The fit is slim/regular and is low waisted. Special details include printed shadow contrasts around the pockets and wide stitch detailing. This jean is made of a 10oz broken twill construction in a summer weight.

The Portobello style is especially designed for woman, and inspired by the 70s flared silhouette. The jean is low waisted and features a tight knee and super flared 24” hem. The woman style has pre-formed belt loops, patched pockets, and its fabric is a 10oz comfort stretch with a strong violet cast.

Fashion

Salvatore Ferragamo Footwear – No.1

Salvatore Ferragamo Footwear - No.1

Luxury Institute Names Best in High-End Footwear

Salvatore Ferragamo and Christian Louboutin win top honors for high-end men’s and women’s shoes, respectively, according to a new survey released Thursday by the Luxury Institute.

Results of the 2009 survey identified those luxury shoe brands that deliver the best in quality, exclusivity, customer experience and peer prestige, based on responses from 1,208 wealthy Americans.

For men’s shoes, Versace ranked second, followed by Louis Vuitton. In the women’s category, Manolo Blahnik took second place, and Jimmy Choo was a close third.

This year’s rankings are even more meaningful than they have been in the past, Milton Pedraza, CEO of the Luxury Institute, said in a statement. “We are finding that you don’t have to be the most expensive or best known to be rated highly by wealthy consumers,” he said. “Contrary to popular myth, most wealthy consumers don’t live above their means and have always looked for true lasting value in luxury purchases.”

Fashion

Burberry Men’s Bag Collection

Burberry Men's Bag Collection Burberry is synonymous with quality, innovation and style and has a heritage in providing functional accessories with a unique British sensibility.

The Burberry men’s accessories collection was previewed during the Burberry Prorsum Spring Summer 2009 menswear catwalk show.

Bags featured on the catwalk include totes in cotton canvas and soft natural grain leather.

All bags contain functional fitted pockets for holding mobile phones, MP3 players and PDAs.

A key men’s group is the mega check group in over-dyed olive cotton canvas with weekend, cross-strap, messenger and portrait bags, which were inspired by the brand’s rich military heritage.

The colour palette for the collection includes tan, chocolate, stone, sand, bark and mushroom.

The bags in the Burberry Spring Summer accessories collection are hard-wearing, lightweight and unconstructed in shape, influenced by the relaxed familiar-feeling ready-to-wear pieces.

Prices start at 550GBP/1095USD

Menswear accessories collection also features shoes, small leather goods, belts and jewellery.

The Spring Summer 2009 men’s accessories collection will be available in Burberry stores worldwide and online at Burberry.com from December 2009.

Fashion

Earnest Sewn Jeans, New Era?

Earnest Sewn co-founders Scott Morrison and Eleanor Ylvisaker exited the company on Tuesday. Morrison was creative director and Ylvisaker was public relations director.

SCOTT MORRISON

The line’s Designer and President, Scott Morrison, was born and raised in Palm Springs, California. Morrison spent his collegiate years attending the University of Washington (Seattle) while on an athletic scholarship for golf. Through golf, he developed an interest in the clothing industry, and after a brief stint playing professionally, he committed himself to learning the apparel business from the ground up.

In 1998, at age 26, Scott began developing a new idea for an American made denim collection that would compete with the likes of Diesel and Replay. His vision was realized in 1999 with the launch of Morrison’s new concept: Paper Denim & Cloth. Over the next four years at Paper Denim, Scott’s reputation in the industry grew. As co-founder and designer of Paper Denim & Cloth, he quickly established the growing operation as a preeminent denim brand.

After almost five years at one of the first American success stories in the premium denim market, Morrison decided to step out on his own. His new creation would be a dual-fold design concept called “Earnest Sewn” and “The Earnest Co.”. Both brands are built on his obsession for quality, uniqueness, and the innovative fusion of two diverse aesthetics.

The focal point of the new collections are an appreciation for denim’s Americana past coupled with the Japanese aesthetic system of Wabi-sabi, which contends that perfection is found in the imperfect. These two themes are represented throughout the collections and incorporated into Morrison’s classically understated designs and overt attention to detail. Earnest Sewn has already become a modern day testament to beauty, tradition, and the ever present influence of denim in our continually evolving world culture.

ELEANOR YLIVISAKER

Eleanor Ylvisaker is a native New Yorker who started out her career in Early Childhood education. After two years working at a public New York kindergarten she decided to explore her dream of working in a creative environment by changing career paths and working for various fashion magazines. After three years experience at Hearst and Conde Nast, she left to do freelance styling work for editorial fashion shoots. Along the way, she met Scott Morrison, who offered her a full time position at Paper Denim & Cloth as the PR Director. In March 2004 Eleanor left Paper Denim & Cloth with Scott Morrison and Lori Jacobs to launch Earnest Sewn. Currently she heads up the PR department at the Earnest Sewn Meatpacking offices in New York City.

Fashion

Prada Design & Architectural Fashion

THE PRADA TRANSFORMER

A state of the art project space

Seoul, Korea

Milan, March 10, 2009 – Launching in Seoul at the end of April 2009, the highly anticipated Prada Transformer designed by OMA/Rem Koolhaas will showcase a groundbreaking series of cross-cultural exhibitions, screenings and live events. For five months this shape-shifting venue will host multiple interdisciplinary projects, bringing a unique mix of visual arts to Korea.

The Transformer combines the four sides of a tetrahedron: hexagon, cross, rectangle and circle into one pavilion. The building, entirely covered with a smooth elastic membrane, will be flipped using cranes, completely reconfiguring the visitor’s experience with each new programme. Each side plan is precisely designed to organize a different event installation creating a building with four identities. Whenever one shape becomes the ground plan, the other three shapes become the walls and the ceiling defining the space, as well as referencing historic or anticipating future event configurations.

“Waist Down – Skirts by Miuccia Prada”, an ongoing project by Miuccia Prada in collaboration with AMO, makes its Korean debut on April 25, showcasing a collection of skirts “in motion” ranging from the first ever Prada show to the present day. Skirts by emerging Korean fashion students will be included to show the interaction between two fashion worlds and to amplify the meaning of fashion from different cultural perspectives.

The exhibition space will then be transformed into a cinema showing a programme of films selected by Alejandro González Iñárritu, the director of Oscar-winning Babel. “Flesh, Mind and Soul” is the concept for the unique programme – to be launched on June 26 – co-curated by film critic Elvis Mitchell, spanning multiple genres, countries and decades of filmmaking including a rich and substantial amount of physical, intellectual and spiritual films that will create a whole cinematic experience.

Subsequently, the Prada Foundation will present an exhibition, “Beyond Control”, curated by Germano Celant, which will ‘transform’ the interior of the architectural object by OMA into an inspiring magma of works by some of the most significant contemporary artists.

Further cultural activities will be announced in the lead-up to the launch of the project. Prada and the Prada Foundation have combined their resources with their local partners’ to develop an extraordinary programme for the Prada Transformer’s innovative, changing stages. As the fields of fashion, art, film, design and performance now inform and influence each other with increasing diversity and complexity, this programme aims to stimulate and embrace multi-disciplinarian discourse.

Prada Design

Situated next to the 16th-century Gyeonghui Palace, the Prada Transformer – realized with the support of LG Electronics, Hyundai Motor Company and Red Resource Inc. – dramatically juxtaposes Korean history, tradition and folklore with this 21st-century multi-dimensional event space. Due to Seoul Metropolitan Government’s passion and dedication to cultural projects, the Prada Transformer was well received and fully supported by the City. Visibly attuned to Seoul’s modern positioning as a forward-looking and technologically advanced metropolis, the Prada Transformer is part of Prada’s global commitment to the production of new realities in fashion, art, architecture and creative culture.

The architectural project is led by Rem Koolhaas together with associates Kunle Adeyemi and Chris van Duijn, and design architect Alexander Reichert.

As of today, the Prada Transformer is also visible online on pradatransformer.co.kr. The website is the result of a collaboration between Prada, AMO – the mirror image think tank of Rem Koolhaas’s Office for Metropolitan Architecture — and 2×4, a multidisciplinary design studio from NY focusing on art, architecture, and fashion world wide.

The concept of the site is strongly linked to the architectural project. Equal to the built pavilion, which transforms to accommodate different events, the website regenerates its graphics and contents according to the changes in use of the actual structure along time.

Ethical Fashion Fashion

Louis Vuitton – Environmental Charter

Louis Vuitton - Environmental Charter

Louis Vuitton – Environmental Charter.

So Louis Vuitton has composed the “Environmental Charter” below:

“Louis Vuitton wishes to bring creativity and sustainable development close together.

The environmental protection is the business of all. Beyond a strong conviction, Louis Vuitton has embarked up a voluntary environmental programme for severa; years. The high environmental performance is registered in the heart of Louis Vuitton trades.”

The following constitutes the “Actions” Louis Vuitton are enacting to fulfill their “Environmental Charter”:

“The vast majority of the materials used come from natural sources (leather), it has a real interest for Louis Vuitton in ensuring that these materials are available in the future.

This awkening led Louis Vuitton to pass to the act to reduce the impact of its activities on the environment.”

Perhaps someone should tell one of the worlds largest users of leather that in a groundbreaking 2006 report, the United Nations (U.N.) said that raising animals for leather generates more greenhouse gases than all the cars and trucks in the world combined. Senior U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization official Henning Steinfeld reported that the leather and meat industries are “one of the most significant contributors to today’s most serious environmental problems.”

Are Louis Vuitton ignorant to these facts or are they trying to create a smoke screen (a CO2 smoke screen)?

Ethical Fashion Fashion

Donya Coward exhibits in Paul Smith, Paris

From NOHARM to Paul Smith, Donya Coward leads the way with innovative ‘Veggie Taxidermy’.

Donya Coward exhibits in Paul Smith, Paris

Nottingham based designer Donya Coward is exhibiting a new collection of her ‘Veggie Taxidermy’ in the Paul Smith shop on Rue Du Faubourg Saint Honore, Paris.

The featured portraits collection will present a series of five breeds – French bulldog, Greyhound, Scottish Highland Terrier, Pug and English bull Terrier.

Taxidermy is the art of mounting or preserving animals for display (such as hunting trophies) or for study. The work combines a number of traditional textile techniques, specifically knit and crochet, recycled and reclaimed materials and they are embellished with jewellery and oddments that Donya has given new life to, this creates a ‘Victorianesque’ style collection of three dimensional pet portraits.

The pieces will be priced from £1’200 (1,271.03 Euros) – £5’000 (5,295.94 Euros)

Donya Coward
“Veggie Taxidermy”
5th – 28th March 2009

Paul Smith
3 Rue Du Faubourg Saint Honore
Paris
75008

Tel: +33 1 4268 2710

Fashion

GoldSpun Jeans & Apparel, Innovative & Timeless

To many, innovation and timeless quality might appear a paradox. However GoldSpun have found fashion’s version of alchemy and offer truly unique garments with a timeless edge.

GoldSpun was introduced in the beginning of 2007, by creative director Marck Marcellus. His vision for GoldSpun is to offer quality garments made from premium raw materials and an innovative design concept.

At the core of GoldSpun is a collection of specialty denim jeans and jackets complimented by shirting, wovens, twills, vests and outerwear.

All the raw materials are imported from Japan, Europe and local suppliers. GoldSpun denim is dyed with a special tint, to give it a richer, deeper, color and feel. That is how our raw “industrial tint” program was inducted.

Burberry New Check Scarf

Every detail incorporated into the design process is inspired by a futuristic advent-garde approach and always pushing the limits of technical innovation. Each part serves a purpose, each element has a function. Such details as triple needle stitching for durability, passport pockets for increased utility and precision tailoring for a sleek and contoured fit, can be found on all of GoldSpun’s garments.

The GoldSpun washing process takes place in California by hand. It is a lengthy and labor-intensive process. Each pair of jeans is treated, washed, hand sanded and baked individually, so that every pair is unique and one-of-a-kind.

The result is a perfect union of utility meets elegance; a multi-functional lifestyle line combining, clean silhouettes with subtle detailing that is built to withstand time.

Burberry New Check Scarf

Fashion

Burberry New Check – S/S2009

Burberry New Check - S/S2009

BURBERRY INTRODUCES NEW CHECK – SPRING/ SUMMER 2009.

The New Check has been really popular this season already gaining a following from the likes of Daniel Craig, Orlando Bloom, Dev Patel and Josh Hartnett to name a few.

Burberry Creative Director Christopher Bailey has developed a new Burberry check for men, inspired by the energy, attitude, modernity and masculinity of the new fragrance Burberry The Beat for Men.

Launched as part of the Burberry London Collection Spring 2009 menswear collection, the new check in black, charcoal and white features across accessories for women including bags, small leather goods, soft accessories and shoes as well as ready-to-wear pieces.

The new check also features as the lining in soft leather bags and small leather goods including laptop bags and cases, tote bags, billfold wallets and card holders.

A crinkle cashmere scarf in dark charcoal and black Burberry check is worn by British actor Alex Pettyfer in the new Beat for Men fragrance advertising campaign shot by British photographer David Sims.

Burberry New Check Scarf

Fashion

Roberto Cavalli sued by Ittierre

Roberto Cavalli sued by Ittierre During economic down-turns the only people to benefit are lawyers and bankers, so they say:

“Last week, Roberto Cavalli canceled his Just Cavalli runway show and staged an intimate presentation of just twenty outfits in his showroom. He said the production quality of the other half of the collection was sub-par, citing dissatisfaction with Ittierre, the licensing company that produces Just Cavalli and which went into bankruptcy last month. He nearly cried discussing the fate of his younger line and said he wasn’t sure if the fall 2009 collection would even be produced. Well, Ittierre is sick of his whining and trash-talking, so they’re suing him! They said Cavalli’s decision to cancel his show last week was “unilateral” and “unjustified with serious prejudice to Ittierre’s image.” Going bankrupt is bad enough — you don’t need a famous person telling every newspaper in the world you suck.

Cavalli isn’t worried about the lawsuit. He called the proceedings “just a political matter,” and continued trash-talking Ittierre, kind of making them out to be like that ex you just dumped but who refuses to accept it and calls you all the time, anyway. WWD reports: “My contract with Ittierre expires in two seasons so I practically already have a foot outside. As far as I am concerned, [the contract] has expired,” Cavalli said on the sidelines of his Roberto Cavalli runway show. “I don’t understand their point of view.”

Allow us to explain, Roberto! The stakes are high for Ittierre, which also operate licenses for Gianfranco Ferré, C’N’C Costume National, and John Galliano. Those shows will go on as planned, but in this uncertain time the company doesn’t want to lose any more contracts, especially since Just Cavalli — its most profitable license — is as good as finished.

Cavalli said he tried to end his contract “some months ago,” since Ittierre didn’t pay him the $25.3 million owed in royalties. Other licensing companies are eager to snatch up the Just Cavalli contract.”

Fashion Football & Fashion

Dolce & Gabbana Milan

Dolce & Gabbana Milan Celebrity fever is heating up in Milan, with Naomi Watts and Kate Hudson expected at the Dolce & Gabbana show Monday, according to sources. Dolce & Gabbana have a celebrity fan base which the envy of many top brands which is understandable given their continue drive to push the fashion boundaries. No doubt the beckhams will pop along for a peek too.

Fashion

Britney Spears dressed by Dsquared

Eco Friendly Clothing Dsquared is putting the finishing touches on Britney Spears’ wardrobe for her upcoming Circus tour. Dan and Dean Caten reinterpreted clowns, trapeze artists and jugglers into a series of provocative looks for Spears and her dancers to be worn on a world tour that kicks off Tuesday in New Orleans. “We are enormous fans of Britney, and have been waiting for the perfect moment to collaborate with her,” the twins enthused. “It’s going to be wild.”

DSquared is the name of the company formed in 1993 by twins Dean and Dan Caten. Born in Canada in 1965, the twins grew up in Willowdale, Ontario. Following high school, they spent a summer at Parsons School of Design in New York and then decided to be designers.