Swiss chemical process makes eco-friendly jeans

It takes lots of water and chemicals to make a pair of jeans, and environmentally conscious clothing makers caught on years ago to the need to make more sustainable versions these popular pants.

But a Swiss chemical company said Tuesday its process for making eco-friendly jeans could streamline those efforts, saving enough water to cover the needs of 1.7 million people per year if one quarter of the world's jean-makers started using it.

The dying technology, known as Advanced Denim, was described at the 16th annual Green Chemistry & Engineering Conference, sponsored by the American Chemical Society's Green Chemistry Institute.

Miguel Sanchez, a textile engineer at Clariant, said the technique can produce a pair of jeans using up to 92 percent less water and up to 30 percent less energy than conventional denim manufacturing methods.

Traditional techniques may require as many as 15 dyeing vats and a host of chemicals, while Advanced Denim uses one vat and a new kind of liquid sulfur dye that requires just one sugar-based reducing agent, he said.

The process, if used on a wide scale, could save 2.5 billion gallons of water per year, prevent the release of 8.3 million cubic meters of wastewater and save up to 220 million kilowatt hours of electricity, he added.

'Advanced Denim wants to go beyond the technologies that are today considered standard for obtaining denim material,' Sanchez said.

Many other companies, including denim-giant Levi-Strauss, already make their own versions of eco-friendly jeans that use less water, are made with organic cotton, or use natural dyes. These products remain a niche market, however.

Jeans, particularly those that are distressed to appear as if they have been worn, have come under fire in recent years for wasting water, overusing harmful chemicals and using sandblasting that can endanger workers' health.



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Savile Row tailors open doors into exclusive world

LONDON (Reuters) - Michael Skinner and a tiny coterie of colleagues are intimately familiar with the physical details of rock stars, royalty and some of Britain's most famous historical figures.

But don't expect him to start dishing out the gossip, because absolute discretion is a professional hallmark of the tailors on Savile Row in London, whose customers over some two centuries of service stretch from famed military hero Horatio Nelson to Michael Jackson and Britain's Prince William.

The now master cutter at Dege & Skinner collected one of his most favorite anecdotes at the tender age of 18, when he was given the task of dressing then British Prime Minister Winston Churchill for Queen Elizabeth's 1953 coronation.

'It was an amazing thing...being at Westminster Abbey and actually having to dress the great man,' Skinner told Reuters on a visit to the Row in honor of London's first ever standalone event for men's fashion over the weekend.

Skinner has spent a lifetime on Savile Row, a street known around the world for the bespoke clothing made by a handful of traditional firms such as Dege & Skinner, Gieves & Hawkes, H. Huntsman & Sons and Henry Poole & Co as well as modern designers like Ozwald Boateng and E. Tautz.

The Beatles, Michael Jackson, Queen Elizabeth as well as Admiral Horatio Nelson and the man who defeated Napoleon at Waterloo, the Duke of Wellington, have all had clothes, robes, suits and military uniforms from the tailors gathered here.

Skinner who runs one of the last remaining family-owned businesses left on Savile Row with his son William, opened their showrooms and workshops to the public as part of last weekend's first London Collections Men fashion event.

'We're not a sort of hocus pocus bunch of people behind frosted windows. We're actually pretty decent people who do a pretty decent job doing our damnedest to make really nice clothes and that's what gives us the buzz,' Skinner said.

'It is exciting to be part of the fashion week and to showcase Savile Row and what we do as a trade in terms of the craft industry, making clothes in the time-honored fashion for the individual,' William Skinner said.

Two-piece suits from the country's top craftsmen in men's clothing start from 3,000 pounds ($4,719), but customers who may be daunted by the eye-watering prices for bespoke clothing from a Savile Row tailor have some options.

Dege & Skinner provides many alternative methods of payment to encourage people to buy on Savile Row, added Michael Skinner.

'We've always had a policy of doing everything we can to help each individual and we have means of extending credit, we have ways of paying by bank order, special offers for young officers in the forces to buy civilian clothes which we've now extended to young people for their first suit.'

His father William said that one of the selling points of Savile Row is that its tailors offer clothes that are timeless, because they are made just for you.

'When you're spending the money that people do on our clothes, then you don't want it to fall out of fashion in six months time, you want something special. And that's why they come to us,' he said.

Gieves & Hawkes Bespoke Cutter Richard Lawson's workshop displays an impressive collection of brown paper patterns, each containing the specific measurements of customers.

The company's archive includes pieces created for Nelson, who settled his tailoring bill just before he was killed at the naval Battle of Trafalgar as well as Waterloo victor Wellington. The firm is famous for its military tailoring services to the British Army and the Royal Navy.

A heavily embroidered black and gold jacket for late singer Michael Jackson on display in the company's showroom cost £20,000 ($31,330) alone to make.

Lawson, who has worked on the Row for nearly five years, said the greatest joy he gets out of his job is when the suit he has made for his customer fits perfectly.

'When you put it on the chap's shoulders and literally, it just slots on like that and the customer straight away starts feeling like he's wearing it, you cannot replace that feeling,' he told Reuters.

'It makes up for all the other stresses that go on when things don't go quite as smoothly or things are going wrong. It's a great part of the job.'

Getting an apprenticeship on London's most exclusive street for tailoring is competitive as there is a lot of interest in joining the trade, said Lawson.

'A lot of it is do with the luck of being in the right place at the right time when that apprenticeship position comes up and Savile Row has a real buzz about it now,' Lawson said.

'It's a beautiful little community, we all work on the same row, we know each other, and as I say, once you're on the inside, it's a real family atmosphere we have.'

(Additional Reporting by Cindy Martin, editing by Paul Casciato)



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Adidas cancels release of "shackled" sneakers

NEW YORK (Reuters) - After a public outcry, Adidas AG canceled the release of an upcoming sneaker model that featured plastic orange shackles attached to the shoes' heels.

In a June 14 Facebook post, the shoe company unveiled the 'JS Roundhouse Mids,' purple and gray sneakers with attached short shackles that bore the company's name. The shoes had been set for release in August.

'Got a sneaker game so hot you lock your kicks to your ankles?' read a caption on the picture post revealing the shoes.

A storm of angry comments erupted on the Facebook page, including some accusing the company of racism in the shoes' design. The German sportswear maker canceled the shoes on Monday afternoon.

On Tuesday, however, the original post could still be found on the 'Adidas Originals' Facebook page.

In a Huffington Post blog post on Tuesday, the Rev. Jesse Jackson called the shoes 'offensive, appalling and insensitive,' saying they were reminiscent of slaves and prisoners.

Speaking on CNN Tuesday morning, Jackson said they were 'a gross insult' and said Adidas was insensitive in designing the sneakers and that the company only canceled the shoes in light of a potential boycott.

Adidas said in a statement that it apologized 'if people are offended by the design' and said it was withdrawing plans to make the shoes available in the marketplace.

'The design of the JS Roundhouse Mid is nothing more than the designer Jeremy Scott's outrageous and unique take on fashion and has nothing to do with slavery,' it said.

The 'shackled' sneakers are Adidas' second controversy in two days. On Monday, it was sued by a man claiming that the company's adiPure shoes, which mimic the effect of running barefoot and advertise a decrease in risk of injury, actually increase the risk for foot damage.

(This story has been refiled to correct that Adidas AG , not U.S. unit, canceled shoe)

(Reporting By Joseph O'Leary; Editing by Cynthia Johnston and Dan Grebler)



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UK's Royal Ascot redefines concept of fashion police

LONDON (Reuters) - Ladies, forget those flimsy fascinators and get yourself a proper hat: one that has a base of at least 4 inches in diameter.

So says a new dress code coming into force at this year's Royal Ascot, the annual horse-race meeting attended by Britain's Queen Elizabeth and a highlight of high society's summer season.

'Strapless, off-the-shoulder, halter-neck, spaghetti straps and dresses with a strap of less than 1 inch (2.5cm) are not permitted,' says the dress code for lady race-goers lucky enough to have tickets for the exclusive Royal Enclosure.

The document states that ladies' dresses should be 'of modest length', defined as falling just above the knee or lower, while gentlemen should wear grey or black morning dress, which must include a top hat, waistcoat and tie -- but no cravat.

Fashion has always been a feature of Royal Ascot and spotting the most daring outfits is as much of an attraction as watching the races. But the new dress code suggests organizers felt some race-goers were becoming rather too risqué.

They have trained a team of 'dress code assistants' who will stop transgressors from entering the enclosure and supply them with emergency items to bring their outfits into line -- waistcoats, ties, pashmina shawls and the like.

The British media were quick to dig out photos of women at Royal Ascot in previous years sporting short or otherwise revealing dresses that would fall foul of the sartorial squad.

Particular attention was focused on the issue of fascinators, a type of headpiece attached to women's heads with clips or pins and often adorned with feathers, lace or netting.

VERY GOOD LEGS

Fascinators have long been a popular item at smart British weddings, but they shot to greater fame after Kate Middleton, then the future wife of the queen's grandson Prince William, wore one during her first official engagement with her fiancé.

The couple married in April last year and the now Duchess of Cambridge has made her mark on the global fashion map -- yet her favored fascinators have been banned from the Royal Enclosure.

'The most beautiful girl in the world, Kate Middleton, has skirts halfway up her thigh and usually wears fascinators,' said Jilly Cooper, best-selling author of racy novels with names like 'Riders' and 'Jump!'.

'But I think you've got to have very, very good legs,' Cooper told BBC Radio 4, suggesting that Royal Ascot organizers were quite right to regulate for those women not endowed with legs as attractive as those of the duchess.

The chief executive of Ascot dismissed suggestions that the dress code might come across as an attempt to restore archaic, aristocratic decorum, as opposed to a more provocative style of dress favored by some people from less exalted backgrounds.

'It isn't a question of elitism and not being modern in a world where there is less and less requirement to dress smartly - far from it,' said Charles Barnett.

'We want to see modern and stylish dress at Royal Ascot, just within the parameters of formal wear,' he said.

There will be no excuses for those who get it wrong. All ticket holders were sent reminders of the new dress code including 'style guides' with photos giving example of appropriate looks.

You have been warned.

(Editing by Paul Casciato)



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Watch: the making-of the Louis Vuitton runway-inspired campaign

Two weeks before Paris Haute Couture week (July 1-5), French luxury accessories label Louis Vuitton has released a behind-the-scenes video for its new Fall/Winter 2012-2013 campaign.

Shot by American fashion photographer Steven Meisel, the campaign seeks to capture the mood of a runway show and has a travel theme.

In addition to showing how the campaign was created, the video features Marc Jacobs, Louis Vuitton collections artistic director, explaining the choices behind the visuals.



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Men's Fashion: 1920s dandy and military among top trends at London Collections

Labels including Paul Smith, Christopher Kane and Jonathan Saunders were just some of the big names taking part in the inaugural London Collections: Men event June 15-17. Ahead of the upcoming Milan and Paris menswear fashion weeks, discover key Spring 2013 trends to have emerged from the British capital's first dedicated menswear weekend here, including recycled parkas and leather shorts.

Great Gatsby

While womenswear labels including Gucci and Fendi may have heralded the revival of 1920s-inspired fashion with their Spring/Summer 2012 shows, the trend looks set to continue well into 2013 for gentlemen too. Labels including Richard Nicoll and Hardy Amies London embraced the Great Gatsby aesthetic at London Collections: Men, with pocket squares and tasselled loafers in abundance. Spanish-owned label Hackett also harked back to the period, with cream-lined peaked lapel suits and white brogues among the highlights.

Military jackets

When it came to casual wear, the prominence of the bomber looks set to continue for Spring 2013, with the likes of Nicole Farhi and Jonathan Saunders favoring the style. The latter added texture to the trend too, offering bombers in green and black bonded pinstripe fabric, while James Long enhanced bombers with mandarin collars.

Meanwhile, all attention was on the classic parka jacket at Christopher Raeburn, a designer known for recycling military textiles. Highlights included a khaki nylon parka made from re-appropriated military sleeping bags, as well as sheer and a silver lamé version of the coat.

Smart shorts

Tailored shorts were another recurring trend, with the likes of Richard James and James Long favoring the style. The latter offered dark pleated and panelled high-waisted creations in leather and plaid, while Lou Dalton also kept things respectable with well-tailored shorts that fell just below the knee.

Feeling blue

In terms of color, oranges and reds were prominent at many runway shows, but blue was ubiquitous at presentations ranging from Rake to Pringle of Scotland. Electric blue was the order of the day at Oliver Spencer, while a duck egg-blue trench coat stole the show at E Tautz. Meadham Kirchhoff, who recreated the aftermath of a wild party for the rather surreal presentation of their newly revived menswear line, opted for sheer purple-hinted creations -- accessorized with bright blue-dyed hair and eyebrows.



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Pringle of Scotland's Poignant Finale

The Pringle of Scotland latest runway show was very much the fashion equivalent of a dead-rubber match, i.e., a game in which the result cannot affect the final outcome. This spring 2013 collection, presented Sunday, June 17, in London, was designed by Alistair Carr, news of whose departure from the Scottish brand had broken this spring.

Howver, this was a stylish departing gesture by Carr, a one-time Balenciaga alumni, who cannot really be faulted for Pringle's recent financial troubles. The house's owner, the Fang family of Hong Kong, was forced to inject $17 million last year into the 195-year-old brand after the Scottish knitwear specialist kept bleeding losses.

For his farewell, Carr served up a fashion repast of artfully spun knits, using the house's signature Argyle pattern in massive designs on flowing sweaters and micro patterns in socks.

Blair cuts a neat bomber jacket, using the technique well in waxy leather versions trimmed in stretch wool, or in multi-paneled versions with alternating leather and wool sections.

Across a turquoise fake grass runway in The Hospital Club, a private members club funded by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen in Covent Garden where night shows in debut London Collections: Men were staged, the models marched in this season's best footwear. Brothel-creepers met cricket boots meet loafers in these great new footwear looks.

Carr also sent out a new Pringle men's twin set though composed of a cardigan with a soft collar sports shirt. Made in honeycomb optic materials, these all looked great, as did some padded shiny denim jackets in ecru and white.

Yet after this polished performance, there was that poignant moment when Carr took his bow, waving shyly, quitting a job that most critics felt he did not deserve to lose.



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Sheer florals show soft side to British men's fashion

LONDON (Reuters) - British menswear designers showcased a mixture of transparent florals and detailed paisley prints accessorized with quilted handbags and colored briefcases on the final day of London's first standalone men's fashion event.

Designer J.W. Anderson's showcase for London Collections Men featured teddy bear prints, sheer floral patterns and knitted ensembles. The models wearing black wigs and headscarves tied to one side carried quilted handbags and branded sketchbooks.

Vivid pink and red jackets were seen alongside knitted bell bottom trousers and tops, as well as shirts and shorts with a printed paintbrush effect.

A crisp palette of pale grays, white, blue and ochre with neat tailored finishes and contrasting color details were seen at Richard Nicoll's debut menswear collection.

'I thought the color was good. Good color, good silhouettes. It looked well made. A lot of collections in London look very worked on but not necessarily well made. This looks chic,' said style blogger Scott Schuman, of The Sartorialist.

Leather jackets in teal and aqua with contrasting details also featured alongside rich paisley prints, with models carrying colored briefcases and duffel bags.

Menswear is the fastest growing fashion sector and the three-day London show has seen a mixture of haute couture and high-street designers showcase the best of British menswear featuring fashion luminaries such as Tom Ford and Paul Smith.

'You can go to Savile Row, Burlington Arcade or Jermyn Street and see fantastic heritage, and then there are probably the most cutting edge designers in the world showing in London, amazing street style, you sort of get everything,' said Dylan Jones, editor of men's magazine GQ.

'It's the new generation of men who are actually spending money, they've learnt how to shop like women, and they're going out and buying clothes. It's great for the economy.'

(Additional reporting by Matthew Stock; Editing by Sophie Hares)



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Jonathan Saunders' Thin White Duke Chic

If there is any single reason to come to London this weekend for its debut menswear season, it is to catch the latest collection from Jonathan Saunders.

A Scotsman based in London, Saunders has built a successful women's wear since he opened his business in 2003. This was only his second men's season but this crafty and cool combination suggests he is going to be a big name in menswear too.

'It's the Thin White Duke. David Bowie, rock and roll with a little psychedelic,' Saunders explained at the event, staged in Elms Lesters Painting Room a beautifully decayed Victorian atelier where one climbed a rickety staircase to actually see the collection.

What made the event was the combination of wacky British pop with fresh clever tailoring. So a classic pinstripe comes in emerald green with a broad streak; while natty bowling jackets were made circuit board patterns that gradually changed colors that moved from top to bottom.

Saunders can also boast a great understanding of texture, in particular his wonderful waffle nylon and wool sweaters. Though his greatest strengths remains his imaginative printing, and ability to use bright colors with a rare joie de vivre.

This designer has always tapped into colorful rock-n-roll iconography; from his graduate show, whose bright kaftans were inspired by The Beatles 'Yellow Submarine' album cover. In that vein, this display, staged Saturday, June 16, in London, was Saunders most assured to date.

No wonder he chose the location he did; an atelier where artisans produce many of the backdrops used in London West End musicals. That was evident from the brilliant staging, a giant crucifixion scene behind a mirror glass bar, a beautiful tableau of dashing models posed in a multiple image gallery of the clothes they were wearing. Hair cropped and slicked back, their dandy insouciance was perfect for this assured display by Saunders.



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Violence shuts 300 Bangladesh garment factories

DHAKA (Reuters) - The owners of 300 Bangladesh garments factories shut their operations indefinitely on Saturday after days of violent pay protests by workers, threatening the country's biggest export already impacted by the global downturn.

The decision to close all factories at Ashulia, one of the country's biggest industrial zones on the outskirts Dhaka, came as talks between workers and owners had failed to break the deadlock.

'We have been compelled to close down all our factories at Ashulia,' said Mohammad Shafiul Islam, president of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association.

'We tried to resolve the issue (of wage increases and other benefits) amicably through discussion but the efforts did not produce any results,' he told a news conference.

Witnesses said police had fired teargas and rubber bullets and used water cannons to disperse rampaging workers during five days of clashes. About 250 people including police have been injured and activists have vandalized dozens of vehicles and barricaded a vital highway.

'We had to take harsh actions to restore order as the defiant workers would not stop the violence,' an Ashulia police officer said.

Workers are demanding higher pay following a rise in food and utility prices. After violent protests in 2010, Bangladesh nearly doubled the minimum wage for millions of garment workers to 3,000 taka ($37) a month.

Authorities on Saturday deployed extra police at Ashulia fearing the shut factories could be attacked and vandalized by restive workers.

Garments, which made up $18 billion of Bangladesh's record $23 billion exports in the year to June 2011, offer a crucial lifeline to the poor South Asian country, along with remittances from expatriate workers.

Business leaders and analysts said the recent unrest would have a negative impact on exports, which fell for the third month in a row in May as the euro zone debt crisis continued to subdue the country's economy.

Bangladesh's low labor costs have helped it join the global supply chain for low-end textiles and clothing, manufacturing garments for international brands such as JC Penney, Wal-Mart, H&M, Kohl's, Marks & Spencer and Carrefour.

(Reporting by Anis Ahmed and Ruma Paul; Editing by Sophie Hares)



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British menswear puts its best suit forward

LONDON (Reuters) - From high-end to high-street, Britain's fashion designers are trying to lift men's clothes, the fastest growing fashion sector, out of the shadow of the more glamorous womenswear collections.

The fashion bloggers, at least, seem enthusiastic about the male models in sharp suits, colorful socks, studded loafers and necktie details posing outside London's Royal Opera House.

London Collections Men, which runs for three days, will see a mixture of haute couture and high-street men's designers showcase the best of British menswear with fashion luminaries such as Tom Ford, Burberry and Paul Smith hosting dinners, talks and presentations.

British Fashion Council Chief Executive Caroline Rush told Reuters it was time that menswear hosted its own event.

'We've seen an incredible growth in the emerging talent from the brands and Savile Row ... and it was about time. We have this incredible heritage here in London in British menswear and we've got a huge amount to shout about.'

The event started with Hackett presenting sharp three-piece tailored suits in soft creams, blues and beiges teamed with baker boy hats inspired by 'The Great Gatsby'.

Topman presented a eclectic mix of vivid prints, slouchy jumpers and neon sportswear pieces. Models sported long dip-dyed hair, mesh tops and silky trench coats.

Topman design director Gordon Richardson said he wanted to focus the collection on clothes that evoked an energetic mood alongside a blend of interesting surface-style prints.

'We tried to throw all those elements together, which is the outcome of the show, you've got all of those hand-painted prints, you've got the surfer-skate kind of story ... it's always that big melting pot of stuff that we work on,' he said.

Model David Gandy, who attended both shows, said he hoped the event would grow in time to take on Milan and Paris.

'It's all eyes on Britain at the moment, so it's perfect timing. I think we just have such a heritage here and I think the rest of the world is demanding that heritage and that history and British style.'

(Reporting by Li-mei Hoang; Editing by Kevin Liffey)



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Hackett Opens London Collections: Men

Hackett, a brand that bills itself as providing essential British kit, produced exactly that sort of fashion in the first major runway show of the debut season of London Collections: Men.

Staged in the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden on Friday, June 15, this spring 2013 collection neatly encapsulated the considerable strengths of British men's style.

Presented with plenty of dandified pep and entrepreneur's energy, what worked best in the show was above all the Great Gatsby opening, in particular a sleek cream combo of cardigan jacket, double-breasted vest and pleated pants.

The other smart plays were the kicky color combinations, in particular powder blue linen suits with navy furnishings, or khaki blazers paired with blood red pants and flat golfer caps. Overall, the Impressionist color palette of dark pastels looked impressive, particularly in the show's snazziest items - short double-breasted linen jackets with double chalk stripes. Accessorized by bright paisley scarves and anchored by leather brogues without any socks, this was a polished performance by Hackett.

'I wanted to show that Hackett is a brand that is moving forward,' designer Michael Stewart said, adding that he was 'very keen' to dispel 'certain misconceptions.'

'Sometimes people ted to view us as a little fusty, which is simply not the case,' said Stewart, dressed, ironically, in a natty gray suit that was better than anything seen on his catwalk.

A finale of a score of bowler-hatted city gents in various classic suits - from windowpane check and chalk stripe to solid gray and navy pinstripe - added to the sense of accomplishment. Hackett might well make an essential kit, but this show lacked effervescence and, more importantly, elan. Stewart really needs to take a few more risks.



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Sao Paulo fashion show a riot of tropical color

Tropical prints, vibrant colors and sheer fabrics: Sao Paulo fashion week is making a splash aiming to sound a note of optimism and hope amid the global economic gloom.

Bright shades of pink, green, turquoise and gold were echoed not just in the designs on display, but also in chunky bracelets, beaded necklaces, and dangling earrings featuring the birds of the Amazon in the 2013 summer collections of about 30 local designers.

'In these times of global crisis, showing off colorful collections suggests that at some point we will climb out of 'the bottom of the well.' It is a message of optimism,' Camila Toledo, Brazil director of consulting firm www.stylesight.com, told AFP.

With sharp lines and seamless pieces, designer Tufi Duek delighted in a bold palette of yellows, fuchsias and coral for his dresses and blouses, contrasted with black or white pants.

Alexandre Herchcovitch showed off a collection inspired by the 1980s pop star Boy George sending his models down the runway with huge teased hair dressed in strong, geometric designs in cotton and silk.

For his part, Ronaldo Fraga, returning to Sao Paulo Fashion Week after a year's absence, drew his inspiration from the Brazilian poet Mario de Andrade and his own travels to the luscious north of Brazil.

A highlight of his collection were his 'bio-jewels' made by local craftsmen in the north, with a strong emphasis on fair trade and sustainability.

With her beach wear and lingerie, Adriana Degreas predicted it's going to be a hot, hot summer.

Her muslin tunics, feminine, gold lame swimsuits and floaty, sheer, lightwear designs stole the show, drawing on the influence of Africa on Brazil.

There was huge applause too for Movimento's collection of summer wear 'inspired by the poetry and the colors of the tropics.'

Swimsuits were decorated with huge colorful parrots, bright tropical flowers, or for a change of scene, plain white pieces topped with Egyptian-inspired, or military looking heavy chain necklaces.

'Brazil is improving, the country is growing, we think it will be a great summer,' said designer Tininha da Fonte.

Brazil is the largest economy in Latin America, and the sixth biggest in the world, and is booming unlike the gloom which has descended on the troubled eurozone.

Agua de Coco turned to Turkey, and sent bronzed models sashaying down the runway in bikinis drawn in the golden, fiery hues of the sunset over the beach.

Forum's collection drew the biggest crowds late Wednesday however, with its strong asymmetric designs in bold oranges and green, such as a plastic dress stamped with huge green limes.



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Where China spends money on its kids - and what is being bought

Spending on luxury items for kids in China has grown by more than 20 percent over the past two years -- and is predicted to keep on growing as the country closes in on becoming the world's biggest market for luxury goods, a feat expected to happen by 2015.

Here's a look at where China's comfortably secure -- those whose average income is more than 500,000 yuan (63,000 euros) per year -- spend money on their children, and what items they mostly want to buy.

Where luxury goods for children are bought:
1. Shopping malls
2. Brand stores
3. Department stores
4. Online
5. Multi-brand stores
6. Airports

What luxury goods for children are bought:
1. Clothing
2. Toys
3. Skincare/babycare
4. Shoes and accessories
5. Electronics
6. Jewelry and watches*

*source - Albatross Global Solutions and Gouten Consulting

MS



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First look at Giorgio Armani fall-winter campaign

Italian luxury brand Giorgio Armani has revealed the first images from its Fall-Winter 2012-2013 campaign shot by fashion photographer duo of the moment Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott.

The new campaign features French model Aymeline Valade and Canadian model Simon Nessman and stays true to the brand's elegant universe. The photographers, known as Mert and Marcus, used black and white for the majority of the images but have also included a handful of snaps with striking colors.

The new campaign will be seen around the world this July.



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Videos for H&M /Maison Martin Margiela collection released

On June 12, after a day of Twitter speculation, high street clothing chain H&M announced that it will be collaborating with label Maison Martin Margiela for one collection. 

The collection with the avant-garde Paris-based fashion label of Belgian origin marks a continuation in H&M's long line of high-profile collaborations, past participants of which have included Karl Lagerfeld and Marni. 

Following the confirmation, two videos were also released by H&M, offering a first peek at the collection. Titled 'Maison Martin Margiela Women' and 'Maison Martin Margiela Men' the videos show pieces in the collection being sketched.

The women's garment being previewed is a Darted Sweater that can be seen at http://goo.gl/40u2s, while the men's preview shows a sketch of a 'Fusion of Several Car Coats' that can be seen at http://goo.gl/tDloD.

In a statement on H&M's site the Paris based label said 'We are very happy to present MAISON MARTIN MARGIELA pieces with H&M, offering a new interpretation of our vision. The democracy of our fashion has always been at the centre of our creativity, and the collaboration with H&M allows us to push this instinct further. We will bring together the contrasting universes of the two houses in ways that will surprise all.'

The H&M/Maison Martin Margiela range will be available at 230 H&M stores around the world and via H&M's online store on November 15.



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LatAm's top fashion event begins in Sao Paulo

Sao Paulo fashion week -- the top catwalk shows in Latin America -- kicked off Monday, with some 30 Brazilian labels set to showcase their summer collections with the focus on sustainable design.

Alexandre Herchcovitch, Animale and Tufi Duek were the first to unveil their latest creations at the Biennal pavilion in the city's Ibirapuera Park.

Ronaldo Fraga, Agua de Coco, Ellus, Joao Pimenta, Forum and Juliana Jabour are among the others due to take center stage over the course of the week.

'The whole world recognizes Sao Paulo Fashion Week, senses that it operates in a unique way in the fashion world. Brazil is a unique country, with a unique culture,' creative director Paulo Borges told a pre-event press conference.

Organizers expects the event to generate a total of $1 billion in business.

Prospective buyers came from Britain, Dubai, Spain and the United States, but Borges said sales were mainly focused on the domestic market.

The theme for this year's summer collections is: 'We transform: Stories worth telling' -- putting the emphasis on tradition and local design.

Under a scheme led by architect Marcelo Rosenbaum, professional designers worked with communities in Brazil's poor areas to develop 'sustainable' projects that will be displayed during the event.

'We have to stop being a country which produces clothes and instead be a country which produces design,' said Borges, stressing that fashion is the country's third-biggest industry.

According to Texbrasil, the Brazilian Fashion Industry Export Program, the South American giant is the fifth-largest textile and apparel producer in the world.

Sao Paulo fashion week is held twice a year, in January for the winter collections and in June for the summer collections.



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H&M confirms new collaboration with Maison Martin Margiela

High street retailer H&M has confirmed that it will launch a collaboration with avant-garde label Maison Martin Margiela for a fall rollout. 

The news that the Paris-based avant-garde fashion label of Belgian origin will be collaborating with H&M was first reported by WWD on June 11 and was confirmed by the high street store the following day after rumors began circulating on Twitter.  

In a statement on H&M's website, Margareta van den Bosch, creative advisor at H&M, said 'Maison Martin Margiela is one of the most important and influential fashion houses of the past three decades. I am so excited by this collaboration which will give fashion lovers around the world the chance to wear special pieces by Maison Martin Margiela. This collaboration will be a great and memorable fashion moment.'

The founder and namesake of the cult label, who was remarkable in the fashion industry for his lack of public appearances, left the brand in 2009. The brand, known for its white label, has continued to produce conceptual fashion with deconstructed garments and the teaser image for the H&M collaboration stays true to this spirit.

The collaboration with Maison Martin Margiela is the latest in a long line of collections produced by big name designers for the high street store. Previous examples of which include Karl Lagerfeld and Marni.

The Maison Martin Margiela collection for H&M will hit stores on November 15.  



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J.Crew favors Asia for global expansion

American fashion retailer J.Crew announced plans to expand into Asia June 11, revealing a collaboration with Asia's leading designer specialty store Lane Crawford.

As of October 2012, Lane Crawford's retail and online stores will provide customers throughout Hong Kong and China with access to the J.Crew women's and men's collections.

'We always want to work with the 'best of the best,' and Lane Crawford was at the top of our fantasy list. When it comes to editing and presenting collections with a creative and elevated point of view, no one does it better. We are beyond excited to partner with Lane Crawford to help introduce J.Crew to Asia,' J.Crew's chairman and CEO Millard Drexler explained in a release.

The fashion store, which has previously collaborated with designers including Prabal Gurung and Eddie Borgo, has large scale plans to expand internationally in the coming years. The decision to favor expansion into China signals the ever-increasing shift of the industry towards targeting Asian consumers, with London Fashion Week designer Paul Smith recently revealing growth plans in China.

Other European fashion houses such as Christian Dior, Gucci and Burberry, are also set to significantly increase their Chinese stores in the next five years.

That isn't to say that J.Crew is ignoring the European market -- at New York Fashion Week earlier this year the firm discussed tentative plans to open a London store in 2013 and the retailer still has plans to open specialty stores in select markets across Europe.



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Muhammad Ali featured in new Louis Vuitton ads

For its new Core Values campaign, luxury company Louis Vuitton has cast heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali.

In a shoot signed by American photographer and Vuitton veteran Annie Leibovitz, the campaign shows the 70-year-old with one of his grandsons at his home in Arizona.

With a Louis Vuitton travel bag beside him, Ali's gaze is directed toward his grandson who is wearing a pair of boxing gloves and has the look of a fighter heading into the ring. 

The campaign features the text 'Some stars show you the way.'

According to the Wall Street Journal, the choice of Muhammad Ali goes back to a list of personal heroes drawn up by the brand's top executives, including Yves Carcelle, the luxury company's CEO himself. Angelina Jolie, Bono and Mikhail Gorbachev, among others, have also appeared in Louis Vuitton's Core Values campaign in past years.

The latest images will be seen in international press titles as of June 15.



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Kate Moss linked to 'Absolutely Fabulous' film

After impressing the creator of the upcoming Absolutely Fabulous film with her cameo role in a charity television special of the show earlier this year, Kate Moss could be the next model to make the movie star transition.

The British model appeared alongside Stella McCartney and male model David Gandy in a one-off edition of the sitcom Absolutely Fabulous earlier this year as part of UK charity event Sport Relief 2012.

Now the show's creator Jennifer Saunders, who is currently penning a film version of the hit comedy series, has announced she would like to get Moss involved in the project, which would see her follow in the footsteps of fellow models such as Milla Jovovich, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Agyness Deyn by making the leap to the big screen.

'Kate got on so well with the team, we'd love to work with her again,' explained Saunders. 'I'm currently writing the movie, so watch this space.'

The Absolutely Fabulous film will follow the program's main stars Patsy and Edina, as they embark on a trip to the French Riviera. Saunders, who also portrays Edina in the series, first teamed up with Moss back in 1996 when the model played herself in an episode of the sketch show French and Saunders.

'Kate's lovely,' Saunders told Closer magazine. 'She behaved so nicely and was such a sweet person. There was no nonsense. We've done stuff with Kate before and she's been wonderful, so it was great to work with her again. She is honestly probably the least precious person we've had on. I suppose it's because she doesn't have all those hang-ups about her looks like other people. She just threw herself into it and it was wonderful.'

See Moss in action during the Absolutely Fabulous special at http://youtu.be/n30rdT6lyzU.



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Folies Bergere French cabaret auction beats forecast

From French can-can dresses to plumed headdresses, an auction of extravagant costumes by the long-time owner of the Folies Bergere cabaret beat expectations at the weekend.

Nicknamed the 'empress of the night', Helene Martini ran the Folies Bergere -- Paris's biggest music hall, founded in 1869 -- from 1974 until last year, when it was acquired by the Lagardere group.

Over three decades the showgirl-turned-cabaret manager salvaged some 6,000 stage costumes, keeping them in an outbuilding of her 19th-century chateau southeast of Paris and in a storeroom in the Pigalle red-light district, where she still lives most of the time.

In all, a treasure trove of about 1,000 items was put on sale, raking in a total of 413,212 euros ($516,762) over the weekend, beating expectations.

Lots had been given deliberately low estimates for the two-day sale held by Bailly-Pommery & Voutier in the former stock exchange building in central Paris, so that anyone could take home a Folies Bergere souvenir.

But in the end barely 20 lots went for less than 100 euros, with many hopeful buyers leaving empty-handed.

A pheasant-feather headdress with tiara slated for 200-300 euros went for 1,887 euros, while a leopard-skin ensemble with bustier, suspender belt and a cockerel feather tiara with an estimate of 130 euros went for 1,063 euros.

A stage curtain decorated with red sequins sold for 23,125 euros to rival cabaret Moulin Rouge, which plans to conserve the item as part of French music hall heritage.

Silkscreen prints by Russian-born fashion designer Erte (1892-1990), who worked at the Folies Bergere in the 1930s, also proved popular, while a series of 26 lithographs of alphabets went for 25,000 euros to a personality in the fashion industry who wanted to remain anonymous.

The current manager of Folies Bergere, Jean-Marc Dumontet, also bought pieces linked to the history of the celebrated music hall such as models, drawings and documents.

Headdresses were among the most popular items, with several French and foreign cabarets snapping them up.

Some 75 lots which remain unsold will be presented at a second, larger sale that will take place on Wednesday in the east of Paris, this time aimed at theatre companies and trade buyers.



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Designers Dolce, Gabbana face tax trial: sources

MILAN (Reuters) - Italian fashion designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana, who count model Naomi Campbell and pop star Madonna among their friends, will stand trial over alleged tax evasion, according to legal sources and a court filing seen by Reuters.

Milan judge Giuseppe Gennari gave the green light for prosecutors to bring the fashion duo to court over allegations of tax evasion offences totaling around 1 billion euros ($1.25 billion).

The decision in the long-running case came after a higher court overturned a previous acquittal of the two glamorous designers, who have denied any wrongdoing.

'Everyone knows that we haven't done anything,' Gabbana said in a tweet on Friday.

Milan prosecutors allege the fashion duo had sold their D&G and Dolce & Gabbana brands to a holding company they set up in Luxembourg in 2004 in order to avoid paying high taxes in Italy. The investigations started in 2007.

The designers had been cleared from accusations by a previous court last year, to the joy of numerous fans who cheered the news on the Internet.

But prosecutors appealed against the decision and a high court overturned the ruling in November asking for a new judge to decide whether to send the pair to trial for unpaid taxes.

A court filing seen by Reuters confirmed the decision reported by the sources.

The case is poised to be one of the few tax disputes involving celebrities to go to court in Italy, where out-of-court settlements are preferred in order to cut on long proceedings and avoid possibly harsher punishments.

In 2000, late tenor Luciano Pavarotti settled a four-year dispute and paid more than $12 million in back taxes to Italy.

Argentine soccer great Diego Maradona owes some 38 million euros in unpaid taxes to Italian authorities, according to media reports. He recently said he wanted to clear up his situation.

Former MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi agreed to pay $51 million to Italy's tax agency in 2008 after a lengthy probe.

(Reporting by Manuela D'Alessandro, Additional reporting by Ilaria Polleschi and Antonella Ciancio; Editing by Michael Roddy)



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Cardin to show new collection in Belgrade this weekend

French designer Pierre Cardin will present a new haute couture collection in the palace of Serbia's crown prince Aleksandar II Karadjordjevic, the palace media service said Thursday.

'He will personally present a new collection of some 200 designs' on Saturday in Belgrade, a spokeswoman of the Karadjordjevic family, which plays mainly a social role in Serbia which is a republic, told AFP.

Cardin, 89, is due to arrive in Serbia's capital Friday, she added.

Italian-born Cardin has been a trailblazer in a career that has spanned more than six decades. He was one of the first designers to bring Western style to Asia and one of the first to develop brand licensing.

His name now adorns hundreds of products worldwide: from shirts to bottled water to furniture.

He announced in 2011 that he was looking for a buyer for his label -- so long as he retained artistic control and received the one billion euros he insists the company is worth.



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Lydia Maurer succeeds India's Arora at Paco Rabanne

Twenty-nine-year-old designer Lydia Maurer has been named artistic director for womenswear at Paco Rabanne, where she will take over from India's Manish Arora, the Spanish fashion house said.

Born to a Colombian mother and German father, Maurer worked for both Yves Saint Laurent and Givenchy before becoming studio design director for Paco Rabanne in late 2011, the Paris-based house said in a statement Wednesday.

'Her determination and her sensitivity in terms of the artistic and experimental universe of Paco Rabanne are going to enable us to pursue the renewal of our house in the long term,' it said.

The house, owned by Spanish fashion giant Puig, amicably parted last month with the flamboyant Arora, whose two seasons at the house marked the relaunch of its womenswear line after a five-year-hiatus.

Maurer said in the statement it was 'a great honour to be taking on the artistic direction of such an emblematic house'.

Its Spanish founder Paco Rabanne, 'invented a timeless, unique and sensual style inspired by art and architecture.'

Rabanne launched his label in 1966, making a name for his use of unconventional materials from metal to plastic, before stepping down in 2000.

The house's new German designer, whose own esthetic was shaped by the art of the 1960s and 1970s, will show her first spring/summer collection at Paris Fashion Week in October.



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Gisele Bundchen launches shantytown model search

Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bundchen on Tuesday launched a contest to discover new talent in Brazil's shantytowns, promising to reward the winner with a modeling contract.

'I feel privileged to be the sponsor of this project,' Bunchen said, recalling that she had been rejected by 42 agents in London at the start of her career, when she was only 17.

'I was finally taken on on the 43rd try,' said the now 34-year-old, on hand for the contest launch with 30 women aged 18 to 22 vying for fame and fortune.

The contest is organized by the Central Union of Slums (CUFA) and a beauty products maker and aims 'to boost slum dwellers's self-esteem.'

'You have to know your good side for photos... to feel comfortable in your own skin to be beautiful and to have a lot of perseverance,' she told contestants.

In a second phase of the challenge, a jury will choose one model from each of Brazil's 27 states. The final will be held in Rio in August or September.

'Even if she is white, Bundchen's being here is important because she is from Brazil where there is great racial diversity and she is renowned worldwide,' contestant Rafaella Lemes, 19, from Rocinha shantytown, told AFP.

Annual summer fashion shows in Rio that opened on May 22 with bikini collections celebrating beach fun were marred this year by protests against the underrepresentation of black models on the catwalks.



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Olsens named Womenswear Designer of the Year at CFDA awards

Ashley Olsen and Mary-Kate Olsen were named Womenswear Designer of the Year at the CFDA Awards on Monday, June 4. 

The celebrity designing duo, following 2011 winners Jack McCollough & Lazaro Hernandez for Proenza Schouler, were recognized at the New York event by the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) for their work on their fashion line The Row at the annual awards ceremony. 

Johnny Depp was the recipient of the Fashion Icon award for his signature style of dressing which fashion designer Diane Von Fürstenberg simply described as 'Hot', though the 48-year-old actor was not there to claim his prize in person.  

Philip Lim took the Swarovksi Award for Emerging Talent in Menswear, while the prize for Menswear Designer of the Year went to Billy Reid. US-based French designer took the Swarovski Award for Emerging Talent in Womenswear after missing out on the award two years in a row. Altuzarra was also the beneficiary of the $300,000 CFDA/Vogue Fashion handed out last November.

Other winners at the CFDA Awards were as follows:

Menswear Designer of the Year: Billy Reid

Accessories Designer of the Year: Reed Krakoff

Swarovski Award for Emerging Talent in Womenswear: Joseph Altuzarra

Swarovksi Award for Emerging Talent in Menswear: Phillip Lim

Swarovski Award for Emerging Talent in Accessories: Tabitha Simmons

Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award: Tommy Hilfiger

International Award: Rei Kawakubo for Comme des Garçons

Founders Award, in honor of Eleanor Lambert: Andrew Rosen

Media Award, in honor of Eugenia Sheppard: Scott Schuman and Garance Doré

Fashion Icon Award: Johnny Depp



 



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Christian Lacroix ballet designs go on display in France

A new exhibit presenting the work of French couturier Christian Lacroix will open in June, focused around his costume designs for a ballet staged last autumn in Paris.

The exhibition, held in a museum devoted entirely to the world of stage costumes and sets -- the CNCS (Centre national du costume de scène et de la scénographie) in the town of Moulins, France -- lets visitors see the costumes designed by Lacroix for La Source, presented last year in Paris. In addition to presenting the actual costumes in the context of the stage performance, the exhibition traces the process behind their creation -- from the drawing and maquette stage through the labor-intensive fabrication in the costume workshops to the end result put on stage.

A central part of the exhibition is based around the costumes of Djemil and Nouredda, the two main characters of the ballet. The story's fantasy world with hints of orientalism and folk culture required the designer to work in a wide range of styles and materials including tutus in Japanese organza, tunics and loose pants made from vintage saris, ethnic dresses and accessories adorned with Swarovski crystal.

The exhibition, which opens June 16 and runs through December 31, will also reveal Lacroix's various sources of inspiration including documents, photos and historical designs, as well as present all the sketches he created for the cast's costumes.

http://www.cncs.fr/







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L'Oréal heir set to debut menswear line this summer

The inaugural collection of the Exemplaire label, co-founded by Jean-Victor Meyers, grandson of Liliane Bettencourt of the L'Oréal cosmetics company, and Louis Leboiteux, is set to be in stores in the coming month.

When contacted by Relaxnews, the label stated that no precise date could be given at this time but that the collection would be shown in a media presentation and have its retail launch in June.

Initially created in February, Exemplaire's collection will consist mainly of articles in cashmere including sweaters, jackets and scarves. Basing its designs around a classic aesthetic, the brand will also sell trendier peices like Teddy-style jackets.

Currently, the label's website indicates four retailers that will carry the collection -- in New York, Beverly Hills, London and Paris.



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Fashion plaudits for Queen Elizabeth's impeccable style

For a fashion designer it is a unique task: dressing a woman who must be immediately recognisable from Antigua to Zimbabwe, visible from a distance, bright, dignified and immune to wardrobe malfunctions.

But the series of dressers who have worked with Queen Elizabeth II have helped her evolve a personal style that wins praise from unlikely quarters, including from a young French designer who worked for a decade with Jean Paul Gaultier.

'She has her own style and it works extremely well for her,' Alexandre Vauthier told AFP. 'It's really her DNA.

'She is the only person to dress this way, which makes her instantly recognisable.'

The 86-year-old monarch's diamond jubilee this weekend marks 60 years of travelling, handshaking, and meeting global leaders as Britain's head of state.

On the biggest ceremonial occasions she appears in state dresses, jewels and even a crown, but humbler public engagements are no less challenging on the wardrobe front.

Her stylists, always British, must ensure that no garment is transparent, too tight or too short, and consider possible weather conditions -- including weighting her skirt hemlines to avoid embarrassment in a gust of wind.

For most of the hundreds of public engagements she carries out every year, the queen appears in a brightly-coloured outfit with a matching hat, neat handbag and sensible, yet elegant shoes.

Before any state or Commonwealth visit, her designers study meanings attached to colours, sleeve lengths and symbols in the country, both to avoid accidental offence and to be gracious to her hosts.

For her historic visit to Ireland in May 2011, the queen wore emerald green, the country's emblematic colour, and for a reception at Dublin Castle she sported a dress embroidered with no fewer than 2,000 tiny shamrocks.

On the first visit by a British monarch since the republic gained independence, her dress was a signal as powerful as the few words of Irish with which she began her keynote speech.

But those who have grown up seeing the queen as a distinguished older lady may be unaware of the glamour of her youth.

'Elizabeth in her youth was fun, vibrant, exciting and spontaneous,' royal historian Kate Williams told AFP.

'And now we see a very different queen: she often is quite unsmiling; she's very fond of duty; she is very dignified.'

In a photograph from 1954, the year after her coronation, the queen appears in a seductive tight-fitting white lace dress by Hardy Amies, her designer for some 40 years.

During the 1950s she wore a series of romantic evening gowns with ample silk and satin skirts, many of them by Norman Hartnell, who also created dresses for her wedding in 1947 and coronation in 1953.

In the 1960s, her dresses became closer-fitting and bolder; in 1969, meeting US president Richard Nixon, she wore hot-pink silk.

'The task of making clothes for the queen is not an easy one... not that the queen has been anything other than co-operative and professional in every respect,' Amies, who died in 2003, said in a rare interview.

Amies 'understood, as have other designers working for Her Majesty, that the wardrobe can make political statements,' observed Country Life magazine, the bible of affluent rural Britons, in a special issue to mark the jubilee.

The queen's wardrobe is now the responsibility of designer Angela Kelly, the daughter of a humble dock-worker from the northwestern city of Liverpool, who joined her team of dressers in 1993 and became her personal stylist in 2002.

Kelly was behind the immaculate primrose-yellow ensemble the queen wore to Prince William's wedding to Kate Middleton last year.

She also created the white silk, satin and lace state dress with silver sequins the sovereign wears in her official diamond jubilee photographs.

Queenly fashion has inspired a raft of clothes and accessories issued for the jubilee, with corgis and tiaras in abundance as well as more subtle references to the queen's favourite colours.

Fashion iconoclast Vivienne Westwood has created a limited edition jubilee collection of dresses blending Britain's Union Jack flag with elements from the queen's own wardrobe.

The queen's grandson Prince Harry, along with many other commentators, called her outfits 'impeccable'.

Vauthier said: 'She has her own look, and it wins her respect.

'She shouldn't change a thing.'