Hotel Bondi Swimwear collection launched at Australia Fashion Week

The Hotel Bondi Swimwear collection has launched at Australia Fashion Week, cementing the importance of beachside attire in a multi-billion dollar industry.

More than two dozen half naked Bondi babes strutted down the catwalk today during one of the week's most-hyped events.

But for the designers and buyers in attendance, it wasn’t just about the beautiful bikinis and the women wearing them — it was also about the dollars.

Australia Fashion Week founder Simon Lock said the event was more than an opportunity to see beautiful clothes and sip champagne.

"At the core of this event this is basically a trade event, the most glamorous, sophisticated and sexy trade event you'll ever come across," Mr Lock said.

"We're hoping that this year our export sales will be in the order of $250 million. It's quite a significant contribution."

More than 150 designers have flown in from overseas for the week to see more than 100 designers showcase their collections on the catwalk.

Some notable international buyers include teams from Barney’s New York, Harrods and Lane Crawford in Hong Kong.

The Hotel Bondi collection is the work of designer Damion Fuller, who says the brand has come to represent everything there is about the famous beach.

"We have a very simple message, we love bikinis and we love Bondi. All of our prints you saw today, every print has a different Bondi story," Mr Fuller said.

Fuller shrugged off the stereotypical image of a Bondi babe with blonde hair and blue eyes.

"A typical Bondi girl, she's Japanese, she's Brazilian, English, she's everything. Thanks to the eclectic nature of Bondi she's both completely international and totally unique," he said.

Source: ninemsn.com.au

Islands of the World Fashion week to debut in Nassau on November 5-8, 2008

The fashion world is buzzing about “Islands of the World Fashion Week” (IWFW) to take place in Nassau, The Bahamas, November 5-8, 2008, set to showcase well-known and new designers from islands around the world and to promote cultural diversity and creativity. The producer of IWFW is Mode Iles, Ltd., an affiliate of The Montaque Group, a diversified financial services operation with interest in film finance and production. Inaugural IWFW venues will include the British Colonial Hilton in Nassau and the Atlantis Resort, Paradise Island, The Bahamas.

“This event was not conceived to be just another fashion week,” explained Owen Bethel, President and Managing Director of The Montaque Group as well as Founder of IWFW. “While certainly providing a showcase for eligible designers originating from developing islands similar to the typical fashion week, the mere fact that this event specifically focuses on designers from islands in itself makes it a unique event. Islands conjure up images of a unique lifestyle, both exotic and colorful. Further, this event is not simply a commercial venture, as it concurrently aims to draw attention to several global issues which also significantly affect island states.”

A potential boon for The Bahamas, their Ministry of Tourism is anticipated to play a pivotal role in both the promotion and execution of the Islands of the World Fashion Week. They will also provide support for the visiting dignitaries, VIP’s, and media stated Bethel. Celebrities will be in the know soon, as invitations are on the way to major stars including Oprah Winfrey, P Diddy, Jennifer Lopez, Stacey London, Tyra Banks, Lenny Kravitz, Rihanna, Beyonce Knowles, Tim Gunn, and others, and of course, to the designers!

On board as IWFW executive producer is Tomas Frenes, a Miami resident who served as Deputy Director for the Americas of the vast Versace fashion empire up to the time of the famed designer's tragic death. Frenes is also the Executive Vice President of Mode Iles, Ltd.

“Presenting designers are being encouraged to also present garments or accessories which display sensitivity to any one or more of many global social issues,” explained Bethel about the heart of IWFW. “The recognition and tolerance of cultural diversity, in an effort to bring about a culture of peace, are also significant themes of the event as a reflection of the mission of the United Nations Educational, Scientific & Cultural Organization (UNESCO), which is supporting the event.”

“With the presence of fashion editors, and the press representatives and photographers,” continued Bethel, “the designers will get a critical assessment of their work and the potential for sales. While this is not a competition there will be the selection of notable presenting designers as the recipients of the recognition awards in Sustainable or Eco-Fashion, Cultural & Fashion, the NextGen Designer Award, and the Seals of Excellence to be presented to five outstanding designers.

The NextGen Designer Award is targeted to a novice designer who shows promise in the international marketplace. A Humanitarian Designer Award will also be presented to an internationally-renowned designer who has shown him or herself to be a philanthropist in one or more of the areas of concern being highlighted by the event.”

Participants are expected from major regions of the Pacific, Indian Ocean, the Mediterranean, and the Atlantic/Caribbean. “We have already received positive indications of participation from designers in Fiji, Grenada, Bermuda, Indonesia, Jamaica, Madagascar, Trinidad & Tobago, Barbados, Puerto Rico, Cuba, and The Bahamas,” explained Bethel. Sponsorship opportunities exist for businesses such as travel/tourism organizations, hotel chains, telecommunications and internet providers, transportation entities, or beauty, cosmetic and skin-care, perfumes and jewelry manufacturers.

Source: Mode Iles Ltd

Madame introduces "The Rock and Roll" collection for Christmas and New Year

The party season is on with Christmas on us and new year just around the corner. Madame, a brand synonomous to women fashion wear encapsulates its ever-changing sense of style with an exquisite collection of party dresses that further echo the luxury rock and roll feel of the Fall/Winter collection currently in store.

The party collection is bursting with an array of must have items from pretty and soft dresses, sparkling jewellery and chunky knits, all of which will create the perfect Party wardrobe. It comprises of Tunics, Twin Sets, Woollen Tights and Formal Leg Wear accented by studded accessories.

Knitted Torsos provide the Madame users a shimmer of elegance thus making them stand apart the crowd while keeping them warm. A chic mix of blended fine wool and lurex spells magnificence. The vibrant shades of Maroons, silver, gold and bronze, with hints of rich burgundy, shiny black_& Pearly White are in for the season.

Detail is everything, from a finely studded silver tunic, to a luxurious Black and silver dress ornated with pearls. while classic brown top include a knitted mandarin-style studded with stones.All to the shimer are the gleaming accessories like silver, bonze and golden belts.

Akhil Duggar, Creative Head, MADAME comments: "Madame offers a wide range of ramp to road fashion to its valuable customer. We are always sensitive to their needs. As I wanted to keep this range very fun and youthful, there are lots of playful touches which are perfect for the party season.”.

Source: Indiaprwire.com

Manish Malhotra’s Spring and Summer Collection mesmerizes Dubai

Manish Malhotra, India’s leading celebrity fashion designer and style icon, unveiled his Spring and Summer Collection yesterday at the Manish Malhotra Store in Jumeirah, Dubai. Stamped by Manish Malhotra’s signature ethnic-inspired design, keen detailing and sensual silhouettes, the new collection offers relaxed functionality and classy style for the fashion savvy shopper.

Senior executives from Saif Belhasa Group of Companies, along with VIP guests, and customers expressed their immense appreciation for the designer’s latest creations during the event.Manish Malhotra’s Spring and Summer collection, also referred to as the Diffusion Collection 2007, is an amalgamation of the rich and diverse culture of Rajasthan and Texas, both with a very strong individual flavour and yet blending in to create a chic fusion line.

The garments reflect the rugged feel of Texas through colours like Beige, Oyster, Off-white and are very well combined with the bright colours of Rajasthan like coral reds, greens, purples, and yellows for surface ornamentation. The line also has creations which incorporate a Texan style use of leather and suede combined with Rajasthani gold and silver Gotta border finishes.

The silhouettes with a very international and rodeo-driven like appeal have variations in shirt dresses, shirts, dresses and others, which have been delicately created by using fabrics ranging from linens, stretch cottons, jersey to cotton silks.

"Spring and summer clothes need to be comfortable yet stylish and elegant to complement the wearer. My latest collection, which blends attractive color palettes, exquisite textiles and eye-catching cuts, is appropriate to the season and cater to the tastes of a cosmopolitan crowd on the hunt for trendy outfits. It has always been a tremendous pleasure to offer visitors a peek at my latest apparels here in Dubai, which is an affluent and sophisticated market," said Manish Malhotra.

The launch of the Spring and Summer collection follows Manish Malhotra’s successful participation at The Bride Show Dubai 2007 where the designer garnered acclaim for the avant-garde wedding dresses targeted at the modern bride. Bollywood stars Urmila Matondkar and Arjun Rampal led models on the ramp to display the designer’s collection, which was rich in embroidery and ornamentations as a nod to traditional fashion and modified to fit the tastes of the contemporary bride.

The attires highlighted the accomplished designer’s vast experience in meeting the needs of brides all over the world including Dubai, Antwerp, London, Singapore, Spain and America."Manish Malhotra has maintained a reputation in the region for incorporating the best of traditional Indian, Arabian and contemporary style, featuring ethnic chic, sensual elegance and relaxed glamour with his newest Spring and Summer collection. His designs have been a major hit in Dubai and other GCC countries, which is evident from the fact that his store in Dubai constantly attracts customers from across the region," said Sarah Rashid, Vice Chairman, Saif Belhasa Group.

With over 16 years in the industry, Manish Malhotra has received 22 prestigious awards and has a clientele that includes leading stars in India and Hollywood such as Reese Witherspoon for the film Vanity Fair, Michael Jackson, Jean Claude Van Damme and Naomi Campbell. The Manish Malhotra Store in Jumeirah was launched in 2006 by the designer and Saif Belhasa Group of Companies.

Featuring luxurious garments and accessories for Indian, Arabic and Western clients, the upscale boutique also carries the trademark Manish Malhotra skirts, tunics, corsets, kurtas, sarees and dresses in bright colors and prints along with a range of designer shelas, abhayas and jalabiyas.About Manish Malhotra: Manish Malhotra is one of India’s most famous fashion designers and has been working with some of the biggest names in Bollywood.

He is known for his different style and his ability to envision a ’look’ for the character. His clients include all the leading Bollywood actresses and several international celebrities such as Michel Jackson, Jean Claude, Van Damme, Reese Witherspoon and Naomi Campbell.

Manish has also designed for weddings all over the world, including Antwerp, London, Singapore, Spain, America and Dubai. He has been involved with the costume designing industry for over 16 years and has won 22 awards, most recently being awarded the Hall of Fame award for contributing to Fashion in films at the recently held fashion awards in Mumbai.

Source: dubaicityguide

Milan to commemorate designer Gianni Versace on 10th anniversary of his murder

MILAN, Italy: The city of Milan will commemorate Gianni Versace on the 10th anniversary of his murder with a series of events in his memory, officials announced Friday.

Versace, who built his fashion empire from his studio in the center of Milan, was gunned down outside his oceanfront mansion in Miami Beach, Florida, on July 15, 1997.

Recalling Versace's love of the theater, French choreographer Maurice Bejart has written a two-part ballet titled "Thank you, Gianni, with love," to be performed on the 10th anniversary of his death at La Scala.

Other events include an exhibit of Versace's sketches of theater costumes that will be installed on Milan streets this month, and the establishment of a scholarship in Versace's honor at the European Institute of Design in Milan.

"Gianni for me was a great brother, a great man and a great artist," Donatella Versace told a news conference, sitting alongside her brother Santo. "He was a genius, who deserved all of this."

Source: iht.com

White shirt takes on new appeal

IN YOUR CLOSET: They could be the next big names in the fashion industry -- Thakoon, Doo.Ri and Rodarte are all considered important up-and-comers ---- and here's your chance to add their look to your wardrobe without breaking the bank: They've each designed three unique interpretations of the classic white shirt for Gap.

Doo.Ri's Gap items include a shirt with a scarf draped at the neck, a tailored camp shirt and a loose shirtdress; Rodarte's are a sleeveless blouse decorated with bows, a trapeze-shape sleeveless top and a voluminous minidress with pockets and bows; and Thakoon's are a bow-tie blouse with short, puffy sleeves, a short shirtdress with puffy sleeves and a tiered hem, and a belted shirtdress.

"My take on the project was to build a boy meets girl attitude into the pieces," said designer Thakoon Panichgul. "The shirt has feminine elements like pintucks, ruffles and hemstitches built into it, and the dresses have a boyfriend's shirt element in the top portion, while the bottom has a feminine play with a built in skirt and the other looks as if you tied another white shirt around your waist to make a skirt."

Top models Stella Tennant, Liya Kebede and Carmen Kass star in the ad campaign for Gap Design Editions that was shot by top photographers Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoosh Matadin.

Another player in this project is Vogue magazine, which features all the white shirts ---- paired with ballskirts ---- on a fold-out cover of the May issue. Gap has only been featured on the cover of Vogue twice before, once in 1992 when Linda Evangelista, Cindy Crawford and Claudia Schiffer, among others, wore white shirts and white jeans to celebrate the magazine's 100th issue and in 1988 for Anna Wintour's first cover as editor in chief.

The new white shirts serve as an awareness initiative for the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund, which supports new American design talent. Panichgul, Doo-Ri Chung, and sisters Kate and Laura Mulleavy of Rodarte all participated in last year's Fashion Fund competition, and Chung was the winner.

Julie Alonso, senior director of public relations at Gap, says the retailer gave each designer the material, the buttons and then said, "Go!"

"I was blown away with what they did with a white shirt," she told the AP.

She added: "The white shirt is something we're famous for in our 38-year history. It's the perfect item for every closet. We thought consumers would be interested in the twists the designers gave it.

"The collection, which retails for $68-$88, is in select stores and on Gap.com. Click on Women, Shirts, Design.

-- Another high-fashion name reaching a broader audience this spring is Patrick Robinson, formerly the designer at Perry Ellis and Paco Rabanne. He is the latest designer to participate in Target's Go International program, which brings limited-edition collections to the mass retailer.

"The collection I designed for Go at Target captures bohemian chic with just the right dose of wit, color and lightness," Robinson said in a statement.

Items include a white off-the-shoulder gauze dress with floral details, a poet blouse, a mesh blouse with satin details ---- and a lot of tiny bikinis.

Source: nctimes