Fashion's Night Out: Clash of the real housewives
Who is the real housewife: The one with the designer blowout and gold stilettos or the gal in jeans and a puke-stained T-shirt with her hair tied back in a rubber band?
Well, at least they can agree on one guilty pleasure: Shopping.
Both types crammed Christiana Mall on Thursday night for the mall’s second annual Fashion’s Night Out. The international event, hatched in 2009 to restore consumer confidence in a bleak climate, features fashion shows, in-store demos, makeup freebies, raffles and celebrity sightings. Christiana joined fashion meccas in more than 18 countries and 100 cities nationwide to celebrate. Mall officials estimated as many as 10,000 people attended the Newark event, an increase from last year.
“Last year, people just thought we were having a fashion show,” said Lori Anzivino, Christiana’s marketing manager. The event helps the mall compete with ritzier area malls, she said.
Forty-five stores stayed open until 11 p.m. and ran special events or promotions, including buy-one-get-one-free Auntie Anne’s pretzels, complimentary bra fittings at Victoria’s Secret, a Skinnygirl cocktail party at BRIO Tuscan Grille and beauty bars and pop-up shops exploring the hottest trends. A quartet of young women with painted-on blouses and leggings posed before a gaggle of male photographers. Meanwhile, “freeze models,” who were forced to stand still in five-inch heels to blaring techno music, looked visibly uncomfortable.
While the mall was abuzz with activity, some stores struggled for an audience.
“I don’t see the buying power,” said Maurice Allarey, district sales manager for the accessories chain Icing. “I think all the parents are at home biting their nails after what they spent for back to school.”
Christiana landed its own celeb this year with “Real Housewife of New Jersey” Melissa Gorga posing for snapshots and signing copies of her $10 CD.
Accompanied by her squat, beefcake husband Joe, Gorga chatted with a steady stream of mostly twentysomethings – some with children in tow – who waited for two hours in a line that backed up to California Pizza Kitchen. Some fans came from Maryland, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Meanwhile, local celebs chef Dana Hebert, also known as Delaware’s “King of Cakes,” and 95.7 BEN FM’s Marilyn Russell attracted a not-so-critical mass.
Saturday, September 8, 2012
Friday, September 7, 2012
Federer, Roddick fashion 2 different goodbyes
Federer, Roddick fashion 2 different goodbyes
On an emotion-filled afternoon that morphed into a shocker of an evening, Andy Roddick and Roger Federer both bid farewell to Flushing Meadows.
Roddick is leaving for good, a moment he knew would come this week.
Federer is presumably gone only until next year, though the timing of his 2012 U.S. Open exit was unexpected.
Roddick lost 6-7 (1), 7-6 (4), 6-2, 6-4 to No. 7 seed Juan Martin del Potro to bring down the curtain on his career Wednesday - an ending that came, fittingly, on the court where he won his only Grand Slam title, back in 2003.
Federer fell 7-6 (1), 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 to No. 6 Tomas Berdych, who improved to 4-3 in his last seven matches against the 17-time Grand Slam champion. Berdych ended Federer's string of U.S. Open semifinal appearances at eight, much the way he halted Federer's streak of seven straight trips to the Wimbledon final by beating him in the 2010 quarterfinals at the All England Club.
On Thursday, the U.S. Open crowned its first champions of 2012, when Ekaterina Makarova and Bruno Soares defeated Kveta Peschke and Marcin Matkowski, 6-7 (8), 6-1, 12-10 in a super-tiebreaker to win the mixed doubles crown.
Playing in an early men's quarterfinal were No. 4 David Ferrer and No. 8 Janko Tipsarevic, with defending champion Novak Djokovic set to face del Potro later.
On Wednesday night, the Federer and Roddick news conferences were where the post-match drama was. They couldn't have been any different in tone.
''Maybe it's a good matchup for him,'' top-seeded Federer said in one of his several short, clipped answers, when asked about Berdych's recent success against him. ''I don't see him play every match he plays on tour. That's why I can't really answer that question.''
Roddick, however, lingered over his final official session with the reporters. He said it was fun to be in Arthur Ashe Stadium, listening to the fans spur him on with cheers of ''Let's go Andy'' - and to play tennis simply for tennis' sake.
''It wasn't about ranking points or paychecks or anything else,'' Roddick said. ''This week I felt like I was 12 years old, playing in a park. It was extremely innocent. That was fun. I enjoyed it.''
Last week, Roddick used the occasion of his 30th birthday to announce the U.S. Open would be his last tournament as a pro. He did get one bonus day on the grounds, thanks to a rainstorm that delayed his match Tuesday with him leading 1-0 in the first-set tiebreaker. He hit the ground running, won six of seven points after the restart and won the tiebreaker.
That, however, was as good as things would get. He dropped the second set in a tiebreaker, fell behind by two early breaks in the third, then after getting broken early in the fourth set, he could feel the end was near. He appeared to be trying to avoid crying while serving in the next-to-last game. In the stands, both his mother, Blanche, and his wife, actress-model Brooklyn Decker, were wiping away tears.
After match point, del Potro met Roddick at the net for a quick handshake, then pointed at the American, acknowledging that this was his moment. Roddick covered his face with a towel and took the microphone to thank the fans.
''Since I was a kid, I've been coming to this tournament. I felt lucky just to sit where all of you are sitting today, to watch this game, to see the champions that have come and gone,'' Roddick said. ''I've loved every minute of it.''
Warming up for her match while watching Roddick on TV, Serena Williams said she was overcome with emotion. She was in the same situation - next up in Arthur Ashe Stadium - when Andre Agassi gave his equally poignant farewell speech to the fans back in 2006.
''It's the end of a great player, a legendary player,'' Williams said. ''Definitely, I was upstairs thinking, 'Gosh, last time this happened was Andre Agassi. How many more of these do I have to sit through?' It was great.''
If the moment bothered Williams, it didn't show. The No. 4 seed overpowered No. 12 Ana Ivanovic 6-1, 6-3 to set up a semifinal against 10th-seeded Sara Errani, who beat her Italian doubles partner, Roberta Vinci, 6-2, 6-4.
The other women's semifinal will pit top-seeded Victoria Azarenka against No. 3 Maria Sharapova, who returned to her rain-suspended match with a 4-0 deficit but defeated 2007 Wimbledon runner-up Marion Bartoli 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.
Berdych opened his lead over Federer by taking the first-set tiebreaker 7-1. From there, he kept a firm grip on the match, save his stumble in the third set.
''Probably there was not, well, not a bad spot,'' said Berdych, who has never won a Grand Slam tournament. ''Of course, I lost the third set. But, you know, I cannot count on beating Roger in straight sets and not getting in any trouble.''
Maybe the biggest trouble came in the fifth game of the fourth set when he took an awkward tumble to the court and fell on his right hand, the one he holds the racket with. But on a night when everything went well, there was nothing more than a scrape - nothing to prevent him from finishing up a win in which he played well and Federer couldn't harness his forehand, committing 24 unforced errors from that side.
He hadn't played since Saturday, thanks to a walkover he received when Mardy Fish withdrew with health problems. But this year's Wimbledon champion and silver medalist at the Olympics was not in the mood for excuses.
''Once, I had six and a half days off and I ended up winning Wimbledon,'' Federer said. ''I don't think this was the issue tonight.''
Meanwhile, Roddick simply found himself up against a better player. He had beaten men ranked 43rd and 59th since announcing his retirement, but del Potro, the 2009 champion, offered a completely different kind of challenge.
At 6-foot-6 with a flat forehand that he was angling off at will, the 2009 champion here turned things around in the second set. Gaining more traction on Roddick's once-all-powerful serve, that still maxed out at 135 mph Wednesday, del Potro whipped a cross-court forehand return right at Roddick's feet on set point.
Del Potro's momentum continued when he broke to begin the third set, and in the fourth, he broke early, then served out the match.
''No one really wants to be on the opposite side, to be the one who retires someone,'' del Potro said. ''Andy is that kind of player everyone wants to keep playing forever.''
But nothing lasts forever, and Roddick was very much in touch with that coming into this tournament.
He recalled his first trip to Flushing Meadows, back when he was 9. That was 1991. Jimmy Connors was making his memorable run to the semifinals at age 39.
Fifteen years later, Connors would coach Roddick for about two years, before they parted ways. Still, the five-time U.S. Open champion, who turned 60 over the weekend, was on hand Wednesday to watch Roddick fashion his own ending.
''He's a big boy. He's 30 years old and he's a U.S. Open champion,'' Connors said. ''I'm sure his aftereffect, when he gets away from the U.S. Open, will be a bit different. ... It's a life-changing experience.''
On an emotion-filled afternoon that morphed into a shocker of an evening, Andy Roddick and Roger Federer both bid farewell to Flushing Meadows.
Roddick is leaving for good, a moment he knew would come this week.
Federer is presumably gone only until next year, though the timing of his 2012 U.S. Open exit was unexpected.
Roddick lost 6-7 (1), 7-6 (4), 6-2, 6-4 to No. 7 seed Juan Martin del Potro to bring down the curtain on his career Wednesday - an ending that came, fittingly, on the court where he won his only Grand Slam title, back in 2003.
Federer fell 7-6 (1), 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 to No. 6 Tomas Berdych, who improved to 4-3 in his last seven matches against the 17-time Grand Slam champion. Berdych ended Federer's string of U.S. Open semifinal appearances at eight, much the way he halted Federer's streak of seven straight trips to the Wimbledon final by beating him in the 2010 quarterfinals at the All England Club.
On Thursday, the U.S. Open crowned its first champions of 2012, when Ekaterina Makarova and Bruno Soares defeated Kveta Peschke and Marcin Matkowski, 6-7 (8), 6-1, 12-10 in a super-tiebreaker to win the mixed doubles crown.
Playing in an early men's quarterfinal were No. 4 David Ferrer and No. 8 Janko Tipsarevic, with defending champion Novak Djokovic set to face del Potro later.
On Wednesday night, the Federer and Roddick news conferences were where the post-match drama was. They couldn't have been any different in tone.
''Maybe it's a good matchup for him,'' top-seeded Federer said in one of his several short, clipped answers, when asked about Berdych's recent success against him. ''I don't see him play every match he plays on tour. That's why I can't really answer that question.''
Roddick, however, lingered over his final official session with the reporters. He said it was fun to be in Arthur Ashe Stadium, listening to the fans spur him on with cheers of ''Let's go Andy'' - and to play tennis simply for tennis' sake.
''It wasn't about ranking points or paychecks or anything else,'' Roddick said. ''This week I felt like I was 12 years old, playing in a park. It was extremely innocent. That was fun. I enjoyed it.''
Last week, Roddick used the occasion of his 30th birthday to announce the U.S. Open would be his last tournament as a pro. He did get one bonus day on the grounds, thanks to a rainstorm that delayed his match Tuesday with him leading 1-0 in the first-set tiebreaker. He hit the ground running, won six of seven points after the restart and won the tiebreaker.
That, however, was as good as things would get. He dropped the second set in a tiebreaker, fell behind by two early breaks in the third, then after getting broken early in the fourth set, he could feel the end was near. He appeared to be trying to avoid crying while serving in the next-to-last game. In the stands, both his mother, Blanche, and his wife, actress-model Brooklyn Decker, were wiping away tears.
After match point, del Potro met Roddick at the net for a quick handshake, then pointed at the American, acknowledging that this was his moment. Roddick covered his face with a towel and took the microphone to thank the fans.
''Since I was a kid, I've been coming to this tournament. I felt lucky just to sit where all of you are sitting today, to watch this game, to see the champions that have come and gone,'' Roddick said. ''I've loved every minute of it.''
Warming up for her match while watching Roddick on TV, Serena Williams said she was overcome with emotion. She was in the same situation - next up in Arthur Ashe Stadium - when Andre Agassi gave his equally poignant farewell speech to the fans back in 2006.
''It's the end of a great player, a legendary player,'' Williams said. ''Definitely, I was upstairs thinking, 'Gosh, last time this happened was Andre Agassi. How many more of these do I have to sit through?' It was great.''
If the moment bothered Williams, it didn't show. The No. 4 seed overpowered No. 12 Ana Ivanovic 6-1, 6-3 to set up a semifinal against 10th-seeded Sara Errani, who beat her Italian doubles partner, Roberta Vinci, 6-2, 6-4.
The other women's semifinal will pit top-seeded Victoria Azarenka against No. 3 Maria Sharapova, who returned to her rain-suspended match with a 4-0 deficit but defeated 2007 Wimbledon runner-up Marion Bartoli 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.
Berdych opened his lead over Federer by taking the first-set tiebreaker 7-1. From there, he kept a firm grip on the match, save his stumble in the third set.
''Probably there was not, well, not a bad spot,'' said Berdych, who has never won a Grand Slam tournament. ''Of course, I lost the third set. But, you know, I cannot count on beating Roger in straight sets and not getting in any trouble.''
Maybe the biggest trouble came in the fifth game of the fourth set when he took an awkward tumble to the court and fell on his right hand, the one he holds the racket with. But on a night when everything went well, there was nothing more than a scrape - nothing to prevent him from finishing up a win in which he played well and Federer couldn't harness his forehand, committing 24 unforced errors from that side.
He hadn't played since Saturday, thanks to a walkover he received when Mardy Fish withdrew with health problems. But this year's Wimbledon champion and silver medalist at the Olympics was not in the mood for excuses.
''Once, I had six and a half days off and I ended up winning Wimbledon,'' Federer said. ''I don't think this was the issue tonight.''
Meanwhile, Roddick simply found himself up against a better player. He had beaten men ranked 43rd and 59th since announcing his retirement, but del Potro, the 2009 champion, offered a completely different kind of challenge.
At 6-foot-6 with a flat forehand that he was angling off at will, the 2009 champion here turned things around in the second set. Gaining more traction on Roddick's once-all-powerful serve, that still maxed out at 135 mph Wednesday, del Potro whipped a cross-court forehand return right at Roddick's feet on set point.
Del Potro's momentum continued when he broke to begin the third set, and in the fourth, he broke early, then served out the match.
''No one really wants to be on the opposite side, to be the one who retires someone,'' del Potro said. ''Andy is that kind of player everyone wants to keep playing forever.''
But nothing lasts forever, and Roddick was very much in touch with that coming into this tournament.
He recalled his first trip to Flushing Meadows, back when he was 9. That was 1991. Jimmy Connors was making his memorable run to the semifinals at age 39.
Fifteen years later, Connors would coach Roddick for about two years, before they parted ways. Still, the five-time U.S. Open champion, who turned 60 over the weekend, was on hand Wednesday to watch Roddick fashion his own ending.
''He's a big boy. He's 30 years old and he's a U.S. Open champion,'' Connors said. ''I'm sure his aftereffect, when he gets away from the U.S. Open, will be a bit different. ... It's a life-changing experience.''
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Fashion's New Order
Fashion's New Order
FOR much of the 20th century, the seating chart of a runway show gave a fairly accurate reading of power in the fashion industry. The press on one side, retailers on the other; editors and buyers prioritized neatly from front row to last.
But so much has changed in the new millennium — the great online migration, fashion’s ascension as a leading force of popular culture, a thriving new generation of young designers and the explosive growth of social media — that power can no longer be measured solely by where you sit.
In fact, the players have changed, sometimes in subtle ways. There are giants whose power is perennial, as when Anna Wintour, already at the top of the pyramid, sealed her legacy by creating an annual night out for shopping, all the while rebranding herself as a fashion philanthropist, not the devil who wears Prada.
There are others who have unexpectedly become forces. It is now possible that the junior accessories editor sitting in the third row has a bigger voice than the editor in chief; or that the teenage blogger outweighs the middle-aged veteran who spent decades clawing her way up, just to get to the middle. So much competing noise, from people and devices, has skewed the perception of who really takes precedence.
To have power in fashion today means to have real impact, the kind that demonstrably moves an industry, as opposed to merely moving merchandise. It was this criterion that The New York Times considered foremost when setting out to define a new power establishment: those pullers of strings who, reacting to seismic shifts in technology, communication and the economics of their industry, have reshaped the way the rest of the world sees, senses and consumes fashion.
More symbolic than scientific, the following list includes designers, retailers, editors and stylists, and people whose work is largely behind the scenes. There are some whose power was established long ago, and others whose ascent is recent, but each was selected because of his or her impact on fashion in the 21st century, rather than for a lifetime of achievement. Many critical darlings whose work is broadly celebrated, as well as beloved designers whose businesses are worth billions, do not appear here for a simple reason: power is not a popularity contest.
THE DESIGNERS
Oh what a difference a little rivalry makes. As the spring 2013 runway season begins today, there is a sense that everyone will be trying just a little harder, that the fashion flock came home from their vacations a little earlier, especially in Europe. The game is on, and the star players are taking their places.
In New York, there are young designers on the rise, each vying to become the next big thing. In Paris, the first ready-to-wear shows of Raf Simons at Dior and Hedi Slimane at Yves Saint Laurent will take place, showcasing two of the most important designers in fashion today. Which will be the definitive look of the season? The lush coloring of Mr. Simons at Dior? Or the as-yet-undefined vision of Mr. Slimane for Saint Laurent.
But the truth is, there is already a talented field of designers at work, most of whom have only recently risen to the level of establishment. There are, of course, perennials (Ralph, Giorgio, Karl, Donatella — if they don’t need a last name, they’re here to stay), but you have the feeling that a leadership change had been in order for some time.
Click through the thumbnails above to read more about the designers; models; go-betweens; eyes and ears; merchants; business people; wildcards and image-makers who are ruling the game today.
FOR much of the 20th century, the seating chart of a runway show gave a fairly accurate reading of power in the fashion industry. The press on one side, retailers on the other; editors and buyers prioritized neatly from front row to last.
But so much has changed in the new millennium — the great online migration, fashion’s ascension as a leading force of popular culture, a thriving new generation of young designers and the explosive growth of social media — that power can no longer be measured solely by where you sit.
In fact, the players have changed, sometimes in subtle ways. There are giants whose power is perennial, as when Anna Wintour, already at the top of the pyramid, sealed her legacy by creating an annual night out for shopping, all the while rebranding herself as a fashion philanthropist, not the devil who wears Prada.
There are others who have unexpectedly become forces. It is now possible that the junior accessories editor sitting in the third row has a bigger voice than the editor in chief; or that the teenage blogger outweighs the middle-aged veteran who spent decades clawing her way up, just to get to the middle. So much competing noise, from people and devices, has skewed the perception of who really takes precedence.
To have power in fashion today means to have real impact, the kind that demonstrably moves an industry, as opposed to merely moving merchandise. It was this criterion that The New York Times considered foremost when setting out to define a new power establishment: those pullers of strings who, reacting to seismic shifts in technology, communication and the economics of their industry, have reshaped the way the rest of the world sees, senses and consumes fashion.
More symbolic than scientific, the following list includes designers, retailers, editors and stylists, and people whose work is largely behind the scenes. There are some whose power was established long ago, and others whose ascent is recent, but each was selected because of his or her impact on fashion in the 21st century, rather than for a lifetime of achievement. Many critical darlings whose work is broadly celebrated, as well as beloved designers whose businesses are worth billions, do not appear here for a simple reason: power is not a popularity contest.
THE DESIGNERS
Oh what a difference a little rivalry makes. As the spring 2013 runway season begins today, there is a sense that everyone will be trying just a little harder, that the fashion flock came home from their vacations a little earlier, especially in Europe. The game is on, and the star players are taking their places.
In New York, there are young designers on the rise, each vying to become the next big thing. In Paris, the first ready-to-wear shows of Raf Simons at Dior and Hedi Slimane at Yves Saint Laurent will take place, showcasing two of the most important designers in fashion today. Which will be the definitive look of the season? The lush coloring of Mr. Simons at Dior? Or the as-yet-undefined vision of Mr. Slimane for Saint Laurent.
But the truth is, there is already a talented field of designers at work, most of whom have only recently risen to the level of establishment. There are, of course, perennials (Ralph, Giorgio, Karl, Donatella — if they don’t need a last name, they’re here to stay), but you have the feeling that a leadership change had been in order for some time.
Click through the thumbnails above to read more about the designers; models; go-betweens; eyes and ears; merchants; business people; wildcards and image-makers who are ruling the game today.
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Kate Middleton boosts British fashion
Kate Middleton boosts British fashion
The wider economy is stuck in the doldrums, but the Duchess of Cambridge is helping the rag trade to defy the gloom-mongers.
"She's been brilliant for British fashion and great for the whole economy," says Alice Temperley, whose dresses have been worn by Kate and her sister, Pippa Middleton. "There is no one else who has an effect like her. It has really brought British fashion to the forefront again."
Speaking to Mandrake at the launch of her Somerset by Temperley collection at John Lewis, the designer says the secret of Kate's success is her mixing of price ranges.
"She is a breath of fresh air and has encouraged people to experiment and combine high fashion with high-street fashion. She is a really nice girl as well."
Edward's big night
Prince Harry represented the Queen at the closing ceremony of the Olympics, but it will be his uncle the Earl of Wessex who does the honours at the Paralympics.
Prince Edward is the patron of the British Paralympic Association. The Duchess of Cambridge, who has attended many of the events, will not be at the closing ceremony on Sunday, at which the rock band Coldplay are due to perform. She and the Duke of Cambridge are leaving for their DiamondJubilee tour of South East Asia and the South Pacific the next day.
Run into trouble
Dame Kelly Holmes was delighted when plans were announced to erect a life-size bronze statue of herself in her hometown of Tonbridge, in Kent. The double Olympics gold medallist was, however, less than thrilled when she saw the design by Guy Portelli.
"I have seen a picture of the statue and it's a shame it doesn't quite look like me."
Dave's big tent
David Cameron invited Claire Perry, the Tory MP, to meet him at 10 Downing Street to discuss family policy. On the day, however, her own childcare support broke down and she had to arrive with two children in tow.
"The Perry Two enjoyed seeing the Olympic kitbag cake in the hall, had a play in the garden, looked out for Larry the cat, and sat in the Cabinet room," she says.
The wider economy is stuck in the doldrums, but the Duchess of Cambridge is helping the rag trade to defy the gloom-mongers.
"She's been brilliant for British fashion and great for the whole economy," says Alice Temperley, whose dresses have been worn by Kate and her sister, Pippa Middleton. "There is no one else who has an effect like her. It has really brought British fashion to the forefront again."
Speaking to Mandrake at the launch of her Somerset by Temperley collection at John Lewis, the designer says the secret of Kate's success is her mixing of price ranges.
"She is a breath of fresh air and has encouraged people to experiment and combine high fashion with high-street fashion. She is a really nice girl as well."
Edward's big night
Prince Harry represented the Queen at the closing ceremony of the Olympics, but it will be his uncle the Earl of Wessex who does the honours at the Paralympics.
Prince Edward is the patron of the British Paralympic Association. The Duchess of Cambridge, who has attended many of the events, will not be at the closing ceremony on Sunday, at which the rock band Coldplay are due to perform. She and the Duke of Cambridge are leaving for their DiamondJubilee tour of South East Asia and the South Pacific the next day.
Run into trouble
Dame Kelly Holmes was delighted when plans were announced to erect a life-size bronze statue of herself in her hometown of Tonbridge, in Kent. The double Olympics gold medallist was, however, less than thrilled when she saw the design by Guy Portelli.
"I have seen a picture of the statue and it's a shame it doesn't quite look like me."
Dave's big tent
David Cameron invited Claire Perry, the Tory MP, to meet him at 10 Downing Street to discuss family policy. On the day, however, her own childcare support broke down and she had to arrive with two children in tow.
"The Perry Two enjoyed seeing the Olympic kitbag cake in the hall, had a play in the garden, looked out for Larry the cat, and sat in the Cabinet room," she says.
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Fashion Week mourns volunteer
Fashion Week mourns volunteer
A minute's silence was held at the opening of New Zealand Fashion Week in Auckland last night in memory of a volunteer killed in a car accident on her way to the event.
Felicity Wren, 20, was travelling from Wellington with her friend Millie McCutcheon when their car hit the rear of a truck-and-trailer unit on Friday.
The third-year Massey University student, who was studying photographic design, died at the scene, on State Highway 27 at Patetonga, north of Morrinsville.
Millie, a former Otago Girls' High School student and budding designer, is believed to have been driving. Firefighters cut her from the Alfa Romeo and she was taken to Waikato Hospital, where she was treated in the emergency department and discharged the same day.
"She was understandably very traumatised by what happened," said Sergeant Jared Thompson of Thames police.
Waikato District Road Policing Manager, Inspector Leo Tooman, said both the Alfa Romeo and the truck were travelling south at the time of the collision.
"The truck and trailer unit had slowed as it approached a school bus in its lane that was slowing to turn right on to Otane Rd," Mr Tooman said.
He said both drivers would be interviewed by police later in the week.
Last night in Auckland, the managing director of New Zealand Fashion Week, Dame Pieter Stewart, asked the opening-night audience to observe a moment's silence in honour of Felicity Wren.
Felicity attended St Hilda's Collegiate in Dunedin before moving to Wellington for university. She is understood to have worked part-time at the Country Road clothing store.
A Fashion Week spokesman said she and Millie were to have dressed the models ahead of shows this week.
"They were to work with show producers backstage, helping models change in and out of outfits. The position might have come as a result of industry experience."
Friends of Felicity's sister Jess Wren, who is believed to be in London, shared their condolences on her Facebook page yesterday.
Georgia Maguire wrote: "I am so sorry to hear about your sister Felicity :( much love to you and your family."
Jayne Evans said: "So sorry to hear, Jess, your sister has such a beautiful soul and will be missed."
The Massey at Wellington Students Association said on Twitter: "Mawsa has crossed fingers for a full recovery for Millie. If you need any help during this tragic time please come see us."
Mr Thompson said the police were "facing a number of challenges" in notifying Felicity's next of kin living around the world.
He said officers were working with Interpol and other family members to complete the notifications.
"Members of the serious crash and commercial vehicle investigation units are working to establish what caused the crash."
A minute's silence was held at the opening of New Zealand Fashion Week in Auckland last night in memory of a volunteer killed in a car accident on her way to the event.
Felicity Wren, 20, was travelling from Wellington with her friend Millie McCutcheon when their car hit the rear of a truck-and-trailer unit on Friday.
The third-year Massey University student, who was studying photographic design, died at the scene, on State Highway 27 at Patetonga, north of Morrinsville.
Millie, a former Otago Girls' High School student and budding designer, is believed to have been driving. Firefighters cut her from the Alfa Romeo and she was taken to Waikato Hospital, where she was treated in the emergency department and discharged the same day.
"She was understandably very traumatised by what happened," said Sergeant Jared Thompson of Thames police.
Waikato District Road Policing Manager, Inspector Leo Tooman, said both the Alfa Romeo and the truck were travelling south at the time of the collision.
"The truck and trailer unit had slowed as it approached a school bus in its lane that was slowing to turn right on to Otane Rd," Mr Tooman said.
He said both drivers would be interviewed by police later in the week.
Last night in Auckland, the managing director of New Zealand Fashion Week, Dame Pieter Stewart, asked the opening-night audience to observe a moment's silence in honour of Felicity Wren.
Felicity attended St Hilda's Collegiate in Dunedin before moving to Wellington for university. She is understood to have worked part-time at the Country Road clothing store.
A Fashion Week spokesman said she and Millie were to have dressed the models ahead of shows this week.
"They were to work with show producers backstage, helping models change in and out of outfits. The position might have come as a result of industry experience."
Friends of Felicity's sister Jess Wren, who is believed to be in London, shared their condolences on her Facebook page yesterday.
Georgia Maguire wrote: "I am so sorry to hear about your sister Felicity :( much love to you and your family."
Jayne Evans said: "So sorry to hear, Jess, your sister has such a beautiful soul and will be missed."
The Massey at Wellington Students Association said on Twitter: "Mawsa has crossed fingers for a full recovery for Millie. If you need any help during this tragic time please come see us."
Mr Thompson said the police were "facing a number of challenges" in notifying Felicity's next of kin living around the world.
He said officers were working with Interpol and other family members to complete the notifications.
"Members of the serious crash and commercial vehicle investigation units are working to establish what caused the crash."
Monday, September 3, 2012
Joanna Hunkin: Fashion week off-trend
Joanna Hunkin: Fashion week off-trend
It's a harsh ultimatum but one Fashion Week organisers need to face up to.
As the event enters its 12th year, the gloss and mania that once surrounded it has dulled. As one designer pointed out to me - how glamorous can an event really be when the opening night party is a barbecue and cash bar?
Many of our biggest designers have now turned their backs on the event - opting to show overseas (Karen Walker), expand their retail business (Kate Sylvester) or stage their own fashion shows, on their own terms, ahead of Fashion Week (World and Nom D).
Despite the organisers' claims it's "around the same size", this year's designer line up is smaller than previous years - continuing the downward trend that began about four years ago.
Partly, it's been recession related - it costs a lot of money to put on a runway show at Fashion Week (about $50,000 all up - including models, hair, make up and lighting) and sponsorship is increasingly hard to come by.
There are fewer sponsorship dollars in the marketplace and it's harder than ever to convince big business to invest in fashion over other, worthier causes.
The Fashion Week brand has also struggled with sponsorship - losing their naming rights sponsor three years ago. With it, they also lost thousands of dollars of airfares provided by Air New Zealand to bring international delegates to the country.
Recent years have seen international media and buyers all but disappear from the front row, replaced by bloggers of questionable influence and local buyers.
It's not just the cost that stops international visitors attending - timing is also an issue. Last year, the event was brought forward to circumvent the Rugby World Cup. Now, it clashes with New York Fashion Week, which begins on Thursday.
Bringing the event forward places additional pressure on local designers to get their winter samples made - at the same time they're trying to produce their summer retail stock.
For some, it's more than they can handle, especially when the returns are so meagre.
Dunedin label Nom D pulled out of last year's event after being staunch supporters since its inception. Imagine their surprise, when they found their absence had no impact on their sales or brand.
This year, they've decided not to bother. After all, why spend $50,000 on something that isn't growing your business?
That's not to say the event doesn't benefit anyone. For young, emerging designers the event provides invaluable exposure to media and buyers that's essential to establishing them in the local market.
But much of the appeal for those media and buyers are the big names - the chance to see what our fashion leaders are putting forward. Without them, interest will quickly wane and models will be left strutting before an empty front row.
So what needs to change?
At its simplest level, organisers need to get real. The world is not the same place it was 12 years ago so it's only natural the same format isn't going to work.
Budgets around the globe - in all industries - are tighter than they used to be. People will not fly halfway around the world to see a couple of key designers' collections.
Kiwi designers who are serious about breaking into international markets need to take their product overseas and show directly to those markets (as many already do).
If Fashion Week is not going to be about international wholesale (which most people already accept) then you have to cater to the available market - namely local buyers.
How you do that is open to debate. Some believe showing in-season stock would better serve their brands than showcasing the following season's collection.
Others disagree. But speaking to designers this week - both those participating in Fashion Week and those who aren't - everyone agrees, it's time for a major shake-up.
It's a harsh ultimatum but one Fashion Week organisers need to face up to.
As the event enters its 12th year, the gloss and mania that once surrounded it has dulled. As one designer pointed out to me - how glamorous can an event really be when the opening night party is a barbecue and cash bar?
Many of our biggest designers have now turned their backs on the event - opting to show overseas (Karen Walker), expand their retail business (Kate Sylvester) or stage their own fashion shows, on their own terms, ahead of Fashion Week (World and Nom D).
Despite the organisers' claims it's "around the same size", this year's designer line up is smaller than previous years - continuing the downward trend that began about four years ago.
Partly, it's been recession related - it costs a lot of money to put on a runway show at Fashion Week (about $50,000 all up - including models, hair, make up and lighting) and sponsorship is increasingly hard to come by.
There are fewer sponsorship dollars in the marketplace and it's harder than ever to convince big business to invest in fashion over other, worthier causes.
The Fashion Week brand has also struggled with sponsorship - losing their naming rights sponsor three years ago. With it, they also lost thousands of dollars of airfares provided by Air New Zealand to bring international delegates to the country.
Recent years have seen international media and buyers all but disappear from the front row, replaced by bloggers of questionable influence and local buyers.
It's not just the cost that stops international visitors attending - timing is also an issue. Last year, the event was brought forward to circumvent the Rugby World Cup. Now, it clashes with New York Fashion Week, which begins on Thursday.
Bringing the event forward places additional pressure on local designers to get their winter samples made - at the same time they're trying to produce their summer retail stock.
For some, it's more than they can handle, especially when the returns are so meagre.
Dunedin label Nom D pulled out of last year's event after being staunch supporters since its inception. Imagine their surprise, when they found their absence had no impact on their sales or brand.
This year, they've decided not to bother. After all, why spend $50,000 on something that isn't growing your business?
That's not to say the event doesn't benefit anyone. For young, emerging designers the event provides invaluable exposure to media and buyers that's essential to establishing them in the local market.
But much of the appeal for those media and buyers are the big names - the chance to see what our fashion leaders are putting forward. Without them, interest will quickly wane and models will be left strutting before an empty front row.
So what needs to change?
At its simplest level, organisers need to get real. The world is not the same place it was 12 years ago so it's only natural the same format isn't going to work.
Budgets around the globe - in all industries - are tighter than they used to be. People will not fly halfway around the world to see a couple of key designers' collections.
Kiwi designers who are serious about breaking into international markets need to take their product overseas and show directly to those markets (as many already do).
If Fashion Week is not going to be about international wholesale (which most people already accept) then you have to cater to the available market - namely local buyers.
How you do that is open to debate. Some believe showing in-season stock would better serve their brands than showcasing the following season's collection.
Others disagree. But speaking to designers this week - both those participating in Fashion Week and those who aren't - everyone agrees, it's time for a major shake-up.
Saturday, September 1, 2012
Upending Fashion, Steve Jobs-Style: 10 Questions With Uniqlo’s Yasunobu Kyogoku
Upending Fashion, Steve Jobs-Style: 10 Questions With Uniqlo’s Yasunobu Kyogoku
The Japanese retailer Uniqlo is on a global-expansion tear, opening new stores in premier shopping districts in London, New York, Paris, and Seoul, and aiming to quadruple sales by 2020 to $50 billion, with $10 billion of that coming from North America. For a company that made its name selling fleece pullovers, ultra-thin thermal underwear, and ultra-light down jackets, it’s a big bet on the appeal of fusing fashion and technology.
Wired Business talked with Uniqlo USA COO Yasunobu Kyogoku in the retailer’s new pop-up shop near San Francisco’s Union Square, a taste of what’s to come in Uniqlo’s first full-blown West Coast store slated to open Oct. 5 a few blocks away.
Wired: Why a pop up store?
Kyogoku: You need to start somewhere in educating the customer that Uniqlo isn’t about putting three holes in a pair of jeans and saying ‘this is the latest trend.’ It’s about a philosophy; we’re made for all, whether you’re 6 or 60. It’s about great casual basics, but with a twist of fashion. Also, we tend to have innovative technology that we build into the products, and you have to try it to understand it.
Wired: Fashion is notoriously fickle and hard to predict. How does technology help you in this environment?
Kyogoku: We sold a hundred million pieces of our Heattech product last year. It doesn’t only help you retain heat, but it actually helps you to generate heat. This is patented technology, developed with our partners at Toray Industries, the world’s largest manufacturer of carbon fibers. [Holds up a charcoal-colored Heattech blouse] When we first did this, we started with thermal underwear, which is a lot thicker. But over the years, we’ve iterated and it’s thin.
Traditional down you would buy is kind of bulky, hence they call them “puffer jackets.” The reason is because down feathers have a pointy end, and the feathers come out of the fabric. So traditional retailers provide an inner shell to prevent the feathers from coming out. Our Ultralight Down doesn’t have that inner shell – this outer fabric serves a dual purpose. There’s a drawstring that, for women in particular, allows you to draw it together and creates this cinch around the waist hence making it very fashionable. It’s not bulky, or masculine.
Wired: How do you go about improving and iterating?
Kyogoku: Attention to detail. Things like teaching our staff to make sure there’s no dust on the floor. When you buy jeans at Uniqlo, we hem it for you here in the back room. In the fitting room, our sales associates will go on their knees, on both knees, and they will hem it. It’s a sign of respect to the customer in Japan; the customer is at a higher level. The customer is what keeps you in business.
Wired: How do you teach your staff to pay attention to detail, and to the customer?
Kyogoku: The term we use, Zenin Keiei (全員経営), translates to ”everyone management” or “management by everyone.” The idea is for everyone to think and act like an entrepreneur, a store manager, an executive. Even if you’re a part-time worker, you’re thinking about the customer. We ask our employees, for example, let’s say about a t-shirt, ‘How does it fit? Have you gotten customer feedback?’ By asking for their input our employees are able to say, “Here’s some of the products we should have.” We’ve had some great suggestions as result of that.
As a corporate culture, we believe very, very strongly that all the answers are in the store – for everyone. No one wants to work at a company where the senior guys are off on vacation.
Wired: Is it true Uniqlo orders from its suppliers a full year in advance? What’s the thinking behind that?
Kyogoku: Let’s say you happen to own your own factory, and someone says, ‘In September, I’d like to order 40% of your capacity; in October, 70%; in the rest of the year, zero.’ You’d say, ‘But there’s a gentleman who just came to me and said, ‘I will book 80% of your capacity for a year and in fact, let’s do a long term partnership. Why don’t we add an extra line?’ The more you produce, the more you help me reduce the cost. We pass that to the customer. The customer buys more. We have a positive cycle where everyone wins.
Wired: With a 12-month cycle, aren’t you worried customers will go to faster-moving competitors with trendier clothes?
Kyogoku: We don’t chase trends. People mistakenly say that Uniqlo is a fast-fashion brand. We’re not. We are about clothing that’s made for everyone.
The Japanese retailer Uniqlo is on a global-expansion tear, opening new stores in premier shopping districts in London, New York, Paris, and Seoul, and aiming to quadruple sales by 2020 to $50 billion, with $10 billion of that coming from North America. For a company that made its name selling fleece pullovers, ultra-thin thermal underwear, and ultra-light down jackets, it’s a big bet on the appeal of fusing fashion and technology.
Wired Business talked with Uniqlo USA COO Yasunobu Kyogoku in the retailer’s new pop-up shop near San Francisco’s Union Square, a taste of what’s to come in Uniqlo’s first full-blown West Coast store slated to open Oct. 5 a few blocks away.
Wired: Why a pop up store?
Kyogoku: You need to start somewhere in educating the customer that Uniqlo isn’t about putting three holes in a pair of jeans and saying ‘this is the latest trend.’ It’s about a philosophy; we’re made for all, whether you’re 6 or 60. It’s about great casual basics, but with a twist of fashion. Also, we tend to have innovative technology that we build into the products, and you have to try it to understand it.
Wired: Fashion is notoriously fickle and hard to predict. How does technology help you in this environment?
Kyogoku: We sold a hundred million pieces of our Heattech product last year. It doesn’t only help you retain heat, but it actually helps you to generate heat. This is patented technology, developed with our partners at Toray Industries, the world’s largest manufacturer of carbon fibers. [Holds up a charcoal-colored Heattech blouse] When we first did this, we started with thermal underwear, which is a lot thicker. But over the years, we’ve iterated and it’s thin.
Traditional down you would buy is kind of bulky, hence they call them “puffer jackets.” The reason is because down feathers have a pointy end, and the feathers come out of the fabric. So traditional retailers provide an inner shell to prevent the feathers from coming out. Our Ultralight Down doesn’t have that inner shell – this outer fabric serves a dual purpose. There’s a drawstring that, for women in particular, allows you to draw it together and creates this cinch around the waist hence making it very fashionable. It’s not bulky, or masculine.
Wired: How do you go about improving and iterating?
Kyogoku: Attention to detail. Things like teaching our staff to make sure there’s no dust on the floor. When you buy jeans at Uniqlo, we hem it for you here in the back room. In the fitting room, our sales associates will go on their knees, on both knees, and they will hem it. It’s a sign of respect to the customer in Japan; the customer is at a higher level. The customer is what keeps you in business.
Wired: How do you teach your staff to pay attention to detail, and to the customer?
Kyogoku: The term we use, Zenin Keiei (全員経営), translates to ”everyone management” or “management by everyone.” The idea is for everyone to think and act like an entrepreneur, a store manager, an executive. Even if you’re a part-time worker, you’re thinking about the customer. We ask our employees, for example, let’s say about a t-shirt, ‘How does it fit? Have you gotten customer feedback?’ By asking for their input our employees are able to say, “Here’s some of the products we should have.” We’ve had some great suggestions as result of that.
As a corporate culture, we believe very, very strongly that all the answers are in the store – for everyone. No one wants to work at a company where the senior guys are off on vacation.
Wired: Is it true Uniqlo orders from its suppliers a full year in advance? What’s the thinking behind that?
Kyogoku: Let’s say you happen to own your own factory, and someone says, ‘In September, I’d like to order 40% of your capacity; in October, 70%; in the rest of the year, zero.’ You’d say, ‘But there’s a gentleman who just came to me and said, ‘I will book 80% of your capacity for a year and in fact, let’s do a long term partnership. Why don’t we add an extra line?’ The more you produce, the more you help me reduce the cost. We pass that to the customer. The customer buys more. We have a positive cycle where everyone wins.
Wired: With a 12-month cycle, aren’t you worried customers will go to faster-moving competitors with trendier clothes?
Kyogoku: We don’t chase trends. People mistakenly say that Uniqlo is a fast-fashion brand. We’re not. We are about clothing that’s made for everyone.
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