Gucci and Rihanna Team Up for UNICEF

Gucci and Rihanna make a powerful pair for UNICEF

Rihanna is one of the youngest and hottest stars in fashion world and music business right now which I’m sure is one of the reasons that top fashion house Gucci has picked her to be the new face of their accessories line, “Tattoo Heart”. This new accessories collection is designed by Gucci Creative Director, Frida Giannini, and is to benefit UNICEF for the fourth year running. The collection is obviously inspired from permanent tattoos that have become ever-so-popular within youth culture over the past few years. I love the inspiration because it combines the idea of young trends like tattoos with hot fashions from Gucci to make really fresh and fashionable new accessories that are to benefit a good cause. I do love people who give and this seems like a great opportunity for UNICEF to get publicity about the foundation as well as Gucci to do something great for the less fortunate.
Giannini even said, “I love the idea of a heart being tattooed into the handbags, it’s a permanent mark that you can wear with pride and that stays with you. I think that represents very well what we are doing here. This is not a one-off program, but rather an ongoing commitment to the incredible work that UNICEF is able to achieve.” Giannini designed the limited versions of accessories that combine a white heart tattoo image with Gucci logos and colors. Gucci will donate 25 percent of its sales to UNICEF.

Forever 21 opens new store in NY...here come the knockoffs??

It has been confirmed (but no definite date given yet) that there will be a new, Forever 21, store opening in New York City’s, Time Square. The store is reportedly going to be a whopping 100,000 square feet of clothing, outerwear, accessories, shoes and lingerie. The store reportedly had sales of 1.3 billion dollars in 2007 and is expected to make almost 1.8 billion dollars in sales this year.
This is all very exciting for the young and poor like myself who want trendy and cheap clothes; but at the same time will this extreme store opening only promote people to purchase knock-offs and cheap seconds simply because they can’t afford it? There have been numerous lawsuits in the past few years made by well known designers like Gwen Stefani, Anna Sui, and Diane von Furstenberg against the clothing company because the designers claim that the store is knocking off multiple designs. There were even a few lawsuits brought against Forever 21 by fabric companies and producers in 2007 as well.
Obviously knockoff’s have always been a huge enemy of the fashion world even thought they sometimes inspire designers to come up with elaborate and sometimes crazy fashion concoctions that cannot or will not be knocked-off. And on the legal side of the knockoffs, it’s relatively hard to pass laws on infringement because so many people can interpret the original designs into their own fashion philosophies. So what do we do about it?
Of course, we all know that this devalues the designers whose hard work is knocked-off from a $600 dollar bag or dress to a $30 replica made of cheap plastic and bursting at the seams. So even thought we all know what a danger cheap knockoff’s can be to the fashion world, why do so called “fashion people” continue to support this trade?
I have personally seen girls in my design classes that are carrying fake Chanel and Fendi bags and I think, “Really? How does that work?”. We are all sitting here struggling to become working and recognizable designers and THEY are the ones who are buying these fakes in the back allies?! It kind of stumps me for answers. I mean I get it, everyone wants to have fine things and of course designer brands are all about status; but shouldn’t WE know better?
Maybe those “fashionistas” will think about it after they read this, but most likely not. And sure, we are all guilty from sometime or another about thinking about purchasing that wanna-be Louie Viouton messenger bag, but for heaven’s sake, have a little pride in your work and DON”T DO IT!!!

Fashion Week in INdia

This past week was the Willis Lifestyle India Fashion Week and the designers and shows provided much eye candy that strutted the runway. Many of the shows were filled with numerous fashions that were fusions of mixed styles of the East and West; that made the garments into delicate yet bright ensembles. In fact, it almost stumped me that amid all of these Bohemian fashions that are popular in trends today, that there aren’t more Indian inspired lines. The fabrics were outstanding in texture and many designers mixed traditional dyeing methods with patterns that practically jumped right off the runway at you. The best that I could compare the clothing to that came down the runway would be beautiful exotic birds. The designers mixed a variety of patterns and notions that made all of the clothing irresistible. And of course none of the fashions would be considered vulgar or showy, but there were many fabulously sexy cuts that showed off the models curves and assets.
The high-fashion world in India has slowly grown more popular over the past few years, but the designers are skilled and the market is growing for these young, hip fashions. Many designers are starting to have famous Bollywood actors and actresses model these fashions down the runway to help appeal the clothes to the masses. But the clothing ranged in inspirations from traditional Indian garb, geisha-wear, and thoughts of love, which provided a very wide range in color, style, and silhouette. Many of the fashions were very wearable right off the runway.
I encourage everyone to check out these new designs from India’s fashion week and judge them for yourself. Either go online to Women’s Wear Dailey or www.in.news.yahoo.com. I promise that you will be blown away at the untapped beauty of the designs and the textiles.