Fashion Competition - Fred & Ginger Lingerie to be won

This week Fashion on www.telegraph.co.uk has beautiful Fred&Ginger luxury lingerie to give away consisting of a vintage-look ‘Beau’ bra and knickers set with matching kimono and eye mask, all in antique ivory. Fred&Ginger, launched during London Fashion Week in September, 2007, has quickly become a sought-after lingerie brand. After five years as senior designer at the evening wear label, Jenny Packham, Victoria Holt decided to branch out and launch her own lingerie line. Holt’s newest collection is made from luxurious, French, silk satins, crinkle- chiffons, Chantilly lace and Swarovski crystals to evoke the glamour and sophistication of the 1950’s.

Her range is extensive with kimonos, teddies, nighties, French knickers, camisoles, boleros, corsets, bras, knickers, eye masks, garters, and even risqué peephole-knickers, lace cuffs and blindfolds, all designed and manufactured in the UK. Prices range from £75 - £280.

Escala - the new legs of Pretty Polly

It is usually the arms of the four glamorous girls who make up the electronic string quarter, Escala, which are flashing. Now, the quartet has been announced as 'The Legs' of the leading hosiery brand, Pretty Polly.

The Escala 'bow belles' - two violinists, a viola player and a cellist, narrowly missed out on winning ITV's Britain's Got Talent in 2008, but were immediately signed by the music mogul Simon Cowell.

They recently made a triumphant return to Britain's Got Talent, with a star turn watched by 15 million, and their debut album was released on May 25th.

The girls, Izzy Johnston and Victoria Lyon, violinists; cellist, Tasya Hodges; and the viola player, Chantal Leverton - have been chosen as the star 'legs' for the campaign for the re-launch of Pretty Polly 'Naturals' - a collection of better-than-bare hosiery.

"The Naturals collection complements each of our skin tones perfectly and provides us with that coveted 'air-brushed' look without the air-brushing!" said Chantal Leverton.

The launch of the new Pretty Polly collection coincides with the release of Escala's self-titled debut album, which features the girls' signature version of 'Palladio', by the Welsh composer, Karl Jenkins; a collaboration with the ex-Guns 'N' Roses guitarist, Slash, on Led Zeppelin's 'Kashmir'; and their covers of Snow Patrol's 'Chasing Cars' and Wings' 'Live and Let and Let Die'.

WOMEN’S ACTIVE WEAR BRAND ATHLETA JOINS GAP INC.’S ONLINE PORTFOLIO

SAN FRANCISCO – April 17, 2009 – Continuing to expand its product offerings to customers, Gap Inc. today announced that its newest brand, Athleta, is now available through the company’s online platform.

Athleta, a popular women’s sports and active apparel brand, takes its place as the “fifth tab” on the company’s unique Universality online platform, providing a shopping experience that’s simple, easy and convenient. Customers can now shop the Athleta brand alongside Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy and Piperlime – with one shopping cart and a flat shipping rate of $7.

“Over the past ten years, Athleta has evolved as a premier lifestyle brand with a strong following of loyal customers in the rapidly growing women’s active wear sector,” said Toby Lenk, President, Gap Inc. Direct. “We wanted to make sure we brought Athleta’s authenticity and distinctive appeal to life on our ecommerce platform, and we’re excited to unveil it today to the millions of customers that shop with us online.”

Last year, Gap Inc.’s online net sales reached just over $1 billion. The company continues to improve customers’ shopping experiences through innovative technology improvements, such as Universality, as well as new brand opportunities, like Piperlime and Athleta.

Acquired by Gap Inc. in September of 2008, Athleta offers stylish and functional high-quality apparel for women for a variety of sports, including running, skiing, snowboarding, surfing and yoga. Customers can also continue to make purchases from the brand’s popular catalog.

Europe’s biggest shopping mall Westfield London is now open

It is official - Westfield London is open!
With 265 shops and 49 restaurants it is set to excite shoppers and diners in England’s capital. The dining offering is something completely new to the UK with no McDonalds or plastic trays - just great food, healthy food, new concepts, michelin starred restaurateurs, a street of 17 restuarants, 13 culinary counters in a shared dining environment - so as well as a retail feast, Westfield London offers a shoppers a never ending culinary feast.

A NEW LIGHTFOR LONDONLondon’s retail landscape changes forever as Westfield London opens its doors to shopperstoday after almost four years in the making.Westfield London is an architecturally stunning showcase for five anchor stores: Debenhams,Next, Marks and Spencer, House of Fraser and Waitrose.

This iconic building, with its undulating glass roof, is home to more than 280 luxury, premium andhigh street retailers from more than 15 countries, together with 47 places to eat. The WestfieldLondon site in W12 spans nine postcodes and is the largest city-centre shopping mall in Europe.Fourteen retailers today make their UK debut and dozens of others are creating stores that willset new standards in retail design.More than 21 million people are expected to visit Westfield London each year – some 60,000 a day.

The centre will employ 7,000 people, which together with substantial investment in transportinfrastructure, will contribute to the regenerative impact Westfield is having on Shepherd’s Bushand the surrounding communities.Attention to great service is paramount: a concierge and valet team have been trained to 5-starhotel standard, and will help create an environment where shoppers’ needs come first.

Services being planned to make the experience compelling and comfortable include home delivery,personal shopping, style advice, hands-free shopping and valet parking.Food is as important as fashion at Westfield London. Forty-seven places to eat and drink boast73 awards between them and offer some 25 styles and nationalities of cooking. Six are new tothe UK and, of those, five are first ever seen brands.

Seventeen restaurants run the length ofSouthern Terrace, the pedestrian dining street, and open cooking brings drama on The Balconywhere fresh food from 13 counters is prepared fast and to order.A stunning central Atrium, unique in London, will host a full calendar of arts and educationalevents beneath a spectacular glass roof. A 14-screen state-of-the-art cinema will open in late2009, and a new library will serve the local community.

New transport links make Westfield London the best connected shopping destination in the UK.Westfield is 20 minutes on the Underground from Piccadilly Circus, 20 minutes from Heathrowairport and one and a half hours from Brighton. Cycle bays, secure pedestrian routes and 4,500car parking spaces directly beneath Westfield London complete the transport picture.Leona Lewis, London’s international music sensation, today stars in the spectacular launchcelebrations, which included a cutting edge fashion show, thrilling performances by the LondonCommunity Gospel Choir, the Young Guns Orchestra and a ribbon-cutting ceremony by BorisJohnson, London’s Mayor.

The celebrations will continue through the weekend, with further fashion shows andperformances by music acts helping to create a great experience for London’s new generation ofshoppers.See www.westfield.com for background information on Westfield.

Blumarine

Leopard spots, Stephen Sprouse, and Andy Warhol gone Latin: Those were the unmissables at Anna Molinari's relentlessy cheerful Blumarine. Unless Azzedine Alaïa is seriously put out by the referencing of his seminal eighties leopard signatures—from top to toe, not forgetting the matching clutch—it was hard to imagine anyone feeling curmudgeonly about the sheer brazen up-ness of it all. If ragazzi just wanna have fun next fall, this is a company that will deliver it—in neons with crystal, and featuring lots of sexy "biker" and Balmain-esque jacket-and-flashy-jeans combos as further options.

Shamelessly kitsch the show may have been—Ms. Molinari projected a pseudo-Warhol portrait of herself on the backdrop—but, funnily enough the content was not 100 percent cheese. The designer's Italian-quality knitwear holds up to scrutiny, and when her sweater dresses were paired with well-tailored coats, it qualified as a reasonably chic grown-up look. All that was forgotten, of course, once she started up with the sub-Warhol flower-print leggings, sugar-pastel satin mini-suits, and an orgy of neon leopard chiffon disco gowns. Then again, the single-minded mission to keep good-time girls happy in a bad time also has a certain honor in it.

TORONTO DESIGNERS INVITED TO PRESTIGIOUS NEW YORK FASHION SHOW - DRESSED TO KILT

TORONTO, Ontario – March 25, 2009 – On March 30th, the fashion collaboration of two Canadian companies, Puffin Gear and Ostba of Salzburg, will grace the runway at this year’s “Dressed to Kilt” show in New York.

Ostba of Salzburg and Puffin Gear have been invited to attend and show their new Harris Tweed Collection at the prestigious fashion event on the evening of March 30th. Hosted by Sir Sean and Lady Connery, models at the show will include Scottish actors Brian Cox and Tony Curran, “Ugly Betty” star Ashley Jensen, Ivanka Trump, and the award-winning actress Andie MacDowell. Dressed to Kilt is the highest profile showcase for Scottish fashion in the world and attracts only the most talented designers. It is Hollywood’s Highland fling, to celebrate the very finest in Caledonian couture.

Ostba of Salzburg and Puffin Gear’s Harris Tweed Collection of co-ordinating hats and bags will be showcased along side collections from Vivienne Westwood, Mackintosh and many other design aficionados of Scottish textiles.

From: FashionNews

A Kinder, Gentler Christian Bale at the "Terminator Salvation" Premiere

Los Angeles – Christian Bale was all smiles during his red carpet walk for the premiere of his latest action film "Terminator Salvation" held at Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood on Thursday, May 14. No sign of that angry actor who so famously went off on the film's director of photography; instead, he hugged his wife Sibi Blazic to his side and behaved.

Perhaps that's because it isn't Bale who is getting all the attention for this fourth installment in "The Terminator" series that began way back in 1984. That honor goes to Australian actor Sam Worthington, who breaks out in a big way in the massive action flick.

The former bricklayer from Perth is the man of the hour, as was obvious at the elaborate after party set up in a parking lot across Hollywood Boulevard. As spotlights swept the scene and massive robots loomed over the revelers, Worthington was mobbed by excited new fans. He hung on tight to girlfriend Natalie Mark, and seemed to take it all in stride.

"I think I'm in a lucky position to be getting offered roles that I find interesting," said the 32-year-old actor who spent ten years working in Australian film, television, and theater before taking the leap to Hollywood. "I'm working with some very talented people and hopefully telling some good stories. And hopefully my work isn't going to let those people down."

His co-stars on hand seemed happy with his performance as they did the meet-and-greet at the premiere. Moon Bloodgood, Jane Alexander, Anton Yelchin and Bryce Dallas Howard all made the star-studded scene, along with "Terminator" fans like Rose McGowan, Eric Dane, Anil Kapoor, Tyrese Gibson, Kathryn Morris, Brook Burke, Eric Mabius, and Kelly Osbourne.

But despite the rumors swirling around the party, it turned out that California's governor and the original star of "The Terminator" Arnold Schwarzenegger and his wife Maria Shriver did not make the premiere. They did, however send three of their children to the celebration. Katherine, Patrick, and Christopher Schwarzenegger represented the family, and watched their dad's robot character return to the role that made him a household name 25 years ago.

From : YahooNews

Victoria's Secret PINK Announces New Schools for The Collegiate Collection!

Victoria’s Secret PINK will be announcing the new schools that will be added to the exclusive PINK Collegiate Collection as the “Class of 2009.”

Beginning on May 15, a new school will be announced each day on www.vspink.com leading up to the online product launch on June 22.

After receiving more than 10 million votes for hundreds of different schools through its “Nominate Your School” program on www.vspink.com, VS PINK has chosen the 24 new schools that will be added to the PINK Collegiate Collection.

As of June 22, over 50 universities across the country will be included in the PINK Collegiate Collection, which is comprised of a variety of items such as fleece pants, hoodies, tees, shorts, dresses, and flip flops.

From : FashionNews

"Tulips & Pansies: The Headdress Affair" - A Night of Flowers and Fashion to be Remembered

New York – If you hadn't yet become savvy to the fact that pollen season has begun in New York City, then the "Tulips & Pansies: The Headdress Affair" fashion show fundraiser thrown by Village Care New York on Thursday, May 14, was a true spring awakening, merging fashion and flowers for a good cause.

Fashion designers and florists, 17 duos in total, teamed up for the eighth annual VCNY event where there was more coming down the catwalk to look at than just a pretty dress. Each florist worked with a clothing designer to come up with an extravagantly decorative headpiece that models adorned, complementing the runway look. Lilies, orchids, poppies, roses and even palm leaves all served in the cast of foliage that stood high atop the models' crowns.

The event was hosted by James Aguiar from Full Frontal Fashion and Style Network and featured apparel designers including Tory Burch, Pamella Rowland, Ralph Rucci and Cynthia Steffe.

Winning accreditation from the judges for most entertaining design was Sara Jordan of Sara Claire and Esther, who paired fishnet stockings to her Bordeaux colored, man-tailored cropped jacket highlighting this season's special vintage embellishment - lace. "Lots of feathers," said Amy Wolk of Fleurs as she made final preparations backstage before the show, which proved to be essential to her winning top hat design that completed the cabaret inspired ensemble. The headdresses, each with their own themes, styles and inspirations, were floral masterpieces in height and length, some towering over four feet high and others spanning the same in width. Creativity was in full bloom with designs that included a fantasy bird's nest with eggs, a Greco-Roman Cleopatra hair style, a floppy "over the top" brim hat made of roses, and a Napoleon hat.

Fashion entrepreneur and founder of public relations firm People's Revolution, Kelly Cutrone chaired the event for Village Care New York along with Jack Curry. "This is the only place that helps people with HIV when they have no where else to go," said Cutrone. Having lived in the West Village area of Manhattan, she reaffirmed her loyalty to the cause, as well as her old neighborhood, shrugging her shoulders and saying, "What can I say. I'm a downtown girl."

From : YahooNews