Local labels showcase their menswear in Sydney, Florence
Fair to say Australia hasn’t made a huge splash with its men’s wear before now, but perhaps that’s all about to change.
At last week’s Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia there was a handful of men’s wear designers in the mix, an improvement on the merest presence in recent years. Even Dion Lee unveiled a new men’s wear line.
And next month two of the brands that showed at MBFWA — Double Rainbouu and Ten Pieces, both great examples of strong, unique lifestyle brands — will join six other labels in taking their wares to a global audience at the Pitti Immagine platform for emerging designers at the Pitti Uomo trade fair in Florence.
For the first time, the event will host Australia as its guest nation, with a dedicated pavilion for our designers, in collaboration with the Woolmark Company and with advice from the Australian Fashion Chamber.
For Pitti Immagine chief executive Raffaello Napoleone, it’s the perfect timing. “First, our goal has always been to look for something new and interesting for the international market, and for sure the growth of contemporary fashion and creativity in Australia is very interesting at this moment,” Napoleone tells Buzz.
“Second, we have had for years this program of guest country and we have invited in the last 10 years young designers from countries from Singapore to Japan to Korea to Brazil. And in my opinion, for a country like Australia that is so influential today, to have a platform like Pitti Uomo to show younger and interesting designers is a big opportunity to start really opening up other markets (to them). Until now, Australia has been, in my opinion, not so open to international opportunities, and so this is a very good opportunity.”
The other brands taking part are Strateas. Carlucci, Chris Ran Lin, Comma, Sener Besim eyewear, Ex Infinitas (last year’s men’s wear finalist in the International Woolmark Prize) and activewear brand PE Nation, which will unveil its new men’s wear line at the event.
Keen online shoppers will likely know that tonight is Vogue’s Online Shopping Night, where brands offer special deals for 12 hours only (starting at midday). And now you can shop for good.
Camilla Franks has decided to increase her philanthropic deeds for the day. Already part of the i=Change platform, in which online retailers donate $1 for every purchase made to go towards charities largely involved in female empowerment, Franks has chosen to make that $5 for the 12-hour period of VOSN.
“My dream for this company is bigger than fashion,” says Franks. “It’s about a full vision with heart that aims to rehabilitate women by providing them with skills, education, purpose and a safe community.”
For the Camilla brand, VOSN is the single biggest shopping event of the year, so Franks is hoping to donate big. In her estimation, the donations from this one night alone could be enough to provide 366 days of education for girls in Rwanda with the Akilah Institute, train 20,000 women in Bangladesh to help end child marriage with The Hunger Project, and feed 6600 Australians in crisis through Foodbank.Read more at:formal dresses online | formal wear brisbane
Winter is all about making the most of the cosy factor
I'm sitting in a deep armchair with the fire roaring, my dogs are tucked up beside me in a woolly beanbag and it's gloomy outside. Winter has started and I couldn't be happier.
Don't get me wrong, I love a good sunny day as much as the rest of us, but nothing beats the cosy pleasure of feeling snug and warm, tucked up inside. The designer in me also loves this change of season as it gives me an excuse to redesign spaces to suit the colder weather and how we react to these shorter days.
It's like a spring-clean but autumn styles. A chance to pop away the linen throws and cotton cushion covers and break out the sensual warm fabrics and homewares that are showing up on the home design scene.
Usually I do all my buying for the AFD Store a season out, just like the fashion industry, the homewares world works within seasons and designs accordingly.
In February I was handling richly hued velvets, super soft woollens, faux furs and brushed cottons and now they are starting to filter into our shops and into our homes with welcome abandon.
Winter is here and so is the cosy-factor.
Brands like Kip and Co, General Eclectic, Bo Concept, Country Road and Citta have embraced warmth and added not only a breath of warming materials but a complimentary colour palette that only adds to the lusciousness.
While all completely different in their style offering they all give us something for our homes that will compliment this colder weather and not let us ache for the summer sun, but to enjoy the winter feels in our homes.
Colour also has a major influence on seasonal homewares and there is a plethora of shades that are being showcased in products, furniture and interior design.
Pigment rich tones of burgundy, royal blue, aubergine and deep browns are big players as well as the colour de jour, green. Not any old green either, think mossy, muddy and intense green that is regal and intense.
These colours are showing up in furniture, fabrics, throws, cushions, baskets, ceramics, lighting and accessories. Homewares imitating fashion, yes, I do believe so.
We are in a season of change and change is good. Forget the spring-clean let's embrace the autumn-clean and open our design arms to the warm-inducing homewares that we are being shown.Read more at:semi formal dresses
Sofía Sanchez de Betak’s New Book Shows
Sofía Sanchez de Betak—“Chufy” to those who know her best—is a multihyphenate art-director-fashion-consultant-designer who is known for both her taste in style and in travel. Having grown up in Argentina, Chufy divided her time between the big city of Buenos Aires, the wild regions of Patagonia to the south, and her father’s hunting lodge in the northern Argentinian province of Entre Ríos. Today, she travels the world consulting for luxury travel and fashion brands, including a recent campaign with Roger Vivier and an ongoing partnership as global explorer for The Luxury Collection Hotels & Resorts.
Clearly Chufy is the kind of woman who thrives on keeping a packed itinerary, while on the road and also at home in New York. In addition to the launch of her clothing line at Bergdorf Goodman, The Webster, and Colette on June 1, Chufy has also officially released her first book, Travels with Chufy, published by Assouline, launching at Bergdorf’s next month and currently available online. The book is a meditation on de Betak’s unique approach to travel. Whether it’s a Naples hotel where every guest leaves a copy of their favorite book, a luxurious eco-retreat in the remote Brazilian beach town of Trancoso, or a ryokan in Kyoto operated by the same family for three centuries, she has the keen ability to always find the singular, hands-down best place to stay—off the grid but still utterly luxurious. After all, as Chufy says, where you lay your head can completely transform the way you experience a destination.
In advance of the Travels with Chufy launch at Bergdorf’s on June 1st, we’ve asked de Betak to share a couple of her tips from the book—how to jet around the globe with ease, and how to show up at any destination around the world and experience it like a local.
Here, some pearls of wisdom and a few sneak previews of the book’s wanderlust-inspiring destinations:
Look for history.
Don’t trust anything too new, says de Betak. The Tawaraya Ryokan in Kyoto is an inn operated by the same family for over three hundred years. “So you know they’re doing something right.”
Home is where the heart is.
“I always look for a house, a family, or owner-run place to stay at. Whether it’s a guest house, or a little place above a restaurant that only has a couple of rooms,” says de Betak. A perfect example is the guest house of Asli Tunca, one of Istanbul’s most prominent interior designers—where you can experience an exquisite home and get personalized sightseeing advice from one of the city’s most elegant insiders.
Don’t write off tourist traps.
“There’s a reason you can trust tourist traps,” says de Betak. Consider checking out ruins on the Greek island of Rhodes, for instance, but don’t show up before 5 p.m.— chances are most tourists will have already come and gone, and you can enjoy sunset among the ruins in peace. “And usually there’s a side street nearby with something interesting on it, like my favorite place to stay on Rhodes, the Marco Polo Mansion.”
Dress for the destination.
“Whites are for Patmos, and colors are for Kastelorizo,” says de Betak of two of her preferred destinations in the Greek islands. “And when I’m in Japan I always like to bring some silks and kimonos. You stick out a bit but it’s part of the fun.”
And also dress for the climate.
“When I visit Estancia Arroyo Verde in Patagonia, I always bring my gaucho clothes.” What does that entail, exactly? Take a peep at de Betak’s new clothing line to find out.
Say no to mid-flight beauty rituals.
“All I do for beauty is drink a lot of water and perhaps a little bit of moisturizer,” says de Betak. “I once sat next to a woman who was painting her nails on the flight and thought it was quite disgusting. It’s intrusive for everyone around you. Beauty is for before or after the plane, not during.”
Pack light.
“I always pack a lot of light silks and thin materials that way the suitcase isn’t too squished. And you have more room to bring home souvenirs.” When she visits Mike’s Camp on Kenya’s exquisitely remote Kiwayu island, for instance, it’s all about bringing light maxi dresses, a good bikini or two, and not much else.
Don’t be afraid to try new things.
Staying at Caravan Tokyo—an impossibly cute trailer parked in one of the downtown commercial districts—is an immersive experience. And while staving off jet lag in a couple of square meters might not appeal to everyone, de Betak insists it’s a prime location for walking around and experiencing everything the city has to offer, including some really stellar fish markets with some of the best sushi around. “It’s one of those things that as a traveler you don’t have a choice,” says de Betak. “In a place like Japan they might offer you some food and you aren’t quite sure what it is, but that’s part of the fun. You can’t fly halfway around the world and not be down to try some strange new fish in Japan.”Read more at:bridesmaid dresses australia | formal wear brisbane
Arab Fashion kicks off today in style
The fourth edition of Arab Fashion Week will start today at the Meydan Hotel and Grandstand with the participation from leading designers across the world. Taking part in this regional fashion week are Marchesa from New York and Antonio Marras from Italy alongside Ingie Paris and Michael Cinco.
Jacob Abrian, chief executive officer of Arab Fashion Council said: "The focus of the Arab Fashion Week is not only to promote regional fashion talent but also to allow international designers to strengthen their presence in this region by showcasing their collection to a very affluent and fashion-savvy audience."
The Arab Fashion Week is one of the few global platforms to focus on pre-collections - these being the fashion collections that come out in-between seasons - and emphasising clearly on evening wears. "The fact that we chose to hold Arab Fashion Week in May, in between all the major international fashion weeks and right before summer, was a strategic decision. Our concern is to meet the requirements of the fashion industry, where buyers tend to spend 75 per cent of their budget on pre-collections. Therefore it's vital that there is a global platform that allows you to showca these collections," said Abrian.
The Arab Fashion Week is titled 'Ready Couture' and held in partnership with Sheikh Mohammed Bin Maktoum Bin Juma Al Maktoum Investment. Attending the function will be international celebrities like Cav Mario Boselli, honorary president of National Chamber of Italian Fashion, Caroline Rush, chief executive of British Fashion Council, Georgina Chapman, wife of film producer Harvey Weinstein to name a few.
The WWD magazine, a journal specialised in international fashion trade, will have its first Middle East edition highlighting the Arab Fashion Week. "The challenge for this emerging fashion week is to address their presence in the international calendars. Ultimately fashion weeks are trade events. If you are to attract trade from the region and globally, there needs to be a compelling reason to come," said Ritu Upadhyay, WWD's Middle East correspondent.
A fashion week that puts this region on the international map, the event confirms the region's position in the glamorous global markets. The week ends with Arab Fashion Awards grand gala dinner on Saturday, May 20.Read more at:celebrity dresses
Gala Fashion Evening 2017
At the event Aarong showcased the very best in design from their latest grand addition 'Her Story' to the up-to-the-minute chic 'Taaga' wear. This show was one of its kind in Bangladesh, introducing only the very best in designs.
Each piece was unique and regal in every context raising the very meaning of grandiose to a brand new level. Every single piece had a look and feel attached to it that screamed 'entirely Bangladeshi' — synonymous to the established brand vision of Aarong.
Arranging an invite only event, Aarong reserved the viewing of their exclusive show only to priority customers, renowned personalities of Dhaka, dignitaries from the ministries and foreign embassies. The renowned fashion house did not make the viewers wait for long and soon enough the gorgeous models made a striking entry donning the latest Kurti Collection of the celebrated brand.
The kurtis were all super trendy and up-to-the minute chic, revealing elongated styles that are very much in for the season. Colours varied for the kurtis from the raging magenta to the deep black shades of midnight and pearl whites.
The dresses were all exclusive, meant to be worn as both day and night wear. One midnight black coloured kurti with Mughal motifs particularly caught attention as it was both regal and sensuous. The queue also displayed special double layered kurtis, Anarakali kurtis and special ones paired with jackets. Next came the most opulent and popular line by Aarong — the silver jewellery, mostly inspired by a fine combination of tribal and Mughal impressions.
The highlight this year were the statement pieces with intricate 'meenakari' work and an exclusive combination of gold and silver jewellery fit together as faultless arrangements.
The silver jewellery collections, mostly in multiple layers, were quite impressive and worth pairing with any kind of 'desi' wear.
The very next queue was the ever gorgeous, ever sophisticated and one of the most admired product line by the reputable fashion house – 'gold jewellery'. Every single piece in the fashion queue could be considered testimonial. With exclusive 'katai' work and implanted semi precious stones, this year's magnificent line-up was filled with gorgeous combinations of gold and semi precious stones.
Aarong has been forthright in introducing the new technique in the fashion show. When it seemed like guests at the show had already witnessed the very best in jewellery collection, Aarong surprised all with the jaw dropping 'pearl collection'.
With this collection the fashion house pretty much made sure that all preset ideas regarding pearls and its link to simplicity were completely shattered.
Pearl body pieces were introduced. Contemporary fashion statement pieces like pearl strings attached to earrings, the half necklace, Victorian inspired designs combined with semi-precious stones and the intricate choker were also launched at the fashion show.
The pearls glittered in show-light and looked ever mesmerising on the sophisticated Jamdanis donned by the models.
Aarong did not make the guests wait for the highlight of the show. The introduction of the latest limited edition, sub-brand — 'Her Story'. The grandness of the designs of the hottest fashion line equally matched its pre-established hype. Each piece was unique and regal in every context, meant for niche purchase; the line raised the meaning of grandiose to a brand new level.
Even though the collection was super exclusive, every single piece had a look and feel attached to it that was indigenous, disclosing deep-rooted nationalism. The motifs for each of the exclusive designs in this line were rickshaw art influenced and reflected a story that every Bangladeshi women could connect themselves to.
The exclusive line was separated by a colour theme highlighting a stunning blend of blue, grey and green in the first assembly and a gorgeous combination of black, rust, red and maroon in the second. There were a good range of saris, long kameez sets, jackets, kurtis —all resembling the heritage of Bengal, the beauty and exclusive styling sense of its womenfolk.
With the fashion show, 2017 Aarong managed to prove again that it never fails to surprise its clients. Next, on the ramp was the queue dedicated to fashion jewellery largely made up of brass and clay materials.
Models dressed in all black attire seemed perfectly dressed to draw attention to the super trendy jewellery. Most of the clay fashion jewellery pieces incorporated complex and detailed Radha- Krishna motifs usually applied on local tapestry work. The brass jewellery designs carried a lot of statement pieces with Mughal inspirations – body pieces, harem jewellery, dangler earrings, intricate slave bracelets and much more.
After much seriousness, 'Taaga' – the 'fun' and 'frolic' fashion line of the renowned brand, entered stage. Disclosing a free-spirited, bohemian line-up, the queue was as modern, chic and trendy as it could ever get.
Perfectly meant for the average working women and college going teenagers, Taaga rocked the stage with a burst of colours and a fascinating resonance of tassels. The cape, short kurtis and coatees were fantastic, contemporary and can be easily paired with jeans, leggings, capri pants and even skirts. Aarong's designers provided expert suggestion for the show but the 'funky' Taaga tops were definitely meant for a personal touch.
Finally came the much awaited 'Eid Fashion' queue in a sophisticated Mughal theme. Motifs used were Mughal painting, architecture, tile-work and ceramic work all in floor length gorgeous designs of kameezes and exclusive men's sherwanis.
The saris in the exclusive queue were all high-end material like pure chiffon, silk and muslin. The dedicated three separate queues for the Eid Collection were all superbly exclusive and worth the wait. The colours highlighted were white, red, maroon, black, champagne, purple, blue, turquoise and different shades of green.
As a concluding note, it must be admitted that the entire event was a major success with freshness and uniqueness galore. The A grade models from both Bangladesh and neighbouring countries were exclusive and connoisseurs in carrying off each look with elegance.
Choreography was superbly done by Azra Mahmood. All the designers from Aarong proved their worth again with each of the freshly introduced look. Music by Chirkut, and Bappa Mazumder, were equally mesmerising, melodious and contemporary; blending well with the grand occasion.
For all its worth, the following lines can be finally said – “Thank you Aarong for the 2017 fashion gala evening and setting standards in the fashion arena one step higher. We are already looking forward to the next big show in 2018.”Read more at:bridesmaid dresses online | long formal dresses australia
A night of fashion brilliance
Aarong, the country's prime fashion brand held a Fashion Gala Evening at Radisson Blu Dhaka on May 13, proving again why it is the pioneer in the field of fashion and styling.
With a restricted, invite- only scheduling, Aarong reserved the show only to its priority customers and to a classified list of social elites.
At the fashion show, Aarong introduced brand new styles for all its jewelry lines; silver, gold, pearl and fashion. Every design was unique and fit to be donned by the modern, independent woman.
There was much talk amongst the crowd regarding the freshly launched sub-brand, 'Her-Story'; Aarong did not disappoint anyone, as the up-to-the-minute chic fashion line matched the pre-established hype.
Each piece was grand, sophisticated, local and classic in every context; the fresh new line simply uplifted the meaning of grandiose to a brand new level.
Aarong included another one of its famous line, 'Taaga' in an all new Bohemian appearance. Each Taaga piece represented comfort to the ultimate level, synchronised with style and sensitivity.
The much-awaited Eid fashion line-up in a Mughal theme was equally attractive, with inspiration driven from the alleged era's architecture, paintings and motifs.
Choreographed by Azra Mahmood, the exclusive fashion show was managed superbly. Soothing, contemporary Bangla music by Bappa Mazumder and Chirkutt also entertained the guests while they were waiting for queues to enter the ramp.Read more at:formal dresses sydney
African fashion brings colour and culture to Sheffield Moor Market
Tanzania-born Nengarivo opened her stall, called MHACAGI, at the market two years ago.
She said: “I have been in the UK for 10 years, I came to study. I considered going back, but my son – Nathaniel Kalombo, now aged eight – had always known here as home so I decided to stay. But, I needed to do something to keep a little bit of home with me, so I decided to open my businesses.”
Nengarivo is part of the Maasai tribe, who live in both Tanzania and Kenya.
She added: “It is so different back home to the way it is here. The women hand make the clothes for themselves or their family, but they don’t have any means to sell them. I wanted to do something to help them.
“The women make the clothes and send them over so I can sell it over here. I then send the money back to them. It’s life-changing for them.
“They use the money to buy food for their families or for things like soap and toothpaste which we can take for granted here. It means so much to them and I am so glad I am able to help.”
The first thing you notice when you step in to the stall is the explosion of colour, the second is the array of fabrics and patterns.
Hundreds of dresses hang from the walls; and each glance reveals something new.
The clothes are popular with women of all ages, shapes and sizes – and all cultures.
Nengarivo said: “I do have Maasai women coming in who say they are pleased that there is finally a clothing store for African women.
“But, I do also sell quite a lot to English women. The clothes are so colourful and beautiful and they love it. They love the feel of the fabric and the bold designs. I also provide for women of all sizes.”
It is not just clothes on offer, there’s also authentic Maasai jewellery, handbags, accessories and arts and crafts. So, if you’re not feeling brave enough to step out in a traditional floor-length Maasai dress, you can always try a delicate beaded necklace, bracelet or even keyring.
Mum-of-one Nengarivo hopes that her business will grow even further.
“My vision is to be able to provide something from women all around the world.
“I really want to celebrate women and show all the great things they can do. I want to have one place where everyone can feel at home and people can learn about a variety of cultures.
“Thank you to everyone who has supported me so far, I’ve had some great feedback.”Read more at:formal dresses adelaide
