Ferrari and Versace, a feast of Italian elegance
Ferrari and Versace, a feast of Italian elegance
: Versace and Ferrari are rock, the rest is slow," said In Quattro Fashion Group president Fabio Cavaggioni, paraphrasing Celentano's trademark words; he was thus summarizing the party held last Tuesday at the Ferrari Maserati showroom on Avenue Road.
The occasion was the presentation of Versace's winter collection (including jewellery and accessories) and of the Ferrari 430, already available for the past few months but, as every car from the Maranello maker, "tailor-made" for every customer.
Ferraris are the world's most exclusive and envied cars; buying one now entails waiting two years (and of course having a well-padded wallet), yet the waiting list continues to grow by the day.
"I continue to be of the opinion that it is better to have one less Ferrari on the market than one more," commented Remo Ferri, of Ferrari Maserati of Ontario.
Since a few years ago, in fact, two of Italy's historic carmakers joined their
Super model Kate Moss is back with top brands
Super model Kate Moss is back with top brands: Kate Moss was caught snorting cocaine and as a result, was dropped by many companies from their pricey modeling assignments. Now, the episode seems to be forgotten and Kate is back where she belongs – at the top of the super model pile. She has just bagged a contract from Burberrys. She will also do a stint for
Italian fashion house Roberto Cavalli and for cosmetic giant Rimmel whose range of mascaras she models this season!
French fashion house Longchamp has honored the supermodel as the face of its 2006 advertising campaigns. Longchamp's managing director Jean Cassegrain was reported to say, "Despite her personal issues which have been extensively covered in the press, Kate remains by far the most famous and the most admired model in the world. She continues to be on the cover of the most respected fashion magazines and she has become an icon of our time."
Versace: Istanbul has more Fashion Energy than Milan
Versace: Istanbul has more Fashion Energy than Milan: A full range of the energy and capacity resources required for fashion can be found in Turkey, said Dr. Santo Versace, the owner of Versace, the
Italian fashion brand widely known across the globe.
Upon his arrival at Istanbul this week, Versace, surprised at seeing a different city after an eight year interval, compared the current state of Turkey with that of Italy’s 10 to 15 years ago. With its 1,900 branches in Turkey, Versace's boss expressed his disillusionment at the energy level of Milan or Rome compared with Istanbul: "There is a huge amount of energy in Istanbul to create lines of fashion. Turkey is capable of carry its own energy to European countries without sacrificing its own culture. The level of fashion in Turkey will be the same as that of Italy soon."
Italian in essence
Italian in essence:
A slice of Italy in your life? Only there is no political flavour to it this time around. Festa Italiana 2005, a fusion of Indo-Italian culture, lifestyle and everything apolitically correct, returns to India.
The Indo-Italian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ITCCI) brings the annual festival, being held between November 20 and December 1, to Bangalore, Mumbai, New Delhi, Chennai and Kolkata.
Italian fashion goes phut!
Italian fashion goes phut!: Formally trained as an architect,
Gianfranco Ferre is known to treat
fashion design with meticulous attention to form, structure, and balance. Ferre first entered the fashion world with accessories, and later, launched his own label, Baila, in 1974. Signature, a women’s and men’s collection, then followed, and soon Ferre debuted with his couture line in 1986.
Ferre claims a trip to India early in his design career to be the moment he grasped the oriental understanding of simplicity in line and colour. In India, Ferre learned “the notion that purity is the goal of all good design.” Sadly, that wasn't on display on IMS Vikant.
Italian fashion goes phut!
Italian fashion goes phut!: For the very first time IMS Vikrant agreed to allow its historical deck to be converted into a ramp, and even allowed freeloaders to dump used cans and bottles on preserved missiles, but it ended up being a sunk cause.
The
Gianfranco Ferre and Trussadi show, organised to herald the Festa Italiana, Italy’s festival in India, turned out to be a flop.
Ferre, who’s actually revered for menswear, surprisingly preferred to exhibit his women's line which was way over the top, and simply out of reach for most Mumbaikars, in terms of both pricing and looks.
Italian fashion house Missoni forms JV with hospitality major Rezidor
Italian fashion house Missoni forms JV with hospitality major Rezidor: "Brussels-based hospitality company Rezidor SAS Hospitality has announced in London on November 16th, 2005 that they had concluded a worldwide license agreement with the
Italian fashion house
Missoni, to develop and operate a lifestyle hotel brand of the same name: Hotel Missoni.
The deal will now see Rezidor SAS conclude on negotiations for sites for the new brand in the UK, mainland Europe, Russia, Asia Minor and the Middle East. With the first three Hotel Missoni's expected to be open in 2007 and 30 expected to be open or under development by the year 2010.
Speaking at the completion of the agreement, Kurt Ritter, President and CEO of Rezidor SAS stated that they have been believers in this market segment for a long time now and this deal gives us the perfect brand to take their share of this fast growing, increasingly important, market sector."
Sneakers Claim To Change Health
Sneakers Claim To Change Health: "A $200-something pair of
sneakers claims to change how you use your muscles, joints and spine.
So, do they work? WBAL-TV 11's Donna Hamilton put them to the test.
The manufacturers of the Masai Barefoot Technology
(MBT) sneaker say their product's uneven sole transforms flat artificial surfaces, simulating how our ancestors walked around barefoot on uneven surfaces.
Hamilton wore the shoes for several days and found that her legs felt like they were getting a bit more exercise when she walked. She said the shoe are comfortable and offer plenty of support.
WBAL-TV 11 took the shoes to the Institute for Foot and Ankle Reconstruction at Baltimore's Mercy Medical Center for a more involved test."
Villa Bolgheri
Villa Bolgheri: In Tuscany, the glory of our lives is to be born with the sensitivity to beauty and the tradition of evoking it with one's own heart, mind, and hands.
Villa Bolgheri neckwear manifests this perfectionism, and a Tuscan sensibility.
Zoppini
Zoppini: Zoppini is an extraordinary company in the Italian fashion industry. Founded in 1993 by Mauro and Manuel Zoppini brothers in Florence, it constantly grew and launched totally unique collections over the years like “Dare to love”, “Zo-Feeling”, “Zo-Dark”, “Zo-Mix” and “Farfus”.
Sogni D'Arte
Sogni D'Arte: Sogni D’Arte is a very genuine Italian accessories brand. Each of their creations somehow breaks the rules of fashion because it doesn’t follow any of the concepts that other Italian designers use.
Sogni D’Arte handbags have such a variety of shapes and colors unlike any other
Italian handbags by other designers. The main motive used is the nature.
Silver Chianti
Silver Chianti: Silver Chianti, as the name suggests, is a small company of the Florentine area that creates products in sterling silver.
Silver Chianti’s philosophy is sensitivity to tradition. But by using today’s experience and technology, they add to each and every creation modern elements.
Robe di Firenze
Robe di Firenze: Robe di Firenze is an extraordinary company renowned for the skills of its leather workers, who manage to create an wonderful work of art out of a piece of leather that on its own would mean nothing.
The name of this brand, translated into English, means “pieces of Florence ”. Honoring the Florentine leather working traditions, kept thoroughly for centuries, each Robe di Firenze creation has in it a piece of the legacy of this place.
Renato Balestra
Renato Balestra: Renato Balestra is a small sized
Italian fashion designer. Not very well known in the US, he is just now starting to make his works available outside Italy .
His popularity is starting to rise as his sales partner,
Forzieri, the leading distributor of Italian fashion accessories worldwide, is making a terrific job of making people aware of Renato Balestra’s talent.
Fashion Tips: The belt must match your shoes
The belt must match your shoes: The most important thing to know about dressing to be in
fashion is that the color of the belt you are wearing should ALWAYS match the color of your shoes.
This is basic fashion knowledge people. This may sound harsh on some, but truth is I hate it when I see people ignoring this little detail. It’s really sad to see this wonderful woman on the street, wearing a nice pair of pink shoes, with a black belt?!? Somebody call the fashion police, please!
Fashion Tips for men and women
Fashion Tips: Probably the most popular items purchased when we go shopping are clothes. We’ll always love to wear a new pair of pants or shoes.
But for most people, there is the issue of not knowing how to combine each parts of the wardrobe to achieve the desired look. Whatever the combination they try, it never seems work.
Morpier Firenze
Morpier Firenze: Morpier Firenze was established in the early 1950’s by Alfio Morucci, with the original name "Casa Morpier". It was a small business with a small artisan workshop and a line of watches and silver jewelry that was sold through several carefully chosen shops in Italy .
However, Casa Morpier’s extraordinary quality creations didn’t go unnoticed for long. They started being sold in more and more shops and eventually Alfio Morucci was publicly recognized for its tremendous creativity.
Masini Gioielli
Masini Gioielli: The Masini Gioielli fashion jewelry house was established in 1946 by Carlo Masini.
It started as a small workshop, immediately after the Second World War, located close to Ponte Vecchio in Florence .
Masini Gioielli originally crafted only silver, following the finest Florentine traditions. However, Carlo’s character was that of a pioneer, an explorer. So he soon started making small experiments.
Manieri
Manieri: The Manieri Belts company was founded by Paolo Frascarelli, who wanted to be able to express his talent without the pressure of others.
He designs his collections himself. The chief of Manieri gets his inspiration and great ideas from the Italian artistic and cultural heritage that he admired since he began as a fashion designer.
Missoni
Missoni: Missoni is one of those Italian fashion companies that have and keep a powerful tradition when creating new products.
The huge luxury empire that it now represents started business in 1953 as a small fashion studio in the basement of Rosita and Ottavio Missoni’s house in Sumirago, a little town near Milan.
In the beginning, Missoni only focused on sportswear, as Rosita and Ottavio first met each other at the Olympic Games in 1948 where Ottavio was competing for the Italian national team.
Haurex
Haurex: Haurex Italia is one of the most important company specialized in Italian watch making and design in the world. Haurex had a powerful influence on the worldwide watch making industry.
Haurex is an Italian company that started business in 1989. Since then, they continuously managed to present the world new and breath taking watches. Elegant and playful, they are always distinctive.
Givenchy
Givenchy: Very early on, Hubert de Givenchy manifested a passion for fashion. At age 10, he visited the World's Fair in Paris and returned filled with wonder from the Pavilion of Elegance, where 30 models of the most famous French couture houses were presented.
His mind was set: he would be a fashion designer. On February 2, 1952, Hubert de Givenchy's dream came true: he opened his own Maison de Couture and his first collection was an immediate success.
Gianfranco Ferre
Gianfranco Ferre: Gianfranco Ferre is a very important Italian fashion designer. In numerous occasions, he collaborated with several other fashion designers around the world to create some very interesting items.
Since he debuted in the fashion world in 1969, Gianfranco Ferre has created various accessories, fragrances and clothing lines for men, women and children. His name became a symbol of style and class.
Giorgio Armani
Giorgio Armani: Giorgio Armani is probably the best know Italian fashion designer in the world.
Born on July 11, 1934 in a small Italian town, Giorgio Armani has become a symbol, an ambassador of Italian fashion all over the world.
Particularly known for his stylish suits worn by top Hollywood actors such as Mel Gibson or Richard Gere, Armani never even thought of becoming a fashion designer in his youth.
Gabriela Ligenza
Gabriela Ligenza: Working only with specially treated natural fibers, the color combinations she uses make each of her hats a unique piece. She combines the classic, traditional style used in the past with modern elements to create truly works of arts.
Forzieri
Forzieri: Forzieri is a global fashion accessories and jewelry retailer based in Florence, Italy. Since they were established in 1994, they grew to become the most important Italian fashion accessories retailers in the world. If you’re looking for a nice watch or a fine tie to match your suit, Forzieri is the place to look for.
Forzieri sells accessories from all major Italian fashion houses like Gucci, Armani, Versace, Cavalli and many others. These brands are recognized all over the world because of the quality of their products.
Fornasetti
Fornasetti: Piero Fornasetti could be described best as an amazing visionary. He was designer but at the same time he was an artist, illustrator and graphic designer. His products were sold in shops and department stores throughout the western world.
He spent most of his life in Milan where he got his first job at the age of twenty two. From 1935 to his death in 1988, Fornasetti established a totally unique style in the fashion world that got him an extraordinary high reputation.
Milena
Milena: Milena started the activity of manufacturing dress shirts in 1953 and as a result of the over-refinement of the workmanship and the attention to details; it has become nowadays a very strong brand renowned for its creativity and high quality fabrics.
Antica Murrina Veneziana
Antica Murrina Veneziana: Since the 1960's the Voltolina brothers have been creating works of art from glass for their company Vittorio Voltolina. In 1988 they decided to expand their artwork to include the oldest tradition of Venice, the Murrina.
The reinstatement of this historic procedure was a great success, and a few years later the company was renamed Antica Murrina Veneziana.
Fashion news
ESTEE LAUDER and
Missoni have hooked up to concoct a new fragrance for spring. To mark the 50th anniversary of the Italian fashion house, an entire beauty line should be available early next year. "It offers something quite special and it is unlike anything already on the market," said a
Brava, The Hard Way
Brava, The Hard Way: Rip Taylor similarly flipped. "Like it? I've seen it four times," he said, leaving the Lyceum. And—at the other end of the showbiz spectrum, opera legend Licia Albanese was also singing praises of the show in her broken -
Italian fashion. And she wasn't the only soprano at the opening: Dominic Chianese was likewise moved: "It's a powerful theme because it's not only about the performer and her angst, it's also about how people can accept things and they don't have to tell the truth. That's what it's about to me."
Kate Moss again
Kate Moss again: IF Kate Moss has taught us anything it is that
fashion is of vital importance. Get the clothes right and the rest of your life falls into place without a hitch, a crease or a snag.
And it’s a message appreciated by our judiciary. As the Sun explains in headline form: “LET OFF TAG..BECAUSE IT DOESN’T GO WITH SKIRT.”
The Mail adds a few accessories to the basic story, and tells its readers about Natasha Hughes, an 18-year-old up before the Beak in Worcester.
Appearing in court, Hughes admitted breaching the terms of her bail curfew. Hughes was on bail having been accused of causing grievous bodily harm to another woman.
Hughes was in trouble. It looked bad. But she didn’t want it to look any worse and asked the magistrate to consider her outfit. You see, Hughes likes wearing skirts. And a tag would mean her needing to wear trousers or a shell suit to cover it up. And that would be too awful for words.
“I didn’t want to wear a tag because they are really bulky and embarrassing,” says Hughes in the Mail. “I like to wear skirts, which means people see it and it looks stupid.”
Tagliamonte
Tagliamonte: Tagliamonte is a unique company because of the fact that it is the only manufacturer in the world that produces Venetian Cameo and Intaglio jewelry. The process is very complicated because it involves molding vitreous pastes and stamping of thin 18 karats gold sheets with original matrices of traditional iconographic subjects.
Each Tagliamonte jewelry piece is unique and exclusive, being hand made by skilled jewelers using an old technique dating back to the 18 th century.
Tagliamonte was originally founded in Torre del Greco, near Naples in 1943 but it moved to Vicenza, the famous district known for it’s numerous and skilled gold workers.
Ileana Creations
Ileana Creations: Ileana Creations is an Italian jewelry designer based in Naples.
Over the years, she’s managed to capture the eyes of those interested in exquisite jewelry with the creations sold in stores throughout Italy.
Their elegant pieces are all made with Swarovski Crystal, the combination of
Italian design and Austrian excellence being simply stunning.
Manieri
Manieri: Manieri was founded by Paolo Frascarelli, who wanted to be able to express his talent without the pressure of others.
He designs his collections himself. The chief of Manieri gets his inspiration and great ideas from the Italian artistic and cultural heritage that he admired since he began as a fashion designer.
I each of his creations, Paolo Frascarelli combines skins, metals and buckle with his individual working process that balances the latest in technology with the traditional craftsmanship of the place.
Burberry latest fashion brand to stand by Kate Moss
Burberry latest fashion brand to stand by Kate Moss Burberry has come out publicly in support of Kate Moss, describing reports the supermodel was being dropped by the fashion brand as 'nonsense'.
In an interview with the Evening Standard, Christopher Bailey, Burberry's creative director said reports the fashion label were dropping Moss were nonsense.
"There has been so much nonsense in the press about Burberry dropping Kate -- it really is all nonsense," he said.
Moss has starred in nine out of 16 of Burberry's campaigns since 1998.
Bailey goes on to call the 31-year-old supermodel, who has just completed a month of rehabilitation in an Arizona clinic after the Daily Mirror printed pictures of her snorting cocaine, as "part of our family" and "one of the best models in the world".
"Is Kate still part of our family? Absolutely," Bailey said.
"Yes, she has some issues that she probably needs to resolve, but don't we all? She's living in the public eye -- but she's a model, and she's probably the best one ever in the world. And she's a good, good person inside."
Bailey also praises Moss for being a complete professional.
Fashion show combines modernity and tradition
Fashion show combines modernity and tradition: A charity fashion show is to be held at the Tokyo National Museum in Ueno on Monday, featuring works by Tokyo-based designers on the theme of koinobori carp streamers.
The title for the event, Dengen, is a combination of the Japanese words "dento" (tradition) and "gendai" (modern times), and conveys the idea of applying tradition to the age we live in. The event is meant to contribute to society through
fashion design, according to the organizer.
The designers' creations will be auctioned, with profits donated to the World Wide Fund for Nature Japan.
Roland Mouret: Roland Mouret's Fashion Award
Roland Mouret: Roland Mouret's Fashion Award: Roland Mouret won the Red Carpet Designer of the Year Award at the British Fashion Awards last night.
The award was presented by Nicky Clarke at the V& A in London. Mouret is one of fashion's hottest designers with celebrity fans such as Scarlett Johansson, Cameron Diaz, Victoria Beckham and Demi Moore.
He is also responsible for this season's must have item - the Galaxy dress. The dress flatters the figure and provides the wearer with the perfect silhouette. Demand for the dress is so high that is has sold out and ordinary women are clambering to get hold of one on eBay.
The talented
fashion designer has recently announced his shock spilt from backers Sharai and Andre Meyers after five years together. They will keep the company name Roland Mouret and he will stay as Head of design for six months.
Fendi plans to grow big
LVMH's Fendi unit aims for 600 mln eur of sales in 2007'The idea is for
Fendi to generate by this time 600 mln eur of revenues,' Burke said, during the launch of a new flagship store for the brand on New York City's 5th Avenue.
But the flagship store in New York was a necessary step in making Fendi one of the top
Italian fashion brands by 2007. 'It's a very important market in terms of sales,' Burke said. 'We need the appreciation of this town and we must succeed here.'
Italians in couture clash with Chinese
Italians in couture clash with Chinese: The same month of the trade agreement Zegna engineered the merger of two major
Italian fashion unions to form a united front against growing competition in China. Combined, the Italian Fashion System and the Textile Association of Italy represent about 2,000 manufacturers.
One of Zegna's main goals is to get Chinese manufacturers to curb the production of counterfeit goods such as Gucci handbags and Valentino sunglasses. Counterfeits are shipped to Italy where they are sold on the black market for a fraction of the price of an authentic product.
Kate Moss Back at Work as Pete reveals Second Love Child
Kate Moss Back at Work as Pete reveals Second Love Child - Fan Club for Kate Moss - soFeminine.co.uk: Troubled supermodel Kate Moss has already completed her first modelling assignment since leaveing rehab last week, in an Ibiza shoot for Roberto Cavalli.
The Croydon-born beauty posed in skimpy swimsuits for the Italian fashion house's spring/summer collection, and the results found their way onto the front pages of British Sunday papers at the weekend. Cavalli commented that: "Kate looks absolutely fantastic, I think people will be stunned by the photographs. She is back working and doing what she does best and, like usual, she was really professional."
Armani announces joint venture
THE Armani Group announced this week that its new joint venture with COMO Holdings will mean the worldwide expansion of the A/X Armani Exchange – to arrive in Europe shortly.
"Through the launch of the Giorgio Armani Privé couture collection at the start of this year and now this new joint venture, we are effectively closing the circle on our unique multi-brand approach, whereby we are reaching all levels of the marketplace with carefully differentiated lifestyle fashion collections under the Armani master brand," said
Giorgio Armani. The company foresees revenues increasing from $300 million to $550 million within the first three years.
Benetton plans outsourcing from India : HindustanTimes.com
Italian fashion major Benetton Group is planning to outsource clothings from India for its vast 5,000 chain of retail outlets across the globe.
'We are thinking to distribute Indian products overseas where we are present in 20 countries,' Benetton Group Chairman Luciano Benetton said in Kolkata on Friday through an interpretor.
He, however, did not divulged any further details on this plan.
United Colours of Benetton brand is present in India through Benetton India brand for the last few years and already sources almost 98 per cent of the local requirement from the domestic market."
Japanese fashion in full bloom
Japanese fashion in full bloom Popular designer Keita Maruyama, a familiar face at the Paris Collection, brightened up Japan Fashion Week in Tokyo as the glamorous event entered its fifth day on Friday, unveiling a showy, cheerful collection on the catwalk.
Flowers, flowers and more flowers dominated Maruyama's designs to match the floral theme he chose. His patterns ranged from bold, psychedelic floral prints reviving images of the 1970s to smaller daintily embroidered flowers. KEITA MARUYAMA TOKYO PARIS also presented a dress resembling a sheet of rose petals, bringing an end to the designer's vibrant, sexy fashion showcase.
Street sense underscored Kiminori Morishita's Halb collection for men. Jackets with a military tinge and vintage manufactured jeans combined to offset dressy shirts with frills and bowties.
I wish Japanese fashion success, but
Italian fashion will still be on top.
Pratesi
Pratesi: Pratesi has been producing leather goods since 1948, when right after the 2nd World War, Egidio Pratesi took advantage of all the expansion going on in the world of the cinema and movies, and started to work as a costume designer and tailor of a number of the costumes used in the making of the film ' Quo Vadis ', the famous film set in ancient Rome.
Julius Legend
Julius Legend: It is well known that among the many sources of inspiration for creating many models of watches, historical and architectural studies and research of perfection take the highest spot.
Julius Legend took that one step further and its ambition was to create watches that could combine functionality, refined techniques and extraordinary beauty.
The Italian company never forgot its Roman legacy. Julius Legend’s logo is an interpretation of a Roman sculpture that symbolized strength and victory.
Glenny
Glenny fashion house was founded in 1961 by Arnaldo Girombelli. It soon became a very important payer in the Italian fashion industry.
For over twenty years, Glenny designs were guided by Gianni Versace.
However, Glenny's eventually moved on to create its distinct look. Each line has a distinct trait that sets it apart from other similar products by other companies.
Fontanelli
Fontanelli: Fontanelli is another family owned fashion company with an important tradition. Its beginnings date back to the mid nineteen century when Italy divided into several duchies.
Back then, Fontanelli family was known as the most skilled leather workers in the whole of Tuscany.
Duchess and duchesses all over the Italian peninsula and rulers all over Europe were coming to the Fontanelli family asking them to craft various objects out of high quality leather.
Robe di Firenze review
Robe di Firenze is an extraordinary company renowned for the skills of its leather workers, who manage to create an wonderful work of art out of a piece of leather that on its own would mean nothing.
The name of this brand, translated into English, means “pieces of Florence ”. Honoring the Florentine leather working traditions, kept thoroughly for centuries, each Robe di Firenze creation has in it a piece of the legacy of this place.
Fendi
Fendi: The Fendi luxury empire started in 1925 when Eduardo and Adele Fendi opened the doors of their small leather and fur store in Via del Plebiscito in the center of Rome.
Having its own workshop, he store quickly became very popular and in 1932 the Fendi family opened another shop, this time on Via Piave. Over time, they opened many shops to sell their creations. Nowadays, there are 6 Fendi shops on Via Borgognona alone.
An important step in the development of the business was the marriage in 1965 between the German designer Karl Lagerfeld and one of Adele's daughter which proved to be a success for both companies.
Haurex Watches
Haurex: Haurex is an Italian company that started business in 1989. Since then, they continuously managed to present the world new and breath taking watches.
Elegant and playful, they are always distinctive.
With the goal of making their watches please their owners, Haurex is using the most current forms of esthetic research, based on the fact that there are different areas of taste worldwide.
