Friday, November 26, 2010

Armani taps Chinese market with online store

MILAN (AFP) – Italian fashion designer Giorgio Armani plans to tap the Chinese market with a new online store that opened Friday for Emporio Armani in one of the first such initiatives in China by a major fashion brand.


"In view of the increasing enthusiasm for online shopping and the growing importance of the Chinese market, I have decided to open an Emporio Armani online store in China," Armani was quoted as saying in a statement.
"We have identified a significant group of fashion consumers who will certainly appreciate this new approach to shopping, one that becomes more popular every day," Armani said, referring to the Chinese market.
Online retail sales in China, which has the world's largest web population of at least 420 million, soared 117 percent last year to 39 billion dollars (29 billion euros), according to iResearch, a Beijing-based research firm.
US fashion giant Gap launched an online store in China earlier this month and Wal-Mart -- the world's biggest retailer -- has said it too plans an Internet presence in China soon. Apple opened an online store in October.
Armani said it was "the first fashion brand to offer a 'flagship store' online experience in China." The website is backed by Yoox, an Italian online fashion retailer that has grown rapidly during the global economic crisis.
The Armani Group has more than 5,000 employees and 13 factories, producing clothes, as well as accessories, eyewear, watches, jewellery and perfume.
The group has 609 stores in 46 countries around the world.

Source: Yahoo!

Thursday, November 25, 2010

This weeks featured blogger-Cat in Dreamland

Who has had the biggest fashion influence on your outfits? 
Lately I must give it to my fellow bloggers for the amount of inspiration they give me! Before blogging or reading blogs, I’d simply get inspiration from fashionable girls on the streets, magazines and tv shows such as Gossip Girl. 


What made you start posting your pictures on chictopia ? 
I believe style is part of art and art must be shared! I unintentionally fall on a blog, it was the one from “This chick’s got style”and I just loved it. The whole idea about sharing your outfit seemed just natural to me. So its all thanks to the fellow bloggers, really! 







What blogs and websites do you follow and why? 
I love going on the VOGUE website, either the French, Italian or German Vogue site (from Europe you don’t get access to the American one…). 
As for blogs, I follow quite a few and all are very different, maybe in total 30 of them. Just to name a few: 

-The Cherry Blossom Girl is my all time FAVOURITE, I just love Alix’s looks and purses! She is Parisian chic at its best. 


-The Village, its not 100% fashion related but it is just so refreshing as it shows you a bit of everything fashionable around you (houses, bicycles, hair do’s, etc). It’s just so different and I love Krystal (the blogger!). 


-This Chick’s got style obviously as it was the first blog I stumble upon and Yara always pulls of the best H&M outfits. I had long stopped shopping there as I was barely finding any pieces I liked until seeing her with the best outfits from there! I have now fallen back in love with H&M and it’s also really good on my wallet. 






Who are you style icons? 
I have never watched The City just because I can not stand the drama within reality TV but I do know very well who Olivia Palermo is and in the beginning of the year I was in London, during Fashion Week and I got to have lunch right next to her and her beau. The minute she walked in the restaurant, I wasn’t sure if it was her but I surely knew this girl has style and that I wanted her complete outfit. I then goggled her and realise the beau she was with was indeed her bf, therefore her! She had the Oversized Alexa bag from Mulberry in Leopard Print, some gorgeous taupe heels from Kurt Geiger, leather leggings, an amazing winter parka and the coolest and most expensive looking jewellery! Ever since I have followed her style even more and she never disappoints! 
Another of my fashion icons is Rachel Bilson and Alix from The Cherry Blossom Girl. 





Would you describe yourself as a trendsetter or fashion follower? 
I am a bit of both, of course I am influenced by my fashion icons and other bloggers but on my day to day life I have inspired more than one! And when it comes to style and shopping, I am often the reference amongst my friends. 



What is in your hosiery drawer or closet?  
See picture, its worth a thousand words. 


Where do you shop for legwear (favourite local online stores etc) ? 
I just love Henry Holland’s creative tights, I have his most popular pair of course but I am recently eyeing the Eiffel Tower print ones! Therefore I give it up to River Island and Top Shop for selling his brand! 





What was the last item of hosiery you brought, how much you spent etc ? 
Too many recently, once again have a look at this picture with all my latest purchases! 



Do you prefer sheer or opaque tights,stockings or holdups,socks or kneehighs,sheer toe or reinforced ? 
It is hard to say, it all depends of what you are wearing but in case I had to pick one for the rest of my life (so hard!) I’d go for the opaque tights as the sheer ones break too easily and the opaque ones can keep me warm during the harsh Canadian winters! Note that I am now living in Holland but it can still freeze her too during winter! 



Do you ever wear 10 denier tights or sheer hose if so how long do they last you? 
I started to wear the sheer hoses recently as I use to find them a bit for grannies but with the improvement in colours and quality, I have found a few ones that I do love and treasure. Some you could barely tell that I am wearing sheer hose and some are particularly made to give the retro look. See the difference for yourself in these two pictures 

When do you wear hosiery,daily-once a week etc? 
In the summer: NEVER! 
The rest of the year, I’d say once a week. 







What are your style tips for wearing tights? 
Don’t be afraid to mix different colors or prints. Wearing tights is about having fun and being creative (at least to me) so dare the unexpected! Make sure you hand wash them or put them into a special bag when you throw them in the washing machine to protect them! 



How do you put on tights? 
By inserting my feet first…Just kidding, I try as much as possible to not use my nails but only the tip of my fingers for pulling them up and I make sure to not wear any rings when I am doing so. 




How would you feel if you could never wear tights again? 
I’d make sure to go live in Singapore or somewhere hot and humid where not only do you not need them but you don’t want them on either! Otherwise it would totally restrict me to wearing skirts or dresses only in the summer. 



Do you remember either buying or wearing you first pair of tights? 
That’s a great question, souvenirs from the past! As a little girl, I think I did not know what pants or jeans were. In all my younger age pictures, I am wearing dresses or skirts and 9 times out of 10 with tights as it is often cold in Montreal, my home city! I believe that tights are feminine and I want my future baby girl to be trendy and girly so I will let her discover jeans on her own when she gets older! 



Do you keep a spare pair of tights in your bag? 
Never, I am far from being organised and prepared, so in the situation it rips then I just live with it. It has its charm you know! 



The best and worst things about hosiery, Love-hate? 
I love the feeling of them and the diversity that is available now, either sheer, with hearts or bows, fuchsia, you name it, they exist! But on the downside, I often need to throw them after a one time use as some rip really easily and it just breaks my heart! 



Do you recycle your tights?
I’ve done it once or twice to create headbands. We live in an era of recycling so why not!
 


This weeks featured blogger-Cat in Dreamland

Who has had the biggest fashion influence on your outfits? 
Lately I must give it to my fellow bloggers for the amount of inspiration they give me! Before blogging or reading blogs, I’d simply get inspiration from fashionable girls on the streets, magazines and tv shows such as Gossip Girl. 


What made you start posting your pictures on chictopia ? 
I believe style is part of art and art must be shared! I unintentionally fall on a blog, it was the one from “This chick’s got style”and I just loved it. The whole idea about sharing your outfit seemed just natural to me. So its all thanks to the fellow bloggers, really! 







What blogs and websites do you follow and why? 
I love going on the VOGUE website, either the French, Italian or German Vogue site (from Europe you don’t get access to the American one…). 
As for blogs, I follow quite a few and all are very different, maybe in total 30 of them. Just to name a few: 

-The Cherry Blossom Girl is my all time FAVOURITE, I just love Alix’s looks and purses! She is Parisian chic at its best. 


-The Village, its not 100% fashion related but it is just so refreshing as it shows you a bit of everything fashionable around you (houses, bicycles, hair do’s, etc). It’s just so different and I love Krystal (the blogger!). 


-This Chick’s got style obviously as it was the first blog I stumble upon and Yara always pulls of the best H&M outfits. I had long stopped shopping there as I was barely finding any pieces I liked until seeing her with the best outfits from there! I have now fallen back in love with H&M and it’s also really good on my wallet. 






Who are you style icons? 
I have never watched The City just because I can not stand the drama within reality TV but I do know very well who Olivia Palermo is and in the beginning of the year I was in London, during Fashion Week and I got to have lunch right next to her and her beau. The minute she walked in the restaurant, I wasn’t sure if it was her but I surely knew this girl has style and that I wanted her complete outfit. I then goggled her and realise the beau she was with was indeed her bf, therefore her! She had the Oversized Alexa bag from Mulberry in Leopard Print, some gorgeous taupe heels from Kurt Geiger, leather leggings, an amazing winter parka and the coolest and most expensive looking jewellery! Ever since I have followed her style even more and she never disappoints! 
Another of my fashion icons is Rachel Bilson and Alix from The Cherry Blossom Girl. 





Would you describe yourself as a trendsetter or fashion follower? 
I am a bit of both, of course I am influenced by my fashion icons and other bloggers but on my day to day life I have inspired more than one! And when it comes to style and shopping, I am often the reference amongst my friends. 



What is in your hosiery drawer or closet?  
See picture, its worth a thousand words. 


Where do you shop for legwear (favourite local online stores etc) ? 
I just love Henry Holland’s creative tights, I have his most popular pair of course but I am recently eyeing the Eiffel Tower print ones! Therefore I give it up to River Island and Top Shop for selling his brand! 





What was the last item of hosiery you brought, how much you spent etc ? 
Too many recently, once again have a look at this picture with all my latest purchases! 



Do you prefer sheer or opaque tights,stockings or holdups,socks or kneehighs,sheer toe or reinforced ? 
It is hard to say, it all depends of what you are wearing but in case I had to pick one for the rest of my life (so hard!) I’d go for the opaque tights as the sheer ones break too easily and the opaque ones can keep me warm during the harsh Canadian winters! Note that I am now living in Holland but it can still freeze her too during winter! 



Do you ever wear 10 denier tights or sheer hose if so how long do they last you? 
I started to wear the sheer hoses recently as I use to find them a bit for grannies but with the improvement in colours and quality, I have found a few ones that I do love and treasure. Some you could barely tell that I am wearing sheer hose and some are particularly made to give the retro look. See the difference for yourself in these two pictures 

When do you wear hosiery,daily-once a week etc? 
In the summer: NEVER! 
The rest of the year, I’d say once a week. 







What are your style tips for wearing tights? 
Don’t be afraid to mix different colors or prints. Wearing tights is about having fun and being creative (at least to me) so dare the unexpected! Make sure you hand wash them or put them into a special bag when you throw them in the washing machine to protect them! 



How do you put on tights? 
By inserting my feet first…Just kidding, I try as much as possible to not use my nails but only the tip of my fingers for pulling them up and I make sure to not wear any rings when I am doing so. 




How would you feel if you could never wear tights again? 
I’d make sure to go live in Singapore or somewhere hot and humid where not only do you not need them but you don’t want them on either! Otherwise it would totally restrict me to wearing skirts or dresses only in the summer. 



Do you remember either buying or wearing you first pair of tights? 
That’s a great question, souvenirs from the past! As a little girl, I think I did not know what pants or jeans were. In all my younger age pictures, I am wearing dresses or skirts and 9 times out of 10 with tights as it is often cold in Montreal, my home city! I believe that tights are feminine and I want my future baby girl to be trendy and girly so I will let her discover jeans on her own when she gets older! 



Do you keep a spare pair of tights in your bag? 
Never, I am far from being organised and prepared, so in the situation it rips then I just live with it. It has its charm you know! 



The best and worst things about hosiery, Love-hate? 
I love the feeling of them and the diversity that is available now, either sheer, with hearts or bows, fuchsia, you name it, they exist! But on the downside, I often need to throw them after a one time use as some rip really easily and it just breaks my heart! 



Do you recycle your tights?
I’ve done it once or twice to create headbands. We live in an era of recycling so why not!
 


Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Celebrity legwear Style: Fearne Cotton


FEARNE COTTON'S STATISTICS
Name:Fearne Cotton
Hair Colour:Blonde
Eye Colour:Blue
Body Type:Straight Up
Height:tall
Age:29
P.O.B:London, England

Successful TV presenter, interviewer extraordinaire, bubbly radio DJ and clothing designer, Fearne Cotton is living the new-age celebrity dream. Juxtaposing girly ensembles with a rock chic edge, Fearne is often seen dipping in and out of trends, adding her own kooky finishes to keep it unique.

2010 has seen Fearne adopt a love of black but she keeps it vibrant and fresh with tousled hair, stacked bangles, tons of rings and devil red lips. She tops the look off with this season’s must-have bag and a hot boyfriend.





One item that you’ll regularly see Fearne wearing is skinny jeans - a staple for any fashion icon’s wardrobe and the perfect piece to dress up or down. Fearne teams the skinnies with feminine pieces such as sheer shirts, lacy socks and demure heels - let’s call it ‘girly goth’.

Fearne is also famous for her love of frocks and some of her looks definitely suggest a nod towards Chanel. Think shift dresses teamed with pearls, handmade collars, lace inserts and button detailing, but Fearne will always liven things up with quirky accessories such as unusual tights to keep the look original.





Her other sartorial favourites include rock chic tees and bold prints such as polka-dot shirts and leopard-print coats. Fearne is a girl on the go and her style accommodates this by being comfortable but vibrant, eclectic and effortlessly stylish.



Tips for stealing Fearne’s style:

Invest in a pair of great skinny jeans and dress them up with sheer blouses or down with rock chic tees. Don’t be afraid of coloured denim!

You can never have enough accessories (especially rings) - combine textures and colours to keep the look original and eclectic

Go for black winged eyeliner, red nails and red lips

Liven up a black palette with bold prints

Always carry a statement must-have handbag

Think girly but with a tomboy edge














Read more: http://www.independent.ie/lifestyle/independent-woman/fashion/steal-her-style-fearne-cotton-2422577.html#ixzz15YEA91au