Fashionable Fam: Jennifer Lopez and Gang Get Gucci Gorgeous!

Fashionable Fam: Jennifer Lopez and Gang Get Gucci Gorgeous!: "Following in the footsteps of model-turned-designer Kimora Lee Simmons, style icon Jennifer Lopez is making sure her children get exposed to the fashion world at an early age—and what better...
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Burberry Launched Cosmetics Line

Burberry Launched Cosmetics Line: "Burberry, British design house known for its iconic check plaid and classic style, has finally launched it’s cosmetics line in early July 2010. I just noticed this great news yesterday, since I’ve been avoiding window shopping for beauty items. Not that I don’t like them, but my thought is - if you don’t see then [...]"

BoF Daily Digest | Burberry takes control, Hello Tommy, Superdry boosts profits, H&M revenue weakens, LFW lineup

Burberry Autumn/Winter 2010 | Source: Burberry

Burberry to buy out Chinese franchises (FT)

“[Burberry] said it would buy out its Chinese franchises in a £70m deal that will see it take direct control of its 50 stores on the mainland. The deal came in the same week China reported 10.3 per cent growth in the past quarter.”

Hello Tommy (Vogue.com)

“Tommy Hilfiger is adding a new lifestyle label to its repertoire, entitled Tommy. Aimed at twentysomething men and women, the line will move away from the preppy styles for which the brand has become known, instead focussing on handmade and distinctive details.”

Superdry fashion label boosts profit at SuperGroup (Independent)

“The fashion retailer SuperGroup has tripled its annual profits and vowed to step up international expansion. The owner of the Superdry brand said it would open 20 stores in the UK this year and 38 overseas.”

H&M Revenue Growth Weakens (Bloomberg)

“Europe’s second-largest clothing retailer, said revenue growth weakened in the final week of June, causing same-store sales for the month to miss analysts’ estimates.”

New stars and welcome returns for London Fashion Week (Telegraph)

“The Swedish design powerhouse, Acne, and the NewGen hot talents, Holly Fulton, David Koma and Michael Van Der Ham, will all make their catwalk debuts at London Fashion Week in September… [Giles Deacon] will also return to the LFW scene.”

Unique Indonesia Chiffon Scarf

Unique Indonesia Chiffon Scarf: "If you love to shop online, you will be happy to know about this one place we’re about to tell you. Imagine a mega shopping complex, where you have a lot of store so that you don’t have to go to too many place just to find different things that you want. But the place, [...]"

Marni

A retro strain ran through Consuelo Castiglioni's Resort collection. Aside from the swags, ties, and ruffles and the emphasis on an hourglass silhouette, there was a governess-y tinge to a high-waisted skirt with a green striped satin blouse as well as to a rust-colored bibbed blouse with leg-of-mutton sleeves. Castiglioni name-checked the Bauhaus for its influence on the graphic print of a long summer dress, and that design movement's resolutely unromantic quality hovered over the clothes. The costume jewelry, on the other hand, was all boldness and sensuality. Outré and prim in the same outfit: Castiglioni excels at that kind of face-off.
—Tim Blanks

Christopher Kane

'I like to be as focused as possible,' says Christopher Kane, which is why his collections always have such a strong, clear quality. Resort was no exception. Following on from last Spring's bomb motifs, he opted for flaring nebulae, as seen by the Hubble telescope. He explained that he liked 'the idea of explosive outwards expansion' (a nice metaphor for what's happening with his business), but all that cosmic hyperactivity also yielded some great prints (translating beautifully into silk cashmere knitwear, too), with plenty of the interplay between light and darkness that's a Kane signature.


Nothing showcased that kind of contrast better than a biker jacket in chiffon with a frilled skirt attached. Kane offered the same piece in black leather, an accent carried over from Fall in high-waisted shorts, a bustier, or the bodice attached to an organza gazar skirt. Gazar also featured in a long princess skirt, gathered at the waist so it flared out. Mid-thigh, it zipped in half to become a skating skirt. Same with the halter-necked version, which Kane called a "housewife dress," though it was anything but suburban in its fiery print of cosmic catastrophe—a desperate-housewife dress, perhaps?


Those full, flaring lengths and the palazzo volume of the pants were experiments with new silhouettes for Kane, perhaps not entirely successful in comparison to the Barbarella-sleek line of his baby dolls and drop-waisted T-shirt dresses, where his focus was steely. By the way, Kane named his shoes for Barbarella—maribou-trimmed Zanotti platforms, ironic bordering on camp, and a joy to behold.
—Tim Blanks

How to Make a Cosplay Pikachu Beanie Hat : Secretlifeofabionerd

I was obsessed with making these hats last summer. It was one of the many first items I started selling. Surprisingly they became such a popular novelty item. I thought I would share with you guys how I made them. Remember you can switch out the ears to make it into any other animal you would like. Also, I LOVED A-KON. How Fun!Materials:Stretch Fleece: Hancockfabrics ½ yardWhite Cotton: Hancock Fabrics ½ yardMusic:Lullaby by Mathew Sells http://www.newgrounds.com/audio/listen/332548Celestial Ideal By Marky Spark http://www.newgrounds.com/audio/listen/325184 Twitter: www.twitter.com/ricesushi02Blogspot: www.secretlifeofabionerd.blogspot.comFace Book Group: http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=178537304162&ref=tsDisclaimer: Everything was purchased with my own money unless stated otherwise.

‘Beauty Prescription’ Quiz Tests Inner, Outer Looks

Lasting beauty is both 'skin deep and deeper' according to authors Debra Luftman, M.D., and Eva Ritvo, M.D.

Lana Turner may or may not, as legend has it, been discovered perched prettily on a stool at the soda fountain of Schwab’s Pharmacy in Hollywood. But, believe us, toss the keys to an Audi TT convertible anywhere in Los Angeles and you’ll hit enough lovely young things to cast any number of remakes of Friends and Melrose Place. The city that some of us call home is not an easy place to hold onto one’s feelings of attractiveness.

That’s why time and again we have turned to the Beauty Prescription Quiz in the book named, no surprise, The Beauty Prescription and subtitled The Complete Formula for Looking and Feeling Beautiful (McGraw-Hill, 2008). The book was co-written by Beverly Hills dermatologist Debra Luftman, M.D., and Eva Ritvo, M.D., a Miami psychiatrist (they call their home cities “the Botox latitudes”), who are both knockout blondes and the closest of friends since they met in medical school some 25 years ago. They hatched the idea for the book while on vacation with their families in Jamaica. Sitting under umbrellas, SPF 45 sunscreen slathered on — natch! — Luftman says she and Ritvo realized “that while our specialties were different we were treating the same patients. They came to me to fix the outside and to Eva to patch up their self-esteem.” The result: a holistic guide to looking your best with a generous serving of the message that beauty is both, as the authors say, “skin deep and deeper.”

Taking the Beauty Quiz is an illuminating experience, and it’s now available online at TheBeautyPrescription.com. You’ll agree or disagree with 80 questions on inner and outer beauty such as, “When I go out, I feel confident that people will find me attractive even if I don’t look perfect” and “I use a nonabrasive exfoliant a few times a week.” We aced the outer beauty portion, flunked the inner beauty part, and scoring the quiz, clearly saw some areas where we needed to tweak our attitude and a couple where we could adjust our beauty regimen.

We’ve taken the quiz again several times and we find that after a day when we’re thoroughly engaged with friends, family, work and working out, our “inner beauty” score soars. A friend even told us that she uses the quiz as one indication of whether a man she’s currently dating is healthy for her self image (okay, we’ll admit, that was us!).

One lucky VIV Says reader will win a copy of The Beauty Prescription (a $24.95 value). For your chance to win, click here. And tell us: What’s your best advice on cultivating inner beauty?

Brains on Bikes Rolling Into D.C.

Sweet success: Brains on Bikes' Gundy Hennig and Anne Feeley will finish their three-month journey July 17.

When we heard about brain cancer survivor Anne Feeley’s 4,170-mile cycling trip across the U.S., we were inspired. After being diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor in 2006, doctors told Feeley that her chances of survival were slim. The median survival rate of a glioblastoma multiforme tumor, a diagnosis she shares with the late Ted Kennedy, is 15 months. “Brain cancer was a wake-up call for our whole family,” Feeley says. “The shock wasn’t that I was going to die, but that I had forgotten that I was going to die. We all are. Life isn’t a dress rehearsal.”

After chemotherapy and radiation treatments, Feeley has been in remission for four years. As a survivor of a disease that few people live long enough to fight for, Feeley decided to launch Brains on Bikes, a three-month journey from San Francisco to Washington, D.C., to raise awareness and funds for brain-cancer research. With her friend and trainer Gundy Hennig and dog Walter by her side, Feeley’s journey comes to a close July 17 with a gathering at the Capitol Reflecting Pool at 12:30 pm (click here to RSVP).

Having been diagnosed with one of the most underfunded cancers, Feeley wanted to put a face to the disease and inspire hope in other survivors. “I came up with the idea for Brains on Bikes during my third walk with the American Brain Tumor Association in 2009,” she says. “As I talked to participants, I realized that I couldn’t find any other survivors who had lived as long as I have. Most of the people walking were loved ones, participating in memory of those that had died. I realized that we needed to put brain cancer on the map.”

Feeley was always fit as a mom, wife and baker, but her interest in long-distance cycling, competition rowing and mountain climbing took off during her cancer treatments. Looking to focus on something other than the pain, she started working with a trainer five times a week, and eventually started doing yoga. “I began my exercise routine while the staples were still in my head. Some days I cried all through the yoga class, but I did it,” says Feeley. After just a few months, she began competing in running, cycling and mountain climbing events.

“When I first attempted running, I could only manage seven steps. We slowly worked at it and less than a year later I finished a half marathon. My finishing time wasn’t great, but I finished and I felt wonderful. I learned that working toward specific challenges is essential for me.”

To help raise awareness about brain cancer and inspire hope in other survivors, join Feeley on Facebook, Twitter and her blog, and donate to Brains on Bikes on brainsonbikes.org. Every dollar raised will go to research and patient support for four different organizations, including Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure, American Brain Tumor Association, Stand Up to Cancer and UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center.

You can start your own cycling journey by using Google’s new bike map feature, which allows you to get step-by-step directions for bike trails, lanes and bike-friendly roads. Have you ever cycled for a cause?

Photo credit: Brains on Bikes

Green Picnic Ideas for Summer!

WASARA products, available from Branch Home, are biodegradable and eco-friendly.

Now that Earth Day has come and gone, it may be easy to forget those promises we made to always consider the environment. What better way to remember the importance of being green than enjoying the outdoors with a picnic? But dining outside often creates a significant amount of garbage, especially if we use plastic forks, paper plates and disposable cups. So we plan to picnic this year using biodegradable tableware, such as the WASARA collection available from Branch Home, and packing our food in an eco-friendly picnic basket. To ensure the greening of our picnics, we’re going to incorporate eco-friendly recipes, such as the ones found in Edible: A Celebration of Local Foods (Wiley, 2010).

Branch Home offers a variety of eco-friendly biodegradable and disposable tableware, including plates, bowls and trays ($5.50-$9 for packs of 50) made from sugarcane fiber by workers in China and Thailand paid fair wages. Or simply order the Biodegradable Party Kit ($48-$54) that serves 50 (it even includes three biodegradable waste bags for clean-up!). The WASARA collection features sleek designs, including wavy Kaku and Maru plates ($9 for a 12-pack of small, $12 for eight large plates), coffee cups and tumblers ($10 for six) and the wasara tray ($14 for eight).

If you’re packing a basket for an intimate picnic of two to four people, there’s the Eco Picnic Basket ($125-$150) from Uncommon Goods. The handwoven willow basket is packed with dishwasher-safe recycled glass goblets, natural cotton napkins and reusable bamboo plates, utensils and cutting board. The Eco Wine and Cheese Basket ($70), handwoven from willow and banana leaf, contains a bamboo cutting board and knife, recycled glass wine goblets and embroidered natural cotton napkins.

How do you keep your picnicking eco-friendly?

BoF Daily Digest | Yuan fears, Google vs LVMH Round 2, Shoes the new ‘it’ bag, Digital marketing costs, Stella for Team GB

Detail, 50 Yuan Note | Source: Kekapana

China’s textile firms may face bankruptcy on yuan appreciation (Xinhuanet)

“Half of China’s textile firms may risk going bankrupt if the value of the Chinese currency yuan rises 5 percent against the U.S. dollar given the industry’s thin profit margins.”

French Court Kicks Google/LVMH Case Back To Appeals (WSJ)

“The French Supreme Court Tuesday referred a previous ruling against Internet search giant Google back to the Court of Appeal, effectively canceling an earlier decision in favour of French luxury goods company LVMH.”

Manolos, Manbags Set to Outdo `It’ Bags as Luxury Growth Driver (Bloomberg)

“The next ‘It’ bag may be a shoe. As some customers struggle to justify spending thousands of dollars on Hermes Kelly or Chanel 2.55 bags, shoes like Jimmy Choo gladiator sandals are set to become a faster-growing luxury.”

The Actual Cost of Digital Marketing (Fashion’s Collective)

“Working as a brand marketer in today’s oversaturated landscape of media is a more difficult job than ever. Determining where and how budget should be allocated is becoming more fragmented with the constantly growing number of platforms.”

Stella McCartney gives Team GB fashion fix (Guardian)

“If an elegantly cut and tastefully colour co-ordinated tracksuit makes for a better athlete, then Team GB’s Olympic campaign received a massive boost today after Stella McCartney was revealed as its creative director.”

Couture jewelry, New Creative Director at Lacroix, Armani slumps, Prada’s secret Chinese shareholder, Rocha II

Chaumet Attrape-moi...si tu m'aimes ring | Source: Chaumet

Jewelry With Stories to Tell (IHT)

“You don’t need 3-D glasses for the sculpted shapes to stand out and the colors to pop. But the high jewelry that had an open day during last week’s haute couture season is finely tuned to the latest fashion.”

Christian Lacroix’s New Creative Director is Up for the Challenge (Fashionista)

“Besides Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen, there is no designer in the world with a more enviable/terrifying job than Sacha Walckhoff, the new creative director at Christian Lacroix.”

Armani Sales, Profit Fall Amid Downturn (WSJ)

“Italian fashion house Giorgio Armani said Monday its sales and profit dropped last year amid a consumer-spending slump brought on by the economic crisis… sales fell 6% to €1.52 billion ($1.92 billion) from €1.62 billion a year earlier.”

Prada says Chinese tycoon’s share-buying talk is unfounded (Chanelnewsasia)

“A Chinese tycoon has been quietly buying up shares in Italian fashion house Prada SpA in a bid to become the biggest shareholder, his company said on Monday, but Prada in Italy denied this as being completely unfounded.”

London Fashion Week prepares to welcome its second famous Rocha (Independent)

“With London Fashion Week just two months away, the hunt is on for the next British-based design star… the daughter of the designer John Rocha, among the young names hoping to catch the eye of international fashion press and buyers.”

An Introduction to Fashion Crowdfunding

Katie Eary | Source: katieeary.co.uk

NEW YORK, United States — Next week, BoF will launch The FashionStake Diaries, a new series chronicling the development of FashionStake — a new online crowdfunding start-up focused, as the name suggests, on the fashion space. It’s traditionally been extremely challenging for emerging fashion brands to get the financial and marketing support they need. The crowdfunding approach — pooling together funds from fans via the internet to finance young designer businesses and one-off collections — could very well help to address this market failure.

But FashionStake isn’t the only company to launch this kind of model for fashion. In recent months, crowdfunding has become an industry buzzword as several new start-ups are aiming to see if the model used by the likes of Kickstarter can be successfully applied to fashion.

So, before delving deeper into the forthcoming FashionStake Diaries, it’s worth getting to know some of the other crowdfunding start-ups that are looking to disrupt the existing investment and operating models. Here are some thoughts in the words of their founders.

STYLETREK, Cecilia Pagkalinawan, CEO and Founder

Style Trek Screenshot | Source: Style Trek

In their words: “StyleTrek.com will select emerging designers for their fresh and unique vision, quality of execution and offer this to the global consumer. If the designer is submitted by a StyleTrekker they will receive 74% of sales and the StyleTrekker 1%. If the designer submitted him or herself they will receive 75% of sales. Designers will receive a robust e-commerce platform, social media marketing support (on Facebook, Twitter and StyleTrek’s community) immediate international presence and a growing network of fashion fans who can help them develop new design ideas and even pre-order. StyleTrek will receive 25% of sales.”

Recent Buzz: Following blog posts in The Wall Street Journal and Cathy Horyn’s On The Runway, hundreds of designers submitted applications and over 50 people contacted StyleTrek for job opportunities. The angel funding round was oversubscribed and European and Asian investors were added to the original American investor base.

Our take: This is not, strictly speaking, a crowdfunding model, but it is what one might call crowdsourcing, enabling fashion fanatics to suggest designers to be stocked on StyleTrek. Though, it must be said that the current reward for doing so may not be enough of an incentive unless sales volumes are large. In order to make $100 in commission, a fan would have to refer a designer who sells $10,000 of clothes. Compare this to the $25 credit one receives on Gilt Groupe for making one referral that results in a sale. That said, founder Cecilia Pagkalinawan seems to have struck a chord with industry insiders. Her direct ecommerce experience at Burberry and La Perla, and relationships in the fashion industry will serve her well.

Launch Date: September, 2010

CATWALK GENIUS, Helen Brown, Co-Founder

Catwalk Genius Screenshot | Source: Catwalk Genius

In their words: “In Catwalk Genius’ crowd-funding scheme, the finance raised creates a new collection. Then, all the revenues from sales are split equally between the supporters, the designer and us. The return for everyone involved is therefore directly linked to sales. In the case of our collaboration with Katie Eary, once VAT and affiliate commission are deducted, supporters may earn anything from £0 to £12 for every £10 share they purchased.”

Recent Buzz: There has been much online conversation about Catwalk Genius’ support and link to young design star Katie Eary, whose collection on the site is the only one that has successfully been completely funded by the public, albeit at a lower amount of £5,000. Even though Eary is only a very young designer, it has helped to build awareness and lent credibility to the Catwalk Genius project.

Our take: Getting Katie Eary on board was a coup and if Catwalk Genius can make this designer relationship a success, then others may follow suit. But apart from Eary, most of the remaining selected designers have failed to raise sufficient funds through Catwalk Genius. If the wisdom of crowds truly works, then this means that Catwalk Genius supporters believe in the potential of Katie Eary, but the other designers have failed to inspire them. Catwalk Genius should aim find other high potential designers to generate more consumer interest. Stay tuned.

Launch Date: 2009

FASHIONSTAKE, Daniel Gulati and Vivian Weng, Co-Founders

FashionStake Screenshot | Source: FashionStake

In their words: “The business model works by allowing designers to offer exclusive collections directly to the public. Revenue from the collections is split between the designers and supporters of the collection. Supporters are people who bought ‘stakes’ in the designer’s collection. They receive their revenue in the form of clothing credits, redeemable for any purchase on our site. FashionStake takes a percentage of sales.”

Recent Buzz: Following an article by Reuters wire service, news of FashionStake’s launch went viral, with follow-on pieces in The New York Times, New York Magazine, Huffington Post, Washington Post, WWD, and Fast Company. The company’s pre-launch email registration list now stands at over 10,000 people.

Our take: In order for FashionStake to succeed, Weng and Gulati will have to focus on picking the right designer talent to make their model work. Crowdfunding in the way FashionStake has structured it means they must be focused on designers who have exemplary talent, some recognition and respect from the industry, and ideally some household recognition as well. The founders say they have “internationally recognised designers” in their stable, but are keeping mum about the details.

Launch Date: September, 2010

Next week, BoF debuts the first instalment of The FashionStake Diaries, a new series providing a behind-the-scenes look at the crucial first months of a crowdfunding fashion startup, seen through the eyes of its founders. First up: From Idea to Traction with $1000

Uniqlo’s social business, ASOS founder cashes in, Inditex into Antipodes, Liberty’s grand plan, Launching Gilt

Uniqlo Green Initiative | Source: greenz

Uniqlo Healing Social Problems With Hipster T-Shirts (Fast Company)

“Fast Retailing Co., the company behind the Uniqlo clothing chain, has established a new, wholly-owned subsidiary that’s going to expand its enterprise with a ’social business’ in the People’s Republic of Bangladesh.”

Asos co-founder cashes in as profits jump (Guardian)

“Online retailer Asos sees first-quarter sales rise by 54%… The man who co-founded Asos a decade ago has scooped almost £15m in his first major sale of shares in the online fashion retailer.”

Inditex says to expand in Australia, South Africa (AFP)

“Spain’s Inditex, Europe’s largest clothing retailer, said Tuesday it would move into Australia and South Africa next year as the Zara owner pushes ahead with its aggressive international expansion.”

Liberty’s Grand Plan (Vogue.com)

“Liberty’s new ceo Marco Capello has vowed to turn the store into the country’s best by 2012… ‘We have all the right elements – it’s just mad that we’ve been losing money. If I can’t turn this store round I have failed.’”

Launching Gilt Groupe, A Fashionable Enterprise (WSJ)

“With 2009 revenue of $170 million and a current valuation of some $400 million, Gilt Groupe appears to have more staying power than most fashion trends.”

Fashion Film Premiere: Elements by Jamie Morgan for REISS

LONDON, United Kingdom — Having recognised a missed opportunity online for both commerce and communication, REISS is not wasting any more time in getting on the digital train. The London-based fashion retailer is making big digital moves under the leadership of company founder David Reiss and brand director Andy Rogers.

This evening in London, REISS will screen its new film Elements, directed by Jamie Morgan, to a select group of fashion industry insiders, before a full web launch in September, coinciding with the arrival of the Autumn/Winter 2010 collection. Last week, I had a sneak peek at the stunning film and can share an exclusive trailer with BoF readers today. (RSS and email subscribers, you can see the trailer here)

In an extended conversation with The Business of Fashion, Reiss and Rogers spoke about how their digital epiphany came about and described their business strategy for REISS in the months and years ahead.

In the beginning, REISS could rely on its unique value proposition to drive the business. Offering beautifully-designed, well-crafted clothing at an honest price, sitting somewhere in the middle of the high street and high-end, REISS had carved out a distinctive market positioning.

But this is no longer enough. Up until recently, the REISS brand has been a high-potential but — figuratively speaking — an empty vessel, looking to be filled with some meaning to create a more emotional connection with consumers. What’s more, REISS’ plans for global expansion need to be supported by a more concerted communications strategy, especially as it moves outside the comfort zone of its home market, where REISS is already reasonably well-known.

Enter Andy Rogers who joined the company in 2008 after an eight year stint at Stella McCartney. In the words of David Reiss, “Andy’s brief when he came on board was to really sex the brand up, make it more aspirational and take it to a whole new level.”

But that is easier said than done, especially on a limited marketing budget. While is REISS is a profitable, decent-sized business — the last publicly-available figures are £67m in turnover with operating profit of £8.8m for the year ending 31 January 2008 — its financial means are a long way from the multi-million dollar advertising campaigns of much larger fashion businesses.

How is a small British fashion brand going to compete with luxury megabrands for consumer hearts and minds on a global scale?

The answer of course is the Internet. All it took was the confluence of a conversation with founder of New Look, a successful digital experiment, and a passionate pitch from Andy Rogers for Mr. Reiss to see the potential opportunity. “Up until 6 months ago we were only playing on the internet. We weren’t even touching on it.” he says. “Now we’re taking it really seriously. The Internet and viral media are the way forward.”

“When Tom Singh told me about the size of his online business, I nearly fell off my chair,” he chuckles, recalling a dinner he had with the highly-respected founder of New Look in New York. Then, last year, REISS experimented with an online campaign on Dazed Digital for its new 1971 denim line with a creative t-shirt competition, achieving an impact far beyond their expectations.

According to Alistair Allan, Digital Director of Dazed Digital, “The Reiss T project received 230,000 pageviews. It was one of our most successful projects and received over 600 entries,” he says. “The Dazed Digital readership is made up of primarily creative individuals, that’s one of the reasons our creative submissions projects work so well.”

“That was the moment when I realised, this is it, we have to pin everything we do around viral media, ” says Rogers. Soon after, he pitched the idea for shooting REISS’ next advertising campaign entirely on video, working with renowned filmmaker and photographer Jamie Morgan. “I found it easier to pitch this film to David than a traditional media campaign because you can track it, you can see whose watched it, and you can see the response rate.”

“The only mistake with Dazed was that we weren’t prepared for the its success. At that point we were thinking it was a great way to get people to see REISS in a different way, because it was innovative at our level to do that. A lot of people saw it, and a lot of people talked about it. But, internally we weren’t quite ready to translate that to sales,” says Rogers. “Now, we are.”

Indeed, unlike many fashion films which seem to obscure the products, Elements intentionally showcases the key items for which the brand is becoming well known, such as men’s tailoring and women’s dresses, but does so in an elevated way that also heightens the emotions. Rogers says that REISS will fully leverage the content from the video shoot not only for the film, but also by creating short moving images — let’s call them moving stills — to show key products on the REISS website, and also extract traditional still images to be used in advertising campaigns. These advertisements will be interactive, enabling consumers to connect with the REISS website using QR codes and an iPhone application. It’s a clever way of making a small production budget go a long way and linking it directly to sales.

Rogers and Reiss say they realise they are working on a virtual store that is a constant work in progress, even if it is already the company’s number one revenue generator. “We are learning something every day,” says Reiss. “We are not standing still. Everything is changing, so we have no other choice.”

Imran Amed is Founder and Editor of The Business of Fashion

Enjoying Vince Vaughn In The Great Outdoors

via la.guestofaguest.com: Nothing says summer like enjoying Vince Vaughn in the great outdoors! Last weekend, Angelenos screened Swingers at a park surrounded by Food Trucks and makeshift bars. MORE>>

Damon Dash Spotted At Hublot World Cup Final Screening Sans Vuvuzela

Go HERE for more photos by Shaun Vakil and tag yourself and your friends!

On Sunday, Hublot hosted a live screening of the FIFA World Cup Final at the ballroom at Cipriani Wall Street. So while most of us were being smothered by the soccer crowds in the city's Dutch or Spanish bars, Damon Dash, Beatrice de Quervain, and Ignazio Cipriani celebrated Spain's victory with a few close friends, and a medley of ridiculously large hats.

Hublot is a Swiss luxury watch maker specializing in the fusion of art and time pieces to the tune of tens of thousands of dollars. So if you thought that the inflatable soccer balls hanging all over the city's pubs were fancy, then you should have gotten a load of Hublot's beautifully decorated and appropriately themed Cipriani ballroom.

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Obviously Hublot and Cipriani get snaps for putting together this exclusive party, but the biggest hit of the night - aside from the private viewing of Hublot's summer collection - was the foam cowboy hat sported by many of the event's attendees.

Ignazio Cipriani

Yes the likes of Damon Dash, Steve Nash, and Giovanni Savarese were at Cipriani's to watch Andres Iniesta score Spain's historic goal, but guess who wasn't there, or rather what wasn't there in abundance?

Vuvuzelas. The extremely irritating noise makers weren't as much of a hit at Cipriani's as they were in the Hampton Bays Dayger. Instead, guests seemed to favor feathered boas and blond foam hair over tooting the World Cup's trademark noisemakers. Maybe the quieter and cooler feathered boa will replace the vuvuzela at the 2014 World Cup…

Natural blond?

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Damon Dash, Giuseppe Cipriani, Beatrice de Quervain

Note: Damon Dash does not need a vuvuzela, or a feathered boa, or a foam head piece.

The GofG Pop-Up Party: The Brooklyn Bowl

Go HERE for more photos by Gonzalo Romero, and tag yourself and your friends!

At last night's pop-up party at the Brooklyn Bowl, there was drinking, dancing, singing, and not-so-surprisingly, even some bowling. The plaid and polo-shirted armies mingled, sang their little hearts out, and got their photos taken. You know the drill…

For more info about the hottest new parties to grace the city…

How it works:

1. Read our Newsletter to find out where the Pop-Up Party is that night/week.


2. Go to the party and get snapped by one of our friendly photographers.


3. Visit the site the next day and tag yourself in the photo gallery.


4. Build up your directory page!

Everyone knows it's the people not the place that makes a party stand out. Here is your chance to meet other GofG readers with the same sensibilities as you!

No need to email us anymore for help on how to get invited to the parties and events featured on the site. Now, anyone can head to our Pop Up Parties and get caught by one of our friendly photographers, and then tag themselves for their chance to make it into our Directory Pages.

Do you want your Bar/Restaurant as our next featured Pop Up Party? Email Rachelle@guestofaguest.com to get started!

We will be announcing the location of Wednesday night's Pop Up Party in tomorrow's Newsletter. Make sure you sign up NOW so you will know where are going to POP UP next!

Young Professionals Partied For The Special Olympics

Go HERE for more photos by SUNNY NORTON and tag yourself and your friends!

Last night, young professionals gathered at the Empire Hotel on a beautiful summer night to celebrate the Special Olympics with a summer social. This is the second year that the Young Professional Committee has hosted this event, this time on the roof of the hotel, making for a beautiful scenery.

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The Special Olympics supplies children and adults with intellectual disabilities opportunities to participate in sports through coaching and competitions. A silent auction was held including a vacation for two to Buenos Aires, Argentina, Mets tickets and even a Stuart Weitzman purse. Guests did not seem bothered by the sun setting over the city, they kept on socializing. A beautiful night for a great cause.