Epoch Times » Fashion & Beauty

The Met Gala: A Lavish Evening

Epoch Times — Thu, 17 May 2012 20:04:56 +0000

The Costume Institute Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 7 in New York did not disappoint. Movie stars and fashion icons united in a lavish display of elegance and splendor. The least likely word to describe the evening would be boring.

It was like watching an exciting parade—more glamorous than the Oscars.

Some of the show-stopping gowns were worn by Amy Adams in Giambattista Valli, Emma Stone in Lanvin, Diane Kruger in Prada, Lily Collins in Valentino, Nina Dobrev in Donna Karan Atelier, Solange Knowles in Rachel Roy, and Cate Blanchett in Alexander McQueen.

Gold and tangerine were popular colors of the evening, making for a very colorful event.

Spring’s breakout hue for lips—a soft and natural nude—was spotted on several A-list celebrities. It is the perfect choice for those who don’t want their lip color to compete with an elaborate or brightly colored gown. See it worn well by Kristen Bell and Nina Dobrev.

The event was titled “Schiaparelli and Prada: Impossible Conversations” for the Costume Institute’s new exhibition honoring Miuccia Prada and Elsa Schiaparelli. Anna Wintour, who is the editor of Vogue magazine, designer Miuccia Prada, and actress Carey Mulligan chaired the fete.

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Tangerine Tango: The Juiciest Color for Spring and Summer

Epoch Times — Wed, 16 May 2012 14:55:24 +0000

Christian Dior ready-to-wear, Spring/Summer 2012. (Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

When the Pantone Institute revealed this year’s color of the year—Tangerine Tango—it awakened a color blast in fashion and beauty much like a ripening orange emerging after winter.

The fruit-inspired color is rapidly gaining popularity whether seen on runways, clothing, nails, belts, or shoes—adding new degrees of warmth and energy to spring and summer fashions.

Suddenly, the color seems to be everywhere!

“Sophisticated but at the same time dramatic and seductive, Tangerine Tango is an orange with a lot of depth to it,” said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute on the Pantone website.

“Reminiscent of the radiant shadings of a sunset, Tangerine Tango marries the vivaciousness and adrenaline rush of red with the friendliness and warmth of yellow, to form a high-visibility, magnetic hue that emanates heat and energy.”

Even Sephora jumped on this juicy color and, teaming with Pantone, created an entire line of cosmetics and makeup accessories.

Tangerine Tango scores big as a cosmetic hue thanks to its versatility in an exotic and inviting way. It adds a pop of color to lips, cheeks, and nails. As an unexpected eye shadow, it flatters blue or green eyes as a complementary opposite, while bringing out an amber cast in brown eyes.

The color itself symbolizes happiness and love in China and Japan, according to the website sensationalcolor.com.

It is known to stimulate the appetite and activity, while encouraging socialization.

You don’t want to be wearing this color if you want to retreat into quiet solitude, that’s for certain. But if you’re ready to meet new people or go for a jog in the park, this is a terrific color to awaken those endorphins.

According to trendnstylez.com, spring is the perfect time to bring out the brighter colors. Orange is a universally appealing shade and can look good on people of all ages.

The color trend will continue as a go-to look for fall, mellowing into the more autumnal shades of rust and terracotta.

More than anything, Tangerine Tango is a fun color and can be played with in a variety of ways—so go on, take a bite and let it sweeten your wardrobe this season.

The Epoch Times publishes in 35 countries and in 19 languages. Subscribe to our e-newsletter.

Legendary Hairstylist Vidal Sassoon Dies in Los Angeles

Epoch Times — Wed, 09 May 2012 22:40:15 +0000

Vidal Sassoon attends his autobiography signing with an Anna Wintour lookalike at Selfridges department store on Sept. 8, 2010 in London. (Ian Gavan/Getty Images)

Renowned British hairdresser Vidal Sassoon, owner of a Beverly Hills salon, died at 84 in his Bel Air, Los Angeles home on Wednesday morning.

“The deceased was Vidal Sassoon,” Los Angeles Police Department spokesman Officer Bruce Borihanh told People magazine. “he died of apparent natural causes. There were no signs of foul play, no crime involved. Family members were present.”

Born and orphaned in London in 1928, Sassoon dropped out of school at age 14 to work as a shampoo boy in a local salon and had remained in the industry ever since. He gained his fame in the 1960s for his “wash and wear” philosophy and styled the hair of celebrities including Twiggy, Mia Farrow, and British fashion icon Mary Quant.

Sassoon, who later moved to Los Angeles and launched a successful product line and an international chain of salons named Sassoon, had been credited for revolutionizing the hairstyling industry with his simple geometric bob hairstyle.

Yet Sassoon was more than a fashion icon. Although not a religious Jew, Sassoon had been a lifelong advocate for human rights, especially for the Jews against fascists during Second World War, according to The Guardian. Sassoon in 1982 also helped establish the Vidal Sassoon International Center for the Study of Anti-Semitism at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.

Sassoon, subject of a 2010 documentary named Vidal Sassoon: The Movie, had been married four times and had four children with his second wife, actress Beverly Adams. It was reported last year that Sassoon was diagnosed with leukemia two years earlier and was receiving treatment in both London and Beverly Hills.

Nicholas French: Hair Artist Supreme

Epoch Times — Wed, 02 May 2012 15:24:55 +0000

Hair by Nicholas French using Matrix products (Sarah Silver/SHE by SO.CAP USA HAIR EXTENSIONS)

Nicholas French became the first honoree to earn the Beauty Maker Award (BMA) in platform artistry, awarded by the BE! Entertainment Network on April 15 at the Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, N.J.

“Platform artists perform and work from a stage, usually in front of beauty [industry] makers, the public, and from a few up to thousands of people at a time,” explained Steven and Annie Casciola, founders and editors of BE! Magazine.

“They have the unique communication and creative skills to excite the public about the salon experience.”

From this description, it is no wonder that Nicholas French merited this honor, singled out as No. 1 from among “so many people traveling the world doing this,” French said.

Inspired by his late father, Freddie French, Nicholas has devised a course of innovative hair styling that triggers the imagination and ignites the fire of creativity.

He said that his father used to tell him, “You have to understand the inside of a person’s head before you understand the outside.” He applies this principle in his work with clients, as well as with hair-styling students and industry colleagues.

Largely, his role is communication—finding out his clients’ diverse personalities and whether they prefer a classic style or something edgier. The same goes for choosing the right hair colors to suit each person.

He also learned never to talk down to anyone, giving colleagues confidence so that they can move forward in the industry. He enjoys sharing the techniques he cultivated while under his father’s wing.

Nicholas currently serves as the artistic director for Matrix USA, a division of L’Oreal, and also as national creative director for SHE by SO.CAP.USA Hair Extensions.

His mission at Matrix is “Awaken, Imagine, Inspire, Connect.” His range as a stylist reflects that motto whether he is doing traditional cutting or styling at runway shows and trade shows—from red-carpet celebrity looks to avant-garde styles, his forte.

Nicholas French adding finishing touches at a photo shoot of one of his trademark avant-garde styles. (BABAK/Matrix)

His presentations on stage in addressing seminars and motivational speaking have excited audiences worldwide. Perhaps one reason for the enthusiastic responses is his philosophy that “hair plus art equals imagination.” He says in this industry that you have to have heart, and it all begins with the “P’s”: “Passion, perseverance, perfection, and persistence.”

No surprise then that French has been invited to appear a whopping 10 times at the Alternative Hair Show. Now in its 25th season, this show originated in London, appearing at many different venues as well as at the prestigious Royal Albert Hall, and has become one of the most spectacular Las Vegas-like shows in the world.

His work as a guest artist has taken him to many glamorous destinations around the globe, including Japan, Australia, Italy, France, Spain, Hong Kong, Thailand, Canada, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Croatia.

The French Family Legacy

Nicholas French’s story dates back to his roots—no pun intended.

His father, Freddie French, also known as French of London, opened a small barbershop in London’s East End in 1924. He started his amazing journey in the industry as a lather boy and became one of the most innovative and groundbreaking hairdressers of the last century by creating the key looks that changed the uniform approach to hair at that time.

Freddie French created looks for hundreds of magazines. His press coverage was big in the United Kingdom with over 8,000 features published about him, including coverage in the 1950s Pathé News Films, the only news media of that time.

At his death in 1986, Freddie French left a legacy of 27 salons, many located in department stores, hotels, and cruise liners—a first of this period. He was one of the first to start his own hair product company.

This impressive history originated from a lather boy earning one shilling a week, or approximately 20 cents. And this was just the beginning of the French family story.

After apprenticing with Vidal Sassoon in the 1960s, Nicholas French went on to own and operate several salons in the United Kingdom before relocating to the United States 18 years ago.

“What is the difference between couture in dress design and hair couture?” he asks.
“Designers can buy their fabric. With hair—a person you don’t know shows up, hoping we can do something for them.”

“We help make a difference in people’s lives—that has not been recognized yet,” he emphasizes.

French wishes to give back to the industry in many different ways, using the teaching platform to enable the continuation of his tried-and-true techniques. He feels he has “a responsibility to lead the next generation” and to help them understand the importance of their roles.

His experience spans working in print, video, motion pictures, and session hair.

Hair by Nicholas French using Matrix products (Sarah Silver/SHE by SO.CAP USA HAIR EXTENSIONS)

He has designed runway hair for Emanuel Ungaro, Eres, Luca Luca, Alpana Bawa, Guess Jeans, Levi’s, Dollhouse, Mavi, and Betsey Johnson, and has made numerous television appearances, including an appearance on the “Oprah Winfrey Show.”

He led the Vavoom Hair Team for the InStyle runway show and created the hair for the 40th Anniversary runway show for the magazine giant “Cosmopolitan.”

In addition to winning many awards, he has been featured in two books on British hairdressing icons called “From Salon to Celebrity” and “50 Hairstylists.”

His work has been as diverse as producing and developing trends to doing film and print work. Some of the directors he has worked with are Ridley Scott, Tony Scott, Adrien Lyne, and Terry Bedford.

The list of photographers is no less impressive. Among them are David Bailey, Gilles Bensimon, Cecil Beaton, Lord Litchfield, and Roberto Ligresti.

Among his celebrity and royal clients, to name a few, are Elizabeth Hurley, Dame Judi Dench, Twiggy, Dawn French, Julie Walters, Elkie Brooks, Patsy Kensit, Elaine Paige, Kelly LeBrock, Jerry Hall, Claudia Cardinale, Paul Hogan, Tommy Tune, Bob Hoskins, Hugh Laurie, and Princess Margaret.

Nicholas has been married for 28 years to Carole, his right-hand adviser and coordinator of his appointments and world trips. He currently lives in the Hamptons, New York.

As a creative hairdresser in the year 2012—one of the most exciting professions around—Nicholas French stands out as one of a kind.

Author, hairdresser, innovator, Harold Leighton has worked in the beauty industry for decades in Europe, the Far East, and the United States. He is currently creative director and adviser at GKhair. Find him at http://www.hleighton.com/ or contact him at: hleighton@bellsouth.net

Wedding Themes

Epoch Times — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 07:36:06 +0000

Rustic Charm. An increasingly popular style in particular for do-it-yourself weddings, incorporating natural elements such as wood, wildflowers, fruits, and eclectic pots and jars. (Courtesy of www.feteny.com.au)

Over the years, I’ve been fortunate enough to have attended countless events, from major sporting meets to intimate soirées.

I will admit that being part of the industry somewhat distorts your opinion of what makes an unforgettable event. Tactile invitations delivered by courier, celebrity-chef-designed menus, and out-of-the box themes and entertainment have now become mandatory details for me to even raise an eyebrow.

Having said that, there is still nothing more special or emotive than experiencing the weddings of my nearest and dearest family and friends.

Just like a fairytale ending, for those who have found the love of their lives, celebrating their marriage is the event of a lifetime.

Out of the many different exciting elements to consider when piecing together a dream wedding, my favorite component is most definitely the styling and décor. The possibilities are endless; however, with so many options to choose from it is sometimes hard to know where to start.

To help you along, here are a few useful references to get your imagination into gear. The following websites are some of my favorite inspirational styling sites and blogs, showcasing a myriad of real weddings, styled photo shoots, and DIY ideas.

100 Layer Cake

It is so easy to become addicted to the never-ending pages of well-edited, inspirational photos. Each entry is beautiful in its own way, with so many unique ideas and details.
www.100layercake.com/blog

Style Me Pretty

Opulent Elegance. Wow your guests with floral extravagance, candelabras, and chandeliers. (Courtesy of www.feteny.com.au)

A fantastic array of real wedding pictures with some great “tag” words, making it easier to search for what you are looking for.
www.stylemepretty.com

Martha Stewart Weddings

A comprehensive site that is well categorized to cover everything you need to know about weddings.
www.marthastewartweddings.com

Ruffled

Gorgeous real weddings, great DIY ideas, and if you’re lucky, you may stumble upon some unusual and hard-to-find styling props in the “recycle your wedding” section.
ruffledblog.com

Green Wedding Shoes

If you’re thinking about a more rustic outdoor wedding—vineyard, garden, barn, beach, or backyard—this is the site for you.
greenweddingshoes.com

Rock N’ Roll Bride

For those who have a more indie rock alternative style, with plenty of narrative that brings to life the story of each unique wedding.
www.rocknrollbride.com

Boquets

A picture album filled with everything and anything flower related.
boquets.tumblr.com

Elaine Tiong is a freelance writer and event stylist. She can be contacted at: elaine@styleanddiscourse.com

$20 Million in Jewelry for 20 Charitable Institutions

Epoch Times — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 18:16:58 +0000

Mrs. Lily Safra (Courtesy of Eric Megret)

NEW YORK—Could it be that, in her later years, she sensed the transience of earthly riches? Perhaps, because 74-year-old billionaire Lily Safra has decided to donate an estimated $20 million in precious jewelry for the benefit of 20 different charitable institutions.

Following an international tour that has already included New York and Paris earlier this month, the jewelry will be up for auction at Christie’s in Geneva, Switzerland, on May 14.

To be fair, Safra has a history of philanthropy, as does her late husband, banker Edmond J. Safra, from whom she inherited her riches. For example, the Edmond and Lily Safra Children’s Hospital in Israel is just one of the many charitable institutions and programs created by the Safras. Also on her hand-picked list, are cultural institutions such as the Paris Opera Ballet and the Royal Opera House in London.

In addition to having a heart of gold, Safra is credited as being a discerning connoisseur.

François Curiel, international head of Christie’s jewelry department, in a statement, called the sale offerings “a sublime collection of 70 rare jewels, comprising the very best in all styles, periods, and makers, from the late 18th century all the way to modern times.”

In addition to having a heart of gold, Safra is credited as being a discerning connoisseur

“Only a connoisseur with an eye as refined as that of Mrs. Lily Safra could have collected such an ensemble of jewels,” said Curiel.

A ruby and diamond camellia flower brooch by JAR, 2003, estimated at $1.2 million to $1.5 million.(Courtesy of Denis Hayoun, Diode SA)

Among the jewels are 18 pieces by JAR, one of the most illustrious names in modern jewelry. Eschewing showroom hours or advertisements, JAR, whose real name is Joel Arthur Rosenthal, caters to big names like Elizabeth Taylor, Elle Macpherson, and Barbara Walters, according to Forbes.

JAR typically crafts pieces specific to buyers, as is the case with the 18 pieces he created for Safra. In fact, this sale represents the most JAR pieces that have ever come to auction in a single owner collection.

“JAR creations are so highly prized by their owners that they rarely come to auction and this is an extraordinary opportunity for any JAR lover to purchase some of his best jewels to ever appear on the market,” according to Christie’s.

Other highlights from the sale include extravagant diamond rings: a 34.05 carat rectangular-cut diamond ring estimated at $3.6 million–$5 million; a famous (formerly in the collection of Luz Mila Patiño, Countess du Boisrouvray) 32.08 carats cushion-shaped Burmese ruby and diamond ring by Chaumet estimated at $3 million–$5 million; and a 31.21 carats rectangular-cut Burmese sapphire and diamond ring, mounted by Boucheron estimated at $450,000–$550,000.

Fashion’s Greener Side

Epoch Times — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 20:16:23 +0000

CFDA President Diane von Furstenberg (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)

Sunday, April 22, heralded Earth Day 2012, a day launched by the Earth Day Network in 1970 to encourage yearly global events focusing on environmental awareness.

The Earth Day Network supports sustainable practices and rewards individual and larger organizational efforts for measurably reducing carbon emissions.

This work in raising awareness has impacted fashion by exposing the staggering amounts of water, energy, electricity, and other resources wasted by textile factories, in addition to the pollution generated by mass production.

New York and China are prime examples of massive textile waste.

“Over five percent of NYC’s residential waste stream consists of textiles like clothing and towels,” says GrowNYC.org, an environmental website. “All told, New Yorkers discard 193,000 tons of textiles every year in NYC, at a cost to taxpayers and our environment.

An article by Christina Dean on the eco-fashion forward website Ecouterre reveals that “an average of 234 tons of textiles are discarded every day into Hong Kong’s landfills, according to 2010 statistics.”

The waste materials we create can generate an endless supply of resources without straining the environment.

—Scott Hamlin, co-founder of Looptworks, on Ecouterre.com

The founder of Redress, Dean adds: “This amount is surely a small blip compared to the vast amount of textiles discarded in China, the world’s largest garment manufacturer.”

The following is an overview of several promising green initiatives dedicated to reducing the fashion industry’s carbon footprint both nationally and abroad.

Clean by Design

On Monday, April 16, Vogue and the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) in partnership with the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) launched Clean by Design—an effort that aims to dramatically decrease waste and pollution in textile production.

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand spoke Monday at the luncheon for the event to encourage reforms in how textiles are produced, as well as acknowledging New York’s leadership as the fashion capital of the world and setting the standard for other cities.

“We have to make sure we can impact our communities and our world in how we run our businesses,” she told Women’s Wear Daily.

Among Clean by Design’s supporters are some of fashion’s biggest names: Tory Burch, Zac Posen, Anna Wintour, Diane von Furstenberg, Francisco Costa, Mickey Drexler, Joseph Altuzarra, Derek Lam, and Stella McCartney.

Experts as well as a promotional video shown at the event revealed rivers in China polluted with dyes. They also explained that producing one ton of fabric consumes as much as 200 tons of water—an alarming figure considering that the demand for clean drinking water is expected to double over the next 40 years, according to the website Fashionista.

The website also addressed one of the crucial reasons it has been so difficult for the fashion industry to reform its environmental impact: Most brands produce out of China.

“Besides being on the other side of the globe,” writes Hayley Phelan in an article on Fashionista.com, “China’s production practices are anything but transparent, making it difficult for brands to have an accurate picture of what goes on in their own factories.”

According to the article, Linda Greer, director of the NRDC’s health and environment program, said: “What we found when we got there was that the standard of operation of many, if not most, factories was far below global standards and desperately needed to improve.”

She also said that “the curtain is rising,” and people can no longer turn a blind eye to what is happening anymore, even when it is occurring miles away.

Among its initial reforms, the NDRC developed 10 steps to significantly reduce waste and pollution.

Courtesy of Zbynek Burival (Photos.com)

Eileen Fisher’s ‘Green Eileen’

Designer Eileen Fisher is making great strides to green-clean her clothing company.

Not only did the company invest in two windmills to offset its own energy use through Support Native Energy, but it also changed the ways in which materials are produced.

Upcycling has the power to transform the fashion industry into a zero-waste industry.

—Reet Aus, designer and Trash to Trend founder

For the spring collection, the brand followed the production stringencies of Bluesign, a textile standard for environmental protection and safety.

This means that the clothing would be using lightweight and low-impact silk, color-grown organic cotton, hemp, and alpaca, according to an article by Amanda Coen on Ecouterre.com. But shifting production was not always a smooth transition.

“Convincing one of its Chinese dye houses, which produces its silk, to make the Bluesign-required changes wasn’t easy, but it paid off in a big way,” writes Coen. “Right now, 10 percent of Eileen Fisher is Bluesign-certified.”

But that’s not all. In December, Eileen Fisher opened the first Green Eileen store in Yonkers, N.Y., which resells gently used Eileen Fisher clothing.

In Irvington, N.Y., both new samples and secondhand clothes are sold at the Eileen Fisher Lab Store. If the model works, more locations will be established.

According to the Green Eileen website, since 2009, Eileen Fisher has collected more than 50,000 garments and raised over $600,000 for its partner causes—programs that empower women and girls, including Girls Inc., the New York Women’s Foundation, and Women for Women International.

For textiles unsuitable for resale, Eileen Fisher upcycles them, turning them into useful objects like blankets, scarves, rugs, and more.

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Doing Good Is a Beautiful Thing

Epoch Times — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 16:51:51 +0000

Josie Maran and Petra Nemcova at Sephora. (Cindy Ord/Getty Images)

On April 3 at Sephora on Fifth Avenue in New York City, Josie Maran, in partnership with Angela Lindvall and Petra Nemcova, launched three new limited-edition bottles of the argan oil that Josie Maran Cosmetics is known for. About 200 people attended the event.

Ten percent of the purchase price of every bottle will be donated to a cause of the designing model’s choice.

“Living in a sustainable, earth-friendly way that benefits the planet has always been an essential part of beauty for me,” Maran explained in a press release.

“Petra and Angela are also so dedicated and passionate about the causes they support, and I wanted to share our enthusiasm with the world. We want to encourage everyone to join us in becoming ‘model citizens,’ and the limited-edition Argan Oils are a great place to start.”

Their slogan, as listed on Josie Maran’s website, is: “Three Model Citizens. Three charities to support. Three bottles of Limited Edition 100% Pure Argan Oil.”

The Models’ Three Charities

Maran’s bottle will benefit Women for Women International, an organization that enables women who are survivors of war to become economically self-sufficient through direct aid, rights education, job skills training, and small business development.

As a tsunami survivor herself, Nemcova chose to contribute to her own foundation, the Happy Hearts Fund, a nonprofit organization dedicated to rebuilding schools and restoring hope and opportunity in the lives of children after natural disasters.

Lindvall’s organization, Healthy Child Healthy World, empowers parents to protect children from harmful chemicals through educating them and helping them implement healthier practices, as well as actively engaging communities to create a healthier world.

I believe in balance. I believe that doing the right thing can be glamorous. I believe in beauty without the baggage.—Josie Maran on Sephora.com

Petra Nemcova, Josie Maran, and Angela Lindvall (Courtesy of Josie Maran Cosmetics)

Inspiration for Their Designs

The bottle designs depict colorful pictures representing symbols that are meaningful to each model and her respective cause.

On the Josie Maran Cosmetics website, they share the inspiration behind each package design.

Maran’s bottle depicts the silhouettes of women holding hands beneath a tree, against a background of emanating rays.

“I wanted my bottle to be a celebration

Three Model Citizens’ Argan Oil bottles, designed by from L to R: Angela Lindvall, Josie Maran, and Petra Nemcova. (Courtesy of Josie Maran Cosmetics)

of how women can lift each other up and create meaningful change in the world around us,” she said. “When I think of the people I turn to for advice, inspiration, and support, it’s the women in my life who come to mind.”

Lindvall, in describing her package design, a lovely turquoise blue with dainty flowers, said, “The dandelion [on my bottle] embodies our collective wish to protect and preserve the planet for generations to come.”

Nemcova’s packaging includes heart-shaped balloons and is a cheerful yellow with a red schoolhouse set against a green field and trees.

“The heart balloons representing the Happy Hearts Fund logo are carrying the child to a land of opportunities for them, their family, and their whole community,” said Nemcova of her label.

Limited Edition 100% Argan Oil in packaging designed by three models, Petra Nemcova, Josie Maran, and Angela Lindvall. (Cindy Ord/Getty Images)

Benefits of Argan Oil

With her product line, Maran has turned argan oil into a cult favorite skincare staple among trendsetters and international beauties.

According to Dana Turek, public relations representative for Josie Maran, Maran
uses her argan oil twice daily as her moisturizer and praised its versatility:

“I love Josie Maran Argan Oil because it is an all-around wonder ingredient and multi-tasking product. Not only can I use it on my skin, but also on my hair and nails. When I have a few moments to relax, I like creating at-home spa recipes like Lavender Argan Mist and Argan Oil Peppermint Foot Scrub.”

Model Citizen Limited Edition Argan Oils are currently available at Sephora and retail for $48 each.

For more about Three Model Citizens, visit: http://josiemarancosmetics.com/shop/modelcitizen

Take the Plunge

Epoch Times — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 12:40:22 +0000

(Courtesy of HydroChic)

Regardless of the season, women are always on the hunt for the right bathing suit. Yet today, it is hard to find a bathing suit that conceals more than it reveals.

With UV rays at an all-time high, those skimpy bathing suits just don’t offer adequate protection. And not everyone wants the kind of attention garnered from wearing a revealing swimsuit, either.

For those women who want to look good, yet cover up when they take the plunge, HydroChic has the swimwear to suit their style.

Founders Daniella Teutsch and Sara Wolf designed the HydroChic swimwear line to fill a void in the market. They told The Epoch Times about their motivation to create their company.

“Like so many other women, with the coming of every swim season we felt the dread of what we would wear—we were out for the perfect suit but it didn’t exist. We really were sick of the bathing suit tug.

“In addition, we were tired of wearing a sloppy T-shirt over swimwear to protect us from the sun and give us added coverage that the traditional swimsuit did not provide,” they explained.

“We wanted to feel as comfortable on the beach surrounded by family and friends as we did in other social settings. We wanted something versatile since we were always on the go—something that we could wear from the house to the beach without having to change, and we wanted that option to flatter and be fun to wear.”

With HydroChic, they accomplished exactly what they set out to do.

Women looking to branch out from the traditional bathing suit will shop from the HydroChic brand for a variety of reasons, according to Teutsch.

“Active women of all ages, from the young mother who is concerned about sun protection and comfort while supervising her small children at the beach, to the active outdoors woman who wants to be able to choose fashionable coverage options when she exercises, to the retired grandmother who is going on a cruise or doing water aerobics or boogie boarding with her grandsons!”

Along with versatility comes the need for durability, ease of movement, and comfort.

“We do not compromise fashion or function,” said Teutsch, emphasizing that quality and fit are priorities. That is why the bathing suits are made using high-quality Italian fabric with materials that are analyzed and lab tested.

Added Teutsch, “We design with the real woman’s curves in mind.”

Besides standard sizes, the suits come in plus sizes, extra small, maternity, and mastectomy fits. HydroChic provides mix-and-match options because women come in various shapes and sizes and most often need a different size top than bottom.

On the website, women can choose from a large selection of tops with different styles and sleeve lengths and then pair it with their choice of bottoms: a knee-length skirt with form-hugging biker pants attached underneath, a skort, long shorts, or pants—all with a comfortable, flattering fit.

(Courtesy of HydroChic)

It is no wonder that recently their styles received a glowing review in “Plus Model Magazine” for enabling reviewer Tulin Reid, executive marketing and creative director of Plus Model Magazine, to participate in water sports without the worry of a “wardrobe malfunction.”

She also appreciated that HydroChic’s Ultra line is chlorine-proof and a wonderful option for aquatics. To test out its durability, she even soaked the bathing suit in chlorine for days at a time, several times. She then wrote about her experience on the website:

“There is no fading, the stitching is perfectly intact, the shape always stays the same without becoming stretched out, and the colors are as vibrant as the day I received them.”

As further appeal to active women, Wolf and Teutsch expanded the look of other traditional modest swimwear lines that often appear dowdy and unwieldy.

Many of the styles sport racer stripes or small pockets convenient for storing MP3s while exercising. Some of the looks duplicate the look of softball shirts, with the sleeves a different color from the body.

Colors reflect modern trends. Some styles have neon piping or strategically placed color blocking for enhancing women’s figures.

For those who are attracted to the brand for sun protection, HydroChic swimsuits offer 50+ UV protection, an added bonus considering the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns that there’s no such thing as a safe tan.

According to the FDA website, “Although some people think that a tan gives them a ‘healthy’ glow, any tan is a sign of skin damage,” says Sharon Miller, M.S.E.E., an FDA scientist and international expert on UV radiation and tanning.

Then there are women who choose the line solely because they don’t want to bare too much when they go public swimming or engage in water-related activities. No one traipses around in underwear, but wearing today’s bathing suits often feels—and looks—like that.

“Even many women with perfect figures do not feel comfortable baring all,” Teutsch said.

“There is a sense of modesty in all of us. The difference today is that HydroChic gives a mainstream sporty option for those who do not want to wear the traditional one-piece or two-piece bathing suit. With HydroChic, each woman chooses the coverage that suits her needs.”

So before stepping into the fitting room to try on another off-the-rack bathing suit, it may be time to consider HydroChic’s many options. As Teutsch and Wolf say:

“Our tagline ‘Swim ‘n’ go, we’ve got you covered’ has multiple meanings—all of which resonate for us!”

For more information on HydroChic, visit the website: hydrochic.com

All that Glitters

Epoch Times — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 14:32:11 +0000

“With Bond (above), I don’t tend to do much of a liner—my favorite technique is just to pull a bit of the same colors onto my lower lash line for a little bit more drama,” recommends Karen Stark. (Silk Naturals)

The metallic look is not limited to clothing or accessories. Now makeup offers metallic shades too. Whether you’re looking for a subtle gleam or an all-out shimmer, there are many colors and options to try.

Karen Stark, owner and founder of Silk Naturals, offers hundreds of makeup color choices, often creating colors from popular brand names like MAC and Bobbi Brown, without using talc, powdered starches, clays, bismuth oxychloride, binders, petroleum products, nano-size particles, or preservatives in the ingredients. Some of the products are vegan as well.

“Good makeup, made with great ingredients, sold with integrity and kindness is fun,” she says on the website. “Makeup that does what the description says, that lasts all day, lip glosses that taste great, and concealers that make you look like you were born flawless—is fun.”

Given her great philosophy and safe ingredients, The Epoch Times asked Stark to create a wearable look using metallic shades.

She says about her choices in colors: “All of the colors … contain optical enhancers so they’re more friendly for mature skin—it’s one of the bigger selling points for the Eyelights [pictured here] and some of the newer shadows.”

Samples of metallic shadows, including Model and Phantom. (Silk Naturals)

For her shadow choices, Stark went for Phantom, a sheer pearlescent pink with golden highlights, and Model, a golden pinkish tan that works best as a main lid color with a highlight like Phantom. They both have interesting color shifts that flatter most women.

“Metallics can be tough to wear if you’re a little older, so lately I’ve been adding a little silica to everything because it just blurs everything nicely, and helps with oil control on younger skin,” she explained to The Epoch Times.

For lip colors, she recommends her “Lippies” in Modern Poet or Nice Tan for the right neutrals. Pretty Please would suit the lighter skin tones. “It’s just one of those easy, pretty, looks good with pretty much anything colors,” describes Stark on the website.

Readers can use the coupon code epoch12 for a 5 percent discount off their orders. Find the products here at silknaturals.com.

Sephora color consultant Ana Torres-Erickson at the Willowbrook Mall in Paramus, N.J., also gave suggestions for popular choices this season.

She singled out a new eyeshadow from Nars: Paramaribo (metallic brass/metallic bronze), which can be worn as a subtle sheen or layered for a heavier look of metallic gold color.

Nars Paramaribo (metallic brass/metallic bronze) Amal Chen/Epoch Times Staff

She advises drawing a line of Nars Dark Rite Soft Touch Shadow Pencil in Navy blue over the lid’s lash line using a smudge brush.

With this bold eye, she recommends creating a natural, understated lip by using Nars lipstick in Bilbao and a sheer nude lip-gloss like Laura Mercier’s Bare Naked.

All these options can make any woman glow!

Magnetizing Metallics

Epoch Times — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 14:25:43 +0000

Taylor Swift in a show-stopping embellished gown by Zuhair Murad. (Joe Klamar/AFP/Getty Images)

Fashion forecasters say it’s time to start investing in gold, or any other precious metal that glitters in the light.

Indeed, metallic colors are one of our perennial favorites to emerge on runways and in stores. Conventionally a look sported for a night out on the town, metallic pieces are now transitioning into our everyday staples.

Whether through sequins, glitter, beads, brocades, or an overall shimmering textile, incorporating metallic features into your look is a surefire way to stand out from the crowd.

Radiant in the Sunlight

Understandably, many people are often too timid to don metallics during the day in fear of being overdressed or inappropriately dressed compared to their peers. It is now time to overcome your apprehensions and shine in your metallic daywear.

An easy and effortless way to incorporate this trend is to pick up a knitted jumper or cardigan that features metallic thread or prints, and match it with your favorite pair of jeans.

Another look we love is shiny sneakers. Check out Karl by Karl Lagerfeld “Ulla” shoes, a super-cool addition to any casual ensemble.

Dazzling Under the Stars

Susan Nichole, Brooklyn metallic silver handbag, on sale $64. (Courtesy of compassioncoutureshop.com)

Whether it is a black tie affair, red carpet rendezvous, or a girls’ night out, parading a metallic dress is a great way to make an impression.

It is, however, important not to overdo your outfit. Your natural beauty and dress should be the standout components. Understated accessories and natural makeup with just a hint of shimmer is recommended in order to achieve a well-balanced look.

If stepping out in a full-fledged sequined number is a little too much for your liking, another way to incorporate this look is through statement metallic accessories such as embellished heels, jewels, or clutch bag.

Any way you choose to wear this trend, you are sure to shine wherever you go.

Elaine Tiong is a freelance writer and event stylist. She can be contacted at: elaine@styleanddiscourse.com

‘One Day Without Shoes’

Epoch Times — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 04:34:59 +0000

Blue Women’s Glitters, Corbel Women’s Vegan Classics, Coral Crochet Women’s Classics (Nordstrom’s exclusive color), and Blue Women’s Bimini Stitchouts, $44 and up (Amal Chen/The Epoch Times)

It all began with a single compassionate thought.

Blake Mycoskie took a trip to Argentina and was struck by the fact that so many of the children were barefoot and could not afford shoes.

Deciding that something had to be done, Mycoskie founded Toms Shoes and promised that for every pair of shoes purchased, another pair would be donated to a child in need—a movement known as One for One.

And so a new company and innovative business model was born in 2006.

Toms.com confirmed that as of September 2011, over one million pairs of shoes have been donated to people in need. And that number keeps increasing thanks to the dedicated efforts of the people on the Toms staff and other initiatives.

Tuesday, April 10, marks the annual event called “One Day Without Shoes.” Volunteers will walk around barefoot to raise awareness of the fact that many individuals go barefoot every day due to impoverished conditions.

According to the website, “last year, people went without shoes at over 1,000 events in over 25 countries around the globe.”

How Toms Helps

It is vital for the children in impoverished countries to receive these shoes for a variety of reasons, according to the Toms website.

Toms Shoes founder Blake Mycoskie (Michael Kovac/Getty Images for TOMS)

As most children run around barefoot, the chances of soil-based diseases penetrating their feet are more likely. These diseases are easily preventable with basic foot hygiene and shoes.

Also, many schools require shoes as part of their uniforms. Not having them prevents potential students from getting an education, stunting opportunities for them later on.

To provide shoes to 23 different countries, Toms Shoes first established partnerships with various humanitarian organizations that already had a working knowledge as to which communities and countries needed the shoes most.

Toms also implements “sustainable giving partnerships” that allow the company to give continuously as children grow.

The company’s factories in China, Argentina, and Ethiopia are third-party audited, which means that they are checked to make sure that the workers are paid fairly and that no children are employed, as commonly occurs in those countries.

When a pair of shoes is purchased, donating a pair of shoes isn’t immediate. Rather, Toms Shoes fills orders that are made specifically for the community in mind, making sure that each child gets the size he or she needs.

More Than Just a Brand

Each year, Toms continues expanding. In 2009, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton awarded Mycoskie the Award for Corporate Excellence (ACE) for the company’s innovative One for One model.

The Mother Nature Network calls the Buy One, Give One (BOGO) concept, which was inspired by the Toms One for One model, “conscious capitalism,” and hopes more businesses will adopt the same altruism. Many already do.

As the years have gone by, Toms Shoes has started creating many different styles of footwear for customers.

Though not related to Toms Shoes, it was images such as this one of impoverished, barefoot children that inspired the One for One giving campaign. (Graeme Robertson/Getty Images)

While the company promises that those in need receive only practical shoes, the website offers crocheted flat espadrilles, ballet flats, high tops, wedges, and boots to consumers.

Toms Shoes’ most classic style, the flat canvas espadrille, comes in eight different colors: black, olive, chocolate, blue, navy, red, white, and natural (a beige). The newer styles come in a variety of prints and fabrics. For the bold, sequined Toms are available.

Toms just announced its partnership with FEED, a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to supporting programs and organizations that are working to fight world hunger and malnutrition.

For a limited time, Toms is offering the Web-exclusive FEED 12 Classics, featuring natural burlap construction and letterpress print representative of the signature burlap FEED bag. A purchase of this new release will donate 12 school meals to hungry children as well as one pair of new shoes.

Toms also encourages Style Your Sole events, inspiring buyers to organize shoe-decorating parties at which guests can customize pairs of their own blank, canvas Toms to suit their tastes.

With the guidance of its first sight-giving partner, Seva Foundation, Toms has also branched out into eyewear, treating people in Nepal, Tibet, and Cambodia.

With every pair of glasses purchased, Toms will help restore someone’s vision in one of three ways: prescription glasses, medical treatment, or sight-saving surgery.

Thanks to Helen Keller International’s ChildSight program, Toms now helps provide prescription glasses to children living in impoverished U.S. communities too.

And the giving continues to grow.

The company began with one man’s simple promise to help children the best way he knew how.

Toms Shoes is doing all it can to make a difference in the world one step at a time.

Marykate Torley is a 2011 graduate of Arcadia University, where she got her B.A. in Print Communications. She is currently getting her master’s with Full Sail University in New Media Journalism. For more articles by Torley, visit her website: www.mypompandcircumstance.com.

Spring into Summer

Epoch Times — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 01:04:44 +0000

Hair & Makeup: Sherri Jessee; Photo: James Weber; Wardrobe: David Widjaja

After every winter season, men and women are looking to brighten their worlds. Perhaps they have been trapped in the house all winter or leaving for work in the dark and coming home after dark.

Whatever the scenario, they are drawn to light. As we make the switch into daylight savings time, people know that spring and summer are on the way.

That means that everything lightens up.

Nail polishes change color, lipsticks go brighter, and lighter colors dominate clothing as we shed those heavier layers during this period of the year.

We see people flocking to their hair and beauty salons for color changes in lighter, brighter colors. A haircut and some conditioning treatments go a long way to get them back on track and into the new season.

The same story goes for those who color their own hair at home.

Tips for Healthy Hair When Coloring at Home

GKhair Education Director Colleen Martorano says that when lightening your own hair, it is important to follow a few tips to ensure that the hair will look healthy and beautiful.

Be careful not to overlap lightening product over previously lightened hair, she emphasizes. This will cause breakage, and the hair will lose its sheen and quality.

An important rule of thumb to follow is that “color doesn’t lift color,” Martorano says.

“Every time a color is put on old hair color, it will progressively look darker,” she explains. “It may eventually get to the point where it is not reflecting the color of choice.”

To prevent this, “only put color on the new growth of hair for the full processing time, [then] the last 5 minutes put the color over those previously color ends to give a quick gloss,” she recommends.

One of the biggest challenges with dying hair is moisture loss and dry hair resulting in brittle locks.

What can a woman or a man do?

Martorano suggests starting with one of the easiest at-home ways to revitalize and change the overall texture and health of hair: a deep-conditioning treatment.

Steps for Repairing Dry Hair

These easy-to-follow steps that can be done at home will result in gorgeous-looking hair.

1. Shampoo: Start by cleansing the hair with a moisturizing shampoo.

2. Towel dry: Towel dry the hair after shampooing and rinsing it.

3. Deep conditioning: Apply a generous amount of deep conditioner and comb through with a wide-tooth comb. Martorano uses GKhair Deep Conditioner because it contains a concentrated dose of Juvexin, which coats the hair, adding strength and repairing damage, according to the company.

4. Wrap: Wrap the hair in a turban, towel, or plastic shower cap and let it sit on the hair for 30 minutes.

5. Rinse: Rinse the deep conditioner out of the hair and style as desired.

6. Apply products: Follow with your selected home products for volume and shine.

Before deep-conditioning treatment. (Courtesy of Harold Leighton)

During deep conditioning treatment (Courtesy of Harold Leighton)

The result of deep conditioning treatment: beautiful, glossy hair! (Courtesy of Harold Leighton)

Continued on next page: Salon Treatment for Healthy Hair …

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Brooklyn Fashion Week Kicks Off

Epoch Times — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 23:46:30 +0000

NEW YORK—Brooklyn Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2012 starts Thursday at Industry City at Bush Terminal in Sunset Park and will continue through April 1.

The event kicks off with a VIP reception followed by a silent auction of products from international designers and businesses, and finally a runway fashion show.

The event primarily features eco-friendly, ready to wear, and couture designers and is presented by nonprofit organization Brooklyn Style Foundation (BSF). Designers participating in the four-day event include local, national, and international emerging talent. Some designers featured in previous seasons include Lea Mono, Denim by Marie, and Kachi Design.

The BSF was founded in 2006 and has since dedicated each season of Brooklyn Fashion Week to showcasing the works of aspiring designers and supporting charitable organizations, such as The Abner Louima Foundation, MTV Staying Alive Foundation, and the Japan Society.

Three Estheticians Discuss Their Views on Authentic Beauty

Epoch Times — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 02:03:31 +0000

Esther Joszef (Courtesy of Esther Joszef)

What Is Authentic Beauty?

By Esther Joszef

As a makeup artist I have been selling “beauty” for some time now, but at the end of the day, the product that I provide is hollow without real people.

Painting a face is an art that lasts a short time and then is gone. After all the cameramen, videographers, lighting crews, hair stylists, and makeup artists finish their work, the bride or model will go back home, take a shower, wash off the mask, and look at herself in the mirror. If she finds beauty in her mask but not in her heart, then the reflection she sees in the mirror will never be beautiful.

It’s not that makeup and hair make you beautiful. But what feeling pretty really does is help you act the way you feel. When you feel beautiful, usually acting beautiful follows. Knowing you look good lifts your spirits and lends you an awesome energy that, in turn, you spread around.

A few years ago, I had the privilege of working with a beautiful girl with a recently amputated leg due to a spreading cancer. She came into the beauty salon with an edge—as if she was doing us a favor by coming to the salon to get ready for her prom. She had gone through many hardships in her short lifetime.

An hour after being in the salon, her makeup done and her wig looking glamorous, the girl, hairdresser, and I took a picture. Looking back now, I am still amazed by the transformation.

It wasn’t the makeup and hair that did it alone. But the energy in that girl’s smile—I don’t know how she felt, but to me that was authentic beauty.

The motto I have been living by as an esthetician is this: Don’t use makeup as a cover-up for flawed skin.

Makeup is not a mask, but rather a mode that highlights your skin and allows your greatest features to shine through. Keep makeup light and let the natural beauty do the talking.

My clients are often not only amazed at how great they look with makeup on, but also how great they feel. And trust me when I tell you that they are standing a little taller after a first-time makeup application.

Beauty comes from within. Beauty is when you can flirt with your own energy. Beauty does not choose you. You choose it. Beauty is a conscious decision. Beauty is strength, pride, and femininity. Beauty is self-acceptance.

Just like there is beauty in order, there is beauty in chaos. It’s all a matter of how you deal with the adventure that lies ahead that makes you seem that much more beautiful.

Esther Joszef is a makeup artist, eyelash extension professional, and facialist who believes in enhancing true beauty not masking it. For more tips and tricks on makeup, eyelashes, and other beauty-related topics, visit totalemadeup.com or call 201-931-5653.

Continued on next page: What Makes Someone Beautiful? …

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Models 4 Water

Epoch Times — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 07:51:29 +0000

Models Heide Lindgren and Georgie Badiel, founders of Models 4 Water. (Courtesy of Models 4 Water)

With 70 percent of our bodies and 70 percent of Earth made of water, it seems a shocking statistic that 780 million people globally do not have access to safe water, according to WHO, the World Health Organization, based on a study in 2010.

One of the countries lacking clean water is Burkina Faso, a place that is often overlooked in news reports from Africa—until two models decided to change that.

Through their wish to use their modeling status for the good, Heide Lindgren and Georgie Badiel, with the help of their director Max Crespo, founded Models 4 Water in 2011, an organization committed to bringing clean drinking water to Burkina Faso, Badiel’s homeland.

Until then, the people in Burkina Faso were forced to walk several miles a day to access water from an unreliable and often unsanitary source.

When Badiel, who regularly graces the runways of major designers like Marc Jacobs, Oscar De La Renta, Halston, and Diane Von Furstenberg, went back to visit the country where she was raised in August 2011, the water contained contaminants from untreated animal waste, as well as runoff of toxic chemicals from nearby cotton industries.

Village of Nakar, Burkina Faso, in the dry season. (Courtesy of Models 4 Water)

In an interview with Chuck Scarborough on NBC’s New York Nightly News, Badiel recalled always being thirsty as a child. She and Lindgren revealed the frightening statistic that one in every five children dies each day from unclean water consumption that can lead to multiple diseases, like cholera.

According to WHO, other diseases that are transmitted through water contaminated by waste include diarrhea, dysentery, typhoid, and hepatitis A.

“Water is a basic human need,” Lindgren, who is best known as the face of Guess by Marciano, told The Epoch Times. “You can’t do anything without water.”

Models 4 Water stemmed from an idea resulting from hours of brainstorming between Lindgren and Badiel. They wanted to get the word out that models genuinely care and wish to do good in the world, while simultaneously tapping into a fundamental need literally from the ground up.

“Anybody is aware that the fashion industry has bad stigmas: that we are divas or have eating disorders like bulimia,” said Lindgren. “It’s really important to break that stigma. There are a lot of girls that don’t fit that and who are great.”

Models who have gotten involved in supporting clean water efforts in Burkina Faso. (Courtesy of Models 4 Water)

She went on to say that there are models who want to be involved in good causes but may not have the time. In those cases, she said, even lending their image to a charitable organization helps, an advantage arising from top-model status.

Fundraising

At the first fundraising event on Nov. 17, 2011, many of those models, such as supermodels Jarah Mariano, Andi Muise, and Lisa Seiffert, came out to support the cause, donating their time, image, and funds. As the fashion sponsor, Guess donated the clothes that Badiel and Lindgren wore to the event and added a gift in the grab bag given to patrons too.

That evening, they raised $50,000, thanks in part to a $20,000 check from Lindgren herself—an ample sum to sponsor digging a well and installing a water pump in Nakar, a vast farming village with over 5,000 people. In addition, those funds also go toward rehabilitating old wells, which can offer a more cost-effective option wherever possible.

Lindgren said that on average, a well and pump cost $20,000 to install.

The existing community resources also need to be considered when planning a well, as not every location has electricity for the generator, Lindgren pointed out.

Finding a water source can lead to unexpected challenges and expenses, as happened in Nakar. Lindgren explained that after digging to about 140 feet, the construction workers struck solid rock and had to change equipment. Finally at 160 feet, they found clean water on Feb. 22, with much cheering from all parties involved.

The community of Burkina Faso surround the new well. (Courtesy of Models 4 Water)

Models 4 Water works in partnership with the 5-year-old nonprofit organization The Water Project, as well as Gilt Groupe, Modelinia, and others to raise money not only for building the well but also for training the community to adhere to healthy sanitation practices and proper maintenance of the well.

“Building the well is only part of it. A 10-year-old well will only last 11 months if it is not cared for properly,” Lindgren said.

Continued on next page: How the collaboration began …

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Cheap Chic: Spring Trends Cheat Sheet

Epoch Times — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 08:15:38 +0000

Tina Fey in a dark peplum Carolina Herrera gown at the Academy Awards. (Michael Buckner/Getty Images)

This year’s New York winter has been nothing short of a seasonal dream, with retailers reflecting that in upcoming spring fashions.

Fresh colors like mint green, blush, and pastel peach color blocked with purple denim, red heels, and kelly-green cropped pants offer an explosion to your style senses.

If you’re not quite sure how to put this look together, consider this your cheat sheet for spring must-haves and where to buy them on a Cheap Chic budget.

Pastels

This season, pale pink can be your signature color. Pair an amazingly romantic, sheer pink or peach top from Necessary Clothing for $25 with this season’s hot, mint green denim, available at Macy’s. And while we’re softening up your color palette, ditch the dark colors and pick up a Little Pastel Dress (LPD).

Peplum

The womanly shape of peplum is everything! If you caught Tina Fey at the Oscars, you’ll know what peplum is. And if you didn’t, it’s a fit that comes in at the waist and flares out over the hips. While one might question whether that extra fabric at the hips will create a larger silhouette, it’s actually the fit at the smallest part of your waist that really works the illusion of a coveted hourglass.

Get a dress that works your curves at H&M for less than $30, and make sure that the hemline falls to the knee for an additional lady-like embellishment.

Floral Prints

Go bold! Floral prints are on everything this season, including pants. H&M’s floral ankle-length pants look like a veritable garden at less than $15.

Colored Denim

Color is king this season—neon, pastel, blue, red, purple, and print. Ditch boring denim and grab a pair of colored denim jeans. Old Navy has a rainbow to choose from, and they look great when worn with something classic like a favorite black or white tee, which you can pick up at the local drugstore for $8.99 in a Hanes 3-pack.

As a Stylist, she has dressed many celebrities including Kelly Osbourne and Marla Maples for the Oscars. She created and hosts Cheap Chic Shopping Tours in New York City, which promises Personal Shopper and Celebrity Stylist service, plus a new wardrobe for $100. For more information visit: www.cheapchicshoppingtours.com

Greening the Red Carpet: Eco-fashion at the Oscars

Epoch Times — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 07:41:14 +0000

Actor Colin Firth “recycled” his Tom Ford tux from last year’s Academy Awards, and his wife Livia looked striking in a red Valentino sustainable gown. (JOE KLAMAR/AFP/Getty Images)

Sustainable fashion was in vogue at the 84th Academy Awards on Feb. 26 due to awareness raised by two campaigns dedicated to the cause: the Green Carpet Challenge (GCC) and the Red Carpet Green Dress contest.

For the Green Carpet Challenge, founder Livia Firth, Colin Firth’s eco-conscious and fashionable wife, has enlisted top stylists like Tom Ford, Gucci, Chanel, Armani, Yves Saint Laurent, Stella McCartney, Paul Smith, Valentino, Roger Vivier, Alberta Ferretti, and Ermenegildo Zegna to design clothing conforming to GCC standards for her own red carpet appearances since 2009.

And now her enthusiasm for the project has caught on.

This year, several designers outfitted A-list celebrities in environmentally friendly fashions for the Academy Awards, including standout award nominees and winners. Among them were Meryl Streep in Lanvin, and both Kenneth Branagh and Demián Bichir in Ermenegildo Zegna.

Livia Firth wore a custom-made Valentino gown from a blend of silk and recycled PET plastic, and accessorized with sustainably sourced and traceable pink diamond jewelry by Calleija.

“Livia’s passion for the mission of this project is infectious,” Gucci’s Frida Giannini said on mnn.com. “We all have a collective responsibility toward future generations to minimize our impact on the environment, and through this initiative we can hopefully show that you don’t have to make any compromises in design and creativity when working with environmentally friendly materials.”

Firth told Vogue.co.uk: “Over the last three years, the Green Carpet Challenge has become an all-consuming passion of mine. This part of the fashion landscape is so exciting because it’s genuinely revolutionary and relentlessly positive. It is absolutely the right time to take the challenge up a gear, so we are working with our favorite world-class designers and actors as GCC ambassadors. Fashion is a brilliant communicator. The fashion we communicate through the GCC promotes social justice, environmental integrity, and the very best in design.”

Missi Pyle in a cruelty-free, mineral-dyed “peace” silk gown designed by Valentina Delfino, winner of the Red Carpet Green Dress Competition. (Michael Buckner/Getty Images)

On a parallel mission, environmental advocate Suzy Amis Cameron, wife of James Cameron, launched the Red Carpet Green Dress contest in 2009 after wearing countless dresses during nonstop red carpet “Avatar” premieres and coming to realize the environmental footprint that fashion can have on the planet, according to a press release. The experience inspired the global challenge, now in its third year, in which designers submit red-carpet-worthy designs made entirely of sustainable materials.

At the Academy Awards, Missi Pyle from the cast of “The Artist” wore this year‘s winning design: a flowing blue gown made from organic silk (for which the silk worm is not killed), hand-dyed by California-based company A Dyeing Art using natural mineral pigments, and lined with recycled polyester.

Venezuelan Valentina Delfino, a fashion design student at Ai Miami International University of Art & Design, was chosen from hundreds of designers around the world who submitted sketches.

Red Carpet Green Dress was delivered by Global Campaign Director and previous winner Samata Angel.

“All the world is watching this red carpet,” said actress Missi Pyle in a press release.

“And as artists, I believe it is our job to show the world that we not only care about creating incredible art, but that we are mindful of the fact that, in doing so, we can make something beautiful that is also sustainable. It is an incredible honor for me to walk the most glamorous red carpet in the world in such a stunning and meaningful dress.”

Meryl Streep donned a gold, full-length Lanvin gown made from eco-certified fabric sourced with help from the Green Carpet Challenge. (Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

Demián Bichir (right) wearing Ermenegildo Zegna, a tuxedo designed with TROFEO 600 fabric, which is a blend of superfine wool and silk. (Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

Spring/Summer 2012 Haute Couture

Epoch Times — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 06:21:08 +0000

Elie Saab (Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

Undoubtedly my personal highlight of the global fashion calendar is the biannual Haute Couture shows held in Paris from Jan. 23 to 26. The week showcases the creative brilliance of only a handful of exclusive fashion houses that have been specially granted the designation of “Haute Couture.”

The collections on display were what fashion dreams are made of. No expense or detail is spared when it comes to these masterfully tailored custom pieces. Viewers feasted their eyes on delectable, luscious fabrics that have been flawlessly contoured into creative takes on classic designs.

Prepare to be inspired as you peruse some of the spectacular highlights from January’s Spring/Summer 2012 Haute Couture shows.

Elie Saab

Elie Saab’s show was a display of breathtakingly beautiful gowns fit for a princess.

All the fabrics featured subtle, yet striking detail that added depth and interest to the simple silhouettes. Carrying through the sherbet hues that featured in many of the ready-to-wear collections of the same season, any one of these Elie Saab creations will ensure that the wearer is the belle of the ball.

Chanel

Infamous for always putting on an unforgettable show, Chanel parades are never just about the clothes, but the entire guest experience.

This year was no exception, with the privileged passengers transported back to the golden glamour age of air travel. Ushered through a makeshift airport terminal and into the awaiting jumbo jet, guests were asked to take their assigned seats in preparation for a first-class show. And just like the open sky visible from plane windows, shades of blue dominated the runway.

Although the collection was pristinely perfect, compared to some of Lagerfeld’s other work, it was somewhat creatively conservative and definitely within the lines of Coco’s more traditional legacy.

Valentino

Valentino (Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

Valentino’s models floated down the runway draped in a truly charming collection that had distinct influences from the 18th and 19th centuries.

Pictures portrayed fragile sweetness with the neutral color palette

brought to life by watercolor floral prints and ornate lacing and appliqués.

Christian Dior

I have always had a soft spot for Christian Dior and admittedly am still mourning the departure of creative genius John Galliano. It is no secret that the house has had a hard year.

Going back to basics with direct interpretations of Dior’s famed new look was a smart, safe bet. All about elegance and glamor with a simple color story of black, white, red, and plum, the collection featured some of my personal highlights of the week.

And for those of you keeping up with fashion reports, the latest is that Belgian designer Raf Simons has left Jil Sander possibly with Dior in sight, according to a recent Reuters article.

Elaine Tiong is a freelance writer and event stylist. She can be contacted at: elaine@styleanddiscourse.com

Aloha! Famed Philadelphia Flower Show Goes Hawaiian

Epoch Times — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 05:26:41 +0000

This year's International Flower Show in Philadelphia, the 182nd in its making, invites visitors to a Hawaiian experience of orchids, exotic flowers, waterfalls, lagoons, and tropical exhibits. (Isabelle Kellogg)

PHILADELPHIA—The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society’s 182nd International Flower Show at the Convention Center in Philadelphia through March 11 comes just in time for spring’s awakening. Even if you’ve never set foot on Hawaii, you will feel as if you have after visiting this year’s phenomenal flower show with the theme “Islands of Aloha.”

It’s a full-on experience of orchids, exotic flowers, waterfalls, lagoons, tropical exhibits, “living” walls, free lectures on gardening, food and wine samplings in the Hawaii Village, hula dance and music performances, retail venues and volcanic flames—all under one roof, giving visitors a huge overview of this perennially pleasing Pacific paradise.

Last year’s Paris theme inspired romance. This year’s theme pushes the envelope in terms of artistry, with jewel-like miniature orchid tableaux and arrangements maxing out to full-size, movable panels of “living walls” with hanging orchids amid a garden table setting. They are on display at the floral design company MODA Botanica’s interactive booth called “Lauana” (flower pattern), which won a prize for creativity.

Real-life experiences vied with digital technology to enhance and enliven the flower show as witnessed by new motion graphics developed by Klip, a Philadelphia-based film and video special-effects shop. Waterfalls are transformed into flowing lava and rolling waves on an undulating canopy.

Showcase exhibits include the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society’s exhibit, orchestrated by Waldor Orchids from New Jersey. It is the largest floral experience on the floor, with over 2,000 orchids, ranging from dendrobiums to vandas. An orchid wave and a 25-foot-high waterfall surround an island with palms, bamboo, and other tropical plants.

Hula dancers and their skirts is the subject of American Institute of Floral Designers, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the art of floral design. Mannequins wear different leis and skirts made of a variety of huge green leaves.

A fantasy rock garden with a desert and a lunar-like landscape, in the spirit of a Garden of the Gods, is the theme of Michael Petrie’s Handmade Gardens, a local landscape-design and plantings company.

The art of floral design is promoted by some 60 professional exhibitors at this year's Pennsylvania Horticultural Society flower show. (Isabelle Kellogg)

Other major exhibitors include the American Rhododendron Society of Greater Philadelphia, which presents an immense garden alive with colorful rhododendrons and orchid varieties.

Abraham Lincoln High School’s theme is “Going Vertical.” Subway stations and living walls are used to show how public spaces can be decorative while promoting well-being.

A stoic “Remembrance” memorial display recognizes the heroes lost in the battle of Pearl Harbor.

New to this year’s show are daily contests for local amateur floral designers and floral design demonstrations with titles such as “Blue Lagoon,” “Diamond Head,” “Surf’s Up,” and “Island Vibe.”

Bonsai trees, cactus, and succulents get into the act as well in various exhibits sprinkled throughout the exhibit.

The Philadelphia Water Department each year has an intriguing exhibit, and this year is no exception. Miniature replicas of Philadelphia’s notable historic buildings and landmarks become islands of green in an urban setting.

Isabelle Kellogg is a writer and public relations consultant in the luxury sector, with a passion for diamonds, jewelry, watches, and other luxury products, including travel.

Cheap Chic Bridal

Epoch Times — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 03:58:52 +0000

One Night Affair gives the bride-to-be a large selection of glamorous gowns, which she can return after the special occasion. (One Night Affair)

This past summer I watched my sister get married in the south of France. As the maid of honor, I had the pleasure of helping her pick out the wedding dress.

When we chose the bridal atelier, I watched my sister’s beautiful gown go from within budget to completely overblown by the additional prices of alterations—a bow here, an embellishment there, a mid-length veil, and not to mention, the international shipping.

Weddings are an event of a lifetime. And vendors charge brides accordingly so. I feel it unfair that on the most special day of a woman’s life, she is overcharged from the smallest detail, like a monogram on a napkin, to the big decisions, such as the dress.

As a personal shopper and stylist who believes you buy it cheap and make it chic, I apply my methods to weddings as well.

David’s Bridal satin pick-up gown shown with a ribbon waist accent (sold separately), in white (as shown) or ivory, $399. (Courtesy of David’s Bridal)

Dresses are the pièce de résistance for every blushing bride, but a $5,000 price tag may not be in her budget.

Mass-market bridal stores like David’s Bridal offer many options, inspired by designer finds, for a great gown. J.Crew Bridal is also a perfect place to take a peek.

But if you are a risk taker, and trust the tailors on the other side of the line, a quick search online can find you what you want for a percentage of what a store gown costs. Many sites, like Bridal Super, offer customized gowns for as little as $199.

If you’re not comfortable with leaving a dress up to chance, you can have one made. Rip out some magazine photos of your dream dress from a favorite bridal magazine and bring them to the local dry cleaner or tailor. They will recommend where to buy fabric, and you’re on your way to a custom-made bridal gown.

And finally, you can have that designer dress, with the name and all, if only for a day.

Yes, renting a $20,000 gown for $600 at One Night Affair is a very real, albeit temporary, option for fulfilling your dream of wearing a Vera Wang or Monique Lhuillier gown. You cannot alter and cannot keep it, but you can be the bride you always wanted to be on your fabulously chic (and cheap) walk down the aisle.

She created and hosts Cheap Chic Shopping Tours in New York City, which promises Personal Shopper and Celebrity Stylist service, plus a new wardrobe for $100 (www.cheapchicshoppingtours.com).

Redheads: The New Blonde

Epoch Times — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 06:32:19 +0000

For those with naturally curly hair, opt for a romantic curl style. (Roberto Ligresti)

It’s a bride’s time of the year.

Having a complete plan for the day will leave nothing to chance, thus ensuring that the most important day of her life will be perfect.

The first step is for the bride to create the story and image for her day, and that will center on the dress. Perhaps the color and design will come from her own imagination or from a dress seen in a magazine or shop.

Once the dress has been selected, the next most crucial element will be the color and design of her hair. Should it be soft and loose? Or should it be an updo? For these important decisions, the bride needs to have a meeting with her hairdresser to discuss options.

Most creative salons today have a wide selection of photographs in a portfolio or in books to help their clients select the best ideas and designs for them. Once a style has been chosen, a client should have a test run with her chosen stylist. The stylist can take photographs during the process, helping the bride-to-be see how things will progress once the big day arrives.

On this occasion, I asked the talented and creative international hairdresser and makeup artist, salon owner Sherri Jessee from Sherri Jessee Salon in Bristol, Va., to create several looks using products by GKhair’s new color collection.

According to Jessee, choosing the right hairstyle for your hair texture is paramount.

To make your day stress-free, she suggests working with your natural texture. For those with naturally curly hair, opt for a romantic curl style.

For those with straight hair, the obvious choice is to shine with a sleek and smooth image. Play up what Mother Nature gave you—don’t fight it.

Jessee created all the looks for the brides in gorgeous shades of copper. One is a sleek updo, which is perfect for straighter hair textures. The other look is ideal for curly hair.

When asked about advice for the husband-to-be, Jessee recommends that he should get his hair cut a week before the event. This will allow his hair to look soft and appealing.

A sleek updo is perfect for straighter hair textures. Play up what Mother Nature gave.. (Roberto Ligresti)

Sherri Jessee recommends that the groom get his hair cut a week before the big day. (Roberto Ligresti)

He should finish his look with styling products like Shaping Wax or Styling Mousse to enhance the shine and natural movement in his haircut.

Harold Leighton has worked in the beauty industry for decades in both Europe and the United States. He can be reached at hleighton@bellsouth.net; http://www.hleighton.com/.

Fashion Trade Show Wraps Up at Javits Center

Epoch Times — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 02:50:48 +0000

The Nakamol Chicago booth at the Jacob Javits center on Wednesday. (Amal Chen/The Epoch Times)

NEW YORK—Looking out at a room packed with booths lined with the trendiest pieces of the season, complete with a spa bar and dining section, you might think you’ve stepped into a high-end fashion gala, but it’s really the backstage for boutiques and department stores across the globe.

The fashion trade shows of Moda Manhattan, AccessoriesTheShow Pavilion, and Fame are showcasing over 900 fashion brands at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center for buyers from almost every state and more than 44 countries.

The event, which opened on Tuesday and will continue through Thursday, is only open to buyers and storeowners, who are purchasing for the fall/winter 2012 season.

Turn out for the February show is moderate, according to the sales representatives at the fashion booths.

“This show overall has been slow for everyone,” said Lauren Robinson, sales assistant of New York-based fashion line sharagano noir.

Nonetheless, she said that the company plans on showcasing every year at Moda Manhattan in the city hereafter. “If people are in town for a little bit longer, they can come to our showroom because it’s so close.”

The Mystree booth at the Jacob Javits center on Wednesday. (Amal Chen/The Epoch Times)

Fame presents contemporary junior selections while Moda Manhattan is a higher priced modern contemporary women’s ready-to wear show. AccessoriesTheShow features accessories from scarves and bags, to different types of jewelry.

“They have a great selection,” said Thuyvan Bui, the owner of Gift Fanatics in Lafayette, La. She also pointed out that the exhibition was less crowded than the many others that she attended in Atlanta and Dallas.

“I like it. It’s not overwhelming, it’s relaxing,” she said.

The trade shows provide free breakfast, lunch, and beverages for the buyers. There is also a beauty spa section toward the back of the exhibition that provides massages and hairdressers doing dry blowouts.

“The idea is to keep the buyers happy and on the floor for as long as possible,” said one of the staff members in the beauty-spa bar, standing next to a sign that read “Buyers Get Free Cupcake!”

The timing of the trade show is specially selected to follow fashion week to accommodate buyers who live away from the city and flew in for runway shows. Fashion Week for Fall 2012 ended last Thursday.

NY Fashion Week Recap: Fall 2012

Epoch Times — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 11:31:39 +0000

Ralph Lauren burgundy suit (TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images)

As we get ready to usher in spring, editors, buyers, and fashionistas in New York City have already caught a glimpse of next fall’s trends presented by over 320 designers during the semi-annual glitzy event that is New York Fashion Week.

Fall 2012 didn’t provide too many dramatic changes in fashion. Many of the trends from last year or this spring seem to continue through the year in slightly updated form, such as florals, military looks, peplums, Peter Pan collars in contrasting shades, metallics for day and night, and white after Labor Day.

While not groundbreaking, a few new trends have emerged. Numerous designers were influenced by Lisbeth Salander, protagonist of “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,” presenting dark collections that played on the combination of femininity, individualism, and strength.

While there were a lot of floral prints, most of those were in more somber tones giving way to a new romanticism. In fitting fashion, burgundy was a dominant color on the majority of the runways, both stand-alone or paired with black. Finally, belts have a bigger presence—literally.

Botanical Beauties

Don’t pack up your spring floral prints when winter arrives, as botanicals will continue to have a strong presence in our closets all year. These winter blooms differ slightly from their spring counterparts only in their more dramatic and dark motifs. Three-year old designer label SUNO, already known for mixing varied prints, pushed the envelop by showing head-to-toe florals in different colors and patterns.

Flowers are by no means girly. The first look down Marc by Marc Jacobs’ runway was a romantic red dress made fierce with navy and black flower prints, stiff black underskirt, and rugged laced-up hiking boots.

Black and red bouquets were a trend echoed by many, as seen on the runways of 3.1 Phillip Lim, Monique Lhuillier, Derek Lam, Richard Chai Love, Libertine, and Thakoon.

Marc By Marc Jacobs (Peter Michael Dills/Getty Images)

SUNO (Andy Kropa/Getty Images)

Burgundy Is The New Black

The runways were ablaze with burgundy-colored collections, setting the stage for an upcoming cozy and romantic winter. It’s probably easier to identify those designers who didn’t use this dramatic oxblood color versus those who actually did. This deep, rich hue was presented in all types of materials, including silk, fur, and certainly leather.

Jason Wu, forever immortalized as the young designer who dressed Michelle Obama in an all-white one-shouldered gown for the presidential inauguration, worked wine into much of his collection from capes to cocktail dresses.

Helmut Lang and DKNY paired burgundy fur and leather, creating an edgy look that can be worn on a night out. Ralph Lauren and Elizabeth & James showed three-piece burgundy suits to be worn in wool for work and velvet for a more formal evening affair.

The duo design team of Costello Tagliapietra took the color to heights of glamour in a dramatic floor-length gown with ruching around the waist, for a look that is flattering on all body types.

Narciso Rodriguez and BCBG paired burgundy with a burnt orange. Casual or luxe, burgundy is preparing itself to be a great alternative to all that black we have in our closets this fall.

Jason Wu (Fernanda Calfat/Getty Images)

Helmut Lang (Fernanda Calfat/Getty Images)

Narciso Rodriguez (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week)

DKNY (Peter Michael Dills/Getty Images for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week)

Pretty in Peplum

Popular in the 1940s and then again in the 1980s, the uber-flattering and ladylike peplum has been enjoying a few seasons of buzz and continues to dominate headlines in Fall 2012. You can’t blame women (and men) for salivating over this silhouette, as it forms a beautiful hourglass figure accentuated by a tiny waist.

Peter Som (Peter Michael Dills/Getty Images)

Peter Som’s fall collection was filled with a dizzying array of dressed-up peplums—in hues from caramel to teal, and in silhouettes from thigh-high slit peplum dresses to unique peplum black-lace cigar pants.

Tory Burch strayed from her comfort zone by showcasing a blue leather peplum jacket, further accentuating the waist with a black belt and matching leather skirt.

Lela Rose took a more romantic twist with her flouncy, red floral peplum knee-length gown. This exaggerated silhouette was elegantly tamed at Carolina Herrera in a long, strapless peplum gown with a red obi belt to add dramatic flair and make it red-carpet ready.

Big Belts

While belts have been strong for a number of seasons and are now staples in all women’s closets, they seem to have gotten bigger in size. Wide, waist-cinching belts are a must for the Fall 2012 wardrobe. Zac Posen’s Asian-inspired collection used obi-styled belts in bright colors that pop over a dark, wintry outfit.

Fashion darling Altuzarra made this trend ultra luxe and cool with his knit dress with shearling collar wrapped tightly with a wide black belt.

For a more daring spin, leave it to Herve Leger, known for his body-hugging bandage dresses, to have harness-style leather belts parading down the runway in true equestrian fashion.

Herve Leger by Max Azria (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week)

: Altuzarra (Courtesy of Altuzarra)

Pialy Aditya is co-founder of Mintbox, providing access to exclusive offers and cash back from top fashion brands. Pialy has advised luxury brands including Donna Karan and Tiffany & Co. She holds an MBA from Harvard Business School. Reach her on twitter via @pialyaditya.

Model Alliance Debuts at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week

Epoch Times — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 23:59:29 +0000

A model walks the runway for the St. John Fall 2012 fashion show. Models of different ethnicities often face blatant discrimination and can now share their perspectives of the modeling industry in the Model Alliance online forum. (Arun Nevader/Getty Images)

Models were on display recently at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York—but on runways only.

In a proactive move to protect models in an industry that often leaves them vulnerable, the Model Alliance assures models that someone has their backs. With a newly drafted Models’ Bill of Rights in place, the alliance aims to enhance the vitality and moral standing of the fashion business as a whole.

And designer Diane von Furstenberg, president of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), is on board.

In fact, she recently worked with the alliance during Fashion Week, a high-profile global fashion event that just ended on Thursday, Feb. 16, to implement a rule that clears the backstage area of photographers and non-essential staff when models have to change clothes, according to an article in The Huffington Post.

Launched to coincide with Fashion Week, the Model Alliance was founded in 2011 by Sara Ziff, a former model who started her career at age 14, with the support of fellow models and the Fashion Law Institute at Fordham Law School. It establishes specific guidelines protecting models’ basic rights like fair labor standards, as well as enforcing financial transparency and redress for issues of sexual harassment, among others.

According to Ziff on the Model Alliance website: “Our goal is to work with progressive modeling agencies to give models in the U.S. a voice in their workplace and organize to improve their basic working conditions in what is now an almost entirely unregulated industry. How the industry treats its models influences the ideal presented in the magazines, and these images have a powerful, far-reaching effect on women in general.”

Restoring moral codes and bringing the humanity back to the modeling industry seem to be on the forefront of their agenda.

In an article on msnbc.com’s Today Style, Susan Scafidi, director of the Fashion Law Institute at New York’s Fordham University and an alliance board member, said: “Models have won the genetic lottery. They are tall, they are beautiful, they get paid for walking.”

Added Scafidi, “But they are human beings, they are not coat hangers.”

While the mission statement does “encourage a safe and healthy work environment that protects models’ mental and physical well-being,” some bloggers on the website hope that the alliance will eventually advocate more resolutely over issues like eating disorders.

Some fashion shows in Spain and Italy have already refused to hire models unless their weight remains a healthy standard, based on the Body Mass Index or BMI, which measures models’ weight and height.

Since 2007, the CFDA has formulated a health initiative to address these concerns, and is updating it this year to state that models must be 16 or older to walk the catwalk.

Since many models embark on their careers in their teens, the Model Alliance also supports the enforcement of existing child labor and contract laws.

Sara Ziff, founder of the Model Alliance (Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images for Picture Me)

“When you’re talking about a labor force of kids, which most of them are, that should be a red flag,” Ziff says on the Model Alliance website. “Minors often putting in long hours without rest or meal breaks, and dropping out of school to be able to work for free: There are so many levels of wrong there.”

Though the group has mainly received positive feedback, some people are still unconvinced of its ability to be effective.

One post from the mother of a model states on the site: “Kudos for writing this charter of rights, but models will still be expected to work unreasonable hours, have photo shoots in the back of sweatshops, and be ripped off by their agencies. The business is run by people who will never see your charter; people who will listen to a model’s demands and then hire a girl who won’t complain.”

The overwhelming attitude, though, is that change needs to start somewhere, and that this forum is a great place to begin.

“Correcting these abuses starts with seeing models through a different lens: not as dehumanized images, but as workers who deserve the same rights and protections as anyone else,” Ziff says on the website.

A recent response posted by a woman named Sarah on Feb. 12 agrees: “I think that this beyond anything is a reasonable start. I have worked as a model for 15 years, I’m now 30 … Where do I sign up?!”

Top Looks at 18th SAG Awards

Epoch Times — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 05:48:26 +0000

Actress Viola Davis in a white, Grecian gown by Marchesa with gold detailing poses in the press room with her award for “The Help.” (Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

Wedding dress-inspired gowns appear at the 18th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at The Shrine Auditorium on Jan. 29 in Los Angeles.

Think of a stunning Viola Davis, who won the award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role in “The Help,” and “The Good Wife” actress Julianna Margulies—two of the top five looks readers voted for on The Huffington Post website.

“Bridesmaids” actress Rose Byrne surprised everyone by showing up in a unique Elie Saab jumpsuit, while Dianna Agron from “Glee” looked radiant in bright fuchsia. Also opting for color, “The Help” actress Ahna O’Reilly and Michelle Williams offered show-stopping red dresses.

Anticipation is mounting for what everyone will be wearing on Oscar night.

Click photos to enlarge

George Clooney and Stacy Keibler in Marchesa dress and jewelry by Jacob & Co. were voted the No. 1 look by viewers of The Huffington Post website. (Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)	“The Big Bang Theory” star Kaley Cuoco wowed viewers with a strapless mint Romona Keveza gown with a rosette-adorned skirt. She finished her look with a braided updo. (Jason Merritt/Getty Images)	Julianna Margulies wore a wedding-inspired look from Calvin Klein Collection. (Jason Merritt/Getty Images)
“Glee” star Jayma Mays looked stunning in a Reem Acra gown, Brian Atwood shoes, Neil Lane earrings, and a Judith Lieber clutch. (Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)	“Glee” actress Dianna Agron dazzled in a bright fuchsia wrapped chiffon gown by Carolina Herrera with Fred Leighton jewelry, Jimmy Choo shoes, and a Ferragamo bag. She topped her look with an angelic braided updo.(Jason Merritt/Getty Images)	Rose Byrne surprised everyone by wearing a shimmering white, fully embroidered Elie Saab jumpsuit with structured shoulders, Jimmy Choo ‘Vibe’ sandals, a black-and-gold Lena Erziak clutch, and a '70s-inspired fringed bob.(Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
"The Help" star Ahna O'Reilly looked striking in a sleek red Nha Khanh gown with a back cutout. (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)	“The Modern Family” actress Ariel Winter looked lovely in Collette Dinnigan, with a beautifully embellished bodice and lace skirt.(Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)	Actors Brad Pitt (L) and Angelina Jolie in a black Jenny Packham gown, House of Lavande jewels (bracelet and earrings), Platt Boutique rings, Gucci shoes, and Louis Vuitton bag. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

The Quest for True Beauty: Is It Tenable?

Epoch Times — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 04:54:01 +0000

A woman holds a torch during a ceremony in Greece. The word cosmetic comes from the Greek word “kosmos,” meaning the world, the orderly universe. (Jan Jekielek/The Epoch Times)

In the 19th century, Fyodor Dostoyevsky prophesied, “Beauty will save the world.”

Can it be that the world will be liberated by looks alone? Is the existentialist author referring to the physical beauty that women obsess over, or is it something beyond that?

Embracing the Divine Feminine

Much about true beauty can be understood by taking a look at the origin of the word cosmetic, from the Greek word kosmos meaning the world, the orderly universe.

“It was believed that people who had talents in kosmetics were in harmony with their environment, and that if people purified their inner domain, their outer beauty would be enhanced,” according to author and herbalist Brigitte Mars in her book “Beauty by Nature.”

Philosophers like Aristotle spoke of the Absolute as “to kalon,” the beautiful, as in all earthly beauty being a fragment or reflection of divine beauty.

By making the most of feminine beauty on earth, we are actually tapping into an ancient art that is literally cosmetic—bringing ourselves into alignment with the cosmos itself by maximizing our small part in its order and beauty.

Yet it is hard to know what is truly beautiful now, when we are bombarded by a standard that appears more artificial than real.

In today’s times, cosmetic treatments promise eternal youth, hair dyes guarantee that gray never grows in, and plastic surgery can nip and tuck everything else. The message that comes through is that if you are not young and flawless, you do not fit into the “beautiful” category.

The pressures for women to conform to waif-thin, perfectly coiffed, wrinkle- and blemish-free standards are high and lead to many image-related issues starting as young as age 5.

According to a CNN report, “One study found that one in four people is depressed about their body, another found that almost a third of women say they would sacrifice a year of life to achieve the ideal body weight and shape, and almost half of girls in a recent survey think the pressure to look good is the worst part of being female.”

Looking Within

Thanks to a growing number of celebrities and other voices for change, more and more people are shifting their priorities from external focus and superficial alterations to looking within and changing their internal environment. It is a shift that appears more aligned with the possibility of beauty delivering salvation.

This movement toward emanating true beauty from within is taking place on multiple levels from diet and nutrition to meditation and clearing the mind.

Dr. Norman Walker, the raw juice pioneer, has said, “Except for accidents, all the repair and regeneration of our body must come from within.”

Many estheticians and cosmetic websites agree and are predicting a new trend for beauty in 2012.

“This will be a year in which we will increasingly look to ourselves for answers,” Marta Wohrle says on her Truth In Aging website. The website’s mission is to offer truthful and unbiased guidance to people seeking to improve their health and appearance through skin care, hair care, health and beauty products, and salon and clinical treatments.

“We’ll want to find some inner peace and balance, feel good about ourselves … and after being so hunkered down we’ll be taking a broader view. So think holistic for 2012.”

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Milan Fashion Week 2012

Epoch Times — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 17:22:32 +0000

Can any fashion lover miss the Milan Fashion Week? On Jan. 14, people in the industry traveled from around the world to the capital of fashion. Click on the ‘Full Screen’ button to the right of the photos below to see them in their full splendor.

The Milan train station is some distance away from the main site of the fashion shows. Because taxi drivers were still striking on Jan. 13, people in various attire—those who were well-dressed, stylish, and chic, and those who dressed to express individualism or eccentricity—took to the narrow streets in Milan, against the background of the city’s historical buildings, stone-paved roads, slowly moving trams, and the bright winter sun.

These diverse pedestrians certainly added extra charm to this fascinating city.

From 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Jan. 14, close to 10,000 people in the fashion business from over 20 countries shuffled back and forth in downtown Milan to visit different shows.

Every show was meticulously designed to showcase their brands. The background, the music, the autumn and winter fashions, and the models all blended into one harmonious symphony.

The artistic creations and esthetic expressions elevated the audience’s sensations to the extreme in the brief time they took the stage, as every fashion house competed with the others to create the ultimate sensory experience.

Zegna: Warmth in the Winter Snow

Zegna’s models headed down the runway against a backdrop of falling snow on one wall and a burning fireplace with flickering red flames on other walls. Uplifting music made the atmosphere feel that spring would soon appear.

Young male models wore blue or brown suits as well as wool sweaters, and carried briefcases.

Zegna’s coat for this season sported a prominent leather or fur collar—a heavy, warm, yet stylish touch. Ivory and bright tan colors synchronized well and offered a touch of warmth to the garments.

Black and white, normally the most traditional contrasting colors, gave quite a different effect when combined with various patterns. Even a completely black suit represented the unique Zegna brand because of the material and pattern.

Burberry Prorsum: Mystery in the Rain

London’s winter is rainy and gray, yet full of surprises with Burberry’s fall and winter collection.

While retaining Burberry’s conventional, elegant, and dignified style, this year’s Burberry Prorsum incorporated bold colors such as purple, gray, turquoise, and champagne.

The color coordination steered away from monochromatic looks, instead trimming a beige trench coat with mustard yellow and coffee brown. A purple collar adorned a tan jacket. Fabrics included corduroy and waterproof materials.

Umbrellas were featured as a must-have accessory for rainy winter days. The designer added new twists to umbrella patterns to match each outfit.

When all the umbrellas were opened during the show, it was truly a sight to see!

Roberto Cavalli: Elegant, Avant-Garde, and Hip

The backdrop of Roberto Cavalli’s runway depicted dreamy shadow puppetry with a silhouette of a blues musician stomping his feet rhythmically while belting out a tune on his mouth organ.

The image, the shadow, and the music gave audiences a sense of distant reality.

The new trend showed bold colors. A departure from the traditional black and gray, new colors such as olive green, lemon yellow, violet purple, and pink were brought to the stage.

The tailoring emphasized uniquely shaped collars, wide-legged pants, and expanded boot openings. The scarves and shawls were adorned with tassels. Tan colored wool hats were lined with delicate flowery trim.

Sherbet Hues and Roaring Twenties: Themes of Spring 2012

Epoch Times — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 19:49:24 +0000

Pastel colors on the Chanel runway in Paris. (Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

It’s almost time to ditch those boring blacks and bring some sunshine back into your wardrobe.

With frenzied shoppers snapping up post-Christmas bargains, store shelves are clearing to be replenished with fresh and exciting spring looks.

Late last year, top designers from around the world paraded their creative visions for Spring/Summer 2012. The collections showcased a myriad of exciting colors, prints, fabrics, and cuts—designs that will magically materialize in designer stores in record time.

Fueled by the popularity of the HBO series “Boardwalk Empire,” one of our favorite trends to emerge is the adaptation of signature 1920s looks. The Marc Jacobs, Ralph Lauren, Tory Burch, and Oscar de la Renta collections are all sprinkled with influences from the Prohibition Era—think drop waists, flouncing fur, flapper dresses, and elaborate art deco beading.

Delicious sherbet hues were also on the cards. Mix into your wardrobe musk pinks, lemon meringue, honeydew melon, peach nectar, and powder blues.

Other springtime trends to keep your eye out for include floral motives and prints, angular color blocking, and earthy tribal detail.

Elaine Tiong is a freelance writer and event stylist. She can be contacted at elaine@styleanddiscourse.com.

Clear, crisp spring colors graced Diane von Furstenberg's show. Note the vibrant glasses that accent the look. (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

John Galliano pumps with sequined heels. (Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

Louis Vuitton's classic spring dress. (Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

A hat, flowing scarf, and fringed bag complete this sherbet-colored look at Ralph Lauren. (EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP/Getty Images)

A nod to the 1920s at the Marc Jacobs show. (Peter Michael Dills/Getty Images)

Oscar de la Renta incorporates fringe to add texture to a strapless dress. (Peter Michael Dills/Getty Images)

A style reminiscent of a look from The Great Gatsby on the runway at Ralph Lauren. (EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP/Getty Images)

The Digital Dressing Room

Epoch Times — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 01:13:51 +0000

UPcload uses a CD and a web-cam to determine measurements. (Courtesy of UPcload.com)

You coveted those adorable jeans on the website for so long, yet you can’t tell if they’re going to fit you. Wouldn’t it be great if you could try them on before buying them? The Berlin-based company UPcload says that now you can.

Initiating a new era of e-fashion, the UPcload passport allows users to create an online profile of their dimensions and styling preferences, ensuring that “clothing items bought online fit ‘offline,’” according to the company’s press kit.

Using a webcam and an ordinary CD, the photo-recognition software determines the customer’s sizing and dimensions without requiring any fancy scanning equipment. Best of all, creating the passport takes 10 minutes and only needs to be done once.

The company says that this deceptively simple body-measuring system will give a perfect fit each time, no matter what the brand, eliminating the hassle of returns by taking the guesswork out of sizing. The customer’s profile acts as the “passport” to participating online retailers, which offer recommendations based on the measurements.

It will also allow consumers to buy clothes for family and friends, see a visualization of the buyer wearing the items through the Dutch program MimicMe, and even help determine which items go together.

Founders Sebastian Schulze (L) and Asaf Moses (R) (Courtesy of UPcload.com)

Two friends and graduates of Berlin’s Humboldt University—Asaf Moses, a 29-year-old Israeli, and Sebastian Schulze, 25, who is German—developed the idea in January 2010 after they discovered their mutual frustration from buying poorly fitting merchandise online and not being able to return it.

UPcload, a blend of the words “upload” and “clothes,” has since been voted start-up of the year and has won over $200,000 in prize money and government grants, according to a press release.

The technology behind the company is anything but simple. Developed for the military and semiconductor industries by the Israeli company Imagu, the image-analysis algorithms hone in on images at the subpixel level, which is more precise than standard object-recognition software, giving measurements that “are on average more accurate than those taken by a professional tailor,” Moses told BusinessWeek.

Launching next month, UPcload has already partnered with The North Face and has plans to expand to other stores and markets, like shoes.

UPcload may be more accurate than having a professional tailor come over and take measurements, according to founder Asaf Moses.(Photos.com)

Retailers that choose to use the software carry a widget on their sites, linking them to UPcload’s confidential database. Users will be able to log in to the UPcload box on the retailer’s website and will then be told whether the items they are considering are likely to fit. For example, if UPcload knows the buyer has a 34-inch waist and likes loose-fitting pants, it will know to suggest that the jeans would be too snug for that person’s taste.

If that’s not enough, Moses and Schulze are not just tackling the Internet—up next, they will be sending body measurements via mobile devices like smartphones. This innovation will help shoppers avoid taking multiple items to the changing room. Instead, they can scan the bar code to know which items will fit best.

Of course, many shoppers will still want to see, feel, and try on their clothes in person, but UPcload is banking on it that many may increasingly venture into online shopping when there’s less risk involved.

According to a press release, 40 percent of online clothing purchases wind up as returns. UPcload hopes to bring that number down and increase clothing sales, a very promising prospect for companies and customers who are willing to try it on for size.

DIY Kiwi Mask

Epoch Times — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 00:37:03 +0000

The seeds of kiwi fruit will help to gently exfoliate the skin, leaving your face smooth and soft. (photos.com)

At my spa, I use the latest technologies and carefully selected skin care products to meet my customers’ needs, but what I enjoy the most is creating my own pure, natural, and organic formulas.

Some people have really sensitive skin, and they can’t use some of the harsher products, so organic is perfect for them.

Organic products contain the acids, vitamins, minerals, and amino acids that can do everything that chemical products do—deeply clean the pores, exfoliate, detoxify, moisturize, and tone the skin, giving it a younger, glowing look.

Here is my post-holiday treat for you: my own recipe for a wonderful facial mask.

Kiwi Mask

Easy to prepare in only a few minutes, this recipe can make your face look fresh and radiant for a night out. The mask is great for both men and women at any age, with any skin type.

Things You’ll Need:

Blender or small food processor
Spatula
1 kiwi
Half a cucumber
Healing Indian Clay (can be purchased at a vitamin shop)
5 drops of lavender oil (optional)

Instructions:

1. Prepare a smooth paste by mixing 2 tablespoons of clay with 1 ounce of water. Let it sit for a few minutes for the clay to absorb the water.

2. Peel and slice kiwi and cucumber and place in a blender. Add the clay paste and 5 drops of lavender oil. Blend the ingredients well until it reaches a creamy, paste-like consistency.

3. Using the spatula, apply the paste to a clean face and leave it on for 10–20 minutes. You may feel a tingling, pulling, and tightening sensation.

4. Remove with warm water and pat to dry. Apply moisturizer.

You will get approximately 8 ounces of product from this recipe, which you can refrigerate for the next few days and use daily as long as the product lasts. As this mask does not have preservatives, it is only good to use for up to seven days.

Benefits

Kiwi: The seeds of kiwi fruit will help to gently exfoliate the skin, leaving your face smooth and soft. Kiwi is also full of alpha hydroxy acid, which can help reduce oil, prevent blackheads, and balance your complexion.

Cucumbers: Cucumbers contain the same pH as your skin, so they can clean, nourish, and hydrate your skin without stripping it of its natural protective acid layers. It also gives a lightening effect.

Indian Healing Clay: The Indian Healing Clay is the most famous for deep pore cleansing. It removes impurities and tightens the pores.

Lavender Oil: Lavender oil has a calming effect, which may aid in relaxation and reduction of anxiety and stress. It can also be used for antiseptic and anti-bacterial purposes.

Please enjoy my Kiwi Mask recipe!

Tanya Poliakova is a founder and owner of Sunflower Day Spa, 684 Passaic Ave., Nutley NJ 07110, 973-661-0303. Please visit her site www.sunflowerdayspa.com.

Classical Indian Dress Meets Parisian Runway

Epoch Times — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 17:59:59 +0000

The Indian sari represents the traditional clothing of Indian women. It has a lasting charm since it is suitable for all sizes and shapes and can be worn in several ways. The way this graceful feminine attire is worn, as well as its color and texture, is indicative of the status, age, occupation, region, and religion of a woman. The choli worn underneath is a tightly fitted blouse. Using gold or gold ornaments is popular because the metal is believed to have the power to purify anything it touches, according to Indian traditions. (FRANCOIS GUILLOT/AFP/Getty Images)

At a time when modernization seems to be sweeping through most cultures, one bold designer artfully weaves ancient traditional wear with modern flair on the Parisian runways.

At the Dec. 6 Chanel Metiers D’Art Pre-Fall collection show titled “Paris-Bombay” in Paris, German-born fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld channeled Indian culture with its traditional styles, its jewels, its vibrant colors, and its precious fabrics.

The show also made an impact in choosing an unusually high number of models from South Asian origin.

“These women have enjoyed less visibility on runways and in fashion editorials than models from Korea, China, and Japan,” NYmag.com said in a recent post about the show.

A culturally diverse nation, India is known as the birthplace of many early religions, among them Buddhism and Hinduism, with some of the most deeply rooted societies and cultures.

It follows that the clothing portrays many traditional symbols and ideologies established in ancient history and recaptured here on the Parisian Runway.

According to Indian color symbolism, white is the predominant color for the clothing of upper classes. It is customarily believed that any form of dyeing is impure. The gown shown here is feminine, graceful, and flowing. (FRANCOIS GUILLOT/AFP/Getty Images)

Considered to be a highly auspicious mark, the bindi is worn by women on their forehead and is representative of the Third Eye, according to some Indian traditions. (FRANCOIS GUILLOT/AFP/Getty Images)

The dark eyeliner around the model’s eyes, or kajal, is said to protect from evil. (FRANCOIS GUILLOT/AFP/Getty Images)

A modern take on Indian churidaars, pajama-like trousers drawn tightly at the waist and the ankles. They are also longer than the leg and made of a stretchy fabric for movement, sometimes finished with a tightly fitting buttoned cuff at the ankle. Over the churidaars, women wear long and loose kameez or tunics. As seen here, the look is elegant and festive. (FRANCOIS GUILLOT/AFP/Getty Images)

Kurtis, tunic-style garments, are extremely comfortable and light and can be paired with jeans, making them the perfect blend of Indian and Western fashion. The trend this season is frock-styled kurtis that are well-fitted from the top of the shoulders and then flow freely from the chest to the waist, as shown on the model. (FRANCOIS GUILLOT/AFP/Getty Images)

Elizabeth Taylor’s Collection Sales Take Center Stage

Epoch Times — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 09:05:15 +0000

Actress Elizabeth Taylor poses in an old film still, circa 1960.(Getty Images)

Adding to the extraordinary results of the magnificent jewels auction that achieved a record $137.2 million, the combined total from The Collection of Elizabeth Taylor, including her museum-worthy collection of haute couture and memorabilia, plus the online sale, reached a record-breaking $156.8 million at Christie’s New York, Dec. 12 to 16.

This is the most valuable sale of jewelry and fashion in auction history. “The total far exceeded Christie’s pre-sale expectations for the sale as a whole and for individual items, which were frequently hammered down for 5, 10, or even 50 times their estimate in some cases,” according to Christie’s.

During the week of auctions at Christie’s flagship Rockefeller Center saleroom, about 20 employees manned phones on one side of the room, as callers worldwide frantically competed with those present.

At the jewelry sales, for example, a 15-minute bidding battle ensued to win the sought-after pair of wedding bands belonging to Ms. Taylor and Richard Burton, whom she married on two occasions. The two rings went for $1,022,500.

The Superstar’s Wardrobe

As a young film star, Elizabeth Taylor had the opportunity to work with the finest costume designers of the day. Irene Sharaff designed the costumes for “Cleopatra.” One of those costumes, titled “Cleopatra 1963,” estimated at $10,000 to $15,000, realized $62,500 at the Christie’s sale, where it was sold to a private U.S. party.

When Sharaff later won an Academy Award for her “Cleopatra” designs, Taylor invited her to create the lovely sunflower-yellow silk chiffon dress for her first marriage to Richard Burton. The Elizabeth Taylor Trust has announced that it will donate this dress to a major American museum.

Taylor’s position as a superstar gave her entrée to the greatest names in fashion. Her wardrobe featured scores of what are now “museum-quality” ensembles by Chanel, Christian Dior, Gianfranco Ferre, Givenchy, Halston, Tiziani, Valentino, Versace, and Yves Saint Laurent, among others. Many outfits were custom made for her, and she developed friendships with many of the great designers mentioned.

One stunning item was a Christian Dior evening gown of silver-encrusted brocade with matching evening bag, which Taylor wore to Guy de Rothschild and his wife’s yearly ball in Brie, France. (The sale price was $362,500; sold to an American museum).

Versace designed the unique evening jacket called ”The Face,” which is beaded in rhinestones and displays portraits of Taylor in her most famous roles. It sold for $128,500.

Taylor’s Mission to Fight AIDS

In addition to collecting and working in films, Taylor worked ceaselessly to raise money to fight AIDS.

All sales proceeds will be directed to the Elizabeth Taylor Trust, with a portion of the profits generated by sales of exhibition tickets, event sponsorships, and the ongoing sales of select publications to be donated to The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation (ETAF), states a press release.

Chris Wilding, Elizabeth Taylor’s son and member of the Elizabeth Taylor Trust, said in a press release, “My family is proud that our mother’s legacy as a celebrated actress, tireless AIDS activist, and accomplished businesswoman touched so many lives … We could not have carried out her wishes this week without the outstanding help of Christie’s.”

Diana Barth covers theater and the arts for The Epoch Times and other publications. She also writes and publishes “New Millennium, an arts publication.

Celebration Updos

Epoch Times — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 21:09:03 +0000

Braids are the look of the moment—and everyone can wear them.

With a new line of styling products debuting in salons in 55 countries, GKhair CEO Van Tibolli asked prestigious stylist Jon Reyman to create the party-ready “Downtown Updos” using GKhair’s new winter collection to highlight the launch.

Reyman has designed hairstyles for fashion shows in New York, Miami, London, and Tokyo. His many clients in the fashion industry include Carolina Herrera, Oscar de la Renta, Ralph Lauren, Perry Ellis, Vivienne Tam, Y & Kei, and G-Star. He has also been featured in major publications, such as Vogue, GQ, Cosmopolitan, and Harper’s Bazaar.

“I am so excited about 2012,” Brazilian-born Van Tibolli said. “GKhair is ready to take another giant step forward into the forefront of the hair product world with the new collection of styling products and images.”

Images from the new winter collection “Downtown Updos” are smoothed with the signature straightening method, The Best, and the new styling products designed to complement.

The results? Hair that is glamorous and ready to celebrate the season!

Harold Leighton has worked in the beauty industry for decades in both Europe and the United States. He can be reached at hleighton@bellsouth.net.

Transform Office Drab to Party Fab

Epoch Times — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 20:27:59 +0000

Red lipstick gives a pop of bold color. (Photos.com)

With the holiday season here, people are getting ready for that annual festivity: the office party. Depending on your office environment, this may incite either fear or excitement.

Still, there is no better way to ensure a good time than by knowing you look your best.

Incorporate these office-to-party tips and you will surely stand out—and be showered with compliments from fellow employees!

A Good Lipstick Goes a Long Way

The easiest and fastest way to spice up a look is with a great lip color. To color-coordinate with the season, a bright, bold red in the right hue suits every woman’s pout. My personal favorite is Ruby Woo by M.A.C.

If this look is too bright for you, try a lip stain instead, like Covergirl Outlast Lip Stain. You can make the color as light or as dark as you want and can still achieve the holiday-friendly red look.

Be as Sparkly as Tinsel

Tory Burch dresses up her look with a decorative necklace. (Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for Ralph Lauren)

A great accessory is one of the fastest ways to switch a look from casual to ready-to-go. One of the best ways to do this is with a glamorous necklace. The jewelry trends favor big, chunky looks, and a sensational necklace is sure to stand out when thrown on top of a suit or dress. Try this one from Dana Buchman.

Shoes Matter

My philosophy is that with a great haircut and a great pair of shoes, you look good from top to bottom. Shoes are a game changer when you want to add zest to any outfit, especially a work outfit that you’d like to dress up. Chic footwear with vibrant color will definitely enhance your party look, like these pumps from Michael Antonio Gezana.

Briefcase? No, Thank You!

Regardless of what bag you bring to work, be it a large tote, messenger, or briefcase, know that it will not go over at a party. When attending your soiree, you need a small clutch that holds only the essentials. For your holiday party, try some clutches in bright tones, like this Satin Bow Tie clutch, to really stand out from the crowd.

Every Lady Needs Her LBD

What is more woman-friendly than your favorite little black dress, or LBD? If you do not own this essential wardrobe piece … well, you should. I like this LBD from Kohl’s. Black is always party-friendly and can take you from a long day at work to a long night of celebration—with the above added accessories, of course.

Kate Middleton Puts Charity Before Fashion

Epoch Times — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 01:18:18 +0000

Prince William, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, in an Alexander McQueen gown, and Prince Harry leave the annual Sun Military Awards. (Ben Stansall-WPA Pool/Getty Images)

Kate Middleton and Prince William paid a visit to Centrepoint’s Camberwell Foyer, a facility for homeless youth in South London on Dec. 21.

Kate Middleton in a Ralph Lauren Blue Label sweater-dress. (Ben Stansall-WPA Pool/Getty Images)

Ever the fashion icon, the duchess wore a belted olive-green turtleneck sweater-dress from Ralph Lauren’s Blue Label line and a pair of knee-high black boots. She finished the look with long and bouncy waves courtesy of her hair stylist Richard Ward, according to the U.K.’s Mirror.com, which also mentioned her knack for recycling her wardrobe.

Though perfectly dressed, the Duchess of Cambridge was not afraid to don an apron and bake low-fat mince pies and gingerbread cookies with the youth at the shelter.

She even made a special heart-shaped cookie covered in sprinkles for a chef’s birthday.

The national charity Centrepoint offers housing and support to improve the lives of homeless individuals ages 16–25.

“The duchess is using the next few months to get to know a number of charitable and other causes better, so she can make well-informed decisions about her future role. The duchess plans to meet a wide range of people and make private visits,” an anonymous official said in The International Business Times.

Like the late Princess Diana, the duchess has shown interest in veterans, the homeless, conservation, and at-risk young people.

Also following in Diana’s footsteps, Kate is known for her classical style and natural elegance, particularly in the Alexander McQueen gown she wore the day before at the Sun Military Awards in London.

Plus she’s not afraid of getting a little dirty in her royal clothing—especially for a worthy cause!

The Cheap Chic Shopping Guide to the Holiday Season

Epoch Times — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 08:26:55 +0000

These wristlets are sure to add sparkle to any party!

NEW YORK—Can you believe we’re merely days away from 2012? Where did the time fly? With the holidays here, you may or may not have finished your shopping. Before you do, here are some stylish suggestions that will save you money and make a big splash with family and friends.

Your girlfriends are a fun bunch and always enjoy dressing up for a night out. Too bad that over-sized bag that Jen always carries is keeping the group from really getting down on the dance floor. Enter you to save the day, or rather, the night.

The Glitter Wristlet from the Sephora Collection comes in a variety of colors to suit all your friends. It is covered in sequins for ultimate nighttime glam and is perfectly sized to fit over the wrist. For only $15, it leaves more money for entertainment at the club. What are friends for?

The Marc Jelly Bracelet set comes in a set of four and brings you and Sis back to when you were kids, complete with fun colors that really pop and gold plated MJ charms.

If your guy hates spending time in the stores, the rock ’n’ roll, fitted chic of the Men’s Coated Military-Style Jacket from Old Navy runs less than $50 and ups your man’s cool factor—especially on cold days when his tattered sports sweatshirt just isn’t cutting it.

If it’s a wife who requires something special under the tree, menorah, or Festivus pole, Victoria’s Secret has an attractive and surprisingly comfy collection from Pink Loves the NFL. With the name of your favorite sports team emblazoned on it, combined with the flirtatious cut and signature softness of the Victoria’s Secret fabric, this playful gift is a real score for any lady friend.

Finally, if it’s a postal worker, Starbucks barista, or casual neighbor who holds open the front door of your apartment building, the best gift is a gift card to slip into any holiday greeting. It fits in most mailboxes or under most doors and does wonders to surprise the people you see in your daily life.

At PlasticJungle.com, you can buy, sell, and exchange gift cards for even deeper discounts to your Cheap Chic shopping.

’Tis the season to be giving, so here’s hoping this shopping guide finds you merry, bright, and as always, encourages you to buy it cheap and make it chic.

Happy Holidays!

Jess Zaino is one of 18 most influential style bloggers on the Web as part of the Glamour Magazine Blogger Network. She is host of the style Web series The Glam List and co-host of the Style Network’s “Modern Girl’s Guide to Life.” As a Stylist, she has dressed many celebrities including Kelly Osbourne and Marla Maples for the Oscars. She created and hosts Cheap Chic Shopping Tours in New York City, which promises Personal Shopper and Celebrity Stylist service, plus a new wardrobe for $100, www.cheapchicshoppingtours.com.

Elizabeth Taylor Jewels Shine at Christie’s Sale

Epoch Times — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 01:11:33 +0000

The Elizabeth Taylor exhibition in New York this week had long lines of visitors waiting to get in. (Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images)

NEW YORK—At Christie’s New York, jewelry sales of items from The Collection of Elizabeth Taylor set some world auction records here on Dec.13, netting a record-breaking $115,932,000 in one evening. Pre-sale estimates were far surpassed on all the top lots.

The exquisite pearl known as La Peregrina, set into a necklace of diamonds and rubies, reached a world auction-record price of $11,842,500, setting a record for a pearl jewel. It sold to an anonymous client on the phone after a round of more than 20 competitive bids.

There were several other world-record setters: Included is the extraordinary Elizabeth Taylor diamond ring, of 33.19 carats, which was a constant in Taylor’s life and which she wore regularly. Among many others, it too was a gift from Richard Burton. It set the world’s highest auction price per carat for a colorless diamond and sold at $8,818,500.

Elizabeth Taylor’s goal was not to acquire merely for the sake of acquiring. She genuinely appreciated and honored her jewels. Of the above-mentioned ring, she once noted that it “gives me the strangest feeling for beauty.” “With its sparks of … [various colors] it sort of hums with its own beatific life.”

The emerald and diamond necklace by Bvlgari, estimated to sell for $1 million to $1.5 million at Christie’s sales. The Elizabeth Taylor Collection went on a three-month tour to Moscow, London, Dubai, Geneva, Paris, Hong Kong, and New York. The necklace was given to Elizabeth Taylor by Richard Burton upon their marriage in 1964. (Frederic J. Brown/AFP/Getty Images)

The record-setter for an Indian jewel was the Taj Mahal Diamond, on a gold and ruby chain, circa 1627 to 1628, which has a fascinating history.

Shah Jahan had received it from his own father. The younger Shah gave it to his wife, and upon her death, in his grief, he commissioned the majestic Taj Mahal. Richard Burton, entranced by the significance of the diamond, gifted it to Elizabeth on her 40th birthday. It sold here for $8,818,500.

Emeralds and rubies also took high honors in Miss Taylor’s collection. The breathtaking Bvlgari Emerald Suite consists of four separate elements: an emerald and diamond necklace, a brooch which can be worn either separately or attached as a pendant to the necklace, drop earrings, and a bracelet. Each was sold separately here, but of course Miss Taylor owned them all, and all were a gift from Richard Burton.

The necklace sold for $6,130,500, the brooch for $6,578,500—more than the necklace. However, the brooch, as noted, can be worn in two ways. The bracelet sold for $4,002,500, the earrings for $3,218,500.

The Ruby Suite by Cartier, consisting of a ruby and diamond necklace ($3,778,500), ruby and diamond ear pendants ($782,500), and bracelet ($842,500), were all a gift from Hollywood producer Mike Todd, Miss Taylor’s third husband. Todd also gifted her with a magnificent antique diamond tiara, which sold for $4,226,500.

The ruby and diamond ring by Van Cleef & Arpels, a gift from Richard Burton, sold for $4,226,500 and set a record for a ruby per carat.

La Peregrina, a Cartier pearl, diamond, and ruby necklace owned by U.S. actress Elizabeth Taylor, estimated to sell for $2 million to $3 million. (Stan HondaAFP/Getty Images)

Although her collection was vast, she did not collect at random. Experts consider that she had remarkable taste and judgment.

Francois Curiel, International Jewelry director and president of Christie’s Asia, who first met Miss Taylor in 1968, said of her (in a press release): “It was clear that she possessed an expert’s eye for craftsmanship, rarity, quality, and history. … Her collection boasts exquisite examples from the most celebrated of jewelry designers, including Bvlgari, Boucheron, Cartier, JAR, Schlumberger, Tiffany, and Van Cleef & Arpels.”

Images of Elizabeth Taylor, here as Cleopatra, covered the walls at the exhibition of The Collection of Elizabeth Taylor in New York City. (Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images)

It’s impossible to describe the range of her taste, which was extremely broad. There are items of coral and turquoise. There are charm bracelets, the two Burton wedding bands, The Night of the Iguana Brooch (sold here for $1,202,500) given to her by Burton to wear to the premiere of his film of the same title.

Another two jewelry auctions will take place in addition to Miss Taylor’s stunning collection of haute couture and memorabilia of her film career.

The collection is viewed by many as one of the greatest jewelry and haute couture collections ever seen and comprises nearly 1,000 items. Her two Academy Award winning Oscar statuettes are also on view, although they are not for sale.

If one cannot get to the actual exhibitions, beautiful and detailed catalogs are available for purchase.

Diana Barth covers theater and the arts for The Epoch Times and other publications. She also writes and publishes “New Millennium,” an arts publication.

Holiday Season Style Tips That Work From Office to Evening

Epoch Times — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 05:31:21 +0000

Clotilde Courau, Princess of Venice and Piedmont, looks stylish in a little black dress and white jacket as she arrives for an event in Paris last month. With holiday parties and get-togethers about to begin, no wardrobe should be without the staple LBD. (Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

‘Tis the season to shine. Whether you’re going to the office party, meeting friends for a casual get-together, attending a cocktail party or a New Year’s Eve bash, Sears Wish Book catalogue has everything you need to look your best.

One of the biggest dilemmas women face is what to wear to the office party that is appropriate yet glamorous. The right look begins with a touch of sparkle.

Pair your classic work pieces with a cardigan or jacket with sequin accents. Bring festive flair with satin peep-toe sandals or simply add a bold piece of jewellery, like a cocktail ring, and your work look can easily transition to evening.

Getting together for an intimate gathering with friends and family? Start with a fabulous pair of jeans and pair them with just about anything. From a tailored tuxedo jacket, a sweater inset with sparkling beading, or a sequin top, mixing casual with dressy is glamorous.

Jeans can look good on any occasion, as evidenced here by actress/model Melissa Satta when she attended Milan Fashion Week in February. (Vincenzo Lombardo/Getty Images)

Not all intimate family and friend gatherings are casual; some require formal attire. Everyone should have the staple LBD (little black dress) in their wardrobe. It’s always in style and delivers a glam look each and every time. Some of the season’s hottest dresses have beautiful feminine touches on classic cuts in taffeta, jersey, chiffon, satin, or velvet.

The look is not complete without a fabulous topper. A great coat keeps you warm and completes any holiday look. A little fun faux fur on collar and cuffs is still work appropriate, but glamorous enough to take you through to evening.

— www.newscanada.com

Oribe: Iconic Hairstylist

Epoch Times — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 15:16:23 +0000

Oribe Canales at a backstage event in Las Vegas. (Tomas Muscionico)

SOUTH BEACH, Fla.—There are hairdressers who define a decade’s style. From back in the 1960s, America had Jackie Kennedy’s hairdresser Kenneth, a tall, handsome man with a wonderful personality whom I had the pleasure of meeting many times. Ara Gallant was one of the most artistic and creative photographic hairstylists who did work for Vogue, Interview, and W. Another hairdresser I remember from the movies from the 1930s to the ’70s was Sydney Guilaroff, who styled the tresses of many a Hollywood personality.

Today, the “It” stylist is the Cuban-American born Oribe Canales (pronounced OR-bay), a distinguished and renowned celebrity hairstylist, lauded as one of the top hairdressers of the 21st century, according to designers and editors worldwide. His combination of salon, celebrity, and session work spans more than three decades and has helped define fashion over the course of a career of remarkable longevity and scope.

“Hair was always a first for me from my youth,” says Oribe. “After beauty school, I started my career at Garren in New York and learned a lot from those early years. My influence as I grew and understood hair was from Alexandre from Paris, famed for the hair he did for Grace Kelly, Elizabeth Taylor, and Audrey Hepburn.”

He also credits “the most amazing photographers, models, makeup artists, and stylists” for their collaboration and inspiration. Among them are photographers Irving Penn, Helmut Newton, Richard Avedon, Annie Leibovitz, Herb Ritts, Francesco Scavullo, Horst, Craig McDean, and Steven Klein; creative directors Fabien Baron and Keesha Keeble; makeup artists François Nars, Pat McGrath, Kevyn Aucoin, and Stephane Marais; and fashion designers such as Gianni Versace, Karl Lagerfeld, and Dolce & Gabbana.

With his rise in the 1980s, Oribe became known for delivering not only big beautiful hair that dazzled in photographs but also for making his models look feminine. His vast expertise enabled him to style long, straight, short, and curly hair, with reference to any time frame.

“My source of inspiration changes depending on what I am working on,” he says.

One of Oribe's signature coifs. (Tomas Muscionico)

“On photo shoots, the clothing plays a big part in the direction we’ll go with the hair. For a haircut, it is the person and capturing their individuality that greatly influences the style.”

In the ’90s, Oribe traveled with his team, designing hair for the top models and stars of the day, from Beverly Johnson, Christy Turlington, Heidi Klum, Naomi Campbell, and Linda Evangelista to Gwyneth Paltrow and Celine Dion.

In fact, it was Diana Ross who showed Oribe how to really secure a wig. And of course, one can’t leave out Jennifer Lopez, with whom Oribe has worked since her first album cover.

His editorial and campaign work has been seen on the covers and pages of Vogue, Elle, Allure, InStyle, W, V, Harper’s Bazaar, GQ, and Vanity Fair. His work also includes many major fashion shows.

Asked what he would have done differently in his career, Oribe says, “I would have taken a business course at night—a must for the youth of today.” Perhaps that would have merely enhanced his already successful launch of hair care products, aptly named Oribe.

In 2008, Oribe assembled the ultimate beauty dream team to help bring his vision for a product collection to life. Together with Daniel Kaner and Tevya Finger, formerly partners at Bumble & Bumble and both veterans of the professional salon scene, they envisioned a luxury brand that would capture the attention of both hairdressers and discerning consumers alike.

The old-world craftsmanship and cutting-edge innovation is only the start of the brand that is growing exponentially. Focusing primarily on the professional channel, the brand has grown to a distribution base of over 1,000 Marquee salons, as well as some of the finest specialty stores, including Bergdorf Goodman and Barneys.

Most recently, Oribe Hair Care has announced a strategic partnership with Wella Professionals Color, a division of Procter & Gamble, to create an integrative approach to education available to their member salons. Oribe has hosted sold-out artist ateliers, master classes, and large-format “backstage” events in Miami, New York, and Las Vegas.

This newly formed alliance will blend each company’s skills to give their collective audiences a broader offering, comprising Wella’s color expertise and Oribe’s strong styling heritage, a stylish match and a new beginning that will likely take Oribe into his next Orbit.

Harold Leighton has worked in the beauty industry for decades in both Europe and the United States. He can be reached at hleighton@bellsouth.net.

Vacheron Constantin: A Brand That Stands the Test of Time

Epoch Times — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 07:37:21 +0000

The Patrimony Traditionnelle Calibre 2755 is currently the most complicated watch produced by Vacheron Constantin. This watch is a true collectors’ piece and is considered an investment piece. Although not a limited edition, this watch is available in limited quantities. (Courtesy of Vacheron)

NEW YORK—The establishment of a premier luxury brand takes a fair level of creativity, care, and craftsmanship. The element of time also comes into play as well, for one needs patience for the brand to evolve into all that it symbolizes and reflect all the principles it exemplifies.

Time most certainly cemented these elements in Vacheron Constantin, named for its founder Jean Marc Vacheron and his partner Francois Constantin.

A brand well known among the world’s elite from emperors, popes, to presidents, Vacheron Constantin, the oldest watchmaker in the world in continuous activity since it was founded in 1755. It has not only withstood the test of time, but also crafts luxury watches made to last through time.

With the opening of the company’s first U.S. boutique in September in Manhattan, following 15 other boutiques in Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, longevity is ensured.

Vacheron Constantin CEO Juan Carlos Torres emphasizes the boutique’s significance symbolically and more notably in its service to its clientele.

The guilloche, as can be seen on this J.W. Packard Vacheron Constantin pocket watch, consists of an intricate and decorative pattern engraved into the metal. (Courtesy of Vacheron)

“It’s not only important to have a boutique where you pick up the package, but also something else—that when you enter the boutique, you feel more than at home.”

Torres highlights the Vacheron Constantin boutique experience, paralleling the likes of Apple and Nespresso. These companies cater to the customer by providing a full-fledged experience through the retail side, constantly emphasizing the major elements incorporated into their brands.

The brand now recognized particularly for luxury and craftsmanship is still a rarity—you won’t see it just anywhere. The owners seem to be the elite of the elite, among them: Napoleon Bonaparte, Pope Pius XI, the Duke of Windsor, and Harry Truman, according to its web site.

The very fact that it is exclusive, added to the uniqueness of its design, gives a legendary quality to the brand.

The major elements of Vacheron Constantin watch craftsmanship are enameling, engraving, gem setting, and particularly the craft of guilloche. Guilloche is a decorative engraving technique providing an intricate pattern or design mechanically engraved in the metal with fine detail.

For Vacheron Constantin, this craftsmanship is far more art than science, and for anyone who owns this brand of watch, it is certainly clear why.

Vacheron Constantin’s newly opened New York Boutique is located at 722 Madison and 64th street at the southeast corner.

Winterize Your Skin Care Routine: In Four Easy Steps

Epoch Times — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 01:08:52 +0000

Winterize Your Skin Care Routine (Photos.com)

With heaters soon to be turned up indoors and cold air blasting outdoors, the extreme temperatures start taking a toll on the skin. If dull, dry, or listless skin appears, listen to what it is telling you: It is time to tweak your skin care routine. The key is to keep moisture locked into the skin.

Here are some pointers to beat the winter skin blues, before they hit.

Begin by changing a gel or foaming cleanser to one that has a lotion or creamy texture. The emollients in a creamy cleanser are gentler on skin and won’t strip the skin of natural oils.

If you don’t already, start adding a serum before your moisturizer. Most serums contain a silicone base, plus a generous boost of antioxidants, which help reduce free radical damage, according to many skin care experts like Paula Begoun. This cocktail gives a velvety feel and adds a protective layer with anti-aging benefits.

For those who suffer from dry, cracked skin in the cooler, drier climates, applying a lotion or moisturizer containing 2 percent salicylic acid, also known as beta hydroxy acid, will help exfoliate dead skin cells and help maintain dewy, fresh-looking skin.

Sunscreen is a must for every day of the year.

The American Academy of Dermatology recommends choosing one with SPF 30 or higher as being essential to protecting the integrity of the skin from ultraviolet rays and skin cancer, according to a report in USA Today in 2010.

These simple tips should help create and maintain that luminous, dewy-looking skin.

And who wouldn’t want that?

Esther Joszef is a makeup artist, eyelash extension professional, and facialist who believes in enhancing true beauty not masking it. For more tips and tricks on makeup, eyelashes, and other beauty related topics visit totalemadeup.com or call 201-931-5653.

Domenico Vacca: The Past and Future of Italian Tailoring

Epoch Times — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 23:24:14 +0000

Men's and women's looks by Domenico Vacca. (Courtesy of Domenico Vacca)

NEW YORK—In Domenico Vacca’s comfortable Manhattan showroom, a metallic Ferrari crest hangs on the wall and hip-hop beats play throughout the store. Beautifully made menswear jackets in all manners of textures and patterns bask in white light. For the price of a sedan, one can purchase an alligator handbag.

One can also get luggage, cases, flasks, and cigar holders, even lounge seats. On the surface, Domenico Vacca is a hip and luxurious place to shop, but meet the man behind the brand and you will learn that the “DV” stands for an idealistic intellectual bordering on the spiritual.

We all know that feeling of fashion ennui—that moment in the morning when we peer into our closets clearly brimming with clothes, but complain that we have nothing to wear. Most of us don’t analyze this moment too deeply before we go shopping for more clothes to fill that void, clothes that months later will become the “nothing to wear.”

To Vacca, that vicious cycle is the result of not having found one’s own style, thereby becoming a “slave to trends.” And to Vacca, this is not just about the money you waste, or being an unoriginal dresser; it’s about living a quality life true to yourself.

The Company

Founded in 2001, Domenico Vacca has rapidly made a name for itself in elite circles internationally. There are two stores in New York (on Fifth Avenue and Madison Avenue), one each in Beverly Hills, Palm Beach, and Miami; one store in Moscow, Russia; one in Doha, Qatar; and one in London’s Harrods department store, which carries DV’s women’s collection only.

All eight of Domenico Vacca’s locations rely on the work of 100 old-world master tailors and over 250 seamstresses working out of Naples, Italy. A typical jacket takes a minimum of 36 hours of handwork. From fabric selection to cutting, sewing, detailing, pressing, and finishing, everything is done with shears, needle, and thread—no lasers or even sewing machines.

Customers can choose from an exclusive ready-to-wear collection or design their own pieces through a custom order program where they select from over 2,000 fabrics and a variety of skins and furs, and then work with tailors to customize style and fit.

With expert tailoring and excellent customer service, DV became known as “the Ferrari of clothing” when Italian newspaper la Repubblica ran a story bearing that line. Other media picked up the line and soon enough curious new clients poured in, many with ambiguous ideas of what they wanted in their closets.

“They were completely clueless, and what we do is help them develop their wardrobes. It’s not about changing styles every season,” Vacca said.

To Vacca, fashion is as individual as it is necessary to a democratic society. “We want you to develop your own style. Because it’s your likes and dislikes that make us who we are. They are what make us interesting to each other and want to learn about each other.”

Men's and women's looks by Domenico Vacca. (Courtesy of Domenico Vacca)

A Teacher

Born in Andria, in the South of Italy, to a man whom he calls “the best dressed man in Italy,” Vacca grew up at the sewing table of his grandmother, who owned a fashion house that employed 50 seamstresses. The young Domenico learned about the trade quickly and with an intellectual voraciousness to rival a philosopher. With a combination of passion and creativity, he is both a savvy businessman and also a fashion purist.

“Magazines should educate our consumers,” he said. Vacca spurns the way fashion media collude with commercial designers to dictate the latest trend of the season, which disconnects consumers from truly understanding what they buy.

“Our brand is different. You need to interact with us, understand the details [in the clothing]—try it on.”

He stresses the importance of truly appreciating the care put into well-made items. “When you touch quality, you begin to value quality in everything and in relating to people,” he said. “Style is beyond clothes.”

During our two-hour-long interview, he explained seam-by-seam why his tailors create suits the way they do, following centuries of Italian sartorial tradition.

The word “sartorial,” now often misappropriated to include a variety of high-end fashion, came from the Italian word for tailor. Sartorial therefore necessarily means “handmade.” As opposed to machine-sewn, hand-tailored items fit better and are, perhaps counter-intuitive to modern perception, more durable.

When a machine makes a seam, it is creating hundreds of knots in succession, each creating tension between itself and the cloth and with each other. When an entire garment is sewn by machine, there are hundreds of potential breaking points. Hand stitching, however, produces a continuous line of stitches that can stretch and contract with the movements of the wearer, be washed and ironed without fuss, and in short, bend instead of break.

Next: Vacca: “Certain things can only be done by hand.”

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Green Grab Bag

Epoch Times — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 07:05:49 +0000

(Courtesy of greengrabbag.com/)

White Apricot is a website and weekly online newsletter that is dedicated to shopping in eco-friendly style. With a commitment to the environment, White Apricot offers readers the opportunity to try the latest trends in clothing, accessories, and makeup using socially conscious products. The site also innovated a fun idea to give as a gift or to keep for yourself—the Green Grab Bag.

Upon joining, subscribers receive at least six samples of the latest skin or hair care products, fragrances, and makeup, all of which promise to be natural, organic, and vegan. With five years of researching and testing beauty products under their belt, White Apricot notes that the product samples they offer are “some of the best brands in the eco business, all of which have redefined what it means to be a ‘natural’ beauty.”

Each bag comes with product descriptions and advice on how to use the given products. Even the packaging is environmentally friendly!

Bonny Osterhage, White Apricot’s beauty editor, explains on the website that the idea of Green Grab Bag came from realizing that most people don’t want to splurge on full-sized products of something they haven’t tried before. As organic beauty products tend to be more pricey because of the quality of ingredients used, this a great way to try before buying, allowing consumers to see for themselves what products work for them.

When White Apricot’s founder, Carrie Pollare, heard the idea, she loved it, according to the website.

As far as buying options go, the choices include a month-to-month subscription for just $15, or paying $145 for an entire year’s worth of monthly bags (and receive a 20 percent discount for the year). Find a product you love? Visit the Exclusive Offers page to get discounts on the full-sized product, using a special code given only to readers.

Another aspect of Green Grab Bag that makes it unique is the gift-offering options that it has. Choose from a 3-month, 6-month, and 12-month gift that ensures recipients one bag for each month purchased. There are even choices for when to notify the recipient with several email options.

Some of the noteworthy brands that have been sampled are Better Botanicals, Ferro Cosmetics, and Amal Oils. The Green Grab Bag has also been featured on several websites, including About.com (Makeup), Organic Beauty Talk, and The Beauty Counter.

Faith Lawless, makeup guide at About.com, loves the concept. In her review on About.com, she writes: “The idea of large-sized organic and vegan product samples is terrific. Personally I love to sample products, but sometimes you can’t try something unless you buy it. Thanks to Bonny you don’t have to worry about that anymore. I also like the idea of how Bonny and her staff try out the product lines before they use them in the bags. That way you know you’re getting a good sample from a quality company. The only downside is not being able to choose your samples, but once I started playing with the products I got over it.”

For more information or to place an order, visit greengrabbag.com.

Marykate Torley is a 2011 graduate of Arcadia University, where she got her BA in Print Communications. She is currently getting her master’s with Full Sail University in New Media Journalism. For more articles by Torley, visit her website www.mypompandcircumstance.com.

Burton, McCartney Win at Britain’s Fashion Awards

Epoch Times — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 03:01:37 +0000

Sarah Burton (Tim Whitby/Getty Images)

Sarah Burton, who designed Kate Middleton’s wedding dress, and Stella McCartney, daughter of Sir Paul, were among the big winners at the British Fashion Awards in London on Nov. 28. Burton, creative director at Alexander McQueen, was named Designer of the Year, the most prestigious prize. McCartney won the Red Carpet Award, while Victoria Beckham snagged Designer Brand of the Year. Stella Tennant, 40, who has fronted campaigns for Chanel and Zara, was named Model of the Year.

Stella McCartney (Tim Whitby/Getty Images)

British Retailer M&S Back in Paris

Epoch Times — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 01:21:23 +0000

Eric Piermont/AFP/Getty Images

Marc Bolland, CEO of British retailer Marks and Spencer, poses with model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley on the opening day of the new Marks and Spencer store on the Champs Elysee in Paris on Nov. 24. The popular upmarket food and fashion store, which closed its French branches a decade ago despite howls of protest, plans three other Paris shops. Huntington-Whiteley is best known for her work for Victoria’s Secret and Burberry, and her role as Carly Spencer in the 2011 film “Transformers: Dark of the Moon,” part of the “Transformers” film series.

Who makes the suit that makes the man?

Epoch Times — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 03:43:55 +0000

Fits Like a Glove: Proprietor John Ferrigamo makes adjustments during a fitting. (Andrew Murdough)

“It’s all the rage!” commented Intellectual Property Attorney Douglas Hamilton on a Facebook post of The Epoch Times’ previously published November 10th feature on bespoke tailoring, “Many of my coworkers have suits made custom.”

It may interest Mr. Hamilton to know that, like any modern industry, the world of bespoke tailoring is not without legal controversy involving intellectual property.

What some would call a bespoke suit, others would

label its supposed lesser cousin, the made-to-measure suit. And then there is the custom suit, which can apply to either. This week we profile a local customhouse that sells both, and we learn how to spot the difference.

Is This a ‘Bespoke’ Article?

Local proprietor John Ferrigamo expresses sentiments typical of England’s traditional tailors: “I’m disappointed with how the term bespoke is being used; custom furniture, jewelry, condos, beauty salons. Where’s the respect for the art? The term bespoke is to be used for high quality handmade custom clothing only. That was established by the Savile Row tailors of England as far back as the 18th century.”

Suit of armour: The storefront of John Ferrigamo filled with accessories for today’s man – ties, cufflinks, shoes, belts, and armour. (Andrew Murdough)

The “bespoke-everything” controversy came to a head in 2008 when a complaint was brought forward by a group of Savile Row tailors to England’s Advertising Standards Authority against Sartoriani – a shop that sold suits, called “bespoke”, to English customers that were then cut and sewn by machine in Germany (gasp!). According to the Savile Row Bespoke Association website, in order to be ‘bespoke’ a suit must be made, “almost completely by hand–with at least 50 hours of hand work and require a series of fittings.” When the ASA decided not to take action against Sartoriani it made the international news.

The argument in the ASA ruling asserted that consumers didn’t really care if a suit was, “fully hand made with the pattern cut from scratch,” further blurring the lines between made-to-measure and bespoke.

If you’re still reading by this point, you’re surely wonder, “so what is the difference?”

Made-to-Measure

A made-to-measure suit is associated with affordability and often produced by a team of tailors using a combination of machine sewing and hand finishing.

“We have a made-to-measure suit starting at $1800. We offer a huge selection of fabrics. You can change from single to double breasted, lapel style, button placement and number [of buttons], pocket style, vent placement, special lining. These are all part of the styling. It’s a great fitting well-made suit,” asserts Ferrigamo.

Ask before you choose a cloth how many advanced try-ons are involved.

Bespoke

A custom shirt with matching tie and cufflinks by John Ferrigamo Custom Designs. (Andrew Murdough)

“A bespoke suit is almost completely sewn by hand. It’s a different animal. It’s a work of art,” Ferrigamo explains. “It’s my rule—only one master tailor touches your suit for the whole process. You can meet him and visit our 1200-foot tailor shop above our store by appointment. Because of the quality of craftsmanship and handwork involved it starts around $4500.”

“During your first visit to our shop we will expose you to the handwork involved inside and outside a true bespoke garment,” says Ferrigamo.

After fabrics are selected, precise measurements are taken all over the body. Don’t worry. You do not need to get undressed for them, and you will go through this process for both bespoke and made-to-measure clothing.

Part of the experience of the fitting process is trying on your suit for the first time and watching the tailor pull the garment apart during adjustment process.

Play to Your Strong Suit

When you suit is completed you can complement the look with custom shirts, custom shoes, ties, pocket-squares, and other accessories.

John Ferrigamo Custom Designs is located in the heart of Yorkville and is reminiscent of the splendor and opulence of a private gentlemen’s club.

Lluis Llongueras: International Hair Stylist and Entrepreneur

Epoch Times — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 16:41:11 +0000

Lluis Llongueras with one of his sculptures. (Courtesy of Lluis Llongueras)

If it is true that the place of birth and the singularities of a country influence the personality of the individual, then it can be argued that Lluis Llongueras has inherited nothing but the best his native land of Spain has to offer. He has directed his artistic talents to multiple fields, enhancing his reputation as a hairdresser and affording him international prestige.

A French magazine recently published the following when making reference to the Llongueras phenomenon: “In the ’60s it was Sassoon, the ’70s, Jean Louis David and, in the ’80s, Llongueras … and so it shall continue.”

Having known Lluis Llongueras since 1970, I have watched him grow from the hairdressing platform to international acclaim. He has more than 100 salons bearing his name around the world, with 45 establishments in Spain and the remainder in Milan, Geneva, Zurich, Lisbon, Andorra, Caracas, Montevideo, Santo Domingo, Buenos Aires, and Tokyo. His entrepreneurial endeavors include efforts as a sculptor, as well as author, artist, and photographer.

His reputation has been bolstered by two acclaimed international awards: the Hall of Fame Award given by the World Hairdressing Congress in London, and the International Legend Award, which is presented in New York to those professionals in the world of fashion and beauty most respected by other artists in general.

Last September, the Council of the Ordre de la Chevalerie awarded Lluis Llongueras the prestigious Grand Cross of Intercoiffure Mondial, an award held by a mere 12 select individuals.

It is no wonder, with his artistic flair and styling ingenuity, that Llongueras has counseled the king of Spain, King Juan Carlos I, and Queen Sofia, with the king having his hair cut at the Palma de Mallorca salon in the Balearic Islands during his customary summer holiday at the royal residence, Palacio de Marivent.

As an artist, Llongueras’s genius expresses itself through the medium of the woman’s head, working the volumes of hair as a sculpture. It is no mere coincidence that today he combines his activities as a hairdresser with sculpture, figures that seek their inspiration in the female form and spirit. Neither is it at all surprising that in 1987, his first one-man show opened with high acclaims by art critics.

Lluis has also explored the world of photography and design. It is another of his hobbies, and he has had several photographic exhibitions. The design of his home in Formentera provides further evidence of the man’s great ability in any area related to the arts.

When I was last in Barcelona, before leaving London to live in the USA in 2003, Lluis took my wife Maxine and me on a trip around Barcelona to see the Gaudi buildings and gardens, as well as his own salons. After this trip, he took us to his studio, just a short drive out of the city. I remember it was a tall building on three or four floors with an elevator on the ground floor.

I had at this time forgotten that he was also a sculptor of bronze and marble. When Lluis took us up to the top floor that had a small apartment with his bronze and marble work on all floors, the experience was like walking into a personal museum. There was so much of his other life in this building that was so inspiring to Maxine, who is an artist and fashion designer, and to me, a hairdresser.

As a businessman, his philosophy permeates all of the 1,200 collaborators who work in his empire. In his training programs, personal contact is of the greatest importance, as are his “chat” sessions—which the master has never abandoned. This is a titanic effort, and with his personal energy, he keeps his company evolving in the artistic community while maintaining a family atmosphere.

Lluis Llongueras works as hard today as he did yesterday, with the same energy and mind, always in a creating mode.

Harold Leighton has worked in the beauty industry for decades in both Europe and the United States. He can be reached at hleighton@bellsouth.net.

The Amazing 5 in 1 Dress

Epoch Times — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 05:44:23 +0000

(Sonja den Elzen)

Two views of the versatile 5 in 1 Dress, designed by Sonja den Elzen of Thieves Boutique in Toronto. Made of tencel jersey, the dress can be worn sleeveless, with the sleeves tied around the waist at the front or back. The ties can also turn into sleeves to create a shorter, long-sleeved dress with a cowl neck. Or the sleeves can be pulled up and tied at the back of the neck (as a halter) for a shorter dress and deeper cowl. However, to see how the dress can be worn in a multitude of styles, click on the link below.

(Sonja den Elzen)

Thieves 5 in 1 Dress on YouTube

‘Hot Luxury’ in Sao Paulo

Epoch Times — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 19:34:19 +0000

Fashion designers Sarah Burton and Carolina Herrera attend the International Herald Tribune’s Luxury Business Conference in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on Nov. 11. The annual conference provides a forum for the discussion and exchange of ideas related to the fashion and luxury industry. Celebrated Peruvian fashion photographer Mario Testino was the keynote speaker at this year’s event, titled “Hot Luxury.” The International Herald Tribune is the global edition of the New York Times. (Larry Busacca/Getty Images)

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