Thursday, February 25, 2010

1,010 Collections, 22 Fashion Shows at Cpd to Present Exciting Fashion
By : M Abraham



Cpd International Trade Fair for Womenswear & Accessories is perfectly geared up to its international audience. From 7 to 9 February 2010 cpd at the Dusseldorf Exhibition Centre will be presenting 1,010 collections including a variety of new brands with the latest looks for the 2010/11 Autumn/Winter season. This means that despite difficult economic conditions cpd is on a par with last year's event and is slightly up on the July event.


Sensual concepts determine the design making the cooler season of the year even more exciting than summer. Trends hover between global and regional, on a time line between the past and the future, caught in the balance between reality and imagination, in a calculation between the rational and the emotional and in the polarisation between the standard and the avantgarde.Very much true to the motto "opposites attract" the Autumn/Winter 2010 fashion trends look to extremes. And that's exactly where cpd comes in.

Attention centres on continuing the relaunch started in July 2009 with enhanced concepts in the individual segments. All areas of the fair were reworked for the forthcoming event. This means cpd will be presenting itself in entirely evolved, contemporary new design. Newly created style universes like Luxury Women's Wear, Maternity and Big is BeautifuI, as well as Concept 11, Gallery and Decorate, that will form the fashion tendencies throughout Womensworld.


The cooperation area Italian Suite (with Ente Moda Italia EMI and Honegger) was also further extended and has now more than doubled in terms of exhibitor numbers. Further top fashion brands are to find a new home over the coming seasons. Furthermore, thanks to rapid links in the city Dusseldorf offers national and European clothing retailers a concept that is perfectly adapted to their needs and thus a real platform for effective business.


"cpd will show its visitors that we now changed our look," explained Igedo Managing Director Philipp' Kronen at the kick-off press conference held at the Dusseldorf InterContinental. "We re-arranged cpd last year and are very satisfied that we have been able to maintain the range here despite the difficult economic climate. Feedback from the market has been extremely positive and we are sure to see a cpd that we will be able to build upon further in July. Buyers not attending cpd for a long while should definitely come and take a look at the changes here for themselves."

The new style universes at cpd at a glance:

Luxury Woman's Wear - is the new platform for quality day, evening and cocktail fashion at cpd. This stylish 'LUXURY WOMAN'S WEAR' exhibition universe is split into different sections and lounges offering buyers a special service with an intimate feel.


Maternity - presents a completely new cosmos for fashionable maternity wear: for the first time now the 'Maternity' segment features as a visually separate concept. Visitors to 'Maternity' enter a separate universe whose design focuses on the pregnancy and family themes. With an expected 30 brands in this segment cpd offers trade buyers one of the largest and highly concentrated ranges of maternity wear in Europe.


Big is Beautiful- the Igedo Company and glossy magazine BIG IS BEAUTIFUL wish to sweep aside all prejudice against women of stature and establish together at cpd in February 2010 a segment of the same name 'Big is Beautiful'. This will be a universe with fresh, modern and topical ideas presenting; womensworld in all its facets; clothing, accessories, lingerie, shoes and much more all centered around the plus size theme including adjoining sizes. Furthermore, style consultations and seminars will be held creating an information platform for interested retailers.


The established style universes at cpd at a glance:

Italian Suite. In cooperation with Ente Moda Italia (EMI) and the firm Honegger, 'Italian Suite' brings high quality Italian fashion to cpd in Dusseldorf. The area has doubled here since its premiere last July now showing almost 50 high-quality collections Made in Italy. The spectrum here ranges from clothing and accessories through to shoes. A real eye-catcher with fresh, exciting and handpicked collections.


Forming the creative core of the fair is the now even further enlarged Gallery in Ha119. Awaiting visitors at Gallery is an exclusive design mix from Germany and abroad with every label attaching great importance to individuality thereby lending a special note to every range.


Staged in Concept 11 are high-end, lifestyle-oriented collections. Concept 11 presents a rich blend of looks and labels collections for young, self-confident women who appreciate design and quality and like to put themselves in the limelight.

Decorate - The World of Accessories is the platform for all those things that give a good range that extra special something from fashion jewellery and high-quality bags to scarves and other top items that retailers particularly use to complement and round off their ranges. The area has doubled its exhibitor numbers since the July fair.


Boutique is the venue for individual womenswear collections in the middle to upper price segment.


Modern Essentials stands for strong selling collections.


New Influences


To offer progressive fashion a special platform a nice tradition initiated in 2006 is now also set to continue this winter: the "Design am Rhein" contest organised by the Igedo Company in cooperation with AMD Akademie Mode & Design in Dusseldorf will once again be putting talented designers into the limelight.


Up to ten design contest finalists will have the opportunity to present their creations in a runway show at cpd's Showcase Dusseldorf on Sunday, 7 February thereby enabling them to forge important contacts for an international design career. The winners are given a free exhibition stand at cpd for two seasons (July 2010 and February 2011) and their collections will be used as an opening tableau at one of the shows organised by the Igedo Company.


Services


cpd will be rounded off by a comprehensive range of communication, information and trends: the 20 shows held during the fair at Showcase Dusseldorf as well as the Order Info event organised by the German Fashion institute in collaboration with the magazine TextilWirtschaft and further seminars create a weaIth of communication opportunities for the entire sector from throughout Europe and the world. Furthermore, the pricing structure for admission tickets has also been revised and buying tickets will now be simpler for trade visitors with the opening of the Online Ticket Shop in December 2009. New visitors can acquire their tickets online at the Ticket Shop once they have completed online registration using the log-in data sent to them.


The CPD will be held at the Dusseldorf Exhibition Centre from 7 to 9 February 2010 and the July event will run from 25 to 27 July 2010.

Thursday, February 18, 2010

2008 spring-summer fashion trends for females


It's about time to dress up for spring! It's the time to manage your wardrobe and get some fashionable pieces for refreshing spring weather and hot summer days. Let's take a look at hottest trends for spring and summer 2008.
Designers often choose muted shades for autumn-winter collections, and spring-summer often stuns with vivid colors. The trends of 2008 are no exceptional: We will see bright and bold colors on clothing, accessories and everything you can wear. Even "Technicolor brights" - neonic pink, green, yellow and orange - are fashionable once again. If clothing of such colors is too bright for you, pick several accessories to highlight your regular wear. Purple was the hit of the past season and it is still around for spring and summer 2008. But the shade of colors has changed a lot: forget the deep purple and violet, meet lilac, subtle amethyst and lavender tones. The sweet lilac shade fits another hot trend of summer 2008, the pale azure denim fabric.
If you're looking for trendy patterns of spring-summer 2008, reveal the blossom of your beauty with floral prints. Look for clothes with flower motives all over them, because a single herb embroidered on a blouse or jacket is not enough. If you don't feel like wearing colorful floral patterns, there's another classic combination ready for spring and summer. It doesn't matter if you choose black on white or white on black - it will be the most fashionable pattern of the season. All possible combinations of B&W ruled the runways and they will rule the streets for sure. Let's not forget ethnic trend; it's on top once again. Choose tribal inspired patterns and ikat fabric clothing and combine it with chunk tribal jewelry to create a safari-chic image.
Can you imagine spring fashion without a skirt or a dress? Spring and summer trends wouldn't be complete without amazing dress. Squishy skirt is the top for spring and it will hold its positions on summer as well. Choose high-waist silk organza skirt to stun everyone. This type of skirt looks great with another fashionable detail: the cropped jacket. The fashionable length of skirt and dresses became shorter; even though the knee-length remains popular, the hottest trend is a few inches above the knees.
Feminine glamour will take over all the women. Forget the image of bad girl and look like a lady, because you are one. Highlight your figure with lovely little dresses and see-through details. Naughty decorations are recommended for spring and summer of 2008: outfit decorated with ribbons, lace and bows will make you feel and look very feminine. Corset as outwear is trendy once again; wear it on top of shirt for sexy sophisticated look. The trend of transparent clothing doesn't make you walk around half naked: playing hide-and-seek with several layers makes you appear mysterious and alluring. Glamorous ancient Roman inspired dress is another fashionable wear of spring and summer 2008. Choose intricate pleated dress, one-shouldered dress deco...

Fashion Articals, Fashion Dresses, Fashion Show, Fashion Trend 2010, Fashion Trends

2008 spring-summer fashion trends for females


It's about time to dress up for spring! It's the time to manage your wardrobe and get some fashionable pieces for refreshing spring weather and hot summer days. Let's take a look at hottest trends for spring and summer 2008.
Designers often choose muted shades for autumn-winter collections, and spring-summer often stuns with vivid colors. The trends of 2008 are no exceptional: We will see bright and bold colors on clothing, accessories and everything you can wear. Even "Technicolor brights" - neonic pink, green, yellow and orange - are fashionable once again. If clothing of such colors is too bright for you, pick several accessories to highlight your regular wear. Purple was the hit of the past season and it is still around for spring and summer 2008. But the shade of colors has changed a lot: forget the deep purple and violet, meet lilac, subtle amethyst and lavender tones. The sweet lilac shade fits another hot trend of summer 2008, the pale azure denim fabric.
If you're looking for trendy patterns of spring-summer 2008, reveal the blossom of your beauty with floral prints. Look for clothes with flower motives all over them, because a single herb embroidered on a blouse or jacket is not enough. If you don't feel like wearing colorful floral patterns, there's another classic combination ready for spring and summer. It doesn't matter if you choose black on white or white on black - it will be the most fashionable pattern of the season. All possible combinations of B&W ruled the runways and they will rule the streets for sure. Let's not forget ethnic trend; it's on top once again. Choose tribal inspired patterns and ikat fabric clothing and combine it with chunk tribal jewelry to create a safari-chic image.
Can you imagine spring fashion without a skirt or a dress? Spring and summer trends wouldn't be complete without amazing dress. Squishy skirt is the top for spring and it will hold its positions on summer as well. Choose high-waist silk organza skirt to stun everyone. This type of skirt looks great with another fashionable detail: the cropped jacket. The fashionable length of skirt and dresses became shorter; even though the knee-length remains popular, the hottest trend is a few inches above the knees.
Feminine glamour will take over all the women. Forget the image of bad girl and look like a lady, because you are one. Highlight your figure with lovely little dresses and see-through details. Naughty decorations are recommended for spring and summer of 2008: outfit decorated with ribbons, lace and bows will make you feel and look very feminine. Corset as outwear is trendy once again; wear it on top of shirt for sexy sophisticated look. The trend of transparent clothing doesn't make you walk around half naked: playing hide-and-seek with several layers makes you appear mysterious and alluring. Glamorous ancient Roman inspired dress is another fashionable wear of spring and summer 2008. Choose intricate pleated dress, one-shouldered dress deco...

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Wills Fashion Week: Business of Fashion Outshines Slowdown
By : M Abraham

Source: The Stitch Times, April 2009

With more than a hundred designers participating at the latest Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week, the business of fashion seems to have emerged as the biggest trend of the apparel industry. The flurry of fashion weeks in the country is a direct indication of a growing business and high-rising lifestyle. The recently concluded WLIFW reflected an expanding demand for the creative collection of Indian fashion designers while, echoing a mixed mood due to the overall market slowdown.

Fashion Everywhere

The five day long affair was all about the fashion, style and the latest in trends for the forthcoming season. The Autumn-Winter '09 week kick-started with the happening and appealing collection of an accomplished designer, Nitin Bal Chauhan, who left the message of dark sombre moods and global slowdown with an apt title 'Condition apply-II'. The neutral shades were the talk of all five days with designers Rajesh Pratap Singh, Rohit Gandhi and Rahul Khanna, Raghavendra Rathore, Yuvraj Siddharth Nagpal, Gaurav Gupta, among others, unveiling dim and moody collections to show their awareness of the times. "The neutral shades might be apt with the present timings but personally, I've always liked black and the grey shades," summed Rathore.

Several other collections despite slump were high on exuberance and very colourful which included designers like Ritu Kumar, Pankaj and Nidhi, Ankur Modi and Priya Modi, Rehane, Sonam Dubbal, Kavita Bhartiya and Jenjum and Jasleen. While a number of designers played with the tints of placid blue, dark pink, vibrant orange and burgundy, the others preferred to stick to the traditional tones of red, maroon, yellow and green. "I feel the vibrant colours play magic when the mood is sombre around. Also, fashion is all about the colours with designers working on varied hues," opined Ranna Gill who partnered with designer Rina Dhaka and Fiama Di Wills to showcase a special collection titled 'Nature Meets Science'.

Designers like Prashant Verma showcased as artistic representation of the Greek narrative of robust and mighty male aggression and its fascination with perfection. Titled 'Meat'- the outfits were all about power dressing and aggression. The utterly exotic and high on drama show by Manish Arora, brought the beauty and vibrant colours of 'Jungle' live on the ramp. Models carrying the sitting monkey hand-bags were exceptionally creative and were highly appreciated.

Most of the designers were high on wearability and presented a collection with a lot of Indian silhouettes and sari. Satyapaul's 'Maya' was a beautiful portrayal of an illusionary life, comprising the contemporary and traditional attires. Designer duo Swapan and Seema showcased a women's wear range that combined femininity with power and success. The amalgamation of Western and Indian ethnic wear was very much visible. Another designer Reynu Tandon and duo Ashima and Leena Singh showed their proficient technique of heavy embellishments, sequins and beads mostly in the Indian silhouettes.

The fashion week was not completely about the feminine lines alone, as there were a couple of designers who exclusively presented the men's wear range. Rajvi Mohan, the debutante of the previous season presented neat and clean cuts in menswear with a wide range of fusion of colours. On the other hand, Manoviraj Khosla's collection was all chic and sporty reflecting a complete menswear wardrobe. Designer SiddarthaTytler's collection fashioned an amazing impact on the audience with a combination of basic and trendy silhouettes with great detailing. Designer Manish Malhotra, this season too was involved in designing the complete look of the Kolkata Knight Riders, which dictated the fusion of glamour and sports on the ramp.

The Grand Finale

The event culminated with a bold demonstration of gold and glitter. JJ Valaya's luxurious collection 'Kingdom of Love' brought the premier event to an impressive close. JJ's signature tailored jackets, jodhpurs and bright tops worn with detailed skirts, like the royal clothes of kings and queens were showcased on the ramp on the final day of the event. "The collection was all about moving from negativity to positivity." said a visibly pleased Valaya, post show.

Young Talent

This was for the first time that the fashion week saw a third show area, exclusive for the young upcoming talent at the venue. This platform not just worked as the moral booster, but also offered a beautiful poolside view. Designers like Preeti S Kapoor, Abdul Halder, Rajdeep Ranawat, Parvesh Jai, Nikhita Tandon, Ritesh Kumar got the fantastic opportunity to showcase in this exclusively area. "These initiatives will encourage young designers to participate even if they can't meet the expense of a slot (a slot costs upwards of Rs.1 lakh)," says Sunil Sethi, President, Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI).

For the first time, the last day of the event was booked especially for the buyer-designer meetings and order placements.

The Fashion Business

The fashion weeks in India might have become the leading calendar events but the bottom line still lies in the fact, how much of revenue it could generate. As expected, the slump has taken its toll on the fashion industry too, with buyers playing safe and sticking to their regular designers and experimenting lesser with the newer ones. Though figures on the business generated at the five day event are still being gathered, Sunil Sethi, the President of Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) said that there was a mixed response. "Some designers managed to get good business while for some, it was lower. What is important is to see that the buyers could make a strong presence which, happened. Some of them reduced their budget while others stuck to the same." said Mr Sethi.

For established designers like Rina Dhaka, Ranna Gill, Rohit Gandhi-Rahul Khanna, Ashima-Leena, Shane-Falguni and, Raghavendra Rathore, it was business as usual as their respective buyers placed good orders with them. Middle East, UK, and Australia have proved to be better markets for Indian designers. "The new buyers have shown a good interest and the buyers from US stores like Anthropologie are back which indicates the revival in demand." said Rahul Khanna. "Business has been quite good and there were no order cuts for us. Our regular buyers from the Middle East liked the collections and we expect a sizable order as, keeping the market condition in mind, we have worked on lowering our prices," said designer Leena Singh.

Another designer Niki Mahajan said that she was satisfied with the amount of business generated as apart from her regular buyers she received serious business enquires from new buyers as well. "My regular buyers seemingly have reduced the quantity but I have got a good response from Japan and Hong Kong," Mahajan said. The seriousness in business and the value for money is certainly on top of the agenda for the buyer from all over, domestic and international.

Business Confirmations

Japanese buyer Tomoko Inuzuka placed order with her favourite designer Manish Arora. She also admired the collections of Kavita Bhartia and Namrata Joshipura. David Schneider from Portugal and Dever has confirmed orders with their regular designers like Ranna Gill, Rina Dhaka and Rohit Gandhi- Rahul Khanna. This time Schneider has also added two new names in the list-Rajesh Pratap Singh and Manish Arora.

Designer Duo Hemant and Nandita seemingly had good sale this season, while designer duo Ashish Viral and Vikrant disclosed that the buyers' response was 'not very encouraging' this time. "The buyers seemed to be taking no chances as they preferred to go for the established designers'. For the first time, even my regular buyers are negotiating hard on price." Vikrant said.

With a constant change in the Indian fashion bazaar, the story of fashion weeks is getting interesting with each passing day. The concept of multi fashion weeks with major cities being the venue seems to be favouring the designers, whether they are new or established. The apparel business, slowly but steadily, shall be seeing more of confirmations from buyers and more of participation by the designers, in seasons to come. It is the time now to watch the shelves of the international stores like Harrods, Selfridges and, Fifth Avenue where, the Indian designers, more or less, are getting a successful placement!

Monday, February 8, 2010

Women’s Fashion Loungewear

Posted In: Collections

Article By: M Abraham

Women's Fashion Loungewear

Staying In – the New Going Out
Last week, I was full of the joys of spring as I gleefully revealed my excitement at the new season’s forthcoming trends; this week, I have conceded defeat and admitted that it is, after all, too cold to actually leave the house, let alone prance around town in a bra top. The focus for this week, therefore, is on cuddly clothes to hibernate in – without compromising on style.

I’ll be honest – loungewear is not something I have previously given much thought to, with most of my leisure items being acquired at the supermarket along with the weekly shop. But a little bit of research into the world of comfy clothing has opened up a whole new genre of attire – who knew that snuggling on the sofa and snaffling the last of the Christmas chocolates could be so chic?

The great thing about winter loungewear is that it is unashamedly luxurious, the key being in the quality of the super-luxe fabrics. A touch of cashmere transforms a wrap into a garment of blissful opulence, whilst a silk blend converts tracksuit bottoms into lounge pants. The art of layering comes into its own here – layer supersoft jersey vests under a ballet top and you can easily disrobe or rug up in accordance with the thermostat on your central heating. And don’t forget your feet – if you haven’t yet discovered the sumptuousness of cashmere socks, you haven’t lived.

For the glamour pusses among you, take inspiration from 1940s and ‘50s vintage boudoir-wear – there is never a bad time for gorgeous silk pyjamas, or add a touch of Rita Hayworth charm with a lacy bed jacket. Marabou mules and cigarette holder optional.

You’ll be amazed at how swiftly a few fluffy accoutrements can cure the winter blues and make lazing around a glamorous affair – even if you don’t intend to open the front door to anyone other than the pizza delivery man. Nurture your inner couch potato with a few of these luxurious pieces (you won’t even need to leave your living room!), and before you know it, we’ll be talking about pastel shades and camisoles again.

Women’s Fashion Loungewear

ASOS

ASOS V-Neck Cuff Lounge Jumpsuit ASOS Fold-Over Skinny Rib Cuff Lounge Pant ASOS Premium Angora Mix Knitted Button Back Batwing Lounge Dress

Bloch Knitted Ballet Wrap Cardigan Pineapple Cotton Loop Back Monster Bardot Dress DKNY Three Quarter Sleeve Logo Top

Diesel Towelling Lounge Pants Princess Tam Tam Wool And Cashmere Blend Wrap Repetto Cotton Stretch Off-The-Shoulder Slouch Top

Topshop

Cashmere Mix Vest By Boutique Premium Lace Bed Jacket Premium Lace Short

Premium Ruffle Bolero Stripe Longleg PJ Set Slouch Vest

Net-A-Porter

Bamford Cashmere fine-knit pants DKNY Jersey support tank Juicy Couture Striped cropped jersey leggings

Lounge Lover Drape-front jersey cardigan Lounge Lover Travel Babe lounge set  Cashmere-blend track pants

Sunday, February 7, 2010

Fashion designing - the then and now

Fashion designing - the then and now
  By : M Abraham



Fashion designing can be loosely defined as 'the art of creating fashionable apparel'. With the passage of time, however, the concept of 'fashion designing' has extended to other things such as fashion accessories such as jewellery, bags, footwear, etc. Keeping in mind the evolution of fashion designing, it would not be wrong to define it as 'the creation of fashion'.


Fashion designing has indeed come a long way from the mere designing of clothing. Fashion designing has evolved into a full-fledged industry today. It is well accepted as a career option all over the world. Apart from designing, there are a number of other career alternatives that have emerged in this industry with the passage of time. This article seeks to study the evolution of the industry of fashion designing the then and now.


The origin of fashion designing dates as far back as 1826. Charles Frederick Worth is believed to be the first fashion designer of the world, from 1826 to 1895. Charles, who was earlier a draper, set up a fashion house in Paris. It was he who started the tradition of fashion houses and telling his customers what kind of clothing would suit them.


During this period, a number of design houses began to hire the services of artists to develop patterns for garments. Patterns would be presented to the clients, who would then place an order if they liked them. It was during this timeframe that the tradition of presenting patterns to the customers and then stitching them began, instead of the earlier system wherein the finished garments would be presented to them.


In the beginning of the 20th century, new developments in fashion would take place in Paris first, from where they would spread to the rest of the world. New designs of clothes would be born in Paris before they found their way to other parts of the world. In other words, Paris emerged as the 'fashion capital'. 'Fashion' during this period was mostly 'haute couture', exclusively designed for individuals.


Towards the mid-20th century, fashion garments began to be mass-produced. The bulk of production increased, and people began to have more choices of garments. Towards the end of the 20th century, fashion awareness among people increased, and they began choosing clothes for themselves based on comfort and their own style, instead of relying on the trends prevailing in the market.


Today, as stated above, fashion designing is well accepted as a career option. A number of institutes have come up the world over, offering courses in various arenas of fashion. The number of students who consider fashion as a serious career and who have gone in for courses in the same has gone on rising over the years.


Specializations in fashion designing have come into being. There is a wide range of options for a designer to choose from, such as lingerie, swimwear, women's wear, bridal wear, children's wear, men's wear, footwear, handbags, etc. Fashion designers used to be self-employed earlier now find a number of career opportunities open for them. They can work with garment firms and export houses. They may also be engaged in the job of remodeling haute couture and adapting them to the tastes of the mass market. They might also hold jobs in departmental stores or specialty stores.


Developments in the field of fashion designing have given rise to other related career paths such as hairstylist, make-up artist, fashion journalists, fashion advisors, fashion photographers, etc.

Another significant change that has come about in the fashion designing industry in recent times is the increased use of computers and technology. A number of software packages have come up to aid designers in the process of designing as well as other stages in the production of a garment, easily and speedily.

Fashion designing as a trade has also grown. Fashion designers have gone on to get repute not only in their own countries, but internationally as well. The number of fashion shows and participation in the same has gone up considerably in recent times.

Fashion designing is thus no longer only the designing and creation of a garment, but it is a world in itself involving fashion, design, creativity, technology as well as business.

Teen Fashion Trends for Spring


Teen Fashion Trends for Spring
By : Jack




The New Year is here and with it, the "new look" in teen fashion. This spring and summer's fashion trends are big, bold, loud and proud. The styles are a bit of a throwback to the 1980's, leaving behind everything bad and bringing back only the good. From bold, beautiful plaids in purples and browns, to spangle dangles jewelry, to chunky footwear, teen fashions for spring 2009 have a lot to say.


Colors- The colors for spring 2009 teen fashions are vibrant on the one hand, and classic on the other. Turquoise is the latest shade of blue to hit the runways, showing up in everything from prom gowns to tankinis, hats to scarves. Bright fuchsia is the year's hottest pink. Combine turquoise and fuchsia and you've got an eye-popping, traffic stopping outfit that could come straight off the runway. On the more laid back fashion scene, navy is turquoise's hot blue cousin. Whether a jacket or a swim cover, if it's navy blue it's going to be in demand. Brown is another of the spring's main colors. From handbags to formals, brown continues to be the "new" black for fashion. Coming in the middle of the two color extremes is purple. From deep, royal purples fit for princesses the world over, to more subtle shades of violet, purple stands in the gap, offering you choices that could be either vibrant and bright or laid back or classic.


Prints- From bold and big, prints are a big item in this spring's fashions. You'll be seeing paisleys on everything -tops, skirts, dresses, bed linens, purses, even sunglasses with paisley swoops on the ear pieces. And the bigger the paisley the better, it would seem. Stripes are on the move again, as well. And not just any stripe -big, bold, wide stripes in big, bold colors. Brown and turquoise stripes can be seen racing on t-shirts. Big stripes of bold purples and fuchsias are marching their way across skirts, skorts and shorts for spring and summer. Not so big, but no less bold, polka dots of every hue can be found on items as varied as dresses fit for Sunday dinner at Grandma's to socks so cool your feet will never be the same. Oh, and for those of you who prefer your dots big, a few designers have taken the plunge to create dresses and longer skirts you'll be pleased to call your own. Plaids are making a noise, too. Everything from this summer's tube tops to next winter's wool coat can be had in plaid. Like their other cousins in the print scene, the bigger the better, with larger checks winning over smaller ones.


Styles- This Spring and summer's fashions are like watching Miami Vice reruns or Madonna's breakthrough videos. It would appear that everything old has come new again. The skinnier the jeans, the better, at least for this year's fashion. (Pegged jeans are even making a come-back, for those who don't care for the stick-legged look.) Dresses and skirts are sporting "bubble hems"- wide bands of elastic that hug the thighs allowing for the rest of the skirt to drape above. Ruffles and crises-cross draping on blouses and dress bodices would make any Material Girl feel right at home. (Check your mom's closet- chances are she's still got one or two of her ruffled blouses hanging around.) Paired with today's colors of turquoise and fuchsia, the newest in teen fashion may have your mom wondering if you time-traveled back to her days in high school, minus the big hair and shoulder pads, of course.


Jewelry- No outfit is complete without that "perfect touch" and bling is definitely the thing among teen fashion. As with the bolder colors and prints, teen jewelry has gone big, bold and beautiful, too. Cuff bracelets are in, in a big way. Big, plain cuffs are fine, but sparkly, studded cuffs are better. Necklaces have also gone bold, with large pendants and beads. If you don't like the big look, go for layers- many of the new styles are made of several pieces put together. Designers create the same effect with smaller chains and strands, layered over top each other. Eco-friendliness and eco-awareness have their place in teen fashion, too. This year's jewelry features bone, wood and fresh water pearl, along with natural stone pieces, such as jade, turquoise and onyx. Earrings and rings are all about charming - charming charms, that is. And they need to make a statement, as in having something to say. The most popular styles of charms are "emo" or expression charms, touting the wearer as "moody" or "peaceful." The spangle has to dangle, ya know?

Footwear- Clunky is funky. While you'll still find an occasional pair of flip-flops in a designer's line, clunky and chunky heels are stomping their way to forefront of teen fashion this Spring. Boots with 2 inch heels, wedge sandals, even clogs are getting the "thick" treatment. Strappy seems to be snappy for dress shoes. From Mary Jane's in sparkling silver to gladiator sandals in bronze, straps are showing up everywhere, too.


With its bold, bright colors and it's "bigger is better" attitude about everything, teen fashion seems to be all about making a statement this year. Not only will your fashion choices have something to say about who you are and what you're like, your clothing and accessories will have things to say about themselves, too. We're big, we're proud, we're beautiful -just like our wearers!


About the Author


BackwardFish.com is a leading supplier of Christian t-shirts online today. Visit us today for a large selection of cool Christian T-shirts for you or as a great gift.

Tips for buying stylish sunglasses

Tips for buying stylish sunglasses


One of the most important accessories for summer is stylish sunglasses. If you do not know which styles are the trendiest this fall, take a look there! This summer you have a wide choice as there are many styles you can select from. We provide you with 10 most fashionable ideas:
1) One of the hottest trends of sunglasses this season is Ray-Ban's Wayfarers. This style of sunglasses was particularly popular in 1950's and 1960's. This year thay made a significant came back. Such sunglasses come in classic black, vintage bright colors or new two - toned frame choices which create the ultimate classic style.
2) The 70's style thicker frames have been popular for a few years already. However, you should be very careful if you decide to choose these retro style - inspired protections of sun. They should be appropriate for your face features and not to look too big.
3) Tortoise shell glasses are all still very hot this year. Stylists think that they will probably go out of style soon, but this year they are still fashionable. They are universal because they can be worn with any style of clothes. A good investment for a difficult financial times!
4) One of the lattest trends in sunglasses are the gradient lens. These sunglasses emphasize lenses, which are usually half shaded from top to bottom, and not frames. Different color lenses will make you to look modern and very stylish.
5) The round "John Lennon" style sunglasses were particularly favoured by hipies. Later they were associated with such celebrities as Philip Johnson, Le Corbusier, Dominick Dunne or Gandhi. These sunglasses helped to created unique and noticeable style. This year "John Lennon" style sunglasses made a huge come back especially for women. So, if you want to attract lots of attention, these unusually looking sunglasses are a perfect choise for you!
6) Rimles Aviators continue to be on the highest tops in fashionable eyewear world. This season they give us a sleek and modern look. They will look especially good with sport - style clothes.
7) Oversized sunglasses are the hottest trend for summer this year. Many designers have included this style in their collections and many celebrities have already gone crazy for them. Such sunglasses will look fantastic when matching them with other big- sized accessories such as massive jewerly, huge bags or a big maritime style hat.
8) White - framed sunglassed are extremely hot for this summer. White color frame returns us back to the 1960' s and make you look distinctive and very stylish. In magazines or on TV we may notice that many people have already liked this type ...

Friday, February 5, 2010

Fashion Fashion Everywhere!!! How the Consumer reacts... By : JACK

Fashion Fashion Everywhere!!! How the Consumer reacts...
By : JACK


Fashion is nothing but a game in which all of us are involved. It is a different matter that the rules of the game may differ from person to person. These so called rules are not something written in any legal document, nor are they broadcasted on the net. Rather during the course of our lifetime we get to learn these by trial and error and sometimes by copying others.


If we look into the psychological aspect involved with the fashion business, we will find that people go after fashion for numerous reasons. Some of them may be with the feeling of either being part of a group or in stark contrast being entirely different from the group. Although in both the cases it is the psychology of the consumer that is dictating which fashion trends to adopt and which to reject, the result is as different as two magnetic poles.


Let us take the first case, where a consumer wants to be part of a group or we can say the consumer wants to have a sense of belonging. Generally this kind of behavior is seen in college kids, fresh out of school uniforms, with new aspirations and high dreams. This generation comprising of 16-20 year old ones is very eager to adopt to anything new which is happening in the market. They want to look fashionable and are ready to go to any lengths for that purpose. For example the latest shades of nail paints in rainbow colors, layered clothing, body piercing, tattoos and what not. Little do they think of the health hazards, financial relevance or the very basic fact that whether they look OK or not. What they want is that they should be accepted by their peers and treated on an equal level. Nobody wants to be treated as an outcast. This segment can be called as the ATBAGs (About To Be Adults Group).


This is also the generation which has been targeted by the marketing teams of various big shot brands of the fashion industry. It is easier to hook the fish in this case, because this segment can get very easily attracted to whatever the advertisements say. Just use the latest hot pop icon or the top favorite celebrity and half of your battle is won.


The second kind of consumer is a tricky lot. It comprises of the people in the age group of late 20s and early 30s. Now this segment is the one who has a mind of their own and who would think the pros and the cons before accepting or rejecting any fashion statement. This is the time when consumers start building their own image and identity. The image that they present to the society at large should justify their profession, their personality and to a large extent their individuality. People now become INDIVIDUALS with an independent fashion sense. The psychology here is that they have to be different from their peers so that they can be noticed. This individuality would then be acting like a ladder for both professional and personal reasons.


A different approach to this scenario is if we compare the society as a movie and the people there as various actors and actresses. Every actor would have a different role to play in the movie. We would be having a hero, heroine, villain, supporting actors etc. All these people will be required to dress differently according to the part they play. In real life also people play different roles. Be it in the role of a business executive, a homemaker, a doctor, a lawyer, or a teacher. The image that has been portrayed should compliment the role. This segment can be called as the YABIGs (Young Adults Becoming Individuals Group).


This fact has been aptly utilized by the fashion industry while planning their marketing moves as well as classifying their product lines. A consumer who is a CEO of a company by profession would obviously go for business suits from maybe Armani, Raymonds, or Louis Philippe. In variance to this a movie star would be dressed more casually and always ahead of fashion.


A minor point to ponder is the bracket in which the age group of "21-25 years" and "35 and above" falls into. The younger age group is basically in the transition stage where the consumer is still trying to find out his identity and his niche. So this group goes through a transition phase experimenting with various styles and trends. His friends and family play an important part in the formation of his identity. On the other hand the older group has already achieved his niche areas and identities as a result he becomes the so called "Loyal customer".


Going by the fashion terminologies, generally the consumers are broadly divided into three groups: the fashion leaders, the fashion followers and the laggards. Those who adopt a fashion statement way ahead of others would be in the category of fashion leaders, chiefly comprising of the celebrities. Fashion followers are the people who are wary of taking any kind of risks, so they first let the leaders adopt fashion trends and once that trend is acceptable and digestible, they adopt it. We can say, the fashion followers only tread in tested waters. Coming to the fashion laggards, this segment would adopt a trend way behind others, once formally it is no more a fashion statement and is on its path to decline.


These three groups are present among both the ATBAGs and The YABIGs. Both of them have their share of leaders, followers and the laggards. The marketing professionals and the sales team would definitely give importance to the leaders and to some extent the followers. But even the laggards cannot be ignored; after all they also contribute some amount to the sales figures. Consumers from all walks of life are part of this fashion business, whether they themselves believe it or not. A person might think himself to be aloof from the fashion game, but in actual he is very much present there. The entire society falls into at least one of the three segments. Once a person is sure about his segment, the choices for him become much clear, as straght away he can start his buying and purchasing from stores that fulfill his kind of requirements.


The bottom line is that everyone of us is part of this game called "Fashion". The key is to identify your role, understand the rules , and play your part the right way.It is sure the path to success as far is the appearance is concerned.