Skincare New Finishes Collection to Help Teens Get Prom-Beautiful

March 16th, 2010

CLEAN &amp CLEAR® Skincare, the teen skincare expert, announced today a partnership with Gen Art, the leading arts and entertainment organization dedicated to showcasing emerging talent, to give up-and-coming designers the chance to create the ultimate prom dress for one lucky teen. At the Gen Art Fashion Alumni Celebration on March, 16, 2010 a glamorous guest list, which includes the likes of Rami Kashou and Geren Ford will be some of the first to experience CLEAN &amp CLEAR® Finishes via a custom “Skincare Station,” where they will receive a personalized skincare consultation and a gift bag filled with CLEAN &amp CLEAR® Finishes.

Original post by no@spam.com (Maxamillion Blick)

Chloé wants us to fall back in love with the Silverado Bag

March 16th, 2010

Hold on to your hats, ladies, it’s time to get into the PurseBlog wayback machine and take a trip to 2005. The world economy is still humming along, I’m still in college, and It Bags rule the world – none more so than the Chloé Paddington. In its wake, however, was another bag that the brand managed to convince a lot of women that they wanted – the Chloé Silverado.

I haven’t seen or thought of a Silverado since approximately 2007, although I don’t know when the brand officially stopped making the model. Not that it matters now, however, because the bag is back, presumably to remind us all of the need to keep searching for the next must-have accessory. I don’t know about you, but that’s just not a message of which I’d like to be reminded.

The Silverado, always the Paddington’s second banana, was just never a good enough bag to make a comeback necessary. Sure, it had some python iterations that looked pretty nice, but it didn’t have the design flourishes that really made stars out of bags from that era – the Paddington’s lock or the Fendi Spy’s secret compartment and thorny woven handles. The Silverado is a leather satchel with a lot of whipstitching, which is all well and good, but doesn’t merit a special comeback in the average brown iteration that we see here.

I don’t remember how much a Silverado went for back in the day, so I can’t say if they’ve raised the price or not, but if they did it probably wasn’t by much. That’s nice, but the bag just doesn’t seem current or interesting anymore, particularly considering the tailored midcentury looks that showed up on the recent global runways – would any of you consider buying this bag? Buy through Saks for $1495.

Original post by Amanda Mull

Retail Ventures, Inc. Reports Fourth Quarter and Year End Sales

March 16th, 2010

Retail Ventures, Inc. announced today sales from continuing operations, which represents sales of DSW Inc. (DSW) only, for the thirteen weeks ended January 30, 2010 increased 15.6% to $402.6 million from $348.2 million for the thirteen weeks ended January 31, 2009. The company’s same store sales increased 12.9% for the comparable thirteen week period versus a 7.2% decrease in the prior year.

Sales from continuing operations for the fifty-two weeks ended January 30, 2010 increased 9.5% to $1.60 billion from $1.46 billion for the fifty-two weeks ended January 31, 2009. Same store sales increased 3.2% for the comparable fifty-two week period versus a 5.9% decrease in the prior year.

Retail Ventures, Inc. is a holding company whose subsidiary, DSW, is a leading United States branded footwear specialty retailer operating, as of January 30, 2010, 305 shoe stores in 39 states. DSW also supplies shoes, under supply agreements, to 356 locations and operates dsw.com. On April 21, 2009 Retail Ventures, Inc. sold all of the outstanding capital stock of Filene’s Basement, Inc. and certain related entities (Filene’s Basement) to an unrelated party. The results of the Filene’s Basement operations are excluded from the above results.

Original post by no@spam.com (Maxamillion Blick)

Clothing : Asia-Pacific Industry Guide - The Asia-Pacific Menswear Market Generated Total Revenues of 67.5 Billion In 2008

March 16th, 2010

Research and Markets has announced the addition of the “Clothing: Asia-Pacific Industry Guide” report to their offering.

The Clothing: Asia-Pacific Industry Guide is an essential resource for top-level data and analysis covering the Asia-Pacific Clothing industry. It includes detailed data on market size and segmentation, textual analysis of the key trends and competitive landscape, and profiles of the leading companies. This incisive report provides expert analysis with distinct chapters for Apparel Retail, Childrenswear, Footwear, Menswear and Womenswear

Scope of the Report

  • Contains an executive summary and data on value, volume and segmentation for Apparel Retail, Childrenswear, Footwear, Menswear and Womenswear
  • Provides textual analysis of the industry’s prospects, competitive landscape and profiles of the leading companies
  • Incorporates in-depth five forces competitive environment analysis and scorecards
  • Includes five-year forecasts for Apparel Retail, Childrenswear, Footwear, Menswear and Womenswear

Original post by no@spam.com (Maxamillion Blick)

G&K Services Announces Its Lion Uniform Group Wins 2010 Premier Uniform Industry Awards

March 16th, 2010

G&K Services, Inc. (NASDAQ: GKSR) announced yesterday that its Lion Uniform Group has received two “Image of the Year Awards” from the National Association of Uniform Manufacturers and Distributors (NAUMD). These annual awards recognize distinctive image programs in the corporate uniform and apparel industry.

“Our team is honored to have received two “Image of the Year”

Lion Uniform Group received NAUMD’s Retail Outlets “Image of the Year Award” for the ampm convenience store uniform program. The ampm brand is franchised by BP. Lion Uniform Group also received NAUMD’s Special Notice Organization “Image of the Year Award” for a global uniform program.

Original post by no@spam.com (Maxamillion Blick)

Miu Miu Zip Paillette Tote

March 16th, 2010

As I was checking my email this morning I came across an invite to my friend’s bachelorette party this summer. I love celebrating the step into marriage because, well, I guess you could say I have a tendency to be a hopeless romantic. As I continued to look at the invitation, one more thing jumped out at me – the party is going to be in NYC! So, I get to be a part of a great celebration AND it is going to be in a fabulous city… awesome!

My guess is that you know where my thought process went next – I need a new handbag for this occasion.

When I think NYC, I think glitz, glamor and night life. With this being said, you can see why I am currently drooling over the Miu Miu Zip Paillette Tote. In fact, I’ve had Miu Miu on the brain ever since Amanda covered the Miu Miu Oversized Sequined Clutch. So while these two bags are a bit different, they do remind me of one another a bit.

Today, this bag is the one I am focusing on. The silver/multicolor paillettes are clearly all over the bag. This being the case, the bag would be great for a night out on the town. Imagine walking through a restaurant and how the light will shine and shimmer off of this bag. Gorgeous! I also like that the hardware is golden and not silver. I feel like too many black bags are paired with silver hardware. And if you can predict me by now, you know that I would most likely take off the detachable shoulder strap and simply opt for the top handles. All in all this is a fantastic, feminine and glamorous bag. Buy through Bergdorf Goodman $1495.

Original post by Shannon Mahoney

Kell on Earth: “I’m just kidding. You don’t have to speak. Please don’t, actually.”

March 16th, 2010

I hate to break it to my wonderful coworkers here at PurseBlog, but I think that I want to work at People’s Revolution. As long as I get paid more than Tandrew, that is. That’s an important stipulation, write that one down. Although it seems like his job is open…

This week’s episode of Kell on Earth was filled with more of the strangely fascinating fashion minutiae that everyone has come to know and love, plus an Addams Family dinner party, a Versace chair, jaunty little hats, Ava in her mom’s sparkly heels, and lots more office-wide wingman action in an attempt to get a member of the staff laid. When have Megs and Vlad ever done that for me, huh?!?! That’s what I call a job with perks.

But wait…weren’t the police supposed to be called last night? Didn’t we see a panicking Kelly and an NYPD cruiser in the previews all week? I’m suddenly feeling a bit cheated, and no explanation is forthcoming from the People’s Rev team on why the footage was cut (I asked them on Twitter and actually felt like a reporter for a second.)

Back to the task at hand: our episode started with the saga of Tandrew. Remember him? He’s…well, he’s tan. He was the one presented with a bottle of lube last week, right before Kelly and Andrew crashed his blind date. He has a lisp and Britney Spears lyrics tattooed on the insides of his wrists, and he’s bucking for the title of Gayest Gay Ever. Well, at least Gayest Gay on Kell on Earth, and since the other Andrew regularly wears skirts, that’s sort of an accomplishment.

Anyway, Tandrew is unhappy. He’s from sunny, optimistic California, where his orange color is more widely accepted and he’s allowed to give everyone blonde highlights, not just Skinner. When he was hired and promised his piddling little salary (he said $15k, right? I made more than that when I worked at Best Buy in college), they told him that he would be able to return to his golden homeland to stock up on his favorite self-tanner, which is banned in New York (or, you know, he was there to go to a wedding. Whatever).

But really, it went much further than that. Tandrew hates his job because Robyn talks to him like he’s a moron (which, in fairness, he might be) and he doesn’t get paid enough to sit and listen to it, plus now they don’t want him to go to California, even though his trip had already been approved. In response, he did what we’ve all wanted to do once or twice in our lives: he went on vacation and never came back. He just…stayed. He called the office and quit, so I guess he can think of the bottle of organic lube from last week as a parting gift.

With yet another member of the group gone and still no new hires, things were getting a little tense around the office. What better way to solve this problem than a group walk around the neighborhood, which never means just walking when Kelly Cutrone is with you. She likes to talk to random passersby and attempt to procure dates for her staff, and this time Robyn was the one that needed a good man. Instead of letting Kelly pick, as she should have, Robyn flagged down a slightly homeless-looking dude with an accent that “made books.” Or was an artist. Or something. Thankfully he went back to Seattle eventually, or else Robyn might have married him by now.

Kelly Cutrone doesn’t give up easily when it comes to finding dates and/or quasi-anonymous hookups for her employees, however, so she was back to pounding the pavement (or, rather, pounding the glasses of wine) almost immediately, hitting on a waiter while having drinks with Emily and Robyn. I must say that I’d be happy to have Kelly hit on guys for me any time – she always manages to get results. The waiter’s number was procured, text messages were sent, the rest is a secret.

I can’t decide if Kelly’s flirtatious abilities will be awesome or embarrassing by the time her daughter Ava is old enough to date, but it looks like she’s done a good job raising an awesome daughter so far. Not only did Ava delight the entire office by tottering around in a pair of her mom’s heels (a trick that we all tried when we were kids, just with far less fabulous shoes), but she lectured her grandmother about how superior Target is to Wal-Mart. It took me until I was approximately 12 to figure that out, so she’s way ahead of the game.

The real star of this show, however, was Andrew. We finally got to learn a little bit more about the goth/glam/gay assistant, including his fashion loves (Rick Owens, Givenchy, McQueen), living arrangements (ultra-fab apartment next to his parents, complete with a great view of the city and a signature-print Versace chair), and his social preferences (lots of black-clad fashion girls). He is easily my favorite person on this entire show, and his decision to throw an Addams Family-themed dinner party, complete with headless roses and superfierce zebra chairs only continued to convince me that he and I are straight girl/gay guy soul mates. Come to me, Andrew. I’ll sneak into the milliner’s workshop and steal you as many silly little hats as your heart desires.

Skinner obviously doesn’t realize how much she should appreciate his awesomeness, because she was two hours late to his dinner party, which started at nine. She blamed work, but on a Friday night that excuse seemed a little weak. Andrew shouldn’t have held dinner for her, but she should have definitely called to say she wasn’t going to make it on time.

When I worked in marketing, there were nights that I was there late, sure. I get the idea that Skinner makes it a habit, however, and I’m not sure that she’s getting a good return on her time investment. The predicament that she’s in is exactly why you should always be careful of setting high expectations about your work ethic and willingness to become married to your job – if you do it for a little while to get in good with the boss, he or she is going to expect it all the time, and pretty soon you’ve screwed yourself royally and can’t get out of work before midnight on a Friday. Low expectations are your friends, ladies, and don’t ever let a career counselor tell you otherwise.

Really, all you have to do is be awesome and find other ways to ingratiate yourself (bring lattes, tell her she has pretty hair, it really depends on the boss), and before long you’ll be getting out early to throw catered dinner parties from your city-view apartment in which everyone will sit on zebra chairs that you then gift to your favorite blogger because of all the good life advice she gave you back in the day. And also, the Versace chair. That’s just how it happens. I don’t make the rules.

Original post by Amanda Mull

Lagerfeld Retirement Rumour Is Denied

March 16th, 2010

Yesterday

the British Guardian posted its web page an article denying Karl Lagerfeld’s retirement from Chanel house.

As

says Chanel representative to Relaxnews “KL is Chanel’s creative director and has a long-term contract that is by no means reassessed. “His sucession is not on the agenda.

The

first signs of Lagerfeld’s leave Chanel house was rumoured in the last summer. Then among fashion circles was rambling a rumour about talks of Lanvin’s creative director Alber Elbaz with Chanel to replace Karl Lagerfeld.

Original post by no@spam.com (Konisbay Tleuov)

Eye-Catching Short Prom Dresses For the Petites

March 16th, 2010

For every teenager, there is the dream of a perfect prom night. You can
be preparing for this big night for a year, and it’s still going to be
a waste if you didn’t choose a nice prom dress to go with it. Different
body shapes would require different type of dresses to flatter the
figure. If you’re a petite girl, then you’re in the right page. We’ve
lined up some of the best short prom dresses that will give you an edge compared to other girls. These short prom dresses are also the dress to show off your sexy legs, so tone them up while you still have the time!

Original post by no@spam.com (Mithran B)

UHF Gen 2 RFID Inlay for harsh environment

March 16th, 2010

DAILY RFID has released new UHF Gen 2 RFID Inlay, designed as a durable read/write UHF RFID tag. And UHF RFID Inlay can operate well in harsh environments, resist against abrasion, anti-collision, anti-corrosion as well.

Original post by no@spam.com (Jack Pan)

A Halter Top For Work and Play!

March 16th, 2010

A halter top
is a great purchase when you want to show off a little skin but don’t
love the way you look in a tube top. These fabulous choices in halter tops
are perfect for a night out on the town and for a day in the office.
Great for the cooler fall months, just make sure you don’t forget your
jacket and sweater for fun layering looks!

Original post by no@spam.com (Mithran B)

Phillips-Van Heusen Corporation to Acquire Tommy Hilfiger B.V.

March 15th, 2010

Phillips-Van Heusen Corporation (NYSE: PVH) today announced a definitive agreement for PVH to acquire Tommy Hilfiger B.V., which is controlled by funds affiliated with Apax Partners L.P., for total consideration of €2.2 billion (approximately $3.0 billion) plus the assumption of €100 million in liabilities. The consideration includes €1.924 billion in cash and €276 million in PVH common stock. The combination will create one of the world’s largest and most profitable apparel companies; a global business with combined revenue of approximately $4.6 billion.

“This is a unique opportunity to bring together two premier companies, each with iconic brands, which will deliver enhanced opportunities for our stockholders, business partners, customers and employees as we leverage a combined global platform in the years ahead”

Original post by no@spam.com (Maxamillion Blick)

bebe stores, inc. Announces Quarterly Dividend

March 15th, 2010

bebe stores, inc. (Nasdaq:BEBE) announced that its Board of Directors declared bebe’s quarterly cash dividend of $0.025 per share. The dividend is payable on April 20, 2010 to shareholders of record at the close of business on April 6, 2010.

bebe stores, inc. designs, develops and produces a distinctive line of contemporary women’s apparel and accessories, which it markets under the bebe, BEBE SPORT, bbsp, 2b bebe and PH8 brand names. bebe currently operates 304 stores, of which 214 are bebe stores, 56 are PH8 stores, 33 are 2b bebe stores and 1 is a bebe accessories store. These stores are located in the United States, U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and Canada. In addition, there is an online store at www.bebe.com.

Original post by no@spam.com (Maxamillion Blick)

One Bag, Two Ways: Kate Spade Folly Beach Benedicta Straw Satchel

March 15th, 2010

You know how people are always trumpeting the fact that particular bags are “versatile” or perfect for “day to night?” It’s kind of a lazy fashion writer’s fall back – everyone that’s reading this is easily sharp enough to figure out that every bag can be worn with more than one outfit. So I figured, why not put my money where my mouth is? Just in time for summer, here are a few ideas for wearing the Kate Spade Folly Beach Benedicta Straw Satchel for both day and night – after all, who wants to pack a bunch of bags to take to the beach?

Daytime
1. Free People Crinkle Racer Tank Dress: I could see this light little dress thrown over a bathing suit or worn as a regular dress, and versatility is important when packing for a vacation. The pattern is fun and bohemian, plus the material is supposed to be wrinkled, making it very suitcase-friendly. Buy through ShopBop for $128.
2. Kenneth Jay Lane Multi-Layer Necklace: I’m pretty sure it freaks all of us out to travel with expensive jewelry, so now’s the perfect time to show off less pricey pieces. This necklace brings out the green in the dress’s pattern but could also be worn with a variety of other colors so that you don’t have to pack a jewelry look for every outfit. Buy through ShopBop for $80.
3. See by Chloe Flat Criss-Cross Sandals: Don’t make the mistake of being the girl that only brings towering wedges to the beach. Not only does this dress also pick up the blues in the Free People dress, but it lets you do all the walking you need (which can be a lot if you didn’t drive to your vacation spot) without asking for a piggy-back ride at he end of the day. Buy through Bloomingdale’s for $260.

Nighttime
1. Single Silk-Chiffon Leopard Print Dress: If you can’t wear a floaty, asymmetrical, red leopard print dress after dark at the beach, where can you wear one? Tropical locales were made for bright patterns that would be harder to pull off in an urban setting, and this dress is exactly that: wild and a little sexy while still being comfortable and not too skimpy. It’s a graphic statement, but the use of cream instead of graphic white gives it a slightly bohemian note that makes the dress totally work. Buy through Net-a-Porter for $315.
2. Kenneth Jay Lane Gold-Plated Bamboo Hoops: Again, leave the expensive jewelry at home. These earrings are gold-plated for those with sensitive ears and will add a touch of glamour to virtually any outfit in your suitcase. The best part, however, is the price – you don’t have to fret too badly if you lose one in the sand or forget them at the hotel. Buy through Net-a-Porter for $60.
3. Belle by Sigerson Morrison Crisscross Wedge Sandals: You don’t want to be that girl that ONLY wears enormous wedges, but if you’re going to wear a dress like this, you should still bring them. They’re dark and chunky while still being neutral and beachy, which makes them perfect to anchor a dress that has such a loud print. If they were lighter or made a smaller statement, they’d get swallowed up by the outfit. Also, the darker leather ensures that you don’t look like you wandered the mall for hours, holding up your tote bag to every pair of sandals until you found a perfect match. Repeat after me: matchy-matchy is not a good look. Buy through Saks for $240.

Voila! That’s how you get through vacation with just your tote bag. How would you wear it?

Original post by Amanda Mull

Derek Lam Elsa Leather Clutch

March 15th, 2010

When Amanda covered the Derek Lam Python Elsa Clutch last summer, she was not keen on the bag. And you all shared your opinions, mostly saying that you disagreed and loved the bag. I was not moved either way. But now I am and I have to share it with you all.

It was as if the other photo made the bag look bland and lackluster. Or maybe it was even the color of the bag. But once this bright turquoise Derek Lam Elsa Leather Clutch caught my eye, I felt overcome to share it with you.

Firstly I will admit my love of the color turquoise. It is a genius color, not quite green and not quite blue, but a stunning eye-catching compilation. While I was unsure about the design of this clutch before, I now love it. Why? Because it is different. Many clutches have expectable designs, with little difference setting them apart from the next.

But this design is distinctive and brings us asymmetrical touches and additional design elements. The zipper compartment flap is asymmetric and there is a side tassel. With all the extra looks, we find that each is usable and not just for show. Pockets are ample in this clutch, which is always a plus. And dimensions are spacious yet not overwhelming, 7″W X 11″H X 2″D. A couple months ago I would have passed this clutch by, but not this time. Buy through Saks for $790.

Original post by Megs Mahoney Dusil