segunda-feira, 30 de março de 2015

I Khan Do This

naeem-khan

Naeem Khan’s designs are always on point. He never fails to create dresses for girls who are not afraid to stand out and to be who they are.

Born in Cumbala Hills of Mumbai, Naeem Khan is a New York based designer whose designs have been donned by people like Eva Longoria, Michelle Obama, Princess Aga Khan, Leighton Meester, Beyonce and Brooke Shields.

The designer is currently married to model turned jewelry designer Ranjana Khan. Khan’s designs have also taken over the silver screen by storm with his designs spotted on shows like Sex and the City and Dream Girls.

Naeem’s undying love for clothes comes from his grandfather Shamsuddin Khan who was in the embroidery business in the early 1930s making clothes for the member of India’s royal families.

Khan’s career started in New York when his parents took notice of his love for clothes and encouraged him to pursue a career in fashion design. He went to New York to attend the Fashion Institute of Technology but never made it through there.

However, it wasn’t over for Naeem Khan. He got lucky when he went to the US along with his father to a meeting with Halston about exporting embroidery.

Naeem instantly felt a connection with Halston and the legendary fashion designer asked Khan if he’d like to work with him. Overjoyed, Khan let go of his plans to study at a fashion school and accepted the offer right away and then there was no looking back for him ever since then.

It was like a dream come true for the twenty year old Khan when he became an apprentice for Halston.

In October 2009, Naeem’s collection for HSN was launched by the name, TIMELESS by Naeem Khan. The collection was so successful that it was sold out moments after it was launched.

The immensely successful line consists of separates and cocktail dress sold exclusively by HSN. An extension to the line was also launched in November 2011 called the Tissavel Faux Fur Line which included vests, scarves, coats and hats.

It is also interesting to note that Naeem Khan’s first love may be designing clothes but he loves cooking with his wife equally as much.

That’s because, in his opinion, creating clothes and cooking is synonymous. The ingredients at disposal may be the same but the end result is completely unique.

http://laurenceourac.com/i-khan-do-this/

Monique’s Bride

Monique Lhuillier2

Weddings are always regarded as a once in a lifetime celebration of love. Thus, couples around the world work so hard to make this day remarkable.

One of the most important things that should not be taken for granted for a woman during her most special day is her wedding gown.

This will serve as her most important get up to marry the love of her life. In fashion, when talking about weddings, one name is always constant, Monique Lhuillier.

Monique Lhuillier is a fashion designer from Philippines, eminent for bridal wear. She was born in 1971 to Michel J. Lhuillier and Amparito Llamasand raised in Cebu City in a house with one sister and two brothers.

Her father was born in Vietnam when the country was a French colony. He is a jeweler, estate buyer and a diplomat while her mother is a former model.

Monique’s parents used to forbade their daughters from wearing black outfits when they were young. Her mother sewed her clothes as well as her daughters’ apparel and became so interested and proficient in it that she began a small business from her home.

Monique Lhuillier

Later on, the seamstresses made the daughters’ outfits. Seeing the designing and stitching process of tailoring, Monique became curious to learn more about this.

She then began spending time with the local designers and when the family had to go to any event or occasion; her parents gave Monique some liberty to design what she wanted to wear.

Monique Lhuillier and her husband, Tom Bugbee, founded Monique Lhuillier & Company in 1996, quickly establishing the label as a leading bridal couturier.

Lhuillier began designing evening gowns in 2001 and expanded into a full ready-to-wear line in 2003, launching her first fall collection at Fashion Week.

The Lhuillier ready-to-wear label is known for its glamorous red-carpet-worthy cocktail dresses and romantic evening gowns, while the label’s signature bridal gowns sport sashes in shades of pale blue, copper, or rose.

With dresses retailing for $1,500 to $10,000, Lhuillier’s bridal business grosses over $20 million per year.

http://laurenceourac.com/moniques-bride/

quarta-feira, 25 de março de 2015

Suspenders on the Rise

male-suspenders

Belts with shimmering metallic designs, grotesque buckles and the ones with peppered stones, and belts that has a name or a letter on them, have become part of the hottest trends in men’s fashion.

But the purpose a belt was made was not to make people glare at them but to clutch the pants steadfastly to one’s waist for a seamless fit, under no circumstances remains so forever.

The British colony did not just rule nearly the whole world had but also shown us how to live in style and fashion making most of men’s formal clothing styles rooted in Britain and its soldierly side.

Suspenders were first used to keep tights and stockings in place. Later, men revised it to faultlessly hold their pants and trousers in position on their waists.

It was Albert Thurston who first introduced suspenders in 1822 and it lingered in fashion for quite a long time.

Suspender belts also conveyed the economic prominence of a man through the various materials that were used to make them. Suspenders of high quality were made from pricey materials and were at all times to be attached to the pants through buttons.

Silk and box cloth were the customary materials that were used in its manufacturing but far along, due to the dawn of man-made fibers that are usually sturdier, rayon is now universally being used.

Along with suspenders developed the norm and fashion of jumpers and waist coats that hid the straps up as they were always well-thought-out to be undergarments.

The khakis that used these supports were also distinct which had buttons usually on the external but at times on the inside of the waist band.

They do not have the belt loops that we currently have. Thus one can say that the invention of a simple flat band-like garment once transformed the way men dressed.

When the world war broke out and just about all men fused in army, they found it challenging to wear these straps as they were time-consuming.

Instead they were given the contemporary belts that go through the loops in the slacks, around the waistband. When the war ended, men got comfortable wearing army belts or the present belts.

The old braces and suspenders once again made its comeback to today’s fashion trend wherein it can be part of any casual or formal apparel; it just needs to be accentuated well with the appropriate accessories like bow ties and the like.

http://laurenceourac.com/suspenders-on-the-rise/

Skinnies for Men

male-Skinny

Skinny jeans for men, as the name of the apparel proposes, are the style of jeans which trace the line of the lower extremity of your body, in order to form a perfect fitting against your legs.

There are several variances concerning skinny jeans for men and for women, starting off with the wobbly portion around the crotch and the waist part and the color of the jeans of course.

At this modern age, most men who wear these jeans refer to them as really comfortable and pleasurable to wear, contrary to the opinion of masses that it’s too effeminate.

Skinny jeans went in and out of style for the past few years, they certainly hold a strong standing of being trendy nowadays.

Famous rock stars like Elvis Presley, Jim Morrison, The Beatles, Rolling Stones, and others all wore skinny jeans aside from most of the Hollywood actors of today.

At the moment, they are back in trend and are often linked with people who listen to the rock music genre, and fashion conscious men as well.

When obtaining a pair of jeans, the first thing most men pay consideration to is the color and the stylishness of the jeans because you don’t want to pick a girly color that will make you look rather droll and uncomfortable.

Dark colors rule in the fashion world of men. Anything that is darker in shades and hues are more masculine and will make you feel upright.

Pay attention to the measurements of the jeans for you don’t want to tear them apart once you take a seat. Be sure that the pair you select is comfy.

Also, the lower part of the body has to be fairly slim, if you don’t want to look awkward.

When purchasing skinny jeans, you might not want to buy high-waist pairs since it’s just not the manner these jeans are worn. The waist has to be somewhat low or a hipster, but not excessively low.

Skinny jeans are worn with boldness and attitude. If you wear them with superiority and confidence, you will appear as a tough guy who isn’t concerned by the estimations of narrow-minded people.

But if you wear them with absence of conviction and self-assurance, you will look tangled. Make sure you vindicate your stylishness by using your jeans with assertiveness.

For a better appearance, these jeans should also be sensibly combined with a toning pair of shoes, and appropriate tops. Make sure you pick a slim shirt to compliment your skinny jeans.

http://laurenceourac.com/skinnies-for-men/

sexta-feira, 20 de março de 2015

Material Girls

diamondFrom Marilyn Monroe to Rihanna; women’s love affair with diamonds has survived the decades. After Napoleon’s diamond and sapphire engagement ring for his beloved Joséphine sold recently for a huge sum, Felicity Capon charts the stone’s enduring appeal and analyses its symbolic meaning in love, literature and life.

What is it about diamonds that are so enchanting? And why do women still covet them so much?

Bright, brilliant, sparkling diamonds have inspired us for generations; their rarity, value, the way they delicately reflect light, while being the hardest of any bulk material. And, of course, there is their association with romantic love, which has seeped into our culture and popular conscience.

In fictional novels, protagonists usually have a voracious appetite for the stones which lead to danger or disappointment; they become prey to an obsession not just confined to women.

King Solomon’s Mines, H. Rider Haggard’s popular adventure story written at the height of the British Empire, was written with boys very much in mind: “I can safely say that there is not a petticoat in the whole history,” Haggard boasts of the storyline.

Elizabeth Taylor’s love affair with jewels was legendary, almost as legendary as her seven marriages. Many men bought her fabulous diamonds, yet none could guarantee her everlasting happiness.

Even she understood the underlying message of the cruel diamond, recognising in their shine her own frail immortality in comparison to the brilliance of her beloved jewellery.

Michael Wainwright, the managing director of Boodles, concurs: “Diamond engagement rings are still as popular as ever. However, there has recently been a renaissance in sapphires and rubies in the UK (though strangely not emeralds) which will certainly have been impacted by the ‘Kate Middleton effect.”

Still, for some, nothing will compare to the sparkling brilliance of a diamond. Yet for all their dazzling beauty and their association with enduring love, it is quite extraordinary how, through popular culture, they have become tinged with a haunting sense of dangerous obsession, loss and mortality.

http://laurenceourac.com/material-girls/

quinta-feira, 19 de março de 2015

The Gentle Man

John Varvatos

Men’s fashion has evolved through the years. More and more men are very much into the whole concept of looking good. One factor to consider when one wants to look good is wearing trendy and comfortable ensembles.

One name in fashion who has earned a lot of praises from fashionable men is John Varvatos. “Every guy wants to be a little bit of a rock star,” says John Varvatos, who has built a formidable menswear empire on this very notion.

His seasonal advertising campaigns feature music icons like Iggy Pop and Kiss. His downtown New York flagship is housed in the space previously occupied by legendary punk club CBGB. Since 2001, he has collaborated with Converse, a brand beloved by The Ramones and The Clash.

And his collection — which includes signatures like attenuated suiting, biker boots and knotted neckerchiefs — comes with a distinct rock n’ roll twist.

Since it was launched in 2000, John Varvatos has expanded into a range of new product categories — including eyewear, watches, fragrance. The company now generates a reported $250 million in annual revenue. And the expansion continues.

This year alone, Varvatos is set to almost double his total retail footprint, with entries into Asia and Europe — in Bangkok and London, respectively — due later this year.

His new 4,200-square-foot boutique on New York’s Madison Avenue his third store in New York, but the first on the city’s Upper East Side, a stone’s throw from brands like Lanvin and Hermès) opened yesterday.

And just last month, the designer announced the launch of his own record label, John Varvatos Records, in conjunction with Republic Records.

Ultimately, Varvatos likes his clothes like his music: timeless and iconic. “I want to create clothes that last through the generations,” he says, “so when you go back in your closet 10 years from now, you go, ‘This jacket looks better today than when I bought it.’”

http://laurenceourac.com/the-gentle-man/

March in Marchesa

Marchesa_spring_summer_2015_collection_London_Fashion_Week1

Women everywhere are enthralled when it comes to seeing fabulous and haute-couture like ball gowns. One fashion house which is regarded to be one of the most famous fashion brands when it comes to exquisite gowns is Marchesa.

Founded in 2004 by British fashion designers Georgina Chapman wife of Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein and Keren Craig, the Marchesa label is a luxury brand inspired by the eccentric Italian socialite Marchesa Luisa Casati’s mantra of a person “being a living work of art”.

Marchesa is best known for its red carpet worthy evening gowns, with their signature vintage meets Asian style that combines intricate details such as embroidery, beaded embellishments and prints.

Among the stylish celebrity fans of the brand are Jennifer Lopez, Anne Hathaway, Sienna Miller and Eva Longoria. Recently, Marchesa launched Marchesa Notte a sister brand that offers affordable casual clothes.

The brand has been worn by a number of Hollywood actresses on the red carpet including: Penélope Cruz, Blake Lively, Jennifer Lopez, Kate Hudson, Cameron Diaz, Selena Gomez, Halle Berry, Leighton Meester, Rihanna, Eva Longoria, Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus,Emma Watson, Olivia Wilde, Kristen Stewart, Nikki Reed and Hailee Steinfeld.

Sandra Bullock wore Marchesa at the 2010 Academy Awards, where she won Best Actress and was also named among the best dressed by readers of the Huffington Post. Marchesa is sold in high end department stores worldwide including Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, Saks Fifth Avenue and Net-A-Porter, in the US.

The company produces a couture collection as well as a diffusion collection known as Notte by Marchesa. Marchesa launched a handbag line, wedding dresses and partnered with Lenox to launch dinnerware.

Most recently the fashion brand Marchesa has collaborated with Le Métier de Beauté to bring a cosmetics line to the masses featuring the palettes of designers Chapman & Craig.

http://laurenceourac.com/march-in-marchesa/

The Do’s of Summer Style

summer-fashion

Want your look to pop this summer? Over the season’s blazing’s warmth it can be simple to be abandoned by a summers love affair. The fiery approach of summer would be more imposing and there is lot of dressing and other beauty products free online to assist the people.

A person should prefer the dresses and swimwear that equals their skin tone and character. It would be practical for them to thrill people with their dressing sense and they can discover numerous products under summer styles. Follow this list of summer style do’s and don’ts for a easy, sun-sational look and to make the most of your summer fling without getting burned.

DO play with Color
If your usual look is monochromatic and muted, select accessories in bright, bold shades to get a taste of artful pop.

DO embrace StripesClassic nautical stripes have not only gone supersized, but also been given an injection of cheeky color. And they are everywhere, from blazers to bags, shirts to shoes, you can choose between a little and a lot.

DO wear Sandals
Sandals matching the outfit would be more impressive and can give a neat look.

DO Try Sunglasses
With sunglasses, adhere to one fashion at a time. Do select big frames in a typical color and shape. But don’t choose shades that may overrun elegant features. Colorful frames are best in smaller styles.

DO mix Prints
The key to look in harmony versus looking like an all-in type of outfit is to pick patterns that feature the same color combos or at the very least, complimentary colors that can definitely help your fashion.

DO wear Short Skirt
Short skirts would be more splendid and it would look like sizzling summer style.

DO wear all White
Wear white all season to feel and look fresh, light and airy.

DO wear maxi’s!
Ankle-grazing maxi skirts not only make everyone look taller, but also smoothly evolve from the boardwalk to the office.

http://laurenceourac.com/the-dos-of-summer-style/

Tory Burch

Tory Burch

Tory Burch is an American lifestyle brand that exemplifies the personal style and taste of its Chairman, CEO and Designer, Tory Burch. Tory Burch was born June 17, 1966 she is a business woman, and humanitarian, who has achieved various fashion awards for her pattern and Tory Burch was born in 1967 in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania.

She attended the University of Pennsylvania for Art History. Less than a decade after she begun a fashion brand in her kitchen, Tory Burch is officially a billionaire. Each element was absolutely on-brand, from the volume’s cloth cover in a blue hue called “Tory Navy” that emerges in every compilation to the plentiful photos of family and friends.

The group, famous for its color, print and comprehensive features, contains ready-to-wear, shoes, handbags, accessories, beauty, home and watches. Her approach has been defines as preppy-boho and preppy-bohemian luxe and is related with her T-logo medallion.

Popular for being simple to wear and flexible, her manner are popular with women of all ages, involving the spectators and fans of the television show Gossip Girl, where they were often promoted.

Her eponymous fashion line, which includes sophisticated handbags and Reva ballet flats and tunics, is omnipresent. Oprah Winfrey loved her tunics so much that Burch appeared on the show in 2005, making her a household name. Since then she has won many awards and has been featured in a great primary fashion magazines.

She started Tory Burch in 2004 with a small shop in Manhattan’s Nolita community, and since then the brand has matured into a global business with more than 125 freestanding stores, toryburch.com and a presence in over 3,000 department and specialty stores.

The designer’s bags, sunglasses and shoes are flying off the shelves at Bloomingdale’s, Nordstrom and Saks. She’s challenging with more settled brands like Coach, Michael Kors and Kate Spade and winning.

http://laurenceourac.com/tory-burch/

quarta-feira, 18 de março de 2015

What Lies Underneath Those Pants

underwear

Are you one of today’s swelling numbers of voguish men who are engaging into a grander emphasis on their underwear norm, demanding a larger choice of flairs, textiles and trendy brand names?

Well, don’t be startled because men of this generation, of all ages, are becoming pickier and pickier when it comes to undies and are ardent to ensure they are wearing the latest trends.

Whether one fancies the traditional clean-cut designer brief, lustrous avant garde close-fitting trunk or athletic support thong for a dynamic lifestyle, the choices are endless.

Men’s underwear is one section in apparels which has long been in full swing in playing its major part for the men of today. It’s not that they were not playing their role during the past, but because they were not permitted to solely play their role when women’s inner garments were given much significance than men’s due to customs and traditions.

With today’s flair and creative ideas, we are able to appreciate various styles and designs that are available in men’s underwear categories. Styles and patterns range from boxers, boxer briefs, g-stings, thongs, bikinis, traditional brief, jockstraps, and low waist briefs.

These designer undergarments are widely presented almost in all clothing shops worldwide. Strong colors and retro styles emerged and conquered the ramp, with formfitting boxer briefs and trunks being the most appealing.

Many other variations are presented in them with diverse style and looks, and textile variance as well. The quality of fabric and the stylishness, and mix matching colors pushes a man to choose and eventually decide on which suits him well. Having all the assortment at your closet is going to gear up you by not using the same style underneath your pants.

The demands of the modern-day men are compelling underwear designers to continually offer a more capricious choice when it comes to styles, fabrics and colors that are perpetually transforming men’s underwear fashion, either on the catwalk, high street, web and social media.

http://laurenceourac.com/what-lies-underneath-those-pants/

Tops and Seasons

Tops are one of the chief common apparels which we incorporate every day and they help define who we are and the style that we are trying to attain. Irrespective of where you are from, your shirts describe the kind of individual you are.

You don’t need to let your outfit form you, let your own design be revealed through shirts. Your options are quite narrow during the summer and spring months but one of the top and most flexible pieces of apparel that you can have is a sleeveless shirt.

On warmer springtime and scorching summer days, a sleeveless shirt can work for you in anyway and you don’t even have to be a buff for it. Sleeveless shirts come in a wide-ranging assortment of shapes, shades, and flairs.

sleeveless shirt

Sleeveless shirts are predominant during hotter seasons, mostly worn at the beach. But it can now be considered as part of the casual attire if you layer it up with a coat or a blazer.

If you are on a colder season, or even want a year round sort of shirt, check out the potentials of a turtleneck. Turtlenecks can also be used and worn all year round. You can roll up your sleeves if you are hot, and if you are cold then you can pull them down.

turtleneck

Popular winter wears also include clothes like long sleeve shirts and sweaters. V-neck sweatshirts and even hoodies can be well thought-out to enjoy an even more relaxed look.

Other tops that are great during spring time are button-down polo shirts. Button down shirts can be paired up with just about anything, such as shorts and jeans.

shirt

You don’t have any restrictions when you wear a button down shirt because they are outstanding with flexibility. There’s also a wide range of available colors and prints to choose from, and mix-matching can be a breeze.

Once the seasons change, you can really prompt to modify your wardrobe. Just make sure to have a wide array of casual tops, and outerwear for layering that will certainly work well together.

http://laurenceourac.com/tops-and-seasons/

Messenger Bags for Men

Messenger Bags for Men3

Messenger bags for men have made quite an impression for guys who want to be out of the conventional. Men who are in the work force are usually distressed in getting the suitable bag that can be fashionably functional.

This bag is derived from the passé bags used by messengers on a bike like those of mailmen. The most common messenger bags for men come in rectangular shape, with plenty of space for documents and just about everything that a messenger needs to carry with him.

Oftentimes, it has a pocket with an oversized front closure. It is locked up with Velcro, a zipper or any other type of clasp. Most of the messenger bags for the men are distinctive in style, having many pockets and long straps to be carried on one shoulder or sling it across.

The bags are available in so many styles, designs, colors and brands that it can give rivalry to the women’s bag and fashion. The demand for these bags is so high that more and more improvisation and individuality is being added to this aspect of men’s fashion trends.

Messenger Bags for Men2

Messenger bags for men are also categorized. The traditional messenger bags are apt for city dwellers and recurrent travelers as they are being used as comfort luggage bags.

Messenger laptop bags are perfect for men on-the-go with bulky laptops and other electronic equipment without sacrificing style.

Tote messenger are designed with men carrying shopping items in mind and this bag is just as stylish and polished, yet masculine and sturdy.

You can find many brands of messenger bags for men in the market, but never sacrifice quality for price.

Men of the 21st century are becoming correspondingly trendy and fashion conscious like their women counterparts.

From the apparels, accessories to even some men’s messenger bags; all are gathering variety and crafting a huge interest amongst guys in general.

Messenger Bags for Men

The messenger bags for men are no longer a piece to carry laptops and other important things. These bags have assimilated a mark and eminence in fashion.

The messenger bags for men are more in craze today and are carried by the urban men, who want to look cool and slender at the same time.

The latest men’s messenger bags are more urbane and valuable at the same time.

You can avail one depending on your preference or desire because the bags are manufactured in various styles and materials. They are convenient, viable and chic, and provide superiority to your look.

http://laurenceourac.com/messenger-bags-for-men/

segunda-feira, 16 de março de 2015

The F in Fendi

Fendi_FandiEDT_Murale

Fendi is an Italian creator popular for its extravagant products, notably their handbags. Started in 1925 by Edoardo and Adele Fendi as a fur and leather outlet in Rome, currently the association is an international brand possessed by LVMH with Karl Lagerfeld as the artistic director.

A few of the high class goods besides handbags consist of fragrances, eyewear, timepieces and writing instruments. Situated in the finest destinations such as New York, Paris, Milan and Dubai, Fendi gives ready-to-wear products for both women and men. Profit for Fendi is skyward of $800 million.

Fendi-bags

Fendi is also popular for its leather goods such as “Baguette”, 2jours, Peekaboo or Pequin handbags. It wasn’t long before Lagerfeld was inventing accessories to go with their clothing selections.

Most famed for the brand is the ‘Baguette’ handbag, which is named after the French loaf of bread, passed under the arm.

Fendi was settled in 1925, when husband and wife Edoardo and Adele Fendi opened a leather and fur shop with its own in-house factory on Via del Plebiscito in the center of Rome. Fendi is all about classy Italian charisma.

It is an shameless exhibit of abundance and sexiness, and a aroma for extravagance–what started as a tiny family business has today created a fashion empire with forerunner stores placed all over the world.

fendi-glasses
Fendi also designed a line of clothing for the younger set, called Fendissime. They also have the home line, named the Fendi Casa, and have started various perfumes like the Fendi for Women, in 1985 and finally Theorema Uomo, Fendi Uomo, Celebration and Fantasia.

More currently, Fendi created fashion history in 2007 by executing the first-ever fashion show on the Great Wall of China. 88 models, including not just fashion models but superstars, as well, walked in this significant show that confirmed Fendi is a fashion house concurrent wealthy in history yet forever forward-thinking.

http://laurenceourac.com/the-f-in-fendi/

sexta-feira, 13 de março de 2015

The apple on my wrist

Apple-Watch

Apple is absolutely making huge efforts to engage with the fashion world. Immediately following Monday’s special event in San Francisco, the company revealed to BoF that its forthcoming Apple Watch will be sold at custom-designed shop-in-shops at luxury department stores Selfridges, Galeries Lafayette and Isetan, as well as at speciality retailers Dover Street Market (London and Tokyo), Colette (Paris), The Corner (Berlin), 10 Corso Como (Milan) and Maxfield (Los Angeles).

Expected to be shipped in April, the device will surely generate significant buzz and good upfront sales. But in order to sell at the volumes required to satisfy investors, the Apple Watch will have to work as a fashion accessory as well as a tech device.

In fashion, consumers demand a dizzying range of aesthetic options, which they use to send complex signals about their personal style and the social tribes to which they belong. What’s more, they demand these options at a tempo that far exceeds the pace at which consumer electronics companies release new devices.

But for Watch to succeed as a stylistic product — as well as a tech device — Apple will need to enlist a similar ecosystem of fashion and accessories designers to develop a much wider range of aesthetic options for the product, turning Apple Watch into a legitimate platform for fashion as well as apps.

The Apple Watch, in its own way, really pays great homage to traditional watchmaking and the environment in which horology was developed. We have to remember that the first timekeeping devices,things like sundials, were dictated by the sun and the stars, as is time to this day.

The fact that Apple chose to develop two faces dedicated to the cosmos shows they are, at the very least, aware of the origins and importance of the earliest timekeeping machines, and the governing body of all time and space – the universe.

http://laurenceourac.com/the-apple-on-my-wrist/

Billionaires of fashion

forbes-billionaires-list

It pays to be in fashion. At least that’s what Forbes shows in its annual world’s billionaire list. This year, stressed authors of ‘Forbes’ billionaires list, ten-figure fortunes surged in China, although the US still dominates the rankings with Bill Gates securing the top position for the 16th year in the past 21 years.

Being second just to technology, retail has much to offer when it comes to spurring the wealth. Thus, names such as Amancio Ortega from Zara (dropping 1 position from third to fourth), Bernard Arnault from LVMH (13th) or the Walton family from Wal-Mart – set as 8th,9th,11th and 12th richest as per Forbes’ ranking), are all well-known names in this billionaires list.

Looking globally, France’s Liliane Bettencourt, a principal shareholder in L’Oréal, is the second-richest executive in the sector with an estimated net worth of $40.1 billion. Nipping at Bettencourt’s heels is LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton chairman and ceo Bernard Arnault with $37.2 billion.

Kering’s François Pinault and family ($14.9 billion) and Chanel’s Alain and Gerard Wertheimer with $9.5 billion each follow. In fact, the fashion/ retail sector was the number-one driver of wealth in France as well as in Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden and the U.K.

China topped the new entries, not just generally but also in terms of apparel and fashion industries representation. Number 10 of newcomers is Chinese apparel tycoon Zhou Jianping with a net worth of 4.8 billion dollars, holding the 330 billionaires rank. Shen Ya, founder of Vipshop, entered the list as number 1,054.

Also from China, although much lower in the new billionaires entries (ranking 1,533th), were Ma Hong & family with a shared wealth worth 1.2 billion dollars; Zhu Chongyun & family – founders and owners of Shenzhen Marisfrolg Fashion, a privately-held women’s apparel retailer – held position 1,415 with 1.3 billion dollars net worth.

Notably missing from this year’s list was US fashion designer Michael Kors.

http://laurenceourac.com/billionaires-of-fashion/

Fashionably Stylish!


Fashion
We have to confess, all of us have our to-do list about fashion at least on one occasion or two. More than just setting together pieces of apparel and accessories and anticipating that it pulls well together, some people take fashion more earnestly than we think.

Are you fashionable or are you stylish? What separates fashion from style? Are they always interconnected together and do they connote one same thing? Well actually, fashion is a synonym for stylishness or allure.

It has been established on the point that fashion is an approach of expression, and one can be chic when he fits in this expression scheme, or out-of-date, which would be the contrary.

Today, fashion is merely professed as a word denoting mostly to clothes. Fashion, just like any other indicators of human flurry, undertook major and constant modifications, to the point where it is today, that is, being related to many grounds of activity.

Fashion varies and differs from one culture to another. Then, within a definite society, there are a lot of influences such as profession, age, and social class. Even the geography and climate conditions of a certain location may result in alterations in fashion.

Among other things, fashion also changes, and we all know that unceasing revolution is what fashion is all about. What is new now will soon become timeworn, and the process goes both ways, what’s well-thought-out to be old and outdated will momentarily turn into something fresh, yet again.

The younger generation has impressively affected this change as well, because of their unceasing eagerness to try out new things.

Style, on the other hand, can refer to many things such as art like photography and painting, dance and music, writing and literature, web design to etymology or even etiquettes with people.

The very demarcation of style, labels the term as a fashionable way of undertaking things, which shows that style and fashion are somehow meticulously correlated.

Not all that is deliberated as fashionable can also stand as stylish. It is true that the present era and the civilization we live in have convened some rules in what fashion and style should be, but these don’t, at all times, have to be stringently shadowed.

Being a fashion prey will only turn you into one of the others. If you want to be in advance at all times, what you must attempt to delineate your identifiable style and that will make you look your finest. One can always be fashionable and stylish at the same time.

http://laurenceourac.com/fashionably-stylish/

Are You Ready to Get INKED

tatoo

Tattooing is a procedure of entrenching ink under the skin to create a permanent shape or pattern. This know-how has been around for more than a millennium and can be found all the way to the cavemen and aborigines, and from cultures where it’s reflected both as a custom statement or a prominence symbol.

Getting a tattoo was considered distasteful in the past, where it was often perceived as linked with ungodliness and boisterous acts, and all other undesirable influences.

Not that it is wholly tolerable now, people has advanced to become more accepting and liberal that while many mobsters may choose to ink unruly symbols on themselves, there are also a lot who sport tattoos for innumerable diverse yet appropriate motives.

More and more people are acquiring tattoos on a regular basis as it remains to turn out to be a popular trend among people of all sorts and ages. There are a few things which we need to consider before getting inked, and these factors should thoroughly be well thought of.

Not just any person can have a tattoo without having skin problems. We all have dissimilar grades of lenience to outside agents. If you have very weak and sensitive skin, the wrong type of ink being used on you can be a huge dilemma.

If you do not know exactly the level of sensitivity your skin has, then it is best for you to be examined first before you make a move. The part of your body where you are going to get your tattoo done is vital.

A tattoo which is quite an eye pleasing one should be well scrutinized due to the fact that a specific symbol may have a concealed meaning that may shock upon realizing what it is.

You also have to make sure that the artist you are going to have an appointment with knows precisely what you want, and has the expertise to pull it off. You don’t want to get permanently inked and regretful at the same time.

When it comes to the choice of physique art, there is no other part over which one has more direct control. In conclusion, before getting things done, give all the repercussions very vigilant thought. Getting a tattoo is not a spur of the moment thing.

http://laurenceourac.com/are-you-ready-to-get-inked/

quinta-feira, 12 de março de 2015

Hello Kate Spade

katespade

Kate Spade New York is an American fashion design house established as Kate Spade Handbags in January 1993, by Kate Spade. The title is carried out on products. Jack Spade is the label for the Kate Spade brand’s line for men.

Kate Spade was born December 24, 1962 in Kansas City, Missouri. She started her own line of handbags in 1993. It all begun back in 1993, when kate brosnahan spade, a previous accessories editor at mademoiselle, fan out to sketch the flawless handbag.

Coming out with just six outlines, she united polished, functional structure and flashy palettes in a perfectly fresh way. And so Kate spade new york was born.

As the team evolves, our striking way and brand humor built optical shorthand for a brand significant the world over. The company developed to incorporate various retail outlets as well as trading their stocks over sophisticated stores.

Kate Spade now suggests products in a sphere of classification. While she sold the business to the Neiman Marcus Group in 1999, she has continued alive within the brand.

The company originally started out selling chiefly handbags, but finally lengthened to have stationery, personal organizers, address books, shoes, beauty products, perfume, raincoats, pajamas, and eyewear.

It now also has a full women’s apparel line. In 2004, “kate spade at home” was floated as a home selection brand. It highlights bedding, bath items, china, and different kinds of items for the home and wallpaper.

In 2007, spade curved the control to layout mighty kate spade & company already noted as Liz Claiborne, Inc. Quickly after, Deborah Lloyd grabbed the wheel as boss and prime prolific officer with a goal to widen the line while recognizing our affluent history.

Along with CEO Craig Leavitt, she hastily launched clothing and jewelry collections, quickly followed by the addition of bedding, legwear and fragrance.

Currently we’ve matured into a comprehensive lifestyle brand, and desires to encourage colorful living through our handbags and clothing to jewelry, shoes, stationery, eyewear, baby, fragrance, tabletop, bedding and gifts.

http://laurenceourac.com/hello-kate-spade/

The unbeatable duo

Domenico-Dolce-Stefano-Gabbana

Domenico Dolce e Stefano Gabbana

If there is one fashion label that has survived challenging times and came out victorious, it would be Dolce and Gabbana. A few years back, the Italian fashion house was sued for tax evasion for failing to file tax declaration but last quarter of last year the duo was cleared out and still continues to be one of the most respected fashion empires.

Domenico Dolce (born August 13, 1958, in Palermo) and Stefano Gabbana (born November 14, 1962, in Milan) met when they were working for the same fashion designer in Milan.

They held their first solo womenswear show in 1986, but it was not until Madonna endorsed one of their shirts a present from her then beau Warren Beatty in her movie Truth Or Dare: In Bed With Madonna, that they started to become known to a wider audience.

Slowly, the pair launched other product lines, including knitwear and accessories, and gained notoriety particularly for their sensual dresses and menswear, which won them the 1991 Woolmark Prize.

In the early 1990s, pop star Madonna selected them as her costume designers for her Girlie world tour, and wore one of their jewel-encrusted corsets to the Cannes Film Festival.

Throughout the ‘90s, the duo were famed for their overtly feminine, colourful garments, which stood in stark contrast to the wave of minimalism that was sweeping across fashion at the time.

“Dolce & Gabbana” is one of the wealthiest fashion houses in the world with an estimated net worth of $5.3 billion. Revenues from the women’s clothing and accessories section forms the backbone of the company’s income stream.

Even the men’s clothing line has shown a healthy revenue growth in the past few years. Domenico Dolce’s individual net worth has been put at $2.2 billion and Stefano Gabbana’s personal bank balance stands at $2.1 billion.

http://laurenceourac.com/the-unbeatable-duo/

quarta-feira, 11 de março de 2015

Understated elegance

Bottega-Veneta-handbags-purses

Those in the know are very much aware that handbags which are made in high-quality leather materials can cost an arm and a leg. They come in varied shapes and sizes but one thing is constant. They are not for the ordinary.

One famous fashion brand known for luxury leather bags is Bottega Veneta. Italian label Bottega Veneta has something of a split personality.

In its home city of Milan, there are two major outposts – one in the shopping mecca and luxury goods Valhalla of Montenapoleone, alongside the likes of Armani and Louis Vuitton, and one on the Piazza del Duomo, home to the vast and bombastic, neo-gothic monolith for which the city is famed.

These are the label’s public face, where elite squads of upmarket shoppers convene to partake of creative director Tomas Maier’s vision.

His work has long been critically acclaimed but somehow, in the past four seasons or so, the 57-year-old German designer has ramped up his output by a notch, and given it real edge, marking Bottega Veneta out as one of the luxury-goods brands (in which handbags cost upwards of a thousand pounds and even jeans come with a four-figure price tag) to sail through the stormy seasonal projections.

Bottega Veneta is not a luxury label like any other. In accordance with the manifesto on its wall, all that is expensive, luxe and even remotely status-worthy about its products is understated. Impeccable but impassive, and conspicuous only to the cognoscenti.

Celebrities such as Nicole Kidman, Renée Zellweger and Reese Witherspoon have been spotted with the Cabat over one arm, while the label is name-checked by almost every rapper obsessed with the upper-end of the upmarket – which is most of them. That’s saying something in a culture that normally worships rather more obvious opulence.

http://laurenceourac.com/understated-elegance/

The Rebirth of Bow Ties

bow-ties3

Bow Ties have been worn by men for many eras; the first bow tie being created and testified was during the 17th century.

The bow tie is a type of necktie which consists of a ribbon of fabric tied around the collar in a symmetrical manner such that the two opposite ends form loops.

Customarily, the tie has thought to have been the reserve of certain professions and any effort to wear one would often be supplementary with an attempt to draw attention to one’s stature, like the Gatsby for example.

Bow ties have been getting a rebirth of public appreciation lately. Gone are the days when bow ties belonged only to the attire of blue-collar geeks and doctors.

There is a growing trend by stylists for taking fashionable items from yesteryear and updating them, giving them a new look for the modern man.

bow-ties

The bow ties of today are much slimmer than the older styles. Men’s fashion designers are presently looking for a spur from previous generations and this can be seen with the resurgence of accessories like the pocket square and the tie bar.

If you have never worn a bow tie before, the concept of tying one may seem a little bit unnerving, but with practice you should be able to achieve this quite effortlessly and attain a seamless finish.

If you are flabbergasted by the process, there are plenty of pre-tied or clip on versions, which look very effective, but for that extra finesse, take some time and learn to tie your own.

Like any tie, color is imperative, mostly winter and cold seasons demand darker, more solid colors while spring and summer are up for the lighter and more pallid shades.
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Conventionally, most ties were made from silk, but bow ties are now available in many other materials including wools, tweeds and even denim, giving them much trendy and greater versatility.

Bow ties are no longer associated with formal attire at most times due to the fact that they can now be worn with a shirt and jeans, worn without a jacket, can even be paired up with suspenders, even giving a more casual, yet fashionable look.

Other accessories can also be added to give extra chic, and they look great with braces, berets or flat hats, just make sure you match colors and designs, to achieve a very classy look.

http://laurenceourac.com/the-rebirth-of-bow-ties/

segunda-feira, 9 de março de 2015

Missoni Forever

missoni

Italians are known to have very good sense of style. Their manner of dressing up is always very fashion-forward, edgy without being weird and sexy without being too risqué.

One famous Italian fashion brand is Missoni. The Missoni label is a unique brand in ready-to-wear Italian fashion. What started off as a tiny workshop belonging to a newly wed couple has become a leading trendsetter for Italian knitwear, their multicolor and geometrical weaves seen on the streets of every city in the world.

The Italian fashion house was founded in 1953 by Ottavio “Tai” Missoni and his wife Rosita Jelmini. The couple had met in 1948, at the Olympic Games in London, where Ottavio ran in the hurdles and Rosita was in the crowd. It was love at first sight and from that moment on they never parted.

The couple’s breakthrough came in 1964 when they met the French designer Emmanuelle Kahn and decided to do a knitwear collection together, which they showed in Milan two years later.

The French-Italian collaboration brought the Italian designers success which was helped by the controversy created during the presentation of their collection at Palazzo Pitti in 1967.

Missoni’s models had to walk down the runway bra-less, Rosita’s idea as she thought that their underwear didn’t go with the dresses. The public and critics didn’t like the transparent effect but the ensuing publicity helped introduce the Missoni name to a wider public.

The Missonis have survived the years intact, with no scandals, shootings or skeletons falling out of the cupboard. And they remain in control, having resisted buyouts – unlike, say, the Fendis. (Five Fendi sisters have run the company since the death of their father in 1978 but the company is owned by LVMH).

As Angela says: “We have grown with the cult of the family. To my mother that was the most important achievement. Family harmony was always her goal.”

http://laurenceourac.com/missoni-forever/

Makeup Mistakes That Add 10 Years

Makeup-mistakes

Age is imminent and those fine lines add to the glamor. Is your makeup working for you or mellowing you? We’re all on the chase to look and feel our most young and raw and in the beauty world; there are many creams, facials, and procedures to help us on this mission. We’ll tell you which bloopers to ward off and walk you through the correct manner to attain a fresh, youthful radiance.

1. Too much use of foundation – “Heavy makeup is a one-way ticket to looking older than you actually are,” says makeup artist Chrisanne Davis. You don’t have to mask every inch of your skin.” When purchasing a foundation, refrain those labeled as “matte,” “velvet,” and “long-wearing”; look for sheer liquid recipes with light diffusing shade.

2. Dark Lipstick – A dark color does just the reverse, making your lips look tinier, less chunky, and less advertised. Instead, pick something in a plum or pink tone. To make your mouth look packed, select radiant lipsticks and glosses over broad shades.

3. Eyeliner – As we age, our eyes start to sag at the outer edges—and liner and mascara can do surprise. Putting eyeliner on the top as well will open your eyes up and lighten your face. But be sure not to make the liner too heavy, which can also be aging.

4. Black Eyeliner – Select brown over black, which can be rough. And keep the color distributed. “You want to define the eyes with softness and blending, not strict lines,” says makeup artist Troy Surratt.

5. Over – Concealing – broad concealer that comes in a stick or pot will remove the shadows under your eyes. Tap a very tiny brush into a liquid concealer and pat it under your eyes, concentrating most of the color at the inner corners, where blemish is mostly the bad.

6. Powder – Youthful skin echoes light. Powders blocks light reflection and tend to deepen lines in the skin. When applying compact or loose powder be cautious of not applying too much. The powder tends to deposit and exemplifies your smile lines.

7. Using mascara on the lower lashes – Lashes get dryer as we age, making mascara more likely to knot and fall onto your face. Loop your upper lashes and jerk a volumizing mascara into their roots and moderately through the ends for the most inspiring result.

http://laurenceourac.com/makeup-mistakes-that-add-10-years/

Fondness for Ford

tom-ford

Everyone strives to be successful. Most of us wake up each day and go to work. We all have our own fair share of ups and downs and yet we still continue to look at the proverbial “gold at the end of the tunnel.”

One fashion genius who can very well relate to this is no other than Tom Ford. Mere utterance of the name Tom Ford brings to mind style, flamboyance and class!

One of the most prominent fashion designers of the 21st century, he is the mastermind behind turning the fate of Gucci, from being a mere dilapidated accessories brand into one of the most desirable luxury brands around the world.

He brought an uncompromising style with a 21st century appeal to all his designs, which captured the fancy of his clients, who were majorly from Hollywood.

It wouldn’t be wrong to say that he changed the way the world perceived the brand and cemented his place in the fashion fraternity forever.

Some of his patrons include the likes of Madonna, Trudie Styler and Bianca Jagger. An open homosexual, Ford gained international fame for his famous makeover of the Gucci fashion house and the introduction of the ‘Tom Ford’ fashion label.

Tom Ford’s rise to fame is something that can inspire a lot of people, especially those who have lost hope because of being fired or replaced by someone “better”.

He is a prime example of someone who is unstoppable. When you want something so bad and never give up, you are sure to find success.

All in all, Ford’s story of success is inspired by his own creativity and passion. In this fickle world, it is without difficult to constantly pique people’s interest.

Everyone has their own taste but Ford’s creations are anything but boring.

http://laurenceourac.com/fondness-for-ford/