On Wednesday we reported that Kanye West released his new line for Louis Vuitton. Three of the seven designs went on sale last week in England and the rest will not be out until late July, when they will be available worldwide. Louis Vuitton tells PEOPLE, “We did a lot of presales but they’re not sold out yet.”
Also take note he is NOT interning for the Gap. The rumor was in fact false.
Kanye West released his new Louis Vuitton shoe’s this past week and in most places, they sold out FAST. Kanye interned with Louis Vuitton and now it is rumored he is interning with Gap to learn more about the business as well. The line consists of three models; The Mr. Hudson, the Jasper and the Don. Prices Range From $700-$1140
Check out some photos below.
Photo source: If It’s Hip, It’s Here
Madonna’s Doing a Clothing Line With Christian Audigier…
Madonna’s collaborating with Ed Hardy on a fashion line, according to the Mirror. Known for its tattoo prints, the label is owned by Christian Audigier, who’s also designing an outfit for Michael Jackson’s comeback tour. Working with the two of them at once must be a real headache treat. Audigier approached Madonna about the line after he spotted her wearing Ed Hardy. The Mirror reports:
He offered a six-figure deal and put on a private catwalk show to inspire Madonna, telling her to “Express Yourself”.
But he needn’t have worried. Her Madgesty, 50, thinks Christian is a true fashion innovator and jumped at the chance to work with him.
We’ll have to agree to disagree with Madge on that. But it’s good to know that if we went up to her and said “express yourself” she wouldn’t slug us. Her designs include tattoo-inspired T-shirts and diamante-encrusted bodices (Pussycat Dolls, control yourselves). We’re glad to hear veering young doesn’t stop with her love life.
Source: nymag.com
Wal-Mart to Launch Simmons Clothing Line…
According to Business Week, Hip-hop entrepreneur Russell Simmons‘ American Classics line of men’s clothing is set to roll out. But with consumers spending less, Wal-Mart keeps mum. As most apparel retailers announce job cuts and store closures because of sluggish sales, it is a precarious time for any of them to launch a new brand. But on Feb. 15 Wal-Mart Stores (WMT) will roll out a new line of men’s clothing designed by hip-hop entrepreneur Russell Simmons in 350 stores, about 10% of its U.S. outlets, and on its Web site. The launch will come less than a week after the world’s largest retailer announced that it will move buyers in the apparel division from its Bentonville (Ark.) headquarters to New York to increase the focus on fashion.
For a company whose financial performance has trounced rivals such as Target (TGT) in recent months by focusing on lower-price essentials rather than more expensive discretionary items, the move seems surprising, especially as Wal-Mart flopped famously in its previous efforts to sell more fashionable, pricier clothing. One such effort was a women’s line designed by Mark Eisen, which alienated the store’s core customers. “Fashion is tricky,” says retail consultant David Lockwood of Mintel Research. “This is not macaroni and cheese or over-the-counter vitamins, which they know really well.” But as Wal-Mart slows its store expansion, it needs to sell higher-profit items to continue generating growth—and apparel is one segment that can still draw new customers.
Priced to Sell…
This time around Wal-Mart is keeping a tighter rein on the price and the trendiness of new clothing items. Simmons’ American Classics line will be priced between $9.99 and $29, with about 80% of the clothes at $15 or less. Simmons, who launched the Phat Farm clothing label in 1992 and another brand in 2008 called Argyle Culture, sold in Macy’s (M), says his new focus is the “urban graduate,” whom he describes as 25-to-50-year-old men such as Will Smith, Adam Sandler, and Barack Obama, who grew up with hip-hop clothes but as professionals can no longer don baggy pants and shirts sporting oversize logos. American Classics’ first season has a heavy focus on purple, navy, and white and includes jeans, sweater vests, casual sports shoes, and woven and knit shirts.
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Source: businessweek.com
Uniqlo’s Spring 2009 Collaborations
See Uniqlo’s Spring Lines by Opening Ceremony, Steven Alan, Shipley and Halmos, and Gilded Age…
Steven Alan
Opening Ceremony
Shipley and Halmos
Gilded Age
Photos: Uniqlo
Tuesday morning was a promising day for a young fashion designer, Jason Wu. He was well-respected in certain fashion circles. But by Tuesday night, he became a household name.
Jason Wu’s place in history is all sewn up thanks to First Lady Michelle Obama, who donned his white chiffon gown for the inaugural balls.
The 26-year-old Taipei-born New Yorker’s rapid rise to fame makes him the second designer from the Big Apple to hit the national spotlight on Inauguration Day.
So … who is this guy?
The onetime doll designer was reportedly introduced to Obama by Vogue editor-at-large Andre Leon Talley. She later wore a dress by the designer for a Barbara Walters special just before the presidential election.
Despite his low profile, Wu has earned quite a following among the fashionista set for his hourglass silhouettes and flowing fabrics.
Vogue editrix Anna Wintour even attended his last show, lending a serious nod of approval from the fashion community.
Wu, whose dolls sell at F.A.O. Schwartz, debuted his first runway collection in February 2006 and has shown off his wares in subsequent seasons – albeit in some of Fashion Week’s smaller venues.
Odds are, that’s about to change.
The budding star has been recognized for his talent, nabbing the Fashion Group International’s Rising Star Award for women’s ready-to-wear last year.
Wu told Us Weekly that he didn’t know that Obama had chosen his dress for her husband’s big night.
“I found out when the whole world found out,” he said. “I said, ‘It looks white. It looks like mine…’ I had a box of pizza and I nearly fell over. I was sitting there with my friends, and they were screaming.”
Wu’s big moment comes on the heels of fellow New Yorker Isabel Toledo’s rise to national consciousness.
The first lady kicked off Inauguration Day in a pale yellow wool brocade dress and coat by the then-little-known designer.
The outfit “was made for Michelle with extra warm linings sewn into the [inner linings] so that she wouldn’t freeze,” Toledo’s husband told the Daily News.
A spring version of the dress – which will retail for around $1,500 – will hit Barney’s in March.
Wu’s goods are also currently available at upscale stores such as Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus – and have popped up on rising stars like Leighton Meester, Joy Bryant and Kerry Washington.
Oh, and the first lady – just in case you didn’t hear.
Source: [NY Daily News]
First lady Michelle Obama wore a sparkling yellow sheath dress with matching coat by Cuban-born American designer Isabel Toledo for the inauguration of her husband, a choice many applauded as a cheerful message of hope and a vote for the American fashion industry.
In some light, the embellished ensemble took on a pale-greenish cast, coordinating nicely with green gloves from J. Crew and Jimmy Choo green patent pumps.
President Barack Obama wore a red tie and white shirt with his suit, topped with an overcoat adorned with an American flag pin.
Their daughters were style icons in their own right, with 10-year-old Malia in a double-breasted periwinkle-blue coat with a blue-ribbon bow at the waist, and Sasha, 7, in a pink coat with orange scarf and satin belt, a coral-colored dress peeking out at the hem. Their coats were from Crewcuts by J. Crew.
The fashion industry has eagerly looked to the election of Obama for months, embracing his wife as an emblem and ambassador of modern style, who wears clothes from young designers as well as mainstream American retailers.
Toledo designed the outfit with hopes Obama would choose it for the ceremony, though Toledo did not know for certain until Tuesday morning. She said she chose the “lemongrass” color for the optimism it represents.
“I didn’t want a traditional blue or red,” Toledo said. “That color has sunshine in it. I fell in love with it. So did she.”
The unusual shade of yellow “really popped” on Michelle Obama’s complexion, said fashion designer Kai Milla, wife of Stevie Wonder and an invited guest to the swearing-in ceremony.
Hamish Bowles, Vogue magazine’s European editor at large who curated the Metropolitan Museum Costume Insitute exhibit on Jackie Kennedy in 2001, said he sees a resemblance in the inaugural styles between the two first ladies. “She’s off to an auspicious start,” Bowles said of Obama.
“Mrs. Obama’s choice (of clothing for the inaugural ceremony) … was appropriate, dignified and elegant, but it also had a considerable element of fashion panache,” said Hamish Bowles, Vogue magazine’s European editor at large.
Source: AP
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