Bella Hadid just took her place on one of the industry’s most high-profile runways. Marking her Chanel debut, Gigi’s little sister stepped out in Rome at the Métiers d’Art show. While a major runway show is nothing new for the model, who dominated Fashion Week catwalks from Tommy Hilfiger to Balmain with Gigi at her side, this time, her solo appearance helps to solidify her status as a top model in her own right.
A spot in Karl Lagerfeld’s lineup can surely catapult your career — as Cara Delevingne and surely Gigi can attest to. Just take a peek at Bella taking the runway on Tuesday and try not to tell us she’s about to blow up.
From holiday parties to New Year’s Eve festivities there will be plenty of opportunities this month to wear glamorous makeup and accessories. This festive time of year is all about looking effortlessly polished, and there is no better way to ring in the holidays than with these must have products that will help you look your best from head to toe. These items are also excellent gifts ideas for your fashionista friends and family!
Get strobing with Born to Glow Liquid Illuminator in Sunbeam. This is the perfect product to enhance your completxion by adding a touch of shimmer to illuminate your cheekbones and cupids bow.
This cowl is for any woman looking to add high-end designer glamour to their wardrobes. This wool blend cowl features 6 secure industrial snaps and looks great over tops and under jackets.
The combined effects of the ionic generator and the nano titanium conditions the hair, making it soft while adding shine. This is the best hair dryer I have ever owned. It will cut down drying time, it is not too heavy, and leaves my hair shinier than ever.
Of all the Urban Decay Naked Palettes this one is my favorite. These colors will create the perfect holiday party smoky sultry look. This palette contains 4 shimmery colors, 4 satins, and 4 mattes. There are endless smoky possibilities! A great buy and a great gift for any smoky eye lover.
Upfront this bag looks like a traditional clutch, however, it offers the option of adding a 48″ adjustable gold plated steel chain to change the look into a cross body style! With multiple wearable options this bag is a great accessory to any outfit.
This is a gorgeous plum/mocha color and is a great fall to winter color. OPI is a great all around brand. With solid colors, smooth finishes, and fairly inexpensive costs, they will make the perfect stocking stuffer for your loved ones.
The 3-Day Bender curling iron has become my favorite styling tool. It features a patented rotating barrel to deliver perfectly smooth, long-lasting curls. The barrel heats up quickly and allows you to create gorgeous curls faster and more efficiently while avoiding damage. This is a great gift for any girl who loves big voluminous curls!
There’s a new reason to be crazy in love with Beyonce; she’s debuting a fashion collaboration with Topshop.
Queen Bey announced that she and the British retail brand will partner with Parkwood Topshop Athletic, Global Grind reports.
“I have always loved Topshop for its fashion credentials and forward thinking,” she wrote in a statement on the company website last fall. “Working with its development team to create and produce a technical and fashion-led collection is exciting and I’m looking forward to participating in all aspects of this partnership.”
Topshop CEO Sir Phillip Green said that the brand collaboration will be “aimed at women who go to yoga classes, or health clubs, as well as those who just want to look as if they do.”
The line has yet to be named but will offer clothes, accessories and footwear in spring 2016.
by Laura Schultz, LMFT – ROMANTIC PLEASURE PARTIES
It’s a Saturday afternoon, and the suspense is building as sunset approaches. Cathy B. is putting the finishing touches on her make-up and sassy outfit. Spectacular looking in a layered red dress, snappy new croco-embossed leather bag, and sizzling stilettos, she’s ready to embrace the excitement that awaits her.
What’s unusual about this scenario is Cathy is not preparing for a romantic date. Her thoughts are focused on the great time she’s going to have tonight sipping strawberry margaritas and roaring with laughter beside her BFF’s.
A night on the town with your gal pals can be a blast, but tonight all of Cathy’s best friends are gathering for a hosted party often referred to as “A Girls Night In.” These events technically known as pleasure parties are all the rage both in small communities as well as bustling cities around the country. They are basically a theme party for adult women who want to explore new avenues for their passions to be unleashed.
Two weeks prior to this gala event, Cathy received an e-mail invitation sent by the hostess to prepare the potential guests for the purpose of the party, so no one would be surprised or caught off guard by the theme for the evening.
Promptly at 7:00 p.m., Cathy arrives at her friend’s posh penthouse apartment that has a fabulous view of the twinkling lights of the city. Most of the guests have arrived and are already having cocktails, appetizers, and socializing with one another.
Adjacent to the bar is a dining area with room for ten people. Strategically placed around the room are silver candelabras with a scented fragrance that facilitates a romantic environment. And in close proximity is a sumptuous feast prepared especially for the occasion. Gastronomic delights are one of the key ingredients to masterminding a successful party. In short order, all of the guests are relaxed, involved in lively conversations, and are definitely in the mood for what comes next.
Now is the perfect time to unveil the passion driven accoutrements that set a dramatic stage for the romantic, sexy part of the festivities to begin. Right before the main event, the center of attention becomes a trained representative who introduces a vision of the pleasure parade of stars, demonstrates the products, and enlightens party-goers to the limitless potential of enhancing their romantic liaisons. Additionally, the host may choose to hand out party favors that are meant to inspire and entertain the guests. Some popular examples include X-rated fortune cookies, erotic edibles, or candy G-strings. These take home bundles of playful prizes fill the room with entertainment as well as provide inspiration for the next passionate encounter.
With the party in full swing, a plethora of products are unveiled in a strategic fashion with categories for each main attraction. The first category of items that enhance pleasure include fantasy costumes such as: a policewoman’s outfit complete with handcuffs and a badge, handcrafted masks, and other outfits with a theme. Next up are the lingerie items such as a sexy bustier or leather corset with garters for those who enjoy taking a walk on the wild side.
Products that stimulate the erogenous zones are always a big hit. Some of the bestsellers range from scented lotions and tangy warming oils to chocolate body paint and other tasty treats. These can be used to gently massage those highly sensitive areas of arousal.
The anticipation builds to a slow climax as each new phase of toys are displayed and explained. Another category in the pleasure chest is erotic devices that include the infamous 7+ inch dildo that comes in various colors. These replicas of the real deal come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and materials. Some of them look and feel genuine while others are made of glass or other strong components. It’s merely a matter of individual preference as to which one is more enticing.
Lest we forget a staple in this titillating line-up, the superstar of toys known as the vibrator is a hot item that has been around for eons. Legend has it that Queen Cleopatra of Egypt devised her very own vibrator comprised of bees placed in a sealed jar. When placed in close quarters with each other, they produce a vibrational pitch that when properly used can lead to ecstasy. Nevertheless, since the true invention of the vibrator by doctors during the Victorian age, this handy device has been continuously upgraded from the original version that was quite awkward.
The newer vibrators operate quite efficiently and come in many varieties. Some have dual controls with a number of speeds that are able to stimulate various portions of a woman’s body. Others are waterproof or are bullet-shaped, and most of them come in a variety of colors.
Throughout the program the toy representative may decide to share some of her experiences with the various items and invite audience participation in the discussion. This time set aside for sharing heightens awareness about new ways to maximize pleasure using a variety of creative techniques.
As the curtain closes on the pleasure party, guests reluctantly depart with a bright smile and a spring in their step. They leave armed with a new bag of tricks that heighten their pleasure in any future intimate encounter. Part of the beauty of these gatherings is the fact that each woman will ultimately create her own fantasy that will allow her to experience a new depth of pleasure. And for that reason alone, these types of parties are wildly successful.
Laura Schultz is a licensed psychotherapist (LMFT) and freelance writer who has been published in a myriad of genres. She has written extensively for national magazines on women’s issues such as relationships, marriage, and sexuality and developed two advice columns for women as well. She may be contacted via her website at www.lauraschultznow.com
by Melissa Farley – Fall Out Boy – Runway exclusive
There’s no way you could have lived on the surface of this planet for the last decade and not felt the impact that Patrick Stump, Pete Wentz, Joe Trohman and Andy Hurley of Fall Out Boy have had on the music scene. With roots in the Chicago punk scene, they’ve been labeled everything from pop punk, emo punk, pop rock to American rock, signifying that maybe they don’t fit neatly into a category because they’re more concerned with staying true to their own artistic identity. Like most iconic bands they’ve thrived through personal dramas – the band took a hiatus in 2009 before returning in 2013 with the #1 album Save Rock and Roll – and letting go of the curse of being called “sell outs.” Now, their North American BOYS OF ZUMMER tour with Wiz Khalifa and special guest Hoodie Allen is set to kick off June 10 and run through August 10. Get more info and your tickets at www.falloutboy.com and prepare for their worldwide domination as they also tour to Australia, Japan, UK and Europe. We talked with Wentz about American Beauty/ American Psycho, the band’s sixth studio album released on January 20, their creative process, and saving the universe.
Based on the album art, it looks like you went from saving rock and roll to saving America. Tell us what American Beauty/American Psycho is all about?
The idea is about the juxtaposition of the two ideas. It is about the threshold between the two, you know? It’s also the basic idea of modern love. It is a modern love story.
The album is brand new and debuted at #1 on the Billboard Top 200, congratulations! – What are you most excited about for fans to experience on this one? Do you still get nervous when a new album gets released?
This is a brand new chapter for us and the journey doesn’t really start until someone else listens to the album and decides what it means to them – do you listen to it on the way to school or when you’re at work? Is it cathartic? What does it mean to you? Yeah, of course that is stressful because you never know what it will mean or where it will end up.
A lot has changed in the music industry from heavily synthesized vocals to free streaming. Are there any new trends you just can’t get behind or that you’re resisting?
To me the future has always been the most interesting. Of course there are some trends that don’t make sense for us as a band, but in general I think we stand on the side of change. We always want to click the refresh button.
Your music has obviously evolved, starting from the punk scene in Chicago to now being considered American rock, but your fans have evolved with you as well. What do you think it is that sustains your career? Is it more of the diehard fans that have stuck with you for all six albums or the fans that are just stumbling on to you now and embracing your new sound?
Yeah it’s been a stretch – I’m not sure it’s even that easy to comprehend all of it. Life just moved much different for us and the world 15 years ago. Our diehard fans have had our backs for so long through thick and thin and that means so much…
When you were on a hiatus as a band, what were you all doing? Because it seems like you came back with an artistic vengeance.
We were all doing our own things. I think just processing what we had been through and trying to get a perspective on all of it. We ended up here, so that’s not half bad. I think when we came back together we felt renewed, like we had something to prove again.
It is sort of rare to see musicians creating in the form of linear narratives anymore, but it’s something you have really embraced… becoming some of the most powerful musical storytellers of our time.
I think the story is what is most important – creating a world, a counter culture that someone can be a part of. I always wanted to tell stories, to create a world where people felt safe and the world was a better place.
Now world-famous for her design of Rihanna’s legendary yellow Met Gala gown this year, Chinese fashion designer Guo Pei has been given honorary couture status by the French regulating commission that awards the designation.
The designer was chosen along with Yacine Aouadi and Iris Van Herpen this year for the “Invited Members” list of the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture, joining official members including Chanel, Dior, and Givenchy to show at Paris Couture Fashion Week in January. She is the second Chinese designer to be invited, following China-born, Paris-raised couture designer Yiqing Yin’s invitation in 2012.
“It gives us great pleasure and honor to officially announce that Guo Pei, our elite Asian Couturier Extraordinaire and founding member designer of the Asian Couture Federation, has been extended an invitation as an Invited Member to join the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture in Paris (Fédération Française de la Couture),” said Frank Cintamani, the president of the Asian Couture Federation, in a statement. “We would like to gratefully extend our appreciation to everyone especially our friends, counterparts and colleagues in France who helped with making this groundbreaking historical moment for Asian Couture a reality. This is a very significant step forward in the recognition and celebration of the tremendous amount of couture talent and creativity that exist within Asia!”
With her designs worn in the past by stars including Zhang Ziyi and Lady Gaga, Guo Pei’s global recognition has skyrocketed since Rihanna was one of the only celebrities to show up in Chinese-designed dress at the China-themed Met Gala this year. The iconic gown took two years to make, and (thanks in part to a host of internet memes) became the most talked-about piece on the red carpet. Guo Pei was also one of the only Chinese designers with pieces featured in the “China: Through the Looking Glass” exhibition that the gala was celebrating.
In April, she released a 16-piece makeup collection with MAC Cosmetics, and her designs were displayed at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs to promote the collaboration, including Rihanna’s Met Gala gown.
Despite the over-the-top opulence of Guo Pei’s creations—including one gown that required four men to carry the train, the designer recently asserted “I don’t like the concept of luxury” in an interview with New York Magazine. She went on to explain, “In China, luxuries are seen as things you don’t really need and it conveys a negative feeling. In my opinion, luxury is products that are beautiful, elegant, and represent the culture. It’s born of love.”
Electric Paradise Music Festival, located in the Dominican Republic, announces its full 2015 lineup featuring Skrillex, Nicolas Jaar, Steve Angello, Guy Gerber, Martin Garrix and more. On December 19th, this multi-stage, multi-genre and multi-sensory festival, located in Punta Cana, will be welcoming an eclectic array of 20+ world-class music artists for its 2015 edition, just steps away from what many consider to be one of the most beautiful beaches on Earth. In addition to music, Electric Paradise will also offer art, food, design, technology, story-telling and paradise in one inspiring experience.
As the first festival in the country to feature simultaneous stages, and the biggest festival in the region, Electric Paradise now boasts a full lineup that cements its status as one of the most exciting music events. After initially announcing everyone from the megastars Major Lazer, to tech-house maven, Hot Since 82, in the phase 1 lineup, and acts like Nicolas Jaar, Guy Gerber, and Matador shortly after, the festival rounds out its already impressive bill with some of the most in-demand artists in the scene, such as OWSLA’s Skrillex, Mad Decent’s Diplo, Dutch prodigy, Martin Garrix, and more. In addition to these talents, Electric Paradise also features a handful of the top local acts, including the house maestros, Lash, young gun, Dav Motta, and more.
With its eclectic array of talent, and all of the other unique attractions that the festival has to offer, Electric Paradise is sure to leave attendees glowing with happiness as we move into the holidays and new year.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average American household spends $1,700 a year on apparel, the largest chunk being $562 for women over 16. For Park Avenue dwellers that figure is simply a fraction of the cost of a single pair of pumps. And it is certainly a modest slice of the nearly $2 trillion-per-year global apparel market that employs about 75 million people, according to Fashion United. In New York City alone, the richest fashion designers pull in a cool $24 billion in combined wealth, according to celebritynetworth.com. But to true fashionistas that is simply a whole lot of strappy stilettos and sought after “it” bags.
Ralph Lauren, Net Worth: $8.2 billion
Can Stefan Larsson, the erstwhile global president of OId Navy, breathe some new life into Ralph Lauren Corp? That’s certainly the company’s goal in hiring the unlikely candidate to replace its iconic 76-year-old founder, who recently stepped back from the company. Mr. Lauren isn’t exactly retiring; he will still remain as executive chairman and chief creative officer at the company he founded 48 years ago. Whether Mr. Larsson, an executive known more for his retail acumen than his design sensibilities, will be a good match for a high-end purveyor like Lauren remains to be seen, and early returns are mixed. After the announcement of Mr. Larsson’s hire, stocks shot up before leveling out a bit.
Valentino Garavani, Net Worth: $1.5 billion
Though it’s been eight years since the flamboyant Italian designer—known for his extravagant lifestyle—left the company he founded 55 years ago, his vision for upscale haute couture design lives on. Now the brand he created may play by the rules of its new Qatari owners as part of an international fashion juggernaut; Vogue UK and Bloomberg have reported that Mayhoola for Investments, which bought the label in 2012, may seek an IPO.
Diane von Furstenberg, Net Worth: $1.2 billion
There is no human endeavor, it seems, that cannot be turned into a flashy reality show. For proof, just catch an episode of House of DVF on the E! network. The grand doyenne of the wrap dress has morphed into a host of an enterprise in which reality show contestants search for fame, fortune, and, most importantly, ratings. But Ms. Furstenberg is much more than her on-screen persona; she is also fixed at the epicenter of the industry through her role as board chairman at the Council of Fashion Designers of America.
Michael Kors, Net Worth: $1 billion
In addition to his good taste in dates (Kate Hudson, Karlie Kloss), Mr. Kors is also a dedicated philanthropist; God’s Love We Deliver, the nonprofit that delivers food to homebound clients, has named their new headquarters after the designer.
Tory Burch, Net Worth: $1 billion
The Flatiron District has been confirmed as the center of Tory Burch’s universe, with the legendary designer opening up a permanent location for her new Tory Sport line of athleisure garb. The offshoot label offers a selection of tennis outfits, yoga threads and basic leggings, alongside apparel made for lounging post-workout. This follows in the shadows of a Soho pop-up shop for the range. A self-described tomboy growing up, Ms. Burch has been a darling in the industry since she stormed the fashion world a decade ago, leaving behind her public relations career to try her hand at designing.
Calvin Klein, Net Worth: $700 million
What does success smell like? For Calvin Klein, the answer may be found with CK2, a millennial-aimed fragrance that’s a reboot of the designer’s groundbreaking gender-free CK One, which launched more than two decades ago. Set to hit the market next year, the new iteration is described, by Fragrantica, as an “urban woody-fresh scent.” Mr. Klein, who relinquished his creative duties when Phillips-Van Heusen purchased his namesake brand in 2003, can still rely on publicity from starlets of all types (including a few members of the Kardashian clan) posing in various degrees of undress but for the brand’s signature undies.
Donna Karan, Net Worth: $450 million
Any questions you might have had about the Long Island-born designer whose former namesake fashion line (and its little sister label DKNY) may be found in My Journey, her recently released memoir that “shares intimate details about her lonely childhood, her four-plus decades in the fashion industry, her two marriages, motherhood, and her ongoing quest for self-acceptance and spiritual peace.” The book arrives hot on the heels of Ms. Karan stepping down from her eponymous label in June to focus her time on Urban Zen, a lifestyle brand that offers lusciously draped clothing intended to make women feel good alongside objects culled from artisans from every corner of the globe.
Vera Wang, Net Worth: $400 Million
Don’t look for many Republicans—or Socialists, for that matter—to be clad in Vera Wang this fall. The designer recently co-hosted, along withVogue head honcho Anna Wintour, an A-list fundraiser for Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton in her Upper East Side apartment. Regardless of party affiliation, women who deign to wrap themselves in one of Ms. Wang’s fall collection wedding dresses will need to embrace modernism. Her latest bridal range was far from demure, instead featuring exuberant ruffles, midriff-baring cutouts, thigh-revealing hemlines and plunging necklines.
INDIO, CA - APRIL 12: DJ Madeon performs onstage during day 3 of the 2015 Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival (Weekend 1) at the Empire Polo Club on April 12, 2015 in Indio, California. (Photo by Mark Davis/Getty Images for Coachella)
(Columbia Records; New York, NY, November 17, 2015) Twenty-one year-old music phenomenon Madeon has just announced his upcoming U.S. tour for 2016. The Pixel Empire tour, which will feature support from Skylar Spence, kicks off in Portland on January 19 and will run through major cities such as Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Nashville before concluding in Washington, DC on February 21. Tickets go on sale Friday, November 20 and will be available HERE – see full list of dates below.
Madeon has also unveiled the official music video for “Nonsense” featuring Foster the People’s Mark Foster today via Noisey – check out the video HERE. The video is the final installment of a trilogy, (following “You’re On” and “Pay No Mind” videos), set in a remote city in an undefined future, focused on a young woman, Asteria, and a young man, Icarus. Asteria is restless to see more of the outside world and finds a friend in Icarus, who shares her desire of leaving.
“Nonsense,” which Entertainment Weekly calls “a synth-pop dream,” is a standout track from Madeon’s debut album, Adventure, which opened at #1 on Billboard’s Dance/Electronic Albums Chart as well as #1 on Billboard’s New Artist Album Chart. Adventurewas released to glowing accolades from the press, including a 7.8 review from Pitchfork, who praised the album as “a strikingly versatile collection” and noted that “on the path to what feels like something huge, Madeon’s journey is just beginning.” Named “the best electronic album of 2015 so far,” by The Fader, the album’s diverse lineup of contributors includes Dan Smith from Bastille on “La Lune,” Foster the People’s Mark Foster on “Nonsense,” Aquilo on “Innocence,” UK soulster Kyan on “You’re On,” and Passion Pit on “Pay No Mind”.
LONDON, United Kingdom — In today’s digitally driven world, good video content can spread like wild fire, as consumers share it through social media and pass videos to friends and followers. Youtube receives more than 1 billion unique visitors every month, with daily video views growing 60 percent year-on-year. By 2019, video will account for 80 percent all consumer Internet traffic, according to research by US technology company Cisco.
But for years, the fashion industry has failed to fulfil the potential of fashion films, prioritising print campaigns and leaving video content as an afterthought; from montages of edited, behind-the-scenes footage to last minute efforts made with the leftover marketing budget.
Looking at this season’s selection of fashion films, you can see the industry beginning to wake up — brands have experimented with bold filmic styles, humorous storylines and star-studded casts. But while some, like Gucci and Miu Miu, may have turned to sophisticated cinematic techniques to bring a collection to life — capturing the languid mood of their campaigns, not just their clothes — they still fell back on the predictable format of film versions of their print content. Others, such Balmain x H&M and Tom Ford, hired social media stars and crafted mock-music videos — an efficient, but unimaginative play to woo millennial audiences.
The most innovative films blended humour, narrative and a strong aesthetic to create witty, often-surreal vignettes that riff on modern society and send up the luxury fashion consumer. Take this season’s top two choices, Kenzo’s “Here Now,” a darkly comic, highly-stylised short documenting the highs and lows of adolescence; and Balenciaga’s Wes Anderson-inspired “Une Incroyable Excuse,” which serves as a showcase for the brand’s accessories. These films stand out because they bring a new dimension to the brand’s campaign, and could never be accused of tokenism.
But, while the diverse collection below is evidence of a number of brands trying to make sense of the medium, too many continue to leave the potential of video untapped. Advancements in video are coming, but at a creeping pace. Perhaps this season’s best offerings will inspire even greater experimentation for Spring/Summer 2016.
Now without further ado, sit back and enjoy our selection of The Top 10 Fashion Films of the Season. And don’t forget to let us know which ones you like best.
1. “Here Now” by Gregg Araki for Kenzo
In this delightful, blackly comic short, “Here Now,” Kenzo have teamed up with Gregg Araki, director of the cult 1990s Teenage Apocalypse Trilogy. It’s not the first time the brand has worked with some of the film industry’s most innovative figures (previous collaborators include David Lynch and Spike Jonze) — this season the result is a stylish and surreal portrait of the trials and tribulations of high school relationships. Set in a diner and starring emerging actors Avan Jogia, Grace Victoria Cox and Jacob Artist as teenagers all dealing with romance, the six-minute short is the longest on BoF’s list. Seen through the lens of Araki’s distinct Californian aesthetic, and full of his signature bizarre moments — including a couple making out while eating a cheeseburger and a teenage girl dressed as a nun — “Here Now” is dark, messy and incredibly well-dressed.
2. “Une Incroyable Excuse” by Danny Sangra for Balenciaga and MyTheresa.com
Filmed in an iconic Parisian haunt — the Caviar Kaspia restaurant — and directed by Danny Sangra, Balenciaga’s video is a glamorous, tongue-in-cheek take on the fashion industry, supported by a lively soundtrack from Beethoven. It is also the first foray into film by German e-commerce company My Theresa, Balenciaga’s collaborator on the project. Director Sangra has taken inspiration from directors such as Wes Anderson, masterfully blending ordinary emotions with extraordinary circumstances in the film as two models (Marie Trestef and Ines Terlet) bicker over their friend (played by Jessica Cressy) Polly’s late arrival to brunch, only for her to reveal the reason for her delay — she had lost her keys in the alternative universe hidden in her handbag. Witty and wonderfully ironic, this elegantly shot video uses humour to elevate its story above the typical campaign, while serving as an elegant showcase for the brand’s accessories collection — all of which was, naturally, immediately shoppable through My Theresa’s website.
3. Miu Miu by Gordon Von Steiner
An accompaniment to Miu Miu and Steven Meisel’s Autumn/Winter 2015 print campaign, and sharing its title, “Subjective Reality,” this video was shot in a similarly grainy style, tracking a series of models around the streets of New York’s East Village and Brooklyn. It was directed by Gordon von Steiner, one of the industry’s most precocious and sought-after film talents, and follows models Madison Brown, Hailey Gates and Mia Goth as they float restlessly about the city. Featuring a compelling jazz infused soundtrack, the short reveals an otherworldly aspect to the city and beautifully captures the languid, discordant modernity of Miu Miu’s period-inspired collection.
4. Rolling with Emilio Pucci by Edward Housden
This five-minute short is the brand’s first fashion film since Massimo Giorgetti’s appointment as creative director in March earlier this year, and showcases the designer’s debut collection for the label. Without a single word of dialogue, the film follows model and some-time skater Martha-Rose Redding as she pits her boarding skills against two teenage boys. Shot in a seemingly abandoned skate park, surrounded by rich, lush forest, the film’s engrossing narrative is suggestive and mysterious. The real stars of the video, however, are the ornately decorated skateboards, that were created as part of the brand’s collaboration with skateboard company Écal and done up in Pucci’s signature prints.
Following an unidentified guest as she explores a mysterious, mid-day dance party that has sprung up in an ornate Italian manor, Glen Luchford’s director’s cut of Gucci’s 2016 cruise collection is strangely mesmerising – and not just because of its trance-infused soundtrack. The film, which stars Allie Barrett, Rhiannon McConnel, Julita Formella and Tami Williams, feels hazy and carefree, capturing the youthful, unconcerned spirit of newly appointed creative directorAlessandro Michele’s Gucci woman, as the models dance and twist, blissfully unaware of the sun drenched vistas in a glimpsed outside world.
This season, Tom Ford eschewed a traditional catwalk presentation in favour of an entirely different format. The designer debuted his Spring/Summer 2016 collection in a Soul Train-inspired video, starring Lady Gaga who struts and gallivants in a variety of Tom Ford ensembles, among a throng of models, including Mica Arga, Lexi Boling, Kayla Scott, Xiao Wen Ju and Lucky Blue Smith. The group dances exuberantly to a new Gaga and Nile Rodgers’ version of Chic’s “I Want Your Love,” produced by Riot City. “Instead of having a traditional show this season, I decided to try something new. I wanted to present a collection in a cinematic way that was designed from its inception to be presented online,” Ford told press prior to the film’s release.
7. Delpozo by Pablo Maestres
In this visually accomplished film, directed by Pablo Maestres, fresh-faced, doll-like model Mia Gruenwald pursues a bouncing ball in La Muralla Roja, a colourful dreamland off the Alicante region of Spain, which translates in Spanish to “The Red Wall.” Gruenwald ambles through a labyrinth of stairs until she finds herself inexplicably drawn to a mysterious Roman bust, which meets an ill fate — a plot twist aptly suited for the Spanish brand, which has been injected with a new youthful, quirky and romantic aesthetic since Josep Font became creative director in 2012.
8. “Meet The Wrestlers of the Pink Lake, Senegal” by Grace Wales Bonner for i-D
One of Britain’s brightest new talents, English-Jamaican menswear designer Grace Wales Bonner travelled to Africa’s west coast in search of the country’s prized fighter. Directed by Harley Weir and styled by Julia Sarr-Jamois, the film delves deep into the world of Senegalese wrestling, where men — wearing Wales Bonner’s Ebonics collection — douse themselves in “lucky” goat’s milk, chew on string to counteract the “unlucky tongue” and rise at the crack of dawn to train with fellow compatriots down by the Pink Lake of Senegal. We expect no less from the Central Saint Martins graduate, whose unique perspective and interest in black identity and culture has set her apart, a theme the designer continues to explore through her work.
9. Balmain x H&M
Days before the Balmain x H&M designer collaboration was due to drop in stores, H&M unveiled a flashy music video to accompany the 109-piece collection, designed by creative director Olivier Rousteing. Set to dance floor-ready track ‘Walk For Me’ by Ferdinand & Vaz, model and reality TV star Kendall Jennerstrikes poses inside a roving, futuristic subway car (the same car that can be seen in the backdrop of the brand’s campaign print ads) and shakes her hips to a set of choreographed dance moves alongside what appear to be professional dancers — all of whom are dressed in plenty of Balmain’s signature whipstitches and beading. The video joins a long list of hype-builders surrounding the collaboration, including Rousteing’s gaggle of supermodel soldiers who have teased and touted the collection across social media and on the red carpet.
Japanese dance duo Aya Sato and Bambi (together known as AyaBambi) have become an Internet sensation by fusing the New York-born art of Voguing with a kawaii cybergoth collar-and-platforms look. They’ve vogued for Hussein Chalayan and starred in Madonna’s ‘Bitch I’m Madonna’ music video featuring Nicki Minaj. Now, the latest designer to tap the vogueing queens is Alexander Wang. Filmed in black and white, the dancers throw hyper-synchronised shapes on the set of the Alexander Wang Autumn/Winter 2015 ready-to-wear campaign, soundtracked by distorted electronic beats. In the print campaign, Ayabambi strike a pose alongside a chainmail wearing girl gang of models, including Anna Ewers, Molly Blair, Binx Walton, Lexi Boling and Hanne Gaby Odiele.
Retailers might love the time of year between Thanksgiving and New Year, but the holiday shopping season can seem like a chore for everyone else. Thankfully, technology has come to the rescue, with all sorts of apps and sites to help you save money and simplify your shopping. Savvy developers have tackled virtually every aspect of the shopping experience, so you have more ways than ever to ease the pain this year.
Start with the venerable shopping list. The days of writing it on paper are over. Now you can use an app like Google Docs to collaborate on holiday shopping gifts with family members. Better yet, some apps have leveraged the collaborative spirit of Google Docs. List Ease, for example, lets you invite family members to opt into holiday shopping lists. Everyone can add items to it in a browser or on the mobile app, and the up-to-date list is always ready when you arrive at the store.
Capitan takes a somewhat different approach. Location-aware, Capitan can alert your significant other as you approach the store, so he or she can help you shop remotely. This and List Ease are visually optimized for routine grocery shopping, but they adapt well to the unique demand of holiday gift shopping.
But what to buy to begin with? Choosing the right gifts is often the hardest part. You’ve got some help on this front as well.
Tech review site Techwalla, for example, encourages you to build polls and share them to get buying advice from people you trust. Would an Xbox or Kindle make a better gift for dad? Share the question on Facebook or via email, and Techwalla delivers a bar chart with details about how everyone voted. (Full disclosure: I’m the editor of Techwalla.)
Another approach: Create a family gift registry. That’s the idea behind Giftster, where everyone in your family can maintain a personal gift wish list. Each list is visible and shareable among everyone in the group. You can take the lists shopping via the mobile app and mark the status of an item (like “purchased”) to advise others, though the list owner can’t see those details.
Of course, fewer and fewer gifts are bought in bricks-and-mortar stores. And if you’re considering purchasing something via an auction site like eBay, you might want to check out one of the most innovative services I’ve run across recently.WeGoLook is a sort of crowdsourced inspection service that you can tap into to make sure the item you want to buy meets your expectations.
WeGoLook can be dispatched via mobile app, and one of the service’s “Lookers” will physically visit the product’s owner and generate a personalized inspection report (complete with photos and video).
Of course, once you’ve ordered your gifts, you’re not finished. Getting deliveries can also be fraught with inconvenience and trouble. UPS offers an app called UPS My Choice that’s designed to avoid missing a delivery. You can set “leave at” instructions for the carrier to leave the box by the garage door or in the back of the house, even after the delivery is scheduled.
If you’re worried about package deliveries and the precariousness of leaving one outside your house all day, you might want to check out Ring, a doorbell with integrated webcam and microphone. You can talk to the delivery person remotely via its mobile app and be alerted in real time if Ring detects any motion on your porch throughout the day.
Finally, Slice wants to tie all your online purchases together by tracking your deliveries and storing your receipts. You don’t have to do anything special to make that work because Slice monitors your email and extracts online order details on its own. Slice also has one other trick up its sleeve: It notifies you about price drops on recent purchases and helps you get a refund when possible.
