Jordan Barrett, Georgia Fowler, and More Celebrate Woolmark’s Annual Australian Fashion Foundation Party

“It’s almost like a family thing,” said Julie Anne Quay at Jimmy at the James last night. She was talking about the annual Australian Fashion Foundation summer bash—a fete put on by Woolmark and the Foundation, which she and Malcolm Carfrae founded seven years ago as a way to connect, support, and celebrate fellow Australians working in fashion in the U.S. “It’s so tough when you’re a young Australian working in fashion to make that break into the U.S. It’s so far and the connections are impossible,” related Carfrae. “So for us it was really important to offer that connection—and now we can offer opportunities, as well,” concluded Quay.

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The connection and sense of community was visible at Jimmy last night. Georgia Fowler, Jordan Barrett, Margaret Zhang, Protagonist’s Georgia Lazzaro, Dion Lee, and more sipped champagne and feasted on proper barbecue fair. “Australia is a young county [when it comes to fashion]. We don’t have any houses above us. There’s no history. We’re creating the history,” said Camilla and Mark’s Camilla Freeman Topper. “And I think that’s kind of magical—it allows us to be free.”

“It’s a really nice opportunity for everyone to get together and hang out,” added Lee, as revelers helped themselves to sausage and potato salad. Carfrae summed it up best, noting, “It’s kind of like a love-in for the Australian fashion community.”

London College of Fashion students provide a week of graduate shows with its high point

Keen to reaffirm its reputation as a world leader for producing students who possess an eye for creativity and a head for business, the college - which has long been considered the capital’s more vocational fashion school - presented a showcase which saw more than 40 students from different disciplines work together on a series of collaborative collections.

Among the standout talents to unveil collections on the catwalk in Shoreditch last night was menswear designer Wei Yao Lin who partnered up with knitwear specialist Cheng Qian on a collection which included aprons resembling giant brown paper bags and knitted tabard tops emblazoned with barcodes.

Womenswear graduate Hanni Yang also won praise for her inventive take on eveningwear.

Heavy leather coats were repurposed into elegant gowns, topped off with abstract wire headpieces by jewellery designer Shaila Irfan.

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Menswear designer Sam Thompson, together with sportswear specialist George Oxby, also showcased exceptional skill in their offering which claimed the award for Collection of the Year. Riffing on street wear codes, the duo presented oversized hooded parkas, slouchy deconstructed knits and trousers which appeared to be cut from bin bag plastic.


Of course, this being graduate fashion, the show was not without its more eccentric moments. Gayane Arzumanova's womenswear creations were accessorised with moulded latex masks, created with the help of textiles designer Beth Wilson and jeweller Yui Jiang.

Fashion Design and Development student Joseph Standish also paid homage to lad culture with a collection which included an illustrated body suit - complete with padded beer belly, genitalia and body hair - while one model carried a full-sized papier-mâché model on his shoulders.

But even Standish's creative take on the brief displayed commercial nous, as demonstrated by one intricately embroidered statement denim jacket.

CONTRABAND’s SS16 Editorial Showcases the Influence of Sports on High Fashion

Toronto boutique CONTRABAND has unveiled its SS16 editorial, showcasing the influence of sportswear on high-fashion runways.

Curated by 3.Paradis head honcho Emeric Tchatchoua and CONTRABAND founder Christopher Casuga, the “GAME” editorial sees model Matthew Foley displaying a series of dark but striking looks. Tailored jackets and mustard corduroys are seen alongside adidas x Raf Simons Stan Smiths and adidas socks, while smart military boots are paired with shorts and sleeveless hoodies.

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Surprisingly, the athletic aesthetic was created using brands such as Thom Browne, Raf Simons, Haider Ackermann, Dries Van Noten, Damir Doma, Rick Owens, 3.Paradis, CHILDS and Robert Geller.

Head over to www.cntrbndshop.com to shop the looks.

Meanwhile, Kanye West just released a sneak peak into his almost NSFW YEEZY Season 2 editorial zine.

This is what goes behind starting a fashion rental website

Wearing a new outfit nowadays is as easy as just renting it. Gone are the days, when you had to save up money, month after month in order to afford high-end designer outfits or only dream about wearing a new outfit everytime you go out.

Thanks to the burgeoning on-rent fashion portals, it's now possible to rent designer and high-end luxury wear at a fraction of the price.

This comes in handy especially when you're attending a wedding and don't want to spend a bomb on a lehenga that you're only going to wear once or when you have to look your best at an outing, but have nothing to wear.

Additionally, the fact that it is highly convenient (most of these websites pack, deliver and even pick up the outfits that you order) and time-efficient (most offer same-day delivery, if not delivery within a few hours) has also been the reason behind the unprecedented growth and popularity of these websites.

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Naturally, this has also led to a lot of fashion rental websites seeing the light of the day. From Flyrobe and Swishlist to LibeRent and Blinge, there is no dearth of options, if you're looking to rent your fashion.

But, is setting up a fashion rental website all play and no work?

Business Insider asked Shikhar Khanna, co-founder of Blinge, a Mumbai-based on-demand fashion rental platform to take us through the process and give us a look into the behind-the-scenes of setting up a fashion rental portal.

Here's everything you need to know about starting a fashion rental website-




Determining your target audience

Before starting an on-rent fashion portal, it is imperative to keep the audience in mind. If you are catering to the masses then be conservative in your price and if you are catering to a particular section, then it may go upto Rs. 25000. Your target audience will determine the designers and brands you wish to host.


How do you scout the designers?

In every business the product is the key hence one needs to be careful while scouting the correct brand and designer for the portal. You ahgve to realise that fashion weeks are your hunting ground. Apart from Lakme Fashion Week and Amazon India Fashion Week, there are various state specific shows happening in cities like Bangalore, Goa, Hyderabad and even Rajasthan. You need to capitalize on these as there are umpteen designers showcasing great work at affordable price. The choice of designers shall also determine the rental amount which should ultimately suit your target consumer.

It's ideal to have a set team which only visits the fashion shows and scouts the brands online.


What happens after Fashion shows?

Create a list of the designers who you feel fits your platform and shortlist 10% of those and connect with them.


How do you convince the designer?

We have noticed from our personal experience that designers weren't sure whether rentals would work for them or not, but numbers give them confidence. The entrepreneur needs to make them realize how they can get 100 users try and appreciate their creation by just making 10 pieces thus, the production cost is low and they are making a profit on it as they are earning 1.5 times more for every piece.

Rental bridges the gap between designers and art lovers. Your job as an entrepreneur is to push home that point.




Pricing the product

Do not just start by putting exorbitant rates. Keep in mind that renting offline has been going since ages as there are many unorganized offline sectors offering such services, hence be very careful in your price. That being said, do not be too low too as you need to do justice to the brand. One easy way is to price it according to the demand for example- the higher the demand the higher the rent.


How important is operations?

Logistics and dry-cleaning play a pivotal role as in this business you may need a dress within a day. So, a great rapport with on-demand deliveries is a must. On an average you need to spend 40% of total costs per order on operations.


Get your technology right

Technology is the essence of this business. Imagine a shop with a million people inside it, and every person has their individual preferences. Now for every 10 people you serve you would need one person on the payroll. Except, technology does exactly that. In our case, our technology replaces a 100k people on our payroll by building state-of-the-art technology, it ensures a ability to scale, handle traffic, and serve people with the inventory of their choice.


Last, but not the least, get cracking with social media

The moment you start your rental platform start spending on the influencers. Influencers pay a key role in moulding the thoughts of the consumers. Meet up sessions at office to understand their needs and to give them a touch and feel experience may work. Establish your social media company from day one as in the lifestyle segment social media is of great importance. Similarly monthly blogs or style tips are needed to engage the consumer.

Fashion Designer Leveraging Bermuda Exposure

Thomas LaVone — an award-winning fashion designer who will feature in next month’s Bermuda Fashion Festival — is using his exposure in Bermuda to creating a great opportunity for US models.

Known for his fine couture gowns and high fashion, LaVone has recently run a Model Muse contest to scout his next model, and the winner will walk on Bermuda Fashion Festival runway in the International Designer Show on Tuesday July 12.

The winner, soon to be announced, receives air and hotel accommodation to Bermuda, an editorial magazine photoshoot, as well as walking in the Bermuda Fashion Festival runway show.

They will also walk for Thomas LaVone in New York Fashion Week and feature in the Thomas LaVone Look Book. The search extended to all size models as long as they were 5’7” without heels.

Selection criteria included composite card imagery, runway presentation and the ability to be a well-rounded spokesmodel.

The focus of Thomas LaVone’s collection for Bermuda on July 12th is fun, flare, and femininity. He says bright colours and bold, playful prints will feature with soft and tender fabrication for the Thomas LaVone woman on holiday.

The New Jersey designer says “the collection this season is based on essential pieces for holiday travel, chiffon that’s light and airy and summer white essentials and colour that inspires happiness and relaxation.”

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Thomas LaVone boasts a celebrity following and has dressed the likes of actresses Terri J. Vaughn and Malinda Williams, ESPN anchor Jemele Hill, Emmy nominated journalist Kelley L. Carter, TV’s Judge Hatchett and legendary singer and entertainer Melba Moore.

Thomas LaVone’s reputation, after 17 years in the industry, is best recognized by his meticulous attention to detail.

After showing at Bermuda Fashion Festival 2015, the Thomas LaVone brand featured in Vogue UK and ELLE UK magazines for the first time and since then it has featured several times in each.

LaVone says; “It’s simply amazing! We are indeed humbled and feel blessed and encouraged to keep going forward.”

When asked about any challenges he has overcome, he says; “You will indeed face obstacles when you accept the journey of fashion designer. The greatest obstacle is believing in oneself. Believing that you are worthy and capable is not easy.

“I am now able to accept my God-given talent, believing what I feel inside, and push my vision forward. I put the energy into my clothes and try to make magic.”

Bermuda Fashion Festival, produced by the City of Hamilton, is July 10 – 16 and is hosted in various locations in Hamilton as well as designer pop-up shops and a trunk show.

Attracting international designers, models, celebrities and media from the US, Caribbean, UK and Australia, Bermuda Fashion Festival is in its 7th year, and provides unrivalled learning opportunities to local designers who are mentored by international fashion experts to produce world-class collections.

Fashion now much more democratic, say AM:PM designers

New Delhi, June 3 (IANS) Ankur and Priyanka Modi's journey in the fashion world along with their brand AM:PM has a history of 12 years. Over the years, they have noticed that fashion nowadays is sought, bought and worn more to express oneself as compared to the days when Indian women were dictated by an "implicit convention".
"Until a few years back, Indian women were dictated by an implicit convention. They were dressing according to society's expectation of them.
"Women today, on the other hand, are out there working, travelling and consuming the newest trends off international runways on their phones. Thanks to the world becoming flatter, fashion is now so much more democratic," Ankur, son of ace designer Anju Modi, told IANS in an email interview.
The biggest change, he said, is the mind-shift.
"The modern Indian woman is dressing her personality. Thus, the fashion industry has become more dynamic, and we as designers have to constantly evolve to keep up with the same," Ankur added.
His wife Priyanka, who is one-half of their widely popular AM:PM brand -- which specialises in luxury pret -- also feels that Indian textile is getting the right attention. However, she feels there is a lot more that needs to be done.
"Designers are always looking to innovate and evolve. Doing that with indigenous textiles or crafts is always a great idea. This drive of modernising Indian handicrafts will surely benefit weavers and craftsmen around the country, though impact on designers who are doing this to attract international attention, according to us, will be minimal.
"This is not to say that it won't peek any interest, but we shouldn't mistake interest with any intent of doing significant business. It's an exotic product for them (foreigners) and hence, will likely only appeal to that very small niche," Priyanka said.
At the same time, she also feels it only makes sense for fashion industry players and leaders to "introspect" why the talent does not translate into promising and encouraging numbers in terms of business.

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"Of course, with all the positives, also come the negative," Priyanka said, and added: "We feel there is a lot still to be desired in terms of how we approach the business as an industry. Everyday, we see new labels being launched, new designers becoming entrepreneurs, but the total size of the fashion design industry is roughly Rs 1,200 crore.
"We must collectively introspect and understand why it is when we have all the talent, we have no real bearing on the retail market? These are pertinent questions which need to be answered and urgently."
As a dynamic team, Ankur and Priyanka Modi work together in a way that they complement each other's skills and areas of expertise.
Their AM:PM brand has grown steadily, with the headquarters in New Delhi, and retailing out of a total of 25 stores across 15 major cities in India. Internationally, AM:PM can be found at select stores in the US, Britain, Russia, Brazil, and the Middle-East.
Now they're eyeing major expansion as they "realise the expandability quotient of the brand and the fact that it can venture into so many more verticals of fashion and lifestyle".
"Going forward, it would probably be the most crucial asset we possess," said Ankur.
"We are slated to open 20 more exclusive-AM:PM stores within the next three years in India, Dubai, Singapore, US and Britain. Apart from this, we retail from 15 of the most exclusive multi-designer boutiques nationally and internationally and are also available on premium online portals," said Priyanka.
For young aspirants in the fashion world, they have a word of advice.
"It is very important for a designer to believe in creating their own language and remaining true to that."