From the Fashion Cupboard: shoulder bags

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As soon as I saw supermodel Abbey Lee Kershaw step out onto the catwalk in Chanel's autumn/winter 2011 show, I knew I had to have what she had. No, not her waifish figure, not her hair as blonde as sunbeams, not even the pin-sharp bone structure. Nope, what I really wanted above all else was her shoulder bag.

Handbags move in a trend orbit of their very own these days. We've had "It" bags, under-arm clutch bags and across-the-body bags. It's the latter style that seems to have stuck. The across-bodies are comfortable, they keep your hands free to text/tweet/email, and they have an effortless, preppy casual style to them. But actually the shoulder strap does us women no favours, cutting a rather unfortunate line between our breasts. Plus, they bang on your hip as you walk AND transform into a pick-pocket's dream when the bag slides around your back as you move.

What Karl Lagerfeld showed us on his catwalk, and what Alexa Chung and Chloe Sevigny have been sporting for a while, is a simpler vision all together. A classic rectangular bag, big enough to fit in your essentials without causing a shoulder dislocation; a long chain strap, which just rests comfortably around your hip.

Wear one casual-style with jeans, brogues and a blazer. Or dress it up with heels and a long line trench coat. As with everything Lagerfeld, so chic...

Fashion Place mall celebrates Fashion's Night Out

Source From: http://www.deseretnews.com/blog/70/10012265/Saving-style-Fashion-Place-mall-celebrates-Fashions-Night-Out.html

MURRAY – Along with the much-anticipated opening of H&M, the Fashion Place mall is taking another step in the fashion-forward direction with the hosting of Fashion's Night Out on Thursday.

The celebration for fashionistas throughout the world began three years ago in New York City, and this time Utah is participating in the event with a night of exclusive discounts, events, giveaways and entertainment all fashion-lovers will enjoy.

The Fashion Place event will take on the spirit of New York City's original Fashion's Night Out, which celebrates fashion, restores consumer confidence, boost the industry's economy and puts the fun back in shopping, according to a press release.

Fashion's Night Out began in 2009 as a partnership between American Vogue, The Council of Fashion Designers of America, NYC & Company and the City of New York. Since the successful initial occasion, the event spread to 100 cities in the United States and to 17 other countries in its second year and is now hitting Utah for the third round.

Macy's, Nordstrom, Dillard's, Chic Belle and Volt are a few of the stores offering exclusive discounts for the evening, while live jazz music, a live remote from My99.5FM, photos with the Utah Jazz Dancers and a red carpet will also be included in the celebration.

The evening will contribute to the good of the community as well, encouraging participants to donate gently used clothing and businesswear to support the Junior League of Salt Lake City.

Fashion design major now offered at IU

Source From: http://www.idsnews.com/news/story.aspx?id=82283

Students will now be able to pursue fashion design as a major at IU starting at the beginning of the 2011 school year.

The major will be offered by the Department of Apparel Merchandising and Interior Design in the College of Arts and Sciences.Previously, students who were interested in fashion design were only able to obtain a two-year fashion design certificate.

The only way to earn an actual major would have been to use the college’s Individualized Major Program.

A high level of demand and students interested in the subject led to the department and the college developing the major, AMID chair and professor Kate Rowold said in a
press release.

“The IMP played a significant role in the creation of the program,” Rowold said. “By providing a mechanism for fashion design to develop into a full B.A. degree, IMP realized one of its essential missions, to act as a pedagogical and curricular incubator.”

From couture boutiques to discount stores to magazines and entire television programs being devoted to the subject, fashion design is a huge business, Rowold said. More than $82 billion are spent on clothing and accessories in the United States every year.

“The fashion design bachelor of arts major is intended to educate students in the art, process and product of fashion design in the 21st century,” she said. “The major will replace the certificate with a more expansive degree objective.”

The degree will combine aspects of the department’s Fashion Design and Culture Group, as well as studio and history courses from the Henry Radford Hope School of Fine Arts, Deb Christiansen, coordinator of the group, said in the release.

“The curriculum is founded on the design process, enhanced by the interaction of technique, function, technology and individual creative expression,” Christiansen said.

“Courses focus on traditional and experimental techniques as well as the history and theory of fashion as a significant
visual language.”

Students pursuing the new major will be encouraged to complete a minor or to earn a
certificate through the Liberal Arts and Management Program.

In addition, it is suggested these students choose classes in the anthropology, fine arts and folklore departments.

“The program uses and builds on the essential foundations of the arts and sciences, and encourages students to be creative designers, multidisciplinary thinkers and skilled communicators,” Rowold said.

For more information on the new fashion design major, contact the program’s advisor Sheila Maben at smabenindiana.edu.

Kanye West, Lil Wayne Take On The Fashion Industry

Source From: http://rapfix.mtv.com/2011/07/19/kanye-west-lil-wayne-take-on-the-fashion-industry/

Megastar Kanye West and his forays into fashion have been well documented over the course of his career and it appears that the stylish producer and rapper will be releasing a new line later this year in a collaborative effort with award winning British fashion designer Louise Goldin. Goldin, 30, was mentored by fashion expert and director of design school Central Saint Martins’ fashion master’s program Louise Wilson – and the professor gave Kanye West quite a ringing endorsement.

In a report to British paper The Guardian, Ms. Wilson offered, “I've known him for two years now and he's incredibly knowledgeable about fashion, he's a global phenomenon and a very interesting person. I think we can expect a well-considered collection, you wouldn't expect less from a pair of professionals and I warn against dismissing it in haste.”

The professor continued with, “There are those who might assume Louise will be doing all the work and Kanye is just the face, I don't believe this will be the case – he researches thoroughly and is hands on and committed to his work.” Reports say that West and Goldin’s upcoming "womenswear" line will have a possible launch later this year at New York’s Fashion Week festival.

Kanye isn’t the only high profile name dipping his toe into the fashion pool. Young Money boss Lil Wayne told XXL last week that he too wants to begin his own clothing line, although the plans seem lofty for now. “I just figure that I… I’m funky,” Wayne shared. “I got that from my stylist, Marisa. I’m funky, like she say.”

Wayne wrapped up by saying, “A year from now, I want all these items to be mine. Rebirth. I want – I just figure people want to be funky like me, so I got my clothing line.” Rebirth was also the title of Lil Wayne’s eclectic seventh studio album.