Magazine founder/editor from South Brunswick launches a fashion collection

(Image:princess prom dresses uk) Although, the fabrics are from India, Tirusha Dave’s clothing designs differ from traditional Indian clothing. Tank tops, cropped tops, bared midriffs and more are featured in many of her designs.
A teacher by day and a magazine editor/writer by night, Dave’s fashion design sketches were just a hobby in what little spare time she had. But after friends and co-workers kept encouraging her, Dave, of South Brunswick, took the sketches to fashion show producers. As a result, her debut collection of resort wear was showcased during Atlantic City Fashion Week in February.
“I had been sketching for a while, and people kept telling me your sketches are really good, you should really pursue it,” she said. “I had a lot of feedback from fashion show producers and models, so I took a leap of faith, linked up with a tailor and put together my debut.”
Dave said she sold many of the pieces in her collection at the show and is now exploring ways to continue to manufacture more pieces and continue to show her collection.
She was already involved in the fashion industry through her position as editor of the online South Asian fashion, entertainment and lifestyle magazine, called Bravura Magazine, which Dave started. “I have always been interested in writing and fashion, so the magazine combined my interests, and it filled a void.” Dave started Bravura after she graduated from college, after having built her reputation as a writer, publishing in numerous South Asian publications.
“I have been very fortunate, interviewing and meeting numerous Bollywood celebrities, such as director Kunal Kohli.” She said she had also worked with many other Bollywood stars. “Our magazine has been invited to major fashion events, such as Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, Couture Fashion Week and Atlantic City Fashion Week.” She said they had also been invited to mainstream movie premieres such as Superman and The Great Gatsby.
She explained her reasoning for starting the magazine. “When I was doing my writing internships in college, there wasn’t that one online portal that catered to any reader in our generation, it was either gender-specific or subject-specific. I really wanted to mix it up. I also felt there was a lack of a South Asian magazine for the younger generation.”
Dave said her background, having Indian parents, but being born in the U.S., made her uniquely aware of the void in the magazine area. Likewise, her fashion interests combined her Indian heritage with her U.S. background. “I am not a traditional Indian designer,” she laughed. “Not with my resort wear, bikinis and cropped tops. But people, both Indian and non-Indian were very responsive. I had so many people coming up to me wanting to buy my things after the show. It was really wonderful.”
“I am in the process of making a web page and having more pieces made,” Dave said. She added that she thought the show was so successful in part because it “represented my heritage and culture. It was not completely Indian and not completely American. It’s my western side mixed with my non-western side. It seemed to appeal to a lot of people. I also had some full-figured pieces and some full-figured models. I think as a result it appealed to more people. They could see themselves wearing it on vacation. Not everyone is a size zero. The average woman is a 12 or 14.”

She said when she decided to do the show, she just thought it would be a good experience, and never imagined she would get the large outpouring of interest. “I had a lot of fun doing it. It was an amazing experience, and the reception was beyond what I had imagined to be possible,” she said.Also read here:sexy prom dresses

Why the city's fashion week isn't competing with Paris, Milan or New York — and why it shouldn't

(Image:sexy prom dresses) Elise Joseph is not a designer. She does not manufacture clothes. Nor does she have a boutique. What she has is an eye.
Run into Joseph on the street, and her clothes look just like those she touts on her fashion and lifestyle blog Pennyweight. Something that looks comfortable yet modestly elegant, like she's somehow managed to find all of the elusive urban legends that comprise a personal wardrobe. The worn, lived-in jeans. The perfect-fitting leather jacket that can dress up or down. The neutral shift dress that skims her lanky frame, never revealing too much skin. The bag that goes with everything.
Joseph never wears anything that looks like she tried too hard. That quality — a natural, minimalist grace — may help explain why more than 1.3 million people follow Pennyweight on Pinterest. They buy on her recommendation. They look to her tastes, even though she's located about as far from a coastal fashion center as a tastemaker can get.
But why would Nashville Fashion Week award its highest honor — a cash prize from the Nashville Fashion Foward Fund — to a local blogger, as opposed to a local designer or manufacturer?
Nashville Fashion Week is used to such skepticism. When it launched in 2011, many wondered why the city would even bother. Nashville lacks many of the components that drive a profitable fashion industry: access to raw materials, a garment district, elements of factory production — even a market for buyers to attend.
On the other hand, advocates noted that several area apparel and accessory brands were already running sustainable businesses here. Today, their number includes Manuel, Imogene + Willie, Peter Nappi, Prophetik, Olia Zavozina, Otis James, Emil Erwin and LEONA. What's more, rising talents such as Jamie and the Jones, Black by Maria Silver or Valentine Valentine have been getting stronger with each new collection, without fleeing to a larger market.
Still, the larger point was hard to argue: The city's fashion proponents faced — and continue to face — an uphill struggle.
But in an industry that changes faster than the weather, a great equalizer is bringing democracy to the fashion business: the Internet. Nowadays, a fashion blogger from the Midwest can drive more sales through affiliate link click-throughs than a spread in Vogue. Anyone who can stand out from the sartorial spiderweb of blogs, Pinterest, Instagram, Etsy and online retailers can influence what we wear and what we buy — a major alteration in a world where a select group of fashion editors once held supreme power.
In the same spirit, regional fashion weeks like Nashville's are starting to rethink their philosophy. Fashion weeks that have sprouted up in cities such as St. Louis, Charleston and Savannah will never compete on the same playing field for international prestige as style-setting centers like Milan, Paris and New York. As individual entities, their influence will always be minimal. As part of a network, however, passing along designers and access to resources, their reach quickly adds up.
So when Nashville celebrates its fourth fashion week (starting Tuesday and running through Saturday, April 5, at venues across the city), it will offer all the runway shows, parties, educational panels and shopping events that lured patrons in years past. But it's expanding to recognize the growing roles of people like Elise Joseph, tastemakers who bring attention to a city through their carefully cultivated followings, and their own curatorial skill.
To be sure, no one involved has any delusion that Nashville will ever rival New York Fashion Week on its own terms.
The good news is, that's not what they're trying to do.
The founders of Nashville Fashion Week — a group of style enthusiasts, professionals and boosters of the local scene (including Scene publisher Mike Smith) — point to a small but pivotal distinction between the city's slow-to-start fashion industry, and its rapidly growing fashion community.
"Our focus was always to support the fashion community and the emerging industry," explains Marcia Masulla, senior community marketing manager for Yelp Nashville and one of Nashville Fashion Week's co-founders and managing partners. "Industry is people who are trying to make a living, or trying to impact the community as a whole. The community might [include] somebody who really admires fashion or who is contributing in other ways. In order to figure out how many people in our community are trying to be part of an industry, we have to see what it looks like."
To get a clearer picture, business consultant Van Tucker partnered with Nashville Fashion Week to create and distribute a survey. Tucker, aided by a committee of fashion professionals, gathered data to identify who makes up this community and what their needs are. (Full disclosure: I was consulted early in the survey's drafting.)
"Our mission for the survey was to conduct a thorough analysis of Nashville's fashion industry in order to understand how we can facilitate its growth and ensure retention of talent in Middle Tennessee, with a goal of long-term sustainability," Tucker says. "We clearly have the creative talent, but infrastructure is needed to support and grow the fashion industry."
The survey results will be not presented until the panel sessions on April 5. But Tucker hints that the data overwhelmingly affirms several needs: a business incubator program, solid business planning, small-scale production resources, advocacy and exposure, and access to capital.
"We know we don't have this huge production facility that's catering to designers, and maybe we don't have enough projects for photographers to do fashion photography, or enough paid work for models to make a living," Masulla says. "Maybe these are pie-in-the-sky dreams, but we're evaluating what our market really can support right now, and what we need to do to make progress."
Enter the Nashville Fashion Forward Fund. Culled from the net proceeds from Nashville Fashion Week, the fund supports professional development opportunities for promising talent. It is facilitated through The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, and it's open to individuals who work in the fashion industry and have ties to Middle Tennessee. Perhaps the most intriguing feature on the fund's application is the experiential requirement — a mandate that candidates must propose a plan to use the money to experience something, as opposed to simply using it as business or marketing capital.
The first year of Nashville Fashion Week served as a building period for the fund, so a recipient was not named until the following year. The first two recipients were Julianna Bass and Lauren Leonard. Both opted to travel abroad with their award money. Bass went to Berlin to expand her eponymous line internationally. Leonard — whose flagship store is located in 12South — traveled to Paris to meet directly with vendors and find inspiration for her upcoming LEONA by Lauren Leonard collections.
But Bass and Leonard are both apparel designers. When the award committee selected stylist/blogger Joseph, a former media director at Imogene + Willie, as this year's recipient, the move was initially met with some surprise.
"There was this kind of mindset, and maybe we didn't communicate this enough, but when we say 'industry,' there's so much more than just the fashion designer," Masulla says. "There's curators, bloggers, photographers, models, production."
Amy Fair, director of donor services at the Community Foundation, says that in the first two years of the fund, the strongest contenders were in the design category, which is why Bass and Leonard were chosen. But this year, the clear frontrunner was Joseph.
"Elise's application was just far and above," Fair says. "Elise's references were the absolute best that have ever been written about anyone in three years." One came from a creative director at Madewell, the New York-based women's apparel company housed under the J. Crew umbrella: "[Joseph] has her finger on the pulse of the best indie music, stylish home goods, new shopping destinations — the works. In other words, if it's artfully cool, you can bet it's on her well-rounded radar."
Marcia Masulla calls it "a massive statement" that Joseph was chosen.
"I think it shows the evolution of the fashion industry, that fashion is so much more than just a shirt hanging in a store," she says. "It shows that Nashville embraces this new fashion culture. We're talking about someone who is a curator, somebody who people turn to — whether it's a major brand like Steven Alan or Madewell — or somebody that's reading her blog. People look to her for trends."
Joseph's aesthetic has caught the attention of InStyle Magazine, Refinery29, Southern Living and Kinfolk Magazine. She's also collaborated with fashion brands including J. Crew, Need Supply, Steven Alan, Madewell, Equipment, Gap, West Elm and Warby Parker.
There is money in those partnerships. Apart from advertising or sponsored content, style blogs are monetized through affiliate links (i.e., when users click through on items featured on a blog). When bloggers can boast enough Web traffic to catch the attention of brands, they can negotiate the terms of these affiliate earnings directly with the brands or work through an agency like RewardStyle, which pays an average 15 percent commission on sales that close. Launched by then 24-year-old blogger Amber Venz in 2011, RewardStyle has driven sales in more than 130 countries, and top bloggers can make up to $40,000 a month. As of last fall, it was projected to make $150 million in sales in 2013.
Such rewards have encouraged a proliferation of mediocre, deservedly obscure style blogs. The things that distinguish Joseph from the growing pack are her distinctive taste and her palpable affection for the products she features. Her words and photos, in addition to being beautifully presented, convey a passion to expose emerging talents. Joseph believes she has earned the trust of her followers as well as the artists she features, and she does not take it lightly.
"My whole role is to support the people that I believe in, and to connect people," Joseph says. "And helping the smaller guys, the people who are doing incredible work by hand, and emerging designers. I feel like my heart is with them. I want to help get them off the ground in any way that I can. I'm fortunate to have the following that I have, even though I'm still, in a lot of ways, also a little guy."
A little guy Joseph has helped, and a good example of the kind of exposure Nashville Fashion Week hopes to build, is local designer Elizabeth Pape. She launched her Elizabeth Suzann line in the Emerging Designers showcase at last year's Nashville Fashion Week, and she initially reached out to Joseph shortly after.
"She was a blogger I looked up to, and her style and aesthetic was a good fit with my brand," Pape says. Since then, Joseph has been a big supporter of Pape. Last month, when Joseph made her first trip with her award winnings to New York, she made a point of wearing Elizabeth Suzann pieces to her meetings with brands and artists.
"I had a meeting with Steven Alan and was talking about Elizabeth's pieces," Joseph says. "I'm trying to bring Nashville other places and bring other things to Nashville — I feel like that's the way to grow."
Pape says that her sales have been directly impacted by Joseph's coverage. She will show her latest collection on opening night of Nashville Fashion Week.
"She really is a fan first and foremost of the clothes," Pape says. "I think the most significant impact has been the introduction to other outlets on the Internet. Her reach is very wide, and she has an involved audience. They admire her and respect her curation."
And when people look to Joseph to discover trends, Amy Fair says, they're also looking to Nashville.
"It's about telling everyone what kind of place Nashville is, and how it has so many people involved in the fashion industry," Fair says. "With Elise and her reach ... this gets the message out about what a great fashion center Nashville is."
Joseph, who spent most of the past year traversing the country, freelancing and collaborating with brands big and small, plans to use her fund award for further travel to cultivate relationships with new individuals and companies. But her dream is to open her own brick-and-mortar store. Two weeks ago, she hosted her first pop-up shop in Nashville, showcasing a variety of apparel, accessory and home decor items. And because she wants to inject a variety of inspirations into this dream shop, she's considering pop-ups in other cities that would expose artists to new markets and bring outside influences back to Nashville.
Fashion may be fleeting, but the Nashville Fashion Forward Fund is eternal. Or it means to be. Its permanent endowment fund is intended to outlive not only the resurgence of crop tops, but all of us. The fund currently stands at just under $90,000 and pays out 5 percent each year, while the remainder of the money is invested through an actively managed portfolio. Fair says that in the past two years, the portfolio has yielded double-digit returns.
The fund is distributed to only one individual or entity each year. But the founders of Nashville Fashion Week hope they can spur the community in other ways — for example, through the visiting speakers and educational opportunities the week provides. This year's panel sessions, presented by O'More College of Design and sponsored by The Arts & Business Council of Greater Nashville, will cover topics including content creation, social enterprise and sustainability practices; the aforementioned fashion industry survey results; and a conversation with the Council of Fashion Designers of America's Johanna Stout.
This year's schedule also includes four nights of runway shows (one of which will have models parading down Fifth Avenue of the Arts), parties, shopping events and a gala featuring special guest Fern Mallis, creator of New York Fashion Week. The Fashion Forward Gala will be held at OZ and will include pop-up performances presented by the Metro Nashville Arts Commission in celebration of this year's theme, "For the Art of It."
As in previous years, Nashville Fashion Week's runway shows will provide an opportunity for emerging local talent to share runways with renowned international brands. This year, Nashville Fashion Week organizers initiated partnerships with other regional fashion weeks and fashion incubator programs in St. Louis, Savannah and Chicago. The intent is to showcase designers from each city across multiple markets, making each city's fashion week a bridge instead of an isolated tower.
"There's power in numbers," Masulla says. "We're going to these other regional fashion weeks and saying, 'Hey, we may all have slightly different visions, but at the end of the day, we all want to support our local fashion communities, so why don't we work together?' "
Building the kind of infrastructure that grows a community into an industry will take years, if it happens at all. But perhaps the fashion community can take heart from another Nashville creative class: the city's culinary community. Over the past decade, bold visions, boosted talents, adventurous backers and some ingenious networking among many factions — from producers to consumers — have resulted in a vibrant food scene that has drawn nationwide attention.

The comparison isn't exact, except in one sense: A lively restaurant scene and a lively fashion scene — for wearing, for looking, for shopping — make a city more desirable, both as a place to visit and a place to live. For the next week, at least, Nashville will get to try that model for size — and see if it fits.Also read here:backless prom dresses

Veruschka: Beauty isn't everything

(Image:mermaid prom dresses uk) Veruschka thinks models need to have personality to succeed in fashion.
Veruschka says you need to have personality in the fashion world.
The former catwalk star, born Vera von Lehndorff, redefined modelling when she rose to prominence in the 1960s.
The German beauty was scouted as a teenager in Florence, but hit the big time when she moved to New York in her early twenties.
"They expect you to be beautiful so you have to also have personality," Veruschka explained to British magazine Grazia, reflecting on her early years in fashion.
In her new memoir From Vera to Veruschka, the former model looks back on her successful career.
After working steadily as a model, Veruschka was cast in Michelangelo Antonioni's iconic 1966 movie Blow-Up.
Her small cameo, playing a model, launched Veruschka's career worldwide, despite only uttering three words on screen: "Here I am".
"I still can't believe it. I had one sentence," she exclaimed. "The phone was ringing all the time. I didn't like it."
Her slender frame has been cited for changing the body shape that designers of the day desired, but Veruschka admits this came about accidently.
"I wasn't that skinny. But before filming Blow-Up, I'd been in Mexico and got an infection in my stomach. I lost so much weight."
She went on to grace the cover of Vogue 11 times, working with fashion editor Diana Vreeland on numerous occasions.
"Vreeland was fantastic. So full of fire," she remembered.
Now 74, Veruschka is still in demand and makes occasional catwalk appearances.
She walked for British designer Giles Deacon in 2010 and recreated one of her former pictures for a Vogue shoot in 2009, helmed by Grace Coddington.
Many have referred to her as the Kate Moss of her day, a comparison that doesn't faze the legendary model.

"I know Kate Moss - I like her. We both know our power," she smiled.Also read here:red prom dresses

My 'no make-up selfie' was a liberating experience

(Image:backless prom dresses uk) Last week, I noticed a trend starting online. Women had begun posting pictures of their bare faces on social media under the hashtag #nomakeupselfie, and nominating their friends to do the same to raise awareness and funds for cancer research. My instinct upon seeing the posts was blase. I didn't understand how a picture of a woman without her slap could help, and if I'm honest, I thought it was a novel way for some of the usual online show-offs to brag about their clear skin. But if charities were benefiting, what harm was it?
However, as the week went on and the campaign gained traction, with hundreds of thousands of euro being raised for the Irish Cancer Society, I realised this wasn't just something the genetically blessed among us were doing for attention. The hashtag was genuinely getting people talking about cancer, highlighting the issue and fundraising all at once.
Instead of jumping on board, I secretly hoped the whole thing would go away before I was nominated. It wasn't that I didn't want to do my bit, I was simply terrified that doing my bit would involve revealing a part of me I didn't want the public to see.
Look, I'm no shrinking violet. I'm a big selfie fan, and as I'm a dab hand with a make-up brush there are hundreds of me online in various states of glam. There are zero sans slap, though. The truth is, while I write about my feelings for a living and tweet without limits, the idea of revealing my bare face filled me with dread. People often think that vanity means loving yourself a little too much – it's quite the opposite. Vanity is what was preventing me from showing people what I really look like. I only wanted the public to see the version of me I'm comfortable with presenting.
Make-up does a lot for me. Some women don't look very different when they take off their day's face, but I really do. I've honed my make-up skills over time, and now an eyeliner flick and contoured cheekbones is my daily look. I wouldn't even feel comfortable going to the gym without some BB cream to even out my complexion, and my brows filled in.
A groomed look is what I present to the world, and I always like to put my best face forward whether at work or play. So the thoughts of shattering the illusion – and my crafted online persona – with a harsh dose of reality felt genuinely frightening.
Upon reflection, I was amazed by the reaction the #nomakeupselfie provoked in me. I've felt curdling envy at an old school friend's gorgeous skin, and inadequate at the sight of other people's full lashes and brows. I will even admit to an unkind smugness at the sight of unflattering pictures, and real annoyance at girls claiming to be slap-free when they were anything but. Oh and let's not forget the frustration at those hiding behind Instagram filters, designed to lessen the glare of an au naturel snap. Who do they think they're fooling, I fumed.
However, what I felt most was guilty, and nervous – the more people that posted a photo, the more obvious it became that I was in the minority. I donated without a selfie early in the week, but an odd pressure set in – if this many women can be okay with their bare-faced self, why can't I? What am I afraid of, other than people thinking I'm unattractive? If cancer patients can post pictures not just make-up free, but wig free, why am I so cowardly?
So on Sunday morning, fresh out of bed with messy hair, and sleepy eyes, I took a selfie. Okay, I took several. I posted the least off-putting one. It sounds corny, but I actually felt liberated. So what if my complexion is blemished, the beginnings of crow's feet are visible around my eyes and my paltry excuses for eyebrows are on show? I'm no natural beauty, but nor am I hideous – just rough around the edges. I won't be making a habit of it, but at the same time I'm glad it's out there.

My reluctance seems foolish in hindsight. Ladies, it has to be said – fearing your own mug is just about the biggest #firstworldproblem I can think of. This revelation doesn't mean I'm throwing out my MAC collection. But if I'm okay expressing my innermost thoughts online, I'm more than able to stand by my face without shame when a good cause calls for it.Also read here:mermaid prom dresses

Goop & Tracy Anderson collaborate

(Image:white prom dresses uk) Gwyneth Paltrow's lifestyle brand Goop has announced a new venture with celebrity fitness trainer Tracy Anderson will be "coming soon".
Gwyneth Paltrow's Goop has announced a collaboration with Tracy Anderson.
The lifestyle company, helmed by superstar Gwyneth, has become one of the most recognisable names for people looking for tips on shopping, home-life and recipes.
The brand coyly uploaded a video to its Instagram account of Tracy working out, accompanied by the caption "coming soon: @tracyandersonmethod for #goop exclusive (sic)".
Tracy follows in the footsteps of Stella McCartney, Cynthia Rowley and Rag & Bone, who have all had successful ventures with Goop.
The clip sees a mash up of 39-year-old Tracy's high-energy exercise routines, set against the heavy beat of a dance track.
The blonde fitness guru shows off her toned physique and washboard abs in a series of tight gym wear.
Tracy and 41-year-old Gwyneth have been close friends for many years, after the Iron Man actress sought Tracy out to help her get into shape.
Tracy boasts a client list crammed full of A-listers including Madonna, Nicole Richie and Shakira.
She has spoken at length in the past about how hard Gwyneth works on her body, and that keeping in shape does not come easy.
"If you want to transform your body, you will. If you sit around complaining you don't like your body but aren't prepared to put the work in, there's really nothing I can do for you. People say, 'Oh it's so easy for Gwyneth,' it's not!

"She's been my client for eight years - she does the work and changes her workout every ten days," Tracy previously told British magazine Now.Also read here:graduation dresses 2013

Bryan Adams: L'Wren was a true talent

(Image:sexy evening dresses) Bryan Adams has called L'Wren Scott an "extraordinary talent" and says the fashion world has suffered a terrible loss.
Bryan Adams is mourning the death of L'Wren Scott and says that "fashion has lost an icon".
The American musician, who's also a keen photographer, was a personal friend of L'Wren's and worked with her professionally.
Talking about the sad news of her passing with vogue.co.uk, Bryan praised his late friend for her beauty and her talent.
"Words don't fill the void I have for the loss of my dear friend L'Wren. She was an extraordinary talented beauty, who was dedicated to her man and the close circle of friends she had. I will miss her laugh and watching her walk, the grace...the height!
"We had many good times together, and some years ago I even photographed her for British Vogue. Fashion has lost an icon, and my deepest condolences to Mick and all that knew and loved her. She will be greatly missed," Bryan solemnly told the publication.
L'Wren was found hanged in her New York City apartment yesterday, apparently after committing suicide.
L'Wren's partner of 13 years Sir Mick Jagger has been left devastated by the news, cancelling The Rolling Stones first show of their Australian tour which was due to start tomorrow.
Tributes for L'Wren have been pouring in from those in the fashion world, celebrities and admirers of her work.
Model Coco Rocha took to her Twitter account to pay her respects to the stylist-turned-designer.
"L'Wren Scott was a beautiful person, inside and out. Genuine, kind and talented. My thoughts and prayers go out to her family. #LWrenScott (sic)," Coco posted.
British singer Lily Allen couldn't get over the shock news and told her followers how she'd only recently seen the designer.
"Jesus, I have just got off a plane and heard the sad news of L'wrens passing. What a terrible tragedy, I'm in shock ," she tweeted. "I saw her at the hairdressers only the other day. (sic)"
L'Wren launched her first fashion collection in 2006, following many years working as a stylist.
Earlier this year she was forced to cancel her London Fashion Week show, citing problems with getting the fabrics needed.

Report have surfaced that L'Wren was in debt prior to her death.Also read here:backless prom dresses uk

Spring fashion blooms in Dallas with pinks, prints

(Image:backless prom dresses uk) From pops of pink to outfits of black and white, spring trends are beginning to bloom among shoppers at Highland Park Village, an upscale outdoor shopping center in Dallas with retailers including Anthropologie and Chanel.
Jilian Rossow, 22, wearing a white silky top paired with black pants and black flats, said there was a lot to like about what she was seeing, including pastels and bright colors.
Despite a chilly start to March, spring weather here is usually warm. The climate, combined with a culture of driving everywhere, allows Dallas women to make the most of their spring wardrobes, said Brian Bolke, who owns the boutique Forty Five Ten in the Knox-Henderson shopping area, along with smaller boutiques Five and Ten and Number One in Highland Park Village.
"We're very lucky: We can actually wear spring clothes most of the spring," he said.
Stevie Moore, creative director at Elements boutique along Lovers Lane, said the climate encourages shoppers to gravitate toward feminine, fun and flirty. "It's about showing a little bit of skin and wearing something really light."
Colors and prints
Think pink, pink —— and more pink.
"Women should look for pink in every shade," said Ken Downing, fashion director of luxury chain Neiman Marcus, which has its flagship store downtown. He added those varying shades of pink can be worn all in one outfit.
Nerissa von Helpenstill, store director for Tootsies in Dallas, located in The Plaza at Preston Center outdoor shopping area, agreed. "It's spring. The flowers are out. We want to be pink," she said.
Also on trend are outfits of "white with black," Downing said. Bolke's boutiques have also bought lots of black and white combinations, including prints and solids. "It just is sort of what looks fresh and very graphic," Bolke said.
And von Helpenstill said they are seeing sheer fabrics "in kind of unexpected ways," for instance small peek-a-boo pieces of sheer on a top, like a sheer shoulder or panel down the back.
Silhouettes and styles
From boxy, cropped tops to separates for evening —— a crisp, white shirt paired with pants —— there's a new silhouette for spring.
"There's just something very new right now about volume in clothes, but I think that that is what makes it a little tricky for the consumer because it has to be done right and you have to really understand the proportions for real life: what goes with what," Bolke said.

For instance, the cropped tops need just the right pairing, he said. "Women of all ages are really buying these new shorter, boxier tops, but we're pairing them for instance with a high-waisted, longer length pencil skirt, so it makes the proportions seem very lean. You still have a waist. The waist is still covered," he said.Also read here:mermaid prom dresses uk

'Modelling Iranian style’: surgical alterations and the 'porn star' look

There is a “fever for modelling” in Tehran right now, says a photographer who has been working in the field for 20 years, as the profession has become a “status marker” in a vanity-driven culture. And the look that’s in vogue among female models is far from what many would consider natural Iranian beauty. What’s in is a highly doctored, surgically altered appearance that the photographer – who asked to go by the initials “B.K.” – describes as the “porn star” look.
In a society where physical beauty is highly prized, cosmetic surgery has become commonplace among the middle and upper classes. Iran reportedly has the world’s highest nose surgery rate, and those who work in front of the camera often first go under the knife. Models with the sort of doctored appearances that are in demand can be seen on the Instagram pages of Tehran bridal salons and photo studios such asAroose Tehran (Tehran Brides), with 115,000 followers; Aliss Studio; andAzadeh Fanaee. Design houses such as Dohe Couture and RK Designalso maintain Instagram pages that feature scores of images of women not in hijab, publicly acceptable Islamic dress. While Facebook and Twitter both remain censored in Iran, the authorities evidently turn a blind eye to this sort of taboo-skirting social media usage.
There are few modelling agencies in Iran, so most models must go through a photographer like B.K., who runs a fashion studio from his home. His living room overflows with photographs of couture-clad women; the wings are filled with professional lighting equipment and a selection of backdrops. After photographing a model, B.K. will usually present her portfolio to various salons, boutiques, and “maisons”, retail operations often run of the proprietor’s home that sell clothing by designers who specialize in everything from wedding outfits to modern interpretations of Islamic dress. Most of B.K.’s clients are located in north Tehran’s Fereshteh district – the capital’s “Manhattan”, as he calls it.
Sonia models for one of B.K.’s beauty-salon cleints. Done up as a bride, her image will appear in a poster and book that show off the salon’s hairstyling and makeup techniques. With her long, luscious jet-black hair and dark features, Sonia was recruited by B.K. at a party thrown by mutual friends. As a defender of natural beauty, he has managed to convince four of his models not to undergo nose surgery.
(Image:graduation dresses 2013) “Everyone tells me I look so ‘Iranian,’” Sonia says. “The majority of other models get surgery, and I think that with more natural looks I can be more special – different from other models.”
For female models like Sonia who seek work outside the strictures of hijab, beauty salons and other private businesses are the prime sources of employment. Female models not in hijab are legally barred from appearing in magazines or TV commercials or on catwalks. Even fashion shows that observe hijab must receive an official permit from the ministry of culture and Islamic guidance, which is difficult to attain. Female catwalks can be attended only by other women, while male shows are not gender segregated. Male models encounter fewer restrictions generally.
For any female fashion beyond the bounds of hijab, “everything has to be underground”, as B.K. puts it. Working under the authorities’ radar is simply “modelling Iranian style”, he says.
The public limits on modelling extend to billboards, on which women rarely appear. Those promoting female clothing, like the ones for Hasti Fashion currently on display around northern Tehran, show only mannequins. “In the future, they may allow billboards to be more available to female models,” Sonia suggests. “There may be more openness under Rouhani.”
Male models work with underground studios as well, but they can more freely seek work for public platforms like billboards and TV advertisements. Billboards with men in the latest designs of local brands like Hacoopian, Charme Mashad, and Novin Leather are common on the streets of Tehran. Even in hijab, a female model would not be permitted to appear in the same public advertisement.
“The only problem with male modeling is a person cannot become really famous,” B.K. says. Referring to the conservative religious-political establishment, he explains: “They say, ‘You are making a superstar’” – something that’s frowned upon.
Nonetheless, a few male models have become celebrities. In Tehran, the name of Hamid Fadaei often comes up. He has appeared in ads for such western brands as Zara and Fila. A recent item on the Cairo-based website Scoop Empire described him as “one of the sexiest men in the Middle East”. The first Iranian male model to gain global attention was Cameron Alborzian, who starred in Madonna’s “Express Yourself” videoand became the face of Guess Jeans in 1988.
Among the new generation, hazel-eyed Dana Mashalahpoor has modelled for the last year and a half. He also works with designers to create original fashion concepts at photo shoots. He says he aims to represent an “Iranian gentleman” not only in his modeling style, but in his everyday demeanour as well. Earlier this week, he emphasized the “gentleman” theme in the text accompanying a photo he published on Instagram in which he models a stylishly retro plaid jacket.
“I am not just a face or a model for someone. It is more important to have a special character” says Mashalahpoor. “In Tehran, the modelling community is small. I haven’t seen anyone brand themselves as a gentleman.”
Mashalahpoor has worked at fashion shows mostly in Dubai, where he has made a catwalk appearance for the luxury accessory brand Davidoff. He says he has been offered a modelling contract through a New York agency, but has decided to stay in Tehran.
“Even though modelling in Iran involves a lot of difficulties, I do it because I can build the high-quality standard myself,” he says. “Modelling at a high level allows you to be in a position where many people admire your character and lifestyle. In Iran, there is a lot of potential for investment in the fashion industry and that is why I will continue my career in Iran.” There’s clear evidence of that potential in north Tehran, where western brands such as Bulgari, Zara, Mango and United Colors of Benetton have opened stores.
As a child, Mashalahpoor was influenced by a fashion-conscious mother who loved to design clothes. He is represented exclusively by an agent, unlike most models – male and female – who are affiliated with photography studios.
As a part-time model, Sonia, who is pursuing a master’s degree in hotel management, has worked with B.K. for three years. “He made it so that women could make money from their beauty. Before this, if anyone wanted a model, they would not pay them,” she says.
With competition running high between models, it is not uncommon for those starting out to work for free. Models who represent themselves struggle to gain the same traffic as those connected to a studio. Established models can make up to one million tomans – about £220 – for a TV advertisement, or 400,000 tomans per day for a fashion shoot. But flirting with “superstar” status is even riskier for women than it is for men. Many thus prefer to work exclusively underground, finding acclaim within the elite north Tehran fashion community.
This is the case for Sonia, who finds it “fun” to be dolled up for photo shoots. She is friends with the makeup artists, and she enjoys the attention when her photos are admired by patrons of salons or others in the underground fashion scene.
Others choose the hijab-only route, which allows them more public exposure. Mahya models Islamic dress styles for a designer affiliated with Qatar Airways and the brand La Neige, which produces manteaus – long, form-concealing coats – that are brightly coloured rather than the traditional black. She is also a part-time student, pursuing a master’s in environmental science. Though her father disapproves of her modelling, Mahya loves it so much she will work for free at times.
With her tall figure, Mahya once strutted the runway of on underground catwalk, where she wore less modest Islamic clothing and most of her curly black hair spilled out from beneath her headscarf. “If it had been public, the government would have closed it,” she says. “We were going to do a government-approved catwalk once, but they did not let us. That year it was worse because there was an election.”
Since there are few catwalks in Iran and the fashion scene is much more about photo shoots, Mahya explains that models do not necessarily have to be tall. “It may be that the woman is short, but the brand may like the way she looks and they will choose her,” she says. “They choose the women more often who have had cosmetic surgery – women with lip and cheekbone enhancements or nose surgery.”

Both Mahya and Sonia value their natural looks and say they have not had them surgically altered, but they agree that female models with less traditionally Iranian features are more popular.Also read here:red carpet dresses

Lourdes: Rita Ora is the perfect Material Girl

(Image:black prom dresses) Madonna's teenage daughter has taken to her blog to gush over pop sensation Rita, who was tapped as the face of the mother and daughter duo's Macy's fashion collection last year.
The 17-year-old star - who goes by the name of Lola - posted: "The last thing I'm going to talk about is the face of the brand, Rita Ora, who is a badman and a sick dresser. She has dope style and in my opinion truly embodies the attitude of a Material Girl (cheese alert I know what ever get over it it's fine it's not a big deal it was a moment whatever).
"Make sure to check out Rita Ora as the new face of the brand along with her poppin' music."
Rita recently shot the brand's new Spring 2014 campaign, entitled Material Girl Hits Miami, which sees her show off the punk rock-inspired clothing in various locations around the US city, including The Welcome to Miami sign, Ocean Drive and the Raleigh Hotel pool.
The singer follows in the footsteps of an array of high-profile stars who have previously fronted the collection, including model and friend Georgia Jagger, TV personality Kelly Osbourne and singer/actress Taylor Momsen.

The blonde beauty is no stranger to the fashion world since she is a spokesperson for brands including Diesel and Rimmel, and is regularly seen front row at some of the most exclusive fashion shows.Also read here:white prom dresses uk

Love affair with Paris grows for Kangana

(Image:sexy prom dresses) Kangana Ranaut says she loved shooting in Europe despite being asked by onlookers if she was a leading actress.
She stars in ‘Queen’ about Rani who goes on a solo honeymoon to Paris after being dumped at the altar by her fiancé.
She said: “We frequently shoot abroad but mainly for songs for which we dress up quite a lot. You look like an actress and people come and take pictures with you.
“People would look at me and wonder why I am so special and why would someone make a movie with me. That was a bit different. People would ask the crew, ‘Is she the leading actress?’ “You know, people have this idea of a Bollywood actress wearing a chiffon saree and her hair flying but that wasn't the case with me,” she said.
Directed by maverick filmmaker, Vikas Bahl, whose previous directorial projects include the globally lauded Chillar Party, Queen is a romantic in the same vein as previous foreign language successes such as Amelie and the 2012 Indian hit, English Vinglish.
Kangana plays a small-town, Indian girl about to embark on a journey of self-discovery that will change her life forever.
Joining her onscreen are two of the finest artists among the new generation of Indian film talent – Rajkummar Rao and Lisa Haydon.
Kangana has been happy with the reactions of fellow Bollywood stars. She said: “Amitabh Bachchan has apparently tweeted about the trailer. I also met him at a party recently. Mr Bachchan, Mr Aamir Khan and Mr Salman Khan all told me that they are eagerly waiting to watch the film. What else can one ask for?
“It’s very important to me because I have felt accepted for the first time. I have never received such support for any of my films before.”
Director Vikas Bahl admits: “Kangana’s inputs played a huge role in shaping the character of Rani. Her excitement about shooting for the film, especially the second half, was natural, as she would finally get to transform and sport her infectious smile.”
She also spoke of experience attending the Burberry show at London Fashion Week recently: “It was really beautiful. London was great as it didn't rain that day.
“We were expecting it to rain and it didn't. So we were quite lucky with the weather. It was my first experience at an international fashion week and show. Burberry and I go long back as they have been dressing me for red carpet appearances and events.
“I was thrilled to see their collection and I loved how they received me. It was just lovely.”

Produced by Viacom 18 Motion Pictures and distributed internationally by B4U, Queen releases today.Also read here:princess prom dresses uk

Nicolas Ghesquière Presents His Debut Collection for Louis Vuitton

(Image:red prom dresses) The New Louis Vuitton woman, of Nicolas Ghesquière's making, wears knee-high leather boots, retro mini-skirts, and leather jackets. Ghesquière, formerly of Balenciaga, made his much-awaited debut for the brand on Wednesday in Paris, taking things in a different direction than former creative director Marc Jacobs had during his tenure.
The collection was free from any major house logos. Sexy coats with suede lapels were worn over white roll-neck tops. Petite a-frame suede mini-skirts featured patchwork pockets or cut-out patterns on leather. Some of the minis were printed with busy, floral-seeming decorations, but were worn with leather, v-neck tops with cut-out sleeves that were tucked into the skirts. Others were paired with sportswear-inspired tops—think a tracksuit zip-up made glam with diagonal decorative panels.
High-waisted, legging-style trousers with thick panels of color—blue on gray, or multiple shades of green—were paired with a funky waistcoat tied over a roll-neck with a raw-looking leather strap as a belt. Most dresses were cinched at the waist with leather belts, creating a v-shape reaching in both directions—the zipped-up tops were sporty and futuristic, but extended into dainty sleeves, blending a range of styles seamlessly into one piece.
There were equestrian-esque checkered jackets worn over tight, sexy black trousers and skirts, and elegant, wooly v-neck sweaters layered atop dainty shirts Leather designs were found heavily throughout the collection in the form of jackets, pants, and detailing on dresses—the pieces looked like a modern-day warrior, protection for an urban girl out in the field each day. Gloriously smooth, full-grain leather was contrasted with hybrid materials. Bold, bright colors were juxtaposed with muted half-tones. Hand-crafted artisanal techniques were updated with a high-tech twist.
In the show notes, Ghesquière described his debut collection as something that looked both forward and back, combining craftsmanship and new techniques with old materials.
“This familiar wardrobe appeals to the collective unconscious, stirring our affective memory. We never tire of these perennial pieces; they are faithful friends. Eternally under their alluring spell, we delight in wearing them time and again,” he said. “A peppering of original designs shakes up the cozy coterie; these distinctly modern, strikingly stylish newcomers open up the much-loved wardrobe to new pairings and a landscape of possibilities. A time-honored and noble legacy is kept alive by a yearning for discovery and exploration. Coursing boldly and imaginatively through the decades, Louis Vuitton refreshes the world of fashion with an untiring ebb and flow of retrospective and fresh perspective."

Ghesquière's initial collection tells a tale of expertise made possible by innovative techniques. It focuses on the highlights and remains open to interpretation, as well as serves as living proof that today’s “timeless” was at one time seen as innovative. In this collection, "the timeless is now.”Also read here:blue prom dresses

Paris Fashion Week: Saint Laurent, if you're cool enough

(Image:sexy evening dresses) After a big night for his Saint Laurent brand at the Academy Awards, dressing host Ellen DeGeneres in three elegant riffs on le smoking, and supporting-actor winner and dude-style icon Jared Leto in a white tuxedo, Los Angeles-based designer Hedi Slimane staged his best Saint Laurent collection yet at Paris Fashion Week. The clothes were crackling with teenage spunk, even if the show did make me feel like the uncool girl at the party.
Slimane's shows are more like happenings, taking place in venues as dimly lit as underground clubs, with dubious fire exits and movable set pieces (this season, arm gates stretched across the runway, raising and lowering like industrialized velvet ropes).
Yves Saint Laurent might have had Andy Warhol and Bianca Jagger sitting runway side in his day, but Hedi had Catherine Deneuve, Azzedine Alaia and two guys who looked like Miles Kane and Alex Turner from the Arctic Monkeys popping Champagne, although it was really too dark to be sure which was probably the point.
Slimane commissions original music (the toe-tapping "Had Ten Dollaz" by L.A. band Cherry Glazerr was the tune, according to show notes) and a different portfolio of artwork to go with show invitations each season (this time, featuring works by L.A. artist John Baldessari).
The message? He's plugged in--with the old guard, the new guard and the crossing guards.
To wit, it was announced via social media at show's end that the collection was made on 16-year-old model Grace Hartzel, who has gone from Indianapolis to international runway star in what seems like a minute.
Hartzel, who opened and closed the show, was surely one inspiration for the collection's girlish, "bright lights, big city" glam -- the glitter Mary Jane shoes, close-fitting capes and sparkly minis.
The band Cherry Glazerr (also teenage ingenues) who star in the Saint Laurent spring 2014 print campaign, are probably another.
But even if you've never heard of Hartzell or Cherry Glazerr, the collection appealed on a purely aesthetic level -- from a sleek, hooded red cape (insert red riding hood reference here), to crystal-embroidered tartan evening shorts, glittery go-go boots to a miniskirt with a foiled print of handguns, one of Baldessari's favorite subjects. Slim coats, jumper dresses that sparkled like disco balls, and fun furs added to the party mix.
And if there wasn't enough to buzz about already, decades after Yves Saint Laurent was inspired by Picasso, Mondrian and Warhol in the '60s and 70s, art was on the runway again.
Slimane showed three couture mini-dresses made in collaboration with Baldessari, which will be limited to a numbered edition of 10.

And just like that, Slimane's Saint Laurent went from collection to collectible. You've got to hand it to him -- it's genius.Also read here:black prom dresses