Monday, April 1, 2013

Fashion’s Night Out Moves To Manchester

Fashions Night Out  will move from London to Manchester this year. The annual shopping extravaganza - first launched in 2009 - will take place on Thursday October 10, bringing together the finest of the city's shops, restaurants, galleries and museums.

"Re-emphasising the mission of Fashion's Night Out, bringing retailers and shoppers together for a joyous celebration of fashion, we are taking Fashion's Night Out to Manchester for 2013," said Vogue editor Alexandra Shulman. "Once at the heart of a vibrant textiles industry, Manchester's importance to fashion is unquestionable. Bringing Fashion's Night Out to its streets is the next logical step in the evolution of Fashion's Night Out in the UK. London has witnessed tens of thousands of shoppers joining the fun and we're looking forward to sharing this experience with a new audience."


Selfridges  and Harvey Nichols have already confirmed that they will participate in the popular event, with a plethora of names expected to join the hub of activities as the evening draws closer. The action will be largely based in the city's Exchange Square, as Vogue celebrates Manchester's spirit of enterprise and imagination.

"Manchester is known for its strong sense of style and we are pleased that Vogue recognises our vibrant city as a natural home for this prestigious event," said Manchester City Council spokesperson councillor Pat Karney. "It is only logical that Fashion's Night Out should come to Manchester, which is home to many leading and emerging fashion retailers and attracts style-conscious shoppers from across the region and beyond. This will provide a real boost for the city centre economy and I'm sure our retailers will make the most of their night in the limelight."

Victoria Beckham Enters E-Commerce

Victoria beckham  has launched an e-commerce website  today. While the label's former digital home served as a way of showcasing lookbook pictures of recent collections, the designer's latest site is the first time the brand has offered online shopping.

"My new website has been in the making for a very long time," said Beckham.. "It was so important that the concept, tone and look of it were true to me and my aesthetic and that the shopping experience was the very best that it could be for my customer. The site will be ever evolving featuring never seen before insights into my world through the medium of film. I'm incredibly excited with what I have created and the unique access to the brand I am now able to offer."


The site is divided into two sections, Look and Shop. The first option gives users the chance to watch show footage, documentary content and browse collection inspirations and latest news, while the second category features the designer's handpicked selection of spring/summer 2013 pieces.

The website will sell Icon - a line of ready-to-wear dresses inspired by the label's most popular designs and available exclusively online - in addition to accessories, eyewear, denim and Beckham's contemporary line, Victoria, Victoria Beckham. Customers will be able to shop from the UK, USA and Europe, although there are plans to expand to additional regions in the future.

H&M’s New Model-Inspired Collection

H&M  has created a new collection inspired by four of the fashion industry's leading models. The New Icons range was created based on the street style of Joan Smalls. Daphne Groeneveld, Lindsey Wixson and Liu Wen.

The foursome also star in the campaign for the pre-summer collection, which is due to land in stores in April. The range comprises a mixture of influences - taken from the individual styles of each girl - allowing shoppers to create their own model-off-duty look.


"The New Icon collection from H&M is very flattering and suits all of your needs. It's super cool and for your everyday girl who wants to look great and feel comfortable at the same time," said Smalls. "I loved the look I was wearing because it's something I would see in the store and would want to wear."

The range includes fashion staples, such as a black leather jacket, lace mini skirt or frayed denim cut-offs, combined with a heavy focus on urban streetwear accessories. Embellished vests and simple T-shirts can be paired with low-heeled ankle boots, a leather necklace, wide-brimmed hat or fringed bag - perfect attire for summer festivals.

"These days I feel that every girl needs a perfect leather jacket to give themselves a cool factor," said Wen. "The jacket in this collection is amazing - [the whole collection] really fits into my personal style and it's something that I will definitely wear on a daily basis."

Groeneveld added: "I'm so happy and proud to be a face of H&M New Icon Collection together with these amazing other girls. The collection has so many great additions to any wardrobe and it's so easy to mix it up and always look great."

Beyoncé For H&M Confirmed


Beyonce Knowles has partnered with H&M for summer. The singer stars in the Swedish retailer's new campaign, modelling pieces inspired by her individual style. The singer also gave "personal input on the pieces seen in the campaign", confirmed a representative for the brand. 


The print and billboard images - which see her reclining on beach sun lounger and posing in swimwear by the sea - were shot by Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin in the Bahamas earlier this year. The adverts will introduce the star: "Beyoncé as Mrs Carter in H&M" - tying in with the name of her upcoming world tour.


"I've always liked H&M's focus on fun affordable fashion. I really loved the concept we collaborated on to explore the different emotions of women represented by the four elements - fire, water, earth and wind," said Knowles. "It was a beautiful shoot on a tropical island. It felt more like making a video than a commercial."

The summer campaign features swimwear and beachwear pieces - including a bikini from the H&M for Water collection, which raises money for WaterAid. The print adverts will launch alongside an accompanying television commercial - featuring a new Beyoncé song,Standing On The Sun.

"H&M's summer campaign starring Beyoncé is an epic fantasy, with glamour, drama and also a sense of paradise," said Donald Schneider, H&M's creative director. "It was amazing to watch her on the shoot make it all look effortless - a quality that makes her such an icon for women around the world. The campaign is the essence of Beyoncé, and also the essence of H&M this summer."

It was first reported that the singer would be partnering with H&M back in January - which is when the shoot took place - after one of the star's dancers accidentally revealed the news on Twitter.

Kate Moss Models Motorcycle Brand’s Debut Clothing Line

Britain´s oldest motorcycle brand, Matchless, will launch its debut clothing collection this year, and has enlisted Kate Moss  to star in its first fashion advertising campaign. The British brand will unveil outerwear ranges for both men and women in June, under the helm of former Belstaff owners - brothers Michele and Manuele Malenotti.


Moss was photographed by Terry Richardson  for the imagery, which sees her draped across Marlon Brando's motorbike from The Wild One, in a series of leather pieces alongside male model Andre Van Noord. The campaign was shot at MC Motors in Hackney.

"We are delighted to be working with Kate Moss on this first Matchless advertising campaign for this new era of the brand," said Michele Malenotti - who is also Matchless' marketing and business expansion director. "We feel her spirit and personality fit the brand perfectly and this is clearly conveyed in the campaign."

The Malenotti brothers took control of Matchless earlier this year, and have worked on a collection of leather and washed cotton jackets designed for customers regardless of whether they ride a motorbike or not. Prices range from £900 to £1,300 for a leather jacket, and £600 to £900 for a washed cotton version.

Vanessa Paradis Named Face Of H&M Conscious Collection

Vanessa Paradis is the new face of H&M´s Conscious collection. The Vogue cover girl stars in the new campaign for the ethical clothing range - part of H&M's "ongoing commitment to a more sustainable fashion future".

Paradis models a series of womenswear apparel and accessories in the campaign - pieces due to land in-store from March. The entire range is made from sustainable materials such as organic cotton, Tencel and recycled polyester. A men's and childrenswear collection is also available.


"I like being part of something like the Conscious collection at H&M," said Paradis. "I try my best to shop consciously, and vintage is very much part of my wardrobe. I love the style and it works in an eco-friendly way because I like to use and reuse old clothes."

To coincide with the new campaign announcement, H&M is launching a Conscious garment collection initiative, enabling customers to bring unwanted clothing - from any brand - into any H&M store in the UK and Ireland for recycling. Shoppers will receive an H&M voucher in exchange for each bag - with a maximum of two bags per customer, per day. The move marks the first time that any high street store has promoted and rewarded recycling to such a scale, with the aim of preventing unwanted clothing from ending up in landfill sites.