Jakarta Fashion Week 2014 Conceptual Shows

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Jakarta, Indonesia, Oct 26, 2013 
The sixth Jakarta Fashion Week closed late Friday night October 25th with a triumph as several of Indonesia's top young designers showcased some of the most conceptual looks presented in the event's runaway. Leading fashion magazine Dewi held its annual Dewi Fashion Knights whereby it awarded the best designers for the year.

This year the "knights" were Oscar Lawalatta, Priyo Oktaviano, Tex Saverio and two newcomers: Toton Yanuar and Populo Batik. Of these five, Priyo and Tex were the most conceptual, showing breathtaking creativity and impeccable executions. In contrast, Oscar and Populo presented very wearable - but highly desirable - designs. Toton, the youngest of the five, showed much potential and a knack for tailoring as evidenced in his white shirts. But he clearly needs to edit his collection tighter as one gets the impression that he is presently undecided between the two poles of "conceptual" or "wearable" fashions.

Earlier in the day, the grand dame of Indonesian fashion, Obin aka Josephine Komara, presented her creations, the result of a seriously impeccable (and therefore slow) process of design and production between the years of 2004 and 2011. There were about 100 pieces of cloth and apparel that created 48 looks in the show. Woven cloth (tenun) and batik dominated the collection, but the highlights were clearly the batik on cashmere. Every single item presented was hand-made and the production process involved around 1000 artisans, Obin said in the press conference.

The previous day the highlight was the show featuring a cultural dialogue between South Korea and Indonesia. South Korean designer Kaal E. Suktae presented an impeccable collection including four looks using traditional Indonesian fabrics supplied by small producers. From Indonesia, young designer Albert Yanuar presented a breathtaking collection using fabrics supplied by the South Koreans, designed by senior designer Li Sang Bong.

This year, Jakarta Fashion Week 2014 is supported by Bank Mandiri, Senayan City, L'Oreal Professionnel, The Body Shop, Matahari Department Store, Bellini, Juara Skincare, Mazda Motor Indonesia, 5aSec, You C Vitamin Water, Tiger Air Mandala, Acer, and C's Nail Academy.

About Jakarta Fashion Week
Jakarta Fashion Week (JFW) is held annually and aims to provide direction to the Indonesian fashion industry as well as a vehicle to demonstrate its wealth in talents and creativity. Ultimately, the goal is to turn Jakarta into a major fashion hub in the region and the world. The sixth Jakarta Fashion Week will be held October 19th-25th at the Senayan City shopping mall in Jakarta in collaboration between the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, Ministry of Trade, the Municipal Government of Jakarta, and major stakeholders of the fashion industry as well as the media. More than 200 of Indonesia's leading designers will partake in the event. Many of them will present collections inspired by the country's rich heritage in different types of traditional fabrics while simultaneously keep their eyes on the present and future. The JFW is organized by event management company Azura Activation , part of the publishing company Femina Group, which since its founding in 1971 has been active in promoting the Indonesian fashion industry through various editorial initiatives as well as events.


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Vogue-Mulberry Fashion's Night in Manchester

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"There has been such a party atmosphere - it's literally been heaving with people and activity and there have been hundreds of people walking around with shopping bags which is great - they've actually been shopping," says Shulman. "The thing about Manchester is that there are lots of little different areas that are their own little fashion centres - from Spinningfields to King's Street to Exchange Square - and it's been really obvious that people have wanted to enjoy themselves. They have really dressed up - the temperature dropped today, but people aren't muffled up - it's been all about statement shoes, shorts with black tights and great metallic sequined jackets. I've seen a lot of those."

Wherever Fashion's Night Out lands next,Vogue-On-Tour is clearly a winning formula. "It's been a wonderful experience - it's really the first time we've takenVogueen masse out of the capital, and it makes me feel it would be nice to do it more often. It's been really fabulous."




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Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) Gives Latest Textile Design's Platform

NEW YORK, - Source4Style, The first online marketplace for the global fashion textiles industry, is the latest company to join the Business Services Network of the CFDA. Through this partnership, CFDA members will have concierge-level access to Source4Style's cutting-edge sourcing marketplace.

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Source4Style showcases leading mills in over 36 countries, offering textile buyers and sourcing specialists 24/7 access to the latest collections. Buyers can connect directly with suppliers through in-site messaging, submit requests for material customization, order sample yardage, request swatch samples to be delivered to their office and negotiate final terms before submitting a purchase order to any supplier on the platform.

"We built this platform because designers need uninterrupted access to a comprehensive yet curated range of global sources," says Source4Style CEO Benita Singh. "Sourcing is one of the most critical stages of the design process, and buyers need a new solution, other than offline trade shows and costly buying trips, to discover and source new textiles." With the launch of Source4Style will offer a benefits package exclusively for CFDA members, including dedicated sourcing concierge and complimentary swatch samples. In honor of the new partnership, the company will also donate 1% of all purchase orders created by CFDA members on the Source4Style platform back to the CFDA Foundation.

"The CFDA values partners like Source4Style for the integral role they play in the development cycle of a designer's collection," adds Steven Kolb, CEO of the Council of Fashion Designers of America. "We are thrilled to partner with a company with such an innovative perspective on fabric and textile sourcing. We hope CFDA Members will benefit from this new partnership." Source4Syle will share their latest sourcing features with CFDA members by hosting an exclusive demo week at their Chelsea offices the week of October 21st.  Source4Style is the first online marketplace for the global fashion textiles industry. Showcasing hundreds of suppliers from over 36 countries, the Source4Style platform allows qualified buyers to search, sample and source the latest textiles 365-days a year.

The Council of Fashion Designers of America, Inc, (CFDA) is a not-for-profit trade association founded in 1962 that leads industry-wide initiatives and whose membership consists of more than 400 of America's foremost womenswear, menswear, jewelry, and accessory designers. In addition to hosting the annual CFDA Fashion Awards, which recognize the top creative talent in the industry, the organization offers programs which support professional development and scholarships, including the CFDA {Fashion Incubator}, the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund, the Geoffrey Beene Design Scholar Award, the Liz Claiborne Scholarship Award and the CFDA/Teen Vogue Scholarship. Member support is provided through the Business Services Network, a high-profile group of companies offering designers strategic opportunities. The CFDA Foundation, Inc. is a separate, not-for-profit organized to mobilize the membership to raise funds for charitable causes. Through the Foundation, the CFDA created and manages the worldwide Fashion Targets Breast Cancer initiative; raises funds for HIV/AIDS organizations with events such as Fashion's Night Out and 7th on Sale and addresses the issue of model health with The CFDA Health Initiative.

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Nicki Minaj with Pink Car

Creative Expression

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Let's start by saying this creative expression has nothing to do with breast cancer awareness month or any other moral cause. No, rapper Nicki Minaj painted her $400,000 Lamborghini Aventador (and its Forgiato wheels) her trademark shade of pink because it's, like, totally blazin', or something — and it goes with her pink Bentley and pink Range Rover.

Note to self: Never, ever sell a car to Nicki Minaj. Unless you want it comprehensively ruined.


Minaj debuted the PeptoBismol-ador earlier this week during the launch of her eponymous clothing line for Kmart. And there's certainly something fashionable about the the angry angles of the 700-hp Aventador, which have become a favorite among celebrity car customizers from Chris Brown to Kanye West, let alone the glow-in-the-dark variation seized by London police earlier this year.

But the real question here is: Why would anyone do this? I know from personal experience about the attention driving a pink car in public settings can bring; it's not for the faint of heart or for those who care strongly about the opinions of others. Minaj's own lyrics might answer the "why would you" question best:

"I am Nicki Minaj, I mack them dudes up. Back coupes up and chuck the deuce up."

Perhaps painting her cars pink has helped court the gentlemen? And I have no idea what that second line means.


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Men's Style Hermes

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Hermes,  It could be seen as churlish to level an accusation of dullness against a presentation that paraded a black crocodile biker jacket or a black leather suit down its catwalk, but Veronique Nichanian's consistent delivery of sharp, subtle, sexy menswear collections under the Hermes label has created a level of expectation that wasn't met by her latest offering. Nichanian has successfully deconstructed bourgeois dress codes to locate a seductive ease in deluxe dressing. Some of that lingered in shoes shown sock-less, or tie-less formalwear. Still, there was a nagging sense that Nichanian had backpedaled a bit.

It may have been simply that the darkness and the sobriety of the clothes didn't loan themselves to the bells and whistles of showtime. One of the themes of the collection was "look-alikes," which promised that things mightn't be all they seemed. Perhaps that meant something like the suit with the sheen of mohair that was actually cut from a wool-cotton blend. In which case, look-alikes wasn't exactly the kind of dynamic notion that could kick-start the whole shebang. It would have worked better in a showroom.

But in the end, such reservations are completely meaningless. Hermes has, after all, always been one of those collections that come alive in the intimate relationship between cloth and customer, and there'll be plenty of relating when these outfits hit stores next season.


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Akshay Kumar Introduces a New Jogging Style

Akshay Kumar

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He known for his passion to stay fit and healthy,  is all set to introduce a new style of jogging in his upcoming film 'Boss'.

Stating that the actor likes to offer something new to his audience with every venture, a source associated with the film reveals, "This time we thought of using trucks to make a jogging track, wherein trucks are parked in a circle and Akshay jumps from truck to truck and jogs."

The movie is an action comedy and the makers promise that the out-of-the-box sequences will be appreciated by the actor's fans. Looks like they've spared no effort to ensure that Akshay, who plays a kindhearted gangster in the film, showcases his style of action.

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Luxury Hotels

Open Plan Bathrooms

The Ultimate Hotel Horror

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It's a growing trend in Luxury Hotels, but how would you feel about spending a romantic weekend in a hotel room where the bath, shower and even the toilet, were on display? Is there anything worse?

Think of it as the drip-drip effect of interior design. What started as a trend for freestanding roll-top baths in hotel bedrooms, all louche and decadent, has now morphed into a trend for whole hotel bathrooms that are open plan, or have glass walls. Not only do they allow your travelling companion to witness your ablutions but, in some cases, they give a view to lucky passers-by outside. Worryingly, as a recent piece on Slate noted: "Like many hotel trends, the open-plan bathroom layout has spread to the home."

The first time I came across this phenomenon was at a hotel in Austria with design pretensions. I could just about deal with the idea that the bath and basin had glass walls opening on to the room, but the separate loo also had a door made from glass – frosted, at least, but not (if you will excuse the phrase) flush to the frame – so there was a gap of around a centimetre all the way around it. I couldn't risk this in the presence of my beloved, a man from whom I have no secrets apart from the one where I have led him to believe my digestive biology is different from every other human's and I produce only cute, inoffensive pellets (a bit like an owl), and so I had to use the loos in the communal areas. Judging by the queues, I wasn't the only one who had a problem with the in-room version.

Other hotels don't even bother with the frosting – in some rooms at the Renaissance Beijing Capital Hotel the lavatory is on show behind its clear glass walls. One suite at The Standard hotel in New York has an open-plan bathroom, right next to the bed, enclosed by floor-to-ceiling exterior glass walls (its public loos became famous for allowing people from the street a view). A huge number of luxury hotels have taken up the trend for glass walls, although some, such as the Ecclestone Square Hotel, which prides itself on being "London's most high-tech", will turn opaque at the touch of a button.

Juliet Kinsman, editor-in-chief of the boutique hotel specialists Mr & Mrs Smith, remembers her bathroom at the Hotel on Rivington in New York, which had a outside-facing glass wall: "I could see a guy standing in a building looking at me having a shower." For some hotels, an exhibitionist-friendly bathroom is a design statement; for others, she says: "It has a lot to do with the issues of converting properties that weren't traditionally hotels and adapting spaces to have a big, open-plan feel."

"Some people might find it extra thrilling," says Kinsman but many won't. "Quite often, when people who go away to fabulous chic hotels together for a weekend away they haven't been together for that long."

Where will it end if some hotels already have loos on view – will that ever become standard? Kinsman thinks not. "Well you're asking an arbiter of sexy hotels, and will it ever be sexy to watch someone go to the loo? I hope that will remain very niche."

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Britain Awards 2013

Pride of Britain Awards 2013 Red Carpet 

Carol Vorderman, Amanda Holden And Katherine Jenkins 

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The Pride Of Britain Awards always attract the biggest names in showbiz and this year's bash was the most glittering yet.

Now in their 15th year, the awards celebrate the UK's unsung heroes who quietly make their communities better places to live.

And helping to make them all feel like stars in London last night were a whole host of famous faces including Carol Voderman (who was on hosting duties), Nicole Scherzinger, Amanda Holden, Katherine Jenkins, Christine Bleakley, Sarah Harding, The Wanted and the Saturdays.

And of course it wouldn't be an awards bash without the usual array of fabulous (and not so fabulous) frocks. So who rocked and who shocked on the red carpet?

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Visionary for Style

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Karachi’s infamous E-street could easily be called N-street. Amidst a plethora of salons, ‘it’ restaurants and high fashion boutiques, stand three salons run by stylist Nabila Maqsood.
Nabila’s specialises in hair, skin and nail treatments, N-Pro (right next door) is dedicated to make-up and N-Gents, a few paces away, is the first of its kind in men’s grooming. Holding court over the bricks and mortar, the expansive interior, classy furnishings and spotlighted mirrors, sits Nabila. May the best man  or woman  win, she smiles.

From my vantage point, the ‘best man’ for the moment can’t be anybody else but Nabila, and other stylists have miles to go before they reach the precedents that she has set. Over the years, Nabila has moved from one accolade to the other  maneuvering phenomenal celebrity make-overs, innovating with hair and make-up, representing renowned international brands within Pakistan, masterminding the styling of mainstream productions and of course, successfully running three salons in Karachi and another in Lahore.

What other Pakistani salons are open seven days a week, provide quality services for both men and women, at diverse prices, and are easily available at an appointment?, Nabila asks me, as she shows me around the monochromatic, very masculine N-Gents. It’s a smoke-friendly building replete with plush armchairs, private ‘executive’ areas, slick shower compartments and a Turkish bath. What I’ve created is efficiency. What she also always creates is a buzz, her recent mantle of ‘Creative Director’ for the Veet Celebration of Beauty show being a case in point. With Frieha Altaf  hitherto always a mainstay in Veet’s major events  suddenly out of the picture, there was talk that Nabila was now going to sidle into the game and try her hand at event management and PR. For the Veet show, I just did what I always do  oversee the hair and make-up and create a feel for the show, says Nabila, who begs to differ. Yes, I de-cluttered the show’s content and offered my vision for it but I have been doing the same for so many other events also, for the Lux Style Awards [LSAs] annually, and the Hum TV awards this year.

She adds, Jean-Paul Goude choreographed a huge parade in Paris back in the ‘80s, even though he was not a choreographer. He just had a sharp, instinctive vision for what works  so do I.  She’s also apparently not turning into a fashion designer. It is this very ‘vision’ that is behind her Midas touch in creating spectacular red carpet looks for celebrities. When Aamina Sheikh was chosen as the Best Dressed at the LSAs this year, she simply said that her clothes were given to her by Nabila, without revealing any particular designer’s name. I collect a lot of clothes, shoes and accessories when I travel, explains Nabila. A lot of them are model size. They are pieces that inspire me to create particular looks that I can use in my shoots. I have always stressed that anybody with a camera can photograph shoots for me, simply because the looks I create don’t need to be highlighted through photography.

They’re unique, from the styling to the one-of-a-kind clothes and accessories of the models, she adds. Aamina’s dresses, at both the LSAs as well as the Veet show, were from my collection of random purchases. She didn’t state a designer’s name because the clothes weren’t designer dresses  I had just picked them off random stores abroad. I specialise in hair and make-up and I wouldn’t want to delve into any other profession.

This specialisation, of course, also extends to bridals  a genre that Nabila once used to dismiss as ‘not fashion’ but which can now be seen reaping in revenues for her through N-Pro. Nabila now even makes the odd appearance at morning shows to discuss bridal styling and has regularly been featured at the PFDC L’Oreal Paris Bridal Week (PLBW).

Did the economic viability of bridal make-up bring about this change of heart? When I first started out, brides would come and ask me to make them look like a particular Indian actor. They reminded me of sacrificial cows who had no idea about what suited them, recalls Nabila. Now though, modern-day girls have minds of their own. They want to continue looking like themselves even after they have been styled. This is something I can work with. My salon creates bridal looks that focus on glowing, iridescent skin, distinctively created hair, with make-up kept to a minimal as opposed to being slathered on excessively. Her single-day showcases at PLBW have always been a success. Why doesn’t she extend her work to the other fashion weeks in the circuit? I would love to and would even do it for free but I haven’t been asked to, she says. The one thing I refuse to do is to bribe organisers so that I could provide my services to their show, the way other stylists do.

This year, she isn’t even going to be a part of PLBW, since she’s scheduled to leave for India. I committed to Ali Zafar ages ago that I would style the looks for the major scenes and songs of Tere Bin Laden 2. The dates clash with PLBW.

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Hottest Trainer Contestant: Jessica Sullivan

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Welcome to Racked Philly's search for Philadelphia's hottest trainer. Over the coming weeks, we'll profile eight smoking candidates who work at local gyms and studios. (Not only do they look hot in spandex, but if you take their classes, you might someday look nearly as good.) Then, once you've gotten to know everyone, we'll host a March Madness-style showdown in which you get to vote for your favorite (polls open Monday, August 19). Let the games begin!

Her mega-watt smile may put you at ease, but make no mistake: Workouts with Relentless Fitness personal trainer and Body Cycle Studio spin instructor Jessica Sullivan will put your body through the ringer. Dubbed "Jess' Hour of Pain," Sullivan's spin class at Body Cycle has amassed a loyal following of fitness buffs addicted to her high-energy combo of choreography, loud music, and a pace that's demanding without being intimidating (read: no yelling or barking from this trainer). "I'm always smiling and joking," she says. "It's supposed to be fun!"

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But before climbing aboard stationary bikes at Body Cycle, Sullivan scaled trees in her rural PA hometown. "I grew up raising pet chickens and begging for a pet pig." An English degree from the University of Delaware (beauty and brains) led her to a brief teaching stint before the trainer transformed her passion for fitness into a full-fledged career.

















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The 25 Best Street Style in Paris

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As usual, we have saved the best for last–even though Paris is at the end of the packed fashion month schedule, it never falls short on style. There’s just something about the City of Lights that inspires people to pull out their most amazing bags, shoes, and clothes.
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Fantastic Ladies

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There are some incredibly talented footballers in the Premier League. However some of these footballers have some incredibly hot wives and girlfriends too. After some long hours debating and researching this topic, here are our results.
Also, since all of these ladies are fantastic, the rankings are in no particular order!

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1. Katsia Zingarevich 
Although not the wife of a footballer, we thought Katsia Zingarevich should be included as the wife of a Premier League team owner. This lovely lady is married to Reading owner Anton Zingarevich, and had to be included into this list for obvious reasons.

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2. Natalie Suliman
Natalie Suliman is the girlfriend of Fulham winger Kieran Richardson. Richardson accredits her for turning his life around while it lay at tatters on the Old Trafford floor. Well we can certainly see why.

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3. Abbey Clancey
Abbey Clancy started dating Peter Crouch in 2006 and the couple married in 2011. Not much needs to be said about Clancy. If her husband wasn't a footballer, one could wonder if he would have ever met her. I think he sums it up pretty well himself.
"Had I not become a footballer, I think I would have been a virgin" - Peter Crouch
What a beaut!

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4. Helen Flanagan
Helen Flanagan is the girlfriend of Manchester City winger, and benchwarmer, Scott Sinclair. She rose to fame through Coronation street and recently went on 'I am a celebrity' to the nations delight.

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5. Tanya Robinson
Tanya Robinson is the wife of Sunderland defender Phil Bardsley. While Bardsleys career has not been spectacular the same can not be said about his wife. Absolute stunner in our opinion.

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6. Frankie Sandford
Although Wayne Bridge is playing for Brighton, he is there on loan from Manchester City which makes Frankie Sandford eligible for our list. Frankie shot to fame with 'The Saturdays' but also makes our list due to being incredibly hot.

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7. Sophie-Leigh Adam
Sophie is tied to Charlie Adam. Apparently she is the one who helped him decide to move to Liverpool from Blackpool, but we are sure that her looks could make him settle anywhere.

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8. Polly Parsons
Polly Parsons is the girlfriend of Arsenal captain Thomas Vermaelen. Although going through a bit of a recent slump on the pitch, he seems to be doing very well off it.

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9. Sam Cooke
Sam Cooke is the girlfriend of Manchester United defender Chris Smalling. Sam is an English Glamour model and Page three girl and has appeared in numerous British “lads mags”. She obviously has the looks for it.

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10. Lorena Bernal
Lorena Bernal is the wife of Mikel Arteta. The spanish midfield maestro has been with Miss Spain 1999 for quite a while and she definately matches his artistry on the pitch with her own artistry off the pitch.