Luxury Brands Should Augment Human Touch Despite Coronavirus

Today’s luxury has been largely based on creating high emotions built on human touch and connections, both on the supply and demand sides.

On the supply side, the human element is essential for consumers. Just take the hand-made craftsmanship of products and the delivery of high-quality experiences by professionals at the top of their game in showrooms, stores or hospitality.

On the demand side, the human touch enables consumers to establish deep connection with other cultures and loved ones through the consumption of original, creative, unforgettable goods and experiences.

But what if COVID-19 and the probably longish measures of social distancing ahead undermine the very possibility of protecting some of this human touch? How can consumers continue enjoying the high emotions and the sense of connection at the core of luxury if the human touch effect is temporarily weakened?

Fashion Fights The Virus: All Dressed Up And Nowhere To Go

America’s fashion industry is concerned.

With thoughtful eyes, little Barney once looked directly at us and said: “you’ll all need clothes.”

Today, Barney’s is bankrupt, the stores have shuttered, and we aren’t worried about our clothes, we’re worried about the future of our industry - and we all want to survive in this crazy coronavirus environment.

We worry about our health, we worry about our employees, we worry about our families, we worry about our customers, we worry about our rent, and sometimes we just worry to worry. Honestly, If the federal government doesn’t help us fund our short-term future, then our long-term vision could easily resemble a horror story out of Tales from the Crypt.

It is beyond encouraging that Anna Wintour, Tory Burch, and several other industry notables are reaching out to Government, in an effort to encourage them to create a financial package for our industry. It is critical that fashion be included in the financial distribution. The reasons for inclusion are obvious. Retail directly employs about 12% of America, and indirectly employs 25% of America. Our consumer represents 66% of our nations GDP. While fashion isn’t the only component of retail, we are often the most visible. When we lead, others follow.

If our Government wants the economic “bounce back” (that they expect to happen when we reopen), then it is critical that they support the industries that can provide it. It is also appalling to listen to news conferences, when they inevitably talk about supporting the cruise line industry. Let’s get that one thing straight, while most of us love cruising, the cruise industry supports about 422,000 jobs and retail supports about 52 million jobs. If we don’t have a job in the next year, how are we going to take a cruise?

Right now, fashion is getting hammered every day, and the messaging from Government to our industry has been, at best, weak.

We bought goods months ago for the spring season. Now spring has arrived, and the customers have left. Our product (that we sourced from around the world) has been delayed, cancellations are running in the millions, landlords are asking for rent, and employees need to be paid. To make matters worse, the Administration continues to charge tariffs to our inbound invoices, and that adds insult to our injury, and causes us to pay far more for less. The scenario that we are operating under is just about as retail ugly as it can possibly get.

If government helps us with funding, if the virus storm abates, if customers are released from lock-down, if we can afford to stay the course, then we will all survive. Truth be told, we were hurting before the virus, now the pain has just become more intense. Let’s support our trade associations who are advocating for us, and let’s support our industry notables that have made their case to Capitol Hill, and let’s hope that the Administration is listening.

As industry colleagues search for good news, in a tweet on Friday, seemingly out of the blue, beloved designer Christian Siriano wrote: “If @NYGovCuomo says we need masks, my team will help make some. I have a full sewing team still on staff working from home that can help.”

History always presents poignant moments, and Christian Siriano’s single heroic tweet immediately shifted our short-term dynamic to action. In minutes, our industry rose and mobilized. Masks and gowns are on the way. This is what we do.

In addition to Christian, we soon learned of several excellent American companies including Parkdale Mills, Hanes, and Fruit of the Loom who are ramping up the production of face masks. It is expected that they will be reaching millions per week!

Little Barney had it right. Yes, we all need clothes, but our industry will continue to do what we can to lead, and others will certainly follow.

As we all struggle through difficult times, think about what YOU can do to help.
vestidos de noche
Think about Christian Siriano, think about that great quote from the Children’s book, The Little Engine That Could: 

“I think I can, I think I can, I think I can, I know I can.”

Kanye West Schedules Surprise Sunday Service During Paris Fashion Week

Musician and fashion designer Kanye West is bringing his popular Sunday Service to Paris tomorrow starting at 9am. The popular event, which he has staged in different cities and festivals such as Coachella, features a gospel-choir reinterpreting his songs. Only a small handful of editors received the coveted invitation earlier today, followed by another e-vite for the Yeezy Season 8 show scheduled for Monday night.

This unexpected addition to the fashion week calendar by West is a bold move, given the tense climate in Paris with the anxiety of coronavirus hanging in the air. It’s unclear if the show will reveal the entire collection or what the format of the presentation will be. Each Yeezy reveal has been different. In the past, West has staged large-scale fashion performances, Instagram-driven campaigns and a runway show.

Yeezy shows often serve as a platform for West to link to his other projects. In 2016, the Atlanta-born artist performed songs from his then-unfinished album The Life of Pablo at Madison Square Gardens in New York alongside the debut of Season 3. Not much is known about Season 8, although his wife and muse, Kim Kardashian-West, has been seen wearing nude-colored flip flops from the collection seen last summer while out in Los Angeles.

flower girl dresses

The Ultimate Guide To The Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii always tops travelers’ lists, and the islands have become almost mythical in many would-be visitors’ eyes. But after deciding to visit America’s 50th state (which is always a good idea), where to go in Hawaii is the second most crucial step. There are a total of eight main islands in the Hawaiian archipelago in the North Pacific, though Niihau and Kahoolawe are forbidden to visitors. Of the remaining six—Hawaii Island, Kauai, Lanai, Maui, Molokai and Oahu—each island is unique in its ambiance and attractions, and all are perfect winter travel destinations.

Hawaii is renowned for its natural beauty, but the culture and heritage of the islands are equally enticing and waiting to be explored. We’ve categorized each island according to interests—whether you’re intrigued by tropical adventure, secluded luxury or cultural immersion, we have something for everyone in the list below. From the legendary surf of Oahu to the breathtaking mountains of Kauai, read on for your ultimate guide to the Hawaiian islands.

The Island of Hawaii is a must-visit for travelers yearning to reconnect with nature and experience what is known as the ‘old Hawaii’—as in, before the islands became as popular as they are today with tourists. The largest of the Hawaiian islands, the Island of Hawaii is nearly double the size of all the other islands combined, hence its nickname as the “Big Island.” Hawaii Island is also known as the Island of Discovery, and there’s much to explore in the island’s two distinct regions: the Kona and the Hilo areas of the island. Kona, located on the western side of the island, is sunnier and the volcanic landscape is home to coffee farms and breathtaking views of the Pacific—we recommend staying at Fairmont Orchid on the Kohala Coast, to maximize that tropical bliss. Explore the black sand coast of Punaluu Beach and visit the five-acre farm of Kona Natural Soap, located just south of Kona in the town of Holualoa, for a tour (and chocolate-tasting) with the charismatic owner, Greg Colden. King Kamehameha spent his last years in Kona, and you can get in touch with royalty yourself with a Hāloa ʻĀina Royal Hawaiian Sandalwood Tour  up in the highlands.

It rains more in Hilo, and travelers are advised to explore the waterfalls and tropical flowers that flourish on this lush part of the island. Check-in at the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel and explore the Haleolono fish pond before embarking on an ATV tour with the charismatic guides at The Umuama Experience. Afterward, head to the Temple Bar, the recently-opened craft beer & wine bar restaurant that’s a hit with visitors and locals alike. Additionally, the Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, located 45 minutes to the south of Hilo, is a must-do for any traveler. Meanwhile, the Pōhāhā I Ka Lani Tour at Waipiʻo Valley Lookout is another can’t-miss activity (thanks to your fantastic hosts who share details about the island’s history and culture while you ascend to the overlook.) Finally, no matter where you are staying on the island, check out the schedule for Chef Brian Hirata’s pop-up dining experience, Na’au Hilo. The aim of the culinary project is “Ka ho’oilina malamalama,” which means enlightened through heritage. One meal will leave you with even more appreciative of the natural beauty of Hawaii Island—and how delicious its fruits can be. 

Fashion Books To Get You In The Fashion Week Mood

Fashion week, err, month is currently on its second half with the shows finishing in New York and London. Almost immediately Milan follows. Then culminating in Paris. While you may only be seeing the collections from your web browser, why not enhance the experience by adding these newly released fashion tomes to your library.

Before magazine circulation numbers started to decline resulting in the slashing of fashion editorial budgets, photoshoots to highlight the new fashions used to be lavish affairs. Some would take weeks to produce with a battalion of crew and trunks of clothes shipped to far-flung destinations to create what would become iconic visual memories. Vogue has contributed to many of these images and in this latest book, we get to see those pictures, which not only trace the evolution of fashion, but serve as a tourism commentary. There in the early years showed the advent of air travel, making it possible for editors to travel to exotic locales like Morocco, India and Turkey. There is Linda Evangelista doing tai chi in China just as the country was opening up to the rest of the world. See Christy Turlington show off a ruby red coat outside the Winter Palace before the USSR’s dissolution. And of course there’s Veruschka wearing a fur coat with a sumo wrestler in a snow covered Japanese landscape (A fashion sitting that would reportedly go down in the magazine’s history as the most expensive). Call this fashion escapism at its most fabulous.

                                                      Brudekjoler

The Best Back-To-College Women's Fashion and Accessories for 2019

Maybe your college countdown clock has been ticking since May, or perhaps it’s just begun. Either way, only a few weeks stand between you and another year of college life. With a future full of social events you may not even know about yet, and a closet lacking in space, you need to think carefully about what you pack for the next semester–or two.

You need maximum fashion and function with minimal cost. You need shoes that can carry you from the darty to the party, and accessories to make yesterday’s outfit seem ... not so yesterday.
                                                                   Evening Dresses

Meet Caroline Constas, A Female Founder In Fashion

It's the days leading up to Montréal Grand Prix and designer Caroline Constas is being fêted the by the luxury Canadian department store, Holt Renfrew, at their annual Grand Prix event.

She enters the party being held at the top floor of the Ritz Carlton, her statuesque framed draped in a long, white, strapless goddess-gown of her own design. Earlier in the day, she posted a photo of herself with her collection's display at the store with a caption that read, "Dreams to come true."

For Constas, this year's Grand Prix event is not only a dream come true, but it's also a homecoming of sorts. Being honored by the department store coincides with the Montréal native's 5th of year in business at the helm of her namesake label.

"I've been dreaming of working with them [Holt Renfrew] for years and years because growing up in Montréal, that was the place you aspired to shop," she says.

As a young fashion brand, to stay in business in a cutthroat industry after 5 years is, indeed, recognition-worthy. Constas, however, has done more than just stay in business—her brand is thriving, and the Holt Renfrew event is an acknowledgment of her success.

Her collection's whimsical-yet-elegant vibe is directly inspired by Constas' upbringing and globetrotting lifestyle, which is marked by life in New York, summers in Greece and inspiration trips to foreign countries.

"It started when I was 8 years old, and I was traveling to Greece every summer to visit family," she says. She is the daughter of a Greek-Lebanese father and an American mother who, through these visits, exposed her to the world from a very young age.

During her childhood travels, she found herself sketching the clothes she wanted to wear on her holidays, and over time she became aware of the keen eye she possessed for spotting trends that crossed borders.

"I was always very focused and aware of fashion and how fashion differed, and how it was similar across different cultures. I was able to see what was overlapping between different countries," she says.

A key factor to her success is that Constas herself is the ultimate muse for her brand—she knows her customer because she is her customer. "I start each season with the question: What do I want to wear that isn't in the market?" she says, admitting she is designing for herself first and foremost, knowing that women like herself will gravitate to what she's offering.

In addition, Constas is regularly featured on her company's social media in her designs and also posts pictures and musings from her personal travels. Images of her wearing her label bring the clothes to life in a way only she can, and the content, as a result, is a physical embodiment of the Caroline Constas brand story. She is undoubtedly one of her company's biggest assets.

In the beginning days of her label, it was this idea of creating clothes for her own personal lifestyle led to the creation of the Lou top, the design that put her name on the map.

Constas had always been searching for cotton shirting in feminine shapes and came up with an off the shoulder silhouette in a blue striped fabric traditionally used for dress shirts. An editor came in to view the collection, snapped a pic of the shirt and posted it to social media, which then led to Oprah's stylist pulling the shirt for a shoot. The next thing she knew, the Lou top was on the cover of O Magazine. "It was absolutely surreal," the designer says of the experience.