Designers in AFRICA @ Arise Mag “Lagos Fashion Week”

©ourtesy of By Tim Hume, for CNN

Designers (CNN) in New York, London, Paris and Milan have been the traditional compass points of world fashion, Lagos has typically not even figured on the fashion event map. But according to Penny McDonald, organizer of the Arise Magazine Fashion Week held in Nigeria’s largest city last week, that is unlikely to be the case for much longer. She said the event, which drew 77 designers and big names including supermodel Alek Wek, British couturier Ozwald Boateng and up-and-coming model Dudley O’Shaughnessy, had gone a long way to establishing Lagos as Africa’s fashion capital, a city with international style credentials. “It’s raised the bar,” said McDonald, international managing director for Arise, a title which describes itself as Africa’s global style and culture magazine. “Everyone knows it’s New York, London, Paris and Milan — and we see this as the fifth destination now. We’re hoping to make Lagos a fashion destination, part of the fashion season.” – - Read: Dedicated followers of fashion: Congo’s designer dandies

Fashion Week Milan Fall 2012 trend

©ourtesy Beatrix Zwart | Yahoo! Fashion

Milan Fashion Week has drawn to a close and we’ve taken a look at the key trends to emerge for next season from the Italian catwalks. Fur, as already seen on the Autumn/Winter 2012 runway in both New York and London, also returned to Milan as the winter outerwear favorite.

AW12 trend: Fur. Missoni, Gucci and Etro.

Soft fur jackets contrasted Etro’s boho styles and Missoni’s signature colorful knitted stripes while two-tone fur complimented Marni’s block color collection. Full fur coats were seen at Gucci and Fendi, the former adopting a classic look while the latter opted for bright dyed fur.

AW12 trend: Slate. Anteprima and Sportmax.

Paris Fashion Week Fall 2012 shows continues ..!

Take a Peek at these ©Reuters.com (1) Slideshow for some highlights & ©news observer.com (2) Slideshow also

Paris Models featured above in Paris, present creations by fashion designer Corrado de Biase as part of his Fall/Winter 2012-2013 women’s ready-to-wear fashion shows during Paris fashion week shows for February 28, 2012.

Models present creations by French-Swedish designer Marcel Marongiu as part of his Fall/Winter 2012-2013 women's ready-to-wear collection for French fashion house Guy Laroche during Paris fashion week

Jil Sander Fashion Designer ‘Raf Simons’ replaces Galliano

A Fashion show hosted by Jil Sander is usually cool temples of austerity but the atmosphere was crackling with emotion on Saturday when fashion designer Raf Simons showed his final collection for the house at Milan Fashion Week shows. The Belgian-born fashion designer received a standing ovation for his swan song, an opulent symphony to minimalism comprised of clean cuts and double-faced cashmere coats in sugary pinks, pale grey and white fashion looks. The volume of the coats in the fashion show were all countered by fine knit dresses cut close to the body, along with others incorporating seams used to construct geometric shapes. The fashion show was one of the better

shows, no doubt. Belgian designer Raf Simons cried  at the end of his final Jil Sander  fashion show. (Photo: AFP) Simons is leaving the brand after 6½ critically acclaimed years to make way for the return of German designer Jil Sander to the house she founded in 1968. It will be the third coming of Sander at her label: she left it twice when it was controlled by the Prada Group because of creative differences. Designer Sander said she was excited to

Milan Fashion Week Begins | 'Urban Menswear'

John Varvatos Fall/Winter 2012

Urban Rock–Designer John Varvatos spins a tale of the streets and rock for the fall/winter 2012 season in his runway show. Male Models were Embodying a certain harshness in comparison to last season’s romantic laments, Varvatos taps into an element of youth. Bringing together garments in an almost reckless fashion, the mood is relaxed and the results more exciting. While laceless boots barely come to a close, oversize outerwear in various hues of gray bring comfort to knits as well as other pieces, tattered and stained. Featuring tall men in a wardrobe that possesses the potential to be both tidy and fantastically disheveled, John Varvatos dismisses the aspect of age for a collection that evolves with a little smarts in Milan fashion.  – - more Pics | ©ourtesy of ‘theFashionisto.com‘

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TOM FORD’S Chanel Campaign

Models: Saskia de Brauw and Joan Smalls

Chanel‘s Spring / Summer 2012 campaign and, of course, Karl Lagerfeld has set the bar high for us mere mortals. Joan Smalls and Saskia de Brauw look impossibly graceful working a variety of gymnast-tastic poses while perched on exercise equipment. But forget your standard baggy tee + leggings gym gear, these ladylike ladies flex their muse-worthy muscles in delicate frocks and frothy evening dresses, with not one drop of sweat in sight. This is Chanel, daaahling. The series of striking black-and-white photos were styled by Carine Roitfeld and shot by Uncle Karl himself over the water at Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc in Antibes, France (where the Resort 2012 show took place, dontcha know). – – more Read

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Looks for 'Spring 2012'

2012 ©ourtesy of Hey Crazy [ ...Want MORE? Click Here and pick your favorites. ]

Choosing your favorite looks for Spring 2012 can be overwhelming. The American, French, British and Italian Designer gave it All to us for the upcoming season. So, here’s a little help in choosing some of your favorites.

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Gucci Gets Groove Back

The roller-coaster history of one of fashion’s most iconic brands.

 Gucci creative director Frida Giannini attends the Gucci Museum opening in Florence, ItalyJacopo Raule/Getty Images for Gucci. This piece is reprinted from Departures. I catch my first glimpse of Frida Giannini Gucci’s creative director, at the Venice International Film Festival, where she attendrd screening of Madonna’s new film, W.E. Giannini is wearing a one-shouldered black dress, her deep tan contrasting with her perfectly blown-out blonde hair. She is not, however, the most bronzed designer at the Palazzo del Cinema, or the most meticulously coiffed. That honor belongs to Valentino, who is two seats—and several worlds—away from Giannini, who cites among her eclectic muses both Jackie Kennedy and Iggy Pop. Keeping his back to the Gucci contingent, Valentino spends the next 15 minutes whispering to his longtime partner, Giancarlo Giammetti. It’s fun to imagine what he might be saying. Valentino dressed Jackie when she mourned JFK and, later, when she wed Aristotle Onassis. He knew and loved Jackie, whereas Gucci’s “Jackie” has two fringed tassels and comes in exotic skin. The Jackie is a bag, but not just any bag…. read more

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Gucci Gets Groove Back

The roller-coaster history of one of fashion’s most iconic brands.

Gucci creative director Frida Giannini attends the Gucci Museum opening in Florence, Italy Jacopo Raule/Getty Images for Gucci. This piece is reprinted from Departures. I catch my first glimpse of Frida Giannini Gucci’s creative director, at the Venice International Film Festival, where she attendrd screening of Madonna’s new film, W.E. Giannini is wearing a one-shouldered black dress, her deep tan contrasting with her perfectly blown-out blonde hair. She is not, however, the most bronzed designer at the Palazzo del Cinema, or the most meticulously coiffed. That honor belongs to Valentino, who is two seats—and several worlds—away from Giannini, who cites among her eclectic muses both Jackie Kennedy and Iggy Pop. Keeping his back to the Gucci contingent, Valentino spends the next 15 minutes whispering to his longtime partner, Giancarlo Giammetti. It’s fun to imagine what he might be saying. Valentino dressed Jackie when she mourned JFK and, later, when she wed Aristotle Onassis. He knew and loved Jackie, whereas Gucci’s “Jackie” has two fringed tassels and comes in exotic skin. The Jackie is a bag, but not just any bag…. read more

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Top sort after Model, SHENA

‘Saint International’s’ top model Shena Moulton firmly stamped her mark on the fashion world during the last quarter of 2011. Moulton’s blistering schedule in November and December proved her mettle, and she was the only Jamaican model during the the most recent pre-fall collection. She appeared for the highly selective Calvin Klein runway shows, taking her tally of showings for the designer to four. This solidifies her status as one of Calvin Klein’s ‘It’ girls, a description not often given to black models. “In three weeks (November to December) Shena shot Italian Vogue in Milan, Playing Fashion Magazine in London, Grey Magazine and Marie Claire in Paris, and Interview Magazine in New York,” explained Deiwght Peters, owner of Saint International and the man credited with discovering Moulton and guiding her international career. – - read more about Shena

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