A Case of Stripey Synchronicity

It’s safe to say that designer Suwha Hong doesn’t have much in common with Givenchy creative director Riccardo Tisci. The London-based Hong practiced corporate law prior to launching her eponymous collection of modern millinery and gamine, tailored outerwear. Tisci, well, he’s the guy who was making tour costumes for Michael Jackson before he died, among other things. For all their differences, however, Tisci and Hong seem to have had a meeting of the minds this season, agreeing that the key piece in any woman’s closet should be a sharp-shouldered, boldly striped jacket. See the pics above.

“Well, they’re not identical,” pointed out Hong, upon being shown the photo of the Givenchy look that opened the . “But it is interesting that the idea works both in his context and in mine.” Tisci’s context, for the record, was Arabism and sixties Roman couture. Hong, meanwhile, was imagining a young Jackie O on a cruise, and more generally, musing on the stripe as she introduced a new category of knits. “I don’t think anything else in the collection is particularly Givenchy-esque,” Hong noted, while perusing runway photos on an iPhone. “I think for the most part, this collection is pretty me.”

—Maya Singer

Photos: left, Monica Feudi/GoRunway.com; right, courtesy of Suwha

JPG For Target, Tilda In Jil, And More…

Jean Paul Gaultier for Target: confirmed. Items for the store’s third Designer Collaboration, which is different from Go International (McQueen and Sui did the former, Rodarte and everyone else the latter), will be available in March. Gaultier’s muse is American pop culture; we may get a mass-market cone bra yet.

First Lady Michelle Obama is scheduled to appear on Leno this Friday (OK, via satellite). Note to producers: We will not be happy if we can only see the top half of her outfit.

Agyness Deyn has been spending time away from us to become an actress, and—voilà!—she is. Her first role doesn’t sound like much, but even British modeling royalty have to start somewhere.


Tilda Swinton’s wardrobe for her new film I Am Love is all Jil Sander, all the time. [WWD]

Chanel’s barnyard threesome will be immortalized by the Kaiser in a photo shoot in Buenos Aires. We’re only assuming it’s the threesome, since usual suspects Freja Beha Erichsen and Baptiste Giabiconi will be there, along with newcomer Claudia Schiffer. Not a bad replacement for Lara Stone. [WWD]
—Alison Baenen
Photos: Monica Feudi

USA : Jack Boys to retire as CEO of Converse - General News USA

NIKE, Inc. announced that Jack Boys will retire as CEO of Converse and company executive Michael Spillane has been named his successor. Boys and Spillane will transition their roles through the end of the year.

“With Jack’s leadership, Converse has experienced exceptional brand growth and financial performance. His contribution to Converse’s success has helped make the brand what it is today. Under his guidance, Converse just posted its most profitable first quarter to date – demonstrating the power and potential of the Converse brand,” said Eunan McLaughlin, President NIKE, Inc. Affiliates.

“We are very excited to have Michael in the CEO role. He has worked closely with Jack for the past two years developing Converse’s growth strategy,” said McLaughlin. “Their leadership, passion and deep understanding of the Converse consumer has uniquely positioned Converse for continued global growth.”

As CEO of Converse, Spillane will report directly to McLaughlin. Spillane brings 25 years of hands-on financial, textile and apparel experience to Converse. He joined Converse in 2007 as President of North American Footwear. In less than a year, he was asked to lead growth around the apparel business, as President, North America and Global Product. Previously Spillane held CEO positions at Polartec and Malden Mills as well as senior positions at Tommy Hilfiger and Jockey.

NIKE, Inc. based near Beaverton, Oregon, is the world's leading designer, marketer and distributor of authentic athletic footwear, apparel, equipment and accessories for a wide variety of sports and fitness activities. Wholly-owned Nike subsidiaries include Cole Haan, which designs, markets and distributes luxury shoes, handbags, accessories and coats; Converse Inc., which designs, markets and distributes athletic footwear, apparel and accessories; Hurley International LLC, which designs, markets and distributes action sports and youth lifestyle footwear, apparel and accessories; and Umbro Ltd., a leading United Kingdom-based global football (soccer) brand.

Germany : BASF and Dow announce support for New Patent Asset Index - Textile News Germany

BASF SE and The Dow Chemical Company, the world's two largest chemical companies, today jointly announced their support for the Patent Asset Index, a new methodology that measures research and development (R&D) effectiveness, innovation strength and how these factors lead to sustained competitive advantage.

Findings based on 2008 results rank BASF first in the overall Patent Asset Index. Dow ranks first in a critical measurement of the Patent Asset Index - Competitive Impact. These results show that BASF and Dow are among the most innovative companies in the global chemical industry.

The new Patent Asset Index created by Professor Holger Ernst of the WHU - Otto Beisheim School of Management is a science-based metric that overcomes the key limitations of current patent analytics by offering a global perspective, more transparency and a more robust quality measurement for the assessment of patent portfolios. In comparison to other methodologies, the Patent Asset Index takes into account the total global patent portfolio of a company and is not restricted to a just a single country or a limited period of time.

"We now have an important indicator for the sustainability of innovative strength, especially with regard to technology and R&D oriented companies on a global level," said Ernst.

Ernst, Chair of Technology and Innovation Management at WHU and renowned expert in the area of measuring innovation, has initially applied his new methodology to rank the innovation strength of large, global chemical companies and plans to rank companies in other industries in the future.

The Patent Asset Index is comprised of several sub-components and measures the overall strength of a company's patent portfolio. It is based on two factors: (1) "Portfolio Size" (the number of worldwide active patent families) and (2) "Competitive Impact," which is the combination of Technology Relevance and Market Coverage. "Technology Relevance" measures the number of citations a patent receives in other patents, and "Market Coverage" measures the extent of patent protection in global markets. Thus, the Patent Asset Index offers a more detailed, accurate and robust perspective than current methodologies used to measure innovation strength.

According to the 2008 results, Dow's patents are the most cited in other patents, placing Dow first in the Technology Relevance measurement and thus also in the related Competitive Impact metric. BASF clearly leads the overall Patent Asset Index showing the company's global innovation strength.

"The nature of R&D has changed significantly in the past decade, however the methods for analyzing the performance of R&D organizations have not changed," said Dr. William F. Banholzer, Dow's Executive Vice President and Chief Technology officer. "We are in complete support of this new method, which takes into account the quality and quantity of innovation and provides a result that not only allows a company to benchmark itself against its peers, but also provides an accurate, overall view of the impact and efficiency of an enterprise's investment in innovation."

Scotland : Chinese investment in cashmere company boost economy, FM - Textile News Scotland

The £6.1 million acquisition of Todd & Duncan Limited by China's leading cashmere company demonstrates confidence in Scotland's economy, secures around 200 jobs, and reinforces the country's global reputation for manufacturing luxury textiles, First Minister Alex Salmond said.

Kinross-based Todd & Duncan boasts a 142 year history of manufacturing high quality cashmere yarn to global fashion houses such as Tom Ford, Zegna Baruffa and Brooks Brothers.

The FM joined Mr Li Jianjun of the Municipal Government of Lingwu, Ningxia, and Mr Ma Shengguo, Chairman of Ningxia Zhongyin Cashmere Company at a special event to mark the deal.

Mr Salmond said:

"Todd & Duncan have a proud history of producing luxury cashmere on the banks of Loch Leven for use in the world's top fashion houses.

"I am delighted that the future of one of Scotland's leading textile manufacturers and around 200 highly skilled employees has been secured by Ningxia Zhongyin, which is China's leading cashmere company, producing fibre, yarn and garments.

"Scotland's cashmere industry employs approximately 4,000 people and contributes almost £200 million to the economy. This acquisition ensures a bright future for Todd & Duncan as one of the world's leading spinners of quality cashmere yarn and strengthens Scotland's global reputation as a leader in luxury fabrics, cashmere knitwear and designer brands.

"The Scottish Government welcomes this £6.1 million investment in the Kinross firm. This investment marks a positive step towards China and Scotland strengthening relationships and working closely to exchange ideas, knowledge, and to develop business opportunities."

Mayor of the Municipal Government of Lingwu Mr Li Jianjun, said:

"Of the 30 cashmere enterprises in Ningxia, China, Zhongyin Cashmere is the most outstanding with great potential for future growth. It is developing customer relationships around the world, which is contributing greatly to the local Chinese economy. The acquisition of the leading cashmere yarn business in Scotland, Todd & Duncan, presents an opportunity with unlimited growth potential and a positive future."

Chairman of Zhongyin Mr Ma Shengguo, said:

"I am very proud to be here, not because of the equipment I have purchased, but because of the excellent product and the quality produced here in Scotland by a skilled and talented workforce. With their support and effort, I believe that we can overcome any challenges that lie ahead and develop Todd & Duncan to its full potential."

Scottish Enterprise Chief Executive Jack Perry said:

"The announcement by Dawson International to safeguard almost 200 jobs following Todd & Duncan's takeover by Ningxia Zhongyin Cashmere Company Ltd is excellent news and a vote of confidence for the Scottish economy at a time when we are all facing the unprecedented challenges of the global downturn.

"The investment further enhances Scotland's reputation as an attractive location for international companies and by working together in the future and strengthening our business relationships, Scotland and China can further benefit from our historical ties.

France : Mont Charles launches Sensuous Limited Edition Handbag Collection - Fashion News France

Mont Charles de Monaco, the premier high fashion label of the Principality of Monaco, has chosen Galeries Layfayette, Paris's leading luxury fashion department store, in order to enter the French market for its glamorous signature "Haute Maroquinerie" handbag collection.

Amidst the unique creativity of Paris Fashion Week, Mont Charles de Monaco launched its in-store boutique on Galeries Lafayette's superb luxury ground floor, below the beautiful glass dome built by famous French designer Louis Majorelle.

Sensuous Limited Edition Handbag Collection
Mont Charles de Monaco exclusive day and evening handbags are created in the most luxurious materials attainable, including fine leathers and superb exotic skins. Seasonal fashion colours compliment classic favourites.

Feminine shapes are inspired by the curves of today's woman, evoking the sensuality of the neckline, decollete and hips.

Designs appeal to the most modern and sophisticated of women - glamorous, avant-garde and refined. Women who understand that such an investment is timeless, and will never go out of fashion.

Haute Couture Fashion Show
Paris Fashion Week was also the scene of a unique catwalk fashion show collaboration involving Mont Charles de Monaco and renowned French haute couture designer, Christophe Guillarme.

Glamour Was Invented In Monaco
The world absolutely associates Monaco with glamour", stated Founder & CEO John Mclean. "Mont Charles de Monaco emphasises this, and adds a modern twist".

Yesterday's Glorious Dream, Today's Glamorous Reality
In 1861, HSH Prince Charles III of Monaco pursued a magnificent dream, founding the exclusive district of Monte Carlo - Italian for Mont Charles - and transforming his modest nation into an enduring symbol of style and prestige.

Today, almost a century and a half later, the timeless glamour of the Principality is evoked through the exquisite collections of Mont Charles de Monaco.

UK : Princess Diana: Eternal fashion icon & style influencer - Fashion News UK

Fashionable is an underrated word when you think of the charismatic princess of Wales. With breath taking looks and a spell bounding figure, Lady Diana had a picture perfect face and was a hit with photographers hopping around to capture her glimpses. She was the world leader of fashion and knew exactly how to dress according to the occasion diplomatically.

Her gowns had immense flairs and layering done with silk and sateen along with the detailing done with delicate embroideries, laces and stones.

With the passage of time, her outfits became simple yet sleek, with more emphases on her charismatic personality rather than her status of being the crowned princess of Great Britain.

The face that she could look sophisticated even in the simplest of attire made her very popular both in her personal and public life. Princess of Wales was undoubtedly one of the most influential fashion icons of all the times.

Click here to read the complete article.

Peru : Activists raise concern over alpaca trade - Textile Fashion News Fibre2Fashion

The business community of Pakistan needs to take more efficient efforts to explore Australia for trade expansion as it is a thriving economy of Asia Pacific region and can prove as a potential market for Pakistan, stated Ms. Fauzia Nasreen, the High Commissioner-designate to Australia, while, speaking to the business community at Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Though various Australian companies such as BHP Billiton, Clough Limited and the Snowy Mountains Engineering Corporation are already doing business in Pakistan, the business community in country should try to attract more joint ventures and investments by improving interaction with Australian counterparts, she added.

Ms. Nasreen assured the business persons of the country, that she will take all possible efforts to offer them facilitation services to enhance two-way trade. Businessmen should focus on quality and value-addition of the products to have better stand in Australian markets, she emphasized.

Further she added that diversification of export products is essential for enjoying better share in the region. She informed that receiving input from direct stakeholders and knowing about their proposals and suggestions regarding trade improvement with Australia were her major objectives behind paying visit to ICCI.

President, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), Mr. Zahid Maqbool mentioned during the event that last year bilateral trade between the two countries was just about $596 million, so there is a need to encourage frequent exchange of business delegations among both the countries to improve trade and economic relations between the two.

He further said that, Pakistani Commercial Counselors in foreign countries should spot various business prospects for Pakistan and try to establish their rapport with Chambers to facilitate businessmen to promote country’s international trade as Pakistani exports to Australia are limited to few products such as textiles, clothing, cotton and woven fabrics.

Australia should assist Pakistan to improve its agricultural productivity, and the sectors such as building and construction, mining, health are potential sectors of Pakistan’s economy for Australian investors, hence there is need to promote country’s image in these sectors, added Mr. Maqbool.