Ladybrille African Fashion News #4

Did anyone notice what is happening in South Africa with their fashion Weeks? It is the first installation of their winter fashion week but it appears they are having two winter fashion weeks in the same city. A bit confusing. I am unsure what purpose it serves. Audi Johanesburg Fall Fashion Week begins on February 14-17th. Of course that schedule is a very tough time as the global fashion industry and media converges in Las Vegas for the Magic show from Feb. 13th-16th. Before Magic, everyone runs from New York to London for Fashion Week, February 11th-16th. Of course, what these markets are doing becomes relevant only if SA wants international buyers to solicit their designers, order and have clothes made to be shipped to the West so we African and non-African fashion-foward ladies can have access to shop untill our hearts' content. Right after Audi is the SA Sanlam winter fashion week in March, also a Fall fashion week and also in the same city. Hence my confusion. Now, what is the sense in having two winter fashion weeks in the same city? Am I missing something? Anyway, here we go with our 4th installation of Ladybrille African Fashion News:

1. http://www.myjoyonline.com/archives/entertainment/200702/1436.asp
2. Legal Briefs
3. Boston-based Bain makes buyout offer for fashion retailer
4. Mixing a passion for fashion with social responsibility
5. Russell SImmons to Launch Raw Diamond Collection for Charity
6. U.S. Takes China Subsidy Issue to the WTO
7. SA designer collections to get platform in Germany
8. Seventeen reasons to go to Design Indaba
9. Winter fashions head for Sandton catwalk
10. Chinese textile companies forced to invest in Overseas countries ...

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Marc Jacobs Knockoff?

"Copy, copy!" is the term some Africans use to refer to those who lack creativity, originality and believe they should steal other people's work. The "Copy, copy" person and concept is, however, not unique to Africa. Indeed, it is a huge threat to the USA's national economy. For example, in fashion products alone, the International AntiCounterfeiting Coalition (IACC), a non-profit Washington D.C. based organization focused on combating product counterfeiting and piracy, estimates that approximately 18% of the $98 million of counterfeit products seized by U.S. Customs in 2002 were fashion-related items: apparel, sunglasses, watches, handbags and headwear.




In 2002, police raided New York's Chinatown retrieving over $125million in fashion goods including fake watches, handbags, sunglasses and wallets. The fashion industy is very much aware of how fakes hurt their bottom line and indeed at the forefront of aggressively fighting counterfeiters is the high end luxury brand Louis Vuitton. The company has hired top notch law firms, spent the requisite dollars for high billable hours and had some favorable results as to the counterfeiting of their products. So, of course, it was a real shock for me when I saw Marc Jacob, send Tote bags for the Spring 07 collection onto the runway. "You've gotta be kidding me," I thought. These bags are the exact replica seen in local African markets across the continent. I also now understand, upon further research, that they are also common in China. Really? It definitely brought up questions of fashion piracy in Africa of Africa fashion goods. What legal protection if any do African designers have in their work? Since they lack the resources to push their products in the Western market, how common is it for Western designers to find inspiration in Africa and shortly after or at some point show a replica of same bags, clothing, shoes and so forth on the runway?

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New York Fashion Week Fall 2007

New York Fashion Week is in full swing! For a whole week the city of New York will be invaded with brilliant style stars, fashion, fashion parties, fun and the latest way to keep a Ladybrille woman warm yet fashionable. It has been day three of the shows and I am ready to begin giving my impressions:

BRILLIANT DESIGNERS, Feb. 2nd to 5th, 2007

PERRY ELLIS

{Photo Credit: Marcio Madiera}

The entire Perry Ellis Fall 2007 collection would make great gifts for the hot man in your life, hey Valentine is just around the corner. The modernly classic, masculine and sleek elegance of this lifestyle driven label shows why the brand is successful, season after season. For a relaxed casual look, Perry Ellis warmed the runways with stylish turtle necks and long sleeve ribbed sweaters. The sweaters were paired with comfortable fitting tailored tweed and cotton blend pants. Jackets were structured yet some playful with their cropped length. The business side of life was not left out as models strolled down the runway in casual masculine elegance in sharply tailored warm and inviting suits in muted tones of gray, creams and tan colors. Accessories completing the fall look included neck scarfs and travel tote like bags for a quick jump on the plane to that next important meeting.

NAEEM KHAN

{Photo courtesy of Frazer Harrison}

Naeem Khan has only been in business for two years yet, he gets it when it comes to dressing women. The designer who comes from a legacy of designers [his family having designed and dressed Indian royalties} showed a very royal collection for his Fall'07 collection. Bold colors including use of metallic silver and gold was a common theme. Naeem also expanded his collection to use of fluid, soft silk fabrics juxaposed with simple, clean very feminine long silhouettes. Overall, a very beautiful collection. It is no surprise that his design style and understanding a woman's body helped in clinching the opportunity to design for the cast and likes of Beyonce and Jennifer Hudson in Dreamgirls. Brilliant, Naeem!

TRACY REESE {Photo Credit: Marcio Madeira}

Sexy, flirty, fun, confident, understands a woman's curves and takes the Ladybrille woman from office to night out with friends or a hot date, in a very brilliant way! For Fall '07, Tracy used red bold colors just as much as she did the trendy use of grays and tans. The luxurious feel of her fabrics where obvious by fabric selection of fine wool, among others, which draped nicely on the bodies of the models that strutted her runway. Her lines were clean, structured yet flirty and feminine. The Tracy Reese brand continues to grow as she diversifies and aligns herself with companies and products that help expand her brand name. For more of what personalities like Alicia Keys, Teri Higgins and Veronica Webb thought of Tracy's Fall Collection, check out the video below:


Diane Von Furstenberg

DVF's line really felt more like a visit to Africa although the theme was meant to be Latin inspired. Colorful bold design prints shaped into fun, playful and flirty silhouettes made it feel like designs that were Urban Africhic. Check out the video highlight:

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TowerBrook Capital buys up Jimmy Choo

Shoes on my feet, I got it," sang Beyonce in the hit song "Independent Woman" with now defunct music girl group, Destiny's Child. What Beyonce left out was that one of her favorite choices of shoes to keep her feet very "independent" are celebrities and fashion forward women's #1 choice,Jimmy Choo. With stars like J.Lo, Gywneth Paltrow, Sarah Jessica Parker and even Katie Holmes, the very successful shoe company, founded by Tamara Mellon, has now been sold to Tower Brook Capital. Tower Brook acquired Jimmy Choo for $364.5million dollars.

Needless to say, a huge profit for a company that started with only $150.000. At the time of sale, Jimmy Choo averages annual sales of 128 million, is sold in 60 shops globally and sells its shoes and hand bags at price points of $600.00 and above. Jimmy Choo's effective branding got it a spot in the fashion forward television series "Sex in the City" and the recent fashion movie "The Devil Wears Prada," among others. Last year, the company's popularity soared even higher when Mellon made an appearance on Oprah. The world, alas, became aware that while Jimmy Choo was indeed an Asian man, the owner of the Trademark and business operations was a very Ladybrille woman by the name of Tamara Mellon.

The sale of Jimmy Choo, of course, got me thinking of Africa's Jimmy Choo. Does Africa have its own Jimmy Choo? A shoe company that makes shoes that are shaped in very sexy silhouettes yet comfortable African fabrics? Shoes so haute they would have the Ladybrille woman clamoring to adorn her feet in their latest collection? Is there an African company that is positioned to not only make shoes in the caliber of Jimmy Choo's but also understand the importance of effective branding so that it can ultimately be worth $364.5 million or more, like Jimmy Choo?

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