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Fashion Journal

May 15, 2013 Kelsey Peterson

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Table of Contents

Page Number

Entry #1 3 Entry #2 6 Entry #3 10 Entry #4 11 Entry #5 12 Entry #6 13 Entry #7 14 Entry #8 15 Entry #9 18 Entry #10 19 Entry #11 20 Entry #12 21 Entry #13 22 Entry #14 23

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Entry #1: Women’s Wear Daily- December 1, 2012

The brand Mochicano Jeans is launching a new type of jeans with the cosmetics concept aloe vera being added to it. These new jeans are taking on cosmetic qualities designed to add skin care, combat wrinkling, sagging and weight gain by incorporating nanoparticles of aloe vera in the cotton fibers. When wearing these jeans the particles come in contact with the skin providing vitamin E, amino acids, enzymes and antioxidants while reducing the appearance of cellulite and stretch marks through stimulate cell growth. The downside of the jeans is that the effects are only active up to 40 washes and will lose the cosmetic properties. It’s not surprising to see these cosmetic features making their way into our clothing but for some people they may find this to be an advantage to help anti-aging.

Jeans Enter the Beauty Domain

BERLIN — Jeans have long been the popular way to help women look cool, fit and sexy with styles, silhouettes and construction details that lift, push up and shape the wearer. Now in their latest episode of reinvention, denim brands are taking on cosmetic qualities designed to add skin care and combat wrinkling, sagging and even weight gain.

Chilean brand Mohicano Jeans launched a jeans cosmetics concept with aloe vera, while its new Denim Therapy collection features jeans with anticellulite properties. As brand manager Ricardo Cuevas explained, “The Denim Therapy collection was created with the latest technology, incorporating nanoparticles of aloe vera in the cotton fibers. When these particles come in contact with the skin, they provide several vitamins, such as vitamin E, amino acids, enzymes and antioxidants, reducing the appearance of cellulite and stretch marks. These stimulate cell growth, collagen and elastin.”

The latter, as the name suggests, helps cells that have been stretched to snap back to their original shape, not unlike the way stretch fibers have been enhanced to improve their recovery.

Cuevas claimed that after “wearing the jeans for at least six hours per day for 15 days, this special denim will have increased the skin’s hydration by about 11.5 percent. It’s a hypoallergenic fabric — ideal for sensitive skin — and prevents odors and the formation of mites.” Results were verified by a study conducted by Brazilian firm Kosmoscience that tested the jeans on women with dry skin. Kosmoscience is the same firm that certifies the skin-care claims for cosmetics firms such as Unilever, Revlon and Natura.

In order for the jeans to last longer, Mohicano recommended washing inside-out

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at 86 degrees with a neutral detergent and hang-drying them without wringing them first.

The downside is that the effects of these aloe vera nanoparticles are active for up to 40 washes, after which the jeans lose the cosmetic properties and become essentially just a regular pair of jeans. They are set to retail for about $85.

Similar benefits are found in Wrangler’s new Denim Spa Therapy for Legs collection, which has anticellulite, moisturizers and other natural elements infused into the denim. “This is a revolutionary product that will change women’s jeans forever,” declared Adam Kakembo, vice president of product. “They look great and feel great, but the real difference is that these soft jeans moisturize your skin as you wear them.”

The jeans’ therapeutic finishes have aloe vera or olive extracts to soothe the skin. The company claims that the collection’s jeans contain circulation-boosting and cellulite-reducing elements, and also feature moisturizers and a delicate jasmine fragrance.

Kakembo said the jeans were tested in a trial involving 160 women. “Two-thirds said their thighs were more attractive after four weeks with everyday wear,” he reported.

He further noted that the initial loading of cosmetic ingredients would provide benefits for 15 days of wear or four to six washes. The olive extract and aloe vera treatment is expected to last six to eight washes. After that, they need to be sprayed to reload the effects. They retail for 99.95 euros, or about $130.50 at current exchange.

Amsterdam-based Gsus Sindustries launched its “made by instinct” program with aloe vera denim for women.

The denim is dipped in an extract of the aloe vera plant and the result is a special finish on the inside of the jeans. The aloe vera bonds to the fibers of the denim, allowing it to moisturize the skin each time it is worn. There is no particularly different smell to the jeans, but what is noticeable is that they get softer as they are worn.

“Originating from Sudan, this plant has been used thousands of years for its healthy effects, protecting the skin against early aging and UV light,” brand creative director Jan Schrijver explained. “The aloe vera in our jeans help to protect the skin from premature aging by reducing the effects that noxious pollutants and UV exert upon us. It’s all about looking good while feeling great in your jeans.”

To test the longevity of the jeans, Gsus’ laundry intensively washed them 30

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times and still detected the presence of aloe vera. One drawback is that Gsus does not yet have a way to keep the aloe vera in the jeans. They are working on and testing a spray can filled with aloe vera liquid to replenish the effects.

The aloe vera jeans are manufactured in Tunisia and retail for 89.95 euros, or about $117.47 at current exchange.

Italian brand LeRock has taken its cosmetic concept one step further with jeans it claims reduce the size of hips and thighs 0.7 inches every time you wear them. Eve LeRock, created by Luca Berti, professes to dissolve fat and fight cellulite and it backs the claim with tests carried out on 20 women by the University of Pavia.

“These jeans are able to fight the dimples that appear in women’s legs due to heredity or weight gain. Our Eve jeans are loaded with complex cosmetics that dissolve fat accumulation, promote drainage and prevent excess water retention,” Berti commented.

The cosmetic jeans are a collaboration with Florence Bombard, a French cosmetologist specializing in skin care. The fabric of the jeans is equipped with microcapsules that release when they come in contact with the skin and due to the natural massage obtained by walking.

“The fibers of the jeans are infused with a patented drug that includes three components: caffeine, escin and vitamin E,” Berti explained. “Caffeine is responsible for dissolving fat storage; escin (also known as horse chestnut) is used to promote microcirculation and protects the skin, and finally, vitamin E is an antioxidant element.

“Combining these elements in the fabric manages to dramatically reduce fat mass by just wearing the jeans because these active ingredients continue to work as we carry on our daily life of either sitting in the office or walking down the street,” he continued.

These effects have a duration of 28 days, allowing for four washes in 86-degree water. After this period, the fibers in the jeans have to be recharged with the fluid provided in a 50-ml. bottle.

Each pair of jeans comes with one free cosmetic kit and additional cosmetic supplies costs 25 euros, or about $32. Eve LeRock dark denim retails for 180 euros, or about $235, and the lighter wash is 210 euros, or about $275.

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Entry #2: New York Times- December 18, 2012

Industry experts say e-commerce is an important factor for men’s wear because affluent men appear to be somewhat predisposed to buying in an online environment. Men spend 30 percent less time browsing online than women, viewing fewer pages before, which is why online shopping is perfect for men. Research shows that online sales of men’s clothing accounted for 5.1 percent of total retail sales last year, which was almost at par with women’s clothing at 5.6 percent. With most men seeking a straightforward shopping experience they prefer to shop online to achieve certain looks. I think the online shopping environment is perfect for men because online shopping makes it easy and simple to find what you’re looking for which can be a different experience when shopping in an actual store.

Online Appeals to the Male of the Species

With its enviable growth forecast to continue through 2012 and beyond, men’s fashion looks more and more like a bountiful land of opportunity just waiting to be conquered. Ultimately, however, victory may well be determined by men at the online checkout.

Fashion executives and industry experts say e-commerce is an especially important factor for men’s wear because affluent men appear to be somewhat predisposed to buying in an online environment.

Leveraging this untapped purchasing power, they say, is as much a matter of understanding men’s online consumer behavior as it is about investing in new product development, fine-tuning the male marketing voice or getting the merchandise mix just right.

“Men aren’t necessarily driven to the Internet because of its value proposition, but rather because it’s more suited to their shopping habits,” says Ashma Kunde, a global apparel research analyst for the market research company Euromonitor International. “For them, the shopping experience is less about exploration and more about being informed about what they should be buying. The Internet allows them to access this information and advice with relative ease and peace, without being hassled by shop assistants.”

That view is echoed at Yoox Group, one of the major companies for high-end men’s fashion online. Its chief executive, Federico Marchetti, says men’s wear sales are growing in all the group’s stores, including Yoox.com , the multibrand site that offers a substantial men’s selection; TheCorner.com , a men’s-only site

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introduced in 2008; and dozens of monobrand online stores that the group operates for designers from Armani to Zegna.

He notes that men in the 26-to-35 age bracket now account for one-third of all Yoox Group clients.

“Men don’t shop; they buy,” Mr. Marchetti says. “Men spend 30 percent less time browsing online than women, viewing fewer pages before purchasing, which shows why online shopping is the perfect solution for them.”

For market observers like Raffaello Napoleone, who do business with a diverse range of online operators, the picture is more nuanced.

As chief executive of the Italian men’s wear trade show Pitti Immagine Uomo, Mr. Napoleone hears from the full spectrum of buyers, from tiny trendsetting boutiques that have just opened e-commerce arms to the online giants without any physical retail presence.

“While women usually search online by designer and use e-commerce like an online catalogue, men do it more by product and are inspired by the ultimate trends. It is true that men can be very utilitarian in the way they use the Internet, going straight to the point and leaving little time for discovering new things or ideas,” he says.

“But on certain occasions, they can actually spend more time searching than women do because they are looking for more reassurance and want to make sure that what they pick will be appropriate and make them feel at ease,” he explains.

Hana Ben-Shabat, a partner based in New York specializing in apparel retailing with the management consultancy company A.T. Kearney, sees less of a clear delineation between the online behavior of the sexes.

“All this about e-commerce taking the hassle of shopping away from men — I think it’s a bit too simplistic,” she says, adding that she believes men “are just more interested and open to buying fashion than before.”

According to a 2011 survey by the consultants Bain & Co., the global luxury sector was worth $240 billion and men’s wear represented 40 percent of the total luxury fashion market. It grew 14 percent last year. In contrast, women’s wear grew just 8 percent.

When all price points are included, the men’s clothing market was worth about $429 billion in 2011, according to Euromonitor International. The research company calculated that online sales of men’s clothing accounted for 5.1 percent of total retail sales last year, which was almost at par with women’s clothing, at 5.6 percent.

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Sales growth online of men’s wear increased 9.9 percent from 2010 to 2011, close on the heels of women’s sales growth, at 10.2 percent.

As chief executive of Farfetch.com, José Neves is an e-commerce maverick who has witnessed great strides for men’s wear in recent years and attributes part of the sector’s success to the peculiarities of the male consumer’s behavior.

Men’s wear “performs as strongly as women’s wear on a sales-per-item level, which is amazing given that we have a wider women’s offer and that a lot of our communication is directed at our female customer,” says Mr. Neves, whose business model is unusual in that the site serves as an online marketplace selling designer wear from more than a hundred independent multibrand boutiques on four continents — the likes of which include such storied retailers as H. Lorenzo in Los Angeles, the B Store in London and Société Anonyme in Florence.

“My gut feeling is that high-end, directional men’s wear is very well suited for the online channel because men are less impulsive, more crowd-averse, brand loyal, and when they know the exact item they want to buy from the right brand, they don’t mind paying for shipping and tolerate having to wait a few days for that special item,” Mr. Neves says.

Mr. Marchetti of Yoox Group believes that a heightened sense of brand loyalty “through thick and thin” is a particular characteristic of men shopping for fashion online. He cites typical brand loyalty rates that are twice as high among the company’s male clientele as those of its female clients.

“This is because men are more likely to create a fixed and invariable personal style, sticking with a limited range of labels,” he says.

One market expert who agrees that there is a different online reality for men’s wear is Andrea Derricks, an associate at L2, a research organization based in New York specializing in digital innovation that scores brands in the fashion and luxury industries through an annual Digital IQ Index.

“Most men are seeking straightforward shopping experiences to help achieve certain looks. They prefer to shop online and in offline men’s-only stores that speak directly to them — those that curate these looks and provide content to guide their purchasing decisions,” says Ms. Derricks, who points to the recent collaboration of the online retailer Mr Porter, at mrporter.com , with the U.S. television show “Suits,” which culminated in a Suits & Style microsite and a Suit Yourself iPhone app that allowed the user to build outfits from the e-tailer’s product line.

Gilt Groupe’s Park & Bond , a full-price men’s online site introduced late last year following the introduction of its flash-sale site, GiltMan.com , also shows how editorial content is being used to streamline an already tightly curated offering of

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head-to-toe looks.

In addition to how-to guides and style manuals, the e-tailer has partnered with the U.S. edition of GQ magazine to have editors handpick a monthly selection of designer items featured in the magazine and make them available to purchase through parkandbond.com.

For its part, GQ has announced an unrelated shop-the-look app that will be available in time for the release of its September issue.

GQ Live will include interactive technology, augmented reality and click-through features to social media as well as to yet unnamed men’s e-commerce sites.

Such “smart social experiences and simplified e-commerce platforms have allowed brands to gain awareness and increase men’s wear sales online,” Ms. Derricks says.

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Entry #3: Vogue Fashion Trend

A fashion trend that has been seen in many designs in the past couple seasons have been prints. Designer Veronica Etro said the spring 2013 collection prints were done very strong and that you can’t really mix them. The collection took a singular position on its prints but rendered the prints that transpired from it in a relatively clean way. Some of the dresses featured in this collection had different touches so the prints wouldn’t look too two-dimensional.

Etro/Spring 2013 RTW Backstage just before her show, designer Veronica Etro, of the Etro dynasty, made a startling comment. “The prints we’ve done are so strong,” she said, “that you can’t really mix them.” In a season where a cacophonous clash of hothouse, Hawaiian, and hallucinogenic flora has created a pattern for spring (quite literally), Etro is taking a singular position on its prints. The house, like others here in Milan, has felt the call of the Deco twenties. Yet Veronica Etro has rendered the prints that transpired from it in a relatively clean way, streamlining their chevron and ziggurat motifs into a series of gorgeous flapper dresses, cut loose through the waist and falling into hems that fluttered with plissé layers, or as a border of slashed pleats, or ones that swished with silk fringing. Other dresses had pretty touches of dégradé fade out around the shoulders, so that the prints didn’t look too two-dimensional. “There are only dresses, really, few pants,” Etro went on to say. “And because they are so elaborate, you don’t really need any accessories.” No accessories? From a Milanese designer? Etro had plenty, of course—flat envelope purses in graphic formations of claret, seafoam, and shell pink, and a rather snazzily jazzy gold-and-black kitten-heel sandal—but you get her point. In a city that’s no stranger to ladling it on, the look that is dominating many of the collections this season—the highly decorative dress that moves with softness and lightness, and doesn’t get much more adorned beyond that—delineates the new approach Milan is bringing to its usual concerns of exuberant artisanal handwork and detailing. The workmanship is still there, it’s just getting treated with a gentler, subtler, and—if this doesn’t sound oxymoronic (or even just plain old moronic)—more minimalist hand. That these prints accounted for this collection’s loveliest and liveliest moments is no surprise; they’re the company’s raison d’être, and Etro worked hard to take them far beyond a clichéd replay of Art Deco tropes, referencing, amongst other inspirations, the work of 1920s Italian Futurist painter Fortunato Depero. “Well, we’ve been doing them a long time,” she said, laughing. “Even back in the minimalist nineties!”

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Entry #4: Fashion Observation

A fashion observation from spring 2013 is cutouts in a variety of clothing from tops to dresses. This is a newer trend that has been seen more and more this season and has been shown on many runways and in stores. In these different types of clothing we see exposed cutouts at the chest, waist and everywhere else. Each season we see fashion observations and how they play into the latest trends in fashion. Last season there wasn’t nearly as many cutouts in clothing as were seeing this season. In many pieces of clothing its made to have to skin exposed which there’s more of now then there used to be.

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Entry #5: Cross-Over Trends

I chose Target to look for trends that are seen in soft and hard line merchandise. One trend that I noticed in both soft

and hard line merchandise was the prints and patterns on all different products. Much of the furniture shown which included chairs and stools featured colored prints and

accents on them. When looking at the clothing I noticed many of the same types of prints such as floral and stripes which were similar to what was seen on the furniture. Then I looked at bedding where I also noticed many similar prints that I’d

seen on furniture and clothing. Another trend I noticed in soft and hard merchandise was the studs shown on a variety of

items. Studs on shoes are very popular and commonly seen. From sandals to sneakers studs were very commonly seen.

Another item that studs were also seen on were purses and wallets. From a large to small detail this was seen on a lot of

the accessories. Aside from seeing studs on clothing and accessories I also noticed it on home décor items including

pillows. Another trend that I have seen throughout soft and hard line colored merchandise is the color mint. From a variety

of clothing including dresses, pants to swimsuits the color mint is quite popular. I also noticed this trend color on items in the home décor section such as bath towels and rugs. Lastly I noticed this trend on bicycles, which I wasn’t too surprised by

since this color has been seen almost everywhere, and on everything. Other trends that have been very popular recently for the season are neon and lots of coral and turquoise for the

season.

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Entry #6: WGSN Trend Reports

After reviewing WGSN trend reports the trends that were spotted in the store were supported in many of the trend

reports. Many of the trend reports featured a lot about the different type of prints were currently seeing and not just in

clothing. Since mint has been such a popular color this season many of the reports touched on what products mint has

shown up on. Studs and neon were also very common in the trend reports for the season.

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Entry #7: Color & Fabric Trends

Delft Blue Floral Silk Crepe de Chine, 100% Silk, Country of Origin: China Light Rust Solid Cotton Sateen, 100% Cotton, Country of Origin: United States

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Entry #8: Global Trends

Tokyo: Women’s Wear Oversized Outerwear

Three popular trends in Tokyo for women’s wear are oversized outerwear, relaxed-fit jeans and checks and plaid patterns. I think in the next two seasons jeans will become more fixed instead of the relaxed look since skinny jeans currently remain so popular in stores now. The oversized outwear look will evolve and change over time along with the patterns on pants.

Checks & Plaid Relaxed-Fit Jeans

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Paris: Women’s Wear Festive Sparkle Pleated Skirt

Fur Trim

Three popular trends in Paris for women’s wear are festive sparkles, pleated skirts and fur trims. In the next two seasons I think the pleated skirt will change styles and there will be a new trim around coats and jackets. Sparkles are seasonal and will probably change over time. Sparkles tend to be more popular near the holiday winter months so we don’t see as much during the spring and summer seasons.

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London: Women’s Wear

Oversized Outwear Leather

Cropped Tailored Trouser

Three popular trends in London for women’s wear is oversized outwear, leather and cropped tailored trousers. Over the next two seasons I think leather will continue to be trend and stay in style and the oversized outwear may change and become something different. The tailored trouser may stay in style for a while based on the popularity of it. This is a style still seen in stores today so I don’t see it changing very soon.

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Entry #9: Visual Displays

Piper Boutique had window displays that really stood out and could catch someone’s attention walking by. In one window there was a long sleeve button up color shirt

paired with a silver skirt. The other window showed a short dress along with a knit sweater next to it. I thought the displays really stood out to someone passing by and they picked great outfits to display. I think the statement jewelry also makes an impact to catch someone’s eye walking by.

BCBG Maxazria displays used lots of color and were perfect for the holidays. One window featured sophisticated outfits paired with bright colored handbags. This display really caught my attention right away and I loved

the colors they chose for the outfits and accessories. The other window display featured a short and long blue dress, which was perfect for the holidays. The bright colors chosen really make to easy to catch someone’s attention.

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Entry #10: Trend From A New Movie

With the recent release of The Great Gatsby we are now seeing new fashion trends that are in high demand due to this film. Thanks to The Great Gatsby the 1920’s feminine flapper style is becoming one of this spring’s hottest fashion trends. Women are now about getting this Gatsby look, which includes fathered capes, headpieces and costume jewelry. People are now purchasing flapper dresses and fake pearls after the craze this movie created. Tiffany & Co. has even come out with their own jewelry collection for The Great Gatsby along with other retailers. This has become a trend for the season, which its

power is driven by novelty. This movie has had a big influence on this feminine flapper style becoming one this season’s fashion trends.

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Entry #11: Designer Collections

I viewed Marc Jacobs’s fall/winter 2013 women’s ready to wear collection. This collection featured a lot of black, white and gray in many of the items shown. The high heels shown in an animal print and other colors featured a chunky heel. Aside from the shoes the accessories such as purses also featured an animal print look. There was a mixture of black, gray and white throughout many of Marc Jacobs’s pieces. A department store featuring other similar designers may include Marc Jacobs’s designs. Department stores such as Nordstrom’s, Bloomingdales’, and Neiman-Marcus would carry these designs. I like the simplicity of this collection and the classic feel it gives off. There isn’t much color in this fall/winter collection but I the different accents give it a unique feel.

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Entry #12: Job Descriptions Fashion Designer: The job of a fashion designer is to create designs for clothing, footwear or accessories. They are responsible for creating and producing the design while keeping up to date with emerging trends. Other responsibilities include oversea production, work with customers and suppliers and adapt existing designs for mass production. They generally work on high street fashion, ready-to-wear or haute couture. Buyer: The job of a buyer is select and order apparel that will be sold in stores. A buyer must be able predict and make purchases for future seasons trends at least a year in advance. They make sure that the products at a store are appealing to customers and are responsible for finding the clothes and accessories for that store. Buyers have to have an understanding of how certain items sold in previous years to predict how they may sell in the future. They have to be able to predict two to three years out on which items will sell at what price. Product Development Manager: The job of a product development manager is to make sure that a company’s products do not become outdated or unmarkable. They coordinate the drive to create new products based on a market analysis and strategy. They’re responsible for managing the entire product line life cycle starting from strategic planning to tactical activities along with analyzing potential partner relationships for the product.

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Entry #13: Fashion Don’ts

Don’t wear clothes that don’t fit your body type. It’s unflattering and it’s important to know your body to see what fits you best. Don’t wear gym shoes with dresses or skirts. It’s an unflattering look that should never be done.

Don’t buy expensive designer trend items that will go out of style the next season. Instead find cheaper versions of these items so you’re not wasting your money on the designer version. Don’t go overboard with the piercings. Too many body piercings can look overwhelming and not appropriate.

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Entry #14: Career Opportunities One possible career opportunity that interests me would be a fashion buyer. A buyer would be a good fit for me because being able to choose the items that are sold in a department store or boutique allows the buyer to possibly attend fashion shows around the world giving them at first hand look at the newest fashions. I enjoy a challenge and learning about what people like and want to see more of. I feel that being a buyer would give me opportunities that would be a good fit for me. Another possible career opportunity would be a visual merchandiser. I think visual merchandising could be a good fit for me because they work with contributing to the advertising, marketing and sales efforts of the store by working on the visual look and merchandise of the store. Creating visual displays in store windows and sales floor allows the visual merchandiser to execute their ideas and merchandising strategies. I feel that this job would give me the chance to present my ideas and create displays that reflect that in a store. The other possible career opportunity that would possibly be a good fit for me would be a product development manager. They work with the development and planning along with finding opportunities in the marketing of consumer products. The key is to be able to take a product from concept to commercialization. I enjoy the marketing aspect of the business and working on promotional planning plus sales forecasting. I feel like this job would challenge me but also bring out my biggest strengths at the same time.