March 1, 2005

Marc Jacobs
Marc Jacobs was born in New York City on April 9, 1963. After graduating from the High School of Art and Design in 1981, he entered Parson’s School of Design.

As a design student at Parson’s, Jacobs was the recipient of some of the school’s highest honors. He was awarded the Perry Ellis Gold Thimble Award, the Chester Weinberg Gold Thimble Award and the Design Student of the Year Award all in 1984. While still at Parson’s, Jacobs also designed and sold his first collection of hand-knit sweaters. The collection was designed for Ruben Thomas, Inc. under the “sketchbook” label. 1984 also brought the beginning of a partnership with Robert Duffy, called Jacobs Duffy Designs Inc., which is still intact today.

In 1986, backed by Kashiyama USA, Inc., Jacobs designed his first collection bearing the Marc Jacobs label. The following year, Jacobs received the distinct honor of being the youngest designer ever to be awarded the fashion industry’s highest tribute: The Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) Perry Ellis Award for New Fashion Talent.

In 1989, Jacobs and Duffy joined Perry Ellis. Duffy was named President and Jacobs was named Vice President of Women’s Design. While at Perry Ellis, Jacobs oversaw the design of various women’s licensees as well as creating the designer collection. In 1992, the CFDA once again bestowed Jacobs with a distinct honor: the Women’s Designer of the Year Award.

In the fall of 1993, Jacobs Duffy Designs Inc. launched their own licensing and design company: Marc Jacobs International Company, L.P. In 1994, the company signed its first licensing agreement with Renown Look and Mitsubishi for distribution of the Marc Jacobs Designer Collection in Japan. Soon after, Iris S.R.L. signed on as the licensee for the men’s and women’s shoe collections. The factory, located in Venice Italy, continues to produce all Marc Jacobs Shoes.

1997 proved to be a big year for the company. In January, Jacobs and Duffy joined Louis Vuitton, Jacobs as Artistic Director and Duffy as Studio Director. In this position, Jacobs works on many of the French luxury house’s lines including men’s and women’s ready-to-wear, shoes, small leather goods and scarves. Later that year, the first Marc Jacobs store opened at 163 Mercer Street in New York’s Soho district and Jacobs was recognized by the CFDA a third time, winning Women’s Designer of the Year. At the VH1 Fashion Awards in the fall of 1998, Jacobs received the Women’s Designer of the Year Award and in 1999 he was named Accessory Designer of the Year by the CFDA.

Marc Jacobs International launched its first handbag collection in the spring of 2000. The line is available at all Marc Jacobs stores as well as fine department stores and specialty boutiques. Later that year, Juergen Teller shot the company’s first ad campaign. A second Marc Jacobs store was opened on San Francisco’s historic Maiden Lane in August 2000. The store features the women’s and men’s collections as well as shoes and handbags. In September, the first freestanding men’s store opened its doors at 403 Bleecker Street in Manhattan’s West Village.

December 2000 brought the signing of a third licensee. This time the company paired with Isa Seta, an Italian company based outside Milan, to produce men’s and women’s scarves. Jacobs introduced the secondary line, Marc by Marc Jacobs, for spring 2001. The clothing and accessories in this line are sold at fine department stores and specialty stores nationwide.

In September 2001, the company launched its first perfume in conjunction with Parfums Givenchy under the name Marc Jacobs.
source: www.wikipedia.com

March 1, 2005

Juicy Couture
“Juicy Couture” was co-founded in 1994 by Pamela Skaist-Levy and Gela Nash-Taylor, wife of John Taylor from Duran Duran. It was originally “Travis Jeans”, a line of maternity jeans named after Gela’s son, Travis. In 2003 Juicy Couture was purchased by Liz Claiborne Inc., when Liz Claiborne purchased Travis Jeans Inc, who owned all of Juicy assets. Pam and Gela remained co-presidents of the company, and remain the creative minds behind Juicy Couture.

Juicy Couture is a stylish contemporary line of casual apparel based in Pacoima, California. It was originally popular on the West Coast of the United States, but its popularity has since spread. Its markets now include the United States, Canada, Asia, and Europe. Their fashion lines originally focused on womens’ sweat suits and sportswear. Juicy Couture added collections for men and children in 2002, and in 2004 bathing suits and accessories for women, including shoes, handbags and jewelery were added to Juicy’s line. Juicy is very well-known for their sweatpants, and velour tracksuits, which were made famous by the many celebrities who had been seen sporting them. Fun slogans often adorn Juicy apparel, such as “Choose Juicy” and “Dude, Where’s my Couture?”. The signature Juicy Crest, as well as the phrases “Love, P&G” are stitched on the inside tag of each item of Juicy apparel. Juicy Couture is sold in upscale department stores, specialty stores, and at the Juicy Couture store.
source: www.wikipedia.com

February 4, 2005

Furla
Designer label Furla manucatures bags, small leather goods, watches, key-rings and beautiful accessories. Furla is also the name for a way of being and a life-style.

Furla has become internationally famous for its leather accessories, as they stock a classy selection of modern handbags and purses. No casual type of bag here; everything is sleek, beautifully made and immaculate. The merchandise gleams with perfection where the quality of the leather is the main feature of each item.

Feminine and functional is how women have been describing Furla designs for over 70 years. No wonder the third-generation Italian company is busily expanding its presence worldwide as it benefits from the current trend dictating a softer, feminine way of dressing.

Furla, the landmark Italian accessories company has been part of Bologna’s fashion history since the18th century. Already a strong presence with boutiques in Italy, Paris, Japan and NYC’s Madison Avenue, the family-owned company recently opened a second boutique down in trendy SoHo where it hopes to attract a new younger generation of customers.

Every Furla collection is the result of research and interpretation,which takes account of the past and observes the present, with the future in mind, because Furla believe that the true virtue of elegance lies not in its power to amaze, but to interpret what is new and translate it into a style.
source: www.indelibles.com

February 2, 2005

Gucci
Like many other high-fashion companies, Gucci began as a small, family-owned saddlery and leather goods store. Guccio Gucci was the son of an Italian merchant from the country’s northern manufacturing region. As a young man, he quickly built a reputation for quality, hiring the best craftsmen he could find to work in his atelier. In 1938, Gucci expanded and a boutique was opened in Rome. Guccio was responsible for designing many of the company’s most notable products. In 1947, Gucci introduced the bamboo handle handbag, which is still a company mainstay. During the 1950s, Gucci also developed the trademark striped webbing, which was derived from the saddle girth, and the suede moccasin with a metal bit.

Guccio and his wife Aida Calvelli had a large family, six children in all, though only his sons-Vasco, Aldo, Ugo, and Rodolfo-would play a role in leading the company. After Guccio’s death in 1953, Aldo helped lead the company to a position of international prominence, opening the company’s first boutiques in London, Paris and New York. Even in Gucci’s fledgling years, the family was notorious for its ferocious infighting. Disputes regarding inheritances, stock holdings, and day-to-day operations of the stores often divided the family and led to alliances. As Gucci expanded overseas, board meetings about the company’s future often ended with tempers flaring and luggage and purses flying. Gucci targeted the Far East for further expansion in the late 1960s, opening stores in Hong Kong and Tokyo. At that time, the company also developed its famous GG logo (Guccio Gucci’s initials), the Flora silk scarf (worn prominently by Hollywood actress Grace Kelly), and the Jackie O shoulder bag, made famous by Jackie Kennedy, the wife of U.S. President John F. Kennedy.

Gucci remained one of the premier luxury goods establishments in the world until the late 1970s, when a series of disastrous business decisions and family quarrels brought the company to the verge of bankruptcy. At the time, brothers Aldo and Rodolfo controlled equal 50% shares of the company, though Aldo felt that his brother contributed less to the company than he and his sons did. In 1979, Aldo developed the Gucci Accessories Collection, or GAC, intended to bolster the sales for the Gucci Parfums sector, which his sons controlled. GAC consisted of small accessories, such as cosmetic bags, lighters, and pens, which were priced at considerably lower points than the other items in the company’s accessories catalogue. Aldo relegated control of Parfums to his son Roberto in an effort to weaken Rodolfo’s control of the overall operations of the company.

Though the Gucci Accessories Collection was well received, it proved to be the destabilizing force that brought the Gucci dynasty crashing down. Within a few years, the Parfums division began outselling the Accessories division. The newly-founded wholesaling business had brought the once-exclusive brand to over a thousand stores in the United States alone with the GAC line, deteriorating the brand’s standing with fashionable customers. “In the 1960s and 1970s,” writes Vanity Fair editor Graydon Carter, “Gucci had been at the pinnacle of chic, thanks to icons such as Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly, and Jacqueline Onassis. But by the 1980s, Gucci had lost its appeal, becoming a tacky airport brand.”

It didn’t take long before counterfeiters ravaged the company’s pomp by flooding the market with cheap knockoffs, further tarnishing the Gucci name. Meanwhile, infighting was taking its toll on the operations of the company back in Italy: Rodolfo and Aldo squabbled over the Parfums division, of which Rodolfo controlled a meager 20% stake. By the mid-1980s, when Aldo was convicted of tax evasion in the United States by the testimony of his own son, the outrageous headlines of gossip magazines generated as much publicity for Gucci as its designs.

Rodolfo’s death in 1983 caused a major shakeup in the company when he left his 50% stake in Gucci to his son, Maurizio Gucci. Maurizio allied with Aldo’s son Paolo to gain control of the Board of Directors and established the Gucci Licensing division in the Netherlands for tax purposes. “This action would later have a drastic impact on the outcome of the company’s dispute with the world’s largest luxury goods company, LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton.) Following the decision, the rest of the family left the company and, for the first time in years, one man was at the helm of Gucci. Maurizio sought to bury the fighting that had torn the company and his family apart and turned to talent outside of the company for Gucci’s future.
source: www.wikipedia.com

January 19, 2005

Zac Posen
In 2001, designer Zac Posen was barely old enough to legally toast the immediate success of his start-up business-and at the time, was garnering almost as much press attention for his age as for his comely creations. A favorite of young Hollywood, Posen’s design style is not exactly trend-oriented; instead, his pieces have a timeless nostalgia to them, with bias-cut silhouettes, ruffled satin draping and fishtail hems that often mirror the mastery of Christian Dior and Madame Vionnet. Backed by Sean Combs since 2004, Posen is gearing up to expand his company, planning a menswear collection and a lower-priced bridge line. For his partnership with denim geniuses 7 For All Mankind, Posen has designed three styles of limited-edition jeans made with special Z rivets and a Zac Posen pendant. Pricey but popular, they’re available at Neiman Marcus at only one per customer, per style.

Born in Brooklyn in 1980, Zac Posen attended the St. Ann’s School for the Arts and Parsons School of Design in New York, and Central St. Martins College in London, but soon abandoned school to pursue his career. At sixteen, the precocious Posen interned at the Metropolitan Museum’s Costume Institute, under the tutelage of Richard Martin; two years later he interned at Nicole Miller, then served as a design assistant at Tocca. A spot in Gen Art’s 2001 Fresh Faces in Fashion show put Posen on the fast track with his fans, as well as his peers. After the success of his first major runway show in 2004, Posen was awarded the CFDA Swarovski-Perry Ellis Award for Ready-to-Wear.
source: www.style.com

January 9, 2005

Betsey Johnson
Not for the fashion faint of heart, the Betsey Johnson collection has the same whimsical, over-the-top exuberance as its spirited namesake designer – a woman who cartwheels down the end of her fashion show runways. Founded in 1978 with ex-model Chantal Bacon, in conjunction with their first Soho retail store, Johnson’s eponymous label remains true to its original vision, and now boasts a network of stores worldwide. In business nearly 30 years, the designer recently purchased a Mexican hotel and added an infant-to-young girls collection to the company. The “original wild child,” Johnson still owns the majority of her organic homegrown label and continues to pull the strings as dramatically as she wants.

Colorful and capricious, a celebration of exuberance. Froth, embellishment, detail and sexiness describe the clothes, which can range from pink tulle ballerina skirts to silver micro-minis, floral-patterned stretch lace tanks and embroidered lace dresses. It’s a collection that’s embraced by both the prom-going set and long-time fans that are all grown-up.

Betsey Johnson’s love of movement and costumes stems from her days as a dancer. Later, as part of the Warhol scene in the sixties, Johnson put the velvet in the Velvet Underground (she later married band member John Cale) and dressed legendary models Twiggy and Verushka; Edie Sedgwick served as house fit model. Her foray into retail began with the Betsey Bunki Nini boutique in 1969. Now in her 60s, Johnson, seems unstoppable, and the awards continue to pile up: In 1999, the CFDA created the Timeless Talent Award just for her, and in 2002, she was inducted into the Fashion Walk of Fame on New York City’s Seventh Avenue. A survivor of breast cancer, Johnson remains an advocate in fighting the disease, creating one-of-a-kind items for auction and serving as Honorary Chairperson for the Fashion Targets Breast Cancer initiative.
source: www.encyclopedia.com

January 9, 2005

Hermes (air-mez)
The legendary French luxury goods house began as a saddle maker in Paris in 1880 under the name of Hermes-Freres. By the 20s Hermes had the patent for the zipper in France, and introduced the first ladies bags with zip closures. The company expanded into riding gloves, belts, and men and women’s sportswear, and designed the now famous travel trunks to meet needs of the new automobile drivers.

The infamous Kelly bag debuted in 1956 after Grace Kelly used a large crocodile handbag to hide her pregnancy. In the 1970s the first women’s shoe collection and the first complete men’s ready-to-wear collection were introduced.

Actress Jane Birkin replaced her old straw purse with a leather Hermes number in 1984, and started the rage that is the Birkin bag. Today the Birkin remains to have the longest waiting list of any luxury accessory-about six years. Hermes also has a complete home line, bed and bath linens, furniture, silverware, crystal and porcelain, office accessories, and baby gifts. In 2003 French designer Jean-Paul Gaultier joined the house as the women’s ready-to-wear designer and debuted his first collection for Fall/Winter 2004-05. In June 2004 perfumer Jean Claude Ellena took a post as the in-house perfumer and launched the successful Hermessence scent.

The height of luxury with a nod to the house’s equestrian heritage-sheared mink jackets, velvet jodhpurs, fringed blanket jackets, leather car coats, kilts. The accessories line has structured bags, belts with chunky hardware, signature printed silk scarves, and riding boots.

Paris-born Gaultier started his first fashion job in 1970, working for Pierre Cardin after school. It was at Jacques Esterel, however, where he honed his skills and developed his controversial signature style. In 1978, he launched his namesake line, and in the 80s he became quite a personality, taking on a role as a presenter on the campy Brit TV show, Eurotrash. Madonna commissioned him to design the clothes for her Blonde Ambition tour, where he produced her trademark pointed basque and bra and thus cemented his cult status. In 2003, Gaultier took over as chief designer at Hermes.

Hermes now make so many beautiful handbags of all shapes and sizes. Some of the most famous are:
Kelly Bag 1956 – named after Grace Kelly who was shown on the cover of Life magazine, holding the bag. Here is a picture.
Constance Bag – Jackie Onassis wore this shoulder bag with the double strap and big H clasp, so often that people often ask for the Jackie O bag.
Birkin Bag 1984 – named after Jane Birkin, the film star and model of the 1960′s, who met Jean-Louis when struggling to get her handbag on a plane overhead locker. There is a one-year waiting list for ladies ordering this bag.
source: www.nymag.com

January 7, 2005

Botkier
Monica Botkier was born in Brooklyn, New York. She first delved into the fashion industry as a photographer, shooting for several national magazines such as Seventeen, Nylon, Surface and Fitness. Always on the go and loaded up with all the essential items a fashion photographer must carry, Monica found herself longing for an easier way to maintain her things. The solution would be to find a bag that is roomy, yet chic enough to be trotted in front of the industry’s scrutinizing eye. Instead of searching for such an item, Monica simply decided to create her own. Functional and wearable, stylish and detailed – the Botkier Trigger Bag was born.

As Monica set out to make a perfect handbag for herself, she had no idea how much attention her first creation would receive. The overwhelming response from Monica’s friends and fashion editors inspired her to “spread the wealth.” In 2003, she launched the very first Botkier collection, which since has continued to grow and expand. From supple leathers and delicious colors, to tons of fun accessories to play with, Botkier bags establish a personality of their own – clean and classic, while incredibly sexy.

Monica’s vision of the ideal handbag combines personal style with long lasting utility. Each creation becomes an ageless and indispensable part of its owner’s wardrobe. And just like the woman wearing it, each bag has a story.

Botkier bags have found a devoted fan base here in the U.S., and are favored by fashionistas all around the globe. Donned by the likes of Gwyneth Paltrow, Sarah Jessica Parker and Lindsay Lohan, Botkier bags are a permanent item on the celebrity “must have list” as well.
source: www.botkier.com

January 2, 2005

Louis Vuitton
Louis Vuitton began manufacturing trunks in Paris in 1854, and the company he started went on to become one of the world’s most famous makers of luxury goods, known especially for its designer luggage pattern: a beige-on-chestnut monogram, “LV.” Vuitton’s high-quality travelling trunks were such a hit that he had to expand his factory within a few years, relocating to Asnieres in 1860. As the years went by the Vuitton line gained international recognition, thanks in part to a bronze medal at the 1867 World’s Fair and a gold medal at the 1889 World’s Fair, both held in Paris. After Louis died in 1892, his son, Georges, took the company to new heights, developing what is recognized as the first “designer label” on a product. (Widespread copying of Vuitton patterns pushed Georges to design the distinctive “LV” monogram.) Vuitton’s luggage company has since become a world leader in luxury consumer goods, with products that include travel books, perfume, distilled spirits and designer clothing.

Georges Vuitton is also credited with developing Vuitton’s unique five-combination lock. . In 1936, after Georges died, his son, Gaston-Louis, took the helm of the company. . In 1983 the Louis Vuitton company joined with America’s Cup to form the Vuitton Cup, a preliminary competition – called an eliminatory regatta – for the world’s most prestigious yacht race. . In 1998 Vuitton entered the world of high fashion with the designs of Marc Jacobs.
source: www.answer.com