fashion

“The new way of selling clothes seems to be not wearing them.”
(quoted from The Daily Mail)

I took this photo when I stopped by the Abercrombie & Fitch store in London some time ago just so that you can literally see what I mean.

This is the very first Abercrombie & Fitch store in Europe, which opened in May this year, and it instantly became an attraction.

I have very mixed feelings about it. I do like the clothes. They fit me very well, and the fabrics seem reasonably good. But that’s about all that I feel positive about the store.

Bizarrely, the store does not have any sign or any display window. As I was approaching the front entrance for the first time, I wasn’t entirely sure if this was Abercrombie & Fitch. I was relatively certain that it was, judging by the two preppy “doormen”. (I knew the brand’s image and reputation, but still, why were they there?) But it looked like the store was having a private press event, with very loud music pumping out from inside.

I saw some customers coming out with the A&F bags. Then I decided to just head in anyway (and walked past the mannequin who apparently forgot his shirt).

Inside, it felt like a club. For a clothing store, the lighting was too dark and the music was almost unbearably loud. (One of my friends told me that, while in the shop, he felt like ordering a gin & tonic from the staff.)

The shop staff, both boys and girls, were probably the most attractive group of sales assistants I had ever seen. Later I found that their proper job title is “in-store models“. No wonder. They certainly look modely…

Everything is pricey. A short-sleeved T-shirt costs 30 pounds (about 60 USD). I liked it when I tried it on, but I am not going to pay this amount of money just on a T-shirt.

Also, the Abercrombie & Fitch store is located at the southern end of Savile Row, the heart of the finest British bespoke tailoring. This is where a couple of my all-time favorite shops are, and I perfectly understand why they don’t like a mass-market chain store next to them.

Abercrombie & Fitch has certainly made its first store in Europe a shopper’s destination, but I am not sure they did it in the right way.

I would like to go on a bit more, but each thing I have mentioned had been written in much greater detail. If you are interested, I have selected some very relevant articles for you to enjoy.

On their criticized hiring policies
from (UK’s) The Daily Mail (This is by far the most interesting article I have come across regrading the launch of Abercrombie & Fitch in the UK. If you are not going to browse through all the articles, do read this one to find out what it is like to work in Abercrombie & Fitch as an “in-store model”.

“The company told us it was an equal opportunity employer. Funny, because all its visible staff are young and beautiful.”


On the huge mark-up in the UKfrom (UK’s) Evening Standard

“I was horrified that British teenagers are being expected to pay almost double the price of their American counterparts.”


On the impact of Savile Row
from Shopping Centers Today

“Exploiting the Savile Row name to attract high-paying retailers and businesses at the cost of this world-esteemed industry is shortsighted.”

Related Posts:

Zac Posen Spring & Summer 2008 Ready-to-Wear Collection
(one of my recent favorites)

The Marc Jacobs Boutique
(the first one in the UK)

The Jimmy Choo / Marks & Spencer Lawsuit
(What is your take on this?)

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Even though my blog is mostly about beauty, I do love fashion just as much.

I have been looking through various spring & summer 2008 ready-to-wear collections in the last few weeks, and one of the collections that I really like is Zac Posen’s.


It is a well-balanced collection with various elements. With wearable and editorial pieces, Zac Posen has created clean lines, feminine frills, timeless neutrals and bold shades. I especially love the gowns toward the end of the runway show (01:35 on the clip above).

Some of my other favorite pieces (the more colorful ones) are not shown in the video clip. You can see the entire runway show here and see the beautiful stills on the Vogue UK website.

Other Fashion Posts:

Emmys 2007 Mini Round-Up

Budget Fashion Favorite: River Island
(one of my favorite budget fashion lines in the UK)

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Emmys 2007 Fashion Mini Roundup

by PJ on Wednesday, September 19, 2007

in fashion, fashion - award fashion

I was watching The Emmys 2007’s red carpet coverage and the award ceremony on Sunday (which was early Monday morning here in the UK). Fashion-wise, it was disappointing. I couldn’t even come up with a top-5 best-dressed list. There are only 2 (well…2.5) this time:

Katherine Heigl (in Zac Posen)

This is a perfect modernized retro look. Delicate and demure. I like the whole proportion of the dress, and the dress moves well with her. The hair and makeup complete the ensemble seamlessly. This is a great overall success.

Ana Ortiz (in Escada)

If I were a stylist, I would not dress an actress in black for an award ceremony. But I think Ana Ortiz shows us how to wear black and still stands out in the midst of all the black tuxedos (as you can see in the photo). The simple dress has a great shimmer (almost a dark purple shimmer, as I saw on the TV screen), and she looks sassy and vibrant. Everything else is kept simple, which is the right thing to do.

These are the only two looks that I like. Other than those, Marcia Cross‘ earrings deserve a mention. They are great statement pieces, in a gorgeous color. They go with the style and the color of her hair so well. (I am not so crazy about the dress though….)

There are many disappointments from my usual favorites. I usually like Helen Mirren, Debra Messing and Eva Longoria. They looked nice, but nice is almost not enough! (Maybe it is only because I do expect more from them…)

Helen Mirren‘s dress is a tad too fussy. Her hair doesn’t suit her this time, as it is too messy and relaxed. I do give her credits for trying to be versatile with shorter hair, which she has normally done superbly well.

Eva Longoria looked fresh and glamorous. But I am not a fan of shorter dresses at major award ceremonies…

Debra Messing‘s look is simple and classic but it is slightly too sterile for my personal liking. I always like to see her pull off something bold (and I don’t care what others say).

I am tempted to mention some badly dressed celebrities, but then this post could run very long…so I think I will stop here and bring you some related fashion reports:

Couture Patrol: Costume Institute Gala 2007
(There were some great gowns…)

Best-Dressed at Oscars 2007
(Let’s remind ourselves of how movie stars do award ceremonies…)

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Blog Sphere Trotting: The Well-Heeled Society

by PJ on Tuesday, August 28, 2007

in fashion

(screen capture from The Well-Heeled Society)

The Well-Heeled Society is immediately memorable.

I love the simple design of the blog. Clean, chic, and fuss-free. All the visual feast is in the servings of gorgeous shoe fashion. Apart from marveling at some great shoe designs, I like the regular Happiness Is… (link updated) on Sundays. It brings a smile to my face.

It is not just a blog about fabulous shoes. It is a writer’s blog as well.

Celebrating individuality and independence, Felicia writes with eloquence, wit, and precision. It is a blog I check out daily, and I invite you to have a look too.

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Newsflash! ShopVogue.TV Goes Live Tomorrow

by PJ on Monday, August 20, 2007

in fashion

(image from ShopVogue.TV)

ShopVogue.TV, launched tomorrow, will be one of the ultimate on-line fashion destinations.

The virtual press conference earlier today revealed all the exciting features:

Shop
Locate your next fashion find by trend, brand, or even price. You will be able to go straight to all major designers’ on-line shops.

Watch
Watch the catwalk shows and behind-the-scene footages. The great thing is that the featured items (clothes and accessories) in the footages are individually displayed alongside, with all the information you need.

Share
Upload images of your fashion exploration. That is, fashion in the most general sense — a vintage handbag, a perfect red lipstick, or a stunning holiday destination.

Beauty fanatics can watch 60 Seconds to Chic, featuring on-trend makeup tips. Also, the beauty section under Share will be a new place to share your stash with the rest of the world!

ShopVogue.TV is launched on August 21st. I will surely have a good browse tomorrow…

Other fashion topics:
Full Fashioned 2007, Nottingham UK
Marc Jacob in London

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Fashion City: Nottingham, UK

by PJ on Sunday, June 17, 2007

in fashion

(Pictured: one of Yoo Kyung Chun’s designs
at Fully Fashioned 2007)

Last Thursday, I was at a graduation fashion show (titled “Fully Fashioned”) which featured designs by students from the course in Fashion Knitwear Design and Knitted Textiles, BA (Hons), at Nottingham Trent University.

(Pictured: the program sheet)

The course has an internationally established reputation and there was a wonderful buzz for the occasion. Family and friends of the students waited excitedly to see all the creations. (Maybe there were some industry experts and talent scouts as well.)

Each of the 32 participating students created six pieces for the show, so there was a great range of designs to see.

Several students’ designs really stood out for me. Rebecca Rodrigues‘ long dresses had a wonderfully light and sultry flow to them, which was pleasant to see for knitwear.

(Pictured: Rebecca Rodrigues’ design
from the Fully Fashioned catalogue)


Joanne Crosedale‘s designs played with the dimensionality and malleability of knitted textiles and showed off their sense of substance. The simple color scheme accentuated the light and shade of the details.

(Pictured: Joanne Crosedale’s design
from the Fully Fashioned catalogue)


Yoo Kyung Chun‘s collection oozed oriental sensitivity and I adored the attention to detail. It also had that unassuming sophistication that I found very appealing.

(Pictured: Yoo Kyung Chun’s design
from the Fully Fashion catalogue)


Overall it was a brilliant experience, and I am pretty sure I have seen some stars of the future.

I spent the next day roaming around the city center, and I discovered more of the city’s fashion connections.

Nottingham has a population of 260,000 and is not really one of the UK’s largest cities (it is only the UK’s 29th most populated city). But I found that there was a surprisingly wide array of shops. Apart from high-end boutiques like Paul Smith and Huge Boss, there were many interesting independent shops. For a city this size, the range of choice is very impressive, and, shopping-wise, it is nearly as good as cities like Birmingham and Glasgow, which have twice and three times the population of Nottingham respectively.

There is also a historical connection. Nottingham was heavily based on the textile industry in the 18th and 19th century and used to be globally important in manufacturing lace.

(Unfortunately, the city’s Museum of Costume and Textile has been closed permanently to the public.)

(Pictured: The Lace Centre)


Nottingham is also the birthplace of Paul Smith, one of the best British designers (and certainly one of my all-time favorites), and he started his career and opened his first boutique in Nottingham.

(Pictured: Paul Smith’s current boutique in Nottingham)

So, I see Nottingham as a city of fashion and style, with a solid history in textiles and a future to look out for.

By the way, just when I was about to arrive at the train station to leave Nottingham, I saw an independent cosmetics shop. I walked in and was surprised to find the discontinued Calvin Klein makeup collection. After making sure the quality was sound, I bought one of the eyeshadows (and my score for Nottingham’s shopping went up even more). I will talk about the eyeshadow later.

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Couture Patrol: Costume Institute Gala 2007

by PJ on Friday, May 25, 2007

in fashion

The annual Metropolitan Museum’s Costume Institute Gala is a celebration of fashion, couture, and fine tailoring. Whereas celebrities tend to stay with classic designs for award ceremonies like the Oscars, they can really explore their personal style in events like this.

Here are a few of my favorites:

Liv Tyler (in Calvin Klein)

I have said it before that the colors in the aquamarine-turquoise spectrum are some of my favorite shades. They are not the easiest to wear, but here Liv Tyler shows us how it is done. The simple shape of the dress is great for this color, and her red lips provide the perfect accent color.

Lucy Liu (in Zac Posen)

I love everything about this dress. The color is fantastic while the fitted cut and the ruffled tail elongate Lucy’s frame. Gold is the accent color here, and it is right for her to keep the makeup clean and fresh. She looks like a princess!

Iman (in Stella McCartney)

The androgynous look has been quite popular, but it can look either too over-done or lackluster. Iman does it right by incorporating feminine touches like the low-cut vest and the loose wavy hair. Chic and sophisticated, and not overly masculine.

Cameron Diaz (in Christian Dior)

I have to say Cameron Diaz doesn’t always get it right, but here I think she looks great. It is quite a flamboyant look (especially if you compare it with Lucy Liu’s dress of a similar color), but she is able to put it off. (Not a lot of people can carry off this look. I’d imagine Charlize Theron probably can, but not many else.) Her choice of big turquoise jewelry is just as daring, but everything works well together.

Jennifer Hudson (in Michael Kors)

Full-on glamor for Jennifer. It is much better than what she wore at the Oscars this year. Off-the-shoulder cut is always one of my personal favorite design features, and the metalic shine looks stunning on Jennifer.

Kate Moss (in Kate Moss for Topshop)

I am actually never a fan of Kate Moss, ever. I also think most pieces of her collection for Topshop are disappointingly average. But I will give it to her this time. This black dress is demure and elegant, and she wears it very well.

Here, makeup-wise, smoky eyes are still very in. But overall, a clean and minimal look is a natural and sensible choice, as it goes well with the larger-than-life couture pieces. Less is definitely more when it comes to makeup in this case!

Related site: Metropolitan Museum Costume Institute

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Both owned by LVMH, Guerlain and Pucci have put together a makeup collection that is going to be the talk of summer 2007.

Most items feature the iconic Pucci print. Look out for Guerlain’s equally iconic meteorites powder sporting the classic pattern.

I am not really a Pucci fan. But I will be very interested in checking out the collection, especially the new lipgloss in Sparking Sea, which is a sheer aquamarine lipgloss (the sort of sheer, blue/green lipgloss I love to collect).

In the UK, the collection will be out on April 14 in Harvey Nichols, Selfridges, and Harrods, and will be available nationwide on May 19 (information from Grazia magazine).

(Edited on April 24, 2007: The collection is now available online at Harrods.)

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Marc Jacobs Boutique in Mayfair, London

by PJ on Sunday, March 25, 2007

in -Marc Jacobs, fashion

(Marc Jacobs boutique in London)

When I knew that Marc Jacobs opened his first UK boutique in London, I just had to go there and have a look.

It is not on Bond Street or Sloane Street, where fashion boutiques cluster. It is on the quiet and quaint Mount Street in the center of Mayfair, although it is not too far from the hustle and bustle of Bond Street and Oxford Street.

(London’s Mayfair)

It is a modest-sized boutique and everything is conveniently on one floor. The layout is neat, with women’s fashion on the left side and menswear on the right, accessories in the front and clothings in the back. There are also fragrances (Blush being one of my favorites) and home-ware between accessories and clothing.

The approachable staff members were exceptionally friendly and helpful, answering all my questions, as I was browsing all the luxurious handbags. The atmosphere was very easy and relaxing.

Just as I was going through to the men’s clothing section, I noticed some funky T-shirts with bright colors and catchy prints. To my surprise, they were only 14 pounds. (Some of them were made for charity.) I was not planning to buy anything, but if I could find something I liked at 14 pounds by Marc Jacobs…why not? And I did. I found a salmon-pink top with nice subtle patterns. There were also some affordable hats and belts (around 30 pounds) to choose from.

Overall it was a very good experience. I didn’t expect to stay for almost 45 minutes and I didn’t expect to buy something without seriously damaging my bank balance. I will definitely go back again. Even though I still won’t be able to afford any quilted handbag, at least I know the service and atmosphere will be enjoyable.

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Here we go:

1. Meryl Streep

She is a great actress, but…I don’t even know where to begin with this. Could she possibly think this looked good?? All the elements were wrong *AND* they clash with one another. The thing is, I can hardly recall any of her red carpet look that was anywhere near remotely good.

2. Queen Latifah (Carmen Marc Valvo)

I was disappointed. She usually looked great, so I expected her to do so much better. The cut of the dress doesn’t compliment her figure at all, and the horizontal stripes are doing all the wrong things.

3. Cameron Diaz (Valentino)

Another disappointment, especially after my positive comment on her Golden Globe look. High-fashion as this dress is, it is far from a red-carpet dress. She looked messy and lacked sophistication.

4. Kirsten Dunst (Chanel Couture)

This dress makes her look shorter and older. The cut of the upper half of the dress doesn’t suit her shape and makes her look like she has no shoulders. The bottom half is fussy and dragging her down.

5. Jennifer Hudson (Oscar de la Renta)

From no shoulder to too much of it. I like the dress itself. Fabulous color. It’s the metalic shoulder jacket that seems very redundant. It is bad enough to destroy the whole look. Too rock-star and not red-carpet enough for me.

This concludes my award season fashion coverage. The next post will be back to my top 10 makeup collections for this season.

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