Paweł Lewandowski
Tini Tani
Manuella Lupascu
Millie V R
Austin Levine
Models present cashmere creations during China (Lingwu) International Cashmere Design Contest in Lingwu City of northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, on Sept. 4, 2010.
China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) said Thursday it would urge industrial enterprises to produce high-quality products as part of the effort to enhance the image of "made in China."
The Ministry would also draw up a blacklist displaying the names of those firms breaching quality-related regulations, said Li Yizhong, Minister of the MIIT.
The MIIT would reward those companies that have good records for producing quality products with increased policy and funding support, and punish those with poor quality-control records, said Li at a forum held in Beijing which focused on how to improve the quality and reputation of Chinese industrial products.
During the forum, 156 Chinese firms signed a written proposal "promising to make quality products for the world," and called upon their peers in China to raise the quality of industrial products.
As the global economy has shown signs of picking up, Hong Kong’s value of total retail sales in July 2010, provisionally estimated at HK$27.2 billion, up 18.9% over a year earlier, according to the latest figures released by the Census and Statistics Department.
Taking the first seven months of 2010 together, total retail sales increased by 18.0% in value or 14.9% in volume over the same period a year earlier. Footwear and allied products and other clothing accessories (+18.2%); commodities in department stores (+16.2%); wearing apparel (+14.1%); miscellaneous consumer goods (+9.9%); food, alcoholic drinks and tobacco (+7.3%); furniture and fixtures (+7.1%); commodities in supermarkets (+4.7%); and fuels (+4.0%).
Luxury goods company Burberry is set to complete the purchase of its 50 stores in China in the coming months, with 43 outlets already acquired.
The GBP70m (US$108m) deal with Hong Kong-based franchisee Kwok Hang Holdings, first announced in July, is designed to pave the way for the company to expand its store footprint in China.
Burberry has previously indicated that it believes there is scope to open a total of at least 100 stores in the country, building on its strong brand awareness with a series of digital marketing initiatives.
This transaction is in line with Burberry's strategy of unifying the brand around the world, while at the same time increasing its exposure to retail and to high-growth luxury markets, the company said.
The transaction is expected to add up to GBP20m to group operating profit in the 2011/12 fiscal year.
Sales in the 50 stores reached GBP75m in the year to December 2009, generating operating profit of GBP14m.
Models present creations at the "Dalian Cup" Young Designer Contest held in Dalian, northeast China's Liaoning Province, Sept. 4, 2010. Creations of 38 young designers were presented during the contest.
Models present creations during a Versace's autumn/winter 2010/2011 fashion show in Dalian, northeast China's Liaoning Province, Sept. 4, 2010.
Victoria Beckham joined Twitter just in time!
"So honoured to be nominated for designer brand of the year from the British Fashion Council!!!!in love and light x VB x," the popster turned style icon tweeted this afternoon.
Competing against Beckham's collection, which is shown in New York but manufactuerd in London, for the illustrious honor are fellow U.K. heavyweights Mulberry, Burberry and Pringle.
To put her achievement into perspective, Beckham's label is two years??or four seasons??old, while Burberry has been around since 1856, Pringle since 1951.
The British Fashion Awards will be handed out Dec. 7. Among the other names that stand out is Transformers 3 newcomer Rosie Huntington-Whitely, a nominee for Model of the Year.
Mill demand during the reporting week continued to concentrate on cotton available until the end of the year 2010. Interest existed in both, medium staple and fine/extra fine varieties. However the potential in the origins as well as in the domestic warehouses remained considerably reduced in quantity and in quality.
Additionally, the new crop is still in the fields and it is not yet precisely foreseeable when the first lots will be prepared for delivery. The cotton quotations at the New York futures market and the Cotlook A index (Far East) went up distinctly in the past week. In general, cotton prices continued their firm tendency.
In the Upland range the conclusion of contracts was registered in Central Asian medium to lower grades for September through December 2010 and for dates in the 1st quarter 2011; Syrian types for September through December 2010; West African styles for September through December 2010 and for March through July 2011; furthermore Greek descriptions for December 2010 through July 2011.
From among the fine/extra fine varieties were traded: Egyptian GIZA 86 and 88 for September through November 2010; Sudan Barakat for the same period of time, and Israel and US Pima for January through June 2011.
H&M (Hennes & Mauritz AB) is proud to announce that its next designer collaboration will be with Lanvin, one of the most influential brands of the 21st century. Designed by Lanvin’s artistic director Alber Elbaz, and menswear designer Lucas Ossendrijver, the collection will go on sale on November 23 in around 200 H&M stores worldwide.
The collection of both womenswear and menswear will be revealed to the world on November 2, just three weeks before the clothes hit the store, making the launch of Lanvin for H&M among the most anticipated fashion events of the year.
"H&M approached us to collaborate, and see if we could translate the dream we created at Lanvin to a wider audience, not just a dress for less. I have said in the past that I would never do a mass-market collection, but what intrigued me was the idea of H&M going luxury rather than Lanvin going public. This has been an exceptional exercise, where two companies at opposite poles can work together because we share the same philosophy of bringing joy and beauty to men and women around the world.” Alber Elbaz, artistic director of Lanvin.
"We are thrilled about Lanvin’s collection for H&M, it is such an exciting moment. Lanvin will bring to H&M a luxurious French tradition that is also modern and playful. It is very much a Lanvin collection, using their cut and tailoring, with lots of focus on form and details for both women and men. The launch in November is going to be full of wonderful surprises.” Margareta van den Bosch, creative advisor at H&M.
Since joining Lanvin as artistic director in 2001, Alber Elbaz has transformed the Paris-based label, founded in 1889 by Jeanne Lanvin, into a fashion powerhouse bursting with ideas and creativity. Alber Elbaz has pioneered there some of the biggest trends of the past decade - ribbon, bows, pearls, raw edges, sumptuous colour and metallic embellishment among many others.
Alber Elbaz has a mastery of cut and an instinct for cloth which leaves a very personal signature on his work, ensuring that all Lanvin clothes are instantly recognizable. Since the introduction of a new menswear line in 2006, Alber Elbaz has also transformed the male wardrobe, bringing a relaxed elegance to men’s clothing which is as special as the womenswear.
Lanvin is the latest brand to collaborate with H&M, with previous collections designed by the likes of Karl Lagerfeld, Stella McCartney, Comme des Garçons and Sonia Rykiel. In a new twist, the Lanvin for H&M collection will be revealed to the world through a special film which will be launched on November 2. The film will be available for all to see online. Following the film’s debut, it will be just three weeks before customers have the chance to get their hands on a covetable piece of Lanvin for H&M.
Italian fashion house Dolce & Gabbana will stop the distribution of its two main lines at London shopping temple Selfridges after reports of a dispute over space in the department store chain, the designers said on Thursday.
The announcement followed reports in the British media last month of a "row" between the glamorous fashion duo -- Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana -- and Selfridges over in-store positions.
"Given the unavailability in Selfridges stores of ideal spaces which could fit with Dolce & Gabbana and D&G brands levels and expectations, the Group decided to discontinue the distribution of both brands' collections through the department store," the fashion duo said in a statement.
"This decision is consistent with the group's constant work to always ensure the best expression of brand and to preserve its image."
British fashion magazine Drapers has reported that Selfridges, one of the world's leading department stores, would no longer stock premium brand Dolce & Gabbana nor its D&G brand from spring 2011 in order to "refresh its brand mix."
Selfridges was not immediately reachable for comment.
The department store chain, bought by Canadian businessman Galen Weston in 2003, had sales up 6 percent to 809 million pounds ($1.25 billion) in the year ended in January 2009, according to Selfridge's website.
Dolce & Gabbana, who have recently renewed their partnership with pop icon Madonna, reported a 13.5 percent drop in wholesale sales to 1.379 billion euros in the fiscal year ended in March, as the downturn took its toll on the demand for luxury items.
