A new kind of Fashion Week

Let's face it. The clothes displayed during Fashion Week aren't exactly wearable. Some outfits are too conceptual, some too complicated and quite a few are too revealing. The ideas are gorgeous, but for those who don't have a creative mindset, it can be difficult to buy into a trend when we don't know how exactly to wear it.

A new kind of fashion show that debuted in 2013 will help fashion-followers on how to take a more modest approach to trends: the Christian Fashion Week.

Started by Jose and Myra Gomez, this is a fashion week dedicated to honoring Christian designers, as well as audiences who don't want to show off everything they've got. The 2014 show was done in Tampa, Florida this month, displaying 16 designers from all over the world.

Reporter Jessica Misener observed the show to see what exactly a Christian Fashion Week looks like. While some of her observations seem silly, most of them really give a great idea as to what this event means.

One of the great details  is that women audience members are encouraged to feel the fabric and ask questions about the garments. According to Misener, everyone was very open and friendly- a characteristic not normally attributed to the fashion world.

Techno Fashion: 3D Printing to Virtual Reality

Technology is everywhere now. From your smartphone to Bluetooth to even Google Glass, the world's computerized inventions are difficult to escape. Some feel overwhelmed and find difficulty in keeping up. Fashion designers, though, have found key strategies to staying relevant.

Designers have engineered into their plans the key technologies of today. A few designers even figured out how to revamp some that would be considered old news.

Wearable technology has taken on a new meaning with the invention of 3D printers. This is not just useable in fitness fashion anymore, but in high fashion as well. On Feb. 19, the Wearable Technology Fashion Show was put on in New York to give U.S. designers an opportunity to display their creativity.

ContinuumFashion showed 3D printed shoes that they say are 'not just for the runway'. The Laser Girls created an actual 3D printed nail, where the patterns you print in your nail protrude out. This really increases texture and interest.

Perhaps the most useful (and slightly mind blowing) invention there was this bag.

Created by Asher Levine, "The Grenade Bag" is made with "unconventional" materials paired with Bluetooth technology. It connects with your smartphone so you can essentially track your own bag if it ever gets lost.

 Other uses

During London's Fashion Week, the London retailer Topshop gave its customers a chance to experience their show very close up, from very far away. They used headsets made to give a 'virtual front-row' experience while live streaming the fashion show from their shop. Customers not only got to view the fashion show itself, but they got to venture backstage as well.

French designers Cacharel, Calla and Surface to Air have teamed up with Toyota to design the outside of the Yaris Hybrid Graphic automobile. Instead of putting technology into their fashion, these designers are putting their fashion sense onto technology. The three cars will be one of a kind. However, they will be seen around Paris driving VIPs that are there for the ready-to-wear season that starts today.

JCPenney: How are they doing?

Some may know that last year JCPenney had a difficult time. The company's new CEO took a radical approach to bring in a younger, wealthier market that largely backfired. (Go to this previous blog post of mine to learn more.)

To fix these problems, now CEO Myron Ullman did something bold: he went with honesty.

The commercial above proves that it is a sincere attempt to get their loyal customers back in their stores. However, it is difficult to tell if this approach is working.

Support
 
There was a lot of support from key stakeholders when Ullman took over in the middle of 2013, but at the end of the year that support waned. Soros Fund Management, one of the hedge fund industry's most closely watched investors according to Herbst-Bayliss, left JCPenney at the end of 2013.

Soros has earned it's investors about $40 billion, so when it backed JCPenney soon after the abrupt change in CEO, worries over the company's well-being subsided. Soros leaving JCPenney has recreated that worry.

Furthermore, over the last year JCPenney's stock prices have fallen over 60 percent and shares have lost 86 percent of their value since February 2012. 

Cutting Costs

Ullman also announced in January of 2014 that they will be closing 33 stores around the country, affecting 2,000 jobs. Ullman remained optimistic in his statement of the closings, saying that they want to close their 'underperforming' stores so that JCPenney can ready 'for future success'.

The only store closing in Colorado will be in Colorado Springs at the Chapel Hills Mall. Take a look at the full list (linked towards the beginning of the article). 

Sales

Despite what seem to be hard losses to come back from, Ullman is very positive about the future of the company. They reported that their key revenue measure grew 2 percent over the holiday season. In November and December, the sales metric rose 3.1 percent.

A good point D'Innocenzio and Chapman point out though is that many stores greatly discounted this past holiday season to bring in customers due to the state of the economy. They say it is unclear what kind of sales gains "came at the expense of profits" for JCPenney. 

Moncler Grenoble: An extravagent pressentation

At this year's New York Fashion Week, Moncler Grenoble displayed their clothes using delightfully unexpected tactics.

Moncler displayed the clothes to become part of the performance; to be incomplete without it.

This is not the first year they have used such theatrics to display fashion lines. The Fall Winter 2012-2013 show utilized a chorus and ice skaters. The Fall Winter 2013-2014 line was displayed in what was called "The Human Forest Show".

What was most enjoyable about these displays is that unexpected talents were brought in. I would never have thought ice skating would be a good way to display fashion. It goes to show that models aren't the only ones with the "runway" talent.

I am back!

Hello blog readers!

I have not been present here in a while. Having been a senior in college, I (unfortunately) got distracted with the mountain of assignments I needed to complete. However, I am graduated now and excited to continue with this fun blog!!

I tried out another site this past week and wrote about a great trend. Check it out here!

I am excited to see what exciting things we can find in the fashion world. Comment and let me know if there is anything you would like me to cover.  

The trend of color wedding dresses

Alex Statham, 21, knew she found the dress as she awed at the mirror. This dress is on sale, fits her theme and makes her feel special.

"It has a beige flower belt and some champagne colored leaf-shaped threading," Statham said. "I picked it because it really embodied my fall theme with the warm colors and, let’s be honest, I looked pretty darn good in it."

Color wedding dresses have recently become a trend in wedding fashion. It is not so unheard of to see pictures of brides in dresses that are colors like blush or red. However, despite the innovativeness, brides are not flocking to this new idea.

According to the owner of Encore Bridal, 39-year-old Jessica Brostron, only a certain type of bride will go for the color wedding dress.

"They’re very nontraditional, older and it’s their second or third marriage," Brostron said. "They’re going to be in Vegas or they’re not getting married in a church." .

Younger brides who opt for a color wedding dress often have a gothic type style, according to Brostron.

This is a drastically different idea from a white wedding dress.

"I think some people wear white dresses on their wedding [day] as a symbol of their faith and the purity they bring to the marriage," Aften Woodard, a 22-year-old bride-to-be, said.

For Woodard, this representation is very important.

"That symbol alone could talk me into never wearing a colored dress," Woodard said.

According to Jennie Ma, the fashion and beauty editor of The Knot Magazine, 99 percent of brides wear white on their wedding day. The idea came from Queen Victoria's wedding in 1840 when she wore an inspiring white dress.

Before this wedding, brides just wore fancy and beautiful dresses.

Encore Bridal has sold three color wedding dresses in the past five years. Brostron does not have a stock of them because not enough customers are interested. If a bride wants to order one, she treats it as a custom order.

Statham is part of that one percent of nontraditional. When she shopped for her wedding dress, she kept an open mind.

"All I knew was that I wanted [my dress] to be unique, but I was open to all sorts of shapes and colors and details," Statham said.

Her openness to color came from the love of vintage looks that certain colors, like blush and ivory, gave.

"I was open to all ideas except for pure white," Statham said. "To me white seemed so sterile."

Brostron and Woodard both do not see brides straying much from the whites or ivories.

"Brides will stick with white and ivory for tradition and [so they can] stand out as the bride," Brostron said.

Statham sees this trend differently though.

"I think our generation as a whole is moving away from the traditional wedding expectations in favor of a more customized, personal event," Statham said. "I think that the wedding dress can play a big part in that."

John Galliano: From fashion designer to teacher

Over the past couple years, John Galliano has become famous for his actions. He exhibited racism and, regardless of his talent, was fired from Christian Dior. What he is planning to do now may surprise you.

Galliano is going to teach.

Parsons The New School for Design has hired him to teach a three-day master class. They say they chose Galliano because of his talents, and think the students will be able to learn a lot from him.

Parsons recognizes the controversy that follows him. However, they realize he has worked to make amends for his mistakes.

Since his racist comments, Galliano has apologized to the public and attended rehab for alcohol and drugs.

Undoubtedly, the students at Parsons have heard more about his comments then what he has done to amend it. Students could choose to enroll to his class because of that news coverage. It would be interesting to see the interactions between him and his students for those three days.