fashion&cosmetics: decorative hardware

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2008年11月5日星期三

Lucky Brand Jeans

Lucky Brand Jeans is a denim company from Vernon, California, United States, founded in 1990 by Gene Montesano and Barry Perlman. A subsidiary of the Liz Claiborne fashion company, they also produce sportswear, outerwear, T-shirts and active wear. Lucky Brand product is available through the 150 company-owned stores in the U.S. and, Puerto Rico, and 3 company-owned stores in Europe. The jeans can also be bought in Canada and the United Arab Emirates. In the U.S. they are also sold at major department store chains including Bloomingdale's, Macy’s, Lord & Taylor, Nordstrom, Belk and Dillard’s, as well as smaller specialty chains like Buckle.

Liz Claiborne Inc. acquired 85% of Lucky Brand Jeans in May 1999. In 2005, the company expanded its line to include clothing for infants through age 10. In 2006, the company opened Lucky Brand Jeans Kid stores, which are stores that exclusively sell childrens' clothing.

Product
Denim is the major selling point of the company, making up about 60% of business. Lucky Brand Jeans have two four-leaf clovers and the phrase "LUCKY YOU" stitched onto the fly sheild of every pair of men's and women's jeans. Products are manufactured in the USA, Mexico and Sri Lanka. All USA-manufactured Lucky jeans are made in Vernon, near downtown Los Angeles. In addition, the jeans manufactured in the United States are all hand-made, and all the detailing is hand done, except for the actual washing process.

Their core women's fits include (in order from lowest to highest rise):

Lil' Maggie: Ultra Low Rise, Small Flare. Cut low in the front, and a little higher in the back. Comes in at the knee. Great for mini-hourglasses. where you have a little gapping problem. Also good for women with wider hips. and medium thighs.

Sweet Dream: Ultra low rise, small boot cut, doesn't cut in at the knee as much. The front is even with the back, not curved in the hip. Great for women with wider hips without a well defined natural waist. Great for Volleyball players.

Sundown (Straight Leg, Bootleg, Wide Leg): Lower mid rise. Cut even from front to back. Slightly comes in at the knee. Great for women with wider hips, and a smaller/flatter butt. Medium thigh room, though the Straight Leg is slightly narrower. Conservative rise, and bottom opening. Although a low-rise cut by the standards of traditional jean styling, the overall look an feel is of a typical five-pocket jean.

Lola Bootleg: Lower mid rise. Reinforced waist band. Cut a little lower in the front, and scoops up in the back. Great for women who have fuller butts with wider hips, and slimmer legs. Conservative boot leg.

Sweet n' Low: For the Lola Bootleg customer that has lightly bigger thighs. They come up a little higher, even from front to back. Fuller cut in the butt and thighs.

Classic Rider (NOTE: Replacing Easy Rider): Higher mid rise, cut fuller in the hips, butt and thighs. Good for women with hourglass shapes, with medium to fuller thighs. Curves up into the waist, so if the woman does not have well defined natural waist, or carries more weight in the middle, this jean will cause overhang, or "muffin top".

Easy Rider: The highest rise. Cut for the women with the TRUE hourglass shape. Tiny waist, full butt and thighs. Curves into the waist, and gets rid of the gap.

For men, a range of jean styles is offered ranging from rather tight and low rise cut to traditionally waisted, relaxed and baggy styles. Some thinner men, who find the men's styles too big, opt for the the Sundown Straight as well, and store staff will sometimes offer the Sundown to male shoppers if they have asked for a similar men's style that is out of stock.

NOTE:

enameled silver jewelry bracelets

forgora flat top hat

embroideed coral fleece bathrobe

high quality leather belts

daily use sun visor

hot sell fendi style

flashing pin / brooches

coral necklace and bracelet

embroidered emblems for uniform

fashion watch in designer

earrings,fashion earrings,charming style earrings

flowe girl wedding gown

fashion gold plated earring

double sides timing belt

healthy stainless steel bracelet

fashion cat eye bracelet

embroidered dress for children

fashion embroidered mesh caps

dark green jade bracelet

dual seats for children

export ready made garments

fashionable garment stock lots

fashion t-shirt for children

cloth box for glasses

high strength polyester belt

fashion 925 silver bangle

flash fiber optic hats

crownless printing sports visor

enamel alloy loop earring

cotton printed beach pareo

2008年10月20日星期一

Winklepickers

Winklepickers (also known as Winkle Pickers) are a style of shoe or boot worn from the 1950s onward by male and female British rock and roll fans. The feature which gives both the boot and shoe their name is the very sharp and quite long pointed toe, reminiscent of medieval footwear and approximately the same as the long pointed toes on some women's fashion shoes and boots today. This pointed toe was called the winkle picker toe because, in England, winkles are eaten with a pin or pointed object to get the winkle out of the shell (hence the term "to winkle something out").
History
Origins
Winklepicker shoes were a conspicuous contrast to the Creepers worn by Teddy Boys. The male shoes were lace-up Oxford style with a low heel and an exaggerated pointed toe. A Chelsea Boot style (elastic-sided with a two-inch, and later as much as two and one half inch, Cuban heel was notably worn by the Beatles, but although it had a pointed toe, was not considered to be a Winklepicker. Winklepicker shoes from Stan's of Battersea were also worn by the Teddy Girls as well as being a fleeting fashion for young women generally.
1960s
In the early 1960s the winklepicker toe was popular with modernists, the forerunners of the mods. In the early 1960's the point was effectively chopped off (they hung on for longer than that in the UK) and gave rise to the "chisel toe" on the footwear of both genders. However, winklepickers with traditional sharp-point styles made a comeback of sorts in the late 1970s and early 1980s (either as previously unworn old-stock, second-hand originals, or contemporary-production attempted copies) when they were sold at London indoor markets like Kensington Market and Chelsea's Great Gear Market and worn by several subculture groups including Mods, Rockabillies, Punks, Rock'n'Roll Revivalists, and in the goth scene, where they are known as "pikes".
Winklepickers with stiletto heels for women swept the UK in the late fifties and at one stage the High Street versions were worn by virtually all the female English population who wore high heeled shoes. They were often manufactured in Italy, but the handmade versions, notably those from Stan's Shoes of Battersea were the most extreme, if somewhat bulky-looking at the toe compared with the Italian styles.
The original 1960s winkle picker stilettos were similar to the long pointed toe which has been fashionable on women's shoes and boots in Europe of late. The long sharp toe was always teamed with a stiletto heel (or spike heel) which, as today, could be as low as one and a half inches or as high as five inches, though most were in the three to four inch range. The stiletto heels on the original 1960s styles were, however, much more curved-in at the rear (also sometimes sharply-waisted and slightly flared out at the top piece) than most of the recent pointy-toed fashion shoes, which often have straighter, thicker, more set-back heels, rather at odds with the look of the pointed toe. In most cases, too, the modern shoe toes lack the length of the true 1960s winklepicker, and bear more resemblance to the less pointed mass-produced versions of the era.
They attained some notoriety, when they first appeared, as a result of being worn in gang fights (sometimes by both sexes) though it seems that contemporary newspaper reports of such clashes were, as ever, sensationalised flights of the imagination on the part of bored journalists with nothing better to write about. In fact, although the Winklepicker looks lethal, it would be far more likely for damage to be caused to the delicately pointed shoe than to the opponent in any serious kicking incident, and it would be highly unlikely that a fashion-conscious person of the 1960s would have subjected a prized pair of expensive Italian imports or custom-made Stan's originals to this sort of abuse.
There seems also to have been a practice, among increasingly liberated and forward young women, of using the pointed toes of their footwear to surprise and perhaps embarrass their male partners by prodding their private parts under tables in public places. Thus effectively turning the historical tables, as in the 14th and 15th century, long pointed male footwear called poulaines or Cracowes were allegedly used to do the same to females! A practice that was also allegedly revisited by some males wearing winklepickers.
Modern day
Winklepicker boots are very popular among the modern Vogue Goth and Punk sub-cultures. They are worn by many band members, such as the members of, The Horrors, Neils Children, Klaxons. They are also worn by English comedian Noel Fielding; English DJ and TV presenter Alex Zane; and Kaiser Chiefs' lead singer: Ricky Wilson.
Although slightly pointed toes are often a feature of women's fashion shoes, they are usually nowadays "tamed down" or shortened (often with a sacrifice of comfortable toe space) for a more common appeal. The really extended Winklepicker toe stiletto-heeled shoe for women has been reintroduced most recently by English shoe designers Roger and Sarah Adams for their Italian-made RoSa Shoes collection http://www.rosashoes.com which aims to satisfy a perceived continuing niche market rather than following seasonal fashion trends. The shoes have extremely thin medium or high steel-stemmed stiletto heels, authentically curved in at the rear, and winklepicker toes extending some three inches beyond the foot.
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Tanker boot

Tanker boots are military boots closely associated with soldiers who serve on tanks and tracked vehicles in general.[1] It is said the idea was borrowed from the French crewmen encountered during World War I when then-Captain George S. Patton, Jr. established the United States Tank Corps. Whereas regular combat boots are laced through metal eyelets in the leather upper, the tanker boots are fastened with leather straps which wrap around the upper and buckle near the top. This benefits the wearer in several ways:
The single biggest advantage is that tanker boots use leather straps, rather than laces, to fasten to the wearer's feet. The problem with laces is that they can become entangled in the many exposed, moving parts of a tank, for instance the turret ring, and drag the wearer or part of his body into the machinery.
Many boots have nylon or canvas panels in their uppers and also nylon laces which will melt if exposed to fire. Melting boots and laces will serve to further injure a crewman and make his evacuation of the vehicle more difficult.
Tracked crewmen typically find themselves working in very muddy environments. Another advantage of tanker boots is that they are much easier to loosen than a regular laced boot when caked in mud.
Also, today's modern tankers are exposed to many harmful chemicals - Flame-Resistant Hydraulic Fluid (FRH), turboshaft transmission fluid, grease, oils and various fuels. The all-leather construction of tanker boots prevents absorption of these chemicals into the boots and coming into close and prolonged contact with the wearer's skin.
Tanker boots also allow for improved circulation to crewmember's feet, as they may be sitting or immobile for long periods of time. Tank crewman during the Gulf War reported remaining seated at their gunners', drivers', and commanders' stations for periods up to the entire 100 hours of ground combat.
Tanker boots, unlike most traditional combat boots, have the tongue sewn into the boot up to about 1 - 1.5 inches shy of the top of the boot, to make the boot more readily waterproofed (up to 14" of water depth can be stood in without ingress of water when sealed/waxed properly, depending on the height of the boot design); the tongue is made with excess leather left and right that doesn't require it to separate to remove the foot.
Tanker boots are normally equipped with steel toe guards, steel or plastic shank/heel guards, and in at least modern variants, steel or other protective metal inserts in portions of the sole as well, as befit a boot intended for an operating environment filled with metal hazards that can be accidentally kicked/dropped/stepped upon/et cetera (as opposed to the traditional combat boot designed for a sandy or muddy battlefield environment).
Tanker boots have a significant disadvantage over traditional lace up combat boots in that they provide comparatively little ankle support; however for troops that fight sitting in an armoured vehicle, this is relatively unimportant.
An unauthorized variant of the tanker boot is the cav boot which is higher above the ankle (in imitation of riding boots worn by the old horse cavalry) and might be worn by soldiers assigned to divisional cavalry squadrons and scout units.
Lore
Tanker boots are said to have originated somewhat by accident. The story claims that there was once a tank crew member whose boot's laces were burnt by an ejected casing. Another member of the crew took off his belt and wrapped it around the damaged boot as a sort of temporary fix, making it the first tanker boot.
Another story mentions that when soldiers had to get out of the tank, their boots became wet with snow and after the fight they froze, causing the laces to break. One of the generals (General Patton, from the original story) gave the lowest ranking soldier the straps off of his cavalier pistol holster to strap his boots. From that point on, many soldiers started to use this. The story goes on to mention that it became a tanker tradition, that you had to shoot a gunnery to earn them. However, tankers uphold this tradition today by earning their tanker boots only after they "qualify" at gunnery, meaning their performance earns them the required amount of points.

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firefighter coveralls

Steel-toe boots

Steel-toe boots (also known as safety toe boots, steel-capped boots or safety boots) are durable boots or shoes that have a protective reinforcement in the toe, usually combined with a sole plate, which protect the foot from falling objects and punctures from below. Traditionally made of steel, the reinforcement can also be made of a composite material, or a plastic such as thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). Steel-toe boots are important in the construction industry and in many industrial settings. Occupational safety and health legislation or insurance requirements may require the use of such boots in some settings, and may mandate certification of such boots and the display of such certification directly on the boots. In Canada, certified boots have a Canadian Standards Association green triangle on them.
Safety footwear now comes in many styles, including sneakers and clogs. Some are quite formal, for supervising engineers who must visit sites where protective footwear is mandatory.
A myth about steel-toe boots is that the inserts actually create a more dangerous environment, because a significant weight could cause the steel to act like a blade, severing the toe instead of the weight simply crushing the foot. However, the weight needed to induce such a failure would result in such severe damage to the toe that amputation would be necessary anyway.[1].
Some brands of steel-toe footwear, particularly Dr. Martens and Grinders, have become fashionable within subcultures such as skinhead, punk, and rivethead.
Safety Criteria
Most safety shoes have symbols on the outside, to indicate the protection the shoe offers. Examples are:
Green Triangle indicates that it is a class 1 toe cap with puncture resistant sole.
Yellow Triangle indicates that it is a class 2 toe cap with puncture resistant sole.
White Square (with ohm symbol) indicates electrical protection.
Yellow Square(with SD) indicates anti-static protection.
Red Square(with C) indicates electrically conductive.
Fir Tree indicates protection against chain-saws.
United States
In the United States, the applicable standard for protective footwear is ASTM standards F 2412-05, Standard Test Methods for Foot Protection and ASTMF 2413-05, Standard Specification for Performance Requirements for Foot Protection.
OSHA requires compliance of ANSI Z41.1-1991, "American National Standard for Personal Protection-Protective Footwear," if purchased after July 5, 1994 [2].
If purchased before July 5, 1994, ANSI standard "USA Standard for Men's Safety-Toe Footwear," Z41.1-1967 [3].
California has updated its regulations with the new 2005 ASTM standards F 2412-05, Standard Test Methods for Foot Protection and ASTM F 2413-05, Standard Specification for Performance Requirements for Foot Protection. [4].
Canada
Generally, a safety-shoe is a shoe that follows at least one of five criterion. You can determine which criteria your safety-shoes adhere to by looking for CSA's(Canada's Standard Association) alphanumerical code found inside the shoe. This code is made up of a combination of 5 different symbols: 1, 2 or 0 P or 0 M or 0 E, S or C X or 0
The first code indicates if the shoe has a steel-toe cap(a metal shell embedded on top of the toes part of the shoe). "0" means there is none. "1" means that there is, and it resists an impact of 125 joules(22.7 kg object falling from 56 cm above). "2" means that it resists an impact of 90 joules.
The second code indicates if the shoe has soles that protect the arches of the feet from punctures. "P" means it does. "O" means it doesn't.
The third code indicates if the shoe has a metatarsus protection against shocks and collisions. "M" means it does. "O" doesn't.
The fourth code indicates the shoe's electrical properties. "E" means it resists electrical shocks. "S" means it disperses static electrical. "C" means it conducts electricity.
This last code is found only on shoes that protect the foot from chainsaws. "X" it does, "O" does not.

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Mountaineering boots

Mountaineering boots are a type of footwear used in the extreme sport of mountain climbing. They are designed specifically for moving over harsh terrain.
Not to be confused with hiking boots, mountaineering boots are usually taller, stiffer, and insulated. The boots can be made of leather, plastic, or modern synthetic materials like Kevlar.
The extra height and stiffness of mountaineering boots helps support the climber in steep terrain where flexible boots could cause unsure footing and possibly result in a fall. This extra stiffness is traditionally achieved through the use of a full steel shank, though some manufacturers have begun to use carbon fiber to create the necessary stiffness.
Mountaineering boots are typically designed to be used with crampons. To achieve compatibility with crampons, welts are molded into the toe and heel of the boot, providing a platform for the crampon to attach to. The stiffness of the boot enhances the precision of the crampon and allows a climber to pursue steeper and more difficult terrain.
Another important aspect of mountaineering boots is warmth. To prevent frostbite in extreme cold conditions, synthetic insulation is incorporated into the boot. Lighter weight boots are classified as single boots. These single boots are insulated as a single unit with the insulation being permanently attached to the rest of the boot. Double boots, another classification, typically consist of a non-insulated shell with a removable insulated liner. They have either a leather or plastic outer-shell as well as a removable liner. The purpose of a double boot is long term protection from cold weather. If the liner becomes wet, it can be removed from the shell and dried inside a sleeping bag. Since the insulation cannot be removed from single boots, they are not ideally suited for multi-day cold weather excursions.
//
Other Uses
Mountaineering boots are used for ice climbing, mixed (rock & ice) climbing, and crevasse traverse and rescue. They are not completely stiff like ski boots as they need some degree of flexibility for activities such as hiking and snowshoeing.
The versatility of these boots also makes them popular for other activities. With their durability and extreme-weather adaptability, they are worn by snow-plough drivers, cable car operators, mountain rangers (especially in the winter), rescue paramedics, ski lift operators and snowcat drivers.
Mountaineering boots are generally considered to be too stiff for backpacking on established trails.
Buying and Maintenance Guide
It is important to ensure a good fit when choosing mountaineering boots. A poor fit can result in painful foot conditions. Different boots are designed to fit certain foot types, and it is critical to find a boot that matches the size and shape of one's foot.
Maintenance should be performed as per the manufacturer's guidelines.
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Jungle boot

Jungle boots are a type of combat boot designed for use in jungle warfare or in hot, wet and humid environments, where a standard leather combat boot would be uncomfortable or unsuitable to wear. Jungle boots have vent holes in the instep and sometimes a canvas upper to aid in ventilation and drainage of moisture.
Development and Use
The use of Jungle boots predates World War II, when small units of U.S. soldiers in Panama were issued rubber-soled, canvas-upper boots for testing.[1] Developed in conjunction with the U.S. Rubber Company, a pair of Jungle boots weighed approximately three pounds.
World War II
Field reports from the Panama Experimental Platoon on the new lightweight boots were positive, and Jungle boots were later issued to a number of U.S. Army and Marine forces for use in tropical or jungle environments, including U.S. Army forces in New Guinea and the Phillipines, and in Burma with Merrill's Marauders[2], and the Mars Task Force (5332nd Brigade, Provisional).[3] As jungle boots wore out more quickly than the standard Army Type II field shoes, they were often carried by infantrymen attached to the field pack as a secondary pair of footwear, to be used when encountering heavy, soft mud.[4]
In 1944, the Panama sole was first developed by U.S. Army Sergeant Raymond Dobie , which used a series of angled rubber lugs in the soles to push soft mud from the soles, clearing them and providing much better grip in greasy clay or mud.[5] However, the Panama sole was developed too late to see service in World War II.[6] With the end of the war, all official interest in jungle equipment came to a halt; an improved Jungle boot with the new Panama sole was not produced until 1966.[7]
Vietnam War
In the early 1960s, a jungle boot incorporating most of the improvements developed since the end of World War II was issued to U.S. forces personnel during the Vietnam War. In the improved boot, the upper was made of cotton canvas duck, with leather for the toe and heel, and nylon reinforcements for the neck of the boot.[8] The new Jungle boot originally used a Vibram-type lugged composition rubber sole strongly vulcanized to the leather toe and heel. Water drains (screened eyelets) were added to the canvas top near the sole to quickly drain water from the inside of the boot. Removable ventilating insoles made of fused layers of Saran plastic screen, first invented in 1942, were later adopted for the issue Jungle boot. The insoles trapped air which was circulated throughout the interior of the boot during the act of walking; moist interior air was exchanged for outside air using the water drain eyelets.[9] In 1968, after two additional years of testing with troops in the Panamanian jungles, the Panama sole was finally adopted by the U.S. Army for its issue Jungle boot.[10]
After numerous widely-reported incidents of foot injuries to U.S. forces caused by punji stake traps, issue Jungle boots were fitted with a stainless steel plate inside the boot's sole to protect the wearer from punji stake traps.[8][11][12] Later Jungle boots were given nylon canvas tops in place of cotton duck.
Post-Vietnam Jungle Boot Designs
The US military jungle boot helped influence the design of the famed desert combat boot, which many American soldiers wore during Operation Desert Storm in 1991, Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan in 2001 and Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003. Despite the introduction of the desert boot at the time of Operation Desert Storm, many American military personnel were still issued jungle boots because there were not enough desert boots to issue to all personnel in the theater.
During the 1980s, some of the improvements incorporated over the years in U.S. jungle boot design were modified or discarded, primarily for reasons of cost and convenience. This included changes in rubber sole composition (to avoid marking linoleum floors at stateside army bases), and use of waterproof Poron linings instead of Saran ventilating insoles. Increasing use of the Jungle boot as a general-purpose combat boot brought more changes; the issue boot's Panama sole reverted to a Vibram sole better suited to use on other types of terrain, such as rocks or sand. By the late 1980s, incidents of heel blowouts and loss of water drains (screened eyelets) were reported.[13]
Today, Altama Footwear and Wellco Footwear are two American combat boot companies who still manufacture the US military jungle boot. Altama began manufacturing boots for the military towards the end of the Vietnam War, in 1969, and is still supplying the military with footwear to date. Wellco gained the first government contract for boots in 1965. These companies manufacture the boots in the original configuration with green cotton/nylon upper and conventional eyelets and an updated version with a black cotton/nylon/Cordura upper and a hook-and-eyelet lacing system.
As of 2005, the United States Marine Corps has retired black jungle boots from front-line military service and replaced them with a new combat boot called the Jungle/Desert Boot.
NOTE:

Jackboot

A jackboot is a type of combat boot that rises to at least mid-calf, has no laces, and typically has a leather sole with hobnails and heel irons.The term probably originates from association with the word jack or jerkin, as a common garment worn by the peasantry.
Although dating from before Napoleon, since the twentieth century jackboots have been strongly associated with totalitarian motifs. The word is commonly used in Britain as a synonym for totalitarianism, particularly fascism, although jackboots and similar types of footwear have been worn by various British regiments since the 18th Century. Following the 1982 invasion of the Falkland Islands, British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher declared that the democratic rights of the Falkland Islanders had been assaulted, and would not surrender the islands to the Argentine "jackboot".
The term is perhaps less used in America, although in 1995, National Rifle Association (NRA) president Wayne LaPierre sparked controversy when he referred to overzealous federal agents as "jackbooted government thugs"; the comment caused former U.S. President George H.W. Bush to resign his lifetime membership in the organization. The resignation of so public a figure as Mr. Bush prompted an open letter from the association to the former president to be published in major newspapers; the letter included a litany of alleged and settled cases of Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms abuses and an assertion that LaPierre and the NRA were merely borrowing a well-worn phrase uttered by other public figures in their calls for reform of the agency, among them Representative John Dingell of Michigan.[1]
The boots are connected to fascism, particularly Nazism, as they were issued by the Wehrmacht and SS during early phases of World War II before Germany encountered leather shortages. When goosestepping on pavement, the large columns of German soldiers marching in formation created a distinct rock-crushing sound which came to symbolize German conquest and occupation.[citation needed] The same style of boot had been in use with German armies in World War I and before.
Jackboots can also be associated with the armies of the former USSR (called sapogi) and East Germany. Jackboots are still a part of the modern parade and service attire of the army of Russia, and several other former Soviet states.
The "Jackboot of Oppression" is sometimes referred to as the policy of zealous computer network administrators who lock down their systems tightly.
Popular culture
The Beatles' "Polythene Pam" lyrics mention "jackboot and kilt"; while "Happiness is a Warm Gun" mentions "hobnail boots".
The Motörhead protest song, "March or Die" features the lines "Sword and shield and jackboot heel" in reference to its use by fascist military.
The Smashing Pumpkins have a song entitled "Jackboot" that is included in "Pastichio Medley" from the Zero single. It can also be heard at the end of "Silverfuck" during Siamese Dream era concerts.
The Barenaked Ladies song "Another Postcard" includes the line "some chimps in jackboots."
The Minutemen song "If Reagan Played Disco," which mocked the far-right politics and faux-populism of Ronald Reagan, included the lyric "he'd shoot a ton of shit/ you can't disco with Jackboots."
The song "Red Dress" on Dear Science, TV On the Radio's 2008 album, uses the term pejoratively.
Jackboots and Effingham style boots were at one time frequently used in science fiction movies as part of the generic futuristic footwear or space boots. This was mostly because they were readily available from costume suppliers and it is considerably cheaper to redress existing costumes which are usually rented by studios. This spaceboot look has mostly disappeared after Star Trek: The Next Generation introduced a new sensibility into futuristic fashion.

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driver-protection glasses

2008年10月17日星期五

Oscar de la Renta

Oscar de la Renta (born July 22, 1932) is a leading fashion designer.
Early years
Oscar de la Renta (born Oscar Aristides Renta Fiallo) was born in the Dominican Republic, to a Dominican mother and a Puerto Rican father. At the age of 18, he moved to Spain, where he studied painting at the Acade of San Fernando in Madrid. He quickly changed his focus to fashion. While living in Spain, he became interested in the world of design and began sketching for leading Spanish fashion houses, which soon led to an apprenticeship with Spain's most renowned couturier, Cristóbal Balenciaga. Later, de la Renta left Spain to join Antonio Castillo as a couture assistant at Lanvin in Paris.
In 1963, torn between designing custom clothing for Elizabeth Arden, shoes and accessories and designing ready-to-wear for Christian Dior-New York, de la Renta turned for advice to Diana Vreeland, the Editor-in-Chief of Vogue, saying that what he really wanted was to "get into ready to wear, because that's where the money is". Vreeland replied, "Then go to Arden because you will make your reputation faster. She is not a designer, so she will promote you. At the other place, you will always be eclipsed by the name of Dior."[1] De la Renta proceeded to work for Arden for two years before launching his own label.
He was one of the three major protégés of Baron de Gunzburg, the others were Bill Blass and Calvin Klein.[2]
Awards, honors, philanthropic endeavors
De la Renta's talents receive continual international recognition. Among them, he received the CFDA Womenswear Designer of the Year Award in 2000 and in 2008 (tied with Proenza Schouler). In February 1990, he was honored with the CFDA Lifetime Achievement Award. From 1973 to 1976, and from 1986 to 1988, he served as President of the CFDA. He is also a two-time winner of the American Fashion Critic's Award and was inducted into the Fame in 1973. In 1993 to 2002, Oscar de la Renta designed the haute couture collection for the house of Pierre Balmain, becoming the first Dominican to design for a French couture house.
The Dominican Republic has also honored him with the order al Mérito de Juan Pablo Duarte and the Order of Cristóbal Colón. De la Renta has contributed extensively in the construction of a much needed school near his home in Punta Cana.
De la Renta serves as a board member of the Metropolitan Opera, New York Opera House, Carnegie Hall, and Channel Thirteen/WNET. He also serves on the boards of several charitable institutions such as New Yorkers for Children, the America's Society and is presently chairman of the Queen Sofia Spanish Institute.
Citizenship
Even though his father was a US citizen, de la Renta was solely a Dominican citizen due to past United States law prohibiting dual-citizenship. He renounced his Dominican citizenship in 1971, (a formality required by the US, given that Dominican citizenship is non-renounceable) when he was naturalized as a United States citizen. Although he was offered the post of Dominican ambassador to the United States, de la Renta refused to part with his newly acquired citizenship, and declined the nomination. Today he holds both a US and a Dominican passport.
Marriages
In 1967, Oscar de la Renta became the third husband of Françoise de Langlade (1931–1983), an editor-in-chief of French Vogue who once worked for the fashion house of Elsa Schiaparelli. She previously was married to businessman Jean Bruère and diplomat Nicholas Bagenow. After her third marriage, Françoise de la Renta worked as a consultant to Elizabeth Arden, became a prominent hostess, had their Manhattan apartment decorated by Denning & Fourcade, and later opened her own decorating business (among her clients were Florinda Bolkan and Helmut Berger). Of her approach to fashion, she once said, "Oscar is not my favorite designer–just one of them." As The New York Times noted after her death, "She was also widely credited for some of the successes of her husband, the fashion designer Oscar de la Renta. Although she was not active in his business, she attracted many of the rich and famous to his shows."
In 1989, the designer married Annette Reed (1939-). She is the former wife of American Heritage magazine publisher Samuel Pryor Reed and the only child of the German banker Dr. Fritz Mannheimer and his wife, Marie Annette Reiss.
De la Renta has stepchildren from both marriages; he also has an adopted son, Moises de la Renta.

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Balenciaga

Balenciaga is a fashion house founded by Cristóbal Balenciaga, a Spanish designer, born in the Basque Country. He had a reputation as a couturier of uncompromising standards and was referred to as "the master of us all" by Christian Dior.[1] His bubble skirts and odd, feminine, yet ultra-modern shapes were trademarks of the house. The house of Balenciaga is now owned by the French multinational company PPR.

History
Cristóbal Balenciaga opened his first boutique in San Sebastián, Spain, in 1914,[2] which expanded to include branches in Madrid and Barcelona.[3] The Spanish royal family and the aristocracy wore his designs, but when the Spanish Civil War forced him to close his stores, Balenciaga moved to Paris.[2][3]
The designer house is now run by Nicolas Ghesquière.
Balenciaga opened his Paris couture house on Avenue George V in August 1937, and his first runway show featured designs heavily influenced by the Spanish Renaissance.[3] Balenciaga's success in Paris was nearly immediate. Within two years, the French press lauded him as a revolutionary, and his designs were highly sought-after.[3] Carmel Snow, the editor of Harper's Bazaar was an early champion of his designs.[4]
Customers risked their safety to travel to Europe during World War II to see Balenciaga's clothing.[3] During this period, he was noted for his "square coat," with sleeves cut in a single piece with the yoke, and for his designs with black (or black and brown) lace over bright pink fabric.[3]
However, it was not until the post-war years that the full scale of the inventiveness of this highly original designer became evident. His lines became more linear and sleek, diverging from the hourglass shape popularized by Christian Dior's New Look.[3] The fluidity of his silhouettes enabled him to manipulate the relationship between his clothing and women's bodies.[3] In 1951, he totally transformed the silhouette, broadening the shoulders and removing the waist. In 1955, he designed the tunic dress, which later developed into the chemise dress[3] of 1958. Other contributions in the postwar era included the spherical balloon jacket (1953), the high-waisted baby doll dress (1957), the cocoon coat (1957), the balloon skirt (1957), and the sack dress (1957).[3] In 1959, his work culminated in the Empire line, with high-waisted dresses and coats cut like kimonos. His manipulation of the waist, in particular, contributed to "what is considered to be his most important contribution to the world of fashion: a new silhouette for women."[3]
In the 1960s, Balenciaga was an innovator in his use of fabrics: he tended toward heavy fabrics, intricate embroidery, and bold materials.[3] His trademarks included "collars that stood away from the collarbone to give a swanlike appearance" and shortened "bracelet" sleeves.[3] His often spare, sculptural creations—including funnel-shape gowns of stiff duchess satin worn to acclaim by clients such as Pauline de Rothschild, Bunny Mellon, Marella Agnelli, Gloria Guinness and Mona von Bismarck—were considered masterworks of haute couture in the 1950s and 1960s. In 1960 he designed the wedding dress for Queen Fabiola of Belgium made of ivory duchess satin trimmed with white mink at the collar and the hips. Jackie Kennedy famously upset John F. Kennedy for buying Balenciaga's expensive creations while he was President because he feared that the American public might think the purchases too lavish. Her haute couture bills were eventually discreetly paid by her father-in-law, Joseph Kennedy.
Cristóbal Balenciaga left the house in 1968.[3]
Balenciaga today
Balenciaga is now owned by the Gucci Group (part of PPR), and its womenswear and menswear is headed by Nicolas Ghesquière.[5]
There was some conflict within the house of Balenciaga on Nicolas Ghesquiere's designs. The Gucci group said that if Balenciaga didn't become profitable within the year 2007, they would replace him.[citation needed] Ghesquière's F/W 2005 line showed that the house was not only profitable, but also attracted a number of celebrity customers including editor-in-chief at Vogue, Anna Wintour.
The house of Balenciaga designed the dresses worn by Jennifer Connelly and Nicole Kidman to the 2006 Academy Awards, as well as the wedding gown Kidman wore for her recent marriage to Keith Urban.[6] Kylie Minogue has also worn a Balenciaga dress for her "Slow" music video and for her concert tour.[7]
Today the brand is also famous for its line of motorcycle-inspired handbags, especially the famous "Lariat". Balenciaga currently owns only three boutiques in the United States their U.S. headquarters in New York on W 22nd St., Honolulu, and Los Angeles. A Boston and Orange County, CA boutique are planned to open in the coming months.
Balenciaga's Fall/Winter 2007 show has wowed Editor in chief of Teen Vogue Amy Astley, so much that a spread in Teen Vogue named "Global Studies", shot in Beijing, was influenced by the recent line, including skinny jodphers, tight, fitted blazers, beaded embellished scarves and other multiculti mixes.
Balenciaga is also very well known for creating avant-garde structural pieces, being on the edge of fashion and in the future of ready to wear.

NOTE:

Gucci

The House of Gucci, better known simply as Gucci, is an Italian iconic fashion and leather goods label. It was founded by Guccio Gucci (1881 – 1953) in Florence in 1921.[1] Gucci is considered one of the most famous, prestigious, and easily recognizable fashion brands in the world.[2] The House of Gucci belongs to the French conglomerate company Pinault-Printemps-Redoute (PPR).
Gucci generated circa US$7.7 billion worldwide of revenue in 2007 according to BusinessWeek magazine and reconfirmed it 46th position of the previous year in the magazine's annual "Top 100 Brands" chart.[3] For this reason Gucci is the second biggest-selling fashion brand after LVMH. Most importantly Gucci is the biggest-selling Italian brand in the world.[4] Gucci operates about 425 stores worldwide and it wholesales its products through franchisees and upscale department stores.

History of the Gucci
The House of Gucci (pronounced Guchi) was founded in 1921 by Guccio Gucci. 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.
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. 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, Tokyo, and Korea. 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 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.

The AMC Hornet station wagon interior by Gucci
Aldo Gucci expanded into new markets including an agreement with American Motors Corporation (AMC). The 1972 AMC Hornet compact "Sportabout" station wagon became one of the first American cars to offer a special luxury trim package created by a famous fashion designer. The Gucci cars sported boldly striped green, red, and buff upholstery and on the door panels, as well as the designer's emblems and exterior color selections.
Though the Gucci Accessories Collection was well received, it proved to be the force that brought the Gucci dynasty crashing down. Within a few years, the Perfumes 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."
Soon, cheap knockoffs of Gucci wares had appeared on the market, 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 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 Moët 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.
Corporate Gucci

Gucci store at night.
A turnaround of the company devised in the late 1980s made Gucci one of the world's most influential fashion houses and a highly profitable business operation. In October 1995 Gucci went public and had its first initial public offering on the AEX and NYSE for $22 per share. November 1997 also proved to be a successful year as Gucci acquired a watch licensee, Severin-Montres, and renamed it Gucci Timepieces. The Gucci brand is considered one of the most frequently mentioned brands in music. The firm was named "European Company of the Year 1998" by the European Business Press Federation for its economic and financial performance, strategic vision as well as management quality.
Gucci world offices and headquarters are in Florence, Paris, London, and New York. PPR headquarters are in Paris.New management
In 1989, Maurizio managed to persuade Dawn Mello, whose revival of New York's Bergdorf Goodman in the 1970s made her a star in the retail business, to join the newly formed Gucci Group as Executive Vice President and Creative Director Worldwide. At the helm of Gucci America was Domenico De Sole, a former lawyer who helped oversee Maurizio’s takeover of ten 1987 and 1989. The last addition to the creative team, which already included designers from Geoffrey Beene and Calvin Klein, was a young designer named Tom Ford. Raised in Texas and New Mexico, he had been interested in fashion since his early teens but only decided to pursue a career as a designer after dropping out of Parsons School of Design in 1986 as an architecture major. Dawn Mello hired Ford in 1990 at the urging of his partner, writer and editor Richard Buckley.
In the early 1990s, Gucci underwent what is now recognized as the poorest time in the company's history. Maurizio riled distributors, Investcorp shareholders, and executives at Gucci America by drastically reining in on the sales of the Gucci Accessories Collection, which in the United States alone generated $110 million in revenue every year. The company’s new accessories failed to pick up the slack, and for the next three years the company experienced heavy losses and teetered on the edge of bankruptcy. Maurizio was a charming man who passionately loved his family's business, but after four years most of the company's senior managers agreed that he was incapable of running the company. His management had had an adverse effect on the desirability of the brand, product quality, and distribution control. He was forced to sell his shares in the company to Investcorp in August 1993. Dawn Mello returned to her job at Bergdorf Goodman less than a year after Maurizio’s departure, and the position of creative director went to Tom Ford, then just 32 years old. Ford had worked for years under the uninspiring direction of Maurizio and Mello and wanted to take the company’s image in a new direction. De Sole, who had been elevated to President and Chief Executive Officer of Gucci Group NV, realized that if Gucci was to become a profitable company, it would require a new image, and so he agreed to pursue Ford’s vision.
Domenico De Sole was incensed by the news and declined Arnault’s request for a spot on the board of directors, where he would have access to Gucci’s confidential earnings reports, strategy meetings, and design concepts. De Sole reacted by issuing new shares of stock in an effort to dilute the value of Arnault’s holdings. He also approached French holding company Pinault-Printemps-Redoute (PPR) about the possibility of forming a strategic alliance. Francois Pinault, the company’s founder, agreed to the idea and purchased 37 million shares in the company, or a 40% stake. Arnault’s share was diluted to a paltry 20%, and a legal battle ensued to challenge the legitimacy of the new Gucci-PPR partnership, with the law firm of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom representing Gucci. Courts in the Netherlands ultimately upheld the PPR deal, as it did not violate that country's business laws. The second largest shareholder is Crédit Lyonnais with 11%. As of September 2001 a settlement agreement was put into place between Gucci Group, LVMH, and PPR. 2001 was also an incredible year for the Gucci Group as it acquired percentages of Bottega Veneta, Di Modolo, Balenciaga, and formed a partnership with Stella McCartney.
Current creative team
Following Ford's departure, Gucci Group retained three designers to continue the success of the company's flagship label: Alessandra Facchinetti and Frida Giannini,[6] all of whom had worked under Ford's creative direction. Facchinetti was elevated to Creative Director of Womenswear in 2004 and designed for two seasons before leaving the company after a management dispute. Ray served as Creative Director of Menswear for three years before resigning in January 2006, citing his inability to create a consistent image for Gucci during his time as head designer. 32-year-old Giannini, who had been responsible for designing men's and women's accessories, currently serves as Creative Director for the entire brand. Giannini's Spring 2006 collection was lauded for its color and energy, recreating the buzz around the company's ready-to-wear that was first heard after Ford's 1995 season. Giannini's collections have thereafter departed from Ford's erotic 1990s looks. Even her fall-winter 2006 collection, with its sky-high hemlines and revealing necklines "wasn't quite Tom Ford's all-out orgy of glamour", as a review on Vogue magazine's website stated.
Cultural references
Because of its iconic status, Gucci is frequently mentioned in popular culture. With the onset of "designer label" culture in the mid to late 1970s, an early reference to Gucci in a pop song was He's The Greatest Dancer by Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards, 1979. It was performed by Sister Sledge. "The champion of dance, his moves would put you in a trance, and he never leaves the disco alone... He wears the finest clothes, the best designers, heaven knows, from his head down to his toes: Halston, Gucci, Fiorucci. He looks like a still, that man is dressed to kill..."
In hip hop music, where rappers often name-drop to brag about their lifestyles of luxury,[7] Gucci is frequently mentioned.[8] In 2003, Gucci was the third most mentioned brand in Billboard top 20 singles, with appearances in 47 different songs.[8] Some critics claim that lyrical references to products are actually paid endorsements.[7]) Songs in which Gucci is mentioned include Combination by Aerosmith; Add It Up by The Kinks; Gucci Time by Schooly D, I Know What You Want by Busta Rhymes and Mariah Carey; Jigga That Nigga, Oh My God, and Poppin' Tags by Jay-Z; Vapors and Groupie Luv by Snoop Dogg; Why You Hurt Me by Missy Elliott; P.I.M.P. by 50 Cent; Let's Get Down by Bow Wow; Favorite Things by Big Brovaz; Hell Yeah by Ginuwine; Paranoid Android by Radiohead; The Fad by Chevelle; Still Fly by Big Tymers; Big Poppa by Notorious B.I.G; High Rollers by Ice-T. One rapper uses Gucci in his stage name, Gucci Mane.
Gucci has also been mentioned in the movies Alfie, Pretty Woman, Pret a Porter, Troop Beverly Hills, Spiceworld: The Movie, Hannibal, The Wedding Planner, Maid in Manhattan, Hitch, Monster-in-Law, Legally Blonde, The Devil Wears Prada, Epic Movie and Sex and the City: The Movie. But also in the Italian film I Mitici - Colpo Gobbo a Milano. Cleavon Little's Sheriff Bart is seen riding with Gucci saddlebags in Blazing Saddles. Gucci was also mentioned in the last season of Friends in the episode The One With Princess Consuela. Gucci was mentioned frequently in the first season of the TV series Ugly Betty.
The word "Gucci" is used adjectivally in the British Army to describe items of kit bought by individual soldiers as being superior to the issued equivalent.

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electronic sunglasses

ethenic kurta

A Bathing Ape

A Bathing Ape (or BAPE) is a Japanese clothing company founded by Tomoaki "Nigo" Nagao in 1993.[1] The company specializes in street wear, operating stores in Japan, including BAPE, BAPE Store, Foot Soldier and the Bape Exclusive store (located in Aoyama, Tokyo). The company also operates Bape Cuts hair salon, Bape Café and gallery, Bape Sounds records. There are also stores located in Hong Kong, London, New York, Taipei and Los Angeles. Nigo also founded the women's clothing lines "APEE", and "BAPY", the female "couture" clothing line.
Nigo, founder and owner, cites his mother and father, who were a nurse and a billboard maker respectively, as major influences in the development of his character. Though because they both worked, he spent a lot of time alone with toys.[2] He also credits DJ/Head Porter designer Hiroshi Fujiwara as his business model.[3] His nickname literally means "number two" in Japanese; the MD of Astoarobot, the fashion store, coined the moniker when he noted the physical resemblance to Fujiwara.[4] Nigo cites his early influences as Elvis, The Beatles and hip-hop acts such as Run DMC and Woobens.[2]
After studying fashion editing at college, he worked as an editor and a stylist for Popeye magazine.[3] After borrowing four million yen from an acquaintance, who also let him use his shop,[2] he opened "Nowhere", his first store, on April 1, 1993 in Harajuku, Tokyo. Deciding to start his own brand, he named it after the 1968 film Planet of the Apes. According to Nigo, the name "A Bathing Ape" is short for a Japanese saying "bathing in lukewarm water". Japanese people typically have daily baths in water at temperatures above 40 degrees celsius (104°F). As such, bathing in luke warm water is to complacently over indulge. This is, ironically, a reference to the lazy oppulence of the younger generation of Japanese, the brand's own customers.[2] To expose the brand he gave T-shirts to Cornelius who wore them when performing. For two years he produced 30 to 50 shirts a week, selling half and giving half to friends. In 1997, Nigo released his debut album 'Ape Sounds' under Mo'Wax, with DJ/Producer James Lavelle of UNKLE. [4] In January 2005, Nigo and Pharrell launched the first "Bathing Ape" store in New York. The official name, according to the salespeople at the store, is "Bathing Ape in Lukewarm Water."[5] Nigo is also co-owner and head designer of Williams' Billionaire Boys Club.[6] In 2006, Nigo and N-Kei Enzaki started a record company, Ape Sounds, with help from James Lavelle, a UK DJ and owner of the Mo' Wax label. He serves as a producer and director for his CDs, blending Western hip-hop with Asian sounds.[3] Lavelle wore a BAPE t-shirt on the cover his mix album Global Underground 023: Barcelona.
Celebrities known to wear BAPE include Pharrell, T.I., Lil Wayne, Teriyaki Boyz, Kanye West, Omarion,David Shellim, Clipse, Soulja Boy and many others.

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Giordano (clothing)

Giordano, International Limited (Chinese: 佐丹奴; SEHK: 0709) is a Hong Kong retailer of men's, women's and children's quality apparel founded in 1981 by Jimmy Lai[16]. Giordano has become a pioneer of customer service in the Asia-Pacific region and, as of January 2008, currently employs more than 11,000 people and operates 1800 stores worldwide in 40 countries[17][18].
As of 1996, Jimmy Lai no longer owns the company and its current Chairman and CEO is Peter Lau Kwok Kwen, a Chinese-Canadian. Although based in Bermuda the company's principal global operations run out of Hong Kong[19]. The company is Asia-Pacific's most successful retailer and sells its name under the brands of "Giordano", "Giordano Concepts", "Giordano Junior" and "Giordano Ladies"[20][21]. Giordano has been publicly listed since 1991 and since then trades on the Hong Kong stock exchange under the ticker symbol 709.HK[22].
Giordano's success is measured by the company's relentless focus on its five corporate business values of quality, knowledge, innovation, simplicity and service[23]. The company has its own apparel manufacturing division where many of its own clothing styles are produced[24]. Giordano is also renowned for its basic and practical men's, women's, and children's T-shirts and trousers, especially denims. In comparison, Giordano is very similar to the American based retailer The Gap.
//
History
Early Beginnings
Lai Chee Ying, Jimmy Lai in English, was born into poverty in mainland China's Guandong Province in 1948. At the age of 12 Lai was smuggled by his family into Hong Kong which at the time was still under British colonial control. Through relatives Lai easily managed to ascertain work at a local textile factory and by the age of twenty had succeeded in becoming the company's General Manager. With his first end of year bonus of $1000 dollars, along with all his life savings, Lai decided to trade on the Hong Kong stock exchange. The gamble, although risky proved fortuitous and Lai turned his measly original $3000 investment into approximately $40,000 dollars. With that money Lai bought out the owners of the bankrupt garment company of Comitex in 1975 and began manufacturing sweaters. The company was an overnight success and had exports to major American retail brands of J.C. Penney, Montgomery Ward and several others. It was during this time that Lai made several trips to the United States. It was during his time there that he was exposed to many western retail formats which inspired him to get into the retail market himself. In 1981 Lai founded Giordano (named after a favourite New York restaurant) and opened several stores across Hong Kong.
Giordano in the 1980's
Although presently a highly successful international retailing company, Giordano's first beginnings were ominous. Jimmy Lai originally intended for the company to target the upscale Hong Kong market, it proved unsuccessful, and soon afterwards the company was faced with closing down all over Hong Kong. However, instead of shutting down Lai turned to other successful retailers of the day for inspiration, and proceeded to transform the company. Soon Lai developed a new company formula. By drawing upon ideas from many already successful international retailing brands such as McDonald's, United Colours of Benetton and Marks and Spencer, Lai created a new Giordano which focused on simple and basic high quality styles, in many colours and sold at reasonable prices. The massive make-over included the company's approach to customer service and consequently Lai had all employees taught to emphasize the importance of the customer. The formula was successful and by the early 1990s Giordano had 200 stores across mainland China and Hong Kong. Other stores soon followed in the Middle East, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia.
Brands
Giordano
Mainstream Giordano brand focusing on quality apparel for men and women. Present in all markets in which Giordano International Limited operates. The brand's goal is to be appealing to the everyday shopper, anywhere at anytime. The brand boast seasonal exclusive and innovative casual styles in many colours. Along with seasonal launches, the brand also gives customers access to basic and simple unisex tees and polos as well as a large range of bottoms in a variety of fabrics, including cotton, linen and denim. The brand was the company's first and consequently possesses a more extensive worldwide network of stores than any other Giordano brand. Giordano is the only international brand that is, for the time being, internationally franchised by Giordano International Limited, the other Giordano brands are all fully owned by the company.
Giordano Ladies
Upscale market women's clothing much on the line with CUE. Operates mainly in the Asia Pacific region. Prominent in mainland China, Hong Kong,Malaysia and Singapore.
Giordano Concepts
A more upmarket brand of Giordano casual attire with a high emphasis on its own "less is more" retail approach. The brand focuses on the idea that less is more than just more, but that is cool as well. The brand's said "less is cool" approach involves innovative and modern black, white and grey monochromes in a large variety of styles. The approach gives the brand a very upmarket causal clothes attitude, very much on par with other international brands Polo Ralph Lauren and Lacoste. The Concepts range is significantly more exclusive than mainstream Giordano, as such Giordano Concepts only extends itself to the Asia Pacific market, in particular Hong Kong, China, Taiwan and only one store in both Singapore and Malaysia.
Giordano Junior
Children's clothing stores that sell a variety of stylistic and basic apparels for kids aged 0 to 10. Operates mainly in the Asia Pacific region. Prominent in most Asia Pacific nations and Australia.
Giordano Bluestar Exchange
A more affordable brand of Giordano causal clothes for the budget conscious shopper. Prominent in most countries in which Giordano operates. Giordano Bluestar Exchange was rebranded by the company in early April last year. The original aim of the brand was to make Giordano more appealing to the budget conscious shopper. However, after nearly 6 months of planning last year the company revealed the new BSX brand with the opening of its first store in Lung Cheung Mall in Hong Kong. The target of the change was to make Bluestar Exchange, now BSX, into a brand more appealing to the young and to those young at heart. The brand's new direction involves simplifying everything and offering new designs and styles to give BSX an edgy and urban attitude. Giordano hired relatively new company !TH!NK to head the marketing of the new BSX with hopes that a new fresh company could provide an original out of the box approach to promoting the brand.
Social Responsibility
Giordano, since its conception has always been intimately committed to the communities in which it conducts business. The company has been progressively dedicated to being a successful and responsible corporate citizen in all regions of operation. This means not only delivering quality products and quality service to their customers but also having a positive influence to the customers community as well. The company's achieves this by supporting a myriad of charitable organizations and causes as well as doing much of its sourcing in local areas, a move that has helped it avoid damaging currency swings in the past. The environmentally conscious company always performs business through means safe and beneficial to the environment. Giordano was actively involved in distributing clothes to the victims of the Boxing Day Earthquake and the consequent tsunami.
While the company actively supports local communities it also believes strongly in making the workplace environment productive as possible for its 11,000 employees worldwide. The company's social responsibility is not only limited to its local communities and employees but also the companies and corporations in which Giordano conducts its business.
Middle-East
Giordano made its move to the Middle-East in 1993 with the opening of its flagship store in The BurJuman[1] in Dubai[25] The movement was a joint venture between Giordano International Limited and The Emirates Trading Agency[2] (ETA) of Dubai[26]. Today Giordano boasts 150 stores across 25 nations in the Middle-East and Eastern Europe[27]. Giordano International Limited is the majority shareholder in Giordano Middle-East, holding 20% of the company[28] . All regional operations for Giordano Middle-East run out of its Dubai head office in the United Arab Emirates[29]

Giordano Australia's first store in Doncaster Shopping Centre Victoria.

Giordano's George Street store in the heart of Sydney's city centre.
Australia
Giordano Australia opened up in 1999 with its first store in Melbourne's Westfield Doncaster shopping centre. The company rapidly expanded across Australia and presently operates 61 stores across 4 of the nations 6 states including Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia, including one store in Canberra. As of 2008 the company no long sells Bluestar or Giordano Junior through any of its stores.
North America
On February 14, 2007 Giordano finally made its leap into the North American retail market with the opening of its store in the Aberdeen Centre in Vancouver, Canada. The store carries full ranges of men's, women's and children's apparel. This location was chosen due to its large Chinese-Canadian population, many of which hail from Hong Kong. That was quickly followed by the May 6 opening of Giordano's first American store in Los Angeles' Westfield Santa Anita Shopping Centre, another area with a high Asian population (principally Chinese). Both stores represent the beginning of Giordano's long term expansion plans in North America, although the American stores carry mainly other premium name brands such as Ed Hardy

The grand opening of Giordano's first North American store in the Aberdeen Centre in Vancouver, Canada.
Eastern Europe
Although eastern Europe in itself belongs to a different continent all Giordano stores in the region are actually franchised through Giordano Middle-East. The company made its first European foothold with the opening of its first store on Chavchavadze Avenue in the Georgian capital of Tblisi. The company now operates several stores through out the city, including one in the neighbouring city of Batumi. In April 2007 Giordano added Ukraine to its list of markets with the opening of its first store in the country's capital Kiev. Poland, Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria and Belarus are other markets in which the company's has franchised stores.

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http://www.himfr.com/buy-balls@leather_garments/

bag stocklot

babashka earings

bahama belt

2008年10月16日星期四

Esprit Holdings

An Esprit store in the Scarborough Town Centre.
Overview
Esprit Holdings Limited (traditional Chinese: 思捷環球控股有限公司 SEHK: 330) is a publicly owned manufacturer of apparel, footwear, accessories, jewellery, and housewares, under the ESPRIT label. The company is headquartered and managed from Kowloon, Hong Kong and Ratingen, Germany. The brand Esprit is sold in 5 continents and 44 countries, 630 freestanding stores, over 9.700 wholesale customers. More than 20.000 products are designed per year for 11 product lines for women, men and children.
The ESPRIT brand name is also licensed to other manufacturers. In addition, the Group owns the Red Earth cosmetics brand. The brand was particularly popular in the 1980s (Especially with suburban teenagers). It still remains quite popular with people of the middle income classes, due to its purified and classy image, especially in Germany, which is the biggest single market for the brand.
History
The company was started in San Francisco in the 1960s by Susie Russell (now Susie Tompkins Buell) and her then-husband, Douglas Tompkins, the founder of The North Face. Esprit Far East Group was born when Doug and Susie Tompkins met Michael Ying in 1971, the group´s chairman and shareholder of Esprit. In that same year the company incorporated under the name of Esprit de corp. and seven product lines were created. The couple divorced in 1989, and Mr. Tompkins sold his shares in 1990.
Esprit Holdings Limited is created when sales topped $ 100 million and international partnerships in Hong Kong and Germany were formed in 1971. Later in the 70’s John Casado designed the famous Esprit stencil effect logo. Despite worries that the triple-bar 'E' would not be legible to customers, the new logo became one of the most recognized in international fashion.
Cologne was the location of the first opening of an Esprit Store in Germany. The store was designed by Ettore Sottsass with typical elements of the Memphis Style.
During the 1980’s Esprit experienced growth by expanding to Taiwan, the Netherlands, Belgium,Denmark, France, Norway and the UK. New product categories were introduced such as eyewear, timewear, bath+bed, socks+tights.
In 1993, the company was listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and is a component of the Hang Seng Index. It has had a secondary listing on the London Stock Exchange since December 1998.
Esprit Holdings Ltd became a constituent stock of Morgan Stanley´s MSCI Hong Kong Index.
Esprit Holdings Ltd. unified the global Esprit brand by purchasing the US trademarks and the remaining interests in Esprit International, bringing back the brand under the control of one single entity for the first time since the 1970´s.
Ex-president Michael Ying stepped down Executive director in 2002 and subsequently resigned as the Chairman in 2006.
In 2008 Esprit celebrates its 40th anniversary with a number of activities across all divisions and license partners.
Product Lines
ESPRIT products are sold through over 640 directly managed retail stores and over 12,000 wholesale point-of-sales worldwide, occupying over 817,000 square meters directly managed retail space in more than 40 countries.
Esprit licenses its logo to third party licensees that offer products bearing the same Esprit quality and essence to consumers. Esprit also operates the Red Earth cosmetic brand which includes cosmetics, skin care and body care products.
Social Responsibilities and Charity
ESPRIT has committed to conducting business in a responsible and suitable manner. The company became a member of the Business Social Compliance Initiative (BSCI) established by the Foreign Trade Association (FTA) and have communicated to vendors the significance of BSCI certifications as the appropriate accreditation to signify their compliance with human rights and minimum social standards.
During the 2007 financial year, employees responded to a variety of relief initiatives organized by charitable organizations. These included the participation of Hong Kong staff in “Walks for a Million” organized by the Community Chest and ribbon selling in stores to raise funds for the National Breast Cancer Foundation.
In response to the South Asian tsunami, Esprit launched a global fund raising campaign calling for employee donations to help victims affected by the disaster. The Company also made matching donations to support and promote active participation in the campaign.
In May 20, 2008, Esprit Holdings Limited designated May 18, 2008 as the “Sichuan Earthquake Relief Day” where the sales proceeds generated from all stores in Hong Kong and Macau were donated to assist the victims in Sichuan. Esprit experienced overwhelming support from customers and successfully raised around HK$3.3 million. In addition, Esprit China
Company
Its shares are a component of the following stock market indices:
Hang Seng Index
Morgan Stanley's MSCI Hong Kong
FTSE All World Index for Hong Kong
S&P/HKEx LargeCap Index
S&P Asia 50