After THAT McQueen drama, Michelle Obama strikes careful balance between Brit and U.S. labels on UK and Ireland tour



Last updated at 12:57 PM on 25th May 2011


If Michelle Obama was worried about keeping up in the style stakes with Samantha Cameron and the Duchess of Cambridge, there was little sign as she paraded a very fashion-forward wardrobe for her state visit to the UK this week.
Favouring elegant knee-length dresses, she stayed true to her signature style, while striking a careful balance between British and American labels.

She went for designs by Tom Ford, Marc Jacobs, Rachel Roy and Barbara Tfank from the U.S. and Roksanda Ilincic and Preen from the UK.

   

Best of British: Michelle Obama at Westminster Abbey this afternoon in Roksanda Ilincic (left) and arriving in the UK this morning in royal blue Preen (right)

It appears to be the first time the First Lady has elected to wear British labels since the drama surrounding the Alexander McQueen gown that she wore to a White House State Dinner for Chinese President Hu Jintao in January.

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Though its colour was a clever choice - red is a symbol of prosperity in China - the fact that the dress was by a British designer, rather than a Chinese or American one, was received badly in the U.S.

   

American beauty: In Tom Ford at tonight's State Dinner with the Queen at Buckingham Palace (left) and earlier in the day in a floral dress by LA-based designer Barbara Tfank (right)

   


Signature style: Mrs Obama kept her look elegant in knee-length shift dresses during her visit to Ireland yesterday, in Rachel Roy (left) and Marc Jacobs (right)

TV presenter Joan Rivers and fashion designers Diane von Furstenberg and Oscar de la Renta were among the names to speak out against Mrs Obama's choice.

This week's dresses, however, were spot on politically as the form for a visiting premier's wife is to either show support for one's own native designers, or the host country's.

And Mrs Obama was as imaginative in her choice of British labels as she is in American ones. Rather than opting for major international brands, she chose smaller labels - Preen and Roksanda Illincic - that will benefit to much bigger degree from the exposure.

Controversy: Mrs Obama sparked anger among fashion designers in January when she wore a dress by British label Alexander McQueen to host Chinese President Hu Jintao at the White House

Jason Wu, for example, was an unknown designer until she wore his showstopping white gown to one of her husband's inaugural balls in January 2009. He is now a major international player. 

The British First lady, Samantha Cameron, proved hot competition however. As a creative consultant to luxury accessories company Smythson, she has a strong sartorial instinct of her own and looked every inch the fashionista in British label Peter Pilotto.

The new Duchess of Cambridge, despite being married to a prince, still favours High Street however, opting for a £175 ($340) Reiss dress.

Source : After THAT McQueen drama, Michelle Obama strikes careful balance between Brit and U.S. labels on UK and Ireland tour
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British X Factor tells Cheryl Cole: We don’t want you



Last updated at 10:16 AM on 30th May 2011


Cheryl Cole will not be returning to the British version of The X Factor after TV executives withdrew their offer yesterday evening.


The star was initially given the ‘olive branch’ of returning as a judge on the UK version of the hit show after she was suddenly axed from its American counterpart last week.

However, the Daily Mail has learned that since being sacked Mrs Cole has become ‘uncontactable’. She has refused to take phone calls from TV executives, including Simon Cowell, to discuss the option.

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As a result, last night they decided to end their interest in bringing her back to the UK show.

A TV source told the Mail: ‘That’s it. Cheryl will not be returning to the British X Factor. People have been trying to speak to her and persuade her this would be a good idea, but she’s been uncontactable.

‘She hasn’t returned phone calls. And you can’t exactly negotiate with someone who won’t even speak to you.’

It also emerged yesterday that Misscvv  Cole had been under pressure to lose as much as two stone ahead of her ill-fated appearance on the U.S. X Factor.


Fuller face: The singer last month. It has since emerged she was under pressure to lose weight ahead of her X Factor US appearance


An unnamed executive at the Fox network is said to have advised her she would need a huge image makeover if she wanted to win over audiences stateside.

Miss Cole quickly enlisted the help of Gwyneth Paltrow’s personal trainer Tracy Anderson to try to achieve a more svelte physique after developing a curvier figure since battling back to health following a bout of malaria last year.

However, she appeared looking noticeably more voluptuous as she left the airport in Chicago last weekend following auditions for the talent show.

Just days later she was axed from her role on the U.S. show.

Last night it was confirmed that Tulisa Contostavlos, from hip hop group N-Dubz, had signed a deal to join the UK judging panel.

She will appear with Take That singer Gary Barlow, U.S. pop star Kelly Rowland and long-serving judge Louis Walsh.

Source : British X Factor tells Cheryl Cole: We don’t want you
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Be the Queen of the High Street



Source : Be the Queen of the High Street


Britain’s newest royal loves High Street fashion, so what should Kate (and you) try next?
By ELIZA SCARBOROUGH
Last updated at 7:53 AM on 30th May 2011

    

Left: Polka dot dress, £45, marksandspencer. com. Clutch bag, £19.99, hm.com. Carvela shoes, £70, kurtgeiger.com. 

Right: Red dress, £89.90, Massimo Dutti, 020 7361 1840. Belt, £49, reiss online.com. Sam Edelman platform shoes, £140, my-wardrobe.com.

Kate's recent wares have caused hysteria around the globe as consumers have trawled the high street to get her regal look.

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         Royal reinvention No.2: Forty new outfits (but no ladies in waiting). How Kate's plotting to dazzle Hollywood

         Now the Middletons get Bieber fever: Kate's family sign exclusive deal to sell teen pop sensation's merchandise

But her fashion influence became clear as far back as 2007 when a dress she wore for her 25th birthday (a £40 Topshop tunic) sold out within 24 hours.

     

Left: Polka dot dress, £49.99, zara.com. Black court shoes, £24.99, newlook.co.uk. 

Right: Navy and cream dress, £235, whistles.co.uk. Bronze belt, £9.99, zara.com. Grey court shoes, £60, topshop.com


     

Left: Dress, £399, jaeger.co.uk. Clutch, £28, aldoshoes.com. Nude courts, £180, lkbennett.com. 

Right: White lace dress, £55, warehouse.co.uk. Clutch, £25, accessorize. com. Nude shoes, £195,

Source : Be the Queen of the High Street



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LIZ JONES FASHION THERAPY



Source : LIZ JONES FASHION THERAPY


What’s the truth about Kate and that ‘sweat shop’ dress? I asked the man behind the label...

By LIZ JONES
Last updated at 7:30 AM on 30th May 2011

Over the course of 40 years in the fashion business, I have never before been accused of running a sweatshop. To be honest, I’m shocked.’
This is David Reiss talking on the morning this newspaper published a piece about the nude ‘Shola’ dress the Duchess of Cambridge wore to meet Michelle Obama.

The article accused the Reiss fashion brand of paying sweatshop wages (£168 a month, which is above the minimum wage) in a Romanian factory, where women work in bleak overheated conditions, behind barred windows and an 8ft wall.


.....................Read more

In the press: There have been reports that the nude Reiss 'Shola' dress the Duchess of Cambridge wore to meet Michelle Obama was made in a Romanian factory where workers were paid sweatshop wages


Source : LIZ JONES FASHION THERAPY
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Summer fashion ’11: Which hot shoes will you be wearing?



Source : Summer fashion ’11: Which hot shoes will you be wearing?

AMY VERNER
From Saturday's Globe and Mail
Published Saturday, May. 28, 2011 6:00AM EDT

   

   

Neutral wedges

Arguably the strongest footwear statement this season, wedges are no longer the clodhoppers they used to be. In fact, Susie Sheffman, fashion director at FASHION magazine, calls them “every woman’s best friend,” citing the marriage of height and comfort. Plus, they give gams a starring role. “They’re leg-lengthening,” Sheffman says, especially when worn with wide-leg or flared trousers (they complement dresses, too). According to Ron White, owner of Ron White Shoes in Toronto, espadrille wedges have “sold like crazy” this season. Earthy materials such as cork, braided jute, wood and suede are the most ubiquitous; for added edge, look for distinctive details, such as animal-print straps or geometric designs that seamlessly meld the wedge with the upper.

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Bright heels

Think of this fluoro grouping as another way to tap into the intense colour blocking that has permeated ready-to-wear fashion. Sheffman notes that a neon green pump is not nearly as big a leap as committing to head-to-toe coral à la Jil Sander. “Bright heels are a terrific way to play with colour in an inexpensive, non-committal way,” she says. “They’re like candy for the feet.” White points out that brights are at their best if they’re satin or patent leather. And while a stiletto in a super-saturated shade adds an instant jolt to any neutral ensemble, go bolder by pairing it with more colour. The result: artistic expression taken to even greater heights.
Boho flats
Three years after their breakout season, gladiators haven’t retreated; but this spring and summer, the silhouette is more refined, the ankle strap and overall design no longer aggressive. Other sandals following in their footsteps are goddess-inspired and feature eye-catching flourishes: feathers, flowers and haute hippie beading. For Sheffman, “the flat boho offers the fantasy that you live on the beach.” She adds that they make a perfect match for the new maxi skirts and dresses. Calling the soles “pancake flat,” White says they speak to the standby seventies flower-child sensibility. And don’t forget preppy espadrille sneakers and pretty balletflats; both give good mileage for summer strolling.

Styling by Tiyana Grulovic. Pedicure by Leeanne Colley for Tips Nail Bar and Spa/Page One Management (www.pageonemanagement.ca)
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OraoTV Announces the Launch of New Premium Network FashionTV



posted on 6th May 2011 | Author: Carmen Codrean | Category: Fashion


Dallas, Texas (Friday, April 22, 2011) – OraoTV, an innovative IPTV, announced today an agreement in principle to launch Fashion TV as a premium channel on its platform. The network is expected to be launched on May 1st, 2011.

“We are very pleased to partner with Fashion TV, worldwide leader in fashion entertainment” said Ali O. Mbilo, CEO and president of OraoTV. “OraoTV serves multicultural U.S. markets, therefore FashionTV ideally fits into interest of providing the best possible international programming for our subscribers. We have committed to launch this channel across a significant number of our U.S. markets to reach as many total viewers as possible.”

Since Fashion TV’s inception, 14 years ago, its popularity has skyrocketed, establishing itself as one of the world’s best internationally distributed TV channels and one of the most recognized fashion media brands.  “We are pleased to have OraoTV as our partner and we are certain that our companies will mutually benefit from this cooperation by gaining subscribers and making FashionTV available to even wider audience all over USA” said Olga Chepurko, Business Development Director at FashionTV.

Fashion TV joins OraoTV’s growing list of programming partners, bringing exclusive custom content to subscribers throughout the U.S.  Other content genres center on the live events, local shows, music, ambient, sports, education and more.

About ORAOTV

OraoTV is an innovative IPTV that brings you live local TV from Africa and some international TV directly to your television or your computer screen anywhere in the world over the internet. Orao’s programming selection includes live news and events, your favorite weekly local shows, music, sports, education, community-based programming, movies and more. The programming offering continues to grow due to close work with producers and broadcasters. OraoTV is active in a rapidly changing sector.

The strategy pursues the following three main objectives:
  • Strengthen competitive position and expand the value chain in the core business worldwide
  • Harness additional major potential for efficiency
  • Identify and define growth options outside the current core business based on a clear strategic logic.
About Fashion TV

FashionTV is an international television channel devoted to Fashion and Luxury. Founded in France in 1997 by President Michel Adam Lisowski, FashionTV Holding LTD is a listed company on Frankfurt stock exchange (TV8). Available 24/7 to its international audience, FashionTV has become one of the most widely-distributed satellite channels in the world with over 75 satellite and thousands pay-tv operators, totaling around 400 million households and 7 million public locations in 193 countries across the five continents, and with the new high quality live streaming services FashionTV is now available to another 1 billion high speed internet connected PCs and mobile devices (ftv.tv). Today, FashionTV is independently owned and operated from its headquarters in Paris, London and Vienna.

In October 2008, FashionTV launched a new channel entirely in HD which delivers outstanding picture and sound quality with richer colors. FTV HD brings its viewers a comprehensive world-wide overview of fashion and luxury lifestyles. FTV HD programming includes the best shows from the main fashion capitals of the world, including exclusive content from top designers, models, stars and events.

FTV HD broadcasts 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and can be received in USA, Asia, Australia, Europe, the Middle East and Africa via AsiaSat 5, EuroBird 9 and IntelSat 805 satellites.

In North America, FTV HD reaches over 4 million homes and is broadcast in Miami Beach via Atlantic broadband Cables (channel number 179). FTV HD is also available throughout the USA in English via the Platinum HD Package on DISH Network (channel number 374), in Spanish via the Dish LATINO Ultimate Pack (channel number 5304) and as Direct-To-Home via IntelSat 805 satellite.

In South America, FashionTV Latin feed reaches a total of 17.5 million homes via Turner Latin: 7.9 million in South Cone (Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, Chile), 7.4 million in North Cone (Mexico, Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, Uruguay), 2.2 million in Brazil.

FashionTV has also evolved into a comprehensive multi-media platform which thematic channels and a video on demand services offered via its f.Club membership on www.ftv.com. In cooperation with Google, the “FashionTV channel on YouTube” www.youtube.com/fashiontv has quickly gained over 70,000 subscribers and produces approximately 10 million clip views per month, 25% of which comes from the USA. Additionally, FashionTV’s Facebook community has grown to over 600,000 followers, of which 10% are from the USA.
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Carla Bruni’s Maternity Style Debut: High Fashion!





After months of speculation, mom-to-be — and first lady of France — Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, 43, debuted her bump in some seriously chic outfits during this week’s G8 Summit in Deauville, France.

On May 26, the former supermodel, who is reportedly four months pregnant, wore a Chanel Haute Couture white tweed dress and black tweed jacket paired with bow-accented kitten heels to a luncheon she hosted for attending wives.

And later that evening, Bruni changed into a sleek black mini and T-strap sandals for a dinner date with husband French President Nicolas Sarkozy at Le Ciro’s, where the happy couple hosted President Barack Obama.

We can only wait to see how she puts a Parisian spin on pregnancy as the months go on!

TELL US: What do you think of the 

French first lady’s maternity style?

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