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Vote in the Handbag Online Fashion Awards

FabSugarUK — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 04:30:54 -0800

I like to keep up-to-date with online shopping (so that I can bring you all the latest news), and now my expertise has been used to judge the Handbag Online Fashion Awards!

As part of the panel, along with Leon Bailey Green, Handbag editor Belinda White and Courtney Blackman, we have selected a short list for the fashion sites.

Choose your favourite place to shop online by clicking here and voting. You can select your favourite vintage, High Street, lifestyle, ethical, accessories and designer sites in addition to your favourite fashion blog.

Hillary Talks Sexism, Obama's Job Offer, and Mad Men to Vogue

TresSugar — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:00:35 -0800

Hillary Clinton finally sat down for a long-overdue Vogue interview. She offended editor Anna Wintour during the primaries by turning down the fashion mag out fear of looking "too feminine." And though she won't be on the December cover, the article is as substantial and satisfying as a cover story.

From night swimming alone to her favorite shows (Mad Men!), we see a side of Madame Secretary that all the vetting in the world would not unearth. See some of what she had to say below.

On visiting countries as a high-ranking female: "You can go to some countries and there's not a woman in the room. They don't even make the effort to give me the token woman minister. . . . And in lots of African countries the honorific for women is 'Mama.' So I had lots of people say to me, 'Mama, what about this; Mama, what about that?'"

On President Obama's job offer: "I was stunned after the election when President Obama asked me to consider this. . . . I really was very unconvinced. I did not think it was the right thing to do. I didn't want to do it. I just really had a lot of doubts, and I kept suggesting other people: Well, how about this person! How about that person! This one would be really good! But then a friend of mine called me and basically said, 'How would you have felt if you'd been elected and you'd called him and asked him to do this?' And that really made a big impression on me. How do you say no? And so . . . I said yes. And here I am."

On Mad Men: "That's how it was! That's why the women's-liberation movement was so shocking. It was like news from outer space"

See what else she had to say after the jump.

Model Motivators in the FabSugar Community

FabSugar — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:00:22 -0800

Kate. Linda. Cindy. Lara. Natasha. Gorgeous defined. Followers of fashion grew up idolizing models and their unbelievable beauty. In the Fab Community, there are several groups dedicated to pretty faces. Here are a slew of them, idolize away . . .

Model Behavior: Here is where I found this festive photo of Russian mod Natasha Poly. Share fashion editorials, runway photos, gossip, ads, street style, and more.
Vlada Roslyakova Fans: Share pictures and news about another Russian, the lovely Vlada.
Model Talk: If you go gaga over Laetitia Casta check out this tribute.
Models: Yay or Nay!: Open forum for the models you love and love to hate.
Daria Werbowy: I am stoked there's a group dedicated to Fab fave Daria, but sad there's only one member - Daria fans unite!

There are already a bunch of groups you can join and explore, and please - start some new ones! Here's a helpful guide to creating in case you need some clarification.

Oh Snap! Pakistan Shows Off Its Style

TresSugar — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:00:00 -0800

More color and less skin filled the runways yesterday during the first day of Pakistan's Fashion Week, an event that will feature over 30 Pakistani designers. The organizers had to push back the four-day event twice due to security fears, but at last the beautiful show must go on. Check out these gorgeous photos.

View 5 Photos ›

Fab Flash: A Luella Update

FabSugarUK — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 03:30:38 -0800

Yesterday, I shared the sad news that Luella had lost it's license and financial backer. The British fashion house is loved by celebrities and mere mortals alike with Bartley scooping Designer of the Year in 2008. Luella is now seeking a new financial backer and looking to the future.

There has been great sadness throughout the online fashion world with a Save Luella campaign launched on Twitter. Fans of the brand are already rushing to buy up pieces from the Autumn collection (with some pieces reduced here), before the Spring line even hits stores.

Luella and her design team are currently creative consultants at Liberty of London where they have designed some very festive window displays.

Luella Winston wool-blend blazer - £475.00	Luella Florence polka-dot dress - £795.00
Luella Mabel Military Jersey Dress - £195.00	Black Polka Dot Corset Dress, Luella - £995.00
LUELLA - Floral jacquard bow skirt - £385.00	Luella Fitted Hip Skirt - £379.01
Luella Large Giselle Leather Hobo - £523.39	LUELLA - Brocade clutch bag - £399.00

Breaking News: Luella is No More

FabSugarUK — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 07:30:03 -0800

I unfortunately have to break some very sad news to you as one of London's best loved fashion labels, Luella, is no more. The announcement came today as WWD revealed that the long term investor Club 21 have walked away from the design house.

According to a statement, VSQ Limited who operated the Luella business have reluctantly “taken the decision not to invest further in its relationship with Luella Bartley Limited.” Bartley commented,

"This is a very disappointing situation for everyone involved with the brand…I very much appreciate the support that VSQ has given me, but it is upsetting not to be able to protect jobs in this difficult economic climate. We have a number of options open to us, and are considering these over the coming months.”

Just last year, Bartley scooped designer of the year at the British Fashion Awards and her designs have a strong celebrity following. You also voted Luella your number one designer of 2008. Let's hope that somebody can save the brand.

Breaking News: London Fashion Week Schedule Announced

FabSugarUK — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 08:00:17 -0700

This morning the provisional schedule for September's London Fashion Week was announced. The Spring/Summer season (I know, how confusing) will kick off as usual with a show from Irish designer Paul Costelloe on Sunday 14th September. That day continues with the likes of PPQ and Ann Sofie Back before Monday's shows by Luella, Mario Schwab, Temperley London and Paul Smith to name but a few.

Tuesday kicks off with Adidas by Stella McCartney and ends with Giles with a bit of Eley Kishimoto and Christopher Kane in the middle.

The week continues with shows from House of Holland and Vivienne Westwood before closing with the MAN show on Friday 19th September. Obviously we will be there to bring you all of the latest gossip!

Source

Breaking News: Victoria's Secret Is Coming to the UK

FabSugarUK — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 03:45:56 -0800

Calling all lingerie fans - there's some exciting news on the horizon! Following the successful launch of Banana Republic, Abercrombie & Fitch and Anthropologie in the UK, another store is rumoured to be crossing the Atlantic. Victoria's Secret has already begun to scout for store locations. Just last week, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley (previously the face of Agent Provocateur) was announced as a new Angel taking position as the only British model to represent the brand along with four other new faces; Chanel Iman, Emanuela de Paula, Lindsay Ellingson and Candice Swanepoel.

Now it seems she could have started a trend within Victoria's Secret for a love of all things British as a Regent Street store is supposedly in the pipeline. The Angels will host their annual fashion show on 19th November (just a few weeks after Heidi Klum gave birth) and are expected to recreate George Michael's Freedom video. Would you like to see the store open in the UK?
Source

Ralph Lauren Rep Apologizes For Photoshopping Model

TresSugar — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 11:10:00 -0700

When controversy erupted over an image for Ralph Lauren's Blue Label - model Filippa Hamilton's body appeared to have been digitally retouched, so that she looked bobble-headed and emaciated - I was convinced that the image wasn't the original ad. I was sure that it had been retouched by one of those "thinspirational" proanorexia blogs you hear about which feature models Photoshopped, so that they look like Holocaust victims.

Wow, was I wrong. A spokesperson for Ralph Lauren made this comment about the controversial image:

"For over 42 years, we have built a brand based on quality and integrity. After further investigation, we have learned that we are responsible for the poor imaging and retouching that resulted in a very distorted image of a woman’s body. We have addressed the problem and going forward will take every precaution to ensure that the caliber of our artwork represents our brand appropriately."

Website Boing Boing was first to criticize the image by saying, "Dude, her head's bigger than her pelvis." When Ralph Lauren asked them to take the image down, claiming copyright infringement, they refused, citing fair use laws that that allow for the reproduction of images "for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting."

Maybe this will be a message to the cabal of Photoshoppers gone wild who don't seem to recognize that they're contributing to the unrealistic body images that make normal women feel inadequate. When an uberthin model isn't thin enough for the fashion industry, something is seriously wrong.

Friday Fab News Roundup

FabSugar — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:08:29 -0800

Lara Bohinc's shoe collection - Vogue UK
Victoria's Secret Fashion Show announces its top ten finalists - FWD
Fab Ad: Daisy Lowe for Louis Vuitton - FabSugar UK
Beyonce Knowles in David Koma - Red Carpet Fashion Awards
Designer denim drops in price - The Budget Fashionista
Annie Leibovitz focuses on deal - Page Six
Best budget-friendly boots - Frugal-Fashionista
Chloe Green for Topshop - Vogue UK
Shoes: A not-so-guilty pleasure - New York Times
MTV's 'Styl'D' shows the reality of a stylist's job - LA Times
Escada sold - Vogue UK
Why big models are big fashion news - Guardian UK