Seoul fashion blends luxury, high street

When Steve J & Yoni P’s Seoul Fashion Week show on Oct. 20 surprised many in the star-studded front row and packed auditorium with its combination of romantic colors and playful graffiti prints. “I think Steve J & Yoni P fits the mood of what is going on in Korea, between high street fashion and luxury,” said Danny Stienen, a buyer from Antonioli in Milan. It is difficult to be both sexy and feminine at the same time, added Stienen. “But I think this year’s womenswear collections, along with Ste

Oct. 26, 2014

[Design Forum] Herald Design Forum seeks to expand definition of design

This is the first in a weekly series that examine the expanding role of design as the run up to the Herald Design Forum 2014 on Nov. 26. -- Ed.The Herald Design Forum 2014, a celebration of creativity and innovation in design, will explore the changes that design will bring to life in its fourth edition in November.Under the title “Design Spectrum, Expanding the Definition of Design,” the forum, organized by Herald Corp., will discuss the influences of design in various fields, including archite

Oct. 22, 2014

[Design Forum] Herald forum draws top design innovators

Japanese architect Toyo Ito speaks at the Herald Design Forum in 2013. Herald Design ForumHerald Design Forum has established itself as one of Korea’s leading platforms to discuss design.The forum has shed light on the growing role of design in contemporary life since it was first held in 2011. The significance of design has been stressed by a number of key figures in design from around the world. It is the speaker lineups of world-leading designers that put the forum on the map.In 2012, the for

Oct. 22, 2014

Seoul fashion is all about wearable and practical designs

Models, designers, fashionistas and celebrities descended on the newly opened Dongdaemun Design Plaza and Park to take note of Korea’s hottest fashion trends for the upcoming 2015 spring-summer season, as the six-day extravaganza of runway shows kicked off Friday.Seoul Fashion Week, a biannual fashion festival in its 15th year, opened to a large crowd from home and abroad with menswear collections on Friday and Saturday. Both top and up-and-coming Korean designers are presenting 85 fashion shows

Oct. 19, 2014

Nina McLemore: go-to fashion choice for chic CEOs

You won’t hear her name at Fashion Week or in red carpet coverage. But Nina McLemore designs for some of the most influential and affluent women in America: Hillary Clinton, DuPont Co. CEO Ellen Kullman, former New Jersey Gov. Christine Todd Whitman.Many more law firm partners, executives, entrepreneurs and civic leaders wear Nina ― pronounced NINE-uh, as her clients refer to her brand ― for their most decisive moments.These are not neutral Armani suits, though the design, tailoring and fabrics

Oct. 8, 2014

Chanel creates Paris street in star-filled show

Fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld (center) acknowledges the public along with models faking a demonstation as they present creations for Chanel during the 2015 spring-summer ready-to-wear collection fashion show on Tuesday at the Grand Palais in Paris. (AFP-Yonhap)PARIS (AP) ― They were styles literally made to be worn on the street. But not just any street: this was Chanel’s boulevard. Karl Lagerfeld did it again Tuesday, producing the most outlandish and expensive ready-to-wear show of the seaso

Oct. 1, 2014

Paris fashion says non to ‘Normcore’

PARIS (AFP) ― Self-aware blandness, aka “Normcore,” may be the latest high street buzzword, but for the world of high fashion ― currently gathered in Paris ― the trend is something to be resisted.U.S. retailer Gap’s latest advertising campaign ― with the slogan “Dress Normal” ― has been seen by some as an example of the Normcore trend.Coined by the K-Hole trend forecasting group, the term is a combination of the words “normal” and “hardcore.”Wikipedia defines Normcore as a “unisex fashion trend

Sept. 30, 2014

Fashion made in China: Fine for everyone but the Chinese

MILAN (AFP) ― It has been called fashion’s dirty little secret but according to Miuccia Prada, soon everybody will be doing it.Made-in-China’s just fine with Prada’s supremo and a host of other influential industry figures.But for Chinese companies and designers seeking to become global style players, producing high-end clothing on home soil is complicated.Trade barriers, brand perception issues and the sourcing of certain fabrics combine to form an obstacle to them competing internationally wit

Sept. 29, 2014

Revisiting old Seoul

The simple rectangular building in Gwanghwamun, which looks identical to the U.S. Embassy building in Seoul, was a symbol of a power shift in the modern history of Korea. Initially built using an aid fund in the 1960s, the building was a center of political power, functioning as the headquarters of the Supreme Council for National Reconstruction, a military committee led by President Park Chung-hee, who had taken over the South Korean government in a coup d’etat. Governing legislative, administr

Sept. 28, 2014

Nearly cooked models start Paris Fashion Week

PARIS (AP) ― Ninety-three shows, nine days, one fashion-crazed city. The world’s traveling circus of fashion editors, buyers and celebrities waved goodbye to the cobbled streets of Milan and cried “Bonjour Paris” on Tuesday, bracing itself for the last, most colorful furlong of spring-summer 2015 ready-to-wear shows. Tuesday’s a day for the up-and-coming fashion designers and stars of tomorrow. And it can pack some surprises. Anthony Vaccarello, who has dressed Gwyneth Paltrow, gave himself an e

Sept. 24, 2014

How to transition your summer style into fall

Fall holds so many joys. The brutal heat of summer has let up, and the brilliant hues of the season are starting to show up on trees, bushes ― and in clothing. But for the working woman, the return of autumn can lead to questions.Is it time to pack away all the lightweight skirts and tank tops? If it’s 10 degrees at 8 a.m. and 27 degrees at 3 p.m., what to wear?Fashion expert and style guru Sharon Haver has the answers. Visit her site, focusonstyle.com, for specific picks and information, but in

Sept. 24, 2014

Designers go with the flow in Milan

MILAN (AP) ― Milan designers are making a nonbinding treaty with women. The collections being previewed during Milan fashion week, in its fourth day Saturday, are easy to wear and roomy, not binding, meant for every day and not rarified occasions. Here are some highlights from Saturday’s shows: Giorgio ArmaniOscar-winning filmmaker Paolo Sorrentino’s latest film opened Giorgio Armani’s womenswear collection for next summer, teaming up two of Italy’s top cultural ambassadors. The art short, title

Sept. 21, 2014

At 86, legendary personal shopper still has style and customers

The original personal shopper, Betty Halbreich, continues to help customers of all shapes, sizes and bank accounts with their wardrobes. Working at Bergdorf Goodman in New York City since 1976, she is appreciated by many and feared by some for her candor; she is incapable of selling for the sake of the sale. The 86-year-old has attracted the attention of “Girls” creator and star Lena Dunham, who is working to put together a show for HBO based on her life. She has followed her first book, “Secret

Sept. 17, 2014

Berlin passion for ’40s fashion untempered by WWII hue

BERLIN (AFP) ― With her blotted red lipstick, perky coiffed curls and fitted 1940s skirt suit, Constanze Pelzer looks like she’s stepped off a World War II film set.From head to toe, the 49-year-old German is the picture of 1940s elegance ― from the little glasses and striking jewelry to her red sling-backs, her entire outfit is authentic.But it isn’t a costume.Despite bringing to mind a painful chapter of German history, Pelzer admires 1940s fashion so much that she wears originals from the era

Sept. 17, 2014

Gaultier to wind up ready-to-wear fashion

PARIS (AFP) ― Jean Paul Gaultier, showman of Paris fashion, is to bow out of ready-to-wear later this month after nearly 40 years of over-the-top, sometimes provocative collections.The 62-year-old former “enfant terrible” of fashion, who famously designed Madonna’s cone bras, will devote himself to couture, the brand’s perfume business and other projects, the fashion house said in a statement.Gaultier’s last ready-to-wear collection will be shown on September 27 during the spring/summer 2015 fas

Sept. 16, 2014

Inspiration behind Chanel’s iconic designs

The double C logo, the signature little black dress with a white collar, and cuffs and fine jewelry collections. The list goes on for Chanel’s iconic styles that make women’s hearts flutter. Ever wondered where the inspirations came from? The “Culture Chanel, The Sense of Places” exhibition, currently on display at Dongdaemun Design Plaza, offers answers to this question. The exhibition reveals the inspirations that Chanel’s pioneering designs were based on throughout the 88 years of Gabrielle C

Sept. 15, 2014

Style goes digital at London Fashion Week

LONDON (AP) ― What to wear to London Fashion Week? The hottest designer heels, the latest fall jacket ― or perhaps a tech accessory like Google Glass. Hundreds of models, stylists and fashion insiders descended on the British capital Friday as the five-day whirlwind of catwalk shows kicked off, bringing the usual heady mix of glamor, parties and beautiful people. This season, however, organizers are also focusing on pairing technology with fashion, launching a series of talks and projects with G

Sept. 14, 2014

N.Y. Fashion Week blends celebrity, sophistication

NEW YORK (AP) ― New York Fashion Week was equal parts celebrity and sophistication Tuesday, with runway shows that included a collection by red carpet favorite Naeem Khan and a new line by Serena Williams.Naomi Campbell made an appearance at Badgley Mischka’s show, which also marked its silver anniversary, while a trio caused a stir with a no-clothes fashion moment. U.S. Open 2014 tennis champion Serena Williams (center) with Vogue editor Anna Wintour (left)during New York Fashion Week. (AP-Yonh

Sept. 10, 2014

Japan architects sell a lifestyle on global stage

TOKYO (AP) ― A new generation of Japanese architects is scoring success by reinterpreting the past. Unlike their predecessors, who modernized Japan with Western-style edifices, they talk of fluidly defining space with screens, innovatively blending with nature, taking advantage of earthy materials and incorporating natural light, all trademarks of Japanese design. And their sensibility that speaks to a human-oriented yet innovative everyday life is proving a hit abroad, said Erez Golani Solomon,

Aug. 12, 2014