Alexander Wang for Balenciaga: 'This time, I got my feet wet'

Technically, this week's Balenciaga show was the second womenswear collection on Alexander Wang's watch. But this was the real debut. In hindsight, the first, in February, was merely a prologue. This was the first time he stamped his signature New York sportswear influence on the label. "Last season was an homage," the California-born designer said backstage on Thursday. "It felt important to begin correctly, by paying tribute. And then this time, I got my feet wet."

These Conceptual Coats Are Toogood

After starting out at the magazine World of Interiors and working with Comme des Garçons, Hermès, and Opening Ceremony as well as doing those runway sets for Kenzo, furniture designer Faye Toogood is collaborating with her pattern-cutter sister, Erica, on a new collection of eight coats that is simply called Toogood. Inspired by the notions of individuality and the laborer, the idea was born a year and a half ago, when the sisters both felt frustrated with their respective industries and decided to create a line inspired by the workwear from specific trades: the beekeeper, the road sweeper, the chemist, and the mechanic, among others. “I wanted to create garments that are very simple to work in, to move in, to go out in, almost like the uniform that the workers would be wearing,” explains Faye. “I kept talking to Erica about finishes, and she asked me, ‘What do you mean finishes? In fashion we don’t have finishes, we have textiles.’” The coats are all made out of hard-wearing materials fitting to staunch tradespeople—think the waxed cotton of an oil rigger and vulcanized rubber and simple utilitarian canvas. As the sisters are fascinated with the process—from design and production to sales and, finally, the buyer and wearer—each garment is made in the U.K. and carries a label inside that works as a passport, listing and crediting each person that has been involved in getting the coat to the customer. Straddling both the furniture and the fashion worlds, Erica and Faye’s individual practices can be traced in the form and materiality of the collection, as the garments are unisex and simple in their pure geometric form. Each style—two of which debut exclusively here—comes in six sizes to enhance or disguise the body of the wearer as he or she wishes. Toogood will launch this Saturday at Paris fashion week with a presentation by Faye.

Toogood will be available in concept stores internationally starting in January. For more information, visit www.t-o-o-g-o-o-d.com

The Ultimate Isabel Marant x H&M Wish List

We’ve had our calendars marked for November 14 since the day we found out about Isabel Marant’s upcoming H&M collaboration. Though we still have several weeks until the designer’s signature French-cool, boho-chic pieces hit stores worldwide, the lookbook just leaked and it does not disappoint. Hint: Those infamous fringed boots that fashion cognoscenti went wild for a few seasons back are on offer. Here, a primer on what to snag when the store doors open the morning of the 14th.

Is Donatella Versace Fashion’s Sexiest Feminist?

Feminism is emerging as a strong Spring ’14 theme—just look at Prada’s triumphant parade of girl power or Eddie Borgo’s Riot Grrrl-inspired range. Donatella Versace, who sent her skin-baring collection down the runway on Friday, joined the conversation this weekend, sounding off about feminism and sexy frocks in an interview with The Independent. “Every woman likes sex. If they don’t like it, they should go to a shrink!” she said in reference to her sultry wares. “I’m not talking about sex-shop dresses, but dresses that can help you look better than you are and more confident…. When you are confident wearing certain kinds of clothes, you are more confident about your ideas and have more courage to say…your opinions,” she explained, later adding, “Sexy clothes don’t only express ‘I want sex,’ but courage. ‘This is me, this is my courage. You need to confront me.” She definitely has a point—power dressing comes in all silhouettes and shades these days. However, we have a feeling that a sheer V-neck gown cut down to here might tempt one’s company to focus on something other than her “opinions.”

Forget Me Knot

Thanks to a pretty significant headgear fetish, this editor has lost countless hours in front of the mirror, trying to tie scarves into the perfect turban. So you can imagine my surprise, delight, and quasi frustration when I discovered Hermès’ brand-new iPhone app, Silk Knots—a program complete with videos, diagrams, and photos that show you how to fashion the ultimate head scarf. The app also details how to transform your scarf into a belt, a top, or a dress, as well as unexpected new ways to achieve an ideal drape around your neck. The app is free on iTunes—the Hermès scarf, however, is not.

Christopher Kane To Open First Flagship Store In London

As if we weren't excited enough about Christopher Kane's Spring Summer 2014 presentation today, the designer has just announced that his company is to open its first flagship store on London's iconic Mount Street.

The shop, which is due to open by the end of 2014 will join the likes of Lavin, Marc Jacobs and Vivienne Westwood on Mayfair's swanky shopping destination.

Christopher Kane, Creative Director, and Tammy Kane, Deputy Creative Director of the brand, commented: "This is an incredibly exciting time for us. To have our own retail space gives us the chance to showcase our collections and to really express our vision. To open in London first was really important to us as this is where our label was born.”

Hudson’s Bay Hires Harrods Chief Merchant McKee to Run Saks

NEW YORK, United States — Hudson’s Bay Co., the Canadian department store chain that’s acquiring Saks Inc. for $2.4 billion, hired Marigay McKee, Harrods’ chief merchant, to be president of the U.S. luxury retailer once the deal is complete.

Stephen Sadove, Saks’s current chief executive officer, and Ron Frasch, the retailer’s president, will leave when the transaction is complete, according to a statement from Toronto- based Hudson’s Bay today. The deal is expected to close by the end of the year. McKee is a 14-year veteran of London-based Harrods, Europe’s largest department store.

Hudson’s Bay Chief Executive Officer Richard Baker said when the acquisition was announced in July that he intended to run Saks as a separate operation, still based in New York, and would retain existing management. The parent company’s three chains, Hudson’s Bay, Lord & Taylor, and Saks Fifth Avenue will retain their own identities, he said at the time.

Linda Farrow Fetes the Big 1-0

By now, the Linda Farrow story is one of lore. Ten years ago, Tracy Sedino and her boyfriend, Simon Jablon (Linda Farrow’s table tennis-champ son), were redecorating an old warehouse that belonged to his designer mom. And by pure fortune, they discovered a box filled with old sunglasses that Linda had created for Balenciaga, Dior, and YSL in the seventies. The rest is history.

Ten years on and happily married to Jablon, Sedino has been busy fulfilling her mother-in-law’s design dream that was put aside for love, marriage, and children. In the past decade, with Jablon quarterbacking the business angle, Sedino has developed the Linda Farrow brand to an extreme: Their stand-alone products have drawn a legion of fans (think Rihanna, Gaga, Queen Bey, Madonna), and their collaborations have raised the bar even higher. Jeremy Scott, Erdem, Dries Van Noten, Oscar de la Renta, The Row, and Matthew Williamson are just a few designers with whom the brand has worked hand in hand.

The CFDA Incubator Talents Show Their Stuff

“I think it’s like a football game,” explained womenswear designer Jonathan Simkhai from his brightly lit studio in the CFDA’s Incubator. “They’re sitting on the sides like a cheerleader, rooting you on, but it’s up to you to make the goal and score the point—and they’ll definitely run with you all the way to the finish line.” He’s talking about his experience thus far in the Incubator, the much-lauded CFDA program that each year takes ten young brands and helps them develop their businesses through rent-subsidized studio space and continuous mentoring over the course of two years.

Kate Moss covers The Edit, NET-A-PORTER’s digital magazine

Style icon and supermodel Kate Moss fronts this week’s issue of The Edit, NET-A-PORTER’s digital magazine helmed by former Bazaar editor Lucy Yeomans.

With London Fashion Week fast approaching, the issue focuses on Kate’s much-copied London look. From biker jackets to beauty, it’s jam-packed with tips and tricks on how to steal her style, as well as a piece by writer Jo Craven “Anatomy of a Muse” that charts Kate’s best outfits over her extraordinary career

For the cover shoot, Moss donned Alberta Ferretti and Alexander McQueen dresses to step onto a volcanic-inspired set as envisaged by artist Mat Collishaw and inspired by the model’s “fiery temperament.”

As well as penning the accompanying piece to the shoot, editor Yeomans sums up Kate’s appeal in her opening letter to the issue: “Whether dancing with choreographer Michael Clark for Alexander McQueen, stepping out with Johnny Depp or sitting for Lucian Freud, she has always enthralled, seeming somehow both everyday yet totally out of this world.” We couldn’t agree more.

OPI Creates Limited-Edition Nail Polish in Honor of Sandy Hook Elementary School

Sandy Hook Promise and OPI have partnered to create a new nail color, Sandy Hook Green. Starting today, with a donation of $26 or more to Sandy Hook Promise, you’ll receive a bottle of the limited-edition shade. Not only will your funds provide aid to the families affected by the tragic shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, but it will also allow Sandy Hook Promise to continue their efforts to create an open dialogue about school safety and gun responsibility. Help them advocate for change by painting on a coat of this chic vibrant green.

Versace Said in Talks to Raise 250 Million Euros Via Stake Sale

MILAN, Italy — Gianni Versace SpA is in talks to raise about 250 million euros ($333 million) through a stake sale to help finance the fashion house’s expansion, said people with knowledge of the situation.

The Milan-based company is in discussions with IQ Made in Italy Venture, a partnership set up by Qatar Holding LLC and a unit of Italy’s Cassa Depositi e Prestiti SpA, said one of the people, who asked not to be named as the matter is private. Versace also is talking with other potential investors, said one of the people.

Qatar Holding, a unit of the Persian Gulf emirate’s sovereign wealth fund, and CDP’s Fondo Strategico Italiano SpA set up the joint venture last year to invest as much as 2 billion euros in Italian companies in industries such as fashion and luxury goods. Versace plans to sell a minority stake privately before offering shares to the public in three to five years, Chief Executive Officer Gian Giacomo Ferraris said this month.

Dolce & Gabbana Closing Might Happen To Pay Tax Evasion Fine, Designers Say

Dolce & Gabbana are not happy. In June, they were convicted of tax evasion and sentenced to one year and eight months in jail. They and three other defendants were also ordered to pay back about $670,000 each.

The high-end design duo isn't taking this one lying down, though. They've been fervent in their pleas for support since the conviction, and they are continuing their last ditch appeals in the court of public opinion. The Telegraph now reports that both Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana claim that their fashion house will have to close production if the are forced to pay the high fee:

Peter Som to Collaborate with Kohl’s

It was recently announced that Peter Som will be teaming up with Kohl’s for the retailer’s latest designer collaboration.

The collab will be part of the Kohl’s DesigNation line, which features limited-edition designer capsule collections inspired by international destinations. For his upcoming spring collection, Som was inspired by the tropical locale of St. Barth’s.

Som spoke to WWD about his DesigNation collection:

“I love print, pattern and color. Some of the prints in the collection are based on things in St. Barth’s, done in my slightly abstract way. There are palm trees and flowers. It’s done through the filter of what I love. The collection has a nice easy feeling, which I think is the way women dress now. We have some great maxi dresses. There are bomber-style jackets and great jersey pieces. It’s effortless dressing. For me, it was great working with Kohl’s. It shows it’s possible to create effortless style at a great price point.”

The collection will be available exclusively at Kohl’s stores and online starting in Spring 2014, with prices ranging from $36 to $88.

J.Crew And Sophia Webster Launch Footwear Collaboration

In a fabulous Brit-Americana fashion mash-up, British shoe designer Sophia Webster has created a capsule collection for American brand J.Crew, which will be launched at J.Crew’s Spring Summer 2014 Fashion Show on 10 September.

Sophia Webster, who is loved by fashionistas for her quirky designs, has reworked her most popular silhouettes to place emphasis on the colour and patterns found in J.Crew’s new women’s collection.
The results are a glorious collaboration of spring florals, vibrant tafettas and neons, with plenty of Sophia’s trademark tassels and embroidery to boot.

Speaking about the collection, Sophia said, "I was delighted when Jenna [Lyons, J.Crew’s President and Executive Creative Director] approached me to design a collection for J.Crew. The brand has a real sense of fun and colour that I love and I think that my designs compliment their clothes well.”
We can look forward to 30 shoes from the runway collection, which will be available at select J.Crew stores and online in 2014. NL

Italian For The Evening

Last night, Vogue Italia‘s Franca Sozzani staged an exhibit at the Italian Trade Commission celebrating—you guessed it—Italian fashion. The free-thinking editor mixed old and new, asking eight up-and-coming directors to present their fashion film spin on some of Italy’s biggest names, from Prada and Giorgio Armani to Missoni and Versace. “We chose the brands, they chose the clothes,” Sozzani said at yesterday’s exhibit-turned-party, wearing a bold print dress by emerging Italian talent Stella Jean.

“Everybody is Italian tonight!” exclaimed Calvin Klein’s Italo Zucchelli. True enough, the party had the likes of Joy Bryant, Amanda Hearst, and Johan Lindeberg showing off their Italian side—if only for the night. DJ Mia Moretti held out her Ferragamo clutch and Fendi shoes like an badge of honor.

Guests clamored inside the space, where digital screens broadcast each of the films. Headphones allowed them to listen in. Ann Dexter-Jones pointed to Carlo Lavagna’s An Italian Adventure, which had its Dolce & Gabbana heroine swimming in the Mediterranean. “I want to be in Sicily in that one,” she said.

British Fashion Council to launch pop-up shop at London Fashion Week

Keen to showcase the capital’s commercial clout, the British Fashion Council today announced that it will be opening a pop-up shop to coincide with London Fashion Week, stocked with capsule collections from the city’s contemporary brands.

The Shop, with a logo designed by artist Sir Peter Blake and interiors by set designer Robert Storey, will include creations by Bella Freud, shoe designer Sophie Webster, Markus Lupfer and jeweler Dominic Jones, and will also provide a space for flash sales, musical performances, readings, interviews and guest appearances.

Set across two rooms in the West Wing of the ground floor of Somerset House, The Shop opens on September Friday 13th and closes on 22nd and will only be open to Fashion Week ticket holders from 19th.

Follow @LondonFashionWk #LFW #TheShop to find out what’s in store.

Hugo Taylor and Charlie Morris launch eyewear collection

Who knows what an evening of drinks with your best friend can bring? For ex-Made in Chelsea star Hugo Taylor and Charlie Morris, sketching on their dinner time napkins over a glass of wine brought the creation of the first collection of Taylor Morris unisex eyewear.

The new sunglasses range features six distinctive styles in 11 richly defined colours, and was created with the aim of encapsulating a timeless elegance and glamorous sophistication. The shades come in a variety of colours from caramel horn, black and white tortoise, to blue speckled leopard, with each featuring complimentary blue lenses.

This September, the duo will be launching the range at Harvey Nichols, who will be the brands first and exclusive stockist. So if you're searching for a new pair of specs - head to Harvey Nichols now. We predict a sold out collection. BK

Stella McCartney x Goop: New intel from Gwyneth Paltrow on what the power duo’s collab is all about

After a week of speculating what the highly anticipated collaboration between Stella McCartney and Gwyneth Paltrow could bring, WWD is putting our minds to rest with a sneak peek at the collection and an intimate interview between the BFFs.

The power duo—who met through celebrity personal trainer Tracy Anderson and spend their time hosting English garden parties in the Hamptons (nbd) and taking poolside Instagrams—we’re quick to point out that despite the collab seeming like a no-brainer, they wanted to make sure it was done right.

Considering how diverse Goop’s offerings are, fans speculated that the Stella McCartney x Goop line could be anything from athletic wear, to a vegan cookbook to a swimwear line. But thanks to WWD, it has been confirmed that the capsule collection will consist of classic clothing pieces that are in tune with Gwyneth Paltrow’s style. As an actress known for her timeless style on the red carpet, we can definitely expect beautiful minimalist pieces featuring clean feminine lines.

Finding the perfect fit: Loft solves the pant problem with 4 simple steps

Women are wearing pants now more than ever, so why is it so impossible to find the perfect pair? We struggle to find the right colour, cut, length- and whose hips are really proportionate to their waist anyway? Typically, pant shopping comes with a checklist. We want a pair that promises to flatter our unique silhouettes, that we can get the maximum mileage out of and that combines high-end style with serious comfort. Is that really too much to ask? LOFT gladly accepted the challenge, which they’re dubbing “The Pant Problem.” The task was broken down into three main questions: “why do women battle with how pants fit?”, “why do they struggle with pant shopping?” and “what are women really looking for?”

Jimmy Choo launches eyewear collaboration

When you think of Jimmy Choo the first thing that comes to mind is no doubt shoes. But this season the iconic footwear brand has teamed up with eyewear brand Carrera for a new range of five stand out sunglasses.
The Carrera 6000 collection embraces the signature Jimmy Choo aesthetic, with blacks, golds and a limited edition leopard print frame featuring real gold lenses. The five styles represent the perfect union of Carrera's expertise in eyewear, and Jimmy Choo’s feminine, powerful and glamorous design aesthetic. And the result? This gorgeous collection of rock chic eyewear.
And we've got a peek at the oh-so-glamorous shoot for the new collection - prepare to lust after some seriously sexy eye candy. BK

Put a Ring on It: The Story on Kate Bosworth's Wedding Bands

Kate Bosworth's flawless bridal approach will no doubt be carefully dissected—from the top of her cathedral-length vail to the shoes hidden under her sweeping Oscar de la Renta gown. Currently, we have our eye on her weddings bands, designed by Ocappi. Created to pair with her 1920s engagement ring, each are hand made and set in platinum, and took well over 36 hours to create. The first boasts 18 brilliant baguette diamonds bezel set horizontally, with just over a half-carat of diamond weight. The second band has 12 diamond baguettes, one to represent each month of the year on her second band. Of the platinum pieces, Bosworth says, "We both appreciate a classic, clean design in all aspects of our lives. This ring is a perfect representation of our aesthetic."

Ruffian Turns to Gondoliers and Beachy Debauchery

Even though Labor Day traditionally marks the end of of summer fun, Ruffian‘s Brian Wolk and Claude Morais aren’t ready to jet home quite yet. For their Spring ’14 show on Saturday, the designers are set to introduce a collection rooted in Côte d’Azur debauchery, veiled in a layer of Italian heritage thanks to a collaboration with Giulia Campeol’s Venice-based footwear label, Allagiulia.

“Giulia’s family made Friulana slippers, which are the shoes that gondoliers wear,” Wolk told Style.com. “The soles are traditionally made out of discarded bike tires so that they don’t slip on the boats. She brought them to the next level, using more fabrics and textiles.” Added Morais, “And we’ve adapted that signature.”

The result—a leather-fringed, polka-dotted, tire-rubber-sole flat (which debuts exclusively above) —smartly conveys the evolution from the canal to the catwalk. “Giulia came to our studio, and we looked at all of our reference images for the lineup—fifties Saint-Tropez,” said Wolk, adding that the author Françoise Sagan, a literary enfant terrible of sorts, also served as a Spring muse.

It’s Sagan’s breathlessly paced life that informs the rest of the collection, which is dubbed Ingenue. “She was very much a Ruffian. She drove race cars, she was always in trouble, and she actually had to go to rehab in the south of France,” said Wolk. “At Ruffian there’s always a good girl who has gone a little bit bad.”

What's Next For the Costume Institute?

The Metropolitan Museum of Art has announced the lineup for next year's Costume Institute exhibition, and the theme is decidedly unpunk. The 2014 exhibit and gala will center on Charles James, who was known as America's first couturier. Chaired by Aerin Lauder, Bradley Cooper, Oscar de la Renta, Sarah Jessica Parker, Lizzie and Jonathan Tisch, and Anna Wintour, the retrospective will also coincide with the May 2014 opening of the new Costume Institute galleries (as if the designer's glamorous ball gowns wouldn't be spectacle enough!).

When it opens on May 8, Charles James: Beyond Fashion will feature more than 100 of the couturier's creations that were worn by such notable clients as Austine Hearst, Millicent Rogers, and Dominique de Menil. The self-taught designer's sculpting techniques and careful attention to the female form will be examined through video animation, as well as a collection of sketches, pattern pieces, swatches, ephemera, and partially completed works from his last studio. With a topic that couldn't be farther from punk, we're eager to see how the refined exhibition stacks up to the success of Chaos.

Calvin Klein Really Wanted to Hire David Beckham as an Underwear Model

What got between David Beckham and Calvin? Market research.

In the latest issue of Interview Magazine, Marc Jacobs talks to Calvin Klein about everything from his relationships with the various models he's cast in campaigns over the years to what it was like having a house on Fire Island in the '70s. But perhaps the most interesting part of the piece has to do with how Beckham almost ended up opposite Natalia Vodianova in one of Klein's underwear campaigns.

"The guy we used for those ads with Natalia was an athlete," Klein said. "We had discussions with David's people and they said, 'You can have him for the rest of the world, but you can't have the UK because he's too popular.' I said, 'We do business in the UK. What am I supposed to do there? Use someone else?' So that was a no. They weren't ready. So we got this other guy instead."

Uniqlo Sales in Japan Rise Most in Four Years

TOKYO, Japan — Fast Retailing Co.’s Uniqlo brand reported its biggest sales gain in almost four years in Japan as Asia’s largest clothing retailer benefited from strong demand for summer apparel.

Same-store sales at Uniqlo Japan outlets rose 29 percent in August as high temperatures drove up sales of summer clothes, Fast Retailing said in a statement to the Tokyo Stock Exchange today. That’s the biggest increase since October 2009, when monthly sales gained 36 percent, according to data on the retailer’s website.

Fast Retailing, led by billionaire Tadashi Yanai, has opened new stores in locations such as Tokyo’s Ginza shopping district under a plan to revamp the Uniqlo brand’s utilitarian image at home. The retailer is expanding outside its home market as it targets sales of 5 trillion yen ($50 billion) by 2020.

Fashion and Textile Museum announces Bellville Sassoon exhibition

Long before Jenny Packham and Alexander McQueen dressed Britain’s The Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton, Belinda Bellville and David Sassoon were the go-to couture duo for high-society women in the public eye. London’s Fashion and Textile museum is looking back at their work with a new exhibition set to open to the public on the 20th September.

The exhibition, which also celebrates the museum’s 10th anniversary, will look at how from the 1960s onwards, Bellville Sassoon became the label of choice for aristocrats, offering luxurious workmanship with a fashion-forward approach that differed from traditional couturiers of the time. Over 150 pieces will be on show, demonstrating how the debutant era of ‘coming out’ parties and balls gave way to the Swinging Sixties and a new generation of celebrities.

Exit Left Apparel x Hal Williams T-Shirt

Several months ago we featured the latest graphic t-shirt collection by independent UK label Exit Left Apparel (ELA). With each collection featuring an array of designs contributed by different artists, the brand’s latest collaboration is with well-known rapper Hal Williams, aka ‘Pyramid Vritra’ from Odd Future and Nobody Really Knows. This latest partnership comes after five months of secret talks and designs, making the new release a welcome surprise for all ELA and hip-hop fans.

Williams is known for his unique blend of psychedelic hip-hop beats and obscure jazz riffs. However, in addition to his musical talent the artist also designs his own album art, and can now lay claim to being a fashion designer with the creation of the Exit Left Apparel x Hal Williams T-Shirt.

Burberry Loves Printemps

If there is one item that is synonymous with the Burberry brand then it is undoubtedly the trench coat.

Whether this is due to the brand’s heritage roots in exploration, motoring and aviation or because Burberry have successfully managed to reinvent and innovate this timeless staple one can only surmise. However, one thing we do know is that the trench coat and Burberry are as intertwined as the brand’s iconic check design.

With the trench coat at the heart of the label, Burberry are hosting an event called ‘The Art of the Trench’ – and what better place to do so than one of Paris’ most iconic shopping destinations, Printemps.

Constructed in 1865 and now listed as a historical monument, Printemps Haussmann is an extravagant shopping destination devoted to luxury goods. With twenty-five floors of luxury shops and an exquisite view of Paris from its panoramic terrace, Printemps is considered more iconic than the Arc de Triomphe in certain circles.

KISUA Takes African Talent Global

Two unique African voices, CEO Samuel Mensah and his partner, creative director Danica Lepen, will launch e-commerce site KISUA in early October, with the goal of bringing emerging and established African designs to the global market. “Even though we have a focus on creating globally marketable and well-priced garments, we have gone to great lengths to retain authenticity in our collections. As we expand and grow, we will look further into incorporating more and more specialized traditional African methods such as beading, dyeing, weaving and hand-printing,” Lepen tells Style.com.

For its initial launch, KISUA will offer fully funded “collaborative capsule lines” from ten designers across Africa, from South Africa to the Democratic Republic of Congo. “With these ten designers, the starting point was to take a deeper look into what each of their design features and aesthetics are, and to see what elements we could take from that in order to create something new under the KISUA brand,” Lepen explains.

Billabong Posts A $860 Million Loss as Brand Deemed Worthless

SYDNEY, Australia — Billabong International Ltd., the Australian surfwear company whose shares fell by more than half over the past year, posted a loss more than three times its market value and said its core brand was worthless.

The loss was A$860 million ($776 million) in the year ended June, compared with a loss of A$276 million in the previous 12 months, the Gold Coast, Australia-based company said in a statement today. Billabong was expected to lose A$547 million, according to the average of four analyst estimates compiled by Bloomberg.

Losses in its European division meant the company’s business costs ran higher than its sales revenue, with the company losing A$1.9 million before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization. The company’s brands, worth A$614 million at the end of 2011, were worth A$90 million at the end of June and the Billabong brand itself is worthless, the company said.

The company has been experiencing “continued difficult trading conditions, particularly in Europe,” Michael Simotas, an analyst at Deutsche Bank AG in Sydney, wrote in a note to clients Aug. 7. In Billabong’s home market, “consumer sentiment continued to weaken and warm weather weighed on winter apparel sales,” he wrote.

The stock closed at 56.5 Australian cents in Sydney trading yesterday, extending its decline this year to 32 percent. The S&P/ASX 200 index has gained 10 percent.

Chinese Shoppers Set to Become World Leaders Online

SHANGHAI, China — China’s e-commerce market is expected to leapfrog that of the United States this year to become the world’s largest by total customer spending, management consultancy firm Bain & Company says, and could account for half of all Chinese retail spending within a decade.

The change in shopping habits comes as almost half of the country’s 1.3 billion population now have direct access to the Internet, and of that number nearly 80 percent own smart phones or tablets.

China’s e-commerce market has grown at an average rate of 71 percent from 2009 to 2012, versus 13 percent in America, and its total size is expected to reach 3.3 trillion yuan ($539.07 billion) by 2015, Bain & Company said in a report released on Wednesday.

Total spending by Chinese consumers on online shopping reached $212.4 billion in 2012, compared to $228.7 billion in the U.S., the report said.

Say Hello To The First Plus Size Designer To Show At New York Fashion Week

With the respective fashion weeks fast approaching this year we will be saying hello to the first plus size designer to show in New York. Set forward Cabiria catering for women between the sizes of 12 and 24.

Cabiria will join five other designers showing at the Fashion Law Institute at Lincoln Centre and will show on the 6th of September. This marks a monumental moment as they are the first plus size designer to EVER be asked to take part at the Mercedez Benz FashionWeek.

So what do we know about Cabiria? Well it was started by award winning costume designer and wardrobe stylist Eden Miller. Eden celebrates sexy women who want clothing which not only flatters but shows off their bodies.

Sixty Hours of Summer

This weekend marks the last of the lazy days of summer—steamy late nights, sand-sprinkled car floors, and rooftop barbecues. But the Tilly candle by Rosie Jane—her latest scent named after youngest daughter Matilda—captures the essence of a beachside afternoon in soy wax (with a burn time of sixty hours). The typical olfactory suspects of gardenia, coconut, and citrus evoke the smells of the ocean in the founder’s native Australia and flowers around her home in L.A., but it’s the addition of slightly heady Egyptian and African musk that instantly transports me to days spent lounging on the shores just outside of New York City (which have a vastly different aroma than sweet, tropical locales). These warm base notes give the blend a soft edge that reflects the gray-blue (not vibrant aqua) water of the East Coast and the smell of sunscreen—which many New Yorkers are neurotic about in comparison to tawny-skinned and more laid-back Californians. I plan to keep my favorite season alive long after Labor Day simply by striking a match.

Davines Gets All Wrapped Up

If there’s one thing that sells a beauty product, it’s packaging. In fact, I often feel like women are so enamored by compacts and containers that companies could sell sewage water if it was distilled into something eye-catching. But in the case of Davines’ latest hand-wrapped hair styling line, aptly named More Inside, it’s not just about having a pretty face. Along with the artisanal, patterned papers inspired by vintage fabrics that envelop the bottles, jars, and tubes, the formulas found within the vials are well edited and designed to work. The company did away with its two separate collections (For Wizards and Defining), consisting of twenty-eight lotions, potions, and sprays, and instead pared this new range down to sixteen SKUs. However, two of the best-sellers remain—Sea Salt Primer Spray (my personal favorite) and Oil Non Oil—albeit both are dressed up in fresh outfits and branded with new monikers. The remaining fourteen, including hair sprays, mousses, pomades, pastes, waxes, and serums, create looks ranging from sleek and polished to tousled and relaxed. Plus, the brand’s no-frills naming convention—a simple and straightforward sentence that indicates each formula’s function—makes choosing the right product easier than ever. For example, a-once cryptic clay is easily deciphered now that it’s called This Is a Strong Hold Clay It’s for a Firm, Mat Finish. Even better: Printed on the inside of the elaborate FSC-certified paper (meaning the wood used to make it comes from responsibly managed forests) you’ll find adorable illustrations, inspirational quotes, and QR codes that link to the brand’s website and a video tutorial with artistic director Angelo Seminara on how to use the product. Essentially, these stylers are like Russian nesting dolls: The surprises just keep on comin’.