We imagine it’s particularly difficult to be yourself when you’re constantly in the public eye. Not only are your sartorial and beauty choices scrutinized every time you leave your house or appear at a high-profile event, but your romantic life is immediately put on display and judged by everyone who witnesses your choices. And this doesn’t just apply to Hollywood starlets and B-list reality TV favorites—the fashion community has had its fair share of controversial couples who have been slammed in the gossip columns.

From industry power players like Jenna Lyons and girlfriend Courtney Crangi to Vogue editrix Anna Wintour and her entrepreneur beau Shelby Bryan, there’s been tons of tabloid fodder surrounding folks who you usually think about simply for their street style merits and enviable careers.

In honor of incessant gossip regarding Calvin Klein getting back together with his 23-year-old boy toy Nick Gruber, we decided to take a look at the industry’s 10 most controversial couples of all time.

Terwijl de New Wave van Britse Heavy Metal de clubscène in de verenigd Koninkrijk en Europa overnam, een partij van banden aanwezig en rond Los Angeles — afgevuurde door een liefde voor KUS, Busje Halen en aantrekkelijke groepen als de New York Poppen en het Zoete — waren over om Zonsondergang Strook als een 7,0 aardbeving te schudden. Met opzichtige, androgyne beelden en overhaast, solo-verzadigde liederen, de "haarmetaal" banden dwongen visueel en muzikaal aannamen. In het begin groepen als Mötley Crüe en Ratt waren bijna zo zwaar zoals Judas Priester en Dio, de band Ronnie James Dio vormde nadat verliet Zwart sabbat. Maar toen de scène populariteit en een belangrijk etiket won die vlaag voeren begonnen, vele muzikanten pasten hun liederen voor heersende stromingsradio aan, die vasthoudt wat van hun zwaarte maar meer klemtoon naar melodie en hart-aan-mouwgevoeligheid tekent — en sexualiteit.

Met het verspreiden van New Wave sloot MTV met een klink aan naar het dat visueel aantrekkelijke metalen video's staakt — vele waarvan voor syrupy machtballades was. Voor u zou kunnen zeggen, "Blik ik zie een IDENTIFICATIE"? Rij, Assepoester, Dokken, Machtiging, Vergift niet Dood, Schiet N' Rozen, Mötley Crüe en talloos anderen stormden hun weg in miljoenen van voorstedelijke huisgezinnen rond de wereld. Hun video's kwamen bijna altijd voor jonge vrouwen in uitdagende houding, veelvoudige kostuumveranderingen en muzikanten in zware make-up die kijkt bijna zo vrouwelijk zoals de meisjes zij achtervolgden. En de achtervolgen heeft niet beëindigd toen de band rollen stopte. Zelfs voor de dageraad van de tachtig, een handvol van ongehoorde L.EEN. banden inclusief Busje Halen en Kalme Rel plantten de verwaarloosde zaden van het genre.

Door het middene-' 80s, L.EEN. werd door wijd-gebeschouwen, groot-behaard hoopvolle inschenken van alle landen bevolkt — inderdaad, van alle wereld — lokte door de belofte van succes en de begeleidende randvoordelen. Hollywood was slechts een korte pendel van belangrijke ontmoetingsplaatsen als het Forum, Lange Strand Arena en Universeel Amfitheater en het was huis van beruchte clubs als de Whisky, Starwood, Troubadour en Roxy Theater. Belangrijke recordbedrijven stipten de stad en recordwinkels belijnden Zonsondergang Boulevard en LaBrea Laan. Een gelukkige weinige toekomstige rotssterren leefden in de L.EEN. gebied, waar, in de late jaren zeventig, kregen zij een vogel' s-oogoverzicht en een sprongstart op een scène die hun stad in enkele korte jaren zou inhalen.

Read more:

http://www.salon.com/2013/05/22/welcome_to_the_jungle_the_definitive_oral_history_of_80s_metal/

Launched in 1953 and halted briefly in 2008, the accolade was revived last year, with Belgian designer Christian Wijnants taking home the A$100,000 (HK$770,000) prize.

This time around, the contest was expanded to include contenders from the mainland, Hong Kong, Japan and South Korea, and two Hong Kong-based brands - ffiXXed and Plotz - are among 10 Asian nominees.

The two home-grown brands will be up against 47 other emerging designers across Australia, Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the United States, according to Woolmark's recently unveiled list.

"We are very excited to have two Hong Kong brands this year," says Simon Locke, a judge for the regional competition. "For me, [ffixxed and Plotz] have their own unique handwriting along with universal appeal. Not only have they achieved that fine balance between art and commerce, but they are also viable businesses."

All 10 Asian nominees will present a capsule collection (comprising six sketches and one complete look) made of Merino wool at the regional finals in Hong Kong next month. The winner will then compete for the overall prize alongside other finalists in Milan next year.

Although both brands are relatively new - Plotz was established in 2007 while ffiXXed came a year later - they have already received a fair amount of recognition here and abroad.

Plotz is a local brand through and through: its founder, Singchin Lo, was born and raised in the city and graduated from Polytechnic University's School of Design in 2005.

"I was your typical kid - I never liked to study, but I loved drawing. Fashion design appealed to me because it was about creating something from nothing. I love to design things freely with no restrictions, whether people like it or not," says the 31-year-old.

http://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-watches/article/1239037/hong-kong-designers-nominated-prestigious-woolmark-fashion

I took over the Timaru store in 2007, the Oamaru store in 2008 and the Ashburton store in early 2010. All three stores had been in operation for many years but needed rejuvenating and re- focussing to include a wider age group of women customers. We now cater for women aged 35+. Did you have any previous experience in women’s fashion?

When I was younger I wanted a break from nursing so managed a women’s clothing shop in Christchurch for a while before I had a family. What have you enjoyed the most about becoming a retailer?

Meeting the needs of our customers – by offering a great selection of clothes and accessories, most of which are exclusive to our stores and by offering a level of service that includes honest advice and always going the extra mile.

Visit:

http://www.stuff.co.nz/timaru-herald/features/8575615/A-new-focus-from-old-folks-to-fashion

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/uk-fashion-stores-feel-the-chill-during-a-harsh-winter-8565134.html

The harsh winter which saw snow fall in April led to a sales slump at fashion stores. The unseasonably near-Arctic weather hit the footwear sector hardest, according to the latest Retail Sales Monitor published today by the British Retail Consortium (BRT) and KPMG.

While sales of slippers and wellies held up well in March, sandals failed to fly off the shelves. By comparison, the sunny spell experienced in March 2012 saw sandal sales soaring, sending the footwear sector to the top of the sales charts. Clothing was the only other sector to post a year-on-year fall.

David McCorquodale, head of retail at KPMG, said: "Clothing and footwear retailers had a dismal month in March as the cold weather froze sales, leaving summer skirts and sandals on the shelves."

Today's figures reinforce yesterday's survey from the accountancy firm BDO which revealed that underlying fashion sales tumbled by 3.4 per cent last month.

However, the figures recorded for other retail sectors were boosted by the early timing of Easter in 2013. "Easter fell in March this year but in April 2012, which helps this year's figures," said Helen Dickinson, director general of the BRT.

"But even if we strip out the data for the last week of March [when Easter fell] performances are encouraging considering the weather impact," she said.

UK retail sales values were up 1.9 per cent on a like-for-like basis over the year. Adjusted for shop-price inflation of 1.4 per cent in March, total retail sales values grew 2.3 per cent in real terms, according to the Monitor.

However, the good overall picture wasn't reflected online, said Ms Dickinson. "Online sales growth was the slowest since August, when the Olympics left many of us 'otherwise engaged' with little interest in shopping," she pointed out.

Meanwhile, the food and drinks sectors were boosted by the lead-up to Easter and Mother's Day, given them their top two sales weeks of the year so far.

The bad news for the fashion sector is set to continue later this week when the retail bellwether Marks & Spencer is expected to report a 4.5 per cent slump in underlying fashion and homewares sales on Thursday.

http://www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk/Cheltenham-s-Fashion-Beauty-week-going-FAB/story-18461141-detail/story.html#axzz2O7xdXgZ0

Det er modebegivenheden på alle læber dette spring. Form og Skønhed i Cheltenham er tilbage for dets næste år og opstillingen er større og bedre end nogensinde. Over syv dage fra 15-21. april, bliver byen transformeret ind i en mecca for fashionistas med tre snit-kantmoder udstillinger at inspirere os alle for den nye sæson. Lokal retailers indmeldte allerede sig sig at vise på catwalks inkluderer nationale mærker sådan som Hobbs, Joules, Pakhus, Oasis og Mark & Spencer sammen med uafhængige butikker Verite Louise, Sandra Dee, MeMeMe og Cotswold konstruktører Barrington Ayre og Melissa Antonious.

I en ophidsing eksklusiv, international mode vil konstruktør Masato, fra Tokyo, der har arbejdet med Giles Diakon, præsentere hans nye indsamlinger på det sorte bånd Tale af Byen begivenhed på fredag, den 19. april. Masato studerede kvinders modedesign på Central Helgen Martins og forbindet Giles Diakon hvor han hjalp til fandt GILES mærke, før søsætte hans egen etiket for to år siden. Menighed successen af sidst års Mode Uge, som organiseres af Gloucestershire Ekko og understøttet af Cheltenham Bykommuneråd, er udstillingsproducenterne en gang til Brian Brown & Jasmin, der har et kast af 30 professionelle modeller ordner til ynde catwalks.

Koreograf og danser Thomas Ashton er også blevet indmeldt at arbejde med Brian Brown & Jasmin på udstillingerne.

Lokale hårsaloner Rødmen og Fløde vil skabe noget fantastiske stile for catwalks og sminken samarbejder på Fordel på Støvler vil lægge sammen det ferske udseende for Moden Oprør udstilling på lørdag, 20. april hvor yngre tilhængere af mode vil kunne at blande sig blandt knald-opmoder beholdere, graffitikunstnere og to fashionable stænger, en for under 18s og en voksen VIP område, som formgives af Dvæler.

FAB projektdirektør Hayley Anderson-Dixon siger: ”Vor publikum kan forsikres, at dette års udstillinger vil være selv mere fortryllende og flot end sidste år med en berøring af teatralsk drama og dans tilføjede ind i blandingen.

”Om du er damer, der spiser frokost, eller du kan at lide at være flot udhalet til de ni og at nyde en nat ud med venner, eller du er en tilhænger af mode og er på-tendens og i-vogue er dit fokus, har vi noget for alle.

http://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/style/specials/2013/03/10/spring-fashion-the-end-trend/JZgPaczw8w7ff8hVurLP4J/story.html

Marian Salzman, en av verdenens mest dekorert trendobservatører — det visjonære som blir kreditert med å forutsi den oppstigningen av metrosexual — prøver å feste øyeblikket moten trenden døde. Da den største trenden ikke ble noen trend i det hele tatt. Dagen la seg moten politiet deres merker. Du så mødre som gjør skoleløp i AG Olabukser, H&M T-SKJORTER, en gammel Chanel jakke, og Crocs på deres føtter», sier Salzman, shuddering. «Det var øyeblikket som liv sto stille». Året ? Kall det 2007 — og hvert år siden. Og nå har vi kommet til punktet hvor «sesonger spiller noen rolle, trender ikke spiller noen rolle ikke, ikke eld spiller noen rolle», sier enda en New York stil forecaster, Sharon Graubard. Som en person som er aldri helt «på trend,» jeg er tydelig slik ut av det at jeg ikke en gang har visst at det ikke var noen trend ikke å være på. Det burde ha kommet som gode nyheter, men jeg følte unmoored. Det er hyggelig å ha en titt å streve til, eller minst å spotte. Motetrender er som flymat i på den måten — objekt av derision som du finner deg mangle.

Men hva skjedde ? Har en broket mobb ladet frem, i magre bukser og pleated spillerom, plattformer og flat, baby-dokketopp og cinched midjer, nakne lepper og maraschino dummy, jumpsuits og bar midriffs, og topple en statue av Vogueeditor Anna Wintour ? Skyld det på grunge, sier Graubard, en eldre Visepresident og motedirektør på å forutsi av firma Stylesight. Ja plaid-flannel-and-clunky-boots titt av det tidlige› 90s. «Et par folk sa at det er en blits i gryta, men jeg forsto det som en groundswell, ser en komplett forandring i retningen i måten vi på klær. Hver artikkel av å kle blir et layering stykke. En kjole kan bli slitt over bukser». Hun kontrasterer at med moteriktigere tider. «I det› 80s som du måtte slite stor skuldrer,» sier hun. «Det var en silhuett, og hvis du har ikke slitt det, du følte som du var ut av mote. I det› 90s, var hele stilen minimalism. Hvis du slet noe broderte eller dekorerte, ville se du stum. Klar å sliting ble betraktet MidtAmerika. Men det er all sprukket åpen nå. Du kan slite noe som helst så lang som du sliter det med overbevisning».

 

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/newport-international-group-inc-selects-quatrain-public-relations-agency-of-record-54037202.html

Newport International Group, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: NWPO), a provider of digital tools and services to growing businesses, and parent company for several high technology software, communications and services companies, today announced that it has retained as its agency of record, Quatrain Public Relations, a leading public relations firm specializing in integrated corporate and product communications for emerging high technology companies. As part of the agreement, Quatrain Public Relations will work with Newport International Group to launch several innovative new products through a breadth of public relations services, including strategic counsel and writing, product reviews, and extensive media and analyst relations.

"Quatrain Public Relation's experience in the software technology industry will be an important asset to Newport International Group as we expand and evolve our product offerings in 2005," commented Cery Perle, chief executive officer, of Newport International Group. "After an extensive search, it is clear that Quatrain's proven success in high technology based communications and strategy is a natural fit for Newport International Group and its subsidiaries."

About Newport International Group, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: NWPO): Newport International Group Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: NWPO), through its subsidiary companies, markets an array of high-technology products and services designed specifically for growing businesses which use the Internet primarily to increase productivity. Newport is headquartered in Palm Desert, CA, with technology development in Phoenix, AZ. More information is available at http://www.Newport-International-Group.com and http://www.GRCLive.com.

About Quatrain Public Relations Quatrain Public Relations specializes in integrated corporate and product communications for emerging high technology companies. The firm's clients include a full spectrum of technology software, hardware, communications, and service companies. For more information, visit www.quatrainpr.com. 

Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: The statements contained in this news release which are not historical facts may be "forward-looking statements" that involve risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from those currently anticipated. For example, statements that describe Newport International Group or any of its subsidiaries' hopes, plans, objectives, goals, intentions, or expectations are forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements made herein are only made as of the date of this news release. Numerous factors, many of which are beyond either company's control, will affect actual results.