The Reclusive Spanish Billionaire Behind Zara's Fast Fashion Empire

He's the richest man you've never heard of: Amancio Ortega, founder of the Spanish clothing chain Zara. He's a notorious recluse who is rumored to wear the same plain shirt every day, but his Zara empire has come to define the concept of fast fashion.

And now he's taken Warren Buffett's No. 3 spot on Forbes' billionaires list.

Ortega's rags-to-riches tale mirrors the fast growth of southern Europe in the past 30 years. But the difference in this story is that Zara shows no sign of crashing.

His Beginnings

Ortega built the world's biggest fashion company in a rainy, impoverished corner of northwest Spain — Galicia — where the 76-year-old has lived since he was a kid.

The son of a railway worker, Ortega went to work in a local shirt maker's shop at age 14 to help feed his family. Jose Martinez was Ortega's first colleague. He's 77 now and still works at that same shop called Gala.


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In Trendy World Of Fast Fashion, Styles Aren't Made To Last
"He may be the third-richest man in the world, but for me, he's just a good guy," Martinez says. "He came to work in my father's shop in 1951, so we became friends, Amancio and me."

More than 60 years later, Gala employees still sew shirts upstairs from where they're sold. That's a model Ortega took with him when he opened his first Zara store two blocks from Gala in 1975.

As the company grew, he kept production close to home — in Spain and Portugal — at a time when other chains were moving factories to Asia for cheap labor.

A Look Inside Ortega's Empire

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The New York City Zara store on Fifth Avenue.

Evan Joseph Uhlfelder/Courtesy of Inditex
Sooty smokestacks dot the green Galician hills around Zara's headquarters. Inside, machines sort garments to dispatch to stores.

Every single garment passes through Spain. And more than half of production is done locally. That allows Zara to be quick: 15 days from design to retail rack — compared with the old industry standard of six months.

"They look at whatever is new," fashion expert Jose Luis Nueno says. "They see what the celebrities and so on are wearing, and put it in their windows very fast."

Nueno studied the clothing company at Harvard Business School and now teaches at Spain's IESE Business School. He says the key to fast fashion — and to Zara's success — is owning the whole supply chain from factory to retail and dealing in small batches that sell quickly.

"If I change the merchandise very frequently, then I give you an excuse to come to the store more frequently," Nueno says.

He has asked his students how many times they frequent the clothing store, and he says the responses have been "absolutely pathological." Sometimes they shop there once or twice a week, he says.

And Zara entices shoppers just like that, with zero advertising. Instead it has invested in flagship stores in historic buildings — a converted convent, an art deco cinema — and a $324 million store on New York's Fifth Avenue. This year, it will open 500 new stores.

The Secret Formula

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Amancio Ortega went to work at Gala, a men's clothing store, when he was 14. Gala opened in 1931 in La Coruna, Spain, and is still operating today.

Lauren Frayer/NPR
Like Ortega, his company, Inditex, which manages Zara and seven other brands, is notoriously secretive. It took nearly two months to get clearance to visit its office, and Ortega declined our request for an interview.

"Well, our philosophy is that the customer is the one to describe if we do good or bad things," says Jesus Echevarria, Inditex's spokesman. "It is not ourselves, to explain how good or how bad we are."

At Zara's flagship store in Madrid, customers are doing just that.

"I like it because it's not so expensive," a shopper says.

Another customer says she likes the quality of the clothes, but the only problem is the lack of bigger sizes.

Yet Zara is famous for adapting. Sales clerks report back to headquarters daily on what customers are saying.

For example, if they're asking for a particular blue jacket in green, that green jacket might just land on a rack. If enough shoppers request that green color, "I'm positive that [jacket] would turn into green," Echevarria says.

Back in Ortega's hometown, the shirt maker, Jose Martinez, says he has no regrets about staying put and not joining his friend at Zara when the company took off.

"It never appealed to me, to leave and start a bigger business. This is my shop, and everything I love is right here. I've made it!" Martinez says.

He says Ortega drops by with a bottle of wine each Christmas. Ortega is now worth more than $56 billion. And Inditex has about 6,000 stores in 85 countries — and counting. Another one is likely to open today.

Coach Announces Further Strengthening of Creative Team

Coach, Inc., a leading marketer of modern classic American accessories, today announced a further strengthening of its creative organization with two key appointments focused on elevating store environments globally.

Lew Frankfort, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Coach, Inc., said, “The appointments of Zach Augustine and Erin Thompson to these newly created roles are the latest steps we’ve taken to broaden our capabilities to enhance the Coach experience through product, retail environments and integrated marketing communications. This comprehensive approach to our transformation to a lifestyle brand will add excitement and cachet to Coach.”

Zach Augustine will join Coach as EVP, Global Environments, effective March 11, 2013, reporting to Reed Krakoff. Mr. Augustine will lead initiatives across Visual Merchandising, Architecture and Creative Development partnering with the other leaders to create a consistent and cohesive brand story.

Mr. Augustine joins Coach from Nike, where he held the role of Global Creative Director – Direct-to-Consumer Experience. Prior to Nike, he was co-founder of Winston, a consulting firm that worked with clients on projects ranging from brand identity design to retail and showroom design, development and production. He started his career in visual merchandising at Giorgio Armani and worked in creative leadership positions of increasing responsibility at Diesel, Polo Jeans, Nautica and Levi Strauss before launching Winston.

Additionally, Erin Thompson will join Coach this spring as VP, Artistic Director, Global Environments. In this role, Ms. Thompson will oversee all creative development for windows, in-store, showrooms and events, reporting to Mr. Augustine. Ms. Thompson comes to Coach from Selfridges & Co., in London, where she most recently held the position of Head of Visual, having initially joined the company in 2002. Prior to Selfridges, Ms. Thompson spent twelve years at Mulberry in progressively senior visual merchandising roles.

Reed Krakoff, President and Executive Creative Director, added, “Our stores are our most important point of engagement with our customers - they allow us to showcase the world of Coach in its fullest expression. Both Zach and Erin have extensive and successful track records of creating impactful consumer experiences that will be instrumental in bringing our stores to the next level.”

The company appointed Sandra Hill, EVP Women’s Design who joined Coach in January 2013 with responsibility over all women’s product. Ms. Hill was credited with building out the Women’s business at Paul Smith Ltd., in London where she held increasingly more senior creative positions leading to her elevation to Creative/Design Director Womenswear in 2007, departing in 2011. During her 16 year tenure, she partnered with Paul and was responsible for leading the vision for Women’s across all categories including ready-to-wear and accessories.

Coach had previously appointed Jeffrey Uhl to his current position as SVP Men’s Design in September 2012. He originally joined Coach in July 2010 from Converse. Since joining Coach in 2010, Jeffrey has been instrumental in the transformation and tremendous growth of the Men’s business across all channels and geographies.

Coach, with headquarters in New York, is a leading American marketer of fine accessories and gifts for women and men, including handbags, men’s bags, women’s and men’s small leathergoods, weekend and travel accessories, footwear, watches, outerwear, scarves, sunwear, fragrance, jewelry and related accessories. Coach is sold worldwide through Coach stores, select department stores and specialty stores, and through Coach’s website at www.coach.com. Coach’s common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol COH and Coach’s Hong Kong Depositary Receipts are traded on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited under the symbol 6388.

Neither the Hong Kong Depositary Receipts nor the Hong Kong Depositary Shares evidenced thereby have been or will be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to, or for the account of, a U.S. Person (within the meaning of Regulation S under the Securities Act), absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements. Hedging transactions involving these securities may not be conducted unless in compliance with the Securities Act.

This press release contains forward-looking statements based on management's current expectations. These statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "may," "will," "should," "expect," "intend," “ahead,” "estimate," "on track," “on course,” "are positioned to," "continue," "project," "guidance," “target,” "forecast," "anticipated," or comparable terms. Future results may differ materially from management's current expectations, based upon risks and uncertainties such as expected economic trends, the ability to anticipate consumer preferences, the ability to control costs, etc. Please refer to Coach’s latest Annual Report on Form 10-K for a complete list of risk factors.

Agent describes grisly cannibal talk at NY trial

The trial of a New York police officer accused of conspiring to kill and eat women featured grisly testimony Tuesday as an FBI agent described the Internet correspondence between the officer and a man in Great Britain who spoke as if he were mentoring the officer on the art of cannibalism.

Agent Corey Walsh read passage after passage from emails and text messages between Officer Gilberto Valle and a man the government said used Moody Blues as a screen name and MeatMarketMan as an email address.

"I'm dying to taste some girl meat," the agent said Valle wrote.
Some of the passages went into sickening descriptions about cooking and eating women. Others sounded so absurd they bordered on cartoonish, feeding the defense argument that Valle and friends he met on extreme sexual fetish websites were merely engaging in fantasies.

In describing one potential victim, Moody Blues suggested "cutting off her feet and barbecuing them in front of her" while she was still alive.
Throughout, jurors remained stone-faced as they followed the words on screens before them while Walsh read them aloud in a federal courthouse in Manhattan, where the charges of conspiracy to kidnap and improper use of a federal database system could bring Valle, 28, a life sentence if he's convicted.
The government called several women who were the subjects of some of the Internet correspondence to testify how they knew Valle just before Walsh took the witness stand.

Kimberly Sauer, of Germantown, Md., went to the University of Maryland with Valle and had nothing bad to say about her former classmate. Like the other women, including one who had never met him, she knew nothing about the Internet desires of Valle and the others. On cross-examination, Sauer told defense attorney Julia Gatto that she never felt threatened by Valle.

Sauer learned of the case only after she received from Valle's wife last year in the middle of the night a disturbing Facebook message that sounded so crazy that she texted him to warn that the account must have been hacked. Either that "or you're trying to sell me into white slavery," she recalled joking in the text.

Walsh said Sauer was a central subject for Valle and Moody Blues, who claimed he had fantasized about cannibalism since he was 6 years old but did not fulfill the desire until 35 years later.

In one correspondence, Valle suggests a woman named Kimberly — prosecutors say Sauer — would be easy prey because she lived alone.

"I can knock her out, wait until dark and kidnap her right out of her house," he wrote, according to prosecutors.

The agent said Moody Blues suggested eating their victim alive but Valle responded: "I'm not really into raw meat."

Walsh said they also discussed cooking Sauer, basted in olive oil, over an open fire and using her severed head as a centerpiece for a sit-down meal.
"I just can't wait to get Kimberly cooking," the agent quoted Valle as saying.
The agent said Valle's computer had a file titled "Abducting and Cooking Kimberly: A Blueprint," which included a photo of Sauer.

Walsh testified that the federal probe began after Valle's wife, Kathleen Mangan-Valle, in September gave the FBI in Reno, Nev., a computer Valle had used.

Walsh described communications between Valle and his co-defendant, Michael Vanhise, of Trenton, N.J. He said the two negotiated the price to be paid for a Manhattan teacher to be taken to New Jersey in a suitcase for Vanhise to rape and kill.

The agent said Valle asked Vanhise whether he wanted the woman clothed or naked and Vanhise said he wanted her clothed.

"Excellent. I'll leave her clothes on. I'll give you the pleasure of unwrapping your gift," Valle was quoted as saying.

Vanhise, like Valle, has pleaded not guilty. His lawyers also say he engaged only in Internet fantasy chats.

The government hasn't said what role Moody Blues, who has been portrayed as a co-conspirator, played in the investigation.

Charming Charlie fashion accessories store opening at Twenty Ninth Street

Charming Charlie Inc., a retailer of women's fashion accessories, plans to open a store at Boulder's Twenty Ninth Street mall, according to building permits recently approved by the city of Boulder.

Charming Charlie leased a 5,900-square-foot space formerly occupied by Ai Sushi and Steak at the southwest corner of Canyon Boulevard and 29th Street. Twenty Ninth Street officials said they purposefully sought a retailer to replace the former restaurant space in the eatery-heavy south neighborhood of the center.

A retailer would pair well with anchor Nordstrom Rack, said J.T. Fulton, Twenty Ninth Street's property manager. "We kind of wanted to bridge the gap," Fulton said. "It made sense to bring some more retailers over there."
The Houston-based Charming Charlie has six locations in Colorado, including a store at The Orchard Town Center in Westminster.

Charming Charlie fills one of the larger vacancies at Twenty Ninth Street. Mall officials have indicated they are in negotiations to fill the two largest openings -- the 7,000-square-foot space vacated last year when MontBell departed to Pearl Street and the 5,500-square-foot former home to Islands Restaurant.

The former Applebee's restaurant at the corner of Walnut and 28th streets will be razed this year and replaced by a Trader Joe's grocery store.

Billionaire Green Plans 10 Topshop Stores in US

British fashion mogul Sir Philip Green plans to open 10 more Topshop stores in the U.S. within 2.5 years, after launching its first Californian branch in Los Angeles last week.

"The Los Angeles reaction was much stronger than we thought. We were about 50 percent above our target," Green told CNBC on Sunday, speaking from London Fashion Week.

Topshop, which is part of Green's fashion conglomerate Arcadia Group, also has branches in New York, Chicago and Las Vegas, as well as a partnership with upscale fashion department store Nordstrom (JWN).

Despite weak retail numbers for January from the Commerce Department, Green said "shopping has not ended."
"I think what has happened is the market is getting squeezed where the operators do not have the right merchandize or are not a necessity. Hopefully we have got something slightly different, slightly unique."
Green added that speed-to-market is "more important than ever" for fashion retailers.

"Our speed-to-market has always been very powerful and it continues to be that way. I think that is probably our edge, being able to produce very quickly."

Green refused to comment on reports he has bid for up-for-sale Dreams, whose beds he hopes to sell in his BHS department stores.

"Historically, private equity has bought retail businesses and done a reasonably good job with them. Now you read in the papers that mergers and acquisitions (M&A) is back in fashion. We will see," he said.

In December, Green sold a 25 percent stake in Topshop and Topman to LA-based private equity firm Leonard Green, in a deal that valued the high street chain at two billion pounds.

"Fast fashion continues to gain market share, particularly in Europe, and it looks like the U.S. better be prepared to compete with the new entrant," said Stacey Widlitz, the president of SW Retail Advisors, after the sale.

Stocks in major U.S. retailers fell on Friday after Wal-Mart (WMT) leaked an email in which an executive called its February sales a "total disaster". Macy's (NYSE:M), Home Depot (HD) and Target (TGT) traded lower on the news.

AP Photos: NY Fashion Week's beautiful blur

Fashion Week is a beautiful, strange and infinitely colorful event. For eight days twice a year in New York City, the fashion conscious delve into a glamorous world of wearable art.

Using multiple off-camera flashes and long exposures, I created photographs that convey movement on a single frame. One shot and one chance to capture the ebb and flow of Fashion Week's diverse cast of characters.

The concept reflects my perception of the event as organized chaos. Bustling crowds, dramatic lighting and a hectic schedule create a visual storm. Many people have seen video clips of a runway show, but far fewer have been there and felt the booming music and the reaction of the crowds.

My black T-shirt and jeans style may be simple but I've always been aware of the energy on those runways. Big things happen there, and I sought to capture that in motion.

Fashion Bug closes its final stores

After 70 years on the retail landscape, Fashion Bug is out of business.

The moderately-priced women’s specialty clothing chain shut the doors on its final store last week, leaving voids at several Indianapolis-area retail centers.

Those include at least four locations in Indianapolis — on East Thompson Road, West 86th Street, Kentucky Avenue and U.S. 31 — as well as sites in Plainfield, Greenfield, Noblesville and Anderson.

“Who cares?” said Britt Beemer, founder of America’s Research Group, which studies retail trends. “They were a non-player in retail.”

Beemer blames the retailer’s struggles on weak store locations. Many were in B-level strip centers.

“In this competitive environment you are either in the right store location or you’re dead,” he said.

The retailer in the past two decades has also been hit by competition from big box discount stores.

Ascena Retail Group announced it would close all 600 Fashion Bug locations in 43 states in the summer of 2012. That announcement came after Ascena acquired Fashion Bug’s parent company, Charming Shoppes, for about $900 million.

A phone call to Ascena was not immediately returned, but on Fashion Bug’s Facebook page, it thanked its customers for their decades of business.

“Goodbye, adios, au revior. No matter how you say it, it’s time for us to go,” it reads. “It’s been our pleasure to serve you.”

The page also offers a “Find a Brand for You” option that links visitors to other Ascena brands, such as Lane Bryant, Catherine’s and Maurices.

Planet Fashion TV Looking For Trending Cosmetics And Accessories To Feature During Milan Fashion Week

Planet Fashion TV will be hosting a premier cocktail and fashion event during Milan Fashion Week to showcase the best in cosmetics and accessories. The event will also feature the runway collection of Goldbergh, an exciting new winter wear clothing line from Holland .

Milan, Italy (PRWEB) January 31, 2013
Calling all trending cosmetics and accessories brands. Planet Fashion TV will be hosting an exclusive event at Milan Fashion Week from 6pm to 10pm on Saturday February 23rd at the exclusive Sheraton Diana Majestic, Viale Piave 42, 20129 Milano, Italy, for a night of fashion, cocktails, and fun. The HD TV show will have presentation displays of each brand and will feature them live on air. Brands interested in participating should contact Melissa at info@planetfashiontv.
About Planet Fashion TV:

Planet Fashion TV is an online news/video portal and series, beautifully shot in HD & can be seen in 8 countries .The show targets an international & culturally astute demographic. It’s one of the few western shows that currently airs in China. PFTV is known for its features on new brands, and for the hottest runways shows from around the world and every cutting edge trend. Planet Fashion TV has a history of successful fashion events globally. For the last 5 years Planet Fashion has done promotional events at Paris Fashion Week, London Fashion Week, Oslo Fashion Week, Miami Fashion week, The Cannes Film Festival and at the largest media event in the world, The London Olympics.

Fashion house Fendi sponsors restoration of Trevi Fountain of "Dolce Vita" fame

The Fendi fashion house is financing a €2.18 million ($2.93 million) restoration of the Trevi Fountain in Rome, famed as a setting for the film "La Dolce Vita" and the place where dreamers leave their coins.

The 20-month project on one of the city's most iconic fountains was unveiled at a city hall press conference Monday featuring Fendi designers Karl Lagerfeld and Silvia Venturini Fendi, who said the project combined a love of Rome's past with a need to preserve its future.

Rome's fountains, Lagerfeld said, "are there to glorify water, which is the most important thing in life."
It's the latest example of Italian fashion companies coming to the aid of Italy's chronically underfunded cultural heritage. The founder of the Tod's footwear company has offered to pay for the €25 million (nearly $34 million) restoration of the ancient Colosseum, and Rome Mayor Gianni Alemanno said he hoped these two donations were just the start.

"Without similar initiatives, we won't be able to save the cultural memory of our country," he said.
Fendi is also donating €320,000 to restore another fountain complex in Rome, the Quattro Fontane, bringing its total contribution to €2.5 million.

SHARES SURGE AS SPECIALTY FASHION TREBLES PROFIT

Clothing retailer Specialty Fashion has surged 40 per cent after saying its first-half profit will treble.

The retailer - which owns women's fashion stores Katies, Millers, Crossroads, Autograph and City Chic - says its revenue for the half-year ending December 31 was 1.3 per cent up on the previous corresponding period.

The company says it has leveraged this small improvement in sales to a much larger rise in profit, with first-half pre-tax earnings expected to be between $37-38 million, compared to $21.9 million the year before.

Speciality Fashion's net profit after tax is expected to grow even more, almost trebling from $6.2 million to $17-18 million.

The company's chief executive Gary Perlstein says the surge in profit was largely driven by a focus on cutting costs.

"Our continued focus on our strategies to improve sales, margins and costs of doing business has meant we have delivered a significant turnaround in trading performance, almost tripling our net profit for the first half of financial year 2013, when compared with the same period in financial year 2012," he noted in the report.

"The economic uncertainties and structural changes affecting retail have not gone away, but we have pulled all the levers within our control to achieve sustainable improvements, and our results reflect this."

The retailer says it has recorded the highest gross margin in its history at 62.4 per cent, due to higher selling prices, reduced product cost prices and lower freight costs.

The company says the higher Australian dollar and reduced cotton prices also helped lower its costs and boost profit margin.

Specialty Fashion says it also made rental savings by reducing the base rents of leases renewed during the period and exiting leases of underperforming stores.

The firm says it made $11.3 million, or 3.6 per cent, of its sales online in the period.

The company's shares were up 41.4 per cent to 99 cents by 10:42am (AEDT) as investors digested the result.

Other fashion retailers such as Premier Investments, David Jones and Myer have also been trading between 0.5-2 per cent higher this morning.

Specialty Fashion will confirm its audited results when it releases its final half-year profit statement on February 18.

Entry Deadlines Ahead for The Art Institutes Scholarship Competitions

To be successful in a creative field, you need both education and talent. The first step could be entering one of The Art Institutes' scholarship competitions.

Deadlines are coming right up for these competitions, which award more than one million dollars in scholarships to The Art Institutes schools each year. Creative students can enter competitions in design, fashion or culinary.

To enter, view the competition rules or for a list of all participating locations visit www.aicompetitions.com.  Follow the competition with this hashtag:  #AiCompetitions.
The Art Institutes Best Teen Chef and Culinary Scholarship Competitions:  Deadline for entry: January 24, 2013

Students with a craving for culinary can enter either The Art Institutes Best Teen Chef Competition for high school seniors or The Art Institutes Culinary Scholarship Competition for high school graduates.

Selected finalists will participate in a cook-off competition at each participating Art Institutes school judged by professional chefs and culinary faculty. Those competing in the cook-off receive recipes to practice in advance and an opportunity to attend a pre-competition coaching session. The first-place winner in the high school senior competition earns a $4,000 tuition scholarship; second-place earns a $1,000 scholarship. The first-place winner in the high school graduate competition earns a $1,500 scholarship.
The Art Institutes and Americans for the Arts Poster Design Competition: Deadline for entry: January 31, 2013

The Art Institutes and Americans for the Arts Poster Design Competition challenges high school seniors and high school graduates to design a poster that best expresses the theme "You Can Create Tomorrow."  The local winner in the high school senior category earns a $3,000 tuition scholarship and the local winner in the high school graduate/adult category earns a $1,000 scholarship to attend The Art Institutes school where they entered the competition.

The first place winner in each category will progress to the national competition. The grand prize winner at the national level in the high school senior category earns a full tuition scholarship; the grand prize winner in the high school graduate category earns a $10,000 tuition scholarship to The Art Institutes school where they entered the competition.

The Art Institutes Passion for Fashion Competition:  Deadline for entry: February 14, 2013
The 2013 Passion for Fashion Scholarship Competition offers high school seniors the chance to bring their fashion ideas to life and earn a tuition scholarship to The Art Institutes school of their choice. Students can enter the competition in one of two categories – Fashion Design or Fashion Marketing & Merchandising and Retail Management. Some locations of The Art Institutes offer only one category.

Local competitions take place at each participating Art Institutes school throughout the U.S. and Canada.  The Fashion Design and Fashion Marketing & Merchandising and Retail Management competition winners each earn a $3,000 tuition scholarship. The first place winners will move on to the national competition.

Two national grand prize winners each earn a half-tuition scholarship to their respective Art Institutes school and receive a VIP trip to New York City where they will participate in a "meet and greet" at Seventeen magazine's New York offices, have lunch with a Seventeen Style Pro, and receive both a $500 shopping spree at DKNY with the Style Pro and a $500 gift card to shop anywhere in the Big Apple.

First Annual Tri-City Fashion Show 2013: Where Fashion and Entrepreneurs Meet

1st Annual Tri-City Fashion Show: Entrepreneur Label and AllEyesOnWho.com presents a fashion show showcasing up and coming Fashion Designers in the Northern New Jersey area on Friday, Feb. 8, 2013 doors open at 6PM.

This winter, the clothing brand Entrepreneur Label and the media company AllEyesonWho.com presents its 1st Annual Tri-City Fashion Show. This runway exhibition, will showcase various clothing designs produced by up and coming Fashion Designers in the Northern New Jersey area. This event will take place on Feb. 8 at 8 Lackawanna Plz, Montclair, N.J. doors open at 6pm.

Entrepreneur Label has created a mixed multifarious showcase of urban style and chic designs in celebration of Fashion Week 2013. The different aspects of the show from the runway, marketing and promotion, public relations, and guest services have been created from the execution of concepts by the worthy team of Entrepreneur Label and the popular photography empire of AllEyesOnWho.com.

"The 1st Annual Tri-City Fashion Show is an opportunity for fashion entrepreneurs to experience the inclusive energy of a major runway production," says Dare Thompson, the co-founder of Entrepreneur Label. "The show will provide not only a great opportunity but also a great experience to be able to develop their clothing designs and share it to a diverse crowd," says Oswald Harris, CEO and Founder.

The doors open at 6 PM and tickets are available for purchase in advance for $15 through the founders of Entrepreneur Label at (973) 901-0221 or (862) 210-4027. Tickets may also be purchased at the door. The event also features lives performances by local musicians and will be hosted by comedian Chris Thomas.
For more information, or to inquire about press-passes or VIP seating opportunities, please contact Kayanna S. Blair, Director of Public Relations for Entrepreneur Label at kaysharice(at)gmail(dot)com or call (917) 684-5697.

Entrepreneur Label, is an accomplished clothing line and public speaking company whose mission is to promote entrepreneurship to the youth and individuals around the world. Started in 2011 and is stationed in Newark, N.J.

Michelle Obama proves style and substance in fashion

Michelle Obama has proven her fashion savvy time and again since she was introduced as first lady in a yellow sheath and coat by Isabel Toledo on Inauguration Day 2009 - so much so that we don't discuss it nearly as much as we used to.

Four years ago, there was a daily barrage in the media: Jason Wu gown! J. Crew gloves! Jimmy Choo shoes! It remained that way for months and even years.

There was the Naeem Khan beaded strapless gown for the first state dinner in the Obama White House, the black racer-back dress by Michael Kors worn in her official portrait. Her wardrobe for the Obamas' state visit to England, including the white cross-neck halter gown by Tom Ford she wore to a black-tie event with Queen Elizabeth in London, and the fiery red Alexander McQueen she wore the for the state dinner the Obamas hosted for China generated news around the globe.

Even more recently, her pink Tracy Reese dress was practically an honored guest at the Democratic National Convention in September, and one of the moments so many are eagerly anticipating on Monday is when she'll emerge in her gown for the inaugural balls.

But she's figured out a way to largely move the focus from her style to her substance.

"What's really interesting about the first lady is that she's been able to incorporate the fact that she's stylish into a much larger persona," says Ariel Foxman, managing editor of InStyle magazine.

In the early going, there was intense focus on what she'd wear "because we hadn't seen a first lady who had such an innate style and sense of color - and great arms," he adds. "It's been exciting to see a first lady embracing fashion by remaining consistently interesting and diverse in her fashion choices, and in doing that, she's been able to draw attention elsewhere."

She probably doesn't want the first question when she visits a school to promote healthy living to be about her sneakers, and she doesn't want the print of her dress to steal the thunder of a speech about veterans.

"Consistency has made her look much more matter of fact," Foxman adds.

Yet in an age of the overused term "style icon," Obama is one of the few modern women to deserve it. In the past four years she has adeptly walked - usually in kitten heels or ballet flats - the line between directional fashionista and everywoman.

She has a pretty deep tool box and she knows how to use it, says Kevan Hall, a Los Angeles-based designer. "Every designer wants to dress her," he says. (She has worn his label.)

"Just like any woman, she wants to look pretty, and I think she's having fun with it. It must be fun to be a girl with a big White House closet," Hall says, noting all the events, galas and speeches to dress up for.

She looks comfortable in clothes that can be a little edgy, and, Hall says, women find that inspiring.

Nick Verreos, fashion designer, "Project Runway" alum and instructor at Los Angeles' Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, was the host four years ago in Washington of the California State Society's luncheon celebrating inaugural fashion. "It has been a great journey watching her," he says.

He credits her with putting daytime dresses back on the map. After years of women favoring separates and jeans, Obama came along in her sheaths and A-lines. Then they were a trend on runways, malls and Main Streets.

"I know I always gravitate to the woman who's not the wallflower, and the first lady is no wallflower," Verreos says.

She also makes "conscious choices" about what she's going to wear, knowing that people will take note - and read into it, he says.

"Of course she thinks about it," agrees InStyle's Foxman, "but she isn't preoccupied by it. She thinks about it in the way that everyone else does."

He describes her as a working mom who has those favorite go-to pieces: the sleeveless dresses, cardigans, capri pants, chunky jewelry, flat shoes and waist-nipping belts.

It's nice to see that she often wears the same pieces, finding new ways to mix and match them, Hall says.

The moment she's probably the most relaxed in her style is coming on and off Air Force One. Maybe travel encourages those above-the-ankle pants and flowy tops? "You just know there's some stretch in those pants," says Hall.

If you look at her style over the past few years, not much has changed, he adds, but you can tell she's grown more comfortable in her own skin, in her wardrobe and in her role. Casual clothes, looser hair and more natural makeup show that off.

The fashion industry is looking forward to another term, giving another chance for her to wear a variety of designer names and brands and call attention to new designers.

"It's a big business in this country," Foxman says. "We're waiting to see who she can pluck for obscurity on the inaugural night like she did with Jason Wu four years ago."

Italian menswear shows open in gloom over economy and Missoni

Milan's menswear fashion week started on Saturday amid concerns over the economy and also the fate of Vittorio Missoni, one of Italy's best-known clothes executives, whose plane disappeared off Venezuela a week ago.

Italy's luxury goods industry is set to continue to outperform other sectors this year, according to analysts, helped by the appetite of Asian shoppers for the country's tailored suits and leather shoes.
But prospects for the economy remain as gloomy as the cloudy skies under which hundreds of fashion critics and buyers rushed on Saturday to watch the menswear proposals for next winter.

Orders for the Italian menswear collections that will arrive in stores around the world this summer have fallen 8 percent, Italy's textile and fashion body Sistema Moda Italia (SMI) said.

Over half of domestic menswear manufacturers polled by SMI said they saw no sign of improvement this year, while the remaining 44 percent said they were preparing for deterioration.

The fashion world is also awaiting news about Missoni, eldest son of one of Italy's most famous fashion families.

A small twin-engine aircraft carrying Missoni, 58, his wife Maurizia Castiglioni, another couple and two Venezuelan crew went missing on January 4 after taking off from the Caribbean island resort of Los Roques.
The Missoni fashion house, known for its exuberantly colored knits featuring bold stripes and zigzags, said it had decided to go ahead with its show in Milan, although the family is unlikely to attend.

Media reported on Saturday that the location where the plane disappeared may have been found, but it was not possible to get an immediate comment from Italy's foreign ministry.

The Italian fashion chamber called reporters to retweet family members' requests to find Missoni and the others aboard.

CHEAP AND CHIC
Designers showing in Milan will need all their imagination to attract male customers flocking to e-commerce websites and outlets for quality bargains.

Domestic sales of Italian tailored clothes, silk ties and leather shoes fell 4.7 percent in 2012 for a fifth consecutive year, according to Italian textile and fashion body Sistema Moda Italia (SMI).
Only outlets and online sales bucked the trend, with a jump of 41 percent in sales to final customers during the 2011/12 winter season, according to SMI.

Big luxury names such as Zegna, Prada (1913.HK) and Salvatore Ferragamo (SFER.MI) have boosted their digital ranges to entice younger customers who shop from smartphones.

"You have to ask yourself: 'Are our products suitable for selling on line?'" Hugo Boss (BOSSn.DE) Chief Financial Officer Mark Langer told Reuters in an interview on Friday.

"Amazingly, we've sold a lot more suits than we thought we would online," Langer said.
Exports helped global sales of Italian menswear grow by 2 percent to 8.6 billion euros ($11.4 billion) in 2012 despite a sharp decline in domestic stores, SMI said.

Europe is still the biggest market for Italian menswear but sales fell 2.7 percent in France and up to 7 percent in Spain in the first nine months of 2012, SMI said.

The Milan show opens with menswear champion Ermenegildo Zegna, followed by Dolce & Gabbana, Burberry and Versace.

Milan Menswear Fashion Week Highlights

MILAN Menswear Fashion Week starts tomorrow, following on from another highly successful London Collections: Men showcase this week.

Kicking off the proceedings is Jil Sander - who will surely deliver more of her minimal clean lines. Dolce & Gabbana is next on the agenda, a label that always brings Sicilian summer spirit to every collection. Burberry will follow this afternoon, and - while the British brand's front rows are known for their starry turn-outs - we can only assume that its latest campaign star, Romeo Beckham, will remain in London, following his famous parents' return to the capital. Italian heavyweight Versace will close the schedule this evening.

Bottega Veneta will have the fashion pack up bright and early on Sunday morning, with Trussardi, Iceberg and Salvatore Ferragamo following suit. We can expect more of Calvin Klein's elegant simplicity in the afternoon (and an after-party, featuring a performance by singer Ellie Goulding), deconstructed tailoring from Vivienne Westwood and trends that the menswear world will religiously adhere to from the ever-influential Prada. It was confirmed earlier this week that Missoni will go ahead with its late afternoon slot as planned, while the search for a plane carrying company boss Vittorio Missoni continues off the coast of Venezuela.

On Monday, Emporio Armani will take centre stage first, as Gucci prepares to unveil its latest offering that afternoon. A trio of Italian greats will be poised to show next, namely Etro, Fendi and Moschino.

The four-day-long event will end on Tuesday with DSquared2 (a show that always encapsulates the frivolity of dressing up), one of the stalwarts of gentlemanly style Giorgio Armani and finally, Diesel Black Gold.

Fast-Growing Online Fashion Retailer Missguided.co.uk Announces Record December 2012 and Annual Sales Growth, and Unveils Expansion Plans for 2013

Independent pure play online women’s fashion business Missguided.co.uk has announced record sales growth for both the month of December, closing at +25% on the month and +270% on 2011, and for the year as a whole, with a total annual sales increase of +260% on the previous year. Sales for the young brand, established in 2009, went from strength to strength throughout the year, benefiting from an average +20% month on month growth rate, with December marking its best month to date.

Known for its extensive, regularly updated trend-driven women’s clothing and accessories offering, distinctive editorial-feel web format imagery, intuitive site navigation and keen use of social media platforms, Missguided has rapidly cemented itself as a leader in fast fashion sector.

Committed to continuous innovation and providing a seamless customer experience, Missguided is set to continue on an upward trajectory for 2013 with an ever-evolving domestic website offering and international and mobile expansion plans in the pipeline to further grow the brand.

Nitin Passi, Founder and Chief Executive of Missguided comments; “Our results are testament to the success of a streamlined brand marketing and product development strategy for 2012. Given the broad economic climate and the competitive climate, the year could have been a tough one, but unwavering commitment to strengthening our product offering, through both our buying and new in-house design team and to developing the Missguided brand identity - be it on the site itself, social media platforms or through our talked-about creative campaigns - has driven sales to record highs. 2013 will see us further our ambitious intentions – in particular, expanding our presence internationally and developing our mobile offering, engaging a new and global audience.”

London Champions Digital for Men's Fashion Week

British fashion designers will begin revealing their autumn/winter 2013 men's collections in London on Monday.

Although the three-day series of events promise to be more modest in scope than the unveiling of the women's collections at London Fashion Week in February, the British Fashion Council and several independent houses are endeavoring to escalate consumer attention to the collections via a series of digital initiatives spanning the web, social media and out-of-home display.

Eleven designers will be live-streaming their shows, up from nine the year previous. Livestreams (the schedule for which can be found here) will work on personal computers, as well as tablets and smartphones. Show footage will also be posted to the BFC's dedicated microsite for the men's collections.

In an aim to streamline discussion about the shows on Twitter, the British Fashion Council has dubbed #LondonCollections the official hashtag for the week. The public is encouraged to pose questions to members of the Menswear Committee using hashtag #AskLCM on Twitter; answers will be delivered via the @BFC account.

UK residents are also encouraged to snap street-style photos of fashionable men and upload them to Twitter and Pinterest using the hashtag #ManAboutTown; the best will be made into a Pinterest board and Facebook album designed to illustrate the best of British men's style.

Launch Announcement: Home Fashion Forecast Magazine Launches New Fully Responsive, Device-Independent Website

Home Fashion Forecast magazine, published by Scranton Gillette Communications, launched www.HomeFashionForecast.com, its new fully responsive, device-independent website on December 27, 2012.

Designed for optimal viewing on any platform, the site boasts a large Hero Carousel, housing editorial teasers and billboard-sized client ads. Editorial content and imagery reflow and reshape to fit the individual viewing device.

Employing Drupal 7, the latest open-source content management and organization system, the web development team of MediaPress Studios, an affiliate of Scranton Gillette Communications, designed the site to showcase the vivid home fashion photography that is the hallmark of tabloid-sized Home Fashion Forecast magazine.

In addition to an issue archive, www.HomeFashionForecast.com hosts product and trend information with photo-driven Feature Galleries to inspire its audience of furnishings retailers and interior designers. Style-oriented news is presented in a front-and-center Flash section and industry Top Tastemakers are profiled . Social media links to Pinterest and Facebook keep users connected, while a live Twitter feed on the site allows up-to-the-minute feedback.

MediaPress Studios specializes in building new or updating existing websites for clients, incorporating custom coding, e-commerce, search engine optimization, content strategy, and onsite or remote training for clients' staff members.

For more information about Home Fashion Forecast, contact Publisher/Editorial Director Laura Van Zeyl at Lvanzeyl@sgcmail.com. Contact webmaster@sgcmail.com for more information about MediaPress Studios.

Scranton Gillette Communications is a 106-year-old privately owned business-to-business media company. Combined, SGC/SGC Horizon own the print, digital, web and event assets of Home Fashion Forecast, Residential Lighting, Water & Wastes Digest, Water Quality Products, Storm Water Solutions, Imaging Technology News, Diagnostic & Interventional Cardiology, Construction Equipment, Professional Remodeler, Professional Builder, Building Design+Construction, Roads & Bridges, The Diapason, Greenhouse Product News, Lawn & Garden Retailer and Custom Builder.

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