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A.P.C.
A.P.C. is a French ready-to-wear brand, founded in 1988 by the Tunisian born
Designer Jean Touitou. A.P.C. stands for 'Atelier de Production et de Création'.
The company's legal address is 39 Rue Madame 75006 Paris. in Paris, which is
also the location of its flagship store.
The brand is known for its cleancut and minimalist nature, as well as simple,
chic, and modern design, with military over-tones. The
brand makes great use of
denim and high quality fabrics, while for the most part steering clear of the
widespread overuse of leather in upscale design. The quality of Touitou's fabric
are matched by a similar dedication to ensuring his designs fit appropriately,
which at the outset of his career, was a rebellion against the loose-fitting
clothes of his contemporaries.
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Reem Acra
Reem Acra is an internationally known Lebanese
fashion
designer. She studied in
Paris, as well as New York. She is known for her exquisite bridal designs. Her
designs are sold in famous
clothing boutiques such as Saks Fifth Avenue and
Neiman Marcus. She has been on several popular magazines including In Style,
Town & Country, Vogue, Women's Wear Daily, Sayidaty [English] and W. Her fine
evening gowns are also sold in the mid-east. The media in Lebanon has reported
that Reem Acra plans to close her business in the U.S. and refocus on sales in
the mid-east.
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Akris
Akris is a Swiss luxury clothing company.
Akris is the largest Swiss clothing producer, though it does not disclose sales
or profit figures. Its value has been reported as approximately $500 million;
the company has not disputed this figure, but the number may an overestimate
“judging from [Albert] Kriemler’s response when that number is tossed out. Akris
clothing is sold in more than 500 locations worldwide.
Approximately 40% of Akris sales are in North America. Akris was first sold in
the United States in 1998; the brand can now be found in 70 U.S. stores,
including over 20 Neiman Marcus locations and 30-some Saks Fifth Avenue
locations. Freestanding Akris boutiques are located in Boston and New York City.
Akris Punto is sold in approximately 100 stores in the United States.
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Reem Alasadi
Reem Alasadi (Arabic: ريم ألسدي) is an internationally known Iraqi haute
couture fashion designer. She is based in both London and Tokyo, and is very
popular in Japan, with her style being described as "British punk and recycled
materials molded into voluminous and voluptuous Victorian-inspired dresses".
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Andrew Marc
Andrew Marc is an American luxury fashion and leather goods label founded by
Andrew Marc Schwartz in New York City 1981. Andrew Marc is known for its
signature fur and leather bomber jacket. The approach is to deliver a quality
product based on innovation and materials, rather than pioneering style trends.
Andrew Marc is positioned on the luxury tier aside other labels such as Cole
Haan and Burberry. Individual items range from $495–$2000. Andrew Marc can be
found in many national department stores such as Bloomingdales, Saks Fifth
Avenue, Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom. The line is also available in specialty
stores nation wide.
The men's and women's outerwear and accessories collections are also distributed
through an online presence.
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Aquascutum
"Aquascutum" is a UK-based luxury clothing manufacturer and retailer, owned by
Jaeger.
The company has supplied aristocrats, political leaders, and actors, including
three Princes of Wales, Prince Rainier of Monaco, Sir Winston Churchill,
Baroness Thatcher, Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, Sophia Loren, Cary Grant, and
Michael Caine.
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Giorgio Armani
Giorgio Armani S.P.A. is an international Italian fashion house that designs,
manufactures, distributes, and retails haute couture, ready-to-wear, leather
goods, shoes, watches, jewelry, accessories, eyewear, cosmetics, and home
interiors. The brand markets these products under several, highly-specialized
sub-labels including Giorgio Armani, Armani Collezioni, Emporio Armani, AJ |
Armani Jeans, AX | Armani Exchange, Armani Junior, and Armani/Casa. The Armani
name has become synonymous with high-fashion and couture worldwide and is
considered one of the most prestigious names in the fashion industry. End of
year sales for 2005 were $1.69 billion.
Armani is planning in collaboration with Emaar Properties a chain of luxury
hotels and resorts in several big cities including Milan, Paris, New York,
London, Tokyo, Shanghai and Dubai. The company already operates a range of cafés
worldwide, in addition to a bar, restaurant, and nightclub.
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Lubov Azria
Lubov Azria (born November 8, 1967) is an American fashion designer of Ukrainian
descent. Azria is currently the Creative Director of BCBGMAXAZRIAGROUP, a global
fashion house with over 20 brands.
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Max Azria
Max Azria (born January 1, 1949) is a French fashion designer of Tunisian
descent who founded the contemporary women's clothing brand BCBGMAXAZRIA. Azria
is also the designer, chairman and CEO of BCBGMAXAZRIA Group, a global fashion
house that encompasses over 22 brands. He is based in Los Angeles.
Azria has received many awards throughout his career such as the Wells Fargo
Century Fashion Achievement Award at the 2007 L.A. Fashion Awards and the 2008
Fashion Excellence Award at the 33rd Annual Dallas Fashion Awards. He received
the latter in recognition of the successful relaunch of his Hervé Léger brand.
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Badgley Mischka
Badgley Mischka is an American fashion label designed by Mark Badgley and James
Mischka. Badgley and Mischka met at Parsons and found a common vision. The two
launched the label Badgley Mischka in 1988, though their bridal business
launched in 1993. Badgley and Mischka are partners in life and business. Their
clothes have been worn by many celebrities, including Oprah Winfrey, Melissa
Etheridge, and Tammy Lynn Michaels.
The Badgley Mischka line is available at Bloomingdales, Nordstrom, Saks Fifth
Avenue and Bergdorf Goodman and two boutiques in West Hollywood and Boston.
There is a small section of Badgley Mischka in House of Fraser in Westfield
Shopping Centre, London.
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Balenciaga
Balenciaga is a fashion house founded by Cristóbal Balenciaga, a Spanish
designer, born in the Basque Country. He had a reputation as a couturier of
uncompromising standards and was referred to as "the master of us all" by
Christian Dior. His bubble skirts and odd, feminine, yet ultra-modern shapes
were trademarks of the house. The house of Balenciaga is now owned by the French
multinational company PPR.
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Balmain (fashion house)
Balmain is a fashion house that was founded by Pierre Balmain.
In the period following World War II, Pierre Balmain was "a king of French
fashion" and outfitted stars including Ava Gardner and Brigitte Bardot. After
Pierre Balmain's death in 1982, the house was led by Erik Mortensen, described
by Vogue as Pierre Balmain's "right hand." Oscar de la Renta led the house
between 1993 and 2001. Under Pierre Balmain, Mortensen, and de la Renta, the
house was known for its classic, luxurious designs. Today, the house is led by
designer Christophe Decarnin, whose vision for the house is more modern and
edgier.
In around 2008 and 2009, The clothing line became extremely popular both among
fashion magazines, runways and celebrities.
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Neil Barrett (fashion designer)
Neil Barrett (born 1965 in Devon, England) is an English fashion designer, based
in Milan, Italy. He gained his reputation and built his business around
minimalist menswear.
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Belle & Bunty
Belle & Bunty is a London based womenswear designer label, founded by
Alice-Louise Shreeve and Hannah Coniam in April 2003. The label specializes in
bright and vibrant designs.
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Dirk Bikkembergs
Dirk Bikkembergs (born January 2, 1959) is a Belgian fashion designer.
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Bontoni
Bontoni is a third-generation Italian family company that produces a line of
hand-made men's dress shoes. The company produces fewer than 10 pair a day.
Bontoni's bottega, or workshop, is located in the Marche region of Italy. It
takes about twelve weeks to complete a pair of ready-made and five months for a
pair of custom shoes. Ready-made shoes are available at a selected number of
exclusive clothiers throughout the world. Bontoni's North American retailers
include Bergdorf Goodman, Wilkes Bashford, Mario's, Stanley Korshak as well as
several others.
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Hugo Boss
Hugo Boss AG is a German fashion and lifestyle house based in Metzingen that
specializes in high-end mens- and womenswear. It is named after its founder,
Hugo Ferdinand Boss (1885–1948).
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Bottega Veneta
Bottega Veneta Bottega Veneta is an Italian luxury goods house best known for
its leather goods. Founded in 1966, it was purchased in 2001 by Gucci Group, now
a part of the French multinational group PPR. Bottega Veneta is headquartered in
Vicenza, in the Veneto region of northeastern Italy.
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Brioni
Brioni is an Italian fashion house founded in 1945. It specialises in the sale
of hand-made suits.
As of January 2007, Brioni owned 25 boutiques, which accounted for about 20% of
sales. There were a further 13 franchised stores. Six of the boutiques are in
the United States, in New York at Fifth Avenue, Beverly Hills at Rodeo Drive,
San Francisco at Union Square, Miami Beach at Bal Harbour, in downtown Aspen,
and in Las Vegas at the Wynn. Brioni's New York showrooms are located on 52nd
Street and 57th Street in Manhattan. A 7th US location is set to open in Atlanta
in 2010 at the Streets of Buckhead. In the USA Brioni garments can be purchased
at high end department stores including Saks Fifth Avenue, Barneys New York,
Bergdorf Goodman, Wilkes Bashford and Neiman Marcus.
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Brooks Brothers
Brooks Brothers is the oldest men's clothier chain in the United States. Founded
in 1818, the privately owned company is owned by Retail Brand Alliance, a
spinoff of Luxottica, and is headquartered on Madison Avenue in New York City.
Currently, there are 210 Brooks Brothers stores in the United States and 70 in
other countries, including Japan, China, Taiwan, Dubai, France, England,
Scotland, Chile, Canada, and Italy. In 1998, Brooks Brothers launched its
official website. The symbol of the Golden Fleece is Brooks Brothers's
trademark. It consists of a sheep suspended in a ribbon, which was the symbol of
Flemish wool merchants in the 15th century and later traditionally had been a
symbol of British wool merchants. In ancient Greek mythology, a magical ram's
skin, or Golden Fleece, was sought by Jason and the Argonauts. United States
flagships are in New York, Chicago, Boston, and Beverly Hills.
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Thom Browne
Thom Browne (born in 1965) is an American fashion designer. He is the founder
and head of design for Thom Browne, a New York City-based menswear brand. Browne
was named the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) Menswear Designer
of the Year in March 2006 and named the GQ Designer of the Year in November
2008.
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Burberry
Burberry Group plc (LSE: BRBY) is a British luxury fashion house, manufacturing
clothing, fragrance, and fashion accessories. Its distinctive tartan pattern has
become one of its most widely copied trademarks. The company has branded stores
and franchises around the world, and also sells through concessions in
third-party stores. It runs a catalogue business and has a fragrance line. HM
Queen Elizabeth II and HRH The Prince of Wales have granted the company Royal
Warrants. Burberry's trademark products are its fashionable handbags and
exclusive fragrances. The Creative Director is Christopher Bailey. The company
is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 100
Index.
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Fashion :
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Fashion, a general term for
the style and custom prevalent at a given time, in its most common usage refers
to costume or clothing style.
The more technical term, costume, has become so linked in the public eye with
the term "fashion" that the more general term "costume" has in popular use
mostly been relegated to special senses like fancy dress or masquerade wear,
while the term "fashion" means clothing generally, and the study of it. This
linguistic switch is due to the fashion plates which were produced during the
Industrial Revolution, showing the latest designs. For a broad cross-cultural
look at clothing and its place in society, refer to the entries for clothing,
costume and fabrics. The remainder of this article deals with clothing fashions
in the Western world.
The continually changing fashions of the West have been generally unparalleled
either in antiquity or in the other great civilizations of the world until
recent decades. Early Western travellers, whether to Persia, Turkey, Japan or
China frequently remark on the absence of changes in fashion there, and
observers from these other cultures comment on the unseemly pace of Western
fashion, which many felt suggested an instability and lack of order in Western
culture. The Japanese Shogun's secretary boasted (not completely accurately) to
a Spanish visitor in 1609 that Japanese clothing had not changed in over a
thousand years. However in Ming China, for example, there is considerable
evidence for rapidly changing fashions in Chinese clothing.
Changes in costume often took place at times of economic or social change (such
as in ancient Rome and the medieval Caliphate), but then a long period without
large changes followed. This occurred in Moorish Spain from the 8th century,
when the famous musician Ziryab introduced sophisticated clothing styles based
on seasonal and daily timings from his native Baghdad and his own inspiration to
Córdoba, Spain. Similar changes in fashion occurred in the Middle East from the
11th century, following the arrival of the Turks who introduced clothing styles
from Central Asia and the Far East.
The beginnings of the habit in Europe of continual and increasingly rapid change
in styles can be fairly reliably dated to the middle of the 14th century, to
which historians including James Laver and Fernand Braudel date the start of
Western fashion in clothing. The most dramatic manifestation was a sudden
drastic shortening and tightening of the male over-garment, from calf-length to
barely covering the buttocks, sometimes accompanied with stuffing on the chest
to look bigger. This created the distinctive Western male outline of a tailored
top worn over leggings or trousers.
The pace of change accelerated considerably in the following century, and women
and men's fashion, especially in the dressing and adorning of the hair, became
equally complex and changing. Art historians are therefore able to use fashion
in dating images with increasing confidence and precision, often within five
years in the case of 15th century images. Initially changes in fashion led to a
fragmentation of what had previously been very similar styles of dressing across
the upper classes of Europe, and the development of distinctive national styles,
which remained very different until a counter-movement in the 17th to 18th
centuries imposed similar styles once again, finally those from Ancien Régime in
France. Though the rich usually led fashion, the increasing affluence of early
modern Europe led to the bourgeoisie and even peasants following trends at a
distance sometimes uncomfortably close for the elites - a factor Braudel regards
as one of the main motors of changing fashion.
Ten 16th century portraits of German or Italian gentlemen may show ten entirely
different hats, and at this period national differences were at their most
pronounced, as Albrecht Dürer recorded in his actual or composite contrast of
Nuremberg and Venetian fashions at the close of the 15th century (illustration,
right). The "Spanish style" of the end of the century began the move back to
synchronicity among upper-class Europeans, and after a struggle in the mid 17th
century, French styles decisively took over leadership, a process completed in
the 18th century.
Though colors and patterns of textiles changed from year to year, the cut of a
gentleman's coat and the length of his waistcoat, or the pattern to which a
lady's dress was cut changed more slowly. Men's fashions largely derived from
military models, and changes in a European male silhouette are galvanized in
theatres of European war, where gentleman officers had opportunities to make
notes of foreign styles: an example is the "Steinkirk" cravat or necktie.
The pace of change picked up in the 1780s with the increased publication of
French engravings that showed the latest Paris styles; though there had been
distribution of dressed dolls from France as patterns since the 16th century,
and Abraham Bosse had produced engravings of fashion from the 1620s. By 1800,
all Western Europeans were dressing alike (or thought they were): local
variation became first a sign of provincial culture, and then a badge of the
conservative peasant.
Although tailors and dressmakers were no doubt responsible for many innovations
before, and the textile industry certainly led many trends, the history of
fashion design is normally taken to date from 1858, when the English-born
Charles Frederick Worth opened the first true haute couture house in Paris.
Since then the professional designer has become a progressively more dominant
figure, despite the origins of many fashions in street fashion. The four major
current fashion capitals are acknowleged to be Milan, New York City, Paris, and
London. Fashion weeks are held in these cities, where designers exhibit their
new clothing collections to audiences, and which are all headquarters to the
greatest fashion companies and are renowned for their major influence on global
fashion.
Modern Westerners have a wide choice available in the selection of their
clothes. What a person chooses to wear can reflect that person's personality or
likes. When people who have cultural status start to wear new or different
clothes a fashion trend may start. People who like or respect them may start to
wear clothes of a similar style.
Fashions may vary considerably within a society according to age, social class,
generation, occupation, and geography as well as over time. If, for example, an
older person dresses according to the fashion of young people, he or she may
look ridiculous in the eyes of both young and older people. The terms
fashionista or fashion victim refer to someone who slavishly follows the current
fashions.
One can regard the system of sporting various fashions as a fashion language
incorporating various fashion statements using a grammar of fashion. (Compare
some of the work of Roland Barthes.)
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