The Boutique Buzz

The Boutique Buzz

Voom Spring Summer 010

Voom was founded by Joy Han and her husband, James Kim. Together, they launched the line in 2002 and began mass production
in 2005. The collection has garnered a lot of media attention and has already been featured in numerous publications including
Elle Italia, Lucky, Glamour, Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan and InStyle. In March 2006, Voom debuted the Fall/Winter '06 collection
at the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week at Smashbox Studios in Culver City.
Joy has dressed the likes of many celebrities in the music and entertainment industry including Jessica Alba, Eva Longoria, Paris
Hilton, Nicky Hilton, Miley Cyrus, Eve, Emmy Rossum, Shannon Elizabeth and Jennifer Love Hewitt to name a few.

Rant and Rave SS010

http://www.rantandrave.eu

Wave Good bye to the long winter nights and the cold artic snap and say Hello to Spring \ Summer!!
Ditsy florals, Tulip hemlines and bleached, washed out denims are on the Menu at Rant & Rave for this season!
Cool cottons, delicate chiffons and fine knits are the foundation of the Rant & Rave SS10 Collection with both
Short hemlines and billowing maxis featuring.
Colours contrast from bright vibrant colours to muted neutrals for high summer.

The Fashion Industry Insider by Nicky Harris

I arrived in London yesterday for a series of Range Meetings, which are ‘de rigeur’ in the life of a Fashion Agent. They are billed as a run through of the new collection and a meeting where the nuts and bolts of business discussed.

Well that’s it in theory. Of course the collections are already in our Showrooms and the business dealings can be sorted over email and phone. The truth is that we need to do the ‘Face Work’ that is the sitting down at table together. Meeting up with other Agents from the different countries and the collective discussion about all aspects of our business. I am always in awe of those agents who work in the larger countries because of course they deal in many multiples of the Irish market.

One good thing about the Fashion Business is that far from being bitchy and nasty it is filled with the kindest bunch of souls you could hope to meet

Tomorrow it’s the turn of Yummie Tummie, which is an American company with distribution throughout Europe. The new ready to wear tops and yoga pants with the secret shaping panel look ab fab bringing the product to an even wider audience. Heather Thompson the designer and celebrity LA stylist will be there and I’m really looking forward to finding all about her BF’s Heidi Klum and Beyonce! If I hear any juicy gossip I will let you know but for now I need to dress up for Dinner. There is a car arriving at seven. It’s a hard life this Fashion Business you know!!!

http://www.nickysragtales.com
Twitter.com/nickysragtales

New Fee G SS010 Collection

www.feeg.ie

The Boutique Buzz

The Boutique Buzz - http://bit.ly/8DlHso

From the Blogs

The Fashion Blog Roundup

the satorialist

Fashionfollowed: Confuzzled!

Designer collaborations became common practice in 2009 with too many to list. Jimmy Choo's collection for H&M was just one of the many that made moshes of people queuing outside stores, waiting for doors to open followed by a flurry of hair grabbing and garment snatching. Jimmy Choo declared to further encourage such behaviour with a new collaboration, this time I would say on a bit more random note, but still, quite intriguing. The notorious shoe designer has announced to collaborate with UGG Australia.more

Bryanboy.com : Lara Stone and David Walliams ENGAGED!

Dutch model sensation Lara Stone and David Walliams of Little Britain are engaged. Yes, Lara Stone is getting married! More

Go Fug Yourself : Golden Globes Fug Party: Shannyn Sossamon

Oh, Shannynnnnn "I Named My Son Audio Science" Sossamon. Why so glum? It's a PARTY! more

Libertylondongirl: Donate your unwanted household linens...The Simon Community

Having cleared out both my London flat and the houses of various relatives over the past ten years, my family has accumulated a huge stash of household linen that is a little old fashioned but still perfectly serviceable. Charity shops do not want it as they cannot sell on dated patterns or used but clean towels and, if you bin it, would inevitably end up in landfill. more

JakandJil

The Fashion Industry Insider by Nicky Harris

News from the Showroom on ‘Miserable Monday’

Well the news bit is true but the Miserable Monday bit? not likely ! I always look forward to Mondays and especially at this busy time of the year. Luckily one of my showroom assistants arrived back last week and just in time too. I’m afraid my organisational skills are a little lacking and the presence of some one else is sometimes all I need to get me more organised.

Some samples have arrived and others are still on the way. The minute they arrive then emails of changes to the range start flooding in. Each day these changes have to be noted. They can simply be colour changes but invariably they are cancellations. Samples that will never be made and sometimes these are items that we love and think would sell. Marketing brochures by the lorry load gather in large boxes and take up valuable room. Sometimes they are worthy of giving out to prospective customers but often they are of such bad pictorial quality or are photographs of the wrong samples for this market that I tear my hair out at the waste. Waste of money, paper, time and effort only to be consigned to that big recycling bin.

Catwalk dates for the Jaeger London range (which is our newest collection) are still to be confirmed. It seems that London Fashion Week is as organised as me, which gives me some peculiar comfort.

I’m off to London on Sunday so will be blogging from there next week. It will be interesting to see what’s happening and London is one of those rare Fashion Vibrant cities. A quick run around my favourite Indies is on the cards. That’s if the flights go and we haven’t been hit by another weather related catastrophe. Which if we are thinking about catastrophe’s lets do something for the beleaguered and struggling people of Haiti and remember how truly lucky we all are.

Have a good week ahead………..

Nicky

www.nickysragtales.com
Twitter.com/nickysragtales

Shop Pulse

Shop Pulse is at the frontier of the UK fast-fashion industry for women (with men coming soon). Daily we check 100's of major fashion outlets to make sure you don't miss a thing. You can easily navigate through different catergories narrowing down your selection and we’ve made it really easy to see everything that has come in on a particular day.

http://www.shoppulse.co.uk/

Jacket Sale at Anne Furbank

available online at http://www.annefurbank.co.uk

The Fashion Industry Insider by Nicky Harris

I suspended the Fashion Police last week as I along with half the country was snowed in. Venturing out to forage for provisions amounted to donning my hill walking gear. Boots that have taken me hundreds of kilometres across three continents. Boots that clung to wet rocks, boots that sank into deep wet bogs in the Wicklow hills and the same boots that were washed away in a tidal river (along with me attached) in Brazil last year! Needless to say the top half was covered in several layers of thermal and hiking gear. Not a pretty sight I agree, but boy did I care? Not a jot.

Back in the showroom for the first time after a few days the less than glamerous side of the life of a Fashion Agent was the order of the day. Writing envelopes (lots of them) sorting samples and pricing them. Oh and cutting off labels from tights to bring to the Charity shop.

Last week in New York in a lane behind H&M on 34th st in Manhattan lots and lots of unwanted clothes were being sorted. Unfortunately the clothes had been slashed as to make them totally unwearable. Fingers were cut off gloves. Arms off dresses. Legs off trousers… You get the picture. These clothes weren’t for the Charity Shops nearby they were for the garbage collectors. Within minutes the story was on- line in the NY Times, minutes later Twitterville was all a-Tweet. I was one of those Tweeters (I’m addicted since I got my iPhone) and the story made the second top trending Twitter subject within hours. People were tweeting for boycotts and protests against H&M. Not good PR at all. What was needed was very swift damage control. It took H&M one whole day to respond and apologise stating that it was not company policy and that they were treating the matter very seriously indeed. Tweeters responded in kind and are a forgiving lot.

The moral of the story. If you are a retailer embrace Social Media and respond immediately to any negative publicity. Old Media may tell the story the outcome may very well depend on Facebook, Bloggers and Twitter.

Have a good week ahead.. Nicky

http://www.nickysragtales.com

twitter.com/nickysragtales

New from Kelly Ewing

www.kellyewing.com

Nickys Ragtales

Planning, planning and more planning sums up the week in hand in the life of a Fashion Agent. Showroom matters include a huge sample clearout and this entails several black sacks of socks and tights, which get de-labelled and dropped to the local charity shop.

I wonder if any of you have had the eerie experience of passing a charity shop and seeing your old clothes in the window? This happened to me last year and they looked even better there, than hanging in my wardrobe. I took a different route home for a couple of weeks, as it was such an odd feeling. It’s true that we have emotional connections with our clothes and shoes. Recent research has discovered that women remember buying their first pair of fashion shoes and this has confirmed that there is a very strong emotional connection with our clothing. We, of course have always known this and it’s what makes us so fascinated and in love with fashion.

Booking my (several) plane tickets I was reminded of my first excursion to London Fashion Week way back when I worked with Red or Dead. Fifteen years ago. A Fashion Week Virgin is the only way I can describe myself. I thoughtfully dressed in what I thought was a suitable ensemble, a cream suit and if memory serves me right a red! Coat. My fringe (as I remember) was blue or orange? I know, I know ! what was I thinking about.

Upon arrival at the queue as I looked around, every single person (bar me) was in top to toe black. The Prada nylon bags were in at the time and to a person there was a Prada fest going on.

I felt like a clown but head held high walked in. One good thing about standing out in the crowd for me that day was that even though I looked like Zandra Rhodes I ended up in a room with Vidal Sasoon where we had a lovely chat and back stage with the models including the one and only Kate Moss. There is life after the wrong clothes after all!. Have a good week ahead.

http://www.nickysragtales.com
twitter.com/nickysragtales

Fashion Industry Insider Blog

Rouge Cardiff

Welcome to Rouge, the boutique for women who love natural style, comfort, effortless glamour and individuality. Our labels have been carefully chosen from throughout Europe so that whatever you select is beautiful, interesting and special.

We have all shopped in the high street, and all found the same clothes.

We here at Rouge offer you the chance to stand out from the crowd and make your wardrobe a little different.

Like you, we have a passion for style. Like you, we believe every woman has a right to find her own look. Like you, we want distinctive clothes at an affordable price.

We are sure you will like us. Come and see for yourself.

Shop Online @ http://www.rougecardiff.co.uk

Must Have Items To Buy During The Sales!

Sales are a great opprtunity to buy those essential items that we all need in our wardrobe. All at a fraction of the price. But make sure to get good quality pieces that will last in your wardrobe and that you will wear again and again. You will really get a bargain if the clohes suit your shape colouring and style and that your wear again and again. So don’t buy something just becasue it is marked dowmn to 75 percent and know your shape and size.

My advice is to try it on no matter what and prefer good quality and classic pieces that will go on for decades. Thsi way you will save money.

A Winter coat - Chose it in a colour that won’t date and that suit you complexion: Classic black, camel, cream or brown.

The trench coat – undoubtley a must have as it can be worn for work or for going out.

A evening dress – Now is the time to get that designer dress for a fraction of the price. Whether your prefer a cocktial type or a more glamourousstyle. You dont have to go for black. Navy, red or even patterned dress is an excellent choice.

Day dress – Whether you wish to get a dress for work or a dress to wear by day or by night , now is the right time to get it. The knitted dress will still be in on over the next seasons.

A trouser or skirt suit – A must have for work or if you have a job interview.

Shoes or boots – make a small investment on really good quality shoes and boots in very different styles and at bargain price. Again chose what suits you and what you are able to wear. If you love your comfort then prefer wedges or flat but stylish boots.

Good quality accessorises and jewelleries – now you can afford that expensive designer bag for half of its price! Or had you spotted that really nive nacklace now down to 10 euors. IT suits you and you do it then get it.

A new complet outfit - If you want to purchasse that fab top, then make sure to have something in your wardrobe that will go with it. If you have nothing to go with it, then get the all outfit but decide if it is to wear for day time or for the evening.

A warm cardigan – Essential to wear througt the winter and spring, over jeans, dresses and skirts.

Happy New year!

Delilah

087 63 91 956

www.delilahfashionstylist.com

delilahfashionstylistgmail.com

Kage

Our Friends at Hellwafashion introduced us to this

Website: www.bykage.com
Impressive up to date facebook page: http://bit.ly/82XFAn
Available online from www.aura-b.com,