For wholesale enquiries please visit MDA International www.mdainternational.co.uk
Friday, February 26, 2010
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Kate Fearnely Fashion Show
The details
When: Saturday 27th February 2010 doors open 8.30pm show starts 10.30pm
Where: Uncle Alberts 2-3 Exchange Place, Town Centre, Middlesbrough,
TS1 1DR, Saturday night social in the back garden
Who: Kate Fernley’s brand new spring summer collection exclusively on show for the first time
With hair by Contemporary Middlesbrough
Makeup by Shah Dortadj
What:
Pop in before the show catch the great drinks promos provided by our uncle and a cheeky free glass of champagne and a cupcake on us ;) Hang back inside and enjoy the music. At 10.00pm make sure u pop out to the garden where our very own Jonny Hill will take to the decks and play sum sweet tunes, till the lead up of the fashion show at 10.30. Then the rest of the night become a bit blurry
The collection will be available to buy from the beginning of March at the kate Fearnley boutique 224 Linthorpe Road, Middlesbrough TS1 3QW.
DONT FORGET 10.30 MAKE SURE UR IN THE GARDEN SEATING IS LIMITED
FROR MORE INFO RING: 01642 227355
KATE FEARNLEY BOUTIQUE
224 Linthorpe Road, Middlesbrough TS1 3QW
Tel/Fax: +44 (0)1642 227355
Email: info@katefearnleyboutique.co.uk
Designers embrace power of fashion's blogging crowd
LONDON (Reuters) - Designers are embracing a growing crowd of internet-savvy fashion followers taking catwalk glamour beyond the coveted front row, with many young creators welcoming a trend they say brings them closer to consumers.
After years of shunning the internet, a changing luxury market has forced even top fashion houses to welcome the world wide web and, more recently, a burgeoning blogging and micro-blogging, or "tweeting," culture.
For young designers like 29-year-old Canadian Mark Fast, showcasing his collection of body-molding knitwear at London's fashion week, the blogosphere offers a voice to new opinions and a platform for the startup brands themselves.
"It's a great way to reach many more people," Fast said backstage, as models and dressers swarmed ahead of his show.
"Everyone has an opinion -- it's nice to hear what these people are thinking, to give them a voice. Why not?"
Fast has become a darling of the controversy-hungry blogging crowd after choosing larger models to showcase his collection alongside the more traditional, long-limbed size zeros, a move he says that is more about diversity than ruffling feathers.
Mary Katrantzou, who showed her collection of structured dresses in dramatic, 18th-century inspired trompe-l'oeil prints alongside Fast, said bloggers offered her useful input, but most critically, put her in direct touch with consumers.
"It is a new way of getting in touch with people and finding out what they feel about your clothes," she told Reuters.more
By Clara Ferreira-Marques and Basmah Fahim
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Sara Berman SS010
Sometimes, everyone needs to get back to basics. And what better time to re-evaluate, strip back, renew your perspective and frankly, just jiggle things up a bit, than your birthday. Sara Berman is turning over its first decade, and to celebrate we want to re-focus our attentions on the three blocks from which the last ten years have been built: knitwear, leather and Harris Tweed.
Ok, so it is summer and tweed isn’t exactly appropriate, even in our changeable climes. Although our summer collection, as beautiful as it is, remains tweed-free, there are exciting Harris Tweed developments in the pipeline and all will be revealed soon. Leather, on the other hand, is taking centre stage. Cut in soft, supple skins that are long and slim in the arms, close on the body and sharp, and soldierly around the neck they dance along to the beat of their heavy, bobbled studs. Think of a very stylish Harley Davidson driver and introduce him to a fantasy Harajuku girl – their daughter would live in these jackets. Being the kooky, stylish girl that she is, Harley Harajuku wears hers over flippy, spriggy tea dresses and indecently tiny shorts.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Fall Woman Launch The Wish List
The Fall Woman Wish List is a unique Gift Service. When browsing in store you can complete a ‘Wish List’ of the items you would like. We then create your very own area within this website, upload your Wish List and then send the Username and Password to your partner, so they can surprise you with the gifts of your choice!
If you are interested in joining our ‘Wish List’ service please call in to our Knutsford store, where we will be delighted to organise this for you.
What more could any woman wish for...
Monday, February 22, 2010
Friday, February 19, 2010
The Boutique Buzz
Boutique Focus: Bella Sola
Bella Sola, located in Newcastle West, Co.Limerick is a haven for lovers of stylish ladies clothing and shoes.Joan Cahill, the proprietor, named the boutique after her daughters, Isabella and Sophia.
Bella Sola has a welcoming ambience and is beautifully designed with a strong Italian influence. Joan has always had a passion for style and travels throughout Europe to source fashion ideas and footwear.Bella Sola stocks a variety of labels ranging from smart casual to glamorous sophistication.
This sophisticated boutique rightly prides itself on it’s outstanding customer service by combining individual attention with top quality style advice and tips.
Joan’s philosophy is “shopping for that perfect look should be an experience, not just a shopping expedition”.
If you’ve entered a fashion store and found yourself not wanting to leave, then Bella Sola is a must for you! The ambience and style is simply otherworldly. Browse through stunning collections and you never know what treasure you might pick up.
Bella Sola is known for it’s exclusive designers and luxurious brands.
Visit us soon. We’d love to meet you!
www.bellasola.com
Leblas Ethical Jewellery
The New Fashion Designer for Contemporary Jewellery and Accessories
Leblas is a fine jewellery boutique that fuses together traditional techniques with modern design and sustainable practices. Winner of Coutts New Jeweller Award 2009, Leblas was founded by Clare Winfield and award winning jewellery designer Arabel Lebrusan.
The Leblas jewellery collections range from unique contemporary designs to classic and inspirational pieces, made from 100% recycled silver, 18k gold, and platinum, by artisans in Spain. Its diamond collections, including wedding, engagement and commitment pieces, are made entirely from conflict-free traceable Canadian diamonds and precious stones. Leblas designs statement necklaces, earrings, bracelets, rings and redefines the concept of “classic” by beautifully crafting modern designs for today’s jewellery fashionistas.
Key contemporary jewellery pieces include: the Sequin ring adorned with diamonds, Black Silver Filigree necklace, and Harlequin pendant encrusted with semi-precious gem. Each handcrafted design demonstrates a mix of modernity with timelessness, keeping in mind the importance of delicate yet daring feminine appeal.
Its bespoke service allows customers to sit down with the designer and let their imaginations run free with designs straight from their dreams. The sky is the limit with these made-to-order gems, from tiaras to one-of-a-kind statement pieces, Leblas designs jewellery to match every customer’s taste.
Leblas also acts as a stockist to other designer jewellers including: SHO, Missoma, and Francesca Sibylla Augusta. It carries ethically hand knitted scarves from Lily Cole’s “The North Circular”, and bags from the eccentric “Lie down I think I love you” brand.
In order to strengthen its relationships with current and potential clients, Leblas makes a continuous effort in creating intimate events, where customers can personally come in to mingle and shop, as well as offering personal shopping, jewellery re-design, and jewellery cleaning services. All collections can be purchased in-store and from the website (www.leblas.com), with free worldwide shipping.
Leblas understands today’s society shifts for more socially responsible products, and is making changes by designing distinctive but classic pieces for today’s budget conscious consumer. It is a must-shop jewellery boutique destination located on the infamous Sloane Street.
www.leblas.com
FiFi Belle
This season sees elegant footwear brand FiFi Belle launch its Spring/Summer collection. Drawing on her own struggle to find larger sizes, FiFi Belle’s founder, Aoife, launched the collection in 2008 to address the gap in the market. Each pair is beautifully hand-crafted using the finest leather to create glamorous pieces irrespective of size.
FiFi Belle, which derives its name from the French for ‘beautiful’, caters for feminine feet ranging from 6-11. Studies found that those with larger or wider sized feet were not served well by mass market production. So whether it’s gorgeous, flat ballet pumps you are after or sophisticated heels, FiFi Belle ensures style without compromising comfort.
With striking lace shoes and gorgeous lacing & ladylike details, FiFi Belle is the perfect wardrobe update!
This season’s must have, ‘Block Colours’, also feature in the collection, allowing the wearer to easily reinstate minimalist elegance with an edge. Aoife, the founder of FiFi Belle says “The most rewarding part of my business is the satisfaction I bring to my customers who thought they would never get to wear fashionable shoes due to the size of their feet”. Shoes are splashed with exquisite detail, using Swarovski diamonds and shocking pink soles, making sure your feet grab attention for the all the right reasons.
FiFi Belle takes pride in giving women with larger feet the option of chic footwear and this season’s collection is the brand’s best yet. Now there is no excuse to follow the other 88% of women who wear the wrong size, with an endless choice of smart, sophisticated, yet stylish shoes, having larger than average feet has never been so ‘in’!
Top International Model Jodie Kidd is the latest celebrity to be spotted wearing FiFi Belle at this year’s BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards. (Jodie Kidd takes a UK9 in footwear) Buy online www.fifibelle.com
www.fifibelle.com
Jodie Kidd in Fifi Belle
Kate and Ava SS010
‘’Kate and Ava’’s colourful SS 10 collection is bringing some much needed sunshine to Ireland this season, it has already arrived in boutiques nationwide.
Drawing inspiration from Africa and the 1970’s has created an interesting mix of prints and colours.
Woven and embossed fabrics, gold and printed metallics, silk crepe, silk chiffon are all incorporated with pink, peach, amber, blue, lilac to create an uplifting collection of separates.
Loosely tailored jackets and structured dresses are present as always in wardrobe staples colours in black and blue. Prices range from 150- 400 EUR
Kate&Ava was established in 2006 by Kate Reilly and Ava Cassidy. This Dublin label is known for its feminine, tailored designs in rich, luxuriant fabrics including wools, silks and jerseys.
Their designs are classic but maintain a modern freshness. The Kate&Ava woman exudes confidence and knows what she likes. As designers they do not follow trends but refine their collection each season.
www.kateandava.ie
Boutique Passion Manchester
Welcome to Boutique Passion as Featured in Vogue as Manchester's Best Kept Fashion Secret
The Boutique based in Prestwich Manchesterwas set up in 20007 and has being delivering the very best in latest fashion to many delighted customers. It is a one stop fashion shop for fashion concious ladies of all ages. We offer exclusive clothing, glamorous parywear, funky casual wear, shoes, bags and accessories. Please come visit us or look online at
www.boutiquepassion.co.uk
Fashion Industry Inside blog
Nicky writes a weekly column for both Irish and British Boutiques. She offers valuable insight into the life of the fashion agent turned blogger!!!!!
I’m not sure if I don’t need a lot of sleep or I just don’t get enough of it. Whatever the answer it’s a good job because at the moment I’m lucky if I get to bed before one in the morning. Last Friday I was between Blogging, Tweeting, Facebooking, selling, organising Charity events oh and family when I got a call from RTE asking me if I would come in on Tuesday morning (early) to do a piece on…….Nylons or to be more up to date, hosiery. Without thinking I of course said yes, that’s going to be easy peasy, after all it’s one of the things I sell and know well.
It turned out to be the most challenging subjects in terms of research. Every time I did a Google search and entered in either tights, stay-ups or stockings I quickly found myself either in Nora Batty or Dita Von Teese territory and more besides! At one stage my partner glanced over towards the computer and asked what exactly I was doing as I was quickly exiting yet another porn site.
I started contributing on Ryan Tubridy’s radio programme over a year ago when I did a piece on Music Therapy following my daughters accident and subsequent rehabilitation in the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Dun Laoire. On the way out the producer said ‘that went great, can you talk about anything else’? To which I replied ‘Well, If you ask me about anything to do with fashion?’. I didn’t think about it until a couple of months later when I got a call to go in. Today was, I think, my sixth or seventh time.
So, last night following the live Bloggers Conference Stream from Independent Fashion Bloggers in New York with Susie Bubble, Bryanboy and Tavi amongst the panel, I got down to the research work involved in hosiery and finally got to sleep around two. I was in RTE bright and early. The piece went fine and much to Ryan Tubridy’s and the Producers surprise literally hundreds of emails and texts poured in on the subject of Hosiery. It seems everyone has an opinion…….
Have a great week ahead..
twitter.com/nickysragtales
www.nickysragtales.com
www.Stylefish.ie
Stylefish.ie is Ireland’s First Dedicated Fashion School teaching a 7 week Style & Beauty Programme for women throughout Ireland. We will build your style confidence through our fully personalized programme, change the way you feel about your wardrobe, style & beauty routine & ultimately save you lots of money on the wrong choices in a fun and jam packed 7 week course! Not only that but all our ladies become part of the Style Fish Club receiving a fantastic jam packed Fashion Newsletter each month with lots of advice, news & most importantly exclusive OFFERS from Fashion & beauty companies forever more! What more could a girl ask for?
Become a Style Fish Member AND…
· Transform your style
· Receive Fashion Offers, News, advice & recommendations forevermore through your Membership!
As soon as you Sign up to our Course you receive Your STYLE FISH WELCOME PACK in the post. This includes a welcome letter explaining all about your course (what hair Salon your Hair Class will be in, what will be your Personal Shopping Class Venue etc) aswell as your STYLE FISH MEMBERSHIP CARD so you can instantly starting receiving top fashion tips, news & offers!
Your Style Fish Course
We understand that every woman is unique so each of our Classes are fully Personalised for every class member (Imagine!) – So you get all this…..
One-to-One Body Shape Consultation
One to One Colour Consultation!
You Build a Completely Personalised Style Fish Folder of specialised handouts, Information & Tips which you will have forever more!
Make-up Lesson & Product Recommendations for you
Hair styling Session – Learn how to Blow Dry, Your best Colour, Cut & Styling lesson for everyday
Fashion Trends for you! Find out about all the hottest shops near you & what you should be looking out for!
Discover your Style Personality & why certain Items are right for you and other lie unworn in your wardrobe!
How to build a Successful wardrobe for you, how to create capsules around your shape & best colours
Learn how to put your look together, how to accessorize to make you stand out, how to be more creative, where to find those Items your friends always seem to have but you can never find!
A Fantastic Personal Shopping Trip to put into practice all you have learnt!
MAKE 2010 THE YEAR YOU SHOP SMARTER, SHOP WITH CONFIDENCE & SHOP FOR YOU BY BECOMING A MEMBER OF STYLE FISH!
Beauty Treatment for Fashionistas
The fashion industry is a hectic one. Whether you are on your feet all day attending to customers in your boutique or keeping appointment after appointment with distributors and stylists, your feet feel the strain even in the most fabulous of shoes!So if you’ve been hiding your tootsies in winter boots or just fancy some much needed TLC then why not treat them to a spa treatment with a difference at Margarita Beauty Salon in Dublin’s Sutton Cross.
With celebrity fans including popstress Little Boots lining up to try this hot new beauty trend, exfoliation and pedicures have taken a fishy twist with Ireland’s first Fish Pedicure arriving just in time for sandal season!
Originating in the pools of a hot spring near Kangal, a small town in Turkey, the Fish Pedicure involves placing feet in a warm water pool of Garra Rufa fish or Doctor Fish, as they are commonly known. The 125 specially selected fish begin to investigate, seeking out and removing dead skin, bacteria and calluses while rejuvenating healthy skin. As the fish have no teeth they act as a stimulating and relaxing massage running their little suction cup mouths across the feet and toes.The only way to understand this unique and effective treatment comes from experience, so what are you waiting for!
Margarita Beauty Salon, 1st Floor, Unit 1, Sutton Cross, Sutton, Dublin 13. Tel: 01 8399299 or see www.margaritabeautysalon.com
Follow us on twitter
www.twitter.com/irishboutiques
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Monday, February 15, 2010
Friday, February 12, 2010
The Fashion Industry Insider by Nick Harris
'The Season' is in full swing and our showroom is buzzing. Over the years Fahions come and go, customers come and go. Each season we add more to the wonderful life stories that we weave together, catching up on business, family which have nothing at all to so with fashion but everything to do with relationships which are the lifeblood of any business.
The Job of an Agent has two sides. One is to represent the Companies and the second is to form a relationship with the customers. Companies would like to think that our alegience to them comes first and in truth we let them think that because it keeps them happy. We attend range meeetings before the start of each season and tell thm their range looks great (even if privately, occasionaly it looks like a dogs dinner!) After all it's too late at that stage for any changes to be made.
Out main alegience is always to our customers, those who come to our showroom Season in and Season out and place orders with us. They trust us to tell them when we think certain garments should be bought and trust us when we tell them that certain others shouldn't. The customers are our life blood and it doesn't matter how wonderful the companies are ( and we do our utmost to look after their business in Ireland) As on the shop floor 'The customer always comes first'.
Next week I will be in London with some of my customers for London Fashion Week at the Jaeger London Catwalk show which will be great fun in a very business like way , of course! So Fashions come and go but hopefully the retailers will remain and they will continue to do what they do so well. Buying great clothes and providing Irish women, who so love style and fashion, great choice across the many collections on offer.
Have a great week ahead.....
www.nickysragtales.com
twitter.com/nickysragtales
twitter.com/nickysragtales
Friday, February 5, 2010
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
The Fashion Industry Insider by Nick Harris
It’s very easy to be weighed down by doom and gloom. We have only to pick up the newspapers or turn on the radio for the latest awful news to seep into our consciousness. Good news just doesn’t make it except as a ‘triumph over adversity’ story. The Fashion business is by it’s nature upbeat and is sometimes seen as trivial. That is something I would argue very heavily against. Ok we women do love clothes and the business is sometimes built around the striving for that idea of ‘want rather than need.’ The reality is that we need to feel good about ourselves. To get up and get ourselves dressed in a way that means we can hold our heads up high and face the day and whatever it brings. We want and need to feel good about special occasions and love when we find that perfect dress or pair of shoes. Constantly striving to be better is not something to be in any way ashamed of.
Our local boutiques and great Irish Independent Fashion Stores do a fantastic job of presenting to the customers the best of what the world has to offer. At the moment buyers are travelling to shows in Paris, London, Berlin, Denmark and further a field to Australia and America. They are picking the best from the ranges and deciding what will look good on their customers. Many of the buyers come into my show room; they go through the ranges and buy for individual customers often remarking that this or that garment would be perfect for Mrs So and So. Irish shoppers who support their local boutiques get tremendous personal service from the owners who go to enormous trouble to bring interesting and new as well as old faithful labels onto their rails.
So my message for this week is to enjoy looking at the new collections for Spring Summer, they are just hitting the shop floors. Happy shopping…..
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Emma Manley Irish Designer SS010 Inspiration
My initial inspiration was Bauhaus art. I wanted to zone in on the simplicity of the big and basic shapes mixed with bold colors. As I began sketching and sampling for the collection it took a completely different turn. The Manley aesthetic is quite romantic so for me the challenge was making something beautiful using tough fabrics, hard shapes and strong lines.
As things progressed i completely toned down my color palate. I introduced terribly feminine fabrics to balance out the pig skin, essentially I softened my inspiration and hardened the garments basic structures.
I always begin my design process with the eye catching pieces. This way I can use these pieces to inspire my basic and simple pieces. At the moment I am creating a simple separates line to add to my current collection. I want that all the pieces can be teamed together in a million different ways. I want people to be able to make their mark on an outfit and not just put on a ‘Manley’ dress with a ‘Manley’ coat and look like their dressed head to toe in ‘Manley’.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
