TFG Exclusive: Profile

What do Ivanka Trump and Amelia Earhart have in common? Apparently fashion. This week, Ivanka Trump launched her collection at Lord and Taylor, joining the growing list of celebrities whose business strategy includes leveraging their brand name into a fashion line. The Kardashian sisters, Jessica Simpson, Jennifer Lopez, Rachel Zoe, Katie Holmes, the Olson twins, Heidi Klum are just a few of the many celebrities who have forayed into the fashion scene with their recognizable names and valuable marketing platforms- some have earned their rightful place in fashion, but most are met with skepticism by industry insiders. Why? Because none of them have a formal design background and many have yet to prove their longevity. Furthermore, there is a major artistic difference between a celebrity and a true fashion designer. While our TFG readers may think that this type of celebrity branding is a recent phenomenon, coupled with the advent of reality television, many might not realize that this type of branding goes as far back as the 1930s when Amelia Earhart, aviation's female maverick, was busy making history. This TFG profile takes a historical look at the courageous and stylish woman.

 

Amelia Earhart's personal style has inspired many fashion designers in the decades following her lifetime. While her leather bomber jackets and trousers may be commonplace today, they were as trail-blazing in the 1930s as Coco Chanel's banishment of the corset form in the flapper dress. However, Earhart didn't just define style and inspire designers that came long after her. Among her many endorsements was a fashion line. 

 What many may not know is that Amelia Earhart did not just license her name to a manufacturer. She played an active role in creating the designs and had a love for fashion that has understandably been overlooked by her "first woman to fly across the Atlantic" status.

I became curious about Amelia Earhart's fashion line after reading her biography a couple years ago. I immediately did some online research and found an old Huffington post article, decribing how Earhart created samples using her own sewing machine and a dress form with the help of a seamstress in New York. Below is a picture of her actually laying fabric on a form.

The original Amelia Earhart clothing line included dresses, blouses, pants, suits, and hats at price points ranging from $15.00-$55.00. Because her line was launched in the midst of the Great Depression, Earhart advocated budget-conscious choices and was the first to recommend the marketing of “separates." Below are pictures of a remaining sample of a dress and her label from her fashion line on display at the Hanford Carnegie Musuem.

While images of Earhart's original sense of style is a testament to her pioneering ways, her fashion line never stood the test of time. Perhaps because her life was cut too short. However, if there is one thing that Ivanka Trump and other celebrities can take away from this bit of fashion history- something which the Olson twins have proven- is that a hands-on approach and dedication to quality is the only way to have a chance of creating a fashion line worthy of longevity and recognition in the industry. Otherwise, rest assure the line could be just another cog in a marketing machine that just as quickly disgards as it produces.

 

H&M to Launch New Concept Store

High cotton prices have inspired H&M to launch a new line of stores. Yes, cotton prices and the discounting of unsold merchandise are the factors H&M attributes to its decline in margins. According to the CEO of H&M, Karl-Johan Persson, the new concept store will be completely independent and will target a "gap in the market" that the company's analysts have identified and hope will lead to an increase in sales. Some reports claim that the new chain will carry a more high-end line, with possible prototypes having already been revealed on the red-carpet, with a custom-made dress worn by Michelle Williams to the British Academy of Film and Television Arts awards in London and the launch of the retailer's Exclusive Glamour Conscious Collection.

H&M Glamour Conscious Collection

Furthermore, the project is said to involve designer Behnaz Aram, who previously worked with Whyred. However, H&M has remained H&Mum on the details of the line, refusing to even confirm if it will involve clothing. But it has confirmed that Behnaz Aram will be on the design team for the new line. TFG will be sure to keep our readers posted as more details come to light. 

Fashion Geek Alert: Shoptiques Brings the Boutique Experience Online

The increasing number of startups in the fashion tech scene only proves one thing: the future of fashion is online and digital, with only one click, play, add to cart, pin-it, or pose button away. While many, including TFG, have embraced the technological developments in fashion and love the convenience of shopping online, others still resist the impersonal experience of e-commerce sites and hesitate to delve into the fashion tech services that are out there. What those people may not realize is that the internet is a great source for deals and unique finds that can top the experiece of any personal boutique. At least that is what Shoptiques.com is trying to prove.

 The latest startup out of the fashion-tech scene, Shoptiques accumulates images of inventory from fashion boutiques around the U.S. and puts them on their site for shoppers to peruse and purchase. The goal is to to provide that hometown boutique access for everyone all across the country. The site operates by partnering with boutique owners who curate one-of-a-kind fashion, which are then photographed by a freelance photographer. The photos are then uploaded to the site with each product’s description and price. 

Users of Shoptiques can browse boutiques located throughout the country to find the best collections. Currently, the site has partnered with boutiques in the following cities: New York, Los Angeles, Miami, San Francisco, Boston, Chicago, and Atlanta. The user can search the site by boutique name, city, or category. Each boutique provides a profile of the store and its owners, followed by studio shots of the inventory. The site was founded by Olga Vidisheva, a graduate of Harvard Busines School, and has been backed by a number of VC firms and angel investors. Check out the following behind-the-scenes video!

The Fashion Law Changes Chanel Fall 2012 Collection

When it comes to the impact of fashion law and fashion blogging, no other story can quite top this. Julie Zerbo is a fellow fashion lawyer and founder of The Fashion Law, a successful blog covering all things fashion, including regular posts that identify designer knock-offs and assess the potential legal consequences of such copies. Generally, the posts involve a fast-fashion retailer knocking off the fashion works of emerging or high-end designers. But a couple weeks ago The Fashion Law found itself bravely, justifiably, and respectfully taking on the House of Chanel as it took notice that the Fall 2012 collection contained jewelry pieces that were "eerily similar" to Pamela Love's pieces from her 2011 collection.

Photo by www.asianfashionlaw.com

Why was this spotting so significant? As discussed in our previous post, the current US copyright regime grants jewelry full protection. Chanel's bracelets would therefore be subject to copyright infringement. Furthermore, Pamela Love is an emerging designer who has yet to gain the kind of influence that would enable her to defend her line against a global brand like Chanel. And frankly speaking, many would have probably assumed that her collection was drawn from Chanel's line. Such incidences can set emerging designers back as they vigorously work to build their brand and earn their rightful place in the fashion world. 

The Fashion Law's post immediately caught the eye of Fashionista, a leading fashion blog, who reached out to Chanel for comment. Chanel responded with a statement that surprised the fashion world:

"For the A/W 2012 collection, Karl Lagerfeld was inspired by the ‘mineral earth’ theme that explored amethyst, crystal and quartz. The theme was captured by the design of the show which included a runway of white granite sand, by the setting which featured huge crystal and amethyst columns, and by the clothing which was in earthy hues of purple, blue and gray. In keeping with the inspiration, large and colorful crystals also adorned some of the clothing and accessories, including heavy bracelets. It has been brought to our attention that some of the bracelets that appeared in the show may resemble those of another designer. Out of respect for the concerns raised and for the artistic process generally the House has decided not to offer these bracelets for sale as part of the A/W 2012 collection."

Following Chanel's comment, Styleite, Glamour, and NBC New York all recognized the amazing work of Julie Zerbo and The Fashion Law. Regardless of whether Chanel intentionally or unintentionally created the similar bracelet designs, their decision to remove the pieces from the Fall 2012 collection is a testament to the respect that all designers and players in the industry should have for their colleagues' artistic efforts. TFG had a chance to speak to Julie Zerbo about the impact of her post:

"The Chanel-Pamela Love story was really a chance for me to give my readers an accurate view of the fashion industry. Its not always fast-fashion retailers that are inspired by others; even large, established houses are inspired by others and/or similar things as others. I'm a huge fan of both parties and am looking forward to their upcoming collections. In terms of making an impact, I don't think about that too much. I think the true talents here are Pamela and Karl. I just hope Chanel's responsible and ethical response (not offering the bracelets at issue for sale) will influence others in the industry, especially in fashion, which unlike jewelry, offers designers extremely limited protection."

We here at TFG concur. Whether you are a fast-fashion retailer or a global fashion house, encouraging originality and creativity not only contributes to the growth of the industry, but also enhances the beauty and fun of the fashion itself. And if you don't believe so, perhaps a future post by Julie Zerbo will convince you otherwise- it certainly did Karl Lagerfeld. 

TFG Exclusive: Style Curator

The Fashion Grid: Spring Edge

Acne v neck dress
$170 - brownsfashion.com

Givenchy black leather vest
$1,825 - jades24.com

Zara heel sandals
zara.com

Maison Martin Margiela oversized handbag
lagarconne.com

Maison Martin Margiela cuff jewelry
$725 - net-a-porter.com