Swimwear Market to Slowdown

A recent report has come out with the assessment of likely impact of the slowdown in consumer spending on sales, of discretionary products like swimwear. This is one of the issues covered in a new report on the global swimwear and beachwear market, which also looks at technology, fit and styling, and competition between private-label retailers and brands. The fall-out from the global credit crunch is likely to have an adverse effect on the clothing industry for sometime.




Overall, it could lower world swimwear growth between 2008 and 2014 from 5.32% to 1.69% and leaves the world market at retail worth US$13.25bn rather than US13.85bn, according to a new report. This worst-case scenario, the report says, is likely to lead to a "considerable reduction in the exceptionally large number" of swimwear brands that exist today.




Retail market in 2008




In its 'Global market review of swimwear and beachwear - forecasts to 2014' (2009 edition), it is estimated the retail market for swimwear and beachwear in 2008 is worth US$13.15bn - a 2.1% rise on the market's value of US$12.88bn in 2006. Within this, women's swimwear represents 70% of the world total value, followed by men's swimwear 17%), girls' swimwear (10%), and boys' swimwear (4%). Unit sales for 2008 are up 1.4% to 1,058m pieces. Europe and Japan/Korea have seen volume declines, while volume growth in the rest of the world averages a modest 2.8%. Overall, it is estimated that the average world retail price for swimwear and beachwear in 2008 is US$12.43. This is only marginally up from the 2006 figure of US$12.35.




While the swimwear market in total continues to face a world of no overall price inflation, the clothing industry is facing unprecedentedly high fuel costs and transport charges; volatile exchange rates; and labour shortages in low-cost economies such as China and India.




Slow Future Growth




Following the Beijing Olympics last year, the next major event for swimwear will be the London Olympics in 2012. By then, the retail market for swimwear and beachwear is forecast at US$13.51bn-representing growth of 2.7% over a four-year period. Unit sales for 2012 will be 1,099m pieces, a growth of 41m units from 2008. New demand will be outside Europe, Japan and Korea. It is estimated that the average world retail price for swimwear and beachwear in 2012 will be US$12.29. The most expensive parts of the developed world will continue to be Japan and Western Europe. This sluggish growth forecast is blamed on the current uncertain economic situation, long-term population stagnation, and the shift in branded manufacturing to lower-cost countries.




Branding diversity




In the developed world, brands account for between 60% and 70% of the value of the market, and between 38% and 43% of the units. Although, own-label and anonymous units account for three quarters of the pieces sold in the world, it is the variety of brands that exist, especially in Western Europe that contribute to the continuing diversity of the swimwear market. Sales through private-label retailers are dominated by a relatively few generalist or lingerie/swimwear specialist businesses, such as Victoria's Secret in the US and Marks & Spencer in the UK.




The market and product future




The report also notes that Swimwear fashion in the Western world will be driven by the acceptance of swimming as a relaxing pastime for an ageing population; among the younger age group, swimwear will be worn away from the sea and the pool; figure supporting and enhancing fabrics will encourage older women to wear swimwear; Western swimwear habits will take hold in the developing world; Internet sales growth will outstrip that of traditional retailing; and the London Olympics will create a swimwear market 'splash' in 2012, as an antidote to the gloom and doom forecast for 2009-2010.

HOW TO WEAR VELVET

When you think of velvet, what comes to mind? Perhaps your middle school recital when you wore a velvet dress and Mary Janes? While many of us don’t think we can pull of wearing velvet without feeling silly, there are ways that we can wear it and look good…really good! There are two ways of wearing velvet. One is when you want to dress up for an upcoming formal event and the other is when you want to look fun and fearless but more casual. Here are some helpful hints on how to make your winter wardrobe more velvet friendly.


HOW TO WEAR VELVET: Looking Classy in Velvet

So you have a dinner party to go to and you have no idea what to wear. Why not try wearing velvet? There are a few ways to go about this. First you can wear a velvet skirt and a blouse. To make the outfit really look sophisticated, wear similar colors for both the top and bottom such as a navy blue skirt with a blouse that is just a tad lighter. The contrast looks absolutely stunning and you will look like a million bucks. Add a large cocktail ring and fancy clutch and you are ready to go!
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Scared of wearing a velvet dress? Well, overcome your fears by wearing a slinky velvet dress with an embellished neckline. These velvet dresses are not to be shunned away from. The designs this season are very hot and definitely meant to be worn! Velvet pants are also a good idea if you prefer. Wear them with a soft blouse and pumps with a sparkling broach. Just don’t wear the pants with a velvet top or blazer. Never wear velvet on velvet.
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HOW TO WEAR VELVET: Staying Cool with Velvet

Do you want to look chic this winter? Then you need some velvet in your wardrobe. An easy, but perhaps daring way is to wear a velvet tunic or loose dress with tights and knee high boots. Ultra sexy and extremely cool. But if this seems like too much to start, why not start off smaller, by wearing velvet pumps with a pair of leggings or wear a velvet wrap or scarf around your neck. Velvet tops are OK, but they tend to look fancy and if that is not what you are going for, then perhaps you should stay away from them unless they are a looser fit. Then by all means, wear one with a pair of dark jeans and boots!
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You don’t have to go overboard with the accessories either. When looking casual with velvet, all you really need are a few signature pieces like a simple necklace or ring. Adding too many accessories can make the look too formal. If anything, just go bare when it comes to adding jewelry. Let the velvet do the talking.

When it comes to velvet, it really doesn’t have to only be worn for formal occasions, like we have previously thought. It is fun, classy and very sexy for this season. Devour the plush world of velvet and let it bring out a whole new flair to your wardrobe.

More Fashion How To's

Embroidered Skirts for Excellence

When it comes to choosing the best designs for work, you will usually choose a mix of what is affordable and what is stylish. Thankfully, finding that delicate level of perfection has never been so easy. There are styles and designs available today that make it easier than ever to get what you need without spending a lot of money. If you happen to appreciate a good skirt, perhaps you will find the stylish design and fashion you want with the versatility you need when you choose embroidered skirts.

There are many styles available today, but perhaps the most versatile is none other than the skirt. The skirt actually has a fascinating history where lengths have changed according to popular trends, and the material used in the construction has changed. Regardless of the changes, a person will find that today, embroidered skirts come in all sizes and lengths dependent on the needs and wants of the wearer.

Purchasing a skirt is the easy part. First, you explore the styles and designs on the market for a "perfect" skirt. Then once you have that perfection for your own, you can consider customizing or personalizing to your heart's delight.

The actual embroidery is going to be fun, but at the same time, you will find so many options that it can get complicated.

First, you will have to choose the design. There are pre-made designs and logos that will make it easy to get the look you want for your own. But if you want something special, you can actually have it custom made before the actual application process. Having your own unique design will take longer, but the final product is well worth the time and money spent. Because that design will be uniquely you.

Second, you will have to choose the options. This can be fun! You will choose a variety of thread colors, placements, thread thickness, and many other options. These are going to allow you to get the perfect look for your new embroidered skirts. There is nothing like knowing you have a part in your own clothing. Embroidery is just one aspect of the customization process that will allow you to get more of a personal feel for your apparel.

Third, you will agree on a time of delivery. Depending on the options you need or want, you will find that you can discuss the delivery time with the company you choose. Depending on the customization, you can usually get the design in as little as a few weeks. If you have customized designs of your own, you may find you need longer. Contacting the company will insure you get everything as intended when you need it most.

Do you like embroidered skirts? Chances are that you will find many benefits from those personal designs. Regardless of the skit, you will have something uniquely you. Whether you choose a dragon or maybe just a mosaic tapestry design, there is no doubt that the style and fashion you need for your own life has never been so easy to obtain. When you need exceptional quality, that exceptional quality starts with the customization you choose for your life.

The Bride's Wedding Veil

The wedding veil is one of the most traditional bridal ensembles during weddings. It has been said that the wedding veil protected the bride from jealous spirits. It also symbolizes humility, because it was not considered proper for women to display their beauty so openly. Today, wedding veils are worn to complete the overall wedding look of a bride. Choosing a wedding veil depends on the personal taste of the bride and the wedding outfit she will wear on her wedding.

However, it is important to choose the right choice of wedding veil. For example, if you will wear an extravagant gown on your wedding, go with a simple wedding veil. Otherwise, your wedding dress and veil will be competing on each other for attention. It can also spoil the elegance of the gown and could end up looking to overdone. But if you want to add a bit touch to your veil, you may put a simple ribbon or you may trim along the edges. However for simple wedding dresses that don't have a lot of beading or embroidery, the veil should have a bit of drama. There are brides who purchased their wedding veil but constructed it to add extra glamour to their entire wedding look.

Your choice of wedding veil should not hide anything on your wedding dress. If there is a great accent on the back of your gown, make sure that your veil doesn't cover and hides it. Therefore, it very important to think of the dress you will be wearing when choosing a wedding veil. This is one way to ensure that both your dress and veil complement on each other.

Also, you have to consider the length of your wedding veil. It length should be suitable to the length of the aisle. If your wedding ceremony will held in a huge church, a long wedding veil will be perfect for that. In other situations, the veil will just bunch up and be a pain to walk around. Also, look at wedding veils that are easy to take off after the ceremony.

There are so many wedding veils available in wedding stores. Some of them are antiques. Antique wedding veils become very popular today. Many bride opt to worn an antique veil because it is a trendy fashion statement for brides today. In addition to that, antique wedding veil looks very classic and vintage, and it also known to bring good luck. If you opt to wear a vintage veil, avoid fixing it anyway. Don't spoil it by trying to match your wedding gown. Often, if the veil doesn't perfectly match, most people can't tell because the fabric is so sheer.

Many brides considered borrowing wedding veil can bring luck to marriage. A wedding veil can be borrowed from your mom or grandmother. However, the luck will only work if the veil was borrowed from someone who is happily married.

Not only choosing the right wedding veil the bride need to take into consideration, choosing the right bridal accessories also can make a great difference. Choose bridal jewelry and bridal hair accessories that complements your entire wedding look.

Swimwear Market to Slowdown

A recent report has come out with the assessment of likely impact of the slowdown in consumer spending on sales, of discretionary products like swimwear. This is one of the issues covered in a new report on the global swimwear and beachwear market, which also looks at technology, fit and styling, and competition between private-label retailers and brands. The fall-out from the global credit crunch is likely to have an adverse effect on the clothing industry for sometime.

Overall, it could lower world swimwear growth between 2008 and 2014 from 5.32% to 1.69% and leaves the world market at retail worth US$13.25bn rather than US13.85bn, according to a new report. This worst-case scenario, the report says, is likely to lead to a "considerable reduction in the exceptionally large number" of swimwear brands that exist today.

Retail market in 2008

In its 'Global market review of swimwear and beachwear - forecasts to 2014' (2009 edition), it is estimated the retail market for swimwear and beachwear in 2008 is worth US$13.15bn - a 2.1% rise on the market's value of US$12.88bn in 2006. Within this, women's swimwear represents 70% of the world total value, followed by men's swimwear 17%), girls' swimwear (10%), and boys' swimwear (4%). Unit sales for 2008 are up 1.4% to 1,058m pieces. Europe and Japan/Korea have seen volume declines, while volume growth in the rest of the world averages a modest 2.8%. Overall, it is estimated that the average world retail price for swimwear and beachwear in 2008 is US$12.43. This is only marginally up from the 2006 figure of US$12.35.

While the swimwear market in total continues to face a world of no overall price inflation, the clothing industry is facing unprecedentedly high fuel costs and transport charges; volatile exchange rates; and labour shortages in low-cost economies such as China and India.

Slow Future Growth

Following the Beijing Olympics last year, the next major event for swimwear will be the London Olympics in 2012. By then, the retail market for swimwear and beachwear is forecast at US$13.51bn-representing growth of 2.7% over a four-year period. Unit sales for 2012 will be 1,099m pieces, a growth of 41m units from 2008. New demand will be outside Europe, Japan and Korea. It is estimated that the average world retail price for swimwear and beachwear in 2012 will be US$12.29. The most expensive parts of the developed world will continue to be Japan and Western Europe. This sluggish growth forecast is blamed on the current uncertain economic situation, long-term population stagnation, and the shift in branded manufacturing to lower-cost countries.

Branding diversity

In the developed world, brands account for between 60% and 70% of the value of the market, and between 38% and 43% of the units. Although, own-label and anonymous units account for three quarters of the pieces sold in the world, it is the variety of brands that exist, especially in Western Europe that contribute to the continuing diversity of the swimwear market. Sales through private-label retailers are dominated by a relatively few generalist or lingerie/swimwear specialist businesses, such as Victoria's Secret in the US and Marks & Spencer in the UK.

The market and product future

The report also notes that Swimwear fashion in the Western world will be driven by the acceptance of swimming as a relaxing pastime for an ageing population; among the younger age group, swimwear will be worn away from the sea and the pool; figure supporting and enhancing fabrics will encourage older women to wear swimwear; Western swimwear habits will take hold in the developing world; Internet sales growth will outstrip that of traditional retailing; and the London Olympics will create a swimwear market 'splash' in 2012, as an antidote to the gloom and doom forecast for 2009-2010.

The history of mini skirts

Mary Quant ran a popular clothes shop in the Kings Road, Chelsea, London called Bazaar, from which she sold her own designs. In the late 1950s she began experimenting with shorter skirts, which resulted in the miniskirt in 1965-one of the defining fashions of the decade. Owing to Quant's position in the heart of fashionable "Swinging London", the miniskirt was able to spread beyond a simple street fashion into a major international trend. Its acceptance was greatly boosted by Jean Shrimpton's wearing a short white shift dress, made by Colin Rolfe, on 30th October 1965 at Derby Day, first day of the annual Melbourne Cup Carnival in Australia, where it caused a sensation. According to Shrimpton, who claimed that the brevity of the skirt was due mainly to Rolfe's having insufficient material, the ensuring controversy was as much as anything to do with her having dispensed with a hat and gloves, seen as the essential accessories in such conservative society. Development The miniskirt was further popularised by Andr Courrges, who developed it separately and incorporated it into his Mod look, for spring/summer 1965. His miniskirts were less body-hugging, and worn with the white "Courrges boots" that became a trademark. By introducing the miniskirt into the haute couture of the fashion industry, Courrges gave it a greater degree of respectability than might otherwise have been expected of a street fashion. The miniskirt was followed up in the late 1960s by the even shorter micro skirt, which has been referred to derogatorily as a belt or pelmet. Upper garments, such as rugby shirts, were sometimes adapted as mini-dresses. Tights or panty-hose became highly fashionable, in place of stockings, specifically because the rise in hemlines meant that stocking tops would be visible. Mary Quant cited this development in defense of the miniskirt: "In European countries where they ban mini-skirts in the streets and say they're an invitation to rape, they don't understand about stocking tights underneath". Mini Skirt If one fashion item could sum up the 60s it would be the mini-skirt. Opinion is split on who came up with the idea-the wise money would probably go on a Frenchman, Jean Courreges, but our own Mary Quant is widely accepted as having dreamt up the ever more daring hemline. Within a year anybody who had the body to pull it off was wearing a mini. In New York the norm was 4-5 inches above the knee but over in Swinging London anything other than 7-8 inches above the knee was considered positively decent! The usual look was to pair what little was left of the skirt with matching sweater and tights for a uniform look. When, in 1968, Jackie Kennedy wore a white Valentino miniskirt for her wedding to Aristotle Onassis its place at the pinnacle of fashion was confirmed. 1970s During the mid-1970s, the fashion industry largely returned to longer skirts such as the midi and the maxi. Journalist Christopher Booker gave two reasons for this reaction: firstly, that "there was almost nowhere else to go...the mini-skirts could go no higher"; and secondly, in his view, "dressed up in mini-skirts and shiny PVC macs, given such impersonal names as 'dolly birds', girls had been transformed into throwaway plastic objects". Certainly this lengthening of hemlines coincided with the growth of the feminist movement. However, in the 1960s the mini had been regarded as a symbol of liberation, and it was worn by some, such as Germaine Greer and, in the following decade, Gloria Steinem, who became known for their promotion of women's issues.

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Princess diana, Still a fashion icon.......

Princess Diana

Fashionable is perhaps a rather underrated word if the charismatic princess of Wales is to be thought of.

Imagine, with 3,500 people in the congregation at St. Paul's Cathedral, Another 750 million people watching the ceremony worldwide; this figure rose to a billion when the radio audience is added in, Two million spectators lined the route of Diana's procession from Clarence House.

It took 4,000 police men and 2,200 military officers to manage the crowds, all trying to have the glimpse of a merely 20 year old English female in a puffed sleeved wedding gown with a full skirt of ivory silk pure taffeta, old lace and hand embroidery incorporating 10,000 pearls and sequins.

While Young Diana struggled to make her way up to the aisle carrying a twenty five foot train, innocent and unaware of the burden of expectations she will have to bear from here onwards.

Ever since she became a public figure from the announcement of her engagement to Prince Charles, she remained the focus of constant media scrutiny in not only just the Great Britain but also around world.

With absolutely breathe taking looks and spell bounding figure Lady Diana was a picture perfect face and became an instant hit with photographers hopping around to capture her glimpses. She had been quoted as one of the most photographed face of her times by various magazines and media groups everything she wore, from her Handbags to shoes, Hats and jewelry and even jeans, was scrutinized and commented on.

In fashion Diana had a very personal style statement that reflected and blended very well with her personality, she carried the royal tag of being the crowned princess of Britain with great dignity and therefore every bit of her looks justified the amount of work and personal inputs she used to give before stepping out of the royal premises.

One such example of her impeccable aesthetics sense was seen when she famously came out wearing a pearl brooch rather as a pendant originally given to her by the Queen Elizabeth.

Before her engagement Diana wore little make-up and her dress style was not sophisticated. She liked the comfort clothes that suited her position as an assistant at the Young England Kindergarten.

From the moment of her engagement Princess Diana image was very traditional and very British. How gradually she transformed herself from once being titled as the worst dressed celebrity to the most influential fashion icons of 80-90s is evidently because of the fact that despite of consistent Diana would always remain a woman of her own: listening to advice, but following her own instincts.

By 1990 she was the world leader of fashion and knew exactly how to dress according to the occasion diplomatically.

Romantic ball room gowns

Some of the worlds most talked about gowns were owned by none other than Princess Diana.

Justifying her royal status to the fullest these exquisite ultra feminine pieces were tailored exclusively for the princess by some of her favorite designers of all the times.

During the earlier 1980s and till the 1988s Diana was like any other young British bride and her styling reflected the symptoms of shyness a newly wed carries elegance c part of her personality and life could easily be seen in her dresses specially the gowns she wore

Christmas Party Dress Trends

A ladies sequin dress is the ultimate glamour dress for making an impression especially over the Thanksgiving or Christmas season. This autumn whatever the occasion, festive party dresses or clubbing cocktail wear offers lots of textured fabrics. The base fabrics are embellished with either sequins, beads or studs. Flowers such as roses and lei swathes drape across shoulders. Brocade fabrics, velvets, soft nappa leather and softest silk chiffons are mixed with sequins and artfully draped and swathed and all will catch your attention.

Designers gave us a catwalk look of simple short sequin shifts. High street retailers have followed with equally pretty versions. Countless women will sigh 'ahh pretty' when they see the sequin dress on a clothing rail, but in reality find the tunic type mini dress simply too short. This winter designers universally seem to think women want dresses that expose their knees. Take it from me, some of these dresses are so short they can be thought of only as a long top.

How you wear the sequin pieces depends on you. Some women with shapely thighs will wear the tunic styles as mini dresses, whilst others will pair them with pants or opaque tights, and the fashion forward will choose over knee boots.

Near Right - Teal Blue Catwalk Sequin Dress by Twenty8Twelve.
Above Right - French Connection Teal Blue Sequin Spirit Dress £260.
Lower Right - Monsoon AW09 Neptune Blue Sequin Overlaid Dress - £135.

This low back teal blue sequin dress right is a catwalk fashion from Twenty8Twelve. The high street version from French Connection is a boldly embellished cubist abstract sequin and bead fabric design that coruscates with reflected light. It would look even more wonderful in night lighting, and the modest back neckline makes it a more wearable option for the majority of women.

Below that dress is a sequin blouson tunic dress from Monsoon. The semi sheer sleeve over the underslip body adds a measure of mystique and glamour for many who prefer to cover up their arms.

Michelle Obama Yellow

Yellow is THE Colour of 2009. Watch how it injects new vigour into fashion. Like the yellow glow of a dawn rise, citrine lemon and buttercup gold are the colours of hope, optimism, and new beginnings.

Michelle Obama - The New Fashion Icon

Michelle Obama has shown a clear eye for the newest of fashion colours. Take for example her choice of dress and coat for the Presidential Inauguration Ceremony on 21 January 2009. Mrs Obama's lemongrass wool coat and dress of wool guipure lace, reflected yellow hues in the play of light on the wool guipure raised surface.

The true colour of her coat is hotly debated amongst the fashionistas, because in some images the colour looks citron green and in others lemon yellow. In yet different photographs (there were plenty) the tone appears an almost creamy yellow. The respected Isabel Toledo confirmed the colour was lemongrass. And everyone who has bought a stick of lemongrass or a lemon fruit, knows that colour shading well. To my way of thinking Mrs Obama's coat has several tints that meet each other.

Those familiar with textile yarns know that quality wool yarns are often made of fibres dyed to be several different related colours. When carded, blended and spun together, this creates a more mesmerizing lively effect to the yarn, and in turn to the end material. The play of light on the helical wool fibre will also affect the colour tones reflected when viewed from different angles.

Add to the discussion the fact we all see colour slightly differently, and of knowledge that all media and monitor screens exhibit colour variations, and you can see why people literally see Mrs Obama's iconic outfit differently. You are reading an original Spring Summer Fashion Trends 2009 article by Pauline Weston Thomas at www.fashion-era.com ©

Super lemon and citron are two of Pantones' hip fashion colour predictions for Spring 2009. Clearly this is a First Lady with her eye on the fashion ball, and it marked-out Mrs Obama as a confident fashion dresser, fully aware that texture in dress is very in vogue. Near right - The detail of texture on Michelle Obama's Inauguration wool guipure lace coat. Far right - The citrus tones of spring.

Fashion Reinvention

In the past decade, fashion has been a revolving cycle of repetition. Each season, the “new” trends are merely regurgitations of the styles from decades past. It was this lack of creativity in the fashion world that spurred Southern designers Sara Jordan and Aimee Wolk to create their own line of women’s fashions: Sara Claire & Esther.

Huntsville, Ala., native Wolk met Floridian Jordan while attending Auburn University, but the two didn’t become friends until they were both living in New York and were re-introduced through a mutual friend. During the road trip from that friend’s North Carolina wedding back to New York, the idea of Sara Claire & Esther was conceived. The line was inspired by and named after the designers’ grandmothers. The ladies describe their designs as “vintage re-imagined,” and create looks based upon the various time periods of their grandmothers’ lives. “We were pretty bored with all the new clothes in the market, and the vintage twist on design really excited us,” says Jordan. Using their experience working for designers such as Donna Karan, Rebecca Taylor and Tibi, the ladies created their very own line. But they don’t simply re-create vintage fashions; they use elements of the past to create completely fresh looks.

Sara Claire & Esther launched with a Spring 2009 collection composed of demure yet alluring pieces featuring color blocking, asymmetry and curved lines that flatter a woman’s figure. There are certain signature elements that can be found on any SC&E piece, and these include gold topstitching and exposed zippers. “The gold topstitching is actually hard to work with, but we love the element of luxury it gives the clothing,” Jordan explains.

Each collection from SC&E uses vintage elements, which means no two pieces are identical. The Spring ’09 collection featured vintage buttons, while Fall ’09, which was inspired by the post-Depression era, features lace taken from antique tablecloths.

The inspiration for the Spring ’10 line, which will be available in September, is the year 1967; specifically, the critically acclaimed film Valley of the Dolls. “Working with the colors and aesthetic of that year has been fun for us,” Jordan says. “We were able to move away from the ’40s and give a new spin to the line.” The vintage element of the new collection is beading, of which Jordan says, “The word ‘dolls’ in the film is slang for pills, and we’re excited because the beads actually look like pills.” After seeing the demand for the dresses in their previous collections, for fall, the pair decided to release a collection composed entirely of dresses. And rather than releasing a large collection, they have created capstone, must-have pieces this time around.

The duo is highly involved with their company, wearing the hats of designer, publicist and sales rep. “It’s very important to us to be hands-on, and make sure everything is handled exactly as we see fit,” Jordan explains.

In the future, Jordan and Wolk plan to open a boutique, and foresee opening that flagship shop somewhere in the South. “We would love to be closer to our roots, and since our grandmothers are Southern, and they are our inspiration, it simply makes sense,” Jordan says.

Nordstrom Opens New Store

Leading fashion specialty retailer Nordstrom opened its new store in Cincinnati today at Kenwood Towne Centre. When the store opened at 10 a.m., over 300 excited and
applauding employees lined the store's entrances to welcome the first customers through its doors. The two-level, 138,000 sq. ft. store will offer customers a well-edited selection of quality, luxury and designer fashion brands for women, men and children.

"We have wanted to open a store in Cincinnati for over 10 years," said Renata Bakale, Kenwood Towne Centre store manager. "Our employees can't wait to start serving customers here at Kenwood and building relationships with them."

The store features a compelling selection of clothing, accessories, cosmetics and shoes, including a designer offering of American and European collections. Customers can shop from well-known designers such as Burberry, Donna Karan, Ports 1961, Lida Baday and Piazza Sempione. Other hot brands and designers include Elizabeth and James, Alice + Olivia, Milly, Loeffler Randall and Diane von Furstenberg. To complement this offering, the store also offers Chloe, Marc Jacobs and Jimmy Choo handbags, as well as footwear from Valentino, Jimmy Choo, Stuart Weitzman and Tory Burch.

To enhance the shopping experience, the store will offer special services and amenities including an in-store alterations and tailor shop, certified bra and prosthesis fitters, shoe shine and complimentary gift boxes. The store will also house two food offerings: an Ebar, for espresso drinks and fruit smoothies, as well as a Cafe Bistro featuring freshly prepared salads, sandwiches, pastas and house-made desserts.

Opening day started at 8 a.m. with Nordstrom hosting a complimentary cosmetics Beauty Bash outside the mall entrance. Shoppers learned about the newest cosmetics and fragrance trends for the fall season, and enjoyed complimentary skincare consultations and makeup lessons from Nordstrom beauty advisors.

Over 2,200 guests attended a gala hosted by the store on Wednesday night. The event raised more than $165,000 for the local nonprofits Cris Collinsworth ProScan Fund, Lighthouse Youth Services and The Links, Incorporated (Cincinnati and Queen City Chapters).

Nordstrom, Inc. is one of the nation's leading fashion specialty retailers, with 179 stores located in 28 states. Founded in 1901 as a shoe store in Seattle, today Nordstrom operates 112 full-line stores, 64 Nordstrom Racks, two Jeffrey boutiques and one clearance store. Nordstrom also serves customers through its online presence at http://www.nordstrom.com/ and through its catalogs. Nordstrom, Inc. is publicly traded on the NYSE under the symbol JWN.

Halloween Costumes 2009

It’s that time of the year again. When we humans are permitted to give into our subconscious “want to be” desires and can dress up as, and pretend to be whoever or whatever we’d like. So what will the most popular Halloween costumes be this October? Here’s what we at Apparel Search think some of the top picks might be.
1. Michael Jackson With his recent death, fans are finding new ways to pay tribute to the King of Pop. Expect to see plenty of Michael's moonwalking the streets this October. The loss of another pop icon, Farrah Fawcett, will also inspire a resurgence in Charlie's Angels costumes.
2. Edward Cullen and Bella Swan The Twilight saga is so hot right now, there are sure to be plenty of charming vampires and “dying” to be vamps looking to suck your blood.
3. Barack Obama Sales of our presidents masks are tremendous and with all the antics in Washington these days, there seems to be renewed interest in political costumes.
4. Hannah Montana / Miley Cyrus The Disney Pop Princess is still going strong with the continued popularity of her 3rd season of Hannah Montana and Miley Cyrus is quickly eclipsing her fictional self as she moves further into the spotlight
5. Harry Potter and Hermione Granger The characters from the Harry Potter films that have been popular for years will continue to be with some additional figures like Voldemort, Dementor and the new characters like Half Blood Prince Slytherin, Professor Horace Slughorn and the Quidditch Players.
6. Star Trek Costumes Star Trek is back with its newest movie out this past year and the characters are easy to recreate with a few simple Star Fleet uniforms.
7. G.I. Joe Ninja Yet another current movie related costume. There are sure to be a lot of ninjas out doing their finest daylight impressions of Storm Shadow.