India’s leading Hindi general entertainment channel, ZEE TV and Vikaas Kalantri’s WHITE LEAF ENTERTAINMENT MEDIA PVT. LTD will soon present the 5th BOROPLUS GOLD AWARDS – the 5th edition of the Global Indian Television Awards. To be held on 14th July at Filmcity, Mumbai, the prestigious Awards is the definitive platform that recognizes and celebrates excellence in Indian Television, on a global level. Mr. Ashish Golwalkar, Non- Fiction Programming Head – Zee TV, said, “We are proud to continue our association with Vikas Kalantri’s White Leaf Entertainment for the 5th Boroplus Gold Awards. It is one of the most celebrated award functions of the telly industry and is held in high regard for its eminent jury, high entertainment quotient and an envious line-up of celebrities. The theme of this year’s awards function is ‘Gold’ and we promise you that it’s going to be bigger, better and more thrilling than ever before” Speaking about The Boroplus Gold Awards 5th edition, CEO of White Leaf Entertainment, Vikaas Kalantri said, “We are proud to announce the 5th Glorious year of Gold Awards”- it is an award which felicitates television personalities across channels and shows. In its fifth year, it has grown from strength to strength with the strong support from the members of the Television industry. I look forward to strengthening the association with the industry even more in the coming years. This year has many surprises for the who’s who of the entertainment industry attending the Gold Carpet for a night of fun, fabulous acts and masti!” The Boroplus Gold Awards has the following honorable jury members: Mr. Dheeraj Kumar (Producer), Mrs. Renuka Shahane (Actress), Vipul. D Shah (Producer & owner of Optimistix) & Amit Tyagi (Editor-Aaj Tak) Background: · The Annual Television Academy Awards. · The first ever and the only Indian Television Awards to Globe Trot. · Recognizing excellence in Television Software Production as well as all other aspects thus looking at making the presentation of the GOLD AWARDS the most famous activity. · Recognizing outstanding achievements, both in popular as well as technical branches and crafts. · GOLD AWARDS represents the best achievements of the year in the opinion of those who themselves reside at the top of their craft.

The company plans to add more retail locations throughout the world and further develop the brand’s men’s accessories and resort-wear offerings, G-III said in a statement.

Of the purchase price, 70.5 million euros was paid in cash and 15 million euros was paid by unsecured promissory notes, due December 31, 2017, with interest at the rate of 5 percent per year.

In addition to the purchase price, the agreement provides for up to an additional 22.5 million euros in milestone payments.

G-III funded the cash portion of the deal with its newly expanded $450 million bank facility.

Vilebrequin sells its products through 185 owned and franchised specialty retail stores, as well as wholesale distribution. It had 2011 sales of 45.1 million euros.

The company said the acquisition is expected to be neutral to its earnings per share for its fiscal year ending Jan. 31, 2013 excluding acquisition and integration expenses.

Barclays acted as the exclusive financial advisor to G-III.

The celebrated four-day event Showcase 2012 kick-started on March 26 in Karachi, at the DHA Country and Golf Club’s Convention Centre with nine designers displaying their collections on the ramp. Over the next three days, 27 more designers will be exhibiting their collections.
Ajai Vir Singh
The playful, brightly coloured collection of Sri Lankan-based designer Singh was inspired primarily from a beach town called Arugam Bay. The colour palette relied on fuchsias, oranges, ocean blues and many other interesting colours.
Trends to remember: Rainbow-coloured beach sandals and swimwear with models sporting oversized sunglasses for agreater ‘fun in the sun’ effect.
The look: Exotic beach boys
Sania Maskatiya
The designer’s pret-a-porter collection, ‘Matyala’ rocked the ramp. With multiple hemlines using different fabrics on the back, her geometric zig-zaggy collection was truly artistic. The colour palette remained in shades of red and black with a touch of beige on silk and chiffon.
Trends to remember: Off the shoulder kameezes, short hemlines upfront with longer hemlines at the back and metal details using gold buttons
The feel: Urban and cosmopolitan
The look: For urban girls or desis residing in NewYork City
Irfan Ali
This PIFD’s graduate made his debut drawing Pakistani rural heritage on his designs. At his second showing, Ali remained within similar cultural boundaries and touched on the rich festival of Jamat in Punjab. Akin to his first collection, the look was very Punjab-centric with a rich palette of solid loud colours that have also become hallmarks of designer Mohsin Ali.
Trends to remember: Stratified rainbow backs, A-line kameezes, Teejays like bubble punto and embellishments featuring tilla and gold polish mark work.
The feel: Going back to the rural heritage
The look: Festive and desi
Zaheer Abbas
The designer’s ‘Revenge’ collection, remained true to his signature style and focused primarily on femininity and timeless elegance. With silks and chiffons in dark hues of brown, olive green and yellow, this was a truly awe-inspiring western collection.
Trends to remember: Cat-ears sleeves and metal-stud detailing.
The feel: With metal jewellery on the faces of the female models, it seemed that Cleopatra had reincarnated on the ramp.
The look: Old Roman Gothic appeal
Nida Azwar
Azwer’s ‘Parinda’ collection was a peculiar mix of all that she does and is known for — from angarkhas and bridal wear to embroidered coat and saris — nature remained in focus with peacock motifs highlighting some of the garments.
Trends to remember: Peacock-motif saris
The feel: A touch of Persian relics and tapestries
The look: Semi-formal line meant for young brides.
Danish Wakeel
Model-turned-designer Wakeel, who graduated from the London College of Fashion, showcased his ‘Draped Modern Kouroi’ collection. This collection was disappointing as it seemed like the designer had no wearability factor in mind while designing. It was primarily designed for the ramp. Black was the predominant colour in most of his designs.
Trend to remember: The draped uppers and jackets were interesting.
The feel: Raw, unabashed and unsettling parade of masculinity
The look: The Dark Knight
Fab Five
Five students from Asian Institute of Fashion Design (AIFD), showed their refreshing take on western outfits. It was nice to see that AIFD graduates have finally evolved beyond the fluffy Southern belle gowns and had begun to focus more on the construction side of designing in order to stand at par with their Pakistan Institute of Fashion Design (PIFD) peers from Lahore. From mini-skirts to long dresses, the entire collection was in black silhouettes.
Trends to remember: Net-covered faces of models and heads adorned with hats
The feel: Subtle, edgy, modern and contemporary
The look: Moulin Rouge
Hira Lari
Hira Lari moved miles away from her lawn collection with her western-inspired ‘Nostalgia’ collection. Looking back, we still can’t figure out if this was a modern take on 1880s southern belle look or a collection inspired by the ghettos.
Trends to remember: Shimmery, sequined tights with sheer tops
The feel: Ghetto-chic
The look: Teenage rebellion
Warda Lawn
‘Warda Experience collection’ was the only lawn summer collection on display. However, the lawn was styled and cut in western outfits, with the colour palette including various shades of greens and blues.
Trends to remember: Outfits with small floral prints or large Balochi motifs were brought on the ramp
The feel: Oddly-styled lawn that neither looked high street or high fashion
The look: A western persona given to the traditional lawn.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 28th, 2012.

KARACHI, March 26: Showcase 2012 became the first fashion week to kick off a series of such events in fashion centres Karachi and Lahore after what has been a back-to-back season of designer lawn launch events in both cities.

But it is not the only laurel that it has working for it. With the commencement of the calendar event that is Showcase 2012, the internationally acclaimed magazine Hello! launches its operations in Pakistan and features collections off the ramp within its editorial spreads with a supplement magazine that will cover the full four-day event. Live streaming of the fashion event is also available on its website.

The platform of Showcase 2012 is a collaboration between fashion designer Rizwan Beyg and Sky Productions (Pvt) Ltd to establish a creative platform for young designers, models, musicians, photographers, event planners and for all those
professionals working in fashion.

It features 29 Pakistani and seven foreign designers.

Socialites and buyers were in large attendance on the opening day of the event. They included Zahir Rahimtoola (Labels), Zeba Hussain (Ensemble), Zeenat Saeed (Taneez), Shobha Ispahani, Freiha Altaf, Rehana Saigol, Huma Amir Adnan and Fareshteh Gaiti-Aslam.

A rectangular ramp featured the opening designer Zaheer Abbas and his superlative collection titled Revenge and inspired by vintage armour.

The segment saw models made by Depilex wear elaborate headgear and attired in silks and chiffon paneling and trimmings in shades of chocolate brown, olive green and mustard gold with metal shields and exotic carvings and embellishments worn by
models including Fawzia, Mehreen Syed, Maha, Ayyan, Rubya Chaudhry, Zeba, Gia Ali, Iffi and Abbas Jaffri. It was by far the best that the evening had to offer.

London-based Danish Waqeel showed his menswear with strong street fashion and influence by the classic designs based in London and larger Europe.

Asian Institute of Fashion Design students Ayesha Anees, Amina Jauhar, Anum Akhlaq, Birjees and Karin Yazdani showed their take on black ensembles and highly experimental wear that is typical of
fashion students.

Wardah Lawn showed its take on high Spring/Summer 2012 fashion before Pakistan Institute of Fashion Design graduate Irfan Ali impressed all and sundry with his take on festivities and colour of Punjab with his version of the festival of Jamat. The segment had interesting ear wear crafted out of fine coloured yarn and footwear embellished with the same material.

Sanya Maskatiya’s Cruise Pret collection focused on the figurative Mithila art found in Bihar in India and the southeast of Nepal with digital prints and earthen shades coupled with modern cuts.

Hira Lari showed her Nostalgia collection while Sri Lankan designer Ajai Vir Sing’s resort wear Arugam Bay in vivid colours and fabric was based on the tropical vacation destination that is also popular as a surfing destination.

Finally, Nida Azwer showed her Parinda collection that drew inspiration from the designer’s fashion journey with nature-inspired motifs which included the tree of life, the phoenix and birds. It also featured screen printing with zardozi work together, which is the designer’s signature style on a base of saffron, navy blue and emerald green.

KARACHI – Showcase 2012 began in the city the other day. The four-day event is being held in collaboration between internationally acclaimed designer Rizwan Beyg and Sky Productions (Pvt) Ltd an event company which has held several successful events in Karachi.
Showcase’s vision is to create a platform where young designers, models, musicians, photographers, event planners and all those who work in fashion can hone their talent. Its philosophy is to harness creativity, combine it with business sense, help Pakistani designers become brands and help position them in markets at home and abroad.
The event is a reflection of the energy that drives Pakistan. Its youth! This 4-day fashion, accessories and jewelry event for excellence in design provides young emerging talent with the opportunity to show their work alongside more established local and international designers. The day one started with the presence of glitterati of the style and fashion industry with Aminah Sheikh, Farieha Altaf, Zahir Rehimtoolah, Zeenat Sayeed Ahmed, Fareshte Aslam and lot more in attendance. The designers who showcased their collection on the first day of the show were Zaheer Abbas, Danish Wakeel, AIFD, Warda Lawn, Irfan Ali, Sanya Maskatiya, Hira Lari, Nida Azwer and Arugam Bay.

There will also be high-end raffle prizes, including John Hardy Sterling Silver & Diamond jewelry donated by Saks Fifth Avenue, Boca Raton, as well as a live auction featuring a Canyon Ranch spa package for two in Tucson, Arizona, and a three night stay at The Greenbrier Resort in White Sulfur Springs, West Virginia.

More than 5,000 people were diagnosed with lymphoma – the most common form of blood cancer – in Florida last year alone. To raise critical funds for blood cancer research, the Lymphoma Research Foundation (LRF) – the nation’s largest non-profit organization devoted exclusively to funding innovative lymphoma research and to serving those touched by the disease – will host its Sixth Annual South Florida Luncheon on January 30, 2012 at St.

Andrews Country Club in Boca Raton, Florida. Over the past five years, the luncheon has raised more than half a million dollars to support the Lymphoma Research Foundation’s mission of eradicating lymphoma and serving those touched by the disease.

“The South Florida Luncheon raises funds for lymphoma research that can hopefully, one day, cure this type of blood cancer,” said Judith Bronsteen, one of the Luncheon’s co-chairs. “As the wife of a lymphoma survivor, I know firsthand the impact that investing in research can have, and I look forward to the day that we eradicate this disease.”

“We are honored to partner with the Lymphoma Research Foundation for its Sixth Annual South Florida Luncheon, and to have the opportunity to use fashion to find a cure for the most common type of blood cancer,” said Shauna Graham McNellis, Marketing Director for Saks Fifth Avenue, Boca Raton. “Saks Fifth Avenue, Boca Raton is committed to serving those who are touched by lymphoma in its community.”

The charity event, which has now become a staple in the affluent South Florida region, is co-chaired by Judith Bronsteen, Gladys Cook, Elisabeth Dalfen, Ellen Liebman, Mitzi Oreman and Jane Yudell.

Dr. Morton Coleman, Clinical Professor of Medicine at Weill Medical College of Cornell University and the Director of the Center for Lymphoma and Myeloma at New York Presbyterian Hospital, will serve as the event’s keynote speaker.

“As the mother of a lymphoma survivor, the Florida Luncheon is especially meaningful to me,” said event co-chair, Jane Yudell. “Each year, I am amazed at the generosity and commitment that all of our supporters have to not only making the event such a wonderful success, but to making a meaningful difference in the lives of all those touched by lymphoma.”

The Lymphoma Research Foundation (LRF) is the nation’s largest non-profit organization devoted exclusively to funding innovative research and providing people with lymphoma and healthcare professionals with up-to-date information about this type of cancer. LRF’s mission is to eradicate lymphoma and serve those touched by this disease.

Saks Fifth Avenue, one of the world’s preeminent specialty retailers, is renowned for its superlative American and international designer collections, its expertly edited assortment of handbags, shoes, jewelry, cosmetics and gifts, and the first-rate fashion expertise and exemplary client service of its Associates.

Lymphoma Research Foundation (LRF)

In this position, Mr. Goreski will be responsible for styling the brand’s 2012 and 2013 advertising campaigns, e-commerce shoots, press events and fashion presentations. Additionally, he will select his seasonal favorite must have items to be featured on katespade’s website.

Deborah Lloyd said, “Working with Brad is such a joy. He has a natural affinity for the aesthetic of the brand and is someone whom I trust completely. It is the first time that I’ve been able to leave the room and come back to find everything is done and exactly how I envisioned it!”

“I am thrilled and honored to be working with such an iconic brand as kate spade new york. Deborah and her team have set an incredible standard in fashion and I couldn’t be more excited to get to work on a brand I have long admired,” commented Mr. Goreski.

Known for his show on Bravo It’s a Brad Brad World, Mr. Goreski has established himself as a fashion expert having worked with such publications as InStyle, Vogue and Details in addition to his work styling celebrities including, Jessica Alba, Christina Ricci, Noomi Rapace and Demi Moore.

It is a strong trend in today’s men’s fashions that Pitti Uomo captures fully and Pitti Discovery will feature it in an originally scripted event-performance.

The stars will be clothes and collections from a group of very different and distinct Italian and international firms that express this new fashion concept through a product that can consistently combine artisan tailoring, styling, innovative materials and details with concreteness.

Art director Marc Ascoli will stage this edition. Mr. Ascoli has created some of the most powerful and memorable images of fashion: he began working with Yohji Yamamoto in 1984 and then worked with Jil Sander, Cerruti, Chloé, Hugo Boss and Martine Sitbon.

During his career he has worked with photographers such as Nick Knight, Peter Saville, Mario Testino, Paolo Roversi, and Stephane Sednaoui, and he is always on the lookout to discover young, unknown talents such as the photographer team of Mert Alas and Marcus Piggot – to launch them on the international stage.

“It will be like a game,” says Marc Ascoli, “a game between real and surreal, between the real garment and the imagery it evokes: exuberant, filled with energy, fanciful, dreamlike and visionary. I decided to work on this project with Polimoda students because they, the new generation with eyes that are not clouded by stereotypes, can interpret this dichotomy between the tangible and the imaginary and move beyond the static appearance of things.”

There will be two performances of Dress Like a Man during Pitti Uomo: Thursday 12 January – in the magnificent, recently reopened Villa Favard, where Polimoda, International Institute of Fashion Design & Marketing, has its new premises.

The Pitti Discovery Foundation mission is to reflect on the relationships between fashion, art, architecture, communication and the short circuit that triggers off their interaction.

The Pitti Discovery Foundation

The model call is an opportunity for aspiring models to have a chance to grace the runway at this premiere fashion event. “We are showcasing the next generation of designers and it only makes sense to support them with the next generation of models,” said Junda Morris-Kennedy, Executive Director of Dayton Fashion Week.

Kyle Haggerty, MTV Made Coach and owner of K-2 Studios had this to say about the upcoming casting call, “I know talent when I see it. “You either have it or you don’t. It’s that simple,” Haggerty, is the Executive Producer of Dayton Fashion Week. Haggerty will be bringing to this event his wisdom and knowledge as the runway coach for Dayton Fashion Week.

The casting call will be held on Saturday February 25 at Delish Cafe -139 N. Main Street Downtown Dayton, OH 45402 from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m- models must arrive by 10am. Female model requirements include: (without shoes) minimum height of 5’8”, size 2-4, and mature models are welcome.

Women must bring 3” heels and dress runway ready including full hair and makeup. Male model requirements: must be attractive, slender muscular tone, and (without shoes) minimum of 5’10”. Men should also arrive fashionably dressed. All models must be a minimum of 15 years of age. Participants under 18yrs. of age must have a parent or legal guardian present.

All participants must bring with them, two photos, one full body and head shot along with their measurements and contact information attached to the back. Those who have previous modeling experience please bring a resume listing all experience and a portfolio. Professional pictures are not required.

Dayton Fashion Week mission is to bridge the gap between national and international designers, premier retailers and prestige fashion media. The goal is to gain global exposure for Dayton’s emerging Fashion industry.

The event will set a new standard in terms of high-quality, New York-style runway shows complete with VIP seating, credentialed media access, and upscale promotional and after-parties that will attract thousands. Dayton Fashion Week is also giving back to the community by donating some of the proceeds from the event to two local charities- Hospice of Dayton and Clothes That Work.

The collection is inspired by the sophisticated beauty of the art of Erte – the father of Art Deco – and the whimsical art of Henri Toulouse-Lautrec. Sumptuous fabrics, embroideries and exquisite trimmings feature prominently in the collection.

Fantaisie Nocturne fuses the sophistication of Paris with the energy of New York.

“I love art, poetry, architecture, dance and history,” says Mr. Aquino. “All of these influence the components of color, romance and fun I strive to incorporate into my fashion designs. Paris has always inspired poets and artists, and New York energizes the creative process.”

The show will open with Princess Tarinan Von Anhalt’s Jet Art label. Jet Art’s latest collection features luxury original and giclee denims and accessories. The evening culminates in the Andres Aquino evening couture collection, accompanied by an array of entertainers.

Andres Aquino, a successful entrepreneur and founder and producer of Couture Fashion Week, is also a writer, poet and fine art photographer. He has received multiple awards for his contribution to the fashion industry including the EL Award (El Diario New York), Legacy Award (Latin Fashion Week, Washington, D.C.), and Style Fashion Leader & Inspiration Award (SUNY Westchester Community College), among others.

His fashion designs are consistently classic and elegant in their construction, allowing the wearer’s natural beauty and style to shine through. Mr. Aquino has shown on the runway in Dubai, Romania, India, the Dominican Republic and the USA among others. His work has been featured in top fashion publications around the world.

Sfizio, the brand designed by Morena Bragagnolo, has been successfully selling in Russian, Asian, Japanese and Italian markets for over the past 15 years.

It is for the first time in past 10 years that Lakeland has consented to sell any other brand alongside his own eponymous brand. The agreement mainly follows from a sound relationship that the designer has built with Sfizio through production of their James Lakeland coats.

The designer would unveil the Italian brand’s collection for the first time at Pure London, the UK’s fashion event for contemporary and directional womenswear, to be held during February this year.

James Lakeland would also accept appointments to meet customers through his London’s Ogle Street based outlet.

A representative of James Lakeland said Sfizio apparels are recognized for the excellent quality and modern fit with an eye on stitching, finish, linings and detail.

Sfizio collection, the representative said, greatly varies from the offerings of James Lakeland, as it comprises of shorter dresses, nipped jackets and cropped fitted trousers that appeal to a different class of consumers.

The brand’s merchandise is produced in Italy and the autumn 12 collection includes around 100 pieces including jackets, coats, trousers, dresses and accessories.

The designer would mainly focus on independent boutiques and multiple retailers in the UK for offering Sfizio collection.

The reports said that matter of her return could not catch the public eye as she was clad in Burqa (veil) and her passport carry her real name Ms Zahida while she hit fame with her film name (pseudo name) Veena Malik. The office of immigration staff deputed at Wagha border was contacted but no responsible person was available to confirm the matter.

Though the authorities here were tightlipped on the matter, the sources aware of the development insisted that she arrived back for visa renewal to Lahore via Wagha border and his close buddy in India Ashmit Patel had accompanied her to Wagha border.

She walked into Pakistan from Indian side of Wagha border from where some of her friends picked her up and left for some unknown destination, the reports further said and added that most likely she would be staying with some of her friend in Lahore.

Veena went to India for the photo-shoot for a fashion magazine with 45 days visa, which was about to expire and a couple of days back she was asked by the Indian Immigrations Authorities to get the visa renewed or leave the country.

———

Controversial model and actress Veena Malik has secretly arrived in Pakistan after going missing from her house in Mumbai two days ago, reported Zee News on Sunday.
The report says that Malik arrived in Lahore through Wagah border wearing a ‘burqa’. Indian actor Ashmit Patel, who is also Malik’s friend, had come to drop her.
Malik’s Manager Pratik Mehta told the media on Saturday that Malik had gone missing after a shoot for an Indian film on December 16 and all her cell phones were turned off. The director of the film also confirmed the news and said that Malik was troubled due to her photoshoot for FHM.
The Indian press has also claimed that Malik’s visa was due to expire on December 16 and she was advised to stay into hiding till its extension and has, therefore, gone missing. However, Malik’s Spokesperson Sohail Rashid had denied the claims and said that her visa was valid for a couple of months more.
Malik received vast criticism from the Pakistani community after being recently involved in a nude photoshoot for an Indian magazine FHM.
Earlier in an interview to BBC, Malik conceded to doing a ‘topless’ shoot, but not ‘nude’. She filed a suit against FHM India, claiming damages worth Rs100 million. FHM India has counter sued Malik for Rs250million over the controversial magazine cover that hit the stands in early December.

Apparently, Veena’s business manager Prateik Mehta and filmmaker Hemant Madhukar revealed that Veena is untraceable since the morning of December 16. Veena was shooting for a horror flick ‘Mumbai 125 kilometres’ in Goregoan (West) before disappearing.

Talking to a daily, Hemant said, “Veena, without giving her last shot at 5 am for my film ‘Mumbai 125 kilometres’, suddenly disappeared from her vanity van. Her mobile too was not reachable I assumed that the actress was tired and left for home.”

However, Hemant received an SMS from Veena, which disclosed that the actress was depressed and unwell. After almost twelve hours of the incident, Prateik and Hemant discovered that Veena was missing.

“Today we had a couple of shots with Veena but I realised that her phones are still switched off and she has also not communicated with her manager since then which is indeed serious. Veena normally is very chirpy and full of life on the sets but from past few days she looked depressed. Hope she is fine.” added Hemant.

Hemant and Veena’s manager have approached the local Bandra Police to help them find Veena Malik.
Pakistani actress and model Veena Malik has reportedly gone missing from her home in Mumbai, reported Express News on Saturday.
Malik’s Manager Pratik Mehta said that she has been missing since December 16 and all her cell phones are turned off.
He said that the last time she was in contact was when she was on a film shoot in Mumbai during early hours yesterday.
The director of the film, Hemant Madurkar, said that a message was received from Malik on December 15 saying that she was “troubled.”
Speaking to Express News, Madurkar confirmed that Malik had gone missing. “I have filed a complaint in the Bandra police station,” he added.
Indian journalist Sameena Razzaq Shaikh said that Malik was last seen in a black car with some unknown people.
Malik received vast criticism from Pakistani community after recently being involved in a nude photoshoot for an Indian magazine FHM.
Earlier in an interview to BBC, Malik conceded to doing a ‘topless’ shoot, but not ‘nude’. She filed a suit against FHM India, claiming damages worth Rs100 million. FHM India has counter sued Malik for Rs250million over the controversial magazine cover that hit the stands in early December.

Aishwarya Rai with Amitabh and Jaya Bachchan
As soon as the news was out, Twitter has been flooded with wishes for the Bachchan family. Acknowleging the wishes, Amitabh tweeted, “thank you all ..!”.

Aishwarya Rai godh bharai Pictures

Hospital sources said the delivery was normal and came a few minutes before 10 a.m. The Bachchan and Rai families were present for the momentous occasion.

Aishwarya, 38, developed labour pains around 4 a.m. and was taken to the labour room where the delivery took place after nearly six hours.
The actress is on the fifth floor of the luxury private hospital in Andheri east.
The hospital had booked three rooms on the floor — one for Aishwarya, the other for the Bachchan family and the third for the Rai family. The entire floor was kept out of bounds for all except the two families.
The hospital has been under tight security for the past three days in expectation of the youngest member of the Bachchan family.

Aishwarya’s sister-in-law Shrima gave birth to a baby boy in the same hospital last year. Aishwarya had been visiting the hospital for regular check-ups. On Saturday, she was accompanied by husband Abhishek and sister-in-law Shweta Nanda.
Amitabh Bachchan tweeted on Tuesday: “A day of expectation .. but another day ! The Lord has his ways and they are most special .. we wait !!”
Big B had earlier tweeted: “The family gathers together from all over as we wait for the ‘arrival’ .. Greatest joy for me – a full house and the chahel – pahel.”
It was Amitabh Bachchan, who broke the big news on the social networking site. On June 21 @SrBachchan tweeted: “”NEWS NEWS NEWS !! I AM GOING TO BECOME A GRANDFATHER .. AISHWARYA EXPECTING .. SO HAPPY AND THRILLED !!!,”.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan with her parents at Siddhivinayak temple
Despite the palpable excitement over Aishwarya’s pregnancy, there were a few controversies. Post her marriage, as Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya patiently waited to be grandparents, there were rumours of Aishwarya suffering from stomach tuberculosis, which was preventing her from getting pregnant.

Furious, Amitabh fend off these rumours through his blog and Twitter.
Soon after the announcement of Aishwarya’s pregnancy, there was controversy over Madhur Bhandarkar’s film Heroine. In May 2011,Aishwarya was signed as the leading lady of Heroine. But after the pregnancy news, the film was shelved for obvious reasons but not without a row and debate over the inclusion of a no-pregnancy clause in contract.
Recently, Big B denied rumours that said he had requested the I& B ministry to put a ban on the media from covering Aishwarya’s delivery on the assumed due date. There were speculations in the media that it was Big B who had asked the ministry to issue such a diktat.
Responding to a report that said he approached the Information and Broadcasting Ministry (I&B) to ban TV channels from placing reporters and cameras outside the hospital, Bachchan tweeted: “I&B and media matter! Firstly, I have no such intention ever, secondly do you really think I&B would listen to me!?? No way baby.
Big B, who was also informed of the development through a message from a senior journalist, took to his blog to clarify that he had no role to play in moving these guidelines.
The I&B Ministry has passed an order stating that the dignity of a patient should be respected and that the placing of OB Vans outside hospitals be not allowed.”
A media report said that the Broadcast Editors Association (BEA) has issued a 10-point advisory to its members on how to cover the birth of Bachchan’s grandchild.
Throughout the period Aishwarya and Abhishek maintained silence. During this period, Aishwarya attended some religious functions and designer do of Sandeep Khosla and Abu jani. There were mixed reaction to her dressing style as she downplayed her baby bump by wearing loose traditional outfits.
There were also reports in the media that Abhishek wanted a baby girl. Well, his wish has come true.

Read more at:http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/its-a-baby-girl-for-aishwarya-abhishek/1/160180.html

Centric Collection Management enables marketing and merchandising to create highly targeted, dynamically updated, electronic Collection Catalogs for customer presentation. Using any computer with a browser-based internet connection, customers can log in to a personalized portal and view the individualized Collection Catalog that marketing, merchandising or sales persons created for them using the Centric 8 Collection Management module.

Optionally, sales staff can use Centric’s patent-pending Collection Book for Fashion iPad App to show assortment presentations when calling on customers at their offices or visiting with them at industry trade shows and buying events.

The Collection Management module links marketing, merchandising and sales teams—and their business processes and customers—with the Centric 8 PLM system for apparel and consumer goods companies.

The web-based Collection Catalogs—or, alternatively, the Collection Book for Fashion iPad App customer presentations—synchronize dynamically with up-to-date product option and availability information in the Centric 8 PLM software for apparel and consumer goods companies so that customers only see up-to-date, accurate product information.

The new capabilities enable merchandising and sales teams to easily create and manage dynamic catalogs and collection presentations while eliminating the need for the paper-based catalogs that much of the industry relies on, according to Chris Groves, CEO of Centric.

The Collection Management module allows companies to avoid quickly outdated and expensive printed catalogs, using Centric 8’s accurate product information to create and present customized, targeted and accurate catalogs. “The customer’s experience and satisfaction improves,” says Groves.

Collection book creation
Using the most current product attributes, synchronized throughout the Centric 8 PLM system, merchandising, marketing and sales can offer customers collections that are truly customized for their needs—and that present accurate availability, price and product options. Customers can view their tailored collections in a customer-specific, web-based Collection Catalog, or sales staff can present the collection on Centric’s Collection Book for Fashion iPad App.

The researchers will seek to measure the benefits that apparel suppliers can achieve through adopting RFID based on Electronic Product Code (EPC) standards. They will quantify effects of EPC-based tracking on improving the suppliers’ inventory accuracy, along with the effects on their productivity, costs, and revenues.

“AAFA’s mission is to ensure that our members are educated on the key issues that will enhance their competiveness,” said AAFA Special Advisor Mary Howell. “We are proud to support this study so the apparel and footwear industry has a clear road map on how to benefit from the implementation of this technology.

“This study will help to raise awareness about the key touch points in the supply chain where EPC-enabled RFID can increase efficiencies and reduce costs, which in turn will benefit retailers and suppliers so they can remain competitive in the global market.”

The research – titled “Supplier Return on Investment Use Case Data Collection and Analysis” – is the second phase in a three-phase study commonly referred to as the “Many-to-Many study.” It will focus on three supplier use cases identified during Phase I of this research published in January 2011.

“In Phase I of our research, we identified 60 use cases that could benefit from RFID, says David Cromhout, RFID Research Center Lab Director, University of Arkansas. “We know that it is critical for suppliers to be able to quantify both immediate and long-term benefits of RFID-adoption as it expands. In Phase II, we will assess the value of something that has become the primary target for most suppliers; namely, what RFID can do about inventory accuracy, and more specifically, how RFID can assure high accuracy at lower cost.”

“The apparel supply chain is witnessing a transformation, and item-level tagging using EPC-enabled RFID is at the center of this,” says Patrick Javick, vice president of the not-for-profit, supply chain standards organization GS1 US. “The technology has been already proven to increase inventory accuracy, and decrease distribution and labor costs for retailers – now it’s time for suppliers to see and understand the same benefits.”

In addition to their funding of these research studies, AAFA and GS1 US are active supporters of the VICS Item Level RFID Initiative (VILRI). The initiative, formed in 2010, is an inter-industry group of retailers, manufacturers, and industry stakeholders with the mission of exploring the benefits that EPC-enabled RFID technology holds for the retail industry.

Research results for the Phase II University of Arkansas supplier study will be published on Jan. 15, 2012. AAFA and GS1 US members will receive preview access to the results during webinars taking place beginning Dec. 14, 2011.

With high-profile customers that include Nordstrom, Macy’s, Bloomingdales, Kohl’s and JCPenney, design excellence and speed to market are essential to Swatfame. However, prior to NGC, Swatfame relied on a combination of homegrown systems and spreadsheets that couldn’t keep pace with the company’s expanding business. The company needed a solution that could help Swatfame take its business to the next level. After comparing software from a number of PLM vendors, Swatfame selected NGC’s Extended PLM, which combines PLM and Supply Chain Management (SCM).

NGC’s integrated PLM and SCM solution was the single biggest factor in Swatfame’s decision. “Most PLM systems that we saw were standalone, but NGC’s software was unique in tying together both production and PLM,” said Jonathan Greenberg, executive vice president, Swatfame. NGC’s software offers a single repository of information that includes history by style, costing, and collaboration and communication history, as well as visibility throughout the company and with suppliers.

Swatfame has seen a number of benefits from implementing NGC’s software, including:

Improved collaboration : The collaboration engine in NGC’s Extended PLM is essential to helping Swatfame manage changes for a complex, fast-changing business. “We are in and out of styles very quickly; we do a large amount of styles per month, and our product needs are always changing,” says Greenberg. “We add and subtract styles constantly, and we need to be able to react to changes quickly. NGC’s collaboration tool allows us to do that by putting everyone on the same page, and it’s been really important for us.”

Better access to information : Access to information has improved dramatically with NGC’s software. Since all information is stored in a web-based system, “our overseas vendors can access information while we’re sleeping, eliminating the need to use email,” Greenberg says. “Anyone can look up information at any time, and know that they have the most up-to-date information. This has drastically reduced the amount of time that’s required to get things done.”

Improved business planning : Extended PLM has helped Swatfame improve its design processes and planning. “We now have greater visibility and awareness of our design and production functions, and because of that, a better ability to plan our business,” according to Greenberg. “Also, by having better access to our design history,we’ve become smarter about design moving forward.”

The initial phase of the implementation will involve three stores in 2011 and include more than 40,000 tagged items per location with an expected usage of 5 million tags in 2012. memove plans to open 54 stores within the next five years, all utilizing RFID technology.

memove’s suppliers manufacture apparel in Brazil, China and other locations, using Impinj Monza chip-based RFID tags that are sewn into the labels of garments and encoded with serialized SKU data. Once received at the distribution center, memove utilizes RFID technology for tracking incoming goods, managing inventory, completing point-of-sale transactions (including via self-checkout kiosks) and for electronic article surveillance (EAS).

Following a sale, the “sewn in” RFID tag will greatly simplify processing of any necessary returns. During the next phase of RFID implementation, memove will introduce additional capabilities to enhance the customer experience, including smart mirrors and other interactive devices.

The RFID system in each store comprises six Impinj Speedway Revolution readers, three Speedway xPortal readers and Impinj Brickyard antennas at the point of sale. RFsense provides engineering and system integration services, and specialized middleware software for the project.

“The launch of the memove brand provided a great opportunity to fully utilize all the benefits of Impinj’s RFID technology, including the ability to tag clothing at the source of manufacture,” said Mario Bisordi, of memove. “Gaining inventory visibility and efficiency, improving customer experience, and providing an effective EAS solution has been a problem at other Valdac stores. Product turnover is very fast and the stores were only doing annual inventory. With RFID, we plan to take inventory weekly.”

“The memove store is a great example of the innovative projects being deployed in the retail apparel market today,” said Kerry Krause, vice president of marketing at Impinj. “RFsense has used our high-performance products to create a solution that delivers real value to retailers and their shoppers.”

memove’s first store opened on October 7, 2011 in São Paulo, Tamboré and is the first large-scale retail RFID project in Brazil.

Impinj is the leading provider of UHF RFID solutions for identifying, locating and authenticating items. Impinj draws on its technical expertise and industry partnerships to deliver a wide range of products and solutions, comprising high-performance tag chips, readers, reader chips, software, antennas and RFID subsystem integration.

RFsense provides customized RFID solutions with value addition suited to meet client needs, increasing efficiency and reducing operational costs in the process.

Glenn Grumnagel, Management Team Poirier: “We used to keep our data in an Excel application and a generic accounting solution/package. There was no connection/link between our logistical and financial data, which meant that endless hours were spent collecting and linking data in order to assess our current situation and determine areas of improvement. In addition, Excel does not multi-user application.

Using isSuitsFashion has enabled us to connect all our data. With the reporting tool I can convert our data to simple yet comprehensive overviews. This means spending a lot less time in collecting and analyzing data and instead focus on the opportunities which can enable our company to grow further”

Dirk Verhagen, Sales Manager at it suits IT: “Poirier has chosen it suits IT based on the company’s personal customer engagement, the trust in our software products and in our expert team.

The devotion from our expert team and the key users at Poirier is unmatched/unique/second to none. The collaboration runs very professionally and smooth, which leads to an optimal implementation.”

Poirier is supplier of exclusive and high quality bridal lingerie and accessories. The company was founded in 1990 and has its roots in the production of petticoats, which are still being produced in-house. A large part of the collections is sold under the own brand.

Besides that, Poirier is distributor of a number of exclusive bridal lingerie brands. The approach and working methods are unique in the bridal industry and enable Poiriers customers to be successful in these product groups. The products are available at high quality bridal shops.

The Minneapolis-based retailer of women’s clothing was founded in 1956 and specializes in unique, versatile clothing and accessories for women, in missy, petite and woman plus sizes.

Christopher & Banks Corporation operates 776 specialty retail stores in 45 states, including 487 Christopher & Banks stores; 238 CJ Banks stores, providing plus-size women’s clothing; 28 dual concept stores offering an assortment of both Christopher & Banks and CJ Banks apparel; 23 outlet stores; and the Christopher & Banks and CJ Banks websites.

Under terms of the agreement, Alliance Data will provide Christopher & Banks and CJ Banks with private label credit card services, including receivables funding; card authorization; credit card issuance; statement generation; remittance processing; and customer service functions, as well as account acquisition, activation and retention strategies and programs.

Through its suite of credit and marketing tools, Alliance Data will provide Christopher & Banks private label credit card account holders with benefits designed to support repeat purchases and strengthen customer loyalty by leveraging the success and reach of the company’s existing Friendship Rewards program. Cardholders also will be automatically enrolled in Friendship Rewards and will benefit from cardholder-only, value-added features.

“Our customers are busy women who look to Christopher & Banks to help them dress with versatility, style, and value,” said Larry Barenbaum, president and chief executive officer at Christopher & Banks.

“For us, the Christopher & Banks and CJ Banks credit card program is a critical way to extend our brand recognition and create additional customer excitement around our new look and shopping experience. We look forward to collaborating with Alliance Data to deliver a robust private label credit card program that reflects our attention to customer service and meets our customers’ needs and expectations.”

“Christopher & Banks customers are savvy, smart shoppers, and we’re excited to partner with a company whose tremendous customer service philosophy aligns directly with our own — with a focus on quality and creating engaging customer relationships,” said Melisa Miller, president of Retail Services for Alliance Data.

“With our goal of driving sales and long-term customer loyalty for the Christopher & Banks brands, Alliance Data is privileged to have the opportunity to use our extensive cross-channel retail expertise to help them deliver a superior branded experience to their customers.”

Christopher & Banks Corporation is a Minneapolis-based specialty retailer of women’s clothing.

Alliance Data and its combined businesses is North America’s largest and most comprehensive provider of transaction-based, data-driven marketing and loyalty solutions serving large, consumer-based industries.

Under the new agreement, GSI will continue to provide French Toast with fulfillment, freight, and customer care services through 2017. French Toast will use more of GSI’s fulfillment and customization capabilities to expand its footprint and sell on other prominent, branded web stores and in-store at retailers across the country.

“GSI’s proven commitment to improve the online shopping experience for our consumers along with its superior customization capabilities, provided the scale we need to meet high demands during the recent back to school season,” said Michael Arking, president of French Toast.

French Toast carries more than 6,000 types of uniforms in individual colors, styles and sizes, from toddler to young adult, in stock all year round. GSI’s extensive fulfillment and customer care solutions provide flexibility needed to accommodate French Toast’s increase in demands for its products, especially during the late summer months when families are getting ready for a new school year.

“GSI Commerce has always played a critical role in our growth strategy,” shared Arking. French Toast has been a GSI client since June 2000.

“We are honored that French Toast has chosen GSI as its strategic partner to further grow its business and we are committed to helping them reach and exceed their commitment to provide a great consumer experience,” said Tobias Hartmann, CEO of global operations at GSI.

GSI operates more than 3 million square feet of fulfillment space across seven facilities, supported by advanced systems and unmatched capabilities in personalization and customization services.

“We are pleased with the success we have seen as a result of our long-term partnership with GSI and are excited at the growth opportunities that still lay ahead,” added Arking.

Since 1953, French Toast has provided families with quality children’s wear and school uniforms at great prices. Schools and school districts across the country also turn to French Toast for information and tools that can help them adopt their own school uniform and dress code policies.

GSI Commerce enables ecommerce, multichannel retailing and digital marketing for global enterprises in the U.S. and internationally. GSI’s ecommerce services, which include technology, order management, payment processing, fulfillment and customer care, are available on a modular basis or as part of an integrated solution.

“The whole idea was about channeling Sofia who has this fabulously distinct and infectious confidence. She’s sexy and gorgeous for sure, but she’s also got this tremendously funny, non-seriousness about her which we wanted to make sure not to lose in the campaign,” said Courtney Vincent, associate creative director of advertising firm, Peterson Milla Hooks (PMH).

The print campaign, shot by famed photographer Norman Jean Roy, was captured in an intimate indoor setting, a brownstone in Brooklyn, N.Y., which lent a warm and personal tone to the photos. Clad in highlights from the collection, Vergara posed throughout the private home with key direction from Roy to ensure each shot conveyed both the essence of her character and collection.

The commercial spots took a different route and emphasized the versatility of the collection by utilizing advanced digital technology to feature Vergara morphing into women of different body types. Each woman lip synced to Vergara’s voiceover track while projecting her confident and sexy persona.

“The introduction of the Sofia by Sofia Vergara collection represents a significant milestone in our continued commitment to make Kmart a fashion destination,” said Robin Creen, chief marketing officer of Kmart Apparel. “As we work to create greater relevance among a young, fashion-conscious customer, we’re focused on not only brands but messaging that will engage that audience. We believe the new ads embrace Sofia’s universal appeal and style, and leverage evolving technology and media in a way that speaks meaningfully to a contemporary customer.”

During filming, the camera and performer were in slightly different places which made it necessary for each actor to be carefully separated (or “rotoscoped”) from the featured backgrounds. The backgrounds were then seamlessly blended together and the isolated performers “re-composited” back into the scene. Each body position, performer, timing, and action was unique and thus required the development of its own technique to achieve the needed seamless and tactile transitions.

In addition to talented actors and a complicated editing process, the commercial required a very specific type of director with a combination of skills not readily found in the ad world. The team needed a director who had a great fashion eye, an appreciation of humor, and an understanding of visual and special effects. They were able to find all of these qualities in director Michael Gracey, who came to the project with outstanding experience in visual effects for a variety of films and television programs.

To protect customers and the business from fraud, Flannels fashion is using CallValidate to confirm the identity, address verification and payment method entered by each customer, before their payment is processed.

In a fast changing world where would be fraudsters are becoming ever more sophisticated in the ways in which they try to mastermind fraud it is imperative that those who might be targeted, such as those within the retail sector, stay one step ahead of the fraudster.

Callcredit has developed a range of products designed to help the retail sector increase fraud detection such as CallValidate which validates a customer’s identity and uniquely links it to credit/debit cards and bank accounts of that individual so that a retailer can be satisfied that they are dealing with a genuine customer using their own payment details together with over 70 fraud checks that can be configured to ensure that legitimate, good and honest customers dot not experience unnecessary inconvenience.

Richard Blank Finance Director at Flannels said: “Customer service is extremely important to us so we’re delighted to be using CallValidate to help us reduce fraudulent transactions and verify more customers’ details, enabling transactions to be processed smoothly.”

James Blake, Head of Sales at Callcredit said: “We’re extremely pleased to be working with Flannels to help improve their customer acceptance rate. Getting the balance right between reducing fraud and allowing genuine customers to complete their purchase is very important, which can not only influence business results but also customer experience. We’re pleased that Flannels recognise the important role CallValidate can play in helping to do just that.”

James added “By utilising fast and efficient validation tools which provide the maximum protection through specific multi identification elements in real time retailers can ensure that are not exposed and become soft targets for the fraudsters”.

Callcredit Information Group’s leading approach to deploying consumer information brings together experts across the fields of credit referencing, marketing services, interactive solutions and consultative analytics to provide clients with a range of innovative and effective products to discover new customers and to engage with current customers to optimise and increase profitability.

Products include award-winning fraud verification tools and database solutions to positively verify consumers, global operations to help expand businesses into new markets, digital solutions to improve the overall journey consumers make during interaction with a brand, customer handling to ensure consumer satisfaction at all levels and consumer marketing data and segmentation to improve understanding and targeting of customers and prospects.

Callcredit Information Group also offers products for their clients to assess a customer’s credit risk and affordability and their experts in collections and recoveries provide tailored debt recovery and tracing tools. Their market analysis and network planning function helps organisations develop profitable retail networks, and their tools in multi bureau, analytics and metrics work to provide fully assessed bureau data.

“Chinos are the constant companion in every man’s wardrobe,” said Nir Patel, vice president of Lands’ End Canvas. “We know men are wearing them seven days a week – from the office to the backyard and beyond. That’s why this season we are offering men a selection of chino styles to complement every part of his life in colors that go beyond khaki to expedition green, steel gray and plum grape.”

Chinos Reissued
A wardrobe staple for decades, this year Lands’ End Canvas is offering men three chino options – Heritage, Vintage and Refined. Patel calls the Heritage an “everyday,” go-to chino; the Vintage a more “laid-back” chino; and the Refined a “date-night” chino. All three are offered in a straight leg and slim fit, as well as a variety of colors, so men have plenty of wardrobe options.

Patel says gone are the days of big, baggy cargo chinos with large pockets. The new, sleek Slim-Fit Cargo Pants will give men a tailored look without feeling or looking too tight. Whether worn with a polo or an oxford, Patel says the Slim-Fit Cargo Pants will be a new instant favorite that every man will want to wear.

Join the Club
In addition to the go-to chinos, Patel says the fall season is about layering. The trick to layering is to make sure pieces fit together well to avoid a bulky look. One of the best items to start with is the Lands’ End Canvas Classic Oxford Shirt. New this year is a stylish Club Collar Oxford, which gives a vintage “Ivy League” look to any outfit. Worn under a V-neck sweater with or without a tie, the Club Collar Oxford is available in solid colors, as well as chambray.

Adding a tie to an outfit doesn’t have to come off as “overdressed.” Patel says ties have actually become a style staple. Wool ties with a squared-off bottom worn loosely will add a punch to any casual shirt worn with denim or chinos. The Lands’ End Canvas Argyle Tie is a great way to bring a touch of classic pattern to an everyday oxford shirt.

Authentic inspiration, modern interpretation: clothing and accessories with an effortless sense of style for women and men. True to its Lands’ End roots, everything is Guaranteed.

LIST OF PARTICIPATING DESIGNERS (WIFW (S/S’12)

RUNWAY DESIGNERS
Label – Ritu Kumar, Rina Dhaka, Rohit Gandhi + Rahul Khanna, Wendell Rodricks, AM:PM by Ankur & Priyanka Modi, Anita Dongre, Gauri & Nanika, Geisha Designs Paras & Shalini, James Ferreira, Kavita Bhartia, Malini Ramani, Manish Malhotra, Namrata Joshipura, Nandita Basu, Rajesh Pratap Singh, Sanchita, Savio Jon, Shantanu Goenka ,Saaj by Ankita, Shipra Gupta, Surbhi Chawla, Amit GT, Anand Bhushan, Anupamaa by Anupama Dayal, Charu Parashar, Dev r Nil, Manish Gupta,Manoj Dubey, Mynah’s Reynu Taandon, Nachiket Barve, Nida Mahmood, Nikasha Tawadey, Pankaj & Nidhi, Pero by Aneeth Arora, Petanu by Pashma, Preeti S. Kapoor, Raakesh Agarvwal, Rahul Mishra, Raj Shroff, Rajdeep Ranawat, Rehane, Samant Chauhan, Tanvi Kedia, Urvashi Kaur, Vineet Bahl, Virtues by Viral, Ashish & Vikrant, Alpana & Neeraj, Atsu by Atsu Sekhose, Divyam Mehta, Ela by Joyjit Talukdar, Hemant & Nandita, Joy Mitra, Morphe by Amit Aggarwal, ‘my village’ by Rimzim Dadu, Not So Serious by Pallavi Mohan, Rahul Reddy Soltee by SulakshanaBhanuni by Jyoti Sharma, Chandrani Siingh Fllora, Dolly J, Niket & Jainee, Rahul Singh, Taurus by Dhruv & Pallavi

ACCESSORY DESIGNERS
5 Elements by Radhika Gupta, Amrapali by Rajiv Arora & Rajesh Ajmera, Art Apparel & Accessories by Shelina & Camelia, Felix Bendish, Fluke Design Company by Rashmi Dogra, Nitin Vijay, Janavi, Malaga by Malini Agarwalla, Meera Mahadevia, Pinky Saraf, Poem by Sonia Sekhri, Shalini Arts, SRZ by Shahrukh Zaidi

Commenting on the participating designers, Mr. Sunil Sethi, President, FDCI said, “Continuing our legacy of bringing the best names of the fashion fraternity to WIFW, an exceptional business of fashion event, we are once again proud to introduce a host of talented Indian designers. We look forward to five days of splendid fashion put together by an array of brilliant designers and wish them the best.”

Atul Chand, Divisional Chief Executive, ITC’s Lifestyle Retailing Business Division, said, “Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week has been scaling new heights, edition after edition and I applaud all the designers in making this the country’s most prestigious event. There is great synergy in the association of our premium lifestyle brand Wills Lifestyle with the event and we look forward to further strengthening the strong and deep–rooted partnership that we have established with the fashion fraternity.”

The newly appointed President of the Association J Thulasidharan and Vice President KN Vishwanathan informed that the contract, which is to include norms related to local as well as international trade in Indian cotton, would be finalized only after consultations with all leading stakeholders and regional associations.

The duo said that negotiations are being carried out in majority of default matters, and all adjudication would be governed by the Indian Council of Arbitration and other laws applicable.

Terming the current year as a year of defaults, the office-bearers said major fluctuations in cotton prices at the start of the year resulted in an exceptional rise in the number of defaults by both sellers and buyers.

The price of cotton surged to historic Rs. 63,000 per candy (1 candy = 356 kg) during February to April 2011 and then, following the international price movement, it plummeted to Rs. 30,000 per candy within just a few weeks time.

As the prices plunged all of a sudden, several buyers refused to accept delivery of cotton at the contracted price, SICA Secretary A Ramani said.

The default volume in private trade alone was tagged at about 500,000 to 600,000 bales, C Soundarajan, the retiring President of SICA said and added that the situation has spurred a necessity for formulation of a common contract for Indian cotton.

Now, Aéropostale fans everywhere can expect to receive the same high-quality and value that Aéropostale is known for. Customers from around the globe can now shop for their favorite products like its famous hoodies, popular graphic tees, denim and trend right fashion product.

“We are excited about the addition of international shipping on aeropostale’s website as it enables global commerce and further expands our customer reach,” said Thomas P. Johnson, CEO at Aéropostale, Inc. “Aéropostale is truly a global brand with successful stores in U.S., Canada, and the Middle East as well as a loyal Facebook fan base with over 5 million fans around the globe.”

Hundreds of millions of online consumers can now shop Aéropostale in their preferred currency, with guaranteed landed costs and cost-effective international shipping and handling services through Aéropostale’s partnership with FiftyOne Global Ecommerce.

“We are thrilled to have partnered with Aéropostale to extend their brand online globally,” said Michael DeSimone, CEO of FiftyOne. “International consumers have a tremendous appetite for quality U.S. apparel and the Aéropostale brand is sure to resonate with this wider global audience. By launching with FiftyOne, they’ll be able globalize on a proven platform that fully preserves the brand while providing international consumers in more than 90 countries worldwide with a rich, localized shopping experience.”

Aéropostale, Inc. is a mall-based, specialty retailer of casual apparel and accessories, principally targeting 14 to 17 year-old young women and men through its Aéropostale stores and 7 to 12 year-old kids through its P.S. from Aéropostale stores. The Company provides customers with a focused selection of high-quality, active-oriented, fashion and fashion basic merchandise at compelling values.

FiftyOne empowers leading U.S. retailers to utilize their existing ecommerce infrastructure and online shopping experience to market, sell, and fulfill merchandise to international shoppers with absolute cost certainty. FiftyOne manages all aspects of the international order life cycle, including multi-currency pricing and payment processing, landed cost calculation, customs clearance and brokerage, international fraud management, international logistics orchestration, and customer-experience parity.

He has criticized government for delaying release of stuck up claims worth Rs 23.42 billion under the Duty Drawback of Local Taxes & Levies (DLTL) Scheme.

He said the funds allocated for payment of stuck up claims of readymade garment exporters, as informed to the National Assembly Standing Committee on Textile, are insufficient and it would take years and years before full and final payment to the exporters against their outstanding claims.

The spokesman said the readymade garments exporters have already been denied their refunds since early this year and present arrangement would further be destructive to the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) of readymade garment industry.

According to him, the State Bank of Pakistan has cleared only Rs 5.3 billion so far out of total claims of Rs 28.72 billion submitted by exporters until fiscal year 2011.

It may be noted that the government had announced DLTL Scheme under the first-ever-five-year Textile Policy 2009-14, setting $ 25 billion exports target in 5 years. While encompassing a broad based agenda including technology up gradation, infrastructure development, skill development, and fiscal measures for ailing textile industry along with removal of regulatory bottlenecks, the government has left the agenda half-achieved with blockage of claims of huge amounts.

PRGMEA spokesman said the government should pay charges for undue delay in payment of stuck up claims, as the entrepreneurs are charged with penalties in case they pay taxes by delay. He said process of payment to the exporters is unnecessarily slow and the association has received complaints from many member companies on this count.

He said the government policymakers, in recent interactions, were of the view that the association that funds have been released but the SBP staff is suggesting otherwise.

He has urged the government to not only release the stuck up claims forthwith but also announce continuity of the DLTL Scheme to facilitate the exporters in finalising fresh contracts with international buyers.

The event launches Sunday, October 16th with a VIP Media Reception, setting a luxurious tone for the entire week. Six days of runway shows follow October 17th-22nd, featuring celebrity guests and fashion industry leaders.

Style Fashion Week will return to VIBIANA in downtown Los Angeles, as this venue continues to offer an inspiring, timeless atmosphere. Preceded by 130 years of history, VIBIANA combines all of the drama and grandeur worthy of Fashion Week.

Monday, October 17th through Friday, October 21st will feature nationally-acclaimed designers such as Gypsy 05, Stop Staring!, Alternative Apparel, Fashion Biz Inc., Gen Art to name a few.

A leading lifestyle brand, Alternative Apparel brings its spring collection to Fashion Week on October 17th. Its spring line, “Oasis of Color, will feature rich textures, sun-bleached desert washes, bold prints and a vibrant color palette.” Expect to see “asymmetrical maxi-dresses and high-waisted mini-skirts in colorful prints, as well as a selection of must-have novelty pieces for women, including sheer, mesh tanks, cut-out sweatshirts and beaded Baja Cloth ponchos.” Alternative Apparel also produces a men’s line that will offer “breezy Baja Woven’s in hoodies, shorts, and button-downs” for spring.

With so much buzz about shopping local, Style Fashion Week welcomes the return of local designers, Gypsy 05 and Stop Staring. On October 18th, Stop Staring! will reveal a new collection of retro-inspired dresses that have an über-feminine, vintage feel. Following its namesake, Stop Staring! will ensure that your gaze stops when its line of curve-hugging looks takes on Fashion Week.

Gypsy 05, whose collection is made right here in Hollywood, will hit the runway on Wednesday, October 19th. According to these designers, “Gypsy 05 is a lifestyle brand that transitions from day to night attire with ease for both men and women. It is predominantly a t-shirt line, but they also like to incorporate unique casual dresses, pants, and sweaters.” The brand prides itself on “[continuing] to push the envelope in creating a truly distinctive collection.”

Rounding out the week on October 22nd, Gen Art will showcase an entire night of emerging fashion designers. With a track record of “alumni [including] Zac Posen, Rebecca Taylor, Philip Lim, Vena Cava, and Rodarte,” Gen Art continues its legacy fashion program, “Fresh Faces in Fashion.” SFW is honored to welcome this respected organization.

To keep things interesting, Style Fashion Week has kept a couple of surprise designers on tap, who will be unveiled as the event nears.

Now, Aéropostale fans everywhere can expect to receive the same high-quality and value that Aéropostale is known for. Customers from around the globe can now shop for their favorite products like its famous hoodies, popular graphic tees, denim and trend right fashion product.

“We are excited about the addition of international shipping on aeropostale’s website as it enables global commerce and further expands our customer reach,” said Thomas P. Johnson, CEO at Aéropostale, Inc. “Aéropostale is truly a global brand with successful stores in U.S., Canada, and the Middle East as well as a loyal Facebook fan base with over 5 million fans around the globe.”

Hundreds of millions of online consumers can now shop Aéropostale in their preferred currency, with guaranteed landed costs and cost-effective international shipping and handling services through Aéropostale’s partnership with FiftyOne Global Ecommerce.

“We are thrilled to have partnered with Aéropostale to extend their brand online globally,” said Michael DeSimone, CEO of FiftyOne. “International consumers have a tremendous appetite for quality U.S. apparel and the Aéropostale brand is sure to resonate with this wider global audience. By launching with FiftyOne, they’ll be able globalize on a proven platform that fully preserves the brand while providing international consumers in more than 90 countries worldwide with a rich, localized shopping experience.”

Aéropostale, Inc. is a mall-based, specialty retailer of casual apparel and accessories, principally targeting 14 to 17 year-old young women and men through its Aéropostale stores and 7 to 12 year-old kids through its P.S. from Aéropostale stores. The Company provides customers with a focused selection of high-quality, active-oriented, fashion and fashion basic merchandise at compelling values.

FiftyOne empowers leading U.S. retailers to utilize their existing ecommerce infrastructure and online shopping experience to market, sell, and fulfill merchandise to international shoppers with absolute cost certainty. FiftyOne manages all aspects of the international order life cycle, including multi-currency pricing and payment processing, landed cost calculation, customs clearance and brokerage, international fraud management, international logistics orchestration, and customer-experience parity.

The Group is implementing WFX’s solution across their offices in Singapore, Hong Kong, Shenzhen and their vendor base across 4 countries.

F J Benjamin has numerous product development teams in place to manage different product categories but consolidated sourcing units and some common vendors.

WFX will provide a single point of information across all product related activities across all brands and vendors. With this visibility, F J Benjamin will be able to source more efficiently, reduce product costs and achieve higher margins.

“Our business has grown significantly and as a result various business units have adopted various processes for product development. We needed a single system to manage all these disconnected processes and WFX is simple enough to help us achieve that goal,” Odile Benjamin, Co-Creative Director.

With over 50 years of expertise, F J Benjamin is an industry leader in brand building and in developing retail and distribution networks for international luxury and lifestyle brands across Asia.

Headquartered in Singapore and listed on the Singapore Exchange in November 1996, F J Benjamin has offices in 8 cities worldwide including Australia, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Thailand.

It is the importer and distributor of over 20 iconic brands including Banana Republic, Celine, Gap, Givenchy, Goyard, Guess, La Senza and RAOUL for which it operates over 160 retail stores/shop-in-shops and employs over 2,000 employees.

WFX is the leader in On-Demand Product Development Software – Web PLM and Web PDM – for the Fashion and Apparel Industry. Subscription-based pricing plans and fanatical support ensures customers get the quickest return on their investment.

World Fashion Exchange Inc (WFX) is a global solutions provider, focused entirely on the fashion industry. Incorporated in USA, with offices in Europe, South Asia, an R&D center in India, and over 300 clients worldwide, WFX has established a significant global presence.

Featuring an enviable selection of new brands and seeing the launch of three new product zones the event once again attracted key independent and department store buyers from across the UK and Ireland, including the likes of John Lewis, Debenhams, Arcadia, Fortnum & Mason, Brown Thomas, Fenwick Ltd, Arnotts, House of Fraser, Bentalls and Hoopers, as Moda’s new product zones, each of which featured a large number of brands not previously seen at the show, were well received by both buyers and brands, with business at Moda White at Moda Woman, Moda Lingerie & Swimwear’s Moda Rouge and new urban menswear and footwear area Select performing beyond expectation for many exhibitors.

Contemporary womenswear zone Moda White featured first time appearances from labels including Mille K, Eva Tralala and Eliza and Ethan. Marc Lee, European representative for Eliza and Ethan, comments, “This is our first time at Moda Woman and the show has performed incredibly well. With 15 new accounts, we’ve seen key independents from both the UK and Ireland. Moda White is a great concept, and we look forward to seeing it grow with the addition of further contemporary brands.”

Select, located on the border between Moda Menswear and Moda Footwear, featured many new arrivals including Rocawear, Superga, Bjorn Borg and Farah 1920. Neil Hughes, brand manager for Rocawear says, “As a first time exhibitor we came with an open mind, and we had a really great reaction to the new collection. We had a very strong three days, and Select was absolutely the right place for us, with the right mix of menswear and footwear brands.”

Moda Rouge at Moda Lingerie & Swimwear brought together the event’s largest selection so far of specialist, niche and designer names, with new arrivals here including Damaris, Mimi Holliday, Being U and Dirty Pretty Things.

Being U launched its new season collection of nude underwear for ethnic skin at Moda, and received a great response from retailers. Sadia Sisay, founder of Being U, says, “As always with any product development there has to come a time when the product has to speak for itself. Thanks to Moda, our products have been given a platform to do just that. This was very obvious from the amount of people that visited the stand and their reaction to our brand. For us Moda has been the perfect platform to launch to trade in the UK as there has been a huge variety in attendees.”

With the current economic climate still at the forefront of the minds of many, the feeling of hope continued to be felt across many areas of the show. Roy Barnes, Managing Director of Alba Associates, distributors of lingerie brands including Gottex, Gideon Oberson and Marjolaine comments, “Due to the economic situation we did approach the show with a cautious mood but that soon disappeared as the volume and quality of buyers that we saw completely exceeded our expectations.

However, the growth in textile price index is lower than the average rise in the PPI of 7.1 percent during the month, according to the data of the National Statistics Institute (INE).

The apparel industry also recorded a rise in prices in August and the prices rose by 0.3 percent year-on-year, same as in July.

During the January-August period of 2011, the average increase in prices of textile items has been 4.5 percent, while the Spanish industry as a whole registered a total average price increase of 4.9 percent. The prices of the garment sector increased at an average of 0.6 percent during the first eight months of the current year.

Category-wise, prices of yarn rose by 15.3 percent, fabrics by 8.5 percent and other textiles by 3.7 percent.

In this newly created position as Chief Brand Officer, Ms. Mueller will be responsible for building a highly-effective, world-class marketing and creative organization to identify opportunities for brand acquisitions while furthering the development of Cherokee’s new and existing businesses. In addition, on the business development front, Ms. Mueller will draw from her senior-level retailer experience to further enhance the Company’s brand visibility.

Ms. Mueller joins The Cherokee Group with over 24 years of experience at the Target Corporation, where she helped take the company from a regional discount retailer to an internationally recognized global brand. While at Target, Ms. Mueller spearheaded many initiatives including the “Sign of the Times,” “Design for All,” and “Go International,” each of which helped bring Target to the forefront of the global retail market.

“I have worked closely with Sally this past year as we have developed the new Global Vision for our Cherokee brand. Sally possesses the rare combination of creative and analytical skills that combined with her practical hands-on experience, presented a tremendous strategic opportunity for Cherokee,” said Henry Stupp, Chief Executive Officer of The Cherokee Group.

“Sally’s many years of senior-level experience with our largest domestic partner, Target, along with her visionary work on numerous nationally and globally recognized brands, will be a critical part to the continued redesign and enhancement of the Cherokee’s group of brands. We look forward to working together as we deliver high-quality materials, marketing innovations and strategic opportunities that grow our business on a global basis. Hiring someone of Sally’s caliber as part of our team signals a new era in Cherokee’s long-term commitment and vision for our Company.”

Ms. Curtis joins the Cherokee Group from Coach Inc., where she most recently served as Senior Director of Collaborations. Prior to Coach, Ms. Curtis worked in the Marketing Department at Target Corporation. Ms. Curtis will work with Cherokee’s senior management in the identification and generation of new revenue streams by providing marketing leadership for the Company’s existing and new brand acquisitions.

“In this newly created position of VP Marketing, Jamie will bring over a decade of ‘fashion & brand’ experience, excitement and energy to our company’s marketing efforts,” noted Henry Stupp. “I am proud that we are attracting high-level talent that shares the same vision, enthusiasm and passion for our brands as I do, and recognizes the progress that has been made over the past year at The Cherokee Group. Together Sally and Jamie form an important catalyst for future growth, and on behalf of our dedicated team and partners in over 30 countries, we welcome them to our company.”

Cherokee Inc. is a global marketer and manager of a portfolio of fashion and lifestyle brands it owns and represents in multiple consumer product categories and sectors around the world.

“We are pleased to be in a position to create thousands of jobs, as Kohl’s continues to focus on growing market share in a challenging economy,” said Kevin Mansell, Kohl’s chairman, president and chief executive officer. “We continue to bring customers innovative new stores where they can enjoy quality national and exclusive brands at exceptional values.

This fall we launched the exclusive Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony collections available at all stores. To keep the customer experience fresh and exciting, we have invested in our existing store base by adding innovative features and remodeling approximately 100 stores this year, an 18 percent increase from 2010.”

Growth, Expansion and Innovation
2011 is another year of growth for the company as Kohl’s opens 30 stores in 20 states – Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Wyoming. Kohl’s now operates 1,127 stores in 49 states. The company also invested in its current store base by adding innovative features and remodeling approximately 100 stores this year, an 18 percent increase from 2010.

In addition, all new stores opening this fall feature innovative store designs and new enhancements to increase comfort and convenience for shoppers. Some of these features include updated check-out stations, upgraded fitting rooms throughout the store, including fitting room lounges in Misses and Juniors, a customer service area relocated to the front of the store in most locations, in-store e-commerce kiosks and electronic signage located throughout the store.

To further drive growth, Kohl’s also remains focused on the successful small store concept, which offers greater real estate flexibility and provides a platform to open up more stores faster, while still offering the same quality exclusive and national brands, value and convenience that shoppers have enjoyed for years.

A retail leader in environmentally responsible green building design and operation, Kohl’s has 111 stores nationwide built utilizing a prototype that received Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification at the Silver level from the U.S. Green Building Council. In fact, 18 of the new stores Kohl’s is opening have been built to LEED guidelines, a set of criteria which guide best practices for the design, construction and operation for high-performance green buildings.

Characteristics of Kohl’s LEED certified stores include: Cool White ENERGY STAR-rated TPO roofs that reduce each building’s energy demand; water-efficient landscaping and plumbing; use of regionally sourced building materials; careful construction waste management and a centralized energy management system that helps monitor thermal comfort and ensure optimal energy efficiency throughout the store.