Features — Page 29

For Spring 2020 Fashion Reverie Has your Eyes Covered

March 3, 2020 by admin Leave a Comment

Image courtesy of technobuffalo.com

“Some movie stars wear their sunglasses even in church. They’re afraid God might recognize them and ask for autographs.”– Fred Allen

The accessory you can’t leave off your spring and summer checklist are sunglasses. For both style and health, sunglasses should be worn as the days get longer and you spend more time outside. They’ll protect your eyes from harmful UV rays, and it doesn’t hurt that they’ll add an immediate cool factor to whatever you’re wearing.

Fashion Reverie has you covered (literally and figuratively), with a curated list of sunglasses, there’s something for every budget and every need.

Image courtesy of Yunizon

Yunizon are designed for all genders, sizes, and facial features. You’ll look stylish in their unique eyewear inspired by the diversity of New York City. But one feature that make Yunizon a real standout is their focus on fit. Look chic and protect your eyes from the sun’s powerful rays without compromising your comfort.

Yunizon Eyewear features:

Three different head widths in all styles: narrow, medium, and wide caters to all sizes
Broader nose pads offer enhanced grip, zero slippage, and max comfort
Designs to accommodate high cheekbones, low bridge nose and other unique facial features
Modified temple lengths that are more secure and easily adjusted

Use their online guide to find the perfect fit. Sign up for their email list and save 10% on your first order.

Image courtesy of Maui Jim

Maui Jim Punchbowl Glasses

These acetate framed lenses have a few tricks up their sleeves that really improve the overall quality. Plus, they’re available in three different color schemes.

Like most good polarized sunglasses, you’ll get 100% UV coated lenses. This coating is important for filtering out harmful sun rays that can damage eyes over time. Plus, the polarization will help reduce glare and reflection.

While they’re a more casual frame, they are ready for prescription lenses. That means you could put in a set of photochromic lenses that adapt to light conditions and wear these all the time!

Image courtesy of outsidepursuits.com

Kate Spade Annika Sunglasses

These frames are lightweight plastic that look like wood with a modern, yet rustic feel. They are big enough to block out lots of light without overwhelming your face. These dark frames are perfect for bright days and will cut down dramatically on glare.

Image courtesy of Oakley

Oakley Unstoppable

If you’re someone for whom warm weather means adventure in the sun, these glasses are perfect for you. Rubber temples and bridges are a necessity and Oakley delivers. Rubber helps keep the sunglasses from slipping off when you move, especially when you’re sweaty or active. Slim and lightweight, they are available in huge variety of colors and options. Easily the most versatile pair of polarized sports sunglasses you can find.

Image courtesyof motorhelmets.com

Bolle Women’s Greta Sunglasses

A more casual but no less stylish frame that retails for around $60 making them a very affordable pair of polarized lenses. With a good width, they are perfect for less aggressive activities. Nylon frames are durable and hold up well to flexing and pressure. Plus, the polycarbonate lenses are insanely impact resistant and lightweight. They come in five styles inspired by classic 1960’s fashion.

Image courtesy of stylecaster.com

Perverse Sunglasses

This is company is only two years old; but is already making waves with its edgy and cool frames. It uses a variety of materials, including wood, polycarbonate, and acetate to make these eye catching sunglasses. The glasses typically retail for about $50 but you can find several styles online at Nordstrom’s Rack or Amazon for as little as $14!

Image courtesy of businessinsider.com

Bonnie Clyde

Self-described as “made with bizarre elegance and sincere personality,” Bonnie Clyde is a brand for those who aren’t afraid to be a little different. Even though the company is not quite two years old, these under $100 glasses are a favorite among alternative musicians.

Image courtesy of Prive Revaux

Prive Revaux

Planning to take a trip this spring or summer? Sunglasses are an absolute must! However one of the dangers of travelling is leaving things behind. Pretty much everyone has multiple pairs of sunglasses in their life. But when you are travelling your ability to recover your property is extremely limited. Enter Prive Revaux. Starting at $29.95 you can afford to pick up multiple frames to suit any occasion and it won’t sting too much if you lose them.

Don’t let their affordable cost fool you. These are high quality designer sunglasses in a wide range of styles, most featuring UVA/UVB and blue blocking to keep harmful rays at bay.

But with packing space limited, how are you going to fit multiple eyeglass cases into your luggage? Prive Revaux has you covered. Not only does their low price point make it possible for to buy lots of frames but their Travel and Go accessory makes it possible for you to carry up to 4 frames in a convenient compact travel friendly case! Choose from colors lavender, ivory, mint, cherry red and black, which all retail for $29.95.

Cameron Rose

Fashion Tea with Kristopher: Month of February 2020

February 25, 2020 by admin Leave a Comment

Image courtesy of Greece.is

February is always such a fun time for fashion with the proliferation of fashion shows from New York, Paris, Milan, and London. While fashion industry professionals are running around at the shows in Paris, Fashion Reverie has kept the tearoom open, well at least for now.

This top British luxury brand has some good news to report, as their sneakers are becoming some of the top sellers at this luxury department store. They can barely keep them in stock and are constantly needing to restock orders. It was once thought this brand’s glory days were over, but happily they are now thriving.

This designer, who at one time designed at a luxury fashion conglomerate, is rumored to be closing his line and parting ways with his namesake label. His upcoming Paris Fashion Week show is expected to be his last. Pretty soon he’ll just be another memory or resale on Grailed.

This world-renowned luxury brand is experiencing a downturn in sales. The superstar designer they hired to head up their creative direction might be producing products that the fashion industry and millennials love, but the older consumers are not buying it. The brand has reportedly become one of the hardest to sell at department stores.

—Kristopher Fraser

Silent but Deadly: Fashion Brands that Are Gaining Market Traction

February 21, 2020 by admin Leave a Comment

As a new decade begins, the must-buy labels of the year are on everyone’s mind. If Instagram has been good for one thing, Instagram can add a spotlight to brands that are not household names. Thanks to social media, emerging brands are redefining the fashion industry with their dedicated followers and cross-industry collaboration. These companies and designers are going directly to consumers, discussing their environmental impact, and utilizing their social media influence to propel them to the forefront and separate them from just being another social media/celebrity brand.

Overwhelmed by the wealth of great emerging brands, no need to fret, Fashion Reverie has navigated the top under-the-radar brands to add to your shopping list.

Images courtesy of Brian Arch/vogue.com

Chromat

Designer Becca McCharen-Tran, an industry insider, has shown that sticking to your laurels and representing your community can be the most impactful marketing strategy to showcase your brand. “I’m not in this to get rich and get out,” McCharen-Tran told Business of Fashion. Using sustainable material and ethical factories, Chromat has embraced the direct-to-consumer fashion output without jeopardizing their core brand identity. Designing for the real women, Chromat’s mission focuses on creating empowering garments for all body types; and gaining the mainstream’s attention on diversity and inclusivity.

Founded in 2010, Chromat has evolved into one of the world’s most innovative fashion labels specializing in architectural swimwear, sport, and wearable technology. Chromat has been nominated for a CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund award and not has centered its collection mostly on swimwear.

Images courtesy of vogue.com

Romeo Hunte

Romeo Hunte is one to watch, you might recall seeing this brand on your favorite celebs—Beyonce, Zendaya, Victor Cruz, Gabrielle Union, Dewayne Wade, and more. As WWD’s “Designer to Watch” in 2016, Romeo Hunte is becoming a household name. Inspired by contemporary and luxe streetwear, Hunte is a lineage of modern classic apparel that mixes practical, luxurious, and transitional contemporary pieces. With a powerful focus on unisex, Hunte has elevated the integration of femininity and masculinity. By pairing current fashion trends with archival looks and fabrics, Hunte has found the perfect balance between creativity and practicality.

And for this past New York Fashion Week: The Shows (NYFWS) fall 2020 season, the 33-year-old Romeo Hunte collaborated with his long-time mentor Tommy Hilfiger. “He’s been my mentor for a very long time now, and he always tells me to dream big. You put your mind to it, you step forward, put your all into it because you never know what it will turn out to be,” Hunte said.

Images courtesy of vogue.com

Laquan Smith

“I get a chance to be able to say how [we] feel through [my]designs, [my fashion] shows, [and] my levels of inspiration” Laquan Smith told Billboard. Inspired by the nightlife and the life of rule-breaking artists, Smith’s creates clothes to make women feel good and make statements. Staying true to his upbringing and craft, Smith is inspired by the unapologetic women of the world by creating strong standout silhouettes that redefine luxury styles.

Given the fashion nod by the illustrious Andre Leon Talley, Smith has had his garments worn by Kim Kardashian, Beyonce, Rihanna, Lady Gaga and more. He made the Forbes Under 30 list at age 26, making $500,000 a year with no debt.

Images courtesy of dailymail.co.uk

Namilia

Pump up the dramatics! Fashion label and creative outlet, Namilia is a statement show that reframes the fashion narrative by using their platform to express their beliefs, conflicts, and dreams. Heavily inspired by pop culture, Namilia sets out to produce on fashion shows that no longer shame body art and piercings but normalize and contextualize new ways of seeing the body and accessorizing the body. Becoming more exploratory and experimental with their clothes, Namilia addresses issues and rules within the fashion industry. By reconstructing traditional silhouettes, Namilia elevates true fashion activism with provocative slogans, trendy politics, and reinterpretations of culture. Their revolutionary rebellious and erotic themes allow women to celebrate and empower their sexuality, especially for the next generation to come.

That said; Since its launch in 2015, Namilia has evolved from an Instagram brand sensation to a full-fledged “It” brand that symbolizes female empowerment. For has also propelled Namilia to “It” brand status is Nan Li and Emilia Pfohl’s ability to re-interpret fashion nostalgia for Gen Zers. Their affiliation with modern icons Sita Abellan, Teyana Taylor, The Native Fox, Dua Lipa, The Clermont twins, Sza and Slick Woods has also been a big win for the brand.

Images courtesy of Filippo For/vogue.com

Pyer Moss

As a timely social experiment, Pyer Moss aims to use his platform to challenge social narratives and evoke dialogue. As the one of the most highly anticipated shows of New York Fashion Week, Moss has won the admiration of Anna Wintour, top fashion publications, and fashion governing bodies. Redefining Pyer Moss’ collections every season, creative director Kirby Jean-Raymond combines storytelling, activism, and social commentary while collaborating with commercial product brands.

Though his brand seems like an overnight success, Kirby Jean-Raymond has been in the fashion industry for over 18 years. First as an assistant designer for Kay Unger, under his own fashion label Pyer Moss, Jean-Raymond in 2019 won the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund award. He recently brought back his company after bad deals with investors.

“I took money from investors really early in 2014, and I didn’t understand much about the business of what was needed. I allowed them to underfund the company, take too much equity and lure me into bad deals,” he said. “It took me a lot of money, and a lot of time, and a lot of anger and frustration, and giving up, and depression to get out of that situation.” he explained in a cnn.com article.

Jean-Raymond was able to get his company back on track due to collaborations with Reebok. More cautious this time around Jean-Raymond explains, “We limit our supply to (match) the demand, not what we’re speculating,” he said. “It gets very hard to find Pyer Moss in the secondary market. And that’s by design, because we don’t make a lot of stuff in the first place—we make what people want.”

Images courtesy of the CFDA

Woodhouse Army

Founded in 2015, Woodhouse Army is a rebellious menswear brand that was born overseas in Korea. The 27-year-old breakout designer and army officer, Julian Woodhouse designs for the modern male consumer. Challenging the status quo, Woodhouse is a self-proclaimed creative spirit whose emerging brand refines the masculine aesthetic. Pivoting the brand towards innovation in fashion technology, Woodhouse hopes to reduce the carbon footprint of the global fashion industry.

—Courtney Wilkins

Fashion Reverie’s Valentine’s Day Gift Guide

February 5, 2020 by admin Leave a Comment

Happy Valentine’s Day! You may feel overwhelmed when deciding to pick out a gift, but Fashion Reverie has you covered. We’ve cultivated a list of fantastic gift ideas to cover anything your lover could possibly want.

Image courtesy of Serena Williams

Serena Williams Jewelry

Serena Williams’ name has become synonymous with strength and beauty. In addition to her powerful serves on the court, she has been praised for her elegant turns on the red carpet. It’s only fitting she would develop her own jewelry line.

“This collection is a beautiful celebration of the strong women in my life and around the world. I’m so grateful for the opportunity to bring a little sparkle and joy to special moments,” explains Williams. With ethically sourced diamonds and authenticated precious metals, a gift from the Serena Williams collection will be a beautiful reminder of your love for years to come.

Image courtesy of Capsul Jewelry

Capsul Jewelry

Everybody loves beautiful jewelry, but the reality is it can be impersonal. Are you looking for a gorgeous piece that has a deeper meaning? Capsul creates beautiful, unique customizable jewelry. Using 3D printed molds, Capsul can create jewelry from a signature, print a sound wave on a pendent or use roman numerals to make a date into cuffs or rings. Choose from silver, gold or rose gold.

The best part? These pieces retail between $40 and $300. You can give a beautiful piece of Capsul Jewelry without taking out a second mortgage! 10% off your first order, if you sign up for their mailing list.

Image courtesy of chvker.com

Chvker Jewelry

Looking for a thrifty way to show your sweetheart you care? You don’t have to break the bank to get a beautiful piece of jewelry. Chvker features dozens of reasonably priced pieces and if you use the promo code VDAY take an additional 40% off! These beauties are practically free!

Image courtesy of One Grid

One Grid Candles

Is there anything quite as awkward as having Valentine’s Day come too soon in a relationship? The day must be recognized, but a gift that says together forever for someone you’ve been on five dates with is way too much pressure. A gift anyone will love is a great scented candle. One Grid Candles are fantastic candles and they partner with a non-profit to bring solar lights to areas without access to electricity. It’s a gift that gives back!

Image courtesy of Uncommon Goods

Arous CBD Bath bombs

Looking for something to help you and your beloved relax? In the bitter cold of winter, taking a warm bath with your honey may be just what the doctor ordered. Uncommon Goods sells Romance CBD Bath Bombs, it has ingredients like ylang ylang—believed to enhance your libido and increase adoration—while the all-natural floral scents like Jasmine will soothe you. The 60 mg of CBD will make the bath feel like a couples’ massage.

Image courtesy of Buffy Co

Buffy Comforter

One danger of Valentine’s Day gift guides is that so many items have no real use. In this day and age when the planet is such a precarious state due to climate disaster, a Valentine’s Day gift that is both ecologically minded and has real practical value will be extremely welcome. Buffy Comforters are super warm, ridiculously soft comforters from a company that is focused on sustainable ecological-minded products. Your lover will be reminded of your thoughtfulness every time you snuggle under the comforter for years to come.

Image courtesy of Waft Perfume

Perfume

Perfume seems like it would be a perfect Valentine’s Day gift, but the potential for disaster is huge. Scent is deeply personal. There’s no explanation for why a person does or does not like a particular smell. Additionally, individual body chemistry can dramatically alter scent.

Two ways you can give scent safely is with either Waft or Scentbird. Both of these items make perfect last-minute gifts.

Waft allows a person to custom design their own fragrances from choosing the individual notes to designing the bottle! You can create the fragrance yourself or you can gift a fragrance to someone and let them create it.

Image courtesy of Scentbird

ScentBird facilitates the recipient to choose from hundreds of fragrances for men or women and will send them a 30-day supply of fragrance. It’s a great way to try different perfumes for very little monetary commitment. You can choose a gift subscription or a gift card.

Image courtesy of groupon.com

Yandy.com

Looking to really spice things up in the bedroom? Yandy.com has the sexiest lingerie and bedroom outfits you’ll ever find. They also carry dresses, shoes, swimwear pretty much anything you can think of and they have plus sizes! Make sure you have a fire extinguisher ready. These items could set your sheets on fire.

Image courtesy of Ten Thousand Villages

Ten Thousand Villages

Is your sweetheart the practical type? Ten Thousand Villages carries dozens of items including earrings, soap, and home decor pretty much anything you can think of. Ten Thousand Villages is a global maker‑to‑market movement that breaks the cycle of generational poverty and ignites social change. It’s a way for you to shop with intention for ethically sourced wares—and to share in the joy of empowering makers in ten thousand villages. Find your sweetheart a fun gift that will make them feel good about where it came from.

Image courtesy of Nimble Made

Nimble Made

Looking for a last-minute practical gift for the man in your life? Nimble Made guarantees the perfect fit by rethinking traditional sizing. Say goodbye to excess fabric, baggy arms, and tailoring fees. Nimble Made created their own unique, slim sizing for dress shirts. That means fitted sleeves at the proper length, a snug chest & back, and a perfect shirt length.

—Cameron Rose

Models to Watch at New York Fashion Week Fall 2020 Season

January 31, 2020 by admin 1 Comment

Every fashion season a new crop of models that are looking to make their mark during New York Fashion Week (NYFW). These models are signed to some of the top agencies in the world have strong portfolios and are now being looked at by top designers that will show collections during NYFW. Fashion Reverie has come up with some fresh faces that you should pay attention to.

Images courtesy of youtube.com

Ambar Cristal Zarzuela

Ambar Cristal Zarzuela is signed to Next Models and has already built up quite an impressive resume. Her runway credits include Moschino, Chanel, Dior, and Versace. New York’s fashion designers are sure to take notice of this runway ready fashionista and cast her.

Images courtesy of ellespain.com and bellazon.com

Dahely Nunez

Dahely Nunez is another model who has walked in Moschino’s pre-fall show in New York back in December. Last season she also walked for Sies Marjan and Helmut Lang during NYFW’s spring 2020 season. She’s slowly building her runway resume, and casting agents will have their eyes on her this season.

Images courtesy of premier-models.com

Achenrin Madit

Achenrin Madit has a long list of top designers she’s walked for including Stella McCartney, Givenchy, and Valentino. She was also the lookbook star for Proenza Schouler’s pre-fall 2020 lookbook. It wouldn’t be a surprise if the designers called her back this season.

Images courtesy of newyorkmodelmanagement

Yana Dobroliubova

Yana Dobroliubova’s bald head and grey eyes have captivated the fashion industry’s elite and she began dominating the runways last year. At NYFW, she walked the T-Mall China shows, Victoria Hayes, and Marc Jacobs. It is quite possible Marc Jacobs has her on speed dial for his usual NYFW finale show, and we certainly haven’t seen the last of her.

Images courtesy of elitemodels.com

Ning Jinyi

Ning Jinyi had her breakout season last Fashion Month, and she’s become a meteoric star on the rise. She’s been featured in an editorial in The New York Times Style Magazine, walked the Phillip Lim x Fila show, and recently walked at the Paris Couture week shows including Valentino, Elie Saab, and Maison Margiela. She could get cast quickly and any designer would be lucky to have her.

Images courtesy of men.successfulmodels.com and

Malick Bodian

Malick Bodian ruled the runways of Paris walking for Louis Vuitton, Rochas, Berluti, Dior, Hermès, and Lanvin. He’s arguably the new king of the catwalk, and brands across the globe are taking notice. While there’s only a few menswear and co-ed shows on the calendar this season, any of those designers would be lucky to have him.

Images courtesy of models.com, DRYmagazine.com, and thefashionspot.com, respectively

Xu Meen

Xu Meen has walked the runways for brands ranging from legacy houses, like Fendi, to up and comers, like Alyx. The young model is quite versatile and can go from streetwear to classic luxury. His versatility will come in hand in the New York market with brands ranging from streetwear to classic American luxury.

Images courtesy of models.com and unomodels.com

Alexander Gudmundsson

Alexander Gudmundsson’s cool dude swag has helped earn him spots on the runways of Craig Green, Berluti, Li Ning, Sacai, and Off-White. The runways are loving him, and the bookings keep coming for this young rising star. He’d fit in right at home on Libertine’s runway.

—Kristopher Fraser

New York Fashion Week Fall 2020 Pre-coverage

January 30, 2020 by admin Leave a Comment

Image courtesy of forbes.com

It’s that time again, the clattering of stilettoes—for those who still wear them—the hustle and bustle, and exhausted look of fashion industry professionals!! If you haven’t guessed it, the dawning of New York Fashion Week (NYFW) is on the horizon.

NYFW is a biannual occurrence with hordes of fashion industry professionals on the prowl to witness the industry’s latest collections from a coterie of top designers/brands and emerging talent. With New York City being one of the four major fashion capitals, NYFW is still globally one of the premier fashion weeks. Yet, in the past ten years so much has changed about NYFW.

Ten years ago, NYFW moved from Bryant Park—a very hallowed venue for some industry professionals—to Lincoln Center. The fashion industry felt as though it had arrived once it secured a place at the culturally rich Lincoln Center, a bastion of everything excellent when it comes to the performing arts. Fashion was finally establishing itself as a curator of great art, albeit art that you actually wear, but art none the less, and one of the great fashion capitals was recognizing that.

Image of Badgley Mischka spring 2020 fall 2020 finale courtesy of WWD/REX/Shutterstock (10096476p)

Unfortunately, the alliance with Lincoln Center did not last long—only five years—and on some level was ill-fated. And hence, NYFW has really been without a home. Though Spring Studios and Pier 59 have provided some respite from venue insecurity, these venues no way compare to Lincoln Center or Bryant Park.

So, we are in the present state of NYFW, a global fashion week that is very short on sponsors, experiencing major household designer/brand defections, and still without a permanent home. Add to that, the CFDA instituted a pay-to-go-to-shows policy—leaving front row seats, at many of the shows open to anyone who can afford the pricey tickets—and you have a global fashion week that has lost much of its luster.

Still, NYFW soldiers on. And this season promises to be one of great introspection. As the US heads into an unpredictable election and global disaster fires rage across the planet, it is time for the fashion industry to escape from their own proverbial bubble. What affects the rest of the world, affects fashion as well. Sustainability, inclusion, and truth and justice are not only the rest of the world’s concerns, it should also be the concern of the fashion community.

Image courtesy of PYMNTS

For the fall 2020 season, the absence of perennial favorites Monique Lhuillier, John Varvatos, Vera Wang, Venexiana, and Donna Karan continue to be felt. But those were the good old days. It is time to acknowledge that the only thing constant in life is change. And in this new day there are some sustainable brands to look forward to, as well as some emerging designers.

Emerging brands or brands debuting at NYFW include Wiederhoeft, Tia Adeola, Just in XX, Luooiff Studios, Palm Angels, Sheguang Hu, Fe Noel, S by Serena, and others. True to form, some are the diehard brands continue show—Michael Kors, The Blonds, Jeremy Scott, Libertine, Pamella Roland, Bibhu Mohapatra, Sally LaPointe, Cynthia Rowley, Alice + Olivia, Badgley Mischka, Naeem Khan, Nicole Miller, and Christian Siriano.

Happy Fashion Week!!

—William S. Gooch

Fashion Tea with Kristopher: January 2020

January 28, 2020 by admin Leave a Comment

Image courtesy of postallove.com

Though we are only one month into the year 2020, January has brought a plethora of delicious fashion tea flavors at the tea house. Which one would you like to try first?

Apparently, this once headline act at New York Fashion Week (NYFW) has no wholesale accounts in the United States. For all of his celebrity gravitas you think the buyers would be biting, but nope. Thank the fashion gods for this brands cult following and e-commerce to keep the brand afloat.

This independent brand recently announced that they would no longer be showing at NYFW. They say their reason is being involved with other collaborative projects. Hmm; but no one knows anything about these projects. Sounds like a money crunch!!

Image courtesy of teamapi.com

It is not looking pretty for brick-and-mortar retailers and independent brands. Trade show numbers are dwindling, with New York’s men’s tradeshows seeing fewer vendors than they have in the past. Hopefully, enough vendors will still come through for the show to be sustainable in the long term.

It’s about a new era at this fashion magazine publishing house as they integrate their digital and print teams. The company, which once kept the two entities very separate, is now moving everyone into the same building much to the joy of some and the chagrin of others.

—Kristopher Fraser

Is YouTube the Fashion Industry’s New Instagram?

January 24, 2020 by admin Leave a Comment

Image courtesy of nytimes.com

Since the fashion industry transitioned from the era of the blogger to era of the Instagram influencer the social media platform has reigned supreme as the go-to social channel for fashion brands and publications. Instagram seemed virtually unstoppable, changing the way fashion magazines had to approach content, and leading consumers to shop clothes through the platform. That said; nothing last forever, and it looks like Instagram is starting to find a competitor in a more senior video platform, YouTube.

In September of last year, YouTube launched YouTube Fashion, a dedicated fashion vertical that capitalizes on the style and beauty content that trends so well on the platform. For frame of reference, there’s an entire culture of beauty vloggers that make their livings from creating YouTube beauty tutorials and showcasing makeup hauls. According to Statista, beauty videos generated 169 billion views on YouTube. This caught the attention of fashion industry insiders who believe that beauty viewers can be converted to fashion.

Image courtesy of embedsocial.com

To compete with YouTube’s video offerings, Instagram launched IGTV in June 2018, but it hasn’t picked up the traction that YouTube has. Instagram’s discover feature comes with a style tab for the fashion conscious Instagramers, but YouTube Fashion has also managed to take videos from fashion beauty creators, collaborations between fashion brands and video creators like The Dolan Twins, along with content from brands like Ralph Lauren and publications like British Vogue.

While the advantage Instagram has over YouTube is that users can shop through the app, with magazine publishing houses like Condé Nast and Hearst investing heavily in video, YouTube appears to be poised to win the fashion video war. And with Derek Blasberg poised as YouTube’s secret weapon, YouTube is primed to continue being boss hog.

Image courtey of Derek Blasberg

Blasberg made a name for himself in the fashion industry as a prominent fashion editor, having held roles at Style.com, Harper’s Bazaar, and Vanity Fair. He was also a broadcast figure as the host of “CNN Style.” With over 900,000 Instagram followers, Blasberg was a well-established household name, influencer, and figure in the fashion industry, and YouTube saw the potential he had to transform their fashion vertical.

As a front row fixture at fashion week for years, Blasberg had a rolodex that anyone wanting to connect with fashion’s biggest names would want to get their hands on. During his short time at YouTube, he has managed to add more channels, increase total uploads, and improve viewing times. He’s gotten notable fashion figures, including Naomi Campbell and Victoria Beckham, to launch YouTube channels, and has also helped YouTube capture some of fashion’s digital ad dollars as fashion brands continue shifting their ad dollars from print to online verticals.

According to Vogue Business, in 2018 YouTube generated an estimated 5.3 billion dollars in U.S. ad revenue, although it was dwarfed by Instagram’s 9.1 billion dollars. Advertising spent on free on-demand video, which includes platforms like IGTV and YouTube, is expected to reach as much as 37 billion dollars by 2022, up from 16 billion dollars in 2017, according to Juniper research.

Image courtesy of youtube.com

Despite the belief that Instagram is in competition with Instagram, Blasberg insists that YouTube’s goal is to replace TV. In terms of social media channels, YouTube Fashion could still easily catch up with Instagram, as the overall platform has twice as many users, with 2 billion YouTube users worldwide. YouTube’s challenge is that luxury brands, like Louis Vuitton, haven’t enabled ads on their videos as they haven’t begun treating YouTube as a revenue source. However, all that could change.

Gone are the days when YouTube was just a platform for music videos and funny clips on the internet, it has turned itself into a dynamic behemoth that is essential to a brand’s commercial relevance and popularity. Fashion content on YouTube once focused around long-form things like campaign videos or videos from runway shows, but now influencers, who are trying to add to their streams of revenue, have found that videos of things like closet hauls and day-in-the-life type videos trend very well.

Image courtesy of lookbook.com

Marcel Floruss, a menswear influencer who has been the face of Hugo Boss’ ads, counts 456,000 followers on Instagram compared to his 500,000+ followers for his YouTube channel. He’s part of a growing trend of influencers finding bigger audiences on YouTube.

While Instagram and the fashion industry’s love for it won’t die tomorrow, when it comes to video content YouTube looks poised to be the digital platform that will eventually be king. Video is fashion’s new frontier, and YouTube comes with the audience and capabilities to make it happen seamlessly.

Kristopher Fraser

Plus-Size Paradise

January 22, 2020 by admin Leave a Comment

Image courtesy of fashionbombdaily.com

When actress Megan Mullally debuted on “Will & Grace” in 1998, she was surprised to hear from fans that they appreciated seeing a “women of size” on television. She pointed out that she wore a size 6. The fashion industry would have you believe women who wear a size bigger than 6 simply don’t exist. Karl Lagerfeld was asked why he only had skinny models in his shows and was quoted saying “No one wants to see curvy girls on the runway.”

According to research from Washington State University, the average American woman wears a size 16 or larger. There are more than 100 million plus-sized women in the US and they are outspending their straight-sized counterparts on clothing, to the tune of 20 billion dollars a year! The market is huge, however; the supply is small. Most big department stores carry a very small selection of plus sizes, if they carry them at all! Fashion Reverie is here to help. Here is a curated list of shopping websites for women with curves!

Image courtesy of Ashley Stewart

Ashley Stewart

If you aren’t adding everything from Ashley Stewart to your cart, go do it right now!! The curvy lifestyle brand has fun, trendy, and affordable styles including every day looks, formal wear, intimates plus exclusive collabs with icons like La La Anthony and Loni Love.

Image courtesy of ASOS

ASOS Curve

ASOS kills it with styles for every shape and their new Curve collection includes everything from casual to occasion wear in fits that won’t quit. Their styles are updated every week, ensuring that curvy shoppers always have great options at the ready.

Image courtesy of Eloquii

Eloquii

You’ll love everything from the Eloquii collection and their workout wear options are stylish, yet elegant. Pro tip—their Viola line is exclusively designed for ladies with hips that are 1-2 sizes larger than their bust size. Rebel Wilson is a big fan of this brand.

Image courtesy of Catherine

Catherine

Catherine offers a huge selection of high-quality clothes designed for curvy women. Be sure to check out their amazing active wear. Their huge selection of lingerie and sleepwear would make Victoria’s Secret jealous.

Image courtesy of Torrid

Torrid

Many plus size women may be familiar with Torrid, but there are lots of hidden gems that you are sure to love. They have everything from workout wear to wedding dresses and their extensive size range is out of this world. They go up to size 30! Make sure to check out their selection of boots for wide calves and their tips for finding the perfect bra fit.

Image courtesy of Unique Vintage

Unique Vintage

If you’re like most plus-sized, retro-loving ladies, you likely adore vintage clothing for the flawless way that it flatters your figure. Unlike so many of the shapeless styles featured in modern apparel, vintage clothing was fabulously feminine, impeccably tailored, and simply made for gorgeous curves like yours. Recreate these timeless looks from years gone by when you shop Unique Vintage’s ever-changing selection of plus-size clothing in all of your favorite retro styles.

Image courtesy of Forever 21

Forever 21

While most people think of Forever 21 as a brand exclusively for trendy college kids, they have a surprisingly large selection of plus-sized clothing at very reasonable prices. Check out their special occasion dresses for something sparkly and fun. Don’t forget their massive selection of accessories!

Image courtesy of Modcloth

Modcloth

Looking for high-quality clothing in some fun prints? Modcloth had some wonderful clothes going all the way up to 5X. They also carry swimwear, shoes and some really unique home accessories. Check out Mod Outlet for some serious discounts.

Image courtesy of Thredupp

Thredup

Looking to save some money? Not just a discount, getting quality clothes for just as few dollars? Thredup is an online thrift shop. It appears (but not confirmed) that a lot of places use Thredup to dispose of things leftover from sample sales. You can select new items, unused with tags if wearing someone else’s clothes creeps you out. And they have sizes going up to 5X. Word of advice; you can sell items on Thredup but it’s not advisable. Several people have reported sending in designer items that were ‘misplaced’ and never returned.

—Cameron Rose Grey

The Future of Fur: Young, Fun, and Sustainable

January 21, 2020 by admin Leave a Comment

Images courtesy of glowsy.com

Though global warming is influencing temperatures around the world, particularly in climates that expect chilly temperatures at this of the year, many consumers are still purchasing and wearing heavy winter coats. That also applies to fur, though there is an intense backlash against fur from animal and sustainability activists. Additionally, several fashion designers/brands have eliminated fur from their collections, namely Stella McCartney, Armani, Michael Kors, Burberry, and others. Still, there are brands that have continued to use fur in their collections. Case in point, Harvy Nichols had a 10-year ban on fur, went against convention and incorporated fur into collections a couple of years ago. Also, continuing to use fur are Dennis Basso, Dior, Saint Laurent, Karl Lagerfeld, Louis Vuitton, and Canada Goose.

Fashion Reverie examined the fashion industry’s approach to this burgeoning furless trend in Courtney Wilkins’ article, “The End of Fur.” That said; a fur-free aesthetic is not the fashion industry’s only approach to the fur enigma. There are fashion designers/brands that will continue to trumpet fur as a viable way to express creativity and elegance. This follow-up fur article carefully unearths the fashion industry’s continued affection for natural fur.

Image courtesy of Saga Furs

Beijing 2022 may be two years away, but the fur industry is already injecting its design aesthetics into fashion runways in China. The 2020 Beijing International Fur and Leather Products Exhibition (BIFE), held January 6-8, 2020, in the China Convention Center, jointly built a new platform for winter fashion—Beijing Winter Fashion Show (BWFS) in collaboration with the China Textile Import and Export Chamber of Commerce. The BIFE, drew approximately 1,800 worldwide buyers and exhibitors 142 domestic and international exhibitors from the fur, leather and down industries. This event may serve as a strong reminder that the death knell bell for fur fashion, from the international view, may be ringing too soon.

The BWFS Fashion Night Gala theme was the Winter Olympics and featured five fur concerns including Saga Furs, Yuanlong Fur, Yinshan, Let’s Fur, and Avanti Fur. Wang Yuanyuan, one of China’s leading fashion designers, worked closely with Saga Furs, using her new textile collection to support and match Saga’s fur garments. This intercontinental fashion collaboration is an example of a three-decade long relationship between this 80-year old Finnish company and the fur industry of China.

With the countdown to the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics underway, the traditional fur industry is looking for ways to infuse fur fashion with winter functional clothing. Though California’s passage of the ban on furs, may have been regarded as the funeral dirge for fur, nothing could be further from the truth on the international fashion scene. The European and Asian fur connection could be foretelling the fashion trends for the future of fur. Saga Furs, a leader in the sustainability movement, over the past three decades has built strong relationship with China in setting new standards for sustainability, along with other European fur companies.

Bibhu Mohapatra fall 2019 images courtesy of vogue.com

Bibhu Mohapatra, whose New York Fashion Week fall 2019 collection featured fur, agrees with Anna Wintour and other fashion industry illuminati, that fur is a viable material that should not be banned or banished. “I think the is one of the most sustainable and natural materials, that has a complete cycle of being used. And it can go back to nature without any residue. And it has the least carbon footprint,” explains Mohapatra. (While faux fur will hang around in the ecosystem from 500 to 1,000 years, real fur has a life cycle of only 50 to 60 years.)

The global fur trade was valued at more than $40 billion in 2014 according to the Fur Information Council of America. And even if there has been a decrease of a few billions, the current global fur trade value still demonstrates the viability of the business of fur worldwide. China accounts for an estimated 80% to 90% of global fur sales, according to the International Fur Federation (IFF) which estimated, in 2018, a whopping $17 billion annually in fur sales. Fur has been a centuries old tradition in a country where winter temperatures, in some areas, can drop below zero.

Wang falll 2020 collection and YuanYuan fall 2020 collection images courtesy of Saga Furs

Charles Ross, Saga Fur’s Head of Sustainability and Supply-chain Management, the company changed its strategy and created a new version of their “Fur Vision” to give designers a new view of how to incorporate fur into fresh new fashion. This international event held in New York and other fashion cities like Milan, Paris, London, Seoul, Beijing and Shanghai, was designed to provide designers an opportunity to meet with the company’s product development teams. “It gave them the confidence to use Saga Furs because the furs come from certified fur farms and that’s a very important message for designers in today’s world.”

Designer Christopher John Rogers, who in 2018 was dubbed “the next big designer ” by In Style magazine’s September 2018 issue, had fur in his collection during New York Fashion Week fall 2019 season—with a patchwork fur coat and creations integrating fur with other materials. And his meeting with Saga Fur’s team was inspirational for him. The event, he says ” definitely opened my eyes to the possibilities of what you can do with her as opposed to just making a coat and it just makes you feel like every season you can come up with something new and you can evolve.”

Additionally, Welfur, an organization that assesses the mink, fox and Finnraccoon farms in Europe, has established a certificate that measures good housing, health, feeding and appropriate behavior as it relates to animals used in the fur trade. Furmark, a program developed by the IFF, is also looking to ensure good practice among international fur trade suppliers.

Images courtesy of Saga Furs

Young consumers are not opposed to wearing fur, some studies have suggested, but they just don’t want to see the animals or the cages, and they do need to trust the brand. “Only young generations can bring bright future for fur,” says Samantha Vesala, Saga Furs’ Business Director for Asia, “Sustainability is also equal important for young customers.”

Fur fashion is moving into the 21st century with Europe leading the way with checks and balances to ensure responsibility in animal welfare and accountability and transparency in ethical and industry practices.

—Francesca C. Simon