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Link Buzz: Radiant Vomit; Inside Amazon’s Williamsburg Studio

Nika Mavrody December 9th, 2013

Image: Pantone.com

Pantone's Color of the Year has arrived! It's like a holiday for PR professionals. Named 'Radiant Orchid,' this eggplanty hue was not arbitrarily selected by the color consultancy as a branding tool, but has something truly meaningful to say about the times we live in and what it means it be human. [Pantone]
Of course, no sensible designer trying to take his/her label to the next level would turn down a perfectly good news peg; New York's finest designers sketch their way onto the Pantone Color of the Year trend bandwagon. [Fashionologie]
"How to Wear Skirts with Boots!" In case you've lost cognitive functioning. [FabSugar]
Marc Jacobs confesses: "I've always admired Nicolas." [WWD]
"Beyoncé and Jay Z eat lunch at a California restaurant at the same time as Anne Hathaway." Juicy celebrity gossip. [Vanity Fair]
What's happening at Amazon's Williamsburg photo studio? Much fashun. [Racked]

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Mango Expands With a Standalone Plus-Size Brand … But It Won’t Be Available in the US

Nika Mavrody December 9th, 2013

Image courtesy Mango

Mango has announced the international launch of a new plus-size range, a standalone brand called Violeta by MANGO.

Offering trend-conscious items in European sizes 40-52 (converts to sizes 10-20 in US), the label will include 400 items and is scheduled to go on sale in January. In addition to the substantial product range, Violeta also boasts a sizable staff – the brand is launching with a dedicated 40-person team.

The brand will intially be introduced to Mango's seven largest markets — France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Turkey, Russia and Spain — with a projected 100 retail outlets by the end of 2014. The first independent store will open in Spain.

The line will be available online in Europe, Turkey and Russia, but not in the US, despite increasing stateside demand for fashion-conscious plus-size apparel. Earlier this year, we heard from e-commerce site Modcloth, which reported an astonishingly postive response and heightened levels of customer engagement after launching a new plus category. And last year, Mango's Spanish competitor Zara faced a barrage of criticism for its limited sizing options, with some plus-size bloggers and customers accusing the fast fashion chain of "fat shaming."

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Vogue Portugal Recycles a Vogue Australia Editorial For December 2013

Hannah Ongley December 9th, 2013

vogue-portugal Rising stars April Tiplady and Maddison Brown are Greek chic on the cover of Vogue Portugal’s December 2013 issue.

It’s a stunning shot, but one we’ve seen before. Vogue Australia first published this image in a spread for its October 2013 issue. ‘Generation Next’ featured Tiplady and Brown alongside other up-and-coming local girls Matilda Dods and Astrid Holler, and New Zealand’s Holly Rose Emery.

Reprinting past shoots for new covers is hardly a new phenomenon. Elle Canada recycled an Elle France image of Jennifer Lawrence for its December 2013 issue cover, and Dutch Vogue used a reprint from Doutzen Kroes’ Vogue UK editorial for its June 2013 cover. And just four months ago, Spanish Vogue chose a reprint of a reprint for its Karmen Pedaru cover.

Like Lawrence’s Dior-clad Elle shoot, Vogue’s Tiplady and Brown shot is simply too good to let slip into the archives. The blue and white Valentino appears seasonally ambivalent (thought it’s really from the Fall 2013 collections), appropriate for both an Australian spring and a temperate Portugal winter.

Anyway, we’ll be seeing plenty of new things from these two in the coming months. Maddison Brown had a killer run at the New York Spring 2014 shows, while Tiplady booked a campaign for McQ and caught the eye of Katie Grand, who featured her in a David Sims-shot editorial for issue #10 of LOVE.

Do you think reprinted cover shots are a smart use of resources or a show of laziness?

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Miranda Kerr’s New Harper’s Bazaar Australia Cover is “Dull” and “Nothing Exciting”

Hannah Ongley December 9th, 2013

MIRA Newly-single Miranda Kerr strikes a mediocre pose for Harper’s Bazaar Australia’s December 2013 issue.

Shot by Terry Richardson, the high-contrast cover is striking as concerns the colour palette only. Miranda gives Richardson’s camera a half-hearted smize while literally just… standing there. Her hair and stomach look great as per.

Forum commenters point out that while this shot might be less disappointing for a celebrity cover, the fact that ‘supermodel’ nearly always prefaces Miranda’s name makes us demand something more. As A.D.C. points out, “I can’t ever imagine Gisele striking such a dull pose,” adding that her model card should "be revoked."

Bobby153 seconds that sentiment. “I think we can stop calling her a model at this point, she’s sort of a celebrity/personality now, and I think she does it well. So if you look at this as a celeb cover it’s perfectly acceptable.”

Other commenters think the cover is straight-up boring and are disappointed by the magazine’s choice of photographer. “Nothing exciting or new about this cover. It’s a shame they’re using Terry now,” says justaguy.

However, the worst (or perhaps the best) thing about this cover isn't the pose nor the photography — it's the unintentional reference to the Miranda Kerr/James Packer romance rumours. We're 99% Bazaar’s headline “Meet the Packer Dynasty’s Glamorous New Face” refers to an interview with the Australian business mogul's granddaughter Francesca Barham, but in light of gossip about Packer dating Kerr, it's wide open for misinterpretation…

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Natasha Poly Covers the January Issue of Vogue China (Forum Buzz)

Pilar Meier December 9th, 2013

image credit: weibo/voguechina via the tfs forums

Natasha Poly is one of those models tFSers never seem to get tired of. Having been around since the very early 2000s, Poly has covered every magazine imaginable and has starred in numerous blue chip campaigns. And yet when she took a short break during her pregnancy (she gave birth this fall), her fans were dying to see her back everywhere. But it appears her fans need not worry as the Russian supermodel is set to make a splash yet again in 2014. On the January cover of Vogue China, which was shot by Patrick Demarchelier, the L'Oréal spokesmodel looks as fresh and radiant as ever.

“Yes!!! This is gorgeous. So glad to see Natasha back!” gushed tFS forum member Nepenthes.

Lalatran couldn’t hide his excitement either. He posted, “Halelluhhh for my girl ! Great cover! She looks fresh and young here. Well done.”

Miguelalmeida gave praise to Vogue China for its consistency in delivering great covers. He wrote, “Vogue China is on a roll! First in November with Mariacarla [Boscono] by Willy [Vanderperre] and the result was GORGEOUS! The December issue about China was really perfect! And now for a stellar beginning of the year of 2014 Natasha by Patrick and the cover is BREATHTAKING!”

I will co-sign this assessment about Vogue China’s impressive streak of good covers (not to mention that this publication has always had some of the best fashion content anyway). The color scheme on the cover is refreshing and Natasha looks endearing, making her the perfect choice for this cover. Are you excited to see Natasha back?

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Discover Ic! Berlin’s Fashionable Range of Frames

Samantha Robinson December 9th, 2013

Sometimes it can be quite difficult to find that perfect pair of glasses that suits your face shape and are stylish. And sometimes it feels that when you work within the fashion industry, your glasses are only considered cool if they are Ray Orbison-esque — i.e. thick black rimmed, you know the ones!

So it was quite refreshing to discover the German brand Ic! Berlin last week, which is stocked in several opticians throughout the UK. Transitions Optical, who creates light adaptive lenses, has teamed up with the German frame brand to provide a choice between metal frames (starting at £290) and acetate frames (starting from £300).

ic glasses 1

Both designed and manufactured in the über trendy Berlin, the metal frames are a design innovation with screwless hinges that are instead held together with a detachable clip, and get this, they’re virtually unbreakable too.

Transition lenses are the perfect solution for those who wear glasses and it’s great that Ic! Berlin has finally designed some that look like a good fashionable pair of sunglasses that can easily tie in with your different outfits and style preferences.

Images: Ic! Berlin