Stella McCartney's Campaign for Meat Free Monday

Designer Stella McCartney has created a new campaign called Meat Free Monday meant to raise environmental awareness. McCartney who is a vegetarian and an environmental activist has designed two exclusive t-shirts for Gap Kids. She hopes to use this campaign to inspire kids to start taking control of the environment in which we live in, regardless of being a vegetarian. The t-shirts include a superhero tee for boys and an Intarsia leopard shirt for girls. Both of Stella McCartney’s designs are created out of organic cotton, and will be available for purchase at select London stores. -Brittany Berryman

Agent Provocateur's Going Global

Angent Provocateur, the sassy British lingerie brand and retailer, is looking to expand its market in an effort to establish itself in more of the global market. The label, designed by Joe Corre, son of Vivienne Westwood, appreciates that everyone wears underwear and wants to take this fundamental need and turn it into an experience. The first shop opened in 1994 on London’s Broadwick Street, but since then, the retailer has expanded to over 30 stores in 13 countries including cities such as London, New York, Vancouver, LA, Vegas, Paris, Vienna, and Berlin, and Chicago.The label has long been popular with top celebrities such as Paris Hilton, and Carmen Electra and it has been widely advertised on Kylie Minogue and Kate Moss. So take advantage of the retailers expansion and enjoy the Agent P experience! Check out Agent Provocateur for a must see look at their spring looks.- Anna Lautmann

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Karl Lagerfeld to Retire from Chanel?

Once again, rumors that creative director of Chanel, Karl Lagerfeld is about to retire from the iconic fashion house have arisen in the fashion frenzied media. The rumor surfaced after a conspicuous fashion blogger claimed that big news concerning Chanel was about to break. In response, Chanel have released a statement to shush apparent rumors. "Karl Lagerfeld is the creative designer of Chanel and has a long-term contract with the company. Replacing him is not an issue," a Chanel rep said. The latest fabrication was that Lanvin’s Alber Elbaz would be replacing Lagerfeld, however, 76-year old style icon Lagerfeld famously said last year that he had every intention to die with his boots on while still working at Chanel.
-Amy Helliwell

The Business of Nanette Lepore

Runway To Retail/Factio Magazine editor-in-chief
Melissa Maynard with Nanette Lepore

New York based designer Nanette Lapore has recently has unleashed several new initiatives in which she hopes will aid her $140 million business into a global lifestyle company. Among the designer’s ambitious ideas is a swimwear collection and a footwear line, both set to launch in 2011 and a handbag collection will hit stores this fall along with an e-commerce website. For the past nine years, Lepore has been actively opening freestanding stores in the U.S. and abroad. With no plans to open any new stores the rest of the year, they continues to scout locations in cities such as San Francisco, Dallas and Atlanta. “We never had a plan. Now we have a plan. We achieved things I never thought would happen with the brand, and if we continue on this trajectory, we’ll have a broader global presence,” said Lepore.
-Amy Helliwell

We were able to catch up with the busy designer to discuss the business of fashion, the creative process, and check out her day in the life.

How would you describe your style as a designer - are you mostly self-taught? Is it part innate or do you have a mentor/good schooling? A lot of the design development has happened over years of doing it. In the beginning, it's very insecure as a designer and you worry you're going to run out of ideas and then you reach a point as a designer where you realize it's just endless and you can keep expanding and coming up with new, new, new. It's a process and a developmental growth, luckily for me my business grew slowly and I was able to grow with the company to achieve more as I went along.

What was the first store to carry your pieces and what was the feeling like to see people buy your clothing?
I believe it was probably Barney's Co-op and it was really really fun to go in there and see my clothing was in there and it was selling! It was moving off the racks and I'd go in there and there'd be nothing there and the next day we'd get a re-order.

Regarding the creative process, how difficult is it to find a balance between the business aspect along with artistic aspect considering everything is so time sensitive based on the seasons?
As far as the business goes, I don't really have to pay attention to bills and money because I have my husband and we have an amazing bookkeeping department. It's my responsibility to keep us timely. I'm realizing it's a miracle that I'm able to do it because I'm very disorganized (laughs). I have a new design director and it will really make a change of how we do things. We've stayed on a timeline remembering ‘oh, today's the day we need to order that fabric’ but it's never popped up on your computer -- it pops up in my head like "oh yeah, we have to do that" and I'm always last minute, too. I'm usually working on the line the night before it's due so hopefully I’ll be able to get myself in a more efficient timely mode. It's worked out ok so far, we don't ever miss our deadlines, but we cut it close.

Where do you design - is there a specific place in your studio? What's your creative process like?
Often times I’ll sketch at my desk or at a pattern maker's table when we're discussing something. One of my biggest designs- a great top I sketched it on a napkin and handed it over to the patternmaker. It became the perfect top and it lasted forever! I have a patternmaker whose been with us for about ten years who only wants the messiest artiest sketch she can get her hands on because she has fun interpreting it in her own manner. Often times, what you make isn't pretty so you have to start over with it on a mannequin - working in front of a mirror with a garment on a dress maker dummy and that's where it really happens. When things are finished and they're not cute - that's when the really hard part of becoming a designer kicks in because taking something that's from not attractive and figuring out what's wrong with it and figuring out the one little thing to make it perfect, that's a skill I've honed over the years.

Do you ever find that you can't shut it off? For instance waking in Madison Ave. looking in some of the store windows, is it hard not looking at fashion thinking “I could design that or get inspired by it”?
I can shut it off, but it is a constant thing, actually I can but I can't. If we take a weekend away or a vacation - one time a year, I take a family vacation in May and don't let myself shop. But every other trip I take is usually based around a flea market or a shopping trip in another city.

Describe a day in the life - is everyday really different or are there some days better than others?
I think that everyday you discover something new; fashion gets a rosy picture painted but you have to have nerves of steel and be a bulldog to be in this business. Everyday is a new problem, everyday something new arises that you couldn't possibly think would happen and it does - not just in design but when you have to maintain your business and do your production. The design part was so minor for me so it got the least amount of attention so now that my business has grown and I have a huge staff of over 120 people in NYC, there's a lot of support. I'm able to design. Before that it was more about keeping the business running, making sure the clothing fit, making sure the cutting room didn't cut the wrong fabric, a pant you didn't need, etc. Things like that happen constantly in this business so that's what I was dealing everyday for the first ten years - keep the mistakes from happening.

How did you get through it? What gave you the stamina to persist? I would imagine so many people would give up at that point.
In the beginning, I was over $100,000 in debt and I had my own company for a few years, but I wasn't well known enough to get a job as a big design director making a huge salary, so I knew the only way to pay back the debt was to stay in business and make the company profitable - out of fear and panic – it was money my dad loaned because he had mortgaged his house…There was a lot of pressure and I had to make it work. Also, I love it! In the end as much as its torture and pain, I love the idea that you've made this thing with your hands. The idea of creating something from nothing, from a swatch of fabric and the process it goes through even though it’s tedious and difficult and it's very rewarding when you see it completely finished with the process that starts 8 months in advance. It’s such a long process with so many things going on but at the same time it's an amazing thing.

Do you wear your own designs a lot?
I do, lately I've been mixing it up and letting myself buy other designers because it's ok now because I love shopping. I hated the idea for years I couldn't shop. Now I can afford to buy designer things so I’m doing it and I enjoy it.

How do you see your business progressing? We're happily feeling like we have started to understand the footwear business so there's tons of growth potential there and next would be handbags. I just want to expand the line and fill in with a line of basics like more jeans...building on what I have and trying to get my infrastructure in my company to do that and then more retail, more stores in Europe and more overseas growth.

Louis Vuitton Jewelry Line: L’âme du Voyage

Louis Vuitton is all about luxury and their new fine jewelry line, set to be made available to the public on Octorber 15^th, is no exception. Named L’âme du Voyage (“the soul of the trip”), the line links Louis Vuitton’s travel history with the jewelry designer Lorenz Bäumer’s rich past of travel. Bäumer has designed for Chanel and Baccarat in the past and sees great potential for Louis Vuitton in the jewelry industry. Throughout all of the pieces, Bäumer works to represent the various cultures he has been able to observe in his travels. So far, there are six sets, each with a one-of-a-kind necklace at the center, with prices running up to $2.5 million. Bäumer says he can’t wait to continue to play with other LV hallmarks from gold and brown color combos to bolder hardware. So start saving now because these pieces are to die for!
-Anna Lautmann

Agga B. Spring/Summer 2010 Collection

The spring/summer 2010 collection for the line AGGA B. is sure to intrigue you. With its contrasting pieces of dark and mysterious vs. subtle and light, all of her pieces were inspired by earth, science, anatomy, and history. Designer Agga felt as though she was making these pieces for goddesses of nature from the past such as goddesses of volcano's, air and wind. With names like Ektra, Caramel and Basalt, her designs are dangerous, yet soft and beautifully detailed with precious stones, leather, and fine metals. To top it all off they are all handmade! For more information, check out www.AGGAB.com - Emily Ekern

Sale Alert! Christian Louboutin 24-Hour Sale!

It's now or never ladies! Portero.com is having their 24-hour sale for Christian Louboutin starting now! That means, you'll get the red-soled designer shoes and bags for an extra 10% off on items that are already marked down up to 70% off. This sale ends Wednesday, March 24th at 5pm ET. Happy Shopping.

Anthropologie Goes Global

In this global economy, it seems natural that eclectic retailer Anthropologie keep with the trend by launching their first international website this weekend. The new sight offers prices in varying currencies with products to be shipped from their warehouse in the U.K. to 91 countries worldwide. Anthropologie first moved abroad with an opening in London and due to their success, the second just opened in the heart of Chelsea, located in the former Antiquarius Antiques. With its poured concrete floors, exposed pipework, and roof made out of reclaimed wood, the new store has quite a unique character. It will also house a 200-foot art gallery that will showcase the work of top European designers and artists. Learn more at www.anthropologie.com.
-Anna Lautmann

Alberta Ferretti Launches Online Store with YOOX

Designer Alberta Ferretti launched their online store allowing fans to indulge in Alberta Ferretti ready-to-wear, accessories, and fragrances. 52 different countries will be able to purchase from this new online store including North America, Europe, Japan, and the Far East. The creativity of this online store will reflect the personality of Alberta Ferretti and Philosophy stores, creating an innovative shopping experience powered by the YOOX Group. To visit Alberta Ferretti’s new online store visit www.albertaferretti.com. -Brittany Berryman

Link it! Green Chic - Factio Magazine talks to internationally renowned eco-chic designer Ágatha Ruíz de la Prada and more!

Factio Magazine meets internationally renowned designer Ágatha Ruíz de la Prada in Cancún and talks about being eco-chic! Read the interview here.

My Beauty Bunny is helping you get your green, natural, cruelty-free health and beauty products for free with a $50 iherb.com gift certificate giveaway!

Runway to Retail loves to recycle! Check out this clutch designed out of legos!

The Fashionable Gal is giving away Pampers Dry Max Diapers and a Liz Lange Bag ($50 Value). New Pampers diapers are more eco-friendly and have a decreased environmental impact. We are seeing a 12% Reduction in Solid Waste and 8% Reduction in Total Energy Demand!

The Fashionable Housewife shoes us how to reuse and recycle with Fun DIY Fashion: Splatter Paint for Spring!

Michelle Obama in Jason Wu for St. Patrick's Day

Even Michelle Obama got in the St. Patrick's Day spirit during a reception at the White House yesterday. She sported a gorgeous kelly green faille sheath with embroidered french knots by Jason Wu, which was custom-made for her.

French Connection to Close Stores

Clothing brand, French Connection, will be closing all but six stores in the United States and will also be selling off the Nicole Farhi brand. The French Connection group known for their one ever-popular FCUK shirts are not doing as well as they once were. Declining sales started in 2006 for the popular store, and they attempted to regain sales with a campaign featuring two women fighting and then kissing. This campaign attempt did not work out as well as the group was planning for it to do. Since the previous campaign French Connection has made another attempt with their upcoming ad campaign featuring a revamp of their brand. These new ads feature noir-inspired portraits with upscale ladies wearing cocktail dresses and classic trenches.
-Brittany Berryman

A Video Fashion Story: Joffrey Dancer Fabrice Calmels in Richard Dayhoff

Model in Richard Dayhoff Premium Performance Boxer Brief
www.baharphotography.com

Richard Dayhoff has created a new ad campaign for his Premium Performance Underwear. This marketing effort includes a three-part video that highlights Joffrey ballet dancer/model Fabrice Calmels as the muse, with each shot at a different location. The first film of the three, has Calmels in the bathroom getting ready wearing RD briefs and Chicago Designer Tracey Mayer's Flex Black Sapphire Dog Tag Necklace. A Canon camera shoots each film in this three part series, check out the first below. Richard Dayhoff Boxer Briefs are available at Takashimaya New York 1.800.753.2038 / Syd Jerome-Chicago 1.312.346.0333
-Brittany Berryman

Amy Winehouse Fashion Line

Amy Winehouse is not only bringing back the beehive, but is now in the pipeline of creating a new fashion frenzy by joining forces with Fred Perry. Following in the footsteps of style icons such as Kate Moss and Madonna, who have famously designed collections for Topshop and H&M, Amy is due to release her own clothing line this October. "I’m really excited about doing this collection with Fred Perry. We’ve been working on it for a while and it’s great to see it finally come to fruition," says Winehouse. The singer and brand have created a range which can be best described as tomboy meets femme fatale, using pink and black as lead colors with unique and edgy details. Combine this with Amy’s 50s glam-rockability style and a huge quantum of attitude, Winehouse is back with a bang.
-Amy Helliwel

Lego Clutch by Kara Ross

Who would have thought that legos could create a beautiful clutch! Studio XXB created a challenge for designers to create a prototype out of Lego blocks for the BrickWorld Exhibt. Designer Kara Ross’s chosen piece was to make one of her signature clutches out of Legos. The orange clutch creates a beautiful piece of art and what would be more fun to carry!
-Brittany Berryman

Spellbinding: An Animated Fashion Spread

Photographers Pamela Reed and Matthew Rader created a unique, animated editorial for 160g Magazine featuring a tribal dance entitled Spellbinding. The spread features model Edythe, who is body painted and bound, spinning around and appearing to be possessed with wild hair and wearing floaty dresses. 160g Magazine is known for its unique editorials that feature animated spreads throughout their magazines. -Brittany Berryman

Japan Fashion Week

Japan will be holding its 10th fashion week in Tokyo, April 21st through the 23rd. This exciting event started its promotional tour by featuring eight distinctive collections from Japanese fashion designers during a presentation in a Soho loft during New York Fashion Week.

Japan’s fashion week is the largest fashion event annually and exposes their best talent. The country has been quickly making its mark in the fashion industry by creating many distinctive styles that reflect their unique aesthetic. Some designers that we look forward to watching during this exciting event include, The Dress & Co.’s Hideaki Sakaguchi, Mikio Sakabe, Shueh Jen-Fang, and Chaolu Lab’s Satoshi Hiramoto.
-Brittany Berryman

Meeting Ágatha Ruíz de la Prada in Cancún

*Photos by Factio Media

Ágatha Ruíz de la Prada, the internationally renowned fashion designer, made her first trip to Cancún to participate with Mexican designers Pineda Covalin, David Salomon, Daniel Espinosa and Erika Flores in a show that kicked off a new tourism campaign called “Cancún and the Treasures of the Caribbean”. Before the show, Factio had the chance to talk to the colorful designer on how she got started in this field coming from eight generations of architects, what inspires her and what most people don't know about her.

FACTIO MAGAZINE: Tell us how you got started as a designer.
ÁGATHA RUIZ DE LA PRADA: I started in the beginning of the 80s in Madrid and at that time there was something called La Movida Madrileña and it was one of the magic periods. In every city there is a period that is one of the best periods of the city, and the "Movida" was one of the most exciting moments in the history of Madrid. I remember Andy Warhol coming to Spain, to Madrid and he stayed here for one week. Madrid was so influenced by New York that it was a big party for a week!

FM: What inspires you as a designer?
ÁRDLP: At the beginning, I was very much inspired by contemporary art. My father, an architect, was the best collector of contemporary art in the 60s and 70s in Spain, so I was very much influenced by that.

FM: What is your design process?
ÁRDLP: Now I have a big team and we are working with all kinds of things. I even have a collection of security doors and last year I launched a collection of tweezers with Tweezerman in New York. For example, we did an opening in Madrid for Posters. Last year we did 12. I do a lot of things with graphic design for book covers and such. Next week in Columbia, I will be designing a garden for the first time in my life. I’m working with natural flowers and it’s going to be a mystery how it turns out because it depends on so many things, including the weather! I have a very funny job because it’s always different.

FM: What do you think about Chicago?
ÁRDLP: Chicago is an amazing city for architecture. It was one of my dreams to go there because I come from a family of architects. If I would have been one, I would have been the 9th generation of architects. I know that Chicago is the best city for architecture in the world!

FM: You are a fashion architect.
ÁRDLP: Yes. I am a frustrated architect, but I try to do as much architecture with fashion as I can.

FM: How would you like to be remembered as a designer?
ÁRDLP: I would like to be remembered as a very colorful designer and I would like to be remembered as someone who was very interested in the environment. I have been in the green party all my life. I am obsessed with that. I hope the future of fashion has a lot to do with ecology and with ethics, also. I would never do a collection with animals or with furs.

FM: What is something people don’t know about you?
ÁRDLP: I think you have to have your little mysteries, no? If all your life is public, it’s horrible. I live in Spain with a very powerful journalist and he has a lot of powerful enemies. So when you have a lot of powerful enemies, you have to be very good because anything you do can be known and go against you, so at the end you become very conventional.

To view more images from the fashion show, click here. For more information, visit www.agatharuizdelaprada.com
-Melissa Maynard

Cancún Launches New Tourism Campaign with Fashion Show

Ágatha Ruíz de la Prada

“I’ve never had a fashion show at a beach or in daylight, so for me it’s going to be a surprise. I don’t know what’s going to happen!" Ágatha Ruíz de la Prada divulged before her fashion show in Cancún which also featured local Méxican designers Pineda Covalin, David Salomon, Daniel Espinosa and Erika Flores. The Cancún Convention & Visitors Bureau kicked off their new tourism campaign, “Cancún and the Treasures of the Caribbean” at the La Amada Hotel in Playa Mujeres with a stunning fashion show on the beach. Media from the U.S., Canada and Mexico, along with local socialites and dignitaries attended the show that celebrated international and local fashion design.

Pineda Covalin

Designers Cristina Pineda and Ricardo Covalin of Pineda Covalin showcased a rich collection of beautifully patterned dresses in green, mustard yellow and a gorgeous pink dress with tiered ruffles. It’s clear the design duo is inspired by their rich culture and history, and is taking the international design world by storm.

Erika Flores

Erika Flores showed a locally inspired floral swimsuit, white and colorful cover-ups, long and short dresses and even stunning wedding gowns.

Dress by David Salomon, jewels by Daniel Espinoza

Cancún-based designer David Salomon perfected the little black dress on the runway (accented with jewelry by Daniel Espinosa), but we couldn’t help but swoon over his asymmetrical, sky blue gown. Spain’s Ágatha Ruíz de la Prada sent architectural gems down the runway that were full of color and shape. Factio favorites included a green tulle mini dress embellished with her signature hearts and a pink button-down romper, among several other candy colored confections. “I would like to be remembered as a very colorful designer,” she told us. (Read our exclusive interview with the designer here). After the show, VIP’s dined on gourmet cuisine from five of México’s top chefs serving signature dishes like tikinxic style fish and lobster pizza.

In launching “Cancún and the Treasures of the Caribbean” from February 28th to March 6, Factio had the opportunity to check out all of the latest activities and destinations in the region that makes this campaign so unique, such as the Selvática zip lines in Puerto Morelos for the adventure seeker; Holbox Island, the perfect destination for pure and subtle luxury; and snorkling in Cozumel, home to one of the best reefs in the region. For more information about Cancún, visit cancun.travel.com

To view more images from the fashion show, click here.

*Photos by Factio Media

Best Dressed 2010 Oscars with Corri McFadden, Founder of Edrop-Off

Corri McFadden of Edrop-Off

The Oscars is consistently one of our favorite red carpet events, so this year we caught up with fashionista Corri McFadden, the stylish founder of Edrop-Off (the go-to shop for luxury, designer consignment) to get her favorite looks from the red carpet. Oscar night, we were following her live tweets straight from The Elysian hotel. Like her style too? Follow her @StyleInfuence.

Here's what she loved...

Rachel McAdams

Rachel wore Elie Saab Haute Couture. With a feminine sweetheart neckline, panes of organza and a hand pleated bodice, her look was whimsical and romantic. She topped off her look with barely-there makeup.

Zoe Saldana

Zoe chose a gorgeous dress by Riccardo Tisci of Givenchy. This is a perfect example of taking risks in fashion and succeeding! The sequined bodice and shadow-dyed bouffant made for a show stopping look.

Sandra Bullock

Sandra looked stunning in her Marchesa gown. The gold beading and delicate embroidery flattered her figure perfectly. Sandra chose sleek hair and punchy red lips to finish her look.

Meryl Streep

Meryl was glowing in a gorgeously draped Chris March gown. She kept her accessories classic with Jimmy Choo heels and a Swarovski clutch. Holding sixteen Oscar nominations, Meryl’s look is still top notch!

Kate Winslet

Channeling old Hollywood, Kate wore an Yves Saint Lauren gown accented with wavy locks and a fresh face. Her simple, seek look was only made more beautiful with her classy attitude.

Kathryn Bigelow

As the first female to win Best Director, Kathryn definitely looked Oscar worthy! Her Yves Saint Laurent gown showed off her statuesque beauty perfectly. You go girl!

Carey Mulligan

Carey goes fashion forward in a Prada gown decorated with miniature scissors and forks. This dress works perfectly with her proportions and she knew not to over-accessorize- earrings being her only bling of the evening.

Maggie Gyllenhaal

Maggie’s Dries van Noten dress was a playful and fresh choice. The blue patterned gown brought out her baby blue eyes. She definitely lit up the red carpet!

Cameron Diaz

Cameron knows you can never go wrong with an Oscar de la Renta gown. Constructed with champagne tulle, metallic ribbon, and gold palette embroidery, Cameron was all a-glow!

Penelope Cruz

Penelope chose Donna Karan Couture. The burgundy, ruched gown flattered her figure perfectly. Simple jewels and subtle make-up paired perfectly with this look.