Leather Dismay

It is definitely turning toward that winter weather out today. Whether I am in Starbucks getting my signature holiday drink or trying to stay cozy in my bed for that extra minute in the morning, I just can’t seem to get fully warm.

I was thinking about investing in some leather gloves for my trek to and from classes so I decided to do some research. Too bad the first article I discovered discussed leather gloves containing unacceptable chemicals that could permanently damage skin or cause infections.

“In a recent review by German eco-friendly consumer protection magazine OekoTest, only two of seventeen gloves tested passed. Thirteen were rated unsatisfactory, and two as inadequate,” says writer Christine Lepisto.

Those numbers are a little frightening, so I kept reading.

One of the gloves that cleared the test was a glove from one of my favorite stores, H&M.  None of the chemicals that were seen as hazardous had any trace in my faithful store’s gloves.

The main reason gloves have these chemicals is due to the tanning processes. In the fashion industry, irregularities in the color indicate poor quality (although that means they are real). Some of the unacceptable chemicals in the tanning process were chromium, Chloroparaffins, lead, and aniline. Some of these have been banned in other countries and all have been tested to cause allergic reactions or worse.

This problem is more than a fashion industry slip-up. It is causing many leather glove customers to stir in their seats and raise questions. The public relations corporations and media have been working to make sure that the gloves will be produced correctly and it will not happen again.

Fashionista Meets Techanista

On Saturday, November 12 of this year, General Assembly held a session to discuss the ever-changing blurred line of fashionistas and techanistas.

Among their topics discussed are the future of flash sales, co-creation, rise of subscription commerce, mobile commerce and social media. They explored the ways all of these fit into the fashion industry and ways to improve their personal brand through different means of technology.

This session occurred because while many brands are testing the waters of social media and technological advances to help drive their sales or marketing, not as many have adopted the idea.

I know personally, I have taken advantage of at least one flash sale in the midst of my online retail shopping, but it’s surprising how many companies have not taken advantage of this tactic. The session discussed how to utilize flash sales and draw a larger fan base.

Fashion brands are falling behind the rise of innovative technology simply because fashion has been around for so long and has adapted to techniques that work. With such a high profile industry as fashion, it is crucial for them to maintain that high standard; therefore, they are more likely to stay with tactics that have always worked best for them.

Up until the age of technology, the only way to see what was on sale was to go to the physical store. Now we have apps, emails, evites, and social media platforms to spread the word.

The session’s main goal was to turn the frustration of adopting social media into a full opportunity for success.

Furry Controversy

Banning fur in Hollywood starting in September 2013? Isn’t that against fashion code? Well it has been made official that Hollywood will be the  first city in the country to ban fur apparel. Fur has always been a statement of high fashion and status. Now that fur is being banned for many reasons, some obvious and some not so much, it is causing controversy from all sides of the matter.

“But this city, a popular hangout for celebrities, is also image conscious. And retailers warned that the ban could have a devastating effect on the high fashion industry in West Hollywood, which has only begun to attract big name designers within the last several years,” says writer Ian Lovett.

And he is right. When people think of the glamorous West Hollywood, they think of image and the way it is portrayed to be the high fashion and high profile lifestyle of the rich and famous. He is worried that the banning of fur will cause a negative backlash because it is such a high fashion staple. Retailers who are strongly against the banning of fur believe they can reverse the policy before the enforcement begins in two years.

There are also many people that are for the banning and have had peaceful rallies in downtown West Hollywood to show their support. They do not show hatred for those who own fur already, but rather understand what it means to have it be banned and are extremely supportive.

Although this is just one city that is impacted so far by the banning of fur apparel, it is starting in one of the least likely places. A city that revolves around image is causing a media sensation and a public relations frenzy from both extremes. This has never happened before and it is taking the fashion industry by storm.

Fashion Week from Yours Truly

It’s just about my favorite time of the year: Fashion Week! But with the recent advancements in social media, this year’s Week is bound to be larger than ever before.

Social media is literally transforming the way people approach Fashion Week and the designers in it. Not only is there more access to play-by-play fashion shows directly from New York, but also in-depth interviews with the designers themselves and a more personal outlook on the behind the scenes work.

Twitter, Tumblr, and Instagram are the primary new social media platforms that have sky-rocketed the marketing for Fashion Week simply because of their instant sharing of photos and videos. The fashion industry is about presentation, the interest in creation and inspiration of the designers. With the capabilities to expand to new platforms, the opportunities for promotion and marketing are endless.

I personally think the most interesting aspect of platforms such as Instagram or Twitter is perspective. There could be twenty people all taking pictures of the same fashion show and instantly posting them to their choice social media, but every single one could be different. This is even true from seeing photos in Vogue magazine in comparison to an Instagram photo. Fashion photography is composed and produced; personal photography is raw and real. There is no room for augmentation (besides the occasional black and white photo).

You become the producer of reality.

Before the intelligence of modern technology, the primary way of getting information was through news releases, magazine articles and television interviews. We have officially transformed into the world of instant information.

Inspiration from Italy

Within the fashion industry, collaboration with major retailers is the best way to introduce new designers or create a larger following. H&M is one example of a major retailer that has collaborated with many designers to create a wider range of products and to promote their company to different customers.

The first time I walked into the heavenly store of H&M, I was astounded by how many different categories of clothing they had. The newest addition to the company is Marni. This Italian fashion house has taken the inspiration from Marni’s original prints for both men and women.

“I wanted to create a true Marni wardrobe by revisiting all our favorite pieces in signature fabrics and prints. As always, I love juxtaposing prints and colors, mixing modern tribal with Bauhaus graphic adding sporty utilitarian elements,” explained Castiglioni, the label’s founder and creative director.

The name in itself will draw quite the crowd, but the marketing and public relations aspects for the release on March 8, 2012 is what creates the excitement. Until the release of the line, they will be having pre-shows of the clothing and ways to get involved more. Although this may not be the biggest line in 2012, they have gone international and created quite the buzz all over the world.

TOMS Big Mustache

Ladies, we did it. We survived friends and family members becoming wooly mammoths for the month of Movember. This once a year phenomenon happens all over the world in the month of November to fundraise money and become walking billboards for the sometimes ignored conversation around men’s health, especially prostate cancer. The participant’s main goal is to raise money and sponsors for four main reasons: survivorship, awareness and education, prostate cancer research and influencing change in men’s health.

Many companies have aided this effort and promoted Movember through their own campaigns. One company that stood out to me was TOMS shoes. For each person who signs up on the Movember internet site, TOMS shoes donated one dollar to the foundation. They also created a limited edition pair of TOMS shoes specifically for Movember. Not only did they do their personal donations for each sign up, they also teamed with Virgin America and UrbanDaddy in their hopes of raising enough awareness and money for the continual research of prostate cancer.

On the main TOMS blog, multiple updates on the participants informed blog readers of facts about men’s health, prostate cancer, and surprising statistics. This fashion designer went above and beyond their corporate responsibility and put a lot of effort into the successes of Movember. They also teamed with them last year and it proved to be a success.

The fashion industry does more than make clothing or inspire your next outfit. They have a global impact. One mustache at a time.