Inspiration, especially when it comes to clothing, can come from anywhere. But what happens when that inspiration crosses a line and an important part of a culture is co-opted? Tara MacInnis explores the difference between appreciation and appropriation.
Venezuela is a country where beautiful women reign - but not all beauty comes naturally. An increasing number of Venezuelan women go under the knife each year to achieve the curves they want. With cultural perception over realistic body proportions changing dramatically, mannequins in shop windows have also begun to reflect these outrageous measurements.
Window displays are our first glimpse at what a shop has to offer. They can draw us in, or turn us away, making the people who decide what they contain invaluable to the success of the store. But what does it take to effectively capture our attention? The Premium International Fashion Trade show has discovered a woman who knows - Mercé Soler, winner of the 2013 window dresser award.
Certain traits are passed down through generations - things like hair colour, height and stubbornness. But for the Metrick family, their most outstanding inherited trait is a love for home furnishings and a business that has seen this love last for 95 years. Tara MacInnis speaks with the founder's great grandsons to find out more about the diverse threads that unite Elte Home and Carpet.
Mixing fashion and philanthropy is nothing new. But The Brides’ Project puts a special twist on it, turning the emotional process of purchasing a wedding gown into an opportunity to give back - a unique experience that lasts much longer than the walk down the aisle.
Fashion is an industry that thrives on the beauty of youth. However, until now, protection of the those that actually work within it has been largely overlooked around the world. On November 20, the state of New York will be the first to amend its labour laws to include underage models.
In her 60-year career, Edith Head worked on 1,131 films, creating beautiful outfits for some of the most famous women - and men - in Hollywood. Although Head passed away in 1981, her memory and ambition lives on thanks to Susan Claassen and her one-woman touring play titled A Conversation With Edith Head.
Olivier Rousteing took the Balmain helm at the age of 26, Alexander Wang became the creative director of Balenciaga at 28, and Marc Jacobs began his 16-year tenure as creative director with Louis Vuitton aged 34. Keen to understand the motivation behind hiring younger talent, The Genteel spoke with three Canadian designers who established their impressive careers at an early age.
