REPOST: The Kimye-Vogue Backlash

Anna Wintour’s decision to put Kim Kardashian and Kanye West on the cover of Vogue did not sit well with subscribers, fashionistas, and concerned citizens who question Kardashian’s credibility to grace the renowned magazine. This article discusses the public backlash.

Image Source: yahoo.com

 “There’s no way Kim Kardashian shouldn’t be on the cover of Vogue, she’s like the most intriguing woman right now. She’s got Barbara Walters calling her like everyday.”

None other than Kanye West, the loudest—and most innovative—voice in hip-hop, made this proclamation to Ryan Seacrest in an interview late last year.

West finally got his wish.

The couple will grace the cover of Vogue’s April issue. Shot by famed photographer Annie Leibovitz, the image resembles a mock wedding photo, with Kardashian in a cream-colored wedding gown flanked by West in a blue suit, and is accompanied by the headline: “KIM & KANYE: Their fashionable life and surreal times” as well as the lengthy hashtag “#WORLDSMOSTTALKEDABOUTCOUPLE”—an apparent nod to West’s viral disclaimer that he tapped out amid his mini-feud with late night host Jimmy Kimmel: #NODISRESPECTTOBENAFFLECK.

Kardashian was elated by the news.

And understandably so. There had been rumors flying for years that Vogue editrix Anna Wintour had it out for Kardashian. New York magazine reported that the reality star-entrepreneur had been banned for years from the Wintour-curated Met Gala, one of the biggest events of the fashion season that attracts every A-lister imaginable. Kardashian finally attended the mega-event last year, accompanied by West, but was conveniently cropped out of Vogue’s Best Dressed gallery.  And just last March, a vicious rumor was reported by various publications that Wintour had labeled the reality star-entrepreneur “the worst thing since socks and sandals.”

In May, Us Weekly reported that West and Kardashian dined with Wintour at her New York City home—just months before the hip-hop impresario proposed to her at San Francisco’s AT&T Park while a 50-person orchestra played Lana Del Rey’s sultry ballad “Young and Beautiful.”

Any rumored beef between fashion’s gatekeeper and the superstar couple has been quashed, according to Wintour’s letter from the editor in the issue.

“Part of the pleasure of editing Vogue, one that lies in a long tradition of this magazine, is being able to feature those who define the culture at any given moment, who stir things up, whose presence in the world shapes the way it looks and influences the way we see it. I think we can all agree on the fact that that role is currently being played by Kim and Kanye to a T. (Or perhaps that should be to a K?),” she wrote.

“As for the cover, my opinion is that it is both charming and touching, and it was, I should add, entirely our idea to do it; you may have read that Kanye begged me to put his fiancée on Vogue‘s cover. He did nothing of the sort. The gossip might make better reading, but the simple fact of the matter is that it isn’t true.”

There were, nonetheless, hordes of detractors—including Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s Sarah Michelle Gellar, of all people—who took to Twitter to voice their disapproval over the Kimye cover.

Seems a bit precious. Vogue has, after all, previously featured The Spice Girls, Britney Spears, Sienna Miller, and more on its cover, and has been angling towards more celebrity-driven content for ages, so why not Kimye, arguably the fourth most popular couple in the country (after the Obama’s, Jay Z-Beyoncé, and Jolie-Pitt)? It's no longer the highbrow mecca of fashion it once was.

Elizabeth Rehnke is a dedicated promoter and follower of the latest fashions. Read more articles on fashion on this blog.

REPOST: Golden Globes 2014: The va-va-voom and OMG! fashion moments

The 71st Golden Globes kicked off this year's awards season, which honors the best in film, television, and music from the previous year. However, red carpet fashion always outlasts the ceremonies as the talk of town. Booth Moore of The Los Angeles Times weighs in on the fashion statements present during this event.

 Lupita Nyong'o arrives for the 71st Golden Globes Awards show. Image Source: LATimes.com

There was a lot of va-va-voom red, metallic beige and anything-but-basic black on the red carpet at the Golden Globes on Sunday night. And sure, Lupita Nyong'o's dramatic Ralph Lauren red silk cape gown, Cate Blanchett's luxe black lace Armani and Naomi Watts' white gold Tom Ford column looked perfect.

But what kind of fun is that?

Luckily, there were also plenty of fashion wild cards to heat up the night.

It looked like a ruffle was wearing Paula Patton. But no, it wasn't a dryer sheet — it was a dress by under-the-radar French fashion designer Stéphane Rolland. And it may have been the best thing to happen to an awards show since Björk laid an egg.

Jennifer Lawrence's ring of pouf by Dior was also odd. The Daily Mail likened it to "a glam coffee filter," and I'd have to agree.

Julia Roberts' black strapless gown-and-white shirt combo by Dolce & Gabbana was almost an antifashion choice. One keyboard critic said it made her look like a waitress, but it reminded me of Sharon Stone's 1998 Oscar moment, when she paired a Gap white button-down shirt with a Vera Wang ball skirt. Maybe Roberts is onto something. The 1990s, after all, are back in big way.

Then there was the controversy over Hayden Panettiere's black-and-white Ford gown. She told E! Entertainment TV that she had been "begging" for a dress by the American designer. "I'd wear a plastic bag if it was designed by him." But Ford's office did not dress the "Nashville" star. Could she have actually paid retail for the style? I actually think that's pretty cool.

The red carpet was also the site of a battle of the well-dressed baby bumps. Kerry Washington, who is expecting her first child later this year, enlisted Balenciaga designer Alexander Wang to create a bonded silk crepe gown in pale green with a flattering petal effect across the front. Meanwhile, Olivia Wilde, who is expecting with fiancé Jason Sudeikis, went to Gucci for her emerald-green metallic embroidered silk georgette long-sleeve gown, which created a serpentine effect. And Drew Barrymore, pregnant with her second child, wore a version of a spring 2014 Monique Lhuillier runway look — a short-sleeve dress with a high-low hem and all-over organza floral embroidery. All the dresses were terrific, but the sweet subtlety of Washington's won me over.

Zoe Saldana can always be counted on to rock an edgy look, but the collage-like Prabal Gurung gown she was wearing had too much going on. I preferred Sandra Bullock's Gurung gown, in a striking pink, purple and blue color block design that reminded me of a beach umbrella — in a good way.

My favorite out-of-the-box choice? Rashida Jones' white gown embroidered with gold palm trees by Italian designer Fausto Puglisi. Pure paradise.

More updates on the fashion industry can be found on this Elizabeth Rehnke Facebook page.

REPOST: The Biggest Fashion News of 2013

2013 is about to end but not without a recap of the year's biggest stories that shook the fashion industry. Blue Carreon rounds up these events on Forbes.

English: Marc Jacobs (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Image Source: forbes.com

The departure of Marc Jacobs from Louis Vuitton easily takes the cake. Jacobs announced his departure immediately after his spring 2014 show for Louis Vuitton, a show he dedicated to his many muses with a set that featured many of his iconic props from his past 16 years at the maison.

Jil Sander left the house she founded for the third time leaving many to question the future of the well-loved brand. Personal reasons were reported to be the impetus for her exit.

In early 2013, Alexander Wang showed his first collection for Balenciaga. Unsure of what to expect from the designer largely known for his stylish take on t-shirts and sweats, Wang surpassed expectations with his confident first showing which featured constructed separates, coats with that Balenciaga cocoon effect, peplum skirts and a marble print.

Balenciaga, fall 2013 Image Source: runway.blog.nytimes.com

In April 2013, Dolce & Gabbana were reported to have been found guilty of tax evasion and were handed a fine of roughly 343 euros and a jail sentence of under two years. The design duo protested the ruling by closing its stores. In a statement, they maintained that they “live in Italy, we pay taxes in Italy.”

Working conditions in clothing factories, especially those in Bangladesh, were exposed after a couple of tragedies including a deadly fire and the worst of all, the collapse of a factory building which killed over 1000 workers.

H&M launched its collaboration with French designer Isabel Marant. Reed Krakoff, the designer and visionary who made Coach the behemoth that it is now, announced in April that he wasn’t going to renew his contract with Coach when it expires in June 2014 because he wants to concentrate on his eponymous label.

First Lady Michelle Obama picked one of Krakoff’s designs for the official swearing-in for her husband’s second term. Throughout the inauguration events, she wore pieces from Thom Browne and Michael Kors. For the inauguration ball, she chose a gown from Jason Wu, the same designer who made her first inauguration frock.

Across the pond, Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, was the epitome of impeccable maternity style. She opted to wear beautifully cut A-line dresses and coats while she carried her first born.

(Source: WPA Pool/Getty Images Europe, Newspix/Bauer-Griffin.Com, Gf/Bauer Griffin)
Image Source: stylebistro.com

The Metropolitan Museum of New York was invaded by punks or at least by those who tried to channel the punk culture with the Costume Institute exhibit from Punk: From Chaos to Couture. Paris held a retrospective of Azzedine Alaia’s work at the Palais Galliera in the Musee de la Mode, which rivaled Paris Fashion Week. And the Brooklyn Museum staged a well-received exhibition of Jean Paul Gaultier’s body of work.


Fashionista Elizabeth Rehnke likes to step out in style all year round. Follow her on this Google page for news on fashion trends.

REPOST: Let's Dance: Seven Shoes to Wear for a Night Out

With their recommended heel height and limited range of colors, dancing shoesmay start to all look the same to the average eye. Vogue presents a list of comfortable footwear which proves that shoes can be fashionable and functional at the same time.

Image source: Vogue

 Choosing your look for a night out is one thing, but figuring out what footwear to pair with that minidress is decidedly more difficult when you know you’ll be dancing till the wee hours. Yesterday we brought you eight of our favorite dance floors this summer and today we bring you the shoes to wear on them—from sleek black Saint Laurent boots fit for a Parisian jaunt to Charlotte Olympia stilettos that evoke old Hollywood glamour for L.A.’s Silver Lake to sexy Versace sandals practically destined for an open-air party in Ibiza.

 Jil Sander color-block zippered leather boot, $528 on forzieri.com

Image source: Vogue

 Sigerson Morrison shoe boot, $495 on thecorner.com

Image source: Vogue

 
Versace metallic chain flat sandal, $1,180 on farfetch.com

Image source: Vogue

Nike solarsoft moccasin, price upon request For more information: nike.com

Image source: Vogue

Nicholas Kirkwood for Erdem printed watersnake platform, $1,415 on matchesfashion.com
 

Image source: Vogue

Saint Laurent black lizard-embossed leather rock Chelsea boot, $1,025 ssense.com

Image source: Vogue

Charlotte Olympia metallic decodent sandal, $1,075 modaoperandi.com

Image source: Vogue

St. Petersburg-based shoe lover Elizabeth Rehnke collects and blogs about different types of shoes. Read this website for more on the appropriate footwear for a range of occasions.

REPOST: Giambattista Valli: Looking Beyond the Clothes

This New York Times piece talks about Giambattista Valli’s coffee table book revealing the private side of the flamboyant designer.

Image Source: nytimes.com

Giambattista Valli’s career is a little young to be the subject of a coffee-table book. He started his signature label only in 2005 and became a couturier two years ago, so how to fill the nearly 400-page book ($100) being published this month from Rizzoli?

“I wanted to do something different,” Mr. Valli said. “I wanted to get naked. I didn’t want to show only the facade but to invite the reader into the most private side of my profession.”

He is not literally naked. Rather, Mr. Valli is barely seen in the book, beyond a few images of him working on his collection, adjusting the details, or in a portrait by Francesco Clemente that shows the designer wearing his customary pearl necklace.

But you do see his inspirations clearly, like how dresses that appear to be made of hydrangea blossoms are linked to the sculptures of Louise Bourgeois and Piero Manzoni. Mr. Valli also included an image of Lee Radziwill and Jackie Kennedy sitting on the ground because it showed the sort of relaxed beauty that informs his work. “This not an egocentric kind of book,” he said. “This is simply my method that I wanted to share with other people.”

Florida-based Elizabeth Rehnke is into fashion, sports, and travelling. Like this Facebook page to stay updated on the fashionista’s latest pursuits.

REPOST: Feel-Good Fashion: The New Black

Is the fashion world transforming to "a world of good goods?" In their article for The Wall Street Journal, Laura Neilson and Meenal Mistry discuss how a growing number of companies are laying bare everything consumers could ever want to know about—from the making of their T-shirts to their tote bags.

HOLY COW | Made by hand, of locally sourced leather, this bag meets the ethical standards set by new e-commerce site Zady. Alice D Milano Bag in Taupe and Black, $475, zady.com (Image source: wsj.com)

A FEW WEEKS AGO, Michael Preysman, the founder of fashion label Everlane, and his head of creative, Alexandra Spunt, went on a seven-day road trip through China to visit the factories where their silk blouses and cashmere sweaters are made. The purpose of the sojourn: to check in with their factories, and share their findings with customers via videos and photos to be posted on the Everlane website.

An earlier video series showing their T-shirt factory in Los Angeles had been quite popular with online visitors, said Mr. Preysman. "So we said, 'Hey why don't we tackle China?' "

The reason for the journey was partly to address skepticism surrounding Chinese facilities. "We wanted to clear up this misconception around China," said Mr. Preysman. "You can actually work with really great factories over there. And for silk, China is the best in the world." Videos and detailed images of the trip are now on the company's Tumblr page and will soon appear on its website, alongside products made there.

Everlane isn't the only fashion brand to make transparent production central to its philosophy. Just as the Slow Food movement prizes practices that are gentle on the land and the body, a wave of labels and retailers are focusing on socially responsible methods. These companies appeal to the growing number of consumers who want to know what kind of impact their purchases will have—both on the environment and, now more than ever, on other human beings.

Sweatshop labor—and the ethical issues surrounding it— is nearly as old as the Industrial Revolution. In more recent history, Nike was widely criticized for its factory practices in the '90s and early '00s; but the company has made efforts to improve its methods. Since 2005, Nike discloses the name and address of every factory it uses.

However, the issue has exploded in the past year after two major factory disasters in Bangladesh together killed more than 1,200 garment workers who were making clothes for Western companies. In response, many large companies—including H&M; Inditex, which owns Zara; and PVH, which owns Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger—recently signed the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh, an unprecedented agreement between companies and labor unions. "It's binding and enforceable; it isn't a voluntary program," said Scott Nova, the executive director of the Worker Rights Consortium, which helped develop the Accord. "There's an actual commitment from the brands and retailers to pay for the cost of making factories safe, which is a commitment they've never made before."

Still, wary consumers tend to flock to businesses that are small and independent. "The fashion industry is so globalized and uses such convoluted supply chains," said Elizabeth L. Cline, author of "Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion." "It's really the smaller fashion companies who are going to be able to provide true transparency to consumers."

Bringing many of those companies' products together in a single stylish, information-crammed location is the goal of Zady, an e-commerce site set to launch Aug. 27. Zady (pronounced zay-dee, which is both Yiddish for "grandfather" and an Arabic girl's name meaning "prosperity"), is the brainchild of Maxine Bédat, a former law clerk for the United Nations, and Soraya Darabi, a former digital media strategist and co-founder of the app Foodspotting. The site will carry some 40 labels, both American and international, including Steven Alan, Imogene + Willie denim and the English heritage brand Gloverall—a roster the owners plan to keep expanding. "We're not trying to be the neighborhood shop," said Ms. Darabi. "We want to be a global destination for people who care about the origins of products."

Ms. Bédat has some experience in ethical retailing. In 2010, she co-founded the Bootstrap Project, a nonprofit site, while working in Tanzania at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, which was prosecuting perpetrators of the genocide. In her free time, she would explore markets where she noticed that many so-called "local crafts" were made in China, while real artisans had trouble finding customers. "In globalization, those jobs and traditions were getting lost," said Ms. Bédat. "The idea behind Bootstrap was to revive them and bring jobs back to the community." On its website, you can buy a printed clutch bag from Zambia or provide a microloan to its maker—or both.

Ms. Darabi, who worked for the New York Times, was an adviser for Bootstrap. But in the pair's conversations, said Ms. Darabi, "we realized there was a for-profit venture we needed to talk about."

Enter Zady. The site uses icons to let shoppers know at a glance if something is locally sourced (to qualify if an items' raw materials come from within 100 miles of where it's made), handmade, made in the U.S., made from high-quality raw materials, environmentally conscious (e.g. made with vegetable dyes) and whether it's affiliated with the Bootstrap Project.

The site's vetting process is a work in progress. Ms. Bédat and Ms. Darabi, who are based in New York, research the practices of every brand they carry in different ways. They've visited some factories, but in many cases rely on the brands to disclose the information, requiring owners to sign contracts verifying the authenticity of their claims about sourcing and production.

"We're a small team," said Ms. Bédat. "We don't have people who are able to fly out and report back." As a result, they've turned down brands that work in countries with a known record of human-rights abuses. Instead, said Ms. Bédat, they've focused on American and European products, often from vertically integrated designers who don't outsource, making traceability a simpler prospect. As they branch out to developing countries, their plan is to work with labor organizations and human rights groups to verify that workers are safe and well-compensated.

One part of this quest for transparency is storytelling, which plays a major role in marketing strategy. Shoppers browsing Zady for Imogene + Willie's slim-cut indigo denim jeans ($225) or winter coats by Gloverall ($625) will be able to read a short brand history that the site's creators hope will provide a greater incentive to click "Buy."

The power of the story is something clearly understood by Claire Mazur and Erica Cerulo, the duo behind Of a Kind, a New York-based e-commerce site that sells limited-edition apparel and accessories by independent designers. Each label gets an introduction, often followed by related featurettes, like one on bag designer Clare Vivier's favorite Los Angeles haunts and another on a vintage shopping trip she took in her hometown of St. Paul, Minn.

For Ms. Mazur, a former arts consultant, and Ms. Cerulo, who was an editor at Details and Lucky magazines, the stories have been essential. "How do you convince someone to spend $300 dollars on a designer they might not have heard of, on a product they've never touched?" said Ms. Mazur. "If you can tell them that story and give them that emotional attachment, we think that's going to work." Last year, Ms. Mazur said, the company's revenues were up 300% from the previous year, and the site has been turning a profit for the past nine months.

Another factor in the decision to buy is trust in fair pricing. Certainly this new conscious consumer doesn't want to save money by exploiting third-world labor, but she also doesn't want to be fleeced. That's an area where Belgian designer Bruno Pieters's venture, called Honest By, which was founded early last year, might be unmatched.

Mr. Pieters's company provides painstakingly detailed information for each item it sells: the source of every material, trimming and thread; the address and owner of its production facility; its cost breakdown and markup, as well as its carbon footprint. "I never thought about transparency or things like sustainability. You just assume it will be fine," said Mr. Pieters, who used to design for his own luxury label, as well as Hugo Boss, before taking a sabbatical in 2009.

Everlane, too, publishes the cost breakdown of each piece on its blog. The San Francisco-based company said it is able to offer high-quality basics like Supima cotton T-shirts and silk button-down blouses at prices lower than those of luxury competitors by selling only online, which keeps overhead to a minimum. Everlane products are sold at a markup of about 220% versus the industry norm of 500% to 800% times the cost-to-manufacture price.

Unlike Mr. Pieters, however, Everlane's Mr. Preysman doesn't disclose the names and addresses of factories, explaining that he doesn't want competitors moving in on his turf. However, the company uses third-party auditors to ensure its living-wage and safety standards.
Still, wary consumers tend to flock to businesses that are small and independent. "The fashion industry is so globalized and uses such convoluted supply chains," said Elizabeth L. Cline, author of "Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion." "It's really the smaller fashion companies who are going to be able to provide true transparency to consumers."

Bringing many of those companies' products together in a single stylish, information-crammed location is the goal of Zady, an e-commerce site set to launch Aug. 27. Zady (pronounced zay-dee, which is both Yiddish for "grandfather" and an Arabic girl's name meaning "prosperity"), is the brainchild of Maxine Bédat, a former law clerk for the United Nations, and Soraya Darabi, a former digital media strategist and co-founder of the app Foodspotting. The site will carry some 40 labels, both American and international, including Steven Alan, Imogene + Willie denim and the English heritage brand Gloverall—a roster the owners plan to keep expanding. "We're not trying to be the neighborhood shop," said Ms. Darabi. "We want to be a global destination for people who care about the origins of products."

Ms. Bédat has some experience in ethical retailing. In 2010, she co-founded the Bootstrap Project, a nonprofit site, while working in Tanzania at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, which was prosecuting perpetrators of the genocide. In her free time, she would explore markets where she noticed that many so-called "local crafts" were made in China, while real artisans had trouble finding customers. "In globalization, those jobs and traditions were getting lost," said Ms. Bédat. "The idea behind Bootstrap was to revive them and bring jobs back to the community." On its website, you can buy a printed clutch bag from Zambia or provide a microloan to its maker—or both.

Ms. Darabi, who worked for the New York Times, was an adviser for Bootstrap. But in the pair's conversations, said Ms. Darabi, "we realized there was a for-profit venture we needed to talk about."

Enter Zady. The site uses icons to let shoppers know at a glance if something is locally sourced (to qualify if an items' raw materials come from within 100 miles of where it's made), handmade, made in the U.S., made from high-quality raw materials, environmentally conscious (e.g. made with vegetable dyes) and whether it's affiliated with the Bootstrap Project.

The site's vetting process is a work in progress. Ms. Bédat and Ms. Darabi, who are based in New York, research the practices of every brand they carry in different ways. They've visited some factories, but in many cases rely on the brands to disclose the information, requiring owners to sign contracts verifying the authenticity of their claims about sourcing and production.

"We're a small team," said Ms. Bédat. "We don't have people who are able to fly out and report back." As a result, they've turned down brands that work in countries with a known record of human-rights abuses. Instead, said Ms. Bédat, they've focused on American and European products, often from vertically integrated designers who don't outsource, making traceability a simpler prospect. As they branch out to developing countries, their plan is to work with labor organizations and human rights groups to verify that workers are safe and well-compensated.

One part of this quest for transparency is storytelling, which plays a major role in marketing strategy. Shoppers browsing Zady for Imogene + Willie's slim-cut indigo denim jeans ($225) or winter coats by Gloverall ($625) will be able to read a short brand history that the site's creators hope will provide a greater incentive to click "Buy."

The power of the story is something clearly understood by Claire Mazur and Erica Cerulo, the duo behind Of a Kind, a New York-based e-commerce site that sells limited-edition apparel and accessories by independent designers. Each label gets an introduction, often followed by related featurettes, like one on bag designer Clare Vivier's favorite Los Angeles haunts and another on a vintage shopping trip she took in her hometown of St. Paul, Minn.

For Ms. Mazur, a former arts consultant, and Ms. Cerulo, who was an editor at Details and Lucky magazines, the stories have been essential. "How do you convince someone to spend $300 dollars on a designer they might not have heard of, on a product they've never touched?" said Ms. Mazur. "If you can tell them that story and give them that emotional attachment, we think that's going to work." Last year, Ms. Mazur said, the company's revenues were up 300% from the previous year, and the site has been turning a profit for the past nine months.

Another factor in the decision to buy is trust in fair pricing. Certainly this new conscious consumer doesn't want to save money by exploiting third-world labor, but she also doesn't want to be fleeced. That's an area where Belgian designer Bruno Pieters's venture, called Honest By, which was founded early last year, might be unmatched.

Mr. Pieters's company provides painstakingly detailed information for each item it sells: the source of every material, trimming and thread; the address and owner of its production facility; its cost breakdown and markup, as well as its carbon footprint. "I never thought about transparency or things like sustainability. You just assume it will be fine," said Mr. Pieters, who used to design for his own luxury label, as well as Hugo Boss, before taking a sabbatical in 2009.

Everlane, too, publishes the cost breakdown of each piece on its blog. The San Francisco-based company said it is able to offer high-quality basics like Supima cotton T-shirts and silk button-down blouses at prices lower than those of luxury competitors by selling only online, which keeps overhead to a minimum. Everlane products are sold at a markup of about 220% versus the industry norm of 500% to 800% times the cost-to-manufacture price.

Unlike Mr. Pieters, however, Everlane's Mr. Preysman doesn't disclose the names and addresses of factories, explaining that he doesn't want competitors moving in on his turf. However, the company uses third-party auditors to ensure its living-wage and safety standards.

Experts in the field of ethical sourcing and trade still encourage skepticism, no matter how warm and fuzzy a website makes one feel. "There is a lot of consumer concern, and there is a tendency for smaller companies to want to exploit it," said Mr. Nova of the Worker Rights Consortium. "That can be a very positive motivation, but the concern is that there are people who, out of cynicism or lack of understanding, are not making verifiable claims."
Experts in the field of ethical sourcing and trade still encourage skepticism, no matter how warm and fuzzy a website makes one feel. "There is a lot of consumer concern, and there is a tendency for smaller companies to want to exploit it," said Mr. Nova of the Worker Rights Consortium. "That can be a very positive motivation, but the concern is that there are people who, out of cynicism or lack of understanding, are not making verifiable claims."

Elizabeth Rehnke lauds the move of fashion houses to become more transparent about how they produce their goods. Like this Facebook page for more discussions and updates about the fashion industry.

Punk fashion goes beyond chaos

Image source: metmuseum.org

Does punk really mean chaos? Does punk provoke anarchy? Does punk desire to overthrow the hippies? These are some of the reflections of the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York in the exhibition Punk: From Chaos to Couture.

Image source: metmuseum.org

The mingling of fashion and punk is often misconstrued as an unfair juxtaposition, with both frequently overstepping one another in redefining each other. If the Elizabeth Rehnke style book is to be consulted, the key to understanding both is not in pitting them against each other as separate art entities, but by contextualizing them in a single process of transforming an idea into a visible creation that submits to the creators’ liking.

Image source: metmuseum.org

The Punk: From Chaos to Couture exhibition deliberately goes beyond chaos to allow the designers’ intellectual forces merge with established realities surrounding punk culture and to let the designers’ own point of view flow freely through their creations. Fashion becomes the designers’ blank canvass while their cultural inclination becomes the style – this complementarity steers spectators toward cultural investigation.

Click here for more fashion and style tidbits, courtesy of Elizabeth Rehnke.