Check out these celebrity gossip images:
Joseph Carrillo Keller Cove 2011 8
Image by Joseph W Carrillo
An open water swim race at Kellers Beach Park, Richmond, California
www.josephwcarrillo.com/
Showing posts with label Cruise Celebrity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cruise Celebrity. Show all posts
Joseph Carrillo Keller Cove 2011 8
Demi Moore - Palms Casino, Las Vegas
A few nice celebrity gossip images I found:
Demi Moore - Palms Casino, Las Vegas
Image by Kaloozer
See more at www.kalooz.com
Follow Kalooz on YouTube at www.youtube.com/TheKaloozer and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/kalooz
Jamie Foxx Live - Hard Rock Casino, Las Vegas
Image by Kaloozer
See more at www.kalooz.com
Follow Kalooz on YouTube at www.youtube.com/TheKaloozer and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/kalooz
Jamie Foxx Live - Hard Rock Casino, Las Vegas
Image by Kaloozer
See more at www.kalooz.com
Follow Kalooz on YouTube at www.youtube.com/TheKaloozer and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/kalooz
Cool Celebrity Gossip images
Some cool celebrity gossip images:
Fashion media workshop (16-18 year olds)
Image by London College of Fashion short courses
Taught from an 'insider' perspective, this course gives a revealing yet realistic insight into the inner workings of the fashion media. Highlights include examining the role of key players within the industry in order to understand where or how they fit into the bigger picture, and learning the truth behind hype, gossip and celebrity product placement.
Cool Celebrity Gossip images
A few nice celebrity gossip images I found:
Gary Bigeni
Image by Eva Rinaldi Celebrity and Live Music Photographer
Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week; Cruise Bar hosts famous fashion event; MBFWA business wheels in motion
Cruise Bar Hosts Fashion Week...
When it comes to style the Cruise Bar and Restaurant is a perfect host partner for the prestigious Mercedes-Benz Australian Fashion Week.
For the first time in many years, Cruise Restaurant is open to the public everyday of fashion week for lunch and dinner.
Fashion Week is Sydney’s premier fashion and lifestyle event showcasing some of our most talented and contemporary designers.
The beautiful waterfront location of Cruise Bar in Circular Quay is an ideal location to enjoy gourmet food, decadent wines and delicious cocktails while enjoying the cultural surrounds that is Fashion week.
For more information visit their official website.
Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week: Business, fashion, beauty, deals and gossip...
Sydney will be enjoying a bevy of catwalk shows and party like events as Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia commences tomorrow. But unlike the increasing number of fashion festivals across the country where people can buy tickets to events, MBFWA is invitation only.
Today was media registration day, which was quite an event in its own right.
Over five days, fashion designers show their latest collections to media reps, celebrities and retail buyers, and the response can be paramount to the bottom line.
This year happens to mark Mercedes-Benz’s return to Fashion Week as the title sponsor, which many media and fashion commentators have welcomed.
“The strong link between Mercedes-Benz and fashion was initiated in Australia with the launch of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in 1995, so it’s come full circle,” advised Mercedes-Benz senior manager of corporate communications David McCarthy.
The car maker’s Fashion Week events have spread around the world to places such as New York and Berlin, and to Swim Fashion Week in Miami.
The Mercedes-Benz’s sponsorship deal was not exactly a secret last year as Rosemount’s (wine) five-year run came to an end. The new deal is understood to be valued at million over three years but McCarthy says the details are confidential.
MBFWA comes with a many change. A key change from the festival organisers is that IMG Fashion have reduced the price of on-site venue fees. A trend over the past few years.
This year, it set back exhibitors ,250 to use the newly returned Tent at the Overseas Passenger Terminal as a catwalk venue, 00 to be a part of Fashion Week but show off-site and between 00 and 00 to showcase collections at The Rocks Pop-Up suites.
Two of the festival’s biggest names, Josh Goot and Dion Lee, pulled out a fortnight before their respective shows. The designers who have fallen by the wayside in the lead-up to the five-day event have either opted to concentrate on upcoming overseas shows (Lee), to focus on getting collections out to coincide with northern hemisphere seasons (Goot) or have chosen to disregard Fashion Week from the get-go, with Fairfax Media pointing to Alex Perry as the example.
For Melbourne Business School associate professor of marketing Mark Ritson, having Australian designers drop out is a “tricky” scenario.
“On the one hand, you have to respect any Australian designer focused on building their reputation overseas,” he says. “We are perilously under-represented in Paris and Milan.
“But at the same time, a designer has to be careful of burning branding bridges back home. That said, if Goot or Lee make it in Europe they’ll be welcomed back home in 2013 with open arms.”
Fashion Week is serious business. Alongside Mercedes-Benz, sponsors that have signed on this year include DHL, EYE, HP, Maybelline NY, Redken, Shangri-La Hotel Sydney, Pentax, Keystone Hospitality and Getty Images.
The NSW government, Destination NSW and Austrade are also supporting the event.
In addition, designers are obtaining their own sponsorships. Jayson Brunsdon’s show, for instance, is being presented by Myer and sponsored by Qantas, Woolmark, TRESemme, MAC Cosmetics and Joh Bailey.
Couture designer Johanna Johnson is the virgin Australian designer to showcase her collection at the prestigious Mercedes-Benz Presents show, which has previously featured big fashion names such as Herve Leger by Max Azria, Carolina Herrera and Badgley Mischka.
“To do [the Presents show] during our first year back was a priority,” McCarthy says.
Johnson recently found international success, with Hollywood actresses Christina Hendricks and Maya Rudolph wearing her feminine creations on the red carpet.
The show will have the same feel – glamour, lots of hand-beading and detailed finishes.
“I hadn’t really considered doing it and was focusing more on overseas expansion this year,” Johnson says.
“But we’re having so much feedback from Australians wanting to know more now, it will be really good to showcase our luxury lifestyle line and red carpet ready-to-wear.”
She initially signed on to show in the smallest of the three catwalk venues, the Box, but had to move the show to the Tent (the biggest) as the number of outfits she wanted to parade expanded.
“It’s our debut show so we want it done as well as it possibly can be,” she says.
Australian accessories giant Oroton is launching its first ready-to-wear collection. But for creative director Ana Maria Escobar, the clothes are there to show off the accessories – be they handbags, jewellery or shoes.
“The biggest thing is when I walked into the stores, I saw they needed something soft to highlight the accessories,” she says.
Customers can expect “understated quality” from the new Oroton clothing range.
“To me, functionality is important,” Escobar says.
“So are the materials . . . it can be a simple singlet but made out of really beautiful silk or customised fabrics. There’s a tone of heritage as well.”
While Oroton views Fashion Week as important, Escobar says there is also “life beyond those 15 minutes on the catwalk”.
For the retailer, it’s about reminding people of the brand.
“We want to talk a little louder about the product we design,” she says. “Fashion Week gives us that space without having to scream.”
This year, a great spread of overseas buyers will be in attendance, many from online retailers such as Net-A-Porter, My Wardrobe, Shopbop, Moda Operandi and ASOS. Department store Harvey Nichols and Hong Kong-based Joyce will also have buyers present.
The retail picture in Australia is not particularly strong, and IBISWorld analysts are predicting growth for the local rag trade over the coming financial year will be flat at just 0.5 per cent.
IBISWorld general manager Karen Dobie says the high Australian dollar is a double-edged sword for retailers, as local vendors can buy overseas at a favourable rate, but increasingly tech-savvy competition is straining profit margins.
New to MBFWA: Dylan Cooper; Flowers for a Vagabond; Toi et Moi Sydney; By Johnny; Oroton; Watson x Watson; An Ode to No One; Jenny Kee; Aje; Roppa Pemmaraju; Bless’d Are The Meek and Nana Judy
Not present this year: Dion Lee; Josh Goot; Alex Perry; Arnsdorf; Morrison; Friend of Mine; Flannel; Karla Spetic; Lover; Therese Rawsthorne; Ms Couture; Rachel Gilbert; Little Joe Woman (voluntary administration); Nookie; Amber & Thomas; Marnie Skillings; Kate Sylvester; Shakuhachi; Bianca Spender; Dhini; Camilla & Marc; White Suede; Yeojin Bae; Lisa Blue; Limedrop; Stolen Girlfriends Club; Alistair Trung; Saint Augustine Academy (which shut up shop late last year)
Returning to the show: Romance Was Born; Camilla; Aurelio Costarella; Ksubi; Jayson Brunsdon; Akira
Camilla...
Since launching her label eight years ago, Camilla Franks continues to receive global recognition as an Australian designer who has a unique approach to creating colorful, playful and luxurious lifestyle fashion.
Her unique ready-to-wear and resort wear designs are becoming highly sought after products, capturing the attentions of celebrities and fashionistas alike. Camilla’s global fan club (which includes the likes of Beyonce Knowles, Miranda Kerr, Kate Hudson, Lily Allen and Gwen Stefani) reached new heights 2 years ago when the queen of television, Oprah Winfrey, glowed in one of her designs while taping her ‘down under’ series. The general public and the fashion world gushed and stock sold out overnight. Camilla is definitely a brand on the move.
So, how did Camilla Franks become one of Australia’s most iconic fashion designers? This iconic brand came to be whilst Camilla was exploring her passions for theatrical artistry. Here, she embraced her inner creative spirit to craft beautiful elaborate costumes for the various characters in her productions. It wasn’t long before the Australian fashion market caught eye of these imaginative, easy-to-wear designs and catapulted Camilla on this amazing journey.
Today, Camilla has evolved from beach and resort fashion into ready-to-wear clothes that cater to all her client’s needs. Globally, Camilla has begun weaving into the various fashion niches, resulting in a kaleidoscope of high-end editorial and extending an already growing customer database.
Over eight years, Camilla has produced nine collections: these include the highly anticipated 2011/12’s Spring Summer Collection, Labyrinth; which has received significant media attention and 2012’s Autumn Winter Collection Caravanserai, Camilla’s second winter season. The success of her brand is derived from Camilla’s philosophy that “all women have the right to look and feel beautiful no matter their age, colour, size or origin”, this is also a testament to the company’s popularity and growing awareness.
Camilla is a brand that celebrates women, self-expression, beauty and individuality. The signature ‘Camilla’ piece is a statement of brilliant colour, graphics and material rhythm. It is a celebration of shapes that can be tailored to individual styles and that follow global trends.
Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia Announces Preliminary Line-up...
Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia Announces Preliminary Line-upfor Spring/Summer 2012/13 Collections
Sydney, Australia (February 29, 2012) Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia is excited to announce cult label Ksubi, celebrity favourite Camilla, Zimmermann, Lisa Ho, Toni Maticevski, Aurelio Costarella, Jayson Brunsdon, Ellery, and Carl Kapp will be amongst the line-up of designers showcasing their Spring/Summer 2012/13 Collections at Sydney’s Overseas Passenger Terminal, April 30 to May 4, 2012.
"MBFWA is a fantastic opportunity for emerging Australian designers to join already well established designers in showcasing their creations not just in venues that people expect but in venues and spaces that will reflect the diversity and vibrancy of the Australian fashion scene. The shows, presentations and locations demonstrate that MBFWA has a flavour and style that can more than hold its own around the world" says Gavin Allen, General Marketing, Mercedes-Benz Australia/Pacific.
A stand out on the 2012 schedule is expected to be Romance was Born. The label is showcasing their polished ready to wear collection combining art and wearable fashion in a sophisticated Spring Summer range. Johanna Johnson will also attract hype as she hosts an intimate salon show for her debut at MBFWA. Mixing old Hollywood charm and modern simplicity, Johnson is renowned for her recent Oscar’s role dressing starlets in her eponymous label.
Iconic Australian brand, Oroton will also debut on the runway at MBFWA for the first time demonstrating the brand is as skilled at creating Ready to Wear women’s wear as well as their well known luxury accessories.
Joining this incredible line up of iconic designers are Magdalena Velevska, Alice McCall, Lisa Maree, Gary Bigeni, Bec and Bridge, Miss Unkon, Bowie, Kooey Australia, Michael Lo Sordo, Kirrily Johnston and Talulah.
New talent showcasing for the first time, Watson x Watson are sure to excite international buyers and media with their collections, providing new ‘ones to watch’ for our global audience. Watson x Watson focus on everyday luxury and easy glamour, with a relaxed, sexy appeal that has become synonymous with Australian fashion.
Other newcomers joining the MBFWA family: We are Handsome, Aje, Elliot Ward Fear, Roopa Pemmaraju, Flowers for a Vagabond, Suboo, An Ode to No One and Project Runway Australia winner Dylan Cooper and alumni by Johnny. Designers involved in the 2012 New Generation, Fashion Design Studio and Raffles emerging talent shows will be announced shortly.
“We’re extremely excited by the response from designers and brands and are looking forward to showcasing the new seasons Spring Summer Collections in our world class facilities on site as well as sharing more of the city of Sydney’s wonderfully unique locations with our expanded off site program of shows and presentations’” says Jarrad Clark, Global Production Director, IMG Fashion.
Leveraging our global network, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia is introducing new showroom spaces, exciting venue upgrades and unique presentation spaces to ensure our line up of designers have innovative way to communicate their artistic vision for 2012.
For the first time on Australian soil, many designers will showcase their collections via a studio style presentation space known as The Box. Having established itself at MBFW in NY and Berlin, designers are redefining how they showcase their collections using this blank canvas. Australian designer Dion Lee recently used a presentation style space to showcase his collection at London Fashion Week and wowed crowds with his use of lighting to create drama and engagement around his collection without the confines of the runway.
2012 will also see the much anticipated return of The Tent. Synonymous with international fashion events, the sheer scale of The Tent showroom set on the Sydney harbour foreshore will create an incredible billboard for MBFWA and the Australian Fashion Industry for our attending local and international guests.
Key buyers will have the opportunity to get up close with designer collections during the week via a unique offering of Designer Showrooms via The Rocks Pop-Up Suites, utilising retail spaces within The Rocks historical precinct, designers will be able to house their collections off runway, and meet buyers and media in one on one appointments. It is here that designers are encouraged to create consumer offerings around the Fashion Week schedule to create more retail opportunities for our participating designer brands.
MBFWA hosts the world’s most influential buyers, media and industry players during the 5 day event and bring Sydney city to life with Fashion Week fever. With the support of our official partners, and showcasing designers, the 2012 season will be a standout year showcasing the creative energy and raw talent that Australia has to offer.
Title sponsor Mercedes-Benz is proudly supported by Government partners Destination NSW and Austrade, Maybelline New York, DHL, HP/Intel, Redken 5th Avenue NYC and EYE and as well as media outlet Getty Images. Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia is an IMG event.
The Spring Summer 2012/13 Collections will take place April 30 to May 4, 2012, Press and Industry Registration opens March 1, 2012.
For more information please visit us online at mbfashionweek.com
Follow us on Twitter @MBFWA and on the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Facebook
Websites
Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week (Australia)
australia.mbfashionweek.com
IMG Worldwide
www.imgworld.com
Cruise Bar
www.cruisebar.com.au
Eva Rinaldi Photography Flickr
www.flickr.com/evarinaldiphotography
Eva Rinaldi Photography
www.evarinaldi.com
Lisa Maree
Image by Eva Rinaldi Celebrity and Live Music Photographer
Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week; Cruise Bar hosts famous fashion event; MBFWA business wheels in motion
Cruise Bar Hosts Fashion Week...
When it comes to style the Cruise Bar and Restaurant is a perfect host partner for the prestigious Mercedes-Benz Australian Fashion Week.
For the first time in many years, Cruise Restaurant is open to the public everyday of fashion week for lunch and dinner.
Fashion Week is Sydney’s premier fashion and lifestyle event showcasing some of our most talented and contemporary designers.
The beautiful waterfront location of Cruise Bar in Circular Quay is an ideal location to enjoy gourmet food, decadent wines and delicious cocktails while enjoying the cultural surrounds that is Fashion week.
For more information visit their official website.
Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week: Business, fashion, beauty, deals and gossip...
Sydney will be enjoying a bevy of catwalk shows and party like events as Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia commences tomorrow. But unlike the increasing number of fashion festivals across the country where people can buy tickets to events, MBFWA is invitation only.
Today was media registration day, which was quite an event in its own right.
Over five days, fashion designers show their latest collections to media reps, celebrities and retail buyers, and the response can be paramount to the bottom line.
This year happens to mark Mercedes-Benz’s return to Fashion Week as the title sponsor, which many media and fashion commentators have welcomed.
“The strong link between Mercedes-Benz and fashion was initiated in Australia with the launch of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in 1995, so it’s come full circle,” advised Mercedes-Benz senior manager of corporate communications David McCarthy.
The car maker’s Fashion Week events have spread around the world to places such as New York and Berlin, and to Swim Fashion Week in Miami.
The Mercedes-Benz’s sponsorship deal was not exactly a secret last year as Rosemount’s (wine) five-year run came to an end. The new deal is understood to be valued at million over three years but McCarthy says the details are confidential.
MBFWA comes with a many change. A key change from the festival organisers is that IMG Fashion have reduced the price of on-site venue fees. A trend over the past few years.
This year, it set back exhibitors ,250 to use the newly returned Tent at the Overseas Passenger Terminal as a catwalk venue, 00 to be a part of Fashion Week but show off-site and between 00 and 00 to showcase collections at The Rocks Pop-Up suites.
Two of the festival’s biggest names, Josh Goot and Dion Lee, pulled out a fortnight before their respective shows. The designers who have fallen by the wayside in the lead-up to the five-day event have either opted to concentrate on upcoming overseas shows (Lee), to focus on getting collections out to coincide with northern hemisphere seasons (Goot) or have chosen to disregard Fashion Week from the get-go, with Fairfax Media pointing to Alex Perry as the example.
For Melbourne Business School associate professor of marketing Mark Ritson, having Australian designers drop out is a “tricky” scenario.
“On the one hand, you have to respect any Australian designer focused on building their reputation overseas,” he says. “We are perilously under-represented in Paris and Milan.
“But at the same time, a designer has to be careful of burning branding bridges back home. That said, if Goot or Lee make it in Europe they’ll be welcomed back home in 2013 with open arms.”
Fashion Week is serious business. Alongside Mercedes-Benz, sponsors that have signed on this year include DHL, EYE, HP, Maybelline NY, Redken, Shangri-La Hotel Sydney, Pentax, Keystone Hospitality and Getty Images.
The NSW government, Destination NSW and Austrade are also supporting the event.
In addition, designers are obtaining their own sponsorships. Jayson Brunsdon’s show, for instance, is being presented by Myer and sponsored by Qantas, Woolmark, TRESemme, MAC Cosmetics and Joh Bailey.
Couture designer Johanna Johnson is the virgin Australian designer to showcase her collection at the prestigious Mercedes-Benz Presents show, which has previously featured big fashion names such as Herve Leger by Max Azria, Carolina Herrera and Badgley Mischka.
“To do [the Presents show] during our first year back was a priority,” McCarthy says.
Johnson recently found international success, with Hollywood actresses Christina Hendricks and Maya Rudolph wearing her feminine creations on the red carpet.
The show will have the same feel – glamour, lots of hand-beading and detailed finishes.
“I hadn’t really considered doing it and was focusing more on overseas expansion this year,” Johnson says.
“But we’re having so much feedback from Australians wanting to know more now, it will be really good to showcase our luxury lifestyle line and red carpet ready-to-wear.”
She initially signed on to show in the smallest of the three catwalk venues, the Box, but had to move the show to the Tent (the biggest) as the number of outfits she wanted to parade expanded.
“It’s our debut show so we want it done as well as it possibly can be,” she says.
Australian accessories giant Oroton is launching its first ready-to-wear collection. But for creative director Ana Maria Escobar, the clothes are there to show off the accessories – be they handbags, jewellery or shoes.
“The biggest thing is when I walked into the stores, I saw they needed something soft to highlight the accessories,” she says.
Customers can expect “understated quality” from the new Oroton clothing range.
“To me, functionality is important,” Escobar says.
“So are the materials . . . it can be a simple singlet but made out of really beautiful silk or customised fabrics. There’s a tone of heritage as well.”
While Oroton views Fashion Week as important, Escobar says there is also “life beyond those 15 minutes on the catwalk”.
For the retailer, it’s about reminding people of the brand.
“We want to talk a little louder about the product we design,” she says. “Fashion Week gives us that space without having to scream.”
This year, a great spread of overseas buyers will be in attendance, many from online retailers such as Net-A-Porter, My Wardrobe, Shopbop, Moda Operandi and ASOS. Department store Harvey Nichols and Hong Kong-based Joyce will also have buyers present.
The retail picture in Australia is not particularly strong, and IBISWorld analysts are predicting growth for the local rag trade over the coming financial year will be flat at just 0.5 per cent.
IBISWorld general manager Karen Dobie says the high Australian dollar is a double-edged sword for retailers, as local vendors can buy overseas at a favourable rate, but increasingly tech-savvy competition is straining profit margins.
New to MBFWA: Dylan Cooper; Flowers for a Vagabond; Toi et Moi Sydney; By Johnny; Oroton; Watson x Watson; An Ode to No One; Jenny Kee; Aje; Roppa Pemmaraju; Bless’d Are The Meek and Nana Judy
Not present this year: Dion Lee; Josh Goot; Alex Perry; Arnsdorf; Morrison; Friend of Mine; Flannel; Karla Spetic; Lover; Therese Rawsthorne; Ms Couture; Rachel Gilbert; Little Joe Woman (voluntary administration); Nookie; Amber & Thomas; Marnie Skillings; Kate Sylvester; Shakuhachi; Bianca Spender; Dhini; Camilla & Marc; White Suede; Yeojin Bae; Lisa Blue; Limedrop; Stolen Girlfriends Club; Alistair Trung; Saint Augustine Academy (which shut up shop late last year)
Returning to the show: Romance Was Born; Camilla; Aurelio Costarella; Ksubi; Jayson Brunsdon; Akira
Camilla...
Since launching her label eight years ago, Camilla Franks continues to receive global recognition as an Australian designer who has a unique approach to creating colorful, playful and luxurious lifestyle fashion.
Her unique ready-to-wear and resort wear designs are becoming highly sought after products, capturing the attentions of celebrities and fashionistas alike. Camilla’s global fan club (which includes the likes of Beyonce Knowles, Miranda Kerr, Kate Hudson, Lily Allen and Gwen Stefani) reached new heights 2 years ago when the queen of television, Oprah Winfrey, glowed in one of her designs while taping her ‘down under’ series. The general public and the fashion world gushed and stock sold out overnight. Camilla is definitely a brand on the move.
So, how did Camilla Franks become one of Australia’s most iconic fashion designers? This iconic brand came to be whilst Camilla was exploring her passions for theatrical artistry. Here, she embraced her inner creative spirit to craft beautiful elaborate costumes for the various characters in her productions. It wasn’t long before the Australian fashion market caught eye of these imaginative, easy-to-wear designs and catapulted Camilla on this amazing journey.
Today, Camilla has evolved from beach and resort fashion into ready-to-wear clothes that cater to all her client’s needs. Globally, Camilla has begun weaving into the various fashion niches, resulting in a kaleidoscope of high-end editorial and extending an already growing customer database.
Over eight years, Camilla has produced nine collections: these include the highly anticipated 2011/12’s Spring Summer Collection, Labyrinth; which has received significant media attention and 2012’s Autumn Winter Collection Caravanserai, Camilla’s second winter season. The success of her brand is derived from Camilla’s philosophy that “all women have the right to look and feel beautiful no matter their age, colour, size or origin”, this is also a testament to the company’s popularity and growing awareness.
Camilla is a brand that celebrates women, self-expression, beauty and individuality. The signature ‘Camilla’ piece is a statement of brilliant colour, graphics and material rhythm. It is a celebration of shapes that can be tailored to individual styles and that follow global trends.
Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia Announces Preliminary Line-up...
Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia Announces Preliminary Line-upfor Spring/Summer 2012/13 Collections
Sydney, Australia (February 29, 2012) Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia is excited to announce cult label Ksubi, celebrity favourite Camilla, Zimmermann, Lisa Ho, Toni Maticevski, Aurelio Costarella, Jayson Brunsdon, Ellery, and Carl Kapp will be amongst the line-up of designers showcasing their Spring/Summer 2012/13 Collections at Sydney’s Overseas Passenger Terminal, April 30 to May 4, 2012.
"MBFWA is a fantastic opportunity for emerging Australian designers to join already well established designers in showcasing their creations not just in venues that people expect but in venues and spaces that will reflect the diversity and vibrancy of the Australian fashion scene. The shows, presentations and locations demonstrate that MBFWA has a flavour and style that can more than hold its own around the world" says Gavin Allen, General Marketing, Mercedes-Benz Australia/Pacific.
A stand out on the 2012 schedule is expected to be Romance was Born. The label is showcasing their polished ready to wear collection combining art and wearable fashion in a sophisticated Spring Summer range. Johanna Johnson will also attract hype as she hosts an intimate salon show for her debut at MBFWA. Mixing old Hollywood charm and modern simplicity, Johnson is renowned for her recent Oscar’s role dressing starlets in her eponymous label.
Iconic Australian brand, Oroton will also debut on the runway at MBFWA for the first time demonstrating the brand is as skilled at creating Ready to Wear women’s wear as well as their well known luxury accessories.
Joining this incredible line up of iconic designers are Magdalena Velevska, Alice McCall, Lisa Maree, Gary Bigeni, Bec and Bridge, Miss Unkon, Bowie, Kooey Australia, Michael Lo Sordo, Kirrily Johnston and Talulah.
New talent showcasing for the first time, Watson x Watson are sure to excite international buyers and media with their collections, providing new ‘ones to watch’ for our global audience. Watson x Watson focus on everyday luxury and easy glamour, with a relaxed, sexy appeal that has become synonymous with Australian fashion.
Other newcomers joining the MBFWA family: We are Handsome, Aje, Elliot Ward Fear, Roopa Pemmaraju, Flowers for a Vagabond, Suboo, An Ode to No One and Project Runway Australia winner Dylan Cooper and alumni by Johnny. Designers involved in the 2012 New Generation, Fashion Design Studio and Raffles emerging talent shows will be announced shortly.
“We’re extremely excited by the response from designers and brands and are looking forward to showcasing the new seasons Spring Summer Collections in our world class facilities on site as well as sharing more of the city of Sydney’s wonderfully unique locations with our expanded off site program of shows and presentations’” says Jarrad Clark, Global Production Director, IMG Fashion.
Leveraging our global network, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia is introducing new showroom spaces, exciting venue upgrades and unique presentation spaces to ensure our line up of designers have innovative way to communicate their artistic vision for 2012.
For the first time on Australian soil, many designers will showcase their collections via a studio style presentation space known as The Box. Having established itself at MBFW in NY and Berlin, designers are redefining how they showcase their collections using this blank canvas. Australian designer Dion Lee recently used a presentation style space to showcase his collection at London Fashion Week and wowed crowds with his use of lighting to create drama and engagement around his collection without the confines of the runway.
2012 will also see the much anticipated return of The Tent. Synonymous with international fashion events, the sheer scale of The Tent showroom set on the Sydney harbour foreshore will create an incredible billboard for MBFWA and the Australian Fashion Industry for our attending local and international guests.
Key buyers will have the opportunity to get up close with designer collections during the week via a unique offering of Designer Showrooms via The Rocks Pop-Up Suites, utilising retail spaces within The Rocks historical precinct, designers will be able to house their collections off runway, and meet buyers and media in one on one appointments. It is here that designers are encouraged to create consumer offerings around the Fashion Week schedule to create more retail opportunities for our participating designer brands.
MBFWA hosts the world’s most influential buyers, media and industry players during the 5 day event and bring Sydney city to life with Fashion Week fever. With the support of our official partners, and showcasing designers, the 2012 season will be a standout year showcasing the creative energy and raw talent that Australia has to offer.
Title sponsor Mercedes-Benz is proudly supported by Government partners Destination NSW and Austrade, Maybelline New York, DHL, HP/Intel, Redken 5th Avenue NYC and EYE and as well as media outlet Getty Images. Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia is an IMG event.
The Spring Summer 2012/13 Collections will take place April 30 to May 4, 2012, Press and Industry Registration opens March 1, 2012.
For more information please visit us online at mbfashionweek.com
Follow us on Twitter @MBFWA and on the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Facebook
Websites
Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week (Australia)
australia.mbfashionweek.com
IMG Worldwide
www.imgworld.com
Cruise Bar
www.cruisebar.com.au
Eva Rinaldi Photography Flickr
www.flickr.com/evarinaldiphotography
Eva Rinaldi Photography
www.evarinaldi.com
Cool Celebrity Gossip images
A few nice celebrity gossip images I found:
Stephen Bishop & Scott Elrod
Image by PPMG (Popular Press Media Group)
Stephen Bishop (Moneyball, Battleship) and Scott Elrod (Argo, The Switch) playing in the 8th Annual Hack n' Smack Celebrity Golf Tournament in support of Melanoma.
Cool Celebrity Gossip images
Some cool celebrity gossip images:
Joseph Carrillo cruz cruise15
Image by Joseph W Carrillo
An open water swim race at Santa Cruz California.
www.josephwcarrillo.com/
Joseph Carrillo cruz cruise36
Image by Joseph W Carrillo
An open water swim race at Santa Cruz California.
www.josephwcarrillo.com/
Nice Celebrity Gossip photos
Check out these celebrity gossip images:
Fashion media workshop (16-18 year olds)
Image by London College of Fashion short courses
Taught from an 'insider' perspective, this course gives a revealing yet realistic insight into the inner workings of the fashion media. Highlights include examining the role of key players within the industry in order to understand where or how they fit into the bigger picture, and learning the truth behind hype, gossip and celebrity product placement.
Nice Celebrity Gossip photos
A few nice celebrity gossip images I found:
Purple Hat, Strawberry Daquiri/Pina Colada, Pool, Celebrity Gossip Magazines...
Image by gliuoo
What more do you need?
Cool Celebrity Gossip images
A few nice celebrity gossip images I found:
Joseph Carrillo cruz cruise8
Image by Joseph W Carrillo
An open water swim race at Santa Cruz California.
www.josephwcarrillo.com/
Joseph Carrillo cruz cruise35
Image by Joseph W Carrillo
An open water swim race at Santa Cruz California.
www.josephwcarrillo.com/
Joseph Carrillo cruz cruise39
Image by Joseph W Carrillo
An open water swim race at Santa Cruz California.
www.josephwcarrillo.com/
Nice Celebrity Gossip photos
Some cool celebrity gossip images:
Carmen Smith, Vassi Dyulgerova
Image by Eva Rinaldi Celebrity and Live Music Photographer
Elin Kling X Guess By Marciano Capsule Collection Launch
Elin Kling X Guess By Marciano Capsule Collection Launch; East Sydney, Australia ...
East Sydney, Australia, and yet another product / fashion launch, with the usual splash of celebrities.
Firstly, Marciano is a leading lifestyle brand by Guess, so with that out of the way, a bit of colour banter to keep you interested with a bit of back story...
It's said "celebrity sells", but time will tell in seeing just how long the product world will continue to roll out the celebrities. Clearly, Guess and friends are sticking with the formula for the time being.
Of course, you have the A list, B list and C list et al... this event was a mix, to be fair. It's all really about selling product and trying to make it fly off the shelves in the end, and playing the media card. A tad more interesting than reading fashion advertisements in the even thinning Australian broadsheets - newspapers and fashion magazine advertising doesn't come cheap either. News coverage usually beats regular advertising, so the fashion and lifestyle product world will likely continue to hold bashes and parties while playing the celeb card for a while yet.
Next week Australia will get more brand launches, more fashion parties, with many of the usual suspect celebs coming along just to be seen and read about themselves in the paper - or online - whatever the case. Add a bit of gossip... you get a bit of news, and wallah - there's another PR campaign in the bag.
Fun Facts:
Guess (styled as GUESS) is an American clothing line brand. Guess also markets other fashion accessories besides clothes, such as watches, jewelry and perfumes. The company also owns the line Marciano.
The company began advertising in 1982, then later they introduced their iconic black-and-white ads in 1985.[3] The ads have won numerous Clio Awards. Their fashion models have included a number of supermodels, many of whom, such as Claudia Schiffer, Eva Herzigova, Valeria Mazza, and Laetitia Casta, first achieved prominence via these ad campaigns.
Marciano is an Italian given name and it originates from Latin Marcianus or Marcian (Saint Marcians) or "Martians" or Martianus. Also from the cult of Roman god Mars.
Elin Kling is a Swedish fashion blogger born in 1983 in Sweden. She runs a Scandinavian fashion blog called Style by Kling.
Elin Kling started off her career in fashion as a model, with her base in Milano, Italy. Over the years she has also worked within Swedish Television-business. Today she's also the editor of her own-found magazine Style By which can be bought online for iPad's, iPod's and iPhone's as well as in physical form in stores in Sweden.
Websites
Guess official website
www.guess.com
Marciano official website
www.marciano.com
Style By Kling official website
www.stylebykling.nowmanifest.com
Eva Rinaldi Photography
www.evarinaldi.com
Cassie Mathews, Matt Cameron
Image by Eva Rinaldi Celebrity and Live Music Photographer
Elin Kling X Guess By Marciano Capsule Collection Launch
Elin Kling X Guess By Marciano Capsule Collection Launch; East Sydney, Australia ...
East Sydney, Australia, and yet another product / fashion launch, with the usual splash of celebrities.
Firstly, Marciano is a leading lifestyle brand by Guess, so with that out of the way, a bit of colour banter to keep you interested with a bit of back story...
It's said "celebrity sells", but time will tell in seeing just how long the product world will continue to roll out the celebrities. Clearly, Guess and friends are sticking with the formula for the time being.
Of course, you have the A list, B list and C list et al... this event was a mix, to be fair. It's all really about selling product and trying to make it fly off the shelves in the end, and playing the media card. A tad more interesting than reading fashion advertisements in the even thinning Australian broadsheets - newspapers and fashion magazine advertising doesn't come cheap either. News coverage usually beats regular advertising, so the fashion and lifestyle product world will likely continue to hold bashes and parties while playing the celeb card for a while yet.
Next week Australia will get more brand launches, more fashion parties, with many of the usual suspect celebs coming along just to be seen and read about themselves in the paper - or online - whatever the case. Add a bit of gossip... you get a bit of news, and wallah - there's another PR campaign in the bag.
Fun Facts:
Guess (styled as GUESS) is an American clothing line brand. Guess also markets other fashion accessories besides clothes, such as watches, jewelry and perfumes. The company also owns the line Marciano.
The company began advertising in 1982, then later they introduced their iconic black-and-white ads in 1985.[3] The ads have won numerous Clio Awards. Their fashion models have included a number of supermodels, many of whom, such as Claudia Schiffer, Eva Herzigova, Valeria Mazza, and Laetitia Casta, first achieved prominence via these ad campaigns.
Marciano is an Italian given name and it originates from Latin Marcianus or Marcian (Saint Marcians) or "Martians" or Martianus. Also from the cult of Roman god Mars.
Elin Kling is a Swedish fashion blogger born in 1983 in Sweden. She runs a Scandinavian fashion blog called Style by Kling.
Elin Kling started off her career in fashion as a model, with her base in Milano, Italy. Over the years she has also worked within Swedish Television-business. Today she's also the editor of her own-found magazine Style By which can be bought online for iPad's, iPod's and iPhone's as well as in physical form in stores in Sweden.
Websites
Guess official website
www.guess.com
Marciano official website
www.marciano.com
Style By Kling official website
www.stylebykling.nowmanifest.com
Eva Rinaldi Photography
www.evarinaldi.com
Ron Perlman
A few nice celebrity gossip images I found:
Ron Perlman
Image by PPMG (Popular Press Media Group)
Ron Perlman (Hellboy, Sons of Anarchy) plays in the 8th Annual Hack n' Smack Celebrity Golf Tournament in support of Melanoma.
For more information on the Hack n' Smack Celebrity Golf Tournament: media@ppmg.info
Melissa Hoyer
Some cool celebrity gossip images:
Melissa Hoyer
Image by Eva Rinaldi Celebrity and Live Music Photographer
Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week; Cruise Bar hosts famous fashion event; MBFWA business wheels in motion
Cruise Bar Hosts Fashion Week...
When it comes to style the Cruise Bar and Restaurant is a perfect host partner for the prestigious Mercedes-Benz Australian Fashion Week.
For the first time in many years, Cruise Restaurant is open to the public everyday of fashion week for lunch and dinner.
Fashion Week is Sydney’s premier fashion and lifestyle event showcasing some of our most talented and contemporary designers.
The beautiful waterfront location of Cruise Bar in Circular Quay is an ideal location to enjoy gourmet food, decadent wines and delicious cocktails while enjoying the cultural surrounds that is Fashion week.
For more information visit their official website.
Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week: Business, fashion, beauty, deals and gossip...
Sydney will be enjoying a bevy of catwalk shows and party like events as Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia commences tomorrow. But unlike the increasing number of fashion festivals across the country where people can buy tickets to events, MBFWA is invitation only.
Today was media registration day, which was quite an event in its own right.
Over five days, fashion designers show their latest collections to media reps, celebrities and retail buyers, and the response can be paramount to the bottom line.
This year happens to mark Mercedes-Benz’s return to Fashion Week as the title sponsor, which many media and fashion commentators have welcomed.
“The strong link between Mercedes-Benz and fashion was initiated in Australia with the launch of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in 1995, so it’s come full circle,” advised Mercedes-Benz senior manager of corporate communications David McCarthy.
The car maker’s Fashion Week events have spread around the world to places such as New York and Berlin, and to Swim Fashion Week in Miami.
The Mercedes-Benz’s sponsorship deal was not exactly a secret last year as Rosemount’s (wine) five-year run came to an end. The new deal is understood to be valued at million over three years but McCarthy says the details are confidential.
MBFWA comes with a many change. A key change from the festival organisers is that IMG Fashion have reduced the price of on-site venue fees. A trend over the past few years.
This year, it set back exhibitors ,250 to use the newly returned Tent at the Overseas Passenger Terminal as a catwalk venue, 00 to be a part of Fashion Week but show off-site and between 00 and 00 to showcase collections at The Rocks Pop-Up suites.
Two of the festival’s biggest names, Josh Goot and Dion Lee, pulled out a fortnight before their respective shows. The designers who have fallen by the wayside in the lead-up to the five-day event have either opted to concentrate on upcoming overseas shows (Lee), to focus on getting collections out to coincide with northern hemisphere seasons (Goot) or have chosen to disregard Fashion Week from the get-go, with Fairfax Media pointing to Alex Perry as the example.
For Melbourne Business School associate professor of marketing Mark Ritson, having Australian designers drop out is a “tricky” scenario.
“On the one hand, you have to respect any Australian designer focused on building their reputation overseas,” he says. “We are perilously under-represented in Paris and Milan.
“But at the same time, a designer has to be careful of burning branding bridges back home. That said, if Goot or Lee make it in Europe they’ll be welcomed back home in 2013 with open arms.”
Fashion Week is serious business. Alongside Mercedes-Benz, sponsors that have signed on this year include DHL, EYE, HP, Maybelline NY, Redken, Shangri-La Hotel Sydney, Pentax, Keystone Hospitality and Getty Images.
The NSW government, Destination NSW and Austrade are also supporting the event.
In addition, designers are obtaining their own sponsorships. Jayson Brunsdon’s show, for instance, is being presented by Myer and sponsored by Qantas, Woolmark, TRESemme, MAC Cosmetics and Joh Bailey.
Couture designer Johanna Johnson is the virgin Australian designer to showcase her collection at the prestigious Mercedes-Benz Presents show, which has previously featured big fashion names such as Herve Leger by Max Azria, Carolina Herrera and Badgley Mischka.
“To do [the Presents show] during our first year back was a priority,” McCarthy says.
Johnson recently found international success, with Hollywood actresses Christina Hendricks and Maya Rudolph wearing her feminine creations on the red carpet.
The show will have the same feel – glamour, lots of hand-beading and detailed finishes.
“I hadn’t really considered doing it and was focusing more on overseas expansion this year,” Johnson says.
“But we’re having so much feedback from Australians wanting to know more now, it will be really good to showcase our luxury lifestyle line and red carpet ready-to-wear.”
She initially signed on to show in the smallest of the three catwalk venues, the Box, but had to move the show to the Tent (the biggest) as the number of outfits she wanted to parade expanded.
“It’s our debut show so we want it done as well as it possibly can be,” she says.
Australian accessories giant Oroton is launching its first ready-to-wear collection. But for creative director Ana Maria Escobar, the clothes are there to show off the accessories – be they handbags, jewellery or shoes.
“The biggest thing is when I walked into the stores, I saw they needed something soft to highlight the accessories,” she says.
Customers can expect “understated quality” from the new Oroton clothing range.
“To me, functionality is important,” Escobar says.
“So are the materials . . . it can be a simple singlet but made out of really beautiful silk or customised fabrics. There’s a tone of heritage as well.”
While Oroton views Fashion Week as important, Escobar says there is also “life beyond those 15 minutes on the catwalk”.
For the retailer, it’s about reminding people of the brand.
“We want to talk a little louder about the product we design,” she says. “Fashion Week gives us that space without having to scream.”
This year, a great spread of overseas buyers will be in attendance, many from online retailers such as Net-A-Porter, My Wardrobe, Shopbop, Moda Operandi and ASOS. Department store Harvey Nichols and Hong Kong-based Joyce will also have buyers present.
The retail picture in Australia is not particularly strong, and IBISWorld analysts are predicting growth for the local rag trade over the coming financial year will be flat at just 0.5 per cent.
IBISWorld general manager Karen Dobie says the high Australian dollar is a double-edged sword for retailers, as local vendors can buy overseas at a favourable rate, but increasingly tech-savvy competition is straining profit margins.
New to MBFWA: Dylan Cooper; Flowers for a Vagabond; Toi et Moi Sydney; By Johnny; Oroton; Watson x Watson; An Ode to No One; Jenny Kee; Aje; Roppa Pemmaraju; Bless’d Are The Meek and Nana Judy
Not present this year: Dion Lee; Josh Goot; Alex Perry; Arnsdorf; Morrison; Friend of Mine; Flannel; Karla Spetic; Lover; Therese Rawsthorne; Ms Couture; Rachel Gilbert; Little Joe Woman (voluntary administration); Nookie; Amber & Thomas; Marnie Skillings; Kate Sylvester; Shakuhachi; Bianca Spender; Dhini; Camilla & Marc; White Suede; Yeojin Bae; Lisa Blue; Limedrop; Stolen Girlfriends Club; Alistair Trung; Saint Augustine Academy (which shut up shop late last year)
Returning to the show: Romance Was Born; Camilla; Aurelio Costarella; Ksubi; Jayson Brunsdon; Akira
Camilla...
Since launching her label eight years ago, Camilla Franks continues to receive global recognition as an Australian designer who has a unique approach to creating colorful, playful and luxurious lifestyle fashion.
Her unique ready-to-wear and resort wear designs are becoming highly sought after products, capturing the attentions of celebrities and fashionistas alike. Camilla’s global fan club (which includes the likes of Beyonce Knowles, Miranda Kerr, Kate Hudson, Lily Allen and Gwen Stefani) reached new heights 2 years ago when the queen of television, Oprah Winfrey, glowed in one of her designs while taping her ‘down under’ series. The general public and the fashion world gushed and stock sold out overnight. Camilla is definitely a brand on the move.
So, how did Camilla Franks become one of Australia’s most iconic fashion designers? This iconic brand came to be whilst Camilla was exploring her passions for theatrical artistry. Here, she embraced her inner creative spirit to craft beautiful elaborate costumes for the various characters in her productions. It wasn’t long before the Australian fashion market caught eye of these imaginative, easy-to-wear designs and catapulted Camilla on this amazing journey.
Today, Camilla has evolved from beach and resort fashion into ready-to-wear clothes that cater to all her client’s needs. Globally, Camilla has begun weaving into the various fashion niches, resulting in a kaleidoscope of high-end editorial and extending an already growing customer database.
Over eight years, Camilla has produced nine collections: these include the highly anticipated 2011/12’s Spring Summer Collection, Labyrinth; which has received significant media attention and 2012’s Autumn Winter Collection Caravanserai, Camilla’s second winter season. The success of her brand is derived from Camilla’s philosophy that “all women have the right to look and feel beautiful no matter their age, colour, size or origin”, this is also a testament to the company’s popularity and growing awareness.
Camilla is a brand that celebrates women, self-expression, beauty and individuality. The signature ‘Camilla’ piece is a statement of brilliant colour, graphics and material rhythm. It is a celebration of shapes that can be tailored to individual styles and that follow global trends.
Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia Announces Preliminary Line-up...
Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia Announces Preliminary Line-upfor Spring/Summer 2012/13 Collections
Sydney, Australia (February 29, 2012) Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia is excited to announce cult label Ksubi, celebrity favourite Camilla, Zimmermann, Lisa Ho, Toni Maticevski, Aurelio Costarella, Jayson Brunsdon, Ellery, and Carl Kapp will be amongst the line-up of designers showcasing their Spring/Summer 2012/13 Collections at Sydney’s Overseas Passenger Terminal, April 30 to May 4, 2012.
"MBFWA is a fantastic opportunity for emerging Australian designers to join already well established designers in showcasing their creations not just in venues that people expect but in venues and spaces that will reflect the diversity and vibrancy of the Australian fashion scene. The shows, presentations and locations demonstrate that MBFWA has a flavour and style that can more than hold its own around the world" says Gavin Allen, General Marketing, Mercedes-Benz Australia/Pacific.
A stand out on the 2012 schedule is expected to be Romance was Born. The label is showcasing their polished ready to wear collection combining art and wearable fashion in a sophisticated Spring Summer range. Johanna Johnson will also attract hype as she hosts an intimate salon show for her debut at MBFWA. Mixing old Hollywood charm and modern simplicity, Johnson is renowned for her recent Oscar’s role dressing starlets in her eponymous label.
Iconic Australian brand, Oroton will also debut on the runway at MBFWA for the first time demonstrating the brand is as skilled at creating Ready to Wear women’s wear as well as their well known luxury accessories.
Joining this incredible line up of iconic designers are Magdalena Velevska, Alice McCall, Lisa Maree, Gary Bigeni, Bec and Bridge, Miss Unkon, Bowie, Kooey Australia, Michael Lo Sordo, Kirrily Johnston and Talulah.
New talent showcasing for the first time, Watson x Watson are sure to excite international buyers and media with their collections, providing new ‘ones to watch’ for our global audience. Watson x Watson focus on everyday luxury and easy glamour, with a relaxed, sexy appeal that has become synonymous with Australian fashion.
Other newcomers joining the MBFWA family: We are Handsome, Aje, Elliot Ward Fear, Roopa Pemmaraju, Flowers for a Vagabond, Suboo, An Ode to No One and Project Runway Australia winner Dylan Cooper and alumni by Johnny. Designers involved in the 2012 New Generation, Fashion Design Studio and Raffles emerging talent shows will be announced shortly.
“We’re extremely excited by the response from designers and brands and are looking forward to showcasing the new seasons Spring Summer Collections in our world class facilities on site as well as sharing more of the city of Sydney’s wonderfully unique locations with our expanded off site program of shows and presentations’” says Jarrad Clark, Global Production Director, IMG Fashion.
Leveraging our global network, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia is introducing new showroom spaces, exciting venue upgrades and unique presentation spaces to ensure our line up of designers have innovative way to communicate their artistic vision for 2012.
For the first time on Australian soil, many designers will showcase their collections via a studio style presentation space known as The Box. Having established itself at MBFW in NY and Berlin, designers are redefining how they showcase their collections using this blank canvas. Australian designer Dion Lee recently used a presentation style space to showcase his collection at London Fashion Week and wowed crowds with his use of lighting to create drama and engagement around his collection without the confines of the runway.
2012 will also see the much anticipated return of The Tent. Synonymous with international fashion events, the sheer scale of The Tent showroom set on the Sydney harbour foreshore will create an incredible billboard for MBFWA and the Australian Fashion Industry for our attending local and international guests.
Key buyers will have the opportunity to get up close with designer collections during the week via a unique offering of Designer Showrooms via The Rocks Pop-Up Suites, utilising retail spaces within The Rocks historical precinct, designers will be able to house their collections off runway, and meet buyers and media in one on one appointments. It is here that designers are encouraged to create consumer offerings around the Fashion Week schedule to create more retail opportunities for our participating designer brands.
MBFWA hosts the world’s most influential buyers, media and industry players during the 5 day event and bring Sydney city to life with Fashion Week fever. With the support of our official partners, and showcasing designers, the 2012 season will be a standout year showcasing the creative energy and raw talent that Australia has to offer.
Title sponsor Mercedes-Benz is proudly supported by Government partners Destination NSW and Austrade, Maybelline New York, DHL, HP/Intel, Redken 5th Avenue NYC and EYE and as well as media outlet Getty Images. Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia is an IMG event.
The Spring Summer 2012/13 Collections will take place April 30 to May 4, 2012, Press and Industry Registration opens March 1, 2012.
For more information please visit us online at mbfashionweek.com
Follow us on Twitter @MBFWA and on the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Facebook
Websites
Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week (Australia)
australia.mbfashionweek.com
IMG Worldwide
www.imgworld.com
Cruise Bar
www.cruisebar.com.au
Eva Rinaldi Photography Flickr
www.flickr.com/evarinaldiphotography
Eva Rinaldi Photography
www.evarinaldi.com
Lisa Maree
Image by Eva Rinaldi Celebrity and Live Music Photographer
Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week; Cruise Bar hosts famous fashion event; MBFWA business wheels in motion
Cruise Bar Hosts Fashion Week...
When it comes to style the Cruise Bar and Restaurant is a perfect host partner for the prestigious Mercedes-Benz Australian Fashion Week.
For the first time in many years, Cruise Restaurant is open to the public everyday of fashion week for lunch and dinner.
Fashion Week is Sydney’s premier fashion and lifestyle event showcasing some of our most talented and contemporary designers.
The beautiful waterfront location of Cruise Bar in Circular Quay is an ideal location to enjoy gourmet food, decadent wines and delicious cocktails while enjoying the cultural surrounds that is Fashion week.
For more information visit their official website.
Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week: Business, fashion, beauty, deals and gossip...
Sydney will be enjoying a bevy of catwalk shows and party like events as Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia commences tomorrow. But unlike the increasing number of fashion festivals across the country where people can buy tickets to events, MBFWA is invitation only.
Today was media registration day, which was quite an event in its own right.
Over five days, fashion designers show their latest collections to media reps, celebrities and retail buyers, and the response can be paramount to the bottom line.
This year happens to mark Mercedes-Benz’s return to Fashion Week as the title sponsor, which many media and fashion commentators have welcomed.
“The strong link between Mercedes-Benz and fashion was initiated in Australia with the launch of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in 1995, so it’s come full circle,” advised Mercedes-Benz senior manager of corporate communications David McCarthy.
The car maker’s Fashion Week events have spread around the world to places such as New York and Berlin, and to Swim Fashion Week in Miami.
The Mercedes-Benz’s sponsorship deal was not exactly a secret last year as Rosemount’s (wine) five-year run came to an end. The new deal is understood to be valued at million over three years but McCarthy says the details are confidential.
MBFWA comes with a many change. A key change from the festival organisers is that IMG Fashion have reduced the price of on-site venue fees. A trend over the past few years.
This year, it set back exhibitors ,250 to use the newly returned Tent at the Overseas Passenger Terminal as a catwalk venue, 00 to be a part of Fashion Week but show off-site and between 00 and 00 to showcase collections at The Rocks Pop-Up suites.
Two of the festival’s biggest names, Josh Goot and Dion Lee, pulled out a fortnight before their respective shows. The designers who have fallen by the wayside in the lead-up to the five-day event have either opted to concentrate on upcoming overseas shows (Lee), to focus on getting collections out to coincide with northern hemisphere seasons (Goot) or have chosen to disregard Fashion Week from the get-go, with Fairfax Media pointing to Alex Perry as the example.
For Melbourne Business School associate professor of marketing Mark Ritson, having Australian designers drop out is a “tricky” scenario.
“On the one hand, you have to respect any Australian designer focused on building their reputation overseas,” he says. “We are perilously under-represented in Paris and Milan.
“But at the same time, a designer has to be careful of burning branding bridges back home. That said, if Goot or Lee make it in Europe they’ll be welcomed back home in 2013 with open arms.”
Fashion Week is serious business. Alongside Mercedes-Benz, sponsors that have signed on this year include DHL, EYE, HP, Maybelline NY, Redken, Shangri-La Hotel Sydney, Pentax, Keystone Hospitality and Getty Images.
The NSW government, Destination NSW and Austrade are also supporting the event.
In addition, designers are obtaining their own sponsorships. Jayson Brunsdon’s show, for instance, is being presented by Myer and sponsored by Qantas, Woolmark, TRESemme, MAC Cosmetics and Joh Bailey.
Couture designer Johanna Johnson is the virgin Australian designer to showcase her collection at the prestigious Mercedes-Benz Presents show, which has previously featured big fashion names such as Herve Leger by Max Azria, Carolina Herrera and Badgley Mischka.
“To do [the Presents show] during our first year back was a priority,” McCarthy says.
Johnson recently found international success, with Hollywood actresses Christina Hendricks and Maya Rudolph wearing her feminine creations on the red carpet.
The show will have the same feel – glamour, lots of hand-beading and detailed finishes.
“I hadn’t really considered doing it and was focusing more on overseas expansion this year,” Johnson says.
“But we’re having so much feedback from Australians wanting to know more now, it will be really good to showcase our luxury lifestyle line and red carpet ready-to-wear.”
She initially signed on to show in the smallest of the three catwalk venues, the Box, but had to move the show to the Tent (the biggest) as the number of outfits she wanted to parade expanded.
“It’s our debut show so we want it done as well as it possibly can be,” she says.
Australian accessories giant Oroton is launching its first ready-to-wear collection. But for creative director Ana Maria Escobar, the clothes are there to show off the accessories – be they handbags, jewellery or shoes.
“The biggest thing is when I walked into the stores, I saw they needed something soft to highlight the accessories,” she says.
Customers can expect “understated quality” from the new Oroton clothing range.
“To me, functionality is important,” Escobar says.
“So are the materials . . . it can be a simple singlet but made out of really beautiful silk or customised fabrics. There’s a tone of heritage as well.”
While Oroton views Fashion Week as important, Escobar says there is also “life beyond those 15 minutes on the catwalk”.
For the retailer, it’s about reminding people of the brand.
“We want to talk a little louder about the product we design,” she says. “Fashion Week gives us that space without having to scream.”
This year, a great spread of overseas buyers will be in attendance, many from online retailers such as Net-A-Porter, My Wardrobe, Shopbop, Moda Operandi and ASOS. Department store Harvey Nichols and Hong Kong-based Joyce will also have buyers present.
The retail picture in Australia is not particularly strong, and IBISWorld analysts are predicting growth for the local rag trade over the coming financial year will be flat at just 0.5 per cent.
IBISWorld general manager Karen Dobie says the high Australian dollar is a double-edged sword for retailers, as local vendors can buy overseas at a favourable rate, but increasingly tech-savvy competition is straining profit margins.
New to MBFWA: Dylan Cooper; Flowers for a Vagabond; Toi et Moi Sydney; By Johnny; Oroton; Watson x Watson; An Ode to No One; Jenny Kee; Aje; Roppa Pemmaraju; Bless’d Are The Meek and Nana Judy
Not present this year: Dion Lee; Josh Goot; Alex Perry; Arnsdorf; Morrison; Friend of Mine; Flannel; Karla Spetic; Lover; Therese Rawsthorne; Ms Couture; Rachel Gilbert; Little Joe Woman (voluntary administration); Nookie; Amber & Thomas; Marnie Skillings; Kate Sylvester; Shakuhachi; Bianca Spender; Dhini; Camilla & Marc; White Suede; Yeojin Bae; Lisa Blue; Limedrop; Stolen Girlfriends Club; Alistair Trung; Saint Augustine Academy (which shut up shop late last year)
Returning to the show: Romance Was Born; Camilla; Aurelio Costarella; Ksubi; Jayson Brunsdon; Akira
Camilla...
Since launching her label eight years ago, Camilla Franks continues to receive global recognition as an Australian designer who has a unique approach to creating colorful, playful and luxurious lifestyle fashion.
Her unique ready-to-wear and resort wear designs are becoming highly sought after products, capturing the attentions of celebrities and fashionistas alike. Camilla’s global fan club (which includes the likes of Beyonce Knowles, Miranda Kerr, Kate Hudson, Lily Allen and Gwen Stefani) reached new heights 2 years ago when the queen of television, Oprah Winfrey, glowed in one of her designs while taping her ‘down under’ series. The general public and the fashion world gushed and stock sold out overnight. Camilla is definitely a brand on the move.
So, how did Camilla Franks become one of Australia’s most iconic fashion designers? This iconic brand came to be whilst Camilla was exploring her passions for theatrical artistry. Here, she embraced her inner creative spirit to craft beautiful elaborate costumes for the various characters in her productions. It wasn’t long before the Australian fashion market caught eye of these imaginative, easy-to-wear designs and catapulted Camilla on this amazing journey.
Today, Camilla has evolved from beach and resort fashion into ready-to-wear clothes that cater to all her client’s needs. Globally, Camilla has begun weaving into the various fashion niches, resulting in a kaleidoscope of high-end editorial and extending an already growing customer database.
Over eight years, Camilla has produced nine collections: these include the highly anticipated 2011/12’s Spring Summer Collection, Labyrinth; which has received significant media attention and 2012’s Autumn Winter Collection Caravanserai, Camilla’s second winter season. The success of her brand is derived from Camilla’s philosophy that “all women have the right to look and feel beautiful no matter their age, colour, size or origin”, this is also a testament to the company’s popularity and growing awareness.
Camilla is a brand that celebrates women, self-expression, beauty and individuality. The signature ‘Camilla’ piece is a statement of brilliant colour, graphics and material rhythm. It is a celebration of shapes that can be tailored to individual styles and that follow global trends.
Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia Announces Preliminary Line-up...
Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia Announces Preliminary Line-upfor Spring/Summer 2012/13 Collections
Sydney, Australia (February 29, 2012) Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia is excited to announce cult label Ksubi, celebrity favourite Camilla, Zimmermann, Lisa Ho, Toni Maticevski, Aurelio Costarella, Jayson Brunsdon, Ellery, and Carl Kapp will be amongst the line-up of designers showcasing their Spring/Summer 2012/13 Collections at Sydney’s Overseas Passenger Terminal, April 30 to May 4, 2012.
"MBFWA is a fantastic opportunity for emerging Australian designers to join already well established designers in showcasing their creations not just in venues that people expect but in venues and spaces that will reflect the diversity and vibrancy of the Australian fashion scene. The shows, presentations and locations demonstrate that MBFWA has a flavour and style that can more than hold its own around the world" says Gavin Allen, General Marketing, Mercedes-Benz Australia/Pacific.
A stand out on the 2012 schedule is expected to be Romance was Born. The label is showcasing their polished ready to wear collection combining art and wearable fashion in a sophisticated Spring Summer range. Johanna Johnson will also attract hype as she hosts an intimate salon show for her debut at MBFWA. Mixing old Hollywood charm and modern simplicity, Johnson is renowned for her recent Oscar’s role dressing starlets in her eponymous label.
Iconic Australian brand, Oroton will also debut on the runway at MBFWA for the first time demonstrating the brand is as skilled at creating Ready to Wear women’s wear as well as their well known luxury accessories.
Joining this incredible line up of iconic designers are Magdalena Velevska, Alice McCall, Lisa Maree, Gary Bigeni, Bec and Bridge, Miss Unkon, Bowie, Kooey Australia, Michael Lo Sordo, Kirrily Johnston and Talulah.
New talent showcasing for the first time, Watson x Watson are sure to excite international buyers and media with their collections, providing new ‘ones to watch’ for our global audience. Watson x Watson focus on everyday luxury and easy glamour, with a relaxed, sexy appeal that has become synonymous with Australian fashion.
Other newcomers joining the MBFWA family: We are Handsome, Aje, Elliot Ward Fear, Roopa Pemmaraju, Flowers for a Vagabond, Suboo, An Ode to No One and Project Runway Australia winner Dylan Cooper and alumni by Johnny. Designers involved in the 2012 New Generation, Fashion Design Studio and Raffles emerging talent shows will be announced shortly.
“We’re extremely excited by the response from designers and brands and are looking forward to showcasing the new seasons Spring Summer Collections in our world class facilities on site as well as sharing more of the city of Sydney’s wonderfully unique locations with our expanded off site program of shows and presentations’” says Jarrad Clark, Global Production Director, IMG Fashion.
Leveraging our global network, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia is introducing new showroom spaces, exciting venue upgrades and unique presentation spaces to ensure our line up of designers have innovative way to communicate their artistic vision for 2012.
For the first time on Australian soil, many designers will showcase their collections via a studio style presentation space known as The Box. Having established itself at MBFW in NY and Berlin, designers are redefining how they showcase their collections using this blank canvas. Australian designer Dion Lee recently used a presentation style space to showcase his collection at London Fashion Week and wowed crowds with his use of lighting to create drama and engagement around his collection without the confines of the runway.
2012 will also see the much anticipated return of The Tent. Synonymous with international fashion events, the sheer scale of The Tent showroom set on the Sydney harbour foreshore will create an incredible billboard for MBFWA and the Australian Fashion Industry for our attending local and international guests.
Key buyers will have the opportunity to get up close with designer collections during the week via a unique offering of Designer Showrooms via The Rocks Pop-Up Suites, utilising retail spaces within The Rocks historical precinct, designers will be able to house their collections off runway, and meet buyers and media in one on one appointments. It is here that designers are encouraged to create consumer offerings around the Fashion Week schedule to create more retail opportunities for our participating designer brands.
MBFWA hosts the world’s most influential buyers, media and industry players during the 5 day event and bring Sydney city to life with Fashion Week fever. With the support of our official partners, and showcasing designers, the 2012 season will be a standout year showcasing the creative energy and raw talent that Australia has to offer.
Title sponsor Mercedes-Benz is proudly supported by Government partners Destination NSW and Austrade, Maybelline New York, DHL, HP/Intel, Redken 5th Avenue NYC and EYE and as well as media outlet Getty Images. Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia is an IMG event.
The Spring Summer 2012/13 Collections will take place April 30 to May 4, 2012, Press and Industry Registration opens March 1, 2012.
For more information please visit us online at mbfashionweek.com
Follow us on Twitter @MBFWA and on the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Facebook
Websites
Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week (Australia)
australia.mbfashionweek.com
IMG Worldwide
www.imgworld.com
Cruise Bar
www.cruisebar.com.au
Eva Rinaldi Photography Flickr
www.flickr.com/evarinaldiphotography
Eva Rinaldi Photography
www.evarinaldi.com
Nice Celebrity Gossip photos
A few nice celebrity gossip images I found:
Joseph Carrillo cruz cruise25
Image by Joseph W Carrillo
An open water swim race at Santa Cruz California.
www.josephwcarrillo.com/
Nice Celebrity Gossip photos
A few nice celebrity gossip images I found:
Joseph Carrillo cruz cruise4
Image by Joseph W Carrillo
An open water swim race at Santa Cruz California.
www.josephwcarrillo.com/
Joseph Carrillo cruz cruise28
Image by Joseph W Carrillo
An open water swim race at Santa Cruz California.
www.josephwcarrillo.com/
Joseph Carrillo cruz cruise1
Image by Joseph W Carrillo
An open water swim race at Santa Cruz California.
www.josephwcarrillo.com/
Nice Celebrity Gossip photos
Some cool celebrity gossip images:
IMG_4872
Image by PPMG (Popular Press Media Group)
Nice Celebrity Gossip photos
Check out these celebrity gossip images:
David Berman "David Phillips" - CSI Las Vegas - MGM Grand Casino, Las Vegas
Image by Kaloozer
See more at www.kalooz.com - www.kalooz.spreadshirt.com. Follow Kalooz on YouTube: www.youtube.com/TheKaloozer and on Twitter: www.twitter.com/kalooz.
Jorja Fox "Sara Sidle" - CSI Las Vegas - MGM Grand Casino, Las Vegas
Image by Kaloozer
See more at www.kalooz.com - www.kalooz.spreadshirt.com. Follow Kalooz on YouTube: www.youtube.com/TheKaloozer and on Twitter: www.twitter.com/kalooz.
Nice Celebrity Gossip photos
Some cool celebrity gossip images:
Evelyn Y. Davis
Image by dbking
Evelyn Y. Davis
Birthplace: Netherlands.
Stock holdings: Owns shares in 90 companies.
Occupation: Publisher, philanthropist, shareholder activist.
Among pet issues: Term limits for corporate directors.
Ms. Davis is still with us and as you can see from the headstone that awaits her, she is a bit eccentric. As the self described "defender of shareholder rights and many stockholder meetings nationally" Ms. Davis has earned the reputation.
As a stock holder in General Motors when she was learning to drive, she felt as though being a stockholder entitled her to be taught how to drive by the chairman of the board of General Motors and she informed him of that.
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Other gems from her life so far:
It's easy to get an interview with Evelyn Y. Davis, but it's impossible to get a word in edge . . .
``I gave George Allen a big hug today, make sure you put that in your story,'' Davis says. ``You may quote me, I find him very attractive.
``In a politician, looks and personality are very important,'' Davis continues, as she always does, ``because what else has a politician got? Promises and b.s., you know?''
If you don't ``know,'' Davis will tell you. If you don't agree, she'll explain her side until you do. Or at least until you nod in agreement.
And she has been explaining her philosophy to CEOs and company presidents since 1960, when, as an IBM shareholder, she stood up, ``shaking like a leaf,'' and asked a question. She no longer shakes - thanks to a public-speaking course at the YMCA.
Now, it's the company chairpeople now who get tense when Davis speaks. She owns about 0,000 stock in 120 companies and she attends 30 to40 shareholders meetings each year. She was in Norfolk on Thursday for Ford Motor Co.'s annual meeting.
There's no doubt Davis can get the attention of corporate America. Need proof?
When she arrived at the Norfolk airport, Waterside Marriott General Manager Dan Marone picked her up. Why? ``Because Mrs. Evelyn Davis is a celebrity in Norfolk,'' Marone says before putting forth the real reason, ``and Mr. Marriott, Bill Marriott Jr., is a personal friend of Mrs. Davis.' At Chairman Marriott's suggestion, the Norfolk hotel also bumped up the water temperature from 82 degrees to 87 degrees. ``Evelyn Y. Davis, the most famous stockholder in America,'' as she introduces herself, doesn't like cold water.
What else? Well, when Davis was shopping for a new car last year, the chairmen of the Big Three automakers put on the sales pitch themselves. She picked Chrysler's offering, a Cirrus, and Chairman Robert Eaton delivered it. ``Bob Eaton delivered it to me in my home, to my front door. Not bad, huh? Naturally, that was the subject of a lot of gossip in Detroit, huh? That's probably what he wanted, right?''
Davis, thrice divorced - ``You may quote me, too: It's easier to get married than divorced'' - doesn't command attention from CEOs because of the value of her stocks. They listen to her because they have no choice, like Ford Chairman Alex Trotman on Thursday. She wanted to know what precautions Ford was taking to prevent a hostile takeover, such as the one proposed this spring at Chrysler by investor Kirk Kirkorian. ``I'd be glad to discuss that, Mrs. Davis,'' Trotman said, ``but I think it would be appropriate during part four of . . .'' ``No, no, no. This is appropriate now,'' she demanded. She persisted with the question until other shareholders shouted ``Sit down, sit down.'' During a general discussion later in the meeting, she came back with the question - and five or six others: ``OK, Alex, now you can answer my hard questions.''
Evelyn Yvonne Davis' hard questions seem all the more forceful because she fires them out, staccato-like, in a Dutch accent. She was born in Holland, but has lived most of her life in the United States. She lives now in the Watergate complex in Washington.
The only thing Davis doesn't like to discuss is her age, but she's about the age at which most people retire.
``I'll tell you, if you don't use it,'' she says. ``Only a jealous woman would use my age, right?''
Davis follows politics almost as closely as corporations, but she thinks companies should stay out of making political contributions during primaries. She's a Republican, but . . .``I voted for Clinton because things were getting dull, with this Bush, and we haven't had a dull day since.''
Her conservative political philosophy extends to her view on HOV lanes, which she . . . ``I think they are not fair. You could have one person in a car who pays more taxes than three or four in another car.''
She also publishes a once-a-year corporate newsletter that she sells mainly to company chairpeople and presidents.
``Like I say, nobody knows corporate America better than Evelyn Y. Davis,'' says Evelyn Y. Davis.
Most of the photos in her newsletter are of CEOs standing next to - guess who? - Evelyn Y. Davis
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From USA Today:
'Queen of the corporate jungle' stalks annual meetings
By Gary Strauss, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON — These are the best of times for Evelyn Y. Davis.
For more than 40 years, the eccentric corporate gadfly has tormented CEOs at annual shareholders meetings, where she dresses them down for excessive pay packages, poor corporate performance — even their girth.
Evelyn Y. Davis is famous for grilling CEOs and fighting for shareholder rights.
Davis, long regarded as a grandstanding crackpot, is emerging as a formidable advocate for shareholder rights during the annual meeting season now in full bloom. She has already won several long-fought battles, currying widening support from shareholders ticked off over corporate scandals, exorbitant CEO pay and widespread stock losses.
"My new title is queen of the corporate jungle," says Davis, a diminutive, Dutch-born Holocaust survivor who speaks with a thick accent. "I operate on my own, but my work benefits a lot of shareholders. Nobody knows Corporate America like Evelyn Y. Davis."
Bristol-Myers Squibb's board is finally acquiescing to a longtime Davis proposal that all directors be elected annually, a measure designed to boost accountability. The drugmaker had opposed a similar proposal Davis had submitted annually since 1985. It is reversing course at its May 6 annual meeting. "She did an extraordinary job of keeping the proposal alive," says company spokesman Robert Hutchison.
Earlier this month, publisher Dow Jones said it would support annual election of board members, citing Davis' efforts. CarrAmerica Realty is following suit.
"Why is she winning? It seems that there's a more respectable attitude toward some shareholder proposals," says Eleanor Bloxham, head of the Corporate Governance Alliance advocacy group.
Indeed, labor unions such as the AFL-CIO, big pension funds and other shareholder advocates are pressuring companies on everything from executive compensation to political contribution disclosures. About 1,000 shareholder resolutions will be voted on this year — an all-time high, according to the Investor Responsibility Research Center.
While most of this year's shareholder resolutions focus on compensation, governance experts say angry investors are likely to support any measure designed to make companies and their corporate boards more accountable.
Much of Davis' quirky reputation is based on her antics at annual meetings, where she has worn hot pants, bathing suits and hospital scrubs to draw attention. Even dressed in her typical Chanel suits, Davis, 73, makes an indelible mark — disrupting meetings by haranguing CEOs until they satisfy her scrutiny.
"Her most lethal weapon is the fact that she does not care what anyone else thinks of her, so she's prepared to be rude, to interrupt, to be domineering and to do essentially whatever it takes to command attention," former Eli Lilly CEO Randall Tobias said in a CNBC interview.
Among more than 50 of Davis' 2003 shareholder proposals:
Limiting incoming directors to six years of service at AT&T, American Express, DuPont, FleetBoston, PepsiCo and Home Depot. Annual election of all directors at Lucent, Morgan Stanley and Starwood Hotels & Resorts. Broader disclosure of executive compensation at J.P. Morgan Chase, Consolidated Edison, Ford Motor and United Technologies.
Davis is even seeking to move the date of BankAmerica's annual meeting so it doesn't coincide with other shareholder meetings she wants to attend.
The peripatetic Davis plans to attend upward of 40 annual meetings, which fall mostly in April and May. "It's like opera season," Davis says.
At Goldman Sachs' annual meeting earlier this month, Davis blasted CEO Henry Paulson over the investment bank's performance but later surprised him with a hug, concerned that he might contract the SARS virus on a pending trip to Shanghai.
Davis' feisty demeanor and willingness to spar masks her financial acumen, formidable after decades of self-training and business administration studies at George Washington University. She is also persistent. She's introduced hundreds of shareholder proposals over the past few years. Many floundered. But Davis keeps introducing them. She may not hug every CEO like Paulson, but she does prefer dealing with them directly.
"I don't deal with flunkies, only presidents and CEOs," Davis says. "They don't have to agree with what I say. But over the years, they've come to understand me. Nobody can take me for granted."
To be sure, CEOs quickly learn to return a Davis phone call or pose with her for photographs, succumbing to her relentless chutzpah. CEOs at Chrysler and General Motors have personally delivered new cars purchased by Davis. She'll expect a third to do the same when she buys her next car. Not that it will do any good. "I don't want anyone to think they've got me in the bag," Davis says.
CEOs are also expected to purchase Davis' annual newsletter, Highlights and Lowlights, which she publishes out of a cluttered, closet-sized office in Washington, D.C.'s Watergate complex, where she also resides in a spacious condominium. It features Davis' corporate governance issues, grip-and-grin CEO photos and her take on the Washington and international scene. It costs 5 a year — minimum order, two copies. Davis says she pulls in 0,000 annually from subscriptions.
Not that she needs the income. Davis is a multimillionaire. While she says she holds shares in 90 companies, equities represent only a small portion of her portfolio.
Outside of her corporate governance work, Davis focuses on the 14-year-old Evelyn Y. Davis Foundation, through which she's channeled substantial philanthropy to charitable causes, hospitals and colleges. Recently, the foundation endowed a University of Miami scholarship fund that bears her name with 0,000.
She divorced the three men she married — an accountant after 18 months, a stockbroker after two months and a retired economist after three years — and has no children. "Stocks are my children," she says wistfully.
Davis has found far more lasting pleasures sparring with corporate executives. "I'm a beautiful woman. Men find me extremely intriguing. But I have been unlucky in love," she says. "Power is greater than love. Power and control, that's what it's about."
Complications from her third face-lift sidelined Davis during the 2001 proxy season. Now healthy and energized by her recent successes and growing clout among shareholders, Davis says she has no plans to slow down.
She is already mapping out shareholder proposals for 2004. One new one would prohibit boards from awarding executives stock-option grants — a measure likely to further exasperate CEOs. "What else would I do with myself?" Davis says. "I love the challenges, the conflict and the intrigue."
Ben's Chili Bowl, U St NW
Image by dbking
French President Nicolas Sarkosy and wife, Carla Bruni-Sarkosy dine at Ben's while in DC to visit President Obama
voices.washingtonpost.com/reliable-source/2010/03/hey_isn...
Death of Ben Ali, Founder of Ben's Chili Bowl
voices.washingtonpost.com/postmortem/2009/10/ben_ali_of_b...
President Elect Obama Dining at Ben's Chili Bowl
dcist.com/2009/01/obama_and_fenty_have_lunch_at_bens.php
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Ben's Celebrates Chili Power
Big Stars and Just Plain Folks Mark Eatery's 50-Year Run on U Street
By Keith L. Alexander
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, August 21, 2008
It was 1996, and Nizam Ali had just gotten his law degree. Instead of heading to the courtroom, he had another idea: He wanted to help run the family business.
Ali told his father, Ben, that if he couldn't double the revenue at Ben's Chili Bowl within a year, he'd fall back on that legal career. To meet his goal, he went well beyond the walls of the landmark restaurant on U Street NW. He became a promoter, visiting radio stations with free hot dogs, hamburgers and half-smokes -- all covered in Ben's trademark spicy chili. Radio personalities talked up the food, and the legend of the Chili Bowl grew.
Sales surged during that year as Nizam and his older brother, Kamal, oversaw the restaurant's operations -- so much so that Ben and his wife, Virginia, decided to step back and leave the restaurant they had founded in the hands of their sons.
This week, the District's most famous neighborhood diner turns 50. The family is hosting a free gala tonight at the Lincoln Theatre, with celebrities including Bill Cosby and Roberta Flack. That will be followed by a street festival tomorrow in front of the restaurant, at 1213 U St. NW, and a musical tribute Sunday down the street at the 9:30 club.
When they aren't behind the counter flipping burgers or scooping chili, the Ali brothers are figuring out ways to capitalize on the Ben's brand. They launched a line of souvenir baseball caps, key chains and tote bags. The Alis also helped with a book on the place's history and set up a Web site, benschilibowl.com. And they struck a deal to sell Ben's fare at the Washington Nationals' new ballpark.
In October, the brothers will take over the building next door and turn it into a full bar, so patrons can enjoy Ben's chili and dogs with a beer or mixed drink, big screen TVs and possibly live bands.
"We're stepping up the game," said Kamal Ali, 46. Last year, Ben's took in about .6 million in revenue, up from less than million about 10 years ago.
The brothers credit generations of loyal patrons and their employees for their success. "It took a village to raise this place. Everyone in this community had a hand in this place," said Nizam Ali, 38.
A third brother, Haidar, 48, is a musician and lives in California.
The walls at Ben's are covered with photos of famous customers, including actors Denzel Washington and Danny Glover, tennis star Serena Williams and musicians Bono and Chuck Brown. The restaurant has been featured on Oprah Winfrey's show (twice), CNN, the Travel Channel and the Food Network, as well as in travel publications across the country.
Virginia Ali can recall the day she got a phone call from a woman in Texas who wanted to make a reservation for her vacation in Washington -- three months away. "I laughed and told her: 'Honey, come on in. It's just a greasy spoon,' " she recounted through a hint of Virginia accent.
By far, Ben's biggest celebrity fan is Cosby, who will serve as master of ceremonies for tonight's Lincoln Theatre event. The comic helped propel Ben's to the national spotlight in 1985 when he held a news conference there to talk about his No. 1 television program, "The Cosby Show."
Cosby became a fan when he was in the Navy and stationed in Bethesda in 1958. During that time, he was a regular at jazz clubs on U Street. And he also took his soon-to-be wife, Camille, who was a student at the University of Maryland, to Ben's on late-night dates, where he would eat as many as six half-smokes at a time. Cosby likens a Ben's half-smoke, a plump beef and pork sausage, to a fine wine.
"You can describe it the same way a wine connoisseur would be able to tell difference between a pinot noir and a merlot," Cosby said in a telephone interview. "When you bite into a half-smoke, the skin and the way the texture and firmness and the toppings you can get on it . . . "
His voice trailed off, as if he was caught in the memory of the taste.
Aside from the food, what makes Ben's stand out, Cosby and others say, is that it's as if time stood still. Ben's has the same layout as when it opened Aug. 22, 1958, aside from an expanded seating section in the back and a kitchen put in five years ago. It has its original counters, booths and stools.
Ben Ali, an immigrant from Trinidad, met his wife when she was a teller at nearby Industrial Bank. When Ali opened the restaurant, Virginia joined him in the venture. They were married that October.
Now 75, Virginia Ali finishes her husband's sentences and fills in the holes in stories she has heard him tell so many times. Until recently, she served as a waitress and a greeter. Lately, she spends most of her time at home caring for Ben, who is 81. The two act like love-struck teens as Ben Ali pinches, teases and whispers in his wife's ear and she giggles and lightly swats his arm.
Ben Ali came up with the idea for the restaurant when he saw how Americans loved to smother their french fries with ketchup. With his Caribbean taste buds, he thought that American foods were bland and that there was a market for spicy American dishes.
He tears up when he talks about his restaurant and his three sons, who all share the middle name Ben. "My whole life has been one happy life," Ali said, removing his glasses and wiping tears from his eyes.
For a restaurant to become such a landmark in the District is rare, and at times, it seemed that Ben's wouldn't survive. In 1968, many businesses were torched during the riots after the assassination of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. But Ben's remained opened and untouched, thanks largely to Stokely Carmichael, head of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, which used the restaurant as a meeting place.
As the years passed, the area became riddled with crime and drugs. Faithful customers told Ali that they couldn't go to the restaurant anymore because their cars kept getting broken into. The construction of Metro's Green Line from 1986 to 1991 made it difficult for customers to venture into the area, which caused a lot of businesses to close. Then things began to turn around.
"We had the community support, and we survived. We didn't want to go to any other part of the city," Virginia Ali said.
Ben's is like a popular barbershop or beauty salon where regulars gather to gossip, laugh and joke. "It's very much like that, where a janitor sits next to a judge, who is sitting next to a junkie. Just random people having random conversations," Nizam Ali said.
James Jackson of Seat Pleasant has been going to the restaurant for 15 years. "You never know who you're going to run into," he said.
The morning crowd is dressed in business suits and uniforms, men and women sipping coffee and eating cheese grits or toast before heading to work. At lunch, it's mostly workers or tourists jamming the booths and tables. The dinner crowd is made up of folks who want a quick burger.
Weekends at 2 or 3 a.m., partygoers from nearby bars and nightclubs congregate for a quick meal or a handmade milkshake as Prince, Aretha Franklin or the Isley Brothers blare from the jukebox. Through it all, the restaurant's employees -- now totaling 25 -- joke, dance and pose for pictures with customers while taking orders and dishing out the food. They're led by Bernadette "Peaches" Halton, 48, a 30-year employee, who is said to be the only one outside the family to know the recipe for Ben's chili.
For about 40 years, most of Ben's clients were African Americans, who patronized the U Street corridor for decades. In the late 1950s, U Street was known as the "Black Broadway," thanks to frequent performances by such stars as Pearl Bailey, Cab Calloway and Duke Ellington.
As the demographics shifted, so did Ben's clientele. Within the past 10 years or so, it has become increasingly diverse and now includes more whites, Hispanics, Ethiopians and Asians. The customers include people from other countries who are visiting the District and want to get a taste of Ben's. Virginia Ali said Ben's is more of a "melting pot" now.
The changing demographics, along with higher property taxes, caused several black businesses on U Street to relocate or go out of business. Ben's has not only remained; it has thrived.
As Kamal Ali put it: "We had to adjust and stay true to form, and everyone has really embraced us."
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August 2006 Scavenger Hunt
"local hangout"
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It was the summer of 1958. Eisenhower was president. Federal troops were ordered into Little Rock to integrate public schools. Explorer I was launched, as was NASA. The first-ever Grammy Awards were given, and Ella Fitzgerald won two of them. 1958 was also the year Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. published his first book, Stride Towards Freedom. Griffith Stadium was home to the Washington Senators, and 30% of DC’s black population owned homes. Nelson Mandela wed Winnie. And, in 1958, newlyweds Ben and Virginia Ali gave birth to a new enterprise.
Despite a national business failure rate of 55.9%, the Ali’s used ,000 to begin renovating a building at 1213 U Street. It had high-arched ceilings, character and plenty of history. Built in 1909, the building first housed a silent movie house, the Minnehaha Theater. Later, Harry Beckley, one of D.C.’s first Black police detectives, converted it into a pool hall. On Aug. 22, 1958, Ben’s Chili Bowl was born.
It was an exciting time on the U Street corridor, which was then known as “Black Broadway.” Top performers could be found playing sets in clubs along the corridor, as well as eating and just “hanging out” at Ben’s. It was not uncommon to see such luminaries as Duke Ellington, Miles Davis, Bessie Smith, Ella Fitzgerald, Cab Calloway, Nat King Cole, Redd Foxx, Dick Gregory, Martin Luther King Jr., or Bill Cosby at “The Bowl.”
In 1968, the assassination of Dr. King lit a fuse of rage. Riots ensued. Most of the city closed down; Ben’s remained open. Stokely Carmichael of the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), which was located across the street, obtained special police permission to let Ben’s stay open after curfew to provide food and shelter for activists, firefighters and public servants desperately trying to restore order.
After the riots, the area declined. Businesses closed. But there was some glimmer of hope in the neighborhood as the concept of “Black is Beautiful” emerged. Ben’s continued to serve an eclectic crowd of regulars. In the 1970’s, black films gained in popularity, and the Lincoln Theatre next door was often packed.
Still, the riots continued to take their toll. In the late 1970’s and 80’s, drug dealers began peddling heroin in open-air drug markets. The once vibrant street looked and felt whipped. Even so, the flame of hope could not be extinguished. Mayor Marion Barry, Jr. had the vision to build the Frank D. Reeves Municipal Center at 14th and U Streets. For the first time in years, hundreds of new jobs were created on U Street.
In September 1985, Bill Cosby held a national press conference at Ben’s Chili Bowl to celebrate his number one rated show, thrusting Ben’s into the national limelight. Business improved and things were looking up. But there were more problems ahead. In 1987, construction began for Metro’s Green Line. This section of U Street became nothing more than a 60-foot hole. Business came to a halt overnight. Very few new businesses opened. Ben’s made the decision to stay open with only two employees serving Metro workers and faithful regulars each day. Through more than five years of construction and upheaval, Ben’s managed to survive.
Despite all of the troubling times, Ben’s has had its share of blessings as well. Bill Cosby and hundreds of others attended its 45th anniversary in August 2003. Throughout the years, Ben’s has also been blessed with many awards and accolades: Councilmember Jim Graham named the alley adjacent to Ben’s ‘Ben Ali Way,’ Ben and Virginia were inducted into the D.C. Hall of Fame (May 2001), and in 2004, Ben’s won the prestigious Gallo of Sonoma ‘America’s Classics’ Restaurant Award from the James Beard Foundation. Add to these immense press coverage, including segments on CNN, Oprah, 60 Minutes, Good Morning America, PBS, BET, Food Network, and stories in Washingtonian, Gourmet, Southern Living, The New York Times and The Washington Post, and Ben’s is now recognized world-wide as a the place to eat in Washington to experience the real D.C.
At present, it seems as though the tough times are behind us, and that the sky is the limit for this Shaw neighborhood. As U Street once again redefines itself, Ben’s looks forward to maintaining its strong community presence. Since 1958, Ben’s has been blessed with the most loyal of customers, and we listened when you said, “whatever you do, never change this place.” After 47 years, Ben’s is the same place it always has been. The counter, booths and stools are all original; the fresh homemade chili is still made with love, using the same secret recipe. Ben’s has made small changes, like adding veggie burgers and veggie chili to the menu, and building a new dining room to better serve large groups, but the feel of Ben’s will never change.
So where are Ben & Virginia Ali these days? They are both retired (although Virginia has redefined “retirement” – she can be found behind the counter at Ben’s on most days), but their sons, Kamal and Nizam, are carrying on the family business. Please stop in and say hello – you will be greeted with a smile!
Additionally a scene from the film "Pelican Brief" was shot on location inside of Ben's
NYC: 21 Club
Image by wallyg
After the 18th Amendment went into effect ushering in the Prohibition Era, cousins Jack Kriendler and Charlie Berns opened their first speakeasy, The Red Head, in Greenwich Village in 1922. In 1923, they followed with Club Fronton before moving operations uptown to West 49th Street in 1926, with a new club called The Puncheon (also referred to as 42 or the 42 Club). In 1928, they were given k to vacate the site that was zoned for Rockefeller Center development, and moved to West 52nd Street into a bordello previously owned by Hildegarde Adler. Moving the wroguth iron gate that fronted #42, they opened Jack and Charlie’s '21' Club in the wee hours on December 31, 1929.
Daily Mirror gossip columnist Walter Winchellis banned was from ‘21’ in 1930, and the next day ran a column noting that it had never been raided by Prohibition agents. The next day, ’21’ was raided. As a result, Jack and Charlie hired architect Frank Buchanan to install a complex system to hide and destroy liquor in case of future raids, including the infamous ‘21’ Wine Cellar, now considered one of the world’s most coveted private dining rooms. Behind several smoked hams that hung from the basement ceiling and a wall filled with shelves of canned goods, stood a perfectly camouflaged two-and-one-half ton door that appeared to be part of the wall. Only by inserting a slender 18" length of wire through one of the many cracks in the cement wall, would the secret door silently slide back to reveal '21's most coveted treasure: two thousand cases of wine.
In 1931, a model of the British Airways "flying boat" became the first corporate toy hung from the '21' ceiling. Today, hundreds of corporate logo toys, sports memorabilia and other mementos form a ceiling-scape, including a model of the PT-109 donated by President John F. Kennedy, a smashed tennis racquet from John McEnroe, Jackie Gleason’s pool cue from The Hustler, and mics from every NYC-based television and radio station.
In 1933, Prohibition was repealed and in 1934, Charlie created '21' Brands, a liquor importing/distilling/distributing company.
Thirty-one jockeys line signature grand staircase and wrought iron balcony, with two more posted inside the front door--the latest of which came from Sackatoga Stables, representing the 2003 KEntucky Derby and Preakness winner, Funny Cide. All myths aside, their origins can be traced to their affluent "horsy" clientele in the 1930's. It all began with Delaware native Jay Van Urk, such a loyal patron that he had, in fact, his own private table and the distinction of having a dessert named in his honor. Sometime during the '30s, Van Urk donated the first jockey as a token of his appreciation and a tradition was born. Over the years, some of America's most famous breeders and owners, including high-profile "regulars" from the Vanderbilt, Mellon and Ogden Mills Phipps families, as well as the Galbreath clan, owners of Darby Dan Farms, followed suit.
In 1946, Walter Weiss came to work at 21 as a waiter before becoming "the legendary Matire'd" who wielded untold power over the New York City celebrity circuit by virtue of his seating arrangements. Every President since FDR has been a guest of '21' with the one exception of George W. Bush. John F. Kennedy dined at '21' on the eve of his inauguration. In 1931, Ernest Hemingway was caught making love to gangster Legs Diamond’s girlfriend in the kitchen. In 1944, Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall got engaged at table 30. New York City mayor Jimmy Walker had a private booth in the corner of the cellar where he could still imbibe through a raid. The booth has been preserved today. Alfred Hitchcock was said to be fond of the steak with fries, followed by an ice cream parfair. It was here that he collaborated with Salvador Dali on the dream sequence in Spellbound, which refernced the 21 Club.
During the 1980's, Forbes says "more deals are done at '21' than on the stock market floor." Appropriately, part of the movie "Wall Street" was filmed here.
Since then, the club has been sold multiple times, but the general vibe has not changed.
