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Showing posts with label Fashion Week. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fashion Week. Show all posts

How The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show Wings Are Actually Made


The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, which serves as a mega-produced kick-off to the holiday season, has only become more of a must-watch event year after year. The show boasts top-notch musical acts, theatrical elements and beauties dancing around in gorgeous lingerie. Arguably the most iconic part of the whole spectacle, however, are the wings. Each year, new Angels are born and current Angels are introduced to yet another massive pair for the runway. The wings not only serve as a rite of passage for the models chosen to wear them, but as a piece of artwork that embodies the sexy aesthetic that is Victoria's Secret.

The story and process behind these wings are way heavier a lift (literally and figuratively) than you might think. On a warm October day, I trek eleven flights up and enter an unassuming gray door to find a team of publicists, Victoria's Secret executives and wing-designer Marian Hose aka Killer gathered for just one of many rounds of fittings.


Aside from the golden, feathered wings the fit model Barbara is wearing when I arrive, about five more are displayed in various corners of the small space, posing some difficulty for anyone trying to move around. Wings are made in everything from leather and lace to five pounds of Swarovski crystals and up close the intricacies of the elaborate designs are clearer than ever. It's no wonder, then, that the lucky ladies who walk in the show wait their entire careers for the moment they get to don a pair of their own.


It all starts when an artist, hired by Victoria's Secret, sketches out the concept for a wing. It's then delivered to Killer and her design team who bring the wings to life. "The best part is seeing just how Killer interprets the sketch," Sophia Neophitou, collection creative director for the show, tells me during my studio visit. After a drawing is finalized, it is projected onto a screen, where a model stands in to figure out scale. The team then gets to work. "It takes about a week just to make the frame [but] for a more intricate wing it takes much longer. For something beaded, for example, we have an entire team just working on that part of it," Killer says.


While an entire team of beaders may seem outrageous to some, for Killer it's just another day at the office. Her extensive experience in costume design has prepared her for her uncommon title of "Wing Maker." After all, her resumé boasts time spent as a millinery consultant for Radio City Music Hall. She's also worked with the Metropolitan Opera and CBS. She was connected with the lingerie company back in 2009, when one of the sketch artists recommended they work together.

Once Barbara slips a pair of the wings on, it's time to adjust and customize the wings for each girl. "[Barbara] is a huge help because she puts on the wings and knows what we need to change -- she knows which girl poses which way, which is amazing," Killer says. And while the amount and structure of the wings can change up until moments before the show but by October, Killer pretty much has an idea about which wing each girl will wear.


No matter how much you plan for the moment the model puts on her wings for the first time, there is absolutely nothing like experiencing it firsthand. That's where I meet Candice Swanepoel, nearly a month later, putting on those same wings I saw being fit for her specific body weeks prior. The room that has been buzzing with chatter, camera flashes and shuffling of feet is completely silenced once -- with a team of helpers -- Swanepoel has the wings on for the first time. It is a highly-charged moment, broken only by Candice's first glorious steps down a makeshift runway. The straps are a bit tight for her, and are swiftly taken off for an adjustment.


"I love having the wings, but I need the freedom to enjoy them as well," Swanepoel tells me. "One year (before we worked with Killer), I tried on this massive pair -- two harps. They were absolutely beautiful. On the morning of the show I got really nervous and asked to try them on the runway, and let's just say it didn't go so well. We decided to forfeit them and go for something smaller."


It's clear that the weight and wearability of the wings are just as important as having that perfect runway strut. It takes the right pair and the right girl to hold up the massive structure, which can weigh as much as a small child. The biggest pair Killer has ever made weighed in at 21 pounds: a pair of white, feathered wings made for Lindsey Ellington. "Lindsey is a real trooper," Killer says, adding, "it doesn't matter how much a girl wants her wings, if they're too heavy we can't use them."

From paper to production, it's clear it takes hard work, a lot of adjustments, some serious time and a whole lot of love in order to make these wings truly killer.


The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show airs Dec 9 on CBS.


Source: Elly
6:31 PM

6 Easy Steps To Get Whatever You Want in The Nearest Future


It is a fact that every person has goals whether it is for one’s personal or professional growth. It is your objectives that serve as a guide to attaining the kind of life that you want in the future. When you have your mind set on worthwhile goals, you can train yourself to be more responsible, optimistic, persevering and committed to achieving what you have always been aiming for. So, if you yearn for success, then make sure you accomplish your goals by applying these simple and practical techniques.

1. Stay committed to your tasks
Those who remain committed to achieving their goals are capable of becoming successful in life. These people are firm and dedicated to working towards accomplishing their tasks, so they are likely to obtain positive results because of their efforts. If you are motivated and driven to succeed, then there is no stopping you.

After all, it takes a firm and focused mind to reach the top. When everyone else is taking it easy and relying on mediocrity, you need to keep going and focus on your target. Once you reach your goals, you will experience a sense of fulfilment and satisfaction that no words can ever describe.

2. State and define your goals in a specific way
Vague goals are never easy to achieve because of obvious reasons. For instance, it is next to impossible to reach a goal when you are not even sure how to get there. If you say to yourself that you want to be successful, it may be quite difficult to get to that “goal” because it is undefined.

Instead, you should use determiners or specific words that define your goals in life. You may say that you aim to graduate with honors, or you plan to become the CEO of your company – just make sure that your goals are specific. By stating exactly what you want to achieve, you can start planning out the right path that will lead you toward it

3. Use your intuition to accomplish your goals
It is your intuition or gut feel that can serve as a tool to help you become more successful in life. After all, you need to listen to yourself and be more observant as you deal with circumstances in life. Once you have set your specific goals, you should enumerate effective ways to reach them. As you go through your daily life, you will notice that some of the things you do merge seamlessly with your goals while others hardly do.

So, what you need to do is to pay closer attention to a strategy that works in helping you achieve your goals. You may call it your inspiration or motivation, and make sure you get a daily dose of what takes you nearer to the finish line.


4. Adopt a positive mind
In this tough world, the last thing you need in life is to have a negative mind. After all, negativity pulls you down and farther from your goals as it affects the way you think, act, and live your life. So, make sure you adopt positive thinking to improve yourself. Since it is impossible to change others or the world, then you should change yourself and improve your mindset

. Start looking at things in a different angle, and create something worthwhile out of difficult situations that come your way. Remember that old saying “when life gives you lemons, just make lemonade”? Just apply that wise adage in your life instead of wasting your time sulking or beating yourself up.

5. Make sure your goals go well with your set of values.
One of the reasons why people are unable to achieve their goals is the conflict between their aspirations and values. You need to clarify and specify your values before you begin creating a simple or measurable goal in life. If you believe in honesty, then you need to make sure that your goal is something that requires a sense of truthfulness and integrity.

6. Set significant goals.
An attainable goal is significant and makes sense to you. It can be very difficult to remain enthusiastic and dedicated to accomplishing your goals when the thing you aspire for is one that you hardly care about. To achieve a goal, it must be something you are passionate about such as a life-changing accomplishment that can enhance your wealth, health and relationships.


Source: lifezap
6:34 PM

Street style in Toronto: 20 of the best shots from day three of fashion week



Day three has wrapped up on the streets of Toronto and our favourite street style stars are back at it again, this time without the rain! With the weather cooling down, bold outerwear filled the streets. From neon bright furs to crisp and clean white-on-white, yesterday was all about making a statement and taking advantage of the dry weather. Also making a welcome appearance outside the tents yesterday was pastel pink, reminding us that spring really is just around the corner (sort of…).

Check out the the photos from day three of Toronto Fashion Week »
Stacey Mckenzie was decked out in head-to-toe black, as was Essie Canada’s lead nail artist, Rita Remark, whose gorgeous locks in the perfect shade of platinum never fail to leave us mesmerized. Toronto Fashion Week is halfway over but we have a feeling some memorable street style shots are yet to come.


5:59 PM

FALL FASHION 2014


In fashion, more so than any other industry, the details are everything. Designers know full well that an inventive surface detail or a well-executed fabric treatment can make or break a piece’s it-status. But embellishment is so much more than a bejeweled collar or accent pocket - ingenuity is key.

See the trend slideshow

Sequins are a natural first choice for enriching a fabric’s surface. Tom Ford and Saint Laurent both offered up rock glam collections with each giving their own sassy spin on the sequined dress for Fall 2014. Meanwhile Louis Vuitton’s sequined mini dress was decidedly more demure with the minuscule hand-sewn palettes creating a wonderfully rich surface.

In the more surreal realm of things, several design houses chose to stray from the norm and used more unusual materials. Kenzo embellished their sweater with lines of little plastic tripods, creating a scale-like effect. Gareth Pugh went for layers of white plastic squares in a playful riff on the classic sequinned texture, giving it a mod feel. No. 21’s faded plaid to fur jacket is a modern marvel thanks to the masterfully fine weave, blurring the line between surface detail and mere fabric. Dior brought some athleticism to their collection with a quirky baseball lace down one of the front seams of a midnight blue cocktail dress and several quilted dresses, giving surface details a layered meaning. Emporium Armani used quilting in their highlighter blue jacket to create a mock-alligator skin finish.

The natural world is a strong theme for embellishment for Fall 2014. Anything goes, from Dior’s flowering vine on lattice shoes to Dries Van Noten’s massive over-the-shoulder lily brooch all the way back to Alberta Ferretti’s feathered dress spectacular. And just in case you need a little bling with your nature Dolce & Gabbana has just the thing with their bachelorhood, continuing the flowery fabric below upwards. Diamonds, after all, are the best kind of embellishment.


Source: fashionmagazine
8:42 PM

Taylor Swift hits News York with a killer wardprobe to promote 1989


While her new album is titled 1989, we think 2014 is the year of Taylor Swift. With a (not surprising) transition into the pop genre, the befriending of Karlie Kloss and Lena Dunham, a big move to New York City, and her recent declaration of “leaving love alone for now,” we think Taylor 2.0 is pretty friggin’ awesome. Not to mention she also killed it as our November cover girl. As her new album is set to sell over a million copies in the early days of its release the pop star made a series of appearances which we covered so you can indulge in a little Taylor Swift mania as well.


As her most recent sartorial obsession involves a serious rotation of crop tops and high-waist ensembles, the singer did not disappoint this week as she donned a number of variations on the look. Performing at CBC Radio’s We Can Survive event, the singer opted for white shorts and an embellished top, pairing the look with her signature red lip. Slightly changing it up in lieu of colder weather, the singer performed for Good Morning America yesterday wearing a navy long-sleeve diamond patterned body suit and nautical-inspired high-waist shorts. Both from the Sass & Bide fall 2014 collection, Taylor finished off the look with a pair of sweet gold heels.

Earlier in the week at the SiriusXM airing of 1989, Taylor went for a more eccentric vibe with an optical Marco de Vincenzo rib-knit sweater and rainbow metallic pleated skirt. With the look being very futuristic and out there, the singer opted for neutral barely-there makeup and completed the look with a pair of black mary jane pumps by Jerome C. Rousseau. One of our favourite looks spotted this week was the sequin embellished Antonio Berardi mini dress that she paired with simple blackGiuseppe Zannoti pumps. Once again, the singer kept her makeup neutral and her hair in an easy blow-out, letting the sporty-chic dress take center stage.


Source: fashionmagazine
8:14 PM

BEYONCÉ IS A DESIGNER NOW! THE SINGER TEAMS UP WITH TOPSHOP ON A SPORTSWEAR BRAND



Just when we thought Beyoncé‘s major year was coming to an end, the singer gives us yet another reason to get excited. Officially announced today, Mrs. Carter will be pairing with Topshop in a 50/50 joint venture to produce an activewear line. Set to launch for Fall 2015, the collection will feature an array of both technical and leisurely pieces meant for the consumer who not only lives a more active lifestyle, but who might also just want to appear as if she does (hey, no judgment here).


While it’s still in the early stages, Sir Philip Green, owner of Topshop, told WWD that this partnership is not meant to be a simple collaboration, but a whole new start-up with it’s own overhead and separate offices. When asked about the new business opportunity, Green pointed out that delving into the fashion-inspired fitness category had been a long time coming stating: “Creating a partnership with Beyoncé, one of the most hard-working and talented people in the world, who spends many hours of her life dancing, rehearsing and training is a unique opportunity to develop this category.”

The sportswear brand, dubbed Parkwood Topshop Athletic Ltd., will include apparel, footwear, and accessories meant for dance, yoga, fitness and sports across all boards, ensuring the perfect blend of innovative fashion and technicality. It has also been affirmative that the line will have a more permanent resonance, rather than an exclusive one-time release. If having Queen Bey create your next gym outfit isn’t enough motivation to get you working out, then Godspeed to you.
6:59 AM
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