Malin Akerman with Sebastian Necklace

Malin Akerman was photographed wearing Brevity jewelry while shopping in Los Angeles yesterday! The gorgeous star kept her son's name close to her heart with her custom Calligraphy Signature Sebastian necklace ($195, www.brevityjewelry.com). 

See more of Malin Akerman here on the Apparel Search fashion blog.

Cromlix’s New Harris Tweed

Tennis coach and Strictly star Judy Murray has worked with Harris Tweed Hebrides to produce a bespoke Harris Tweed for her son Andy’s Perthshire hotel, Cromlix.

Cromlix’s new Harris Tweed – inspired by the famous Wimbledon colours purple and green – has been used by three renowned Scottish-based designers Catherine Aitken, Gráinne Broderick and Katherine Emtage, to craft a contemporary accessory gift range which will be available to purchase at the luxury hotel.

The range – The Cromlix Collection – includes a clutch bag, a messenger bag, a ladies handbag as well as a clip fastening change purse, ‘his and hers’ toiletry bags and Harris Tweed cufflinks set in sterling silver. For modern-day gadgets there is also an iPad and iPhone 6 cover, and a cushion cover and tea cosy for the home.

Judy said: “I wanted to develop something unique for Andy’s hotel which would reflect Cromlix’s heritage and also showcase the fantastic textiles and craftsmanship that Scotland has to offer.” 

In addition to the accessories range a number of one-off items were also fashioned to showcase the beautiful fabric including a jacket for Judy in the new Harris Tweed by Perth-based Blues & Browns.

Judy added: “Cromlix is a stunning location to visit and now guests will be able to take home something memorable from The Collection in the hotel’s signature Harris Tweed.”

The new tweed premiered on the red carpet at BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year Awards on Sunday with Judy wearing a ‘Wild Stole with Luxury Coquille Feathers’, Wrap Belt and one of the new Kate Clutch Bags – all expertly made by Edinburgh-based designer Catherine Aitken.

Instrumental in the development of the new range, Catherine said: “This is a beautiful Harris Tweed to work with, boasting rich and striking colours. It was a pleasure to transform it in to a range of luxury accessories along with my fellow Edinburgh designers.

“It’s very exciting to be working with Judy, we hope The Collection will grow and it was so exhilarating watching my creations modelled so eloquently on the red carpet to such positive acclaim.”

Each item has been carefully handcrafted by all the talented designers blending both traditional and modern techniques.

The tweed has been exclusively designed by Harris Tweed Hebrides, and hand-woven by independent weavers based in their croft sheds across Lewis and Harris, using pure virgin wool that is dyed with separate pigments before being carded and spun.

Just one single yarn can contain several different colours, blended together in order to obtain the perfect tone or hue, each reflecting aspects of natural surroundings such as heathers, mosses, lochs and mountains.

It is this ancient process that defines all cloth officially certified with the world-renowned Harris Tweed Orb symbol making it genuine Harris Tweed – the world’s only commercially produced hand woven tweed.

Speaking of the collaboration, Ian A Mackenzie, chief executive, Harris Tweed Hebrides, said: “The popularity of Harris Tweed continues to soar across the globe. Harris Tweed Hebrides has driven the recent renaissance of this unique Hebridean fabric over the past couple of years. It is very fitting that such a historic Scottish destination has its own bespoke Harris Tweed design.

“Cromlix is the embodiment of luxury, as is Harris Tweed, and we have no doubt the new collection will become as coveted as other exclusive Harris Tweed ranges.”

The Cromlix Collection will be available to purchase exclusively from the hotel which boasts five suites and ten bedrooms, a gate lodge, a chapel, reception hall, two drawing rooms, conservatory, library and meeting rooms.

About The Cromlix Collection

The Cromlix Collection is a range of bespoke tweed products spearheaded by Judy Murray in collaboration with Harris Tweed Hebrides and three Scottish designers, Available products:

Catherine Aitken

Edinburgh based designer Catherine Aitken creates ladies and gents accessories from Harris Tweed, waxed cotton and leather with splashes of taffeta and silk - combining the softness and tactility of the local heritage materials with harsh leathers and kilt pins. This gives her collections a flamboyant Scottish edge but also a contemporary fashion twist that blends trend and tradition. Her designs are stocked in the British Museum and Jenners, Edinburgh’s oldest department store as well as boutiques throughout the UK.

·         Ladies Toiletry Bag

·         Gents Toiletry Bag

·         Kate Clutch Bag

·         Munro Bag

·         Hayworth Handbag

·         iPad Cover

·         iPhone Cover

For more information visit www.catherineaitken.com

Katherine Emtage

Katherine Emtage has been producing clothing and accessory products made from the finest of Scottish tweeds since 2005. Her brightly coloured designs come in a variety of shapes and sizes from shoulder bags and satchels to coin purses and corsages. Each product is lovingly handmade in an Edinburgh studio where Katherine works with a small team. 

·       Cushion cover

·       Clip Change Purse

• Tea cosy

 For more information visit www.katherineemtage.com

Gráinne Broderick

Jeweller Gráinne Broderick is inspired by ancient and classical symbolism, mythology, and various forms of sculpture, especially in wrought iron and the fusion of art and fashion.  All her work is individually designed and hand formed and she is passionate about creating unique statement pieces which allow the wearer to express their own creativity. Grainne exhibits in galleries throughout the UK.   

·         Round Sterling Silver & Harris Tweed Cufflinks  

The Cromlix Collection is exclusive to Andy Murray’s Perthshire hotel which boasts five suites and ten bedrooms, a gate lodge, a chapel, reception hall, two drawing rooms, conservatory, library and meeting rooms.

For more information visit www.facebook.com/grainne.broderick

Prices for The Cromlix Collection, in the new exclusive Harris Tweed, start at £25.00.

Harris Tweed Hebrides

Harris Tweed Hebrides, based at Shawbost on the west coast of the Isle of Lewis is the premier producer of Harris Tweed. The multi award-winning business supplies to the most discerning design houses including Chanel, Vivienne Westwood and Saint Laurent. www.harristweedhebrides.com

Learn more about Harris Tweed here on Apparel Search.

Five facts that make Harris Tweed so special:

·      It is the only fabric in the world which is protected by its own Act of Parliament. The Harris Tweed Act, updated at Westminster in 1993, guarantees that genuine Harris Tweed can only be made in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland.

·      Harris Tweed must be “handwoven by the islanders at their own homes in the Outer Hebrides”. This guarantees that it remains a cottage industry allowing self-employed weavers to determine their own work schedule, traditionally to fit with the demands of crofting agriculture.

·      There are only 140 Harris Tweed weavers, most of them passing down skills from one generation to the next. The recent revival of the industry is slowly transforming the age profile of the weavers, many of whom are in their sixties and seventies.  The newest approved weaver is 19 years of age.

·      The Orb symbol which authenticates Harris Tweed is the oldest British trade mark in continuous use. The Harris Tweed Authority works around the world to protect the name Harris Tweed and the Orb from unauthorized use.

·      Harris Tweed is made from pure virgin wool. Unlike most other fabrics, the wool is dyed rather than the yarn or finished cloth, giving Harris Tweed its depth and richness of colour.

www.harristweed.org

Thank you for taking the time to read our fashion blog post. 

Learn all about fabric here on the Fashion Blog.

We hope that you have found this news to be informative. If you have comments or questions, please add your thoughts in the discussion area below.

Jump Starting the Pollini Fashion Brand

“Heritage” and “tradition” are the key factors defining the new Pollini, with a renewed focus on the DNA and historical elements that have always distinguished the brand.

The upcoming Fall/Winter 2015 collection marks the beginning of a new chapter for Pollini. Combining contemporary designs with fine craftsmanship, Pollini is redefining the concept of daywear using quality materials and clean lines to forge a strong identity. 

This new outlook reintroduces the essential values of the “made in Italy”, entrusting the understanding and execution to Italian designer Erminio Cerbone. Cerbone, an experienced professional, joins the Aeffe group after a career built in Italy, where he worked with the most important names in both fashion and luxury.

Antonella Tomasetti, Managing Director of Pollini, states, “We chose Erminio Cerbone because his training and stylistic vision reflects our culture, balancing product knowledge with a fashionable point of view. We are confident that, with his talent and experience, Cerbone will successfully express the ‘made in Italy’ philosophy which has always inspired and defined Pollini.”

Pollini is a brand owned by the AEFFE group. 

Aeffe S.p.A is a company listed on the STAR segment of Italian Stock Exchange that operates at an international level in the luxury sector managing the production and distribution of renowned brand names such as Alberta Ferretti, Philosophy di Lorenzo Serafini, Moschino, Emanuel Ungaro and Cédric Charlier.

Erminio Cerbone is a competent and experienced professional. After graduating in Set and Technical Costume Design at the Accademia delle Belle Arti di Napoli, Erminio Cerbone began a lengthy career at some of the most prominent luxury fashion houses, including Prada, Jil Sander - under Creative Director Raf Simons - and Dolce & Gabbana. Cerbone’s experiences led him to develop exceptional product knowledge, a technical understanding of Italian manufacturing, and a profound ability to create new, expressive collections that combine art, fashion, and design.  

Thank you for taking the time to read our fashion brand blog post. We hope that you have found this news to be informative. If you have comments or questions, please add your thoughts in the discussion area below.

TRANOÏ NEW YORK

Get ready! TRANOÏ launches its iconic trade show in New York City!

Tranoï New York will host a rich selection of 80 European, American and Asian designers during Women’s Fall NYC Market Week and be held at NYC’s historic former nightclub Tunnel. This location will carry the essence of a Tranoï show identity: central, intimate and atypical - just like in Paris.

February 21, 22, 23, 2015

TRANOÏ believes in offering all their guests the best concierge service… no request is too small or too large for their team. Their chef concierge, Pierre-Paul Monnet, and his team have been greeting visitors and exhibitors on behalf of Tranoï since 2007. They are very happy to also propose this quality of service at TRANOÏ NEW YORK.

In the same spirit of a hotel’s concierge, Tranoï offers a 360° concierge service: the VIP area, exhibitors and visitors. Support for VIPs, exhibitors before, during and after the show, dealing with requests for information and coordination with the Tranoï team. If you need to think outside the box, book a taxi or a table at a restaurant, pick up some last minute shopping, find the unfindable... you can count on Tranoï and their friends at Pawel Concierge! 

See you in NYC for TRANOÏ NEW YORK!

Thank you for taking the time to read our fashion blog post. We hope that you have found this news to be informative. If you have comments or questions, please add your thoughts in the discussion area below.

Plaid Shirts Are Always a Good Choice

Not sure what to wear for the holidays? Plaid shirts are always a good option this time of year and why not coordinate! Get mad for plaid with UNTUCKit and Daniel Rainn for both him and her.

The American Fashion Podcast

The American Fashion Podcast (AFP), which broadcasts from the Fashion Media Center of Manufacture New York (MNY), recently celebrated its 30^th episode.  The weekly, hour-long program, which brings together some of the leading voices in America’s resurgent apparel industry, has already racked up 37,000 downloads, with recent episodes debuting to an average of 1,400 regular listeners.

Fashion Media Center director Charles Beckwith says the podcast has steadily gained traction thanks to a slightly irreverent take on domestic fashion and design (best summed up by the show’s tagline “Local, sustainable, irritable.”)  Beckwith, along with co-hosts Seth Friedermann and Lisa-Maria Radano, have tackled everything from e-tailing and crowdfunding to “bad fashion” and streetwear.  Beckwith believes that the group’s emphasis on domestic apparel has found a particular niche with younger enthusiasts who have been encouraged by the Made-in-America fashion comeback springing up in Brooklyn’s Sunset Park.     

  

Featured guests have included Karolyn Pho, Katya Leonovich, Gretchen Harnick, and Abigail Stewart.  Beckwith says the most popular episode to date featured an interview with Lisa Padovani, the costume designer for ‘Boardwalk Empire’ and ‘Gotham,’ that has racked up more than 8,000 downloads.

Beckwith believes AFP’s audience will continue to grow as the show embraces more discussions of emerging designers, sustainable manufacturing, wearable technology, America’s lengthy garment-making tradition, and new business models for online fashion. 

He adds, “The success of the American Fashion Podcast is confirmation that there is a large and enthusiastic audience for local, sustainable fashion.  We’re excited to keep creating these podcasts as an ongoing archive of the latest breakthroughs in domestic fashion.”

The podcasts are free to download on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/american-fashion-podcast/id887026695, as well as other platforms via http://fashionmediacenter.com/ 

Manufacture New York facility in Brooklyn

In addition to the above mentioned podcasts, you can obviously learn about the apparel industry here on Apparel Search.  However, we strong suggest you do not simply rely on Apparel Search.  You really should listen to the podcasts because they are extremely helpful.

Thank you for taking the time to read our fashion industry blog post. We hope that you have found this news to be informative. If you have comments or questions, please add your thoughts in the discussion area below.

Kendra Wilkinson Wearing NFL Tank

Kendra Wilkinson was spotted wearing Junk Food x NFL today in Los Angeles! The reality star wore her San Diego Chargers tank as she headed to the gym for a pre-holiday workout (www.junkfoodclothing.com).

We miss Kendra... We have not written about her in far too long.  Here is a previous post about Kendra back in June 2012.

Shakira Wearing Maternity Coat from Seraphine

The beautiful Shakira was photographed earlier today wearing Seraphine in Barcelona. The singer stayed warm and cozy in Seraphine's Black Wool & Cashmere Maternity Coat as she enjoyed the day shopping with her family ($232; www.seraphine.com).  

American Apparel Replacing Dov Charney

The Board of Directors of American Apparel, Inc. (NYSE MKT: APP) today announced that it has appointed veteran fashion executive Paula Schneider as Chief Executive Officer, effective January 5, 2015. This appointment follows the termination of Dov Charney, former President and Chief Executive Officer, for cause in accordance with the terms of his employment agreement. Scott Brubaker, who has been serving as Interim CEO, will continue in the post until Ms. Schneider joins the company, after which he will remain as a consultant to ensure an orderly transition.

Read the full press release about American Apparel Replacing Dov Charney at http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20141216006562/en/American-Apparel-Names-Paula-Schneider-CEO-Terminates

Learn more about American Apparel here on the Apparel Search fashion guide.

You may also be interested in reading additional blog posts about the apparel industry.

Last Minute Holiday Gift Ideas for Holiday 2014

The Holidays are just around the corner, and in case you still haven't finished your holiday shopping and need some ideas for gift ideas, here's a gift guide for the ladies in your life. Whether it is for a girlfriend, wife, mom or even just yourself, we picked out some of the best goodies this season.

 Zamrie Winterland Faux Fur Vest, $168 ; http://tinyurl.com/m8p8ty9

Swoon Universal Lip Applicator; $12; http://tinyurl.com/n32nxtm

Brevity 22k gold plated ‘2015’ necklace; $95; http://tinyurl.com/kro2jnj

cinda b iPhone 5 hard case in jet set black, $40; http://tinyurl.com/lt5y8dp

Hydropeptide Purifying Lift Mask, $46; http://tinyurl.com/n223vy8

Patricia Nash Tooled Dante Crossbody, $149; http://tinyurl.com/oqsa8zk