Italian Fashion Designer "Versace"

Versace is one of the best known Italian fashion brands, and for good reason. Its founder, Gianni Versace, and its torchbearer, Donatella Versace, have made the brand the epitome of rock-star glamour, decadent style, and in-your-face sexiness. Wearing Versace has become the signature style of the glitterati. With the passing away of Gianni, the brand may have lost its continuous association with theatre and art, it remains a formidable force in the world of fashion. No red carpet is deemed complete without a few contributions from the legendary brand.
Versace as a brand was the brainchild of Gianni Versace, who was born in Reggio Calabria on December 2, 1946. His mother was the family’s main provider, tailoring clothes to make a living. This meant that both Gianni and Donatella were exposed to tailoring techniques and designs from their childhood. Gianni used to help his mother as she embroidered dresses, finding gold braids and precious stones for her. He eventually began designing garments himself, which sold from his mother’s dressmaker shop. After a stint studying architecture, he left for Milan in 1972. Here, he took on freelance designing for Italian labels like Genny, Callaghan and Complice. He designed the first leather collection for Complice in 1975, and found a lifelong fascination for leather as designer clothing material. Encouraged by the response his work received, he presented his first collection of womenswear in 1978 in Milan, and followed it up by his first menswear collection the same year. This was also the year the first Versace boutique opened, at the Via della Spiga. His style which celebrated excess, and took equal amounts of inspiration from Italian architecture, theatre, and the Miami beach life, set the ramps on fire.Gianni had an unerring sense of style, and a hunger for image, which gave him a spurt of growth seldom seen in the fashion world. Not only did he prove his mettle as a costume designer for Italian theatre, he also excelled at playing couturier to Hollywood, and to stars in the UK like Elton John and Madonna. Princess Diana was one of his more illustrious clients. His success soon culminated in the first of a series of awards in his career: "L'Occhio d'Oro" for the best fashion designer of the 1982/83 Fall/Winter collection for women. Gianni went on to win this award a few more times. This was also the year he formally entered into a collaboration with the famous Teatro alla Scala.By this time, Donatella had already joined the Versace brand, primarily in a PR role, but she went on to become his muse, inspiration, and favorite critic. Born in 1955, she was almost a decade younger than him but the two shared an extremely close relationship. Gianni said of her, "If my sister wants to do something, okay. If she doesn't like a sketch, I will cancel it." Donatella’s role in the company grew to a point where she was given the responsibility for designing the new line,Versus. Gianni Versace named a perfume, Blonde, after her to celebrate Donatella’s famous artificially blond hair
Donatella had her finger on the pulse of the youth, and was able to clue her brother in on the needs of a fashion-hungry new breed. She is widely credited for introducing supermodels in a group on Versace ramps, and began drawing celebrities like Madonna and Demi Moore to endorse the Versace brand. Versace clothing soon graced the red carpet, and the brand eventually won over celebrities like Brad Pitt, Jamie Foxx, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Angelina Jolie and Jennifer Lopez.While Donatella Versace was taking the brand into new realms through her advertising, Versace himself was reaching stratospheric heights in the fashion world. His contribution to the world of art and fashion was recognized by Chicago's National Field Museum, London's Royal College of Art and the Kobe City Museum in Japan. His business acumen was not far behind and he was relentlessly spinning off diffusion lines for his collections. 1989 saw the establishment of the Atelier Versace, which catered to an ultra-high fashion segment. Then came the aforementioned Versus, meant for cute young things. The classic Signature line was launched in 1991 and the Home Signature came out in 1993. It was also in 1993 that Gianni received the American Fashion Oscar awarded by the Council of Fashion Designers of America.Versace’s creed became: “Style makes sense only if it is your own.” Hundreds of sharply dressed men, and sexily clad women in nightclubs around the world echoed that sentiment, making Versace a bigger success than ever. Sensuous, revealing silhouettes and an aggressive chic became part of Gianni Versace’s design ethos, and this was best epitomized in the unforgettable safety-pin dress worn by Liz Hurley to the premier of Four Weddings and a Funeral in 1994.The brand almost received a death blow when Gianni Versace was gunned down at his own doorstep in 1997, by a serial-killer. Overnight, the company lost its guiding light, and the subsequent collections for that year were cancelled. Some of the biggest luminaries of the fashion, music, and high-society attended Gianni’s funeral, and tributes have been made to his name each year since.
It was Donatella who picked up the reins of the company as its creative director, and gave it a new lease of life. It was not always easy and the profits of the Versace company dipped before they picked up again after the turn of the century. Donatella gathered herself together, successfully battled addictions. She then began to use her famous connections and her inner style instinct to regain and even supersede the heights to which her brother had taken the brand.
Donatella retained the legacy of Gianni in the sharp, revealing, often embroidered silhouettes. But she also tuned the brand into recognizing the needs of the modern career woman, who needs to transform from smart office wear into glam evening wear with very little notice.
The collections became more varied, and while there were still shocking pieces like the neckline-below-the-navel dress Jennifer Lopez wore to the Grammy Awards in 2000, the tone of the Versace line became more subdued, less explicit.Penelope Cruz wore Versace to the Academy Awards in 2007, but it was a subdued monochrome affair. Despite the wealth of embellishments, Atelier Versace seemed to be moving in a simpler direction with more emphasis on materials used and pattern cuts than embroidery. This was amply proven in the Spring 2009 couture collection, which created quite a buzz in Italy and the U.S. As she said in an earlier interview in 2006 with Harper’s Bazaar: “....... you can’t leave your style the same as it always was and so I try to ‘feel’ the trends and make them work for Versace. I’ve taken away ornaments, obvious expressions of sexiness, sheer things, showing legs, breasts. Everything is covered and subtle and that’s my way to go in a new direction.”
The fashion world is apparently taking notice. Donatella Versace won the Superstar Award by the Fashion Group International in 2008. She has done a great job, carrying forward the Versace label in new directions while maintaining Gianni’s legacy.

Introduction about Dolce & Gabbana

Domenico Dolce was born in Polizzi Generosa near Palermo, Sicily on August 13, 1958. He was very young when he started his career as a designer in his father Saverio's small atelier. Stefano Gabbana, of Venetian origins, was born in Milan on November 14, 1962, and after studying graphic design turned his interest to fashion.In 1982, after having spent two years working as assistant designers they decided to work for themselves and opened a design studio. The two were united by the desire to express and communicate an unusual and extremely personal taste, much of it inspired by Dolce's Sicilian origins.Their first break came in 1985 when they were among the three chosen names to present their collections in the new talents category at the Milan shows. The duo made a big effort and the press and buyers present at the show did the rest. The name, representing a new generation of "Made in Italy", soon became famous all over the world. First success gave them confidence to pursue their own vision of fashion, gradually expanding, and avoiding offers of easy money for licenses before they were sure of their moves.They both work extremely hard making their own paper models, prototypes and accessories, following their sales, shows, public relations and advertising campaigns. Their vision and personalities are stamped on everything they do. Their philosophy is reflected in their work. Dolce & Gabbana's fashion has "real" women in mind; it is sensual and austere, and clearly draws inspiration from Mediterranean colours and culture. The fabrics preferred include lace, wool, and silk. In 1987 they moved into a larger showroom.In 1988, Dolce & Gabbana signed an agreement with the Onward Kashiyama group and started distributing their designs in Japan. The previous year their first knitwear designs was launched. 1989 marked the first lingerie and beachwear outfits, followed by a menswear collection in 1990. Dolce and Gabbana signed further agreements to design the Complice line for the Genny group. Next come the boutiques, first Milan, then Hong Kong, Singapore, Taipei and Seoul.Becoming one of Madonna's favorite fashion houses certainly didn't hurt the team, and they designed a number of costumes for her to wear in one of her world tours. In 1992 Dolce & Gabbana launched a perfume which won the 1993 Perfume Academy International Prize for the best female fragrance. Their two latest lines include Dolce & Gabbana Basic, sold only in Milan, which covers a wide variety of their classic designs, and D & G aimed at the younger generation, both in style and price. Dolce & Gabbana had g ross sales of 178 billion lire (calculate $1=1600 lire) in 1994 and projects an income of 280 billion lire for 1995. These figures also include the D&G and D&G jeans brands.

Designers:Dolce & Gabbana

Dolce & Gabbana celebrates the voluptuous woman and the metro-sexual man. The Dolce and Gabbana woman glories in her curves and her inherent sexuality: Madonna is the brand’s most famous muse. Being one of the world famous singer's favorite designers helped Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana immensely on their climb up the ladder of success. Together they have designed a great many costumes for her to wear in her world tours. And their work just keeps getting better.
Domenico Dolce was born on August 13, 1958 in Polizzi, Generosa (near Palermo, Sicily). He got an early start in the fashion design business working for his father's small company. Stefano Gabbana, of Venetian origins, was born on November 14, 1962 in Milan. He began his academic career studying graphic design but soon turned his attention to his real love, that of fashion.
Both men spent two years working as assistant designers but eventually decided that they wanted to start their own design studio. They made it happen in 1982. They both had an interesting and eclectic mix of ideas to bring to the clothes they designed and it was believed (and still is) that Dolce's ties to Sicily inspired many of their fashions.
This dynamic team got their first break in 1985 when they were among three names chosen to present their collections in the new talents category at the shows held in Milan. Their work was met with much praise and admiration. Before long, Italian fashion, a new generation referred to as "Made in Italy", became world-renowned. Dolce and Gabbana were convinced they had a unique approach to fashion and their first success gave them the confidence to move forward with their designs and expand as they saw fit.
The unique vision of the duo is evident in all of the clothes they make, clothes that have "real" women in mind. This team does not make clothes that just look good on models on a runway; instead they want women from all different types of backgrounds, cultures and lifestyles to enjoy wearing their fashions.The designs of Dolce & Gabbana draw inspiration primarily from Mediterranean colors and culture. The clothes are not rigid or unyielding, but instead cheerful and sensual, bringing into fashion mainstream silhouettes and fashions like satin corset bodies, black hold-up stockings and fishnets, which were so far only part of cabarets and exotic clubs. The post-feministic women who are confident in their own abilities and not afraid to appear sexy have lapped up the Dolce and Gabbana creations in lace, silk and wool. Both men put everything into the work they undertake, imbuing it with a sort of passion and dedication that has helped them create a multi-million dollar fashion empire. They make their own paper models, prototypes and accessories; they follow their sales and shows very closely, as well as their public relations and advertising campaigns. Theirs is a "hands on" business in the truest sense of the word.
Another major success came for Dolce & Gabbana in 1988 when they signed an agreement with the Onward Kashiyama Group and began distributing their designs in Japan. This allowed them to break into a relatively untapped fashion market, up to that point. Their first knitwear designs were launched the previous year and in 1989 they came out with their very first lingerie and beachwear outfits, closely followed by a menswear collection in 1990. To say they were on a roll was an understatement. Further agreements were signed to design the Complice line for the Genny group. But it didn't stop there- following on the heels of their agreements was the boutiques they established, first in Milan, then in Hong Kong, Singapore, Taipei and Seoul.
Dolce and Gabanna Fashion Accessories, Italy
Dolce & Gabbana launched a perfume in 1992, which won the Perfume Academy International Prize for the best female fragrance the following year. In 2008, the perfume Light Blue Pour Homme became the "Best Men's Fragrance" judged by the Acedemia del Profumo and the U.S. Fifi award.The two latest fashion lines to come from these multi-talented designers include Dolce & Gabbana Basic which covers a wide array of their classic designs, and the abbreviated D & G which is geared towards the younger set, in relation to both style and price. Dolce & Gabbana has come a long way in the last 25 years of its existence. Its contribution to fashion in terms of original styling, fantasy, and irony in equal measure will keep the cash registers ringing for a long time to come.

Fashion Faux Pas in Itlay

With hot summer weather here and lots of people visiting Italy, there comes the age-old question of what to pack. What, in the land of fashion and “la bella figura,” will be acceptable to wear in Italy? Is it okay to wear the denim cutoff shorts, flip-flops and baseball cap I wear at home, or will I be forced to wear stilettos mini-skirts just to keep up with the fashionable Italians? As you might imagine, the answer is somewhere between those two extremes.
Truthfully, you can pack and wear whatever you want in Italy - your usual weekend wardrobe isn’t going to get you kicked out of most informal restaurants or museums (although immodest dress will get you turned away from most churches) - but it really is smart to think about what you are wearing and alter it slightly when visiting Italy. You’ll fit in better, and feel more at home.
Of course, I should say at the outset that no matter how hard I try, whenever I go to Italy I always feel out of place. Let’s face it - I’m a wannabe Italian, and will probably never really achieve the goal of looking like I fit in, as much fun as it might be to try. The husband and I make a policy of buying at least one clothing item (shoes count) on every Italy trip, and the unwritten rule is that if we see everyone wearing something in particular, we’ll buy it - even if, at the time, we don’t think we’ll end up liking it. So far, we’ve not been disappointed by a single purchase.
So, here are a few tips for men and women who want to steer clear of the shorts, white tennis shoes and ball caps - in other words, for the people out there who want to try to look less like a tourist and more like you know what you’re doing.

Men’s WearUntil 2004, I had never seen a pair of shorts on an Italian man who wasn’t playing soccer. Even in summer, men wore long pants (albeit made of linen or some other lightweight material) and nice-looking leather sandals, if it was a casual setting. Last summer, however, what the husband and I called the “man-pri” made their first appearance, and they’ve been going strong ever since. They’re not shorts, and they’re not trousers, but somewhere between - they’re usually baggy and stop at mid-calf, like a woman’s capri-pant. I couldn’t convince the husband to get a pair, but I’d recommend it to any man willing to take a fashion leap. They’re worn with t-shirts and sandals or fashionable tennis shoes. If you’re not ready for the “man-pri,” stick to long pants - khakis or linen pants are best in the summer when it’s hot, although you can certainly get away with jeans at any time of year. If you must bring shorts, make sure they aren’t too short, and remember to wear knee-covering and shoulder-covering clothing when you visit churches, as many have a dress code. There’s no need to do only button-down dress shirts, although if you’re planning a night at a nicer restaurant you will feel more comfortable if you bring at least one along. Otherwise, polo shirts or nice t-shirts are perfectly acceptable.
Women’s WearLadies, let me assure you that unless you’re planning to really go all in, you’ll never quite achieve the look you see around you. But you are a tourist, even if you’re trying not to look like one, so stilettos aren’t practical for all-day walks around a city or museum. You can still look stylish, just don’t try to compare yourselves to the Italian women you see. It’ll just be disappointing. (Trust me, I know from personal experience.) 2006 was the first time I saw women wearing shorts in Italy, and it was only younger women (college and under) and with an extraordinarily odd choice of footwear - nearly knee-high cowboy boots. In summer. Crazy. Still, shorts were available and being worn. They weren’t short-shorts, they went almost to the knee, so if you want to bring shorts you might opt for longer ones to begin with. But Italian women by and large wear skirts or dresses in the summer with sandals or heels. Skirts are a fantastic option in hot weather, as they provide a natural “air conditioning” that shorts don’t, and if the skirt goes below the knee you can walk into most churches without worrying about your knees showing (some churches don’t like ankles showing either, so be sure to check). Tank tops or shoulder-baring tops are perfectly fine in the summer, but bring along a wrap or light jacket for the times when you want to see a church with a dress code.
Really, the bottom line is to remember that while it’s fun to try to fit in and dress like a local, you’re a visitor and you’ll never get it perfect in a two-week vacation. Will people look at you funny if you’re wearing shorts? Maybe. But will you see these people again after a few days visiting their city? Probably not. Above all, your clothing has to be travel-comfortable, or you’ll be miserable.
Besides - the Italians have had centuries of practice to look as good as they do. The rest of us are still playing catch-up.

Fashion In India

Fashion in India has become a growing industry with international events such as the India Fashion Week and annual shows by fashion designers in the major cities of India. The victories of a number of Indian beauty queens in International events such as the Miss World and Miss Universe contests have also made Indian models recognized worldwide. Fashion designers such as Ritu Kumar, Ritu Beri, Rohit Bal, Rina Dhaka, Muzaffar Ali, Satya Paul, Abraham and Thakore, Tarun Tahiliani, JJ Valaya and Manish Malhotra are some of the well known fashion designers in India.
Fashion in India covers a whole range of clothing from ornate clothes designed for wedding ceremonies to prêt lines, sports wear and casual wear. Traditional Indian techniques of embroidery such as chikhan, crewel and zardosi, and traditional weaves and fabrics have been used by Indian designers to create Indo-western clothing in a fusion of the best of East and West.
Traditional costumes in India vary widely depending on the climate and natural fibres grown in a region. In the cold northern state of Jammu and Kashmir, people wear a thick loose shirt called a phiran to keep them warm. In the tropical warmth of south India men wear a sarong like garment called the mundu, while women drape 5 meters of cloth around their bodies in the graceful folds of the saree. Sarees are woven in silk, cotton and artificial fibres. Kanjivaram, Mysore, Paithani, Pochampalli, Jamdani, Balucheri, Benarasi, Sambalpuri, Bandhini are some varieties of beautiful sarees from different regions of India. In the dry regions of Rajasthan and Gujarat men wrap and twist a length of cloth in the form of a dhoti around their lower limbs and a shirt-like kurta above. Colorful turbans complete the picture. In the northeastern regions the tribal communities such as Khasis, Nagas, Mizos, Manipuris and Arunachalis wear colorful woven sarong-like clothing and woven shawls that represent the identity of each tribal group. In urban India the salwar kameez and the churidar kameez, are commonly work by women and the saree is worn on formal occasions. Men wear kurtas and pajamas, or a sherwani for formal wear. Western wear such as shirts and trousers are commonly worn by men across India. Jeans, T-shirts, capris, bermudas and various kinds of casual clothing are worn by the young and the young at heart, who are the trendsetters of fashion in India.
Fashion in India is continuously evolving as new designers from leading institutes such as the National Institutes of Fashion Technology continue to redefine the meaning of Fashion in India.

Indian Clothing

Civilization brought in clothing, but over the years, its not just civilization that provokes us to clothe ourselves. Now every second person has gotten fashion conscious. So they dress to belong. In India the variety of clothing available can make one buy wardrobes to be in vogue. Every season or every 2 months fashion has changes its identity. Indian clothes vary from the conventional sari and salwar khameez for women to trendy western wear like skirts, pants and dresses. For men, traditional would be the dhoti, kurta, leggings, sherwani or the modern, shirt and pant. Indian is rich in resources like cotton and other raw clothing materials. Hence there is a huge export market that lies in the country. Its only when you get your hands on the export surplus that you will find excellent quality.

Clothing from India includes baby suits to tops, skirts, shirts, trousers; everything gets exported in the best of material available. No doubt it has earned its name abroad and exports have always added to the country’s GDP. The excess from the export is then circulated in the country. In the new millennium a huge foreign investment hand in clothing is visible, especially in the metropolitan cities. So the clothing in India available ranges from Rs. 100 that you get from the roadside markets, around Rs. 300 in local shops and then anything above Rs. 500 to Rs. 2000 in branded shops. So it all depends on your taste for clothes and how much you want to shell out. Clothes are a woman’s prerogative as the options for her outlast the options available for men.
However Indian clothing for women differs in different regions. After all clothing is indirectly related to customs, cultures and traditions. So every few kilometres that you cover in India you will have a difference in cultures and clothing. Down south, women mostly wear saris, younger girls wear sharara types skirts with matching tops with typical south Indian borders. In the north it’s more of salwar khameez, in the west again its sari and salwar khameez, while in the east its traditional full dresses.

In cities and towns Indian women’s clothing are more liberal. They prefer branded clothes and shop according to their usage. Shopping is a delight for any woman, but when it comes to shopping for a wedding everyone has a voracious appetite. The market for Indian wedding dresses is huge. Women normally buy heavy hand worked saris that range from anywhere between Rs. 3000 to Rs. 10000 and more. They shop for the different occasions they have to attend, while men too do a good amount of shopping for weddings. It could either be the traditional sherwani or a tailored suit. Besides this heavy monies are invested for accessories and jewellery.

While previously a master weaver was recognized for his skill, today a fashion designer is celebrated for his or her creativity. Young urban Indians can choose from the best of East and West as Indian fashion designers are inspired by both Indian and western styles. This fusion of fashion can be seen on the streets and ramps of the fashionable cities of India. Fashion in India is also beginning to make its mark on the international scene as accessories such as bindis (red dots worn on the forehead), mehendi (designs made by applying henna to the palms of the hands and other parts of the body) and bangles, have gained international popularity, after being worn by fashion icons like the pop singers Madonna and Gwen Stephani.

Italian Fashoin Designers

Many Italian fashion designers that manage to change the way people all over the world dress with their creations.They shows their creation and art in the events. Events like the “Milan fashion week” and “Rome fashion week” are great occasions for Italian designers to show their work, and let fashion creators from all over the world find inspiration for their own creations.
As an Italian fashion passionate, you’ll find this website very useful.Through the fashion of Italy you’ll learn to decide which fashion accessories fit you best. You'll find fashion tips which, if you take them into consideration, will change your life for the better. You think you have to best in the occasion or event, after all, we live in a world where appearance is a pretty important factor in social interaction.
It is well known that the italians are the most important fashion creators in the world. Giorgio Armani, Gucci, Fendi, Missoni, Robe di Firenze, Silver Chianti, Sogni D'Arte, Tagliamonte are the well known Italian Designers in the world. Their designs are followed by the well known people in the world. They are know for thier designs in the world.