For Spring Summer 2011 RAOUL continues its cinematic odyssey by drawing inspiration from another great movie classic, Michelangelo Antonioni’s The Passenger, featuring the sexy, confident, rugged Jack Nicholson and the enigmatic, willowy Maria Schneider. The movie sets the scene for the collection, reflecting the sophisticated, confident and languid style of an independent and chic traveler set against the backdrop of exotic locations reminiscent of Northern Africa and the South of France.

There is a hint of a ’70s vintage, a languorous mood that evokes a feeling of a suspension of time, of long summer days and the romance of travel, translated into chic but practical, almost utilitarian and carefree weekend styles that one can travel, work and play in. With a modern and minimalist take on key references from the 70’s, the collection is functional while whispering of luxury and glamour, with relaxed silhouettes and a fuss-free vibe that eases one from day to night.

WOMEN

The RAOUL woman is elegant, fresh, modern and a sophisticated traveler. The collection features a light palette of solid colors with clean lines, interspersed with vintage-inspired prints and beautifully finished with subtle details.

Key items this season include RAOUL’s iconic shirts and shirt dresses, chic jumpsuits and playsuits, minimalist long dresses, silk shantung shift dresses with color blocking or matching lace embellishment, a brocade tunic top with bell sleeves and matching cigarette pants, safari dresses in poplin, canvas or suede, gold and navy guipure lace tee shirts, shorts and tunics, paperbag shorts and skirts with gold eyelet details, an elegant off white ensemble of a long-sleeved chiffon wrap blouse with mandarin collar and wide cuffs tucked into wool flared pants, a swirly-dot printed blouse worn under an oversized shantung trench coat, cinched at the waist and paired with tailored wide-legged pants.

Fabric:                         Shantung silk, silk crepe de chine, chiffon silk, silk georgette, silk heavy crepe, cotton twill, cotton poplin, lurex, brocade, suede, guipure lace

 Color:                         Navy, nougat, sesame, silver peony, sage, bottle-green, tangerine, coral,                                     pink, cloud blue, gold, cream, toffee

Prints:                         Floral discharged prints, Liberty prints, floral bouquet prints, swirly-dot prints

Bags:                           Streamlined leather satchels, clutches, totes and sling bags in camel, black, beige, coral, embellished with gold accents.

Leather texture adds a new dimension to classic styles, with nubuck and shrunken leathers. Natural and black vegetable leathers add structure and a sense of hardiness.

Saddle bags complimenting the utilitarian look perfectly, make a modern resurgence. 

Gold metal handles add a new modern twist to classic styles, together with a signature “buttonhole” closure. 

Accessories:               Hammered gold necklaces, earrings and cuffs in swirly organic shapes, gold wire mesh designs, delicate gold link chains embellished with swarovski pearls, mosaic color-block enamel jewellery, skinny leather belts

 Shoes:                        Wooden platform wedges in nubuck with knotted details, criss cross                                     nubuck platforms with studded heels, coral and cloud blue nubuck 70’s                                     inspired sandals with cut out details, woven flat leather sandals, strappy                                     leather sandals with metal gold wedges or wooden wedges.

MEN

The RAOUL man is rugged, suave and confident in a range of modern, fitted styles suitable for the stylish wanderer who indulges in carefree expeditions, yachting or overland trips to exotic sunny locales. The collection is masculine with a light and refreshing color palette, a touch of unexpected details like dual-color slim plackets, and an emphasis on subtlety and quality.

Fresh additions this season include safari style drawstring jackets, extra slim-fit twill-stretch pants, lightweight reversible seersucker jackets, liberty print shirts, contemporary fit linen pants, knit cotton casual polo tee worn with low rise slim-leg shorts, motorcycle denim jackets with utility pockets, denim jeans in both classic and skinny fit, pants made with slightly worn out yet crisp canvas fabric, black long-sleeved shirt with white tipping on collar and cuffs paired with navy slim-cut shorts.

An new emphasis was made to offer quality, well-cut suits in styles and colors for a man with a more discerning taste – a light slim fitting pink suit worn with a light colored shirt; a caramel suit worn with a cream shirt with brown placket and slim brown belt; pastel colored linen jackets with leather wrapped buttons and patch pockets; summer-weight suits in 100% wool.

Color:                           Sage, toffee, cinnamon, pink, light blue, navy, sesame

Bags:                           Denim backpacks and totes with leather trimmings, suede light blue briefcase

Accessories:               D-ring belts in woven leather or canvas with vegetable tan leather, slim leather belts.

Shoes:                         Nubuck or denim loafers, two-tone nubuck and denim boating shoes, leather bowling shoes, leather sandals with cut-out details, canvas and leather lace ups, casual pastel colored nubuck oxfords.

In the Philippines, Raoul is exclusively distributed by Stores Specialists, Inc. (SSI) and is available at Greenbelt 5.

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Introducing a selection of new Lush products to get you in the mood for summer … not only will they leave you smelling as sweetly as a summer’s day, but they will also help prepare your bikini body and keep you looking fabulous all season long! So even if this year is another damp squib, these new products should be enough to give you that summer feeling in the comfort of your own home … 

THE SCENT OF SUMMER … 

Have you ever wanted to smell like you’ve just rolled around in a freshly mown lawn? If so then Lush’s new Grass shower gel (Php395 for 100g / Php725 for 250g / Php1,295 for 500g) is for you. This will leave you smelling like summer itself, as well as being nutritious and soothing on your skin as it’s full of mineral rich wheatgrass juice. Wheatgrass is packed with active enzymes, proteins, minerals, anti-oxidants and chlorophyll – all of which nourish, soothe and calm sore, sunburnt or irritated skin. There’s also an uplifting blend of bergamot oil and neroli oil to put you in a good mood, as well as a touch of sandalwood oil to have a balancing effect on the skin. 

Bathing in a tepid bath before bed can help you cool down enough for a good night sleep. It’s most beneficial to have the water at body temperature and to bathe for exactly 20 minutes, allowing your body to release its heat into the water. Try this trick with Lush’s new Keep it Fluffy bath ballistic (Php175) that’s based on the best-selling fragrance from our dear departed B Never too Busy to be Beautiful. The base note is vanilla, which has a fantastically calming and comforting effect, as well as being a bit of an aphrodisiac so perfect for sharing! Also containing the beautiful floral essential oils of rose, jasmine absolute and tonka … the perfect summer scent. Choose from either pastel mauve or pale orange – they contain the same fluffy fragrance, but just change the water a different color.

DARE TO BARE … 

Now, if the thought of daring to bare on the beach, or even in your back garden, fills you with dread … then this new product could help. Lovely Jubblies (Php1,225 for 100g) is Lush’s new breast cream – to help tone and tighten the sensitive skin around the bust and décolletage area. Packed with meadowsweet infusion and tiger lily petals to tighten and firm the tissue, this cream also contains beeswax, cocoa butter and organic oils like evening primrose, almond and avocado to deeply soften. Almond oil is especially beautiful on the skin as it’s high in nutrients, rich in vitamin A and E and works to soothe, protect, condition and nourish the skin. The fragrance is a blend of florals, most notably sensual jasmine and ylang ylang – both of which are also well known aphrodisiacs, so be careful how much you rub on! There’s also beautiful rose infusion to add a delicate, feminine note to the mix. Apply is upward, circular motions.

If you have any dry skin you are ashamed of then this is ideal … Lush’s new Ultrabalm (Php595) is our eco-friendly version of Vaseline, without the petroleum jelly but with a super softening, emollient base of rose wax, candelilla wax and jojoba oil instead. Perfect for any skin type, this multi-purpose balm can be used as lip balm; to alleviate any dry skin; as a cuticle softener; to shape brows into place; to banish hard skin on heels and elbows; to soothe sore, chapped hands; or to calm sunburn. Be sure to have one with you at all times for any necessity.

HAIRCARE …

Summer can play havoc with your hair … all that sunshine can cause dryness, split ends and frizziness. So Lush has designed a new hair moisturising finisher to deal with such issues … R&B (Php925) stands for Revive & Balance and that’s exactly what this product does. Created by three girls from our shops who all suffered similar problems with black hair and found nothing currently on the market to deal with them. They wanted something to stop their hair drying out, becoming brittle and splitting … so this is what they came up with! R&B is packed full of softening and conditioning ingredients such as oat milk, olive oil, coconut oil, avocado butter, jojoba oil and candelilla wax. Once you’ve smoothed it through the ends of dry hair with your fingertips, it will be left soft and shiny. Designed for black hair, it works just as effectively on all hair types to finish off a style or to smooth/scrunch the ends with.

AND DON’T FORGET YOUR SUNSCREEN …

One cardinal rule for beautiful summer skin, always use a sunscreen. Sunlight is one of the major causes of ageing, so it’s important to protect your skin from this, especially during the summer months. So why not create your own tinted moisturiser with SPF, to give you a perfect summer glow, by using Lush’s new Color Supplements (Php525 each) blended with either Paradise Regained (Php2,595) or Skin Nanny (Php2,595). Both use two sunscreens to give effective everyday protection against harmful UVA and UVB damage. Paradise Regained is SPF 15 and Skin Nanny is SPF 30, so wear one of these creams every day to help protect skin from the effects of external damage and to leave it looking and feeling it’s very best.

And the Colour Supplement will even out your skin tone leaving you looking fresher, younger and healthier. There are four tones to choose from, to ensure you get the right match, and they don’t contain mineral oils – only soya oil and bran oil, which are light and fine vegetable oils to carry the pigment into the skin without congesting it in any way. The rose petal base also soothes and softens the skin, so they are extremely comfortable to wear, give great coverage and contain no harmful ingredients.

To pick up these and many more ethical, cruelty free cosmetics visit Lush shops nationwide. In the Philippines, Lush is exclusive distributed by Stores Specialists, Inc.

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2011 SPRING SUMMER COLLECTION THE AFRICAN SPIRIT…

The Style Icon Alexa Chung becomes the Face of Superga for their Centennial Anniversary

Alexa Chung, British model and TV personality, elected “Style Icon 2010” at the latest Fashion Awards and already defined by fashion magazines as the “best-dressed woman 2009 and 2010”, will team up with the Basic Group becoming the new face for Superga. To celebrate Superga’s centennial year anniversary, Alexa has chosen to wear, as icon of her everyday wardrobe, the historical 2750, a must-have for all those to whom style is a daily choice.

It is no coincidence that also in the United Kingdom, the iconic sneaker is selling like hot cakes in cult stores, such as ASOS, Flannels and Oi Polloi, as well as on the famous fashion website my-wardrobe.com.

Superga was born in 1911, when Walter Martiny established a public limited company, which in 1925 began producing canvas shoes with vulcanized rubber soles, the iconic 2750s. The brand joined the Group in 2004.

Already a fan of the Italian brand, Alexa posed for an exclusive shoot featuring the iconic 2750. And, to capture the brand’s essence and character, she added her personal touch to the shoot with her styling and by playing with a look that perfectly matches simplicity and style.

Alexa’s decision to start this partnership on occasion of the centennial anniversary of Superga is a positive novelty factor to Superga. She is one of the most influential style icons of our time and a huge Superga fan. Her effortless style and personality suit the brand and the collection that she is going to wear in a very natural way.

Banana Republic introduces its most covetable and expansive summer dress collection to date. The 2011 line-up offers a number of distinct styles, ranging from black-tie evening wear to stylish knit maxi dresses that take you from beach to chic. Each new arrival is a celebration of individuality, with fresh spins on color, texture and shape – all inspired by the otherworldly lushness and vibrancy of the world’s rainforests, lagoons and gardens.

The palette runs the gamut from statement solids punctuated with modern twists to bloom-covered offerings and ethnic prints drenched in the boldest kaleidoscope of hues. Think dainty hand-drawn florals and exuberant watercolors. Luxury also arrives via the feel and ease of the fabrics – silk, linen, cotton – each with a new lightness of being that’s being experienced at a leisurely pace. The softly structured silhouettes beckon to mind the quintessential patio cokctail party where summer was a dressed-up affair and conversations outnumbered dips in the pool.

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Kate Spade New York is pleased to announce actress Bryce Dallas Howard as the new face of its Spring Summer 2011 and Autumn Winter 2011 Advertising Campaigns.

The Spring Summer 2011 campaign, photographed by acclaimed fashion photographer Norman Jean Roy, is the first fashion campaign for Bryce as well as the first time that kate spade new york has featured a celebrity in its ads.  

Bryce, someone who has long been a fan and supporter of the brand, was the natural choice for the upcoming collection as she so perfectly represents the quintessential kate spade new york girl. 

“Bryce is playful, gorgeous and multi-talented. She embraces and embodies the spirit of our brand.  The moment she puts our clothes on they come to life in a new, spirited way.”

 – Deborah Lloyd, President and Chief Creative Officer, kate spade new york

Centered around the “Year of Color,” the shoot took place in a loft studio building in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. The creative will be featured in national long lead fashion and lifestyle magazines as well as throughout the online editorial community.

Bryce Dallas Howard is an actress best known for her roles in the films The Village, Manderlay, Lady In the Water, Spider-Man 3, Terminator Salvation, and The Twilight Saga: Eclipse. 

 Current film projects for Bryce include Hereafter, directed by Clint Eastwood and starring opposite Matt Damon, Live With It from award winning director Jonathan Levine, and the film adaptation of New York Times bestselling novel, The Help.   Bryce additionally co-produced Gus Van Sant’s new film, Restless, set to release in January 2011.

KATE SPADE NEW YORK CELEBRATES THE SUMMER WITH COLOR

INSPIRATION

Kate Spade New York continues with the year of color for the summer with new collections inspired by travels around the world. In April, the color of the month is green, inspired by travels to a lush tropical garden, where the Kate Spade New York girl checks into a villa overlooking the sea. In May, travels take the Kate Spade New York girl to a majestic hotel menagerie where she spends her afternoons in open air lodges where she watches brightly colored parrots perch on trees and giraffes roam the grounds. As the sun sets in the sky, the landscape is bathed in shades of orange, May’s color of the month. In June- the Kate Spade New York girl lands in California for the final days of her vacation. She makes her way across the country heading East, stopping in vintage flea markets along the way – picking up treasures like gold chunky chain necklaces and a gold shift dress that inspire June’s color of the month.

About Kate Spade New York:

In 1993, Kate Spade designed the utilitarian bag she’d been craving for years but couldn’t find anywhere and so began a revolution in the accessories market. Simple silhouettes with clever details and crisp palettes soon established a visual shorthand for the brand that’s recognizable the world over.

In 2007, Kate Spade turned the reigns over to design powerhouse Liz Claiborne, Inc. and Deborah Lloyd, formerly of Banana Republic and Burberry, took the helm as creative director and co-president with an aim to broadening the line while honoring Kate’s rich history.

Today you’ll find the brand on the arms of women everywhere – with 36 retail shops, a thriving e-comm business, 89 locations in Asia, a new flagship in Brazil and distribution in more than 400 doors worldwide.

In the Philippines, Kate Spade is exclusively distributed by Stores Specialists, Inc. (SSI) and is located at The Power Plant Mall, Greenbelt 3, Rustan’s Makati, and Shangri-La Plaza Mall.

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SUMMER 2011 …For a bring sunshine-filled break in beautiful Paris – anything goes!

ULTRA FEMINITY AND POETRY

This summer, the Sinequanone woman gives free rein to her imagination, a flower of flowers in her own garden. This summer, the Sinequanone woman is no femme fatale, she goes unadorned in a decorous girl’s frock, recalling the simplicity of the starlet, just a dress at twilight, when the lights are low… light as a falling petal, in a pastel palette of white, beige, pale pink or nude.

Some will prefer flowing styles rich in color.

This summer, seduction will be a question of length.

There will be flowers everywhere, plus vertical stripes that are fun to wear.

Total elegance in a pretty jumpsuit, or a long slinky dress, worn with a biker jacket – or perhaps today’s ultra-narrow silhouette, with a little, three-quarter sleeve tailored jacket, or a suit in white or palest pink.

Trousers will find their way into her wardrobe again, light and flowing, wide-legged or even flared.

Skirts will be full, straight or flower – shaped.

Belts will be the must-have accessory and wide-brimmed hats will be fashionable, without forgetting a multitude of scarves in the hair, very much the nicely brought up young lady…

 No femme fatale, but a femme fleur instead, complete with seventies music – a flower-child…she loves me, she loves me not, she loves me…

In the Philippines, Sinequanone is exclusively distributed by Stores Specialists, Inc. (SSI) and is located at Greenbelt 5, Ayala Center, Makati City, and SM Mall of Asia.

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Summer beckons - and in this hot tropical country of ours, summer just won’t be complete without that quintessential trip to your favorite beach destination. If you still haven’t found that perfect swimsuit to let you look fit and fabulous while enjoying your holiday, then you’re definitely in for one big summer surprise! 

Spanx – the brand known for revolutionizing women’s undergarments raises the bar once more with Spanx Swim, a long-awaited collection of chic women’s swimwear with the body-shaping magic of SPANX you’ve come to love. Yes, you heard that right! A slimming swimwear that takes off those extra inches and bulges in an instant!

“Since I grew up in Florida, I’ve always been a beach bum with a drawer full of swimsuits,” said Spanx founder Sara Blakely. “Unfortunately, they all seemed to squeeze and pinch in all the wrong places. I was then inspired to create comfortable, slimming and stylish swimwear for me, my mom, my friends and all of the Spanx fans who have been asking for it for years”.

Spanx Swimsuits offer something for every body type with slimming one-pieces and tankinis and figure-flattering bikinis. Designed with body-shaping know-how and a flair for fashion, each of these perfect-for- frolicking suits is truly shapewear you can swim in.

This summer season, whether you’re lounging around a gorgeous beach in a tropical island or probably just enjoying fresh piña coladas with friends by the pool, look incredibly svelte and sexy with a slimming, figure-flattering swimwear. Amp up your style and confidence with Spanx Swim – definitely summer’s next big thing!

Spanx Swim is exclusively distributed by Rustan Marketing Corporation and available at Rustan’s Department Stores in Makati, Shangri-la Plaza, Alabang and Cebu. Watch out for the full collection to hit stores in March 2011! 

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