The future of fashion: inclusive or exclusive?



Just as we get nicely comfortable with the idea of fashion for all, the goal posts shift again. Fashion’s Night Out was a fabulously jolly affair with customers, celebs and designers all happily sharing the same breathing space. This round of fashion weeks will have more brands than ever live-streaming their shows, while a number of designers and CEOs also tweet from behind the scenes (hello @vbfashionweek, @MarcJacobsInt). Marc Jacobs’ tweeter, CEO Robert Duffy has also been giving away bags and surfboards (eh?) to lucky tweeters, creating quite the fashion frenzy. Very caring, very sharing.

But just when it was getting so cosy and democratic – BAM! – all change. Yes Burberry is live streaming its show online and broadcasting it on screens in-store but those in-store iPads aren’t just for any old civilian. No, the in-store treatment is for a select few privileged customers, so while they get to watch, shop and quaff champagne in the luxe surroundings of Burberry’s serene-but-sexy temples, the rest can press their noses against the window and like it will have to make do with their iPad at home on the DFS with a cup of PG Tips for company.

Tom Ford made his much anticipated and (not-very-well-kept) secret comeback yesterday during New York Fashion Week and what a to-do there was. No live-streaming for Ford. Instead there was a small salon-style show where only a handful of VIP press were present and they were strictly instructed that “all photographic and recording devices are prohibited. Thank you.”

Ford introduced each outfit modelled by an all-star cast including Beyonce, Lauren Hutton and Julianne Moore. How thrilling! And the outfits? Well we won’t be seeing those for quite some time, the official pictures were taken by Terry Richardson (allegedly for French Vogue) and are embargoed until next year. Blimey, New York Fashion Week has never been this exciting. Ford has clearly decided that all this ‘fashion for everyone’ guff has reached its tipping point and is leading the charge in the opposite direction. At his preposterously luxe end of the market, he’s making a case for super-exclusivity, the kind where customers are more than happy to pay for the privilege of wearing something that’s not been seen on every other Tom, Dick and Sharon.

Is Ford onto something here? It was noted recently that Chanel has scissored its sample sale guest list. The Chanel sample sale invitation is already one of the most coveted perks in the fashion and beauty business and invitations are like gold dust. The culling of the list sent out a firm message; for all that they may be embracing bloggers, setting up etail sites and interacting on Facebook, there’s no doubt that exclusivity still has meaning for luxury fashion brands. Just ask Tom.

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Found: the perfect skinny jeans




So Levi’s has launched a new butt-hugging jean. Hmmm, I pondered when the email came through, do we really need another tight-ass jean in our lives? But here’s the rub: Levi’s Curve ID isn’t just another skinny jean. Harnessing all the resources and history it has at its fingertips, Levi’s has decided that it can’t rest on its 501 laurels. it’s not enough to be known as the heritage mens denim brand, it wants to own the womenswear market too.

I was sceptical until I arrived at the launch. All the PR girls were outfitted in these ultra-snug denims with not a dud fit among them. I’m not anti skinny, stretchy jeans but I have certain bugbears. I don’t like too much stretch, (please do not utter the word ‘jegging’ in my presence) and I don’t like thin denim. I also don’t think skinny jeans should have pockets on the legs (sorry Houlihans). I hate it when skinny jeans wrinkle and it goes without saying that I can’t abide a camel-toe. So how did the new Levi’s Curve ID manage to avoid all these no-nos, fit everyone who tried them and look fantastic on each and every person?

Levi’s didn’t launch these jeans lightly. It brought together a massive team to study the shapes of 60,000 women worldwide. Ten body shapes were identified and narrowed down to three distinct silhouettes that account for 80% of women across the globe. As Rosey Cortazzi, VP of design and merchandising for Europe told me, there is a vast difference in women’s body shapes globally. “The Japanese can be quite curvy, Southern Europeans are also more ‘bold’ [Levi’s-speak for bootylicious]. The body also changes as you age – you become straighter as you put weight on the middle. French women’s bodies don’t change much with age but they’re the only ones that don’t.” Even after analysing the data and identifying the body shapes, Levi’s tested, fitted and tweaked. “We did ‘fit safaris’, where following the initial fits, we took them everywhere and adjusted them based on feedback,” recalls Cortazzi. “That was the most enlightening thing, to hear how girls think about the fit all over the world, from Asia to the US, to Germany, Turkey, London, Stockholm.” In fact, based on this research, there’s a fourth fit in the pipeline – supreme curve – that will be aimed at the South African market.

Levi’s did away with the outmoded waist measurement and instead invented its own measuring system that calculates hip to waist ratio, not unlike measuring for a bra. The result is three body types – slight curve, demi curve and bold curve. Within those there are a number of jean styles and washes. The tricky bit is that the difference between body shapes can be marginal which is why for the launch, we were attended to by saintlike denim ‘curve consultants’ who have extensive Curve ID training. The jeans are sold at Levi’s stores as well as premium retailers (in the UK this includes Liberty, Harrods, Donna Ida & Trilogy) which is as well because you’ll need to be measured and advised. But once in ‘your’ jeans, the results are seriously impressive. Apart from the fact that the rise is about an inch too low for my liking, the jeans really do feel different. It’s a combination of the cut and the denim. Levi’s uses ‘recall’ fabric so unlike say, Topshop jeans, these move with you and don’t ride down as you walk. Cortazzi also insists that the Italian-milled denim doesn’t stretch or shrink after washing, “I’ve had mine for six months and they don’t look any different”.

Levi’s research shows that the majority of customers will be a demi curve so there will be more choice of styles and washes in that shape although nothing outlandish – the widest leg is a subtle boot cut. My shape (slight curve) is limited to (a very nice) ‘clean superstretch’ indigo or ‘moonlight’ (a softer, worn-in denim) and skinny leg. Although my Curve ID jeans are a bit snug on the calf for me, there’s no denying they look very sexy with classic stilettos and could be perfect for tucking into knee-high stack heeled boots (and isn’t that look due a revival?). As time goes on and sales are monitored, more styles will be added to the range according to popularity. Still haven’t found your holy grail skinny jeans? Give the Curve IDs a go.

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London Design Festival



London fashion week gets more jam-packed every season and as if that wasn’t hectic enough, the London Design Festival also kicks off on 18th September. Eek! Jasper Morrison is celebrating with an exhibition devoted to trays from around the world in his wonderful secret shop.
Runing parallel to the LDF is Neville Brody’s Anti-Design Festival which aims to “reverse the model of culture=money, providing an outlet for new risks and creative exploration in art, image, design, product, film, fashion, performance, 3D, digital and sound through a series of events, publications and venues.” Ooh provocative. I like it.

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