Kazakhstan Fashion Week

A model presents a creation by Kazakhstan designers Kuandykova & Turekhanov during Kazakhstan Fashion Week in Almaty October 29, 2009.[Agencies]

A model presents a creation by Kazakhstan designers Kuandykova & Turekhanov during Kazakhstan Fashion Week in Almaty October 29, 2009.[Agencies]

A model presents a creation by Kazakhstan designers Kuandykova & Turekhanov during Kazakhstan Fashion Week in Almaty October 29, 2009.[Agencies]

A model presents a creation by Kazakhstan designer Sergei Shabunin during Kazakhstan Fashion Week in Almaty October 29, 2009.[Agencies]

A model presents a creation by Kazakhstan designers Kuandykova & Turekhanov during Kazakhstan Fashion Week in Almaty October 29, 2009.[Agencies]

A model presents a creation by Kazakhstan designer Saida Azikhan during Kazakhstan Fashion Week in Almaty October 29, 2009.[Agencies]

A model presents a creation by Kazakhstan designer Aida Kaumenova during Kazakhstan Fashion Week in Almaty October 29, 2009.[Agencies]

A model presents a creation by Kazakhstan designer Aida Kaumenova during Kazakhstan Fashion Week in Almaty October 29, 2009.[Agencies]

A model presents a creation by Kazakhstan designer Sergei Shabunin during Kazakhstan Fashion Week in Almaty October 29, 2009.[Agencies]

A model presents a creation by Kazakhstan designer Sergei Shabunin during Kazakhstan Fashion Week in Almaty October 29, 2009.[Agencies]

taken from : China Daily


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Cluttered home? Blame your genes

A French artist sits amongst empty medicine boxes inside her creation at Madrid's international contemporary art fair ARCO February 14, 2002.[Agencies]

NEW YORK - People who have a compulsive urge to collect and clutter their homes with junk can partly attribute their problem to genes, according to a British study.

Researchers from King's College London used a twin study to find that genetic predisposition explained a large amount of the risk for compulsive hoarding -- a mental health problem in which people have an overwhelming desire to accumulate items normally considered useless, like old newspapers or junk mail.

Of the more than 5,000 twins in the study, roughly 2 percent showed symptoms of compulsive hoarding and genes appeared to account for half of the variance in risk.

Researcher Dr. David Mataix-Cols said it has long been known that compulsive hoarding tends to run in families.

But he told Reuters Health that what has not been clear is whether that pattern is due to genes or to something in the home environment, like parenting practices.

"Twin studies allow us to separate these two sources," Mataix-Cols said.

The study, published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, included both identical and fraternal twins. Identical twins share all of their DNA while fraternal twins share roughly half of their genes, making them no more genetically similar than non-twin siblings.

If genes are a more important factor than shared environment in a given disorder, then identical twins would be more similar in their risk of the problem than fraternal twins would be.

Mataix-Cols and his colleagues found that among female identical twins, when one twin showed compulsive hoarding symptoms, the other twin also did 52 percent of the time. Among fraternal twins, that figure was 27 percent. There was no evidence, however, that environmental factors shared by twins contributed to compulsive hoarding. Instead, "non-shared" environmental factors -- those unique to individuals -- seemed to be at work.

Past research has shown that many people with hoarding problems have a history of traumatic events, according to Mataix-Cols. In particular, they have elevated rates of sexual abuse and "loss" -- of a loved one or a home, for instance.

"What the study suggests is that genes are important, but probably some environmental stressors are needed to cause or trigger the hoarding problem," said Mataix-Cols, adding more research is needed into this topic.

He said the hope was to find better therapies for compulsive hoarding as behavioral therapy and antidepressants are now the main forms of treatment, but they have met with limited success.

taken from : China Daily


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Living by design

As you walk into the World Art Museum of the China Millennium Monument, what you will see first is a mammoth collection of spoons shaped into a tongue.

This is the work of Beijing-based designer Wang Kaifang, and forms part of his Right of Speech series.

Wang created this piece to commemorate the victims of last May's devastating earthquake in Sichuan. He spent nine months collecting spoons used by people from different walks of life living in the quake zones. He calls it Wen Bao, or adequate food and clothing.

It makes for a stunning introduction to 12 Time Spaces - A Concept Exhibition on Chinese Living Style, a highlight of the ongoing World Design Congress and First Beijing Design Week.

Set between 7 pm and 9 pm, 14 artists from Interior Design China show their space featuring two models in their unique dresses.

Wang and other Chinese designers create a living space based on the traditional Chinese idea of shier dizhi, or 12 terrestrial branches, to explain day and night. They arrange everyday home appliances in a day or night setting, and interpret different stories set in a specific two-hour slot. Wang's space, for example, is set between 11 pm and 1 am and puts together smaller versions of his tongue installation.

Explaining his ideas he says, "We Chinese have a saying that food is god. Tongue symbolizes eating and speaking. They are both of fundamental importance to people."

He describes his work as a document of people's livelihoods. "The spoons, some of which are high-quality ones while others look quite ordinary and old, reflect the disparity in living standards among different social classes. Whether placed high or low, all people have the same right of speech," he says.

The exhibition invites the audience to explore the interaction between design and life, specifically how industrial design engages with everyday life and how life enriches and uplifts design. It also provides a platform for Chinese designers to convey their ideas of "China Design" to an international audience.

"A design could be either very simple or highly exquisite, yet the designer has poured all of his/her emotions and vitality into it. People using the product can feel the energy of the designer," says Wang. "But there aren't many such works these days," he says.

Wang also feels that many industrial designs are too superficial and market-oriented. One reason is that many customers favor Western styles and show little confidence in local designers. Also, people put more stress on a design's functionality than on its creativity.

"We don't have our own unique language of design. Most of the time, we are speaking the language of others. When we want to appear different, we simply package our products with some cultural symbols and icons. And this has what has created the current stereotypical image of Chinese design."

One can find the same ideas expressed in Jia Wei's designs.

One of his displays, a tea tray equipped with a water-resistant music player, has grabbed much attention. He says his work tries to present the idea, rooted in Chinese culture, that sipping tea and listening to music go together.

"The Western world is encouraging creative thinking, but many of us are still content with pouring water from a cup, a pot or a thermos, without giving it a cultural context," says Jia.

Chinese design should dig deeper into indigenous culture, he adds. "We have to bring back our strength and confidence.".

Lu Shanhan, another participating designer from Shanghai, says that apart from presenting a global view, Chinese design needs to draw inspiration from real life. Designers should be keenly aware of what is happening in society today, he says.

The exhibition is on till today.

taken from : China Daily


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When moms get flu shot, babies benefit too: study

A medical worker receives experimental H1N1 flu shot at a hospital in Tokyo October 19, 2009.[Agencies]

WASHINGTON - When pregnant women get vaccinated against flu, their babies are bigger, healthier and less likely to be premature, researchers reported on Thursday.

The studies show that influenza vaccines protect not only women, who are extremely vulnerable to flu when pregnant, but also their babies before and after birth, the researchers said.

They hope their findings, presented at a meeting in Philadelphia of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, will encourage women to get vaccinated and encourage their doctors to offer the shots.

"We are talking about one vaccine protecting two individuals," Dr. Marietta Vazquez of Yale University in Connecticut told a news conference. "Maybe if they are not getting vaccinated for themselves, they will do it for their babies."

Pregnant women are at special peril from flu in any year. Their immune systems are suppressed to keep the body from rejecting the fetus, and the growing baby presses on their lungs.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has for years recommended that pregnant women be vaccinated against seasonal flu.

This year, with the H1N1 swine flu pandemic, pregnant women are at the front of the line. The CDC says more than 1,000 Americans have died of swine flu, and figures show that 6 percent of deaths have been among pregnant women.

But only 15 percent to 25 percent are ever vaccinated, and babies under the age of 6 months are too young to get a flu vaccine.

"Obstetricians do not offer influenza vaccine. They should know about this recommendation," Vazquez said.

'85 PERCENT EFFECTIVE'

She and colleagues studied some 350 pregnant women starting in 2000 -- 157 who got flu and 195 who did not.

"Flu vaccine given to women during pregnancy is 85 percent effective in preventing hospitalization in their infants under 6 months of age," the team wrote in a statement.

Dr. Mark Steinhoff of Cincinnati Children's Hospital in Ohio and colleagues studied pregnant women in Bangladesh, who were randomly assigned to get influenza or pneumococcal vaccines.

The newborns of women who got flu vaccine were 63 percent less likely to be infected, Steinhoff told the news conference. And the babies born to vaccinated mothers weighed, on average, half a pound (215 gm) more, he said.

"When you prevent flu in a pregnant woman, you benefit the mother, you benefit the infant, and it is also shown that you benefit the fetus," Steinhoff said.

The team also found 25 percent of the infants were infected with flu during the first six months of life.

Dr. Saad Omer of Emory University in Atlanta and colleagues looked at 6,410 births between June of 2004 and September of 2006, checking to see how many babies were premature or small for gestational age.

When flu was the most widespread, vaccinated moms had an 80 percent lower risk than unvaccinated mothers of having a premature baby, Omer said. The risk of having a baby that was small for gestational age was 70 percent lower for vaccinated mothers.

There was little effect outside flu season, he said.

It is likely that many of the pregnant women had flu infections that they did not report or notice, but this would have affected the baby, Omer said.

"A mild flu infection probably reduces the amount of nutrition that goes through the placenta," Steinhoff said.

taken from : China Daily


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'Sense of poetry' in Chinese designs

Omar Vulpinari, Vice-president of Lcograda, says Chinese Designers will play a major role in creating the beat works.

The world of design is looking to Chinese designers for fresh concepts and ideas, says Omar Vulpinari, vice-president of Icograda (International Council of Graphic Design Associations) at the World Design Congress 2009 in Beijing.

"Five years ago, we looked to works by designers in North America and Europe, but now there is a shift to the rest of the world. Chinese designers, of course, will play a major role in creating the best works," Vulpinari says.

As a frequent juror at major international design events, he is impressed by the quantity and quality of Chinese design projects seen in recent years.

He attributes this rise to the nation's economic development and its continuing inspiration to designers. "Chinese society is changing at a fast pace and there is a sense of poetry in their (designers') works. That subtle emotional expression differs a lot from their Western counterparts who are direct and abstract." Vulpinari adds that Western designers are good at directly expressing their feelings and they choose to do this in an abstract way.

Given that there are 1 million design students scattered across the country, Vulpinari sees a promising future for Chinese design. He is also the head of Visual Communication at Fabrica, the communication research center of Benetton.

Fabrica has gathered 40 young and modern artists from all around the world to develop innovative projects. It has already produced leading design talents such as Chen Jiaojiao, chief editor for the Chinese design magazine Outlook (Xinshijie) and Peng Yangjun, the creative director for the same magazine.

"I hope more Chinese designers will pass our selection process and become members of our talent incubator. The diversity will help foster mutual learning," he says.

Impressed with Chinese designers, Vulpinari says they are willing to merge, to be trained at the highest level and to work hard. They are also ambitious about making a global impact.

He says the world of design is looking at China not just for talents, but also for inspiration. His center invited Western designers to translate their perception of China into graphics in 2004 and the center's magazine, Colors, released a whole edition on China last year.

"We can't ignore the rise of China and we present our ideas through our works. Our awareness of the difference between our own countries and China is highlighted and I think it shows our respect," Vulpinari says.

taken from : China Daily


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Inspired creations

Three Chinese designers discuss their works now on display at the 12 Timespaces - A Concept Exhibition on Chinese Living Style at the World Art Museum of China Millennium Monument.

Jia Wei, general manager of Beijing-based LKK Design

What makes for good design?

A good design is pleasant and makes people feel comfortable and secure.

What are the qualities of a good designer?

A good designer is diligent and loves life.

What inspires you?

Ancient Chinese classics.

How would you define your design style?

My designs reflect a return to nature and are humanistic.

What are your favorite brands?

Apple and some audio brands of Denmark.

Lu Shanshan, a Shanghai-based designer from La Can Touch Decoration

What makes for good design?

A good design is easy to use, and very practical.

What are the qualities of a good designer?

A good designer should have a broad vision, profound knowledge and creative thinking. Most importantly, he should be a really nice person, so that he can cater to the needs of different customers.

What inspires you?

A close observation of everything around me and an understanding of other people's lives.

What are your expectations from this congress?

I hope people attending from abroad will find that Chinese designers are very creative and have great potential. I also hope more international design events will be held in China in years to come so that local designers can present their best works to a world audience.

Wang Kaifang, founder of Beijing-based Wang Kaifang Studio

What makes for good design?

A good design touches people.

What are the qualities of good designer?

A good designer is mature enough to know the market well while still keeping faith in his works. He is capable of realizing his imagination, and his designs can generate productivity and have a social impact.

How would you define your design style?

I don't narrow my work to one single field. I design many things including clothes, architecture, art works, home fittings, gardens and city landscapes, and now I'm having a go at video art. The only thing that doesn't change is my spirit and sincerity.

How have people reacted to the exhibition?

It offers a fresh and new experience of Chinese philosophy, especially for those from outside China. They've seen an entirely different face of Chinese designers that they never thought existed.

taken from : China Daily


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H1N1 claims first Beijing victim

Temperature checks tightened yesterday at Beihang University after the death of a freshman.

A university freshman has become the first person to die from A(H1N1) influenza in Beijing, bringing the mainland toll to four.

The male student, whose name has not been released, died on Tuesday amid an H1N1 outbreak at Beihang University, the nation's top aeronautic and astronautic institution.

In a brief statement issued last night, the health bureau said: "The patient was sent to Daxing District Hospital on Monday and died in the hospital on Tuesday."

The death brings to four the number of victims killed by H1N1 on the mainland. The other three people lived in western China, with the most recent in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.

The health bureau said the man was among 3,000 freshmen participating in compulsory military drills and that a group of students began showing symptoms of influenza last Thursday.

A total of 71 students recorded a fevers and 28 tested positive for H1N1 virus. The students were in a stable condition last night.

News of the man's death came as almost 4,000 visitors converged on the university for a national scientific competition yesterday.

A staff member, who was unaware of the death, told METRO on condition of anonymity that the school may try to play down the H1N1 outbreak because of the competition.

"It is a tough decision for the school leaders. They have been busy having meetings for three consecutive days," said another school staff member with the executive office last night.

Meanwhile, authorities urged the university to tighten its disease control and quarantine measures.

Imran Sadiq, an overseas researcher from Pakistan at Beihang, told METRO yesterday that he received an e-mail from school authorities about the latest flu precaution measures on Tuesday evening.

"The school told us once again to report ourselves once we have coughing or any other flu symptoms," said the 39-year-old PhD candidate.

METRO observed nearly all students having their temperatures recorded before entering dormitories at the campus yesterday.

At men's dormitory No 16, supervisors and volunteers pointed electronic thermometers to the forehead of each student returning from lunch.

It came as authorities warned that the daily influenza infection rate could hit 12,000 by January. And it will not be long before most of the flu cases are almost entirely H1N1.

"There is a long battle ahead as the city counters this year's flu infection," said Fang Laiying, head of the Beijing municipal health bureau, at an emergency meeting held yesterday.

"Near the New Year, the number of people who catch the flu - whether or not they go to hospital - could reach 12,000 people per day.

"More than half of them could be infected with H1N1 influenza, and we have not reached peak time yet."

More than 6,000 Beijing residents are catching the flu every day, hospital records show. This is five times more than the same period last year, and half of these people are infected with H1N1 influenza. The remainder is infected with seasonal influenza.

Pediatric departments in 103 hospitals began 24-hour operations at midnight Wednesday after a spike in the number of young patients infected with influenza.

Though the number of young patients registered at the city's two major hospitals has begun to drop, doctors said the total number of children suffering from the flu is expected to increase with the colder weather.

The city government has started offering H1N1 flu vaccines, and vaccinations for primary and middle school students as well as public servants in Beijing will be complete by Nov 20.

The rest of Beijing residents, on conditions of their willingness, will receive their vaccine injections by Dec 20, the healthy authority said.

A university freshman has become the first person to die from A(H1N1) influenza in Beijing, bringing the mainland toll to four.

The male student, whose name has not been released, died on Tuesday amid an H1N1 outbreak at Beihang University, the nation's top aeronautic and astronautic institution.

In a brief statement issued last night, the health bureau said: "The patient was sent to Daxing District Hospital on Monday and died in the hospital on Tuesday."

The death brings to four the number of victims killed by H1N1 on the mainland. The other three people lived in western China, with the most recent in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.

The health bureau said the man was among 3,000 freshmen participating in compulsory military drills and that a group of students began showing symptoms of influenza last Thursday.

A total of 71 students recorded a fevers and 28 tested positive for H1N1 virus. The students were in a stable condition last night.

News of the man's death came as almost 4,000 visitors converged on the university for a national scientific competition yesterday.

A staff member, who was unaware of the death, told METRO on condition of anonymity that the school may try to play down the H1N1 outbreak because of the competition.

"It is a tough decision for the school leaders. They have been busy having meetings for three consecutive days," said another school staff member with the executive office last night.

Meanwhile, authorities urged the university to tighten its disease control and quarantine measures.

Imran Sadiq, an overseas researcher from Pakistan at Beihang, told METRO yesterday that he received an e-mail from school authorities about the latest flu precaution measures on Tuesday evening.

"The school told us once again to report ourselves once we have coughing or any other flu symptoms," said the 39-year-old PhD candidate.

METRO observed nearly all students having their temperatures recorded before entering dormitories at the campus yesterday.

At men's dormitory No 16, supervisors and volunteers pointed electronic thermometers to the forehead of each student returning from lunch.

It came as authorities warned that the daily influenza infection rate could hit 12,000 by January. And it will not be long before most of the flu cases are almost entirely H1N1.

"There is a long battle ahead as the city counters this year's flu infection," said Fang Laiying, head of the Beijing municipal health bureau, at an emergency meeting held yesterday.

"Near the New Year, the number of people who catch the flu - whether or not they go to hospital - could reach 12,000 people per day.

"More than half of them could be infected with H1N1 influenza, and we have not reached peak time yet."

More than 6,000 Beijing residents are catching the flu every day, hospital records show. This is five times more than the same period last year, and half of these people are infected with H1N1 influenza. The remainder is infected with seasonal influenza.

Pediatric departments in 103 hospitals began 24-hour operations at midnight Wednesday after a spike in the number of young patients infected with influenza.

Though the number of young patients registered at the city's two major hospitals has begun to drop, doctors said the total number of children suffering from the flu is expected to increase with the colder weather.

The city government has started offering H1N1 flu vaccines, and vaccinations for primary and middle school students as well as public servants in Beijing will be complete by Nov 20.

The rest of Beijing residents, on conditions of their willingness, will receive their vaccine injections by Dec 20, the healthy authority said.

A university freshman has become the first person to die from A(H1N1) influenza in Beijing, bringing the mainland toll to four.

The male student, whose name has not been released, died on Tuesday amid an H1N1 outbreak at Beihang University, the nation's top aeronautic and astronautic institution.

In a brief statement issued last night, the health bureau said: "The patient was sent to Daxing District Hospital on Monday and died in the hospital on Tuesday."

The death brings to four the number of victims killed by H1N1 on the mainland. The other three people lived in western China, with the most recent in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.

The health bureau said the man was among 3,000 freshmen participating in compulsory military drills and that a group of students began showing symptoms of influenza last Thursday.

A total of 71 students recorded a fevers and 28 tested positive for H1N1 virus. The students were in a stable condition last night.

News of the man's death came as almost 4,000 visitors converged on the university for a national scientific competition yesterday.

A staff member, who was unaware of the death, told METRO on condition of anonymity that the school may try to play down the H1N1 outbreak because of the competition.

"It is a tough decision for the school leaders. They have been busy having meetings for three consecutive days," said another school staff member with the executive office last night.

Meanwhile, authorities urged the university to tighten its disease control and quarantine measures.

Imran Sadiq, an overseas researcher from Pakistan at Beihang, told METRO yesterday that he received an e-mail from school authorities about the latest flu precaution measures on Tuesday evening.

"The school told us once again to report ourselves once we have coughing or any other flu symptoms," said the 39-year-old PhD candidate.

METRO observed nearly all students having their temperatures recorded before entering dormitories at the campus yesterday.

At men's dormitory No 16, supervisors and volunteers pointed electronic thermometers to the forehead of each student returning from lunch.

It came as authorities warned that the daily influenza infection rate could hit 12,000 by January. And it will not be long before most of the flu cases are almost entirely H1N1.

"There is a long battle ahead as the city counters this year's flu infection," said Fang Laiying, head of the Beijing municipal health bureau, at an emergency meeting held yesterday.

"Near the New Year, the number of people who catch the flu - whether or not they go to hospital - could reach 12,000 people per day.

"More than half of them could be infected with H1N1 influenza, and we have not reached peak time yet."

More than 6,000 Beijing residents are catching the flu every day, hospital records show. This is five times more than the same period last year, and half of these people are infected with H1N1 influenza. The remainder is infected with seasonal influenza.

Pediatric departments in 103 hospitals began 24-hour operations at midnight Wednesday after a spike in the number of young patients infected with influenza.

Though the number of young patients registered at the city's two major hospitals has begun to drop, doctors said the total number of children suffering from the flu is expected to increase with the colder weather.

The city government has started offering H1N1 flu vaccines, and vaccinations for primary and middle school students as well as public servants in Beijing will be complete by Nov 20.

The rest of Beijing residents, on conditions of their willingness, will receive their vaccine injections by Dec 20, the healthy authority said.

A student has his temperature taken before being allowed access to his dormitory.


taken from : China Daily


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Redesign future in fashion

Russian instructor Elena Rylleva (center) teaches sewing in Raffles Design Institute in Beijing.

Beijing is ready to add a new definition to China's evolving fashion industry: bold.

"The next generation? Bold. Definitely," said Anthony Bednall, academic director at Raffles Design Institute in Beijing.

Bold was a good definition for the designs his students recently displayed at an institute workshop as they readied their hand-made apparel for a China Fashion Week show on Nov 9 in Beijing's eclectic 798 arts district.

From rich black fabrics to bright colors, their work was sophisticated or whimsical, original and definitely runway ready.

"Compared to Europe, we still have a long way to go. But China's fashion industry has developed quite fast," said Serena Sun, 22, of Beijing, as she pieced together fabrics at the city's first independent fashion school.

Sun and others credited the school, part of a Singapore-based chain of Asia-Pacific design institutes under the same name, for their confidence about the future of Beijing's presence in the fashion world.

"I think China is very similar to where Japan was in the early 1980s. In 10 or 15 years, some of our local designers will be acknowledged in Paris, London, New York. It happened with Japanese designers," Bednall said.

"Good design is good design. It doesn't matter where it comes from."

Bednall, from England, said part of the future of China's fashion scene would involve instilling more independence and confidence in students. He believes they were taught to be more passive than their counterparts in elementary and secondary school systems in other countries.

"In China, they're not very proactive in their early education. We try to make them more proactive. What we're trying to do here is instill a sense of confidence in the decisions that the designers will make for themselves," he said.

Federic Wong Yoon Sin, the institute's fashion design program director, said today's Internet-savvy students have the advantage of more access to information from the outside world and a greater diversity of clothing in modern stores not enjoyed by past generations.

"These young people are not restricted by anything. We want our students to use the freedom of all the information now available to find a venue for their own designs," Wong said.

"It's about doing the research and the development, and being able to express themselves through the process."

In the 12 years the institute has operated in Beijing, the efforts are reaping results. Among the former graduates is Li Ying, now a freelance designer with an international roster of clients in fashion, TV and film.

Graduate Alicia Lee's trendy Willow Willow brand of ready-to-wear and couture is available at her Beijing boutique Noise.

This year, London's prestigious Saint Martins College of Art and Design accepted five of their graduates.

"It's unheard of, five students from the same class, the same school. We're very proud of them," Wong said.

"We're seeing our people returning after studying abroad. We see more boutiques in Beijing. They are starting to show themselves. The younger generation will really push the boundaries of design in China. It's exciting for us to be here," he said.

The international roster of instructors at Raffles Design Institute in Beijing is intentional, Wong said, describing it as a way to expose students to talented professionals from outside China.

"Instead of going to Paris, they can study here because they're getting ideas from around the world," said Catalina Calin, an instructor originally from Romania. "The students have a lot of courage to do new things, original things."

Sandhya Srinivasan, from India, said the results of "getting design input from everyone, from everywhere" has won accolades from fashion schools abroad, impressed by the institute's graduates who pursue advanced degrees.

"Fashion-wise, we're evolving. These students have a very individual style," Srinivasan said.

Elena Rylleva, a sewing class instructor originally from Russia, said today's students also are embracing the internationally fashionable trend of using environmentally friendly fabrics.

"They're concentrating more on sustainable design. They're using recycled materials," Rylleva said.

Student Michelle Teng, 20, of Beijing, said China's fashion ideas are different from other countries. "The Chinese, we have our own style," Teng said.

Student Lorraine Mei, 19, of Chongqing, is among students eager to make Beijing a future hub for world-class fashion. "I will try to learn more, go abroad, and come back to China to work," Mei said.

Gina Sun, 26, of Beijing, is already on her way. After graduating from the institute in July, she next plans to pursue a master's degree in London. She's considering returning to open a boutique after she completes her advanced training, she said.

"It's happening more in China. Before, people would try to buy the big name fashion labels. Now they're more accepting of local designers," she said. "I think more designers are going to come back to China. I'm confident about the future."

taken from : China Daily


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Fashion houses Versace to cut jobs, expects 2009 loss

Pedestrians walk past the Versace store on Fifth Avenue in New York October 8, 2009. U.S. retailers posted their first monthly sales increase in more than a year.[Agencies]

MILAN –Italian fashion house Versace is cutting about a quarter of its global workforce and expects to post a loss this year as it takes a hit from slumping demand for luxury goods and designer items in the financial crisis.

The celebrity-favorite fashion brand, whose gowns are worn by Hollywood actresses such as Angelina Jolie, is taking measures aimed at returning the group to profitability in 2011, it said in an emailed statement on Wednesday.

A source close to the company said Versace had a pretax loss of 400,000 euros ($593,400) last year and this would widen to 30 million this year.

Versace, which has a total workforce of 1,360, said it would cut about 350 jobs worldwide in a reorganization plan which will see it rationalize production facilities, review its store network, reduce capital investment next year and cut overheads.

All measures will be implemented by the middle of next year.

"Trading conditions in the wake of the global financial crisis have been severe and the company expects to make a loss in 2009," Chief Executive Gian Giacomo Ferraris said in the statement.

"No organization can allow a situation like this to continue, especially considering the flat outlook for 2010."

Versace is not the only fashion brand to feel the pinch of the crisis. France's Christian Lacroix filed for creditor protection in May, while Germany's Escada filed for insolvency in August.

In Italy, the owner of the Gianfranco Ferre brand, IT Holding is in the hands of government-appointed commissioners.

Ferraris was named Versace CEO in June after his predecessor resigned. Earlier this month the company said it was to rebuild its Japanese operations from scratch and was reassessing its entire company strategy.

Versace, known for its Medusa head logo, is owned by design head Donatella Versace, her brother Santo and her daughter Allegra.

Donatella took over the design of the fashion collections and in recent years has moved away from the house's trademark glitz and gold to more wearable outfits.

taken from : China Daily


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Scorching photoshoots of Shakira

Latino pop diva Shakira's new photo spread. [Photo: ent.sina.com.cn]

taken from : China Daily


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Zhou Xun's new photoshoots

Actress Zhou Xun poses for the latest issue of "U+" magazine. [Photo: U+/sina.com]











taken from : China Daily


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Giorgio Armani organizing staff as successors

Italian fashion designer Giorgio Armani acknowledges the applause at the end of Emporio Armani fashion show in the GUM department store in Moscow October 27, 2009.[Agencies]

MOSCOW - Italian fashion designer Giorgio Armani, still frail after a bout of hepatitis, hinted on Tuesday of succession plans for his vast clothes empire after his retirement and joked about his appearance.

"I'm already organizing staff who will continue my work," 75-year-old "King Giorgio," as he is known in Italy, told reporters in the Russian capital, where he had jetted in to support its crisis-hit fashion industry.

"Of course I am not eternal, there comes a time when you must hand it over."

Known for his shrewd business sense, Armani has been more vague about his plans than other designers of his generation and has not publicly designated a successor on either the creative or the management side. Valentino Garavani retired last year.

Late last month, Armani made several management changes, signaling an easing of his workload and the designer is reshuffling his agenda to take better care of himself.

Widely regarded as the doyen of Italian fashion, he has kept investors guessing on the future of his company, at times hinting at a bourse listing and at other times signaling he could sell the group.

Dressed in a sleek black suit, Armani joked with reporters about his appearance: "You see how I am, I don't look bad yet, do I?" he remarked to a roaring round of applause.

Deputy General Manager John Hooks, who in January will become deputy chairman and join the board, said most of the damage from the recession for both Armani and the fashion industry has bottomed out.

He added the fashion house will keep the same expansion pace over the coming years as in 2009, in which Armani opened around 50 new stores but said it will lose profits this year.

"We'll keep the same rhythm for 2010, 2011," he said, referring to store openings.

Armani is the first major designer to come to Moscow since the crisis hit over a year ago. The world's fourth-largest luxury market took a major blow earlier this year, when profits dropped by a third and boutiques boarded up windows.

Hooks said that although 5 percent of Armani's wholesale goes to Russian clients annually, Russian buyers abroad make the country a key market for the designer, known for his classically elegant lines and muted colors.

"Few capital cities have made the impression Moscow has on me," Armani said.

Separately, the fashion house said it has launched a mobile telephone platform for e-commerce, allowing iPhone, Android and Blackberry users as well as those with the most advanced mobile phones to shop for Emporio Armani clothes from their handsets.

The new platform will go live on November 25 and will be available in all countries where customers can buy goods from Armani's Emporio Armani brand online.

taken from : China Daily


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Longer, warmer autumn leads to increased flu risk

This autumn has been longer and warmer than previous years, prompting doctors to warn that it could lead to a rapid spread of flu infections.

"The flu virus is very active in a warm autumn and can reproduce and spread very quickly, especially for children and old people whose immune systems are weaker," said Cai Baiqiang, director of respiratory department in Peking Union Medical College Hospital.

"Because the autumn is longer than before, the flowering season in Beijing is also longer than usual, which can cause more asthmatic problems due to pollen."

The Beijing meteorological bureau said the average temperature this autumn has been more than 15 C. In previous years, the average temperature was less than 14 C.

"The major reason that is causing the warmer autumn is that the cold air from North China is weaker than during corresponding periods in previous years," said Zhang Qing, senior engineer from the Beijing climate center.

According to Zhang, this autumn started on Sept 6 and it has so far lasted for 50 days.

Meteorologists define autumn as the season when the daily temperature is between 10 C and 22 C. This autumn is expected to be as long as 55 days, compared to the average of 40 days.

"The change in Beijing is a reflection of the global issue - climate change," Zhang said.

In previous years, autumn has been gradually increasing. There were 30 days in 2000, 50 days in 2005 and 53 days last year.

In order to avoid infection, Cai said it is better for citizens to avoid crowded areas, to wear face masks when they need to go out, and to stay at home if they show fever-like symptoms.

However, the longer autumn does have the benefit of prolonged sightseeing of red leaves in Fragrant Hills Park.

The red leaves in Fragrant Hills Park are expected to last an additional two weeks this year.

"Only 50 percent of the leaves have turned red until now, but we usually see 3 quarters of them turn in other years at the same time," said Yao Jiang from Fragrant Hills Park.

taken from : China Daily


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Dubai Fashion Week

A model presents a creation of designer Ekta Singh at Dubai Fashion Week October 27, 2009.[Agencies]

Models applaud as they present creations of designer Ekta Singh at Dubai Fashion Week October 27, 2009.[Agencies]

Models present creations of designer Ekta Singh at Dubai Fashion Week October 27, 2009.[Agencies]

A model presents a creation of designer Ekta Singh at Dubai Fashion Week October 27, 2009.[Agencies]

A model presents a creation of designer Ekta Singh at Dubai Fashion Week October 27, 2009.[Agencies]

A model presents a creation of designer Ekta Singh at Dubai Fashion Week October 27, 2009.[Agencies]

A model presents a creation of designer Ekta Singh at Dubai Fashion Week October 27, 2009.[Agencies]

A model presents a creation of designer Ekta Singh at Dubai Fashion Week October 27, 2009.[Agencies]

A model presents a creation of designer Ekta Singh at Dubai Fashion Week October 27, 2009.[Agencies]

A model presents a creation of designer Ekta Singh at Dubai Fashion Week October 27, 2009.[Agencies]

taken from : China Daily


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