Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Paris haute couture learns to make do and mend

Paris haute couture learns to make do and mend

PARIS - Swathes of silk and clouds of tulle charmed pop stars and the super-rich at Paris haute couture shows this week, while off the catwalk the talk was of ways to create luxury with meager means.

As big names like Christian Dior and Giorgio Armani flew in celebrities for an hour of opulence, newcomers revealed a somewhat less glamorous side of fashion -- such as personally sewing together gowns to save money.

"I like clothes that make me feel good, that I can mix," pop star Tina Turner told Reuters at the Giorgio Armani Prive show, dominating a front row full of actresses.

The feel-good factor of haute couture gowns is essential to the world's most expensive brands, helping them sell bags and perfume to the masses, but that formula seemed less certain as several houses faced deep losses and redundancies.

From Christian Lacroix to Cacharel, a number of famous names have fallen victim to the economic downturn. The not-so-famous ones are trying to survive with a mix of grit and elegance.

Alexandre Vauthier, who on Monday showed a collection of batman dresses in black or shock colors with chunky rhinestone belts and chokers, started his label about a year ago.

After his first collection last year, in the middle of the economic crisis, retailer Bon Marche ordered 15 dresses -- but Vauthier did not have the funds to have them produced.

"I was glad to earn a bit of money, so I hand-sewed the 15 dresses with a friend," he said. The two were holed up in a cottage in the countryside until they finished the job.

"SUPER-EXCLUSIVE!"

"Hey, it means the dresses were super-exclusive!" Vauthier said, laughing. Since then, things have improved somewhat -- singer and fashionista Rihanna has worn one of his creations.

France's government has tried to prop up its struggling fashion sector, which employs 125,000 people, and on Monday announced it would create a "fashion bank" to lend money to firms.

At Armani, such pragmatic talk was shunned. Instead, Italian designer Giorgio Armani indulged in a moonlit fantasy, with softly sculpted and folded white or black dresses. Crescent-shaped bags, fastenings and pendants completed the lunar look.

"The inspiration came to me when I was watching the moon rise over my holiday home," Armani said backstage after the show.

No such dreaminess was seen at Dior, where British designer John Galliano dressed modern amazons in riding gear, watched by pop star Kylie Minogue.

"Our success lies in creativity and expertise, in the language of haute couture, which is our history and our lethal weapon in the fight on the market," said chief executive Sidney Toledano.



taken from : China Daily


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Givenchy Haute Couture Spring Summer 2010 fashion show

Givenchy Haute Couture Spring Summer 2010 fashion show

A model presents a creation by Italian designer Riccardo Tisci for French fashion house Givenchy as part of their Haute Couture Spring Summer 2010 fashion show in Paris January 26, 2010.[Agencies]


Givenchy Haute Couture Spring Summer 2010 fashion show

A model presents a creation by Italian designer Riccardo Tisci for French fashion house Givenchy as part of their Haute Couture Spring Summer 2010 fashion show in Paris January 26, 2010.[Agencies]


Givenchy Haute Couture Spring Summer 2010 fashion show

A model presents a creation by Italian designer Riccardo Tisci for French fashion house Givenchy as part of their Haute Couture Spring Summer 2010 fashion show in Paris January 26, 2010.[Agencies]


Givenchy Haute Couture Spring Summer 2010 fashion show

A model presents a creation by Italian designer Riccardo Tisci for French fashion house Givenchy as part of their Haute Couture Spring Summer 2010 fashion show in Paris January 26, 2010.[Agencies]


Givenchy Haute Couture Spring Summer 2010 fashion show

A model presents a creation by Italian designer Riccardo Tisci for French fashion house Givenchy as part of their Haute Couture Spring Summer 2010 fashion show in Paris January 26, 2010.[Agencies]



Givenchy Haute Couture Spring Summer 2010 fashion show

A model presents a creation by Italian designer Riccardo Tisci for French fashion house Givenchy as part of their Haute Couture Spring Summer 2010 fashion show in Paris January 26, 2010.[Agencies]



Givenchy Haute Couture Spring Summer 2010 fashion show

A model presents a creation by Italian designer Riccardo Tisci for French fashion house Givenchy as part of their Haute Couture Spring Summer 2010 fashion show in Paris January 26, 2010.[Agencies]



Givenchy Haute Couture Spring Summer 2010 fashion show

A model presents a creation by Italian designer Riccardo Tisci for French fashion house Givenchy as part of their Haute Couture Spring Summer 2010 fashion show in Paris January 26, 2010.[Agencies]



Givenchy Haute Couture Spring Summer 2010 fashion show

A model presents a creation by Italian designer Riccardo Tisci for French fashion house Givenchy as part of their Haute Couture Spring Summer 2010 fashion show in Paris January 26, 2010.[Agencies]




taken from : China Daily


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Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Entertainment> Style John Galliano Spring Summer 2010 fashion show

John Galliano Spring Summer 2010 fashion show

British designer John Galliano (C) appears with models at the end of his Haute-Couture Spring Summer 2010 fashion show for French fashion house Dior in Paris January 25, 2010. [Agencies]



John Galliano Spring Summer 2010 fashion show

British designer John Galliano (2nd L) appears with models at the end of his Haute-Couture Spring Summer 2010 fashion show for French fashion house Dior in Paris January 25, 2010. [Agencies]


John Galliano Spring Summer 2010 fashion show

A model presents a creation by British designer John Galliano as part of his Haute-Couture Spring Summer 2010 fashion show for French fashion house Dior in Paris January 25, 2010. [Agencies]





John Galliano Spring Summer 2010 fashion show

A model presents a creation by British designer John Galliano as part of his Haute-Couture Spring Summer 2010 fashion show for French fashion house Dior in Paris January 25, 2010. [Agencies]


John Galliano Spring Summer 2010 fashion show

A model presents a creation by British designer John Galliano as part of his Haute-Couture Spring Summer 2010 fashion show for French fashion house Dior in Paris January 25, 2010. [Agencies]



John Galliano Spring Summer 2010 fashion show

A model presents a creation by British designer John Galliano as part of his Haute-Couture Spring Summer 2010 fashion show for French fashion house Dior in Paris January 25, 2010. [Agencies]




John Galliano Spring Summer 2010 fashion show

A model presents a creation by British designer John Galliano as part of his Haute-Couture Spring Summer 2010 fashion show for French fashion house Dior in Paris January 25, 2010. [Agencies]



John Galliano Spring Summer 2010 fashion show

A model presents a creation by British designer John Galliano as part of his Haute-Couture Spring Summer 2010 fashion show for French fashion house Dior in Paris January 25, 2010. [Agencies]




John Galliano Spring Summer 2010 fashion show

A model presents a creation by British designer John Galliano as part of his Haute-Couture Spring Summer 2010 fashion show for French fashion house Dior in Paris January 25, 2010. [Agencies]


John Galliano Spring Summer 2010 fashion show

British designer John Galliano (2nd L) appears with models at the end of his Haute-Couture Spring Summer 2010 fashion show for French fashion house Dior in Paris January 25, 2010. [Agencies]




taken from : China Daily


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Giorgio Armani Fall-Winter 2010/2011 women's fashion show

Giorgio Armani Fall-Winter 2010/2011 women's fashion show

A model presents a creation by Italian designer Giorgio Armani as part of his Fall-Winter 2010/2011 women's fashion show in Paris January 25, 2010.[Agencies]



Giorgio Armani Fall-Winter 2010/2011 women's fashion show

A model presents a creation by Italian designer Giorgio Armani as part of his Fall-Winter 2010/2011 women's fashion show in Paris January 25, 2010.[Agencies]





Giorgio Armani Fall-Winter 2010/2011 women's fashion show

A model presents a creation by Italian designer Giorgio Armani as part of his Fall-Winter 2010/2011 women's fashion show in Paris January 25, 2010.[Agencies]


Giorgio Armani Fall-Winter 2010/2011 women's fashion show

A model presents a creation by Italian designer Giorgio Armani as part of his Fall-Winter 2010/2011 women's fashion show in Paris January 25, 2010.[Agencies]


Giorgio Armani Fall-Winter 2010/2011 women's fashion show

A model presents a creation by Italian designer Giorgio Armani as part of his Fall-Winter 2010/2011 women's fashion show in Paris January 25, 2010.[Agencies]



Giorgio Armani Fall-Winter 2010/2011 women's fashion show

A model presents a creation by Italian designer Giorgio Armani as part of his Fall-Winter 2010/2011 women's fashion show in Paris January 25, 2010.[Agencies]



Giorgio Armani Fall-Winter 2010/2011 women's fashion show

A model presents a creation by Italian designer Giorgio Armani as part of his Fall-Winter 2010/2011 women's fashion show in Paris January 25, 2010.[Agencies]


Giorgio Armani Fall-Winter 2010/2011 women's fashion show

A model presents a creation by Italian designer Giorgio Armani as part of his Fall-Winter 2010/2011 women's fashion show in Paris January 25, 2010.[Agencies]


Giorgio Armani Fall-Winter 2010/2011 women's fashion show

A model presents a creation by Italian designer Giorgio Armani as part of his Fall-Winter 2010/2011 women's fashion show in Paris January 25, 2010.[Agencies]




taken from : China Daily


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Huge variation in salt content of processed food

Huge variation in salt content of processed food

NEW YORK - Many processed foods contain too much salt, and sauces, spreads, and processed meats are the top offenders, new research shows.

People who consume lots of salt are more likely to see their blood pressure rise as they get older, with a corresponding increase in their heart disease risk.

Public health officials are increasingly looking to the food industry for help in cutting people's salt intake; the United Kingdom and France, for example, have been able to achieve significant reductions in salt consumption through industry collaborations, while New York City has just launched a campaign to cut US salt intake by 25 percent over the next five years.

Similar efforts are now underway in Australia, and some companies have begun to reduce the salt content of some of their products, according to Dr. Jacqueline L. Webster and colleagues from the George Institute for International Health in Sydney, Australia.

To help guide such efforts, the researchers gathered data on the sodium content of 7,221 products in 10 food groups, 33 categories, and 90 subcategories.

According to a report in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, foods were considered to be high in sodium if they contained more than 500 milligrams of sodium for every 100 grams, while foods with sodium contents below 120 milligrams of sodium for every 100 grams were classified as low sodium.

The researchers found dramatic variation in salt content within certain food categories. For example, the saltiest type of hard cheese had six times more sodium than the least salty type, while there was a 14-fold difference in salt content within the sliced meat category and a 100-fold difference within the frozen potato product category.

Sauces and spreads, at 1,283 mg per 100 g, and processed meats, at 846 mg per 100 g, were the categories with the highest average sodium content.

Sodium content was lowest for cereals (206 mg per 100 g) and fruits and vegetables (211 mg per 100 g). Nearly two-thirds of the 33 food categories had average sodium concentrations that were higher than the maximum standards set by the UK Food Standards Agency, while breads, processed meats, sauces and canned vegetables included many subcategories above these targets.

Now that this information has been collected, Webster and her team write, "the establishment of salt targets for all relevant products is the next step, and leading industry players within Australia have indicated a willingness to embark on this process."

"A national salt-reduction program," they say, "has enormous potential to avert chronic disease through blood pressure lowering at a fraction of the cost of drug therapies for the management of hypertension (high blood pressure) and should be a national priority."



taken from : China Daily


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Celebs arrive for premiere of "The Extra Man" at the Sundance Film Festival

Celebs arrive for premiere of

Actress and cast member Katie Holmes arrives for the premiere of the film "The Extra Man" at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah January 25, 2010.[Agencies]


Celebs arrive for premiere of

Actress and cast member Katie Holmes arrives for the premiere of the film "The Extra Man" at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah January 25, 2010.[Agencies]


Celebs arrive for premiere of

Actress and cast member Katie Holmes smiles as she arrives for the premiere of the film "The Extra Man" at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah January 25, 2010.[Agencies]


Celebs arrive for premiere of

Actor John C. Reilly arrives for the premiere of the film "The Extra Man" at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah January 25, 2010.[Agencies]


Celebs arrive for premiere of

Actress and cast member Katie Holmes smiles as she arrives for the premiere of the film "The Extra Man" at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah January 25, 2010.[Agencies]



Celebs arrive for premiere of

Cast members Kevin Kline (L), Katie Holmes (2nd L), Paul Dano (2nd R) and John C. Reilly arrive for the premiere of the film "The Extra Man" at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah January 25, 2010.[Agencies]



Celebs arrive for premiere of

Actress and cast member Katie Holmes smiles as she arrives for the premiere of the film "The Extra Man" at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah January 25, 2010.[Agencies]



Celebs arrive for premiere of

Actress and cast member Katie Holmes smiles as she arrives for the premiere of the film "The Extra Man" at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah January 25, 2010.[Agencies]


Celebs arrive for premiere of

Actress and cast member Katie Holmes smiles as she arrives for the premiere of the film "The Extra Man" at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah January 25, 2010.[Agencies]



Celebs arrive for premiere of

Cast member Kevin Kline arrives for the premiere of the film "The Extra Man" at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah January 25, 2010.[Agencies]




taken from : China Daily


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Scientists want more safety studies on e-cigarettes

Scientists want more safety studies on e-cigarettes

LONDON - Greek researchers called on Wednesday for more safety studies into electronic cigarettes, saying scientific knowledge of them was "very limited."

Electronic cigarettes, or e-cigarettes, were first made in China and are sold mostly on the Internet.

They are battery-powered devices which emit a "puff" or fine mist of nicotine into the lungs and are intended to replace normal cigarettes and help smokers quit.

The products are at the center of a legal battle in the United States between manufacturers and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which regulates drugs and which wants to stop e-cigarettes from being imported into the U.S.

The FDA, which conducted research into e-cigarettes, has expressed concerns about their safety, and teams from Greece and New Zealand have also carried out studies into them.

But interpretations of the three reports vary, with the New Zealand study saying e-cigarettes should be recommended because they are safer than tobacco cigarettes, and the Greek study taking a broadly neutral stance.

"The limited information given in these three reports represents all the knowledge we currently have about e-cigarettes," Andreas Flouris and Dimitris Oikonomou, of the Institute of Human Performance and Rehabilitation in Greece, wrote in the British Medical Journal.

"This may be one reason why the battle...between the FDA and e-cigarette manufacturers has been so heated."

A U.S. judge last week granted an injunction barring the Obama administration from trying to ban imports of e-cigarettes, saying the move was part of "aggressive efforts" by the FDA to regulate "recreational tobacco products."

Tobacco is the leading preventable cause of death in the world, killing more than 5 million people a year. A report by the World Lung Foundation last August said smoking could kill a billion people this century if trends hold.

Flouris and Oikonomou said that while "alternative smoking strategies are always welcome in an effort to reduce the threat to public health" caused by tobacco, safety was also vital.

"More rigorous chemical analyses are needed, followed by extensive research involving animal studies and, finally, clinical trials in humans," they wrote.



taken from : China Daily


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Monday, January 25, 2010

Lanvin Fall-Winter 2010/2011 men's fashion show

Lanvin Fall-Winter 2010/2011 men's fashion show

A model presents a creation by Israeli-American designer Alber Elbaz and Lucas Ossendrijver of the Netherlands for fashion house Lanvin as part of their Fall-Winter 2010/2011 men's fashion show in Paris January 24, 2010. [Agencies]



Lanvin Fall-Winter 2010/2011 men's fashion show

A model presents a creation by Israeli-American designer Alber Elbaz and Lucas Ossendrijver of the Netherlands for fashion house Lanvin as part of their Fall-Winter 2010/2011 men's fashion show in Paris January 24, 2010. [Agencies]




Lanvin Fall-Winter 2010/2011 men's fashion show

A model presents a creation by Israeli-American designer Alber Elbaz and Lucas Ossendrijver of the Netherlands for fashion house Lanvin as part of their Fall-Winter 2010/2011 men's fashion show in Paris January 24, 2010. [Agencies]



Lanvin Fall-Winter 2010/2011 men's fashion show

A model presents a creation by Israeli-American designer Alber Elbaz and Lucas Ossendrijver of the Netherlands for fashion house Lanvin as part of their Fall-Winter 2010/2011 men's fashion show in Paris January 24, 2010.[Agencies]


Lanvin Fall-Winter 2010/2011 men's fashion show

A model presents a creation by Israeli-American designer Alber Elbaz and Lucas Ossendrijver of the Netherlands for fashion house Lanvin as part of their Fall-Winter 2010/2011 men's fashion show in Paris January 24, 2010. [Agencies]


Lanvin Fall-Winter 2010/2011 men's fashion show

A model presents a creation by Israeli-American designer Alber Elbaz and Lucas Ossendrijver of the Netherlands for fashion house Lanvin as part of their Fall-Winter 2010/2011 men's fashion show in Paris January 24, 2010. [Agencies]


Lanvin Fall-Winter 2010/2011 men's fashion show

A model presents a creation by Israeli-American designer Alber Elbaz and Lucas Ossendrijver of the Netherlands for fashion house Lanvin as part of their Fall-Winter 2010/2011 men's fashion show in Paris January 24, 2010. [Agencies]




taken from : China Daily


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Louis Vuitton Fall-Winter 2010/2011 men's ready-to-wear fashion show

Louis Vuitton Fall-Winter 2010/2011 men's ready-to-wear fashion show

A model presents a creation by designers Marc Jacobs and Paul Helbers for French fashion house Louis Vuitton as part of their Fall-Winter 2010/2011 men's ready-to-wear fashion show in Paris January 21, 2010.[Agencies]


Louis Vuitton Fall-Winter 2010/2011 men's ready-to-wear fashion show

A model presents a creation by designers Marc Jacobs and Paul Helbers for French fashion house Louis Vuitton as part of their Fall-Winter 2010/2011 men's ready-to-wear fashion show in Paris January 21, 2010.[Agencies]




Louis Vuitton Fall-Winter 2010/2011 men's ready-to-wear fashion show

A model presents a creation by designers Marc Jacobs and Paul Helbers for French fashion house Louis Vuitton as part of their Fall-Winter 2010/2011 men's ready-to-wear fashion show in Paris January 21, 2010.[Agencies]


Louis Vuitton Fall-Winter 2010/2011 men's ready-to-wear fashion show

A model presents a creation by designers Marc Jacobs and Paul Helbers for French fashion house Louis Vuitton as part of their Fall-Winter 2010/2011 men's ready-to-wear fashion show in Paris January 21, 2010.[Agencies]



Louis Vuitton Fall-Winter 2010/2011 men's ready-to-wear fashion show

A model presents a creation by designers Marc Jacobs and Paul Helbers for French fashion house Louis Vuitton as part of their Fall-Winter 2010/2011 men's ready-to-wear fashion show in Paris January 21, 2010.[Agencies]


Louis Vuitton Fall-Winter 2010/2011 men's ready-to-wear fashion show

A model presents a creation by designers Marc Jacobs and Paul Helbers for French fashion house Louis Vuitton as part of their Fall-Winter 2010/2011 men's ready-to-wear fashion show in Paris January 21, 2010.[Agencies]


Louis Vuitton Fall-Winter 2010/2011 men's ready-to-wear fashion show

A model presents a creation by designers Marc Jacobs and Paul Helbers for French fashion house Louis Vuitton as part of their Fall-Winter 2010/2011 men's ready-to-wear fashion show in Paris January 21, 2010.[Agencies]



Louis Vuitton Fall-Winter 2010/2011 men's ready-to-wear fashion show

Designers Marc Jacobs (R) and Paul Helbers, for French fashion house Louis Vuitton, appear at the end of their Fall-Winter 2010/2011 men's ready-to-wear fashion show in Paris January 21, 2010.[Agencies]





taken from : China Daily


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