Most Controversial Vogue Shoot Yet?

article from abc news:

Wearing makeup, high heels and haute couture, Blondeau looks a far cry from a typical 10-year-old. Even in childish smocks and cotton tees, her expressions are oddly adult -- a product, perhaps, of living half her young life in the fashion world (she reportedly hit the runway for Jean-Paul Gauthier at age 5). And some say Blondeau's grown-up beauty is giving other young girls unhealthy ideas about how they should look.

"We don't want kids to grow up too fast," said Shari Miles-Cohen, senior director of women's programs for the American Psychological Association. "We want them to be able to develop physically, emotionally, psychologically and socially at appropriate rates for their age." 

French Vogue provocatively poked at this principle, running photos of Blondeau and two other tweens playing designer dress-up captioned with, "Quel maquillage à quel âge?" -- What makeup at what age? But a shot of Blondeau wearing a red dress and stilettos lying on a tiger skin rug had critics crying foul.

This isn't edgy. It's inappropriate, and creepy, and I never want to see a nine-year-old girl in high-heeled leopard print bedroom slippers ever again," wrote Chloe Angyal, editor of Feminsting.com.  Sexualized images can have lasting effects on the young girls who see them. An APA taskforce found that sexualization by the media affects how girls think about femininity and sexuality, promoting "appearance and physical attractiveness" as key values. It's also linked to low self-esteem, eating disorders and depression.

"The research clearly shows that the fashion industry affects girls and women's images of themselves and their self-esteem if they do not meet the industry 'image' that is currently in vogue," said Paul Miller, associate professor of psychology at Arizona State University in Phoenix. "Even the very young are quite conscious of media images of what is 'pretty' and desirable."  In a photo not affiliated with Vogue, Blondeau poses topless on a bed with a young male playmate propositioning a pillow fight. And in another, she wears hip-slung jeans and no top with beaded necklaces covering her would-be breasts. 

Many in the industry have defended the work as art. Others say it crosses a line.

"Any creepy child pornographer could plead 'artistic license,'" said Miller.



Ashanti Strip Weaving - Kente Cloth

Also known as a Kente cloth. Made by the Ashanti people of Ghana and is the most labour intensive weaving in the world. It became a true art form and represented the concept of royalty and status. Traditionally the Ashanti people only worked around geometric patterns. The spider Anansi taught the art of weaving to two brothers who had discovered his web while on a hunting trip. Anansi also taught them how to spin and dye the threads. Since then the Ashanti have used the strip looms Anansi taught them to build. Men traditionally do the strip weaving in West Africa.

Back Strap Loom



In primitive societies it provides a weaving device at very little cost. Even in the more advanced countries it is used. It is very portable. It can be set up and used almost anywhere. The primary feature of the back strap loom is that the lengthwise threads (warp) are stretched from a fixed device such as a post or tree to a belt that a person wears around their waist. By backing away from the post or tree, the user can pull the warp threads into tension. In order to weave, the threads must be stretched in a horizontal direction and a means must be provided so that the threads can be separated into two (or more) parts so that a weft thread can be passed between the two sets of threads. The two sets of warp threads can then be reversed and a weft thread passed through again. By repeating this process, fabric can be woven. Using the backstrap loom, a weaver can produce fabric with a plain weave. Most simply, this is an over-under-over-under pattern.

Ikat Weaving



Ikat is the method of weaving that uses a resist dyeing process similar to tie-dye on either the warp or weft fibres. The dye is applied prior to the threads being woven to create the final fabric pattern or design. One of the oldest forms of textile decoration. Ikat weaving styles vary widely. Many design motifs may have ethnic, ritual or symbolic meaning or have been developed for export trade. Traditionally, ikat are symbols of status, wealth, power and prestige. Because of the time and skill involved in weaving ikat, some cultures believe the cloth is imbued with magical powers

Quick Response Systems + Just In Time

This aims to meet customers orders quickly at the required level of quality in the right quantity and with minium waste of raw materials time and resources. The use of computer systems and ict enable jit to function successfully – materials and components are ordered from the supplier and are delivered just before they are needed for production. Jit is used in combination with QR because it

-         Reduces the need for raw material stocks

-         Reduces the space required

-         Reduces levels of finished goods waiting to be sold

-         Cuts the costs of tying money up in stock

JIT provides a systems approach to operating all the processes in a manufacturing system. It is so effective that it increases productivity, work performance, quality and reduces costs.

-         Use multi skilled flexible teams

-         Balanced operations

-         Kanban approach

-         Continuous improvement

-         Look for opportunities to provide machines

-         Eliminate waste by making to order

-         Factory layout matches the production processes.

Louboution vs YSL

A brand is a name or logo – a marketing identity – that sets a product apart from competitors products. It protects and promotes the identity of the product. Branding is a key marketing tool because it promotes the concept of brand loyalty. Consumers by the chosen brand because it provides a perceived reliability, special features or added value which makes it special in the eyes of the consumer.

A brands USP - unique selling point - can be extremely important in the brand's recognition and makes it distinguishable from other items. The red sole found on Louboution's have become their USP but have recently been involved in a dispute with YSL who also used the red sole in their new collection.

article below from the Mail Online:

The company was seeking more than $1million damages claiming another luxury designer was 'copying' its shoes’ most distinctive characteristic - the red sole. But last month in the case of Christian Louboutin vs Yves Saint Laurent, the plot thickened when it emerged that YSL had decided to counter-sue Louboutin stating that the French designer had no right to monopolize a colour. Now it seems that the judge has sided with Louboutin refusing to accept arguments submitted by YSL as the two fashion labels battled it out in a New York courtroom last week.

Both parties submitted documents stating their position with YSL additional articles - including a chart depicting its red-soled shoe designs since 2004 - which the presiding judge Victor Marrero, deemed invalid. Lawyer, David Bernstein also raised smiles as he argued that his client, YSL had been using red as a signature colour since it began in 1962 and that even King Louis XIV of France and Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz had worn red-soled shoes. 

But Louboutin's lawyer argued these were unreliable findings and judge Marrero agreed. Louboutin was originally seeking an injunction to stop YSL producing red-soled shoes for its 2011 cruise collection. But the French label fought back stating that Louboutin - which claim to have been awarded an official trademark for the red sole in 2008, - have no right to monopolize a colour for their product.  The lawyer for YSL, David Bernstein had said: ‘Louboutin’s trademark should have never been granted.

‘We just don’t think that any fashion designer should be able to monopolize any colour.’
YSL alleges that Mr Louboutin was fraudulent in his trademark application claim that he had 'exclusive' use of the red sole. The luxury shoe makers responded, saying it is only one specific shade of red that they are claiming the rights to. A spokesman said: ‘Unless you are living in a cave, the consumer most definitely recognizes a red-soled shoe as a Louboutin. We are not claiming to own every red under the sun. There’s a particular red that Christian uses on his shoes, a bright, lacquered red 'We aren’t saying burgundy or orange-red, we aren’t saying pink. We don’t own any other red but that red.’

According to court papers filed last month, Christian Louboutin had also obtained evidence from a private investigator stating that Christian Dior was planning to launch a collection of red shoes with red soles. A Dior spokesperson denied these claims telling WWD: 'Christian Dior does not manufacture and sell any shoes with a red sole.' It is not known when a verdict on the case will be reached as judge Victor Marrero has asked for more time.

even if the red soles were not invented by Louboution, for most people its synonomous with the designer brand's shoe collections. it has even been patented by Louboution so have a valid reason for the infringement of their trademark. only time will tell how YSL rescue the situation!



Useful Websites

here are a few of my favourite websites that could be helpful especially for coursework:

www.weheartit.com

this is a database of 'inspiring images' where you can search key words and comes up with lots of more fashion forward and nice photography that are a lot nicer than you would find on google! with an account made they can be saved, and create your own database of pictures you like which can be used for inspiration and mood boards. 

www.polyvore.com

this website enables you to make moodboards online and use a huge range of products from the website and drag and drop to arrange your own look book. you can look at other people's mood boards and easily look through thousands of garments from high street to designer - really useful when investigating trends and quickly looking through existing designs.

http://www.drapersonline.com/

drapers is a great website for 'fashion new's' and has loads of information of the business side of brands we know, really interesting for information of how retail shops profits are doing, new business plans and disputes between companys. some of the information is for subscribers only, but through the email subscriptions you can easily read the articles hassle free.

youtube channels

a lot of people on YouTube make DIY tutorials and look books of items which I find really inspiring and gave me a lot of ideas, and teaching me easy techniques such as studding, dyeing and fringing garments that could be done easily at home, or incorpate these skills into designs through coursework and practical pieces. here are a few of my favourite DIY tutorials:

• DIY stud
• DIY dip dye shorts
• DIY laptop sleeve 
• DIY fringe

blogs

i also find fashion blogs really useful as I like to see how people style things, other people's outfits and also look at blogs from around the world to see how style changes. these are some of my favourites:

• www.llymlrs.com
• www.mariannan.com
• Victoria Tornegren

hope this has been helpful!