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Ann Summers excels
LONDON - Sex shop Ann Summers has put other High Street retailers to shame over Christmas by reporting bumper sales of lingerie and naughty novelties.
Festive shoppers lifted sales 22 percent during the key month of trading in December, Ann Summers said.
"Attitudes in shopping have changed. People feel more comfortable going into our stores now," Jacqueline Gold, chief executive of the unlisted company said.
While other retailers have been straining to keep their heads above water Gold said she had enough confidence to expand the chain's 75 shops to nearer 150 in the next few years.
Analysts are watching consumers, linchpins of economic growth, for signs of belt-tightening over fears of war with Iraq and concerns that a house-price bubble might burst.
However, Gold said when times got hard her stores often reaped the benefits of escapist consumerism. "I remember impressive growth during the miners' strikes (in the mid 1980s)."
12/13
The International Fashion Shows will have a one day Runway Fashion show in New York on February 6th. for more info
click
here
The Underfashion Club will be presenting "I Love Paris"
Salon International De La Lingerie Interfiliere, Report on the Paris show
of Lingerie, Textiles & Trimmings on Wednesday eve. Feb.19, 2003
@ the New York Helmsley Hotel. for more information call (212)
481-7792 or visit their website www.underfashionclub.org
12/24
A man was telling his neighbor, "I just bought a new hearing aid.
It cost me four thousand dollars, but it's state of the art. It's perfect."
"Really," answered the neighbor. "What kind is it?"
"Twelve thirty.
Versace's Paris
Couture:
This season, the house of Versace decided to do haute couture more quietly
than usual. But, although a big gala is surely missed this January, it is
no indication that the house is quieting down. Instead of sending big
girls down a big runway in a big collection, Donatella chose to present
her 
spring
2003 couture collection in the Paris flagship.
While sipping bubbly and munching on tartines de foie gras, the spectators
were invited to review the collection in a much different manor.
Mannequins donned the dresses -- ten of them to be exact -- while tall
screens of Georgina Grenville wearing each one of them continually
flashed. The gowns were each tight in the bodice and most had a lavish
flowing train.
A black gown displayed on the grand staircase began with a bejeweled
bustier that flowed into a stream of ribbons, flutes, beads and lace. A
similar gown, also black in tone, was bejeweled with perfect drips of tiny
stones, sequins and gems. Other pieces were of the same blend, colors
ranging from silver to red. Accessories also dripped in rubies, sapphires
and gems, as the house is known for its fondness of big rocks.
Although the collection lacked in quantity, though, the quality was
fortunately first-rate. Sometimes it is not incredibly clear to decipher
Versace Couture from Versace ready-to-wear. This season’s pieces leave
no room for question, as it is perhaps Donatella’s most concise couture
collection yet.
1/12See us the Chicago
Halloween Show March 7-11
The Magic Show Feb.18-21
booth YC51188
When things go wrong
The average cost of rehabilitating a seal after the Exxon Valdez oil
spill in Alaska was $80,000. At a special ceremony, two of the most
expensively saved animals were being released back into the wild amid
cheers and applause from onlookers. A minute later, in full view, a
killer whale ate them both.
Our tax $'s at work
The James Bikini
Since they debuted their swimwear line in the summer of 2001, Laura Poretsky and Patricia Inglese - the South American design duo behind James - have been adored by the hip and beach-bound for giving them
just what they wanted out of a bikini: something sweet and sexy, and solely intended to make the whole body-baring experience as comfortable as possible.
It's no easy task, but Poretsky, a former Ralph Lauren designer, and
Inglese, an artist, have managed to do so with adorable, sailboat and awning-striped prints and cuts a bit more substantial. Granted, there are still the itsy string designs, but there are also plunging one-pieces, low-slung belted briefs and fuller halter tops fit for those less Ipanema style-inclined.
Now, just in time for that much-needed Miami weekend, James is expanding to include a younger, less-expensive line, as well as some customization.
2 by James is aimed at those not wanting to splurge on a $180 suit, but not so willing to sacrifice the fashion factor. Bright
neons, stripes, and ruffles comprise the debut collection.
Stripping For Fashion At Spoon Party
When Martin Luther King made his famous "I have a dream" speech, he probably never dreamt that one day a stripper would be swinging around a pole to the sound of his forceful tones mixed with a funky back beat on the last evening of the Paris
couture season.
A crowd of 500 packed into the Hustler Club on Rue de Berri to fête Volume 3 of Spoon Beauty, the image-laden fashion magazine's publication devoted to cosmetics and concepts of beauty. A previously notable party hosted by the magazine took place on the rooftop of La Samaritaine department store last summer.
The second event in two days to be held in a strip club - the previous evening milliner Philip Treacy's show took place at Pink Paradise nearby - this party centered around two fashion shows from Haseltine and Trash Couture, labels that have been featured regularly in Spoon. But there was a twist - instead of the ubiquitous Natalia Vodianova or Karolina Kurkova making appearances, the models in these shows were the clubs very own strippers.
Twenty-seven-year-old, American-born Loanna Haseltine's collection of corsets and structured jackets came paired with hot pants in stretch leather or satin with wafting asymmetric skirts in ombré chiffon. Among some sweet looks, like a pale pink corset appliquéd with a flamingo, came wickedly tongue-in-cheek pieces, like the corset embellished with real fox and a sash that said "Miss Alaska", alluding to the designer's own origins.
At the end of her moment of glory, Haseltine, wearing one of her own Napoleonic-inspired bleached and fitted denim jackets, followed the lead of her models and, wrapping her legs around the central pole, slid down to the dance floor beneath. It was her first show and her clothes are now in the Analuiza showroom in the
Marais, but the designer is unlikely to repeat her infamous pole descent. "I think I have really bad pole burn on the inside of my legs - I should have gotten greased up like the girls", she joked.
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From our Readers
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For our Readers
Inquiry's:
Hello there, My name is Amit Shanghvi and I represent a textiles trading and value-added manufacturing company based in China. We are one of the leading textile traders based in one of the largest textiles towns in China -
Shaoxing.
I am seeking counter trader agents and/or apparel manufacturing companies in the U.S. Is there a textiles traders' directory or association in the U.S that can help my search for a fruitful trade relationship with companies in the
U.S? If so, please email me your advise at royalplanet1@hotmail.com
"She-Shye" i.e. Thank you in Chinese.
Amit Shanghvi.
Hi I was wondering if you ever heard of a company called Jade Valentine? I know you are very helpful & I want to
thank you in advance for any info. Pamela a.lanzi@worldnet.att.net
1st. I would like to thank you for the rich information you are supplying us with.
2nd. I need your help in supplying me with addresses of manufacturers & designers of:
Sexy Lingerie, Sexywear, Exoticwear, Discowear, & Sexy leatherwear. Any manufacturer that could supply me with a different look & rich quality design. Such as: Hey Baby, For Play, Roma.
I wonder if you could help me in getting those addresses + emails.
Appreciate much your cooperation, Regards Adib El-Nouri
Nouri Trading International, Middle East Representatives,
Beirut, Lebanon 1102 2100 manouri@lynx.net.lb
For Hey Baby call= (818) 504-2060,
For Play= info@forplaywholesale.com
I can't help you on Roma, but maybe one of out readers can.
Good Luck, Pete McKeown
I was told through an internet search site that you would be able to
tell me how to get hold of Love Kylie x lingerie. Specifically the
'Lucky' pants that tie at the sides? Any help greatly appreciated. I'm in Britain by the way.
ua4km@abdn.ac.uk
Hi, I'm trying to get in touch with Campbell Smith to ask him to consider showing some of my new textile prints. He saw an early portfolio about 4 years ago and liked my work and took some to Europe.
I tried an old email address and it didn't work. I googled his name and it led me to a mention of him in one of your articles. Do you have his address? Alternately, could you give him my email address with request to get in touch? Gloria Martin
sissy7@texas.net
Sorry Gloria, but you did better than I, Hopefully one of our readers
will be able to help you. Good Luck! Pete
McKeown
Hello, we enjoy your newsletter very much and have found your site very helpful.
in our research we need to obtain some current numbers on the swimwear and lingerie industry, sales volume, seasons, etc. and have had a tough time finding anything current. can you assist ? thanks. gene.
gene@tropicsavage.com
Sorry Gene, I have posted such figures over the years, but I have
nothing now that would be up to date. Perhaps one of our readers can
help. Good Luck, Pete McKeown
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you have the answer.....Give
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"Say it".
If you have a question......"Ask
it"
Some of our readers will have the answer.
Remember, our readers are in the same
Industry.
Retailers, Manufacturers and Sales Representatives
Do you have any show dates for
2002
Do you have any show dates that you would like posted for
2003? if so please e-mail them to me for posting in our show
section. Thank You
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