Thriller by Alejandro Ingelmo

Ha debuttato nel 2006 ma non è ancora noto al grande pubblico anche perché le sue creazioni sopra le righe non si candidavano certo a diventare la scarpa perfetta quanto piuttosto esperimenti di ricerca. Ma da quando le bizzarrie sono diventate pane quotidiano e tra Brian Atwood e Nicholas Kirkwood – per citare solo i più noti – ci siamo quasi abituati a vedere stranezze prendere possesso delle scarpe non stupirà più di tanto qualche creazione di Alejandro Ingelmo.

Newyorkese d’adozione, cubano d’ascendenza, ha riunito nelle sue collezioni le influenze della tradizione con la ricerca sperimentale tra materiali e forme. Lo stivaletto che vedete nella foto fa parte della sua ultima collezione donna per questa stagione autunno-inverno 2010-11.

Possente, altissimo, rigorosamente aderente alla tendenza che sceglie altezze medie sul polpaccio, è realizzato in morbidissimo suede completamente ricoperto da un reticolo di pelle ton sur ton, con un efficacissimo contrasto di texture. Il nome della scarpa è Thriller.

''OnMyShoes.it''

Thriller by Alejandro Ingelmo

Ha debuttato nel 2006 ma non è ancora noto al grande pubblico anche perché le sue creazioni sopra le righe non si candidavano certo a diventare la scarpa perfetta quanto piuttosto esperimenti di ricerca. Ma da quando le bizzarrie sono diventate pane quotidiano e tra Brian Atwood e Nicholas Kirkwood – per citare solo i più noti – ci siamo quasi abituati a vedere stranezze prendere possesso delle scarpe non stupirà più di tanto qualche creazione di Alejandro Ingelmo.

Newyorkese d’adozione, cubano d’ascendenza, ha riunito nelle sue collezioni le influenze della tradizione con la ricerca sperimentale tra materiali e forme. Lo stivaletto che vedete nella foto fa parte della sua ultima collezione donna per questa stagione autunno-inverno 2010-11.

Possente, altissimo, rigorosamente aderente alla tendenza che sceglie altezze medie sul polpaccio, è realizzato in morbidissimo suede completamente ricoperto da un reticolo di pelle ton sur ton, con un efficacissimo contrasto di texture. Il nome della scarpa è Thriller.

''OnMyShoes.it''

The Fashion Industry’s Guide To Facebook Commerce

There are 600 millions users on Facebook and 70 percent of them are outside the US; Facebook commerce is the topic at the front of every brand marketer’s mind. Though seemingly premature, retailers are starting to explore how they convert brand enthusiast “likes” into purchases.

In Mark Zuckerberg’s first interview on 60 Minutes in 2008, he spoke about the power of Facebook as a shopping tool.  Referring to a scarf from Bloomingdale’s, he offhandedly suggested that if your friend or someone you respect as an expert bought that scarf and “liked” that scarf, it would make it a more attractive scarf to you as a consumer to purchase.

Three years later, retailers clearly recognize the power of “F-Commerce,”with more than half of the top 25 retail sites like eBay and Amazon integrating the “connect with Facebook” feature into their sites at the very least of their social extension into the largest social network in the world. Retailers and brands are now going a few steps further, experimenting  with different forms of Facebook commerce. From a simple “connect with Facebook” feature to full e-commerce integration, all the ways to shop via Facebook are showing signs of success and revenue in the low millions of dollars.

Pop-Up Shops & Insider Shopping Events

In August 2010, Rachelle Roy launched a fan-only pop-up store on Facebook. The insider shopping event gave the brand’s Facebook fans early access to Rachel Roy’s new jewelry line collaboration with British R&B artist Estelle. The pop-up store lasted three days and launched with a limited edition jewelry collection.  The collection featured an exclusive, limited edition piece that sold out in only six hours.

During the three day campaign, Rachel Roy’s fan base grew by 25 percent in the first day and 100 percent by the end of the campaign.  The Facebook page was acquiring 1 fan every 1.5 seconds.

The Rachel Roy pop-up shop was built on a productized software-as-a-service solution, Fluid Social Fan Shop.  Peter Goldie, the Vice President of Marketing at Fluid Agency, an e-commerce firm whose clients include Diane Von Furstenberg, Nine West, Theory, Vans and Coach, believes that retailers need to create engaging social merchandising experiences that increase a brand’s fan base while driving transactions.

At the same time, digital savvy retailer Coach launched a pop-up shop as part of it’s Poppy Campaign. Within an hour of the announcement of their Poppy handbag pre-sale, Coach had 1,000 likes and 100 comments.

“Marketers are always looking for ways to drive customer purchases,” says Goldie. “Having limited edition, time sensitive sales helps retailers drive sales without having to discount.” Goldie added that pop-up shops are a great way for brand manufacturers to test the e-commerce waters without going into full scale website development.

“Few retailers are delivering premium Facebook shopping that not only rewards fans but pulls them into a deeper relationship with the brand,” says Goldie. “Slapping a store on Facebook doesn’t deliver.  Fan Shop enabled Rachelle Roy and Coach to create immersive brand experiences that fully integrate shopping as well as the shopper’s wider social network.”

Private, Fan Only Sales

In August 2010, Philadelphia-based Kembrel launched a private shopping community for students that sold them clothing, books and computer gadgets at 40-75% off – and they did it via entirely via Facebook.Kembrel’s summer beta period successfully attracted over 20,0000 registered student members. This initial growth was mostly organic through word of mouth, with little reliance on traditional marketing.

“The total market is 17 million students and every year, they spend over $300 billion. Now two thirds of that $300 billion dollars [goes towards] school, housing, food and essentials.  There’s $100 billion dollars spent on apparel, shoes and accessories, and that’s the market we’re going after,” said CEO Cherif Kembrel.


by Macala Wright

The Fashion Industry’s Guide To Facebook Commerce

There are 600 millions users on Facebook and 70 percent of them are outside the US; Facebook commerce is the topic at the front of every brand marketer’s mind. Though seemingly premature, retailers are starting to explore how they convert brand enthusiast “likes” into purchases.

In Mark Zuckerberg’s first interview on 60 Minutes in 2008, he spoke about the power of Facebook as a shopping tool.  Referring to a scarf from Bloomingdale’s, he offhandedly suggested that if your friend or someone you respect as an expert bought that scarf and “liked” that scarf, it would make it a more attractive scarf to you as a consumer to purchase.

Three years later, retailers clearly recognize the power of “F-Commerce,”with more than half of the top 25 retail sites like eBay and Amazon integrating the “connect with Facebook” feature into their sites at the very least of their social extension into the largest social network in the world. Retailers and brands are now going a few steps further, experimenting  with different forms of Facebook commerce. From a simple “connect with Facebook” feature to full e-commerce integration, all the ways to shop via Facebook are showing signs of success and revenue in the low millions of dollars.

Pop-Up Shops & Insider Shopping Events

In August 2010, Rachelle Roy launched a fan-only pop-up store on Facebook. The insider shopping event gave the brand’s Facebook fans early access to Rachel Roy’s new jewelry line collaboration with British R&B artist Estelle. The pop-up store lasted three days and launched with a limited edition jewelry collection.  The collection featured an exclusive, limited edition piece that sold out in only six hours.

During the three day campaign, Rachel Roy’s fan base grew by 25 percent in the first day and 100 percent by the end of the campaign.  The Facebook page was acquiring 1 fan every 1.5 seconds.

The Rachel Roy pop-up shop was built on a productized software-as-a-service solution, Fluid Social Fan Shop.  Peter Goldie, the Vice President of Marketing at Fluid Agency, an e-commerce firm whose clients include Diane Von Furstenberg, Nine West, Theory, Vans and Coach, believes that retailers need to create engaging social merchandising experiences that increase a brand’s fan base while driving transactions.

At the same time, digital savvy retailer Coach launched a pop-up shop as part of it’s Poppy Campaign. Within an hour of the announcement of their Poppy handbag pre-sale, Coach had 1,000 likes and 100 comments.

“Marketers are always looking for ways to drive customer purchases,” says Goldie. “Having limited edition, time sensitive sales helps retailers drive sales without having to discount.” Goldie added that pop-up shops are a great way for brand manufacturers to test the e-commerce waters without going into full scale website development.

“Few retailers are delivering premium Facebook shopping that not only rewards fans but pulls them into a deeper relationship with the brand,” says Goldie. “Slapping a store on Facebook doesn’t deliver.  Fan Shop enabled Rachelle Roy and Coach to create immersive brand experiences that fully integrate shopping as well as the shopper’s wider social network.”

Private, Fan Only Sales

In August 2010, Philadelphia-based Kembrel launched a private shopping community for students that sold them clothing, books and computer gadgets at 40-75% off – and they did it via entirely via Facebook.Kembrel’s summer beta period successfully attracted over 20,0000 registered student members. This initial growth was mostly organic through word of mouth, with little reliance on traditional marketing.

“The total market is 17 million students and every year, they spend over $300 billion. Now two thirds of that $300 billion dollars [goes towards] school, housing, food and essentials.  There’s $100 billion dollars spent on apparel, shoes and accessories, and that’s the market we’re going after,” said CEO Cherif Kembrel.


by Macala Wright

InterVieW - FLORENTA POPA - ''‎"Moda e doar un fel de-a spune: sunt de partea voastră. Port uniforma armatei voastre, nu trageţi!"

FLORENTA  POPA

‎

Florenta Popa - o fetita complexata de ochelarii sai mari si de corpul sau ''snur'' care, pentru altii reprezenta ''a diamond'' , o valoare care poate face diferenta ... Ironia povestii este tocmai aceea ca uneori ceea ce nu ne ucide, ne face sa devenim mai puternici , iar partea uratului devine un frumos ''inestimabil'' ... Cred ca multe fete se vor regasi in aceasta poveste si as vrea ca ''mesajul'' propus sa fie perceput in maniera pozitiva , de catre persoanele care nu cred in valorile proprii ... De ce? Tocmai pentru a regasi acea valoare care o cautam din adancul trecutului...

Voiam sa o cunosc pe Florenta , sa cunosc starea ei de spirit in momentul in care simte toti ochii atintiti spre ea , emotiile simtite in momentul in care o atinge ''creatorul frumosului'' ... 

Un interviu reprezinta povestea unei realitati în care se pot regasi multi, dar si elementul ''singular'' care sa diferentieze destinele intr-o lume globalizata intr-un fel sau altul , evident diferita intr-un fel sau altul  . Un ''fashion model'' … ce-ar putea spune in cuvinte mai mult decat o face prin ''prezenta'' sa?  

IntervieW

1. Cum era Florenta Popa la 12 ani ? J

        

       Florenta: Eram o eleva cuminte si purtam ochelari de vedere cu dioptrii destul de mari, hahaha.

2. Cand te-ai decis sa faci marele pas in lumea modei ?

 F: La 16 ani am facut primul job ca model, filmasem pentru un videoclip. Eram foarte slaba si cu o figura de copila, cum era si normal la 16 ani. Nu visam sa fiu model international, era un hobby din care castigam banutii mei. Luam si prea mult in serios parerile altora legate de corpul meu de ‘’femeie snur”, care uneori ma faceau sa ma simt urata si fara sanse in lumea modellingului. Verisoara mea m-a indrumat insistent sa incerc, urmata de tatal meu.

3. A fi model implica multe sacrificii in viata personala . Puncte slabe si puncte forte a profesiei de model.

 F: Am sa incep cu cele slabe. Ca sa te dedici modellingului 100% ar insemna sa renunti la studii, pt ca fashion week-urile se suprapun cu sesiunile de la facultate. Nu am fost niciodata de acord cu renuntarea la studii in favoarea modellingului. E adevarat, sunt modele ce lucreaza foarte bine si care au note mari pe merit. Insa acestea sunt putine. E nevoie de multa vointa pentru ca lumea modellingului e plina de tentatii. Unei firi usor influentabile nu ii este o profesie indicata, parerea mea. Depinde foarte mult de fiecare persoana in parte, de valorile impuse de propria-i persoana. Pe unele le maturizeaza, intrucat sunt nevoite sa se descurce singure in afara tarii, departe de cei dragi. Cunoastem persoane noi, din toate partile lumii, de multe ori legam prietenii cu acestea.

  Inainte ma deranja etichetarea, insa am trecut peste. Consider ca un om matur si demn nu pune etichete fara macar a incerca sa ma cunoasca.

4. Cat este de important instrumentul  ‘’fashion design’’pentru tine ?

       F: Nu sunt o “fashion victim”. Ma imbrac cu ce-mi sta bine, imi place sa-mi arat linia corpului purtand haine feminine, sexy dar nu vulgare, uneori foarte simple, alteori vaporoase si foarte colorate. Desigur ca tin cont si de tendinte insa daca nu ma avantajeaza, merg pe simplitate.

5. Lucrezi cu multi designeri la nivel international… Care a fost cel care ti-a transmis emotii unice?

       F: Dintre cei pentru care am lucrat, imi plac mult Marithe Francois Girbaud si Valentino. Insa emotii unice mi-a transmis Afshin Feiz. M-am simtit WOW in rochiile lui. Iar Afshin este un tip foarte cool, comunicativ si sincer. Pastrez si port cu drag, un costum alb superb, primit cadou in urma unui shooting.

  

6. Descrie-mi in cateva cuvinte ‘’femeia’’ Florenta Popa’’ .

       F: Responsabila, independenta, sensibila, generoasa.

7. Cum ai descrie momentele , pe podium , cand toate privirile sunt indreptate spre tine la un Fashion Week?

       F:  Sunt intotdeauna momente placute. Secundele sau minutele mele, pasii mei, atitudinea mea pentru a incanta atat publicul cat si designerii. Le-as prelungi daca as putea. Ma simt frumoasa si dorita acolo, punand in valoare tinutele in care defilez. Ma simt bine J

8. De ce crezi ca Legatura Model-Creatie este importanta pentru un designer?

       F: Modelul trebuie sa se potriveasca cu stilul respectiv. De multe ori modelul poate fi inspiratie, prin ceea ce transmite.  Oricum, orice haina e pusa in valoare de un manechin viu, prezent acolo nu doar fizic.

9. Daca nu ai fi pe podiumurile internationale a prezenta creatii unice, unde ai fi acum?

        F: La birou...

10. Fotograful preferat? De ce?

        F: Nu am unul singur preferat. Sunt multi talentati, ii apreciez pe toti care sunt buni si ale caror poze le am si acum in book-ul personal.

11. Reusesti sa imi faci descrierea diferentelor intre scena modei romanesti si cele internationale? Pe care dintre acestea te simti in largul tau si ce iti ofera in plus fata de Romania?

      

       Sunt deschisa solicitarilor atat din domeniul autohton, cat si celor din moda internationala. Totusi, prefer scena internationala, mai serioasa si mai bine organizata. Desigur, oriunde sunt si exceptii.

      

12.  Cu care Agentie de Moda ai dori sa colaborezi intr-un viitor?

       F: Nu am fixuri pe o anumita agentie, important e ca ea sa fie potrivita pentru mine.

   

13. Ai un designer preferat pentru care ai dori sa prezinti pe podium? Who? Why?

        F: Mi-ar placea sa prezint pentru Elie Saab. Ma declar indragostita de senzualitatea, romantismul si eleganta tinutelor semnate de faimosul libanez Elie Saab J

14. In ce masura ajuta sistemul din Romania fetele care impartasesc acelasi vis – ‘’become a model’’ ?

        F: Cred ca daca e frumoasa, serioasa si cu atitudine, la locul potrivit si la momentul potrivit, va reusi. Avem agentii in Romania care pot reprezenta modele cu potential. Fiecare trebuie sa-si gaseasca agentia potrivita, care s-o reprezinte cum se cuvine ca agentie-mama, in capitalele modei din lume.

15. Ce lipseste actual acestui sistem?

       F: Seriozitatea, acolo unde este cazul...

     

16. Daca ai avea ocazia , ce intrebare ai adresa modelului tau preferat? Who’s…?

       F: Imi plac foarte mult Gisele si Bianca Balti. Le-as intreba pe cine admira cel mai mult si... de ce?

      

17. Creatia Haute-Couture favorita…

       F: Poarta semnatura Elie Saab.

        

18. Outfit-ul preferat…

       F: O rochie de seara, cu spatele gol, din matase.

     

19. Locul preferat pe planeta ‘’Terra’’ ! De ce?

        F: Imi place foarte mult sa calatoresc, sa descopar frumusetea fiecarui oras in parte, cu harta in mana. Respectiv sa simt nisipul fin pe orice insula exotica frumoasa. Mi-a placut foarte mult in Phuket, Tailanda. Iar orasul meu preferat din Europa este Florence. Da, sunt pasionata de arta.

      

20. Unde anume faci shopping?

       F: Prefer sa cumpar din strainatate. Din, cand in cand, mai cumpar si de la noi, din mall-uri. Si din aeroport, atunci cand e vorba de parfumuri, ceasuri si bijuterii Swarovski .Desigur, incercand sa nu pierd zborul, hahaha.

      

21. Ultima carte citita…

       F: Paulo Coelho- “Invingatorul este intotdeauna singur”

     

22. Momentul preferat al zilei…

        F: Seara tarziu... inceputul noptii.

      

23. Next shooting? When? Where?

         F: Sunt optiune pentru doua shootinguri de lenjerie, unul la Amsterdam, celalalt in Spania. Posibil intr-un loc mentionat mai sus, daca se va confirma. Daca nu, cu siguranta la Milano.

Thank You , Myra

Thank You as well, Florenta.