With his first collection for Agnona, Stefano Pilati swiftly advanced the venerable brand into a seasonless collection that could be purchased on the spot during Milan Fashion Week.

“I always thought that when something is beautiful, a six-month wait for the purchase can be too long. If I see something that I like, I want to buy it right away,” explained Pilati, who is numbering the collections, starting with Zero for the September offer.

The collection was displayed in a work-in-progress store on Milan’s tony Via Sant’Andrea with builders’ notes scribbled on the raw walls and unique white mannequins with lamb limbs—a reference to the brand’s original core wool and cashmere business. The unit was developed by Pilati with the Cologne, Germany-baseddesign studio Meiré und Meiré. The designer said he was “interested in experimenting” with the store as a reference point. He decided to avoid a more traditional runway show or presentation to eliminate the “distance and especially the wait.”

Agnona is the 30 million euro ($40.5 million) women’s niche brand owned by men’s powerhouse Ermenegildo Zegna Group. The former Yves Saint Laurent creative directorstarted Jan. 1 in the same role at Agnona and as head of design at Ermenegildo Zegna, with responsibility for that brand’s fashion show as well as for the Ermenegildo Zegna Couturelineup.

Pilati was respectful of the 60-year-old Agnona’s heritage, but at the same time irreverent enough to scissor the finest cottons into a chunky fringe and cut raw silks and double-faced cashmeres into asymmetric forms. Other fabrics included double silk, viscose Japon or Crepe Romain silk, as well as a classic masculine kid mohair used for Agnona in a double version.

Pilati noted that this was the first time he’s presented a collection as a creative director in Milan. “I would say that it was a good experience. Agnona is really a work in progress. Surely in February we will do something during women’s fashion week, and the seasonless element will remain as the collection’s attitude. However, I don’t rule out that Agnona will have something else to say before February.”

Curvy women are officially in style. A group of French ladies want to restore their right to be as curvaceous as they are without being judged. They are suing fashion designer, Karl Lagerfeld, for his rude remarks about overweight women. Beautiful, Rounded, Sexy and feeling proud about it, French women from the pressure group Belle, Ronde, Sexy at je m’assume, which is literally translated as Beautiful, Rounded, Sexy and Fine with It, are ready to battle for their right to feel desirable.

Are they not? Not, according to Creative Director for Chanel, Karl Lagerfeld, who believes that “nobody wants to see curvy women on the runway.” On the French talk show, Le Grand 8, he also said that fat people are responsible for the healthbudget deficit in France, saying that country’s tax revenue is wasted for curing the diseases caught by “fat people.”

These offensive remarks, said by the fashionguru, outraged the self-confident French female activists that decided to stand up for the rights of all women with fuller bodies to be the way they are. They sued him for defamation, asking for Lagerfeld to be fined for his discriminatory remarks.

“Today it’s him who insults us and tomorrow who will it be?” President of the group, Betty Aubriere, asked explaining the group’s decision to fight a seasoned fashion celeb. According to her, 500 women sighed the petition objecting Lagerfeld’s views. Most of them are plump young ladies who felt disparaged by what the famous designer said. “There are a lot of young girls who don’t feel comfortable in their skin, and for them to hear comments like that is terrible,” Aubriere said.

Charging Lagerfeld for making such ugly comments is only one of the goals of the French group. The larger objective is to turn public attention to the discrimination full bodied women and men face in their everyday life and, most importantly, to stop school bullying. Children’s self-esteem depends largely on how they are viewed by other people, and cruel remarks made by celebs easily affect a child’s fragile psychology. Betty Aubriere said they get lots of messages from school-age girls who sometimes even drop out of schools just to avoid being bullied because of their figures.

Karl Lagerfeld, the 80-year-old German born designer, had already caused controversy over his remarks about Adele being “a little too fat”, in 2012. Beautiful, talented and famous, Adele answered him by saying that she is like majority of women and feels proud of it.

So now when Belle, Ronde, Sexy at m’assume start their legal actions against Lagerfeld in the court, all curvy women around the world, starting with Adele, can show their solidarity with the cause and stop buying fashion items branded under Lagerfeld’s name.

After all, what is fashion in our everyday life if not the tool to make us feel desirable? If Karl Lagerfeld doesn’t help it, his time is over; he will be out of fashion very soon. French women are setting the new trend: you should feel desirable even if you are full size.

The nature of human behavior is on their side. People love to look at curvaceous women, says a recent psychological study published in Sex Roles journal. Men favor curvy women to those with fewer curves, according to the latest research conducted in the University of Nebraska – Lincoln, Nebraska.

Artists knew about this a long time before the study. Thousands of curvaceous beauties have enriched art museums for hundreds of years. Maybe it is time to look back and feel happy again, even if you are not Karl Lagerfeld’s ideal size?

China Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2014 uncorked a bubbly display of bright colors and glamorous runway looks last weekend. Besides the big names of the domestic fashion industry such as Simon Gao and Zhang Zhifeng, many younger designers shared the spotlight and camera flashes of the event.

Showcasing new talent is one of the key aspects of China Fashion Week, and is done through awards and competitions. Many young talents have been discovered this way, such as Shi Jie and Dorian Ho.

Winner's circle

Last Sunday evening, the Asahi Kasei Chinese Fashion Designer Creativity Award 2014 winner was announced: Sing Chin Lo from Hong Kong.

Lo is the second Hong Kong winner of the award since Hong Kong contestants were included in the competition last year.

Lo graduated from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University School of Design and previously won the Young Talent Award issued by the Hong Kong Fashion Design Association in 2005. That same year, he was selected for the Tokyo New Designer Fashion Grand Prix. In 2007, he founded his own fashion brand, PLOTZ.

"He is young, talented and competitive. His design language is international," said Li Dangqi, president of the China Fashion Association, during a press conference.

Inspired by nature

Lo's inspiration comes from forms found in nature. In line with this theme, the stage was a geometric shape similar to a honeycomb.

His collection can be split into two sections, while both present a series of clean, architectural layers of fabric contrasted with punchy hues of yellow and pink.

"The use and development of material is the most important aspect in my design and my first consideration," Lo said. "Texture and comfort especially make a huge impact on the final design."

The second part of his runway show included vibrant floral patterns interwoven with muted grays and blacks, adding a pop of youthfulness to the collection.

"People who wear them would have a strong sense of self," Lo said at the press conference.

The looks all cater to an eco-friendly and nature-inspired lifestyle that was also prevalent in China Fashion Week's Autumn/Winter 2013 shows. 



Designer Xie Feng told the Global Times earlier this year that such a trend indicates that after years of eager consumption, people are beginning to think about the environment and the way they live.

Looking to history

Design awards have become an increasingly important part of searching for fresh, new talent in the Chinese fashion industry.

What makes such awards so valuable to China Fashion Week is that many younger designers show their understanding of how to tastefully combine old and new - modern urban life meets traditional Chinese culture.

Early this year, the top winner of the Hempel Award at the 21st China International Young Fashion Designers Contest, Wang Zhixian, caught a lot of attention from the media by using bamboo chips as her fabric and creating several very visionary all-white looks.

Previous winners of the Asahi Kasei Chinese Fashion Designer Creativity Award that also drew from Chinese culture for inspiration include Wang Yutao with his creations based on old Beijing scenery, Shi Jie with calligraphy-infused designs and Liu Wei's "ink painting on the garment."

These designers have made Chinese elements more modern by incorporating international design.

Karlie Kloss has shared some beauty quick fixes which get her camera ready in no time.

Karlie Kloss always brushes her teeth in the shower.

The Victoria's Secret Angel travels the world with her job, meaning time is always in short supply. She has come up with a number of solutions to cut down the minutes spent on her beauty regime and encourages all women to do the same.

"I brush my teeth while I'm in the shower. I'm always running late so I do it to save time," she laughed.

The 21-year-old star also uses multi-tasking products whenever possible. She is a big fan of Clinque's Chubby Sticks, which are easy to apply lip crayons. They instantly spruce up her look so she always has several versions in her handbag for when she needs a pick-me-up.

Karlie is also low-maintenance when it comes to the rest of her make-up.

"I've mastered a fresh, dewy look in under five minutes. I apply kohl around my eyes and a moisturising lipstick on my lips and cheeks - it's a great way to save space in your purse, too," she explained to British magazine InStyle.

Jetting across the globe can cause havoc with skin, so the model always spritzes Caudalie Beauty Elixir on herself when on a plane. It adds moisture and stops her skin drying out.

Although Karlie is a master of the beauty shortcut, when she has time she enjoys indulging in treatments.

"I love having a hot bath. It's the perfect way to de-stress and it's something I can consistently do to take care of myself while travelling," she explained. "One of my favourite products to use is Burt's Bees Baby Bee Bubble Bath."

Sarah Hyland often sketches dress designs and sends them to designers with the hope they will create it for her.

Sarah Hyland loves co-designing her red carpet dresses.

In a bid to combine her love of drawing and fashion the Modern Family actress often designs her own gowns for red carpet events. At the Emmys in Los Angeles last month she arrived in a stunning emerald CH Carolina Herrera dress which she had come up with herself. She admits to feeling nervous when waiting for a response from designers on whether they approve of her ideas.

"For the past two years I've co-designed my Emmy dress," she told the latest edition of British magazine InStyle. "The first year was with Christian Siriano, last year was with Georgina Chapman of Marchesa and I've co-designed again this year. I love sketching dresses that I think would be good for the Emmys, then I send them off to designers and hope and pray they like what I've drawn and want to collaborate."

The 22-year-old star models various eyeshadows for the accompanying photoshoot in the magazine, with make-up artist Andrew Gallimore creating looks such as a fade to grey and purple haze.

Sarah enjoys using new products and feels confident wearing a dramatic look. However, when it comes to life outside of work the brunette beauty likes to keep things simple.

"I love trying new make-up but on a daily basis I stick to moisturiser - sometimes tinted moisturiser - mascara and a bit of concealer, because you can't have dark circles showing up!" she laughed.

Models in trendy clothing, a curved staircase, a blue sky.

A Roanoke cultural organization staged an event steeped in big-city class Sunday.

Fashionista Roanoke, a group founded in 2008 to push the creative arts here , capped its first ever Roanoke Fashion Week with a show of garments available in local stores. The setting, six floors up and decorated with pumpkins, was Center in the Square’s 4-month-old roof deck.

As a crowd of about 45 took their seats, Garland Gravely, founder of the group, remarked about the fun, expressive and personal nature of fashionable clothing.

“When you get up in the morning, you are a blank canvas. When you put on clothes, you’re telling the world who you are,” said the 44-year-old men’s fragrance specialist at Macy’s at Valley View Mall.

During an afternoon of California-like weather, male and female models strutted in evening wear, casual duds and sportswear. The casual outfits included a number of what Gravely called “country chic” outfits accessorized with boots, jackets and vests.

Tracking the runway, models descended a curved staircase, or emerged from just beneath it, passed a man-made pond with fish and a fountain and stepped before a politely applauding crowd seated in wooden chairs. As music thumped from speakers, an event photographer lay on the ground to get angles.

“The jackets look good,” said audience member Darlene Malanyam, 33, one of three residents of the Philippines who saw the show while in Roanoke during a Virginia tour. “The boots, too,” said Michelle Tan, her 24-year-old travel companion. They were with Randy Alon, 31.

About 25 amateur models presented the show, among them the three adult children of Deborah Freeman of Blue Ridge.

“It’s a confidence builder, a chance for young people to get out and do things they wouldn’t normally do,” she said, praising Fashionista Roanoke as a valuable influence for Derrick, 20, Felicia, 22, and Morgan, 23.

Imani Napper, 16, echoed that.

“This has added to me so much,” the Christiansburg High School student said. “You feel more confident.”

The theme of the fashion week was fashion’s intersection with culture, manifested by events tied to music, theater, film, art, photography and nature. Some of the action was captured in photos posted to the group’s Facebook page.

A few hundred people participated in or watched the events over eight days, according to Gravely, who intends to stage a fashion week in 2014 and try to make it an annual event.

Donations were collected Sunday for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.