FASHION Magazine

AKA the most fashionable friend...

The post Ralph Lauren is Releasing a Collection Inspired by Rachel Green appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

Check out holiday window displays from around the world»

Or jump to: HOLT RENFREW, TORONTO | THE BAY, TORONTO | BARNEY’S, NEW YORK | HENRI BENDEL, NEW YORK | | BERGDORF GOODMAN, NEW YORK | BLOOMINGDALE’S, NEW YORK | SELFRIDGES, LONDON | PRINTEMPS, PARIS

In theory, winter-time window-shopping might be unappealing—cold temperatures, snow banks and people running towards warm spaces adds up to a treacherous adventure. But, when combined with lavish holiday displays, suddenly window-shopping feels less like a chore and more like a Christmas treat.

Last year, our window poll caused a voting frenzy so we’re doing it again and taking a virtual stroll through New York, London, Paris and Toronto to see which of the department stores comes out on top in 2012.

The annual Full Figured Fashion Week may only be in its fourth cycle, but its message of empowerment is already abundantly clear.

“We need to stop with the marginalization. I’m not asking for couture, but I demand the right to go into any store and buy a simple black dress,” the event’s creator and former plus-size model Gwen DeVoe told WWD.

With the average woman’s dress size now sitting around a size 12–16, a huge portion of would-be shoppers have had to bypass size 00-12 retailers for years. But it’s not all bad news, at least not for the plus-size retail market: last year, they churned out a whopping $17 billion. In other words, curvy women are just as into clothes as their skinny counterparts.

“If you’re in this business for the sake of doing business, why are you excluding this entire community?” DeVoe asked. Fair enough!

The FFFW’s fourth year in the making marks quite a few firsts for the four-day-long event. Compared to its more modest first three showings, this year’s event was kick-started by an all-white sunset cruise Wednesday night. On the boat, the men got a nod in the Big and Tall male fashion show. Aside from runway shows later in the week featuring plus-size styles from designers like Jill Alexander and Ashley Stewart, the event has also organized blogger workshops, a runway show put on by Bloomingdale’s and shopping events.

Though there have been some recent instances in which the fashion industry has addressed size-related issues (including Vogue’s international health initiative and that scintillating Vogue Italia cover celebrating plus-size beauty), DeVoe has a point: many women are still finding it hard to shop for their body size, and as anyone who’s ever had a near-meltdown in a fitting room can attest to, that can be both demoralizing and infuriating. Anything to make the industry more inclusive is all right by us!

By Louise Coleman and Emma Freed

Leandra Medine, the fashion enthusiast behind the blog, The Man Repeller, has been everywhere lately! From getting all up in the Bloomingdale’s New York flagship window in collaboration with Tibi [Racked] to provoking a bit of controversy on Stylcaster by using the term “white girl problem.” [Stylecaster]

Coco Rocha cleverly used her ET Canada reporting gig at the Grammys to reveal a look from her clothing line, Rococo. The Victorian-inspired dress featured a rich blue full length split train with a gold miniskirt and shoulder pads. Do you like the look? [Fashionologie]

Not content with their Uggs collabo, Jimmy Choo has ventured further into comfy footwear with a line of sneakers. The low- and high-tops will be crafted from snakeskin and suede with gold touches. [Stylelist]

Could swine flu help the economy? It may have fashion freaks and germaphobes alike handing over $580 for a suit developed by Japanese company Haruyama Trading Co. that apparently protects against the H1N1 virus. The suit has a titanium dioxide coating, which fights viruses, but the protective layer can only withstand a few washes before wearing off. Plus, the suit still leaves the face ripe and ready for virus entry. [The Cut]

A curator, a podiatrist, an economics professor, a soap star and a fashion blogger talk about why women wear painful shoes. One thought: You can’t be too tall. [NYTimes, via Racked]