FASHION Magazine

See our predictions »
See everything Kate’s worn since her engagement »

Feel free to make fun of us, kids. Our Olympics excitement coupled with our usual Kate Middleton freak-outs are going to be particularly out of control for the next three weeks. Alongside Prince William and Prince Harry, Kate’s going to be making a reported 30 Olympic-related appearances over the next few weeks as an Olympic Ambassador, and we’ve got them all tattooed on our foreheads.

Since we’re sure that Kate will wear nothing but Brit wears all Olympics-long, here are some wardrobe predictions for her upcoming appearances.

To celebrate fashion’s biggest season, we’ve put all of the most major ads (So much image slicing!) together in one space. We’ll be adding new creatives as they become available, so be sure to check back for all the biggest and best.

See all the campaigns »

We all may have our proclivities, but we all certainly don’t fit into stereotypes based on the things we like. Sure, that makes us unique, but also makes so many of us so darned hard to buy for! Since we think most would agree that buying gifts for Father’s Day reaches the top of the difficulty scale, we’ve put together 20 refreshing gift ideas that would please many a difficult daddy.

View the gift guide »

Or jump to: The Sport Hound | The Foodie | The Dapper Gent | The Culture Connoisseur

As we watched Mark Zuckerberg ring the bell on Wall Street Friday morning, we wondered: how is this going to change how we use social media? And, for those of us who are style-inclined: how is this going to affect the fashion industry?

Though Zuckerberg’s proclivity for hoodies won’t land him a “style icon” status anytime soon, Facebook evolving into a public company will definitely impact the fashion industry in many ways.

The social media giant, which currently has 900 million users worldwide, opened to the public with an initial public offering of $38 a share, making Facebook the most valuable company that’s ever gone public. With a total worth now of $104 billion (in other words, almost unimaginable amounts of money to invest back into the company), the ability to do more in terms of advertising, online shopping and other ventures has never been more feasible.

For fashion retailers in particular, Facebook going public probably means that they will no longer be limited to simply tallying one’s “likes” as a measure of success. Though the sharing and community aspects of Facebook are valuable to retailers in terms of brand presence, there are now more opportunities to create new social media–friendly e-commerce and advertising tactics than ever before.

Previous efforts with online shopping on Facebook didn’t exactly take off, forcing retailers like Gap to shutter their Facebook shops. However, now that there is an unprecedented amount of money in the bank, Facebook can begin to explore other means of social commerce that will provide shoppers with a more “seamless and convenient” shopping experience.

Think about it: Burberry, for example, has over 12 million “likes” on their Facebook page. Though they have advertised heavily on Facebook for some time now, if the social media network could provide the retailer with new, improved means of advertising and online shopping, Burberry could capitalize on their huge social media following in ways they never have before.

Though we’d need a crystal ball to accurately predict how everything is going to pan out now that the company has gone public, it’s probably safe to say that this will not only mean big dollars for involved parties, but new ways of shopping and interacting online for everybody.

Online-shopping veteran Rebecca Tay explores the digital world of discount ready-to-wear while taking an exclusive tour of The Outnet’s HQ in London.

See the global top sellers | See the Canadian top sellers

Online-shopping virgins are rare these days. Any girl worth her weight in Wang (whether it’s Alexander or Vera) has not only done the deed but also experimented with the latest spine-tingling activity: trolling the web for designer discounts. Who hasn’t hit the sheets with their laptop primed for a little ready-to-wear rollback action? Half-price Lanvin ballet flats? Yes, please! Erdem floral dresses for a fraction of their original price? Click: “buy!” E-boutiques like Shopbop, Asos and Net-A-Porter have huge followings, but the new stars of the online retail world are the luxury-good bargain hunters. When it comes to these price-choppy waters, The Outnet is the mother ship, drawing more than one million unique visitors every month. It was launched in 2009 as an offshoot of Net-A-Porter, which was one of the first companies to offer designer brands online. With more than 200 high-end labels to browse, including Stella McCartney, Marni, Balmain and Marc Jacobs, this site is a destination for marked-down must-haves. Boots that once cost a month’s rent are now $200; almost everything, from Alexander McQueen to Zac Posen, is 50 to 70 per cent off. It’s a virtual dream, but I get the chance to see if this fairy-tale land of luxe-for-less really exists beyond the screen when I receive an exclusive invitation to spend a day at The Outnet.

It’s a story worthy of the next Quentin Tarantino screenplay—a sick and twisted The Godfather meets Confessions of a Shopaholic hybrid. The Shopfather, perhaps? U.S. authorities have busted one of the largest counterfeit circles in American history, after more than $300 million worth of fake fashion has been smuggled stateside. That figure puts this clothing heist on the levels of some of the biggest counterfeit cigarette and crystal meth trades. Seriously.

The questionable fakes ticked all the usual boxes: Burberry scarves, Lacoste polos, and Louis Vuitton bags. But it’s the faux Uggs (since dubbed “fUggs” for obvious reasons) that display some mind-boggling creativity. After the names of honest shipping companies were used to bring the boots into the country, fake labels and soles were peeled off to reveal faux-Ugg branding. One would think that with such creative prowess, the 30 accused smugglers might do something a little more productive with their time.

When questioned on the ethics of his business tactics, one of the crime leaders reportedly said that if you had a problem with his business you should “go be a monk.” Because only monks have morals. While we can definitely understand the appeal of a bargain, counterfeit fashion is continually being linked to horrible crimes. It’s just not worth it. Especially not for a pair of Uggs.

It brings a tear to my eye that London Fashion Week is almost all over for another season—but my feet are not-so-silently rejoicing. A 9 a.m. start at Peter Pilotto meant leaving the house just past 8 this morning, but it was worth it. The Topshop venue, which is the old Billingsgate Market this season, always serves up coffee, tea, and all sorts of yummy dishes (yesterday there was a creamy soup with truffle oil; today there was porridge for breakfast); there’s also the NewGen pop-up where I scored the Erdem tank with a blue porcelain print and white lace collar and the Mary Katrantzou floral tee. Breakfast, shopping, and a show? Every day, please.

Today was a day of standouts at London fashion week, from Peter Pilotto to Christopher Kane and Erdem. The other shows today? Burberry, Mark Fast, and Giles, all of which included some great pieces. Burberry had cropped parkas, African-inspired geometric beading, and straw riding hats with pompoms, while Mark Fast featured looser knits—almost crochet-like, in some cases—on dresses. At Giles we saw swan headpieces by Stephen Jones and laser-cut red leather gown worn by our very own Kate King.

Your browser does not support iframes.

The post LFW Livestream: Watch the Burberry Spring 2012 show live! appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

The British Fashion Council just released the nominations for this year’s awards and surprise, surprise Kate Middleton favourites Sarah Burton and Erdem (yay!) are up for the Designer of the Year award alongside the always-thrilling Christopher Kane.

Other big nominations include Victoria Beckham for Designer Brand of the Year, even after last year’s controversy started by industry veterans over her nomination in the same category. (But, hey, she can sing, dance, and be pregnant in heels, so that’s got to count for something, right?) This time around, she’s up against Burberry, Stella McCartney, and Tom Ford. (In the case of Ford, apparently living part-time in London makes you a British designer?)

In the Model of the Year category, rockstar and supermodel offspring Georgia May Jagger will battle it out with Chanel muses Stella Tennant and Kristen McMenamy. Meanwhile, we’ve got a soft spot for all nominees in the Emerging Talent category. How can you choose between Mary Katrantzou, J.W. Anderson, and Peter Pilotto? The winners will be announced at a ceremony on November 28.

Word: Celebutot

Meaning: Taken from the older English portmanteau “celebutante,” this refers to a child who is famous for having famous parents and, as a result, a lot of stupendously expensive stuff.

They’re here! They’re here! Well… almost. The royal couple will be in the land we call home in t-minus four hours, and we can barely contain our excitement to see what Kate’s wearing when she steps of the plane. Will she fly our flag or hers? We’re dying to find out. To help you kill the next few hours of anticipation, we’ve compiled a detailed list of Brit and Canadian designers we think Kate should wear at the occasions she’s slotted into her schedule over the next eight days. If we’re right, we’ll be treating you all to crumpets.

View the styled itinerary now! »