Italian Fashion Watch

Fendi reopened its luxurious flagship boutique at Ngee Ann City in Singapore last month. The elegant 156sq m store was designed by Peter Marino, who worked on all the brand’s flagship stores around the world.  

You will spot the boutique immediately from the recognisable Fendi logo forming a lighted-up glass design on the walls; shoes and bags are placed within this design to peek out coyly.  

Inside, richly textured walls of Roman Travertino, a travertine marble from Italy, stand over dark grey flooring of lava stone – the same that paves the streets of fashionable Rome. Using Italian material is Marino’s way of giving customers all over the world an Italian experience inside a Fendi boutique. 

The boutique carries Fendi’s ready-to-wear, fur, leather goods, shoes and sunglasses. 

There is a wide range of handbags, from the luxurious, hand-stitched Selleria, the celebrated Spy, the B Fendi, the Fendi Forever range, the Magic Bag, Bag De Jour and Chef. 

Two other sections in the boutique are separately dedicated to the label’s shoe collection and ready-to-wear. 

And there’s a final touch of luxury: The changing rooms are extravagantly laid with fine pony hair carpet to pamper your feet!

Armani Jeans has officially announced that Massimo Bulleri extended his contract for two more years, until the end of the 2009-10 season. Bulleri (188, 29) joined Milano in summer 2005, when he inked a three-year deal with his current team.

He averaged 8.4 points, 2.3 assists and 1.5 steals in 35 Italian League games last season. Bulleri has also played for Ozzano, Mestre and Benetton Treviso in his native Italy.

He helped Benetton to win two Italian Leagues and three Italian Cup titles between 2000 and 2005, as well as making it all the way to the 2003 Euroleague final.

Bulleri is also a regular member of the Italian national team. He helped Italy to win the bronze medal at EuroBasket 2003, as well as the silver medal at the 2004 Olympic Games held in Athens, Greece.

England’s High Street chain H and M is focusing on the younger market with their own original designs…and a little help from a fashion heavyweight.

House designer Margareta van den Bosch has revealed that she created clothes to suit the fun and free shoppers. While guest designer, Roberto Cavalli, is following a similar trend.

Cavalli, who has dressed the who’s who of the film and music worlds, has put together a fall collection for the budget brand as a way to allow young girls to wear his clothes.

He told Times2, “The young stop me all over the world in the street and say ‘Oh, Roberto, you’re my idol’. I said ok to H&M so that youngsters could have the chance to wear Cavalli, not just the beautiful stars on the red carpet. I hope to see lots of girls queuing up to discover what I have created for them.”

H and M’s own young brand, Divide, is all about being playful for the upcoming chilly season.

Bosch said, “The Divided concept has a style that attracts both grown-up and teenage customers. I think the creativity and comfort is the key to success. Great patterns and prints, cool styles, and, most importantly, the latest trends translated in a playful and unpretentious manner.”

Cavalli’s collection will be available from November.

A San Diego Online marketing company, is set to launch user generated content (UGC) campaigns for Parfums Givenchy and Fredericks of Hollywood. The brands will leverage Brickface’s Web design capabilities, as well as its proprietary platform for peer-to-peer distribution of campaign content via email, instant messaging, and across Web sites.

In Parfums Givenchy’s “Create Your own Slogan for the New Givenchy Fragrance, Very Irresistible” campaign, users will compete to create a slogan to be featured in print ads for Parfums Givenchy’s new fragrance, “Very Irresistible.” Users will compete to win a trip to New York City to meet the fragrance’s spokesmodel, Liv Tyler. While the community can vote for their favorites, the grand prize winner will ultimately be chosen by Parfums Givenchy reps.

In Fredericks of Hollywood’s “From Your Design to Hollywood & Vine” campaign, users can design a corset, with the winner’s creation to be featured in a televised charity fashion event. The community can review, vote on and share their favorite designs–with the winning corset to be chosen by a combination of votes from users and Frederick’s of Hollywood reps.

The 25-year-old pop superstar has become the face of Emporio Armani’s new perfume, ‘Diamonds’ and stars in the company’s new ad campaign.

The songstress has also added her own take on the Marilyn Monroe song ‘Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friend’ for the advert.

The new fragrance features notes of lychee and raspberry.

The singer says she has learnt from experience to be prepared when she goes to photo shoots.

She carries three pairs of sunglasses (black, gold and brown) in her bag and not one but two pairs of Christian Louboutin heels, in nude and gold, in case she needs to glam up an outfit at a moment’s notice.

A favourite with the paparazzi, who follow her every move with their cameras, she says she’s not worried about them taking shots of her from unflattering angles.

And she says she loves fashion and shopping far too much to give it up because of a few photographers.

Italian fashion designer Roberto Cavalli has defended his decision to hire Kate Moss for a fashion shoot immediately after her cocaine disgrace, hailing her a “great professional”.

The catwalk beauty was photographed snorting the drug with then-boyfriend Pete Doherty in a recording studio in September 2005. She was subsequently axed from a string of lucrative modelling contracts, but Cavalli continued to use her despite the controversy.

He says, “People asked me why I picked Kate Moss immediately after her drug scandal. I find her a great professional, and have always liked her personality.

“I have never thought: ‘Does this person use drugs or not?’ I am anti-drugs, but what can you do? “As designers we have to trust the models’ personality and professionalism. I don’t want to know about their private lives.”

The Spice Girls have asked Donatella Versace to design their outfits for their comeback tour.

The Italian designer has already started working on her exclusive creations for the band - Victoria Beckham, Mel B, Emma Bunton, Mel C and Geri Halliwell - who kick off their world tour in December.

A source told Britain’s Daily Mirror: “Donatella was a big fan of the girls back in the day and as soon as she heard that a reunion was on the cards she submitted her ideas.

“There will be several different looks for each of them and the clothes will be worth over 200,000 pounds ($526,999).”

Donatella - the sister of the late fashion guru Gianni Versace who was murdered in 1997 - is determined each singer will have an individual look, but won’t be rigorously sticking to their previous personas, Sporty (Mel C), Baby (Emma), Ginger (Geri), Scary (Mel B) and Posh (Victoria).

The source added: “She wants the girls to retain their band personas but in a much less obvious way than before. Mel C won’t be wearing ill-fitting sportswear instead she’ll have a really sexy wardrobe. Emma will wear stunning, elegant dresses with a playful touch.

“Donatella thinks they look better than many bands half their age and should show that off.”

The band recently announced extras dates for their world tour, after 3 million people registered for tickets on the girls’ official website.

The group will now perform in Vancouver, San Jose and Shanghai.

Other cities on the tour include London, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New York, Cologne, Madrid, Hong Kong, Sydney, Cape Town and Buenos Aires.

Missoni have appointed celebrity stylist Edward O’Sullivan as their head of worldwide celebrity dressing and entertainment.

The newly created role shows the brand’s determination to get into the lucrative business celebrity and fashion collaborations.

Edward, who has previously styled Sienna Miller, Diane Kruger, Angelina Jolie and Penelope Cruz, had been freelancing with Missoni for the last few months.

He will now work with former Ralph Lauren colleague Meredith Keller, who has been appointed as senior manager of celebrity dressing and entertainment reports WWD.

The pair are expected to work with the likes of Liv Tyler, Ashley Judd, Cameron Diaz, Demi Moore and Drew Barrymore who are all big Missoni fans.

Giorgio Armani has been commissioned to design Chelsea football team’s new suits.

The fashion legend was asked to create the official suits for the premiership team ready for the start of the new season.

The team and management have been kitted out with a lightweight gabardine suit, a classic three button cashmere coat and a single breasted knee length nylon raincoat-all in a toned down navy version of the club’s blue colours.

“It is an honour to have collaborated on a new look for the Directors’ Suite at what is certainly one of England’s most historic football grounds,” Armani said. “José has been a long-time enthusiast for my designs and was personally involved in reviewing all of the sketches and fabrics.”

The designer will also decorate an area of their home ground Stamford Bridge through Armani’s Casa Interior Design Service who also created the club’s Armani Lounge director’s suite.