January 18, 2020

Shoppers enter the Old Navy store in Broomfield, Colorado. — Reuters
NEW YORK: Gap Inc on scrapped its plan to spin-off Old Navy and said it would instead work to stem dropping sales, while fewer discounts during the holiday season helped full-year earnings, sending its shares up about 4 per cent.
The move came as a surprise as just two months ago the company had stuck to its plan to separate despite several analysts calling for the strategy to be canned due to weak sales and the abrupt exit of Chief Executive Officer Art Peck. Peck unveiled the plan in February last year when Old Navy was a bright spot for the company, which was struggling with out-of-fashion apparel at its Gap brand.
However,"...

January 15, 2020

Pitti Uomo, the world’s largest menswear trade show and the first big event on the fashion calendar, was held in Italy last week. More than 30,000 visitors from about 50 countries headed to an ancient fortress in Florence to trawl more than 1,200 stalls offering the trendiest and finest in men’s clothing and accessories. But beyond the exhibition halls is a street-style extravaganza where visitors strut and designers showcase their respective vision for men’s fashion this year.

Guys, take your cues from surprising silhouettes, delightful kicks of pattern or any of these dozen looks, as seen on guests at Pitti Uomo, as well"...

January 13, 2020

Tommy Hilfiger, which is owned by PVH Corp. [NYSE: PVH], announces the six finalists in the 2019 Tommy Hilfiger Fashion Frontier Challenge. Now in its second year, the global program aims to support entrepreneurial start-up and scale-up businesses developing solutions that promote inclusive and positive change in fashion. The selection of finalists is a next step in the journey to identify and champion innovative opportunities that support the advancement of the industry. On February 13, 2020,"...

January 12, 2020

The 77th Golden Globe Awards got off to a sparkling start on Sunday, January 5, with the who’s who of Hollywood on top of their style game. All the international bigwigs of the design world were represented and, as is increasingly commonplace, so were Middle Eastern designers, in particular those from Lebanon. Elie Saab dressed Game of Thrones actress Rose Leslie in an emerald-green number; Peaky Blinders star Annabelle Wallis stunned in a voluminous ballgown by Zuhair Murad; and The Vampire Diaries star Kat Graham wore a siren red Georges Hobeika.

There’s seldom a red-carpet event any more that doesn’t see celebrities wearing"...

January 7, 2020

Awards ceremonies are not just a chance for womenswear designers to show off their finest work, oh no.

Tailors and menswear labels alike also have the chance to dress some of Hollywood's most famous names – and while red carpets of the past may have been a sea of black suits, times are changing.

And, judging by the selection at the 77th annual Golden Globe Awards on Sunday, January 5, texture menswear is going to be anything but boring this year.

From a rich green suit worn by Jason"...

January 5, 2020

The never-ending merry-­go-round that is fashion is exactly that, never ending, so even though we are changing decades, do not be surprised to see some current ideas stick around and some old ones resurface. Tried-and-tested trends such as suiting and oversized frills are here to stay it seems, now updated to included waistcoats and ruffles.

Meanwhile, vintage ideas will be getting a revamp, such as revolution-era 1960s psychedelic print, now plastered over outfits like wallpaper. Elsewhere, expect to dial things down courtesy of pretty pastels, or ramp it up with in-your-face tangerine and magenta (although not together – yet).

January 2, 2020

Another year of award ceremonies, premieres and A-list parties is almost behind us, leaving a legacy of glamorous gowns and dresses dripping in sequins.

Whether seen at the Oscars, Emmys or Golden Globes, some of 2019's most memorable celebrity looks came courtesy of the region's most renowned designers.

Lebanon's red carpet stalwarts Elie Saab and Zuhair Murad kitted out stars including Jennifer Lopez, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Priyanka Chopra, while Georges Hobeika, Rami Kadi and Georges Chakra were donned by Kendall Jenner, Chrissy Teigen and"...

December 30, 2019

The fashion industry loves a good retrospective. As we turn to a new year, learning the lessons from the past in the fast-changing dynamics of the industry, the word rings truer than ever. While the fashion of the future seems far from the one depicted by Bladerunner's dystopian take on corporate takeover, corporations and fashion powerhouses do hold the power to dictate what the future of textile manufacturing, retail and style transformations will look like. Taking cue from the millennia of the past, here is what we can (hopefully) look forward to:

A focus on sustainability
The $2 trillion high fashion industry has been notoriously responsible for 10 per cent of the global carbon footprint and"...

December 22, 2019

High Street fashion giant Zara has announced it will make its debut in Ras Al Khaimah next year as it expands its presence in the UAE.

Real estate developer Al Hamra and Dubai Holding Group announced the opening of Zara, at Manar Mall.

Set to open in the first quarter of 2020, the store will be Spain-based Zara’s first outlet in Ras Al Khaimah and its 11th in the UAE.

The new Zara store, spanning over 27,500 sq ft, will showcase its signature range of womenswear, menswear, kids wear,"...

December 21, 2019

Mary Kay Inc. continues to make its mark on the beauty industry through its ongoing partnerships with Ukrainian and Belarus Fashion Weeks, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia, and Bratislava Fashion Days in Slovakia and Czech Republic.

“As an innovator of beauty trends, Mary Kay along with beauty artists, unveiled 2020 runway looks throughout fashion weeks in Europe,” stated Tara Eustace, President of Mary Kay for the European Region. “The runways at fashion week are the perfect stage to share inspiration, debut our innovations with the fashion world and elevate makeup trends in each of these countries.”

Designers,"...