Fashion news

SO it seems that people power and popular opinion does count for something.
The controversy over the 14-year-old model export for Rosemount Australian Fashion Week has forced the organisers to bow down and enforce a ban on all models under the age of 16.
A statement from the organisers revealed they had revised their industry policy "in light of industry and community concern regarding the acceptable age for models".
"Effective immediately, both male and female models participating in Rosemount Australian Fashion Week will need to be at least 16 years of age and must be represented by a model agency," the statement said.

Once again the issue of how young is too young when it comes to modeling has raised its controversial head.A furor has ignited among the Australian fashion set over plans that a 14-year-old Polish model, Monica Jagaciak, also known as Jak, is to be featured on the runways of the Rosemount Australian Fashion Week. Vogue Australia editor, Kirstie Clements had the child model lined up for a cover of the glossy mag, but upon discovering her age refused on the grounds that a minimum age of 16 be enforced for models starring in the event. "We found out on Wednesday about Jak's age and told Simon Lock there was no way Vogue could be involved in promoting her. "When I discovered this week that she was 14 I was like 'ah, no way'. "I have children who are 13 and 14 and I'm still tucking them into bed in their jim-jams. "I just think there should be a standardised rule that specifies models should be at least 16 to participate in RAFW." Gold Coast schoolgirl Maddison Gabriel found herself at the centre of a similar storm in September last year when the then 12-year-old became the 'Face' of Gold Coast Fashion Week, but within 24 hours her dream of becoming a supermodel was being scrutinised by everyone from modelling agencies and fashion industry elite to the country's political leaders. So why such age rage now, after all, other Gold Coast and Tweed success stories such as Kristy Hinze, Samantha Harris, Tallulah Morton and Catherine McNeil all began at age 13 or 14. Despite the controversy, Rosemount Australian Fashion Week boss Simon Lock has defended their move to bring her to Australia. "Jak will be chaperoned by an agent from her mother agency (Gaga in Poland) and she is coming with the full approval of her parents, who are very switched on and extremely supportive," said Mr Lock. "I have a 14-year-old daughter myself, so I'm well aware of the situation. We want to see these models grow and develop through this opportunity at RAFW, not be exploited.

"Hopefully, she will have a great experience and one day, when she's a world famous model, she'll think of us."

"If she comes past the shop, hopefully she'll just keep walking. I don't really covet that sort of thing." - Alexander McQueen on the chance that Paris Hilton should visit his newly opened L.A store.

The seventh 'Designers for Target' collection hit Australian stores today. It's creator: relative newbie Zac Posen.  Since his ready-to-wear debut in 2002, Posen has been seen on celebrities from Rihanna to Helen Mirren, but today, us 'normal' kids can joyously embrace the chance to own a piece of his beautifully tailored, alluringly coloured and cleverly embellished collection. 

It may be celebrity heavy but don't expect no Perez Hilton style outings or moral lambastings from Who What Wear Daily ; as the tag-line proclaims "We don't care who you date or if you eat. We only care about what you wear". WWWD deals in up-to-the-minute shots of MK and Ashley, Chloe, Lou Dillion et al in all their typical sartorial splendor; including with these shots information on exactly what/who they are wearing and where you can get it. Who What Wear also shows you how to put together outfits similar to those worn by the aforementioned style queens (for those of us who are on an average income/ not friends with Mr Lagerfeld) and runs frequent trend reports as well as profiles on up and coming clothing and accessory designers.

I have absolutely no idea on what happened inside the Grand Palais in Paris for the Spring/Sumer Chanel fashion show. And trying to chat the security guy up was completely useless. I would not get in! I may not have had the privileged glimpse at this season iconic French couture house new designs, but I saw a kind of unexpected spin-off of the original show just outside the venue. As limos were dropping their good share of preppy “happy few” gripping their invitation out, scoffing at me, I noticed that everyone is actually, uniformly clad in Chanel. I have never seen so many 2:55 padded bags, black and white trademark bicolour pumps or camellias brooches per square metre. While my eyes were itching in front of that many double-C logos, I started to wonder: is it like a social fashion code that when you attend a fashion show you have to wear the design er’s line? Would Karl feel upset if the audience is not as full of tweed and white pearls as the catwalk is? Obvious strategy for next fashion week: pulling on a total black and white tweed Chanel-like look. Maybe, I will manage to sneak in, lost in the middle of this homogenously all-alike crowd of trendsetters.

YEN was asked to donate a bunch of YEN magazines as a fashion media source for first year students at Whitehouse Institute of Design. The school offers students a three-year bachelor degree of design and they can major in design, interior design, styling or fashion design. Some of the more well known students that have graduated and gone on to be highly successful in the Australian and International fashion markets are Camilla & Mark and Daniel Avakian. We wish the new students all the best with their studies!!