Senin, 30 Juni 2014

Our Favorite Menswear Looks From Paris Fashion Week Spring 2015


This season, Paris Fashion Week presented some amazing Spring/Summer 2015 Menswear collections that we cannot get enough of. Now that the shows have officially wrapped, we've picked five of our favorite collections and rounded up some of the best looks from each. If you're looking to get a jumpstart on spring men's trends for next year, be sure to take inspiration from these sensational collections, featuring Valentino, Dior Homme, 3.1 Phillip Lim, Wooyoungmi, and Saint Laurent.


Scoop: CHASING LIFE on ABC FAMILY

April faces her first bone marrow biopsy and begins to feel overwhelmed by her responsibilities at work and home in 'I'll Sleep When I'm Dead,' an all-new episode of 'Chasing Life,' airing Tuesday, July 1st at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT on ABC Family.April finds it harder to juggle the increasing severity of her symptoms with her obligations at work and her attempts to be a supportive daughter and sister. After missing an important appointment, George urges April to get her priorities straight. April also learns more about Leo Hendrie, but Leo jumps to conclusions about April's motives. Meanwhile, much to her own surprise, Brenna bonds with Greer, a popular girl at school. 'Chasing Life' is adapted from the successful Televisa Spanish-language Mexican television series and is a co-production of BV Family Productions, Lionsgate, and Televisa in association with ABC Family. The series is executive produced by Sean Smith ('Greek'), Susanna Fogel ('Life Partners'), Joni Lefkowitz ('Life Partners') and Aaron Kaplan ('Terra Nova'). 'Chasing Life' stars Italia Ricci ('Unnatural History'), Mary Page Keller ('NYPD Blue'), Aisha Dee ('I Hate My Teenage Daughter'), Richard Brancatisano ('The Elephant Princess') and Haley Ramm ('Red State'), with Steven Weber ('Two Broke Girls,' 'Wings') and Scott Michael Foster ('Greek') as recurring guest stars. Part of the Disney/ABC Television Group, ABC Family is distributed in over 97 million homes. ABC Family features programming reflecting today's families, entertaining and connecting with adults through relatable programming about today's relationships - told with a mix of diversity, passion, humor and heart. ABC Family's programming is a combination of network-defining original series and original movies, quality acquired series and blockbuster theatricals. For 2014, ABC Family has launched the 'WATCH ABC Family' authenticated service which allows viewers with participating TV subscription services access to 24/7 live viewing of the network, as well as continued on demand access to such popular series at home and on the go via a wide array of devices. ABC Family is also the destination for annual Holiday events with '13 Nights of Halloween' and '25 Days of Christmas.' ABC Family. A New Kind of Family.


Street Style: The Women of Menswear at Paris Fashion Week

Street Style: The Women of Menswear at Paris Fashion Week

We sent Tommy Ton over to Paris to shoot the men at the shows, but that's only half (okay, maybe three-quarters) of the crowd. Here's how the fairer sex did fashion week.


Photo: Photographs by Anna Stokland


Your Daily Eye Queue: Androgyny at Paris Fashion Week, Neymar's Underwear ...

Your Daily Eye Queue: Androgyny at Paris Fashion Week, Neymar's Underwear Fine, and More...

Style Ambiguity at Paris Fashion Week proves menswear a mixed up muddled up shook up world. ( Business of Fashion)


Pharrell steps out in designer Uggs. ( The Cut)


Neymar could get fined for his choice of underwear. ( Complex)


Business Warby Parker co-founder Neil Blumenthal explains the brand's connection to the Blue Footed Boobie bird. ( Slate)


Amazon, Apple, and Google make the list of top ten most patriotic brands. ( WWD)


Photo: Francois Durand/Getty Images


6 Bizarre Grooming Moments from Paris Fashion Week

GQ Magazine6 Bizarre Grooming Moments from Paris Fashion WeekGQ MagazinePrint · Feeds. Tweet. 6 Bizarre Grooming Moments from Paris Fashion Week. A quick lesson in what not to wear (and what made us go "WTF?"), compliments of the Paris runway circuit. BY KRISTEN DOLD. June 30, 2014. Play Slideshow. Pause. Previous.

What we learned from the spring 2015 menswear shows

The Dude is your icon The Big Lebowski's protagonist set the template for dressing gowns as outerwear in 1998, but the 2015 designer interpretation is rather more luxe. At Dries Van Noten and Astrid Andersen, flowing versions gave models the air of boxers striding into the ring.Photograph: Victor Virgile/Gamma-Rapho via Getty ImagesTrainers are king The haute running shoes trend continues to dominate catwalks, with bouncy, white-soled trainers ubiquitous on runways. They were styled with formal tailoring and suits at Louis Vuitton, Dior Homme and Alexander McQueen. Adidas Stan Smiths remain the footwear choice for much of the front row.Photograph: Pixelformula/Sipa/RexMeccano is the new Lego The building-block-as-fashion-reference du jour is notChanel's beloved Lego but Meccano, which inspired JW Anderson founder Jonathan Anderson in the creation of his debut collection for Loewe. Particularly lovely were the brightly coloured squares and stripes on thick black jumpers.Luke Evans is the frow name to knowMenswear front-row regulars made room for Luke Evans this season, the Welsh actor set to play Dracula in an upcoming remake. Seen here at Louis Vuitton, he makes a good ambassador for men's fashion, being in possession of excellent hair and terrific sunglasses.Japan is booming Japan is at once a crucial commercial market and a key creative reference. Seen everywhere from Craig Green, in karate and medieval fencing-inspired silhouettes, to Alexander McQueen, where prints were inspired by kabuki makeup.Photograph: Jonathan Hordle/RexIt's all about 'wardrobing' A flip industry term for the designer trend towards focusing on key items rather than transient trends. See: the continuing popularity of trainers and bomber jackets (seen everywhere from Dries Vvan Noten, pictured, to Christopher Raeburn) and this season'sdenim comeback. Photograph: Patrick Kovarik/AFP/Getty Images


Minggu, 29 Juni 2014

Nanny Who Wouldn't Leave Has Disappeared

The live-in nanny who was fired but refused to leave has apparently left.


Diane Stretton baffled Marcella and Ralph Bracamonte of Upland, California, when, they said, she stopped working after several months, was dismissed, but refused to move out.


Stretton's standoff with the Bracamonte family became public this week and Stretton left the house early Thursday morning.


READ: Family Stumped by Fired Live-In Nanny Who Won't Leave


WATCH: This Couple Says Living With Their Ex-Nanny Is Like Being In Prison



'She left around 7 a.m. yesterday morning and she never came back,' Marcella Bracamonte told ABC News.


'I have no idea where she goes. I don't know what happened,' she said.


The mom said that when Stretton left Thursday, there was no indication that she wasn't coming back and her belongings were still in her room.


Stretton has not responded to numerous phone calls from ABC News.


The Bracamontes hired Stretton in early March to help with their three young children. After several months of work, Stretton abruptly stopped, according to the Bracamontes.


Stretton's sudden departure came after weeks of urging by the Bracamontes that she resume helping out with the children and perform some housework in return for room and board, which was their original agreement, Marcella Bracamonte said. Stretton claimed that she had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which prevented her from helping around the house, Marcella Bracamonte said.


When the Bracamontes asked her earlier this month to sign a notice that she would move out in 30 days, Stretton refused to sign and slammed her door, the mother said. Mrs. Bracamonte claims that Stretton, 64, even threatened to sue the family for wrongful firing and elder abuse.


'I'm a prisoner in my home, because literally I'm afraid to go anywhere,' said Mrs. Bracamonte, who recently put a lock on her refrigerator.


Stretton has continued to live with the Bracamontes, coming out of her room to eat, Marcella Bracamonte said.


Police refused to intervene, saying it was a civil matter. Lt. John Moore of the Upland Police Department told ABC News that 'generally, once somebody has established residency, you have to go through a formal eviction process.'


Bracamonte found that Stretton has a lengthy history of filing lawsuits and is included in California's Vexatious Litigant Lists for her many unsuccessful suits.


Those lawsuits are largely directed at her family, frequently suing her two sisters trying to block the sale of family property. Last year, Stretton even sued her son, Michael, according to court records, for property damage and personal injury. Stretton also has a daughter.


Stretton's sisters and her son could not be reached for comment.


Stretton apparently has long had a strained relationship with her family. Court documents show that when Stretton's father, John Richardson, died in 2000, his will included Stretton's two sisters, Donna Tobey and Sharon Freeburn. Richardson 'specifically and expressly omitted Stretton,' according to court documents.


Joe Jonas Leaves Paris Fashion Week Behind; Arrives Home To Blanda ...


Joe Jonas gets some help from girlfriend Blanda Eggenschwiler unloading the car after arriving home on Sunday afternoon (June 29) in Los Angeles.


The 24-year-old entertainer just returned from spending the week in Paris, France where he attended a slew of shows during Mens Paris Fashion Week.


The couple also carried in some art supplies from the backseat.


PHOTOS: Check out the latest pics of Joe Jonas

'Rain or shine... @KENZO kills it. #PFW @ Pont Alexandre III,' Joe tweeted just before heading to the airport for a flight home. Check out all his pics on Instagram!


10+ pics inside...


Like Just Jared Jr. on FB


See Every Trench Coat from Paris Fashion Week SS'15

See Every Trench Coat from Paris Fashion Week SS'15

We've caught outerwear all over the runways at Paris Fashion week, and it's painfully clear that the french want us to layer up come spring 2015. Of course, the trick to that is keeping the layers light. Thankfully, there were plenty of takes on trench coats thrown out there. Designers have updated the classic with new fits, details, and materials. On the upside, a lot of them will keep you from getting drenched once the spring deluges hit (steer clear of the suede ones for that), but rolling with this trend may prove troublesome when the summer heat turns up. Time will tell. In the meantime, here are all the ones we've seen, from Balenciaga to Valentino.


All the Sneakers from Paris Fashion Week

GQ MagazineAll the Sneakers from Paris Fashion WeekGQ MagazineListen up, gentlemen, the menswear gods have spoken. They have said unto us, "cherish thy sneakers" and they've said it loud. London, Milan, and now Paris have all declared that all men should wear sneakers, with all their clothes, in spring 2015 ...

The Models Of Men's Fashion Week (PHOTOS)

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Male models on Instagram. There are worse things...


Men's Fashion Week Spring 2015 has arrived and here is the good news: It's running through the weekend. That means there is still so much more to stalk via Instagram see.


Keep up your Insta-game by checking out the events, taking place in London, Milan and Paris. But first, feast your eyes on all the stunning men walking the runway with the hashtag #ParisFashionWeek.


Here's a little preview... Enjoy!


Sabtu, 28 Juni 2014

See Every Trench Coat from Paris Fashion Week SS'15

GQ MagazineSee Every Trench Coat from Paris Fashion Week SS'15GQ MagazineWe've caught outerwear all over the runways at Paris Fashion week, and it's painfully clear that the french want us to layer up come spring 2015. Of course, the trick to that is keeping the layers light. Thankfully, there were plenty of takes on trench ...

Craigslist dog ad sparks public outrage, disappointment

UPDATE: The Hawaiian Humane Society announced Wednesday that the 10-year-old Jack Russell Terrier was returned and successfully placed with another family.

Published:


The Hawaiian Humane Society said it's disappointed by a Craiglist ad to sell an adopted dog.


The society posted a photo on its Facebook page after Sally Mae, a 10-year-old Jack Russell, was adopted on Sunday. One hour later, an ad was posted on Craigslist offering to sell the dog for more than double what was paid in adoption fees.


The ad claimed the owner and her boyfriend were busy working two jobs and unable to take care of the dog. The ad asked for a $200 'rehoming' fee or best offer.


'It's really disappointing to think that animals are really seen as a commodity versus your loving pet that's part of your family so that's really hard for us,' said Christina Kam, Hawaiian Humane Society's communications and event coordinator.


Kam said she's been trying to contact the person who adopted Sally Mae to find out if she is actually trying to sell the dog for a profit or just isn't able to take care of her.


Kam said there is nothing the humane society can do to stop her at this point. 'We're just really imploring her to come and return Sally to us so we can just get here to a new home. She does have a medical condition,' she said.


The ad is already sparking public outrage on Craigslist and social media.


Humane officials say the act isn't illegal. Adopters sign a contract with the Humane Society, but there's nothing in there that stops potential owners from selling an adopted dog.


But officials still consider the act immoral and, while it's a growing problem on the mainland, this is the first case that they know of here in Hawaii.


The Hawaiian Humane Society is now considering changing the adoption policy to prohibit resale after adoption, though officials admit, the restriction would be difficult to enforce.


The society says it would make more people aware that it's just wrong, but a law prohibiting it would add more teeth.


'It's going to take a lot of advocacy work, sharing people that this does happen, to keep your eye out on Craigslist and where you're getting your animals,' Kam said.


However, Sally Mae's owner could be violating another law by incorrectly stating that the dog is five years old. The society says Sally Mae is actually 10 years old.


KHON2 spoke to the owner on the phone. She calls the situation a misunderstanding and says she still wants to find another owner for the dog.


She told KHON2 the $200 price reflects what she already spent on the dog and she would be willing to give the dog away for free.


She said she is afraid to return Sally Mae to the Humane Society in case the dog is euthanized.


Jumat, 27 Juni 2014

Report: Julian Assange will model on catwalk during London Fashion Week


'The Wikileaks founder will reportedly model for Ben Westwood, son of Dame Vivienne, at a fashion show at the Ecuadorean Embassy in London - where he has been holed up for two years,' reports Yahoo News. 'Assange is avoiding extradition to Sweden where he is wanted for alleged sexual assault charges.' Mr. Assange 'is expected to be joined by six models during his catwalk outing in September.' Westwood's collection was influenced in part by 'Assange's combat-beret look,' according to the fashion designer.


Hey TV.com, Should I Watch ABC Family's Mystery Girls?



Today, most people associate the name Tori Spelling with reality shows and plastic surgery, but there was a time when she was just a popular actress with a famous dad on a teen show in the '90s. Now she's back starring alongside her former '90s co-star Jennie Garth in ABC Family's new comedy Mystery Girls. Is the show's nostalgia factor enough to grab viewers, or is it just another sad, desperate grab for attention that will end up being a footnote in her next reality series? That's what we're here to find out in this new edition of Yo TV.com, What's the Deal With This Show?


Mystery Girls? Lemme guess, this is a show about girls who ... solve mysteries?

Congrats, you solved the case! The show follows two former actresses who co-starred on a long-running '90s detective series also titled Mystery Girls. When a young man and diehard Mystery Girls fan witnesses a murder, he tells the police he'll only speak to the Mystery Girls, who are no longer speaking to one another. One lives in the suburbs with her husband and daughter, and the other is still clinging to the remaining shreds of her celebrity. After solving the case, they decide to open up a real detective business known as Mystery Girls, because that won't get confusing at all.


All right, so who are the usual suspects?

Former Beverly Hills, 90210 co-stars Jennie Garth and Tori Spelling have reunited to play the women at the center of the series. As hard as it might be to believe, Spelling plays Holly Hamilton, the woman clinging to her modicum of fame by any means possible, while Garth is Charlie Contour, the more accessible, sensible and reliable of the two. Miguel Pinzon plays Nick Diaz, the enthusiastic, new to LA, diehard Mystery Girls fan who witnesses the murder. He eventually becomes the Mystery Girls office assistant. Didn't I say this was going to get confusing? The series was co-created by Spelling and Shepard Boucher ( Men at Work). Garth, Spelling, Boucher, Maggie Malina ( Single Ladies), Andy Gordon ( Last Man Standing), and John Ziffren ( Melissa & Joey) serve as executive producers.


When do the Mystery Girls begin solving cases? Who might enjoy Mystery Girls?

Mystery Girls debuts on ABC Family Wednesday, June 25 at 8:30pm, but beware, because ABC Family is doing that stupid thing where they air episodes out of order with no explanation. Instead of airing the pilot-the episode I've seen-they're airing the series' third episode, 'Death Becomes Her.' ABC Family must not be a Firefly fan!


What good things will I find in Mystery Girls?

The show feels like most ABC Family sitcoms, which means if you're a fan of Melissa & Joey (another series laced with '90s nostalgia) or Baby Daddy, chances are you'll also enjoy Mystery Girls. If you're longing for the days of Donna Martin and Kelly Taylor, you might also enjoy the show and the pointed Shannen Doherty reference in the original pilot (which will air July 16).


What clues point to Mystery Girls being terrible?

The series has plenty of problems, but Garth and Spelling both completely sell their roles as former co-stars who've fallen out of touch and live in different worlds. I can't imagine why! Garth fits easily into the role of Charlie, a level-headed suburban housewife exasperated by Spelling's Holly, who's still trying to convince the world she's relevant long after her hit show was canceled. The two have an easy chemistry which obviously comes from their real-life friendship and the years spent working together as co-stars in the '90s. And even if Spelling's performance feels over-the-top 100 percent of the time, it's a natural fit for the character.


So, should I hire the Mystery Girls?

Like many ABC Family sitcoms before it, Mystery Girls goes for the obvious, tired, cheap laughs that young audiences eat up. Those of us old enough to have watched the original Beverly Hills, 90210 (or anyone who desires intelligence in their humor) will probably find them cringeworthy in their simplicity. The stereotypes also loom large and loud; From Nick's effeminate mannerisms and loud response to everything, to Holly's shallowness, it's hard to take anything seriously.


Can I maybe see a trailer before I decide? Mystery Girls premieres Wednesday, June 25 at 8:30pm on ABC Family.

But the show's most egregious error is that it attempts to make pointed jokes and remarks alluding to real life-i.e. the aforementioned Shannen Doherty joke-but the series doesn't ever come off as being self-aware. I could be wrong and Mystery Girls is actually a cleverly designed satire about Spelling's entire career post- 90210, and if that's the case, this is a brilliant masterpiece, but I think it's just Spelling's natural fame-hungry tendencies bubbling to the surface that sells her role. At one point Spelling actually says, 'I am a famous person!' to a police officer who thinks she's a hooker (she's dressed like a hooker). And Garth's character later has the line, 'I look at this whole thing and it just looks like a desperate bid for attention,' and she wasn't saying it with a wink and a nod! Considering Spelling co-created the show, you'd think these were purposeful, but I'd bet they're not.


It's fun to see Garth and Spelling together again, so if that's your thing, then I'd say watch it, but if you're not a 90210 fan, feel free to skip it if you have something better to do.


Sure! Here ya go!


The Modern Dandy and Some Rough Guys


PARIS - Haider Ackermann does not thrill to describing his inspirations. He doesn't care to be tarred with their brush. Cornered among the weeds in the garden after his presentation, he admitted, under some duress, that in his new collection, 'I saw Keith Richards, Iggy Pop.' Then he clammed up: 'I don't like to talk about it.'


But some weeks before, Mr. Ackermann had seen his first Rolling Stones concert. The sight of Mick and especially Keith vamping onstage energized him, and came back to the designer as he styled the collection. They have the quality that he looks for in 'the modern dandy,' the man he seeks to dress - a 'decadence we're missing now.'


The Ackermann aesthetic for men has been consistent since it was introduced, first at the 2010 Pitti Uomo fair in Florence, then at its regular show slot during the 2013 Paris fashion week calendar. It's a lustrous, Byronic take on the male wardrobe, clothes for a wine-dark world in which a waistcoat is essential but jeans are expendable. A fair complaint about Mr. Ackermann's work is that it has remained too rooted in this narrow vision, gorgeous but precious. But he has been eking out new nuances each time.



This season, the spirit of the rock gods took the collection into edgier territory. Mr. Ackermann's men (and two women) were still layered in robes and vests, scarves and jackets, but the range of textures and materials has been enlarged. There were skinny trousers in leather and vinyl, roomy pajama trousers, bombers in crushed velvet and a number of pieces in a leafy jacquard.


At Carven, Guillaume Henry was channeling new icons too. The designer's stamp has so far been one of gentle sweetness. He has scored hits in the past with florals and prints lifted from artists' canvases. This season, he roughed his heroes up.


They are now the boys from the outskirts of town, casual and comfortable in their track suits and sweats. Or so the backstory (required by the fashion press, and dutifully supplied) runs. It seemed just as likely that the reigning trends, those from the center of the fashion world, not its outskirts, lit the way. Designers have been borrowing from what is euphemistically called streetwear - meaning, at least in part, the unfussy, often inexpensive sportswear once held by fashion at a chilly remove - and mixing it with their usual wares.


Mr. Henry cross-pollinated the two idioms, to create, like some before him, tailored trousers with sweatpant banded cuffs and track-striped suits. For all their broad and no doubt salable appeal, they lacked a bit of Mr. Henry's typical Carven charm. That resided more in simpler, odder pieces, like Mackintosh trenches with spread collars, an anachronism made new.


Fashion week can feel like six (or 60) characters in search of a designer: some days a dandy, some days a local tough. That is understandable enough; a fashion show is a piece of theater. But that is what is refreshing about Christophe Lemaire. I missed his show on Wednesday afternoon, which set many here abuzz. But from what I could see online after the fact, he has once again worked in his own, long-cultivated style, one that involves no discernible characters but the clothes.


In general, Mr. Lemaire draws on the tailoring and uniforms of the past but distills it into something all his own, which season after season remains consistent but recharged. After the spring show, pressed by a reporter to explain the concept, he refused. Guilty in the past of such pressure myself, I was impressed. The work speaks loudly enough, with a visceral appeal.


This is the first season in many years Mr. Lemaire has shown his men's wear on the runway, and he now has what is effectively the first slot of the Paris fashion week. It cleanses the palate before the palate wants cleansing.


Wikileaks Founder Assange to Star in London Fashion Week

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange is set to make a London fashion week debut at the behest of fashion designer Vivienne Westwood's son Ben Westwood.

But Assange will not leave his enclave at the Ecuadorian embassy in London - he will continue to hideout there as the event itself comes to him, according to the Independent.


Assange, who has been holed up in the South American country's embassy in London for over two years now, is likely taking part in the performance to boost his profile. Ben Westwood's comments on the show reflect as much. He said:


'Julian's been in the embassy for two years and it's important that he doesn't slip into obscurity. I want to highlight Julian Assange's plight. What happened to him is totally unfair.'


But others beg to differ. Assange is hiding out in the embassy instead of facing a trial of his peers over allegations of sexual misconduct including rape.


The theme of Assange's modelling is said to be the Clint Eastwood western 'The Good, the Bad and the Ugly'. It is unclear yet which Assange is supposed to be, though we have our ideas.


'I've designed something for him along those lines and will be getting him to wear it,' Westwood added.


'I've got another garment with a Julian Assange print.'


The latest publicity-seeking event is perhaps one of the most bizarre for Assange, and brings back memories of when another political firebrand, George Galloway, acted like a cat on UK reality show 'Celebrity Big Brother'.


While Galloway's political career has bounced back from that moment, his personal life continues to be plagued by people 'meowing' at him in the street.


It is no surprise that Galloway has backed Assange much to the disgust of anti-rape campaigners who were incensed by Galloway's reference to 'bad sexual etiquette'.


Milan Fashion Week Crowd Honors Dorchester Boycott


MILAN - It was nearing midnight. On television screens in the bar of the Principe, on the last day of the men's wear shows here, a World Cup match was playing. Unusually for this venue, every kick and call could be heard. Roughly half the tables were filled with couples or groups drinking quietly, and at the overstaffed bar, at least five servers waited to fill orders.


How times have changed. Not long ago, the bar at the Hotel Principe di Savoia was the watering hole de rigueur for much of the fashion industry, at least during the city's fashion weeks. On any given evening during fashion week, while the D.J. played a thumping set, the room would be packed and spilling out into the hotel lobby. Getting a drink at the bar was a famously protracted undertaking, and it wasn't uncommon to see brands, companies and cliques set up at rival tables like a high school cafeteria. Here, the John Varvatos crew. There, the London P.R. set.


'For 20 years it's been just about the only place I can think of,' Nick Sullivan, the fashion director of Esquire, said in May, reflecting on his frequent trips to Milan.


Then, abruptly, that all changed. The Principe is one of the properties of the Dorchester Group, a hotel group owned by an investment fund led by Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei. The sultan's institution of a new penal code in line with Sharia law, which is to mete out harsh punishments for gay sex and adultery, has caused many in the fashion industry to renounce their longtime hotel of choice and urge others to do the same.


Key editors including Anna Wintour of Vogue and Cindi Leive of Glamour have announced that their staff members will not patronize the property; François-Henri Pinault of the luxury group Kering has said that he will join the boycott, and his companies are likely to do the same. On June 13, just before the beginning of the men's fashion season, the Human Rights Campaign, a nonprofit based in Washington D.C., sent out a press release urging the industry to avoid the Dorchester Group's hotels, which include - in addition to the Principe - 45 Park Lane and the Dorchester in London, and Hôtel Plaza Athénée and Le Meurice in Paris.


Among Americans, rumors even circulated that cameramen were stationed outside the hotel, ready to snap photos of those who dared to defy the boycott. They proved to be unfounded, but few seemed eager to venture into the hotel, and those that did would speak only if granted anonymity because their employers had forbidden them to speak publicly.


At the several occupied tables, only one guest was recognizable from the insular fashion sphere: Antonio De Matteis, the chief executive of the Neapolitan suiting label Kiton, who for years has stayed in the Principe when in Milan. 'I think he made a mistake, the owner,' Mr. De Matteis said. 'Before it was full. Now it's empty.'


'A fashion island hit by a nuclear bomb' was the description of a London-based, fashion-show regular who booked a weekend stay at the hotel before hearing of the proposed boycott and would speak only on condition of not being named. 'The staff were obviously more attentive to customers as there aren't many left,' she added.


Weren't there? Therein lies the rub. Certainly the numbers seemed smaller than in any visiting Americans' recent memories. One publicist said she had only sent one invitation to the hotel for a boarding guest, a United States-based editor who had also been unaware of the boycott.


'I was personally embarrassed to be staying there,' the editor said. 'I didn't want to tell people I was there.'


But the bar scene at the Principe has long been primarily an Anglo-American one, said Mr. Sullivan, Esquire's fashion director, a New York-based Englishman. Apart from fashion weeks, one Milan-based correspondent said, the Principe is no longer a spot of choice for drinks; many prefer one of the competing hotels, such as the Bulgari.


While no one spot emerged as a replacement for the Principe bar as fashion week's party destination of choice, two front-runners were bars at the Westin and the Park Hyatt, both of which screened World Cup games. (Mr. Sullivan watched at the latter.) And one raucous scene could be found late Monday night, at the Loolapaloosa bar on Corso Como, where a huge contingent of Brazilian models (and a few of their non-Brazilian admirers), gathered to watch the Brazil-Cameroon match, and then partied well past 3 a.m. after Brazil's win guaranteed the team a place in the knockout round.


Meanwhile, at the Principe, the U.S.-based editor staying there cautioned against conflating a fashion-world avoidance with an avoidance of the property by all guests.


'At breakfast this morning, at a normal time, it was bustling,' he said. 'It seems like the hotel is as full as always - just not with any fashion people at all.'


California Live

In a frightening scenario, a woman hired as a live-in nanny in Upland, California is refusing to work, will not consent to being fired, and will not leave the family's home.

Instead, she is telling the family they must leave the house between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. every day, while she eats the family's food and continues to live with the three children-ages 11, 4, and 1-and stays in her room.


The nanny, Diane Stretton, 64, has allegedly been part of 36 lawsuits, and is named on California's Vexatious Litigant Lists. The mother of the family, Marcella Bracamonte, asserted, 'Anyone who looks at her crooked, she sues,' and added that Stretton has been threatening to sue Bracamonte's family for wrongful firing and elder abuse.


Marcella and her husband Ralph Bracamonte hired Stretton on March 4 to watch over their children and do some chores in exchange for room and board. Marcella Bracamonte told ABC News:


We've done it before and have never had a problem. I was a stay-at-home mom and thought it would be good to have someone around to help out. The first few weeks, she was awesome. She would come places with us, help out the kids. She was really great. All of a sudden she stopped working, she would stay in her room all day and only come out when food was ready.

Stretton evaded her chores and her nannying by claiming that she was suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The Bracamontes presented Streton with a 'last chance letter' on June 6, delineating and repeating the conditions for which she had been employed and warning her of the consequences if she refused to work.


Stretton would not sign the letter, protesting the job was too hard, but added she would leave in 30 days. The Bracamontes then presented Stretton with a second letter, which codified the 30-day notice; Stretton again refused to sign.


Marcella Bracamonte said, 'When I asked her why she wouldn't sign the letter she said, 'It's not legal,' and slammed the door in my face. Once she said the word legal, I knew it wasn't going to be fun.'


Bracamonte contacted the police, who refused to intervene and claimed it was a civil matter. Lt. John Moore of the Upland Police Department told ABC News that the police were powerless, that 'generally, once somebody has established residency, you have to go through a formal eviction process.'


Bracamonte was furious over Stretton's demand that the family leave the house during the day, firing back, 'I'm not going to bend for her. I'm in charge, this is my house. She's not going to scare me out of my own house.'


But Bracamonte still has deep concerns about her children being in the house with Stretton. She said, 'I worry there's obviously something not right in her mind, and the police won't protect us until someone gets hurt,' concluding, 'You don't know what you're opening yourself up to when you open your house to someone.'


Kamis, 26 Juni 2014

Assange asked to model at London Fashion Week


London (AFP) - Julian Assange has been asked to star in a fashion show by British designer Ben Westwood at Ecuador's London embassy, where the WikiLeaks founder is currently holed up in a bid to avoid extradition to Sweden.


Former erotic photographer Westwood, son of legendary British fashion designer Vivienne Westwood, wants 'good looking' Assange, 42, to appear with six other models as part of a fringe event during London Fashion Week in September.


'Julian is a popular hero,' the designer said in a statement given to AFP. 'He has done a great deal to change public opinion.


'Through WikiLeaks people have been able to compare the facts with the official version of the story.


'He is a good looking man and I hope he is going to model,' he added.


Mother Vivienne is also a keen supporter of Assange, and wore a T-shirt carrying the slogan 'I am Julian Assange' when she paid him a visit at the embassy in 2012.


Other celebrities to visit Assange include Lady Gaga and director Oliver Stone.


Hollywood A-lister George Clooney has been invited to the show, which is inspired by Clint Eastwood's costume in the spaghetti western films, according to Westwood's PR spokesman.


Assange first sought refuge at the embassy on June 19, 2012, to avoid extradition to Sweden, where he is under investigation on allegations of sexual assault.


Florida Cities Aim to Ban Sales of Dogs and Cats

'How much is that doggy in the window?' That's a question residents of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida may not be asking if a regulation aimed at shutting down puppy and kitten mills goes into effect following a city council vote in July.


The South Florida suburb isn't the first municipality in the state to ban the retail sale of dogs and cats. Over the past three years, 20 cities in Florida have adopted similar bans, according to Melanie Kahn, senior director the Humane Society of the United States' Puppy Mills Campaign. More than 10 of these ordinances were enacted this year, and between six and eight more Florida cities are considering their own bans.


Roughly 30 other municipalities nationwide, including Los Angeles and Chicago, have enacted restrictions on the sale of dogs and cats. But Florida is spearheading the charge.


'Florida in particular has become the epicenter of all this activity,' Kahn said. 'To the point where it's a little overwhelming for us because it's all over the state.'


The goal isn't to shut down pet stores but to clamp down on commercial dog and cat breeders, commonly known as puppy mills. Many of these breeders keep their animals in poor conditions and force the parent animals to breed too frequently, leading to congenital and health problems for puppies and kittens.


'It seemed to us this was the only way we could stop this industry.'


Florida has virtually no animal mills, but it does have one of the largest numbers of pet stores in the country, according to Cori Menkin, senior director of the ASCPA's Puppy Mills campaigns. This high concentration of pet retailers has fueled the popularity of these bans.


'We were frustrated because we couldn't regulate [the puppy mills]. It seemed to us that this was the only way we could stop this industry,' said Michael Ryan, mayor of Sunrise, Fl., a city that recently enacted its own ban.


Hallandale Beach City Commissioner Michele Lazarow has led the charge when it comes to getting this legislation passed in Sunrise and other Florida cities. She entered the legislative storm surrounding pet retailers following a bad experience at a local pet store in 2004. The Maltese puppy she purchased developed a congenital disorder preventing it from holding protein - a common problem, Lazarow said, in small dogs from puppy mills.



Starting with her own town in Florida and nearby Margate, a quiet suburb of Ft. Lauderdale, Lazarow began trumpeting pet store reform. These days, she travels across the state almost every day, persuading local lawmakers to enact their own bans. Because municipal lawmakers are more attuned to issues with individual stores, Kahn said, they can more effectively lobby for these changes.


Lazarow hopes eventually to create enough support on the local level to pressure state lawmakers in Tallahassee to push for broader laws, which until now the legislature has yet to do.


'Lawmakers in the state house are consumed with much bigger issues,' said Kahn, adding that Florida has no statewide legislation on puppy mills, in general.


Across the country, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the only nearby pet store selling dogs and cats went out of business after a ban was enacted there, according to Peggy Weigle, Executive Director of Animal Humane, a private animal rescue in Albuquerque. Euthanasia rates have dropped by around 65 percent at Animal Humane and by even more at Albuquerque's city-run shelter, Weigle said. Both shelters now take in fewer unwanted animals and adoption rates have gone up.


'The mills are going to thrive because people have to go somewhere.'


But those within the pet retail industry believe these bans punish those who aren't at fault in this system, rather than truly fix problems with commercial breeders.


'They are creating a situation where they are actually penalizing the good breeders who work to make sure their animals are raised in good conditions,' said Mike Bober, vice president of government affairs for the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council (PIJAC), a trade organization that serves pet stores, veterinarians and breeders.


Additionally, opponents believe that these bans will force individuals who commercially breed animals to turn to the Internet and other unregulated means of selling their animals.


'They don't need a license to sell on the Internet,' said Monica Goes, owner of Best Pet for You, a pet store in Palm Beach Gardens. 'The mills are going to thrive because people have to go somewhere.'


When Palm Beach Gardens' ban comes into effect, Goes said she'll likely have to close her business because roughly 90 percent of her business is puppy sales. 'Everything else is extra and it doesn't pay the rent,' she said.



To combat this, the Humane Society works with stores affected by these bans or looking to stop selling animals from mills to ensure they continue to make money, Kahn added. Some of their strategies include setting up additional services, such as grooming and obedience lessons. They also partner stores with local animal shelters to help adopt dogs or cats. Large pet retail chains including Petco and Pet Supermarket have adopted these strategies, which Kahn said help stores remain in business without selling animals.


'They can still have cute faces in the windows,' Kahn said.


Still, even Lazarow admits that the municipal-based bans are not without their faults. As she pointed out, cities that choose not to enact a ban on the sale of these animals can create a situation in which pet stores simply relocate there and set up shop.


'You become the keys to the kingdom if you have every city that surrounds you with a ban and you don't,' Lazarow said.


First published June 17 2014, 11:22 AM


Sorrow Over Teen Death Sparks 'TextLess Live More' Campaign

Merritt Levitan was on a 3000-mile cross-country bicycle trip when the group of riders, mostly teenagers, was struck from behind on an Arkansas highway by a young driver who was distracted by texting.


A day later, on July 3, 2013, the 18-year-old scholar-athlete died of brain injuries at a medical center in Tennessee. But her legacy lives on in a nationwide campaign launched by her family and former classmates on the first anniversary of her death, TextLess Live More, which encourages young Americans to put down their electronic devices for a one day a month.


'On a positive level, young people rallied and thought there had to be a message that came from this,' Levitan's mother, Anna Cheshire Levitan, told ABC News. 'They recognize texting and driving can kill, but on a larger level, what does this mean for our generation? Are we so distracted we are losing sight of the real world in hopeful anticipation of the virtual world, which doesn't exist?'


Anna Levitan and her husband Richard, who now live in Georgia, faced their unfathomable loss by forgiving the driver who has been charged with killing their daughter.


Teagan Ross Martin, 22, of Newport, Arkansas, has been charged with negligent homicide and could face year in jail. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges. A hearing scheduled for June 27 in the First District Court of Woodruff County has been cancelled, the Martin family told ABC News.


Activist shames texting drivers with damning billboard photos.


Texting and driving crash caught on camera.


Driver ticketed for Google Glass found not guilty.


Blood tests cleared Martin of alcohol and drug use, according to the Arkansas Times.


'We did not want him to go to jail,' said Anna Levitan, 50. 'He's a country boy at heart and I don't think he woke up one morning saying he wanted to kill a beautiful 18-year-old.'


'He's very remorseful and I think he's in shock, still,' she said. 'Hopefully, he will join our team and be an advocate.'


Martin, who is studying biology wildlife management at the University of Arkansas, was unavailable for comment. But his father, Timothy Martin, said his son was eager to help with the campaign. He told ABC News that the two families had met face-to-face at the Levitans' church in Boston 'about a month and a half ago.'


'[Teagan] told them he was willing to do what he could,' said Martin, 58, who runs a home medical supply business in Newport. 'I am supportive of that and willing to do what we can ... It's just such a sad situation. It affected so many people and not in a good way. We want some good to come out of it.'


The 'lead-up' to the families meeting was 'the tough part,' Martin added. 'But when they had absolutely forgiven Teagan, I just felt totally relieved.'


Martin said his son 'still struggles' with Merritt Levitan's death. 'The whole thing - having the legal part hanging over him all adds in to it. It's really hard for him to talk about it.'



The campaign launches online July 3 with two PSAs narrated by Giancarlo Esposito, who played Gus on AMC's 'Breaking Bad.'


'They say we spend three hours a day on the phone, texting and on social networks,' Esposito says in one of the PSAs. 'If you had three hours to do something special for someone, what would you do?'


Giancarlo Esposito, Gus from 'Breaking Bad,' asks who you treasure most.


Research by Ipsos Open Thinking Exchange suggests that Americans who use social networks spend an average of 3.2 hours a day online.


The point of the TextLess Live More campaign, is not just to stop senseless traffic deaths, but to encourage young people to start living life to the fullest, just as Merritt Levitan did, her mother said.


'How do we embrace what Merritt so symbolized - being outside, embracing the moment, being physical instead of being heads down on a handheld,' she said.


Merritt Levitan was a top student at Milton Academy outside Boston and was headed to Colgate University in the fall of 2013. She was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of 7, but went on to become captain of the tennis team, a varsity skier, editor of the newspaper and artist.


'She was basically extraordinary,' said Anna Levitan, who runs a digital production company. Her husband works in finance.



'Looking back, [the diabetes] kind of influenced her real approach to life,' she said. 'She would not let anything stop her in overcoming personal obstacles.'


Her mother said Merritt wore an insulin pump and was monitoring her glucose levels for a hospital study on how vigorous exercise can affect diabetics while she was on the cross-country ride.


All the Photos From Nick Young's Visit to Milan Fashion Week

GQ MagazineAll the Photos From Nick Young's Visit to Milan Fashion WeekGQ MagazineNick Young—who's had quite the week—was over in Milan to check out the scene, visit with the locals, and spend some time with his one and only Iggy Azalea. When we got word he'd be there with Calvin Klein, we asked him to document the trip for us.

Which Way Do the Sneaker Prints Lead?


Is the runway a two-way street? The thought occurred to one observer as he wended his way through the men's fashion weeks. One particular style of shoe - the white sneaker, low-topped, often in leather - recurred again and again, on the runway and in the front rows. It raised the question: Do trends trickle down, or do they trickle up?


The sneaker's forward march to the front of the gentleman's closet has been well documented. Different styles and brands enjoyed moments in popular favor, but to judge by industry types who trekked to London, Milan and now Paris, the current mood inclines to light and low.


The paragon of this style may be the Achilles by the New York label Common Projects. It wasn't uncommon to see pairs on two adjoining editors, distinguishable only by the telltale grit of age. 'I've been wearing them a lot more than I expected,' said Josh Peskowitz, the men's fashion director of Bloomingdale's, an erstwhile Nike loyalist. 'It feels right after the Flyknit binge I've been on. Shoemakers and designers seem to agree. I saw them all over the place in London, Florence and Milan, and I doubt Paris will be much different.'


The Achilles has been Common Projects's best seller since it was introduced, said Prathan Poopat, a founder of the label. 'We wanted to make the perfect white sneaker, which was actually hard to find,' he said. 'Unless you were wearing Stan Smiths, there just wasn't much.'


In fact, second place seems to be held by that very Stan Smith, first released in 1964 (then under another name, and rechristened Smith in 1973). The sneaker is enjoying a renaissance since its 2014 reintroduction, and has even conquered the hearts of designers like Raf Simons and Phoebe Philo of CĂ©line.


On the spring runways, the look, though tweaked, prevailed: at Alexander McQueen and Giorgio Armani, elasticated at Ermengildo Zegna Couture, rubber-capped at Gucci and hoisted onto platform soles at Dsquared. At the Pitti Uomo trade fair in Florence, the Canadian accessory label Want Les Essentiels de la Vie, introducing its first footwear, included (of course) a leather low-top.


Odds are good the style will stick around for another summer. But it will never be hard to tell who was ahead of the curve. Count the scuffs.


Gallery: Giorgio Armani

The Province (blog)Gallery: Giorgio Armani - Milan Fashion Week Menswear Spring 2015The Province (blog)Models walk the runway at the Giorgio Armani show as part of Milan Fashion Week Menswear Spring 2015 on June 24, 2014 in Milan, Italy. Photograph by: AP Photo, Luca Bruno. Giorgio Armani Spring 2015. Italian fashion designer Giorgio Armani.