but don't worry, we'll be back soon!
There are exciting things coming this Fall!
Until then, we'd like to wish you all a happy and relaxing summer!
xoxo
Your MBF Team
August 18, 2014
August 13, 2014
But First, Let’s Talk About The #Selfie
Just one second with your phone facing you is all you need to take a selfie. And we're pretty sure you've done that at least once in your life. No judgements. We've all taken selfies, no matter how anonymous or famous we are. Selfies have taken the world’s centre stage, especially in the last 2 years. It was even nominated as “the word of the year” in 2013. What was once a way to take pictures on your own or with friends, has now evolved to one of the most popular and profitable activities of the year. Not to mention, our selfie and social media obsession has become a current theme for songs, ads and TV shows.
The Kardashians, Rihanna, Princes Harry and William, Justin Bieber, Cara Delevigne, your 9 year old cousin who just got a smartphone… Every day we are overwhelmingly bombarded by a plethora of self-portraits on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. This incredible phenomenon intrigued Photographer Jenna Garrett to create a project called The Public Profile Of An American Girl, a collection of 5,000 “Public” selfies she collected on Facebook. The project is now an installation at Aperture Foundation's Summer Open, in New York, and discloses the behaviour of the young generation of American girls.
And it doesn't stop there. Our selfie fever has permeated into TV, music and other media outlets like the Chainsmokers’ song #Selfie. The song was released in the beginning of this year and is a controversial satire of our self-portrait and Instagram addiction. By dividing the audience into lovers and haters, #Selfie mocks the way girls are constantly obsessed with likes, filters and all the other quirks that social media platforms, such as Instagram, offer.
Also mocking narcissism and social media addiction, the upcoming ABC TV series, Selfie, plans to teach us that it is possible to connect with people even when you are “offline." The comedy tells the story of Eliza Dooley (Karen Gillan), a girl who is too busy updating her “263,000 followers” to have a real life or make friends until she decides to ask for help from her marketing pal, Henry (John Cho).
So how much is a selfie worth? The answer is: it depends on who is in the picture. In the case of the above photo, besides being taken during the Oscars, the quantity of global movie stars in it made history with over 779,295 retweets in half and hour and one of the best marketing strategies to date. The picture was worth $1 Billion, which far surpasses what is usually spent on a commercial during the award ceremony. And there’s a logical reason for that: the selfie has reached more than 45 million views, which is far greater than what ads usually reach because for most people, social media is more trustworthy than paid advertisements.
The cultural phenomenon of the selfie exposes a very basic human desire to feel noticed, appreciated and recognized. However, there’s a big discussion about whether it has become a bit excessive. Known as the Selfie Queen, Kim Kardashian makes us question how far the selfie obsession has gone. And now, she is publishing her first book, named “Selfish," next spring. The 352-page book is a collection of Kardashian’s best self-portrait shots, and so far it has already provoked negative opinions in hundreds of people.
Although selfies are criticized by many people because of their narcissistic character, for some, this is a major source of recognition and appreciation. Large media vehicles and companies have decided to invest tons of money into "the selfie," which is a fast and efficient way to attract customers’ attention. It seems that this trend is not going to fade anytime soon so feel free to keep taking your selfies without any shame.
photo via Daily Mail
The Kardashians, Rihanna, Princes Harry and William, Justin Bieber, Cara Delevigne, your 9 year old cousin who just got a smartphone… Every day we are overwhelmingly bombarded by a plethora of self-portraits on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. This incredible phenomenon intrigued Photographer Jenna Garrett to create a project called The Public Profile Of An American Girl, a collection of 5,000 “Public” selfies she collected on Facebook. The project is now an installation at Aperture Foundation's Summer Open, in New York, and discloses the behaviour of the young generation of American girls.
video via The Chainsmokers
And it doesn't stop there. Our selfie fever has permeated into TV, music and other media outlets like the Chainsmokers’ song #Selfie. The song was released in the beginning of this year and is a controversial satire of our self-portrait and Instagram addiction. By dividing the audience into lovers and haters, #Selfie mocks the way girls are constantly obsessed with likes, filters and all the other quirks that social media platforms, such as Instagram, offer.
photo via Mashable
Also mocking narcissism and social media addiction, the upcoming ABC TV series, Selfie, plans to teach us that it is possible to connect with people even when you are “offline." The comedy tells the story of Eliza Dooley (Karen Gillan), a girl who is too busy updating her “263,000 followers” to have a real life or make friends until she decides to ask for help from her marketing pal, Henry (John Cho).
photo via NBC News
So how much is a selfie worth? The answer is: it depends on who is in the picture. In the case of the above photo, besides being taken during the Oscars, the quantity of global movie stars in it made history with over 779,295 retweets in half and hour and one of the best marketing strategies to date. The picture was worth $1 Billion, which far surpasses what is usually spent on a commercial during the award ceremony. And there’s a logical reason for that: the selfie has reached more than 45 million views, which is far greater than what ads usually reach because for most people, social media is more trustworthy than paid advertisements.
photo via Buzzfeed
The cultural phenomenon of the selfie exposes a very basic human desire to feel noticed, appreciated and recognized. However, there’s a big discussion about whether it has become a bit excessive. Known as the Selfie Queen, Kim Kardashian makes us question how far the selfie obsession has gone. And now, she is publishing her first book, named “Selfish," next spring. The 352-page book is a collection of Kardashian’s best self-portrait shots, and so far it has already provoked negative opinions in hundreds of people.
Although selfies are criticized by many people because of their narcissistic character, for some, this is a major source of recognition and appreciation. Large media vehicles and companies have decided to invest tons of money into "the selfie," which is a fast and efficient way to attract customers’ attention. It seems that this trend is not going to fade anytime soon so feel free to keep taking your selfies without any shame.
August 7, 2014
NY Trade Show Roundup Fall/Winter 2015-16
The close of July is considered one of the busiest times of the year as the industry gets color, fabric, and print frenzied over all the trade shows happening across town. So if you didn't get to make it to Premiére Vision, Indigo, or Texworld, we've got all the latest must-know innovations so you can keep up to date with what's happening in the market.
Held at a new, spacious location at Pier 92, Premiére Vision was our first stop and a bit off the beaten path, but totally worth the trek. While the Trend Forum was smaller than previous years, the layout of the show was much more organic and created a flow from accessories to the Forum, to vendors, and finally Indigo. The Trend Forum confirmed our key color predictions for F/W 2015-16 with blues, oranges, and darker tones prevailing across the spectrum. Here, we came across Lamar, who exclusively produces the technical fabrics "Nilit Heat," lining that captures body heat and insulates as well as "Nilit Breeze," which is used for windbreakers.
While Indigo mimicked many of the same themes we saw at PV, a fresh set of textile companies graced the roster. The first, Camilla Frances Prints is based in London and newbies to the Indigo scene, but definitely offered an unforgettable selection of designs from blurred florals to ethnic tapestry prints to galactic, landscapes, and graphics. With most of their collection placed on darker grounds and in more complex placements, botanicals, floral and geometric combos, and black and white prints were in the most demand.
Located at a booth featuring independent designers, we were introduced to Silvia Maria, a Brazilian design studio that showcased at Indigo for the first time as well. Through an intense mix of colors inspired by Brazilian life, the collection included a plethora of lively prints, mixed patterns of animal and florals, and overlapping designs. One of her prints was even chosen to be included in Indigo's website gallery of wallpapers and is available for download here.
We've already updated you about our discussion at TexworldUSA so now it's time to tell you about the most relevant trends exhibited at their Trend Forum. Overall, there was an abundance of texture, shimmer, sparkle, cutouts, and of course embossing. Shimmery yarns created a tapestry-like sensation in conjunction with iridescent details, sequins, and glittery bouclé. Navy took center stage on its own as well as in various combinations with nudes and yellows. However, the main focus resided in performance fabrics like scuba materials.
It seems like everyone is after fabrics that offer the newest technology, which is why we have to highlight the forward thinking company, Hyperbola. With a focus on outerwear, Hyperbola combines fashion and function that can fit into everyone's lifestyle. While they currently work with major retailers like Puma and Zara, they feel the merging of fashion and function hasn't necessarily trickled across from athletic wear. The Taiwan based company has already won awards for their 100% performance wool ski jacket which is almost identical to a classy tuxedo jacket. This jacket is not only stylish and lightweight, but waterproof, breathable, highly durable, water repellent, windproof, and super warm.
So what's our forecast for F/W 2015-16? Color palettes will shift towards a blue story ranging from icy to dusty to midnight hues with hints of teal. On the fabric front, it's all about performance features and technology so expect scuba-like materials to stick around. 3D effects were prevalent as in embossed textures, pleating and lace. Double faced fabrics as in sportswear inspired synthetic performance fabrics combined with traditional wool.Shimmer and sparkly embellishments are also keen to pop up, but mostly in yarn form for both knits and wovens. Digital prints, geometrics, and diffused floral patterns with dark backgrounds will be everywhere, proving spring themes can easily translate into fall fashion. Overall, we are looking at a growing relationship between fashion and function and a way to not only merge the two, but create clothing that can handle practically anything.
photo via Lamar
Held at a new, spacious location at Pier 92, Premiére Vision was our first stop and a bit off the beaten path, but totally worth the trek. While the Trend Forum was smaller than previous years, the layout of the show was much more organic and created a flow from accessories to the Forum, to vendors, and finally Indigo. The Trend Forum confirmed our key color predictions for F/W 2015-16 with blues, oranges, and darker tones prevailing across the spectrum. Here, we came across Lamar, who exclusively produces the technical fabrics "Nilit Heat," lining that captures body heat and insulates as well as "Nilit Breeze," which is used for windbreakers.
photo via Camilla Frances Prints
While Indigo mimicked many of the same themes we saw at PV, a fresh set of textile companies graced the roster. The first, Camilla Frances Prints is based in London and newbies to the Indigo scene, but definitely offered an unforgettable selection of designs from blurred florals to ethnic tapestry prints to galactic, landscapes, and graphics. With most of their collection placed on darker grounds and in more complex placements, botanicals, floral and geometric combos, and black and white prints were in the most demand.
photo via Natural Cotton Color
Located at a booth featuring independent designers, we were introduced to Silvia Maria, a Brazilian design studio that showcased at Indigo for the first time as well. Through an intense mix of colors inspired by Brazilian life, the collection included a plethora of lively prints, mixed patterns of animal and florals, and overlapping designs. One of her prints was even chosen to be included in Indigo's website gallery of wallpapers and is available for download here.
We've already updated you about our discussion at TexworldUSA so now it's time to tell you about the most relevant trends exhibited at their Trend Forum. Overall, there was an abundance of texture, shimmer, sparkle, cutouts, and of course embossing. Shimmery yarns created a tapestry-like sensation in conjunction with iridescent details, sequins, and glittery bouclé. Navy took center stage on its own as well as in various combinations with nudes and yellows. However, the main focus resided in performance fabrics like scuba materials.
photo via Hyperbola
It seems like everyone is after fabrics that offer the newest technology, which is why we have to highlight the forward thinking company, Hyperbola. With a focus on outerwear, Hyperbola combines fashion and function that can fit into everyone's lifestyle. While they currently work with major retailers like Puma and Zara, they feel the merging of fashion and function hasn't necessarily trickled across from athletic wear. The Taiwan based company has already won awards for their 100% performance wool ski jacket which is almost identical to a classy tuxedo jacket. This jacket is not only stylish and lightweight, but waterproof, breathable, highly durable, water repellent, windproof, and super warm.
So what's our forecast for F/W 2015-16? Color palettes will shift towards a blue story ranging from icy to dusty to midnight hues with hints of teal. On the fabric front, it's all about performance features and technology so expect scuba-like materials to stick around. 3D effects were prevalent as in embossed textures, pleating and lace. Double faced fabrics as in sportswear inspired synthetic performance fabrics combined with traditional wool.Shimmer and sparkly embellishments are also keen to pop up, but mostly in yarn form for both knits and wovens. Digital prints, geometrics, and diffused floral patterns with dark backgrounds will be everywhere, proving spring themes can easily translate into fall fashion. Overall, we are looking at a growing relationship between fashion and function and a way to not only merge the two, but create clothing that can handle practically anything.
August 5, 2014
Capsule NY SS15 Recap
The two-day long men’s show, Capsule, concluded last week after a showing of over 700 designers, including a mix of new independents and big names in the business. The event took place on the southern tip of Manhattan, in Basketball City. This great, open arena produced a laid back atmosphere, and mimicked the feel of the menswear products presented in the show. Capsule was all about casual convenience, even offering shuttles from Lafayette and back, discounted Uber rides, and access to an outdoor terrace with stunning views of the Brooklyn Bridge.
Since the show began in 2007, it has grown from only 45 designers, to well over 700 as of this year. Even with so many designers at the SS15 show, there seemed to be an overriding theme – an understated sophistication that left us with the feeling that our lives are serious enough, and fashion doesn’t need to be. This West Coast, vintage inspired vibe embraced Hawaiin prints, short-sleeved button downs, and even the bucket hat! As an overall, we saw soft tailored pieces with a sportswear attitude – predominant colors of earthy tones ranging from moss green, dark greys, caramel and navy, with pops of color like yellow, orange and teal. If you haven’t already, invest in navy pieces for Spring/Summer 2015, because it is going to be huge!
Capsule was able to show a little bit of everything in men’s fashion. Overall, we saw brands not just selling clothing, but a lifestyle.
photo via Capsule
Since the show began in 2007, it has grown from only 45 designers, to well over 700 as of this year. Even with so many designers at the SS15 show, there seemed to be an overriding theme – an understated sophistication that left us with the feeling that our lives are serious enough, and fashion doesn’t need to be. This West Coast, vintage inspired vibe embraced Hawaiin prints, short-sleeved button downs, and even the bucket hat! As an overall, we saw soft tailored pieces with a sportswear attitude – predominant colors of earthy tones ranging from moss green, dark greys, caramel and navy, with pops of color like yellow, orange and teal. If you haven’t already, invest in navy pieces for Spring/Summer 2015, because it is going to be huge!
Iron & Resin, a California brand, based its designs around the surf lifestyle, while brands like Timberland focused on performance wear for men, showing breathable button downs in natural colors, Cordura shorts, and Hyvent Jackets – technology designed by their sister brand The North Face.
Japanese Company, A. Four from designer Kazuki Kuraishi, focused on minimalism, representative of the culture and enlisted the help of graphic designer, Lucas Price for a line of graphic tees previewed here.
Goodlinens, a new bath and kitchen towel brand, set to launch later this year displayed towels made from natural fibers out of flax pants and naturally colored.
Herschel Supply Co. showed off their line of wearable storage in coordinating colors, introducing a new salmon pink to the collection.
Men’s lifestyle and fashion mags like Cereal and Man of the World featured men’s street style and photography from around the world.
photo via Arpenteur
One design team that embodied the vibe of the show was Arpenteur, who were first timers to Capsule NYC. Arpenteur was created 3 years ago by two Frenchmen who took on making wearable and sustainable clothing – everything from raincoats made from the same material as sails, to a collection of knits from the same heather grey yarn. There is ease to the collection that clearly reflects the personalities of the creators and cartoons they watched as kids inspire the simple colors and lines.
photo via Men in Cities
And then there was Men in Cities a lifestyle and accessories brand based out of New York City, with an innovative take on selling to men. Men in Cities does all the work for you! They have created boxes inspired by different cities across the world that are filled with products that embody that location. For example, Men in New York would get gloves while the man in Paris may get a paisley print pocket square.
photo via Meg Company
Meg Company had one of the most exciting displays at Capsule, with everything from hats to men’s apparel and shoes…tons of shoes! Meg Company is ahead of the game when it comes to footwear for men with their camo print loafers, open toe lace-up sandals, and leopard print sneakers – all trends that we are only starting to see in men’s street style. Meg Companies practices in sustainability and quickly won us over. They make jackets from old US Army tents and use natural dying methods in the process.
Overall, Capsule was an amazing show filled with innovation and refinement – a move from serious to easy going is in store for Spring/Summer 2015 and we can't wait!
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