Brazil's Fashion Kickoff

With the FIFA World Cup set to kickoff one week from today, much like the rest of the world, the fashion industry's got Brazil on the brain. Everyone from Forever 21 to Valentino has released soccer themed limited edition products in light of one of the world's most anticipated sporting events of 2014. Amidst all the buzz, we'd like to highlight the coolest, most innovative fashion collaborations and events surrounding the diverse culture of soccer-crazed Brazil.

photo via Freshness

If anyone knows how to do sportswear with style, it's Adidas Originals. This time, collaborating with native Brazilian brand, Farm, the two have joined forces to pay tribute to this year's World Cup destination of choice by combining their signature traits. Adidas' trademark three-striped garments are complimented with the lively flora and fauna prints of Farm, to produce an energetic collection of tank tops, track suits, bags, and sneakers inspired by the local indigenious plant life of Brazil.

photo via Fashion One

Puma's got their eye on the ball as well with the launch of a sneaker collection with the creative direction of the lovely, Solange Knowles. The collaboration, "Girls of Blaze Disc Collection," includes four versions of Puma's Disc Blaze shoe, designed by up and coming designers and photographed and styled by Solange herself. The shoe line was released exclusively at Opening Ceremony and is now available at Rime, Revolve, American Rag, Fred Segal, and Nordstrom.

photo via Complex

To give the World Cup games a fashionable twist, Yoox.com has teamed up with Sepp magazine to create a range of neat sweaters supporting various international designers' home countries. The 10 piece collection, #YooxSoccerCouture is available now and has enlisted the likes of Duro Olowu of Nigeria for Africa, Damir Doma for Germany,  Ksubi for Australia, MSGM for Italy, Juun.J for Korea, Masha Ma for China, Agatha Ruiz de la Prada for Spain, Ami for France, Barbara Casasola for Brazil, and of course the beloved Opening Ceremony for the USA.

photo via Brasil Summerfest

If you are in/or around the NYC area this July make sure to stop by Brasil Summerfest held at various locations around the city. The weeklong festival is the largest music and arts event outside of Brazil, focusing on the country's vibrant culture by showcasing traditional to contemporary styles of music, art, and film.

video via Shakira

So to get you in the spirit, today we'll leave you with this year's favored World Cup anthem by the Colombian pop artist, Shakira. Enjoy!

MBF Fall Fashion Guide

With Labor Day around the corner and New York Fashion Week on it's way, summer is coming to a close, but are we quite ready for Fall yet? Today, we've picked the most exciting things to keep you in the know as we transition into the cooler seasons and soak in the last few days of that sweet August sun!

photo via fashionista.com

The first thing that's grabbed our attention (and hopefully yours) is the launch of Opening Ceremony's first New York Fashion Week. Using old shipping containers, the retailer is holding a week long pop-up market at Pier 57 to celebrate and give guests an entire fun-filled experience. From DKNY for Opening Ceremony to Rihanna for River Island, an Estée Lauder pop-up salon and a variety of specialty vendors from food to bikes (maybe even cronuts!), the market will run from September 5th to 12th from 11am-7pm to make sure to check it out!

photo via Nylon Mag

Speaking of cronuts, if you've somehow been MIA and missed it, it really was the hottest food craze to hit NYC this summer! So will the ramen burger or the chalkboard cake be next to fill our news feeds and our stomachs? Either way, keep your eyes peeled and taste buds ready for the latest food creation to explode in a city near you.

photo via target.com

As with every new season, a string of new designer collabs emerges to bring us both exclusivity and fashion at an affordable price point. This year's highlights include, 3.1 Phillip Lim for Target, Isabel Marant for H&M, L'Wren Scott for Banana Republic, and the Kate Spade New York and Darcel collection. Taking things further (for all you fashion fanatics), if you haven't been already, Rick Owens has opened up a DRKSHDW pop-up shop down on Wooster which will remain open until October 26th! For a complete list of collaborations, check out fabsugar.com!

video via Prada

With September issues fresh off the presses, an array of innovative new Fall campaigns are finally here. Luxury brands like Gucci, Balenciaga, Dior, Givenchy, Louis Vuitton, Jimmy Choo, Prada, you name it, are those to watch with the release of everything from shoppable videos to print ads to past archives and backstage content as they ring in the latest Fall collections. Even H&M makes the list with David Beckham at the core of their underwear campaign. Do you know how we know the 90's are really back? After staring in a Rag & Bone ad just months ago, the infamous Bridget Hall returns yet again, but this time you'll catch her at the ever popular and undyingly cool Prabal Gurung!

photo via www.today.com

So with the 90's grunge era making a comeback, what are Fall's must have fashion items you ask? Well first off, if you're not mad for plaid already, from classic checks to tartan, anything goes. Make sure to experiment by layering cool logo tees and statement sweatshirts with your own distressed denim or a flirty wrap skirt! For all you beauty queens out there, test out Lancome's Vernis In Love nail polishes that come in shades of charcoal, deep maroon, and ebony. And whether you're back to school or not, try adding a personal touch to your wardrobe with these DIY backpack ideas! 

Shop Til You Dance!

For all you fashion culture fanatics out there, we at MBF Trend Consulting have been out and about to give you the rundown on all our favorite super chic happenings from parties to celebrity appearances, performances, and most importantly fun!

To kick off fashion week on Thursday, September 8th, the third annual Fashion’s Night Out was celebrated internationally as stores in 18 countries extended their hours to promote the retail industry and give shoppers an experience with a little extra pizzazz. From modern day disco dance parties to carnival inspired extravaganzas, a particular light, cheerful mood took over New York City. Even the weather was on our side as the dark, gloomy clouds held out just in time for the global fashion event to take over the city.

photo via: Racked NY

BG Best in Show
From catwalk to the dogwalk, Bergdorf Goodman reminded us that canine’s love fashion too! Their 2nd annual dog fashion show featured fashion designers and their pups including Joseph Altuazarra, Cushine et Ochs, Lela Rose, and the highlight of the night, Badgley Mischka’s two daschunds dressed in wedding gowns! Other fabulous highlights from Bergdorf’s include guest appearances galore by Jason Wu, Narciso Rodriguez, Thakoon, and Oscar de la Renta as well as a musical performance by Audrianna Cole. To check out more of the super cute doggie looks check out Bergdorf Goodman's blog!

video via: YouTube

Alexander Wang’s Talent Show
Not only is Alexander Wang an expert fashion designer, but now he can include to his accomplishments, a clever talent scout. His FNO festivities of choice included a daring talent show live from his store where he, and a panel of Glee’s Lea Michele and Vogue’s Anna Wintour and Hamish Bowles picked the winner. Contestants were chosen by sending him a 30-90 second video showcasing their best moves, with prizes that included fall bags and T products. America does have talent and apparently style too! Let’s also not forget to mention the $5,000 shopping spree giveaway that was rewarded from visiting his website during the month of September! Oh la la!

video via: YouTube

Macy’s Herald Square

Macy’s was the shopping destination for affordable fashion, live music, and a variety of celebrities and musicians alike. The fashion energy was in the air as guest appearances from the likes of editor Anna Dello Russo, model Karolina Kurkova, designers Rachel Roy and Tommy Hilfiger hit Macy’s red carpet. Bobbi Brown and her makeup team gave tutorials and talked with beauty enthusiasts while performances by Joss Stone and Samantha Ronson electrified the crowd!

photo via: Opening Ceremony

Opening Ceremony at the Ace Hotel
If FNO isn’t a total circus as it is, Opening Ceremony created one. Proclaimed El Mercado De Carnaval and inspired by the liveliness of Argentina, the fiesta featured everything from carnival games to tango performances and even a chat on Argentinean wine with Vogue’s Food Editor, Jeffrey Steingarten. However, this fashion funhouse was not like the rest with stands sponsored by fashion’s hottest, like Rodarte cotton candy, an Opening Ceremony x Muppets water pistol challenge, an Alexander Wang ski ball game among endless goodies by Pamela Love and Band of Outsiders, to name a few. Also who could forget, a special guest appearance by Miss Piggy herself!

photo via: Tiffany

Disco Night at Tiffany
From jewelry mecca to disco dance party, Tiffany’s Fifth Avenue Flagship took a turn in time to not only celebrate in FNO festivities but also take the opportunity to introduce the new Tiffany Era collection. As we see fashion forward trendsetters shifting to a 70’s inspired mindset, Tiffany takes the lead in the jewelry sector to bring forth bold, geometric pieces, which were sported by live models in the windows. As the rest of the store transformed into this 70’s styled disco ball, the spirit of FNO lived on with a Pop Art photo booth, special appearances by Tiffany designers, fashion presentations influenced by nonetheless 70’s style ethics, and a super swank musical performance by Gossip Girl fashionista, Leighton Meester.

Despite all the madness, we managed to photograph some of the fashion obsessed out and about in SoHo dressed in their best and ready to celebrate the spirit of fashion week. Here are some looks that grabbed our eye!

Marciano: Zara jacket and slacks, American Apparel shirt, vintage hat

Ashley: Vintage Escada blouse, H&M jeans, no label jacket, Chanel bag, Jeffrey Campbell boots

Kerri: Betsey Johnson dress

Dominic: Betsey Johnson top and vest

Adtresa: All vintage

While we had so much fun this year, word on the street is this may be the last Fashion's Night Out celebration. Has what started with the primary purpose to promote spending turned into one big out of control party? We guess we'll just have to wait until final word from FNO's creator herself, Anna Wintour. Let us know what you think, where you went, and what fabulous goodies you bought!

Nothing to Hide

One of the biggest trends of our times is transparency-- and we're not just talking about sheer tank tops or blouses here. What we are seeing is not limited to the runway fashions with trends that may not withstand more than a few months, but rather a cultural shift that is drastically changing the way we live, feel, and think as individuals and active members of society.

As we have many times discussed the rising popularity of social media networks and technological advancement of all industries, along with these is more openness and transparency. Networks like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn have become so integrated with how we interact with others, both in our personal lives and business, that we are now accustomed to, and even expect, to have access to what everyone is up to and letting others know about us. As communication is becoming faster, wider, and easier, people seem to be less concerned about invasion of privacy, or at least there is now a whole new set of standards.

                              Cast of Kell on Earth via: Pop Tower

In turn, this mentality has affected every industry in the way companies market themselves and interact with their customers. The fashion industry has become more open with what goes "behind-the-scenes"
as fashion-related reality TV shows have increased in popularity with new shows coming up every year, like this year's newest hits Kell on Earth and Launch My Line. There is also more openness in the retail segment. Last year, the always forward Opening Ceremony created a blog, giving a behind-the-scenes knowledge of their staff, collections, and personal interests. And more recently, J. Crew began sharing a selection of clothing handpicked by their creative director, giving a more personal shopping experience to their clients, as well as interviews with their favorite muses, sharing who and what inspires them.

                                                via: J. Crew

In addition, there is also a growing number of websites designed exclusively to review a product or company. Trip Advisor, for example, is one of the most popular and trusted travel review sites today, boasting with over 30 million reviews on more than 490,000 hotels and attractions, with over 45 million monthly visitors. Yelp, attracting 26 million monthly visitors with over 9 million local reviews, has also become the go-to site to review practically anything in any US city, whether it's which restaurant to dine at, which mall to shop, or which dentist to go to. But there are also more specific review sites like MakeupAlley.com, dedicated to reviewing beauty products, or MySears.com, focused solely on reviewing Sears products.

As we live in a globally connected society where communication is all about real time, the future of any industry is all about having real conversations with their customers and knowing how to best respond to it. Simply put, consumers are better educated, and they want to know more. As more information is available, people are more interested in the bigger picture of things as it is no longer just about the final product. A company's stance on health, social, ethical, and eco responsibility all have a say in the final purchase.

There are now many tools designed to help support this. Shopsavvy, an Android app, allows one to scan almost any barcode using the phone's camera, and it will then search over 20,000 online and local retailers to find the best price. Fatburgr, a website and iPhone application, allows one to search the nutritional facts of almost every fast-food restaurant. One of our favorites is the GoodGuide, a website and iPhone application providing information for the eco-conscious consumer, evaluating the life cycle of over 70,000 products. Project Label is another, creating "people-powered company nutrition labels", showing a company's social and environmental impact. Using the power of the web, the site allows consumers, businesses, and organizations to add, discuss, and vote on credible news, media, and research to help build these labels.

                                            via: Inhabitat

With websites and tools like these, it is only more beneficial for companies to be more transparent about their business practices and take more responsibility. As there is a growing number of websites such as these, there is very little room to hide and much less space for error.

And since we've mentioned Walmart in our previous post, we want to point out that last July, they announced plans to develop a sustainable product index, evaluating the sustainability of all their products. Beginning with a survey of its more than 100,000 suppliers, they plan to focus on four specific areas: energy and climate; material efficiency; natural resources, and; people and community. Walmart's president and CEO has a clear vision of the future, stating, "[Customers] want information about the entire life cycle of a product so they can feel good about buying it. They want to know that the materials in the product are safe, that it was made well and that it was produced in a responsible way. We do not see this as a trend that will fade. Higher customer expectations are a permanent part of the future."

We can't help but agree more. As transparency becomes more in demand, tools that help sustainable consumption is integral. And overall, it's becoming more difficult to separate technology with sustainability as the two are extremely interlinked. In order for brands and products to succeed today, overcoming scrutiny and withstanding a society that demands so much, companies must think more strategically; and that means being more engaged with their customers, being more honest, and ultimately being more responsible.

What's New in Fashion?

With constant technological innovations, new ideas and concepts are continuously being developed in the product field. Even within the last few years, we have seen revolutionary concepts; we have smartphones, the iPhone, BluRay DVD players, and now even HD 3-D enabled televisions. There is always "the next big thing" that consumers can't wait to get their hands on. Despite the economic state, innovation is rampant in product development and people are willing to spend big bucks to keep up with the latest techno gadgets. 

The fashion world, however, seems to be barely hanging in comparison. As many retailers are struggling to meet sales goals and the average consumer is no longer interested in paying full price, the retail and fashion industry is faced with a great challenge.

As technology continues to take the lead, fashion houses and retailers must realize the importance of collaboration outside the fashion realm. The future of fashion is much more than recycling trends and updating silhouettes, but rather experimenting with new concepts. Like any other industry, and with today's fast and ever-evolving society, in order for fashion houses and retailers to succeed, there needs to be more innovation.

photo via: Freshnness Mag 
Opening Ceremony, for example, takes a fresh new spin of the hotel shop experience with their latest venture of opening New York City's second store at one of our new favorites places, the Ace Hotel. Beyond clothes and fashion, this shop caters to the avid traveler's lifestyle; offering stylish, unique souvenirs of designer totes and accessories exclusive to the location, and collectible treats from around the world. With a personalized and distinct shopping experience, this is what will stand out amongst the other small boutique shops.

photo via: Design Boom

A few giant retailers are also making progression. Uniqlo's HeatTech line is a great example of combining technology and fashion, offering basics made from a mixture of rayon and milk protein that traps body moisture and uses it to retain heat.

 

photo via: The Daily Beast

Following similar ideas of Target and H&M designer collaborations, Gap recently collaborated with Merci, one of our favorite Parisian boutiques mentioned in an earlier blog post, bringing the commercial market together with small, high-end fashions. The internet is also inevitably going to change the retail scene, as Sears and Walmart both have online marketplaces, like Amazon and Ebay, allowing other firms to sell merchandise on their site.

Despite the economic state, the longevity of designers and retail companies is not the next sales goal, but creativity and smart design. Although fashion trends are developed and inspired by what is going on around us, the more interesting and exciting aspect of fashion is how it can be a leader of innovation, rather than it's follower.

Wild Things, you make our hearts sing

So everyone and their mother has been presenting their lines via film lately, as we've been covering... but promoting a film by creating fashion lines — that's a new one for us!

This month sees the premiere of Spike Jonze's adaptation of Maurice Sendak's beloved children's book, Where the Wild Things Are. But with the film yet to hit theatres, at least two — count 'em, two — clothing lines inspired by the film have come out: perennial fave Opening Ceremony's collaboration with Jonze, above center, featuring shaggy jackets, dresses, and skirts that also capitalize on the current fake fur revival; and Urban Outfitters' collabo with Brooklyn designer Mary Meyer, a series of hip, slouchy printed knitwear pieces (above, left and right) that would be utterly wearable even without the movie tie-in.

Now to see what happens when Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland movie comes out next March!

News flash: Opening Ceremony goes trans-Pacific

We've been saying for months that Opening Ceremony is the new Barneys, and darned if they haven't gone and proved our point by announcing their first international shop opening -- in that edgiest of fashion meccas, Tokyo. 

Since opening up shop on a dingy New York block in 2002, they've expanded their original boutique from a single floor featuring a dozen meticulously selected designers, to, well, two floors featuring a plethora of meticulously selected designers, including classic brands that created new designs especially for them. They've added an in-house line of womenswear, menswear, and shoes; they've collaborated with Chloë Sevigny and Betsey Johnson, and fostered Liberty-print Nikes; they opened a New York showroom and an LA outpost; and now they're off to win over the Japanese. 

Best of luck, Humberto and Carol – but we're pretty sure you won't need it!

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Update (4/14/09): A little bird tells us the gigantic Japanese firm Kashiyama is investing in OC. No wonder they're opening in Tokyo!