Fashion Blog

Colourful fashion trends of India

With the end of the 20th century came the end of all hype which has created a more practical and pragmatic environment and has given a more stable picture of the fashion business.
In the 50s, 60s and 70s, the Indian fashion scenario wasn't exactly colorless. It was exciting, stylish and very graceful. There were no designers, models, star or fashion design labels that the country could show off. The value of a garment was judged by its style and fabric and not by who made it.

It was regarded as ever so chic and fashionable to approach any unfamiliar tailor, who could make a garment for a few rupees, providing the perfect fit, finish and style. The high society lady, who wore it, was proud for getting a good bargain and for giving her name to the end result.

In 60s, tight 'kurtas', 'churidars' and high coiffures were a trend among ladies. It was an era full of naughtiness and celebration in arts and music and cinema, manifested by liberation from restriction and acceptance of new types of materials such as plastic film and coated polyester fabric.

The 70s witnessed an increase in the export of traditional materials outside the country as well as within. Hence, international fashion arrived in India much before the MTV culture with the bold colors, flower prints and bell-bottoms. Synthetics turned trendy and the disco culture affected the fashion scenario.

It was in the early 80s when the first fashion store 'Ravissant' opened in Mumbai. At that time garments were retailed for a four-figure price tag. The '80s was the era of self consciousness and American designers like Calvin Klein became popular. In India too, silhouettes became more masculine and the 'salwar kameez' was designed with shoulder pads.

With the evolution of designer stores in Mumbai, the elegant fashion design culture was a trend among Indians along with their heavy price tags. No doubt that a garment with a heavy price tag was at the bottom stage of fashion. But clients immediately transformed into the high fashion fold where they were convinced that that the word 'elegant fashion design culture' means, it had to have a higher price tag.

Garments were sold at unbelievable prices only because the designers had decided to get themselves noticed by making showy outfits and getting associated with the right shows, celebrities and events.

Later, fashion shows shifted to competitive events each attempting to out-do the other in theme, guest list and media coverage. For any newcomer, the fashion business was the number one professional art that time.

In the 90's, the last decade of the millennium, a move towards the drastic pairing down returned with ethnic wears (Today, ethnic wear market in India is accounted to Rs. 9000 crore). This led to the decline and the recession, the push to sell at any cost and keep staying in the limelight. With heavy cut throat competition and sound awareness of the client, the inevitable occurred. The price tags, which had once reached at a peak, began their downside journey.

At those times the downturn was not only being experienced in the price tags of the garments, but also in the business of fashion shows. More models, choreographers, make-up men, hairstylists and designers streamed down into their business.

The fun and party time in the Indian fashion scenario had not ended with this, but continued. It was a point, where it reached at a certain steady level and from there, in the beginning of the 21st centaury, with new designers and models and some sensible designing; the fashion hype accelerated its speed.

Indian fashion industry spreads its wings globally

For the global fashion industry, India is a very big exporter of fabrics and accessories. All over the world, Indian ethnic designs and materials are considered as a significant facet for the fashion houses and garment manufacturers. In fabrics, while sourcing for fashion wear, India also plays a vital role as one of the biggest players in the international fashion arena.
India's strengths not only depend on its tradition, but also on its raw materials. World over, India is the third largest producer of cotton, the second largest producer of silk and the fifth largest producer of man-made fibres.

In the international market, the Indian garment and fabric industries have many fundamental aspects that are compliant, in terms of cost effectiveness to produce, raw material, quick adjustment for selling, and a wide ranges of preference in the designs in the garments like with sequin, beadwork, aari or chikkon embroidery etc, as well as cheaper skilled work force. India provides these fashion garments to the international fashion houses at competitive prices with shorter lead time and an effective monopoly in designs which covers elaborated hand embroidery - accepted world over.

India has always been considered as a default source in the embroidered garment segment, but the changes of rupee against dollar has further decreased the prices, thereby attracting buyers. So the international fashion houses walk away with customized stuff, and in the end crafted works are sold at very cheap rates.

As far as the market of fabrics is concerned, the ranges available in India can attract as well as confuse the buyer. A basic judgmental expectation in the choosing of fabrics is the present trend in the international market. Much of the production tasks take place in parts of the small town of Chapa in the Eastern state of Bihar, a name one would have never even heard of. Here fabric making is a family industry, the ranges and quality of raw silks churned out here belie the crude production methods and equipment used- tussars, matka silks, phaswas, you name it and they can design it. Surat in Gujarat, is the supplier of an amazing set of jacquards, moss crepes and georgette sheers - all fabrics utilized to make dazzling silhouettes demanded world over. Another Indian fabric design that has been specially designed for the fashion history is the "Madras check" originally utilized for the universal "Lungi" a simple lower body wrap worn in Southern India, this product has now traversed its way on to bandannas, blouses, home furnishings and almost any thing one can think of.

Recently many designers have started using traditional Indian fabrics, designs and cuts to enhance their fashion collections. Ethnic Indian designs with batik cravat, tie-and-dye or vegetable block print is 'in' not just in India but all across the world.

In India, folk embroidery is always associated with women. It is a way of their self expression, and they make designs that depict their native culture, their religion and their desires. Women embroider clothes for their personal use, and the people linked with the pastoral profession prepare embroidered animal decorations, decorative covers for horns and foreheads and the Rabaris of Kutch in Gujarat do some of the finest embroidery. Embroidered pieces are made during the festivals and marriages, which are appliqué work called 'Dharaniya'. One of the significant styles of Saurashtra is 'Heer' embroidery, which has bold geometric designs, woven on silks. The Mutwa women of the Banni area of Kutch have a fascinating embroidery where they make fine embroidery works with designed motifs and mirrors in the size of pinheads, the Gracia jats use geometric designs on the yoke of long dresses. Moreover, the finest of quilts with appliqué work are also made in Kutch.

Garments embellishment with bead work is another area where it in demand in the international market. Beads are used to prepare garlands and other accessory items like belts and bags and these patterns now available for haute couture evening wear too.
According to a survey, in recent times Indian women have given up their traditional sari for western wears like t-shirts and shorts, as they feel more comfortable in skirts and trousers instead of saris and salwar kameez. It's been noted that women spend just $165 million on trousers and skirts against 1.74 billion dollars spent by men on trousers. With more women coming out to work, the (combined) branded trouser and skirts market has been increasing at a whopping 27 per cent in sales terms. Women feel that Western clothing is more suitable, particularly when working or using public transportation. Many corporate offices are also in favor of their employees wearing Western wear.

In India, Western inspiration is increasing due to the influence of TV and films. Besides, shopping malls selling branded clothes have also mushroomed in India and are fascinating the youngsters. Recently, designer wear is being promoted through store chains such as Shopper's Stop, Pantaloons, Westside, etc. Companies such as Raymond and TCNS have also set up their exclusive stores for designer wear such as Be: and W.
The market of India fashion industry

Recently, a report stated that the Indian fashion industry can increase from its net worth of Rs 200 crore to Rs 1,000 crore in the next five to ten years. Currently, the worldwide designer wear market is amounted at $35 billion, with a 9 per cent growth rate, with the Indian fashion industry creating hardly 0.1 per cent of the international industry's net worth.

According to approximations, the total apparel market in India is calculated to be about Rs 20,000 crore. The branded apparel market's size is nearly one fourth of this or Rs 5,000 crore. Designer wear, in turn, covers nearly about 0.2 per cent of the branded apparel market.

At present, the largest sales turnover within the designer wear segment is about Rs25 crore, with other well-known names having less turnovers of Rs10-15 crore. In view of the prospects of the Indian fashion industry for growth, the figures are not very hopeful.

The figure of fashion industry

o The organized market for designer apparel is about Rs 250 crore

o Designer wear calculates to less than 1 per cent of the apparel market

o The global market for designer wear is 5 per cent of total apparel market

o The global market for designer wear industry is largely dependent on the small-scale sector

o Consumers for designer wear have a yearly household income of Rs 10 lakh-plus. There are 3 lakh such households developing at 40-45 per cent

o Designer wear industry is projected to increase to Rs 1,000 crore by 2015.

o More than 81 per cent of the population below 45 years of the age is fashion conscious.

Many fashion designers and management experts foresee an average growth of about 10-12 per cent for the Indian fashion industry in the coming years. Though, the growth rate could be more than 15 per cent, if infrastructural and other logistical bottlenecks and drawbacks are over come.

India needs more effort to overcome

However, despite the benefits available in India there are also some disadvantages. India is not a remarkable player in the global market with reference to brands because of its inability to add value to products. This is observed by the fact that nearly 50 per cent of its exports are apparel and made-ups where value addition is essential. Likewise, 75 per cent of domestic apparel market is commoditized and unbranded and very few Indian brands do survive in the foreign markets. Evidently, the Indian market has not made a strong stand and hence it is difficult to make Indian brands that can compete with global brands in India.

Another reason for the fashion industry's inadequate growth is the limited experience of the designers and the platform they are offered. The insignificance stalks from the reality that most of the young talent is hired by the bigger names to work in their studios, thus imprinting their work with the label of the big designers.
Though performing individual presentation is not an alternative choice for most of the young talent, because of the limitation of finance, a beginner designer's name fails to come to the forefront.
Another thing, with regards to the ramp, is what the designers offer is barely appropriate to be worn ordinarily. You'll see there's dissimilarity between what is there on the ramp and what the Page Three crowd wears. Some believe at present the fashion is in, but the tendency hasn't changed much as it is the old ones coming back. We have had short kurtas, long kurtas, flowing skirts, etc. coming back into fashion with only a new variety of designs.

Many management consultants and professionals believe that the Indian fashion industry will be boosted if the new comers are paid proper attention. What they require is more support so that their work gets due recognition. According to the consultants and professionals there should be a panel of people who choose designers for showcasing according to their work and not their name or who they've worked for earlier, and hence selection would be purely based on quality. Besides this, the panel of judges should comprise of people from the fashion schools rather than designers.
It has been observed that the media-hype around the big designers and blatant commercialism has hindered business in the Indian fashion industry. No clear cut picture is provided about the feasibility of the products. Basically it is only the famous names that are being talked of. What they offer is not quite daily-wear. The entire focal point of the industry is on commercialism. The discussion is only regarding how much is sold and for what price and nothing about the designs or styles.

Efforts to develop global fashion brands

It needs innovative designers, a seamless supply chain, control over retail and distribution and concentration of quality while dealing with some image. While a few have accomplished something in the west covering Tommy Hilfiger, Gucci, Zara, Armani, Versace, Ralph Lauren, etc, India has not been capable to track on.
A serious reason for India not being successful has been its isolation in the fashion system. Each stakeholder including designers, exporters, textile players and retail chains need to come together along with the government to make sure that the position of Indian fashion is strong in the coming years.

There are various agencies and industry associations that can support in brand-building practice. Many of these agencies require attractive resources and making a global image of Indian fashion rather than independently trying to promote particular brands or textile segments.

Efforts to create strong global image

Large textiles players require more and more to target on the market facing activities while developing an association with small medium enterprise (SME) clusters. Such kind of networks would be a benefit to that which can focus on demand making and branding as well as for clusters that can focus on quality production.

Efforts to create value networks

After the entry of large retail chains like Wal-Mart, Gap etc in India, Small scale manufacturers in India will find it very difficult to satisfy the demands of these international buyers if they continue to promote their products individually. Therefore, it is very important that value networks are created between large textile and apparel companies in India and small scale manufacturers, so that the marketing muscle of the leading players can be utilized for receiving large orders while the bigger players then assign the orders to the small-medium enterprises according to their past record of quality and service. For this to be put into practice, it will be vital to well-organize the information on small-medium enterprise clusters in a perfect manner so that supplier selection decisions are made according to the information in the long run, only the more efficient small-medium enterprise players survive and develop.
Efforts to concentrate on designers and designs

Designers have a fundamental role to play in the future of Indian fashion scenario. There should hence be an effective process for preparing these designers. This can be done by sponsoring exchange programs with international schools, increasing participations in the fashion capitals of the world, motivating and offering business incubation to new designers and rewarding efforts through proper design awards.
Even in India, well-known designers are incapable to tap finances from well-organized resources, since a vital part of their assets are brands and design talent which are not measured in terms of money and hence it becomes difficult to judge the value. This has severely inhibited their development and capability to raise retail existence across the country and abroad. Likewise, there is no systematic approach of existence in the fashion capitals of the world like Paris, Milan and New York. Due to this, designers have to depend on their personal contacts and relationships for organizing fashion shows and making retail alliances. The French government as well as the British government helps designers of their particular countries appreciably in these areas as they understand that value creation through design is the only way to carry on in the competitive landscape of the global fashion industry. The Indian government and related agencies should also accept this aspect of textile, apparel and fashion industry sincerely if they need to see India on the global fashion map.
Work in collaboration: designers-corporate efforts

Designers and many organizations can work globally through various models and with many working relationships. The Indian fashion industry has many views but only one such model, wherein a designer creates a retail venture with his/her own brand through organized retail chains. There are many other models according to brand ownership and division of operational activities.

Globally, many models of collaboration between designers and corporates are available. For example Ralph Lauren has made an agreement with Jones Apparel for producing and retailing various Polo brands. Likewise, Armani had an agreement with Zegna for production, even while it was competing with them in the marketplace. There are many cases of designer brands being co-owned by the designers and corporates, Gucci-Alexander McQueen and Gucci-Stella McCartney being some of them.

In the end, many designer businesses have been obtained by corporates where designers play a major role in the design elements of the business, but the brand and the organization is owned completely by the corporate.

The current possession of Calvin Klein by Philips Van Heusen and earlier holdings of Hugo Boss and Valentino by Marzotto are some related examples in this segment. These examples strongly point out that not only designers find such relationships important for development, but also corporates find these attractive for rising their profitability and growth. Likewise deals in India could go a long way in developing the brand values of corporates and designers.

Developing clusters

Making common infrastructure for functioning such as design and sampling, affluent treatment, product testing, etc can help in increasing the capability of the clusters since noteworthy investments could be made by the cluster itself rather than any single player.

Well-managed databases can help in decreasing search costs and through data mining, rating of players can be done so as to make the procurement process easier for buyers. Cooperative marketing programs at different clusters can also support players to grow up in the value chain by mixing their strengths within the cluster.

Cluster based battle in the fashion industry is characterized by the Italian industry. The National Chamber for Italian Fashion for example, supports the development of the fashion clusters at Milan and Florence in a well organized manner. Indian industry can learn a lot from Italy because India has a similar cluster based scattered production base, but has been incapable to link it with design and branding capability.

If the above activities are successfully considered, India could have an extraordinary development in the fashion industry, which could increase from a negligible size to Rs 8,000 crore in the coming decade.

Conclusion

In the 50s, 60s and 70s, the Indian fashion scenario was colorful and stylish, in the end of 20th century it was quite subdued and with the beginning of the 21st century it has geared up and is still experiencing the growth with many spectrums of colours. Though this industry is growing at a very good pace, besides achieving a negligible share in the global market, still it needs to make severe efforts to stand amongst international fashion market in various aspects.

The Internet is chock full of them - fashion blogs of different shapes and forms, expounding on the merits of skinny jeans versus boyfriend jeans. Or why pink is the new black and all that jazz. Going online these days means getting your fill (whether you like it or not) of the latest fashion trends by way of fashion blogs.

Perhaps some people would argue that fashion is not that important and it's something they can do without. However, if you think about it, fashion has always been part of our lives - it has always greatly influenced society and culture, mainly because it is made possible by factors like the weather, the environment and more significantly, by an individual's personal experiences, beliefs and values.

Fashion even helped define certain eras in history which involved class discrimination, the thin line between royalty and non-royalty and even social dressing restrictions. In the old days in Western Europe, government regulations prevented the bourgeoisie from dressing up in fine clothes so they wouldn't look like royalty. In China, the dragon was considered a symbol of the emperor and thus, should not be worn by non-royals. During World War II, the length of American women's skirts was restricted due to fabric rations. It just goes to show, fashion has always been a major influence in our life and that we've always lived with it - we just didn't know it.

Today's fashion-conscious people or fashionistas, as they are fondly referred to, live with fashion in different ways. They use fashion blogs as a means to check out new trends not to be perceived as cool or in, but to know what people on the streets are wearing. Fashion bloggers themselves have a firm grip on the latest styles and shy away from those that lean towards the "outrageously expensive" and suggest instead, what is cheap but chic.

Another reason fashion bloggers are popular is because they themselves were once fashion outs - outsiders who, due to their persistence and perseverance in gaining an upper hand over the so-called "snobs" in the fashion industry, have become lauded insiders. They send the fashion world spinning with their honest takes on this season's collections via honest and real takes on the current trends and how the ordinary folk may be able to carry them off.

They also possess a myriad of talents from which they derive even more influence for their blogs. Some of them host fashion events or dress the windows of the world's most famous and finest fashion storefronts. Still, others shoot look books and even walk the catwalk themselves. Such is the success of fashion blogging that even other major industries like advertising, want a piece of the action. Because fashion bloggers are faithfully followed by women everywhere, they have become potent personalities whose words are read and taken to heart like one would the Bible. And advertisers and retailers are eager to get their products moved in big ways.

Yes, fashion blogs are here to stay. In fact, it can be safely said that they are slowly but surely replacing magazine editors as the leaders of style and fashion. Fashion blogging is one industry where the huge payoffs outweigh all the risks - fashion bloggers may very well be the fashion world's answer to high corporate earners in the world of business who make business suits look good.

Fashion jewelry is a necessary part of your wardrobe. While fine jewelry can be an expensive investment, fashionable jewelry is a more affordable way to have fun with accessories. It allows you to experiment with fashion trends and new styles without breaking the bank. Because it is so affordable, it is easier to part with when a trend is over or the piece doesn't fit your style anymore. You may regret a trendy finer purchase, so it is best to invest in quality fine jewelry while having fun with less expensive fashionable find. Finding great jewelry has become easier over time, with many high-end fashion designers developing lines of fashionable jewelry for various department and discount stores.

In finer department stores, many fashion designers have done lines of fashion jewelry. Ralph Lauren, Givenchy, Betsey Johnson, and Rachel Roy are all examples of fashion lines available. The pieces are usually under $100, with many being under $50. Some of the selection is more trend-focused, such as turquoise and coral jewelry for summer. Finding a particular style of a certain piece is easy because many lines will offer their own variations of the trend.

More classic fashionable jewelry is also available. Pearls, rhinestones, and semi-precious stones are also featured in many fashion lines. The jewelry is a more affordable version of fine jewelry pieces, and many look identical to its "real" counterparts. This kind of fashion jewelry surpasses trends and is great for traveling when you don't want to bring along a lot of valuables.

In discount retail stores there are also a lot of collaborations with fashion designers. Vera Wang, Dana Buchman, and Anna Sheffield have all created lines of jewelry at affordable prices. The pieces coordinate with the clothing lines that the designers have also created for the stores, so creating a complete look is easier than ever. These discount stores even have their own lines that are more trend-driven. Many of these pieces are also available online.

Update an older, plain outfit with trendy pieces for a look that is more up to date. Designer boutiques may also offer fashionable jewelry. Many upscale designers will have fun, affordable pieces available only in their stores. It may be intimidating to walk in to a high-end boutique, but you may just find the perfect piece of fashion jewelry.

If you look at the fashion industry you will notice that things come and go, and the hunt is always on for the next new fashion look. So how can you be ahead and always be in the know and have the most up to date fashion advice. Imagine being able to look into the future and to accurately see exactly the fashion that will be the style for the coming month and year. You could find that you would have a great advantage, you could use this knowledge to become an expert in the field of fashion. So how can you know what things are going to be big in the world of fashion.

Predict The Future Fashion By Making It

This could seem a simple idea but consider a very small point, who currently decides what is going to be fashionable and what will not be fashionable? Think about who are the experts in the world of fashion, and what makes them the experts. What do they know that you do not know? Could it be that they have imagination, well the fact is you have great imagination. We were all born with imagination and have the power to develop our imagination.

Expert by Studying Three Books

It was once said by a successful businessman that to become an expert a person needs only to study around 3 books on a subject. If this is the case then you could become an expert in the world of fashion by reading and studying 3 good books on fashion. This could mean that soon you could be determining what happens in the world of fashion instead of being led by fashion. So this would also mean that you could be the person who could be creating the next big thing in fashion. This means that instead of waiting for the next big thing in fashion, you would be the catalyst that brings about the next big change in fashion.

What doors could open to you

By becoming an expert in the world of fashion could open many doors for you. You could get invited to attend many speaking engagements. You may also get opportunities to do radio or T V interviews. The opportunities could be endless, so by spending time to study to the level of an expert in the world of fashion could be very valuable for you. Also by developing your expertise you could also find that writing articles and books could further enhance your credibility. So you should now see that you could be the next big thing in the world of fashion. And that could be just a thought away so make a decision today and bring about the change that you want in your life.

P Raja (c) Aug 2011

In fashion, change is but a constant. Keeping pace with this evolving phenomenon, though is stated as being no play for many, is pretty simple, as long as one gets the basics right. By basics I mean, being familiar with your body type, knowing what cut suits you and choosing the right colour palate. It certainly does not entail following every new trend blind-folded. So, the first pre-requisite this winter for all the fashion frenzy people out there is "be distinct and unique in your style".

Fashion ideas and trends are dependent on the climate changes. Every place has its own type of climate; so, when choosing fashion trends, one needs to keep the aspect of functionality of clothes in mind to make them last longer.

With time, people all over the world, men and women of all ages, have become more fashion conscious and have started to spend lots of money to follow fashion and keep themselves updated with respect to various fashion ideas. Whenever you talk about fashion, fashion of women is always brought into limelight. However, men are equally becoming fashion conscious, and their changing fashion demands are being given same importance as that of the changing fashion demands of the women.

To keep yourself up-to-date with respect to fashion, you really do not need to step outside your home; you can just log on to different fashion websites and can find what winter fashion is all about. If you are not an internet person, you can grab fashion magazines and fashion guides, available in stores and can get latest tips on winter fashion. Another way is to get yourself a personal fashion stylist, who can guide you about what you need to have in your wardrobe, during different seasons.

Winter fashion is all about adding layers to protect oneself from cold and chilling climate, but at the same time, looking trendy and modern is equally desired. Winter fashion wear is extremely opposite to what you will be wearing in summers.

Students, teenagers, mothers and professional ladies have always loved wrapping themselves around with trendy and furry coats and scarves in winters. They prefer wearing tight-fitted jeans or pants under long coats. This is what females have liked to wear in winters for a few years now. Winter boots and leather clutches and bags become extremely popular in winters.

Fashion for women is much more diverse than for men. They have a lot of various accessories to choose from, while basic winter fashion for men includes cool cardigans, which every guy should own. Cardigans not only provide layering but also make them look more sophisticated and classy. Winter Fashion ideas for men include various colours like purple, blue, red and brown paired with a darker coloured pant or a pair of jean. Blazers and jackets are also gaining popularity this winter.

This was all about what has been the general fashion idea in winters for both men and women. Let us now have an insight to the fashion mantra this season. As exciting as it sounds, it will certainly work wonders for each one of you out there. This season is all about colours for women out there. They should go for bright exciting colours such as greens, yellows and pinks; those dull clothes should have no space in your closet. Accessorize yourself, straighten your hair and wear very little makeup, if you want to stand out. Men should go for unique coloured cardigans that fit them well, and should own scarves.

Fashion designing is a huge industry that encompasses a range of fashion trends including men wear, women wear, teen fashion wear, and fashion accessories like sunglasses, footwear, hair accessories, jewelry, and handbags.

The industry is greatly influenced by the music world, film industry, cultural icons, and political figures. Whatever comes in fashion is the style and trend that the common man emulates from known artists and popular figures. The trend keeps on changing with the changing trends in movies, books, and music. The only thing that stays constant in the fashion world is change.

In the present world more and more people are attracted towards the fashion world and many are rising higher and higher with a degree in fashion designing. This degree can really help make a successful career if you have the art of creation and a passion for fashion. Creativity is most crucial in pushing up your designing career as it is all about innovations and imaginations.

If you are confident of your creative skills, then you can creatively design your own future with success and fame. You can start your journey towards a successful career with a good fashion institute that will help canalize your creative skills. It will help you transform your imaginative ideas and creation on paper and then eventually into a designer wear.

Being a fashion designer you get the power to define an individual's personality. Everyone wants to look good and cheerful. It's the job of a fashion designer to give the perfect outfit to an individual that suits his or her body type, personality, and taste. The outfit and accessories a designer chooses for his or her client defines the client's personality and the sense of individuality.

It takes a lot of dynamism, hard work, dedication, and excitement to get success in this field. You need to have that talent and vision to define anyone's personality and inner being. You should have an inherent capability of combining tones and shades to the right textile or fabric. You should also be updated with the changing trends of fashion world depending on the taste of youth and the demand of the market.

Fashion designing in India is gradually expanding its horizon with new hopes and expectations. Some of the known Indian fashion designers who have carved their own niche in the market are Ritu Kumar, Ritu Beri, Manish Malhotra, Tommy Hilfiger, Hemant Trivedi, Rohit Bal, and Deepika Govind.

Today, fashion designers have widened the designing field from simple attire to designer wear. He or she produces a huge collection of different types of clothing and further accentuate these with an assortment of embellishments. With talent and ambition, the designer can then win the race in this highly competitive fashion industry.

To understand fully what fashion production is all about, it's very important to have a look at what the term "fashion" stands for. Generally speaking, fashion refers to different styles on practices in the area of clothing, makeup, accessories and even furniture. In a very strict sense, the term only refers to trends in wears or apparels. Hence, the production of fashion as discussed in this write-up is only limited to clothing, wears, attires and dresses.

Fashion production as it relates to clothing has actually come a very long way. Basically, the term refers to the manufacturing of various kinds of clothing materials, dresses, and fashion accessories. Several factors have always influenced the production process. Over the years, several kinds of fashion attires have actually been produced. Many of them have cultural and traditional undertones. In the ancient times, people made use of local materials like animal skin and fur in producing the attires they put on. Different kinds of clothing styles were also produced through such local means. However, there was a notable improvement in fashion production during the period of industrial revolution of the late 18th century. It was a great awakening era that swept across Europe, America and other continents of the world. The era witnessed the establishment of various fashion production plants both in Europe and other continents. Several fashion manufacturers emerged. Different kinds of patterns and approaches were also introduced in the production process. Lots of quality clothing materials, fashion dresses and accessories were also produced.

In the contemporary times, the production of fashion is still ongoing. The fashion industry in the modern times is moving at a very high speed. Different kinds of approaches have been introduced. There's also the infusion of technology into the production of clothing materials. Different kinds of sophisticated sewing machines and tools have been invented. Gone are the days when fashion production is only limited to the local tailor or dressmaker along the street. Today, large corporations have come into the fashion business. Several fashion brands have been established. Lots of quality readymade garments, men's wears, women's wears, and even kids' wears have been produced.

Again, fashion production is now a very lucrative course in colleges and universities. Interested individuals can go through the education process in order to bag degrees in the area of cloth production. Great innovative ideas have always emerged from the fashion education process. The results are also quite obvious. The world is now witnessing an upsurge of fashion trends on yearly basis. Different kinds of fashion products and accessories are all over the place. The fashion industry is indeed actually thriving in various nations of the world. Great fashion plants, firms, selling outlets are up and running in various countries.

Finally, fashion production has also gone the internet way. Many great fashion companies now operate online. Lots of innovative ideas about fashion can be found online. Different kinds of fashion wears and accessories are also marketed online. Wholesale and retail fashion marketing are also causing waves on the internet. Mass production of fashion products is also thriving on the internet. The world is yet to witness a lot as the fashion industry continues to soar high.

Fashion jewelry has been riding the big wave of globalization. Styles and designs of fashion jewelery today are designed in one corner of the globe, manufactured in another part of the world and finally is shipped to a different market and sold to different consumers.

The fashion jewelery market is very dynamic; the product life cycle being very short, wholesale trade works very fast and the supply chain is very lean. Currently Asian countries are vying for their a big chunk of fashion jewelry wholesale business. China is aggressively pushing for consolidation of its position in the global fashion jewelry wholesale market with aggressive pricing, with fast turnaround time for manufacturing. The Chinese made products in fashion jewelery range from leather belts to ear rings, bracelets and many more accessories.

The Indian market has a totally different kind of product range. India offers different types of embroidery, designs and lace works from different states. Each of the states have distinctly different styles and patterns and the materials used and manufacturing process also differ. India is a very large exporter of Fashion Jewelry wholesale. Exporters source a large number of items of jewelry manufactured in Jaipur, Rajasthan, Ludhiana and places around Delhi. Hyderabad too has its own flavor and touch to the fashion jewelry market. Gujarat has yet another style and South India with Tamil nadu being famous for traditional Indian designs.

Indian designs and fashion jewelery borrows heavily from its traditional costume designs and culture. New designers are bold and experiment with new designs in jewelry while using the Indian colors and materials. A lot of precious stones and pearls are used in Indian fashion jewelry.

Indian bridal costume and fashion jewelery is catching global attention. The intricate embroidery patterns spin and weave dreams in the flowing bridal gown embezzled with crystals, pearls and semi precious stones added with Zari and threads of gold and silver. The western countries are courting Indian designs and Indian weddings.

Indian fashion jewelry wholesalers and Indian costume designers are seen in Paris and other fashion capitals displaying their creations. It is not uncommon to see Indian dresses with fashion jewelry being worn by western women who seem to enjoy the bright and beautiful colors.

Chinese markets are famous for offering fast and immediate delivery of fashion jewelery. Wholesale dealers promise the shortest time from design to delivery to any place in the world. This aggressive marketing is backed up with huge manufacturing capacity. Thus fashion jewelery wholesale trade is increasing as more and more globalization is taking place which leads to a flourishing trade and exchange of fashion and culture.

Picking one out of many fashion jobs generally is an overwhelming challenge. There are several different opportunities in the fashion industry that you might not be sure which one is best for you. With the high demand for fashion jobs, you need to be sure of what it is that you want to do so you can get started on pursuing your dream in this competitive industry. Below you will find descriptions for several fashion jobs and, subsequently, be one step closer to establishing your career in the fashion industry.

1. Fashion Designer

Thanks to shows like Project Runway, there are many people whose curiosity has been rose towards the fashion industry, exclusively, fashion design. A career as a fashion designer seems extravagant and rewarding but it takes a whole lot of work. A fashion designer must be well-informed of the latest trends (and sometimes even be ahead of them) and have the creativity to conceptualize new designs. A fashion designer creates sketches, whether by hand or with computer-aided design (CAD) software, of their designs and must be familiar with fabrics and materials in order to create samples that show what the final product would look like. As a fashion designer you can specialize in clothing design, footwear or accessories. Fashion jobs like that of a fashion designer are prolonged with grueling hours of intensive work and lots of traveling if you want to promote your designs. Fashion designers work under pressure to meet deadlines and make an impression on fashion buyers and other potential clients. As a fashion designer you would need not only talent and creativity but also thick skin and dedication.

2. Fashion Merchandising

Fashion jobs in merchandising can be very challenging. A fashion merchandiser must know what consumers really want, how to present it to them, what they want to pay for it and how to lure them to purchase. A fashion merchandiser is not just an expert in fashion but must also have strong business, financial and advertising skills. As a fashion designer you might find yourself creating budgets, tracking profits and losses, tracking inventory, developing marketing strategies and even putting together creative visual displays to draw in consumers. It's a career that entails many different roles but also has many opportunities to grow and advance in.

3. Fashion Buyer

Fashion buyers are among the most crucial people for brands and companies. They must have good communication skills, be aggressive, organized and driven. As a fashion buyer you work hand in hand with designers, merchandisers and other key people to select what pieces to present to consumers and ensure that best-sellers are continually available. Buyers must be mindful of both current and future trends so they can make the right choices of clothing, shoes, accessories, etc. to ensure high profits. Working with suppliers to negotiate prices suggests that a fashion buyer must have good interpersonal skills, be educated in market costs and also in consumer demands. Fashion buyers must be ready to work under pressure, travel and research and analyze in order to make practical decisions on what products to offer their target customer base.

4. Fashion Director

Fashion directors, also known as creative directors or fashion coordinators, are in charge of the image and look of a store, magazine or a fashion house. They are accountable for that first impression given when people look at ad campaigns, shoots and even fashion films. A fashion director must make sure that the models, photographers, location and concepts characterize the store, brand, or magazine in the best and most genuine way. One of the most well known creative directors in the industry is Grace Coddington who, alongside Anna Wintour and other industry professionals, are a part of American Vogue. In the documentary "The September Issue" we are able to see Coddington showing us her best work and the steps she takes to produce the magnificent spreads in Vogue. Now, don't think it will be a snap landing one of these fashion jobs. Be prepared for long hours of work, creative stumps, frequent traveling, crazy deadlines, and being willing to go back to the drawing board time and time again. Remember, as a fashion director you are responsible for the image of a brand; you produce something that the whole world will see. People will base their opinions on what you present to them. As one of the top fashion jobs in the industry, the pressure is on!

Fashion Jobs - The List Goes On

5. Fashion Forecaster

Probably one of the highest ranking careers in the fashion industry, fashion forecasters do just that, forecast the future trends and styles. This is much more sophisticated than forecasting the weather. Not only does a fashion forecaster need to have in depth knowledge of fashion but he or she must also be creative and surely have the skills necessary to research and analyze potential trends, colors, fabrics and patterns. Fashion forecasters seek inspiration in everything from movies, music, even science and technology. Getting a position as a fashion forecaster is one of the most prestigious of all fashion jobs you could aspire to.

6. Fashion Stylist

A fashion stylist has the easy (or is it?) task of making someone look good. A stylist must be familiar with what colors, fabrics and styles work best to flatter someone's shape while also knowing ways to accessorize and finish the perfect outfit. Fashion stylists are responsible for picking the best pieces for photoshoots, events, etc. and putting them together for the final product. A stylist's reputation lies on how good the client looks and, in the case of ad campaigns, whether or not the stylist can communicate the image and vision of a product. Don't be surprised if, as a fashion stylist, you find yourself traveling for motivation or shopping for clothing, or even spending a day (or a few) revamping a client's closet. Finding fashion jobs for stylists can be as uncomplicated as working as a personal shopper or styling photo shoots for websites or local magazines or newspapers.

7. Fashion Photographer

It's not just about knowing just how to take a good picture. Fashion photographers basically have two fields to be good at: fashion and photography. The photography part consists of knowing what angles, lighting, etc. As far as the fashion, photographers really need to be experts in that as well. A fashion photographer should always know what the best trends are, top designers, top fashion events and any other heavy hitter aspects of the industry. Fashion jobs in this field can consist of taking pictures for model portfolios, ad campaigns, and fashion shows. Fashion photographers are responsible for producing a shot that requires excellent technical skills and extensive fashion knowledge. For example, when a fashion photographer goes to shoot at a fashion show he or she must know exactly when to snap the shot of that model wearing the flowing dress. The picture must showcase how the fabric moves and flows instead of displaying a dress that falls limp and drags on the floor. A fashion photographer works hand in hand with stylists, makeup artists and models to ensure that the final product is efficient in sending a visual message.

8. Fashion Editor

Fashion editors supervise the direction of a fashion publication, website and other media. They are in charge for editing a fashion writer's work, making suggestions, and researching the possibilities of future stories. Fashion writers must be aware of trends and classics to assure that coverage is provided for the target audience. A fashion editor works under the pressure of meeting deadlines, supervising writers, discovering features and fresh ideas all while staying current on the industry and scanning the levels of competition. Some of the qualities necessary for one of these fashion jobs are being organized, punctual, able to communicate verbally and have impeccable writing and journalistic skills. Being one of the most competitive fashion jobs in the industry, a fashion editor should be ready to put some hard work in and spend long nights brewing up excellent, creative content.

9. Fashion Writer

Being a fashion writer is not as easy as picking up a pen and paper (or laptop, tablet, etc.) but includes extensive amounts of research. Fashion writers must be current on their knowledge of fashion and creative when drumming up writing ideas. Of course, outstanding writing skills are a must and meeting deadlines are also fundamental in this career. Fashion writers can execute interviews, cover fashion events and supply reviews of products. You have a choice of working as a freelance writer, with television shows, websites, blogs, smaller publications like local magazines and newspapers or with major publications such as Vogue or Elle, among others. This is one of those fashion jobs where you can find many opportunities and can be fairly simple to get started.

10. Fashion PR (Fashion Public Relations)

Creating a good consumer opinion is of the utmost importance for this fashion job. Where advertising and marketing can create a consumer desire to purchase a certain fashion item, public relations handles the image in its relation to the public eye. Public opinion can gauge the success and longevity of a company. Out of all the fashion jobs mentioned, fashion pr is the piece that ties it all together.

Fashion Jobs that Require WORK!

Whatever one of these fashion jobs you determine to make your career, remember that in such a reasonably competitive industry it's important to put in a lot of hard work and to be determined. All employers look for something that make their next hire special and capable of making their publication, line, show, or website shine amongst the rest. What is it that you have to offer that others don't have? How motivated are you? Tell us, which one of these fashion jobs appeal to you the most?

When one's children are small, it can be the busiest time in a woman's life. As they get older, it doesn't seem to let up for an instant. Is she isn't taking one child to soccer practice, she is taking another to ballet. There simply never seem to be enough hours in the day to do everything that needs to be done, let alone pay attention to what is going on in the rest of the world. This is especially true for the rapidly changing world of fashion. However, there are some ways that a busy mom can still stay in the loop about fashion without having to spend large chunks of time. Here are 6 of them:

1. Watch TV

After the kids have gone to school or when the tiny ones have gone down for their morning naps, there are any number of daytime television talk shows that usually have a quick rundown of what is happening in fashion. Keep the TV on while doing something else. Then pause and take a look when the fashion show comes on.

2. Fashion Blogs

Another time-efficient way in which a busy mother can keep up with the latest fashion news, is to spend a few minutes each week reading fashion blogs. Choosing from among the thousands of fashion blogs that are rich in photo content can give the best and quickest overviews of the latest in styles.

3. Fashion Magazines

When in doubt, turn to the famous fashion magazines. There are magazines that are fully dedicated to nothing but fashion. One can find both haute couture fashions that are modeled by supermodels, as well as everyday fashions for the average mom. The busy mom should find those that best suit what she is looking for, and take out a subscription.

4. Online Subscriptions

Most moms do manage to find time to check their email, at least one time per day. This would be the perfect time to take advantage of the many opportunities there are online to read one of the many online fashion magazine subscriptions. Most can be delivered straight to an inbox. Others can be read via a news reader.

5. Newspapers
There are entire newspapers that are devoted to fashion. If this is too much for a busy mom, most newspapers these days do have fashion sections. It takes no time at all to skim over the latest fashion trends.

6. Department Store Mailing Lists

Many of the larger department stores send out flyers or other forms of news about the fashion world in general, and, at times, about fashion sales that are going on in their stores. Online or off, sign up, and stay in the know!

Has expressing yourself through fashion always been your trademark? Is turning a plain T-shirt into an exciting outfit effortless for you? If you are looking for a way to express your creativity, fashion design schools may be a good choice. However, there are so many art schools from which to choose, it could be confusing and time consuming to browse aimlessly online. What makes a top fashion school? Here are some important aspects you should take into consideration when choosing a fashion school.

Fashion design is like any other kind of design; it requires solid fundamental training. Students will need to be trained for chromatics, sketching, and art history in addition to other core subjects to be prepared for advancement into the major of their choice. It is important to review an art school's foundation courses; with sound fundamentals, you will be able to move on to fashion design with confidence.

A top fashion school must allow students to be creative and be sensitive to current trends while at the same time prepare them with the artistic skills needed to realize their concept. Fashion is not just about runways and spotlights; a good fashion designer needs to know the structure of every piece of garment from the simplest skirts to a three-piece-suit. They need to know how to construct a sophisticated garment with different kinds of fabrics. That is what a top fashion school needs to prepare their students for. Basic courses required in a fashion design school are patternmaking, draping, basic design, and fashion design courses. There should also be optional courses for students with different career goals, such as fashion marketing and merchandising, textile design, men's wear, knitwear, sportswear, and even beauty and fragrance.

You may also take a look at the profile of the faculty. With a practical science like fashion design, it is good to have distinguished professionals from the industry to give students insight and first hand information from the industry. These professionals can be buyers, store managers, store planners, product developers, fashion journalists, textile designer, and of course, fashion designers.

Another good angle from which to review a top fashion school is its relationship with the industry. Every year, schools send out hundreds of graduates to the fashion industry. If the graduates perform well in their fields, these companies will welcome students to practice internships in their companies. With fields like fashion design, it is important to have the opportunities to intern. It gives you a sense of how the industry really functions and helps you determine in which area you would like to embark your career in fashion.

The fashion industry and especially the modeling industry in big cities like Toronto would not be the same if fashion photographers downed their tools and declared that fashion photography were no more. This genre is very important as it devotes itself to displaying clothing and other fashion items and trends. Fashion photography is important in the modeling industry because whenever designers need to display their collections they usually enlist the services of fashion photographers to take pictures of models dressed in their clothes. People who do not go to runaways usually get the fashion via fashion magazines as they look for trendy designs. These people would otherwise not appreciate fashion in its raw form were it not for fashion photography.

Fashion photography is an art and fashion photographers have helped designers sell their clothes and items by taking good pictures of models wearing the clothes and posing in various positions at exotic locations. When aspiring models and especially those in Toronto want to have their pictures taken, usually get fashion photographers to take their pictures. Pictures taken by fashion photographers have been known to propel the careers of some models to dizzying heights.

Some people living in cities like Toronto often wonder what the requirements needed to fulfill their aspirations to break into the industry. Since fashion photography is an art, one needs to have artistic skill to ensure efficacy in their work. A natural sense of style and a knack to portray clothes artistically are some of the necessities for one to join successfully this field. One should also have an artistic inclination in regards to composition and modeling. Ethics and etiquette are other requirements a fashion photographer should posses, as they would need to travel widely to meet many people in their line of work. An additional element needed is for one to have is technical ability; as this will help one know how to work with the equipment used for this type of activity. An entrepreneurship spirit and skills can help one get ahead in this field especially if they live in fashion cities like Toronto. Another mandatory requirement is the basic equipment for one to flourish in these endeavors. One cannot break into the field if they do not have an ideal camera.

If a person wants to break into fashion photography, one should come up with a portfolio. They can either put the work they have done in a physical portfolio or develop a portfolio website to post their work. After the putting a portfolio together, one should send them to locations such as modeling agencies and fashion magazines. Alternatively, one can enlist the services of a photo agency to market his or her pictures. One benefit of fashion photography is one gets to travel to numerous locations and meet many people. People who photography and images could find this profession a worthwhile endeavor as it would bring one satisfaction through what they love to do. This profession also pays well; fashion photography is a well paying profession. Professional fashion photographers are always on demand; thus, one will never be out of work longer than they need to be.

When you talk about fashion, it is very obvious that what you are talking about includes jewelry. Fashion in the real essence of it means almost everything you put on your body when you are on the move. Some of the other aspects of the fashion life have been seen as being very normal and traditional. They include things like your clothes, shoes and wrist watches. On the other hand things like the full-time jewelry aspect of fashion have been seen as the extraordinary side of it. This has made it that people will now consider you as having fashioned up if you have your jewelry's on.

There are a lot of wholesale fashion jewelry dealers in many locations around and they deal in lots of jewelry. You will get everything in the region of jewelry from them. You will agree with me that when it comes to the use of jewelry both for men and women, it is one of the things that you make use of in very large quantity and since these wholesale fashion jewelry sellers are there for you, you can now get sets of jewelry very cheap. There are firms that have been in the business of fashion jewelry wholesale for a very long time. It is not surprising to experience shops and organizations that have been in this for up to 25 to 30 years. What this does for them is that they have good connections and buying power and the direct implication and effect of this is that they will be able to access all the good quality fashion jewelry in very low prices and give them to you on a very low-cost. This is what wholesale fashion jewelry is all about.

Due to the fact that people who are in need of these fashion jewelry buy in large quantities, a lot of selling conditions has also been put together to give them these things in very good prices to appreciate their patronage in all fronts. Wholesale fashion jewelry dealers deal on designer look jewelry which will involve all the jewelry that comes from most of the designing firms that are in the business of churning out very good jewelry pieces for the world at large. They also deal on crystal jewelry. They also go into Christian jewelry. This means that the set of jewelry that has Christian connotations like the cross, crucifix and even the rosary are also well designed and stocked for your use. They also engage in theme bracelets and many other things you will need.

Most of the products you will get from many of the firms that are into the sale of wholesale fashion jewelry of all sorts will definitely include but not limited to wrist-watches of all makes, brands and even materials, cuff links, necklaces, rings, pendants, brooches and many others. They are always available on the stable of these firms and in most cases they also have very good shipping options to let these things get to their buyers when you order for delivery online. The next thing is that you cannot isolate fashion from jewels and that is why these jewels are made to be very fashionable and trendy. They will give you silver type of jewels, they will also give you these in gold or even diamond if you like. You will get most of the beads that are very beautiful and fashionable, designed with more natural and good-looking materials. But one thing that is very obvious with these wholesale fashion jewelry dealers is that they will definitely give you the best set of jewels with good quality.

Fashion Marketing news: A slew of studies, data, and articles seem to point out the growing success of niche sites, especially in the fashion industry. Hype or Fact? How can big online retailers and local fashion stores benefit from internet niches?

I like reading about pragmatic ideas to boost online sales of fashion goods, from apparel to accessories. I think that too much time is wasted in theorizing about internet marketing, and not acting about it.

Yet, I am going to talk about hard-core statisical studies and hype. Why?

Because I found in this month's INC. magazine an article about niche marketing that made me connect together a lot of issues facing local apparel stores as well as big online fashion retailers.

Make money online by not carrying best-sellers

First, the article titled "A world without bestsellers" dabbles with buying patterns specific to internet consumers.

These patterns make up the Long Tail. You may or you may not know about it. For a concise explanation, go the Long Tail page on Wikipedia. Let's just say that consumers can find and buy online products that a regular store could not carry. For instance, 40% of Amazon.com's book sales reportedly consist in unknown titles that your regular Barnes and Noble cannot afford to carry in the bookstore next door.

The same seem to apply to fashion goods. For instance, in the INC. article, Zappos' Tony Hsieh says that:

"Today the company sells more than three million products across 1,000 brands. The top 20 percent of products account for half of revenue, the bottom 80 percent, the other half."

So, at Zappos, the 20 best-selling items represent only 50% of the revenues. This is a far-cry from the usual 80/20 rule that usually applies offline, when the top 20 best-sellers make up 80% of the revenues. The 80/20 rule is drawn from the works of economist Pareto.

Online sales of fashion goods make Pareto Principle redundant

This is the gist of a February 2007 study called "Goodbye Pareto Principle, Hello Long Tail: The Effect of Search Costs on the Concentration of Product Sales." It was written by researchers at the Sloan School of Management at the MIT. Better, this study is based on "several years of sales data at a private-label women's clothing company that offered the same merchandise through its catalog and its Internet store."

Fashion goods are really at the forefront of this trend. Think about all the sites of the specialty sites that have sprung up, from sites selling discontinued lines of products to sites selling only to a sub-demographic. Buyers will turn to the web for hard-to-find glasses or for styles that regular retailers would deem too original to carry.

A company called Niche Retail is specialized in doing just that. The company says that they actually avoid carrying best-sellers, as big retailers can usually manage to kill the business by discounting the most sought-after items. By the way, Niche Retail's logo reprents the Long Tail graph.

Style is a personal matter. Fashion professionals did not wait for the Long Tail theory to launch niche product lines. But the internet does offer interesting further niche opportunities:

- established brands and big online retailers can find relevant niche sites for some of their product lines

- local fashion stores are indeed niches themselves; they can use the internet to get more exposure

Big brands and retailers going after niche consumers

This very site spends time presenting you new fashion blogs, new fashion sites, and new fashion communities (see Fashion 2.0). Because fashion can get very personal, it has always been a good conversation topic. Now, the internet allows you to become a fashion critique in a snap. Big fashion actors can go after these niche sites to get their attention.

For instance, niche TV channels are popping up on the internet, due to the low barrier of entry, as reported in this article of the Wall Street Journal. The newspaper gives the example of clothing chain Express sponsoring the Ford Models web tv. I would add the example of "Ask a Gay Man", the colorful and popular fashion critique show on YouTube (see my previous note on the subject), which has gotten founder William Sledd a TV deal with Bravo.

But you not have to be big to go after these niche sites. For instance, Ujeans, a made-to-order jeans company sponsors competitions on social network site StyleMob ("a new community for street fashion inspiration").

Local fashion stores are so niche

I see here a chance for local apparel stores as well: a niche can be geographic.

A local store owner may be the best person to know what senior citizens like wearing in the Boca Raton area. Why not put up a website, where you can share your expertise? When local people use Google to find information about clothes they like, they will find your website, enjoy your expertise, and visit your shop.

Marketers are encouraging local stores to go online and advertise. A book called Marketing your retail store in the internet age does a great job of giving pragmatic and inexpensive tips to local store owners. Meanwhile, Google is pushing local ads heavily. Its AdWords system allows you to display your ad only to people searching from your zip code. Moreover, Google Maps allows you to mention your store in the popular map system, so that when people search for "women's fashion, 97108", your store shows up.

No wonder that local advertising on the internet is booming. According to eMarketer, local online advertising spending in the US will reach $2.9 billion in 2007. Local search is great for a local fashion store or a geographical niche site. One of the best resources about the subject, with how-to-s and advice, is Clickz's Local Search column.

Fashion sales are booming online and online fashion marketing may be one of the hottest topics right now.

Styles change faster than the weather, making it really challenging for the average fashion diva to know which fashion trend to follow. Are the skirts long or short this season? Are we wearing the jeans with a bootcut, or are we going for the pencil style? And what about the tops to pair with the bottoms? It's enough to drive the fashion conscious mad, but fortunately, there is a solution to this fashion trend dilemma. Whether you like to get your fashion news online or in print, there are plenty of resources to alert you to the latest and greatest so you can look "in" whenever you head out.

Magazines Print magazines may seem a little passé in an electronic world, but these publications are still one of the best ways to find out which fashion trend is in and which are most definitely out. Pick up one or two at your supermarket check out the next time you are grocery shopping or browse the newsstand for some glossy selections. Many of the magazines that were popular a decade ago are still in "Vogue", so you are sure to see some familiar titles out there.

The Internet If you spend most of your day staring at a computer screen, there is no reason why you can't do it wearing the latest fashion trend. There are plenty of fabulous websites that will keep you up to date on what the fashion latest trends look like. Once you find the styles you love, you can even grab your credit card and point and click your way to a fashion spree online! To ensure that you really are looking at a latest fashion trend online, check the website for a current date for the posting.

The Television Maybe you don't want to look like a desperate housewife, but you can certainly learn "What not to Wear" from your own television set. There are plenty of great fashion reviews on the tube that will give you the latest news on the newest fashion trend, including ideas for accessorizing and where to go in all the latest fashions. Hair and makeup trends will also be reflected on this international medium.

Keeping up with the latest and greatest fashion trend might seem like more time than you have, but there are plenty of places that you can go to quickly and easily get all of the fashion news you need. Whether you prefer to curl up in front of the television or computer or with a favorite magazine, learning about fashion trends is as easy as an evening at home.

The fashion industry is one of the most fast paced industries, offering extensive job opportunities to people who are creative geniuses and have a knack for fashion. The increase in the number of schools offering courses in fashion design is an example of the potential in this field.

The courses in the fashion schools are designed to channelize the talent of the creative students in the right direction so that they can make the best use of the opportunities available. While the main objective of most fashion design schools stays the same, the curriculum may vary from place to place. Fashion design courses are more popular in top fashion destinations around the world such as Paris, New York and London.

Fashion design courses vary, depending on the type of program. These include the associate degree program or the diploma /certificate program. These fashion design programs aim at providing proficiency to the students in different streams of the fashion industry by including different courses. These are creative design, technical design, merchandizing management, and fashion marketing to equip and hone the requisite skills of the students who wish to pursue this lucrative career.

The courses are designed in such a way that the students can combine theoretical concepts with their creative ideas. These are further aligned with technical and business practices in the course.

Creation and presentation of the portfolios and conducting stage fashion shows is an integral part of the course. The courses develop the necessary skill of the students so that they can create a signature style of their own and reap the benefits of the immense potential of the fashion industry. The students are familiarized not only with the designing aspect of the apparel, but also the ways of presenting and marketing it.

Fashion design courses aim at providing the necessary skills to the students and assist them to become proactive to reap the benefit of the fast growing but extremely competitive profession.

Creative sensational from different parts of the world taking style, beauty and definition of fashion to its edge, promotional linchpin of a multibillion-dollar industry, I am talking about nothing else but Fashion Weeks. Fashion weeks are hallmarks of fashion industry to rollout the new season feel in fashion. They generally last up to a week allowing fashion designers, artists and fashion houses to display their latest collection. It hallmarks next seasons in things, that's why it is very important for buyers, media, celebrities and entertainment industry who take that fashion among the general public.

The most famous fashion weeks are held at Fashion Mecca Paris, Milan, London and New York. Since the new millennium fashion weeks are held in different parts of the world to put the local fashion on the world map and making a packed fashion calendar throughout the year. A refreshing sense of national identity and pride has emerged from the achievements of fashion sector - something that was otherwise traditionally been restricted to feats of sporting prowess, adding that its benefits go well beyond the fashion world (Emling 2006).

Fashion weeks are held several months in advance giving chance to designers, media and buyers to preview the trend for the next season. Fashion weeks are bi-annual events; the fashion weeks conducted between January and March are called "fall fashion weeks" whereas the one conducted in September through November are called "Spring Fashion Weeks". Some fashion weeks can be genre-specific, such as a Miami Fashion Week (Swimwear), Prêt-a-Porter (ready-to-wear) Fashion Week, Couture (one-of-a-kind designer original) Fashion Week, Palm Springs Fashion Week (Resort Collections) and Bridal Fashion Week.

History

Omission of fashion week history would be curious at this point of time. Let me throw some light on that. Edna Woodman Chase--former editor of Vogue organized "Fashion Fete," in 1914 to benefit the war-relief effort which is often apocryphally called the first fashion show ever. By the 1920s, the fashion show had gone mainstream. Early shows were often more theatrical than those of today.

Fashion stylists are indispensable for celebrities, fashion models and actors. Today, with people busy with their careers, we find many individuals too opting for the services of stylists. Most of us are fashion conscious today and want to look our best during all occasions. This is one of the reasons why a lot of individuals too are increasingly opting for the services of fashion and image consultants.

Fashion consultants work in close coordination with their clients to prepare them for events such as cat walk, fashion shoot, movie shoot or fashion show. They efficiently integrate their unique personalities with the right choice of clothes and accessories. Fashion stylists work in close association with leading fashion designers, expert hair stylists and makeup artists. Some stylists are adept at hair styling too and work on their client's hair to offer stunning results.

These stylists help with their client's clothes and accessories shopping choosing the right designs and colors. They fine tune and equip their wardrobes with clothes that exactly suit different occasions. This is the reason why they are also known as personal shoppers.

People who have been worked on by expert fashion stylists stand out among crowd and are the centre of attraction wherever they go. They exude confidence and charm and are always poised and self assured. They are examples of high fashion superbly guided by their stylists who help them keep pace with the ever changing fashion trends.

Every successful stylist has their own fashion website to make it easy for clients to contact them. To be a professional fashion stylist is a highly demanding job which requires you to be focused and dedicated. Only a deep passion for designing and styling can make you a reputed and successful stylist.

If you have the flair for it, you can either be a freelance, self taught professional or can opt for a degree from a reputed fashion institute. It greatly helps to do an internship under well known fashion stylists before venturing on your own. This will help you learn the nuances and tricks of the trade and learn all about the industry in-depth.

You must be prepared to face clients who are highly demanding and insist on perfection. If you work for fashion models on an everyday basis, then you must be prepared to deal with last minute highly stressful situations.

A stylist working for a television or movie production unit must be adept at selecting, planning and preparing items that are exactly suited to each setting and situation. The overall theme must be kept in mind before choosing the right clothes and accessories. Most importantly, all this has to be done keeping the budget in focus.

Fashion stylists must also keep pace with the current and latest fashion trends. Your key to success is in how expertly you integrate the personality and looks of your clients with the existing fashion sense.

Expert fashion stylists will be able to make last minute fix ups and swift alterations to dropped hems or split seams. They will be able to give focused attention to detail and will be highly knowledgeable on the current fashion trends.

There are numerous stylists in this industry and in order to survive the competition and establish your presence as reputed fashion stylists, you must have determination, focus and most importantly a deep passion for your job.

The term 'fashion' refers to a dominant mode of expression. Although the term 'fashion' can apply to a wide range of fields, from interior design and architecture to economics and technology, many people associate fashion with clothing. What a certain culture understands by fashion is goodness and beauty. What goes by these criteria will therefore be fashionable. What doesn't fit in that particular mode of expression will be considered unfashionable. When used, the word 'fashion' usually has a positive meaning and is frequently associated with the concepts of style and glamour. However, when referring to a person as being materialistic or trendy, the term 'fashion' has a negative connotation.

The idea of making a statement through fashion goes back to the sixteenth century in Europe, so we can say that fashion is more than four centuries old. Still, what most people understand by fashion - expression through clothes - only began to express itself in the eighteenth century on the old continent.

Fashion varies depending on many factors, among which the most important are time and society. How fashion changes over time is more than obvious. Young and people have distinct concepts of fashion. Their perceptions of fashion are not interchangeable, as everyone knows it would be ridiculous to see an old man dressed in a young man's clothes and the other way around. There are also multiple perceptions of fashion within a society, according to age, occupation, generation, social class and so on.

The most prominent feature of fashion is that it is constantly subjected to change. Not too many people regard this constant change as productive, since it encourages consumers to purchase things unnecessarily, just out of the pleasure of constantly experiencing something interesting and new.

As far as clothes are concerned, how can we decide what is fashionable what is unfashionable? How do we decide what to wear? Do we go by the latest fashion trends and become fashion victims, or do we stick to what we know looks good on us? Tough choice! The idea of fashion in the 21st century refers mostly to high-heeled shoes, handbags, sports suits, designer jeans and ripped jeans.

Jeans are a choice for many people, as they are easy to suit, practical and comfortable. Although most of the jeans are made from denim, they may also come in a variety of other fabrics. Jeans are most popular with teenagers, but they are now gaining popularity with other age categories as well. At their origin, the jeans were work clothes, but they began to be worn outside work places at the middle of the 20th century when they became popular among other social categories.

When most people think of jeans, they think of a casual way of dressing. The choice of color and style is a very wide one. Nowadays jeans come in so many styles that it is virtually impossible not to find at least one pair of jeans that will suit you perfectly.
But jeans don't vary on color alone. There are also various types of jeans according to the fits. The jeans fits can go from straight or loose to slim, baggy or skinny, from high-waisted to superlow-waisted.

One thing's for sure, jeans will never be unfashionable. A certain style will always be developed in order to keep up with the latest trends in fashion. So, if you want to be fashionable, but also comfortable, a pair of jeans is a safe choice.

It is the augmentation in fashion trends in India that revolutionized the merchandising system in retail industry. Brands in apparel, textiles, jewelry, accessories, footwear, cosmetics and salons raised the business more than Rs 40,000 crore.

The Indian retail market is evolving rapidly. It is palpable that now Indian retail industry requires lots more of fashion. The organized retailing is developing at breakneck speed. It is amicable to all that fashion is a vital part of both the retail industry as well as the brands. Fashion has led the retail industry boom and it has sustained its dominance in every malls, markets and stores.

Since the spread-out of malls is increasing, the major issue will be how to organize fashion retails industry, has potential of making Rs 50,000cr business by the year 2007. Indian retail would cover-up 50mn sq ft by 2007 of sales space countrywide, and nearly 50 % of the total space would be assigned for fashion retailing. It is anticipated that about Rs 20,000cr retail sales would be coming-in from the fashion retailing. A population of over one billion, a massive consumer class, India is considered as the most preferred destinations for investments.

Apparel and textiles makes the biggest segment in retailing sectors, and if we accumulate all the other related segments such as jewelry, cosmetics, watches, health & beauty care etc at one single platform, then fashion would account nearly 60 % of the total retail sector.

With radically changing fashion and retail industry, the Indian consumers are facing considerable transformation. With an increase income levels and increasing attitude "LOOK GOOD - FEEL GOOD", fashion is offering huge potential to penetrate deeper into the untouched Indian markets.

Fashions will account nearly 95% in total sales in the department stores, while in hypermarkets such as Big Bazaar the share could be about 70%. Fashion apparel has been the significant segment in the terms of evolution in Indian retail industry, not due to its size but the way it has influenced lifestyle of the Indian people. It was apparel that led multi-national brands to explore and invest in the Indian market, which led the ball rolling to rearrange the retail industry.

Few key factors that shaped the fashion retail industry are listed below:

. Massive spread-out of the malls, hyper markets and supermarkets throughout the country, even in non-metro cities.

. Mergers and acquisitions, which let huge brands to participate in the local market.

. The advantages by the elimination of global textile quotas in 2005.

. Expansion strategies of brands and retailers.

. Many international brands march into domestic markets.

. Many brands performed well in the mass segment.

. Boom in luxury retail segment.

. Indian fashion designers marked their names at International platforms.

. Considerable expenditure on ad and marketing by apparel brands.

. Enhanced merchandising let the companies to enhance consumer relations.

Few points on which retailers and brands should mull over:

. Collaborative tie-ups with non-competent services providers and brands.

. Offer value-added products, not cash discounts.

. Offer uniform sizing throughout the country.

. Offer personalized services.

. Concentrate on particular buyer or market segment. Take action to fulfill the demands.

. Try to become exclusive stores for specific brands and adopt shop-in-shop system.

. Place well behaved, polite and trained sales staff to manage counters.

. Go for organized merchandising format for your company.

. Avoid offering all at once. Introduce products assortments in a phase manner with latest trends.

. Try to get feedback from the consumer on "What they want?"

Review of some of the retail industry players on the attained targets and their wishes for the current year:

Benetton

Achieved Target:

. Successfully reestablished its place in the market, with opening 22 stores.

. Higher development - In fact the highest of all segments and categories.

. Enhanced brand image from small to huge format flagship.

Wishes

. People should enhance living standard, moving to mono-brand from multi-brand outlets.

. Excellent training and salaries to sales staff and be more mass-oriented.

. Expand in 5 lakh plus towns, providing similar buying experience.

. Looking for continues support from the consumers and to emerge as fastest evolving brand.

. To enhance team's performance in coming years.

Blackberrys

Achieved targets:

. Take a lead in the dress-up segment that features dressing for occasion, success etc in trousers, and also in men's suits.

. Concentrated on top around 70 MBOs and trying to deliver better.

. Enhancing perform of team - planning to establish systems to make them more productive and glad.

Wishes:

. To implement system for on-time deliveries.

. To put scissors on product assortment in terms of the number of styles - which will led company to serve better to fewer customers.

. Excellent outsourcing with making dedicated team to take care of it.

Forbes Gokak

Achieved Targets:

. In a span of less than two years, Daks brand has been successful to hit the Indian market despite of being a foreign brand.

. Managed tie-up arrangements for manufacturing Daks brand in India and Central Europe.

. Also signed agreements for Trussardi and Savile Row.

Wishes:

. To be a front runner in the Indian apparel market.

. To add 25 more stores.

. Allure entire high-end women class to wear Trussardi.

. Enhance sales staff performance.

Gini & Jony

Achieved Targets:

. Signed agreement with Reliance

. Signed license agreement for its kidswear brand 'Levi's Sykes'.

. Increased production capacities at Daman and Baddi.

Wishes:

. To get recognition as global brand in the international market.

. To create a different brand identity for all in related segments.

. Establish entire lifestyle stores for kids, under the brand Gini & Jony

. Pull down custom duties on accessories and fabrics etc.

Modelama Exports

Achieved Targets:

. Expanded product assortment mix and added knits, which was entirely woven product base before.

. Arranged tie-ups with some global brands, such as J Jill, Tommy Hilfiger, Hugo Boss and Marks & Spencer.

. Increased capacity to attain a 40% growth rate comparing to the previous year.

Wishes:

. To train workers (sewing, inspection and finishing).

. To work close with fashion institutes like NIFT to revise and develop fashion trends.

. To introduce a brand, which is competitive, enduring and reliable product.

. To introduce specialized product assortment, featuring all-weather conditioner and change character consequently to match the consumer demands.

. To develop a stage where high-tech technology is available to small and medium scale producers so that they can enhance quality standards.

Pantaloons

Achieved Targets

. Started Asset Management Companies.

. Launched Big Bazaars in remote towns like Sangli.

Wishes:

. Reaching a target business of two and a half thousand crores in 2006-07 fiscal.

. Identify and present the consumers' fashion requirement.

. Dominate the in all fashion segments like lifestyle, premium and value.

. Introduce or acquire new brands in fashion.

. To rope-in best fashion industry veterans.

Piramyd

Achieved Targets:

. Emerged steadily in the market - launched stores at Ahmedabad and Ludhiana, and planning three more in coming months.

. Introduced new brand "Trumart" with three stores in Mumbai and four in Pune.

. The IPO got oversubscribed by nearly 12 times that generated about Rs 108 crore.

Wishes:

. To Launch FDI for least lifestyle retail, this will lead Indian fashion designers to think globally.

. Create enhanced retail space for high-end retail.

. To make Fashion Alliance more practical and a reality to make sure that it gains momentum.

. To make fashion more affordable with a better ambience.

Raymond

Achieved Targets:

. Launched EBOs for all brands.

. Successfully introduced new product assortment such as non-iron shirt in Park Avenue and new suit ranges to uphold brand image.

. Also introduced the womenswear and kidswear collection.

Wishes:

. To launch a magazine on fashion.

. Begin a fashion week.

. Expand in US market.

. To launch a website that talks about lifestyle and fashion.

Sports Station

Achieved Targets:

. Successfully introduced two brands: H2O Plus and CPS Clothing.

. In a move to concentrate on expansion and new concepts for brands, the company has signed agreements with global brands such as Nike and Levi's.

. Launched MBO for leather shoes "Shoe Tree."

Wishes:

. To present new concept, where both international and local brands can be presented under single roof.

. Expand product assortment in luxury, premium and affordable segments.

. Duty validation, especially in footwear which is at a 12.5 % as compared to apparel which is at only 4 %.

. Validating countervailing duty (CVD) which is at of 60 %.

Fashion, the world without it would be so bland, so dull, so colorless. Fashion is defined by many to be the trend or just anything stylish. It is the hip looks youngsters wear. Well, it may be all of that, but now it has emerged as a multi-million dollar industry. The fashion industry comprises of designers, models, photographers, magazines, makeup artists, event planners, and what not.

Fashion has captivated modern society in a stance. Everyone wants to know the latest trend and own the most fashionable item. They do so mostly by firstly following fashion and keeping themselves up to date about the latest style, and then avidly adopting the trend. Some of the methods to keep up to date with fashion is to watch celebrities and other fashion icons, go through the fashion magazines and keep track of the latest collections by designers. But by far the quickest way to see the new trend coming is by attending fashion shows.

A fashion show is an event where models display a designer's latest collection on the ramp. A fashion week is nonstop extravaganza for a whole week cramp packed with the latest fashion collections by multiple designers. It is most awaited event in the fashion world. Now, the fashion capitals of each country hold their own fashion weeks. The most popular, more commonly known as "the Big Four", fashion weeks are held in Paris, Milan, London and New York twice a year.

So, we wonder, from where does this fashionable affair start? Like all other inventions, in this case too, the mother happens to be necessity. As war waged across Europe, and stopped many aspects of life, it also hindered fashion. It dates back to 1943 when the World War 2 was at its fullest atrocity. Fashion gurus from around the world were unable to come to France to see and appreciate Paris's latest designs. This was thought as an opportunity for designers elsewhere to showcase their collections. Thus, the first fashion week was arranged in New York by Eleanor Lamber. It was called the Press Week and after it there was no looking back.

This idea became very popular and since then fashion weeks are becoming the most awaited event of the fashionista world. Designers from clothes, to accessories, to shoes say that events such as the fashion week, not only give boost to their business but also provide an opportunity for displaying their aesthetic obsessions on the ramp.  

We generally adore people who know their body well and wear clothes accordingly. These are the people with great fashion sense. Some clothes suit a particular set of people, while they might not look good on others. So fashion is a very individual statement as it is nothing but just a reflection of your personality and thought.

To have a good judgment of fashion, one should go for a variety of getups and ask for feedbacks from the people around. This may bring you faith in yourself and the clothes you are wearing. Many people who are confident of themselves and their choice of fashion and do not want others to decide for their fashion statement, can go for what they like. The only important thing for ones fashion viewpoint is the way a person carries ones self. The wackiest of clothes as per one person can become the perfect fashion stroke for others.

The approach of goth and emo.

These days, certain section of the society, especially the teenagers and the kids are drifted towards this new approach called Goth or Emo. Emo means emotional, which represents teen agony, weirdness, peculiarity, fetish and eccentricity. This style puts forward, enormous sum of black garments, ragged fishnet stockings, black hair and makeup. This style is no more just feminine but attracts a lot of men these days. These men are very fashion conscious and are ready to put on makeup and loud accessories. This style of fashion can only be a magnet for the people who are into Emo music and dramatics and understand its pain and feel.

About the preppy.

There is another style of fashion which is known as preppy. This is a young, adorable look, most popular among the school and college going kids. This fashion style depicts ones concern and apprehension for ones clothes. These clothes are very efficient, well ironed and clean. People who are sensitive and refined prefer this kind of fashion.

Emo and preppy are the two extremes of fashion. One being very loud and vindictive and the other one is simple and polite. One can stay in between and enjoy the familiarity of both the worlds. One can also go in for a complete mad experience by experimenting with fashion which is entirely ones own. This style is called the go wild fashion. A lot of new styles can be created by doing mix and match, combining different fashion styles and putting them collectively in an amusing fashion. Make your imagination as your fashion statement. If you do not understand this, try surfing the internet for online fashion.

These days internet provides you with plenty of online fashion websites which give you the prototype of most up-to-date fashion trends and moods. These online websites can give u clues of different tricks, guidelines and ideas of combining styles to create your own identity of fashion. This kind of an approach can lead you to the creation of wonderful fashion, fascinating many people and inviting a lot of praise and compliments.

Fashion is a manner of communicating your inner self through clothes. Apparel frequently symbolizes a specific style or era and each year fashion designers attempt to contribute and produce new trends that can depict the time of the present year and hopefully create a milestone in history forever.

There are numerous fashion styles through, which we remember a time period. Those fashions constantly live on since they were highly successful and frequently in a classic way which perpetually was and will be everlasting.

There are numerous of us who desire to put on what is in fashion at any expense; not only in the current year but every single season: spring, summer, fall and winter. Nevertheless, there is one matter we do not hesitate to look at, which the most significant affair in fashion is: does the fashion style accommodate us.

How Do You Recognize If a Fashion Style Becomes You?

It is really uncomplicated; clothes are normally fashioned with varied types of silhouettes in mind and despite the fact that we are no fashion models from the runway, we must contemplate the following prior to selecting a fashion style: height, weight and skin tone. All things in fashion is chosen to match and put forward a individual's quality characteristics forward and in order for you to put yours, you essentially need to be conscious of your body and skin tone.

Your height and weight will decide whether you should pick out fashion styles that apply short or long skirts or dresses as each one can accentuate a aspect of your body. Your skin tone will define what color clothes you should select and that as well is instantly connected to fashion styles as some designers make particular colors only.

It is significant you be your own judge and friend in order that you will be capable of picking out the most effective fashion styles that will bring out your best characteristics and hence, give you your money's worth. What benefit is there to wear something that is the newest fashion yet does not accommodate your style and identity?

Should You Break with Fashion Rules?

Fashion styles should exclusively be picked for your tastes since you appear good in them and not because they are in style at the moment. Also always be mindful that if you cannot have on the in style fashion design since you find it absurd, you can always wear something classic as it is perpetually in style and it accommodates everybody without exception. If you do not recognize what colors to wear for a crucial fashion meeting, always stick with black and white as they are classic and constantly in style.