Disney and Olivia von Halle launch collection inspired by 'Maleficent’

Luxury British sleepwear brand Olivia von Halle has teamed up with Disney to launch a 15-piece capsule collection inspired by the studio’s 'Maleficent: Mistress of Evil' film.

The collection, which is Olivia von Halle’s first to be inspired by a movie, takes inspiration from its lead characters - Maleficent played by Angelina Jolie and Aurora played by Elle Fanning - and plays on the female lead's contrasting personalities.

Pieces inspired by Maleficent, the villain of the film, include the brand’s cult Coco pyjama reimagined in silk velvet and embellished with black Swarovski buttons and a large scale embroidered wing motif; a slip dress in a feathered silk devore fabric; and a dramatic floor-length black crepe-de-chine gown with a faux feather cape.

In contrast, pieces inspired by Aurora, the hero of the film, are feminine and ethereal. Items include the brand's most popular ‘Lila’ pyjama and ‘Queenie’ robe printed with a lilac floral 'Apple Blossom' print; a delicate floor-length silk organza dress with puff sleeves; and a whimsical short style with pearl button detailing and intricate floral embroidery.

"Growing up with Disney, I found from an early age that the characters I was drawn to the most were the villains, the rebels, the rule-breakers,” fashion designer and founder of her eponymous brand, von Halle, said in a statement. “They were dangerous, interesting, had depth to their characters - and were so glamorous and well dressed! Women are complex and powerful and I believe that we all have a Maleficent and an Aurora within us, and I wanted to create a collection that would enable women to explore and embrace these contrasting sides of their personalities."

Olivia von Halle x Disney Maleficent: Mistress of Evil will be available to buy in October exclusively at Net-a-Porter.com, OliviavonHalle.com and 190 Pavilion Road, London. Disney Maleficent: Mistress of Evil releases 18 October worldwide.

Photo courtesy of Business Wire

* This article was originally published here

Madewell partners with thredUp to contribute to the circularfashion economy as IPO nears

New York - Anne Crisafulli, SVP of Merchandising at Madewell, explains to FashionUnited that “Our teams work to integrate sustainable practices at every step of our denim’s lifespan, whether you’re purchasing a new pair of jeans that are made at a sustainable factory or recycling old ones through our longstanding recycling program with Blue Jeans Go Green.”

“By partnering with thredUP, a leader in circularity and the fashion resale space, we're able to encourage our customer to buy pre-owned and keep our denim in circulation longer,” further adds Crisafulli.

Madewell keeps strengthening its competitive differentiators as prepares to go public

Madewell shows thus their committed to employing sustainable practices across their business and recognising the practice of circularity as an important way to lessen waste and environmental impact.

J Crew Group’s denim brand Madewell has announced a partnership with thredUp to offer ‘The Madewell Archive,’ a curated selection of pre-owned Madewell jeans.

The idea is to further extend the lifespan of Madewell denim. ‘The Madewell Archive’ is available in select stores in Austin, Chicago, Nashville and NYC starting on October, 14 and will hit California’s stores on November, 1.

Featuring a carefully curated selection of Madewell’s favorite past styles that have been rerouted from thredUP, each pair has been hand-selected, washed and refurbished, then placed back into Madewell stores for customers to purchase and keep in circulation longer. Each pair will be available for 50 dollars.

Image courtesy of Madewell.

* This article was originally published here

Elahe to open new multi-brand boutique in Kolkata

Multi-brand luxury Indian fashion retailer Elahe opened a boutique in Kolkata on September 30 as it gears up to celebrate its 20th birthday. The designers whose creations feature in the new store include: Amit Aggarwal, Anavila, Kora, Myoho, Raw Mango, Payal Khandwala, Chola, Eka, Kaveri, Jayanti Reddy, Nakul Sen, Payal Pratap, Vipul Shah, and Vivek Narang among others. The boutique carries a similar brand selection in its original Hyderabad store.

The new store’s interior is light and modern, mixing off white walls and flooring with an open, natural wood staircase. Textile art adorns the walls and large chandeliers hang from the store’s high ceiling. An array of opulent traditional wear for the current festive season takes centre stage and the space houses the full spectrum of contemporary Indian fashion design.

Elahe was founded by Elahe Hiptoolah and opened in its first incarnation Hyderabad in the mid-1990s. After Hiptoolah moved on to become a film producer, the boutique was taken over by current owners Smita and Rajiv Shroff in 2000.

* This article was originally published here

Puma, Balmain and Cara Delevingne collab on limited-edition capsule collections

German sportswear brand Puma, French luxury fashion house Balmain and Britsh actor and model Cara Delevingne are teaming up for their first creative collaboration.

Puma x Balmain created with Cara Delevingne, which launches on 21 November, will come in the form of two limited-edition capsule collections designed by Balmain’s creative director Olivier Rousteing and Delevingne. The capsule also marks the first time Delevingne has designed a collection for Puma since she joined the brand in 2016.

The collections include pieces inspired by traditional boxing gear infused with Parisian couture and comprises bra tops, boxing shorts, and sneakers. It features a stark colour palette of reds, blacks and blues with touches of gold and other design elements straight out of Balmain’s atelier.

One of the two collections, made up of footwear, apparel and accessories, will be produced by Puma and stocked in the brand’s own stores and website, as well as at select independent retailers; a selection of these items will also be stocked in Balmain’s boutiques.

The second collection of six items, produced and distributed by Balmain, will be shown as part of the Parisian house’s Spring 2020 designs and will be carried at Balmain addresses worldwide and on its online store. Select retail partners will also carry items from the collection.

Commenting on the collaboration in a statement, Olivier Rousteing said: “Cara is a good friend, and this is the fruit of a shared vision. Everyone involved - Puma, Balmain, Cara and me - was determined to create something timeless. Above all, we knew that our message needed to be a strong one, reflecting exactly who we are and what we believe in.”

Bjoern Gulden, CEO of Puma, commented: “Working with one of our longest standing and iconic partners, Cara Delevingne, and marrying her vision with that of Balmain, such an iconic fashion label, was a huge achievement. To be able to mix Puma’s sport heritage with Balmain’s historic couture legacy really took this collection to the next level. We look forward to continuing a partnership with both Cara and Balmain in the future."

Delevingne added: “Puma has always represented teamwork and empowerment so the idea of doing a partnership with Olivier seemed very fitting. Balmain has a similar brave fierceness to their brand as Puma does and it really excited me to think of what we could all do together. I’m really proud of what this collaboration has resulted in.”

The collection is also accompanied by a boxing-inspired, interactive campaign starring Delevingne and shot by Brianna Capozzi with creative direction by Philippa Price.