Chanel: The Great, The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

We're here again for an another version of The Great, The Good, The Bad and The Ugly this time we will feature another very famous luxury house Chanel. If you want to see the first one please look for the same title and I featured Louis Vuitton on the previous one. So Let's start!






Chanel Logo





Chanel S.A.  is a French, privately held company owned by Alain and Gerard Wertheimer, grandsons of Pierre Wertheimer, who was an early business partner of the couturière Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel. Chanel S.A. is a high fashion house that specializes in haute couture and ready-to-wear clothes, luxury goods and fashion accessories.


Women Handbags


The Great:

























Chanel Small Grey Micro Chevron Boy Bag ($ 4,700)


Chanel Small Grey Micro Chevron Boy Bag is a very nice bag, it is not your typical Chanel bag. It is from the Fall/Winter 2014 Act 1 Collection.




The Good:



Chanel WOC Clutch Bag Sevruga ($ 1,150)



The Chanel Wallet on a Chain or WOC is the clutch purse that is portable and easy to carry when you only want to hold a few things at a time. Comes in a variety of the styles included “classic quilt“, “timeless classic” and “half-moon” style. The clutch purse also comes in different materials such as lambskin, caviar or patent leather, with a choice of encrusted CC logo, large embossed CC logo and even multicolore CC. 

Maybe it's one of the most common Chanel bags around but still it is a very sheek and elegant purse.




The Bad:





Chanel Black Grand Shopping Tote Bag ($ 2,900)


The Chanel Grand Shopping Tote is as much a classic as the 2.55 Quilted Flap bag. It features the signature double chain handles with large CC on the quilted exterior. Comes in silver and gold hardware with leather padding on the chained handles.   The bag comes in a variety of materials including lambskin, caviar, patent and metallic leather. It’s also been spotted in multiple colors; however, one can never go wrong with the classic black.

Just Get rid of the big Chanel logo and it will be better.


The Ugly:



Chanel Hula Hoop Bag ($ 2,700/ 3,100)



Introducing the Chanel Hula Hoop Bag. Officially called the Wind Power Bag, this was first seen at the Chanel Spring / Summer 2013 Runway show back in October. Made of lambskin leather, the classic flap bag is attached into two hula hoops that serves as a handle for the bag. It features the signature flap and CC closure in silver hardware. It’s the hottest accessory for Spring and is available in red, yellow, blue and white.

Seriously? o.0

Cartier: The Jewel of France

Cartier Logo



Cartier designs, manufactures, distributes and sells jewellery and watches. Founded in Paris, France in 1847 by Louis-François Cartier, the company remained under family control until 1964. The company maintains its headquarters in Paris and is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Compagnie Financière Richemont SA.

Cartier is well known for its jewellery and wrist watches, including the "Bestiary" (best illustrated by the Panthère brooch of the 1940s created for Wallis Simpson), the diamond necklace created for Bhupinder Singh the Maharaja of Patiala and the first practical wristwatch, the "Santos," of 1904.



Cartier Santos Watch



Cartier has a long history of sales to royalty and celebrities.  King Edward VII of England referred to Cartier as "the jeweller of kings and the king of jewellers." For his coronation in 1902, Edward VII ordered 27 tiaras and issued a royal warrant to Cartier in 1904. Similar warrants soon followed from the courts of Spain, Portugal, Russia, Siam, Greece, Serbia, Belgium, Romania, Egypt, Albania, Monaco, and the House of Orleans.



King Edward VII's consort Queen Alexandra wearing Cartier



Louis-François Cartier founded Cartier in Paris in 1847 when he took over the workshop of his master. In 1874, Louis-François' son Alfred Cartier took over the company, but it was Alfred's sons Louis, Pierre and Jacques, who were responsible for establishing the brand name worldwide.

In 1904, the Brazilian pioneer aviator, Alberto Santos-Dumont complained to his friend Louis Cartier of the unreliability and impracticality of using pocket watches while flying. Cartier designed a flat wristwatch with a distinctive square bezel. This watch was liked by not only Santos-Dumont but also many other customers. Thus the "Santos" was born. This was Cartier's first men's wristwatch.

Louis retained responsibility for the Paris branch, moving to the Rue de la Paix in 1899. He was responsible for some of the company's most celebrated designs, like the mystery clocks (a type of clock with a transparent dial and so named because its mechanism is hidden), fashionable wristwatches and exotic orientalist Art Deco designs, including the colorful "Tutti Frutti" jewels.




Cartier Tutti Frutti Necklace



In 1907, Cartier signed a contract with Edmond Jaeger, who agreed to exclusively supply the movements for Cartier watches. By this time, Cartier had branches in London, New York and St. Petersburg and was quickly becoming one of the most successful watch companies in the world. The Baignoire and Tortue models (both of which are still in production today) were introduced in 1912, followed by the Tank model in 1917. This, designed by Louis Cartier, was inspired from the newly introduced tanks on the Western Front. This line too has survived, with over thirty varieties made since.

In the early 1920s, Cartier formed a joint company with Edward Jaeger (of Jaeger-LeCoultre) to produce movements solely for Cartier. Thus was the European watch and clock company born, although Cartier continued to use movements from other makers. Cartier watches can be found with movements from Vacheron Constantin, Audemars-Piguet, Movado and LeCoultre. It was also during this period that Cartier began adding its own reference numbers to the watches it sold, usually by stamping a four-digit code on the underside of a lug. Jacques took charge of the London operation and eventually moved to the current address at New Bond Street.

Pierre Cartier established the New York City branch in 1909, moving in 1917 to 653 Fifth Avenue, the Neo-Renaissance mansion of Morton Freeman Plant (son of railroad tycoon Henry B. Plant) and designed by architect C.P.H. Gilbert. Cartier acquired the mansion from the Plants in exchange for $100 in cash and a double-stranded natural pearl necklace valued at the time at $1 million.



Cartier Flagship Store in New York



Among the Cartier team was Charles Jacqueau, who joined Louis Cartier in 1909 for the rest of his life, and Jeanne Toussaint, who was Director of Fine Jewellery from 1933. After the death of Pierre in 1964, Jean-Jacques Cartier (Jacques's son), Claude Cartier (Louis's son), and Marionne Claudelle (Pierre's daughter) — who respectively headed the Cartier affiliates in London, New York and Paris — sold the businesses.

In 1972, a group of investors led by Joseph Kanoui bought Cartier Paris. President Robert Hocq, who created the phrase "Les Must de Cartier" (a staff member is said to have said "Cartier, It's a must!" meaning something one simply must have) with Alain Dominique Perrin, General Director, began introducing new products. In 1974 and 1976 respectively, the group repurchased Cartier London and Cartier New York. In 1979, the Cartier interests were combined, "Cartier Monde" uniting and controlling Cartier Paris, London and New York.

Cartier merged in 1981 with "Les Must de Cartier", and Perrin was appointed Chairman of Cartier SAA and Cartier International. The next year, Micheline Kanoui assumed responsibility for jewellery design and launched her first collection "Nouvelle Joaillerie". In 1984, Perrin founded the "Fondation Cartier pour l'art Contemporain" (the Cartier Foundation of Contemporary Art) to bring Cartier into the twenty-first century, by forming an association with living artists.



Les Must de Cartier ring



In 1986, the French Ministry for Culture appointed Perrin head of the "Mission sur le mecenat d'entreprise" (a commission to study business patronage of the arts). Two years later, Cartier acquired a majority holding in Piaget and Baume & Mercier. In 1989/1990 the Musee du Petit Palais staged the first major exhibition of the Cartier collection, "l'Art de Cartier".



L'Art De Cartier



Perrin founded an international committee in 1991, Comite International de la Haute Horlogerie, to organise its first salon, held on 15 April 1991. This has become an annual meeting place in Geneva for professionals. The next year, the second great exhibition of "l'Art de Cartier" was held at the Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg. In 1993, the "Vendome Luxury Group" was formed as an umbrella company to combine Cartier, Alfred Dunhill, Montblanc, Piaget, Baume & Mercier, Karl Lagerfeld, Chloé, Sulka, Hackett, Seeger.



Richemont Luxury Group



In 1994, the Cartier Foundation moved to the Rive Gauche and opened a headquarters in a building designed for it by Jean Nouvel. Following the accidental death of Robert Hocq in December of that year, his sister, Brigitte Hocq, became chairman. Joseph Kanoui became vice president of Cartier Monde. The next year, a major exhibition of the Cartier Antique Collection was held in Asia. In 1996, the Lausanne Hermitage Foundation in Switzerland hosted the exhibition "Splendours of the Jewellery", presenting a hundred and fifty years of products by Cartier. As of 2012, Cartier is owned, through Richemont, by the South African Rupert family and 24 year-old who is the granddaughter of Pierre Cartier, Elle Pagels.




Cartier operates more than 200 stores in 125 countries, with five flagship stores world-wide:

• Paris - 13, Rue de la Paix
• London - 175-177 New Bond Street
• New York - 653 Fifth Avenue
• Tokyo -　Minami Aoyama
• Shanghai - Bund 18, 1st East ZhongShan Road

In September 2008, Cartier opened its first flagship store in Seoul, South Korea, named Cartier Maison located in Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam-gu, with its facade inspired by Korean Bojagi wrapping cloth. Helmed by Managing Director Philippe Galtie, he said at the time of opening that it was the seventh largest in the world.

Collections
The product range of Cartier includes watches, leather goods and accessories. Each product is sold as part of a collection. The collections are:

Happy Birthday
Trinity de Cartier
LOVE
Panthère de Cartier
Santos de Cartier
Caresse d'orchidées par Cartier
Tank Française
Pasha de Cartier
Collection les must*
Paris Nouvelle Vague




Panthere de Cartier Bracelet




Cartier Love Bracelet




Cartier Paris Nouvelle Vague Ring



Watches

 The classic collections are:

Calibre de Cartier
Pasha de Cartier
Ligne 21 de Cartier
Tank
Santos de Cartier
Baignoire
Tonneau
Ballon Bleu de Cartier




Calibre de Cartier Watch




Cartier Tank Watch




Cartier Baignoire Watch




Leather goods



Cartier Messenger Bag




Cartier Handbag




Accessories



Cartier Sunglasses

Vertu Launches Vertu for Bentley

Luxury smartphone brand Vertu has revealed its first in a series of five collaborations with Bentley, and it’s a special edition of the Signature Touch, which launched earlier this year. The phone is being referred to as the “Vertu for Bentley,” and like various brand tie-ups we've seen in the past, it comes with exclusive content, a few special features, and a collaborative design package.






Bentley has worked with Vertu to subtly modify the Signature Touch’s design, but you’re going to need a keen eye and a familiarity with the original phone to spot all the alterations. Most obviously, the leather rear panel has been covered in Newmarket Tan quilted calf leather, with diamond patterning; a classic Bentley combination. The central titanium panel has a beautiful engine-turned finish, and knowing Vertu, this will be the real deal, not just a look.











Flip it over, and a metal Bentley badge sits below the stereo speakers, while the “pillow,” which surrounds the earpiece has been redesigned, although the difference is minimal. Switch the phone on, and in addition to the usual Concierge, Life, and Certainty apps, there’s a new Vertu for Bentley app. This assumes you own a Bentley – in particular the Flying Spur – and comes with remote features for the car, plus dealership details, and recommended driving routes.






Any special edition smartphone wouldn't be complete without a host of specially created wallpapers, themes, and animations. Sure enough, they’re all included here. Finally, a matching leather slip case is included in the box. Underneath all this appears to be a standard Signature Touch. This means a 4.7-inch, 1080p display, a Snapdragon 801 with 2GB of RAM, a 13-megapixel rear camera, and Android 4.4 KitKat. There’s also wireless charging as standard, plus 4G LTE connectivity.



















The Vertu for Bentley phone is a true limited edition. Only 2,000 will be produced, and to secure one you’ll need around $16,500, or 12,500 euros ready and waiting in the bank. Pricey, but it would certainly go very well with your Bentley, if you’re lucky enough to have one parked outside.

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ITALIAN MUSCLE: LIMITED EDITION FERRARI F60AMERICA

To celebrate its 60th year in North America, Ferrari has looked to its 1950s and 1960s tradition of producing strictly limited edition, built-to-order cars. The end result is the highly exclusive F60America, of which only 10 will be produced. The car was recently unveiled at the anniversary gala dinner held at Beverly Hills City Hall. The F60America combines the two passions of Ferrari’s American clients, the power of a V12 engine and the freedom of open-top driving.

The F60America is powered by Ferrari’s award-winning mid-front-mounted V12 which rockets the car from 0-100km/h in just 3.1 seconds. The muscular car shows off beautifully sculpted and exceptionally balanced volumes, honed as always to Ferrari’s strict aerodynamic requirements. The car’s personality is instantly clear from its flanks which are characterised by an innovative diapason design. The front of the car features Ferrari’s classic single front grille with a chrome finish and integrated air intakes for the brakes. Two leather-trimmed roll-hoops backed by carbon-fibre-trimmed flying buttresses, stretch from behind the cockpit to the rear.

The cabin’s asymmetrical design highlights the driver’s area with a sporty red trim, while the passenger’s side is black – inspired by Ferrari’s historic competition cars. The cabin’s trim is exclusive with the dash, tunnel and door panels all swathed in composite materials. Moreover, the racing seats feature a stylized American flag motif in the centre of each seat and backrest.

LIMITED EDITION OF 66: CHOPARD MILLE MIGLIA FOR THE PORSCHE CLUB OF AMERICA

The Porsche Club of America is set to celebrate its 60thanniversary in 2015 – the club is the largest single-marque car club in the world. Moreover this year, Chopard is celebrating 25 years as the sponsor of the Mille Miglia. Both the Porsche Club of America and Chopard are celebrating incredible milestones in the history of the world of automobiles. In recognition of this, and to congratulate the Porsche Club of America, Chopard has created a limited edition of 66 wristwatches.

The Chopard Mille Miglia for the Porsche Club of America can be ordered immediately with delivery expected for early December. The limited edition watch is born of a collaboration between Porsche Club of America Executive Director, Vu T.H. Nguyen, Georg Bartkowiak, member of the Porsche Clubs of both America and Germany, and Chopard. The Chopard Mille Miglia for the Porsche Club of America timepiece is a true collector’s item due to its desirability and rarity. 60 of the timepieces are available in a 42 mm stainless steel case and 6 are available in 18k rose gold. The stainless steel option is priced at US$5,990, while the 18k rose gold pieces are US$21,000 each.

Fashion Mayhem: Coach vs Michael Kors vs Tory Burch vs Kate Spade and Jack Spade vs Marc by Marc Jacobs vs Calvin Klein vs Hugo Boss (Affordable Luxury Edition)

The term affordable luxuries can be used to describe consumer goods that may be considered indulgences, but are nonetheless affordable to middle and working class consumers. In some cases, an affordable luxury is a product affiliated with a high-end brand that is sold at a lower price than some of the brand's other offerings. The term can also be used to describe goods and services that are not essentials like food, housing, and clothing, but that make life more pleasant and enjoyable. Many businesses use this concept of affordable luxuries in marketing their goods and services by attempting to encourage consumers to spend money on things that may increase the consumer's social prestige and make the consumer feel pampered and well cared for.

Well admit it almost everyone in the world has 1 or 2 affordable luxury piece. Like me I own a Coach change purse, Marc by Marc Jacobs T-shirts, Calvin Klein and Hugo Boss polos. I like the concept of affordable luxury because you can look or feel like a millionaire in a lower price. But still I will choose the true luxury everyday than the affordable ones. I only buy affordable luxury when I just passed by an affordable luxury store and liked something and I will buy it.

We will break down these brands and take a look on the history of these brands.

First we will take a look at Coach.

Coach:



Coach Logo


Coach, Inc. is a New York-based luxury fashion company that got its start manufacturing small leather goods.  Coach is known for accessories and gifts for women and men, including handbags, men's bags, women's and men's small leather goods, footwear, outerwear, ready-to-wear, watches, travel accessories, scarves, sunwear, fragrance, jewelry, and other accessories.


Coach was founded in 1941, as a family-run workshop in a loft on Manhattan's 34th street, New York City, with six leatherworkers who made wallets and billfolds by hand

In 1946, Miles Cahn and his wife Lillian joined the company. Miles and Lillian Cahn were owners of a leather handbag manufacturing business, and were knowledgeable about leatherworks and business.

By 1950, Cahn had taken over the business. During the early years, Cahn noticed the distinctive properties and qualities of the leather used to make baseball gloves. With wear and use, the leather in a glove became softer and suppler. Attempting to mimic this process, Cahn created a way of processing the leather to make it stronger, softer, and more flexible, along with being deeper-toned in color, since the leather absorbed the dye very well. Lillian Cahn suggested to Miles that the company supplement the factory's men’s accessories business by adding women's leather handbags. The "sturdy cowhide bags were an immediate hit."

Miles and Lillian Cahn bought the company through a leveraged buyout in 1961.

In 1961, Cahn hired Bonnie Cashin, a sportswear pioneer, to design handbags for Coach. Cashin "revolutionized the product's design," working as creative head for Coach from 1962 through 1974.

Cashin instituted the inclusion of side pockets, coin purses, and brighter colors (as opposed to the usual hues of browns and tans) in the products. Cashin also designed matching shoes, pens, key fobs, and eyewear, and added hardware to both her clothes and accessories–particularly the silver toggle that became the Coach hallmark–declaring that she had been inspired by a memory of quickly fastening the top on her convertible sports car.






In 1979, Lewis Frankfort joined the company as vice-president of business development when the business was making $6 million in sales and products were being distributed through the domestic wholesale channel, primarily in the Northeast.

In 1981, under Frankfort's leadership, the company opened its first directly-operated retail location on Madison Avenue in Manhattan.



Coach store on Madison Avenue in Manhattan


In 1985, the Cahns decided to sell Coach Leatherware after determining they wanted to "devote more time to their growing goat farm and cheese production business called Coach Farm in Gallatinville, New York, which they began in 1983". Coach was then sold to Sara Lee Corporation for a reported $30 million. Lew Frankfort succeeded Cahn as president.

Sara Lee structured Coach under its Hanes Group. In early 1986, new boutiques were opened in Macy's stores in New York and San Francisco. Additional Coach stores were under construction, and similar boutiques were to be opened in other major department stores later in the year. By November 1986, the company was operating 12 stores, along with nearly 50 boutiques within larger department stores.



Coach store in San Francisco


In 1996, Lew Frankfort was named Chairman and CEO of Coach. The following year, under Frankfort's leadership Coach hired Reed Krakoff, whose creative and commercials instincts aimed to make Coach products functional, lightweight, and stylish. Krakoff's design transformed Coach from the relatively small company that it was in 1985 into the worldwide known brand that it is today.

In February 2013, Coach named Victor Luis President and Chief Commercial Officer and announced that he would become Chief Executive Officer in January 2014, with Lew Frankfort continuing as Executive Chairman. In 2013, Coach generated $5 billion in sales and operated approximately 1,000 directly operated locations globally, including North America, Japan, China, Singapore, Taiwan, Malaysia, Korea, and Europe.



Coach store in Singapore



In 2014, the company announced Stuart Vevers as the new Executive Creative Director, replacing Reed Krakoff.

In 2014, Coach announced that Lew Frankfort will retire as Executive Chairman at the expiration of his term in November 2014.



Coach Women's Handbags




Coach Men's Leather Goods




Michael Kors:




Michael Kors logo


Michael Kors is the leading American fashion designer for michael michael kors monogram signature tote and sportswear. The company’s heritage is rooted in producing polished, sleek, sophisticated American sportswear with a jet-set attitude. Whether Aspen, Palm Beach or Capri, our mission is to bring our vision of a jet-set, luxury lifestyle to women and men around the globe. Our products, emblematic of the highest standard of quality, include apparel, accessories and beauty. Our lifestyle-driven company embraces the highest standards of creativity, quality, technology and human resources.



Inside the Michael Kors store



Michael Kors a household name that has been through thick and thin to reach the top. Let the Marquis of Fashion share the history of the MK brand with you.

This is the mission statement of one of the greatest American sportswear labels of our generation. The Michael Kors label has become a household name, and for all the right reasons. This is a label that has stuck to its guns and never falters when producing the most lavish yet wearable clothing on the runway.



Michael Kors Handbags



The Michael Kors Label just celebrated its 30th anniversary, marking three decades of brilliance and finesse.

The History and Timeline of the Michael Kors Brand:

1981: The Michael Kors label was born.

1983: Michael Kors is awarded the First American Original Award from Dupont.

1995: Michael Kors receives Elle/Cadillac Fashion Award for Excellence.

1996: Michael Kors was named part of the ‘New Establishment’ by Vogue magazine. They even called the creative designer and namesake ‘one of the most influential designers of the decade.

1997: Michael Kors releases a capsule menswear line, adding a new triumph to the label.



Michael Kors 2014 Fall/Winter Collection Menswear



1999: Michael Kors was given the CFDA Womenswear designer of the Year award.

2000: The first women’s fragrance Michael Kors, called ‘Michael Kors’ is launched.

2001: Accessories were added to the Michael Kors empire. And why stop there? This same year, the label also launches their michael michael kors logo print signature tote. Michael Kors is nominated for the Accessories Designer of the year from the CFDA.

2002: Michael Kors launches a full-blown men’s collection.

2003: Michael Kors is named the CFDA’s Menswear Designer of the Year.

2004: The Michael Kors comes out with a new line, MICHAEL Michael Kors, and KORS Michael Kors. These lines are launched in 350 stores in the United States and are made up of ready-to-wear, handbags, swimwear, jeans, footwear and other accessories. The company partners with the label Fossil to create and launch the Michael Kors watch line.

2005: The fragrance ‘Island Michael Kors’ is released.

2006: An expansion in the Michael Kors Company begins and they start by opening accessories specialty stores Internationally.

2009: Another Michael Kors fragrance, ‘Very Hollywood Michael Kors’, is launched adds to the roster of highly successful fragrances.



Very Hollywood Michael Kors Ad



2010: An expansion into Japan began with the launch of K.K. Mr. Kors was given The Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award from the CFDA was given to Michael Kors. The Michael Kors fragrance company is also recognized this year with the Fragrance Foundation’s Fifi Hall of Fame Award for Lifetime Achievement.


2011: Michael Kors continues to work with Fossil and will be creating a Michael Kors Jewelry line. The Michael Kors label recently celebrated 3 decades of his namesake line with a lavish party during Paris Fashion Week.


Tory Burch:




Tory Burch Logo




Tory Burch is an American lifestyle brand that embodies the personal style and sensibility of its Chairman, CEO and Designer, Tory Burch. The collection, known for color, print and eclectic details, includes ready-to-wear, shoes, handbags, accessories, beauty, home and watches. Art, music, travel, interiors and the designer’s own stylish parents are inspirations for the collection.

The company launched in 2004 with a small boutique in Manhattan’s Nolita neighborhood. The brand’s classic but bohemian aesthetic resonated with tastemakers from the very beginning.

Tory Burch is a global business with more than 125 freestanding boutiques and a presence in more than 3,000 department and specialty stores. Toryburch.com, which launched in 2004, is the company’s biggest store and is home to Tory Daily, an online magazine with all original content. Known for digital innovation, the company also has websites in Europe and Asia; a Webby-nominated app, Tory Daily; and a robust social media presence.



Tory Burch Store



Since its launch, Tory Burch has entered into new categories with eyewear in partnership with Luxottica in 2009, fragrance and beauty with Estée Lauder in 2013, and timepieces with Fossil coming in 2014.



Tory Burch Lipsticks



The brand has been recognized by the fashion industry with several awards, including the CFDA for Accessory Designer of the Year; Accessory Brand Launch of the Year from Accessories Council of Excellence; and Rising Star award from Fashion Group International. Tory was named one of Forbes’s Most Powerful Women in the World.

Social responsibility is an integral part of the company. In 2009, the Tory Burch Foundation launched to support the economic empowerment of women entrepreneurs and their families in the U.S. Through loans, mentorship and entrepreneurial education, the foundation invests in the success and sustainability of women-owned small businesses.

Notable Pieces:



The Iconic "Reva" Flats





Tory Burch Fleming Metallic Quilted Medium Bag




Tory Burch Miller Snake-Skin Scandals




Tory Burch Robinson Pebbled Bag




Tory Burch York Buckle Tote





Kate Spade:





Kate Spade Logo



Kate Spade New York is an American fashion design house founded as Kate Spade Handbags in January 1993, by Kate Spade. The name is rendered on products (and occasionally in literature) in all lowercase (kate spade). Jack Spade is the name for the Kate Spade brand's line for men.



Jack Spade Logo


The company initially started out selling mainly handbags, but eventually extended to include stationery, personal organizers, address books, shoes, beauty products, perfume, raincoats, pajamas, and eyewear. It now also has a full women's clothing line. In 2004, "kate spade at home" was launched as a home collection brand. It features bedding, bath items, china, and various items for the home and wallpaper.



Kate Spade Cedar Street Monday




Kate Spade Charles Street Brantley



Kate Spade All Aboard Emanuelle



Jack Spade, a fictional name, is the men's complement to the Kate Spade brand. Its founder and principal designer was Andy Spade. In recent years, Kate Spade has been featuring designs and special editions by guest designers and is no longer the sole artistic vision of the husband and wife team.




Jack Spade Luggage Nylong Wing Duffle Bag




Jack Spade Milemark Twill Overhead Bag




Jack Spade Bristol Leather Charter Brief

In 1996, Spade's company opened its first shop in New York City's SoHo.

In 2007, control of the operation was given to Liz Claiborne.

In April, 2013 Kate Spade New York launched a new fragrance called Live Colorfully. Previous perfumes of the house include Kate Spade from 2003 and Twirl from 2010. Live Colorfully is a fragrance made in-house that marks the 20th anniversary of the brand.




Marc by Marc Jacobs:




Marc By Marc Jacobs Logo



Founded in New York in 1984 and majority-owned by LVMH since 1997, the eponymous brand developed by Marc Jacobs - Artistic Director of Louis Vuitton - has enjoyed rapid growth in both the United States and internationally.

In 1984 Marc Jacobs and Robert Duffy founded Marc Jacobs International based on two very simple concepts: a love for fashion and a commitment to quality.

After years of producing the Marc Jacobs women's collection exclusively, the company has expanded in several directions with two lines of ready-to-wear for men and women -Marc Jacobs and Marc by Marc Jacobs- as well as bags, accessories, shoes and the Marc Jacobs fragrances.


It is a source of great pride that despite extensive growth, the same concepts are the cornerstones of the company today.



Marc By Marc Jacobs Black Moto Quilted Barrel




Marc By Marc Jacobs Too Hot To Handle Hoctor





Marc By Marc Jacobs Domo Arigato Zip Tote





Marc by Marc Jacobs Class Dover Jaco Slip-on Boot





Marc by Marc Jacobs Trevor Leather Bomber Jacket





Marc by Marc Jacobs Z-Boy Leather Backpack






Calvin Klein:





Calvin Klein Logo




Calvin Klein Inc. is an American fashion house founded by the fashion designer Calvin Klein. The company is headquartered in Midtown Manhattan, New York City and is currently owned by Phillips-Van Heusen.



Calvin Klein Headquarters



In 1968, Klein founded Calvin Klein Limited, a coat shop in the York Hotel in New York City, with $10,000. The first Calvin Klein collection was a line of "youthful, understated coats and dresses" featured at the New York City store, Bonwit Teller.

In September 1969, Klein appeared on the cover of Vogue magazine.

By 1971, Klein had added sportswear, classic blazers, and lingerie to his women's collection.

In 1973, he received his first Coty American Fashion Critics' Award for his 74-piece womenswear collection - the youngest recipient at that time. Klein won the award again in 1974 and 1975. By 1977, annual revenues had increased to $30 million, and Klein had licenses for scarves, shoes, belts, furs, sunglasses, and sheets. Klein and Schwartz were making $4 million each. After the company signed licenses for cosmetics, jeans, and menswear, Klein's annual retail volume was estimated at $100 million. In 1978, Klein claimed sales of 200,000 pairs of his famous jeans the first week they were on the market. By 1981, Fortune figured Klein's annual income at $8.5 million a year. In the mid-1970s, he had created a designer-jeans craze by putting his name on the back pocket. Klein's design assistant at the time, Jeffrey Banks, has claimed credit for the logo garments, stating that he had the logo from a press folder silkscreened onto the sleeve of a brown T-shirt as a present for Klein. The gift was assumed by Schwartz to be part of the upcoming line, and similar logo shirts formed the uniform for the front-of-house staff at Klein's next catwalk show, leading to buyer demand.



Calvin Klein Eyewear Ad



In the late 1970s, the company also made attempts to set up its own fragrance and cosmetics lines, but soon withdrew from the market with big financial losses. In the 1980s, as the designer-jeans frenzy reached its all-time high, Calvin Klein introduced a highly successful line of boxer shorts for women and a men's underwear collection which would later gross $70 million in a single year. Calvin Klein's underwear business, promoted later in the 1990s with giant billboards showing images of pop singer Mark "Marky Mark" Wahlberg, became so successful that his underpants became generally known as "Calvins".



Mark Wahlberg Ad for Calvin Klein



In the early 1980s, Klein changed the American market of men's underwear—one where most men's underwear was white, purchased in packs of three by a "wife, mother or girlfriend when they needed to be" to one where "the American male to care about the brand of something few ever see".

The stunning growth continued through the early eighties. The licensing program, which brought in $24,000 when it was initiated in 1974, had royalty income of $7.3 million ten years later. That year, worldwide retail sales were estimated at more than $600 million. Klein's clothes were sold through 12,000 stores in the United States and were available in six other countries. His annual income passed $12 million.






Financial problems, increased pressure from all sides, disagreements with the licensee of the menswear line and its disappointing sales as well as an enormous employee turnover both within Calvin Klein and its licensing partners led to the first rumors that Calvin Klein Industries, as the company had been known by then, was up for sale. And indeed, in late 1987, it was said that the sale of the company to Triangle Industries, a container manufacturer, had only failed because of the crashing stock market.

Although the company almost faced bankruptcy in 1992, Calvin Klein managed to regain and increase the profitability of his empire throughout the later 1990s, mainly through the success of its highly popular underwear and fragrance lines, as well as the ck sportswear line. During his 1990-1995 stint as Calvin Klein's head of menswear design, John Varvatos pioneered a type of men's underwear called boxer briefs, a hybrid of boxer shorts and briefs. Made famous by a series of 1992 print ads featuring Mark "Marky Mark" Wahlberg, they have been called "one of the greatest apparel revolutions of the century." Klein was named "America's Best Designer" for his minimalist all-American designs in 1993, and it came as a surprise in 1999 when it was announced that CKI was again up for sale. Planning to expand its business, the company had been approached by two luxury goods companies, LVMH and Pinault Printemps Redoute, to join Calvin Klein, but nothing resulted. Other potentials like Tommy Hilfiger Corp. and Italy's Holding di Partecipazioni proved to be similar disappointments because of CKI's steep price tag of supposedly $1 billion. After seven months and no potential buyer, Klein announced that his empire was not on the market anymore. The company would never manage to go public, which had supposedly been Klein's plan once.



Calvin Klein Boxer Brief



In mid-December 2002, Calvin Klein Inc. (CKI) was sold to Phillips Van Heusen Corp (PVH), whose then CEO Bruce Klatsky was the driving force behind the deal, for about $400 million in cash, $30 million in stock as well as licensing rights and royalties linked to revenues over the following 15 years that were estimated at $200 to $300 million. The sale also included an ongoing personal financial incentive for Klein based on future sales of the Calvin Klein brand.

PVH outbid VF Corp., the maker of Lee and Wrangler jeans, which had also been interested in the jeans, underwear and swimwear business of CK that had been controlled by Warnaco Group, maker of Speedo swimwear in the US, since 1997. The deal with PVH did not include these businesses, and they remained with Warnaco. Unable to pay debts from acquisitions and licensing agreements and due to bad publicity by a later dismissed lawsuit with Calvin Klein over selling license products to retailers other than agreed upon with Calvin Klein, Warnaco had filed for chapter 11 protection in mid-2001 but eventually emerged from bankruptcy in February 2003.

The transaction between Calvin Klein and PVH was financially supported by Apax Partners Inc., a New York private equity firm, which is said to have made a $250 million equity investment in PVH convertible preferred stock, as well as a $125 million, two-year secured note, all in exchange for seats on the board of PVH.

CKI thus became a wholly owned subsidiary of PVH. In the beginning, Klein himself, who was included as a person in the 15-year contract he had signed with PVH, remained creative head of the collections but then continued as an advisor (consulting creative director) to the new company from 2003 on and has since been more withdrawn from the business. Barry K. Schwartz was said to concentrate on his role as chairman of the New York Racing Association, a horse-racing club. The current President and COO of the CKI division within PVH is Tom Murry, who had filled this position already before the acquisition.

With the fall 2006 Collection runway presentations in New York City, CKI inaugurated an 8,600 sq ft (800 m2) show room space that can seat up to 600 people on the ground floor of 205 West 39th Street, in Times Square South where Calvin Klein has been headquartered since 1978.

In a 2010 report, PVH, who manages the ready-to-wear activities, had estimated sales of €4.6 billion of Calvin Klein products.



Calvin Klein Womens Ready To Wear 



In Feb 2013 Warnaco Group was acquired by PVH which united Calvin Klein formal, underwear, jeans and sportswear lines.





Hugo Boss:




Hugo Boss Logo



Hugo Boss AG is a German luxury fashion and style house based in Metzingen, Germany. It is named after its founder Hugo Boss (1885–1948). In 1924, Hugo Boss started his clothing company in Metzingen, a small town south of Stuttgart, where it is still based. Due to the economic climate of Germany at the time, Boss was forced into bankruptcy. In 1931, he reached an agreement with his creditors, leaving him with six sewing machines to start again.



Hugo Boss Headquarters



That same year, he became a member of the Nazi Party and a sponsoring member ("Förderndes Mitglied") of the Schutzstaffel (SS). With their help, his economic situation improved. He also joined the German Labour Front in 1936, the Reich Air Protection Association in 1939, and the National Socialist People's Welfare in 1941. After joining these organizations, his sales increased from 38,260 Reichsmarks (RM)-$26,993 U.S. dollars-in 1932 to over 3,300,000 RM in 1941. His profits also increased in the same time period from 5,000 RM to 241,000 RM. Though he claimed in a 1934-1935 advertisement that he had been a "supplier for National Socialist uniforms since 1924," it is probable that he did not begin to supply them until 1928 at the earliest. It is certain that he supplied them no later than 1934. This is the year he became an Reichszeugmeisterei-licensed (official) supplier of uniforms to the Sturmabteilung, Schutzstaffel, Hitler Youth, National Socialist Motor Corps, and other party organizations. To meet demand in later years of the war, Boss used an estimated 30 to 40 prisoners of war and 150 forced labourers, from the Baltic States, Belgium, France, Italy, Austria, Poland, Czechoslovakia, and the Soviet Union. According to German historian Henning Kober, the company managers were avowed Nazis who were all great admirers of Adolf Hitler. In 1945 Hugo Boss had a photograph in his apartment of himself with Hitler taken at Hitler's Obersalzberg retreat.




Hugo Boss Collection During World War II



Because of his early Nazi party membership, his financial support of the SS and the uniforms delivered to the Nazi party, Boss was considered both an "activist" and a "supporter and beneficiary of National Socialism". In a 1946 judgment he was stripped of his voting rights, his capacity to run a business, and fined "a very heavy penalty" of 100,000 Deutschmarks (DM)-$70,553 U.S. dollars-. He died in 1948, but his business survived.

In 1997, the company appeared in a list of Swiss dormant accounts in connection with reparations lawsuits, which stirred the publication of articles highlighting the involvement of Hugo Boss with the Nazis. In 1999, American lawyers filed lawsuits in New Jersey on behalf of survivors and their families for the use of forced workers during the war. The company did not comment on these lawsuits but reiterated an earlier statement that it would "not close its eyes to the past but rather deal with the issues in an open and forthright manner". In doing so it sponsored research by German historian Elisabeth Timm. Nevertheless, after Timm told the press of her findings, the company declined to publish them. In December 1999, an agreement was reached between the German government and the United States government along with a group of American class-action lawyers and Jewish groups. A fund equivalent to $5,100,000,000 U.S. dollars was to be financed equally by German industry and the German government, to compensate slave labourers used by the Germans in World War II. Hugo Boss agreed to participate in this fund, for an amount which was estimated by some sources to be $1,037,690.

As a result of the ban on Boss being in business, Boss's son-in-law Eugen Holy took over ownership and running of the company. In 1950, after a period supplying work uniforms, the company received its first order for men's suits, resulting in an expansion to 150 employees by the end of the year. By 1960 the company was producing off-the-peg suits. In 1969, Eugen retired leaving the company to his sons Jochen and Uwe, who began international development. In 1970, the first Boss branded suits were produced, with the brand becoming a registered trademark in 1977. This was followed by the start of the company's long association with motorsport, sponsoring Formula1 driver Nikki Lauda, and later the McLaren Racing team.



Niki Lauda wearing Hugo Boss 



In 1984, the first Boss branded fragrance appeared. This helped the company gain the required growth for listing on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange the following year. The brand entered the world of golf by sponsoring Bernhard Langer in 1986 and entered the world of tennis by sponsoring the Davis Cup in 1987. In 1989, Boss launched its first licensed sunglasses. Later that year, the company was bought by a Japanese group.



Hugo Boss Eyewear Ad



After the Marzotto textile group acquired a 77.5% stake for $165,000,000 in 1991, the Hugo and Baldessarini brands were introduced in 1993. In 1995 the company launched its footwear range, the first in a now fully developed leather products range across all sub-brands. A partnership with the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation was launched in 1995, resulting in the Hugo Boss Prize, an annual $100,000 stipend in modern arts presented since 1996.

In 2005, Marzotto spun off its fashion brands into the Valentino Fashion Group, which was then sold to Permira private equity group. Permira owns its majority shareholding in the Hugo Boss Group via Red & Black Lux S.à.r.l. at 39%, with 59% of the shares floated on Börse Frankfurt and the residual 2% held by the company itself. Hugo Boss has at least 6,102 points of sale in 124 countries. Hugo Boss AG directly owns over 364 retail stores, 537 monobrand retail stores, and over 1,000 franchise owned shops.



Hugo Boss Flagship store in Paris



Products are manufactured in a variety of locations, including the company's own production sites in: Metzingen, Germany; Morrovalle, Italy; Radom, Poland; Izmir, Turkey; and Cleveland, United States. There are two core brands, Boss and Hugo.

The ranges are

• Boss Black, which includes modern classic clothing in both menswear (1970) and womenswear (2000). Boss Black has the widest variety of products and is the most widely distributed Boss range.
• Boss Orange, which includes originally quirky styling with bohemian influences in both menswear (1999) and womenswear (2005). This line was relaunched in 2010 as denim based casual wear.
• Boss Selection, which includes only high priced menswear (2003) aimed at a mature market with an emphasis on English tailoring styles.
• Boss Green, which was previously known as Boss Sport, includes golf-style active clothing in both menswear (2003) and womenswear (2010).
• Hugo, which includes fashion forward styling with a European look in both meanswear (1993) and womenswear (1998).
• Hugo Boss has licensing agreements with various companies to produce Hugo Boss branded products. These include agreements with Samsung and HTC to produce cell phones; C.W.F. Children Worldwide Fashion SAS to produce children's clothing; Shiseido and Procter & Gamble Prestige to produce fragrances and skincare; Movado to produce watches; and Safilo to produce sunglasses and eyewear.

In 2009, BOSS Black was by far the largest segment, consisting of 68% of all sales. The remainder of sales were made up by BOSS Orange at 17%, BOSS Selection at 3%, BOSS Green at 3% and HUGO at 9%.



Boss Black Ad




Boss Orange Menswear




Boss Selection Ad




Boss Green Ad




Hugo Ad