2011年6月28日星期二

Missy Elliott says Graves' disease not so grave (Reuters)

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LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Rap star Missy Elliott on Friday insisted her battle with the thyroid malady Graves' disease has not sidelined her career, a day after it was revealed that she has the ailment.

"I was diagnosed with Graves' disease about three years ago, but it really hasn't slowed me down at all," Elliott said in a written statement.

Elliott, who gained fame in the 1990s and whose hit songs include "Get Ur Freak On" and "Work It," has won four Grammys but has not released an album since 2005's "The Cookbook."

Some media reports on Thursday speculated that the long delay since her last album could be due to the illness, first diagnosed in 2008.

The 39 year-old Elliott talks about her Graves' disease in a taped interview for the VH1 cable show "Behind the Music" set to air on June 29. She describes how it shut down her nervous system and caused her hair to fall out.

But on Friday, Elliott said her condition has recently improved.

"Under my doctor's supervision, I've been off medication for about a year and I'm completely managing the condition through diet and exercise," she said.

Patients with Graves' disease have a thyroid gland that overproduces the hormone thyroxine, which can affect a person's appearance and energy level.

The disease is incurable, but symptoms can be handled with treatment, according to medical organization the Mayo Clinic.

Elliott said on Friday that, far from being inactive, she has since her diagnosis toured Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia and written and produced Grammy-nominated songs for Monica, Keyshia Cole and Jazmine Sullivan.

Elliott is working on an album tentatively titled "Block Party," with producer and rapper Timbaland.

(Editing by Jill Serjeant)


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Muhly likes to shine, but opera plumbs dark side (Reuters)

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LONDON (Reuters) – Nico Muhly, 29, says he likes shiny objects, but his first opera, opening in London on Friday and headed later to the Metropolitan Opera in New York, is about the murky world of Internet impersonation and underage sex.

"Two Boys," based on a true story, is about an Internet liaison between two teenagers, one of whom, in a failed attempt to get himself killed, adopts a female identity on the web in order to lure the other boy to stab him to death.

It's the kind of world Muhly says the younger generation, himself included, must deal with in the Internet age, though rather than happening in some lonely cubicle at an Internet cafe, his musical version is being brought to the stage by the English National Opera (ENO) with the kind of fanfare normally lavished upon Lady Gaga's latest outfit.

"There's been a lot of press about it being an Internet-themed opera and I think that's true in as much as something like (Mozart's) 'Cosi Fan Tutte' is a marriage-themed opera," Muhly, dressed in T-shirt and slacks, said following a dress rehearsal in the ENO's home theater, the Coliseum.

"I mean the Internet is a delivery system for a much more old-fashioned story about yearning and longing and things that are quite standard to the operatic themes and repertoire -- the Internet is a sort of vessel for this emotional content that's been around for quite some time."

In other words, opera, as well as classical music, is being reinvented for the Internet age, and Muhly, who was born in Vermont and is the son of a painter and a documentary filmmaker, is doing his bit.

Even though he's not yet 30, the Juilliard graduate has been at it for a while now, ever since the release of his first CD "Speaks Volumes" in 2006, but reaching a much wider audience for his highly successful "Mothertongue" of 2008.

He also wrote the soundtrack for the movie "The Reader" and his latest album, "Seeing is Believing" with the Aurora Orchestra, was released this month.

On "Mothertongue," Muhly deconstructs and samples what at first sounds like a simple folk song, until it becomes clear the lyrics are about one sister drowning another, and the hair, fingers and other parts of the dead sister being refashioned into a fiddle that can play only one mournful tune.

On the recording, Muhly uses conventional instruments, as well as the sounds of Icelandic wind and raw whale flesh slopping around in a bowl.

MUSICAL OMNIVORE

He is, he admits, a bit of a musical, as well as culinary, omnivore, his favorite London restaurant being one that specializes in offal. His musical palate runs the gamut from Elizabethan motets to Indonesian gamelan to Philip Glass minimalism to the late English composer Benjamin Britten's searing opera scores, several of which deal with forbidden or homosexual sex.

Muhly, who is gay, said he has paid homage to Britten's most pessimistic homosexual-themed opera, "Death in Venice," in "Two Boys." But he is hardly the despondent German writer of the Thomas Mann novel on which Britten's opera is based, who falls hopelessly in love with a boy staying in his hotel and deliberately contracts a fatal disease to punish himself.

Asked why so many composers are gay, Muhly's response was: "I have no idea. Every other day I vacillate between the sort of gay supremacist part of my brain and then also the sort of self-loathing part. It's difficult to know."

He's much more preoccupied with assuring that his opera makes the right impression. The interview is interrupted while the cast, including English soprano Susan Bickley, repeats the opera's closing octet, with a delighted Muhly clapping at the end and saying: "They fixed it."

"The process of putting on an opera is very difficult because the piece is my thing but it relies on so many other elements to work," he said.

"It's only as strong as the weakest piece, so if there is something wrong with the subtitles, something wrong with the video ... it's kind of my problem."

And why does someone who can write music as light, bright and jewel-like as the closing bars of "Step Team," played by the Aurora Orchestra on his new album, veer so far to the dark side?

"I like shiny objects and I think a lot of my interest in the darker possibilities of the electronic medium is that it is something that is fun to make."

His next opera, to which he is putting the finishing touches, is about a woman trying to escape a polygamist marriage. The title? "Dark Sisters."

("Two Boys" at the ENO through July 8, www.eno.org; "Seeing is Believing" is released by Decca)

(Editing by Patricia Reaney)


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Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds Stop Traffic at the "Green Lantern" Premiere (Fashion Wire Daily)

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Los Angeles – Hollywood Boulevard came to a halt on Wednesday, June 15, as "Green Lantern" and its popular stars descended on Grauman's Chinese Theatre for the massive premiere. No aliens actually came in from outer space, but stars Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds were front and center as their fans screamed with delight.

Both actors went the family route, as Reynolds escorted his mother to the show and Lively, looking beautiful in an embellished white Chanel Couture gown, brought her whole clan, including her mother Elaine and older sisters Robyn and Lori, who are also actresses.

Lively, who is best known as the well-dressed leading lady of "Gossip Girl," explained to reporters at an earlier press conference that being a television and film star is a fashionista's dream.

"Fashion has always been something that I've appreciated. My mom would always make clothes for me when I was growing up. She's also an amazing interior decorator, and so I look at it in the same way, that element of design, mixing different patterns and colors and textures," Lively recalled.

"Once I was on 'Gossip Girl', once I moved to New York, those two things combined just blew open the opportunities that I had to borrow the most beautiful clothes in the world. So I just feel like I'm getting to play dress up every day. It's definitely an added bonus to this job, to get to wear the beautiful clothes that I wear. The sad part is giving them back!"

Joining Lively on the extremely fashionable black carpet for the much-anticipated film, which is based on the DC Comic book series of the same name, were Angela Bassett, Karina Smirnoff, Sarah Shahi, Laura Vandervoort and Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth. Omarosa hung close to boyfriend Michael Clarke Duncan, who plays one of the aliens in the science-fiction film. Tim Robbins, Jay O. Sanders, Clancy Brown, Mark Strong and Peter Sarsgaard rounded out the cast on hand for the fun, which went long into the night at the huge party set up nearby the theater.


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Prada shares flat in Hong Kong trading debut (AP)

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HONG KONG – Shares of Italian fashion house Prada SpA were nearly flat in their Hong Kong stock market debut Friday, amid lukewarm investor interest in the city's most glamorous IPO of the year.

Prada shares gained as much as 50 cents, or 1.2 percent, to HK$40 in the first hour of trading but closed at $39.60, just 10 cents higher than the offering price.

The stock was widely expected to tank on its debut because of slumping global markets and worries from Hong Kong investors that they would have to pay Italian taxes. But while it didn't drop, it also failed to track gains in the broader Hong Kong market as the Hang Seng Index rebounded nearly 2 percent. The index is down 5.8 percent over the past three months.

Milan-based Prada sold 423.3 million shares, or a 16.5 percent stake, to raise HK$16.7 billion ($2.1 billion), in its initial public offering. The stock was priced at the low end of the offer range.

Despite the lackluster performance, Chief Executive Officer Patrizio Bertelli was upbeat at a listing ceremony.

"The very early trades seem to confirm the pricing was right. Signs are very good," he said.

Prada, which also owns the Miu-Miu, Church's and Car Shoes brands, sold 95 percent of shares to big global investors. Hong Kong individual investors got the remaining 5 percent of shares, about half the usual proportion.

Local investors were likely turned off by warnings in Prada's prospectus that shareholders could be hit with Italian capital gains tax of 12.5 percent on any profits from selling their shares as well as up to 27 percent withholding tax on dividends. Hong Kong doesn't tax capital gains or dividends and it doesn't have a dual-taxation agreement with Italy.

Investors were also cool to Prada because "there are too many IPOs happening at the same time and also the share price is generally perceived to be quite high," said Andrew Leung, an independent analyst.

A number of other companies have been planning Hong Kong listings, although several have shelved or postponed them recently amid the market's tumble.

Prada is the first Italian company to go public in Hong Kong. It follows a number of other foreign companies listing recently in Hong Kong in hopes of cashing in on China's booming economy. It's also aiming to raise awareness of its brand among China's growing number of wealthy consumers.

"We are positive that the greater China region is going to be the market of the future," Bertelli said.

Miuccia Prada, Bertelli's wife and the company's president and chief designer, was not able to make it to the listing ceremony because she was in Shanghai for a fashion show, he said.

The company was founded in 1913 by Prada's grandfather, Mario Prada, who started out selling leather bags, trunks and crystal. Today it's known for stylish leather handbags and classic dress designs that have helped it become a symbol of high fashion.

The Prada family, which owned 95 percent of the company prior to the initial public offering, will profit handsomely from the listing. About 62 percent of the shares in the IPO came from existing stock they owned, reaping them about $1.3 billion before fees. Another 24 percent came from Italian bank Intesa Sanpaolo's stake, which owned 5 percent.

The remaining 14 percent comes from new shares that will raise about $270 million after fees for the company. Most of the money will be used to open more stores or expand existing ones and pay off debt.

Prada had discussed going public several times in the past, with the most recent attempt delayed after the world financial crisis in 2008 sent markets tumbling.

Swiss commodities trader Glencore International and luggage maker Samsonite International S.A. have also listed in Hong Kong this year, while luxury handbag maker Coach, which is already listed in New York, has selected Hong Kong for its second listing.


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U2 pass festival test, critics say, despite tax row (Reuters)

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PILTON, England (Reuters) – Irish rockers U2 pulled it off with their Glastonbury music festival debut, critics said on Saturday, but the fallout from a protest over the band's tax status continued to rumble.

Bono and co. raced through U2 classics like "Mysterious Ways," "Where the Streets Have No Name" and "Pride" late on Friday on the main Pyramid stage, generally satisfying a crowd of tens of thousands of rain-lashed listeners.

The band admitted beforehand that the rare festival outing was a step away from the comfort zone of their record-breaking 360 Degree tour, and not everyone at Glastonbury was convinced they were the right opening night choice.

U2 had been due to play Glastonbury, one of the world's largest and most prestigious music festivals, in 2010, but an injury to Bono's back forced them to pull out.

"On unfamiliar ground, they reach for that fierce hunger and it's that sense of urgency - even a hint of nerves - rather than triumphalism that makes this such a charged and memorable set," wrote Dorian Lynskey in the Guardian.

Nick Hasted of The Independent gave a more mixed assessment.

"For all his songs' over-reaching grasps at wonder, Bono remains an uncharismatic performer, a great rock star by profession, not nature," he said.

Protesters angry about the group's decision to move operations from Ireland to the Netherlands for tax purposes raised a large inflatable with the words "U Pay Tax 2."

The balloon was forcibly removed, causing a brief scuffle, but witnesses said the incident was relatively minor and went unnoticed by most of the crowd.

COLDPLAY, BEYONCE TO COME

U2 passed the baton to Coldplay, the main act on Saturday night, although as ever there was a huge choice of alternatives from Spliff Richard and Alfred Lord Telecom performing in Bella's Field to Glasvegas on the John Peel stage.

London rapper Tinie Tempah is in action on Saturday, as are Elbow, Friendly Fires and Chemical Brothers.

Reviews landed for many of Friday's key performances that included festival favorites Radiohead and legendary blues guitarist B.B. King who still had what it took at the age of 85.

The closing headline act on Sunday night is Beyonce, following in the footsteps of her husband Jay-Z who won over the Glastonbury doubters with a rousing set in 2008.

Paul Simon appears a few hours earlier on the Pyramid stage, while Kaiser Chiefs and Queens of the Stone Age are on the Other Stage on Sunday.

The abiding memory for many of the festival's 150,000 paying customers will be the mud, caused by heavy rain this week.

Forecasters have predicted warmer, sunnier weather on Saturday and Sunday, when Glastonbury closes, but it is unlikely to be enough to dry out the shin-deep mud.

Turned into a giant camping site most years, Britain's most famous music festival is now in its fifth decade.

The event has grown from a humble gathering of 1,500 people on Michael Eavis's Worthy Farm in 1970, each paying one pound ($1.60) and receiving free milk, to a giant celebration of music costing 195 pounds for a basic ticket.

(Editing by Mark Heinrich)


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2011年6月27日星期一

Calvin Klein's High-Tech Athletic Futurism (Fashion Wire Daily)

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Milan – America, which for most Europeans traditionally represents the future, was very much at the vanguard of fashion in the latest path-breaking men's collection from the New York house of Calvin Klein, staged on the afternoon of Sunday, June 19, in Milan, Italy.

Using a whole series of canny fabrics, from shirts in circuit board in prints that looked multi-dimensional to high-tech waffle weave jackets with mega dimples, this was an eye-arresting display of artfully new men's style. A collection, which while hyper futurist, was nonetheless very much in keeping with the minimalist DNA of this American fashion institution, a further credit to Calvin Klein's menswear designer Ital Zucchelli.

"My idea was fusing hyper three-dimensional effects into modern men's clothes. That's why some looks were inflated, others pretty bumpy," Zucchelli said after the show, presented in Klein's European headquarters in south Milan.

In his half decade at the house, Zucchelli has matured into a highly assured designer, whose sense of how a runway show and collection needs to unfold is now pretty faultless. He opened with an engaging choice of technical sportswear, double-layered stretch tank-tops in stretch cottons, all worn over voluminous jogging pants in a spongy foam fabrics, like bonded cellular jersey, all cut loosely at the front and saucily around the backside. And, in a season where many designers are plenty with lots of ideas about transparency, Zucchelli's choice of see-through industrial plastic soles on his brothel-creeper style sneakers, or transparent eyeglass frames, all seemed very timely.

Moving onto the tailoring elements, the designer played brilliantly with the squishy fabric, best of all with some sleek, avant garde tuxedo jackets. Using laser technology Zucchelli cut tiny miniature "windows" in many tops and jerkins so the garments billowed as the models marched down the runway. Though the one fabric sure to set the biggest trend will likely be some sure-fired best-seller jeans made of a distressed, washed and then waxed denim that was defiantly new.

Dress shirts and Eisenhower jackets in white mesh - a big trend in Italy this season - also all looked great, as did sleek super hero smoking jackets. Composed in a light pastel color palette of citron, pale blue, putty and silvery cerulean.


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Miranda Lambert to perform on NBC's `The Voice' (AP)

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LOS ANGELES – Miranda Lambert is stepping into new husband Blake Shelton's territory.

On next Wednesday's season finale of NBC's hit singing contest, "The Voice," Lambert will perform a duet with the finalist who was on Shelton's team, Dia Frampton.

Lambert, a Grammy winner for her single "The House That Built Me," said she was "thrilled" to be part of "The Voice."

"It's been a joy watching my husband grow so attached to his team. Truthfully, I am a little jealous that I am not a coach myself. I can't wait to be a part of it," she said.

Country superstars Lambert and Shelton were married last month.

"The Voice" also features Christina Aguilera, Maroon 5's Adam Levine and Cee Lo Green as coaches to their own groups of would-be pop stars.

The other finalists competing with Frampton are Javier Colon, Beverly McClellan and Vicci Martinez. The four will perform next Tuesday, with the viewers' choice to be announced on the finale the following night. The winner gets a record contract and a $100,000 prize.

___

Online:

http://www.nbc.com/


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Reggae singer Banton gets 10-year prison sentence (Reuters)

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TAMPA, Florida (Reuters) – Grammy award-winning reggae singer Buju Banton was sentenced on Thursday to 10 years in a U.S. federal prison for his conviction on a cocaine conspiracy charge.

The Jamaican singer, whose real name is Mark Myrie, was convicted in February by a jury in Tampa, Florida, on charges of conspiring with two other men to possess at least 11 pounds (5 kg) of cocaine.

Myrie, 37, argued unsuccessfully that he was entrapped by a government informant.

He won the Grammy for the best Reggae album of 2010, "Before the Dawn," on February 13, the day before his trial began.

At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge James Moody said the 10-year sentence was the minimum he could give under federal guidelines. He said the maximum was 151 months.

"This is a sad day for Mr. Myrie. This is a sad day for Jamaica," said defense lawyer David Markus. "He's a good man who has done great things in his life."

But federal prosecutor James Preston said Myrie was instrumental to what took place and lied in court about his role in the drug deal.

Myrie did not make a statement. He smiled as he was led away.

Markus asked that Myrie be allowed to serve his sentence as close to Miami as possible so he could be near his family. He was living there when he was arrested in December 2009.

(Editing by Jane Sutton and Eric Walsh)


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Men in skirts, shiny silks at Paris menswear shows (AP)

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PARIS – The perennial standoff between cutting-edge designers who keep pushing men to get in touch with their feminine side and throw open their wardrobes to the skirt and reluctant male consumers worldwide flared up again on Thursday in Paris, with a man skirt and man dress-heavy collection from Rick Owens and silky, shiny offerings from Dries Van Noten.

The City of Light's five-day-long menswear displays powered into day two on Thursday after kicking off with a whimper a day earlier. Disgraced ex-Dior designer John Galliano's daylong Paris trial on racism and anti-Semitism charges — which capped a saga that has riveted the fashion world since it broke in March and he was fired from the house of Dior — threw a pall over Wednesday's shows, mostly from smaller-name labels.

But by Thursday, Paris had its mojo back. There was former Dunhill designer's African infused debut as head of men's style at luxury luggage-maker Louis Vuitton and an inside-out show at Gaultier, where half naked male models stripping to their boxers distracted from the clothes themselves.

Celebrated Belgian magpie van Noten dipped the bitter pill of femininity in a thick coating of sportswear to make it go down easier, whereas Owens — whose hallmark somber aesthetic belies his sunny Californian origins — didn't bother sugar coating the ladylike looks and served up skirts layered upon skirts and floor-length man dresses.

Though several parties were competing for the A-list attendees, the second-annual Paris amfAR dinner appeared to have sealed the deal, scoring Fergie of the Black Eyed Peas — wearing a black Vuitton ensemble so tight it literally hobbled her — Dutch design duo Viktor & Rolf and Miami Heat star Dwayne Wade. An auction at the gala, with lots including a crocodile-wrapped bottle of Piper-Heidsieck Champagne, raised tens of thousands of dollars (euros) for the Foundation for AIDS Research.

Paris menswear reaches the halfway point on Friday with shows by Paris luxury houses Yves Saint Laurent and Givenchy and the much-anticipated first menswear show by John Galliano's signature label since he was fired from the brand. The studio designed the collection, and the fashion world was holding its breath to see whether it will mimic Galliano's hallmark looks or veer into uncharted territory.

LOUIS VUITTON

Catering to the fabulous lifestyles of the rich and famous has always been at the heart of the mission of the Paris-based luxury supernova and it remained so, despite a change of designers at the head of its menswear studio.

For his debut collection at Vuitton the new men's style director Kim Jones delivered a globe-trotting collection of slick, jet-set staples electrified by African touches that looked like they'd been plucked out of a Kinshasa market. High-waisted trousers and razor-cut jackets in navy pinstripes were paired with button-down shirts in what looked like African wax print fabric in eyepopping colors.

The collection "is about someone who, from America and England, picks up and leaves and goes slightly native," Jones, formerly of British heritage house Dunhill, said in a backstage interview with The Associated Press. "When you're really rich you can do that kind of thing."

Asked about the hardest part of his transition to Vuitton — where he replaced the outgoing head of the menswear studio, Paul Helbers, in March — Jones said it was the seemingly limitless possibilities that come with Vuitton's deep pockets.

"There's so much freedom here," said Jones. "Everything is possible at Vuitton, so it's more about deciding what not to do."

British-born Jones said he'd looked to his own childhood in Botswana and Ethiopia for the collection, which also includes sensible, hike-ready sandals and a plethora of shorts, including abbreviated tuxedo models. There was also a nod to the Boy Scouts in the khaki short suits, topped off by red and blue checkered scarves.

RICK OWENS

While the tough economy has pushed many other designers from the realm of the edgy and into the consensual, Owens continues to cater to the margins with a collection dominated by what's possibly menswear's hardest sell, the man skirt.

The raven haired, perma-tanned designer served them up in long and short iterations, layering miniskirt over miniskirt over leggings, or pairing razor-cut blazers with ankle-length skirts with bold slits up the back.

"I'm not going to sell tons of them," Owens acknowledged in a post-show interview. "But if there's anyone on the planet that can sell skirts to men, it's me.

"It's a niche, but I like the niche," he said.

Besides the skirts, the collection — shown in a stadium in eastern Paris that was plunged into darkness for the occasion — was dominated by floor-length tank dresses in nubby blacks, charcoal grays and khakis. With their long, elegant lines, the dresses evoked hermits wandering the desert sands.

"I like the idea of promoting dignity and wisdom," said Owens, adding that for him, the man dress — with its airs of Ancient Greece and philosophers and monks — embodies both.

It's a fair guess that many, many men might disagree with Owens on that one. But watching his models, who looked willowy and ravishing in their dresses, those present at Thursday's show couldn't help but agree.

JEAN PAUL GAULTIER

Gaultier stripped fashion in every sense of the word, peeling off the industry's glossy exterior to reveal its less-than-glamorous inner workings and stripping the models to their boxer shorts. In theory, the display was meant to be something like the moment in Wizard of Oz when the curtain is pulled aside to reveal the hidden machinations.

But the problem with taking that approach for a fashion show, at least from the designer's perspective, is that the clothes have to fight for the audience's attention with models in various states of undress — a battle the clothes nearly always lose.

Such was the case at Gaultier, where a small army of dressers and makeup artists and stylists prepared the models on a two-story scaffolding set up at the top of what's usually the runway.

A disembodied voice read out a description of each look — old-school haute couture style — as the models alighted from the scaffolding and ambled around the showroom. They paused in front of tables specially reserved for buyers, who reached out to feel the fabrics — eyepopping Hawaiian prints, houndstooths and sailor striped knits — and jotted their orders down on special forms.

Product number tags dangled from the backs of the jackets and tuxedo trousers and from head-to-toe plaid suits topped off with matching plaid trench coats. Standout pieces included a trompe l'oeil jumpsuit that cleverly imitated a three-piece suit in robin's egg blue and another pantsuit in fabric printed with the Paris street signs for the rue Saint-Martin, where Gaultier has his headquarters.

Overall, it was a novel approach, but it had a clinical, forced feel to it lacking Gaultier's trademark joie de vivre.

DRIES VAN NOTEN

Dries Van Noten knows the surest way to reach a man's softer side: swathe femininity in sportswear.

The Belgian critical darling served up sports staples like tennis shirts, crewneck sweaters and hunting parkas in fabrics usually more associated with ballgowns, like silk and taffeta.

"Men are always like, 'This might be too much for me, all that shiny material, can I wear that? Is it masculine enough for me?'" van Noten told Associated Press Television News in a pre-show interview. "So when you refer to sportswear then automatically ... they're more open."

Shown in a Paris parking garage, the collection hit the sweet spot between the two genders. Leather paneling toned down the shine on the slick parkas, and sporty striped sweaters added a rough edge to the slim pants in the finest of silks.

It was another brilliant showing from a designer who seems never to disappoint.

ISSEY MIYAKE MEN

For a flagging brand looking to shake up its image a bit, the Miyake collection felt surprisingly deja vu.

The Japanese label was once on fashion's cutting edge, but after the departure of its founder and namesake it has failed to duplicate its earlier successes. In a bid make new inroads among young consumers, the brand recently replaced its last creative director with a rejuvenated design team.

Still, the new team appeared to be following the same old recipes, delivering a debut collection that served up the casual high-tech aesthetic that has become the Miyake trademark.

Their chic, easy-breezy boxy button-down shirts and cropped sarouel pants were ready for a tropical holiday, and nubby sweater vests knit with inverted rainbows looked ideal for a weekend getaway.

Yet neither the silhouettes nor the fabrics broke any new ground for the label, although Thursday's show was a tad less conceptual than in previous years. It remains to be seen whether that will prove enough to jump-start sales.


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Selena Gomez Does Double Duty at the "Monte Carlo" Premiere (Fashion Wire Daily)

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New York – Teen television star Selena Gomez looked all grown up on Thursday, June 23, as she walked the red carpet in New York to celebrate "Monte Carlo," her new feature-film comedy. Wearing a form-fitting, cleavage-revealing gown, the actress, who turns 19 in July, has obviously shed her childish ways.

She had to grow up a bit as she made the film, which centers around a case of mistaken identity. Gomez plays two parts: Grace, an American traveling in Europe with two girlfriends, and Cordelia, a rich British heiress. When Grace is mistaken for the heiress, the adventures that take them on a whirlwind trip from Paris to Monte Carlo begin.

But despite her long career as the star of the Disney television hit show "The Wizards of Waverly Place," playing two parts in a big studio movie was a bit of a scary challenge for the then 17-year-old girl.

"I was nervous as all get out," Gomez admitted to reporters at a press conference earlier in the week in New York. "I was really nervous because Cordelia is a totally different character from me. She was completely evil and had an accent. So, I was a little nervous, but I had a great time."

Gomez gushed over the couture clothes she wears in the film, but revealed that they, too, were just a bit intimidating.

"Grace's wardrobe was very Texan and very simple, but very pretty. Cordelia's was very intense. I mean, she wore really amazing dresses and jackets and glasses and purses and earrings. It was really fun to create that whole vibe," she recalled. "She was very high fashion. My personal clothes are just kind of simple. I like classic things."

She likes her current boyfriend, too, pop sensation Justin Bieber, and like any good companion, he joined her for her big night at the premiere, along with her "Monte Carlo" co-stars Katie Cassidy and Andie MacDowell. MacDowell made it a family affair, bringing her daughters Rainey and Sarah Margaret Qualley to the party.


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Prada makes lacklustre Hong Kong debut (AFP)

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HONG KONG (AFP) – Italian luxury fashion house Prada made a lacklustre stock market debut in Hong Kong Friday amid choppy global markets and waning investor interest after a string of blockbuster IPOs.

The family-controlled firm's stock opened just 0.25 percent higher at HK$39.60 ($5.08) compared to its initial public offering (IPO) price of HK$39.50, before it ended the morning session at HK$39.55.

Hong Kong's benchmark Hang Seng index rose 1.42 percent at noon.

The Milan-based company nevertheless trumpeted its listing debut in Hong Kong -- increasingly a favoured gateway for foreign companies trying to tap Chinese capital.

"We are the first Italian luxury brand company to list here and this is a landmark event for the Hong Kong stock exchange," chief executive Patrizio Bertelli said.

"I am positive the Greater China market will be an interesting market for luxury good brands. The first signs are very good," he told reporters.

Ronald Arculli, chairman of the Hong Kong stock exchange lauded the listing as a "good start" for Prada and said the exchange was doing its best to attract quality companies to list in the city, despite volatile global markets.

The Italian group, which includes the Prada, Miu Miu, Church's and Car Shoe brands, is the latest high-end fashion brand to tap the huge Chinese market, the world's fastest-growing market for luxury goods.

China is forecast to be the world's top buyer of products such as cosmetics, handbags, watches, shoes and clothes by 2015, according to consultancy PriceWaterhouseCoopers.

But weak market sentiment had pushed Prada to price its Hong Kong shares at the lower end of its price range and shrink the size of its highly anticipated IPO, raising a lower-than-expected $2.14 billion.

Prada sold 423.2 million shares after floating 20 percent of its stock. Before the IPO, the brand had been 95 percent owned by the Prada family and executives.

The top end of Prada's price range would have seen the firm raise about $2.6 billion in Hong Kong, before any option to issue extra shares which could have pushed the deal to $3.0 billion in all.

Analysts said many investors were concerned that Prada's stock was overpriced, and were deterred by a tax hurdle in Italy that could shrink foreigners' profit owing to the absence of a tax treaty with Hong Kong.

"We expected a three-five percent drop in share price for Prada, so this is already a good performance for them," Ben Kwong, chief operating officer of financial services group KGI Asia told AFP.

"The weak market sentiment may have negatively affected investors' interest, and they are not as willing to pay a premium price," he added

China's deep capital pool helped Hong Kong claim the title of the world's biggest IPO market in 2010 -- for the second year in a row.

Firms raised more than $50 billion in Hong Kong IPOs last year, including two monster sales by Asian insurer AIA and Agricultural Bank of China.

But at a time of unease in markets around the world, some firms have now decided to delay or cancel their listings in Hong Kong.

Earlier this month, Australian miner Resourcehouse shelved an IPO originally slated to raise as much as $3.6 billion, citing weak market conditions.

Luggage maker Samsonite had a poor trading debut in Hong Kong last week with its shares closing nearly eight percent below their IPO price.

Outside the stock exchange, Prada received some unwanted publicity when two dozen women's activists staged a noisy protest accusing the group of sexual discrimination and chanted "Only the devil wears Prada! Shame on Prada!"

The protest stemmed from the case of Rina Bovrisse, a 37-year-old former Prada manager in Japan who claimed she was unfairly fired in March last year after being told by a company executive that she was "ugly" and didn't have "the Prada look".


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Cameron Diaz and Justin Timberlake: Happy Together at the "Bad Teacher" Premiere (Fashion Wire Daily)

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New York – You would never know that Cameron Diaz and Justin Timberlake had ever broken up, watching them work the black carpet at the New York City premiere of their hot buzzed new comedy "Bad Teacher" on Monday, June 20. The pair was once a hot item, dating exclusively for a few years back in 2003-2006, but as Diaz told reporters earlier that day, before the two met up at the Ziegfeld Theatre for the celebration, that's really old news.

"Justin and I are great friends. We're perfectly satisfied with our relationship now. We love each other. We care about each other. We want good things for each other. We've been broken up for as long as we were ever together," she explained.

"So, if we haven't moved on by now," she continued, "What's the point? Move on. I think in everything in life, gosh, there's so much to be experienced in life and to bring into your life. If you're holding onto something that doesn't exist anymore then you're not living. You're just not living!"

The two friends, along with everyone else, were living it up just fine, both at the unspooling of the new film and later, at the crowded after party. Funnyman Jason Segal, who fills out the leading cast of the film, joined the pair in the general revelry, along with co-stars Lucy Punch and Kathryn Newton, and director Jake Kasden.

But it was partygoer "Weird Al" Yankovic who almost stole the thunder of the "Bad Teacher" gang, for fans like Ben Kingsley, Carrie Keagan, Allison Williams, Joanna Garcia-Swisher and the "Dancing with the Stars" gang, including Kirstie Alley, Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Ralph Macchio, were all buzzing about his new parody video "Perform This Way," spoofing Lady Gaga's "Born This Way." That just-released performance was the talk of the night, especially the fact that all his profits from the joking song will go to charity.


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Giorgio Armani's Geometric Groove (Fashion Wire Daily)

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Milan – Giorgio Armani, beside being Italy's most famous designer, is also the peninsula's greatest tailor, and he reminded his fans of precisely that with some nattily cut new jackets in his latest signature show, presented Tuesday, June 21, in Milan.

However, while his newly deconstructed jackets - bereft of even the slightest shoulder padding - had a swell new silhouette, his biggest innovation this season was the way he used geometric graphics and zig zags to subtly alter the look of much of this collection.

Armani printed window panes and graphic patterns on nylon silk raincoats, sleek shirts and neat bomber jackets, all of which looked elegant, yet the right side of edgy.

But his classiest moments were his new shortened, double-breasted jackets, cut above the hip and finished with trim trousers, shaped lower in the crotch and finished just above the ankle, the new cut off point throughout this season in Milan.

"It's true that this is a particularly short double breasted. It really is a new jacket, but not the first time I tried deconstruction. My first deconstructed jacket, an empty shouldered look, was in back 1972," said Armani.

In a sign that many of the major Italian houses, are rebounding form the recession, Armani even sent out a chocolate colored crocodile baseball jacket, so supple it felt like as if made of lambskin, which was faintly scary in terms of price. Reportedly, it will retail for around $25,000.


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Jill Scott aims for first U.S. chart-topper (Reuters)

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LOS ANGELES (Billboard) – R&B singer Jill Scott could be on the verge of earning her first No. 1 album on the U.S. pop album chart with her first release in four years.

Industry sources suggest she could sell as many as 125,000 copies of "The Light of the Sun" by week's end on Sunday. Scott previously went as high as No. 3 with 2004's "Beautifully Human: Words and Sounds Vol. 2."

Also aiming for high debuts when the Billboard 200 chart is published on Wednesday are Bon Iver's self-titled set (with maybe 80,000 copies) and country singer Justin Moore's "Outlaws Like Me" (perhaps 60,000). Gunning for top 10 entries are "Weird Al" Yankovic's "Alpocalypse" and Pitbull's "Planet Pit."

On the current chart Eminem and Royce da 5'9" claimed the top spot after "Hell: The Sequel" sold 171,000 copies during the week ended June 19.


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Givenchy's Birds of Paradise for Boys (Fashion Wire Daily)

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Paris – Paris fashion's most iconoclastic menswear designer is Riccardo Tisci, and next season he would like stylish men to dress in sequined kilts, militaristic postman's blousons and sweat shirts in hyper-enlarged tropical prints.

Tisci showed all this and more in the latest menswear runway show for Givenchy, where he is the acclaimed creative director, in the house's spring 2012 collection presented in Paris on Friday, June 24.

"Hawaii obviously, surfers and urban sportswear," explained Tisci in a packed backstage after the show, staged with a zigzag runway in the ground floor of the Pompidou Center, where almost as many passerbys and tourists gaped in through the giant plate glass windows as were member of the audience inside.

The opening looks and prints set the stage. A good third of the outfits featured a Bird of Paradise print, the tropical flower and its bright hued inflorescence almost exploding across white cotton peplum hem tunics, wide pleated kilts and strictly cut jerkins. The flower and foliage also sprouted via sequins sewn onto peg leg white jeans or crisp gentleman's shirts.

Though frequently outlandish and startling as a creator, Tisci has a great track record of getting hipster men into avant-garde clothing. Scores of guys in the audience came to the show wearing the designer's Rottweiler print T-shirts and aviator jackets from his last collection.

Tisci also sent out natty high gloss leather sandals with zipper like trim, chic white cotton mesh jackets and a series of great felt cotton tops.

Fanciful, attention catching and very hyper-color, this may well be a collection of clothes that many men would find hard to wear. But as a stylistic statement and a brave suggestion about how guys might dress if they had the necessary chutzpah, this collection was a breathe of fresh air.


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Fergie shakes it at Paris fashion AIDS gala (AP)

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PARIS – The Black Eyed Peas, Fergie, Miami Heat star Dwayne Wade and designers Marc Jacobs, Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren added A-list sparkle to a sumptuous AIDS charity gala on the margins of Paris' menswear week.

An auction of luxury lots — including a red-crocodile covered bottle of Piper Heidsieck Champagne, invitations to haute couture fashion shows and VIP tickets to a Black Eyed Peas concert — fetched tens of thousands of dollars for the American Foundation for AIDS Research, a charity founded by the late Elizabeth Taylor.

Fergie and Dutch design duo Viktor & Rolf were honored for their contributions to the fight against AIDS at Thursday night's dinner, where other A-list guests included German-born actress Diane Kruger, burlesque dancer Dita Von Teese and actor Jeremy Iron's son, emerging model Max Irons.

Fergie tried to take to the stage to receive her award but was waylaid by her skirt, a black Louis Vuitton number so narrow she couldn't lift her leg high enough to climb up the steps. Vuitton designer Jacobs, the man behind the hobbling garment, had to help her hop up the stairs.

Finally onstage, Fergie did a victory booty shake and waxed nostalgic about the start of her blockbuster career, saying she "never wanted to be a role model." But as she learned how she could use her celebrity to support causes that she cared about, "I learned to take responsibility for helping other people and started to make up for all the crap I used to do."

The evening also included performances by Irish singer Roisin Murphy and French duo Brigitte, whose head-to-toe sequin outfits stood out even among the outrageously dressed crowd. Other top looks included the two Paris party promoters wearing Swarovski-crystal-covered masks complete with bling bling antlers.

Last year, the first annual Paris amfAR gala raised $180,000 for AIDS research.


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Longtime Galliano associate takes helm at his own label (AFP)

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PARIS (AFP) – A longtime close associate of John Galliano emerged Friday at the creative helm of the label he founded, then lost after his spectacular ouster from Christian Dior.

Bill Gaytten stepped out the shadows to take a bow at the end of the spring-summer John Galliano Homme menswear collection, the first since the celebrated British couturier's sudden fall from grace in February.

"I've worked with John a long time," a bedenimed Gaytten, told reporters backstage.

"I first started (working with Galliano) when I was about 24, 25," he said. "We came to Paris together, we started at Galliano together, we started at Dior together."

Gaytten, who grew up in Oldham, near Manchester in the north of England, turned 51 earlier this month.

Galliano stood trial on Wednesday on charges of spewing racist and anti-Semitic insults at patrons in a Paris cafe, including one video-recorded incident that led to his firing as creative director at Christian Dior.

He was subsequently dismissed from his own label, majority owned by Dior.

A Dior spokesman told AFP that Gaytten was fulfilling the functions of creative director at Galliano, in the absence of a formal corporate announcement of his appointment.


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Judge approves viewing of Jackson film outtakes (AP)

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By LINDA DEUTSCH, AP Special Correspondent Linda Deutsch, Ap Special Correspondent – Fri?Jun?24, 4:54?pm?ET

LOS ANGELES – Defense attorneys and prosecutors in the involuntary manslaughter case against Michael Jackson's doctor won permission Friday to view raw footage that didn't make it into the concert movie "This Is It."

The lawyers want to show excerpts from the movie to demonstrate Jackson's physical condition before he died.

However, the ruling also sets the stage for the singer to become the posthumous star of the upcoming trial.

At one point in the court hearing, Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor asked if prosecutors wanted to show the entire movie to jurors, but the issue was tabled for later discussion.

Deputy District Attorney David Walgren initially asked to show excerpts of the actual movie compiled from rehearsals two days before Jackson's death on June 25, 2009.

Defense attorneys, however, asked to see outtakes not used in the movie and requested the time frame begin 10 days before Jackson died.

Walgren said prosecutors want to see the same raw footage that is viewed by the defense.

Defense attorney Nareg Gourjian objected to the prosecution's request to sit in on the private screening, saying the subpoena was issued by the defense.

Walgren countered that it would be "silly and a waste of time" for him to get a separate subpoena and the judge agreed.

"I think the people should be part of it," Pastor said.

Pastor said both sides can go to Sony studios beginning Tuesday and view 21 boxes of audio-visual materials that have been estimated to capture 100 hours of rehearsal time. Jackson was preparing for a widely anticipated London concert and died just before he was to leave for Britain.

Dr. Conrad Murray, hired as Jackson's private physician for the tour, is charged with involuntary manslaughter, accused of giving Jackson an overdose of the powerful anesthetic propofol and other sedatives. He has pleaded not guilty and is due for trial in September.

The hearing came one day before the second anniversary of Jackson's death. Some theaters in Hollywood are showing "This Is It" as a tribute to the singer over the weekend.

Walgren said the time-consuming effort to view all the footage may require a trial delay of about three weeks. Pastor ordered lawyers to return on July 12 and give him a progress report and time estimate.

Sony lawyer Gary Bostwick said the materials in Sony's possession are not categorized, and Pastor described the treasure trove as sounding like "boxes someone would have in their garage."

Bostwick agreed but called it a unique situation because of the path the footage took.

Concert promoter AEG, which owned the videos, decided to release a posthumous movie soon after Jackson's death and rushed to have the rehearsal footage edited by director Kenny Ortega, Bostwick said.

The movie eventually was sold to Sony and the raw footage was turned over to them as well.

Bostwick said producers were working so fast to get the movie out that "there never was any complete inventory."


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St. Louis statue of Chuck Berry sparks opposition (Reuters)

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ST. LOUIS (Reuters) – An 86-year-old former city official said on Thursday she and dozens of supporters would try to delay installation of a statue of rock pioneer Chuck Berry because he "is a felon and not a friend of women."

An eight-foot statue of the 84-year-old St. Louis native and member of the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame is ready to be erected in a public plaza near the suburban University City club where Berry still performs every month to sold out crowds. Installation is scheduled for next week unless it is stopped.

Elsie Glickert, who has lived in the area all her life and served 11 years on the University City council, said she would ask the council to delay the installation "until it can be reviewed. I'm dumbfounded how it got this far."

The city confirmed the issue was placed on the agenda for Monday's meeting, but the city manager Lehman Walker has said the statue was approved properly and plans for the installation and a July 29 dedication will go ahead.

Citing Berry's conviction in 1962 of violating the Mann Act, transporting a woman across state lines for immoral purposes, Glickert said, "This man is a felon and not a friend of women. It is a misuse of tax dollars to honor him on public property."

At a show in Texas in 1959, Berry met a young Native American woman who came to work at his St. Louis club, was fired and then arrested on a prostitution charge. That led to Berry being convicted for violating the Mann Act, transporting a woman across state lines for immoral purposes. He began a three-year prison sentence in 1962 and penned several hits while incarcerated, including "No Particular Place to Go."

Berry had more trouble in 1979 when he was convicted of tax evasion and had been convicted of armed robbery as a teenager.

The statue was promoted by club owner Joe Edwards, who helped raise over $100,000 to pay for the statue and other plaza improvements. Berry is scheduled to speak at the July dedication.

The new plaza will also feature illuminated walls with laser-engraved musical notes of "Johnny B. Goode," Berry's signature hit. The concrete curbs along the street near the plaza will be etched with the lyrics of Berry songs.

Glickert earlier this month presented the city petitions against the statue with over 100 signatures.

Berry performs at Blueberry Hill, Edwards' club, every month. He collapsed during a show in Chicago on New Year's Day but recovered in time to play his next show in St. Louis.

(Reporting and writing by Bruce Olson; Editing by Mary Wisniewski and Greg McCune)


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Prada: From Milan boutique to Asian powerhouse (AFP)

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MILAN (AFP) – Prada, which began trading in Hong Kong on Friday, is a family-owned Milanese fashion house that has been around for nearly a century and has become one of the global luxury market's top brands.

The history of the Prada fashion house began in 1913 with a shop in the chic Victor Emmanuel II shopping arcade in the heart of Milan. The boutique sold luxury luggage and became the official supplier to the Italian royal family.

Founder Mario Prada's granddaughter, Miuccia, took over at the end of the 1970s and turned the company into an international powerhouse together with her husband Patrizio Bertelli, who is the CEO of the group.

Under her leadership, Prada evolved into a fashion brand with different price ranges and a wide array of accessories including eyewear and perfumes.

In 1988, Prada took part in the Milan catwalks for the first time.

The company's international expansion began in 1986 with the opening of boutiques in New York and Madrid, followed by London, Paris and Tokyo.

In 1993, it launched the more youthful and economical brand Miu Miu.

At the end of the 1990s, Prada went on a buying spree by snapping up Jil Sander and Helmut Lang, which it later sold off to raise some cash.

It partnered with LVMH to take control of Fendi and then sold off its 25.5-percent stake to the French giant in 2001.

It also bought shoe companies Car Shoe and Church's, which it still owns.

Prada's net profit last year bounced up 150 percent to 250.8 million euros ($359 million) as turnover rose 31 percent to 2.05 billion euros -- thanks mainly to the boom in sales in its main market, Asia.

The company's debt at the end of last year was at 375.4 million euros.

The group employs nearly 1,900 people and has a network of 319 shops.

Following its initial public offering (IPO), the company is still majority controlled by the Prada family and Bertelli.


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Burberry Whimsically Cool New Look (Fashion Wire Daily)

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Milan – In fashion, as in life and sometimes romance, it's important not to take things too seriously, and that's why the latest men's collection from Burberry presented on Saturday, June 18, in Milan was such a great fashion moment.

Bizarre and dreamily indulgent, the collection injected all sorts of diverse references - from Sixties Jet Setter chic and posh hippie notions to Mediterranean dandy codes and snazzy artisan finishes. Yet though it subverted the whole serious, arctic explorer DNA of this unique British brand, it's very eccentricity only added to Burberry's cool allure, in a brilliantly innovative collection by the house's highly assured designer Christopher Bailey.

Take several very feminine elements - raffia, cork and central Asia embellishments. Raffia, traditionally a straw weave used in women's bags, appeared in tam-o'-shanter caps, shoe inserts and most spectacularly in curvy coats - in a capricious coolly way.

Cork, a material first made fashionable in the Sixties when trendy travelers discovered and made famous beautiful islands like Capri, Mykonos and Ibiza, popped up in quirky shoes and dandy moccasins.

Ikats, a dyed fabric originally from Uzbekistan, added zest and wit to dandy pants and tapestry shoes.

"I think it was time for a little whimsy, and something far more tactile in fashion. The Internet is an amazing force but it seems to suggest that you can grasp anything just by seeing it on the web. You can't. Some things have to be felt by hand," Bailey said backstage, after a show transmitted directly on the web.

It was a rather remarkable admission, especially as no other important brand in fashion has built as significant a retail presence as Burberry on the Internet. Doubly so, as consumers could order much of the collection directly from Burberry's corporate website during this show.

Among the great tactile elements where hand crocheted and beaded collars on curvy-shouldered Raglan coats and trenches; and, somewhat weirdly for a spring collection, a series of Alpine sweaters with radial and snow pattern designs. But on closer inspection these were silk jumpers where the designs were made of hand painted shards of wood.

Weathered in finish, and even disheveled in it's styling, this was a brilliant counter blast to Burberry's own carefully crafted image. The house trades on connecting with Cool Britannia and hipster Indy U.K. brands, but it's intensely corporate drive had of late come across as a tad too formulaic. Few things better summed that up than Bailey's promotion last year from creative director to a to the militaristic new title of chief creative officer.

But instead of wielding a marshal's baton, this season in Milan Bailey sagely changed tack and offered a lovingly prepared expression of hand-crafted pizzazz. Little doubt this will turn out to be one of the European season's best shows and collections.


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2011年6月26日星期日

DJ wins $1 million in lawsuit over "My Humps" song (Reuters)

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NEW YORK (Hollywood Reporter) – Cleveland disc jockey and early rap artist Orrin Lynn Tolliver, Jr. has just been awarded nearly $1.2 million by a New York jury. The award comes after a former friend and collaborator allowed without permission his 1983 song, "I Need A Freak," to be sampled by the Black Eyed Peas for the group's hit song, "My Humps."

In the early 80s, Tolliver formed a concept band called Sexual Harassment and recorded "I Need A Freak" at his friend and collaborator James McCants' studio at Heat Records.

McCants registered the song with BMI, credited Tolliver as the songwriter, and agreed to pay him 75% of royalties.

In 2000, the song was included on the compilation, "In Da Beginning...There Was Rap," from Priority Records, which caused Tolliver to send McCants a cease-and-desist letter. His former friend and collaborator denied issuing a license.

However, in the proceeding years, the song was sampled for use by other artists, including by the Black Eyed Peas on "My Humps."

Tolliver sued McCants for copyright infringement.

During the preliminary stages of the case, McCants offered shifting excuses about what had happened. He first denied issuing a license. He then claimed he had co-authored the composition and owned it under the work-for-hire doctrine. He then attempted to obtain a musicologist expert's report that "My Humps" didn't sample Tolliver's work. Finally, he claimed that he owned the composition by virtue of a copyright assignment.

The judge didn't appreciate these inconsistent statements and ruled for Tolliver on summary judgment.

The case went to a jury to determine the damages. On Tuesday, the jury rendered a verdict. McCants owed Tolliver $816,877.28 in profits and $368,704.31 in actual damages for copyright infringement.

(Editing by Zorianna Kit)


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Fergie shakes it at Paris fashion AIDS gala (AP)

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PARIS – The Black Eyed Peas, Fergie, Miami Heat star Dwayne Wade and designers Marc Jacobs, Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren added A-list sparkle to a sumptuous AIDS charity gala on the margins of Paris' menswear week.

An auction of luxury lots — including a red-crocodile covered bottle of Piper Heidsieck Champagne, invitations to haute couture fashion shows and VIP tickets to a Black Eyed Peas concert — fetched tens of thousands of dollars for the American Foundation for AIDS Research, a charity founded by the late Elizabeth Taylor.

Fergie and Dutch design duo Viktor & Rolf were honored for their contributions to the fight against AIDS at Thursday night's dinner, where other A-list guests included German-born actress Diane Kruger, burlesque dancer Dita Von Teese and actor Jeremy Iron's son, emerging model Max Irons.

Fergie tried to take to the stage to receive her award but was waylaid by her skirt, a black Louis Vuitton number so narrow she couldn't lift her leg high enough to climb up the steps. Vuitton designer Jacobs, the man behind the hobbling garment, had to help her hop up the stairs.

Finally onstage, Fergie did a victory booty shake and waxed nostalgic about the start of her blockbuster career, saying she "never wanted to be a role model." But as she learned how she could use her celebrity to support causes that she cared about, "I learned to take responsibility for helping other people and started to make up for all the crap I used to do."

The evening also included performances by Irish singer Roisin Murphy and French duo Brigitte, whose head-to-toe sequin outfits stood out even among the outrageously dressed crowd. Other top looks included the two Paris party promoters wearing Swarovski-crystal-covered masks complete with bling bling antlers.

Last year, the first annual Paris amfAR gala raised $180,000 for AIDS research.


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MSG summer shutdown a boon to NJ venues (AP)

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NEW YORK – Madison Square Garden, the world's most famous arena, is going dark for the summer — and top acts like Sade, Britney Spears and Taylor Swift are having to perform on the outskirts of the Big Apple as the renowned venue prepares for a long-term makeover.

MSG will spend the next three summers reconstructing its arena. That's good news for New Jersey venues like the Prudential Center and IZOD Center, which are experiencing an increase in high-profile performers as a result. Even Long Island's Nassau Coliseum is getting a small boost.

"MSG is the busiest arena and has been the busiest arena that I've seen in the States ... and anytime you take out that supply, especially if you have an increase in demand, it's going benefit the Prudential Center, and certainly we expect that to be the case," said Jeff Vanderbeek, who owns the Prudential Center in Newark.

It's a busy summer for top musical acts: Backstreet Boys and New Kids on the Block are on the road together, the cast of "American Idol" and "Glee" are performing live and hitmakers like Katy Perry and Rihanna — accompanied by Cee Lo Green — have tours.

"This summer as far as I can tell, with or without MSG being shut down, it's going to be a busy summer with more acts wanting to play in arenas," Vanderbeek continued.

"2009 was a fairly light concert year," said Jim Minish, executive vice president of facilities at the IZOD Center. "There weren't that many bands out or bands couldn't sell arenas. There seems to be a lot more acts this year that are able to play arena venues."

Prudential is located about 10 miles outside of New York. Vanderbeek, who also owns hockey's New Jersey Devils, says he knew that the building would be busy this summer with the growing popularity of his venue, which is also housing this week's NBA draft, typically held at MSG.

IZOD, located in East Rutherford, N.J., is also getting a boost thanks to MSG's construction.

"We normally do a good number of concerts at IZOD Center, but I would say this year is probably a handful more that we've gotten from now through October," said Minish.

Both Vanderbeek and Minish say that commuting to New Jersey from New York is a breeze, though most ticketholders aren't initially convinced.

"People are shocked at how easy it is," Vanderbeek said.

MSG — which has billed their reconstruction as the "Transformation" — plans to upgrade its entrance, seating, lighting, sound and video; it will also add more bathrooms, suites, lockers, food options and "a new star dressing room."

A representative for MSG said the venue has been in touch with artists and promoters about its construction schedule; the venue will resume its concerts in October.

Gary Bongiovanni, the president and editor-in-chief of concert trade magazine Pollstar, said sports is a priority for MSG, and avoiding construction during the basketball and hockey seasons — when ticketholders have purchased season passes — is why construction is happening during the summer months.

Bongiovanni also said that MSG is a venue known to charge artists a hefty price to play there, and that performing in New Jersey could mean a larger profit for artists.

"It is known as a very expensive building to play ... which in general is true in most New York venues," he said.

MSG's concerts can house up to 20,000 people; IZOD matches that, while Prudential can hold up to 19,500 and for Nassau about 18,000 seats.

This year marks a unique time for some artists and MSG: Sade, who hasn't been on the road since 2001, is back after releasing a platinum-selling album last year. But fans won't get a chance to see the soul band play at one of the world's most famed arenas. The growing popularity of Fox TV show "Glee" has helped the cast land larger tour stops compared to its concert stint last year, and they have performed in other arenas, but can't do so in New York City.

"We would have performed at Madison Square Garden," said "Glee" actor Cory Monteith. "We sold out the Staples' Center twice in a day, which is about the same size and (MSG is) under construction, so I'm sure that's why we didn't go."

Venues like Prudential and IZOD are having some acts at their venues for the first time, and more importantly, the venues see it as an opportunity to get artists coming back. Vanderbeek says that's the case with Swift, who performed at Prudential twice last year and will perform there four times next month.

"She loved the building," Vanderbeek said. "So I think it's a testimony to New Jersey, to the building and certainly to Taylor Swift."

____

Online:

http://www.msgtransformation.com/

http://www.prucenter.com/

http://www.izodcenter.com/

http://www.nassaucoliseum.com/

____

Mesfin Fekadu can be reached at http://twitter.com/musicmesfin


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U2 faces 'tax dodge' protest at Glastonbury fest (AP)

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LONDON – U2 and its frontman Bono are known for their global poverty-fighting efforts but activists plan to protest their performance Friday at England's Glastonbury festival, accusing the Irish band of dodging taxes.

The anti-capitalist group Art Uncut said it would unfurl banners and placards in front of TV cameras filming the U2 gig on the festival's main Pyramid Stage.

Member Charlie Dewar said Bono campaigns against poverty in the developing world but has avoided paying Irish taxes at a time when his austerity-hit country desperately needs money.

Ireland, which has already accepted an international bailout, is suffering through deep spending cuts, tax hikes and rising unemployment as it tries to pull the debt-burdened economy back from brink of bankruptcy.

"Tax(es) nestling in the band's bank account should be helping to keep open the hospitals, schools and libraries that are closing all over Ireland," Dewar said.

U2, the country's most successful band, was heavily criticized in 2006 for moving its corporate base from Ireland to the Netherlands, where royalties on music incur virtually no tax.

Bono, guitarist The Edge and U2's other members — bassist Adam Clayton and drummer Larry Mullen — are among the country's wealthiest residents. Forbes magazine has estimated the band earned $195 million last year, mostly through its hugely profitable "360 Degrees" world tour.

It's not known how much personal income tax the band members pay in Ireland.

During the years when Ireland was a booming "Celtic Tiger" economy, the members of U2 invested in a wide range of Dublin properties, including a luxury riverside hotel and a planned Norman Foster-designed skyscraper on the River Liffey. Plans for the "U2 Tower" were shelved when property prices collapsed in 2008.

U2 is headlining the first night of the three-day Glastonbury festival, its first appearance at Britain's most prestigious summer music event. The band was due to perform last year but had to pull out after Bono injured his back.

Fans were keenly anticipating Friday's show — and said they would give protesters a hostile reception.

"I don't think the protest will go down well," said 42-year-old fan Sarah Craig. "I for one will be giving them a headache if they plan any protest in front of me."

Some 170,000 people have descended on a farm in southwest England for the extravaganza, which includes sets by Morrissey, Mumford & Sons, Coldplay, Beyonce and scores of other acts.

Rubber boots are the fashion item of choice after heavy rain turned the 900-acre (364-hectare) site into a mudbath. More rain is forecast for later Friday.


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Sentencing set for September in Galliano racism trial (AFP)

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PARIS (AFP) – Fashion designer John Galliano will learn in 11 weeks the outcome of his day-long trial on charges of hurling racist and anti-Semitic remarks at patrons in a hip Paris bar.

After seven hours of hearings -- at which the 50-year-old couturier blamed his career-wrecking conduct on a crippling addiction to drugs and alcohol -- a criminal court in the French capital set September 8 for sentencing.

Speaking publicly for the first time since the furore broke in February, Galliano said he had no recollection of the incidents that cost him his highly coveted job as creative director at the Christian Dior fashion house.

"They are not views that I hold or believe in," he said after the court viewed an amateur video in which he declared a love for Hitler to shocked patrons at La Perle in the Le Marais, the old Jewish quarter of Paris.

"In the video, I see someone who needs help, who is very vulnerable. It is a shell of John Galliano, pushed to the edge," said the Gibraltar-born and London-bred designer who repeatedly denied he was anti-Semitic or racist.

He told the court he suffered from a triple addiction to alcohol, valium and sleeping pills, and that he checked into rehab in Arizona and Switzerland after his downfall at Dior. Today, he added, "I am in day care".

Widely regarded as one of the finest fashion designers of his generation, Galliano faces a maximum penalty of six months in jail and a fine of 22,500 euros ($32,000) if convicted of making anti-Semitic insults.

Prosecutor Anne de Fontette asked the court Wednesday to fine Galliano no less than 10,000 euros, but made no mention of prison time, at the conclusion of a long day in a hot, stuffy, wood-panelled criminal court chamber.

"I apologise very much," said Galliano in a soft voice when asked by presiding judge Anne-Marie Sauteraud if he wanted to apologise to his reputed victims. "I apologise for the sadness this whole affair has caused."

"I embrace every people, every race, creed, religion, sexuality," he said, adding that he celebrated diversity through his couture.

Galliano said that he himself had experienced bigotry first hand after he moved to south London in the 1960s with his family at the age of six, enduring bullying at "a typical English school" because of his homosexuality.

He said he began abusing drugs and alcohol in 2007 following the death of Steven Robinson, his closest friend and right-hand man at both Dior and his own John Galliano label.

"After every creative high, I would crash, and alcohol helped me escape," he said, adding later: "I'm much better now."

Dressed soberly in a black jacket, matching loose silk trousers, but without his signature hat, Galliano was accompanied by his lawyer Aurelien Hamelle and a burly, bald-headed bodyguard who sat two rows behind him.

An interpreter whispered into his left ear as Sauteraud, with a docket 20 centimetres (eight inches) high at her side, read from a document that quoted Galliano as using such phrases as "(expletive) ugly Jewish bitch".

Asked by the prosecutor if she was sure Galliano had used the word "Jewish", his alleged target, museum curator Geraldine Bloch, replied confidently: "Yes, several times... it was one of the most recurrent words."

She said Galliano had begun by mocking her "cheap boots", moved on to insult her figure and finally called her "a dirty Jewish bitch".

Her companion that evening, receptionist Philippe Virgitti, testified that Galliano made several obscene Jewish references, and that he had also called him a "(expletive) Asian bastard" as well.

But Marion Bully, 30, an English teacher within earshot of the altercation, said that while she heard Galliano insult Bloch, at no time did she hear Jewish references.

A second witness, a 24-year-old German fashion student, said she too was at the bar on February 24 and confirmed an altercation, but added: "I did not hear any anti-Semitic things."

Another woman, Fathia Oumeddour, later came forward to say she was the victim of a similar assault in October 2010. Her complaint was integrated into Wednesday's proceedings.

The video was taken on a third occasion, apparently at La Perle. Galliano -- seen in the clip wearing a winter cap -- said he had no recollection of the incident, but added that he believed it may have taken place in December 2010.

Bloch is seeking a symbolic one euro in damages, although her lawyer Yves Beddock told the court that Galliano had already been punished in a way: "The sentence has already been handed down -- by Dior."

In the days after the February 24 incident, Galliano lodged a counter-suit against Bloch and Virgitti, alleging defamation.


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Yves Saint Laurent's Modernist Aesthete (Fashion Wire Daily)

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Paris – Paris on the morning of Friday, June 24, witnessed a tremendous tour de force of modern tailoring. Its location was the runway show of Yves Saint Laurent, where the house's creative director Stefano Pilati presented the best cut clothes seen so far in the European men's collections for spring 2012, and a visual declaration of a new modern aesthetic.

This was a collection without any evident theme or particular muse, but it was still an inspired statement about contemporary dressing, a collection where Pilati had clearly worked hard to stretch the codes of men's tailoring, while also self-editing to present a clear stylistic statement.

From the opening looks the invention was evident - a gentlemanly silhouette with deconstructed shoulders and low waist, where jackets and smart frock coats were consistently cut away. Pilati added flap pockets all over the show, low down on flat Pacific blue coats, or even at the back of some bravura white colonial shorts.

His color palette was somber - anthracite, tobacco and deep blue - but never gloomy; and the addition of plaques and fabric strips at odd angles and as button covers gave each garment a clever twist.

"It's about new city style, urban sportswear and leisure," Pilati told FWD after taking a princely bow in Ikat print trousers, khaki double-breasted jacket and bizarre space age print rubber sailing boots.

It has also been a given in Europe for at least a decade that the most influential menswear show when it came to footwear wears Prada. Not after seeing YSL today, where the choice of ergonomic perforated boots, beautiful patent leather Sci Fi boots with fabric backs and some stunning hand painted snakeskin moccasins meant this show was the season's best footwear selection.

Pilati used the same abstract snakeskin print on quilted bomber jackets, before a cool finale of several tuxedo jackets over a new type of garment - a T-shirt meets vest that gave added a smack of innovative class.

This was Pilati's first show since the departure of experienced CEO Valerie Herman for a new life in New York as president of Reed Krakoff. Yet, there was a distinct air of optimism about the show.

"Sales of our women's resort collection have risen 50 to 60 percent in some markets. And the response from buyers to the pre-collection sales of this men's spring collection last week in Milan was excellent," Herman's successor as YSL CEO, Paul Deneve, told FWD after Friday's show, staged in a small, light filled art gallery beside the Palais Royal.


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La Toya Jackson says Michael feared he'd be killed (AP)

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NEW YORK – Michael Jackson spent the last months of his life frightened and on edge, convinced that he would be killed by people wanting to get access to his valuable music catalog, according to his sister, La Toya Jackson.

Jackson makes the claims in her new book, "Starting Over," which also chronicles her own troubles, including an abusive marriage to her late ex-manager/husband, Jack Gordon.

Jackson says that she and her brother went through similar experiences of being controlled and manipulated by shadowy figures that cut them off from their family.

"The difference is, I was eventually able to get away and start over; Michael can't start over," she said.

Saturday will mark the two-year anniversary of the King of Pop's death at age 50. Dr. Conrad Murray is charged with involuntary manslaughter, accused of giving him an overdose of the anesthetic propofol and other sedatives. He has pleaded not guilty; the trial is set for September.

However, Jackson's sister called Murray "the fall guy." She said there were other people who needed to be investigated and described Jackson's death as part of a wide conspiracy. Jackson was the co-owner of the lucrative Sony/ATV catalog, the copyright holder of the Beatles' and other artists' songs, and his older sister contends he was murdered for control of it.

"This is definitely something that was premeditated, that they had planned to do, and they planned to take my brother out, and my brother knew it, and that's why my brother told me repeatedly, repeatedly and repeatedly, that this was going to happen to him," she said in an interview Wednesday. "He explained to me, `It's because of my catalog.'"

Jackson had harsh words for John Branca, the co-executor of Jackson's estate, accusing him of being more interested in his own interests than those of the beneficiaries of the estate — Jackson's mother, his three children and charitable causes.

"They care about what they can do and what they can get their hands on, and no one in the family has anything to do with the estate," she said. "At this point, blatantly said, John Branca right now is Michael Jackson."

In response to Jackson's statements, the estate issued this statement: "After numerous hearings and after reviewing evidence contained in countless filings and exhibits, three California courts have decided John Branca and John McClain are the rightful and lawful executors of Michael Jackson's Estate just as Michael specified in his will.

"Mr. Branca and Mr. McClain have turned the estate around financially for the benefit of Michael's children and mother, protected the intellectual property and music catalog assets Michael accumulated during his lifetime as well as carried out their mandate to shelter and preserve funds for his children until they reach certain ages as adults. Their performance as the executors of Michael's estate is a matter of extensive public record and speaks for itself."

Jackson's three children — Prince Michael, Paris and Blanket — are being cared for by Jackson's mother, Katherine. Unlike when they were in their father's care, they no longer shield their faces with masks and have entered private school: "They are adjusting very well," Jackson said.

Jackson, who has appeared on "Celebrity Apprentice" and "Dancing With the Stars" since her brother's death, was once estranged from her brother and the rest of her family. She even went so far as to support charges that Jackson was a child molester when he was first accused of the crime in 1993 (he was not charged in that case and was acquitted of similar charges in 2005).

But she said she was then under the control of her ex-husband, who forced her to say negative things about her brother. She said Gordon beat her on a regular basis and threatened the lives of her family; she eventually broke away from him with the intervention of her brother Randy, according to the book.

Jackson, who now calls Michael "godlike," said the day she spoke out against her brother was the worst day of her life. However, she said Jackson forgave her.

"He said, `La Toya ... I know your heart, and I know you would never do anything like that, and I know he forced you and made you to do that," she said. "He says, `I love you, and I will always love you.'"

Jackson said she's gratified that Jackson's once tarnished image has been rehabilitated after his death.

"I think it's wonderful that people remember him in a wonderful light," she said.

___

Online:

http://www.latoyaonline.com/

___

Nekesa Mumbi Moody can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/nekesamumbi


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Mick Jagger's SuperHeavy group to drop album in fall (Reuters)

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LOS ANGELES (Billboard) – Universal Music will release the album from SuperHeavy, a group featuring Mick Jagger, Eurythmics founder Dave Stewart, singer Joss Stone, composer A.R. Rahman and reggae artist Damian Marley. No exact release date is set, but Universal Republic will handle the United States and A&M will handle the rest of the world.

An official release said the album will be unveiled in September; the first single is titled "Miracle Worker" and the five stars will be recording a video for the track. Jagger and Stewart co-produced the album.

Recording in various studios around the world -- France, Cyprus, Miami, India -- the majority of the tracks laid down over three weeks in Los Angeles earlier this year. The quintet wrote 22 songs in their first six days together. The term "SuperHeavy" was inspired by Muhammad Ali.

Jagger and Stewart had worked together on the 2004 soundtrack to the film "Alfie," and Stewart produced Stone's last album. Both wanted to bring in a Jamaican musician and Damian Marley entered the picture with his rhythm section, bassist and composer Shiah Coore and drummer Courtney Diedrick. They met Rahman while recording in Los Angeles.

According to the band's bio, SuperHeavy came together after Jagger and Stewart wondered what a band of musicians from different genres would sound like. Jagger had his doubts it would come together.

One of the first on the album is Jagger singing in Urdu. He takes lead on Rahman's song "Satyameva Jayate," which translates to "the truth alone triumphs."

(Editing by Zorianna Kit)


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Prada's Perfect Round (Fashion Wire Daily)

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Milan – Golf, not a sport that one instantly associates with fashion, was nonetheless the inspiration behind the latest Prada men's fashion collection, presented in Milan on Sunday, June 19.

Though at first sight the sport might appear to many the very epitome of bourgeois conformity, in the eyes of designer Miuccia Prada its protagonists are marvels of unconformity.

"When you look at how many professional players actually dress they are actually pretty weird and wonderful. Maybe the very pressure of playing big matches creates this excess. But these men can really dress pretty bizarrely, and I love that," said Prada after presenting her brand's spring 2012 collection on a rambling catwalk made of artificial grass.

The models weaved around the faux grassy surface attired in flat caps worn backward and kitted out in multi-colored, spiked and tasseled golf shoes.

As the show progressed the Prada pros got increasingly playful, especially in their choice of trousers ? composed of wacky Liberty style prints of fruit cocktails, British Sixties comics and surfer fanzines. Plus a whole Bagger Vance theme rifled through this collection, in particular some window-pane check shorts and retro silk and cashmere cardigans.

Moreover, the reigning queen of Italian fashion also added in a Western twist of her own ? like Cowboy shirts with curvy breast pockets bedecked in fake jewels. Last year, Prada ignited a giant global trend when she covered men's brogues and wingtips in silver studs. This collection will almost certainly have a similar effect when it comes to showering summer tops and tasseled shoes with fake rubies and garnets. And, it would not be a surprise if Prada's choice of saturated bright colors for the soles of her golf shoes did not become a trend in professional shops in major clubhouses on the golfing circle either.

In a beautiful crafted display, Prada balanced the peculiar novelties with an opening and finale featuring surgically cut tailoring, from sleek four-button double breasted jackets to slim and pleated pants.


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Comedy icon Jerry Lewis ill in Australia (AFP)

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SYDNEY (AFP) – Veteran US comedian Jerry Lewis has had to cancel a sell-out Sydney tour after collapsing from exhaustion as he prepared to take the stage, promoters said Saturday.

The 85-year-old was due to perform before a packed house in western Sydney Friday night to raise money for muscular dystrophy but the event was called off at the last minute after he fell ill.

Lewis has cancelled the remainder of his Sydney tour to rest and will return to the stage on Thursday for a Melbourne performance if his health permits.

"He is extremely disappointed for his fans that he was unable to perform last night, but a combination of a long flight from the US and a busy few days on the start of his national tour led to his exhaustion," said David Jack, head of Australia's Muscular Dystrophy Foundation.

A doctor had attended to the comedy star but he had not been hospitalised and was "feeling much better" after resting in his hotel overnight, added Jack.

"He wanted me to give a very important message just to quash any rumours: `I'm not pregnant'," he joked.

"Understandably, Jerry's health is our primary concern throughout this period and we want to ensure he's able to travel home healthy."

Many people in the 700-strong audience for Friday's event had elected to donate the cost of their ticket rather than seek a refund and Jack said he had been "overwhelmed" when they rose to give the absent star a standing ovation.

Staff at the club where Lewis had been due to perform said the comedy legend had been unable to get out of the car when he arrived Friday and looked "extremely unwell".

"On meeting Mr Lewis he was very pale, looked quite frail and was unable to communicate very well," the club's general manager, Ian Lowe, told ABC Radio.

Lewis had been scheduled to do a dinner engagement on Saturday night and another event on Sunday, both of which were called off.

Known for his legendary 1940s comedy partnership with Dean Martin, Lewis has also achieved success as a film producer, screenwriter, director and singer and was awarded a humanitarian Oscar in 2009.

Poor health saw him hospitalised in Australia once before, in 1999, when he fell ill with viral meningitis.

A diabetic, Lewis has also undergone heart surgery following a number of heart attacks and battled prostate cancer and lung problems.


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Bollywood stars cast spell over Toronto (Reuters)

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TORONTO (Reuters) – They may not be as familiar to North American movie fans as Brad Pitt or Angelina Jolie, but Shah Rukh Khan, Anil Kapoor, Bipashu Basu, Celina Jaitley and other Bollywood stars are getting a lot of second looks in Toronto in recent days.

The actors dominate the world's biggest film industry in India, and are just a handful of the more than 200 performers who have been on hand in this Canadian city since Thursday for the 12th annual International Indian Film Awards, or IIFAs.

The show, which airs on Saturday night, provides the climax for three days of movie going, dancing, fashion, music and a business forum aimed at strengthening ties between the two countries -- something event organizers hope to do around the world, too.

"Toronto is definitely the gateway to North America and we hope to maintain a great relationship with this amazing country for many years to come," Sabbas Joseph, Director of Wizcraft International, a Mumbai based entertainment group who produced the IIFAs, said at a press conference this week.

With an expected worldwide TV audience of 700 million viewers tuning in to watch the show, tickets were scooped up in less than 10 minutes. Some 22,200 faithful, Bollywood fans hope to get a closer look at many of their favorite stars.

Debuting in 2000 in London, the IIFA's have been held on four continents in cities including Dubai, Bangkok, Colombo, Singapore, Macau and Johannesburg...but never in India.

The idea, organizers said, is to present Bollywood not in its home country, but on a global stage.

"We are building bridges through cinema across communities throughout the world," said Joseph.

Singer Jermaine Jackson is on hand to perform with Indian pop star, Sonu Nigam, and he feels that being a part of the IIFA celebrations is a fitting tribute to his brother pop superstar Michael Jackson, who died on June 25 two years ago.

"We are an entertainment family and we have been entertained by Bollywood movies from the early '70s when we first arrived in California and started the Jackson 5," said Jackson. "That was the connection we had with Bollywood, years and years ago."

FILM NOMINEES

Awards in 15 categories are up for grabs at Saturday's green carpet event.

The larger-than-life gangster film "Once Upon a Time in Mumbai" leads the pack of movie contenders with an impressive 12 nominations, including best film and best leading male role for Ajay Devgan, solidifying him as one of Bollywood's premier actors.

"Dabangg" (or "Fearless") is a close second with 11 nominations. The corrupt cop thriller broke box office records in its debut week in theaters and is the highest grossing Bollywood film of all time, It earned a best male role nomination for on screen tough guy Salman Khan.

"My name is Khan" goes into the IIFAs with four nominations. The film looks into the struggles of a Muslim family in the U.S. following the September 11 attacks. The film earned Bollywood heavyweight, Shah Rukh Khan, a best actor nod in his role as a man with Asperger's Syndrome who travels across the country telling people he is not a terrorist.

Rounding out the category for best picture honors is "Ishqiya" (Love) nominated for nine IIFA awards while the romantic comedy "Band Baaja Baaraat" (The Wedding Planners) and the political thriller "Rajneeti" each have eight.

(Editing by Bob Tourtellotte)


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