Business of Fashion: As Attitudes Shift, Men’s Jewellery Grows

"Once the domain of rock stars and royals, men’s jewellery has become an increasingly dynamic and valuable market."

Versace A/W 2014 | Source: Versace

"In the 12 months ending May 2014, sales of men’s accessories grew 9 percent, reaching $13.6 billion and capping a two-year period that saw the category grow 13 percent, according to market research company NPD Group. Ecce Homo! The much-anticipated growth in the men’s accessories market is here. And jewelry has emerged as a crucial category." Read more of the story here.

In the Philippines, particularly in Metropolitan Cities, you do start to notice men who wear accessories/jewelry beyond what we were used to seeing. Filipino men are becoming more accepting to accessorizing and my guess is that social media has a lot to do with it. It is quite interesting to note how social media has removed borders not only for information, but also for style. Social constructs have been challenged and experimented on resulting in a more accepting and tolerant society thanks to the increased exposure to and use of social media.

A study i did on Filipino Menswear consumers showed that a significant portion of my respondents react to social media and mobile marketing by clothing companies. This is not only limited to clothing as more consumers progress their social interaction to the virtual domain. As a result, there is a growing number of consumers who spend their money online and engage in mobile purchases. So i was not surprised when Apple introduced Apple Pay, and apparently businesses will consider integrating this in their systems as Google Wallet registered gains as soon as Apple Pay was launched.

So i predict that soon, businesses would consider developing their social media and mobile marketing strategies to accommodate this growing trend in social media use and how it influences consumer behavior.

its a really good day today.

(^_^)

Fashion Illustration - Men of Oz

So friends from school asked me to do some illustration for costume designs they wanted. Male and female figures for Alice in Wonderland. Here are my men illustrations. Try to figure out which one of them are. I did try to modernize and try to keep them not too costume-y. :)

Pauline's Debut Dress 2014

Making-of the CHANEL Fall-Winter 2014/15 Haute Couture Collection

Making-of the CHANEL "Paris-Dallas" Collection: Savoir Faire

Rica's Beach Wedding Entourage 2014

Avi Reichental: What’s next in 3D printing

Just like his beloved grandfather, Avi Reichental is a maker of things. The difference is, now he can use 3D printers to make almost anything, out of almost any material. Reichental tours us through the possibilities of 3D printing, for everything from printed candy to highly custom sneakers.

Making of Chanel Paris-Bombay | Pre-Fall 2012

Debbie's Prom Dress 2014

Debbie's Prom Dress 2014 - Base/Foundation

NO, not moldy beer. Its a smart bio-material that you might eventually wear.

"What might our clothes look like in 50 years? When textile designer Suzanne Lee was researching her book, Fashioning the Future, she found the most interesting answers to that question when she looked beyond the traditional borders of fashion design. Beyond cut, color and cloth, our style in 50 years will be driven by new materials from the corners of science. With biologists, engineers and materials scientists, she realized, she could create an entirely new strain of fashion." Read the article here.

Suzanne Lee examines a piece of dyed biomaterial at the Biocouture studio in London. Photograph by House of Radon, © Biocouture.

Google Glass—in vogue? How the device is shattering the barrier between fashion and tech

"In its most recent September issue, Vogue offers a futuristic vision of fashion that blurs the line between gadget and accessory. A 12-page spread titled “The Final Frontier” features models wearing Oscar de la Renta and Gucci, gazing out over a space age landscape, taking in the view through the lenses of Google Glass. The subtle details of the shoot’s art direction — a hand resting on the Glass frames, the light reflecting off the lens, a shot as if the camera were wearing Glass — suggest that these glasses are the future." Read the story here.

Ana's Wedding Entourage 2013

Making of the CHANEL Fall-Winter 2013/14 Haute Couture collection

Making of Christian Dior Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2011

Dayne's Prom Dress 2013

Chanel - Savoir Faire - Making of the Chanel Spring-Summer 2013 Haute Couture Collection

Lucy McRae: How can technology transform the human body?

TED Fellow Lucy McRae is a body architect — she imagines ways to merge biology and technology in our own bodies. In this visually stunning talk, she shows her work, from clothes that recreate the body's insides for a music video with pop-star Robyn, to a pill that, when swallowed, lets you sweat perfume.

Rica's Draped Beach Dress 2011