From Pitti to Paris, Men are the New Women

Global Briefing | Global Currents | Intelligence | The Fashion Trail

  • White stripes at Prada Spring/Summer 2013 | Photo: Giorgio Constantine/Bontonis
  • Tropical prints at Versace Spring/Summer 2013 | Photo: Giorgio Constantine/Bontonist
  • Fluoro accessories at Louis Vuitton Spring/Summer 2013 | Photo: Giorgio Constantine/Bontonist
  • Transparent tailoring at Rick Owens Spring/Summer 2013 | Photo: Giorgio Constantine/Bontonist
  • Printed bags at Burberry Spring/Summer 2013 | Photo: Giorgio Constantine/Bontonist
  • Religious iconography at Givenchy Spring/Summer 2013 | Photo: Giorgio Constantine/Bontonist
  • Popping colours at Canali Spring/Summer 2013 | Photo: Giorgio Constantine/Bontonist
  • A flash of yellow at Missoni Spring/Summer 2013 | Photo: Giorgio Constantine/Bontonist

PARIS, France – “Men are the new women,” or so went the refrain of the fashion pack who have travelled from London to Florence to Milan to Paris over the last three weeks, taking in the menswear collections for Spring/Summer 2013. Indeed, according to a recent report by Bain & Company, a consulting firm, the luxury menswear market is growing at almost 14 percent per year, outpacing growth in womenswear by almost double. And, as

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The Fashion Trail | 36 Hours in Qatar

Global Briefing | Global Currents | The Fashion Trail

  • The Pearl in Doha, Qatar is a massive luxury real estate development | Source: The Pearl
  • The Toujouri Flagship Store, designed by Peter Marino Architects | Source: Toujouri
  • Caroline Issa models Toujouri in Atelier-Mayer Magazine Volume 2 | Source: Atelier-Mayer

DOHA, Qatar — Just before the madness of fashion week season began, I couldn’t resist accepting an invitation from Lama El Moatessem to visit Doha, the capital city of the tiny nation of Qatar, to attend the opening of the Peter Marino-designed flagship for Toujouri, Ms El Moatessem’s three year old fashion brand. How did a little-known Middle Eastern brand get Mr Marino, the go-to architect for powerhouse brands like Louis

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The Fashion Trail | Unravelling Brazil’s Luxury Market

Global Briefing | Global Currents | Sao Paulo | The Fashion Trail

  • Boys playing in Santa Teresa | Photo: BoF
  • New Order accessories Winter 2012 | Source: BoF
  • Sandy sidewalk on the edge of Ipanema Beach | Photo: BoF
  • Fabrica in Lapa district | Photo: BoF

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil – Arriving in Rio de Janeiro in the middle of the Brazilian summer, in a country experiencing an ongoing economic boom, certainly puts the bleak, uncertain economic outlook of wintry Europe and North America into sharp relief. I was invited to Brazil on the generous invitation of ABIT, the Brazilian Textile and Apparel Industry Association, to attend Fashion Rio, the smaller of two semi-annual fashion events

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The Fashion Trail | Holon Fashion Week

Global Briefing | Global Currents | Opinion | The Fashion Trail

Design Museum Holon | Photo: Meir Bar Asher

TEL AVIV, Israel — For people who live smack dab in the middle of the world’s most politically charged region, Israelis are a very warm and welcoming bunch, keen to show a side of the country that doesn’t make it into most international news reports. As is true for most places in the world, in order to understand Israel and its people, one really needs to visit the country and experience it first hand. So, I was extremely fortunate

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The Fashion Trail | Australia, Against All Odds

Global Briefing | Global Currents | Intelligence | The Fashion Trail

Dion Lee S/S 2011 at Sydney Opera House | Photo: BoF

SYDNEY, Australia — Australian fashion has an image problem. When I mentioned to friends that I was thinking of attending Rosemount Australian Fashion Week in Sydney, the reaction ranged from raised eyebrows to incredulous laughter. Others quipped that the sum total of Australia’s contribution to global fashion could be distilled down to Ugg boots and swimwear. “Surely you’d only be going to take some time in the

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