How Social Media Has Transformed The Model Casting Process.

Model Alyssa Traoré shares how she was discovered on Instagram.

We are all familiar with the stories of how famous models were scouted back in the day. Take Kate Moss being discovered as a 14-year-old smoking a cigarette in an airport, a 15-year-old Naomi Campbell walking through Covent Garden or a teenage Jourdan Dunn found while browsing in Primark. All were stopped and asked 'Have you ever considered modelling?' and the rest is fashion history.

Those models just happened to be in the right place at the right time. But in the days of social media, models can be seen whenever and wherever they want, found via hashtag rather than scouting the streets.

Dutch model Alyssa Traoré is one such social-media success story. After years of hunting for an agency that would sign her, she took matters in to her own hands, sharing headshots of herself via Instagram in the hope of catching an agent's eye. It worked. Now she's modelled for everyone from Tommy Hilfiger and Michael Kors to Erdem, Prada and Valentino.

Full story at ELLE.

Prada Invites Project Marks Second Chapter.

For the initiative’s second iteration, Prada has invited three female architects — Cini Boeri, Elizabeth Diller and Kazuyo Sejima — to each develop a unique item by using Prada's iconic nylon material.

PRADA’S WOMEN: The “Prada Invites” project is female.

The fashion house has invited three creative women — Cini Boeri, Elizabeth Diller and Kazuyo Sejima — to each reinterpret the label’s signature nylon material. The five designs, developed by the celebrated architects, will be unveiled on Thursday at the brand’s show, held once again at the Fondazione Prada’s Torre venue.

The Prada spring 2019 show invitation also celebrated the project and came in the form of a portfolio featuring booklets dedicated to each of the three designers and their styles for the brand. Boeri created a messenger style bag with removable and adjustable modules. In the booklet, Boeri states, “In the way I work, the image derives from function, and so many design work starts precisely from this.”

Full story at WWD.

By Martino Carrera.

Los Angeles Moves to Ban Fur Products.

Fur coats | Source: Shutterstock

The city moved toward becoming the largest US metropolis to outlaw the sale and manufacture of most fur products within its limits.

LOS ANGELES, United States — The city of Los Angeles, a leading centre of the world's fashion industry, moved on Tuesday toward becoming the largest US metropolis to outlaw the sale and manufacture of most fur products within its limits.

Following the lead of San Francisco and two smaller California municipalities, the Los Angeles City Council voted 12-0 to direct the City Attorney's Office to draft an ordinance banning fur apparel and accessories ranging from mink coats to rabbit's foot charms.

The draft must then gain final approval by the council and be signed by Mayor Eric Garcetti to be enacted.

By Reuters.

Full story at Business of Fashion.

How Burberry became Britain’s most important brand.

Credit: Shutterstock

Tonight, the 162-year-old British megabrand unveils its new identity at the hands of nascent creative director Riccardo Tisci. Here, to celebrate, we look back at Burberry’s best bits over the years.

Today all eyes will be on SW8 as Burberry unveils its Spring/Summer 2019 collection. This will be the first time Riccardo Tisci, the brand's latest creative director, shows his own designs. Formerly at the helm of Paris-based Givenchy, it is his first official outing at his new tenure. While it is widely speculated as to what to expect as Burberry enters a new era (read here why we're so excited about Tisci's first show), we took it upon ourselves to give you a multitude of reasons as to why Burberry is, undoubtedly, the biggest and most important brand in the UK.

Full story at GQ Magazine.

By Teo Van Den Broeke and Zak Maoui.

Valentino's Pierpaolo Piccoli joins forces with Moncler to design the duvet coat of dreams.

Inter-luxury-house alliances don’t come along very often, so when they do, it piques interest. This winter, if you’re the kind to pursue sartorial flair even during blizzard conditions, then Moncler’s Genius collection will warm your heart in a way that no padded duvet coat has ever before quite managed.

As part of its rolling monthly series of collaborations, the Italian house that specialises in high-performance – and high-design – alpine kit has engaged a constellation of creative stars. Each will focus their eye on the Moncler codes and produce limited-edition collections. The idea is to move away from the traditional fashion seasons and offer customers constant freshness without compromising on the quality of ideas.

In a noisy luxury landscape, it’s a shrewd idea. So far, London luminaries Craig Green and Simone Rocha have released their Genius. For October, the man of the month will be Valentino creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli. The project is the brainchild of Remo Ruffini, Moncler’s CEO, who has struck après-ski-style gold with Piccioli’s contribution.

By Victoria Moss.

Full story at The Telegraph.

From Posh Spice to style icon: how Victoria Beckham won over the fashion world.

A decade ago, no one would have believed Beckham would become a fashion superstar. We look at how she did it

If you really want a clear example of Victoria Beckham’s impressive transformation, then cast your minds back to the mid-noughties when a fashion empire was just an apple in the then-singer’s eye. Marc Jacobs was reading a British newspaper when he spotted Beckham carrying a fake version of his Louis Vuitton graffiti bag, a collaboration with Stephen Sprouse. He decided to send her a real one and there began the start of an unlikely friendship; the WAG and the forefather of fashion grunge.

“I hardly dreamed that my ultimate goal would be to have Posh Spice carrying a Louis Vuitton handbag,” he told WWD in 2005. “It was kind of funny."

Although Beckham would doubtlessly flinch at the idea of wearing a counterfeit today, their mutual respect for one another has not waned, culminating in the reimagining of Jacobs’ famed 2008 campaign, in which she was pictured emerging from a shopping bag like an abstract doll. This time round, the bag bares not Jacobs' name, but the name of her own eponymous brand – a critically-acclaimed business that now boasts 400 stores in over 50 countries internationally, and offices in both London and New York. This season, as a celebration of her brand’s 10th anniversary, Beckham will bring her show from NY to London Fashion Week for the first time.

By Ella Alexander.

Full story at Harper Bazaar.

London Fashion Week and China’s VIP.com pair up for pioneering partnership.

On the eve of London Fashion Week, The Industry sat down with Caroline Rush, Chief Executive of the British Fashion Council, and Susan Sun, Head of Merchandise at Vip.com, to discuss their pioneering partnership showcasing four influential Chinese fashion designers.

“The partnership is for a year,” say Rush. “We launched it at the beginning of January, but our teams started talking over a year ago,” she says. “We announced our intention to have a partnership, got through a few fashion weeks and worked together on fashion week content for the Vip.com site. This has culminated in the show.

“The show has already been teased with fantastic films through Vip.com’s channels and our WeChat channel, ready to livestream the show.” she says.

By Marcus Jaye.

Full story at The Industry.