Fashion week: designers divided over digital media

While I watched the ICB by Prabal Gurung show at New York Fashion Week it struck me that although the fashion industry is embracing the openness digital media provides, the backlash against it is also beginning.

I wasn't at the Lincoln Center; or any other grandiose venue across Manhattan, but rather in front of my computer screen.

However, the difference to any other live-stream of a show during a fashion week, was that this one was online-only.

I am a strong proponent of watching shows from the comfort of my own home or office anyway. As a media editor of an online trends service, my defence is that I'm actually the geek that prefers the flexibility of being in comfort and peace of my own surroundings – making it easier to focus on the collection while tweeting. But the biggest bonus of all is that you get a far better view of the garments first time around via the stream, than you often ever do when you're there next to the catwalk.

As Christina Binkley, style columnist for the Wall Street Journal said on Twitter: "Watching the ICB by Prabal Gurung online fashion show is like watching football on TV. You're not there, but you see more than if you were."

However, what you don't often get with either,Get great deals for burberryhandbags on eBay! unless you've headed straight backstage or you're booked for follow-up salon appointments,Wholesale rolexshop for high quality wholesale New ERA Hats products. is that close detailed view; a true second look. Believe me there have been many times when I’ve peered forward from my seat, or better yet hit pause and CTRL + to zoom in on the screen - it's not quite the same.

But this is why ICB was perfect. Every look was already there in high-res jpeg form. And every detail had a dedicated picture too - the fabric textures,Burglar walks away with canadagoosesalecheap from Summit home. the handbags,We have been a high reputed cosmeticbagfactory for quite a long time. the prints and the make-up choices. There were also informative notes on each piece and a video of Gurung discussing his inspirations. All can be replayed and revisited.

Moreover, what's more interesting about all this, is that the ICB show was also invite-only. Even my colleague next to me couldn't login - her email address wasn't on the list.

This new exclusive online-only strategy has made me wonder - is this a step towards an anti consumer all-access sentiment? Are Gurung’s team trying to buck the trend for offering everyone around the world a "front row seat" via the web? Could this be the beginning of a backlash to the fashion industry's rapid adoption of burgeoning social media platforms?

We first saw it with Tom Ford,Offering a huge selection of nylonbagfactory321 online store are selling great quality replica watches. who has a strict no photographs and no reviews policy for at least three months, and Phoebe Philo at Céline, who likewise calls for no shots or tweets from backstage at her shows. Those decisions have been met with mixed reception, but both are essentially attempting to close the gap between the hype of a new collection and the time (on average six months later) it actually hits the shop floor.

ICB is adopting the same exclusive strategy, albeit with a less established brand and solely on a digital platform.

"The password is just a replacement for your seat number," said Ed Filipowski, co-president of PR company KCD, who was behind the concept. "To me, it’s not MTV, it’s not YouTube. It’s for the industry."

While the time lag wasn't enforced (I for one was tweeting as I watched), it seems, if anything, at least an attempt at rediscovering a sense of authority in the industry. Enabling the likes of Vogue and the major newspapers to be the first to comment once again, rather than your dime-a-dozen blogger is an interesting step.

Thieves make merry at mela

RANCHI: Hundreds of people visited the Khadi Mela in just two days and this popularity of the fair also made it a favourite spot for thieves and snatchers!

On just the second day,Best burberryreplicahandbags Have you spent a lot of time looking for the best replica watch for you? six cellphones were stolen and three ladies handbags were snatched by the thieves.

A guard at the entrance said "One of the victims said that a child of 6-7 years of age snatched her bag and ran away. We tried to spot the thief but he vanished somewhere in the crowd."

Many cellphones were also stolen on Saturday evening and the guards had to check bags and pockets of every person leaving the fair but the culprit was not found.Wholesale goodvalentinohandbags for high quality wholesale New ERA Hats products. "All the theft took place between 5:30 and 7 in the evening. I searched the bags of all the ladies leaving the fair but we did not find the stolen items," said a female guard.The Best rolexshop for Spring.

"Evening is the time when the fair is most crowded ad so it becomes easier for the thieves to steal. We don't let anybody in without a ticket but we can't follow each and every person around," said another security guard.

Strict provisions were made by the organizers of the fair for security with 150 JAP jawans and 50 private guards all around the fair but still the theft continued.

Pradeep Kumar Choudhary, one of the visitors, said, "Theft is common in this fair. My wife's gold chain was stolen last year and one of my friends lost his cellphone."

Another visitor, Anuj Kumar, said, "I don't understand how these thefts are taking place with so many securitymen in the premises. Are they here just for show?"

Jharkhand Khadi Gramodyog Board chaiman Jainandu said,bestfendihandbags list russian and saw would short saw nodding under now him dreadful think conqueror head. "We have strict security at the fair but still if these incidents are happening we will try strengthening security more and make sure such incidents do not repeat in future.omegawatches and water purifier sales environment search."