After years and years of crazy tights designs, some fabulous, some hideous, and some just plain weird, someone has finally reinvented the art of legwear: Les Queues Des Sardines.

These French tights go beyond "quirky" (crazy colors and strange designs are so last season) and bring a beautiful fresh perspective to legs. The art on these tights is statement making and memorable, and unmistakably chic in a gothic meets Harajuku way. From elegantly-drawn cartoon mouths below the knees to sewn-up wounds, you've never seen tights like these.

The only English-speaking stores stocking these innovative narrative tights are Fortnum and Mason in London and Art Therapi in Balmain, Australia. Get out your credit card with the lowest foreign transaction fee and order yourself a pair (or five) of Les Queues Des Sardines from UpFactory.com, SuicidalShop.fr or Greenky.fr. Everyone will be dying to know where you got them.

Check out some of our favorite designs from Spring/Summer 09 and Autumn/Winter 09/10 below.

Hermès has opened its first men's store entirely dedicated to men's ready-to-wear, accessories and art of living. Called Hermès Man, the boutique is located at 690 Madison Avenue in New York at East 62nd Street and stands directly across the street from the U.S. flagship store.

"We felt there was a tremendous opportunity to really showcase all these wonderful products for men that Hermès makes," said Robert Chavez, President and CEO of Hermès USA during an exclusive interview with Luxist. "These products tended to be overshadowed or almost hidden among the other categories across the street. This store will raise the awareness level of our current and potential male clients in this market who might not have realized before that Hermès had all of these products, from our enamel cuff links to the made-to-measure program."

Despite the tough times affecting other retailers, Paris-based Hermès International is a company that performs better than its competition because its customer base includes the super-affluent, many of who have proven to be recession-proof. Indeed, the company recently reported an 8.5% rise in 2009 revenue (11% on an organic basis) attributed to an end-of-the-year increase in sales of its iconic Birkin and Kelly bags. Sales increased by a robust 20% in the Americas, compared to 12% for Asia and 9% in Europe. Revenue for the year rose to EUR1.91 billion from EUR1.76 billion a year ago, outperforming the company's previous target of flat sales. "This is among the best performances posted in the sector," says J.P. Morgan in a research report published this month.

According to Chavez, the Hermès customer is less affected by the recession than the general population, but they are more discerning. "They are not free-spending," he says. "When they do make a purchase, they want something that is more versatile, that will last and endure. Our clients want something that will last them for a long time."


For this discerning customer, the store features an array of merchandise made specifically for the new Hermes boutique. Exclusive items include a selection of silk ties---one with the Statue of Liberty next to the Eiffel Tower on the front---while another has an apple motif and comes in four different colors. On the reverse of the ties, "Hermès Homme" appears, which is a signature for the new line.

Another signature product that is exclusive for the Hermès Man boutique is a handcrafted leather baseball glove, which retails for $8,500. "The baseball glove is a new product," says Chavez. "It has never been made before by Hermes. We thought if we are opening our very first Hermès boutique for men in the world and it is going happen in the United States and in New York City, then we need to make to make a baseball glove. When you think about it---with the leather and the stitching, it is a natural fit for us. When we first saw the glove, we were all taken aback by how beautiful it is. And as fate would have it, as we knew this date was approaching, the New York Yankees won the World Series."

Designer Grahame Fowler has opened a cool new boutique in New York's West Village, bringing British style with an original, eclectic twist to the Big Apple. He's not one of your twentysomething hipster types, but rather a seasoned multi-disciplinary creative whiz incorporating colorful experiences abroad and a healthy dose of the '60s Mod sensibility from his youth in the UK into an array of stylish designs. The small, crowded West 10th Street store, or "creative lab and retail space" as Fowler calls it, features a wealth of clothing and accessories ranging from outerwear, suits, sweaters, shirts, ties, scarves, belts and boots to chess sets, vintage Rolex watches and restored Vespa scooters. Many items display a British military and nautical influence as well, emphasized by Fowler's anchor logo adapted from his father's naval tattoo and liberal use of the Union Jack.

Barney's Creative Director Simon Doonan has become a big fan. "On the total indie front I'm loving Grahame Fowler, this incredibly hip, gorgeous microstore next to the fire station on 10th street," he declared recently. "He has the best shirts, and he's an English dude with a great mod sensibility - and I'm stuck in 1966, so I can relate." All of Fowler's unique, handmade, pieces are sourced and crafted in New York. His tailored items are characterized by relaxed silhouettes, fine fabrics and the luxury of comfort. His attention to detail is apparent in button holes varying in size and color, pastel hued elbow pads on crisp white button downs, and hidden straps inside jackets designed to hold one's newspaper. He also offers select women's pieces such as button down shirts crafted from vintage fabrics with cotton poplin details.

The NoKo Jeans Museum is now closed.

Well, it's not really a museum – that's just what the company called its space at Vartoftagatan 47 in Stockholm ... but that's irrelevant. NoKo Jeans is now closed for good. For NoKo Jeans, just coming into existence was difficult, and the company never really got the traction it needed. It's relationship with Swedish department store PUB ended swiftly and badly, and now it's closed its other location.

The reason for all the difficulty is that NoKo Jeans are made exactly where you'd guess: North Korea. Sweden is one of the few western countries the only western country that maintains diplomatic relations with the isolated state, which made it easier for a Swedish country to get the venture off the ground.

If you still want a pair of the People's Jeans (as I do), you can still order them online. The museum may be gone, but you still can show your solidarity with the workers of the world.

This is Our Factory from Noko Jeans on Vimeo.

Alligator, python, ostrich...and salmon? Yes, what used to be a wasted byproduct of processing fish for eating is now the latest trend in exotic skins and fine leather. Salmon is as strong as cow's leather but has the appeal and beautiful texture of something much more unique, plus it has an eco-friendly edge since it's otherwise considered garbage. Nanai is the name of the company working out of Bavaria to produce the chrome-free, vegetable-tanned skins in a variety of colors for eager designers around the world.

What do you think, would you wear a salmon leather jacket or carry a salmon leather handbag?

Via PSFK

Love the Lacoste and its iconic embroidered alligator? Then this limited edition shirt, made up entirely of them, is for you. Designed by Fernando and Humberto Campana this shirt, along with 3 other designs in the collection (see below), are handmade in Brazil by the Coopa Roca Women's Co-operative. The purpose of the co-operative is to provide a positive work environment for the women of Rocinha that allows them a means of making money while still caring for their children and families. The program currently has 150 members and Coopa Roca hopes it will continue to grow and be a positive example for other low income communities. Prices for the collection varies from $1,900 - $7,500 (the women's shirt shown above is one of a 12 piece edition and comes in one size only for $5000).

Gallery: Campanas and Lacoste Limited Edition Shirts

It may not come as too much of a surprise that Jennifer Creel can now add "sunglasses designer" to her long resume and list of talents. After all, sunglasses are a staple for her everyday wardrobe.

"People always knew me for wearing sunglasses," recalls the actress and model, who has appeared on a variety of television shows, including "The Bold and the Beautiful", Plum TV and Ovation TV. "Sunglasses have always been a passion of mine. They stage your mood for the day and complete an outfit."

The idea of designing her own line came after a friend who was familiar with Creel's love of the must-have accessory item, made the suggestion.

In the fall of 2008, Creel got in touch with Alessandro Lanaro, the chief executive of Modo Eyewear, a boutique designer eye wear company that owns such sunglass lines as Derek Lam, 3.1 Phillip Lim, Jason Wu and 7 for All Mankind, in addition to its Modo eyewear collection. A partnership was soon formed in which Creel would design an environmentally conscious eyewear collection.


Creel, who has a background in design (she spent a decade at Polo Ralph Lauren where she was a designer in the women's active wear division), has created eight styles for Modo. "I come up with the concepts and ideas about what women and men are looking for," says Creel. "I don't design for one particular person."

Her well-designed collection includes navigator styles, retro shapes, and a color palette with unique shades and hues of green, bark, purple, blue, red, and orange, in addition to classic options like tortoise and black. The sunglasses are hand crafted in Japan and made of all natural materials, including bamboo and leather. "There is so much workmanship involved with the creation of every piece," says Creel.

Another fashion designer chooses a real watch maker to produce a special timepiece for them. This is a better option than them branding something cheaper with their name on it. It is a win-win situation for both sides. This watch is meant to celebrate the 100th year of everyone's favorite "too many syllables" Italian designer. To me, Ermenegildo Zegna is a name that looks awesome written down, but the second you try to pronounce it, things go down hill. The Girard-Perregaux name isn't shared on the dial with Zegna, but the style of the watch should tip off most fans of the Swiss brand involved.

Placed in a 40mm wide 18k pink gold case the watch contains the in-house made Girard-Perregaux Caliber 3300-0042 automatic movement. It has an annual calendar and an eccentric display of dials on the watch face. A disc underneath a crescent shaped window reveals the month, while a dial is used for the date while another dial indicators the seconds for the time. In modern Girard-Perregaux fashion, each of the small indicators is in a soothing blue with a different shape hand to help them stand out. In fact I really like Girard-Perregaux's use of this blue mixed with gold. It is a very regal look in my opinion. Fans of the Zegna fashion brand will clearly enjoy this timepiece, but I think most Girard Perregaux fans will flock to other more complex timepieces in this watch collection range. When I look at the dial I am now seeing an odd side skewed smiley face with the month indicator as the mouth and the subdials as eyes. Does anyone else see that?

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

Versace is launching a microsite for Valentine's Day this year. The Versace Wish List makes it easy for you to register for Valentine gifts, just like you might when you're getting married or having a baby (or getting a divorce, see Debenhams Creates Divorce Registry).

They've picked 12 new and spectacular items "for Him and Her" for you to choose from, making your job blissfully simple: just decide what you like best, add it to your wishlist, then share your wishlist with everyone you know (and perhaps some people you don't -- couldn't hurt).

We chose the Versace Eon Women's Watch (Rose gold plated stainless steel encloses a white mother-of-pearl dial with diamonds on the indexes. The outer rotating ring is decorated on one side with a 'Clous de Paris' pattern, and on the other with an engraved Versace logo. Available with rose gold plated metal sphere bracelet or a diamond set case with a smooth satin strap.) for our list, as well as a sexy pair of shoes, a snakeskin bag and a little black clutch with glass stones. What? They're for different occasions.

The microsite is made extra-special with the help of actual boutique managers. You can leave little notes for them about your item (Do you want it engraved? Need a specific size?), and they will work with whomever receives and purchases from your list to ensure you get exactly what you want. After all, Valentine's Day only comes once per year.

To spread a little more love, Versace will be donating $10 to Haiti Disaster Relief for the first 500 lists shared -- you don't even have to buy anything.

So get shopping!

We've covered luxury tights from Wolford before but their new fringe tights are causing a spendy sensation. The 100 denier tights feature five rows of long fringe cascading down over the calf to create a swinging effect when you stride down the street. The tights aren't cheap. Tights Please in the UK has them for £199. Here in the U.S. you'll pay $425 a pair at Neiman Marcus. Even on eBay the tights, which are only being made in limited batches, are being sold for several hundred dollars.

Throw any accessory on Sarah Jessica Parker, especially during the wildly popular 'Sex in the City' television show and then movie, and it is sure to get noticed. Although Christopher Ross has been designing belt buckles since the 1970s, out of New York City the fashion world may have rediscovered his unique talents when Sarah wore his buckle in the movie. Mimicking historical and natural elements, his designs typically highlight wild animals ranging from mammals to fish to reptiles plated in 24K museum quality gold. Each buckle is accompanied by a black calf-leather belt and are always 'one size fits all'. Prices range from $485 to $1,185.

Actress Emma Watson may model for Burberry but she also has been doing a bit of designing too. The Harry Potter star has created a line of fair trade clothing for People Tree, an ethical fashion company. The People Tree, Love Emma line includes jackets, t-shirts, accessories and more for both men and women. The items are fair trade and use organic cotton. People Tree works with 50 fair trade groups in 15 countries and all clothes are dyed using safe and natural dyes. Products are available online and in a variety of stockists around London.

[via Vogue UK]

In the wake of a successful inaugural preview last year, the 2nd annual Aspen Fashion Week has been slated for March 14 – 19, showing that the ultra-chic Colorado resort is truly recession-proof. Designed to showcase and market winter resort, ski and technical outerwear in the home and playground of the country's most stylish mountain winter town, the occasion will feature slopeside runway events, daily après ski fashion shows, in-store presentations, on-mountain events and late night fashionable soirées. Expect world class designers, emerging fashionistas, brands with unique art programs, film screenings, music and models galore. W magazine will kick-off the festivities with an opening night party. Labels getting in on the action include Burberry, J. Crew, Helly Hansen, Victorinox, Calypso, Authier and more.

Britain's royal family wears a lot of wool, always has. Now Prince Charles, long known for his eco-minded focus, is turning his attention to the wool industry. The London Times says that the Prince of Wales is looking to create a new green label for wool products. Part of the initiative would include Wool Week, taking place before London's Fashion Week in September and promoting wool as a fashionable option for winter wardrobes. The wool week would be backed by Marks and Spencer.

Wool has fallen out of fashion in recent years and the price of wool has declined. The Prince hopes his efforts will help make wool more popular once again for both clothing and carpet and rugs. Wool has a bad reputation as being bulky and itchy but the new push for wool plans to highlight the green benefits and beauty of wool compared to synthetic materials. Modern wool fabrics are also sleeker and softer and are being used in more innovative ways by top designers showing up in traditional Savile Row suits but also in wool bags from Marni and trendier pieces from Burberry and Paul Smith.

The Prince has his own organic flock of sheep and is aware of how lowering wool prices have affected farmers. British wool competes with wool from Australia, New Zealand and China among other countries.

This initiative dovetails with the British Wool Marketing Board's 'Naturally Green' campaign. A recent environmental Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) report found that the impact of British wool on the environment is measurably less than either nylon or polypropylene fibers and concludes that the sustainability of scoured British wool production is much better than that of polypropylene and nylon fiber productions. The British Wool Marketing Board wants manufacturers and retailers to consider British wool as their first choice for carpet.

The most beautiful, intricate, and valuable lace is always handmade, created with painstaking care and based on the methods started by women centuries ago. With its beginnings traced back to the darning of tattered fabric hems, lacemaking really gained traction in Europe in the 1500s when weaving it out of cotton, silk, or flax became a prestigious and sought-after skill of high class women as they strove to make themselves and their outfits more beautiful and extravagant. Depending on the method used (by hand, with needles, or by some other variation of technique) it was not uncommon for a single inch of lace to take a skilled woman 2 hours to complete. No wonder it was so expensive!

Today lace is available in every size, color, and pattern imaginable (as demonstrated in our gallery below) but I still love the set of old, yellowing doilies my grandmother gave me the most.