Leading Middle Eastern fashion designer Walid Atallah will make his first highly anticipated appearance at Couture Fashion Week in New York City. The fashion show will be held at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 13, 2009 at the world-famous Waldorf Astoria hotel.

After graduating from high school in his native Beirut, Mr. Atallah went on to study fashion design earning a degree from the University of Chicago. From there he settled in the fast growing city of Dubai where he launched his design career. His unique designs soon found a loyal following among sophisticated fashion lovers. Mr. Atallah had his first fashion show in Dubai in 1996 which was enthusiastically received by the industry and which included such special guests as famous Lebanese singer Najwa Karam and top international model Nathalie Fadlallah. His next fashion show was held at the world-famous and iconic Burj Al Arab hotel, presenting an opulent collection to a discerning audience, including royalty.

Since then, Mr. Atallah has presented his memorable collections at dozens of fashion events throughout the Arab world as well as in the fashion capitals of Italy and France, where he received an excellence in international design award from the French Association of Fashion Designers.

Mr. Atallah has become well-known internationally for his exquisite evening and bridal designs, and for his skillful use of diamonds, precious gems and genuine Swarovski crystals, including a fabulous bridal gown valued at US$1.2 million. In 2005 Mr. Atallah debuted his own luxury line of jewelry made with diamonds, rubies, sapphires, emeralds, blue marine and Tahitian pearls, and fine watches have since been added to the line. The talented and versatile designer recently launched his pret-a-porter line entitled “W”, which includes trendy jeans and tops for today’s fashionable and modern woman.

“I have become more moderate with my designs, and now I concentrate more on the creation of original special effects which reflect a different type of femininity,” says Walid Atallah.

Walid Atallah’s accomplishments in the fashion industry have been recognized by numerous awards and honors from many prominent dignitaries including the Lebanese Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates Ziad Itani; Her Highness Sheikha Aysha Al Theyabia, Minister of Commerce and Handicrafts of Oman; the Egyptian Minister of Tourism; Her Highness Sheikha Thajeba, Queen of Bahrain; the President of Libya; His Highness Sheikh Faisal Al Qassimi, UAE Minister of Youth and Sports; both Pakistan’s Economic Minister and Tourism Minister; His Highness Prince Hamad Bin Jasem Al Thani, Prince of Qatar; and His Majesty King Abdullah Al Thani; Mr. K.W. Kim, President of LG Electronics - Middle East/Africa, among others. Internationally renowned fashion designer Jean-Claude Cerruti recently presented Mr. Atallah with a certificate of recognition, and the two plan to collaborate on a fashion design project in the near future. Mr. Atallah is on the advisory board of Dubai Fashion Week and has been selected by the Diamond Trade Company (part of the DeBeers group of companies) to be a judge at a diamond jewelry design competition in the Arabian Gulf region.

In addition to prominent socialites and other upscale consumers, Mr. Atallah’s distinguished clientele includes many well-known Middle Eastern celebrities including singers Diana Haddad, May Hariri, Najwa Sultan, Hoda Haddad, Haifa Wehbe, Najwa Karam and Nanci Ajram

Walid Atallah continues to expand his business and reputation as one of the Middle East’s top designers with branches currently in Al Ain (UAE), Qatar, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Libya. He is now poised to make his mark on the demanding U.S. fashion scene.

Couture Fashion Week is a multi-day event showcasing couture and luxury fashion. It also includes exhibits of luxury brands and fine art as well as world-class entertainment and receptions. The event is held in top venues in New York City, Palm Beach, Florida and other selected cities and is attended by upscale consumers, invited VIPs, the press and high-end store buyers. Couture Fashion Week offers unique branding opportunities for luxury products and services.

Visit the event website for more information: www.CoutureFashionWeek.com

Released on: May 25, 2009, 8:00 am
Author: Jerven Lee
Industry: Apparel & Fashion

May 24, 2009—Hot on the heels of emerging fashion trends, custom pearl jewelry super webstore Lookforbeauty.com announces prices 45-85% below retail stores. This China based fashion jewelry store began selling fashionable freshwater pearl, jade and silver jewelry in 2005. Never looking back, they have managed to lead the industry with trendy, fresh customized pearl jewelry collections at prices their competitors can’t touch.

When asked why Lookforbeauty.com has been so successful in such a highly competitive industry, spokesman Peter Lee responded, “Each piece or pearl jewelry that we sell is unique. Combine that with the personalized service we give each and every one of our customers, and it’s a win-win situation.”

Lookforbeauty.com delivers on its promises with a 100% no questions asked money back satisfaction guarantee. But their dedication to your shopping safety starts way before your bracelets, earrings and necklaces ever reach your door. This jewelry store has a quality control process that ensures that each piece of pearl jewelry is of the highest quality and standards. Dedication like that is not an industry standard. And the webstore doesn’t mind going the extra mile to become your only source for customized pearl jewelry.

When you request special personalization of your pearl jewelry order, the designers at Lookforbeauty.com are eager to work with you to create that special piece of customized jewelry for your wedding or casual wear. While other jewelry retailers charge up to an additional 30% of the product price and take weeks and sometimes months for customization of pearl jewelry, Lookforbeauty.com is happy to oblige your special requests, free of charge and in only a 1-2 day additional time.

With a wide variety of pearl and other fashion jewelry styles, Lookforbeauty.com beats the competition, hands down with a colorful palate of pink, blue, yellow, black and white freshwater and Tahitian South Sea pearl jewelry, in stock and ready to arrive at your front door within 4-8 business days of ordering in most cases. Shipping fees are only $19.99 worldwide and are free of charge on all orders of $150 and over.

Seeking to become your only source for customized pearl jewelry and exciting fashion gemstone collections at affordable prices, Lookforbeauty.com offers stellar customer service. Emails are answered within 24 hours and online chat support is offered during standard business hours.

Hail the new fashion jewelry king! Lookforbeauty.com offers customized pearl jewelry at exciting prices you can’t afford to miss. Complete product inventory and additional information can be found at www.Lookforbeauty.com.

Contact Details: Author: Jerven Lee
Sales Manager
Address:Suite 2, Yunayangfengqing, Haidian, Beijing,100088,China
phone:86619381
E-mail:info@lookforbeauty.com
website: http://www.lookforbeauty.com

Released on: May 25, 2009, 7:46 am
Author: Naartjie
Industry: Apparel & Fashion

Receive 25% off all boys online regular priced fashions for additional savings without breaking the bank

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, May 21, 2009 — Naartjie, the original name in fashionable, kid-friendly clothing, today announced dramatic reductions on its Spring and Summer Essentials for girls and boys to $9.99 or less. In addition, to help budgeting parents build kids wardrobes, Naartjie is offering 25 percent off all online boys clothing, valid for online purchases, excludes in-store merchandise and is good through May 27, 2009.

“Even when the economy is challenging, kids still outgrow their clothes – seemingly before our very eyes,” said Joe Norwood, director of marketing, Naartjie USA. “Our latest sale on Spring and Summer Essentials helps parents keep up with the threefold demands of growth spurts, changing seasons and evolving styles without being slaves to fashion or credit.”

Boys and girls Spring and Summer Essentials feature easy-to-wear separates in bold colors and favorite patterns that work equally well combined across seasons and are worn beautifully with the rest of Naartjie spring and summer collections.

Naartjie designs, colors, prints, and styles represent a truly unique synthesis of European fashion trends with western casual lifestyle. Featuring a dominant focus on natural fabrics that are garment-dyed, pre-washed and pre-shrunk for easy wear, low maintenance and comfort, Naartjie uses a garment dye process that results in a more vibrant color and softer clothing and accessories for precious little ones.

The ultimate in mix and match, Naartjie introduces new colors, prints and styles within a monthly grouping to allow customers to mix and match across the entire assortment. In addition, shoppers can mix and match between Naartjie collections, which showcase the freshest and broadest color assortment in the industry, distinctive detailing, mixing of fabrics, appliqués and embroidery details. Always “Kid-Friendly” design concepts made primarily of natural fabrics that feature weight-right fabrications for maximum comfort and easy care. Each item is designed and constructed for easy-wear comfort, whether the garment is dressed up or dressed down.

About Naartjie
Naartjie was founded in 1989 in Cape Town, South Africa when designer Anne Eales
sought an alternative to the limited selection of childrens clothes available as she shopped for her three young boys. From its very conception, Naartjie was about KIDS… playful, vibrant, active, colorful, natural, always changing. We offer great kids clothes and baby clothes, basics and accessories for girls, boys, and newborns to 10 years of age — all at surprisingly affordable prices. Naartjie’s corporate headquarters are located in Salt Lake City, Utah. Naartjie owns and operates stores in both the United States and South Africa, with new stores opening regularly. For more information, please visit us at http://naartjie.com.

# # #

Contact Details: Joe Norwood
Naartjie
2369 West Orton Circle
Salt Lake City, UT 84119
801-977-7790

Miriam Lahage, founder of online discount designer store Koodos.com, has been named in The Independent’s Online Fashion Top 100. The list compiled the most inspirational, interesting and influential people who are the driving force behind the online fashion industry.

Collated by expert online fashion consultant and digital marketing strategist Leon Bailey-Green, the list included the crème-de-la-crème of online fashion – fashion journalists, photographers, entrepreneurs, bloggers, magazine editors and marketers.

The Koodos website is a well-known favourite amongst the fashion-set for stocking designer shoes, clothing and accessories from designer brands such as Chloe, Gucci and Prada at discount prices.

Miriam was listed first in The Online Fashion Top 100, ahead of other high profile online fashion entrepreneurs such as the founders of net-a-porter, ASOS and mywardrobe.com. Heavy-weight magazine editors of Vogue, HarpersBazaar and InStyle were all featured alongside Miriam, who has over 20 years experience in the US fashion and retail industries.

Originally featuring private sales for designer fashion brands, Miriam changed the business model last year so Koodos could focus more on open sales. Discount designer clothing is quickly becoming the way forward in online retailing, and with almost three years online, Koodos is well ahead of the pack.

Celebrity stylist and fashion expert Nicky Hambleton-Jones commented on Koodos in The Online Fashion Top 100; “Etailers like ASOS and Koodos.com make fashion affordable”, while Dawn Bebe, founder of osoyou.com, declared Miriam Lahage as one of the “Unsung heroes who make the online fashion wheels turn.”

Proving to not only be ahead of fashion, Koodos is also ahead of the online retail industry and developing into a brand that interacts with the online fashion community. This year has seen Koodos.com re-launch their blog, Barginista.co.uk, which has quickly become a popular source for the latest news and information on designer fashion sales both off and online, and has created the ultimate London shopping guide. The brand is also successfully using Twitter to provide loyal followers with their latest discount codes and offers on designer fashion.

Koodos.com stocks designer fashion labels at up to 80% off, including must have designer denim labels from diesel jeans to j brand jeans, and designer accessories including handbags, jewellery and men’s watches.

To read the latest fashion news and discount designer exclusives from Koodos, visit their blog at bargainista.co.uk

Contact Details: Koodos
314-320 Gray’s Inn Road,
London,
WC1X 8DP
+44844 8552477
http://www.koodos.com

All the theater and drama of couture fashion was present at Couture Fashion Week New York in February 2009. The three- day spectacle was a parade of glamorous evening wear as well as innovative couture and luxury wear. The moods of the shows ran the gamut from theatrical to sensual, from whimsical to classic, from traditional to futuristic. Wall to wall enthusiastic audiences of top socialites, diplomats and editors from around the world flocked to the perennially elegant Waldorf-Astoria February 13-15, 2009 to enjoy couture and luxury fashion collections on the runway by designers from Lebanon, Russia, Romania, Dominican Republic, India, Australia, Egypt, Korea, Turkey, Japan and the USA. Performances by world class entertainers including cellist Gjilberta Gelaj, singer Lara Janine, the NTDTV Lion Dance Troupe, singer Najibah, Chinese zither artist Xianzi Ai and Chinese pipa artist April Zhu also enchanted attendees.

Launched in 2003, Couture Fashion Week has grown into a prestigious event recognized worldwide for its success in presenting stunning couture fashion shows in such upscale venues as the St. Regis, The Westin Times Square and the Waldorf-Astoria. Event founder and producer Andres Aquino (also an accomplished fashion designer in his own right) along with a talented team of top makeup and hair stylists, models and staff continue to make Couture Fashion Week “the” place to see and be seen during New York Fashion Week.

“The days are cold, the models are hot, and, most importantly, the clothes are rocking this season. Couture Fashion Week in New York City arrived at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel’s Starlight Roof last week.” - T7live.com

Leading couture designer Dany Atrache, who held his first runway show in Beirut and has shown at the Paris haute couture season for several years, mesmerized the discerning audience with a breathtaking collection of exclusive designs made especially for his USA debut at Couture Fashion Week New York.
“Atrache’s mix of chic elegance with comfort, form and fit has his designs sitting on the lips of many this season. He’s a designer who sees beauty in unexpected places and this translates to his gowns … The confidence of the gown as it delicately draped the models made me think of how much fun a bride in that dress would have on her special night.” - woai.com

Catalin Botezatu returned to Couture Fashion Week with a theatrical fashion show that drew celebrities and well-known international personalities including opera star Angela Gheorghiu and Olympic gold medalist Nadia Comaneci.
“Romanian designer Catalin Botezatu’s collection was focused on luxury. Everything about his show was over the top - from the make up the models wore - a white canvas with theatrical eye shadow and lipstick, to the hats, which were representative of pieces of art.” - diaryofalabellover.typepad.com

“Egyptian designer Soucha rocked his FW09 presentation, softening his usually goth-romantic inspired collection by interweaving it bold jewel tones - coral, turquoise… and emerald green. Emphasis was placed on the different silhouettes - from the fluid and figure hugging mermaid silhouette, to empire waist, to the Grecian column.” - diaryofalabellover.typepad.com

A number of other great designers were introduced to the fashion savvy crowd including Orlando, Florida-based design duo Vocce Couture, Korean accessories label Bloom Boom Boom and Dominican designer Jorge Diep who presented a well ornamented collection that combined beautiful colors and sex appeal. Mr. Diep has dressed many Latin beauty queens and celebrities. “I was very pleased to present Jorge Diep - he comes from a country with a great tradition of fabulous international designers,” said producer Andres Aquino.

“Australian designer Linda Ellis presented her couture collection on Saturday, February 14. It was definitely a show for lovers. Romance was infused in the room and throughout her designs. The vibe at the show was elegant chic with a toss of downtown cool. The crowd was completely diverse and included budding fashionistas, the men who adore them and seasoned fashion veterans. The show began with a performance by cellist Gjilberta Gelaj, which was an exquisite touch to the collection.”
- phatguru.com

A unique fashion show, dubbed “Space Couture”, presented winners from a design contest of futuristic fashion in Japan. “You’re going to want to wear something special for that once-in-a-lifetime event,” says Chuck Lauer of Rocketplane Global, an aerospace firm that plans to offer suborbital tourist flights and helped to organize a recent space-themed fashion show at Couture Fashion Week in New York City. - newscientist.com.

Nedret Taciroglu from Turkey made her second appearance at Couture Fashion Week. Her elegant show was attended by contingent of diplomats and important personalities from the Turkish community as well as a host of press and fashion lovers “I have just discovered a wonderfully talented Turkish designer by the name of Nedret Taciroglu.” - The Epoch Times

The dramatic “Journey” collection by Andres Aquino was accessorized by one-of-a-kind matching shoes crafted by British shoe designer Silvia Campbell. Many of the beautiful jewelry ensembles used in the show were created by Kenyan-born designer Nasimiyu Wekesa, whose jewelry has been worn by Christy Turlington, Patti Scialfa Springsteen and other celebrities. The impeccable hair styling for the fashion show was done by hair stylist to the stars Federico Calce of Federico Salon in New York.
“Saturday’s production of Andres Aquino’s couture show (the man behind the Waldorf-Astoria’s Couture Fashion Week) was like spending an afternoon in some Viennese majestic courtyard sipping tea and then a languorous walk over to the wild side with African, theatrical induced sensibilities…”
–scallywagandvagabond.com

Nina Gleyzer, a native of St. Petersburg, Russia and a master of couture design, offered a collection of refined and sophisticated creations inspired by the beauty of nature through a palette of feminine lines, dramatic colors, and innovative fabrication. Sushma Patel’s return appearance at Couture Fashion Week featured elegant and fluid feminine designs accented with crystals and delicate beading.

“Australian designer Cristina Nitopi for the first time presented an exclusive menswear collection at Fall Couture Fashion Week. It was nice to see a feminine perspective on menswear. The tailored, trim cut pants and cropped denim jackets were a revival from decades past but with just enough modernity to make the sophisticated, urban guy proud to walk down the street wearing it.”
- diaryofalabellover.typepad.com

The next Couture Fashion Week is scheduled for September 11-13, 2009 and it is expected to be bigger and better than ever. The upcoming event will include for the first time The Couture Fashion Week Ball, a black-tie evening of dinner, dancing and fashion on Saturday evening.

Couture Fashion Week is a multi-day event showcasing couture and luxury fashion. It also includes exhibits of luxury brands and fine art as well as world-class entertainment and receptions. The event is held in top venues in New York City, Palm Beach, Florida and other selected cities and is attended by upscale consumers, invited VIPs, the press and high-end store buyers. Couture Fashion Week offers unique branding opportunities for luxury products and services.

Visit the event website for more information: www.CoutureFashionWeek.com