Five Emerging High-End Fashion Trends

This fall, high-end fashion is big, bold, edgy and, above all, eye-catching. To help discerning women pick the perfect new pieces, Evelyn Fox, founder of celebrity favorite Crystal Heels™ has released her list of the five hottest high-end fashion trends this fall.

Fox, a runway model-turned-entrepreneur who has been immersed in the fashion industry for over a decade, says high-end must-haves right now combine style elements in unexpected ways. There are five key trends devoted fashionistas and celebrities should be working into their wardrobes if they want to stay ahead of the fashion curve this fall, including: 

Lace. Delicate with a decided edge, this fall's lace is at once tough and feminine. 

Leather. Studded or accented with lacy cutouts, high-end leather fashion is all about the details.

Embellishments. This fall's high-end fashion is studded, spiked and accented with crystals and metallics. Forget subtle: 

Bold prints. Any print goes right now, as long as it's larger than life. 

Big jewelry and accessories. This is no season to be demure. Instead, be audacious. Complement big jewelry with shoes that can hold their own.

PR Newswire (http://s.tt/1rrsB)

Southern Designer Showcase Winners Announced

Belk has selected 15 winners from more than 170 entrants in the retailer's Southern Designer Showcase competition. The showcase winners listed below learned today they will have their collections sold in select Belk stores and on Belk.com.

Andrea Brown Birmingham, Ala.
Miriam Oehrlein Wilmington, N.C.
Amy Baxter St. Augustine, Fla.
Molly Stevens Columbia, S.C.
aakofii Atlanta, Ga.
Megan Masters Florence, S.C.
Faith Thornburg Savannah, Ga.
Blake Vaigneur Mt. Pleasant, S.C.
Emily Newnam Beaufort, N.C.
Caitlin Moore Rowlett, Tx.
Kathleen Murphy Charlotte, N.C.
Hannah Goff Lexington, N.C.
Rosaline Morris New York, N.Y.
Jay Reynolds Atlanta, Ga.
Jazsalyn McNeil Raleigh, N.C.

Discovering new Southern design talent and featuring their products in our stores are important elements of Belk's new Southern Designer Showcase competition. Belk's merchants are always looking for modern Southern designers throughout the Southeast through university contacts, local merchandise market centers and regional fashion events.

In addition to being sold in select Belk stores and on Belk.com, Southern Designer Showcase competition winning collections will also be featured in Belk's 125th Anniversary Celebration advertising campaign and showcased on Belk's Facebook page.

Source: Belk via PR Newswire

Made in the USA Cotton

Over the 4^th of July holiday Cotton Incorporated – the cotton industry association - and local Florida radio station got folks to wear cotton red, white, or blue tee shirts and stand in the shape of a U.S. flag.

Normally, I’d blow past yawn-invoking publicity stunts, but this one happens to fall into the realm of one of my crusades – driving awareness for products made in the U.S.A. According to the news release, the t-shirts were made in the U.S.A. by North Carolina-based TSDesigns from cotton made in the U.S.A.

From the news release: “Cotton Incorporated, famous for its ‘The Fabric Of Our Lives®’ advertising campaign, cites its ongoing Lifestyle Monitor™ survey as an indicator that cotton is the fabric of our lives in the United States.”

According to the survey:

83 percent of consumers agree that cotton and cotton blends are the fibers best suited for today's fashions

Nearly six out of 10 consumers (58 percent) are bothered that brands and retailers may be substituting synthetic fibers for in denim jeans, followed by tee shirts (56 percent), and sweatshirts/hoodies (53 percent); and

58 percent of consumers say they would be willing to pay a slightly higher price to keep cotton from being substituted with synthetic fibers in their tee shirts, followed by 57 percent saying the same for denim jeans, and 50 percent for sweatshirts/hoodies.

The Monitor survey shows that 60 percent of respondents feel that clothing made in theU.S.A. is of higher quality than clothing imported from other countries. Interjecting a personal thought here – I tend to agree. Even fabric made in the U.S.A tends to feel and wear better than imports. When shopping for sewing projects, I try to find fabrics made in America, but it’s hard.

"Today, less than five percent of apparel sold in the U.S.A. is actually made in the U.S.A.," said Eric Henry, President of TSDesigns. Based in Burlington, N.C. TSDesigns is a sources local cotton for its apparel products, which are then made – and sold – within the United States. "Seeing a U.S. flag made up of citizens wearing our tee shirts, which are made in America, is inspiring for all of us at TSDesigns. Hopefully the image of it will inspire all Americans to look more locally for their apparel needs.”

Source:  Cotton Incorporated via PR Newswire (http://s.tt/1h41m)