Fashion Intern Horror Stories: What Really Happens During Unpaid Internships
A recent government crackdown is shaking London’s fashion industry. The UK’s HMRC (Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, a dept. of the UK government responsible for collecting taxes) has reportedly sent letters to 102 fashion houses warning them that they are under scrutiny and urging them to pay their interns the minimum wage or face penalties.
Of course, unpaid fashion internships happen, and their legality is debated here in the states as well. In fact, the phrase “unpaid fashion internship” sounds a bit redundant in my mind because you’d be hard-pressed to find a fashion internship that wasn’t unpaid. It’s a tricky situation that lacks an obvious solution.
Interns are indisputably a necessary part of this industry. Without them, collections wouldn’t get made, fashion shows wouldn’t happen and magazine editorials would feature a lot more nudity than they already do. Also, as one designer pointed out to British Elle, younger, less established designers are in a particularly difficult position because they may not even be able to pay themselves, let alone their interns. And on the other side of it, major designers have tons of people dying to give them free labor just to have the name on their resumés.
Karlie Kloss For Dior Spring 2012 Beauty Ad Campaign
Karlie Kloss is now riding the controversy wave due to her Vogue Italy feature (some claim that the pictures could determine women all over the world become anorexic. Or something like that.). However, Karlie Kloss’ reign on the fashion world is nowhere near its end and this Dior Spring 2012 Beauty Ad campaign confirms it once more.
Karlie is one of those beautiful and versatile young models who represent today’s fashion with extreme accuracy. She can be your next door cool neighbor, she can be your diva, she can do so many faces, embody so many acts, I believe the fashion industry is rightfully in love with her. (aren’t we?) A little controversy has never hurt a model – look at Kate Moss!
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The Stella McCartney eco tote
Buzzwords like ‘sustainability‘ and ‘ethical fashion’ may have elusive definitions that, for some, shift and change with the focus of the message; but for Stella McCartney it’s a clear cut mission for good. With a laser-beam focus on working to change the way the fashion industry operates, McCartney has never been half-hearted about presenting her her values and beliefs to the world. For spring 2012 that means delving further into her ethical business efforts and creating pieces that may appeal to more than just your sense of aesthetics.
As far as Christmas gifts go, a piece like this snakeskin canvas tote is perfect for any proponent of ethical fashion, or anyone who likes their accessories to come with a back-story. Handmade in Nyirobi, Kenya, from recycled tent canvas, it was designed in support of the International Trade Center’s Ethical Fashion Programme; a programme that provides work to the local African community.
Crazy Rumor of the Day: Nicole Richie to Halston?
Photo: Getty Images
Fake ads are so yesterday. Today, the fashion blogosphere is all about big crazy rumors, like that Nichole Richie is going to be the new Creative Director of Halston, or celebrity face, or consultant, or that Nicole Richie will do something, anything with the crumbling house of Halston.
The brand’s relationship with Hollywood hasn’t worked out so well, just one reason it’d be surprising if the investors thought, “Hey! You know what could work here? A really stylish, beautiful Hollywood star.” It didn’t work with Rachel Zoe, or Sarah Jessica Parker, or even Tamara Mellon who really actually does know how to run a business.
If, for some reason, the house of Halston is incapable of functioning without a starlet, Richie would be a great choice. She’s one of the few celebrities who’s earned the right to drop “celebrity” before designer and both House of Harlow and Winter Kate are profitable, respected companies with loyal fans in and out of the fashion industry.
Name: Fie RimmenThe Quintessential Couture Embroiderer, Francois Lesage, Has Died Aged 82
02 December 2011 at 13:06
chanel
Sad news this morning in the world of fashion as we hear that the embroidery designer, François Lesage, has died in Paris aged 82. It truly does represent the end of an era for embroidery. As Susannah Frankel in the Independent put it;
‘Lesage’s elaborate handiwork has graced the designs of all the grandest couturiers for more than half a century… As well as providing fanciful surface embellishment to everyone from Cristobal Balenciaga to Yves Saint Laurent and from Christian Dior to Valentino Garavani, as a young man Lesage put the glittering finishing touches to the costumes of Hollywood greats including Marlene Dietrich, Ava Gardner and Olivia de Havilland, all of whom sparkled both on screen and off in his hands.’
There are so many stories about the man whose name is synonymous with the highest quality of embroidery, how he grew up in a fashion family, ‘bounced on the knee of Elsa Schiaparelli’ as a baby, that he and his Maison worked with the greats of haute couture, the more lavish the better, in particular his work is associated with Chanel and Lacroix.
Now a Louis Vuitton collection has been Stolen from the Airport in Paris!
Louis Vuitton Autumn Winter 2012 collection was based on The Night Porter
What’s this now? A Louis Vuitton collection going AWOL? ? The news of the Marc Jacobs mainline getting pinched in transit to his London showroom swept through the fashion industry like wildfire last week. Not only were we all horrified on Marc Jacobs’ behalf but we have to admit, the collective imagination was somewhat captured by the thought of such glamorous criminals, swanning through illegal entry ports and clandestine hideouts in Monaco, bedecked, as they would have been in shiny luminescent and plastic garments and head pieces.
We’re off to the British Fashion Awards!
28 November 2011 at 17:38
British Fashion Awards
Team Grazia is heading off to the British Fashion Awards! We’re going to be reporting live from the event at London’s Savoy Hotel from 7pm tonight, revealing the winner’s names as they are announced. You can check out the Grazia twitter (@Grazia_live) for more gossip and behind the scenes news from the event as well.
So will Victoria Beckham walk away with a gong this year? Will Sarah Burton‘s amazing 2011 be topped off by a win at the fashion industry’s Oscars? Who knows… See you back here later for the answers to all these questions and more!