As I just found a new pâtisserie that I now love, I am going to share this with you ( see I'm empathic!)
A basic of the French pâtisserie, this creamy plump cake had the fashion potential to become a cult, well it now is!
All of this, thanks to Lauren Koumetz, creator of a cream puff temple based in Paris named ,after the inventor of the puff pastry, Popelini!
Source: madame.lefigaro.fr
Such a sweet and tempting name for a shop!
She is offering pastel colors chou à la crème attracting the customers however creativity is clearly a family thing since her father is at the head of Lette Macarons, a pâtisserie that had make Los Angeles and San Francisco's inhabitants crazy about French petits-fours!
Wish that could be pass with a simple touch...
Source: hellocoton.fr
For Popelini, young pastry chef Alice Barday who used to work at very well-known Ladurée has created a new taste of this cream.
That way, 9 classic tastes such as vanilla, lemon or chocolate are mixed with a fleeting cream puff made according to her imagination.Seems like young people are starting to make themselves a way to the top!
Luckily, we can also sometimes found other tastes like: Amaretti, baileys or tiramisu which are already more different.
Those little wonders cost around 1,85 € each, and hopefully it will soon open a shop in London, by that I mean next year for instance...
Source: forums.atomicmpc.com.au
Anyway, let me give you the address for those in Paris who might pop in the shop: Popelini, 29, rue Debelleyme, 75003 Paris.
It's official Abercrombie & Fitch just opened their first store in Paris, France! What an excitement, too bad I'm not there at this very moment...
Lots of people have been expecting it, me included but finally it's there! (while I'm here in London...)
Fashion lovers have been rushing towards the 23 avenue des Champ-Elysées today, to attend this famous opening !
Source: dandies.fr
A crowd was quietly queueing since 8:30am to 10am, which is basically not a surprise as the brand didn't stop "exposing" their models' perfect body...
In fact, since the 11th to the 18 May, an army of "smiley Abercrombie boys" were standing half naked in jeans in front of the stores creating a joyful effervescence on the most beautiful avenue in the world.
Let's say that the company is still quite smart and is putting the big show!
It definitely know how to attract customers, whether it's men or women, should I say!
On this glorious day, at 10am, 4 models opened the golden gate under the flash of the public. The lucky ones have then be able to cross the inner courtyard and to enter in the "temple", would have love to be one of them... There, 9 525 square meter split into 4 floors was waiting for them. And even if the spotlight are Parisians, the universe is the universe of Abercrombie with its fragrance and where every collections is the same whatever if this is in London or New York!
Source: meteofrance.com
A&F certainly have a big wallet to afford such a place in the third most expensive avenue in the world!
And as hapiness never comes alone, the company just annouced its net profit of £15 millions against a net loss of £7 millions for last year first term.
Moreover, it has also announced few days ago, an increase of its sales from 22% to £506,13 millions for this first term 2011, +13% in the USA and +64% for the international. Finally, its turnover will have increase of 10%!
Congrats A&F! In another hand, how could it loss money....
The point of sales of Abercrombie in Paris isn't the only one to open this year: 3 other point of sales are scheduled for this fourth term including Madrid, Düsseldorf and Brussels.
Source: paulettemagazine.com
But everything is not so pink, it may appears "cool" on the outside but on the inside...Think you can handle a truth?
The truth is that the employees also have a lot of stress.
Do you know that every clothes that you touch took almost 2 hours to be fold?
Yes 2 hours! Not even kidding, because it apparently seems that every "corner" of the product in question have to be straight, perfect should we said.
So, maybe next time, when you'll get into the store, you might pay more attention to what you're doing with your hands.
Also, I don't want to shatter the myth but you know when this beautiful guy or girl look at you and smile at you insistently, don't think that something is happening between you guys, no no no! That's marketing, that's simply how it work there!
Sorry to shatter your dream again! Still love Abercrombie by the way!
And here is a little interview of some of the A Boys, hope you will like it!
Source: Meteo Newspaper France - L'express - Friends
Two billions of viewers, 1900 guests, 4 bridesmaid and 2 wedding cakes that's not what will hold the world spellbound but Catherine Middleton's wedding dress!
In fact, as you must already know, the 29th April will be the "Yes! Day" for Prince William, 28 and commoner Kate Middleton, 29. And when she will be there, the whole world will only have eyes for her dress symbolizing her personality, her style and above all what kind of queen she will be.
"Her dress is much more than a dress.....Her dress is not only a wedding dress but a sort of giant flag symbolizing her tastes, her commitment (or not) towards fashion, her behavior with regards to money, at the moment where the country is in economic difficulties." claims Alexandra Shulman, editor in chief of the British Vogue.
Well well...it looks like Katie has a big deal in front of her!
Let's hope Miss Middleton has carefully chosen her wedding dress!
Source: shiloh.be
The royal service has succeeded in keeping the secret however in the fashion industry; some says that the wedding dress would be designed by Sarah Burton, artistic director of Alexander McQueen who has actually denied it.
Several rumors are now circulating: American information website “Huffingtonpost.com” said that British Sophie Cranston from "Libélula" might be the one chosen to design the famous wedding dress whereas Daily Mail said Kate Middleton has designed her own dress.
According to experts, she might wear a white dress with a tiara as it is one of the most obvious symbols of the monarchy.
Nevertheless, we'll see if she deserved her name because apparently Katherine is inspired of Greek "kathara" that means “pure”.
So will she be wearing a dress which color will be associated with purity?
But it seems that Kate probably had imagined and designed her own dress keeping in mind a sincere thought to Lady Diana and to the dress she wore in 1981 during her wedding with Prince Charles. There's nothing surprising to that as she is already wearing Princess Diana's blue sapphire ring.
Who’s right? Who’s wrong?
Rendez-vous Next Friday to get the answer!
In any case, the total cost from this Royal wedding is going to be spicy! Some says this will be probably one of the most expensive celebrities wedding of all time!
£12 millions, this is likely what it will cost to the British taxpayers. It is apparently going to be a bigger and more expensive wedding than Diana’s one.
William and Kate's wedding might actually overtake record-holders Liza Minnelli and David Gest’s wedding, which has cost £2.2 million.
______________
A little update!
Hello everyone, I'm sure you all saw the wedding of Prince William & Kate Middleton but let's look closer to Kate's wedding dress....Doesn't it seems like another dress we had recently seen in several magazines?
Think about it....Because I'm sure you will remember Grace Kelly's dress!
Besides, her dress was actually signed Sarah Burton, with a cost of £30 925! What an amount, much more higher than the average one should we say!
Thursday 14th April will be an important date that will marks the history of jewellery with the presentation of the World’s First Diamond Ring!
Thanks to Swiss Jewellery Company Shawish, many men will be able to fulfill their wife with this fabulous ring that has been carved directly out of a chunk of diamond rough.
The company has been actually working on it since the last one year: several test have been done and the ring’s design took a year to get copyrighted.
Special lasers were used to carve the stunning 150 carats diamond as it sure is one of the hardest stones in the world ensuring at the same time the quality of the diamond.
Imagine the effect of the sunshine on this ring, wouldn’t it be magnificent?
But beauty has a price and unless you have £43 million, you won’t be able to have this wonderful ring.
Yes I know, I wish I could spend £43 million for a ring too…
Shawish might now change the definition of a diamond ring which is basically a ring with stones on it into a diamond ring made of…diamond!
That’s not what we should call a diamond ring but a diamond diamond!
Source: www.luxsure.fr
This « ring » as well as its making of have been presented in avant-première during the Il Bottaccio event in Mayfair,London by luxury Jeweller Mohamed Shawesh, President and CEO of Geneva-based Shawish Jewellery: champagne, live music , charity auction and jaw-dropping performance with glitter and jewels were a the menu this day.
"A ring made entirely of a faceted diamond has always seemed like a fantasy"
"It seemed impossible, so we decided to embark on the adventure of creating it. To create the perfect diamond ring is the epitome of art." said Mohamed Shawesh and his brother.
Following terrible earthquake in Japan, several stores has been damaged and thus closed. Regarding the Fast Retailing group brand: Uniqlo, we can actually count 160 stores closed after March 11 with 14 still shuttered at the end of the month according to the companyhowever 146 of these stores are now back up and running!
Source: flickr.com
And what happen to the Survivors?
10.5%, that’s the number on which you should focus on as this is how much Uniqlo sales has fall.
In fact, after such a disaster, the first thing that a victim wants isn’t to do some shopping but to survive therefore the brand customers strongly decrease as well as its sales!
Here is a piece of evidence: the amount each customer spent rose 3%, Fast Retailing said.
And unfortunately for generous Uniqlo and its President Tadashi Yanai,its domestic stores total sales has fallen 10.1% and same-store sales decreased by 10.5% in March, compared to the same month last year.
What's more before this announcement, yet shares of Fast Retailing gained 2.7% in Tokyo.
“Same-store sales declined year on year for March due to damage and disruptions resulting from the March 11 Tohoku-Kanto Earthquake” the company confirmed.
Source: Fast Retailing
Others retailers have also posted dramatically lower sales for this devastating month:
On a same store basis, Lingerie boutique Honeys was down nearly 28%, Japanese United Arrows;17%, Footwear shop G-Foot 13.7% and ABC Mart 11% .
Optimistic retailers are forecasting some improvement for this current month however as said earlier they will have to wait for a moment until consumers buy something which is not part of a primary need.
On the opposite, food retailers, and many drugstores have posted strong sales on the back of the local people who tend to stockpile essentials such as food, water and medicines.
For instance, Supermarket Kusuri no Aoki was up 30% and Matsuya Foods up 12.5%.
Some regions like Tohoku, and Chiba still suffer from lack of food, electricity, water, and heat so if you have nothing else to do today, support them!
Here is the case:Dolce&Gabbana charged of tax avoidance of 840 millions € to be exact or let's say 1 billions if you're lazy.
Founded in 1985, D&G counts over 3000 employees, 119 boutiques and 17 factories channels in 2009 according to its website.
First, to understand all of this, let's go back in time!
25th March, the judge of the preliminary hearing in Milan, Simone Luerti announces he will take a decision starting on the 1st April 2011 according to the referral bill of the two designers who counts amongst the richest person in Italy.
Source: forzaitalia.tchatcheblog.com
1st April's hearing will deal with the arguments of the attorneys of the two stylist and of 5 other people (including Dolce's brother Alfonso and three other senior members of the company who all denied the charges as well) charged in this case. Then on the same day, the judge will take a decision.
D&G will face up to 5 years in jail if sent for trial and pay more than $1 billion in unpaid taxes and fines!
Why?
The claim is actually that Dolce&Gabbana made a company in Luxembourg in 2004 which was given power of the fashion group's brands, thereby evading high corporate taxes in Italy. However the Luxembourg holding company, Gado, was in reality operated from Italy!
Boo Liars!
Italy has been actually breaking behind on extensive tax evasion in latest months in an attempt to increase government revenues following the financial crisis that has finally touches every country.
Here they are! Smiling at their victory! Source:lowefactor.co
And what about the media?
Of course, the affair is potentially highly embarrassing for 52 yo, Domenico Dolce, & 48yo Stefano Gabbana, a duo whose sexy, baroque, often gilded designs have won the admiration and loyalty of celebrities including Victoria Beckham or Vic for her friends (not Posh), Madonna and Kylie.
Dagospia, a website that is quite similar to Private Eye,a satirical and current affairs magazine in Great Britain, republished the "scoop" asking: "How many will dare to pick up on this news?". Good Question!
Well, the answer is that there were basically only two "low-circulation leftwing dailies" and a few blogs that mentioned it.
"I expected the news ... to have caused uproar," claimed a reader of Italian daily newspaper, Il Giornale.
Who agree with him? I do!
Looks like, tax evasion has become a casual thing!
But as Mr.Berlusconi said few years ago : "There are only idiots who pays their taxes"
Not bad for someone who has also been accused of tax avoidance!
And then cames the judgement day, 1st April Result ⇝ The investigation has been been closed by the
the judge of the preliminary hearing in Milan due to lack of evidence!
"It's an absurd demand based on a completely abstract calculation." said the two famous designers who have always denied the claim.
So if you are a D&G fan, you no longer have to worry for them, that was just an "absurd" story!
Anyway...I guess this case won't affects it IT bag' sales!
Anyone wants a Miss Sicily?
Besides, that must have been a really expensive video to make!
Sources: The guardian - Le journal des finances -Le Figaro -fashion.telegraph.co.uk
It's Monday 14th March and Akihabara station is crowded while commun transports are still limited in capital,
Tokyo.
People waiting at the entrance of Akihabara, an important tranfert station from the East of Tokyo Source: flickr.com
At the time where a big bereavement is beginning, Japanese professionals discover little by little consequences of 11th march's earthquake.
And as foreign companies are sending their team back or are trying to contact them, time is for worry..
Between the expected earthquakes in Tokyo or the risk of a nuclear explosion in the North of the capital, several companies made associates return to their countries during last week end.
For instance, Comptoir des Cotonniers has immediately repatriate about fifteen of its headquarter employees which were in Japan.
[Because, this is at this kind of sad moment where you knows if the company you're working for, is a caring one or a selfish one!]
For its part, The Vantan Design Institute of Fashion/Beauty School of Tokyo seems to have been spared. Josiane Cristofoli who's in charge of the school's communication in France explain:"They didn't have any damages but they are quite worried in view of the nuclear problem".
The seism took place a few day before the launch of Japan Fashion Week in Tokyo which should have introduced more than 35 collections of autumn-winter 2011/2012 between next 21st and 25th March. However the event has indees been logically cancelled by the organisers.
Source: wallpaperszz.blogspot.com
The industry is weakened but rallied?
Following the importance of this drama, companies of the Country of the Rising Sun didn't forget to rally: the Clothing giant, Fast Retailing, owner of Uniqlo & Comptoir des Cotonniers, is going to give 1 billion of Yens to the Croix Rouge in order to support regions of North-East which are widely stricken.
The group also counts on sending 300 000 sweaters, coats and jeans to the victims who has been striped of their possessions by the tsunami.
What's more, cosmetic group Shiseido has annouced a donation of 100 million of Yens as well as 30 000 bottles of soap, shampoos and disinfectants.
Other groups follow this movements: Cosmetics groups Unicharme and Kaoh planed to furnish baby products for charities according to daily economic newspaper Nikkei.
Hopefully for Japanese people, there are still companies which make nobles gestures!
However rallied, industrials has also been hit.
Therefore, Shiseido had to stop one of its main production centre, heavily affected, annoucing severals stocks issues.
Two others plants should be closed in order to save energy, as well as a plant of Kaoh Group .
Some companies haven't yet react to these events. Shame on them? Maybe! iQuizas! Peut-être bien!
Textil company Renown Incorporated and Sanei International are both waiting for their superiors to get back to their office in order to start something.
Moreover, Clothing groups Onward Kashiyama and Sanyou Syoukai try, for their parts, to get in touch with their customers.
First economic effects?
After the human toll, will soon come the time of the tragedy's economic report.
The stock exchange has give a foretaste this week end! Notably in the luxury sector, Japan actually represents 11 to 15 % of 180 billion of Euro of the global sales of the sector.
In consequences, at the London Stock Exhange, the strongest fall is Burberry group 's one, which shares lost 5,4 % of its value. In Swiss, famous group Richemont falls of 1,73 %. And in Italy, Tod's has fallen of 0,66% yesterday. That's not an Earthquake anymore, that's a sharesquake now!
And with 15 to 17% of its acitivity realised in the Archipelago , French actors of luxury are in the front line.
With 9% of its turnover realised in Japan, LVMH has already seen its security falls of 3% in the hours following this drama with Japan which represents 20% of Louis Vuitton's activity.
Regarding other brands like Hermès, its part has fallen of 2.5% with 19% of its turnover realised in this little country.
And concerning PPR which realise 16% of its turnover in Japan, it has lost 1.43% of its value.
Here a little video from Youtube, just to be a bit weepy!
