Foreign cosmetic products sold at relatively high prices in Korea

Foreign-branded cosmetic products are more expensive in South Korea than other countries, a report showed Thursday, suggesting that a distorted distribution system here may be to blame.According to the report by the YWCA, which analyzed the average consumer prices of 18 types of foreign cosmetic products, they turned out to be sold in department stores here at relatively higher prices than the other seven countries it surveyed.The countries include the U.S., Japan, Italy, Germany and France, and

Sept. 13, 2012

Bringing colors to clothing

Pakistani women celebrate color, style and fashion as much as they do Eid, Muslims’ biggest festival.And Eid celebrations brought with them colorful clothes of all kinds, from the flow of chiffon dupattas (long scarf) to the elegance of silk kameezes (long shirt or tunic).As with fashion in Pakistan, there are trends that come and go yet some are timeless ― block printing is one such trend, and in recent years, screen printing too has become mainstream fashion.There are quite a few designers and

Sept. 10, 2012

The designer behind spectacular superhero scenes

‘Design should be realistic and make others believe in the world you created,’ says Steve JungThe futuristic yet realistic portraits of the fictional world in the superhero films “The Avengers” and “Transformers” captured the eyes of millions of international viewers. Behind the spectacular scenes was Steve Jung, a Korean-American concept designer. The Stark Tower and major scenes of the films made Jung a household name in the entertainment design field and raised awareness of entertainment desi

Sept. 10, 2012

What clothes? Skin is ever in at NY Fashion Week

 NEW YORK (AP) _ Bikini season may be over, but this is no time to tone down the workout. Many of the styles on the runway at New York Fashion Week flash a bit of skin here or there: bare midriffs, cutout backs, keyhole necklines. The silhouettes in spring previews that entered a fourth day Sunday aren't necessarily skin tight, but it's not a season of full-on floaty frocks, either. ``We've

Sept. 10, 2012

Showers at N.Y. Fashion Week, spring in their steps

NEW YORK (AP) ― A flurry of assistants rushed to protect racks of clothes at New York Fashion Week from Saturday’s sudden downpours ― perhaps as potent a reminder as any during these spring previews that seasons can be temperamental.Maybe that’s why leather is as common in these previews for spring and summer 2013 as the pops of color and chiffon you might expect.“You can wear those leather jackets all year long,” said stylist June Ambrose. “They’re sleek enough to go under a parka or a vest and

Sept. 9, 2012

Designs with messages touch more hearts

Products with moving goals and stories become best-sellThe following is the seventh in a series of articles on design prepared in anticipation of the Herald Design Forum on Sept. 19-21. ― Ed.I ♥ NY, the beloved image created by U.S. graphic designer Milton Glaser in the 1970s, became more popular than ever in the Big Apple after the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001. T-shirts and souvenirs bearing the logo, and also Glaser’s revamped version reading “I Love NY More Than Ever,” were frequently spotted in

Sept. 6, 2012

Colors of Korea to go on show in New York

Concept Korea presents a mix of veteran and fresh designers to global audienceGaining a foothold in the global fashion market is a formidable task, the industry already saturated with great talents from the traditional fashion powerhouses of Europe and the U.S.Frustrated by years of trying to get the attention of international buyers and press through Seoul Fashion Week, the government a few years ago hit upon the idea of showcasing Korea’s fashion designers at the world’s major fashion capitals

Sept. 5, 2012

Voices and images at Venice’s Palazzo Grassi exhibition

VENICE, Italy (AFP) ― Venetian canals transformed through a camera obscura, intimate snapshots of a prisoner’s life and a hall of whispers are among the installations on show at a new exhibition at Venice’s Palazzo Grassi.Around 30 works by 27 international artists, borrowed from French billionaire Francois Pinault’s private collection, explore how the medium of video has been used to capture and challenge sensory expression and perception.The hypnotic “For Beginners” videotape by contemporary A

Aug. 30, 2012

Design guru penetrates soul of design

Schreyer says designers need to stay ahead of customers’ expectationsWhen Kia Motors released its ambitious K-series, represented by the premium sedan K9 earlier this year, auto enthusiasts were more than thrilled. The vehicles were nothing like the ones Kia had shown before. The cars’ faade resembles that of a tiger and the interior is sleek like a panther. “A true era of the Kia sedan has opened,” a commentator said at the time of release. Behind the rejuvenation of the car maker was Peter Sch

Aug. 30, 2012

Spanx squeezes into tony shopping malls

PHILADELPHIA -- They‘re a tummy tuck and butt-lift in a bag. The new-millennium version of Grandma’s girdle, minus the bruising engineering. And each garment has a name so tart, so clever, that even hippy women feel hip when they squirm into a sheet of Spandex the size of a body condom.They are, of course, Spanx, the figure-slimming shapewear that has revolutionized how women dress by convincing ladies to shun comfort over compression. The brand has disinterred the dead-and-gone girdle by elimin

Aug. 29, 2012

Art peps up product designs

Collaborations between acclaimed artists and top-notch brands bring synergy effectsThe following is the sixth in a series of articles on design prepared in anticipation of the Herald Design Forum on Sept. 19-21. ― Ed.The classy, monogrammed leather of Louis Vuitton bags is simply turned into a backdrop for much wilder patterns: artist Yayoi Kusama’s vivid red polka dots, for example. The French luxury brand’s 2012 line features a collaboration series with the established Japanese avant-garde art

Aug. 23, 2012

Richie eyes sustained success through Impulse

NEW YORK (AP) ― You know her by the sunglasses she always has with her. You know her from TV, and you might know her from the tabloids, too, but Nicole Richie isn’t convinced any of it works for or against her when it comes to building her design career.She guided aspiring designers on the fashion competition show “Fashion Star,’’ and says she sees success in the fashion business as either potentially intense and fleeting, or broad-based and sustained. It’s up to the work you do ― and doing it c

Aug. 22, 2012

Chinese avant-garde painter goes black-and-white

The “Chinese cultural invasion” has become a global phenomenon. Record-breaking sums are being splashed on Chinese art pieces at international auctions and exhibitions of works by Chinese “enfants terribles” are held at galleries around the world. In Korea some of the trendiest Chinese artists have become the new darlings of collectors, replacing Andy Warhol or Lee U-fan.At the center of the frenzy for Chinese contemporary art is Zhang Xiaogang. Zhang is now considered among the most sensational

Aug. 20, 2012

David Beckham back in new H&M underwear ads

NEW YORK (AP) ― David Beckham says he’s in the underwear game for the long haul, with the second set of abs ― sorry, ads ― for his branded collection with H&M launching Thursday.The English football star’s ads will coincide with a “statue stunt’’ planned by the retailer, with larger-than-life Beckhams going up in New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco. New products will be added to the collection later this year.Beckham, 37, said he’s pleased with consumer reaction.“I’m very happy that so far p

Aug. 15, 2012

Beauty boxes bring cosmetics bounty

Monthly subscription boxes a way to sample wide variety of cosmeticsIt’s like receiving a Christmas gift anytime of the year. A cheerful-looking black box with white polka dots tied up in a hot pink ribbon arrives at the office. You begin unwrapping the box with anticipation. You are a little girl once again as you rush to explore the goodies that lie within. The monthly delivery from Memebox, one of the largest beauty subscription services in the country, is jam-packed with cosmetic products ra

Aug. 15, 2012