Dress for stress

latex body

A new fabric from Italy claims literally to make you feel good
Buying a new outfit is known to have a tonic effect. You look good, so you feel good. Now the designer Azzedine Alaia has come up with clothing that he claims not only raises your spirits but cures your ills.
 Fashion's first therapeutic fabric is made from a new jersey called Relax.  Claims that pulling on an Alaia Relax catsuit might cure tension and headaches, dispensing with the need for Valium or aspirin, sound far-fetched.  But, by protecting the body from the invisible electro-magnetic waves given off by household appliances, the fabric is said to reduce the ailments that these are believed to cause.
 Relax contains a fine filament of nylon mixed with carbon, which has already been tested and used by Nasa as a protective lining. The new fabric, developed by Ialian textile company Lineapiu in conjunction with the international chemical company BASF, combines this with cotton, viscose or wool.
 ''We wanted something that not only looked good in fashion terms, but literally makes you feel good, and we knew carbon provided shield from electromagnetic waves,'' says Giuliano Coppini, the president of Lineapiu.
 ests carried out in the Laboratory of Public Health in Ivrea, near Turin, showed that an ordinary fibre containing 6 per cent carbon helps protect those parts of the body covered. According to Professor Santi Tofani, the director of the laboratory, ''The carbonated fabric is particularly effective at reducing the electro-magnetic field in the low range of radio frequencies that abound in the atmosphere.''
 Signor Coppini offered M Alaia exclusive use of the yarn for a year. Only a few Alaia knits in this summer's range are made from Relax among them a long, ribbed-knit, hooded dress and a ruffle-edged catsuit with flared trousers but more will appear in the winter collection.
 ''It is not a miracle cloth, but I saw the demonstration in Turin and ca fait du bon,'' Mr Alaia says. He has not been able to experience the benefits of the new yarn himself: ''Can you imagine me in a little stretch dress?''
 Daniela Ballarini, a psychologist and a member of the Italian Society of Biofeedback, carried out tests measuring body tension. A model wore an Alaia anti-stress dress one day, and an ordinary sweater dress the next. On the second day, her stress level was 50 per cent higher. The psycho-knit has arrived.

Loewe & behold

latex clothes

... the edgy new look of the once "auntie' Spanish leather house. All thanks to Cuban-American designer of the moment, Narciso Rodriguez
 HOW can a bag which you hold in your hand be fashioned into something that you can wear on the body?
Speaking to Life! in Paris after his recent third show for Loewe, Narciso Rodriguez said he had done it by turning leather into a lightweight clothing material.
Tom Ford did it for Gucci by re-working the Hollywood tradition of the brand into glamorous shapes and silhouettes.
Michael Kors for Celine simply took a refresher course and cleaned everything up.
And Marc Jacobs for Louis Vuitton made his mark anew by putting the brand's famed monogrammed print on latex clothes and accessories.
But the 36-year-old Rodriguez told this reporter that he went back to Loewe's spartan, soft-as-silk leather basics.
Look at the dress that made him the new darling of the apparel world, for example.
It was for Carolyn Bessette's 1996 wedding to John F. Kennedy Jr.
It was simply a sliver of silver material which moulded to the main material, the woman.
"When I design, I think of what's immaterial and what's material," he emphasised in Paris.
He has told the American press that when he was asked to design the gown, he thought first of the ultra-clean chic of the bride, so he cut out all frills.
What was material for her was that she was getting married so he used sexy, shiny silk-crepe material.
And what was material to him, as a designer, were seams.
So he sliced up a sinew of a floor-sweeping slip with a hint of ruffles at the ankles, and the rest is history.
Now he would like to make history with Loewe leather.
Since he joined Spain's most famous bag company last year, its carry-alls have never been more foldable, floppy and fun.
To make leather wearable, he has sliced it all up to piece together into slim skirts and avant-garde coats.
But after visiting Loewe's leather tanneries at Cataluna recently, he came up with a brainwave for next year's spring/summer season.
"We could already make it feel like material and shine like material so why not weave it with material and turn leather into a new clothing material?" he said.
The results were linen-light, double-faced suede dresses and paper-light, perforated, iridescent leather woven into ketupat tops.
It was the finale of his recent show and you can see one example of such a top on the next page.
Though it looks modern and new, it is also classic and wearable, the hallmarks of Rodriguez's style.
His emphasis is on casual luxury, and when asked to describe the Loewe woman, he said: "She is built for speed."
She is also young and glamorous, like Kate Moss who reportedly bought up almost the entire launch collection of his eponymous line, which Loewe has allowed him to keep.
And he also likes to surprise with a sprinkling of sparkling sequins for the day and sportswear-inspired clothes, such as jumpsuits, for the night.
It explains why classy but quirky Hollywood stars such as Claire Danes and Sigourney Weaver took Rodriguez to the Oscars last year, in a knit top and slithery skirt and slinky gown respectively.
Unshaven and wearing a holey sweater and crumpled jeans, the young designer seemed disorientated by the horde of reporters hounding him after the show.
The reason for that became clear when he gave this answer to a question: "I'm in this business to create a buzz without making a spectacle.

Compete with guru slams Thorpe bodysuit

THE mentor of just one of Ian Thorpe's major rivals has questioned the legality in the Thorpedo's signature adidas bodysuit about the eve from the Athens Olympics.
 Jacco Verhaeren, who coaches Pieter van den Hoogenband, told the Dutch newspaper Die Telegraf he did not believe Thorpe's suit followed the sport's international regulations.
 "I have serious doubts if the suit of Ian Thorpe is actually obtainable in the businesses, such as the rules say," Verhaeren said. "No one obliges him to test it following your race." Verhaeren said he was suspicious because Thorpe were a much superior swimmer when wearing the suit. "Thorpe inside the small suit is completely distinctive from the swimmer who swims inside the neck-to-ankle suit," he explained. "I can't underline my words with evidence, however it is a truth." The relevant International Swimming Federation rule, GR 6.4 states: "The manufacturers must ensure that the approved new swimsuit will probably be available for all competitors." But FINA leader Cornel Marculescu said that they no concerns in regards to the legality of Thorpe's bodysuit.
 He said the FINA interpretation of the rule could be that the suit must be provided if any swimmer went along to producer and requested it.
 "If someone went to adidas and said, 'I wish to have this', adidas must provide it," he explained.
 He was quoted saying the newest generation adidas JetConcept suit had been approved for international competition and said FINA officials monitored all latex clothing inside the call room before races to make certain they met the regulations.
 "We possess a copy with us of Ian Thorpe's swimsuit, because it has been approved by us," Marculescu said.
 "I do not see any risk with this particular. Inside call room were considering this and when we see something wrong, unfortunately we cannot allow them to swim inside." Marculescu said he'd seen no convincing scientific evidence that any model of bodysuit gave the swimmers a bonus.
 "It's a marketing exercise, though the swimmers accept is as true." Thorpe and van den Hoogenband result from meet within the 200m freestyle heats on Monday morning on the way to your final re-match of these epic duel on the 2000 Olympics.
Murray Rothblatt, president of Fawn Creations, agrees that it must be important to create newness in shapewear. However, basic styles with function as focus remain vital to the marketplace. "It's best to stick to fabrics you are aware aren't going to disappear and silhouettes that there will always be any excuses for," he admits that.
Firm control may be the priority at Fawn, that is the innovator behind WilliWear Intimates. "There is obviously destined to be a requirement for firm control garments and every one of our new styles moving forward will probably be developed to resolve that demand," says Rothblatt. A few of the latest looks within the WilliWear line will include a delustered satin and tech sheen underwire bodybriefer, a fanny enhancing paneled brief, a jacquard lace longleg brief, along with a lace waist-cincher having a built-in panty.
Another introduction is WilliWear Woman, a line that has all the best selling regular-sized styles in the 2X to 6X range. "We realize that a lot more retailers are trying to find the more expensive sizes and are locating a wide range of thought into merchandising those products," Rothblatt says
 They greeted the other happily with a handshake and also a hug once they met poolside last Sunday. Nevertheless it seems the psychological warfare surrounding the "Race with the Century" has begun.

Away from site; Fashion

Will the near future of shopping for clothes be merely a couple of scanning the world wide web, building a selection and hitting a but-ton to order? LISA MITCHELL reports on fashion on the net. Fancy buying Armani online? Will shopping in cyberspace provide you with the same unadulterated pleasure as a possible indulgent day spent traipsing through your selected designer stores? Fancy no more store managers and skinny mirrors telling you how absolutely gorgeous you appear, you can forget afternoons fingering racks to discover that surprise little number due to got down to buy? Never again to stride down Chapel Street, casually dangling those boxy designer shopping bags that tell the globe we've inscrutable taste and elegance? It's inconceivable. Internet enthusiasts would have you believe we'll soon replace pretty much everything with an afternoon of scrolling through screen on the watch's screen of grainy graphics and tapping out orders on the keyboard simply to have the perfect purchase delivered three days later scrunched and crinkled by Australia Post. Protest you could possibly but already the best accessory for today's modern girl is surely an Internet electronic e-mail address. It is a bit like a postal address - lmitch@theage.au - that allows that you send and receive letters to sartorial soulmates around the globe. News groups provide an informal gossip grapevine nevertheless , you may additionally discover a fashion mate that will offer advance tips on what's hot and what's not overseas. Starting out online costs throughout the same as a monthly fashion magazine subscription - around $40 . To link into the net you will require a PC plus a modem. Just what exactly do you get on your subscription? Admission to the internet, that is like looking at the pixelised pages with the world's largest and most dynamic fashion magazine. Internet sites committed to fashion, there are plenty of them, are like never stand still electronic magazines. They supply articles, fashion photography, even videos of runway shows . Some designers have build sites dedicated to their collections with lots of graphics and pricing details, although few appear to enable you to order clothing online which has a bank card. As of this early stage from the game, most tend to list their stockists, many of which can be not nationwide. America's White Dove Fashions offers many methods from junk jewellery to real diamonds - but could you buy "real" diamonds sight unseen? Rainbow Rags in Illinois offers embroidered kiddie clothing for instance applique T-shirts or shorts from $US13. Some might warm on the giraffe coat, faux giraffe, of course, a steal at $US185 from Unreal Coats. Net shoppers ought to apply by e-mail for shipping costs outside America. Slightly more tempting was the Canadian designer, Negative side Creations' Latex clothes Info site offering over 50 second-skin styles in dresses, crop tops and skirts or custom made catsuits from $C30 to $C315. Beauty companies are beginning to make their mark. The likes of Shiseido, the entire body Shop and Aveda offer product information plus some decent graphics. The very best value on the Internet for fashion buffs is window shopping - and Fashion Net is an excellent starting point. There is pointers to American Elle magazine, and also the Lumiere and Cosmopolitan magazine sites. The Elle site, although it is not providing the full-range of articles does preview its winter fashion feature, the Elle Model Gallery, which carries hot shots and gossip on supermodels, a numerology page and a favorite sites page that changes its links to other top fashion spots on the Internet regularly. One problem with the world wide web is that the Web sites are simply as effective as people who maintain them. There are numerous outdated fashion tips doing the rounds in cyberspace. The style Phone book, as an example, was supposed to offer a directory of all of the designers in Australia and round the world but after clicking on Australia and Mel-bourne, people to FYP would realize that Anne Priscilla of Blackburn is our lone designer. Christopher Graf, the designer with Chapel Street's most vivid storefront, perhaps represents the greater industry view now: "I'd like to go surfing on the net but I would not have plenty of time!" Organisers with the upcoming Australian Fashion Week , Australian Fashion Innovators, prefer to searching online by creat-ing an internet site which will list details of events and activities to the public, international press and overseas buyers. But regardless how many fashion sites are created on the web - FishNet, HairNet, FashNet - many believe they'll never replace the shopping expedition. Perhaps the capability to run videos on the net won't eliminate the traditional runway shows, says Malossi. "These are part of the ritual of fashion."

Latex try to find Madonna Material Girl Madonna has joined forces with Justin Timberlake and super-producer

Timbaland for her latest single, 4 Minutes In order to save The globe.

The high-profile trio filmed it clip london recently. The yet-to-be titled album is rumoured to get called Licorice.

London's The Mirror has reported that Madonna dons a dominatrix-style latex catsuit to the video, playing ``a pimp who rescues our planet within an impressive 240 seconds''.

The 49-year-old has hired her fashion mates Dolce & Gabbana to create the raunchy outfits for your clip.

Madonna's upcoming 11th studio album is slated for release in April, although facts are being kept a closely guarded secret. Let's hope it fares better than her directorial debut, Filth and Wisdom, that has been panned by critics.

It's arguably essentially the most anticipated album of the season, using the iconic singer also considered to have collaborated with Kanye West, Akon and Pharrell Williams.

GRUMPY GRAMMYS

ALMOST more interesting than last week's Grammy Awards ceremony was the post-awards fall-out.

Amy Winehouse's haul of five Grammys caused a lot of controversy, by suggesting she didn't deserve the trophies because of her bad image and drug-taking.

Natalie Cole led the charge, ironic given she's admitted to presenting her share of illicit substances, saying: ``I think it sends the incorrect message.''

Beyonce caused tensions one of the diva elite by introducing Tina Turner as the ``Queen of Soul''. An upset Aretha Franklin, widely known from the title, dismissed Beyonce's introduction of Turner like a ``cheap shot for controversy''.

However it has got to be declared the mighty Turner's return to happens was the highlight with the entire awards ceremony.

The writers' strike may possibly not have stopped the ceremony but it certainly took its toll around the awards.

Many big categories were missed during the broadcast -- Keith Urban's male country artist gong to mention just one single. And also the question has to be asked, why wasn't our Keith in the awards?

Insider continues to be tipped off which it was obviously a family emergency that kept the continent crooner in Australia.

PRINCELY RUMOUR

RUMOUR of the week visits suggestions Prince ended up being to produce a surprise guest appearance in the Good Vibrations Fes-tival yesterday.

Insider thought it unlikely but were required to make the calls, which received a swift ``no'' from promoters.

HIT While using KIDS

AFTER Half a century available, American crooner Neil Sedaka has brought a leaf out of your Wiggles' book, recording a kids' album. The 68-year-old will to discharge yet-to-be titled children's album later in 2010 and it has changed the lyrics to his hits to Getting out of bed Is Hard To Do, Lunch Can keep Us Together and The place that the Toys Are.

Sedaka will perform on the Sydney Opera House from May 9 to 11.

IT'S A BIG STEP

YOU name the singer, and New Yorker Jason Nevins has probably worked with them.

The dance supremo has remixed tracks for Drop out Boy, Fergie, Britney Spears, Janet Jackson, Madonna, Robbie Wil-liams, Moby and Prince.

Most recently, he's worked with Dannii Minogue on her behalf latest club track, Touch Me Like this.

``I guess there must be some formula, want . lots of my stuff does sound similar and contains a specific thread that runs through all this,'' he admits that.

``I prefer to approach everything differently. I will not do the same thing repeatedly, I simply won't undertake it.''

ROCK ROLLS IN

IN touring news, Pamela Anderson's ex Kid Rock looks to be heading our way in 2010.

The American country rocker is currently touring the US and is in predicts bring his show to Australia around Au-gust/September.

EXPECTANT PAUSE

FERGIE remains to be riding the wave of success from her album The Dutchess. However in her private life, she's being forced to hose down rumours about her possible pregnancy.

Hollywood gossips yesterday suggested Fergie would rush down the aisle with actor fiance Josh Duhamel because she's expecting.

But the singer's mum Terri leapt to her defence, ringing Ryan Seacrest's radio station KIIS-FM to deny the rumour