"He allowed himself to be swayed by his conviction that human beings are not born once and for all on the day their mothers give birth to them, but that life obliges them over and over again to give birth to themselves.""

We beg you to turn display images on. Click here to open in your browser. Friday - April 18, 2014 "He allowed himself to be swayed by his conviction that human beings are not born once and for all on the day their mothers give birth to them, but that life obliges them over and over again to give birth to themselves."  - Gabriel Garcia Marquez, from Love in the Time of Cholera rantnrave:// With the high-low collaborative collection becoming a rite of passage for designers, been thinking about which ones have done it well - UNIQLO's +J line with JIL SANDER is my favorite thus far. As well-made as any fast garments I've encountered and felt like an extension of SANDER's design ethos rather than a publicity stunt. Which are your favorites?... JAMES FERRARO's MoMA PS1 exhibit 100% includes a suite of custom ringtones inspired by the "aestheticization of capitalism" - do you think this concept informs current fashion trends? Certainly explains the renaissance of the logo... RIP GABRIEL GARCIA MARQUEZ. No better testament to the power of the imagination than GABO's work - generous, touching, endlessly inventive. He'll be deeply missed... - Adam Wray (adam.wray@redefgroup.com) Curator, FashionREDEF fashionable curatables Fashion Wars: NBA Playoffs Are a Whole New Season, Starting with Players bleacherreport.com Calyann Barnett still remembers the e-mails and phone calls she received after NBA All-Star Weekend in 2009. Barnett, Dwyane Wade's personal stylist since 2007, had fitted him in bow ties, European-cut suits and colored eyeglass frames-unheard of at the time in the league. "We were doing our own little thing," Barnett said. How Nike Turned An Italian Suit Label Into The Air Jordan XX9s fastcodesign.com Following a series of incidents in which shoes have fallen apart on the basketball court, Nike releases the Air Jordan XX9s. A 250-year-old weaving technology makes them the toughest and lightest Jordans to date. Private Label Partnerships, the Deals that Keep Fashion Ticking businessoffashion.com "Brand" is something on which leading fashion labels, department stores, and specialty retailers are intensely focused. Every piece that's produced and placed on the racks needs to carry and convey a brand message that's true to the company's "DNA." Combat style: how war shaped menswear telegraph.co.uk How classic coats and jackets in a man's wardrobe evolved from the very practical requirements of sport and conflict. GM Lead Designer Ven Lai Broadens The Role of Fashion forbes.com General Motors Lead Designer for Buick Color & Trim, Ven Lai, graduated from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco with a degree in Fashion Design and Applied Textiles. After interning at a number of companies including The Gap, Ven decided, in 2007, to take a design position at GM. LISTEN: Pattern making: A stitch in time? marketplace.org It's getting harder to find jobs for pattern makers. A look at how one pattern maker in Chicago thinks about her profession. The Right to Photoshop thestylecon.com Pulling back the veil is getting a bit dull, don't you think? How US clothing manufacturing fell behind without our noticing it qz.com Around 98% of apparel purchased in the US is made abroad. If America intends to keep up, our approach to—and investment in—apparel manufacturing will have to evolve quickly. Good News For Gucci & Prada: Italy Eases Tourist Visa Restrictions jingdaily.com In an attempt to attract more Chinese visitors to the historic attractions - and luxury boutiques - of Rome, Florence, and Milan, Italy has joined a growing chorus of countries quickly rolling back visa restrictions for China's moneyed travelers. The collision of tech and fashion: Q&A with Sarah Watson, Net-a-porter theguardian.com Sarah Watson, Net-a-porter's group mobile manager, talks social commerce, blending print with digital, and following the customer off the shelf stylies proportion>london: Bespoke Mannequin Manufacturers port-magazine.com You might not notice them, or pay them much attention, but whether you're in a major department store or in a boutique shop, you're always being watched. A pair of eyes is studying you, albeit with a lazy look. The Commercial Allure of the Eighties newyorker.com A new commercial for Taco Bell opens with an actor with shaggy, Don Johnson hair, in a white oversized blazer with shoulder pads, pulling a McDonald's sandwich from a paper bag. To the tune of "Old MacDonald," he sings, "I've been eating Egg McMuffins since 1984." What Fashion People Mean When They Say They’re ‘Consulting’ fashionista.com In fashion, the word “consultant” can mean many things. We talked to working consultants about what they do, how they do it, and most importantly, how much they get paid. Rolex: How a 109-Year-Old Brand Thrives in the Digital Age mashable.com Last year, the decision makers at Rolex decided the time was right for a shakeup. Unlike with most "shakeups," however, there wouldn't be widespread corporate reorganization, and scores of merchandise wouldn't be cut. Willy Vanderperre: The outsider dazeddigital.com Antwerp is a city of contrasts: sacred and profane, gothic and modern, youthful and decaying. At times these dualities are in harmony, and at others they're in brutal collision. The uncompromising photographs of Willy Vanderperre revel in these contrasts. Gap closes the gap between e-commerce and stores internetretailer.com The Top 500 apparel chain plans to expand its reserve online, pick-up in-store program, as well as its presence in China. Why Christian Dior and Raf Simons Have More in Common Than You Think vogue.com Though cut from different cloth—Simons’s first fame is as a cult menswear designer with street cred; Dior was a luxury-loving aesthete—they are held together at the seams. Mac DeMarco on Wearing Women's Clothing and the Elements of No-Fuss Style nytimes.com Last Tuesday, in the bathroom of his dressing room (the only place he was permitted to smoke), before playing a set at the Williamsburg music venue Baby's All Right, the rising musician Mac DeMarco imparted insight into his no-fuss style. Victoria Beckham: An Evolution in Style anothermag.com Victoria Beckham. A two-word powerhouse, she stands as a cultural milestone who has repeatedly redefined modern culture ever since her first Zigazig-ah in 1996. Her style has continually evolved, from her LBD Posh-spice days, to her LA footballer's wife before the full scale transition into style icon. WATCH: Berkshire Goes Balearic dazeddigital.com Charting the untold story of the Balearic sound, and how hedonism gripped the hearts, minds and dance floors of the Home Counties, fuelled by the freewheeling party island of Ibiza "Sleep Sound" - Jamie xx via YouTube Click here for more idea morsels. redef.com. Like what you see? Spread the love. SEND TO A FRIEND   “REDEF is dedicated to my mother, who nurtured and encouraged my interest in everything and slightly regrets the day she taught me to always ask ‘why?’” — @JasonHirschhorn YOU DON'T GET IT? Subscribe - Unsubscribe   WHO WE BE REDEF, Inc. 95 Morton Street // New York, NY 10014 www.redef.com