RALPH LAUREN, CARS, FASHION, AND A REAL AUTOMOTIVE WOMAN PIONEER

Ralph Lauren is an American icon, indisputably.  The most recognizable US fashion designer has a passion beyond the runway, though, and that's his cars.  He has a fabled collection of classic, rare, and exotic automobiles that is the envy of many an aficionado, and some gems from his auto collection are currently on display in Paris at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, which has 17 of the designer’s classic vehicles on display through Aug. 28.   Known more for polo shirts and country elegance, the quintessential American designer confesses to taking inspiration from his personal collection of 64 classic cars.  So much so, in fact, that recent collections have focused surprisingly on leather, including not only leather jackets but classic driving attire, including leather hoods with goggles and stylish driving gloves, a fashion sentiment now that echoes a time when driving a car was a more demanding and dirty affair - but the clash of masculine textures with feminine curves warr [Read More]

published May 24, 2011 at 1:39am CDT

KILLING ME SOFTLY: IMAGES OF WOMEN IN ADVERTISING

In this new, highly anticipated update of her pioneering Killing Us Softly series, the first in more than a decade, Jean Kilbourne takes a fresh look at how advertising traffics in distorted and destructive ideals of femininity. The film marshals a range of new print and television advertisements to lay bare a stunning pattern of damaging gender stereotypes -- images and messages that too often reinforce unrealistic, and unhealthy, perceptions of beauty, perfection, and sexuality. By bringing Kilbourne's groundbreaking analysis up to date, Killing Us Softly 4 stands to challenge a new generation of students to take advertising seriously, and to think critically about popular culture and its relationship to sexism, eating disorders, and gender violence. Jean Kilbourne, Ed.D. is internationally recognized for her groundbreaking work on the image of women in advertising. [Read More]

published May 11, 2011 at 3:12pm CDT

MERCEDES-BENZ STAYS CONNECTED TO FASHION ELITE AS TITLE SPONSOR OF FASHION WEEK

Look closely--that's not your typical police car! Last May, Mercedes-Benz announced that it had renewed its Fashion Week sponsorship for another three years. In 2007, the German luxury automaker became the title sponsor of IMG's Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York and Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim in Miami. Mercedes-Benz is now also the title sponsor of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Berlin. The New York Fashion Week Fall Collections will be shown from February 10-17, 2011 at Lincoln Center.   Over eight days, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, produced by IMG Fashion, will play host to more than 100,000 guests who will flock to see the Fall Collection of more than 80 prominent designers including Diane von Furstenberg, Carolina Herrera, Vera Wang, Michael Kors, Derek Lam, Tommy Hillfiger, Prabal Gurung, Nicole Miller, Charlotte Ronson, Tory Burch, and Betsey Johnson. As part of its sponsorship, Mercedes-Benz will also make the U.S. debut of the 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK during Fashion Week. [Read More]

published February 16, 2011 at 1:16pm CST

ON THE RUN WITH DONNA KARAN

In just a few days, the streets of New York City will be invaded by race runners and more than 2 million cheering spectators for the 2010 ING New York City Marathon. And thanks to fashion designer, Donna Karan, you can put your best foot forward this weekend without even breaking a sweat. The iconic NY designer lent her style skills to Team Continuum, to create a special shirt for this year’s race. Karan has designed the uniform for the team of 300 runners, one of the largest participating groups this year. Team Continuum is a non-profit organization dedicated to taking immediate care of anyone involved in fighting cancer. They are working together with The Urban Zen Foundation, and#40;founded by Karanand#41; which creates, connects and collaborates to raise awareness and inspire change in the areas of well-being, preserving cultures and empowering children. Team Continuum's race shirt for this year's marathon is meant to commemorate the partnership between these two organizations. But [Read More]

published November 5, 2010 at 11:59am CDT

RALPH LAUREN LAUNCHES PINK PONY AUCTION FOR CANCER RESEARCH

To mark the 10th anniversary of Pink Pony, Polo Ralph Lauren is launching its first Pink Pony Online Auction in partnership with luxury charity auction site charitybuzz. The auction will showcase more than 200 unique, once-in-a-lifetime experiences offering bidders a chance to step into the world of Ralph Lauren. Highlights of exclusive auto experiences up for auction include:A Personal Tour of Ralph's World Famous Car CollectionYou and a friend will receive a tour of this extraordinary private collection of classic cars given by Ralph Lauren himself, including vintage Bugattis, Ferraris, Porches and more. The finale of your experience—a ride in one of these world-class driving machines. The Ultimate Ferrari Driving School Experience This rare and exclusive opportunity—two days and nights at Le Circuit de Mont-Tremblant in Quebec—will build your skills and confidence behind the wheel of a sleek Ferrari. Course at the Mercedes-AMG Driving AcademyThe AMG Driving Academy is a [Read More]

published October 9, 2010 at 8:41pm CDT

SWEATPANTS GO LUXE

With jeggings now entrenched in the mainstream, fashion-forward consumers are embracing apparel that looks good and feels comfortable. So it’s hardly surprising that common sweatpants are emerging as the latest must-have wardrobe staple, with $1,000 versions from the collections of such designers as Michael Kors and Jean Paul Gaultier. Regardless, it’s clear that sweatpants are no longer reserved for lazy Saturdays spent channel surfing or dressing down to try out the latest workout craze. Tailored: More than a few fashion designers and upscale brands have created atypically figure-hugging versions of sweats for those who want to be stylish while still maintaining an element of comfort. Opening Ceremony‘s boucle knit sweatpants look more like formfitting dress slacks with a drawstring than loungewear. Mega-designer Alexander Wang’s version of sweatpants, from his T Collection, clings to the hips and gathers at the ankle for an on-trend look. Michael Kors, Marc Jacob [Read More]

published October 9, 2010 at 8:39pm CDT

NEW ACCESSORIES AND CLOTHES MAY HELP FITNESS EFFORTS

What if you could improve your athleticism or physique just by wearing an accessory or an article of clothing? Thanks to a new crop of performance wear products, you actually may be able to do so. For the most part, the items sound too good to be true and in fact, none of them has been proven to produce actual results, but the buzz around this category is growing loud. Power Balance Bands: Rubber bands with dual holograms worn around the wrist to optimize your body’s natural energy flow…is this new wave science or just a bunch of new age talk? Probably best to do “the test” and decide for yourself – but trend-jumping celebs and athletes alike are swearing by them. Advocates suggest that they work to enhance the body’s typical positive frequencies while helping to block out negative ones, like cell phone radiation. The consensus among users is that the body’s natural balance is restored by the energy that flows through the holograms, and that wearing the band works to [Read More]

published August 27, 2010 at 4:45pm CDT

POLO RALPH LAUREN TEAMS WITH VENUS WILLIAMS FOR LEGENDS CLINIC

In celebration of its sixth year as the Official Apparel Sponsor of the US Open Tennis Championships, Polo Ralph Lauren presents the Legends Clinic with Venus Williams. The event will be a live interactive virtual tennis clinic produced in partnership with Mercedes-Benz at New York’s SPORTIME Tennis Center on Randall’s Island August 26 at 2:00PM EST. Seven-time Grand Slam Champion Venus Williams will answer questions, demonstrate technique and offer hints and tips on how to improve your game during this live one-hour interactive clinic. The clinic will be streamed live online exclusively at RalphLauren.com and accessible on mobile devices at m.ralphlauren.com/USOpen. Ralph Lauren will design a limited-edition dress in partnership with Williams’ apparel brand Eleven to be worn by the champion during the Legends Clinic as well as a special limited-edition US Open polo shirt to accompany the collection. Fifteen percent of sales will be donated to the Women’s Sports Foundation. [Read More]

published August 18, 2010 at 6:39pm CDT

WNBA'S LADY LIBERTY'S ATTEND 4 SEASON STYLE MANAGEMENT PREVIEW PARTY

Cappie Pondexter might be one of the WNBA's biggest and brightest basketball stars but off the court, she's a fashion icon in the world of sports. A Glam Slam recntly spoke with Cappie at the Blend Showroom in NYC, where she shared her passion for fashion and gave us a brief introduction to 4 Season Style Management, a NY-based image consulting firm that she co-founded with friend and celebrity stylist, Lisa Smith-Craig. You can check out that interview here. Last night, A Glam Slam attended the 4 Season Style Management official preview party which showcased some of the hottest men's and women's fashions for the upcoming season. It also gave guests an idea of what the company has to offer. Here's the deal: According to the press release, "4 Season Style Management is an image consulting and personal styling firm focused on helping clients dress for all aspects of their lives. WNBA Superstar Cappie Pondexter along with her business partner celebrity stylist Lisa Smith-Craig aims to s [Read More]

published August 13, 2010 at 1:56pm CDT

WIN A FREE DEZ CLOTHING TEE SHIRT

Do you love soccer? Are you a fashionista? If so, you don’t want to miss the chance to win a stylish top from new apparel company Dez Clothing. Dez and#40;“ten” in Portugueseand#41; is a line of clothing inspired by and dedicated to players who not only wear the number 10 but who embody its profound meaning. These players do not just play the game but compose their movements and the movements of others into a manifest form of art – a poetic, momentous dance of skill and ingenuity – every time they set foot on the field. If you relate to the mission, you’ll definitely want to enter to win a FREE signature top. To win a Dez shirt, you must… Follow @prettytough on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook www.facebook.com/prettytough CLICK HERE to send the tweet that enters you in our contest. Winners will be randomly drawn from the pool of entrants at midnight PST August 10, 2010 and contacted via Twitter direct message. Only residents of the U.S. and Canada are eligible to w [Read More]

published August 3, 2010 at 4:43pm CDT