FashionStake: How to democratize fashion.

http://fashionstake.com/

The ‘what we’re doing’ part is pretty simple. We’re launching a crowdfunding platform for fashion designers. You log in, buy a ‘FashionStake’ for $50 and get free clothes and cash when the designers sells their collections on our site. Think of us as the Biracy of fashion.

The ‘why we’re doing it’ is pretty powerful. Firstly, we think big banks and large, greedy retailers are robbing the fashion community blind! So many talented designers lack access to proper funding. If they somehow manage to scrape up enough cash to produce a collection and sell at wholesale, it’s the retailers that capture most of the value. FashionStake’s ‘fan-funded’ approach cuts out the retailer and turns customers into supporters. When a collection sells on FashionStake.com, we return the revenues to those who deserve it: our designers and people who support those designers (minus a small percentage to FashionStake).

Secondly, we’re democratizing creativity. You may or may not know this, but much of your wardrobe was chosen for you by a handful of Bloomingdales/Nordstrum/Macys/Neiman Marcus (etc) buyers. Along with the traditional fashion press, they have dictated what designers produce for decades. Fortunately, the world is moving beyond the closed ‘publisher-as-gatekeeper’ models (or in this case, ‘retailer-as-gatekeeper’) and fashion is no exception. More choice for all!

Finally, FashionStaking is fun! We think FashionStake is an uber-cool way for fans to engage with their fave designers and participate in the oft-secretive creative process- AND get rewarded for it…. the internet is making this happen!

SOURCE: FashionStake blog

The Venice Film Festival: The Mostra, 66th Edition

By Cheryl Dixon, DC Film Society Member

The 66th edition of the Venice Film Festival (“the Mostra”) got off to a roaring start on September 2nd.. dcfilmsociety.org

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Red-carpet fashion and images from it beamed around the world have always been an integral part of the Festival-going experience in Venice. Last year’s appearance by Valentino and this year’s with Tom Ford bear witness to this. No surprise then was the appearance of the new Style Star Lounge, a pavilion showcasing the marriage between film and fashion and between film, fashion, and technology. While offering relaxation, the best champagne, and ambiance for celebrity interviews, and, yes, evening parties, the Style Star Lounge also offered a distinct educational experience.

Marina Garzoni, founder and president of Moda e Technologia and organizer/director of Style Star, presented various style experiences around the fashion meets technology theme. For example, in partnership with Microsoft, the festival attendees could view demonstrations of a virtual image, touch-screen, table-top computer featuring movie shorts presented around a specific product. Think of this as an extended version of product-placement in a movie short. Simply by touch, one could move images around the desired location on a table surface and play movie shorts by using a virtual keyboard!

Another Lounge exhibitor was Gennaro “Luca” Rubinacci, an heir to generations of Rubinaccis, tailors of custom-made clothing for aristocracy for generations. Clients include royalty and fashion designers, like Calvin Klein. Rubinacci spoke passionately about bringing the legendary classically elegant, fit, cut, texture, and style, combined with his love for bright colors influenced by his family’s origins in Naples to new markets. It is fitting that Rubinacci should consider extending his ultra-exclusive line of wear to the celebrities and A-list establishment, who can afford the quality and value of the finest tailoring available anywhere in the world, and who are also present at the Festival.

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READ THE FULL ARTICLE ON http://www.dcfilmsociety.org/storyboard.htm#venice