Fashion Trend That Goes Straight to the Hips

It sounds like a very bad idea: Design clothes with an extra flap of fabric around the part of a woman’s body about which she is most sensitive. The hip-accentuating peplum is back.

It’s springing from dresses, jackets and pants in stores thanks to high-end designers including Giorgio Armani, Celine and Jason Wu and mainstream retailers like J. Crew and H&M. Actually, the peplum doesn’t have to be a booty bummer, say designers and retailers. With the right fit, it can be flattering for most women.

Smart fabric for new soldier uniform

British soldiers’ uniforms could soon use electrically conducting yarn woven directly into the clothing, replacing cumbersome batteries and cabling.  The “e-textiles” could provide uniforms with a single, central power source.

This would allow soldiers to recharge one battery instead of many and cut the number of cables required in their kit. Surrey-based Intelligent Textiles showcased the lightweight uniform at an event organised by theCentre for Defence Enterprise (CDE).

The company has patented a number of techniques for weaving complex conductive fabrics. “We have built-in conductive yarns that then take power and data to where it needs to be,” Asha Thompson, director of Intelligent Textiles, told BBC News.

J. Crew Suits Up for Overseas — In a Reversal, Retailer Says It Will Expand Abroad, Open Stores in Europe, Asia

J. Crew’s move overseas also comes amid tougher competition from foreign retailers expanding in the U.S. Last October, Fast Retailing Co.’s Uniqlo opened a 90,000-square-foot flagship store on Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue as a kickoff to broader expansion in the U.S. Uniqlo currently has just three U.S. stores, but U.S. Chief Operating Officer Yasunobu Kyogoku says the chain ultimately plans to have “hundreds of stores” here.

J. Crew

Take Comfort to show Gerber’s automation tool for apparel

During the 13th China (Dongguan) International Textile and Clothing Industry Fair (DTC 2012) being held March 28-31, Gerber Technology, a world leader in providing automation solutions for the apparel industry, will showcase its software and hardware systems under the theme Take Comfort in Our Experience.

Gerber Technology will highlight several innovative products including the YuniquePLM product lifecycle management system, the latest version of AccuMark pattern design, grading and marking software, new cutter software and control systems, and the GERBERconnect remote diagnostics system which dramatically improves the efficiency of Gerber systems.

Johnston Textiles closes two plants; secures new capital

Johnston Textiles Inc announced it has completed its plant consolidations and secured additional capital for growth. The company closed its Opp, AL and Shawmut, AL plants and moved all manufacturing and finishing to Phenix City, AL. The consolidation enables Johnston to realize better utilization of existing assets and improve efficiencies and delivery, while the new funding supports sales and product development initiatives.

Santoni seamless gets technical in Moscow

Italian circular knitting machine builder Santoni and its sister company Lonati, the world’s leading hosiery machinery manufacturer, are heading to Moscow this month. The two Brescia based companies will be exhibiting at technical textiles exhibition Techtextil Russia and textile machinery show Inlegmash, which are taking place at Moscow’s Expocenter-Pavilion Forum from 12-14 March (booths FD90 and FD120).

[...] “Seamless Technology is an innovative concept in clothing – free of irritating side seams. This technology can directly produce almost finished products, and so reduces the production costs,” Silva commenced.

Shima Seiki showcases advanced flat knitting technology

As a follow up to last autumn’s international textile machinery show, ITMA, in Barcelona, UK headquartered Shima Seiki Europe opened its doors this week to showcase the Japanese company’s latest advanced flat knitting technologies.

European visitors were invited to attend demonstrations of the Wakayama based company’s latest Wholegarment and fully fashioned knitting machines as well as the SDS One Apex 3 Apparel Design Station.

Speaking on the second day of the in-house exhibition, Shima Seiki Europe’s Sales Manager Richard Webster reported good interest in Shima’s latest generation Wholegarment knitting machines as well as the company’s entry level SSR112 computerised flat knitting machine with fully fashioned capability and the latest coarse gauge Slideneedle SCG122SN machine.

André Studios 1930-1941

Fashion Drawings & Sketches in the Collections of FIT and the New York Public Library. Explore an exciting period in the history of fashion through this spectacular collection of drawings and sketches produced by the New York firm André Fashion Studios in the 1930s and early 1940s.

World’s largest crocheted lions for Cultural Olympiad

Leicestershire artist Shauna Richardson has spent the last two years creating the largest single-handed crochet sculpture in the world to celebrate the Cultural Olympiad 2012.

The Lionheart Project work features three enormous crocheted lions which represent the ‘three lions’ of Richard III and England.

Don’t Forget to watch the video!!

Minnesota mill switches from paper to textiles

With demand for paper declining in the electronic age, a Cloquet company that has been making pulp for paper mills for 113 years is converting to serve the textile industry.

Sappi Fine Paper has secured permits from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency to begin construction on a $170 million project to convert its mill. The project is the first of its kind in Minnesota, according to the Duluth News Tribune ( http://bit.ly/wsm8wN).

Instead of sending its pulp to papermakers, the mill will convert wood to a purer cellulose fiber to make textiles like rayon, which can be made into bandages, diapers, cigarette filters, cell phone screens and many other products.