SOPHIA KOKOSALAKI has a successful track record when it comes to diversifying in the fashion industry. The London-based designer enjoyed over a decade of success with her eponymous ready-to-wear brand before deciding to focus on bridalwear (to more commercial and critical acclaim) and now she is officially adding another category to the mix: jewellery.

"I have always loved jewellery and have designed many pieces on and off for my shows, collaborating with the Greek goldsmith Lalaounis, and I was quite fond of the process," Kokosalaki told us, explaining that it was a case of waiting for the stars to align before she embarked on the new venture. "I took my time to evaluate the possibilities as it is quite different technically to clothing. I am launching it now as I finally found the space to complete it and also the right technicians and artisans."

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For Kokosalaki, whose distinctive Grecian aesthetic is inspired by her birthplace, the creative side of designing the collection was akin to working with the silks, organzas and laces that she is used to."The tactile and sculptural side of it is so interesting, I enjoy it in exactly the same way I like to work with fabrics and drape clothes," she explained. "This is another medium to tell a story and touch on symbols, myths and references that inspire and move me."

The collection, which comprises earrings, cuffs, upper-arm and wrist bracelets, pendants and rings with secret compartments (injecting a talismanic element), is crafted from wrought Grecian gold, gold-plated silver and freshwater pearls and, in typical Kokosalaki style, has an elusively cool edge.

"I wanted to channel a less girly and mainstream aesthetic while keeping the pieces wearable and very accessible," she said. "I like to create pieces with hidden associations and bringing together many diverse elements and references in the form of small beautiful objects."

It's a standalone offering that can be worn with everything from an everyday T-shirt and jeans to the most decadent of evening gowns, but, as Kokosalaki says, there are certain pieces - like the bold belt made from hammered mussels and the large nine-karat-gold safety pin - that will serve as the perfect complement to a modern bridal ensemble.

As well as aesthetic, the price point was a big thinking point for the designer, who wanted the collection to be accessible without compromising quality or uniqueness.

"It was a massive consideration and it took quite some time and reworking of certain pieces to arrive to these prices," she explained. "There are pieces that start at £350, working up to a maximum of £1,500 for a nine-karat-gold pair of earrings which are all made in workshops across Athens that has a great tradition in jewellery and a lot of very skilled artisans."

The collection, which is on show at the Valery Demure showroom as of today for the rest of Paris Fashion Week, will be available in July, but for now it already has an obvious advocate.

"I am already wearing them all the time and maybe much too often!" the designer laughed. "I wear a lot of black so they are a welcome jolt of luminosity and individuality to my outfit." Shine on Sophia Kokosalaki.

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Every day, the fast fashion juggernaut compels us to buy bigger, more, faster, cheaper without a thought for the consequences, not just on the environment, but also on the ancient, vanishing crafts and craftspeople of India. But if fashion is the problem, fashion is also the solution. One of the coolest things about the industry is that it makes an excellent forum for a society that is struggling to work its way through difficult issues. More and more, the ethics of fashion are slowly seeping into our subconscious, thanks to designers who effortlessly marry ethics and functionality with some absolutely cracking design.

While it isn’t unusual to use traditional fabric in a contemporary context, few do it as effectively as Sheena Roy, founder and creative director of Mogra. Her whimsical, bohemian clothes are not just pretty though. “I believe that clothing should be inspired by and should inspire stories — like the fact that block printing in India is over 300 years-old and some families have only ever done that through generations, how women in the north-east weave for their families just like the women in Punjab embroider beautifully significant fabrics for their daughters’ trousseau,” says Roy. Mogra utilises local textiles and collaborates with artisans who use traditional methods rather than machinery that can be harmful to the environment. Roy’s favourite (and to be honest, ours too) is her ‘Liberate the Saree’ campaign, which sources saris and transforms them into charming dresses. “We are determined to work with unconventional fabrics, right from saris and lungis to shawls and towels — we look at every traditional craft form as material and not necessarily the objective,” she states.

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Shilpi Yadav’s Khara Kapas was officially launched in February this year and has already received overwhelming response. “It’s evident that people are now looking for eco fashion labels,” she says. Yadav works with cotton, mulmul, jute and linen to create the earthy insouciant lines of her collection. “We work very closely with local artisans and our clothes are a fine blend of their crafts and our designs. We also promote fair-trade,” she says. Our favourite items? The floaty pink and inky blue paisley maxi and the ethereal ivory and gold sharara set in delicate mul.

Much like Khara Kapas, Pallavi Bagaria’s PAL for all moments prides itself on its use of local fabrics and artisans. “To a larger extent, the fabrics, mostly cotton and weaves, are sourced from small vendors and weavers around the country. We would ideally like to reach a stage where we only commission and support small artisan communities.” PAL also refrains from using synthetics, hazardous dye and wasteful processing. “We are resourceful in using material like our carry-bags made from fabric scrap,” says Bagaria. But PAL’s clothes don’t sacrifice aesthetics at the altar of ethics. Bagaria plays around with strong motifs and colours to create comfortable, well-cut clothes. Their most popular piece remains the shirt dress — “We are told repeatedly that it is super-comfy and flattering and most of our clients like the idea that it can be styled as western and ethnic.”

One of the most striking labels to catch our eye, Nomad alters the breezy banjaran ghagra into somewhat sleeker gypsy skirts. Nomad’s free-size ghagras are woven from cotton or handwoven chanderi and mashru, and come drenched in vivacious colours like hot pink and royal blue. Its current collection is made from hand-woven tissue chanderi and embellished with recycled flower cuttings from the previous collection. “We hand finish the garments with zari thread and handmade buttons,” says Nomad’s Harshita Gupta.

Artisau emphasises slow, timeless fashion that boasts of sophisticated, modern lines; most of its clothes are made of natural materials and are designed keeping longevity in mind. “Sustainability to me is investing in clothing that is natural and will last and is not essentially based on trends,” says Simran Chaudhry, founder/creator of Artisau’s airy, flowy silhouettes. “As a bonus, we are able to hand weave our fabrics, using only natural materials.”

Perhaps the most compelling sartorial backstory comes from Doodlage. “The founding principle behind Doodlage is based on sustainable eco fashion,” explains Kriti Tula, one of Doodlage’s founders. “Our raw material consists of what is considered ‘industrial and post production waste’. We take this and use it to make surface textures and garments through innovative and exploratory techniques. We also try to adapt a zero waste policy during production.” The material is reconstructed by craftsmen using techniques such as hand-block printing and hand embroidery. Doodlage is not just a do-gooder; its clothes are well-crafted with playful prints. “Our up-cycled denim collection with hand embroidered slogans has been one of our popular collections. It’s quirky with a conscience,” says Tula.

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Costumes and sets are important elements in any live performance, and NBC's The Wiz Live! is no exception. The network seemed to get it all right, regardless of the endless commercials. The show earned recognition with "critical acclaim," according to the The Hollywood Reporter. Designer Paul Tazewell is the man of the hour; the Broadway costumer designer put together a dazzling emsemble that brought life to the production.

19-year-old actress, Shanice Williams, who played Dorothy has been hailed as a "star" by the media.

USA Today reported, "Pulsing with life and fun, sparked by energetic dances and colorful costumes, and driven by Charles Smalls's still sturdy score, NBC's The Wiz Live! Thursday night (*** 1/2 stars out of four) was charmed from start to finish. And were that not enough, viewers got to witness the launch of a scintillating new performer in Shanice Williams, the young college student who may just have sung her way to stardom as Dorothy."

Williams captured the essence of Dorothy as a young teen in a red, white and black plaid skirt with a black bodice and red jacket with black accents. Besides her voice hitting all of the notes for songs like "Home," the actress shined in simple attire including the new brand, Nude Barre, stockings that has an array of nude colors for women of color, which went perfect with the sparkly stilettos that make magic happen.

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Orange Is The New Black star Uzo Aduba, who played Glinda the Good Witch, looked exceptional in the gold and sequined dress and platinum blonde wing. Belting out "Believe in Yourself," who knew Crazy Eyes could sing?! Tin-Man Ne-yo, Elijah Kelley as Scarecrow and David Alan Grier as the Cowardly Lion- they all did an outstanding job and their costumes were spot-on. Nothing seemed off-course about their acting, singing nor their costumes.

If there were a best-costume award for the show, it could have gone to Queen Latifah for her attire in role, The Wizard. Her emerald green gown, with the gloves balance the striped green mohawk wig. And yes, Mary J. Blige as Eveline looked approriate in the black gown with a hint of deep lavender.

In short, the make-up artistry was superb!

Emmy award winning makeup artist, Matiki Anoff selected a team of professional makeup artists to work with the cast. MStars News learned exclusively that Anoff designed the "whimsical makeup looks and the colors were chosen by herself." Makeup artist Tamara Delbridge, who was one of the few chosen makeup artists and worked with Kacie Noel Garland, Poppy, Winkle and an Emerald City citizen, says about Anoff, "She is a rue visionary. We used vibrant pinks, oranges for the munchkins. All of the colors that were chosen, corresponded with the stunning costumes. We were given instruction to reproduce the designed looks while incorporating our own artistic flair to the look."

It didn't matter if the castmates were background dancers, singers or played lead roles, the fashion, the set and the acting were all colorful and like Blige sang, there was "No Bad News" about the live show!

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Hamburg-based Tom Tailor Group has initiated its comprehensive, multi-year cost reduction and efficiency programme “Core” to focus on its core competencies, it said in a press release. With this initiative, the company is addressing the far-reaching and rapid structural transformation of the textile industry. The goal is to increase efficiency and accelerate processes while improving the cost base in order to enhance the company's long-term competitiveness.

"The effects of globalization and digitalization have brought far-reaching changes to the textile market, and customer needs are rapidly shifting. Dynamism, efficiency and flexibility will be even more crucial to competitiveness in the future. With our envisaged program we will speed up our processes and streamline our structures. This will further boost the performance potential of our retail and partner spaces," said Dieter Holzer, the CEO of Tom Tailor Holding AG.

The “Core” programme is intended to generate additional contributions to earnings. The company expects to realize the full financial impact of the cost reduction measures, amounting to at least 10 million euro per year, from 2018 onward.

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Within the framework of the cost reduction and efficiency program, the Group plans to pare back its brand portfolio, and in the future focus on the strong core brands Tom Tailor, Tom Tailor Denim and Bonita. Consequently, the Tom Tailor Polo Team brand and the Tom Tailor Contemporary Men line are scheduled to be withdrawn from the market in the summer of 2016.

The Tom Tailor group also intends to streamline its sales organization in terms of countries and sales channels. The company plans to further optimize its retail network by closing less profitable stores. Against this backdrop, it will also adjust its rate of expansion. In 2016, up to 30 new stores are scheduled to be opened, as compared with 115 openings in 2015.

Another proposed measure of the “Core” programme is a review and assessment of all operating costs. As a first step, all material costs will be reviewed and options evaluated to reduce the rental and logistics costs.

In the course of the focusing initiatives, the company's workforce capacity will be reduced, realizing cost savings of EUR four to five million. Following initial soundings and information, there will be discussions with the works council over the next weeks so as to arrive at solutions compatible with social priorities.

"By lowering our break-even-threshold and through the resulting improvement of our earnings potential, we are responding to the increasing volatility in the market. As a result, we are positioning the Tom Tailor Group for sustainable and profitable growth and thus make our company weatherproof," said Holzer.

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What is your “go to” place for coffee?

The McNally Jackson Bookstore Cafe on Prince. 52 Prince Street

What is your favorite things to do on the weekend?

Even if it is outside of NYC – Cooking brunch for friends at my apartment in the East Village – Rock climbing indoors at Brooklyn Boulders or outside in the Shawangunks. Taking inspiration trips to New York’s galleries and museums.

What are three things every visitor to NYC should know?

New Yorkers are not rude, they are just in a hurry! Stand on the right, pass on the left. Avoid stopping in the middle of crowded sidewalks and you just may get a smile. To get a full New York experience, you may need to utilize the disco nap and when in doubt, wear black.

What are three places you would tell friends to go to while visiting NYC?

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The High Line for a stroll and Chelsea Market for a snack. For a fine dining experience, Daniel is your best best bet, preferably in the private skybox overlooking the kitchen. Dinner at a cozy, neighborhood restaurant like Prune, or Root & Bone in the East Village, or Louie & Chan in the Lower East Side ·

What your shopping style?

In New York, I mostly shop in SoHo boutiques or if I venture uptown, I go to Barneys. My favorite brands are Saint Laurent, Dior, Siki Im, and Thom Browne.

What is a quintessential New York moment in the past 3 months?

Givenchy’s first fashion show in the U.S. on 9/11 at Pier 23.

Hotel Favorite?

I’m a Hyatt loyalist and Courtesy Card member, but have yet to stay at the Park Hyatt New York. Perhaps a staycation is needed to check it out.

What restaurants are on your list to check out?

There are a couple that I just haven’t had the time to book and plan for. ZZ’s Clam Bar and Sushi Nakazawa.

Tell about about CAEDEN.

I founded Caeden with Nora Levinson last year and is headquartered in Soho. It is a lifestyle brand that utilizes technology and design to create products that help modern, driven individuals approach their goals with greater calm and focus. Our audio line debuted last year, and we are preparing for the launch of our connected jewelry line for mind and body next month.

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The private life of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt has been kept tightly under wraps for as long as we can remember.

But now, in a rare candid interview with Vogue, Angelina has spoken out about her hubby, children and the reality of living a life in lights.

In aid of the pair’s new film By The Sea – based on a couple who take a family holiday in a bid to save their marriage - the interview comes hand in hand with a shoot marking the first time Jolie, Pitt and their six children have posed alongside one another for a Vogue cover.

But while the snaps are seriously amazing, it’s the interview that’s really got everyone up in arms.

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When asked if the story behind By The Sea mirrors her own, the 40-year-old Oscar winner said, “Brad and I have our issues, but if the characters were even remotely close to our problems, we couldn’t have made the film.”

In fact, their dedication to making a good film couldn’t be more apparent - filming By The Sea actually took place during the couple’s honeymoon.

Angelina explains: “As artists we wanted something that took us out of our comfort zones. Just being raw actors. It’s not the safest idea. But life is short.”

And when it comes to health, Jolie is walking proof that fame is no safeguard. After her mother died at the age of 56 from ovarian and breast cancer, Angelina took it upon herself to have her ovaries and fallopian tubes removed, as well as a preventative double mastectomy.

“I wish my mum had been able to make those choices,” she said. “They are not easy surgeries. The ovaries are an easy surgery, but the hormone changes – interesting.”

She concluded, “I feel grounded as a woman. I know others do too. Both of the women in my family, my mother and my grandmother started dying in their 40s. I’m 40. I can’t wait to hit 50 and know I made it.”

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Bernard Chandran, Paris Fashion Week

One of Malaysia's top designers, Bernard Chandran, made his Paris Fashion Week debut this week with a Spring/Summer 2016 collection called "Active Intellectual".

The new womenswear collection, which was presented on Sept 30, included a few menswear items, too.

In a press release, the collection is described as featuring a "palette of modern neutrals" that combine with metallics, and finished with sports-inspired trimmings.

"The silhouettes reflect a more active approach to pret-couture, all demonstrating a contemporary athletic collection with a luxurious, sensual refinement - fusing silk chiffon, metallic leather, silk organza, lurex and cottons to develop a light fluidity for the hot summer months," the release mentioned.

Here are some of Bernard Chandran's Spring/Summer 2016 designs.

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Mimpikita, London Fashion Week

Here's one brand that's fast making a name for itself in the international arena - Mimpikita.

Created by sisters Nurul, Amirah and Syahira Zulkifli, Mimpikita launched in 2008 as a small label that featured mostly modern modest wear for women. The sisters' designs are popular among Malaysian celebrities and fashion bloggers, which perhaps had a hand in helping their label to grow.

Today, Mimpikita is a well-known brand that is not just available in Malaysia and Singapore, but in London, too. The sisters are also said to plan a deal with international online retailer, ASOS.

Mimpikita made its debut at the recent London Fashion Week with a Spring/Summer 2016 collection that impressed many.

In an exclusive interview with Huffington Post UK right after the London Fashion Week show, the sisters talked about how modest fashion is a big deal not just in Malaysia but in the international scene, too.

In the article, the sisters noted: "Moving forward, with our plans of international expansion... we are aware of the possibility of the racial divide that we might face, but we strongly believe a creative industry like fashion should reflect our society and the many cultures there are from all over the world."

Mira was also quoted as saying, "For my sisters and I, it's all about removing the old ideologies and stereotypes that prevent us from having it all... For us there is no stronger illustration of our pride in our faith than us as designers taking to the runway in our hijabs after the models."

The sisters also said that they hope to "represent and promote diversity in the fashion industry" with their collections.

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