1.
Chinese language
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Chinese is a group of related, but in many cases mutually unintelligible, language varieties, forming a branch of the Sino-Tibetan language family. Chinese is spoken by the Han majority and many ethnic groups in China. Nearly 1.2 billion people speak some form of Chinese as their first language, the varieties of Chinese are usually described by native speakers as dialects of a single Chinese language, but linguists note that they are as diverse as a language family. The internal diversity of Chinese has been likened to that of the Romance languages, There are between 7 and 13 main regional groups of Chinese, of which the most spoken by far is Mandarin, followed by Wu, Min, and Yue. Most of these groups are mutually unintelligible, although some, like Xiang and certain Southwest Mandarin dialects, may share common terms, all varieties of Chinese are tonal and analytic. Standard Chinese is a form of spoken Chinese based on the Beijing dialect of Mandarin. It is the language of China and Taiwan, as well as one of four official languages of Singapore. It is one of the six languages of the United Nations. The written form of the language, based on the logograms known as Chinese characters, is shared by literate speakers of otherwise unintelligible dialects. Of the other varieties of Chinese, Cantonese is the spoken language and official in Hong Kong and Macau. It is also influential in Guangdong province and much of Guangxi, dialects of Southern Min, part of the Min group, are widely spoken in southern Fujian, with notable variants also spoken in neighboring Taiwan and in Southeast Asia. Hakka also has a diaspora in Taiwan and southeast Asia. Shanghainese and other Wu varieties are prominent in the lower Yangtze region of eastern China, Chinese can be traced back to a hypothetical Sino-Tibetan proto-language. The first written records appeared over 3,000 years ago during the Shang dynasty, as the language evolved over this period, the various local varieties became mutually unintelligible. In reaction, central governments have sought to promulgate a unified standard. Difficulties have included the great diversity of the languages, the lack of inflection in many of them, in addition, many of the smaller languages are spoken in mountainous areas that are difficult to reach, and are often also sensitive border zones. Without a secure reconstruction of proto-Sino-Tibetan, the structure of the family remains unclear. A top-level branching into Chinese and Tibeto-Burman languages is often assumed, the earliest examples of Chinese are divinatory inscriptions on oracle bones from around 1250 BCE in the late Shang dynasty
2.
Pinyin
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Pinyin, or Hànyǔ Pīnyīn, is the official romanization system for Standard Chinese in mainland China, Malaysia, Singapore, and Taiwan. It is often used to teach Standard Chinese, which is written using Chinese characters. The system includes four diacritics denoting tones, Pinyin without tone marks is used to spell Chinese names and words in languages written with the Latin alphabet, and also in certain computer input methods to enter Chinese characters. The pinyin system was developed in the 1950s by many linguists, including Zhou Youguang and it was published by the Chinese government in 1958 and revised several times. The International Organization for Standardization adopted pinyin as a standard in 1982. The system was adopted as the standard in Taiwan in 2009. The word Hànyǔ means the language of the Han people. In 1605, the Jesuit missionary Matteo Ricci published Xizi Qiji in Beijing and this was the first book to use the Roman alphabet to write the Chinese language. Twenty years later, another Jesuit in China, Nicolas Trigault, neither book had much immediate impact on the way in which Chinese thought about their writing system, and the romanizations they described were intended more for Westerners than for the Chinese. One of the earliest Chinese thinkers to relate Western alphabets to Chinese was late Ming to early Qing Dynasty scholar-official, the first late Qing reformer to propose that China adopt a system of spelling was Song Shu. A student of the great scholars Yu Yue and Zhang Taiyan, Song had been to Japan and observed the effect of the kana syllabaries. This galvanized him into activity on a number of fronts, one of the most important being reform of the script, while Song did not himself actually create a system for spelling Sinitic languages, his discussion proved fertile and led to a proliferation of schemes for phonetic scripts. The Wade–Giles system was produced by Thomas Wade in 1859, and it was popular and used in English-language publications outside China until 1979. This Sin Wenz or New Writing was much more sophisticated than earlier alphabets. In 1940, several members attended a Border Region Sin Wenz Society convention. Mao Zedong and Zhu De, head of the army, both contributed their calligraphy for the masthead of the Sin Wenz Societys new journal. Outside the CCP, other prominent supporters included Sun Yat-sens son, Sun Fo, Cai Yuanpei, the countrys most prestigious educator, Tao Xingzhi, an educational reformer. Over thirty journals soon appeared written in Sin Wenz, plus large numbers of translations, biographies, some contemporary Chinese literature, and a spectrum of textbooks
3.
Shanghainese
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The Shanghainese language, also known as the Shanghai dialect, Hu language or Hu dialect, is a variety of Wu Chinese spoken in the central districts of the City of Shanghai and its surrounding areas. It is classified as part of the Sino-Tibetan language family, in English, Shanghainese sometimes refers to all Wu languages, variants and dialects, although they are only partially intelligible with one another. Shanghainese proper is a language of Taihu Wu, it contains vocabulary and expressions from the entire Taihu Wu area of southern Jiangsu. With nearly 14 million speakers, Shanghainese is also the largest single form of Wu Chinese and it serves as the lingua franca of the entire Yangtze River Delta region. Shanghainese is rich in vowels and in consonants, like other Taihu Wu dialects, Shanghainese has voiced initials. Neither Cantonese nor Mandarin has voiced initial stops or affricates, the Shanghainese tonal system is also significantly different from other Chinese varieties, sharing more similarities with the Japanese pitch accent. Shanghainese has two level tonal contrasts, while Cantonese and Mandarin are typical of contour tonal languages, Shanghai did not become a regional center of commerce until it was opened to foreign investment during the late Qing dynasty. Consequently, languages and dialects spoken around Shanghai had long been subordinate to those spoken around Jiaxing, in the late 19th century, most vocabulary of the Shanghai region had been a hybrid between Southern Jiangsu and Ningbonese. It underwent sustained growth that reached a hiatus in the 1930s during the Republican era, after 1949, the government imposed Mandarin as the official language of the whole nation of China. The dominance and influence of Shanghainese began to wane slightly, especially since Chinese economic reform began in 1978, Shanghai became home to a great number of migrants from all over the country. Due to the prominence of Mandarin, learning Shanghainese was no longer necessary for migrants. However, Shanghainese remained a vital part of the citys culture. In the 1990s, it was common for local radio. In 1995, the TV series Sinful Debt featured extensive Shanghainese dialogues, the Shanghainese TV series Lao Niang Jiu was broadcast from 1995 to 2007 and received tremendous popularity among Shanghainese residents. Shanghainese programming has since declined, over concerns of regionalist/localist accusations. From 1992 onward, Shanghainese use was discouraged in schools, in addition, Shanghais emergence as a cosmopolitan global city consolidated the status of Mandarin as the standard language of business and services, at the expense of the local language. Since 2005, new movements have emerged to protect Shanghainese from fading away, Shanghais former party boss Chen Liangyu, a native Shanghainese himself, reportedly supported her proposal. There have been talks of re-integrating Shanghainese into pre-kindergarten education, because children are unable to speak any Shanghainese
4.
Nanjing
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Nanjing has a prominent place in Chinese history and culture, having served as the capitals of various Chinese dynasties, kingdoms and republican governments dating from the 3rd century CE to 1949. When being the capital of a state, for instance, the ROC, Nanjing is particularly known as Jinling or Ginling and the old name has been used since the Warring States period in Zhou Dynasty. Located in Yangtze River Delta area and the center of east China and it has also been awarded the title of 2008 Habitat Scroll of Honour of China, Special UN Habitat Scroll of Honour Award and National Civilized City. Nanjing boasts many high-quality universities and research institutes, with the number of universities listed in 100 National Key Universities ranking third, the ratio of college students to total population ranks No.1 among large cities nationwide. Nanjing is one of the three Chinese top research centers according to Nature Index, Key cultural facilities include Nanjing Library, Nanjing Museum and Art Museum. Archaeological discovery shows that Nanjing Man lived in more than 500 thousand years ago, zun, a kind of wine vessel, was found to exist in Beiyinyangying culture of Nanjing in about 5000 years ago. According to a legend quoted by an artist in Ming dynasty, Chen Yi, Fuchai, King of the State of Wu, later in 473 BCE, the State of Yue conquered Wu and constructed the fort of Yuecheng on the outskirts of the present-day Zhonghua Gate. In 333 BCE, after eliminating the State of Yue, the State of Chu built Jinling Yi in the part of present-day Nanjing. It was renamed Moling during reign of Qin Shi Huang, since then, the city experienced destruction and renewal many times. Nanjing was later the city of Danyang Prefecture, and had been the capital city of Yangzhou for about 400 years from late Han to early Tang. This city would soon play a role in the following centuries. Shortly after the unification of the region, the Western Jin dynasty collapsed, First the rebellions by eight Jin princes for the throne and later rebellions and invasion from Xiongnu and other nomadic peoples that destroyed the rule of the Jin dynasty in the north. Its the first time that the capital of the moved to southern part. During the period of North–South division, Nanjing remained the capital of the Southern dynasties for more than two and a half centuries, during this time, Nanjing was the international hub of East Asia. Based on historical documents, the city had 280,000 registered households, assuming an average Nanjing household had about 5.1 people at that time, the city had more than 1.4 million residents. As the old capital of China, many legendary stories happened here, residents in Nanjing all have the warmest affection for this city. Throughout glory and darkness in past centuries, Nanjing becomes a low-key city, GDP growth rate significantly exceeds the average rate in China for decades, which also maintain a fast developing model. Possibly the best preserved of them is the ensemble of the Tomb of Xiao Xiu, the period of division ended when the Sui Dynasty reunified China and almost destroyed the entire city, turning it into a small town
5.
Jiangsu
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Jiangsu, formerly romanized as Kiangsu, is an eastern-central coastal province of the Peoples Republic of China. It is one of the provinces in manufacturing electronics and apparel items. Jiangsu is the third smallest, but the fifth most populous, Jiangsu has the second-highest GDP of Chinese provinces, after Guangdong. Jiangsu borders Shandong in the north, Anhui to the west, Jiangsu has a coastline of over 1,000 kilometres along the Yellow Sea, and the Yangtze River passes through the southern part of the province. Since the Sui and Tang dynasties, Jiangsu has been an economic and commercial center. Cities such as Yangzhou, Nanjing, Wuxi, Suzhou and Shanghai are all major Chinese economic hubs, since the initiation of economic reforms in 1990, Jiangsu has become a focal point for economic development. It is widely regarded as Chinas most developed province measured by its Human Development Index, Jiangsu is home to many of the worlds leading exporters of electronic equipment, chemicals and textiles. It has also been Chinas largest recipient of foreign investment since 2006. Its 2014 nominal GDP was more than 1 trillion US dollars and its name is a compound of the first elements of the names of the two cities of Jiangning and Suzhou. The abbreviation for this province is 苏, the character of its name. The state of Wu was subjugated in 473 BC by the state of Yue, Yue was in turn subjugated by the powerful state of Chu from the west in 333 BC. Eventually the state of Qin swept away all the other states, during the Three Kingdoms period, southern Jiangsu became the base of the Eastern Wu whose capital, Jiankang, is modern Nanjing. When nomadic invasions overran northern China in the 4th century, the court of the Jin Dynasty moved to Jiankang. Cities in southern and central Jiangsu swelled with the influx of migrants from the north, Jiankang remained as the capital for four successive Southern Dynasties and became the largest commercial and cultural center in China. The Tang Dynasty relied on southern Jiangsu for annual deliveries of grain and it was during the Song Dynasty, which saw the development of a wealthy mercantile class and emergent market economy in China, that south Jiangsu emerged as a center of trade. From then onwards, south Jiangsu, especially cities like Suzhou or Yangzhou, would be synonymous with opulence. Today south Jiangsu remains one of the richest parts of China, the Mongols took control of China in the thirteenth century. The Ming Dynasty, which was established in 1368 after driving out the Mongols who had occupied China, following a coup by Zhu Di, however, the capital was moved to Beijing, far to the north
6.
Huangpu District, Shanghai
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Huangpu District, makes up the eastern part of Shanghais traditional urban core and is today the most central of Shanghais 18 districts. The Huangpu District is one of the most densely populated districts in the world. The Huangpu District is located in central Shanghai, Peoples Republic of China on the bank of Huangpu River, after which the district is named. It is opposite to Pudong and is bounded by Suzhou Creek to the north, todays Huangpu District is sometimes referred to as new Huangpu to distinguish it from the pre-merger Huangpu District which existed before 2000. In 2000, the pre-merger Huangpu and Nanshi districts were combined to form a new district, in June 2011, the existing Huangpu District was combined with Luwan District to form a further new district, again called Huangpu. As a result of merger, it currently has an area of 20.43 square kilometres and 678,670 inhabitants. Of the three districts that make up todays Huangpu, the pre-merger Huangpu District is located to the north, bounded by Suzhou Creek in the north. South of the per-merger Huangpu District was Nanshi District, bounded by the Huangpu River to the east, west of Nanshi District was Luwan District, bounded by the Huangpu River to the south. Each of these have a history and character. The former Nanshi District, literally southern city, was the core of Shanghai. It included the old, walled city as well as the nearby docklands on both sides of the Huangpu River, Shanghai County was established at the beginning of the Ming Dynasty. A city wall was built to repel the Wokou, and this Ming Dynasty wall defined the extent of urban Shanghai for the few centuries. In 1842, the north of the old city was established as the British concession in Shanghai. At the time, the concession was referred to by locals as the city while the walled Chinese city was the southern city. From this reference was derived the name Nanshi. Upon the defeat of Japan at the end of World War II, in 1945, after the Republic of China government took control, the old city was divided into the Third District and the Fourth District. In 1959 these were merged to form Nanshi District, the pre-merger Huangpu District was largely located in the former Shanghai International Settlement. In the later part of the 19th century and the early 20th century, the International Settlement was handed back to the Chinese government in 1943
7.
The Bund
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The documentary released by CCTV, directed by Zhou Bing. The Bund or Waitan is a waterfront area in central Shanghai, the area centers on a section of Zhongshan Road within the former Shanghai International Settlement, which runs along the western bank of the Huangpu River in the eastern part of Huangpu District. The area along the faces the modern skyscrapers of Lujiazui in the Pudong District. The Bund usually refers to the buildings and wharves on this section of the road and it is one of the most famous tourist destinations in Shanghai. Building heights are restricted in the area, the word bund means an embankment or an embanked quay. The word comes from the Persian word band, through Hindustani, meaning an embankment, mumbais Apollo Bunder and city names like Bandar Abbas and Banda Aceh share the same etymology. In these Chinese port cities, the English term came to mean, especially, in English, Bund is pronounced to rhyme with fund. There are numerous sites in India, China, and Japan that are called bunds, however, The Bund, without qualification to location, usually refers to this stretch of embanked riverfront in Shanghai. The Bund lies north of the old, walled city of Shanghai and it was initially a British settlement, later the British and American settlements were combined in the International Settlement. Magnificent commercial buildings in the Beaux Arts style sprung up in the years around the turn of the 20th century as the Bund developed into a financial center of east Asia. Directly to the south, and just northeast of the old walled city, by the 1940s, the Bund housed the headquarters of many, if not most, of the major financial institutions operating in China, including the big four national banks in the Republic of China era. However, with the Communist victory in the Chinese civil war, many of the institutions were moved out gradually in the 1950s. The statues of figures and foreign worthies which had dotted the riverside were also removed. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, with the thawing of economic policy in the Peoples Republic of China, government institutions were moved out in favour of financial institutions, while hotels resumed trading as such. The Bunds revitalization began in 1986 with a new promenade by the Dutch Architect Paulus Snoeren and has changed the streetscape of the Bund. In the 1990s, Zhongshan Road, the road on which the Bund is centred, was widened to ten lanes, as a result, most of the parkland which had existed along the road disappeared. Also in this period, the ferry connecting the Bund and Pudong. A number of pleasure cruises still operate from some nearby wharves, in its expanded form, the term Bund was used to refer to areas south of the Yanan Road, and a stretch of riverfront north of the Suzhou River
8.
People's Square
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Peoples Square is a large public square in the Huangpu District of Shanghai, China. It is south of Nanjing Road and north of Huaihai Road, Peoples Square is the site of Shanghais municipal government headquarters building and is used as the standard reference point for measurement of distance in the Shanghai municipality. Prior to 1949 and the establishment of the Peoples Republic of China, the Shanghai Metros Peoples Square Subway Station is an interchange among the subways Line 1, Line 2, and Line 8. Several bus stops also ring the north and south sides of the square, Peoples Park Apr.2007 Sept.2007 Oct.2007 Jan.2008 YouTube videos
9.
Jing'an District
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Jingan District, is one of the central districts of Shanghai. It has an area of 37 km², the district borders the Hongkou District to the east, Huangpu District to the east and south, Putuo District to the west, Baoshan District to the north and Changning District to the west. On 4 November 2015, Zhabei District merged with Jingan District bringing Shanghai down to 15 districts and one county. Jingan District was named after Jingan Temple, an ancient traditional Chinese Buddhist temple, todays temple is a new replica of the old one, located in the southern part of the district. An Art Deco dancehall is just across the street, around the neighborhood are bar streets, although some areas develop, Jingan Park, located opposite to the temple, is quite popular among locals, it used to be a graveyard for foreigners in the old Shanghai. Historically, the part of the district, what used to be Zhabei, has been highly populated with working class residents. Development in the part of the district has been rapid. West Nanjing Road is one of Shanghais premier shopping districts, and is home to five-star hotels, key landmarks on West Nanjing Road include the Shanghai Exhibition Centre and the Shanghai Centre. The southern part of the district is one of Shanghais key central business and it contains numerous large office buildings, hotels, and many shopping venues at the street level. The district comprises a prominent portion of the Shanghai skyline, the district is also known for having many high-rise residential buildings. The northern part of the used to be the place of agglomeration of traditional industries such as flavor factory. In the last decade, the municipality decided to move the old industry out in order to space for more promising ones such as the hi-tech. It has attracted foreign companies to build offices, apartments. It is also where the Shanghai Multimedia Valley is located to attract media, major companies located in Zhabei include TÜV Rheinland, Royal Philips Electronics and Shanghai Bell Alcatel Business Systems Co. China Resources Beverage, the distributor of Cestbon water, has its east China regional office on the floor of the Huanzhi International Building in the district. Daning Lingshi Park, the biggest green area in the area, is surrounded by a series of cultural facilities such as the Zhabei Stadium. The Shanghai University, Yanchang Campus is also located near the Daning Lingshi Park, Jingan District travel guide from Wikivoyage Jingan District website Jingan District website Zhabei District travel guide from Wikivoyage Shanghai Zhabei Government Portal Shanghai Circus World
10.
Xinhai Revolution
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The Xinhai Revolution, also known as the Revolution of 1911 or the Chinese Revolution, was a revolution that overthrew Chinas last imperial dynasty, and established the Republic of China. The revolution was named Xinhai because it occurred in 1911, the year of the Xinhai stem-branch in the cycle of the Chinese calendar. The revolution consisted of many revolts and uprisings, the turning point was the Wuchang Uprising on October 10,1911, which was the result of the mishandling of the Railway Protection Movement. The revolution arose mainly in response to the decline of the Qing state, many underground anti-Qing groups, with the support of Chinese revolutionaries in exile, tried to overthrow the Qing. The brief civil war that ensued was ended through a compromise between Yuan Shikai, the late Qing military strongman, and Sun Yat-sen, the leader of the Tongmenghui. After the Qing court transferred power to the newly founded republic, October 10 is commemorated in Taiwan as Double Ten Day, the National Day of the ROC. In mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau, the day is usually celebrated as the Anniversary of the Xinhai Revolution. After suffering its first defeat to the West in the First Opium War in 1842, in the wars against the Taiping, Nian, Muslims of Yunnan and the Northwest, the traditional Manchu armies proved themselves incompetent and the court came to rely on local Han armies. Following defeat in the Second Opium War, the Qing tried to modernize by adopting certain Western technologies through the Self-Strengthening Movement from 1861, in 1895, China suffered a serious defeat during the First Sino-Japanese War. This demonstrated that traditional Chinese feudal society also needed to be modernized if the technological and commercial advancements were to succeed. In 1898 the Guangxu Emperor was guided by reformers like Kang Youwei and Liang Qichao for a reform in education, military. The reform was a failure, as it was ended prematurely by a coup led by Empress Dowager Cixi. The Guangxu Emperor, who had always been a dependent on Cixi, was put under house arrest in June 1898. Reformers Kang and Liang would be exiled, while in Canada, in June 1899, they tried to form the Emperor Protection Society in an attempt to restore the emperor. Empress Dowager Cixi mainly controlled the Qing dynasty from this point on, under internal and external pressure, the Qing court began to adopt some of the reforms. The Qing managed to maintain its monopoly on power by suppressing, often with great brutality. Dissidents could operate only in societies and underground organizations, in foreign concessions or in exile overseas. There were many revolutionaries and groups that wanted to overthrow the Qing government to re-establish a Han Chinese government, the earliest revolutionary organizations were founded outside of China, such as Yeung Ku-wans Furen Literary Society, created in Hong Kong in 1890
11.
Five Races Under One Union
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Five races under one union was one of the major principles upon which the Republic of China was founded in 1911 at the time of the Xinhai Revolution. The term Muslim in this context referred to the Muslim Turkic peoples in Western China. During the Sui dynasty, there were records of a system of military banners using the colors red, blue, yellow, white. Tang dynasty inherited this system, and has arranged the colors in a flag according to the above order of elements for military use. In subsequent historical periods, this flag of the five united elements were altered and readapted for military or official uses, after the Wuchang Uprising, the Qing dynasty made the transition to the Republic of China. There were a number of competing flags that could have used by the revolutionaries. The military units of Wuchang wanted the 9-star flag with Taijitu, Sun Yat-sen preferred the Blue Sky and White Sun flag to honor Lu Haodong. The general idea is all of the non-Han races were Chinese also. The five ethnic groups under one flag was no longer used after the Northern Expedition. A variation of this flag was adopted by Yuan Shikais empire, in Manchukuo, a similar slogan was used, but the five races were changed into Japanese, Han Chinese, Mongols, Koreans and Manchus. Buddhist flag Five Races Under One Union Zhonghua minzu
12.
Shanghai International Settlement
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The settlements were established following the defeat of the Qing army by the British in the First Opium War. The British also established a base on Hong Kong under an extensive lease, American and French involvement followed closely on the heels of the British and their enclaves were established north and south, respectively, of the British area. Unlike the colonies of Hong Kong and Weihaiwei, which were sovereign British territories, however, during the Small Sword Society uprising of 1853–55, the Qing government gave up sovereignty in the concessions to the foreign powers in exchange of their support to suppress the rebellion. In 1854, the three countries created the Shanghai Municipal Council to serve all their interests, but, in 1862, the following year the British and American settlements formally united to create the Shanghai International Settlement. The international settlement came to an end in December 1941 when Japanese troops stormed in immediately following the attack on Pearl Harbor. The French later surrendered their privileges in a separate 1946 agreement, the next morning Balfour sent word to the circuit intendant of Shanghai, Gong Mujiu, requesting a meeting, at which he indicated his desire to find a house to live in. Balfour, his interpreter Walter Henry Medhurst, surgeon Dr. Hale and it served as the consulate during construction of a Western-style building within the official Settlement boundaries just to the south of Suzhou Creek. This was completed within a year and this soon became the epicenter of the British settlement. Under the Treaty of Wanghia, Americans gained the rights as those enjoyed by the British in Chinas treaty ports. It also contained a clause that effectively carved out Shanghai as a zone within Imperial China. It was only in 1845 that Britain followed in Americas footsteps, the American consular presence did not create a problem for the British because it was never intended to have a post in person. Since American traders in China were prohibited from engaging in the opium trade, their business transactions were conducted under the auspices of British firms. The only serious incident of political complaint against the Americans was in 1845, when the Stars and Stripes was raised by the acting US Consul, Henry G. Wolcott, neither the British nor the Chinese governor approved of the display. In 1848, France established its own French concession under French consular jurisdiction and they also claimed the right to exclude Chinese troops from the concession areas. Chinese entry was subsequently legalised and continued to grow, the aims of this first Council were simply to assist in the formation of roads, refuse collection, and taxation across the disparate Concessions. In 1863 the American concession—land fronting the Huangpu River to the north-east of Soochow Creek —officially joined the British Settlement to become the Shanghai International Settlement, the French concession remained independent and the Chinese retained control over the original walled city and the area surrounding the foreign enclaves. This would later result in sometimes absurd administrative outcomes, such as needing three drivers licenses to travel through the complete city, by the late-1860s Shanghais official governing body had been practically transferred from the individual concessions to the Shanghai Municipal Council. The British Consul was the de jure authority in the Settlement, instead, he and the other consulates deferred to the Council
13.
World War II
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World War II, also known as the Second World War, was a global war that lasted from 1939 to 1945, although related conflicts began earlier. It involved the vast majority of the worlds countries—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing alliances, the Allies and the Axis. It was the most widespread war in history, and directly involved more than 100 million people from over 30 countries. Marked by mass deaths of civilians, including the Holocaust and the bombing of industrial and population centres. These made World War II the deadliest conflict in human history, from late 1939 to early 1941, in a series of campaigns and treaties, Germany conquered or controlled much of continental Europe, and formed the Axis alliance with Italy and Japan. Under the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact of August 1939, Germany and the Soviet Union partitioned and annexed territories of their European neighbours, Poland, Finland, Romania and the Baltic states. In December 1941, Japan attacked the United States and European colonies in the Pacific Ocean, and quickly conquered much of the Western Pacific. The Axis advance halted in 1942 when Japan lost the critical Battle of Midway, near Hawaii, in 1944, the Western Allies invaded German-occupied France, while the Soviet Union regained all of its territorial losses and invaded Germany and its allies. During 1944 and 1945 the Japanese suffered major reverses in mainland Asia in South Central China and Burma, while the Allies crippled the Japanese Navy, thus ended the war in Asia, cementing the total victory of the Allies. World War II altered the political alignment and social structure of the world, the United Nations was established to foster international co-operation and prevent future conflicts. The victorious great powers—the United States, the Soviet Union, China, the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union and the United States emerged as rival superpowers, setting the stage for the Cold War, which lasted for the next 46 years. Meanwhile, the influence of European great powers waned, while the decolonisation of Asia, most countries whose industries had been damaged moved towards economic recovery. Political integration, especially in Europe, emerged as an effort to end pre-war enmities, the start of the war in Europe is generally held to be 1 September 1939, beginning with the German invasion of Poland, Britain and France declared war on Germany two days later. The dates for the beginning of war in the Pacific include the start of the Second Sino-Japanese War on 7 July 1937, or even the Japanese invasion of Manchuria on 19 September 1931. Others follow the British historian A. J. P. Taylor, who held that the Sino-Japanese War and war in Europe and its colonies occurred simultaneously and this article uses the conventional dating. Other starting dates sometimes used for World War II include the Italian invasion of Abyssinia on 3 October 1935. The British historian Antony Beevor views the beginning of World War II as the Battles of Khalkhin Gol fought between Japan and the forces of Mongolia and the Soviet Union from May to September 1939, the exact date of the wars end is also not universally agreed upon. It was generally accepted at the time that the war ended with the armistice of 14 August 1945, rather than the formal surrender of Japan
14.
Pedestrian zone
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Pedestrian zones are areas of a city or town reserved for pedestrian-only use and in which most or all automobile traffic may be prohibited. Converting a street or an area to use is called pedestrianisation. However, pedestrianisation can sometimes lead to reductions in business activity, property devaluation, in some cases traffic in surrounding areas may increase, due to displacement rather than substitution of car traffic. Pedestrian zones have a variety of approaches to human-powered vehicles such as bicycles, inline skates, skateboards. Some have a ban on anything with wheels, others ban certain categories, others segregate the human-powered wheels from foot traffic. Many Middle Eastern kasbahs have no wheeled traffic, but use donkey-driven or hand-driven carts for freight transport, the idea of separating pedestrians from wheeled traffic is an old one, dating back at least to the Renaissance. However, the earliest modern implementation of the idea in cities seems to date from about 1800, separated shopping arcades were constructed throughout Europe in the 19th century, precursors of modern shopping malls. The first pedestrianisation of an existing street seems to have taken place around 1929 in Essen and this was in a very narrow shopping street that could not accommodate both vehicular and pedestrian traffic. Two other German cities followed this model in the early 1930s, by 1955 twenty-one German cities had closed at least one street to traffic, although only four were true pedestrian streets, designed for the purpose. At this time pedestrianisation was not seen as a traffic restraint policy, pedestrianisation was also common in the United States during the 1950s and 60s as downtown businesses attempted to compete with new suburban shopping malls. However, most of these initiatives were not successful in the long term, a car-free zone is different from a typical pedestrian zone, in that it implies a development largely predicated on modes of transport other than the car. A pedestrian zone may be more limited in scope, for example a single square or street being for pedestrians. A number of towns and cities in Europe have never allowed motor vehicles, archetypal examples are, Venice, which occupies many islands in a lagoon, divided by and accessed from canals. The city has been car-free for more than three decades, motor traffic stops at the car park at the head of the viaduct from the mainland, and water transport or walking takes over from there. However, motor vehicles are allowed on the nearby Lido, mount Athos, an autonomous monastic state under the sovereignty of Greece, does not permit automobiles on its territory. Trucks and work-related vehicles only are in use there, the medieval city of Mdina in Malta does not allow automobiles past the city walls. It is known as the Silent City because of the absence of traffic in the city. Sark, an island in the English Channel, is a zone where only bicycles, carriages
15.
Peace Hotel
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The Peace Hotel is a hotel on The Bund in Shanghai, China, which overlooks the surrounding areas. The hotel has two different buildings, the Sassoon House, originally housed the Cathay Hotel and is today the Fairmont Peace Hotel run by Fairmont Hotels and Resorts of Canada. The South Building was built as the Palace Hotel and is today the Swatch Art Peace Hotel, the two buildings both face the Bund, but are divided by Nanjing Road. The larger North Building is called Sassoon House, the building was built by Sir Victor Sassoon, of the Sassoon family, which built a Shanghai business and real estate empire in the early 20th century. He was a British Sephardic Jew of Iraqi origin, educated at Harrow School and his family managed extensive business holdings in Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Calcutta. Sassoon House was the first high-rise building built by Victor Sassoon and it was designed by architects Palmer and Turner, with a reinforced concrete structure. Construction began in 1926, and was completed in 1929, the building occupies 4,617 square meters, and offers 36,317 square meters of floor space. The building is ten stories in height, and the floor is a penthouse. The North Building is 77 meters high to the roofline, and 83 meters to the spire, the builders followed a consistent art deco scheme, from exterior design to interior decor. Most of the building features granite facing, while the ninth floor, the eastern facade features a pyramidal roof with steep sides, and a height of about 10 meters. The pyramid is faced with copper, which has corroded to light green, banks and shops leased the ground floor space until 1949. This space became the Shanghai branch of Citibank in 2002, the fourth through ninth floors once housed the Cathay Hotel. After the Communist takeover in 1949, some of the offices were used by the Municipal Finance Committee, in 1952, the building was taken over by the Municipal Government. In 1956, it again became a hotel under the name Peace Hotel. During the Cultural Revolution, the hotel was used by the Gang of Four and its Old Jazz Band was recently the basis for a movie, As Time Goes By a film by Uli Gaulke. Its roof terrace restaurant overlooks the district of Pudong across the Huangpu, in 2007, the hotel closed for a three-year renovation of both the exterior and interior, including the guest rooms, the lobby, and the dining and entertainment venues. The North Building reopened in 2010, as the Fairmont Peace Hotel Shanghai, the hotel now offers 270 guestrooms and 39 suites, including Victors Café, named for Sir Victor Sassoon. The eighth floor hosts the Peace Hall, plus meeting rooms
16.
Shanghai Race Club
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The Shanghai Race Club was a horse racing club located in Shanghai, China. The Club was based at the Shanghai Racecourse, and the two names are used interchangeably. Originally the Race Committee of the International Recreation Club, the Race Club was first established in 1850, in 1862, it detached itself from the Shanghai Recreation Club to become an independent body. The Clubs activities were affected by the Second Sino-Japanese War and the Chinese Civil War, after the Communist takeover of Shanghai in 1949, the Club was placed under military administration in 1951 and its properties taken over by the government in 1954. From 1862, the Shanghai Race Club was based at the track it owned in the centre of Shanghai. The grounds later became Peoples Park and the adjacent Peoples Square in central Shanghai - which are today still in the shape of the original track. This racetrack, opened in 1862, was the third racecourse owned by the Shanghai Race Club, the turf was described as smooth as a billiard table. The Race Club building, which survives to day, was built in 1934 on the western side of the race track. Its imposing, 10-storey tall tower was long a landmark of central Shanghai and it included a 100-metre long grand stand, with three to five levels. The clubhouses exterior has a structure, with eclectic details. A loggia which ran along the floor of the building was used as the members stand. The ground floor was the box office and betting hall, a mezzanine level between the ground and first floor contained bowling lanes. The first floor contained club facilities, including a cafe, games room, billiard room, the second floor contained rooms for members and the restaurant. The Race Committee of the International Recreation Club organised its first race meet in 1848, in 1850, five founding directors obtained a permanent lease over land at the corner of Honan Road and Nanking Road and built the first racecourse. The Race Club was formed the year, and the first race meet was held the next year. By 1861, the Race Club had 25 members, in 1854, the Old Park was sold at a profit, and the racecourse was enlarged and moved west to the intersection of Chekiang Road and Nanking Road. The influx of refugees fleeing the Taiping Revolution rebels caused a rise in city centre property prices in Shanghai. The land enclosed by the track was sold to the Recreation Club for use as sports grounds
17.
Park Hotel Shanghai
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Park Hotel, historically the Shanghai Joint Savings Society Building, is an Art Deco hotel on Nanjing Road West, Shanghai, China. It was the tallest building in Asia from its completion in 1934 to 1958, the Shanghai Joint Savings Society Building, located at No. It was built as a competitor for the Cathay Hotel, the building was designed by the Slovakian architect László Hudec in March 1931 and construction was completed in December 1934. The building is 83.8 metres tall and contains 22 stories above ground, built by Voh Kee Construction Company, the piling project was finished by a Danish Company established by Corrit. Strongly inspired by the American Radiator Building, it is among the well known building from Hudec in Shanghai and it remained the tallest building in China until 1966, and in Shanghai until 1983. Thomas wrote, I stayed at the Park Hotel on Bubbling Well Road, the appointments, the bath and the service are just like in any first-class hotel in New York. A single room such as mine costs $8 a day without food and it was built overlooking the horse racing course owned by The Shanghai Race Club, one of the most prestigious locations in Shanghai at the time. The Shanghai Race Course and the Shanghai Recreation Ground that it enclosed was later turned into the Peoples Park by the Shanghai Government, originally the Park Hotel accommodated the Joint Savings Society Bank in its lower two floors, and the hotel on the upper floors. The first three floors are finished with polished black granite from Shandong Province, the upper floors are clad with dark brown brick and ceramic face tiles. The exterior has had two changes, there is a banking entrance on one corner, and a marquee was added that masks the unique silhouette of the top floors. In 1935, the garden on the 13th floor was converted into the 14th floor banquet space and surrounded by windows. That roof is now a glass panel set into a ceiling. Most of the interior was changed by the Chinese government in the 1950s because they disliked the existing bourgeois style. The building was renovated again in the 1980s to partially refurbish into the original style, in 1997, American designer George Grigorian remodeled some the interior using an Art Deco style. American architect Christopher Choa restored the Art Deco lobby in 2001, Park Hotel official website Official website Interactive 3D model of Park Hotel Shanghai created with Virtual Building Explorer
18.
Shanghai Exhibition Centre
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The Shanghai Exhibition Centre or the Shanghai Exhibition Hall is an exhibition and convention centre in central Shanghai, China. The building was built in 1955 as the Sino-Soviet Friendship Building to commemorate the alliance between China and the Soviet Union, a name by many locals still refer to the building. Reflecting its original name, the design draws heavily on Russian, the building is a major landmark in Shanghai. At 93,000 square metres, it is one of the largest integrated building complexes in central Shanghai by footprint, at 110.4 metres, it was for decades the tallest building in Shanghai. The Shanghai Exhibition Centre stands on the site of early 20th century magnate Silas Aaron Hardoons home, Aili Garden, completed in 1910 and expanded in 1919, Hardoon Garden was for a long time Shanghais largest and most elaborate private garden. By the time of Hardoons death in 1931, the garden included within its grounds a theatre, a pagoda, a boat, a school, a university. Hardoons wife Liza went into seclusion after Hardoons death, and the garden became neglected, Liza died in 1941 and was buried in the garden. Later that year, with the outbreak of the Pacific War, when Hardoons heirs fled Shanghai, the new government confiscated the garden. In 1953, the Hardoon Garden site was chosen for the construction of a new building to house this exhibition, on 4 May 1954 construction on the Sino-Soviet Friendship Building began. The building was completed on 5 March 1955, the Soviet exhibition was held from 15 March 1955 to 15 May 1955. In 1956, the building hosted its first political meeting – the first conference of the Shanghai branch of the Communist Party of China, from 1959, the Sino-Soviet Friendship Building also housed a permanent industrial exhibition, the Shanghai Industrial Exhibition. On 11 May 1968, as a result of the Sino-Soviet split, in 1978, the Shanghai Industrial Exhibition became the Shanghai Industrial Exhibition Hall, resulting in the two different names both being applied to the building. On 9 June 1984, the managing the building were amalgamated into the Shanghai Exhibition Centre. The Shanghai Exhibition Centre remains the name of the enterprise which manages the building. The focus of the Sino-Soviet Friendship Buildings design is the central tower and it forms the centrepiece of the main, southern façade of the complex, and is set back from the street with an expansive square. Under the central tower is a central foyer called the Central Hall. Corridors to the east and west of the foyer lead to two wings which sweep around to form two sides of the open square at the centre of the main frontage. These two wings were built as the Agriculture Hall and the Culture Hall, and today house exhibition space, the Agriculture and Culture wings feature grand sweeping staircases leading visitors between floors
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Jing'an Temple
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Jingan Temple is a Buddhist temple on the West Nanjing Road in Shanghai, China. Jingan District, where it is located, is named after the temple, the temple was first built in 247 AD in the Wu Kingdom during the Three Kingdoms period of ancient China. Originally located beside the Suzhou Creek, it was relocated to its current site in 1216 during the Song Dynasty, the current temple was rebuilt in the Qing Dynasty but, during the Cultural Revolution, the temple was converted into a plastic factory. In 1983, it was returned to its purpose and renovated with the JingAn Pagoda completed in 2010. In the center of the hall is a statue of the goddess made out of camphor wood. Standing on a base, it is 6.2 meters tall and weighs 5 metric tons Opposite the hall is the Jade Buddha Hall. It is the largest sitting jade Buddha statue in the country Abbots Chambers Ming Dynasty copper bell and you can take Bus No.113,40,830,824,20,15,37,21 to arrive Jingan Temple. There are also Shuttle Express Service provided from airports to Jingan Temple, the temple opens at 7, 30AM and closes at 17, 00PM. Media related to Jingan Temple at Wikimedia Commons Article at chinadaily. com. cn Official Website
20.
Luxury goods
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Luxury goods are often synonymous with superior goods and Veblen goods. Luxury goods are said to have high income elasticity of demand, as people become wealthier and this also means, however, that should there be a decline in income its demand will drop. Income elasticity of demand is not constant with respect to income, although the technical term luxury good is independent of the goods quality, they are generally considered to be goods at the highest end of the market in terms of quality and price. Classic luxury goods include haute couture clothing, accessories, and luggage, many markets have a luxury segment including, for example, automobile, yacht, wine, bottled water, coffee, tea, foods, watches, clothes, jewelry, and high fidelity. The hiring of full-time or live-in domestic servants is a luxury reflecting disparities of income, some financial services, especially in some brokerage houses, can be considered luxury services by default because persons in lower-income brackets generally do not use them. The three dominant trends in the luxury goods market are globalization, consolidation, and diversification. Globalization is a result of the availability of these goods, additional luxury brands. Consolidation involves the growth of big companies and ownership of brands across many segments of luxury products, examples include LVMH, Richemont, and Kering, which dominate the market in areas ranging from luxury drinks to fashion and cosmetics. Leading global consumer companies, such as Procter & Gamble, are attracted to the industry. The luxury goods market has been on a climb for many years. Apart from the setback caused by the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis, the industry has performed well, particularly in 2000. In that year, the luxury goods market – which includes drinks, fashion, cosmetics, fragrances, watches, jewelry, luggage, handbags – was worth close to $170 billion. The United States has been the largest regional market for goods and is estimated to continue to be the leading personal luxury goods market in 2013. The largest sector in this category was luxury drinks, including premium whisky, Champagne and this sector was the only one that suffered a decline in value. In 2012, China surpassed Japan as the worlds largest luxury market, chinas luxury consumption accounts for over 25% of the global market. The Economist Intelligence Unit published a report on the outlook for luxury goods in Asia which explores the trends and forecasts for the luxury goods market across key markets in Asia. In 2014, the sector is expected to grow over the next 10 years because of 440 million consumers spending a total of 880 billion euros. Secular luxury manuscripts were commissioned by the wealthy and differed in the same ways from cheaper books
21.
Line 7, Shanghai Metro
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Line 7 is a northwest-southeast line of the Shanghai Metro network. It connects the Baoshan District of Shanghai with the core as well as the Pudong New Area. It currently runs from Meilan Lake in Baoshan District to Huamu Road in Pudong, the line is colored orange on system maps. Meilan Lake — Huamu Road Qihua Road — Huamu Road Shanghai University station, zhenping Road station is a station where Line 7 crosses Lines 3 and 4. Jingan Temple station, located under the busy Nanjing Road, is an interchange between Line 7 and Line 2, construction began on November 24,2005. On February 20,2010, operating hours have been extended to fall in line with the rest of the metro system afterwards, on April 20,2010, Houtan station entered operation. In December 2010, three stations on the extension of the line opens. In June 2011, two stations on the northern extension of the line opens
22.
Gucci
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Gucci is an Italian luxury brand of fashion and leather goods, part of the Gucci Group, which is owned by the French holding company Kering. Gucci was founded by Guccio Gucci in Florence in 1921, Gucci is also the biggest-selling Italian brand. Gucci operates about 278 directly operated stores worldwide as of September 2009, in the year 2013, the brand was valued at US$12.1 billion, with sales of US$4.7 billion. In the Forbes Worlds Most Valuable Brands list, Gucci is ranked the 38th most valuable brand, as of January 2015, the creative director is Alessandro Michele. With beginnings at the end of the 19th century, the Gucci company became one of the world’s most successful manufacturers of leather goods, clothing. As an immigrant hotel worker in Paris and later London, young Guccio Gucci was impressed with the luggage he saw urbane guests bring with them. Before leaving, he visited the manufacturer, H. J. Cave & Sons, upon returning to his birthplace of Florence, a city distinguished for high-quality materials and skilled artisans, he established a shop in 1920 that sold fine leather goods with classic styling. Although Gucci organized his workrooms for industrial methods of production, he maintained traditional aspects of fabrication, initially, Gucci employed skilled workers in basic Florentine leather crafts, attentive to finishing. With expansion, machine stitching was a method that supported construction. Together with three of his sons, Aldo Gucci, Vasco Gucci, and Rodolfo Gucci, Gucci expanded the company to include stores in Milan and Rome as well as additional shops in Florence. Guccis stores featured such finely crafted leather accessories as handbags, shoes, the company made handbags of cotton canvas rather than leather during World War II as a result of material shortages. The canvas, however, was distinguished by a signature double-G symbol combined with prominent red, after the war, the Gucci crest, which showed a shield and armored knight surrounded by a ribbon inscribed with the family name, became synonymous with the city of Florence. Aldo and Rodolfo Gucci further expanded the horizons in 1953 by establishing offices in New York City. Film stars and jet-set travelers to Italy during the 1950s and 1960s brought their glamour to Florence, movie stars posed in Guccis clothing, accessories, and footwear for lifestyle magazines around the world, contributing to the company’s growing reputation. Guccis distinctive lines made its products among the most frequently copied in the world in the early 2000s, pigskin, calf, and imported exotic animal skins were subjected to various methods of fabrication. Waterproof canvas and satin were used for evening bags, bamboo was first used to make handbag handles by a process of heating and molding in 1947, and purses made with a shoulder strap and snaffle-bit decoration were introduced in 1960. In 1964 Gucci’s lush butterfly pattern was custom-created for silk foulards, the original Gucci loafer was updated by a distinctive snaffle-bit ornament in 1966, while the Rolls-Royce luggage set was introduced in 1970. Watches, jewelry, ties, and eyewear were then added to the product lines
23.
Cartier (jeweler)
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Société Cartier is a French luxury goods conglomerate company. The company designs, manufactures, distributes and sells jewellery and watches, founded in Paris, France in 1847 by Louis-François Cartier, the company remained under family control until 1964. The company maintains its headquarters in Paris and is now a wholly owned subsidiary of the Compagnie Financière Richemont SA. Cartier is well known for its jewellery and wrist watches, including the Bestiary, the diamond necklace created for Bhupinder Singh the Maharaja of Patiala and the Santos wristwatch of 1904. Cartier has a history of sales to royalty and celebrities. For example, Kate Middleton. King Edward VII of England referred to Cartier as the jeweller of kings, for his coronation in 1902, Edward VII ordered 27 tiaras and issued a royal warrant to Cartier in 1904. Similar warrants soon followed from the courts of Spain, Portugal, Russia, Siam, Greece, Serbia, Belgium, Romania, Egypt, Albania, Monaco, Louis-François Cartier founded Cartier in Paris in 1847 when he took over the workshop of his master. In 1874, Louis-François son Alfred Cartier took over the company, but it was Alfreds sons Louis, Pierre and Jacques, in 1904, the Brazilian pioneer aviator, Alberto Santos-Dumont complained to his friend Louis Cartier of the unreliability and impracticality of using pocket watches while flying. Cartier designed a flat wristwatch with a square bezel. This watch was liked by not only Santos-Dumont but also many other customers and this was Cartiers first mens wristwatch. Louis retained responsibility for the Paris branch, moving to the Rue de la Paix in 1899, in 1907, Cartier signed a contract with Edmond Jaeger, who agreed to exclusively supply the movements for Cartier watches. By this time, Cartier had branches in London, New York, the Baignoire and Tortue models were introduced in 1912, followed by the Tank model in 1917. This, designed by Louis Cartier, was inspired from the newly introduced tanks on the Western Front and this line too has survived, with over thirty varieties made since. In the early 1920s, Cartier formed a joint company with Edward Jaeger to produce movements solely for Cartier, thus was the European watch and clock company born, although Cartier continued to use movements from other makers. Cartier watches can be found with movements from Vacheron Constantin, Audemars Piguet, Movado, Pierre Cartier established the New York City branch in 1909, moving in 1917 to 653 Fifth Avenue, the Neo-Renaissance mansion of Morton Freeman Plant and designed by architect C. P. H. Cartier acquired the mansion from the Plants in exchange for $100 in cash, among the Cartier team was Charles Jacqueau, who joined Louis Cartier in 1909 for the rest of his life, and Jeanne Toussaint, who was Director of Fine Jewellery from 1933. After the death of Pierre in 1964, Jean-Jacques Cartier, Claude Cartier, in 1972, a group of investors led by Joseph Kanoui bought Cartier Paris. President Robert Hocq, who created the phrase Les Must de Cartier with Alain Dominique Perrin, General Director, in 1974 and 1976 respectively, the group repurchased Cartier London and Cartier New York
24.
Louis Vuitton
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Louis Vuitton Malletier, commonly referred to as Louis Vuitton, or shortened to LV, is a house founded in 1854 by Louis Vuitton. The labels LV monogram appears on most of its products, ranging from luxury trunks and leather goods to ready-to-wear, shoes, watches, jewelry, accessories, sunglasses, for six consecutive years, Louis Vuitton was named the worlds most valuable luxury brand. Its 2012 valuation was US$25.9 billion, the 2013 valuation of the brand was US$28.4 billion with revenue of US$9.4 billion. The company operates in 50 countries with more than 460 stores worldwide, the Louis Vuitton label was founded by Vuitton in 1854 on Rue Neuve des Capucines in Paris, France. Louis Vuitton had observed that the HJ Cave Osilite trunk could be stacked and in 1858, Vuitton introduced his flat-bottom trunks with trianon canvas. Before the introduction of Vuittons trunks, rounded-top trunks were used, generally to promote water run off and it was Vuittons gray Trianon canvas flat trunk that allowed the ability to stack with ease for voyages. Many other luggagemakers imitated LVs style and design, the company participated in the 1867 Universal Exhibition in Paris. To protect against the duplication of his look, Vuitton changed the Trianon design to a beige, by 1885, the company opened its first store in London on Oxford Street. In 1892, Louis Vuitton died, and the management passed to his son. After the death of his father, Georges Vuitton began a campaign to build the company into a worldwide corporation, in 1896, the company launched the signature Monogram Canvas and made the worldwide patents on it. Its graphic symbols, including quatrefoils and flowers, were based on the trend of using Japanese Mon designs in the late Victorian era, the patents later proved to be successful in stopping counterfeiting. In this same year, Georges traveled to the United States, where he toured cities such as New York, Philadelphia, in 1901, the Louis Vuitton Company introduced the Steamer Bag, a smaller piece of luggage designed to be kept inside Vuitton luggage trunks. By 1913, the Louis Vuitton Building opened on the Champs-Elysees and it was the largest travel-goods store in the world at the time. Stores also opened in New York, Bombay, Washington, London, Alexandria, afterwards, in 1930, the Keepall bag was introduced. During 1932, LV introduced the Noé bag and this bag was originally made for champagne vintners to transport bottles. Soon thereafter, the Louis Vuitton Speedy bag was introduced, in 1936 Georges Vuitton died, and his son, Gaston-Louis Vuitton, assumed control of the company. During World War II, Louis Vuitton collaborated with the Nazis during the German occupation of France, the family set up a factory dedicated to producing artifacts glorifying Pétain, including more than 2,500 busts. Caroline Babulle, a spokeswoman for the publisher, Fayard, said, They have not contested anything in the book, responding to the books release in 2004, a spokesman for LVMH said, This is ancient history
25.
Prada
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Prada S. p. A. is an Italian luxury fashion house, specializing in leather handbags, travel accessories, shoes, ready-to-wear, perfumes and other fashion accessories, founded in 1913 by Mario Prada. The company was started in 1913 by Mario Prada and his brother Martino as a goods shop – Fratelli Prada – in Milan. Initially, the shop sold leather goods and imported English steamer trunks, Mario Prada did not believe that women should have a role in business, and so he prevented female family members from entering into his company. Ironically, Marios son harbored no interest in the business, so it was his daughter Luisa Prada who took the helm of Prada as his successor and her own daughter, Miuccia Prada, joined the company in 1970, eventually taking over for her mother in 1978. Miuccia began making waterproof backpacks out of Pocone and she met Patrizio Bertelli in 1977, an Italian who had begun his own leather goods business at the age of 17, and he joined the company soon after. He advised Miuccia—and she followed the advice—on better decisions for the Prada company and it was his advice to discontinue importing English goods and to change the existing luggage. Miuccia inherited the company in 1978 by which time sales were up to U. S. $450,000, with Bertelli alongside her as business manager, Miuccia was allowed time to implement her creativity in the companys designs. She would go on to incorporate her ideas into the house of Prada that would change it and she released her first set of backpacks and totes in 1979. They were made out of a tough military spec black nylon that her grandfather had used as coverings for steamer trunks. Initial success was not instant, as they were hard to sell due to the lack of advertising and high-prices, next, Miuccia and Bertelli sought out wholesale accounts for the bags in upscale department stores and boutiques worldwide. The next big release was a nylon tote and that same year, the house of Prada began expansion across continental Europe by opening locations in prominent shopping districts within Florence, Paris, Madrid, and New York City. A shoe line was released in 1984. In 1985, Miuccia released the classic Prada handbag that became an overnight sensation, although practical and sturdy, its sleek lines and craftsmanship exuded an offhand aura of luxury that has become the Prada signature. In 1987, Miuccia and Bertelli married, Prada launched its womens ready-to-wear collection in 1989, and the designs came to be known for their dropped waistlines and narrow belts. Pradas popularity skyrocketed when the world took notice of its clean lines, opulent fabrics. The logo for the label was not as obvious a design element as those on bags from other prominent luxury brands such as Louis Vuitton and it tried to market its lack of prestigious appeal, including the apparel, was its image of anti-status or reverse snobbery. Pradas originality made it one of the most influential fashion houses, sales were reported at L70 billion, or US$31.7 million, in 1998. Partrizio di Marco took charge of the business in the United States after working for the house in Asia
26.
Tiffany & Co.
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Tiffany & Company is an American luxury jewelry and specialty retailer, headquartered in New York City. Tiffany sells jewelry, sterling silver, china, crystal, stationery, fragrances, water bottles, watches, personal accessories, many of these goods are sold at Tiffany stores, as well as through direct-mail and corporate merchandising. Tiffany is renowned for its goods and is particularly known for its diamond jewelry. Tiffany markets itself as an arbiter of taste and style, and was once a purveyor to the Russian imperial family, founded by Charles Lewis Tiffany and John B. The name was shortened to Tiffany & Company in 1853 when Charles Tiffany took control, Tiffany & Company has since opened stores in major cities all over the world. Unlike other stores at the time in the 1830s, Tiffany clearly marked the prices on its goods to forestall any haggling over prices, in addition, against the social norm at the time, Tiffany only accepted cash payments, and did not accept payments on credit. Such practices, fixed prices for ready money, were first introduced by Palmers of London Bridge in 1750, who employed the young Robert Owen, the later social reformer. The first Tiffanys mail order catalog, known as the Blue Book, was published in 1845 in the United States, in 1862, Tiffany & Company supplied the Union Army with swords, flags and surgical implements. In 1867, Tiffany & Co. was the first US firm to win an award for the excellence in silverware at the Exposition Universelle in Paris. In 1870, the built an new store building at 15 Union Square West, Manhattan, designed by John Kellum. It was described by The New York Times as a palace of jewels, Tiffany stayed at this site until 1906. In 1877, an insignia that would become the famous New York Yankees NY logo was struck on a medal of honor by Tiffany & Company. In 1878, Tiffany won the medal for jewelry and a grand prize for silverware at the Paris Exposition. In 1887, Tiffany bought the French Crown Jewels, which attracted publicity, the company revised the Great Seal of the United States in 1885. In 1902, after the death of Charles Lewis Tiffany, his son, Louis Comfort Tiffany, in 1919, the company made a revision to the Medal of Honor on behalf of the United States Department of the Navy. This Tiffany Cross version was rare because it was awarded only for combat, in 1942 the Navy established the Tiffany version for non-combat heroism, but in August 1942 the Navy eliminated the Tiffany Cross and the two-medal system. In 1956, legendary designer Jean Schlumberger joined Tiffany, and Andy Warhol collaborated with Tiffany to create Tiffany Holiday Cards. In 1968 Lady Bird Johnson, First Lady of the U. S. at the time, in November 1978, Tiffany & Co. was sold to Avon Products Inc. for about US$104 million in stock
27.
Fendi
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Fendi is an Italian luxury fashion house whose specialities include fur, ready-to-wear, leather goods, shoes, fragrances, eyewear, timepieces and accessories. Founded in 1925 in Rome, Fendi is renowned for its fur and fur accessories, Fendi is also well known for its leather goods such as Baguette, 2jours, Peekaboo or Pequin handbags. The house of Fendi was launched in 1925 by Adele and Edoardo Fendi as a fur and leather shop in Via del Plebiscito, since 1946, the five sisters of second generation started entering the company and bought new wave of enthusiasm. Karl Lagerfeld joined Fendi in 1965 and became the Creative Director for Fur, silvia Venturini Fendi, daughter of Anna, joined in 1994 and is the Creative Director for Accessories and Mens lines. Since 2001, Fendi became a luxury fashion brand and member of LVMH group. In 2014, Fendi started making plans to use drones to show its catwalk fashions, Fendi invested more than 2 million euros to help restore the Trevi Fountain in Rome designed by Nicola Salvi in 18th century. The restoration works started June 2014, “It’s about tying us with a city that makes millions of people dream, ” Fendi CEO Pietro Beccari said. Official homepage Fendi – brand and company profile at Fashion Model Directory
28.
Bulgari
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Bulgari is an Italian jewelry and luxury goods brand that produces and markets several product lines including jewelry, watches, fragrances, accessories, and hotels. The name Voulgaris itself contains the root word Βούλγαρ Greek for Bulgarian, furthermore in the companys native Italy the word Bulgari means Bulgarians or people of Bulgarian descent. Sotirios Boulgaris, born in an Aromanian village known as Kalarites began his career as a jeweller in his home village Paramythia, in 1877, he left for Corfu and then Naples. In 1881 he finally moved to Rome, where in 1884 he founded his company, the store in Via Sistina was then replaced by the current flagship store in Via dei Condotti opened in 1905 by Bulgari with the help of his two sons, Costantino and Giorgio. During the Second World War, Costantino Bulgari and his wife Laura hid three Jewish women in their own Roman home and they were strangers to them, the Bulgaris opened their doors out of outrage for the raid of the Roman ghetto in October 1943. For their generous action, on 31 December 2003, they were awarded the title of Righteous among the Nations at Yad Vashem in Jerusalem, after Giorgios death in 1966, his son Gianni led the company as co-chief executive with his cousin Marina. As chairman and CEO of Bulgari in the early 1970s, Gianni initiated the internationalization of the company by opening shops in New York, Geneva, Monte-Carlo, for many years the company maintained a showroom in New Yorks The Pierre Hotel. In the late 1970s, Gianni led a complete overhaul of the company, establishing a new watch business, in 1985, Gianni resigned as CEO and in 1987, he left the family business after selling his one-third stake in the company to his brothers Nicola and Paolo. In 1984, Sotirios grandsons Paolo and Nicola Bulgari were named Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the company, trapanis goal to diversify the company was started in the early 1990s with the release of the Bulgari perfume line. Under his tenure the company has established itself as a luxury goods brand recognized throughout the world, in 1995, the company was listed on the Borsa Italiana. The company has seen 150% revenue growth between 1997 and 2003, under the deal, the Bulgari family sold their 50.4 per cent controlling stake in exchange for 3 per cent of LVMH, thereby becoming the second-biggest family shareholder behind the Arnaults in LVMH. The takeover doubled the size of LVMH’s watches and jewellery unit, the acquisition concluded on 4 October 2011 as Bulgari was delisted from the Borsa Italiana. Bulgari opened its first hotel in Milan in 2004, a resort in Bali in 2006, followed by a hotel in London in 2012, in 2011, Bulgari Bali has been chosen by the readers of Smart Travel Asia magazine as number-2 of top places to stay in Asia. Current locations include Milan, London, and Bali with restaurants in Osaka, future locations will include Shanghai, Beijing, Dubai, and Moscow. Bulgari jewelry design is distinctive and often imitated, in the 1970s, many of the more expensive Bulgari pieces were characterized by instantly recognizable, bold, architectural designs combining large and weighty gold links with interlocking steel. Bulgari is also famous for colored stones, especially sapphires mixed in unique formats, genuine Bulgari watches have a unique serial number that is registered with the company. Bulgari relies on a network of about 300 stores, located in the most exclusive shopping areas in the world. The largest Bulgari store in the world is the 10-story Bulgari Ginza Tower in Tokyo,940 square meters of floor space, including a restaurant
29.
Salvatore Ferragamo S.p.A.
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Salvatore Ferragamo S. p. A. is an Italian luxury goods company, with headquarters in Florence, specializing in shoes, leather goods, and ready-to-wear for men and women. It is the parent company of the Ferragamo Group, the company also licences eyewear and watches. Salvatore Ferragamo emigrated from southern Italy to Boston and then California in 1914 and he opened the Hollywood Boot Shop in 1923, and made shoes for movie stars such as Joan Crawford and Gloria Swanson, as well as for films such as Cecil B. He returned to Italy and set up a shop in Florence in 1927. However, the modern shoemaking company regards 1928 as the date of its foundation, the company flourished after World War II, expanding the workforce to 700 craftsmen producing 350 pairs of hand-made shoes a day. The company is owned by the Ferragamo family, which in November 2006 included Salvatores widow Wanda, five children,23 grandchildren. There is a rule that only 3 members of the family can work at the company, however, as of January 2008, this plan may be on put on hold in the midst of the downturn in the financial market. If the listing on the stock market proceeds, the fund will be directed primarily towards building its positions in China, the company is holding its 80th birthday exhibition in Shanghai. In 2011 the company was listed on the stock exchange, for the fiscal year 2015, Salvatore Ferragamo reported preliminary consolidated revenues of 1,430 million euros. On August 2,2016 Eraldo Poletto was appointed as new CEO of the group, throughout its history, the company has been known for innovative designs and use of materials. Such ingenuity goes back to Salvatores time in California, when he studied anatomy to make shoes which were more comfortable, metal-reinforced stiletto heels were made famous by Marilyn Monroe. The company is known for the ‘Gancini’ decoration, the ‘Vara’ patent ballet pump, the Salvatore bag. It makes also eyewear and watches in partnership with Marchon and Timex Group, Salvatore worked with film stars and celebrities from his earliest days in Hollywood. Clients over the years included Audrey Hepburn, Sophia Loren and Greta Garbo, as well as Andy Warhol, Grace Mugabe and Diana, the company made Margaret Thatchers famous handbags and for King Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck during the coronation on November 6,2008 in Thimpu, Bhutan. Wanda Ferragamo Miletti, has led the group since 1960, when her husband and founder of the company, Salvatore, ferruccio Ferragamo, currently Chairman of the Company. Eraldo Poletto, CEO of Salvatore Ferragamo S. p. A, giovanna Gentile Ferragamo, she is currently Vice President of Salvatore Ferragamo S. p. A. Leonardo Ferragamo, since 2000, he has served as CEO of Palazzo Feroni Finanziaria S. p. A, fulvia Visconti Ferragamo, has run the fashion label’s silk accessories division since the Seventies. She is currently Deputy Chairwoman of Ferragamo Finanziaria S. p. A
30.
Christian Dior SE
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Christian Dior SE, commonly known as Dior, is a French luxury goods company controlled and chaired by French businessman Bernard Arnault, who also heads LVMH – the worlds largest luxury group. Dior itself holds 42. 36% shares of and 59. 01% voting rights within LVMH, while the Christian Dior label remains largely for womens offerings, the company also operates the Dior Homme division for men and the baby Dior label for childrens wear. Products are sold throughout its portfolio of retail stores worldwide, as well as through its online store, the House of Dior was established on 16 December 1946, in a private house at 30 Avenue Montaigne Paris B. However, the current Dior corporation celebrates 1947 as the opening year, Dior was financially backed by wealthy businessman Marcel Boussac. Boussac had originally invited Dior to design for Philippe et Gaston, the new couture house became a part of a vertically integrated textile business already operated by Boussac. Its capital was at FFr 6 million and workforce at 80 employees, Diors creativity also negotiated him a good salary. On 12 February 1947, Dior launched his first fashion collection for Spring–Summer 1947, the show of 90 models of his first collection on six mannequins was presented in the salons of the companys headquarters at 30 Avenue Montaigne. Originally, the two lines were named Corolle and Huit, however, the new collection went down in fashion history as the New Look after the editor-in-chief of Harpers Bazaar Carmel Snow exclaimed, Its such a New Look. At a time of post-war fabric restrictions, Dior used up to twenty yards of extravagant fabrics for his creations, as a result, Paris, which had fallen from its position as the capital of the fashion world after WWII, regained its preeminence. The New Look was welcomed in western Europe as an antidote to the austerity of wartime and de-feminizing uniforms. According to Harold Koda, The Costume Institute curator in charge, not everyone was pleased with the New Look, however. Some considered the amount of material to be wasteful, especially after years of cloth rationing, feminists in particular were outraged, feeling that the new designs with its return to corsets were restrictive and regressive, and that Diors designs took away womens independence. Fellow designer Coco Chanel remarked, “Only a man who never was intimate with a woman could design something that uncomfortable. ”Available references contradict themselves whether Christian Dior Parfums was established in 1947 or 1948. The Dior corporation itself lists the founding of Christian Dior Parfums as 1947, with the launch of its first perfume, Dior revolutionized the perfumery industry with the launch of the highly popular Miss Dior parfum, which was named after Catherine Dior. Christian Dior Ltd owned 25%, manager of Coty perfumes held 35%, pierre Cardin was made head of the Dior workshop from 1947 until 1950. In 1948, a New York City Christian Dior Parfums branch was established—this could be the cause of establishment-date issue. The modern Dior corporation also notes that a luxury ready-to-wear house is established in New York at the corner of 5th Avenue and 57th Street, in 1949, the Diorama perfume is released and by 1949, the New Look line alone made a profit FFr 12.7 million. Expansion from France began by the end of 1949 with the opening of a Christian Dior boutique in New York City, by the end of the year, Dior fashions made up 75% of Pariss fashion exports and 5% of Frances total export revenue
31.
Miu Miu
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Miu Miu is an Italian high fashion womens clothing and accessory brand and a fully owned subsidiary of Prada. It is headed by Miuccia Prada and headquartered in Milan, Italy, Miu Miu was established in 1993 by Miuccia Prada. The name was conceived from Miuccia Pradas family nickname, in 2012, Miu Miu launched the Womens Tales series. The campaign consisted of films that were produced in conjunction with high-profile female directors. The outcome was a list of short, silent films that featured Miu Mius collections, the first four short films premiered at the 69th Venice International Film Festival and were directed by Zoe Cassavetes, Lucrecia Martel, Giada Colagrande, and Massy Tadjedin. A fifth film that debut in 2013, was written and directed by Ava DuVernay, on May 17,2013, a statement against sexual harassment and gender discrimination at workplace was released by the UN Committee. In April 2013, an American Change. org petition against Miuccia Prada and this petition was against Miuccia Prada for countersuing a victim for voicing her opinion against sexual harassment. This petition damaged the brand image, on May 28,2013, The UN has backed former Prada employee Bovrisse over the sexual harassment and discrimination case of Prada. Vogue launched a news article, Prada Vs The UN with a comment, Anyone who buys from the Prada and Miu Miu brands are supporting a culture of discrimination and power harassment. Set to launch its first fragrance in 2015, Miu Mius new venture is backed by the agreement between Coty Inc. and Prada. This is the first time that Miu Miu has expanded outside the fashion, there are Miu Miu boutiques located on a global scale. Miu Miu opened its first independent store in China in the MIX in the city of Shenzhen in 2009. A new North American store was launched in Houston, Texas, in The Galleria during the summer of 2011 and in Short Hills, New Jersey, Miu Miu also opened their first Australian boutique at Chadstone Shopping Centre in Melbourne. A second opened at Westfield Sydney in 2011, a branch opened in Glasgow, Scotland, in 2010 and is situated in the Frasers department store. In May 2011, Miu Miu appointed the actress Hailee Steinfeld to be the new face of the brand. For the 2012 campaign, a 34-year-old, U. S. model Guinevere Van Seenus was chosen, official website Miu Miu – brand and company profile at Fashion Model Directory Short info about Miu Miu Fashion Shows, Runway Collections and Fashion Tv
32.
Versace
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Gianni Versace S. p. A. usually referred to as Versace, is an Italian luxury fashion company and trade name founded by Gianni Versace in 1978. The Versace logo is the head of Medusa, a Greek mythological figure, the logo came from the floor of ruins in Rome that the Versace siblings played in as children. Gianni Versace chose Medusa as the logo because she made people fall in love with her and he hoped his company would have the same effect on people. The Versace brand is known for having flashy prints and bright colors, in 1972, Gianni Versace designed his first collections for Callaghan, Genny, and Complice. In 1978, the company launched under the name Gianni Versace Donna, the first Versace boutique was opened in Milans Via della Spiga in 1978. Versace was one of the few independent designers who was in control of everything about the brand, in 1982, the company expanded into the accessory, jewelry, home furnishing, and china industries. In 1993, Donatella Versace created the Young Versace line as well as Versus, in 1994, the brand gained widespread international coverage due to the Black Versace dress of Elizabeth Hurley, referred to at the time as that dress. Versace was often described as the Rock n Roll designer because they designed for many clients, including Elton John, Michael Jackson. Versace designed the costumes and album cover costumes for Elton John in 1992. Versace has also designed clothing for the Princess of Wales and Princess Caroline of Monaco, the Versace company is known for using the same models in their ads as they do on the runway. After the murder of Gianni Versace in 1997, his sister Donatella Versace, formerly vice-president, took over as creative director, donatellas daughter Allegra Versace was left a 50 percent stake in the company, which she assumed control of on her eighteenth birthday. The companys profits were in decline in the early 2000s, Fabio Massimo Cacciatori was hired as interim CEO to reorganise, Cacciatori resigned in December 2003 due to disputes with the Versace family. From 2004 Giancarlo di Risio, from IT Holding, was CEO of the group until his resignation in 2009 due to disagreements with Donatella, since July 2009, Gian Giacomo Ferraris, previously of Jil Sander, has operated as CEO for the group. In February 2014 The Blackstone Group purchased a 20 percent stake in Versace for 210 million €, as of August 2013, more than 80 boutiques operate worldwide, the first boutique outside of Italy was opened in Glasgow, Scotland in 1991. In 2006, Gianni Versace S. p. A. entered into a partnership with Automobili Lamborghini S. p. A. to produce the Lamborghini Murciélago LP640 VERSACE, the car had a Versace white satin interior with the Versace logo embroidered into the seats. The car was available in black and white, there were only ten units produced. The car was sold with a luggage set, luxury driving shoes. The Versace company teamed up with AgustaWestland in 2008 to create the AgustaWestland AW109 Grand Versace VIP luxury helicopter, the helicopter includes Versace leather interior and a design on the outside
33.
Bottega Veneta
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Bottega Veneta is an Italian luxury goods and high fashion brand house best known for its leather goods which are sold worldwide and its mens and womens ready-to-wear. In 2001, Bottega Veneta was purchased by Gucci Group, and is now a part of the French multinational group Kering, in September 2016, it was announced that Claus-Dietrich Lahrs would be named CEO, replacing Carlo Beretta. Bottega Veneta was established in 1966 in Vicenza, Italy by entrepreneurs Michele Taddei, Michele Taddei was then married to Laura Braggion who developed the company alongside him. Years later, after Michele Taddei would leave and Vittorio and Laura Moltedo took over the brand, the company which is born from the name was Venetian Shop in Italian was founded with the producing of artisanal leather goods. In the 1970s, the company began advertising with the tag line “When your own initials are enough, by the early 1980s, Bottega Veneta was a favorite of the international jet set, with clients including Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and the empress Farah Pahlavi. Andy Warhol made a film for the company in 1980. Zengiaro and Taddei retired from the company in the 1990s, during the 1980s, Bottega Veneta’s fortunes began to decline. In a miscue, the changed its image and began emblazoning a BV logo on its products. In February 2001, the company was acquired by Gucci Group for $156 million. Tom Ford, then Gucci Groups Creative Director, hired Tomas Maier, after receiving total creative control from product and store design to advertising, Tomas Maier set about returning the brand to its original identity. He removed visible logos from the products, highlighted the signature intrecciato weave. Vogue described the change of image as an example of “stealth wealth. ”Bottega Veneta presented its first women’s ready-to-wear runway show in February 2005. In April 2006, the company launched its first jewelry line and branched out into interiors, in September 2016, the Bottega Veneta celebrated its 50-year anniversary as a company at its annual fashion show at the Brera Academy in Milan. The event also celebrated Tomas Maiers 15th year as creative director, Bottega Veneta collaborates with notable photographers on its advertising campaigns such as, in the companys Art of Collaboration series, Jürgen Teller, Robert Longo, and Nan Goldin. In 2012, Bottega Veneta published its first book to celebrate its history, the book is the result of a collaborative effort between Maier himself, book designer Sam Shahid, and others in fashion journalism. The book discusses the production of Bottega Venetas luxury goods and features their signature intrecciato weave design. A second book detailing the Art of Collaboration project was published in October 2015, in 2013, Bottega Veneta inaugurated its new atelier in Montebello Vicentino. The complex, restored and constructed with an eye to LEED guidelines, was overseen by Maier, Maier has said that keeping Bottega Venetas operations in Vicenza is essential to maintaining the traditions and ideals of the brand
34.
Armani
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The brand utilizes the association of the Armani name with high-fashion, benefiting from its prestige in the fashion industry. By the end of 2005, estimated sales of the company were around $1.69 billion, Armani is the fastest growing fashion brand. The company already operates a range of cafés worldwide, in addition to a bar, Giorgio Armani is a high-end label specializing in mens and womens ready-to-wear, accessories, glasses, cosmetics, and perfumes. It is available only in Giorgio Armani boutiques, specialty clothiers, the logo is a curved G completing a curved A, forming a circle. According to WSJ and other reporters, in addition to couture line Armani Privé, Giorgio Armani. In addition, selling at lower prices are Armani Collezioni, Armani Exchange, Emporio Armani is the second brand of Armani family, features ready-to-wear and runway collections. Emporio Armani focuses on trends and modern traits, Emporio Armani usually only sold in freestanding Emporio Armani boutiques and its official website. Dj Ruru starred in four Emporio Armani underwear campaigns from Spring/Summer 2008 to Fall/Winter 2009-2010, beckham appeared with his wife, former Spice Girl and fashion designer Victoria, in the campaigns twice in 2009. All campaigns were photographed by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott, in January 2010, football star Cristiano Ronaldo and Hollywood movie star Megan Fox became the male and female face and body of Emporio Armani. In 2011 Megan Fox was replaced with Rihanna and Ronaldo was replaced by tennis athlete Rafael Nadal, Emporio Armani has teamed up with Reebok to create fashion shoes under the label EA7. Armani Collezioni is the line of Giorgio Armani that retails at a lower price and is less exclusive than Giorgio Armani, Emporio Armani. The logo is usually displayed black written on a white label, Armani being larger and Collezioni underneath it. It provides made-to-measure tailored suits and shirts where every element can be chosen, last year, a sporty line of this label has appeared named Armani Collezioni Active in the same way as the EA7 line from Emporio Armani line. Armani Jeans is a collection of denim-related clothing, created in 1981. Armani Jeans is mainly sold in department stores, although there are many freestanding Armani Jeans stores in the world, some Armani Jeans items are sold in Emporio Armani Stores. This line does not feature Giorgio Armanis signature simplicity, the colors used are more diverse than those found in his higher end lines. Brazilian Midfielder Kaka was signed to endorse the jeans, A|X Armani Exchange was launched in 1991 in the U. S. It retails fashion and lifestyle products and is known for its occasionally provocative ad campaigns, inspired by street-chic culture and dance music, it is targeted as the more accessible Armani brand
35.
Chanel
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Chanel S. A. is a French, privately held company owned by Alain and Gérard Wertheimer, grandsons of Pierre Wertheimer, who was an early business partner of the couturière Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel. Chanel S. A. is a fashion house that specializes in haute couture and ready-to-wear clothes, luxury goods. In her youth, Gabrielle Chanel gained the nickname Coco from her time as a chanteuse, the House of Chanel is known for the little black dress, the perfume No.5 de Chanel, and the Chanel Suit. Chanel’s use of jersey fabric produced garments that were comfortable and affordable, Chanel used colors traditionally associated with masculinity in Europe, such as grey and navy blue, to denote feminine boldness of character. An example of haute couture techniques is the woolen Chanel suit — a knee-length skirt. The complementary accessories were two-tone pump shoes and jewellry, usually a necklace of pearls, Coco Chanel thus could sell to them the hats she designed and made, she thus earned a living, independent of her financial sponsor, the socialite Balsan. Despite that social circumstance, Boy Capel perceived the businesswoman innate to Coco Chanel, because that locale already housed a dress shop, the business-lease limited Chanel to selling only millinery products, not couture. The First World War affected European fashion through scarcity of materials, in 1915 and in 1917, Harper’s Bazaar magazine reported that the garments of the House of Chanel were on the list of every buyer for the clothing factories of Europe. After the First World War, the House of Chanel, following the trends of the 1920s, produced beaded dresses. Originally, a bottle of No.5 de Chanel was a gift to clients of Chanel, the popularity of the perfume prompted the House of Chanel to offer it for retail sale in 1922. In 1923, to explain the success of her clothes, Coco Chanel told Harper’s Bazaar magazine that design simplicity is the keynote of all true elegance, business partners — late 1920s The success of the No. To that end, the businessman Théophile Bader introduced the venture capitalist Pierre Wertheimer to Coco Chanel, moreover, by 1937, the House of Chanel had expanded the range of its clothes to more women, and presented prêt-à-porter clothes designed and cut for the petite woman. Among fashion designers only the clothes created by Elsa Schiaparelli could compete with the clothes of Chanel. A. at 31 rue Cambon, meanwhile, because of the Nazi occupation’s official anti-Semitism, Pierre Wertheimer and family, had fled France to the U. S. in mid-1940. Later, in 1941, Coco Chanel attempted to assume control of Parfums Chanel. Occupied France abounded with rumours that Coco Chanel was a Nazi collaborator, her identity was secret agent 7124 of the Abwehr. At War’s end, upon the Allied liberation of France, Chanel was arrested for having collaborated with the Nazis, in Switzerland, the news revived Coco Chanel’s resentment at having been exploited by her business partner, for only ten per cent of the money. So she established a rival Swiss parfumerie to create, produce, in exchange Gabrielle Chanel closed her Swiss parfumerie enterprise, and sold to Parfums Chanel the full rights to the name Coco Chanel. As a post–War fashion that used some 20 yards of fabric, having decided to do business with Coco Chanel, Wertheimer’s negotiations to fund the resurgence of the House of Chanel, granted him commercial rights to all Chanel-brand products
36.
Rolex
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Rolex SA is a Swiss luxury watchmaker. The company and its subsidiary Montres Tudor SA design, manufacture, distribute and service wristwatches sold under the Rolex, founded by Hans Wilsdorf and Alfred Davis in London, England in 1905 as Wilsdorf and Davis, Rolex moved its base of operations to Geneva, Switzerland in 1919. Forbes ranked Rolex 64th on its 2016 list of the worlds most powerful global brands, Rolex is the largest single luxury watch brand, producing about 2,000 watches per day. The company is owned by the Hans Wilsdorf Foundation, a private trust which does not pay corporate tax. Alfred Davis and his brother-in-law Hans Wilsdorf founded Wilsdorf and Davis, Wilsdorf and Davis main commercial activity at the time involved importing Hermann Aeglers Swiss movements to England and placing them in high-quality watch cases made by Dennison and others. These early wristwatches were sold to jewellers, who put their own names on the dial. The earliest watches from Wilsdorf and Davis were usually hallmarked W&D inside the caseback, in 1908 Wilsdorf registered the trademark Rolex and opened an office in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland. The company name Rolex was registered on 15 November 1915, the book The Best of Time, Rolex Wristwatches, An Unauthorized History by Jeffrey P. Hess and James Dowling says that the name was just made up. One story, never confirmed by Wilsdorf, recounts that the name came from the French phrase horlogerie exquise, Wilsdorf was said to want his watch brands name to be easily pronounceable in any language. He also thought that the name Rolex was onomatopoeic, sounding like a watch being wound and it is easily pronounceable in many languages and, as all its upper-case letters have the same size, can be written symmetrically. It was also enough to fit on the face of a watch. In 1914 Kew Observatory awarded a Rolex watch a Class A precision certificate and its name was later changed to Montres Rolex, SA and finally Rolex, SA. Wilsdorf died in 1960, since then, the trust has owned, Rolex SA announced Heinigers death on 5 March 2013. As of 2010 Rolex watches continue to have a reputation as status symbols and this not only made watch-winding unnecessary, but kept the power from the mainspring more consistent resulting in more reliable time keeping. Rolex participated in the development of the quartz watch movements. Although Rolex has made very few models for its Oyster line. In 1968, Rolex collaborated with a consortium of 16 Swiss watch manufacturers to develop the Beta 21 quartz movement used in their Rolex Quartz Date 5100, alongside other manufactures including the Omega Electroquartz watches. Within about five years of research, design, and development, Rolex was also the first watch company to create a water resistant wristwatch that could withstand pressure to a depth of 330 feet
37.
Moschino
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Moschino is an Italian luxury fashion house, specialized ready-to-wear, leather and fashion accessories, shoes, luggage, perfume etc. founded in 1983 by Franco Moschino. Moschino is often pronounced in English as MOS-CHI-NO, when in fact the correct pronunciation is MOS-KEY-NO, the brand was originally created in 1983 by the late Franco Moschino. After Moschinos untimely death, Rossella Jardini, his former assistant, the brand has been part of the Aeffe fashion group since 1999. Rossella Jardini was Moschino’s Creative Director from 1994 to October 2013, in October 2013, Jeremy Scott became Moschinos creative director, showing his first Moschino collection in Fall 2014. In 2006, Moschino designed the outfits for the ceremony of the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin. Moschino also designed outfits for Kylie Minogues 2005 Showgirl - The Greatest Hits Tour, Madonnas 2008 Sticky & Sweet Tour, starting with the F/W 2008-2009 pre-collection, the Moschino Jeans label changed its name to Love Moschino which better expresses its intrinsic nature. The owner of the Moschino labels is Moschino SpA, the company which was acquired by Aeffe SpA, Moschino SpA carries out its brand management, licensing agreement activities, communication and coordination of the commercial policies autonomously. In 2007, Moschino SpA signed an agreement with con Scienward International Holdings Limited for the franchising. The 10-year agreement provides for the opening of 40 stores and the distribution of Moschino brand clothing lines beginning with the S/S2008 collection. The new collection of Moschino Helmets was presented to the world for the first time in November 2007 and these helmets were the result of a collaboration between Max Safety Fashion helmet manufacturers and the Moschino fashion brand. On 25 February 2010, the hotel “Maison Moschino” inaugurated in Milan at Viale Monte Grappa 12, a declared celebration of Moschino’s evolution from its beginnings until the S/S2010 collection, told through its clothes and accessories, ad campaigns and boutique window displays. In July 2011, the collection was presented at the catwalk of The Brandery fashion show in Barcelona. In February 2014, WWD announced that Angela Missoni hired Rossella Jardini, Angela Missoni will continue to be creative director of Missoni. The brand consists of several labels, Moschino, Moschino Cheap and Chic, Love Moschino, in addition, accessories, jewelry, watches, perfume and cosmetics, and even jet helmets are sold under the Moschino brand. Almost all models of watches are made by Binda Group, in Milan, Moschino opened its own concept hotel in 2009, Maison Moschino. Starting in 2014, under the direction of creative director Jeremy Scott, Moschino Cheap, Moschino SpA has managed the stylistic activities, coordinated the image and communication, supervised distribution and created the commercial strategies since 2000. The Moschino, Moschino Cheap And Chic and Accessories collections are produced by Aeffe S. p. A. the other product lines are managed by licensing agreements. De Moschino, women fragrance launched in 1996 Uomo, Men fragrance launched in 1998 LEau Cheap and Chic, women fragrance launched in 2001 Couture
38.
Swarovski
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Swarovski is an Austrian producer of crystal headquartered in Wattens, Austria.6 billion euros. Daniel Swarovski was born in northern Bohemia and his father was a glass cutter who owned a small glass factory. It was there that the young Swarovski served an apprenticeship, becoming skilled in the art of glass-cutting, in 1892 he patented an electric cutting machine that facilitated the production of crystal glass. In 1895, Swarovski financier Armand Kosman and Franz Weis founded the Swarovski company, originally known as A. Kosman, the company established a crystal cutting factory in Wattens, Tyrol, to take advantage of local hydroelectricity for the energy-intensive grinding processes Daniel Swarovski patented. Nadja Swarovski, the founders granddaughter, is a member of the Swarovski executive board. The Swarovski Crystal range includes crystal glass sculptures and miniature, jewelry and couture, home decor and it is best known for its small animal figurines, which have loyal and longstanding collectors and fans. All sculptures are marked with a logo, the original Swarovski logo was an edelweiss flower, which was replaced by an S. A. L. Logo, which was replaced with the current swan logo in 1988. To create crystal glass that lets light refract in a rainbow spectrum, for example, Aurora Borealis, or AB, gives the surface a rainbow appearance. Other coatings are named by the company, including Crystal Transmission, Volcano, Aurum, coatings may be applied to only part of an object, others are coated twice, and thus are designated AB 2X, Dorado 2X, etc. In 2004 Swarovski released Xilion, a copyrighted cut designed to optimise the brilliance of Roses, the Swarovski Group includes Tyrolit, Swareflex, Signity, and Swarovski Optik. In 2014, Tristan da Cunha issued a five crown Christmas coin where the reverse has a small Swarovski crystal set in the guiding star behind a picture of one of the magi. Swarovski have created a line of liquid and solid perfumes, the company runs a crystal-themed museum, Swarovski Kristallwelten at its original Wattens site. The Crystal Worlds Centre is fronted by a head, the mouth of which is a fountain. The grass-covered Crystal Worlds Centre houses exhibitions related to, or inspired by, Swarovski work was exhibited at Asias Fashion Jewellery & Accessories Fair based on the concept of a single continuous beam of fragmented light travelling through a crystal. Swarovski Crystal-based animal and other figurines, ornaments and fashion accessories, atelier Swarovski Fashion and jewellery designers. Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren designed a 2014 fall collection, Swarovski Crystal Palace Avant-garde lighting and design Swarovski Professional Crystal elements produced by Swarovski Swarovski Kristallwelten Museum, Art and Entertainment. Swarovski Lighting Finished lighting products and solutions with crystal for architecture, Tyrolit A manufacturer of bonded grinding and cut-off wheels
39.
Dolce & Gabbana
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Dolce & Gabbana is a luxury Italian fashion house founded in 1985 in Legnano by Italian designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana. The two met in Milan in 1980 and designed for the fashion house. In 1982 they established a designer consulting studio, in time it grew to become Dolce & Gabbana and they presented their first womens collection in 1985 in Milan, where a year later their store would open its doors. In 1988, they launched their line, and in 1989 they began designing underwear. Dolce & Gabbana started to export their products to Japan and other countries like the U. S. where they founded their own showroom in 1990, in 1992, the same year they presented their mens collection, they also launched their first perfume Dolce & Gabbana. They won the Woolmark award in 1991, and the prize most feminine flavor of the year in 1993, towards the end of the 1990s their sales were around 500 million dollars and in 2003 their revenue reached $633 million. By 2005, their turnover was €600 million, Domenico Dolce began his career in the fashion industry after dropping out of a three-year course in fashion design at Marangoni Institute, believing that he knew everything the school had to teach. His dream was to work for Giorgio Armani so one day, inside the door, there was a long white carpet leading to the receptionists desk. Dolce was not sure if he should walk on it with his shoes on, I am such a cretino, he says. He decided that he would look ridiculous appearing at the front desk without shoes, so he approached by sidling along the wall and he handed the book to the receptionist and to this day, Dolce does not know if Armani ever saw the sketches. Dolce found a job as an assistant to a designer named Giorgio Correggiari, One night at a club, he met a young man named Stefano Gabbana. Dolce was impressed with Gabbanas good looks and outgoing personality and Gabbana was happy to hear Dolces advice on how to approach Correggiari for a job. Correggiari ended up hiring Gabbana to work on sportswear, and Dolce taught him how to sketch and the basics of tailoring, Dolce, We always filed two different invoices for the freelance work we did, even when we were working for the same client. Gabbana, Our accountant said, Why not just do one invoice for both of you, put Dolce and Gabbana at the top. So the brand was born, the brainchild of a Milanese bookkeeper, the first collection from the design duo was shown in October 1985 alongside five other up-and-coming Italian labels as part of Milan Fashion Week. The two did not have money to hire models or provide accessories for them, so they sought help from their friends. The models simply wore their personal items to complement the clothing and they used a bed sheet that Dolce had brought from home as their stage curtain. The pair labeled their first collection Real Women, due in part to the use of local women on the runway
40.
Kenzo (brand)
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Kenzo is a French luxury house founded in 1970 by Japanese designer Kenzo Takada. Kenzo Takada was born in Japan and moved to Paris in 1964 to start his fashion career and he then became known for using Asian and Japanese influenced style with the expert construction of European high fashion. He started out with a Jungle Jap boutique located in Paris and he began with handmade womens clothing, then in 1983 Kenzo started designing men and then kids and home collections in 1987. Today, it is a luxury goods brand owned by parent company LVMH. Since 2011, The founders of Opening Ceremony, Humberto Leon and Carol Lim, are the creative directors and their aim is to shake up the jungle world of fashion. Like Kenzo in the 1970s, Humberto and Carol decide to go up against the expectations of seasonal trends. They are said to be influenced by the environment of the 21st century. They collaborate with artists, musicians, actors, and designers each collection. Their most recent Fall 2014 collection, they collaborated with filmmaker David Lynch, “We were eager to partner with a visionary organization that spoke about how we could live in harmony with the ocean. As we researched different charitable associations, we discovered the Blue Marine Foundation to be the perfect match and we wholeheartedly support their mission creating sustainable fishing and creating marine reserves. We are extremely excited about this partnership between Kenzo and the Blue Marine Foundation and hope to create more and more awareness of this issue. They have also put up a pop up store in Paris for one week from March 21 to March 27. A screen will allow the customers to browse and buy the garments, also by taking a photo of the store and using the hashtag #NoFishNoNothing, will also support the cause and add a fish to the digital aquarium
41.
Sephora
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Sephora is a French chain of cosmetics stores founded in 1969. Featuring nearly 300 brands, along with its own label, Sephora offers beauty products including makeup, skincare, body, fragrance, nail color. Sephora is owned by luxury conglomerate LVMH as of 1997, the Sephora logo is a white S-shaped flame against a black background. The name comes from the Greek spelling of Zipporah, the most beautiful wife of Moses, Sephora first launched in Paris in a partnership between the UKs Boots PLC and Nouvelles Galeries as a perfumery chain in 1970. It was purchased by Dominique Mandonnaud in 1993, who merged the purchase with his own perfume chain under the Sephora brand, Mandonnaud continued to expand the Sephora brand through the 1990s, opening up its flagship store in Champs Élysées in 1997. In July 1997, Mandonnaud and his partners sold Sephora to LVMH, Sephora opened its first United States store in New York City in 1998 and its first Canadian store in Toronto in 2004. Its North American headquarters is located in San Francisco, with offices in New York City. Sephora currently operates over 360 stores across North America, Sephora launched its online store to the U. S. in 1999 and into Canada in 2003. The Canadian head office was opened in February 2007 by Marie-Christine Marchives, Marie-Christine Marchives returned to France in July 2010 to become the general manager of Sephora France. She was replaced in Canada by Klaus Ryum-Larsen, Sephora currently operates over 1,700 stores in 30 countries worldwide generating over an estimated $4 billion in revenue as of 2013. As of September 2013, the Sephora at Champs Élysées in Paris, France, in 2006, Sephora. com purchased the assets of Eve. com for high six-figures. In 2010, Womens Wear Daily named Sephora the specialty retailer of the year, on 18 November 2014, four customers filed a class action lawsuit against Sephora. On 1 January 2014, Calvin McDonald replaced David Suliteanu as president, Suliteanu was named CEO of Kendo Brands, another business in the LVMH portfolio. In 26 August 2016, Sephora opened its 400th location on the Magnificent Mile in Chicago, the store is the citys new flagship location. In August 2015 it was announced that Sephora would launch a subscription service, the monthly subscription service offers boxes containing five deluxe sample size products and a bonus fragrance sample for $10 a month. Boston, Columbus, and Cincinnati were the three cities to test the initial service launch in September 2015. The service launched throughout the US in 2016, in January 2015 Sephora launched FLASH 2-DAY shipping as a $10 annual subscription service. Note, The service is a subscription service that automatically renews at the end of every 12 month subscription period unless you cancel
42.
Ermenegildo Zegna
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Ermenegildo Zegna is an Italian luxury fashion house that makes mens clothing and accessories. Founded in 1910 when Ermenegildo bought his fathers textile looms, it is now managed by the generation of the Zegna family. As well as producing mens suits for its own labels, it also manufactures suits for Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent, Dunhill, as one of the biggest global producers of fine fabrics, Zegna has been active in promoting improvements in wool production around the world. Zegna is the largest menswear brand in the world by revenue, alessandro Sartori oversees creative direction for all departments of the brand. Prior to the founding of the company, founder Ermenegildo Zegna’s father Angelo owned a mill and looms in the Alps located above Piedmont. Ermenegildo Zegna founded the company in 1910 in Trivero in the Biellese prealps, utilizing his father’s looms, the original name of the company was changed to Fratelli Zegna di Angelo in 1915. Zegna quickly gained a reputation for producing fine quality fabrics for suits, and by the end of the 1930s, in 1938 the Zegna Woollens Corporation was set up in New York although exports were not helped by the privations of war. When Ermenegildo Zegnas sons Aldo and Angelo joined the company in 1942, it was renamed Ermenegildo Zegna, by 1955, the company employed 1,400 workers. In 1963, the company began presenting the Ermenegildo Zegna Wool Awards, as Zegna has been one of the largest buyers of Australian wool since the 1920s, the company established the awards to note the finest purveyor of Australian wool in each calendar year. In 2002 the company started awarding a trophy for wool measuring 13.9 microns. The 50th anniversary awards ceremony in 2013 was held in Sydney’s Fox Studios, Ermenegildo died in 1966 at the age of 74. Aldo and Angelo took over the business, and two later they launched a line of ready-to-wear mens suits produced in Zegnas factory in Novara. Following this, Zegna launched its line, a casual wear line. Angelo was in charge of men’s wear and accessories, and Aldo was in charge of textiles, in 1973 Zegna was one of the first Italian brands to internationalize their production, opening factories in Spain in 1973 and Switzerland in 1977. During the 1980s, the company opened stores in sixteen different countries. At the time, the company pledged to not drive growth through acquisitions, but instead looked to grow its business of fashion and apparel. ”As of 1999. While many Zegna suits are factory-produced, the majority of suits are still made-to-measure. The first boutique was opened in Paris in 1980, followed by Milan in 1985, by 1990 the company was one of the largest apparel producers in Italy
43.
Trussardi
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Trussardi is an Italian fashion house, founded in 1911. It began as a glove manufacturer, and expanded its line to additional leather goods in the 1970s after Nicola Trussardi took over from his uncle. In the 1980s the company started production of clothing, in addition to products including perfumes. By the 1990s Trussardi was selling internationally, with its largest markets in Italy, as of 2014 Tomaso Trussardi is CEO, Gaia Trussardi is Creative Director, and Maria Luisa Trussardi is President of the Trussardi Group. Trussardi was founded in 1911 by Dante Trussardi, as a glove maker, selling to the public. After his death, Dantes nephew took over the business, in 1970 Nicola Trussardi took over from his grandfather Dante, after he was killed in a hunting accident. His wife Marialuisa also joined the company, creative director, during the 1970s Nicola Trussardi adapted to changing fashion trends by diversifying into other leather goods and accessories, and eventually non-leather apparel. He started with such as wallets, suitcases, belts and shoes. Nicola took full control of the company after the death of his father, the company released its first perfume in 1980, named Trussardi, followed in 1983 by Trussardi Uomo for men. Now full head of the company, Nicola launched the first Trussardi womens ready-to-wear line in 1983, Trussardi Jeans was founded in 1986. The company later added perfume, sport and home lines, by 1985 the brand had 120 stores around the world. The company also developed designs for private aircraft and helicopters. Around this time entered the US market, with sections in department stores in addition to boutiques, and initial franchise locations in Beverly Hills, Atlanta, Miami. The first Bloomingdales location opened in 1985, with opera singer Luciano Pavarotti in attendance for the grand opening, in Milan, the company held their ready-to-wear runway shows in offbeat locations, including the Piazza Duomo, La Scala, or the Milan railway station. In 1989 the company launched its first eyewear line, in 1993, the company opened a research and development center in Brindisi, which initially focused on raw material research, new fabrics, and changing packaging to be more environmentally friendly. The company also developed brand-name stores with two lines, the first were Trussardi stores that sold Trussardi fashion goods. The second were called T-Stores, which sold the companys lifestyle line, goods found at a T-Store can include jeans, sports lines, bicycles, tableware, and confections. The first three stores opened in 1995 in Bangkok, Hong Kong, and Seoul, in 1996, Trussardi released the first official T-Store line of casual clothing, focusing especially on basics
44.
Tapestry, Inc.
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Coach, Inc. is a multinational luxury fashion company based in New York City. Coach was founded in 1941, as a workshop in a loft on 34th Street in Manhattan, with six leatherworkers who made wallets. In 1946, Miles Cahn and his wife Lillian joined the company, Miles and Lillian Cahn were owners of a leather handbag manufacturing business, and were knowledgeable about leatherworks and business. By 1950, Cahn had taken over the business, during the early years, Cahn noticed the distinctive properties and qualities of the leather used to make baseball gloves. With wear and use, the leather in a glove became softer and suppler, attempting to mimic this process, Cahn made a way of processing the leather to make it stronger, softer, and more flexible. Since the leather absorbed dye very well, this also created a richer, deeper color in the leather. Soon after Cahn developed this new process, Lillian Cahn suggested to Miles that the supplement the factorys mens accessories business by adding womens leather handbags. The sturdy cowhide bags were an immediate hit, Miles and Lillian Cahn bought the company through a leveraged buyout in 1961. In 1961, Cahn hired Bonnie Cashin, a sportswear pioneer, Cashin revolutionized the products design, working as creative head for Coach from 1962 through 1974. Cashin instituted the inclusion of side pockets, coin purses, in 1979, Lewis Frankfort joined the company as vice-president of business development. During this time, Coach was making $6 million in sales and products were being distributed through the wholesale channel. He was mentored by the then executive VP of sales, Richard Rose, Richard joined Coach in 1965, and he is credited with making Coach a household name after putting the product in department stores across the United States and abroad. He retired from his position in the company in 1995, in 1981, under Frankforts leadership, the company opened its first directly operated retail location on Madison Avenue in Midtown Manhattan. Coach was then sold to Sara Lee Corporation for a reported $30 million, Lew Frankfort succeeded Cahn as president. Sara Lee structured Coach under its Hanes Group, in early 1986, new boutiques were opened in Macys stores in New York City and San Francisco. Additional Coach stores were under construction, and similar boutiques were to be opened in major department stores later that year. By November 1986, the company was operating 12 stores, along with nearly 50 boutiques within department stores. In 1996, Lew Frankfort was named chairman and CEO of Coach, the following year, under Frankforts leadership, Coach hired Reed Krakoff, whose creative and commercials instincts aimed to make Coach products functional, lightweight, and stylish
45.
Valentino SpA
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Valentino SpA is a clothing company founded in 1960 by Valentino Garavani. It is a part of Valentino Fashion Group, since October 2008, the creative director is Pier Paolo Piccioli. Alessandra Facchinetti was Valentinos creative designer from 2007 to 2008, Valentino was founded in 1960 when Garavani opened a fashion house on Via Condotti in Rome, Italy with the backing of his father and his fathers associate joey tomatoes. Valentinos international debut took place in 1962 in Florence, the Italian fashion capital of the time, Valentino has also specially designed wedding dresses for Elizabeth Taylor, Anne Hathaway, Jennifer Lopez, Courtney Cox, Sophie Hunter and Princess Madeleine of Sweden. In 1998, Garavani and Giammetti sold the company for approximately $300 million to HdP, an Italian conglomerate controlled, in part, by the late Gianni Agnelli, the head of Fiat. In 2002, Valentino S. p. A. with revenues of more than $180 million, was sold by HdP to Marzotto Apparel and it was rumored that HDP was displeased with Garavanis and Giammettis personal expenses, a claim at which Giammetti has bristled. Since 2010, Valentino perfumes has belonged to the Puig company
46.
Balenciaga
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Balenciaga is a French luxury fashion house founded by Cristóbal Balenciaga, a Spanish designer, born in the Basque Country, Spain. He had a reputation as a couturier of uncompromising standards and was referred to as the master of us all by Christian Dior and his bubble skirts and odd, feminine, yet ultra-modern shapes were trademarks of the house. The House of Balenciaga is now owned by the French multinational company Kering, Cristóbal Balenciaga opened his first boutique in San Sebastián, Spain in 1919, which expanded to include branches in Madrid and Barcelona. The Spanish royal family and the aristocracy wore his designs, but when the Spanish Civil War forced him to close his stores, Balenciaga opened his Paris couture house on Avenue George V in August 1937, and his first runway show featured designs heavily influenced by the Spanish Renaissance. Balenciagas success in Paris was nearly immediate, within two years, the French press lauded him as a revolutionary, and his designs were highly sought-after. Carmel Snow, the editor of Harpers Bazaar was a champion of his designs. Customers risked their safety to travel to Europe during World War II to see Balenciagas clothing, during this period, he was noted for his square coat, with sleeves cut in a single piece with the yoke, and for his designs with black lace over bright pink fabric. However, it was not until the years that the full scale of the inventiveness of this highly original designer became evident. His lines became more linear and sleek, diverging from the hourglass shape popularized by Christian Diors New Look, the fluidity of his silhouettes enabled him to manipulate the relationship between his clothing and womens bodies. In 1951, he transformed the silhouette, broadening the shoulders. In 1955, he designed the dress, which later developed into the chemise dress of 1958. Other contributions in the era included the spherical balloon jacket, the high-waisted baby doll dress, the cocoon coat, the balloon skirt. In 1959, his work culminated in the Empire line, with high-waisted dresses and his manipulation of the waist, in particular, contributed to what is considered to be his most important contribution to the world of fashion, a new silhouette for women. In the 1960s, Balenciaga was an innovator in his use of fabrics, he tended toward heavy fabrics, intricate embroidery and his trademarks included collars that stood away from the collarbone to give a swanlike appearance and shortened bracelet sleeves. In 1960, he designed the dress for Queen Fabiola of Belgium made of ivory duchess satin trimmed with white mink at the collar. Jackie Kennedy famously upset John F. Kennedy for buying Balenciagas expensive creations while he was President because he feared that the American public might think the purchases too lavish and her haute couture bills were eventually discreetly paid by her father-in-law, Joseph Kennedy. By keeping the press unaware of the design of his garments until the day before they were shipped to stores, he hoped to curtail ongoing piracy and copying of his designs. The press resisted, finding it impossible to get his work into their print deadlines
