Kim Kardashian launches online fashion retailer in the UK

Co-founded by Kim Kardashian, online fashion accessories retailer ShoeDazzle is launching its online styling service and fashion store in the UK this September. ShoeDazzle was founded in 2009 in America and currently has over 3 million members. The website works with customers completing a free ShoeDazzle style profile, picking their favourite celebrity looks or catwalk images. Once the profile has been created, ShoeDazzle's celebrity stylists, including Kim, will create a personal selection of shoes, handbags and jewellery to specifically suit the consumers individual style, giving the customer a personalised shopping experience. Every product on the site is priced at £39.95.

www.shoedazzle.co.uk
www.shoedazzle.com

Jamie Stevens appointed to Matrix Global Design Team

Celebrity hairdresser of the year and UK Matrix Artistic Director, Jamie Stevens, has been appointed to the Matrix Global Design Team.

The Matrix Global Design Team, who provide education to stylists and salon owners worldwide, now contains 15 individuals, including seven from the UK. Jamie joins the likes of Errol Douglas MBE in the team, who contribute with product development and collaborate on shoots which become Matrix collection images used in salons and advertising.

www.jamiestevenshair.com

New luxury fashion destination Wardrobe Mistress to launch this April

Wardrobe Mistress is a new online luxury fashion destination offering a wardrobe management service led by a team of fashion experts. The new concept mixes a luxury buying and selling experience with a personalised service, enabling users to sell designer pieces, buy new ones and receive expert advice. The new site was founded by Francesca Salih, who started her career at designer fashion retailer Browns London, before working as a stylist for online retailer NET-A-PORTER.

Following a one-hour consultation service with a Wardrobe Mistress expert, the 'wardrobe detox' can help to de-clutter and organise. The follow-up service provides a personalised ‘mood board’ consultation with tips and advice on what may be lacking and how to get the most from a wardrobe. The experts will then advise on all the latest trends with a full styling consultation, before identifying what is missing and helping to find new items.

The new website is also offering customers a calendar of shopping events such as a ‘Chanel Day’, ‘Accessory Week’ and ‘Luxury Buy of the Day’. The new online luxury fashion service launches in April at http://www.wardrobemistress.co.uk/.

Sainsbury’s partners with Gok Wan for new womenswear collections

Sainsbury’s has announced a new partnership with fashion expert Gok Wan and it's fashion line Tu at Sainsbury's. Gok will create a number of womenswear collections for the supermarket, with the first due to hit the shelves this Autumn. The collections will reflect Gok’s philosophy of making women feel confident, stylish and positive about their bodies, whatever their size or shape.

Gok Wan said: “I can’t wait to get started; this is a first for me. While I’ve styled thousands of women over the years, soon millions of women are going to be able to wear something I’ve created.”

Luke Jensen, Sainsbury's non-food managing director, said: “TU clothing has become a major growth area for Sainsbury’s, based on the concept of delivering style and quality, at affordable prices... Over the next few years we will continue to dedicate more space to clothing, with new store openings and the development of existing sites. As we continue to grow and expand our ranges, we’re delighted to bring Gok’s unique talent, as a democratiser of style and fashion, to our millions of customers. We’re looking forward to working with Gok and to learning new ways to make our shoppers look and feel fantastic.”

New industry body launches to support the UK’s Personal Styling and Image industry

A new UK body is launching to promote and support the UK’s personal styling and image industry. The Association of Stylists and Image Professionals (ASIP) aims to raise the profile of this growing market by providing an online resource for clients and the press, as well as a professional network for personal stylists and shoppers at www.asiplondon.com. ASIP aims to: raise awareness of the personal styling and image industry in response to its continuing growth both in the UK and internationally; provide direct access to the services of personal stylists, image consultants and other related professionals through the ASIP site; create an active online and actual community of like-minded professionals to give mutual support and development through connecting and sharing; become established as a recognised UK body of knowledge and influence in the personal styling and image industry for potential clients, the media and other interested parties. ASIP was founded in May 2010 and will officially launch on 23 September 2010 with an initial Founding Membership of 50 independent image and styling professionals. The shared vision of the Founding Members is to create a credible and professional organisation that is forward thinking and relevant to today’s personal styling and image industry. Headed by leading image professionals Jennifer Aston and Pippa Rees, ASIP has Michelle Duguid, British Vogue stylist as a founding member and also Camilla Rudley-Day, ex-deputy fashion editor of the Daily Mail as its first guest speaker.

ELLE's Shopgirl to Stylist

ELLE has launched a nationwide search for talented shop girls and boys who have what it takes to become international stylists. ELLE has always supported fashion talent on the British high street and retail teams play a huge role in its success, so ELLE plans to recognise the talented shop girls and boys who style the UK every day. ELLE Shop Girl to Stylist is a six-month nationwide talent search to discover a shop girl or boy who has what it takes to make it as a fashion stylist. The winner will get the chance to style an ELLE shoot, plus a magazine internship and expert mentoring from ELLE’s fashion director, Anne-Marie Curtis. Entrants will register at elleuk.com/shopgirltostylist where they are required to complete an online questionnaire demonstrating their styling credentials and provide a reference from their retail employer. ELLE will support the campaign throughout the six months in the magazine and online at ELLEuk.com, capturing the various stages as the competition progresses – culminating in an X Factor-style final in London later in the year. The winner will be announced in the October 25th-anniversary issue of ELLE.