Victoria's Secret CEO quits, facing sales slump, model controversy

NEW YORK -- The CEO of American clothing and lingerie brand Victoria's Secret has resigned amid flagging sales and controversy around a lack of diversity at the line's iconic annual fashion show, a source said Wednesday.

A source familiar with the matter said CEO Jan Singer, who had been in the position since September 2016, would leave the company, but did not specify when.

American media outlets had reported the move without specifying the reason, and Victoria's Secret parent company, L Brands, declined to comment.

The departure comes less than a week after the brand's marketing director Ed Razek garnered anger for saying in a Vogue interview that Victoria's Secret had thought about and decided against including transgender or plus-size models in their show, which this year was held in New York on Nov. 8.

"We attempted to do a television special for plus-sizes (in 2000). No one had any interest in it, still don't," Razek told the magazine.

The director cited pop star Rihanna's Savage X Fenty line, which carries plus sizes, but said Victoria's Secret didn't want to include new models just to be "politically correct," and that they are a "specialty business" which doesn't market to everyone.

The comments sparked a surge of criticism on social media, to the point that Razek issued a public apology, saying that the brand wouldn't object to hiring a transgender model.

Outside of that controversy, Singer's departure as CEO comes at a difficult time for the lingerie company, which has suffered from a slow-down in recent years. Sales fell eight percent in 2017.

In the first half of 2018, L Brand, its parent company, was able to stabilize Victoria's Secret, particularly thanks to the opening of several stores in China and to the growth of online sales.

Critics say the its issues come because the brand and its models haven't been able to adapt to the market's new demands.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Not all women can be models, says Dior designer

Not all women can be models, Dior designer Maria Grazia Chiuri said Tuesday after a show inspired by the feminist artist Niki de Saint Phalle, who is famous for her fat ladies.

The Italian designer, who has made much of her own feminist credentials since becoming the first woman to head the storied French label last year, led out her spring-summer collection at Paris Fashion Week with a Breton jumper bearing the slogan, "Why Have There Been No Great Women Artists?"

The ironic rallying call kicked off Chiuri's most colorful show for Dior, which fizzed with Saint Phalle's primary colors and licorice pinks and yellows.

But the designer stopped short of casting larger models in her homage to the great Franco-American artist who glorified the fuller female form in her voluptuous "Nanas" sculptures.

"Not all girls can be a model," Chiuri told AFP as she praised a new charter banning ultra-thin models from the Paris catwalk.

"I think it's a great idea... because I'm a woman, I have a daughter.

"At the same time we have to explain that not all people can be a model," she added.

- 'It's a job' -

Chiuri's comments came only two weeks after a wave of "plus-size" models led by Ashley Graham made headlines at New York Fashion Week.

"Because sometimes now everybody wants it all. If you want to be a singer you have to have a voice. If you want to be a climber you have to be athletic. There is something that is specific," Chiuri said.

The public often have the wrong idea about designers, she argued. "I don't want to use anorexic girls. Sometimes people forget that it's a job."

"We work on a Stockman dummy. It is size 37. We don't work on 40 because it is too difficult afterwards to make the other sizes. So there are some sizes that are good for making the first prototype. So we need the girls who have the talent and are naturally born in this size."

Earlier in the day the young French brand Jour/ne used a plus-sized model in its Paris catwalk show, although it preferred to call her "someone with curves".

"We don't want to pigeon-hole models," a source at the label told AFP after the show, which raised eyebrows by using Coca-Cola branding on some of its clothes.

Chiuri said she loved models "that have personality. I love (the British model) Ruth (Bell) because she has a strong personality. I think that you can feel it."

The designer created a huge and spectacular cave with mirrored mosaics to show Dior's collection in a nod to similar instalments that Saint Phalle created in Hamburg and Italy.

- 'We should all be feminists' -

Chiuri began her reign at Dior with a t-shirt bearing the slogan "We should all be feminists", and borrowed the "great women artists" line in her new show from an essay by the American feminist art historian Linda Nochlin.

The size of models has become a hot-button issue, with many critics claiming that fashion presents young women with an unhealthy and unattainable ideal of beauty.

Plus-size model Ashley Graham received a rapturous reception when she stepped out for Canadian lingerie brand Addition Elle in New York, and larger models Candice Huffine, Precious Lee and Sabina Karlsson also featured in other top shows.

Earlier this month French fashion's two biggest players -- LVMH and Kering -- said they were banning overly thin and under-age models from their catwalks.

Models must now be at least 16 years of age and size 34 or over (size six in Britain and zero in the US).

Saint Laurent -- which is owned by Kering -- will unveil its spring-summer collection later Tuesday, having been criticized earlier this year by French advertising watchdogs for its use of very thin models in "porno chic" poses for a publicity campaign.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

PH to host Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model search

MANILA – The Philippines will be hotter than usual later this year as the country plays host to the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model search.

Tourism Undersecretary Kat de Castro said 18 candidates will take part in photo shoots in beach locations such as Siargao and Sorsogon, according to a report by Business Mirror published Wednesday.

The report added that one of the candidates in the model search is Olivia Jordan, who finished runner-up to Pia Wurtzbach in Miss Universe in 2015.

The winner will be featured on the pages of Sports Illustrated’s popular Swimsuit issue.

Other models who have appeared on the cover are also expected to visit the Philippines this year. Chrissy Teigen, Kate Upton, and Esti Ginzburg are among those who previously did photo shoots for the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue in the country.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Makeup tips from the pros

MANILA – Three of the country’s top makeup artists share their secrets to making beauty queens, models and celebrities look good.

On Wednesday’s episode of “Kris TV,” Albert Kurniawan, RB Chanco and Rissa Mananquil-Trillo showed viewers how to achieve different looks using makeup, including the one used by Miss Universe 2013 third-runner up Ariella Arida.

Kurniawan, who is the chief makeup artist of NARS Philippines, is behind the glammed up faces of Arida and her predecessors in the Miss Universe pageant Venus Raj, Shamcey Supsup and Janine Tugonon.

Chanco, on the other hand, is a well-known celebrity makeup artist whose clients include Kathryn Bernardo, Erich Gonzales, Bianca Gonzalez and ABS-CBN president Charo Santos-Concio.

Mananquil-Trillo, meanwhile, is a model, beauty columnist and the co-founder of the Happy Skin cosmetics line.

For the beauty queen look

Kurniawan said the first step to achieving a made up look similar to beauty queens is putting a primer, concealer and a tinted moisturizer “to make the skin look more natural instead of having a powder finish.”

Set with translucent powder and add contour to the face. Before doing eye makeup, work on the cheeks first.






“Sometimes, they start with the eyes. But if they start with the eyes strong and apply blush, sometimes we think it’s enough already. Then after a while, it’s kulang pala and then we don’t have the makeup with us,” Kurniawan said.

Using a good makeup brush, apply dark brown eye shadow on the entire lid and blend. Proceed with using eye paint, and then with the eyeliner on the water line.

Curl the eyelashes, and finish with mascara.

For chinitas

Kurniawan suggests starting with eyeliner since the objective is to make the eyes look bigger and the face more “awake.”

“Just a black eyeliner, apply on the outer part of the eye. Blend and then smudge it,” he said. “Kasi for chinita eyes, if you just put a thin liner, it won’t be seen that much.”

Blend with dark brown powder eye shadow, curl the eyelashes, and add mascara to “open” the eyes.

If you want to make your eyes look even bigger, use false lashes. As for the cheeks and lips, just keep it simple.

For the ‘no makeup’ look

Although tricky since “it has to look like there is nothing,” the “no makeup” look is doable, said Chanco.

An easy way to achieve this look is by using airbrush with liquid foundation, followed by blush with a hint of shimmer for that natural glow.

Since you can’t use too much makeup, emphasize the eyebrows by using a dark brown eyebrow pencil, and a pinkish white eye shadow on the eyelids.

The eyeliner should not be too thick, either – just apply black eyeliner on the upper lash and water line, and a soft brown one on the lower lash line.

Complete the look with a soft peach lip cream.

For night makeup

Night makeup is quite similar to the “no makeup look,” except that there is “more intense” contouring on the face.

Chanco said a safe suggestion is to make the eyes look “smoky” with eye shadow, although this still depends on the occasion.

“I-consider more rin kung saan ka pupunta. And the lighting also,” she said.

Apply a more intense pink blush and waterproof eyeliner if you plan on dancing all night so your makeup will last longer.

For job interviews

Mananquil-Trillo said applicants for job interviews should stay away from makeup that glitters or is too bright.

Start with a concealer to brighten the face, correct redness and cover blemishes. Use black eyeliner to define the eyes, and finish the look with peach blush and nude colored lipstick.

For those with blemishes, try a product that will not aggravate the skin, such as a second skin cream with a powder finish.

For holiday makeup

There is no hard and fast rule for holiday makeup, noted Mananquil-Trillo, who said that the idea is to achieve a look that is fun and festive.

The simplest way to do this, she said, is by using bold red lipstick.

“Ano pa ba ang pinaka-festive na color but the color red? It reminds us of Christmas and mas celebratory mood ‘pag bright colors,” she said.

You can also use eyeliner to make the eyes look bigger.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Nearly naked hunks at wet, wild Cosmo bash

MANILA -- Stripping celebrity hunks had female (and a number of male) fans screaming as they took the runway Tuesday night for this year's Cosmo Bachelor Bash, which featured models and TV personalities as school cliques in an all-male "university."

Held at the World Trade Center in Pasay City, the bash organized by lifestyle magazine Cosmopolitan Philippines featured "campus fantasies brought to life," with hunk-bachelors and 10 celebrity centerfolds representing student stereotypes.

Leading the 69 other hunks at the well-attended runway event were Alden Richards, Tom Rodriguez, Sam Adjani, Vince Ferraren, Dennis Trillo, Matteo Guidicelli, Sam Concepcion, Rayver Cruz, JC de Vera and Aljur Abrenica.

Here are some photos from the Cosmo Bachelor Bash 2013, as taken by frenzied netizens who trooped to the annual event:

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Models join protest over sweatshops at NY fashion week

NEW YORK CITY - Models joined labor activists on Thursday at New York fashion week to protest clothing brand Nautica over its parent company's failure to sign up to improve conditions in Bangladesh factories.

As Nautica unveiled its spring menswear collection on the catwalks at the Lincoln Center, a handful of people picketed outside, holding boards which read: "no one should die for fashion."

"Nautica don't throw workers overboard," read another, as fashionistas dressed to the nines rushed to the Nautica show.

Liana Foxvog of the International Labor Rights Forum said the protesters were demanding that VF corporation -- which produces scores of popular clothing brands such as Wrangler, Lee Jeans, Timberland and Eastpak -- sign the accord.

In the wake of a series of fatal clothing factory fires, and the devastating factory collapse in April which left 1,129 dead, 86 companies signed the accord to protect the safety of workers who sew their clothing.

They include well-known US brands -- Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, Abercrombie & Fitch, American Eagle -- but the majority are European retailers such as H&M and Zara.

Kalpona Akter, executive director of the Bangladesh Center for Worker Solidarity, was also at the Big Apple's premier fashion event, imploring the retailer -- one of the world's largest -- to step up.

She hit out at "retailers like VF who know their factories are unsafe and (are) not taking any action."

On its website, VF states it "did not have a business relationship with any of the factories in the collapsed building" but that it works hard to ensure a "safe working environment" for workers sewing its clothes in Bangladesh.

However according to Foxvog a December 2010 fire that claimed 29 lives took place at a factory that produced clothes for VF.

"They prioritize profits over people's lives," she said.

A handful of models also joined the picket such as Sara Ziff who said unsafe labor practices continue because "people turn a blind eye and its as simple as that."

"Ten years ago, when I modeled for Nautica, I didn't think about the garment workers who made the clothes I was wearing," said Ziff.

However after a visit to the factories in that country she said she felt a moral responsibility to expose "the unsafe working conditions under which our clothes are produced, and the plight of the workers who produce them."

The April disaster highlighted appalling conditions in Bangladesh's 4,500 garment factories, where workers toil for 10-12 hours a day for basic monthly wages of around $40.

Foxvog said initial investigations into factory conditions under the accord were starting this month and initial reports were expected by the end of the year.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com