New swimsuits for summer 2012

There will be plenty of tiny bikinis near the water this summer, but some of the season's swimsuit trends can be worn by the merely mortal. Yes, there are suits that flatter the less-than-perfect body and look stylish at the same time.

Among the top styles: the crocheted look, which is popping up in suits at all price ranges and in cover-ups as well. Seems as though the haute hippie wants to take her look to the beach as well as the clubs.

What else might a swimsuit shopper encounter? Cutouts. Bold prints. Asymmetrical silhouettes. And a retro, high-waisted look (think Bettie Paige posing in all her 1950s glamour).

Jenn Harris surveys the swimwear landscape in Sunday's Image section.

Gentlemen, there are new trends in bathing suits for you as well. Think slimmer fit, bold colors and wild prints. Think fabric imprinted with classic photos. Think trunks that can be worn as shorts at the pool party. Just don't forget to take your phone out of your pocket before you jump in the pool.

-- Alice Short

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Photo credit: Kirk McKoy/Los Angeles Times

Target says it will stop selling sandblasted denim by year's end [Updated]

Most people who wear distressed denim didn't do the distressing themselves. They bought it that way off the shelf. It's an effect often created with sandblasting, a technique that blasts crystalline silica onto blue jeans using high-pressure machines.

Cool as that makes the blue jeans look, it has decidedly negative consequences for the garment workers who make them. Breathing the air in close proximity to sandblasting can cause the incurable lung disease silicosis, according to the Clean Clothes Campaign, a Netherlands-based advocacy group dedicated to improving working conditions in the global garment industry.

Even with strict safety standards and protective gear, garment workers are still at risk from sandblasting, according to Patty Reber, director of raw materials development for product design and development with Minneapolis-based Target Corp.

On Tuesday, Target announced that by late 2012 it would stop carrying any products that have been sandblasted during the manufacturing process. Target, which operates 1,762 stores, has teamed with the Sustainable Apparel Coalition to investigate responsible sourcing solutions. [Updated Feb. 29, 2012, 7:51 a.m.: The original version of this post said Target and the Sustainable Apparel Coalition were investigating sandblasting alternatives. The two organizations have partnered to identify sustainable and responsible sourcing solutions, generally, but not specific to sandblasting.]

Target's announcement follows Levi Strauss & Co. of San Francisco and Swedish-based retailer H&M which, in September 2010, collaborated to implement a global ban on sandblasting in all of their future product lines. The International Textile Garment and Leather Worker's Federation found that 7,000 garment workers in Turkey had been exposed to crystalline silica and 40 of them died between 2005 and 2009; the Turkish government banned the use of crystalline silica in 2009.

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-- Susan Carpenter

Photo: Distressed denim blue jeans. Credit: Los Angeles Times

Jason Wu for Target goes on sale, but when?

When can I start buying the Jason Wu for Target Collection?

That's a question online shoppers are asking.

We all know -- if we've been paying attention -- that when stores open at 8 a.m. Sunday, the collection will be there, ready to be scooped up. But what about online? Midnight? And if it's midnight on the East Coast does that mean 9 p.m. Saturday on the West Coast? Or will it be 8 a.m. online as well as in-store?

And again, if it's 8 a.m. on the East Coast, what does that mean for the West Coast? Do we lose our chance to buy, or need to be awake and at our computers by 5 a.m.?

My head is spinning. And Target is being pretty coy about it. All its website says is "February 5." And on its Facebook page it is sidestepping the issue.

One commenter approached it directly: "Target: What is the big secret about the start time for Jason Wu online? Don't you WANT people to buy and be happy? Whoever made the decision about being so secretive gets the the Flying Fickle Finger of Fate Award!"

Target's Facebook response: "We'll let you know as soon as the collection is live on the site!"

That doesn't help shoppers like me AT ALL.

My guess: Target is trying to avoid having everyone go online at the same time and crash the website -- as happened with the Missoni for Target collection in September.

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--Susan Denley

Photo: Actress Jamie King attends Jason Wu for Target private launch event at Skylight SOHO on Jan. 26 in New York. Credit: Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Target.

Fashion: Jason Wu's Target kitten. Jessica Chastain's Oscar news.

 

A mischievous cartoon kitten wreaks havoc in a YouTube video (above) promoting the Jason Wu for Target capsule collection, due to go on sale Feb. 5.

Jessica Chastain heard about her Oscar nomination while she was attending the Armani Privé show in Paris. [The Cut]

For the first time in 55 years, Disneyland employees, er, cast members, will be allowed to sport beards under a revision of Disney's stringent grooming policies. The new rule allows neatly trimmed beards no longer than 1/4 inch. (Mustaches have been allowed since 2000.) One would think this change would be considered a boost for workers' rights. But the head of a union that represents about 4,000 Disney food and beverage workers doesn't see it that way, telling the Orange County Register, "I see it as a way to lower their standards to keep wages down." [Los Angeles Times] [O.C. Register]

Kim Kardashian's ShoeDazzle shoe-of-the-month retail site is pulling out of Britain -- after less than six months of operation there -- to focus on its "core" U.S. market. [The Cut]

Fujifilm is taking what it knows about processing film and launching a range of anti-aging creams. It's all because of a special collagen used in film processing to stop old images from fading. The substance also blocks skin-damaging ultraviolet rays, the company says. [Daily Mail]

Our Jenn Harris wrote recently about the dearth of sartorial style among the Republican presidential candidates. The same holds true for President Obama, Simon Doonan says in a video interview with Slate. Politicians can't be too fashionable because it would make them seem self-absorbed, when they are supposed to be worrying about us. (And I say thank goodness for first ladies such as Michelle Obama, Nancy Reagan and Jacqueline Kennedy for those of us who want to see some elegant clothes in the mix.) [Slate]

Alessandra Ambrosio modeled two outfits in the Colcci fall collection during Sao Paulo Fashion Week, strolling the runway even though she is five months pregnant. She stopped at the end of the runway to show off her baby bump. [Daily Mirror] [Fashionista]

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-- Susan Denley

Photo: Alessandra Ambrosio, five months pregnant, stopped to give her belly a pat on Sunday, when she walked the runway for Colcci during Sao Paulo Fashion Week. Credit: Andre Penner / Associated Press

Celebrity favorite body-care line Nip+Fab heads to Target

Ever wish you could target skin problems with a product made specifically for say, frown lines or cellulite? UK-based skin-care line Nip+Fab sets out to hit problem areas and effectively eradicate the issue. 

The brand has been a fave of celebs like Jennifer Aniston (who uses the Dry Leg Fix, as does Olivia Palermo) and until recently has not been available stateside.

On Sunday, Target launches the beauty brand in its stores. All 14 products in the line will be available for a reasonable price. Everything’s under $20 and made from a mix of ingredients, including natural elements.

I’ve personally tried the Eye Fix, which is a 2-in-1 eye cream and concealer that hydrates and depuffs the under-eye area. It also contains light-reflecting particles to conceal dark circles, and I was really impressed with the way my puffy eyes deflated. For $9.95, I'll call that fab.

-- Melissa Magsaysay

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Photos, from top: Nip+Fab Cellulite Fix; Dry Leg Fix; Pigmentation Fix. Credit: Nip + Fab

Fashion: Shannon Tweed, Gene Simmons wed. Target taps Jason Wu.

Shannon Tweed and Gene Simmons -- engaged since July, together something like three decades -- tied the knot over the weekend at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Tweed wore an ivory Priscilla of Boston gown and carried a bouquet of roses. [People]

Seth Rogen married writer Lauren Miller over the weekend, too, in Sonoma, Calif. So far no word on what we really care about: what the bride wore! [People]

Fresh off its hot -- I mean hot enough to shut down the website -- Missoni collaboration, Target is planning a capsule collection with Jason Wu. [WWD] (subscription required) 

Kanye West finally did it -- his long rumored new fashion collection debuted on the runway Saturday at Paris Fashion Week. Afterward he celebrated with a party at Paris nightspot Club Silencio with well-wishers including Lindsay Lohan, Jared Leto, Dean and Dan Caten, Bar Refaeli, Chanel Iman and designers Jeremy Scott and Olivier Theyskens. Scott, an advisor to West, said, “This is no J.Lo basics line.” Of West, Scott said, “I adore him and I think that he is such a passionate and genuine artist in every sense of the word.”  [WWD]

West's clothes leaned toward black leather and metallics trimmed in fur and would be worn by "edgy, cool girls with sophisticated, luxe taste," says FabSugar. 

Elsewhere, critics were not kind to West, "a rapper who has the presumption to show 'his' very first collection in Paris during prêt-à-porter -- supposedly the summit for true creativity in fashion," fumed Lisa Armstrong in the Telegraph. "It was the equivalent of Karl Lagerfeld launching a hip-hop career: i.e. absurd." She compared sitting through the show to an "hour long MRI." [Telegraph]

Over at Stella McCartney's Paris show, dad Sir Paul and his fiancee, Nancy Shevell, were among the attendees. So were Rachel Zoe and Rodger Berman. [Telegraph]

Those Middleton girls usually look pretty demure. But not so Pippa on Saturday night. She wore a slinky red gown cut down to there to show quite a bit of cleavage at the Boodles Boxing Ball, a charity event at London's Park Plaza Westminster Bridge Hotel. [FabSugar] 

The United States was among eight countries that signed an anti-counterfeiting pact in Tokyo over the weekend. [WWD] (subscription required)

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-- Susan Denley

Photo: A look from Kanye West's debut collection, for Spring-Summer 2012, shown during Paris fashion Week. Credit:  Pascal Le Segretain / Getty Images

Fashion News: Missoni for Target floods EBay

Target's launch Tuesday of the much-anticipated Missoni for Target collection was full of problems -- long lines at stores, empty racks, a crashed website, as I wrote at the time. Some customers walked away empty-handed and fuming; others scored big time (All the Rage commenters reported seeing shopping carts in stores brimming with merchandise scooped up by the greedy fortunate). Patience paid off for my colleague Jenn Harris and me when, after several hours , Target.com refreshed itself and we were able to log on and scoop up a few things (non-greedily, two pieces each). About the same time, Jenn noticed that EBay was beginning to fill up with items from the collection. As I write now, EBay lists 21,991 Missoni for Target results. Oops. Make that 22,132 -- er, 23,736 -- and growing! [EBay] 

-- Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, at left, may have a ladylike style that is copied by the masses, but that doesn't make her a fashion trendsetter, say some fashionistas at New York Fashion Week. She's no Kate Moss, says Elle fashion news director Anne Slowey. [Telegraph]

-- First Lady Michelle Obama teamed up with "Project Runway" guru Tim Gunn to host a luncheon on Tuesday for winners of the 2011 National Design Awards, which are presented by the Smithsonian's Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum in New York City. She also invited 15 high school students to join honorees hailing from the worlds of fashion, interactive computer design and other design fields. [Bloomburg Businessweek]

-- Michelle Williams is on the cover of Vogue, styled to look like Marilyn Monroe. [Vogue]

-- Dolce & Gabbana has come out with a book (published by Rizzoli) about male model David Gandy -- who happens to be the face of Dolce & Gabbana's Light Blue fragrance. Titled (fittingly) "David Gandy by Dolce & Gabbana," the tome is filled with photos and some "insights" such as "I don't know why my parents named me David." [Telegraph] 

-- I did not see this one coming: Kirstie Alley walked in designer Zang Toi's runway show on Tuesday during New York Fashion Week. [The Cut]

-- Conde Nast UK, the publisher of magazines including British Vogue and GQ, is setting up its own fashion school, with courses in design. [WWD] (subscription required)

-- Italian fashion house Marni has landed a fragrance deal with Estee Lauder. [Telegraph]

-- Hermès hosted a cocktail party Tuesday at its Paris flagship on Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré to celebrate the French premiere of its documentary “Hearts and Crafts.” The short film directed by Frédéric Laffont and Isabelle Dupuy-Chavanat showcases the artisans who make the label's luxury goods. It will go into general release in France in October. [WWD]

-- British socialites Petra and Tamara Ecclestone -- the daughters of Formula One racing mogul Bernie Ecclestone -- have arrived in L.A., younger sister Petra moving into Candy Spelling's former home and Tamara reportedly looking for a place. Good news for our shopping districts as they've been spotted out and about. [PopSugar LA]

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-- Susan Denley

Photo: Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, looking ladylike as she attends a polo match. Credit: Matt Sayles / Associated Press Photos.

Missoni for Target: Finally!

After all the problems I wrote about with the Missoni for Target launch (long lines, empty racks, a website crash), my colleague Jenn Harris and I finally got in! Into the site that is, since work kind of kept us from standing in lines this morning.

Jenn was first to latch onto target.com. She was on the hunt for a sweater, but first she was distracted by a cute, batik-y looking dress ("A little too summery," I opined. "Stick with what you're really looking for.") She checked out several sweaters (some already bearing the ominous words, "Out of Stock") before finally deciding on a pink v-neck sweater ($39.99)-- and a black and white triangle bikini top ($24.99), which is never too summery for Southern California.

She signed off. Then I tried to log back in but, oops, back to the "Woof! You may not be able to access our site" screen. Eventually, exercising patience while the screen refreshed every three seconds, I made it onto Target.com too. I was looking for accessories. Cute rain boots? Sold out. Colorful scarf? Sold out. But I wound up with a brown and white infinity scarf and a black felt hat banded in Missoni stripes. The total for both was $49.98, only 2 cents from the threshold for free shipping. But I decided I'd rather pay shipping ($6.99) than continue searching for something I really liked that was really in stock.

Anyway, we're planning our own Missoni for Target fashion show ... just as soon as those packages arrive.

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--Susan Denley

Top photo: Jenn's purchases -- v-neck sweater and bikini top. Credit: Target.com.

Bottom photo: Susan's purchases -- hat and scarf from the "Missoni" for Target line. Credit: Target.com.

Missoni for Target sparks lines, empty racks, website crash

Wow. Who said the nation is in a shopping slump?

The long-anticipated, much-touted Missoni for Target collection launched Tuesday -- and almost immediately, the Target website crashed.

"We are suddenly extremely popular," a message on Target.com said. "You may not be able to access our site momentarily due to unusually high traffic. Please stay here and we'll try to get you in as soon as we can! Please know that there is no need to refresh your browser. Your request will automatically retry in 30 seconds."

And retry and retry and retry -- I'm still not in, hours later!

Lines reportedly began forming at Target stores around Los Angeles at 5:30 a.m., with the line at the West Hollywood store wrapping twice around the block, according to KTLA.  The Glendale store reportedly sold out by 9 a.m., Style Section L.A. reported.

The 400-piece collection includes apparel, accessories and housewares in the upscale Italian design house's famous zigzag patterns. Pieces range from $2.99 to $599.99, with most items $40 or less.  A preview showing in a New York city pop-up shop sold out in less than two days last week.

The collection was supposed to be available to the public from Tuesday until Oct. 22, and I'd love to own a piece. But it seems like I missed the boat, since Target design collaborations notoriously sell out early.  I'm still waiting for that website to come back up!

Meanwhile, I wonder how much bad feeling consumers will have about this. Target launches these collaborations with much fanfare, but often eager shoppers are disappointed when the wares run out quickly. What do you think: Is this upsetting or just part of the bargain-hunting game?  

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Photo: An outfit from the Missoni for Target lookbook. Credit: Missoni for Target

Fashion News: FDA slams Brazilian Blowout

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has finally stepped into the fray over the popular Brazilian Blowout hair-smoothing treatment. The FDA says its testing shows that the brand-name product does contain formaldehyde, despite claims to the contrary, and in levels considered unsafe. The agency gave the company until Sept. 12 to reformulate and relabel or risk court action and a seizure of its products. The feds are a little behind the curve on this one. Several other countries banned this kind of hair-smoothing treatment months ago. [Fashionista] [Time]

New York Fashion Week is underway, and some folks are predicting that the Duchess of Cambridge's ladylike style will have influenced the designers whose work appears on the runways. She's been dubbed the "anti-Kardashian." Gotta love it! [The Cut]

One of the first stops for Fashion Week attendees is Nicola Formichetti's much anticipated pop-up concept shop. The Mugler designer and stylist to Lady Gaga turned a 1,300-square-foot storefront into a mirrored prism filled with neon-print Versace pantsuits, stiletto heels, cocktail rings, leather jackets, iPhone cases and more. [The Cut]

Marc Jacobs is planning a pop-up honoring Blondie on Tuesday at his store on NYC's Bleeker Street. It will feature all kinds of Blondie-related merchandise in honor of the band's new album, "Panic of Girls." [WWD] 

Target launched its Missoni capsule collection on Thursday with a private shopping event in Manhattan that drew the likes of basketball player Amare Stoudemire, model Allessandra Ambrosio, celebrity stylist Rachel Zoe, polo star Nacho Figueras and actors Chord Overstreet and Emma Roberts. [The Cut]

Lauren Conrad, far from her reality-show origins (yes, we feel that she sprang fully grown from a television screen), is designing the Paper Crown women's line. It's inspired by life in L.A., with soft colors and fabrics. [PopSugar LA] 

Artist and fashion maven Daphne Guinness is teaming with MAC cosmetics on a color collection slated to hit stores in North America on Dec. 26. It's to roll out in other parts of the world in January. [WWD] (Subscription required.)

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-- Susan Denley

Photo: Amare Stoudemire was among the attendees at Target's Missoni collection launch. Credit: Gilbert Carrasquillo / Getty Images