Kohls and Simply Vera by Vera Wang

Each item in the collection is only $5 or $10, making shopping to support the cause a reality regardless of budget. If you’re looking for a pink ribbon, the collection’s jeweled, bright pink pin (pictured) is a nice update on the classic that’s stylish enough to wear for months to come. A sequined hat, scarf and glove set are only $20 and would make a good stocking stuffer for anyone looking to start their Christmas shopping early. The best part of the collection, however? 100% of net profits are donated to the American Cancer Society’s Midwest division and the Southwestern Wisconsin branch of the Susan G. Komen foundation.

What makes this so generous is the fact that most fashion and beauty items sold for a particular cause normally only offer a portion of the proceeds to charities or foundations. Also, the collection is featured on the Kohl’s homepage. While it’s not a huge banner, it’s a more prominent placement than any other shops are currently offering to items benefiting breast cancer awareness.

Shop the complete Simply Vera Vera Wang special collection at Kohl’s

Ralph Lauren’s Pink Pony Foundation

Not content with offering a pink item or two each year, Ralph Lauren actually made breast cancer awareness a part of his charitable foundation 10 years ago.

“Pink Pony is a worldwide philanthropic effort. In the United States, Pink Pony grant recipients include the Ralph Lauren Center for Cancer Care and Prevention, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and Breast Cancer Research Foundation in New York City, Womenâ€s Cancer Research Institute at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles, Prevención, Inc., and Nina Hyde Center, both in Washington, D.C.

Internationally, Pink Pony has supported the American Hospital of Paris, the United Kingdomâ€s Breast Cancer Haven and Cancer Research UK, National Breast Cancer Centre of Australia, Susan G. Komen of Germany, the Japan Cancer Society and the Ligue Genevoise contre le cancer, Geneva, Switzerland.”

So it shouldn’t be any surprise to see the homepage completely wrapped in pink to promote breast cancer awareness. This isn’t your normal fashion fundraising item, neatly tucked away into the rest of the inventory. Normally, 10% of the purchase price from items in the Pink Pony collection goes towards breast cancer throughout the year. In celebration of the fund’s 10th anniversary, and to mark a special effort for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, 300 items are up for auction – with 100% of the auction proceeds going towards the Pink Pony fund.

On the auction block? A personal tour of Ralph Lauren’s car collection, a weekend at the designer’s Jamaican villa, a polo lesson from Ralph Lauren model and Argentinian polo player Nacho Figueras, a ride with cancer survivor Lance Armstrong and a meeting with Anna Wintour among other prizes.

Don’t look for any $5 or $10 bargains here, but if you can afford to get in on the bidding, the prizes are top tier and all of the proceeds go towards a very good cause. Also, for the month of October, entering the code RLGIVE2010 at checkout on any purchase will give you a 25% discount, and a 10% donation to the Pink Pony fund.

View all 300 items up for auction at CharityBuzz or shop the Pink Pony collection at Ralph Lauren

When we got wind that there may be chatter between the United States Navy and American fashion designer Ralph Lauren on the force’s new service uniforms we got pretty excited.

Aside from Michele Obama’s chic designer style, Washington, DC and New York aren’t exactly known for style exchanges. French train workers have been outfitted by Christian Lacroix, and airlines have frequently turned to designers to punch up the style for their flight crews, but we’re pretty sure designer styled military uniforms are a first.

Nothing has been confirmed but Navy Exchange Service Command spokeswoman, Kathleen Martin, commented on the rumors saying,

“The Navy has not hired Ralph Lauren to redesign female sailors†uniforms, but has opened up an initial dialogue with Ralph Lauren, one of our top-tier manufacturing resources, who has offered to provide advice regarding womenâ€s uniform sizing and help support current initiatives.” {The Gloss}

We think it’s a great idea, and who better then an all-American, functional and classic designer like Ralph Lauren to give a little input on what our Navy women wear.

Diane Von Furstenberg is the queen of the wrap dress, and this Steele Cotton-Linen one is for a girl with job confidence. Available at Bloomingdales.com for $375, the classic look is one you can wear for years to come.

Not to be captain obvious, but this is good news for the luxury hotel business. And what is good for one luxury market may be good for another, no? Could the news signify an upturn for the struggling luxury fashion market?

Abercrombie and Fitch store

Chain stores like Saks and even Abercrombie and Fitch – who famously held out on discounting merchandise during the worst of the recession, have reported growing sales so perhaps demand for luxury fashion items will follow. {The Cut, StockMarketsReview}

High end fashion marketers and retailers in the U.S. have attempted to remain relevant by focusing their attention on understanding generation Y and what the tendencies of those born roughly between 1977 and 1994 mean for the future of luxury. The L2 Generation Next Forum, held in New York City last week for fashion professionals to gain “insight into tomorrowâ€s affluent consumer,” discussed the next coming of luxury fashion with tips in the form of a speech from 14-year-old fashion blogger Tavi Gevinson (aka The Style Rookie). {Stylelist}

“Just as Boomers drove the luxury sector for the last 20 years, brands that resonate with generation Y, whose purchasing power will surpass that of Boomers by 2017, will be the new icons of prestige,” Scott Galloway says. Galloway is a New York University Stern clinical associate professor of marketing who founded L2. Estimated at 70 to 85 million people, generation Y is the largest consumer group the U.S. has ever seen. {MediaPost}

Will today's Little Marc Jacobs girl be tomorrow's Louis Vuitton loyalist?

Tavi advised the luxury fashion insiders to whom she spoke that generation Y is “over trends in two seconds” and that teens “want to be cultured” and “know the story behind a brand” in addition to feeling part of a group, while the L2 Generation Y Prestige Brand Rankings found Chanel, Cartier and Ralph Lauren dominated as the most popular high end fashion brands for generation Y.

Absorbing all things generation Y is a smart move for luxury marketers and retailers, but we wonder whether it will pay dividends all that quickly. By 2017, when much of generation Y is well established enough to afford high end brands, the best way to market to this group may have changed.

The memory of late architect Charles Gwathmey, who passed away 3 August this year, is being honored with a new eponymous professorship at the Yale School of Architecture faciliated by the generosity of American designer Ralph Lauren.

Lauren and his wife, Ricky, shared a close friendship with Gwathmey, whose vast design résumé includes the Holocaust Memorial in Berlin, the Yale Arts Complex, and various housing and urban design projects — all executed in his iconic “High Modernist” style.

The Charles Gwathmey professorship serves not only as a living tribute to the architect, but also as a means of fostering growth into the design community and encouraging the flow of fresh, new ideas: something which will never go out of style.

Read the full story {Archinect}

In response to the economy (yes, we’re tired of hearing that, too), numerous American designers are going back to their roots and exploring stripped-down, basic sportswear — and several have taken the road of Americana, to a time where life was more simple and things were always as they seemed.

There was a glimpse at the early days of American football at Alexander Wang, and there was as usual a strong all-American look at Ralph Lauren, the bastion of American sportswear.

To work this trend into your daily wardrobe, we recommend picking up some well-made premium denim with a slightly slouchy, worn-in look.  Pepper your color palette with various shades of khaki, cornflower blue, and indigo, keeping hair and makeup to a minimum for a fresh feel.  This look is all about cool, classic ease, but remember to pay attention to fit and proportion in order to avoid looking sloppy.

Read the full story {BlackBook}

Hotel Missoni in Edinburgh, Scotland

With many fashion designers getting in on the hotel craze, ShermansTravel decided to rank the best of the best - the 10 most fashionable and fabulous designer hotels.

Lagerfeld, Lacroix, Missoni, Lauren, Bulgari and Versace are just some of the big names who made the list by bringing their signature styles to hotels in Berlin, Paris, Edinburgh, Jamaica, Bali, and Australia. No matter the location, however, these are all hotels that are sure to create a truly one of a kind experience – where the hotel itself is just as much a draw as the destination.

Check out who made the list or view the photo gallery to drool over these glamorous vacation spots.

Read the Full Story {ShermansTravel}

Dolce & Gabbana do not disappoint with this bright and bold luxury sneakers. With metallic highlights and a color blocking design, these high tops are for the most outgoing wearer.
Stivaletto Multicolor sneaker
size: 40 41 42 44
$537
Buy here

Mason Martin Magriela is known for his bold experimental designs. Conveyed through a shoe, it’s surprisingly not outrageous. This high top leather sneaker dons a cougar mid growl. If you are going sport anything by Margiella expect to grab some attention.
High top leather sneaker
size 12
$240
Buy here

Ralph Lauren’s slip-on sneaker gives a shout out to something you might see on Hugh Hefner while scurrying around the mansion. Made of navy velvet with gold embroidery logo and tan leather lining you are apt to spend more time at home like Mr. Hefner.
Dracin slip on sneaker
size 13
$185
Buy here

Gucci has the largest selection and some of the best designs when it comes to lux sneakers. Every design is definitively Gucci: relaxed refinement.
Beige GG canvas web stripe sneaker
size 9
$296
Buy here

If you’ve ever wanted to get down and dirty with Yoko Ono, now’s your chance. Well, not exactly, but you can make a great decor addition with custom designed trash cans by the likes of Ono, Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren and Tyra Banks’ favorite noted fashion photog, Nigel Barker, in your kitchen corner. Initiated by Danish design house, Vipp, in celebration of their 70th anniversary, the one-off designs will be auctioned off to benefit DIFFA-Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS.

Normally retailing from $249 to $469, bids on the bins will start at $500 with all proceeds going to DIFFA. For those in New York, the project provides the added benefit of being able to waltz into a showroom in SoHo and see a fellow bidder inspect a can, only to see it talk back, saying: “I love trash, but you are testing my limits”.

Read more {NY Daily News}

Read more {Design Within Reach}

While we don’t think the fashion industry alone can be held responsible for eating disorders and distorted body images, this certainly doesn’t help their case. We would love to do first hand investigation into the saying that you can never be too rich, but there has to be some acceptance that there is such a thing as too thin. These praying mantis style figures are neither natural or humanly possible of anyone over the age of 12. Fantasy in fashion is one thing, this type of fiction is another.

When the luxury extraterrestrial market opens up, images like these will no doubt spark interest. Until then, it’s obvious someone in the “retouching” department needs to come back down to earth. For comparison’s sake, the black and white photo is of a woman who survived Holocaust-era starvation experiments. Her hips and torso are larger than those in the heavily altered image of Zelyaeva.

Read more {Huffington Post}