Growing up in South Africa in a family of white Afrikaners who opposed apartheid, Paul van Zyl knew early on he would pursue a life of activism. The former human rights lawyer who served alongside Archbishop Desmond Tutu on South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission - and logged mega miles jetting around the world to post-conflict hotspots in order to combat human rights abuses - recently made the next logical career move: fashion.

Huh?

"I had worked in 30 countries and had the strong sense that what they needed most was to have these small businesses that thrive," he explains in the July/August issue of WSJ. Magazine. "That was my rough intuition, which translated into a small step into fashion." Partnering up with Daniel Lubetzky, the Mexican-Jewish founder of Kind Healthy Snacks, the do-gooding duo created Maiyet, a luxury brand of clothing & accessories made in locations where lack of economic opportunity has bred conflict. luxurious brand that covers a range of products, from clothes to accessories, much of it manufactured in places where a lack of economic opportunity has bred conflict. "Apart from making sure his artisans are skilled enough to produce an Art Nouveau–esque 18-karat-gold cuff that might sell at Barneys for $2,400, van Zyl wants to build a sustainable infrastructure by supplying them with updated machinery and improving their working conditions," notes Daniella Vitale, chief women's merchant at Barneys. "We were skeptical, but they put product first. The aesthetic is very much what's going on today—very clean, beautiful materials, minimal hardware."

Which is evidenced by the fact that the socially-responsible label sells out & speedily. "No matter what they tell you in a survey, people don't buy products because of their social mission," adds Lubetzky. "Certainly, they won't buy them again and again."

- Lesley Scott

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While the beautiful people are engaged in the exhausting work of seeing and being seen in Saint Moritz, Giorgio Armani uses the time to catching up on his R&R several miles away in peaceful La Punt at Chesa Orso Bianco (Polar Bear House). And instead of busy Alpine chic, the designer looked East to Japan for more zen decor inspiration, opting for dramatic polished mohagany with accents of persimmon, burgundy & a rich, textured white for an overall feel that is elegant, but still has zing.

This cool, chic color palette would work equally well when it's hot out as crisp summer whites can make even the soggiest soul look a bit more fabulous and less of a sweaty mess. Tip: go for a monochromatic white or cream outfit (both top & bottom), then accessorize with rich hues of bitter chocolate, muted burgundy & curry spice. And top it all off with an appropriately woodsy scent; I love Hampton Sun Privet Bloom for its nature'y notes of lemon verbena, rose dune, sea grass & privet blossom.

(About the outfit: James Perse tee; Sandro Pirana pants; Marni belt; Paloma Barcelo sandals; Bottega Veneta cuff; Victoria Beckham bag; Stella McCartney sunglasses - all available at Net-a-Porter.com; Hampton Sun Privet Bloom - Sephora.com)

- Lesley Scott

(image of Armani's casa in the mountains by Roger Davies via ArchitecturalDigest.com)

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As fun as it is to soak up the glam & gloss of your typical fashion mag editorial spread, at some point, a girl's gotta spend real money on real clothes for real life.  And no matter how much - or, for that matter, how little - you spend, nothing will ever make you look chic if it doesn't fit...regardless of whether you're a pocket Venus or have a curvy & fabulous silhouette. Sure, you could have a tailor on speed-dial, but if you have a "healthy" shopping habit and need to hem or alter most of your purchases, suddenly all those steals and deals start to add up.

Bonmarché - the UK’s largest womenswear value retailer for over 5 decades - has again won the award for *Best for Flattering Fit* in the Yours 50 plus Fashion Awards 2012. Every year, Yours Magazine asks its readers where they like to shop for value, selection, range of sizes, quality, fit & customer service; the thousands of replies are then compiled and the winners chosen. The retailer has also been shortlisted for the mag's *Best 50+ Clothing Retailer* and was recently crowned *Britain’s Best Women’s Clothing Retailer* at the 2012 Verdict Research Awards.

Whether you're on the hunt for dresses for curvy women, ladies trousers, plus size womens clothing or the summer season's must-have plus size maxi dresses - whether you live in Europe or elsewhere - be sure to do some value-added pointin' & clickin' at Bonmarche.co.uk.

- Lesley Scott

[Note: this was written in partnership with Bonmarche.]

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Held at the Louvre in Paris, Ferragamo is the first italian house to be allowed to use the Denon wing as a catwalk to showcase their lady of leisure who is in search of eternal summer - be it the serene Big Sur coastline of Cali, a small sunny isle in the Mediterranean, or in fact anywhere that nature unfolds theatrically into precarious cliffs and wild rocks. And what should such a sun-loving free spirit wear? Why rocker-chic leather in neutral hues of peach, champagne & bisque, linen-jersey tees piped with leather or a suede blouson, and all with a boyish jacket tossed on as if an afterthought.

"I wanted it to be about richness and craftsmanship," explains creative director, Massilmiliano Giornetti. "It's Slow Fashion, which is not just about precious materials, but also the time that goes into each piece."  Referring to Ferragmo's sponsoring of the museum's blockbuster "Saint Anne, Leonardo da Vinci’s Ultimate Masterpiece" which showcases his unfinished masterpiece from c. 1510, Massilmiliano adds: "It's about the old masters, but with a young spin."

Translation: their signature weaves (threads knotted entirely by hand) and exotic fabrications got sexed up as a nude-croc mini, 3D crochet, flat suede boots with studded embroidery, skin peeking through a labyrinth of patchwork, fringe & lacing. "This unique interweaving of modern vision and traditional transmits a sense of exclusivity. It's super-modern and yet connected with the classics because every piece is the product of a tradition of ancient craft. The Ferragamo girl is cool, but she's got culture."

- Lesley Scott

(Louve goes high fashion; image of Da Vinci's "The Virgin and Child with St. Anne": source)

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"Surely, there has to be a chic way to lug a load of beauty basics, stylish sunnies and a weighty wallet without weighing down our arms," bemoans the fashion-obsessed toothpick known as Rachel Zoe. "Turns out, there is! Pretty in patchwork, The Row's posh pack combines comfort and class. The fuzzy texture on this nifty knapsack is also a fashion favorite. Perfect for pre-fall, it’s never too soon to start thinking ahead for your next season’s staple!"

TMZ is less laudatory, deeming this furry confection something akin to Tribble porn, while PETA is of course fur-ious, fuming: "If it looks like a troll and acts like a troll, it's probably a Trollsen Twin -- or someone wearing one of their new $16,000 totes, which are made from the fur and skins of innocent animals. What the Olsens lack in creativity, they try to make up for in shock value. Sadly, it's the foxes, calves, and alligators -- who often have the fur ripped off them while they are still conscious and able to feel pain -- who pay the dearest price."

Many conscientious fashionistas buy only fur that's vintage so as to not contribute to new demand and yet more unnecessary cruelty to innocent animals; others, however, believe wearing even vintage fur still promotes the wearing of fur, regardless of how ethical the source.

Personally, I'm of the mind that cruelty toward innocent creatures is never fashionable, be it on your back, your arm or even your plate - if you eat beef, pork, chicken and/or eggs, spend a bit more to make sure they're grass-fed & pastured. The animals are raised, fed & slaughtered much more humanely and the end-product is better for your body & karma both.

While I do sympathize with PETA's sentiment, their shock-n-awe tactics & in-your-face rhetoric have always tended to insult my intelligence, leaving me unreceptive to their message (I start to zone out, stick my imaginary fingers in my ears & repeat "lalalalala..." until they finally shut up already).  That being said, in this economy and with so many families around the world lacking even just the basics - enough nourishing food, shelter, clothing, education...shoes! - there is something undeniably gross about the act of dropping $17,000 on a trendy, spendy purse.

Especially one that's defo not a classic and bound to look so last season even before its actually in season.

- Lesley Scott

(images: Star Trek - Kirk w/Tribbles; anti-fur billboard)

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For the first time, the LCF catwalk will go beyond just mens & womenswear to include fun categories like jewelry, contour & accessories in order to more accurately reflect the breadth of exceptional talent nurtured within its walls.

There was a definitely futuristic but fun vein running through many of these creative collections.

Here are some of the standouts:

KATHARINA DOMOKOSCH (above): "This collection was inspired by Alpine traditional dress and folklore costume," explains the womenswear designer who hails from Germany (& already interned with Hussein Chalayan & Peter PIlotto). "These are designs for eternity, with a very big emotional value. I've tried to bring this eternity into my contemporary clothing."

WENMEI ZHANG (Jewelry Design & Hair Pieces): "I was inspired by Mongolian people for this collection. I come from a place in China where fur was very readily available and was very much part of my upbringing, so it feels part of who I am and therefore part of my collection."

JESSICA PREECE (Fashion Contour): "My final collection ‘Dangerous Seduction’ was initially inspired by the representation of ‘Sirens’ from Greek Mythology in Pre- Raphaelite art. The collection encapsulates the feeling of a seductive woman who uses her sexual allure and intelligence to get what she wants, hypnotizing people with her beauty, whilst remaining dangerous."

JUBIN YOO (Footwear/Product Design & Development): "My final collection is inspired by passage of time. Ageing is a process behind life, shared by humans, nature and even inanimate objects around us. I find the beauty of ageing thrilling. Every pair of shoes for me embodies an individual’s life experience."

HELENE TORP-HOLTE (Fashion Jewelry): "I love adding roughness to my designs - my inspiration came from a rough source - ancient weaponry. I always follow my heart and reflect my personality through my ideas."

EMILY SELF (Bespoke Tailoring): "I am inspired by humanity and our vulnerability, I love to look below the surface and reveal the essence of the individual. I am intrigued by what possessions say about the owner and have been inspired by Sophie Calle, a photographer who famously posed as a maid, and entered hotel rooms, taking pictures of the lived in state of rooms before the rooms were cleaned - examining aspects in the search for clues as to who the occupier of the room was via the way they interacted with the objects surrounding them."

LISA WATSON (Fashion Jewelry): "I love creating sculptural jewellery and experimenting with colour, my past experience in a variety of creative fields including textiles, photography, clothing and accessories have also inspired me. My Final Collection is titled 'Containment', inspired by postmodern architecture. It explores colour, structure and the idea of containing a structure within a translucent shell, similar to skyscrapers. Made from acrylic sheet and rod in a variety of colours, finishes and thicknesses."

- Lesley Scott

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"Diamonds have something magical about them - it's hard to define, but you recognize it when you see it," Vogue jewelry editor Carol Woolton recently explained in an interview about "Brilliant" - an exhibition of diamonds she curated to honor the Queen's Diamond Jubilee year as part of London's annual Masterpiece fair. "When this magic and ephemeral sparkle is combined with a strong design then I believe something of great power is created."

Especially if it involves shoe bling (diamond & feather festooned footwear by Bruno Frisoni for Roger Vivier), house bling (a diamond chandelier by Solange Azagury Partridge) and bling-bling: this black diamond & emerald collar by Karl Lagerfeld in partnership with Net-a-Porter.com. 

A one-only piece, it is studded with more than 40 carats of black diamonds and features a monster 22 carat emerald - as well as a sketch signed by Kaiser K. "I'm renowned for my love of a high collar and I wanted to create a true collector’s item with this one-off piece," adds Lagerfeld. "Merging the masculine with the feminine and uniting the world of fine jewelry and high fashion, to me this collar is a work of art and a real show-stopper."

- Lesley Scott

(Karl Lagerfeld image: source)

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Maison Scotch carries cropped denim skinnies in yummy summery hues ranging from rose to lemon sorbet to flamingo. 

Just pair with a skinny chocolate-brown belt, bold Hawaiian shirt, straw fedora and be sure to step out in some mandal-inspired sandal action.

Available at Scotch-Soda.com.

- Lesley Scott

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J. Crew is now in over 100 countries and to celebrate being global, they had tastemakers from different cool cities - including Hong Kong, Madrid, Berlin & Tokyo (above) - show how they would wear J.Crew.  Love Kinoshita's no fuss, pared down approach to lookin' stylish. Here's my version: I girlied it up a tad + stole a cute gingham shirt from the boy's department. 

To see the other tastemakers & how they rock J. Crew, check out their new Hello World page. And you? How would you wear J. Crew? Tweet me your best pix to @Fashiontribes & I'll RT or give me a shout on FB so I can share it on the FB page.

- Lesley Scott

TWITTER & FB!

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This excellent stash from the 1970s recently surfaced, in pristine & never-even-carried condition - complete w/ hang tags & dustbags even. Each of the bags is unique, but all share the same lavish deets, including buttery soft leather, alligator accents in elegant tones of camel, hardware fashioned from amber resin and that one intangible, but instantly recognizable, touch: Monsieur Lagerfeld.

And the only place to snag one for yourself is that online shopping & disovery destination which specializes in curated goodies from everywhere worth looking: AHAlife.com.

- Lesley Scott

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