Hennes & Mauritz says it will open a store in the Philippines, its first foray into the southeast Asian region. The flagship store will open in 2014 inside SM Megamall, Manila. The company has already inked the deal.
   Another 2014 event is Women Expo Switzerland (WES), the only creative women’s exhibition in Switzerland, will take place on May 25 at the Messe Zürich.
   With 700 m² space, it will be dedicated to the fashion industry (both B2B and B2C) with direct sales, fashion shows and workshops, say organizers.
   The previous edition saw over 100 exhibitors and attracted 1,000 visitors from Switzerland, the UK, Germany and France. Organizers presently seek exhibitors and visitors. Their website is at www.womenexpo.ch, and a video from the 2013 event (in German and English) is below.

   Almost on the opposite side of the spectrum, publisher Jack Yan has a humorous look at the late Lewis Collins, whose passing was reported yesterday in the media, in Lucire Men. The actor was best known for his role in The Professionals, arguably the most macho TV show in 1970s Britain.
   Finally, Victoria’s Secret says it has opened a beauty and accessories’ store at the Tom Bradley International Terminal at Los Angeles International Airport, focusing on ‘iconic, fashion-forward range of beauty products and accessories designed for the modern jet-setter.’
   Items include fragrances such as Victoria’s Secret Bombshell, Sexy Little Things Noir Tease, Victoria, and VS Fantasies, and lip glosses and body care products.

Pandora’s Black Friday event for the US market is its revealing of its final holiday charm in its Twelve Days of Christmas collection.
   The limited-edition charm, called Let It Snow, is in sterling silver, with pavé-set cubic zirconia, and can be worn on a bangle, bracelet or necklace, or styled as earrings.
   Pandora says Let It Snow will only be available individually while stocks last. However, it has a Christmas gift set, which includes all 12 holiday-inspired charms and the Pandora Moments barrel-clasp bracelet, retailing at US$500 (individually, the items go for US$715).
   In a release, Angel Ilagan, Pandora’s marketing VP for the Americas, notes, ‘Black Friday is an exciting day—for many it’s the “unofficial” start of the holiday shopping season. What better way to kick off the holidays than with a limited edition gift for yourself or a loved one?’
   Pandora had revealed a new holiday charm to Pandora Club members, and Facebook and Twitter fans, during November 2013.
   Authorized Pandora retailers can be found at www.pandora.net.

Above As shown on Facebook yesterday, a banner ad campaign has launched promoting the print and tablet editions of Lucire, even though issue 31 has been published for some weeks.

If you haven’t checked it out already, you should do so: Lucire issue 31 is out. Since the print editions are collectible, limited editions, they don’t really date—we still keep going back to earlier ones at the office as references—and have in-depth insights into the fashion world. Intelligently written, with an independent voice, and put together by a small global team, Lucire continues to pioneer as we hit the mid-2010s. That’s why you can also order it as a tablet edition.
   The latest issue features Summer Rayne Oakes on making an impact in the modelling world; a review of autumn–winter looks by Tiffany Fernando, with visuals by Doug Rimington; an interview with Stephen Jones, OBE, one of the great names in millinery, by Jack Yan; Elina Lukas’s Copenhagen Fashion Week diary; Elyse Glickman’s interview with Daisy Fuentes; and David Machowski’s exploration of maple syruping in New England. There’s plenty more, including shoots by Angelika Buettner, Dorit Thies, Brett Stanley and Doug Rimington, including two styled by Lucire fashion editor Sopheak Seng.
   The URL is now much easier to remember: lucire.com/print. You can order it for tablets or as a very exclusive print edition through this link, or at the link at the top of the page if you’re surfing on our full web edition.
   Also easy to remember is our video player, regularly updated with entertainment, fashion, beauty and lifestyle news and tips. You can find that at lucire.tv: we’re finally putting that URL to the use we envisaged for it.
   As we begin December, Lucire is getting our bases covered. Please let us know via Facebook or our feedback form if you have any thoughts or story ideas. It’s the tip of the iceberg, as we have plenty more to announce in the New Year.

Above Dita von Teese’s Von Follies lingerie range’s Sophisticat collection arrives at Farmers this week.

New Zealand department store group Farmers will retail Sophisticat, the latest lingerie collection, in opulent satin and lace, from Dita von Teese’s Von Follies range, this week.
   The balconette bra retails for NZ$59·99, the bikini brief for NZ$34·99, the G-string for NZ$29·99, and the suspender for $59·99.
   Von Teese launched her lingerie collection in Australia in February 2012, selling via Target.
   Living Nature, meanwhile, is extending its product line more aggressively in November. It has released its manuka honey gel, using certified natural preservatives, fragrances and ingredients. It’s ideal for everything from cuts and graces and insect bites to fungal infections and minor sunburn, and retails for NZ$19·50 for 10 ml or NZ$32 for 50 ml.
   There are soothing properties in Living Nature’s Nourishing Body Wash, free from sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS) and sodium laureth sulphate (SLES), which can irritate the skin and eyes. Instead, it uses plant nutrients, including botanicals, and works on sensitive skin, suitable even for babies and toddlers and those with eczema or dermatitis, says the company. It retails for NZ$30 for 200 ml.
   Its third entry is the Slate mineral eyeshadow (RRP NZ$20), ideal for creating this season’s smoky eye look. It uses natural mineral colour, and is free of synthetic chemicals and ingredients. The ingredients, including the minerals, are all sustainably sourced. The minerals help protect the eye from UV rays.
   The packaging is recyclable, and users can opt for individual shades for Living Nature’s eye-shadow compacts (RRP NZ$10)—each houses two shades or, if the applicator is removed, four.
   Living Nature skin care and cosmetics’ products are certified natural by BDIH Germany and listed as a Safe Cosmetics Champion on the Skin Deep Cosmetics’ Database.
   Our friends at Tory & KO. have opened a second store on the ground floor of the Old Bank Arcade, Wellington, New Zealand along with a luscious website. ‘We are delighted to showcase our jewellery in a stylish, new retail environment while still retaining our bespoke jewellery boutique store upstairs,’ says co-director Kirstin O’Brien. ‘Our Wellington-based jewellery workshop creates our signature jewellery for the Pretty, Charm and Stella collections and we have recently brought in a beautiful collection from Paris called Les Nereides, which is presented in our new store.’
   Meanwhile, we’re looking forward to the British Fashion Awards on December 2. David Walliams will host this year, with nominees including Cara Delevingne, Edie Campbell, Sarah Burton, Christopher Kane, and Tom Ford. Lucire will have post-event coverage.

Above Dita von Teese’s Sophisticat collection begins at NZ$29·99 at Farmers.

Above Living Nature pushes new product for November 2013.

Above Tory & KO. débuts a stunning new website along with a new retail store within the Old Bank Arcade.

Fans of L’Wren Scott will be overjoyed to hear that her new collaboration with Banana Republic has resulted in more affordable versions of her exquisite designs. This collaboration is the first Scott has done with a mainstream fashion retailer.
   The L’Wren Scott label boasts high-end designs loved by celebrities such as Michelle Obama and Nicole Kidman, where an evening dress is $1,500 a pop. This Banana Republic collaboration results in the best of both worlds being affordable, ranging from $39·90 to $165, still showing Ms Scott’s beautiful æsthetic.
   L’Wren Scott, herself, is featured in the advertisements for this collaboration in an attempt to show that her designs are figure-flattering at any age. She stated: ‘You don’t need to wear Spanx if you buy my clothes. The dress, the trousers, the pencil skirt, they should do the work.’
   Many celebrities attended the opening including red-haired bombshell Christina Hendricks, pop-star Kesha and Scott’s boyfriend of 12 years, Rolling Stones front man Mick Jagger. Jagger was extremely supportive of the collection, complimenting her figure-hugging silhouettes and ‘zesty’ colours. In the video below, he is almost as comprehensive as a fashion reporter. Coco Rocha, Jaimie Alexander (see Lucire issue 30), Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Rashida Jones, Jessica Paré, Stacy Keibler, Louise Roe, Kelly Lynch and Mitch Glazer, Judy Greer, Langley Fox Hemingway, Arianna Rockefeller, Sophie Kennedy Clark, Katie Aselton, and Gillian Jacob also attended.
   The collection includes body-conscious party dresses, tailored blazers and printed trousers. Banana Republic was a logical collaboration for Scott as she mentioned that she grew up shopping there. Get behind this new-and-exciting collaboration available in-store and online from December 5.—Anna Deans

Although publicized at a ceremony in Auckland last night, DHL has lifted the embargo tonight to announce that Commoners has won its Fashion Export Scholarship.
   In a release, Jae Mills, Commoners’ designer, said, ‘The DHL export scholarship is very important to us as we see it as an opportunity to connect internationally. We are currently focused on growing our brand in the Australian market. This will be our focus for the next one to two years.
   â€˜We have chosen this market as our main export market as we feel a strong connect with the culture and our brand has been received really well over the past six months. Also from a logistical perspective we share the same seasons so in these early stages, production and distribution can be easily managed. Once we have the right structure within our business we can look at northern hemisphere business in the future.’
   Fay Nwokobia, Head of Asia-Pacific at www.my-wardrobe.com, said, ‘The DHL Express Fashion Export Scholarship assists us in identifying new talent out of New Zealand, and we felt that the calibre of entries was outstanding. As a result, we’re interested in starting a conversation with not only Commoners, who were the worthy scholarship recipient, but also the other two finalists Blak and Meadowlark.’
   The competition was judged by Margi Robertson (Nom D), John Kelly (Max Fashions), Megan Wildermoth (DHL) and Paul Blomfield (FINZ).
   Robertson noted that Commoners was ‘brave. They’ve stuck to their guns in terms of their design æsthetic, which takes a lot of guts. They also have a strong, strategic marketing campaign which is very specific and reflects the clothes well.’
   Commoners receives NZ$10,000 worth of international freight and a meeting with buyers from www.my-wardrobe.com. The prize also includes coaching in freight and logistics, a tailored export mentoring package, and a year’s FINZ membership.

Ian Gavan/Getty Images

Jessie J was the headlining celebrity chosen to turn on the lights on Oxford Street, and kicked off the Christmas season in London’s West End on Tuesday at 6.22 p.m.
   The English singer and songwriter says it was a dream of hers to turn on the world-famous lights. ‘I always used to make my parents bring me to Oxford Street to see the Christmas lights so it’s an honour to actually be switching them on this year. I spend a lot of time shopping on Oxford Street and this year will be no different. The lights switch-on is a prestigious part of the festive season for Londoners and I’m proud to be a part of it.’
   The singer performed live in front of thousands of shoppers at the event. She was supported by James Arthur, The X Factor winner and singer Conor Maynard, while Gifford’s Circus performed additional acts. Capital FM hosts Lisa Snowdon and Dave Berry officiated.
   The five switched on the lights from Selfridges on Oxford Street.
   A new £1·5 million light scheme has been designed for 2013.
   The New West End Company says the Christmas shopping season in the West End sees £1,000 million in sales.

Ian Gavan/Getty Images

From top Teresa Hodges of Black. Jae Mills of Commoner. Meadowlark’s Greg Fromont and Claire Hammon.

Blak, Commoners and Meadowlark are competing for the DHL Express Fashion Export Scholarship, judged by Margi Robertson (Nom D), John Kelly (Max Fashions), Megan Wildermoth (DHL) and Paul Blomfield (FINZ).
   The winner will receive NZ$10,000 worth of international freight and a meeting with buyers from www.my-wardrobe.com. The prize also includes coaching in freight and logistics, a tailored export mentoring package, and a year’s FINZ membership. Runners-up will receive freight worth NZ$1,500 (first) and NZ$500 (second).
   New Zealand fashion designers had been asked to submit a portfolio with a formal application earlier this year.
   â€˜Fashion is an important sector of New Zealand’s export market and through the DHL Express Fashion Export Scholarship we aim to identify the best of New Zealand’s up- and-coming talent and assist them at a pivotal point in their professional growth,’ said Wildermoth, who is DHL’s national strategic account manager (fashion and textiles), in a release.
   The winner will be announced on November 12 in Auckland. Previous winners include I Love Ugly (2012), NYNE (2011), Twenty-Seven Names (2010), Lonely Hearts (2009) and Stolen Girlfriends’ Club (2008).