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| Tania Casselle Freelance Writer |
Smart Homes "Please pick up a pint of milk on your way home." It’s not a text message from your partner, it’s
from your fridge. As you step in the front door, your favorite music plays. The blinds sweep closed, the lights are
low, except for the lights leading a path to the bedroom.
The house is at the temperature you like, and in the background you hear the bath filling. It’s still nothing to do
with your partner; the romantic mood is set by your house, anticipating your every desire. The only thing your
home can’t do is undress you and tuck you into bed. But give it time.
Smart homes, intelligent homes, digital homes, automated homes… there’s no single term for it yet, but we’re
talking buildings with brains. Click HERE to read (628 KB PDF - password needed)
from your fridge. As you step in the front door, your favorite music plays. The blinds sweep closed, the lights are
low, except for the lights leading a path to the bedroom.
The house is at the temperature you like, and in the background you hear the bath filling. It’s still nothing to do
with your partner; the romantic mood is set by your house, anticipating your every desire. The only thing your
home can’t do is undress you and tuck you into bed. But give it time.
Smart homes, intelligent homes, digital homes, automated homes… there’s no single term for it yet, but we’re
talking buildings with brains. Click HERE to read (628 KB PDF - password needed)
The Art of Doing Nothing One day of solo retreat can recharge the batteries, nourish your soul and send you
back into the world with a fresh perspective.
“We all need to step outside the frame and look at the big picture periodically,” says Tim O’Brien, director for the
Institute for Stress Management. “Taking a personal retreat gives you a way to look at where you're headed. Do
you like the direction of your life? If not, what changes should you make? It’s difficult to make good decisions if
you don't remove yourself from the normal routine.”
If you think you’re too busy to carve a whole day out of your schedule, think again.
Click HERE to read (568 KB PDF - password needed)
back into the world with a fresh perspective.
“We all need to step outside the frame and look at the big picture periodically,” says Tim O’Brien, director for the
Institute for Stress Management. “Taking a personal retreat gives you a way to look at where you're headed. Do
you like the direction of your life? If not, what changes should you make? It’s difficult to make good decisions if
you don't remove yourself from the normal routine.”
If you think you’re too busy to carve a whole day out of your schedule, think again.
Click HERE to read (568 KB PDF - password needed)
Mastering the Business World American Indians with a flair for business are invited to pick up
their briefcases and head for Texas. Link to web story Here
their briefcases and head for Texas. Link to web story Here
Size DOES Matter As the US population gains in girth, will body size become
another demographic factor to weigh in to your marketing? From automotives to
furnishings and media ad sales, how communications mavens are tailoring their
message by BMI. Click HERE to read (140 KB PDF - password needed)
another demographic factor to weigh in to your marketing? From automotives to
furnishings and media ad sales, how communications mavens are tailoring their
message by BMI. Click HERE to read (140 KB PDF - password needed)
Brands Branch Out National Geographic, JCB, Jeep, Pepsi. We all know the brand names - and
that’s what marketing maestros are counting on with a spate of new fashion lines that cash in on
their parent product’s pedigree. Click HERE to read (202 KB PDF - password needed)
that’s what marketing maestros are counting on with a spate of new fashion lines that cash in on
their parent product’s pedigree. Click HERE to read (202 KB PDF - password needed)
How Green is Your Tally? Organic cotton first came under the spotlight
in the caring, sharing '90s, when the trend for all things ecological
impacted products from detergent to cars. The fashion industry was not
in the caring, sharing '90s, when the trend for all things ecological
impacted products from detergent to cars. The fashion industry was not
slow to see its chance to turn Green into gold, and the "environmentally friendly" marketing angle was
picked up by designers, retailers and manufacturers - some of whom were genuinely committed to
the cause, others just going along for the ride.
When the natural fiber buzz was usurped by a shift towards techno fabrics, organic farmers took the
financial brunt. But after the noisy revolution of the '90s, a quiet evolution continued as the organic
cotton industry built a stronger supply structure, a broader customer base and a more commercial
approach to bringing its product into the mainstream.
Click HERE to read (202 KB PDF - password needed)
picked up by designers, retailers and manufacturers - some of whom were genuinely committed to
the cause, others just going along for the ride.
When the natural fiber buzz was usurped by a shift towards techno fabrics, organic farmers took the
financial brunt. But after the noisy revolution of the '90s, a quiet evolution continued as the organic
cotton industry built a stronger supply structure, a broader customer base and a more commercial
approach to bringing its product into the mainstream.
Click HERE to read (202 KB PDF - password needed)
| Miami A La Mode 25 years ago a walk down Ocean Drive would have offered a view of nothing more inspiring than a bunch of old men swatting flies from their rocking chairs on the verandas of fleabag hotels. Street report & photos for International Textiles on the city of style. |
Clear Winners So you thought that front row fashion editors wore dark
glasses at the collections just because they like the look? Truth is, the
amount of flash and sparkle scintillating down the runways makes
glitter-glare a real occupational hazard. Report for Textile Design Review.
glasses at the collections just because they like the look? Truth is, the
amount of flash and sparkle scintillating down the runways makes
glitter-glare a real occupational hazard. Report for Textile Design Review.
| The Big Bang Theory Visitors to New York's International Fashion Fabrics Exhibition don't need to consult the catalogue to find the Alexander Henry booth. Just look for the crowds blocking the aisles. "This is a golden era for print," says head designer Philip De Leon, and he's doing his part to satisfy the market's apparently insatiable appetite for big, bold,and beautiful prints. Report for International Textiles on this Californian family affair. |
A Profitable Connection When Video Casa owner Judith Witten opened her second
DVD rental store in Taos, she had no idea what a performance it would be to integrate
two outlets - and the experience wasn’t at all entertaining.
DVD rental store in Taos, she had no idea what a performance it would be to integrate
two outlets - and the experience wasn’t at all entertaining.
The challenge of connecting branches 'divided' by DSL and wireless bit into profits on her annual gross revenues of $700,000,
ate up her 20 employees' time, and inconvenienced her customers. As it happened, the Taos Sheriff’s department was
attempting to solve a similar riddle. “My guy talked to their guy,” says Witten... Link to web story Here
ate up her 20 employees' time, and inconvenienced her customers. As it happened, the Taos Sheriff’s department was
attempting to solve a similar riddle. “My guy talked to their guy,” says Witten... Link to web story Here
Something Old, Something New From red carpet to city street, vintage clothing is in demand, whether it’s
Jennifer Aniston’s ‘70s Halston number at the Emmy’s, or a corporate guy’s sharp Rat Pack suit.
Authentic vintage has been boosted by modern designers, whose vintage-inspired collections sometimes
make it hard to tell old from new. Vintage VIPS Penelope Cruz, Renee Zellweger and Sarah Jessica Parker
add a celebrity seal of approval – after all, nobody’s going to call SJP a Second-Hand Rose when she sports a
vintage Mickey Mouse T-shirt. And who can fault ‘Scissorhands’ Johnny Depp’s knack for snipping together
vintage-inspired looks from across several decades? Let alone his fabulous fedoras.
“There used to be just a small group of loyal vintage-holics, who wore vintage whether it was trendy or not,"
says Jim Smiley, of the eponymous Manhattan store. "Now celebrities wear it, everyone sees it in magazines
and on TV, and they all want it.” Full feature, plus tips on where and how to shop vintage, available for reprint.
Jennifer Aniston’s ‘70s Halston number at the Emmy’s, or a corporate guy’s sharp Rat Pack suit.
Authentic vintage has been boosted by modern designers, whose vintage-inspired collections sometimes
make it hard to tell old from new. Vintage VIPS Penelope Cruz, Renee Zellweger and Sarah Jessica Parker
add a celebrity seal of approval – after all, nobody’s going to call SJP a Second-Hand Rose when she sports a
vintage Mickey Mouse T-shirt. And who can fault ‘Scissorhands’ Johnny Depp’s knack for snipping together
vintage-inspired looks from across several decades? Let alone his fabulous fedoras.
“There used to be just a small group of loyal vintage-holics, who wore vintage whether it was trendy or not,"
says Jim Smiley, of the eponymous Manhattan store. "Now celebrities wear it, everyone sees it in magazines
and on TV, and they all want it.” Full feature, plus tips on where and how to shop vintage, available for reprint.
Santa Fe - The Jewel in the Crown of New Mexico The unique charms of America’s oldest and highest
capital are apparent the moment you arrive. Set at 7,000 feet in the Sangre de Cristo mountains, Santa Fe is
a feast for the senses. Adobe architecture lends the city a golden glow, the scent of sage fills the air, and the
local cuisine is a gourmet’s delight. A vibrant combination of three cultures, Santa Fe personifies the spirit
and the romance of the Southwest, and truly deserves its title: ‘The City Different’.
Detailed travel guide to Santa Fe and Albuquerque – Sights, Culture, Real Estate, Shopping, and Play.
capital are apparent the moment you arrive. Set at 7,000 feet in the Sangre de Cristo mountains, Santa Fe is
a feast for the senses. Adobe architecture lends the city a golden glow, the scent of sage fills the air, and the
local cuisine is a gourmet’s delight. A vibrant combination of three cultures, Santa Fe personifies the spirit
and the romance of the Southwest, and truly deserves its title: ‘The City Different’.
Detailed travel guide to Santa Fe and Albuquerque – Sights, Culture, Real Estate, Shopping, and Play.
| Legislative Session Brings Bucks to Santa Fe Santa Fe’s hotels and restaurants roll out the red carpets for New Mexico's State Legislature, as politicians and lobbyists boost hospitality industry sales during the 'soft' season. |
Upturn Downtown – The Lensic Performing Arts Center, Santa Fe
The reinvention of a former vaudeville theater in one of America’s ‘Wild West’
cities gives a shot in the arm to Santa Fe’s arts and culture scene.
The reinvention of a former vaudeville theater in one of America’s ‘Wild West’
cities gives a shot in the arm to Santa Fe’s arts and culture scene.
Boost Your Spex Appeal (for Total Fitness)
Just because summer is over, there's no
reason to leave your sunglasses at home.
Eye experts recommend shades as a
year-round accessory to protect against UV
damage, eye strain, and wrinkles.
For once, it's a joy to follow the doctor's advice.
Click HERE to read
(403 KB PDF - password needed)
Just because summer is over, there's no
reason to leave your sunglasses at home.
Eye experts recommend shades as a
year-round accessory to protect against UV
damage, eye strain, and wrinkles.
For once, it's a joy to follow the doctor's advice.
Click HERE to read
(403 KB PDF - password needed)
Brand New Relationships The increasing retail power of America’s ‘Holy Trinity’ –
Wal-Mart, Target and Kohl’s. (2002 Special Report for Fashion Business International)
Wal-Mart, Target and Kohl’s. (2002 Special Report for Fashion Business International)
| | | | | | | | |
Fashion Plus - American Women Demand Full-Figured Style (for International Market News)
not the exception.
“I do not want to wear knit cardigans with seasonal motifs sewn down the front of the lapels,” says Lorena K.
aged 30 of Iowa, a size 24 Lane Bryant fan. “I don't look good with leaves or snowmen or cornucopias running
down my plump front-side.”
Business feature on how fashion brands fit the market, and a straw poll of what curvy women really want.
<<<Queen Latifah: celebrating curves
not the exception.
“I do not want to wear knit cardigans with seasonal motifs sewn down the front of the lapels,” says Lorena K.
aged 30 of Iowa, a size 24 Lane Bryant fan. “I don't look good with leaves or snowmen or cornucopias running
down my plump front-side.”
Business feature on how fashion brands fit the market, and a straw poll of what curvy women really want.
<<<Queen Latifah: celebrating curves
Making a meal of fashion: Soybean Arrives on the Fashion Menu
(2003 report for Market News Express)
Soy in clothing isn't exactly new. Motor magnate Henry Ford talked of it in the 1940s
and was photographed wearing the first known soy suit and tie.
Soy fibers largely disappeared until recent developments brought soy back to the
fashion plate. Now, soybean protein fibre is being touted as a 'vegetable cashmere' -
a new eco-friendly luxury textile offering the properties today's consumers demand.
(2003 report for Market News Express)
Soy in clothing isn't exactly new. Motor magnate Henry Ford talked of it in the 1940s
and was photographed wearing the first known soy suit and tie.
Soy fibers largely disappeared until recent developments brought soy back to the
fashion plate. Now, soybean protein fibre is being touted as a 'vegetable cashmere' -
a new eco-friendly luxury textile offering the properties today's consumers demand.
| The Luxury of Superior Sales (for International Market News) As a refreshing contrast to the notion that the UK is crammed town to pick up a bargain at a discount store, the luxury fashion sector is proving surprisingly buoyant. |
Feel-Good Fashion
Shirts that tell your heart rate,
pants that may protect against skin
cancer, peppermint-scented
sportswear to boost energy, and
pantyhose that keep your legs soft.
With the double-action fabrics now
in store or on the radar screen for
the future, fashion finally proves
that it’s more than just skin deep.
Shirts that tell your heart rate,
pants that may protect against skin
cancer, peppermint-scented
sportswear to boost energy, and
pantyhose that keep your legs soft.
With the double-action fabrics now
in store or on the radar screen for
the future, fashion finally proves
that it’s more than just skin deep.
Contact me HERE
A New Muse for London Dubbed The Princess of Pinkness, fashion visionary
Zandra Rhodes is famous for her flamboyant use of color, and London’s Fashion and
Textile Museum stays true to her spirit.
Rhodes appointed prize-winning Mexican architect Ricardo Legorreta to design a
modernist building on the site of a former warehouse in Bermondsey Street, just a few
minutes walk from Tate Modern. It was Legorreta’s first European project, but as Rhodes
points out: “There was no need to hold a pointless architectural competition. I immediately
Zandra Rhodes is famous for her flamboyant use of color, and London’s Fashion and
Textile Museum stays true to her spirit.
Rhodes appointed prize-winning Mexican architect Ricardo Legorreta to design a
modernist building on the site of a former warehouse in Bermondsey Street, just a few
minutes walk from Tate Modern. It was Legorreta’s first European project, but as Rhodes
points out: “There was no need to hold a pointless architectural competition. I immediately
felt that here was an architect who created grandeur, but who could also create a museum that
would not dominate or overwhelm its contents. The job in hand was to convince him.”
Convince him she did, and the Fashion and Textile Museum's stunning pink and orange exterior
injects a bright flame of color into the Dickensian backstreets. (Museum report for International Textiles)
would not dominate or overwhelm its contents. The job in hand was to convince him.”
Convince him she did, and the Fashion and Textile Museum's stunning pink and orange exterior
injects a bright flame of color into the Dickensian backstreets. (Museum report for International Textiles)
The Write Stuff: Put Pen to Paper to Promote Well-Being
If the longest thing you’ve written lately is a shopping list – it’s time to sharpen your pencil! Studies prove that
writing your feelings out on the page has a positive impact on physical health, reduces stress, boosts self-
esteem, and hones concentration and memory. Writing can improve immune function, fight depression and
anxiety, and even alleviate symptoms of asthma and rheumatoid arthritis.
Click HERE to read (30 KB Word Doc - password needed)
If the longest thing you’ve written lately is a shopping list – it’s time to sharpen your pencil! Studies prove that
writing your feelings out on the page has a positive impact on physical health, reduces stress, boosts self-
esteem, and hones concentration and memory. Writing can improve immune function, fight depression and
anxiety, and even alleviate symptoms of asthma and rheumatoid arthritis.
Click HERE to read (30 KB Word Doc - password needed)
Confessions of an Author: David Naylor on Design - cover story March 09 issue.
Interior designer David Naylor played hard to get for nearly two years before agreeing to write his book
Old World Interiors: A Modern Interpretation. Mainly because the book that publisher Gibbs Smith
wanted from him wasn’t the book Naylor wanted to write.
Taos Restaurant Group - A small but influential empire is flourishing out of Taos, as restaurateurs
Nat Troy, Michael Yaccino, and Chef Joseph Wrede combine their business smarts and culinary
kudos in the Taos Restaurant Group. Talking about Joseph's Table, The Old Blinking Light, and new
acquisition: Lambert's of Taos. Feb 09. PDF here (password needed)
Interior designer David Naylor played hard to get for nearly two years before agreeing to write his book
Old World Interiors: A Modern Interpretation. Mainly because the book that publisher Gibbs Smith
wanted from him wasn’t the book Naylor wanted to write.
Taos Restaurant Group - A small but influential empire is flourishing out of Taos, as restaurateurs
Nat Troy, Michael Yaccino, and Chef Joseph Wrede combine their business smarts and culinary
kudos in the Taos Restaurant Group. Talking about Joseph's Table, The Old Blinking Light, and new
acquisition: Lambert's of Taos. Feb 09. PDF here (password needed)
Grand Junction's Wine Country "If you forget everything you were ever told about wine,
remember this," says Bob Witham of Two Rivers Winery. "When wine comes in, secrets
come out." Colorado travel and wine feature, full story at Latitudes magazine.
remember this," says Bob Witham of Two Rivers Winery. "When wine comes in, secrets
come out." Colorado travel and wine feature, full story at Latitudes magazine.
Mysterious Beauty in New Mexico If you believe the stories that made Roswell famous,
visitors to this town have arrived from much farther away than any airport. But beyond
Roswell's reputation as an intergalactic portal to planet Earth, the city is a gateway to
Southeastern New Mexico. Story at Latitudes inflight magazine of American Eagle airlines
visitors to this town have arrived from much farther away than any airport. But beyond
Roswell's reputation as an intergalactic portal to planet Earth, the city is a gateway to
Southeastern New Mexico. Story at Latitudes inflight magazine of American Eagle airlines
| Tania Casselle Freelance Writer |
Some PDF / Word Links have passwords to protect my clients' publishing rights.
Editors, please email for passwords or to receive email/snail mail clips of these and other pieces.
Editors, please email for passwords or to receive email/snail mail clips of these and other pieces.