| Fashion News Arizona |
Arizona Jeans Gets Social to Reach Teens
December 21, 2007
By Brian Morrissey
NEW YORK In an effort to reach teens, the Original Arizona Jeans Co. learned a lesson: It's often better to go to them. The brand's first major
marketing foray centered on the September debut of its e-commerce site, azjeans.com.
But it quickly found that social media outlets like MySpace, Facebook and instant-messaging services provided the most effective ways of
connecting with its 15- to-19-year-old audience.
"Teens are jaded," said Jennifer Dillahunty, account director at Austin, Texas, independent digital agency T3, which led the effort. "They expect
you to have music, to have video, to be on Facebook. They know they're being marketed to, but their expectations are high."
The social media campaign includes a Facebook-sponsored group, where visitors can play a Tarot card game, listen to music from pop star Carrie
Ott and join a discussion group. With MySpace, Arizona sponsored "The Fit," a MySpace Fashion video series. It also worked with Yahoo! to
create an IM skin.
The strategy comes as new research confirms that teens are spending more time in social media environments. According to a Pew Internet and
American Life Project study released earlier this week, more than half of teens have a social networking profile.
"Our thought is if you can deliver these distributed experiences, your conversions will go up," said Kata Donaho, group creative director at T3.
"There is an ROI by deepening the engagement in other places."
In building AZJeans.com, T3 added several community elements, including downloadable buddy icons, customizable holiday e-cards and a design-
your-own jeans pocket application. The site's most successful element has been the denim guide to help visitors pick out the right jeans for them.
"The biggest challenge is to strike the right chord," Donaho said. "It would be very easy to hit a false note. What we've done is relevant but not
trying too hard."
Jimmy Choo bringing shoes to Fashion Square
Donna Hogan, Tribune
Scottsdale Fashion Square has scored another coup. Arizona’s first Jimmy Choo shoe store is scheduled to open in mid-February at the posh mall,
next door to the Bailey Banks & Biddle jewelry store and just a precious gemstone’s throw from the new, elegant entrance to upscale department
store Neiman Marcus.
The trendy, pricey shoe designer’s footwear is a favorite with celebrities. Stars including Jennifer Lopez and Jennifer Garner wore the shoes to the
2007 Golden Globe Awards show. And Hollywood trendsetters such as Lindsay Lohan and Cameron Diaz have been photographed toting Jimmy
Choo’s high-priced handbags.
A spokesman for the United Kingdom-based company could not be reached for comment on whether all the designer’s product lines will be carried
at the Scottsdale store.
The nearest Jimmy Choo stores are in Beverly Hills, Calif., and the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.
The company has more than 60 boutiques, including 21 in the U.S.
In the last couple of years, Scottsdale Fashion Square has landed such coveted first-in-the-state stores as Kate Spade, Salvatore Ferragamo, Michael
Kors and Juicy Couture. CH Carolina Herrera is slated to open within days.
“We are thrilled to have the first Jimmy Choo store in Arizona,” said mall marketing manager Linda Whitlow.
“This is huge.”
Float your boat Christmas Eve
Arthur Sloan
Special for The Republic
Dec. 17, 2007 03:59 PM
Boats float by in a parade to light up the lakes at the Ocotillo Golf resort starting at 6:15 p.m. Christmas Eve. The best place to view the boats will
be from the tennis courts just off Jacaranda Parkway near the fire station at Pennington and Queen Creek roads. Santa will be throwing candy from
one of the boats. Information: Ken Barnett at 480-732-1691.
•
"Neighborhood Night" starts at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 19, at the Oakwood Country Club with the Colorado Connection entertaining.
"Okeydokey Karaoke" is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 22, at the Ironwood Country Club. Information: 480-895-7275.
•
The Sun Lakes Book Review Club meets at 9:30 a.m. Friday, Dec. 21, in the Friendship Room of the Sun Lakes Country Club. For information
about the book to be reviewed, call Elsie at 480-895-9419.
•
Stay in shape for the winter by joining the Sun Lakes Hiking Club. The club has hikes of varying levels of difficulty and duration. When I first
arrived in Arizona, I belonged to the club and it was a great way to learn about Arizona because many of the hikes take place locally or in Tucson
or Payson. The club has hikes every Monday and Wednesday until April. Meetings begin at 4:15 p.m. the first Friday of each month in the
ceramics room of the Cottonwood Country Club. Check out the club's Web site at http://hiking.dbginc.com or call 480-802-7716.
•
The Chordaires have more than a dozen performances scheduled over the holidays. Looking forward to the new year, they invite all ladies to a
special guest afternoon at 2 p.m. Jan. 7 in the Mirror Room of the Sun Lakes Country Club. For information about the chorus, call Diane Hew at
480-883-3244.
•
The Sun Lakes Jewish Congregation Sisterhood has scheduled a fashion show for Jan. 7. It will start at 6:30 p.m. at the Oakwood Country Club.
Featured will be swimsuits, cover-ups and cruisewear furnished by What Women Want. Cost is $5 for members and $10 for guests. Models are
needed. Information: Adrian Bendick at 480-802-9391.
•
The "Casino Lady," Ruth Fine, has a trip planned to Casino Del Sol in Tucson leaving at 7:15 a.m. Jan. 15. Her trips leave from the Sun Lakes
Country Club. Participants prepay $10 but receive $15 upon arrival, and must have identifications and a players club card, which may be obtained
upon arrival. The return trip departs from the casino at 3:30 p.m. Reservations are required. Call 480-802-0868.
•
The next meeting of the Sun Lakes Camera Club is scheduled for 7 p.m. Jan. 10 in the Navajo Room of the Sun Lakes Country Club. Information:
480-895-5033.
•
The Genealogy Club meets at 6:30 p.m. the third Tuesday of each month in the Mirror Room of the Sun Lakes Country Club. Dues are $10 per
person or $15 per couple. Information: Betty Davis 480-895-3277.
•
Mark Abrams, a Sun Lakes resident, has a Web site for Sun Lakes residents. Check it out at www.sunlakesofarizona.com.
•
Nebraska kicks off the upcoming state parties. Anyone with a connection to Nebraska is invited to a dinner dance starting at 5 p.m. Feb. 17 in the
Sun Lakes Country Club. Foster Oden will provide the music. Cost is $22. Information: Jeanne Vaughn at 480-895-0574.
McCain Critiques Professor's Fashion Sense
Maybe John McCain is starting to take some cues from his daughter, Meghan, a recent Columbia University graduate who has been blogging about
fabulous shoes and other “behind the scenes” musings from the campaign trail.
In an appearance at Clemson University, Mr. McCain, a Republican senator from Arizona, took it upon himself to play fashion police with a
college professor, according to the Associated Press.
At the event, Brent Igo, an assistant professor of psychology at Clemson, asked Mr. McCain whether he’d consider someone a terrorist for
researching the events of September 11, 2001, according to the AP. He said he wanted the candidate to weigh in on federal legislation that Mr. Igo
believes could threaten such academic work.
In his response to Mr. Igo, Mr. McCain commented on the attire of the professor, who wore a gray sports jacket over a pink knit shirt with jeans
and tennis shoes, the AP said.
“From the sneakers, you’re not a snappy dresser,” the senator was quoted as saying. “That doesn’t mean you’re a terrorist. You terrorize the
senses.”
After the event, Mr. Igo told the AP that his fashion sense may be a bit off but that he was caught off guard by the “personally cruel” remark.
He wasn’t satisfied with the rest of the senator’s response about whether the government would categorize him as a security threat because of the
nature of his academic research. “He didn’t answer my question,” Mr. Igo said. “I gave him three chances. He refused to tell me I am not a terrorist.”
Custom tailor sews up style and quality for clients
He takes pride in crafting pieces that fit perfectly
Patricia Bathurst
Special for the ABG
Dec. 6, 2007 12:00 AM
Bespoke suits, a label drawn from the days when a customer would "speak for" a length of fabric to be custom-designed and fitted to one person's
figure and style, are an expensive rarity today.
But the craft of custom tailoring, in which a suit is crafted from a pattern and fabric selected by the customer, continues in Chandler.
Aladdin Dimas cuts a stylish silhouette, with shirt and slacks perfectly draping his slim figure. The look is often accented with a tape measure
slung around his neck like a casual mini-scarf.
Like magic, he will fashion a custom-tailored outfit from a photo, a pattern or just cloth and thread.
"When I first came to Arizona," Dimas said, "I worked here and there, and then I realized: I have a skill."
Dimas, 31, grew up in Damascus, Syria, in a family of tailors.
"We grew up in the business. I've been in a tailor's shop since I was 14," he said.
He once registered for fashion-design classes at a community college, only to discover his skill levels far outstripped the instructor's.
He began working from home, and then opened his first shop in Flagstaff nearly seven years ago.
He has been in his Chandler location for around 18 months. "It's a comfortable store, a little small, but a tailor doesn't need a lot of space."
Dimas custom makes men's and women's suits, trousers, shirts and jackets. He also makes women's skirts, dresses and formal wear. And, of course,
he does alterations.
"No matter how expensive the suit," he said, "it won't fit perfectly if you don't have it tailored."
Dimas said that his clients fall into two categories: those who cannot find clothes to fit them satisfactorily and those who simply "like nice things."
While some clients are referrals, many more have found him while searching online for a tailor to do custom work.
"Everyone," he said, "everyone who sees the Web site calls or comes in."
One display shelf in his spare retail space holds small books filled with swatches of elegant materials.
The cotton shirting feels like silk and shimmers in the light as it falls gently across the palm.
The suit fabrics are all subtle-woven colors and shades, varying from the nubbly feel of tweed to the elegant swoosh of sharkskin.
"I think girls here care more about fashion," Dimas said. "We do a lot of wedding parties. Couture work runs into thousands of dollars, but
depending on how complicated the pattern is, our dresses start at around $400."
Wedding dresses cost more.
Dimas counts himself fortunate that his mother insisted he learn tailoring, telling him, "It's good to have a trade." Today, he thoroughly agrees.
"I only wish I could find someone who is really interested in learning the craft," he said. "It takes time and patience to learn - and I need somebody
who's ambitious, too, because it's a long process. You need to learn to sew and to develop an eye."
He's also hoping his 18-month-old son, who already likes to wear a tape measure around his neck, just like Dad, will want to learn the craft.
What Dimas appreciates most is being his own boss, with the ability to grow his business as he decides.
"It's a great trade," he said. "You will never run out of business, but the best part is when you've made something you're proud of, and your
customer leaves with a smile on his face."
December 21, 2007
By Brian Morrissey
NEW YORK In an effort to reach teens, the Original Arizona Jeans Co. learned a lesson: It's often better to go to them. The brand's first major
marketing foray centered on the September debut of its e-commerce site, azjeans.com.
But it quickly found that social media outlets like MySpace, Facebook and instant-messaging services provided the most effective ways of
connecting with its 15- to-19-year-old audience.
"Teens are jaded," said Jennifer Dillahunty, account director at Austin, Texas, independent digital agency T3, which led the effort. "They expect
you to have music, to have video, to be on Facebook. They know they're being marketed to, but their expectations are high."
The social media campaign includes a Facebook-sponsored group, where visitors can play a Tarot card game, listen to music from pop star Carrie
Ott and join a discussion group. With MySpace, Arizona sponsored "The Fit," a MySpace Fashion video series. It also worked with Yahoo! to
create an IM skin.
The strategy comes as new research confirms that teens are spending more time in social media environments. According to a Pew Internet and
American Life Project study released earlier this week, more than half of teens have a social networking profile.
"Our thought is if you can deliver these distributed experiences, your conversions will go up," said Kata Donaho, group creative director at T3.
"There is an ROI by deepening the engagement in other places."
In building AZJeans.com, T3 added several community elements, including downloadable buddy icons, customizable holiday e-cards and a design-
your-own jeans pocket application. The site's most successful element has been the denim guide to help visitors pick out the right jeans for them.
"The biggest challenge is to strike the right chord," Donaho said. "It would be very easy to hit a false note. What we've done is relevant but not
trying too hard."
Jimmy Choo bringing shoes to Fashion Square
Donna Hogan, Tribune
Scottsdale Fashion Square has scored another coup. Arizona’s first Jimmy Choo shoe store is scheduled to open in mid-February at the posh mall,
next door to the Bailey Banks & Biddle jewelry store and just a precious gemstone’s throw from the new, elegant entrance to upscale department
store Neiman Marcus.
The trendy, pricey shoe designer’s footwear is a favorite with celebrities. Stars including Jennifer Lopez and Jennifer Garner wore the shoes to the
2007 Golden Globe Awards show. And Hollywood trendsetters such as Lindsay Lohan and Cameron Diaz have been photographed toting Jimmy
Choo’s high-priced handbags.
A spokesman for the United Kingdom-based company could not be reached for comment on whether all the designer’s product lines will be carried
at the Scottsdale store.
The nearest Jimmy Choo stores are in Beverly Hills, Calif., and the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.
The company has more than 60 boutiques, including 21 in the U.S.
In the last couple of years, Scottsdale Fashion Square has landed such coveted first-in-the-state stores as Kate Spade, Salvatore Ferragamo, Michael
Kors and Juicy Couture. CH Carolina Herrera is slated to open within days.
“We are thrilled to have the first Jimmy Choo store in Arizona,” said mall marketing manager Linda Whitlow.
“This is huge.”
Float your boat Christmas Eve
Arthur Sloan
Special for The Republic
Dec. 17, 2007 03:59 PM
Boats float by in a parade to light up the lakes at the Ocotillo Golf resort starting at 6:15 p.m. Christmas Eve. The best place to view the boats will
be from the tennis courts just off Jacaranda Parkway near the fire station at Pennington and Queen Creek roads. Santa will be throwing candy from
one of the boats. Information: Ken Barnett at 480-732-1691.
•
"Neighborhood Night" starts at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 19, at the Oakwood Country Club with the Colorado Connection entertaining.
"Okeydokey Karaoke" is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 22, at the Ironwood Country Club. Information: 480-895-7275.
•
The Sun Lakes Book Review Club meets at 9:30 a.m. Friday, Dec. 21, in the Friendship Room of the Sun Lakes Country Club. For information
about the book to be reviewed, call Elsie at 480-895-9419.
•
Stay in shape for the winter by joining the Sun Lakes Hiking Club. The club has hikes of varying levels of difficulty and duration. When I first
arrived in Arizona, I belonged to the club and it was a great way to learn about Arizona because many of the hikes take place locally or in Tucson
or Payson. The club has hikes every Monday and Wednesday until April. Meetings begin at 4:15 p.m. the first Friday of each month in the
ceramics room of the Cottonwood Country Club. Check out the club's Web site at http://hiking.dbginc.com or call 480-802-7716.
•
The Chordaires have more than a dozen performances scheduled over the holidays. Looking forward to the new year, they invite all ladies to a
special guest afternoon at 2 p.m. Jan. 7 in the Mirror Room of the Sun Lakes Country Club. For information about the chorus, call Diane Hew at
480-883-3244.
•
The Sun Lakes Jewish Congregation Sisterhood has scheduled a fashion show for Jan. 7. It will start at 6:30 p.m. at the Oakwood Country Club.
Featured will be swimsuits, cover-ups and cruisewear furnished by What Women Want. Cost is $5 for members and $10 for guests. Models are
needed. Information: Adrian Bendick at 480-802-9391.
•
The "Casino Lady," Ruth Fine, has a trip planned to Casino Del Sol in Tucson leaving at 7:15 a.m. Jan. 15. Her trips leave from the Sun Lakes
Country Club. Participants prepay $10 but receive $15 upon arrival, and must have identifications and a players club card, which may be obtained
upon arrival. The return trip departs from the casino at 3:30 p.m. Reservations are required. Call 480-802-0868.
•
The next meeting of the Sun Lakes Camera Club is scheduled for 7 p.m. Jan. 10 in the Navajo Room of the Sun Lakes Country Club. Information:
480-895-5033.
•
The Genealogy Club meets at 6:30 p.m. the third Tuesday of each month in the Mirror Room of the Sun Lakes Country Club. Dues are $10 per
person or $15 per couple. Information: Betty Davis 480-895-3277.
•
Mark Abrams, a Sun Lakes resident, has a Web site for Sun Lakes residents. Check it out at www.sunlakesofarizona.com.
•
Nebraska kicks off the upcoming state parties. Anyone with a connection to Nebraska is invited to a dinner dance starting at 5 p.m. Feb. 17 in the
Sun Lakes Country Club. Foster Oden will provide the music. Cost is $22. Information: Jeanne Vaughn at 480-895-0574.
McCain Critiques Professor's Fashion Sense
Maybe John McCain is starting to take some cues from his daughter, Meghan, a recent Columbia University graduate who has been blogging about
fabulous shoes and other “behind the scenes” musings from the campaign trail.
In an appearance at Clemson University, Mr. McCain, a Republican senator from Arizona, took it upon himself to play fashion police with a
college professor, according to the Associated Press.
At the event, Brent Igo, an assistant professor of psychology at Clemson, asked Mr. McCain whether he’d consider someone a terrorist for
researching the events of September 11, 2001, according to the AP. He said he wanted the candidate to weigh in on federal legislation that Mr. Igo
believes could threaten such academic work.
In his response to Mr. Igo, Mr. McCain commented on the attire of the professor, who wore a gray sports jacket over a pink knit shirt with jeans
and tennis shoes, the AP said.
“From the sneakers, you’re not a snappy dresser,” the senator was quoted as saying. “That doesn’t mean you’re a terrorist. You terrorize the
senses.”
After the event, Mr. Igo told the AP that his fashion sense may be a bit off but that he was caught off guard by the “personally cruel” remark.
He wasn’t satisfied with the rest of the senator’s response about whether the government would categorize him as a security threat because of the
nature of his academic research. “He didn’t answer my question,” Mr. Igo said. “I gave him three chances. He refused to tell me I am not a terrorist.”
Custom tailor sews up style and quality for clients
He takes pride in crafting pieces that fit perfectly
Patricia Bathurst
Special for the ABG
Dec. 6, 2007 12:00 AM
Bespoke suits, a label drawn from the days when a customer would "speak for" a length of fabric to be custom-designed and fitted to one person's
figure and style, are an expensive rarity today.
But the craft of custom tailoring, in which a suit is crafted from a pattern and fabric selected by the customer, continues in Chandler.
Aladdin Dimas cuts a stylish silhouette, with shirt and slacks perfectly draping his slim figure. The look is often accented with a tape measure
slung around his neck like a casual mini-scarf.
Like magic, he will fashion a custom-tailored outfit from a photo, a pattern or just cloth and thread.
"When I first came to Arizona," Dimas said, "I worked here and there, and then I realized: I have a skill."
Dimas, 31, grew up in Damascus, Syria, in a family of tailors.
"We grew up in the business. I've been in a tailor's shop since I was 14," he said.
He once registered for fashion-design classes at a community college, only to discover his skill levels far outstripped the instructor's.
He began working from home, and then opened his first shop in Flagstaff nearly seven years ago.
He has been in his Chandler location for around 18 months. "It's a comfortable store, a little small, but a tailor doesn't need a lot of space."
Dimas custom makes men's and women's suits, trousers, shirts and jackets. He also makes women's skirts, dresses and formal wear. And, of course,
he does alterations.
"No matter how expensive the suit," he said, "it won't fit perfectly if you don't have it tailored."
Dimas said that his clients fall into two categories: those who cannot find clothes to fit them satisfactorily and those who simply "like nice things."
While some clients are referrals, many more have found him while searching online for a tailor to do custom work.
"Everyone," he said, "everyone who sees the Web site calls or comes in."
One display shelf in his spare retail space holds small books filled with swatches of elegant materials.
The cotton shirting feels like silk and shimmers in the light as it falls gently across the palm.
The suit fabrics are all subtle-woven colors and shades, varying from the nubbly feel of tweed to the elegant swoosh of sharkskin.
"I think girls here care more about fashion," Dimas said. "We do a lot of wedding parties. Couture work runs into thousands of dollars, but
depending on how complicated the pattern is, our dresses start at around $400."
Wedding dresses cost more.
Dimas counts himself fortunate that his mother insisted he learn tailoring, telling him, "It's good to have a trade." Today, he thoroughly agrees.
"I only wish I could find someone who is really interested in learning the craft," he said. "It takes time and patience to learn - and I need somebody
who's ambitious, too, because it's a long process. You need to learn to sew and to develop an eye."
He's also hoping his 18-month-old son, who already likes to wear a tape measure around his neck, just like Dad, will want to learn the craft.
What Dimas appreciates most is being his own boss, with the ability to grow his business as he decides.
"It's a great trade," he said. "You will never run out of business, but the best part is when you've made something you're proud of, and your
customer leaves with a smile on his face."
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