watchforsale122 - articles

Bvlgari Assioma BL-15

2011-02-17T08:46:09+00:00

Although consumers and manufacturers alike have been affected by Black Monday and concerns about the falling dollar and the budget deficit, many of those attending the trade show have not experienced the dire consequences that had been predicted for the $31.3 billion housewares industry. Retailers NamBreitling for Bentley QUARTZ Chronograph BT-50 a delayed but strong buying surge during the holiday season. And some believe that housewares manufacturers are benefiting from the climate of economic anxiety.

``In times of uncertainty, people tend psychologically to gravitate toward home, to their own personal oasis,'' said William S. Ripley, chairman of the National Housewares Manufacturers Association, the show's sponsor.

``You can say they're cocooning, or you can call them couch potatoes or use whatever the latest buzz term is,'' he said. ``But people are making themselves feel better by making their home environment as pleasant as possible.''

While Ripley admitted to hating the term ``couch potato,'' the housewares industry has NamHigh Grade Breitling Navitimer Automatic watch no time in capitalizing on it.

Prominently displayed at the show was the One and Only Couch Potato Mug (``An Official Licensed Couch Potato Product,'' advised the logo, showing a smiling potato sitting on a couch). The white plastic mug is fitted with a blue spillproof cover for potatoes who favor sipping in a reclining position.

With its $1.75 retail price, the mug, like many offerings at the show, is clearly not a luxury item, but some at the exhibition said the show had a more ``up-market'' feeling than in previous years.

``There's been a lot of upscaling this year,'' said Jack Park, a sales Bvlgari Assioma BL-13 from Richardson.

Ripley linked this to the aging of baby boomers ``who are in two- career marriages and have more disposable income.''

``They're more demanding and more persnickety,'' he said. ``And better quality adds to the `feel-good' nature of these products; it makes anxious people feel better.''

Beyond this trend, there has been a blurring of clear-cut buying habits due to Americans' new lifestyles, and the trade show demonstrated ``a metamorphosis in retailing,'' said Jay Spaulding, president of the housewares association.

``Traditionally, men bought certain things and women bought certain things, and now they're Bvlgari Assioma BL-14 the lines,'' Spaulding said. ``We're not seeing the graying of America, but rather the straying of America from conventional customs and habits.''

Retailers are straying too.

``You're seeing discount stores and drugstores selling food products, food stores selling drugs and hardware, and the catalogs selling everything,'' he said.

Part of the reason, Spaulding said, is that time is at a premium for two-career couples, and they usually prefer one-stop shopping. But Ripley said the metamorphosis in retailing is also the result of ``changing roles and changing rules.''

``Men and women are sharing housework and purchasing responsibilities,'' Bvlgari Assioma BL-15 said. ``Working women are buying things like hardware products. And men are loading the dishwasher and diapering the baby, and they're buying products that women used to buy.''

Perhaps the most humble indicator of America's growing interest in home and hearth is the boom in refrigerator magnets.

``The demand, it's something you would not believe,'' said Perry Upchurch, founder of a Dallas company, Grynnen Barrett. The company sells 300 styles of refrigerator magnets, including the Urban Professional Assortment with magnets in the form of a gold credit card, a button-down shirt, wing-tip shoes, a Perrier bottle and a Rolex watch.

Bell&Ross Instrument BR-03 RS-11

2011-02-17T08:45:17+00:00

If Tarkenton has taken bad risks, it doesn't show. He drives a Mercedes-Benz and a Porsche, vacations in Hawaii and plays golf at Pebble Beach, California. At Christmas, he requires two trees to accommodate all the gifts he buys for his second wife, Tammy, and the three children by his first marriage, Bell&Ross Instrument BR-01 Airborne RS-14, 23, Matthew, 18, and Melissa, 17. In his spare time, Tarkenton lifts weights and takes six-mile jogs. He's an armchair quarterback who loves to watch sports on television.

Football still has allure for Tarkenton. He has been involved in an attempted hostile takeover of the Minnesota Vikings for more than two years. The effort began when former team owner Max Winter, at odds with General Manager Mike Lynn, sold his stock to Carl Pohlad, who owns the Minnesota Twins, and corporate raider Irwin Jacobs. Pohlad and Jacobs own 51% of the outstanding stock, but have only a third of the voting shares. Tarkenton has teamed up with them to sue Lynn and others for control of the Vikings.

In Minnesota, some people frown on the prospect of Tarkenton Bell&Ross Instrument BR-01 Airborne RS-15 an owner of the team. "I hope he doesn't," says sports columnist Klobuchar. "It's a full-time job and Fran's a will-o'-the-wisp."

Tarkenton says he is motivated by the same force that drives the common working man. "I've got mouths to feed," he says. "The breadwinner has a tremendous burden, and the burden is no less for me." As for the future, he has no specific game plan. "I will continue to look for niches to fill in the marketplace," he says.

Perhaps his greatest disappointment, other than leading the Vikings to Bell&Ross Instrument BR-01 Airborne RS-17 Super Bowls and losing each time, is that he always will be known more as a quarterback than a businessman. "I was a football player and that's great," he says, "but I will never live it down."

CHICAGO - The couch potatoes are going to be cocooning in their families' personal oases this year. Exactly what does this mean to Mr. and Mrs. America?

Well, there definitely could be a motorized spice rack in the average Bell&Ross Instrument BR-03 RS-11 future. For the first time in history, snoozers will be able to turn off an alarm clock simply by waving at it (it's so hard to hit the off button when you're half awake). And the fragrance industry has produced a jasmine-scented air freshener to make vacuum-cleaner exhaust smell better.

These are the bulletins from the 87th International Housewares Exposition, the four-day trade show at the McCormick Place convention center here recently.

And while it is easy enough to poke fun at some of the more outlandish new products, the show was viewed by more than a few participants as a barometer of the American condition.

Indeed, as 55,000 merchants, manufacturers, sales representatives and Bell&Ross Instrument BR-03 RS-12 visitors to the nation's premiere housewares show trod 12 miles of melon and raspberry carpeting past the offerings of 2,000 exhibitors displaying 2 million items, they were not just browsing. Their product orders will largely determine what Americans will be able to buy this year in department stores, discount houses and catalog showrooms.

Bell&Ross Instrument BR 01-93 GMT RS-16

2011-02-17T08:45:01+00:00

Despite its longevity and wide name recognition, Tarkenton, Conn & Co. is not a big-league player in the $7 billion-a-year management consulting industry. The firm has about 10 clients and a dozen full-time consultants. The 1986 Directory of Management Consultants puts the firm's annual revenues in the $1 Bell&Ross Tourbillon BR01 Phantom RS-1 to $5 million range. The nation's largest company specializing in management consulting, McKinsey & Co., has estimated annual revenues of more than $300 million.

Most consulting firms help companies define specific problems and develop strategic plans in areas like organization, marketing and finance. Tarkenton's company is different. It teaches firms basic management tools, like how to set objectives and use positive feedback. Says James H. Kennedy, publisher of Bell&Ross Tourbillon BR01 Phantom RS-2 industry newsletter Consultants News, "They are not what we call true management consultants. They run in a different stream."

Tarkenton is proud that his firm is unlike the rest. "Most companies will Bell&Ross BR 02 Chronograph RS-9 seminars and do studies and tell people what they already know," he says. "We go in and implement a plan of action. We take the mystery, the flimflam and the hype out of the business."

Tarkenton's clients, who pay as much as $300,000 for the consulting services, are among his biggest fans. Marci Warfield, who heads the performance management department at Bank South in Atlanta, says Tarkenton's firm helped the bank reduce reported problems with checking accounts by nearly 50% in 1987. The bank uses a Tarkenton software package that tracks employee performance.

Sara Lee is another happy customer. The Chicago-based food company is a Bell&Ross Instrument BR 01-93 GMT RS-16 of Tarkenton's consulting firm, insurance brokerage and computer software company. "Fran markets his programs and himself well," says Executive Vice President Paul Fulton. "He's a positive business person."

Tarkenton's critics say he has a short attention span and is too busy making speeches and televison shows to keep up with the consulting firm. "If he had dedicted himself to the business, it would be great," says Larry Miller, a former president of the consulting firm who is now a competitor, "but his mind is not on the business."

Some of Tarkenton's ventures have been short-lived, like a fast-food restaurant Bell&Ross Instrument BR-01 Airborne Black RS-13 Scrambler's Village and a marketing business that sold advertising on airline ticket envelopes. Tarkenton doesn't talk about his past endeavors. "It's history," he says. But friends and family members view them as testament to his entrepreneurial spirit. "He comes up with ideas and likes to start companies," says his daughter, Angela. "When they get to a certain size, he sells them."

Bell&Ross Instrument Skeleton Gold RS-32

2011-02-17T08:44:42+00:00

Tarkenton has mastered the art of selling his name. The quarterback who made $350,000 in his last pro season has earned about $1 million every year since he retired from football, says a longtime financial and legal advisor who asked not to be named. Says Klobuchar, "He knows how to exploit Bell&Ross Instrument Dual Time RS-29."

He makes no apologies for capitalizing on his prominence. "Sure, name recognition gets us in the door," Tarkenton says, "but we have to provide quality products to stay inside."

Tarkenton spends much of his time traveling to speaking engagements. A natural orator, he captivates his audience with pep talks that sound remarkably off the cuff. He uses football allusions to dramatize his three speech topics -- managing change, building teams and motivating people.

When he's not talking on stage, Tarkenton is talking on the telephone in his Bell&Ross Instrument Dual Time RS-30, which is bedecked with sports memorabilia. Looking up from his desk, he can see his most prized possession, a replica of his bust in the Football Hall of Fame.

To those who know him, Tarkenton is a down-to-earth family man who is always cheerful. He refers to problems as "interesting situations." He tells funny stories and plays practical jokes. "He likes to tease people," says Shirl Handly, a former vice president of the consulting firm. "And you can feel Bell&Ross Instrument Skeleton Black RS-31 teasing him back."

But being a celebrity has hardened him toward the general public. Too many inconsiderate fans have jostled him when he has been asleep on airplanes. Chuck Watkins, president of the insurance brokerage Tarkenton & Watkins Inc., says some people might think Tarkenton arrogant. "People call out to him Bell&Ross Instrument Skeleton Gold RS-32 the street and maybe he doesn't hear them, so he doesn't turn around," says Watkins. "They'll say he's a snob, but it's not true."

Though he still gets fan mail -- especially from boys who collect football cards -- Tarkenton's fame is beginning to fade. People who spot him in airports sometimes confuse him with other football heroes.

Tarkenton hopes his businesses will have more lasting value. His oldest company is the management consulting firm, created in 1969 while he was with the New York Giants. In the beginning, it employed as many as 60 consultants and helped textile companies improve worker productivity. One of Tarkenton's early Bell&Ross Instrument Skeleton RS-4, he says, was reducing employee turnover by 30% at Milliken & Co., the large textile firm based in Spartanburg, South Carolina.

Bell&Ross Instrument Dual Time RS-27

2011-02-17T08:44:26+00:00

Many professional athletes fail to make a graceful transition from stardom to everyday life when their sports careers are over. "These individuals have been pampered and coddled and told how great they are for most of their young adult lives," says Edward Keating, a sports agent in Cleveland, Ohio, Bvlgari Assioma BL-14 has represented Tarkenton and other football greats, like former Miami Dolphins running back Larry Csonka. "In their minds, they believe it's never going to end. When it does, they walk around in a daze. It's sad."

Tarkenton was different. Midway through his football career, he founded his first business, a management consulting firm known today as Tarkenton, Conn & Co. "Fran is in a minority," says Keating. "He perceived that he wouldn't always be running around throwing a football, so he started taking Bvlgari Assioma BL-15 of his fame and his contacts while he was playing."

Tarkenton now has a public relations firm, an advertising agency, an insurance brokerage, a computer software firm and a speakers bureau. The companies are small. Tarkenton & Addams Inc., the public relations firm, has two employees and three clients, including GNB Inc., a Minnesota-based battery maker. GNB also accounts for about 90% of business at the advertising agency, Tarkenton & Hughes Inc. The speakers bureau has one employee, Tarkenton's daughter, Angela Cordle. Says Tarkenton, "I'm not interested Bell&Ross Instrument BR01 Pro Titanium RS-3 size for size's sake. "I'm concerned about quality."

Tarkenton refuses to discuss the finances of his companies. "I don't have to go around showing off to the world how successful we are," he says. In publications like the New York Times and Fortune, reports of the combined annual revenues of his enterprises have ranged from $11 million to $50 million. "Whatever they've said, it's not true. They didn't get their information from me," says Tarkenton, dropping the subject.

A University of Georgia graduate who was reared in Athens, Tarkenton has a hands-off approach to running his companies. He is a delegator who readily admits to knowing few details about his firms. He can't say how many people work for him (it's about 130, most with the computer software company), Bell&Ross Instrument Dual Time RS-27 he's not sure how many clients he serves. He lets others run the companies. "I'm not so different from the chairman of General Motors," he says. "His job is not to build an automobile. The point of leadership is to bring talented people together."

A hyperactive man with infectious enthusiasm, Tarkenton is a one-man sales force for his companies. His football fame gets him audiences with top executives of the nation's largest corporations. "Everyone wants to meet him," says his secretary, Tracy Johnson. "Grown men go nuts over him."

He markets his companies at every speech. He plugs them at golf games. "His Bell&Ross Instrument Dual Time RS-28 are our best business tool," says Rich Hughes, president of the advertising agency." He keeps us from having to go through the normal agonies of pitching accounts."

Panerai

2011-02-16T08:57:32+00:00

After serving as U.S. president of the Omega watch brand, Glenn opened the distribution company "for himself in 1984. He looked at 14 Swiss watch brands, choosing Cyma for its "technological innovation." Since Glenn introduced the brand to the U.S. market, both its inventory and following have grown Jacob&Co Cyma watches are now sold in 600 independent retail jewelry stores, with U.S. sales accounting for 60 percent of the company's revenue.

In late spring 2003, Cyma Chairman and CEO Claude Guilgot asked Glenn if he could buy the company from him. Knowing Hugh Glenn Corp. was one of the last wholly owned distributors of Swiss timepieces (most manufacturers had already taken control of U.S. marketing and distribution), Glenn agreed.

"We have big plans for the American market, and it makes sense for us to Jaeger leCoultre the distribution of our brand," Guilgot said. "We are committed to supporting our more than 600 independently owned jewelers."

While Cyma has not made any immediate changes in company personnel, pricing or distribution, retailers can expect to see a beefed-up marketing campaign in the next year as the company focuses on growing U.S. demand for its product.

"With the factory's ownership now, there will definitely be more investment in the brand," Glenn said. "They have a lot more capital than we do, and this is going to be just great for the retail jewelers, as well as for us."

Founded in 1862 in the Jura Mountains of Switzerland, Cyma is headquartered in Le Montblanc, Switzerland. The company's timepieces retail for $295 to $20,000.

Building on its success in promoting its products through celebrities, Swiss watch-maker Omega has appointed singer/actor Somchai 'Tao' Khemglad as its latest Omega ambassador.

Mr Somchai is the second local Omega presenter after model Sirinya Burbridge. They join international celebrities such as Pierce Brosnan, Cindy Crawford, Michael Schumacher as well as Anna Kournikova who have promoted Omega products.

Promoting the brand through celebrities and films like James Bond Omega been very successful for Omega, according to Stephen Urquhart, president of Omega Ltd.

He said Thailand had been an important market for the company, recording double-digit growth in recent years since the 1997-98 Asian financial crisis.

"Thailand has been the market with the highest growth for us in Asia in the past few years," said Mr Urquhart, who always wears Omega watches on both wrists.

Bangkok is also one of the 20 locations in which Omega has a flagship store, along with cities like Paris, Cannes, Milan and Tokyo.

Omega aims to have 100 flagship stores in the next few years along with its 5,000 other outlets worldwide.

Mr Urquhart said the company was looking for additional locations to open more stand-alone stores and that it was likely the company would open one new store in the upscale Siam Paragon centre in 2005.

Currently, Japan, China and Hong Kong are Omega's largest Panerai while Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand are also doing well.

Omega's marketing strategy in Thailand focuses more on mechanical and jewellery watches as they are popular among Thai customers.

Hamilton

2011-02-16T08:57:07+00:00

While Goodwill and the Texas comptroller will ship the items they sell at auction, one drawback to the General Services Administration's auction is that buyers must pick up the items wherever they are or make arrangements with a delivery service.

"Most items have to be collected by the buyer," said Shala Geer- Glashutte, public affairs officials for the Greater Southwest region of the GSA in Fort Worth.

Despite the drawback, Geer-Smith said the GSA online auction site has been quite successful. The GSA ends up with thousands of seized or forfeited items along with surplus from federal government agencies. The GSA has a holiday sale starting next week that includes an Omega watch, a German pen set and an antique jewelry set.

"We've sold boats used by the Coast Guard, cars from other federal agencies, bicycles, motorcycles, exotic collectibles -- a variety of things," Geer-Smith said.

Although the GSA has sold through online auction for five years, the Graham two have been the strongest. For fiscal 2003, the GSA sold more than 50,000 items online for $25.7 million, Geer-Smith said.

The state comptroller has completely replaced live auctions with the online kind.

"Today I shipped something to Hong Kong, England and Canada," Schroeter said. "I just shipped a Tony Lama belt buckle to Australia."

Schroeter estimates half of her sales are to in-state customers. (And yes, Hamilton online auction site states upfront that it does collect state and local taxes.)

If someone comes to claim the item after it's been sold, the comptroller will reimburse the claimant with cash, Schroeter said.

That doesn't happen often, however, because banks hold safe- deposit boxes for five years before turning them over to the state, which then holds them for one or two years more. It advertises that it has the items before putting them on eBay.

"We don't have the secure storage capacity to hold all the Hublot," Schroeter said.

The money from auction sales goes into the general revenue fund, she added.

The auctions will go on for a while. The state has about $1 billion in unclaimed property, Schroeter said.

NEW YORK After three months of discussions, Cyma Watch Co. purchased New York-based Hugh Glenn Corp., its sole U.S. distributor, effective Sept. 1. But despite the change in ownership, much remains the same for U.S. retailers and consumers, said Hugh Glenn, who will continue to serve as IWC of the company he founded 19 years ago. Details of the acquisition were not disclosed.

"It's kind of a strange feeling for me that I no long owner it, but the only thing that's changed is the ownership," said Glenn, adding that the company will retain its name. "I'm thrilled with the news, and it's a great opportunity for the brand to become much more prominent."

Girard-Perregaux

2011-02-16T08:56:48+00:00

Carole Keeton Strayhorn is a power seller on eBay.

But rather than cleaning out her own closets to sell items at the largest auction site on the Internet, the state comptroller is selling the state's unclaimed stuff.

Specifically, Strayhorn is selling some of the nearly 250,000 pieces of Chopard, collector coins and currency, baseball cards, pocket knives and other items left unclaimed in safety deposit boxes that end up in the comptroller's hands each year.

Texas was the first state to join the online auction world, starting in 1999, although many other government and nonprofit entities have followed.

Right now she has a holiday auction going on eBay with 57 items, including an ChronoSwiss diamond brooch and an 1899 $5 U.S. silver note with Chief Running Antelope on it.

In addition to high-end items such as the silver note, topping $400 on the second day of a seven-day auction, many lower-cost things can be found at the site. For example, a 1955 Booker T. Washington half-dollar recently sold for $15.51, and a 14- carat blue topaz and diamond ring sold for $74.27.

If you're hesitant to shop an online auction because of the potential for fraud, Strayhorn's state backing offers consumers the security they may need to try it.

Just ask Bernard Gottschalk of San Antonio, who bought some Liberty half-Concord on the Texas auction site last fall and recently bought his wife a ring there for Christmas.

"It was my first time on eBay," Gottschalk said. "Because it was the state, I felt a little safer. It was a real good experience."

Jackie Schroeter, the comptroller's office administrator who came up with the idea of using eBay, said that the online auctions help the state reach a broader audience of prospective buyers.

"We have a lot of first-time eBayers," Schroeter said. "And the state makes a considerably higher amount than in a live auction."

Since August, when the state began continuous auctions on Ferrari, about 26,600 items have sold for more than $104,000, Schroeter said.

The presale value of the items was less than $68,000.

Texas isn't the only state using Internet auctions. California is auctioning unclaimed property on eBay as well, using seller name "ucpauction."

And the federal government is auctioning surplus, seized and forfeited property, including cars, boats, aircraft, jewelry and computers,

"We've had an incredible response," said Joan Dornback, vice president of marketing for Goodwill of Orange County, Calif., which originated the site now open to all 175 Goodwill outlets across the United States and Canada.

Goodwill estimates that it has sold $10 million in items since eBay sales Girard-Perregaux in 2001 and will far surpass its goal of selling $5 million annually by 2005, Dornback said.

"The average price of items at our stores is between $3 and $8," she said. "Our average online price per item is $20."

Cartier

2011-02-16T08:56:32+00:00

According to Wendy Parks, spokeswoman for Johnson Publishing Company, home of Ebony and Jet, Johnson died of renal failure at her Chicago home on Jan. 3. She was 93.

Johnson, who served as secretary-treasurer of Johnson Publishing until her death, was the producer and director of the world's largest traveling runway show, Ebony Fashion Fair. The show started in 1961 as a charity event at a New Orleans hospital. But, over the decades, it grew into a fashion Blancpain that was showcased at over 150 cities throughout the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean, according to Johnson Company. The show raised over $55 billion for charitable organizations and gave exposure to the world's top Black designer and models, bringing international couture to the Black community.

"It brought to the lower-middle-class black people a sense of what fashion really was. She gave the local community a chance to see these clothes," Andre Leon Talley, editor at large for Vogue, told the The Chicago Tribune.

Johnson toured fashion capitals from New York to Milan to purchase Breguet for the show, spending at least $1 million annually. Until 2009 - a year of economic distress in the U.S.-Ebony Fashion Fair toured annually since its inception.

"Mrs. Johnson has always been a woman ahead of her time..... [She] made a tremendous impact on the fashion industry, showcasing the best in style on African-American models of various shapes, sizes and skin tones," said a statement released by Johnson Company Jan. 4. "It was her sheer determination and Breitling business sense that helped pave the way for supennodels Tyra Banks, Naomi Campbell, Iman and Beverly Johnson."

Johnson's commitment to the fashion industry and her philanthropic efforts have garnered her many awards and recognitions, including honors from the United Negro College Fund, the Boys & Girls Club of Chicago, Alabama A&M University, Loyola University and a host of others. She was scheduled to be lauded at the New Metropolitan Museum of Art for her work in making couture fashion accessible to African Americans nationwide, the Tribune reported.

"America, and indeed, the world have lost a true pioneer in the publishing, fashion Bvlgari philanthropic industries," said U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) in a statement also released Jan. 4. "It is undisputable that Johnson Publishing gave countless African Americans their first exposure to possibilities that had only seemed available in our dreams and showed us how to turn those dreams into reality.

Johnson was born April 4, 1916, and is survived by Linda Johnson Rice, chairman and CEO of Johnson Publishing, and granddaughter, Alexa Rice.

With the advent of quantitative reverse-transcription real-time polymerase chain reaction, RNA has increasingly become an invaluable tool to forensic science investigations. For instance, previous studies have shown that the age of a biological stain could be estimated using differential decay rates of different RNA segments, providing a temporal link between the suspect and the crime. By co-isolating RNA and DNA from the same sample, both a genetic profile and various other analyses can be conducted. RNA samples are frequently treated with DNase prior to analysis to rid samples of contaminating DNA. Although all manufacturers of DNase claim no loss of RNA-derived signal, our results indicate that only those based upon heat inactivation of the DNase showed acceptable levels of signal loss. Loss of cDNA is not permissible for studies where levels of starting RNAs are crucial in obtaining accurate results. Ideally, primers and probes for estimating relative RNA levels Cartier be designed to span exon-exon boundaries such that DNA contamination cannot provide a false signal. Unfortunately such primer and probe locations are not always possible. We also investigated the feasibility of using RNA degradation as a means of determining the approximate ex vivo age of semen samples. Our results indicate that, unlike bloodstains and other biological specimens, RNA contained within dried semen samples do not degrade in a predictable fashion after the first few days following deposition. After approximately 1-1.5 years, differential degradation was observed in dried semen stains therefore the use of this technique for exclusionary purposes may be possible. Our results also indicate that primers and probes designed to detect small segments of semen specific RNAs can be used to identify dried semen samples at least 1.5-2 years of ex vivo age. Liquid samples did show differential decay rates shortly after deposition. In conclusion, RNA will likely become a fundamental tool in the near future for forensic investigations but it must be kept in mind that the manufactures claims should be validated before all examinations.

Bell&Ross

2011-02-16T08:56:11+00:00

Eunice W. Johnson will be remembered for being more than just the widow of John H. Johnson, publisher of the nation's pioneering African-American magazines, Ebony and Jet. Her name will go down in history as the one who introduced Black supermodels to runways from New York to Paris.

According to Wendy Parks, spokeswoman for Johnson Publishing Luxury Watches, home of Ebony and Jet, Johnson died of renal failure at her Chicago home on Jan. 3. She was 93.

Johnson, who served as secretary-treasurer of Johnson Publishing until her death, was the producer and director of the world's largest traveling runway show, Ebony Fashion Fair. The show started in 1961 as a charity event at a New Orleans hospital. But, over the decades, it grew into a fashion extravaganza that was showcased at over 150 cities throughout the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean, according to Johnson Company. The show raised over $55 billion for charitable organizations and gave exposure to the world's top Black designer and models, bringing international couture to the Black community.

"It brought to the lower-middle-class black people a sense of what fashion really was. A.Lange & Sohne gave the local community a chance to see these clothes," Andre Leon Talley, editor at large for Vogue, told the The Chicago Tribune.

Johnson toured fashion capitals from New York to Milan to purchase garments Alain Silberstein the show, spending at least $1 million annually. Until 2009 - a year of economic distress in the U.S.-Ebony Fashion Fair toured annually since its inception.

"Mrs. Johnson has always been a woman ahead of her time.... [She] made a tremendous impact on the fashion industry, showcasing the best in style on African-American models of various, shapes, sizes and skin tones," said a statement released by Johnson Company Jan. 4. "It was her sheer determination and astute business sense that helped pave the way for supermodels Tyra Banks, Naomi Campbell, Iman and Beverly Johnson."

Johnson's commitment to the fashion industry and her philanthropic efforts Baume & Mercier garnered her many awards and recognitions, including honors from the United Negro College Fund, The Boys & Girls Club of Chicago, Alabama A&M University, Loyola University and a host of others. She was scheduled to be lauded at the New Metropolitan Museum of Art for her work in making couture fashion accessible to African Americans nationwide, the Tribune reported.

"America, and indeed, the world have lost a true pioneer in the publishing, fashion and philanthropic industries," said U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) in a statement also released Jan. 4. "It is undisputable that Johnson Publishing gave countless African Americans their first exposure to possibilities that had only seemed available in our dreams and showed us how to turn those dreams into reality.

Johnson was born April 4, 1916, and is survived by Linda Johnson Rice, Bell&Ross aind CEO of Johnson Publishing, and granddaughter, Alexa Rice.

Private funeral services will be held.

Tiffany Notes tag bracelet

2011-02-15T09:51:34+00:00

Target Corp. and Limited Brands Inc. cut back on lobbying expenditures. (See box below.)

President Obama's signature issues, including health care reform, climate change Elsa Peretti Sevillana bracelet clean energy proposals, and financial regulatory reform all stalled in Congress last year and have been in limbo in the early part of 2010.

Apparel brands, retailers and industry trade groups, opposed to many of the far-reaching policy proposals that would impose tough new regulations on the business community, saw their money spent on lobbying as a great return on investment.

But there were fewer lobbying successes in the trade area, where many Toggle bracelet the industry's trade expansion priorities failed to lead to congressional action under a Democratic-controlled Congress and White House.

The industry's two top retail lobbying groups cited the congressional impasse over the Employee Free Choice Act that would boost unionizing efforts last year as the one, clear-cut lobbying victory of 2009.

Clearly, I think our efforts on EFCA paid out great dividends, said Steve Pfister, senior vice president for government relations at the National Retail Federation, which spent $2 million on lobbying in 2009 compared with $2.1 million in 2008. That was organized labor's top priority. The lobbying efforts by the NRF and the broader business community really stopped EFCA in its tracks.

Some of the pending free trade agreements are a no-brainer from our Paloma Picasso Loving Heart bracelet, but are we even talking about trade anymore?

John Emling, Retail Industry Leaders Association

The AFL-CIO spent $2.26 million in 2009 compared with $1.7 million in 2008 and focused much of its time and resources on EFCA and health care reform.

While it is still unclear whether labor groups and Democratic leaders can strike a Tiffany Charm bracelet this year on the union bill, the prospects of such a measure moving appear slim, particularly in a congressional election year.

Pfister said the success or failure of lobbying efforts hinges on numerous factors and is largely driven by the political climate and agenda of the party in control. He said on issues like interchange fees, hidden fees credit card companies charge merchants every time a consumer purchases a product with their cards, there was a more receptive ear with the Democrats.

Wal-Mart, Target and Limited Brands all highlighted advocacy against EFCA, which called for unions to be allowed to have card-check elections instead of closed ballots, in their government lobbying forms.

John Emling, senior vice president for government affairs for the Retail Industry Tiffany Notes tag bracelet Association, also called the lobbying initiative against EFCA a success but he acknowledged that in other areas such as employer mandates in health care reform legislation, which RILA and the NRF opposed, the business community's advocacy was ignored by Congress.

Elsa Peretti Sevillana Mesh bracelet

2011-02-15T09:51:16+00:00

AG Hair Cosmetics deluxe Colour Savour gift set

Ideeli.com special access online shopping cards

Professional dog studio photography package from Otis & Lucy (Paris Bead bracelet is a fan)

BlueFox Extreme Bluetooth headset

An "Exclusively Scandinavian Gift Basket" from The Scandinavian Company (items from the line can be found in Heidi Klum's closet)

A year's supply of Altoids Smalls

The Pig Board from Snout a Pig

Modern Meditations - Tiffany Cushion Two-row bracelet Goes Zen CD sets

Ila DUSK personal security alarm

iFLY indoor skydiving experience

Eco-friendly certified carbon free SoHo Ultra-Quiet personal shredder from GoECOlife

Herbalife Nutritional Products including Shake Mix and Best Defense immune booster supplement

The Fifth Agreement by don Miguel Ruiz

Assortment of all-natural designer dog toys, bowls and Tiffany 1837 Toggle bracelet from Petprojekt

Wellness WellBites and Pure Rewards all-natural dog snacks from Wellpet

WooLoot waterproof tourmaline sport watches

Fashion-forward costume jewelry from MILLIANNA Jewelry

La Peau Couture Organic Wrinkle Diminishing Serum (priced at $499 per jar)

Slimware portion-control plates (used by body-conscious Frank Gehry Fish toggle bracelet stars such as Rene Russo, Kristin Chenoweth, Emily Procter and Ashlee Simpson)

10 personal training sessions from Huntley Drive Fitness (where previous nominees Melissa Leo and Jason Reitman train)

One week all-inclusive fitness bootcamp from Live In Fitness Enterprise (former Oscar nominee Angela Bassett just finished the Red Carpet Bootcamp Program)

Please note: This particular Gift Bag has no affiliation with A.M.P.A.S., ABC or the Academy Awards and is being independently produced by Distinctive Assets.

SOURCE Distinctive Assets

The retail and fashion industries largely increased their level of spending on lobbying last year, pouring millions of dollars into influencing critical policies on trade, health care, organized retail crime, credit card fees and union organizing.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc., Sears Holdings Corp., Tiffany & Co., Elsa Peretti Sevillana Mesh bracelet Inc., J.C. Penney Co. and Abercrombie & Fitch all boosted their spending last year on lobbying the Obama administration and Congress, according to the government's recently released lobbying figures.

Elsa Peretti Open Heart bracelet

2011-02-15T09:50:50+00:00

The event that raises critical funds to support cancer research, exceptional patient care and education. The 2010 Annual Dinner gala will inelude a reception, an elegant dinner, a super silent auction, a raffle sponsored by Tiffany & Co., and an exciting fashion show designed by creative icon Linda Dresner, Charm bracelet is also a breast cancer survivor.

Special tribute will be given to Dr. Gerold Bepler, as the new president and chief executive officer of the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute. Entertainment will be provided by the Bay Area Blues Society.

The Annual Dinner salutes the ongoing work of the dedicated team of physicians, researchers, staff and volunteers who support outstanding patient care and groundbreak ing research at the Karmanos Cancer Institute.

LOS ANGELES, March 2 /PRNewswire/ --The red carpet, the dresses, the bling Tiffany Cushion Toggle bracelet, of course, a statue named Oscar are what bring out the entertainment industry's most talented actors, actresses, directors and film makers each year. While only a select few will go home with the coveted trophy, the rest will be consoled in the most Hollywood of ways: free stuff! Distinctive Assets is once again sending its condolences (and respect) in the form of a bountiful Gift Basket to Oscar nominees who don't win in the major Academy Awards categories of Best Actor/Actress, Best Supporting Actor/Actress and Best Director. This unique consolation prize is currently valued at over $85,000! Here's a sneak peak of what Sandra Bullock, James Cameron, Woody Harrelson, Matt Damon, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Jeff Bridges, Helen Mirren, Meryl Streep, Penelope Cruz and Mo'Nique will receive if they leave the Academy Awards empty handed on Sunday night:

Gourmet artisan chocolate creations from Chocolatines by Sweet Endeavours that will Flower charm bracelet the bitter Oscar loss with a 16-piece Contempo Collection, Chocolate-dipped Bacon, Matcha Sesame Bark, Mini Lux Turtles and Diamond Collection Champagne Ganache

Fancy Feast's "Celebrate the Moment" gift package including a FlipCam Mino, Tiffany crystal-studded cat collar and an assortment of Fancy Feast Appetizers for Cats

HGTV Green Home Mattress Collection by Serta

The Oral-B Pulsonic slim & sleek electric toothbrush

$4,000 limited edition (only 125 made) luxury Leather Travel Bag from Elsa Peretti Open Heart bracelet, makers of the Original Swiss Army Knife

Private island vacation at the Turks & Caicos Sporting Club at Ambergris Clay

$45,000 private & exclusive use of an African Safari Lodge from Premier Tours (includes four nights at the luxurious Lion Sands Private Game Reserve in South Africa for up to 8 adults and 8 kids, all meals prepared daily by a private chef, daily private game drives in open safari vehicles and guided nature walks)

$14,500 four-night resort stay in a seaside suite with breakfast in bed at the Monte Carlo Beach Hotel in the Principality of Monaco

DeLea Signature Perfume Oil

A $7,000 three-night all-inclusive rustic getaway to Winvian Luxury Return to Tiffany Heart tag bracelet in the Litchfield Hills of Connecticut (2009 "losing" nominees Ron Howard and Frank Langella redeemed last year)

Atlas charm bracelet

2011-02-15T09:50:27+00:00

Our lifestyles have become so easy. Throw and go -- everyone seems to like that," said Lori Malkin, owner of Christine's and Lolo's.

If you want to see these trendy looks in person, your chance to attend two Love Knot bangle shows are just a few days away.

Not only will models showcase the latest looks, but both events are also luncheons that support good causes.

BARC Celebrity Waiters' Luncheon

First up is BARC's annual fashion event, now in its second year. Guests will be entertained by local personalities like Mike Hart from Channel 23 and Alissa Carlson from Channel 17, who will act as "waiters," followed by a fashion show with apparel from Christine's and Lolo's. Decide your plans Tiffany 1837 bangle because table reservations at the DoubleTree Hotel are limited.

The event costs $30 per person and includes a lunch of Caesar salad, ravioli stuffed with asparagus and mushrooms sauteed in olive oil, green beans and a chocolate cake with berries, a fashion show, appreciation gifts and a ticket raffle for the Tiffany & Co. centerpiece prizes.

Because this fun-filled, two-hour event is held at lunchtime during the middle of the week, it may be tricky for people to attend, so BARC suggests making it an office party to show support and join the festivities.

Annual Fashionata Fashion Show and Luncheon

This fashion show would make a perfect Saturday afternoon outing for Elsa Peretti Teardrop bracelet women and their mothers or a group of girlfriends.

Symphony Associates of the Bakersfield Symphony will hold the Annual Fashionata Fashion Show and Luncheon at the DoubleTree Hotel.

The event begins with an open bar social hour at 11 a.m. During that time, Atlas charm bracelet are encouraged to purchase raffle tickets, $10 for 12, and deposit tickets in gift bags for their favorite themed baskets worth $50 and up.

In addition, there will be a chance for guests to take home items priced at more than $250 with the opportunity gift drawing. Tickets cost $10 each and prizes include two season tickets to the Bakersfield Symphony, $250 in cash, a Taste of the Town restaurant package, a fashion shopping spree and a basketful of goodies from Victoria's.

After the social hour, lunch is served at noon: harvest chicken salad, Atlas toggle bracelet rolls with butter, gateau riche for dessert, coffee and tea. When lunch ends, prizes will be given to raffle ticket winners and the fashions from Pappagallo, Sugardaddy's, Victoria's and Pour Je will be modeled by a mix of professionals and members of the Symphony Associates.

Tickets for the event are $35 per person or $350 for a table of 10. The deadline to purchase tickets is Wednesday.

Elsa Peretti Open Heart bangle

2011-02-15T09:50:10+00:00

Topnotch professionals and students will get the chance to win cash and prizes totaling $2,500 and a spot on the cover of Cutz Hair magazine during the Mid-South Beauty and Barbershop Bash Student and Professional Competition at the Marriott East, Thousand Oaks location on Sunday, Tiffany 1837 interlocking circles bangle at 6 p.m.

Up-and-coming event coordinator and promoter Tiffany Gary, aka Tiffany G., is the bash generator. Gary is a local nail technician whose Memphis roots breathe a passion for the beauty industry.

Early on, Gary learned the value of hard work and determination, working as a shampooing girl in her mother's beauty shop. Today, she is driven twin desires: to see Memphis grow and to give beauticians and barbers an outlet to express themselves while having fun. Thus The Mid-South Beauty and Tiffany & Co. bangle Bash was born.

"This is my baby," said Gary. "I'm very proud of this showcase. Basically it is an outlet for local business owners and salons to show their style. It's a showcase and a competition this time, so everybody's not competing against each other."

Professionals, students and even those aspiring to make a name for themselves in hair have a legitimate shot at winning prizes and making it to the cover of Cutz Hair magazine.

Cutz Hair - a new publication - takes a local approach to stylistic trends, haircuts, Tiffany Somerset cuff and culture, focusing primarily in the tri-state area.

Various sponsors in food, drink and multimedia are playing parts in making the competition possible, including Nuvo - the world's first sparkling liquor, Spikner Embroidery and Screen Printing on Madison Avenue, and the Tri-State Defender.

After the event, the bash is not over. Winners and VIPs will be at the Zodiac Lounge Elsa Peretti Open Heart bangle Mt. Moriah from 10 p.m. - until. You too can party like a hair star for $5 with a ticket stub from the showcase.

Seasonal transitions can bring frantic thoughts to fashionistas who look in their closet and utter, "I have nothing to wear."

Well lucky for the budget-conscious among us (and who isn't?), some of last season's looks are still in, and to update your wardrobe, all you have to do is add accessories. A belt, a multi-stone cuff or pastel pearl necklaces should do the trick.

Still confused? Don't have time to flip through the pages of Vogue? A few local women's boutiques share this season's hottest trends.

Individual style is personal, but the shops agreed on some staple pieces Two Hearts triple bangle should be in everyone's closets, no matter your age or size. The looks that anyone can wear include dark leggings, bright colors -- yellow, orange and turquoise -- beaded accessories, tops with a sprinkle of sequins and a more classic-structured feminine style.

IWC Big Pilots Watch Automatic IW-55

2011-02-14T09:20:26+00:00

Legendary Spanish design house presents high-end jewellery in the epic Art Noveau and Art Deco styleDamas, the world renowned jeweller, unfurls the magical collections of the legendary Barcelona based Spanish jewellery house, Bagues Masriera such as necklaces, pendant chains, drop earrings, brooches IWC Big Pilots Watch Automatic IW-40 rings. Combining 18k gold, diamonds, precious stones and highly specialised enamel work dating over two centuries ago and backed by the timeless legacy of master jeweller Lluis Masriera (1872-1958), this acclaimed brand presents two stunning options as adornment, for womenMasriera's captivating Art Noveau and Art Deco collections featuring nature and ethereal beings and Bagues' stunning, highly contemporary jewellery collections such as Vitralis, Menorca, Mosaic and Viatge.

Tawhid Abdullah, Managing Director, Damas Jewellery commented, "IWC Big Pilots Watch Automatic IW-41 goldsmith and modernist painter, Lluis Masriera's enthralling creations pushed the frontiers of creativity. So they forever remain a reference point in jewellery art. One of its missions is to revive Masriera's rich historical legacy of more than 4,000 drawings, moulds, dies and pieces by the maestro and preserve it as part of the collections in international museums. Besides this it also brings out re-editions of classic pieces which still continue to be produced in Barcelona. As the Middle East has always had a unique appreciation of jewellery art, particularly women of the region have displayed their admiration for its exclusive high end creations."

If you have ever wondered whether art can be translated into jewellery, IWC Big Pilots Watch Automatic IW-54 look at Masriera's magical and breathtaking array of collections is what it takes to be convinced. Flowers, plants, insects, birds, ethereal beings like fairies come alive in captivating essence...claiming their rightful distinction as 'jewellery-art'. Two of its most famous pieces include the fairy brooch featuring a shy, ethereal being with her wings spread out elegantly and the other is its charming butterfly pendant. In them, 18k gold settings, brilliant cut diamonds, fired enamel, cultured pearls and rubies fuse in delicate yet detailed artistry with superb enamel work imparting an unbelievable transparency and light to them. Transformed into bewitching works of art they pay grand tribute both to femininity and nature

The secret to their magic is the traditional enamel work technique still in use for IWC Big Pilots Watch Automatic IW-55 two hundred years handed down through the Masriera workshops that allows the brand to capture the colour, light, as well as the unique cultural ambience of the Mediterranean. The brand's highly skilled crafts people specialise in the plique--jour and basse-taille techniques often called as 'fire enamelling' and 'air enamelling.' Employing the 'vitrail effect' each piece is handmade from start to finish, and takes up to six to seven weeks to craft.

Its Masriera Deco collection celebrates the precision and infinite possibilities of geometrical beauty in a striking array of jewels blending yellow gold, brilliant and carre cut diamonds, with emerald cut aquamarines and fire enamel. Light, architectural elements burst to life with blue recalling the shimmering waters of the Mediterranean and gold capturing the beauty of sunlight bouncing on its waves.

Bagues Masriera is the collaboration between the legendary house Masriera and IWC Big Pilots Watch IW-73, a family company dedicated to jewellery making which was founded in 1917. In 1985 the two companies merged, and both brands began to operate jointly. Masriera represents the modernist jewellery known internationally as Art Nouveau, and has a very clearly defined style based on the legacy of its acclaimed maestro Lluis Masriera, who paid brilliant homage to the Wagnerian universe. On the other hand, Bagus collections are highly contemporary and excitingly innovative.

IWC Big Pilots Spitfire IW-42

2011-02-14T09:20:04+00:00

Ery person owns her own destiny and determines her own future. t sounds cliché, but if you need real-world proof, Anna Bell Pfau, 38, is happy to share her story. Born "dirt poor" in Texas, she ran away from home and hitchhiked across the country five times before landing herself a spot at Maryhurst in Louisville, where she spent the next two and a half years being rehabilitated, supported, and inspired. Fast forward to today. Anna Belle is an English professor at Brown Mackie College working on her master's degree at UofL. She IWC Big Pilots Power Reserve IW-82 a popular political blog publishes a bi-weekly column about women's history in The New Agenda, dedicates herself to her students, most of whom were not on the college track in high school, and is a wife and mother of daughter Clancy, 15. Her extraordinary achievements were recendy recognized with Maryhurst's 2009 Alumna of the Year award, but it is her impassioned, luminous spirit that makes her truly arresting. "I turn young women into feminists everyday without trying," she says with an easy laugh while speaking about her classroom. Her feminist roots run deep, but it was after talcing a womer^s history class with Dr. Anne Kerney when she was 22 that she became dedicated to educating the public about women's issues. "Every single day I would think ? can't believe I don't already know this!'" she says. "It lit a fire under me." Now she instills her IWC Big Pilots Power Reserve IW-83 in her students and as a volunteer at Maryhurst. "I credit them in turning me around and teaching me to make good choices," she says of the organization. It was also here that she met her mentor Holly Holland, who she credits with teaching her what a relationship should be. "When women don't have options, marriage is a trap that is easy to fall into," Anna Belle says. "She showed me that I had options. She IWC Big Pilots Power Reserve IW-85 an example that I didn't have to compromise."

It's been really nice to see people do things out of the goodness of their hearts and not for monetary gains."

HEIDI ISWEARING: Lucia silk blouse, $248; Stanton harem pant, $188; IWC Big Pilots Saint Exupery Edition IW-57 bird feather vest, $216; Cromer patent wedge boot, $235; bangle pink bracelet, $35; silver bracelets (2), $50; earrings, $65. All items available at Rodeo Drive, 2212 C Holiday Manor, 502.425.8999.

Heidi Thiel spent the first part of her career pursuing other peoples' stories as a TV news photographer. When she switched paths to become a video specialist on a children's TV program, the 36year-old walked away with an ample number of her own stories to tell. There was the time she was in a helicopter that crashed into a lake during a snowstorm. Or another time when she was held by angry Ku Klux Klan members wielding shotguns. The former associate editor for the AAA magazine and winner of two regional Emmy awards now contributes to "Our Kids," a program that airs on both MetroTV and KET. She also serves on the board for the Sudanese Refugee Education Fund, an all-volunteer organization that raises scholarship money for Sudanese refugees who have settled in the Louisville area. Since 2005 the group has raised more than $100,000, all of which goes directly to scholarships, and has seen 29 college graduates. "It's nice to see people who work hard, who may not have had all the opportunities, succeed," Heidi says. She knows personally the challenges that face children with narrow resources. A graduate of Berea College, Heidi was given a chance despite limited economic means, and left IWC Big Pilots Spitfire IW-42 without debt. Now she works to give back what she was given. She volunteers once a week with the Every 1 Reads program, helping raise children's reading levels. She stays active outdoors by playing tennis twice a week, jogging, kayaking, and hiking and admires women who are able to find a balance between working hard and being givers. "1 admire women who find space for themselves but who are smart and interested in things around the world," she says, "who are stepping out of their little corners of the world."

IWC Big Pilots Power Reserve IW-81

2011-02-14T09:19:49+00:00

ANGELA IS WEARING Anna Sui mustard sweater, $305; Cass & Co. carni, $72; IWC Big Pilots Power Reserve IW-75 McQueen purple pencil skirt, $215; belt, $185; earrings, $119; cuff, $265. Available at Peacock Boutique, 2828 Frankfort Avenue, 502.897. 1158. J. Vincent Java tan safari shoes, $101, available at Dillard's, Mall St. Matthews, 502.893.4400.

This year, after eight exhausting years, Angela Hagan proudly completed one of the greatest accomplishments of her life. While raising two young children, 3 and 16 months, and juggling a full-time job in the nonprofit sector, Angela finished her doctorate in urban and public affairs. "I was determined to see IWC Big Pilots Power Reserve IW-77 through, to finish something," she says. Originally from downstate Illinois, Angela came to Louisville to pursue her masters in public administration from UofL. Her father is a graduate of the university, and she remembers always being drawn to the city. Now a resident of Old Louisville and the public and donor relations communications manager for The Cabbage Patch Settlement House, the 34year-old serves as liaison with the neighborhood, most notably on a current $7 million expansion and renovation project. Now, this working mom is looking forward to a bit more time to spend with her family. "Now it's just a two-way split between family and my job. I'm trying to spend more time doing the fun things that I missed out on while I was working on my doctorate," she says. Where is she likely to spend her newfound free time? The Louisville IWC Big Pilots Power Reserve IW-78 Center. "It's like physical chess," she says of the sport, which she picked up alongside her husband, Ken Hagan, a 20-year fencer himself. "It's mentally challenging but it has the physicality as well."

I think it helps (the students) to see a group of 10-12 successful people who are right out of college."

Rachel ISWEARiNG MiIIy silk print blouse, $288; MiIIy plaid jacket, $408; IWC Big Pilots Power Reserve IW-80 cream pencil skin, $288. Available at Clodhoppers, 3727 Lexington Road, 502.891.0079. Liz Claiborne pearl/gold broach, $22; Liz Claiborne pearl cluster earrings, $25; Calvin Klein Dolly snake shoes, $98. Available at Dillard's, Mall St. Matthews, 502.893.4400.

Rachei Meade, 24, doesn't shy away from being a role model. As a young and successful certified public accountant for the international accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers, she has already proved that she has the discipline required to excel in her career. Now, she's taking her knowledge to the classrooms. Rachel participates in a high school outreach program through Junior Achievement, an organization dedicated to educating children about the business world, entrepreneurship, and what it takes to reach their potential. "I think it teaches them that their goals are attainable," she says about her accounting lessons, "just because they've never heard of accounting doesn't mean they can't achieve in it." She also serves as PWCs Junior Achievement "company IWC Big Pilots Power Reserve IW-81" working directly with the organization to arrange volunteers. Currently she is planning the annual Bowling Classic, the primary fund raiser for the local Junior Achievement. She has enlisted eight teams of five bowlers from PWC, an outstanding turnout for an office of only about 70 people. The Louisville native isn't all about work though. Her mantra: "work hard, play hard." The former Division I golfer continues to make it out on the green a couple of times a week. Although she admits that her golf skills have gotten her ahead in the business world (and encourages other women to get involved in the game), it is the time she gets to spend unwinding outdoors with her family and friends that she truly values.

ANNA BELLE ISWEARiNG: Liz Claiborne brown cardigan, $59; Jessica Howard shiñ dress, $96; bracelet, $40; Bandolino shoes, $50; earrings, $18. Available at Macy's, Oxmoor Center, 7900 Shelbyville Road.

IWC Big Pilots Power Reserve IW-72

2011-02-14T09:19:33+00:00

SARAH IS WEARING Antonio Melani turquoise wrap top, $129; Antonio Metani brown jacket, $199; Antonio Melarti brown skirt, $99; Gianni Bini Jersey snake shoes, $89; Erica Lyons turquoise earrings, $9; Turquoise bracelet, $30. Available at Dillard's, Mall St. Matthews, 502.893.4400.

At 25 years old, Sarah Frankel felt like she was 80. She was overweight, spending her time IWC Big Pilots Antoine de Saint Exupery IW-96 on the couch and eating poorly. She had struggled with her weight for years, even when she played volleyball in high school, but now something was different. "Something in my head just clicked," she says. "I just did a complete lifestyle overhaul." A library assistant at UofL, Sarah took advantage of the employee "Get Healthy Now" program, which provides an on-site gym, personal trainers, and nutritionists. Through exercise and healthy eating, Sarah dropped 70 pounds in 2007. Two years later, she walks past panes of glass and still doesn't recognize herself. "I feel like I'm someone different," she says. She and her husband, Josh, both grew up in Louisville and enjoy being surrounded by family. Now, the 27-year-old is even taking advantage of the closeness to get her family fit. She trained for several months with two of her aunts and IWC Big Pilots Antoine de Saint Exupery IW-99 mom, and this spring the group completed the Triple Crown walk. "It made them feel good about themselves," Sarah says. She keeps the weight off by eating well, walking, doing yoga, and running. She has participated in several 5K races and a mini-marathon. She believes staying positive is the key to, well, everything. "Happiness comes from not letting the little things bother you too much," she says. "Don't beat yourself up too much." Sarah attended a mission trip to Nicaragua where she worked in a medical clinic. She was shocked by the juxtaposition of the impoverished population and the SUV-owning wealthy IWC Big Pilots Automatic IW-79 the poor country. "Every now and then I think about seeing the way some people have to live," she says as she shakes her head.

"It can be stressful at times, but I like knowing that I'm at least letting people who are surviving domestic violence or sexual assault have a place to go."

ASHLEY is wearing. Jan Warnock purple silk blouse, $220; Michael Kors jacket, $170; IWC Big Pilots Automatic IW-84 bermuda short, $82; Rebecca Hook leaf necklace, $184. Available at Croquis Boutique, 1201 Herr Lane Suite 140, 502.425.7212. Gianni Bini Eye Candy tweed shoes, $89 and headband, $13, available at Dillard's, Mall St. Matthews, 502.893.4400.

Ashley Haering has traveled to as many countries as years she's been alive. Holding a bachelor's degree from UofL in Sociology and a master's degree from the University of London in Human Rights, Ashley is a legal advocate for the Center for Women and Families. While in London, she worked directly with victims of domestic violence with Refuge, a UK organization offering assistance to women and children. Now back in Louisville, she is taking steps to restart the local chapter of the National Organization of Women (NOW), and is the Big Sister (with Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Louisville) to a lucky 9year-old. And she is only 25! "Everything up to this point has been an accomplishment," she said. "Everything has built up to where I am." And to where she's going. Ashley dreams of one day influencing women's issues by affecting policy change on a national scale. "I'm just trying to build up enough experience so that I can one day do something. You feel like you're only putting a IWC Big Pilots Power Reserve IW-72-aid on the problem. I'm trying to work to a point where I can try to change things." Her lifelong dedication to women's issues took her to India for a month while researching for her dissertation, a study of sex-selection abortion. Her studies abroad, she believes, have made her more internationally conscious. She isn't opposed to relocating in the future if it will increase her power to instigate policy change, however for now she's enjoying her 20s with her family (she's the oldest of five children) in Louisville.

"I think I've always known I've wanted to work in a public sector or for a nonprofit because that way I can make a direct impact in peoples' lives."

IWC Big Pilots Antoine de Saint Exupery IW-100

2011-02-14T09:19:17+00:00

"There are lots of plus size clothes available, but I cant really find vintage in stores," said Powe, who had not shopped at Angel's Vintage Boutique before Saturday show, but said she plans to become a customer.

"I like the clothes they're showing, I don't like to look like everybody else," Hublot Ladies Big Bang White HB-14 added.

Wright, who is also a freelance writer for the South Florida Times, also offered the audience useful tips on shopping for plus-sized vintage wear.

"Use belts to create definition," advised Wright, who was decked out in a green and black shirt dzess, cinched at the waist by a large black belt.

She also suggested doing away with clothing sizes by shopping inptead for comfort, using a seamstress to tailor outfits for a better fit.

Other tips included checking out the men's section - vintage menswear can be highly Hublot Luna Rossa Chronograph HB-13 and easy to feminize with accessories. She said women can also be creative by using short dresses as tops or elastic skirts as strapless dresses.

Keeping with the "out-ofthe box" philosophy, proceeds from the fashion show's silent auction benefited GieenBean, a nonprofit organization that seeks to increase environmental literacy and encourage green lifestyles for children in lewincome communities.

Founded by 25 year-old Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU) Hublot Red Devil Bang II HB-12 Denaye Hinds, the six month-old organization merges the sustainability consultant's two passions, "the environment and teaching children how to read," she said.

GieenBean offers several environmental workshops for youth, with an overall focus on "recycling, reducing and reusing."

Hinds, who was jokingly called out by Fantasia, the female impersonator, IWC Big Pilot IW-14 she wears a size two, said, "If we're going to have the green movement really be a movement, we have to start with the children."

"If I can give (my clients) the healing, the stress relief, just half of what I was given, then I'm the one that's blessed."

HEATHER IS WEARING: Kenneth Cole multi top, $21; Freedom of Choice jeans, $178; Eileen Fisher black jacket, $198; Jessica Simpson Genaviv black shoes, $89; Erica Lyons silver bracelet, $25; Lucky silver bracelet, $39; Lucky silver necklace, $32; Lucky silver earrings, $22. Available at Dillard's, Mall St. Matthews.

As a massage therapist. Heather Duncan is a touchy person. "It's so natural. Nobody touches anybody anymore," she exclaims as reaches out and briefly places a hand on me with a smile. "You ke this connection." Her passion comes from a genuine belief in the importance and the healing power of what she does. The 36-year-old Charlestown, Ind. native is the mother of two sons, Avery, 7 and Rhys, 2'/>, both of whom comfortably enjoy the benefits of their mother's skills. Three years ago, Heather experienced firsthand that massage can do what other treatments could not, and it drastically changed her life. After struggling for years with chronic pain in her shoulder blade, Heather found a woman who, through massage, was able to alleviate her pain almost entirely. Heather holds a BA in psychology from IUS and worked in mental health for ten years. Desiring to have more time with her son and develop more hands-on skill, she applied for massage school "on a whim." Heather has devoted herself to her practice, opening a studio in the space above her husband's family pest control business, working in various salons, on retreats, and with clients she acquired almost entirely through word-of-mouth. Between building her practice and raising a family, Heather finds time to give back to her community. She does massage for members of her church and is participating in the Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals' "IWC Big Pilots Antoine de Saint Exupery IW-100 Deserves a Massage" week. Donated proceeds will benefit "Supporting Heroes," a fund that provides support to the families oí police, fire, and EMS workers killed in rhe line of duty. "Like our men in the armed forces, these guys everyday lay their lives on the line, but they're here in our community," she says. "We take it for granted that they're going to put their lives at risk."