As the dust continues to settle in the wake of the recent Bangladesh factory tragedy–debris is still being cleared, and the death toll, currently at 381, could rise to 1,000 once all workers are accounted for–retailers associated with the garment factories have announced plans to offer compensation to victims and victims’ families.
Following a weekend of violent protests, there are further developments in the wake of the tragic collapse of a garment factory in Bangladesh; as arrests are made, workers move from trying to rescue survivors to trying to recover bodies.
The garment industry of my motherland, Bangladesh, is burning, collapsing and struggling to stay afloat in the world economy.
The worst part?
All goods belong to the lowest bidder. No safety regulations, no living wage and no respect for the health, bodies and wellbeing of workers. As the Bangladeshi government scrambles in the face of another “accident,” thousands are protesting against abhorrent conditions in Bangladesh’s Savar Industrial Zone.
The names of the retailers’ tags discovered in the rubble: Mango, Joe Fresh and United Colors of Benetton. I can’t help but lament the irony of these names—evocative of the tropical, the colorful and alive, much like the verdant landscape of Bangladesh. The same sickening feeling I had on November 24, 2012, when a factory fire killed 112 Bangladeshi workers. Post-Thanksgiving meal, I jumped to sweep up Black Friday deals. More ironic names: Faded Glory. Gap.
Buried among these lost garments are the bodies of folks, mostly women, who knew that something was terribly wrong with the building when they clocked into work.
Now, where do we fit it in?
According to the latest reports, there are now 230 confirmed dead and hundreds injured, with an unknown number of people still unaccounted for. The disaster comes on the heels of two deadly fires at nearby factories.
In addition to the sharp rise in body count, several new details have emerged since yesterday’s tragic incident, including which brands are involved and details on what’s being done to prevent similar disasters in the future.
Here’s what we know:
Vera Wang’s team responds to the allegations that its Shanghai store is charging women to try on wedding gowns. {Refinery29}
Terry Richardson gets Brad Goreski to take off his shirt (but not his glasses!). {Terry’s Diary}
Spain-based retailer Mango is emulating Zara in its business model. {Business of Fashion}
Giorgio Armani is donating $5 from each bottle sold of his Acqua di Giò and Acqua Di Gioia fragrances this month to help fund UNICEF’s clean water initiative. {Elle}
Maybe it’s a little premature for me to be lusting after these shoes, what with the temperature hovering in the 30 degree range, but what can I say? I can’t get them out of my head.
The Jolie-Pitt clan is apparently spending the holidays at Donna Karan’s private resort compound in Turks & Caicos with a small mid-sized army of nannies. {NY Post}
Turns out that very few female Mac users wear skirts (and other fascinating figures you’ve been dying to know). {HuffPo}
Get some celebrity style inspo from Gwyneth and Nicole for that upcoming New Year’s Eve shindig! {UsWeekly}
While attending holiday parties may be fun, shopping for them ain’t. Neither is spending boatloads of money on a dress you’ll only wear once–particularly during the holiday season when you’re already hemorrhaging money on travel, gifts, and that aforementioned champagne.
So, to make the holiday season a little lighter, we searched the ‘net high and low (seriously) to find you the coolest party-ready frocks for under $100. Click through to see them all. Happy shopping!
Miranda Kerr has replaced Kate Moss as the face of Mango.{HuffPo}
Yoko Ono will be designing for Opening Ceremony. It’s a menswear line inspired by–we kid you not–John Lennon’s “hot bod.” {Refinery29}
Sure, most of the press seemed to think that Rihanna’s “777″ tour was a disaster, but Riri says it was great! {US Weekly}
Military has been a fall/winter staple for several seasons now–so it came as no surprise when we started seeing that military olive drab filling up display windows. But what did come as a surprise was the blatancy with which some designers’ work had been ripped off for a high street price tag. Case in point? Read more →
Name: Sabina Smutna Occupation: Model What was the last thing you bought? A banana. What would you never be caught wearing? A rabbit fur coat. What was the last song you listened to? “Fly Me to the Moon” by Frank Sinatra. If you could go anywhere in the world right now, where would you go? Read more →
Name: Pan Yan Occupation: Model What’s your favorite color? Deep blue. What was the last song you listened to? I was listening to UK top 10′s. If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would you go? Everywhere, I love to travel! Where are you headed now? To a casting.
