Christmas with Benetton

Benetton and Sisley made a selection of their very best items to assure you look spectacular this Christmas. So if you haven´t decided on your holiday outfit yet, this is your chance!



Know what you are going to wear yet?

For more information: Benetton

Benetton kids

For today we decided to show you the kids collections - because no matter how young you are, looking good is always possible!



The autumn/winter 2011 collection varies from Scandinavian prints to romantic dreams and street chic items.




The Benetton kids collection is for both toddlers and kids, and covers everything from the most girly styles to cool wear for (tom)boys.
Wether it´s for your own kids or not, we´re sure you´ll find something that fits perfectly.

For more information: Benetton

Benetton on cover Flair

This is a special thanks to Flair, who just published the 48th edition of this year with Benetton on the cover.

We´re absolutely in love with it, who knew you could look so good in an all-knit outfit?!

Benetton
Flair

UNHATE

With its new worldwide communication campaign United Colors of Benetton invites the leaders and citizens of the world to combat the “culture of hatred” and creates the UNHATE Foundation.

Obama and HU Jintao

"Hatred is never appeased by hatred in this world.
By non-hatred alone is hatred appeased." This quote from the Sutta Pitaka sums up the principles inspiring the UNHATE campaign, which Benetton has created with the aim of contrasting the culture of hatred and promoting closeness between peoples, faiths, cultures, and the peaceful understanding of each other's motivations.

Sarkozy and Merkel

The central theme is the kiss, the most universal symbol of love, between world political and religious leaders, such as: Barack Obama and Chinese leader Hu Jintao; Pope Benedict XVI and Ahmed Mohamed el-Tayeb, Imam of the Al-Azhar mosque in Cairo (the most important and moderate centre for Sunni Islamic studies in the world); the Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas and the Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Obama and Chavez

These are symbolic images of reconciliation - with a touch of ironic hope and constructive provocation - to stimulate reflection on how politics, faith and ideas, even when they are divergent and mutually opposed, must still lead to dialogue and mediation.

Myung Bak and Jong Il

Abbas and Netanyahu

For more information:
UNHATE Foundation
Benetton Press Group

COLORS 82 - SHIT: a survival guide

Feces. Excrement. Stool. Poo. Caca. Its name changes but not most people’s reaction to it. Poo is something we ignore or treat with disdain. It repels us. It’s kept behind closed doors and never mentioned in polite company. But in its new issue, Shit. A survival guide, COLORS looks straight down the pan, exploring the truths behind the taboo, and the reasons why we should start to take shit seriously.



In Japan toilets have undergone a major growth in less than a century: thanks to heated toilet seats and a built in bidet the `Toto´ has become a popular product.
Japanese Toto

But, today some two-thirds of the world’s population have no toilet or latrine. They relieve themselves at the roadside or in fields, contaminating water sources and food. Over 90% of diarrhea is caused by the contamination of food, water, or fingers with shit, and although diarrhea is just a banal intestinal virus for those with a toilet, every year it kills more people than AIDS, malaria and TB combined.

Bolivian `squatters´

South African toilets

Feces is a weapon of mass destruction and a nightmare of biological pollution, but it is also a fuel and a fertiliser. It can heat, feed, cure. It’s the world’s most underrated resource, and it can save lives. In Butare prison in Rwanda, the inmates’ shit is treated and turned into biogas, which is then used to cook their meals.
Rwanda prisoners

The toilets in Christchurch, New Zealand, became unserviceable when an earthquake hit the city in 2011. But the inhabitants got around the problem with a bucket, a pit in the garden and a few sparks of creativity. The resulting `Do It Yourself´ toilets became a symbol of local pride. Take a look at what they created: Show us your longrop

DIY toilets + manual

This issue of COLORS was inspired by The Big Necessity (published in the UK by Portobello Books in 2008 and translated into Italian, Dutch, Spanish, Swedish, Korean, Chinese, Japanese and Arabic), a book by the British writer and journalist, Rose George, a former COLORS senior editor.

COLORS 82 - Shit is on sale from October 2011 in four bilingual editions (English + Italian, French, Spanish or Korean).

It is also purchasable online here.

Friday must-have: Benetton knits

As all of you have probably noticed; autumn has officially started. And these Benetton knits are perfect to keep warm and cosy in this weather.




Have a good weekend!
Benetton

Opening Lana Sutra

Last Tuesday, 6th of September, Benetton hosted a triple, simultaneous event in three of their concept stores to launch “Lana Sutra”, created by Erik Ravelo.
Besides hosting three actual events, the opening was also streamed live in the digital shop-window Benetton Live Window.

Take a look at the video to see the opening for yourself.



Erik Ravelo, a Cuban artist is the creative director of Fabrica.
The First of his series “The position of the Tiger” was shown at the Italian Pavilion during the 54th International Art Exhibition of the Venice Biennale.
Because of it´s succes, Benetton chose to display the whole series.
For one week “Lana Sutra” can be seen in Istanbul, Milan and Munich.
And after that it will travel the world to various Benetton stores, so who knows; you might be able to go and see for youself!

“Lana Sutra” is a series of 15 installations which embodies the idea of colour and a wollen thread uniting human kind. The series are a homage to love and dedicated to the desire for an equal and sharing world.



Inspiration for the series was Ravelo´s take on the Kama (= pleasure) Sutra (= a thread which unites). All installations consist of two bodies embracing and covered in woollen threads, uniting them.
The colours of the threads are the same as the colours in United Colors of Benetton Fall-winter collection, which is in stores now.

Next to the the 15 installations “Lana Sutra” has it´s own soundtrack. This was specially composed by Francesco Novara, a musician also working at Fabrica.
Listen (and download) it right now.

Lana Sutra by benetton


“Lana Sutra” can also be seen on the Benetton Facebook and Twitter and a special edition of Colors Magazine named ´Colors Love´ will be dedicated to the differences that are overcome by love.

Check these and our blog to stay updated about “Lana Sutra”!

Thanks CosMOREpolitan

This is why we love Cosmopolitan:
- Their extra fashionable September issue has 72 extra fashion pages.
- They are full of Benetton, Daisy Kroon and Wolford clothes.
- AND..... they even sent us cupcakes and a personal thank you note to celebrate the new issue!

Daisy Kroon trousers



Wolford leggings



Benetton accessories






And as you can see below we couldn't wait eating the delicious cupcakes - thank you Cosmogirls!

IT´S MY TIME: live from New York City

Yesterday, the winners of the IT´S MY TIME competition finally got to meet each other in New York's trendy club 'The Top Of The Standard'. The winners, including Dutch girl Patricia and Belgian guy Kevin, drank cocktails and mingled with Benetton founder Alessandro Benetton and bloggers & journalists from different countries. Hopefully they didn´t have too much drinks because today and tomorrow the AW10/11 campaign will be shot by famous photographer Josh Olins. Watch the video below for a sneak preview of the most multicultural happening of the year.

Benetton Vintage collection

Benetton goes vintage! Benetton rediscovers its archives from over almost half a century and re-launches some of those historic knitwear styles which marked an era both in the history of the label and in the history of fashion.

New technology in spinning and production have made the fabrics even more comfortable. And the restyling in proportion and size makes the vintage pieces up to date.

Be fashion forward with the Benetton Vintage collection, on sale in selected United Colors of Benetton stores from November.