A family run department store called Von Maur Inc. is set to set foot into the fast fashion market, taking another step from its 138 year old roots as a white glove service merchant. The store is based in the United States, out of Iowa, and had been looking for ways to expand its brand. The new concept store will cater to young females and is set to be called Dry Goods. The first Dry Goods store will open in the city of Aurora at the Fox Valley Mall in autumn of 2010. The initial space will be over 4,000 square feet and is set to carry a large inventory of trendy accessories and apparel that will be constantly updated as tastes continue to fluctuate in the market for young women’s fashion. In terms of decor, Von Maur is going back to its roots and giving the first store a look that recalls the early 19th Century with vintage designs that are very close to its original dry goods store in Davenport, Iowa shortly after it was founded. For Von Maur, the new Dry Goods brand is intended to be a way for it to expand its market and the company expects to unroll several more new stores for 2011 across the US Midwest region in shopping malls that do not yet have a Von Maur store in them.

If things go according to the Von Maur plan, Dry Goods will go nation wide and stores will be set up across the US. Competition will include H&M, Forever 21 and Zara.

Pop singer and uber star Madonna has been well known for a long history of provocative music, stage shows and fashion, but a new wave of criticism is washing over her now thanks to a fashion collection that she has released with her 13 year old daughter Lourdes. The critics are up in arms over the fact that they feel the fashion line, aimed at young teen girls, is far too provocative for the age it is intended for and has a tendency to create a ‘too adult’ look for girls of that age. Material Girl, the collection under fire, was named after a hit song from the 80’s and an era of Madonna’s music, intended to help fashion fans connect with the general idea of the collection which the pop queen and her daughter have told the press is intended to stress individuality. Many of the vocal critics have said that they feel Madonna is simply trying to relive her more wild days by way of her daughter and have strongly condemned the line. Images of Taylor Momsen, from the TV show Gossip Girl, where she is shown with bleach blond hair and heavy make up being held back by chains have been targeted, as well as other images in which the 17 year old wears dark nail polish, biker boots, fish net stockings and a very low cut dress.

Of course, with Madonna controversy is part of her art form and most close to her have said that they doubt she is even batting an eye at her critics.

Jeans have been a staple in fashion for so long that they have now achieved the level of a true classic, but as all women know, not all brands are created equal. The department store brands are hardly the pinnacle of fashion, but there are brands emerging now that do a much better job at giving a pair of jeans that have a truly unique look and among these is G-Star. The brand definitely offers a better and more savvy appearance compared with much of its competition, putting up a range of styles that any woman can not only feel comfortable wearing, but know she looks great in. These machine washable jeans are definitely going to be easy to deal with – something that is not always common when it comes to actual fashion jeans that may need extra care which means extra work on the part of their owners. With G-Star, the jeans are well made and, of course, feature a high cotton content that makes them fit snugly with plenty of breathing room.

For those who are looking for rock star quality at affordable prices, G-Star is certainly a label to choose since they have great choices like their Ocean Fit Track Wash denim jeans that feature a handy zip coin pocket that is bound to be useful. When it comes to jeans, we all want utility to go with the fashion statement and this is a large part of what is helping the G-Star label to succeed where others often do not. With such a range of styles from Vintage Aged to Urban Heritage, it is easy to find the perfect look that can match with so many different tops and shoes, another key point that makes G-Star a solid brand. Right now, Box-Clothing has some of the best prices and selection of women’s G-Star jeans that one will find anywhere on the web so they are certainly the number one place to pick up a pair these days.