Courtesy Karl Lagerfeld, Chanel's Spring 2008 runway was a veritable parade of stars and stripes and all things Americana. Pay tribute to the red, white and blue in your own version of Old Glory-chic with Forever 21's navy and white wide-stripe blazer. Not feeling the Fourth of July vibe? Rock the jacket with Spring's equally hot nautical trend.



Left: A look from the Chanel Spring 2008 runway. Image source: Style.com
Right: Forever 21 Wide Stripe Blazer, $24.80. 3/4 sleeve wide stripe blazer with single hook and eye closure. Features lined welt pockets, back buckle tab.

Does budget fashion breed innovation among designers? While this issue is hotly debated, I'm inclined to think it most certainly does. It would seem only logical that designers at the top have to push their materials, techniques and styles to new horizons in order to keep ahead of the imitators and knock-offs close at their heels.

Here is perhaps one such example of designer innovation, spurred at least in part by the need to stand out from a "sea of imitation," and create a unique and desirable product that can call a high pricetag:


From CNN.com:
"High-tech fabrics, such as those with anti-microbial or rubberized properties, are increasingly finding their way onto the runways. Burberry is selling a trench coat made from rubberized materials originally developed for scuba diving. Two hundred dollar T-shirts by a company called Established 1887 are embedded with silver chips that have antimicrobial properties to repel stains and odors. As an added benefit, these fabrics are harder to knock off and so help designers differentiate their clothes from a sea of imitation."