Clear

CLEAR MAGAZINE LANDS ON THE LOS ANGELES RUNWAY
Publication becomes a media partner of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Smashbox Studios Los Angeles, Calif. (October 11, 2007) – In its latest high-powered association, Clear magazine has become a media partner of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Smashbox Studios, Los Angeles. “We’re so proud to be a sponsor of this event,” says Clear Publisher/Creative Director Emin Kadi. “For our magazine, it couldn’t be a more perfect fit.”

In this year that Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Smashbox Studios has gone green from its eco-designers down to its shipping practices, that fit is even more exceptional: Clear was the first 100% recyclable magazine and to this day makes a point of only using environmentally sound papers and inks.

Debuting the Spring 2008 collections from October 14 - 18, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week takes place at Smashbox Studios in Culver City, California. The show represents the height of wearable collections throughout the world, including works from Christian Audigier, Yves Castaldi, Kevan Hall, Whitley Kros, Monarchy Collection, Jeremy Scott, Voom by Joy Han and Petro Zillia.

An international quarterly on fashion and design, Clear is in its seventh year of publication. The Fall 2007 issue [Volume VII, Issue 3] features the fashion of Albino, Yeohlee and Poltock & Walsh, an interview with Zaha Hadid, Marc Newson’s space jet and photographic portfolios from Ishi, Seiji Fujimori and Deidi von Schaewen.

As Davis Factor, Co-Founder of Smashbox Studios, which organizes Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, says, “I’m very excited Clear has become associated with this event. Who they are really represents Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Smashbox Studios. The publication offers a fresh approach—the very thing the designers are doing.”

Judith Ripka

JUDITH RIPKA SPARKELS DURING L.A. FASHION WEEK WITH A NEW COLLECTION OF JEWELRY, A WEEK LONG EXHIBIT & AUCTION AND THE PRESENTATION OF THE JUDITH RIPKA VISIONARY AWARD

Los Angeles, October 11, 2007 – Judith Ripka returns as the Official Jewelry Designer of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Smashbox Studios for the 9th consecutive season, premiering a new collection of exquisite 18k gold and diamond jewelry. Judith Ripka is, as well, excited to host a week-long fashion exhibit onsite in the VIP Green Room with fashion photographer Melvin Sokolsky entitled Bubbles and Baubles. A select group of Sokolsky’s exclusive Bubble Series photographs will be paired and displayed with complimenting choice Ripka jewels. Additionally, the famed jewelry designer is proud to present the first ever Judith Ripka Visionary Award to Mr. Sokolsky for his many years of ground-breaking talent in the world of fashion photography. In support of LA Fashion Week's "green friendly" theme, both a Sokolsky photograph and a piece of Judith Ripka jewelry will be auctioned on eBay with proceeds benefiting the environmental organization Earth Pledge.

Judith Ripka’s onsite presence returns with Ripka’s signature mini-boutique in Smashbox’s VIP Green Room, the exclusive location reserved for celebrities, editors and VIPs only. Along with the Bubbles and Baubles exhibit, her new collections will be available throughout the week for editors to preview and celebrities to borrow, so that they are bejeweled in Ripka when they cross the catwalk and rock the red-carpet.

ABOUT JUDITH RIPKA
Internationally recognized, award-winning designer, Judith Ripka has been designing jewelry for over 25 years, inspiring those who appreciate style, design and uncompromising quality. Located in key luxury markets across the country, Judith Ripka’s 13 retail stores reflect her passion for jewelry design – exuding the modern elegance and sophistication that is Judith Ripka. Simply stated by Judith herself, “When a woman is wearing my jewelry, I want her to feel as if she is wrapped in one of life’s best luxuries.”

ABOUT MELVIN SOKOLSKY
Melvin Sokolsky began working as a fashion photographer for “Harper’s Bazaar” at 21 years old. He has been honored with twenty-five Clio Awards and a Director’s Guild Nomination. His retrospective publication “Seeing Fashion” was published by Arena Editions in 2000. Melvin Sokolsky’s most recognizable photographs are from his “Bubble Series”. Seeing a Hieronymous Bosch painting “The Garden of Delights”, resulted in a reoccurring dream for Sokolsky. He saw himself floating inside a bubble traveling across exotic landscapes. The “bubble” was crafted to emulate a Faberge Egg, for which Sokolsky had great admiration for its design and craftsmanship. Melvin Sokolsky’s “Bubble Series” consists of over twenty variations photographed throughout the streets of Paris in 1963.

ABOUT THE FAHEY KLEIN GALLERY
The Fahey/Klein Gallery has been exhibiting Fine Art Photography in Los Angeles for over twenty years. Rare, vintage, and contemporary photographs are available for viewing at the gallery. Over 3,000 photographic works, including Melvin Sokolsky’s fashion images, can be viewed on their website www.faheykleingallery.com

ABOUT EARTH PLEDGE
FutureFashion, an Earth Pledge, initiative, celebrates environmentally, sustainable fashion by working with industry and the public to promote the use of renewable, reusable and nonpolluting materials and methods. With a growing library of over 600 sustainable materials and an ongoing collaboration with the world’s top designers, Earth Pledge offers guidance and resources on sustainable materials and to, the designers who use them.

The Carbon Neutral Company

Low Carbon is Now High Fashion

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Smashbox Studios Selects The CarbonNeutral Company to Create The World’s First CarbonNeutral® Fashion Week

LOS ANGELES, October 11, 2007 — This spring’s color trend forecast is bright green now that the organizers of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week have selected The CarbonNeutral Company to make this month’s event the world’s first ever CarbonNeutral® fashion week. In addition to being CarbonNeutral, the event, which takes place in Culver City, California from Oct. 14 to 18, 2007, will highlight a variety of eco-friendly initiatives, including eco-conscious designers, products and fashion shows. The decision to make this season’s shows CarbonNeutral is a clear indicator that the fashion industry takes its role in climate change seriously and is prepared to implement real and decisive actions to help alleviate the problem.

For an event to receive the CarbonNeutral designation, The CarbonNeutral Company must first measure the entirety of the CO2 emissions associated with an event’s production. Then each metric tonne of CO2 that cannot be reduced or eliminated is effectively ‘neutralized’ by investment in carefully screened projects that save one metric tonne of CO2 somewhere else in the world. The verified projects that will be used to make the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Smashbox Studios event CarbonNeutral are the Tirunelveli wind farm in India and the Scolel Te Social Forestry Project in Chiapas, Mexico. Both investments will help accelerate the adoption of renewable technology and promote sustainable livelihoods in local communities.

“IMG Fashion passionately believes in the importance of protecting the environment,” said Smashbox Studios co-founder Davis Factor. “We selected The CarbonNeutral Company to make our commitment concrete by making the entire event CarbonNeutral because they are the most experienced and rigorous carbon offset provider and climate change consulting company.” Sue Welland, founder and creative director of The CarbonNeutral Company added, “We hope that our work with the event organizers to reduce the carbon footprint of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Smashbox Studios will highlight the pressing need for all organizations to take action on climate change now. The fashion industry, which is highly influential and closely followed by millions worldwide, can serve to inspire and lead by example. The CarbonNeutral Company is honored to help in this important effort.”

The CarbonNeutral Company is quickly becoming the premier carbon offset provider and climate change consulting company to the fashion industry. Earlier this year, The CarbonNeutral Company was selected by the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) to make its 25th annual awards presentation CarbonNeutral. In addition, the company is currently consulting with a number of high-end fashion designers, apparel manufacturers and retailers.

The CarbonNeutral Company, which is headquartered in London, has seen a growing demand for its services in the United States and recently established offices in New York and San Francisco. Driven in part by the increasing awareness of climate change, The CarbonNeutral Company uses carbon offsets to enable companies to more rapidly deal with their carbon footprint.

For more information on The CarbonNeutral Company, please visit: www.carbonneutral.com.

• The international measurement for carbon is in metric tonnes.
• The Indian wind farm Tirunelveli and technology partner Fairdeal Supplies Private Limited provide renewable energy through the construction of 22 wind turbines, having generated 47,000 metric tonnes of emission reductions between 2005 and 2007.
• The Scolel Te Social Forestry Project in Chiapas, Mexico and Bioresearch & Development, Ambio help to alleviate poverty through afforestation and reforestation projects and will offset 47,000 metric tonnes over a hundred year period.
• All projects are financially supported through the CarbonNeutral® brand. The CarbonNeutral Company selects its partners carefully and puts in place contracts to help ensure that they deliver our promise.

Rose’s Cocktail Infusions

To help kick fashion week off to a lively start, Rose’s Cocktail Infusions and Rose’s Mojito Cocktail Mixers make their debut as the official mixers at this year’s Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Smashbox Studios. While enjoying the latest trends in fashion, Rose’s will tempt the taste buds of guests and VIPs with two hand-passed signature concoctions, The Diva and The Fashionista, created especially for the event:

• The Diva: Guests can indulge in this sultry and sweet concoction that features Rose’s Blue Raspberry Cocktail Infusion that transforms your drink into an exotic, electric blue treat.
• The Fashionista: This ultra-hip creation includes flavors from the Rose’s Pomegranate Twist Cocktail Infusion tempting taste-buds with flavors from the ageless, sweet-tart pomegranate.

These drinks, along with Rose’s new Mojito Cocktail Mixers, will shake things up at the event bars, VIP lounges and celebrity gifting suites throughout the week.

Rose’s Cocktail Infusions and Rose’s Mojito Mixers are available in a wide range of flavors and help transform ordinary events into swanky soirées. The Rose’s Cocktail Infusions come in six fabulous flavors – Sour Apple, Cranberry Twist, Blue Raspberry, Mango Twist, Watermelon, and Pomegranate Twist and the Rose’s Mojito Mixers come in three flavors – Traditional (Lime), Passion Fruit and Mango. All are sure to satisfy a range of palettes making your next entertaining experience effortless and elegant.

Rose’s is a leading brand in the beverage portfolio of Plano, Texas-based Cadbury Schweppes Americas Beverages (CSAB), a subsidiary division of Cadbury Schweppes plc (NYSE:CSG). CSAB is one of the largest producers of soft drinks and premium beverages in the Americas. CSAB's brand portfolio includes 7UP, Dr Pepper, Snapple, Mott's Apple Juice and Sauce, Accelerade, RC Cola, A&W Root Beer, Sunkist soda, Canada Dry, Hawaiian Punch, Schweppes, Diet Rite, Clamato, Mr & Mrs T Mixers, Holland House Mixers, Mistic, Yoo-Hoo, Orangina, IBC, Stewart's, Nantucket Nectars and other well-known consumer brands. For additional information on CSAB and its products, visit www.brandspeoplelove.com.

Whole Foods

Whole Foods Market Official Sponsor of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Smashbox Studios
-With a focus on sustainability, eco-friendly fashions and designers, this is a natural partnership-

Los Angeles, Calif (October 9, 2007) -- Whole Foods Market (NASDAQ: WFMI), the world's leading natural and organic foods supermarket and the nation's first certified organic grocer, will be joining forces with Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Smashbox Studios September 14-18, 2007 in Culver City, CA as the event goes “greener” with a focus on sustainability, eco-friendly fashions and designers.

“With IMG’s commitment to green initiatives, it makes perfect sense to partner with a pioneer of the eco-friendly movement, Whole Foods Market. As environmental stewards, they are committed to making responsible decisions to be a corporate leader in environmentally sustainable practices,” said Davis Factor, co founder of Smashbox Studios.

As a sponsor, Whole Foods Market will be selling natural products during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Smashbox Studios with a menu specially created for the event consisting of items such as Grilled Panini sandwiches made to order, Sushi, and Emerald Sesame Kale Salad, all made with the same strict quality standards that are available in store. In addition, Whole Foods Market will be sponsoring the Ecoganik show and will be catering select shows backstage; including Ecoganik, the Gallery, Randolph Duke, Heatherette, and Evidence of Evolution. Whole Foods Market will also be providing reusable green bags for the event’s official gift bags.

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Smashbox Studios has made great strides forward. Efforts to make the event less strenuous on the environment are in the works with the collaboration of designers and sponsors on a number of initiatives. Marci Frumkin, Director of Marketing for Whole Foods Market, Southern Pacific Region said, “We are excited to be part of Fashion Week as we believe that food that is natural and delicious is always in style. Looking great, feeling great and leaving a softer footprint on the earth can all go hand-in-hand.”

For more information, or for press and industry registration of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Smashbox Studios please visit www.mbfashionweek.com/losangeles/

About Whole Foods Market®
Founded in 1980 in Austin, Texas, Whole Foods Market (www.wholefoodsmarket.com) is the world’s leading natural and organic foods supermarket and America’s first national certified organic grocer. In fiscal year 2006, the company had sales of $5.6 billion and currently has more than 270 stores in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. The Whole Foods Market motto, “Whole Foods, Whole People, Whole Planet”™ captures the company’s mission to find success in customer satisfaction and wellness, employee excellence and happiness, enhanced shareholder value, community support and environmental improvement. Whole Foods Market, Fresh & WildTM, and Harry’s Farmers Market® are trademarks owned by Whole Foods Market IP, LP. Wild Oats® and Capers Community MarketTM are trademarks owned by Wild Marks, Inc. Whole Foods Market employs more than 50,000 Team Members and has been ranked for ten consecutive years as one of the “100 Best Companies to Work For” in America by FORTUNE magazine.