High style moves into department store

New York — Max Azria, the designer behind the trendy, upscale BCBG line, is changing directions with Parallel, a contemporary women’s apparel brand owned by BCBG Max Azria Group.

Parallel’s flutter skirts, twill cargo pants and off-the-shoulder sweaters now will only be sold at J.C. Penney.

This partnership, according to Azria, will further speed fashion trends from the runways to shopping malls. Parallel aims at reaching a previously underserved customer — women looking for quality, fashion-forward clothing at an affordable price, he says.

At J.C. Penney, Parallel’s garment prices will range from $22 to $129.

Vanessa Castagna, chairwoman and CEO of J.C. Penney stores, Internet and catalog, says the line’s clean, modern look will complement the retailer’s growing emphasis on its contemporary department, which also features Bisou Bisou by Michele Bohbot.

Tennis history steeped in fashion

New York — Long before Venus and Serena Williams stepped on to the courts wearing colorful, formfitting outfits, tennis and fashion enjoyed a close association.

According to the new book “Tennis Fashion” (Assouline) by Diane Elisabeth Poirier, the British aristocracy who first popularized the sport in the late 1800s paid close attention to their lawn tennis uniforms.

Men in cufflinks and flannel trousers wore striped monogrammed blazers that marked them out as members of the same tennis club, and women layered an apron with a pocket to hold balls over their petticoats and ankle-length skirts.

By 1904, full tennis ensembles were available in Paris’ most fashionable stores.

Fast-forward to the 1950s when women who had begun to wear short skirts on the tennis court wanted that same freedom in their street clothes. Sportswear designers responded first with the princess silhouette, then baggy shorts and then miniskirts, according to Poirier.

Technology has been the driving force behind changes in modern tennis dress. Fabrics can now blend stretchy Lycra and sweat-wicking Teflon, leading to attractive clothes that also enhance performance and comfort.

In addition to a written chronology of social events that have shaped the sport’s uniforms, Poirier’s book features historical photos that show how far — or how tight and short — tennis fashion has come.