Word: gianfranco
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Italian fashion designer Gianfranco Ferre, 62, died Sunday after suffering a brain hemorrhage on Friday in Milan. He was an architect both in his heart and in his work. His flare for structure and volume along with his love of travel, particularly to Asia, defined his work throughout his career...
After graduating with a degree in architecture from Milan Politechnico, Ferre set off for India where the colors and materials inspired him to pursue a career in fashion. He opened his own label, Baila, in 1974 and then another signature label, Gianfranco Ferre, in 1978. It was there that he earned the nickname, the Frank Lloyd Wright of fashion, for his attention to form and structure and his use of innovative techniques such as laser cutting-. His fashion signatures - the billowing white shirt, or the structured pant suit - became favorites of Hollywood icons like Elizabeth Taylor and Julia Roberts...
...That same pride is starting to actually lure some designers to relocate in Chicago from the coasts. Orlando Espinoza moved his business here from Los Angles six years ago. And Joëlle Minassian, who designed for Versace and Gianfranco Ferre in Italy, returned to her hometown in December to launch a handbag business. "Chicago has a lot to offer," she says. "New York is a great city, but I think Chicago is more forgiving and there's more space to grow. There's so much talent here that's been overlooked...
...plan has worked particularly well in Europe, where Gianfranco Lanci, now Acer's president, carved out a growing business by selling lower-priced laptop PCs to consumers. Without the burden of costly assembly lines and inventories, Acer can reduce the price of its PCs quickly. Rolling out new technology happens faster, too. Earlier this year, Acer started selling laptops with Intel's Sonoma chipset a month ahead of the competition. The company is also able to focus on creating innovative, consumer-friendly designs, such as snazzy, red, Ferrari-branded laptops that are proving popular in Western Europe...
...acquisition of IBM's PC-manufacturing business. When the deal is complete, Ward, a 26-year IBM veteran, will run Lenovo from his headquarters outside New York City, far from Lenovo's home base in Beijing. In September, Acer, Taiwan's best-known computer maker, tapped Italian Gianfranco Lanci to be its president. Lanci earned the post after spearheading a major turnaround of Acer's business in Western Europe, where Acer notebook PCs became the No. 1 best seller last year...