War certainly is hell, but fashion well, let’s just say style-conscious people always want to look their best.
Style Diary.net, a Los Angeles-based online social and fashion network, provides a clearinghouse for fashion-minded men and women to see and be seen in the latest styles. Visitors to the site register and can post pictures of what they’re wearing, talking about their fashion choices or comment on others.
The Web site has more than drawn 4 million page views and is growing at a clip of 500,000 per month since earlier this year. It has contributors from 110 nations from all over the globe. The site draws the most interest from online visitors in the U.S., Britain, Canada, France, Germany and the Netherlands, not just the fashion centers.
For example, there are seven postings from Afghanistan, where the government has been battling Taliban warlords for years now.
“Il0na” (visitors all use online names) has posted photos of shoes, a purse, a sweater and a handbag she’s fond of. Many of the site’s visitors post pictures of themselves wearing the clothes, but perhaps not surprisingly, none of the Afghan contributors do so.
“The Middle East is very, very hip right now,” said Style Diary founder Patricia Handschiegel, noting that that there are postings from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Israel, as well.
As with global conflicts, surveillance is critical. Handschiegel said that’s what provided her with the opportunity.
“I noticed that women like to look at what other women wear, but that no online site offered fashion and style from that vantage point.”
Another Tom Bites the Dust
Not that there was much doubt, but last week’s ouster of Viacom Inc.’s Chief Executive Tom Freston makes clear how much importance the media giants are attaching to the digital world.
There is more than a little irony in the firing of Freston, who was one of the masterminds behind MTV, a cutting-edge concept when it was launched 25 years. Viacom Chairman Sumner Redstone, who recently axed Tom Cruise, told reporters that he was particularly frustrated that Viacom and Freston had whiffed on the chance to acquire MySpace.com. The social networking site “was there for the taking” he said, before it was purchased by Viacom rival News Corp. Brad Greenspan, the founder of MySpace, has confirmed that, saying that News Corp.’s Rupert Murdoch clearly outmaneuvered Viacom during negotiations for the site.
Freston was replaced by Philippe P. Dauman and Thomas E. Dooley, Viacom board members seen as more merger-and-acquisition specialist than overseers. That arrangement is fueling Wall Street speculation that Viacom will be looking for a new partner.
One of the more intriguing matches would be Yahoo Inc., according to Robert Routh, an entertainment analyst at Jeffries & Co. Not only does the online titan lack a major media content partner, but Redstone is close to Yahoo Chief Executive Terry Semel, who with former co-chair Bob Daly, guided Warner Bros.’ film operation to 20 years of profitability.
Tech Dough to Go
The Technology Council of Southern California (formerly the Software Council of Southern California) is gearing up for its VentureNet 2006 conference Thursday at the Westin South Coast Plaza Hotel in Costa Mesa.
More than 400 attendees from the technology sector from both sides of the investment equation will spend a full day schmoozing in between panels, discussions and lectures.
Technology Council Chairman Jon Kraft said this year’s VentureNet confab will feature a high-end business plan review committee to analyze the presentations and help match Internet companies with investors from Anthem Venture Partners, Clearstone Venture Partners, DFJ Frontier, GRP Partners, ITU Ventures, Palomar Ventures, Redpoint Ventures, Rustic Canyon Partners, Starboard Ventures and Tech Coast Angels.
Last year, VentureNet included a presentation from Make It Work LLC, which went on to be honored as Software Services Company of the Year.
MRV Ready for Test
Chatsworth-based MRV Communications, a leading provider of products and services for out-of-band networking, optical transport and fiber optic components, has hooked up with the Spirent Test Automation Lab to incorporate the Media Cross Connect and LX 4000T console server into the Lab. The deal will allow Spirent to expand its test automation capabilities to make testing more efficient by reducing configuration time and offering feedback for employees, partners and customers.
Phone Phanatics
True believers in the concept of mobile phones as Internet portals, movie platform, game players and cameras will gather today at the Wilshire Grand Hotel in L.A. for the Mobile Entertainment Summit.
Virgin Mobile USA marketing chief Howard Handler and ASPire Holdings vice president Yingbo Zhu will deliver the opening remarks. Other mobile mavens on hand will include Disney Mobile’s Mark Young, Ericsson’s Frederik Borgstrom, Qualcomm’s Mike Yuen, Microsoft Inc.’s Matt Champagne, Napster Inc.’s Brad Duea, Yahoo Inc.’s Dave Goldberg, Universal Music Group’s Amanda Marks and GoTV Networks’ Daniel Tibbets.
The summit, which is sold out, is sponsored by the iHollywoodForum.
New InfoVision Digs
InfoVision Tech, the North American subsidiary of CM.K, the Korean-based producer of state-of-the-art plasma, LCD and LED display devices for televisions and computers, is moving to more spacious offices at 3600 Wilshire Blvd. in Los Angeles.
Staff reporter Dan Cox can be reached at
[email protected]
or at (323) 549-5225, ext. 230.
