Made in Poland: You May Be Surprised

"Today Alice Temperley is the designer making the biggest waves in British fashion, in a very short time, Temperley has been able to build a business that rivals not only those of her more starry contemporaries but those of older more established houses as well." --US Vogue

Temperley London was launched during London Fashion Week in September 2000 and has quickly grown to become one of the most desirable fashion brands in the world. The company operates three stand alone stores in London, New York and Los Angeles as well as various concessions.

Temperley London fans include Scarlett Johannson, Gwyneth Paltrow, Sarah Jessica Parker, Charlize Theron, Natalie Portman, Julia Roberts, Naomi Watts, Molly Sims, Mischa Barton, Keira Knightley and Claudia Schiffer. The Temperley London Black label, which is defined by incredible craftsmanship and timeless creations, is continuously featured on many of the important Red Carpet occasions around the world.

Takada Kenzo was one of seven children and developed an interest in fashion through reading the magazines of his sisters. Born in Himeiji City, Hyogo Prefecture, he quit Kobe University to try to become one of the first male students at Tokyo's Bunka Fashion College (Bunkafukuso Gakuin).

His parents did not approve of his career ambitions and he had to work part-time in Tokyo to support himself while he did evening prep courses in design. After some six months, he was finally accepted to the prestigious college and the kind of determination that got him there was to serve him well in the future.

Laura Ashley (7 September 1925-17 September 1985) was a Welsh designer. She became a household name on the strength of her work as a designer and manufacturer of a range of colourful fabrics for clothes and home furnishings.

Audrey Hepburn inadvertently sparked the growth of one of the world's most successful fashion and home furnishing companies. Hepburn appeared alongside Gregory Peck in the 1953 film Roman Holiday, wearing a headscarf. As such a fashion icon, she instantly created a style that became popular around the globe. The Ashleys' scarves quickly became successful with stores.

In 1966 Laura produced her first dress for social rather than work attire. The long length silhouette become the Laura Ashley trademark.

Marc Jacobs (born April 9, 1963 in New York City) is an American fashion designer. He attended the High School of Art and Design and graduated in 1981. From there, Jacobs entered the Parsons School of Design in New York City. While still at Parsons, Jacobs designed and sold his first line of hand knit sweaters. His first collection that he designed was for Reuben Thomas, Inc. under the Sketchbook label.

At Vuitton Jacobs has spearheaded such notable collaborations as Stephen Sprouse's graffiti bags, Takashi Murakami's pastel-colored accessories, and the first ready-to-wear line marketed under the Louis Vuitton imprimateur (designed by Jacobs). His own clothing lines, Marc Jacobs and the less but still expensive diffusion line Marc By Marc Jacobs (which he created in 2000), are also extremely popular.

Macy's press release: Limited Edition Collection Designed by Sophia Kokosalaki for Nine West [Shoes, handbags and RTW accessories].

Greek-born Sophia Kokosalaki is one of London's rising stars in fashion. Her romantic, Grecian-inspired designs are sculptural yet surprisingly futuristic and edgy. Her Fall 2006 ready-to-wear runway show was the largest collection that she has shown in Paris. The success of this most recent show has confirmed her status as an "independent designer with a voice of her own."

In 2004 she was asked to create the opening and closing ceremony outfits for the Summer Olympic Games in Athens - her hometown. Her designs have appealed to celebrities such as Kate Moss and Courtney Love. Her inventive use of textiles and leathers are also evident in her exclusive line for Nine West. The price range for her collection will be $200 - $450. Her line will be available in November.

Hello! We are searching eBay to find Vera Wang designer items that are "made in Poland." Sometimes there might be such items, but the seller doesn't know to indicate that they are indeed made in Poland.

Did you know that you can find a LOT of Amber jewelry that was "made in Poland?" In a quick search on eBay, I found some 614 items available in auctions and some 1,791 items available in eBay stores.

Nordic legend says that Amber is the tears of the Goddess Freya and the sun that fell into the sea. The word "Amber" comes from the Greek word "Ambrosia" -- the food of the gods.

Millions of years old, this gemstone is a fossil from the resin of ancient Spruce pine trees of Prussia. Ancient Germanic tribes such as the Goths, other Nordic peoples, Celts, Romans, Greeks, Arabs, Chinese and other peoples valued amber for it's beauty, protection and healing properties.

Amber was also called Electra, Bernstein or Northern Gold due to its electrical properties and golden color and was traded far and wide in the ancient world.