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IRVINE — Orange County’s highest tier professional soccer team is on a mission to establish a global talent development system, striking a partnership with former AC Milan striker and Japanese star Keisuke Honda.

The Irvine-based Orange County Soccer Club — which is part of the 31-team United Soccer League and plays at the Orange County Great Park’s new championship stadium — recently announced Honda’s youth soccer program, Soltilo, has become an investor. The two organizations will collaborate on youth player development, tournaments, camps and exchange programs, officials said.

“Soccer is a global game, and having the opportunity to associate with a guy like Keisuke, one of the groundbreaking Asian soccer players … is an incredible honor,” OCSC owner and president James Keston said.

Honda has been “not only spreading the gospel of soccer as a great game that’s fun to watch,” Keston said, “but also seeing soccer as a tool for children to improve their lives.”

Keston declined to discuss the details of the club’s ownership, though he said Soltilo is not the majority owner.

Honda, 31, is one of the most high-profile athletes in Japan with an elevated status comparable to Shohei Ohtani, who recently joined the Los Angeles Angels.

Before Honda joined the Mexican club Pachuca this season, he spent eight years at AC Milan, wearing the No. 10 jersey, and before that, CSKA Moscow. He played for Japan in the 2010 and 2014 World Cups.

Off the field, Honda has conducted soccer camps around the world as a United Nation Foundation’s global advocate for youth.

Soltilo has 5,000 students enrolled in countries such as Japan, China, Cambodia and Australia, and also opened schools in Pomona and San Bernardino. It has ownership stakes in professional clubs in Uganda, Cambodia and Austria.

Under the partnership, Soltilo will have access to OCSC’s coaches, such as technical director Frans Hoek, who’s coached at FC Barcelona, Manchester United and the Dutch national team, said OCSC General Manager Oliver Wyss. It will give talented Soltilo students an opportunity to be discovered and play for OCSC and even move on to Major League Soccer or international clubs, Wyss said.

“We look forward to making Orange County the international hub for youth development,” Honda said in a news release.

“Children in the United States have more potential than players in any advanced soccer nation,” he added. “The United States will become a soccer powerhouse.”

Honda said he plans to host international tournaments at the Great Park to discover and develop talent, as well as launching an international exchange and internship program in Orange County.

There will also be soccer clinics taught by Honda at the Great Park, Keston said. The first clinic will be either in the middle of this year or later depending on how far Japan advances in this summer’s World Cup, Keston said.

“I live close (to the Great Park) so I’d love to go see Honda in person,” Daisuke Miyawaki, 34, who lives in Irvine and works for a local Japanese company, said in Japanese. “I’d love for my child to have an opportunity to get lessons from him.”

The two organizations connected when Honda was looking for a place to practice in the U.S. in his off season last year, Soltilo CEO Tashi Nakanishi said.

It made news in the soccer world in July when Honda trained with OCSC at the Great Park.

When leadership from the two sides sat down and talked, they realized they shared a goal of creating a professional pathway for talented young players in the U.S., officials said.

Keston said he hopes the new partnership will help OCSC expand its fan base into the Asian community in Irvine and Orange County. About 150 Japanese fans heard through word of mouth and showed up to watch Honda practice at the Great Park in July.

Chances are “very high” that OCSC will add Japanese players to the roster this year, Keston said.

OCSC currently doesn’t have non-American sponsorship, but Asian companies have shown more interest since the club announced the partnership at a Dec. 29 press conference, Keston said.

Wyss said young talent in the U.S. has dried up a bit because of the lack of talent development by professional teams. These professional organizations should be at the top of their local soccer pyramids, sharing curriculum with other youth groups and discovering young talent, he said.

OCSC’s partnership with Soltilo fills that void, he said.

“It creates a professional environment for the most talented players,” Wyss said.

Visit the OCSC website to learn more about the partnership.

Here is how Anaheim housing looks compared to the rest of the nation through the Zillow lens.

The online housing tracker’s national databases can help add some perspective to the high price of local living.

As of November, for example, Orange County real estate by Zillow’s math — the No. 5 nationally in housing market size — has a median home value of $696,200, 13th highest in the 1,700-plus U.S. counties tracked. That’s after surging 44.7 percent in the last five years, the 212th ranked gain nationally.

Here’s how Zillow sees home values in Anaheim as of November compared to some 13,000-plus other U.S. cities …

Market size: No. 49 nationally, or in the top 1 percent.

Price: $578,600 — that’s No. 667 nationally or in the top 6 percent.

5-year gain: 53.8 percent — that’s No. 1,411 or in the top 12 percent.

10-year gain: 2.9 percent — that’s No. 6,252 or in the top 54 percent.

PS: All-time high value? $613,500 in July 2006.

DID YOU SEE …

Southern California population grows at fastest pace since 2014

Southern California housing takes nation’s largest bite of local paychecks

Southern California homes overvalued? Appraisers suggest yes

What bums out employees at Orange County’s top workplaces

The City Council denied another attempt at removing a tree in Old Towne – citing, as it has before, public interest in the area’s greenery.

William Warne, owner of the law offices at 400 East Chapman Avenue, was denied his request to remove the Canary Island Pine tree by the Community Services Department in October and appealed to the council.

The Community Services Department considered the tree – fully matured, healthy and firmly rooted – an item of public interest, a report to the City Council said. An initial appeal went to the city manager and was denied in November, at which point Warne appealed again to the City Council. The council denied the appeal 4-1, with Councilman Mike Alvarez voting in Warne’s favor.

With the tree in close proximity to his building, Warne said safety concerns are part of his reason for seeking removal – but he also wanted to spruce up the property after clearing away the 60-plus year old pine. Warne said the rules on tree preservation in the city are overly vague and misinterpreted – and holds that his property doesn’t fall into the categories they protect.

“It’s a situation where there’s a group of people and they may want a particular look – they may want something to remain the way they feel is good, and that can be carried beyond common sense,” Warne said. “Maybe there’s a rock or a weed on your property, and someone’s going to be upset if you remove that rock or weed.”

To create a “win-win” outcome for the city and residents, Warne said he offered two new Canary Island Pines to the city – he proposed to put them in a vacant space at City Hall.

But Mayor Teresa “Tita” Smith, in line with City Attorney Wayne Winthers, said the property does fall under the rules of public interest, and the historic value of the trees should be protected.

“We’re an old town – old buildings, old established families. That’s what begins to define us as a historic community,” Smith said. “I’m very reluctant to begin to allow people to take down those things that make us who we are.”

Warne declined a council offer to delay the denial, which would give him time to get a report from an arborist providing written proof  the tree is dangerous to the property – something a majority of the council was interested in seeing.

The denial comes after a very similar case in June, when a request to remove three trees of the same kind in front of Woody’s Diner less than a block away from Warne’s office was denied by the council. In that case, residents rallied to speak out against the trees’ removal.

Warne said it is very likely he will continue to pursue the removal of his tree.

Following his spring 2018 runway show, which showed his more delicate and romantic side, for pre-fall Fausto Puglisi smartly found a balance between this new softer approach and the hyper-decorative look for which he is known.
The lace inserts seen during his latest runway show returned, this time applied on his signature minidresses rendered in the label’s recognizable sorbet tones. A bold print of baroque suns, hearts and stars gave a Pop Art attitude to a maxi silk shirt punctuated by turquoise snaps, while textured velvet was crafted for a robe coat and oversize pants, both trimmed with gold fringes. These also embellished a maxi cardigan and a coordinated midi skirt worked in a tartan pattern, revealing Puglisi’s penchant for a high-bourgeois aesthetic that he juxtaposes against street vibes. They resonated in the printed maxi hoodies and the bombers and leather jackets decorated with a cascade of studs and embellishments.
Even if the more sober Puglisi lasted only one summer, he definitely had a major influence on the old Fausto who, with this collection, showed a stronger self-awareness and a clearer commercial vision.

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A mannish, Seventies-inspired mood echoed throughout the Mantù collection.
In keeping with the brand’s wearability, the lineup was strong on beautifully crafted tailored pieces, such as a three-piece suit worked in plaid sartorial fabrics and a pair of pleated, high-waisted pants worn with a V-neck sweater.
Impeccable topcoats, including a sophisticated coral number embellished with a crystal button and a rich jacquard style in a leaf pattern, were shown with shirtdresses; both flared and cigarette trousers, or voluminous skirts, including a lacquered option with a tuxedo-inspired cummerbund.
A bit of a Western vibe was introduced via shirts decorated with studded front pockets, while a floral suit was injected with a dandy-like feel.

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Eleventy was in sync with the trends seen in Milan, showing a collection for fall that was inspired by England and Scotland in the Seventies and Eighties. Shetland wool, tweed and moleskin were juxtaposed with soft alpaca wool in both outerwear and tailored suits. Jackets had slightly wider lapels, worn over trousers with a soft silhouette. Cashmere and wool braided sweaters were worn under a wide, deconstructed duffel coat lined with English wool, or a boiled-wool bomber jacket with small striped ribs. Knitted jackets had irregularly textured herringbone patterns.
Heavy sweaters in brushed Shetland wool came with corduroy trousers with hand-sewn ribs that had a vintage effect while suede vests and waistcoats were worn over colorful shirts with micro- and maxi-checkered designs. Eleventy succeeded in its goal to make English tradition more contemporary.

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NEW FACES: Fashion Scout, an international showcase that aids emerging talent, has unveiled winners of The Ones to Watch award for London Fashion Week fall 2018. They are Maddie Williams, Zhi Chen’s I Am Chen, Susan Fang and Kristel Kuslapuu.
“We are excited to have expanded the award across the catwalk and presentation studio to fit with our winner’s creative views,” said Fashion Scout founder and director Martyn Roberts. “We have a bold and colorful eclectic mix of designers from diverse cultures.”
Launched in 2006, Fashion Scout has worked with, and supported designers including Iris Van Herpen, Peter Pilotto, Eudon Choi and David Koma with dedicated showcases meant to attract press and buyers.
Fashion Scout will mount its Ones to Watch Catwalk show during London Fashion Week on Feb. 17 at 1 p.m. in The Vestibule Catwalk.
The Ones to Watch Presentation will take place on Feb. 18 from noon to 1:30 p.m. in the Presentation Studio, Freemasons’ Hall.
Williams, Chen and Fang will take part in a collective showcase in the Vestibule Catwalk Hall, while Kuslapuu will present her range within the Fashion Scout Presentation studio.
A graduate of Edinburgh College of Art, the British eco-designer Maddie Williams won the Catwalk Textiles Award and the

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Conscientious consumers can express themselves in varying degrees, according to Euromonitor’s Top 10 Global Consumer Trends for 2018.
With shoppers of all ages wanting and needing less, “ownership is under question,” and flexible, minimalist living is gaining ground as consumers share everything from clothing, cars, bicycles, household items, pets and living spaces, according to Alison Angus, head of lifestyles research.
As more balk at corporate 9-5 jobs in favor of entrepreneurial on-the-road lives, “distrust in business continues to escalate,” according to Angus. Last year’s Euromonitor International Global Consumer Trends survey showed that nearly 50 percent of respondents across all generations aspire to being self-employed. Talking about sustainability and social responsibility is no longer enough, and in 2018 consumers will seek more radical transparency from brands.” Angus wrote. BlackRock’s chief executive officer Larry Fink is in synch with the ideology, having challenged leading chief executive officer’s Tuesday to serve a social purpose beyond just making money.
As evidenced by the #MeToo initiative, hashtag activism is expected to gain momentum globally for an assortment of causes. “Overall, 2018 will see consumers continuing to question their values, priorities and purchasing decisions; deepening their engagement in the brands and issues that matter to them.” Angus wrote. “The desire

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DEMNA’S DUAL PLAY: Balenciaga has teamed with Net-a-porter and Mr Porter on capsule ranges that will debut on January 22.
Alison Loehnis, president of Net-a-porter and Mr Porter, called Balenciaga one of the most exciting brands in luxury.
“This project was a wonderful partnership and a first of its kind with Balenciaga’s campaign creators, Johnny Dufort and Lotta Volkova, photographing and styling our own teams wearing the exclusive collections against the backdrop of our offices. With Johnny’s keen observational eye and Lotta’s signature undone glamour, this campaign represents a true behind-the-scenes glimpse into the world of Net-a-porter and Mr Porter through Demna’s Balenciaga lens,” Loehnis said.
This is the first time that the Paris-based brand under creative director Gvasalia has collaborated with a retailer on a men’s and women’s capsule range.
Both collections take their cue from the label’s spring 2018 runway show where Gvasalia took disparate themes, motifs and items and worked them into a collection that projected lots of attitude.
The 53-piece Balenciaga x Net-a-porter range is comprised of T-shirts, woven shirts, hoodies, dresses, denim and outerwear. The brand’s Pantashow was done in a cobalt blue with a chain motif while accessories such as aluminum bags feature chain straps. The label’s Knifebootie and

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MILAN — Altaroma on Tuesday unveiled a new project developed in collaboration with ICE, the Italian Trade Agency.
Called “Showcase,” it is a four-day event to be held at the Maxxi Museum in Rome Jan. 25 to 28, to coincide with the city’s couture fashion week.
The project aims to support 40 Italian emerging ready-to-wear and accessories labels, which will have the chance to present their collections to buyers and press. In particular, every day 10 brands will take over the atelier-inspired booths installed inside the museum, customizing them according to their personal style.
“I think that this project makes Altaroma’s new mission even more clear,” said Altaroma president Silvia Venturini Fendi. “Altaroma is not anymore focused just on couture but its main role is now to support young talents, as we already do through the ‘Who Is on Next?’ contest.”
According to Venturini Fendi, “Showcase” will be open to those emerging designers who already produce their collections in Italy but, unlike the “Who Is on Next?” participants, have not yet developed a distribution network.

The Maxxi museum in Rome. 
Courtesy Photo

ICE president Michele Scannavini said that the Italian trade agency is investing a total sum of 1 million euros to support Altaroma, with 300,000 euros out of that set aside

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