Best Beauty

P&G's new laundry line makes fashion pitch (AP)

2008-09-03T17:42:00.015-07:00

THE PRODUCTS: Procter & Gamble Co.'s new Tide detergent and Downy fabric softener "Total Care" line is hitting store shelves this month.

THE PITCH: P&G says the new laundry products draw on technology from its beauty care division to help clothes keep their new look, shape and color longer through repeated washing.

MAKE IT WORK: Reality TV fashion mentor Tim Gunn offers tips on a Tide Web site, and a $60 million marketing campaign also will include a tie-in with clothing chain Ann Taylor's Loft stores and advertising in such magazines as Elle, Vogue and Cosmopolitan.

Procter & Gamble ties laundry to fashion (AP)

2008-09-03T17:42:00.013-07:00

CINCINNATI - The Procter & Gamble Co. is linking laundry to fashion in what's billed as the biggest product launch yet for its venerable Tide brand.

Fashion mentor Tim Gunn of reality TV's "Project Runway" is among those involved in marketing the new "Total Care" products that P&G says draw on technology from its beauty products to let clothes keep their shape, color and new look longer through repeated washing.

The $60 million marketing campaign for the Tide detergent and Downy fabric softener products includes a tie-in with Ann Taylor Stores Corp.'s Loft unit and ads in such magazines as Elle, Vogue and Cosmopolitan, said spokesman Kash Shaikh.

It's an example of how P&G is banking on big-brand innovations to overcome a tradedown-minded U.S. consumer economy, and the company is promoting the line as a budget help because clothes can be worn more often and dry-cleaning bills reduced.

"We are trying to drive some value -- clothes, in simple terms, look good longer," said Alex Tosolini, a vice president for Fabric Care.

It's sort of an anti-aging line for clothes, using ingredients derived from Pantene hair products and Olay skin care, among others, the Cincinnati-based consumer goods company says.

Helping open the campaign is a Tide Web site featuring Gunn of Bravo's "Project Runway" and "Tim Gunn's Guide to Style" shows. He offers tips in online videos and will be in other ads, as will such fashion advisers as Jorge Ramon, June Ambrose and Charla Krupp, said Shaikh.

In September, promotions including samples will begin in Loft stores across the country.

Julie Smart, who handles most laundry duty for a family of six in Jacksonville, Fla., said she's intrigued after seeing online promotions for Tide Total Care. She uses Unilever's All Free Clear but plans to test the new Tide product's claims of maintaining clothes' appearance while reducing the need for dry cleaning.

"It makes sense," she said. "Then you use less time shopping, less time driving, less aggravation. Overall, you would spend less money."

P&G officials have said offering new versions of major brands will help offset tendencies by consumers to look at lower-priced private label brands and other competitors.

Tide, a brand more than six decades old with annual sales of some $3.3 billion, this month also rolled out a smaller, lipstick-sized version of its Tide to Go carry-along stain remover. In another example, Crest toothpaste is ready to launch in September a "weekly clean" paste that's meant to offer a dentist's office-clean feel.

P&G shares fell $1.48, or 2.1 percent, to $70.13 Monday. They've traded from $60.05 to $75.18 in the past year.

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On the Net:

http://www.pg.com

Tide fashion site: http://www.dresstothesevens.com

Mad for Mascara: Latest and Greatest (Fashion Wire Daily)

2008-09-03T17:42:00.011-07:00

New York - Judging by the sheer number of high-tech mascaras currently on the market, the days of buying any random mascara in "black" and applying two coats are numbered, if not already gone.

Besides new and improved lightweight formulas, which make clumpy lashes a thing of the past and new brush styles that promise to comb and coat each and every lash, the latest must-have mascaras take both those standard features one step further by giving the mascara wand its own motor. In July, Estee Lauder introduced TurboLash ($30) with a vibrating brush that promises to thicken, lengthen and curl lashes (including the "lashes you didnt even know you had," says Estee Lauders Web site) better than any manually applied mascara ever could.

Lancome, who planned to launch their own battery-powered vibrating mascara, Oscillation ($34) this fall, ended up releasing a few thousand units in advance of that following TurboLashs launch this summer. It immediately sold out as did TurboLash. Both Oscillation and TurboLash will be available again in the fall, just in time for achieving the coming seasons smoky eye look.

If you cant wait that long for lustrous lashes, there are plenty of other options. One of the most popular mascara trends right now is protein-based mascara that creates a "tube" around each lash, which not only makes lashes thicker, and builds up lash length with each coat, but it also stays put until washed off with warm water.

Celebrity makeup artist Craig Jessup praised Kevyn Aucoin Volume mascara ($25)a tube-style formulafor this smudge-free quality. "It doesnt dissolve into panda eyes," he said. "One time I was doing a wedding and had just finished the brides makeup when she got an upsetting call from a family member, moments before she was to walk down the aisle. She hung up the phone, grabbed a handful of tissues and proceeded to projectile-tear into them. I was sure she would remove the tissues and expose a beauty crime-scene: Running mascara, smeared eyeliner, matted brows, and eyeshadow removed in patches from all the saline. The room was silent. Everyone was holding their breath waiting for the reveal. When she brought the tissues down from her eyes, not only was every stitch of makeup in place, it all looked better than before! It was blended more thoroughly than any finger or brush could ever achieve."

If smear-prevention is less of a priority, Jessup also recommends the popular Great Lash mascara by Maybelline ($4.49) in Blackest Black, but his tip is to "age" the mascarabuy it, but then wait for two or three weeks after opening it to let it dry out a bit.

Too Faceds new Lash Injection Pinpoint ($19.50) uses 3D polymers to build waterproof tubes around each lash. While its brush doesnt look particularly fancy at first glance, dont let that fool you. A fine point micro brush combined with a lightweight, yet effective, lash building formula creates a false eyelash effecteven more so if you create your own version of an oscillating wand the old-fashioned way, by rapidly moving the wand back and forth across lashes.

Speaking of false eyelashes, Japanese cosmetic company Imjus big selling point for the much-hyped Fiberwig ($22) mascara is that it is "Paint-On False Eyelashes." Well, not quite. While its long, thick brush certainly gives the impression that it will accordingly create long, thick faux-looking lashes, after three or four coats, eyelashes were nowhere near the obvious thickness of a good pair of falsies, Instead, they looked remarkably natural with nary a clump in sight. Not necessarily a bad thing.

And finally, the award for a mascara wand that most resembles a medieval torture device goes to Givenchys new Phenomeneyes ($27), with its spherical, spiky wand. The unusual shape makes it easier to reach those elusive outer lashes, that is, if you can get over the fear that you might accidentally poke yourself in the eye by misjudging your aim. The round wand also makes it more difficult to evenly coat lashes, leading to over-coatingas in the clumpy lashes that your grandmother used to have. The formula is also quite heavy and in effect, very sticky. Recommended only for the most scrupulous mascara scholars who are willing to take some time to learn how to best use the unconventional wand for their lashes.

Armani designs villas at $1.8 billion Egyptian resort (Reuters)

2008-09-03T17:42:00.009-07:00

MILAN (Reuters Life!) - Giorgio Armani will design his first villas for a 1.85 billion gated community development in Egypt that is just two hours drive from Cairo, the Italian fashion designer said on Wednesday.

Emaar Properties is building the 9.9 billion Egyptian pounds (1.8 billion) gated community at Sidi Abdel Rahman Bay, on 1,544 acres of what Armani described in a statement as "the best stretch of beach on the north coast" of Egypt.

The villas will be up to 500 square meters in size and with up to four bedrooms, each with its own pool.

Armani, best known for his classic, flowing clothing lines and penchant for black, said the villa designs would be "taking the Live with Armani philosophy to Egypt."

Armani, along with several other designers such as fellow Italian Versace, is branching out of clothing into areas such as interior design and home furnishings as they attempt to maximize the value of their brands across continents and class.

The villas architecture will be "based on the functionality and aesthetics of volume, light and surface."

All the villas will feature automated security systems, temperature and drapery control, lighting and air-conditioning.

Armani said he used "elements that capture the serenity and calm of beach-front living" in the designs.

The 6.5 million square meter gated community includes a beach resort, marina, golf course and hotels.

Armani has already designed a hotel in Emaars Burj Dubai development, including guest rooms, restaurant and spa as well as luxury apartments.

(Reporting by Jo Winterbottom; editing by Patricia Reaney)

Many sex assault charges dropped against designer (AP)

2008-09-03T17:42:00.007-07:00

LOS ANGELES - Without explanation, prosecutors on Wednesday dropped more than half the sexual assault charges against fashion designer Anand Jon Alexander just before jury selection began for his trial.

The district attorney's office said it was striking 30 of the 59 charges but reserved the option of pursuing them later. The charges involved 10 women and girls.

The remaining 29 charges range from forcible rape to committing lewd acts on a child. The 10 alleged victims were 14 to 21 years old.

Alexander remains under indictment in New York on similar charges involving nine women and is under investigation by authorities in Texas and Massachusetts.

Nearly 100 prospective jurors in the California case began the selection process by filling out questionnaires. Attorneys were expected to begin questioning potential jurors Sept. 4.

Alexander, 34, who has dressed starlets such as Paris Hilton, is accused of meeting women on the Internet and assaulting them when they visited California for modeling opportunities between 2001 and 2007. He has pleaded not guilty and could face life in prison if convicted.

A call to his criminal attorney, Anthony Brooklier, was not immediately returned.

The decision to strike some charges was praised by an attorney defending Alexander in a lawsuit that claims he sexually assaulted a Beverly Hills woman, one of the alleged victims dropped from the criminal case Wednesday.

"We believe that the justice system will prevail and that our client will be found innocent," Arthur Khachatourians said. "This case has no weight; it's a web of lies."

Alexander came under investigation last year when a woman claimed she had been sexually assaulted at his apartment. He was jailed in June 2007 and has remained behind bars.

Born in India, Alexander graduated from the Parsons School of Design in New York and launched a fashion line in 1999. He was considered an up-and-coming designer and was named a person to watch by Newsweek.

30 of 59 rape charges dropped against Indian-born designer (AFP)

2008-09-03T17:42:00.005-07:00

LOS ANGELES (AFP) - Los Angeles prosecutors have dropped 30 of 59 sexual abuse charges against Indian-born celebrity fashion designer Anand Jon Alexander, as jury selection got under way for his trial in California.

The 29 charges Alexander will be facing in court are related to "the victims that prosecutors are electing to proceed with at this time," said Jane Robison, a spokeswoman for the district attorneys office.

Without explaining further, Robison said lawyers for the remaining alleged victims were free to reinstate their charges during the upcoming trial.

Alexander, 34, had been charged in California with 59 counts of sexually assaulting 20 women aged 14-27 between 2002-2007.

Arrested on March 6, 2007, Alexander is charged with a variety of crimes, including forcible rape, sexual battery by restraint and lewd acts upon a child.

Prosecutors have accused Alexander of setting up a fashion design studio in Beverly Hills to lure models and sexually assault them. The charges carry a maximum sentence of life in prison.

The New York-based designer, who is also being investigated in Texas and Massachusetts, pleaded not guilty at a hearing in California in April.

His lawyer Ronald Richards said at the time that all the charges against his client were brought by models whom Alexander had turned down for jobs after having consensual sexual relations with them.

Alexander was free on a 1.3 million dollar bail until June, when a California judge increased the bail amount by 500,000 dollars after Texas issued its own indictment against the fashion designer.

Alexander graduated from the prestigious Parsons School of Design and launched his own label at New York Fashion Week in 1999.

He is reported to have dressed celebrities such as Hilton hotel heiresses Paris and Nicky Hilton, Mary J. Blige and Norah Jones.

According to Alexanders website, he is the winner of various fashion awards including a 2002 Peoples Choice "Best New Designer" prize.

Julia Roberts designs Armani T-shirt for AIDS fight (Reuters)

2008-09-03T17:42:00.003-07:00

MILAN (Reuters Life!) - Julia Roberts has returned to work with Italian fashion designer Giorgio Armani to raise money for the fight against AIDS in Africa, designing a T-shirt to be sold under the "Red" label.

The Academy Award-winning actress has drawn the symbolic tree of life with the words "revolution.evolution.devotion" arching over its foliage.

The words are behind the acronym for "Red," the name of a product-branding alliance to raise money for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

Under the scheme -- the brain-child of U2 rock star Bono and Bobby Shriver, the nephew of former U.S. President John F. Kennedy -- manufacturers channel a portion of the profits from "Red"-branded goods to the fund.

Money raised from events and product sales tied to the label have raised more than 110 million since it began in 2006, according to a statement from Giorgio Armani.

The T-shirt designed by Roberts will go on sale in September both online and at Emporio Armani stores worldwide, a spokeswoman for the fashion designer said.

Available for men and women, the T-shirt will also have her signature inside.

It is the second time that Roberts has worked with Armani for the "Red" label. The first time saw her use the same idea of the tree for a leather bracelet.

Armani also sells clothing, accessories, eyewear, watches, fragrances and jewellery under the "Red" label, offering 40 percent of the gross profit margin on sales to the fund.

(Reporting by Gilles Castonguay; Editing by Matthew Jones)

From A to Z, New Book From Nina Garcia Names Must-Haves (Fashion Wire Daily)

2008-09-03T17:42:00.001-07:00

New York - Editor Nina Garcia, who takes her fashion eye to Marie Claire starting in September, is well-known as one of the judges for "Project Runway," where she dispenses thoughtful, and sometimes scathing, critiques of the designers projects each week. In person, Garcia exudes a kind of polished professionalism that is elegant, yet welcoming, like a stylish friend who always knows the right thing to wear for any occasion but also doesnt mind taking you shopping so that you can find the perfect outfit as well.

So it makes sense that her latest book, "The One Hundred," dishes up all fashion tips a woman needs to know to put together a killer, timeless wardrobe. For people tired of chasing trends, the book is a perfect antidote. With charming illustrations by renowned fashion illustrator Ruben Toledo, "The One Hundred" is an A-Z guide of Garcias picks for wardrobe essentials. At a book signing in Saks Fifth Avenue on Wednesday, Aug. 27, Garcia sat down with Fashion Wire Daily to talk about her inspiration for the book and to shed light on exactly what items no woman with style should be without - and the best up-and-coming designers to watch.

FWD: How did you came up with the idea for "The One Hundred"?

Garcia: The inspiration was really moving from my apartment. We were going to be out of our apartment for about eight months and I was pregnant with my son, and I was trying to figure out, what am I going to take? I was already changing sizes, I was changing apartments, and I noticed that a lot of the things I took were the things I always relied on. No matter what had happened or what city I was in, it was always the white shirt, the jacket, the classic, timeless pieces. Thats really the idea came up. What about a book that spelled out what are all those timeless, classic pieces that every woman should consider having. Im not saying every woman has to have one hundred pieces, because I wanted to keep it general so that different tastes could appreciate it.

FWD: In other words, not everybody is going to go out and buy a crocodile bag.

Garcia: No! And not everybody wants to wear a motorcycle jacket. Some women are more bohemian and some women are more classic, so I really wanted to offer just things that have been there for many years and have stood the test of time. You might want to retire things for a season or two, but when you pull them out, theyre still going to be valid. Its about shopping for value and for things that will always be stylish.

FWD: If a person could only afford one luxury item for their wardrobe, what should it be?

Garcia: Jewelry! That would be the splurge. Although look whats happened with costume jewelry--its equally as important and fantastic. If you dont have the Harry Winston, you can have the Kenneth Jay Lane.

FWD: In the book, is there a background or history to each of the items you mention?

Garcia: Yes, there is a little bit of background on each item and there are shopping resources and insider tips. Being an editor, we have to be resourceful, we have to comb the market and know where everything comes from and know where we can get things quickly, so there are a lot of those insights in the book.

FWD: Whats a more eccentric item that women might consider, that maybe they havent thought of as a timeless classic?

Garcia: Id have to say shoes. I think its an easy solution if you want to experiment. If you havent tried booties, or havent ever bought a pair of over-the-knee boots, something like that can really change your look. It would definitely have to be something in terms of accessories, like jewelry, because its the easiest way to incorporate something new.

FWD: What do you think is the most overlooked item in a womans wardrobe?

Garcia: Undergarments. Spanx are a lifesaver! And underwear--we overlook it, but trust me, its very important. It can make a difference and its good to have the right undergarments.

FWD: Do you think there is a certain kind of designer missing in American fashion?

Garcia: I think were very complete in terms of American designers. We have an incredible talent pool in America. From Rodarte, to Oscar de la Renta, to Philip Lim, to Francisco Costa, we really have it here.

FWD: Has "Project Runway" changed the perception of what the fashion industry is all about?

Garcia: I hope so. I really do think so. I think its brought an interest to fashion and to the creativity involved in being a designer. Its explained that to people who probably didnt really know what it takes to be a designer. Theres a lot of components that now have to take place. You have to be business savvy, you have to be PR savvy, you have to be creative and practical. There are a lot of things that it entails.

FWD: Which collections are you looking forward to in New York this season?

Garcia: All of them, but I am particularly looking forward to all the younger designers, because I think they are the ones that most need our support, and they are the future. Alexander Wang, Chris Benz, Philip Lim, Peter Som, all of this younger generation.

FWD: And, finally, how are you getting ready for fashion week?

Garcia: Im not ready! But Im very eager and looking forward to it.

Carey, Timberlake among Fashion Rocks performers (AP)

2008-08-20T19:23:00.055-07:00

NEW YORK - Mariah Carey, Justin Timberlake, Beyonce and Rihanna will perform at the fifth annual Fashion Rocks concert celebrating the relationship between music and fashion.

The event will be held Sept. 5 at Radio City Music Hall, and will air in a two-hour special on CBS the following night. Proceeds will benefit Stand Up to Cancer, a program established by the Entertainment Industry Foundation to raise money for cancer research.

Also performing: Keith Urban, Chris Brown, Kid Rock, Fergie, Lil Wayne and the Black Eyed Peas.

"Fashion Rocks uniquely celebrates the intersection of two of the most sexy cultural paradigms: fashion and music. This year, we have a spectacular lineup of talent and performances that will take the show to a whole new level," Richard Beckman, president of Conde Nast Media Group, which produces the event, said Tuesday.

Fashion Rocks magazine will also return for its annual issue. The magazine, helmed by Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour, will accompany the September edition of 16 Conde Nast magazines.

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On the Net:

http://www.fashionrocks.com/

Menswear goes loose and easy on NY fashion runways (Reuters)

2008-08-20T19:23:00.053-07:00

NEW YORK (Reuters) - If the latest in mens fashion on display this week in New York is any indication, men should have lots of free time, attend chic parties and dabble in arty jobs where they can wear whatever they want.

Baggy shirts, wrinkled T-shirts, campus-throwback sweaters and boat shoes ruled at New Yorks nascent Mens Runway. The two-day event is designed to give menswear a spotlight rather than getting lost in the frenzy of womenswear shows that dominate New Yorks spring and fall Fashion Week.

The looks at Mens Runway were aimed at people who aspire to a sophisticated, casual look and lifestyle but dont necessarily have one, fashion experts said.

The looks bear little relation to a real world laden with rising prices, job insecurity or weighty debt, they added.

"Its the way men want to be, rather than need to be," said Candace Corlett, president of WSL Strategic Retail retail experts. "Its just like women. In fashion, they want to be much more glamorous than they are or need to be.

"While most men may be wearing suits or jackets to work and paving the driveway on weekends, for one brief moment they want to be in designer leisure wear," she said.

Toying with those aspirations, Conference of Birds designer Andrew Holden tossed together casual, business and formal in relaxed layers.

He topped pajama-style trousers with a loosened bow tie and overcoat and mixed tuxedo shirts with suit jackets and shorts.

Shirts were only half-tucked by New York-based label Nicholas K, which went outdoorsy, with rolled-up denim shorts, canvas jackets, ponchos and artfully knotted scarves.

CASUAL FRIDAYS ARE GONE

Charles G Bailey mens collection opted for a collegiate look, with V-neck sweaters tucked into shorts, muted plaids and bowling shirts with contrasting cuffs and collars.

Nary a suit was to be found, nor a sock in sight.

While the lines were very casual, they were realistic, wearable and marketable, said Robert Burke, head of luxury consultants Robert Burke Associates.

"Difficult economic times have made for more realistic and more sellable clothes," Burke said. "There was a great deal here for buyers to put into stores."

David Wolfe, creative director at Doneger Group retail consultants, was not convinced and said he fears some designers are missing the mark.

"For fashion to be successful, it has to be a reflection of the society that wears it," he said. "The things that are selling very well are not cutting-edge, casual sloppy stuff."

Tailored, dressier menswear is selling well, a la the popular "Mad Men" stylized series about the advertising industry on AMC cable television, Wolfe said.

"Casual Friday has come and gone," he said.

Mens Runway kicked off with four shows in January, and this round, showing looks for Spring 09, featured six shows on Monday and Tuesday. Other designers showing were Orthodox, Canadas Obakki and Andrew Buckler.

(Editing by Philip Barbara)

Carey, Timberlake among Fashion Rocks performers (AP)

2008-08-20T19:23:00.051-07:00

Yves Saint Laurent's art collection up for auction (Reuters)

2008-08-20T19:23:00.049-07:00

PARIS (Reuters) - The private art collection of French fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent and his partner Pierre Berge has been put up for auction and will be sold in February 2009, auction house Christies said on Wednesday.

Saint Laurent, one of the leading figures in 20th century French fashion, died in Paris in June at the age of 71.

Contacted by Reuters, Christies, which will organize the auction in partnership with auction house Pierre Berge and Associates, said it would announce the items to be sold at the end of September.

The auction house declined to estimate how much the collection was likely to fetch until those items had been identified, but experts have put the figure between 300 and 500 million euros, (472 million-787 million).

Sources close to Christies said the figure was "not wrong."

French daily Le Figaro said the collection features several hundred pieces including Renaissance jewelry, paintings by masters such as Picasso and Matisse, and manuscripts of the works of French authors Gustave Flaubert and Andre Gide.

Berge, who had amassed the collection with Saint Laurent over a period of almost 40 years, told Le Figaro he "couldnt carry out the sale until after his (Saint Laurents) death," adding that "the page has turned."

Antique dealer Alexis Kugel, who told Le Figaro his relation with the collectors was the closest a dealer could have with his clients, said: "For Yves Saint Laurent art was a vital need, indispensable for his inspiration, like water to survive. It soothed his depressive character."

(Reporting by Joseph Tandy; Editing by Francois Murphy and Catherine Evans)

Menswear goes loose and easy on NY fashion runways (Reuters)

2008-08-20T19:23:00.047-07:00

Designers sashay from the catwalk to the stadium (Reuters)

2008-08-20T19:23:00.045-07:00

BEIJING (Reuters) - The fashion world has finally cottoned on that sportswear is big business with designers competing to make their mark on the Olympics and win a place in the huge Chinese market.

With four billion people expected to watch the 2008 Games, its a dream marketing opportunity for the fashion industry, prompting more designers to outfit national teams and launch sports lines as new sportswear stores pop up around Beijing.

"It is a great opportunity for fashion brands to get involved in something quite big and heroic," said Ligaya Salazar, the curator of a show called "Fashion V Sport" opening at Londons Victoria & Albert Museum this week.

"More and more we are seeing fashion brands getting involved in sports like the Olympics or Wimbledon or the U.S. Open."

Salazar said fashion and sport shared a long history but the direct collaboration only began about 10 years ago after designers noticed people were increasingly wearing sports gear, such as tracksuits and running shoes, on the street.

This opened up a new audience for the fashion world which knew that sports had a greater global impact than any catwalk with fans fiercely loyal to their sporting heroes .

Massive sports brands like Adidas and Nike have always competed for attention at the Olympics but their new rivals are designers previously more at home with a couture crowd.

Designers Stella McCartney and Alexander McQueen are producing collections with sportwears brands and sports figures are heading fashion campaigns, such as English soccer player David Beckham for Armani, or designing their own collections.

Salazar said this trend was reflected at the Beijing Olympics where the fashion stakes have been raised.

DESIGNERS MUSCLE INTO SPORTS

The U.S. Olympic Committee chose Polo Ralph Lauren as their outfitter for the Beijing Olympics, replacing Canadian company Roots Ltd which dressed the team for the past three Olympics.

Canadian retailer Hbc, originally the Hudsons Bay Company, is producing red-and-white hooded sweatshirts (hoodies) and gold collage maple leaf T-shirts with Chinese astrological symbols for the Canadian team.

Rio de Janeiro-based design firm Oestudio joined forces with sportswear brand Olympikus to create the Brazilian outfits.

Many other countries have yet to go public with their outfits which are often kept under wraps until the Opening Ceremony.

But while designers are moving into the arenas, they are also ensuring they back up their efforts with marketing and retail.

For example Polo Ralph Lauren, like many licensees, will also produce Olympics "replica wear" that goes on sale this month as the world spotlight turns onto the August 8-24 Games.

German sports outfitter Adidas opened the doors to its worlds biggest store in Beijing last month as it battles Nike for top slot in the lucrative Chinese market at a time when the U.S. consumers are tightening their purse strings.

The high-tech four-storey megastore in a new shopping centre in the popular Sanlitun area, which boasts another 12 sportswear stores, sells special Adidas collections by Stella McCartney, Yohji Yamamoto of Japan, and an Olympic line.

Shopper Zhang Yan, 23, an English student from Mu Danjiang in Hei Longjiang Province in Beijing for the Olympics, said young Chinese wanted trendy sports clothes for sports and daywear.

"All young people want to these clothes because they are beautiful and very fashionable. Even some older people like to wear them," she told Reuters.

"With the Olympics everyone wants to look sporty as this is the biggest event ever for us and we all want to be supportive."

(Editing by Greg Stutchbury)

Yves Saint Laurent's art collection up for auction (Reuters)

2008-08-20T19:23:00.043-07:00

Punk progeny launches "Terrorist" clothing line (Reuters)

2008-08-20T19:23:00.041-07:00

LONDON (Reuters Life!) - Joe Corre was born to rail against the establishment and now has the store to power the movement.

The son of punk pioneers Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood, Corre has launched a new menswear boutique in East London devoted to selling his "Terrorist" clothing line and a range of collected artifacts.

"I suppose Ive always grown up around the idea of starting a shop in order to start a scene," says Corre, whose designer mother has been on the edgy frontline of fashion for decades and whose father managed the Sex Pistols.

When Corre is asked how it is he thinks that people will want to wear garments bearing the label "Terrorist," he rolls his eyes and fires back: "because it just sort of signifies that theyre awake."

"Its just a word thats used to describe the enemy. You know, who they dont want you to like today, but maybe those same people they wanted you to like yesterday," Corre said.

The 40-year-old punk progeny says the fact that he was given his paternal grandmothers surname has been an advantage as "both of my parents names are a lot to live up to" but if anything, he has built on the family tradition of combining fashion with attitude.

When Corre was offered a royal honor in 2007 to recognize the success of the Agent Provocateur luxury lingerie chain which he co-founded with his ex-wife, he rejected the title, saying that the then Prime Minister Tony Blair was "morally corrupt."

When his mother decided to use her return to London Fashion Week earlier this year to protest against the U.S. governments continued use of Guantanamo Bay, Cuba to detain foreign suspects, Corres lingerie chain designed underpants for the lead model which read "fair trial my arse" across the backside.

Corre insists he hasnt been intimidated by moving into terrain that has traditionally been his mothers turf.

"Shes been down to this store and she loved it," he said. "Essentially, at the root of all thats where I come from, where she comes from. Its the idea that you lead a much more interesting life when you dress up."

BOGEYMEN

The clothes themselves are the work of designer Simon Armitage, better known by his nom de plume "Barnzley."

"I wasnt particularly enamored with calling it Terrorist at first but after a couple of days of rationalizing...I kind of understood it," Armitage said.

The word now adorns the label on the inner collar of traditional Teddy Boy suits, day-glo camouflage jackets and t-shirts bearing the images of some of historys bogeymen such as Geronimo and Napoleon.

Armitage also helped with the design of the store, built to resemble a Victorian slum and named A Child of the Jago after the 1896 bestseller by Arthur Morrison.

"We wanted to do something that was relevant to the history of this whole area," says Armitage, motioning towards the large mural of William Hogarths Gin Lane on the back wall.

Situated in the shadow of a new skyscraper and next to a construction side for a new Underground station, A Child of The Jago does stand apart from its surroundings.

Armitage said they deliberately decided not to launch a Web site for the label in order to draw people to the store.

"If people want to buy some clothes from here they can come here and buy the clothes from this shop," he said.

"It never stopped me as a little kid going to Viviennes shop (on the Kings Road) to buy punk rock gear...I lived miles away. London might as well have been on Mars when I was a little kid."

Corre said that everything today is too available and reveled in the eclectic assortment of items he has collected from a chain mail suit to a prosthetic leg previously worn by a member of the Hells Angels motorcycle gang.

"Weve got an original Eskimo, Inuit bow and arrow," Corre said from a spot in the shop between a stuffed boar and the second hand books section of the shop.

"We have a Hells Angels leg here. Theyre terrorists right? They cause mayhem and frighten everybody," Corre said.

Corre insists the store is no vanity project and that the shop needs to sell its unusual wares to survive.

"This is not some kind of scouts hut shop for us to just have a bit of fun in," he said.

But wild success with the sale of such unusual one-off items could put him in a bind of a different kind.

"You cant suddenly just ramp it up and open a whole chain of these places." says Corre. "Where the hell are you going to find another Hells Angels leg?"

(Editing by Paul Casciato)

Designers sashay from the catwalk to the stadium (Reuters)

2008-08-20T19:23:00.039-07:00

Model agency Wilhelmina to IPO this year: report (Reuters)

2008-08-20T19:23:00.037-07:00

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - U.S.-based modeling agency Wilhelmina is planning an initial public stock offering (IPO) this year, according to a German daily.

Details will be made public within two weeks, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung quoted Wilhelmina Chairman Horst-Dieter Esch as saying in a story on its website on Tuesday.

Proceeds from the IPO would be used to acquire other agencies and expand abroad, the paper reported.

German-born Esch bought the agency in 1988 and still owns 50 percent of the company. Financial investor Brad Krassner bought the remaining stake in 1999.

A spokesman for Wilhelmina declined to comment.

Wilhelmina had sales of 60 million in 2007, the paper quoted Esch as saying.

(Reporting by Nicola Leske; Editing by David Holmes)

Punk progeny launches "Terrorist" clothing line (Reuters)

2008-08-20T19:23:00.035-07:00

Letting It All Hang Out for National Underwear Day (Fashion Wire Daily)

2008-08-20T19:23:00.033-07:00

New York - "Im curious how many men are actually packing out here on the runway," joked Lydia Hearst, the host of Freshpair.coms 6th Annual National Underwear Day runway show and party on Tuesday, Aug. 5, in New York.

"Underwear is the foundation," said Freshpair.com president Michael Kleinmann. "Its the first thing you put on, and the last thing you take off at night, so we wanted to call attention to the intimate apparel industry."

More than 10 runway shows from brands that included Diesel, Wacoal, Sean John, Natori, Mundo Unico, Champion, Le Mystere, DKNY, Nautica and Tommy Hilfiger sauced up the square-shaped runway, giving a good view to all the guests of male and female models in their skivvies.

Throughout the course of the evening, like browsing through a catalogue or online shop, the various brands displayed a full spectrum of undergarments, from briefs, boxer shorts, boxer briefs, sports bras, thong styles, lace, satin, cotton - you name it. Some looks, like a tight black t-shirt and matching boxer brief trimmed with neon green worn by one male model, elicited giggles from a group of women. Mostly, onlookers gazed with awe, their jaws occasionally dropping when a particularly handsome model breezed past in tight briefs.

Held at Espace, a club on the far west end of 42nd Street - a street notoriously associated with peep shows in the past - the scene at the party could have been one from the pages of the formerly seedy streets history books, with dozens of buff beefcakes roaming the room or standing on mini-stages as girls with huge smiles on their faces posed for photographs with them, as though at a bachelorette party.

Designer Richie Rich, formerly of Heatherette - his friend Lydia Hearst has often modeled in his shows - was frank about his underwear preferences.

"The tighter the better - I like tightie whities," he said, and revealed that he was sporting striped underwear in celebration of National Underwear Day. He is currently working on his new solo collection "Celebutante" as well as a record, both of which hell debut this September during New Yorks fashion week.

For guests like Russell Simmons, the answer was simple about why he was there.

"Underwear is sexy," he said. "It keeps people moving."

Model agency Wilhelmina to IPO this year: report (Reuters)

2008-08-20T19:23:00.031-07:00

Menswear sales outpace women's wear (AP)

2008-08-20T19:23:00.029-07:00

WHAT'S NEW: In tough economic times, men are traditionally the first to cut back on buying clothes, but there's been a major shift. Over the past year, men -- enticed by a new slimmed-down silhouette -- have been on a buying spree, while women have pulled back even more. The lopsided fortunes is creating a rare sales disparity that hasn't been seen in years.

THE NUMBERS: Menswear sales rose 0.8 percent in the year ended in May, while women's wear sales fell 3.5 percent, according to the most recent data from market research firm NPD Group. The gap has widened recently, with women's wear sales dropping 3 percent in the three months ended in May, while menswear sales rose 2.3 percent.

THE IMPACT: Men's renewed interest in updating their wardrobe is leading some stores to change how they market to men, who are now increasingly buying their own clothing.

REALITY CHECK: With women's fashions accounting for 65 percent of the $155 billion adult clothing market, the rising fortunes of menswear -- a market half the size of women's wear -- hasn't significantly lifted overall sales. For the year ended May, adult clothing sales fell 2 percent.

Letting It All Hang Out for National Underwear Day (Fashion Wire Daily)

2008-08-20T19:23:00.027-07:00

Menswear sales outpace women's business (AP)

2008-08-20T19:23:00.025-07:00

NEW YORK - Steve Hale has discovered a reason to splurge on clothing again: the slim silhouette in suits to shirts that's replacing the baggier fits of past years. But his wife, Cathy, has slashed her monthly apparel spending, saying she's "bored" by what's out there.

In tough economic times, men are traditionally the first to cut back -- but the Hales represent a new phenomenon in retailing: Over the past year, men have been on a clothes-buying spree, while women have pulled back even more.

"I did feel for a long period that there wasn't anything new to buy," said Steve Hale, a 37-year-old financial consultant who had stuck with the business casual uniform of khakis and dress shirts since the late 1990s. "But I really like the slim fit. It's not so roomy, not so bulky, and it's a lot cleaner."

The lopsided fortunes -- solid sales gains in menswear and a deepening funk in the far larger women's clothing business -- is creating a rare sales disparity that hasn't been seen in years, according to David Wolfe, creative director of The Doneger Group, a buying office.

Fashion observers say the main catalyst fueling menswear buying is the slimmed-down styles shown on the runways a few years ago by designer Thom Browne that have recently garnered mass appeal. The look is being popularized by AMC's award-winning series "Mad Men" about ad executives in the 1960s.

Over the past year, the fashions, from body-conscious suits to leaner khakis, have been heavily promoted by an array of stores from conservative haberdashery Brooks Brothers to department stores like Macy's and Bloomingdale's.

Executives from those stores said menswear sales began outpacing women's wear last year. They wouldn't give exact figures because of competitive reasons. But the disparity has been widening, said Marshal Cohen, chief industry analyst for research company NPD Group Inc. According to NPD's most recent data, menswear sales rose 0.8 percent in the year ended in May, while women's wear sales fell 3.5 percent. In the three months ended in May, women's wear sales dropped 3 percent, while menswear sales rose 2.3 percent.

With women's fashions accounting for 65 percent of the $155 billion adult apparel market, the rising fortunes of menswear -- accounting for just half the size of women's wear -- hasn't significantly helped lift overall sales. For the year ended May, adult clothing sales fell 2 percent.

Still, fashion pundits like Wolfe hail the trend as the biggest change in men's fashion in more than a decade, since the relaxation in business dress codes enticed men to fill up their wardrobes with everything khaki. Major menswear brands like VF Corp.'s Nautica and Levi Strauss and Co.'s Dockers have reworked their fits. Pants, for example, have less material in the seat and thigh and have no pleats; suit jackets have higher armholes with narrower and shorter sleeves.

"You can throw out all the rules," said Cohen. Even in tough economic times, "this is a trend that you have to buy, otherwise you look outdated."

"Suddenly, a pair of cargo pants and a polo shirt doesn't look good anymore," said Wolfe, who sees the change being embraced by men in their 20s to men over 50 who don't want to look past their prime.

"Women's wear has painted themselves in a corner. By offering too many options and with everything a trend, it is very easy not to buy anything," Wolfe said.

Designers of women's wear may have seen the new trend in the men's market and taken inspiration for a slim, sophisticated '60s shape for fall -- Michael Kors and Peter Som have both cited "Mad Men" as inspiration for their women's clothes.

The sluggish economy is playing a role too. Higher gas and food costs and fiscal uncertainties have clearly made both men and women cut back on in-today, out-tomorrow trends like wild printed tops. But the threat of layoffs has also forced many employees to dress more formally as a way to hold on to their jobs and look more serious, Cohen said. Women can go back to their closets to find dressier and classic alternatives, but men now have a reason to buy.

"I am dressing up a bit more," said Steve Hale. "If you are keeping up with fashion, people notice and it gives them more confidence" that the financial industry is going to turn around. He said he now spends about $500 a month on clothes, more than twice as much as he spent previously.

Jonathan Singer, 26, who works in high-tech marketing, credits his new wardrobe to helping him land a better-paying job. The Boston resident spent about $2,000 over the past six months on a slimmer-fit suit from Benetton as well as slender shirts from Diesel and French Connection. In the past, he had spent about $300 every six months.

"It always pays to look good," he said. "I had looked in the mirror and never was impressed. I looked like a little kid who was waiting to grow into his clothes."

Now, he says, "I feel extremely confident in the way I look. Everyone has noticed."

Men's interest in updating their wardrobes is forcing merchants to rethink how to market to them. They're seeing a growing number of men shopping for themselves, instead of relying on their wives and girlfriends to buy for them.

Bloomingdale's is rolling out separate areas in the men's department that incorporate tailored clothing with other accessories like ice buckets and gadgets like GPS systems and high-end shaving tools. Meanwhile, Macy's has adding more exclusive lines like tight-fitting Emporio Armani underwear.

Alex Guerrero, vice president of men's merchandising at Dockers, said the company is heavily featuring the new fits -- a slim-cut khaki pant, tested last summer, as well as a newly unveiled straight cut, which was introduced in May and has broader appeal, at department stores this fall alongside its usual fits -- relaxed and classic. About 70 percent of the business is still in the classic and relaxed fits, which is its most generous cut.

The slim and straight styles fit like jeans, while the relaxed and classic fits are more like trousers. For fall, Dockers has also trimmed down its classic shirts and suit separates.

And what about those men who aren't, well, slim? Retail executives insist the new silhouettes aren't just for the skinny.

"It still fits guys who eat meatballs," said Stuart Goldblatt, Macy's senior vice president of merchandising for men's and children's clothes.

Menswear sales outpace women's wear (AP)

2008-08-20T19:23:00.023-07:00

Givenchy to help dress Madonna for her world tour (AP)

2008-08-20T19:23:00.021-07:00

PARIS - The upscale French fashion house Givenchy will help dress Madonna for her upcoming "Sticky & Sweet" world tour, a spokeswoman for the label said Tuesday.

Givenchy designer Riccardo Tisci worked with the pop star to create two outfits, one of which Madonna is expected to wear during an opening number, Givenchy spokeswoman Caroline Deroche-Pasquier said.

The opening outfit is a frock coat in black stretch satin, she said. The other ensemble, to be worn in the third act of Madonna's, is a long cape worn over a black dress embellished with colored ribbons "to give it a Gypsy look," she said.

Deroche-Pasquier said other designers will also dress the star for the tour but declined to say who.

Madonna has a long history of working with French designers. Frenchman Jean-Paul Gaultier was behind the pointy cone bras that were the hallmarks of Madonna's 1990 "Blonde Ambition" tour.

Her "Sticky & Sweet" world tour kicks off in Cardiff, Wales, on Aug. 23 with stops across Europe, including Berlin, Rome, London and Paris, before going to North America.

Tisci, who hails from the Italian port city of Taranto, has been with Givenchy since 2005. Known for his Gothic-influenced pieces and use of sumptuous, dark fabrics, Tisci's latest collections have garnered rave reviews.

___

On the Net:

http://www.givenchy.fr

http://www.madonna.com

Menswear sales outpace women's business (AP)

2008-08-20T19:23:00.019-07:00

Madonna to wear Givenchy for Sticky and Sweet tour (Reuters)

2008-08-20T19:23:00.017-07:00

PARIS (Reuters Life!) - Madonna has chosen French Haute Couture house Givenchy to design clothing for her new "Sticky and Sweet" world tour which starts in Britain this month, the fashion firm said on Tuesday.

Two outfits from Givenchy Haute Couture by designer Riccardo Tisci have been created for the "queen of pop." Givenchy described the first as "a reference to Gangster Pimp and Art Deco" and the second as "a Gypsy inspiration."

"I feel incredibly fortunate to have been given the opportunity to offer the world of Givenchy Haute Couture to Madonna the Icon, the Artist, the Woman for whom I have so much respect and admiration, " Tisci said in a press statement.

The first outfit is described as a frock coat in black stretch satin, trimmed with pleated black silk organza embroidered with jet beads and waistcoat in black stretch satin trimmed with black silk fringes embroidered with jet beads and laced up corseted back.

The "Gypsy" outfit consists of a long-hooded cape in black silk taffeta, lined in fuchsia silk taffeta and embroidered with jet stones and a dress in black stretch chiffon trimmed with multicolored ribbons and fuchsia colored metal chains worn with a matching necklace.

(Reporting by Paul Casciato)

French touch dominatrix for new Madonna tour (AFP)

2008-08-20T19:23:00.015-07:00

PARIS (AFP) - With the help of some of the best of French haute couture, Madonna is to kick off her new "Sticky and Sweet" world tour next week in a slinky dominatrix-style frock coat in black stretch satin designed by none other than Givenchy.

A spokeswoman from the French fashion house said Riccardo Tisci, its designer of three and a half years, had provided not only the frock coat in which the queen of pop will open the tour starting in Cardiff August 23, but also a second outfit.

The outfit for the opening number, worn with a waistcoat and trimmed with jet beads, is influenced by "Gangster Pimp" and "Art Deco", according to the house.

The second outfit breaks with Madonnas long-running taste for the dominatrix style with a gypsy-style black cape lined in fuschia and a black stretch chiffon dress trimmed with coloured ribbons and coloured metal chains.

Madonna earlier this year threw on another Givenchy number -- a black dress with lots of metal chain -- for her video of "Give It 2 Me."

Other designers getting a piece of the action for this tour include Tom Ford with suits for the band, Miu Miu and Stella McCartney with footwear, Moschino with sunglasses while there are also other contributions from Yves Saint Laurent, Roberto Cavalli and Jeremy Scott, according to Womens Wear Daily.

Givenchy to help dress Madonna for her world tour (AP)

2008-08-20T19:23:00.013-07:00

Madonna to wear Givenchy for Sticky and Sweet tour (Reuters)

2008-08-20T19:23:00.011-07:00

French touch dominatrix for new Madonna tour (AFP)

2008-08-20T19:23:00.009-07:00

Sears seeks to be synonymous with chic (Reuters)

2008-08-20T19:23:00.007-07:00

NEW YORK (Reuters Life!) - The adjectives hip, chic and fashionable are not usually used when speaking of Sears, an American retailer better known for selling practical items like power tools and appliances, sturdy jeans and boxy shirts.

But the discount retailer is looking to New Yorks upcoming September fashion week to cultivate a hipper image.

Sears, Roebuck and Co, a subsidiary of Sears Holdings Corp, said on Wednesday that it will unveil a lifestyle exhibit on September 10 in New Yorks Bryant Park, where fashions biggest names parade their spring collections on catwalks set up under big, white tents.

The retailer faces a hurdle convincing shoppers of its chic factor.

Sears exhibit, open to the public, will showcase brands Sears already offers in its stores, like Kenmore appliances, as well as brands it is introducing, like a clothing line by rapper LL Cool J.

"What we really wanted to do was bring a taste of Fashion Week to people who would normally never get to sit under the tents or get to see a runway show," said Sears spokeswoman Amy Dimond.

The retailer will also hold an exclusive kick-off party meant to get those in attendance, like fashion industry executives, to look "at Sears in a way that people may have not in the past." she said.

The move comes as its tries to rejuvenate sales. Same-store sales fell almost 10 percent in the first-quarter.

Dimond declined to say how much Sears was spending to stage the event, but "real estate at Bryant Park is not inexpensive," she added.

(Editing by Leslie Gevirtz)

Sears seeks to be synonymous with chic (Reuters)

2008-08-20T19:23:00.005-07:00

Madonna at 50: She still dresses to her own beat (AP)

2008-08-20T19:23:00.003-07:00

NEW YORK - No matter what your taste, there's probably a Madonna for you.

The pop star, who is turning 50 Saturday, is one of fashion's great chameleons. She's been a punk princess and lady of the manor. She has channeled Marilyn Monroe, Eva Peron and a geisha.

The whole underwear-as-outerwear trend? That came from Madonna. Not to mention those '80s blondes who proudly showed their roots while wearing lace gloves and lots of chains. And would Kabbalah and yoga as lifestyle trends be where they are today without her?

"She's become an adjective. Friends will go shopping with each other and say, `It's so Madonna.' That's what you want in fashion," says stylist and TV commentator Robert Verdi.

Lately Madonna has mostly been spotted in workout gear, perhaps in preparation for her "Sticky & Sweet" world tour that will be partially outfitted by Givenchy. Designer Riccardo Tisci has worked up two outfits: a frock coat in black stretch satin and a long cape worn over a black dress embellished with colored ribbons -- for a Gypsy-inspired outfit.

It's hard to say if the Gypsy look will start another trend. The cone-front corset Jean Paul Gaultier created for her Blond Ambition tour in 1990 didn't fully catch on with the masses.

But whether her looks are influential or merely memorable, Madonna always finds a way to connect with people and she never wears a look long enough for it to become stale, observes Verdi. If the disco revival look of her "Hung Up" era in 2005 clicked with him, her cowgirl-hat days in 2000 spoke to someone else.

"I don't love all her looks but can appreciate them all," he says. "She's always operated from a position that's a good hybrid of contemporary pop culture -- the psyche of the nation -- but also an artistic slant and art always pushes the envelope."

Tracksuit chic explored in London exhibition (Reuters)

2008-08-20T19:23:00.001-07:00

LONDON (Reuters Life!) - Is your sweaty old tracksuit a fashion statement or just comfy clothing?

A new exhibition at Londons Victoria and Albert Museum explores how high fashion and sport have paired up over the last decade to become a potent clothing and retail force just in time for the Olympic Games in Beijing.

The curator of the V&As "Fashion V Sport" exhibition argues that the role of sportswear has increasingly come to be viewed as couture rather than just jogging or gym attire.

"More and more we are seeing fashion brands getting involved in sports like the Olympics or Wimbledon or the U.S. Open," Ligaya Salazar told Reuters.

The compact display of the interaction between contemporary fashion and global sportswear brands is on at the museum in central London until January 4th, showcasing some 60 outfits, design drawings, photographs and films demonstrating sporty dress sense, design, advertising and collections.

Some fashion brands taking part in this demonstration of how sport crosses the divide from the frumpy to the fashionable may surprise visitors more used to seeing well-known fashion names on catwalk rather than on the sports pitch.

The show is broken up into sections entitled "Dare," "Display," "Play," "Desire" and features designs by such well-known names as Prada, Stella McCartney, Vivienne Westwood, and Yohji Yamamoto alongside sportswear makers like Adidas, Reebok and Nike.

Emilio Puccis signature swirls splashed across a pair of trainers, customized tracksuits laced with graffiti, a leather Chanel wetsuit sporting a wave design and Yves Saint Laurents jumpsuit from the 2008 collection are some of the shows stars.

"Fashion V Sport" also traces the trend of customization. Sports shoe customiser Paul Nash speaks of his new-found niche with global superbrands such as Reebok, whose customers want to turn their ordinary trainers into personalized fashion pieces.

The final section of the show turns its attention to sportswear collectors who own hundreds of pairs of trainers and people like Japanese fashion designer Hirofumi Kiyonaga, who has created a fashion brand named after his virtual football team.

Sport stars such as David Beckham and Roger Federer have not only become style icons but are also the faces of Police sunglasses and Rolex respectively. The V&A shows how such high-profile athletes have bridged the fashion-sport gap.

Salazar said fashion and sport share a long history, but close collaboration only began about 10 years ago after designers noticed ordinary people increasingly wearing sports gear outside the gym, in emulation of the stars of the sports and entertainment worlds.

The show is an interesting display which explores how sportswear has been transformed by couture and how "street" image has also increasingly influenced our style of dressing in and out of the gym.

So keep an eye on multiple-gold-medal-winning U.S. swimmer Michael Phelps, the other superstars at Beijing and top athletes in tennis, golf, soccer...because the fashion companies expect youll be clamoring for their clothes.

"It is a great opportunity for fashion brands to get involved in something quite big and heroic," Salazar said.

(Editing by Paul Casciato)

French touch dominatrix for new Madonna tour (AFP)

2008-08-15T01:15:00.011-07:00

Sears seeks to be synonymous with chic (Reuters)

2008-08-15T01:15:00.009-07:00

Givenchy to help dress Madonna for her world tour (AP)

2008-08-15T01:15:00.007-07:00

Madonna to wear Givenchy for Sticky and Sweet tour (Reuters)

2008-08-15T01:15:00.005-07:00

Menswear sales outpace women's wear (AP)

2008-08-15T01:15:00.003-07:00

Menswear sales outpace women's business (AP)

2008-08-15T01:15:00.001-07:00

Letting It All Hang Out for National Underwear Day (Fashion Wire Daily)

2008-08-07T23:39:00.001-07:00

Punk progeny launches "Terrorist" clothing line (Reuters)

2008-08-05T17:22:00.007-07:00

Model agency Wilhelmina to IPO this year: report (Reuters)

2008-08-05T17:22:00.005-07:00

Life is a Cabaret at Lingerie Americas' Spring Spectacular (Fashion Wire Daily)

2008-08-05T17:22:00.003-07:00

New York - Few trade shows can boast a lingerie runway show as part of their program of events - except, of course, Lingerie Americas, the semi-annual gathering of the intimate apparel industry in the U.S.

In some respects, for those in attendance Lingerie Americas Monday, Aug. 4, show in New York arguably eclipsed the popular televised Victorias Secret Angels show - maybe not in terms of star wattage (no Heidi Klums or Gisele Bundchens here), but it hit the mark as a creatively produced Folies Bergere-like spectacle inspired by the art of cinema, which featured professional dancers and a huge breadth of international lingerie brands all bathed in golden light and reflected in the Art Deco mirrored columns of Ciprianis 23rd Street.

The two-part show, which featured nearly 100 looks from more than 40 brands from their Spring/Summer 2009 collections, opened with a choreographed dance number with dancers outfitted like the stars of "A Chorus Line" in black bodysuits, bowler hats and bow ties, followed by a runway presentation with models wearing French brands such as Aubade, Princess Tam Tam, Simone Perele, Gerbe and Huit commenced, showing the latest and greatest underpinnings find their way to the boudoir.

A second dance number introduced the next section of the show, a collection of American and international brands including Badgley Mischka, Jessica Simpson Intimates, Nautica, Allure Inside Out, Blus and Feraud.

The three-day Lingerie Americas event concludes Tuesday, Aug. 5 after showcasing about 200 intimate apparel and swimwear brands, and included the launch of the Playboy White Label set to hit stores next February in time for Valentines Day, as well as first-time exhibitor Jessica Simpson Intimates.

Scarlett and Penelope and Javier, Oh My! Living Large at the "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" Premiere (Fashion Wire Daily)

2008-08-05T17:22:00.001-07:00

Los Angeles - Scarlett and Penelope and Javier, Oh My! Living Large at the "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" Premiere By Jenny Peters August 5, 2008 Los Angeles, CA

It was a seriously glittery night in Westwood on Monday as the too-beautiful-for-words stars of "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" took to the red carpet at the Mann Village Theater.

There was Penelope Cruz, who at 34 is perhaps more lovely than ever before, in a subtly beautiful midnight blue Herve Leroux silk gown and Chopard diamonds and sapphires, alongside Scarlett Johansson, her equally gorgeous and voluptuous co-star. She was striking in a long red chiffon dress, providing quite the contrast to Woody Allen, the films director, who looked more like a nebbishy accountant than a Hollywood legend in his yellow button-down shirt and khaki pants.

But all female eyes were on Javier Bardem, the darkly handsome Academy Award-winning actor who returns to his sexy self (as opposed to his frightening portrayal in "No Country for Old Men" that won him his Oscar) in the offbeat romantic comedy set in beautiful Barcelona.

"Javier is so fantastic," Johansson (who gets some steamy sex scenes with him in the movie) said. "Hes so sweet and lovely and is such a great actor and of course its very easy to looking dreamily, lovingly into his big brown eyes!"

The movies breakout star is Rebecca Hall, who looked positively demure compared to the va-va-voom Cruz and Johansson in a black knee-length Prada dress and shoes; shes also the conservative one in the sexually adventurous story that unfolded to raucous laughter and cheers at the premiere. And that laughter was a slightly unexpected element.

"Woody did spend a lot of the filming, if you asked if it were a comedy, he would say No, this isnt a comedy," Hall recalled. "But I knew (audiences) were going to laugh. The funny about this film is the truth. Its the heart. Its the fact that these are recognizable scenarios. They are recognizable modes of human behavior."

Joining in the laughter and after party-revelry were many familiar faces, from Debi Mazar and Elisabeth Rohm to Sarah Rue, Buzz Aldrin, and Salma Hayek. Woody was ensconced in the VIP room with wife Soon-Yi Previn, happily feeling the positive buzz that energized the place. There were even whispers of the possibility of Oscar nominations for Cruz and Hall; there will probably be more on that after "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" opens on Aug. 15.

Designers sashay from the catwalk to the stadium (Reuters)

2008-08-04T21:01:00.001-07:00

Feeling No Pain at the "Pineapple Express" Premiere (Fashion Wire Daily)

2008-08-03T18:11:00.001-07:00

Los Angeles - "Its so funny, they are piping in the smell of pot to the party," someone commented as the huge crowd at the "Pineapple Express" premiere was herded away from the Mann Village Theater in Westwood and into a transformed parking lot on Thursday night.

But the joke was on them, for Columbia Pictures was not doing anything of the sort at the big bash, despite that scent lingering in the air upon approach. Inside, where writer-star Seth Rogen and his cinematic stoner pals James Franco, Danny McBride, Amber Heard, Rosie Perez, and Gary Cole played the meet-and-greet game all night, there was plenty of faux marijuana all over the place, from a "420 Lounge" set up complete with couches and hookah pipes at the ready (blueberry-flavored tobacco took the place of reefer in those), to the bricks of fake weed piled next to the stoner-food-filled tables.

"I dont smoke weed on set all day. I just want to say that, you know, not all day. After lunch you get tired!" Rogen quipped. The red-hot comic actor couldnt possibly be stoned all the time like he is in the film; hes been too prolific for that. With successes like "Superbad" and "Knocked Up," Rogen is riding high on his Hollywood career; in fact, he will star next opposite Adam Sandler and along with writing partner Evan Goldberg is currently penning the "Green Hornet" script for Warner Bros.

Its a career situation that the Vancouver native Rogen cannot quite believe, despite the fact that hes been on this career path practically since he was born (he wrote his first movie script at thirteen, and has been doing stand-up for as long as he can remember, for anyone who would listen).

"Im very happy and Im very aware that its exceptionally strange whats happened to me. I marvel at its absurdity on a daily basis," he grinned.

For Rogen, a slightly chubby, curly-haired 26-year-old, the "Pineapple Express" premiere was a perfect example of how amazing his life has become. Look one way, and there was Daniel Craig with Satsuki Mitchell on his arm; look another, and Jim Carrey was strolling the red carpet with Jenny McCarthy at his side. Kanye West made the scene, as did Alicia Silverstone, Jack Black, Debi Mazar, Jonah Hill, Jane Lynch, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Amanda Peet, Jason Schwartzman, and David Krumholtz. Rogens mentor and producer Judd Apatow turned up too, with his wife Leslie Mann alongside.

Diane von Furstenberg Unanimously Elected to Second CFDA Term (Fashion Wire Daily)

2008-08-01T00:54:00.001-07:00

New York - Diane von Furstenberg is a busy woman these days, between designing her collections and her role as the president of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA). But shes managing to balance everything just fine, as evidenced by her unanimous re-election to a second two-year term as president of the CFDA Wednesday, July 30, as well as her induction that same day into the Fashion Walk of Fame by the Fashion Center Business Improvement District on New Yorks Seventh Avenue.

"Dianes unanimous election to a second two-year term as CFDA President is a great testament to the leadership she has demonstrated during her first term," said Steven Kolb, executive director of the CFDA. "In the past two years, the CFDAs membership has increased and the overall visibility of the American fashion industry has risen."

During von Furstenbergs term as president of the CFDA, she has been involved in a number of new and ongoing programs, from partnering with GQ to launch the best menswear designers in America project, to supporting the introduction of a bill last fall in Congress to protect designers from design piracy, and most recently, working with members of the fashion industry to make New York fashion week more manageable for all people involved, from designers to press to buyers, by introducing scheduling guidelines designed to better organize show times and locations.

In addition to von Furstenbergs re-election at yesterdays meeting, the CFDA also added 28 new designers to the roster of members. They include Ron Anderson and David Rees of TenThousandThings, Michael Bastian, Andrew Buckler of Buckler, Sophie Buhai and Lisa Mayock of Vena Cava, Rachel Comey, Philip Crangi, Erica Davies of Development, Holly Dunlap of Hollywould, Cheryl Finnegan of Virgins, Saints and Angels, Dana Foley and Anna Corinna Sellinger of Foley + Corinna, Jenni Kayne, Naeem Khan, Eunice Lee of Unis, Fiona Kotur Marin of Kotur, Malia Mills of Malia Mills Swimwear, Sandra Muller of Lila Gems, Thakoon Panichgul of Thakoon, Robin Renzi of Me&Ro, Brian Reyes, Loree Rodkin, Kara Ross of Kara Ross New York, Amy Smilovic of Tibi, Sue Stemp, Scott Sternberg of Band of Outsiders and Araks Yeramyan of Araks.

A reception to honor the new members will be held on October 21.

Refreshing Green Tees (Fashion Wire Daily)

2008-07-29T03:41:00.001-07:00

New York - What one imagines when thinking of an eco-political "green" t-shirt is generally neither visually appealing nor stylistically stimulating- the perennial clip-art squeezed globe with a recycle symbol around it comes to mind. Yet the means by which an eco-friendly message impacts the world is usually largely due to innovative design. Spreading the "green" message should not mean giving up on style.

Recently, new breeds of t-shirt designers are emerging who combine fashion forward sensibilities while being ecologically and socially considerate as well. "Weve taken extra effort to design our clothes without cheap shot political messages or cheesy catch phrases," says Joe Maluso, president of Brand of the Free, a family-run business that prides itself on its ethically-aware message. "We arent out to point fingers or make a political statement. We also dont plan on force-feeding our agenda. We would simply like to give people a fashionable option to support America while remaining socially responsible."

The company sells t-shirts with bold graphics, colors, and slogans that, while thought-provoking, are not obvious. "Our design aesthetic is generally pretty minimal. We utilize clean lines and simple graphics to create a lasting impact. Although the graphics are fairly bold and thought provoking, the concepts usually remain quite subtle. We enjoy taking simple objects or ideas and presenting them in a surprising new way," explains designer Mike Maluso.

Promoting green ideals in this way seems to do the job of educating the t-shirt-reading public in a more intelligent, subtle and subversive manner than emblazoning the usual political mottos on ones chest.

Some designers use their messages to elevate the spirit. "Laugh Often," "Embrace Change," and "Practice Kindness" are just some of the slogans with which Tees for Change owner Andreea Ayers has inspired her clientele. "At first, the slogans were a response to some of the challenges in my life at the time. Currently, I hope that they serve as gentle reminders to think positively." Using a simple font and harmonious color combinations on organic cotton and bamboo materials, Ayers designs not only offer an optimistic take on life but also practice doing good in the world by partnering with "Trees for Life" and planting a tree for every tee purchased.

Another eco-friendly business, Moral Fabric founded in 2004, presents designs with collage-like juxtapositions of color, line and shape. "In Moral Fabrics infancy, the aesthetic was very much influenced by nature. Lately I have been experimenting with a more psychedelic approach," describes founder and designer Bobby Wiggins. "Its like streetwear for hippies!"

Aside from using organic cotton, grown either in the U.S. or in Peru under fair trade certified conditions, Wiggins adds another benefit to his green approach to business. "I have found that my customers all seem to share the common desire to do good and live a healthy and spiritual life," he says.

This kind of "giving-back" attitude is shared by Altitude Inc., a product innovation firm that has designed many well-known consumer products including the PUR water cooler and the Margaritaville Frozen Concoction Maker. Focusing its design acumen on a good cause, Altitude has recently put together a collection of its favorite environment conscious designs on t-shirts, bags, mugs and even doggie t-shirts incorporating the Altitude logo and the message "Green is the New Black."

"Altitude developed the green t-shirt designs and messages to help promote green thinking," says Altitudes Debra Fleury. We wanted to make the message visually interesting and something that people would enjoy wearing, while they spread the message to think green."

Even a simple t-shirt purchase can be philanthropic when buying green. One hundred percent of the proceeds raised by the sale of Altitudes items are donated to Sweat Equity Enterprises (SEE). Fleury explains, "SEE brings together young people and businesses for collaborations that serve as an innovation lab for companies and an unbelievable learning opportunity for teenagers."

"At the risk of sounding cliche, we should leave things better than we found them," adds Bernadette Maluso of Brand of the Free. These new designs all subscribe to this same sentiment, satisfying the consumers environmental and fashion conscience at once.

Wanting to Believe at the "X-Files" Premiere (Fashion Wire Daily)

2008-07-24T17:26:00.003-07:00

Los Angeles - It has been ten years since FBI agents Mulder and Scully chased after the strange and unexplained in a big-screen flick, but fans of "The X-Files" are still ready to believe. Scores of them proved it at the Hollywood premiere of "The X-Files: I Want to Believe" held at Graumans Chinese Theater on Hollywood Boulevard on Wednesday night, as they cheered on David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, and creators Chris Carter and Frank Spotnitz as the foursome strolled the sunny red carpet and then sat down for a quick Q both have been doing the media rounds leading up to the films opening on Friday, July 25. As Duchovny told reporters earlier, this movie was something he was sure would eventually make it to the big screen.

"It seems like a long time," he pondered, "and people are asking me about it being ten years since the last movie, but its only been six years since the show ended. When you think about a nine-year run for Gillian and Chris (Carter) and me, I think the burnout would take you at least three years to get over, honestly. Then youre talking about trying to develop a movie."

In other words, Duchovny insisted that this new adventure flick is actually right on time, in the grand scheme of things. "Its really not that slow when you think about it. Its actually kind of on the heels of what was possible, given the amount of work that we did on it over that decade," he said.

Co-star (and Scottish actor-comedian) Billy Connolly didnt make it across the pond for the glittery premiere, but the other stars of the kept-under-wraps film happily did. Amanda Peet joined Xzibit and Callum Keith Rennie - all three have key roles in the mystery that unfolds in the movie. And plenty of other famous faces headed into the venerable theater to be the first to see what happens to Scully and Mulder this time out. Diane Kruger, Martin Landau, and Tia Carrere stopped for photo ops, along with Bai Ling and Madeline Zima.

Duchovny and company are not worried about competition from other films, especially after seeing the fan turnout at the premiere.

"When you think about the kinds of movies that you might compare our movie to, you would say that its a thriller, that its kind of an R movie (the film is actually rated PG-13), that its an intellectual caper - whatever - but at the heart of it is the relationship between Mulder and Scully which is a real adult relationship," he said.

"Its two people trying to figure out their relationship while theyre doing their job, which just happens to be a very heightened reality of a job. So if you think about any other movie, all other movies in this genre theres never an actual relationship in them. Theres never actually that. So thats what I find interesting, and I think the fans do, too."

Kenneth Cole Holiday: Black and White, and Red All Over (Fashion Wire Daily)

2008-07-24T17:26:00.001-07:00

New York - Kenneth Cole had the right idea with their Holiday 2008 collection, which they presented in New York on Wednesday, July 23. Heres the prescription: Keep the regular fall wardrobe of cozy shawl knits, simple smocked jersey tops and little black dresses and when holiday party season rolls around, just add a jolt of jewel toned color in the form of a smart round toe patent leather pump or flat, or a chic envelope clutch bag.

Starting with dark grays and inky blacks as their base - something that Kenneth Cole knows will never go out of style - for Holiday 2008, the collection added fuchsia, teal and cherry red sweaters, tops and dresses for a more festive look, if accessories alone wont get you in the spirit of things.

Mixing in sportier techno fabrics worked best when used to fabricate tailored staples like the trench coat, which Cole reworked as a quilted nylon number. Puffy jackets with shawl collars likewise turned sporty into something more chic.

For men, its all about toned down tailoring - wearing that button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up and keeping it slightly wrinkled, but adding a crisp touch like a wool vest. And no need to don the full tuxedo - a tuxedo-detailed shirt can work just as well.

Streetwear Standouts at London Edge New York (Fashion Wire Daily)

2008-07-23T17:10:00.005-07:00

New York - Streetwear trade show London Edge New York breezed into town this week, July 21-22, amidst New York mens fashion week.

Besides the expected streetwear fare such as studded leather, gothic graphics like skulls and spiders, and t-shirts printed with graphics to satisfy every taste and urban clique, a few independent designers stood out with their own take on hip, casual, everyday clothing.

Tarantula Clothing Co., a forties and fifties-inspired collection for men and women, is already a favorite label amongst L.A.s rockabilly scene for its emphasis on curve-hugging high-waisted dresses with Lucille Ball-style popped collars and clever hidden zippers behind the buttoned up fronts, to prevent the shirt from "flaring" open for those ladies with their fair share of curves. "People think poodle skirts," said Tarantulas art director Cherrie Vasquez, "but no, think of the bad girls!" For men, there are sharp, cool shirts and Tarantulas signature "weekender" jackets. Designer David Contreras said he started making clothes when he couldnt find any more good examples of fifties-era jackets in thrift stores most had succumb to moths, stains or otherwise deteriorated fabric. So he made his own, and soon everyone he knew was asking for one. "Our aspiration is to end up in a thrift store one day. You got to replenish them for tomorrow!" said Contreras.

Eric Wilson of Florida-based Agorables Clothing likewise had a personal reason for starting his company of hand-painted and hand-printed shirts, wallets, ties and bags. A teacher by day, Wilson said hes always comfortable in a button-down shirt, which is why he decided to take discarded thrift store button-downs but added a slightly macabre twist: red splatters resembling blood stains. Paired with one of Agorables hand-painted ties - Wilson designs all the artwork himself - its like a darkly humorous after school special.

Kevin Belfort of Camden, N.J., designs the graphics for his t-shirt company, Creative Justice. Inspired by music, the hand-screened t-shirts center around lyrical messages, like "We Let the Dead Lead the Dumb." Explained Belfort, "You have to be really dumb to follow someone whos dead. Learn from their mistakes, dont follow them." Another t-shirt, "Freedom in Death," seems dark and nihilistic, but Belfort said it was inspired by a conversation he had with a friend mourning the loss of both his parents due to cancer. Said Belfort, "He told me theres a sense of relief in death. For him, there was no more worry."

Timeless, a streetwear label celebrating rockabilly and hot rod culture, featured the kind of clothes youd want to wear while hanging out with your buddies on a Saturday afternoon: Tough black t-shirts emblazoned with Bettie Page-like pin-up girls or motorcycles. "We like girls. A lot!" laughed one of the founders and designers of the brand, Richard Burton. "Were just a bunch of guys who drink beer. My parents would be nervous if it were otherwise. And Id be nervous!"

Carey, Timberlake among Fashion Rocks performers (AP)

2008-07-23T17:10:00.003-07:00

Yves Saint Laurent's art collection up for auction (Reuters)

2008-07-23T17:10:00.001-07:00

The Jonas Brothers Want to Dress You! (E! Online)

2008-07-21T17:04:00.001-07:00

Los Angeles (E! Online) - Add the Jonas Brothers to the list of musicians who want their own fashion line.

Im not saying were the best designers in the world, but being able to make what we like, that would be so cool, oldest sibling Kevin, 20, told me the other day in Hollywood, where the trio was appearing on FNMTV Premieres. We love dressing up and putting on different kinds of clothes.

And the Jonas empire doesnt end there.

Nick, 15, says a Christmas album is a definite possibility. We wrote a holiday song, Girl of My Dreams, and sang it at the Disney parade last year, he said, adding, It was a lot of funMaybe there is a holiday album in our future.

The immediate future includes finishing up their Burning Up tour, releasing a new album on Aug. 12 and making their debut at MTVs Video Music Awards in September.

However, they did get some time off on Friday night. The brothers were spotted at the Rooney show at the House of Blues on the Sunset Strip, watching their former opening act from the balcony and also hanging in the music clubs Parish and Foundation rooms.

Kevin, Nick and Joe, 18, returned to the road the following day for their own concert in Denver at the Coors Amphitheatre.

Theyre hoping Shania Twain joins them on stage one of these days for their cover of her hit, Im Gonna Getcha Good.

Its fun to see the parents when that song comes on, especially the moms, Kevin said. Theyre like, Oh my God! Wow! Theyre really playing our favorite song.

Wal-Mart's fashion show previews back-to-school (Reuters)

2008-07-20T18:09:00.001-07:00

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc (WMT.N) presented a colorful, casual line of youthful looks for kids and teens on Saturday at a fashion show that previewed the mass-market chains new low-cost offerings for back to school.

The worlds largest retailer has been careful not to accentuate the fashion quotient in its clothing offerings this year ever since a disastrous push into more stylish gear in late 2005 alienated its core customers looking for basics.

Still, the companys presence at the Fashion on the Square runway show in this citys posh downtown Union Square was a nod to the importance of youth trends when it comes to selling apparel.

This year, Wal-Mart is focusing on key seasonal items for families, and showcasing young women and girls denim brand l.e.i. from Jones Apparel Group Inc (JNY.N) and surfer brand Op, which it has licensed from Iconix Brand Group (ICON.O).

Little girls in jeans and T-shirts with pink ribbons in their hair sauntered down the runway.

The image of Hannah Montana, the popular Disney television character who is a student by day but a pop star by night, emblazoned many T-shirts, whether sparkly pink, bright fuchsia, or adorned with images of silver and gold guitars.

Boys sported mismatched plaids in khakis and blues, or bright Op T-shirts in sunset colors.

Wal-Mart, one of the events sponsors, stayed relatively under the radar at the fashion show, which included looks by other designers, including Chris March, who appeared on last seasons TV reality show "Project Runway."

Only after the parade of some 30 kids and teens was over, an announcer shouted through a microphone: "Its one of their first real fashion shows so give it up for Wal-Mart!"

Two years ago, in a bid to take on competition from mass-market chains like Target Corp (TGT.N) or Kohls Corp (KSS.N), Wal-Mart began selling hipper, cheap-chic items like skinny jeans and velvet blazers.

But the push into trendier looks backfired, and left Wal-Mart with excess inventory it was forced to mark down, hurting profit margins. Moreover, the strategy seemed to fly in the face of Wal-Marts focus on the needs of its lower-income shoppers, a focus that the retailer has since recaptured.

A Wal-Mart spokeswoman attending the show said the clothing on display showed "good value and good style for the kids for back to school."

YAnad Burrell, the founder and creative director of the show, now in its fifth year, said she first approached Wal-Mart looking for corporate sponsorship, but then decided to include their clothes.

"Its a fashion show," Burrell said. "Lets show some of their clothes on the runway."

Still, she acknowledged that Wal-Marts clothing may be affordable but doesnt necessarily push the envelope when it comes to cutting-edge design.

"Theyre not fashion trailblazers," she said.

(Editing by Eric Beech)

New videogame heroine moves like a model, kills with her hair (AFP)

2008-07-17T23:55:00.001-07:00

LOS ANGELES (AFP) - A curvy new heroine that walks like a runway model but has ankle pistols and deadly hair is getting ready to make her mark in a videogame world packed with macho action heroes.

Sega on Thursday introduced to industry insiders "Bayonetta," an animated witch that battles monsters disguised as halo-wearing angels in a world created by Platinum Games studio for the Japanese videogame pioneer.

"She is a dark hero," Yusuke Hashimoto of Platinum said as he demonstrated his teams creation in a private room at the Electronic Entertainment Expo.

"There are so many strong male characters; we wanted to create a strong female character."

Bayonetta makes martial arts leaps and handstands, all the while firing pistols in her hands and on her feet. She uses magic to amplify and weave her hair into giant high-heel boots to kick enemies.

Her hair weaves into huge dragons or other beasts she can sic on more formidable foes, referred to as "bosses" in videogame jargon.

"We will set the bar for the stylish genre," said Wyman Jung of Sega North America.

Hashimoto declined to reveal the games storyline, saying that is being kept secret until closer to its release next year.

Silly Boys at the "Step Brothers" Premiere (Fashion Wire Daily)

2008-07-16T22:55:00.001-07:00

Los Angeles - If something works, why not do it again?

Thats the attitude of the group of silly boys (okay, men) who brought their latest movie collaboration to the Mann Village Theater in Westwood on Tuesday night. This time out, actors Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly, along with writer-director Adam McKay and producer Judd Apatow bring the world "Step Brothers." The boys first venture was the smash hit "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky and Bobby" (and, sans Reilly, "Anchorman" as well), so it made sense to join forces yet again to try for another comedy winner.

"Basically we just had so much fun working on Talladega Nights, we really kind of made a pact, a blood pact to try to work on something else together," Will Ferrell explained at an earlier press conference in support of the comedy. "I think it was John who was really the catalyst who said, Lets really make a concerted effort. I think that you work on films with people and you have fun experiences and then you say, Lets do it again - and it just slips through your fingers. So we really made a point to sit down and meet.

"I think we had a couple of dinners where we threw out a bunch of different ideas. We had some really good ones and then it was Adam (McKay) who called both of us the next day and said, You know what, I just thought of this other thing. What if you guys are two forty-year-old guys who live with their single parent? They meet each other, get married, and youre forced to be step brothers. We were both like, Well, thats the idea!"

The boys recruited Mary Steenburgen and Richard Jenkins to be their parents, and "Step Brothers" was off and running. They both walked the red carpet at the premiere, too, along with Steenburgens husband Ted Danson, as well as Kathryn Hahn and Adam Scott, the films other co-stars.

It was a hot ticket - a good sign for the films coming release on July 25 - as male fans of the Farrell-Reilly-McKay-Apatow crew turned out in force. Tyrese Gibson was there, along with Jason Bateman, Jon Heder, David Hasselhoff, Barry Williams, Garry Shandling, David Faustino, Tom Arnold, and Corey Feldman.

Honoring Heath Ledger at "The Dark Knight" Premiere (Fashion Wire Daily)

2008-07-15T18:22:00.003-07:00

New York - It was a night when Heath Ledger should have been celebrating, for his performance as the Joker in "The Dark Knight" (the second installment in the Christopher Nolan-Christian Bale "Batman" series) is already generating Oscar buzz. But of course the talented young Australian actor is gone, passing away in January from an accidental overdose of prescription medications. So at the gala premiere of "The Dark Night" Monday evening in New York, all thoughts were focused on his loss.

Ledgers family attended, in from the actors hometown of Perth, Australia. His parents Kim Ledger and Sally Bell, and his sister Kate avoided reporters and photographers, but his father reportedly gave the "thumbs up" sign as they left the theater.

Everyone involved with the film made the glittery scene, from star Christian Bale with his wife Sibi Blazic, to the rest of the cast, including Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman, Aaron Eckhart and Maggie Gyllenhaal. Also attending were writer-director Christopher Nolan and composers Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard.

And Heath was on everyones mind, both at the premiere and earlier, when the actors spoke to the press about the exciting film and Ledgers impressively demented performance.

"There are actors that they just break through the sound barrier," Gary Oldman commented. "I would arguably say that Heath was possibly psychologically one of the most frightening screen villains ever. I think hes up there with Dennis Hopper as Frank Booth in Blue Velvet and thats pretty scary. You have the original Cape Fear, thats a villain, or Hannibal Lector. Heaths Joker is like those."

As Batman to Ledgers Joker, Christian Bale feels the loss of his co-star keenly. "I cant help but be just impressed beyond belief in what he did because its such an iconic villain. I had no idea how Chris (Nolan), if he chooses to make a third movie, is going to improve and make a better villain than what Heath came up with in this," Bale said. "I wish to God he was sitting here with us talking about it. I view this movie as an incredible celebration of his talent. Its absolutely tragic that this is the last complete work that he did."

Also on hand at the hot-ticket premiere to witness Ledgers performance were Nestor Carbonell, Ethan Hawke, Lauren Conrad, Blake Lively, Edie Falco, Mariska Hargitay, Emile Hirsch and Karina Smirnoff.

All very likely agree with Gary Oldmans take on where Ledger is now, as his consummate performance in "The Dark Knight" arrives in theaters on Friday, July 18.

"Hes probably looking down now and thinking Are you kidding me? Im going to get nominated for an Oscar now? Hell be saying that for sure," said Oldman.

Dogs claim catwalk in "Paws for Style" fashion event (Reuters)

2008-07-15T18:22:00.001-07:00

NEW YORK (Reuters Life!) - Move over kitties! Dog fashionistas will be parading on the catwalk in New York Tuesday evening for this years "Paws for Style" fashion charity event.

Coiffed canines will be escorted by their celebrity owners during Animal Fair Medias 9th annual event to benefit the Humane Society of New York.

Actor Richard Belzar of the television program "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" will escort his pet pooch BeBe, dressed in DDC Lab, while Nikki Blonsky of the film "Hairspray" is set to come down the catwalk with her dog Rocky sporting fabulous Tory Burc.

Wendy Diamond, Animal Fairs chief pet officer and creator of "Paws for Style," said the event was created as a way to raise money and awareness for animal rescue.

"We dont promote dogs dress up every day and be toted around as accessories, but we do, on occasion, dress up dogs for charity!" said Diamond. All dog and celebrity outfits from the evenings fashion show are to be auctioned on EBay with the proceeds going to the Humane Society.

(Reporting by Nancy Leinfuss, editing by Leslie Gevirtz)

Lack of black models keeps Naomi Campbell going (Reuters)

2008-07-14T22:42:00.001-07:00

ABUJA (Reuters) - British supermodel Naomi Campbell refuses to retire after more than two decades on the worlds catwalks because there are still too few black beauties in the fashion industry.

While many of her colleagues of the late 1980s -- like Cindy Crawford and Christy Turlington -- have moved on from the runways, the 38-year-old icon continues to turn heads at the worlds top fashion shows.

"Im very grateful for my career, but I worry for the girls after me for the opportunities they get -- the way they get treated. And this is one of the reasons I still do what I do," she told Reuters in a weekend interview in Nigeria.

Campbell, who as a teenager was the first black model to grace the covers of the French and British editions of Vogue magazine, said many fashion designers still favored fair-skinned models over their dark-skinned counterparts.

"I dont do so many shows anymore, but I do count how many girls of color they use in the shows. It happens to be last year New York was the worst," the British bombshell said, wearing a simple white short-sleeved top and blue jeans.

"Now at Paris Haute Couture there was only one black girl out of all the shows. It cannot be a trend."

Italian Vogue decided to use mainly black models in its July edition to highlight the problem.

"For me, it is something that is history-making. Something that Im going to keep forever," she said about the magazine, which has a photo of her on one of four different covers.

The magazine also includes Tyra Banks, Iman, and other black actors, models and singers.

CUT FROM THE PROGRAMME

Campbell traveled to Abuja and Nigerias commercial capital Lagos over the weekend to help kick-off a series of summer concert and fashion shows. It was her first trip to Nigeria, a developing country of 140 million people.

The festival, sponsored by Nigerian newspaper This Day, will make stops in Washington next month and London in October and aims to showcase Africas best music and fashion.

But the opening in Nigerias capital Abuja started five hours later and Campbell, along with the fashion show and all of the local African music acts, was left out of the show.

North American acts Jay-Z, Rihanna and Usher were the only ones to perform for the thousands of fans, some of whom paid as much as 60,000 naira (508) to attend, a fortune in a country where nine out of 10 people live on less than 2 a day.

Campbells career has been overshadowed recently by her troubles with the law. Last month, she pleaded guilty to assault in an expletive-filled "air rage" incident in London and was sentenced to serve 200 hours of community service.

She spent five days mopping and cleaning toilets as part of a community service sentence in New York last year after throwing a mobile phone at her housekeeper during an argument over a pair of jeans.

Campbell did not specifically address her tirade against two British police officers and a British Airways captain, an incident she has said was partly prompted by someone calling her a black "Golliwog" doll.

When asked about her own personal experience with racism, the beauty simply said: "Im a fighter."

(For full Reuters Africa coverage and to have your say on the top issues, visit: http://africa.reuters.com/ )

(Editing by Nick Tattersall and Paul Casciato)

Sydney, Dubai make biggest strides in fashion: study (Reuters)

2008-07-14T00:17:00.001-07:00

SYDNEY (Reuters Life!) - The world of fashion remains dominated by five cities -- New York, Rome, Paris, Milan and London -- but B-list players like Sydney and Dubai are coming on strong, according to an annual survey of top fashion cities.

The list was compiled by the Global Language Monitor, a non-profit group that tracks the frequency of words and phrases in the media, on the Internet and throughout the blogosphere.

New York led the list in 2008 for the fifth consecutive year with Rome retaining the second slot, Paris third again but Milan overtaking London for the fourth position. London came fifth.

But more surprising was the rise of some smaller fashion centers, with Sydney jumping from 12th position to seventh in the list and Dubai moving up 12 spots to No. 12.

Among the newcomers, New Delhi broke into the top 25 at No. 24 and Madrid came in 15th. Stockholm in Sweden was also new and the only Nordic city on the list, while Cape Town in South Africa also made an appearance.

Tokyo remained the capital of the Asian fashion industry at No. 10 in the list but slipped from sixth position a year ago and was now being challenged by Hong Kong just one slot behind.

Sao Paolo and Bangkok dropped off the list.

"Our yearly rankings clearly reinforce recent trends: the Big Five (New York, Rome, Paris, Milan, and London), far and away dominate the world of fashion, especially in the eyes of the print and electronic media, as well as on the Internet," said Millie Lorenzo Payack, a director at the Global Language Monitor.

"At the same time, the second tier of the cities in the world fashion rankings are coming on strong. And, by the way, money spent on media outreach can, indeed, make a difference; witness Dubai."

Following is the list of the top 25 fashion cities with the previous years ranking in brackets:

1. New York (1)

2. Rome (2)

3. Paris (3)

4. Milan (5)

5. London (4)

6. Los Angeles (6)

7. Sydney (12)

8. Las Vegas (9)

9. Berlin (11)

10. Tokyo (6)

11. Hong Kong (8)

12. Dubai (24)

13. Shanghai (14)

14. Singapore (10)

15. Madrid (New)

16. Moscow (16)

17. Santiago (19)

18. Melbourne (15)

19. Stockholm (New)

20. Buenos Aires (22)

21. Johannesburg (23)

22. Mumbai (18)

23. Cape Town (New)

24. New Delhi (New)

25. Barcelona (13)

(Writing by Belinda Goldsmith, Editing by Miral Fahmy)

(To read more about our entertainment news, visit our blog "Fan Fare" online at http://blogs.reuters.com/fanfare)

Cocoa catwalk: sacks are sweet for Ivorian designer (Reuters)

2008-07-13T02:44:00.007-07:00

ABIDJAN (Reuters) - Cocoa runs in the family of Ivorian fashion designer Felicite Mai. It was her father, a tailor-turned-cocoa planter, who gave her her first sewing machine, a model dating back to 1952.

And for the last five years, this sewing-school graduate has been turning out eye-catching outfits made from the jute sacks used to ship Ivory Coasts top export - cocoa.

From her humble shop in the popular Treichville suburb of the economic capital Abidjan, Mai designs, cuts and fits clothes for men and women that use the natural beige colors and coarse fiber of cocoa and coffee sacks.

Normally stuffed to bursting with the cocoa beans that make Ivory Coast the worlds No. 1 grower of the source of chocolate, Mais creations are worn by a growing clientele of celebrities, artists and musicians, some even from abroad.

"Ivory Coasts economy is based on agriculture, especially cocoa and coffee. So I decided to promote these crops by creating these fashion designs," said Mai, whose real name is Maimouna Camara Gomet.

"For me, its a way of drawing the whole worlds attention to cocoa and coffee," she said.

Proud to wear her own designs, she sports a beige cut-off top with a frayed fringe, made from a jute sack, over blue jeans, a tape measure draped around her neck.

Her creations -- for both men and women -- include skirts, tops, trousers, shirts, waistcoats as well as caps, bags and accessories, mostly in the natural beige of the washed jute sackcloth, but sometimes also dyed darker brown or blue.

"PRODUCT OF IVORY COAST"

Her models say the "sack clothes" look good with traditional jewelry and ornaments, such as the cowrie shells that were the common currency of the West African coast during past centuries of the Atlantic slave trade.

Mai buys the sacks -- some stamped with the words "Product of Ivory Coast, Cocoa" -- from warehouses at Abidjans bustling port. The jute material is washed and cut at her Treichville workshop, where a wax mannequin is used to help with fittings.

"I had this idea from when I was still at sewing school in 1987. Then I opened my own workshop in 1996 and I first launched these kind of designs in 2003 during a fashion contest at Divo (in the south of Ivory Coast)" said Mai, who has several assistants at her shop.

"My father was a tailor and he made jackets for the colonial settlers," she said, referring to Ivory Coasts former French colonial masters.

"Then he became a coffee and cocoa planter," she added.

Mai hopes that her sack fashion designs can serve as an attractive, enduring advertisement for her countrys best known products -- cocoa and coffee.

"That was the livelihood of our parents," she said.

(For full Reuters Africa coverage and to have your say on the top issues, visit: http://africa.reuters.com/)

(Writing by Pascal Fletcher; Editing by Clar Ni Chonghaile)

Gucci gala livens up Rome fashion scene (AP)

2008-07-13T02:44:00.005-07:00

ROME - Just when fashion in Rome needed a dash of inspiration, Gucci's Frida Giannini comes along and throws a big party in a villa overlooking the Eternal City.

Tuesday night's event marked the 70th anniversary of the famed Gucci boutique near the Spanish Steps, and began with the presentation of the designer's 2009 cruise collection, usually shown in New York.

The five goddess gowns that closed the snappy jet-set show are in honor of Rome and will only be available in the Via Condotti boutique.

"Isn't Rome fantastic?" said the 36-year-old designer as she greeted some of her 300 guests, many who had come from afar, at a sit-down dinner after the show.

The 17th-century villa and its sumptuous gardens are part of the American Academy complex atop the Janiculum hill. Later 700 hip Roman young people joined the party and danced into the night to the live music of Goldfrapp.

Giannini wanted to pay tribute not only to her birthplace, but to the Roman school where she got her fashion education, The Academy of Costume and Fashion, and to her first job at Fendi, founded by five Roman sisters.

"I owe a lot to this city," she told The Associated Press.

The event was the buzz of the Rome couture "AltaRoma" week that ended Thursday.

Gala events are few and far between since the heydays of the 1960's, when such stars as Liz Taylor, Rita Hayworth and Audrey Hepburn, in town for filming, made Rome the high point of Italian fashion.

During the 1990s Rome had a second fashion moment, with the "Women under the Stars" gala summer event on the Spanish Steps, a fashion show that included the top names in Italian couture and ready-to-wear as well as foreign designer guests. That was televised live to many countries.

But despite attempts to revive the mood, in the past decade Rome couture has become a very local event.

This time more than 20 houses, including Gattinoni and Sarli, showed their latest collections in the halls of a former Medieval convent in the shadow of St. Peter's Basilica, the same venue used last year by Valentino for his farewell to fashion.

The clothes were beautiful with sumptuous fabrics and grande soiree styles, and at times a little more affordable with the invention of `demi-couture' -- something between `haute couture' and 'ready to wear.' Mainly, however, the shows were about dresses for mother's garden party and her daughter's wedding.

The crowds reflected the runway, including plenty of ladies from wealthy families as well as TV starlets.

"We have to rekindle Rome's fashion fire," said Rome's new mayor Gianni Alemanno, a guest at the Gucci party.

The city and the province of Rome sponsored fashion week, and are looking for new ways to promote the "made in Rome" label. Among the ideas are a permanent venue for the shows, a fashion department at Rome's city university to train future designers and interaction between fashion and films.

But as Alemanno was meeting Wednesday with designers and reporters at the Campidoglio, Rome's historic city hall, across the Tiber at the convent site, designer Rafaella Curiel was steaming. The mayor's meeting had delayed her show for over an hour.

"This is the last time I'm showing here," said the Milanese designer, who for the past 25 years has brought her couture collections to Rome.

Alta Roma: Still Living The Dolce Vita (Fashion Wire Daily)

2008-07-13T02:44:00.003-07:00

Rome - It sweltered in Rome this week, yet the clothes on the runway of Alta Roma, the citys fashion season, were sturdy enough to withstand a gale force wind and classical enough to fit into a repeat of La Dolce Vita, set in the same date as the original.

Python pants, curvaceous double-face cashmere jackets and gigantic taffeta gowns swept down the catwalks in Rome, clothes for gals who dont so much need a limousine as a carriage in which to get around.

A curious amalgam of alta moda - thats the Italian version of haute couture - and avant-garde experimentation by young hopefuls, AltaRoma is a state-backed project to create a dynamic season in the Eternal City, and one that shows signs of working.

Most critics rated Sunday evenings show by Fausto Sarli as the seasons strongest. Inspired by one of natures mystery, the crop circle, the show had a curvy, retro futurist quality whether with cashmere apple-shaped jackets or mega frilled Art Deco columns for evening. Plus the workmanship was first rate, and the cutting, like a revealing off the shoulder coatdress, admirable.

Also impressing was Gattinoni, a 74-year-old house whose creative director Guglielmo Mariotto favored mellifluous mink jackets with sleeves ending at the elbow and delightful patchwork cashmere tweed boleros or redingotes with courtly trim. Frayed fabric sling backs also looked great, as did multi-ruffled evening gowns where gaining attention was the key point of wearing the clothes. His is a tricky fashion the little black dress came with a built on cape but it had a certain Mediterranean panache one could only applaud.

Understated is not an Alta Moda tradition as was evident at the 40-minute long show by Raffaella Curiel, who herself took a five minute bow. Mega padded riding jackets, knitted fur boleros and flounced Paisley pleated skirts all look warm enough for a Finnish winter, and were in stark contrast to the stifling heat in the Borgo Santo Spirito in Sassia, a charming complex that boasts the longest Renaissance room in Rome.

And in weirdly provincial moments, both Mariotto and Curiel appeared on their own runways pre-show to excuse late starts, something no designer in Paris or Milan would ever dream of doing.

On Wednesday, couturier Renato Ballestra sent out a jaunty collection of beautifully embroidered boucle wool mini jackets, golden silk columns and a very fine "swan" feather and chiffon wedding dress.

"The idea is to celebrate the beauty of women," Ballestra told FWD at a post-show party on a superb riverboat named IV built on the Tiber and floated down the never very deep river to below Ponte Sisto, Romes beautiful stone walking bridge to Trastevere.

One could not fault the workmanship seen in Rome, but far too often the collections seemed caught in a time warp, as elderly designers recreated a moment that we all already knew too well. This is fashion with a capital F, where the clothes are designed to make it clear youve spent a lot of money on them.

Indeed shows in Rome can seem more like a social guide to has just gotten plastic surgery than a prediction of what women will be wearing in the future. Yet, AltaRoma would appear to have plenty of potential, especially as no city has more beautiful buildings and locations for shows.

Gap Inc.'s Holidays, Three Ways (Fashion Wire Daily)

2008-07-13T02:44:00.001-07:00

New York - Just the gap between high and low is increasingly closed - mixing a designer jacket with a pair of jeans from a chain store like Gap is perfectly acceptable these days - it also makes sense that customers of Gap Inc.s various brands, Old Navy, Gap and Banana Republic, would look to these stores to satisfy different wardrobe needs, whether its clothing for kicking around the campfire or attending a company holiday party.

Gap Inc.s Holiday 2008 presentations for these three brands on Thursday, July 10 in New York, showed the distinct holiday occasions that customers might look to those stores for.

Banana Republic, at the high end of the Gap Inc. spectrum with its self-described mantra of "Accessible Luxury," highlighted evening looks, like their version of Pradas Fall lace dress designs, silk cocktail dresses (one-shouldered, flutter sleeved or plunging neckline were among the various designs) in rich tones like raspberry, deep violet or royal blue. Coats had strong volumes, with funnel neck or bow details. For day, op art print blouses had a seventies YSL flair, as did their version of Le Smoking, a white tuxedo jacket paired with tapered black pants. Accessories were also strongly emphasized, particularly large costume baubles made from clear or colored crystals.

Gaps Holiday collection went for the collegiate-prepster-on-winter-break look, with slouchy, comfy designs for both men and women. Wide leg or straight leg "boyfriend" pants sat low on the hip for the women, while mens denim and pants were likewise relaxed. Lumberjack plaids were given a chic twist when used with ruffled front blouses and belted wool coats for the women, while stripes and argyle, a perennial preppy favorite, were mixed and matched in muted neutral tones. Time to get the sleds ready and the hot chocolate warmed up on the cabin stovetop.

Old Navys strongest Holiday offerings included their wide variety of sleepwear, with cotton and flannel pajama bottoms in bright, fun patterns. Paired with bright sweaters in happy shades of pink and aqua tempered by grey and black, it will be a hit with college kids writing papers late at night during the coldest winter months or families gathered for winter holidays looking for cute matching pajamas for their roost.

New mayor seeks to restore fashion glory for Rome (Reuters)

2008-07-10T01:14:00.003-07:00

ROME (Reuters) - Romes new right-wing mayor says he wants to turn the ancient city into a modern hub for budding fashion designers, dismissing criticism that the citys rich art and culture credentials will take a beating under his command.

Gianni Alemanno, a former youth leader of a neo-fascist party, was elected on a law and order ticket and had frequently attacked his centre-left predecessor for focusing on glitz and rolling out the red carpet to stars and musicians.

But Alemanno, known more for his tough stance on crime and illegal immigrants, told Reuters he too has an eye for the artistic, but with a focus on substance rather than image.

That means encouraging local talent, developing fashion schools and possibly setting up a university faculty focused on fashion in Rome, he said.

"I want Rome to become a city of fashion, focusing mainly on young and new designers; seeking a strong and precise character that sets it up as a base for excellence in fashion," he said on the sidelines of a Gucci fashion show in the city.

"Im trying to be more concrete, to avoid that this is done -- as they say in Rome -- just transiently, for just image; for me this must be a fact rooted in Roman creation and production."

Former mayor Walter Veltroni was credited with reviving Romes cultural scene, partly by starting an international film festival that brought back some of the "Dolce Vita" glamour of the 1950s and 1960s.

He also lured fashion designer Valentino back to the capital for a celebratory show last year before retiring.

Still, Rome has for years struggled to find its place on the fashion map, languishing in the shadow of Milan in the north.

Organizers of the citys twice a year AltaRoma fashion weeks have also been taking aim at young talent in a bid to raise the citys fashion profile, but with mixed results so far.

The fashion weeks boast a rotating list of emerging designers from around the globe that attract B-list Italian stars and wealthy Romans to their shows, but politicians and fashion buyers are often conspicuously absent.

The big Roman fashion houses like Fausto Sarli have long complained that Italys political class -- including those dressed by the designers -- snub their parades.

AltaRoma CEO Adriano Franchi says that while that is a legitimate complaint, Rome attracts more fashion buzz than the designers give it credit for.

"Designers, in as much as theyre creative, are used to complaining," he told Reuters. "Dissatisfaction is the force that pushes you produce something beautiful."

Alemanno, who met Roman designers at his office on Wednesday, said they could count on him at least.

"Ive been in office for just two months and Im already here," he said after the Gucci catwalk show, "which means were present and we will invest a lot in high fashion."

(Editing by Paul Casciato)

Gucci's Cool Cruise On Rome's Highest Hill (Fashion Wire Daily)

2008-07-10T01:14:00.001-07:00

Rome - Gucci took its cruise 2009 collection to the top of Romes highest hill, the Gianicolo, on Tuesday night, where under umbrella pines and before an audience of Hollywood, politico honchos and coolly haughty Italian aristos, designer Frida Giannini staged probably her best show to date for the house.

The elite event staged in the charming Villa Aurelia also celebrated the 70th anniversary, and major overhaul, of Guccis iconic Rome boutique on tony via Condotti. Iconic because the stores opening connected Gucci with the Hollywood heavy hitters in town to shoot movies in Cinecitta, Italys great film studio and to enjoy the Dolce Vita.

Before an audience that included Claire Danes, her boyfriend Hugh Dancy, Rome Major Gianni Alemanno, Maria Grazia Cucinotto and enough local princes and countesses to form an aristocratic regiment, Giannini sent out a collection that cleverly mixed flirtation and elegance, the kind of clothes your cool big sister would wear if she were a princess with a rock groupie history.

Gucci gals for this coming resort season will hit the beach side terraces in mega wide, boyish flared pants, held up by thick rope belts, lots of Romanesque fantasy print tops, and flirty open necked shirts, all topped by snug cricket blazers with Gucci logos.

For evening, the ghost of Ozzie Clark whispered into the collection with billowing sleeve silk dresses in animal prints, and when the sea air gets chilly some brilliantly cut skinny leather biker jackets, boasting a new Gucci Rose tattoo insignia.

A cast of top catwalkers, including Natasha Poly, Maricarla Boscono and Lily Donaldson, clutched patent tortoise bags and totes with hefty metallic hearts, all of them saying loud and clear "best seller."

Powered on by the best soundtrack of the Giannini Gucci era, featuring the runway cut of the moment, Santo Golds "Les Artistes," it was a crisply coolly fashion moment and marked a new step in this designers career. In a word, the famously workaholic Frida is finally lightening up.

"Dont you love this place? I do. In fact, I liked it so much I even had my wedding here three years ago," laughed Giannini.

"We wanted to do something for Rome, as its been such a key store for us. Paparazzi used to stand in ranks outside our via Condotti boutique to capture American movie stars shopping for Gucci. That really put us on a new international level," recalled Gucci CEO Mark Lee, as a montage of folks like Clark Gable, Audrey Hepburn and Kim Novak purchasing in the Roman boutique was projected on a huge screen.

The party also celebrated Guccis remarkable recent financial performance - sales have grown cumulatively by 46 per cent in the past three years to 2.175 billion euros, or $3.415 billion.

The occasion marked the first time that Gucci showed its cruise collection in Europe, though fittingly seeing the Hollywood connection it took place in a superb 17th century villa located on the grounds of the Academia Americana.

Giannini included five new evening gowns designed as a tribute to Rome to be sold exclusively in the local boutique. The Cruise 2009 collection will be available in stores worldwide from November 2008.

Colangelo Wins Who Is On Next Award (Fashion Wire Daily)

2008-07-08T18:25:00.005-07:00

Rome - Next time somebody tells you there is a dearth of young design ideas in Italian fashion, tell them to head to Rome for the Franca Sozzani driven talent showcase Who Is On Next, which this weekend unearthed some quirky and cool new designers whose names wont be unknown for much more.

Gabriele Colangelo, the son of Milanese fur makers, won first prize this season at Who Is On Next, the premier window of opportunity in Italy for young talent, and a key launch pad for emerging players.

The competitions debut winners 6267 duo Tommaso Aquilano and Roberto Rimondi went on to become the creative directors and key behind the revival of Malo, before moving on this April to take over the design duties of the house of Ferre. Another recent winner, the Italian based, though UK born, structuralist shoe designer Nicholas Kirkwood was nabbed in May to be the director of Pollinis accessories division.

Competition is now so intense to be chosen for the finale of Who Is On Next, Sozzanis team of scouts shifted through some 300 candidates to narrow down to the five ready-to-wear designers and four accessories lines that were judged this weekend.

Though cherubically youthful looking, the 33-year-old Colangelo is already an experienced designer having done stints of four years at Versace and time in the design team of Just Cavalli, the junior collection of Roberto Cavalli.

"Hes a very promising talent, who has something to say, and we look forward to hearing it in the future," Sozzani told FWD at a lunch to announce the winners on a hotel terrace overlooking the 1st Century marble Temple of the Vestal Virgins.

Colangelos collection of finely draped silk dresses, artfully embellished with crocodile crystal tails and dripped plastic abstractions was the standout in Sundays joint show in Chiostra dei Frati (Brothers Cloisters) of the Borgo Santo Spirito complex near the Vatican.

"Im honored and, quite frankly, could not be happier," beamed Colangelo.

Partly inspired by the abstract expressionism of Italian painter Alberto Burri, Colangelos collection marked him out as very much a name to watch in 21st century Italian fashion.

Garnering a nomination for ready-to-wear was Silvio Betterelli, a Sardinian who showed Yohji Yamamoto style choppy cut jackets and flared pants with plenty of chic drama in the Borgos Sala Lancisi, the longest room in Renaissance Rome.

Two design labels - Chrissie Morris and BiondaCastagna (the latter composed of two semi-Italian ladies who met in the UK, Jennifer Portman and Natalia Barbieri) - shared first prize in the accessories division. Morris showed haute gamme, and very pricey, statement heels and court shoes with lots of stingray inserts; BiondaCastagna presented lots of sexy gladiator looks, easy to understand and fun to wear. Making up the four in the accessories division were smart, Africa bags from Veronica Bettini, a big-eyed Milanese with an eye for strong details, and VDL, a bag line from Valentina De Laurentiis, daughter of the famed film producer Dino De Laurentiis.

The impressive joint show featured three other designers: Ilaria Nistri, a Florentine lawyer by profession with a great take on aquatic prints and a layered approach to dressing whose collections already retail in Lane Crawford in Hong Kong and Moscows key big boutique Podium.

Morfosis, the duo of Alessandra Cappiello and Rita Mazzeo, whose almost all black collection was Joan of Arc gets sexy on Star Trek.

Rosamosario, an eccentrically edgy lingerie line whose theme was wearing underwear on the outside, because as its designer Carlotta Danti explained, "Italians do not like to hide things. They dont buy a Lamborghini to put it in the garage, but to drive to St. Tropez and meet a beautiful girl."

Ethical designer Hamnett enjoys fashionable return (Reuters)

2008-07-08T18:25:00.003-07:00

ROME (Reuters Life!) - British designer Katharine Hamnett is relishing a comeback now that the fashion world has finally caught up with her campaigning notions about clothes.

Hamnett stormed off the fashion stage four years ago after her pleas to use organic cotton fell on deaf ears.

But the designer whose oversized T-shirts with slogans like "Choose Life" and "Use a Condom" were all the rage in the 1980s is enjoying a return now that "ethical fashion" is in vogue.

"Years ago when I was talking about this I was a voice in the wilderness and now I have people come up to me and say Oh, you were right all along," Hamnett said in an interview at Rome fashion week, where she was promoting ethical fashion.

Once a fixture on the London catwalk scene, Hamnett severed her contracts with licensees in 2004 to commit what she calls "commercial suicide" and went back to selling T-shirts when her social and environmental initiatives drew little support.

Today, she is not only enjoying a revival of the slogan t-shirt look -- actress Sarah Jessica Parker wore one in the "Sex & the City" movie -- but also plans to launch an "ethical denim" jeans line that proves ethical doesnt mean frumpy.

"Its got to be fashion first, and then environment," said Hamnett, who created a stir by meeting British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in 1984 in a T-shirt emblazoned with "58 percent dont want Pershing," in a reference to U.S. nuclear missiles.

"Nobodys going to buy clothes out of pity, youre going to buy clothes because you want them, its something that makes you feel great, its not anything thats kinda brown and lumpy."

Hamnetts return comes as Western shoppers increasingly demand clothing made without sweatshop or child labor and develop a fondness for environmentally-sound fabrics that are made with recycled materials or cotton grown without pesticides.

Once the domain of a few niche labels, today mainstream brands and large retailers have all hopped on the "organically made" and socially responsible clothing bandwagon.

Hamnett says she is convinced the demand for such clothing is a lasting trend and not just a passing fad because it is driven by consumers -- a voice the fashion industry cant afford to ignore during an economic downturn.

"Consumer power is finally raising its ugly head. Its like the sleeping giant that is waking up," she said.

"My experience is you try to change the fashion industry from the inside and they say "f... off" but talk to my dentist, doctor, and others and theyre like Oh my God. You know people are very kind-hearted."

Shes also trying to convince designers that going ethical makes business sense.

She lists studies showing companies that followed ethical practices were more profitable and favored by consumers and says organic cotton adds only 5 percent to the cost of a t-shirt but raises profits for poor cotton farmers by 50 percent.

"Industry is in such a bad way, this is the only new thing they havent tried," she says, referring to the global economic slowdown that is biting into profits at apparel houses.

"Its the new big thing."

As for critics who question designers who fly to fancy parties, stay at luxury hotels and talk about saving cotton farmers dying of hunger in Africa and India?

Hamnett says she has reinvested everything into her projects for ethical fashion and continually searches for a simpler life.

"I always thought that you could be famous by being a bad person," she said. "The challenge is to do it being a decent person."

(Editing by Paul Casciato)

Gucci flaunts hippy chic (Reuters)

2008-07-08T18:25:00.001-07:00

ROME (Reuters) - Billowy summer dresses pinned with gold shells and flared trousers from a bygone era of languid glamour dominated Guccis pre-spring show at a 17th century hilltop villa in designer Frida Gianninis native Rome.

Gucci is one of a growing line of fashion houses showing off a "cruise wear" or pre-spring collection in addition to summer and winter wear, eyeing the line as an important niche to keep customer interest in a global economic downturn.

"Everyone is doing cruise (collections) because customers and the market are now very demanding and people need to always have fresher pieces and new things in the store," Giannini said before the show, which was watched by actress Claire Danes.

Her show follows similar cruise wear parades by Christian Dior at a sleek New York restaurant, Chanel in Miami Beach, and Diane von Furstenberg in a lush Florentine garden last month.

Giannini normally unveils her cruise collections in New York, but opted for Rome, where she was born and raised, to celebrate the 70th year of the brands flagship store there. Five of the dresses shown will only be sold at that store.

Models decked out in flowery prints and peppermint stripes took to the runway with oversized python-print bags in hand, chunky wedges on feet and cord belts tied at the waist.

Wide-leg white trousers paired with fitted jackets bearing metal buttons alternated with a mustard pantsuit and dark-blue or beige slacks. Breezy dresses in colors like saffron and turquoise flared out from the chest, often cinched at the waist or the neck with golden shells.

"I had in mind for this collection a very precise image of Talitha Getty in the 1970s on her terrace of her villa in Marrakesh," Giannini said, referring to the iconic photograph of John Paul Gettys actress wife who represented Bohemian chic.

"So I had very long kaftans, very printed and colorful embroidery ... all this mixed together represents this idea of colorful, of play and hippy chic."

Off the shoulder and one-sleeved blouses made an appearance, as did a bright orange short dress with puffed sleeves gathered at the elbow and a shimmery, gold-flecked ankle-length number.

Jackets were trimmed with leather on side pockets, while one featured a hoodie and another was paired with slouchy shorts.

Guccis show coincided with Romes high fashion week this week, and concluded with an open-air dinner and music bash in the villa gardens. The brand is owned by French retailer PPR.

(Writing by Deepa Babington; editing by Elizabeth Piper)

Valentino's New Alien Couture (Fashion Wire Daily)

2008-07-05T19:35:00.005-07:00

Paris - Valentinos creative director Alessandra Facchinetti faced trial by jury Wednesday at 6.30 PM in Paris.

Her jurors were 120 of fashions elite editors who gathered in the houses French headquarters in tony Place Vendome to cast their votes on whether Facchinetti could cut it with her debut haute couture collection.

Their verdict? The young lady passed with flying colors, with a courtly, semi-alien, oddly organic collection that earned her a rip roar of cheers as she took her bow on her elliptical runway and a warm embrace from Giorgio Armani, who showed up to support his fellow Italian.

The clothes at times looked like they had grown themselves, as charmingly baroque cocktails spouted miniature fabric roses, and gowns were frosted with organza flowers. There was an alien mood throughout - suggested by the opening look, a silk crepe ovoid skirt, accessorized with gold Star Trek origami brooch, though mixed with a baroque opulence.

"Van Dyke, obviously, but Van Dyke on another planet," smiled Facchinetti, explaining her inspiration, as the models - their backs dusted in silver, their lips the palest brown - gathered for a second show for clients. The models were practically smoldering and knew they had just walked in something important.

The Antwerp-born painters influence shown through in the rich color scheme and swirling volumes. Alessandra sure loves her trains, attaching them to open backed red chiffon dresses with artful obi "paperoles," or extending them from absinthe fitted chiffon columns, a prairie of origami flowers.

Two models in capes looked like princesses at some future distant court, an idyllic organic era where weve long solved global warming and live for elegance.

Adding to the Sci-Fi mood was a soundtrack of serial music from the likes of Philip Glass and Brian Eno, mixed in with scraps from German Techno artist Ellen Allien. Rolling electronic kettledrums at the finale evoked a spaceship taking off.

A former creative director of Gucci, and an alumnus of Prada and Moncler, Facchinetti is the first female in charge of a major haute couture house in four decades - and all at just 35.

But what well most recall is the sheer beauty of the collection, and the audacity of this young couturier to take, and bring off, such a tricky and refined idea. A star couturier is born.

Givenchy Couture: Arty And Andean (Fashion Wire Daily)

2008-07-05T19:35:00.003-07:00

Paris - Givenchy couture took a tour of the Andes this week in Paris, as the houses creative director Riccardo Tisci sent out a phalanx of models in alpaca en route on a motorbike tour of Peru.

These were Chez Guevaras wealthy grand nieces in perfecto biker jackets lined in alpaca and hefty tobacco hued pants, ideal for riding sidesaddle on the revolutionarys Norton 500 motorcycle La Poderosa, or The Mighty One. Incan princesses in sleeveless mink blousons, waxed leather redingotes and lambskin shirts; tough romantic chic at its best.

Tiscis Latin America, like the couturier, is religiously obsessed so asymmetrical robes are sexy yet that tad demure.

Models took jaunts in Zig Zag Peruvian pattern pants suits, and native peoples bulbous hats in this show, staged in a medieval convent, whose floor was covered in scraps of wood bark.

One stunning semi-sheer white organza column with a broken geometric pattern made of twisted organza and beads showed a master couturier at work, and rightly drew a burst of applause.

For evening, Tisci injected his quotient of sex, climaxing with a finale of more biker jackets, though this time worn over see-through tulle dresses, the better to admire the slimmest of bottoms.

Riccardos clothes are not an easy wear; his is such a singular vision it may always been a minority report. But his view of fashion is so dramatic and beautifully pure that hes guaranteed to win his place among the Pantheon of couturiers.

Jean Paul Gaultier's Caged Belles (Fashion Wire Daily)

2008-07-05T19:35:00.001-07:00

Paris - Half the passages in this weeks haute couture show by Jean Paul Gaultier had birds names; several were simply entitled cage, befitting a collection where many of fashions most beautiful models hit the runway bound in wire traps or metal frames.

This menagerie like show in Paris felt like a march of latter day Joan of Arcs, but bound for a demimondaine nightclub not a battle at Orleans. Flared coats in pale mink or redingotes in velvet came wrapped in the steel normally hidden underneath pinafores; sleek bomber jackets were enclosed by bondage gear.

There was a Fifties silhouette to this fall 2009 collection, exemplified by the prim to the knee skirts and raglan shouldered jackets. Russian uber beauty Natasha Poly in a mauve suits with curly cut outs looked liked she walked out from a scene in "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes."

And it would not be a Gaultier show without his fetish Barnstormers jodhpurs and tough chic down jackets - these too encased in metal.

However, though one could not fault the quality or the rich imagination, one could bemoan the sense that the clothes did not look terribly new; the feeling that this great designer was ploughing an already ploughed furrow.

Curiously, there were many empty seats at this show by Jean Paul, once the biggest draw in Paris, or for that matter anywhere on the international fashion circuit.

Thats why, when leaving Gaultiers headquarters, the overriding impression was of a designer in need of a fresh creative impulse - of a bird that needed to be set free.

Young designer joins couture pantheon (AP)

2008-07-03T01:12:00.001-07:00

PARIS - Designer Alessandra Facchinetti on Wednesday dispelled any doubts about her ability to fill legendary designer Valentino's shoes, drawing warm applause for her first-ever haute couture collection for the Italian label.

Models paraded under crystal chandeliers in the gilded salons of Valentino's headquarters on the tony Place Vendome, wrapped in powdery pastel chiffon gowns and blinding white cocoon coats.

A gray chiffon day dress with a pleated bib front and ruffled jabot was dusted with silver sequins, while a duck blue pod-shaped coat was embroidered with organza flowers.

Facchinetti, who had previously designed only ready-to-wear collections, said that working with the seamstresses who produce the made-to-measure couture outfits was an entirely new experience.

"Working with the 'atelier' is much more like working with a family. They really create things with me. I'm not alone and they are not alone doing their job," the slender 35-year-old told reporters after the show.

Though many of those "little hands" had been with Valentino for decades, they appeared to have adapted to their new boss seamlessly.

Haute luxe details remained faithful to Valentino's heritage, but the flawless perfection that characterized the maestro's work had given way to a charmingly light touch.

Earlier, French designer Jean Paul Gaultier conjured neon birds of paradise heading to a high-class rave in his feathered-and-caged collection.

Models paraded in flamboyant fur coats and sumptuous evening gowns topped with crinolines and corset cages in fluorescent yellow, orange and pink.

"Women feel so free nowadays that they are wearing cages again," the irreverent designer said. "It's the ultimate stage in women's liberation."

Gaultier said he was inspired by the "fluo kids" of the electro music scene and by the 1980s film "Tron," about a hacker who is trapped inside a computer game. The Day-Glo colors only served to highlight the luxurious fabrics which are the hallmark of couture.

A cocoon cage lined in silver fox fur split open to reveal a skintight sheath dress with pearl-embroidered flowers -- perfect for dancing the night away.

The vibrant displays confirmed that couture is thriving, despite a gloomy economic environment, as discerning customers seek out one-off creations.

Gaultier said he was surprised by the success of his couture division, launched 11 years ago.

"I think it does have a future, because I am living that future, in a way," he said.

"I don't know how long it will last, but in this period where you have a choice between either very cheap clothes or high luxury, couture is clearly undergoing a revival."

Only 11 fashion houses qualify for the haute couture designation, which is delivered by the French Industry Ministry and carries a strict set of requirements.

Many houses have discontinued the loss-making activity in recent years, among them Emanuel Ungaro, Balmain, Yves Saint Laurent, Jean-Louis Scherrer and Hanae Mori.

But smaller, lesser known designers have been greeted into the couture pantheon, most recently Maurizio Galante and Anne Valerie Hash.

"The cohabitation between famous brands with artistic directors from the new generation, and new brands which have their own repertory, is what makes the strength of couture week," Didier Grumbach, head of French fashion's governing body, told The Associated Press.

Romeo Gigli hires African students for new project (Reuters)

2008-07-02T17:18:00.005-07:00

MILAN (Reuters Life!) - Italian fashion house Romeo Gigli is taking on aspiring African designers to create a menswear collection as part of a project aimed at adding an international influence to its clothes.

Six young designers from Ghana, Senegal and Kenya will join the Romeo Gigli creative team later this year to work on a 2009/2010 autumn/winter collection of 25-30 pieces, which will be called "Romeo Gigli Lab."

The task, part of a project with Milan city council to attract young talent to the fashion capital, will be to evoke the traditional style of their countries for the brand, which has a trademark fleur de lys.

"The collection will have the structural elements of the main line but also the colors, materials ... experience (and) culture that they bring with them," said Pierlugi Mancinelli, head of clothing manufacturer and distributor Mood, which controls the brand.

"The aim is to give the brand some international elements. On one side we are helping young unknown (designers) to emerge ... on the other, we are also trying to widen stylistic input."

The collection will be presented in January along with Romeo Giglis main line. After that, the house will open its doors to aspiring designers from other countries, such as Jordan and China.

"Every season, we will change the geographical zone," Mancinelli said. "It will remain a permanent label in the brands history."

It is not the only Italian brand to take on foreign young talent. Brioni, known for handmade suits, has brought in students from Britains Royal College of Art for a menswear course, and the National Chamber of Fashion runs an project for young designers to show creations during Milan fashion week.

(Reporting by Marie-Louise Gumuchian; editing by Keith Weir)

Chanel's Haute Expressionist Couture (Fashion Wire Daily)

2008-07-02T17:18:00.003-07:00

Paris - The giant, faux aluminum grain silos practically touched the glass roof of the Grand Palais Tuesday, as the haute collection created by Karl Lagerfeld similarly soared to new heights of chic and levels of aesthetic fancy.

Most designers make futurist clothes look retro, recreations of Sixties YV series, not Karl who injected lots of his own signature silhouette into a great Chanel show that came in two distinct parts - a gutsy, sexy opening for day crammed with great First Date clothes, the sort of cool French gear guys dream of meeting a beautiful new girlfriend in, and a splendid series of dresses where the Chanel atelier showed it has no rival when it comes to sewing and embroidering the unique.

There is a great deal of arrant, half-witted stories written about how Karl Lagerfelds own signature collection, which is usually described as German expressionist, never quite measures up to his ideas for Chanel. Here his very Teutonic shapes, curvilinear lines recalling Zeppelins or Bauhaus stairways, made for a thoroughly fresh take on couture.

This was a great fashion moment which reminded us of the relevance of couture, as a locomotive of ideas, for the lines and finish of this collection will be picked over and copied and mimicked worldwide, even if nothing will compare to the original.

Karl curved shoulders, grew mini buttresses around the hips and bubbled up hemlines, mimicking the giant set, which wowed the crowd as they sat down in the sun drenched space. "Dont you like my organ pipes," cracked Lagerfeld post show.

He developed a great new grid-like fabric for coats and jackets, layering it over the houses signature wool boucle. And wed hate to be a heterosexual reductionist, but one look, a lilac Space Age wool dress on Russian supe Natasha Poly, was the sort to set any guys pulse racing.

Quite a few of the dresses were, literally, hard to walk in as Karl cut them curvy at the hips but tight just above the knee, but the effect visually was great.

For evening, the bizarre additions of picture frames as headgear was way too much. But once again the image was remarkable. And, if the spaghetti extensions of some dresses recalled Sci-Fi monsters grabbing a woman around the throat, the remarkable cascades of glass beading on the final looks could only have been by Karls "petit mains" in the sewing backroom of Chanel.

Welcome to the New Expressionism.

Giorgio Armani Red Carpet (Fashion Wire Daily)

2008-07-02T17:18:00.001-07:00

Paris - Giorgio Armani calls his haute couture collection Armani Prive, but maybe he might consider renaming it Armani Red Carpet.

No designer has a bigger reputation in Hollywood than Giorgio, and one could fully understand why after enjoying his fall 2008 Prive collection, his latest, and largely successful, attempt to remake couture in his own image.

Armani striped back the collection this season, eschewing the arty hats he normally favors, and opening with a great series of fall suits and separates, designed for the Ladies Who Rule, rather than the Ladies Who Lunch. His devilishly well draped jackets in everything from mango leather or puckered silk and pleated pants with high waists in birds silk or grisaille all looked snazzy and posh, yet never stiff.

Though hes the richest designer on the planet, Armani historically never used super models in his shows, on the grounds that they "distract" attention from the clothes. This season, he sent out a phalanx of uber babes, from the runways best walker Vlada Roslyakova to the best show finisher of all, Natasha Poly, mesmerizing in a dazzling glass beaded dress that cried out for one missing accessory - an Oscar statuette.

Dolled up with Veronica Lake, peek-a-boo, hairstyles, the models drew oohs and aahs from the audience, composed of real, genuine couture costumers, quite frankly a rare species at many couture shows.

Their excitement grew towards the finale, applause rippling through the space at a divine black and white bustier dress held miraculously together with a horizontal velvet bow.

"Its a pure distillation of my style," Armani told FWD after taking his bow before an audience that included Helen Mirren, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Elsa Zylberstein and the ever beautiful Princess of Savoy Clotilde Courau.

Russian label Irfe rises from its ashes in Paris (AP)

2008-07-01T17:24:00.001-07:00

PARIS - The history of Russian fashion label Irfe reads like a rollicking bestseller, but for designer Olga Sorokina, it's a fairytale come true.

Almost eight decades after the original house of Irfe shuttered its doors, Sorokina presented her first collection for the label during couture week in Paris, with the hope of restoring it to its former glory.

Models paraded on the steps of the Palais de Tokyo contemporary art museum in bias-cut silk gowns and rich astrakhan fur jackets inspired by the sleek fashions of the 1920s and 1930s.

"The story of this house is a part of Russia's history and heritage," Sorokina, speaking through an interpreter, told reporters at the presentation late on Monday.

Founded in Paris in 1924 by Prince Felix Yusupov and his wife Irina, the niece of the last Russian Czar Nicholas II, Irfe rapidly conquered a following amid chic European and American customers who were dazzled by its aristocratic founders.

The fact that Yusupov had played a part in the murder of the self-declared holy man Rasputin at his family palace in St. Petersburg added a frisson of excitement.

But the prince had little business sense, and two years after the 1929 Wall Street crash ruined his most prosperous clients, Yusupov was forced to shutter Irfe.

Only two of the house's original creations survive, as many American clients used to clip the labels out of the dresses they bought in Paris in the hope of evading customs duties.

Sorokina said she was drawn to the label after reading "Beauty in Exile," fashion historian's Alexandre Vassiliev's account of the artists, models and nobility who fled the Russian revolution and influenced the world of fashion.

She contacted Xenia Sphiris, the granddaughter of the founders, who agreed to relaunch the brand.

"We thought about it and we talked about it and the idea was fantastic, and I know that my grandparents loved that house," Sphiris, who was born Sheremeteva, told The Associated Press.

She said the label was financially backed by Russian businessman Andrei Strukov, but Strukov declined to comment on his involvement or to detail the shareholder structure of the new firm.

The relaunch of Irfe is testament to the growing purchasing power of Russia's new rich, who have joined the exclusive coterie of haute couture clients in recent years.

Sorokina, a 23-year-old former model from Belarus, is riding on the coattails of this meteoric rise.

She confessed she was nervous presenting her creations in Paris, where prestigious houses like Chanel and Christian Dior are unveiling their latest made-to-measure creations to wealthy clients this week. Nonetheless, she was confident of making her mark.

"Paris is definitely still the capital of fashion, but in a few years Russian designers will break out in the international market," predicted Sorokina, who was dressed in a close-fitting cream silk trouser suit of her own design.

Irfe has bold plans for a fledgling firm. It expects to open its first store on Moscow's exclusive Stoleshnikov Lane this winter, with further shops planned in Paris, Milan and New York.

Irfe also plans to introduce a perfume range and a line of jewelry based on the legendary jewels of the Yusupov, Sheremetev and Romanov families.

Dior Homme Inter-Galactic After Party (Fashion Wire Daily)

2008-06-30T18:08:00.005-07:00

Paris - We got a large dose of pop futurism at Dior Homme on Sunday afternoon, in a markedly improved performance by its designer Kris Van Assche.

In easily the best staged show of the mens season in either Milan or Paris, models marched down the gravel path of the charming garden of LObservatoire, wearing Power Pop electric blue shades, burnished gold suits, belts with parallelogram buckles and faintly surgical shirts, for a posh French take on Kraftwerk.

Staged in a tent that suddenly opened to light the pollarded poplars that demarcated the catwalk and backed up by an excellent Space Age rock soundtrack by Justice, one could only admire this piece of slick fashion theatre.

Smartly, Kris largely stuck to the slimmed down Dior Homme silhouette, sending out sleek pencil pants, and taut leather jackets with vertical pleats. His sense of details was also good, like the horizontal chest high slashes in one-button jackets.

"I wanted to bring suits to a younger audience," the designer told FWD post show.

Plus, Van Assche had the guts to take a few risks with his tailoring, bringing the volume that has obsessed womens fashion these past few years into mens wear with splendidly cropped mess jackets with ballooned backs.

The Dior space cruiser did hit its spot of turbulence with multi pleat Afghan pants - an old Van Assche weakness - that looked ideal for a waiter in the Enterprises steerage class bar, or macramé white shirts and leather blousons that were cut and embroidered with lots of holes. They just about worked on the runway, but would flop in the real world.

But Van Assche injected the right soupcon of dazzle, earning a ripple of approval for a pair of sensational gold sequined jeans, randomly encrusted with bright stones and crystals.

"Rather wearable and with a certain panache," was Karl Lagerfelds view of this spring 2009 collection. Though when we asked the great man his view of the golden pants, he responded: "Im not sure I would wear them myself, though I want to be perfectly clear that I could easily fit into them!"

Van Assche also came up with some winning accessories - notably, multi-lace high tops in posh punk black, dandy boxing boots in black and white, and Kubla Khan gold sequined belts, all ideal for some clubbing on Mars.

Lanvin: Light Weight And Lovely (Fashion Wire Daily)

2008-06-30T18:08:00.003-07:00

Paris - If any fashion house in Europe set a new agenda on how men should dress in the future, it was Lanvin, which presented an exhilaratingly great collection Sunday morning in Paris.

Using elements of womens fashion - gathered hems on the side of pants, rouching the sides of jackets - playing with proportions masterfully and using light weight fabrics with a special skill, this collection stood head and shoulders above any other weve seen on the Continent in the past 10 days of shows, stretching from Florence, through Milan and ending in Paris.

Lanvin is a subtle sort of fashion, an understated look that does what clothes are meant to do for cool guys - makes them look their selves. By employing super light fabrics - silk/polyester, shantung and gauze - the houses design teams could cut a lean silhouette with short, above-the-hips jackets and drain pipe trousers, with a forgiving enough fit for most men.

Brilliantly sleek suits in putty, loosely knitted dinner jackets in silk jersey and a velvet moiré jeans and mini jacket were also outstanding.

We also got a first taste of Lanvins new partnership with Swedish jeans company Acne, with some natty denim jackets, shirts and - a must have for next season - suits.

The collection also contained the coolest of sneakers, high tops with green beaded inserts and contrasting hues of Pacific blue, Prussian gray and, again, putty. Plus, we got the sandal of the season - a silk string espadrille that was posh yet laid back. One acid test of a brands success is its ability to get fashion insiders to wear its products - most men attending this show wore Lanvin shoes.

One also had to appreciate the good housekeeping of show producer Etienne Russo, who sent the models out on the same great, battered wooden board runway hed used at last Lanvins womens show.

Shown with raffia Caribbean planter hats, mini trilbies and great flower bauble brooches, backed up by a ripping soundtrack of mixes from The Cocteau Twins and Jennifer Cardini from spin-minister Ariel Wiseman and worn by a first-rate casting courtesy of Henry Mackintosh, this was the defining mens fashion moment of the month.

A surprising fact, to the uninitiated, in the frequently sycophantic world of fashion, is that audiences very rarely give designers standing ovations. So, the on-their-feet crowd applauding and cheering that greeted Lanvins designers Alber Elbaz and Lucas Ossendrijver as they took their bow only served to underline the sheer excellence, innovation and panache of the spring 2009 collection they had created.

Christian Dior: Lisa Fonssagrives Lives (Fashion Wire Daily)

2008-06-30T18:08:00.001-07:00

Paris - Christian Dior: Lisa Fonssagrives Lives Godfrey Deeny June 30th, 2008 @ 3:56 PM - Paris Beauty as an ethereal phenomena that makes the viewer feel, even be, better from seeing it was the real message at the thoroughly excellent Christian Dior haute couture collection staged Monday in Paris, a requiem for arguably the most iconic model of them all, Lisa Fonssagrives.

Generally credited with being the first ever supermodel, Fonssagrives ghost wafted down the custom made runway in the Rodin Museum in what was John Gallianos best couture collection in half a decade.

Lisas haute gamme elegance was apparent in the opening look, a devilishly well-cut white mega flared wool coat with a huge hip enhancing black patent leather belt. The hips had it throughout the first half, with "Bar belts" and fabric additions curving and swirling up and down.

Galliano had clearly been putting in the hours, as the clothes fitted the models beautifully. That might seem a given in haute couture, but remarkably is not the case with most couturiers.

Fabulous black crocodile jackets paired with sheer skirts, remarkably elegant tulle embroidered flared dresses and a few sliced-by-a-surgeon suits in silk chartreuse were the standouts in a show, powered on by a tremendous Jeremy Healy soundtrack.

Hatter Stephen Jones also put in a remarkable performance, dreaming up studded leather skullcaps with Art Deco spouts or flapper caps encrusted with jewels, mimicking looks worn by Fonssagrives.

"The whole idea came from having a cup of tea two years ago in New York with Irving Penn. We chatted a long time and he told me of the role of Lisa Fonssagrives in his art and work. When I realized her importance, as a figure, a beauty and a sculptor in her own right, I went from there," said a trim Galliano backstage in his parlor. The couturier builds a special room to greet guests in the back stage after every show, this season decorated like the sort of drawing room Noel Coward imagined as a set for one of his plays.

Even the fact that the final model, in an outlandishly over the top tulle dress with fins bigger than any Fifties Cadillac, stumbled on the catwalk only added to the sense of the unique at this great Lisa show.

Swedish born Fonssagrives moved to Paris to study ballet in the Thirties, going on to be a legendary cover girl who worked with such luminaries as George Hoyningen-Huene, Man Ray, Horst, Richard Avedon and Penn, whom she was to marry. In a neat piece of timing, the famous photo of Fonssagrives with elephants is plastered throughout Paris, the ad for a major Avedon retrospective that opened today.

Models appeared from a palatial country house backdrop replete with Old World chandelier, traipsing slowly in the towering heels. Galliano toughened up the mood with some great sadomasochistic platforms in metals chains.

As ever, John drew a great crowd, including Eva Mendes, Janet Jackson, Clotilde Courau, Jessica Christian, Olivier Martinez, Claudia Schiffer, Elsa Zylberstein, Marisa Berenson and Liv Tyler.

"I just loved that show. Johns always so theatrical and the clothes were magical," shivered Tyler in Gallianos mini drawing room.

Men's Paris fashions blur gender boundaries (AP)

2008-06-30T00:07:00.001-07:00

PARIS - The French menswear collections ended on Sunday in a sea of sequins, silk and all things pink, challenging the adage that boys will be boys.

Fine fabrics like silk, gazar and crepe de Chine crept into the male wardrobe for spring-summer 2009 as Paris designers increasingly blurred gender boundaries.

"The most striking thing is the amount of crossover from women's collections that seems to be happening," Michael Roberts, fashion director of Vanity Fair magazine, told The Associated Press.

"A little bit of that goes a long way as far as I'm concerned. I just find it a little bit annoying that I'm supposed to be here for a week watching men's shows, and I keep having to pinch myself to remind myself that I'm not in the women's pret-a-porter," he added.

Case in point: the Dior Homme show, where models paraded in gold-sequined pants with bright jewel appliques, or a metallic bomber jacket in this season's ubiquitous fuchsia pink.

Admittedly, these were merely footnotes to a collection based on intricately constructed jackets, some featuring slits that allowed a glimpse of white shirt, others with pleats in the back that caught the wind like a sail.

The label's designer, Kris Van Assche, bristled at the suggestion that he was bringing feminine elements to Dior's sober aesthetic.

"For me, it's not at all about making menswear more feminine," he told the AP. "The whole job is to use these traditions like embroidery and all that, but to make it in a very masculine way."

However, Van Assche, who is known for his romantic sense of elegance, veered from his signature path with the presence of club-kid gear, coupled with a thumping soundtrack by hip French electronic duo Justice.

The danger is that it may confuse editors and buyers, who still have no clear idea of the Belgian designer's overall vision for the label he overtook three seasons ago.

If anyone can be credited with kickstarting the feminine trend in menswear, it is French label Lanvin, which created a minor sensation last year with its jogging suit made from purple duchess satin.

Lucas Ossendrijver, who designs the menswear line under artistic director Alber Elbaz, reverted to technical fabrics with a crisper feel this season, but kept the foppish details like ruched seams on trousers and jacket backs.

A black silk puff-sleeved blouse was worn over a T-shirt encrusted with black beads, while accessories included lace-up sandals and crinkly straw hats laden with thick ribbons.

"It's clothes you want to have, clothes you want to keep," Ossendrijver told the AP.

Even at Paul Smith, the British label famed for providing classics-with-a-twist, the model who opened the show was strikingly androgynous, his silky hair flowing well past shoulder length.

Highlights of the show included striped suits whose lapels were spliced to create a herringbone effect, but a seemingly endless sequence of baggy, faded jeans rolled above the ankle looked curiously out of touch.

Ann Demeulemeester: Growing Old With Grace (Fashion Wire Daily)

2008-06-29T17:05:00.005-07:00

Paris - An elegiac series of images Saturday afternoon by Ann Demeulemeester dedicated to the ability to age gracefully made for easily the best fashion moment so far in the French season.

Presented on a casting that opened with poetic teenagers and ended with agreeably grizzled dandies it summed up this spring 2009 collections anti-ageism theme. Aptly it was staged in an old medical wing of the Sorbonne University.

"The art of growing old," explained the designer, adding that her inspiration was "The Glassbeadgame," Hermann Hesses novel set in the 25th century in a province dedicated to the life of the mind.

Rarely has a mens fashion show unfolded more poetically than this one, where curly haired youths in rocker colonial garb opened the event: wearing flat black raffia hats, off duty military jackets, semi shrunken vests and curiously religious sandals with one big toe strap. Made in black, bold beige and gray stripes and uneven polkadots, the clobber also captured a big current designer obsession mega light fabrics.

In an age obsessed with global warming, designers have reacted by showing ever less substantial fabrics - see through linen, airy silks and feathery cottons, even Demeulemeester, a designer known for a signature downtown rocker style.

With a violin concerto wafting through the garden, the clothes morphed from black to white, and the average age of the models soared well into the pensioner era.

A dignified phalange of Paraty posada owners and high priests blessed with private incomes, they all looked really great, attired in colonial rum baron white linen and jute like redingotes.

It was a brilliant sleight of hand for Queen Ann, flipping the preoccupations of our obsessed culture on their ear and granting a vision of how cool it can be to grow old with panache.

Raf Simons' Galactic Groove (Fashion Wire Daily)

2008-06-29T17:05:00.003-07:00

Paris - Will a lot of guys wear jump suits cut with shorts here on planet earth? Do you expect men to don pleated mini pants with jackets coated in imitation white chocolate flakes when they return from space travel? These were the questions one asked ones self, exiting the latest thought-provoking runway outing by mens fashion single most influential player Raf Simons.

Models had slicked back hair, rather, one imagined, like public school boys in a college on a far distant galaxy. They marched primly, fairly alien like along the corridors of a Paris high schools central courtyard. The fabrics were nearly all techy - from plasticized waffled cottons to light wools seemingly coated in very fine coconut shards.

That said, by Rafs fertile standards this was not a stellar collection; too traditional the cut, too tame the tailoring. However, when you looked at the accessories, you could hear the cash registers ringing. A series of boots and slips that came with contrasting fins in burnt orange and silver, you just knew one third of the audience would be wearing these in a few months.

"Anti Pajama," cracked Simons after the show, in a dig at all the sabbatical chic clothes on Paris and Milan runways, as designers design for laid off white-collar professionals burning through their severance pay.

"There is a crack in everything, thats how the light gets through," read the giant text, i.e., two-meter letters, in the courtyard of the 15th arrondissement Lycee Buffon where the show was staged.

The light may not have dazzled this evening at this Simons show, but at least it sure shone.

Model's death after NYC apartment fall was suicide (AP)

2008-06-29T17:05:00.001-07:00

NEW YORK - The death of a fashion model who plunged from the ninth floor of a Manhattan building has been ruled a suicide.

The medical examiner's office said Sunday that Ruslana Korshunova (roos-LAH'-nuh kor-shoo-NOE'-vuh) died in the fall the afternoon before.

The fall was from her apartment in the Financial District. The 20-year-old Korshunova was a native of Kazakhstan who graced the covers of top fashion magazines.

John Galliano: Maharaja Party Tiger (Fashion Wire Daily)

2008-06-28T22:06:00.007-07:00

Paris - There was absolutely nobody from the world of work in Friday nights John Galliano Homme show, which is precisely one of the reasons it was so great.

Let other, infinitely more mundane, design talents cut the suits for next summer, leave it to Galliano to dream up the clothes hipsters and fete freaks really want to pull on when they head out for a good time.

Galliano sent a cast of characters onto the runway, in a go-cart arena in industrial north Paris, ranging from Brick Lane dandies to arty posh punkers to Indian colonial civil servants who just happen to spend their evenings in Japanese rap clubs.

Adding to the excitement was the fact that Johns deconstruction techniques have rarely been better in mens wear, most coolly a blazer meets basketball mesh shirt, created spectacularly in violet or electric blue.

One thing that sets John apart from most mens designers is that he beautifies and soups up his male models as much as his gals - so we get mens makeup, wigs and hats made of mini Coke Zero cans. Too many designers still believe hard to figure, but true that real men are not interested in fashion. Galliano, on the contrary, gets that straight guys really dig clothes and arent afraid of a taste of outlandish edge.

So we get high tech brothel creepers in garish contrasts of black and orange, tartan double-breasted jackets with Jaipur gold trim and pajama pants finished with multi-colored Pearly Men patterns,

But if this show had any hero it was the late, great Quentin Crisp, who appeared in the designers Galliano Gazette newspaper print dressing gowns, Gurkha kilts and a series of divine wigs, topped by absurdist knit or woven trilby hats in purple or cerulean.

Crisp, author of the greatest gay coming of age autobiography, "The Naked Civil Servant," would have loved this show. It was a charming testament to his heroic honesty and a great bunch of clobber to celebrate, well, life.

Givenchy: Tisci Does Gothic Romanticism for Guys (Fashion Wire Daily)

2008-06-28T22:06:00.005-07:00

Paris - One sure could not fault Riccardo Tisci for failing to have a go in his debut collection for Givenchy, a take no prisoners collection of Gothic romanticism that was intriguing as it was commercially quirky.

"Sex, gothic, religion and romanticism. Just like my womens fashion," was Tiscis explanation of the inspiration for the collection, shown in the Bourdelle Museum in Montparnasse on an athletic cast of models and beefy guys.

In his three years at Givenchy, Tisci has re-established that house as a proper player in couture and womens luxury ready-to-wear with a fashion take that mixes snappy tailoring with a cool, yet historic, ladylike elegance. So, his first mens show for the house was the most anticipated collection of the current Paris season.

There was a respectable quotient of Neapolitan influence tailoring, sleek tuxedos with that soft southern shoulder and convincingly lean pants. But many of the models actually wore shorts, in rose cotton or a printed handkerchief fabric. These were often paired with simple rocker black T-shirts with Latin lettering and punky emblems. Waxy linen baseball jackets, chain mail tank tops and some very natty scarves with hundreds of grommets also impressed.

But, in truth this was a perplexing collection; an extended work in progress by a designer who clearly has lots to say in mens fashion, but is still working out the grammar and, for that matter, the syntax.

Macho man is going out of fashion (AP)

2008-06-28T22:06:00.003-07:00

PARIS - As world financial markets wobble and bonuses shrink, the macho male is going out of fashion.

Paris designers showing their spring-summer collections on Saturday banished the tie and introduced a gentler take on masculinity, leaving the Gordon Gekko look in the dust.

With thousands of revelers pouring into the streets for the annual gay pride parade, French designer Franck Boclet proudly flew the pink flag at Emanuel Ungaro -- but there was no message intended.

"I didn't even know it was gay pride day today!" he said. "It just so happens that fuchsia has always been Ungaro's signature color."

Boclet celebrated the house heritage with a shocking pink backdrop, but used the color sparingly in his collection.

After all, he made his name at Francesco Smalto cutting suits with a defiant swagger. Here, they were rendered in checked patterns with pants that stretched suggestively across the thigh.

As a result, a pink linen blazer seemed slightly adrift, though a purple cardigan top with a loose matching parka was a plausible option.

French actor Samuel Le Bihan, known for his tough guy image, said he had worn a pink T-shirt last summer but would not be repeating the experience.

"I tried, but I just can't do it," he said.

The Smalto image has loosened up since Swiss-Korean designer Youn Chong Bak took over the design reins three seasons ago.

Models lounged around an Italianate fountain in a chic mansion in her crisp cotton jackets paired with tailored cream bermudas, conjuring images of the spoiled millionaire Dickie Greenleaf in "The Talented Mr. Ripley".

Best of all were the waistcoats cut away in the front in the style of morning coats. These came in white linen with a tone-on-tone satin trim, or in a denim version slung over an unbuttoned white shirt.

"I think it's always more pleasant to see men who have attitude but nonetheless have a slightly soft side, because people are sick of machos," Chong Bak said.

That mood carried over to the Hermes catwalk, where the focus was on bare necklines with sailor-style sweaters that framed the collarbone.

This might seem like a bad move for a company famed for its luxurious silk ties, but French designer Veronique Nichanian provided plenty of alternatives.

They ranged from plain shawls worn loose over the chest to brightly patterned silk squares jauntily tied around the neck. The signature Hermes scarf even doubled as a cummerbund, worn simply over a white linen shirt and dark pants.

Alongside the catwalk shows, dozens of designers show their collections to buyers and editors in showrooms.

At the headquarters of Japanese label Issey Miyake, a video showed designer Dai Fujiwara and his team checking color swatches against plants in the Amazon rainforest.

Those colors ended up on outfits including a silk suit featuring dark stripes melting into olive green, thanks to a computerized weaving process. Casual options included a camouflage-patterned denim jacket with matching cut-off pants.

Louis Vuitton: Little Tramp Insouciance (Fashion Wire Daily)

2008-06-28T22:06:00.001-07:00

Paris - Theres a fine line between understated and dull, a narrow gap twixt quiet elegance and predictable formulism, and one cleverly negotiated happily on the right side - at Louis Vuitton on Thursday in Paris when it presented its latest mens collection.

Inspired, albeit pretty loosely on Charlie Chaplin, the collection used elements of the Little Tramps look and, above all, his unique insouciance to create some charming and probable clothes.

In an odd introduction, Vuittons creative director Marc Jacobs greeted the more distinguished guests on the stairway of the Palais de Tokyo, as the mens design director Paul Helbers made the last minute adjustments back stage. Then, after the lights went up and the audience stilled, a last lone guest elicited a huge burst of laughter as he appeared flustered and alone on the runway.

It was a cleverly choreographed show, with a long opening section in white and solid black finale. However, it was apparent from the get go that Vuittons tramp was that rare sort, i.e. one with a private education and a first rate maid, particularly adapt at ironing. Mini mess jackets and crisp shirts in linen are not good items for sleeping rough. Yet the sense of Chaplin was just enough apparent in the baggy, nipped at ankle trousers and slouch hat worn by a particularly dashing casting of models.

Vuitton also looks like its got a great crop of new bags; even of the presentation was way off. They were obviously empty and made the young men carrying them look far too posed. Yet, other accessories did impress; from the faux war medals in silver with black gros grain ribbon.

And in a season of color clocking - from Jil Sander to Alexander McQueen - Helbers managed to hit the subtlest note with a delightfully cool shirt with shades of rose and lilac with a tuxedo wing collar.

Backed up a great soundtrack by Tindersticks, based on samples the band took from songs composed by Chaplin for "Limelight," the 1952 comedy he wrote, directed and starred in, this was a succinct fashion display, a fine personal success for Helbers.

Vatican paper says pope does not wear Prada (AP)

2008-06-27T17:27:00.003-07:00

VATICAN CITY (AP) -- The devil may wear Prada -- but the pope does not. According to the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano, the bright red loafers that Pope Benedict XVI wears are not designed by the Milanese fashion house, as has long been rumored.

"Obviously the attribution was false," the Vatican newspaper said in its Thursday's editions.

"Such rumors are inconsistent with the simple and somber man who, on the day of his election to the papacy, showed to the faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square and to the whole world the sleeves of a modest black sweater," it said.

Still, Benedict's fashion sense has often drawn media attention.

Three years ago around Christmas, he showed up for his weekly public audience in St. Peter's Square wearing a fur-trimmed stocking cap that could have passed for a Santa Claus hat. The hat, as it turned out, is a "camauro," which dates back to the Middle Ages and figures in many papal portraits.

On a separate occasion, Benedict sported a sumptuous red velvet cape trimmed in ermine -- another piece of traditional papal attire that had long been abandoned.

L'Osservatore Romano said the pope's interest in clothes has nothing to do with fashion and everything to do with liturgy -- what symbolism traditional garments can bring to the Christian liturgy.

"The pope, therefore, does not wear Prada, but Christ," L'Osservatore said.

Dries Van Noten: There In His Cars (Fashion Wire Daily)

2008-06-27T17:27:00.001-07:00

Paris - Making clothes that manage to look rather proper yet also seriously hip is a delicate balancing act, but one managed with aplomb and panache by Dries Van Noten on Thursday in Paris, the opening day of the spring 2009 mens shows.

Van Noten, the subtlest of designer, took us on a charming jaunt with this collection, a stylish journey for independent travelers, where the big message was "dapper not dandy."

The show was more literally a journey, as the models took a long jaunt up a delightful catwalk, a cobbled 15th arrondissement parking lot artfully enhanced by several scores of all-white autos, ranging from Bentley, Mustang and Thunderbirds convertibles to a Fiat 850 and beautifully over designed Citroen DS.

Van Noten opened the action quietly with a pair of navy blue suits before gradually injecting color and edge. His big idea was using geometrical patterns and prints in everything from spy trench coats, party shirts and proud poseurs suits.

"The prints were based on some Italian Thirties ties we found. We made them in polyester not the original silk, and they do have great atmosphere," Dries told FWD backstage.

The Belgium designer also dreamt up a great new pant; wide waistline trousers with oversized belt loops and cuffs two inches above the ankle. Plus, the show also had that other key Dries element, the unexpected, like the linen shirts with cashmere breastplate, the largely transparent spy raincoat and flat wingtips with leather belts.

Backed up a brilliant remix of the Gary Neuman classic "Cars," and fueled by correctly prepared glasses of Pyms, served by waiters out of the trunks of the smaller cars, the show was a huge success, a paragon of subtlety and savvy that other designers would do well to learn from.

Vatican paper: Pope Benedict XVI doesn't wear Prada (AP)

2008-06-26T17:18:00.001-07:00

VATICAN CITY - The devil may wear Prada -- but the pope does not.

According to the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano, the bright red loafers that Pope Benedict XVI wears are not designed by the Milanese fashion house, as has long been rumored.

"Obviously the attribution was false," the Vatican newspaper said in its Thursday's editions.

"Such rumors are inconsistent with the simple and somber man who, on the day of his election to the papacy, showed to the faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square and to the whole world the sleeves of a modest black sweater," it said.

Still, Benedict's fashion sense has often drawn media attention.

Three years ago around Christmas, he showed up for his weekly public audience in St. Peter's Square wearing a fur-trimmed stocking cap that could have passed for a Santa Claus hat. The hat, as it turned out, is a "camauro," which dates back to the Middle Ages and figures in many papal portraits.

On a separate occasion, Benedict sported a sumptuous red velvet cape trimmed in ermine -- another piece of traditional papal attire that had long been abandoned.

L'Osservatore Romano said the pope's interest in clothes has nothing to do with fashion and everything to do with liturgy -- what symbolism traditional garments can bring to the Christian liturgy.

"The pope, therefore, does not wear Prada, but Christ," L'Osservatore said.

Designers take on relaxed feel for Milan menswear (Reuters)

2008-06-26T01:00:00.001-07:00

MILAN (Reuters Life!) - Italian designers showed that next summer will be all about chilling out for men, with slim-look tops and loose trousers epitomizing a relaxed feel to collections.

Designer team Dolce & Gabbana, made up of Stefano Gabbana and Domenico Dolce, kicked off the casual yet elegant summer look at Milan mens fashion week which ended on Tuesday, presenting comfortable and ample trousers, tied at the waist.

The duo took inspiration from oriental kimonos to dress models in silk pajamas with Asian-style prints of dragons and butterflies on robes and shorts.

The pajama also inspired Roberto Cavalli and Bottega Veneta designer Tomas Maier, who presented an "extended meditation" on the jacket and loose trousers.

"I think it makes for a great silhouette," Maier told Reuters after his show.

Cavalli added to the skinny upstairs, loose downstairs look with spacious trousers. He reversed the look with skinny jeans.

Drawstring trousers were also seen at Giorgio Armani, one of Milans long-established names, who took inspiration from Asia for his main line, with Indian, Malaysian and Balinese styles.

The doyen of Italian fashion, who pulled in a front row at his shows that read like a Hollywood red-carpet event, turned out flowing designs that were easy to wear for his main line.

Shirts were loose and untucked and tied at the chest by a short string.

Armani emphasized a more streamlined silhouette for his Emporio Armani line, with wide trousers narrow at the hem and close-fitting sleeves for tops. Fans such as actors Josh Hartnett, Clive Owen and Adrien Brody applauded his creations.

VIVID COLOURS

As well as light cottons and linens, shantung jackets and trousers were a hit with many designers. They also plumped for mainly classic summer colors -- creams, whites, pale grays and pastels -- with flashes of vivid colors and fluorescent piping.

Armani experimented with flowing bright pink shirts for a more beachy look. Celebrity favorite Versace also went for fluid designs and added dabs of pink, orange, mint and lilac to sandals or bags that accessorized pale suits.

Gucci designer Frida Giannini went tropical with motifs of flowers and perched flamingos on jackets and shirts.

Idiosyncratic designer Miuccia Prada stuck to darker navy blue, black, dark green and mustard yellow but also kitted out her models in long, almost dress-like white polo shirts and T-shirts. Her jackets had halterneck-style straps.

Scarves were winners for accessories.

At Armani, they were draped over shoulders instead of hanging down around the neck. They also replaced belts on trousers.

Dolce & Gabbana tied short scarves round the neck for their less formal D&G line, while Versace replaced ties with long-fringed scarves, which peeked out below jackets.

The maisons designer Donatella Versace said she would like to dress U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama.

"He is already elegant, but I would change something, maybe his shirt and I would take away his tie," Italian news agency ANSA quoted her as saying.

(Editing by Matthew Jones)

Hilfiger eyes expansion, no IPO plan now: report (Reuters)

2008-06-25T21:33:00.009-07:00

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Smart-casual fashion house Tommy Hilfiger is focusing on expansion after turning around its U.S. business and currently has no plans for a stock market listing, its chief executive said.

"An IPO is currently no longer up for discussion," Fred Gehring told German business daily Handelsblatt in comments published on Tuesday.

The brand, which spans mens-, womens- and childrenswear as well as watches and accessories, was bought by private equity firm Apax Partners (APAX.UL) in 2006 for 1.6 billion.

"The management and Apax want to further develop the company over the usual time horizon for financial investors of three to five years," Gehring said.

He added that the company was also considering buying other fashion brands.

"The turnaround in our U.S. business has been achieved. After the restructuring the signs point very clearly again to expansion," Gehring said.

Gehring had told Reuters in April that Hilfiger would look again at a flotation at the end of 2009.

(Reporting by Georgina Prodhan; editing by Rory Channing)

Trenchcoats and cardigans up the fashion stakes at Wimbledon (Reuters)

2008-06-25T21:33:00.007-07:00

LONDON (Reuters) - On a gloriously sunny afternoon at Wimbledon, Serena Williams strode onto court in a trenchcoat.

With the sun beating down on Centre Court, defending champion Roger Federer appeared in a cardigan. All that was missing was his pipe and slippers.

"Game, Set and Mac, Miss Williams," the Daily Express decided on Tuesday after the 26-year-old former champion grabbed all the headlines with the most eye-catching outfit on day one.

Williams made a stuttering start before overcoming Estonias Kaia Kanepi -- but reporters afterwards were more interested in her outfit than her tennis.

Was it a Sixties retro look? Can you tell us about the fabric? Is it lightweight or porous? No question was too trivial.

Federer, seeking his sixth Wimbledon title in a row, swapped his white blazer for a Great Gatsby-style cardigan which also had reporters seeking fashion tips.

It felt more like a day on the catwalk than the opening of the worlds most famous tennis tournament -- but fashion has always been an integral part of Wimbledon with its strictly enforced "predominantly white" dress code for players.

After last years rain-soaked Wimbledon, spectators blinked in amazement at the sunny start to the 2008 tournament and Serena Williams joked about her outfit "I dont think its going to keep the rain away but we can always hope."

"I absolutely love trench coats. I live in Florida. I probably have more coats than anybody," she said.

But she admitted "It doesnt really add up" to live in the sunshine state and have that many coats.

Waxing lyrical about her warm-up attire, she said "its ladylike and Im very ladylike. It goes perfect with my personality and everything else. Its perfect for me."

Donning a cardigan can be a cutting edge fashion statement -- Soccer player and style icon David Beckham has started wearing them -- but, as The Independent newspaper warned on Tuesday "Theres a fine line between cool cat and old codger."

Federer extended his unbeaten run on grass to 60 matches when easing into the second round with a straight sets demolition of Slovakias Dominik Hrbaty.

After much discussion at his post-match press conference about his tennis form, it was onto the cardigan.

Federer, it appears, was thrilled to put aside the white blazer he had won for the last two years.

"I thought two jackets was enough. Lets move onto something a little bit different," he said.

"We thought about something nice like a cardigan, a jumper. I think the result is nice as well. I have a belt as well this year. Just some new fresh things. Its a little bit more easier to wear than the jacket to be honest."

(Reporting by Paul Majendie, Editing by Justin Palmer)

Gucci Goes Gaudy (Fashion Wire Daily)

2008-06-25T21:33:00.005-07:00

Milan - Gucci took off on a rock and roll tour Monday in Milan with a mens collection where the models looked like Flower Power guitarists or arty bassists checking into a faintly louche hotel after their latest gig.

Rarely have we seen a mens collection with so much embroidery, as Guccis creative director Frida Giannini sewed tropical flowers on everything from torn striped jeans to white cricket boots or jacquard tuxedos.

Staged in the Florentine labels show space in central Milan on the third day of the Italian mens spring 2009 season, the show also heralded the unveiling of Guccis latest perfume, whose face is actor James Franco.

But if Franco, star of "Spider Man 3," is the new face, the inspiration for the clothes was MGMT, the Brooklyn Indie band. However, what came out felt more like a self indulgent Sixties rock star, evoking memories of the faded rock star role played by Mick Jagger in Nicholas Roegs obscure but nonetheless brilliant movie "Performance." Its a memory further heightened by the fact that the tousled haired models were very obviously made up, more like ageing rock gods conscious of their fading grandeur than lads in the prime of their youth.

"I wanted a Gucci guy, but an optimistic and happier one," Giannini told FWD backstage after the show.

The show opened with a gang of Carnaby Street hipsters, in snug suits of bright hued lime green and pearly white cotton. These were followed by the Indie band members attired in dipped dyed leather jackets and faux vintage T-shirts. Pants came with beaded waistlines, or belts with agate buckles. Plus, Frida conjured up the loafer of the season; a great new moccasin in a three tone choice.

The clothes trumpeted just how far Giannini has led the Gucci man into the street, and, in a summer when the label plans to celebrate the anniversary of its first boutique in Rome, from where Frida hails, it seemed a long a world tour away from the founding familys vision of patrician luxury for aristocrats and Hollywood royalty.

Alessandro Dell'Acqua: Scrawny Poet Chic (Fashion Wire Daily)

2008-06-25T21:33:00.003-07:00

Milan - With the Milan mens collections practically bereft of any clothes one might remotely consider wearing to work, and most designers creating sabbatical chic, it was refreshing to witness the latest collection from Alessandro DellAcqua whose aesthetic message appeared to be, why not take the time off work to write poetry.

In an innovative spring 2009 collection, DellAcqua went for the sensitive touch, sending out his models in loose mesh cashmere sweaters, ever so faintly stained to suggest a poet laboring over an epic work of verse.

And, after a critically acclaimed reading, our 21st century Wordsworth headed out for a drink in beautifully tattered jeans, darned and stitched together lovingly, worn under one button jackets cut to finished above the hip. Made in faded gold jacquards or cotton micro herring bone, they were the coolest jackets weve seen so far in Milan.

Not that these clothes were in any way dated, on the contrary they were a fresh take on hip after-hours wear, and beautiful ways of playing with fabrics by ageing yet ennobling the material.

Unveiled in an obscure art gallery, agreeably shaded in a Milan where moisture levels have soared in the steamy heat, the collection rightly earned hearty applause from the audience. The show also augurs well for DellAcquas latest project; he was appointed the creative director of the famed cashmere brand Malo this spring. The Neapolitan designer is to unveil his first ideas for Malo with a womens ready-to-wear collection in September.

His womens fashion has always been highly influenced by his youthful habit of watching the golden period of Italian cinema and its screen goddesses Sophia Loren, Monica Vitti and Anna Magnani.

Looks like the inspiration for his latest mens wear was a trip to see Shelleys grave in Rome and catching up on the latest Pete Doherty video.