Lagerfeld on the Great Wall of China

This 88 looks fashion show extravaganza is said to have cost around $10 million in the making. But LVMH chairman Bernard Arnault (who arrived to the show by pompous police escort), Silvia Venturini Fendi, company CEO Michael Burke or the 500 people crowd gathered for the occasion on China's historical great wall will not regret any penny of it. The looks involved not only select pieces from the Spring 2008 Milan show but also new creations designed specifically for the show. Karl Lagerfeld's inspiration was visibly reminiscent of Chinese culture as well as the construction of the great wall itself. The colors, the silk, the belts and spheres were there to remind the audience, as if they could forget, why they had been brought to such heights (both figuratively and literally). The Era of fashion show extravaganza has officially started. Diesel had a holographic runway but Lagerfeld and LVMH are pushing the production envelope even further.

Project Runway Canada

Already in its 3rd episode - aired later today - Project Runway Canada already is a better version of Project Runway's British counterpart Project Catwalk and that is all due to the the host's vibrant presence not to mention her breathtaking beauty: Iman. If Micheal Kors rather than Heidi Klum is the star of the American version, Iman is definitely the strong figure in this one. She is paired with mentor, Brian Bailey, A star fashion buyer turned successful designer, Bustle Clothing's Shawn Hewson and Rita Silvan, Chief Editor of Elle Canada. And guess what! You will not worry about missing episodes of this show if Monday nights find you away because you can watch all the episodes on the official website. I would just love to have the podcasts too...

Giorgio Armani goes high tech

Late September this year, fashion designer Giorgio Armani opened a shop in virtual world Second Life, the flag-ship location is modeled based on the Milan store. His own avatar was even sent to Second Life to celebrate the opening event. The residents of Second Life are able to buy items in Liden Dollars - the local currency - or be brought back to the real world by connecting directly to Armani's own recently-launched online store. What we didn't know then was that Giorgio had more up his sleeves.
Introducing the new sleek touch-screen Giorgio Armani phone by Samsung: thinner than Prada's LG with an extra Megapixel and a haptic interface (translation: the screen vibrates when you touch certain icons). Add to that a leather carrying case built by Armani himself and the thinner Giorgio Armani phone is the new supermodel that just snatched the Vogue cover from Prada. Old Giorgio is, indeed, the new kid on the high tech fashion block.

Spring 2008 Paris Highlight: John Galliano

In the latest episode of John Galliano's part romantic part maverick imagination world, comes this Sweet Charity / Grey gardens inspired collection that hit the Paris runway on a day where Paris, indeed, was the least bit interested in fashion - the Stade Francais was cheering the heroic French XV. Galliano, nevertheless, in a always actual restoration of historical nostalgia, featured a collection that transported the audience in a world that is a perfect blend of fairy and decrepit. There were twenties frills, floppy hats, flounced jackets, eccentric knotted knits in pastel pinks, printed chiffons or earth-tone metallics - true to Galliano's eponymous label. The setting: a dilapidated part of the seaside, a ramshackle boardwalk past a polythene covered spinning merry-go-round, past Chinese lanterns, a chandelier of spectacles, an ostrich on a pile of clapped out televisions and torn up newspapers.

Valentino menswear

After Valemtino Garavani annouced early September that he will be leaving the group, a womenswear designer was quickly found in the person of Gucci designer Allessandra Fachinetti. Her first collection will hit the runway in March. The group, through the voice of managing director Stefano Sassi, annouced today that it will be appointing a new designer for the Valentino menswear line before he end of the year - preferably of Italian origin. The upcoming Milan Fashion week in January is supposedly to be drawn by the newcomer. Get to it then Mr. Sassi, it's nearly Chrismas

V Magazine Under Cover

If you haven't seen the "Under Cover" story by the Italian photo duo Coppi Barbieri in the latest issue of V, featuring model Jasmine Poulton's garters and underthings, you will want to as soon as you see this video from the V site. To witness the genius of stylist Bay Garnet click here.

Spring 2008 Milan Highlight: Dolce & Gabbana

It's hard to imagine Dolce & Gabbana's aesthetic doing anything but squeezing as much excess as is humanly possible out of sex and provocation. This Spring, however, Domenico and Stefano decided not to show a nipple on the runway, not even a peep. Dolce & Gabbana collections are usually fetishistic-sexy-sophisticated, perfectly cut for a dramatic Fellini decor. Steven Klein will have a hard time bringing sex into the sumptuous ballet of Medici extravaganza this upcoming season will bring. The collection starts with a dress in plain white canvas before throwing the audience into a trance of Venetian color palettes splashed onto magnificent pouf-shaped party dresses, chiffons and ball gowns. Trop chic for Pret-à-Porter, blurring the line between Ready-to-Wear and Couture : the excess was sill there, we'll give them that.

Spring 2008 London Picks

flowing gown - kristen aadnevik





ropes - emma cook, giles, fahion fringe







greens and purples - giles, basso and brooke









flower buds - ben de lisi, asprey