ThE WaNtEd FaShIoNs....

The auction of the book Four Inches featuring 21 famous women who got stripped for charity, raised a total of Ј1.3 million in less than an hour, reports the British Vogue. The auction took place at Christie’s in London, this week.


The celebrities who appeared in the book wearing nothing but Jimmy Choo shoes and Cartier jewellery include supermodel Kate Moss, Paris Hilton, Victoria Beckham, Geri Halliwell, singers Christina Aguilera and Holly Valance, actresses Jane Leeves and Minnie Driver, and Serena Williams. The husband of California model Christina Estrada Walid Juffali couldn't resist to obtain numerous copies of the Four Inches. All the income received will go to the Elton John Aids Foundation.

Tamara Mellon, author of the book and auction host, said she didn't think to receive more than Ј600,000: "I never expected to raise that kind of money."

Growing kids in fashion and style: Angelina Jolie, 31, and Brad Pitt, 43, are to decorate bedrooms of their own and adopted children according to their countries of origin.


The husband and wife, who have four children born in four different continents, are set to design their rooms acording to their roots.

"Brad and Angelina want to give the kids a strong sense of their own culture while growing up in America, so they never lose the link to their past," a source quoted by Britain's Daily Mirror said:

Angelina adopted Maddox, five, from a Cambodian orphanage in 2002, and Zahara, two, from Ethiopia in 2005.

Brad became the children's legal parent shortly after meeting the actress on the set of their movie 'Mr. and Mrs. Smith'.

The couple had a child, Shiloh, together a year ago, and Angelina adopted three-year-old Pax Thien from Vietnam in March.

The couple are reportedly planning a Cambodian village design for Maddox's room, and desert scenes for Zahara's.

The first Playboy store in United States was opened last Monday, at The Forum Shops at Caesars in Las Vegas wwd.com reports.

The 2,000-square-foot venue, with lots of iconography, was designed by the Walker Group. The new store, owned and operated under a license with the Waikiki Trader Group, will offer Playboy-branded apparel, accessories and lingerie as well as many other Playboy products. The 85% of the goods, represented in a new Concept Boutique are women's clothing, lingerie and accessories.
"Playboy strategically selected the Forum Shops at Caesars in Las Vegas to debut our first U.S. store because it is one of the most successful retail shopping destinations in the world," said Christie Hefner, the chairman and CEO of Playboy Enterprises, Inc. "It is clear that Playboy and Las Vegas are a powerful match, presenting the chance for consumers and visitors to experience all of the glamour, sexiness, style and fun associated with both."
The first Playboy Concept Boutique was opened in the capital of Japan –Tokyo two and a half years ago, and was named as one of 40 top stores in the world by the Retail Leaders Association.
After opening in Las Vegas, the next step in spreading the line of stores in U.S. could be opening a store in Miami, according to Aaron Duncan, the senior vice president and creative director of Playboy Global Licensing, but no further details were mentioned. The next freestanding Playboy store, a 2,300 square-foot venue on Chapel Street, Melbourne, one of Australia's premier fashion areas, will open in fall 2005.

Diesel Footwear sponsored a screening party for the new episode of Cameron Diaz’ MTV reality show Trippin. In the latest episode Cameron Diaz, Justin Timberlake, Jimmy Fallon and rap singer Talib Kweli travel to Serengeti in Tanzania, to shoot the Trippin adventures in East Africa where the group of celebrities explore adverse environmental effects on the natural habitat and endangered animal populations.


"I was really hesitant about being on a reality show but this was one of the best decisions I have ever made," said the Brooklyn rapper Kweli who hosted the party, according to fibre2fashion.com.

"It was my first time in the East African country and it was truly an adventure! I was enlightened on so many environmental issues that I should have known about."

Talib Kweli has recently released his new album , The Beautiful Struggle, and after it debuted at No 14 on the Billboard Top 200 Album chart, it got national critical acclaim. Kweli also hits the road next month with The Black Eyed Peas for a US tour.

Attendees of the party, sponsored by the leading lifestyle footwear brand, received gifts from Diesel Footwear, Flaunt magazine, Dream Hotel, and Bacardi Razz.

British supermodel Kate Moss wants the Olympic Games to be held in her native country. The beauty has joined her fashion friends Paul Smith, Mario Testino and Sam Taylor-Wood in their new project 40 Artists, 40 Days, to raise awareness of the attempt of the United Kingdom to host the XXX Olympic Games.


Paris, New York, Moscow, Madrid and London are vying, making bids, to host the 2012 Olympic Games, and in early July the results will be announced. Britain will be counting down 40 days till July 5, the day the International Olympic Committee will choose a city to host the Games. Until that time, photos of Kate Moss, made by fashion photographer Mario Testino, will be dispayed on Tate Online, www.tate.org.uk/40artists40days, alongside with other original videos, music, texts, performances and visual art.

Moss will be photographed by Testino for the project which will tout some of the city’s unique selling points, including Paul Smith’s London logo and boxing prodigy Amir Khan photographed by Taylor-Wood.

"The vision for 2012 is that sport and the arts will come together in London for the biggest celebration this city has ever known," said Tate Online director Sir Nicholas Serota, according to British Vogue.

Meantime Moss' boyfriend Pete Doherty dreams to marry the supermodel the next weekend. The Babyshamble’s frontman says:

"We're driving through Gretna Green next weekend, so who knows? I might be able to persuade her,” femalefirst.co.uk cited the singer.

"Kate's been there for me. She's my rock. Not my rock of crack though."

"He is my male muse," said Frida Giannini. "From the moment I met him, he inspired me. He is a package of genius, looks, and creativity. I mean, just look at him." The "him" in question would be Mark Ronson, and in a cream suit, polka-dot waistcoat, coordinating polka-dot sneakers, and trademark pompadour, we understood what the Gucci creative director meant.

Giannini and Ronson were joined by a flotilla of stars and fashion types at the legendary London jazz club Ronnie Scott's last night to celebrate the Gucci Ronson sneakers that go on sale today at the brand's pop-up shop in Covent Garden. In the mix were Bryan Ferry, Johnny Borrell, Idris Elba, Pam Hogg, Nick Rhodes, Poppy Delevingne, and co-host Jefferson Hack. Simon LeBon performed with Ronson's band Chauffeur, which just so happens to be named after a relatively unknown early Duran Duran song. After the gig, the front man told Style.com, "Mark is producing our next album. He asked me to sing with him, and how could I refuse?"

LeBon's performance wasn't the evening's only surprise. A gaggle of girls having a quick cig in the loo meant alarm bells went off—literally. As the fireman rushed in, a startled Anouck Lepère asked, "Is this for real or part of the party?" A drag queen who goes by the name Star answered: "Who cares, honey, take it in and enjoy. When's the last time you had a Mr. Feb march right by you?"

Today in Hong Kong, one of the most impressive and rare blue diamonds in the world is set to go under the hammer at Sotheby's for an estimated $4.6-$5.9 million. The 5.18 carat vivid blue, internally flawless, pear shaped diamond is the first blue diamond from De Beers' exquisite Millennium Collection to come up for sale since going into a private collection following the year 2000 celebrations. Blue diamonds - like the famous Hope and Wittelsbach diamonds - get their colour from the presence of Boron during their creation and are extremely rare and precious. The Millennium Collection, which was brought together over a 20-year period from De Beers' mines, was meticulously polished by diamond polishing experts Steinmetz over a two-year period, supervised by Andrew Coxon, president of the De Beers Institute of Diamonds, to maximise their colour, beauty and brilliance.

Drawing inspiration from Hermès' equestrian heritage, Pierre Hardy has spent two years masterminding a collection of bespoke jewellery, which the brand has termed "Haute Bijouterie". With the whip and hoof as their central motif, the pieces make use of rose and white gold, black jade, diamonds, adventurine and pink opal to fuse sensuality with animality and erase the line between masculinity and femininity. "Hermès is not a very precious universe," Hardy told WWD. "I simply went back to its roots and to the horse's hoof, taking the roughest, strongest, almost radical element and giving it the most feminine, the most modern interpretation." Prices start at 17,500 Euros for a pair of clip-on earrings. You can count on a waiting period of between five to seven months for the pieces, which come in super-luxe custom-made black alligator leather boxes.

She was the Hollywood star who became a princess. And when her new fiancé, HSH Prince Ranier of Monaco, was in New York looking for a "souvenir" for his bride to be, he went to Van Cleef & Arpels, where Louis Arpels convinced him that the elegance of pearls would be the perfect complement to the delicate beauty of Grace Kelly. Van Cleef & Arpels is sponsoring Grace Kelly: Style Icon, which opens at the V&A on Saturday. The exhibition, which runs until September 26, showcases the spectacular wardrobe of one of the world's most enduring fashion icons, including the dazzling diamond tiara that she wore in 1978 for the wedding of her daughter, Caroline, to Philippe Junot. Visit www.vam.ac.uk for more information.

Peter Philips has done it again. Like the stick-on trompe l'oeil tattoo craze that kicked off the start of the year, Chanel's global creative director of make-up has made yet another catwalk phenomenon accessible to the public with a new limited edition make-up collection. Noir Et Or is a striking range of black and gold eye and nail colours that was created exclusively for the Paris-Shanghai Chanel show that took place in December 2009. Inspired by the glamour and fantasy of Shanghai in the Thirties and Forties, the collection sticks strictly to a black and gold colour theme, and features a matte black nail colour called Black Velvet alongside two shimmering golds: burnished Gold Lamé, and Illusion D'or, a clear polish with gold sparkles. A complimentary black eyeliner and gold shadow duo palette, Ligne et Ombre de Chanel in Jet-Gold, accompanies the nail range. Available exclusively from Chanel stores from April 2010, call 020 7493 3836 for stockists.

As summer approaches and we prepare to dare to bare, just a red lipstick and some eyeliner in the make-up bag will no longer do - it's all about taking a holistic approach to cosmetics. Fortunately Illamasqua has created its new Body Electrics range, inspired by the fluidity of the body in motion and designed to contour and highlight every inch of exposed skin this summer. The collection features creams, powders and dry body oils - as well as the more conventional nail polishes and bronzers - containing hyper-pigmented light-reflecting particles to enliven your skin with intense colours and finishes, no matter your complexion. Use sparingly on clean, tanned skin for day but don't feel obliged to hold back for night.

No one could ever accuse Tom Ford of being a one-trick pony. Already an influential fashion designer, the last few years have seen him turn his hand to a range of eponymous bestselling perfumes and even directing the critically acclaimed A Single Man. Now Ford has extended his reach into the world of make-up, with the launch of the Tom Ford Private Blend Lip Colour collection. Promising to offer "the power to define a woman's whole look", the 12 luscious lip shades range from bare nude to a rich deep plum and also features a fiery, signature red shade that's certain to convert even those who are usually reticent of trying out strong colours. £35 each, available from Tom Ford Private Blend counters from April 24 2010, call 0870 034 2566 for stockists.

Join Vogue and Tom Ford Beauty to preview Tom Ford's new Private Blend Lip Color Collection. Meet Vogue's beauty & health director, Nicola Moulton, and discover the essential lip shades to transform your entire look, exclusively at Selfridges London, on April 22, from 6.30pm to 8.30pm. Guests will take away a deluxe present. To apply, send a cheque for £15 (redeemable against event purchases) payable to Selfridges Retail limited, together with your full name, telephone number, email and postal address, to Polly Warrick, Vogue Retail Office, Vogue House, 1 Hanover Square, W1S 1JU.

The recession may have forced us to opt for lower-maintenance hairstyles, but both Headmasters and Hershesons Blow Dry Bar (now a standalone salon in Topshop Oxford Circus) are offering a tempting new menu of blow-drys. While Hersheson's looks take their inspiration from the past with three new retro styles - The Marcel, The Big and Brushed and The Rick Rack Jack - to add to their existing range, Headmasters have gone for an updated selection of classics alongside new 'dos inspired by modern-day stars such as Sienna Miller and Diane Kruger.

While it's only natural to feel warm and fuzzy when you donate to charity, Aveda aims to also give you an actual glow with its new Light The Way candle. Made from 100% certified organic ingredients and delicately scented with soothing French lavender and clary sage, the proceeds from the sale of each Light The Way candle will go to Aveda's Earth Month campaign. Entering its eleventh year, the campaign aims to raise £2.3 million globally throughout the month of April to help protect clean water and waterways across the globe and empower local communities to help make clean water accessible to everyone, everywhere. A great excuse to light up if ever you needed one. £15..

Another season and another dramatic hairstyle from Agyness Deyn. Love Magazine revealed via Twitter yesterday that the trendsetting model had shorn off her angular dark bob in favour of a boyish buzz-cut. While her peroxide pixie crop spawned copycat styles up and down the land, VOGUE.COM spoke to hairdressing supremo Sacha Mascolo-Tarbuck, creative director of Toni&Guy, to get the industry reaction and find out if Aggy's new shorter-than-ever crop would catch on.

What's your opinion - does she pull it off?

Having such a short crop is the ultimate sign of self belief and I love the way that Agyness makes a real statement with her hair and constantly reinvents her look. Does she pull it off? I think with her bone structure and self-confidence she can do no wrong and I love her slightly renegade anti-fashion style and her naturally darker hair colour really enhances her blue eyes. The constant changing of hairstyle certainly does her profile as a model nothing but good and really makes her stand out from the masses of long hair we see on the catwalk.

What would you advise if people want to emulate her style?

As with any haircut, suitability is key and haircuts like Aggy's call for a certain inner confidence. That said there are lots of variations on the look that can be softer for those not blessed with Agyness' perfect bone structure. This kind of buzz-cut can look masculine so you do really need to soften the look with the right clothes and make-up. If you want a softer finish, the lighter your hair, the less harsh the look will be.

Do you think it'll spark a trend?

As a hairdresser I do hope so! It's so nice to see some variety after so many seasons of long flowing hair! Agyness is one of those rare models that can wear her hair in so many ways and I think she's a real inspiration - we change our clothes every season but hair rarely gets that kind of attention.

Landing a campaign with a major cosmetics label can really make the career of a model on the rise. Vogue favourites Constance Jablonski, Liu Wen and model-of-the-moment Lara Stone have that to look forward to as new signings with Estée Lauder (Jablonski and Wen) and Giorgio Armani Cosmetics (Stone) have been confirmed. Encapsulating for Estée Lauder global brand president Jane Hertzmark Hudis "the style and confidence that reflects Estée Lauder's modern vision of global beauty", Jablonski and Wen become the first French and Chinese models respectively to join Estée Lauder's roster of beautiful faces - which includes Hollywood actress Gwyneth Paltrow. Meanwhile, designer Giorgio Armani sees his vision of "individual beauty [and] the feminine ideal of our time" as being specifically Lara Stone-shaped, as the Dutch model continues her rise to fame fronting a shoot by photographer David Sims for Giorgio Armani Cosmetics which will appear next month.

Jennifer Aniston is joining the ranks of celebrities - Sarah Jessica Parker, Beyoncé Knowles and even more recently Bruce Willis among them - who have put their name to a fragrance deal. While Willis has just signed with German cosmetics manufacturer LR Health&Beauty Systems to create, according to the brand, an "extremely masculine" fragrance launching in July 2010, Aniston has taken a more softly-softly approach to the perfume-making process to make Lolavie with the Falic Fashion Group. Speaking on the set of her new film Just Go With It, Aniston told WWD: "It's been a year-and-a-half journey. I'd been asked to do things before, and it never felt organic. But when [the Falic Fashion Group] approached me to be involved with the process from inception to fruition, I thought, 'This could be a creative expression.' And it's turned out to be an extension of myself as opposed to slapping my name on something." When asked about the unusual name of the fragrance, Aniston remained mysterious: "It's a long story and honestly it's too personal to tell," she said. "But it has special significance." Fresh and floral, Lolavie will launch exclusively at Harrods in June 2010. £30 for 50ml.

It's the start of the summer holiday season and – as with all debuts – as far as matters sartorial are concerned, the pressure is on.

There are, thankfully, basic rules that most would do well to adhere to and which apply to any destination, whatever the ambience or indeed weather.

Rule Number One. Never theme your holiday wardrobe with your holiday. It is not clever or fashionable to wear kaftans in India, for example, Breton T-shirts in Brittany or, quite obviously, Bermuda shorts in Bermuda and capri pants in Capri.

Rule Number Two. Avoid adopting a whole new persona just because you read you should in a magazine. A cashmere wrap on a plane? You may as well have the word 'Vogue' tattooed on your forehead. Apart from on a long-haul flight, a blanket won't be necessary, thank-you, and, even then, you'll be supplied with a suitably fleecy one. In a similar vein, upon arrival, resist the urge to slip into diaphanous white palazzo pants, a sequinned 'cover-up' (that'll be a jacket), wide-brimmed hat (as seen on Catherine Zeta Jones, below) and turquoise/coral jewellery. They sell most of the above in overpriced hotel boutiques and there's a reason why anyone with integrity avoids these like the plague.

More generally, unless travelling to an entirely metropolitan environment, only the extremely dedicated wear full-on fashion off-duty – risk looking try-hard or even plain insane if you follow this particular path. Balmain cargo pants, Balenciaga quilted leather gilets, laced Azzedine Alaïa ankle boots and so forth are all, in this instance, best left at home. The exception that proves the rule? The muse/creative director, a woman who is never out of fashion and whose commitment must only be applauded. Amanda Harlech, for example, is unlikely to be spotted on sea in Juicy Couture terry towelling trackpants, and this despite proclamations that terry towelling trackpants are currently à la mode.

Hardy Amies to go back to its roots with bespoke menswear line.

Such was the attachment of the famously dapper, gay couturier Hardy Amies to making frocks for the House of Windsor that he once asserted his superiority to rival Sir Norman Hartnell by saying: "It's quite simple. He was a silly old queen and I'm a clever old queen."

Seven years after Sir Hardy's death at the age of 93, the fashion house that the clothes designer and war hero set up on Savile Row is to abandon its heritage as the provider of pink silk gowns to the monarch and focus on a different clientele: the gentleman in need of bespoke suits and made-to-measure dinner jackets.

The venerable label, which went bust in 2008 only to be rescued by two Hong Kong-based entrepreneurs, seeks to rediscover its founder's original purpose as the quintessential English tailor, providing fine tweeds and worsteds to the discerning (and monied – prices start at £3,500 for a bespoke suit) male.

Tugba Unkan, director of the company headquartered in the building bought by Sir Hardy as a bombed-out ruin in 1945, said: "Although Hardy Amies was renowned as dressmaker to the Queen, he was also a revolutionary menswear designer: he was the first to lower the waist on men's trousers, to give a sexier, more athletic silhouette. He also introduced the first runway shows for men. The new Hardy Amies aspires to bring back the look of the 'perfect English gentlemen'."

The company's new owners, the investment arm of the £8bn global trading company run by brothers Victor and William Fung, have been astute enough not to cut all ties with the Royal Family as they target the globalised marketplace, including Japan and China. Freddie Windsor, a cousin of the Queen and 28th in line to the throne, is to be the tailor's "brand ambassador". The company decided the 29-year-old financial analyst and one-time enfant terrible is "the embodiment of the new Hardy Amies man".

One is famed for nostalgia, the other for bringing high fashion to the web. Now Cath Kidston and Natalie Massenet have both sold their firms for huge sums.

One began by selling a few posh frocks in cyberspace. The other flogged retro crocks from a second-floor shop in west London. But whatever their differing retail origins, Natalie Massenet and Cath Kidston were yesterday united by cashing in – just a little – on their status as the originators of two of Britain's most successful recession-busting brands.

Net-a-Porter, the web-based designer fashion retailer set up a decade ago by Ms Massenet, and Cath Kidston, the eponymous purveyor of floral rain coats and polka-dotted cereal bowls, were yesterday captured by big business in the shape of a Swiss-based luxury goods conglomerate and an American private equity firm for a combined total of up to £450m.

The separate deals were hailed by both retailers as allowing them to expand abroad, in particular into Asia, as well as consolidating their core markets in Britain. They also had the side effect of making Ms Massenet, 44, and Ms Kidston, 50, into rather wealthy women.

Coleen Rooney shocked pundits and bookmakers today by donning a little black dress to Ladies' Day - the most important fashion date in the horseracing calendar.

The Wag and model had been expected to wear "spring" colours with bookies taking good money on bets for pastel tones or rich colours.

Today all eyes will be on the jockeys' silks, but yesterday Aintree was all about other kinds of fabric

It has been a long, cold winter, so perhaps it was not surprising that when an opportunity to wear the bright colours of spring presented itself, the women of Aintree embraced it wholeheartedly. The scene at Ladies' Day yesterday wasn't so much a riot of colour as a full blown revolution: magenta, fuchsia, acid yellow, hot pink, lilac – and that was just in one outfit.

The glamour provided a suitable warm-up for today's Grand National, on which bookmakers estimate Britons will wager a staggering £250m. The 4.15pm race is only one part of a bumper sporting week for the bookies, with £1bn expected to be bet on the horses, Tiger Woods' return to golf at the Masters, and the semi-finals of the FA Cup.

The first surprise of the day was the sober garb of Wayne Rooney's wife, Coleen. She had been expected to wear spring colours, with bookies taking bets on her wearing pastel tones, but the 24-year-old arrived at Aintree with her entourage in a black dress with silver trim.

One of those enjoying themselves in the sunshine was the racing pundit John McCririck. He said: "The Merseyside totty believe in flaunting themselves and it is tremendous, not like at Royal Ascot with their haute couture and the toffs and the designer outfits. They have much more curvaceous bodies here and are magnificent, especially with the sunshine coming out."

Orange proved a popular choice, and there was pattern too in the form of animal prints, florals, swirls and tie-dye. Those such as Mrs Rooney who chose black might have been accused of playing it safe, but managed to look more sophisticated than the average racegoer.

Perhaps it was the lure of a £7,500 prize for the year's most stylish lady that made some guests try so hard, even if it was dramatically less than the Caribbean holiday, car and photo shoot worth a whopping £35,000 up for grabs last year.

After 30 years in the doldrums, the relaxed East Coast look is back – along with a new handbook to help you wear it with elan.

Can't tell your Top-Siders from your Sebagos? Unsure how high to roll your chinos? After some preppy shopping primers? Well, unfurrow your brows and raise a gin and tonic because help is at hand from a new book out this autumn that will exploit the current clamour for East Coast style.

True Prep promises to pick up where The Official Preppy Handbook left off three decades ago and provides important pointers on how to live the lifestyle behind the Ralph Lauren polo shirts and Madras plaid shorts that comprise the Ivy League set's unofficial uniform.

Like the original book, which sold 1.3 million copies, True Prep will gently mock a world in which people panic when it's the cook's night off or worry how polar fleece fits into a prepster's wardrobe.

Its publication comes as demand for preppy fashion is once again soaring – on both sides of the Atlantic. Boating shoes such as Top-Siders or Sebagos, penny loafers, brogues, blazers, pinstripes, chinos and anything made from Madras fabric are all mainstays of the preppy look.

For inspiration, women are looking to the likes of Blair Waldorf, star of the television show Gossip Girl, or Alexa Chung, the television presenter-turned-fashion icon who has made preppy styles into her trademark. The fashion house Mulberry has a waiting list for new versions of the "Alexa" satchel, that prep-school staple it designed in her honour, and the department store Selfridges has said the bag is its current best-seller.

The fashion press is excited about the virtual arrival of J Crew, a treasure trove of preppy fashions as favoured by Michelle Obama. From next month, aspiring British prepsters will be able to buy the cashmere cardigans and chinos it is famed for from the luxury-shopping website Net-a-Porter.

And Banana Republic, another US chain popular for its East Coast-inspired styles, has just opened its second store in central London and is on the hunt for more sites.

Men, meanwhile, are channelling bands such as Vampire Weekend, the American indie band that made a virtue out of their Ivy League background by dressing in such preppy staples as deck shoes and button-down shirts. The foursome from New York, which saw their second album Contra top the US charts, are headlining several festivals this summer, including Latitude.

They have graced Hollywood premieres and high society balls, now the gowns of Grace Kelly are taking centre stage at a British museum.

Dresses from films such as High Society and Rear Window feature in the new exhibition at the V&A in London.

The exhibition dedicated to the screen siren turned European princess, Grace Kelly: Style Icon, opens on Saturday.

Included is the gown she wore to accept her Oscar in 1955 as well as the outfit she wore to her first meeting with Prince Rainier - her future husband - later that year. As Princess Grace of Monaco, she favoured gowns by couturiers such as Dior, Balenciaga, Givenchy and Yves St Laurent, whose work is displayed.

The actress was killed in a car accident in 1982. The exhibition continues from Saturday until September 26.

Their fans range from skinheads to fashion models – and more than 100 million pairs have been sold worldwide since they made their debut. Ralph Miller and Susie Mesure salute Dr Martens boots as they celebrate their half century.

1. When it comes to British icons, Dr Martens are up there with the red telephone box, fish and chips and the black taxi. Yet the thick-soled, lace-up boot is actually German.

2. An injured Dr Klaus Märtens, who was an army doctor during the Second World War, came up with the air-cushioned sole to soften the impact of walking around after a skiing injury sustained in 1945 while on leave from the German army; he found army-issue boots too uncomfortable.

3. Dr Märtens had little success in selling his creation until a meeting with an old friend, Dr Herbert Funck, got the fledgling business off the ground.

4. The boots have a green heritage: the duo recycled discarded rubber from former Luftwaffe airfields to make their first pairs, which went on sale in Munich in 1947.

5. Those air-padded soles clearly appealed to German housewives – 80 per cent of sales during that first decade were to women.

6. The boots were so popular that Dr Märtens soon started thinking about selling them abroad. The Griggs family, who were based in Northamptonshire, liked what they saw and acquired the rights to manufacture the German design in the UK.

7. Before the first pair went on sale in Britain, Griggs reshaped the heel, added the trademark yellow stitching and trademarked the "bouncing" soles as AirWair.

8. Griggs also anglicised the name, to Dr Martens. (Just as well the original pair didn't go with Dr Funck.)

9. Later, the boots were nicknamed Doc Martens, DMs or simply Docs.

10. The original eight-holed pair was christened the 1460 because it first went on sale on 1 April 1960.

11. The boots were initially sold with factory workers, policemen and postmen in mind, but were quickly adopted by skinheads in London's East End.

12. A whole range of subcultures soon started wearing Docs, including mods, punks and Goths.

The blonde slender Brazilian Carina Beduschi, and the dark-haired beauty from Nederland Sharita Sopacua, will represent their countries in the Miss Universe 2005 Pageant in Bangkok, Thailand this May.

Sharita Sopacua bears Indonesian lineage and comes from Den Bosch. The 21-year old beauty works as a model in Utrech and is 1.79 m tall.

Carina Beduschi is 20 years old and stands 1.82 m. Miss Universe Brazil came from Santa Catarina and loves to travel the world with her family. She is a fashion model and studies Architecture in Florianopolis. Carina was crowned Miss Brazil 2005 in Rio de Janeiro on April 15, 2005.

Claudia Henkel, who won two titles at once and became Miss South Africa 2004 and Miss Veet Legs on December 11, 2004, is going to represent her nation at Miss Universe contest this May.

According to News24, spokesperson for the organiser Sun International Thoko Qoboza said it's only the second time in the history of this beauty pageant that the same woman conquered both titles.

When Claudia Henkel was a teenager, the blond beauty had hard times at Pretoria Girls' High because of her height - Claudia stands 6 feet tall. But that height helped her get noticed in modeling business and made her Miss Veet Legs and Miss South Africa 2004, the title she dreamed about since she was a child.

There's great interest in fashion modeling as proven by the popularity of several top reality television shows, but the weight and age requirements to become a model are restrictive. FashionSchoolReview.com, a fashion school resource, offers a variety of tools that may help aspiring models find a fashion design career if they can't meet the strict standards of the fiercely competitive modeling job market.

Because the standards for fashion models make a modeling career prohibitive for many, would-be models may consider other fashion design career options available through Web sites like FashionSchoolReview.com (http://www.fashionschoolreview.com). Hit reality television shows like "The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency" and "America's Next Top Model" evidence strict standards for fashion models and growing interest in the industry. However, these modeling reality television shows and industry experts illustrate that most people simply don't meet the strict standards and industry preferences required of models. Those viewers interested in fashion may consider pursuing their fashion education and embark on a career in fashion design, fashion merchandising, or fashion marketing.

The Oxygen Network recently announced that the hit television reality show "The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency" has been picked up for a second season. Additionally, the CW Network's "America's Next Top Model" is ranked number one among reality shows on TV.com. With 172 pages of message threads posted in The CW Lounge, "America's Next Top Model" has plenty of fans who discuss the models and requirements, such as weight and age.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics "Occupational Outlook Quarterly" (OOQ), most modeling agencies set minimum height requirements for female models at five feet nine inches and weight between 108 and 125 pounds. Furthermore, NYTimes.com reports that the top models now are former-Soviet Union imports. The Times Web site quotes James Scully, a casting agent for Gucci, "You just can't sell an American model right now because editors completely don't appreciate them."

Age requirements for modeling also make for tough competition. The "Occupational Outlook Quarterly" suggests that female models usually start out between the ages of 14 and 21, but can be as young as 12. In some situations this means that education takes a back seat and older models don't have a chance. The OOQ reports:

"Sometimes, the glitz is so incredible that young people don't look at the long haul," says Lee Whitfield, owner of David Lee Models in Chicago, "and the importance of schooling and education gets pushed to the side--sometimes, even by parents."

The OOQ also quotes modeling agent Dan Hollinger of the Kim Dawson Agency in Dallas, who says, "It's extremely important for models to finish school because you always have to think about the 'What if...?' What if something happens and you no longer have the ability to model? You have to have an education."

Models can improve their lives by improving their overall self-image. Just look at any celebrity...

Wendy Brown, image consultant to men and women seeking makeovers and cosmetic surgery, is reaching out globally with the message that people can turn their lives around by improving how they look and feel. Nationally recognized as "The Image Lady" and founder of Fashion With Confidence Unlimited, Inc., www.fwcunlimited.com, Wendy is a world class life coach, former model, fashionista, author and image expert. Wendy has counseled Hollywood notables, professional sports stars, homemakers, new college graduates and business professionals on how to enhance the image they present to the world. Now, Wendy is reaching out in a variety of media formats: the Internet, TV, radio and DVD to make a positive impact on people's lives. She has had a recent offer to host a one-hour Image Lady radio talk show for the Rocky Mountain region and is aiming for a global audience.

"We are living in an image driven culture," Wendy observes. "Poise, style and sophistication, how you appear, think and act defines who and what you are. People under the media microscope -- celebrities, movie stars, politicians and business executives -- understand and pay close attention to this power of their image. They know their personal image can inspire confidence, attract friends and business opportunities, as well as assure career success and financial prosperity. I personally work, coach and advise over the phone and/or one-on-one with my clients to develop their right image to look and feel their best. They are constantly amazed with the results."

Wendy strives to be recognized as The Image Lady in every household, a living example of the power of image and self-confidence. Wendy's recognizable exotic appearance, distinctly unique voice, genuine persona full of light and magnetic charisma allows her to navigate in any social, public, or media arena with panache. She has been seen at the Golden Globes one evening, a basketball game shortly thereafter and a charity event the next night. She is considering all offers in the public arena: television hosting opportunities, personal appearances, television interviews, radio talk shows, print interviews, as a spokesperson for beauty, clothing, hair care, fragrance or makeup lines, and commercial work.

An amazing recreation of the Christina Aguilera's Napa Valley nuptials for the show My Celebrity Wedding with The Knot, with Michael Hutchinson and Jessika Cavin as models.

Carley Roney and a team of The Style Network have managed to produce an amazing recreation of the Christina Aguilera's Napa Valley nuptials to music executive Jordan Bratman for the show My Celebrity Wedding with The Knot. The theme was fire (the ceremony) and ice (the reception).

On the show My Celebrity Wedding with The Knot, a lucky couple wins a dream wedding that is arranged in a very little time. The couple who won were the Michael Hutchinson and Jessika Cavin, writes Rev. Laurie Sue Brockway. They had an amazing love story. He had donated one of his kidneys to save his mother's life. She had gone through the painful loss of her beloved father. For their wedding rings, they melded together the grooms father's wedding ring and a gold amulet belonging to the bride's dad and had them fashioned into beautiful new rings.

David Beckham, the former England soccer captain, and his wife portrayed as Mary and Joseph. On photo: Madame Tussaud’s celebrity nativity scene, with wax replicates of star couple Victoria and David Beckham depicting Mary and Joseph; photographed in December 2004.

Victoria Beckham, 33, spoke out for the first time about Rebecca Loos, who claimed to have had an affair with her husband David Beckham while working for him in Spain in 2004.

Loos was Beckham’s personal assistant when he played for his former club Real Madrid. Rebecca' comments hit headlines as the couple set off for a new life in Los Angeles, where David Beckham is being unveiled as an LA Galaxy player.

Posh Spice has stated that her football star husband David cheating on her made their marriage stronger.

Victoria told W, a US fashion magazine: “I’m not going to lie. It was a really tough time. David and I got through it together. No one said marriage was going to be easy.

“But now we’ve come out stronger and happier. It’s even better now than when we were first married.”

Her comments accompanied a new, the most glamourous US photoshoot of the Beckhams (still shot in Spain though).

The couple adorn the cover of the magazine with Posh in a skimpy mesh swimsuit and her husband showing off his heavily-tattooed torso.

But it is the nine-page photo spread inside that will really raise eyebrows.

One shows David, 32, reclining on a bed wearing just a pair of tight white briefs.

Others see David helping Victoria into, or out of, her suspenders. The pictures in the August issue of W were shot in Spain by top photographer Steven Klein.

The magazine says the pair are “determined to become the new American idols”.

There is little interest in soccer in the US and showbiz observers are divided over whether the couple can make it big.

An interesting arrival of the star couple in the States...

INFORMATION ABOUT THE FASHION DESIGNERS:::

BIOGRAPHY:

Fashion Designer Zang Toi was the patriarch of modern fashion before it was present. The 38 year-old designer is a color ardentist; a designer whose command of vivid hues is natural and easy, sophisticated and sensual. He has helped to usher in the forward era of contemporary late 90’s design with his trademark colors and his timeless styling. His creations pamper today’s woman with an uncompromising, style, glamour and romance.

Toi left his native Malaysia at the age of eighteen, and via Toronto, landed in New York a year later. There he attended Parsons School of Design and apprenticed with Mary Jane Marcasiano and Ronaldus Shamask. In 1989, with a modest collection of bright sarongs, strong suits and regal dresses, he opened his own atelier. Instantly, the personable, affable and remarkable Toi made a name for himself among fashion’s elite.

In 1991 Toi won the Mouton-Cadet Young Designers Award, beating out names such as Pamela Dennis, Gemma Khang and Christian Francis Roth. His most recent award of distinction was presented by Mark Green, the Public Advocate for New York City, for Toi’s artistic contributions and achievements. In March of 1997, presented by the Sultan of Malaysia, Zang received his Knighthood. In the years since, Toi has cultivated his business into an international success story. He is a favorite of style arbiters including Sharon Stone, Ivana Trump, Hazelle Goodman, Kelly Preston, Kirstie Alley, Jennifer Tilly and Meg Ryan. Be it the House of Toi signature collection or the “Z” collection, his moderately priced bridge line, Toi’s creations are original, feminine and simply exquisite.

Zang Toi is available in globally fine stores including the Couture Department at Nordstrom, fine specialty boutiques and Zang Toi Boutiques in Malaysia.

Awards Received: 1990 Mouton Cadet Young Designer Award

Brand names/Divisions: Zang Toi

Product lines: Zang Toi Couture Collection; Lower Priced "2" collections

manufactured and sold in Malaysia.

BIOGRAPHY:

"The King of Fashion"

The Past and the Present
Fashion Designer Yves Saint Laurent was born 1936 in Oran, Algeria. After winning first prize in the International Wool Secretariat contest for his asymetrical cocktail dress in 1954, Saint Laurent went immediately to work for Christian Dior. Saint Laurent became Haute Couture designer when Dior died in 1957. He introduced the trapeze dress in his first collection for Dior in 1958. He was replaced by Mark Bohen in 1960, when he fulfilled his military obligations. Afterwards, he opened his own couture house, financed by Pierre Berge, in 1962.

The Rive Gauche boutiques for women were established in 1966, and men's wear was added in 1974. His CEO is still Pierre Berge, volatile critic of the Chambre Syndicale. His muse has been Catherine Deneuve for many years.

Saint Laurent frequently uses ethnic themes in his garments, as well as bright colors contrasted with black. His day clothes have a slightly masculine flavor, and his luxurious evening wear is tinged with fantasy. He is famous for "Le Smoking" tuxedo jacket, see-through blouses (1968), peasant blouses, bolero jackets, pantsuits, and smocks.

Although a shy person, Saint Laurent believes he is the last true couturier. He maintains the highest standards of classic cut and tailoring, and he receives a standing ovation after every collection is presented.

1996 marks two surprising developments concerning the presentation of his new collections. In Summer of 1996, Saint Laurent was the first courturier to show his Haute Couture show live on the Internet. The other move was the decision to stop making big fashion shows for his Pret-a-Porter collection after 30 years of doing so. He now shows his new models only to a few selected journalists on appoitment basis.

Pierre Berge was sentenced to a 1 million Francs (about $197000) fine for insider-trading in 1996. In 1992, he sold Yves Saint Laurent shares right before alarming economic figueres about the company were published.

Yves Saint Laurent is a member of the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture et du Pret-a-Porter.
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Selected Products

* YSL
* Rive Gauche (diffusion)
* YSL Variation (diffusion)
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Selected Honors and Awards
Retrospective Exhibits

* Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (1983), the first living designer so honored
* Hermitage, St. Petersburg, Russia
* Musee des Arts de la Mode, Louvre, Paris
* Victoria and Albert, London (1995)
Awards

* Neiman-Marcus Award (1958)
* Council of Fashion Designers of America (1981)


1990 The Sezon Museum of Art in Tokyo organizes a retrospective entitled "Yves Saint Laurent 1958 - 1990", including theatre sketches and original creations.
February 3, 1992 YSL celebrates its 30th anniversary at Opera Bastille.
1993 YSL brings out "Champagne", a perfume which was later renamed "Ivresse".
1996 In collaboration with Fashion Live, YSL Couture goes online with the Internet's first-ever live cybercast fashion show.
1998 In celebration of forty years of creation, a YSL photo retrospective is organized in New York.
July 12, 1998 YSL puts on a 300-model fashion extravaganza at the final match of the World Cup football tournament in the Stade de France.
June 2, 1999 The Council of Fashion Designers of America presents Yves Saint Laurent with the 'Lifetime Achievement

Address
Headquarters, Atelier, and Showroom
5, avenue Marceau
75016 Paris, France
Tel.: (+1) 44316417 FAX.: (+1) 47236213
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Selected Boutiques

Paris Boutiques
Accessories
32 rue du Faubourg-St.-Honore
75008 Paris, France Discount Outlet
65, rue Montmartre
Paris, France
Men's Wear
12, place Saint-Sulpice
75006 Paris, France Women's Wear
- 12-14, rond-point des Champs Elysees
75008 Paris, France
- 6, place Saint-Sulpice (Rive Gauche)
75006 Paris, France
Tel: (+1) 43.29.43.00
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Milan Boutique
Via Verri, 8
Milan, Italy
Tel.: (+02) 76000573
New York Boutiques
855, 857, and 859 Madison Ave.
New York, N.Y.10021, U.S.A.

RUNWAY SHOWS
Yves saint laurent W

BIOGRAPHY:

Fashion Designer Wolfgang Joop is one of Germany's most recognized designers, and one with a unique signature. His last name, Joop, is a Dutch first name. He started to employ it as his trademark back in 1979. Instead of using his first name, he simply added an exclamation point, which has come to stand for innovation and creative energy. The brand that now bears his name comprises a universe of products for men, women and children with a turnover of DM 550 million ($305 million) in 1998. Today JOOP! stands for a modern attitude, eroticism and provocative style stemming from a wealth of ideas of its charismatic greater Wolfgang Joop .

Wolfgang Joop was born in Potsdam, Germany on November 18, 1944, close to the grounds of Sanssouci Palace. He began his fashion career when he and his former wife Karin entered a fashion contest in 1970 and managed to win the top three prizes. Prior to that Joop studied advertising psychology and art education. He worked as a free-lance artist and held a professorship at the University of Fine Arts in Berlin.

Wolfgang Joop has two daughters, Jette born in 1968 and Florentine born five years later in 1973. He maintains residences in Monte Carlo, Hamburg and New York. He recently acquired an historic villa in Potsdam, his childhood home-town, which is currently being renovated by noted architect Prof. Dr. Joseph Kleihues.

JOOP! GmbH is a solely licensed company. The first JOOP! fragrance as well as the first JOOP! men's and women's collection were launched in 1987. In 1988 JOOP! jeans made its market debut. Over the following years the product line was consistently enlarged and the JOOP! brand expanded with eyewear, shoes, accessories, leatherwear, body-and knitwear, both for men and women. The JOOP! fashion world was finally rounded off with the introduction of the licenses for hoisery, kids, time, socks and jewelry. The JOOP! GmbH presented its first home collection, JOOP! living at the 1999 Franfurter Herbstmesse. Today, all partners collaborate closely with the designer Wolfgang Joop in order to ensure the consistent look and high quality for which JOOP! products are known. The JOOP! design studio as well as the management are located in Hamburg, Germany.

Wolfgang Joop is unceasingly in touch with international artists and photographers. His exchange and involvement with the latter, his curious outlook and the changing spirit of time are his sources of inspiration. JOOP! advertising campaigns reflect a unique and innovative signature. Wolfgang Joop collaborates closely with emerging photographers like Mario Sorrenti, Michelangelo di Battista, Dah Len, Inez van Lamsweerde, Sean Ellis and Vincent Peters. Likewise he has always worked with the most compelling models Stella Tennant, Donovan Leitch, Kristen McManemy, Tyson Beckford, Nadja Auermann, Amber Valetta, Kirsten Owen Alek, Wek, Markus Schenkenberg, Claudia Schiffer and Shalom Harlow. These are all faces that reflect his creative mood at one time or another.

8EYOND FASHION Wolfgang Joop is not only a designer but also an illustrator. His drawings and drafts have been featured in numerous exhibitions and are part of several museums' permanent collections. Wolfgang Joop himself collects contemporary art and sculptures. All of his homes contain eclectic pieces from contemporary artists such as Tamara de Lempika, Alexander Noll, Jeff Koons, Kenny Hunter, Gerhard Richter and Sam Tylor-Woods as well as important paintings and furniture from the 1 7th, 1 8th and 1 gth centuries. Frequently he is called upon to create not only the hemlines but also the headlines. He writes editorial stories for news magazines like Der Spiegel, Stern and Zuricher Weltwoche. Wolfgang Joop is personally involved in two charitable organizations: Dunkeiziffer e.V., which helps sexually abused children and Hamburg Leuchtfeuer, a charity to support HIV sufferers.

BIOGRAPHY:

Fashion Designer THIERRY MUGLER, date of creation: 1974 1974

Creation of the company Thierry Mugler; Men`s and women's ready-to-wear.

Mugler went on from this point to create a very identifiable style. He designed a new feminine silhoutte where shapes and curves are accentuated by the strictness of the cut.. For men, Mugler produced a very clear-cut, precise and structured image with a shouldered, slender cut for a classic silhouette.

1978 First boutique in Paris at 10, Place des Victoires, 75002 Paris, France.

1983 First factory in Angers owned by Thierry Mugler.

1983/1986 Opening of the first exclusive boutiques abroad: Brussels, Geneva.

1984 10th anniversary of the creation of the house. The Autumn/Winter 1984-85 collection was presented in a mega-show before 6,000 people at the Zenith in Paris. It was the first fashion show in France ever opened to the general public.

1987 Opening of the second Paris boutique at 49, Avenue Montaigne, 75008 Paris, France. This shop later became the first key boutique in the Thierry Mugler universe.

1992 Launch of his first fragrance for women: "ANGEL". The bottle symbolises the designer's imagination, as it is based on a timeless and universal symbol: the star. An original and innovative fragrance which forged a new direction in the world of fragrances; the 'gourmand'-rientals. First haute couture collection presented at the Hotel Ritz in July, 1992

1995/96 Acceleration of exclusive boutique openings worldwide and a third Parisian boutique at 45, Rue du Bac, 75007 Paris, France. This is the first shop to congregate all lines and accessories designed by Thierry Mugler under the same roof. 1996




Launch of the first men's fragrance, "A*MEN" . 1997

The French Couture Syndicate officially invites Thierry Mugler to present a couture collection during the haute couture collections calendar. In addition, Thierry Mugler was invited to sit on the Comite Colbert; thereby joining the top 75 French companies that share the passion for excellence, creativity, and luxury in the production of their merchandise.

After seven years of fruitful partnership, confirmed in the success of the fragrances, the CLARINS group acquired a larger majority in Thierry Mugler Couture.

Haute couture Thierry Mugler Couture Women`s luxury ready-to-Wear Thierry Mugler and accessories including fine leather goods, jewellery, and shoes Complementary women`s ready-to-wear lines Mugler (classic for everyday) MTM MUGLER TRADE MARK (sportswear & leisure) Men's ready-to-wear and accessories Thierry Mugler Perfumes Women`s Perfume and body products: ANGEL Men`s Perfume and body products: A*MEN.

BIOGRAPHY:

Fashion Designer Romeo Gigli was born at Castelbolognese, Faenza, in a beautiful country house. After classical studies at high school he read architecture at university, by which time he had already acquired a taste for travel. Curious to know other countries, he away was from Italy more and more often and for increasingly long periods. He had not yet perhaps begun to think about fashion. But from his travels he regularly brought back objects, clothes or jewels, as gift. Little by little, more out of passion than by decision, he moved closer to design, fabrics and colours.

1979. He settled in New York and worked at Dimitri's atelier, where he learnt many technical secrets of fashion design. After returning to Italy, he started moulding his new ideas of "fashion" which had been riperning in his mind for some time, almost without his realising.
1986. Came celebrity. His clothes were fashion news worldwide. Right form the very first collections it was plain that Gigli had found a distinctly personal path, far from any cliches. His necklines, cut across the shoulder and fastened by a soft satin bow, established a new point and a new way of revealing the female body. His destructured jackets and coats, with only the faintest hint of a shoulder (just when richly padded shoulders were all the rage in Italy), were a prelude to the natural lines that he was to continue designing in the future. His fabrics, men's fancy weaves, tweeds and sober woollen boucles, matching shades and tones heralded success that were to make him one of the most prominent representatives of international fashion design.

1985. Season Spring/Summer: beginning of collaboration with Zamasport for manufacture and distribution of Women's ready- to-wear collection. As of today the clothes are available at highest quality stores worldwide, including 120 in Italy, 70 in Europe and 40 in the USA.
1986. Season Fall/Winter: presentation of the Men's ready-to-wear collection.
1987. Agreement with Takashimaya (the most renownd Japanese departement store specialised in luxury and quality goods) for the exclusive productions and distribution of the Women's ready-to-wear collection and Men's' and Women's accessories. Season Fall/Winter: first presentation of the "su misura" (made to measure) Women's collection, an exclusive limited line of hand-made garments.
1988. September: opening of the Spazio Romeo Gigli in Milan, Corso Como 10 for the selling of Romeo Gigli collection and accessories, as well as other important designers' collections. The Spazio also features art, photography and theatre exhibitions and cultural meetings.
1989. Season Spring/Summer: beginning of the collaborations with Ermenegildo Zegna Group for the production and distribution of the Men's ready-to-wear collection, as of today available at highest quality stores worldwide, including 75 in Italy and 25 in the USA.
Season Fall/Winter: agreement with Takashimaya for the production and exclusive distribution in Japan of the Men's ready-to-wear collection. Exclusive launching in Italy of the Women's fragrance "Romeo di Romeo Gigli". The perfume currently rates among the five best-selling fragrances. Presentation in Italy of the Romeo Gigli eyewear collection for men and women manufactured and distributed by Allison Spa. December: opening of the Spazio Romeo Gigli in Paris, 46 rue de Sevigne.

1990. Agreement with Stefanel Group for the production and distribution of the new Men's and Women's line and accessories "G Gigli", which is economically accessible to a wider market.
Agreement with Takashimaya Co.Ltd. for the production and exclusive distribution in Japan of the Men's and Women's lines and accessories "G Gigli".
Presentation of the leather articles collection manufactured by Franzi Sas (1864).
Season Fall/Winter: presentation of the limited edition collection, during the Women's fashion show. Each outfit is made in exclusive fabrics, forms and numbered from 1 to 30. This represents the evolution of the "made-to-measure".
April: the fragrance "Romeo di Romeo Gigli" wins the International prize "Accademia del Profumo" for the best packaging of 1989.
June: Romeo Gigli, recipient of the "Wool-mark Award" for his unstructured Men's jacket.
September: Women's fragrance on sale in the USA.

June: agreement between Romeo Gigli and Stefanel Group for the foundation of NUNO, a new company which major purpose is to develop and distribute the "G Gigli" line.
1993. Agreement with Redwall Group for the production and distribution of Romeo Gigli Women's and Men's leather collections and with a company of Olmetto Group for the production and distribution of scarves, foulards and Women's fabric accessories. Cooperation with Christopher Farr's "Handmade rugs" for the carrying out of carpets in a limited edition.

BIOGRAPHY:

Fashion Designer Ralph Lauren has become the epitome of classic fashion. With product lines such as Polo/Ralph Lauren for Men, Ralph Lauren for Women, Double RL, Ralph Lauren Home, and even Ralph Lauren paint, it makes us wonder who the man behind the label really is.

Born Ralph Lifshitz on October 14, 1939, in the Bronx, New York, Ralph Lauren has come a long way from his days of sharing a bedroom with two of his brothers. Growing up in a middle-class Jewish family, Ralph and his three older brothers were raised by his mother, while his artist father painted houses.

Lauren's fashion sense was apparent at an early age when he would purchase expensive suits with the money he earned working at his after-school job. Although he knew he could find his clothes at a less expensive price, he made it a point to look stylish in his expensive threads -- and he has succeeded at looking cool in his attire since the age of 12.

One would think that Lauren attended fashion design school, but he actually studied business at City College in Manhattan, and dropped out short of receiving his business degree.

Student by night, Lauren would work by day at two glove companies as a salesman. He then worked for a tie manufacturer named A. Rivetz & Co., which ultimately led to the fashion empire he leads today.

While working at A. Rivetz & Co., Lauren began designing wide ties, which spawned his first entrepreneurial career. With his tie designs and a $50,000 loan, Lauren founded the company Polo Fashions in 1968. Along with his older brother, he chose the name Polo because of the power, style and intrigue that the brand has always been associated with.

The Polo brand known today as the preppy English-tweed look it conveys did not get to be a million dollar empire because Lauren was lucky, nor because Lauren had an immaculate sense of style. Lauren not only had an innovative mind, but he also knew that packaging and presentation were of utmost importance -- something he didn't need to learn while studying for his business degree.

In the late 60's, while Lauren was trying to develop his line of wide ties, Bloomingdale's insisted Lauren remove his name from the ties' label, and make his ties narrower. Not giving into the retail giant Bloomingdale's, Lauren stuck to his guns and refused to sell to the department store under such circumstances. Suffice it to say, the retailer came back crawling to Lauren and his ties under his terms, after having seen the brand's success. The rest as they say, is history.

While Polo was considered the "power suit" of the early 80's, Armani had brought the Italian power suit back in style later on in the decade, which pushed aside Polo's preppy look.

Polo prefers licensing over manufacturing; it oversees many licensees as well as more than 350 contract manufacturers worldwide. The firm operates about 275 retail and outlet stores in the US and licenses more than 100 others worldwide. Founder Ralph Lauren still controls almost 90% of Polo's voting power.RUNWAY SHOWS
Ralph Lauren M W

BIOGRAPHY:

From panties to pants. In early 1999, co-founder and designer of the French Jenny lingerie collection, Fashion Designer Scott French sold his stake in the multi-million dollar company to pursue his dream of designing men's wear. Now approaching its third season, R. Scott French is a complete collection of better sportswear that strikes a balance between item driven diversity and the cohesive development of a designer look.

A native of the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, Scott was first introduced to sewing by his grandmother who would regularly include him in her quilting circles. Not only did he quickly become adept with a needle and thread, but he immediately realized that this new-found hobby served as a creative outlet as well. To this day, Scott credits that experience with having shaped his acute understanding of the geometry of design, and instilled in him a deep appreciation of an American art form, as evidenced in his sleek & linear sportswear designs.

Having honed his skills in the fashion industry with an eclectic experience ranging from retail and wholesale, to design and production, Scott has a solid understanding of every aspect vital to any collection's success. Globally sourced and domestically manufactured, Scott perfectly marries the use of the richest European fabrics and yarns with a distinct American sportswear sensibility.

Having received a healthy endorsement from some of the country's most prestigious specialty retailers within its first season, the R. Scott French collection strives to maintain an accessible price range, without compromising its level of forward thinking creativity or its ever-present sense of fun!

BIOGRAPHY:

Fashion Designer PIERRE BALMAIN, date of creation: 1945 Pierre Balmain was born in St Jean de Maurienne, Savoie in 1914. He owed his early training to the two greatest designers of the time - Molyneux and Lucien Lelong - opening his own Haute Couture house immediately following the war, in the autumn of 1945, on the Rue Francois 1er in Paris. Clients quickly flocked to Balmain, and were thrilled to discover the new image he had created for women. The Balmain woman had shed the last vestiges of wartime hardship with abundant insouciance and charm, and heralded a return to opulence in richly embroidered gowns and ensembles.

American author Gertrude Stein, a close friend of Balmain's, saluted the advent of this "New French Style" in her writing. This image of an active, irrepressible, perfectly groomed, elegant woman with a touch of independence in her nature took root and was embodied in the "Jolie Madame", emblematic of the nineteen-fifties.

The 1960s were years of renewal for Pierre Balmain, who used fabrics scupturally for the creation of uncluttered designs accenting pure structure and contrasts of cut and style. This was also a richly productive period in the field of costuming for stage and screen. In addition, Balmain designed personal wardrobes for numerous international stars, including Brigitte Bardot, Marlene Dietrich, and Katherine Hepburn - to name just a few. This period also marked Balmain's first meeting with Her Majesty Queen Sirikit of Thailand, who chose him to be her personal couturier.

The name Pierre Balmain stands for a unique concept of elegance, a clientele of royalty and film stars, and a fashion hallmark recognized throughout the world. The ready-to-wear division, founded in the 1970s, has gradually made an impact on the market and is now registering significantly satisfying results, with some 220 licenses worldwide.




With the disappearance of Pierre Balmain in 1982, the torch was passed to Erik Mortensen - his personal assistant since 1951 and his closest colaborator - who maintained the House's traditions while developing and updating styles and designs in the spirit of its founder. In recognition of this achievement, Mortensen won tne France Haute Couture Golden Thimble Awards for his Automn-Winter 1983/1984 collection. Erik Mortensen then went onto his second French Haute Couture Golden Thimble Award, presented at the Palais Galliera on 31 July 1987, for his Autumn-Winter 1987/1988 collection. When Erik Mortensen left the House of Balmain in July 1990, he was replaced by youthful Herve-Pierre, who served as designer from 1990 through 1993 for both the Haute Couture and ready-to-wear collections.

In january 1993, internationally renowned American designer Oscar de la Renta signed his first Haute Couture collection for Pierre Balmain and has now rejuvinated the line while respecting the colours, the fluidity and elegance of the "Jolie Madame" esprit.

Haute Couture Women's Ready-to-Wear Men's Fashion Perfumes (Ivoire, Jolie Madame, Miss Balmain, Vent Vert, Monsieur Balmain, Ebene) Accessories

BIOGRAPHY:

"I give classics just a little kick."

The Past and the Present
Born in 1947, in Nottingham, England, Fashion Designer Paul Smith always wanted to become a professional bicycle racer. But an accident prevented him from pursuing this carrer further. In 1969, Smith met Pauline Denyer, who studied fashion design at the Royal College of Art. She became a motor for the career in the fashion business that should follow for Smith. He opened up a tiny shop for clothing in 1970. Since then he worked hard to establish himself as a unique fashion designer for classic men's wear with a twisted appeal.

Paul Smith surprised the fashion business, offering classic British cuts, but combining them in an unsual manner or using striking colors to make them stand out. Grey business suits worn with colorful flower-decorated shirts honored the tradition of British tailoring and took it a step further into young and progressive fashion. Thus garments of the business world became attractive for the fashion-oriented boheme.

Smith discovered that 15% of his clothes were bought by women, who were attracted to the fine and classic materials with a modern approach. So he introduced a women's collection in 1993, after already serving his youngest clients with a kids' collection (1990).

In 1993, Smith took over the traditional (established in 1885) but bankrupt work-wear company R.Newbold and quickly incorporated many of their famous cuts into his collection. With brief modification, he sells now the "4239 shirt" (42 inches on the back, 39 in the front) of R.Newbold under his name. This shirt was originally designed for agricultural laborers in Lincolnshire.

Selected Products

* Paul Smith men's collection
* Paul Smith women's collection
* PS (diffusion)
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Selected Awards

* Queen's Award for Industry