Kate did just a fabulous job covering London Fashion Week last week I almost forgot that Milan Fashion Week started on Saturday. I’ve missed so many shows already, so bare with me while I try to catch up. Who better to kick off Milan Fashion Week spring summer 2008 with than Giorgio Armani. His spring 2008 collection took us from his recent dazzling Armani Prive couture display, to the Middle East.

The collection was very fluid, filled with Arabian style music, jewels, and knotted detail accents. Always the romantic, Armani’s collection featured interesting harem style draped pants with an amazing array of lust worthy tops in lovely fitted shapes, all draped, nipped or tucks to tucked and embellished with dusts of glitter or a sprinkle of sparkle. In a colour palette of neutral tones mixed with black and a smooth green, worked fabulously with the plunging necklines, flowing sheer gowns and sparkling evening looks. There was no doubting the collection was beautiful. It’s just what we’ve come to expect from the every consistently amazing Giorgio Armani.

I love seeing a dress going from catwalk to celebrity to celebrity. The latest dress to do the rounds appeared on the catwalk in September 2005 in the Chanel spring summer 2006 runway show modeled by Mariacarla Boscono. It then appeared on the British GQ awards red carpet in 2006 on singer Lily Allen minus the chiffon straps. And popped up on Kate Beckinsale on the P.S. Arts benefit held at the Chanel boutique in Beverly Hills last week.

Who wore it best? I think Kate sparkles in it best, but Lilly looks pretty cute too.

We’ve all heard about the drama surrounding Marc Jacobs recent spring 2008 show, and still the designers designs can seem to cut a break. Fully Chic is reporting that British customs seized a black patent vinyl Marc Jacobs handbag charm in the shape of a gun. It measured 14cm long, and was seized because “it contravened some new terrorism law.” Apparently a Giles Deacon for Mulberry bag charm shaped as a mace was also seizure in a separate incident.

First our handbags supply of lip glosses are to be held in a small clear baggy, along with other beauty essentials for a long haul international flight, now our designer bag charms are coming under inspection? It’s a good thing that when I went to the US last month I had no bag charms on my Chloe bag then. Not that I own a gun shaped or mini mace bag charm. One can dream.

Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen’s contemporary sportswear collection, Elizabeth and James, is now available for you to purchase online at BergdorfGoodman.com (if you’re in the US that is - the site doesn’t ship overseason).

After a quick scan through the collection seemed to be based on clothes Mary-Kate is often snapped wearing, more than Ashley. And for a collection that is aimed at women in their “early 20s, figuring out life and just experimenting”, it is not all that affordable unless you’re first full time job is making thousands of dollars a week after bills and expenses.

“It’s a sophisticated woman with a playful side and is still chic. It’s someone who understands fashion and understands details and expects that as well. It’s [for] someone who understands the design aspects of fashion [and] the designer product, but also doesn’t want to pay designer prices,” Ashley told the WWD.

Well with the a pair of skinny pants setting you back $275, a shirt costing $225 and shorts at $225, the retail prices aren’t quite Marc Jacobs style designer prices, but more like Marc by Marc Jacob prices. So which would you choose choose to buy?

Pictured above L-R: Elizabeth & James Sequined Dress ($495); Elizabeth & James Bonfire Shirt ($225) & Super Skinny Pants ($275); Elizabeth & James Bonfire Shirt ($225), Long Muscle Tee ($95), Cocktail Shorts ($225) and Glam Jacket ($995) - made out of white dyed goat fur from China.

Last week I asked which was better, M by Mariah Carey or Chanel’s Coco Mademoiselle. This thought came about when I was I was staring into space on the bus thinking about the M by Mariah Carey fragrance after I put a bottle of it in the hands of, Suz, my friend loves everything Mariah Carey. Like Britney Spears’ Curious fragrance, she had gotten guys coming up to her and complimenting her on her fragrance. But when asked if the same thing happened when she wore her favourite Miss Dior Cherie fragrance, the answer was a simple no.

It made me wonder - if women dress for men (so the saying goes anyway, I tend to dress according to my mood and if ‘the boy’ compliments me then that is a bonus), why don’t we wear scents that men love? So Suz and I put the fragrance to the test. Last Thursday we both wore the sugary sweet M by Mariah Carey fragrance, pinging each other via email all day with various thoughts and comments. Then the following day we tried fragrances that had musk notes as well that we could wear every day - our personal favourites - Chanel Coco Mademoiselle in my case, and Miss Dior Cherie in Suz’s.

So what were the results?

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Have you ever wondered what would happen if a model had to sing for her supper? Would she sing or just not eat? Also what if a fashion magazine can’t decide between 5 sexy picture of their cover model?

• French Vogue looks like they couldn’t decide what gorgeous picture of Gisele Bundchen to print on their October 2008 cover. So they printed them all. It’s not fair that a girl can look so fabulous in a black shirt and silver belt. No wonder her hair do it the most wanted one in the world. [via Fashion Verbatim]
• Elizabeth Hurley on the cover of Cosmopolitan? What is this, the nineties? Well it’s not, but it is when Elizabeth Hurley appeared on the cover of US Cosmopolitan - in 1997 to be exact. Find out who (and what cover lines) was on the covers of Cosmopolitan 10, 20, and 30 years ago. [via Jezebel]
• Heidi Klum sings for her supper. Well, she is probably set with supper for life so perhaps not, but it is interesting to hear that she will be singing a duet with hubby Seal on his new album, System. The song is called Wedding Day, written by Seal about the couple’s wedding day in Mexico in May 2005. [via People]

Kate Gilbert comments on the ethical fashion at London Fashion Week spring summer 2008.

As the world around is waking up to the effects we are having on the planet, fashion and design is one of those areas were we are definitely dragging our heels. Despite top designers such as Stella McCartney stamping the plight of ethical issues, eco concerns seem to counteract everything high fashion is about; luxury, excessive consumption and wealth. There is also the issue that environmental concerns, by its very nature, fundamentally undermines the business of fashion; new collections come out every six months with high street stores can have up to fifteen new collections within the year, on the basis that someone somewhere will buy them. Ethical concerns undermine this and our comfortable western lifestyle; and we don’t like that. Change unnerves us. There has also been the issue in the past that ethical fashion wasn’t being produced by designers, it was being produced by environmentalists and as a result the clothes were all very green, but were not desirable in terms of appearance. This however, is changing; slowly, but surely.

So what actually are the issues? I must confess that before digging around and doing some research, I was very ignorant to the problems raised by our fashion consumption; however, when you start to delve into it, it really is quite worrying. There seems to be two levels: firstly, there is the human element and the effect clothing production has on underpaid, mistreated workers. Secondly there is the environmental impact that comes in multiple forms. To start with there are the implications the use of chemicals have on the environment. At least 8,000 chemicals are used to turn raw materials into clothes, many of these are toxic and pollute the environment, the local water and also cause lasting harm to the workers. Polyester is cheaply mass produced and found in many clothes, however it is not biodegradable; and cotton has become the focus of media debate as it makes up 40 percent of world fiber consumption and yet has to be treated heavily with damaging toxic chemicals.

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The promo site is asking the question - Who is elle? All will be revealed on October 1st 2007 at www.ysl-elle.com.So far all we know is that Elle is Yves Saint Laurent’s newest fragrances, with a bright pink long rectangular tube bottle. The description of the fragrance reads:

Yves Saint Laurent’s newest fragrance, Elle, is a ‘new era’ for YSL. Elle is a very feminine scent with a touch of the masculine. The fragrance is said to be woody, spicy and floral. It was created by perfumers Jacques Cavallier and Oliver Cresp of Firmenish, one of the top companies in the fragrance and flavour business.

It’s muse for the fragrance? YSL described a modern and urban woman, very feminine but with a touch of the masculine.

More news when we find out more!

Six of America’s leading designers have been enlisted to create one-of-a-king gowns inspired by iconic fashion pieces Grace Kelly wore in her illustrious fashion past to be auctioned off for charity. Oscar de la Renta, Carolina Herrera, Ralph Lauren, Zac Posen, Ralph Rucci and Vera Wang have all chosen their favourite Grace Kelly looks to base their designs on.

Each designer has been asked to add their own special magic to create unique looks to celebrate the fashion legacy that is Grace Kelly, Princess of Monaco.

“As Grace Kelly the actress, she gave us some of the most glamorous and stylish moments in cinematic history and as Princess of Monaco she was equally elegant and inspiring. We invite the public to view these exceptional creations at Saks as part of New York’s homage to her considerable legacy to fashion,” said Hon. Maguy Maccario Doyle, Consul General of Monaco in New York.

“Hers was an understated elegance mainly because her style was a reflection of her own personality. She was genuinely lovely inside and out. She made being stylish look easy by combining classic design with the perfect accessories.”

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