Mychael Stewart can thank a large hole in the back of his left shoe for helping him qualify for his first NCAA Indoor Championships.

When he's walking around Arkansas' campus, Stewart wears a black protective boot to cover his injured left heel. He has the boot on at all times, except when he's at home -- and of course, when he's competing in the long jump.

That's when the Bentonville High graduate goes with the customized shoe with a hole so large in the back that his foot is visible.

"The outside of the shoe was rubbing the (sore) spot, and it would just irritate that spot and it would hurt every time I took a step on it," Stewart said. "So when there is nothing there, there is nothing to rub against it. I can run."

Stewart injured the outside of his left heel late last month when he landed awkwardly on the hard track at the Southeastern Conference Indoor Championships in Lexington, Ky. He tried running with different types of padding in his shoe, but none worked.

Out of desperation, Arkansas' trainers decided to cut a rather large chunk out of the back of Stewart's long jump shoe. As odd as it might seem, the junior has had more success with part of his shoe missing.

The Bentonville native qualified for this weekend's NCAA Indoor Championships when he recorded a personal-best distance of 25 feet, 2.75 inches on his sixth and final jump in last week's Arkansas Last Chance meet.

"That kid this year has really made a believer out of me," Arkansas track and field coach John McDonnell said of Stewart, a former walk-on. "He is a tough, tough athlete. He's the type of kid that can help you win a national championship because the pain threshold is very high for that kid."

Stewart and Arkansas teammate Alain Bailey will compete in the long jump competition at 6 p.m. tonight in the Randal Tyson Track Center.

Stewart hopes to win the event, and in the process, help Arkansas defend its 2006 NCAA indoor title by capturing the school's 43rd national championship. Nothing would please McDonnell more.

This has been a trying indoor season for the No. 12 Razorbacks, who have had to deal with a rash of viral infections and other illnesses.

"I think that we definitely feel like we're going to surprise a lot of people," said Stewart, who is the only member of the Razorbacks' track and field team from Northwest Arkansas.

Stewart was named the SEC field athlete of the week on Feb. 6 after finishing first in the long jump at the New Balance Collegiate Invite with a leap of 25-1.25.

He said his heel feels much better than it did several weeks ago, and it's improved even since last week. He said he doesn't feel pain when he walks.

Along with Stewart, five other Arkansas athletes will compete in the two-day indoor championships.

But being that he grew up only a short drive away in Bentonville, Stewart expects to have a rather large cheering section of family and friends in attendance.

"I hope I can get the entire city (to come out)," Stewart said, laughing.

But his "special" left shoe can only do so much.

Cadbury Dream Model Search Hits Botany

New Zealand’s largest model search kicks off in Botany this weekend.

Open to young women aged between 13 and 24, the Cadbury Dream Model Search 2007 will be at Botany Town Centre on Saturday 5 May from 10am-12pm.

The Botany audition will be the first of ten being held nationwide throughout May. Around 100 girls are expected to turn out to the Botany Town Centre audition with more than 800 predicted nationwide.

New this year, the top five entrants will be announced at the conclusion of the audition. They will join a group of 50 semi- finalists from which 12 finalists will be chosen to go on to compete in the final in July.

Last year, Botany entrant Louise Arnold made it through to the final, while the year prior three finalists were from the East Auckland audition. How will Botany fair this year, will there by any spectacular local beauties?

“Based on the past few years, we’re expecting some great talent at Botany,” says competition organiser and Director of Nova Models, Talent & Actors, Caroline Barley.

“Each year is different of course, a region can be strong one year but not the next. Last year St Lukes turned out the most finalists, while the year before it was Botany and Whangarei. I can honestly say there is no one place that does better than the others, New Zealand girls are just as beautiful wherever you go.”

Caroline says organisers are looking for gorgeous, confident, sophisticated young women with the right look, personality and attitude for a successful career in modelling.

“We’re looking for lots of different things. Beauty comes in so many shapes and forms and there’s no one look with trends changing from year-to-year and different requirements for each job and market.

“It’s not just beauty and height, it’s also about having the right personality, a unique look that’s right for fashion, and something special that makes someone stand out. And you don’t have to be really tall either, some of our most popular models are only 5 foot 8.”

Both Caroline and co-judge Michael Hooker will be at the audition to meet with hopefuls. “It’s an opportunity to meet, have a chat and take a photo. There’s no catwalk, walking or parade involved so there’s no need to be nervous” says Caroline.

“And there’s plenty happening with C4’s Select Live presenter Joel de Fries MCing, and Jeanswest and The Edge handing out goodie bags to all entrants and Cadbury Dream chocolate. So even if you think you’re too short or not the right look, come along and have some fun, you never know!”

The overall winner of the Cadbury Dream Model Search will have their modelling career launched in New Zealand by Nova Models, Talent & Actors and will be flown to Sydney, all-expenses paid, to meet with top modeling agency Vivien’s Model Management for a test shoot with a top Australian fashion photographer. The prize also includes Cadbury Dream chocolate gift basket, flowers, a $1000 Jeanswest wardrobe, a $1000 scholarship for future travel with international manager and model placement agency Michael Hooker International (MHI), and a photo shoot with fashion magazine Lucire.

The finalists will be announced on air on The Edge’s Night Show on Tuesday 29 May. The final will be held in Auckland on Thursday 5 July, with coverage of the Cadbury Dream Model Search televised on C4 in an hour-long show airing the week after the final. To enter the Cadbury Dream Model Search, girls should fill out an entry form and take it to their nearest audition along with three photos (as specified in the terms & conditions). Entry forms are available from supermarkets, at www.cadburydreammodelsearch.co.nz and at Jeanswest stores nationwide. Girls must be aged between 13 and 24 as of 5 July 2007 to be eligible.

Entrants living outside of the audition locations can fill out the entry form and send it with three photos to: Cadbury Dream Model Search, PO Box 68-118, Newton, Auckland before Friday 25 May 2006.

The Botany audition is from 10am-12pm on Saturday 5 May at Botany Town Centre Soundshell, Cnr Ti Rakau and Te Irirangi Drive, East Auckland. Top five announced at 12.15pm. For those who can’t make it to Botany, a second Auckland audition will be held at St Lukes on Sunday 27 May from 10am-12pm.

Cadbury Dream Model Search is sponsored by Cadbury Dream, Nova Models, Talent & Actors, Jeanswest, C4 and The Edge. For more information visit www.cadburydreammodelsearch.co.nz

ENDS

The Educational Foundation will host Fore Ladies' Eyes Only on May 15 at Mission Inn La Hacienda from 6 to 9 p.m. in Howey-in-the-Hills. Cartoonist and author Jake Vest will host dinner.

Breakout sessions include, Nip It, Tuck It or Liposuck It by Dr. Pete Marzek, Ugly Duckling No More by J. Scott's Skin Care and Day Spa, and Kill Yourself with Chocolate, Your Just Desserts by Mission Inn chefs.

The evening also will feature 20 male models including Myron Leggett, Greg Nelson, Steve Richey, Keith Riddle, Bruce Saylor, Mike Stone, Rob Morris, Doug Major, Mike Sleaford, Dr. Ross Valdez, Robert Johnson, Vic Donahey, Ron Wallace, Don Tucker, Rob English, Sen. Carey Baker, Mackie McCabe, Dr. Don Burbank, Bob Cyrus and Edd Holder in "loungewear" from Trueman's Fine Men's Clothing.

Bruce Duncan will serve as auctioneer during the loungewear show and it will be commentated by Jake Vest. Tickets are $75 and proceeds benefit the Lake County teachers and students. Seating is limited. Call 352-326-1265 or e-mail cullenc@lake.k12.fl.us.

The event follows the third annual Ladies Fore Education, a golf outing for women who do not play golf.

There are two foursomes remaining for this event. Each team will have a caddie to tee off and scoring is done at the green. The Leesburg High School girls golf team will present a clinic.

Entry fee is $150 per player and $250 per caddie and includes gifts and lunch.

Registration for this event will start at 10:30 a.m. May 15 at Mission Inn. Details: 352-326-1265.

Free Internet classes

The East Lake County Library will offer free introductory Internet classes for interested patrons at 10:30 a.m. on your choice of May 7, 8 or 10 with a limit of three students per class.

One-day classes will be at the library, 31340 County Road 437, Sorrento.

To register, call 352-383-9980.

For vision-impaired students

New Vision for Independence, a not-for-profit agency, is enrolling visually impaired students in its 2007 classes at Lake-Sumter Community College.

The classes are designed for those whose vision loss prevents them from doing daily activities.

The goal of the Independent Living Skills classes is to allow vision-impaired people to return to a life of independence.

Among skills being taught during the 12-week course are clothing identification, dialing the phone, identifying money, dining, cooking and writing checks.

The agency also offers training in typing, using a computer, Braille and mobility.

More information can be obtained by calling Sandy Booth at 352-435-5040.

Salute to the troops

Soccer fans might have been excited when it was announced that David Beckham would be coming to the United States to play for the Los Angeles Galaxy. But nobody was cheering louder than the executives in the fashion and beauty industries.

Becks could be a considerable force, especially in the men's grooming sector, which already is experiencing tremendous growth (worldwide sales rose from $26.3 billion in 2005 to $29.7 billion in 2006).

The term metrosexual, for which Beckham was the poster boy, may be dead, but the man who cares about his skin, his shave and his wardrobe is not.

"Now, more than ever, men feel that it is important to take care of their skin," said Oneeka Botu, director of skin-care marketing for Clarins. "Today's man more than ever is more aware of how he looks and wants to look. Also, men have discovered what women have known all along -- that you've got to take care of your skin if you want to look well-groomed."

Companies making men's skin-care and grooming products have kicked into high gear. Men who want to erase under-eye circles, plump up fine lines and reduce pore size now don't have to filch from their girlfriend's or wife's medicine cabinet. Companies such as L'Oreal, Clarins, Kiehl's, Shiseido, Clinique, Lab Series for Men, Elemis, Anthony Logistics, Jack Black, Zirh, Sharps, Nickel, Molton Brown and Dior Homme have lines and products targeted to the XY set.

"The men's grooming category is growing at an extremely fast pace with new men's skin-care lines constantly being developed," said Rene Shepherd, men's skin-care merchant for Sephora. "Although shave still appears to be the No. 1 category, we have seen an increase in more specialized skin-care products for face, eyes and body. Products targeted to specific needs, such as razor bumps, are also proving to be very successful."

Beckham is hardly alone in caring about his skin. When he moves to Los Angeles he will join a roster of Hollywood pretty boys who don't leave home without their body scrubs and face creams. (Johnny Depp, who will be seen in May in "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End," apparently goes nowhere without La Mer skin-care products.)

Men are growing more educated about grooming products and sophisticated in choices for their beauty needs.

"It's growing. By some estimates, the product side of the business is growing twice as fast as the women's side, albeit off a much lower base," said John Esposito, co-founder of Truman's Gentlemen's Groomers in New York. "Men, especially our clients, are buying better quality product than they did in the past. They are starting to realize that there is a difference between soap on a rope and a high-quality cleanser."

Not just smarter, men also are getting more experimental when it comes to grooming, Shepherd said. "Skin care has become such a huge focus in the beauty world, and because of the serious nature, men are not as embarrassed about purchasing these sorts of protective products," she said. "It also seems as though men are becoming a bit braver in their purchasing habits, especially since the emergence of metrosexuals."

Clarins monitors and analyzes what men are buying in order to stay on top of the business. The company has seen a huge jump in facial care, especially lip products, toners, clarifiers and anti-aging treatments.

"I think that men were experimenting in the early 2000s when there was a major focus on the men's beauty business," Botu said. "Today, a lot of men have discovered what they like and what works for them and are buying those products."

But it's not just younger bucks like Becks who are taking care of their skin. As men age, they are more likely to invest in more and better grooming products, Esposito said. "One of the biggest drivers behind the boom is the baby boomer generation. They are fitter and living longer. But with a longer, healthier life comes the need to work longer, and many of them actually have to date at later ages than they ever expected," he said. "Hence, the basic survival of the fittest response kicks in. Looking good is a competitive advantage."

Artist, filmmaker and one half of a fashion designer duo, Muzaffar Ali talks about all that he holds dear, on his visit to the city.

Artist, filmmaker, television producer, fashion designer, ex-politician, social activist, philosopher - enough adjectives to describe a half a dozen people, but to describe prince of Kotwara, Raja Syed Muzaffar Ali, you are going to be groping for more.

His life has been a constant journey of self-discovery through whatever medium he has picked - be it films, paintings, clothes, music, poetry.

"Quite opposed to common belief, art is not escapist. In fact an artist is a sensitive individual who feels things in his surroundings and seeks to sensitise the world through his work," says Muzaffar Ali.

He is in town with his wife, fashion designer Meera Ali, to present their collection at a private show. "It is an effort to empower the craftsmen of my native Kotwara by taking their craft to the world. This is our way of giving back to the society we come from," Meera Ali informs us.

Influences: "Fortunately or unfortunately my life has coincided with some significant happenings in our country. The decimation of the Awadhi identity post the mutiny of 1857, loss of a beautiful language, and the partition has left a deep wedge in me. I seek to address that through my art. My stay at Kashmir while shooting for Zooni was when I first came in touch with Sufi school of thought. It is amazing how Sufism has held the soul of the valley together in spite of centuries of unending strife. Unfortunately the movie got shelved but I still hope to make something out of it at least a docudrama."

Films: I am a consummate artist at heart. When an idea strikes me, I sketch it. To me, sketches are a tool to an end. And after I see how the sketch has turned out, I choose which tool – movies, painting etc – I will need to elaborate on the thought. A film is the culmination of all art forms and that is the reason why it can have such an influence on the audience.

On the anvil: I have been working on the script of Rumi for four years. It is based on the life of sufi poet Rumi, and is a very big project that will be shot in English. We have put together a team of passionate people and are waiting for it to hit the floors. Also, I am working on a television production on Sufi poets.

Brand New Shoes Website Offers Original Selections of Shoes for Men, Women and Kids

www.ShoeShoeTrain.com announces its debut for all the shoe lovers out there. This has been specially created to be a one stop site for all footwear needs carrying a huge assortment of kid boy's and kid girl's shoes, men's shoes and women's shoes. Shoe shopping online has been made more convenient, fun and easy as top shoe brands, the hottest designs and styles as well as the latest trends have been grouped together all under one roof. With only the best selection of quality and fashion when it comes to footwear, great value and guaranteed reduced prices await every member of the family.

www.ShoeShoeTrain.com announces its debut for all the shoe lovers out there. This has been specially created to be a one stop site for all footwear needs carrying a huge assortment of kid boy's and kid girl's shoes, men's shoes and women's shoes. Shoe shopping online has been made more convenient, fun and easy as top shoe brands, the hottest designs and styles as well as the latest trends have been grouped together all under one roof. With only the best selection of quality and fashion when it comes to footwear, great value and guaranteed reduced prices await every member of the family.

Its men's and women's athletic category feature shoes for almost every sport from basketball, running, tennis, bowling and even golf. Kid's shoes have been expediently categorized into grade-school, pre-school, infants and toddlers for easy search. Both men and women alike will easily find athletic shoes, boots, casual and dress shoes, sandals and skates from its comprehensive line of over 400 well known, premium footwear brands like Adidas, Merrell, Rockport, Timberland and designer brands like Calvin Klein, Hugo Boss, Tommy Hilfiger and Ralph Lauren just to name a few. Women can have the season's most up to date styles and trendy shoes from popular shoe designers. Even comfort shoes that are anatomically designed with pads and other comfort qualities for the problematic feet can be found on this site. Vegetarians don't have to worry and be frustrated about looking for non-leather footwear with the site's selection of vegetarian shoes.

www.ShoeShoeTrain.com is dedicated and committed to giving its customers unmatched online shoe shopping experience in an easy to navigate environment to easily locate the items they wish to purchase. Have the option to browse through its alphabetically arranged brands or enter a keyword on its search section. Choose to either shop by category or by brand. All of the products come with a brief description and a picture for viewing. The site easily directs visitors to its affiliated online merchants that bring only high quality and stylish footwear for easy price comparison. Experience stress free shopping in the comfort of the home or the office at the most convenient time. There is practically no need to hop from one store to another or to visit numerous websites saving on precious time especially for busy individuals. Orders will be conveniently delivered.

Visit the site's coupon center for unparalleled savings on purchases aside from the already reduced prices being offered. Avail of 6PM.com coupons, Payless coupons, Shoemall coupons, Shoes.com coupons, Shoebuy.com coupons and Simple Shoes coupons. Sales, discounts and promotions can be redeemed from these various affiliates that strive to bring only the best in footwear needs and requirements. Examples of www.ShoeShoeTrain.com coupon center great deals include 10% off plus free shipping on all 6PM men's shoes, free shipping on every order from Shoemall without any minimum amount of purchase required, Shoes.com sweepstakes and weekly shoe giveaways, 10% off on any purchase from Shoebuff.com and a whole lot more of discounts, freebies and hot products on sale.

Shoes are an important accessory for any outfit to complete an entire look. Whether a bride to be is looking for bridal shoes, a mother looking for a cute pair for her little angel, an athlete searching for athletic shoes or a teenager on the hunt for platforms, wedges or peep toes, www.ShoeShoeTrain.com can cater to these needs. This site has everything and almost anything for work or for play, for casual or for formal, from boots to flip flops.

Many people love their feet and would only want the best in quality, comfort and the latest styles when it comes to footwear. www.ShoeShoeTrain.com goes all out to make sure that shoe lovers and fanatics have them first.

THE majority of Myer's fashion department bigwigs have quit in the past few weeks but the company is hoping to shore up its fashion commitment by hosting a raft of events at Australian Fashion Week.

"We want to reinforce our commitment to Australian fashion," Myer's director of marketing and creative services Paul Bonnici said yesterday.

The department store will host a series of extravagant breakfasts, lunches and cocktail parties for fashion media and buyers at AFW's venue at Circular Quay, Sydney - the first time Myer has had an onsite presence there in the event's 12-year history.

But members of Myer's senior buying ranks will be thin on the ground when AFW opens in Sydney today.

The company's apparel director, Bob Boutin, responsible for men's and women's clothing, footwear and accessories, resigned last week. His departure follows that of Mark Bingemann, Myer's women's wear business manager last month.

Mr Bingemann's wife and Myer's manager of footwear and accessories, Jasmine Bingemann, also resigned last week, and others to leave Myer's fashion team since the company was sold for $1.4 billion last year include national public relations manager Tracy Baker and events manager Renee Rosen.

Sources close to Myer claim all of the departures are a result of concern about a declining emphasis on designer brands.

"That is absolute nonsense," Mr Bonnici said. "The reason why they left has nothing to do with the decline of designer brands. They all had their individual reasons."

Under new owners Newbridge Capital, the company plans to cut back on smaller, less profitable suppliers and its private label brands.

Already, several notable designers have defected to David Jones, including Anna Thomas and Alex Perry, who are both showing at AFW today.

But Mr Bonnici denied the department store was going downmarket. "Myer is absolutely still committed to Australian fashion," he said. "We believe in it and we are in it for the long haul."

Responsibility for the fashion division now falls to Judy Coomber, who also runs children's wear, intimate apparel and cosmetics. She will attend AFW along with Myer's international and Australian buyer Natalie Stevens.

Myer star designers Camilla and Marc will this morning open AFW, which showcases more than 80 labels over five days.

Natalie Wood yesterday jumped the gun on the event, showing her Something Else label in a studio in the inner-city Sydney suburb of Surry Hills. "Doing something on my own suits my personal style," said Wood of her decision to show off ahead of AFW.

Soccer fans might have been excited when it was announced that David Beckham would be coming to the United States to play for the Los Angeles Galaxy. But nobody was cheering louder than the executives in the fashion and beauty industries.

Becks could be a considerable force, especially in the men's grooming sector, which already is experiencing tremendous growth (worldwide sales rose from $26.3 billion in 2005 to $29.7 billion in 2006).

The term metrosexual, for whom Beckham was the poster boy, may be dead, but the man who cares about his skin, his shave and his wardrobe is not.

"Now, more than ever, men feel that it is important to take care of their skin," said Oneeka Botu, director of skin-care marketing for Clarins.

Companies making men's skin-care and grooming products have kicked into high gear. Men who want to erase under-eye circles, plump up fine lines and reduce pore size now don't have to filch from their girlfriend's or wife's medicine cabinet.

Companies such as L'Oreal, Clarins, Kiehl's, Shiseido, Clinique, Lab Series for Men, Elemis, Anthony Logistics, Jack Black, Zirh, Sharps, Nickel, Molton Brown and Dior Homme have lines and products targeted to the XY set.

Beckham is hardly alone in caring about his skin. When he moves to Los Angeles he will join a roster of Hollywood pretty boys who don't leave home without their body scrubs and face creams.

(Johnny Depp, who will be seen in May in "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End," apparently goes nowhere without La Mer skin-care products.)

Men are growing more educated about grooming products and sophisticated in choices for their beauty needs.

"It's growing. By some estimates, the product side of the business is growing twice as fast as the women's side, albeit off a much lower base," said John Esposito, co-founder of Truman's Gentlemen's Groomers in New York.

Clarins monitors and analyzes what men are buying in order to stay on top of the business. The company has seen a huge jump in facial care, especially lip products, toners, clarifiers and anti-aging treatments.

"I think that men were experimenting in the early 2000s when there was a major focus on the men's beauty business," Botu said. "Today, a lot of men have discovered what they like and what works for them and are buying those products."

Topman, the UK's leading men's fashion retailers, offers a range of skinny jeans and slim-fit jeans for men online - a staple of 2007's summer wardrobe.

Skinny jeans (http://www.topman.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?catalogId=17551&storeId=12555&categoryId=38985&parent_category_rn=38981&langId=-1&top=Y ), also known as drainpipes, slimjims or cigarette pants, have historical roots that stretch back to the 1950s and 1960s, and have since been entrenched by both music and popular culture.

After the 1950s, drainpipes were primarily the domain of Rock n' Roll's trendiest men - most notably, Mick Jagger and The Rolling Stones in the 1960s. As fashion entered the 1970s, skinny jeans for men continued to gain prominence. The birth of punk in the late 1970s saw many male musical icons in Europe and the USA don skinny jeans as their fashion uniform of choice. From The Ramones to The Clash, and The Stooges to The Sex Pistols, skinny jeans became the emblem of punk heroes on both sides of the Atlantic.

Today, skinny jeans have been resurrected by a range of fashion and musical influences. In 2005, skinny jeans were a distinct feature in the lines of many fashion designers, like Karl Lagerfield and Stella McCartney, and the adoption of skinny jeans by male style icons, such as Pete Doherty and Mighty Boosh star Noel Fielding, has firmly sealed their presence in the modern fashion industry.

For a look which radiates Rock 'n' Roll, check out the latest Skinny Jeans from Topman. For a Topman twist on an indie favourite, look out for the great range of skinny jeans in a variety of colours to suit every mood. From red skinny jeans (http://www.topman.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=17551&storeId=12555&categoryId=38985&parent_category_rn=38981&productId=204443&langId=-1 ), grey drainpipes or the ever classic black skinny jeans (http://www.topman.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=17551&storeId=12555&categoryId=38985&parent_category_rn=38981&productId=180575&langId=-1 ), Topman has every angle of the skinny jeans market covered.

Be adventurous and go red with our Deep Claret Skinny Jeans. After all, life's too short to live in monochrome! Topman's red skinny jeans are the essential item for this season, that will add some colour to male indie wardrobes. But the true indie fanatic should opt for Topman's black skinny jeans; packed with attitude and the perfect choice for crowd surfing and stage diving to the best indie tunes.

Simply wear with a slim fitting tee and finish off with some Topman plimsolls for that perfect look.

About Topman:
Topman (http://www.topman.com/ ) offer the latest in men's fashion, encompassing a range of styles to suit every shopper. Topman's extensive collection embraces everything from the latest fashion trends to classic pieces, and extends to footwear, accessories and formal wear. Topman also provide the simplest way to search for and buy men's clothing, placing it among the leading fashion retailers in the UK market today.

Spring is here and it's time to change your wardrobe, but many men may not know what's hot and what's not when it comes to fashion.

Peter Roberti with Adrian Jules says more and more men are starting to lose the casual jeans and dress up with more sports coats.

To help men make the right fashion choices, Peter holds these seminars where men can come to learn more about tie knots, the latest clothing fabrics even the newest suit cuts for the spring.

“Men more and more are concerned about the way they look, how they feel,” said Peter. “They're going to the gym to get in better shape. They're using products for their faces to look younger. And they want to look better in their clothing."

There will be other seminars coming up in June and July.

sh

Adrian Jules

The fashion world is expected to descend on London's Oxford Street tonight when Kate Moss's new clothes line goes on sale in Topshop.

Long queues are expected outside the flagship store where shoppers will be allowed in for just 20 minutes at a time.

The supermodel was reportedly paid £3m to create the new range.

It is made up of 50 designs priced from £12 for a vest top to £150 for a cropped leather jacket.

The Oxford Street store will close at 5.30pm before reopening at 8pm for a four-hour period.

Fashion expert Karen Clarkson told Sky News Online the new range is likely to be a massive hit.

"It's going to be huge," she said. "There has been such an overwhelming lead-up to it, it will be such a success this summer."

She added: "Kate is someone who is always in the news, she's always in the newspapers and she is one of the world's most talked about women."

Moss is rumoured to be promoting the London preview event by posing as a mannequin in the shop window.

But the collection has been criticised by media in the US, with the New York Post describing the designs as: ".. like Kate copying a lot of other people's stuff Kate's worn before."

The range goes on sale in 225 stores tomorrow.

Purchases will be limited to five pieces per shopper to prevent items being sold on eBay.

Moss has been a permanent fixture in the tabloid headlines thanks to her affair with Babyshambles front man Pete Doherty and allegations of cocaine use.

The drugs controversy saw Moss dumped by Burberry but her career has since become stratospheric.

The Sunday Times Rich List estimates her wealth to be £45m.

IRANIAN police have warned barbers against offering western-style haircuts or plucking the eyebrows of male customers, an Iranian newspaper has reported.

The report, confirmed by an Iranian news agency, appeared to be another sign of a crackdown on clothing and other fashion deemed to be against Islamic values.

"Western hairstyles... have been banned," the newspaper Etemad said.

The move came a week after police launched a crackdown against the growing numbers of young women testing the limits of the law with shorter, brighter and skimpier clothing ahead of the summer months.

Under Iran's Islamic Sharia law, women must cover their hair and wear long, loose- fitting clothes to disguise their figures. Violators can receive lashes, fines and prison.

In a statement, police said: "Barber shops have been warned to avoid using Western hairstyles and doing men's eyebrows."

In recent years, young men in Iran have started paying more attention to the way they look and dress. Spiked up hair is known as the khorusi (rooster) style and some men also use make-up.

Several men's hairdressers in Tehran offer cuts in the style of Hollywood stars and western celebrities. Clients can also have their eyebrows plucked.

Mohammad Eftekharifard, the head of the barbers' union, said police had instructed the union to "exercise specific regulations in barber shops that work under its supervision".

Barbers who do not adhere to the rules may be closed for a month and lose operating permits, Etemad quoted him as saying.

Tehran: Iranian police have warned barbers against offering Western-style hair cuts or plucking the eyebrows of their male customers, Iranian media said on Sunday.

The report by a reformist daily, later confirmed by an Iranian news agency, appeared to be another sign of the authorities cracking down on clothing and other fashion deemed to be against Islamic values.

"Western hair styles ... have been banned," the newspaper Etemad said in a front-page headline.

It came a week after police launched a crackdown against the growing numbers of young women testing the limits of the law with shorter, brighter and skimpier clothing ahead of the summer months.

Under Iran's Islamic sharia law, imposed after the 1979 revolution, women are obliged to cover their hair and wear long, loose-fitting clothes to disguise their figures.

Violators can receive lashes, fines and imprisonment. The student news agency, ISNA, quoted a police statement as saying: "In an official order to barber shops, they have been warned to avoid using Western hair styles and doing men's eyebrows."

Iranian young men have in recent years started paying more attention to the way they look and dress, especially in affluent parts of the capital Tehran. Spiked up hair, by using gel, is known as the khorusi (rooster) style and some also use make-up.

Several hairdressers for men in Tehran offer cuts in the style of Hollywood movie stars and other Western celebrities. Clients can also have their eyebrows plucked.

The head of the barbers' union, Mohammad Eftekharifard, said police had instructed it to "exercise specific regulations in barber shops that work under its supervision."

Barbers who do not follow these rules might be closed down for a month and even lose their permits to operate, Etemad quoted him as saying.

"Currently some barber shops apply make-up and use hair styles that are in line with those in European countries and America," Eftekharifard said.

He added: "An official order has been sent to the union ... not to apply make-up on men's faces (or) do eyebrows ... and hence the barbers are not allowed to do these things."

Since hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad won the presidency in 2005 promising a return to the values of the revolution, hardliners have pressed for tighter controls on what they consider immoral behaviour.

The long-awaited new fashion range from supermodel KATE MOSS is due to hit shops in London this evening, with the rest of the UK getting their hands on the clothes from tomorrow morning.

Kate's Topshop range will be unveiled at the chain's flagship Oxford Street store at 20:00 BST, with fans limited to just five items each and 20 minutes' shopping time to grab what they can, while being limited to trying on just eight garments each.

And shoppers across the country will all be subjected to the same rules, which are designed to prevent the clothes hitting online auction site eBay too quickly.

Experts fear another "shopper frenzy", similar to the scenes witnessed at the nearby Primark store in Oxford Street, the cut-price clothing chain which opened to screams, pushes, pulls and grabbing from hundreds of female shoppers earlier this month.

"The first drop of commercially-priced product will sell out in record time because like her or not, a bulk of young female shoppers in the UK want to buy into the Kate Moss look and what she represents," Laura Weir, senior reporter for fashion site Drapers, told the BBC

As a costume designer, Pei-Chi Su had a special interest in working on "Intimate Apparel."

Lynn Nottage's play, "Intimate Apparel," which begins previews Thursday at City Theatre, is about Esther, an unmarried African-American woman who designs and creates beautiful lingerie for women in 1905 Manhattan.

She creates lavish corsets and other undergarments for Uptown socialites, Tenderloin prostitutes and brides-to-be who live in her boarding house with fabrics she buys from Mr. Marks, an Orthodox Jewish merchant.

"The story is such a wonderful piece. It's about a seamstress working on intimate apparel, and at the time it would only be seen by your man," Su says. "She imagines a lot of romance in the bedroom, and she sometimes feels lonely creating all these pieces for others and nothing for herself.


"The reason her work is good is that she actually puts thought into it -- how the men will undo the corset, the sassiness of it."

Among the costumes Su is designing for the play are a number of corsets the actresses will wear.

"It takes a great deal of intricate work and precise fitting, but it's easier to start from scratch than adjust an already built corset," Su says. "Corsets are very hard to alter, and there's such great discussion in the play about how beautiful the corset is. I want to do my best."

In many ways, Su's work is much like Esther's. But, she says, there's one big difference in the way the garments are ultimately used.

"Right now, I am also having fantasies imagining the actors on stage presenting their fantasy for me," Su says. "But for her, that would be something she is not able to see."

As a costume designer, Su knows that clothes do more than cover actors' bodies. They also speak volumes about the play's characters.

That's particularly true in "Intimate Apparel."

Nottage uses the garments Esther creates as a way of expressing both Esther's dreams and longings and those of her clients.

"Everybody appreciates her when she's doing the garment," Su says. "But they're using the pieces to get what they want. There's something sad about that."

Esther's clients appreciate her work, but they don't see the artistry of what she does. For the women who purchase them, they're simply devices to an end.

"A lot of women still think, 'If I put on sexy underwear, my husband will love me,'" Su says. "These should be wonderful relationships, and nobody's happy. That's something I think is very interesting."

The garments also serve as symbolic devices that help explain what prevents Esther's dreams from becoming reality, Su says. Esther creates sensual pieces, but does not know how to be sensual.

When her long-distance correspondence with George leads to marriage, Esther sews a smoking jacket for her new husband, using a length of expensive Japanese silk she purchased from her merchant friend Mr. Marks, and builds herself a white satin wedding corset embroidered with orange blossoms.

That clothing forecasts the difference between Esther and George and the path their marriage will take.

"George cannot wait to take (Esther's) clothes off. Mr. Marks would have spent 30 minutes talking about the cloth," Su says. "The smoking jacket she builds for George does not fit. Does that mean she got cheated on her partner, her lover? But it fits Mr. Marks perfectly. Does that mean Mr. Marks is her ideal man?"

Like Esther, Su finds it easier to create garments for others than it is to create them for herself.

"I never sew for myself," Su says. "If I do two shows with an actor, I can find outfits for them and get them to fit. But for myself, it's a huge problem. ... It's easier to create for other persons because you can think what you want. But it's difficult to know yourself.

"That may be part of Esther's problem as well."

More than 100 student protesters of the UW’s Sweat Free Coalition (SFC) marched past thousands of UW students, staff and visiting high schoolers in Red Square Friday, as they demanded an end to the use of sweatshop labor for the production of UW apparel.

With the deadline for President Mark Emmert’s decision regarding UW apparel production scheduled for tomorrow, SFC leaders were anxious to spread their message to the masses.

“We must ask, ‘What does our school stand for?’” said senior April Nishimura, a member of the Student Labor Action Project.

The SFC is part of a larger nationwide movement dubbed the Designated Suppliers Program (DSP). This group aims to “consolidate the factories in which college clothes are made and monitor these factories to secure garment workers a living wage and the right to unionize,” Nishimura said.

About 10 protesters turned to humor, wearing cheerleader outfits in what might have been a therapeutic attempt at lightening the mood of protesting in the name of millions of sweatshop workers who manufacture clothing lines for the UW and other colleges.

To the tune of the late ‘80s TV series “Captain Planet,” the cheerleaders raised their hands together in the middle of the HUB lawn and shouted “Rights! Fair wages! Dignity! Solidarity! Heart! By these powers combined, we are the Sweat Free Coalition!”

Bongos beat, bluegrass guitars twanged and a bagpipe blared a spine-tingling funeral oration as the marchers left the HUB lawn and made their way past Mary Gates Hall and into Red Square, where hundreds of UW faculty and staff had gathered for an appreciation event.

The protesters assembled in front of Kane Hall, where they unfurled a banner that read “Explore an alternative to sweatshops; Enjoy fairly made clothes; Educate our community into action.”

“Words of truth: Just don’t buy UW apparel,” said junior Nathan Gottlieb, a bystander near Kane Hall.

Following the banner’s unfurling, the march continued back to the Quad, where participants parted ways and Nishimura and others spoke with local TV and radio reporters.

“We’re almost at the tipping point; it’s going to happen soon,” Nishimura said. “If [Emmert] doesn’t issue a statement of adoption, we’ll be taking action.”

The manufacture of UW apparel takes place at more than 8,000 factories worldwide, many in Latin America. Tomorrow, as Chicano student group, MEChA, marches to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the nationwide immigration strike and protests, SFC members will join in solidarity to support their cause.

Reach reporter Jake Sommer at news@thedaily.washington.edu.

Stymied by an inert stock price, Jones Apparel CEO Peter Boneparth is reported to be considering the sale of luxury department store chain Barneys New York, the company's best-performing asset. Barney's is not yet on the market and Jones has declined to comment in advance of earnings, which will be reported Wednesday. The 2004 purchase of Barneys for $400 million was questioned by analysts as inconsistent with Jones's moderate portfolio, which includes Nine West and Gloria Vanderbilt. Barneys has thrived, however, vindicating Boneparth's advocacy of the high-end purchase. If Jones sells Barneys, it can use the proceeds to buy back stock, invest in brands or buy new ones. A sale could also, however, make Jones even more vulnerable to weakness in the moderate apparel sector. It would come at a difficult time for the company: Boneparth just fired Heather Pech, the head of the retail division; CFO Thimios Sotos resigned last month; and Boneparth himself has failed to reach a contract extension agreement with the company. Boneparth attempted last year to sell the whole company to a private equity firm, a move that ended ignominiously five months later when the auction was canceled due to insufficient bids.


Sources: Wall Street Journal
Commentary: Jones Apparel: Room to Grow -- Barron's • No Private Equity Suitors for Bally, Jones Apparel, Others
Stocks/ETFs to watch: Jones Apparel Group, Inc. (NYSE: JNY - News). Competitors: AnnTaylor Stores Corp. (NYSE: ANN - News), Liz Claiborne Inc. (NYSE: LIZ - News). ETFs: Retail HOLDRS ETF (AMEX: RTH - News), SPDR S&P Retail (AMEX: XRT - News), PowerShares Dynamic Retail (AMEX: PMR - News)

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When pictures of her allegedly snorting cocaine made headlines in the UK in 2005, fashion industry analysts predicted the end of supermodel Kate Moss. However, she's now laughing all the way to the bank by finding a place on the list of Britain's 100 wealthiest women.

At the time of her scandal, which saw the supermodel being dubbed 'Cocaine Kate', Moss was dumped by fashion houses Chanel, Burberry and H and M.

However, she soon made a comeback in 2006, earning an estimated 30 million pounds in the year thanks to deals with Virgin Mobile, Longchamp, Stella McCartney and Calvin Klein, reports the Daily Mail.

Now, the model is having the last laugh, for she is valued by the Rich List at 45 million pounds including property assets - a sum that she's her entering the list for the UK's wealthiest women for the first time at number 99.

Also on the list is new divorcee Irina Abramovich, the former wife of Russian billionaire and Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich, thanks to the reported 155 million pounds she took away from the couple's divorce.

Also on the list is Jacqueline Gold, founder of High Street sex shop Ann Summers, as well as Meena Pathak, the woman behind one of the country's most successful food companies.

The list has been compiled since 1989 by the British national Sunday newspaper The Sunday Times and published as an annual supplement to the newspaper called the Sunday Times Rich List

The list is based on an estimate of the minimum identifiable wealth such as land, property and other assets such as art and shares, of the richest 1,000 people or families in the United Kingdom as of January of that year.

However, the list does not include bank accounts, which are confidential. (ANI)

Women in Britain just keep getting richer, setting a record high in the Sunday Times Rich List.

The number of women in the top 1,000 wealthiest people in the country rose by 20 per cent this year to 92 regardless of the entry bar being raised to £70 million to account for what the newspaper describes as a "rising tide of wealth".

Women who make it into the overall richest people include Jacqueline Gold, founder of High Street sex shop Ann Summers, who together with father David and uncle Ralph reaches 133 with a £550 million fortune; Swede Cristina Stenbeck, who inherited her father's Stenbeck media empire, a new entry at number 205 with £387 million; and Caroline Nash, who has made £70 million by cornering the market in motorcycle insurance, at joint 949.

Another new entrant is Irina Abramovich, who reputedly made £155 million from her divorce from Russian billionaire and Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich, landing her at 452nd place.

And despite predictions that her career was over when she was dropped by Chanel, Burberry and H&M following cocaine allegations in 2005, supermodel Kate Moss tops her spectacular come back with a first entry into the who's who of 100 wealthiest women.

The Croydon-born British Fashion Awards Model of the Year, whose new collection is expected to provoke a stampede in London's Oxford Street Topshop tomorrow, is thought to have earned £30 million in 2006 alone through lucrative contracts with giants such as Virgin Mobile, Longchamp, Stella McCartney and Calvin Klein.

She is valued by the Rich List at £45 million including property assets - among these a £2 million Cotswolds home - meaning she scrapes into the top 100 women at joint 99 with LK Bennett shoe boss Linda Bennett.

Other new entries into the women's top 100 wealthiest include Meena Pathak, the woman behind one of the country's most successful food companies - Patak, at 28 with £205 million; website Bebo founder Xochi Birch, at joint 43 with £150 million, and Champneys health farm head Dorothy Purdew, at joint 55 with £105 million.

The 19th annual Sunday Times Rich List, which describes itself as "the definitive guide to wealth in Britain and Ireland", is based on identifiable wealth such as land, property and other assets such as art and shares, but does not include bank accounts, which are confidential.

Supermodel Kate Moss crosses to the other side of the catwalk with her eagerly awaited designer clothing range, when Topshop opens its doors to what many expect to be a fashion frenzy.

It is the first foray into design by one of the world's most photographed women, the trigger for fashion trends from skinny jeans to sawn-off shorts.

"We expected the publicity to be big, but not this big," Mary Homer, one of Topshop's managing directors, told Reuters.

The store has 2,000 umbrellas ready for queuing shoppers in the event of rain when the range goes on sale at its flagship Oxford Circus store before opening nationwide on May 1.

During the next two weeks, the collection will launch in another 21 countries, including at upmarket US store Barney's.

The 50 piece range stretches from STG12 ($A29) for a tight-fitting vest to a leather jacket for STG150 ($A362).

To try to prevent fights among shoppers, each person will be able to buy only five items.

Moss, who cut a STG3 million ($A7.25 million) deal with Topshop, is the latest celebrity hired by a retailer to help win an increasingly competitive battle for fashion-savvy mid-market shoppers.

Madonna is now starring at H&M and will soon be followed at the Swedish chain by Kylie Minogue, while singer Lily Allen has struck a deal with New Look.

While H&M saw its March sales surge 17 per cent thanks to Madonna, Moss, whose every fashion move is followed by the British press, is expected to be a bigger hit because of her history of inspiring millions of women's wardrobe choices.
REUTERS

The puck stopped here.

Toledo Storm fans stood in a long line at the Sports Arena yesterday to buy T-shirts, pennants, game-worn uniforms, souvenir pucks, and other memorabilia from the defunct hockey team.

It was a close-out sale for the team that played its final game in Toledo on April 14.

“We got here an hour early so we could get in line,” said season-ticket holder Jody Sohnly, 55, holding a hockey stick used by Storm player Paul Crosty; “stinky real” game gloves used by T.J. Sakaluk and Ken Magowan, and other merchandise bearing the Storm logo.

Ms. Sohnly, known as “Mama Jody” by many fans who attended regularly, called it a sad day for Toledo hockey fans.

She had bought season tickets for 2007-2008. When Storm officials announced last month that there will be no more hockey here until 2009, Ms. Sohnly used the credit from her tickets to stock up on discounted Storm memorabilia.

The ECHL team is being sold to a nonprofit group, Toledo Arena Sports, Inc., run by the Toledo Mud Hens.

When hockey returns to Toledo in the fall of 2009, it will be played by a new team with a new moniker in a new downtown arena. The 60-year-old Sports Arena will be demolished to make way for the Marina District project.

“I’m hooked on hockey,” said Sarah Janowiecki, 20, of South Toledo. She and several other fans traveled to Dayton, Cincinnati, and Port Huron and Grand Rapids, Mich., to watch the Storm play away games.

“I’m upset. I’m disappointed,” said Ms. Janowiecki, who bought a Magowan practice jersey. “I didn’t have much experience with hockey. This is the first time I had season tickets. Mama Jody befriended me and now it’s become like my second family here.”

Jim Foust, 56, of Toledo wore a red Storm ballcap with two black ribbons pinned to it.

“I’m in mourning,” he said. “I’ve had season tickets since ’75-76. This is sad that all this is happening.”

Like many Storm fans, Mr. Foust said he will “wait and see” whether he goes to games when the new team debuts.

“It all depends on the prices and how well we’re treated,” he said. “I’m afraid they’re going to try to turn a blue-collar town into a white-collar town.”

Danelle Bunce, 16, of Toledo broke down and cried when the person in front of her bought the last game jersey of her favorite player, Tim Songin.

Ms. Janowiecki gave her a long hug in consolation. After Danelle wiped away the tears, she bought a pair of game-worn hockey pants, stepped into the sweaty, oversized garment, and posed like a fashion model.

She and her friends, sisters Olivia Keil, 16, and Caitlyn Keil, 18, walked out of the Sports Arena with arms full of gear — helmets, gloves, jerseys, T-shirts, foam fingers, key chains, and more — from their beloved Storm.

“We were kind of cheerleaders,” Olivia said. “We always wore shorts to the games and different colored socks ... We love this place.”

The Sports Arena’s marquee bid farewell to fans with this sign: “1947-2007. Thanks for the Memories. 60 Seasons.”

Since minor-league hockey came to Toledo in 1947, the city has had a number of franchises and team nicknames, including the Mercurys, Buckeyes, Blades, Hornets, Goaldiggers, and, from 1991 to 2007, the Storm.
Kent Nusbaum, 11, of Temperance was buying marked-down hockey gear for practical reasons. He plays for the Monroe Ice Hawks and needed shoulder pads, knee pads, elbow pads, a helmet with visor, and even a case of 60 rolls of athletic tape.

“We’ll never have to buy tape again,” said his mother, Kathy Nusbaum, adding that the family spent about $500 on hockey equipment yesterday.

John Marsh, 55, of Sylvania wore an autographed black Storm sweater from the 2002-03 season, when he was honored by the team for being a devout fan. He showed his team pride by handing out business cards with his name, address, and honorary title, “Toledo Hockey Legend.”

Outside, Shirley Shea, 71, of Toledo held a red Storm umbrella and a bag full of souvenirs.

“I’m sick about it,” said Ms. Shea, who wore a gray Storm T-shirt and had her hair in rollers. “My husband was working here about 30 years, since they were the Goaldiggers,” she said.

Her son, Bill Shea, Jr., 35, said he worked as an assistant equipment manager for the Storm and has mixed feelings that the team is now history.

“It’s kind of sad, but it’s kind of time for it to go. It’s time for something new. The arena is starting to break down,” he said.

His friend, Kelly Conley, 37, was a stick kid for the Goaldiggers and an assistant equipment manager for the Storm.

“I met a lot of great people — fans and players,” he said. “It’s kind of sad to see them go, but it will be good for the city to have a new team. This is the smallest rink in the ECHL.”

Ms. Shea said that while she is “still upset about this,” she expects to go to games again when the new team plays in 2009.

“I can’t stay away from hockey,” she said.

Contact David Yonke at:dyonke@theblade.comor 419-724-6154.

A former model, Mindy Matter Diamond launched an image consulting business and resurrected her flair for fashion.

A Barbie doll with a pink satin gown and fur sparked Mindy Matter Diamond's interest in fashion at age 8.

More than four decades later, she still credits that doll with teaching her to ''dress for success'' -- a motto she now uses as an image consultant.

The Miami Beach resident and former model launched her company, Prosperous Outlook, about six months ago. She said she now has a client base of more than 100 men and women, from billionaires revamping their wardrobes to lower-income clients reentering the workforce.

Last week she launched her website, www.prosperousoutlook.com, and is networking by word of mouth.

She takes a hands-on approach. Within five minutes at Saks Fifth Avenue in Bal Harbour, Matter Diamond combed through dresses and selected three summer items for a client.

Matter Diamond said she meets with clients to understand their personalities, then takes them shopping for clothes that enhance their confidence. Most clients return to her for more styling help, she said.

''What I love to capture, what I am asking them to share with me, is helping them step into their power,'' said Matter Diamond, dressed in a fitted dark suit with a white blouse.

She's confident her new business will survive because she keeps up to date with trends and is experienced in the fashion industry. She hopes to create a family business that her two sons can inherit.

Matter Diamond, 54, sold clothes and modeled during her junior and senior high school years and continued to work in retail during college. She worked in banking in her 20s and then held several jobs, including director of membership for the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce.

She was hired at Saks Fifth Avenue in 1995 as a Donna Karan New York specialist and later became a sales associate. From 2001 to 2003 she worked simultaneously as a sales associate for Saks, model, consultant for the Chamber of Commerce and broker for a jewelry designer. She left the jobs around 2003 because ''I just needed to take a rest,'' she said. She later worked as a paralegal.

While volunteering at Unity on the Bay church in Miami, she received compliments on her style and decided to reenter the fashion world. About a year ago, she came up with the concept for Prosperous Outlook.

Matter Diamond said she operates under the motto ''Dress impeccably, they notice the essence,'' a version of Coco Chanel's famous line.

Women of the world rejoice: This is not the season of the skimpy swimsuit.

Michael Kors put full-cut bikinis on the runway two years ago, and Abaete designer Laura Poretzky has been making pinup-style suits since 2004. But the retro swimwear trend really took off with the spring collections, when Stella McCartney showed a playful blue-and-green two-piece with bloomers on the bottom, and Karl Lagerfeld channeled Brigitte Bardot with a boucle knit bandeau and briefs at Chanel. Miuccia Prada made the most convincing case for poolside modesty when she paired jewel-tone satin tunics and turbans straight out of "Sunset Boulevard."

More than anyone else, Prada broke from the kind of ornamentation that had been driving fashion. Above all, she exulted the female form, putting the spotlight on the most innocent of feminine assets, a great pair of gams.

And as unimaginable as it might have seemed, our bare-it-all pop culture is catching on to the coverup trend. Scarlett Johansson played the 1940s starlet in the April issue of Vogue, baring very little as she posed in Dolce & Gabbana and Prada at the pool and the beach. Another curvy girl, Beyonce Knowles, posed for the cover of the latest Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue in a yellow-and-orange bikini of her own design with an ample boy-cut brief.

This move toward covering up could be a reaction to too many years of Britney Spears and Paris Hilton. But it's also about a renewed interest in getting dressed, even for the pool. It's about returning the mystery to fashion by not letting it all hang out.

Wearing today's retro-inspired styles with ruching around the middle, low-cut legs and sweetheart necklines requires the confidence to appear as if one might have something to hide — a flabby midriff, rounded thighs or breasts not augmented by implants. Add a turban and you're really challenging the notion of what's conventionally sexy, with headgear rarely seen on anyone younger than 70.

But where bathing suits are concerned, today's safe was yesterday's scandalous. Soon after Aussie marathon swimmer Annette Kellerman arrived on U.S. shores in 1907, she was arrested for trotting out a bare-legged bathing costume at Revere Beach near Boston. (At the time, women were still splashing around in pantaloons and sailor dresses.) After she famously said in court, "I want to swim. And I can't swim wearing more stuff than you hang on a clothes line," the charges were dropped.

It was Kellerman who turned the overburdened, puritanical exercise of bathing into the body-conscious act of swimming. By 1913, Jantzen was manufacturing one-pieces under the slogan "the suit that changed bathing into swimming," and swimwear officially had become fashionable.

Movie producers caught on, realizing that if they made films about swimming, they could get around the censors and show women's bodies on screen. Kellerman starred in several silent pictures during the teens and 1920s, including "Neptune's Daughter" (1914) and "Venus of the South Seas" (1924).

Although pools were popular with the nation's elite from the beginning of the 20th century, it was through Hollywood that swimming and swimwear really entered the public consciousness.

During the Depression, Busby Berkeley-staged film spectaculars, such as "Footlight Parade" (1933), were the ultimate in escapist fare. The set for the film's 15-minute aquacade, "By a Waterfall," complete with an 80-by-40-foot swimming pool, took up an entire soundstage. It was constructed with glass walls and a glass floor so the 100 swimmers could be filmed from every angle. The glamorous nymphs wore jeweled bathing caps that would put Prada's turbans to shame, sparkling full-cut suits that are suggestive but not overtly sexy and diamond cuffs — always smil-

ing as they paddle in perfect formation. The result was so incredible that the audience at the New York premiere gave it a standing ovation.

Esther Williams, the 100-meter Olympic finalist, continued to romanticize swimming with a string of popular films during the 1940s and '50s, endorsement deals with swimwear company Cole and eventually her own swimwear label.

Noticing the public's growing appetite for pinups, MGM studio boss Louis B. Mayer realized he could strike box-office gold if he could find a female swimming champion who was also beautiful. Williams fit the bill perfectly and went on to star in such aptly titled vehicles as "Bathing Beauty" (1944), "Dangerous When Wet" (1953) and "Million Dollar Mermaid" (1952), a biopic about Kellerman. All the while, she posed in swimsuits, giving magazines, newspapers and military journals an excuse to run cheesecake shots while retaining a veneer of respectability.

Pinup photography, as tame as it seems now, did help bring bareness to the mainstream, making it acceptable, even desirable for women to expose more of their bodies in public.

With the postwar economic boom, they had ever more opportunities — swimming pools sprang up in parks and motels, and they became jewels in the suburban lifestyle. Everyone learned how to swim, both men and women.

All too quickly, pools also came to suggest something more sinister, particularly in late '60s films such as "The Graduate" and "The Swimmer," the adaptation of a John Cheever story. They became a symbol of privilege and class, isolation and complacency. In other words everything the youthful baby boomers were fighting against.

Glamour girl swimwear lost its allure too as bikinis became smaller and smaller. In 1964, Rudi Gernreich helped usher in the sexual revolution with his monokini, the idea being that women were now free to go topless. That didn't take. He also designed the first thong bikini. We know where that went.

But this summer we've come full circle. Fashion is telling us to hark back to a simpler time, when a pair of oversized sunglasses, a shapely swimsuit and a heady self-possession could make illusion the reality.

Now that we've seen nearly everyone in Hollywood naked, there's something to be said for covering up.

Victoria Beckham has been caught out committing a serious fashion error.

The former Spice Girl, who spent just 36 hours in LA this weekend, was spotted shopping in Beverly Hills wearing the exact same dress as she wore on the same day last year in New York.

Waiting 12 months to wear the same dress would be an amazing feat for mere mortals - but it's the equivalent of social death for a full-on fashionista like Posh. She even had the same handbag.

At least the 33-year-old has changed her shoes and sunglasses in the past year, and of course her hair style.

Perhaps realising her faux pas, she hit the Beverly Hills boutiques with her Hollywood pal Katie Holmes.

The Beckham black Am-Ex was seen flashing in H.Lorenzo and Marc Jacobs.

She flew over on Saturday to sign the deeds to the Beckham's new six-bedroom pad in LA, which is just down the road from their pals Tom Cruise and Katie.

Just 36 hours later, vanity case in hand, Posh - dressed in a striped jumper and leather cap - boarded a plane back home.

Meanwhile it was announced today that Vic's hubby David, who's 32 on Wednesday, is the most "Googled" person in the world after mock photos of him wearing his... erm... birthday suit appeared on the web.

Gorgeous gowns, sexy swimsuits, cool casual styles. And what every girl is crazy about — a sharp-dressed man. Make that men.

The fashion show at the 40th annual Best Dressed Ball had it all. The show kicked off with easy-to-wear sportswear, such as cute capri pants and flirty tops, skirts and dresses, from Etcetera, then was hitting on all cylinders as the models sashayed — when you look this good you have to sashay — down the runway in fabulous evening gowns from Chatta Box.

The men, dressed by Martinez Custom Clothier, were not to be outdone. Their casual, business and formal styles were nothing short of tailoring at its sartorial best.

Then came the oh-so-hot swimsuit scene. One-piece or two, these great looks from Stella Boutique will heat up any beach, anywhere. The men showed off trunks from Avatar.

The finale was a tribute to the Krewe of Artemis, a women’s Mardi Gras group that sponsors the ball with the Men of Capital Sertoma Club.

Wearing the krewe’s spangled, feathered back pieces, the swimsuit-clad models made turns and twists that ended the night on a daring note.

Singer LILY ALLEN has hit out at KATE MOSS' fashion collection insisting her own range for a rival high street store will be more successful. Moss today (30Apr07) launches her designs for British chain store Topshop, a week before Allen's Lily Loves range for New Look is unveiled. But Allen isn't scared of the competition. She says, "I've seen a couple of pieces - they look cool. Would I wear them? Me, personally? I don't think I'd fit in them. "All my dresses are super-girly but that doesn't mean you have to be a size zero. The more curves the better! Fashion is for everyone, not just a load of super-skinny models."

Get ready for a mini moment. Australian Fashion Week, previewing this summer's style highlights, has commenced with a particularly short start.

Camilla and Marc, the fashion fest's opening show attended by stars including The Veronicas, started with the shortest of shift dresses in simple white and a touch cobalt blue.

See a gallery of the opening-day highlights here.

Lisa Ho also showed the super-short length this morning, but in looser trapeze style.

"It's all about being light and breezy," she said.

For those not left with model mile-high legs, the answer is to team the mini with chunky platform wedges. Ho's shoes are six inches high.

"Heavier shoes add to the drama and silhouette," she said.

Online retail chain ASOS today said its website was attracting record visitor levels after a year in which sales doubled.

ASOS, which serves 18 to 34-year-olds with fashion items similar to those worn by celebrities, posted sales of £38.4m (€56.2m) for the 12 months to March 31.

That was an increase of 111%, but with the Buncefield oil depot forcing the closure of its warehouse a year earlier, ASOS said a figure of 80% more accurately reflected the performance of the business.

It said ASOS.com recorded its highest traffic levels ever in March, with more than two million visitors to the website.

The '60s are back — again — in fashion. The first clue: those mini dresses that are expected to be everywhere this spring and summer. Second clue: the bold colors and geometric patterns on the dresses, not to mention blouses, tops, slacks, shoes, bags, belts, jewelry and headgear.

"Fashion is having a mod moment," says Laurie Brookins, senior fashion editor at Ocean Drive and Vegas magazines. "There's a lot of '60s influence on the runways, a lot of A-line and trapeze dresses. And graphic, geometric patterns play well in those shapes."

And young women are discovering the appeal of mod for the first time. "Girls in their 20s, who weren't even gleams in their mothers' eyes in the '60s, see it as young and fun and fabulous."

But how to wear the look without resembling a walking test pattern? Brookins examines how to channel the '60s today:

CHUNKY, NOT CLUNKY

Sometimes a bag or a scarf or a piece of chunky jewelry is enough. "If you're doing a cute khaki shift dress, and you throw an amazing Pucci scarf around your neck, that's a flawless look that's going to be just as fabulous next year or five years from now."

DON'T GO OVERBOARD

"This is a very 'Look at me' idea, so you want to make sure you don't spill over into fashion-victim territory. Say you have a black-, white- and aqua-patterned dress. You'd pair that with a great pair of white or black shoes but not aqua."

FOR ALL BODY TYPES

Go minimalist when pairing geometrics. "Never mix two prints. Pair a solid with a geometric in whatever color works with the print." And go for spare lines: "a pencil skirt, not ruffle skirt. Capri pants or even a wide-legged pant but not a cuffed pant. You don't want to pull the eye away from the graphic print."

Plus, the look works on curves. "A graphic print top paired with black pants to minimize it is for every body type."

T-STRAP IS BACK

"A T-strap sandal might marry very nicely" with a geometric print top. And though flats are everywhere this spring, "it depends on the woman. It might be totally cute, but maybe a platform sandal will help lengthen the leg."

Animal rights campaigners have praised KATE MOSS for making her new fashion line fur-free. PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) have criticised Moss for wearing animal fur in the past, but have sent her flowers and a certificate of appreciation after she unveiled her range of clothes for British high street chain Topshop. A statement from the group reads, "Unlike Beyoncé and Jennifer Lopez - who have designed fashion ranges which are littered with the corpses of strangled and electrocuted animals - Moss has chosen to work with Topshop, a PETA pal that is outspoken about its strict anti-fur stance. Though Moss's current range is a spring/summer collection, PETA is pleased that it will never contain fur, no matter the season." PETA Director Poorva Joshipura says, "Opinion polls consistently show that the vast majority of women in the UK would never wear real fur. Kate Moss' new Topshop fur-free range is a killer look without killing animals, and for this, it is only right and fair to extend our thanks".

Fashion bosses are preparing themselves for stampedes and storms as supermodel Kate Moss' collection goes on sale at the British retailer Topshop.

Topshop superiors believe that thousands will try to lunge at the clothes when they are launched nationwide on May 1.

Kate's collection makes its first appearance at the chain's flagship store in London's Oxford Street, where it is believed that the supermodel will play a mannequin to mark the launch.

fter the extraordinary four-hour launch, the range will appear in 225 stores nationwide.

To avoid the clothes being auctioned online on launch day, the Topshop team has devised a scheme in which buyers will be restricted to five items each.

Groups will be given access to look through the designs for a maximum 20 minutes, and try on up to eight garments each.

"It will sell out in record time because like her or not, a bulk of young female shoppers in the UK want to buy into the Kate Moss look," The Sun quoted Fashion expert Laura Weir, as saying.

The collection of 50 designs includes clothes, bags, shoes and belts, and prices range from 12 pounds for a vest top to 150 pounds for a cropped leather jacket.

Clothes in the collection include skinny jeans, one-shoulder mini dresses and T-shirts with the letter K woven in to the design. (ANI)

Forever Paws Animal Shelter is holding a spring fashion show/breakfast at 10 a.m. Sunday at the Venus DeMilo Restaurant in Swansea.

The show is presented by Deni's Closet of Westport and Feminine Fancies of Barrington, RI., and will feature canine as well as human models.

Forever Paws is a non-profit, no-kill animal shelter in Fall River, that protects and cares for the area's stray, abused, abandoned and unwanted animals including some from New Bedford. Every animal taken in is given complete veterinary care, neutered or spayed, evaluated and given training and behavioral rehabilitation, if needed. For more information, visit online at www.foreverpaws.com

A model wearing a design by Australian design label, Silence is Golden, poses on the catwalk during the women's ready-to-wear group collection show at Australian Fashion Week in Sydney April 30, 2007. A total of 76 designers from the Asia-Pacific region will showcase their designs in individual, women's and men's ready-to-wear and New Generation shows over five days. [Reuters]

As camera bulbs flashed and techno music thumped, Northwestern students sauntered down the catwalk at Saturday's Voice for Asia Fashion Show.

About 80 people attended the event, raising about $500, organizers said.

"The clothing looked great, I was really impressed with the Chicago designers and I think the models looked great," said Medill freshman Chris Adamson.

The show was one of several fundraising events leading up to Voice for Asia's annual concert this Sunday. All the money raised on Saturday night and at Voice for Asia's other events will go to UNICEF and China Care Foundation to support AIDS orphans in China.

The show featured collections by Francesca's Collections, 1706 Maple Ave., and Chicago Fashion Week designer Nasaani. NU's Mirch Masala dance group and ReFRESH Dance Crew performed during breaks between fashion collections.

Weinberg freshman Francesca Chia, one of the event's organizers, said bringing together the elements of the show, including lighting and sound, was a challenge. She said the search for clothing designs required "e-mailing 50 people" and handing out pamphlets to local vendors.

"To secure designers was the hardest thing," Chia said. "Francesca's was really nice and Nasaani replied instantly. We had to improvise and add a cultural (collection)."

A third collection included international clothing contributed from multicultural organizations on campus. Models posed in designs from Thailand, Malaysia, China, Japan, Korea and India while Daft Punk's "Around the World" played in the background.

The shows' emcees, McCormick senior Albert Leung and McCormick junior David Chen, did not let a power outage in the middle of the show put a damper on the event. Leung and Chen made jokes and entertained the crowd while organizers rushed to restore power.

Leung, who hosted the Chinese New Year event "Celebrasia" earlier this year, said emceeing Saturday's show in Parkes Hall was different.

"It was smaller audience and a little more cozy," Leung said. "I knew a lot of people here, and it was a really fun and encouraging environment."

The fashion show included a presentation from activist and Swarthmore College senior Bella Liu. Liu described her experience visiting China and developing her "China Memory Book Project" to help AIDS orphans retain memories of their parents. She urged the attendees to help AIDS communities in China deal with the poverty and stigma that often follow an AIDS epidemic through activism and awareness.

Communication freshman Brittany Park walked the runway for her first time at the event. Park is a member of NU's Ladycats varsity dance team, and said walking down the runway was like one of her dance performances.

"Being a dancer, it was kind of like doing a dance, but all you're doing is walking and posing," she said.

Park said the other models were "beautiful or handsome" and that the show's backstage area was "chaotic."

"You came up and did your thing, and you had just 10 seconds to change," she said. "They had (the clothes) really organized so it was good."

Voice for Asia is an joint venture of several Asian student organizations on campus: the Asian Pacific American Coalition, China Care, Cilipadi, Japan Club, Kaibigan, Kappa Phi Lambda Sorority, the Korean American Students Association, Niteskool, Singaporeans and Friends and the Taiwanese American Students Club.

Reach Matt Spector at m-spector@northwestern.edu.

Youngsters in 4-H participate in a wide variety of activities including the 4-H Fashion Revue scheduled May 16 at the Bethel Lutheran Home. Judging takes place at 4:30 p.m., and the public revue begins at 7 p.m.

Williams County Extension Agent Samantha Roth said the Fashion Revue is designed to teach life-long lessons.

Its to help the kids build their self confidence and poise, and give them skills to carry on beyond 4-H, she noted. They will have the knowledge of the process of making or purchasing clothing and what to look for, she added.

There are three competitions taking place at the Fashion Revue. They include Buy and Show, Decorate your Duds and Sew and Show.

Buy and Show is designed to teach the value of money.

“It is to understand the cost of purchasing an outfit,” Roth said. “For the Buy and Show, we would like them to think about what garment they would like to get and how they would use it.”

Decorate your Duds gives the kids a chance to express themselves.

“They decorate and model a garment that reflects their creativity and a sense of their individual style,” Roth said. “They can use any method they want as long as they decorate the garment so that it fits them.”

Sew and Show teaches the valuable life skill of making your own clothes.

“They are to construct a garment themselves that is needed in their wardrobe,” she said. “The teens and the pre-teens are to construct half or more of their garment or clothing.”

Brook Alton is on of the 4-H members taking part in the Buy and Show.

“I am wearing a yellow shirt and some jeans,” the 11-year-old said. “The shirt is from Kohl's and the jeans are from JC Penny.”

She took part in the Sew and Show last year.

“I made a skirt,” Alton said.

Alton said she enjoyed the shopping.

“Probably picking out the clothes,” she said. “My mom buys them for me, and I can pick out any outfit that has a good price that I like.”

Last year, she qualified to go to the State Fair.

“It was so much fun, because the judges were so nice and they'll help you with anything,” Alton said. “Last year, I had brown gauchos and a blue tank top with sequins on it. Then I had a white jacket and some brown sandals.”

Mallory Nygard, 13, is participating in the Buy and Show and Decorate your Duds.

“For the Buy and Show I bought a red dress that was half off, and I have a black tank top from my closet,” she said. “You buy something that's cheap that you can wear lots of times. It helps you look for good deals when you get older. You shop for something that's easy to care for that you don't have to dry clean it every time you wear it.”

She is using her creativity in the Decorate your Duds competition.

“This year I'm taking one of my old pairs of jeans and a bleach pen and putting designs on them,” Nygard said. “I have a great time every year. It's a blast.”

“You face with the judges wearing the outfit,” Nygard said. “Then you do a fashion show at Bethel Home, and somebody talks about what you did while you walk. Then they do the awards ceremony and they announce who's going to state.”

She said taking part in the Fashion revue is a good experience.

“I like the judging part the best,” Nygard said. “I think it's a really good experience to talk to the judges. To have the confidence to talk to the judges face to face and not be afraid.”

She said 4-H has a lot to offer.

“(I like) Having the ability and the option to do all sorts of different things like the fashion review and communication arts,” Nygard said. “And meeting new people at the state fair, 4-H camp is a blast.”

Morgan Fetchfield is taking part in the Sew and Show.

“I'm making navy blue gauchos,” the 10-year-old said. “It's something to wear, and it's not necessarily summer or winter clothing.”

She said her favorite part of 4-H is the crafts.

“I like painting and making everything,” Fetchfield said.

It is her first time competing in the Sew and Show.

“I'm kind of nervous,” she said. “I just had a lot of fun making this and I want to show it off.”

Roth said she also took part in the Fashion Revue as a kid.

“I did the sew and show and I actually got to go to state with it,” she said. “It was quite the experience.”

Roth said the Fashion Revue is open to the public.

“I would encourage everyone to come out and see the hard work the youth have put in, and see the knowledge they gained and possess about their project. They can tell you how they made their project or they can tell you why they decorated it that way.”

William Highley can be reached by e-mail at whighley@willistonherald.com.

Sensational international drawcard and burlesque beauty Dita Von Teese, needed no effort to steal the show from local designers at Australian Fashion Week in Sydney.

Design duo Camilla and Marc opened the annual fashion fest a fashionable 45 minutes late after the stunning Michigan farm girl - otherwise known by her given of Heather Sweet - had turned eyes as she took her seat.

She was one of 400 fashionistas who squeezed into the harbourside Sydney Theatre Company building for one of fashion week's major attractions.

They were entranced by the brother and sister team's extremely short white shift dresses and cobalt blue highlights.

Camilla and Marc's metallics, especially silver, and neutral tones were a theme that carried into Lisa Ho's offering at her Circular Quay venue, where the air-conditioning failed and 250 observers suffered silently in stifling heat.

Von Teese looked on, neck craned as she looked up at tall models elevated further by 15-centimetre chunky platform wedges as they paraded a mix of swimwear and pret-a-porte.

But before Ho could field any questions, the media flocked to Dita, almost crushing the exotic dancer with the 40s movie star look.

They were disappointed, as she left without a word.

The 34-year-old striptease artiste is in town to perform and promote a line of lipsticks that raise money for HIV/AIDS research.

Only 200 invitation-only guests were to see her riding a giant custom-made mechanical lipstick prop on Monday night in Sydney - part of her burlesque world tour, Lipteese.

Following her departure on Monday, the media focused again on Ho, who was asked "Metallics - can we wear them during the day?".

Said the well-known Sydney designer: "It depends how. Metallics mixed with cotton is a good option for daytime.

"I just wanted to do something that was really wearable, light, easy, simple in shape and pretty. It always has to be pretty."

Tailored mini-skirts and cuffed shorts were teamed with loose smock-style tops in Ho's own prints, while the streamlined silhouette of the shift dress was given a twist with puff sleeves and ruching details.

Accessories were paired back, with chunky resin bangles in bold colours capping off many of Ho's catwalk looks.

Shows from Nevenka, Melanie Cutfield and Alex Perry were also feature on Monday, and Fashion week organiser Simon Locke says their collections are great.

"Obviously silver is going to be a key thing we are going to see through the collections this week," Locke said.

Fashion Week runs until Friday.

AAP

Some of the young men at St. Stanislaus traded their school books for serving trays and a quick glance at some gorgeous female models in the Casablanca Couture Fashion Show.

"It kind of harkens back to a time when travel and shopping and nightclubs were really sophisticated, so all the fashion and the accessories tried to reflect that," says Kerrie Loya.

Kerrie Loya owns Jet Set Boutique in Bay St. Louis. She headed up the fundraiser and rounded up a diverse group of models for the head turning show.

"We have a couple of girls from OLA, and we have some moms that are around their children at Holy Trinity, OLA or St. Stanislaus. Then we have our very adventurous group of Cabana boys, and those would be the boys from St. Stanislaus," Loya says.

One show stealer was Jay Ladner, the Boys' Basketball Coach at St. Stanislaus.

"I don't know how much of a future I have in coaching, but I really don't plan on having one in modeling," he says.

But, he was still a good sport about it.

We asked him, "Now, as a coach, I'm sure you have some strenuous moments, how does coaching compare to being up here on the tee and strutting your stuff?"

He says, "I'd rather coach. It's a lot less pressure."

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Two new members have just been admitted to this exclusive group: CELEBITCHY.com, an entertainment blog that strives for a balanced viewpoint on gossip with behind-the-scenes celeb stories that delve into what's true and what's wishful thinking or fabrication; and OPEN ALL NIGHT (OANMedia.com), the go-to celebrity column on the Web. Open All Night covers the red carpets of Hollywood and chronicles the celebrity events of New York with top photographers, a sharp eye for news, and a wink.

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BAGSNOB.com, the premier handbag blog, is now a regular contributor to the Us Weekly "Fashion Police." They were also recently featured in Apple Daily, the largest circulated newspaper in Taiwan and Hong Kong.

Both COQUETTE (coquette.blogs.com) & the FASHIONTRIBES DAILY BLOG (fashiontribes.typepad.com) made the list of the 50 Top Fashion Blogs just released by Fashion I.Q. list

I'M NOT OBSESSED (imnotobsessed.com) was linked to by Us Weekly and referenced as an expert source in a recent high profile story on Good Morning America.

FASHIONTRIBES.com launched the new spring issues of the five "tribe" magazines, each customized by fashion personality from chic bohemians who enjoy style with a social conscience to glam globetrotters with a jones for must-have accessories. (The full release can be found at here)

THE SKINNY WEBSITE (theskinnywebsite.com) was recently linked to the Washington Post, resulting in a new site record of 63,000 visitors in a single day.

PAPIERDOLL magazine (papierdoll.net) interviewed emerging fashion designers Lucky and Sarada Ravindra of Queue on the launch of their new Fall 2007 line. The twin designers are an interesting story because they completed law school and went on to shun their legal past to become high end fashion designers featured in a variety magazines including Lucky, Marie Claire and others.

STYLEAHOLICS.com is currently in negotiations with Amp'dMobile (ampd.com) to run Styleaholic.com's bi-weekly "The In List" videopodcast on their mobile devices. Celebrity Styleaholic Najwa Moses was just selected by Trace Magazine (Trace212.com) to be featured as part of their annual "Black Girls Rule" issue.

For spring, GIRLAWHIRL.com has more fashion coverage than ever, with great shoes and dresses, the best deals on t-shirts, a perfect pair of earrings and more. There's even special discounts and online shopping deals just for Girlawhirl.com readers.

L.A. STORY (fashiontribes.typepad.com/la_story) meets singer/songwriter Lisa Palleschi in an exclusive podcast interview with the singer/songwriter about the re-release of her debut album, "Released".

From gold-digging original Halston to canvas from Cashin, ZUBURBIA (zuburbia.blogspot.com) unearths the best vintage finds on the market.

STYLEHIVE.com is a global social shopping community, dedicated to discovering and sharing the most exciting products, the stores that sell them, and the people that find them. They collaborate with trendsetters to seek out the best of online shopping & challenge anyone who thinks they know what hot products will be setting trends this season to show off their stuff in the Stylehve.

THE TRAVEL SNOB (TheTravelSnob.com) has the coolest locations, hidden desinations and what to know-before-you-go.

If a celeb mini-me is wearing it, riding in it or eating it, you'll find it on the CELEBRITY BABY BLOG (celebrity-babies.com).

US-based retailers have sharply curtailed orders for apparel from Vietnam since the US government instituted a program of monitoring apparel imports from Vietnam, according to the Washington, DC-headquartered National Retail Federation (NRF).

"Implementation of the monitoring program has had a chilling effect on apparel sourcing for Vietnam," said NRF Vice President and International Trade Counsel Erik Autor in testimony before a recent Commerce Department hearing on the Administration's Vietnam Textile and Apparel Import Monitoring Program.

"Pending orders from Vietnam have plummeted,” he said, adding that at least one prominent retailer has ceased all orders from Vietnam, while another has cut its orders by 80% percent, and many others have cut their orders “substantially.”

The program was started after Vietnam was granted membership in the World Trade Organization (WTO) in January as part of a deal made last year with so-called “textile state” US senators who opposed Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) status for Vietnam.

Under the deal, the Bush Administration agreed to begin monitoring of apparel imports from Vietnam and to consider self-initiation of antidumping cases if evidence is found of dumping that harms US manufacturers.

Commerce Department Assistant Secretary for Import Administration David Spooner said at a recent conference in Washington that the monitoring “has not had a negative impact on trade, citing an increase in imports from Vietnam in January.”

Autor responded to Spooner in his testimony saying that imports delivered in January were based on orders typically made six to nine months earlier – before the monitoring program went into effect.

Orders, he said, “have decreased sharply since the monitoring began, and should be reflected in decreased import deliveries this summer.”

All of the orders canceled in Vietnam have been diverted to other Asian nations rather than redirected to US manufacturers because US companies either don't make the products in question or don't make them at competitive prices, he added.

The monitoring program's threat of possible antidumping cases and after-the-fact antidumping duties is driving retailers' decisions to reduce imports from Vietnam, said Autor.

“Unlike the filling of quotas, decisions to pursue antidumping actions are not predictable, particularly in a non-market economy nation like Vietnam,” he said. "Trade remedy investigations inject a high degree of unpredictability into the sourcing equation.”

The US Commerce Department, said Autor, “should immediately narrow the scope of the monitoring program to only apparel products that are made in the United States, for which US apparel producers of those products have asked for monitoring, and for which there is clear evidence that imports from Vietnam are causing material injury to those producers.”

Retailers “must worry every day whether the Commerce Department may at some point in the future deem that the price they paid on an order was at a dumped price,” he concluded.

“The mere threat that an antidumping investigation could be undertaken on a wide range of apparel products is a serious matter and one which is forcing apparel retailers to shift sourcing elsewhere."

The National Retail Federation is the largest retail trade association in the world with membership that comprises all retail formats and channels of distribution including department, specialty, discount, catalog, Internet, independent stores, chain restaurants, drug stores, and grocery stores, as well as trading partners of retail goods and services.

As an industry umbrella group, NRF also represents more than 100 state, national and international retail associations.

According to the latest figures, the group’s members generated sales of $4.4 trillion in 2005.

Denim Apparel Group Inc, (OTC: DPGP - News), announced today that Ms. Debbie Leibovitz has resigned as a Chairperson of the Board of the Registrant.

Mr. Eric Joffe has also resigned as a CEO, Director and an officer of the Company.

Mr. Arshad Shah, has been appointed as the new CEO, of the Company. The new appointed CEO assumes the control of the corporation and is deemed as a control person.

The Company plans to pursue in the new direction of business which will be in technology sector, specifically concentrating in the Asian and South Asian market.

CONTACT: Denim Apparel Group Inc, 2nd Floor 455 Granville Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6C 1T1, Phone: (604) 687-7492, Fax: (604) 677-0808


Source: Denim Apparel Group Inc.