The Pub Paradise restaurant is a spa dining experience for women. They have heated water with mineral salts for those at the bar seats to soak their feet in while they enjoy their meal. They also have “rock” flooring that touches on pressure points in the feet to improve circulation and promote health. As well, they offer reclined dining at floor level so you can get off your feet and legs completely to enjoy your meal. Now that’s what I’m talkin’ about! Pampering your feet while enjoying a good meal with your girlfriends should be a dining standard.

Using rapid prototyping resin, designer Johanna Jansson has created a perfume ring which adds useful purpose to an accessory that otherwise lacks function. Yanko Design describes, “The layered glass effects create colors and special optical illusions, bending and refracting light. However the real gem here is the hollow structure with tap so you can apply a spritz of perfume anytime, anywhere.”

Giant aquatic creatures from the deep, snaking robots made from watches and one man submarines were among many other things never before seen on the catwalk, that stunned the audience in Florence, Italy last week as Diesel presented their show for the Spring Summer 2008 collection. The ‘liquid space’ concept for the collection was radically brought to life during the 17 minute show, which is the first time that holograms have been projected along a traditional catwalk, being visible from both sides, and the first to combine both real and holographic models in a fashion show. Alexander McQueen used a holographic effect Kate Moss last year at the end of the show, but here the show was entirely built around the holograms and certainly seems to have taken the concept of the fashion show to a new level. Check out the part where a shoal of fish tranforms itself into a model - this got one of the biggest reactions from the crowd! I found this link with more images, and you can watch the YouTube video below.

Italian designer Gianfranco Ferre' acknowledges the applause at the end of his Fall/Winter 2007/08 men's collection during Milan Fashion Week January 15, 2007. Ferre has died at Milan's San Raffaele hospital after suffering a brain hemorrhage, Italian news agency ANSA said on Sunday. (Alessandro Garofalo/Reuters)

ON the second week of international fashion shows, international fashion show parties and resulting international fashion show mornings after, it's ironically reassuring that we can always rely on John Galliano to inject an element of disquiet into the proceedings to put us firmly back on the edge of our seats. Following a frantic dash through notoriously bad Paris traffic to the Église Saint-Sauveur in out-of-town Issy Les Moulineaux, the fashion pack were just settling into their seats yesterday as a model in combat trousers and flip-flops, bare-chested with a scarf and cap obscuring his face, took to the catwalk. It was the opening to the most provocative show we've seen yet; models wore neon camouflage prints, loose or padded jackets and combat-style vests with pockets and straps strung over bare chests. Exposed skin was daubed with army-style camouflage paint; faces were obscured with netting, helmets, foliage, traditional Middle-Eastern headdresses and fake beards. And Galliano wasn't the only designer offering up a challenge. Yohji Yamamoto's military-style tailoring was printed with an eagle motif to represent freedom, while at Number (N)ine, a relaxed, street-urchin style silhouette was tempered with oversized crucifixes and Rosaries. Rebel Jean Paul Gaultier was relatively tame in comparison, showing sexy spacemen in metallic silver jackets and his trademark skirts. Today sees the turn of Junya Watanbe, Kris Van Assche, Comme des Garcons and Louis Vuitton on the runways - visit VOGUE.COM tomorrow to see all the latest looks. (june 29 2007, AM)

Disney Channel’s “Hannah Montana” is opening her closet to fans, launching a full collection of clothes, accessories, home décor and even real electric guitars as Disney goes after the increasingly powerful tween market.

Hannah’s alter ego, Miley Cyrus – wearing a hot-pink sequined tank top, white jeans and a white leather jacket – offered a first glimpse of the Disney Consumer Products line in Manhattan last week.

The look mimicked Hannah’s overall style, sweet and appropriate for school with flashes of sparkle. (The premise of the show is that Hannah is a country girl-turned-pop star who tries to keep her celebrity life a secret from her classmates.)

Among the offerings, modeled by wannabe Hannahs even younger than 14-year-old Miley: a denim jumper with rhinestones, slim-cut Bermuda shorts, cargo-pocket capris with swaths of silver, a sundress topped with a denim vest and a sheer peach-colored beaded bolero worn over a tank top.

A handful of the T-shirts were covered with Hannah’s face, but otherwise logos and literal references to Hannah were kept to a minimum.

“It’s not a costume. A tween girl isn’t doing dress up, they want to look like they could be Hannah Montana’s friend,” said Donna Sheridan, vice president and general manager of apparel, footwear and accessories for Disney Consumer Products. “This is a fashion line.”

Disney Consumer Products expects retail sales of its tween business to hit $400 million this year with a lot of room to expand in the future, chairman Andy Mooney said at the International Licensing Expo, which shows off 6,000 brands and products tied to many familiar characters, logos and companies.

“Hannah Montana” will not be shouldering all the burden of growth. The sequel to the wildly popular original movie “High School Musical” premieres on the Disney Channel Aug. 17, and a broad partnership with Wal-Mart is already in place.

“Wal-Mart has said its apparel business needs a bump and a way to do that is market to the teen/tween consumer. … With ‘High School Musical,’ ‘Hannah Montana’ and ‘Raven,’ we can help them identify with this consumer,” said Ron Johnson, the head of Disney’s Wal-Mart team.

Disney worked with Miley – daughter of country singer Billy Ray Cyrus – and the “Hannah Montana” stylist to create the line.

Miley’s influence is most seen in the broad array of colors in the collection and all the little jackets that have become an important part of the Hannah Montana wardrobe, Sheridan noted.

Disney and its family-oriented image have a role here, too. Because the tween market is largely made up of 9- to 14-year-old children who rely on their parents to pay for their clothes, purses and sequin-covered duvet covers, the Hannah Montana collection has to also appeal to mom and dad. It has to be fashionable and trendy but not cross the line to sexy.

“We have to strike a balance between what the girl wants and what the mother wants,” Sheridan said.

While the Disney lines largely appeal to tween girls, Nickelodeon announced at the Licensing Expo that it will roll out a CD, clothing line and book series based on its show “The Naked Brothers Band,” starring real-life tween brothers Nat and Alex Wolff, who also play rock stars.
Copyright 2007 Associated Press

Top fashion designers Jean Paul Gaultier and John Galliano were in combat mode as they brought military flare to the opening day of the Paris menswear shows for next summer.

Gaultier paid tribute to the Beatles' legendary Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club band, celebrating its 40th birthday this year, with his collection, unveiled here on Thursday.

Just like the Fab Four on the album cover, his models were got up in military tunics with mandarin collars, epaulettes, and guardsman's trousers with gold braid trim. Some of them even sported the moustaches and long-hair of the epoch, but the punk touches of chains slung from the waist or shoulder were more reminiscent of Gaultier in his Eurotrash presenter days.

Favourite fabrics were inky black and indigo denim faintly spangled with lurex and liquid silver satin, for shirts rippling across the pectorals and flowing trench coats.

Among the more whimsical combinations he showed a denim jacket with sleeves like classic beige driving gloves with brown leather elbow patches while a midnight blue satin dressing gown was styled like an army greatcoat with gold chevrons.

The sarong, as braved by David Beckham, was draped round mock military uniforms: incongruous or sexy, depending on one's point of view.

For swimwear Gaultier moved into high camp, with sailors' peaked caps, jackets festooned with frogging and gilt buttons over slippery black satin trunks laced up the side, straight out of the Village People's "In the Navy."

Against the calming arches and windows of an old church on the outskirts of Paris, Galliano's rough and ready soldiers of fortune donned beige military pants over camouflage-covered blousons.

Bearded and with blackened chalky eyes, the heavily pierced models wore kaffiyeh-style scarves on their head or face, berets and caps. The British designer offered baggy North African-style trousers, while straps criss-crossed black leather jackets and long parkas and coats were equipped with plenty of big pockets.

More laid-back was Yohji Yamamoto's take on masculine style for next spring-summer, where a dove spreading its wings across a dark jacket set a more peaceful tone. The veteran Japanese designer offered comfortable ample trousers, perhaps zipped at the calf, punctuating the wardrobe with white and red stripes for a shirt.

Other big names on the busy four-day lineup of menswear designers include Louis Vuitton, Ungaro, Kenzo, Yves Saint Laurent, as well as Dior Homme where all eyes will be on Hedi Slimane's successor, Kris van Assche.

What a difference a few degrees make. Milan - five degrees Celsius hotter than Paris - was obsessed with eco threats, global water shortages and men wearing shorts, in Nicholas Sarkozy's new Paris its all about Officer Poets.

The new French president began his opening day visiting a forgotten Bois de Boulogne shrine to young Parisians shot in the Liberation. In the opening day of the first fashion season of his presidency, Jean Paul Gaultier sent out Sergeant Peter Chic, hot Japanese label Number Nine had Prussian officer bohemians march in a cloisters and Yohji Yamamoto's models were returning warrior gentleman.

People often complain that Yamamoto's shows are repetitive, too much black, too much austerity, but the current mood seems to align with his zeitgeist.

Every second designer now seems to be doing dropped crotch pants, but most of them seem pastiches. Yohji's multi-pocket Afghan meets Alleghany mineworker trous look like works of art - lumpy Anselm Kiefer for the legs, twisted Frank Gehry for the thighs.

Paired with Edwardian frock coats of military drab olive it made for an alternative Barry Lyndon universe. Navy blue jackets with the name Yohji as an insignia, spelt backwards, and tied at the knee breeches added to the Edwardian moment.

Men's fashion might me all about the surface, but never have designers attempted so much to change the dictatorship of suits and jeans. Collectively, they all seem to be seeing a new age of slower travel and gentlemanly contemplation. One where exhausted resources mean less frenzy and one where men are no longer slaves to Blackberrys and deadlines, but actually find the time for intelligent introspection.

No wonder Yamamoto ended his show with eight young Edwardian gents posing as for a end of term photo. Thought is chic again.

Stella McCartney will co-host a virtual anti-fur protest next month in the online fantasy world known as Second Life.
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The weeklong protest will begin July 12 on a dedicated island in the computer-generated alternative universe, it was announced this week by animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. The island will feature stables, a lake, picnic tables and Linda McCartney mini-veggie-burger stalls.

"Sometimes it's nice to have a bit of humor on serious subjects," the 35-year-old British designer said in a statement.

Like her late mother, Linda, McCartney is a longtime supporter of animal rights. She doesn't use leather or fur in her designs.

Visitors to SecondLife.com will be able to clothe their digital proxies, called avatars, in T-shirts bearing the slogan: "I'd Rather Be Pixelated Than Wear Fur."

They can also enter a competition to come up with alternatives to PETA's famous tag line, "I'd Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur." The best three, judged by McCartney, will win prizes, including two tickets to her fashion show in Paris in October.

Millions of players, called residents, interact with each other in the Second Life virtual world. They can do basically anything that people can in real life, including buying and selling property, participating in group or individual activities, or socializing.

A model presents an ensemble as part of the Men's Spring-Summer 2008 collection by French fashion designer Sonia Rykiel, in Paris, Friday, June 29, 2007. (AP Photo/Jacques Brinon)

Colleges focused on high technology need a little fashion sense, Gov. Spitzer said yesterday.

Manhattan's Fashion Institute of Technology, a SUNY school with two-year and four-year programs, produces innovators who rapidly adapt to the ever-changing fashion world, Spitzer said at the first Higher Education Commission meeting.

People in the technology sector, likewise, work in a fast-changing environment that demands creative thinking, he said.

"If we can develop [the FIT] model for other sectors, that is something we certainly want to build," he said at the Borough of Manhattan Community College. "We need to teach innovation.

"Where will the next iPhone be created, by whom, and where will the skills needed to create it be taught?" Spitzer asked.

About half of the 418,000 students in the State University of New York system go to community colleges.

DKNY makes runway looks accessible to everyone. It is affordable and has classic styling with a sometimes Italian flair.

DKNY makes runway looks accessible to everyone. It is affordable and has classic styling with a sometimes Italian flair.

New York is always the backdrop for DKNY. The inspiration for spring summer '07 comes from the iconic city with its melting pot of style and cultural diversity. For him it's about modern suiting for work and for play it's about vibrant shirts that pop against chino and fatigue. These are easy to wear clothes which is what I love about the DKNY label. Even though the resolution isn't the best, check out my photos from the DKNY spring summer '07 collection.

New York is always the backdrop for DKNY. The inspiration for spring summer '07 comes from the iconic city with its melting pot of style and cultural diversity. For him it's about modern suiting for work and for play it's about vibrant shirts that pop against chino and fatigue. These are easy to wear clothes which is what I love about the DKNY label. Even though the resolution isn't the best, check out my photos from the DKNY spring summer '07 collection.

New York is always the backdrop for DKNY. The inspiration for spring summer '07 comes from the iconic city with its melting pot of style and cultural diversity. For him it's about modern suiting for work and for play it's about vibrant shirts that pop against chino and fatigue. These are easy to wear clothes which is what I love about the DKNY label. Even though the resolution isn't the best, check out my photos from the DKNY spring summer '07 collection.

New York is always the backdrop for DKNY. The inspiration for spring summer '07 comes from the iconic city with its melting pot of style and cultural diversity. For him it's about modern suiting for work and for play it's about vibrant shirts that pop against chino and fatigue. These are easy to wear clothes which is what I love about the DKNY label. Even though the resolution isn't the best, check out my photos from the DKNY spring summer '07 collection.

From its scrunchy little shape down to its adorable charms, this Juicy bag is the perfect size to carry your essentials in style. Dark Beige. $250.

Celebrities frequently turn to certain styles of dresses because they know they'll look great.

For example, a strapless style of gown is a wonderful way to show off luxe jewelry. And satin reflects the light in a lush way.

This is your big night: you want the dress, the date, the accessories and the hair to be memorable.

Formal, Casual, Cocktail or Something Else?
Usually the event invitation will clue you into the formality of the event, whether it's casual or black tie.

In general, the later in the day the event (after 6 p.m.), the dressier. Long dresses are usually reserved only for formal (black tie) occasions.

For your most glamorous look, pull your hair back into a high, full ponytail. This hair style is perfect with halter-necks and strapless dresses and tops.

Don't have the hair to pull this off? No problem: just pull hair back and clip on a fake ponytail that's a good match to your haircolor.

The beauty of a low, loose chignon is that it almost looks like an afterthought.
When paired with a dress with a beautiful back detail -- a back bow, a low-cut back -- it's a knockout.

Women over the age of 40 sometimes struggle with the chicest way to wear hair, feeling silly trying to pull off trendier looks like double buns or ponytails.

The key to pulling off a bob with bangs for formal wear is to have lots of shine. A classic smoky eye and red lips are perfect partners for the shiny bob.

A low, loose ponytail gives formal dresses a casual chic twist.
This look is best when paired with more natural-looking makeup and minimal jewelry.

The headband took runways by storm at recent fashion shows. Paired with either long slick hair or slightly teased retro hair, the black headband is a great way to update even the most basic little black dress.

The biggest formal fashion mistake most women make is to pair a gorgeous dress with a frumpy, overly structured updo.

For the runway, hair stylists often choose an updo that features a high chignon that has loose ends.

The modern updo looks sleek but not too perfect, which adds to its appeal.

Sleek and chic rimless sunglasses are the hottest look right now in shades. These oversized designer sunglasses feature a glamoro

A bit of puff sleeve gives any top or dress a girly edge. Try the trend in moderation with fitted shapes, like this Gap shirt.

Ease up for spring with wider leg pants. Don't confuse wide-leg with sloppy: these softly shaped pants come in crisp work-ready fabrics like khaki, like these from Halogen.

This shirtdress gets a dose of sweet attitude from O Oscar.
* Cotton/spandex; Lining: cotton
* Hand wash
* Imported
* Straight collar
* Short sleeves
* Button closures
* Removable grosgrain-ribbon belt at waist, no buckle as shown in picture
* Eyelet trim at hem
* Lined
* Knee length; approximate length from center back neckline: 40-1/2 inches.

Girls love options, and the newest convertible handbags give them to us. Carry the bag by the short straps as a satchel by your hands, or hang it in the crook of your elbow; or wear the long straps as a shoulder bag. It's a great way to get the most bang for your designer bag buck. Marc Jacobs Collection Bal Harbour Bag.

Open-toe pumps and flats give you a hint of toe, but still look polished. Try patent or quilted looks for even more updated style; this Steve Madden shoe combines all three trends together.

WESTFIELD stylist Fiona Milne (Fifi) has these tips on how to make the winter 2007 sales work in your favour:

Just because it's half price doesn't mean you will be half the weight when you get it home. Make sure it fits you right now.
Think about what you already love in your wardrobe and stick to what suits. If yellow didn't work for you when it was full price, it won't at half price.
Think trans-seasonally. Can you wear it in summer and winter and in Australia's mild climate? Choose lightweight wool, chiffons and cottons and then layer up.
Just because it's on sale doesn't mean that it looks fabulous. Buy cheap, buy twice. Buy better quality and buy it once.
Think about next season's trends and investment dressing. Avoid one-hit wonders that will wallow in the bottom of the drawer.
Dresses, dresses and more dresses. It's the key piece for next summer and into next winter. Look for the short, trapeze shape and the '80s style Alaia silhouette that is short, skin-tight and sexy.
Stock up on capes or ponchos. It's another huge trend that will hit its peak next season.
Never go shopping or try anything on without a back mirror. Use a make-up mirror if you have to. There is nothing worse than bulging back fat and a visible panty line.
Remember friends lie, so take your sister or your mother for honest feedback.
Buy anything under $40. Who cares? If you love it, wear it, thrash it and then never wear it again. Just don't buy 10. That $400 is half a pair of Jimmy Choo shoes.

TODAY'S shopper is an individual who's more likely to wear a pair of designer shoes with a $30 top than dress head-to-toe in Gucci.
She's also astutely aware of key trends, thanks to the styled-up celebs gracing the pages of glossy magazines, but is likely to devote just as much time trawling through op shops as she spends in upmarket department stores stocking up on big brands.

With the mid-year sales in full swing, the stores are teeming with this new breed of shoppers and their strategic spending patterns.

So much so that winter stock is flying off the shelves and forcing clothing stores to bring in spring/summer stock early to satisfy fashion-savvy customers.

Judy Coomber, merchandise director for apparel at Myer, has noticed a difference in the way women shop in recent years and calls it the "three" theory. She says today's shoppers are more likely to buy a $30 Miss Shop knit tunic, a $300 pair of Bettina Liano jeans and a $3000 Marc Jacobs handbag to create a unique look than spend all their money on budget clothes or designer gear alone.

"I think it's become much more obvious over the last two or three years, when people were more about the brand, whereas now they're about the individual look," Coomber says.

"They are much more aware of what the looks are and how to put them together, but they want people to think they've been able to put it together with their own individual handwriting.

"They want the brands there in accessories, but don't necessarily want to be dressed head to toe in Prada."

So why the sudden change in their shopping habits?

Brisbane personal stylist Di Cant, who has worked with big names including Giorgio Armani, Ralph Lauren and Richard Tyler, says women's priorities have changed, as they are tired of splurging their money on a wardrobe of designer clothes that can go out of fashion as soon as a celebrity decides to change her style.

"I think women are more clued up," Cant says.

"They're still prepared to buy some brands, but not prepared to buy the whole brand story.

"For a long time, people would buy a whole look and go in and buy four or five relating pieces of one brand. It's now a brand plus cheap and cheerful equals stylish, confident girl."

But Cant says it's not necessarily better to spend the money you would have spent on a designer brand on a cheap one that might not be flattering or suit your body shape.

"For a lot of women who have a body that may have changed a little or might not be tall enough or wide through the hip, they sometimes need to put a little bit of money into a trouble spot," she says.

"I still say you have to get your shapes right.

"You can still do that with cheap and cheerful, but it takes a bit of expertise and shopping around."

Westfield celebrity stylist Fiona Milne (Fifi) believes shopping to create an individual look is fine, as long as customers are well informed of what suits them.

"People are definitely rejecting the mass-produced look for an individual look, which is great because it really is a form of expression and a reflection of your personality," Fifi says.

"On the other hand, because the look is about eclectic dressing, women need a lot more information.

"Ninety per cent of the population would have trouble creating that look because there's so many choices now."

Coomber says the change in shopping habits doesn't apply to men. "Men are driven more by the brands they know and love and know fit them and feel comfortable in," she says.

David Jones general manager womenswear David Bush agrees that customers have become more fashion-savvy and more confident in creating their own look, but says he doesn't think shopping patterns have changed much.

"Certainly we have a customer who prefers to create their own look, but equally we have many customers who are absolutely brand-loyal and would prefer to create a look from one particular brand," Bush says.

He says this year's winter stocktake sale was more successful than expected, and as a result, the spring/summer stock will start appearing on the shelves over the next month.

Similarly, the start of the Myer stocktake sale last week coincided with Queensland's first cold snap, and 50 per cent of the winter stock on sale sold in the first day of the sale.

Jackets, especially trench coats, scarves and electric heaters have been the biggest sellers.

A model displays a creation from the Fendi Fall-Winter 2007/2008 women's collection during Milan fashion week, February 22, 2007. Italian luxury group Fendi will hold a fashion show on the Great Wall in China in October as parent company, LVMH Moet Hennessy-Louis Vuitton, seeks to double its sales by 2008. (Alessandro Garofalo/Reuters)

Donald J. Pliner of Florida has pledged to establish an office and warehouse distribution operation in Miami-Dade County.

The company designs women's and men's shoes, handbags, leatherwear and accessories. It already has two retail locations in the county.

The Beacon Council, Miami-Dade's official economic development partnership, said Donald J. Pliner will hire up to 30 full-time employees and occupy more than 55,000 square feet of office and warehouse space in northwest Miami-Dade County within the next three years.

Donald J. Pliner employs more than 150 workers nationwide and has close to 700 customers.

But the company has a significant tie to Miami-Dade: Owner Donald J. Pliner and his wife, Lisa, are county residents. They are involved in local philanthropic efforts including the Miami City Ballet and the Carnival Center for the Performing Arts.

Frank R. Nero, Beacon Council president and chief executive officer, said Donald J. Pliner's decision to relocate some of its operations to Miami-Dade underscores the county's strength as a distribution hub and highlights the continued emergence of the fashion industry in the county.

Donald J. Pliner CEO Roxanne Ehrenberg said Miami-Dade offered the company everything it needed from a location-distribution infrastructure, access to key markets and a highly skilled workforce.

"By consolidating our operations from other areas into this one centralized and efficient distribution facility, we hope to more than double our sales in the coming years," she added.

The Beacon Council said it helped Donald J. Pliner with state and local incentives, research and marketing analysis, business contacts and referrals and employee relocation.

The agency said the company first met with Beacon Council representatives during a business development trip to New York City.

Chanel, Gucci, Chloe or Fendi? A celebrity just wouldn't seem complete without their super-sized and often super-priced designer "it" bag. New research from Mintel shows the US handbag market booming, as more and more American women scramble to get their hands on the latest must-have handbag. In fact, purse sales have increased by an incredible 22% since 2004, with the U.S. handbag market set to become a $6.4 billion market this year. And this high level of market growth shows no signs of abating, with a further 25% rise in sales forecast by 2011.

"Purse shopping has grown from simple accessory buying to a guilty pleasure on par with shoe shopping," comments Kat Fay, senior consumer analyst at Mintel. "Driven by the choices of their favorite celebrities, women look for their perfect 'it' bag, that satisfies both style and status, no matter what the cost."

Purses are clearly catching up with women's shoes in the world of guilty pleasures, as Mintel's exclusive consumer research reveals that only one in three (32%) women "spend more on shoes than they do on purses and bags," down from 37% in 2005.

What is more, the number of women who believe that "an everyday purse or handbag and maybe a couple for special occasions are enough for me" has fallen from well over half (55%) in 2005 to just 44% this year.

Bag yourself a celeb

While brand awareness and luxury upscale purchases have clearly played their role in the market, it is the trend towards aspirational shopping by everyday American women that is really driving growth. Spending a little extra on the latest must-have handbag is becoming increasingly popular, as it is a relatively affordable way to get a piece of the luxury lifestyle that their favorite celebrities flaunt.

"With the huge number of fashion magazines, websites and blogs, it is no surprise that unofficial celebrity endorsement is a key driver in the handbag market. In our media obsessed culture, celebrity influence is not likely to abate," explains Fay.

Bags that leave you green with envy

For women on a tighter budget but who still have an avid fashion sense, eco- and cheap-chic provide an attractive alternative to luxury brand handbags. Not only are they easy on the environment, but they are usually also easy on the bank account!

"Women looking to expand 'green living' into their wardrobes and accessories will be looking for stylish handbags and grocery totes made of recycled and sustainable materials, such as reclaimed rubber, billboard vinyl, candy wrappers and vintage fabrics. Recent celebrity sightings are already generating plenty of buzz," concludes Fay.

About Mintel

Mintel is a leading global supplier of consumer, product and media intelligence. For more than 35 years, Mintel has provided insight into key worldwide trends, offering unique data that directly impacts client success. With offices in Chicago, London, Belfast and Sydney, Mintel has forged a unique reputation as a world-renowned business brand. For more information on Mintel, please visit www.mintel.com.


Contact:

Mintel
Meesham Neergheen
312-932-0400
meesham@mintel.com

Source: Mintel

Models display creations as part of Giorgio Armani's Spring/Summer 2008 men's collection during Milan Fashion Week June 26, 2007. REUTERS/Alessandro Garofalo (ITALY)

Models display creations as part of D and G's Spring/Summer 2008 men's collection during Milan Fashion Week June 26, 2007. (Alessandro Garofalo/Reuters)

Funcom (Nachrichten) is proud to announce the introduction of a additional business model for Anarchy Online, exactly six years after the launch of the world's first sci-fi MMO. Set to launch this summer, Funcom now introduces a point-based system where players can purchase selected virtual items, as well as new content and services. The new approach comes as an addition to Anarchy Online's existing business models, and it is a current Funcom focus to only introduce items which do not affect gameplay balance.

The first virtual items to kick off the program will be the introduction of jetbikes and hover boards, giving players the chance to cruise around Rubi-Ka in an all new fashion. In addition Funcom will offer previously released scout-mechs, luxury apartments, Leet pets and various sets of social clothing. By using points the players can also get access to previous and upcoming expansion and booster packs, as well as new services like changing in-game names or moving to another server.

“Funcom has long been a pioneer on new MMO business models, and with the introduction of virtual item sales we are once again moving our game in an exciting new direction,“ said Trond Arne Aas, CEO of Funcom. “Selling virtual items and smaller content upgrades is now a prevalent MMO business model in Asia. This has yet to be fully explored in the west, but we believe that the time is now right to test a limited version of such a model. At the same time we remain committed to the overall evolution of the game, making sure that Anarchy Online will be a success for many years to come.“

“Celebrating six years is a fantastic milestone for Anarchy Online, and we are genuinely honored to still entertain so many people,“ said Craig Morrison, Producer and Director on Anarchy Online. “As we now introduce a new addition to Anarchy Online we have ensured that our paying customers get certain privileges. At the same time we also want to show our commitment to taking the overall gameplay experience forward. I am therefore glad to announce that we are developing a new graphics engine for the game, replacing our entire server farm, as well as developing exciting booster packs which include new playfields and more.“

The Funcom points can at first be purchased in 10 and 20 USD / EUR packages. As an example of the price a new jetbike starts as low as 3 dollars, while a complete set of bikes can be bought for about 10 dollars. Players who are paying subscribers of Anarchy Online will get a set of monthly points included in the subscription price, and longer pricing plans like 6 and 12 months gives extra points. As an added incentive Funcom will send points to the player account upon receipt of subscription dues.

For more information about the game please visit www.anarchy-online.com.

ABOUT FUNCOM - Funcom is an independent developer and publisher of online games for PC, consoles and mobile platforms. Funcom has provided outstanding entertainment since 1993 and continues to expand its track-record of more than twenty released games. Recent titles include 'The Longest Journey', 'Anarchy Online' and 'Dreamfall: The Longest Journey'. For corporate information please visit www.funcom.com. For information about Funcom games visit www.anarchy-online.com, www.dreamfall.com, www.ageofconan.com or www.darkdaysarecoming.com. Funcom is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange under the ticker FUNCOM.

Jennifer Lopez arrives for a fashion event June 20, 2007 in New York. Lopez, Fergie and Usher will be among the performers at the fourth annual Fashion Rocks concert, which celebrates the relationship between music and fashion, it was announced Wednesday, June 27, 2007.(AP Photo/Dima Gavrysh)

THERE'S no doubt the camera loves Aussie model Miranda Kerr, but a star turn on the red carpet of a new Hollywood flick in New York has sparked buzz she's about to make the move from fashion runway to big screen babe herself.
The Gunnedah glamour girl stole the VIP show at the Rescue Dawn screening, pulling focus from its big name star Christian Bale.

But while her silver screen career may be waiting in the wings, Kerr has started small - starring in her model boyfriend's new music clip.

Brent Tuhtan's band Tamarama have scored a You Tube hit with their single, Everything For You, which features Kerr dancing around as the doting love interest in the beachy ballad's video.

You just never know where genius may lurk. Chances are, however, that the next Matthew Barney or Damien Hirst is likely to turn up in Los Angeles. Good weather, affordable workspace, a thriving creative community and a palpable sense of promise make L.A. a favorite destination.

``That's kind of why I'm here,'' says Michael Govan, who left the Dia Art Foundation in New York last year to become director of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (Lacma). ``That openness.''

During a recent visit, I found a rapidly expanding, sociable art scene whose variety and informality make a striking contrast with the competitive, fashion-driven and market- dominated art world of New York.

From gallery enclaves in Chinatown and the mid-Wilshire district to Santa Monica and Culver City (L.A.'s most Chelsea- like neighborhood), prices -- and expectations -- generally run lower than in New York, with work by both emerging and mid- career artists selling for well under $10,000.

In L.A., galleries form a kind of cultural underground, operating in the shadow of an entertainment industry that is just beginning to pay them notice.

Mainstream museums, on the other hand, are actively engaged in promoting local talent, introducing new work by young artists before it ever appears in a gallery. At the moment, both UCLA's Hammer Museum and L.A.'s Museum of Contemporary Art are presenting exhibitions devoted to Los Angeles-based artists.

Broad's Museum

And when the new, Renzo Piano-designed Broad Contemporary Art Museum opens late this year on the Lacma campus, it will transform a dowdy public institution into a world-class destination.

Los Angeles has long been an incubator for artists, thanks to a concentration of top-flight schools boasting tenured faculties with enough clout to help forge new careers. They include such widely regarded figures as John Baldessari, Mike Kelley, Barbara Kruger and Cathy Opie.

According to Russell Ferguson, who chairs UCLA's Department of Art, graduating students used to go straight to New York. Now the majority stick around.

``It's not just that more artists are staying,'' Kruger says. ``It's also that more artists are moving here from New York.''

Open-house exhibitions by master's degree candidates regularly attract collectors with open wallets and dealers interested in developing new markets. Only two years after graduating from UCLA, 32-year-old Elliott Hundley recently made his New York solo debut at Andrea Rosen's blue-chip gallery in Chelsea. But his first public appearance was in a project show at the Hammer.

It can work the other way, too.

Common Themes

Ari Wiseman, assistant director of the Museum of Contemporary Art, chose the figurative sculpture and drawings of 35-year-old Matthew Monahan to exhibit this summer in the museum's MoCA Focus series, a three-year-old program devoted to emerging local artists. (Alexandra Grant and Florian Maier- Aichen are the others on view.)

Ironically, Monahan has no gallery in L.A. Wiseman discovered him at Anton Kern Gallery in New York.

``Matthew didn't come through L.A. schools,'' Wiseman says. ``He moved here for personal reasons. It's only been in the last year that collectors started circling around him.''

Yet it is the art schools that make it possible for artist communities to form in such a sprawling metropolis.

``There are definitely cohorts of people who go through the MFA programs here and stay together,'' Ferguson says. ``Even those who leave for other places stay in touch.''

Three Generations

``Eden's Edge: Fifteen L.A. Artists'' at the Hammer establishes a lineage of influence among three generations of local artists, drawing out common sensibilities and thematic associations that seem to have grown directly from the surrounding environment and culture.

Works on display date from the past 10 years and range from the amorphous ceramic blobs of Ken Price to ``paintings'' by Mark Bradford made from scraped and sanded billboards, and an almost slapstick, 24-hour video tour of L.A. by two young female collaborators, Harry Dodge and Stanya Kahn.

Organized by chief curator Gary Garrels (a recent transplant from New York's Museum of Modern Art), what the show identifies as typically L.A. art involves a particular attention to labor-intensive detail, a florid sensuality, dreamlike imagery that borders on the hallucinogenic or surreal, and an emphasis on collage.

Fresh and Exciting

In the galleries, new art runs from sophisticated to slipshod, but it is often energetic, rather than East Coast entropic, and is presented with a refreshing lack of pretense.

``You have a gallery in L.A. because you want to experiment,'' says Tara Sandroni, a partner in Sandroni.Rey in Culver City, an area of former motion-picture studio warehouses that has seen an explosion of new galleries -- at least 25 opened in the past couple of years.

``It's about the quality of the work and a point of view that's fresh and exciting,'' Sandroni adds. ``That's why we got into this business, and I hope we don't have to change.''

Daniel Hug, a dealer who lives above his small Chinatown shop, seems to operate it more as a showcase for the new rather than a showroom for the salable. ``It's less that I recognize good art than I recognize really bad art,'' he says. ``So what I show is the result of a process of elimination.''

``Eden's Edge: Fifteen L.A. Artists'' is on view through Sept. 2 at the Hammer Museum, 10899 Wilshire Blvd., at Westwood Boulevard. Information: +1-310-443-7000 or http://www.hammer.ucla.edu .

The ``MoCA Focus'' series continues through Aug. 13 with Alexandra Grant, through Sept. 30 with Florian Maier-Atchen and through Oct. 28 with Matthew Monahan, all at the Museum of Contemporary Art, 250 S. Grand Ave. Information: +1-213-626-6222 or http://www.moca.org .

(Linda Yablonsky is an art critic for Bloomberg News. The opinions expressed are her own.)

To contact the writer of this story: Linda Yablonsky at fabyab@earthlink.net .

Payless ShoeSource, Inc., and H.H. Brown Shoe Company, Inc. announced today that they have signed a multi-year agreement making Payless ShoeSource the exclusive retailer for the Dexter brand of footwear and accessories in the United States and the rest of the Western Hemisphere. H.H. Brown will continue to design, develop and sell Dexter performance bowling and golf shoes, as well as the exclusive hand-sewn Dexter 1957 Collection hand-crafted in Maine.

Payless will align the Dexter brand with its new fashion direction and House of Brands strategy, while working with H.H. Brown to leverage the rich 50-year heritage and strong equity of the brand. Payless said it will launch the new Dexter line first with a men's collection in select Payless stores for the 2007 holiday season followed by full men's and women's collections launched in all stores in spring 2008.

"We are thrilled to add Dexter to our expanding portfolio of well-known brands including Airwalk®, American Eagle(TM), Tailwind®, Champion®, Spalding® and Dunkman(TM) now offered at Payless stores," said Matt Rubel, chief executive officer and president, Payless ShoeSource. "We're on a mission to democratize fashion and design in the footwear and accessory categories to bring shoppers great brands and the latest styles at a great price. Dexter, with its long-standing image of quality, innovation and style, will give Payless a brand platform that speaks to a new generation with the energy, spirit and optimism of American life, style and design."

Payless will utilize its footwear design team in New York City to design and develop the new Dexter collections featuring original designs inspired by the latest trends. The company said it expects the new Dexter collections to include casual, dress, boots, and fashion athletic footwear styles, as well as accessories.

"We are excited to team up with Payless to expand the reach and appeal of the Dexter lifestyle brand through Payless' significant store chain," said Jim Issler, President, CEO, H.H. Brown. "We see a strong fit between Dexter and Payless -- each has tremendous brand awareness and a strong reputation. We are proud that Dexter is a key brand in the fashion democracy led by Payless, and that Payless will become a keystone in Dexter's global branding initiative."

About Payless ShoeSource

Payless ShoeSource, Inc., the largest specialty family footwear retailer in the Western Hemisphere, is dedicated to democratizing fashion and design in footwear and accessories and inspiring fun, fashion possibilities for the family at a great value. As of the end of the first quarter 2007, the company operated a total of 4,564 stores. In addition, customers can buy shoes over the Internet through Payless.com® at http://www.payless.com.

About H.H. Brown

H.H. Brown is a major supplier of women's and men's comfort casual shoes, rugged outdoor footwear and premier work shoes and boots. Founded in 1883, H.H. Brown was acquired in 1991 by Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK-A), and is now a wholly owned subsidiary of the holding company which is engaged in a number of diverse business activities. After more than a century of growth and diversification H.H. Brown continues to innovate, patent, manufacture and distribute footwear and accessories worldwide. http://www.hhbrown.com


Source: Payless ShoeSource, Inc.

It was announced today that leading marketing firm Cornerstone has been secured by NexCen Brands, Inc. to conduct a nationwide trend study for Athlete's Foot. Cornerstone's Executive Vice President and General Manager Steven Justman made the announcement.

Cornerstone was hired for its innate ability to tap into consumer's behavior and its deep understanding of current and, more importantly, future trends. For the assignment, Cornerstone will conduct a nationwide analysis of trends integral to the Athlete's Foot business and brand. This initiative will be comprised of topics key to the company's core consumers, including fashion, music and sports. Cornerstone's FARM team, a 200 plus team of college-aged representatives, will conduct the trend analysis on a local and national level. The FARM team is a select group that is tapped into their local markets, providing Cornerstone with information and the capacity for outreach instrumental to understanding the marketplace and to executing successful branding campaigns.

"We're looking to truly understand our market and empower our franchisees with relevant and actionable information," says Robert D'Loren, President and CEO. "Cornerstone is the perfect partner for this -- they fully understand our target audience and what they're looking for."

"At Cornerstone we've always had the unique capacity to truly understand what motivates consumer behavior," said Justman. "We are not outsiders trying to understand this audience. Our employees are the people that brands are trying to reach -- those who are influencers in their communities. This allows us to provide our partners with the tools and information essential for success in today's cluttered marketplace."

About Cornerstone

Based in New York City and helmed by Rob Stone and Jon Cohen, Cornerstone is a full-service marketing firm that builds emerging brands and reenergizes established ones. Representing Fortune 500 clients across multiple disciplines -- with an emphasis on consumer products and services and entertainment industries -- Cornerstone designs and executes customized and innovative brand strategies that target and effectively reach the elusive market of 15-34 year olds.

About NexCen Brands, Inc. (www.nexcenbrands.com):

NexCen Brands, Inc. (NASDAQ: NEXC) is the premier 21st century brand acquisition and management company focused on assembling a diversified portfolio of intellectual property (IP) centric companies operating in the consumer branded products and franchise industries. The Company owns, licenses, franchises and markets a growing portfolio of consumer and franchise brands including The Athlete's Foot®, Bill Blass®, MaggieMoo's®, Marble Slab Creamery® and Waverly®. The Company licenses and franchises its brands to a network of leading retailers, manufacturers and franchisees that touch every major segment of retail distribution from the luxury market to the mass market in the U.S. and in over 45 countries around the world and consists of in excess of 1,150 of its own franchised stores. NexCen, through its information technology (IT) and franchisee support systems and advertising, marketing and public relations team, markets its brands to continually drive greater consumer awareness and brand equity for each of its brands. NexCen touches nearly every aspect of a consumer's lifestyle from the food they eat to the furnishings in their homes and the clothes and footwear they purchase.

Press Contact:
Ed James
Cornerstone [Public Relations]
212-652-9295
Email Contact

Published Jun. 26, 2007
Copyright © 2007 SYS-CON Media. All Rights Reserved.

In a moment of perfect fashion synergy, the artist Julian Schnabel showed up in purple pajamas at a l'Uomo Vogue dinner honoring his Milan exhibition, just after Miuccia Prada held a pajama party on her runway.

So those new Prada uniforms, dense with dusky floral patterns, weren't so baffling after all. ! They were the latest look for the humid summer nights that global warming seems already to have thrust on this city.

In general, the summer 2008 season, with its focus on dark suits, leather, nylon and the new hot (not to say "sweaty") favorite, Neoprene, suggest that clothes are no longer related to a specific season.

Since Miuccia Prada has always had a penchant for uniforms and declared after the show, "I have always loved pajamas," the new look was easy, without being floppy. The line was geometric, the tops tunic- or coat-length, or with the shirt tucked into pants for a more familiar Prada silhouette. Zip-up overalls were the fashion victim's version.

Patterns were sinuous irises and ivy leaves of the Belle Époque or a mixture of graphic checks and prints, mostly in silken materials. They went with shoes that were luminously modern in their glow of color-striped shiny leather. And there was another key accessory: the large watch on a wrist band.

"Very European — I don't know what the word is. Romantic? Elegant?" Prada said, struggling to define her aesthetic. The set boxed the audience into a maze with a labyrinth of hedged paths projected on the walls. And that is how it seemed on the runway: strong ideas, fine pieces, but a collection that had not quite found its way.

Men's fashion as a canvas for accessories has been a concept since shoe and handbag companies took over fashion in the 1990s. At Bottega Veneta, the designer Tomas Maier does that with particular ease, making his crumpled linen tailoring and faded Madras checks an artistic backdrop for leather sneakers or sandals with lattice inserts or tactile leather bags. Count on the art Biennale crowd to get this unflashy luxury look from cotton jackets to glazed linen three-piece suits. The ritzier resort wear seemed more forced: tailored shorts, zipper-off jacket sleeves and a sea-blue palette with melon and pearl pink. But With its monochrome, easy looks, this collection made rare sense of summer wear.

If you chopped off the Salvatore Ferragamo collection above the ankles, ignoring oxblood patent shoes and other classy footwear, would you immediately place the clotted cream three-piece suit with satin pocket handkerchief and gloves, or the crunchy silver raincoat, as quintessentially of this Florentine brand? Sure the fabrics are lush, touched with the sporty modernity of a metallic sweater or a nylon blouson. cq But were defining details so subtle that they did not show up on the catwalk, with its light box cylinder simulating splashing water?

In its hotels and home furnishings, Ferragamo is rich in leather handles and dark, grainy wood. It needs a similar image to define the clothes.

Alexander McQueen, an architect of runway drama, fell victim this week to his own invention. His show, held around the blue waters of a municipal swimming pool, encased fine cotton shirts, tailored coats and sportswear inspired by a 1960s photograph of surfers. If you could mentally strip away the post-Elvis hairdos dusted with silver sparkles and the giant surfboard backpacks, there was a collection of fine pieces, often beautifully worked, like the shirt with a snaking chain of patchwork. The water theme brought waving blue patterns and shiny, sexy, sporty wet suits — as well as water- soaked black suits for the finale.

But the profound and often disturbing edge of McQueen McQueen's profound and often disturbing edge seemed lost — especially with the slogan patterns and cartoon images that might be cute for Tokyo's Harajuku bands, brands?//no, bands. mjs. but seemed gimmicky as a fashion statement.

Since Valentino's heart is with his 45th anniversary celebrations in Rome next month — and the award he was scheduled to receive there this week — he wisely eschewed a menswear show for an installation of juicy guys in the tailored suits once worn at sundown in vacation resorts. They propped up a bar where dancers from the Paris Lido shook their breasts and their feathers. For those who took their eyes off the performance, there were elegant blazers, striped suits and polka dots, which are a mild trend of the season.

Energetic sportswear is a mood of the moment. The rhythm and blues soul singer John Legend and the "Spider- Man" actor James Franco joined the stellar front row at Emporio Armani, but it was the Italian sports heroes who reinforced the patriotic spirit of a collection that was, in the designer's own words, "crazy for Italy." A backdrop of Renaissance statues introduced clothes more body conscious than the floppy freedom more familiar from Armani. It was based on pants with a curve articulating the thighs and narrowing at the ankles, where there were jodhpur buttons or straps left loose.

Italian designer Valentino scarcely bothered to dress the women in his menswear show, putting five topless dancers behind a mock-up cocktail bar in his presentation for spring and summer 2008.

The dancers ¨C who wore red sparkling thongs and black and red feathered wings ¨C took some attention from the line-up of designs which 75-year-old Valentino Garavani suggested for next spring.

Valentino is better known for his trademark red evening dresses and sweeping gowns, worn by stars like Sophia Loren.

The only unexpected glimpse of male flesh was a bit of ankle on the models who were all smartly turned out without socks.

Valentino, celebrating 45 years as a designer this year, stuck to a classic, colonial look for his boys for the next hot season, decking them out in creams, beiges and petrol blues.

The presentation kept models posed and chatting while the audience moved past them, the reverse of a catwalk event when models strut past seated reviewers.

The mood of a previous era was evoked in pocket handkerchiefs and neckerchiefs ¨C in patterns of beiges, creams and a dark vintage racing green.

Suits were pinstriped or Prince of Wales check.

The designer gave his evening wear a spin with black polka dot shirts or geometric design jackets, while he used ice cream-colours to band cashmere jumpers that peeped from under pinstripe suits.

Valentino, whose brand is being bought by private equity fund Permira in a deal valuing it at 2.6 billion euros ($3.50 billion), took a bow after the show in a conservative beige suit with classic blue and white broad striped shirt.

GUCCI GAMES

Gucci designer Frida Giannini also stepped back in time for her spring sartorial thoughts, with a playful collection which drew on films of some 50 years ago.

"The inspiration was more a mood than a place," the designer told Reuters after the show. "The ... film stars of the 1950s ... the tailoring was '50s and '60s Cinecitta," she added.

Models walked out in strides sporting a variety of checks from gingham to Prince of Wales, using a black and white base with splashes of red, orange and vivid yellow.

There were flat, peaked caps ¨C also in checks ¨C and monochrome spot ties to contrast.

Giannini, in her third menswear collection for the brand, ran the check mood into beach shorts, teamed with gauzy floral tops in the same colours, or with a bright red canvas jacket that looked fit for a lifeguard.

Red ran into evening wear in slim, low-slung cummerbunds shocking against white evening suits and black silk shirts.

But even in her formal wear, Giannini eschewed waistcoats which have featured in many other shows during Milan's spring and summer 2008 menswear season, which runs to June 27.

Only three days into the menswear shows in Milan and already two rather improbable trends are emerging: gold and see-through clothes. The International Herald Tribune tried to justify this yesterday by claiming that they reflect the rise of hedge fund managers, whose byword, apparently, is transparency, and only those with six-figure bonuses could possibly afford all the gilded garments.

Valentino has always taken a far more literal approach to referencing wealth, preferring to embody it in his famous yacht-and-villa lifestyle than making oblique references to it through transparent clothes. This is a man who has a house in most big capitals because he doesn't like to stay in a hotel, who insists that his napkins are ironed on his yachts and who makes Gwyneth Paltrow feel nervous about her physical appearance. Only if she has had her hair professionally blow-dried beforehand, she claims in an interview in US Harpers Bazaar this month, is she permitted to wear jeans in front of him.

While some designers hypocritically claim they are aiming for the trendy youth market, yet still knock out clothes with price tags that suggest the only youths able to afford their wares are ones with Hilton as a surname, Valentino's clothes look exactly as they are: expensive. Yesterday's menswear show included slim suits, neckerchiefs, cashmere polo necks and a colour scheme the press release described as "colonial" - perfect for any minor European royalty out there.

One thing that was different was that instead of a traditional show Valentino staged a presentation, a surprisingly democratic format for the designer. Instead of being seated in tiered rows, which operates as a quasi caste system in the fashion world, the audience milled around in an aimless group. Unfortunately, this didn't quite work, with no one really able to see the clothes and the crowd becoming downright indignant when they realised they could not sit down, after having been kept waiting for 45 minutes in the 35C (95F) heat. Democracy, it seems, just doesn't work in the Valentino world.

A model displays a creation as part of Roberto Cavalli's Spring/Summer 2008 men's collection during Milan Fashion Week June 25, 2007. REUTERS/Alessandro Garofalo (ITALY)

A model displays a creation as part of Roberto Cavalli's Spring/Summer 2008 men's collection during Milan Fashion Week June 25, 2007. REUTERS/Alessandro Garofalo (ITALY)

Milan Fashion run of men's fashion shows for next summer displayed brazen irreverence Monday with Moschino's fluorescent tones, Gucci's slimline tweeds and John Richmond's gangster chic suits.

Franco Moschino's offerings were a riot of colour. Turning back to the 1980s, he showed off an orange trench coat teamed up with white pants, a yellow windbreaker and pink socks peeking out under short pants.

Even the belts and shoes screamed Florida. And the Peace and Love symbol of the fashion house were omnipresent, being either a discreet presence on the back of a coat or emblazoned across a T-shirt.

Gucci turned to classic tweed in black and white and pants tailored so close to the body that they veered between classic elegance and insolence.

But the trousers were in more adventurous colours: vermillion, bright yellow and green. For the evening, it was a classic black tuxedo enlivened by a cherry coloured belt.

British stylist John Richmond meanwhile showcased a collection that married an English dandy's wardrobe with that of a Sicilian bandit with dark suits, natty ties and eyeshades to match. And there were trousers in military fatigues.

Valentino, for his part, opted for classic and "still" elegance, showing his designs on mannequins against the backdrop of bare-breasted cabaret dancers covered in fuchsia plumes -- the theme being 'Paris Awakens.'

The mood before this year's Milan fashion week was sombre following the sudden death of leading Italian designer Gianfranco Ferre.

Ferre died on July 17 aged 62 after a brain haemorrhage and was buried in his birthplace of Legnano near Milan.

A week after his death, the fashion house that bears his name on Sunday presented its summer show for men to a tearful audience that gave him a posthumous ovation.

On Tuesday, Giorgio Armani, Fendi, Etro, Marni and Trussardi will unveil their collections in Italy's fashion capital on the penultimate day of the current fashion run.

A view of the newly renovated Hall of Mirrors at the Chateau de Versailles, near Paris, Monday, June 25, 2007, in this photo made with slow shutter speed causing blur as person walks in foreground. After 4-years of work, the renovated Chateau de Versailles' Hall of Mirrors is re-opened to the public on Monday. (AP Photo/Jacques Brinon)

Mall-based women's apparel retailer Charlotte Russe Holding Inc. said it is focused on opening new stores and improving its offerings in tops and dresses, the company chief executive said at a conference on Tuesday.

At the Wachovia Securities 2007 Nantucket Equity Conference, Charlotte Russe President and Chief Executive Mark A. Hoffman said the company has identified its total store potential at 600. The retailer, which ended the third quarter with 410 stores, plans to have 432 stores open by year end.

"There are a significant number of mall locations still available," he said. "We have 350 locations on our wish list."

In terms of its merchandise, Hoffman said Charlotte Russe is set apart from its rival "fast-fashion" women's apparel retailers Forever 21 and Wet Seal because of the age of Charlotte Russe's target consumer -- young women in their late teens and early 20s.

"Our slightly older consumer is a bit more sophisticated," he said.

The company sees the most growth opportunity in its knit and woven tops. Hoffman also said the company is working to improve its dress offerings.

"The changes made with our dresses continue to make very strong statement to the customer," he said.

Charlotte Russe also sells bottoms, footwear and accessories.

Shares of Charlotte Russe fell 44 cents to $26.28 in morning trading.

Questions or comments about this story should be directed to AP Financial News at 212-621-7190.

Fashion designers Stefano Gabbana, left, and Domenico Dolce acknowledge the applause of the audience after presenting their D&G Spring/Summer 2008 men's collection, presented in downtown Milan, Italy, Tuesday, June 26, 2007. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

One of Frye's most famous boots is called the Harness. If you're over 40, you know the one, even if you don't know you know. Rugged leather, squared toe, a simple belt around the ankle. It was created in the 19th century and became a huge fad in the late 1960s, but you needn't go to a museum to see this boot today: It's flying off the shelves of Nordstrom and Zappos.

Keep your eyes peeled and you'll see the Harness, the Engineer and other classic Frye boots on the streets of Chicago, New York and London this summer. In this, the 40th anniversary of the Summer of Love, Frye boots are back like a blast from the past. Their comeback is a telling sign of the times.

Frye boots' previous heyday was the first time the brand, founded in 1863, became a fashion icon. For women, they represented a new combination of strength and hipness. Wide-toed and heavy, they were a bold reaction against a period of restrictive femininity: housewives vacuuming in heels.

Claudia Goldin hitched herself to a pair of Fryes in the 1970s and stomped around the West Village with her tight jeans tucked into the bootlegs. Now a well-known labor and history economist at Harvard University, she welcomes their return. Fryes, she says, "say strength."

With the benefit of hindsight, we can safely say that the 1970s woman used Fryes to look more liberated than she was. The woman-behind-the-man habits persisted for some time. Still, the boots exemplified the effort of forging past the 1950s into a stronger, more confident era.

'
The Engineer

Though they remained popular into the '70s, Frye boots are so closely tied to the image of the '60s that they are on display at the Smithsonian as an emblem of those years. But there are also some ways in which their aura - earthy, utilitarian and anti-fashion - fits the current times, too.

In fashion, we're coming off a similar period of femininity. Our feet ache from the Manolo Blahniks that we've been wearing to work.

Politically, when Fryes were last in fashion, it was a period of unsurpassed idealism, unrest over an unpopular war and a president who was out of favor. Today, the political winds are blowing in some similar directions.

"I really believe there's a strong societal connection between 2007 and the 1970s," says Leslie Schnur, a 52-year-old New York author who owned a pair of Harness boots in the 1970s, when she attended Berkeley. Jeannie, the heroine of Schnur's latest novel, "Late Night Talking," clomps through Schnur's book in a pair of Fryes.

For most wearers, Frye boots are about the freedom to blow off fashion's dictums. They are rebellious and, at the same time, in touch with the earth and a certain cowboy reality.

Frye was founded by John A. Frye in 1863. An enterprising boot maker from England, Frye managed to sell to both the Yankees and the Rebels during the Civil War. The company maintained its utilitarian customer base for decades, putting boots on pioneers who crossed the West, on soldiers in the Spanish American war, on Teddy Roosevelt and his Rough Riders, on General Patton. In 1998, Frye was bought by Jimlar Corp., a footwear company based in Great Neck, N.Y.

After the heady rush of their 1970s popularity, Frye boots were left to their cowboy and motorcycle stalwarts for a quarter-century or so. Three years ago, actress Sarah Jessica Parker helped bring them back after being seen in a pair of Fryes.

Now, Fryes are back in force: the Campus boot, the 19th-century design favored by pioneers and renamed in the 1970s to reflect its popularity among college students; the Engineer; the Harness boot, the Cavalry. There are newer versions, but it's the 140-year-old styles that resonate.

Stephanie Maniscalco, proprietor of the online vintage purveyor Pretty Baby Vintage in Texas, can't find enough vintage Fryes to sell. "They can bring an outfit down if it's too frilly," she says. Again, the message is jarring and rebellious.

And there you have it. Fryes aren't just an emblem of geopolitical unrest. They're a response to fashion unrest, as well.

Perhaps, like the culinary trend toward "slow food" - healthier and more flavorful - consumers yearn for slower fashion. David Wolfe, creative director at Doneger Group retail consultants, believes the industry's fast-fashion frenzy may be inadvertently driving people into Frye boots and items like Converse sneakers that feel more substantial.

"I think we're in fashion burnout," Wolfe says. "We're looking for things that are so out of fashion, they're cool."

So now, a whole new generation is finding an alternative in Frye boots. Lauren Goodman, the 31-year-old fashion director at Domino Magazine, counts herself a "huge fan." "We're all so into chasing trends," she says. "It's great that we have H&M and Forever 21, but they're here today and gone tomorrow. It's nice to have something with legacy."

At 9 p.m. last night, Bank Street was humming with black Mercedeses, all idling for the air conditioning. "It's gotta be cold when my client comes out," said one driver. A bright red motorcycle with Diplomat plates screeched to a halt and an olive-skinned man bounded off into the most literarily significant inn since the Tabard. As prescribed by the Post's Mandy Stadtmiller, we had made reservations through Jon Kelly, Graydon Carter's assistant.

At the front bar is a mixture of beautiful young women and somewhat less beautiful and less young men who are accompanying them. "Rich, Rich," one man who looked like a dumpy George Lucas called to his friend at the bar, "Sauvignon blanc!"

Few people were alone—except at the very end of the bar, a very tall and forlorn-looking Mark Warner, the former Virginia governor and momentary presidential contender, sat drinking a glass of white wine. A man at the bar, surrounded by skinny and cute girls, laughed and said, "Ha, it's just like the five-year-itch!"

At the tables, a bit after 9 p.m., the shining lights of Manhattan's social mantle began to stand out. In one corner by the window, Anne McNally (of Vanity Fair fashion fame) sat with New Yorker writer Michael Specter and beautiful model-actress-painter Anh Duong. McNally clutched a white alligator print Prada bag; Specter sported his trademark weirdly-folding spectacles. The waiter was pushing the "famous macaroni and cheese."

Across from the McNally fourtop, Spike Carter, Graydon's kid, and a couple of his teenaged-looking friends sported the ruddiness of white kids who had been drinking. One of the girls in that party wore an oversize gray Batman t-shirt, another an Adidas jumpsuit. Spike himself sported a scruffy beard and was by far the least well-dressed man in the room.

There is a coveted horseshoe-shaped banquette, located, oddly enough, near the bathroom in the front room. This is where Graydon usually sits when he's there. Last night that space was occupied by Graydon's dear friend Ron Perelman. Next to him sat Penny Marshall and a couple of young girls. Ron and Graydon are as close as Penny Marshall and Ron's ex Ellen Barkin; those two were in a 1985 off-Broadway production of Eden Court.

By 11:30, the crowd had thinned considerably. The average weight dropped as the literary types went to bed and the model types came to "dinner." Outside the black town cars gave way to white limos. Through the slatted blinds of a neighboring townhouse, a leery resident peered out at the scene with suspicion. Her crow-footed eyes glittered with hostility. The diplomat jumped on his motorcycle and sped away down Bank Street.

Leaving her family in Malawi was a tough choice for Rose Kaleke.

I left Malawi in 2005. I wanted to study fashion and textiles, but there were no suitable courses in my country. It was hard to leave my family. I have a husband and three children aged 23, 21 and 16. I haven't seen them for two years.

When I left Malawi, my husband was working. Then he lost his job and had to sell some of our property to pay my course fees. I work part time, 20 hours a week in a care home. This just about covers my rent, bills, food and weekly travel card.

I rent a room in a flat in Edgware, in north London. It can be lonely, coming home to one room every night when you're used to living in a house with your family.

The culture is different here, but everyone is friendly. I'm the oldest in my class at college. Most of the students are young girls, but I mix easily. They tell me I am brave. They tell me they could never do what I am doing. I tell them that you have to make sacrifices to achieve what you want out of life.

Next year, I'm hoping to go to Bournemouth University, so I can make my qualification up to a degree. I'd like to go home during the summer break, but a flight will cost at least £500. I'm not sure I'll be able to afford it.

When I decided to do this course, I was running a shop, selling ready-made clothes. People in Malawi like to buy clothes that are made to measure, or can be altered to fit them. The skills I learn on this course will help me make a better business at home. When you have your own business, you help reduce poverty, which is a big problem in Malawi. When I reopen my shop, I'd like to employ people with disabilities. They have so much to offer but are often overlooked for work.

· Rose Kaleke is studying for an HND in fashion and textiles at Barnet College