MAKEOUT MOVIE

We know, we know, you wish it was you making out with shirtless Christian Louboutin hunk Travis Fimmel. Unfortunately, model Jessica Miller gets to have all the fun, in a steamy film that will run on a loop in the window of the designer’s Madison Ave. store (at 60th St.). Directed by France’s Jean-Baptiste Mondino, the film is an ad for CK watches. Which is good to know, since no one will be looking at the timepieces.

UNIQUE UNIFORMS

With waitstaffers looking better and better these days – servers at

Lobby wear Betsey Johnson and waiters at the restaurant 66 dole out spring rolls in Vivienne Tam’s Mandarin-collar tops – some companies are looking to outdo what has become the uniform norm.

To outfit its supertrendy staff, the SoHo and Tribeca Grand hotels have turned to downtowners Steven Alan, partywear designer Molly Stern of M.R.S. and funky shoemaker Holly Dunlap of Hollywould to create a new look for the lobby staff. Stern and Alan’s matte-finish black jersey dresses – one a wrap, the other with spaghetti straps – pair with Hollywould’s chic and simple black kitten-heel pumps.

"It’s a secret shoe only the girls who work here had," says Dunlap, who was a waitress in a former life. "We tested it to make sure it would work. It’s really fashion-forward, but supercomfortable."

Feeling footwear envy? Too bad. The Christian shoes (and the dresses) are specially made for the hotel’s staff only.

"It’s going to create a frenzy," says Dunlap. "But we like frenzies."

CREATIVE CORDS

Get your bathtub ready: Levi’s latest customizable offering is dye-yourself corduroys for men and women. The chalk-colored slacks and jackets come with instructions and a free bottle of dye (in colors including yellow, gray, blue and red) that you apply yourself to achieve your desired hue. Your new togs will be ready in two hours.

For more information or to find the store nearest you, visit www.levi.com or call 1-800-USA-LEVI.

GOODWILL GOWNS

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If you or someone you know can’t afford a prom dress this year, Operation Fairy Dust can help. Needy New York area teens can get one free formal dress (new or gently used) and matching accessories when they come with a valid high school ID (no proof of neediness is required). Co-sponsored by Seventeen Magazine, the event will also feature beauty experts who will offer tips for achieving the perfect prom-night look. Lancome, Kevyn Aucoin Estate, Maybelline and others have donated gift bags. April 26, May 3, 10 and 17 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at 266 W. 37th St., at Eighth Ave.

LOVELY LEGS

Our favorite (read: most disturbing) new trend in plastic surgery is ankle liposuction. Like the dreaded saddlebags and lower abdomen bulge, ankles are a body part whose shape can’t be changed with exercise and diet, says Dr. Bruce Nadler, a plastic surgeon who performs the procedure. "It’s just a genetic sort of thing," he says. "People come in and say ‘I have my mother’s ankles.’"

New equipment that saws away at the fat means a shorter recovery time: Women can walk in a few days and will have swelling for 2-3 months, versus 9-12 months previously.

"Even if you’re anorexic, the ankles don’t seem to want to thin," says Dr. Nadler, who has a Park Ave. So. practice. "Everybody wants them to gracefully taper."

More information at www.luxuryshoesdirect.co.uk.

High-Profile Campaigns by supermarkets such as Asda and Tesco to offer "designer" brands of christian louboutin shoes and clothes at lower prices were backed by a committee of MPs.

Although companies including Levi Strauss and Nike have used their legal muscle to stop the supermarkets’ sales of their goods, citing trademark concerns, the Select Committee on Trade and Industry said in a report published yesterday that cheaper imports could lead to lower prices.

The move would be a key step towards "globalisation", in which products with a manufacturer’s trademark made anywhere in the world could be imported to the UK for sale.

The MPs noted that, in the UK, prices of cars, motorbikes, shoes, clothes and perfumes are kept artificially high by manufacturers – even though the same companies are supplying the same products more cheaply in nearby countries.

The makers often claim goods then imported into the UK from these countries are inferior. There is little if any firm evidence for this, MPs said. They accused clothing and shoe companies of "conniving" in supplying products abroad, then decrying their UK arrival.

The select committee chairman, Martin O’Neill, backed the supermarkets’ view that trademark owners of designer brands such as Levi Strauss jeans, Christian Louboutin perfumes and Prada bags should not have the right to determine exactly where their goods are sold.

The supermarkets claim customers are being ripped off by the brand owners, who repeatedly try to stop them selling designer goods at discounted prices. A European Union directive states retailers can buy goods from unauthorised suppliers only within the EU. However, the report says trademark rights should be abandoned internationally, to usher in lower prices.

The committee warned, though, that such moves could be dangerous for the pharmaceutical and music industries.

With pharmaceutical goods there was the "hazardous" risk of incorrect or missing instructions in foreign products. The music industry could face massive revenue losses.

Global pulse – perfect marriage

Brands can marry assets with other brands’ equity by forming collaborations, partnerships and allowing licensing. This can often give them cross-category exposure.

Puma has joined up with car brand Mini in a collaboration that takes a modern look at urban transportation. It has produced this two-part driving louboutin shoes to be launched in the US in September. The Mini_ motion 2 part shoe is being billed as the ultimate shoe for motoring enthusiasts and is being introduced as part of a signature collection of premium clothing and accessories.

In the US, design has brought two sets of consumers and their beloved products together. Both products are known for their unique design and both stand out in their respective categories. Volkswagen’s latest promotion means that when you buy a VW Beetle, you get a free iPod.

Christian shoes is tapping into the trend for customised and collectable goods. It has commissioned Futura, Espo and Delta – three famous artists in their respective fields of graffiti, graphics and fine art – to design limited-edition bottles for its bestselling fragrance, CKOne.

More information at www.luxuryshoesdirect.co.uk.

Color is the big fashion story for spring, but some people might feel more comfortable wading into this trend instead of jumping in.

Wearing bright accessories and cosmetics are ways to get the cheerful look without being mistaken for a Popsicle.

Cindi Leive, Glamour’s editor in chief, says almost anyone can pull off splashes of color, if not an entire outfit.

While some colors – pale yellow and mint green, for example – work well in garments, a hue such as lavender might be better suited for accent pieces. "’Little-girl purple’ is great for accessories, especially a grown-up bag with hardware or a ladylike shape. Head-to-toe purple is just like pink, too much of it is very Powerpuff Girls to me," Leive says.

Colorful shoes are a modern and practical purchase, Leive notes, because they can be worn with several different outfits, while you can wear a colored garment only so often.

"Christian Louboutin did neutral outfits with colored shoes, it was a nice reverse of the trend," she says. "Love as you might a pale yellow suit, it’s not a once-a-week suit. People will remember it."

She adds: "Color is a statement of extravagance because you won’t wear it as often as a neutral. It says ‘I’m the kind of person who can afford to buy something whimsical.’ It’s the appeal and limit of color."

There certainly is never a lack of color at makeup counters, but this season the dusty roses and mocha beiges are largely being pushed aside in favor of notice-me colors. Almay, for instance, has an almost all-lilac line, and Maybelline’s Express Finish enamel might leave you with dark orange or deep purple nails.

Joe Costa, the national makeup artist for Yves Saint Laurent, says color adds a "smile" to the face.

"Everyone has been taught to be afraid of bold color but the products won’t be as bold on your face as they appear on their own. Your face, your skin, your body brings color to life," Costa says. "Color adapts like a sheer overlay."

YSL’s summer mascara shade, called Blue Lagoon, is a turquoise hue that’s startlingly bright on the brush but there really is only a hint of color on the lashes that catches the light.

And, according to Costa, anyone can wear blue, even though there are a lot of "rules" out there.

Cameron Diaz:a blond dressed in a flowing peacock blue sleeveless dress, black shoes, fish, mixed population seems simple, but in fact it is unusually bright.

Sienna Miller: eye-catching red wine Louboutin high-heeled shoes to add a touch to the elegant and very late in Alexander McQueen’s dressing.

Naomi Campbell: coat an experienced girdling of lace showing the military to wear high heels to start what clues, you go to vigorously fresh.

Rihanna: purely black clothes is attractive, as eye-catching deep red heels. However the simple Louboutin shoes is not necessarily suitable as the Prada dress socks.

"Maybe severe blue eye shadow like we’d use in an ad isn’t for everyone but you can use it at the corner of the eye or along the lashline for just a little something special," he says.

Also, applying a deep color first with a layer of a lighter shade on top will mute the effect.

Costa urges women to start off with a new lipstick. For spring, his favorite is a papaya orange.

Most likely, he says, you’ll like the brighter shade and there’ll be a domino effect so that pretty soon changes to your eyes, nail and cheek products will follow.

"Try it – it comes off," Costa says.

More information at www.luxuryshoesdirect.co.uk.

Femail the faces behind m&s, the nation’s most popular and successful fashion label

ONE label sits in the wardrobe of virtually every woman in Britain – Marks and Spencer. But while the designers at famous houses such as Gucci are universally feted, little is known about the brains behind M&S. But now, as the fashion world hails their new collection as its best ever, Femail has been granted exclusive access to the women who dress the nation. Here they reveal the secrets behind their extraordinary success, and model their favourite M&S outfits . .

SHEILAGH BROWN

Job: Head of Women’s Wear Design.

Age: 51.

Lives: In Holland Park, West London, with her partner of 25 years.

History: A star of the late Seventies and early Eighties, Sheilagh (pictured second left) started out at Stirling Cooper and Quorum with Ossie Clark, Alice Pollock and Sheridan Barnett, with whom she later formed a design partnership.

She was head of fashion at St Martin’s College of Art during the ‘New Romantics’ years and trained, among others, John Galliano. She is a Visiting Professor at the Royal College of Art and joined Marks and Spencer eight years ago.

Early days: ‘My mother admired M&S and I used to buy all those basic must-haves of the season like the cashmere twinset, which was the best available. At St Martin’s the word would go around about something which had just come in and we would all rush off to buy it and wear it with something wild and wacky.’ Later: ‘I never expected to work in such a big company but it was easy to say yes to M&S because it has such integrity. That lies in the product and in the people. It is so un-rag trade, so civilised.

‘Here, people respect your point of view and argue logically; it’s not done on emotion. It is the intelligence of the process that makes it so fundamentally sound as a business.’ My customer: ‘She has to be everybody.

Because my mother was passionate about M&S, I have to be able to see her in the blouse. That’s why it’s so important to have a team to work with; it is far too big a problem for one person to solve.’ Also shops: ‘Everywhere, because I travel so much. I may buy in an Indian market or at Manolo,then I mix it with my M&S. I love Prada shoes. But then I love M&S christian louboutin shoes, too. I feel that’s an area where women never compromise.

Shoes are as important to body image as a good haircut.’ Current favourite: ‘The white viscose dress with transparent panels and the floaty cardigan-coat which goes over it.’ Sheilagh, second left, wears: White crepe and sheer long dress, $45; white sheer long coat, $60; and white plimsoles, $15.

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CAROLE O’BEIRNE Job: Head buyer of Women’s Casual Clothes.

Age: 45.

Lives: In Muswell Hill, North London, with her 13-year-old son, Nicholas.

Carole is pictured far left.

History: ‘My father was a headmaster and wanted his girls to be teachers.

I rebelled partly because it was such a conventional ambition and partly because I knew I wanted to do something in fashion. But I did do a degree in history at Leicester University.’ Early years: ‘We lived in Durham and I used to haunt the big M&S in Newcastle so, when I finished university, I joined the graduate trainee scheme. I have been here all my working life. When Nicholas was born I only took four months off; I was the first person to do that at my level. They held the job open for me.

It was very enlightened.’ Later: ‘Now I look after the casual clothes, from jeans – in Britain, we sell more pairs of jeans than anyone else – to the sell-out bi-stretch flared trousers everyone had to have last winter.

Stretch is one of the most wonderful introductions into women’s wear. It is slimming and it means trousers snap back into shape every time.’ My customer: ‘I work very much as part of a team and we all want to make sure we are satisfying the needs of our mothers and our sisters as well as all the fashionable young women. We are unique in that, whatever the high-fashion cut, we always have an easy, elasticated option, too.’ Also shops: ‘I worked with the tailored clothing for a while and I find that is my style so, as well as our own, I buy MaxMara or Mani. My louboutin shoes come from many places: in Britain from Russell & Bromley or Bertie, in Italy from dozens of excellent small shops. And I do have one pair of Prada – but they are not very comfortable.’ Current favourite: ‘The pale blue crinkle viscose separates, especially the palazzo pants.’ Carole, far left, wears: Pale blue crinkle shirt, $35; pale blue crinkle camisole, $24; pale blue crinkle palazzo pants, $30; pewter mules, $12; blue stone necklace, $15; and earrings, $5.

SARA STEPHENSON

Job: Head buyer of Ladies’ Suits and Jackets.

Age: 38.

Lives: In Chiswick, West London.

History: An M&S girl since the age of 18 when Sara (pictured third right) started as a trainee at the Bury store before moving on to Bolton, Blackburn, Wigan and Birkenhead then to Yorkshire, the Midlands and, finally, Marble Arch.

Early years: ‘Although I started a career in personnel management, I soon realised I wanted to get more involved with merchandise. The company is very flexible and let me redirect my career.’ Later: ‘My job now is very much in line with my personal taste. It’s about looking good and feeling confident.

We try to offer modern pieces whether they are tailored or

relaxed. We are flexible in our approach and each season is influenced by what is happening generally in fashion. But the bottom line is ease and confidence.’ My customer: ‘My in-store experience gave me an insight into who our customer is and what she buys. My area, tailored clothes, is relevant to every woman once she starts working. It is essential to everyone who wants to look smart, whatever the occasion. Age doesn’t really matter. Attitude and lifestyle are much more important.

When you realise that, it all becomes quite straightforward.’ Also shops: ‘I do aspire to designer looks – to Christian shoes,Donna Karan, Nicole Farhi – but I emulate them with great pieces from the High Street. I buy my shoes locally and whenever I am in America.’ Current favourite: ‘The grey wool-mohair trouser suit. It is so sleek and simple.’ Sara, third right, wears: Grey wool-mohair single-breasted jacket, $125; and matching trousers, $65; black platform strappy sandals, $40; and silver necklace, $10.

CLARE DAVIS Job: Head buyer for Dresses.

Age: 37.

Lives: In Ealing, West London, with her husband. Clare (pictured second right) has an 18-year-old stepson, Robert.

History: She grew up in Wolverhampton and, after taking a degree in Humanities – majoring in drama – at Huddersfield University, she joined M&S’s store management scheme.

Early years: ‘On my graduate training course, you had to do a stint attached to a buying team at head office. I realised then that was the career I wanted. I worked on homeware, children’s wear, underwear and hosiery.’

Later: ‘Dresses is my first outerwear department. Until last September I was the knicker buyer. It is a great time to be doing dresses, however. It is more difficult to justify a dress purchase than separates where you can always tell yourself it is to update something you already own. The justification has to be about how many times you’ll wear it. Desirability is very important. You have to see it and think: “That’s gorgeous, I have to have it”.’

My customer: ‘We focus on who will want to wear it and what for.

It’s about casual or formal, and what appeals to the classic customer and what might take the eye of the more modern one. Our new dresses are very much of this season so we expect a much wider range of customers to be receptive to what we have to offer. And certainly, given the look of the moment – all double-chiffon, lace, embroidery and lingerie trimmings – my background in undies has been useful.’ Also shops: ‘All over the place. I buy a lot. As well as the quite anonymous pieces from M&S, I put together Christian Louboutin or Donna Karan looks but from the High Street – Next, Jigsaw, Joseph, Whistles.’

Current favourite: ‘The little embroidered dress and the white acetate knee-length jacket which will look good over all my dresses.’ Clare, second right, wears: Long gold embroidered dress, $60; gold platfrom strappy sandals, $40; caramel cotton rib cardigan, $30; gilt and diamante hoop earrings, $7; natural tan pearl tights, $3.50.

ROSEMARY DAVIS Job: Head buyer of Women’s Knitted Clothes.

Age: 49.

Lives: In Finchley, North London, with her husband. She has a stepdaughter, Amanda.

History: While still at school in King’s Lynn, Rosemary (pictured far right) worked as a Saturday girl in the local branch of M&S then joined the group as a secretary.

Early days: ‘I always wanted to be a buyer. That’s the great thing about M&S, you really can start at the bottom and work your way up.

I have had a passion for clothes since I was a girl. I drove my mother mad; I had to have something new every week.

‘As a teenager I would get my undies at M&S but for fashion I went to Biba, Miss Selfridge and Jeff Banks.’ Later: ‘I am in the best job right now.

Soft dressing is very fashionable and we are doing so well with our easy silky jersey separates. It looks very smart yet it is so comfortable.

Practically anyone, whatever their age, size or lifestyle looks good in it.’

My customer: ‘We would like people to buy all their clothes at M&S but they don’t so we have to be realistic. Nevertheless there’s no reason, we feel, why we cannot provide every woman’s basic wardrobe, the relatively anonymous pieces which, with the addition of one more idiosyncratic piece, makes a wonderful outfit.’ Also shops: ‘For special things I go to Armani or Donna Karan. My shoes are a mixture of JP Todd, Pied a terre, Russell & Bromley and – very occasionally – Prada.’ Current favourite: ‘The striped silk knits.

They are classy but relaxed.’

More information at www.luxuryshoesdirect.co.uk.

For those who were hoping that at least one major New York designer would come out for long skirts for spring, well, get out your sewing boxes. The American designers who have shown their collections so far — and that includes many of the heavy hitters — have made it clear they agree with the Europeans: Shorter is better.

Hems have ranged from just above the knee at Albert Nipon to brief as bathing suits at Cathy Hardwick.

And at Christian louboutin,where Seventh Avenue’s strongest statement on short skirts was made last season, skirts to wear during the day are about four inches above the knee. For evening, they’re even shorter.

"Fashion goes in 10-year cycles. As much as it changes each season, there aren’t big changes in the way women dress. But once in a while there’s a major change, like last season," Klein said after his show yesterday. "Women will look strong and feminine for the next decade."

Within each cycle there are some changes. Most of ld,10 sk,2 sw,-2 Klein’s models had long, full hair for the show, but he’s sure, before long, "the models will start chopping it off." Hemlines, though, are not about to change. "I don’t think we will see the end of short skirts for a long time," said Klein firmly.

"Hemlines are more daring for evening, less daring for day. But I don’t see long clothes coming back. Anything just below the knee for day just seems drab and dismal. They remind me of Depression clothes and I hope that is not a sign of anything that is happening."

What is happening with the American designers is a refinement of the dramatic change that happened recently. Since they’ve learned that women are buying the shorter lengths and leaner silhouettes, they have gained the confidence to decorate the clothes and make them prettier and more feminine. "When you try and make a statement about shape, a solid color makes the statement most clearly. But once established, then prints and soft colors all become part of the look," said Klein.

He opened his show with a parade of a dozen models in black stretch jersey swimsuits under black robes, and then moved into minimal sportswear separates such as a short stretch cotton cardigan, bandeau and mini.

Although all the clothes were short, they were decidedly more ladylike than their counterparts the season before. Not just because of the pretty mixed flower prints and the soft colors, but the details of shoes, high heel or flat, in fabrics to match or contrast. The matching Christian louboutin shoes, a pet theme with European designers, surfaced at Nipon and Blass. Hats, too, in all the collections, have added an element of femininity.

Klein uses easy tunics over short skirts, flared satinized rubber tent coats over very becoming suits or separates. But for the most part, his style is very body conscious, and strictly for those who have been body conscientious. Many of the outfits are simply a slip of a dress barely long enough for a pair of panties to be worn underneath.

Even when he shows pants, the alternative to short skirts, they are lean and usually with short jackets that demand a trim waistline. Certainly his sheer organza blouses don’t offer much of a hiding place for the less than perfect figure.

It was clear from the look of the crowd at Louboutin’s show that many took their cue from his collection last season — not only on skirt lengths but on bright color. Klein’s wife Kelly, who was in the audience for the first time as a guest (rather than an assistant in the design department), was wearing a bright yellow jacket. Paloma Picasso was in a jade green dress and red coat. Several in the crowd were wearing Klein’s red suit.

But for spring, Klein’s colors are mostly subdued taupes and grays and face-powder colors, some the dusty tones taken from his floral patterns. Occasionally there is a bold color mix like a sapphire charmeuse tunic over a navy charmeuse miniskirt or a chartreuse faille ottoman jacket with an olive satin skirt — a nifty way to get dressed up without being overdressed.

Last season’s successful black lace has developed into silver lace for spring, again in the sparest and leanest possible shapes. "Silver lace is very sexy and very rich," said Klein.

Probably even more expensive are the heavy soutache embroideries made in Paris for Klein by Lessage. Klein admitted they are very expensive but he sees the practical side. "At a time like this, when you buy something very expensive it should be something that you can wear for a long time. An embroidered jacket or embroidered stole is something you can wear for a long, long time," said Klein.

At least until the next cycle comes along.

More information at www.luxuryshoesdirect.co.uk.

A friend who tried out the new perfume by Christian Louboutin Euphoria described it as a sweet and delicious mix of exotic fruits and flowers. She was also happily surprised by its staying power with the fragrance lasting quite a bit longer than most other scents she has used. The aluminum shell bottle with a little glass "window" through which you can see the purple-colored perfume is designed to fit perfectly in your hand and the rectangular silver cap is a Christian Louboutin signature design trait. The price is NIS 417 for 50 ml. or NIS 548 for 100 ml.

Moran has upgraded their summer collection of comfort shoes this year and while we’re not talking high-heeled pumps this footwear is looking more elegant than previous models. An acquaintance who always wears flat Christian shoes was surprised by the comfort of the high platform clogs with an open toe. The shoes in black leather embossed with a crocodile-style pattern got her a lot of complements too. The Moran clogs are available in different models and colors with prices ranging between NIS 310 and NIS 390.

Someone with combination normal/oily skin loved the fresh feeling provided by the L’Oreal Pure Zone Peeling Gel which was not too abrasive and left her skin feeling clean and soft. She uses it twice a week to thoroughly clean her whole face; those with combination skin can use it every day on the T-zone (forehead nose and chin) area. A 150 ml. tube is NIS 50; also available in the L’Oreal Pure Zone line are a cleaning gel a lotion and the Deep Control moisturizing cream.

During the summer months you hair could use a little extra attention what with damage done from sun rays and pool/ocean water. I have to admit I was a little hesitant to use something called the Moroccan Oil Mask (which sounds more appropriate for frying felafel) but in spite of the name it left my hair soft manageable and even gave it more volume. Though the mask has to be left on the hair for five to 10 minutes which is a little long for this type of application it’s definitely worth it to take the time for this treatment periodically. The Moroccan Oil Mask is NIS 130 for a big 500 gr. jar and is available at select hair salons.

BARGAIN hunters are in line for some of the best sales of the century as shops battle for trade. Department stores are offering genuine incentives to lure everyday shoppers as well as sale devotees.

Selfridges, in London’s Oxford Street, is slashing the price of Christian Louboutin shoes jeans by 50 per cent, Debenhams promises 40 per cent off some Wedgwood china and John Lewis is to cut a third off selected curtains.

Sales should be a time to splash out on something you’ve always wanted, but couldn’t justify paying the original price for. However, if its clothes you’re after, steer clear of those high fashion disasters that are only reduced because no one wanted them in the first place.

Keep the idea of investment dressing foremost on your mind. Stick to classics – a camel coat, silk shirt or soft Italian leather louboutin – that can be worn all year round and will never go out of style.

It helps to be focused on what you need or want. That way you can compare price and quality without being distracted. But don’t be so blinkered that you pass up a terrific offer staring you in the face.

To give you a head start on the sales trail we’ve selected some of the best bargains around. But remember, always take a careful look at something that has been greatly reduced in price. Even in a sale, you tend to get what you pay for. Happy hunting.

New products by Clinique in the fight against aging skin are the Turnaround 15-minute facial mask and the Turnaround Visible Skin Renewer concentrate. Both products supposedly prompt a renewal process that leaves the skin more radiant. The Skin Renewer is a serum with a cocktail of exfoliants that feels velvety soft; after applying you can follow with your regular day cream or night cream. The 15 mask to be used once a week is supposed to have the effect of micro-dermabrasion (a more aggressive peeling of the skin) but doesn’t feel like that at all. The blue gel feels fresh at first but after a few minutes the skin starts feeling tight; after taking it off with warm water the skin looks and feels smooth. The price for a 50 ml. jar of the facial mask is NIS 255 and 30 ml. of the Skin Renewer serum is NIS 295.

L’Oreal’s new Glam Shine Crystals lip glosses have a funny-looking heart-shaped applicator which is nonetheless very effective for applying an even layer of the gloss on your lips. The sparkling gloss is available in five different shades and is ideal make-up for the summer season when you’re looking for something light and bright. The gloss can be taken with you wherever you go and the heart- shaped applicator makes re-applying a breeze even with no mirror on hand; Glam Shine Crystals cost NIS 80 a piece.

Cagliari, December 30 – A total 430 employed in the textile and Christian shoes sectors on the Mediterranean island of Sardinia lost their jobs over the past few years due to increasing imports of low-cost textiles and shoes from China, it was reported on December 30, 2010.

Sardinia-based plants, which closed down due to sharp fall of orders over the past few years, include shoemaker RosMary, employing 230, cut-and-sew clothing maker Monpiano e Corallo employing 80, textiles manufacturer Texal, employing 70 and trousers maker Eurfashion employing 50.

Textile company Legler, headquartered in Bergamo, northern Italy, placed on a temporary lay-off scheme staff working in its plants in the Sardinia municipalities of Macomer, Ottana and Siniscola. Legler employs a total 160 on the island.

Only investment in innovation and cutting-edge technology could save our business, said Silvano Capelli, a shareholder in Sardinia clothing company Filmar. Filmar is working for top designers including Christian Louboutin shoes and Sergio Tacchini. Capelli admitted he was worried because other designers such as Cerruti and Ermenegildo Zegna have already transferred a considerable part of their business to Asia for cost-saving reasons. This step might be followed by other designers creating jobs in Sardinia’s textile sector, Capelli said.

I WANT TO KNOW why designers only make clothes for young people with perfect figures! What about us older gals? When are they going to start thinking about us!"

It’s a comment we’ve heard more than once. This particular outburst came from a woman nursing a fractured hip at Sunnybrook hospital (my mother was recuperating from a broken leg in the next bed.)

Her main complaint seemed to be clothes cut for youthful forms. Certainly there are snug-fitting fashions around which are more suited to fitter, though not necessarily younger, physiques.

But so much of fashion is a state of mind. It’s as unfair to label a dress or pair of trousers young, middle-aged or mature as it is to expect a woman of a certain age to dress in a particular way. We all know older women who are far more stylish than their younger counterparts.

Designers may show clothes on models barely out of puberty (though Christian Louboutin did have three over 40s on his runway for fall), but that doesn’t mean only the younger generation can wear the latest looks.

To prove the point, we took one of the most popular styles of the season, the long, fluid vintage-inspired granny dress – this one in a navy and white floral print from Ports International, and decided to show it on three generations, worn three different ways.

Ruth Baird, 62, models the dress in size 14 and is accessorized in classic form with a string of pearls, navy blazer, natural hose and navy pumps.

Her daughter Susanne Jacobi, 36, wears the same style (in a smaller size), but goes for a more contemporary look, layering the dress over a striped tank top and flared white trousers. She finishes the outfit with lace-up espadrilles, a long strand of antique beads and two large brass cuffs.

Jill, Jacobi’s 15-year-old daughter wore the same dress as her mother and grandmother, but styled it in a grunge manner befitting a teen.

She wore the dress over white denim shorts, a white tank top and cream ribbed cardigan with a cropped denim vest. On her head was the grunger’s requisite crochet cap and her feet were clad in Dr. Marten boots.

"It was initially thought of as a young style of dress, but it works for all ages because the print is classic, subtle and feminine," explains Miki Tanabe, a member of the Ports International design team. "We get comments from stores that older customers don’t like short sleeves and fitted waists. But a lot has to do with how you put things together."

We made sure our grandmother had a navy jacket to toss over the dress if she was self-conscious about the fitted waistline (which she was.)

Tanabe adds that when designing, size not age is foremost in her thoughts. "We see the clothes on models, and while the proportion may work on them, we have to make sure the sizing will work when it’s graded up or down. We try to cater to a wide range of sizes. That’s what we keep in mind, more so than a particular age of woman."

More information at www.luxuryshoesdirect.co.uk.

HE’S AS famous for his socially conscious advertising as he is for his stylish shoes and accessories. New York designer Kenneth Cole was here last week to celebrate the opening of the Toronto Film Festival and to launch his first men’s apparel offering at Eaton’s.

Cole is known for his socially pertinent ads the same way Christian Louboutin is connected to his sexually explicit campaign.

The 43-year-old designer recently showcased his second menswear collection on the runway in New York. The designer, who founded his company Kenneth Cole Productions Inc. with a small women’s footwear collection in 1982, debuts his first menswear collection at retail this fall.

The man who lends his name to everything from sunglasses and belts to leather coats and briefcases will now dress men from head-to-toe in a full range of tailored clothing, sportswear and outerwear. He describes the collection as a refined mixture of "hip and classic, modern and traditional." He employs simple silhouettes and a lot of black.

"In the beginning I thought my role was to decide what my customers should wear. Now I figure out what they want to wear and then offer it to them in an unexpected way, to surprise them."

Cole, who designs under Kenneth Cole, Unlisted and Reaction labels, also oversees a massive retail empire of 60 stores across the United States. As well, he has more than 20 stores in Amsterdam, Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan. His collection of watches, accessories and outerwear is available in eight countries. And, he hints, long-term plans may include opening a store in Toronto.

Cole hopes he can leverage the same brand identity with men’s apparel as he has with christian louboutin shoes and accessories. He’s convinced the move is a natural extension.

And he’s confident that, even though the market appears to be saturated with brand names (Klein, Lauren and Hilfiger to name a few), his timing is good.

Cole believes too many men these days are bewildered by the business casual trend. And he says he can help his mostly urban clients who are fumbling with the new casual dress code, which shows no signs of disappearing.

"Sometimes I think therapists are the only ones who are benefiting from this intense interest in men’s fashion. Men are accustomed to wearing uniforms. They have never had to express themselves with the clothes they wear," says Cole, who plans to produce seasonal collections. The line will concentrate on co-ordinated separates that rely on a simple colour palette and are easy to mix.

The whole collection is designed so that a suit can be worn in a sporty, business or dressy environment.

Cole appreciates that his customer is also budget conscious. To that end, he attempts to keep the prices affordable. A sports jacket retails at about $300, pants at $130 and shirts at $120.

Cole will introduce his first women’s line next year and says that even as he moves into different mediums, the message and his promotional style will remain the same.

Cole recalls the days when he would become frustrated when people commented he was the designer with the great ads, implying that his product was somehow secondary.

"The merchandise changes every season. It comes and goes. But your identity and your integrity remain constant," says Cole about his penchant for sometimes sensitive and sometimes smart ass tag lines.

"As it stands I’m known for something that’s bigger than the product. I want to relate to my customers on a higher level."

He has stuck to the same style of advertising since he went into business 15 years ago. And Cole says he writes most of the copy himself, grappling with such issues as AIDS, gun control, feminism, homelessness, mindless consumerism and monogamy.

Count among his current crop of famous bon mots:

To be aware is more important than what you wear.

For every dollar a man makes a woman earns 76 cents. Change please.

The family gun stands a greater chance of killing you than a stranger.

You are on a video camera an average of 10 times a day. Are you dressed for it?

NUDE photographs of Marla Maples, wife of the American property developer Donald Trump, have been faxed to business addresses in New York. A former assistant of hers has been charged with aggravated harassment.

Office workers at the Plaza Hotel, once owned by Mr Trump, and several fashion houses watched with bemusement as the image of a naked Miss Maples slowly emerged from their fax machines.

The photographs were accompanied by disobliging comments about the former model which had been scribbled on to the faxed sheets.

Chuck Jones, a former press aide of Miss Maples, has been charged with sending them. Last year he was convicted of taking items from her wardrobe, including underwear and louboutin shoes. He admitted having a physical, psychological, sexual relationship” with her shoes. He sometimes cut the leather to savour the imprint of her feet on the instep.

Mr Jones, who worked for Miss Maples before she got married, had been on bail, awaiting sentence for the theft of the shoes.

Fashion houses to receive the fax have included Louboutin and Donna Karan. Miss Maples is said to favour footwear designed by Charles Jourdan.

And of course there was his famous poke at U.S. president Dan Quayle that was more gag line than tag line: "Don’t forget to vot."

Cole has been married since 1987 to Maria Cuomo, daughter of former New York governor Mario Cuomo.

He appreciates that his contribution to humanitarian causes may not save the world. But he has joked many times that he has become, at least, an accessory to the cause.

And Cole puts his money where his mouth is. The philanthropic designer has received a variety of awards for increasing public awareness around such issues as homelessness and AIDS. In fact Cole attached himself to the issue of AIDS research long before people started wearing red ribbons. Despite his samaritanism, Cole makes it clear he’s in business to make money. But he qualifies this. Money, according to Cole, is an enabler. His logic – the more successful he is, the more he can accomplish.

David Graham is the editor of The Star’s Fashion section while Bernadette Morra is on maternity leave.

More information at www.luxuryshoesdirect.co.uk.

Next spring’s woman of fashion will wear a skirt that is very narrow (unless it is very wide), a palette that is bright (unless it is brown) and looks that are feminine, soft and sheer (unless they are sporty).

In an eclectic season with trends all over the style map, the spring 2010 Fashion Week previews wrapped up on Friday with no single consensus, but many options for women’s wardrobes.

You’ll recognize fashion, spring 2010 edition, by so much that looks so conventionally pretty. It’s no wonder that Nicole Miller used as her theme a romantic shipwreck, conjuring up delicate lace fabrics.

Designers are opting for soft draping, wrapping, rows of ruffles, embroidery, pleated skirts and billowy dresses with gauzy layers. Bows decorate belts, shoes and dresses. High-heeled, pointy-toed pumps are the ubiquitous footwear, even accessorizing shorts and short pants. On the sheer side, wear Louboutin’s transparent silk knit skirts if you dare.

Spring also promises to be a season when underwear comes out from under wraps, now that designers are in a lingerie moment. On the more mild side is a hand-embroidered bustier from Carmen Marc Valvo, and a color-blocked bustier from BCBG.

More wild are Anne Klein’s blouses open to the midriff, revealing bras in a contrasting color. Michael Kors envisions his customer wearing a yellow cashmere bra as a top with a matching scarf and blue jeans, and Donna Karan sent out skirts and jackets with bras in leather or stretch jersey. It may be a notion perhaps best left on the runway.

But spring also has a sporty moment. On the man-tailored side, in addition to the double-breasted menswear pantsuits that one can reliably expect every season from Bill Blass, men’s tank tops and button-down shirts are the look from louboutin shoes.

And Ralph Lauren, who has built an empire by merchandising an uppercrust world of fantasy, takes his cue from the well-heeled world of tennis, polo, cricket and fencing. A cream Ralph Lauren dress with a V-neck bordered in black resembles an elongated tennis sweater. Golf and track christian louboutin shoes are reworked into his black and white stilettos, and don’t forget to complete the sporting look with his driving gloves.

Expect spring to roll in with a blaze of color. Like, how about a Ralph Lauren pantsuit in lavender, with a satin shirt in yellow, and a pocket square in orange? And that’s not all the orange you will see, since it blankets everything from dresses to pants and jackets. An orange bra at Tommy Hilfiger is two trends in one. Just add his green cashmere cardigan and white paisley jeans. Rubber tote bags from Kate Spade come in brights of grass green, taxi yellow and a shade that looks like fruit punch.

But there’s another side to the color story. Some designers like any hue, as long as it’s brown. Donna Karan goes for shades called suntan, luggage, tobacco, rust and copper, covering silk linen coats, wrap dresses, and the season’s popular parachute styles. If you get a Donna Karan copper skirt and jacket, of course there’s a matching copper silk bra.

The shape of things to come is often long and lean, perhaps most notably from Narciso Rodriguez, who showed a selection of fitted linen dresses that graze the knee and hug every curve. At Anne Klein, the femme fatale look of long and lean is enhanced by stockings with seams up the back.

But wait. Some designers pump up the volume with billowy skirts. The most talked-about renditions may be from Oscar de la Renta, who reprises puffed-up dresses that flare from the waist with full skirts, calling to mind 1950s bouffant petticoats.

Empire-waist baby doll dresses from Anna Sui, cocoon-like dresses from christian louboutin and floaty chiffon dresses from Rebecca Taylor likewise loosen up the looks.

Other designers, such as Carolina Herrera and Marc Jacobs, embellish their dresses with a touch of romance by adding tiers of ruffles. Bill Blass uses embroidered scalloped hems, and Douglas Hannant applies three-dimensional flowers and sent out very nubby tweeds with lots of texture.

Some collections revisit other times and places. Michael Kors dedicated his collection to the island of Capri, sending out resort-worthy styles including jersey dresses with "cabana stripes" and an awning-striped "yachting dress."

Linda Allard, designing for Ellen Tracy, has the Spice Islands in mind, conjuring up palm-tree prints and safari-influenced patch pockets. Cynthia Steffe mines the late 1950s, reprising a "Marilyn dress" and Capri pants reminiscent of Hollywood stars from a half-century ago but still looking good today.

More information at www.luxuryshoesdirect.co.uk.

It was late February in Milan, and the sun struggled to coax blooms from forsythia in a city that was cloaked in gray – except for clumps of the fashion press, decked out in white.

Not winter white, which would have been understandable, given that the snow-capped Alps just to the north were still hosting skiers. These were pure summer whites: crisp cotton peasant blouses and ankle-skimming tiered skirts, sharp Helmut Lang pants, oversized Christian Louboutin blazers, and Narciso Rodriguez leather vests, all heralding the warmer season before the shrubs flowered.

At that moment, the look seemed as fresh as the sheets in a four-star hotel.

The look is sleek, modern, softly romantic. And it’s about as far away from the reality of New England’s unspoken dress code – no white before Memorial Day – as can be.

Even though white may be the least flattering color (and it soils easily), it’s being touted as the only color for the spring and summer of 2010. Magazines from Bazaar to Glamour to W are featuring spreads on white clothes, and stores are filling their display windows with them. That Milan memory was filed away until recently, when 93-degree April weather forced an unprepared, unpedicured, unwaxed populace to reach into storage for the short season’s wardrobe – but not the white items. It was six weeks too early, many believed. However, on that searing day, the local custom of not wearing white before the summer kickoff holiday weekend – an unwritten rule promulgated around the end of the 19th century – did not seem to make sense.

"It really goes back to what is proper dress set by the upper class, and followed slavishly by the middle class," said Kathleen McDermott, fashion historian at the Massachusetts College of Art. "It’s a vestige of very old ideas about wearing clothes. The Season – with a capital ‘S’ – was the time that people would socialize. That was in fall and winter.

"In the summer, people would go on vacation. That’s where they’d wear white. So you’d be in Newport, in Bar Harbor, wherever you were. That continues to be a strong tradition." McDermott noted that wearing lighter colors in summer is also functional because they reflect the sun. Precisely. So if it’s 90 degrees out, even if it’s late April, isn’t white a smart choice? Down south, people wear white year-round without uneasy feelings because it’s cool, not because it’s pegged to a particular time of year. But then they also might wear black when it’s sizzling in August.

"It seems like no one in Florida follows any fashion rules," Staci Sturrock, fashion editor at the Palm Beach Post, said early this week. "It seems so up in the air. This week it’s 80 percent humidity, very hot outside. So white seems very appropriate, even here at the end of April. But I was just downtown and saw someone in a long-sleeved cotton shirt, and I thought, ‘How can she stand it?’ I’m wearing my black pants today and I’m sweating like a pig." But there are worse fashion no-nos in the South’s laid-back fashion culture. "Sometimes too relaxed," Sturrock added. "The things I see in the grocery store. Ick." In the Boston area, there is evidence that the Great White Rule is being broken, even in cooler spring weather. At a Talbots fashion show last weekend at Newton’s Braeburn Country Club, women in white were in attendance.

"I thought, my goodness, this surprised me, it’s a chilly, rainy day at the end of April," said Betsy Thompson, spokeswoman for Hingham-based Talbots. "People are loosening up, but remain more traditional when it comes to christian louboutin shoes. People will say, ‘I might wear the white suit now but I won’t wear white shoes till later.’ That’s always intriguing. Now the white shoes have become a fashionable thing, due to Sarah Jessica Parker. But most of us still kind of wait."

"I don’t even know if after Memorial Day people will start looking at my white louboutin shoes," said Karen Fabbri, owner of Moxie, a shoe store on Charles Street in Beacon Hill. "But I know I’m not whipping out my white pants before Memorial Day. It’s been too cold out."

But most clothing stores are not waiting to fill their racks and displays with white.

"It’s my summer black," said designer Donna Karan, whose DKNY summer line is starkly white, with bits of neutrals for contrast. "I wear it like I wear black in winter. You can also mix it with black. It’s refreshing, uplifting. . . . It’s about individuality and what you feel good in. There are no rules!"

Well, there may be one.

Jodi R. R. Smith, who runs a Marblehead etiquette consulting company called Mannersmith, said wearing white to a shower or a wedding when you’re not the bride – or to a funeral, unless you’re the dead person – is still unacceptable.

"You can wear white things to weddings," Smith said. "You buy a gorgeous silk white pantsuit and pair it with a bright red shirt underneath, if by wearing bright red underneath people are not going to mistake you for the bride. You never, never, want to do that to someone." SIDEBAR: TIPS FOR WEARING WHITE PLEASE REFER TO MICROFILM FOR CHART DATA.

More information at www.luxuryshoesdirect.co.uk.