Jewel & Jewel

Wal-Mart Stores Inc (WMT.N) presented a colorful, casual line of youthful looks for kids and teens at a fashion show that previewed the mass-market chain’s new low-cost offerings for back to school.
The world’s largest retailer has been careful not to accentuate the fashion quotient in its clothing offerings this year ever since a disastrous push into more stylish gear in late 2005 alienated its core customers looking for basics.

Still, the company’s presence at the Fashion on the Square runway show in this city’s posh downtown Union Square was a nod to the importance of youth trends when it comes to selling apparel.

This year, Wal-Mart is focusing on key seasonal items for families, and showcasing young women and girls’ denim brand l.e.i. from Jones Apparel Group Inc (JNY.N) and surfer brand Op, which it has licensed from Iconix Brand Group (ICON.O).

Little girls in jeans and T-shirts with pink ribbons in their hair sauntered down the runway.

The image of Hannah Montana, the popular Disney television character who is a student by day but a pop star by night, emblazoned many T-shirts, whether sparkly pink, bright fuchsia, or adorned with images of silver and gold guitars.

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Givenchy couture took a tour of the Andes this week in Paris, as the house’s creative director Riccardo Tisci sent out a phalanx of models in alpaca en route on a motorbike tour of Peru.
These were Chez Guevara’s wealthy grand nieces in perfecto biker jackets lined in alpaca and hefty tobacco hued pants, ideal for riding sidesaddle on the revolutionary’s Norton 500 motorcycle La Poderosa, or The Mighty One. Incan princesses in sleeveless mink blousons, waxed leather redingotes and lambskin shirts; tough romantic chic at its best.

No designer has a bigger reputation in Hollywood than Giorgio, and one could fully understand why after enjoying his fall 2008 Prive collection, his latest, and largely successful, attempt to remake couture in his own image.

Armani striped back the collection this season, eschewing the arty hats he normally favors, and opening with a great series of fall suits and separates, designed for the Ladies Who Rule, rather than the Ladies Who Lunch. His devilishly well draped jackets in everything from mango leather or puckered silk and pleated pants with high waists in bird’s silk or grisaille all looked snazzy and posh, yet never stiff.

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Models are presenting creations by Lebanese designer Elie Saab during Fall-Winter 2009 Haute Couture collection show in Paris.

The Paris menswear collections kicked off with a focus on individual style, reflecting a downturn in the global economy which has taken the shine off status dressing. The new mood sweeping men’s fashion this season has produced some unlikely style icons.

Models wear a creation by French fashion designer Jean Paul Gaultier during the Men’s Fashion Spring / Summer 2009 collection, in Paris.

Models display creations as part of the Gucci Spring/Summer 2009 men’s collection during Milan Fashion Week in Italy.

Models wear creations as part of the Emporio Armani men’s Spring/Summer 2009 fashion collection. Giorgio Armani presented his second line Emporio collection at the show.

We got a posh pastel moment at Versace in Milan, when the Medusa headed label staged their spring 2009 men?s collection before an eclectic audience of music, movie and mode greats.
The three big star invites made an unlikely combo ? from music came Janet Jackson; from movies Jerry Butler and from la mode Tom Ford, in the midst of major campaign to re-establish himself as a major Milan player.

Highlighting the Sergeant Pepper mood in Milan, the show featured military tunics. Slimly cut, unadorned of medals they summed up the increasingly slim-line silhouette of Italian men?s fashion and the current obsession with pastels.