Fashion goes affordable with 'Zara'

High-end fashion goes affordable in Delhi with Spanish clothing brand 'Zara' opening their first store in the capital.

The flagship store of Inditex Group, Zara is a joint venture between Inditex and Tata's retail arm Trent Limited. It opened its first ever outlet in the capital at Select Citywalk Mall, Saket, Friday. It was launched by former beauty queen and Bollywood actress Lara Dutta.

'With Indian women becoming more fashion conscious, we thought that this was the right moment to expand our base. The entry into the Indian market has a significant strategic importance as the country remains one of our top priorities in the Asian region,' Jesus Echevarria Hernandez, chief communication officer of Inditex Group told IANS.

The high street fashion store offers from classic to trendy and upmarket outfits in women's wear, men's wear and kids' wear sections. Those who crave for an edgier look will also get the clothes of their choice. The price of the outfits range from Rs.345 to Rs.8,000.

'We will be changing the collections twice a week depending on the customer demand. Our staff at the store will take note of what customers are looking for, whether they like more denims or whether they are looking for more cottons and we will fulfil their demands accordingly,' Hernandez said.

'Fashion must not be expensive. We believe everyone should be able to afford it so we have kept the price range accordingly,' he added.

The unisex clothing range is accompanied by wide range of accessories like footwear, handbags, scarves, neck ties and leather goods.

Asked if they plan to rope in any brand ambassador for their clothing range, Hernandez said: 'We don't plan to hire any brand ambassador as we want people to decide themselves.'

The group will also be opening an outlet in DLF Promenade, Vasant Kunj and Palladium Commercial Centre in Mumbai.

Other brands owned by Inditex Group are Pull and Bear, Massimo Dutti, Bershka, Stradivarius, Oysho, Uterque and Zara Home.

Ungaro hires Giles Deacon as creative dir.

Struggling French fashion house Emanuel Ungaro says it has hired British designer Giles Deacon as creative director.

The appointment comes in the wake of a wave of recent defections from the Paris-based label, which in recent months has seen the departures of its former CEO, the designers for both the women's and men's labels, and its short-lived artistic adviser, Lindsay Lohan.

Deacon is a graduate of the prestigious Central Saint Martins school of design and has had his own critically acclaimed label since 2004.

The appointment, announced Tuesday, makes Deacon the latest in a long series of designers to take a stab at turning around Ungaro, which has been bleeding money since the retirement of its founder and namesake in 2004.

'Sex and the City 2': Can 40+ dress fabulous?

There's a telling scene early in "Sex and the City 2" when 52-year-old Samantha, played by 53-year-old Kim Cattrall, spots a gold, beaded bustier minidress that she thinks will be perfect for a big red-carpet moment.

The saleswoman is the first doubter. "Is it maybe a little young?" she asks.

Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda have fashion confidence like few others — on film or in real life. But the sequined armor these women wear along with their microminis, harem pants and stiletto heels suffers a few chinks over one issue: Do they dress their age?

Samantha's friends question the minidress, too. But an even more important movie moment is when Samantha rocks the dress, putting conventionalists and teenager Miley Cyrus, who is on the same red carpet in the same dress, in their place.

Throughout the movie the posse parades around in the most au courant clothes, seemingly not deterred at all by the fact that designers often use lithe, lean teenage runway models as muses instead of the 40-plus successful shopaholics the characters now represent.

Some of the outfits are knockouts and incredibly flattering — like the pleated, flame-colored sundress worn by Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) on the beach, and the plunging V-neck gown with metallic studs worn by Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) to a wedding — but there also are the misses.

It shouldn't be assumed, though, that Charlotte's (Kristin Davis) dorky strapless candy-cane get-up or Carrie's ill-conceived logo-T-and-poufy-ballskirt combination would look any better on a 25 year old.

"I think it's all about where the individual is in what they are comfortable and confident wearing," says accessories designer Brian Atwood, who crafted two pairs of 6-inch heels for Carrie's closet, including studded, purple-suede peeptoes. "I don't like to dictate boundaries to anyone. . I think it's the whole package. I've seen older women in their '80s-style rhinestone jackets with short miniskirts, but anyone would look ridiculous in that."

A chic, sophisticated stiletto is another story, Atwood says. "Some women just like high heels. They help give you great legs and they give you height. Women like how they feel in heels and what it projects."

An honest analysis of one's assets — and trouble spots — as well as lifestyle and personal style will get you farther in developing a flattering, appropriate wardrobe than counting birthday candles, say the experts.

"You need to know what parts of your body should be shown off," advises Deborah Lloyd, co-president and creative director of Kate Spade New York. The actresses in "Sex and the City" surely work hard at keeping their figures in good shape so they can pull off some daring things, she says, but they also stay true to their characters' fashion personalities.

Lloyd points to first lady Michelle Obama as an example of a woman who highlights her strengths — those toned arms, in particular — and maintains a youthful, modern look with interesting silhouettes and bright colors, while never trying to dress too young. "Fashion as you get older is about an evolution, not just about changing your look because you're older. You can't get stuck," Lloyd says.

"It will never be an exact science on how to dress to flatter as we age, regardless of lifestyle and budget," says Avril Graham, executive fashion editor at Harper's Bazaar. "However, women should always consider that elegance and good taste generally go hand in hand, regardless of age. And common sense should always prevail. The best dressed women, past and present, all seem to have embraced that sensibility."

Charla Krupp, author of the books "How Not To Look Old" and "How To Never Look Fat Again," draws a sharp line between fashion-forward and trashy. Tops that are too low cut, skirts that are too short, dresses that are too tight are fashion don'ts — period, Krupp says.

But, she notes, the reality of getting older is that what's considered the appropriate neckline or hemline is indeed a little more covered up.

"You don't want to be so obvious. I'm not saying you can't be sexy when you're older — Sarah Jessica Parker succeeds in this, and so does the Miranda character," Krupp says. "They are classy, grown-up, sophisticated and sexy women. What you don't want is to look like you raided daughter's closet."

Also, steer clear of anything too trendy, advises Atwood. "You've already done that in your life."

Graham, however, doesn't want women to be afraid of fashion or trying something new. "Strict guidelines and formality are very much a thing of the past. Women of every age and budget have more choices to have freedom of expression with their clothing choices and arguably it has resulted in women having a more youthful appearance than previous generations at the same age."

Americans prove world-beaters in tennis fashion show

It's been eight years since America produced a French Open women's champion, but they're proving winners when it comes to turning heads with their wacky wardrobes.

Venus Williams appeared for her first-round match wearing a black, lacy outfit with red trimming, a plunging neckline and flesh-coloured underwear that kept photographers busy.

Many observers wondered whether the world number two had confused Roland Garros with the Moulin Rouge.

"The outfit is about illusion, and that's been a lot of my motif this year, illusion," explained the 30-year-old to mystified journalists, mainly men.

"These days I just have a lot of fun with my designs and designing and doing different things."

How many of these outfits does she bring to events?

"Probably about eight to 10. I do recycle. I'm not superstitious, but I bring enough just for the back-up plan."

Not to be outdone, sister Serena, the last American champion in Paris in 2002, once wore a black catsuit on court.

On her way to winning the Australian Open this year, the world number one donned a yellow dress with flesh-coloured underwear and said that she too was concentrating on 'illusions'.

"I just sketched it out. The whole idea is just about the illusion that I?m wearing a deep V-neck. Then the idea was to wear shorts that were like the same colour as my skin. It works very well, apparently," she said at the time.

But the Williams sisters have serious competition in the fashion stakes at the French Open in the shape of Bethanie Mattek-Sands, who once played at Wimbledon Centre Court wearing white football socks and a boob-tube.

She has also donned leopard print outfits while also once appearing with a cowboy hat, which cost her a 10,000-dollar fine from the authorities.

On Tuesday, Mattek-Sands played her first-round match at the French Open wearing a pink shirt, black skirt and knee-high black socks before springing to the defence of Venus Williams.

"She's got a lot of crap for it, but it makes tennis interesting," said Mattek-Sands.

"You can't say it's OK for Maria Sharapova but it's not OK for Venus.

"I think it's great. If you see two blonde-haired girls wearing the same outfits, it's really hard for the fans to tell them apart."

Mattek-Sands says she will be sticking to the socks for the rest of the year, but with different colours for different occasions.

She insists her style is becoming more conservative.

"Your dress often depends on which tournament you are in and who is the supervisor, some are more lenient than others," she said. "For a while I had to get all of my clothes approved."

Despite her colourful dress sense, offset by an extravagant tattoo on the inside of her right upper-arm, Mattek-Sands is married to an insurance executive.

House of McQueen names new creative director

The house of Alexander McQueen has named Sarah Burton, a longtime colleague of the late designer, to be the new creative director of the brand.

In a statement from London released Thursday, Burton said she intends "to stay true to his legacy" by turning out "modern beautifully crafted clothes."

The announcement was part of a series of shake-ups announced Thursday. At luxury label Hermes, womenswear artistic director Jean Paul Gaultier is being replaced by Lacoste's Christophe Lemaire. And Theory confirms a Women's Wear Daily report that Olivier Theyskens, formerly of Nina Ricci and Rochas, will design a capsule collection for next year.

McQueen, hailed as a creative genius in the fashion world, committed suicide in his London apartment in February.

Burton joined McQueen's company in 1996, a year before graduating Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design. She most recently served as head of design for womenswear.

Parent company Gucci Group said that because Burton worked so closely with McQueen she has "the vision necessary to take it forward."

"As a business we remain absolutely committed to the Alexander McQueen company which has proved to have a strong customer loyalty and has shown to be a resilient brand in the aftermath of the tragic loss of its founder," said Gucci Group GEO Robert Polet.

Susan Cernek, Glamour's senior online fashion and beauty editor, said hiring from within was respectful to McQueen — and kind to any designer who would be trying to fill such big shoes.

"It seems like a smart move to appoint someone who worked so closely with him," she said. "Someone from the outside might be in an uncomfortable position to try to channel someone who is so revered so soon after he passed away. ... Seemingly the vision that Sarah will bring will be really closely aligned, not his, but closely aligned."

She adds: "It's hard to reinterpret the legacy of a house when it's not your name and you don't have the padding of time."

Gaultier and Hermes are not completely severing their ties. Gaultier will oversee the spring-summer 2011 collection to be previewed in October, and Lemaire will take over for the fall-winter 2011 collection.

Hermes also holds a 45 percent in Gaultier's namesake house.

Calling their seven-year partnership fruitful, Hermes said in a statement the collaboration was ending to allow Gaultier "to concentrate on his own projects."

Gaultier has always toned down for Hermes the drama associated with his own line and the edgy costumes he designs for pop stars such as Madonna. But his collections for the former saddlemaker — still known best for its leather goods — garnered consistent critical acclaim.

Gaultier exiting Hermes, Lacoste's Lemaire enters

Jean-Paul Gaultier is leaving high-end fashion house Hermes' womenswear line, and Lacoste designer Christophe Lemaire is taking over as artistic director, the fashion company said Thursday.

Gaultier will oversee the spring-summer 2011 collection to be revealed in 2010, and Lemaire will take over for the fall-winter 2011 collection, the Paris-based firm said in a statement.

The move puts an end to "seven fruitful years of creative partnership" and allows Gaultier "to concentrate on his own projects," the statement said.

Much tamer and preppy than his own signature line, Gaultier's collections for Hermes consistently garnered critical acclaim.

"This has been a marvelous adventure which has allowed me to learn about a new 'savoir faire,'" said Gaultier. He said he'd maintain "a privileged relationship" with Hermes, which has a 45 percent stake in his own company, Jean-Paul Gaultier.

His departure comes three weeks after the death of Hermes' former manager Jean-Louis Dumas, who had been influential in attracting artists to revive his brand's design and identity.

A prominent avant-garde figure on the Paris fashion scene, Gaultier is largely credited with reinventing Hermes women's ready-to-wear collection.

Hermes got its start in 1837 as a saddlemaker and its biggest cash cows remain its leather handbags and accessories divisions.

Fashion aide succeeds late British designer McQueen

A long-time collaborator of the late British fashion designer Alexander McQueen, Sarah Burton, has been appointed creative director of his label, owners Gucci announced on Thursday.

Burton has worked with McQueen since 1996 and was appointed head of design for the label's women's wear in 2000.

"The creation of modern, beautifully crafted clothes was at the heart of Lee's vision. I intend to stay true to his legacy," she said.

Jonathan Akeroyd, president and chief executive of Alexander McQueen, said Burton had a "deep understanding of (McQueen's) vision".

McQueen, who rose from a modest background to become one of the world's most flamboyant and high-profile designers, committed suicide in February on the day before his mother's funeral.

The body of the 40-year-old, who felt under pressure as he raced to put together a new collection, was found hanged in a wardrobe in his central London flat.

Robert Polet, the president of Gucci Group, said it remained "absolutely committed" to the Alexander McQueen company "which has proven to have strong customer loyalty and has shown to be a resilient brand in the aftermath of the tragic loss of its founder."

Get Fancy for Fall: Accessory Trends from Neiman Marcus

New York – When Neiman Marcus compiles their list of the season's best trends, it's time to sit up and take some style notes. Whether or not your fall budget can accommodate a new pair of leopard print Louboutin stilettos, the key is knowing to buy animal print-anything. It's as essential in your wardrobe as a little black dress.

Here's a few more important Fall 2010 trends highlighted at Neiman Marcus' latest accessories preview on Thursday, May 13 in New York:

Military influences. From army green to epaulettes, brass buttons and chunky boots with camouflage prints, tough military details are still going strong.

Fur. A controversial material, yet designers can't seem to get enough of it. Go for the faux if your conscience and your wallet preclude purchasing the real thing. Look for fur-trimmed booties, curly astrakhan-style fur purses and "Nanook of the North" fur vests.

Lace. Leave it to the European designers to give us the best takes on lace, whether it's a spectacular lace print rubber rain boot by Valentino (could soggy weather be more fashionable?) or a delicate Victorian-esque lace bootie by Dior.

Feathers. Manolo Blahnik's sophisticated d'Orsay sandals flutter with feathers, while ostrich plumes look luxe on everything from a Lanvin handbag to an exclusive-to-Neiman's feather stole by Ilana Wolf.

A wardrobe of boots. That's right, not a pair, but a full wardrobe of boots are necessary for fall. Why? Because there are too many fantastic pairs to choose from, from tall wedge boots by Chanel and Marni to Alexander Wang's anything-but-boring flat boots with a killer sculptured heel. And Givenchy is still making splurge-worthy buckled booties that are guaranteed to be on every fashion editor's must-have list for fall.

The structured handbag. Bulky hobo bags are banished and sleek is chic with these proper purses.

Pearls. Conservative, boring pearls are a thing of the past with chunky, layered designs by Vera Wang, Alexis Bittar and Lanvin. But the best pearls, mixing edgy black chain links with the pale glossy baubles, are Roxanne Assoulin for Lee Angel, though any mixed-media pearl concoction can work, too.

The King is Celebrated at the "Prince of Persia" Premiere

Fashion Wire Daily – FWD109 Gemma Arterton attends the Film premiere of "Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time" in …

Los Angeles – Jake Gyllenhaal may be cinema's new "Prince of Persia," but even he bowed down to the real king of Hollywood on Monday, May 17, as the film's producer Jerry Bruckheimer was honored at Grauman's Chinese Theater before the film premiered there. Bruckheimer, who has been one of the most prolific producers in the history of both film and television, placed his hand and footprints into the concrete as a who's who of Tinseltown looked on.

There was a smiling Tom Cruise, seated next to Nicolas Cage, along with Bruckheimer's other favorite actors, including Billy Bob Thornton, Jon Voight, Sir Ben Kingsley, Tom Skerritt, Michael Clarke Duncan, Judge Reinhold, Jonathan Pryce, Kelly McGillis, and Gemma Arterton.

Arterton, Kingsley, and Gyllenhaal then took center stage as the stars of "Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time," as the film premiere followed and the party kept right on going. Look one way, there were Bruce Willis and Eddie Murphy; look another, Orlando Bloom, Jon Lovitz and Seth Green. Directors Mike Newell, Jon Turtletaub and Tony Scott paid homage to the king, too. And while alpha Hollywood males were everywhere you looked, there were a few female Bruckheimer fans, too, like Michelle Monaghan, Melina Kanakaredes, Jaime King, Tia Carrere and Alanis Morissette.

Gyllenhaal summed up what everyone who has been part of the Bruckheimer empire, from the early days of "Beverly Hills Cop" and "Days of Thunder" through "The Rock," "Con Air," "Pirates of the Caribbean" and right up to "CSI," "CSI: NY" and "CSI: Miami," was thinking.

"To be playing the lead in a Jerry Bruckheimer blockbuster movie based on a video game," Gyllenhaal said with a grin at an earlier press conference in support of "Prince of Persia," "I felt like my eyes would pop out of my head!"

First lady surprises designer with choice of gown

AP – FILE- These May 19, 2010 file photos show first lady Michelle Obama before the start of the State Dinner …

Michelle Obama stuck to some of her fashion favorites for the state dinner honoring Mexican President Felipe Calderon and his wife, Margarita Zavala: a one-shouldered silhouette, a belted waist, a bold color — and designer Peter Soronen.

This was the fourth time the first lady chose a gown by the New York-based Soronen, who has had his own label since 2000 but has largely flown under the fashion industry's radar.

Soronen said he knew the corset-style gown, complete with lace-up back, was being considered for Wednesday's lavish event that drew about 200 people, including celebrities Whoopi Goldberg, Eva Longoria Parker and George Lopez. But he didn't know for sure until a reporter from The Associated Press called asking for confirmation after Mrs. Obama stepped out on the president's arm.

"In some ways, it's more exciting not to know and just wait for the photo," Soronen said.

Other designers who contribute to Mrs. Obama's eveningwear wardrobe have said it also works that way. They make custom gowns with the understanding that there's no guarantee if, when or where she'll wear them.

Soronsen hasn't met the first lady yet, but he said he'd like to.

"It's a clever, memorable, sophisticated choice," said Avril Graham, executive fashion editor at Harper's Bazaar, of the cobalt-colored gown. "It's one of my favorites that's she's worn. It's all so right, so picture-perfect right."

Zavala, meanwhile, wore a plum-colored gown with a square neckline bordered in blue by Macario Jiminez. It was a more subdued and traditional choice, but the brighter colors of the Aztec-inspired top was a nice nod to her roots.

"Thankfully the first ladies did not duel in the fashion stakes with Margarita Zavala playing down the glitz and keeping to simple good mannerly lines, allowing Michelle to shine," said Graham.

Graham said she particularly liked Mrs. Obama's bright hue, which stood out against the red carpet and the White House background. The dress was adorned with a silver belt, a look the first lady favors, and had a hint of shiny lame under layers of chiffon. She wore her hair swept up in curls.

"The dress feels a little like the inaugural dress — Part 2 — but she looks very fresh with the color and her hair," said Katie Connor, fashion features editor at Marie Claire.

One-shoulder dresses are a bona fide fashion trend, but Mrs. Obama's always seem a little different because the shape is more like a strapless with a single swath of fabric that emphasizes her collar bone, Connor said.

"I love the structured bodice that I do for her. I put it in a lot of dresses," said Soronen. "And then I drape and pin and stitch all that lightweight chiffon, and I love that look on her."

Deborah Lloyd, creative director of Kate Spade, says women are inspired by Mrs. Obama's fashion choices because they are "soft, feminine and modern."

"It's what a lot of women aspire to," she said, "and she shows it doesn't have to be a power lady of another generation."

Orange dresses were popular among guests, including Longoria Parker in Reem Acra and Gayle King in Carmen Marc Valvo.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi stood out in an ivory gown with matching jacket by Giorgio Armani.

Olympic speed skater Shani Davis was a little weak on the details of his fashion statement.

He said his green tie was from Men's Wearhouse and guessed his suit was, too. But then he checked the label and announced, "Ralph Lauren."

From 3 to college, kids bonkers for plastic bands

AP – Isabella Marino, 7, shows off her silly bandz in a store in Hollywood, Fla., Wednesday, May 12, 2010. …

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. – Eleven-year-old Erich Marino saved up his birthday money for a cool new toy: little silicone bracelets in an array of shapes that have kids from toddlers to college going bonkers around the country.

"I love these things," he said, spending about $25 of his $80 stash on several packs, including dragons and sports equipment. "We trade them at school now."

Manufacturers and shop owners said the craze is spreading so quickly that it's hard to keep up. The array — from animals and pirates, to roses and water creatures — have turned some playgrounds into swap meets. Makers are constantly thinking up new shapes and colors to keep the interest high.

The average price for a pack of 24 is $5. Once taken off the wrist, they bounce back into shape, which is another feature kids like.

Peter Rivera, owner of Patty's Hallmark in Hollywood, Fla., where Marino and his sister Isabella bought their Zanybandz, said children started asking for them in January. He sold 240 packs the first week he got them in stock and just put in an order for 1,000 packs he hopes will last a week.

"Now I am noticing kids, instead of putting them on their wrists, they are getting a necklace and putting it on their neck," Rivera said. "The kids are just going crazy for these things."

The bracelets have been banned at some schools, including Marino's, because kids snap them at each other like rubber bands and, according to his mother, teachers said they're distracting. Other parents said hard feelings over trades gone bad have led to grabbing and tears.

In Brazilian cities, a more traditional stretchy style of cheap band that comes in numerous bright colors has been banned from schools after it surfaced that they were being used to indicate sexual activity. The bracelets reportedly have been linked to a game where hugging, kissing and other acts are expected when different colored bands are broken off the wrists of teens.

Such activity involving the specially shaped bracelets in vogue now around the United States hasn't surfaced.

David Marks, who does the ordering at his wife Alice's two Learning Express stores in Connecticut, said sales have more than doubled over the last three weeks. On one Saturday alone, about 800 packs were sold between the two stores.

"Not only is it attracting a lot of kids, but its attracting kids that normally wouldn't be caught in a toy store," he said.

Marks sells the bands for $4.99 in packs of 24. There are other brands as well, including Silly Bandz, Bama Bandz and Logo Bandz, which use shapes from major sports, colleges and popular attractions and entertainments like Disney and Marvel Comics.

"It's an enormous boon to our business," he said. "It's been a tough two years, but this has resulted in business beyond my wildest imagination."

Marks compares the bracelets to the mid-'90s Beanie Babies craze. "I think its a very low tech item in a very high tech society," he said.

Robin Sayetta, vice president of licensing for the children's magazine Highlights, said the trend incorporates a lot of things children care about.

"It touches on some of the classic attributes that make kids toys appealing," she said. "Nothing lasts forever, but I think it's going to be around for a while. It's fun, they're reasonably priced, they're collectible, there's a lot of ways they can be used."

When he first sold the bracelets at his Fad Banditz kiosks, Terry Lampo in Brentwood, Tenn., figured his market was going to be elementary school girls. Turns out it's not just girls, and not just grade schoolers.

"It's very hard for me to understand it," Lampo said. "I see it as being just rubber bands."

Michael Lewis, owner of Forever Collectibles based in Edison, N.J., makes Logo Bandz. He said the craze started in America about a year ago but has been going on in Asia for several years.

"It's a very unique phenomenon. There is no marketing," he said. "I have never seen anything like it." His company is selling more than half a million packages a day — and rising.

Zanybandz bracelets are now sold to about 8,000 stores across the country, said co-owner Lori Montag, of Broken Arrow, Okla.

Chris Byrne, an independent toy analyst and content director for timetoplaymag.com, said the trend, like others, has an expiration date.

"I am willing to bet maybe the end of the summer," he said. "But it's very likely to be something else when back-to-school time comes around."

VillageCare's Headdress Affair Showers Flowers

Fashion Wire Daily – FWD101 Model walks the runway at the 9th annual "Tulips & Pansies - The Headdress Affair" …

New York – Fashion and floral's finest joined forces on Thursday night, May 20, for the ninth year in a row at Tulip and Pansies: The Headdress Affair, an annual benefit for VillageCare, a non-profit in New York that provides healthcare for people living with HIV/AIDS.

"There are so many people having a really hard time and so few organizations that can directly affect their lives on a daily basis. VillageCare is a direct-to-client model," said Kelly Cutrone, who co-chaired the event with Ariana Rockefeller. Cutrone owns PR firm People's Revolution and is the star of her own reality show on Bravo, "Kell on Earth."

"It's big, and it's campy and it's fun," said James Aguiar, the evening's charismatic master of ceremonies. "It's the best of what fashion is. It doesn't take itself seriously, and people are here to have a great time. Of course it's for a good cause, but all the jaded front row stuff is gone."

Designers such as Tracy Reese, Betsey Johnson and The Blonds joined newcomers to the event like DKNY and House of Holland in pairing their vibrantly colored dresses with some truly outrageous headdresses painstakingly made out of hundreds of dollars worth of flowers, from orchids to peonies to roses.

The floral couture was shown on a runway with models that ranged from the drag queens of The Imperial Court of New York to legendary model Pat Cleveland, who stole the show with her theatrical sashay down the runway.

Tara McInerney of Morningside Greenhouse in Haledon, New Jersey, designed a show-stopping, over-the-top look that took home the "Most Original" award that evening, doled out by judges Kelly Killoren Bensimon, Fern Mallis, John Bartlett, Freddie Leiba and Ashleigh Verrier.

Inspired by Johnny Depp's portrayal of the Cheshire Cat in the latest version of "Alice in Wonderland," McInerney's model, Jack, wore an enormous hat covered in orchids, peonies, roses and leaves outlined in glitter that took a day and a half to create - including a labor-intensive application of 5,000 individual pussy willow buds and 33 yards of rhinestones in a pinstripe pattern on his jacket.

"I have no more fingerprints!" laughed McInerney. She estimated that the hat weighed more than 10 pounds.

"You gotta have a really strong neck, and take a couple of aspirin before you put it on for a while," she said.

You also have to be willing to part with hundreds of dollars worth of flowers, like the $1800 worth of white orchids that Michael Gaffney of The New York School of Flower Design used for his Gatsby-inspired headdress for b. Michael, a glamorous "Phyllis Diller meets Diana Ross meets Cher," look. What did he plan on doing with the flowers once the show was over? He would give them away.

"It's flower power," he said. "I try to brighten up someone's day. We always try to find a home. It's like puppies."

Bingo Wyer from Cote Fleurie Studio, on the other hand, felt some regret about stringing up chains of hyacinths into dangling garlands on her Jackie Kennedy and Lady Gaga-inspired look to pair with a preppy Lilly Pullitzer bubble dress.

"Philosophically, it kills me," she said. "They've been good! They don't deserve this!"

Luckily, the demise of the flowers had a higher purpose - to help the HIV/AIDs patients of VillageCare.

Ungaro hires Giles Deacon as creative dir.

Struggling French fashion house Emanuel Ungaro says it has hired British designer Giles Deacon as creative director.

The appointment comes in the wake of a wave of recent defections from the Paris-based label, which in recent months has seen the departures of its former CEO, the designers for both the women's and men's labels, and its short-lived artistic adviser, Lindsay Lohan.

Deacon is a graduate of the prestigious Central Saint Martins school of design and has had his own critically acclaimed label since 2004.

The appointment, announced Tuesday, makes Deacon the latest in a long series of designers to take a stab at turning around Ungaro, which has been bleeding money since the retirement of its founder and namesake in 2004.

Americans prove world-beaters in tennis fashion show

AFP/File – Venus Williams of the US returns to Patty Schnyder of Switzerland during their women's first round …

It's been eight years since America produced a French Open women's champion, but they're proving winners when it comes to turning heads with their wacky wardrobes.

Venus Williams appeared for her first-round match wearing a black, lacy outfit with red trimming, a plunging neckline and flesh-coloured underwear that kept photographers busy.

Many observers wondered whether the world number two had confused Roland Garros with the Moulin Rouge.

"The outfit is about illusion, and that's been a lot of my motif this year, illusion," explained the 30-year-old to mystified journalists, mainly men.

"These days I just have a lot of fun with my designs and designing and doing different things."

How many of these outfits does she bring to events?

"Probably about eight to 10. I do recycle. I'm not superstitious, but I bring enough just for the back-up plan."

Not to be outdone, sister Serena, the last American champion in Paris in 2002, once wore a black catsuit on court.

On her way to winning the Australian Open this year, the world number one donned a yellow dress with flesh-coloured underwear and said that she too was concentrating on 'illusions'.

"I just sketched it out. The whole idea is just about the illusion that I?m wearing a deep V-neck. Then the idea was to wear shorts that were like the same colour as my skin. It works very well, apparently," she said at the time.

But the Williams sisters have serious competition in the fashion stakes at the French Open in the shape of Bethanie Mattek-Sands, who once played at Wimbledon Centre Court wearing white football socks and a boob-tube.

She has also donned leopard print outfits while also once appearing with a cowboy hat, which cost her a 10,000-dollar fine from the authorities.

On Tuesday, Mattek-Sands played her first-round match at the French Open wearing a pink shirt, black skirt and knee-high black socks before springing to the defence of Venus Williams.

"She's got a lot of crap for it, but it makes tennis interesting," said Mattek-Sands.

"You can't say it's OK for Maria Sharapova but it's not OK for Venus.

"I think it's great. If you see two blonde-haired girls wearing the same outfits, it's really hard for the fans to tell them apart."

Mattek-Sands says she will be sticking to the socks for the rest of the year, but with different colours for different occasions.

She insists her style is becoming more conservative.

"Your dress often depends on which tournament you are in and who is the supervisor, some are more lenient than others," she said. "For a while I had to get all of my clothes approved."

Despite her colourful dress sense, offset by an extravagant tattoo on the inside of her right upper-arm, Mattek-Sands is married to an insurance executive.