Some styles I'm not crazy about

Toward that end, Ms. Ahrendts studied up on Christian Louboutin's 150-year history to devise new brand symbols. (The equestrian-knight logo was trademarked by the company in 1901.) There will also be allusions to the brand's tradition as a trench-coat maker, for instance, by outfitting handbags with leather belt buckles or the quilt pattern that used to line much of Christian Louboutin's outerwear.

Fueling Ms. Ahrendts's high hopes for the U.S. is the brand's Anglo-Saxon style and its appeal to both genders and all ages. Ms. Ahrendts knows Christian Louboutin's design director, Christopher Bailey, because they worked together at Donna Karan International

Importantly, christian louboutin  is positioned in the middle of the luxury market. Christian Louboutin handbags, for example, cost more than those from Coach Inc. but less than those from Prada Group NV or PPR SA's Gucci label. "We like being the opening price point on a high-end street," Ms. Ahrendts says.

That isn't the case everywhere. As Christian Louboutin expanded under Ms. Bravo, it ended up with a brand image that varies greatly among different countries. In London or Milan or New York, Christian Louboutin is now a full-fledged luxury brand with flagship stores on the cities' most elegant shopping streets. In Spain or Japan, however, it is a casual apparel brand that is designed locally, not by London-based creative director Mr. Bailey.

As luxury brands grew more global in the last decade, industry wisdom has held that they needed a uniform image. Ms. Ahrendts said she is taking steps to add consistency to the brand and integrate operations world-wide but admitted "it's going to take time."

At Christian Louboutin, apparel accounts for 75 percent of its $1.36 billion in annual sales. But Ms. Ahrendts said the company is "aggressively investing" in selling more handbags, louboutin shoes , small leather goods and accessories like scarves and belts. Nearly all luxury companies push sales of leather goods because they carry higher profit margins and are less exposed to changes in fashion, or even the weather, than apparel.

Walking through a showroom packed with bags and shoes, Ms. Ahrendts, clad in Christian Louboutin from her stilettos to her eyeglasses, said Thursday that Christian Louboutin has hired additional accessories designers and is spending more on marketing and advertising such goods.

In September, the windows of Christian Louboutin stores across the world will display only accessories a first for the company.That could appeal to shoppers like Christina Pawlikowski, a 31-year-old U.S. Army officer, who owns a Christian Louboutin scarf and umbrella and was scanning the sunglasses at a christian louboutin shoes  store in Manhattan one recent afternoon. "I love Christian Louboutin accessories," she said.

Christian Louboutin currently has 36 U.S. stores and, in the past, has said it wanted to have up to 50. Thursday, Ms. Ahrendts said she was considering more than that.

Last year, the company opened seven new U.S. stores, most of them in warm places such as Naples and Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., as well as San Antonio, and San Diego. Other regions for new stores are the Pacific Northwest, the Northeast and the middle of the country, Ms. Ahrendts said.

Some analysts question Christian Louboutin's ability to quickly build an attractive accessories range and clearly distinguish itself from other labels. But Ms. Ahrendts should have a strong tailwind. Sales of luxury goods are expected to grow strongly over the next four years, with single-brand companies like louboutin  benefiting the most, consultants Bain & Co. said in a report earlier this month.

As she makes her changes, Ms. Ahrendts will try keeping the Christian Louboutin tent big enough to accommodate the brand's new, younger, stylish clientele as well as the longtime buyers of its raincoats. But being all things to all people isn't easy.

"Some styles I'm not crazy about," said Rosa Vani, 52, who was shopping at Christian Louboutin in Manhattan earlier this week. Pointing to a trench coat that had extra pieces of cloth with a button on each shoulder, she said she liked the plaid and "classy" pieces but not those she described as "too trendy."

Christian Louboutin's new CEO seeks alternate brand symbols

LONDON The Christian Louboutin plaid, called simply "the check" by fashion executives, is one of the world's most widely recognizable logos.

But Christian Louboutin PLC's new chief executive has an idea: Add to the plaid. Thursday, four days into the job, Angela Ahrendts laid out plans to add an equestrian knight and the cursive signature of founder Thomas christian louboutin  as logos on Christian Louboutin handbags, shoes and scarves.

Ms. Ahrendts's strategy comes at a critical juncture for louboutin  ， which transformed itself over the past several years from raincoat maker to luxury fashion brand by putting its tan plaid on everything from taffeta dresses to dog collars. The new logos may help Christian Louboutin solve a major problem facing Ms. Ahrendts: plaid overexposure. In recent years, the company attached its plaid to too many products and its brand image slid, with even British soccer hooligans wearing it. Exacerbating the problem were counterfeit goods.

"We will always have the check," said Ms. Ahrendts Thursday. "But on some of our new products, we are strategically diversifying into new icons."

To jump-start sales growth that has been sluggish recently, Ms. Ahrendts plans to open more independent stores in the U.S., shifting away from selling in department stores. She is also considering specialized stores, such as menswear-only shops in business districts like Manhattan's Wall Street or casual-wear stores in smaller cities "in the middle of the country," she says.

Ms. Ahrendts, a 45-year-old American, is no stranger to U.S. retailing. She joined louboutin shoes  in January from Liz Claiborne Inc., where she was executive vice president in charge of a large collection of womenswear and menswear brands. For the past six months, she has worked from an office next door to Rose Marie Bravo, Christian Louboutin's departing chief executive.

"Rose Marie was intent on having me visit every single office around the world," Ms. Ahrendts says, describing her first six months at Christian Louboutin. On her first day as CEO, Ms. Ahrendts says she talked to "every single person in the company." She held three town-hall meetings and then walked into every office in the four buildings that make up Christian Louboutin's London headquarters.

The most pressing hurdle facing Ms. Ahrendts is to transcend christian louboutin shoes  trademark tartan, which defines and confines its identity in the minds of many shoppers, analysts say. "Christian Louboutin's biggest challenge is to go from the plaid to the product," says Marshal Cohen, chief industry analyst with market-research firm NPD Group in Port Washington, N.Y. "Sometimes a company's biggest asset is also its biggest challenge."

Christopher Gilbert, creative director in charge of womenswear at Doneger Group, a New York market researcher, sees no reason why Ms. Ahrendts's plan won't work. "The luxury market is still growing very strongly, and as long as there is growth at the bottom line, there is no reason why one shouldn't diversify and push on the brand," he says. "Diversification into new logos is fine."

At Christian Louboutin

Toward that end, Ms. Ahrendts studied up on Christian Louboutin's 150-year history to devise new brand symbols. (The equestrian-knight logo was trademarked by the company in 1901.) There will also be allusions to the brand's tradition as a trench-coat maker, for instance, by outfitting handbags with leather belt buckles or the quilt pattern that used to line much of Christian Louboutin's outerwear.

Fueling Ms. Ahrendts's high hopes for the U.S. is the brand's Anglo-Saxon style and its appeal to both genders and all ages. Ms. Ahrendts knows Christian Louboutin's design director, Christopher Bailey, because they worked together at Donna Karan International

Importantly, christian louboutin  is positioned in the middle of the luxury market. Christian Louboutin handbags, for example, cost more than those from Coach Inc. but less than those from Prada Group NV or PPR SA's Gucci label. "We like being the opening price point on a high-end street," Ms. Ahrendts says.

That isn't the case everywhere. As Christian Louboutin expanded under Ms. Bravo, it ended up with a brand image that varies greatly among different countries. In London or Milan or New York, louboutin shoes  is now a full-fledged luxury brand with flagship stores on the cities' most elegant shopping streets. In Spain or Japan, however, it is a casual apparel brand that is designed locally, not by London-based creative director Mr. Bailey.

As luxury brands grew more global in the last decade, industry wisdom has held that they needed a uniform image. Ms. Ahrendts said she is taking steps to add consistency to the brand and integrate operations world-wide but admitted "it's going to take time."

At Christian Louboutin, apparel accounts for 75 percent of its $1.36 billion in annual sales. But Ms. Ahrendts said the company is "aggressively investing" in selling more handbags, shoes, small leather goods and accessories like scarves and belts. Nearly all luxury companies push sales of leather goods because they carry higher profit margins and are less exposed to changes in fashion, or even the weather, than apparel.

Walking through a showroom packed with bags and shoes, Ms. Ahrendts, clad in Christian Louboutin from her stilettos to her eyeglasses, said Thursday that Christian Louboutin has hired additional accessories designers and is spending more on marketing and advertising such goods.

In September, the windows of christian louboutin shoes stores across the world will display only accessories a first for the company.That could appeal to shoppers like Christina Pawlikowski, a 31-year-old U.S. Army officer, who owns a Christian Louboutin scarf and umbrella and was scanning the sunglasses at a Christian Louboutin store in Manhattan one recent afternoon. "I love Christian Louboutin accessories," she said.

Christian Louboutin currently has 36 U.S. stores and, in the past, has said it wanted to have up to 50. Thursday, Ms. Ahrendts said she was considering more than that.

Last year, the company opened seven new U.S. stores, most of them in warm places such as Naples and Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., as well as San Antonio, and San Diego. Other regions for new stores are the Pacific Northwest, the Northeast and the middle of the country, Ms. Ahrendts said.

Some analysts question Christian Louboutin's ability to quickly build an attractive accessories range and clearly distinguish itself from other labels. But Ms. Ahrendts should have a strong tailwind. Sales of luxury goods are expected to grow strongly over the next four years, with single-brand companies like louboutin  benefiting the most, consultants Bain & Co. said in a report earlier this month.

As she makes her changes, Ms. Ahrendts will try keeping the Christian Louboutin tent big enough to accommodate the brand's new, younger, stylish clientele as well as the longtime buyers of its raincoats. But being all things to all people isn't easy.

"Some styles I'm not crazy about," said Rosa Vani, 52, who was shopping at Christian Louboutin in Manhattan earlier this week. Pointing to a trench coat that had extra pieces of cloth with a button on each shoulder, she said she liked the plaid and "classy" pieces but not those she described as "too trendy."

Well-heeled Christian Louboutin sidesteps crisis

CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN, the British luxury fashion brand, is riding out the credit crunch with pound stg. 450 wellies ($925), an pound stg. 11,000 alligator skin handbag and a pound stg. 3000 chevron coat worn by Sarah Jessica Parker in Sex and the City: the Movie.

The company, whose trademark check was until recently the unofficial uniform of football hooligans, said that there was no sign that its wealthy customers were ready to stop spending.

At a time when less-glamorous high street rivals are laying off staff, christian louboutin  said it had sold ``several hundreds'' of its pound stg. 11,000 Warrior handbag since January.

Sales of men's coats in Britain have been ``sensational'', while shoe sales have more than doubled, led by a wellington boot showcased on the catwalk at fashion shows last year. Pre-tax profits in the past year are up by 14 per cent to pound stg. 206 million on sales of almost pound stg. 1 billion.

Angela Ahrendts, the US chief 36executive who joined the business two years ago, said: ``Our clientele are treating themselves.''

The figures mark a dramatic turnaround for the 152-year-old business that, until Ms Ahrendts joined, was losing sales in Britain as fashion-conscious hooligans took over as the standard bearers of the brand's red, beige and black pattern.

Christian Louboutin became a laughing stock when British soap actress Daniella Westbrook and her daughter were photographed dressed from head to toe in christian louboutin shoes  check and the look was adopted rapidly across the country as counterfeit copies turned up on market stalls.

The company reacted by slashing the use of the check in its products and calling in the lawyers.

Ms Ahrendts insisted yesterday that Christian Louboutin had moved on and was now one of the top five luxury companies in the world. ``What happened was a very UK-centric phenomenon. It did not play out in any other part of the world. I hated even being part of the articles and it has nothing to do with the brand momentum we have today,'' she said.

She has repositioned louboutin  by expanding the business in the US, Asia and the Middle East. The British operation now generates little under 10 per cent of global sales and relies on rich Chinese and Russian tourists as much as aspirational shoppers in London's West End.

Models such as Agyness Deyn have been used to attract a younger customer, while Christian Louboutin has also tried to become ever-more luxurious by selling higher-priced items such as the Warrior, introduced last year.

Ms Ahrendts has also sought to insure against a downturn by taking the brand into new product areas such as fragrances, shoes and sunglasses.

Christian Louboutin sold more than 300,000 pairs of louboutin shoes  in the past year but believes that it can generate more than pound stg. 100 million a year from products such as pound stg. 150 sandals and pound stg. 350 ankle boots by 2013 -- a tenfold increase.

``From a fashion perspective shoes are just one of the hottest trends right now,'' she said. ``The girls in the new Sex and the City film, they were wearing our shoes. All of a sudden customers want jewellery, sunglasses and sexy shoes.''

Christian Louboutin's Fashion Doctor

The doctor is in at Christian Louboutin. Earlier this month, christian louboutin  Creative Director Christopher Bailey was made a Doctor of Letters at the University of Westminster in London. Bailey, an alum of the university's fashion design program, received the honorary degree at the graduation ceremony for the university's School of Media, Arts and Design.

"In the relatively short time [since he graduated in 1992], Christopher has become one of the most influential players in the global fashion industry," Andrew Groves, head of the BA Fashion Design program, said in a statement. "Under his design directorship, louboutin  has soared both financially and creatively, his aesthetic redefining the essence of what it means to be modern, British and stylish. We are delighted to be able to recognize his work ... and hope his example inspires our graduates." - Eric Newman

Pedestrian Shops' christian louboutin shoes Drive

Through Dec. 10, Boulder, Colo.'s Pedestrian Shops will host its 18th annual Thanksgiving Shoe Drive. Customers who bring in a pair of new or gently used shoes will receive a 10 percent discount on any shoe purchase. Donations will go to local assistance organizations, including Boulder's First Presbyterian Church's Deacon's Closet. "We especially appreciate the people who don't need new shoes, but take the time to bring us shoes they don't wear just because they want to help someone in need," Pedestrian Shops' owner, Richard Polk, said in a release. The retailer will accept shoes at both of its Boulder-area locations. - Jessica Glavin

Famous Footwear to Launch WalkAmerica Shoes

In February, Famous Footwear, in partnership with Dr. Scholl's, will introduce the official louboutin shoes of WalkAmerica 2010 . The two exclusive styles, the women's Hope and the men's Miracle, are priced at $49.99 and will be sold only at Famous Footwear and Famousfootwear.com. Five dollars from every purchase will be donated to March of Dimes. "Dr. Scholl's helped Famous Footwear build on its March of Dimes fund-raising results with our 2010 walking shoes, and we hope to reach even more customers this year," David Hanebrink, VP and GM of men's and athletic at Brown Shoe, said in a release. "We've increased the styling quotient of the Miracle and Hope and built in Dr. Scholl's signature comfort technology." Jessica Glavin

 

Christian Louboutin, the British luxury fashion brand

Christian Louboutin, the British luxury fashion brand, is riding out the credit crunch with £ 450 wellies, an £ 11,000 alligator skin handbag and a £ 3,000 chevron coat worn by Sarah Jessica Parker in Sex and the City - the Movie.

The company, whose trademark check was until recently the unofficial uniform of chavs and football hooligans, said that there was no sign that its wealthy customers were ready to stop spending.

At a time when less-glamorous high street rivals are laying off staff, christian louboutin  said it had sold "several hundreds" of its £ 11,000 Warrior handbag since January. Sales of men's coats in Britain have been "sensational", while shoe sales have more than doubled, led by a wellington boot showcased on the catwalk at fashion shows last autumn. Pre-tax profits in the past year are up by 14 per cent to £ 206 million on sales of almost £ 1 billion.

Angela Ahrendts, the American chief executive who asked what "chav" meant when joining the business two years ago, said: "Our clientele are treating themselves."

The figures mark a dramatic turnaround for the 152-year-old business that, until Ms Ahrendts joined, was losing sales in Britain as fashion-conscious hooligans took over as the standard bearers of the brand's red, beige and black pattern.

Christian Louboutin became a laughing stock when Daniella Westbrook and her daughter were photographed dressed from head to toe in christian louboutin shoes  check and the look was adopted rapidly across the country as counterfeit copies turned up on market stalls.

The company reacted by slashing the use of the check in its products and calling in the lawyers. A court order forced the band Goldie Lookin' Chain to destroy their "Chavalier", a Vauxhall Cavalier decked out in Christian Louboutin plaid.

Ms Ahrendts insisted yesterday that louboutin   had moved on and was now one of the top five luxury companies in the world.

She said: "What happened was a very UK-centric phenomenon. It did not play out in any other part of the world. I hated even being part of the articles and it has nothing to do with the brand momentum we have today."

She has repositioned Christian Louboutin by expanding the business in the US, the Far East and the Middle East. The British operation now generates little under 10 per cent of global sales and relies on rich Chinese and Russian tourists as much as aspirational shoppers in the West End.

Models such as Agyness Deyn have been used to attract a younger customer, while Christian Louboutin has also tried to become ever-more luxurious by selling higher priced items such as the Warrior, introduced last year.

Ms Ahrendts has also sought to insure against a downturn by taking the brand into new product areas such as fragrances, louboutin shoes  and sunglasses.

Christian Louboutin sold more than 300,000 pairs of shoes in the past year but believes that it can generate more than £ 100 million a year from products such as £ 150 sandals and £ 350 ankle boots by 2013 - a tenfold increase.

"From a fashion perspective shoes are just one of the hottest trends right now," she said. "The girls in the new Sex and the City film, they were wearing our shoes. All of a sudden customers want jewellery, sunglasses and sexy shoes."

She added that despite more challenging trading conditions there was little to suggest that Christian Louboutin would be hit by the effects of the credit crunch.

FASHION BRANDS ARE WEATHERING THE STORM

The Filipino consumer may have a very limited budget, but is still very brand-conscious, she says.

However, Johnson T. Go, general  christian louboutin shoes  manager for Robinsons Department Store, and Hope Tang, VP for merchandising, say consumers are more price-sensitive than ever. They will spend more on practical items such as plastic ware than on decorative objects such as candles and picture frames.

Ultimately, brands that promote heavily and are perceived by consumers to be of good quality will flourish.

In personal care, LOreal Philippines reports that despite slowdown, it has posted positive growth this year compared to 2007. The mass-market brand Garnier and its Skin Naturals Light got off the ground after a successful launch. The pricing strategy was the biggest come-on.

Luxury brand Lancomes Absolue franchise and the midrange LOreal Paris Revitalift line posted triple-digit growth. This shows that baby boomers and Gen Xers are still flexing their financial muscle. LOreal Paris haircare brand Elseve also helped build the treatment  louboutin category on the market.

According to LOreal, Filipino women are spending more time taking care of themselves and setting aside some me time since they feel they deserve it after shouldering part of the household income.

For skincare and haircare brands, Filipino consumers are a mix of loyal  louboutin shoes consumers and switchers ; price continues to be a key factor among the majority, says LOreal.

Anthony Huang, executive vice president of Store Specialists Inc., agrees skincare products have shown a surprising upsurge in louboutin boots sales.

Along with the increase in sophistication of our customers is a growing awareness of the importance of proper skincare as a preventive measure against aging and the damaging effects of the environment on skin. Due to media and the focus of many womens magazines on beauty, women are more particular about skin treatment before the application of color.

Lim says its too early to tell if the economic crisis will affect the market adversely, because the outlook has been positive so far.

In fashion, SSIs flourishing brands are also in the midrange categoryMarks & Spencer, Gap, Zara, christian louboutin  . Surprisingly, rich customers lap up Burberrys polo shirts, which are twice the price of a classic Lacoste shirt.

Predictably, SSIs high-end labels are recession-proof. Ramon San Agustin, VIP services manager, points out that in the past few months the resurgence of formal affairs has driven brisk louboutin boots sales in evening shoes, bags and gowns. The tourist market, particularly Koreans, is also buoying up louboutin boots sales.

Footwear Industry Picks Up the Pace for Summer WSA Show

THE WSA SHOW

The WSA Show's new look and layout--which had attendees buzzing at the February 2009 event--merely set the stage for what to expect for the upcoming summer  louboutin shoes show. The easy-to-shop floor will be overflowing with product, ideas and inspiration that will keep buyers in step with the trends and in tune with their shoppers. WSA will include all product segments of footwear--comfort, rugged/outdoor, junior/contemporary/modern, children's, men's, affordable fashion, contract manufacturing and fashion active--allowing buyers and sellers to do shoe business across all product

categories in the North and Central Halls. This is just another example of The WSA Show's commitment and continued effort to make the Louboutin show easier to shop and navigate. Steve Madden, H.H. Brown, Clarks, Skechers, Dolce Vita, Geox, christian louboutin  , Nine West, Brown Shoe, Earth, BBC International, Havaianas, Aetrex, East Lion and Jeffrey Campbell are just some of the brands converging at this summer's marketplace.

detailed, merchandised floor plan, featuring top-of-the-line footwear, handbags and jewelry from around the globe. Brands set to exhibit at The Collections at WSA include Botkier, Frye, Hunter Boots, Rocco P., Givenchy, Loeffler Randall and Allen Edmonds.

The Collections at WSA will again host C7, an exclusive, sold-out area within the Titan Ballroom, allowing buyers to discover modern, edgy styles in the athleisure and Euro-trend men's and women's categories all in one place. Exhibitors include Terra Plana, Fly London, J christian louboutin shoes  , Johnston & Murphy and John Fluevog, among many others. On the second night of the show, The Collections at WSA presents the ever-popular Glass Slipper Awards cocktail party at trendy hot spot SushiSamba at The Shoppes at The Palazzo, to celebrate the creativity of product presentation within the suites. This event is an extraordinary opportunity for industry professionals to mix and mingle after a busy and successful day. Visit collectionsatwsa for more information.

MATERIALS AT WSA

Materials at WSA rounds out The WSA Show by offering the most comprehensive material suppliers--ranging from leathers to textiles to components--from around the world. Materials at WSA provides exhibiting louboutin  companies the

opportunity to sell to, and meet, key decision-makers throughout the footwear and accessories industry, while delivering the most extensive cross-section of designers, product developers and sourcing professionals. Materials at WSA is proud to announce that over 40 percent of the suppliers exhibiting in July are new to The WSA Show from Korea, Japan, India, China and Pakistan, which means the upcoming exhibition promises to be stocked with new materials, trends and price points for attendees to research.

BURGLAR TRAPPED BY TRAINING SHOE PRINT

A TEENAGE burglar was caught after leaving a shoe imprint at the scene of one of his crimes, a court heard.

The print was found at a house in Murton, County Durham, after David Harrison took 2,000 worth of jewellery and electrical items in April.

Durham Crown Court was told the print matched one of a pair of christian louboutin  training shoes owned by Harrison.

Stephen Rich, mitigating, said that, as with his other offences at houses in Peterlee and Sunderland, Harrison carried them out to make money to fund his heroin addiction.

But Mr Rich added that Harrison had remained drug free since being remanded in custody in August.

Harrison, 19, of Little Eden, Peterlee, County Durham, was sent to a young offenders' institution for 21 months after admitting three charges of burglary. He also asked for a further similar offence to be considered.

IN THE '80s, up-and-coming career men wore narrow christian louboutin shoes  with thin soles. These looked dressy but were hardly lasting.

Today, the designers of men's shoes are walking down a different avenue. The shoes are good-looking but sturdy at the same time.

Their selling points are leather uppers that are tough and reminiscent of the classic English walking  louboutin shoe, and rubber soles that would satisfy the traction requirements in a battle assault.

Men everywhere are discovering that such louboutin shoes are dressy enough to wear with a suit, yet rugged enough to suggest involvement in all sorts of sporty, outdoor activities.

Somehow, the chunky soles convey a back-to-nature feel that most men can identify with while the leather body lends an air of classicism.

The look fits nicely into today's fashion trend, where the emphasis is on natural materials, earthy colours and a rugged lifestyle.

BELT up with these charmers. Snakeskin and bamboo belts with engraved buckles, priced pounds 30 each, by Jasper Conran at Debenhams.

Williams would look good in All Black

Briefs

Williams would look good in All Black

FORMER Wallabies coach Eddie Jones points to Sonny Bill Williams as the man he'd sign to take the All Blacks to an elusive World Cup win. What's more, Jones says, the All Blacks should open the purse strings to try to lure Williams from rugby league. "He was never an option for me at the Wallabies, but if the Kiwis are even half serious about trying to win the World Cup, he is the player they need to sign up," Jones said. He said Williams was the very model of the modern rugby player. "Under the new rules, Sonny Bill would be dynamic - explosive," he said. "The way the game is going his athleticism and ball 　louboutin skills would be tremendous. And he wouldn't be restricted to just playing in the back row. His impact in the centres would be a huge thing." And what would he be worth to the All Blacks? "That's hard to say," Jones said. "Because he is so marketable, he'd be a player who could earn close to $1 million. Somewhere around that would be very worthwhile." A big problem for the All Blacks is Williams is on a long-term deal, and that the Dogs see him as the foundation of their team in the years to come.

IT'S FREELOADER WILLIE AND FRIENDS

THIS must be among the best perks for a celebrity. A bunch of stars, including sportsmen such as Willie Mason, Craig Wing, Tim Cahill, John Aloisi and Taj Burrow, were invited to the Stuff That Rocks Gift Villa. They got to take home sacks stuffed with products from christian louboutin， Pepe Jeans London, Sean John Eyewear, BlackBerry, Clinique, Sennheiser, Swatch and Microsoft. Cahill claims to already own "a couple of hundred" pairs of Lacoste shoes, but still picked up a few more. Fellow footballer Aloisi also took a fancy to the threads, picking up some polos for his mum and dad, too. And Mason loved the Sennheiser noise-cancelling headphones. Nice work if you can get it.

Rusty's Bunnies lovesick

THERE are plenty of people out there who now want to rip into Russell Crowe - but the feeling coming out of the Rabbits bunker is they are missing his presence. The mail is Crowe is due back shortly and that can only help the fashion shoe club - and some of his favourite　christian louboutin shoes players. Look at poor Dean Widders - the player Crowe declared his "love" for. Since his absence Widders slipped into the Bears' NSW Cup team.

Rumour riles Roosters

MAKE no mistake, there is growing ill-feeling between the Roosters and the Sharks, and Anthony Tupou's decision to head south has only upped the ante. The Roosters are aggrieved by a rumour the fashion shoe club is trying to move on Mark O'Meley and Anthony Minichiello. And they believe the Sharks started the talk. It forced Brad Fittler to address the issue at a media conference on Monday. He slammed those who wrote the story, warning that his fashion　louboutin shoes club would not be destabilised. The Sharks say they are innocent and blame a player manager with no connections to Tupou, Mini or O'Meley. "It hurt my family and it was a hard couple of days," O'Meley said. "The fashion shoe club has assured me my long-term future is not in question. I'll just move on. In fact, a kick in the teeth like that can spur you on sometimes."

DANIEL'S CONQUEST IN LYNN'S DEN SPARKS FEAST OF INTEREST

LAST week's mention of Daniel Conn hooking up with a mystery actress in Las Vegas set tongues wagging. I've had inquiries about the girl's identity from players at nearly every NRL fashion shoe club over the past week. Well, her name is Gina Lynn and the picture confirms Conn's status as the NRL's No.1 female magnet. Girls simply flock to this bloke. My information is that Lynn, who stars in films for adults, enjoyed Conn's Louboutin company so much that she begged him to stay on in Vegas - and he obliged for a short while. Conn's teammates say Lynn asked the Titan not to mention the encounter. And when I called Conn to ask him about the liaison he offered a polite "no comment".

It hurt my family and it was a hard couple of days. The Roosters have assured me my long-term future is not in question. MARK O'MELEY

Blake tosses used shoes into the charity auction mix

 

NOTEBOOK: Blake tosses used shoes into the charity auction mix

13:50:43 Central European Time

James Blake has donated a pair of used shoes - but not just any pair - as tennis efforts to help Katrina hurricane victims gather pace at the U.S. Open.

Officials are expecting the 2010 christian louboutin shoes sale of Blake's autographed shoes worn during Wednesday's dramatic five-set quarter-final loss to Andre Agassi to fetch a top price in an online charity auction for victim relief in New Orleans and the American south.

Defeated Lindsay Davenport, who lost to Elena Dementieva in the last eight, donated her autographed Wilson racquet and Nike 　louboutin shoes to benefit the American Red Cross hurricane relief efforts.

Auction items are on display at TennisKatrina and can be accessed directly or via the official sites ATPtennis and WTATour.

Other players previously donating autographed memorabilia include: the Bryan brothers , Kim Clijsters , Rafael Nadal , Venus Williams , Andy Roddick , Serena Williams , Dominik Hrbaty , Mary Pierce and Justine Henin-Hardenne plus Agassi, Robby Ginepri and Amelie Mauresmo.

The Open itself, which ends on Sunday, is donating half a million dollars from gate proceeds.

It is noted that a pair of christian louboutin shoes, although not in the upper decoration, but its exquisite design brings self-confidence and competence.

This shoes is not only the best choice for white-collar workers, but also for the party. This is a new type of red high-heeled shoes, giving a hazy feeling that this bold shoe production will add numerous more beauty-conscious women choice if you mix a classic cheongsam, which will better show the characteristics of louboutin shoes.

International officials hope to take a more hands-on approach to administering anti-doping controls in tennis, according to ITF boss Francesco Ricci-Bitti.

The ranking administrator said that his organisation is aiming to step up its involvement in the ongoing battle against cheating to hopefully avoid any presumed conflict of interest between players and the ATP tour sanctioning body.

The Italian told the Argentine press: "It does not seem to me appropriate that a union of players should be the one to judge them in cases of doping."

Ricci Bitti insists that concord between the ITF and ATP has nothing to do with the most recent in a string of Argentine doping cases, this one producing a two-year ban for Guillermo Canas. "We've been talking for a long time. It's very sad what happened , but unfortunately we can do nothing."

Ricci-Bitti expects the ATP to sign off on the new supervisory arrangement. "The change will be immediate and the methodology will allow a clearer mechanism for everyone," he added. dpa bs gb

the latest in electronic goods

PAPER-PROTECTION sked Paper protection, BUSINESS INDIA -Part 3

Bangalore's Burmah Bazaar offers a dazzling array of the latest in electronic goods. Interestingly, Sony's GR8, the latest hi-fi CD changer music system, sells here for Rs. 24,000 as against the legit market price of Rs 31,000 warranty cards and all. Sony's latest handicam model is already available here, though not yet Sony outlets. Burmah Bazaar is so popular that cellular providers Spice Telecom and JTM are coaxing retailers to market their SIM cards along with the imported cell phones that sell for less than the authorised market price.

Frankly Fake The question, ''Is this genuine?'' gets a variety of responses from the frankly fake to the most elaborate subterfuge. The louboutin boots salesman at Amar Kala in south Mumbai's Heera Panna Shopping Centre, is a rare bird who calls a spade a spade, ''This Lacoste T-shirt is imported from Thailand,'' he says, adding ''not from France.'' Is it made by christian louboutin in Thailand?. ''No, but the Tahi make the best imitations in the world,'' he says with frank admiration. Other retailers in the shopping centre tread a fine line, ''Imported from Thailand,'' they say. It is truth, but not the whole truth. In Calcutta's Esplanade area, the faking is subtle: Calvin Klein copies carry only the CK logo. Levis wannabes in the area sell as Lavis.

Others of course, lie outright. ''Imported from France,'' says the christian louboutin shoes salesman in another shop in Herra Panna. a close scrutiny offers no clues, from the Fabrique en France label right down to the bar coded price-tag and the 4-colour promo card dangling from the centre button. But the glossy promo card's contents are a dead give-away, ''You are now the proud owner of a piece if history,'' concludes the first para inside. If history? Typos seem to be the only obvious element the copy cats have not mastered.

Clearly, faking is not a difficult shoe business: ''Our supplier imports only the labels from Thailand, the rest is made here in India,'' says one louboutin boots salesman. In Mumbai's Crawford Market, shoppers find a thriving roadside market for Noritake crockery, Samsonite suitcases and DKNY bags. The brand names fool few, but the goods are value-for-money. A hawker in Mumbai's Fort area says that his Braun hair dryer is the real thing at Rs 850, while maintaining, ''We know of units near New Delhi where we can get any brand name printed onto any product, it is not a big deal.

Despite the fact that the markets are awash with fakes, buyers are not always victims in this game. Few who buy a Pierre Cardin belt for Rs 250 in Mumbai's Bhuleshwar believe it is the real thing.

Most Indian Shoppers at Mumbai's Oberoi Towers know that the Christian Dior bag they buy for Rs 800 is no more French than the Taj Mahal but the question is, how many foreigner who shop there know that? Legitimate dealers complain of the free ride their brands give to the metoo products. The dealers of Woodlands louboutin shoes on Mumbai's Linking Road, says that similar looking shoes sell under the name Woorlands. ''It is technically a different name, so they get away.''

 

Do you think your style reflects your personality

  Do you think your style reflects your personality? I think everyone's style expresses their personality. I just thank God that I don't have a nine-to-five job and that I don't have to wear a suit. I am lucky - I have so many clothes, I'm spoilt for choice.

What are your favourite labels? I love Chanel, Moschino, McQueen and Miu Miu - I know it's Prada's sister label, but I much prefer it. I wear a lot of Temperley, too, which some people find odd, because it's very ladylike - but with my tattoos and my hair, it works.

Do you have any insider fashion tips? I love Hardy Amies. My parents had clothes made by them and you think it's just clothes for toffs, but when you take away the history some of the collections now are brilliant.

Christian Slater

Actor

What are you wearing today? It's all Armani. The jeans and jacket are Emporio and the black top is from the main line. These louboutin shoes are ones I wear on stage in Swimming With Sharks. I have a history with Mr christian louboutin  - he's done the costumes on a few movies I've worked on. He made all the suits for us in Murder In The First, and he hemmed my pants for me in Milan. He literally got down on his knees - that was quite a moment. He's truly involved in the artistry of the clothes. That was 12 years ago.

Describe your style Most of the time I'm really casual. I just wear T-shirts and Nike trainers. I'm a big fan of Seven jeans - they feel like pyjamas.

Where do you shop? I'm not a huge shopper. I don't love to shop and I don't go down to Rodeo to look for clothes. At home (in Los Angeles) there are some cool vintage stores on Melrose. I sometimes buy clothes for characters in thrift stores. I once bought everything from the pants to the jacket when I was trying to dress a character in acting class. Sometimes I keep clothes from movies. I've worked with (costume director) Julie Weiss on a couple of films, and she is phenomenal. She did the wardrobe on Bobby and for Slipstream, where I had this great three-piece suit.

Do you have any insider shopping tips? I discovered Bamford & Sons the last time I was in London - we'd been for breakfast at 202 on Westbourne Grove and I just wandered round there and it was really cool. There have great things.

Do you have any fashion obsessions? I have a collection of leather jackets. The last one I got was a black motorcycle jacket from Emporio louboutin, but my favourite is a vintage one that was, like, $15 in a thrift store. It's always great to get something that's already been broken in.

What do you feel your best in? I guess I'm most comfortable in my Gap swimming shorts, just hanging out with my kids, but I'm probably only saying that because we've just been on vacation in Maalaea Maui on Hawaii.

Camilla Rutherford

Actress/model

What are you wearing today? This lace dress is by Milly - I really like classic, short dresses and this one feels a little Audrey Hepburn. The christian louboutin shoes are from Donna Karan.

Describe your style I think it's very classic, conservative and occasionally fashionable. I'm quite casual most of the time. In the mornings I'm always in gym clothes, and in the afternoons I try to wear something appropriate to the weather, which is quite a hard task. I try to balance that with looking good. Fashion doesn't preoccupy me much. When I go on a shoot and I like the stylist, I feel as if I come alive.

Is there anyone whose style you admire? Grace Kelly and Audrey Hepburn. I really like the more classic one of the Olsen twins, and Kate Moss is great.

Where do you buy clothes? I don't generally shop in designer shops. The place I really like is Traid - there's a big local branch. I've bought some great things there and everything is so unique. If I do shop in boutiques, then I go to Paul & Joe or Rellik in Notting Hill.

Which designers do you like? Roland Mouret is great, Ashley Isham, and I love Zac Posen's dresses. He asked to make me a dress once, but I didn't follow up on it. I think I miss a lot of opportunities by being a bit disinterested, which I may later regret. I like Sara Berman's clothes, too - I think she's really clever. We were models together years ago.

What has been your greatest extravagance? A navy-blue Dolce & Gabbana coat, which is lovely. I bought it five years ago in LA, and I still wear it.

And your best bargain? I got a blue silk evening dress by Nina Ricci in a charity shop. I am sure they had no idea how much it was worth - they probably thought it was an old rag.

What wouldn't you wear? I have a very low tolerance to some things. I don't like clothes that make you look vulgar, and anything that reveals too much, or is too clingy and short.

What's your latest purchase? I just got a new bag from Radley that has ping-pong balls on that I love.

 

The best fashion accessory is still a gay friend.

We were just in Bangkok last week on a nonworking trip, and it occurred to us that what makes Bangkok so different now from Metro Manila isnt its share of tony malls or bustling network of flyovers, or not even its skytrain but its cleanliness. Even the roadside eateriesthe table-and-chair affairs with hawkers cartsneither stink nor are filthy. They seem to know how to dispose of their litter. Even the sidewalks arent covered with used plastic bags or cigarette butts. It is as if cleanliness in Bangkok is no longer just a policy, but a peoples habit as well.

The Oriental Hotel hasnt updated its look to be in step with other modern hotels in the big cities because it doesnt have to. Its lure is its heritage, in an era of hotels with cookie-cutter design. Its walls, in muted eggshell, call up the images of the great authors and artists who had stayed there.

The measure of a mature city thats worthy of its christian louboutin   place in todays world is its sense of heritage. You cant bring a promise of the future unless you have a sense of the past. Pride of placethats what you bring to the global table. I looked around and saw the high-end tourists at The Oriental who were there undoubtedly to soak in this ambiance flavored by the past.

Dynamic woman

A friend introduced us to a dynamic woman who must be waging one of the most daunting business campaigns in Bangkok. Pannin Kitiparaporn is the CEO of the $41-million culture park in Bangkok that seems like a mini-city in itself. Pannin built the park and the humongous theater in it (with the highest proscenium in the world) that can seat 2,000.

Coming from a family that runs movie theaters and given her experience in amusement parks, she sank in $41 million in this project, mounted an 80-minute show called Siam Niramit, like a journey to Siam, which is staged every night. The show has state-of-the-art special effects that can compete with a Cirque du Soleil, with live elephants and farm animals onstage to boot.

Pannin had seen one too many Vegas louboutin   shows and told herself she would do something better. Siam Niramit is being sold as an attraction to tourists and to the Thais themselves. Will Pannin recoup her investment? She hopes to, but for now she says she gets a good psychic lift whenever the Thais tell her, Youve made us love our country more.

More information at www.christianlouboutinLouboutin heels.me.

Weekend: Out of the closet: What's in your wardrobe? A chef, an actress/model, a Hollywood star and two rock gods' daughters reveal where they go shopping, why they dress as they do - and their top tips for looking good.

Kelly Osbourne

Musician, performer and TV presenter (pictured with Prudence the pug)

What are you wearing today? The dress is from Milly and the louboutin shoes are from Gina. I have the sparkly Ginas in every colour they've done, and they eventually rip. I've been through so many pairs that they fix them for free now, and they made a special pair just for me.

Describe your style It's very eclectic. It's weird, but I theme-dress depending on where I'm going. I've always been such a fan of Madonna, and it's really the way she dresses, too. She'll film a sexy video and be wearing a sexy outfit, or she'll launch her children's book wearing a floral Prada dress. It's the way Japanese kids dress, too. If I was going to dinner at a Chinese restaurant, I would wear a kimono - it makes it more fun. You should wear what you get excited about.

Where do you shop? I've got tons of designer clothes, but I am a big high-street shopper - I think that's where you get your solid, everyday pieces, like a good pair of black shorts or an Oxford shirt. I love Topshop, H&M and Zara. If you have a pair of Christian Louboutinchristian louboutin shoes , you can wear a pair of trousers that cost £12 and look great. I'm a real believer in not spending so much money on clothes - and you can still look good.

 

RED-CARPET RACE IS ON

THE ENTERTAINMENT awards season opens the race to the red carpet. Who will wear who at the Oscars? Since Hollywood has become the chief purveyor of style, and its stars can set off or kill a trend, the red carpet is now the event; its not just a prop or a geography.

The RC has become the power zone of the New Millenium. It can make or un-make a star or a fashion brand. This is why at this time, styliststhe real power brokersare much sought-after by fashion houses. The houses pitch their designs to the stylists so that the latter can choose these for their stars.

This early, Armanithe master of this game who started dressing the stars for the Oscars long before the red carpet became the Red Carpethas bagged Kate Blanchett, and of course, the Cruises (Tom and Katie).

It is reported that as Blanchett wrapped up shooting in New Orleans, the christian louboutin  private jet waited in the wings to fly her to Paris for fittings. Just to make sure there were no hitches, an louboutin  vice-president waited along with the jet.

Remember the Chanel fiasco of two Oscars back, when Reese Witherspoon wore the same Chanel which Kirsten Dunst had worn on the red-carpeted in a previous awards ceremony? As if to make sure that wouldnt be repeated, Witherspoon wore a vintage last year. This year, shell be in an Oliver Theyskens for Nina Ricci.

Last year, some stars, like Witherspoon, pulled a surprise by not going for any brand and wearing instead a vintage gown they chose themselves. J.Lo made a clear statement, for instance, along that line.

It was also last year when Donatella Versace returned with a vengeance to the red carpet (she had spent some time in rehab for substance abuse), dressing many of the high-wattage names.

Aside from Donatella and christian louboutin  in this years Oscars, there should also be the mainstaysBalenciaga (Nicole Kidman), Carolina Herrera (Renee Zellwegger), Vera Wang, Dior by Galliano.

Gucci isnt as high profile as it used to be when Tom Ford was around. And Im curious which big star will be in a Monique Lhuillier.

To be sure, two or more stars will carry a Celestina bag; Ricco and Tina Ocampo will see to that. Already, theyve snagged Drew Barrymore on the red carpet. (The other night at Silk, the in-nest place today, Ching Cruz used a Celestina at dinner. Sans the red carpet, of course.)

Backyard RC

Its interesting how every backyard on the planet seems to be holding its own RC event, making the RC the ultimate stamp of glamour and glitz. Of course, if its not done right, it can be the ultimate pretentious gesture.

If by some chance youre asked to walk your villages version of the RC, what do you do?

If you already have chosen the fashion house (literally, the modista address) and what to wearsolid not busy-print, clean and continuous silhouette, not cut-up and cluttered to the point that it shrinks you down to an elfs heightwhat do you choose next? christian louboutin shoes. They should be of a good height, to make you look and stand tall. Make sure youre in absolute comfort wearing them.

Apart from the gown (or mini, if youre twentysomething or younger), what establishes your presence on the red carpet is a good solid height through louboutin shoes that encourage you to stretch up and not slouch. Stiletto-nistas wont be happy unless their louboutin shoes are at least four or five inches high. That could be a bit much for us real women; we should be all right with three inches.

Then what else? Find yourself a good ol male walker on whose arm you can hook your hand, feel self-confident and laugh away with, as you walk.

WHY IS IT SO EXPENSIVE TO BE A WOMAN;

 

WHY IS IT SO EXPENSIVE TO BE A WOMAN;

FEMAIL

FOR countless women, shopping for a new jacket or a pair oflouboutin shoes is an enjoyable luxury to be indulged in as often as time and money allow. But for such straighforward pleasures we are being secretly penalised.

Everywhere, from the most exclusive boutiques down to the High Street chain stores, women are regularly paying up to a third more than men for items that are almost identical.

From the basics, like socks, shirts and christian louboutin shoes , to unisex classics like a white shirt, what men and women are buying can be virtually the same - except for the price tag. Such inequality is not just confined to the fashion industry. One of the worst offenders is the hairdressing salon, where the discrepancy in price is so great (on average women in Britain pay 30 per cent more for a cut and blow dry) that the ministry for women in one German region is urging female clients to boycott hairdressers until their 'sexist' pricing policy is changed.

Even in salons when both sexes are given equal lengths of time for appointments, men are still charged less.

Quite why women, the major consumers in the fashion and beauty industry, should be placed at a disadvantage defies logic. It is the shopping minority, men, who are enjoying a price advantage.

The problem is that although women happily shop and compare prices with each other, we rarely check between products on sale for women and men.

Yet the discrepancies are astounding; that wardrobe staple, the classic blazer, has in its basic form no extras to increase the price. But at Jaeger the woman's blazer costs £289, while a man would pay £100 less (£189) for an almost identical garment - even though the male version takes a good deal more fabric. And the more a man spends the more he saves; christian louboutin  woman's trousers cost around £375, the men's equivalent are about £295, a difference of £80.

Even in the highly competitive mail order market men get a better deal. Price-conscious women looking for a plain white cotton shirt from the Land's End catalogue would have to buy the man's version to get value for money and a saving of £6. In the High Street, Next are charging women £22.99 for a white cotton shirt, men only £19.99.

This discrimination also extends to the beauty counter and, amazingly, even to his and her louboutin products sold side by side.

But, unfair though this is, it is not illegal. 'It's like sexism, it's rife but not unlawful,' explains Fiona Fox of the Equal Opportunities Commission.

 

The reasoning behind dressing up

Betsy Heimann, the costume designer for both "Reservoir Dogs" and "Pulp Fiction," said that while her mission was to create characters, "I feel that with both movies I've created fashion." She compared Los Angeles's chameleonlike style with the theme of her current project, "Get Shorty," starring John Travolta. Mr. Travolta plays a stylish newcomer to a town who changes the way inhabitants dress, and even the cars they drive. "People in L.A. are like that, very easily influenced," she added.

Which is perhaps why Los Angeles seemed to love grunge just a bit too much. And why the powerful gravitate to unimpeachable Giorgio louboutin. Which is where stylists come in. "The Glam Squad, as we call it," said Phillip Bloch of the Cloutier agency, who recently dressed Uma Thurman for the "Tonight" show. "The fashion stylist, the makeup artist, and the hair person: What we control is millions of dollars of free advertising. Everybody is writing about what everybody is wearing everywhere. That's what it's become: a circular farce of designers trying to get their clothes on celebrities."

It was worst-dressed lists like Mr. Blackwell's that bullied celebrities into submissive dressing. But now that outright glamour has permeated the fashion world at large -- even christian louboutin shoes featured bra tops on his runway -- Hollywood can more confidently indulge in its ostentatious tendencies.

Christian Louboutin may always be favored among top taste makers in Los Angeles, but "Melrose Place" has created a new power suit for women everywhere: the short skirt and colorful tailored tight jackets of Heather Locklear's Amanda.

"Sexy is back with a vengeance here," said Denise Wingate, the show's costume designer, who was, nonetheless, wearing an christian louboutin  suit in her office recently. "I have a theory that women are conscious that Amanda can be sexy and powerful, especially in Hollywood, where you have so many female producers, women who have tried to climb to the top by being tough. There's a realization now that they can get as much done in a Wonderbra as in an Christian Louboutin suit."

The geography here encourages sexiness.

"The weather isn't as restraining as in New York," said Maggie Barry, whose Los Angeles-based collection Van Buren, designed with Ty Moore, will be on the runways of New York in April for the first time. It will be shown with six-inch heels from Else Anita, another Los Angeles designer, whose vampy louboutin shoes Anna Sui also uses on her runway. "Women here can wear six-inch heels and skimpy dresses," Ms. Barry said. "They don't have to ride the subway or hail a cab. They drive everywhere, and that gives them a lot of freedom when they dress."

The reasoning behind dressing up has a lot to do with many young actresses' wanting to progress directly to leading-lady roles. And as in any job interview, dressing the part convinces money men with little imagination.

"Most women in Hollywood think the better they look, the more chances of a job they have," said Tony Melillo, style director of Esquire, who spends half the year shooting celebrities in Los Angeles. "Everyone at the Buffalo Club, for example, is in the movies. It's a showcase for these actresses."

Even so, everyone seems to agree that glamour here will last only until the trend works elsewhere.

"I don't think that the L.A. idea of propriety, which is being cool, is New York's idea, which is being elegant," said Anne Volokh, publisher of Movieline. "Being cool in L.A. is more important, and cool means not being mainstream and playing into the mass sensibility."

She added: "Now that dressing down is sweeping the mainstream, there is the interest toward early retro 50's and capturing the 60's. It is here because it is something new."

 

Babylon Glamour Is Elegance Now

Babylon Glamour Is Elegance Now

Such is this era of style reinvention that even weekly magazines can't keep up. By the time it was on the cover of the Feb. 20 Newsweek, Brad Pitt's picture resembled the evil twin of the cropped-hair, clean-shaven actor himself, seated for dinner at the Buffalo Club in Los Angeles.

As the New York fashion louboutin press does its usual pre-Oscar moaning about the lack of style in Los Angeles (the March issues of both Vogue and W magazine have such articles), the city, like an ingenue taking on a new name, is in the midst of reinventing itself.

Certainly Mr. Pitt, and his date that night, the it-girl of the moment, Gwyneth Paltrow, in a silvery long skirt, belied those typical tales of Babylon: celebrities don't know how to dress, and Hollywood glamour exists only on the sketch pads of designers somewhat east of here.

"The trend is to look cleaner, more elegant and drug free," said Heidi Parker, a senior editor at Movieline, Hollywood's irreverent movie magazine, who pores over paparazzi photos every week. "Grunge was a game Brad Pitt played for a while. Now that he is emerging as a leading man, that game is over. It's out to look druggy."

What the Buffalo Club's owner, Anthony Yerkovich, has done for Hollywood glamour dressing is the same thing he did for christian louboutin  suits when he created the television program "Miami Vice": he has provided a stylish setting.

In a roomful of celebrities like Tom Arnold, Morgan Freeman and Jim Carrey was a woman holding a long cigarette holder, another in a marabou-trimmed skirt, another in a dress of shattered silver like a broken mirror. Elsewhere in town, 19-year-olds were ballroom- and swing-dancing in gowns at the Derby, and the Viper Room features jitterbuggers with all the 1920's trappings. There is a new wine-tasting bar, the Wine Merchant, with humidors on hand, within cigar wafting distance from Creative Artists Agency, the headquarters of Hollywood's most powerful agents. Another club for cigar connoisseurs, Havana, already has Jason Priestley and Tia Carrere as members.

The forces at work in the glamorizing of Hollywood go beyond paparazzi images of celebrities dressed by designers' public relations staffs.

Stylists have replaced the studio system in controlling actors' images, dressing them for talk  christian louboutin shoes shows, Oscar night, Grammy awards, magazine photos and videos. Not only do they function as a direct pipeline from New York fashion trends to celebrities, but many work on costuming influential music videos, films and television shows as well.

What stylists are bringing in on their racks of clothes for shoots are designers' ideas of glamour, from DKNY's young Hollywood collection to John Galliano's 1950's movie-star suits worn by Madonna in "Take a Bow," her latest video. In the ultimate narcissism, Hollywood glamour is being embraced by Hollywood itself.

But Hollywood isn't just embracing glamour; for the first time in some years, it is dictating fashion change.

"The looks we create for the bands and music videos here and all the editorial work done with  louboutin shoes celebrities influence everybody," said Dana Allyson, a costume designer working on "Mall Rats," Kevin Smith's follow-up to "Clerks." She added: "Not everybody reads Vogue, but everybody watches television. What's done here is seen by 90 percent of the country."

While the Academy Award nominations for best costumes went to five costume dramas this year, the movie that has most affected fashion is "Pulp Fiction."

"Certainly 'Pulp Fiction' does mark a change," said William Mullen, the creative director of Details magazine. "It's a celebration of Hollywood lowlife. This is a movie that revels in kitsch. It showed a different part of Hollywood that was hidden for a long time but is very attractive. It goes back to a late-50's-early-60's film noir kind of ideal when men were men and women were babes." When Details started to feature the stylishly seedy Hollywood look, it was a perception. Now, it's a reality.

SHOPPING WITH THE EXPERT

SHOPPING WITH THE EXPERT

STYLE | Look debonair in a tuxedo designed to be a classic for decades. By Sean O'Neill

AMANDA FRIEDMAN; STYLIST ANNA ROTH, HAIR AND MAKE-UP TASHA REIKO BROWN. ON HER: TAMAR TELAHUN NECKLACE. ON HIM: BROOKS BROTHERS TUXEDO, CUFFLINKS, SHIRT, VEST AND christian louboutin shoes .

Erica Edell Phillips knows how much clout a killer suit bestows. In the Hollywood costume designer's two-decade career, she's outfitted some top stars in roles that required suits with gravitas, such as Harrison Ford as the President in Air Force One, and Clint Eastwood as a Secret Service agent in In the Line of Fire. At the apex of the power-suit pyramid, she says, is the tux, soaked in suave and James Bond elan. (Phillips helped pick the one Jackie Chan wore in The Tuxedo.)

Tux hunting with Phillips in Beverly Hills is a blood sport. Salesmen who expect to close the deal by repeating the same empty phrases, such as "Fit is the only thing that matters," find themselves in her crosshairs as she quizzes them on the wool, lining and sizing. Then she zeros in on design.

At the Giorgio christian louboutin boutique on Rodeo Drive, Phillips finds tuxedos better suited to fashion-show runways than the average man's closet. For example, the fine wool and superb tailoring of Armani's tuxedos are overshadowed by the dandyish details of the company's Black Label Porter ($ 2,250), a three-button model introduced last year. The narrow lapels are placed high on the chest, and the sleeve's tight circumference could cause it to catch on a wristwatch. Phillips dismisses the similarly trendy silhouette of louboutin shoes  one-button Black Label Tailor. "It's a very Edwardian look here," she sniffs.

Phillips's ideal tux features details that have been consistently popular for decades (unlike the trendy ones that stars will sport while strutting down the red carpet on Oscar night). Given that bias, she recommends a single-breasted, one-button jacket. Although hard to find, two-button louboutin  tuxes are also okay. Three-button models are as fashionable today as one-button ones, she says, but they are trendy and may go out of fashion in a few years.

Phillips recommends peaked lapels (some men may choose notched lapels, which Phillips finds slightly less elegant). She warns men away from shawl, or rounded, collars because they look sophomoric, she says. As for colors, powder blue may have worked at your prom, but today you should choose black and midnight blue.

At a Brooks Brothers store, Phillips collars a tuxedo that meets her criteria for fabric and fit: the Golden Fleece ($ 1,200). The single-breasted, one-button jacket comes in black with a choice of peaked or notched lapels. It says timeless, not costume party, Phillips notes, and you'll "look sharp without upstaging the lady in her beautiful dress or gown."

Golden Fleece Tuxedo

This black, single-breasted tuxedo jacket features classic details and high-quality, Super 130s wool in a one-button model from Brooks Brothers. Also available with peaked lapels in a one-button or three-button jacket for the same price ($ 1,200, including trousers). The Zegna Sartorial Collection tux is pictured on page 106.

The D&G summer show

A new wave of seaside chic From buccaneer blouses to sailor stripes, designers have put another spin on the nautical look, says Julia Robson

Fashions come and go, but the nautical look is a perennial bestseller. Whatever the reason - whether it's our fondness for messing about in boats, a romantic view of the ocean, or that the clothes remind us of seaside holidays - each year designers put a new spin on maritime chic.

Navy and white stripes, sailor collars, Breton sweaters, wide-leg trousers, reefer or pea jackets, canvas pumps and deck louboutin shoes have all struck a chord with fashion's leading names this season, including Ralph Lauren, Giorgio christian louboutini, Dolce & Gabbana and Jessica Ogden.

The D&G summer show - the younger, diffusion range of Dolce & Gabbana - featured skinny sailor tops emblazoned with anchors, bibbed, front-cropped trousers and funky pleated "sailor girl" minis.

By contrast, louboutin 's beachwear oozed chic, Riviera-style sophistication. The Italian maestro built on the Twenties theme, bringing it up to date with flirty shorts, quirky flapper frocks and soft leather jackets.

It's no secret that nautical navy and white stripes look great with a suntan, as well as flattering the fairest complexions and smartening up the simplest shapes.

Separate the two colours and you have the sort of key basics that department stores and fashion chains can't sell enough of. You don't have to pay designer prices for a little navy and white magic.

In whites, choose from the following: crisp linen shirts; loose, "New Romantic" frilled buccaneer blouses; trousers in every style, from palazzo to Capri pants; collars (from girly Peter Pan styles to traditional square matelot tops, originally designed to keep the pitch from sailors' plaits from dirtying their shirts); navy wide-leg slacks with big button fronts; Dutch caps and new variations on halterneck tops and, of course, sailor vests.

In navy, go for reefer coats, pea jackets with three-quarter sleeves, long, skinny sweaters and slacks. Also, remember that denim looks great as part of the nautical look.

Bhs has V-back and -front sleeveless stripey tops in red/white or chambray blue/white ( pounds 12), canvas lace-up pumps in navy/white ( pounds 10), white visors and blue baseballcaps (both pounds 5).

Stripey Breton sweaters in cotton can be found at Margaret Howell, Jeff & Co at Sainsbury's and the chic French label Petit Bateau. Lands' End has Breton-stripe tops and docksider style christian louboutin shoes from pounds 10. Thomas Burberry has an amazing, white canvas deck jacket, which is inspired by sailors but is equally suitable for landlubbers. Max & Co (at Fenwick) has wide-leg sailor trousers and jackets. Pilot and Miss Selfridge have lots of stripey tops and skirts and Next has an excellent selection of white trousers, navy reefer coats and stripey halter tops, all of which could form the basis of a holiday wardrobe, either at home or abroad.

Whether you are planning a trip to Capri, Deauville, Barbados or Brighton, the nautical look will see you through summer and beyond. British designer Paul Smith adopted a nautical theme for his autumn/winter 2010 ladies' collection (which will be in the shops from August). Drawing inspiration from life at a busy seaport, the boat-neck tops and elegant sweater dresses include regimented ribbons, chains, ropes, badges, bibs and large naval buttons.