Today in Fashion - Monday, March 10th - 2008

Singer Avril designs fashion range - Avril Lavigne is following in the illustrious footsteps of Gwen Stefani, Jennifer Lopez and Beyonce by creating her own clothing collection. Called Abbey Dawn, the line is focused towards teenagers, and mirrors the pop rocker's own fashion style, combining a mixture of 'authentic rock with a feminine edge'. Also mentioned at -
Avril Lavigne to launch fashion line
Abbey Dawn, Available Only at Kohl’s, to Debut New Fashion Collections Every 60 Days
Avril Designs Appeal to Rock Teens

Conrad climbs 'The Hills' to fashion superstardom - With her immaculately streaked tresses, lightly tanned skin and sense of style, Lauren Conrad has become California's version of Carrie Bradshaw. She showcases her own stylings Tuesday during L.A.'s Fashion Week, just in time to plug MTV's The Hills, which returns March 24 (10 p.m. ET/PT). Conrad chats with USA TODAY about footwear, friends and her fashion pizazz.

Spring's freshest fashion steals - The economy may be lackluster, but that doesn't mean you have to abandon shopping. Cheap-chic stores have the trends covered: black and white, neutrals and splashes of color. Now they can perk up your wardrobe without the runaway runway cost.

Fashion's link to blogs - Fashion companies, from established labels to indie designers, are looking more and more to blogs as a marketing tool that allows them to establish a new relationship with their customers and to advertise their products. But the cozy relationship among some of these blogs and retailers raises concerns about their independence.

Fashion shopping on the web comes of age - This enthusiasm for internet fashion is partly cultural. The UK has one of the highest take-up figures for broadband - access rose to 57 per cent in 2007 - making the internet quick and easy to use. Britons also have a strong tradition of mail-order shopping and have simply swapped flicking through a catalogue for browsing online. 'The largest clothing retail online market share in the UK is Next,' says Lorna Hall, executive editor of retail industry magazine Drapers. 'That's directory business which has migrated to the internet.'

Today In Fashion - Monday, Febuary 25th - 2008

Few fashion faux pas - The best word to describe the red-carpet fashion at the Academy Awards: red. The other buzzword? Safe.

Oscar Fashion Talk - Deputy Editor of the Sunday Source Suzanne D'Amato and washingtonpost.com Fashion and Beauty Editor Janet Bennett Kelly talked about Oscar fashion on Mon., Feb.

Christian Dior Turns the clock back to the 60's - 1960’s movie and style icons such as Jackie ‘O’, the model Verushka, Andy Warhol’s Baby Jane Holzer, “Mrs Robinson” of The Graduate fame, and Raquel Welch, were recreated on the catwalk in Paris today as Christian Dior turned the clock back to the 1960’s.

Dark socks and shorts are not OK - Men, it's one or the other -- dark socks or shorts. The two do not go together.

Fashion at The OSCARS - Red hot: Heidi Klum is gorgeous, not to mention smart, in a shawl-collar Galliano that had enough coverage for a 59-degree day. About the hot pink bag and earrings -- not sure she made it work. But we applaud the element of surprise.

Balmain at Paris Fashion Week - With its micro-minis, Sex Pistols’ tartans, sock-it-to-me glitz, cave-woman leathers and crystal-embroidered animal prints, the show had all the subtlety of a kick in the teeth with a pair of Dr Martens and could not have been further from the ethos of the founder of the house, Pierre Balmain, who believed in ‘elegance from simplicity’.

Very Little Tinsel in Town - But the Hollywood gods finally sent a lightning bolt down, and pow, the strike was settled. The 80th Academy Awards was saved. The red carpet, probably the most important fashion parade on Earth, was restored.

Winners and Losers at Oscar Fashion - Stormy weather could not stop Hollywood's stars from dazzling the Oscars red carpet on Sunday, where the celebratory red dress was as popular as ever.

Fashion Vs. Celebrity - People in fashion like to see more innovative looks. And, thanks to a crop of adventurous-dressing nominees and presenters including Cate Blanchett, Tilda Swinton, Nicole Kidman and Marion Cotillard, this year we got our way.

Milan Fashion Week: Prada and Ferragamo - the two houses planning IPOs this year both had their fashion shows. Prada's was fantastic. Ferragamo? Well, I wanted to like it. I really did. I like the C.E.O. Michele Norsa very much but ...

Latino Oscar Night Fashion - Yeah, yeah, if there were a bridge I probably would jump with everyone else, hence this Oscar fashion post.

Today In Fashion - Friday, Febuary 15th - 2008

Thoughts on London Fashion Week - It should perhaps come as no great surprise that by the time London Fashion Week drew to a close yesterday the bucolic view of femininity which characterises the current spring season had given way to a rather darker mood for the forthcoming autumn.

Returning to London Fashion Week - Random highlights from London Fashion Week to date include antlers at Henry Holland, a leather helmet featuring a unicorn horn and a gold jumpsuit with its crotch somewhere round the ankles courtesy of a masked designer called Noki. And let us not, as if we could, forget the return to London after ten years of Dame Vivienne Westwood, the godmother of British fashion.

Project Runway Lead in to New York Fashion Week - After a trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the designers head back to the workroom and proceed to do exactly what they would have done if they'd never left the building. Crazy Cousin Chris makes a costume-y dress and takes a nap. Itty-Bitty Christian whips out an impressive four-piece ensemble in the time it take Jillian to thread a needle, then walks around bugging everybody. Time-challenged Jillian is sewing and snipping until the last minute, but her stunning fitted jacket and sexy gold dress are worth the stress and sweat. Sweet P makes a pretty little dress that doesn't stand a chance, and Rami drapes something.

Front Lines of London Fashion Week - As London Fashion Week draws to a close, it's worthwhile to reflect on how much, if anything, has changed in the world of British fashion since last February when all the talk was less about zips, buckles, belts and pleats and more about eating disorders, dress sizes and BMI measurements.

Bright Tights at London Fashion Week - British designer Jasper Conran sent models sashaying down the catwalk on Monday in sculpted dresses set off with bright emerald, clementine and pink carnation tights.

Getting a rep for fashion - In addition to the other delights for which it is known – the sweets, the coffee, a history and culture always described as unique – Turkey is building a reputation for fashion.

Bright Citrus Colors for Spring - You can tickle yourself with fuchsia, sparkle in ocean blue, mellow out in lemon yellow or look chic in lime green.

Postscript: NY Fashion Week - Even as London Fashion Week comes to a close, the fashion world still is talking about what happened on the runways -- and behind the scenes -- at the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York. Here are a few odds and ends to wrap up the New Black's coverage of the high-wattage event.

Today In Fashion - Wednesday, Febuary 13th - 2008

Shipley & Halmos - New York Fashion Week - The former designers of Trovata debuted their first collection for Shipley & Palmos at New York Fashion Week, and I for one was impressed.

Fashion from the Runway to the Highway - A recent Wall Street Journal article connects New York's Fashion Week to Detroit and Bavarian automakers. Today, car companies are sponsoring Fashion Week and the hit reality show Project Runway. Although General Motors and BMW may be reaching for hipness with these fashion connections, the ties between the fashion industry and the automobile industry are nothing new.

Test Driving Fashion - When Net-a-Porter announced it planned to sell two styles from the Halston runway the day after the show, I thought it would be interesting to test drive the concept. After all, this was the first time, to my knowledge, that a look from a designer runway would be immediately available to consumers. The plan was for Net-a-Porter to have two shirt dress styles, in chocolate brown or teal blue, and a draped silk jersey shift with a low back. The Halston show was last Monday, and Net-a-Porter planned to go live with its sale within 24 hours of the show. I felt like Betty Crocker, testing a new concept.

Naomi Campbell for Kisa - Naomi Campbell surprised crowds at London fashion week yesterday by taking to the catwalk for Kisa’a autumn/winter 2008/9 collection.

Armand Basi / Nicole Farhi: London Fashion Week - There was not a hint of size zero as the Armand Basi collection took to the catwalk in the Banqueting Rooms at Whitehall, during London Fashion Week today.

London Fashion Week: 18 trends - A peek at the hottest swag bags, the front-row attendees and the trends and gossip emerging from London Fashion Week

London Fashion Week: Urban Architecture - Zaha Hadid, Frank Gehry, Gaudi and Norman Foster, the masters of urban architecture, put their own indirect stamp on London Fashion Week Tuesday with their influence on the newest creations from Basso and Brooke for the 2008 fall-winter collection.

New Citizen Cane of Fashion - SCOTLAND's golden boy of fashion, Christopher Kane, has scored a double hit – winning a huge ovation for his latest collection and receiving the backing of billionaire owner of Topshop, Sir Philip Green.

London Fashion Week: Hemlines Drop - If hemlines really do rise and fall along with the stock market, the economic forecast for next winter from the London fashion week catwalks is not encouraging. Christopher Kane and Marios Schwab, two of the hottest names in the British fashion industry, yesterday turned their backs on short, sexy dresses in favour of ankle-grazing hemlines and sombre shades of grey.

The Scoop on Sports and Style - Admit it: You dropped that New Year's resolution to hit the gym daily. Fortunately for fashionable femmes fatales, fitness gear is taking nods from the runways and making it a little easier to stick with the program. Shape magazine senior fitness editor Jeanine Detz gives USA TODAY the scoop on what to sport when sweating it out in style.

Today In Fashion - Tuesday, Febuary 12th - 2008

Allen and Bextor enjoy Fashion Week - Singers Lily Allen and Sophie Ellis Bextor were among guests at the PPQ label's new collection launch.

PPQ are the hottest designers on the runway and certainly know how to party! - After a hugely applauded catwalk show which saw the likes of Daisy Lowe modelling and Lily Allen in the front row-PPQ's designers Amy Molyneaux and Percy Parker decided to throw a bash to suit. The British artists are known for their outlandish, bold designs and their parties seem to personify their work.

Fashion trends for fall - Fall is months away, but the American wing of the fashion industry launched the season last week in New York.

Three models banned from fashion show in Madrid for being too thin - The week-long Cibeles show in Madrid, which started yesterday, bans models with a body mass index (BMI) of less than 18, believing them to set an unhealthy ideal for teenage girls. The three models rejected by the organisers had a BMI of less than 16.

Trendsetters travel to London for Fashion Week, as the small gathering grows - Dublin-born designer Paul Costelloe kicked off the week on Sunday in white tents on the London Natural History Museum's front lawn, followed by science fiction-inspired, "New Generation" designer Jean-Pierre Braganza's show at the Royal Academy of Arts. London Fashion Week has quadrupled its content since the British Fashion Council started hosting the event in 1994, and this season marked a few firsts. British designer Vivienne Westwood is returning to London's shows for her first season in nine years, and Jaeger London, a 122-year-old luxury brand, made its first appearance Sunday.

Black models missing on the runway - 'What happened to all the black people on the runway?" asked the model Tyson Beckford, who attended several shows during New York Fashion Week. "There are no blacks on the cats."

Spanish fashion stores told to shape up after women undergo mass measurement - Scientists have confirmed what millions of women know already: the fashion industry does not make clothes to fit them. In the largest study of its kind Spain has taken full-body laser scans of more than 10,000 women and compared the resulting three-dimensional measurements with clothes on the high street.

Conran charms London fashion shows - Designer Jasper Conran sent models sashaying down the catwalk on Monday in sculpted dresses and bright emerald, clementine and carnation tights.

Bobbi Brown on spring make-up trends - The Times deputy fashion editor Carolyn Asome caught up with make-up artist Bobbi Brown in New York during fashion week. Here they talk about the coming look and what you need in your cosmetic bag this spring.

Today In Fashion - Monday, Febuary 11th - 2008

Sarah Brown launches Fashion Week - Prime Minister's wife Sarah Brown has launched the UK's premiere fashion event, London Fashion Week.

Why does it matter where fashion designers show? - When it comes to twice-annual London Fashion Week, it's hard to keep up with who is showing their collection in the capital and who has decided to take theirs to New York, Milan or Paris.

de Lisi unveiled his Autumn/Winter 2008 collection at London Fashion Week - Sketching glamorous frocks for a new collection, casting models for a catwalk show and starring in a popular reality television series are all part of a day's work for American-born designer Ben de Lisi.

Fashion Week turns Serious - Serious and business-minded is in; frivolous and eccentric is out. That is the news from the catwalks at London fashion week, which began yesterday.

50 Fashion Questions you should ask yourself - Stumped by spring's new clothes? Fashion expert Mimi Spencer has set up wonderstuff.co.uk, a website dedicated to answering those conundrums of style that can keep a girl awake at night. Here, she explains what to buy and what not to wear this season.

Fashion police to tackle health and drugs on catwalk - The pouting models and stressed-out designers at London Fashion Week, which kicks off today with shows from Biba and Caroline Charles, will be joined by an unlikely group of people this season: suited consultants from PricewaterhouseCoopers.

The Death Of Urban Fashion - As you might have heard G-Unit clothing has officially ended it’s partnership with Marc Ecko. 50 Cent will fully own the clothing line and have plans to re-launch in at a later time. But is this a clear sign of the death of urban fashion labels?

A discussion about Fashion Week - A discussion about Fashion Week with Roberta Myers, Editor-in-Chief of Elle magazine and Joe Zee, Creative Director of Elle magazine.

Today in Fashion - Wednesday, Febuary 6th, 2008

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Top fashion designer Marc Jacobs' company is under investigation by New York's attorney general for possibly bribing an employee of a state armory to hold a fashion show there, the attorney general's office said on Wednesday.

NEW YORK (AFP) — American fashion designer Nanette Lepore on Wednesday presented her fall collection 2008 along with an appeal to save the garment industry which is faced with "extinction" due to rising development.

Queen West fashion industry takes a heavy hit - After a decade of helping to define the look of fashion-forward scenesters on Queen Street West, one of Toronto’s most notable designers is closing shop. Next month, Annie Thompson will shutter her eponymous boutique, a Queen West mainstay since 1998.

New York Fashion Week - The most innovative thing to happen at New York fashion week, which ends Friday, had less to do with haute design than with a fast new way to get great clothes to customers who will wear them.

London out of Fashion - All the glitz, glamour and glossy models will be there when London Fashion Week opens this Sunday, but some of the biggest names in US retailing will not, thanks to "exorbitant" UK prices and financial gloom.

Fashion Week Trends Display Bold Colors - NEW YORK – As Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week hits midweek, the stars continue to show up – and so do the trends.

Bland is Banished - The focus of the fall/winter 2008 season is primarily on colors. And this from a city where wearing any color as long as it is black has long been a mantra - at least for daytime clothes.