Model Apologises For Kendall Comment

Lexi Boling, one of the models accused of bullying Kendall Jenner with a sarcastic Instagram comment has apologised for her behaviour.

Vogue Germany posted a picture of Jenner on its feed, prompting Boling to leave a comment tagging fellow model Binx Walton with the words: "She's never looked better!" accompanied by a crying with laughter emoticon. Walton then responded with the same image along with the words: "That's fucked up." Both comments have since been removed.

Boling told E News last night that she "wasn't thinking and made a silly comment," adding: "Kendall's had a killer NYFW. A big congrats to her!" Walton has not yet acknowledged her comment.

Jenner was alleged to have been "bullied" backstage at last year's shows, reportedly by models unhappy by her sudden rise to prominence and reality-television background. The model alluded to it herself in an Instagram picture of herself and a fellow model captioned with the Mean Girls phrase, "You can't sit with us."

The American model has not made any reference to the latest episode, but as the shows move on to London it's likely Jenner will be joined backstage by some of her own model gang - including Cara Delevingne - who skipped the New York shows.

Galliano To Appeal Court Ruling

John Galliano has decided to appeal against the ruling of a Paris labour court that rejected his claims of wrongful dismissal. The designer - who was granted the right to have his case heard in court in November 2013, but was then ordered to pay both Christian Dior and John Galliano a symbolic €1 each when it threw out his claims for damages - will now seek to have that ruling overturned.

"Given the deadlines for the Paris Court of Appeals, the case should be heard in 2017," Chantal Giraud-van Gaver of Coblence & Associés, acting for Galliano, told WWD.

John Galliano

Both Christian Dior and John Galliano dismissed Galliano in 2011, after he was accused of making anti-semitic remarks. The accusations resulted in the designer's criminal conviction, although he asserted that his employers were aware of his substance-abuse issues and had failed in their duty of care towards him, thereby creating a case for wrongful dismissal because his firing was based on a pre-existing medical condition. Lawyers for Dior and Galliano deny that the companies' executives were aware of his addictions.

Galliano was seeking damages of up to €13 million, but was instead ordered to compensate his employers as well as cover their legal costs. The designer has not yet commented on the case or his decision to appeal.

Joan's Jeans

Joan Smalls has followed in the footsteps of her fellow Victoria's Secret model Candice Swanepoel and designed her own denim collection. The sixteen-piece edit for LA-based label True Religion, comprises everything from traditional denim to contemporary separates - perfect for getting that off-duty model look, that Smalls nails so well, down to a tee.

The model excitedly announced the news, with an accompanying image of the collection's campaign, on her Instagram account, saying: "So excited to announce my first ever design collaboration with @TrueReligion!"

Joan Smalls

Branching out into brand-related work is something of a career trajectory for a Victoria's Secret muse. Prior to  Swanepoel´s launch last month, fellow stars including Rosie Huntington Whiteley and Alessandra Ambrosio have successfully dipped their polished toes in the design pool, with arguably its most successful graduate, Gisele Bündchen, currently ranked as the highest-paid supermodel in the world thanks to her multiple collaborations and brand endorsements.

Kanye Makes Complete Sense

Kanye West has always embraced challenging and subverting popular opinion of him - both as a musician and as a designer - and his latest quotes certainly do just that. Famed for his ´motivational speeches´ to the fashion industry.West has long been accused of egotism garnering him a reputation as someone out of touch with reality. His new collection for Adidas Originals however, was conceived to create an accessible offering - and he's started talking unprecedented volumes of down-to-earth sense to go along with it.

"I had to learn what my voice was because I was still coming off of doing crocodile this and almost irresponsible takes on designing clothes to make up for a lack of skill," he told  Style.com of his previous ready-to-wear collections, shown in Paris. "And now I have a real purpose to what I want to present. Adidas is the perfect place to be. If someone was to say, 'Hey, do you want to go to a high-end house now?' I'd absolutely say no. I'm not trying to [sound] presumptuous; I'm just saying that if in my wildest dreams I was presented with the opportunity, I would absolutely say no at this point. Because I'm only concerned with making beautiful products available to as many people as possible… It was about separation and I think high fashion is about elitism and separation, and I am completely opposed to that… [but] I'll still go to crash the Saint Laurent fashion show so I can be closer to the genius that Hedi Slimane has, even if the prices aren't genius, even though the prices are completely unfair."

Despite identifying himself as the "Robin Hood" of fashion, West admitted that he no longer considers himself a designer: "I don't want to disrespect designers by calling myself a designer; I just think I have a vision of something that I want to do." His vision, it seems, extends to his next career opportunity - ideally with one of America's biggest brands, with which he previously interned.

"One of my dreams was to be the head creative director of Gap," he said. "I'd like to be the Steve Jobs of Gap. Perhaps this is a bit of a demo tape. When I say Steve Jobs of Gap, I'm not talking about a capsule. I'm talking about full Hedi Slimane creative control of Gap is what I would like to do. And I can say this because it doesn't conflict with my Adidas contract."

Created without logos, West's Adidas collection takes inspiration from Helmut Lang, Martin Margiela and Raf Simons, he admitted, but also from the life he now leads.

"Workwear, utility, the idea of being a dad, no time to look in the mirror because I'm looking at my daughter, I'm looking at my wife. And I've got to take her to dance class," he said, adding: "Let me just explain something to everyone. I'm sorry. I'm a human being. I've got opinions, I'm not always right, I'm not always on time, I don't always say things in the proper way, but my intentions are always extremely pure. My purpose is extremely just."

Sensible, humble, devoted, realistic, contrite - is that really you Kanye?

Bulging Wardrobe, Nothing To Wear?

Staring into the abyss of your (probably pretty well-stocked) wardrobe of a morning, many of us might envy stylists who just seem to know how to make tried and tested pieces look new and different. But even stylists can't get it right every time. Seasoned fashion director Hannah Teare admitted that even she sometimes suffers from the dreaded "nothing-to-wear" syndrome - and so launched a new app, I Style Myself to combat the problem. 

"People are calling it the Tinder of fashion," Teare explained. "You upload pieces from your own wardrobe, then the app generates looks for you. If you don't like the look you can swipe it, or you can swipe certain elements to get new suggestions for a different bag or shoes, for example. ThinkClueless for the modern age, or a fabulous tech version of the childhood paper-doll game."

Teare - who boasts styling credits for international editions of Vogue and Vanity Fair, as well as brands including Marks & Spencer, De Beers, Paul Smith and Whistles - launched the app along with former Goldman Sachs wealth management specialist Diana Tkhamadokova, who noticed in her former job that many female clients with expendable income and a bulging wardrobe just didn't have time to put outfits together.

"The app isn't offering a style makeover," Teare went on. "It creates looks using pieces from your own wardrobe, as well as suggesting pieces that you could buy to freshen them up. The algorithm takes into account what you like and what you swipe, to learn about your preferences in shape and colour. Because you can choose the price limit of the look as well as what occasion the look is for, it's surprisingly accurate. I have rediscovered a lot of pieces from my own wardrobe thanks to ISM!"

Click here to download the app from the iTunes Store.

Shop At The Supermodel Flea Market

Toni Garrn is rounding up some of her model friends to contribute to her "supermodel flea market", taking place today in New York. Karlie Kloss and Christy Turlington, among others, have donated to the sale, which will benefit Plan International - a charitable organisation that educates women in West Africa.

Shoppers at the sale needn't worry about having to have the perfect body in order to buy something either, since many of the garments don't fit the models donating them.

"Lots of things we give away because they weren't our sizes," Garrn told Page Six "70 per cent are still tagged."

It seems, however, that the sale - although promoted on social media - may be invitation only, since no time or location is apparent.

Donatella: Your Supermodels Need You!

The famous picture of the four biggest supermodels of the age - Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford, Christy Turlington and Linda Evangelista - taking to the catwalk together for the finale of the Versace autumn/winter 1991 show may seem like a moment in time never to be repeated, but Naomi Campbell has revealed that it couldhappen again if a certain woman wanted it.

"It's great to walk down with women that you respect, that are colleagues," Campbell toldHuff Post Live. "Also, we were friends. That's the most important part. We were friends, we supported each other, loved each other, and that moment was special. Getting to walk down the runway with Linda and Christy and Cindy, that's something that will never happen again… unless Donatella [Versace] says, 'I want you all back together again.'"

Versace's autumn/winter 2015 show will take place in Milan on February 27th - and our fingers are firmly crossed.

Alexander McQueen: The Play

On the  fifth anniversary of the death of Alexander McQueen yesterday, a new play based on the designer has been unveiled. 

Written by British playwright James Phillips, of The Rubenstein Kiss, the new production will explore "the visionary imagination and dark dream world" of Lee McQueen. Set over one night in London, the play will focus on a girl who breaks into the designer's home to steal a dress and is caught by McQueen.

Drawing on the dramatic staging of his catwalk shows, the play will be directed by Shakespeare veteran John Caird, with production design by David Farley and choreography by Christopher Marney, The Guardian reports. It's said that the play has the full backing of the McQueen family, with Phillips asserting that McQueen's sister Janet agreed that the script was "true to his spirit".

Karl's Kidswear Collection

What does the designer who has done it all do next? In Karl Lagerfeld´s case, create a kidswear line. The collection, which will be unveiled in spring 2016, will operate under the designer´s eponymous line in collaboration with Groupe CWF, which is also responsible for the childrenswear extensions of Chloé, Burberry, DKNY and Marc Jacobs.

"The announcement reflects the brand's ongoing commitment to newness and will allow Karl Lagerfeld to share its ironic, playful, creative vision with a young audience," read a statement from the brand this morning.

"The Karl Lagerfeld Kidswear collection presents a unique opportunity to share our cool, ironic, iconic DNA with a wider Karl Lagerfeld audience," said Pier Paolo Righi, CEO and president of the label. "Due to our brand's wide appeal our expansion into the juniors market is a natural fit to further enhance our reach."

Comprising ready-to-wear and accessories for newborn to 16-year-old girls and boys, the obvious choice to model the bi-annual collection is surely Lagerfeld's adorable godson, Hudson Kroenig, who is well-versed in fashion circles already.

New Levi's Jean Inspired By You

Levi´s is taking inspiration from street style to launch a new jean. Based on the ways that the brand has observed fans wearing its classic 501s, the company has created the 501 CT (customised and tapered) drawing on the most common changes that customers make to their 501s to make them their own.

"As the inventor of the blue jean and the global leader in denim, we have an obligation to continue to balance our iconic styles with new and innovative solutions, which is exactly what we're doing with our new 501 CT," Levi's president James Curleigh told us. "We're seeing a lot of people tapering their 501 jeans - bloggers, celebrities and customers. It's something that many people at Levi's do as well; in fact it's one of the most frequent requests we get at our tailor shops. So the idea behind 501 CT came from listening to our fans. This season we thought, let's do the work for them and create the jean they wish they could make themselves. Our original 501 jeans are a timeless classic and they will continue to be available for our fans to buy in addition to the new 501 CT interpretation."

Drawing on famous pictures of models and actresses, including Cindy Crawford and Winona Ryder, as well as musicians such as Bruce Springsteen and Axl Rose, the brand has tweaked the classic shape - helping customers get a vintage look, while still achieving the comfort that performance denim has taught us to demand.

"For the 501 CT we have made the waist a little more square, a little less nipped-in than the classic 501, and we've taken a pinch of fabric out of the bum," Curleigh said. "Then the leg has been tapered down to the ankle. We tested the changes on many people, many shapes and sizes from different countries. We've found that people like to wear it different ways - the regular, relaxed boyfriend style, or wearing a bigger size so it sits lower on the hips and is baggier, or getting a smaller size and wearing it tighter."

Cinderella's New Designer Slippers

If there is one girl who deserves a designer shoe, it surely is Cinderella (considering her desperate home life, those horrible step-sisters, and an otherwise drab wardrobe offering) and fortunately it's not just her fairy godmother who has come to her fashion rescue. In honour of the release of the new live-action Cinderella film - in cinemas this March - some of the world's most famous shoe designers are coming to her aid, creating a glass slipper fit for a fairy-tale princess.

 

From Perspex to Swarovski-adorned, the fictional shoe has been reimagined in a range of ways by designers including Nicholas Kirkwood, Jimmy Choo, Charlotte Olympia, Salvatore Ferragamo, Jerome Rousseau, Stuart Weitzman, Paul Andrew, Alexandre Birman, and Rene Caovilla. They will then be available to order from key stores across the world - Harrods, Saks Fifth Avenue in New York and Beverly Hills, Galeries Lafayette in Paris, Excelsior Milano, Tsum in Moscow, Isetan in Tokyo, Level Shoe District in Dubai will all offer the "glass" slippers - and are set to be unveiled just before Valentine's Day.

  

  

"Cinderella has both delicate and strong qualities as a character," Nicolas Kirkwood said. "The moment of transformation emphasises both and gave me the design inspiration to create a piece that spoke to the film's magic."

"I think every girl desires a Cinderella moment in their lives," Sandra Choi, creative director of Jimmy Choo added. "This story ignites a love affair and fascination with shoes that never dies. The power they have to transform is instilled from a young age and the fantasy remains alive forever. I wanted to create a shoe that felt magical, with alluring sparkle and a feminine, timeless silhouette evoking those childhood emotions."

Backstage With Lee McQueen

As  the world prepares for the arrival of Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty at the V&A,  there is another retrospective of the late Lee McQueen's work readying just around the corner at Proud Chelsea - McQueen: Backstage - The Early Shows.

Featuring never-before-seen, behind-the-scenes images of McQueen and his work in the early days of his career, the exhibition comprises the personal collection of photographer Gary Wallis who met the designer when they both attended Central Saint Martins in the early Nineties. They became close friends, and Wallis eventually photographed McQueen's now legendary graduate collection, Jack the Ripper Stalks His Victims, in 1992.

"We just got on well straightaway, he had a cheeky, naughty sense of humour and he was often teasing me that I fancied him even though he knew that I was straight," Wallis fondly recounted to us. "He always showed an interest in my work, as he was also very interested in photography. He later said on a few occasions that if he wasn't a fashion designer he liked the idea of being a photographer, especially shooting conflicts! When he asked me to photograph his final collection, I thought it was fantastic but we had no clue to the reaction that he would get. It was a vibrant time."

The two continued to collaborate after they had graduated, with Wallis photographing McQueen's early fashion shows backstage and accompanying McQueen to Isabella Blow's famous home, Hilles. Wallis photographed throughout, capturing the much-documented creative connection that existed between McQueen and Blow.

"I spent a weekend with Lee at Hillies House with Isabella and Detmar Blow just after the Banshee show at Café de Paris in 1994," remembers Wallis. "Isabella was just so excited about his work and the latest show that she was introducing him to everyone we met in the local town - like the lady in the bakers when we were getting bread for lunch and the guy at the petrol station. Lee was so embarrassed and they were not the least bit interested!"

Wallis and McQueen worked together for many years, and with the arrival of Savage Beauty on home turf Wallis thought it the perfect time to celebrate his early career.

"There were mixed emotions going through the images," he told us. "I was excited to see them again and to finally be doing something with them, but sad that we had drifted apart and that he was no longer with us, I would have loved to be doing this project with him. Wherever the path took him, I think it is important to see the journey from the beginning in happier, exciting times."

Inside Kirsty Hume's Comeback Campaign

After 10 years away from the fashion limelight, Kirsty Hume had to plan her return carefully - and chose a campaign for British brand Jaeger as her first big job. It will come as no surprise to fans of the LA-based Scottish-born beauty that the brand that secured her would be British - since maintaining a connection with her homeland is of utmost importance to her.

"I wanted to wait for the right project to come along before I jumped back in," she told us from her home in LA - fresh from dropping daughter Violet off at school. "I still feel very connected to my roots and in some ways I felt that my history is Jaeger's history. I've always loved textiles, and that Jaeger's origins is in natural fibres too, so the brand really resonates with me. Particularly since some of the styles are produced in Scotland, with Johnson's of Elgin, it just struck a chord. It felt right."

For the shoot itself, Jaeger enlisted Hume's younger cousin, Samantha Davidson, helping create images that speak of the historical lineage of the brand - classic style passed down through the generations. So how did the 19-year-old fare on set with her big cousin?

"It was such an amazing experience," Hume told us. "We're so familiar and comfortable with each other, and she just instinctively knew what to do. She was so professional, and felt really comfortable I think. I didn't give her any advice, she's done a bit of modelling already, so she knew what to do."

Admitting that her style was influenced by her mother, and that Samantha in turn was probably influenced by her, Hume found it very easy to choose favourites from the "contemporary yet classic" offering.

"I loved the duster coat in suede, it felt like it was classic but also really tied in with my bohemian style," she said. "There were so many classic pieces: silk shift dresses, safari-inspired pieces, just things that are beautiful but easy at the same time. I'm a working mum, and so many of the pieces that we wore in the shoot work so well with my lifestyle."

Away from Jaeger, Hume is as busy as when we last spoke. So what can we expect from her in 2015?

"More modelling hopefully," she revealed. "I'll be walking in a few shows... Maybe London - I don't know yet, we'll see! And I'm really focusing on my knitwear collection. We're still at the research and development stage; I'm working on the designs and looking for the right people to work with, but that's definitely what I'm working on right now."

Marant Accused Of Copying Adidas

Isabel Marant has created some of the most copied footwear in the world - from her Bekkett trainers to her suede Dicker boots - but now the French designer is the one who has been accused of copying. Marant's Bart low-tops are being mentioned in the same sentence as  Adidas´s Stan Smiths, with especially the red tabs at the heel giving rise to questions.

So, does Adidas have a case for copyright infringement? The American sportswear company is relatively litigious over such issues - most recently taking Payless Shoes to court in 2008 to protect key design features including the "coloured portion on the outer back heel that identifies the shoes as Adidas's brand".

"Given Adidas's federal registration and because the Isabel Marant Bart shoe employs a very similar design element, the heel tab - one that is arguably employed by Adidas to serve as an indication of source - Adidas very well may have a merited infringement claim," The Fashion Law comments. "After all, the two brands' heel tabs look pretty similar. Adidas's Stan Smiths come in a red variation with 'Stan Smith' written in white, along with the Adidas logo. Marant's are a metallic red with 'Isabel Marant' written in white. The fonts, however, are a bit different, as is the size of the text. Moreover, while Adidas uses a darker thread to secure its heel patch, Marant uses white thread. These things matter in the similarity inquiry."

The most important point in trademark infringement cases is whether or not the similarity is likely to cause customer confusion between Adidas's £62 trainers and Marant's £270 one - and whether that confusion could in any way damage sales of the plaintiff's products. Since the Bart is already being stocked by Barneys, Net-a-Porter and Luisa Via Roma among others, it's fair to assume that customers - who could potentially wear the Stan Smiths - are now wearing the Marants. And since Adidas are in the habit of collaborating with designers - Mary Katrantzou, Kanye West and Jeremy Scott among others in recent months - there is a chance that customers could assume that the Marant shoes have in fact been created for Adidas.

Neither brand made any comment when contacted this morning.

Meet The Fashion Fund 2015 Shortlist

Emilia Wickstead,  Holly Fulton, Mary Katrantzou, Michael van der Ham, Mother of Pearl, Osman and Sophia Webster have been announced as this year's BFC / Vogue Designer Fashion Fund shortlist. The seven British-based brands will compete for the prize - comprising of high-level mentoring as well as a £200,000 grant - designed to take their business to the next level.

"It was exciting to have such a diverse shortlist to consider, all of whom have carved out a distinctive niche for themselves," Vogue editor Alexandra Shulman, who also chairs the Fund committee, said of the shortlist. "I  congratulate all of them for reaching this stage in a highly competitive arena."

Caroline Rush, CEO of the BFC, applauded the chosen candidates who she said "have the incredible potential to change the future of British fashion and are all worthy candidates for the 2015 BFC/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund".

This year's BFC/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund will be documented in a series of documentary clips. In the second episode, we see the shortlist as they face the judges to present their business plans and convince the committee why they should be the 2015 winner. Watch the latest episode below.

Viktor & Rolf To Stop RTW

Viktor and Rolf  has announced its intention to terminate its ready-to-wear line, following its autumn/winter 2015 collection. Instead, the brand intends to focus attentions on its couture and fragrance ranges, with majority shareholder Renzo Rosso calling the move "a strategic decision to position the Viktor & Rolf brand in the highest luxury segment of fashion".

"We feel a strong need to refocus on our artistic roots. We have always used fashion to communicate, it is our primary means of artistic expression," designer Viktor Horsting told WWD stating that he and his design partner Rolf Snoeren had " started  to feel creatively restricted" by the relentless ready-to-wear schedule and that "by letting go of it, we gain more time and freedom."

The move echoes that of Jean Paul Gaultier, which last year announced that it would be stopping its ready to wear line after nearly four decades to focus on couture.

Why Kim And Rihanna Matter More Than Brands

Olivier Rousteing of Balmain  may be one of the new wave of designers embracing social media and celebrity placement with gusto, but in some ways he's also old school. Despite acknowledging the power of his famous fans, including Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Kim Kardashian, he has the brand's founder in mind when he needs to feel connected to what's important.

"When you look at the fashion brands, how many followers do they have? Balmain has 1.1 million. It's like 10 per cent of what those girls have. It shows you the power of the personality more than the power of the entire brand," he told the Telegraph. "I keep Pierre Balmain in my mind because he loved strong women, women who have something to say.

All the French designers - Balmain, Poiret, Dior, Balenciaga - they believed in strong women. Their mothers were really important. In France, fashion has always been connected to the role of the woman. I keep in my mind the rules of French fashion."

"She has this aura, this charisma. It's not only sexual. It's something else," he said. "She is like a new Grace Kelly, or a Madonna… This woman of the world who represents a new world."

And, while he's preoccupied with her, he's not looking for love, he admits. "If you mean, 'Do I have someone in my life?' No, I don't. Just work and Rihanna," he admitted. "But that's enough. That's a lot!"

BFC Announces Fashion Film Winners

The BFC has announced its Fashion Film winners for the autumn/winter 2015 shows at London Fashion Week. House of Holland, Jean Pierre-Braganza and Gareth Pugh will each receive funding to create a short that will be screened at a special breakfast event at the showcase later this month.

The initiative, which is sponsored by River Island, has been funding designers on the official London Collections: Men and London Fashion Week schedules wishing to use film as a medium since Februrary 2012, including Jonathan Saunders, Mary Katrantzou, Nicholas Kirkwood and Sibling.

Jean-Pierre Braganza will work with River Island on his film, employing the skills of Google Cardboard,  a new form ofsoftware that enables users to experience film through a virtual reality headset and a smartphone app.

"We're delighted to see River Island using Google Cardboard  to create such an innovative, immersive and interactive piece of film, turning their customers' smartphones into a virtual reality experience," said Peter Fitzgerald, UK sales director at Google and president of the BFC Digital Pillar. "It's a great example.¨

Claudia's New Design Collaboration Revealed

Claudia Schiffer is re-entering the design arena, creating a capsule collection for Tse. The supermodel, who launched an eponymous knitwear collection in 2011, has signed a two-season deal with Tse and will unveil her first 17-style collection ofcashmere and wool-blend knits this autumn.

Inspired by David Hockney photographs from the Seventies, WWD reports, the collection will comprise of knitted dresses, cardigans, jumpers, trousers and capes - drawing on both Schiffer's English home and her German childhood.

"It is anchored by my German heritage and inspired by the pebble beaches, beautiful sunsets and Fair Isles worn by our local fishermen," Schiffer said, adding that the collection mixes hand-knit traditions such as intarsia and Aran.

Tse creative director Tina Lutz added: "We wanted to create a range of pieces that can easily be intermixed into our customers current wardrobe. Claudia's designs were a natural fit with Tse's aesthetic and her effortless style is apparent with each piece."

A Balletic Leap From Dolce & Gabbana

A dress decorated with La Scala’s signature posters, Dolce & Gabbana Alta Moda. Ballet star Roberto Bolle took a mighty leap in front of ethereal ballerinas and banks of roses, while music from Bizet'sCarmen filled the air of Milan's Teatro alla Scala. 

But it was high fashion, not high opera, that brought together an audience dressed with jewels, as if for a night spent in the red plush velvet boxes of Milan's famous eighteenth-century opera house. 

Instead, it was Dolce & Gabbana's Alta Moda that took over the building's Toscanini foyer, with a collection to seduce clients who had flown in for the event.  No matter that the Italian banking unions were marching outside, as if lapping at the gates of Versailles. 

Stefano Gabbana and Domenico Dolce pulled off a dazzling event by bending their fashion codes to the theatrical surroundings, creating a show that was graceful, light-handed and in tune with the music from Carmen, The Nutcrackerand Swan Lake.

The opening part was touching: three boy dancers, from child to man, walked the runway, representing Roberto Bolle's journey from La Scala child prodigy to adult star.

And the ending was equally emotional, as the models wore dresses decorated with La Scala's signature red-and-parchment beige posters.

"That is where it started," said Stefano, explaining how the duo first went to Alexander Pereira, the opera house's artistic director, asking for permission to use the prints.

Then Domenico dared to ask for the opera house as a location - which led to this moment. Pereira, who opened the event, said that he had felt immediately that this could be a great collaboration, and afterwards said that he was pleased and honoured by the result.

It was intriguing to see the show attended by genuine clients, who so rarely appear.  Dressed at midday as if for a La Scala first night, with scarlet and gold cloaks competing with low-neckline black dresses choked with diamonds, their loudest applause was for Roberto Bolle.

But there were also waves of clapping as the show presented, in a balletic way, the house codes. Those included lace dressed up with a fur stole, the curvy dresses that the design duo do so well, and riffs on gilded decoration. This was also visible on accessories, as delicate hose and hairbands had a sparkle and sheen. 

The ballet brought a special, light-handed grace to the collection. Artist Anh Duong, sitting at lunch - where each table featured iced white cakes with a different ballet theme - spoke of her early days as a ballerina. That had introduced her to fashion before she started modelling.

The clients, most of whom had been to previous shows in Capri and Venice, regarded this as a "family" event - as did Domenico and Stefano. The night before, they had hosted a display of their jewellery, inspired by fruit and shown in individual cabins filled with vegetation and flowers. 

The final day will show the first D&G men's Alta Moda - no doubt to seduce the partners of all the glamorous women. But was the beautiful La Scala dream the future of couture that the designers' Parisian counterparts are trying so hard to find?  Stefano said "Domenico is the one who really loves the ballet; I prefer the opera," he said. "For fashion, I love the future, but I prefer the present."

The Truth About Those Kendall And Kylie Topshop Rumours

THE tabloids got themselves into something of a twist yesterday over rumours that Kendall and Kylie Jenner might be creating a collection for Topshop - but the British brand has clarified all for us this morning.

The tabloids got themselves into something of a twist yesterday over rumours that Kendall and Kylie Jenner might be creating a collection for Topshop - but the British brand has clarified all for us this morning.

A representative for the company confirmed that it is "in talks to be the exclusive stockist" of the Kendall & Kylie collection, currently carried by PacSun, rather than having enlisted the sisters to create a collection specifically for Topshop. If the deal goes through, the collection will be in stores for high summer.

Topshop is no stranger to celebrity link-ups this year, with an athletic-wear collection created by Beyoncé set to debut in the Autumn.

Naomi To Open LFW

Naomi Campbell has announced that she will kick off London Fashion Week next month by hosting her next Fashion For Relief show on the eve of the showcase. The event will continue her mission to raise awareness of the war against Ebola, which she started last September with her pop-up shop in Westfield London.

The fashion extravaganza will bring together a host of the supermodel's famous friends (and in the past has included Kate Moss, Diane von Furstenberg, Margherita Missoni and Daphne Guinness have all appeared) who will take to the catwalk wearing creations from designers including Dolce & Gabbana, Givenchy, Alexander McQueen, Azzedine Alaia, Vivienne Westwood, Stella McCartney, Balmain, Marchesa and Versace.

"I'm thrilled to return to London to open London Fashion Week for this very special cause close to my heart," said Campbell. "The Fashion For Relief Show is an incredible event and this year we hope to raise more money than ever before. Raising awareness for Ebola and educating about its prevention is crucial to help prevent the spread of this deadly disease."

Next month's event - which will take place at BFC HQ Somerset House - will also feature a special auction, comprising items donated from international artists and fashion houses - proceeds from which will benefit the Disaster Emergency Committee: Ebola Crisis Appeal. Tickets are priced at £50, and will go on sale tomorrow - Thursday, February 29 - at Ticketmaster.com.

Another Chanel Date Clash

Chanel´s forthcoming cruise show, taking place in Seoul, will be held on May 4 - the same day as the Met Ball. The event will be the second Chanel show in six months that has clashed with another major fashion event, following itsMetiers d´Arts show in Salzburg on December 2nd, which coincided with  the Victoria´s Secret show in London.

Could Lagerfeld really be going head to head with other major fashion events to assert Chanel's total superiority? Certainly asking models like Kendall Jenner, Malaika Firth, Gigi Hadid and Cara Delevingne to pick their favourite could be deemed a little playground, but for the world's most senior editors - torn between the red carpet in New York and the catwalk in Seoul - the decision is far from child's play. Chanel, for its part, is insistent that there is no foul play.

"We had committed to bringing our cruise collection to our Korean clients and May 4 was the only possible date," the French house told WWD. "Chanel is very much dedicated to supporting the Anna Wintour Costume Institute Benefit this year as we always have. We greatly respect the incredible contributions Anna Wintour and The Metropolitan Museum of Art have made toward the preservation, education and celebration of the art of fashion, and are proud to be a supporter of this important institution."

The Chanel and Met Ball conundrum nothwithstanding, the week is set to be incredibly busy for the industry's key players with Prada's new Fondazione in Milan and the Louis Vuitton cruise show both slated to take place later the same week.

Karl On His Couture

Watch  as Karl Lagerfeld talks us through his latest couture collection for Chanel - from its cuts and colour palette to its construction and, crucially, what makes it couture as opposed to ready-to-wear.

Naomi: Supermodels Vs Instagirls

Naomi Campbell has revealed that if she had to choose, she'd be a supermodel all over again rather than one of the industry's new "Instagirls". The new generation of models - including Cara Delevingne, Karlie Kloss, Jourdan Dunn, Joan Smalls, Gigi Hadid and Kendall Jenner - have carved their careers in a new way, securing campaigns thanks, at least in part, to their massive social-media followings. But Campbell is glad she did things the old-fashioned way.

"It's amazing," Campbell told The Meredith Viera Show. "I mean, good luck to them. I just feel my generation of women, like Cindy Crawford, Linda Evangelista, Christy Turlington, Claudia [Schiffer], we had to earn our stripes and take our stepping stones to get to where we have gotten; to accomplish what we have achieved to this date. I kind of feel like, 'My God, we've worked so hard and we are still working at it - then it just comes like that for them.' But I sometimes believe easy come, easy go. So I am actually grateful for the way I had my career. I wouldn't want it any other way. So that's for them, this is me."

H&M's New Man

XIMON LEE has won this year's H&M Design Award - and is the first ever menswear designer to do so.

"I was stunned when they announced I was the winner," said the Parsons School of Fashion graduate. "The H&M Award means so much to me at the beginning of my career - I cannot imagine how I'd start my own label without it."

Ximon scoops €50,000 and the chance to develop pieces from his collection to be sold at selected H&M stores and online later this month.

"I think he is an incredible and accomplished designer. He had everything; his research was beautiful, the fabric development was accomplished and his design was good," said Luella Bartley, design director of Marc by Marc Jacobs and member of the judging panel alongside Vogue's fashion director Lucinda Chambers, Lily Allen and Margareta van den Bosch, creative adviser at H&M, among them.

Saint Laurent Menswear - Paris

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall - Who's the Skinniest of Them All?

That could have been the motto for the Saint Laurent show that closed the Paris menswear season.

But as both men and women strode out from the hub of curving mirrors that formed the backdrop, there was something noticeably different about designer Hedi Slimane´s  previous take on Californian girls and boys.

"It's not LA at all - it's Paris!" said Slimane backstage, with his usual supporters, including Yves Saint Laurent's partner Pierre Bergé, and the deceased designer's former muse, Betty Catroux.

The return mentally, if not actually, to the Paris club scene explained the French polish on what has seemed in his other shows like kids dragged up from the Los Angeles teen world.

In fact, aside from the pipe-cleaner legs, the men looked polished in their tailored jackets and coats, one even in a dashing cape.

The two biographical films on Yves Saint Laurent that have come out since Hedi took the helm in 2012 present the couturier, in his youth, looking not so unlike these young men. I could imagine Yves in his wilder days in a hot-pink fur coat - one of the, 'Is it a boy?' or 'Is it a girl?' outfits.

The overall look was 1970s redux, with square, uplifting heels - again, for both sexes. The pants are the type that used to be described by would-be British rockers as 'drain pipe' trousers.

The girls looked cute, bare-legged and less anorexic - and again with a bit of French polish. The 'City of Light' was reflected in their short, silvered skirts.

Slimane has been accused of being part of the Normcore brigade, making clothes which have zero fashion statement.

But I don't see it like that. The new Saint Laurent has integrity and a certain offbeat glamour - all the better now that Hedi's head has turned back to France.