the real pleasure was to be had marvelling

There was a time when the annual Oscar red carpet was the place to see the world's most extraordinary actors parading ever more outrageous and exuberant designs.

Back then, the real pleasure was to be had marvelling at the mistakes more than the triumphs. Even movie stars made them: Barbra Streisand flashing her knickers in transparent Arnold Scaasi; Cher in towering feathered Bob Mackie; Bjork in Marjan Pejoski swan dress – complete with giant egg. That, perhaps sadly, is the case no longer.

The odd self-consciously maverick style statement aside – Helena Bonham Carter, anyone? – Hollywood's great and good are now in the thrall of the celebrity stylist. It's their job to ensure that such mishaps no longer happen and, on the occasion of Sunday's 83rd Academy Awards opening ceremony, they'd done their job well. True, the proceedings became more try-hard as the evening progressed: a pair of grown men (Javier Bardem and Josh Brolin) in identical white ties made an appearance and so too did James Franco in full drag, along with co-host Anne Hathaway. For the most part, though, any big entrance dressing was a more well-mannered affair than that.

As we hand out our own awards, it's left to Gwyneth Paltrow to neatly sum up the prevailing mood. "I would say on a night like tonight not to go too far into the avant-garde," Gwyneth Paltrow told ABC reporters on the red carpet.

This was the last to come out of the old building

They say that creativity prospers in hard times, and if this year's Central Saint Martin's MA show was anything to go by, then that appears to be the case.

This was the last to come out of the old building, before the fashion college moves into new premises in London's King's Cross. Under the watchful and at times ferocious eye of visionary course director, Louise Wilson, the class of 2011 excelled itself.

The tone was set by an opening courtesy of Jenny Postle, whose patch-worked knitwear embellished with rainbow-coloured quills covered the body from the roots of hair to the tips of toes and spoke of an appreciation for hand-craftsmanship and individuality over and above disappearing into a fashion crowd. Rejina Pyo's offering – softly voluminous shapes that floated about the body – was strangely beautiful. The primitive sculpture attached to clothing and carried by models as they walked only added to the proudly idiosyncratic mood.

More wizardry was on display in Maarten Van Der Horst's Hawaiian-print collection which exploded into pastel coloured pleats and ruffles. Jamie Cockerill's collection gave new meaning to boot-cut trousers. In a thoroughly inspired move, hessian edging with black piping encased shoes entirely.

Menswear deserves a mention also. Sasu Kauppi's big clothes in strong colours to match won the Dunhill Award. Kathleen Kye's oversized designs were finished with anatomical detail – a puffa jacket was a giant stuffed hand, swollen fingers formed straps on sandals. Shaun Samson's Aaron knits that morphed into plaid were also noteworthy – they would look equally great on girls.

Finally, Viktor Smedinge, co-winner of the L'Oréal Professional Creative Award and recipient of the Armani Bursary, came up with tailoring scrolled, like parchment, at the hips. Phoebe English, L'Oréal's second winner and also awarded the Ungaro Bursary and Chloé prize, proved there's a lot a bright young fashion designer can do with Latex. The finely wrought top halves of garments resembled nothing more than the delicate feathers of menacing black birds.

The best bold, bright make-up

1. Eye-liner stylo in blue bayou

Unleash the vitriol with this electric-blue liquid eyeliner and leave a sharp, high-definition finish across a sultry black palette.

£18.50, Nars, narscosmetics.co.uk

2. Beelicious pencil

Adorn your gaze with dry heat by smudging this creamy, zesty eye pencil across your lids and prove why yellow is far from mellow.

£13, Mac, 0870 034 2676

3. Pink shock cream colour base

Pink will be completely inescapable this season, so make a bold statement and whip on a delicate flushing of this electric base colour to ensure you stand out from the crowd.

£13.50, Mac, 0870 034 2676

4. Lilac shimmer eye shadow

This shimmering eye powder gives you the effects of a highlighter, while the zingy lilac palette means there's no sacrifice in colour to let the light in.

£15 Bobbi Brown, bobbibrown.co.uk

5. Perilous lipstick

Revel in balmy, neon-tangerine depths and transport yourself to a world of 1970s indulgence with this colour-rich, high-pigmented lipstick from Illamasqua.

£15, Illamasqua, illamasqua.com

6. Neon Green nail paint

Keep the neon heat right at your fingertips with this acid-green nail paint from Barry M; polish up to add a pop of colour among neutral shades or for a zealous addition to a colour-block ensemble.

Hollywood and fashion are symbiotic partner

From Melrose to Rodeo Drive, and the chicest parties on Sunset Boulevard, the CLS 63 AMG Fashion Force car outfitted in its official badging is on patrol rewarding stylesetters with a ride to their next destination, and giving out a discreet number of invitations to the annual Mercedes-Benz Oscar viewing party at the Soho House West Hollywood. A tradition during Oscar weekend, the invitation only viewing party draws an exclusive mix of industry executives and Hollywood insiders that celebrate Mercedes-Benz long-standing history in the film industry.

"Hollywood and fashion are symbiotic partners especially during awards season," said Brad Goreski. "Whether you are right in the middle of a glamorous event or watching it from the sidelines, the red carpet Oscar events set the stage to showcase the latest designs and styles for those watching around the world."

At the center of the Fashion Force is the 2012 CLS 63 AMG four-door coupe serving as its official vehicle. It represents the epitome of alluring design and sexy curb appeal. The Fashion Force hits the streets from Thursday, February 24th through Sunday, February 27th and can be followed on Twitter #FashionForce.

Fashion Enforcers include a list of leading fashion bloggers including: Laurie Brucker of Laurie B Style, Geri Hirsch of Because I'm Addicted, Jaclyn Johnson of Notes on Napkins, Nadine Jolie of Nadine Jolie, Beth Jones of B Jones Style, Alison McNamara of FabSugar, Kelsi Smith of Dedicated Follower of Fashion, Sydne Summer of Think Thru Fashion, and Nola Weinstein of Glam.com.

As Hollywood celebrates a year of outstanding performances, Mercedes-Benz is celebrating 125 years of innovation, the invention of the automobile, and its future as leader in the automotive industry. It was Carl Benz's patent of the automobile that occurred around the same time as the invention of motion pictures. No one knew the impact that these inventions would have on society, but now more than a century later, Hollywood and Mercedes-Benz are synonymous with glamour and luxury. Both share a rich and inspirational history together – in front of the camera and behind the scenes.

While there is no shortage of collagen products

Type “collagen” into Google and you will receive a surprisingly varied set of results. Up pop sites selling powders, pills, face creams and drinks. It can be injected, ingested and even used as a sausage casing. It has also just become the star ingredient at a chic London restaurant. But what is the most abundant protein in the human body doing appearing all over the internet and on a must-have menu?

Some 30 per cent of all the protein in our body is made up of collagen, which forms strong sheets that support the structure of our skin, bones, cartilage and internal organs. It keeps our skin strong and elastic and its reduction is associated with ageing.

In the 1980s, collagen injections were introduced into the cosmetic surgery market and quickly became a popular way of making lips plumper.

But while other fillers and even implants have supplanted collagen’s popularity as the provider of a pert pout, the beauty industry – ever in search of elixirs of youth – has taken to using the stuff in ever more creative ways.

Bevis Man, spokesman for the British Skin Foundation, explains that: “During the natural course of ageing, collagen and elastic tissue within the dermis depletes, meaning the skin starts to sag and wrinkle. Loss of fat from the skin, coupled with years of facial movement, means the skin looks less plump and we get wrinkles that form around the eyes and forehead over time.”

So it’s unsurprising that collagen has attracted the attention of one of the biggest names in cosmetics. L’Oreal offers a Wrinkle Decrease Collagen range, including eye cream with collagen “biospheres” to combat bags under the eyes (selling at £11 for 15ml, approximately three teaspoonfuls), while a new face cream, also from L’Oreal, to be launched under the brand Vichy this April, claims to stimulate collagen production in our own skin. The LiftActiv Derm Source contains a plant sugar called Rhamnose, from the Brazilian plant Cat’s Claw, which its maker claims coaxes collagen cells to behave as they do in youthful skin.

But beyond the dressing table, collagen fans can now get their fix at the dinner table. The London restaurant Gilgamesh has just started offering a tasting menu based around the protein.

The menu, which includes delicious dumplings, seaweed salad, soup, sushi and ice cream –- all with added collagen – has been designed by chef Ian Pengelley. He is convinced that eating collagen “helps the skin”, and says he was inspired by the collagen craze in Japan, where “beauty” restaurants add the protein to meat, fish and vegetable hot pots; shops sell “collagen rich” noodles and dishes naturally high in collagen, such as chicken skin and shark fin, have increased in popularity. Pengelley, who says 90 per cent of diners trying the popular menu are women, gets £45 jars of powdered collagen made from fish bones sent over from Japan. He next hopes to create a collagen cocktail: a tiramisu-style dessert drink with added protein.

Those with a sweet tooth have also been targeted by companies that have experimented with sweets made from the stuff – “Eat Yourself Beautiful” collagen marshmallows went on sale in the UK in 2009, while late last year a Brazilian company announced it was to launch its no-sugar, collagen-infused “Beauty Candy”.

But does eating collagen, or slathering it on our faces, have any genuine effect on skin? Jonathan Hadgraft, emeritus professor of biophysical chemistry at the University of London, has been researching the area of skin penetration since the late 1960s and is sceptical.

“There seems to be a misconception in the beautyworld that 60 per cent of anything put on the skin is absorbed,” he says. “This is far from the truth. In reality, only a few per cent is absorbed. “The skin has evolved to be a very good barrier which is why we are not constantly poisoned by materials with which we come into contact.”

While nicotine permeates the skin effectively, with 30 per cent of a nicotine patch being absorbed in 24-hours, insulin – a larger molecule used for the treatment of diabetes, is unable to because of its size.

“Collagen is a large protein and a simple evaluation of its chemical properties suggests that it would not permeate unless it was forced through the skin using physical damage to the skin, for example, a needle,” he says.

Julie McManus, head of scientific affairs at L’Oréal, agrees that collagen in the Wrinkle Decrease range does not penetrate the skin. “This is a dehydrated form of collagen that inflates with the moisture on the skin, giving a plumped-up, smoothing effect.”

So just as foundation can only give a temporary illusion of a good complexion, this cream only creates a temporary youthful look.

In contrast, she says the active Rhamnose sugar in the Vichy cream “affects the activity of the cells that produce collagen in the dermis”.

As for eating collagen for dinner or as a sweet treat, registered dietician Anna Raymond remains unconvinced that this alone may have the potential to reverse any signs of ageing.

“It is an area that needs researching. And there may be a placebo effect: if people believe in it this may be enough for them to benefit.” She recommends a balanced diet and says that lean meats and eggs contain essential amino acids that stimulate collagen production in our bodies.

Kuniko Takahashi, a nutrition scientist at Gunma University in Japan, concurs. In her book Tabemono Joho Uso Honto, or Truth and Falsehood of Food Information, she writes: “Good protein contains sufficient amounts of all kinds of essential amino acids and most animal protein falls into this category. Collagen is no better than average as a protein.”

While there is no shortage of collagen products on the market, Man believes there is a better – and more cost effective – way of protecting the collagen in our skin. “If people are genuinely concerned about the appearance of their skin, the two simplest things to do are to give up smoking and to protect the skin from any (further) sun damage by using sunscreen,” he says. “Both speed up the breakdown of collagen, essentially meaning you look older than you really are.”

 

Artists are starting to dress much more crazy

Taking a tip from music stars Lady Gaga and Nicki Minaj, Hollywood's A-list actresses are expected to turn up on Oscar's red carpet in many bold, futuristic designs, fashion experts predict.

The eye toward the future marks a turnaround from recent years in which styles at Hollywood's biggest awards shows have featured vintage gowns, subdued designs and colors, and less jewelry in a nod to the world's economic woes.

But with consumer confidence up, Hollywood's top female actresses will be wearing distinctive gowns highlighted by draping and accented shoulders and sleeves. Expect a wide array of colors, from pale shades and skin tones to bold purples, oranges, midnight blues and classic black.

Designer Marc Bouwer said this year's futuristic fashions are influenced by some of the "out-there" costumes of pop music superstars like Lady Gaga, Minaj and now Britney Spears as seen in her latest video, "Hold It Against Me."

"Artists are starting to dress much more crazy, more out there and it has a ripple effect on fashion," said Bouwer. "While you won't see a Lady Gaga outfit necessarily on the Oscar red carpet, you will see more architectural styles -- an expanded shoulder, a pronounced sleeve. The stronger power woman has emerged, and you cannot ignore that trend."

Styles on the red carpet ahead of the world's top film honors are expected to be similar to those debuting last month at Hollywood's Golden Globe Awards.

At that show, "Glee" star Lea Michelle dazzled fashionistas in a pink asymmetrical Oscar de la Renta gown, and other actresses such as Nicole Kidman, Michelle Williams and Scarlet Johansson turned up in skin tones and pale shades of rose.

JEWELRY IS BACK

This year Bouwer, who famously dressed Angelina Jolie in a white satin halter dress for the 2007 Oscars, is working with nominees including "The Fighter" star Melissa Leo on the trend he calls, "futuristic architectural minimalism."

It is a look that he and others said not only takes into consideration the dress, but accessories that come with it.

"We're going to see statement pieces," said Greg Kwiat of Kwiat Diamonds. His jewels previously were worn at the Oscars by past nominees such as Anna Kendrick and Natalie Portman.

"A bracelet, a necklace. There will be everything from classic diamonds to lots of colors like yellow gold or aquamarine," Kwiat said.

If the dresses and jewels are bold, then the hair has to be simple and "not so overly complicated" according to celebrity hair stylist Anthony Morrison.

"Whether the hair is up or down, it's more about having a finished look, not frizzy or disheveled," he said. "We've been using a lot of smoothing products to make sure hair is glossy, shiny and polished."

Hair color is also expected to be big and bold this year.

"The color is going to look amazing," Morrison said. "Rich brunettes, gorgeous reds and perfect blondes. Everybody will enhance whatever color they have."

Color enhancement is likely to be seen in many gowns, as well, along with classic black and ivory found at black-tie events. Allen B. Schwartz, creative director of A.B.S. by Allen Schwartz said to expect bold greens, purples, corrals, oranges and midnight navy.

"Color is usually about positive energy," he said. "We all know what's gone on with people struggling because of the economy. Everyone has started off the year with a renewed energy for a better time (and) color is about being happy."

Halfway through London Fashion Week

Samantha Cameron has proved a huge draw with her support of the British Fashion Council, helping to attract style aristocracy including US Vogue editor Anna Wintour, new Vogue Paris editor Emmanuelle Alt and supermodel Kate Moss.

Belgian design duo Peter Pilotto and Christopher de Vos opened proceedings at the Old Billingsgate Market today, citing the Russian Revolution, the great riots of Paris and the unrest of today's
student youth as their inspiration.

They used clashing prints, deconstructed shapes and layering. Draped silk dresses had cut-out panels, while squares of fabric in clashing shades billowed on the backs of trousers, and strapless gowns featured patch-pocket details.
Intellectual and complex, this collection saw Peter Pilotto expand into outerwear - a new direction for the label best-known for pretty prints and wearable dresses. Elegant riding-coat styles in black and cream punctuated the collection.

Today's schedule is the busiest and most exciting of this season's event. This afternoon, British superbrand Burberry and Fashion Week favourite Christopher Kane were taking to the catwalk, while Giles Deacon was unveiling his collection this evening.

Burberry, which claims to have the most-viewed fashion show in the world, will be the first brand to show its catwalk offering live on one of the screens at Piccadilly Circus when it occupies the Coca-Cola sign's slot. Footage will also be beamed onto huge screens at 40 of its stores worldwide and to its website. It is estimated it will be seen in almost 200 countries.

Designer Richard Nicoll used moths as the theme of his autumn/winter collection yesterday. Devoré velvet, high-shine lamé and thick, undulating silk all mimicked the iridescence of moth wings.
Layering was key: a cocoon-shaped semi-transparent gazar blouse was worn over a three quarter-length pencil skirt; a silk tabard shirt with billowing handkerchief sleeves was shown over wide-leg trousers.

For evening, another Nicoll signature, the apron-backed dress, came in lamé chiffon and velvet. Too edgy for next week's Oscars, perhaps, but any red carpet would be enlivened. From the ferocious standing queues building outside the shows, it appears everyone wants a piece of Fashion Week - and London has been delivering, party-wise.

Mulberry hosted a bash at Claridge's last night, while Sir Philip Green presided over an intimate Topshop dinner at which he toasted future bride-to-be Moss and her rock guitarist fiancé Jamie Hince. Faces spotted include Simon Cowell, Kirsten Dunst, Rebecca Hall and Alexa Chung.

The overall standard of shows so far is high. Jonathan Saunders, Antonio Berardi and Acne were particularly fine, but Matthew Williamson, Henry Holland and Topshop Unique were also at the top of their game.

Alice Fashion Week into a literary wonderland

Some of Britain's brightest and most bankable names took to the catwalk yesterday as London Fashion Week continued with collections from Dame Vivienne Westwood, Mulberry and Matthew Williamson.

Daisy Lowe appeared on the catwalk for Westwood, watched from the front row by her boyfriend, Matt Smith (aka Doctor Who) as well as long-term fans of the label, Boris Becker and Jo Wood.

The designer's devoted cohort of followers, fashion editors and punks crammed into the Royal Courts of Justice to watch make-up smeared models in cottage industry-esque tapestry knits, pin-tucked shirts and skirts, and black velvet knickerbockers, topped off with wooly tartan crowns.

Westwood's message was one of sustainability, using an Alice in Wonderland motif to highlight the importance of natural, British materials.

Earlier, at a packed show attended by the supermodels Twiggy and Alexa Chung, Matthew Williamson showed his trademark tribal knits and Aztec prints on mini dresses and raffia-trimmed coats, paired with bright wool slacks and motocross trousers.

As befits a schedule of such globally conspicuous names, yesterday also saw the arrival of the senior American press, including Anna Wintour of US Vogue and Vanity Fair's Elizabeth Saltzman. With all the emerging heritage trends and talk of the royal wedding, they were no doubt taken with the odes to a pastoral English idyll that many designers led with.

Mulberry, famed for its handbags, presented an extensive collection inspired by Roald Dahl's Fantastic Mr Fox and featuring countrified outerwear and prim Land Girl dresses which might be found in the wardrobes of the more glamorous wives of Boggis, Bunce or Bean.

The ballroom at Claridges had been transformed for the show with foliage, and stuffed birds, while guests were welcomed by giant inflatable toadstools, somewhat incongruous on the windy, grey pavements. Back inside were quilted trenchcoats, naive duffle jackets in elephant cord, and military-style crombie overcoats, all in a forester's palette of mole, khaki and conker brown. Detailing referenced some of the label's most successful handbags, such as the big-selling Alexa satchel, with coats and satchels sharing similar fastenings, and wide-brimmed knee-high boots echoing shoulder bags in rich oaky tan hides.

Topshop Unique took as its inspiration a similar era but picked out more progressively urban and modernist elements, such as the art deco cityscapes of the Thirties and Forties.

Mid-length A-line skirts were worn with feminine blouses printed with dogs and nostalgic motorcars, recalling the likes of Betty Grable and Lana Turner. But the high street brand was careful not to alienate its younger, more trend-led audience; models in Dalmatian print faux fur coats and skirt suits exited to a soundtrack of Disney's Cruella de Vil and were made up with whimsical doggy noses.

There was also thoroughly modern pinstripe suiting with girlish sailor capes and soignee lounge dresses with chunky faux fur cuffs. Sheer organza shift dresses were decorated with images of the Brooklyn Bridge and New York skyline, in a nod perhaps to Topshop's growing status in the US, but also to the Great Depression, an era much referenced so far this season.

The day continued with offerings Fashion

The style set gathered at Somerset House yesterday for London Fashion Week's opening speeches and the first of more than 60 autumn/winter 2011 shows that will take place in the capital over the next six days.

"We feel bullish and excited about the week ahead," Harold Tillman, chairman of the British Fashion Council, said in his welcome address. "But this year is going to be tough – we have suffered alongside many other organisations from the Government's cuts."

If Samantha Cameron, who joined Mr Tillman on the podium, felt any discomfort at the remark, she did not show it. "I'm passionate about fashion," she said, dressed in a demure black Peter Pan-collared dress by the British label Mulberry.

"I'm here today because I believe we've got the talent and the expertise in this country to take UK fashion even further, and I'd like to do everything I can to support that."

The first day of the schedule was a showcase of the gamut that British fashion spans, from established names such as Maria Grachvogel and Caroline Charles, to up-and-coming young labels like Aminaka Wilmont and Jena Theo. The morning kicked off with industry stalwart Paul Costelloe's show.

His daughter, Jessica, was first to take a turn, and models wore pink crimped wigs. The Irish designer presented a vision of vividly coloured Harris tweed coats and skirt suits, cut in streamlined, boxy and trapeze shapes that recalled Mod apparel.

"The Boulevard Saint-Honoré in the late Sixties," Costelloe said. Warped mosaic prints in apple-green and blue, decorated skater-skirt dresses with pleated necklines, and traditional tartan and tweed was spun in surprising acidic citrus shades, suggesting that the summer trend for neon brights is set to continue.

Next came a sleek collection from Maria Grachvogel, the designer who once hosted Victoria Beckham as a model on her catwalk and has curated a successful range for Debenhams. This season the famous faces – including Seventies' supermodel Marie Helvin – remained in their seats and the clothes spoke for themselves. Inspired by the Grimm fairytales, models stalked through a salon of the newly refurbished Savoy hotel wearing pin-tucked and draped dresses printed with digitally manipulated feathers and forestscapes. There was plenty of black lace, rise-and-fall skirts in a palette of monochromes and stony neutrals, and the ubiquitous high-waisted, wide-leg trousers that were so prevalent at last week's New York shows.

The day continued with offerings from several past winners of the Fashion Fringe competition, a talent-scouting initiative that provides young designers with funding and mentoring to help set up their own business. Here was some of the youthful pep, vitality and edginess for which London Fashion Week is known. There was hexagonally seamed leather and jersey sportswear from the 2009 winners, design duo Jena Theo, cut in challenging asymmetric shapes that billowed voluminously with each step and were knotted and patched into Frankenstein-esque textures.

Floridian Corrie Nielsen, who was awarded the Fashion Fringe prize last year by John Galliano, made her first appearance on the schedule, with a collection that took references from the Elizabethans, the golden age of French couture and the New Romantics.

Bias-cut pencil skirts were draped and structured with origami folds, and the final look was a full-length black gown with puffed sleeves and gathering on the hips, which combined modern architectural style with something a little more classic.

Celebrations continued in the evening with a drinks reception hosted by Ms Cameron at No 10, with the likes of model Erin O'Connor, milliner Stephen Jones and Culture minister Ed Vaizey rubbing shoulders.

The Prime Minister's wife is creative director of the luxury goods company Smythson and has recently been appointed an ambassador to the British Fashion Council. She is known for supporting British fashion.

"People often say that fashion is one of our most important creative industries," she said. "Actually, I think they're wrong – it's one of our most important industries, full stop. It makes more than £20bn a year for our country, and it employs hundred of thousands of people."

 

It is America’s most bohemian clothes store

It is America’s most bohemian clothes store, notorious for its range of subversive clothing that includes a discontinued line of T-shirts that featured a Palestinian child holding an AK- 47 over the word “victimized”.

Now, in a bid to tap into the lucrative wedding fever gripping the country, Urban Outfitters is to launch its own chain of bridal boutiques. URBN, the parent company behind Urban Outfitters, Free People and Anthropologie, launched the new range – bhldn, pronounced “beholden” – this week.

The new range promises the same off-beat vintage style that has made its sister brands famous. But white wedding connoisseurs, be warned. Gone are the traditional meringues and minimalist columns. In their place are unfinished hemlines, loose bows and subtle embellishment. Prices will be significantly more expensive than Urban Outfitters attire, too – with wedding dresses costing up to $4,000 (£2,500) and bridesmaid dresses costing up to $600.

“We’re offering a take that’s not out there,” said Kristin Norris, who is bhldn’s managing director . “We have a lot of shorter dresses, lots of colour and prints and no optic white dress.”

commenters we found the videos from a tour

The Real Estalker led us to the news that Clay Aiken is leaving his North Carolina home behind. The American Idol star bought his home in Cary, North Carolina in 2006 for $2.361 million. The six-bedroom home is on over six acres inside a gated community. The home measures an impressive 9,392 square feet and has a large home theater, professional kitchen, bonus rooms, recreation room, exercise area and a marble foyer with a curved staircase.

Aiken has moved on and the home is bare of furniture but thanks to to the Real Estalker's astute commenters we found the videos from a tour he gave local television station WRAL when he moved in. Those videos (posted after the jump) deliver details including the fact that everything in his kitchen has to be blue and silver. The game room in the basement has red cabinets, a retro stainless steel backsplash and a black and white floor.

In the videos it is shown outfitted as a 1950s diner-style space where once fellow American Idol contestants Kelly Clarkson and Ruben Studdard competed in a friendly game of pool. Now the bare home theater has just a single row of seats but when Aiken was in residence the lower tiers of the room were stuffed with large bean bag chairs. Aiken also had an "Africa room," a guest bedroom decorated with art he gathered from around the world during his trips for UNICEF. The home is listed at $2.7 million with LaChapelle Properties.

while not headline-grabbing red carpet numbers

In the flash of a shoe or burnished honeycombs of copper and gold, the fashion industry put a metallic shine on glamour for fall.

Not blinding bling, though. The sign of more optimistic times, without being irrational, has come during New York Fashion Week in subtle threads of beaded embroidery, understated sequins and tasteful, textured mosaics.

Victoria Beckham said it Sunday, on fashion week's Day 4, with a loose V-neck caftan above the knee, and chiffon-covered resin bits around the neckline of a fitted dress for night.

Metallic thread embroidery draped with tulle over the shoulder of a delicate day dress was one of Lela Rose's shining moments.

Jason Wu's runway included a stunner for evening with a high neckline, fitted short sleeves and well-placed sparkle. Peter Som put it in on a black cigarette pant and a gorgeous blue fitted evening gown.

There were pinks, greens and blues amid the gun metals, and playful bows on metallic sandals from Cynthia Rowley.

VICTORIA BECKHAM

For her favorite Upper East Side mansion runway venue, Beckham wore one of the loose, cashmere cocoon dresses that she said she found intimidating when she was more of a novice. The swing trapeze dress and a multi-metallic honeycomb in a caftanlike silhouette were also items she added to the collection with a surer hand.

These roomier designs take more work, but they are worth it so women can be fashionable — as well as comfortable, explained Beckham, her hair pulled into a long ponytail. (She announced last month that she and husband David Beckham are expecting their fourth child.)

"I designed this collection before I knew I was pregnant," she said with a laugh.

Using a palette she described as "desert brights," Beckham offered a teal matte gazar V-neck cocoon that she said was "young red carpet," but the finale gown in the same color and fabric was the one to talk about: It had chiffon-covered resin bits arranged in a mosaic pattern that looked like shards of shattered glass around the neckline.

LELA ROSE

She offered a broad-stroke collection that covered the full wardrobe needs of her well-heeled customer.

For daytime, there was a green cashmere crew-neck top with sculpted shoulders paired with a canvas pencil skirt covered in the colors and textures of an oil-painter's palette.

A black dress with a dropped waist and a blanket-style, hand-loomed organza skirt with a bow at the hip was just right for a dressy dinner. A black-filament embroidered miniskirt — worn with a slouchy blouse — was electricity on the runway.

"I dress this way every day," Rose said of her never-casual clothes in a recent interview. "I am always in a dress — or something that's `dressed.' And I love to wear cute shoes with it. I feel better about myself this way. I like to be turned out."

The shiny copper burnished brocade on an open-neck dress would draw the wearer lots of well-deserved attention.

DEREK LAM

Lam played with texture and layers, experimenting with new fabrics to achieve a winter-friendly look without the bulk.

Lush fur and fuzzy shearling played against supple lambskins and doubleface wool, with fluid, silklike layers underneath. Lam used a subtle palette of black, indigo, smoke blue and olive with strategic splashes of red and burgandy, as in the small touches on a chintz tweed trouser.

In his notes, Lam said he lightened the sleeves and backs of heavier garments to help with cold-weather layering, and turned to more lightweight fabrics to "blur the idea of seasonal clothing."
But he was most inspired by new textiles. As prices have risen for materials like cashmere and silk, he wrote, fabric mills responded by mixing in less expensive yarn and coming up with new treatments, like the chemical pressing of soft challis to give it more loft and texture. He called the resulting fabrics "very unique and modern."

ADAM LIPPES

He found strength in numbers, mixing materials, prints and scale.
It was an homage to his customer, he explained in his notes, because "she appreciates the discovery in the everyday and reflects it in her personal style."

Lippes flies a bit under the radar, but the recent acquisition of the Adam label by Kellwood — while leaving Lippes in charge creatively — could mean a bigger splash at some point.

The clothes, while not headline-grabbing red carpet numbers, are ready for more attention. He offered for the new season a nice mix of modern, wearable styles, including the opening look that paired a lace T-shirt with a cobalt buffalo-plaid skirt and the finale gold-embroidered dress that used a slight asymmetrical hemline to give the silhouette a little freedom and movement.

Outerwear, though, was really the highlight, especially blanket-style coats.

The new collections are currently in full flow and if

The new collections are currently in full flow and if, in recent times, the overriding rule has been to eschew intimacy in favour of high-profile, blockbuster presentation – generating as much publicity as possible being fashion's Holy Grail – that may be about to change.

For the past two seasons, Riccardo Tisci, creative director at Givenchy, has shown his haute couture collection [pictured] to small groups in a grand Parisian town house which is – clearly – more elegant than even the most overdressed of marquees. Then, of course, there's the return of Tom Ford to the fashion universe to consider. His signature women's collection was launched in New York last season and the hand-picked guest list numbered no more than 100. Today, "you see the clothes on the runway, and within an hour or so, they're online," he said. "They're overexposed."

And that they are. At least a few of the world's most fêted designers – most of them show in Paris – have long adopted this view. Comme des Garçons, Junya Watanabe and Tao all choose to invite only the initiated, the argument being that if you don't understand, you're not welcome, a message both audaciously elitist and crystal clear. Balenciaga's head designer, Nicolas Ghesquière, notoriously upsets more than a few fashion followers by turning down their requests for seats season after season – numbers here are limited to around 200.

At least some of the time, the reasoning behind such a mindset is pragmatic – smaller shows, by their very nature, tend to be less expensive, though it's safe to assume that is not the motivation behind Ford's move. Still, there's nothing like a fashionable bargain, which also has the effect of making a label seem more desirable than ever. It's a no-lose situation, then. Because, in rather brilliantly teenage manner, even the most experienced fashion editor, told that her presence will not be requested at a show, thank you, will be almost as worried they might be missing out on something as they are miffed. And that applies whether the event in question is the hottest ticket in town or not.

Richard was smashed into a corner

On Friday afternoon, I caught up with Quinn Richard, a stylist from Paris Parker’s Prytania Street salon, who was in the thick of things working backstage at the fall 2011 Nicole Miller show.

This is Richard’s second time doing hair at New York Fashion Week. He’s one of the team of stylists working with Kevin Ryan on a bunch of shows, including Richard Chai’s Love, Nicole Miller, Richard Chai’s men’s collection, Kevork Kiledjian, Tibi and Milly.

When I found him, Richard was smashed into a corner cluttered with styling products, straight irons and curling rods, working side by side with another stylist on a model, who was getting her makeup done at the same time.

The hairstyle for Nicole Miller was a “messy rock ’n roll” look, using lots of dry shampoo, Tigi styling products and Surf gel by Bumble and Bumble to get that not-washed feel.

“It’s sort of a dirty, just rolled in kind of look,” said Richard, who wielded a straight iron while he chatted about his experiences in the bowels of the backstage scene.

Liverpool's Daniel Agger has taken the crown for football's most elaborate body art

Djibril Cissé

The French striker's wing tattoo is a reference to the Islamic angel he is named after. He also has a spider's web, designs celebrating his spells at Liverpool and Panathinaikos, and the names of his wife and children.

Stephen Ireland

The Premier League has had plenty of eye-catching wingers over the years, but the best pair of wings undoubtedly belongs to central midfielder Stephen Ireland. He is hoping his career will be reignited at Newcastle United, where he moved during the January transfer window following a short, unsuccessful spell at Aston Villa.

David Beckham

Like Cissé, the former England captain's array of tattoos has built up gradually over time. They include the names of his three sons – Brooklyn, Romeo and Cruz – as well as a guardian angel between his shoulder blades and a winged cross on the back of his neck.

Naldo

Werder Bremen's Brazilian defender gave the cameras this glimpse of his inked back at the end of a Uefa Cup match in 2009. Though few would say it to his face, the image of Jesus on the cross has been ridiculed by some for the fact he appears to have a fine pair of "man boobs".

And on Agger's back...

Sweyn Forkbeard

One of four Danish monarchs depicted on Agger's back, he became king of England in 1013 but was never crowned and died soon after.

Gorm den Gamle

The first recognised King of Denmark, home of the oldest monarchy in Europe, his name means Gorm the Old. He was born between 908 and 918, and died in 958.

Ogier The Dane

A figure of Danish legend akin to England's King Arthur, he is a prominent figure in Old French 'chansons de geste' epic poetry.

Harald Bluetooth

Successor to his father, Gorm den Gamle, Harald unified Denmark, converted the country to Christianity and conquered Sweden.

King Canute

Ruling England from 1016 to 1035, and Denmark from 1018 to 1035, the son of Sveyn is famed for trying to turn back the tide.

Matthew McConaughey cheered on girlfriend Camila Alves in her sexy

A catwalk of celebrities kicked off New York Fashion Week on Wednesday night, getting the audience all pumped up for the Red Dress runway show, which draws attention to a national awareness campaign about women and heart disease.

Denise Richards did the '70s look in a halter-top, empire-waist dress by Matthew Williamson, while '70s pinup Suzanne Somers went for a flared minidress with a jeweled waist by Ina Soltani.

Matthew McConaughey cheered on girlfriend Camila Alves in her sexy, tiny-strap asymmetrical gown by KaufmanFranco, snapping photos the whole show through, and Susan Sarandon let her daughter, Eva Amurri, soak up the spotlight in her high-neck lace dress by Chris Benz. Sarandon, dressed in an unassuming pink polo shirt and hair pulled back, quietly took her front-row seat just a few minutes before the show began.

No one strutted quite like actress Taraji P. Henson, in a Naeem Khan-designed beaded dress with a high slit, who milked her moment with the crowd, singing Michael Jackson's "The Way You Make Me Feel." OK, maybe Dita von Teese, wearing a Zac Posen number that emphasized her hourglass shape, one-upped her in the hip-swinging department.

Pop singer Natasha Bedingfield performed at the end of her turn, but one could have forgotten her day job as she wore a deep V halter dress by Nicole Miller.

Patti LaBelle hammed it up in her kimono-style dress by Zang Toi, and Linda Gray wore a Pamella Roland off-the-shoulder gown. Katrina Bowden went short in a flounce-front Oscar de la Renta.

Julianne Hough's red Swarovski dress played into the heart-health theme with its sweetheart neckline and her necklace with crystals shaped into hearts.

By fashion standards, Alberta Ferretti's eyelash pleat dress on TV personality Cat Deeley and Monique Lhuillier's rose-covered ballgown, modeled by Garcelle Beauvais, were standouts.

The Red Dress show has become an annual event in February at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, which officially kicks off Thursday for eight days of previews for the fall season. Some designers are further supporting the national heart disease campaign, sponsored by The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, by auctioning dresses through the Clothes Off Our Back website.

trying to maintain a thin figure in the face of biological inevitability

In an industry dominated by the stick thin, Crystal Renn has stood out as one of the few plus-sized models to have obtained genuine global recognition with the leading fashion houses. She regularly graces the pages of Vogue, is on the books of one of New York's top modelling agencies and is this season's face of Jimmy Choo.

Now the model – whose shape and ubiquity have made her a poster girl for those who struggle to relate to the image of womanhood they see in magazines – has hit out at the media and her fans for boxing her in to the plus-sized category and expecting her to maintain her fuller figure.

In a video interview published on the website of Ford Models, Renn's agency, the 24-year-old said: "Where do I feel pressure? Probably more than any place from the public. And the media.

"By placing a title on my head – which is plus size – and the picture that people have placed in their mind about what plus size is, I'll basically fail you just with that. Because I couldn't possibly live up to that. And at this point in my life, I would actually have to have another eating disorder to live up to that expectation."

Unlike most models who might show frustration trying to stay an industry acceptable thin, Renn is not angry with people for expecting her to keep the weight off. She is instead annoyed by the pressure on her to keep her fuller figure.

Over the past month, fashion blogs and gossip columns have been filled with feverish – and often cruel – comments over Renn's changing figure which has dropped from the UK size 16 that made her so famous to a 12.

In the fashion world, where anything above a size six is considered unusual unless you are very tall, Renn's figure is still relatively curvaceous. Most women of her build would not get a look in at the mainstream agencies. But many commentators have used Renn's recent weight loss as an opportunity to suggest the Florida-born model is somehow selling out the principles on which much of her success is built.

The debate wasn't helped by Ford Models updating its statistics for Renn on its website and giving her size as a two – the equivalent of a UK size four, which would have been a dramatic weight loss.

As speculation went in to overdrive her agent, Gary Dakin, the man considered to have pioneered the recent growing acceptance of plus-sized models, issued a statement saying the mistake was a printing error. He added: "If people have truly followed her message, it is about acceptance and beauty at any size".

Even so, Renn is clearly feeling the pressure to be a standard bearer for plus-sized models – a term that she has always expressed a dislike for because the weight that the fashion industry might regard as plus sized is all but a normal, healthy weight for an average woman in the developed world.

"I had anorexia ultimately because someone set the standard for me and I wanted to follow it," she said referring to her teenage years before she became a plus-sized model. "If I followed what the public, or the media, wanted from me I would be doing the same thing. I would have a binge eating disorder. The most important thing that we all need to know whether you're a model, a normal person walking around, an editor or a photographer is that it's about individual health."

It was a black-and-white photo shoot for the small-circulation fashion magazine Little Planes that got the gossip tongues of New York wagging. Renn appeared in its pages looking noticeably slimmer than in the swimsuit shoot she did for Glamour in 2009 which effectively launched her as the acceptable face of plus sized. The issue received significant feedback as readers poured in their approval of – shock horror – a magazine using a model that actually looked like its readers .

The timing also tied in with a growing recognition inside even the most exclusive fashion houses that consumers were becoming increasingly intolerant of the lack of variety on catwalks and concerned about the health implications of size-zero figures. What made Renn so unusual and refreshing was that her success came once she started to put weight on. She was first discovered by a talent scout at the age of 14 and spent her teenage years following the path of so many young models, trying to maintain a thin figure in the face of biological inevitability.

Anorexia quickly set in as she tried desperately to keep the weight off. Her Damascene moment came as a size-eight teenager being sent home from a catalogue shoot for being too large. Instead of packing in she put weight on and signed with the plus- size agencies and has hardly looked back since.

But if Renn had her way, there wouldn't even be a need to use the phrase plus-sized.

"[You] have to realise that plus- size model doesn't mean plus-size woman," she told a US radio station this week. "But bridging the gap would be a very good thing. We need to have all sizes. This isn't a them against us fight. It's about bringing everybody together."