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Tom Ford, the fashion prince who brought Gucci back from the dead in the 1990s, has just opened his much feted two-storey menswear boutique in Manhattan designed to look like his Mayfair mansion. Heck, he's even installed pieces of furniture borrowed from his London living room. There will be clothes, shoes, perfumes and accessories that are neither flippant nor cheap. Suits, tailored under licence by Italy's Ermenegildo Zegna, begin at about US$3200 ($4290).
His butler Angus Richards-Barron will be on hand to train the in-store butler who will hover to answer every whim of customers as they peruse the racks of shirts and jackets, as well as the maids who will fluff cushions. As the former chief designer at Gucci and also Yves Saint Laurent - who left because of a contract dispute in 2004 - Ford created collections for men and women that sizzled with sex appeal and flew off the shelves.
With his own brand, however - just for men for the time being - he wants to explore even higher levels of luxury. "That's what I want after having designed very trendy collections for a certain period of time," he told Women's Wear Daily, the industry's most influential magazine. "I really want just beautiful quality, beautiful fabrics and beautiful cuts, and then I want to shop in an environment that is very service-geared." Class will supersede sexiness. "It is a different time now. This is where I am now. I am 45 years old, not 33, as I was at Gucci."
(Independent)
Catwalk dreams
Fancy taking part in the local version of America's Next Top Model? The closest you're likely to get around here is the Cadbury Dream Model Search. The competitors, aged between 13 and 24, are assessed by the staff from Auckland model agency, Nova, and the eventual prize will be to work with them as well as a trip to Australia and a photographic session.
The contest runs for just over two months with regional auditions starting on May 5 in Auckland and the grand final taking place in early July. For more information see: cadburydreammodelsearch.co.nz
Peek practice
One wouldn't want to speculate too much about what's been going on in the design studios at Bendon lately - but the new collections, from the Elle Macpherson range, has more than just a touch of the boudoir and burlesque about it.
With flirty half-cups, suspenders and lacey peekaboo fabrics galore, as well as romantic colours, ribbons and bows, this is the sort of delectable lingerie that should have ordinary women chucking their boy leg knickers away and taking up pole dancing. Priced around $40 to $180, the new looks are instore now.
In other knicker news, Australian brand Hestia is using their spokesmodel, Desperate Housewives star Nicolette Sheridan, in a flirty ad campaign for several new bra shapes.
The fairly straightforward bras, in pretty colours and also available for the fuller figure, cost $19.90 and can be found at The Warehouse, K-Mart and Postie Plus.
No word as to whether New Zealand fans will ever get to see other Desperate Housewives products - the board game, clothing line, perfume, cookbook or upcoming computer game - in this neck of the woods.
Crafty attitude
The next instalment of local, modern craft show, Craftwerk, takes place from 6pm on May 3 in St Kevins Arcade, on Karangahape Rd.
Besides crocheted iPod covers and arty crockery decorated with swear words, potential buyers will also find characterful stuffed toys the like of which they've never seen before and some of the best original T-shirts in town.
Share the joke
Karen Walker fans will be flocking to their favourite designer's store shortly for the groovy, fashion-industry-insider T-shirts by the British-based House of Holland that Walker is importing.
Originally an in-joke among up-and-coming London designers, the T-shirts were eventually made for other designers, too, including Walker. And locals will be able to buy into the joke.
The T-shirts, featuring the quirky slogans made up for Hedi Slimane, Christopher Bailey and Walker, will retail for around $95.
