The Dolce & Gabbana spring collection this year has been showcasing some stunning new designs from one of the world’s greatest and most luxurious fashion houses, going from strength to strength since 1985. The emphasis this year is on the classy but casual look, in contrast with Canali’s smart suits and echoes of Hollywood’s smooth leading men of the ‘50s and ‘60s. D&G began as and has remained as a design house noted above all for its flamboyance, and this is much in evidence in this stunning collection of vintage prints, neutral shades, khakis and gingham. Think Safari with designer sunglasses and you’ve got the idea.

The Trussardi collection is also somewhat retro, and illustrates the dictum that there’s nothing new under the sun, just variations on the perfection of the past, in this case manifesting itself in an eclectic range that includes everything from traditionalist to rocker outfits. Whatever you taste and dress sense you’ll find something here, and whether you favour subdued and subtle greys and browns or in-your-face loud reds and yellows it’s all here in a flamboyant collection that positively shouts a welcome to the summer.

The fashion handbag industry has grown to epic proportions and in 2009 was worth an estimated £1 billion to the British economy.  It is no longer considered a fashion item but a necessity for survival in today’s unban world.

Once housed in London’s docklands, the British handbag industry has fallen behind its cheaper imported rivals from Europe and the Far East.  The Internet has also fuelled this demand for cheaper goods with websites allowing items to change hands at a fraction of their recommended retail price.  Of course, not every handbag is real and not every discount bag is a fake.  Spotting an authentic designer handbag is not easy and there are many articles around the Internet on how to do this.

The fashion handbag has even entered the realms of the truly functional as designers create stylish alternatives to the conventional laptop bag.  Once seen as masculine and boring, brands such as Crumpler and McKlein USA have taken the laptop bag away from conventional vessel into must have, stylish and yet, functional, item.

The Children of Nike

With the ever more corporate influence being felt within the international game, stars have embraced this and made their own marks creatively.  The clothing giant Nike looks after many of the game’s big names, including Roger Federer and his RF brand along with Serena Williams.

Rafael Nadal recently underwent a redesign, moving away from the rebellious sleeveless t-shirt to a more mature polo shirt with tasteful arrangements of oranges and yellows.  Incidentally, 2010 has also been the best year of his career.  Nike also backs Maria Sharapova’s own ladies’ fashion clothing line.

Venus Williams also has her own fashion label “Eleven”, named, she says, because: “It’s one better than ten.”

Echoes From the Past
   
Roger Federer doesn’t come to Wimbledon just to win, but also to make a style statement.  In recent years he has donned slacks and a v-neck jumper not seen since the pre-war days of Fred Perry and Gottfried von Cramm.
   
When French tennis star Rene Lacoste quit the sport in 1930’s to start a line of tennis clothing, he didn’t envisage that it would clothe some of the biggest stars in the game almost a century later, such as Richard Gasquet, Andy Roddick and Samantha Stosur.

Other tennis legends to sport their own clothing brands include Bjorn Borg and Fred Perry.

While the specifics of the deal are being kept very hush-hush, we do know that every piece will be bespoke – but then that is expected for Lady Gaga, whose ensembles tend to be more art than clothing.

Of course, this is not the first time Armani has designed for Ms Gaga.  At the Grammy Awards earlier this year, the singer wore a lilac custom-made Armani Privé gown to walk the carpet, and changed into two more Armani pieces during the course of the evening: a beaded silver mini dress over a bejewelled leotard and lightening headpiece, and a glittering green leotard with oversized shoulder pads for a duet with Sir Elton John.

More recently, Lady Gaga adorned herself in Armani for the UK stint of her Monster Ball tour.  For September’s MTV Video Music Awards show she wore a capacious black leather ball gown and matching spiked headpiece.

When asked about the joint-venture, Roberta Armani, Giorgio’s niece said, “It wouldn’t be possible to give Gaga a look from the collection because she wears pieces of art. It’s theatrical.”

It most certainly is – and we cannot wait to see what happens next.

Westwood has really set herself apart from other designers.  In fact she has achieved greatness without any formal training at all.  In the 1980s, she was hailed as one of the world’s most important designers and has been ever since.  Since 2004, a travelling retrospective of her career has been touring the world; it will last through 2011.

Behind the madness of her designs, there is a massive amount of creative energy.  Intrinsic to all of her designs are plenty of fabrics, techniques, and historical references.  What results is something truly intriguing, inspirational, unconventional, and alluring.  Westwood makes use of subversive shapes and she is always just a little bit ahead of her time.

Whether it’s hot off the catwalk or part of the ready-to-wear line, Vivienne Westwood lets women set themselves apart.  She now offers a men’s line known as MAN and her vintage designs are intensely sought.  With stores all over the world, Vivienne Westwood has definitely become part of the establishment she once fought so hard to resist.

Vivienne Westwood

Picture courtesy of hectorthebat

Conran is known for creating classic designs that are essentially English. He was the chosen designer in 1994 for Lady Sarah Chatto’s wedding dress. He later launched an haute couture bridal collection. His designs have also been worn by several other celebrities.

He was one of the first of the top designers to make his designs available on the high street. In collaboration with the Debenhams department store, the ‘J’ women’s wear range was launched in 1996. The collection now includes menswear, accessories, lingerie and home furnishings.

The designer’s website displays images and videos of the latest fashion collections, which he says are inspired by ‘shape, structure and texture’. The latest catwalk show for London Fashion Week can also be viewed online.

The designer has also worked on designs for Waterford Crystal and Wedgwood China. He is among a growing number of fashion designers who are branching out into other areas. He has also been the designer of costumes for several stage shows including ballets and operas.

Jasper Conran has been awarded the OBE for his contribution to the fashion industry, and his designs have won many awards over the years.

Unsurprisingly Ronson’s designs match his style perfectly (you can see where he took his inspiration from – his wardrobe) with shoes/trainers in muted colours of grey or in polka dot. The limited edition range of trainers will be sold exclusively in a new pop-up store, Gucci Icon-Temporary that is now open in London.