Women on the march was the story of the weekend. And so it was with perfect timing that 23 years after he diversified into designing for women, Sir Paul Smith included clothes for women on his Paris catwalk during menswear fashion week for the first time. The designer has scrapped his slot showing womenswear during London fashion week in favour of a blockbuster Paris show in which clothes for both genders are shown together.

There is an industry-wide trend toward unisex catwalks, but the move felt organic for Paul Smith, whose womenswear has its roots in men’s tailoring. First on the catwalk was a woman in a trousersuit in the black-and-green check of Black Watch tartan, alongside a man wearing a tailored coat in the same fabric over beige trousers.

Backstage, the designer said putting the show together has reminded him why he started designing for women in the first place. “Grace Coddington and Liz Tilberis, all these incredible women, were dressing supermodels like Linda Evangelista in my clothes for men,” he recalled.

But one of the secrets of Paul Smith’s cheery, straight-talking brand is that it is more sophisticated than it lets on. The womenswear on the catwalk was not simply borrowed-from-the-boys, but fine-tuned for the female body. The attitude and fabrics are taken from menswear, but the tailoring – a higher and more defined waist, a longer jacket, a strong shoulder – is calibrated to flatter the female form.

A dandy aesthetic running through the men’s velvet suits and fitted waistcoats was adapted for women with colourful Fair Isle-knit sweater dresses, and silk blouses with a painterly feather print.

The show was staged under the glass roof of the grand École Des Beaux-Arts, just a few streets from where Sir Paul Smith staged his very first fashion show in a friend’s apartment on the rue de Vaugirard, that time to an audience of 35 people, with friends as models and a soundtrack he had compiled on a cassette.

But it was very British, not just stylistically but in the emphasis on British-made fabrics – in many cases modern, lightweight versions of fabrics Smith first used in the 1970s. The brightly coloured feathers, which appeared on men’s suit linings as well as silk womenswear, were inspired by an illustrated 18th-century book of British birds.

In the face of the unstoppable rise of a sports aesthetic in menswear, Smith remains a staunch defender of the suit. “People think that suits are stuffy, or that you can’t move in them,” he said backstage. “But it’s not true.” Soft, narrow suits were styled for life outside the office, worn with trainers and with poloneck knits.

The Paul Smith show was followed by Kenzo, also showing men’s and women’s collections together for the first time. In London, Burberry and Vivienne Westwood have both recently merged their collections for men and women. The trend for unisex catwalks, which is driven both by the rise of a genderless, sports-influenced aesthetic and a social media appetite for catwalks that are newsworthy moments, appears unstoppable.Read more at:http://www.marieaustralia.com/bridesmaid-dresses | www.marieaustralia.com/red-carpet-celebrity-dresses

ALMOST 500 aspiring fashion designers competed to represent Malaysia in the grand finale of this year’s AirAsia Runway Designer Search 2016.

The online submissions were narrowed down to 25 contestants, where a panel of judges chose their top 10 from that pool.

These top 10 contestants aged between 18 and 28 years old were judged based on their creativity, originality, theme and presentation.

From there, the top three lucky ones will represent Malaysia in the grand finale, which will also see contestants from five other Asian countries including Singapore, Indonesia and the Philippines.

“We have so many potential designers this year and it is very exciting to see their designs come to life on the runway,” said Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week Ready to Wear (KLFW RTW) founder Andrew Tan.

He said there was no one winner when it came to fashion as everyone had their own kind of creativity, which is why he is happy to send three finalists from Malaysia to compete in the grand finale.

“We are proud to have three designers representing our country.

“This year’s theme of Asean inspiration is where they can draw their inspiration from any Asean country, not just Malaysia,” he said.

He advised aspiring designers to not miss this opportunity to shine at one of the country’s biggest fashion events.

This can also be their platform to make their dreams come true as their designs will be showcased at the Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week and sold on Fashion Valet.

Joining Tan on the judging panel was AirAsia Berhad chief executive officer Aireen Omar who sees this as an event to capture Malaysia’s best talent in the fashion industry.

“We decided to make this contest a regional one to not only create more excitement but elevate the contest to a higher level,” she said.

Last year, the runway designer search was limited to Malaysian contestants.

She said making the contest regional was in line with AirAsia, which was all about networks and connectivity.

“It is also in sync with our Asean theme, where contestants draw inspiration from their travels to other countries,” she said.

In August, the top three contestants from each country will compete at the grand finale in Kuala Lumpur.

The winner will walk away with the title “Air Asia’s Most Promising Young Designer 2016” and prizes worth at least RM350,000 including a confirmed show segment to showcase the full collection on (KLFW RTW).

In addition, the winner will be mentored by the KLFW RTW team, RM25,000 to produce a capsule collection on Fashion Valet and RM150,000 AirAsia BIG Points to fly.Read more at:http://www.marieaustralia.com/formal-dresses-adelaide | www.marieaustralia.com/formal-dresses-perth

"I wouldn't know what to do; I think I would just rot in a corner," replied Zandra Rhodes when asked if she plans to retire anytime soon. The 76-year old British designer who was down in KL (it's her fourth time here now) for the recent KL Alta Moda held at Starhill Gallery where she showed a collection of beautiful songket pieces alongside her signature chiffon print dresses, shows no signs of slowing down even after an extensive six decade-long career that has seen her dressing both rockstars and royalty.

Dressed in one of her designs – a stunning midnight blue, tiered kaftan dress covered all over in gold squiggles, huge pearls and her trademark fuchsia bob, red lips and blue eyeshadow-rimmed eyes, Rhodes maintained a spirited, bubbly cheer at Ritz Carlton where we finally sat down with her after stealing her away mid-tea with the crème de la crème of Malaysia's society.

What's the story behind the collection that we've just seen?

We did a collection initiated by Dodi Mohammad – one that really focused on songket. We chose lovely iridescent greens and pinks, and various groups of clothes. Then I designed and worked on the weaves to make suits and short dresses. It was really to give it another look. Three quarters of the collection are made up of Malaysian songket weaves.

What about the archive looks that you included? How do they relate to the new collection?

I had students who couldn't believe how people were copying the things that I've did in the past – like the pink dress for Princess Diana or the gold dress that Pat Cleveland wore dancing at Studio 54. They suggested that I produce the collection again in a new look, so we did that for Matches Fashion in UK.

Your AW16 collection is said to be inspired by Studio 54 back in its heyday. Would you be able to share with us an interesting story of your own at Studio 54?

I remember with shame going to Studio 54 when they reopened. I sat down in the corner and I was so tired, I fell asleep. I'm sure I was the only person who would fall asleep in Studio 54. I also remember lots of times it was like the parting of the Red Sea when you went in there with Bianca Jagger or Pat Cleveland.

Could you tell us about the Hieronymus Bosch-inspired prints you created for Pierpaolo Piccioli's first solo collection at Valentino?

That was one of the most amazing experiences in my life. He flew over with two of his assistants, opened the Hieronymus Bosch book and said he wanted the collection based on that. And I'm thinking, "Do we want naked people all over it?" It was a fantasy look that I was completely overwhelmed with. I came up with five or six initial ideas and he would look at the things I did and say, "I like your wiggle" or "I like this." Finally, he looked at one of my designs – a lipstick design I had done in 1963 – and said that he wanted daggers and hearts, so we turned that into daggers and hearts and it was wonderful.

Is there anyone else on your collaboration wishlist?

Oh gosh, that's difficult. I think I really just pick and choose. For example, we're currently working on the idea of me doing a print for Anna Sui who is going to have an exhibition in my museum in London. We're going to do the print here in Malaysia using Malaysian fabrics.

Your dresses have been worn by iconic stars from Princess Diana to Pat Cleveland. If you could design an outfit for a current It girl, who would it be for?

I would love to do something for Princess Kate. It would be fabulous to do something for her. She always looks good.

If you could describe Malaysia as a print, what would it look like?

Mad Malaysian houses! I love looking at these tall blocks with curved roofs. I've done a Manhattan print but I think I should do a KL print. You'd need to put the Twin Towers in. I think there's room for a lot of things.

What projects have you got lined-up for the future?

At the moment, I'm designing for the Turandot opera, which is about a mad Chinese princess and a pair of lovers that get beheaded. It's wonderfully mad. It's due to be out in San Diego in 2018.

You've been working since the 60s, any plans of settling into retirement soon?

I wouldn't know what to do; I think I would just rot in a corner.

What inspires you?

Wonderful people. I think it's one's friends. It's very important to do something and exchange ideas. I also love traveling when I get the chance. It's really a case of seeing how far my adventures can take me.

What do you think has been the key to your longevity in this industry?

I'd say longevity is the result of hard work and enjoying what you do. If you do something and it doesn't succeed, you pick yourself up and have another go. You never give up.

Describe yourself in 3 words.

Pink, short, makeup.

What would your hair be if not pink?

I think it will be several different colors. I see all these people with all these different colours, I think I might try that next.

What's your hobby?

Cooking and gardening.

If you weren't a fashion designer, what would you be doing?

I don't know, I don't have time to think about that.

What's the best advice anyone has ever given you?

Oh, good one! Be careful who you step on going up, cause you might have to lean on them going down.Read more at:www.marieaustralia.com/one-shoulder-formal-dresses | http://www.marieaustralia.com/red-formal-dresses

Neelam Gill showed off her figure in a very risqué gown with a split running from her shoulder down past her bottom.

How cheeky - Neelam Gill went all-out on Wednesday night as she flashed her *** in a rather risque dress.

The stunning model - who is rumoured to be dating former One Direction man Zayn Malik - stunned at a glitzy event in London this week.

Wearing a floor-length green gown, Neelam gave onlookers a bit of an eyeful with a split down the back of the outfit, revealing a hint of her bottom.

With layers and a front split showing off a lot of leg, the 20-year-old certainly made an impression during the party.

She stepped out at the London Evening Standard's Progress 1000 Most Influential People launch, and showed why she may have grabbed Zayn's attention .

The star - who has made her catwalk debut for Burberry - is reportedly planning on jetting to Los Angeles, where the singer is working on his debut solo album, so they can spend some time together .

According to Mail Online, Zayn and Neelam first met in London back in March, but nothing happened because he was still engaged to Little Mix star Perrie.

They bumped into each other again at the Asian Awards in London a month later, with Neelam later writing on Twitter: "Congratulations on your award tonight zaynmalik, catch up again soon!"

The pair reportedly stayed in touch as friends until Zayn and Perrie called it quits at the end of last month.

A source told the site: "Neelam doesn't know if she wants all of the drama that comes with dating someone in the public eye. She is going to LA to spend some time with Zayn and see how things go from there.

Last month, the model, who worked with Romeo Beckham in Burberry's Christmas advert last year , wrote on Twitter: "to live and die in LA, it's the place to be..."

read more:www.marieaustralia.com/red-carpet-celebrity-dresses

www.marieaustralia.com/formal-dresses-adelaide

Think summer dressing in Australia and Zimmermann has always been front-of-mind. No surprise then, that it was the first Australian label to be picked up by Net-A-Porter 10 years ago - a milestone that is being celebrated by Zimmermann’s fourth (yes, fourth) collaborative capsule collection with the company.

“We’re saying 10 years of good time,” says Nicky Zimmermann on the phone from the Zimmermann’s headquarters in Rosebery. “The actual concept can be in a matter of days, particularly if you have a really good feeling about it like this one.” For her sister Simone, she remembers speaking to Net-A-Porter about it in February - “they were extremely supportive, they’ve always understood the whole designer space,” she says. “You do these sort of things and it’s one day at a time.”

For her favourite piece, she zeroes in on a printed dress with a lace trim. “I just know that I would wear it to a beautiful dinner or a wedding somewhere overseas. It’s got a lovely, relaxed vibe and lots of detail.” Each and every element is exclusive to the collection, from the lace to the print. “Nothing is anything we’ve used before,” Nicky explains.

Evolving from a Paddington market stall 25 years ago to six US stores and more to come (next on the list: London) is no easy feat. “Zimmermann have always had an international perspective,” says Maria Williams, a Net-A-Porter buyer who has worked with the label since starting at the e-tailer in 2010. “They were one of the first Australian brands to go global. They set their sights on the US by setting up stores in New York and L.A. and they’re continuing to grow. They have managed to tap into what every woman wants to wear globally… What’s been integral to the brand since its inception has remained but their move to show at New York Fashion Week and developments in terms of their fabrications have certainly elevated its position on the global fashion stage.” The label will also be moving to a larger US office in New York. “There’s more infrastructure in terms of general staff joining that team,” divulges Simone - not that she’s forgetting Australia too, since she also mentions the Paddington store that will relaunch in July.

“The essence of what we do is always there,” says Nicky. “On the design end, myself and the design team are better for each collection. It’s not where I want to be if I want to be only as good as my first two collections, 25 years ago!”Read more at:http://www.marieaustralia.com | www.marieaustralia.com/vintage-formal-dresses