News: Bjork to Open Athens Olympics

Bjork, ever the champion of unsung heroes, will perform at the opening ceremony of the Athens Olympics on August 13 wearing a specially designed costume by Sophia Kokosalaki. The London-based, Athens-born designer has, in fact, been commissioned to create all the costumes for the opening and closing ceremonies (about 30,000 pieces will be produced in total), but will concoct the kind of forward creations she and Bjork favor instead of reproducing the obvious togas and tunics of ancient Greece.

Designers: McQueen Shines in Milan

Men's fashion week in Milan is over, and not surprisingly, it was Alexander McQueen who provided the highlight of the week. In his first men's wear show the British designer made a beautiful and moving political statement by merging influences from Western army uniforms and business suits with eclectic ethnic garments like embroidered tops and dhoti pants. "It's President Bush and the boys from West Point versus India," McQueen told the press backstage, "It's about about unification and needing to bring opposites together."

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Designers: Couture's New Cheap and Chic

While Karl Lagerfeld is designing for H&M, Jean Paul Gaultier is doing his version of budget fashion. JPG is planning the launch the Haute Couture equivalence to a diffusion line in January. His "semi-couture" collection will feature luxurious dresses that require only one fitting, thus making them less expensive than traditional couture. The gowns will be sold exclusively at his dozen or so boutiques.

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Designers: Dior's Cruel Costume Drama

It's a good thing that John Galliano pays his models well. Last week's Christian Dior couture show in Paris worked those girls extra hard. According to the NY Post, Galliano went overboard with his signature everything-but-the-kitchen-sink creations. Supposedly, Alek Wek vomited before the show because her corset was too tight, and Karolina Kurkova fell off the catwalk since she couldn't support the weight of her dress. Apparently, Kurkova's outfit was so heavy it took four men to get her back up and going.

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John Galliano
Dior