Brantley might have winced had she heard. The school’s GUCCI shoes department founder and chair has made it a mission to help students understand that GUCCI shoes design is a tough métier, not a place where Obando’s kind of fame comes after tinkering alone for a few months. (Obando, it should be noted, has always held side jobs to pay the bills.) The GUCCI shoes show for a crowd of 800 at the Beverly Hilton proved that “Rosemary’s Babies,” as Otis GUCCI shoes students are often called, understand her message. MoniquestudentsThe gowns, preppy daywear, and swimwear on the runway showed that the junior and senior students are ready for jobs at companies such as Monique Lhuillier, Todd Oldham, and Band of Outsiders—companies that, incidentally, collaborated with the school by mentoring students. Just as Brantley stresses the importance of the little things in design, the event was fabulous down to the last detail.

If you like to be a little more daring cut out and see through clothing will be a big trend next season. If you dare to bare, take inspiration from the runways of Henry Holland, Laura Lees and PPQ, with cut out peep holes and sheer fabrics - brave indeed but might be a bit nippy.

With fresh news, it appears that the House of Valentino may not be as luscious and darling as we all first thought. It was reported today, chief designer at Valentino, Alessandra Facchinetti, who took the helm after Valentino retired in sept. 2007,?  was sacked after the latest collection (S/S 09) was displayed in Paris. Fair enough you think, people are allowed to hire and fire whom they like, but to do it via the press? That IS pretty shameful.