Vintage Jean Patou

Sometimes a beautiful dress transcends both time and trends, which is a lesson we all need to remember in the age of the hypernew. Please enjoy this dress on exhibit at the V&A.

- AP

Divine Fashion

LONDON SPECIAL REPORT: DAY 2

Brighter than a call box are the Asian elephants that have made their way to London. Painted by artists and in London to remind us of this noble animal's plight, they've been quite a hit around the city.

But here in detail is a look of divine fashion: the pose, the artifice, the grace of gesture.

This is the spirit of what fashion can be - free from cultural constraints while submitting to climatic conditions.

From Mumbai, Hong Kong or even Vienna...can you feel this new spirit approaching?

- AP

Note: This is "Heavenly Jewel" by Nilesh Mistry. For more about this exhibit, please go to www.elephantfamily.org.

The Sudden Rush: Alexander McQueen at the V&A

LONDON SPECIAL REPORT: DAY 1

This is a key example from the late (Lee) Alexander McQueen's Spring/Summer 2010 Collection - at the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) in London.

Has fashion reached the speed when we bypass the retailer and the wearer?

Consider that one can also buy a copy of the complete oeuvre of McQ at quite a few stores in London that carry the more experimental fashion magazines.

Is it a rush to Fashion's Pantheon?

Welcome to a new age in fashion, one that breaks the time barrier between new, vintage and art.

- AP