LIFE & STYLE

While male consumers often favor comfort and ease in clothing over the latest styles, the looks on the runways this week are likely to trickle down into mass retail clothing lines as these designers gain influence, they said.

New York Fashion Week, a twice-yearly event that draws thousands of fashion insiders and fans, has a reputation for glamour, exclusivity and luxury yet is increasingly attracting sponsors such as Maybelline that sell modestly priced goods.

Nicknamed the hooligan of British fashion for his close-cropped hair, trademark Doc Marten boots and shocking catwalk collections, McQueen rose from teenage trainee tailor to runway darling before the age of 30. He had been expected to unveil his new collection at Paris Fashion Week in March.

As big names like Christian Dior and Giorgio Armani flew in celebrities for an hour of opulence, newcomers revealed a somewhat less glamorous side of fashion -- such as personally sewing together gowns to save money.

Nearly 50 ready-to-wear and couture designers from 40 countries displayed sleek garments in the Thursday night show that ushered in the International Year of Biodiversity in the middle of the autumn/winter catwalk season under way in Milan, Paris, London and New York.

Italy's fashion industry called for government help last year as the global financial crisis sapped demand for its clothes, shoes and handbags.

St.John this week launched a new spring 2010 print advertising campaign starring British model Karen Elson, 30, a redhead who is married to White Stripes singer Jack White.

Susana Balbo is to Argentine wine what Martha Stewart is to homemaking and Oprah Winfrey is to media in the United States.

Britain's Good Food Guide has chosen 10 chefs it believes may make the headlines in the coming decade as Gordon Ramsay and Heston Blumenthal have done over the past 10 years.

The Miele Guide to Asia's finest restaurants is written by food experts who know and love the region (www.mieleguide.com).

Lonely this Christmas? Spare a thought for Beijing's billionaires.

Swiss watchmaker Tag Heuer said on Friday it would not use Tiger Woods, who has admitted to marital infidelity, in its advertising in certain markets to respect the golfer's desire for privacy.

Mounir Moufarrige, president and chief executive of French fashion house Emanuel Ungaro, has resigned just over two months after a widely panned collection by American actress Lindsay Lohan.

Fashion designer Tom Ford is best known for reinventing the house of Gucci in the 1990s and more recently, launching his own Tom Ford label.

After lending her image to fashion designers for more than two decades, supermodel Claudia Schiffer says she is now ready to create her own fashion business, which could include cashmere wares and handbags.

An evening gown slit discreetly from the neck to the navel worn by Turkey's former first lady Mevhibe Inonu is on show in an Istanbul exhibition, tracing how her style helped define the image of the young Turkish Republic.

By leaving a small white board with the words I Am scribed on its surface KiptonART catches on camera answers from a diverse group of the city's partygoers, artists and patrons.

A Sydney-based New York artist will show for the first time a series of paintings about guns in a sensual feminine way.

Christie's is confident the recession is well and truly over in the world of fine art, with a record old masters sale in London next week that includes important works by Rembrandt, Raphael and Il Domenichino.

Love living it up on holiday as much as the environment? Now you don't have to sacrifice your green credentials, with an advisory group naming the world's top environmentally friendly luxury hotels.

Tennis former world No. 1 Maria Sharapova is interested in trying her hand at designing clothing.

Wine from the cellars of a woman once dubbed the richest little girl in the world will be up for auction next month at Christie's in New York.

Major department stores in the U.S. such as Macy's, JCPenney and Sears kicked off Black Friday deals on Friday including big discounts on fine jewelry.

Hollywood wild child Lindsay Lohan is staying on as artistic adviser at fashion house Emanuel Ungaro despite her debut collection being panned by critics, President and Chief Executive Mounir Moufarrige said on Tuesday.

Even before the U.S. economy headed south over a year ago, many U.S. women eschewed clothing purchases for themselves, given tight budgets, a clampdown on credit limits and merchandise that offered little dazzle.

An auction of personal art and furniture once belonging to late French fashion designer Yves Saint-Laurent and French businessman Pierre Berge raised $14.45 million, three times the amount expected.

Victoria's Secret Fashion Show came back to New York City's Lexington Armory on Thursday night unveiling a new collection of lingerie and elaborate accessories.

The world's largest cruise ship Oasis of the Seas has arrived in Florida, in the south eastern United States, to prepare for its first cruise ever scheduled for early December.

Jade Mountain, northeast Asia's highest peak and Taiwan's sole finalist for a New 7 Wonders of the World award, remains an alluring mystery due to its remoteness and tough permitting rules.