DOLCE & GABBANA DEPARTMENT

The Dolce&Gabbana brand was created in 1985 and is now one of the leading international groups in the clothing and luxury goods sector.
The Group creates, produces and distributes clothing, knitwear, leather goods, footwear and accessories for the top end of the market. Its two state-of-the-art factories handle the main phases in the production process, from planning and design up to direct distribution to the Group's own stores or the leading multi-brand shops and department stores.
The style of the Group's products, whether produced in-house or under licence, stems directly from the creativity of the two founders, Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana, who head and co-ordinate a group of approximately 40 creative designers. The Dolce&Gabbana Group brands are distributed in more than 80 countries worldwide.

Versace

Gianni Versace S.p.A. (pronounced [ˈdʒɑnːi verˈsatʃe]), usually referred to as Versace, is an Italian fashion label founded by Gianni Versace in 1978.

The first Versace boutique was opened in Milan's Via della Spiga in 1978, (though the Versace family are from Reggio Calabria) and its popularity was immediate. Today, Versace is one of the world's leading international fashion houses. Versace designs, markets and distributes luxury clothing, accessories, fragrances, makeup and home furnishings under the various brands of the Versace Group.

Gianni Versace was killed by Andrew Cunanan on July 15, 1997. His sister Donatella Versace, formerly vice-president, then stepped in as creative director of Versace and his older brother Santo Versace became CEO.

Versace's Style Department employs a group of designers and stylists who work in teams. Each team is specifically dedicated to each fashion line or label. These teams operate under the close supervision and guidance of Donatella Versace.

Versace lines

There are several lines which make up Versace Group (pronounced Versache). They are: Gianni Versace Couture), Versace Jeans Couture, Versace Home Collection, Versus and Versace Collection. In addition to clothing and accessories, it also operates a hotel, the Palazzo Versace.

Gianni Versace Couture, which contains high-end, often handmade apparel, jewellery, watches, fragrances, cosmetics and home furnishings, is the House's main line. Traditionally, this is the only line presented on the runway which is shown during Milan's fashion week, but this has not been strictly the case in recent years. Couture dresses in this line may cost about $10,000 and suits cost approximately $5,000. Donatella Versace directly heads this line and designs a vast amount of the items. Many of the accessories and home furnishings are licenced through Rosenthal and other

Versace Jeans Couture, a casual clothing line, focuses on informal clothing: high-end denim and classic Gianni Versace print shirts. It is readily available and comparably affordable. This line is distributed through 56 boutiques and flagship stores, and 1800 multi-brand points of sale, including Internet-based shops. Versace Sport comprises activewear and accessories. The name often printed on t-shirts.

Versace has taken the fashion industry by storm the last few years with Donatella's independent, strong woman inspired collection, but at the same time making it look sexy, fierce, and chic. Versace has a very wide band of A list celebrities and models supporting Versace as well as

Fashion education

Most fashion designers today have attended some kind of art school. There are a number of well known fashion design schools worldwide. Possibly the most famous is Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design in London. Alumni of St Martins include John Galliano, Stella McCartney, Alexander McQueen, Arkadius and Hussein Chalayan. Other notable London Fashion Schools include the London College of Fashion,The Royal College of Arts in London and the University of Westminster, whose alumni include Vivienne Westwood, Christopher Bailey, and Stuart Vevers.

Notable American fashion design schools include Parsons The New School for Design and Fashion Institute of Technology (F.I.T.) in New York City, Lasell College in Newton, Massachusetts, Drexel University and Moore College in Philadelphia, Woodbury University, The Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (F.I.D.M) and A.I.U. in Los Angeles alumns include Uriel Saenz and Ashley Paige, and more specialized in French Haute Couture techniques, Academy of Couture Art in West Hollywood. According to the annual survey from US News, Parsons has recently lost its position as the top school in the U.S. for graduate art programs; now the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (S.A.I.C) has shifted up in the list and taken its place. This is being attributed to Parsons' loss of Tim Gunn as a faculty member of their fashion program, who resigned to become the Creative Director for Liz Claiborne. SAIC: Founded as the Chicago Academy of Design in 1866 by a collective of studio artists, the institution went through many changes before the turn of the century, some necessitated by the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. The collecting arm of the School was founded in 1872, and The Art Institute of Chicago was born in 1882 to accommodate a distinct museum and school. The Art Institute moved to its current iconic location on Michigan Avenue after the World's Columbian Exposition in 1893, and it remains the largest museum-school partnership in the country. Notable fashion alumi include Halston, Gemma Kahng, and Cynthia Rowley.

A another example would be the very prestigious Pakistan School of Fashion Design (PSFD). PSFD is a graduate school for fashion design located in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. The school was founded in 1995 and is known as the preeminent fashion school in Pakistan. PSFD was the first institution to offer graduate training in fashion design in Pakistan. It is affiliated with Les Ecoles de la Chambre Syndicale Parisienne in Paris, France.

In 2006, the PSFD and the French Federation for Ready to Wear Women Garments (FFPAPF) decided to formalize cooperation and collaboration for the exchange of knowledge and skills and promotion of business between France and Pakistan's garment industries. The agreement envisages a programme for development of the PSFD into a modern international fashion marketing institute, which could support and prepare Pakistan’s garment industry for the international market. It also creates links between the Pakistan and French garment industries for exchange of information, awareness raising, delegations and seminars.

The most famous institute on the Indian subcontinent is National Institute of Fashion Technology (N.I.F.T.). NIFT has 8 centers across India and their New Delhi Center is regarded as the best fashion school on the Indian subcontinent. NIFT is planning to come up with at least 2 more centres in the North Indian city of Patna and in Kerala in South India. The School of Fashion Technology (SOFT) in Pune has a three year degree course in fashion apparel design. It has diploma courses as well. The Pearl Academy of Fashion has 5 centres in India and one in the UAE.

Most fashion design courses last for three years. As well as teaching students about the artistic and technical side of the subject, some courses include a year working in the fashion industry, to give students a taste of commercial fashion design. Others offer the chance to visit fashion houses abroad. At the end of their final year most students produce a collection which is then shown to buyers and prospective employers at the college show. To keep cost down, each collection consists of around three to eight outfits (the number varies from college to college). To put across a consistent and memorable look within this limited range of garments, students specialize in one particular area. Many colleges enter students for design competitions, sponsored by clothing or fabric companies.

Most of the time, people who want to become top designers will work with other designers and gain hands-on experience.

Victoria Beckham debuts as underwear model for Armani

Victoria Beckham

Image :1 of 2

Philippe Naughton

Not bad for a mother of three who insists that she looks "really awful" naked.

The first shots of Victoria Beckham advertising Armani underwear were released today and are soon to be plastered on billboards from London to Los Angeles, Paris to Tokyo.

They will also be prominently displayed in Milan, where Ms Beckham's footballer husband, David, is spending a few months on loan to AC Milan.

The new campaign, shot in the Beckhams' new home town of LA by fashion photographers Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott, features the Spice Girl-turned-fashion-designer perching on a unmade bed. In another shot for the Spring/Summer campaign, she reclines on the floor clad only in heels and underwear.

Related Links

• Mixed reaction to Beckham debut

As the pictures were released today, designer Giorgio Armani described Ms Beckham as: "a stylish and intriguing woman," adding: "Great underwear is alluring and provocative, and so I wanted to work with someone who would make a real impression."

Victoria, 34, is being paid a reported £12 million to follow in David's footsteps as an Armani underwear model, which should help pay the bills in the Italian fashion capital.

Victoria is no stranger to designer campaigns. In March last year she appeared in Marc Jacobs advertisements. The shoot saw her adopting a number of unconventional poses, including one in which only her legs were visible, splayed out of a Marc Jacobs bag.

Victoria, who has carved out a successful career since her pop fame as a designer and muse, launched her own line of clothing at New York fashion week last year to critical aclaim, but clearly feels there is no conflict of interest with her latest venture.

Armani praised the former Spice Girl as "a style icon" who enjoyed international recognition. "I'm sure Victoria's presence will generate great excitement."

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FASHION DILEMMA

Who wore the best dress at the Golden Globes?

There has been serious fashion news this week (Primark's alleged sweatshop in Manchester, for instance) but frankly, the subject on everyone's lips has been the red carpet attire at this year's Golden Globes. It was a rather understated affair, and FS wondered whether the recession had come home to roost in Hollywood. We hankered for ostentatious displays of wealth and cleavage, but the only one to deliver was Jennifer 'check out my post-baby body' Lopez. Even she seemed to have embraced credit crunch chic by re-using her Versace dress from a few years ago and spraying it gold.

There were some outfits that caught our eye, though - and not all for good reasons. Let's go with the worst first. Cameron Diaz won the designer-but-dowdy award. Her bright pink Chanel dress clung to her chest, flopped off her waist, and clashed with her tan. Renée Zellwegger's Caroline Herrera gown looked like the designer had run out of black mesh and decided to make the best of it, by missing out the shoulders and hoping no one would notice. Many people raved about Anne Hathaway's Armani dress, but we thought she looked like a goose dressed in midnight blue sequins.

On to the hits! Eva Mendes, former FS Fashionista of the Week, won our vote. This is a woman who really knows how to do simple and elegant. She didn't fail us on Sunday, wearing a white Dior number with interesting detail at the waist (a sort of bow/ruff). Then there was Drew Barrymore. The critics were divided: some loved the dress, most hated the hair, but do you know what? We liked both. Her bouffant hairdo positively reeked of old-school glamour. Next up, our very own Kate Winslet, who went all dark and interesting in a simple strapless Yves Saint Laurent gown with a thin velvet belt and bow. Shame she blew her cool with that acceptance speech.

BANG ON TREND

Big shoulders

The Balmain shoulder. Photograph: Rex Features

Balmain's big shoulders were a big hit at Paris fashion week last September. The military jackets were one of the most talked about items, with many fashion journos predicting the rise of eighties power dressing. Rejoice! This has proved not to be. Instead, the high street has grudgingly moved towards interesting shoulders. We're not exactly talking Hunchback of Notre Dame here, as you'll see.

The most similar look to Balmain comes from Diesel. Their white leather jacket is a costly £770 but is wonderfully 'gender misleading' (at least in the photo) and has a fab outline. Topshop has a pretty fitted floral jacket with ruched shoulders that comes in at a much more reasonable £65. Epaulettes add shape to the outline of a fitted military jacket from Urban Outfitters, which costs just £20 in their sale.

We've also found an £88 black dress by Malene Berger with seriously exaggerated shoulders and a Vivienne Westwood jacket with big lapels for £141.50, both from my-wardrobe.com.

If you fancy having a go yourself, we suggest buying the sporty version of these shoulder pads, as the others are a little too Dynasty for our taste. From £7.50 at woods-online.co.uk

FASHIONISTA OF THE WEEK

A youthful Debbie Harry. Photograph: Dimitrios Kambouris/WireImage.com

It's rare that we find ourselves agreeing with the Daily Mail but, dear readers, it does occasionally happen. This week they pointed out that Debbie Harry, the seventies punk/pop starlet, seems to have boarded a time machine and is looking utterly fantastic.

At a tribute to the late fashion designer (and her former stylist) Stephen Sprouse, she was wrinkle-free, sported luscious blonde locks and, unless our eyes are deceiving us, was bra-less. You go girl!

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

I've only done it with a couple of people. People make up stories, but mostly I just kiss. I think it's important to play hard to get. Nobody wants the fake Prada bag; they want the brand new bag that no one can get and is the most expensive. If you give it up to a guy he won't respect you; he'll want you much more if he can't have you.

Glamour interviews Paris Hilton, the only woman in the world who equates virginity to a Prada bag

FASHION GRAVEYARD

Fringing

We know we're bucking a trend here, but we can't stay silent any longer: as Sienna demonstrates so well, fringing is bloody awful. The only people who should be wearing it are Native Americans - no amount of dangly bits will ever transport the rest of us to run free with the buffalos on the plains. Sorry about that.

SHOPPING NEWS

Get the look: Coco Chanel. Photograph: Getty Images

We've gone vintage crazy at Fashion Statement Towers this week. This is partly because we've heard that there are lots of vintage fashion events coming up, and partly because we're feeling a little post-Christmas poverty coming on. We'll be blitzing the last of our cash at the Affordable Vintage Fashion Fair which is coming to Leeds on 26 January and Sheffield on 31 January. If you're down south and fancy a rummage through dusty suitcases, then there's a Vintage Fashion Fair at Hammersmith Town Hall, London on 15 February, and on the same day the Frock Me Vintage Fashion Fair takes place at Chelsea Town Hall.

If you're the kind of person who prefers a more hands-on approach, we advise digging that top you haven't worn since 2001 out of the back of the wardrobe and customising it. There are some really great sites around at the moment selling gorgeous vintage buttons and trims that will tickle your fancy. Bedecked.co.uk has some fab buttons (the Delft patterned one is beautiful), and we love myvintagecharms.com for its Alice in Wonderland pendants.

OFFCUTS

Check out classic looks for spring in our 'Great British designers do florals' picture gallery.

Has the end finally come for men's ridiculous haircuts? We're praying so. Take a look at our collection of the worst offenders.

Win a designer wardrobe with our competition in conjunction with Cocosa.com

Plus all the latest news and features from the world of fashion

Any news to tell us? Email: rachel.holmes@guardian.co.uk

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