FASHION

Boundary-pushing Paris Vogue editor Carine Roitfeld stood aside for fashion maverick and former Gucci wunderkind Tom Ford to have his wicked way with her December/January issue, making it possibly the most hotly anticipated glossy in the recent history of hotly anticipated glossies. Ford's own photographs, prose and cliche-crushing concepts include the elevation to high fashion of mature womanly glamour, shameless pantslessness and heavily bandaged, post-cosmetic surgical "chic". The issue also features a spread heralding Ford's return to women's fashion design, making it covetable for this alone. The issue came out in Paris on Wednesday, but air-freighted copies will take the usual, infuriatingly glacial month to "wing" their way here, according to Mag Nation. Copies arriving at the end of this month should cost $26.95 and for the exceptionally patient and frugal, sea-freighted copies expected at the end of January will cost $14.95. www.magnation.com.au, 1800 118 138.

Short shots

Sportsgirl's latest collaborative capsule collection with former "Vogue-ettes" Anna Hewett and Lilly Boyd of Anna & Boy, is clocking robust sales for its retro-style bathing suit with midriff cutout detail (pictured). This is Sportsgirl's first hook-up with swimwear designers and also the sophisticated, uber-cool cult brand Anna & Boy's first foray into a market heavy with teens and early 20s. "We've given them a little taste of what they'll love even more as they get older," Hewitt says. Prices range from $90 for swimwear, to $140 to $160 for a deeply ruffled sun frock, playsuit, maxi dress and gypsy-sleeve micro caftan. Www.sportsgirl.com.au

Franklin Melendez of www.hintmag.com writes that rumours are swirling designing sisters Kate and Laura Mulleavy of front-line fashion brand Rodarte will win an Oscar for their costumes, including edgy, erotic tutus, in Black Swan, a dark, balletic tribute to madness starring Natalie Portman.

Must sell

Kit Willow Podgornik, who skipped her regular slot at New York Fashion week recently to prepare for the birth of son, Rocco, is offering extraordinary mark downs in her off-site sale, which began yesterday and ends tomorrow. Pictured, Melbourne-born super model Abbey-Lee Kershaw wears Willow's "treasure trove" jacket, cut from $2900 to $750 and irridescent pearl skirt, down from $995 to $295. Up to 75 per cent was shaved from stock and sample prices from past and recent collections including lingerie, shoes and accessories. William Mora Gallery, 60 Tanner Street, Richmond, 8am-7pm today, 9am-4 pm tomorrow. willowltd.com

Lee Matthews's frock sale of samples, seconds and past season stock is on today and tomorrow, 9am-5pm at 823 Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn. Prices start at $20.

Chambermaid, the boutique whose cherry-picked mix of front-line women's and men's brands (including GQ's Designer of the year, Vanishing Elephant by Felix Chan, Huw Bennett and Arran Russell) helped Armadale's High Street strip get seriously hip, will soon shut forever. Its "Aren't you going to kiss me goodbye?" sale runs until stumps on Christmas Eve, December 24, at 1052 High Street, Armadale, 9576 0529.

Cruising

Though the world's awash with sale banners, a certain prestigious circle of brands is also shepherding their spanking new cruise (transeasonal) collections into stores. This week Chanel showed chic casuals from its cruise 2010-11 collection at a swank gathering on the roof of St Kilda Sea Baths (www.chanel.com.au) and Dior pampered its It crowd at private viewings of a cruise range in Crown Towers. Closer to the silent frocky majority's budget, there are also Shakuhachi's drapey, nicely weighted, cruisey dresses (pictured) launching for $90 to $340 at Down Yonder, Elwood 101, Green With Envy, Shelly's Shop, Toyah and other stockists. www.shakuhachi.net.au.

Janice Breen Burns, www.

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