Puma meets Central Saint Martins

Puma has been collaborating with everyone from Jil Sander and Neil Barrett to Philippe Starck and most recently Alexander McQueen to create unique collections. This time Puma is teaming with the world's most famous fashion design school. Puma approached Central Saint Martins with a re-design project with a view to supporting young talent and becoming the proud sponsor of the graduate fashion show. The students were given the opportunity to re- design footwear from PUMA’s Super Hot List , which include iconic Puma styles like the GV and the London Trail Boot . 1st prize went to Georgy Baratashvili for the redesign of the Puma London Trail boot. Puma liked the dance shoe inspiration and the fact that it was designed as a unisex shoe. "The concept of having a shoe within another shoe is really clever too. Georgy had really considered the PUMA formstripe branding, which doubles as a functional part of the shoe."

Sienna Miller in Style for Spring

The effortlessly stylish Sienna Miller revealed her look of choice for spring the other night when she was at Pepe's Portobello Road store for a showcase of photographs starring hot young things (such as herself) for the face of Pepe Jeans, shot against the snowy January backdrop of Utah at this year's Sundance Film Festival. "A little vintage-style dress," she said, "but with flat sandals - definitely not high heels!" Excited about new fashion label Twenty8Twelve, the collaboration between herself and sister Savannah (she's done stuff with Shanghai Tang in the past) set to launch this autumn, she was also keen to talk about the stunning diamond-encrusted heart necklace she was wearing: "It's for the charity Starlight and we want everyone to buy one."

Madonna's confessions on a sales floor

When promoting her new line at H&M recently, Madonna told the IHT that she has a new project in mind, and it's all about her. "I'm thinking about doing a 25-year retrospective (of all my clothes) . It would be multimedia, with video and photographs of me by Mario Testino, Herb Ritts, Steven Klein and Steven Meisel."

Naomi's community service deal revealed

Naomi Campbell has received more attention for the designer get-ups she's been wearing for community service, than she originally did during her court case. Now it seems her daily outfits were all part of a cunning plan. "The model was paid £25,000 a day by a magazine to wear designer clothes," says a source.

Katie Holmes and Victoria Beckham to design childrenswear

Both Katie Holmes & Victoria Beckham are no strangers to the fashion scenes of Paris and Milan. So, what's better than to venture into the world of fashion?Holmes and Posh have decided to combine their skills and love of fashion to design a new children's clothing line. Although fashion design isn't a new domain for the former Spice Girl, this will be a new experience. She has never stepped into the realm of kids clothing. As for Katie, this will be her first experience with fashion design.
According to Britain's Daily Express newspaper: "They are both really excited about this new project. Katie recently sketched out some designs for a party dress for Suri's first birthday and Victoria saw there was the potential there for the two of them to come up with some great designs."

Christina Ricci for Samsonite

Samsonite has tapped Christina Ricci as the face of its new Fashionaire line under the Samsonite Black Label brand. The collection was designed in collaboration with Cameron Silver, owner of Los Angeles-based vintage retailer Decades, who acts as a consultant, and Samsonite creative director Quentin Mackay. Fashionaire is an update of a travel and luggage line that Samsonite released in 1968.

Leonardo DiCaprio's engagement to model Bar Rafaeli

Hearts around the world will be breaking. Leonardo DiCaprio has announced his engagement to Israeli model Bar Rafaeli. The couple were spotted together on a trip to Jerusalem last week, where the actor is said to have proposed.

Allegra Versace battles anorexia

Donatella Versace has released a statement about reports that her daughter Allegra has been admitted to hospital with anorexia. Commenting with Allegra's father, Paul Beck, she said, "Our daughter has been battling anorexia, a very serious disease, for many years. She is receiving the best medical care possible to help overcome this illness and is responding well. We wish to state, furthermore, that remarks in certain publications in relation to Allegra's state of health do not in any way correspond to the truth. As parents, we are doing our best to protect our daughter. However, due to numerous media reports, we want to let everyone know that we appreciate their concern for Allegra and we ask that her privacy be respected at this time." Donatella also expressed her plans to take legal action against certain publications: "No other declaration has ever been made or released to any part of the press. The Versace-Beck family is initiating legal action against all those newspapers that have published false and tendentious stories and strong legal action will be taken against any further false statements or invasions into Allegra's privacy. We ask that moral consideration be shown to Allegra and that she be left in peace so her recovery is not disturbed."
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Kris Van Assche takes over Hedi Slimane's job at Dior Homme

Kris Van Assche has been officially named artistic director of Dior Homme, the company announced this afternoon.

"I am pleased to announce the appointment of Kris Van Assche who will continue the development of Dior Homme with the high-quality team that we already have in place," said Sidney Toledano, president and chief executive officer of Christian Dior Couture, in a statement. No further information was provided, but the Belgian-born designer is perhaps likely to present his first Dior Homme collection as early as this summer during Paris men's fashion week.
Today's news strengthens Toledano's mission to carve Dior a different identity from the one Hedi Slimane generated from his first show in January 2001.

Van Assche, who worked for seven years at Dior Homme under Slimane, will be charged with creating the brand's ready-to-wear and accessories collections. He will continue to design his eponymous line, which was launched in January 2005. The 30-year-old is a graduate from the Antwerp Royal Academy of Fine Arts and has also worked with Slimane at Yves Saint Laurent.
"Christian Dior is the absolute image of couture," Van Assche said in a statement. "I am very pleased to be joining this house where the legacy and savoir-faire of the ateliers are unique. These are strengths that will be the bases of my work."

Speculation had grown rampant in the past 10 months that reportedly drawn-out contractual negotiations might lead to a split between designer and house.