Hussein Chalayan 'Fashion Stories'

The Arts Décoratifs has given ‘carte blanche’ to one of the most innovative and creative fashion designers of our time: Hussein Chalayan. Born in Nicosia in 1970, he moved to London as a child traveling back and forth between Cyprus and England until he went to university. He earned his degree from Central Saint Martins College in 1993. Following his own unique approach to design for seventeen years, he stands on the frontier of fashion, architecture and design. His work is characterized by an intellectual rigor and a quest for technical perfection that often defies fashion stereotypes. Chalayan stood out from the start of his career through his highly inventive exploration of various mediums, including sculpture, furniture, video and special effects, which he uses in his fashion shows, drawing inspiration directly from the political, social and economic realities of his era. Hussein Chalayan 'Fashion Stories' showcases this rich, complex world, in which clothing, installations, fashion shows, projections and research are shown by side to illustrate Chalayan’s distinctive process. www.lesartsdecoratifs.fr

The Urbaneering Shirt by Serum Versus Venom

"Serum Venom set out to investigate how to push the limits of a modern workshirt, without compromising its classic appeal. We focused on combining the attention to detail and strength of military specification garments with the day to day functionality requirements of an urban existence. Our conclusion is a system of design we refer to as Street/Spec, which combines extreme tactical functionality with everyday comfort.  The Urbaneering Shirt has multiple function pockets, reinforced cuffs, lower placket tab closures, heavy duty under arm vents, rear hidden hang strap, reinforced front placket strap loops, authentic vintage metal workwear button, side tension stash pocket and reinforced universal internal seams." www.thekdu.net

Vivienne Westwood Shoes at the Sursock Palace in Beirut

Vivienne Westwood's collections of shoes since the seventies have been on whats shaping out the be a world wide tour after the success of a show in London last year. You could also contribute the success to the rash of designer retrospectives. Right now the exhibition is on view at the Sursock Palace in Beirut. Vivienne Westwood Shoes, An Exhibition 1973 – 2011, which has opened in Beirut, will be followed by a stop in the north of England then on to Hong Kong, China and Japan. www.viviennewestwood.co.uk

We Are Handsome, The Memoirs

"This season, We Are Handsome takes you to the far reaches of your imagination, your minds eye, your memory. The Memoirs collection inspires thoughts of vacations past, memorable experiences and those moments in life when time seemed to stand still, just for an instant." Jeremy Somers from We Are Handsome, on the new collection for the Australian swimwear line, entitled The Memoirs. www.wearehandsome.com

[Craft, Utility and Luxury] Serum Versus Venom

Serum Versus Venom (SVSV), which was created in 2003, as a "interconnectedness of craft, utility and luxury" is re-launching after several years in hiatus. SVSV is built on a philosophy called Futurecraft - an "ideological framework for creating high and sustainable value in an over-saturated consumer landscape by colliding elements of hype modernity with traditional product development philosophies, techniques and values." www.serumvenom.com