The runways of Milan heated up yesterday as more of the top names in fashion showed why they are the masters of their craft.

DSquared

Canada’s own DSquared began the day with a racy fashion show. This fashion duo are known for their exciting shows, so it should be no surprise the show started with a model being lowered to the runway in a cage where she was met by male models wearing only gold briefs. DSquared’s Fall/Winter 2010 collection continued in that fashion. Fur lined coats were worn with nothing but red lingerie. Models wore little black dresses with thigh-high red boots and red latex gloves. The line was all black and red with accessories made out of bone. They finished off the show with a red and black feathered strapless dress.

The movie The Matrix inspired the DSquared line. WWD said when you stripped away the thematic runway show there were some nice pieces including a leather and wool trench, tailored jackets and 40’s style dresses.

Emporio Armani

Emporio Armani, the more youthful of the Armani lines, showed a well-tailored feminine line at Milan Fashion Week. Emporio Armani continued the fur trend with coats of all cuts. Draped and airy skirts were a popular look on the runway. On the flip side, there were also tailored suits and sharp leather jackets. The big sunglasses and earrings gave the line a retro feel. The hemlines were shorter than what we saw on the runways of New York. The colours were similar with black, grey and off-white.

Flare Canada’s editor Lisa Tant said on Twitter: Emporio Armani was what the maestro does best - soft suitings, petal details, flawless accessories and a palette of pale grey.

Versace

Versace started their show with the noise of a revving motorcycle, preparing everyone for what they were about to see. The Versace line was a glamorous rocker collection. Moto-cross jackets, metallic mini skirts, and skintight leather outfits were seen on the runway. Tight evening wear gowns came in bright neon colours with exposed zippers and cutouts. To finish the show a mirrored container rose up from the floor holding all of the models giving everyone in the room a view of the eye popping looks.

Elle’s Joe Zee described the line on Twitter as “Sex And The Runway: Motorcross babes @versace with knee-padded pants, zippered jkts & coats and asymmetrical cutouts on gowns and boots.”

[photos via Leighton Lifton and Next Models NYC]

We have seen celebrities give their time to help raise money for the people of Haiti, and now celebrities and the fashion world at large are donating their profits and clothes to help raise even more.

American fashion designers are banding together to raise money for Haiti relief efforts. The Council Of Fashion Designers Of America has created a $25 “Fashion For Haiti” t-shirt to be sold across the US with all proceeds going to the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund. The green and black logo was designed by Peter Arnell and says “To Haiti With Love. Hope Help Heal Haiti.”Go to the CDFA website for a list of retailers.

Diane Von Furstenberg, the President of the CDFA said in a statement: The tragedy in Haiti has affected everyone and most of us individually have given money for relief. However, I think it is now important to send a message and create a channel for funding from fashion as an industry.

Shopping Blog reports that Lindsay Lohan is donating 100% of the profits she makes from her Fame leggings on the 6126 line to Save The Children to support the Haiti recovery efforts.

Britney Spears is auctioning off two Versace dresses that she wore back at the 2008 MTV Music Video Awards. People reports that where you can bid is still unknown.

The website Charity Buzz has a number of celebrity fashion items up for grabs to the highest bidder. You can get a one-of-a-kind Christian Dior bag made for Gisele Bundchen, a pair of Heidi Montag’s Chanel shoes, a Stella McCartney dress worn by Liv Tyler, a stage costume worn by Lady Gaga and a Chloe dress worn by Kate Bosworth. Many of the auctions end next month if you want in on the goods.

We are glad to see the fashion industry donating their time and merchandise to raise money for the people of Haiti in these trying times.

Another fashionable night on the red carpet has passed by giving the critics new gowns to ooh and aah over. We have tallied the fashion blogs for the top picks for Best Dressed on the Golden Globes wet Red carpet.

It seems bloggers and fashion critics were torn. There is only one dress that everyone agreed upon. The style winner of the Golden Globes is Marion Cotillard. Everyone loved her green satin Dior gown with the little peak of lace lingerie. Paired with the Jimmy Choo sandals, Marion Cotillard couldn’t get any better.

The rest of the best of lists were split in their decision.

Many, including Elle Magazine and Vogue loved Maggie Gyllenhaal’s peach RM by Roland Mouret. Also,many  liked Drew Barrymore’s daring dress choice. Her nude Atelier Versace dress with beaded embellishments at the hip and shoulder could have been a fashion mishap, but she seemed to have pulled it off. Flare editor Lisa Tant described it best on Twitter saying that it matched her personality.

Kate Hudson in her white Marchesa dress really wowed on the red carpet and seemed to be a shoo in for every best dressed list. Some, like Eonline, felt the dress wore her instead of the other way around.

Diane Kruger brought some serious colour to many best dressed lists. Her pink tulle Christian Lacroix Haute Couture was a hit. Lacroix also scored a hit with a dress on Ginnifer Goodwin at the People’s Choice Awards, so we should look out for his dresses at the Oscars.

The most hated outfits?

Mariah Carey in a low plunging Herve Leger, Chloe Sevigny’s ruffled nude colored Valentino mess ( and it got ripped to boot), Christina Hendricks in a ruffled  satin peach concoction and Tina Fey’s Zac Posen’s black and white puddle skirted  outfit was also one of the most disliked gowns.

As per our earlier post about the Red Carpet, Real Style Network’s editors loved Marion, LOVED Kate Hudson,thought Sophia Loren was gorgeous and elegant and liked January Jones’ Lanvin gown!

Look here for pictures of all of the fabulous dresses.

[photos via Celeb Fans Page and Style Writer NYC]

Thanks to Tim Burton’s new movie, Alice In Wonderland will be everywhere this year, including your make up bag and closet. The LA Times named the classic character a trend to watch in 2010 fashion.

Florals, ruffles, pastels and kitten heels have already shown up on the runways of many top designers lending themselves perfectly to the trend.

Disney themselves are teaming up with designers on jewelry and clothing. Swarovski and Stella McCartney are rumoured to be working with Disney on some Alice In Wonderland inspired clothing. The high end Tom Binns Alice In Wonderland Jewelry will sell in luxury retailers and boutiques for $1,000.00 to $2,000.00. The Swarovski line will range from $100 to $500, according to The Disney Blog. Both jewelry lines will be available this Spring.

We previously told you about the window display in Paris featuring top designers like Alexander McQueen creating Alice themed dresses. The little girl who fell down the rabbit hole has apparently inspired Versace and Jason Wu this year. Zac Posen has announced an Alice In Wonderland themed jewelry line and pre-fall collection.

This isn’t the first time Alice In Wonderland has inspired the fashionable and fabulous. In 2003, photographer Annie Leibovitz did an Alice In Wonderland inspired shoot for Vogue featuring model Natalia Vodianova and top designers like Tom Ford, Karl Lagerfeld, Jean Paul Gauliter, and Donatella Versace just to name a few.

We are expected to see lots of blues and plaid coming our way if Alice In Wonderland truly takes hold of the fashion world.

Forget Paris, this week the U.K. is the hot spot for fashion. Here were some of the highlights at Wednesday night’s British Fashion Awards:

Burberry walked away with the top honour of Designer of the Year and the Designing Brand award.

The Guardian reports that while other fashion houses have fallen, Burberry has bloomed under the direction of designer Christopher Bailey, who made the line more fashion forward. His collection at London fashion week was a highlight and we are excited to see what he will do in February at the next London show.

Georgia Jagger, daughter of The Rolling Stones’ singer Mick Jagger, was named Model of the Year. At only 17 years old, Georgia is a face for Rimmel and Versace.

John Galliano received the awards for Outstanding Achievement in Fashion Design for his rise to fame. Galliano has worked with Givenchy and Christian Dior and dressed everyone from Nicole Kidman to Diana, Princess of Wales.

The British resolve was evident at the show when former Model of the Year, Karen Elson had a fall while present the The Isabella Blow Award for Fashion Creator to the creative director of American Vogue, Grace Coddington. The Telegraph reports that Elson recovered quickly, straightened out her red velvet Alexander McQueen gown and joked about it before getting on with the show.

Other winners included Kate Moss who won the London 25 award voted on by the public for embodying London’s fashion spirit.

In October we told you that, Sheikh Hassan Ben Ali al-Naimi made a $100 million bid for the fashion house that was expected to save it from collapse. At that time Lacroix said ““As a Latin guy, I’ll believe it when it happens”. It maybe just be the “famous last words”.

AFP reports that the French tribunal finished up bankrupcy hearings for the fashion house of Christian Laxroix with no news of any buyers today.The judicial administrator said “To this day, bidders to take over the firm have not justified the means of financing their company plans, or at least not sufficiently.”

A new hearing is set for December 1st giving buyers Gulf investor Hassan bin Ali al-Nuaimi and France’s Bernard Krief Consulting time to submit details.

Like other fashion houses, such as Versace, Christian Lacroix has been suffering due to the economic downturn. Reuters reports that in 22 years of trading they have never made a profit and lost 10 million euros in 2008.

Making top of news this evening is the latest in potential high end designer houses in trouble. This time it’s Versace. A label that came to prominence under Gianni Versace and headed by his sister Donatella after his death in 1997. WSJ reports:

“Still, Versace’s latest plan is a clear sign that the global cutback in spending on luxury goods is hitting small family-owned companies the hardest. Last week, Prada SpA began calling people back to full-time work after cutting some work days for 210 of its 3,000 Italian employees, according to a spokesman.

Chanel, owned by the Wertheimer family, slashed 200 jobs, or 10% of its factory work force, last December”

Gian Giacomo Ferraris Chief Executive of Versace since July also said that the reason for the cuts is that the company plans to outsource its production, distribution and logistics and focus on the designs.

Thankfully the fashion house of Christian Lacroix narrowly averted bankruptsy with finding a backer, so let’s hope Versace survives this restructuring as well.