THE DAME OF SHAME

DAME Vivienne Westwood has spoken out about the British population's lack of style. ''People have never looked so ugly as they do today, regarding their dress," she told journalists on Monday, after her Red Label show in London.

''We are so conformist, nobody is thinking," she said.

''I'm a fashion designer and people think, 'what do I know?' but I'm talking about all this disposable crap. So I'm saying buy less, choose well, make it last. In history people dressed much better than we do. If you saw Queen Elizabeth I it would be amazing, she came from another planet. She was so attractive in what she was wearing."

OI YAYOI

LOUIS Vuitton's latest artistic collaborator is Yayoi Kusama, an 82-year-old Japanese artist. She is considered one of today's most influential artists .

Kusama is known for her obsession with repeating polka dots. She has said in a Bloomberg.com interview that dots represent her life - "a single particle among billions" - and her work over the last six decades makes her a woman to be reckoned with in the art world.

Now she has turned her hand to fashion with a limited-edition collection of Louis Vuitton leather goods, accessories, shoes, watches and ready-to-wear clothing set to launch in July this year under the Infinitely Kusama label. - Source: ELLE

KULULA'S NEW PORT

THE airways have become a runway with one of South Africa's most popular designers taking to the skies.

For their 10th anniversary, Kulula airlines invited local designer Craig Port to refashion flight attendant uniforms for their 200 staff. The collection includes coats, knits, low-cut vests to wear over pin-striped shirts in aqua-blue and white and schoolboy ties.

The new look premiered this month and the transition to the trendier uniform will be completed by the end of the month.

"I'd never done corporate wear before," Port said.

"It was quite an exciting adventure - a challenge and great opportunity to work with such a young and exciting brand.

"I love the glamorous side of flying, but when I fly I take it seriously. Flight attendants are there for safety before service and I wanted to get that across, to make their appearance more serious."

THE DUCHESS EFFECT

ABC News has reported that the Duchess of Cambridge, Catherine Middleton, is having a major effect on Fashion Week.

Designer Alice Temperley told the BBC Middleton is "breathing new life" into royal clothing.

Jane Shepherdson, the head of UK fashion retailer Whistles, said: "We're about to start our international expansion. We've had so much publicity with the duchess wearing Whistles. We've got to do it now rather than wait too long."