watchforsale115 - articles

Frank Gehry Fish cuff links

2011-01-21T09:00:12+00:00

All game long Saturday at Warrior Stadium, the Centaurus football team's defense came up with big turnovers to either thwart deep drives by Lewis-Palmer or set up the home team's offense in favorable territory.

The D's magic simply ran out five minutes too soon.

Down by 8, Lewis-Palmer put together a pair of scoring drives in the final 5 minutes, 17 seconds, and snatched away an 18-15 playoff victory on Jesse Vieira's 25-yard field goal with 5 seconds to play.

On a brisk fall day when it appeared CHS was poised to break its first-Frank Gehry Fish cuff links playoff hex, the Warriors saw their season end in heart-wrenching fashion.

Seeded seventh in the 3A bracket after winning a league crown last week, CHS (8-3)

was trying for its first postseason victory since 2004 despite making it to the playoffs for five of the last six years now.

No. 10 Lewis-Palmer, meanwhile, improved to 9-2 and advanced to host Glenwood Springs in next week's quarterfinals.

"It's a tough feeling," CHS senior receiver/defensive back Cyrus Tiffany 1837 concove circle cufflinks said. "We had it. We just let it slip through our hands."

Centaurus took a 15-7 lead with 8:31 to play when quarterback Evan Erickson connected with Norwood for their second scoring strike of the game.

A botched snap on the extra point kept the Warriors from taking a two-score lead. But CHS still seemed in control after forcing a Lewis-Palmer punt with 6:51 left.

"We thought it was our day," CHS coach Chad Senseney said. "Up 15-7, I really did think it was our day."

But that's when things turned sour for CHS.

A quick Warrior punt gave the Rangers the ball at their own 44-yard line, and they proceeded to march 56 yards on eight straight running plays. Fullback Colton Goeas, who had 150 yards rushing on the day, plunged in from 3 yards out to make it 15-13.After the Rangers' first successful two-point conversion was called back for a Tiffany 1837 square cufflinks, quarterback Ben Shaum hit Ethan Riker from 12 yards out to tie the game at 15.

Centaurus went three-and-out again and a 17-yard punt this time set Lewis-Palmer up at the Warrior 39 with 1:45 to go and three timeouts left. Eight plays later -- a stretch that included a conversion on fourth-and-4 -- the Rangers led 18-15.

The winning field goal served as a nice bit of redemption for Vieira. Although he took an option pitch 50 yards to give Lewis-Palmer a 7-0 lead in the second quarter, he'd also missed a pair of long field goals and fumbled the ball away at midfield.

"It feels amazing," the senior said.

Lewis-Palmer -- which dropped down to 3A this year because a new school Tiffany 1837 Bar key ring nearby and cut into its enrollment -- is in the playoffs for the first time since reaching the 4A quarterfinals in 2002.

"I know our team and the fourth quarter is our best quarter, always has been," Vieira said.

Centaurus' defense forced five turnovers on the day, including four in the first half. The fifth -- senior Eric Hatlen's second fumble recovery of the game -- gave the Warriors possession at the Ranger 39. Chase Sargent capped that drive by hitting a 20-yard field goal to put CHS on top 9-7 midway through the third quarter.

Greg Spurgin also recovered a fumble for CHS, and Keith Beauvais and Matu Giltner had interceptions.

But the Warrior offense, held to 256 total yards, struggled to take advantage. And Lewis-Return to Tiffany Heart tag key ring came up with two interceptions of its own, one in its own end zone and another that set up Vieira's touchdown on the next play.

"All of the guys are pretty proud of how the season went and that we won league," said Hatlen, who also had 91 yards rushing. "It's not the way we wanted to go out, but we fought hard all the way."

Elsa Peretti Almond cuff links

2011-01-21T08:59:53+00:00

-- Jack Crowe has been involved in a lot of tight games in all his years coaching football, but there are very few he remembers as remotely wild as the one Jacksonville State pulled out in its final regular-season home game Saturday.

The sixth-ranked Gamecocks kept their Ohio Valley Conference title hopes alive in dramatic fashion when Marques Ivory completed a 17-yard pass to Alan Bonner with 11 seconds remaining to beat seventh-ranked Southeast Missouri 29-27.

It was more than your typical nail-biter. The game had six lead changes in the final 18:17 before the Gamecocks (9-1, 6-1 OVC) finally put it away in the fashion they'd been winning games most of the season.

The JSU players flew into the dressing room chanting "OVC Champs, baby," but their Elsa Peretti Almond cuff links was a little premature.

Even though they claimed a share of the conference title and the tiebreaker over the Redhawks (9-2, 7-1) with the win, the Gamecocks still have to win at Tennessee Tech Saturday to make the automatic bid to the playoffs their own.

"Our guys have so much to play for; could you tell there was some emotion in them tonight?" Crowe said. "I'm sitting here telling the coaches all day long don't do anything to prick them. It was just bubbling. They were so irritable. They would spit at each other.

"I can remember Arkansas when Andre Ware was at Houston. It was a Tiffany 1837 Cuff links-got-the-ball-last kind of deal. It was about comparable to that game. None more (comparable). It was an emotional game. You had to have a ton of emotion just to stay in the thing."

For the most part, the Gamecocks were the ones who had the ball last, and Marques Ivory took them 57 yards in 11 plays for the winning score. Ivory was 6-for-6 passing on the drive, to six different receivers. He was 18-for-26 for 222 yards in the game.

SEMO had two plays left for a miracle. The Redhawks tried to lateral on both plays, but fumbled one out of bounds and the other was recovered by JSU as time expired.

It was a costly victory, however. The Gamecocks may have lost leading rushing Jamal Young for the rest of the year after the senior running back hurt his left knee planting to make a cut in the second quarter. An MRI to determine the extent of the injury is scheduled for Monday.

"It could be serious, but I'm saying that without any medical conversation whatsoever," Crowe said.

Young returned to the sideline on crutches to support his teammates. In his absence, Calvin Middleton, himself Tiffany 1837 Cuff links from a hamstring injury, scored two short-run touchdowns and freshman Tig Barksdale broke out with 113 yards that Crowe said controlled the tempo of the game.

"I know I had to step up and carry the load on my back because they told me he'd be out for the rest of the game," Barksdale said. "I just thank my teammates for giving me the opportunity to run behind them and making the holes."

The big challenge for JSU on this day was to put a lid on SEMO's ground game, led by the best running back-quarterback rushing combo in the FCS. For the most part, they made Henry Harris, the nation's second leading rusher, work for his 134 yards. Quarterback Matt Square cuff links rushed for 57 yards.

"Coming into a game like this where you know they're going to line it up and run it every play, that's what I play for," defensive tackle Jamison Wadley said. "That's what I've been doing all my life, just to play teams that are gonna come up and try to hit you in the mouth. You stop them and beat them, you know you've done your job."

The game was the fifth this year JSU took down to the wire. It started with the double-overtime thriller of Ole Miss in the opener, then moved to Chattanooga, Georgia State and Eastern Illinois.

The Gamecocks embarked on their winning drive after Harris put the Redhawks back on top 27-22 with a 1-yard run with 4:06 to play.

The drive almost ended in disaster. With 70 seconds to go and JSU 37 yards from the end zone, Tyler Ogletree snapped wildly over Marques Ivory's head. The Gamecocks were fortunate to recover it, but it cost them 20 yards.

"I was trying to call Cam's (Jeffrey Cameron) name, trying to give him a route, and Tree just Tiffany Metropolis Cuff links it, thinking I was saying, 'hut,'" Ivory said.

The Gamecocks almost got it all back on the next play, as Ivory found Cameron for a 29-yard gain. They produced the touchdown three plays later as Ivory found Bonner in the front left corner of the end zone on a go route that just materialized.

Tiffany Engine-turned money clip

2011-01-21T08:59:36+00:00

In many sports, statistics don't tell the whole story.

A football team that dominates time of possession often loses the game. A baseball pitcher that strikes out a lot of opponents often gives up the long ball and loses.

But in volleyball, statistics rarely lie.

The statistics were all on Stewartville's side Thursday night in a Tiffany Engine-turned money clip victory over Esko in a Minnesota Class AA high school state tournament quarterfinal at Xcel Energy Center.

The fourth-seeded Tigers (26-5) made only nine hitting errors and three service errors en route to securing a semifinal spot opposite No. 1 seed Hutchinson at 5 p.m. today. Esko (28-2) meets Visitation (25-6), a 3-0 loser to Hutchinson, in a consolation semifinal at 5 p.m. today.

"We didn't have many hitting errors, that's huge," Stewartville coach John Dzubay said. "Sometimes we can have a lot of hitting errors. Everybody was on and the sets were there tonight. You never know ... sometimes the sets look good to me and the hitters can't hit anything. Tonight we were hitting really well."

Lindsay Blahnik had 11 kills without an attack error and Hannah Tapp added 10 kills. Overall, Stewartville had a .385 hitting percentage. Danielle DeGeus added 33 set assists.

Conversely, the Eskomos hit just .107 with 23 hitting errors and eight service errors. Their biggest lead was 3-0 to start the second game, but they spent most of the match playing catch-up.

"We didn't play our game," Esko coach Desiree DeLeon said. "We showed spurts of our game, but we didn't do that the whole time. You can't win a game with spurts. Not to not give them credit -- they were a good blocking team -- but as soon as we adjusted, we couldn't continue. We made our own mistakes. We Tiffany 1837 bookmark our own hitting errors and our own serving errors, and those aren't forced."

Junior Stephanie Bandelin was the exception, totaling 13 kills and hitting .611. Setter Keely Deadrick had 26 set assists.

Stewartville def. Esko 25-12, 25-20, 25-18 -- S: Lindsay Blahnik 11K, 3B; Hannah Tapp 10K, 6B; Paige Tapp 9K; Lisa Flynn 6K, 9D; Danielle DeGeus 33SA, 6D; Christina Sanger 5D; Sarah Schrandt 2B. E: Stephanie Bandelin 13K; Alyson Glumac 7K, 2B; Lydia Pelletier 5K, 6D; Delany Pearson 6D; Keely Deadrick 26SA, 2AS.

WABASHA-KELLOGG 3, CHERRY 0

The Tigers didn't look like the same team that cruised to the Section 7A title last weekend. The state tournament has a way of doing that to first-time entrants.

The second-seeded Falcons jumped on the Tigers early, scoring five consecutive points in a key stretch, and never looked back to win the Class A quarterfinal in convincing fashion.

Wabasha-Kellogg (31-1) earned a berth in a 3 p.m. semifinal today opposite Mayer Lutheran, a 3-1 winner over Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa. Cherry (22-3) falls to a consolation semifinal at 3 p.m. against BBE (27-3).

The Falcons broke a 5-5 tie in the opening game with five points in a row and never led by Return to Tiffany Cuff links than four the rest of the game.

"It was hard because that hasn't happened to us; it was a first," said Cherry coach Pam Pioske, whose team hadn't lost three games to an opponent this season. "They fell behind in that first game and got a little bit frustrated. They seemed to pull it together in game two, but still weren't playing their game. We have to realize we were playing the No. 2 seed."

The second game didn't go much better for the Tigers, who lost six straight points at one juncture to fall behind 13-4. The main problem came on the Tigers' serve receive, which led to being unable to set primary hitter Morgan Hanson.

"Our serve receive was terrible, and they weren't even hard serves," Pioske said. "They were too nervous at the start, and they wanted to play so well that they were overplaying the ball."

A lot of that was due to how crisply Wabasha-Kellogg ran its offense and Elsa Peretti Eternal Circle cuff links well the team served.

"We've been pretty successful at that," Falcons coach Tara Biever said of getting opponents out of their offense. "We serve aggressively, which makes it tough for teams to pass. And if they can't pass, it's hard to get the ball to the setter. And if you can't get the ball to the setter, it's pretty hard to swing.

"That's been our game plan, to be aggressive and put the other team on defense right away."

Amanda Feils led Wabasha-Kellogg with 15 kills, and Emily Huth had 11. Kayln Biever totaled 34 set assists, and Katlyn Petes had 26 digs.

Hanson, who had 371 kills entering the tournament, was held to seven. The Tigers' hitting percentage was .000 and they served just one ace.

Wabasha-Kellogg def. Cherry 25-14, 25-16, 25-4 -- WK: Amanda Atlas cuff links 15K, 3B; Emily Huth 11K; Katie Cavalco 7K, 7D; Mariah Iverson-Jones 7K, 11D; Kayln Biever 34SA; Katlyn Petes 2AS, 26D; Kenzie Freihammer 2AS, 8D; Jordan Wolfe 2AS, 7D. C: Morgan Hanson 7K, 8D; Taylor Sauter 8K, 9D; Molly Parenteau 13SA, 10D; Shaina Novak 11D.

Atlas I.D. money clip

2011-01-21T08:59:12+00:00

New York City fashion designer Matthew Christopher had a vision for showing off his latest line of bridal gowns: old Hollywood glamour; Casablanca; Humphrey Bogart.

But instead of creating fake backdrops and tracking down old furniture, he found the Garde Arts Center in New London, with its murals of exotic locales and geometric latticework -- a set all by itself.

"It's awesome," Christopher says, dressed in a suit and ascot as if he just stepped out of a black-and-white movie himself.

"This place pulls it off completely," said Brent Kuenning, artistic director and Tiffany 1837 ring boyfriend. "It takes you back in time."

Kuenning had known about the Garde through friends in the area whom he visits for Sailfest, and decided it would be perfect for the shoot. Christopher also works with a bridal salon in Branford, Bridal Trousseau, so the location was convenient.

Christopher, whose gowns have been featured in The Knot, Modern Bride and Martha Stewart Weddings, among others, is known for appearing in his ads, whether it's in a football uniform or an orange flight suit.

"People are always wondering what's next," he says. "It's fresh, unique, eye-catching. It makes you stop on the page."

A model sits in one the Garde's velvet seats, the white Christopher dress she's wearing cascading to the floor. The waist is cinched with a black sash and her dramatic updo framed by a huge black hat. Christopher sits behind her, with a black mustache painted on his face, holding a box of popcorn and Paloma's Galife Ring a look of intrigue at the bride.

"I don't want it to look to kitschy, OK?" he says.

Photographer Jacklyn Greenberg, of New Haven, coaches them: "Sexy, not sinister," as everyone laughs. Then to the model: "I love the dreamy look. Go dreamy. I love the doe-y eyes."

Christopher grew up in the "middle of nowhere," as he puts it, in Iowa, but he discovered wedding dresses when he was a kid, looking at Modern Bride on a magazine rack. He moved to New York after college, landing an internship at Demetrios Bridal and continued to move up until creating his own label at age 26.

His gowns are "classic and contemporary with a modern twist, with Atlas I.D. money clip details that are both feminine and organic," he says. "Soft and elegant, with beautiful tulles and lace."

One of his wedding dresses appeared in the movie "You Again," and Kristin Chenoweth, who was in the movie, wore another (non-bridal) Christopher dress on the red carpet at the Creative Art Emmy Awards.

"A lot of bridal gowns transform into a couture gown," Christopher says. A bridal gown is "not like it was in the '80s. It's a different animal now.

"I think I love it because you're really part of the day, people falling in love and committing to one another," he says, adding with a laugh: "You know how hard it is to date."

Even though a wedding dress will only be worn once, Christopher says finding a Tiffany 1837 Money clip designed dress is worth it.

"It's the one day you get to be princess Diana or a queen... that one gown that you'll look at in pictures for the rest of your life. You can't sacrifice quality," he says, then jokes: "If you get a (crappy) dress, that's your own fault."

He knows the exploding bridal industry that's helped his success has also contributed to the "bridezilla" phenomenon. Christopher sometimes encounters them when he makes personal appearances at his trunk shows.

"Most are pretty good," he says. "Some girls have 'tudes, but you learn how to adapt. My selling point is that I'm very personal, hands on. It's like having your big gay best friend help you pick out your wedding gown. Like George from 'My Best Friend's Wedding.' "

The Garde could benefit from the shoot, says executive director Steve Sigel. He hopes the shoot will increase awareness of the theater and may spur more weddings to be held there.

"The architectural space in and of itself is an experience," he says. "There's no hotel that looks like this. The decor, no one could afford to replicate it."

Christopher and Lisa Liscio, of Bridal Trousseau, hope to work with the Garde to host a Engine-turned money clip event that would support the community, including auctioning off a Christopher dress and donating the proceeds to a worthy cause.

Paloma Picasso Double Loving Heart ring

2011-01-21T08:58:13+00:00

Baum School of Art fashion teacher Pamela Ptak says she thinks football uniforms should function as "a frame" for the athletic human form.

Ptak, who lives outside Riegelsville in Durham Township, will critique some of football's best-loved uniforms while appearing as a fashion expert on the NFL Network's "Top Ten Uniforms" at 8 p.m. Friday.

Ptak is one of the people interviewed, along with players and fans, making comments about the NFL's uniforms for both players and cheerleaders.

The former contestant on Lifetime's "Project Runway" was contacted by the Tiffany Signature ring after producers saw her on the fashion reality show's seventh season earlier this year.

"It's not usually a common thing to put together," Ptak says. "I wouldn't have made a natural connection that the NFL Network needs a fashion designer."

However, Ptak who describes herself as "not the ultimate sports person in the universe," thought it sounded like fun. And she notes fashion designer Vera Wang has done cheerleader uniforms, so "I'm not in bad company."

It's the second time Ptak, who teaches fashion at Lehigh County Community College as well as at Baum, has been called upon to pass judgment on sports uniforms.

In 2007, she was invited to critique the new uniforms for the Paloma Picasso Double Loving Heart ring Valley IronPigs at a fashion show.

Ptak studied at Pratt Institute in New York and worked as an art director for advertising agencies before starting her own line of clothing in 2001.

She says she enjoyed the opportunity to look at football uniforms from a fashion perspective.

"The Dallas Cowboys have a great uniform look," she says. "I really like the traditional fall uniforms of all the teams the best."

She believes the teams look best in uniforms that don't obscure the athletes' "rock-hard abs" and "exquisite musculature."

"They have worked so hard to get this amazing athletic Tiffany Paloma Picasso Loving Heart ring," she says. "As a fine artist I believe human anatomy is the most beautiful sculpture. We can admire it if it is showcased nicely."

Friday's episode will be repeated at 1 a.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Tuesday.

The designer also will appear on two additional episodes of NFL's "Top Ten" this season.

Ptak who was the second designer to be voted off of "Project Runway" in January, designs women's separates and dresses for her ready-to-wear line "Pamela Ptak," and custom couture dresses and gowns under the label "Ptak Couture. She describes her fashions as architectural with clean lines and geometric shapes. She recently showed her ready-to-wear fashion collection at Philadelphia's Fashion Week.

"I had faith in him," Ivory said. "I just put it out there and let him make a play on it. He made a great catch. It was a better catch than a throw. Don't get that wrong."

Maybe not. Ivory scrambled around looking for someone before finding Bonner and had at least one Tiffany Somerset heart ring defender wrapped around his ankles when he let the pass go.

"I just so happened to look over there," Ivory said. "It was either throw it away or give him a chance, and I gave him a chance. It wasn't designed for it to happen that way, but I knew where he would be at."

"It was a great play by him," SEMO linebacker Blake Peiffer said. "Somebody was hanging onto his ankle. There was nothing more we could do."

For Bonner, the touchdown catch -- his only catch of the game -- provided a bit of retribution. In the fourth quarter he was swarmed by the SEMO punt coverage team and somehow lost the ball deep in JSU's end. The Redhawks converted it into a touchdown to wipe out a 19-14 Elsa Peretti Open Wave ring lead, going ahead 21-19.

The Gamecocks also had a 22-21 lead with 6:43 to play.

"It was a big make up thing," Bonner said. "I had to come back and do it for my team. I wasn't nervous at all. I knew the whole time we were going to come back and win the game. We've been in that situation a couple times this year already, so we believed we could do it."

Tiffany 1837 Bead bracelet

2011-01-20T09:23:44+00:00

Ms. Wolkoff has mastered the art of the stacked statement necklace. When combining three or even four star pieces at once, one must let each item shine but also work as part of a larger composition. The key is the off-center placement of each flourish, which creates an artful, elegant composition.

Sunburst Crystal Necklace with Brass Chains, Vera Wang; Lanvin Tiffany 1837 Bead bracelet.

Clothing Stylist

Lisa Tobias

It's good to mix silver and gold -- and even genres -- when donning a mash of charms. Try combining styles such as feminine '50s costume pieces with refined diamonds, and a unisex vintage find like Ms. Tobias's 1896 Indian head coin.

Fine Jewelry Dagger with Diamonds, House of Waris; Star Necklace, Elizabeth Atlas pendant Jewelry.

Interior Designer

Jennifer Vaughn Miller, Vaughn Miller Studios

Ms. Miller illustrates the magic of mixing found antiques such as her monogrammed silver locket and crest with delicate modern fine jewelry. Note the perfectly measured variation of each of the four chain lengths. They all hit just above the bust line, but each occupies its own level.

Antique Watch Chain; Antique Engraved Locket and Chain; Small Pave Mako Necklace, Heart lock charm pendant Jewelry; Antique Crest and Chain.

Gallery Director

Mariko Munro, 303 Gallery

If you're aiming for a provocative look, layering avant-garde or punk styles with traditional tribal jewelry makes for an eclectic statement. When staggering the length of the necklaces, Ms. Munro employs a technique of combining one long (but never below the belly button) strand with others that reach the Butterfly pendant line.

Ethiopian Prayer Bead Necklace, Beads of Paradise; Tubular Necklace, Alexandra Cassaniti; Sterling Victorian Graduated Chain, Anna de Courcy.

sources (the same ones who were afraid to talk on the telephone) announced under strict secrecy that "in the guise of a fashion photographer, [Juan Lazaro] travelled all over Latin America, developing acquaintances among politicians and businessmen on the way," that his wife Vicky Pelaez was an "influential journalist," and that Vasenkov's acquaintances included "high-ranking functionaries from the left wing of the US Democratic Party."

On 8 January 2003 Lazaro informs Pelaez that he will pass on a text written in "invisible" writing. On 17 April 2002 he tells his wife that "at the beginning of the war we moved to Siberia," and on 6 May 2003 Lazaro reports that he is "receiving a radiogram" from "over there." So the assertion by Kommersant's source that "even after Two Hearts pendant him the American special services were powerless to prove a link between the suspect and the Russian intelligence service" is puzzling. And Don Juan's behaviour in the cell is highly reminiscent of Don Quixote's behaviour. I do not know about the broken ribs, but think about it: For 10 years the American special services had been documenting every move by the "valuable illegal."

Tiffany Blue box bracelet

2011-01-20T09:23:22+00:00

Music Director of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra for nearly 30 years

Sweet Seventeen: The Hilton Tel Aviv. For 40 years this non-chain-feeling hotel has been my second home. The Mediterranean views from the 17th floor's Executive Lounge are sensational. For those who eat Kosher, the King Solomon restaurant has great dishes. Independence Park.

Sea-and-be-Scene: Mul-Yam. Tel Aviv's power spot, it's a slim sea-front bistro where Atlas tag pendant seal deals in a medley of languages. Seafood arrives daily from around the world. It's the best restaurant in Israel. Hangar 24, Tel Aviv Port.

Insider's Archive: Tel Aviv Museum of Art. Jerusalem's Israel Museum may be better known, but this is the cultural focal point of Tel Aviv. There's a giant Roy Lichtenstein mural in the foyer, custom-made for the space. In 2011, its $100-million expansion opens. 27 Shaul HaMelech Blvd.

Mellifluous Space: The Frederic R. Mann Auditorium. It's home to the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, but it's also a vital part of architectural history. Leonard Bernstein conducted its first concert in 1957.

Harmonious Eats: Messa. Minimalist -- with a white-on-white marble dining room -- it's one of the city's first great "Atlas tag pendant" restaurants. Chef Aviv Moshe turns out stellar charcoal-grilled eggplant and goose-liver carpaccio. It's all very grown-up.

The Brasserie M + R: Open 24 hours, this Parisian-style bistro buzzes with Tel Aviv's media, culture and political elite. The daily set lunch menus are the best bargains in town. 70 Ibn Gvirol St., 011 972 3 696 7111

Jaffa Port: It was here that Jonah set forth on his fateful encounter with that whale; five millennia later the port is Tel Aviv at its Levantine best.

Herbert Samuel: Cutting-edge design, luxe Mediterranean menu and prime sea-view Tiffany Blue box bracelet. It's barely three years old and already a classic.

The Beach: Nine miles of sandy, pristine shoreline bordering the city, with a pedestrian promenade and colorful power-walk to rival Venice Beach's. Runs along entire city from north to south

Olia: Tel Aviv's first premium olive-oil brand stocks 11 signature oil varieties from throughout Israel along with a complete range of olive oil-based soaps, tapenades and vinaigrettes.Selecting the right winter hat is a lot like finding your soulmate: You're looking for The One. Or at least something you won't mind being stuck with until winter's end.

You want to find the style that reflects your personality -- and that doesn't wear you. If you make the wrong choice, your life won't be ruined, but your outfit certainly will be.

Winter hats are often one size fits all, but the same can't be said for style. More than just a practical necessity (40% of one's body heat is said to evaporate from the head), hats should be picked the way you might a tie, fragrance or apartment -- as an extension and expression of yourself. You'll know your Return to Tiffany Bead Bracelet when you see it. So don't settle. It never makes things easier.

FOR THE CLASSIC GENT

The old-fashioned newsboy cap looks good with a topcoat or overcoat. This style, as well as the fedora, is great for conservative types.

This trapper hat evokes a rugged, plain-spoken, stubble-faced kind of guy. Best worn with relaxed-fit denim or corduroy, heavy hunting boots and thick gloves.

If you're a creative type who's onto the coolest new bands, bars and Peace Sign Bead bracelet, the beanie hat is so you, dude.

The Elder Statesman Cashmere Rib Knit Cap, $235, Barneys New York, NYC.

FOR THE PREPSTER

This all-American collegiate ski hat mixes well with a wax cotton jacket and a button-down shirt. It's also great on the slopes.

Elsa Peretti Eternal Circle pendant

2011-01-20T09:23:01+00:00

Israeli-born fashion designer of an eponymous womenswear label; frequent Tel Aviv visitor

BoHo B&B: Nina Cafe Suites Hotel. This tiny five-bedroom inn kicked off Tel Aviv's boutique boom when it opened in 2005. Decorated with Parisian antiques and located in the artsy Neve Tzedek district, it's posh and funky. 29 Shabazi St.

Mod-Med Menu: Catit. Inside a restored Ottoman-era mansion, Chef Meir Adoni's Elsa Peretti Eternal Circle pendant restaurant serves local and visiting foodies, including Paul McCartney, who had his own veggie menu. Heichal Hatalmud 4.

Fab Finds: The Jaffa Flea Market. My favorite shopping spot in the city, particularly for Eastern Europe vintage clothing and accessories, this market retains its Levantine atmosphere. The prices are so low you wonder if the sellers know what they've got. I always pop by the nearby Abulafia Bakery for pitas and pastries. Abulafia: 7 Yefet St., Jaffa

Forward Fashions: Mirit Weinstock. The designer interned for Alexander McQueen before returning home to start her own line. 20 Shnizler St.

Design House: Kastiel. The Kastiel family has been designing modern and luxurious Elsa Peretti Eternal Circle pendant for three generations. Their Tel Aviv flagship reflects the heritage. Half the building's a restored Bauhaus warehouse, the other a renovated Ottoman-era corral. 36 Alfasi St.

THE AUTEUR

Etgar Keret

Tel Aviv--based novelist and filmmaker; winner of 2007 Camera D'Or for "Jellyfish"

Urban Mix: Meir Park. Tel Aviv has many small hangout parks. This is my favorite. It's filled with a crazy mix of stroller-pushing moms and the odd drunk Russian philosopher -- a part of Tel Aviv most tourists don't see. 35 King George St. at Tchernichovsky St.

Bar 'Keeper': Cafe Michal. This French cafe is a great neighborhood spot: cakes, Elsa Peretti Infinity Cross pendant dishes and perhaps the handsomest bartender in the city. The counter's always packed with pretty girls. 230 Dizengoff St. at Jabotinsky, 011 972 3 5230236

Lookout: Manta Ray. Right on Alma Beach, with amazing views of Jaffa to the south and the skyline to the north. I don't go there for the cuisine. But the tapas platters are piled with Middle Eastern mezzes like couscous salad and tehina. Alma Beach.

Beach Boite: LaLa Land. Most Tel Aviv beach bars are pretty lousy: great location, but bad music and food. But LaLa Land keeps it simple with small dishes like hummus served beachside. The atmosphere is relaxed. Sunset paradise. Gordon Beach, 011 972 3 5293303

Children's Hour: Flea Market (Dizengoff Circle). It's small, clean and great for kids -- a contained world. I take my son to look for old records, mostly musicals and classic Hebrew albums. Dizengoff Circle

THE ARCHITECT

Ron Arad

Israeli-born, London-based architect and industrial designer

Museum Row: Holon Arts Quarter. The Holon area has gone from unremarkable suburb to Elsa Peretti Starfish pendant hub. That includes the Children's Museum, the Mediatheque and the Design Museum, which I designed. Design Museum Holon, 8 Pinhas Eilon St.

Inn Spot: Hotel Montefiore. This 12-room hotel is in city's historic core. A circa-1922 mansion, it's stylish and has a good-looking crowd, great balconies and a tasty pan-Asian bistro. 36 Montefiore St.

Waterfront Scene: Comme il Faut Cafe. You feel the city's self-love closer to the sea, at places like Old Port. Now renovated, the waterfront overflows with outdoor cafes. I love the salads at the Comme il Faut Cafe, owned by the fashion label of the same name. Hangar 26.

Bauhaus-by-the-Shore: The White City. It's not exactly white, but this important quarter is home to the world's most extensive collection of Bauhaus architecture, over 4,000 buildings in all. Rothschild Blvd., Ahad Ha'am St. and Balfour St.

Modern Love: Helena Rubinstein Pavilion for Contemporary Art. The Tel Aviv Museum has a satellite Atlas pendant, The Helena Rubinstein Pavilion, which I loved visiting as a child. The small, modernist space focuses mostly on young artists. 6 Tarsat Blvd..

Elsa Peretti Teardrop pendant

2011-01-20T09:22:43+00:00

One of America's most prominent hedge funds is being probed by federal authorities, who are investigating whether the firm gave illegally preferential treatment to its founder and to some clients.

The Securities and Exchange Commission and U.S. Attorney's office in Manhattan are looking into whether Harbinger Capital Partners misled investors by failing to disclose in a timely fashion a $113 million personal loan it extended to founder Philip Falcone from the firm's funds, according to people Small Elsa Peretti Open Heart pendant with the matter.

The authorities also are examining whether Harbinger improperly allowed some clients to withdraw money following the financial crisis while barring others from doing so, these people said.

In an interview, Mr. Falcone said Harbinger "did not give preferential treatment to any investor."

He said the personal loan was made in accordance with the terms of the fund and disclosed in the firm's audited financial statements for 2009. He said it "was reviewed by our accountants and outside legal counsel." Mr. Falcone said he has paid back more than $70 million of the loan, with the balance due in 2014. Also, he said the loan has been Elsa Peretti Teardrop pendant for investors, and was backed by his holdings in the fund.

Mr. Falcone declined to comment on whether he or the firm has been contacted by investigators. It is unclear whether the inquiries will lead to any legal action.

The parallel criminal and civil probes come as regulators are conducting a broad examination of hedge funds. Authorities are looking at trading by the private funds, which cater to sophisticated investors such as wealthy individuals, public pension funds and endowments. Also under scrutiny is the clout the funds have in markets and the methods they use to value their asset prices, which influence the fees they earn from clients.

The investigation is a potential black eye for Harbinger, known in the Elsa Peretti Round pendant for both its size and its role in pushing for corporate changes at companies where it holds a significant ownership stake, including New York Times Co.

In 2007, Harbinger scored gains betting against bonds backed by subprime mortgages. Investors flocked to the firm, helping it rise to $26 billion in assets in 2008 before it shrank from losses and client withdrawals. The firm now manages about $9 billion.

Harbinger's main fund has declined about 15% this year, a person familiar with the matter says, as the average hedge fund has seen positive returns. Some clients, including Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and Blackstone Group, have recently put in withdrawal requests, according to people familiar with the matter.

Mr. Falcone, a former Barclays trader, grew up in Minnesota and played hockey at Harvard University.

In 2008, like many hedge funds, Harbinger stumbled as its investments in energy, finance and other companies lost value and some investors sought to withdraw money. In 2009, as Harbinger's biggest funds rebounded, Mr. Falcone opened new funds and delved more deeply into deals in the telecommunications industry.

One focus of the investigation is the loan Harbinger executives authorized in late 2009 to help Mr. Falcone pay personal taxes, people familiar with the matter say. Mr. Falcone borrowed the funds from a Harbinger fund that had $2.5 billion in assets, while clients were barred from withdrawing money from the fund at the same time, according to fund documents and people familiar with the matter.

The SEC received investor complaints after Harbinger disclosed the loan in fund documents in March, according to people familiar with the matter. The agency's enforcement unit began an inquiry into the loan this summer, said one person. A concern is that investors weren't informed at the time Mr. Falcone borrowed the funds, the people say. Another issue is that the loan might have increased the risk of losses without clients' knowledge. The loan was reported in September by Bloomberg News.

Also at issue is whether clients were equally well-informed, including about risks to the funds, during the restructuring of Harbinger funds, according to people familiar with the matter.

One issue is whether some clients got different withdrawal terms than others, they say. It is unclear which clients are the focus of concern.

Last year, Harbinger executives were working to convince clients to keep their money in the firm's biggest funds. The discussions came after Harbinger suspended redemptions in the funds in December 2008 and set aside hard-to-sell holdings, according to investors.

In 2009, the firm also tightened rules about investor withdrawals, adopting a 25% limit per quarterly period for each investor as Elsa Peretti Crucifix pendant to a limit that applied to all clients combined, according to investors and fund documents reviewed by The Wall Street Journal. The move, which was put to a client vote, meant any investor wanting to redeem fully could opt to do so over a year, with the set-aside illiquid assets potentially taking longer to sell.

Hedge-fund managers have wide leeway to change terms and withhold client money, which in some cases can protect assets during crises. The issue of equal treatment of investors is a focus of the SEC's enforcement unit, which has investigated funds to determine whether some clients are favored with better information or financial terms to the detriment of others.

Mr. Falcone has been pushing an ambitious plan to launch a global wireless-satellite network, and has dedicated the majority of his assets in his biggest hedge fund to the venture, called LightSquared.

In the process, Harbinger has come to look less like the hedge-fund firm it was when many investors came to it, and more like a private-equity firm making a concentrated, long-term bet. Investors say the strategy shift has contributed to anxiety over having assets locked up in the firm.

Mr. Falcone has some $2 billion of his own money invested in Harbinger, Elsa Peretti Cross pendant say, citing that as a strong reason to support his strategy.

In 2009, while some investors were asking for withdrawals, others were lining up to put money into Harbinger. They included Soros Fund Management, which during the past year became a significant new investor, say people familiar with the matter. A Soros spokesman declined to comment.

Tiffany Somerset dangle cuff

2011-01-20T09:22:18+00:00

WITH flaking paint and rusty doors, many factories in the province of Biella in north-west Italy stand idle. Production of the woollen fabrics and clothing that made the region's name has drifted away to cheaper countries. Supply from Asia crushed the local textile industry. Yet in Trivero, a town in the Alpine foothills, the looms of one mill are still busy. This is where, 100 years ago, Ermenegildo Zegna began his fashion house. The firm is now one of the world's top makers of costly male kit. Whether Zegna stays on top depends on demand from Asia.

Zegna has not been left unscathed by globalisation, an economic downturn and the Horse charm bracelet of fashion: sales fell by 8.4% to EUR 797m ($1.1 billion) last year and net profits slumped to EUR 17.3m from EUR 62m in 2008. "Protecting cash became our primary objective, turnover and profits secondary," says Gildo Zegna, the chief executive and a grandson of the founder.

This year things look brighter: the firm hopes to achieve double-digit sales growth. Mr Zegna and his cousin Paolo, the company's chairman, have been building on their fathers' decision to expand beyond weaving cloth. A generation ago bespoke tailoring declined as men increasingly bought off-the-peg rather than being measured for suits in the small tailors' shops that Zegna supplied. So in the 1960s the company moved into ready-to-wear suits. Later in the 1960s it added sportswear and accessories. In the 1980s Zegna began selling its own clothes and now it has 300 shops and 250 or so franchised stores. About 90% of sales come from abroad. On the way, the payroll has grown to over 7,000, although in Trivero it has Tiffany Somerset dangle cuff from some 1,400 in 1970 to 500 now.

Turning to the glitter of the male catwalk has helped Zegna survive when many of its peers perished. Off-the-peg its suits cost between EUR 1,500 and EUR 3,000, and made-to-measure ones an extra 20% or so. This attracts glitzy customers: George Clooney wears a Zegna suit in "The American", a new film about an assassin hiding in Italy.

One of Zegna's priorities will be to keep extending its distribution network, which has absorbed more than half of its average annual investment of around EUR 50m over the past decade. Next year the firm will celebrate 20 years of selling in China, where its 91 shops now have sales exceeding those of the 14 it has in America; Return to Tiffany Heart Lock Cuff sales rank third.

India is the next frontier. Zegna recently entered into a deal with part of India's Reliance Group to distribute clothes through a network of shops which their joint venture will set up. The first opened in Hyderabad in October; it will be followed by at least another nine by 2015.

Success as a global luxury brand depends on various factors. Mr Zegna Elsa Peretti Open Heart pendant to creativity--a team of around 50 young designers dreams up the styles--and to a meritocracy among employees. From sheep to shops, quality control is essential.

Each stage of production involves careful checks: at the wool mill, at the factory in Switzerland where suits have been made for decades, at other plants in Italy, including a knitwear factory at Verrone, and at a couple of locations elsewhere in Europe. Stockrooms at Verrone are tightly controlled for temperature, humidity and light. Before being dispatched, each of the 130,000 items that leave Verrone each year is checked for faults on brightly illuminated plastic mannequins.

Zegna also has a niche upmarket women's brand called Agnona which it acquired in 1999, but has no big plans to Medium Elsa Peretti Open Heart pendant it. The firm will remain private, family-owned and devoted to menswear. Mr Zegna says the firm has enough money to expand, so there is no reason to go public. "We're working towards generational change, but I'm 55, my cousin is 54 and I don't see succession as an immediate issue," he says. With 11 members of the fourth generation now in their 20s and teens, Ermenegildo Zegna looks like remaining a family affair.

Breitling Navitimer Chrono-Matic Quartz Chronograph BT-184

2011-01-19T08:29:44+00:00

Milton 238, Stugeon Bay/Sevastopol 184, DeForest 182, Plymouth 162, Sauk Prairie 141, Fort Atkinson 124, Shorewood 122.5, New Berlin Eisenhower 100.5, Elkhorn 95, Monona Grove 91.

Whitefish Bay 75, River Valley 66, Brown Deer/Milwaukee University 65, Grafton 65, Baraboo 61, River Falls 44, Madison Edgewood 44, Whitnall 43, Brookfield Academy 40, Marinette 39, Waukesha Memorial 34, Ashwaubenon 33, Berlin/Green Lake 30, Monroe 28, New Berlin West 28, Breitling Navitimer Chrono-Matic Quartz Chronograph BT-184 26, New London 23, Platteville/Lancaster 19, Port Washington 18, Wauwatosa West 16, Pewaukee 16, Tomahawk 14, Ladysmith 14, Lodi 13, Colby/Abbotsford 11, Whitewater 8, McFarland 6, Delavan-Darien 3.

INDIVIDUAL RESULTS

Diving--1. Rachel Stave (Whitnall), 470.2 points; 2. Sierra Becker (River Falls), 370.3; 3. Sheridan Hearn (Madison Edgewood), 361.6; 4. Katelyn Zarem (Grafton), 346.85; 5. Hayley Seitz (Port Washington), 326.35; 6. Sigrid Stensvold (Ladysmith), 321.1.

200 medley relay--1. 1:48.72; 2. Sturgeon Bay/Sevastopol, 149.32; 3. Sauk Prairie, 1:49.56; 4. Fort Atkinson, 1:50.93; 5. Monona Grove, 1:51.07; 6. Shorewood, 1:52.66; 11. Milton, 1:55..97.

200 freestyle--1. Kelsey Hojan-Clark (Brookfield Academy), 1:49.4; 2. Abby Breitling Navitimer Heritage Chronograph BT-202 (Milton), 1:54.78; 3. Chelsea Statz (DeForest), 1:55.2; 4. Casey Wolter (DeForest), 1:56.2; 5. Rachel Johnson (Elkhorn), 1:56.31; 6. Chelsea Calhoon (Milton), 1:57.22; 7. Ashley Nelson (Elkhorn), 1:57.37; 12. Hannah Johnson (Fort Atkinson), 2:00.27; 14. Emily Mansfield (Delavan-Darien), 2:00.71.

200 individual medley--1. Bridgette Alexander (Milton), 2:05.98; 2. Anna Meinholz (Waukesha Memorial), 2:08.02; 3. Ellen Stello (Shorewood), 2:08.58; 4. Sierra Townsend (Sturgeon Bay/Sevastopol), 2:09.49; 5. Kelsey Millin (Monon Grove), 2:11.26; 6. Allison Teske (Ashwaubenon), 2:11.93; 12. Alexis Kent (Fort Atkinson), 2:16.75; 14. Leanna Schwartzlow (Monroe), 2:17.62; 15. Callie Hebert (Whitewater), 2:18.5.

50 freestyle--1. Alli Bellford (New Berlin Eisenhower), 23.55; 2. Savanna Townsend (Sturgeon Bay/Sevastopol), 23.68; 3. Kristin Malone (Shorewood), 24.2; 4. Kate Criter (Plymouth), 24.22; 5. Emma Bare (Fort Atkinson), 24.39; 6. Annelise Sprau (Whitefish Bay), 24.41.

100 butterfly--1. Alison Meng (Sauk Prairie), 55.94; 2. Kelsey Breitling Navitimer Heritage Quartz Chronograph BT-185 (Monona Grove), 56.36; 3. Annelise Sprau (Whitefish Bay), 57.02; 4. Leah Winckler (DeForest), 58.84; 5. Siri Smits (Berlin/Green Lake), 59.08; 6. Katelyn Holmquist (Milton), 59.2; 8. Stacey Kincade (Milton), 1:00.63; 12. Rachel Root (Monroe), 1:01.29; 14. Cori Johnson (Elkhorn), 1:02.01.

100 freestyle--1. Savanna Townsend (Sturgeon Bay/Sevastopol), 52.48; 2. Sierra Townsend (Sturgeon Bay/Sevastopol), 52.75; 3. Kelsey Kohlbeck (Sauk Prairie), 52.98; 4. Kristin Malone (Shorewood), 53.01, Alli Bellford (New Berlin Eisenhower), tied, 53.01; 6. Chelsea Statz (DeForest), 53.03; 7. Abby Holmquist (Milton), 53.13; 9. Rachel Johnson (Elkhorn), 53.61; 14. Hannah Johnson (Fort Atkinson), 55.3.

500 freestyle--1. Kelsey Hojan-Clark (Brookfield Academy), 4:48.8; 2. Ellen Stello (Shorewood), 5:04.78; 3. Casey Wolter (DeForest), 5:07.84; 4. Elizabeth Buchholz (Kiel), 5:08.72; 5. Chelsea Calhoon (Milton), 5:12.83 6. Stacey Kincade (Milton), 5:13.3; 9. Ashley Nelson (Elkhorn), 5:20.75.

200 freestyle relay--1. Plymouth, 1:38.61; 2. Milton (Katelyn Holmquist, Bridgette Breitling Navitimer Montbrillant BT-4, Chelsea Calhoon, Abby Holmquist), 1:39.09; 3. Sturgeon Bay/Sevastopol, 1:39.53; 4. New Berlin Eisenhower, 1:40.56; 5. River Valley, 1:40.68; 6. DeForest, 1:40.81; 7. Elkhorn, 1:41.26; 8. Fort Atkinson, 1:41.43.

100 backstroke--1. Alison Mong (Sauk Prairie), 55.91; 2. Katelyn Holmquist (Milton), 56.05; 3. Siri Smits (Berlin/Green Lake), 57.24; 4. Bridgette Alexander (Milton), 57.8; 5. Emily O'Rourke (Baraboo), 57.88; 6. Kelsi Chesney (Grafton), 59.4; 8. Rachel Root (Monroe), 1:00.2; 16. Nicki Smiley (Fort Atkinson), 1:03.54.

100 breaststroke--1. Kate Criter (Plymouth), 1:03.28; 2. Anna Meinholz (Waukesha Memorial), 1:03.68; 3. Emma Bare (Fort Atkinson), 1:04.74; 4. Taylor Crain (New London), 1:07.24; 5. Marlee Kiander (Tomahawk), 1:08.12; 6. Lucienne VandePas (Plymouth), 1:08.33; 9. Leanna Schwartzlow (Monroe), 1:09.38; 10. Kate Kirk (Milton), 1:10.64; 11. Callie Hebert (Whitewater), 1:10.79.

400 freestyle relay--1. Milton (Chelsea Calhoon, Katelyn Holmquist, Abby Breitling Navitimer Quartz BT-195, Bridgette Alexander), 3:34.16; 2. DeForest, 3:36.33; 3. Sauk Prairie, 3:37.73; 4. Sturgeon Bay/Sevastopol, 3:39.14; 5. Fort Atkinson, 3:39.28; 6. Shorewood, 3:39.29; 7. Elkhorn, 3:39.91.

Breitling for Bentley Midsize QUARTZ Chronograph BT-170

2011-01-19T08:29:18+00:00

--MADISON -- Has a Milton High dynasty begun in WIAA Division 2 girls swim?

Judging by their roster and the fact that the Red Hawks dominated the state meet here Friday night at the UW Natatorium, the answer might be an emphatic YES.

Milton, buoyed by freshman Bridgette Alexander's first-place finish in the 200-yard Breitling for Bentley Midsize QUARTZ Chronograph BT-170 medley and numerous other top-10 finishes, won the school's first state title with 238 points. Defending champion Sturgeon Bay/Sevastopol was a distant second with 184.

Milton took the lead for good in the meet's eighth event when Chelsea Calhoon and Stacey Kincade finished fifth and sixth, respectively, in the 500 freestyle. The Red Hawks kept piling up the points in the last four events before ending the night in impressive fashion by winning the 400 freestyle relay.

Calhoon, Katelyn Holmquist, Abby Holmquist and Alexander won with a time of 3:34.16. The scary part for the competition is that the Holmquist twins are sophomores, and Alexander and Calhoon are only freshmen.

"It's funny, because we didn't really talk too much about winning state or what to Breitling for Bentley QUARTZ Chronograph BT-57 at state," said Milton first-year coach Kristin Lehman, who got the ceremonial shove into the pool afterward. "These girls have been to so many big meets before that they knew what to do. They handled the pressure like they always do.

"But it sure feels great now that we've won it. I was probably more nervous than them."

Alexander got the party started for the Red Hawks by winning the 200 individual medley with a time of 2:05.59. She became the second straight Milton swimmer to win the event, following current University of Wisconsin swimmer Jennah Haney's win a year ago. Haney was poolside Friday to cheer on her former school.

"I tried to all-out sprint the fly and the back to get a big enough lead for the Breitling Longitude Quartz Chrono BT-196, because that's my weakest stroke," Alexander said. "Once I saw what my lead was, I just wanted to kick as fast as I could to win."

The Red Hawks got their first significant points in the meet's second swim event--the 200-yard freestyle. Abby Holmquist finished second in the event with a time of 1:54.78, while Calhoon was sixth at 1:57.22.

Elkhorn's Rachel Johnson was fifth in the 200 freestyle with a time of 1:56.31.

Katelyn Holmquist scored valuable points for Milton by Breitling Longitude Quartz Chronometer BT-165 sixth in the 100 butterfly with a time of 59.2. Calhoon and Kincade added to Milton's total by finishing fifth and sixth, respectively, in the 500 freestyle.

Milton's 200 freestyle relay team of Katelyn Holmquist, Alexander, Calhoon and Abby Holmquit finished second after being the fourth seed. More importantly, the team finished one spot ahead of second-seeded Sturgeon Bay/Sevastopol.

Fort Atkinson freshman Emma Bare was fifth in the 50 freestyle, while the Blackhawks' 200 medley relay team was fourth. Bare later finished third in the 100 breaststroke.

Katelyn Holmquist was second in the 100 backstroke, while Alexander was fourth. Katelyn also was sixth in the 100 backstroke.

So it was time to get fire truck ride ready in Breitling Longitude Quartz Chronometer BT-166. The city has another state champion.

Breitling for Bentley BT-198

2011-01-19T08:28:59+00:00

--How many pair of jeans do you have in your closet? If you're like me, probably far more than you need. But even with loads of jeans, I probably wear only four pairs of them regularly. Most of my jeans seemed to fit only the day I purchased them, or they were such a great bargain that I mentally made them fit to justify the buy.

On a recent visit to Gloss, the denim bar up at the Promenade Shops at Briargate, I got some tips from store owner Lisa Borden on how to buy jeans.

First, give yourself plenty of time. This way you can try on a wide array of styles, Breitling for Bentley BT-147, colors and sizes. Next, wear the right shoes. Bring your high heels as well as your flats while you are trying on to end up with pairs of jeans that suit both. Finally, keep an open mind, Borden says. Go ahead and try on that pair of skinny jeans -- which, by the way, actually refers to the cut of the jeans not the person wearing them. You might be surprised how fantastic you look in them. By the end of your jean journey, you might come to the realization that you're going to have to spend more money, but isn't having a pair of jeans that don't sag or hang off of your back or make your butt look like a box priceless?

If you're in the market for some chic shopping this weekend, head downtown to Kirk & Hill, 129 N. Tejon St. Beginning Thursday, the store will have a trunk show featuring New York-based Lafayette 148. Named for its Manhattan street address, this line is known for its luxurious, elegant designs -- including cashmere sweaters with fur collars and beaded feather skirts. There are some really gorgeous pieces in this collection; you don't want to miss it. Show ends Saturday.

Kial

Leopard- Print Coat

$149 at Regina's Boutique, 119

You can never go wrong with animal prints as long as you do it right. This Breitling for Bentley BT-148 coat is a perfect example. It's a button-up, three-quarter length, with a slight A-line cut, thus slimming the waist. Pair it with a black turtleneck and a well-fitted pair of jeans and you've got a classic look for many occasions. Sizing runs XS-XL.

True Religion "Becky Chainball" Jeans

$240 at Gloss, The Promenade Shops at Briargate, 1845 Briargate Parkway.

Aside from the great gold-embellished pockets, there are more reasons that make these True Religion jeans a top-seller. They are made with only 1 percent spandex, so they'll provide you the little give you need without being loose and saggy by day's end. The wider cut of the leg adds proportion to Breitling for Bentley BT-198 your legs and shoulders, thus giving you a slimmer, more tailored look. The dark wash goes great with autumn colors.

Lampe Berger Luxury Home- Fragrance Lamp

$79 at What's In Store, 125

Forget about those home-fragrance products that you plug into the wall. Lampe Ber-gers are elegant oil-burning lamps that keep your home scented for hours. But the great thing is the wide variety of lamps available to match any decor. Currently there are more than 120 lamp designs and 42 custom fragrances. Even Breitling for Bentley Midsize QUARTZ Chronograph BT-161 Chanel had a few. Oils for lamp are sold separately.

Hemptress Vegan "Sonja" Hemp Clutch

Aside from having great style capabilities, this handbag offers a few more reasons to love it. It's primarily made from hemp and recycled leather, and has a very contemporary look. The shoulder strap is just long enough to tuck under your arm comfortably. The dyes used on it are low-impact dyes and the zipper even comes from recycled materials. Cute and eco-friendly, you can't lose.

Spare Pair

Commuter Shoes

$10 at Target Stores

Where have these been all my life? They would have saved me from the countless Breitling for Bentley Midsize QUARTZ Chronograph BT-162 my fabulous shoes made my feet feel as though I'd been walking through hot rocks all day. These little godsends are flexible ballet flats that roll up and fit conveniently into your handbag. They come in silver or black and have their own discreet carrying case. When your feet give up, now you can pull out your emergency shoes and still look stylish.

Breitling for Bentley BT-124

2011-01-19T08:28:38+00:00

The Camas Papermakers made school history in dramatic fashion Saturday night at Doc Harris Stadium with a defensive stand in the red zone to earn their program's first victory in the state playoffs.

Kyle Goodnow slowed the play, then a host of Camas defenders swarmed Juanita's Jeremiah Laufasa on a fourth-down play inside the 10-yard line with 21 seconds remaining, preserving a 20-13 victory for the Papermakers.

Camas (11-0), the lone team from Clark County remaining in the playoffs, will Breitling for Bentley BT-123 Lakes of Lakewood next week in the Class 3A state quarterfinals.

"It's amazing. It's a great thing for this team to accomplish," said senior lineman Odin Coe. "We've worked so hard to achieve a state championship, so it doesn't stop here. It's a great win. Celebrate for a little bit, then move on to the next game."

The Camas defense was up to the challenge all night, refusing to allow the Rebels to score. Juanita of Kirkland scored on a defensive touchdown and on a return of a blocked field goal.

The only time the Rebels got close to scoring from an offensive drive was that final charge of the game.

But no way. Not against these Papermakers.

While the defense had its way all game, the Camas offense got enough done against Juanita's defense.

Junior quarterback Tony Gennaro, in his second career start, threw for 207 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winner to Jeremy Faulkner with 7:09 left in the game.

The Rebels had just tied the game after Andre Casino blocked a Camas field Breitling for Bentley BT-124 and Cody Treddenbarger recovered the ball and returned it 70 yards for the score with 8:29 left.

The Papermakers went straight to attack mode. Gennaro found Brent Hill on a deep ball for 36 yards. On a third-and-11 play, Gennaro connected with Miguel Salamanca for 12 yards to extend the drive. Then a quick ball fake got the defense to bite, and Faulkner was all alone in the end zone for a 9-yard touchdown.

Not bad for a new starter, filling in for injured all-league quarterback Logan Grindy.

"Logan's been the leader here. I'm just glad I could step up and do the job," Gennaro said.

That last throw of his looked too easy. Gennaro threw his arm in the air to celebrate before Faulkner caught the ball.

"He was just so wide open. I knew he would catch it," Gennaro said.

"We pretty much set that play up the whole game," Breitling for Bentley BT-128 said. "We were just waiting for the right time. It couldn't have been any better than that."

Juanita, in desperation mode, got four first downs on its last drive, including one fourth-down conversion.

There was a stoppage of play with about four minutes to go, giving the Camas defenders a chance to remind themselves at what was at stake.

"This is four minutes for the rest of our lives," linebacker Ikaika Gunderson said. "The crowd kept us in it. We fired off, got our reads, and took care of business."

With a first-and-10 from the Camas 14, Gunderson stopped Laufasa for no gain. John Payne followed with a shoestring tackle of Jyran McNairy for a four-yard gain that would have gone for more without Payne's play. On third down, Faulkner stayed home and held Derek Kaufman for a gain of one.

That set up fourth-and-5 from the 9-yard line.

"I could hear my heart beating," linebacker Javon Ingram said.

"I live for that kind of situation. I love the pressure," Breitling for Bentley BT-146 lineman Odin Coe said.

Goodnow got there, followed by nine or 10 of his friends, holding Laufasa to a 2-yard gain -- three yards short of a first down.

Party time in Camas.

"Just gotta believe," Ingram said. "Read the keys, trust your teammates, trust the man next to you. Don't give up and fight to the ball. I didn't see one guy who was not there in that play."

"That's just Camas defense," Gunderson said. "We rally to the ball. We've rallied to the ball all year."

Camas coach Jon Eagle said it was all about the defense tonight. Juanita came into the game averaging more than 300 rushing yards per game. The Rebels got 152 in this game, led by Laufasa's 126 yards on 30 carries.

"It was one of the best defensive performances I've ever seen," Breitling for Bentley BT-147 said.

"It hasn't sunk in at all. This is new territory for us," Eagle added. "I'm just really proud of the kids. They beat a very, very, very good football team tonight."

Breitling Chronomatic Quartz Chrono BT-211

2011-01-19T08:28:18+00:00

Logsdon said he traveled the backcountry for years and never carried a gun, unless he was hunting with friends or his three sons. A game warden friend convinced him it would be a good idea to carry a handgun because he's out in the woods so much of the time. He bought a .44 magnum, but said he never shot it more than a dozen times in 15 years, and that was only for target practice.

"I feel as safe out in the woods as anywhere, maybe safer," he said. "It's very peaceful."

When people ask him when he first started riding a horse, Logsdon said he Breitling Chronomat Quartz Chrono BT-224 truthfully tell them he grew up on a horse. He has a photo to prove it. It's of his mother on horseback with him in a sling around her shoulder. He was 3 months old. He was born in 1922 on his father's ranch near Inchelium on the Colville Indian Reservation.

He traveled to California while in his teens and signed up with Franklin Roosevelt's Civilian Conservation Corps around 1940, working on trails in the Sierra National Forest.

He enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1942 and was sent to the South Pacific to battle the Japanese during World War II. He never saw combat, but was wounded when an enemy artillery shell hit a nearby tree. A coconut fell from the tree and hit Logsdon, breaking his leg. He spent nearly two years in a military hospital when the leg became infected and he contracted elephantiasis, which caused an enormous swelling of his leg.

"I always felt bad about that because I was in the hospital where I saw a lot of guys Breitling Chronomatic Quartz Chrono BT-211 the war who were a heck of a lot worse off than I was," he said. The infection eventually responded to treatment, but Logsdon spent half his military service in a hospital.

He moved to Wenatchee after his discharge. Within a few years he had found a job and a wife. The couple had four children and bought a small orchard near Peshastin. The marriage ended in divorce after 15 years. Logsdon said his wife didn't enjoy the rural life with him away driving a truck during the day and out in the Breitling Crosswind Calendar Automatic BT-216 working until dark.

Logsdon made an agreement with his ex-wife to pay her child support but he kept the children, three boys and a girl between 4 and 12 years old at the time. It was an unusual step at the time. Logsdon moved in with his mother, who offered to help. The house was tiny and way too small for six people, but they made do. He would take the kids out hiking and horseback riding in the woods whenever he could. He found his own place after a few years, but moved back to his mother's house several years after she died and the children had grown.

Logsdon said he doesn't go out in the woods for long trips by Breitling Crosswind Calendar BT-222 much anymore. But he's always ready to go out with others or if his Forest Service friends call for help.

He stays fit by hiking two miles every day. For entertainment, he reads. He trades books with friends, but has read many favorite titles three or four times.

Thompson, his Forest Service friend, said Logsdon still moves with the energy and limberness of a man 20 years younger.

"I like to stay active. It always makes me feel a lot better," he said. "I don't know if I'll Breitling Crosswind Quartz Chronometer BT-193 it to 90 or not. I hoped I'd make it to 75. When I did that I thought I'd make it to 80. I felt pretty good, so I'd try to get to 85. Now, it's just one day at a time."

Breitling Navitimer Quartz Chronograph BT-6

2011-01-18T09:11:26+00:00

In the world of fashion, reinvention is a constant and today the Los Angeles Times announces fresh new looks for its most style-conscious publications: Image and LA, Los Angeles Times Magazine. Beginning in January, each will unveil design upgrades and increased online features reflecting enhanced fashion, beauty, shopping and style content. And LA will be more widely available across Southern California via opt-in and stand-alone subscriptions.

"The business of style and fashion in Southern California encompasses everything from the local scene where trends are born and the red carpet rules, to the runways of New York, Paris, London and Milan," said The Times Chief Revenue Officer and Executive Vice President of Advertising & Marketing, John Breitling Navitimer Quartz Chronograph BT-6. "The Times' expanded coverage and new circulation models will deliver the editorial environments and audiences that retail and luxury advertisers want."

Image, dedicated to Southern California's distinct perspective on fashion and style, will get a bright visual boost with a more photo-intensive layout and increased reporting on trends in the making, new products and sales. In addition, beginning January 2nd, Image content will be featured in the glossy pages of LA the first Sunday of each month, while remaining a Sunday Times stand-alone section for the month's subsequent weeks. Image's addictive "All The Rage" blog will have more frequent posts and include LA-related content,LA, which celebrates the gamut of Southern California's vibrant and influential culture, will increase its fashion, style and luxury quotient with the added Image content. The elegant new print layout will also be reflected online with a refreshed which will include timely news from "All The Rage." In addition, a new LA-centric e-newsletter highlighting the magazine's columns, feature stories and expanded digital content will debut in early 2011.

"Image and LA complement each other beautifully and our new editorial vision will Breitling Navitimer Quartz Chronograph BT-64 what both offer while providing readers with more ways to get the style news they crave," said Times Assistant Managing Editor, Features, Alice Short. "Image will continue to distinguish itself as an authority on fashion, and LA's unique magazine coverage will soon reach even more readers."

Sunday Times subscribers not currently receiving LA may opt in, free of charge, and readers interested in a stand-alone magazine subscription can sign up now announces the location of a new store in Jacksonville, Fla. in the Colonial Promenade Lakewood Shopping Center at the corner of San Jose and University Boulevard.

"The Stein Mart family has shared in developing the Jacksonville community since 1984," said Jay Stein, Chairman of the Board. "We are excited about another opportunity to enhance our presence in a way that will help better serve our customer."

Stein Mart conducts research to determine areas that best suit the needs of its Breitling Navitimer Quartz Chronograph BT-81. The move from University Shopping Center to the Colonial Promenade Lakewood Shopping Center is a product of such research.

"The new store will offer a location that is more convenient to our customers, as well as surround Stein Mart with other attractive co-tenants," said David Stovall, Jr., president and CEO of Stein Mart.

The Lakewood Shopping Center is 1.3 miles east of the current Breitling Navitimer Quartz Chronograph BT-81, and moves the store closer to the major San Jose Boulevard thoroughfare.

The new 30,000 square foot store is planned to open in the spring of 2011.

In addition to the new store location in the Promenade Lakewood Shopping Center, Stein Mart announced on November 10, the opening of three new stores throughout the United States. The new stores are located in Sarasota, Fla., Jackson, Miss., and Tempe, Ariz.

Stein Mart currently has 265 store locations across the United Breitling SuperOcean Watch BT-19. Six of these locations are found in the Jacksonville area.

Breitling Navitimer Quartz Chronograph BT-14

2011-01-18T09:11:06+00:00

In the beginning, it seemed like innocent flirtation--a lark. In the spring of last year, actress Gwyneth Paltrow, a front-row regular at fashion shows and muse to Valentino, joined Mario Batali on an eating tour of Spain for a PBS series called "On the Road Again"; she was simultaneously building a following for her website Goop, devoted in large part to cooking.

Around the same time, the Council of Fashion Designers of America released the first-ever "American Fashion Cookbook" (yes, really), a 120-page hardcover with a foreword by Martha Stewart and recipes for Derek Lam's yellowtail crudo and Marc Ecko's "adults only" chocolate chip cookies.

You might classify those two events as novelty acts if you ignored what followed: a boomlet of Breitling Navitimer Quartz Chronograph BT-14 devoted without irony to serious fashion and serious food, including Luxirare, a cult site known for clever posts about avant-garde fashion and culinary experimentation, and street-style photographer Phil Oh's Snappetite, an outlet for beauty shots of food.

At that point, it was fair to argue that certain corners of the fashion world were infatuated with food culture. Then, this fall--wham! David Chang, the chef behind Momofuku, appeared in the September issue of Vogue for a feature on Fashion's Night Out, sandwiched between Naomi Watts and Finnish model Kirsi Pyrhonen; Barneys New York announced that its holiday windows would star Anthony Bourdain and Paula Deen; and word came over the U.K. wires that Kate Moss was mothering pots of simmering fruit for her own homemade jam. It was time to admit that a proper love affair was underway between fashion and food--and maybe not the kind that ends in December.

"I'm not a foodie," said Barneys New York creative director Simon Doonan, "Breitling Navitimer Quartz Chronograph BT-28 we looked around for what's bubbling up in the culture this year and we realized that everyone's obsessed with these icons of food culture. Our customers want to eat at the new Batali place as much as they want the new Céline bag."

Which is why as of this weekend, Barneys New York passersby will see a life-size Ina Garten with a knife between her teeth and Bobby Flay hurling food at Wolfgang Puck, courtesy of corporate sponsorship by the Food Network. These unlikely fashion icons look like their usual, unlikely-fashion-icon selves, which is no doubt part of their appeal.

For the store's holiday mailer, Mr. Doonan commissioned superstar Japanese photographer Nobuyoshi Araki to shoot food-as-fashion-fetish snaps like quail eggs spilling out of an Alexander Wang bag and a model surrounded by pots and pans, a crab hugging her head.

First, let's get the obvious, late-night-talk-show-monologue jokes out of the way. Fashion and Breitling Navitimer Quartz Chronograph BT-29? But fashion people don't eat! The fact is, fashion and food have always had a relationship. As designer Isaac Mizrahi (also an enthusiastic home cook), points out: "It's no coincidence that Paris is the fashion capital of the world and the food capital of the world." Never mind that the first to warm the seats at molten hot restaurants are traditionally designers and models. But now that chefs have fan bases as big as rock stars and beef labels like Creekstone Farms can be cocktail party conversation, the relationship is changing.

Even the story of fashion houses opening cafés and restaurants has a different tenor. When Ralph Lauren braved opening an American restaurant called Ralph's on Paris's Left Bank this past spring, he called on bona fide restaurateur Danny Meyer, of Eleven Madison Park and the Shake Shack franchise, to consult. The food at the brand-new Café Kristall inside the Swarovski boutique in Manhattan is the work of Kurt Gutenbrunner, whose West Village restaurant Wallsé has a Michelin star. Designer Marc Jacobs, known for his Breitling Navitimer QUARTZ Chronograph BT-56 timing and trend clairvoyance, opened a café inside his Milan boutique last spring and is reportedly planning to tackle a stand-alone eatery in New York next.

The fashion world is a sponge--or if your imagination prefers, a really absorbent, Egyptian cotton towel. What quickens the pulse of the culture quickens the pulse of the fashion community. So perhaps we shouldn't be surprised that forces in America's food movement--from Bobby Flay to Brooklyn's culinary artisans--are exerting a pull on it.

"It's a very exciting moment in food," said Jefferson Hack, the London journalist and editor in chief of the luxury magazine Another. "There's so much innovation and risk-taking going on in that world." He sensed a new kind of chemistry between fashion and gastronomy at a dinner thrown by Miuccia Prada at Le Chateaubriand during Paris Fashion Week this fall at which each dish echoed an element from the designer's collection. For his part, Mr. Hack recently commissioned ten designers, including Frida Giannini of Gucci and Francisco Breitling Navitimer QUARTZ Chronograph BT-59 of Calvin Klein, to work with pâtisseries to create their fantasy cake to be shot for the spring 2011 anniversary issue of Another--and eaten at the accompanying party.

Discount Vacheron Constantin

2011-01-18T09:10:40+00:00

They walk among us, not yakking on a cellphone, not lost in a fog of haste--they're keeping a sharp eye out for the bits of humor or beauty or grotesquerie that lurk along our streets. Or that used to be the street-photographer mandate. "Street Photography Now" (Thames & Hudson, 240 pages, $45) shows, for better or worse, how the job has changed. For one thing, no street needs to be in evidence. Thus we see Andrew Glickman's photographs taken inside New York subway cars (mundane images for New Yorkers, perhaps, but Mr. Glickman lives in Maryland) and British photographer Martin Parr's snaps from Fashion Week in Moscow and the Melbourne Cup horse-races in Australia. Somehow the most compelling street photography remains the kind that allows us to imagine ourselves wandering into the frame. The shot above was taken by Slovak photographer Martin Kollar in Nadlac, Romania. Aside from the lovely composition, the photo answers the age-old Discount Vacheron Constantin: Why did the chicken cross the road?

To find out why that guy is sticking his head down a manhole. Among the book's attractions are the thumbnail profiles of the contributors (there are nearly 50), who talk about their working methods. Brooklyn-based Gus Powell notes an increasing challenge that he and his fellow snappers face these JPEGgy days: "It's harder and harder to take a picture without somebody in the picture who's also taking a picture."

So is the fashion crowd genuinely attracted to the sensory pleasures of food (you know, eating it), or just enamored with the heat coming from the kitchen these days? That depends. Vogue Japan fashion director at large (and industry icon) Anna Dello Russo has created an eponymous perfume exclusively for Yoox, to launch at the end of the month, that smells like Christmas cookies. An elixir for the food lover who can't abide the indulgence--or a practical companion for the hopeless sweet tooth? Other fashion folk Discount Welder to have warmed to a fastidiousness in the new food landscape that's also intrinsic to the fashion world.

An insistence on just the right product, made by just the right person, with just the right combination of sensory appeal and visible value feels familiar to fashion world denizens. Consider Scott Sternberg, founder of the label Band of Outsiders, blogging about the virtues of one cookie over another and deifying Christina Tosi, pastry chef of Momofuku Milk Bar at .

Or House of Waris jewelry designer and Wes Anderson troupe member Waris Ahluwalia, who opened a pop-up tea house (which also sold duds from the fashion-forward label Rodarte alongside Daylesford Organic biscuits from England) in a tent underneath New York's High Line park last month, and is now producing and selling his own special-order blends in pretty hand-labeled tins.

What qualifies these guys to dip their toes in the food world? What qualifies a lot of the self-Discount Wyler foodies, foodists and food bloggers out there? Often not much beyond a good eye, a strong opinion and a willingness to be exacting. And as for those still bent on sneering at fair-weather foodies and sylph-like gourmands who just like being part of the hottest new trend, take comfort in this prediction from Mr. Hack: "Gardening will be next."

So is the fashion crowd genuinely attracted to the sensory pleasures of food (you know, eating it), or just enamored with the heat coming from the kitchen these days? That depends. Vogue Japan fashion director at large (and industry icon) Anna Dello Russo has created an eponymous perfume exclusively for Yoox, to launch at the end of the month, that smells like Christmas cookies. An elixir for the food lover who can't abide the indulgence--or a practical companion for the hopeless sweet tooth? Other fashion folk seem to have Breitling Navitimer Quartz Chronograph BT-22 to a fastidiousness in the new food landscape that's also intrinsic to the fashion world.

Or House of Waris jewelry designer and Wes Anderson troupe member Waris Ahluwalia, who opened a pop-up tea house (which also sold duds from the fashion-forward label Rodarte alongside Daylesford Organic biscuits from England) in a tent underneath New York's High Line park last month, and is now Discount Zenith and selling his own special-order blends in pretty hand-labeled tins.

What qualifies these guys to dip their toes in the food world? What qualifies a lot of the self-appointed foodies, foodists and food bloggers out there? Often not much beyond a good eye, a strong opinion and a willingness to be exacting. And as for those still bent on sneering at fair-weather foodies and sylph-like gourmands who just like being part of the hottest new trend, take comfort in this prediction from Mr. Hack: "Gardening will be next."

Discount Roger Dubuis

2011-01-18T09:10:20+00:00

One of America's most prominent hedge funds is being probed by federal authorities, who are investigating whether the firm gave illegally preferential treatment to its founder and to some clients.

The authorities also are examining whether Harbinger improperly allowed some Discount Richard Mille to withdraw money following the financial crisis while barring others from doing so, these people said.

In an interview, Mr. Falcone said Harbinger "did not give preferential treatment to any investor."

He said the personal loan was made in accordance with the terms of the fund and disclosed in the firm's audited financial statements for 2009. He said it "was reviewed by our accountants and outside legal counsel." Mr. Falcone said he has paid back more than $70 million of the loan, with the balance due in 2014. Also, he said the loan has been profitable for investors, and was backed by his holdings in the fund.

Mr. Falcone declined to comment on whether he or the firm has been contacted by Discount Roger Dubuis. It is unclear whether the inquiries will lead to any legal action.

The investigation is a potential black eye for Harbinger, known in the industry for both its size and its role in pushing for corporate changes at companies where it holds a significant ownership stake, including New York Times Co.

In 2007, Harbinger scored gains betting against bonds backed by subprime mortgages. Discount Romain Jerome flocked to the firm, helping it rise to $26 billion in assets in 2008 before it shrank from losses and client withdrawals. The firm now manages about $9 billion.

Mr. Falcone, a former Barclays trader, grew up in Minnesota and played hockey at Harvard University.

The SEC received investor complaints after Harbinger disclosed the loan in fund documents in March, according to people familiar with the matter. The agency's enforcement unit began an inquiry into the loan this summer, said one person. A concern is that investors weren't informed at the time Mr. Falcone Discount TAG Heuer the funds, the people say. Another issue is that the loan might have increased the risk of losses without clients' knowledge. The loan was reported in September by Bloomberg News.

Also at issue is whether clients were equally well-informed, including about risks to the funds, during the restructuring of Harbinger funds, according to people familiar with the matter.

One issue is whether some clients got different withdrawal terms than others, they say. It is unclear which clients are the focus of concern.

In 2009, the firm also tightened rules about investor withdrawals, adopting a 25% limit per quarterly period for each investor as opposed to a limit that applied to all clients combined, according to investors and fund documents reviewed by The Wall Street Journal. The move, which was put to a client vote, meant any investor wanting to redeem fully could opt to do so over a year, with the set-aside illiquid assets potentially taking longer to sell.

Mr. Falcone has been pushing an ambitious plan to launch a global wireless-satellite Discount U-Boat, and has dedicated the majority of his assets in his biggest hedge fund to the venture, called LightSquared.

Mr. Falcone has some $2 billion of his own money invested in Harbinger, investors say, citing that as a strong reason to support his strategy.

Discount Rolex Watches

2011-01-18T09:09:53+00:00

Richemont, the Swiss luxury goods group behind brands including Dunhill, Chloe and etailer Net-a-Porter, has reported double digit sales growth in its fashion and accessories division.

The group, which acquired Net-a-Porter in June, said that the fashion and accessories division returned to profit in the six months to September 30, notching up a [euro]7m (£5.9m) profit compared with a [euro]9m (£7.7m) loss in the same period a year ago.

Overall retail sales, which include the group's 855 company-owned stores around the Discount Patek Philippe and Net-a-Porter, increased by 47% to [euro]1.5bn (£1.3bn) at actual exchange rates. The figure is ahead of growth in the wholesale division which increased sales by 29% to [euro]1.7bn (£1.5bn) after the number of wholesale accounts was reduced particularly in America.

Sales in Europe jumped 27% to [euro]1.3bn (£1.1bn) and represented 38% of total sales. Excluding Net-a-Porter, retail sales increased by 24%.

Total group sales increased by 37% to [euro]3.3bn (£2.8bn) or by 27% at constant exchange rates. Excluding the impact of the acquisition of Net-a-Porter, sales increased by 22% at constant exchange rates.

Operating profit increased by 95% to [euro]760m (£648.9m).

Chairman and chief executive Johann Rupert said: "The robust sales momentum that the Discount Porsche Design has seen for several months has continued through to the end of October."

He added that he expected the high rate of growth to slow as a result of exchange rate movements and more challenging comparatives.the young fashion retailer to be launched by the founders of USC, is to debut online in January and open its first shop in March.

The first store is expected to open in Meadowhall shopping centre in Sheffield, in a 3,890 sq ft store formerly occupied by Austin Reed, between Debenhams and House of Fraser.

Fashion Rocks is being launched by David Douglas and Angus Morrison, who Discount Chanel Watches young fashion chain USC and also hold stakes in streetwear brand Gio Goi. They are launching it as a spin off from the Fashion Rocks charity event which they own. It is understood Douglas will be a sleeping partner.

While it will predominantly be an online venture, it will open around six shops over the next three years in locations including Glasgow, Manchester and London.

Former Cruise managing director John Heath and design director Martin Lacey have also joined Fashion Rocks. Property agents for Meadowhall are Smith Young Partnership and CB Richard EllisBelieve in your dreams and your ability to make the dreams come true" was the interesting key message at the launch of a delicate new perfume "Dreams Unlimited" in Pakistan. The new fragrance was unveiled here by the 'The Body Shop' at a colourful ceremony in the presence of many leading fashion designers, and entertainment world glitterati, civil Discount Rolex Watches representatives and fashion media personalities.

Introducing the new perfume Ayesha Ahmed, a representative of 'The Body Shop,' said: "It is our way of bringing positivity and empowerment to life, and spreading the word to people all over the world, that they should. " She said that when 'The Body Shop' introduced itself in the country in July 2006 through its first store at Karachi, the brand had great expectations from this market. "It was quite apparent that an increasingly sophisticated consumer base would understand & appreciate a unique brand such as ours" she added.

"In a little over 4 years," she disclosed "we have seen the immense success of this Discount Ulysse Nardin Watches and now we have nine Body Shop Stores in four cities and we are planning to open three more stores in near future. This growth has only been possible with the support of the broad-minded Pakistani consumers who understand 'The Body Shop's' moral and ethical values to protect "our incredible planet" and our commitment to care for "the community of people."