London fashion week finally came to an end, triumphantly or with hype beyond the comprehension of intelligent beings, depending on your viewpoint, with Marc Jacobs' show at Claridges. Unlike Armani's extravaganza last season, Marc Jacobs was a great collection, lifting the spirits by its sheer professionalism. The clothes were great, too, even if at times the feel-good factor was so kitsch that it seemed they should have ideally been modelled by the entire von Trapp family instead of the 60 well scrubbed boys and girls brought in to impress us all.
On to Milan where fashion week was kicked off to great style at D&G's flirty frilly show, which was virtually entirely of big cat prints. Even the stage and proscenium arch were covered in them. The dresses were the triumph. Reminiscent of warm exotic nights on safari or leaning on a cruise ship rail, they were counterbalanced by rigoursly cut smokings. Long cigarette holders and gold shell wedge heels completed the slightly decadent mood but why the models carried holdalls almost half their size was a mystery in this otherwise excellent show.
Just Cavalli was about curvaceous large scale with tulip skirts, big knitwear and strong shoulder emphasis. For my taste there was perhaps a tad too much ballooning taffeta and shining silver, which is totally inescapable this season, not only on runways but already in the windows of Milan's smartest shops. But otherwise this was another strongly directional statement. Despite the fabulous shocking pink runway, Moschino Cheap and Chic was too literal a recreation of late Sixties and early Seventies ready-to-wear but that being said, there were some strong looks including the bunched Renaissance sleeve which is popping up everywhere. What I found interesting about all three of these Italian shows, all of them second lines, was how crisp, commercial and well made they were, after many of London's rather clunky showings. It's easy to say that such standards are all about money but in fact they reflect very much more than that.
Wednesday 21 February 2007
Virgin Galactic signs Nasa co-operation deal
Sir Richard Branson’s space tourism company has signed a deal with Nasa to help get its flights off the ground, MPs heard today.
Will Whitehorn, president of Virgin Galactic, confirmed that the company had signed a cooperation deal with the US space agency at midnight in an unprecedented collaboration.
He told the Commons Science and Technology Committee that the firm would benefit from the agency's expertise, while Nasa would use seats on its flights for early astronaut training.
Mr Whitehorn said: “They obviously believe in it and who am I to question them?”
Virgin Galactic will offer members of the public the chance to experience a few minutes in space in a $200,000 two-and-a-half hour flight from 2008.
The company’s rocket-powered ships will be launched from adapted jet aircraft at 50,000 feet, reducing fuel costs and environmental impact. Each flight will carry six “astronaut passengers” and two pilots.
The sub-orbital rocket flight will be brief, but will include the chance to experience weightlessness and to see the earth from space. The ship will “float” to earth like a shuttlecock using “feathering” technology, Mr Whitehorn said.
Professor Stephen Hawking, the wheelchair-bound physicist, is booked on one of the first flights, courtesy of sponsorship from Sir Richard. Mr Whitehorn said that fares for passenger flights into space would tumble from the $200,000 (£100,000) now advertised. “We believe that after five years we can get that cost down to $75,000 and after nine years to $50,000 or £25,000.”
Will Whitehorn, president of Virgin Galactic, confirmed that the company had signed a cooperation deal with the US space agency at midnight in an unprecedented collaboration.
He told the Commons Science and Technology Committee that the firm would benefit from the agency's expertise, while Nasa would use seats on its flights for early astronaut training.
Mr Whitehorn said: “They obviously believe in it and who am I to question them?”
Virgin Galactic will offer members of the public the chance to experience a few minutes in space in a $200,000 two-and-a-half hour flight from 2008.
The company’s rocket-powered ships will be launched from adapted jet aircraft at 50,000 feet, reducing fuel costs and environmental impact. Each flight will carry six “astronaut passengers” and two pilots.
The sub-orbital rocket flight will be brief, but will include the chance to experience weightlessness and to see the earth from space. The ship will “float” to earth like a shuttlecock using “feathering” technology, Mr Whitehorn said.
Professor Stephen Hawking, the wheelchair-bound physicist, is booked on one of the first flights, courtesy of sponsorship from Sir Richard. Mr Whitehorn said that fares for passenger flights into space would tumble from the $200,000 (£100,000) now advertised. “We believe that after five years we can get that cost down to $75,000 and after nine years to $50,000 or £25,000.”
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