Al Beres

Notch by notch, Al Beres has been pulling himself up in the fashion world by his belt straps. His belts, contemporary in style but rooted in the traditions of the Old West, can be seen wrapped around the waists of such celebrities as Bruce Springsteen, Tom Cruise, Sylvester Stallone and assorted members of Hollywood's brat pack. "We see (the belts) on TV and in the movies. The other night a backup singer on Arsenio Hall wore one," Beres said.

"What's your sign?" Accessories designer Al Beres has been hearing that question a lot lately, since he launched the Zodiac Collection--12 silver belt buckles, each sculpted in the shape of an astrological sign. There's a buckle with a ram's head for Aries, a curled-up scorpion for Scorpio and a crab for Cancer. Now when people ask what his sign is, Beres can point to the buckle with the lion's head, for Leo. "Boy, am I a Leo," Beres says. "Confident. A leader. Always the center of attention."

"What's your sign?" Accessories designer Al Beres has been hearing that question a lot lately, since he launched the Zodiac Collection--12 silver belt buckles, each sculpted in the shape of an astrological sign. There's a buckle with a ram's head for Aries, a curled-up scorpion for Scorpio and a crab for Cancer. Now when people ask what his sign is, Beres can point to the buckle with the lion's head, for Leo. "Boy, am I a Leo," Beres says. "Confident. A leader. Always the center of attention."

Notch by notch, Al Beres has been pulling himself up in the fashion world by his belt straps. His belts, contemporary in style but rooted in the traditions of the Old West, can be seen wrapped around the waists of such celebrities as Bruce Springsteen, Tom Cruise, Sylvester Stallone and assorted members of Hollywood's brat pack. "We see (the belts) on TV and in the movies. The other night a backup singer on Arsenio Hall wore one," Beres said.

Sharon Goode, who transformed Prestige Leather Creations from a small maker of dog leashes and collars into one of the nation's top manufacturers of men's and women's belts, has died. She was 47. Mrs. Goode suffered an apparent heart attack Friday and died shortly after being rushed to Verdugo Hills Hospital. A company official said Saturday that Mrs. Goode's husband, Rick, will assume his wife's duties as president and chief executive officer of the leather goods company.

Western wear has spread across all lines of fashion faster than a prairie fire. City folk started going wild for the West in the spring, after influential designers such as Karl Lagerfeld, Isaac Mizrahi and Marc Jacobs offered a fashion roundup of gingham checks, fringed leather and chambray. A posse of imitators quickly followed with their own versions of Western-influenced fashions in all prices and categories--men's, women's, children's, even cowboy duds for babies.

Buy a T-shirt or a bracelet these days, and you might be helping to save the rain forest, find a cure for AIDS or protect an endangered species. Call it politically correct style. A growing number of clothing and accessory designers are using their talents to help causes ranging from the environment to animal rights.

A flash of panic crosses Sharon Goode's face. "What time is it?" she asks, shooting a worried look at a crew of employees quickly filling boxes in her shipping department. "We promised an order would be out by noon." In the frenetic fashion business, delivering her fashion belts on schedule is critical, according to Goode, president of Prestige Leather Creations in Vernon. "The major thing in this business is to deliver on time," said Goode.

Most people associate Giorgio with perfume wrapped in the company's signature yellow-and-white stripes. While there's plenty of fragrance to be found at the Giorgio Beverly Hills boutique in South Coast Plaza, the store also offers an eclectic mix of one-of-a-kind apparel and accessories. "We've tried to cut through the clutter and handpick merchandise that makes the store special," says Sabra Lande, president of retail stores and licensing for Giorgio Beverly Hills in Santa Monica.

How should a woman dress for success? It depends on the goal at which she is trying to succeed. For the single woman, dressing to attract an eligible bachelor can be just as important as dressing to attract a promotion. Sophistication and femininity, however, need not cancel one another out. "Many women have this idea that they should look sexy on a first date, so they wear a slinky, revealing dress," said Jennifer Butler, a Los Angeles-based color and design specialist.