Gucci

Mirabelle Vargas, 29, winds her way through the open-air stalls in downtown Los Angeles' bustling Santee Alley, hunting for Victoria's Secret underwear. Or at least undies with a tag that says Victoria's Secret. An authentic pair from the lingerie maker can cost $7.50 and up. But Vargas, a retail sales clerk, managed to find a table brimming with pink-and-white unmentionables. Price: two bucks a pop. "Of course they're not real, not at this price," said Vargas, decked out in a chocolate brown Victoria's Secret tracksuit, also counterfeit.

It was fashion versus fashion as luxury retailer Gucci America Inc. faced off in court against Los Angeles clothier Guess Inc. over a multimillion-dollar trademark lawsuit. In the opening day of trial in Manhattan, Gucci accused Guess of copying its designs in a "complicated scheme" to knock off the Italian fashion company's most iconic trademarks, according to Bloomberg. The saga began three years ago when Gucci, a unit of the French luxury conglomerate PPR, filed suit against Guess alleging the California company tried to "Gucci-ize" its products by crafting logos that closely imitated Gucci trademarks.

It's fashion versus fashion as luxury label Gucci faced off in court against Los Angeles clothier Guess? Inc. over a multimillion dollar trademark lawsuit. In the opening day of trial Wednesday in Manhattan, Gucci accused Guess of purposely copycatting its designs in a "complicated scheme" to knock off the Italian fashion company's most iconic trademarks, according to Bloomberg. The saga began three years ago when Gucci filed suit against Guess alleging the California company tried to "Gucci-ize" its products by crafting logos that closely imitated Gucci trademarks, including mimicking the iconic interlocking G pattern that has appeared on numerous Gucci items over the years.

It's fashion versus fashion as luxury label Gucci faced off in court against Los Angeles clothier Guess? Inc. over a multimillion dollar trademark lawsuit. In the opening day of trial Wednesday in Manhattan, Gucci accused Guess of purposely copycatting its designs in a "complicated scheme" to knock off the Italian fashion company's most iconic trademarks, according to Bloomberg. The saga began three years ago when Gucci filed suit against Guess alleging the California company tried to "Gucci-ize" its products by crafting logos that closely imitated Gucci trademarks, including mimicking the iconic interlocking G pattern that has appeared on numerous Gucci items over the years.

Tom FORD is finished with Gucci and not quite sure what he will do next ("A Designer Ready for a Change," by Booth Moore, March 27). Martha Stewart has stepped down as an officer of her corporation and will likely do time in jail. It's obvious: Tom Ford for Martha Stewart Living. The man who gave us bamboo stiletto heels and fur-trimmed bell bottoms is the perfect person to take Martha Stewart Omnimedia to the next level. Martha's designs were always a bit on the tame side. I just have a feeling about this.

Gucci Group's U.S. unit sued Los Angeles-based Guess Inc. for alleged trademark infringement, accusing the apparel company of using a network of wholesale buyers to sell imitations of Gucci's bestselling designs. Guess allegedly sells knockoffs of Gucci's green-red-green-stripe designs and interlocking "GG" patterns on footwear, wallets and other accessories, according to a complaint filed in federal court in New York. Guess did not respond to a request for comment.

This season, Italian designers reclaimed the jet set, challenging the dominance of French labels such as Balenciaga, Balmain and Givenchy in driving this flashy, body-conscious moment in fashion. Although two strong collections suggested an alternative recipe for seduction -- Raf Simons' passionate take on deconstruction at Jil Sander, and Tomas Maier's spare and sculptural approach, nearly all white with broad strokes of curve-highlighting color -- the overriding message of the spring 2010 shows that ended Monday at Milan Fashion Week was this: the tighter, shorter and more see-through, the better.

There was an assembly-line quality to the beginning of Miuccia Prada's spring show Thursday, the highlight of Milan Fashion Week. Set on a raised metal platform with industrial-style lighting, the models came out one after another, wearing boxy short-sleeve tops and pencil skirts that were uniform-like in their simplicity. Industrial orange, then green, then blue. Each model carried a neon-colored fur stole, which could have been real or fake. Was the designer making a sly comment on fashion's rapidly churning pace?

AFTER presenting his collection for Gucci, designer Tom Ford announced he has "never been more embarrassed to be an American" ("Peace Offering," by Booth Moore, March 3). I've never been more embarrassed to own Gucci. Leslie Fuhrer Friedman Venice

Tom Ford has ruminated about death ever since he was a small boy growing up in Texas. It was the flip side to his early, genetic fascination with beauty. "Everything in life is bittersweet for me, because when I see something beautiful, I also see it aging, old, dead, gone," he says. "I was very aware of mortality. I was very aware of my time on the planet." Still today, almost every morning he awakes and wonders, "If I die tomorrow, what am I going to miss?" Ford speaks quickly and hypnotically, words rolling out with a seductive, almost aromatic intensity.

More than two dozen people were charged in a $325-million counterfeit ring to import knockoffs from China and Taiwan through a port in New Jersey, authorities said. Using undercover agents and wiretaps, federal law enforcement agencies uncovered "two elaborate schemes" to elude border security and transport counterfeit apparel, accessories, cigarettes and illegal drugs into the Newark-Elizabeth Marine Terminal, the U.S. district attorney's office in New Jersey said in a statement.

Mirabelle Vargas, 29, winds her way through the open-air stalls in downtown Los Angeles' bustling Santee Alley, hunting for Victoria's Secret underwear. Or at least undies with a tag that says Victoria's Secret. An authentic pair from the lingerie maker can cost $7.50 and up. But Vargas, a retail sales clerk, managed to find a table brimming with pink-and-white unmentionables. Price: two bucks a pop. "Of course they're not real, not at this price," said Vargas, decked out in a chocolate brown Victoria's Secret tracksuit, also counterfeit.

The memo leaked in the spring of 2007. A deputy campaign manager for Hillary Rodham Clinton urged her to skip the Iowa caucuses in her quest for the Democratic presidential nomination. Participating in the first contest of the 2008 presidential calendar, he wrote, was expensive, outdated and unnecessary. Iowans, who take their role as first presidential vetters seriously, were not amused. Clinton scrambled into damage-control mode. But she'd violated an unwritten Iowa rule: Never, ever, give voice to the idea that Iowa is not the center of the political universe.

Volcom Inc., the Costa Mesa surf-and-skate brand, announced Monday that it had agreed to be sold to Paris-based PPR for $607.5 million. The French luxury and retail group contains some of the world's best-known labels, including Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent, Balenciaga and Alexander McQueen. PPR's brands are distributed in more than 120 countries. The cash deal, for $24.50 a share, was a 37% premium over the three-month average trading price of Volcom shares. The acquisition is expected to be completed during the third quarter, the companies said.

After six weeks of somewhat staid awards fare for film and television, the Grammys shake up L.A. with some very welcome sonic edge. Less talking, more dancing. The intersection of music stars and their famous athlete, executive and celebrity fans makes serious parties possible. Here's a preview of who will be making beautiful music at private parties and where. UNICEF's Women of Compassion. Angeleno socialite Colleen Bell will host a brunch with the charity on Friday honoring Gucci creative director Frida Giannini.

$ Make: Look3D Price: $30 and up Works with: RealD Availability: December $$ Make: Marchon 3D Price: $95 to $150 Works with: RealD Availability: December $$ Make: Oakley 3D Gascan Price: $120 Works with: RealD Availability: November $$$ Make: Gucci Price: $225 Works with:...

More than two dozen people were charged in a $325-million counterfeit ring to import knockoffs from China and Taiwan through a port in New Jersey, authorities said. Using undercover agents and wiretaps, federal law enforcement agencies uncovered "two elaborate schemes" to elude border security and transport counterfeit apparel, accessories, cigarettes and illegal drugs into the Newark-Elizabeth Marine Terminal, the U.S. district attorney's office in New Jersey said in a statement.

$ Make: Look3D Price: $30 and up Works with: RealD Availability: December $$ Make: Marchon 3D Price: $95 to $150 Works with: RealD Availability: December $$ Make: Oakley 3D Gascan Price: $120 Works with: RealD Availability: November $$$ Make: Gucci Price: $225 Works with:...

There was an assembly-line quality to the beginning of Miuccia Prada's spring show Thursday, the highlight of Milan Fashion Week. Set on a raised metal platform with industrial-style lighting, the models came out one after another, wearing boxy short-sleeve tops and pencil skirts that were uniform-like in their simplicity. Industrial orange, then green, then blue. Each model carried a neon-colored fur stole, which could have been real or fake. Was the designer making a sly comment on fashion's rapidly churning pace?

If you're a costume designer, could there possibly be anything more intimidating than working for the man who saved Gucci? Just to make things a little more frightening, let's also assume he's taking his first cut at directing a feature film. What do you do? If you're Arianne Phillips, whose credits include designing Madonna's concert costumes and such period films as the Johnny Cash biopic, "Walk the Line," you enjoy an utterly satisfying collaboration with fashion icon-turned-rookie director Tom Ford on his adaptation of the Christopher Isherwood novel "A Single Man."