Models refused to pose, photographers stilled their flashes and stylists laid down their brushes for three hours Wednesday to protest the lack of rules governing their industry, which they complain is taking the gloss off Italy's fashion capital.

"When you go to New York or Paris, there are rules you have to follow. You need a visa to work, or a license," said Guido Dolci, the president of Assem, an association that represents some of the largest fashion agencies operating in Milan.

"But...

Victoria's Secret, the Limited Brands company known for sultry, slinky lingerie, is trying to give sports bras sex appeal.

The chain, with comparable-store sales up just 1% last year, is looking to lift sales and give athletes a more flattering appearance with its Sexy Sport line, due in stores May 15. Its line aims to give some fashion edge to sports bras, known more for compressing than lifting and separating.


Sexy Sport bras -- tagged from $35 to $45 -- will come in trendy colors...

Hachette Filipacchi UK is to launch a bi-annual catwalk fashion title, spun-off from Elle magazine.

The publisher claims that, as well as being the first fashion brand extension for the UK edition of the fashion-led women's monthly, Elle Collections is the first standalone title to focus solely on catwalk shows.

The picture-led magazine will showcase the season's trends, look behind the scenes at shows and encourage readers to re-create the latest catwalk looks.

Hachette will aim Elle...

A volume of photographs called "Off the Wall - Fashion from the GDR" is a surprise hit in Britain. With not a Mao jacket nor a red scarf in sight, it showcases vintage chic straight of 'Barbarella.' Realistic it isn't.

"We thought everyone in the GDR walked around in drab, dismal clothes, but suddenly we found this incredible stuff which showed there was a thriving fashion industry," said Caz Hildebrand, the British art director who put the collection together.

But was there really? The...