God I love this time of year– ok the weather’s terrible, but what’s a little rain when we’re being given a sneak peek of Australia’s Miss Universe national costume? Always something a little bit, ahem, left of field and drawing on the most clichéd of Aussies clichés, this year’s look is no exception. In fact I have a feeling it will go down in the history books as the costume to beat. There’s the lambswool shrug, high-heeled Ugg boots (genius), the cut-out one-piece swimsuit and a layered skirt inspired by – well, I’m just not sure…Anyway the point is, it’s hideous and oh how I love it! And I defy anyone to say otherwise.

Beauty pageants aren’t meant to be fashion shows. They’re meant to be hilariously OTT and just plain wrong. Snaps also go to the brave Aussie representative Jesinta Campbell for saying she was proud to wear it all. Now that’s the spirit.

Watch the video to see the Ugg-tastic fashion and tell us what you think!

Image: Jesinta Campbell after being announced as the winner of the 2010 winner Miss Universe Australia

The fashion world is in shock and deep in mourning with the news that Alexander McQueen is dead. The 40-year-old designer was himself mourning the loss of his mother only a week ago, and early reports suggest that the designer has taken his own life.

Can we please stop this men’s fashion madness? Don’t get me wrong, I applaud a man who chooses to take pride in his appearance, but men in gloves? Printed pyjama-style pants? Visible lingerie? Back off, dudes! This is our territory.

I do feel their pain. Life must be quite limited in a trouser-centric world. Even more so if you’re a corporate type. But I’m guessing that not many of the things that went out on the catwalk at the recent men’s shows in Paris and Milan will be hitting casual Friday any time soon.

I actually have no beef with men in skirts. Scottish men manage to look positively rugged in their kilts, and I have one or two friends who have been known to rock a skort with aplomb.

But I fear that designers are really taking the mickey at the minute.

Exhibit A: John Galliano’s “man girdles”, visible to the naked eye. The whole concept of a man girdle is ludicrous to me. (But then I also find women’s support garments largely unappealing, unless they’re fabulously retro affairs.) It was bad enough that Calvin Klein made it acceptable to see boys’ undies over the top of their low-slung jeans. But this is too much.

Ditto long-line gloves. Sure, they might be in leather, but while long leather gloves give a daringly dominatrix twist to a woman’s outfit, here they are serial-killer creepy (especially when worn with a halter-neck top – shudder!).

Printed suits and coats could be tolerable in the right setting or on the right person – although I’m not a fan of flowing satin lounging suits outside of a Noel Coward-type context.

Call me old-fashioned if you like, but I do like men to look like men and not strange, fashion-forward hybrids.

And plus, we really, really don’t want you boys raiding our wardrobes. We have our limits.

Man girdles at John Galliano (left) and Marc Jacobs in a kilt (right). Images: Getty.

Grazia loves to celebrate fresh new talent, so off we trotted to the Qantas Spirit Of Youth Awards on Wednesday night to see who would take home the perspex trophies. Of course, we were paying particularly close attention to the fashion category, with three of our favourite labels vying for the prize: Gary Bigeni, Arnsdorf and Romance Was Born.

But it was RWB designers Anna Plunkett and Luke Sales, on their third attempt, who were called to the podium. The Sydney duo were clearly thrilled with their prize of $10,000 in cash and the same amount in flights, plus a year-long mentorship with Nicky and Simone Zimmermann. “I love the Zimmermann girls,” Anna said over a celebratory drink following the announcement. And Anna knows all too well that on top of RWB’s exuberant creativity, it’s time for them to knuckle down and concentrate on the other side of things: “It’s business time!”

We must also mention the winner of the photography category – doll-faced 17-year-old Nirrimi Hakanson. Nirrimi is set on a career as a fashion photographer and to her delight will be mentored by NY-based Australian fash photographer Tim Richardson. From the look of her photos already, we should be seeing her work on the pages of Grazia any time now.

Top: Romance Was Born’s Anna Plunkett and Luke Sales with Simone and Nicky Zimmermann.
Bottom: A photograph by Nirrimi Hakanson.

Lisa Ho’s A/W 10 collection was launched in the opulent surrounds of Country Trader homewares mecca, an appropriate venue for this decadent range that took its inspiration from a hedonistic Budapest glamour girl. As we took our very comfy seats and couches, the parade began to the

As you read this, I will be taking my seat at my 14th Rosemount Australian Fashion Week. Yes, I am that old and so are the Zimmermann sisters because they have been at every one too (sorry to dob you in, girls). I have seen the good, the bad and the plain ugly over the years and I thought I would share with you my most memorable moments.

Click here for more memorable moments from Australian Fashion Week

Macy Gray belting out I Try (think: “my world crumbles when you are not here”) at the end of the Marcs show in 1998. It was a surprise, and even the most cynical black-clad fashion editor was bopping along and cheering. Cate Blanchett was in the audience as Harper’s Bazaar’s guest editor. This photo above of Cate with Macy and Mark Keighery, who sadly passed away last July, leaves me misty-eyed.

Christy Quilliam in the Morrissey Edmiston (when they were a duo) show at the first fashion week in 1996. Debate raged when the Daily Telegraph published model Christy in a cut-out maillot, all protruding ribs and hipbones. (History repeated last year when Balenciaga house model Steph Carter, deemed too thin, was banned from Aussie runways.) In the audience, I didn’t notice Christy’s ribs until I saw them in the paper the next day – not sure what that says about my conditioning or attention span. For the record, Christy is now happy and healthy living in NZ. She always claimed she didn’t have an eating disorder, but no one listened.

The launches Tigerlily’s wet and wild first runway show in 2001, with Eva Herzigova in a $500,000 pearl bikini, having water dumped on her in front of an audience which included Jodhi Meares’ then-husband James Packer (his current wife Erica modelled in the show) and his father Kerry. It was one of those moments when worlds collided. And never to be forgotten (or forgiven) is the arrival of ksubi (then tsubi) and their rats in 2000.

Charlie Brown and its stars: Sophie Dahl, Jerry Hall and Jade Jagger.
Oh, to have those budgets again!

The supers Linda Evangelista (despite the backstage tantrum while being poured into an Alex Perry frock); Helena Christensen (twice: once as a model in 1996 and later as a photographer); Erin Wasson for ksubi in 2007 and the lesser-known but beautiful Chrystelle, Marc Newson’s former girlfriend, in 1997.

Special guests Dita Von Teese riding a giant M.A.C lipstick in 2007 and Elle Macpherson as guest editor for Bazaar in 2002.

The theatrics Tony Assness and Terry Biviano in particular. Think: horses, circus stunts and can-cans with pom-poms…yes, those two really turned it on for a good cause: stilettos.

Special mention…
And Collette Dinnigan deserves a nod because the shows were great and only outdone by the settings (Government House, the old Boomerang harbourfront home, and a Paris bar built from scratch). And we needed those delicious feeds!

Erin Wasson with ksubi front row at Josh Goot in 2007, and Eva Herzigova in a $500,000 Tigerlily pearl bikini in 2001 (above); Jade Jagger walks for Charlie Brown in 2005 and Sarah O’Hare walks for Collette Dinnigan at Government House in 2001 (below).

It’s L.O.V.E. I’ve just returned from David Jones’ autumn-winter collections launch where Orlando Bloom sat front row (just three seats away from me!) and winked and smiled as the gorgeous Miranda made her way down the runway. He flew into town on Monday (but you knew that because you’ve seen our cover this week) and today he was seated beside Miranda’s paternal grandma, who he put his arm around and whispered to during the show – so cute! Yes, he is as gorgeous as you would expect in the flesh and he seemed very happy to be there, supporting Miranda. She giggled as she caught his eye at each exit. The clothes were good, in particular sass & bide’s finale of mostly black pieces, Collette Dinnigan’s summery prints, Kirrily Johnston’s fabulous orange, Ginger & Smart’s silky parachute pants and Scanlan & Theodore’s naturalist themes. There may have been other wonderful pieces I missed because, I confess, it was hard to stay focused on fashion. Orlando and Miranda sitting in a tree…oh, they’re just so LOVELY!

Miranda Kerr blows a kiss to boyfriend Orlando Bloom who was sitting in the front row. Photos by Getty Images.

IN PICS:
Click here to see who was at the David Jones AW 09 launch

Exclusive VIDEO:
Click here for Grazia TV’s exclusive behind-the-scenes video of our sexy Miranda Kerr cover shoot

More Miranda Kerr news:
How to get Miranda’s $5m body
Miranda Kerr: 10 dresses in 10 minutes
Miranda Kerr: that body
Are Mirando planning to live The Good Life?
Miranda's Buddhist wedding plans
EXCLUSIVE: Miranda Kerr interview

Let all past sins be forgot and let’s move on to the Oscars! Here’s my fashion advice for the Best Actress nominees announced today – we’ve even picked out the dress for you and suggested colour where we feel it’s necessary. Why pay Rachel Zoe when you’ve got me, for free?

Click here for our Oscars wishlist: this is what we would like to see the Best Actress nominees wearing

Anne Hathaway, Rachel's Getting Married

Angelina Jolie, Changeling

Melissa Leo, Frozen River

Meryl Streep, Doubt

Kate Winslet, The Reader