April 2005

Like Mies van der Rohe, I.M Pei and fellow Thomas Jefferson Award winners, architect Shigeru Ban pushes the conventions of his era.

In a sea of commonplace totes, laptop cases, briefcases and work bags, there's an accessory that can brand the bag as your own.

People are still scratching their heads over the nearly two-hour wait that preceded the Marc Jacobs show.

Cornelia opened earlier this month, hoping to turn up the extravagance dial in NYC's crowded spa market.

NEW YORK Design history is littered with arresting objects that briefly turn heads and set fashion.

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So you have an idea and you want to build a web site. A GOOD web site (Goal Oriented Objective Design) is essential if you are going to have a site that is both usable and effective.First, what is the goal of your website? That is what is it you wish to achieve once it is up and running?Second Orient your website, and by this I mean align or position the site with respect to the clients you wish to attract and keep.Third, what is the Objective of the site? Do you want to sell products? Do you want to provide information? You should have clear goals in mid before you start the design process as this will better assist you when you actually begin coding you site.Last is the Design. Your design is arguably the most important part of your site. A bad design could turn of a visitor before they have a chance to realize the value of the service or products you offer. If you rush into a design that is not thought out you risk failing from the start of your projectAny website design that we at Downtown Digital undertake will follow this process. Asking a client questions up front can save immeasurable hours of coding and provides an end result that will achieve fantastic results.

It is not enough to say, as everyone will, that the Badminton Cabinet auctioned in London this week for $36.7 million is the most expensive piece of furniture ever sold.

On opening night at the Washington Antiques Show, two ceramic lions reclined on pedestals like well-behaved Sphinxes. Diana H. Bittel, a dealer from Bryn Mawr, Pa., was hoping to sell them before the event at the Omni Shoreham Hotel closes tomorrow. At $18,500 for the pair, these gatekeepers require commitment.

The Textile Museum has chosen Daniel Walker, head of the Islamic art department at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art, to become its new director.

The village school that Diebedo Francis Kere designed in the West African nation of Burkina Faso is modest in scale. But the ambition it represents is grand.

When Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrived at Wiesbaden Army Airfield, she brought her full self to the world stage.

People are still scratching their heads over the nearly two-hour wait that preceded the Marc Jacobs show.

A dark mood lurked over the recent fall 2005 shows -- one that was manifested in gloomy colors, heavy fabrics, austere silhouettes and an intellectualized concept of romance.

MILAN, Feb. 26 -- Two days before the Dolce & Gabbana show on Friday afternoon, the designer Stefano Gabbana sat in his showroom fielding questions from a handful of journalists and giving them a brief preview of his collection. He calmly offered musings about black and navy; he spread an array of high-heeled pumps across the floor; and he showed off a brown tweed jacket embellished with taupe and beige chiffon flowers that was still unfinished. Then the conversation turned toward the general state of fashion, and someone wondered aloud whether the industry was shifting into a period of minimalism. Gabbana, who with his business partner Domenico Dolce, is known for generous servings of sequins and rhinestones, gasped and raised his hands in protest.

The masterly grace of Yohji Yamamoto's fall collection lies in the pure ease with which the designer blends his intellectual approach to fashion with the sizzling sensibility of rock.

To purchase a Chanel jacket is to buy into fashion history and all of its attendant mythology.

Lil' Kim spent much of her time in court distancing herself from the provocative persona that has brought her both fame and wealth.

There are any number of striking aspects to Camilla Parker Bowles's fashion sense, but the most startling is that, after more than a decade in the public eye, it does not seem to have changed at all.

John Bolton, President Bush's nominee for ambassador to the United Nations, desperately needs a haircut.

Michael Jackson appears incapable of wearing anything that does not resemble a costume, no matter how serious the circumstances.

To purchase a Chanel jacket is to buy into fashion history and all of its attendant mythology.

An exhibit at Boston's Museum of Fine Arts shows off designer Ralph Lauren's personal collection of classic cars.

Each season is a fresh wardrobe start. For spring, focus on suits.

Fashion's inevitable cycle strikes again: Espadrilles are back.

John Bolton, President Bush's nominee for ambassador to the United Nations, desperately needs a haircut.

Like a lot of mass-market merchants who fancy themselves fashion-savvy, H&M could not ignore the extreme marketing potential of a runway show.

Varvatos is the perfect designer for Washington. He understands that although many men may harbor fantasies about the rock star lifestyle, they don't want to dress like Lenny Kravitz.