Hotfoot it!

UGG Australia is dipping its toes into the Chinese market with its selection of boots.

The brand's China flagship store opened on Dec 19 at Solana Beijing, offering everything from traditional to high-fashion footwear.

In addition to boots, the outlet retails UGG's new collection of accessories and cloth.

Classic love

The Classic Collection features clothes faced sheepskin boots in black, chocolate and sand hues, and recently expanded to offer soft gold, metallic silver and gold, and paisley.

The Classic Cardy features colorful wool-blend knit uppers and sheepskin sock liners for extra comfort.

A light and flexible outsole and suede heel guard provides durable all season long wear. The Classic Cardy is detailed with three oversized wood buttons, allowing them to be buttoned, slouched and slightly unbuttoned or completely cuffed.

The brand's Slippers Collection combines warmth and comfort for around the house or traveling in luxury.

Lavish luxury

The Nolita and Greenwich Collections feature well-crafted, stacked leather heels and sculpted wedges.

The New Duck Collection combines UGG comfort and durability with names such as Duclair and Belfair.

The collection is made with full grain waterproof leather and a breathable eVent membrane, and is lined with sheepskin. These unique designs keep feet warm and dry, and are sure to turn heads.

Passion for fashion

Fresh, youthful and hip styles are key to the Metropolitan Collection. Combining rich supple leathers, smooth silky suedes and wool crochet, UGG Australia has reinvented this coveted silhouette.

Surf's up

The Surf collection is designed to keep wearers comfortable and stylish at all times.

Walk like a man

UGG Australia has added and updated its offerings for men.

The Rugged Casual Collection features an assortment of simple yet chic styles that include a sheepskin foot bed for extra comfort.

New York Fashion Week

THAKOON


A disco-ball dress for Michelle Obama? Probably not.


But before Thakoon Panichgul famously dressed the now-first lady, cool model types wore the designer's clothes. That's who he seemed to have in mind for his new fall collection, never mind that White House social secretary Desiree Rogers was in the front row next to Vogue editor in chief Anna Wintour.


The Thakoon runway was filled with graffiti-paint fur _ a "so-what?" statement to the down economy, perhaps _ narrow sheaths and cool coats. The finale look, a sequined one-shoulder dress with a dramatic bow to top it off was a fine piece of handiwork with the beads appearing to float between layers of tulle.


MATTHEW WILLIAMSON


The new British invasion came with an explosion of color on the catwalk of designer Matthew Williamson. And it wasn't just one or two wild brights in a sea of black, as other designers have done. Williamson instead created a kaleidoscope of crimson, coral, mint green and turquoise _ and then shook it up.


He had success with metallic jacquards, both a sunset-colored sunburst that brightened up a minindress and a mint green-and-silver, skinny-leg pantsuit, and a slinky Spirograph-print column dress with a high neck and beaded sleeves was fresh and modern even if it was something the coolest housewife on the block would have worn in the 1970s.

New York Fashion Week

THAKOON


A disco-ball dress for Michelle Obama? Probably not.


But before Thakoon Panichgul famously dressed the now-first lady, cool model types wore the designer's clothes. That's who he seemed to have in mind for his new fall collection, never mind that White House social secretary Desiree Rogers was in the front row next to Vogue editor in chief Anna Wintour.


The Thakoon runway was filled with graffiti-paint fur _ a "so-what?" statement to the down economy, perhaps _ narrow sheaths and cool coats. The finale look, a sequined one-shoulder dress with a dramatic bow to top it off was a fine piece of handiwork with the beads appearing to float between layers of tulle.


MATTHEW WILLIAMSON


The new British invasion came with an explosion of color on the catwalk of designer Matthew Williamson. And it wasn't just one or two wild brights in a sea of black, as other designers have done. Williamson instead created a kaleidoscope of crimson, coral, mint green and turquoise _ and then shook it up.


He had success with metallic jacquards, both a sunset-colored sunburst that brightened up a minindress and a mint green-and-silver, skinny-leg pantsuit, and a slinky Spirograph-print column dress with a high neck and beaded sleeves was fresh and modern even if it was something the coolest housewife on the block would have worn in the 1970s.

New York Fashion Week

THAKOON

A disco-ball dress for Michelle Obama? Probably not.


But before Thakoon Panichgul famously dressed the now-first lady, cool model types wore the designer's clothes. That's who he seemed to have in mind for his new fall collection, never mind that White House social secretary Desiree Rogers was in the front row next to Vogue editor in chief Anna Wintour.


The Thakoon runway was filled with graffiti-paint fur _ a "so-what?" statement to the down economy, perhaps _ narrow sheaths and cool coats. The finale look, a sequined one-shoulder dress with a dramatic bow to top it off was a fine piece of handiwork with the beads appearing to float between layers of tulle.


MATTHEW WILLIAMSON

The new British invasion came with an explosion of color on the catwalk of designer Matthew Williamson. And it wasn't just one or two wild brights in a sea of black, as other designers have done. Williamson instead created a kaleidoscope of crimson, coral, mint green and turquoise _ and then shook it up.


He had success with metallic jacquards, both a sunset-colored sunburst that brightened up a minindress and a mint green-and-silver, skinny-leg pantsuit, and a slinky Spirograph-print column dress with a high neck and beaded sleeves was fresh and modern even if it was something the coolest housewife on the block would have worn in the 1970s.

New York Fashion Week

THAKOON

A disco-ball dress for Michelle Obama? Probably not.


But before Thakoon Panichgul famously dressed the now-first lady, cool model types wore the designer's clothes. That's who he seemed to have in mind for his new fall collection, never mind that White House social secretary Desiree Rogers was in the front row next to Vogue editor in chief Anna Wintour.


The Thakoon runway was filled with graffiti-paint fur _ a "so-what?" statement to the down economy, perhaps _ narrow sheaths and cool coats. The finale look, a sequined one-shoulder dress with a dramatic bow to top it off was a fine piece of handiwork with the beads appearing to float between layers of tulle.


MATTHEW WILLIAMSON

The new British invasion came with an explosion of color on the catwalk of designer Matthew Williamson. And it wasn't just one or two wild brights in a sea of black, as other designers have done. Williamson instead created a kaleidoscope of crimson, coral, mint green and turquoise _ and then shook it up.


He had success with metallic jacquards, both a sunset-colored sunburst that brightened up a minindress and a mint green-and-silver, skinny-leg pantsuit, and a slinky Spirograph-print column dress with a high neck and beaded sleeves was fresh and modern even if it was something the coolest housewife on the block would have worn in the 1970s.

Pinault's PPR snaps up Puma stake

PPR SA, the French retailer controlled by the billionaire Pinault family, bought a 27 percent stake in Puma AG and will make an offer for the rest of the German sporting-goods maker for a total 5.3 billion euros.

PPR, owner of the Gucci Group of luxury-goods brands, paid 330 euros per share for the stake held by German billionaires Guenter and Daniela Herz and will offer the same to other shareholders, Herzogenaurach, Germany-based Puma said. The offer is 4.8 percent more than Puma's closing price last Thursday.

An acquisition of Puma would increase the portion of sales PPR is making outside the country by adding more international brands. Puma, whose products are sold in 80 nations, has forecast record revenue and profit in 2007 after sales quadrupled in five years.

PPR is looking to add Puma to its portfolio as designers of luxury clothes collaborate with sporting-goods makers to capitalize on demand for fashionable apparel and shoes. Puma, known for its leaping-cat logo, and larger rival Adidas AG are working with designers Alexander McQueen and Stella McCartney, whose companies are owned by PPR.

Bloomberg News

Puma wins lawsuit against supermarket selling bogus sneakers

German sportswear maker Puma AG Rudolf Dassler Sport has won a lawsuit against a supermarket in Shanghai that sold fake Puma athletic shoes, a Shanghai court ruled Friday.

The Shanghai First Intermediate People's Court heard that Fu-mart, a supermarket owned by the Nanhui branch of the Kunshan Runhua Commerce Co,. Ltd. in Shanghai, allegedly sold sports shoes bearing logos identical to the Puma logo.

Lawyers representing Puma managed to buy a pair of fake Puma shoes for 69 yuan (nine U.S. dollars) on December 22, 2006 at the market.

The German company, which registered the Puma logo in China in 1999, demanded an end to the infringements, a public apology and a compensation of 500,000 yuan (65,700 U.S. dollars).

The supermarket argued the shoes, registered under the "Shuqi" trademark, came from legal sources.

The market said that it didn't know the shoemaker had infringed on Puma's trademark rights, adding that it should not be liable for compensation, as it has only sold two pairs of the shoes, and had terminated sales.

The court ruled that the supermarket failed to identify the infringement and should be held responsible for selling counterfeit Puma products. It ordered the supermarket to publish a public statement to mitigate the negative effect it has caused on the Puma company and pay 100,000 yuan (13,100 U.S. dollars) in damages.