MIXEDMATERIAL

French Connection: Dead Brand Walking

French Connection has announced a £17.4m loss, inevitably blaming the slumping demand for retail. There's no doubt that the appetite for high street clothing is not quite what it was but there's also no doubt that even in a booming market, French Connection would likely still be losing money and customers.

The Crossover

Fashions shows are not, of course, real life. 

Young Eastern European boys don't generally dress head to toe in Gucci or Louis Vuitton and, fingers crossed, in real life I will never see somebody wearing the shiteous outfit, shown left, by DSquared from their Spring 2009 show - a show which managed to set new records in hamfisted styling, even for DSquared. 

This spring, there will, though, be looks that crossover from fashion show to real life and that are going to have a real impact on what you wear. See after the jump for a pick of the clothes that should make it into real wardrobes this season.

Too much too young?

People need to give Gareth Pugh a break. Emerging from the news that LVMH backed his debut menswear show (left) has spun a tidal wave of rumours and gossip about his future. They're going to buy his label! They're going to give him a job at Dior! Or Givenchy! Nobody but the gods of LVMH know what the intentions of LVMH are but before Gareth Pugh is completely annihilated by the hype bandwagon that he effectively started with his first collection three short years ago, he now needs just a little bit of time. 

The skull trend, overkilled

You have to feel sorry for designers like Lucien Pellat Finet (left) and Alexander McQueen, as their once original and witty uses of a skull and crossbones motif have been endlessly hijacked across all manner of products.

The list of artists and designers who have appropriated the skull ranges from multinational names to small independents, all seeking a quick way to signal a rebellious streak. Originally a subversive emblem that was surprisingly woven into the fabric of art and fashion, the skull and crossbones is now a ubiquitous slapdash shorthand for producers and consumers to proclaim some kind of edge.

Take a look at the evidence...