Much like soccer, played on beaches with passion and flamboyance, the Brazilian bikini captures the essence of the country, with its colorful designs, cheeky cut and undoubtedly sexy style.

You can spot a Lilly lady from what seems like a mile away.

Flowers, graphic prints and lace are the main fashion trends this spring and summer in Europe. Gorgeous flower designs in bright hues are especially attractive and can be found in a surprising number of collections.

New shoes that have been artificially aged are no longer in fashion. Scuffed leather and fake scratches are out. This season's shoes are new, shiny and come in a range of vibrant colors. Some are decorated with gold and metal elements and even biker and western boots come with neat rivets and pretty stitching.

Forever-young Minnie Mouse is growing up and moving on from her old red and white polka dots.

Couturier Karl Lagerfeld on Tuesday celebrated the story of French fashion house Chanel in a show set around a huge globe showing how the label has grown from a single boutique in the seaside town of Deauville to a global brand with a presence in hundreds of cities.

There was a toughness in the air on the Paris catwalks Sunday. But it wasn't just in the black or the more grown-up styles that continued to dominate fall-winter shows. Even designer Clare Waight Keller of normally gamine Chloe felt it.

It's going to be a black and white Christmas this winter, judging by the lack of color on the Paris catwalk Saturday.

Two Dutch entrepreneurs are merging the fashion sense of young designers with the knitting knowledge of local grannies to create a range of original knitwear, stitched together over coffee and cake at a retirement home.

The fourth day of Paris fashion week saw Raf Simons unveil the latest chapter of his journey after nearly a year at the design helm of Christian Dior.