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Batman makes kinky fashion mainstream

She's fast. She's tough. She karate-kicks in stiletto-heeled boots and has the fashion panache of an Emma Peel who's crossed over to the dark side.

She's Catwoman, aka Michelle Pfeiffer, and because the movie Batman Returns is a blockbuster, the Catwoman look soon may be coming to a restaurant, dance club or social event near you.

Well, maybe not the exact Catwoman look. The suit probably isn't the look for dinner with the in-laws or box seats at the opera with its not-so-subtle references to sado-masochism (metal studs and latex) and Dr Frankenstein (crude, white whipstitching suggesting monstrous plastic surgery).

But Catwoman is likely to boost the perennially popular black, slinky, catsuit which at its most basic is simply a one-piece, form-fitting jumpsuit.

Catsuits, the active-wear choice of Peel, aka Diana Rigg, co-star of the '60s television series The Avengers, long have been de rigueur for dancers.

Dancers in the Broadway hit Cats gave them their most literal interpretation and top fashion designers pounced on the bandwagon.

Meanwhile, faux catsuit looks, such as narrow leggings or stirrup pants topped with black leather motorcycle jackets, are considered wardrobe basics by the most fashion forward.

Moreover, catsuits, which are unforgiving in their tendency to outline every curve, are in step with this season's fashion direction toward clothes that are slinky, long, narrow and provocative.

The catsuit is not for the fashion mouse.

Fashion can be so silly sometimes.

Last month at the fall runway shows in Paris, there were mukluks, moon boots and hot water bottle purses at Chanel, a latex condom dress and pierced cheeks at Vivienne Westwood and yarmulkes sprouting palm trees at Jean Paul Gaultier.

Do designers really expect us to wear such get-ups?

For the most part, no. Though you can always count on attention-starved exhibitionists like Madonna to choose the most outlandish outfitsimaginable.

Just days after Gaultier's Hasidic-inspired show where he added kilts to men's trouser suits, we saw two trendy lads in the audience at the Romeo Gigli show in - can you guess? - kilts. Rather than buckling the skirts on over trousers, though, they had taken advantage of the balmy weather to expose their hairy legs. Until men discover Neet, we sure hope this isn't a trend that takes off.

Often, designers use off-the-wall devices to drum up publicity, getting their name out into the public arena. This helps drive sales of their perfume and body products, the area where designers earn the bulk of their profits.

Chanel, for example, will undoubtedly benefit from the attention paid to Karl Lagerfeld's far out footwear.

In drawing attention to herself, Westwood may help sales of her new watch for Swatch which is modelled after the regal orb which is her logo. Her condom dress will likely be worn by some savvy starlet with a movie to plug.

In other words, the fashion runways can't always be taken at face value.

Bear this in mind as you read on for more highlights of the Paris shows.

Circus atmosphere

You can always count on Jean Paul Gaultier to elevate bodysuit latex to Barnum and Bailey heights.

This season, Gaultier chose the theme of Orthodox Judaism so the narrow halls of the Gallerie Vivienne, an early 19th century shopping arcade, were dimly lit with menorahs, creating a technical nightmare for photographers.

Strolling violinists played excerpts from Fiddler on the Roof, while white-gloved assistants served Manishevitz wine.

When the models emerged, both men and women were wigged up in Hasidic hair with side curls or sequinned skull caps.

Men paraded in long black coats - some quilted - and women wore jersey maxi dresses belted around the bust with thin leather strips to create an Empire silhouette.

The effect of the Hebrew influence on Gaultier's jackets has been positively miraculous. The man who put Madonna in cone bras did tartan and pinstriped jackets which were as relaxed as religious robes.

While some were offended by the Judaic theme, others were thrilled that Gaultier has moved forward from his S & M days. But the sex isn't missing from the new perfume Gaultier will launch in Europe this spring. The bottle is shaped like a woman's torso and packaged in a tin can. No word on when the scent will hit Canada.

Repeat performance

How can you not admire a guy who couriers over his photos wrapped in cotton which has been handsewn shut?

Martin Margiela's approach is thoughtful and kind to the earth.

Rather than staging a mammoth show, he invited small groups of press and buyers to come by his humble digs. The day we visited we were herded into a small room with Steven Meisel, the photographer who shot Madonna's Sex book. (Meisel is an enigmatic character who always wears a hat and travels with an entourage which includes his personal chef.)

We sat like a kindergarten class in a semi-circle of chairs while Margiela, clad in a Greek fisherman's cap and a white lab coat, shone a gritty film he had made himself against a wall to show us his collection.

The clothes - ribbed sweaters with no seams and recycled flea market finds - were modelled by seven friends of the designer including an architect, an artist and Canadian model Girardi who is in her third trimester of pregnancy.

Margiela then took guests rack by rack, piece by piece through the collection, pointing out that second-hand sheepskins have had their buttons removed and wrap around the body with ribbons. American baseball shirts tie with ribbons in back to add shape. Old jeans had been recut into skirts, complete with dirty knees and unfinished hems. Wool sleeves are safety-pinned to silk dresses. Parts of seams have been finished then delicately re-opened. And jacket and dress linings are meant to be worn alone as garments.

Margiela's clothes are some of the most progressive in Paris and were appreciated even more through his careful explanations.

Montana's best

Word has it that Claude Montana's eveningwear didn't even arrive backstage until his show had already started. No wonder the designer looked a little piqued when he took his bow. Whether the rumor was true or not, he needn't have worried. Montana put on one of the best shows in Paris. There were brilliantly colored trapeze coats in wool or corduroy with foot wide collars falling in waves and cuffs with enough fabric to cut another coat. A fuchsia style had jaggedy pinked edges and most were worn over co-ordinating leggings and Robin Hood boots.

He also did maxi coats nipped at the waist and overstuffed velvet parkas.

Underneath most of the sculptural coats: ribbed bodywear, tunics with bell sleeves, ankle-length leathers, cropped trousers, and shapely jackets which instead of buttons closed with bright blocks of Velcro.

For evening, Montana proposed the tuxedos of the future: shapely tailcoats slit at the sides to reveal wisps of chiffon. It's with ideas such as these that Montana will lead us into the 21st century.

About the Author

She's fast. She's tough. She karate-kicks in stiletto-heeled boots and has the fashion panache of an Emma Peel who's crossed over to the dark side.

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