Gaudy Christmas sweaters have become all the rage. Ugly-Christmas-sweater parties are so popular that US thrift stores and specialty retailers are making sure the kitschy clothing is in stock, and entrepreneurs are cashing in on a trend that evokes an awkward Colin Firth in the "Bridget Jones" films. Jack McCarthy, 17, and his sister sell …

Behind a locked glass door lies the 17th floor of Copenhagen’s Bella Sky hotel: the Bella Donna floor is off-limits to men so women will feel safe and pampered, even though it’s in violation of gender equality laws. "I’m not allowed to enter. I have to wait here." Except in the event of an emergency, …

By Philip Whitfield ‘Christmas Comes But Once A Year’ is one of the most endearing festive movies —the excitement of orphans awaking in awe; devastated by their clapped-out presents; reassured when Santa appears with a sack of great stuff. Old and new, tradition and contemporary is a tough challenge at this time of the year. We …

Bookshelves groaning under the weight of every issue of American Vogue ever published since Dec. 17, 1892, and there have been about 2,800 of them, can now heave a sigh of relief. Two years in the making, an online Vogue Archive is being pitched to fashion designers, photographers and stylists for whom rummaging through musty …

By Harumi Ozawa/ AFP Outlandish pannier skirts with layers of frilly lace; teenage girls with larger-than-life make-up; a dash of sexuality and lashings of Victoriana are the order of the day for Japan’s Lolita girls. What began as a street fashion two decades ago as youngsters aped the doll-like European styles of baroque and rococo has …

On the 10th day of the 10th month of 2010, I broke my finger and made an unexpected friend. Irrespective of the pressing need to operate, it was not until a week later, after the kids were cured of their cold, that I would have to submit to surgery. This friend who stood by me …

Two years after breakthrough 3D megahit "Avatar," Hollywood is still struggling to decide how best to use the new technology, as filmgoers tire of the novelty and say no to annoying glasses. While 2011 ends with a couple of well-received 3D movies – including Steven Spielberg’s holiday smash "Tintin" and Martin Scorsese’s "Hugo" – filmmakers …

Police were searching Wednesday for a sculpture by renowned British artist Barbara Hepworth which thieves tore from its plinth in a London park. The theft of the bronze work of art, called Two Forms (Divided Circle), is the latest in a spate of metal thefts as prices have soared. The sculpture, insured for £500,000 ($790,000), …

The letter came from Italy, addressed simply "Babbo Natale," but that was enough to reach this frozen, far-north address — along with hundreds of thousands like it from around the world. Some arrive without postage. And they’re written in a host of languages — "Père Noël et ses lutins, Planète des rêves" (France), "Djeda Mraz, …

By AFP Italian designer Giambattista Valli is to join the exclusive club of haute couture fashion, showing a spring-summer collection in Paris next month, organizers said Monday. A Paris commission including existing haute couture labels has awarded the 45-year-old designer the coveted appellation, France’s fashion federation said in a statement ahead of the January 23-26 …

CAIRO: Nile University honored Haitham Desouky, one of its R&D engineers, on Dec. 12 for winning the first prize in the "Stars of Science" Competition, for his touch screen invention Vivifi. Vivifi is a sticker that can be placed under any surface to convert it into a touch feature surface. “It’s good to see rising …

Tunisian couturier Azzedine Alaia, whose army of devotees have spared him the need for runway shows, put a decade of his creations on display in a rare show in the Netherlands this week. A coy man who shot to fame in the 1980s with his clingy, glamorous creations adored by fashionistas and celebrities from all …

CAIRO: Coca-Cola Egypt reinforced its commitment to sustainable community development by organizing a clean-up with more than 250 volunteers at Geziret El-Dahab island, the 4th village Coca-Cola Egypt is developing as part of its Egypt Livelihood Program (ELP) for developing 100 villages by year 2020 in partnership with the Egyptian Food Bank NGO and Sonna …

Forget five-star restaurants. Food-loving tourists are getting their kicks in other ways, from cooking up a hotpot with a Mauritian grandmother to market shopping with a Venetian countess. More than just fine dining, well-heeled travelers in search of gourmet luxury are seeking out "experiences," sparking a shift in the tourist industry, according to experts at …

Durban: From the 61 countries assessed for the year 2011, Egypt’s overall ranking is 21 on the Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) released by Germanwatch, CAN-Europe, and IndyACT in Durban at the UN climate talks. The report looked at the climate policies, emission levels, and existing legislation for 61 countries around the world both developing …

Meryl Streep may be considered one of the finest actresses around, yet she says she believed her career was over 20 years ago. Streep, now 62, tells Vogue magazine she was offered three different roles to play a witch after turning 40. She believed it meant women in her age group were "grotesque on some …

Oscar de la Renta takes longer to create that small, fits-in-your-hand bottle of perfume than one of his elaborate embellished ballgowns. It’s just the nature of the business. The process is similar, starting with an inspiration that comes from the gut, quality materials and fine workmanship, but de la Renta says he’ll continue tinkering with …

Not a trace of bitterness from the spinach leaf’s tip to its light, fragrant stem. Top chef Eric Briffard wouldn’t dream of cooking these crisp shoots, sourced for a small fortune from his treasured Japanese vegetable farmer. Asafumi Yamashita, a former boxer and semi-professional golf player, lives half a world away from his native Japan, …

BEIRUT: In an Arab world rife with social stigma, government inaction and often limited access to education and medical care, experts warn that an HIV epidemic is on the rise. "In the Middle East and North Africa, the HIV epidemic has been on the rise for the past decade," said Aleksandar Sasha Bodiroza, HIV/AIDS adviser …

By David Legge / AFP JOHANNESBURG: Egypt will secure a place at the Olympic Games football tournament for the first time since 1992 if they defeat hosts Morocco on Wednesday in the CAF under-23 championship semi-final. The winners of the North African showdown in central city Marrakech will secure one of three slots reserved for Africa …

Tattooed mummies in ancient Egypt, Crusaders who branded their foreheads with crosses, and New Zealand’s inked Maori warriors were fodder for an unusual conference at a Vatican university Tuesday on the role of tattoos in shaping identity. "Into the Skin: identity, symbols and history of permanent body marks" was the brainchild of a Christian arts …

Welcome to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Guns N’ Roses. The seminal rock band of the late 1980s and early 90s, best known for hits like "Welcome to the Jungle," ”Sweet Child O’ Mine" and "November Rain," leads the 2012 class of inductees announced on Wednesday. Also making the cut is the hip-hop …

By Emma Charlton / AFP For 700 years Catholic faithful expressed their devotion to the Virgin Mary by creating an elaborate wardrobe for the mother and child, on display in a new exhibit in the French city of Lyon. Playfully entitled “Fashion Icon”, the show explores how from the 12th to the 19th centuries, clothes were …

After dangerous, dusty assignments in Iraq and Afghanistan, photographer Michael Kamber has chosen a tough area of New York City as the new backdrop for his interest in war. The award-winning journalist recently opened a gallery in the Bronx, the first in the borough, and he hopes that his gesture will both help photographers and …

The legendary jewelry and fashion collections of Elizabeth Taylor, the so-called "Crown Jewels of Hollywood," went on glittering display Thursday in New York ahead of a hotly anticipated auction. The actress, who died in March at the age of 79, had seven husbands during her glamorous life, countless admirers and a passion for jewelry. The …

British pop superstar Elton John has lashed out at those who continue to stigmatize AIDS as "fascists and idiots," and called on governments to keep funding the fight against the disease. John, in Sydney to mark World AIDS Day, said the battle was being won but warned it would be a mistake for governments to …

US children’s television favorite Sesame Street came to Afghanistan this week with the launch of a new series featuring familiar characters like Elmo and Big Bird. "Baghch-e-Simsim" made its debut on a local TV channel Thursday and aims to improve education for children in the desperately poor, warring country. It features Sesame Street’s typical mix …