Lifestyles

Here's the chance to walk in the shoes of Carmen Miranda, Audrey Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe: Salvatore Ferragamo is, for the first time, re-creating and selling in the U.S. the shoes made for these stars.

The designs in the limited-edition Ferragamo Creations collection come straight from the company's archives, using the original models, forms and types of leather. Among those available at the brand's flagship store in Manhattan are the red 4-inch stiletto heels that Marilyn Monroe wore in "Some Like It Hot," a gold-tile mosaic platform shoe worn by Miranda and a silver platform sandal created for Eva Peron.

The patriarch of the brand, the late Salvatore Ferragamo, who died in 1960, also worked with Audrey Hepburn many times, and the round-toe ballet slipper he made for her is also part of Creations. The timing couldn't be better: That particular shoe fits in with today's fashion trends as well as it did in 1959.

Each new product will come with a certificate of authenticity describing its story and features. When the limited number of each product is sold out, the design will return to the archive. However, other designs will be plucked from the archives and added to the collection twice a year.

A section of the Fifth Avenue store has been renovated to resemble a shoemaker's showroom in the 1950s. Historic photographs of the designer and the women who inspired his work hang on the wall.

The Creations concept previously had been offered in Paris, Tokyo, Beijing and at Ferragamo headquarters in Florence, Italy.

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De la Renta preview shows that trends will hold

Oscar de la Renta gave a preview on Monday of his pre-fall collection for 2008, a hint of where fashion might be headed next year. With this fall's styles still in stores -- and many of them on sale racks -- there are some themes and trends that appear to have life left in them, including metallic embellishment, long gloves, patent leather and the colors of cobalt blue and purple.

What was different in de la Renta's new collection was the nod to the style of the South American prairie with upscale, sophisticated versions of the circle skirt, cropped jacket and jabot blouse. A brown tweed skirt seemed to marry the look with the luxury that de la Renta's fans are accustomed to, and models wore cowboy-inspired boots with a high cone heel and made of soft, supple leather and suede.

For customers in need of ballgowns, de la Renta offered those, too -- the most striking was a strapless embroidered gown in gold lame with a fitted bodice and a full skirt that exploded with seemingly infinite swirls of fabric.

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Students, cancer survivors to model fashions tonight

"Threads for Pink," a fashion show to benefit Susan G. Komen for the Cure, is set for 7:30 p.m. today at Butler Senior High School.

About 50 students -- and six breast cancer survivors -- will model approximately 90 outfits from Macy's, Dress Barn, Fashion Bug, Forever 21, Top Hat Tuxedo and other stores at Clearview Mall and the Galleria at Pittsburgh Mills, plus Horse and Hound in Penn Township and Highland Alpaca in Volant, Mercer County.

Josie Gilliland, a 10th-grader at Butler Senior High School, also will present six original outfits.

Twelfth-grader Ann Girdano of Penn Township, daughter of a breast cancer survivor, led efforts to organize the fundraising show as her leadership project for the Pennsylvania Governor's School for Global Entrepreneurship at Lehigh University.

Tickets to the show -- including live jazz at intermission -- are $5 at the door, $3 for students. Butler Senior High School is at 120 Campus Lane, Butler Township.

Details: 724-214-3200.

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Fashion show at Macy's to benefit charity

A fashion show of I.N.C. International Concepts holiday menswear will highlight a fundraiser set for 5:30 to 7:30 Thursday at Macy's, Downtown, to benefit the Shepherd Wellness Community, Bloomfield.

Macy's will donate $5 per attendee to the organization, which serves people infected or affected by HIV/AIDS. The first 25 guests who spend $100 on I.N.C. men's apparel will receive a $25 Macy's gift card. Reservations are required.

Hors d'oeuvres and cocktails will precede the 6 p.m. fashion show in the Men's Shop on the second level of Macy's, Downtown. Details: 800-836-1782.

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Trunk shows set for jewelry, bags

Spoiled Chics the Boutique will present a trunk show of Puppy Paws sterling silver jewelry from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the Sewickley shop. Puppy Paws jewelry, which is paw-shaped, features precious and semi-precious gem accents

A trunk show of Sydney Love bags and accessories is set for 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at the boutique. The collection includes wallets, passport holders and jewelry pouches.

Spoiled Chics the Boutique is at 350 1/2 Beaver St., Sewickley. Details: 412-741-0977.

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