right angles

Asymmetry is the new word on every fashion groupie's lips - but it's not one many will have heard since third-year maths. Nevertheless, Calvin Klein's geometric fishtail hems, Donna Karan's one-arm-bandit dresses and Helmut Lang's skewed chiffon hems are what you need to look asymmetrically fabulous this spring. And if you can't afford designer prices, hunt out your old school set square, sharpen your scissors, and start slicing. Styling by Sophia Neophitou. Photographs by Desmond Muckian

Purple asymetric dress, pounds 59, from Kookai, 123 Kensington High Street, London W8, 20 Bold Street, Liverpool, and branches nationwide

Red one-shoulder top, pounds 20, from Warehouse, 19-21 Argyll Street, London W1, 30 King Street, Manchester, and branches nationwide; chocolate- brown stretch dress by Gucci, pounds 320, 33 Old Bond Street, London W1, 18 Sloane Street, London SW1

Skirt with striped chiffon insert by Helmut Lang, pounds 99, from Harvey Nichols, Browns, and Jones, all as before; satin mules, by Patrick Cox, pounds 125, from 8 Symons Street, London SW3 Black spandex asymetric top by Ann Demeulemeester, pounds 195, from Harvey Nichols, and Browns, as before