Travel sick in a turban

While Maggie's favourite gear, Aquascutum, is all the rage, another old-fashioned name is shrouded in mystery. According to the Sunday Times, Guy Laroche - the Parisian designer last known for producing brightly coloured clothes in the early Sixties - had tendered a "very generous" offer to designer Matthew Williamson to join as head designer. The newspaper reported that Williamson "is expected to join the Cool Britannia exodus".

However, a spokeswoman for the designer has quashed all rumours, and refused to comment further. This is all rather odd. Even the grand homme of British fashion, Colin McDowell, when asked to comment, said that Williamson will be employed "to cause shock and create headlines, because publicity sells". Perhaps the rush of young blood to Paris's head has caused over- zealous speculation. "Could designers please sit still for one minute?" asks Vogue, before listing a host of names who have flocked to France and Italy. Chanel's Gilles Dufour has gone to Balmian, John Bartlett has taken up Richard Tyler's mantle at Byblos.

Not to mention Marc Jacobs at Louis Vuitton and Narciso Rodriguez at Loewe. Martin Margiela at Hermes, Hussein Chalayan for TSE New York, and Inacio Ribeiro for Iceberg. Perhaps it's only a matter of time before Matthew moves on.

Williamson's English-rose look was in tune with Summer's obsession with cardies and floaty frocks. However, things took a different turn in August. The fashion press visited more cultures than a fat cat with a glut of airmiles and wanderlust.

ES magazine showed us the delights of India with denim jackets over saris to "add heat and lust to any wardrobe" before going all Teutonic on us with a modern-day Brunhilda. The Sunday Times told us that "the Asian invasion is heading this way."

The designers to jump on board the Bombay Express were "Dries Van Noten, Rifat Ozbek, Vivienne Tam and Dolce & Gabbana showing sari shapes in jewel colours worn over loose, embroidered trousers," said Sheryl Garratt in the Style section. "It's a far cry from the few pounds you would pay for a bolt of beautiful fabric in Southall." Our own Annalisa Barbieri threw jumpers, saris and trainers together for an urban-turban look.

Meanwhile, the Daily Telegraph featured Goan tie-dye and this newspaper's Review showed us the Ladyboys (young trannies) and fake accessories (Gucci and Chanel) of Bangkok. The Face, however, turned to Japan with a Manga- inspired 10-page shoot. Anyone travel sick?