Fabio Fashion

In London today (19 May) for the launch of Marks and Spencer’s official suit for the England football team to wear at this summer’s World Cup.

The grey puppy tooth suit will also be sold to the general public, retailing at a relatively modest GBP199 (US$286), but the retail version doesn’t include the three-lions crest modelled by the players.

More accustomed to Champagne in Harvey Nics, there must have been a degree of trepidation when England’s elite arrived at M&S in their Ferraris to get fitted for the new suits.

Furthermore, the retailer takes over from Armani as official FA World Cup suit supplier, so the pressure was on. Luckily, help was at hand from another trusted Italian designer with a reputation for success – England manager Fabio Capello.

That’s right, Capello set tight specifications for the fitted design, together with Saville Row tailor Timothy Everest MBE. They used a 100% wool fabric in a black and white micro birdseye weave, sourced from the Alfred Brown Mill in Leeds.

Perhaps more in line with your typical M&S shopper were four of England’s 1966 World Cup winning squad who were involved in today’s event – Sir Geoff Hurst, Martin Peters, Roger Hunt and Gordon Banks. These legends will also feature on marketing to be launched this week in time for next month’s event in South Africa.

Although parallels were drawn between Fabio and then manager Sir Alf Ramsey, it’s hard to imagine the latter scratching his head over whether to go for classic fit or slim silhouette.

Fashion – The future is plastic

Forget leather, wool and natural fibres — good old plastic is the material of choice from head to toe; the catwalk to the High Street.

The jelly shoe — long a saviour for sensitive soles on pebble beaches — has shed its cheap seaside image. Thanks to designers such as Vivienne Westwood, Marc Jacobs and Diane Von Furstenberg, the holiday footwear has been moulded into sandals, pumps and stilettos and elevated to must-have status.

And for those who baulk at paying designer prices for a bit of PVC, Barratts has launched colourful studded jelly gladiator sandals for £15.

But it isn’t only shoes that are enjoying a plastic makeover. So is the humble shopping bag. The eco-conscious may have won the fashion battle with the trendy hessian ‘bags for life’, but could plastic win the war with its new designer incarnation?

Italian label Marni has launched a recycled plastic tote featuring illustrations by French artist Claude Caillol.

Not even headgear has escaped the plastic trend. Milliner Bernstock Speirs has designed two hats made almost entirely of bubble wrap. Wonder how many people will give in to temptation and pop the plastic and ruin the lot.

Alex Curran – ‘Leave Now’

An armed gang threatened to kidnap England football star Steven Gerrard’s two children after terrorising his wife with a knife at their luxury home.

Former model, Alex Curran, 27, confronted the thugs after they smashed into her house demanding “Where’s the f****** safe?” and “Where’s the f****** jewellery?” But after being told there was no safe and that jewellery wasn’t kept in the house, one of the raiders told another: “Get the blade out the car.”

He then told former Mirror columnist Alex: “If you don’t tell us where the safe is,

It all began when a smash was heard at about 9.30pm.

“Alexandra left her bedroom and met one masked man at the top of the stairs.

Alex told the men to “leave now” before they raced up the stairs demanding she show them where the safe and jewellery were kept.

And after the gang’s terrifying threat to take her two children, she was forced to tell them the safe was in a downstairs cupboard.

The raiders “dragged” Alex to look with them – and forced her to hand over the silver Rolex watch she was wearing.

“The men attempted to take the safe but they could not move it very far because it was too heavy. So they began to ransack the room.”

Liverpool crown court heard a Miss Johnston tried to call the police but was caught before she got through.

But after telling the gang she had made contact they demanded to access the home’s CCTV system – and fled through the patio doors after Alex told them she didn’t know how it worked.

Alex Curran

Least favourites to win are Alex Curran and Steven Gerrard. 

Referred to in The Times no less as being an ‘uber-WAG’, Curran has long-since been established as a major face on the wives and girlfriend circuit.

 The perma-tanned fashion columnist, model and, wife of Steve Gerrard is so hot she’s even got her own fragrance. 

Singer Jamelia has had a pop in the past but was silenced with Curran’s cutting retort: “She’ll be glad to know I don’t know her boyfriend’s name but Steven (Gerrard) thinks he’s (Darren Byfield) lower than a non-league player.” 

Gerrard lists Jennifer Ellison as a former flame, and while the former Brookside shoplifter would make a sensational WAG, if you want handbags bigger than most one bedroom flats and OK! shoots galore, Curran could get your vote.

Although, Cameron-like accusations of being all style over substance have resurfaced of late.

Melanie Slade

Currently second to last in the Sky Sports run for Mr and Mrs WAGDOM is Theo Walcott and Melanie Slade.

For those of you tired with the whole WAG phenomenon, wholesome duo Theo Walcott and Slade may be just the ticket.

Slade, like Walcott, made her breakthrough at the 2006 World Cup (the original WAG-fest) when pictures of her in Baden Baden filled every tabloid.

Ever-polite Theo might just get the Nick Clegg ‘he seems alright, but not sure what he does exactly’ vote.

Slade, a bright spark studying physiotherapy, largely eschews the celebrity circuit as she concentrates on academic pursuits.

She did, however, find time to bag herself a cameo role in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – playing a friend of Hermione Grainger – as Theo’s aunt Yvonne’s partner is David Yates, the director of the film.

 She’d probably deny it, but we suspect this was at least partly motivated by a desire to bag the first-time teen voters.

Christine Bleakley

Despite denying their endless love for each other it is fair to say that Frank Lampard and Christine Bleakley are an official couple.

On paper they’re a bit of an odd match given Christine’s the type of woman your mother would like you to bring home, while Frank is routinely booed everywhere except West London.

He got an A* in Latin no less, enjoyed the type of private education most footballing scamps can only dream of and has nailed his colours to the Tories’ mast.

Once a blue and all that…Given she’s replaced one of the original WAGS, Elen Rives, Bleakley has particularly high stilettos to fill. Having co-presented The One Show since 2007, Bleakley, is a household name and adds a touch of glamour to primetime fodder which attracts 4million Pebble Mill fans.

It’s unlikely Christine will enjoy being referred to as a WAG, but given she boasts losing to Rachel Stevens in a Strictly dance-off on her CV, we say all’s fair in love and WAGs.

Coleen Rooney

Sky Sports second favourite couple due to be crowned the royal WAGS are first-loves Wayne and Coleen, football’s golden couple. S

ince first appearing in the tabloids as a 15-year-old school girl, Coleen has completed her metamorphosis from being labelled a Chav to WAG with cheery good grace.

Boasting a career as a television presenter and columnist since being thrust into the spotlight, Coleen recently gave birth to the couple’s first child Kai.

Clearly no air head, Coleen has the brains to match the beauty as she has negotiated a number of product endorsement deals that will have made mega-rich Wayne sit up and take notice.

Having appeared in British Vogue she’s danger in elevating her status to that of Queen WAGS Posh and Cheryl.

 However, Coleen claims she’ll only be in South Africa should England reach the semi-finals.

Abbey Clancy

Abbey, has had to put in some serious mileage in her bid to become the ultimate WAG.

 The 24-year-old Scouser boasts not only a failed pop career, her band Genie Queen supported Blue but where never likely to trouble The Beatles, but also a runners-up gong on reality TV show Britain’s Next Top Model.

She may have lost out on the catwalk but was lucky in love not long after as she bagged Crouch in the warm-up to the 2006 World Cup.

Although now engaged, the couple were caught up in a tabloid rumpus that led to a brief separation not long after they got together, as pictures emerged of her engaging in a pastime best left to Colombia.

Both seem like affable folk, with Crouch routinely afforded the compliment of being one of the nicest men in football.

With a WAGtastic wedding in the pipeline and Abbey set to go global, Sky Sports have the duo as the early favourites to get the nod as the king and queen of WAGDOM.

SKY SPORTS King and Queen of WAGDOM

  After months of canvassing for the public vote in campaigns that have swept the length and breadth of the country, a significant day that will shape the British landscape is finally upon us. It’s decision time. Sky sports have launched a public election to vote who should be crowned king or queen of WAGDOM!

Who should represent England at the WAG & Stag World Cup? – It’s decision time.

Remember, with the polls as tight as they are, a no-vote is a wasted vote!

Throughout the World Cup Sky Sports will be pitting together football’s most glamorous couples – the WAGs and the Stags – in match-ups that are likely to be as explosive as any on-field encounters. Every group game in South Africa will be represented by a respective hunk and honey from each nation, before the competition really hots up in the knockout stages.

You’ll have the chance to vote on your favourite pair for each game until there is just one couple left on July 11, World Cup final day in Johannesburg.

Fabio Capello and his trusted band of lieutenants have whittled down the prospective candidates to represent England to a final five, but in an act of remarkable generosity the Italian has decided this is a decision best left to the nation. There is only one place left on the plane to South Africa, whether it is filled by Abbey, Coleen, Christine, Melanie or Alex is up to you – the electorate.

While there has been talk of a hung-WAG, we can confirm none of the aforementioned have been harmed in the build-up to this election.

Stay tuned to fashionwag.com for information about all 5 of the contestants.

For information and to vote go to skysports.com.

Carly Zucker celebrate 26th birthday in style

AS IF they needed an excuse, Chelsea wives and girlfriends were in party mood celebrating the club winning and the 26th birthday of new mum, Zucker.

Chelsea WAG Carly Zucker invite the England boys and girls out to celebrate her 26th birthday.

Carly was joined by husband Joe Cole, Frank Lampard and his girlfriend Christine Bleakley, Rugby player Danny Cipriani, Reality TV star Chantelle Houghton.

Recently separated Ashley Cole made a brief appearance with captain John Terry and his wife Toni Poole.

The Chelsea wag and friends headed to the Whisky Mint nightclub in London’s Mayfair. Reportedly they were out dancing into the early hours of the morning.

After giving birth to daughter Ruby only two months ago it was good to see the fitness trainer out having fun with husband Joe Cole and fellow WAGs.