Alexander McQueen protege Sarah Burton steals the show in Paris - The Guardian

Sarah Burton wins plaudits for her debut show as creative director of Alexander McQueen in Paris Photograph: Francois Guillot/AFP/Getty Images

It was undoubtedly the most anticipated debut at Paris fashion week. Tonight Sarah Burton presented her first womenswear collection as the creative director at Alexander McQueen. In an extraordinarily beautiful show, Burton succeeded in both being faithful to the late designer's distinctive design ethos while taking the label into a new era.

As the first model wearing a white tailcoat with frayed edges walked down a catwalk of bare wooden planks with mossy grass poking through the cracks, the audience were in no doubt this was a McQueen show. But as it progressed it became apparent that this was a new, softer McQueen collection. There was none of the angst and aggression of previous catwalks; this was an altogether more feminine McQueen woman. The makeup was simple, the hair was plaited but uncomplicated.

The show celebrated craftsmanship and was inspired by the raw power of nature. Some of the more astonishing show pieces included a structured dress made from hand-painted feather butterflies, a trouser suit made from leather tooled into ivy leaves and a very pagan-looking "corn dolly" dress. Wedge shoes were hand-carved into the shape of butterflies and laquered to look like porcelain.

It was unmistakably the house of McQueen but there were new, more feminine shapes too. Ethereal dresses in layers of organza and printed silk looked bohemian – a departure for the label. Colours were predominately blonde, gold, black and ivory, while exaggerated hips idealised the feminine shape.

After the show, Alexandra Shulman, editor of British Vogue, said Burton had "taken away the angst and drama of the McQueen woman. All she had to do tonight was too say 'I'm here, this is my woman' and I thought she did that perfectly".

As the models lined up for the finale to a soundtrack of Michael Jackson hit I'll Be There, the goodwill surrounding the designer who had worked under McQueen for 14 years, was apparent – the applause came easily.

Backstage the designer, who still had a pair of scissors in her back pocket, was repeatedly congratulated, but she remained humble. "It's not just me, I have an amazing team," she said.

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Paris Hilton has ANOTHER late night brush with the law - Daily Mail

By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 7:41 PM on 30th September 2010

She's been hitting the headlines recently for all the wrong reasons.

And now Paris Hilton may find herself at the centre of  a hit-and-run investigation after boyfriend Cy Waits allegedly hit a photographer outside of Boa restaurant in West Hollywood last night.

Witnesses say the female photographer was knocked to the pavement, but when Waits asked if she was OK,  another photographer responded assuring him she was fine and told him to go.

Bonnie and Clyde: Paris Hilton and Cy Waits found themselves on the wrong end of the law once again last night after an alleged hit and run in West Hollywood

Waits subsequently returned to the scene after dropping Hilton at her home and later on police were spotted giving him a field sobriety test.

According to RadarOnline, Waits was detained, but later released. He was given a citation and will appear in court at a later date.

Paramedics took the photographer to a local hospital for a cut on her right shin.

Hilton, 29, took to Twitter later and although she made no specific mention of the incident, she seemed to lay blame for the accident on the photographer herself.

'Lovely evening with friends and family ruined by aggressive paparazzi,' she Tweeted. 'They are literally insane!'

Injured: A female photographer claimed Waits ran over her leg - she was subsequently taken to hospital by the paramedics

Paris has been quite the adventurer recently.

She was arrested in Las Vegas last month for cocaine possession after being pulled over by police who suspected her boyfriend Cy Waits was driving under the influence.

Waits was arrested for DUI, and Paris Hilton was found to have just under a gram of cocaine in her purse.

She insisted that neither the purse nor the cocaine belonged to her.

But Paris was charged and given one year's suspended jail sentence, a $2,000 fine and 200 hours of community service as part of a plea deal.

Little miss innocent: Paris Hilton looks very well-behaved at the Autumn Party earlier in the night

As a result, Waits was fired from the Wynn and Paris was banned from all Wynn properties.

Hours after her court appearance, the socialite flew to Japan with sister Nicky Hilton to debut their fall/winter fashion collections.

But she found herself being detained and quizzed for six hours at Tokyo's Narita International Airport over the recent arrest and conviction of cocaine possession and obstructing justice.

Troubled: Paris is the centre of attention for all the wrong reasons recently

The sisters were finally sent back to the U.S without being allowed to visit Tokyo.

Paris also caused controversy this week after pictures from 2007 surfaced of troubled actress Lindsay Lohan injecting what appeared to be heroin into her arm.

Other photographs from the same set showed Lohan partying with socialite Paris, and the two of them passionately kissing and cuddling.

Sisterly love: Paris and Nicky flew to Tokyo to promote their fashion line but were promptly on a plane home after Paris was refused entry

But Paris Hilton looked as if butter wouldn't melt in her mouth earlier on last night at Arcade Boutique's 'The Autumn Party' in West Hollywood.

The 29-year-old looked poised and demure at the event, more like an heiress than a Hollywood party girl.

In her classy black dress and understated hair and make-up, she was every inch the well-behaved lady.

Strike a pose: Bonnie Somerville and Demi Lovato were also at last night's event, looking polished and elegant

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