FRENCH couturier Madame Gres (born Germain Emile Krebs), who once dressed the likes of Princess Grace of Monaco, Marie-Helene de Rothschild and the Begum Aga Khan, is the subject of a forthcoming auction at Christie's in London. One hundred of her couture designs are for sale, and will no doubt attract the attention of international grandes dames who will HAVE to have one. Prices are not cheap: a halter-neck evening dress in pink and lime is estimated to at US$8,000-$12,000 (HK$61,900-$92,900). Less formal confections can be had for around $2,000. Chic Hong Kong women wanting to bid can contact Christie's locally. what's up, docs? IF THE season's kitten-heeled shoes are a bit too girlie for you, try on a pair of Doc Martens. The 38-year-old brand is undergoing something of a renaissance in Britain and the US, and those influences are beginning to be seen on local streets. The chunky footwear has been worn by pop icons David Bowie, Elton John, and the lads from Oasis and the Sex Pistols, even Madonna has strutted her stuff in Docs - before she went for the Gothic Botticelli look. fairy tale ending HERE it is, the ultimate girlie shoe: Cinderella's slipper. The shoe, made by Salvatore Ferragamo and featured in the new 20th Century Fox film Ever After: A Cinderella Story, will be the highlight of a ball at the Palazzo Corsini in Florence next week as part of the Italian city's Biennale cultural event. There will be a special showing of the movie, and yes, Cinders herself - well, Drew Barrymore, who plays the Cinderella figure in the film - will be going to the ball, along with her onscreen wicked stepmother, Anjelica Huston. Saturday's event is to be the highlight of the Biennale, the aim of which this year is to 'celebrate fashion and cinema'. Those who just have to have the fancy footwear - made of satin silk, Indian muslin, pearls and silver filigree - can have a pair custom-made for the princely sum of $30,000. More pedestrian versions will be available in Ferragamo stores for about $2,000. Meanwhile, Ferragamo is inviting people to check out its new collection - though not the glass slipper - at its Mandarin Oriental boutique on Thursday. (The fashion flock will be pushed for choice that day as Swank is doing a fashion show as part of The Landmark series that afternoon, and Lane Crawford will be showing off new labels like John Bartlett and Alessando dell'Acqua.) hitting the g-spot GUCCI took a chance by splurging the lion's share of its annual promotional budget on its autumn/winter show at the Grand Hyatt, but the gamble appears to have paid off. Produced by Dennis Phang at Mega! Productions, the event was an exact replica of the Milanese catwalk show, with the same ice-blue lighting, white-covered seats and desperate fashion wannabes. One almost expected hunky Gucci designer Tom Ford to come striding down the runway to take his applause at the end. Not a good look, however, were the vast numbers of people - many of them so-called socialites - chewing gum as they checked out the long and sometimes awkward ensembles that were paraded down the catwalk. Several sneaked out before the show ended, either to beat the rush for cabs or to avoid paying for an extra hour in the car park. bear necessities? FOR those fortunate few who can still afford to splash out on frivolities, here are some options. Not content with the Migraine watch, Swatch has launched a 'Sweet Teddy' version in which a pot of honey appears when both hands reach 12. Still on teddies, the Peninsula has just launched a limited-edition collection of 70 'Pagebears', dressed to look like the distinctive Peninsula pageboy, as part of the hotel's 70th anniversary celebration. The bears, priced at $1,200 each, are made of mohair and have moveable limbs and glass eyes. The superstitious can opt for a lucky number, which is then listed in a Bear Registry.
