Synopsis

Fashion has never been more important. From network news to the popular press, its products and personalities command center stage in contemporary culture. It is an $85 billion-a-year industry that affects us all.

Staging a runway show has long been a designer's opportunity to introduce a line to editors, buyers and the press. Follow the pre-show preparation of an up-and-coming designer as he mounts the first major show for his label. Meet the show's producer, models, make-up artists and PR directors, who reveal the backstage drama and teamwork energizing the final, glamorous impression the world sees on the catwalk - all for one brief moment. Fashion trends dictate what we wear. But not every new idea has the potential to be the next big trend. Tag along with Elle Magazine's fashion market editor as she previews the fall collections in New York. It's her job to know what is likely to catch on.

And, when all is said and done, nowhere is style more critical today than at the annual Academy Awards, which has basically become a fashion show watched worldwide. Getting a gown on a nominee is the best publicity a designer can have. Meet top celebrity stylists and designers to find out how stars dress for success with the expertise of professionals.