After 20 years designing extravagant couture outfits that border on costumes, the designer has created a museum exhibit of his own work and the historical pieces that inspired him
Christian Lacroix, arguably the most extravagant couturier in Paris, never intended to be a fashion designer. His dream was to be a museum curator, a wish that finally came true via a breath-taking walk through two centuries of fashion.

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By Sharon Fink
It isn't about eating bugs or luring studs. Yet Project Runway, which begins its fourth season in the US Wednesday, is one of the most popular reality shows on TV.

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Steve Martin made his name as a comedian; ‘Born Standing Up,’ his new book, takes a look at how he went from an after-school Disney World employee to big-time star
By Emma Brockes
Steve Martin crosses the lobby of New York's Algonquin Hotel in what I at first take to be a disguise of some sort. It's not entirely his fault: the toothbrush moustache he wears is a condition of his lead in the second Pink Panther movie, currently filming in Chicago. But the wide-brimmed hat, our-man-in-Havana-style suit and sunglasses the size of wing mirrors are all wardrobe decisions that, along with his mildly self-conscious air, announce his arrival as subtly as a town crier.

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By Bradley Winterton
The operas of Vincenzo Bellini currently give me more pleasure than anything else in life. If things go badly I slot one into the DVD player and all problems evaporate. Maybe this means I don't have any serious problems, but my gratitude for this sublime music is nonetheless enormous.

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Yue Minjun's smile,though not the enigmatic jaw-breaking grin in his artwork, is still, perhaps, the most recognizable image in contemporary Chinese painting
By Richard Bernstein
Your first reaction upon meeting Yue Minjun (岳敏君) might be, yes, it is indeed he! The face with the enigmatic, jaw-breaking grin, perhaps the most recognizable image in contemporary Chinese painting, is a self-portrait.

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Painting helped Peter Damon overcome boredom on a deployment in Kuwait, then it helped him overcome the hardship of losing his arms in an accident
By Anna Badkhen
The dreamy pastels and oils of Massachusetts Army National Guard Sergeant Peter Damon hold no hint of the devastating injury that led to his transformation from helicopter mechanic to artist, or the effort it takes for him to simply hold a brush.

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