FASHION Much behind its American release, “Valentino: The Last Emperor” has just opened in Milan, stirring up the great fear of my newly adopted hometown- the possible, impending fall from its status as a city of fashion. I'm hearing many of the same shaky paranoiac commentary that I heard in Paris after Yves Saint Laurent's death- the end of the greats, fashion is over here, no one to take his place... I'm intrigued by the notion of the Greats, and the Era, and the Fashion City, and what defines these things in people's minds, and where this fear of the fall comes from. In New York, no one doubts for a moment that they are in the capital of the world, for fashion, art, intellect, and gen- eral greatness. This blinders-on confidence is peculiarly American, and though a bit deranged, itis quite effective. New York will remain a fashion capital as long as dollars, movies, and trans-Atlantic flights exist. With millions of eager imported citizens fighting to make it big in the great city, New York need never fear lacking the talent or drive needed to keep the motor of its particular manner of fashion going, But for the Milanese, the world status of their city depends on their reputation as a fashion city. Although recently voted the top fashion city in the world, beating New York and Paris, in a web-based survey this summer, Milan lacks the self-assured swagger of New York, feeling that it could lose its prominence. A stock market and being the finan- lal engine of a G7 country are not enough to get the attention of a world audience, which is what a fashion city does. The fear of the Milanese, spoken of in the press and by many voices, not just those personally involved in fashion, but of everyone who is interested in Milan's status, is voiced as, “After Versace, Valentino, then Armani... what?” ‘The fear is so curious, because of course there are many more houses of fashion in Milan that are moving things forward all the time, and doing it with inventiveness and success. Itis partly a fear of the disappearance of the old way of doing things, which is something that matters quite a lot to Italians, and to the French, though such passings mean nothing to New Yorkers. As it was, a great designer, an un- controllable force of creativity, is given complete freedom to realize his vision with the logistical and financial back- ing of intimate friends, family, lovers. Everything is done under the great designer's name, creating a vision of luxury and creativity that elevates the whole thing, designer included, and fashion itself, to iconic status. Only Prada now maintains an independent company, and therefore remains an independent designer, while all other names are in the hands of guiding investors, Still the fashion shows here will remain important, and the city a mecca for the industry, even as the reality of fash- jon here shifts from beauty for luxury's sake to style for profits sake. Perhaps what is really at the heart of this fear is something greater. Valentino represents another kind of fashion- true couture fashion, fashion as a great, ardu- ously acquired craft which is passed down through generations of experts. This is a man trained by the experts in Paris in the 50s and 60s, whose workshop requires seamstresses of the highest caliber to execute his vision. With him, perhaps, that expensive, work-intensive, elegant manner of creation may disappear from Milan, and so goes a jewel from the crown of Italy- a country whose pride is its ability to create things of the highest luxury, of the best quality craftsmanship, done by time-honored and highly refined techniques. The end of the couture age will not, mean the end of fashion in Milan- nothing to fear, but perhaps something very beautiful to mourn, by Laura Rysman