The collection focuses on noble materials, contemporary cuts and eyecatching accessories.

Dormeuil, the French men's wear producer, introduces a completely new concept in luxury fabric, Guanashina. Guanashina is a blend of three precious and rare fibres expressing the ultimate essence of luxury:

Kid Pashimina: fleece exclusively from the underbelly of the Kid Pashmina goat, jealously guarded by the Moguls for its silky softness and reserved for members of their royal families.

Baby Cashmere: From the finest goats, bred only in inner Mongolia. The ancient Chinese guarded their secret well, to achieve the maximum length of fibre the baby animal is combed only once for its soft under-fleece when it is a year and a half old.

Guanaco: Used since time immemorial for the coronation robes of Inca royalty, symbolizing their majesty and power. A member of the llama family, today the Guanaco is herded by Indian nomads on the high plateaux of the Andes Mountains. Only the hair of the young animal, the Chulengo, is selected.

Great care is taken to obtain the purest of raw materials, with only about 30 per cent of the fibres selected for their length and fineness. This judicious selection means less than 200 garments worldwide will be produced. Thus a formal suit of man made Guanashina is valued at about 120,000 yuan (US$14,500).

In the Dormeuil collection for this winter, leaf-green, chestnut, grey and navy are set off with broken stripes in unusual shades. Wool is teamed with cashmere and - reflecting this year's major trend - fabrics have a flannel finish. Corduroys come in shades of rust, sand, bottle-green, caramel and plum.

Smart, casual is the watchword for this season's Dormeuil man. Slim-fitting, straight-legged trousers with no turn-ups, cashmere and wool sports jackets team up with tweed trousers flecked with black, beige or aubergine, or with fine corduroy trousers, this winter's must.

To keep out the cold, in imitable British style, three-quarter-length car coats are back in tweed, cashmere and wool, featuring velvet collars.

For more classic tastes, the stylishly cut suits create a youthful, dynamic silhouette, suggestive of timeless elegance. The six-button double-breasted jackets are fit for all occasions, from jet set parties to board meetings.

Lapis Lazuli or crystal cuff links in pure lines, accentuated with onyx, add a luxurious touch to the shirt sleeves. Full grain leather belts and pashimina or pure cashmere scarves in an infinite choice of shades round out this utterly contemporary line of accessories.

(Shanghai Star December 20, 2002)