Style: Who can hold a candle to this?

THE FASHION world's equivalent of the Eurovision Song Contest takes place next week in Sao Paulo, Brazil, writes Emma Goodman. The 10th Smirnoff International Fashion Awards have attracted entries from students in Singapore, Slovenia and 28 other countries; this year the design theme is 'The pure thrill of living', and among the judges are John Galliano, Martin Margiela and Joe Casely-Hayford.

At the London preview party, Norway showed a futuristic/ Jurassic rainbow costume textured with dinosaur spikes, and the UK entry (by Sharon Cunningham, from Ulster University) was a grey wool coat dress with yellow fake fur trim and yellow buckles. Israel's offering was a crystal-clear chandelier dress (pictured below).

Last year's winner, Frederic Tombay, of Montreal in Canada, spent his pounds 10,000 prize on attending a course at Central St Martin's College of Art and Design, London.