Designer Hedi Slimane on Monday unveiled his keenly anticipated second women's collection for Saint Laurent after a debut that ruffled feathers, divided the fashion world and apparently exposed a debate about who was first to show the skinny suit. Famed for his pencil-thin skinny tailoring, Slimane is credited with revolutionising menswear during his stint at Dior from 2000 to 2007.

Belgian designer Raf Simons' keenly anticipated second collection for Christian Dior received an enthusiastic welcome Friday, less than a year after he took over from the disgraced John Galliano. On day four of Paris fashion week, Simons made sure there was no shortage of classic Dior glamour. Coats in tweed, leather or cashmere and silk bustier dresses featured all the essential Dior elements with nipped waists, soft shoulders and full skirts. But in other looks, Simons said he drew on his love of art, a passion which Christian Dior also shared.

New York fashion star Alexander Wang on Thursday presented his much anticipated first show for Balenciaga with a collection praised as "elegance, modernity (and) structure", as India's Manish Arora took prints to new heights. In one of the shows of the week, Wang paid homage to founder Cristobal Balenciaga in what he modestly described as a "prologue". Wang, one of the hottest names in US fashion who also has his own label, was announced last December as the replacement for Nicolas Ghesquiere whose surprise departure came after 15 years with the French fashion house.

* Black returns at Gucci, Armani, Cavalli * Neoprene, vinyl, patent leather at Milan fashion week * Paris takes baton for last leg of autumn/winter season By Antonella Ciancio MILAN, Feb 26 (Reuters) - Fashion designers at Milan fashion week delivered a dark palette and masculine styles for autumn-winter wardrobes in a reflection of Italy's bleak economic and political landscape.