The idea of dressing up as a teenager -- a sweet, sexy, cute one -- never fails to attract women at any age. Pink colors, laces, Barbie and Hello Kitty remain many women's favorites, even when they hit 40.

This explains the success of fashion brands like Max & Co and Fornarina. At first sight, they may look like labels designed for young ladies around 20 up to a maximum 25. However, given their prices, few girls of that age group could really afford them - a T-shirt costs around 1,000 yuan (US$146.50) and a dress can be up to 4,000 yuan.

So, it's never surprising to find ladies in their 30s (or 40s) shopping contently in those exquisitely designed, pinky, dreamland-like boutiques in the city's high-end shopping malls. They look younger in the new outfits. And more importantly, they feel younger.

The above-mentioned two brands, both from Italy, recently presented their spring/summer collections in Shanghai. The presentations were held in a boutique hotel suite and a private night club respectively.

Max & Co turned a spacious suite at the Jia Hotel into a young lady's home, where piles of dresses and tops were spread on the bed, as if she was frustrated with the everyday puzzle of what to wear, just like any of us. The closets were packed with clothes and accessories as well, from trench coats to one-piece dresses, with tables where she casually threw off handbags and sunglasses.

According to Kammy Chung, Max & Co's brand manager in China, "day desire" is the theme of the season. Girls are encouraged to mix and match different items to create different looks for every day.

"You can find so many elements in the new collection," she explained. "Inspirations come from different ages of time, from the 1950s to the 1980s."

The must-have items include Bohemian-feel, long and fluid dresses in light silk or chiffon, featuring either asymmetric geometric patterns or sweet floral prints. They feature soft silhouettes and sexy deep necklines. Playful tops in see-through materials of exotic prints are best worn with flare, wide-leg denim to create a carefree, Bohemian style. There are also very girly balloon skirts and mini safari jackets.

Spunky spring boots and smart high-heel pumps are recommended to be matched with those feminine dresses. Bags in different sizes, materials and colors all come with shoulder straps.

With Lindsay Lohan as the new face, Fornarina clearly tends to attract more hip, fun-loving girls and threw its party at M1NT, a private nightclub along the Bund.

Models in the Italian brand's latest collection, inspired by the works of Dutch artist Angelique Houtkamp, were spotted posing alongside Lamborghinis at the entrance of the club.

The "sailor girls" themed collection featured recurrent "lips" taken from one of Houtkamp's works, in the form of prints on silk, patches, buttons and other details. There were also other nautical pieces such as striped tops in red and navy blue, which were matched with tightly-fit white pants.

A more sweet choice would be the tank tops, tricots and dresses in floral and polka dot prints, embroidered with cotton lace details or little silk flowers. They come in a spring palette of light blue, milk, mint and cherry.

Houtkamp's signature creations of nostalgic, funky images of girls were also featured on some T-shirts.

(Shanghai Daily March 23, 2009)