Ghost of a flea

Kellogg’s Special KR’s Sarah Mansfield said 287 bikini clad women descended upon Melrose Arch in Johannesburg on Saturday to help break the record for the “World’s Largest Bikini Parade”.

“Decked out with smiles, sunglasses and even heels, these confident and fun-loving women of all ages, shapes and sizes paraded down 1,690 meters of Melrose Arch Boulevard to break the world record.

Some women strode the catwalk in vicious spiked bracelets and body armor. Others had their heads covered, burqa-style, but with shoulders — and tattoos — exposed. Male models wore long, Islamic robes as well as shorts and sequined T-shirts.

As surging militant violence grabs headlines around the world, Pakistan's top designers and models are taking part in the country's first-ever fashion week. While the mix of couture and ready-to-wear fashions would not have been out of place in Milan or New York, many designers made reference to the turmoil, reflecting the contradictions and tensions coursing through this society.