Ralph Lauren, celebrated 40 years in the business over the weekend

in a elegant affair held at New York Fashion week.

As a staple of US fashion, the legend took his rightful bow in front of

a star-studded crowd including Robert De Niro, Dustin Hoffman,

Barbara Walters, Sarah Jessica Parker and her husband Matthew Broderick.

Fellow designers Vera Wang, Donna Karan and Carolina Herrera also

joined in on the black tie gala dinner and looked on as Lauren presented his spring/summer 2008 catwalk show.

Think of that breathtaking scene in My Fair Lady when Eliza Doolittle is taken

to Asot races and everyone is wearing black and white.

This will give you some idea of what the opening of Ralph Lauren's

Spring Summer '08 show was like.

In a stream of English upper-class elegance,

Lauren's models moved along the catwalk in floor-sweeping ruffled gowns,

tailored suits, top hats, waistcoats, breeches and anything else

that resembled equestrian-country.

Colour was seen in long floral gowns and bright dandy girl outfits.

Bright yellow, green, fuschia and purple illuminated evening gowns

and added that modern American element.

There wasn't a piece within this collection that didn't leave me wanting to see more.

The magnificent hats were designed by Philip Treacy and Patricia Underwood,

in a true show of British millinery.