You know how it invariably goes...you ramp yourself up and get giddy with anticipation...and everything falls flat...

So imagine the ecstatic expression on my face when I saw images from Isabel Marant's Spring/Summer 08 collection and realized that I loved virtually every piece. Okay, it's not revolutionary...at least in concept...in reality there are masses of none too subtle military overtones...but it is the kind of wearable, "cute French girl" clothing that I, for one, find awfully hard to resist.

The bad news, if you are also a fan of Marant's designs, is that unless you live near a store that stocks her pieces...or are willing to order over the phone, sight unseen...you may find it difficult to get your hands on it. According to a sales assistant at a store I frequent, Marant has asked stores not to post images of her clothes on their websites in an attempt to lessen the risk of knock-offs. Which is a great idea for frustrating the efforts of counterfeiters but a little hard on the consumers. As they say, all's fair in love and war...and the fight against makers of "designer replicas".