Once the founding designer of a fashion house has retired, creative directors switch quicker than you can utter "fashion." Fine, it's not that quick, but it happens rather frequently. Emanuel Ungaro's long lasting empire is no exception. The French designer, who describes the Ungaro woman as sexy but not vulgar, ruled from the '70s up until Spring of '02, when he passed the torch along to Giambattista Valli.

Ungaro's woman has always been feminine, but rough around the edges, and ...