DALLAS, May 12, 2003/ FW/ --- On June 22, the Spring 2004 international fashion season officially starts in Milan with the Milan Menswear Spring 2004 Show kicks off.

Experienced fashion editors, reviewers and photographers have packing for the shows down pat almost to a science.

But there is always a freshman every season, who needs a little help in organizing their luggage. And the most important advice which is always given - Pack light!

Pack light? But what about all those fabulous clothes and shoes that is part and parcel of going to fashion shows?

Tell you a little secret - those people you see on the front row are usually celebrities and high-powered fashion editors who are always pampered during their trips. In short, they can bring as much luggage they want.

But 90% of the fashion flock who attend the shows are there to work, usually 12-16 hours a day.

How they can go on looking good during those long days and nights is an open secret: the "little black dress," or its equivalent.

If you have noticed, almost everyone at the shows are in black - dresses, skirts or trousers. Even the men are in black or in dark suits. The reason - black is versatile. You can attend the shows with it and then go to a party after hours.

With basic black, you can accessorize and its a different outfit everyday. A blazer, a scarf, or a jacket will change the look. The chances of anyone noticing that the 'shell' is the same is very slim to none. Everyone is too busy working.

And even if you land in the front row, unless you are Jennifer Lopez or Gwyneth Paltrow, the cameras will not flash your way.

Another important thing, wear comfortable shoes. Five-inch heels looks great on the runway, but you will never go anywhere with it. Two-inch heels can give you more miles.

How much clothes do you pack? Enough for one week. And expect to have some of your clothes dry-cleaned when you move from city to city, that is, if you are attending the whole season.

The Menswear season is 10 days, starting on June 22 in Milan and ending on July 1 in Paris. There is no allowance for travel time, which means after the last show in Milan on June 27, the editors, writers and photographers hop on a plane or a train to go to Paris to attend the first show the next day, June 28 for the Paris Menswear show.

Hence packing light is essential because chances are you are bringing your luggage with you to the shows during the last day to save time going back to your hotel.

And this is where choosing the kind and type of luggage you will carry becomes important. It has to be light enough to lug around, small enough to be a carry-on either on a plane or a train and must look good. After all, you now officially part of the fashion flock.

Brighton's sidewheeler duffle comes to mind as a handy carry-all luggage. New from Brighton accessories, it packs more easily and efficientely. Its unique design allows it to open wider.

It also has 9 exterior and interior pockets, a great place to put your press pass and show invitations, and other travel paraphernalia.

It's a wheeled luggage too, so you can just drag it. With the sidewheeler duffle, the wheels are engineered on a narrow side of the case. It can easily be rolled down the narrow center aisle of the plane or train.

Measuring overall 20-inch by 13-inch by 10-inch, it meets airline carry-on requirements.

If you need something bigger than the sidewheeler duffle, but still a carry-on, the Brighton 22-inch personal carry-on luggage is a good alternative.

Made of Italian embossed croco leather combines with a whimsical fabric pattern and woven handles, it just looks chic to haul it around.

It has plenty of compartments and functional features: a plastic pocket for laundry; a hanging suiter that can be propped over a hotel door for organizing shoes, pajamas, lingerie and other essentials on the road; and a snap-out makeup bag that features a detachable strap and doubles as a handbag.

It also has a second handle at the bottom of the bag, which makes for easy lifting, and quiet, ball-bearing wheels complete with silver hubcaps. It is more than fashionable enough.

Brighton Carry-on Luggage