Dalal will present his fall/winter 2003 collection on January 14 in an elegant reading room at via Clerici 10, behind La Scala.

The youngest ever winner, at the age of 21, of the Perry Ellis Award (the American equivalent of the Oscar for new men's designers), Dalal is known for his assured tailoring and quirky use of patterns. The wunderkind with Indian roots also grabbed media attention back in 1998 when People magazine named him one of the Most Beautiful People.

"It's good to be back. When we last showed we were in the midst of a difficult relationship with a large company making unreasonable demands. Now we have dropped down a gear and are working the way that we want," Dalal told FWD in a phone call from Milan.

Italian manufacturer GCR used to produce Dalal's men's line, but for the past year Onward Kashiyama has been the exclusive worldwide producer of the collection.

Expect to see about 45 looks this season from the designer whose fans include John Cusack, Beck, Paul Simon, the Foo Fighters and Jenny Bevan, the wardrobe sage behind the film "Possession." Dalal's collection retails in chic international boutiques including Barneys in New York, Maxfield in Los Angeles, Stanley Korshak in Dallas, United Arrows in Tokyo, Maria Luisa in Paris and Browns of London.

Next month's show will mark the third time Dalal has presented in the Italian fashion capital. His last show, staged in a nightclub/restaurant in January 2001, drew its inspiration from religious conflict and included references to refugees from the war in Yugoslavia.

"The very idea of religious warfare is so hard to understand for me. It still informs my collection, but maybe in a more peripheral way," said Dalal, who noted that his own father just cancelled a trip to Punjab, India, due to conflict between Muslims and Hindus there.