So there I am, sitting a mere stone's throw from Demi Moore, Clive Owen, Hilary Swank, Mischa Barton and Maggie Gyllenhaal, watching Miss Sixty's Spring Summer fashion show.

I'd never before been in the company of such greatness, and to say I was overwhelmed would be understating the case considerably. However, it says a lot about the strength of Miss Sixty, given that once the models began sashaying down the runway to the sound of some seriously funky beats, the clothes managed to consume my full attention and quash any desire I had momentarily harboured to make a pass at the dreamy, doe-eyed Clive Owen.

Even though it was an early-morning show, it was sensational. Then again, Miss Sixty is known for putting on quite a spectacle.

Miss Sixty was considered one of New York Fashion Week's biggest highlights, which is no mean feat considering some of the legends that were showing on the same runway. Without taking anything away from the clothes, the worldwide column inches the enduring Italian fashion brand received was obviously assisted somewhat by its celebrity-packed front row, because in New York nothing works better than an A-lister endorsement.

The morning after the show, I met with Miss Sixty's creative director and co-founder Wichy Hassan (pronounced Vicky) in Miss Sixty's showroom in New York's East Village. Plainly dressed in dark jeans, a black T-shirt and trainers, he was in jubilant mood, and, considering the success of the show, he had good reason to be.

For the first time in the brand's 20-year history, it showcased its notoriously funky, edgy collection in the big white tents of Manhattan's Bryant Park -- the same place where heavyweights such as Marc Jacobs, Vera Wang, Michael Kors, Diane von Furstenberg and Zac Posen showed their own delectable offerings. "It was very nice to show in the tent for the first time. It was a very proud moment to be showing alongside other important designers," admits Libyan-born Wichy.

Even though Miss Sixty is an all-encompassing fashion label, it is known and celebrated above all else for its denim. I have this vivid teenage memory of pestering my poor long-suffering mother for a pair of Miss Sixty's jeans. A decade on and I am still wearing the very same brand of jeans (the only difference being that my waist size may have increased a few inches since then).

Having been privy to the brand's Spring Summer 2008 collection at Fashion Week, I'm convinced it should be renamed "Miss Sexy".

"What constitutes 'sexy' is always changing. Sometimes it's tight dresses, other times sexy can be transparent pieces. In our case, we have worked with the idea of sexy in the material we use -- soft material which follows the shape of a woman's body," Wichy says.

Considering Miss Sixty has been and continues to be a massive pioneer of the unforgiving skinny jeans, the brand has been accused in the past of catering solely for waif women. "I think that's a false perception," says Wichy firmly, adding, "I love healthy-looking women. I love a woman with a nice shape and curves. Sometimes, it's difficult to find that in New York. We had problems in the casting finding the right girls."

So what can we expect from Miss Sixty's Autumn/ Winter collection, which is currently available in BT2? The futuristic look is very strong, except it's a more wearable, softer take on what is a notoriously hard trend to pull off. Also, the collection is a clever fusion of Sixties (cowl-neck knits), Seventies (psychedelic prints), and Eighties (leggings and leather).

Everything is extremely sexy and tight with a distinct rock 'n' roll feel. Expect lots of flesh-baring, shorter-than-short mini-dresses, oversized belts, funky patent footwear and colourful headgear. Pieces that I swooned over included a pair of high-waisted dark denim jeans and a fire-red leather fitted biker jacket.

You really only have to look at the backsides of women around the country to know that Miss Sixty has a cult Irish following. The bottom line is (if you'll pardon the pun), you can't go past the Italians when it comes to denim -- the stretch and finish of the material somehow always manages to flatter.

However, given that buying a pair of jeans is arguably the most problematic and high blood pressure-inducing purchase a woman has to make, what advice does Wichy have for finding the perfect pair? "I think buying jeans is something very, very personal. I think you have to be patient, you need to try a lot of pairs to find the right one -- so my advice is to keep trying, because eventually you'll find the right pair and it's worth it because a pair of jeans is an investment piece, it's almost like your second skin."

From watches, to perfumery, to footwear to kids clothing ---Miss Sixty has every possible business angle covered. It's even ventured into the luxury hotel business. However, for me, the key to the brand's success lies in its roots, because no matter what anybody says, a pair of jeans is one item of clothing that will never, ever go out of fashion.

All clothes available at BT2, Grafton Street, D2. Tel: 01-6056747.