I managed to creep in to the Islamic Fashion Festival at the Sporting on Monday night, and what an evening it was. Security was tight, without a metal detector in sight. But, evidently, a distinguished-looking middle-aged man with receding hair in a black-tie oufit and with no apparent out of place bulges in his clothing posed no threat at all, and they let me in. The theme of the evening was the Beauty of Modesty, which must make me very ugly indeed. I wheedled my way on to the press table and sat between two important journalists, both with invitations. Somewhere in the distance sat Prince Albert, alongside many movers and shakers, sultans and sultanas, and current prime ministers. An Englishman called Rory Bremner was the compere. Unable to make sexually risque jokes, he managed several unsuitable cracks, one of which was that Prince Albert was standing in for Philip Green. I am not sure who should feel the more insulted. Fortunately, Lady Gaga wasn’t there, and as a result the beauty and radiance of womanhood reigned supreme. I am certain I am not alone in believing that a lady with her clothes on can be far more alluring than Madonna or Viscountess Gaga, and the fashion show proved my point. If the object of the evening was to play down the attractiveness of the fair sex I am not sure it succeeded. However, our minds were easily taken off such weighty concerns by the rolling back of the roof and the fantastic firework display that rounded-off the evening. Beauty is all around us, and all the more so if we use our imaginations and look to heaven. Jeff Daniels