Tim Gunn in Macy's

Tim Gunn, the popular TV fashion guru, met the public at noon today in Macy's.

He was promoting Monet cosmetic jewellery, and giving advice on style and how to accessorize.

The first few to spend a minimum $75 on Monet jewellery not only met him afterwards and had their photo taken with him but were given an autographed copy of his 2009 boxed calendar and book, 'Tim Gunn: A Guide to Quality, Taste and Style.'

Tim, who is 55-years-old, has two programmes on Bravo TV. The first, Project Runway, is where he mentors designers and where he is known for the phrase, amongst others, 'Make it work!'

The second is a spin-off from that success, 'Tim Gunn's Guide to Style'.

Are you a fan? I asked one lady taking pics. 'My daughter is,' she replied.

On the other side of me, Shelley was mid-travel from Toronto to New Zealand and declared herself to be a great fan. She had travelled into the city from the airport and come across Tim Gunn by chance.

'I just had eight hours to kill at the airport so thought I would come downtown, and I was at the Mac counter and found Tim Gunn was here. He looks as immaculately turned out as I would expect him to,' she said, adding, 'I'm far too embarrassed to meet him in the clothes I've been travelling in!'

According to Wikipedia, Tim was chair of Parsons The New School for Design in New York from 2000 to 2007 and is now the Chief Creative Officer for Liz Claiborne.

The son of an FBI agent under J. Edgar Hoover, he has had a day named in his honour. The city of Palm Desert, southern California, declared April 27, 2007, the day of his visit, 'Timothy M. Gunn Day.'