March 2007

Shopping

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People Are Talking

People Are Talking: Whitney, The Spinoff?

whitney polaroid.jpgWe hear that Teen Vogue intern Whitney Port is being groomed for greatness.

The fan favorite on MTV’s The Hills may have taken a runway spill on last week’s episode, but apparently Teen Vogue didn’t mind. Rumors are quietly leaking to us that Whitney will indeed receive some kind of job with Teen Vogue when she graduates from school this May.

While the most likely solution has Whitney staying in L.A. as a West Coast contributor, some involved in The Hills have mentioned a move to New York for Whitney, a job in the New York fashion closet, and maybe a camera crew, too.

Meanwhile, super intern Emily Weiss graduates soon, too, but she already has her own desk in the Teen Vogue office - and some of the magazine’s amazing perks. Last week, she celebrated her 22nd birthday with a Shu Uemura makeover, and a blog entry to match.

Again, we hope Whitney gets the right job for her - we think she seems wonderful, and obviously, Teen Vogue is the best.

Fashion Is Fun

Carlo Brandelli Says, You’re All Pansies

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Carlo Brandelli is the lovely and very skilled designer of Kilgour, the bespoke suit company that lives on Saville Row.

Carlo also likes to play soccer, or football, or whatever, and he shows his balling skills on a Men.Style.Com video that’s really just weird - half the time he’s talking about suits, the rest of the time he’s punting a ball through his million dollar storefront.

Carlo also issues this challenge:

“If any other designer can keep a ball in the air longer than me, I’ll make them a suit.”

We don’t think Marc, Zac, or Olivier Theyskens could handle this, but Alexander McQueen could probably kick his ass with a soccer ball, and we’d like to see it happen.

Related: Style Dash thinks that David Beckham might bring fashion back into sports. We say sure, as long as his wife isn’t the one choosing the clothes…

Trendspotting

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buy the flats here

Makeup

Lancome’s Hot Box: Revealed!

lancome density cube.jpgDuring Fashion Week, we gave you the first look at Lancome’s mysterious Density Cube.

We thought it looked like a Scattergories cube or a cosmetics Ouija tool -

Really cool, a bit mystical, and perhaps used to tell your makeup future.

In fact, as we now see on Style.com, it’s just a well-designed compact that has a cheek highlight and a shadow powder.

We are mildly disappointed that the Lancome Density Cube has no magical powers.

But at least when we buy it, we’ll always be able to grab it in the depths of our Edith bag - nothing else has that crazy shape.

News

Project Runway Gets Real

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This week, Jeffrey Sebelia showed his first collection since winning Project Runway.

Now the question is, does anyone care?

Project Runway was the highest rated show on cable the season that Jeffrey won. But a recent New York Magazine article showed he hadn’t made any real money, or seen a true upsurge in clothing orders, since his highly public triumph.

As for his latest collection, it’s fine; it’s fun - lots of jersey, lots of jeans.

But our money is still on Alison Kelly, the Brookyln hipster kicked off too early, and the only Project Runway contestant to be sold alongside Marc Jacobs and Catherine Malandrino so far - her stuff is for sale exclusively at ShopBop.

Continue reading Project Runway Gets Real

Streetwalker

Streetwalker: This Is The Last Time…

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Agyness Deyn, 21, model

Got her:
On Spring and Lafayette

Stalked her:Oh, we promise we’re not really stalking her. Really!

Shot her: She walked right by our office - it was fashion fate.

She says: “Most of it is vintage. The boots are by Trash and Vaudeville, and the jeans are from Uniqlo- only 30 dollars! Actually, this is just what I wore out last night. Those outfits always seem to be the best, right?”

We say: Only on you, Agyness… only then.

—KEVIN KHUONG

Continue reading Streetwalker: This Is The Last Time…

People We Like

Kate Middleton Is Camera Shy - Chanel Hoodies Can Help

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Kate Middleton is preparing to sue British paparazzi for invading her privacy.

According to her lawyer, “My client strongly objects to having her photograph taken in a public place while going about her private business.�

We think that’s sort of funny, since there are plenty of girls who “strongly object” to Kate’s attachment to her boyfriend, the most eligible bachelor in the world. You know?

Anway, until this spat is resolved, we predict British photographers will swarm Kate at a more rabid rate than ever. Therefore, she should be prepared for fashion warfare.

When Jennifer Aniston was assaulted by flash bulbs a few years ago, she wore the same outfit every day - a white tee and a pair of neon orange cargo pants - to make the photos less valuable. Kate could try that, or one of Chanel’s massive hooded sweaters from this season.

At least that way, she’d shield herself from those invasive photographers and up her style game, too.

Fashion Week

Christina Ricci’s Party Gift

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Christina Ricci has never done a campaign for Samsonite, but somehow the suitcase brand decided she was their muse for the season, and threw a party at the Gramery Park Hotel in her honor.

In a dress by Sophia Kokosalaki, Christina answered the same question - “Do you travel a lot? Is your luggage important?” - about fifty times (“Yes, this luggage is so fun,” etc).

Christina’s smile is beautiful and her face is shaped like an Oreo.

The new Samsonite luggage is shaped like those ’70s suitcases in “Almost Famous.” It was designed with help from Cameron Silver, the California style guru who owns Decades, a famous vintage clothing boutique. The lugage is white and stamped with a kooky floral print. “I think it’s too Marimekko,” confided a company employee. “Maybe girls would use it in Japan, but I think it’s wrong for us.”

The crowd seemed to disagree - at the end of the night, everyone got a giant Samsonite umbrella, stamped in the weird floral print.

“You guys,” said one editor to her friends outside, “Don’t laugh at me, but I sort of love this umbrella.”

Then she opened it, even though there was no rain, and twirled around in the street. Her friends did start laughing at her, and took a few steps back, like “we don’t know this girl.”

Christina Ricci was just leaving for her car and she had an umbrella, too.

News

I Left My Bag in San Francisco

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This week, San Francisco passed a ban on plastic bags.

If the new law gets approved by the mayor, as expected, then drug stores and supermarkets must replace their current bags with recyclable and/ or biodegradable bags immediately.

Paper Magazine has a pretty thorough story about the new law, explaining how plastic bags pollute oceans and forests, and how they destroy the quality of life for millions of animals (and people) around the world.

Meanwhile, we did a thorough scouring of the internet and found our favorite new reason to ban the plastic bag:

J. Crew’s new Amangasett tote for $49.

Come on - wouldn’t your groceries and shampoo look way cuter getting hauled home in this?

People Are Talking

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Catstalker

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Trendspotting

Style, Farmed Out

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Laura Ashley reports that it doubled its profits from last year, probably because of its huge “farm chic” push in the UK: over the past few months, the brand has brought back the popular prints and styles that made it famous in the ’70s.

Meanwhile, girls in America haven’t worn Lauren Ashley since The Babysitters Club were best selling books, but the question remains:

If Lauren Ashley goes back into its vintage archive, and markets itself as retro chic to a new set of style addicts, can they permanently turn their brand around?

Well, it was Diane Von Furstenberg’s strategy in the ’90s, and look what happened to her.

Would you wear a farm girl dress for summer?

Trendspotting

But You Already Knew That…

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The Sartorialist isn’t the only one who hits the streets in search of fashion - today, the Wall Street Journal has a story on professional trend hunters.

These fad-obsessed professionals travel around the world to find the latest cool thing on the sidewalks that designers can copy, create, and sell for double.

But are they really so ahead of their curve?

The “upcoming” trends mentioned in the article include high waisted, wider jeans (check), trapper hats (check), and graphic sweaters - like the palm-print one from Proenza for Target.

Maybe they’d have better luck looking at the ELLE.com street shots from Paris?

People We Like

All Tinsley, All The Time

Tinsley says when she wants to relax, she watches cartoons with her chihuahuas.

Also, she loves strapless dresses.

See what else Tinsley has to say in the video, and look for her new partnership:

She’ll team with Chloe Sevigny next Tuesday to host the Famous Cars + Famous People party for Mercedes-Benz in Chelsea.

Kate Moss

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News

Real Clothes for Fake Babies

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We hear that Victoria Beckham and Katie Holmes will launch a line of children’s clothing together.

Victoria’s jeans for Rock & Republic were a success in England, though not so much here. Meanwhile, Katie’s forays into fashion have only recently begun - until she started kissing Tom Cruise a little too fervently in public, she was usually dressed in the Gap.

But together, we’re confident Posh and Kate can launch a kid’s line that Suri and Romeo will sport proudly on the Scientology playground. Of course, the real test is whether Apple Martin, Coco Arquette, and Zahara follow suit.

The line hasn’t been designed yet, so we’ve imagined what the clothes will look like.

People We Like

Scarlett, Sneakers, and an “Eating Disorder Mom”

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Last season, Factory Girl was supposed to come out three months before it actually did. That meant we had a flood of Sienna covers and parties without a Sienna movie.

This season, it’s Scarlett’s turn to peak early - as Page Six reports today, The Nanny Diaries now debuts in August - not now - and yet Ms. Johansson has a Vogue cover and a Reebok line launching now. Both are perfectly timed for the film’s non-debut, and both are amazing, especially considered together:

Vogue’s piece on Scarlett mentions twice that the actress refuses to diet or exercise. Meanwhile, she’s put her face on a line of exercise clothing, including an amazing pair of sneakers and a tunic dress with a built-in butt.

Incredible.

Meanwhile, joining Scarlett in The Nanny Diaries is noted philanthropist and socialite Allison Sarofim. Her character’s name? “Eating Disorder Mom.”

This should be a fun one for the Cinema Society to screen at Soho House.

Shopping

Colette Hearts the Cobra Snake

mark and sarah.jpgSuzy Menkes and the International Herald Tribune recently paid tribute to Colette, the French boutique that’s managed to become, arguably, the coolest store in the world.

How?

It was one of the first stores ever to mix high and low items, and still offers a $5000 Lanvin dress and a $5 mix CD within mere feet of each other. It’s also a great champion of new designers - Proenza, Zac, and Christopher Kane all took off at Colette.

Suzy explains “the [store] policy is simple: Always be new, fresh, surprising - and streets ahead of the rest.”

Maybe that’s why Colette’s latest import is a tee from Mark the Cobra Snake, the scenester photographer who’s pictured at left with Colette owner Sarah Lerfel.

In the photo, Mark wears the shirt for sale. Meanwhile, we think how his doodle has now been seen by Colette’s most regular shopper, Karl Lagerfeld. C’est formidable!

Is The New

Is The New: Strawberry and Forever 21?

diorjg5.jpgAt a stylist’s apartment this weekend, I spied a suspiciously cute sweater dress - black, slightly sheer, and shaped like the torso of a rock star.

“Did Stella McCartney have a sample sale?” I asked.

When her face turned red, I thought it meant, “Yes, and I didn’t tell you because secretly, I haven’t forgiven you for that one time in London.”

Instead, she confessed something different.

“It’s not Stella,” she said, “It’s Strawberry. I don’t know what ever compelled me to go in there, but now it’s like my new Forever 21 - only even cheaper and less crowded. I’m obsessed.”

I heard the same story from three other girls last week.

Tell me you’ve heard it too?

Trendspotting

Plastics Make It Possible

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Bravo to I Am Fashion, who braved the motley crowds of Canal Street for a fashion expose of sorts:

After examining Louis Vuitton’s spring bag collection - and spotting its most iconic tote, a high/ low riff on the plastic bags used to carry the fake Louis Vuitton bags through Chinatown - the author went down to Chinatown herself to photograph the bag’s inspiration in action.

Her verdict?


“I’d like to point out that while they make it look really stylish and cool on the catwalk and in the photoshoots, the actual people who uses these bags are not so glamorous.

In fact, these bags are commonly used by street vendors as storage and for garbage disposal.”

Okay, it could be a clever reversal of fortune, in a Warhol Brillo Box way, but would we pay $1000 for it?

Actually, yes, some of us would.

Models

Daria Goes Tubing

daria lancome.JPG Last week, we watched Kate Moss hold an entire conversation on YouTube - this week, it’s Daria Werbowy’s turn.

Thanks to the Lancome girls, there’s now a Daria podcast featuring the Canadian supermodel and the Proenza Schouler boys, who created a one-of-a-kind gown for Save the Children.

Daria models the gown for the photo shoot.

The gown was inspired by Lancome’s Hypnose bottle.

It goes onto eBay in April, but for now, it’s just a little couture fantasy courtesy of Daria and some hand held camera action.

Fashion Is Fun

Faking It

house of holland ripoff.jpg Last week, British Vogue reported that London hoodlums were copying Henry Holland’s tees and selling them for dirt cheap.

Then a reader asked if there were fake House of Holland tees in America.

And last night at the Paper Beautiful People party, we actually saw one.

Behold the faux House of Holland tee, inspired by the UK mega-trend and stamped with its own ironic New York slogan.

It’s making us wonder if Henry should get here quick, it’s also getting us to revisit our favorite game: Make your own House of Holland slogan!

We like a socialite series - “HOLY CRAPOLA, IT’S FABIOLA” and “LYDIA HEARST WAS MY FIRST”. Any other ideas?

News

Are You Ready for Rodnik?

rodnik.JPGIn many ways, Rodnik is the British version of Trovata - cute boys taking a classic aesthetic from their country (for Trovata, it’s waspy prep; for Rodnik, it’s British Victorian) and turning it into something fun for young style hounds.

When we heard last night that the Rodnik boys, Rich and Phillip, are friends with Trovata founders Sam Shipley and Jeff Halmos, we weren’t surprised.

We were also reminded of Trovata’s infamous “Cat People” prank - staged by John Whitledge, the only member of Trovata who’s still with the company - when we saw these photos from Selfridges in London.

The Rodnik boys climbed into their own display at the store, and put on a rock ‘n roll show for fashion groupies like Peaches Geldof and the Made in Heaven girls.

The Beatles they weren’t, but Rodnik is still planning a stateside tour - we hear that after they make some appropriate band t-shirts, the design duo will hit Barneys to play their very first American concert!

And sell some cute clothes too.

Streetwalker

Streetwalker: Number One Crush

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Karen, 25, “I’m a bad student.”

Got her: In front of Unis on Prince and Elizabeth

Shot her: Because when we saw her, we realized Spring was officially here.

Stalked her:
She’s got a great dress. And great boots. And great hair. What else is there?

She says:
“Dress is from Paris, boots are vintage. I thought it was an appropriate way to inaugurate this gorgeous day. Plus I have a crush.”

We say: Yeah, us too.

—KEVIN KHUONG

Continue reading Streetwalker: Number One Crush

Models

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Fashion Is Fun

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the site

News

Calvin Klein’s New Blood

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WWD reports that Hedi Slimane’s Dior contract is almost over, meaning our speculation from yesterday about his Calvin Klein future may come soon.

Meanwhile, there’s another guy who quietly went to Calvin this season - shoe designer Courtney Crawford.

The St. Louis native had a stint as the shoe designer for Missoni last year. While working in Italy, he befriended Andre Leon Talley and somehow landed on Chanel’s spring runway as a model - that’s him, in Karl’s designs, at left.

Now Mr. Crawford is back in America, and hopefully helping Calvin Klein return to its cool-kid glory.

“But don’t worry,” he told us at last night’s bash for Paper magazine, where he was named one of the magazine’s most beautiful people, “I’m still working on my own line, too.”

Hey Courtney, we’re waiting…

Makeup

Smells Like Teen Spending

princess.jpgCalvin Klein’s “In2U” campaign isn’t the only fragrance hype happening right now for teens:

Vera Wang has blitzed Style.com and Flip with an invitation to consult on her “top secret project,” related somehow to her Princess fragrance. The move comes after hiring teen actress Camilla Belle to be the perfume’s face.

From what we hear, this mystery contest will let select girls help shape Vera’s next scent, including its bottle shape, associated celebrities, and campaign - a lot like Dooney & Bourke’s “It Girl” contest for Teen Vogue, where a crew of art students (including MisShape Leigh Lezark) traveled to Italy to help design D&B bags.

Meanwhile, FabSugar reports that “robotic fragrance testers” are now in department stores.

This seems like the ideal way to market new scents to younger shoppers - if most of their interactions are through a computer anyway, then a perfume robot should be more effective than those scary women who chase you around, Will & Grace style, and ask if you’d like to smell… whatever.

Top Model

For Top Model Hopefuls, It’s Sometimes The Short Bus

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Perhaps the best line from Eric Wilson’s piece on Top Model auditions is this wish from a contestant’s mother:

“I drive a city bus… It would be nice to see her plastered on the side of it.”

Fashionista understands the sentiment, but would like to remind this hopeful parent that Top Model contestants have indeed been on the side of a bus, but so have sex columnists (Carrie Bradshaw), stylists (Rachel Zoe), LSD hippies (at Burning Man), and recently we saw Elmo’s picture whizzing down Fifth Avenue, too.

Therefore, take heart: If Tyra doesn’t see the true beauty within your child, there’s always a chance with the Muppets.

Kate Moss

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News

Who’s House? Our House

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Several years ago, Wall Street Journal fashion editor Teri Agins wrote a book called The End of Fashion.

It detailed the way small fashion houses had become big corporations, and how other smaller brands were getting vacuumed into a system that stressed bottom lines above experimentation and creativity. Teri’s prognosis was bleak: soon all clothes would look the same, and style would be dead.

That hasn’t quite happened - yet- but the WSJ’s new chart, called Who Owns What, will certainly make you dizzy.

Among the family ties:

Karl Lagerfeld and Marc Jacobs have both worked for Louis Vuitton - that house owns Fendi, where Karl likes to explore his feather fetish. Stella McCartney is famously anti-fur, but she’s owned by the Gucci group, which uses a lot of mink on its runways. Next time you’re embarrassed about a pair of Nine West shoes, remember their company also owns Barneys. And Liz Claiborne owns both Juicy Couture and C&C California, which is funny, because we still can’t tell the difference.

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read the full Radar article here.

Streetwalker

Streetwalker: La Dee Da

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Tracy, Nylon TV star, 20

Got her: On the roof of the Gansevoort Hotel.

Stalked Her:
Because who isn’t stalking her lately?

Shot her: Because of her classic New York combination: an H&M dress with Marc Jacobs heels from the collection. She has also toned down her red lipstick, a move we appreciate.

She says: “This morning, Marvin [Scott Jarrett, the editor-in-chief of Nylon] asked me what I was wearing to the party.

I think he was worried because when I told him a long black dress, he probably thought it was like a gown!

He gave me this lecture about how I should always be myself and not worry about what other people are wearing.

It was sweet.”

We say: We don’t really need to say anything, because Tracy says it all: Check her out on the new episode of Nylon TV!

Continue reading Streetwalker: La Dee Da

Admin

Autobiography

Tell us all about yourself, and you can win a stack of infamous Sharpie bracelets and/ or a Starbucks card. You will also win our hearts, forever. Merci.

Magazines

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Read the full story at Vogue.fr

Fashion Is Fun

LC Heads East: Perhaps…

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Last month, we noticed a strange post on MediaBistro: a production company associated with Laguna Beach was looking for a “fashion obsessed” assistant to work at a high profile magazine in New York, and to be on television. Her living expenses would be paid, and she would be introduced as a new character on a reality series.

Naturally, we wondered if Hills star Lauren Conrad was packing up and moving to Manhattan.

Last night on The Hills, we actually got some proof: When Lauren’s fellow intern, Whitney Port, announced she was flying to New York for a job interview with Teen Vogue’s Amy Astley, Lauren responded, “If I go out there next year, you’ll be, like, my boss!”

Thanks Lauren. We live for lines like that.

We also live for Lisa Love, Vogue’s West Coast Editor, who informed Whitney that her tumble and recovery on the runway - during a fashion segment for Good Morning America - was commended by Anna Wintour.

We really hope Whitney gets the job.

Magazines

Too Young To Be Pretty?

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Thanks to Sassybella for this story:

A fifteen year old Australian model named Katie Braatvedt is Vogue Australia’s current cover girl, and she’s sparked a national outcry. Newspapers declare Katie too young to represent fashion, and Australia’s style industry questions what should represent its ideals (and its consumers, most of whom are not fifteen).

Katie’s cover is beautiful, but her face is wide-eyed and doughy - she really looks like a child.

Of course, Gemma’s first Prada glory came at fifteen, Kate Moss and Corinne Day began their partnership at that age, and the astounding Tanya D. shot her first YSL ads when she was fourteen - just a year older than Dakota Fanning, whose recent Marc Jacobs ads caused a stir (and some giggles) of their own. Is this just the way it goes?

News

Diane Says Dress for Success!

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We love good deals, and here’s a great one:

This Saturday, bring an old Diane Von Furstenberg dress - or any other dress - into Saks Fifth Avenue’s New York store.

It gets donated to Dress for Success, a great charity that helps women with high career goals but low incomes dress professionally for job interviews.

Meanwhile, if you buy a new DVF dress at Saks that day, you’ll get 10% off your purchase.

Since you were planning to sort, purge, and store all your winter clothes this weekend anyway, there’s really no excuse…

Q: What’s with the photo?

A: It’s a shot of Diane herself from the ’70s, totally gorgeous and very inspiring for the warm weather, and I thought you should see it.

Continue reading Diane Says Dress for Success!

Shopping

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buy the tights here.

Magazines

For Pete’s Sake

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It is Monday, so you are probably furious and tired and generally already over it.

Therefore, we have a fun treat for you:

The new Vogue Homme spread with Pete Doherty, styled by Carine Roitfeld and appearing in its raw and freshly scanned entirety below.

And speaking of “entirety,” thanks to the many of you who emailed in to say that maybe Fashionista’s work place is a tad liberal, and maybe one of these photos is of Pete Doherty naked, and maybe you don’t want to get caught looking at him in front of your boss.

Apologies to those who were taken aback.

One more ammendment: Fashionista does not support heroin junkies, and we (honestly, truly) think drugs are gross. However, we do support Carine Roitfeld, always. Conclude what you will.

xoxo.

Continue reading For Pete’s Sake

Fashion Week

The West of the Story

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In truth, there wasn’t a flood of amazing ideas to come out of LA Fashion Week, but the rush of California clothes did have some interesting highlights.

Our favorite runway moment was Lydia Hearst on the Alvin Valley catwalk.

Our favorite collection was by Juan Carlos Obando, though we admit we’d probably choose to wear the Tarte stuff and the dresses by Corey Lynn Calter before anything else.

Our favorite makeup, as mentioned, was the blackly beautiful lipstick at Imitation of Christ.

And our favorite roundup comes from ELLE.com, where you can sift through pictures from the catwalks, the parties, and the red carpet, and also see our favorite LA model, Devon Aoki.

She’s dreamy.

News

British Fashion Gets High

snoopy pilot.jpgBritain’s Royal Air Force announced this week that they’ll launch their own clothing collection.

The range is a public relations move aimed at hyping awareness for the R.A.F. and their duties, and the clothes have been compared to those at Ralph Lauren.

Of particular interest is this quote from the story:

“Any money made by the RAF will go towards the Royal Air Force Museum’s two sites in England. JOI managing director Nick Adams said the firm was in talks with one UK high street chain and with retailers in the US.The States look like they are going to go absolutely mad over it because they love anything royal and anything British,” he said.”

Will we flip for these clothes? Head to the RAF website for a collection preview and let us know.

Magazines

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see the whole list at Style.com

Admin

But Enough About Me; What Do You Think About Me?

It’s that time of day when you really need some procrastination, and we really wonder who exactly keeps leaving comments about Kate, Pete, and Proenza Schouler.

Which leads us to our first-ever Fashionista survey.

Tell us about you, send us your email address (which we will keep secret and never use, promise), and if we like your answer to our final question the best, we’ll send you a huge stack of our infamous Sharpie bracelets. Or a Starbucks card, if you prefer.

xo Fashionista

Catstalker

Catstalker: Zac Posen, Iron Chef?

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Kate Moss

Kate And Pete Go Naked for W?

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Naomi Campbell’s shoot for W may not have been the magazine’s only high profile project for spring.

We hear that hot young photographer Ryan McGinley shot Pete Doherty and Kate Moss naked for their June issue.

If true, the story will follow April’s Vogue shoot of the couple, which was personally supervised by Anna Wintour and probably dreamed about by everyone else.

Meanwhile, Ryan McGinley was recently dubbed one of “Warhol’s Children” in a hotly debated cover story by New York, but while everyone in New York seems keen to find traces of Andy, we think this situation is more Annie Leibowitz:

Her shot of John Lennon and Yoko Ono for the cover of Rolling Stone (at right) is one of our most iconic rock images from the last fifty years. The photos from this shoot might just be the next ones.

Also: did Kate ever emerge from her hiding place in St. Barth’s? Write in if you know.

Trendspotting

Madonna for H&M is a Drag

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Much fuss has been made over the temperate reception of Madonna for H&M, but the idea that no one’s buying isn’t quite true.

On Friday night, I swung into the H&M on Broadway and found a crush of kids in hoodies and giant gold earrings who were not just in love with the clothes, but buying select pieces - mostly the shirt dress and the tank - in handfuls.

Then this weekend on a West Village stoop, a drag queen on her cigarette break came outside and informed me that she and all of her friends had bought one of everything from Madonna’s collection, noting that the excesss sequins on the clothes - and their availability in large sizes - made the line ideal for performances and big nights out.

We expect Madonna will be thrilled.

News

ShopBop Wants More

shopbop.jpgWe’ve always been a ShopBop fan because they seem to have clothes nobody else finds - who knew Charlotte Ronson made those amazing wedges at left?

But now the web boutique is realizing it could get even bigger.

A designer friend tells us that soon, ShopBop will revamp its entire site with an upscale boutique, where more luxe brands will sell along with their usual stash of C&C t-shirts and DVF dresses.

The site might also get an infusion of editorial content, so it can compete with Net-A-Porter, whose homepage is a virtual fashion spread of runway shots, trend montages, and editorial anecdotes.

We expect ShopBop will even have a blog like Bluefly and Sephora - though it will probably have a heavier emphasis on Nicole and Lindsay, who seem to be the style icons for everything ShopBop sells.

News

Libertine for Target: First Look

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Bitten by SJP might be disappointing, but the first images from Libertine for Target are out, and they’re fantastic.

The line launches this August and includes a striped t-shirt dress in green/aqua or red/pink, several skull print sweaters, and embroidered bags and tees with bugs and tree branches. The clothes combine Victorian motifs with sharp, girly shapes like the points of A-line skirts and the diagonal slopes of cardigans against a blouse. The clothes are the color of Crayola.

We remember the movie Seamless, when Anna Wintour compared Libertine’s Johnson Hartig and Cindy Greene to Galliano. We think maybe they’ve departed from that early prediction, going for less art and more commerce, and far too much fun.

Next up: Chip and Pepper launch their first diffusion line, with J.C. Penny, later this year.

See teeny tease pictures of the whole Libertine collection below.

Continue reading Libertine for Target: First Look

Kate Moss

Where’s Kate?

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Today’s odd text message:

Kate Moss is missing.

She was in St. Barth’s with Daria Werbowy shooting the David Yurman campaign with Peter Lindbergh. She was supposed to stick around to shoot French Vogue but she bounced.

No one knows where.

Perhaps it’s irresponsible on our part to reprint the text here, and apologies for that. It came from a source close to the story, and that’s all I will say.

But it’s just so strange and interesting… maybe if it’s true, she’s finally snuck off to marry Pete?


Shopping

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Trendspotting

Knit Wit

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Flypaper shows us this DIY Chanel bag from Craft magazine.

It looks vaguely hideous to us, but also vaguely relevant:

Karl Lagerfeld’s most recent collection for the house was stuffed with penguin sweaters, ice skates, and scarves so huge and prickly, they brought to mind a woolly mammoth.

Looking at the Double C crochet, we wonder two things:

1. As we learned from Bazaar publisher Valerie Salembier, counterfeit bags made in factories are morally wrong.

But how about the ones you make yourself?

2. If we posted this photo by itself and said “Karl’s Pre-Fall ‘08 bags have arrived,” would you have believed it?

Fashion Is Fun

Flipping for Anna

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(We heard that before Flip launched, Anna had a Conde Net editor come to her office and walk her through the site. We heard that she loved it. But we didn’t realize she had her own account.)

People We Like

The Other Kate

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Kate Middleton gets glowing reviews from Hilary Alexander for her new “confident, new image” but we’re not sold quite yet.

It’s true that Prince William’s girlfriend is a beautiful girl - and also a very nice one, as we learned during a spring term at St. Andrew’s University.

But really - she’s wearing a tweed jacket and a skirt that’s a little too long, with pointy stiletto boots and a beret.

She looks cute but hardly groundbreaking, and something about the enormous effort behind the outfit

- you can tell, she’s really trying to look good, and also really trying to not look like she’s trying -

It reminds us of Lauren Conrad more than anything.

If Kate were walking down the street in New York City, we think she’d look like a pretty college student freshly flown in from a wealthy D.C. suburb.

But if course, it’s not up to us - what do the Fug Girls think of Kate?

And what do you?

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Shopping

At Sample Sales, Size Does Matter

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A reader from Arizona writes the Wall Street Journal to ask about Sample Sales.

Are they really that good?

Are they only in New York?

Fashion editor Teri Agins explains that most sample sales are indeed in New York, but other big cities like Los Angeles, Chicago, and Miami have their share too, and so does the internet. But then comes to sad truth, which has nothing to do with geography:

Be aware, though, that just like factory outlets, sample sales nowadays are heavily stocked with goods specifically designed to be sold as “markdowns.” To differentiate these from the true designer samples, watch for outfits grouped in a wide range of sizes. True samples will have limited selection.

Translation? Real samples are made by the designer as prototypes, not as real clothes to sell. Because samples have to be made as cheaply as possible, they need to use less fabric - which means they need to be the smallest size. If you’re not a Size 0 - Size 4, you won’t fit into a sample size - but that doesn’t mean you won’t find great stuff at a sale.

Our favorite sources for the best discounts?

Cheryl Shops has a dizzying Monday roundup of sales.

New York Magazine lets you know when there’s a good deal in Manhattan.

Daily Candy gives sale roundups for all of its cities.

Also: you can never go wrong with a well-timed trip to TJ Maxx.

Models

Lily Cole Is Statuesque

Only on a Friday:

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British Vogue reports today that Lily Cole and her mother have made a plaster cast of her breasts and back, swathed it in an eco-friendly bra by designer Andrea Galer, and put it on eBay.

All proceeds from the statue go to Comic Relief, an organization that recently raised millions for Hurricane Katrina relief.

Lily’s stone body costs about $80 to ship, and is currently going for about $60 online.

First thoughts: Surely some charitable Lily fans can do better than that!

Second thoughts: If you won the bust of Lily Cole’s bust, where in your house would you put it?!

Streetwalker

Streetwalker: Great Expectation

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Elizabeth Schmidt, mom-to-be, 26

Got her: On Prince and Mercer.

Stalked Her: Because nobody embraces the mixed high-low style like pregnant women (who wants to invest in a piece that’s not going to fit in 6 to 9 months?)

Shot her: Because the only thing that outshone her outfit was her glow.

She says: “Believe it or not, the dress is from Forever 21! I loved the print and was amazed that it fit so well because I’m pregnant. The coat is Marc Jacobs and everything else is Chanel.”

We say: We hope the baby inherits the style genes (and jeans?)

—KEVIN KHUONG

Continue reading Streetwalker: Great Expectation

Trendspotting

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Brooke Miller on Top Model: “It was carnal and I kind of loved it.�

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On Wednesday’s Top Model, we witnessed the following:

1. Renee, the token Mean Girl, decided to make amends with Jael, a girl that she hurt. How? She drew a picture of Jael in a straight jacket.

2. The girls wore silver bodysuits and pretended to be cat burglars in a laser maze. This taught them how to pose.

3. In the photo shoot, the girls smeared themselves with blood and pretended to be murder victims. Predictably, they looked much better dead.

As always, the episode was so gleefully twisted, we needed the help of an expert: Brooke Miller, former Top Model contestant and current Fashionista correspondent.

Continue reading Brooke Miller on Top Model: “It was carnal and I kind of loved it.�

Kate Moss Speaks!

Thanks to Fashionologie for pointing us to the best podcast ever.

News

The Devil Wears Manic Panic

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Patricia Field is hiring some new and stylish blood for its boutique and ever extending brand.

If you want to work for the czarina of fabulous, drop your resume off at her store:

PATRICIA FIELD
302 BOWERY
BETWEEN BLEECKER STREET AND E. HOUSTON STREET
NYC

We don’t know any more details, but here’s a hint:

Be professional and wait until after you get the job to act like Emily Blunt.

Dressing like her is okay, though.

Fashion Is Fun

(and this is the last time we’ll mention it)

Continue reading (and this is the last time we’ll mention it)

Models

Are Naomi’s Outfits for a Photo Shoot?

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We apologize for posting two Naomi stories in one day, but a story from The Daily News just hit our desk that couldn’t wait:

Naomi Campbell’s outfits for her community service stint may be more than a matter of pride and fabulous fashion.

They may actually be part of a photo shoot, perhaps staged by W Magazine, that will run in a September Fall Fashion issue.

If true, we think this is brilliant: What better way for Naomi to curse her court sentence than by actually making money off of her free forced labor?

If false, we think somebody at Conde Nast should contact Naomi’s agents at IMG quickly, and make it a reality. It’s just too brilliant not to try.

Related: The Fug Girls rate Naomi’s cleaning outfits.

Streetwalker

Streetwalker: Neon Blonde

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Rila Fukushima, model

Got Her:
At last night’s Nylon party on top of the Gansevoort.

Stalked Her: Because we weren’t sure what was more day-glo - her hair color or her dress.

Shot Her: We know this outfit wouldn’t work on a civilian, but somehow the blue tights with the open-toe Louboutins and the crazy Crayola dress seem like amazing inspiration for anyone stuck in a wardrobe rut.

She Says: “I do a lot of my shopping in Tokyo because I like finding things there that nobody has in New York. This dress is from Japan but it was actually imported from Paris - I think it’s Eley Kishimoto? I had to put a sweater and a jacket over it because of the cold.”

We Say: Rainbow bright.

Continue reading Streetwalker: Neon Blonde

Fashion Is Fun

Plaid About You

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One of the silliest parties of the year is Dressed To Kilt, a scotch-fueled bash that celebrates New York Tartan Week.

The highlight of the evening is a kilt fashion show, where mildly famous men and women parade in front of an actually famous front row (last year: Vivienne Westwood; this year: Sean Connery and Donald Trump). And when the runway lights up this year, it’ll be hotter than ever before:

We hear Victoria’s Secret will replicate the “Highland Romance” section of their famous catwalk, where models like Gisele and Caroline Trentini dutifully strutted in plaid lingerie.

Ms. Bunchen won’t be at Dressed to Kilt, but runway models for the April 2nd party include brainy bombshell Ivanka Trump, former hobbit Billy Boyd, and Tinsley Mortimer, who is listed on the invitation as a “designer and spokesperson.”

We wonder if any of them will wear Angela Lindvall’s old outfit (pictured at right) in the show.

Fashion Is Fun

Bitten: Now You See It, Now You Don’t

sarah_jp_bitten.jpgWell. Here’s a funny story:

We heard from the Steve and Barry people today, and they were really upset. They begged us to take the images down.

We were a little taken aback. Reader reaction wasn’t that bad - what’s wrong with looking like an Old Navy outfit?

Also, we thought they’d be thrilled with the publicity - yesterday, hundreds of thousands of you got an exclusive sneak peek of the images. Thanks for clicking.

So here’s the deal: We did take the Bitten photos down, but alternate images will be back up shortly. In the meantime, you can keep leaving comments and eagerly awaiting June 7, when the line will be for sale.

Can’t wait that long? Well, you can always visit Old Navy to settle your khaki and cardigan craving in the meantime.

Makeup

Hair 101: How to Get Into Bumble + Bumble’s Free Cut Program

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Fashion’s most famous urban legends, in order:

1. The Chanel Sample Sale (true)
2. Trading Devi Kroell clutches for a place on Socialite Rank (false)
3. Bumble and Bumble free haircuts (true!)

We’ve been hearing about Bumble’s free “university� haircuts and colors for years, but despite signing up for the program on their website, we’ve never been offered the chance to get one. Intrigued, we phoned Cara Mangini at the prestigious salon and school to learn how we can bring this fashion urban legend to life.

Continue reading Hair 101: How to Get Into Bumble + Bumble’s Free Cut Program

Kate Moss

Naomi Campbell, Character Witness

kmoss_ncampbell_ryoung_B.jpgNaomi Campbell may be great at showing off clothes, but perhaps she should hold back before selling the lifestyles of her friends to the press.

British Vogue reports that in a recent discussion, Naomi noted that “cocaine is rife in every world” and that Kate Moss is “a wonderful mother and a wonderful friend.”

We’re very torn on Kate - she obviously seems like the coolest girl in the world, and genuinely in love with her daughter Lila Grace, but we can’t reconcile that with the drugs, and the drugs, and the drugs.

As for this testimonial, well… Kate probably is a wonderful mother and a wonderful friend, but is Naomi Campbell really the best judge of character?

Perhaps we should ask her string of assistants.

People We Like

Trovata’s Good Vibrations

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Eric Wilson’s new piece on Trovata comes with a handy graph so you can trace the fate of each Trovata boy.

There’s John, who’s keeping the brand alive with a fabricated Romanian dynasty and some cute khakis. There’s Josia, who apparently chased his girlfriend to Seattle. And there’s Sam and Jeff, who left Trovata to start a new label which debuts in September at Fashion Week. The name is undecided, though they were considering some names of old college dorms.

The story is very interesting, but maybe the most exciting thing is the way it compares Trovata to The Beach Boys. There’s also a chart that accompanies it, which calls itself “The Breakup of a Boy Band of Fashion.”

At this rate, the boys will get their own TV movie like “The Martha Stewart Story.” Obviously, Chris Carmack from The O.C. will have to play John… and maybe Adam Brody can be Jeff?

Sweet!

Shopping

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Also: Marc’s getting a design award. Read more at The Daily.

Magazines

Nylon Gets an Index

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Now that ShopVogue is going strong, other magazines are incorporating their market pages into a shopping spree.

Our favorite so far is Nylon. They’ve taken their aptly-named Fashionista spreads of inspired goods and attached links to the images, so you can swoon over shiny shoes and bright bags, then click to buy.

This makes us wonder if every magazine will eventually load their market pages online, so you can just move your mouse over the outfit you like best and then follow the link to buy it.

We also wonder: Will those neon yellow shoes from Loeffler-Randall work for Spring and Summer (and knowing us, Fall)? Or do they just look cool because Nylon picked them out?

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Shopping

Gwyneth Loves H&M

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New things we have learned about the Madonna for H&M line:

Gwyneth Paltrow ordered one of everything.
We wonder if she scooped up the H&M collection from her friend Stella McCartney, too, or if this is an anomaly…

That leather trench signed by Madonna will also be raffled in LA tomorrow.
The Beverly Center will have five trenches to give away; the first 250 people in the store will be entered to win. There are 10 trenches being given away at the 51st Street store in New York tomorrow, too.

The sequined dress looks the best on camera.

We hope they have not sold out of it in Soho, because we’re about to go buy one…

Shopping

House of Holland’s Malibu Dream House

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The Barbie for M.A.C line has hit Harvey Nichols in London! With it comes t-shirts by Henry Holland, exclusive to the store and sold next to the M.A.C makeup counter.

We adore the shirts, and Agyness of course - though we think Gemma Ward would be the ultimate Barbie model. But will the tees be available in the US? We’re checking with Henry right now to find out.

Of course, if you can’t get the real thing, we suspect there will be some vaguely convincing knockoffs floating around - today’s British Vogue reports that counterfeit House of Holland tees are sprouting up like faux Goyards all over Kensington High Street - has anyone seen them in the States?

News

Bitten by Sarah Jessica Parker: First Look

Everyone

Seems

To

Agree

PS - thanks to the tipster who emailed in and said they’re already trying to redesign the line because of the reaction. we doubt it’s true, but there’s still a little time until June 7th…

Fashion Is Fun

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Catstalker

Catstalker: Lazaro, Agyness, Stam, Starbucks

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Shopping

Love At First Bitten

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Bitten finally has a website, though it’s not giving much away.

Still, we like the shot of Sarah Jessica Parker looking gorgeous and low maintenance, and we think the graphic design looks somewhat familiar…

Could it be that the whole line was inspired by Nature Girl’s I AM PETAL lotion and its amazingly cool packaging?

Okay, no, but we still like the pink, and the gray, and the typeface.

Now what about the clothes?

DIY

DIY: Anya Hindmarch Bag

Not Plastic.jpgnot plastic fashionista.jpgIt’s a classic fashion moment:

The Anya Hindmarch sack that screams “I Am Not a Plastic Bag” only costs $10, but because it’s not available in America until June - and because it’s already sold out in London - we’re reduced to making our own inspired version for $17.50!

If you’re desperate to carry Lily Cole’s accessory - or just into carrying your own cloth bag when you shop, instead of accepting the hundreds of plastic bags you use for clothes and grocery shopping each year - follow these simple instructions…

Continue reading DIY: Anya Hindmarch Bag

Fashion Week

Janice Dickinson Banned from Fashion Week

janice dickinson.JPGJanice Dickinson is officially banned from all IMG related events, including Fashion Week in New York, Miami, and Los Angeles.

The outrageous model and reality TV star took an unassigned seat in the front row of the Ed Hardy show and refused to move - even though the seat belonged to IMG Vice President Fern Mallis, the woman whose team produces all the Fashion Weeks. Smashbox owner Dean Factor had to speak with Janice himself before she would move.

After the show, Janice claimed she’d broken her toe, and stuck her foot into a giant tub of ice reserved for sponsored beverages backstage.

We’ve only met Janice once - in our experience, she was incredibly nice and intelligent - but this clip from TMZ paints a slightly different picture. We wonder how this will impact her eponymous modeling agency - if Janice can’t set foot in the Tents, how will any of her models?

Fashion Week

Imitation of Goth

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Yesterday’s Imitation of Christ show took LA by storm - literally.

With swirling capes, tempest-tossed hair, and faux bones scattered along the runway, the show was a fashion tornado that infused Los Angeles with a goth-glam feel captured most powerfully by - of all things - a lipstick.

Smashbox Cosmetics collaborated with Tara Subkoff to create a limited edition shade just for her gorgeous gloomsters, applied alone to make the color of bloody velvet, or stacked with slick black pigment for a look we’ll call Buffy the Vampire Player.

According to Enid at LA.com, the lipstick is called Enchanting, and isn’t yet available - unless you were at the show, in which case, it was found in your gift bag!

Is The New

Is The New: Tom Ford and Zac Posen?

tom zac.jpg Pop Sugar’s photos of Zac Posen in LA inspired a new question: Is Zac taking over where Tom Ford left off?

The designer hit Hollywood to corral some of the same faces once cultivated by Ford (Demi Moore and Anjelica Huston among them) during LA Fashion Week, and sheathed Gwyneth Paltrow in one of his dresses during the Academy Awards - Tom also dressed Gwyneth for big events. Meanwhile, Carine Roitfeld was an early Zac supporter and an early Tom champion - her Gucci styling helped catapult the brand in the ’90s.

Also, Tom and Zac both have affinities for architecture: It was Tom’s first major in college, and Zac’s inspiration for various pieces, including a finale dress for spring that looked like it was made of latticework.

But what really made us make the comparison? We won’t lie - it was the identical golden brown tan. Michael Kors, please take notes.

Magazines

Vogue, Vetoed

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Cathy Horyn’s blog has blessedly continued past Fashion Week. In her latest entry, she describes how she cooks potatoes and then goes into her feelings on Vogue:

There’s way too much focus in the fashion world on money and celebrity lifestyle, and a media functioning as the new service class is partly to blame. American Vogue has made this its bread and butter, influencing what the industry thinks. Vogue is very successful and, at the same time, it’s old and out-of-touch. The magazine has always done a credible job covering the arts and politics (thanks to Julia Reed), but even allowing for the fact that wealth is historically part of its turf, the magazine doesn’t give you a new experience consonant with the changes in American life. It gives you old business: daughters with lucky DNA in New York or L.A. If I was an entrepreneur or a creative person in Silicon Valley, or Austin, or Seattle, why would I care?

The plainest answer: “You care because Vogue tells you to.” We like that it’s being challenged (another lance, perhaps, after the incendiary Anna Wintour article from Cathy before Fashion Week).

What we don’t like? The way everyone thinks they should leave self-aware, hugely stylized dissertations in the comment section of Cathy’s blog. It’s not a job audition… at least, not until MTV shows up with cameras.

Makeup

Will Guys Choose Juicy?

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They haven’t announced it yet, but Juicy Couture will launch a men’s fragrance later this year to compliment their women’s scent.

The interesting thing is this: We hear when the company asked Chandler Burr, the “nose” of the New York Times, what he thought about the men’s perfume, he told them that fragrance is becoming increasingly unisex, and labeling it as a men’s or women’s product could limit their audience.

Besides the lasting impact of CK One, a unisex fragrance that almost everyone wore in high school, there’s also a curious trend happening downtown: girls are wearing men’s perfume, and vice versa.

We remember last summer, when Burberry Brit had a shortage because of this phenomenon. A certain rock band wore the woman’s fragrance all over TRL, and all over town, prompting their skinny jean fans to do the same. In retaliation, the girl friends (not girlfriends) of the band wore Burberry Touch, a men’s fragrance they thought was sexier than anything offered for women.

Juicy, are you listening?

Shopping

Every Little Thing That You Say Or Do…

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For those without morning commitments this Thursday:

The first 250 people to line up at the 51st St. H&M in New York will be entered into a Madonna lottery, where the prize is a trench coat signed by the superstar.

There are 10 Madonna-signed jackets to give away.

Assuming that 250 people actually arrive in the morning, hoping to score something from the pop star’s wardrobe, that makes your odds of winning 4%.

The store opens at 10am, which is probably when you should get there if you really want a shot at this.

Is it worth it?

Fashion Week

For Angelina, a Mile High Club

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Angelina Jolie was the brief face of St. John, but she’s since escaped their suburban clutches and is now a free agent in the fashion world.

It’s just as well - knitwear for Aspen vacation moms wasn’t exactly her thing, and we all remember the Golden Globes gossip: St. John made Angelina a dress. Angelina hated it, sent it back to St. John. Repeat five times fast.

But apparently, some designers are willing to risk that wrath to dress Brad’s girl - today’s show for Alvin Valley at Los Angeles Fashion Week is inspired by and created specifically for the actress, inspired by aviation style and the pilot Harriet Quimby, who was one of the first women to command a plane.

As for the collection, don’t expect any gauzy gowns like Angelina wore last year - as Alvin told Mark Malkin, “I’d just love to style her completely, because I feel like her style is kind of all over. I think she should stick more with sexy suits and pants. I think she’s sexier wearing that than a dress.”

Will Angelina pay attention? Maybe - if Alvin donates half his proceeds to a humanitarian charity.

Makeup

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Fashion Is Fun

D&G Says, Be True To Your School

dolce sorority.jpgHow does Dolce & Gabbana recover from their “rape fantasy” ads? With a squeaky clean marketing campaign in D&G stores now.

This month, sororities have already picked their freshman crop, but Dolce & Gabbana still wants girls to rush… right into their stores. The spring windows for Dolce’s younger line have giant signs that scream DELTA GAMMA - a cute play on D&G, but also a very real sorority with special social dominance in the Northeast and California.

We didn’t know any DGs who wore Dolce in college, but there must have been a few fashion junkies in other chapters - especially since the Delta Nu sorority in Legally Blonde is based on Delta Gamma’s chapter at USC.

Delta Gamma is also famous for its sister Anne Coulter. We imagine the severe conservative is fuming that D&G took advantage of her college social clique and used it in the gay-friendly fashion world. This is exactly why we give the window display such high marks.

News

The Art of BCBG

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Calvin Klein may have been last year’s sponsor, but 2007’s Whitney Art Party belongs to BCBG.

Whitney director Adam Weinberg confirmed at last night’s Fireboat benefit that the Italian fashion house has taken the reigns of the Whitney’s big spring bash, which is often seen as a smaller, funkier companion to the annual Met Ball in May.

(Think of it this way - if the Met Ball is Louis Vuitton, the Whitney Art party is Marc by Marc Jacobs… you could also compare Oscars and Independent Spirit Awards, if you’re in Hollywood).

How did the partnership happen? Adam says, “I met Lubov Azria; she was great… now we’re getting all sorts of exciting people involved.”

Last year’s guest list included Eva Mendes and Chloe Sevigny. But we remember meeting Katie Holmes at our first BCBG show in 2005, and expect similar glitterati at the Whitney bash.

We hope our favorite BCBG ad star, Jessica Stam, comes too - contemporary art is sometimes difficult to process, so anyone confused by what’s on the walls can simply look at her…

Top Model

Rainy Day Woman

jael2.jpgRumors swirled last week about Jael from Top Model - her slurred speech and total incoherence seemed like more than shaky nerves - really, they seemed like narcotics.

A new blog post from Oh No They Didn’t seems to confirm the theory - they’ve got photos of Jael crashing a party, where she allegedly pops pills and tries to hide in a broom closet with a cat. In the photos, she is pictured wearing smeared eyeliner and stripping with a psyched-looking man.

We wonder if this was what Tyra meant when she told her charges last week “the fashion world is all about looking hoochie, but bringing some fashion to it.”

Or, you know, it could be the drugs…

Makeup

Coked Up

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StyleDash says Coca Cola might soon launch a “beauty drink,” like those Scott Borba juices that clear your skin.

They’ve trademarked the name Lumaé and started to negotiate with department stores, who would carry the drink instead of supermarkets.

We think this sounds vaguely deranged, along the same brilliant lines as Coke Zero or Coke Blak, but maybe anything is possible.

After all, if millions of women really think Diet Coke is good for you - or at least, not bad for you - their marketing genius knows no bounds.

We wonder if they’ll take a page from the Proactiv campaigns and snag Jessica Simpson as their new face…

Shopping

Not Plastic, Fantastic

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Attention Shoppers:

To: Faran From: WeAreWhatWeDo.org

Well, we can’t keep a lid on it any more… the legendary Anya Hindermarch bags will officially go on sale through our website and at Anya Hindmarch stores from tomorrow morning. 9am to be precise.

Because you have shown your support to us by registering your email address, we will be sending you an email at 9am tomorrow with an exclusive link to a secret area on our website from where you can purchase the bag. We have now stopped taking any further email addresses.

We’ve had an overwhelming number of emails registered so we can only urge you to have your mouse at the ready at 9am on the dot and please also understand that we have had to limit the number of bags you can buy to one per person. With only 4,000 available, we want them to go as far and wide as possible.

Good luck!

Editor’s Note: I’ll post the link as soon as I get the email, but as for buying in person, the bags are only for sale in the UK tomorrow. Anya’s Manhattan store said they’d be available for US shoppers in June.

If you’re still looking for a green-friendly tote, we love the Friends of Al bag from Hayden & Harnett.

People Are Talking

An Open Letter to the Fourth Row

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Dear View From the Fourth Row,

We really didn’t want to call you out, but recent events have made it impossible to ignore you. And they’ve made us wonder if maybe, just maybe, you’re not actually a fashion editor - you’re an intern, or the little sister of an intern, or perhaps someone who reads The Daily so obsessively, you feel like you could work there.

And so, we have a few questions…

1. By fourth row, do you mean “standing”? Your blog is so full of anger and hate, the kind we only feel when we’ve been on our feet for six hours in stilettos.

2. Do you really think the Top Five restaurants for fashion people are Koi, Pastis, etc? They’re great places, but after they opened, we started going to spots that weren’t always on Sex and the City.

3. Speaking of Sex and the City, you seem to watch a ton of TV - your knowledge of The Hills is exceptional, and you mention minor characters like Jane Keltner and Emily Weiss a lot on your site. How do you have time for TiVo if you’re constantly at Indochine with Banana Republic publicists?

4. Is it really worth it to give up your Fourth Row seat (or the Fourth Row seat you hope to some day have)? When you’re exposed, you’ll have to forfeit your meetings with Sarah Jessica Parker, your SWAG, and your alleged job.

5. What does your therapist think about all of this?

Clearly, there’s a lot you could throw back at us - “You’re so tacky, you think Burberry is a syrup at iHop!” etc. - but really, that would just prove the point. Instead, we’re hoping for some answers.

Otherwise, we’re imagining you stalking Meredith Melling Burke in the 4 Times Square Lobby, Mr. Ripley style - though that’s not all bad, since remember, Matt Damon lost 20 lbs for the part and was a perfect Size Zero in the movie.

xoxo Fashionista

News

Will Project Runway Work?

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Several weeks ago, WWD had an article about Project Runway alum Emmett McCarthy, who was expanding his business after opening a Nolita boutique last year.

Meanwhile, another Project Runway castoff - Alison Kelly - just debuted her first full collection at ShopBop.

It’s not amazing, but some of the dresses are definitely what a girl wants, and of all the Project Runway contestants, Fashionista’s money goes on her.

Why?

Because she gained a steady following of Internet fans during the show; she kept her integrity along with her talent (unlike fellow contestants like Laura Bennett, whose great designs drowned in her Cruella DeVille persona); and she is her customer - a cool girl in New York who likes to go out, but not necessarily to go all out.

Also, frankly, she’s really pretty, and that never hurt anyone, though we’re confident we’d feel the same way about her dresses regardless of how she looks in them (which is great, great, great).

See her full line here.

Magazines

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see the full list here.

Trendspotting

Good in the Sack

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A slew of fashion critics have lately questioned the sack dress - Sarah Mower’s indictment of the short, shapeless shift is particularly scathing - but I don’t understand all the hate.

With a good pair of heels and some black tights, it seems like the sack dress is the great equalizer for spring - if you’re too tired to pull together an ensemble, just throw it on and you’re instantly trendy. If you’re anxious about your body, it doesn’t matter, since the dress makes everyone the same shape. And the dresses can come very cheap - especially since they seem like a disposable, one-season trend.

But maybe the best benefit of the sack dress is this: Even if you’re covering up other parts of your body, you can still show off your legs - something Bill Cunningham chose to celebrate yesterday in The Times.

our favorite sack dresses:

Ella Moss for $108

See by Chloe for $170

wishful: Chloe for $1790

Magazines

With Libertines and Justice For All

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We adore the new Vogue Homme cover - the first created by Carine Roitfeld and her team - for several reasons, but mainly our crush comes from this:

It actually says the word “crack” on the coverline.

Granted, in French “crack” is slang for “whiz” or “ace,” but still - so brilliant.

Unfortunately, the word didn’t carry over into the English version of Vogue Homme, but the rest of the magazine is available to Americans on Wednesday.

We will certainly post more scans when we have it, meanwhile - doesn’t Pete’s striped Henley look a little like Lindsay’s cardi from Forever 21?

Leave it to Carine to nail two raging trends - vaguely sober celebrities and easy striped knitwear - in one amazing cover.

Models

Maybe It’s…

MAYBELLINE-CHRISTY1.jpgGisele and Shalom hit the catwalks in February; now another old-school supermodel is all over TV:

Christy Turlington continues her Maybelline dominance in their new spring commercials, and she’s also toiling behind the scenes on a new TV pilot with husband Ed Burns.

We like Christy’s Maybelline spot because most women who buy makeup aren’t sixteen or seventeen, even though the girls who star in cosmetics ads are often still in high school (well, they would be in high school, if they hadn’t dropped out and become models). Several of Fall’s most well received shows - Marc, Proenza, Dior - were described by critics as “grown up.” Maybe ad campaigns are following suit…

Also: Kate Moss will also return to TV, in a new commercial for Rimmel. Unlike their previous campaigns, she’ll actually speak on camera for this one.

People We Like

Adrian Grenier: Style Icon?

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Maybe the Entourage marathon on HBO has inspired the style critics, because this week, Adrian Grenier appears all over the fashion press, scoring two separate stories in one day with the LA Times.

His first mention comes courtesy of AG Jeans, who designed their own Entourage collection of jeans and t-shirts for men. The story hints that more HBO / fashion partnerships are in the works - a Sex and the City handbag line is likely - but for now, it’s just Adrian’s behind in a pair of custom jeans. Nobody seems to be complaining, though Adrian wore Seven jeans to the line’s launch party (oops).

The second story explains H&M’s secret weapon in Hollywood, a publicist named Pansy Toulou whose only job is to seed H&M clothes to stars, including Adrian.

Now he just needs to be someone’s date to the CFDA Awards and he’s thisclose to shooting a Mert and Marcus campaign for Prada. Maybe if Lance Armstrong is unavailable, Tory Burch can bring Adrian instead?

News

Naomi Brings Back the Jumpsuit

campbell naomi.jpgNaomi Campbell reports for duty this morning at Pier 36 in New York.

Reportedly, she’ll be mopping floors all week as a community service sentence for hitting her maid in the head with a cell phone. Naomi claims it was an accident.

We don’t want to be sensationalists, but we also don’t like it when people throw things at their assistants, except when Jeremy Piven does it on Entourage - and then, we assume, it’s a “stunt” Blackberry and not a real one.

So. The first person to send a camera phone pic of Naomi on the job gets a Starbucks card, and/ or a stack of our infamous bracelets. Bonne photographie.

Fashion Is Fun

MySpace Or Yours?

myspace.JPG A recent report says that British kids are using MySpace more than almost any other website to get their fashion fix at TopShop.

The proof?

Even though the store has just over 3000 friends (not really that much - ), their website gets more traffic through their MySpace page than almost anywhere else - even MSN or Yahoo.

Meanwhile, after many requests, Fashionista finally has a MySpace page. Click to join our clique - we’ll be online all weekend!

Models

America’s (Actual) Next Top Models

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Getting your fix of model madness is easy thanks to the Casting Director, but for a brief yet brilliant roundup of this season’s breakout stars, we like Angus Munro’s piece in V Magazine.

All in one place, all in scanned Polaroids, meet your newest fashion lineup:

Lara, Irina K, Dasha, Magdalena, and Jenny Sweeny - wow, where’d she come from?!

Notably absent is Catherine McNeil, the Aussie wonder girl who opened seven shows in Europe this season/

Alas, since she skipped New York Fashion Week to shoot with Mario Testino in London, she must have missed her call time at the V office. Maybe next season?

People We Like

Lindsay Wears Forever 21

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We love this photo of Lindsay Lohan and artist Gregory Littley at Butter.

Not only does she look clean, rested, and gorgeous, but she’s wearing a men’s sweater from Forever 21!

Lindsay is officially propelled back into the “People We Like” category. May her reign be long, and her Coke be purely of the Cola kind.

As for the sweater, Greg swears he’ll never wash his again, but you can get a clean one for $24 at Forever 21’s website. We suspect that getting a clean Lindsay is slightly more expensive, but oh, her hair!

Trendspotting

London Versus New York: The Fashion Battle

New York’s upcoming issue pits its own city against London in a quest for urban dominance. Included in the magazine is a battle of club cultures, and the big question: which city has wilder fashion kids? We stacked five “typical” MisShapes photos against five “typical” London party photos to find out.

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The New York photos were taken by Scott Meriam; the London photos were taken by Morgan O’Donovan for Diamond Rodgers, except the last girl in the green hat - she’s from DirtyDirtyDancing.

Whose club babies do you think are truly, truly, truly outrageous?

Fashion Week

In and Out at Nina Ricci

One fashion addict has cleverly snatched the Nina Ricci video from Style.com and stuck it on YouTube.

We present it to you with this revelation: the woodsy backdrop you see in the show wasn’t made by Olivier Theyskens.

It’s the actual Jardin de Tuilleries.

The productino team sliced through their tent and left an open hole in back of the runway, so you could see outside even if you were inside.

Or in America, like us.

Trendspotting

Fashion Says, Supersize Me

chloe wedge.jpg The Wall Street Journal has two articles today on giant accessories: First is a small nugget on the increased height and chunk of heels, the best of which is (obviously) Chloe’s mega wedges. Because women want to be even taller, their feet are hurting even more, leading companies like Nike to build “air bags” in the heel and sole of some shoes. Their latest collaboration is with Cole Haan.

Meanwhile, another WSJ piece tells how ties are getting bigger, presenting two problems: men have to re-learn how to tie a Windsor knot and some shirts are too narrow to fit their new accessories. The piece credits Sean Combs and Jay-Z for starting the trend, and NBA star Allan Houston says a big knot is “taking it to a different level” with your wardrobe.

We suspect the giant accessory trend has nothing to do with levels and everything to do with optical illusions. Stacking yourself in big shoes or a big tie doesn’t just make you look trendy - it also makes you look thinner. Even Nike knows that.

Shopping

God Save the Shoes

strike boots.jpgBecause Fridays were made for online shopping (just furrow your brow and hit your mouse a little harder to make it look like actual “work”), we figured we’d gently tug you to Hervia.com, the online retail home of Vivienne Westwood.

While the site is always a treasure trove of style madness, today it’s particularly hot because Vivienne’s entire Spring ‘06 shoe collection is available for stomping.

Even the infamous sack boots?

Even those. And orders outside of the U.K. are tax free.

Enjoy!

Streetwalker

Streetwalker: Bohemian Like You

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Mamie Gummer, 23, actress.

Got Her:
At last night’s launch party for TheseThreeThings.

Stalked Her: Because we wanted a closer look at her wool and silk jersey dress. Also, we were pretty sure we recognized her from a W Magazine article…

Shot Her: Because after staring at her dress for ten minutes, we still needed more time.

She Says: “I feel super in this outfit! The dress is one-size-fits-all, so you can tie it really tight, or wear it more a-line… I guess you could flip it to the front, too. The flats are A.P.C. and the t-shirt is American Apparel. I like that the outfit is simple, but also quite unique.”

We Say:
True love comes in layers.

Continue reading Streetwalker: Bohemian Like You

Shopping

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News

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Top Model

Top Model Recap: Brooke Miller Returns!

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Last night’s episode of Top Model had high drama, “high fashion� (more like high school, but okay), and enough backstabs to make Caesar’s ills look like a paper cut.

Specifics: The girls got makeovers - some were good, some were beauty school dropout. Renee, the evil yet strangely wholesome teen mother, spat venom at Brittany - the only girl in the house who could actually be a model. Diane, the sex bomb “plus size� model, struggled with her insecurities. Jael, the strung out hippie, lost a friend to an overdose, then dedicated her final photo to the dead friend. And everyone posed naked in buckets of ice cream.

Confused? So were we. Fortunately, former Top Model contestant Brooke Miller is here to make some sense of it all…

Continue reading Top Model Recap: Brooke Miller Returns!

News

Agyness Goes Gold

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Drew Barrymore may be the face of Giles Deacon’s new line for New Look, but Agyness rocked it best in London this week.

Check out her photo from the collection’s premiere party this week, with a bustier busting pose that makes her look even more like Madonna.

Those dying to see the line in America should click to New Look.

The site has a faux magazine with spreads of Drew, piles of shoes, and a video interview with Giles Deacon where his assistant wears the Henry Holland shirt that says GET YOUR FREAK ON, GILES DEACON. It’s funny.

As for the professional shoppers among you, take heed: New Look doesn’t launch its e-commerce site until early summer, but the Gold by Giles collection is already for sale on eBay.

Bonne chance with that.

News

Tops for Tory

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Is Tory Burch the most influential woman in fashion?

Forbes.com thinks so.

She’s the only woman that makes their list of Fashion Tastemakers, joining Marc Jacobs, Hedi Slimane, Christian Louboutin, and Coach’s Reed Krakoff in the winner’s circle. Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez are the youngest on the list, thanks largely - according to Forbes - to their Target line.

But Tory is singled out for her understanding of today’s woman - Saks president Ron Frasch says “out of the American designers today, very few if any have brought to us as a retailer what she had brought.”

Patent leather ballet flats, spangled shifts and cardigans, and a surprising but growing group of younger, hipper fans, thanks to the subtle PR skills of Tory’s teen daughter Alexandra?

Okay. We’ll buy that. But where on the list is DVF?

Related: even on Bluefly, Tory is expensive!

Your Bag

What’s In Your Bag: Molly Sims

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Reasons we love Molly Sims, whom we crashed into yesterday (literally, oops) at the Stelle clothing launch party…

1. We secretly watch Las Vegas before going out on Fridays.

2. The only time we wore Old Navy was when she did the commercials.

3. When we said, “Can we see what’s in your bag?” she promptly pried open her Gustto and took out every single thing, one by one, so we could do a thorough investigation. Afterwards, a cocktail waitress asked me if she’d lost her keys…

Continue reading What’s In Your Bag: Molly Sims

News

Cartoon Network, For Real

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Isaac Mizrahi just signed a deal with Teletubbies to design their first handbag collection.

The bags will be auctioned this spring for Cure Autism Now and Autism Speaks. A special pop-up shop in the West Village will preview sketches of the bags on March 27, where a new slew of t-shirts inspired by the characters will also go on sale.

Those not in New York can buy the shirts at Urban Outfitters, and see the handbags at a new Teletubbies website, which launches on March 19.

[Editor’s Note: the handbag you see at left is not a real Isaac Mizrahi for Teletubbies Birkin bag! The graphic stems merely from our imagination, poorly played out on Photoshop. Please do not go looking for this bag on eBay.]

Streetwalker

Streetwalker: A Blur of Style

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Kate, 24, acting student.

Got Her: At the Chanterelle Chinese New Year feast in Tribeca.

Stalked Her: Because her dress was intoxicating. And perhaps because we were intoxicated, too.

Shot Her: Because her dress was also $10!

She Says:
“I don’t believe in really expensive clothes… this dress is from Austin, Texas, where I live. So many girls in Austin have great style, but it’s not because they’re rich, it’s because they have fun with clothes.”

We Say: We’re craving a Forever 21 run.

And Apologies: Because the photo is blurry… but the dress was just too good.

Continue reading Streetwalker: A Blur of Style

Fashion Week

I Wish They All Could Be…

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There are many talented designers in Los Angeles, but the one we’re most excited about is Tara Subkoff for Imitation of Christ. Even if we don’t always “get’ IOC, the decision to show the line in LA is important.

Why?

Each season, amazing LA talent liquidates to New York. Libertine brings their vintage shredded style to the Tents, Jenni Kayne gears up with at least one Olsen, Mishon Schur brings the Kirsten quotient along with its swishy dresses, and Trovata makes every East Coast girl wish she was in California. Even Rock & Republic moves its trash-tastic party to Manhattan, leaving the L.A. runways with a lot of leftover denim, hot pink silk dresses for Paris and Nicky, and small handfuls of substance.

Tara’s L.A. return may inspire some other labels to Los Angeles, too, showing the style community that L.A. is more than Chip + Pepper jeans (though of course, we do love those).

Trendspotting

This Bird Has Flown

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Today, Men.Style.Com writes about feathers. This season, they’re getting so ubiquitous on shirts, jackets, and jewelry that they might replace skulls as the next big motif.

The piece hunts down “fashion theorist” and Cornell professor Van Dyk Lewis, whose name alone was probably enough to land him a teaching post. Mr. Lewis says that feathers represent sadness, and “sensitive males have begun to mourn for things past.”

Our first instinct was to look up “feathers” in our book of dream symbols, which explains that they indicate a stroke of good luck or an increase in social status - feathers to help you get into Waverly Inn.

Then we researched Native American symbolism, where feathers represent prayers and spiritual force - feathers to give divine intervention.

In ancient Egypt, the underworld gods were said to weigh your soul against a feather. If the feather weighed more, you weren’t permitted into heaven - feathers to show everyone how deep you are.

And in Christianity, feathers became associated with virtue - feathers to assure your crush that you’re not a player, just really friendly.

Meanwhile, Men.Style.Com surmises that guys are wearing feathers because they’re completely over skulls. Thank goodness.

People Are Talking

I’m Begging You Please To Come Home

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Fashionista got a sneak peek at the new Uniqlo ads yesterday, and here’s what we learned:

Actor Mike Pitt arrived on set “looking like death, because he thought it would be better for the photographs.” In his shot, he wears a purple t-shirt and poses with star photographer Terry Richardson, who also took the campaign pictures.

Missy Rayder looks incredible. There are two ads starring a giant closeup of her face; in one, her hair flies everywhere.

Ruff Club DJ Mike Nouveau is also in the ads. He looks adorable, and far less dangerous than he does behind the DJ booth.

And the best part: For their in-store newspaper, Uniqlo interviewed Cecilia Dean, the editor of Visionaire and V Magazine, about her life and work. Nearly everyone in the industry has a crush on Cecilia because of her vision and her general ease with the fussy fashion industry. Example? See this photo, an informal shot of CD taken at MisShapes last year by Scott Meriam.

We heart Cecilia!

Trendspotting

Chanel Bracelet Invasion

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Last night’s Chanel party for the new Biarritz collection yielded sugar laced champagne and a sneak peek at this new accessory: a carved black bracelet, made of resin, and sporting a quote from Coco Chanel herself.

The bangle retails for about $600 and hasn’t hit Chanel boutiques yet, although a certain Conde Nast staffer wore hers to the party last night! As for the rest of us, we were relegated to the waiting list - yes, the plastic bracelet with words scrawled all over it now has a waiting list.

Have a look at it and let us know - doesn’t it remind you of something?

Is The New

Is The New: American Apparel and Gap?

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Slate has a long and windy article about American Apparel today, exploring their global expansion and wondering if it’s the millennial version of Gap.

We don’t love American Apparel’s sexist, greasy founder, but we remember last year in Mexico City, when we went to AA with the Heatherette crew and saw hordes of Mexican kids styling their own block colored t-shirts and leggings, as if they were in Williamsburg.

We also noticed that AA is taking away the Gap’s old shopper - hip people too busy living their lives to obsess about clothes, and everyone else who wants to look like them.

We think this is why they’re getting those shoppers…

1. American Apparel ads are anti-star. Pete Wentz will never do their campaign. AA photos feature real kids doing real things (though some of those things aren’t safe for work). AA understands a world where everyone can be sort-of famous (thank you, MySpace), and that’s interesting.

2. American Apparel has no logos - unless the logo has a Double C and costs over $500, it’s easy to understand why kids don’t want to wear one.

3. American Apparel is finally listening to shoppers. Check out their new range of ads, with scruffy cute kids wearing tons of clothes and posing in Rated G positions! Amazing.

Now all AA needs to do is prove their factories and stores are worker-friendly - something hotly debated in the fashion industry - and they might be ready for a denim triumph…

(PS - extra credit if you can name more than two models in this vintage Gap ad from the ’90s…)

Continue reading Is The New: American Apparel and Gap?

Fashion Is Fun

Match Point

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Yesterday, Gawker ran a photo of Lynn Yaeger, the fashion editor of the Village Voice and frequent Vogue contributor. Lynn’s style is absolutely eccentric, and some might even call it mad. She’s the American version of Anna Piaggi, easy to pick out in a crowd because of her deliberately dizzy wardrobe tactics.

Naturally, the Gawker crowd swiped the site with sharp comments.

Then this afternoon, something not so natural happened: Gawker banned all commentators who said mean Lynn things from posting on their site.

We were slightly shocked at the swift fashion justice, but Lynn is a living legend - even John Galliano paid her a few unconscious odes during his recent Paris show.

People We Like

SJP Knows Her Audience

Manolo_mary_janes.jpg We’re glad first reports of Sarah Jessica Parker’s clothing line were a little off - specifically, the part where “insiders” compared the line to the Olsen girls’ new collection, The Row.

While MK may be selling $200 t-shirts, The Daily reports that Sarah Jessica’s new line is entirely under $20, and will retail inside the Manhattan Mall (a spot usually verboten unless you’re looking for a Spice Girls costume) at discount chain Steve & Barry’s.

How good the clothes will be remains to be seen, but the marketing strategy is already brilliant. After all, this is the woman who made $600 shoes look like your favorite Sauconys from high school - will her fan base really spend more than the price of Magnolia Cupcakes on her outfits?

We’re glad Sarah Jessica realizes her mass appeal - and obviously, we can’t wait for pictures of the line, which will inevitably leak onto the internet, Kate Moss for TopShop style, sometime this month.

Stay tuned…

Fashion Is Fun

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News

Make Clothes, Not War

fashion protest.jpg Vivienne Westwood joined Bianca Jagger and Annie Lennox (and hundreds of others) in Westminster today to protest Tony Blair’s nuclear defense proposal.

At the protest, Dame Westwood said Mr. Blair and his colleagues were “just like little schoolboys who don’t think,” and passed out over 200 leaflets to pedestrians explaining the possible dangers of a nuclear missile stash in Britain.

Ironically, Vivienne’s colors for Spring and Fall ‘07 are positively radioactive, with neon yellow and pink the color of a Las Vegas thong flooding both her collections - though we realize this is beside the point…

Trendspotting

Nothing to Wear? Nothing to Lose!

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Bluefly’s new ad campaign asks “Nothing to Wear?” and has a naked woman stranded in the middle of a fashion emergency.

We knew the concept seemed familiar, so we checked through our favorite magazine archives, and voila: Kate Moss had nothing to wear on British Vogue’s 1995 cover. Fortunately, she seems to have recovered from her case of closet anorexia quite nicely.

We expect Bluefly to do the same.

Shopping

Counterfeit, But You Know It

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A former Louis Vuitton employee explains how to spot a fake:

“The trick to getting a good fake is watching for breaks in the pattern.

At Louis Vuitton, they explain that the canvas cutters never slice into the LV pattern, only around it.

Then they burn the scraps - oh yes, they actually burn them. So if you have LV’s going into the seams of your bag or wallet, it must be fake.

Of course, that doesn’t mean a bag with all the logos in-tact is real… just that it was $5 more on Canal.”

Also: recent statistics show only 1% of monogrammed Louis Vuitton bags are authentic!

Streetwalker

Streetwalker: Your Aura, It’s Purple!

scrappy.jpgScrappy Calloway, 21, lead singer of Goodfinger

Got Her: At a dinner party in the Time Warner apartments.

Stalked Her: Because her silk tunic made us do a double take. Was she for real?

Shot Her: Because yes, she was for real.

She Says: “I like getting my clothes in little boutiques near where I live, in the East Village. It makes me feel like I searched out and found them, which makes each piece special. This tunic is dyed silk; I’ve had it forever but it never gets old.”

We Say:
Iron Butterfly.

Continue reading Streetwalker: Your Aura, It’s Purple!

News

I Need Some Fine Wine, And You Need to be Nicer

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We’re amazed by Australia’s Daily Telegraph, which heralds the arrival of a dress made from “the bacterial skin that forms on top of ‘off’ red wine.”

The dress was made at the University of Western Australia from a form of cellulose, the material that makes up the walls of plant cells. Right now, the material is extremely fragile and difficult to wear - the article compares it to tissue paper. The scientists hope further experiments can yield sustainable fabric that comes from bad booze.

If their efforts succeed by fall, they won’t even have to dye the clothes - deep purple was huge on the runways this season, and how psyched would Miuccia Prada be if her wine colored dresses came from actual barrels of gone-bad Bordeaux?

Fashion Is Fun

All Tomorrow’s Parties: Waris of the Worlds

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Reasons to linger at last night’s party for Waris Ahluwalia, the sometime actor and jewelry designer whose new line hit Bergdorf Goodman last night - and brought a crush of luxe scene lovers with it…

Continue reading All Tomorrow’s Parties: Waris of the Worlds

Is The New

Is The New: John Galliano and Nicole Richie

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We don’t really think John Galliano is the new Nicole Richie.

We’re just in love with the photo he demanded be included in his press pictures for his new John Galliano perfume, which is in the works thanks to a new licensing deal with Selective Beauty.

It’s just so over-the-top fabulous, so extraordinarily camp, that it reminds us very much of a similar image:

Nicole Richie’s book cover for The Truth About Diamonds - complete with matching hair style.

If this is the press photo, imagine the scent.

News

Malcolm McLaren Goes for the Drama

malcolmvivienne.jpgMalcolm McLaren is Vivienne Westwood’s former partner in crime (and in marriage) who first sold Vivienne’s designs on King’s Road at the now legendary Let It Rock store. Then he managed The Sex Pistols and became the world’s worst behaved publicist.

The New York Times bypasses all that this week and lets Malcolm reminisce on his days as a wine taster, though the most interesting thing about the article may be at the bottom of the piece.

It reads, “Malcolm McLaren is an artist, musician and designer best recognized for his work with the Sex Pistols and Vivienne Westwood. He is currently working on a stage musical.”

A stage musical?!

Oh my. We hope it’s a lot like Duncan Sheik’s Spring Awakening and nothing like Taboo, The Times, They Are a Changin’, or the other rock flops that left Broadway quickly.

We also hope that Vivienne Westwood does the costumes, though that may be too much to ask.

Models

Who’s That Girl?

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Is Lily Cole the new GUESS girl?

It’s sort of unthinkable until you look at the new photos, which star a very pale, very pug-nosed girl with white cream skin and tumbles of hair, and a camera glare that’s very like Ms. Lily!

If true, Lily becomes an unlikely bombshell and joins Cindy Crawford, Paris Hilton, and Anna Nicole Smith in the Guess girl pantheon. If it’s just a look-a-like, we’re dying to know what the new Guess girl looks like in couture.

We’re checking with Storm in London and with Guess in LA to find out who the girl really is - meanwhile, if you have a Guess guess, post it here…

Streetwalker

Streetwalker: Checks, Please

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Blake, 24, publicist for Marc Jacobs women’s collection

Got Her: At Astor Place

Stalked Her: Because her textured Crayola skirt made us do a double-take

Shot Her: Because not since Alicia Silverstone in Clueless has a beret worked so well. Also: purple flats!

She Says: “Everything’s vintage, the skirt, the coat… it’s nice to be able to break out pieces you couldn’t wear in the cold.”

We Say: Show me, show me, show me how you do that trick…

Continue reading Streetwalker: Checks, Please

News

Halston, the Movie

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Harvey Weinstein is the new owner of Halston, and he’s already mentioned making a documentary of the American legend’s life.

That would be great, but how much more fun would a biopic be? Then you could resurrect vintage Halston costumes, have Tamara Mellon - Halston’s new creative director - be the costume designer, rope Gwyneth into it somehow, and voila, an Oscar contender is born.

Our preliminary cast list…

Halston = Kevin Spacey

Bianca Jagger = Rosario Dawson

Anita Pallenberg = Sienna Miller

Naeem Khan (whose very first job was as Halston’s assistant) = Sendhil Ramamurthy, the gorgeous actor from Heroes

And a side note: Harvey Weinstein produced the ’90s ode to the ’70s, 54, with Neve Campbell and Ryan Phillipe. He can re-shoot on that movie’s excellent set, but this time with a better script.

News

Carry On!

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Thanks to JM for reminding us of this:

Open casting calls begin later this month for season four of Bravo’s fashion design reality series Project Runway. Interested designers can visit www.BravoTV.com for rules and information. Cities and dates for the auditions are: March 30-April 1 in Los Angeles; April 3 in Chicago; April 5 in Miami; and April 7-9 in New York City. The selected designers will then compete for the opportunity to present their work during New York’s Fashion Week.

And remember…

DO argue to Nina Garcia in the beginning. Even if your designs are lacking, the producers will still think you’re “good television.”

DO sabotage other contestants by telling them their work is “very Rodarte.”

DO self-tan, cut pockets out of pants like Michael Kors.

DON’T bring any books even remotely resembling fashion guides, otherwise you may face a cheating scandal. Leave your copy of Valley of the Dolls at home, just in case.

DO look like Daniel V. Please.

Magazines

Mary Kate and Sex Toys: The New Teen InStyle

mk lingerie.JPGInStyle’s new teen title, Your Look, is finally on stands - and on MySpace. The magazine has its own pink page where members are asked to send photos of their own personal style, and also to read articles about “where stars pick up their cute and sexy lingerie.”

That’s where we learn that Christina Aguilera gets her thongs in a giant pink strip mall, and Ashlee Simpson has browsed through “feather trimmed panties from the British brand Myla.”

The best information might come from New York, where Mary Kate Olsen enjoys Kiki de Montparnasse, a naughty sex shop in Soho with beautiful silk lingerie and a small trove of upscale sex toys. The accompanying art - a cutout photo of Mary Kate, next to a gleaming case of handcuffs and pasties - is especially amazing.

As a teenager, that’s exactly what I wanted to know about my favorite stars, too.

Shopping

Take to Heart

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Thanks to Kirsten Dunst and Leith Clark, the heart pendants worn on Erin Fetherston’s runway (and later in Lula magazine, and the Wendybird film) are now in demand.

The only issue?

Erin and her stylish friends may have known they were right on trend, but retailers didn’t see it coming. That means you can only acquire one of the necklaces through Erin’s own sales team; they cost $300 and can be requested through the Erin Fetherston website.

If you’re not patient enough, or not funded enough, to get one that way, try American Eagle. Their heart necklace retails for $17.50, and can be taken off its chain and reattached to a leather or silk cord, then sported like Claudia Merikula wore hers down the runway.

Models

Trish Goff, Blogger

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If you’re still stuck on ’90s models, you may want to bookmark Sephora’s website: Next week, they’ll have blogs by Trish Goff as she hypes Fashion Week Live, the giant style event in Texas and San Francisco that the Wall Street Journal quite correctly compared to a rock concert, with cleaner clothes.

The event is produced by IMG and stars Naomi Campbell, a new IMG acquisition herself. It’s also got Gemma, Sasha, Jess Stam, and Trish stomping across the country in search of style dominance.

So far, our favorite anecdote came from Houstonist, who blogged that when Naomi came down the runway in Texas, socialite Becca Cason Thrash shouted “fabulous!” and Naomi shot back, “thanks girl!” from the runway.

But surely Trish will give us better fodder than that…

News

Chanel’s Art House Film

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Prada isn’t the only fashion house with a new flick - Chanel just posted their own movie, directed by photographer Bettina Rheims and starring model Julie Ordon.

This is the second of Chanel’s beauty films - the first was for Chanel No. 5. It had Nicole Kidman playing a weary starlet who takes refuge in a Chanel billboard, with Baz Luhrmann behind the camera. But that movie had a plot, while Prada’s perfume film had lengthy dialogue and several haunting montages.

This new Chanel flick doesn’t have any of that - it cuts straight to the point: a naked blonde girl in a bed with a fully dressed man, applying Chanel red lipstick under her sheets.

It’s so artistic I can’t even take it.

Kate Moss

Is Kate Moss a Sellout?

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Last night I walked home too late, at midnight, and swung into the magazine store on Avenue A. They had ancient stacks of Cassie’s iD cover and Coco’s Dazed and Confused spread, but I was really there for something else.

“Excuse me,” I asked the guy behind the counter, “Do you have the Kate Moss British Vogue yet?”

“It’s already sold out,” he answered.

“No,” I explained, “The April British Vogue, it’s not even supposed to hit stands until tomorrow, but I thought you might…”

“We did,” he shot back. “It came in yesterday. It sold out yesterday.”

And this is just the magazine - think how fast the clothes will fly…

Q: Why are you showing the Kate Moss / David Bowie cover?

A: Because you’ve seen the Kate for TopShop cover twice on this site already, and anyway - if you can’t get the latest Kate magazine, you might as well console yourself with a Brit Vogue retrospective

News

Breaking: Marc Jacobs in Rehab

Marc Jacobs just did something very brave and entered rehab. We wish him well, and hope he recovers soon.

DIY

She’s Creative Because She Wears Bracelets

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Buy Jessica’s bracelets!

Continue reading She’s Creative Because She Wears Bracelets

Is The New

Is The New: Marimekko and Murakami?

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Marimekko has always been beloved - I still remember my kitty cat bedspread, my cars and trucks pillowcases, and my blue dotted wallpaper from childhood. But lately it seems the brand is more style conscious - Marimekko dresses are at Anthropologie (and are cute); Marimekko flowers are painted on Soho boutique windows; Marimekko prints are maybe mimeographed by Oscar de la Renta for his Spring collection.

I imagine soon, kids will color the flowers onto their Converse sneakers with Sharpies.

The print sweep reminds me of 2003, when Murakami’s prints hit the Louis Vuitton bags for spring and suddenly everyone wanted a little smiley flower, stuck somewhere in their world. There were Murakami soccer balls and Murakami comic books. Rockefeller Center exploded with Murakami balloons. I still have smiley flowers pasted to my laptop, a concession for the handbag I couldn’t afford.

And today I find this: Marimekko mouses (mice?) on sale in Japan. The invasion…

Also, an amendment: Last week, I called poetry “prose,” and other mutilations in the post about Supermodel and Beowulf. The story has been vetted, so you can read it again and then order the book on Amazon, before Oprah/ Starbucks/ Dreamworks gets to it…

Fashion Is Fun

Gucci Calling

gucci phone.jpgGraphics of a Gucci mobile phone have mysteriously appeared on Flickr, prompting Engadget to speculate that the Italian luxury label might be coming to a Sim Card near you.

Fashionista is more inclined to think this image is either

a) A class project for design school

b) A hoax designed to lure customers to a graphic design studio

c) A prototype of a Gucci phone, sent for consideration by an industrial design firm and accidentally leaked online.

Also: we are still waiting for a Burberry Blackberry.

Magazines

Get Lucky, Get Proenza

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Streetwalker

Streetwalker: Candy Girl

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Daoyen, 17, high school senior

Got Her: On Harrison St. in Tribeca

Stalked Her: Because it takes hard work to look this thrown together.

Shot Her: Because blue flats, gray socks, purple tights, a green hoodie, and a red Chanel bag should equal disaster. Somehow, this time, they make the opposite.

She Says: “I interned at Teen Vogue last year. It was only in the fashion closet, but I still got to see so much amazing style. I don’t even know where I’m going to college yet, but I’m definitely interested in working at a magazine.”

We Say: Admit it: you have a stylist instead of an S.A.T. tutor…

Continue reading Streetwalker: Candy Girl

News

Chanel’s Secret Vintage

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Thanks to our wine expert Mimi for this fun fact: The House of Chanel doesn’t just own clothes - it also owns a wine label called Chateau Rauzan-Ségla!

Mimi writes…

Under the ownership of Chanel, the perfume/fashion house, Rauzan-Ségla has been resurrected and returned to its proper place in the Bordeaux hierarchy. The wines exhibit powerful tannins and an unmistakable mineral component. However, this is among the most restrained styles of Margaux. These wines are meant for true connoisseurs, and most top vintages, such as 2005, 2004, and 2001, require 5 to 10 years of cellaring before reaching their full potential.

Much like a Chanel bag you wear for one season, then archive until everyone forgets how much you paid for it.

News

Earnest Sewn Pumps Gas

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In support of their new energy initiative, Earnest Sewn pairs with the BP Gas Station to produce a new uniform.

Worn only at Helios House, BP’s energy conscious gas station in LA, the uniforms are hand sewn, their fabric made with a special rinse process where dirty river water is treated, used on the jean fabric, then cleaned and returned to nature in better condition than it was originally found.

As for the uniforms, they’re white jumpsuits with green and yellow stripes. We predict kids in LA will steal them and wear them to school, just like auto mechanic coveralls and Boy Scout shirts were swiped from Salvation Army stores in the ’90s.

Fashion Is Fun

Experience Has Made Me Rich

Madonna’s new commercial for H&M is so wickedly, weirdly fun that you can watch it on repeat - and you should, if you haven’t had your coffee yet…

People Are Talking

Love Is Blind. We Are Not.

Tinsley Mortimer and Lydia Hearst already have their own handbag line. Which socialite is next?

Hints:

She’s on the Socialite Rank list.

She loves the arts.

That’s all you get.

Catstalker: Sienna Has a Lovely Day

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Catstalker: Because you squealed for joy when you saw Lily Cole on the street, but knew none of your friends would get it…

Who: Sienna Miller and Jamie Dornan

Where: Having lunch at Lovely Day in Soho

When: Like forty minutes ago

Why: Because sprinting from paparazzi - like we’ve seen Sienna do expertly while on the streets of New York and London - is bound to make a girl hungry.

And We Love It: Well, let’s be honest. Sienna could roll down the window of her taxi, blow cigarette smoke at us, and cough, and we would still love it. Despite being smashed up against her at the very crowded Calvin Klein party last night, this sighting still made our afternoon.

In the words of our source: “She was wearing a black leather jacket, jeans, and boots - and her boyfriend creeped me out.”

In the words of us: Well yes, but when aren’t men an occupational hazard?

Models

Missy Rayder, UNIQLO Girl

missy.jpgNew York has a food diary from Missy Rayder today, but what she eats isn’t nearly as interesting as what she’s doing:

One Friday while she’s scarfing brisket, Missy reveals that she’s on Terry Richardson’s set for the new UNIQLO campaign, meaning she’ll join LeeLee Soblieski, Jessica Joffe, and Mirabelle Marden as a face.

Earlier this winter, scores of scenesters were asked to submit their own photos to star in UNIQLO ads, too. Their casting team chose a tangle of Brooklyn band boys and uptown high school girls who lied about their age, all of whom were paid $150.

You’ll see those kids on billboards with Missy this Fall, though we’re guessing she was paid a little bit more…

Makeup

The Oscars of Makeup

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Major makeup junkies should head to the Cosmetic Executive Women website, where nominations for their annual Beauty Awards are posted.

The CEW is an organization for all women involved in the beauty industry, including publicists, editors, product developers, and makeup artists.

As for their nominees list, it’s so thorough that many insiders regard it as their yearly beauty shopping list - categories like “Best Lip Product Under $15” and “Best Peel And Mast Over $25” make it easy for all shoppers to find what’s right for them.

As for us, we’re rooting for Lancome mascara and Kiehl’s ultra eye cream, both of which are up for nominations.

Fashion Is Fun

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from left to right: Fabiola Beracasa with Ali Kay and Ali Wise, music video director Andy Carlson, Mena Suvari, Paris Vogue’s Michaela Dosamantes, The Freja Mural flanked by a Calvin party boy, designer Josh goot

News

When Gareth Met Karl…

gareth and karl.jpgDazed and Confused has a hysterical blog post today on the meeting of Gareth Pugh and Karl Lagerfeld, complete with an eye-witness account by Gareth Muse / Dazed Fashion Assistant Katie Shillingford.

We can’t help thinking what Gareth Pugh will be like in thirty or forty years, and whether his outlandish presence will build him into a Lagerfeld-like icon. The digital picture of Gareth and Karl on the blog is pretty priceless, as is this morsel of info buried on another part of the site:

Alexander Plokhov’s capsule collection for UNIQLO launches in July, making it the last thing from Cloak that menswear fans can buy. Sniffle.

Trendspotting

Le Film, C’est Chic

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Dreamworks announced they would finally make a movie of Tintin! The Belgian comic strip that stars a trench coated reporter and his huffy puppy Milou as they travel around the world, breaking news and solving scary mysteries.

Movie people may just be boarding the Tintin train, but fashion folk have embraced the cartoon hero for years.

Tintin’s signature belted jacket and short pants are constantly repeated on runways, and Marc Jacobs’ recent accessories for Louis Vuitton feature a cartoon bellhop who could be Tintin’s younger brother… or at least, his animated fashion spin-off.

Fashion Is Fun

Mistaken Identity!

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Continue reading Mistaken Identity!

Kate Moss

Kate Moss: The Glorious Leak Continues

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Last month, we showed you the “top secret” British Vogue cover of Kate Moss, sheathed in her own line for TopShop.

Now Ms. Mary Bourke points us to another rush of photos - the inside spread of Ms. Moss in her new clothes - that have sprouted on the internet.

Huge thanks to Mary and now back to you - would you wear this collection? Or is it further proof that it’s not Kate’s clothes, it’s just Kate that does it…

Continue reading Kate Moss: The Glorious Leak Continues

News

The Fashion Gods

lily couture.jpgThe Associated Press has a story today on Models for Christ, a group that organizes prayer circles and spiritual counseling for models, photographers, , and others in the fashion industry.

The idea sounds good for newbies transplanted from Church Sundays to brunch hangovers and naked photo shoots, but we wonder if it the group is also a meat market for those who value the Bible and their looks.

According to one member of the group, it’s more of a reaction to the excess of the style world: “The fashion industry, there’s so many extremes in it. The models are extremely beautiful, extremely skinny, make tons of money. It may seem an unlikely place to find God, but really it’s not.”

So true - just look at Gaultier’s couture show, which starred 18 Virgin Marys.

News

My Perfume, The Hero

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Katherine Heigl may be having contract snags with Grey’s Anatomy, but according to WWD, she’s just signed another project that promises smoother sailing: Come this fall, Katherine is the new face of Nautica’s fragrance.

This seems like a strong move for Nautica. Their brand identity is murky right now, but we imagine Katherine defines what they’d like to be: breezy, smart, brave, sweet.

It’s also nice to see Katherine get back to her modeling days - I remember when Ford used to include her in their book “by special arrangement” (just like they did for Mischa and Nikki Taylor).

As for Grey’s Anatomy, well… Sara Ramirez is amazing, but if Katherine is off the show, then we’re over it, too.

Top Model

America’s Next Top Critic

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Last week, Brooke Miller became our first-ever Top Model Critic, dishing the dirt on her Top Model experience and trying to peg the next winner. Now it’s time for CariDee English, last season’s Top Model champ, to give us her spin on the series.

A quick CariDee update: She’s 21, she just moved to Battery Park from Hawaii, she’s making even more Cover Girl ads, and right now, she has bronchitis.

“I’m doing voice overs for Cover Girl all day, though,� she explains, “So I’m a hot mess right now. I can look like crap.�

Alas, the newest batch of Top Model contestants have no such luxury…

Continue reading America’s Next Top Critic

Fashion Is Fun

Socialite Showdown

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Today on New York, the girls from Go Fug Yourself imagine a fashion war of glamazon proportions: would socialites or starlets win in a battle for style dominance?

Their battlefield? The Vanity Fair Oscar party.

Their warriors? Tinsley, Paris, Mandy Moore, Posh, and a handful of other girls whose haunts include the Chateau Marmont and/ or Cornelia Day Spa.

Sadly, not all of our favorites triumph in the face of evil and Kitson, but we appreciate the noble effort - though we have to wonder, Ivanka Trump versus Nicole Richie? Does Nicole get some sort of shiny pink ray gun to save her? Because that’s really her only hope…

Continue reading Socialite Showdown

People Are Talking

Clearly Chanel: The Update

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“Dear Fashionista,

I thought you would appreciate that Chanel sends beauty directors a little care package every year. Usually the swag includes Chanel beauty products for the beach goer, and something like a black Chanel towel - chic but kind of ridiculous, as black absorbs heat and may make you look even paler than the rest of the New York editors in Florida in March, not to mention the threat of little black cotton nubs all over you.

I’ve inherited two such Chanel promo gifts. One of them is that giant Chanel towel and the other one is - indeed - a clear Chanel shopping bag!

It’s actually nicer than the one Booth Moore almost bought in Paris (about 9x12 with a top handle and the CC logo kind of embossed in the plastic), but last year when I got it, everyone at my fashion magazine thought I was a crazy person for taking it home.

My roommates kept my mail in it, and the other day I saw it and freaked out.

Who’s laughing now?!”

(Sent by a fashion editor at You-Know-Where).

Fashion Week

The Wind Beneath My…

blown away.jpgIn high school, my friend Kate used to tell me, “You can never be too rich, too thin, or too windblown.”

Being sixteen and less rich/ less thin/ less tousled than Kate, I took her at her word until my freshman year of college. Then I realized you could definitely be too rich - some of the girls in my hall were so spoiled, they really did want a Starbucks in their kitchen. You could also be too thin - the girl next door to me was sent home with an eating disorder; she was beautiful until she started starving (and puking, yuck).

As for the windblown thing, I imagine it now that I see the pics from Melbourne’s Fashion Festival. This girl is supposed to be walking down a runway for Christensen Copenhagen, but gale-force gusts and beachy hair are a hard combination.

Still, I almost wish the wind was on purpose - this scene is like a McQueen show without all the fuss, and just enough drama to highlight the clothes. See how her hair matches the print?

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Is The New

Is The New: Beowulf and Supermodel?

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Early this year, Fashionista got a book in the mail. It hat a hot pink cover and a pop perfect title: Supermodel. The book was an epic poem.

It starts off with a beautiful girl clinging to a tree in a tsunami, but skids far away from the actual life of Petra Nemcova from there. This girl also survives Columbine. This girl also saves whales.

The myth of this perfect woman, who walks Marc Jacobs shows before walking through fire, was intriguing. The problem? The book is interrupted, couplet by couplet, with found text on the internet. Porn star names. Handbag sales. Driving directions. A Google transcript interrupting the poetry.

Confused, frustrated, and also really interested, we hunted down the poem’s author, David Breskin, to discuss epics, fashions, and what happens to pretty girls in trouble.

Continue reading Is The New: Beowulf and Supermodel?

Magazines

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News

The Big Book of Wasp

wasp.jpg Assouline publishes huge fashion books for Louis Vuitton and Gucci, but an upcoming project might be more appealing to Lilly Pulitzer.

It’s called A Privileged Life: Celebrating WASP Style, and it features odes to Jackie O, Grace Kelly, and Truman Capote. That’s all fine and dandy (especially in Mr. Capote’s case), but we do wonder about the quote chosen for the book’s press materials:

“To me,” writes author Susanna Salk, “being a WASP has nothing to do with religion or money.”

While we beg to differ that “The Priviledged Life” of her book has everything to do with income and family trusts, we will concede this:

Ribbon belts and khakis are non denominational (though in truth, I’ve never seen anyone in synagogue with pastel turtles embroidered on their pants).

People We Like

Diane Stretches Herself

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Yesterday, we posted that Club Monaco and Kate Spade have a “favorite things” section of their website, where they hype candy and music because they like them, not bec