The Politics of Fashion: Barack Obama Inspires

Obama dress by designer, Vivian Compton: Naoma Nerette Collection. Haute.lanta Fashion Week 2008.




Models: Chinyere and Jessica

When it was reported that Donatella Versace's most recent men's collection was inspired by Barack Obama, Donatella was quick to correct the press. Obama himself didn't inspire her, but rather "the type of man Barack Obama represents." However designers showing at Paris Fashion Week conveyed no such reserves about using their runway shows to blatantly support Barack. Sonia Rykiel's spring 2009 collection included sweaters that read "I have a dream" and "Obama."

Jean-Charles de Castelbajac put Barack's grinning face on a dress paired with gloves that read "yes" and "no" — probably his way of saying "rock the vote." And at the end of her program notes, Stella McCartney wrote, “P.S. Vote Obama!!”

Credit
P.S.S. VOTE OBAMA :)

Patricia Field Launches her BARBIE Collection

Ok do these "Ken-Doll" Bartenders have on blush?



Well Patrica. So sorry to burst your bubble but I had the pink carpet first. Anyone who attended my "Scent of Pretty: Madame du Jour Product Launch" will vouch for me :)

Cute though....

Enormous Eyelash Drug - Bimatoprost

It sounds like those who love their eyelashes big and beautiful can soon throw away their mascara and stick-ons. A main ingredient (bimatoprost ophthalmic solution) in a popular glaucoma medicine has the added side effect of causing eyelashes to grow.

This has caught the attention of companies who are interested in further developing this into an honest-to-goodness eyelash-fertilizer.




WOW, you mean I won't have to get the individuals anymore? What if they never stop growing or something? Sounds haute but wierd all at the same time.

1,500 Mile Runway: Great Wall Of China Fendi Show

In a magnificent display of lights, models and of course, amazing clothes, Fendi presented its new collection in a fashion show on the Great Wall of China.

Making an appearance on the makeshift runway, right when the last rays of light were welcoming the guests, models in luxurious clothes took to the catwalk.

This is the first time such an event has taken place on the Great Wall. After one year of negotiations, paperwork and millions of dollars from Fendi’s pocket, it finally happend.

Fendi’s luxe collection looked even greater set in such an exquisite setting. Atmospheric lighting, great music, beautiful models, and most importantly, a perfect cut.



Despite the volume in this collection, Fendi showed accentuated waists which remind women of their femininity. Black and red were the foundational colors chosen by Karl Lagerfeld. To the delight of the guests, the colors matched perfectly with the white floors on the runway.

Hollywood stars Kate Bosworth and Thandie Newton showed up and enjoyed a memorable event along with 500 other show goers who had the pleasure and fortune to see one of the most amazing displays of fashion ever. For once, it seems the Great Wall surrendered, and it was to a fashion show. MORE

Gwen Stefani Sues FOREVER 21!

Gwen Stefani has filed a lawsuit against retail chain Forever 21, The Daily has learned. The Grammy Award-winning singer contests that Forever 21 has allegedly stolen designs from both her highly successful L.A.M.B. and Harajuku Lovers lines. A spokeswoman for Paul Wilmot, who represents Stefani¢s clothing line, confirmed the status of the lawsuit but declined further comment pending approval from her legal team. "We feel that both our L.A.M.B. and Harajuku Lovers designs have been infringed upon by Forever 21 and we plan to vigorously protect our intellectual property," Stefani's spokeswoman said. A representative for Forever 21 was unavailable for comment. Stay tuned.



Stefani¢s lawsuit against Forever 21 isn¢t the embattled mass retailer¢s first such incident. This past March, Diane von Furstenberg Studio filed a lawsuit against Forever 21 Retail Inc. claiming copyright infringement on its "Cerisier" and "Aubrey" designs. In January, M.M.P. Inc., which conducts business as Fabric & Fabric, sued Forever 21 over fabric copyright issues. And last July, Soho Fashion Ltd. sued the retailer for marketing a graphic t-shirt that featured artwork depicting a similar image to an original piece known as "Three Women".

"Is Youth Out of Fashion?"

Hmm I saw an interesting video on CNN today regarding adolescent models. The British now have an expert panel that calls for teen models to be banned from the British catwalks. They say being thin is too much pressure for a young girl and it leads to anorexia and such. TRUE!

They are looking to ban models 16 and younger, so pretty soon we will not see them in London Fashion Week anymore. Their philosphy is you can't use children to sell women's clothes anymore.




Interesting. What's your take on it?

Barneys New York Sold for $825 Million

Barneys New York, the 84-year-old luxury department store chain famous for its clever window displays and cutting-edge designer goods, was sold for $825 million on Friday, June 22, to Istithmar, a private equity and alternative investment house established three years ago and is owned by the government of Dubai.

Jones Apparel Group bought Barneys in 2004 for $397.3 million. They subsequently opened new flagship stores in Dallas and Boston with a Seattle store opening this week and a San Francicsco store scheduled to open September 2007.

Jones Apparel also expanded the Co-op store branch of the business, a smaller scale store specializing in up-and-coming designer labels such as 3.1 Philip Lim and diffusion lines like Marc by Marc Jacobs.

"This transaction further enhances our ability to develop our brand and grow our business," said Howard Socol, president and CEO of Barneys in a statement. "Working with Istithmar, we look forward to continued expansion of our flagship, CO-OP and outlet concepts to help us realize the considerable untapped potential of the Barneys brand."

Under the terms of the agreement with Istithmar, Jones Apparel could still entertain a higher bid from a third party until July 22.

Originally, the entire group, which includes brands such as Jones New York, Nine West, Anne Klein, Evan-Picone, Easy Spirit, Enzo Angiolini and Gloria Vanderbuilt among others, was up for sale.

With the sale of Barneys to an international investor such as Istithmar – they have spent in excess of $1.6 billion of capital towards over 30 companies in the three years since its inception – expansion to Europe and the Middle East seems a likely next step.

Founded in 1923, Barneys started as a small discount men's store on 17th Street in New York City.

The Story

Versace Street in Milan

Ten years after his tragic death, Gianni Versace is getting a street named after him in Milan.

Milan’s Mayor Letizia Brichetto-Arnaboldi Moratti and the Teatro della Scala will stage a series of special events next month to pay tribute to Versace on the 10th anniversary of his death.

The high point of the commemoration will be the debut of Maurice Bejart a new ballet entitled, ‘Grazie Gianni con Amore’- ‘Thank You Gianni With Love’ – to be staged in La Scala on Sunday July 15.

The two-act ballet will feature costumes exclusively designed by Donatella Versace in its first act. The second act will be a medley of Bejart’s most celebrated ballets for which Gianni created costumes. It includes excerpts and original costumes from such works as Dionysos, Malaux, ou la métamorphose des dieux, Souvenir de Leningrad, Chaka Zulu, Elegie pour ell and Pyramid.

Also on July 15th, the City of Milan will honour Gianni Versace’s memory by naming a public square after him. And a Gala dinner will be staged in his honor after the ballet performance in Milan’s Sala delle Cariatidi at Palazzo Reale.

Versace's work for the theatre, one of his greatest passions, will also be honoured by the city of Milan with a display 64 artistic installations of his most celebrated theatre designs on large panels distributed throughout the city in strategic locations.

Versace was murdered by disturbed fan Andrew Cunanan outside his home in Miami, Casa Casuarina on July 15, 1997.

Full Story

Lohan Busted for Drunk Driving & Possession of Cocaine!

As if this was a surprise, but hey I am here just to deliver the news. Do what you want with it. First Eve and her Maserati, now this....

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. - Lindsay Lohan was cited for investigation of driving under the influence Saturday and was slightly injured when the troubled actress' convertible struck a curb, police said. Lohan, 20, and two other people were in her 2005 Mercedes SL-65 when it crashed on Sunset Boulevard around 5:30 a.m. Officers at the scene found a "usable amount" of a drug tentatively identified as cocaine. They declined to say where the drug was found other than to say Lohan was not carrying it. HMMT!

Lohan said in January that she had checked into a rehabilitation center for alcohol treatment. Her publicist confirmed in December that the actress was attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. Lindsay "Coke-head" Lohan needs to get it together. She is officially "THE MESS!" This 2007 photo released by Maxim shows Lindsay Lohan who tops Maxim Magazine's Hot 100 list

IMG & Mercedes Benz Takes Over Again!

IMG is attempting to take over every market. If you type in Olympus Fashion Week, it is no longer a separate website from Mercedes Benz in LA. They are now one and the same. IMG also recently took over Miami Fashion Week, but have completely avoided Atlanta, which I am currently planning Haute.Lanta Fashion Week. I am sure they will try to buy me out once it becomes the success I know it will become.

Fashion Week Berlin has lined up a string of local heavy hitters, including Hugo Boss, Puma and Michalsky, plus Britian's Vivienne Westwood for the launch of its new fashion season.

Entitled Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Berlin, the twice-yearly season makes its debut this summer, scheduled from July 12 to 15 in the German capital.

The brainchild of IMG Fashion, Fashion Week Berlin’s catwalk shows will be staged in a custom-built space before the backdrop of the Brandenburg Gate, the sight of ecstatic scenes back in 1989 when the Berlin Wall fell.

Germany’s leading designer brand Hugo Boss will kick off the new season on the opening day with a runway show of the spring-summer 2008 collection of its edgier Hugo line.

In something of a coup, Vivienne Westwood will present her Anglomania collection. Westwood is a habitué of Berlin; she was until last year a professor in the city’s leading fashion school, UDK.

Also joining the calendar is Michalsky, the urban sportswear collection designed by Michael Michalsky, the former creative director of adidas, the debut of the Rudolf Dassler by Puma collection and eccentric local brand Sisi Wasabi.

The season will also showcase five emerging, young designers on Sunday, July 15. The five - C.Neeon, Kaviar Gauche, Talkingmeanstrouble., Macqua and Lala Berlin – will compete for a New Generation Award, sponsored by Kardstadt-Quelle, Germany’s leading department store chain which will then retail the winner’s collection.

“Berlin, with its unparalleled energy and creativity, will provide a strong foundation for this new fashion initiative, which will appropriately combine international brands that appeal to the city’s spirit with local and up and coming designers,” commented Fern Mallis, Vice President of IMG Fashion in New York.

Paris "Jail Bird" Hilton to Do Some Hard Time

By SANDY COHEN, AP Entertainment Writer

LOS ANGELES - A judge sentenced Paris Hilton to 45 days in county jail Friday for violating her probation, putting the brakes on the hotel heiress’ famous high life.

Hilton, who parlayed her name and relentless partying into worldwide notoriety, must go to jail on June 5 and she will not be allowed any work release, furloughs, use of an alternative jail or electronic monitoring in lieu of jail, Superior Court Judge Michael T. Sauer ruled after a hearing.

The judge ruled that she was in violation of the terms of her probation in an alcohol-related reckless driving case. Read the full story

I guess no one is too fabulous to go to jail. Guess she'll be swapping Dolce for a cute little orange number, no stilettos needed...and will they give her male slippers for her size 11 boats?

J-Hudd Lands Avon's Imari Fragrance Deal

Twenty-something Jennifer Hudson is on the top of the world these days. Although she is probably still celebrating that Oscar win, she is now the exclusive spokesperson for Avon's highly sucessful Imari fragrance. Avon plans to market the fragrance with national print ads and we can expect to see J Hudd in the brochures as well.

A company representative stated that Avon is dedicated to empowering women and Jennifer's real-life success story will inspire their customers.

Go Jennifer Go, honey! I am happy for her and let's not forget that she was recently on the cover of Vogue magazine... the 3rd African-American to do so.

Naomi: Trashy to Classy

Image: David from Pretty on the Outside

I have to let Naomi slide on the boob tease in the last posting. I totally forgot about her 5 day stint at the Sanitation Department. She might be a evil cell phone slinging diva, but she went out of that community service with a bang X 2!

The supermodel left her last day of punishment all dolled up wearing an $8000 Dolce and Gabanna gown and stilettos. She worked that hell out of that grundgy driveway. It had no choice but to become a catwalk as she strutted to her silver Roll-Royce while paparazzi lined up to take her photo. She will definitely go down in the fashion history books for that one. Now the question still remains? Will she beat the hell out of her next assistant? No I think she's learned her lesson, it will probably be the doorman next time. Hee Hee

VIDEO: Thanks to TMZ, You Can See Her Give The Silent "Fu*k U" Here:

Images Courtesy of TMZ and Think2wice.com

Birkhead is "The Baby's Daddy"

Yes I said, "Baby's Daddy" because Anna Nicole, Lord rest her soul, was trifling. Is it just me, or did Dannielyn have way too many potential fathers in this case? Most guys deny paternity. It sure is ironic that so many "lovers" came forward. I have my suspicians about what really happened dating back to the death of Anna's son Daniel, what do you think?

Dannielynn could be a very rich little girl, especially if her ship comes in on the Marshall estate to the tune of $423 million. The question -- who should administer the trust?

According to Anna's will, Stern was supposed to be the trustee for Daniel in the event she died. Obviously, Anna didn't bank on Daniel dying before her, and there were no provisions made for Dannielynn. This is the stuff court cases are made of. Whoever administers the trust -- could earn 3% in trustee fees each year, and that comes to $12.6 million.

Get the dirt here

MSNBC To Launch Models NYC Series

First it's "America's Next Top Model," then the "Janice Dickinson Agency"...then "The Agency"...now this. Can I get a shot at a reality show for Fuschya Models International. Hey Networks!...Call ME!

MSNBC, the cable channel seemingly always in search of an identity, has greenlit Models NYC, a six-part series that takes a look inside the Soho loft of New York's Q Management, a boutique modeling agency.

The show begins April 16.

A synopsis, provided by MSNBC, seems to be taking a page from America's Next Top Model:
We meet Maria — she's beautiful, but insecure. She's making big bucks in front of the camera, but is struggling to move on from the world of poverty and foster care that's not far in her past.

Asha's a big success in London but has her sights set on a New York City modeling career. She finds it's not so easy to break into the market while going back and forth each week to England for college classes.

Andreyna is a spitfire — She's 18 and on her own in the big city. The modeling jobs are pouring in — but the lure of New York's nightlife has proven hard to resist.

Ross also feels the pull of the city — he's handsome, but also a deeply committed Christian. He treasures his Texas roots, but if he wants to make it, he's got to make peace with the Big Apple — a city of sin.

Sabrina knows all the tricks of the trade, she's gorgeous, but she's worried; she's turning 30 and knows that as good as she is, she's pushing the industry age-limit.

And then there are the agents. A savvy businessman, Jeff is Q Management's owner and he loves what he does. He's got a feisty sense of humor and when it comes to the models, he's warm and supportive ... but they know not to cross him. He can look at a new hopeful and in a flash tell whether he or she is worth the investment.

And Tahlani is a veteran agent and one of Jeff's beloved employees. She's a first-rate booker who knows the stakes are high and isn't about to beat around the bush.

All's that's missing is a teary Tyra Banks. Either way, I'll be watching!