[Los Angeles, November 2. Image via Bauer-Griffin]

[New York, November 25. Image via Bauer-Griffin]

• Apparently Thierry Mugler's doing Beyonce's tour costumes. This could go in one of two directions. [Style.com]
• Diddy: “I’m only about five minutes late because I was running around and spraying people." We think he's talking about his new "I Am King" fragrance — a monarch's gotta mark his territory! [WWD]
• Let's continue to pretend we have some impact on Michelle's inaugural gown selection and evaluate these choices. [Forbes]
• We kind of assumed it was confirmed, but yes! Katie Holmes for Miu Miu. She was shot by "Mert and Marcus," our new band name. [ElleUK]
• Not a trick question: what do moddles eat on Thanksgiving? Food! [New York]

• Extremely awesome Luella Bartlet wins "Designer of the Year" at British Fashion Awards. "Bartley is the mother of three children and lives in Cornwall with her surfer-fashion photographer partner, David Sims." Other honorees included milliner Stephen Jones, Burberry creative director Christopher Bailey, and photog Tim Walker. [Telegraph]
• Check out Luella's Spring line here. [VogueUK]
• And Jourdan Dunn upset Agyness for moddle honors! [New York]
• To add insult to injury, Agy and Lily Allen were strip-serached at Dubai airport! [The Sun]
• Meet the "Madison Avenue (Doll) House, a futuristic structure displayed from suspension hangers. It features four fully decorated floors, replete with miniature replicas of Calvin Klein apparel, accessories and home furnishings, from clothing to tabletop." [WWD]
• Talk of a SAG strike is bad news for the designers counting on awards season for a much-needed boost. [WWD]
• J. Crew is down 30% — but still better off than analysts expected! [The Street]
• About time: they say they're going to return to "more friendly price points for Spring." [WWD]
• Talbots posts a quarterly loss but hopes a new credit agreement will buoy them. [NY Times]
• Meanwhile, the Liz Claiborne slide continues as it's issued a "negative" rating. In case you're wondering, that's bad. [Crains]
• Glam David — designer Richie Rich — beats the Goliath who sued him to stop using the "Richie Rich" name after acquiring Heatherette. [Page Six Magazine]
• Lego fashion show considerably more awesome than real fashion show. [AdWeek]
• Ernest Sewn launches cheap room for the cash-strapped. [Fashionista]
• Black Friday looms extra-manic as stores play 'how low can you go?' [WWD]

• Did Ellen DeGeneres try to trick Mariah Carey into admitting she's pregnant? Mariah was a guest on Ellen's show, and after Ellen asked and got a vague response, she busted out the champagne, saying, "You don't have to answer that. Let's just toast with champagne." Mariah got flustered and said, "I can't believe you did this to me, Ellen," and pretended to sip the bubbly. Knocked up? [Yahoo News via E!]
• Someone's not pregnant: Sarah Jessica Parker in the Sex And The City sequel. Carrie won't be having a kid. "It doesn't seem as if that's going to be a choice she'll make… Michael (Patrick King, director) and I never talk about it. That doesn't mean that won't be part of the story. We just haven't figured it out. It feels a little bit manipulative to toss that into the mix, because she seems so pointed in a different direction." [Daily Express]
• Kanye West and hot hot model Sessilee Lopez: Is it on? [The Sun]
• Madonna has hired a specialist to help her "exorcise the memories" of her ex-husband, Guy Ritchie, from her home. The technique seems to involve throwing shit away. [Mirror]
• Madonna and A-Rod are in Miami together right now, having just landed in a private jet. [TMZ]

• What's this? Even though his ex, Cynthia, claimed Rodriguez would be spending Thanksgiving with Madonna, a source says A-Rod "has been in Florida for days" and "always had every intention of spending the holiday" there with his ex-wife and daughters? [People]
• In other news, Madonna's brother is going to direct a "teen thriller" called Twist. [Hollywood Reporter]
• Britney Spears wants to go back on the road again. She and her conservators have asked the court to allow her to go on a U.S. tour next year: She'd need to make deals with backup singers, roadies, venues, ticket brokers, etc., but legally can't make any of the deals herself. [TMZ]
• Britney will be in New York next week — her album drops Tuesday, so she's hitting Good Morning America, but it's also her 27th birthday. So she'll also have a "very private circus-themed" birthday party that night. Waiting for our invitation! [Page Six]
• The chick from The Rules is offering dating advice to Jennifer Aniston. Says Sherrie Schneider, who co-wrote the infamous dating manual with Ellen Fein: "Never mention Brad's or John Mayer's name in public. Also, don't say anything bad about John, like when you said he was missing a sensitivity chip. Never talk about Angelina or call her 'uncool', even if she was uncool. She does not exist in your world. You are going to be 40 soon. You have no time to waste if you want kids." What's that eyeroll emoticon again? [Sydney Morning Herald]
• Lily Allen and Agyness Deyn got strip searched when they went to Dubai. Lily says: "I knew I didn’t have anything on me so I wasn’t worried. I wasn’t paranoid, just terrified." Agyness agrees: "It was really traumatic. It wasn’t the best experience in the world, but it is their culture and you just have to respect it." [The Sun]
• Ivanka Trump sure is fueling those rumors she might get engaged to boyfriend Jared Kushner — she's guest blogging for Brides.com the first week of December, writing about her style and her jewelry line. [WWD]
• Model Jessica Stam is dating Austin Cregg, the son of '80s pop music icon Huey Lewis. He's facing jail time for marijuana possession and scrawling graffiti. [Page Six]
• An upcoming Law & Order episode will have a young male "supermodel" die in a way that is eerily similar to the way Heath Ledger did. [Page Six]
• Ricki Lake is on Match.com. Go Ricki! [Janet Charlton's Hollywood]
• Oh no, Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem might be on the rocks: They'd agreed to take a break from movies for a year, then he took a part in a film. She wanted to adopt a baby from India because she "admires Angelina Jolie." [ONTD]
• Pete Wentz freaked out when his wife, Ashlee was about to give birth: "Right before she went into labor, I was like, 'Oh, my god, I think I'm having a heart attack,'" he says. "My heart started beating real fast. You see your wife is in all this pain. And I don't know what's happening right now. She took care of me and made sure I was okay and then went into labor. That's why she's a saint." [People]
• For the second day in a row, a story about how Reese Witherspoon totally got along with Vince Vaughn while shooting Four Christmases. "Vince is the funniest person I've ever worked with. It was a challenge for me to stay there and keep up with him." The lady doth protest too much? [Yahoo News]
• Natalie Portman doesn't understand celibacy. [Page Six]
• Roger Friedman on The Curious Case of Benjamin Button: "Innovative, creative, technologically advanced… [Brad Pitt] is Gollum from Lord of the Rings meeting Robert Redford, with a better wardrobe." [Fox 411]
• Rachael Ray's Christmas will be a silent night: "I'm having voice surgery on Dec. 16, so we're going to celebrate very quietly," she says. [People]
• Are Jake and Maggie Gyllenhaal's parents broke? [Page Six]
• Audrina Patridge on Heidi and Spencer's elopement: "I am surprised and not surprised at the same time." Haha, because you know that they're contractually obligated to make headlines for Us magazine? She also says: "I do think it's very romantic that they eloped." [People]
• Uh-oh, director John Waters is being sued for adding "Santa Claus is a Black Man" to his Christmas album without permission. [Daily Express]
• Tragic: You know how Kanye West's mom died after plastic surgery? Her nephew, a registered nurse, was supervising her post-surgery care and may have left her bedside to attend a baby shower — he's being investigated. [People]
• Village Voice reporter Michael Musto hit the Milk premiere party, where Marc Jacobs told him he cried and shook his leg emotionally through the whole movie. "I'm for anything gay," the designer said. "The world would be a better place if everyone was gay." "Look, around," Musto urged. "They are!" Meanwhile, Carson Kressley said: "I'm lactose-intolerant, but I loved Milk." [Village Voice]
• TMZ the TV show: Renewed. [Yahoo News]
• File under news you can't use: Katie "Jordan" Price and Peter Andre sunbathe naked; Peter has a "brown willy." [Perez Hilton]
• Carson Daly has a girlfriend? And she's pregnant? [ONTD]
• U2, Jay-Z, Coldplay and R.E.M. are among the bands contributing music to (RED)WIRE, a new download service aligned with Bono’s (PRODUCT)RED campaign. [Rolling Stone]
• Don't know much about country singer Chuck Wicks, but he is "very much in love" with Dancing With The Stars' Julianne Hough, so that's nice. [People]
• Mel Gibson, what hast thou done? A Superior Court Judge wants you to explain why a screenwriter claims he was screwed out of $10 million from the 2004 megahit The Passion Of The Christ [Yahoo News via E!]
• TV chef Gordon Ramsay has made a "groveling apology" to his wife after admitting to meeting his mistress four times. [Daily Mail]
• "There's always someone telling you not to make a movie. When I did Born on the Fourth of July, they said, 'This is going to ruin your career. What are you doing?' Suicide? I’ve committed it. There were people who didn’t want me to make Top Gun. [My character], Stauffenberg, went from saying, 'Someone should shoot that bastard' to realizing, I’m the only one who can do it. You can’t really know until you're under that kind of pressure. I'm not saying this in some chest-pounding way, but I do feel I'd have that kind of courage." — Tom Cruise, defending his Nazi movie, Valkyrie, in Details. [MSNBC Scoop]
• "We came up with the idea Bronx. We've been throwing [ideas] back and forth a while. It's kind of cool to just leave the narrative what it is. People are stoked or pissed or whatever. And you're like, you know what: I don't think anyone really has the real story." — Pete Wentz on why he named his kid Bronx Mowgli. [People]

[New York, November 17. Image via Splash.]

• Rumor has it that Jessica Biel's gonna be designing bags for squeeze Justin Timberlake's William Rast line. "Sources say she has already started sketching designs for a limited edition collection. Isn't it a coincidence how much hidden design talent there is in Hollywood? [Daily Express]
• "In times of uncertainty, I think the wrap dress becomes an even more important friend. It's flattering. And wrapping is a reassuring thing." Why yes, it is, Diane Von Furstenberg! [Newsweek]
• Naomi Campbell is doing a duet and music video with Indian star Ashkay Kumar - in Hindi. [VogueUK]
• Apparently Manolo Blahnik can take or leave Sex And The City. He's never seen it! [New York Post]

• Karl Lagerfeld unveiled the Christmas windows of Paris store Printemps, which feature "a fantasy troupe of articulated puppets named Coco frolicking in a garden of golden flowers." [WWD]
• "Each puppet is stylishly attired in a modern, almost space age take on the classic quilted Chanel suit and every puppet has Mademoiselle Chanel's iconic blunt fringed bob." [ElleUK]
• Speaking of moddles named Coco: "Not so long ago, Rocha was just your average Irish-dancing, nature-loving Canadian teenager." [WWD]
• "The first order of business for the new president will no doubt be to get America to hitch up its pants and give the economy a kick-start. It will be interesting to see if he can also get America to hitch up its pants, period." [NY Times]
• Breaking! "This week has seen Agyness Deyn on a fashion rollercoaster channelling a different trend or decade every day." [ElleUK]
• Cosmetics company Carol's Daughter will help address the severe shortage of celeb fragrances with "My Life by Mary J Blige." [WWD]
• Following K-Mart's example, Sears brings back layaway. Which, sadly, requires far too much foresight for the average holiday shopper.[AdAge]
• L'Oreal announces winners for the 11th annual L’Oréal-UNESCO Awards for Women in Science. [WWD]
• Oscar de la Renta's house is really nice. [Style.com]
• Jennifer Vendetti may be the one to discover the rest of us! "The New York casting director is known in the industry for her rare eye for finding the imperfect, but captivating, beauty in everyday people." [W]
• Check it: Hayden Hartnett's line for Target. Dig the umbrella. [Racked]
• Rachel Bilson's "style obsessions" apparently include Kobo candles, her own line. [Cosmopolitan]
• These "just douche it" ads are intended/likely to piss off Nike. [AdRants]
• Fashion darlings Rodarte win Swiss textile award. [WWD]
• Feminists, Catholics aren't thrilled about Boston College's Victoria's Secret collaboration. [UPI]
• Newsweek discovers that redefining our fashion priorities, recessionista-style, could be a good thing. [Newsweek]
• Modelinia, the new all-moddles-all-the-time site, is gearing up. [Fashionista]
• More on Helmut Lang's bizarre collaboration with Absolut, which is allegedly about "experiencing art" in new ways. Drunk? [BlackBook]
• New book on secret rebel Geoffrey Beene. "On the outside, the bespectacled, bow-tied Southerner appeared uptight and WASPy, but he was an enthusiastic early adapter of cheap chic (launching his lower-priced Beene Bag sportswear collection in 1971) and the promise of the Internet." We do like our contradictions! [Los Angeles Times]
• Kohl's and Nordstrom pessimistically cut their outlooks. [Reuters]
• Ouch, and Abercrombie's really hurting. [The Street]
• Get me Demarchelier! The legendary lensman started small: "I was 17 and living in Le Havre when my stepfather offered me a camera. I got hooked instantly. I learned the art of photography working in a small shop there, taking passport and wedding photos." [WSJ]
• Jay McCarroll hates the spotlight. Kinda. "But I guess the more I stand there and the more someone notices and writes, then I can have a beach house...I’m going to get to drinking now, okay?" [Observer]
• Apparently the hemline index is still relevant in Morocco! [Global Voices]

[New York, November 10. Image via INF]

[New York, October 21. Image via INF]

[New York, October 15. Image via INFDaily.]

• LiLo's MySpace: "I'm thrilled to announce that my new fashion collection, 6126 is finally ready for launch!! I love to wear leggings, so it should come as no surprise that my first venture into the world of fashion design is with leggings! I named the collection after Marilyn Monroe's birth date, because to me she represents timeless, confident glam ­and that is the voice of this brand." [MySpace]
• Tyra Banks channels cult Diana Ross film Mahogany in some photo shoot. "Despite looking every inch the supermodel she is, Tyra's 'character' is that of the mentor, Carlotta Gavina, who transforms the character Tracey into the supermodel Mahogany." [Daily Mail]
• Apparently Project Runway L.A. is being dogged by WGA protesters. That would never happen in new York! [Perez Hilton]
• Patricia Field: "I don't have any social intentions. I am just creating stories, having fun and dressing Barbie dolls." [Independent]

• The credit crunch may kill the faltering domestic textile industry. [WWD]
• J.C. Penney is launching its own mid-priced clothing line, designed by Alan Schwartz of A.B.S. [WSJ]
• Payless is introducing a line of 12 green styles. "The new brand, which has yet to be named, will be made from materials with less effect on the environment, such as organic cotton and linen, hemp and recycled rubber outsoles." [Breitbart]
• Agyness Deyn shortlisted for British Fashion Awards. As...best moddle? [VogueUK]
• Amid market turmoil, J.Crew downgraded to "Sell" status. [Crains]
• Australia's Top Model host hopes to have a plus-sized winner. [News.com.au]
• Ridiculously high heels hit the marketplace, people fall, get hurt. [WSJ]
• Marc Jacobs hung up on ex. Adam Levine's brother and a Woody Allen movie somehow also figure in. [New York Post]
• The "Little Bra Company" makes push-ups for petite women. One hopes, not children.[FabSugar]
• You know what would be weird? One of these $1300 gold and diamond McCain or Obama rings as a wedding ring. Just sayin'. [NY Times]
• Agnes B probably approves; she's sporting a "Vote Obama" button. Despite being French. It's more of an order. [WWD]
• Geek chic specs are here to stay, not that geeks care. [ElleUK]
• President Bush signs an anti-counterfeiting bill that's good news for pricey purses. [Fashionista]
• Rochas still talking a big game about their comeback; still have yet to choose a head designer. [FabSugar]
• Juicy Couture's playlist for Nylon better than aural velour tracksuit. [Nylon]

[New York, October 13. Image via INF]

[New York, October 12. Image via Bauer-Griffin.]

David Bowie, of course.

Klaus Nomi.

David Lynch.

David Byrne.

David Bowie. Again.

Boy George.

Cousin Itt.

Earlier: Model Agyness Deyn Works Her "Magic" For Neiman Marcus

• "Designer" Heidi Montag to design own dress for "wedding" to "fiance" Spencer Pratt. How much cleavage will she show? [Just Jared]
• Further evidence that Project Runway's going down the tubes: LiLo's gonna guest-judge on Lifetime. [NY Mag]
• Dolce & Gabbana make bff Naomi "Siddhartha" Campbell their official muse. [Mail on Sunday]
• WTF? Why is Juliette Lewis walking in Milan? Granted, for a label called "Miss Bikini Luxe." [WWD]
• Cavalli, watch your back: Paris Hilton's latest line has hit Milan. Apparently it featured "baby pink, dog print T-shirts and sequins." [Daily Mail]

• Milan shows open with a plus-size line! We love Italy. [Telegraph]
• Even though they just bought a huge stake in Narciso Rodriguez, like, yesterday, now Liz Claiborne hates them and they're apparently parting ways. Short version. [WWD]
• OMG! Simon Doonan's memoirs about growing up stylish in a dysfunctional family are being turned into a BBC series! [Independent]
• Looks like fast fashion is over. [IHT]
• Project Runway finalist Jillian is Team Leanne FTW. [NY Mag]
• Model Jodie Kidd rebounds after that unfortunate drug sting. "She's in love too, with mature student Thomas George, which perhaps accounts for the glow currently illuminating those famous features." [Daily Mail]
• European shoemakers rebel against EU duties. [Reuters]
• Australia calls for "urgent development of a new national sizing standard." Maybe they have Banana Republic over there, too? [Sydney Morning Herald]
• Agyness in V: "The stunning set of black and white shots, that appear to take an almost anti-fashion stance, portray a topless Agyness in nothing more than a string of pearls, classic black underwear and a nude leotard." "Anti-fashion" meaning, "anti-clothes"...? [Daily Mail]
• Five years after the trend, Juicy Couture finally introduces a plus-size line. [The Budget Fashionista]
• Frustrated by frumpy Capitol Hill looks and gaping blouses, a lobbyist turns to fashion. [NPR]
• We've expressed our distaste for NY Times fashion writer Cathy Horyn before. Here she is on Milan: "Andre Leon Talley and Michael Roberts wanted to show me their outfits as soon as I’d said hello to Roberto Rimondi and Tommaso Aquilano. Andre and Michael each flashed open his overcoat to show they were wearing matching gray sweat shorts and a sort of grayish polo shirt. Andre’s luggage (I can’t imagine how many pieces that means) hadn’t arrived and he demanded fashion solidarity from Michael." [NY Times]
• We have expressed our love for the absurd Roberto Cavallli. Here he is on his recession-era fashion line: "The story of a trip that started in the colonial day and has yet to be finished." [FT]
• Nestle unveils a "beauty drink." Quik-flavored?! [Cosmetic News]
• Even in tough economic climes, luxury "pioneers" must embrace risky markets. [IHT]
• MAC suggests makeup looks for Palin, Michelle, Cindy. Um, thx? [Beauty Snob]
• Mohammed Al Fayed's daughter Jasmine is a hot young designer at Harrods. But doesn't her dad own the store? [Independent]
• Italy finally embraces online sales. [IHT]
• Metrosexuals have evolved into creepy fashionistos. Allegedly. [Daily Mail]
• So I guess someone will buy model Jamie Strachan's men's jewelry line. [VogueUK]

[London, September 17. Image via Splash.]

• Russell Simmons may be vegan but admits, “my clothes are not especially animal-friendly." [BlackBook]
• In a somehow perfect/distasteful marriage, Gwen Stefani and L.A.M.B. will be designing the uniforms for W Hotel employees. [Portfolio]
• We've been burned by Target's accessories collabs before, but hopes are running high for the Sigerson Morrison-Anya Hindmarch double whammy! Pics! [FabSugar]
• Some dick crashes the shows at Fashion Week; heckles; makes racist jokes; kills. [NYC The Blog]
• Baby Dior. 'Nuff said. [The Life Files]

• Phew! Lydia Hearst's kidney stones won't be keeping her off the runway: the "leggy trooper" is determined to walk. [NY Post]
• Marc Jacobs enjoys the freedom of kilts: "I was just recently fascinated by the whole men-in-skirts controversy of the nineties. No. I got one and I started wearing it and it made me happy, so I bought more. And now I just can't stop wearing them." [NY Post]
• NPR discovers that people are interested in political fashion. [NPR]
• Which is good, cause apparently there's a political tee "arms race" afoot! "A search on the site for Sarah Palin already yields more than 2,500 results. John McCain gets about 9,000, and Barack Obama about 20,000 (Joe Biden paraphernalia is in very short supply.)" [LA Times]
• Kate Moss has cut her hair. [ElleUK]
• Agyness deep-conditions her newly-bobbed coif. "Yeah… or else they’d fall out! Because I bleach them. I go to Laurie Foley." [Elle]
• And if this makes you admire Agyness enough to totally trivialize the election, why, you can wear a political button supporting her "candidacy!" "Modelinia.com created these buttons with slogans like “Vote for the Stam,” “Cast a Tally for Ally,” and “Coco 2008,” all for the week’s most popular models to match this year’s political theme." [Fashion Week Daily]
• Fast Fashion Cheat Sheet. [Esquire]
• Laetitia Casta is the face of "Notorious," Ralph Lauren's newest women's fragrance. [UPI]
• WHEN WILL TOP SHOP NEW YORK OPEN? STOP TAUNTING US! [NY Mag]
• Monique Lhuillier's fashion week caffeine consumption: "I've been getting between four to seven hours of sleep, and I've been drinking 4 cups of coffee on average during show prep. Normally, I barely have one!" [Elle]
• Model Miranda Kerr's mom may be a savvy business manager but, "We talk every day and she texts me every time she gets on a plane and lands again to say she's safe. It's important for our peace of mind. She's still our only little girl." [News.com.au]
• To appeal to European women, Nike swaps the aggressive "Just Do It" for the vague "Here I Am." [WSJ]
• Fashionistas talk recession: Says one critic, "I don't think enough designers are thinking about it. The clothes we've seen so far have been embroidered and beaded or very elaborate, and they only mean something to the top one-thousandth percent of the population." [Slate]
• Irina Lazareanu is giving Fashion Week a pass to work on this alleged "album with Sean Lennon" that's been in the works since they were a couple. [WWD]
• No one knows what to make of the new trend in shiny happy moddles. [IHT]
• Hey, want a $1,000 tote bag? "To mark Vanity Fair’s Campaign New York, Lambertson Truex teamed up with artist Donald Baechler to create a limited edition tote. The bag features a print that is the background of one of Baechler’s paintings." Oh, well in that case! [WWD]
• That Blahnik that Big proposed to Carrie with is selling at Bergdorf's. For $945. Manolo will be there to autograph said shoes. The sad thing is, you just know they're gonna fly. [NY Times]
• Yoga outfitter Lululemon beats the recession blues. [WWD]

(Click on any image to begin gallery)

• The crew on Madonna's world tour is threatening to quit because they had to stay at a cheap airport hotel while she stayed in an £11,000-a-night castle. It cannot be confirmed whether or not Her Madgesty said, "Let them eat cake." [Mirror, WOW Report]
• Here's the latest on David Duchovny: He may have had an addiction to online porn. And he may have released a statement about it because he was already in treatment and a fellow patient was about to sell info to the tabloids. [Fox News]
• Looking back at old interviews, Duchovny revealed his love of porn and '80s porn stars. [People]
• Meanwhile, Tea Leoni has canceled her appearance at the Toronto Film Festival. [People]
• Lindsay Lohan hung out with Sam Ronson instead of going to her grandfather's wake on Long Island. [The Sun]
• Lindsay signed a MySpace message "This song is for SR… ILY." Translation: "This song is for Sam Ronson. I love you." [Pop Dirt]
• Are Queen Latifah and her long time partner Jeanette Jenkins planning on adopting? Are they out now? [ONTD]

• Some dude's been arrested for stealing a digital camera that had pictures of Kate Middleton and Prince William vacationing in Mustique together. The camera belonged to Kate's little sister Pippa and the guy intended to sell the snaps to the tabloids, obvs. [Daily Mail]
• Kevin Spacey: Seen pinching the bare bottom of some dude. [Mr. Paparazzi, via Perez Hilton]
• Says a witness: "Kevin looked like he was having a brilliant time." [The Sun]
• Elisabeth Hasselbeck of The View is heading to the Republican National Convention on Thursday. She'll fly in and out on the same day. "I must really want John McCain elected," she says, "because I would not get on a plane like that for anyone else." Oh, the sacrifice! Thank God McCain has you. [NY Daily News]
• The apocalypse is nigh: Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt are opening a bar. In NEW YORK. To be called The Hill. [W]
• Save Katie! The anti-Scientology group Anonymous will be protesting at opening night of Katie Holmes' Broadway debut in All My Sons. "We aren’t looking to shut it down, we just want to prove a point," says a spokesperson. [MSNBC]
• Josh Hartnett and and unnamed female friend went into a little-used library at a SoHo hotel and started getting "hot and heavy." Since the hotel — and the library — are under security camera surveillance, the staff saw a little show on a monitor. No video link, sorry! [MSNBC]
• Michael Phelps shot a cameo for the new season of Entourage. "It was like being in New York City with one of the Beatles," Kevin "E" Connolly says. "People were stopping in the streets and climbing up things to see him. They were going nuts. He's like a superstar." [Yahoo News]
• Meanwhile, Michael Phelps is totally not talking about the ladies and doing his best to have some privacy: "I never said I have a girlfriend, and I never said I don't have a girlfriend," he says. [People]
• DNA evidence has linked an air conditioning repairman to the 2001 stabbing death of Ashley Ellerin, Ashton Kutcher's former girlfriend. [Yahoo News]
• Johnny Depp was on stage with his old band! One night only! He played guitar and sang backup! It was for charity. [Yahoo News]
• This was probably inevitable but still: Oy: Agyness Deyn is working on a Hollywood career. [Daily Mail]
• Not that you asked, but Britney has been working out "super hard" and is in "great shape." [Page Six]
• Angelina Jolie would like to work on a European film. "No one has asked me yet," she says. "When I can really speak it, maybe I'll try out for a French film in a few years." [Breitbart]
• Sienna Miller and Balthazar Getty: Moving in together? They looked at a $22 million mansion in Malibu and Sienna liked it. (At that price point, what's not to like?) [Perez Hilton]
• Maroon 5's Adam Levine: Seen hitting on newly single Anne Hathaway at the Vanity Fair DNC party. Uh-oh, isn't Adam on that herpes chart? [Fox News]
• James Gandolfini, 46, married his fiancée Deborah Lin, 40, in her hometown of Honolulu, Hawaii on Saturday. "They both wore long, green leis around their necks," says a source. "There were lots of white flowers on the tables and Gandolfini was beaming." [People]
• French actress Emmanuelle Beart and director Fabrice Du Welz are defending their latest movie, Vinyan, in which Beart stars as a mother who loses her son to the 2004 tsunami but refuses to believe he is dead. The character and her husband go looking for the kid in the jungle of the Thai-Myanmar border and stumble across a terrifying world ruled by savage children. It's a horror film, but the director says, "I tried to be as respectful as I can. I don't want to be unpleasant to people who have really suffered from the tsunami." [Yahoo News]
• John Mayer got really drunk and partied with a blonde cocktail waitress on the last night of his world tour. On stage, he mentioned reading The Secret and said "I had a conversation recently, and a lot of tears were exchanged." Jen Aniston, sniff, sniff. [People]
• This is just coming out now, but apparently Amy Winehouse overdosed twice last year: Once in July, from smoking hash for 36 hours; next in August from cocaine, heroin, ecstasy, ketamine and crystal meth. Now she might have brain damage or schizophrenia from the drugs. [The Sun]
• Another "Amy Winehouse may have brain damage" story. [Daily Mail]
• Headline of the day: "Could Scarlett Be The Next Spielberg?" Yes, Ms. Johansson wants to direct. [Daily Express]
• Mel Gibson has become "close to" a "glamorous Russian musician" on the set on his new movie but he says she's just a colleague and he remains happily married. [Daily Mail]
• The stage musical version of 9 To 5 features 19 new Dolly Parton songs. "She's so lovely and so humble," producer Robert Greenblatt says. "She says, 'I'm not sure I'll get you the whole way there, but I'd love to give it a try. If something doesn't work exactly, I'll rewrite it.'" [Variety]
• Colin Farrell saved this homeless guy's life by giving him cash and telling him: "You need to get your life together, man, promise me. And make sure you go see my new movie." [Toronto Sun]
• Jude Law is visiting Afghanistan to promote peace. Yeah, I dunno. [AP]
• Sign of the recession? Diddy had to give up his private jet. [The Star]
• Natalie Portman won a humanity award at the Venice Film Festival, where she made her directorial debut with a short film called Eve. [The Star]
• Duran Duran fan? Maybe you wanna read about how cocaine destroyed the band. Written by Andy Taylor! [Daily Mail]
• Sixty-two year old Cher has a 36 year old man and she hired a private jet to fly him and two of his buddies to Memphis to catch a Merle Haggard show, which is kind of awesome. [Page Six]
• Michelle Williams and Spike Jonze: Still on. [Page Six]
• Leanne Rimes, 26, has been married for seven years, and says she is ready for a baby. [People]
• "You are bugging the fuck out… No disrespect. …Alaska? I don't even know if there's any black people in Alaska. If you really think we're gonna let you win the election with these crazy decisions that you're making, you're bugging." —Diddy's thoughts about Sarah Palin in a video directed to John McCain. [Perez Hilton]
• Jerry O'Connell says pregnant wife Rebecca Romjin craves lemonade and soy cream cheese. "Can't be cream cheese. Soy cream cheese. Do you know how difficult it is to find soy cream cheese? It's usually in the corner of the supermarket someplace!" [People]
• "The easiest sex scene I have done was in Mulholland Drive because it was with another woman. There was no awkwardness. There was no sexual tension." — Naomi Watts. [Sydney Morning Herald]
• "When it comes to fashion, I know about as much as Betty. I love to play dress-up and it’s fun, but I’m not interested in the fashion world. If I wasn’t an actress, I’d probably want to be a teacher." — America Ferrera. [Mirror]
• "I always knew I was never the prettiest or ugliest girl in the room. Life's too short to inject botulism into you face to get rid of a tiny line because you've laughed too much. I don't feel a need to lose weight, because I'm not 21. I'm happy with my package." — Ashley Jensen, aka Christina on Ugly Betty. [Daily Mail]
• "It's very strange to be here in London without Anthony Minghella, whom I loved very much, and very painful. I was so frightened in the first week of shooting The English Patient, I was trembling, but he was trying to find a way to win my trust, and he just said to me, 'Well, fly...' and I did and it changed my life." — Juliette Binoche. [Independent]
• "Victoria and I are very different. People bracket us together because we live in the same city and we’re both interested in fashion. Victoria’s fashion line has been very successful and, hopefully mine will be too. But that’s where the similarities begin and end." —Melanie "Scary Spice" Brown. Not that you knew she had a fashion line. [Daily Mail]
• "The only thing I can cook really is mince meat, which is ironic because I'm a vegetarian. But I like calzone and lasagne. I cooked every day in Spain so David and the boys lived off minced meat for four years. I cook a Sunday dinner every single Sunday I'll have you know. My kids like Yorkshire pudding so I make that, I can make it from scratch and I make Dora the Explorer cakes for afters because the kids love them." — Victoria "Posh Spice" Beckham. [Daily Mail]
• "I can't even think about having another baby right now. The boys take up so much of my time." — Victoria Beckham. [Mirror]
• "I don't care for [romantic comedies] where the guy is emasculated, tossed around by the woman, and lacking a point of view. It's a disservice to both the male and the female. I like to give my guys some balls" - Matthew McConaughey to Plenty magazine. [Page Six]
• "I kind of want to see how the audience responds first. I don't want to overstay my welcome." — Shannen Doherty, on whether she will stick with the new 90210. [LA Times]
• "I informed British Airways of my late arrival. I told them I was a kind of minor celebrity and I might get a bit of hassle at the airport. Turns out they are complete arseholes. Even when I fell over and badly creased my hat, I had no assistance. I was crying but I didn't want them to see. A cynic might say I missed the plane, an honest man might say I went to the airport a little late." —Pete Doherty. [Mirror]
• "I think manipulation is something that women do a lot, it's still our number one problem. You look at those characters [in The Duchess] — Georgiana and Bess — and they're hugely trying to outmanoeuvre each other, but I think it's also possible for intense love affairs to happen between women — not necessarily sexual, but things can obviously take a sexual turn. Women do get obsessed with other women — whether they love them or hate them, and I think that line is very easy to cross." — Keira Knightley [Guardian]

• W on toy maker Steiff's limited edition, $1,500 Lagerfeld bear. "Naturally it looks just like him, from the impenetrable black sunglasses and high shirt collar to the skinny lacquered jeans. But, plush alpaca head aside, is the resemblance more than skin-deep? 'Bears are very nice, as long as you are nice to them,' mused Lagerfeld, as self-aware as he is iconic." [W]
• If you or someone you know is interested in (cough) modeling for American Apparel, they're having an open call. Dov Charney takes this sort of thing seriously; chances are you'll get to meet him one-on-one! [American Apparel]
• Petite gymnast Shawn Johnson loves her high heels. "But true to her coach’s orders, she’s stayed off them in the lead-up to the Olympics. With the competition behind her, she wore a pair of 3-inch silver peep-toes to Thursday’s event, occasionally flicking them off when she got tired. 'It’s actually the first time I’ve worn heels in, like, five months, so it feels a little weird,' she laughed. 'But I love heels. They make me feel a little more confident.'” [WWD]

• WILL ZUMA NESTA ROCK ROSSDALE PREVENT GWEN STEFANI FROM ATTENDING FASHION WEEK?! For both their sakes, we're kind of hoping "yes." [ElleUK]
• Rachel Zoe talks vaguely about the films that inspire her; it's unclear whether she's actually watched them. Of Love Story, "when she thinks of the film, Ms. Zoe has "visions of wide leg pants and vests and blouses," she says." [WSJ]
• Agyness Deyn hops agency; now at Women. [Fashionista]
• Tim Gunn, what hath thou wrought? British woman crafts dress from phone book. [The Sun]
• Stylist Philip Bloch beats Rachel Zoe to the reality TV punch: '“Glam God With Vivica A. Fox,” in which Bloch judges aspiring stylists who compete for a $100,000 prize and a contract with Jed Root Inc., premiered Thursday night on VH1, well ahead of Zoe’s show, which begins airing on Bravo Sept. 8.' He's also getting into Recessionista fashion - yes, he said it! [WWD]
• Ann Taylor: profits down, but still better than expected. [NYT]
• "Yummie Tummy" shakes up fashion week with "pole-dancing extravaganza." [Page Six]
• Despite heading to jail for money laundering, "King of Bling" "Jacob the Jeweler" launches new ad campaign. "The ads with Natalia Vodianova were shot by Fabien Baron. Denise Scala, director of marketing, said the media buy has increased by 200 percent from the jeweler's last campaign with Helena Christensen, and this time will include Vogue, GQ, Architectural Digest, The Wall Street Journal, Vanity Fair, The Economist and Forbes." [WWD]
• One group of incredibly extravagant luxury-cosmetics junkies is single-handedly buoying the Japanese market: "Although their numbers are small, the women, dubbed the "winners group" by media, have boosted the sales of expensive creams, despite tough times in the world's second-biggest economy that have slowed down sales of more modest potions." [Reuters]
• Designer Adama Kai brings high fashion to her native Sierra Leone. '"Maybe I have more opportunities as a designer over there, but I'm making a bigger statement over here," said Kai. "In the same way that Ralph Lauren stands for America, Chanel for France, and Versace for Italy, I want Aschobi to stand for African fashion," she said.' [Reuters]
• Hype or no hype, sales are still down at The Gap - although cost-cutting helps profits. [Reuters]
• Unswayed by...well, anything, apparently, fashion promotes the fur vest for fall. [Style.com]
• Aeropostale optimistic for Q2. [Crains]
• CVS to get into high-end "prestige beauty" with new boutiques. "The first concept store is slated to open by year’s end in a major East Coast city" is all they will say... [WWD]
• Movado collabs with Alvin Ailey Dance Company for the second year in a row. Only this one's an anniversary watch. "The back features Alvin Ailey's 50th Anniversary logo. While the watch retails for $795, 10 percent of proceeds will go to Alvin Ailey Dance Theater for the month of December." [Fashion Week Daily]
• Issey Miyake is really behind a Japanese 2016 Olympics. "Not only has Miyake lent three knitted dresses from his A-POC collection - in the Olympic hues of green, yellow and red - to be displayed in the bid committee showroom, he has also created exclusive Pleats Please scarves and neckties for members of the committee to wear." [VogueUK]

[New York, August 17. Image via Bauer-Griffin]

• Cute little 14-year-old Taylor Momsen — aka Gossip Girl's "Little J" — launches her modeling career with a rather self-important bang. 'A source from the shoot - in Brooklyn - tells us that "Taylor was so nice and so cool. She took the subway from her apartment in Chelsea to the set, with her mom. They said they didn't want to do the usual obvious stuff that a teen TV star would do; they were looking for really high-end things."' [Fashionista]
• Diane Von Furstenberg uses Warhol images. Unlike everybody else who does that, though, she actually knew him. [Fashionista]
• Naomi Watts has a total girl crush on Kate Moss, despite obviously being vastly more awesome. "I want to be hip like her," says Naomi. [VogueUK]
• "Nothing is dead or alive. There are just always great new categories. But who am I to say what’s in or out? I walked in here with my dress on backwards." That's Stefani Greenfield, the owner of the Scoop chain, being interviewed with pal Stuart Weitzman. [Scoop]

• Nike investigates worker abuse allegations. [Wall Street Journal]
• Video of that Vanity Fair new designers photo shoot. [Vanity Fair]
• Meet the "Nat 2 Shoe," which looks kinda like a really ugly Converse and "unzips" into a flip flop that is, presumably, equally ugly. Oh, it's German. [The Sun]
• I didn't want to believe it but we can deny it no longer: the leather dress is huge for fall. [Mail on Sunday]
• Also big, literally: huge bows. [Fabsugar]
• Time's running short for models to get their special, sorta illegal fashion week Visas! [Times of London]
• Liz Claiborne recruits creative type to revamp menswear: "The fashion world is filled with pairings of creative souls and bean counters, the yin and yang of the industry, but this is one of the most pronounced cases of opposites attracting with the mission of reviving a withered American brand." [Washington Post]
• Is Agyness forgetting the little(ish) people? Designer Henry Holland: 'Now Agyness is hugely successful and I'm so pleased for her. I just hope I can get her to fly back for my show.' [Daily Mail]
• Gott in himmel! People are wearing rolled-up jeans. "The puffy, peg-leg '80s profile we never thought would come back is with us again." [Los Angeles Times]
• Yet another self-described "first supermodel", Penelope Tree. [Guardian]
• Lanvin's tres chic new denim: "Miles away from the navel-grazing, hip-hugging, utilitarian image of jeans in America, this is denim like you've never seen it before — sophisticated, feminine and utterly French." [Los Angeles Times]
• Yeah, yeah, we've heard: Man Men inspired fall fashions. [AdAge]
• High-tech fabrics — self-cleaning! — morph from sportswear to runway. [Financial Times]
• Graphic novelist Adrian Tomine designs pretty nifty tote for the Strand bookstore, which is just nerdy and awesome in so many ways. [MediaBistro]
• Betsey Johson turns 30! (You know what I mean; she's obviously 60-something.) Says her business partner, "The first show, I sat everyone, and then I modeled, and the next day I went to the showroom and sold it, and then I paid the bills, and Betsey did the patterns." [Yahoo]
• New chairman for luxury behemoth LVMH. [WWD]
• Japanese shoe-removal conventions lead to sock anxiety. "Many Japanese will sympathize with (expat) Tanahashi - we all know how Bad Socks Days can be. On the other hand, wearing great socks is a good way to boost morale. By great socks the Japanese mean they must be functional, lovingly made, attractive and comfortable." [IHT]
• Also from VF's 'fashion issue: seriously freaky London models spread. [Vanity Fair]
• Another one bites the dust: Boscov's chain files for Chapter 11. [WWD]
• The age-old question: do those creepy dry shampoos work? [ElleUK]

[New York, July 31. Image via Flynet]

[New York, July 28. Image via Flynet]

• The Indian city of Pune has banned the wearing of scarves while driving, under the theory that a scarf can be a terrorist disguise. Women's response: a scarf can also help you breathe in polluted, dusty Pune. • Most TV might make your kids think that Dad's incompetent, Mom's a saint, and women love yogurt. But can some shows actually help parents raise good feminists? Check out the discussion at Feministe. • Scary science: high prepregnancy BMI can increase the risk of brain and spinal cord defects. The good news: it doesn't hurt the baby's heart. • More scary science: high BMI may also decrease survival rates for breast cancer. The good news here: moderate drinking increases survival rates. • And some bad science: Dr. Chuck MacKnee claims that sex between committed Christians is more "holistic" than Tantric or Kama Sutra-style sex, "involving full body gratification as well as emotional and spiritual highs." His sample size: ten people, two of whom were pastors. • A city in central Japan had its Belly Button Festival this weekend, featuring an awesome dance in which "revelers paint a face on their torsos and stomachs and pretend it is a head." • And finally, from the department of the purely ridiculous: name analyst/professional weirdo Laurence Y Payg claims his name advice catapulted boring Laura Hollins into supermodel Agyness Deyn. His main technique seems to be adding y's, and he would like to help out another British star by transforming her into Amy Wynehouse. •

[London, July 24. Image via Flynet]

• Clearly, LiLo has found her calling: purveyor of last year's trends! The former-redhead's leggings have sold out at Intuition boutique in L.A. and the waiting list grows longer by the day. [Yahoo]
• Kill me right now. Agyness Deyn, "currently the most in-demand model on the planet, wowed 45,000 ecstatic fans when she sang with New York band Five O'Clock Heroes at the T4 On The Beach party. Agyness looked in her element as she took the stage and launched into Who, her recent single with the rockers." [This Is London]
• Serenity-challenged Naomi Campbell falls out with with yet another agency, this time IMG model management. 'It is being smoothed over as a creative difference but there was a disagreement,’ says a source. [This Is London]
• In a more boring breakup, Daisy Lowe also splits from IMG ; says the agency, "She's a beautiful girl and we wish her well." [Fashionista]

• So, Rachel Bilson's line for DKNY hits in September. Early reports? "At first glance, the line is edgy with Bilson’s relaxed style showing through in each of the pieces." It's all black and white, with one yellow thing. [Sassybella]
• Article on Roberto Cavalli you MUST READ. Here's a sample: "He loves his blue-and-yellow macaw, which is quietly minding its own business on a large gold birdstand in the dining room. 'I love you I love you I love you!' Cavalli shrieks ecstatically, as the bird squawks. He brings his face up close and tries to kiss it. The parrot swipes its beak perilously close to Cavalli's nose." Oh, he's also going to start producing wine. [The Guardian]
• According to, um, Perez Hilton, one of Miley Cyrus' backup dancers was "spotted" wearing a tank from the Perez Hilton for Hot Topic line. [Perez Hilton]
• YSL art collection expected to fetch up to 250 million pounds. [Times of London]
• Gucci names new marketing and communications director. [WWD]
• Designer Paul Smith gives a whole interview on "how to look dapper." Then kinda ruins/makes the whole thing by saying, "When it comes down to it, I have absolutely no problem with the way anyone dresses at all. Who the hell cares? Being 'well dressed' is as much about a person's behaviour, manners and posture as it is about what they're wearing." Hey, you're the one working in fashion, pal. [Telegraph]
• Tyson Beckford declares the "age of the supermodel" to be over. He also counts himself as one of them. [Daily Express]
• Ad sales way down for crucial September-issue fashion magazines. [WWD]
• In the world of designer sunglasses, getting a preview of these Proenza Schouler shades qualifies as a big deal. [New York Magazine]
• Wal-Mart's back-to-school collection very likely the least glamorous fashion show ever. [Reuters]
• Sign of things to come: "thrifty chic" is all the rage with the teen set. [Los Angeles Times]
• Which makes it kind of hard to understand how "Gossip Girl is saving retail." Cause chic Blair and Serena might be, but thrifty? [The Street]
• Frumpy old Avon apparently wants to go glam. Instead, they've gone random, hiring Reese Witherspoon, Lauren Conrad and Patrick Dempsey as celeb mugs. [Business Week]
• Vogue novelty intern Sean Avery is now hanging around at Marie Claire, for some reason. "Avery, who stayed a few hours, was in plaid shorts and carrying a huge garment bag stuffed with clothing from The Row, the Olsen twins' line." [Page Six]
• Defying market chill, Zara launches accessories line. [The Independent]
• Meanwhile, Italian thesp Jo Champa has been made something called a "celebrity contributing editor" (I'm guessing their deadlines are flexible) for Vogue Italia. Who exactly is she? Well, as her editor Franca Sozzani says, 'to define Champa is "impossible . . . I only know she is unique."' Which we are now saying about everything. [Page Six]
• Nike's attempt to dominate the Beijing games is apparently totally out of control. [The Independent]
• Alessandra Gucci has inherited her family's "passion for leather goods," named a bag after herself. [WWD]<
  li>"In a move that makes him the emperor of designer cool, Renzo Rosso, the owner of Diesel and of hip young denim brands, has taken a controlling stake in Viktor & Rolf, the label of the Dutch duo Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren." [IHT]
• Anna Wintour is sorta-kinda going to be a step-grandmother; her onetime-stepson's wife is expecting, as is her longtime beau's daughter. Got that? [Page Six]
• Berlin, which the Times refers to rather snidely as "an aspiring fashion hub and perennial economic also-ran" hosts its own fashion week. The German capital is trying to boost its fashion rep, although its street style, as any hipster can tell you, is already ace. '“You’d never see people here taking a look straight from the runway,” said Hadnet Tesfai, a host for German MTV, who also writes about fashion for Bild, a daily newspaper. “But when it comes to design, when it comes to style, on the street