• I know this is why I go to the British Museum: to see a life-sized Kate Moss rendered in pure gold. "A solid gold sculpture of the model, thought to be the world's largest gold statue built since the time of ancient Egypt, was given its first showing yesterday." [Independent]
• Working to combat any taint of elitism, Anna Wintour and Sarah Jessica Parker are hosting a fashion show to raise funds for the Obama campaign. "The Sept. 9 shindig at the Charles Nolan Studio will feature designs from Beyoncé and Tina Knowles for House of Dereon, Diane Von Furstenberg, Marc Jacobs, Zac Posen, Juicy Couture, Narciso Rodriguez and Proenza Schouler, among others." [E]
• Meanwhile on the left coast, "Michelle Obama will get her chance to meet fashion and entertainment types in Los Angeles." Tom Ford is one of the hosts. [WWD]

• Armani joins the ranks of fashion designers inexplicably designing luxury residences. "The Armani Residences in Marassi, Egypt will offer palatial villas (of 2,500 to 5,400 square feet) furnished by, of course, Armani Casa. The resort includes a boardwalk lounge, health club, reflective pool, resort club, screening room, swimming pools, pool deck, and retail outlets." [Fashion Week Daily]
• Whether she's selling the label or not, Jil Sander is launching swimwear. [WWD]
• Despite a makeover, Vogue.com won't be getting its own site; it's still under Style.com's banner. [WWD]
• There's a book coming out on the 2002 rape and murder of fashion writer Christa Worthington. Some are crying poor taste. [NYT]
• Several retailers — Chico's and American Eagle among them — do better than expected. [NYT]
• Esprit shares plunge. [Reuters]
• Miami is scandalized by billboards: "Shot by Michael Thompson, model Hana Soukupova appears wearing only Wolford fishnet stockings. Perhaps it was their open weave that led the city to reject the banners, which usually run on major arteries, arguing they could cause traffic accidents." [WWD]
• Retailers bank on familiarity, hire old-school supermodels. "There's Linda Evangelista, with her trademark haughty sneer, wearing Prada's new austere lace look, Naomi Campbell shaking a waist-long mane of hair in an Yves Saint Laurent dress, and a black-bobbed Claudia Schiffer posing in front of a shabby-chic door for Chanel." [The Guardian]
• Sheryl Crowe, who's clothing line was already inexplicable, is moving into shoes. [WWD]
• Half the charges have been dropped against accused rapist and designer Anand Jon; that still leaves ten accusers. [LAT]
• Justin Timerlake (as William Rast, of course)'s cinematic ads are here! [FabSugar]
• Nina Garcia goes pretty easy on Hillary: "You know, I thought that what she wore was almost like sending us a message that she doesn't really care what we think." [New York]
• Oh, the challenges of costume design: "I'm the luckiest costume designer in Hollywood, for sure," The Telegraph reported Zophres said. "But getting George and Brad to look like ordinary guys? Even cheap suits look better on Brad." [UPI]
• Mulberry may be a luxury brand, but their factory still sounds like hell on earth. [Telegraph]
• Valentino has no problem playing favorites: "When asked to name the actresses who stood out for him, the designer said: "I have to be very sincere, the person that makes me feel very happy, also because (she) chose vintage, was Julia Roberts, when she got the Academy Award... I was very excited to see her when she appeared with my dress."" [The Star]
• Don't worry! "Style.com, the online home of Vogue, is introducing an iPhone application designed to enable dedicated followers of fashion to watch runway shows during New York Fashion Week." [NYT]
• Tommy Hilfiger's fashion week invitation features...a bare-assed model. [Nylon]
• Yes, indeedy. "I Am Queen" is in the works. Perfume or cologne? Diddy has yet to say! [NYT]

The Good:
I'm always a sucker for a picture of a big sister and a little brother, like this one of Eva Amurri and Jack Robbins. Love her skirt. Also: how much do they look like their parents?


Big yes to the drop-waist on Famke Janssen's dress.


Ok, Hana Soukupova, I get it already: You're a model. You are perfect.


I'll have what Helena Christensen is having. Even if it's safari wear.


Joy Bryant is a dream in her very modern and very sophisticated pants-and-jacket pairing. Love the silhouette. Love the colors. Want the necklace. Now.


I know I should hate Leelee Sobieski's dress, but I can't help but love it.


Maggie Rizer: Keeping it real, playing to her hair.


Gwyneth's dress: See-through or not?




The Bad:
Is anyone else surprised to learn that Tracey Ullman is the Burberry trench-wearing type?


Bebe Neuwirth: When headbands and bad fashion happen to good people.


Carol Alt: When too much satin and bad necklines happen to good people.


Is Diana Ross wearing galoshes? And leggings?


And is Elettra Wiedman wearing them too??


Liv Tyler disappoints with a sad sack of a dress paired with flesh-tone shoes.


Tory Burch: Furthering my belief that no one dresses worse than fashion designers.


Terrence Howard and his son are both dressed as Indiana Jones. Also, is his daughter carrying a clutch? Or a Trapper-Keeper?




The Ugly:
I do believe Kelly Bensimon is wearing wet boots with that most unfortunate dress.

[Images via Getty.]

• It will not surprise anyone to learn that the clothes worn in the Sex & The City movie were not paid for by the movie's production budget but by designers hoping that product placement in the movie will result in clothing sales to actual people convinced that dressing like the characters in Sex & The City is a wise course of action. [Variety]
  
• Speaking of which, Matthew Broderick on the opening of his latest film, the Helen Hunt-directed Then She Found Me: "We just get dressed, get in a car, and hope for the best. But Sarah Jessica's premiere will be a big one! She looks really beautiful today, but it's just the dress rehearsal for now." [Fashion Week Daily]
  
• Hell to the no, Rami Kashou did not copy Yves Saint Laurent in designing a dress for Heidi Klum! [NY Mag]
  
• Bloomingdales' workers are on the brink of their first-ever strike. That's what you get when you let retail workers unionize, Terry Lundgren! [Crain's]

• "Her new 'grande bourgeoise' style suits her well," says lingerie designer Chantal Thomas of France's new first lady, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy. We think this is a compliment. [WWD, 4th item]
• Designer Bruce Oldfield is designing uniforms for McDonald's employees in the UK. But don't worry, they're not too "quirky and eccentric." [Vogue UK]
• Model Hana Soukupova on how she goes green: "I got a Range Rover as I just learned to drive and it's big and safe and great for driving around NYC. I am very eco-conscious and must admit I have been considering a different car for the summer. I'm thinking of swapping it for a Mini Cooper." You know, Hana? There's also walking. I know models at least have to know how to do that. [Chic Report]
• Yves Saint Laurent designer Stefano Pilati loves Jamba Juice. [Fashion Week Daily]
• Coach: Income up, stock down. [WWD, sub req'd]
• Calypso founder Christiane Celle has left the company she started, a mere seven months after cashing out big time to private equity firms. Blah, blah, irreconcilable differences, what else is new; can we still get candy-colored linen and silk little dresses? [WWD, sub req'd]
• Urban Outfitters: Soon to feature in-house collections by Geren Ford, Steven Alan, Charlotte Ronson, and Paul & Joe. Pete Wentz must be so excited. [WWD, sub req'd]
• Aw, vintage Krazy Karl. [Sassybella]

The Good: They call Emmy Rossum mellow yellow? Maybe this could be the new alternate color for bridal: I'm newly inspired. Kim Raver also wears something that would be a prettier wedding dress than anything I've seen in this week's bridal shows. Sometimes I wonder if Georgina Chapman is the only fashion designer who actually knows how to dress herself. I'm all about the Morticia Addams look on Hana Soukupova. Hell has frozen over: I like what Tinsley Mortimer is wearing. Yay for pretty Virginia Madsen and her pretty dress.

The Bad: Eva Amurri, why must you hide what God gave you? Jennifer Missoni shows how young women Miley Cyrus' age should dress. (Of course, Missoni's 23, not 15.) Joy Bryant channels Miss Scarlett and wears the drapes. Kate Lee Joel dresses like Miss Haversham would've before she entered her later years. I like that she tried out something different, but something about Leighton Meester's look just isn't working. Also, does anyone else think Meester looks totally different in her real life (or, er, at least on the red carpet) than she does on Gossip Girl? Marghertia Missoni's whole look is 10% overdesigned.

The Ugly: Most of the time, I hang my head in shame for loving Mary-Kate Olsen's look. Today is not one of those days. It's Medusa! Oh sorry: It's just Rachel Zoe.

[Images via Getty.]