Essence editor Angela Burt Murray says the uproar about the hiring of Elianna Placas, a white woman, as fashion director is baseless. Placas, a frequent freelancer, was chosen for "her creativity, vision, [and] the positive reader response to her work."

Michelle's Jewelry, Zac's Lower-Priced Line, & Claudia's Cashmere

Michelle Trachtenberg is designing a line of jewelry for Coach's Poppy brand. Expect "colorful crystals." [WWD]
Zac Posen is doing a lower-priced line, Z Spoke, which will be available exclusively through Saks Fifth Avenue come spring. It starts at $78:

Stella Loves Critters; Diane Von Furstenberg Is A Swinger

Stella McCartney's fall ad campaign makes a Bambijoke out of all that nature imagery that suddenly became hip over the past few years. For everyone who's ever considered an ironic taxidermy at a bar and concluded, "Why?" [WWD]