Brad Pitt 'Kind of Liked' Starring in That Ridiculous Chanel Perfume Ad

Brad Pitt says of starring in his Chanel No. 5 ad, “I kind of liked it.” Kind of! You know, it wasn’t, like, the highlight of his day or anything. But it was fine. Pitt was paid a reported $7 million to read 40 words of nonsensical copy in front of a grey backdrop. The actor continued, “They do some really quality things.” You know how Chanel is! Quality. Pitt says he hasn’t seen any of the parodies of his ad, “but I say absolutely fair play, fair play.” [Reuters]

---

Anna Nicole Smith‘s 6-year-old daughter Dannielynn (who is, somehow, 6 years old /theygrowupsoquick) is now the face of Guess‘s children’s line. Smith was a face of Guess in 1993. “Dannielynn has the same playful spirit that her mother had on a set,” says Paul Marciano, barf-inducingly. [Fashionista]

---

Here’s a first look at the 2013 Pirelli calendar, which was shot in Brazil by Steve McCurry, the photojournalist best known for his 1985 National Geographic cover photo of Sharbat Gula, better known as the “Afghan Girl.” Featured in this year’s calendar are models including Liya Kebede, pictured, Karlie Kloss, Adriana Lima, Isabeli Fontana, Brazilian actor Sonia Braga and musician Marisa Monte. [WWD]

---

• A new study from the anti-human-trafficking organization Not For Sale and funded by the U.S. State Department highlights the unsafe and illegal working conditions which are rampant in global apparel manufacturing. Forced labor and child labor can be found in some of the top apparel-producing companies, including China and India. And factories often lack basic safety equipment like fire escapes and sprinklers, as evidenced by the factory fire in Bangladesh that killed at least 124 people this weekend. More than 700 Bangladeshi garment workers have died in factory fires due to unsafe working conditions since 2005. [WWD]
• Meanwhile, Wal-Mart has admitted that it subcontracted work to the factory, Tazreen Fashions Ltd. The retailer says that one of its suppliers did this without authorization. Clothing labels for Wal-Mart brands including Faded Glory were found in the factory’s smoking wreckage, and a letter from Wal-Mart criticizing the factory’s safety standards — but not suspending its contract to supply apparel — was posted on Tazreen’s Web site. Wal-Mart says it has terminated its relationship with the supplier that contracted with Tazreen. Sourcing giant Li & Fung and retailer C&A have also admitted that they had orders pending with Tazreen when the fire occurred. Li & Fung says it will give $1200 to each victim’s family. [WWD]
• America’s Next Top Model host and male model Rob Evans has turned himself into the police in connection with his assault charge. Evans was wanted under a bench warrant following an incident in March in which he allegedly beat another man. The trained boxer posted $60,000 in bail and was released from custody pending trial. [TMZ]
• When she was a teenager, Lara Stone once cut her eyebrows with scissors:
• “I was going to go pluck my eyebrows, but we didn’t have tweezers, so I used scissors. I thought, Oh, I’ll just cut it off, but then I cut myself, and now I’ve got a scar. It’s so embarrassing. Don’t try that at home.”
• [The Cut]
• Fun fact: 70% of the 1200 employees at Burberry’s headquarters are under 30. That may be why the luxury company is consistently regarded as one of the most successful in embracing the Internet and digital media to build its brand identity and generate sales. “Technology is an intrinsic part of most people’s lives,” says creative director Christopher Bailey. “All we’ve done is make sure to weave technology into the fabric of the company.” [Telegraph]
• Meanwhile, Anna Wintour got Bailey to co-host the Evening Standard‘s theater awards in London. (Wintour’s father, Charles, was the longtime editor of the paper.) [WWD]
• Dubious “trend” of the day: “Ordinary NYC women who cringe at the thought of dressing themselves are getting shoppers-for-hire — just like celebs.” Sure they are. [NYPost]
• Here are 1382 words about loafers. The founder of A.P.C. says that the loafer is the hardest shoe to get right: “They could mean a boring, unread bourgeoisie son of a boring bourgeoisie.” Also discussed: Ralph Lauren, Pilgrims, The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, the Lost Generation, Norwegian fishermen. [T]
• Brunello Cucinelli, who seems to run the company (now publicly traded) that bears his name like a philosopher king, is sharing the love this holiday season. Cucinelli is said to have set aside some $6.5 million for holiday bonuses for the company’s 780 employees. [WWD]
• In response to a random rumor on Tumblr that Givenchy was collaborating with H&M, the luxury brand has issued a denial and the mass-market retailer has reiterated its previous statement that it was not planning any new designer collaborations for the next year. [Vogue UK, Telegraph]
• 17-year-old American model Amanda Gullickson on the industry’s biggest shock:
• “The biggest shock was having to watch what I eat. Since I was a basketball player before, you always want carbs. With modeling you have to say, ‘I don’t want that cookie.’ My hips are right on the edge of 35 inches, so if I eat too much I might go over to 36.“
• Also, this is what really happens at castings:
• Gullickson: [S]he asked me if I were a condiment, what would I be. I just said ketchup — I didn’t want to answer wrong.
  WWD: Did you book the job?
  Gullickson: I haven’t found out yet. I asked her what condiment she would be, and she said Korean hot sauce. Her assistant said relish.
• [WWD]
• Online retailer Everlane, which focuses on producing more sustainable basics like t-shirts, silk blouses, and cashmere sweaters at prices under $100, is opening a pop-up store in Manhattan for the holidays. [Racked]
• “I’m channeling a version of Johnny Cash at all times,” says Erin Wasson, of course. [FN]
• And now, a moment with Gilt Groupe co-founder Alexis Maybank. Alexis, who are some of your top customers?
• “One of our top shoppers is a leading defibrillator implant surgeon. And she pops out for five minutes from the operating room, makes a purchase on her iphone, and pops back in.”
• Remind us not to schedule heart surgery during the noon hour. [McKinsey]