- For the first time, Gemma Ward has publicly confirmed that she had a relationship with Heath Ledger. "I have taken a break from the media spotlight for the past few years and it was something spurred by Heath's death."
"(Heath and I) first met in New York and we were both struggling with things that I won't get into, and we bonded over that. I kind of met him at first and said, 'Listen, my mum's living with me right now and I'm kind of going through a hard time and I'm not interested in having a serious relationship with somebody right now,' and he was like, 'You know, um, let's just be there for each other through these hard times we're both going through.' And we developed a relationship and we started seeing each other." They met in November of 2007, and spent that Christmas together, with their families. "The time we spent in Perth was incredible because we were both from Perth and it was also a time when it was beautiful in Perth and both our families were there and we met each other's families. We were able to not be in any kind of a spotlight and not have to be meeting with people or be hounded by press or anything. We lived in a magical kind of world where we weren't intruded upon." Ledger died in January of 2008. Ward is returning to Perth this month to take the lead role in the Perth Theatre Company's debut play, and her next film, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides comes out in May. The print version of this article ran with a new Peter Ash Lee photo of Ward at home in New York, one of the first authorized pictures of Ward made available since she mostly ceased modeling; it's not online, but you can see a scanned copy here. For the record, Ward — who has always maintained that she intends to continue modeling, eventually — doesn't rule out a return to the industry. [Herald Sun]
- Costume designer Amy Westcott is upset about being written out of the press history of Black Swan. Rodarte designers Kate and Laura Mulleavy — who were responsible for some of the ballet costumes, tutus, and one of Natalie Portman's dresses, for about seven outfits in total — have been the focus of most of the film's costume-related coverage. There were even highly Rodarte-friendly stories that argued the sisters should share a costume design credit with Westcott. "'Controversy' is too complimentary a word for two people using their considerable self-publicising resources to loudly complain about their credit once they realised how good the film is," says Westcott. "I was too trusting." [Clothes on Film]
- Michelle Obama went on Good Morning America to say, "Look, women, wear what you love. That's all I can say. That's my motto." Oscar de la Renta and the Council of Fashion Designers of America recently criticized Obama for wearing a British designer's dress to a state dinner. [NYDN]
- Speaking of fashion in politics, and political fashions, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy gave an interview where she wrote off her left-wing political identity as an affectation of her "artistic" younger days. "I don't really feel left-wing anymore," says Bruni, who said in another interview just two years ago that she "would never vote on the right." The next French presidential election is in 2012; though he is expected to run, Nicolas Sarkozy has yet to confirm his candidacy. [Telegraph]
- Bruni explained her decision as a reaction to how the French left treated two sex offenders whom she personally happens to like: Roman Polanski, and Frédéric Mitterand. If she was trying to better her husband's political chances, naming two figures who are deeply unpopular in France as close friends might not have been the best move. Also, rapists suck. [Daily Mail]
- Actress Greta Gerwig, on dressing for the red carpet: "Nothing short, no huge heels. I'm not a streetwalker. I don't see the need to wear streetwalker shoes. I went to Barnard. I have a degree. That equals low heels." [WWD]
- Madonna allegedly made Kelly Osbourne sign an "extensive" confidentiality agreement before signing Osbourne as the face of her Material Girl clothing line. Former spokesmodel Taylor Momsen compared the line to the wardrobe of a "high-class hooker," which gaffe Madonna and her team are likely looking to avoid. [Daily Mail]
- Tommy Hilfiger is launching a new capsule collection called "Prep World," and he's enlisted Preppy Handbook author Lisa Birnbach to promote it. [WWD]
- Diane Kruger is on the cover of the March issue of Glamour. When she became a contracted face of Calvin Klein, she celebrated by splurging — but not on Calvin, on Hermès. "The biggest fashion purchase I ever made I thought about for six years. I'm not kidding. All my life I wanted to own an Hermès Constance bag, and when I signed with Calvin Klein, I decided this was the time that I could afford it. I truly broke a sweat when I paid for it." [Glamour]
- Rosie Huntington-Whiteley appears on the March cover of British Vogue, struggling a little to close her red blazer over her breasts. [Vogue UK]
- Hermès, always vigilant about the protection of its intellectual property, is suing a designer who printed a picture of a Birkin bag on a cotton tote, which act Hermes believes is "confusing, deceiving and misleading the public." [SheFinds]
- If your answer to the question, "Should we be excited by an OPI nail polish collection themed around Texas?" is "Only if it includes colors named 'Austin Tatious' and 'Do You Think I'm Texy,'" — then you, my friend, are in luck. [Refinery29]
- Latvian model Olga Cerpita, on agencies in Europe vs. agencies in the U.S.: "In Europe, they tell you to be skinny and they don't care how you become skinny. Here, they're telling us to be skinny but healthy." [WWD]
- Rebecca Minkoff's new shoe collection is extremely cute. [Refinery29]
- Here is a photo of model Francisco Lachowski and Rico "Zombie Boy" Genest that might just blow your mind. Happy Tuesday! [WOW]