(for hilarious up-to-the-minute coverage, the Catwalk Queens are live-blogging from the line outside the London store…)

and this just in, Style-Dash agrees…

Nobody’s mentioned it yet, but Kate Moss is confirmed to attend Vogue’s annual Costume Institute Ball.

The party takes place next week, with Cate Blanchett and Nicolas Ghesquiere of Balenciaga as the honorary co-chairs.

Though we expect to see Cate, Anna Wintour, and probably Coco Rocha in Balenciaga, we’re sure Kate Moss will wear something from her TopShop line to the party.

Of course, she’s already worn most of her TopShop dresses to other parties, years ago, but that’s a secondary thing.

After all, her hair color and her boyfriend are different, so the paparazzi photos won’t get mixed up.

We like the international rumors that Hedi Slimane is heading to PPR-Gucci Group for two special reasons:

One, it means that Salma Hayek could launch the brand on the red carpet. Now that she’s married to PPR’s president, François-Henri Pinault, she’s basically a brand ambassador.

Two, PPR has also just invested in Puma, and so far, Alexander McQueen is the only big designer to pair with the footwear brand.

We hear if Hedi starts his own women’s line with the company, a crossover project would be quite easy - and perhaps even expected.

And if Hedi does do a Puma line, those will be the skinniest sneakers ever…

WHICH model on the fashion A-list couldn’t book jobs before 9 am? She was in an outpatient program for her addictions and needed time for her therapy meetings. Fortunately, she’s so gorgeous (and cool on-set) that clients bumped up her call times to accommodate her - and now, thanks in part to the industry support, she’s recovered.

Tipster JM is thrilled that fashion photographer Carter Smith just landed his first feature film.

The frequent snapper of Gisele and Milla will direct Come Closer, a thriller based on the Sara Gran novel, this Fall.

No stars have been attached to the picture yet, but Smith’s high fashion background makes us wonder:

If he’s used to shooting models anyway, wouldn’t it make sense to cast a few of them?

Our pick:

Lily Cole, who starred in Smith’s cover story for Vogue Nippon and also the front of Vogue Beauty (our favorite shot ever of the model, at left, comes from that spread).

After all, if she had to witness Marilyn Manson courting Evan Rachel Wood on the set of Phantasmagoria, she can certainly relate to something scary.

Sydney Fashion Week is upon us, and with it a catwalk creation that’s been-there-said-that:

The “Guilty” tee by Nicholas Morley is a reference to a big Aussie scandal involving two women, a lot of marijuana, and an ill-fated trip to Bali that left them in jail for drug smuggling.

Morley is a Bali native who thinks the case ruined relations between Australia and Bali, making Australian tourists afraid to visit the island paradise and Bali citizens convinced that all Oz girls are drug smugglers.

The debate reminds me of Claire Danes in Brokedown Palace, but the t-shirt reminds me of something else entirely: Henry Holland, version 1.0.

At least this rip-off has some irony: The t-shirt may be anti-drug, but Mr. Morley was certainly smoking eight kinds of crack if he thought his copycat shirt wouldn’t get busted.

Greg emails in from PA to say “the Philly Gap is overflowing with the dotted dress…”

Meanwhile, more blue circles are getting style attention in New York and London.

Check out this Bodun raincoat, featured in the Post style section, at left…

Meanwhile, the Times UK has the same coat in their graphic print spread, but it’s styled quite differently…

Though the dot trend wasn’t crazy on the runway this season, we suspect it’s come back into play because of Marimekko. The famous print company has opened stores in the US and UK this year, and though their iconic dot pattern didn’t get copied on catwalks, their flowers certainly made an appearance at Oscar de la Renta… and now at Forever 21…

Will New York out the team behind Socialite Rank? That’s what we’ve heard from a source, who says the magazine has pulled men’s clothes for a Socialite Rank photo shoot.

The story supposedly hits next week - the same week that Isaiah Wilner’s piece on socialite Olivia Palermo hits stands. Another rumor about the issue? Olivia is the cover girl.

Now comes this disclaimer: while I do write small shopping pieces for New York’s website, we didn’t hear this info from anyone at the magazine. In fact, they told us, “it’s our policy not to comment on stories we may or may not be working on.”

Accordingly, this rumor should be treated with extreme caution… but it’s awfully fun to consider.

Score one for Vogue’s new blog:

They predicted two weeks ago that Kate Middleton would take a job with Tom Ford and possibly move to America.

And they were right.

What’s interesting now is how it will matter. Though Kate continues to be a public face (despite her breakup with Prince William), it’s interesting that her next assignment ties her into a men’s clothing line - especially one that’s all about lush sex.

Note the only other woman who’s bound to Tom’s brand: Julia Restoin Roitfeld, the face of Tom Ford fragrance. The daughter of Paris Vogue queen Carine, Julia has a velvet pout and a gloss of hair that perfectly embodies Tom’s idea of orgasmic high class.

Kate’s vibe is more collected, more stately, and more suburban. If she becomes the other woman in Tom’s life (or at least in his lifestyle brand), it means two things:

Either Tom is looking to balance out his sexy chic side with something more accessible to the St. John crowd…

Or Kate Middleton is about to get a major makeover.

You know what we’re hoping.

Tipster JM’s latest obsession is Wired Magazine, which profiles the work of Sissel Tolaas, a perfume scientist.

In the article, Sissel describes her latest project:

To create scents that capture the smell of fear in a bottle.

To concoct the perfume, Ms. Tolaas went through a pretty grimy process of studying - and smelling - men with chronic phobias. She says her results can make people smell like an emotion or a physical state.

The idea is amazing, but maybe even better is where she gets her funding:

Sissel has a grant from International Flavors and Fragrances, the company that makes Calvin Klein fragrances!

It’s a little Gattaca, but if Calvin Klein takes advantage of this technology and bottles emotions, think of the possibilities: CK Scared of U. CK Crush On U. CK Over U.

Would you ever buy a scent that’s based on a feeling?

We’ll admit to a mild obsession with The Sweet Escape, if only for Gwen’s video starring some jailed Harajuku girls and the striped dress at right.

It was certainly designed for Gwen, but we remember a very like version sailing down the Giles runway. Then it turned up in Vogue a few months ago on MisShape Leigh Lezark.

If you want the actual dress, you can buy it on Net-A-Porter for $4000.

Meanwhile, if you realize huge striped dresses only look good on pop stars, electro-waif DJs, and Bette Franke, you can channel the vibe with these $88 flats from Jeffrey Campbell. They look expensive, they fit every body type, and because they’ve got no heels, you can wear them when you sprint after Akon, or Gwen, or whomever you privately stalk.

and if you want to see what’s in my bag, it’s really boring, but here you go…

WHICH skincare line can’t find it’s next face? They mulled signing an It Girl, but didn’t think the damage she’s done through smoking, drinking, and tanning could be repaired with makeup. Also: they were nervous about all the paparazzi photos where she looks less than glowing.

Girls, don’t smoke - it can cost you a fortune. About $750,000 per ad, to be exact.

We hear design ingenue Chris Benz is launching his own sunglasses line.

This is a huge step for any emerging designer, but for Chris it’s even cooler:

The Seattle native has teamed with the company that makes Johnny Depp’s sunglasses!

Besides the new ability to star-check - and the dose of unreachable cool that the shades will lend his Fall collection - the glasses also show that Chris can expand and his brand, which is exactly what the Vogue CFDA committee wants to see in its nominees.

Make a note for future predictions, and now back to the important things…

Like Johnny Depp.

Lily Cole’s not the only one playing Alice (as in Wonderland) this fall.

Mischa Barton has just signed onto her own take on the Lewis Carroll classic, called Malice in Sunderland, that’s set to shoot in October.

In the flick, Mischa plays an American film student who wanders through the Northern English city of Sunderland after getting hit by a car and losing her memory.

Meanwhile, Lily Cole’s star turn as Alice in Phantasmagoria - the Marilyn Manson creation that will either be brilliant or vile, or maybe both - should hit theatres this winter.

Besides being Alice doubles, Mischa and Lily also share space at IMG Models, where they’re both represented. According to WWD, Mischa just scored another modeling job - this time as the face of Iceberg, the Italian sportswear line.

Maybe Lily can take over as the new Keds girl?

Eye Candy Alert:

If you run to Bloomingdale’s today from 12:30 to 2:30, make sure you hit the Clinique counter.

Rosario Dawson will be there to share her tips for healthy summer skin with shoppers, and introduce Jenny Bailly, the new beauty director of Cosmopolitan.

And who will Jenny Bailly introduce?

A slew of bikini-clad models, all faux tanned for the new Cosmo campaign “Safe is the New Sexy.”

Actually, we thought Miu Miu was the new Sexy, but more important:

Will more people line up to see Rosario, or the bikini bunch?

Style.com has a fun (but weird) feature today on fashion look-a-likes:

Apparently, Zac Posen and Stella McCartney (and Colin Firth in Bridget Jones) share a love of big sweaters with reindeer.

We think the whole thing was influenced, subconsciously, by John Galliano’s runway from Fall ‘06.

In the show, models dressed like Dior’s head designer, John Galliano (who dresses like a pirate), paraded down the catwalk.

This season, the look was picked up by Tyra Banks on America’s Next Top Model

We know Style.com will never mention this, but that’s why we’re here…

Our tipster LH from Michigan writes:

“Forever’s done it again!”

Indeed.

Though their knockoff of the Anna Sui top at left isn’t quite as ruthless as their previous steals, it’s still awfully close in shape, color, and trim.

The Anna Sui top retails at Anthropologie for $290…

Forever 21’s goes for $19.80

Sadly, we don’t want either - only Karen Elson could pull off a print like this…

UK Glamour reports that Patricia Field will design a line for ASOS, which is sort of like Shop Intuition in Britain.

This marks the second time that Ms. Field has gone to London for a project this year - in February, she was helping Jenny Packham with her first Milan fashion show, and predictably, the clothes came out louder and sexier than ever before.

Patricia’s gradual move overseas brings up an interesting question. Though Ms. Field is certainly still a cherished stylist in America - with a Payless line of shoes and an Oscar nomination to prove it - her signature celebrity style might finally be fading out, replaced with the messy, sick-day chic of Mischa, Nicole, etc.

Is Sex and the City style really, finally, going away from American girls?

Kirsten Dunst and Julia Stiles were vaguely interchangeable in the ’90s, but now they’ve gone their separate ways (especially since Kirsten still acts in movies).

Still, our reader (and resident style heroine) JM points out they’re about to move back onto each other’s radars with separate short films, each sponsored by a different fashion magazine.

Julia Stiles already premiered her brief drama, Raving, last month at the Box. Since the movie was produced in part by ELLE, the flick is also up on the magazine’s website, but that hasn’t stopped the Tribeca Film Festival from debuting it again this Sunday. The film stars Zooey Deschanel and Bill Irwin, and the clothes of Giorgio Armani, who basically paid for the whole thing.

Meanwhile, Kirsten Dunst has been using her Spider Man 3 tour to promote a new film she’s making for Glamour’s Reel Moments series. The film is a thriller starring Michelle Williams and it’ll go live on Glamour’s website in August.

Whose film do you want to see?

WHICH fashion assistant broke his boss’ toe with a flying Diet Coke can? Despite the trauma inside the fashion closet - and the fact that the editor couldn’t wear heels for two weeks! - the two style icons are now good friends.

The BBC reports that Anya Hindmarch’s non-plastic bags hit shelves today, and the backlash has begun. Of particular interest is this comment left by a BBC viewer:

“It has already been noted on one gossip website that the PR company promoting the Anya Hindmarsh bags sent out 100s of promotional copies to editors inside large silver jiffy bags which surely count as “plastic”. I suspect these were also posted despite being sent largely within central London. There’s a disturbing lack of congruence with the message and their actions. This bag does send a message to the consumer: do as we say, don’t do as we do.”

Meanwhile, reports from London say 20,000 of the bags sold out in an hour.

Do you still want one?

Irina isn’t the only model strutting her Kate Moss for TopShop threads. Check out Jessica Stam in a Barney’s promotion for the line - and head to Barneys’ website for a Kate Moss countdown…

LVMH reports their sales rose 7% this quarter, but does that mean more people are buying their stuff?

Maybe not.

Besides creeping price hikes in almost all their accessories, Louis Vuitton also introduced one of the world’s most expensive bags this season.

It costs about $50,000 which means that only 21 would need to be sold in order for the company to make a million dollars.

Despite its over-the-top appearance, the bag is so hyped and so bizarrely historical, it must have a following among some misguided members of the super-elite.

Is this the bag that pushed LVMH’s sales to new heights? Or are we all just too addicted to Marc by Marc’s jelly flats?

Colette’s next dance class will take place at Paris Paris in… yes… Paris.

While previous jams with the cool French boutique have taken inspiration from M.C. Hammer, Jeremy Scott, and - memorably in New York - from Pac Man, this special bash has a uniquely American theme:

Grease.

We’re dying to see the Paris Vogue girls do the hand jive, but even more interesting:

Do you think we’ll see flecks of pink nylon, black denim, and high-waisted white cotton in the Spring ‘08 shows? And somewhere besides Betsey Johnson?

After all, Colette’s head owner, Sarah Lerfel, is usually a year ahead of the pack..

Japanese makeup master Shu Uemura granted the Wall Street Journal a rare interview about his process and his company.

The video reminds me of what we watched in art class, complete with dry but friendly translation, but the images of Japanese makeup shows make watching worth it.

Also: He based his entire recent collection on Madonna, which is hysterical considering his first clients included Lucille Ball and Frank Sinatra.

Confession:

I noticed that Land’s End had a new clunk that copies the Croc and didn’t blog it for two weeks.

Why?

Because I’m not sure the shoes are “fashion.” They’re great for gardening. They’re fun if you’re at the beach and need to catch your own dinner. But the only runway where I’ve spotted them was during the Kent State Senior Fashion Show and, well, we all know the verdict on that.

But then I noticed something fun.

Not only is Land’s End copying the Croc, but they’re also selling the Croc, for $5 more, on their own website!

Can anyone explain the appeal of these shoes, and also the odd business decision?

When we ran into Liv Tyler at the Free Arts benefit, we knew we’d have just a few seconds with the actress, who’s also a face of Givenchy and a new-ish mom.

Naturally, our thoughts turned to The Strangers, Liv’s upcoming thriller film that has Gemma Ward in a smaller supporting role.

And so we asked…

Liv, what was it like working with Gemma Ward?
Oh Gemma? She’s great! When she came to the set, she was working with Nicole Kidman’s acting coach - not just for Nicole, actually; her coach works with a lot of great actors. And Gemma just came on and did a really great job when the cameras were on. You could see she worked really hard for it.

Was it fun having another really tall girl on the set?
Sure, and she’s beautiful…

Yeah, we know. It’s distracting. But we can’t wait for the film.
The film is going to be great, and the thing with Gemma is, she was so professional. She’s fantastic.

We’re not sure anything can top Liv’s star turn in Empire Records, but still, we have high hopes for Gemma and also for this movie, which sounds very spooky (in a chic way)…

David and Kristin, 25 and 26, stylists for Harper’s Bazaar (D) and Teen Vogue (K)

Got them: At the Tribeca Grand Hotel

Stalked them: Because we get a million emails asking what to wear to a fashion interview, what to wear to a fashion show, what to wear to a fashion party…

Shot them: Because this a great example of what you could wear to those things… altered to your personal style, body type, weather, and how much attitude you have in the morning.

She says: “My dress is by Phillip Lim and my shoes are by Miu Miu, but the one thing I never go anywhere without is the leather bomber jacket. It goes with everything and it can make a pretty dress much cooler for a party.”

He says: “My dog tags are from a machine at the Bar Mitzvah of Allan Schwartz, the guy that started A.B.S. It’s weird where your favorite things come from.”

We say: Too cool for…

To the left is a limited edition print by Lola Faturoti, who sells her clothes at Fred Segal.

Lola based her dress on a tribal design but modified the colors for a Western audience, and ended up with something quite cool.

In fact, it was so cool that Red Sugar seems to have totally ripped her off.

Check out these chunky wedges from Urban Outfitters, featuring the exact same print, and now discuss:

Is there a difference between copying a million dollar brand, and stealing prints from an emerging designer? And should Lola’s designs be protected by law? Right now, they’re not…

We hear that Christy Turlington is shopping for a new home for Nuala.

The sleek line of yoga clothing is currently with Puma, but their contract will soon expire.

While Puma and Nuala have been symbiotic so far, Christy owns its rights, and once their relationship ends, she’s free to find another fashion brand to adopt Nuala as its own.

If it happens, this will be the first time a celebrity diffusion brand goes from one mass label to another, and that would be very interesting.

Obviously the easiest choice is Gap - especially since Christy’s partnered with them for Project RED - but Adidas might be a great fit, too, especially when you look at its success with Stella McCartney. Another option? Maybe Reebok, who took the diffusion plunge with Scarlett Johansson this Spring and could be eager for more.

Stay tuned, and note to potential buyers:

We adore Christy Turlington and wear Nuala all the time - don’t let it die; there’s money to be made.

An upcoming “beauty drink” isn’t the only fashion tie for Coca Cola:

Their new commercial stars the always-stylish Jack White and Japanese fashion photographer Nagi Noda behind the camera.

There’s also a slew of pretty redheads, but that’s okay…

Jack White has every reason to be surrounded by Karen Elson and all the girls who want to look like her.

As for us, well, we’re just plain obsessed.

Watch the ad here - doesn’t it make soda seem strangely cool?

ps, editor’s note: we ♥ our beautiful tipster, JM

Because I love you so much, I hit the Soho streets with a video camera to find out what’s in your bag… okay, maybe not yours, but you get the idea.

Enjoy, and if you want us to raid your bag for a future segment, email tips@fashionista.com and let us know - we’ll be there with a camera and some fashion giggles in a heartbeat.

Super Sweet Sixteen, eat our dust.

Several weeks ago, we reported that Balenciaga muse Marie-Amelie Sauve was designing Gap’s next European line.

Now Portfolio has some photos from the UK runway show, which displayed Marie-Amelie’s first efforts.

Though British Vogue is excited, Portfolio wonders if the modern bubble of knits and neutrals is enough to pull Gap out of the red.

Meanwhile, we wonder something slightly more practical:

If that outfit goes on anyone who isn’t Laura Stone, does it still embody modern, disaffected luxury…

Or is it just there?

Take a look at the photos and let us know if you’d buy it - I’m guessing the prices are between $40 - $100.

Arielle, 16, overachieving high school student

Got Her: Waiting for the G Train on Metropolitan Avenue, Brooklyn

Stalked Her: Actually, this was a true stalking: we saw her hair from the back, and fell so in love with the color and the streaks, we trailed her down the subway steps.

Shot Her: Because she embodies our favorite style icon, My Little Pony. And she looks beautiful.

She Says: “It took over four hours to get my hair this way, but I really like it… even my family likes it! And it coordinates with a lot of my outfits.”

We Say: “Violet, you’re turning violet!”

WHICH fashion publicist went to dinner with Adam Brody on Saturday? Though she swears she’s more interested in other men, we can’t help notice some parallels to Rachel Bilson - namely, her petite frame and her incredible, effortless style choices…

If a top model has to be articulate - something you sometimes doubt when interviewing girls backstage at shows - then Coco Rocha is well on her way.

The Vancouver native who comes from a long line of stewardesses is Teen Vogue’s latest model interview, and she is amazing.

Included in her fashion week roundup:

How much she charges for making girls laugh on the catwalk; Julia Dunstall’s brilliant invention; Behati Prinsloo’s favorite song; fashion tights from hell.

We vote her most likely to host a TV show in ten years.

Also, she’ll probably marry a rock star.

Dammit.

Bill Cunningham snapped 18 coats for his latest street style spread. How many can you name?

Kate Moss isn’t just working for TopShop -

According to an upcoming British Vogue article, she also designed the latest Longchamp Bag.

Called The Legend Bag, the bag is based on an earlier model featured in the ad campaign with Kate last year.

After playing with it on-set, Kate suggested changes to the bag’s lining.

Then the bag was sent it off to Longchamp’s creative director, Sophie de la Fontaine, for a makeover.

Would you wear it?

Hilary Duff

Hilary Duff hit MySpace this morning with a feature called The Fit, showing stars and their stylists at work.

Here, Hilary and Jessica Paster sift through Chloe, Givenchy, and YSL to find the perfect outfits for Hilary’s upcoming red carpet flashes.

What’s most interesting? Even though Hilary’s taste in clothes is growing up, her fan base isn’t, meaning the tweens from this morning aren’t just learning from their moms - they’re also learning from Seventeen cover girls.

As for the actual clothes in the video, they’re pretty fabulous, but we’ve always been Hilary fans over here…

Mari, World Traveler

Got Her: Next to the subway on Lafayette and Houston.

Stalked Her: Because Crayola crushes run strong in our veins.

Shot Her: Because we can’t wear dresses over jeans, but we support anyone else who can make it happen. Also: if you showed us this outfit on a mannequin, we’d say, “no way, too much.” But on her, it’s perfect.

She Says: “My friends gave me this dress! I am from Japan, and they thought it was very beautiful - I love all of its colors!”

We Say: The Rainbow Collection.

The New York Times has an article about tweens and shopping that was so confusing, you’ll have to sort it out for me.

It was written by Lesley Jane Seymour, the former Marie Claire editor, as she followed her middle school daughter around the mall. And while the ideas presented were hardly groundbreaking - junior high kids have a huge influence over parental budgets; clothes can make or break a child’s social life in school - one thing was really odd to me.

The parents interviewed just would not, could not tell their children “no.”

Example one: A mom tells Ms. Seymour that shopping at Abercrombie is good for her daughter because “It’s not really about clothes…At this age it’s important for them to feel like they’re part of a larger club. And this does it.â€?

What a great argument for a $40 thermal.

Meanwhile, Ms. Seymour describes shopping with her own daughter Lake as “a place where I have been held hostage so often that I have coined a name for that vacant look of resignation women get when setting foot inside the store: Dead mom walking.”

A sociologist interviewed for the article supports these ritualistic shopping sprees, noting, “In a way, learning how to shop is crucial today for how to survive.â€?

So, is shopping necessary for becoming a successful adult? Must kids wear Abercrombie to survive middle school? Do you traumatize your daughter forever if you drag her to museums instead of Bloomingdales? And who taught the girl in the photo to gaze, Dakota-for-Marc-like, into the camera like that?

Your turn.

We’re quietly crushing on Vogue’s new blog, in part because it tells us this:

“As rumors go this is a hot one. Kate Middleton, formerly of the Prince William and Kate Middleton show, might go to work for Tom Ford as some sort of in-house consultant or public-relations person. Since she likes fashion (she works as an accessories buyer for Jigsaw, the British clothing chain), the thinking is that some clever fashion house will score a big public-relations coup by hiring her… And if, maybe as a favor or a kindness owed his ex, young William supports young Kate’s new job by wearing one of her designer’s suits or, even better, turning up at a fashion show, she will be worth her weight in publicity gold.”

I don’t think Will will ever turn up at Kate’s fashion show, but the idea of Ms. Middleton moving into a high profile job at a major fashion house is… so smart, it’s amazing it hasn’t already happened.

Of course, Kate would have to start looking stylish, but if Vogue can embrace a juicy, party-packed blog of their own, anything seems possible…

WHICH major clothing label still hasn’t started their designs for Spring ‘08? The staff is the coolest in New York, but a little young and restless, and they’re still doing resort wear. Maybe it’s because their flawless leader was away for a bit?

We have always loved Lily Allen, but today we love her more.

It’s because of the London Times article that tells us she was given a Gucci Indy Bag during her interview with Claudia Croft, who writes this:

“Allen heaves the bag out of its packaging, takes one look at its gaudy detailing and, instead of squealing with girlie delight, wrinkles her little button nose and laughs in mock horror. “It’s so heavy,â€? she says; then adds, “It’s soooo Sarah Hardingâ€?, referring to the brash, blonde Girls Aloud member, before delivering her final, damning verdict: “It’s f***ing vile.â€?

The bag is obscene, but it’s probably nothing compared to the looks on the faces of Gucci publicists when they read the article this morning.

Oops.

Lily then admits to loving YSL, and also her new line from New Look, which you can (finally) see by clicking below!

Thanks to Fashionologie for this Today Show video, where Sally Singer narrates a clothes parade with Stam, Hilary Rhoda, and Patricia Schmid.

The best part seems to be when Coco Rocha and Chanel Iman hit the runway at the same time, and Sally says, “Here we have Coco and Chanel.”

Also: Anne seems to be genuinely shocked that Sally mixed Target shirts with things by Oscar de la Renta. We can’t decide if this is funny or scary, as if Anne Curry has never worn a Burberry jacket over a Hanes t-shirt in her life.

But speaking of high-low pairings, isn’t it interesting that Miu Miu is the most referenced designer on this Today Show runway - and also the upscale label that got the most play in its corresponding Vogue story?

Sir Phillip Green issued a staunch warning today to anyone caught copying Kate Moss’ new line:

“Everything’s copyrighted and I will sue.”

We love Kate and can’t wait to buy the clothes, but let’s be realistic here:

Everything from Kate Moss’ line has already been copied - by Kate and the TopShop design team!

Between the New York Post article - cleverly called “DupliKate” - and The Daily Mail’s thorough deconstruction of the range, it seems maybe 10% of the collection is original.

Meanwhile, we wonder how Kate’s team feels about this…

My Fall Collectionwrites in from Yale with this news:

Her law school outing on “International Property and Fashion Design” was supposed to star Ralph Rucci, but the designer canceled out.

As a consolation prize, Yale fashion addicts will get to visit the studio of Zac Posen, and speak with Zac’s mother Susan, who’s not only the CEO of Zac Posen Inc. but also a corporate attorney.

No doubt Mrs. Posen will have lots to say about “adventures in copyright infringement,” but will Zac?

The Yale email sent to all students notes “Zac himself - who has traveled to Washington to discuss the proposed Design Protection Bill - may be able to drop by briefly early in the evening.”

And all the Ivy kids cross their fingers…

We just got the new issue of Time Style & Design, and it’s gorgeous.

There’s a profile of Bruno Frisoni and the relaunched Roger Vivier line.

There’s a mention of Sophia Kokosalaki and the revamped Vionnet collection.

And then there’s a page that honors environmentally conscious brands like Anya Hindmarch and Esque Studio, whose glass-blown honey bears are called “vases inspired by childhood memories.”

We suspect they were actually inspired by 10 grade sessions underneath the bleachers, but no matter. They’re adorable and especially appropriate on a page marked “Green”…

You know, like… oh, never mind.

It’s finally time to start considering sandals, and to decide how much you’ll spend for them.

To that end, reader Carrie Louise likes Manolo Blahnik has a gorgeous pair for $575.

Oh, and J. Crew has the same pair for $118, at least by appearance.

We still think that’s a little high, so here are the questions:

1) Can you find another pair of these shoes for under $70?

2) Would you buy either of these versions?

When we last left America’s Next Top Model, the girls were packed off to Sydney, Australia because, according to Tyra, it was “up and coming� in the fashion world.

Unfortunately, the potential Top Models were fading fast:

Jael dressed like a male figure skater; Brittany decided that because she was hit by a car ten years ago, she can’t film a Cover Girl commercial; the evil Renée was so jet lagged, she couldn’t think of a single nasty thing to say.

Dumbfounded, we turned to Brooke Miller – the wide-eyed ingénue of Top Model’s last season, pictured at right – to explain the show’s mysteries.

For instance: Why is Tyra dressed like a pirate?

Oscar de la Renta will be inducted into Kent State’s Hall of Fame today.

The Ohio university welcomes the Domenican designer with a ceremony, a retrospective of his work, and a senior thesis fashion show of 20 student collections.

To us, the news was slightly odd, especially since Oscar just wrapped a busy week that included a show of his bridal gowns.

We wondered if Mr. de la Renta had taught at Kent State, attended Kent State, or anything else that would tie him to the school.

Then we went to their webpage and realized no, they just really need his help and guidance.

Bon voyage, Mr. de la Renta!

Giorgio Armani and Coach have both designed Vespas; Eddie Bauer even got to create the inside of a Jeep.

But Donatella Versace might be the ultimate travel designer now that she’s paired with Agusta Westland to design the insides of private jets.

When we heard the news, we assumed Ms. Versace would gild the whole thing in solid gold, but maybe that was too heavy for a flight craft.

Instead, she’s outfitted her first plane in luxurious black and white fabric.

The decor seems to match her Spring ‘07 collection quite well, and it’s high contrast enough to spot from far away - which you’d need for a VIP landing on the Riviera.

As for those of us without a private plane, we hear Donatella has also designed some very nice beach towels.

WHICH two stars of a trashy style show staged a faux suicide after they were insulted by the show’s host? The program’s producers were so traumatized by the joke, they changed the show’s format to make sure no other castmates would plan a mutiny - though many still tried.

Please Note: This item did not come from Brooke Miller, nor does she know the two stars involved in it.

Charlotte Ronson may have Lindsay Lohan on her side, but the team at Urban Outfitters is working overtime to make sure she’s not the only one with clothes you can wear to a secret concert.

Check out their Crochet Capri New Wave Dress, which retails for $128 and looks weirdly familiar.

Is that because they saw Charlotte’s Crochet Knit Tunic dresses from last summer, smooshed their color palettes together, and made a new must-have?

The irony: Though Charlotte’s dress was once $140, it’s now onsale for $107 - twenty bucks cheaper than the Urban knockoff.

Fashion karma?

Bravo just ordered an episode of The Beauty Foundation, a series about Beyonce’s makeup artist, Billy Brasfield.

The show follows the glittery Billy B. as he zooms from Hollywood studios to backwoods Mississippi, where he’s reconstructing fallen houses in his Mississippi hometown.

Is this show an attempt to fill the void left by Jonathan Antin, whose bizarre reality show Blowout raised his profile but eventually ended - as did the lease on his Beverly Hills salon, which is now closed?

Or could this be a way to feed fashion fans until Project Runway finally has a cast and a first episode?

An inside source told us last night that Runway is still stalled in the casting process and might be delayed until winter, which gives us plenty of time to meet Billy B. before we return to the steely amusement of Heidi K.

Which is just fine with us, as long as he shows us how to do Beyonce’s eyeliner.

Chrissy, model

Got her: catching a cab in Soho

Stalked her: It was the tights and the smile.

Shot her: Because she was dressed to go out and to stay warm, and succeeded at both. Also: the tights and the smile!

She says: “I’m from Los Angeles, but I just came to New York City to work. My style is different than the other girls here, but I think that’s great! I like to keep it a little funky, a little fresh - what’s the point in getting dressed up if you’re not going to have fun? Just stay cool, you know?”

We say: Smile and flash.

Room 100 is the new magazine from 60 Thompson, the boutique hotel.

It stars Lydia Hearst, Theodora Richards, Olivia Wilde, and Adrian Brody.

Last night’s party for its launch was much the same, except instead of Adrian Brody, it was Adam Brody, who arrived in a gray Adidas track jacket and left with our heart. Ugh.

The rest of the cast: May Andersson, Byrdie Bell, Olivia Palermo, Arden Wohl, half the Strokes, Style.com’s Laird Borelli, WWD’s Venessa Lau, designer Erica Davies, stylists Susan Joy and Alexis Zipp, and ELLE’s Carol Han.

The night was a blend of tequila and black satin halter necks, and lipgloss pulp smeared the air. The bathroom was a crush of girls whispering about their crushes, and even the lobby spilled over with status bags. Arden was behind the DJ booth and she played a lot of Revolver; we loved it, but not as much as the photogs.

In the corner, Olivia giggled, “you need a better camera,” but she still posed like a model when we pressed the On switch.

Zac Posen is starting a blog, and he can’t stop talking about it.

The London kids have already told us - twice - that Mr. Posen is keen to launch is own corner of the internet, and it’s a major priority for his staff back home.

Portfolio thinks it’s a great idea, especially since Zac has no freestanding store, so customer feedback can generate on his comments section.

We’re eager to see what kind of peek he gives viewers into his studio, and we think the idea is a great one, but can Zac really get shopper gospel from a website?

Let’s review: Posting your opinion on a blog: $0

Buying a Zac Posen dress: Priceless. Actually, no, more like $1200.

Maybe his former intern Mary Kate Ashley will have something to say.

Two weeks ago, we reported that Lindsay Lohan was on her way to Japan for Charlotte Ronson’s press tour.

Today, WWD has an exclusive recap of her tour, and it’s a little funny.

The piece is 525 words long. Approximately 20% of them are devoted to what Lindsay bought:

“Two pairs [of Bathing Ape sneakers]…
A black patent leather Chanel bag
A Chanel necklace
Skull necklaces as gifts for herself, Charlotte, and Samantha at the hip store Resir…
T-shirts from Loveless…
T-shirts, necklaces, and jeans from Hysteric Glamour…
Items from Prada, Louis Vuitton, Balenciaga, Fendi…
A purple oversized YSL Muse handbag…
Herringbone shorts and a vest [from Charlotte Ronson]
A Fendi sequinned [sp] cardigan…”

Phew. The piece also hints that Lindsay and Samantha Ronson spent plenty of time together (without Charlotte and Annabelle Dexter Jones), though a certain person on the press tour told us today “there’s no way they’re dating! Have you ever dated your best friend?”

No, but that’s a whole different story…

The full article’s posted below.

WHICH starlet’s perfume keeps getting delayed because her face keeps changing? First it was less-than-subtle plastic surgery, then it was a new hair cut, and a phase of glittery tanning products.

Now she’s so busy with her boyfriend (a relationship much more serious than the tabloids infer), she’s put all work on hold…

Pete Wentz already designs hoodies and t-shirts for his own label, Clandestine Industries.

The Fall Out Boy bassist has also been a face of The Gap, but it seems the fashion industry can’t get enough.

This Fall, Pete and Clandestine launches a capsule collection for DKNY Jeans. The line retails for $39 - $298. It won’t be out until August - right when Fall Out Boy’s tour with Cobra Starship wraps - but of course we couldn’t wait that long.

Instead, we’ve got some exclusive photos of the line, plus some details worthy of Tiger Beat:

*Pete had a makeup artist apply his black kohl eyeliner, which was from Duane Reade

*Pete and the models ate Kobe beef burgers, which were not from Duane Reade

*The graphics on the clothes were inspired by Pete’s tatoos

*Pete was extremely involved in the styling of the clothes and the model casting, which may be why one of the models looks a little like Ashlee…

Now that we’ve had our US Weekly moment - would you wear the clothes?

Mariana, 26, diretor internacional de vendas

Got her: at the Maria Bonita showroom in Tribeca

Stalked her: Because the babydoll dress over jeans is a great way to dress for spring… and for the cold.

Shot her: Anything to cure our seasonal affective disorder…

She says: “My outfit… well… it can be a shirt, it can be a dress, but either way it has these pockets on the side. I am obsessed with pockets. The boots are from Maria Bonita’s Extra line, it’s like her Marc by Marc line. They are coming to the United States soon, and how cool are gray boots?

Wait, is it always so cold here?”

We say: Yes, always, so we’ll come to Brazil… especially if we can get those boots early.

Despite the attention of Victoria Beckham, Lady Sovereign, and thousands of Canal Street fakes, Burberry posted a 19% increase in second quarter sales this season.

Their sales have now reached £850 million - double that and it’s dollars.

Analysts think the growth is due to Burberry’s costly and craveable trench coats, as well as their must-have handbags, as seen on Kate Middleton and Keira Knightly.

But really, we all know it’s another secret weapon at work:

Christopher Bailey’s brilliant decision to put Lily Donaldson behind Kate Moss in the advertisements.

We don’t believe in magic, but this got awfully close…

Kate Moss has a fragrance, a clothing line, and a rock star boyfriend.

Now she also has her own font.

The Creative Review reports that graphic designers Peter Saville and Paul Barnes have worked with Ms. Moss to create a letterhead that will extend beyond her TopShop collection into all of her future projects.

Originally, they were going to go with Kate’s handwriting, but didn’t like the way “Moss” looked, so instead they grabbed vintage issues of Harper’s Bazaar from the 1930s, ’40s, and ’50s. The Kate Moss Font is a variation on the type they saw there, which was created by Alexey Brodovitch, an early mentor of Richard Avedon.

We love the font, though we’re surprised it’s not skinnier.

The Designer Gap shirts are almost sold out, and here’s the big shock:

Rodarte was the first to go.

It’s also the label that we bought, which we thought would never happen.

Now we wonder: If Rodarte had more limits, a technical designer, and the idea that their customer was young, broke, and between a size 6 and a size 12, would their talent be more evident?

True, their trapeze blouse could be made with a pillocase and some scallop trim, but still. There’s an elegance to it that we like, and the shape fits normal women.

Hopefully Rodarte’s mass market sweep will encourage them to keep designing for mall shoppers, instead of Princess Leia and the other Sci Fi princesses that probably steeled them through adolescence.

And with that, The Gap / CFDA Collection is officially “on break” from this blog. The End.

Yesterday, reader Molly saw an 8th and Ocean cast mate in the Armani Exchange shoot.

We’ve discovered he’s not the only Reality TV model with some new tear sheets.

Fellow 8th and Ocean star Britt, who was typecast on the show as the beautiful virgin, has found work as an adorable swimsuit model for the teen line Raisins.

Meanwhile Stina, arguably the coolest member of The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency, is featured in GQ’s gorgeous Puma spread for May.

Also, Kim Stolz from America’s Next Top Model had an MTV News segment last night, which only further proves our point:

We watch way too much TV.

WHICH clothing company just made a deal with a major magazine to feature their clothes on the cover? The brand may be in trouble, but rumor has it they think the big fee was worth it to up their exposure. Not that this sort of thing doesn’t happen all the time…

The hoodie has always been incredibly multi-functional:

Throw it on for Whole Foods runs, bad-hair days, or long classes - Faran even wore hers over a sheath dress to prom!

We thought we had exhausted the hoodie’s possibilities, but there’s one more:

Today, Style Dash introduced us to our favorite comfort piece in chair form.

We’ve always been attached to comfortable furniture, but the connotations of hoodie love here might make it impossible to stand up.

Actually, that’s just fine because if this weather keeps up, we’re more than happy to camp out with an Entourage marathon…

—KEVIN KHUONG

The Disney Bridal collection is old news, but here comes its sequel:

Hello Kitty just launched a bridal accessories collection with Tarina Tarantino.

The favored jeweler of Cameron Diaz created over fifty pink and pearl pieces, intended for weddings and starring a special cartoon of Hello Kitty where she’s decked in a wedding veil the color of lipgloss.

Is there anything more sacrilegious than making Hello Kitty a bride?

As it turns out, yes -

In the jewelry, she’s pictured with a new hairstyle, Pat-Field-pink with side swept bangs.

It’s. So. Wrong.

We hear from very informed sources that Kate Moss is in a wheelchair.

You may remember from her Times UK interview that Kate recently stepped on a piece of glass in her apartment.

It seems her foot responded less than well to the wound, and now needs some antibiotics.

Our source tells us that Kate must stay off her foot for a few days

- Which means a certain photo shoot must be rearranged -

But otherwise, she’ll make a full recovery.

If the rumor is true, maybe it’s actually a good thing, as the only thing the Kate Moss for TopShop collection really needs is a cute pair of cheap flats.

Inspiration, injury… in fashion, what’s the difference?

Primp is sometimes amazing with their mix of juvenile design and adult adoration - remember that incredible jersey skirt with the cupcake on the butt? Paris Hilton owned it and still I wanted one!

Unfortunately, sometimes their cute streetwear is too expensive.

Case in point: Their anchor-print tanks sell for a difficult $68.

Meanwhile, Forever 21 has the same design for under $10.

Of course, you could always DIY it with a Hanes wifebeater and a fabric Sharpie, which would make you much cooler…

Emily Blunt has been picked by the Women In Film Foundation to receive their “Face of the Future” award.

The honor is sponsored by MaxMara, which raises some fun questions:

*Will Emily be at the BCBG / Whitney Art party later this month?

*Will Emily be at the BCBG fashion show this Fall?

*What will Emily’s first fashion campaign be? Don’t look so shocked, it’s only a matter of months…

Examples of Fashion Double Duty:

Karl Lagerfeld helming Chanel and Fendi.

Tamera Mellon running Jimmy Choo and Halston.

Reese Witherspoon and Kirsten Dunst wearing the same Chanel couture dress.

And now this: Victoria Bartlett taking a break from her own line, VPL, to style the new Armani Exchange shoot. It’s called “Pool Party” and it stars Alessandra Ambrosio, who pulls Fashion Double Duty herself on break from Victoria’s Secret. We were sent unreleased images from the campaign, which you can see below.

Alessandra says: “This campaign, it’s all about summer time. It’s very hot with a lot of good energy… A good vibe around and very sexy…”

We say: “Cool, and where are the clothes?”

The Fug Girls are so amazing, they’ve made me forget that sometimes, celebrities look good.

Thankfully, there’s Fab Sugar to remind me.

Yesterday, they posted this photo of Chloe Sevigny in a Prada dress that’s so insanely right, it convinces me that $2000 for an outfit is nothing. It also makes me realize that although I love her, love her, love her, Luella Bartley didn’t do it first.

FabSugar also has photos today of Jackie O, Jennifer Aniston, and our favorite model-slash-actress Katherine Heigl.

Oh yes, and Britney, though she remains a prisoner of the Fugs until Fall, when her hair will be long enough for a gamine pixie cut.

Is there hope that her closet follows suit?

The injustice of American shopping never ends - why must the season’s hottest nail color, Chanel Holographic Silver, be sold only in Europe?

Unless you’re dating a member of The Horrors, that leaves you with two options: Buy it for far too much money on eBay, or mix it yourself. Here’s our recipe…

You’ll need: 1 bottle of silver nail polish. Our favorite is Urban Decay’s Cult, but Wet ‘n Wild is just fine, too. Don’t spend a lot of money on this.

1 bottle of black nail polish or one bottle of pale pink, opaque nail polish

1 bottle of Northern Lights Holographic Topcoat, available at beauty supply stores or Shop.com

1 plastic chinese takeout lid

Step one: Pour a small pool of black nail polish or pink nail polish, the size of a pill, onto your plastic lid. You want an opaque base for this polish, otherwise it’ll look like glitter and not like metal.

Step two: Dump a teaspoon of the silver nail polish onto the plastic lid. Mix it around with the silver nail polish brush until you get a deep, stainless steel color.

Step three: Paint your nails with the mixture.

Step four: Coat your hands with the holographic topcoat from Northern Lights. This is what will let your nails flicker and change color as they move.

Step five: Point freely at models, starlets, and Karl on the street. Once they see your hands glinting in that special sci-fi way, they’ll know you’re one of the club.

Bea, 30, publicist

Got her: at the Bumble and Bumble cafe on 13th St.

Stalked her: Because she’s 5’1 and looking sweet in a sack dress. Sarah Mower wasn’t sure it was possible!

Shot her: Because this is the perfect dress for right now: warm but not wintered, full but not bubbled, and paired with dark tights (and unless you are on a beach or a red carpet premiere, it’s April and you still need tights!).

She says: “The dress is from Pixie Market in the Lower East Side. I didn’t even think about it being trendy, I just knew it would be great for work. And I know on a taller girl, it would be shorter, but I like the length because it’s more appropriate for the office. One of the girls in the art department here asked me if it was from YSL!”

We say: The joy of sacks…

Thanks to Erin Perkins, who wrote in this weekend with a vital question:

Is a $1200 Versace dress really worth it when you can buy the same print at Bebe?

We like the shape of the Versace a lot better, but if you unhooked the cheesy belt from the Bebe version and wore it with nude heels and some gray liquid eyeliner, it might be a much fairer fight.

Perhaps this is the only downside to Versace’s recent style comeback:

Now everyone has a crush on their catwalks - including mass designers with a Getty Image subscription and much cheaper fabric.

Portfolio’s website has an interview with Kim Culmone, the designer responsible for Barbie’s wardrobe.

She reveals that in the future, Barbie dolls will come packaged with cosmetics, and that she looks at the Paris runways for ideas.

But I think my favorite quote is this:

“We’re used to looking at a fashion on the street and saying, ‘Oh my God, that would be perfect for Barbie.�

Aren’t you dying to know which girls on the street she means?

We think she has an archive of Tinsley Mortimer photos on her desk for inspiration.

We watched the new MSNBC show, Models NYC, this weekend.

As predicted, the “docu-drama” about Q Models lacked the fun of Top Model, and the journalistic bent it promised. Still, we did like the models they followed - especially Asha, a British import whom we actually wanted as a friend.

Also, we enjoyed a little snippet in episode two, when a model complains that she got nail fungus while shooting a cosmetics campaign.

“What do you want to do,” asks her agent. “Sue Revlon?”

Oops. We bet they didn’t mean to say the name of their multi-million dollar client… on national television… in a negative context…

Q: Is this post really about how Heather Marks looks like Jess Stam in the Revlon ad?

A: Maybe. Isn’t it gorgeous?

And here’s another one:

The latest fashion capsule collection comes from Daisy Lowe.

The model/ party girl / stepdaughter of Gwen Stefani is working on a line of clothes for her mother Pearl’s label.

Expect it to embody Daisy’s style - shredded, black, and nocturnally cute. Hopefully it will divert from Kate Moss’ line in one key way: having styles available for all types of bodies, not just the Kate build.

Though Daisy’s star in the modeling industry is still rising, she’s a well known party fixture in the UK. Her clothes might not be an automatic sell-out, but they’ll generate enough interest to get a second look from fashion junkies on both continents.

Expect to see her first efforts out this Fall, when Daisy’s biggest photo shoots yet will hit the magazines.

Of course, by then, Fashionista will probably have our own diffusion line with Forever 21…

Nicole Richie is about to arrive in Australia, and with her comes this rumor from the Oz fashion set:

If a designer - or a sponsor - can pay Nicole enough money, she’ll come to their show.

We’ve witnessed a celebrity get money for a Fashion Week appearance before.

The first time it happened, we were shocked. By the sixth time - when a major male pop star was courted by a sportswear label - our only surprise was how little the check would be.

According to our sources, who once tried (and failed) to hire Nicole to host their cosmetics party, the starlet costs about $30,000 per appearance.

Regardless, we have total faith that if Nicole does attend Aussie Fashion Week, it’s because she believes in the emerging design talent down there. The first time we met her, she was wearing a Roland Mouret dress (and was gorgeous in it).

Nicole would look just as incredible in something by Lisa Ho or Josh Goot; hopefully she’ll swing by their showrooms in Sydney to play dress-up.

For love, of course, and not for money.

Lily Cole is on the cover of Arena, a British lad magazine.

Though she’s been naked in some high fashion shoots, she’s covered here in assorted bikini tops and - memorably - some tassels.

Meanwhile, in the interview she confesses that she never really knows when she’s dating someone - we can empathize there - and then vows to have babies so the world has more red heads.

The cover hits newsstands on Monday - the same day that Vogue’s Top Model cover debuts.

Though she’s been in Vogue many times - and taken a few Brit Vogue covers - Lily’s not included in the new issue.

Do you think Arena is a better move for her?

As we understand it, the Palestinian “keffiyeh scarf” was co-opted circa 2004 by St. Marks hipsters to make some sort of a political statement.

Then it became a horribly misguided cliché, and we were ready to see it gone from politicos and hipsters alike - but then we noticed it on the Balenciaga runway. And then again on Style.com’s list of must-have accessories.

So we did the only thing we could: we decided to co-opt it for a DIY to make a new statement:

Fashion is fun….

You’ll need: A keffiyeh scarf (We got ours on St. Marks for 8 bucks).
Paint pens in various colors (We stuck to Balenciaga’s color scheme and got black for outlining).
Newspaper, old magazines, or some other kind of liner.
Total cost— around 17 dollars.

Step one: Fold the scarf diagonally twice so that you end up with a triangle, and then lay it on a flat surface.

Step two: Lay newspaper or some kind of liner underneath the very top layer so that the ink doesn’t bleed through. The great thing about the scarf’s size is that you can just flip it over to another side if you mess up.

Step three: Get creative with the paint pens. We used a Marimekko print as inspiration and took it from there.

Step four: Add a second layer of paint to allow the colors to pop, and wait about 15 minutes to let everything dry. Take it out and spread your own message of peace, love, and fashion.

—KEVIN KHUONG

Diane Von Furstenberg isn’t the only fashion icon with a favorite yoga pose.

This month, Dazed and Confused followed Parker Posey to Sundance, where they found her many wardrobe changes had been replaced by the Downward Dog, the Sirsana, and our personal favorite, Tree.

Dazed jumped right into the fun, sending their own reporter to share the mat with Parker.

What’s more?

They taped the whole thing.

I could never get into those exercise videos, but doing yoga poses with Parker?

Totally.

Just get me a pilates mat from Stefano Pilati and I’m there.

editor’s note: also, Dazed and Confused the magazine never mentions that the best part of Dazed and Confused, the movie, was probably Parker Posey. Instead, we will mention it here.

Today, Patrick Robinson tells the Wall Street Journal he’ll never create designer clothes again, saying “I won’t take another job in the designer market because I just don’t believe in it… It doesn’t excite me anymore.”

Mr. Robinson used to head Paco Rabanne. Now he makes Target’s summer line, which is very cool but slightly hard to style.

More difficult is the headline of the story, Rethinking Expensive Clothes, which wonders whether anyone will pay designer prices when they can get Forever 21 and TopShop.

Of course, there is quality to consider, but WSJ fashion editor Teri Agins argues that at the end of the cash register, a dress is just a dress.

The full text of the article is posted below. Skim it and let us know - are you over designer clothes?

We’re not - yet - but we do think the J. Crew mini dress at left gives many spring catwalks a run for their money…

This week’s Top Model brought out the tough questions: Will Tyra acknowledge Gemma Ward? Is the entire contest rigged? And – most important – why is Jay Manuel considered a “style guru�?

Bemused, confused, and dizzied by The Evil Renée’s resemblance to Jessica Stam, we phoned our Top Model expert, former contestant Brooke Miller.

Her reaction?

“They botched the photo shoot –again.�

Alas, like Jael’s junkie monologues, that’s become a running theme.

Anya Hindmarch finally releases images of her American non-plastic bag, which is brighter and has navy blue lettering.

It’s not available until June, but Bagsnob reports Anya boutiques around the country are now accepting pre-orders.

Of course we called right away, and here’s what they told us:

*The bags come into the store June 20th (thanks Isabel!).

*If you don’t pre-order the bag, you may still get one, as they’re holding a stash for walk-in customers

*The bags must be shipped to you; you can’t just do fashion takeout, you must also order delivery.

*The cost of the bags here is $15. The cost of shipping is also $15, bringing the grand total of your new bag to $30.

What they didn’t tell us? That maybe, just maybe, the hype isn’t as necessary. Remember when Roland Mouret for Gap provoked fistfights among London shoppers, and then here in America… well, I just saw one of his dresses on the clearance rack, still.

Do you think this bag will cause a riot?

It’s true that this week, we swore off House of Holland for fear of overhype.

Unfortunately, he has some new t-shirts about to go on his website that are not just funny, but important, since they introduce some younger British designers that you may want to Google-image after smothering your laughter.

Our favorites:

Basso & Brooke

Christopher Kane

Richard Nicoll

There is also an ode to Pop Magazine, but we would have gone with… HYPE MY BRAND, KATIE GRAND.

WHICH beauty company is on the hunt for a celebrity stylist? They’ve seen what brands like Marchesa can do with some flashbulbs and some taffeta, and they think it would work for lotions and potions, too…

More proof that The Virgins are the next fashion band:

Not only did their lead singer wear Lindsay Lohan’s Forever 21 sweater onstage, but Jessica Stam was spotted at their latest concert in the city.

But some of you are concerned - as reader Jaclyn wrote in, “The last person I saw with eyes like that had a cocaine addiction.”

We think maybe it’s just the latest makeup trend. In fact, if you want to get eyes like Stam, we suggest some clean Q-tips and M.A.C’s eye palette in Amazon Eyes.

Mix all of the shadows together on the back of your hand. If your skin is dry, you can blend it with a tiny bit of lotion to make it spread easier.

Then take the Q-Tip and gently apply them under your eyes and on the creases. Remember, the ideal color you want is something like “lavender cigarette ash.”

Keep yesterday’s eyeliner and a little bit of Chapstick, and you too can be Stammed.

The dress on the left is from Foley and Corinna. It’s several seasons old but still a huge hit - in fact, until last week, it was in the Calypso boutique window right next to our office.

Paris Hilton has worn it on late night television and looked actually adult.

Last year, when Foley and Corinna had a fashion editor party, we witnessed some fashion editors actually fight for it.

On Wednesday, I almost stole it from a stylist’s apartment, but admittedly, it looked better on her.

It retails on ShopBop for $440.

The dress on the right is from Forever 21. It sells for $40.

And you will buy….?

Proenza Schouler isn’t the only design collective selling out of Manhattan – Have you met Felix Rey?

The handbag line belongs to Sulaika Zarrouk and Lily Rafii, a glossy-haired team who named their brand for Van Gogh’s infamous doctor. For six years, they’ve made handbags to crave like candy, and amassed a steady stream of US Weekly hits – Lindsay, Sarah Jessica, and J. Lo have all snatched the purses.

Meanwhile, Sulaika and Lily – who come from Donna Karan and the world of finance – prowl the streets of New York in search of inspiration. “We’ve definitely stalked a girl down the street to get a better view of her bag,� confesses Lily.

But what happens in their Soho studio?

We don’t know many who adore Kim Stewart, and yet, she’s the new face of Adore Moi lingerie.

Even more puzzling is that Paris Hilton’s BFF replaces Jade Jagger in the ads, which seems a bit like a step down for the brand known for satiny sex bombs.

Surely there must be a better face for the brand.

In the rock spawn vain, we imagine…

Jade’s little sister Lizzie…

or Alexandra Richards…

or Daisy Lowe…

Who would you like?

Here’s a fun leak from the Bravo office, accompanied by a tip from our gumshoe JM:

It seems our beloved Project Runway will start a little later than planned. This means you have to wait longer for your Tim Gunn fix, and we have to wait longer to erase the memory of Michael Knight’s trash-tastic runway.

It also means the rumors of a shallow talent pool might be true - how can you air a show that hasn’t yet been cast?

We adore Project Runway and hope the right contestants have found their way to Parsons, but just in case they’re still looking, here’s an idea:

Why not get some real designers to do a Project Runway All Stars edition? Though Michael Kors once told us he’d win the show if he ever entered, we’re dreaming of some hot up-and-comers -

Vena Cava, Ben Cho, Josh Goot, Karen Walker, Ashleigh Verrier…

Oh Bravo, please!

We might have to wait a little longer for Jessica Stam to star with Jake Gyllenhaal, but Gisele might just be the next face of Da Vinci.

British Vogue reports today that the Victoria’s Secret goddess is in talks to play Tom Hanks’ new girl in the Da Vinci Code sequel, which begins filming in Paris later this year.

We like Gisele because of her Amazon body, her low key vibe, and the way she makes us wonder if wecould wear a bra and wings down the street as an outfit. But we bet other people like her for possible sponsorship opportunities:

If her current employer can pay Entourage and that new Halle Berry movie for product plugs, do you think they’ll try to rename the movie Victoria’s Secret Angels (and Demons)?

In the past, the massive Met Gala has honored the designs of Chanel, the contributions of British fashion, and (our favorite) an ode to rock ‘n roll.

This year’s exhibit, and subsequent fete, celebrates something obscure by comparison: The work of Poiret, a French designer whose sleekly gamine designs inspired so much jealousy in rivals that Coco Chanel was known to spit at the mention of his name.

Cate Blanchett may be this year’s honorary chair, but studying her style won’t get you closer to the museum’s subject matter. Instead, we suggest these paper dolls of Poiret’s work.

Besides giving you a sneak peek of the Met exhibit (albeit in cartoon form), the dolls will help you role play the actual event before you go. Just pretend the taller one is Anna and practice, practice, practice…

Alessandra Ambrosio may be on Entourage, but she’s not the only one trying to talk in front of the camera.

This week, Fashionologie has some silly shots of Lily Cole on the set of St. Trinian’s, a British farce about schoolgirls. The movie also stars Amy Winehouse and Rupert Everett, who plays his role as headmistress in drag!

Then there’s Gemma, who’s got two films - The Strangers with Liv Tyler and Black Balloon with Toni Colette - coming out later this year.

Meanwhile, Daria revealed last night to The Daily that she’s working on a film, too. We guess her Prada flick with Ridley Scott was a good experience…

Which model is next on the big screen? Well, wouldn’t it be fun to see Jessica Stam say something?

Q: Was this just another excuse to show a smoldering Daria photo?

A: Maybe just a little bit… but you know you love it.

FabSugar extols the gorgeous new Versace ads, and we agree, they’re super.

But don’t they remind you of something?

Something like Burberry’s Spring ‘07 campaign, which also stars Kate Moss in a cropped British mini-dress and some fellow supermodels as her backup dancers?

Have a look and let us know if it makes you hungry for some signature plaid…

And if you think Versace’s bid to go beyond their glamazon image and into more refined territory is working.

We were vaguely shocked to realize our entire office had a crush on the actress Olivia Wilde, and then we realized:

She’s 22, whip smart, and looks like Angelina Jolie, so who doesn’t have a crush on her?

Alas, Olivia is already married, so our various colleagues can’t get into her heart -

But they can get into her purse, thanks to Spin and DKNY Jeans - they hosted a Milk Studios auction last night of old rock star photographs from the magazine. Liv swept in, and we made this sweeping expose about her Isabella Fiore tote.

Our favorite thing inside? Tickets to a certain Broadway play… “But it was horrible,” she admits. “I love good theater, but not this.”

Hopefully she’ll like her own play better - Olivia’s next project is Beauty on the Vine, a show that opens next month at the Epic Theater Center.

Thanks for the email flood about the last three blind items - I dare say if everyone was as interested in politics as they were in traumatized assistants and naughty interns, we’d have a different president.

Anyway, I do promise to post more blind items, and I also want to introduce you to someone lovely: my British mentor, Mrs. Fashion.

She’s a little older, a little wiser, and a lot quicker to pull out her Visa card for Chloe wedges, meaning her blind items are decidedly upscale and always - really, always - turn out true. Let’s take today’s…

Which Italian designer, with a slinky rock chick aesthetic, is designing a new high end line for this formerly mid-range denim brand. His contract doesn’t allow his identity to be revealed but the new pieces are sexy and cool - and mean we can get some _______-chic into our wardrobes at an eighth of the price of his eponymous line.

Any guesses?

We heard something great this morning about Gap and Phoebe Philo:

The Fall collection she did for the UK was so well received, it might leak to Japan and America as well. That means more Gap for us, the good kind that isn’t BO(RED).

Also overheard by our delightful Head Girl overseas:

Marie Amelie Sauvé, the Paris Vogue goddess and Balenciaga consultant, might just be helping Phoebe Philo with the Gap collection… which could explain Mr. Ghesquiere’s obsession with striped shirts and khakis of late.

And finally, our own assessment: the cropped blue jacket on sale now is a Must Have, and supercheap too.

We are captivated by Polyvore, the obscenely simple website that lets you mix and match clothes from the internet - or from your own closet.

The process is a lot like that Clueless scene, where Cher goes on the computer to pick out her outfit.

This time, you can pick out your own outfit - either from the massive stash of saved clothing images, or by uploading pictures of your own clothes onto the site’s server.

(The clothes they have are mostly cheesy outfits as seen on The Hills, so you might want to import your own).

Then you drag them from the site’s wardrobe menu onto the screen, and rearrange as needed.

You can also use it to pair your existing clothes with things you might want to buy online - an easy way to see if you really do need that fourth Marc dress from Net-A-Porter.

Kylene and Adrian 18 and 19, students

Got them: in a Soho loft on Saturday night

Stalked them: Penguins! Hoodies! Courage!

Shot them: We shot her because the dress was incredible and so was her attitude.

We shot him because he was demonstrating Appropriate Use Of The Hoodie - AUTH - something increasingly rare in New York.

And they just happen to be best friends.

She says: “This dress is from Built By Wendy. I always try and see if I can wear it somewhere, since I love it so much - and I wanted it for a long time, before I got it as a present. I love my Betsey Johnson shoes too; I thought the glitter would come off but it hasn’t!”

He says: “I didn’t even mean to wear this sweatshirt - there’s a tank top underneath that I thought would be better. But you’re like the third girl to tell me you like it!”

We say: Party on.

WHICH rocker boyfriend of a movie star was misbehaving last night? At a fun fashion event, he pulled some fashion interns into the basement of the party and played them a secret concert… with the lights out.

In one week, the Victoria and Albert museum in London debuts a new exhibition called “New York Fashion Now” which seems a lot like a Seamless come to life.

The exhibit charts “the stories of twenty designers who launched their own labels in the five years between 1999 and 2004” and details the challenges these designer hopefuls faced in establishing their fledgling brands.

According to the museum’s website, the designers include Zac Posen, Three As Four, and the now-defunct Cloak.

As if we needed another reason to visit the land of TopShop…

—KEVIN KHUONG

(we hear…)

In Paris, Cathy Horyn logged the joys of model Lara Stone.

She was adorable.

She “walked like Lurch.”

She was an actual adult, and not a thirteen year old pretending to be a sixteen year old pretending to be sex.

Now Lara is on the April cover of Paris Vogue, which seems all the stronger because of the internet dotage. And now Cathy has a new spring crush:

Apple crisp!

Which makes us wonder: If Carine tries her recipe, could her September cover look a little bit epicurious?

Our rendition is at left.

The Glossy has us on a Fashion Treasure Hunt, desperately seeking these fashion comics by Mark Vassallo.

The style director of Harper’s Bazaar Australia took images from the Spring ‘07 runways and somehow turned them into a haute adventure.

In Mark’s neon blonde world, Prada turbans talk, Sasha becomes a possessed lipstick monster, and John Galliano gathers his evil minions together to give “the death stare” at the end of every runway.

It’s a kick - and quite reminiscent of Isaac Mizrahi’s book from the ’90s, The Adventures of Sandi the Supermodel.

You can find that comic on Amazon, but these new ones are tough to track down: Supposedly there are copies at Colette in Paris, Loveless in Tokyo, and Corner Store in Sydney.

Do you know how to get them in the States?

The race is on to find the next hot nail color, and the stakes have never been higher.

According to the Wall Street Journal, sales of OPI’s “Lincoln Park After Dark” polish - the shiny black color - quadrupled last year. The company blames it on Chanel’s Black Satin Nail Polish, worn by Lindsay Lohan and remixed by us back in January.

Now OPI is pushing “flame,” a lacquer the color of a daiquiri, but it seems less likely to make waves than the white and silver polishes seen on the runways this winter. We also like a retro return to Hard Candy’s sky blue color.

What do you think will be next?

Huge thanks to Greg Littley for this odd Fashionista tribute:

A House of Holland ripoff tee boasting one of the slogans we invented!

Greg’s threatening to find a silk screening partner and make the tees himself, but with Urban Outfitters, TopMan, and the swarms of Parsons kids making them after class, he probably won’t have to wait for long before this version appears on the streets.

The sight of a faux tee designed just for us has led to a bittersweet moment of sorts: Like the label’s muse, Agyness Deyn, we are putting all House of Holland posts on hiatus for fear of overhype.

It’s out of love, Henry; we promise.

Dear Fashionista,

From March 10th-24th I was in Anguilla which is very very close to St.Barths.

My sister and I adore Kate Moss, so when we first saw the paparazzi photos of her doing a shoot in St.Barths we were dying. Our favorite celebrity/model in the world, just an island away! We begged our dad to let us go to St.Barths, but alas, our efforts were fruitless.

We were about to get on the plane home, and I was still complaining… My sister had to use the washroom. When she came out, she just said “Yuki… Kate Moss… Bathroom… Now!”

There wasn’t a crowd around anyone, so I thought she was kidding. Then, I saw grey skinnies, black short Minnetonka moccasin boots (I had actually just ordered the exact same pair that morning…) and the belt.

I approached Kate Moss (trembling beyond belief).

“I’m so sorry, but ohmygod, I’m such a huge fan. Could I please have a photo with you?” She finished drying her hands, looked in the mirror, gave me a quick once over, I thought she was about to say no, then she said “mmm, yes.”

-from our fabulous reader, Yuki Evoy

Fashion Payola takes many forms:

There are the actresses paid by designers on the red carpet, the musicians whose tours have an unofficial sponsor, celebrity “guest designers” attaching to a line.

And then there’s the straight up product placement, as masterfully demonstrated this month by Victoria’s Secret.

This week’s Entourage episode has a birthday party for Adrian Grenier sponsored by the flirty bra brand, with Alessandra Ambrosio helping him blow out the cake candles.

Also new this week is the Halle Berry movie Perfect Stranger, which takes place in an ad agency. The big client is V.S.; Heidi Klum has a guest role as herself.

Maybe the Geico cavemen won’t get their own sitcom, but we bet the Victoria’s Secret Angels are totally working on it…

Time Style & Design is ready to ask the big question, “What’s Next?” in its new issue, celebrated by an interview between editor Kate Betts and style critic Karl Treacy on The J.C. Report.

While Kate discusses the overall arc of the magazine, we’re a little more interested in its findings: At least with the glimpses we’ve seen, “What’s Next” is… a return to minimalism as presented by Thom Browne… A switch-out of diamonds with sapphires to mend political unease with the stones… Coco Rocha, photographed so many times in those gold Balenciaga leggings that they fuse themselves to her tiny body.

We’d also add…

*an increased obsession with The Bubble shape that corresponds pretty correctly with the unending war…

*urban street style replacing celebrity style (or subverting it, Cory Kennedy style) as a youth culture influence…

*Chanel Iman on the cover of Teen Vogue, so there.

And if we’re really going to discuss “what’s next,” take a closer look at Karl Treacy after this article. He’s only 25 and he’s already writing for The International Herald Tribune with Suzy Menkes… big things from this one…

Also, obviously: What do you think is next?

Gawker Emily is not going to hell, but she may be going to the Reading Festival very soon - at least if her newfound curiosity in Trilby hats is to be believed.

Last week, she emailed us asking, “What’s up with the Pete Doherty hat?”

So began an odyssey that left us sitting in 7A, ticking fifteen Trilbies through the windows during Sunday brunch. We flipped through US Weekly and realized that Joel Madden, the Good Charlotte rocker, may be America’s foremost champion of the Trilby - aside from the tattoos, it’s the only thing he seems to wear constantly. And then there’s Pete Doherty, whose hat may as well be glued to his moppy hair, which somehow looks disgusting and amazing all at once.

Eventually obsessed with the Trilby, we sought Men’s Vogue’s elegantly wicked Stephen Watson, the happily terrifying Nick Sullivan of Esquire, and fashion oracle Josh Madden (who also styles Good Charlotte) for the expert take on the Trilby…

If anything can bring black nail polish back from the undead, it’s the Louboutin Manicure that we spotted on All Lacquered Up.

Invented by Grazia magazine - which is actually British, despite it’s Italian name - the manicure combines black polish on the top of your nails with red polish underneath. The effect mimics the most common Christian Louboutin heels, all of which have black leather and scarlet soles.

The downside of this manicure:

It only works with very long nails - and very long, very black nails will look quite Elvira this Spring.

Still, you could always do the manicure with nude nail polish on top and red on the bottom - another common Louboutin combo that’s slightly more subtle and very in-season.

Soon Teen Vogue won’t be the only magazine with a TV show as its secondary line:

Today Fox TV announced a partnership with Hearst to develop entertainment content based on the company’s magazines.

First up is CosmoGirl!, the tween glossy founded by Atoosa Rubenstein, which will produce a web TV series for Cosmogirl.com that follows three best friends in eleventh grade.

The show will air twice a week online, and each episode will be teeny - around 3 minutes. And unlike The Hills, this isn’t quite reality TV - the stars of the series will be young actors, and their storylines will come directly from emails sent to CosmoGirl! by their readers.

Still, we really hope one of these girls has a magazine internship, or at least an intense interest in our favorite of the magazine’s features, “Kiss Or Dis,” as seen above.

The London Times has an insane article written by Kate Spicer, who starved herself down to a Size Zero to see how it felt.

She ended up doing some major damage to her body and also her psyche, reporting that even after losing over 20 lbs, she still felt like she could lose more. Maybe the most telling line in the story is this: “Even though my head was a mess my female friends all thought I looked great when I was at my thinnest.”

She goes on to say that if she didn’t have to work, she would consider taking the time and the mental energy she usually uses to write and channel it into her thinness.

Would you?

Get ready for a new Urban Outfitters shipment, which brings to the men’s department some faux House of Holland tees.

Instead of designer names or model catcalls, both of which would be lost on most Urban fans, the shirts will have lyrics from classic rap songs instead.

“But that’s so dumb,” remarked a fashion editor to us this weekend, “Because the whole point of the shirts is that they rhyme.”

Okay, so… SORRY LUDACRIS, BUT I’M A PRISS…?

You guys are way better at this than me… make something up below.

Stella Magazine might have Milla Jovovich on the cover, but our eyes went straight to the two-page feature on Rachel Feinstein.

As the artist gears up for a big London show, she dishes deep on her Marc Jacobs ads, her unwillingness to lose the red lipstick, and how she met her husband, the steadfastly famous John Currin:

“A friend had told Currin that Feinstein looked like the girl who kept appearing in Currin’s paintings. He insisted that Currin go and see her in her exhibition, and Currin eventually agreed.

‘Suddenly, I see this tall, handsome guy walking towards me,’ Feinstein says. ‘I just walked up to him and kissed him on the lips, and that was sort of that. Two weeks later he took me to Paris and asked me to marry him.”

Never have we reached faster for our tube of Retro Rouge…

We saw Hedi Slimane this Friday night at Ruff Club, the Lower East Side party where Kirsten and Lindsay have been spotted before.

Here’s what he said:

Hedi, what are you going to do now?
“There are many things that I am going to do… I cannot give you one exact answer, but there is lots happening.”

Sneaky!
“Sorry.”

Okay, well tell me this: will I be able to wear your clothes in the future?
“I think you will be able to find something you like, yes.”

We love Hedi and we know whatever he does will be amazing.

Especially if it’s 50% off and in a size four, s’il vous plait.

WHICH editor lost an assistant because of her raging emails? When the editor CC’d other magazine employees on an abusive tirade, the assistant was quietly paid out in exchange for the tolerance and kindness she showed her undeserving boss.

Frillr has a bizarre link to The Fashion Spot, where a sorely thinned image of May’s Vogue is under heated debate.

The cover photo is actually a fold-out featuring “The World’s Next Top Models,” including Lily Donaldson, Doutzen, Coco, and Agyness.

While some Fashion Spot critics are calling foul at Chanel Iman’s placement behind the cover fold, we think that’s perfectly appropriate considering the fact that Chanel is just sixteen, has only walked two seasons, and - excuse us - is posing next to Jessica Stam.

What is puzzling: The absence of Lily Cole and Russian bombshell Tanya D, whose first YSL campaign came at fourteen and who is, quite possibly, so gorgeous she’s from another galaxy.

As for missing Gemma Ward, well, she was already on the cover of Vogue three years ago with Gisele and the Big Girls. At the time she was the youngest person ever to land on a Vogue cover, but now Chanel Iman may have her beat.

We’ll call the Vogue office tomorrow and see if we can obtain a better cover image. Meanwhile, check out our favorite FashionSpot graphic from the post below.

Apologies for two Top Model posts so close together, but perhaps this shouldn’t wait (and perhaps, like me, you are watching a Top Model marathon on VH1 right now instead of going to the gym):

Wikipedia has a thorough catalogue of Top Model trivia and contestants that goes all the way through this season.

Their chart includes the winners and runner ups of each show, and for Cycle 8, we learn that - allegedly - the big modeling trip is to Australia.

The site also pins Dionne as the winner and Jael as the runner up… which is enough of a shocker for us to think that Wikipedia is lies, all lies…

Update: Wikipedia wimps out, changes the entry so the winner and runner up are now unlisted. To be continued…

Kate and Pete may be style icons, but some of their bad habits won’t take the fashion crowd.

Example: Saturday night at MisShapes, when experimental rocker Patrick Wolf stopped his performance cold when he caught his drummer shooting drugs.

“That’s wrong, I’m paying you a wage!” exclaimed Patrick, and the drummer was promptly booted from the club, with huge cheers from the audience (plus a lot of texting and “omigod”s).

The show, and the party, then raged until morning. In the crowd - unbelievably dressed, we thought - we counted a Vogue editor, a Bazaar editor, three fashion designers, and our favorite girl from YSL, who slipped out just after 3 am.

We also saw a Giles dress, some Herchkovich, a Dior snap bracelet, and seven Henry Holland t-shirts - but none of the ones that say “Dare To Keep Kids Off Drugs.” We would have loved that.