We’ve been not-so-secretly loving the recent marriage between fashion and video games, and now Vogue UK just added another one to the list:

Alice McCall and Atari.

Miss McCall’s next line for Topshop will be heavily inspired by Atari, the evidence coming through mostly in the prints.

The line will be available come September 25th, and we’ve already marked it on our calendars, because if we can score a minidress with Space Invaders on the skirt, we’re going to buy one to wear out, and another to frame.

Nobody can wait until the Valentino documentary, Valentino: The Last Emperor, finally hits screens.

So here’s something fun to hold you over:

Some pictures of yesterday’s premier of the movie in Venice, courtesy of our friend, CB.

Please enjoy them.

(And we fully recommend viewing them while play a word association game. Like, if you think “Valentino” you think…)

xo

Between flipping through Fashion Rocks wondering how/why Justin Timberlake got the cover and seeing Rihanna’s face on every other page, I was was overcome by a “fatal attraction to cuteness.”

That cuteness was Siri sporting rubber toys on her head in the most fun fragrance ads since Juicy and Moschino. And the fatal part? Well, my friends (and you guys) might kill me for wearing this in public…

What you’ll need:

- An elastic headband, 2 for $3 at H&M
- Needle, Thread, Scissors
- Rubber ball toys (not sure what to call these, but they were in a clearance bin at Kinko’s and Party City probably has them too.)
- Flair: flowers, sequins, bows, and buttons, to your heart’s content
- Gwen’s Love. Angel. Music. Baby. album (troop of pet backup dancers optional)
- A sense of humor

All you need to do is sew on the balls & other flair. Not that hard.

Dare you to wear it out - take pictures!

—JAZZI McGILBERT

Even though we write and build a website, we’re not the most technologically advanced group.

We’ve been having a hard time wrapping our minds around Twitter - more than one person has tried to explain it but it still just sounds like one more way to stalk and we don’t think there should be anymore ways to keep tabs on someone you haven’t spoken to since high school.

However, MAC will be “Twittering,” or is it “Tweeting,” backstage from over 175 shows from New York through to Paris.

“For the first time, our MAC Senior Artist Team can give instant, detailed insight into what happens backstage, all in real-time,” said a rep.

This means constant model updates, make-up tips, action shots and the most inside scoop you’ll probably ever get unless you plan on walking the Prada runway anytime soon.

You can subscribe to the Twitter widget, whatever that means, on MAC’s Facebook page. Come to think of it, this could actually be useful if you are in fact trying to stalk Coco, no?

Someone at WWD got to do a very fun project.

Apparently, since September is indeed the start of the “magazine New Year” like GQ’s Jim Nelson says, a handful of editors have re-vamped their mini pictures on the Letter from the Editor page.

Men’s Vogue Editor Jay Fielden went from a boyish black and white shot of his face to a Graydon Carter like pose with a purple tie. Glamour’s Cindi Leive went from soccer mom to supermodel in Prada. Jim Nelson looks about ten years younger in his newer, not Terry Richardson, close up. Unlike Fielden, he eschewed make-up because, “Whenever I wear makeup, I look like Wink Martindale.”

We think all the editors should get together, maybe Carine could swing over here too, with stylists on hand and knock down Anna’s door for a total make-over spearheaded by Isaac Mizrahi.

On another note, we suddenly miss Jane’s make-unders.

“Life is not a fashion show.” - Karl “I-lost-200-pounds-to-wear-suits-by-Hedi-Slimane” Lagerfeld in Elle UK.

One of the best show’s during Fall 08 Fashion Week was Shalom Harlow’s Earth Pledge. The supermodel culled together the cream of the designer and model crop to show off a series of stunning, eco-friendly outfits.

This year’s Fashion-Cares-About-The-Environment event will take place at the Museum of Natural History on September 4th. The Angela Lindvall hosted runway show doubles as the launch of the Be Eco-Chic campaign.

Donna Karan, Ralph Rucci and Vena Cava are a few of the designer’s showing looks modeled by Alek Wek, Lauren Hutton, Alexandra Richards, Patti Hansen and “a smattering of TV stars” according to WWD.

Everyone should show at museums - they really make the best venues - but we will miss Shalom.

>My parents live in Doha, Qatar.

They’ve been there about a year and I’ve yet to visit them. But I’m planning a trip for Christmas and agreed to go when my Dad assured me it’ll be warm enough in mid-December for my sister and I to lie on a beach/by the pool for almost two weeks.

My mom sent me a link to some bathing suits she’d recommend for the trip. I picked my favorite - it’s on the left.

She’s joking of course - not only would I never wear it, she’d never let me - but I thought you guys might enjoy a peek into something fashion-y and not New York centric. And the best part is that the model’s actually incredibly gorgeous. Why bother using such an attractive woman if you’re just going to cover her up? You’d think a 1920’s Gatsby-esque suit would suffice.

Sometimes, in the midst of all our Would You Wear crop tops/ripped tights/bras as shirts, I forget about all of the international states of “fashion” and it takes a reality check from my Californian-living-overseas Mom to remind me that not everyone runs around half naked.

Yes, this is totally random, but I just had to share these suits with someone, and I knew only you guys would care.

Pop quiz:

What are Erin Fetherston and LU Biscuits (you know, the little crackers with chocolate boys on them) working on?

We just got word that they’re announcing a collaboration on the morning of the 9th (four days after Erin shows at the Tents, oddly) and we’re dying to know exactly what this means.

A chocolate and butter-colored accessories collection? Little edible Erins? Free biscuits with every purchase?

If she makes a dress out of them, we’ll never get over it. Of course, stay tuned for the answer on the morning of the 9th…

Recently, I’ve been thinking about the way I used to dress.

A few years ago, my look consisted of J.Crew oxfords, Lacoste polos, Top-Siders, seersucker and bleeding madras, and I was perfectly content. But then I came to New York, found myself surrounded by hipsters and cool kids, and had my first fashion identity crisis.

At first, it seemed just fine to go to Brooklyn in penny loafers or the LES in my funny Ralph Lauren cardigans, but as time went on, I decided my look needed to change. I can pinpoint the exact moment: a Rag & Bone sample sale, where I tried on a certain black jacket that made my friend tell me I looked like Pony Boy from The Outsiders. And just like that, it happened.

I was hooked. Suddenly, skinny pants seemed oddly apropos, and Top-Siders could infer irony, rather than preparedness for a yacht. I discovered Cheap Mondays, and down the rabbit hole I went. It was part announcing that I’d moved, part excuse to buy all new stuff, but looking back, I realize I just wanted to dress myself as the new person I knew I was becoming. (I think this may be what happens to girls, when suddenly, at fifteen, they enter hardcore eyeliner years until college.)

It wasn’t until I visited home again that my new clothes seemed like interlopers in my arch-WASP closet. I had spent most of the year trying to reconcile the two aesthetics, until I realized that all I really wanted was to climb into my chinos and be me again.

And so I did. I left my Pony Boy jacket at home, with the Marc Jacobs sweatshirt I just had to have. And now, I feel comfortable enough to say, I’m not cool, and I don’t need to be.

Guess I just needed a fashion crisis to figure it out, though I’ll save my Rag & Bone jacket forever, like baby shoes .

—BRETT KANE

You know how sometimes you get to a show, and whichever celebrity’s kind of front row-ing for that designer is already wearing a dress that still hasn’t even come down the runway yet?

Well, GenArt and YOOX are going to make it so we can all do the same (sort of, anyway.)

The day after their twelve emerging designers show at the Grand Ballroom on the 4th, fifteen pieces from each designer will be available for purchase on YOOX.com, in five different sizes per piece.

This year’s GenArt show will include runway presentations by JF & Son, Ideeen, Sariah, Lialia (left), Richard Ruiz, Chree, Hyden Yoo, Philip Sparks, Antoinette Lee Designs, Deka Ray, Heutchy and TNC Studio.

And if these names mean nothing to you, just keep in mind that it wasn’t too long ago that the list would have included names like Zac Posen, Phillip Lim, Eugenia Kim, Milly and Sari Gueron.

See you at the Ballroom.

If you’re an avid Fashionista reader, you’ll have noticed that once in a blue moon, our server crashes.

Those moments are usually punctuated with an “Oh, Shit” and a race to the TV to play Nintendo. So when an invite arrived combining our two loves - Nintendo and fashion - we kind of jumped for joy.

Nintendo DS is hosting a day spa at the Bryant Park hotel from September 9th through 11th which means people from Sephora will be on hand for hair styling, make-overs, and the best part - lash applications.

We made our appointment after Rogan but before Cynthia Rowley so we’ll look refreshed at Zac Posen five hours later.

Hopefully there’s lots of espresso, and maybe some Mario, on hand, too. We’re exhausted already.

J. Lindeberg, sweater brand of choice for Brad Pitt and Interview, will soon be much more available stateside.

They announced this morning that they’re moving some of their operation to America in order to focus on customers here, which will be done entirely through People’s Liberation and William Rast.

We fully expect both a Fifth Ave flagship and a knit sweater vest on Justin Timberlake, maybe even at Fashion Rocks next week.

“He ladles out encouragement to aspiring designers like chicken soup, occasionally seasoning his homey brew with a stinging put-down.” —Ruth LaFerla on Michael Kors in The New York Times.

Wilhelmina announced this morning that they’re going public.

When private companies decide to go public, it usually means that they need to raise some cash, either because they have some nagging debts, or because they just want to have the capital to expand.

We’re curious to see what, if anything, comes from this. Wilhelmina hasn’t really been relevant in terms of fashion models for a while, at least not in comparison to major players like IMG and Women. Though WIlhelmina helped launch the career of Lauren Hutton, their roster of clients right now is headlined by Fergie, Brandy, and Natasha Bedingfield.

Maybe they’re raising money to steal away some of the girls on Model.com’s Top 50 - because, as of right now, Wilhelmina is entirely absent.

We sincerely wish we were any of the young children who’ll surely be forced on a field trip to the British Museum this fall.

Why? Because as of today, the museum’s Nereid Gallery includes another version of Marc Quinn’s yoga-pose sculptures of Kate, and this time, it’s made entirely of gold.

Marc, like us, considers Kate to be the Sphinx of today, so naturally, making the first purely gold statue since the time of ancient Egypt, with Kate as subject, makes total sense.

British school children, rejoice. This is a hell of a chance for some great field trip pictures!

Standing in the “lobby” of the Bryant Park tents during Fashion Week means being pelted with copies of WWD and Fashion Week Daily while buying ‘wichcraft sandwiches, coffee from an awkward sponsor and dodging street style bloggers.

But if you’re looking for more intelligent pursuits in the ten minutes between Herve and DVF you can swing by the CFDA’s health booth. Among all the crazy ideas we’ve heard about monitoring the industry’s skinniness - this might be the most rational.

At Diane’s behest, the CFDA’s teaming up with the Renfrew Cetner, an eating disorder treatment facility, “to answer specific questions, provide referrals and basically perform overall outreach to any person who might be interested in treatment or may be worried about someone they are working with,” said Steven Kolb.

It could work - even we need a reminder to eat during Fashion Week. And we never forget to eat.

Pretty much every day this week, we’ve received e-mails from readers asking how to get into Fashion Week.

The sad truth is, you pretty much can’t go unless you’re invited.

But, we did just come across this: a concierge company called In the Know Experiences swears they can get anybody into any show - as long as you pay up.

We don’t think it would be nearly as fun as crashing (maybe we’ll DIY that one), but hey, now you know.

So.

There was a rumor that MGMT would play at the Prada party, and we’ve since heard rumors that it wasn’t true. We were crushed - who doesn’t want to hop around to Time to Pretend, gift bag in hand?

But don’t fret - looks like everybody just got their P’s mixed up in all their Q’s (oh, we just couldn’t help it.)

MGMT’s making a special performance at the Prps show on the 10th, just after 8pm.

Phew, and see you there.

You know those awkward eHarmony, or are they match.com, commercials where really pretty people with sexy voices talk to the camera like they can’t wait to take it home and you don’t for a second believe those people are looking for on-line dates?

That’s what we thought of when we watched this super cute video with Chris Benz and Elettra Wiedemann. They giggle while talking about when they met on his infamous stoop and how their relationship blossomed over glasses of wine and brightly colored clothes.

And daily access to a photo booth? That’s kind of our dream.

It’s been a few months since we went crazy for the Rogan for Target goods at Barneys, but thanks to the clearance sale on Target’s site, we’re ready for Round Two -

We don’t remember seeing the linen and cotton racerback tank at left, but we definitely see it fitting perfectly into our layering plans for Fall.

It’s $4.24, like a lot of the Rogan items, which we’re pretty sure means we don’t have to explain our reasoning any further.

Happy shopping.

“I’m doing this to talk to you, to seduce you, and to make you feel what is, on the one hand, my personal projection of myself and, on the other, my visual aesthetic sensibility about looking at you with a certain skill and experience to suggest how you can respect or enhance your personality to make yourself even more beautiful.” —Stefano Pilati in Interview.

It’s no secret that Alexander Wang’s Fall 08 collection is one of our biggest inspirations for our upcoming Fall wardrobes. Lucky for us, his specific mix of masculinity and femme fatale was echoed at the Burberry, Max Mara and Rick Owens shows, too.

Nothing says serious Fall fashion like a looming darkness and strength - and we’re glad the designers are in on it, too.

So pull out your boyfriend blazer and borrow his beenie hat, with your hair pulled down of course - and what could be sexier than that?

—LEAH MELTZER

Exactly eight days from now, the madness of Fashion Week technically begins, and so does the beginning of trolling around town in heels and a too-small purse.

So we were kind of happy to read that Cole Haan has us in mind, and is sponsoring a week of free cabs around the city to remind everyone that it’s their 80th birthday on the 5th.

So if you find yourself needing to get across town and with only $3 in your possession, look for the cabs that say “Lucky You” along the side, and enjoy the free ride. Maybe you’ll end up sharing one with Tanya D.

Lately, there are a lot of invites to events flying around that make us go, “huh?” And sometimes, they actually make us go “ew”:

ELLE’s sponsoring a Fashion Week show at the Metropolitan Pavilion on the 9th. The show’s being “curated” by LA boutique Dash, the children’s boutique Smooch, and the whole thing’s being hosted by Khloe Kardashian, to no doubt be filmed for her family’s reality show.

The event’s the same date as the second episode of Stylista, at 10am.

But somehow, we expect Anne Slowey to be at Badgley Mischka instead.

The Bumble and Bumble space on West 13th is one of our favorite venues for the shows.

There’s good light, you can take pictures from several different points, and we love when the out-of-work model waiters serve us fat little macaroons before and after.

So it comes as no surprise that it’s kind of the place to show this season. Their roster of designers: Ohne Titel (for a third time, a Bumble first), Catherine Holstein (doing her first real runway show there), Staerk, Jeremy Laing, Vicente Villarin, Koi Suwannagate, Liz McClean and Victoria Bartlett.

The Bumble people have a way of picking out the next successful designers to show at their space. Not to mention, if you actually have time to kill between shows, you may as well be in the West Village.

Just in case you weren’t sure whether or not you believe modeling is an actual job, let alone hard physical labor, along comes Kate Moss contorting, twisting and sweating her way through a Turkish bath.

The video, of her Mert and Marcus-shot spread for W, makes us want to hop on a plane, drape ourselves in coins and have water thrown all over us by lowly assistants.

Of course, we still wouldn’t look like Kate.

But we could close our eyes and pretend.

For too long, zippers have been hidden amidst layers of fabric, disguised in neutral colors - the point being, you don’t see them. But not so this Fall; finally, zippers are having their moment!

And, really, we couldn’t be more ecstatic - nothing toughens up a tight dress like a metal zipper ripping through the middle, like this sweet Vena Cava. And à la Wang, a prominent zipper on a pair of pants adds interest and street cred (bonus points if they’re leather). Of course, zippers on jackets are nothing new but what is, is their unabashed silver teeth (as opposed to discreet black), their extra length, and prominence.

And hey, it’s easier than buttons.

—HAYLEY PHELAN

When we got the clear plastic cover for our September Vogue in the mail recently, we thought, “what are we going to do with this?”

And then it hit us - if we were still in school, this would make the perfect book cover for a huge Geometry (or Chemistry, World History, Earth Science) text book!

Step 1: Unlock the little briefcase, and slide out the mammoth Vogue.

Step 2: Insert your super heavy textbook, making sure the covers are secure under the plastic flaps.

Step 3: Optional - Decorate the plastic cover with stickers or clippings. We suggest Lisa Frank, or clippings from the original September Vogue, for posterity.

Step 4: Be prepared for major compliments upon the first day of class, and to get all your money back when you resell your textbook to the school store.

So much cooler than brown paper bag, no?

The first thing of note is that Tory Burch made a print without using her logo.

The second thing is, Old Navy ripped it off.

And it’s not really that cute.

Tory covered half her Spring 07 line with rainbow colored butterflies - shirts, bags, dresses, even flip-flops - and almost a year later, Old Navy followed suit.

Their butterflies are a little paler, a little more spread out and just on a dress and top - literally watered down. Though the shape of their dress is infinitely more flattering than the shape of Tory’s top.

But the real question is, butterflies? Seriously?

Fournier, the PR firm specializing in luxury European beauty brands, needs Fall interns.

You’ll be responsible for press kit preparation, event planning, maintaining clip files, client interaction and administrative functions. Interns will also get to assist in strategic planning of new product launches.

But to get to do all that, you need to have amazing computer and phone skills and be available for at least three days a week.

You don’t have to be in school, but they will give you credit if you are.

And obviously, you have to have a serious love of beauty products.

E-mail your resume and cover letter to kimberly@fourniercommunications.com.

To: Tips@Fashionista.com

From: AllAbout@TheModels.com

First, I saw Stam (!!!!!!) this afternoon at 12th and 3rd Ave with a boy on a bike, looking cute as a button as usual.

Ten minutes later, took the train to Soho and saw Erin Wasson on Broadway crossing over towards Opening Ceremony (just a few blocks from Alex Wang’s showroom).

An hour later, Cintia Dicker was in workout clothes with someone that appeared to be her boyfriend in my local Union Square Whole Foods. She was really sweet - I asked if I could take a picture of her and she said of course, but then the staff at Whole Foods started bitching as I took out my camera and said that I couldn’t take pictures there! Still, she might be the most gorgeous model in person I’ve ever seen.

I swear I didn’t schedule in all of this model-scouting; basically the best day ever, and I didn’t even have to run around any tents!

xo

Here’s some food for thought in light of the ongoing outrage over models’ ages -

Do you remember those Calvin Klein ads from the early 90’s? Yeah? Remember how there was something a little creepy about them, like if Dov Charney had a camcorder set up in his basement?

Well, check out these CK clips (which were eventually banned for being “too offensive”), including a slightly squeaky-voiced Bijou Phillips.

In case you’re wondering, Bijou was born in 1980.

—LEAH MELTZER

Michael Roberts, style director of Vanity Fair and style contributor to everywhere else, is having his first proper exhibition at Mark Seliger’s 401 Gallery.

Though he’s best known for his work within the fashion industry, this will be a display of twenty years worth of photographs taken from his time in Sicily. Though there are sure to editorial like shots, the exhibition, titled “Shot in Sicily” focuses on the landscapes, people and traditions of the island.

And the best part is, it’s open to the public starting September 10th. So if you’re anticipating fashion week but can’t score a ticket to your favorite show or the Calvin Klein party, go meet Michael Roberts late in the evening of the 10th - the event is from 10am to 6pm.

That should be a pretty sufficient fashion fix.

—PICTURE BY MICHAEL ROBERTS

If you’re still looking for some seriously pretty dresses to get you through fashion week, we suggest heading to Temperley’s sample sale tomorrow.

The British designer’s girly, fancy, perfect-with-flats pieces will be marked down up to 70% off which means $1,000 dresses can be yours for $300. Or you could snag the Milla coat at left for $500 and make us a bit jealous.

The sale takes place at her Soho store (so you can browse Fall too) - 453 Broome Street at Mercer - from 8am to 8pm starting Wednesday. It continues from 11:30 to 7 through Sunday, though we’d highly suggest getting there earlier rather than later.

And that should just about perfect your sample sale wardrobe.

We never listen to the radio, not even during those rare times we’re in a car, but we think we’ll have to at least start listening to online radio come Fashion Week -

Kelly Mills (right), of Black % White PR, has started her own hour-long fashion/comedy radio show called Fashionably Yours.

Each Monday night, starting September 8th, she and Mari J. Brooklyn (left) will broadcast live from DUMBO, when their show will be available for download on PNC Radio.

The shows will include great guests in fashion, the lineup filled with fashion figures like Andre J and apparently Martin Margiela is mentioned more times than we mention F21 - in fact, we think they should try super, super hard to get him on the show. Maybe they could give him his own slot, like Fireside Chats.

What else can we call this but the perfect nightcap to Gossip Girl?

When we heard British style icon Peaches Geldof married that guy who sings that song about Jimmy Choos, our first though was “Woah”.

Then we wondered what she’d do when she got here. She could just spend her days looking pretty until she’s as famous here as she is in London, but she’s kind of too cool for that. We thought she might get a reality show, pen a gossip column in the vein of Lydia Hearst, or maybe design a line for Urban. But we can’t believe we never guessed she’d be the new host of Nylon TV.

She’s partnered with Cory Kennedy to host the 90210 feature in honor of the Nylon’s first ever TV issue. You get to see the cover shoot full of ridiculously lacy outfits and a sneak peek of that much anticipated Tilly and the Wall appearance. We’re still not convinced it’ll be as good as Gossip Girl, but we’re willing to give it a shot because of those sequined leggings we spotted.

Oh, and we learn how Peaches really feels about Tori Spelling.

Jane Mayle isn’t the only ’90s upstart shuttering:

Hard Candy will also slim down by next season, selling only its gift sets and liquidating everything else, including the iconic pastel polishes that made the brand famous, thanks mostly to Clueless and MTV.

The good news in all this is that they’re liquidating their inventory, so you can get tons of makeup for under $5.

The bad news is you’ll never be able to pass on the joy of overpriced and juvenile, but amazing, nail lacquer to your daughter once she hits middle school.

Get it while you can.

To: Britt@fashionista.com

From: sandra@iheartvintage.com

Hello Fashionista ladies!

I write debutanteclothing.com, a blog about vintage clothing and runway style. I wanted to fill you in on a juicy bit of copyright infringement.

I found an exact replica of Anna Sui’s beaded bag she showed for Fall 08, only this bag is the original vintage inspiration. Though “inspiration” is quite generous since the bag Sasha carried down the runway is exactly the same as the vintage original - no thinly veiled changes, nothing!

I actually know the original owner of the bag and wasn’t surprised to learn the vintage piece was purchased by one of Sui’s assistants. I’ve tried emailing Sui’s studio to find out if the original bag was used for styling, runway inspiration or if it’s actually been put into production. No word yet - but i’ll keep you posted!

Best,
Sandra

Harvey Nichols just got a little cuter. The departments stores eschewed Darias, Sashas and Aggys, in favor of some very cute and quirky celebs - made of plasticine, naturally.

The new campaign features Wallace, Gromit and even Lady Campanula Tottingham decked out in designer duds - they look pretty awesome. Sure, Lady Tottingham could stand to get her teeth fixed and Wallace might want to reconsider the glasses-perched-on-bald-head look, but over all the clay trio looks quite chic.

Who knew that Alexander McQueen could look so good on a plasticine body? (Well, Britt knew of course).

Maybe this could lead to a whole new career for the clay made cartoons - we could totally see Juergen Teller shooting Lady Campanula Tottington in some Viv Westwood ads. And wouldn’t Wallace look adorable posing in a pair of Calvins? Watch out Beckham.

— HAYLEY PHELAN

We’ve been on a bauble spree this season. From the Operation-inspired Missoni necklace to the huge gems at Vuitton - we’re sort of obsessed.

But we’re not really sure sure how to wear these ornate pieces without looking like Mr. T gone couture or without approaching the out of the question four figure price range.

So when we came across this pretty amazing ring while browsing the new Gap/ Banana Republic / Old Navy / Piperlime website, we kind of fell in love.

It’s $9.50 and the navy and gold color combination could come across as classically royal or a bit nautical, depending on what you wear with it.

So the best part is, when you change from your denim cut-offs into your favorite party dress, your jewelry can stay the same. Oh, who are we kidding - a cool, not-too-big statement ring for under $10? That definitely makes the day.

—ALEXANDRA BEN-GURION

“To our mind the work of a fashion designer is so different from that of an artist! We usually work in a necessarily more collaborative manner. We present our work twice a year, using the same medium, respecting the same human form, within an industrial framework, using industrial means of production, and having our work translated through the chain of distribution for our work.” — Maison Martin Margiela, on why fashion is not an art form in the new Interview

—PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEREMY KOST

If you can spot a Scott Schuman photograph from across the room, and really like cats, we think we’ve found the perfect Monday morning distraction for you -

The Catorialist.

At left, the Deconstructed Coat.

Just a few posts earlier, a similar-looking cat was shot at Kitty Uomo.

Need we say more?

The New Yorker is putting out a Style Issue this week, on newsstands today for September 1st, and they’ve put together a nice little issue we’ve had the privilege to glimpse.

In it, you can expect a meditation on shoes, a news piece on new ways shoplifters’ are being caught, and a seven-page profile on Marc by Ariel Levy, including a picture of him in his exceptionally brief undies.

Since show and tell was always our favorite part of class, we thought we’d share a few bits. Click through the jump to enjoy - it’s Monday!

J.Crew really wants you to buy their jewelry.

The company’s been loving change lately, from their mens-only store to $200 jeans, and now a brand new catalogue devoted entirely to accessories.

They’ve changed the format and chosen to print on recycled newspaper. And fancy new paper means fancy new contents - Italian leather wallets, freshwater pearls, vintage Rolexes.

Creative Director Jenna Lyons told WWD, “Because we mail catalogues so often, thirteen a year, we felt it was time for something a little more arresting.”

We agree - J.Crew could really use some spice, especially with the price tags on their Fall collection. But changing the dimensions of the paper and throwing gold beads over a cashmere t-shirt might not be the most “arresting” approach.

And how about no catalogues at all? Because seriously, thirteen every year? Recycled paper or not, that’s like thirteen too many if you have a website.

Is American Apparel expanding into shoes?

If this ad for AA looking for people with shoe manufacturing experience on Boston’s Craigslist is to be believed, it looks like we can all expect wannabe Keds and Pumas from them sometime soon.

Inexpensive, American-made shoes doesn’t sound like a bad idea, but the foot fetish ads that’ll surely hover over Houston?

Well, that’s probably for a whole different site…

Fact: Dictionary.com says that a magazine is usually bound in paper.

Fact: Esquire thinks that sucks.

So their upcoming September issue, which celebrates their 75th year, is going to be a little different - that is, the cover’s going to be electronic.

No word on exactly what it’ll look like yet, but the digital cover will comes with its own battery pack, so we’re imagining something like those hologram folders from school, except the image will move on its own.

They’re only making 100,000 copies of the edition with the digital cover, so you might have to scramble to get one.

On an only somewhat related note, wouldn’t it be so funny if Vogue did one with Caroline actually jumping? Yes.

—ALEXANDRA BEN-GURION

Cheyenne, Make-up artist

Got Her: At Broadway and Prince.

Stalked Her: Because ever since we saw Gucci’s Fall 08 collection, we’ve been on the lookout for cool gypsy inspired pieces. This hippie chick’s blouse definitely fits the bill. Plus who doesn’t want to channel Penny Lane every once in awhile?

Shot Her: Because her top looks comfortable and breezy now, but will translate perfectly into fall when paired with black skinny jeans and boots. Her short shorts and slight wedge keep the billowy look flattering. And while we usually stay away from a matching purse/shoe combo, it actually pulls the look together in this case.

She says: “I bought my blouse in Brooklyn. It’s vintage.”

We say: Cool. Just don’t call her Lady Goodman.

—HAYLEY PHELAN

Walking on Madison Ave. the other day, post-Rhinelander visit, I overheard a princess of the Park Avenue variety espousing her distaste for gray.

She didn’t like it, didn’t wear it, didn’t get it. Needless to say, I was kind of freaked out by her fervor.

Banishing a color from your wardrobe indefinitely; really?

Obviously, there’s the classic New Yorker cliché - an aversion to color and a preference for black a la Delia Deetz. But even then, it’s more about convenience: black always goes with black.

But living life without the full color spectrum can’t be fun. Building a wardrobe without a color would be like building a person without a kidney or a liver. Especially a shade as inoffensive as gray, which to me is the perfect foil to something really crazy like chartreuse.

I’m wondering, have you given up a color after a bad experience? Did a school dance gone awry in lavender put you off pale purple for life? Or did your mother dress you in pink poufy dresses for the duration of your childhood, causing you to live in anonymous Yohji now?

—BRETT KANE

As we all know, even people you love can make mistakes. And unfortunately this is one of those situations. We tried to be understanding. We tried to be compassionate. But seriously, Topshop, what were you thinking with this hat?

Is it for an as-of-yet-unannounced Halloween line? Or perhaps some sort of joke we don’t understand. You, yourself, even describe it as a “clown hat;” but frankly, Topshop, we aren’t laughing. We don’t appreciate your attempt at haute clown apparel because lets face it - this looks like a pointy white felt cap with pom-poms slapped on the side. We can’t imagine anyone, clown or not, who would want to spend $30 on this.

But even this inexplicable misstep couldn’t dissuade our love for you, Topshop, so we forgive you. And we’re still beyond excited for you to open your doors in New York this October, just do us a favor and don’t sell your clown hats there.

xo

—HAYLEY PHELAN

You guys have a soft spot for knock-offs when the designer being copied doesn’t enjoy the world dominance of say, Marc - so this should get you riled up.

Steve Madden’s ripped off Loeffler Randall’s Bianca Flat just a year after ripping off their beloved Kit boot.

The Brooklyn label made the slightly wedged, pointed toe flat last season in patent, snake skin and a sandal version.

It’s available for pre-order on Steve Madden’s site now. He threw in a few more ruffles on top of the toe and made it in a couple of extra colors - but we’re on to him.

Also, does Steve Madden really get away with selling $200 dollar shoes under the Steve Madden label? And, do people really pre-order them?

Here’s the second episode of VogueTV’s Model Live.

It tracks Cato’s last days at home in Holland before taking off for New York Fashion week (though we’re betting that’s not really her plane in the sky since we still have a couple of weeks).

Cato’s parents express a natural anxiety about fame and fashion. They acknowledge that yes, their daughter is beautiful and “magical” in front of the camera and pointedly note that a successful modeling career won’t degrade her intellectual qualities. In fact, Cato’s little sister says, “They say that beautiful people are smarter because everything’s symmetrical -even the brain!”

We meet Cato’s boyfriend Simon, too. His standout moment comes when he’s trying to convince himself, and us, that he has nothing to worry about and says, “What happens in the fashion industry? Drugs!”

Simon, relax. Cato, we’ll see you backstage.

“I love dressing Chuck Bass (played by Ed Westwick). I think we’ve worked to make his character dress really well. I want to try and pioneer a movement where straight men dress better.” - Eric Daman, the Gossip Girl stylist, in WWD.

To: Tips@Fashionista.com

From: I@HeartYou.com

Hey!

Did you guys go by the EVA sale yesterday? I got a jacket from Grey Ant for like $150 and a Vivienne Westwood Anglomania dress for $280!

Seriously, everything is like 50 - 75% off. They even carry FORM and Telfar (not as easy to find.)

xo
D

EVA is at 227 Mulberry St, near Prince. Open 11am - 8pm.

Thanks to agency spies for telling us this:

Agyness Deyn is indeed hopping agencies to Women starting this December.

Though DNA will still represent her - and make their commission off her - through this show season, she’s actually slated to appear in Women’s Show Package, which will soon be on COACD, no doubt.

The move follows several high profile jumps in the past few months - Agnete bailing from Ford, Daisy Lowe parting ways with IMG, and Naomi Campbell doing… well, who knows what.

And this news is also good because it confirms one other thing:

Agyness will be walking in the catwalk shows this season! Yay!

So here’s something we heard last night:

Whitney Port is leaving People’s Revolution, probably sometime during Season 4 which just premiered, to do in-house PR for an unnamed designer.

No word on whether she leaves happily or begrudgingly, or whether she takes Lauren with her.

And where is she going? It’s not totally confirmed, but the name Miguelina Gambaccini did come up…

UPDATE: We did a little asking around, and it looks like she’s going to end up at… DVF! Though the DVF press office says they “can’t confirm”…

Fashion Indie heard our pleas!

Remember how we begged New York bars to play Gossip Girl on their big screen TV a la Lost at Professor Thom’s?

Well, this is even better.

Now every Monday night, starting September 1, is Gossip Girl night at the Upper East Side’s Pop Lounge. The show will, of course, play in the background, while Fashion Indie hosts the various guests.

There’ll also be drinks, food, and a different designer who’s been featured on the show each week. And if we’re super lucky, maybe even a Chuck Bass look-a-like.

But please, leave your bows and headbands at home. Even we’re over it.

Megan, native Australian, Fashion Stylist

Got Her: Chatting with a friend on Mulberry St. in front of Ruby’s (how Aussie appropriate)

Stalked Her: Because she was swimming in layers…in the best way possible.

Shot her: Because the dress is a great combo of hippie meets space age, like if Margiela and Erin Fetherston had a baby. Plus, we really love her subtle accessories and sleek bun to balance it out.

She Says: “I had a job interview this morning.”

We Say: Isn’t V in this neighborhood?

—ALEXANDRA BEN-GURION

We just got an email from a pretty distraught reader.

She was on vacation, caved to peer pressure and bought herself a YSL Muse bag. She’d never spent more than $300 on a bag before, but was so swept away by its beauty that she had to have it. She stared at it for two days before taking it entirely out of the dustbag and into the real world. Within two hours, she realized that the leather strip around the signature lock on the front of the bag was peeling off.

She took it back to the store the next day where the same woman who sold her the $1,400 bag proceeded to give her hell. The salesperson demanded the receipt, told her it wasn’t a big deal, ripped the stitch out entirely, asked her if she’d “abused” it and told her that if she liked, she could pay to have it fixed.

Eventually, it did get fixed. But we’ve noticed, or heard, more and more people complaining about the quality of accessories from major houses. The focus, profit wise, is now almost entirely on the handbags, the shoes, the scarves etc. - the clothes are just the pretty bonus. But has the super fast, mass production of the accessories led to poorer quality?

Not that that even begins to explain the salesperson - but that’s worth a whole separate post.

“…A duality that could be either girly and pretty or androgynous in an Oliver Twist goes to a Nirvana concert sort of way. But will customers, especially those who look to Gap for jeans and T-shirts, get it?” - Eric Wilson, on Patrick Robinson’s new designs for Gap in The New York Times.

To: tips@Fashionista.com

From: boredintern@pretentiouslitmag.com

Hey guys and gals at Fashionista,

With all this talk over the relationship between magazines and advertisers, especially in the context of Bazaar and Estee Lauder with their new perfume, InStyle is lacking in discretion, too. You guys might want to take a look at the most recent issue with Rihanna.

There’s the Fendi ad with Raquel standing on a block, wearing ankle boots. Those SAME boots are then featured in an article on how to wear the same piece three times, or something like that. Pretty silly to style them only a few pages apart from an ad, leaving readers to think, “didn’t I just see those?”

Just call me boredintern@pretentiouslitmag or something.

There’s always a lot of talk about working people in New York constantly getting phased out. People love to complain about gentrification, but they also love their $19 croque-madame. Consequently, little is ever done.

But Anna Sui is at least trying, and her focus is on the many people who made the Garment District what it is - where to have your clothes made. She’s trying to preserve the Garment District by mobilizing city officials and the CFDA to hopefully change back some zoning laws that make turning your building into luxury loft rentals a little too tempting for city landlords. She hopes that by having as many people as possible wear the t-shirt at left, we’ll all realize that we should do what we can to dedicate at least certain buildings to the garment industry by ensuring that manufacturers can afford their rent.

She hopes the shirt gets circulated at as many shows as possible this coming Fashion Week, and orders for the shirts must be submitted to Thomas Miller at Anna Sui by Friday - they’ll go at $6 each.

We sincerely hope these shirts, with relevant city officials’ contact information printed on the back, wake enough people up to the disappearing rainforest effect taking over New York’s clothes manufacturing. As Sui put it to WWD, “I keep thinking that the enrollment in design schools is up, but where are these kids going to work? Will they go to China?”

Well, Rogan must’ve liked what they saw because now Loomstate is seeking your intern services.

This time, Rogan’s all-organic, mostly denim line needs someone for their sales and marketing department.

Your daily responsibilities will include printing line sheets, keeping the studio organized, running errands, showing up to work on time and a little bit of filing.

But you’ll also be there for market week, which means you’ll be spotting some very important buyers while learning how the sales team works at a laid back but exclusive label like Loomstate.

Send your resume and a cover letter explaining why you want this internship to bm@rogannyc.com.

You get a food and travel stipend and you’ll probably see Rogan every day.

What more could you possibly need?

It’s here.

The new Interview, in all its Kate glory.

So of course, we had to share - though we highly suggest picking it up in person. You can’t really appreciate the cover until you shake it around under lights to make the foil cover do a fun little light dance.

Because we’re so in love with you all, we’ve posted Kate’s entire spread, and her interview with Glenn O’Brien, after the jump. (We skipped the Margiela piece because, really, it was an interview with Maison Martin Margiela, not the private Margiela one-on-one we’d hoped for.)

Click through to learn that Kate loves boobs, hates implants, and actually did, yes, think she was too thin back in the day…

Teen Vogue’s making a book, and it’s all about careers in fashion.

The rough version is due by the end of September, so expect the hardcover sometime after the new year.

It’s set to be a sort of archive of interviews with different people in fashion - designers, photographers, models, editors, etc. and meant to teach young Teen Vogue readers about what it takes to break into the industry.

Even if it doesn’t provide the dirty details of how to get in, it’ll still be a cool anthology of interviews with even cooler people.

The last person TV’s Lauren Waterman questioned for inclusion? Why, Marc, of course.

You know how Fashion Week makes you insane with wanting to shop, but all your money’s going to cabs and coffee, so actually buying clothes is kind of impossible?

Well, Target heard us. And they’ve responded.

On September 11, Target’s opening up four pop-up shops in Manhattan, in Soho, Union Square, the East Village - and Midtown, hopefully within a block of the Tents.

The shops will include Jonathan Saunders’ line just after it comes out, Richard Chai’s, Anya Hindmarch’s bags and Sigerson’s shoes.

And if we can score a cute top for under $20, you’ll probably see us with smiles at some of those 10am appointments.

We almost had a heart attack when the first Fashion Week invite arrived in our mailbox last week.

It can’t be that time, can it?

It is, in fact, almost September, and while we’ve gotten our fair share of heavy cardstock invites, leave it to Band of Outsiders to make us giggle with their white cotton glove.

They get the award for best invite so far, just like last time.

Balmain’s last runway was inspired by Michael Jackson’s glittery socks - is Scott Sternberg taking direction from his infamous glove?

As long as there’s glitter, we don’t care.

Fact: If you’re not in the fashion industry, you probably think most people in it are bitchy.

But, if you are in the fashion industry, you know that while some are, most aren’t, (just like any industry) and a handful are pretty extraordinary.

So meet Nikki. She’s 14 and her mother teaches at Savannah College of Art and Design. She made friends with some of her mother’s students who eventually moved to NYC. And when Nikki was diagnosed with cancer, her New York pen pals flew her up to New York to take fashion obsessed Nikki to the Superhero exhibit at the Met.

The story spread and soon Nikki was touring Marc’s studio, lunching with Andre in Oscar’s showroom, getting her own WWD cover and chilling on the Ugly Betty set.

If you need your faith in humanity restored, read this.

There’s…what do you call them…interns? Those people who work unpaid for “experience”. Well the “intern”…it sounds like a computer part. Hang on, I’ll just ask the intern if she’s a computer part -

“Are you a computer part, intern?”

“Yes…no…yes…no….ChanelFendiArmaniGucci…yes?”

“You just mentioned Gucci and Armani in the same sentence!”

“I’m sorry sir…do I get fired?”

“But you’re not being paid. In my mind that means you’re not really employed here, hmm? Which makes you a stalker of Anna, probably. So really, you’re a stalker of Anna. Is that right?”

“Who? What? Ummm…I think it’s so chic right now”

“Go wash your mouth out, girl. Now. Do it.”

(she runs away)

“With soap!” - Fake Karl’s imaginary conversation with a Vogue intern.

Clearly, everyone’s secretly excited, or at least secretly curious, for the new 90210.

Will they bring back floral minis?

Will Donna wear a choker?

Is Cory Kennedy really in it? (Yes, she is.)

So when a reader sent in a tip that you can still buy 90210 tees on the CBS site, we knew we had to share it with the rest of you.

Insanely, the tee at left would totally work on Jenny Humphrey, wouldn’t it?

The Fashion Department at ELLE needs some serious help - Fashion Week is only 16 days away!

They need someone right away to work 3 - 4 full days per week, and prior magazine or PR experience is preferred.

So please contact them only if you are super serious about organizing tons of clothes, working late to help out since most editors will be out at the shows, and know not to ask stuff like, “Can I leave at 6?”

Send your information to ELLEfashioninternship@gmail.com.

And maybe you can score a spot spying on the Stylista winner, too…

As you may already know, Ryan McGinley shot Daisy Lowe alongside cute boy Liam Wade from Select in a variety of diners, including Florent (R.I.P.)

But what you may not have known already is that the campaign is incredibly adorable.

Click through to check it out - hit Print to add Liam to your wall.

Moa, Visiting from Sweden

Got Her: at Ludlow and Rivington

Stalked Her: Because let’s face it - very few girls can wear knee length gladiators AND a one-shoulder dress and not look like they just walked off the set of 300, but somehow this chick managed to just pull it off.

Shot Her: We love the soft pink color of her dress, which helps to off-set the serious gladiators. Plus her hair kind of makes us want to quote Clueless…

She says: I’m just visiting for a few weeks but I think I want to move here!

We say: She looks like one of those Botticelli chicks. Sorry, we couldn’t resist…

—HAYLEY PHELAN

I actually sat down and read GQ cover to cover this weekend.

1) Because James Franco is on the cover and you know how I feel about who’s on the cover and

2) Because I actually love their editorial content.

But on my way there I started noticing the ads.

Something was off. For example, in the four page Gap campaign, only men are featured. I flipped from Hugh Dancy to Joseph Feinnes without an appearance from Clemence, Julia, or even Liv. It’d be one thing if Gap only put their girls in women’s magazines, but we get boys and girls - so why do the boys only get boys? Oh, and the Sartorialist is definitively missing, (but so is Sean Avery).

Then we have the Tod’s ads. Gwyneth Paltrow is their super hyped, no doubt super expensive face of Fall 08. But while one of the men in the GQ ad version bears a slight resemblance to Chris Martin if you squint and can imagine Chris Martin draping a sweater over his shoulders, Gwyneth is most certainly not present. Though we know from the background that both she and the men are sitting on the same yacht.

Thirdly, and perhaps best, is the Salvatore Ferragamo ad spread. In it, they’ve used the same Claudia Schiffer and the same background from the ads in women’s magazines, but remember that guy who wore tights? Well, in GQ, he gets to wear a proper suit. And Claudia doesn’t look pleased. But there are ballerinas in tutus running around him which adds the ballet element in a different way.

So the the only woman who can sell a product to men is Claudia Schiffer? And definitely not Gwyneth Paltrow? But you can use any hot guy to sell something to women?

Or maybe I should just stop memorizing magazines.

We didn’t realize Siri’s spot as the Harajuku Lover girl meant television commercials, too, but we’re certainly glad it does.

For the record, we think Siri should be forced to moonwalk on a technicolor keyboard every day of the week, but we’re not really sure when/where this would air.

Maybe during Care Bears?

(Is Care Bears still on television?)

So here’s something that shouldn’t shock us, but somehow, totally did:

We were having a nice morning chat with a friend of ours that works at a Louis Vuitton boutique and she said:

“Oh god, I have to help re-tag all the items at the store tomorrow. So annoying.”

Why? Is there a sale?

“No, we’re just upping the prices.”

Why?

“We always do. Like twice a year, we up all the prices by 5%.”

Why?

“I have no idea. Because we can?”

And there you have it.

Hi Blake,

We love your show. And while some in our office might be on Team Blair, we love you, too.

And so we’re kind of worried about you. Have you lost track of where Serena Van Der Woodsen ends and Blake Lively begins?

It’s ok that you’re dating your on-screen boyfriend off-screen, apparently everyone does that, but we’re concerned with your wardrobe. See, Serena’s outfits are ok for TV, (truthfully, sometimes they’re a little much), but they’re not ok for real life. And yet you pile on the accessories and carry the outrageous bags through New York as if you can’t leave GG world.

We love Vena Cava too, but they’re Serena’s favorite brand and there’s really no need for you to wear every single romper they’ve ever made.

And the outfit you wore to the premiere party this weekend, at left, had us super worried until we realized that it was the premier party and you’re probably just getting into character.

You should talk to Sarah Jessica Parker about this, she managed to learn a lot from Pat Field without ever actually dressing like Carrie.

Can’t wait til the 1st!

xo,
F

p.s. “F” always = Fashionista!

Fact: Blood is the New Black makes funny shirts.

Fact: ASOS waits until other people make funny shirts, then pounces.

A New Fact (to us, anyway): ASOS will copy any designer, not just the big ones, including this indie brand - as long as a star wears it.

So when a reader sent in that Blood is the New Black’s Blood Gang shirt was copied, we were a little surprised that ASOS even knew BNB, and that some star wore a shirt by them (anybody know who? Our guess goes to Ashton.) It’s also kind of funny that the copy retails for more than quadruple the price of the original.

But here’s another thought - could the actual Bloods gang claim rights to the design? Might be tough to hold up in court…

I Heart, one of the cutest Mott Street boutiques, needs an intern.

The stats:

It’s unpaid, though Jill, the owner, says she often gives clothes and discount - if you’re good. You need to be able to work about 3 days per week, 3 - 4 hours each time, for September and October.

You will help with showroom appointments, work with stylists, send out e-mails, send out mailers, update lists, and do enough organizing and hands-on tasks with Jill that she promises will result in a thorough understanding of the showroom/retail side of things, provided the intern is willing to learn more than just how to hang up clothes.

Send your information to Jill at info@iheartnyc.com.

And, the lucky winner will be working right next door to us, so we fully expect a thank you in the form of a dress/boots/whatever.

Thanks!

Alongside information that the Narciso Rodriguez company has grown 20% every year except 2008 in today’s WWD, was a much more pleasant piece of info, too:

Narciso’s launching a new fragrance this January.

His only women’s fragrance, Narciso Rodriguez for Her (there’s also a Narciso Rodriguez for Men) will be a tough act to follow - it’s been a favorite, especially among editors, since its launch in 2003, and is widely recognized as the original (and more complex) version of Sarah Jessica Parker’s Lovely.

The new fragrance will also come with a new ad campaign - think he’ll use Carmen again?

Emily Weiss, former Teen Vogue intern and Hills runway girl, now needs an intern of her own. She’s working as a 1st assistant to stylist Katie Mossman (think Numero, Bazaar) and needs a super hardworking (unpaid) intern to help out.

Musts:

1. Be available 2 - 3 days per week

2. Be cool with a wide-ranging variety of hours (sometimes, you’ll be steaming clothes by 7am. Sometimes, you’ll only work five hours then be able to catch the Monday movie at Bryant Park. Sometimes, you’ll work on Sunday)

3. Be able to handle lugging around trunks, keeping tons of different pieces straight, running around, etc. Must also be able to handle self when Coco Rocha steps into the studio on a shoot.

It would also be cool if you know your way around NYC, don’t need someone to explain what a Metrocard is, can spot Tanya D. or Nicolas down Houston - and it’d be amazing if you have some kind of PDA.

If this sounds like you, e-mail Emily directly at KatieMossmanIntern@gmail.com.

Good luck!

Today, Britt came into the office with a startling revelation: it’s mid August. That’s right. Somehow, summer got sucked through a black hole of white dresses and messy buns, and now Fall is basically one click away on our calendar.

But here’s one bright, albeit frank, spot - we can’t wait for the day we skip shaving and slide on a pair of tights instead; which is exactly why ripped ones have been playing on our minds recently.

Our mothers always told us that the best place for ripped stockings was the garbage can. But they also told us not to wear white after labor day or mix prints - so, like so much of their fashion wisdom, has the no ripped tights rule died with decorum?

On the one hand, they looked awesome on Alexander Wang’s runway. Nylon rips gave the collection an endearing edge of “who cares”. On the other hand, they might make you look like you’ve been sleeping in a dumpster for the past week - after all, Wang actually poured pounds of dirt all over his runway to make sure the models looked extra messy.

In other words, we’re afraid this could be taking the whole grunge revival thing just a little too far - not to mention, purposefully tattered clothes (think artfully destroyed $300 jeans) kind of makes us want to use the word “poser” for the first time in years.

So what do you think? Would you wear ripped tights?

—HAYLEY PHELAN

Vena Cava’s partnering with Via Spiga to create a four piece capsule shoe collection.

Sophie Buhai and Lisa Mayock, the designers behind the almost five year-old, beloved Brooklyn brand will debut the shoes on their Spring 09 runway. They’ll be paired with their “Egyptomania” collection - which, according to WWD, means strappy sandals and pyramid studs, though we’re dreaming of lapis accents and gold leaf.

The girls have played around with accessories before, in the form of bags and jewelry casually constructed in their design studio, but they’ve always considered shoes, “a dream design project”.

The shoes will retail from $300 to $850 and be available exclusively at Via Spiga’s new Soho flagship and online.

But don’t worry, we guarantee you’ll see them on the feet of Serena Van Der Woodsen/Blake Lively way before then.

Fashionista loves London Fashion Week, maybe more than anything else except ice cream, but this recent news blows:

Last week, LFW rescinded its pledge to reject Size Zero models from its catwalks after Milan, Paris, and New York refused to do the same.

It’s true that all designers should be free to follow their own visions, including their own muses and models, but it’s still disappointing that the first major step from the industry to set concrete guidelines for healthy bodies has fallen through. Yeah, some girls are healthy at a size zero, blah blah, but um… no.

Hopefully, London designers will pick healthy and beautiful girls for their catwalks regardless - and since we’re already hearing rumblings of the coltish Tanya D. packing her Vuittons and heading to the UK runways, it seems like a pretty good bet.

Bonne chance to London designers, and hey - we don’t want to see any ribs and spines, unless they’re on an Alexander McQueen suitcase, okay?

What do you get when you add half of Brangelina to one of the many (probably) amazing Kiehl’s products?

A gold mine.

But don’t say that to Kiehl’s - They’re newest partnership with Brad Pitt has nothing to do with his celebrity or his handwriting on the bottles of their Aloe Vera Biodegradable Liquid Body Cleanser, and everything to do with Make It Right, Pitt’s organization which funds the construction of environmentally sustainable and affordable housing for victims of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans.

The cleanser is 100% Cradle to Cradle certified, meaning that if you dug a hole, dumped the whole bottle in, and left it, the whole thing would be biodegraded within 28 days (sort of).
100% of the profits will go to Make It Right.

Look for the cleanser in stores this October, but not a Brad Pitt bottle signing - this is serious!

Stiletto liberals rejoice:

Barack Obama is getting his own Fashion Line.

Starting next month, about a dozen items - mostly totes and tees - will be on sale at Obama.com and they’ll be different from those MoveOn sweats in one crucial way:

They’ve been sketched out by Diane Von Furstenberg, Derek Lam, and other CFDA members, including Tracy Reese, whose Obama scoop neck can be seen at left. The clothes will also have a launch party at Charles Nolan’s studio on September 9 - during New York Fashion Week.

Robin Givhan reveals the whole project in the Washington Post, noting “the risk, of course, is being perceived as highbrow or shallow. Obama’s opponents have derisively dismissed him as an elitist and a celebrity. And it was the fashion industry that spawned the celebri-monster known as Paris Hilton. Having Seventh Avenue on his roster of supporters would not seem conducive to a Dockers-man image.”

We’re not completely sure that fashion did spawn Paris Hilton - unless Page Six is considered a direct arm of the style industry - but she’s got a point. She’s also got a guarantee from Tracy Reese that she will sport the Obama tee at some point this Fashion Week, and that’s a really big deal.

Note that this isn’t the only fashion initiative tied to Democrats this season - Anna Wintour famously hosted a Calvin Klein dinner for Michelle Obama last month, and the Senator’s wife was also the inspiration for the September cover of Harper’s Bazaar, which starred Tyra Banks.

Come August, NYLON Guys also gets into the mix - they’ve donated their entire back cover to Obama’s campaign, a first for a national fashion title.

Meanwhile, McCain has the devout support of Hills star and designer, Heidi Montag.

The American media has invented its next villain, and in short, it’s us:

This weekend, the Associated Press launched a story similar to “MySpace and Facebook will sell your children into sex slavery” (remember that one?) claiming young fashion bloggers were at risk for pedophilia, kidnapping, sexual abuse, and also ruining their chances of getting into an Ivy League college - seriously. Our favorite line in the whole story is, “You are what you post online… Is it how you want to be remembered when your tuition scholarship person’s going to review you for Dartmouth?”

That’s actually in the article, and unfortunately not an article appearing in The Onion.

As for the sex abuse and pedophilia of aspiring fashion bloggers, it seems unlikely that a young girl astute enough to self-publish her thoughts about the fashion industry (like Tavi, at left) would also be daft enough to follow some grown guy into a minivan because he promises her a puppy or a new pair of Marc heels.

But we won’t lie - if you’re shipping your 14-year-old kid off to the New Faces board at an agency, she’ll probably be photographed nude, offered drugs, propositioned, and ruined as far as most major churches are concerned.

Though she would have a decent shot to make the tuition money it takes to go to Dartmouth - although if she blogs about her experiences on the runway, she’ll never get in anyway.

And now, a note from Faran…

Last weekend, my mom asked why I was so obsessed with knockoffs. “We get it,” she said, “Forever 21 copies stuff. Now what?”

I know some of you share the same attitude, but let me try and give you a window into ours. We still think Adventures in Copyrights is a sustainable resource, in a matter of speaking.

Here’s why:

1. Because we’re rooting for young designers, and a knockoff can mean the difference between making money and going bankrupt. Yeah, we notice when Anna Sui and Balenciaga get copied, and it’s pretty outrageous, but we really fume when Vena Cava, Shipley + Halmos, or Chris Benz get played. (In fact, we’re wondering if rampant knocking-off had anything to do with Jane Mayle’s decision to close shop citing the “out of control” and “ever-accelerating” fashion system.) They’re in a very costly business and barely breaking even (if that), and dependent on every single sale. If even one girl buys the knockoff instead of the original, those kids could lose the funding for another season. Yeah, that’s business, but it also sucks, and we’d like you to be aware of it.

2. Because knockoffs are made in poor conditions. Sweatshops are rampant with many brands, but Forever 21 and Canal Street vendors are constantly called out on harmful working conditions. Bad fashion karma isn’t worth much.

3. Because fast fashion is shitty for the environment. Factories + synthetic materials + clothes you throw away after like two weeks = pollution. Buying fast fashion is a quick high, and a direct route to a landfill. Topshop, Target, Converse, Keds, Gap and H&M have addressed this, making a portion of their clothes with fair trade cotton and eco-friendly dyes and materials. Many of them also make stuff that lasts longer - hence those Topshop dresses from 2002 and Luella for Target stuff from 2004 that still kick around people’s closets. Cheap clothes = great. Throwaway clothes = not great.

4. Because we have hope. Hope clothes can be cheaper and more responsibly made. Hope that if we keep hammering at it, executives will start asking the right questions. And hope that at the very least, you like Adventures in Copyrights because it’s really funny to see Lego shoes from like, eight different brands.

Honestly, how many of you were going to wear Lego shoes to begin with?

Love you guys. xoxo F.

Whenever we’ve thought of JC Penney (which was pretty much never), we never thought “cool” - until this morning.

WWD reports that the mega cheap chain is putting its green money where its green mouth is with a self-sustaining initiative to be completed by this November.

JCP’s planning on harnessing solar and wind energy to power ten stores and a distribution center in Reno, in addition to certain stores in California and New Jersey just to start out.

Needless to say, we’re very impressed that someone is finally taking up one of the easiest ways to generate power cleanly and efficiently (if you have the money, of course), and amazed that it’s a chain like JCPenney and not Whole Foods or Barneys, or one of the many other stores that consistently put out green initiatives that usually deal with us buying something to make it happen.

Maybe if there were artist collaborations with windmills, everyone wouldn’t be so opposed to them? Maybe JCP can get Marimekko to paint some poppies on their windmills - efficiency and beauty - then we’re sure everyone would think they’re cool.

In perhaps the funniest article of the weekend, Daphne Guinness revealed to the Financial Times that she gave Karl Lagerfeld a cartridge of the wickedly violent video game Grand Theft Auto and he was so inspired, he used some of its iconography in his designs.

Since Karl already wears bad-ass driving gloves everywhere he goes, and since he’s a DJ for GTA’s newest version, this isn’t such a huge surprise, but still, we’re amused:

Will his next ad campaign be based solely on Lollipop Girl?

Will he stop using woven leather chains on his handbags and start using recycled bullets?

And will all Chanel clothes now come with a rating system about violence, nudity, and wasting precious gasoline?

Also: Daphne Guinness, addicted to PlayStation. OMFG.

Oh, did you think the last Fashion Week schedule to come out was full, correct and never going to change again?

Well here’s another change you might want to tap into your iPhone -

IMG’s announced that after showing in Chelsea at Lux Studios last season, Matthew Williamson’s had a very last-minute change of heart.

He’s showing at Bryant Park again, at the Tent (the largest of the Park venues), on Tuesday, September 9th at 10am, making his the first cool show of the day, kind of like a primer to Rodarte (not showing at the tents) at noon.

Matthew joins Charlotte Ronson in this coming season’s tent-ward moves, making Spring 09 Charlotte’s Bryant Park debut (her sixth season of showing, altogether).

Ch-ch-ch- changes…

If, for some reason, I wanted to buy Elle, and Jessica Simpson were on the cover, I wouldn’t buy it.

Because I will not carry her face around, I will not be seen with her on the subway, and I don’t want people to think I actually spent money on a publication that deems her worthy of cover status - not to mention I’d have no interest in reading the five pages devoted to her.

It’s like the visual version of Cosmo, and it’s embarrassing.

Natalie thinks there should be different categories of women’s magazines, one for fashion and one for botox, diets etc. Which would be perfect because while I do want to see the Kate Lanphear-styled editorials, I don’t want to read about what happened when “I Left My Wife For a Younger Woman” or how I can have better sex if I improve my energy.

Do you refrain from buying a magazine if the cover girl makes you cringe? Or do you buy it anyway and slip the New Yorker over it until you’re safe inside your apartment?

Or, I can’t believe I’m asking this, do you actually love Jessica Simpson?

We’re assuming that, like us, you stayed up to watch the women’s all-around gymnastics face-off, and already know that Texan (via Russia) babe Nastia Liukin took the Gold.

Since she’s the next big female athlete, endorsement-wise, and happens to also be beautiful in an incredibly swanlike kind of way, PLAY: The New York Times Sports Magazine is already wondering whether she’ll go beyond her current commercials, like AT&T, to something more “adult”.

Nastia’s already done some smiling for Cover Girl, but other than that, it’s been pretty non-girly so far. But we’re pretty sure we know the next best thing for her:

Wouldn’t she make the most adorable Neutrogena girl ever? It’s age-appropriate, it fits her target audience, and we could totally see her talking about how it’s the only thing she’ll use, or whatever.

In fact, we think she’s more perfect for it than Taylor.

“Making fun of the global scenesters is futile, for they love nothing more than to mock themselves. Everything a scenester does is rendered in air quotes: ironic moustaches, ironic trucker caps, faux-offensive Urban Outfitters T-shirts, white guys with afros, or musical acts with names like Does It Offend You, Yeah?” —The Independent, on the global hipster phenomenon.

If Victoria’s Secret knocked off an Elle MacPherson bra, even we probably wouldn’t realize, (until we tried it on, of course).

But if Victoria’s Secret knocks off Marc Jacobs’ Fall 07 runway booties, we notice. Especially when readers email us their own investigative work.

We’re not really sure who buys shoes from Victoria’s Secret in the first place, in fact we kind of forgot they’ve turned themselves into an entire brand empire hawking everything from lipsticks to teddy bears to teddies, but we’d never guess that the girls who do are looking for the perfect grunge ankle bootie to wear with their military socks and PVC leggings or knit tights and velvet coat like Tao Okamoto.

We’d also never guess they’d wait over a year to knock them off, after fashion’s taken a turn for the ladylike and even Marc’s getting ready to show Spring 09.

But we would guess they’d only cost $88 instead of almost $600

To: Natalie@Fashionista.com

From: kwinick@gdsnewyork.com

I’m an editor at a new luxury lifestyle magazine, The 100 Thousand Club, and I need an intern.

I coordinate the product spreads and still-life shoots for each issue, so I need someone to help out with researching products, trafficking samples, etc. It’s all high end clothes, jewelry, décor, and some gadgets — it’s fun stuff to handle in person, like Dior, Baccarat, Loro Piana, Bentleys, etc — and a great opportunity for someone to get their feet wet at a new magazine. There are also opportunities to pitch stories and write, for those who are interested in the publishing aspect; our last intern had 2 short profiles, a travel piece, and a bunch of product blurbs in the first issue she worked on.

We want someone with a strong background in luxury goods, a good eye for design, and fearless on the phone (Russian language skills not necessary, but they’ll be calling all over the world) and approaching people via email.

Thanks,

Kate Winick

Here’s some fun news:

A bunch of words and phrases were added to the Chambers Dictionary recently, and among “fashion forward”, “nail bars”, “carbon footprint”, and “social networking” was the very 2004 phrase “wardrobe malfunction”.

Wonder if the Chambers Dictionary includes little explanatory pictures next to their definitions.

Better yet, how exactly will they go about defining this one? We imagine it to be something like, “Wardrobe Malfunction, verb, intrans to work imperfectly; to fail to keep your outfit covering your private parts, eg. nipples, nether regions, etc. Noun failure of, or a fault or failure in, propriety, a stylist, taste, etc. Etymology: January 2004.”

But just a little thumbnail would do so much better.

Fact: Many, many people anxiously awaited the return of Halston.

Fact: It’s Friday, and so many, many people are stuck at “work” while their bosses complain about the crush on the Jitney.

Fact: Not everyone can make it to Barneys today, but still have some bills burning holes in their hip pockets.

Fact: The first of Net-a-Porter’s Halston offerings have just appeared on their site, which should give many girls something to do today, like wondering, “Would I really wear this? Is this really worth $2,000? Should I wait to see what else they put up?” - and voila, something fun to do today.

You’re welcome.

On Monday, we gave you guys a sneak peek of Rei Kawakubo’s designs for H&M via W’s upcoming issue.

Now that it’s Friday, we’ve got the full range via a very gracious tipster, which we’re happy to share with you all because (secret!) we love you guys, too.

Try to ignore the sticky, un-showered appeal of the models to really take in the clothes. It’s kind of what we expected (deconstructed jackets with Peter Pan collars anyway, the huge statement coat) and yet, not (the pleated skirt, the micro-dotted button down).

We should point out that this lookbook doesn’t include the accessories - but we’re betting it might be like one big black bag, and one small one.

We can already tell this line may not sell so amazingly at H&M as, say, Stella did, regardless of the Rei name. Most of the pieces can easily be worn by boys or girls, which is great, and we’re really into some of the short jackets and the multi-colored men’s shirt (for us, anyway), but other than that, well…

It’s a little Minnie meets Krusty in the asylum, no?

UPDATE: IMAGES REMOVED AT H&M’S REQUEST.

Footwear News need interns - surprise, surprise!

The Conde Nast owned trade publication would like someone 2-3 days per week. You must be eligible for school credit, and you won’t get paid.

But you will get to write and gain real reporting experience. In fact, you’ll probably be responsible for contributing several items a week to the news and features section of the paper which means you’ll end up with more clips than most interns.

And in case Footwear News sounds less than appealing, don’t forget it’s a hop, skip and jump away from WWD (and who knows, there could be Louboutins on your very own desk). So e-mail your resume and cover letter to meghan_cass@condenast.com.

On a side note - sorry for all the intern postings lately! It’s mid-August, so assistants are scrambling to get their Fall kids together. We promise once fashion week stuff really gears up, we won’t say “intern” til December!

We just came across Miami t-shirt maker Gold Saturn, and we’re crushing hard after just a few looks.

A lot of them are kind of about peace, or chillness one might say, but our favorite is the Prescription for Peace tee (though it was almost a tie with Make Clothes Not War), at left.

They’re cute, but better yet, they’re funny - in that Royal Tenenbaums kind of way.

We know it’ll go best with dirty hair, black jeans, and last night’s eyeliner.

We also really want to remember it the next time we have to go to the doctor.

By now, we’re all well aware that our economy is in the toilet. Well all of us, that is, except for ASOS, who reported a 95% increase in sales this past June. And they aren’t stopping there either. The online store announced plans to beef up their site with, as well as several other minor improvements, a second-hand goods market place for shoppers to buy and trade their vintage and used items.

That’s right, the people who brought you “as seen on stars” want to be your new online vintage boutique. And that’s not all - eventually other small boutiques and labels will be able to upload their products directly onto the site allowing all ASOS customers to purchase their unique duds.

We’re wondering if this means they’ll stop sketching out whatever Miu Miu or YSL Kirsten Dunst sports on the red carpet and start selling the designers’ vintage items for less, because that would be awesome. Either way, ASOS just made digging through a dingy thrift store sound a whole lot more archaic. They could just be our new favorite site.

—HAYLEY PHELAN

“Instead, she has been engaged by a variety of businesses that hire ‘model types’ to draw customers. In addition to her Abercrombie job, she says, she was offered a job at retailer Club Monaco and is frequently recruited for parties at Manhattan nightclubs, where the drinks and food are free for her. She has spent the summer being ferried to nightclubs in the Hamptons in club promoters’ Cadillac Escalades. Recently, she agreed to work at several clubs as a ‘bottle girl’ serving liquor to tables in return for tips that she believes will amount to ‘$600 to $1,500 a night.’ ” - on 18 year-old aspiring model Tatiana Stewart’s side jobs until she can lose enough weight to go from a size 4 to a size 0 (she’s 6’2”), in the Wall Street Journal.

We have massive girl crushes on the Olsens, they probably developed ten years ago, probably while watching Billboard Dad.

Regardless of which goth, hippie or just plain crazy phase the twins are in, our girl crushes are still going strong today and have, of course, transfered to their fashion line, Elizabeth and James, and pretty much everything they touch.

We especially love this Pave Tee, but at $265 it’s a little (okay, a lot) more than we’d ever spend on a t-shirt. So we devised a pretty easy DIY.

You’ll need a gray American Apparel t-shirt, silver sequins and a needle and thread - or if you’re lazy like us, fabric glue. If gray isn’t exactly your color you can substitute purple, pink, black, whatever your heart desires - that’s the beauty of a DIY.

Lie the t-shirt flat and commence either sewing or gluing the sequins onto the sleeves of the t-shirt. We found that a haphazard pattern looks best and takes the least amount of skill. Slip a piece of paper or cardboard inside the sleeve to ensure proper drying. Wait a few minutes for the glue to settle.

Then slip it on and poof, you’re an Olsen.

—HAYLEY PHELAN

Dear Agyness, Mr. Sartorialist, Bill C. (if you too are headed to Europe),

We know you’ll be doing a lot of traveling in the coming months, well, September at least and into October, and we think it’d be way more fun and way less exhausting if all your important documents were stored in this fancy leather travel wallet.

It’ll fit your passport, your tickets, dollars, pounds and euros - of which you’ll need a lot. And it’s bright yellow, so toward the Paris end of things you’ll have something bright to keep you going.

I know you’re thinking $235 is a lot to spend on something a bit less than practical, but you’ll have it for the rest of your life - which we’re betting will include a lot of airplane rides. And the nice people at Courier du Coeur even embroidered a little bicycle on it, just for you, so you’ll never feel too far from home.

Because traveling with your own bike would really slow you down.

xoxo
F

“This coat is like youth and sex and butter all at the same time. You could sleep on the sidewalk and you would never feel a lack. You wouldn’t even need love.” - Cintra Wilson, on wearing a Rick Owens coat, in the New York Times.

We know not everyone can make it to the opening of the Barneys Warehouse sale today, so here’s a shopping tip:

Agent Provocateur is having an online sale, so a lot of their cutest stuff is 50% off, and in a good range of sizes, too.

We suggest the Frida outfit, worked by former AP body Maggie Gyllenhaal, at left.

It channels an old-time coquette kind of look just enough to be cute, not sad.

Puppy not included.

Film noir hair highly suggested.

We love Flaunt magazine, and if you feel the same way and don’t mind working for free, here are some details you might like to know:

Their Chelsea offices are looking for Fall interns for their fashion department.

They say you should be: Smart, hard-working, responsible, motivated, informed and passionate about fashion.

We say you should be: Persistent, willing to track samples (lift stuff, move stuff, count stuff, label stuff, pack stuff) and happy to do even the littlest things for the people that run a very cool, fun magazine.

So if you’ve got 2 - 3 free days a week and a heart of steel, send your resume and a short cover letter to Matthew@flauntmagazine.com, and explain exactly why you want to work there (no really, he said that!)

We thought we’d heard of enough random collaborations (Reebok + Hasbro) to never go “huh?” again, but WWD was able to do it again this morning:

They announced a swimwear collaboration between Charlotte Ronson, maker of dresses and plaids for cute young girls, and Shoshanna Gruss, maker of printed dresses and maillots for well put-together moms.

Charlotte’s planning on carrying the line, Made with Love, in her Soho store, and the duo’s hoping the beach collection gets picked up by department stores in time for February sales.

And how did this happen? The two know each other from Nightingale-Bamford, the same school the real Serena’s and Blair’s of the real Manhattan attend.

Do you think Eleanor might wear the printed tunic in an upcoming Hamptons episode?

“This month, Tatler says I should go and buy a solid silver lid for my Marmite, and a 14-carat gold bra. This is not so much a “tip”, as an incitement to burning down the Condé Nast building, while wearing cheap clothing, no lip gloss and a smile.” - Tanya Gold, on trying to live her life according to women’s magazines’ advice,