Corduroy magazine (think Interview, except more indie/artsy), is looking for a few good stylists.

They’re looking for fashionistas who can handle spreads as well as celebrity portraiture, so it sounds like actual experience is a must.

(In fact, they say they’re always on the hunt for contributors - writers, photographers, whatever - so we suggest contacting them if you want to work for them in general.)

Send your info to submissions@corduroymag.com, and good luck.

Good news for those of you that missed the pop-up Target shops, and are way too excited for Anya Hindmarch’s Target line to wait until it hits the super store October 12:

Anya’s decided to sell the line on her own site a full four days early.

They’ll be available only on her site, until the 12th, then only on the Target site and at Target stores starting October 14.

Could go pretty nicely with this $20 Richard Chai vest, no?

Really, we should have seen this coming. I mean, MK was wearing them eight months ago. But now we’ve seen them at Michael Kors and Ralph Lauren, not to mention on Aggy - so we think it’s official: small, round sunglasses are the new lens shape.

For the past few years now, sunglasses have been going the course of bags - the bigger and blingier, the better. So it’s kind of refreshing to see people choosing a shade shape not with the same standards as when shopping at Costco.

The shape, that’s both retro (ex: John Lennon) and Blade Runner (ex: Ralph Lauren Spring 09) can add a little bit of “Oh, hello, those are different” to pretty much anything, which is probably why they’re coming back. And they let people actually see your face, which could be a good thing, unless you count on big glasses to get you to and from Starbucks without anyone knowing you’re exhausted / hung over / not wearing mascara.

On the other hand, when MK wore them, our reaction was mixed, so we can only imagine the implications for a mere civilian. Like, don’t they just kind of make you look like Sean Lennon (or even Elton John)?

—HAYLEY PHELAN

Emilie, Intern

Got Her: Backstage at Vivienne Westwood.

Stalked Her: Because she looked nice and Vivienne looked too busy.

Shot Her: Because she has a lot of clothing on her little frame, but doesn’t look frumpy. We’ve been trying to experiment with different pant volumes, too. But we always end up looking more clown than chic.

She Says: “I’m a pattern cutting intern for Vivienne. I love working for her - it’s amazing. My favorite part of this collection? The roughed up, aged white denim shoes.”

We Say: Can you cut us a Vivienne one-off?

The Cacharel show might be the longest we’ve ever attended.

When it finally ended, everyone stood up to leave and it started again. The first time through, we saw at least forty-five looks from Mark Eley and Wakako Kishimoto, the new creative directors of the brand.

Their girls wore colorful summer dresses, crop tops, bird earrings and especially cute sandals. The best part of their outfits? See TeenVogue.

Then, after the first designer bow, we were treated to a string of archive-inspired liberty print dresses modeled with bare feet and a bow from Cacharel’s founder Jean Bousquet himself in celebration of its 50th anniversary.

At least they know that if you make it long, you have to make it worth it.

WHICH beloved baby-faced model, usually on her best behavior, has been less than agreeable this season, refusing to listen to her handlers and sneaking out to parties? Sounds like a summer of New York City independence went to her pretty young head…

This just in from Paris:

Balenciaga showed menswear in his Spring 09 show, on boy models, as previously reported by, uh, us.

We’re assuming this is all a part of Gucci Group’s expansion plans for Balenciaga, as detailed in this morning’s WWD - the only thing left would be a proper ad campaign, and his menswear could be put into shoppers’ focus.

But, we may be getting ahead of ourselves. There may not be any images of the boys’ clothes yet (at left is an image from Nicolas’ Spring 08 men’s show), but Cathy Horyn’s already proclaimed the “stiff dark suits without lapels” to be “duds”.

Yikes.

“Serena’s in Women’s Wear Daily?!” - one of the minions, in what had to be the most brilliant / bizarre product placement in television history, on Gossip Girl.

My camera is like, so over Fashion Week.

Or maybe it was protesting the lit up runway at Yohji Yamamoto. Either way, my pictures are terrible. So I’ll tell you about the pre-show conversation I had instead and you know where to find runway pictures.

I sat next to an editor from Vogue Brazil. Her thoughts on:

Anna Piaggi: “Do you know her? You are so young! She makes me tired. She is always perfectly dressed, meticulously coiffed. I just think, it must be so hard to pack because you know, in Brazil, we have so much help. Her home, in Milan, is literally covered in clothes, the most beautiful clothes that everyone who loves her has given her but so much work to take care of!”

Yohji and Comme des Garcons: “I saw them both show for the first time here in Paris in 1983. You were born, no? It was revolutionary, like girls walking out of a bomb. An entirely new aesthetic for us, all black and so deconstructed -brilliant.

Tokyo: “I went to Tokyo to interview Yohji in ‘92 and he is such a gentleman. A very quiet gentleman who was so famous, worshipped, in Japan. You know, his look is not trendy right now, but look at all the women who love his clothes. He will always be relevant.”

We should just write one form post that reads like this:

__________ showed ruffled dresses and tops layered under ________ jackets. The collection took a turn for ___________ toward the end with sheer ________ and some sort of _______ jumpsuit.

That’s pretty much how Isabel Marant went. The fill-in words would be Isabel Marant, denim, the fancy, pants and childish.

The collection was shown to an all American soundtrack, or the French version of one, including Kids in America, then Crimson and Clover, Bette Davis Eyes, and Candy.

The show took place across from the Eiffel Tower to an audience including very American socialites who wouldn’t look twice at the clothes if they hung in the Levi’s store, (because that’s where it looked like most of them belonged), but will no doubt eat up the bootie shorts, crocheted rompers and cut-out tops.

Or at least, that’s what we want.

Fashion’s full of tough choices. Since we already saw Vivienne Westwood’s Red Label show in London, we thought we’d swing by backstage for her Gold Label show before heading to Yojhi Yamamoto.

First, the hair. Bumble and Bumble’s Rolando Beauchamp is the nicest person we’ve ever met - and his devotion to Vivienne might only be matched by ours.

“It’s all about hot desert days,” he told me. “This girl, she’s been out in the desert, hasn’t showered or washed her hair. The products are giving me that dry dirty texture before I pull the front off of the face and wrap it all in tulle. It’s different colored tulle which I’m using as though it’s just more hair.”

Meanwhile, the models tried on their clothes. Or rather, they stood still while three people at a time dressed them, (which doesn’t bode well for our plans to one day wear Vivienne Westwood everyday) and six hands put on their shoes. Then Vivienne tweaked, someone took Polaroids, and the girls went into make up.

We couldn’t steal the shoes for you, security was insane, but we can tell you how to get that amazing black lip - on TeenVogue!

I’m still not used to the kind of fashion show where people care more about Harvey Weinstein than Patrick Demarchelier, more about Katy Perry than Anna Piaggi.

But I guess that’s why I don’t work in PR and why I watch for editors’ reactions instead of the runway at a show where it’s only half about the clothes.

Dior’s afternoon show, held in a tent at the Place de la Concorde end of the Tuileries, boasted movie stars, dramatic music cut with MGMT, ridiculously caged Cindy Lou Who hair, and handbags, of course.

From my perch above the runway, I watched Galliano’s parade of modern warrior princess clothes. Raquel, Caroline Trentini and Tanya D teetered on their carved heels - think Basso & Brooke - wearing snakeskin corsets and chiffon mini dresses made for Tinsley. The Dior beauty ambassador sat front row, the paparazzi crush snapping away at Eva Green and Marion Cotillard right next to her.

The show ended with a string of sheer gowns and a runway strut from Galliano in a particularly deep-v vest. As my new French friend said to me, “Beaucoup de boobies this season, n’est-ce pas?”

To make up for the incredibly boring eight days that was New York Fashion Week, the rumors from Paris Fashion Week are piling up just as the ceremonies are getting under way:

First up, Martin Margiela may - finally and actually - be giving up fashion for good, the rumor coming in from everybody everywhere, and with some astutely pointing out that Martin Margiela himself does not even work on the line, so a replacement would be that much easier (though since Raf’s been counted out due to his newly signed three year contract with Jil Sander, who else is supposedly up for the job?) Supposedly, he’ll announce his retirement from fashion sometime soon…

Next: Alessandra Facchinetti, whose collection for Valentino this coming Thursday will be only her second, and already the Daily reports that it’s her last chance, her future at the house resting completely in the hands of the editors and buyers in the front row. And there’s more - the supposed replacement? Giambattista Valli, who some supposedly feel could bring more innovation to the line, maybe because he’s French, maybe because he’s older…

Guess we’ll know where everybody stands by next week - kind of makes the rumors on Gossip Girl tonight seem a little passé, mais non?

“Decarnin’s obviously a designer for rich girls..” - WWD, on Balmain.

I’ve been ogling these Peter Jensen for Topshop loafers, left, for a while now. I loved the patent leather, but I didn’t love the price tag.

But now, thanks to Topshop’s ingenuity, I’m in luck. They’ve knocked off their own designer collaboration, right, and designed the exact same shoe for $85 less.

Let’s examine the (tiny) differences:

- Peter Jensen’s are a little shinier, but we don’t know if that’s a good thing.

- Peter Jensen’s do have that candy apple red while Topshop’s are a little more blood-stained.

- Peter Jensen’s seem to be a little better constructed.

Granted, these are pretty simple penny-loafers gone red patent and Peter Jensen nor Topshop are reinventing the heel, but come on, really? The only real difference, besides the price, is that the Peter Jensens are labeled as “designer” and Topshop’s can be found under “smart”…

—ALEXANDRA BEN-GURION

Hey, did you know we vote in the next President in about five weeks?

Because if you work in fashion (or if you own a TV, buy newspapers, etc) there’s no way you could’ve missed it.

Way back in August, it was announced that a bunch of very cool designers (Zac, Marc, the Costello boys, the Rag & Bone boys, Narciso.. - and we don’t think we need to tell you Alexander designed the long tank at left) would produce some cool merchandise for Barack Obama’s official online store. And now that it’s up, we’re amazed they talked Marc all the way down to $75 for one of his bags (a canvas tote).

Then during Fashion Week, Barack pins became a hip accoutrement, as seen at Doucette Duvall and Rachel Roy (literally), to name a few.

Then Anna jumped in with that huge fundraiser, and Michelle Obama reciprocated by wearing fashion favorite (but mainstream nobody) Thakoon on the national stage twice, and now Marc’s decorated his Bleecker Street storefront with not just Obama love, but Biden caps to boot.

So, is it helping out fashion’s favorite candidate for President? Guess we won’t know for a few more weeks. But in the meantime, we really wonder whether there are any McCain supporters among the fashion designer set, and what kind of excuses they have to give when approached to design Obama totes and tees…

Fashionista mascot, Cintia Dicker, has been everywhere lately.

First, we got word she was posing for Marie Claire, then that she would be smiling for Glamour.

And now? Faran spotted her on Target’s site over the weekend (she took screenshots - after the jump! - just for you), and well, we’re giddy with excitement that these are all just warm up steps to an upcoming Spring 09 campaign.

Gap, are you listening?

To: tips@fashionista.com

From: dothe@shutterbug.com

Subject: SPOTTED

Patrick Demarchelier was up in Harlem on Thursday shooting Alicia Keys for Vanity Fair.

He shot her on the steps of a brownstone at 4 West 122nd Street as well as in Marcus Garvey Memorial Park playing piano in a bandshell, and also behind a lemonade stand..

xx

Ema, Doctor

Got Her: On 15th Street and 5th Ave

Stalked Her: Because a colorful scarf with a complementary smiling face really makes our heads turn.

Shot Her: Because when we stopped her, we noticed her shoes and her purse were really great focal points, too.

She Says: “I really mostly dress for comfort.”

We Say: A perfect example that dressing for comfort doesn’t have to be frumpy. Plus, it’s totally true what our moms always said: a smile really does go with everything.

—LEAH MELTZER

There are few things that’ll get us out of bed after a very long Saturday night. But fashion shows at the Louvre are somewhere at the top of that very short list.

We didn’t know too much about Lie Sang Bong, but he turned out to be worth it.

The structured collection was supposed to be a reinterpretation of traditional Korean garb. It started out with graphic shapes and a rainbow of bright colors on white dresses and jumpsuits. They were a visual reminder of Miu Miu’s harlequins, though totally different.

Then Bong went through a blue period of dresses covered in square ruffles, before ending with a handful of sharp black and white pieces that might have owed more thanks to Gareth Pugh than to Korea.

The peek-a-boo dress might’ve called Kate Bosworth’s name, but the branch-heeled shoes called ours.

WHICH major catwalker refused to let anyone, even style.com beauty photogs, take pictures of her or her finished hair before her makeup was complete? When one kept snapping away anyway, she reached out and grabbed the lens…

It says something about a designer when the front row is full of notable buyers but lacking in especially noticeable press.

We’re not sure of its official meaning, but we’d guess it’s something to do with the designer making clothes women want to wear instead of striving to produce the next great editorial gem.

So it makes sense that Anne Valerie Hash’s collection actually looked comfortable despite its beauty. She twisted jersey into all sorts of sexy knots for yes, more jumpsuits. Lou Doillon, who sat front row with Leigh Lezark, will probably throw one under her leather jacket within the week.

And if you happen to be in the market for a metal mesh vest or tank, Anne’s got you covered.

Overheard in the Vogue halls:

Katie Grand is leaving POP, the vivid British magazine she began, to start a new magazine for Conde Nast.

She offered her job to one of our favorite editors ever, but since POP is also reducing its funding now that Katie’s over and out, the candidate decided it ultimately couldn’t be worth it for her.

Now the magazine’s future is up in the air, and as for Conde Nast starting yet another fashion title, well, WTF.

How much weight this rumor holds remains to be seen - our sources are pretty impeccable, but also so thin, we wouldn’t be surprised if their extreme fashion diets were making them a little delusional.

Less Karl! More Cake! Less Stella! More Stella Artois! Etc.

If the Louvre is to Paris as Bryant Park is to New York, than AF Vandevorst is this week’s Y3.

1) The venue, which we knew was far away from everything else, was a parking garage.

2) The models walked up the ramp and wove around a complicated chair formation into numbered parking spots. OK, so it’s not quite an ice wall, but it didn’t look easy.

3) The clothes weren’t really the point. At least we hope not. The huge hair and painted lips were phenomenal, but the collection was all over the place. Not to mention sheer baby blue thigh highs aren’t flattering on anyone.

And no more lace, please. It’s starting to look like curtains.

Sorry if this post is less coherent than usual.

My head’s still reeling from Lenny Kravitz saying, “Hey baby,” when he squeezed in front of me at Rick Owens and we took each other’s picture.

I thought the show was starting late because Carine was on the phone, but it was Lenny and rockstar daughter Zoe, sporting some serious extensions, holding up the smoke explosion that introduced Mariacarla Boscono.

The clothes? Impossibly cool, of course. Owens designs for the woman who doesn’t give a shit what anyone thinks because she knows she’s wrapped in otherworldly leather - and she’s used to heads turning wherever she goes. It was fascinating, and a bit intimidating, to be in a room full of his heavily booted fans cheering on his barely there Spring designs and nun-like headgear.

And yes, that’s Irina in her first show of the season. She showed up backstage half an hour before the 5 o’clock start time, got kicked out for smoking inside and had to be dragged back in for hair and make-up.

We spent the morning at Le Petit Palais getting back into the fashion vibe.

The museum launched an exhibition of Patrick Demarchelier’s work yesterday and with shows from here until next Sunday, it was our only chance to catch it.

The photographer’s iconic celebrity portraits and fashion editorials are scattered among the permanent collection. Madonna circa Ray of Light hangs by Monet and Cindy Crawford’s next to Camille Pisarro like the Koons at Versailles.

The highlight of the exhibit is a double hallway full of Demarchelier’s proofs. You can see just where he elicited smiles from baby faced Kate Moss. You notice the frames in which Justin Portman surprised Natalia Vodianova and made their son break into giggles. You can tell which pictures he liked and which ones he didn’t.

It’s probably some sort of fashion sacrilege to take pictures of Demarchelier’s pictures, but we’d do anything for you.

The Devastee show was held in a dungeony space, underneath a bridge on the Seine.

The program said something about how the sun can be black if you want it to be and the show started with creepy Halloween music.

We’re not sure where that theme fit into the collection of striped shirts, hand-painted bathing suits, low slung pants and linen boyfriend blazers partnered with slight wedges and vintage raybans.. It’s not often we want to wear everything we see on a runway, but at Devastee, with the single exception of a pair of printed leggings, we’d wear it all.

We didn’t see anything amazing or fashion forward, which, coming straight from Gareth Pugh, might have been asking a lot. But it’s Paris and if we’re in a dungeon on the Seine, we want something mind-blowing, n’est-ce pas?

I get to Gareth Pugh’s show at 4:47.

The show starts at 5, but after a week in Paris, I’m still not familiar with the Palais du Tokyo.

I stand in line next to American Vogue editors and we watch Carine Roitfeld stalk past wearing sequins.

I get inside and trip over a bench that says Mr. Karl Lagerfeld and Lady Amanda Harlech. Alas, they don’t show. So I get my thrills sitting inches from Jefferson Hack who shares his illustrious bench with Rick Owens, Roisin Murphy, Olivier Zahm and Carine.

The club kids sit on the other side just like London because cool kids in New York don’t get to crash shows. The blogger behind me says that she doesn’t understand why bloggers love Kate Lanphear and I’m pretty sure she means me.

Meanwhile, Bill Cunningham marvels at the woman sitting next to me. “But, you’re actually wearing Gareth Pugh! I saw that on the runway last season and thought how does one wear such a thing?” She nods without answering; it matches her outfit better.

The show starts at 6:03.

The models wear reflective mirrors above their eyelashes causing them to blink excessively. Yet, they manage to maneuver the square runway in their seven-inch black and white platforms.

They wear Shakespearean collars on steroids, bicycle reflector suits, ghoulish robes, futuristic jackets and leather biker gear not made for the faint of heart. The show is meticulously styled by Katie Shillingford but a surprising number of pieces could be styled into a real wardrobe.

Gareth Pugh’s latest collection is, in my head at least, wearable. Which is great for the designer and also for Bill Cunningham. I don’t know how many more surprises the guy can handle.

That’s right, kids! Britt’s back to her Fashion Week coverage, reporting all week long from the Paris shows, starting today! Sunday be damned…

xo

Sorry to start your weekend off like this, but this statement’s been emailed to some press from NBC Universal:

“NBC Universal is pleased that the court granted our motion for a preliminary injunction against The Weinstein Company. The overwhelming evidence demonstrated that The Weinstein Company violated NBC Universal’s right of first refusal to future cycles of Project Runway. After hearing all of the evidence, the court issued an order prohibiting The Weinstein Company from taking the show or any spin-off to Lifetime.”

Questions:

1. Will PR go back to Bravo, or does that mean it’s just (gasp) done?

2. Does this affect Nina Garcia’s job / tenure / existence at Marie Claire?

3. What about Project Runway: The Movie where they just mash all the episodes into one big marathon? Can that happen?

4. What will Heidi Klum do with all her free time?!

Lily Cole just made us feel really bad about our socks.

Because in her forward for the book, Green is the New Black, by Tamsin Blanchard, she explains how exactly your socks might have caused some undue damage to the world, and well, we’ll let you read all about it for yourself after the jump.

On a side note, it’s nice to read something from Smarty Miss Model that holds up to her reputation as the intelligent one, no?

Because we have to say, we were impressed.

Just something we noticed while flipping through shows yesterday…

When we got an announcement that Stylebop’s now shipping from its New York distribution center in New York, we thought, “Style? Don’t you mean Shop?”

Click, then we realized it didn’t take us to Shopbop, home of Marc by Marc and Ella Moss, but to its shopping doppelgänger, Stylebop, home of Marc by Marc and Ella Moss.

To be fair, there are some differences - Stylebop has fewer labels and they veer more on the expensive, grown-up side. And, unlike Shopbop, Stylebop doesn’t use models, so they avoid the awkward poses and stares of Shopbop’s girls. Plus, Stylebop’s roster includes designers like Valentino and Balmain, way too up-market of labels even for Shopbop Boutique.

So could these two Bops really be a coincidence? Or is Stylebop trying to scoop up the girls who’ve outgrown Shopbop’s selection of Juicy?

Either way, all these bops are making us dizzy.

—HAYLEY PHELAN

Thanks to Leah’s obsessive archiving of magazines and all noteworthy ads, we’re starting a new ongoing conversation here on Fashionista, all about ad campaigns.

First up, Balenciaga. At left, we have a Fall 2000 ad, shot by Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin. At right, the more familiar Fall 2008, shot by David Sims.

Of note first, obviously, is the use of a celebrity, Charlotte Gainsbourg, instead of models. With Charlotte, come connotations that inevitably affect how we think of the ad - Charlotte is sweet, down to earth, subtle, kind of crunchy. We’re supposed to be struck by her in such a stiff, alien-like pose, her seemingly inhuman shadow meant to scare the hell out of us. In focus is the armor-like severity of the dress, just before our eyes finally fall onto the shoes, accessories having become so much more of a focal point for major houses in recent seasons.

But in Fall 2000, the story was different. The models come with no baggage at all, so we can only really guess what they’re supposed to be telling us, the mystery seeming to lay somewhere between the model’s awareness of the camera, and the bizarreness of a horse on stairs he’d have trouble climbing anyway (assuming they’re ordinary house stairs).

On a side note, doesn’t that dog sweater now seem like the un-ironic predecessor of the Chanel penguin sweater?

Now, your turn.

When we heard from our Inbox that Puma and Sergio Rossi were collaborating on a capsule collection to be sold at Colette starting January, we got excited. We like Sergio. We like Puma. We love Colette. So this should work.

But:

They’re sneaker-heels. The last time I wore sneaker-heels, I was about ten and going through my Spice Girl phase - since then, I thought we all decided any sort of shoe that tries to combine high-heels with sneakers was out of the question, so much to our surprise, Sergio and Puma are doing just that.

We’re not exactly sure where one wears sneakettos, but we do know that considering the purple satin lace-ups and Mary-Janes with gummy white soles, we won’t be wearing the collection anytime soon.

It’s too bad. We love the parts (Sergio, Puma, Colette), but the sum, well, we’ll save our kicks cash for Lacroix + Gola.

—HAYLEY PHELAN

Fact: Everyday, Britt walks past this gallery on her way to and from her hotel in Paris.

Fact: And everyday, it’s closed.

Fact: Jessica Stam is the only Stam we’ve ever heard of.

Theory: Is this a side project of hers that gets neglected during Fashion Week?

Of course we know it’s not, but funny to picture her sitting there, n’est-ce pas?

This week, we took a field trip around the corner to the Young & the Banging gallery.

TYATB is a book showcasing 200 faces of “who’s next” on the creative circuit, curated by Heron Preston - and if you haven’t heard of him, you will. Purple calls it “the fascinating new generation born into the realms of fashion, art and success,” and though It may look like a grip of NYLON interns at first (well, some of them are), it really is a solid collection of some great new talent.

We set up shop on “School Photo Day” where anyone can come in and get their picture snapped yearbook-style and tour the exhibit (highly recommended). So after I got my pic snapped (after the jump!), I met up with Mary-Kate’s stunt double, a mother-son duo, and the cutest intern we’ve ever seen.

The Young & the Banging is at 255 Elizabeth Street, and you’re all invited to the final School Photo Day and closing party this Saturday, Sep. 27th from 8-11pm.

— JAZZI McGILBERT

PS - Yes, we too, have switched to Vimeo.

Lucy, Student and Vogue Intern

Got Her: In front of Eugene Lang

Stalked Her: Because her dark lip color stopped us in our tracks. Also, did I spot a Prada tote?

Shot her: Because she was wearing this adorable, floral dress that makes us wish MTV would air My So Called Life reruns instead of anything involving a Kardashian.

She says: “I’m a child of the 90’s.”

We Say: It’s all in her attention to detail: Notice her boots balancing out her flimsy dress, and picking up on her lip color - she even painted her nails taxi cab yellow.

—LEAH MELTZER

“If Jennifer Lopez, who was sitting in the front row, ever gets to play Florence Nightingale, these frocks will surely get a starring role.” - Lisa Armstrong of the Times UK on Dolce & Gabbana’s Spring collection.

Why do European magazines always come with something extra?

In London, we picked up a bunch of teen magazines that came with glittery eye shadow and neon lipstick, (which we totally used for Henry Holland’s party). The British Bazaar came with a shopping supplement that was so well done we almost forgot to read the actual magazine. ELLE came with a tote. POP came with an Agent Provocateur pullout featuring Daisy Lowe, Peaches Geldof, and the Britt and the Faran. And well, British Vogue just came with the best content ever.

And now we’re in Paris, where the new L’Officiel comes with a tube of Dior mascara (!!!) and other mags squeeze books, make-up, tweezers and other swag into their plastic wrapping.

The best part is, the editorial content of these magazines is significantly better than most of what’s found stateside, so there’s no need for added compensation - not that we’re complaining.

So what’s up America, when do we get Diorshow with our five dollar magazine?!

Thirty dollars on nail polish might sound obscene.

But if you buy only one bottle for Fall, and you paint it on yourself, it’s totally justifiable. Especially if it’s Chanel. And especially if you’re in Paris, like me.

I snagged a pretty bottle of their new Kaleidoscope paint yesterday morning and I haven’t stopped staring at my nails since. It’s the partner shade to the gold everyone’s raving about, but so much better.

It looks, at first, like a pewtery silver, but then it gets lighter. Sometimes it’s green and sometimes it’s pink, but it’s always shimmery, which means it goes with everything.

It’s like the silver Wet n’ Wild I had in high school, but way more grown up and even a bit sophisticated. Not to mention it goes on ten times easier, and without brush strokes.

If you see it, try it, thank us.

When we think of Tom Ford, we think of sex. And then Gucci. And then perfume.

But we’ve never conjured an image of interpretive dancers in the middle of Les Galeries Lafayette promoting White Patchouli. Like, never ever.

And yet, there they were yesterday evening. Men in beaded black boleros violently gesticulated toward women in leotards and S&Mish pleather suspenders on top of a platform in the middle of the store coated in pictures of Erykah Badu and the retro perfume bottles.

Once we tore our eyes away from the scene, we wondered whether or not Tom had any creative control over the performance. Because aside from the bra tops and sleek hair, we don’t think he’d approve.

Apparently it happens everyday, so if you’re in Paris, we highly recommend checking it out, (especially since we were forbidden from taking pictures to share with you).

For laughs, at least.

Here’s an exciting rumor:

Balenciaga’s been calling in models to Paris for castings. Male models.

Yes.

We don’t know if this means a full line of menswear or just boys in drag, but keep your eyes peeled, especially since his next show is just next week.

Obviously, we really want to see if Nicolas can do for menswear what he’s been doing so successfully for women’s wear.

Will he make feminine boy clothes to complement the way he’s kicked wide open the door for masculine women’s wear? Will he take the futuristic direction that he’s planted in the minds of so many other designers to another exponential level? Does this make Nicolas the new Hedi?

Stay tuned…

—LEAH MELTZER

We know we usually do an eye roll when singing and dancing celebrities announce they’ll be applying their talents to fashion design, but today, not as much.

Rihanna’s revealed that she’ll soon be designing a line of her own, though she gave no further details than that.

The thing is, we think she can actually pull it off. We’ve been fans of Rihanna’s style for quite some time now. Ever since she started showing up at events in young British labels, we’ve been watching to see what she’ll wear next. Not even the Spring ‘08 Balenciaga sandals she recently rewore - gasp! - could deter our admiration. In fact, it might have only made us love her more - we have to give credit to any celebrity brave enough to wear such a seasonal item after the fact, just like normal people.

So given that she knows her fashion abc’s, we’re expecting some great stuff - can’t you totally picture some daring, colorful dresses with a few tough leather pieces thrown into the mix?

—HAYLEY PHELAN

Here’s a media shake-up that’s sure to make some people go, “huh?”

Glam.com’s picked up Nola Weinstein, who, up until this past Friday, was the Associate Editor at The Daily.

So does this mean actual fashion coverage on a site that’s usually more about how to look slimmer in a tube dress?

Stay tuned.

We just heard that the Comme des Garcons for H&M ad will be public very soon. We can’t show it to you yet, but here’s a fun fact from it:

The ad features a dress. And it costs $350.

Now, we get that Comme des Garcons goods come at a hefty price. But dresses from H&M? Really?

And if just one dress is $350, how much do you think those structured jackets will cost?

When we got our first full look at the line, we thought no one would buy it because it didn’t have enough mass market appeal to fly off the shelves.

But now, well, we just don’t think anyone’s willing to shell out hundreds at a crowded H&M checkout desk.

At first, we thought the ad at left was for Gucci.

Awkward pose, check. Sexy hair, check. Nude lips, check. Tan skin, check. Very skinny girl, check.

But then, when we noticed she’s wearing a blue oxford shirt and her bag lacks a certain amount of gold hardware, we read the fine print and realized, whoa, J.Crew.

We’ll take this as a sign that the retailer’s hard at work trying to squeeze into that luxury market they’ve wanted a part of for so long. This ad’s evolved from signature Louis/Gucci/ and maybe even Valentino campaigns.

But J.Crew, just because you shoot your girl looking like she’s wearing a $900 bag, doesn’t mean you can sell your bags for that much.

Jules, 23, Artist

Got Her: At Versailles, in front of the Koons.

Stalked Her: Let’s just say that when you plop a girl like this in the middle of squealing tourists wearing sweatshirts and fanny packs, she kind of stands out.

Shot Her: Because we’ve been obsessing over the D&G tartan for fall, and while her outfit might not be off the runway, she makes the look everyday appropriate. And, that skirt length is almost impossible to pull off. Also, did you notice the equestrian lining of her coat?

She Says: “I’ve had this skirt forever. Is plaid trendy again?”

We Say: Ah, so above it all.

“It’s the cherry on the cake of my tawdry existence!” - Simon Doonan, on the upcoming debut of his television series, Beautiful People, in the Guardian.

Luca Luca’s having a sale at their showroom, starting today!

Who: Oh, you know.

What: A sale, as in, party dresses up to 90% off.

Where: Their showroom, at 19 West 36th St, 4th Floor, 212.755.2444

When: Today and tomorrow, 8:30am - 6:30pm; Saturday and Sunday, 11am - 6pm.

Why: Because you have a party coming up?

Oh, who are we kidding, we all need a good sale after recent disappointments…

To: Natalie@Fashionista.com

From: ThePurple@Team.fr

Hello all !

Just wanted to let you know that we just put the remainder of our personal overstock of back issues for sale on the Purple website:

We just found a bunch at the office and don’t have the proper place to stock them here (Purple Fashion #4 through #9).

Tell your friends!

love, purple fashion

Morning -

Did anyone else notice that Freja wasn’t in yesterday’s Gucci show?

Excluding Resort, she hasn’t missed walking Gucci since Fall 05, having stomped for the Italian house for the past six regular seasons in a row, opening the show twice. She’s practically a Gucci mascot (but second to Natasha Poly, of course), so her absence on roll call is definitely a surprise.

In fact, Freja’s only walked a few shows in Milan so far, but that’s still more than Catherine McNeil, who’s been entirely absent from Fashion Week since her walk at Tommy.

Is somebody kidnapping the good models one by one? Because that would make staring at Zara-esque wares a lot less interesting…

Ok, we’ve received about 800 e-mails today asking about the status of the Hermes sale, so we dispatched Fashionista friend Rebecca Suhrawardi Austin from Papermag.com, and here’s what she saw:

1. The line is from the middle of the block all the way to Sixth Ave (they’re only letting in a certain number of people at a time) - but, we hear if you walk up like you’re somebody who shouldn’t be waiting in a line, they let you right in.

2. The whole thing is incredibly civilized: dressing rooms, tons of people to clean things up, polite employees, plenty of space to check things out, shelves, etc.

3. The goods are so-so: Don’t expect to find a Birkin - the bags are mostly canvas totes that we’ve never even seen anyone carry. There are hardly any shoes at all, and the clothes are mostly very uptown, very ladylike - think flowery dresses and cashmere sweaters. But at least there’s a wide range of sizes stocked - at this point, anyway - even the teeny-tiny ones.

4. This could actually be a decent place to get some impressive holiday gifts - there are tons of scarves and ties, and the menswear section is practically untouched. But also, there’s tons of china (mugs for $39), bathrobes (but like $342) and even baby booties ($54), if that’s your thing.

5. It might be easy to get in, but the line to pay goes all the way from the front of the space to the back, so that might be a little while.

Ok. And now you know.

It’s pretty evident that the 90s have made a come back - we all know about the crop tops, but now we’re seeing its big sister, the bra as top, all over the runway.

But the bra top raises a couple questions, like:

1. Is it a bra - as in, an undergarment made to wear under one’s clothes - or can it actually be considered a top? Cushnie et Ochs certainly thinks the latter, though we wonder what happens in cold rooms or in the rain.

2. Is it really ok to show not just a sliver of your midriff, like with a crop top, but the entire thing?

3. Where exactly is the line between “bra” and “bra top”? Is it in the construction / coverage / use of lace?

I’ve personally attempted this look with a structured bathing suit top, and another time with a cotton bandeau - BUT, only with high waisted pants. However, the runway’s been showing more skin than the new 90210, and, well, unless it’s hiding under a blazer, is anyone really going to have their six-pack hanging out like that? (Do regular girls even have six packs?)

So what’s the verdict: Runway or reality?

—ALEXANDRA BEN-GURION

Or the more appropriate question is, “Will you wear spring’s head gear?”

The runways have been inundated with hats. Catherine Holstein wrapped whole sweaters around the heads of her models. PPQ added I Dream of Jeannie-like toppers to their ruffly dresses and Luella splashed retro veiled hats and riding caps across her floral outfits.

We think some, like the sweaters at Holstein, might look super cool on the runway but stop short of realistically working on a regular girl’s head. Same goes for the PPQ hats - they’d induce a giggle or two at the even the most wacky New York party. And the swim caps at D&G - are they serious?

Luella’s little hats, while cute on Ali, Jourdan et. al, are the kind of thing we want to rock when we’re eighty-year-old eccentric ladies with a murky fashion past.

Right now, we’d love one of the sun hats from Trovata and Nicole Farhi, or even a mini Mary Poppins hat from Marc. And we’d obviously rock the giant bobby pins from Basso & Brooke, but we’re not even sure those are for sale.

If you don’t usually wear hats, will this spring’s wide selection make you change your mind? Or is this a look better left to runways/editorials/ads/models rather than mere mortals?

We’re pretty sure everybody and their editor saw the clips of the Valentino pugs yesterday -

But have you seen the two adorable clips made live just yesterday?

In one, Valentino and co. remember the past in true Italian style.

In the other, Valentino answers the question Freud put forth - “What do women want?” (But his answer, well…)

The Acolyte Films people still say they’re not sure when Valentino: The Last Emperor finally hits normal screens, but if you happen to be at the opening of the Hamptons Film Festival on October 15th, then you’re in luck.

Until then, just clips…

Louise, 22, Student

Got Her: At Versailles

Stalked Her: Because she looked very studious taking notes in the courtyard and very Fall.

Shot Her: Because the proportion of her jacket to her skirt worked, surprisingly. We love her glasses and that the only pop of color comes from her hair.

She Says: “I’m an art student. I study in Paris and we’re here to see the Jeff Koons exhibit for school. And who doesn’t love Versailles?”

We Say:You study Koons, we’ll study you.

*ed note. If you happen to be in Paris right now, there’s a Jeff Koons exhibit throughout Versailles until December. It’s only the second time the French government has allowed a contemporary artist to show in the palace and though semi-irreverent, (we heard lots of visitors complaining), it brings an entirely new dimension to the experience and we’d highly recommend catching it while you can.

Right this very second, Lydia Hearst is in Paris. Not because she’s early for Saturday’s shows, but because she’s the star of the next Hermes lookbook.

This is just another gig in the UESider’s burgeoning modeling career - she’s posed for Escada, Nars, myriad editorials/covers, and she’s even walked a few runways that weren’t Heatherette.

Plus, a zillionaire publishing heiress is probably the best method of targeting-the-audience we’ve seen since Cory Kennedy smirked for Urban Decay.

Maybe they’ll even name a coin purse or something after her.

“More and more they seem to be teaching us how to be voyeurs rather than participants. They make interesting clothes that are essentially for photographs.” - Cathy Horyn on Miuccia Prada and the rest of the Milan gang.

To: Britt@fashionista.com

From: brooklynbabe@ihearttarget.com

Hi girls!

You might know this already, or you might not, but guess what’s landed at Brooklyn’s Target a bit before schedule?!

I spotted three colorful Jonathan Saunders shirts, two super cute skirts and a couple of dresses. Everything looked surprisingly well made. Unfortunately the fit was more Target than Saunders so I had to pass.

But I’ll be back for the whole collection. In the meantime, if you’re particularly junior sized, I’d suggest scooping up those dresses before they’re gone!

xo
Loyal reader (& even more loyal shopper)

A few months ago, the Olsens announced they’d be collaborating with Robert Lee Morris for a line of jewelry to complement their Elizabeth and James line.

Today, they’ve announced they’re doing another collaboration for E and J to make shoes - with Steve Madden.

Now, don’t get us wrong. Contrary to popular belief, we don’t have a problem with Steve Madden shoes in general. We only get annoyed at the knock offs - otherwise, we think he should make all the patent, Mary Janes his heart desires. And if he wants to partner with a clothing label as official cobbler, great.

But Elizabeth and James clothes typically range between $285 and $700, lower if it’s a tee, higher if it’s a coat. And we’ve never seen a pair of Steve Maddens make is past one season before wearing through completely - something expensive shoes should never do.

The collaboration hits stores sometime after Spring of next year, and according to WWD, will be sold in “high-end specialty retailers,” so we’re pretty sure we can expect to see them alongside the $800 feather skirts at Saks and Intermix.

So is this the beginning of $500 Steve Maddens? Or $100 gladiators at Neiman Marcus?

Either way, it’s quite a flip-flop of shoe prices - Either cheap shoes are going to get really expensive, or high-end retailers will carry cheap shoes. It’s like the high and low are crashing in the middle of the fashion spectrum, like the Big Bang at the beginning of some new direction for shopping. Maybe stores will take a cue from e-tailers, and start carrying a wider range of price points to attract as many types of customers as possible?

Guess we’ll see.

We couldn’t stop laughing at the Josh Hartnett-does-Rain-Man-in-the-West-End posters plastered all over the tube in London.

Loved him in The Virgin Suicides, and he is super cute, but Rain Man? Really?

So imagine how giggly we got when we read that Giorgio Armani’s personally given the actor two made-to-measure suits for the run of the show. The announcement comes the day after we saw Hartnett’s commercial for Armani’s Diamonds for Men cologne, which also kind of cracked us up. Is Hartnett the male Beyonce?

The designer says, “I have long admired Josh Hartnett, who represents one of the most talented actors of his generation.”

Vogue UK says the suits will “doubtlessly help the actor feel a little more at ease should stage fright strike.”

Um, ok.

“Want to thank the show for doing their part to get rid of Tory Burch flats forever.” - from the comments section of Daily Intel’s Gossip Girl reality-index recap from last night.

Marc Jacobs might be over the moon about this: after being the unofficial music mascot for his label, his favorite rock band’s bassist, Kim Gordon, is launching her own clothing line called Mirror/Dash.

Moms will be happy to know that Kim’s line is aimed at “cool moms,” which, I must admit, is a refreshing change from the usual teen hipster market.

Kim counts French singer and fashion icon Francoise Hardy as one of her main influences - and for those of you who aren’t familiar with Miss Hardy, we’ll fill you in: she’s really bad-ass. Case in point: the Hardy jacket that’s the only item up on the Mirror/Dash site so far, a motorcycle jacket in dark gray wool, modeled on a girl whose brown hair and bangs looks like Francoise herself.

She’s only selling 50 of these jackets to ensure the item remains as limited-edition as possible, just like most of the goods on the site will be.

But we wonder - will this inspire Marc to release an alternative rock album anytime soon?

— HAYLEY PHELAN

Whenever I see pictures of Cory Kennedy everywhere, we always want to ask, exactly what is she? But lately, I’ve come to realize that, at best, she’s basically a model.

Hear me out - she’s been the face of Urban Decay, she sprinkles hipster stardust on whomever’s in her vicinity, and she became famous in the first place because of some inexplicable attachment people felt to photographs of her that took over the internet/pop culture world.

Even still, we were a little surprised to come across these pictures of her shot by Jeremy Scott for Celeste.

We’re not sure why we actually really like them - maybe it’s because she’s actually working it in true model form in each photo, or maybe we’re just one of the millions that can’t look away - but we do, and so we’re wondering:

Is this the beginning of Cory, Actual Model?

You decide.

—LEAH MELTZER

Fact: Reed Krakoff, the President and Executive Creative Director of Coach, is also a photographer.

Fact: Reed and Simon Doonan, the God of Barneys, are friends.

But did you know Reed just finished a book of portraits on professional fighters, Ultimate Fighting Championship?

Yes, fact.

We assume some fighters will be showing up to the launch party in at least Trovata, since it’s being thrown by Simon and Radar at Barneys in a couple weeks.

And yes, this is probably the last time we’ll mention wrestling, ever again.

Here’s a fun bit we almost missed in this morning’s WWD:

Rumor has it that Sean Connery is set to be the next Annie Leibovitz-shot face of Louis Vuitton.

The use of a near-octogenarian isn’t so strange if you consider LV’s shot Keith Richards and Francis Ford Coppola in the past, and especially since he’s, you know, James Bond.

We hope it’s true - he’d balance out Eva nicely. Who says models are too young these days?

We knew the upcoming Valentino documentary, Valentino: The Last Emperor, would involve a lot of shots of his six pugs, but we didn’t expect any of it to be so cute.

Check them out sleeping next to him while he sketches the Spring 06 collection, and tell us exactly how Valentino got through his entire career without at least designing doggy rain booties.

We hear the documentary, which is supposed to be in theaters sometime before the end of the year, will include tons of shots of the pugs, including them all lined up getting their teeth brushed by whoever it is Valentino employs to do such things.

Oh yeah, and clothes.

Kate, Style Director of ELLE

Got Her: At the Topshop venue!

Stalked Her: Because we’ve spent the past two weeks wondering how in the world she can make pants and a t-shirt look so chic.

Shot Her: Because we’re starting to miss New York and it’s nice to talk to a familiar face. Plus, we knew you’d want to see her.

She Says: “Can you believe I packed like fifty-two pairs of socks and three pairs of knickers? What was I thinking?!”

We Say: At least you remembered that clutch.

“The most important thing is, to save the rainforest.” - Vivienne Westwood to Cory Kennedy on NylonTV.

Somehow, we didn’t see this coming -

The Daily reports that Gwyneth Paltrow has started her own lifestyle website, GOOP, as an outlet for all the many tips Hollywood’s golden girl thinks we should get from her.

The site is still in the infant stage, but she already has her categories up: Make, Go, Get, Do, Be and See, with “Get” characterized by a top on a clothes hanger.

So does this mean Gwyneth’s planning to be like the Miss Manners of fashion? We could totally see her blogging about her mom uniform, but it’ll be funny to see how she negotiates those price tags -

Stay tuned…

Morning. Did you know there’s an Hermes sample sale starting tomorrow? About as rare as a baby snow leopard in the open, but yes, it’s true:

Who: Hermes, yes.

What: A sample sale - we doubt there’ll be samples, but we bet there’ll be tons of belts, scarves, shoes, ties and bags, and maybe some actual clothes if you get there on the first day.

Where: Metropolitan Pavilion, 123 West 18th Street, between Sixth and Seventh, 4th floor.

When: Wed (tomorrow!), 10am - 6pm; Thurs, 10am - 8pm; Fri, 10am - 6pm; Sat, 10am - 6pm, Sun, 10am - 6pm.

Why: (please fill in)

Go.

Les Arts Decoratifs, in Paris, will curate an entire exhibit dedicated to Kate Moss: The Myth, in the fall of next year.

“The Myth” refers to her advertising power, though we’d call that something more along the lines of cold hard fact than mythical legend.

According to WWD, the museum, and its curator Pamela Golbin, have just begun work compiling a collection of Kate’s work, but are already having trouble because almost everything is concentrated in the hands of her agency. They’ve, “kept hold of absolutely everything she’s done from the very beginning, including archive material from two decades ago.”

We might be some of Kate’s biggest fans, but even we’ve let go of our stash of 90’s magazines, (though we’ll admit, we think she’s improved significantly with age). We’d love to see the trajectory of her advertising career from Calvin to basically every single luxury brand gathered in one place.

Guess we need to plan another trip to Paris. Damn.

This just in from our Inbox:

Tonight’s episode of Gossip Girl, “The Ex-Files”, is the big Fashion Week-themed edition that tied up the entirety of Chinatown about a month ago.

In the course of an hour, we can expect an Eleanor Waldorf fashion show with Michael Kors and Tinsley Mortimer front row - and a full ten looks from Abigail Lorick’s actual line, Lorick, from Spring 09, parade down the runway as Eleanor Waldorf originals.

So if, like us, you found yourself wishing you could see the clothes in motion instead of dirtied with creamy (albeit delicious) cake, here’s your big chance.

It’s like Fashion Week déjà vu, except this time, you can wear a bathrobe.

Update: Sorry, guys! We got that information straight from Lorick’s reps, but I guess they were a week early. But look on the bright side, there’s anticipation now!

“They arrived back at Newark at 1 a.m., but sans luggage. For fashion people, that’s worse than sitting on the runway for four hours without any snacks.” - Style.com’s Nicole Phelps, on the Continental flight that kept this morning’s front rows in Milan a little empty.

To: Natalie@Fashionista.com

From: Production [at] Models.com

We need some outstanding interns (read: must really love models/fashion, and more than in just the “I flip through magazines” kind of way.)

We’re located in New York City, and so we need you to be, too, in addition to really knowing Photoshop and being able to scan loads of photos.

You’ll be working mostly with our editorial team as well as tackling other assignments in our office as needed, so you must have a good attitude and willingness to learn, and be available 2 - 3 days a week approximately, 2 - 4 hours a day.

This internship is unpaid, but you’ll love us. Send resumes and a very brief cover letter telling us about yourself, why you want to work in the modeling/fashion industry, and what you’re seeking from an internship.

Thanks!

Did you ever wonder how Karl Lagerfeld would style the women lucky enough to carry his Chanel fishing rod?

Surely you didn’t think any old 2.55 bag would do, did you?

Not to worry, Karl’s come up with something revolutionary, an It bag to beat all It bags, and proudly displayed it in the window of Chanel’s Bond Street store. It’s a double 2.55 bag, longer than your leg and guaranteed to knock the lights out of your fishing companion when you turn to reel in your catch.

And in case that’s not a grand enough display of your wealth, you can pick up a zipped case of logo-d Chanel flies, too.

Because obviously the only fish you want to catch already know to swim straight toward the double C’s.

Pinky, 21, artist

Got Her: At Henry Holland’s after party in Bloomsbury Square

Stalked Her: Because she had some serious dance moves.

Shot Her: Because we couldn’t stop staring at her amazing hair. And her outfit’s not too shabby either.

She Says: “This is my favorite jacket. I wear it every chance I get. There’s not much that beats a well-fitting blazer.”

We Say: There’s not much that beats rocking a leotard as an outfit.

We finally got to check out the full line of Gola by Christian Lacroix sneakers that won’t be out til January today, and we’re half excited, and half wondering why the hell we’re excited.

One the one hand, they’re beautiful. Black and white embroidery on leather is not something we would have previously considered for casual footwear, but somehow, it works, and we want it to work with gray jeans and worn sweaters right now.

On the other hand, they’re sneakers, and they’re priced between $240 and $400, which almost makes them criminal if not dangerously fun.

The idea of wearing couture (we are using that term so loosely, yes) sneakers is kind of layered - we think it might feel fun, funny, but maybe a little tool-ish, too (we are using that term so childishly, yes.) Because really, couture sneakers? Has the high/low really brought us kicks designed with 19th Century French baroque embroidery and gilded bullfighter-inspired paisley prints to wear while shopping for milk?

We’re not usually ones to get in the way of something potentially ridiculous for people to wear (we’ve been trying to figure out how to DIY the Giles Pac-Man heads all weekend!), but we’re not sure even we can wrap our heads around sneakers in the mid-hundreds.

But more importantly, can you?

Bonjour Monsieur,

We’re two weeks deep into Fashion Month, and we know you’re incredibly busy with your own upcoming show, so we want to make sure you’re paying as close attention as us to what’s been happening on the runway.

It seems as though your stunning Spring 08 collection stunned more people than just us, having made quite an impression on a bevy of designers, both young and old.

We think it’s only fair you charge a petite fee for the “interpretations” of your designs. You should, for example, earn 5% of sales for Jason Wu’s jewel toned gowns, and at least 15% of the profits on sales of Alice Temperley’s one-shouldered mini. We think you might also make a small fortune off sales of Jill Stuart, Ossie Clark and Erin Fetherston, to name just a few.

None of their dresses mushroom-cloud as beautifully as yours, none of the jewel tones seem as rich the second time around, but it’s clear that none of their gowns would exist without yours.

A bientôt!

xo
Fashionista

Between the end of my Fashion Week duties and my chunnel train to Paris, I had approximately twelve hours to enjoy London.

Without the mental capacity to enjoy a museum, I spent three hours wandering Hyde Park, one on Portobello road, (which produced a vintage Louis trunk for just under £5,000), one hour controlling myself in Topshop, thirty minutes trying on Vivienne Westwood at Selfridges, (where, by the way, they hang Hussein Chalayan on the same rack as Alex Wang - strange, no?), and a few rapturous minutes in Luella’s shop, because I most definitely cannot do that stateside.

In the shop, I found two perfectly dressed salesgirls, racks of covetable, witch-like clothing, a ribboned bag I might defect for and the poster at left.

Ms. Bartley’s proudly displayed the Evening Standard news banner announcing her own shop raid on the wall of her store’s back room.

Oh Luella, we love you so.

“The more sexy you make yourself appear; the less sex you’ll have.” -Miuccia Prada in Another Magazine.

The Hearst Corporation is looking for the next standout (and as of yet undiscovered), bust out photographer, and their doing it in competition style.

They’ve just announced the beginning of their Hearst 8 x 10 Photography Biennial Competition, for which photographers with at least 2 years of professional experience can apply for the chance to be one of eight lucky winners whose work ends up showcased in the Hearst Tower lobby - and smack in front of the eyes of judges like David Granger, Donna Karan, Peter Lindbergh, and a few other people capable of making a young photographer’s career a living possibility.

You can apply between now and January on the competition’s site.

And good luck - we could use more than oases backdrops and hopping models in our magazines.

Today’s news in WWD was all about the shoes:

Not only do they report that Jeremy Scott’s designed a wacky sneaker mini-line for Adidas to arrive in stores by February (with a sneak peek during the Paris shows next week), but also that See by Chloe is officially branching into shoes, too.

The sure-to-include-wedges line debuts this Spring, and according to WWD, it’s “color-soaked” and includes a range of “jelly shoes” that we sincerely hope are on the shallow end of the $120 - $500 range.

Other designers announcing full-on shoe ranges to go with their clothes in recent days include Proenza, Hussein Chayalan, and Ohne Titel for Cesare Paciotti.

Are shoes the new way into the hearts of buyers with increasingly high standards for parting with their money?

Something tells us the Topshop dress / $800 shoe combo will be as popular as ever come Spring…

We met the Porter Grey girls at GenArt in July. We loved them, but we loved their clothes even more, and have the purchases to prove it. And so, we’re very excited to tell you that they’re coming to a trunk show near you!

Who: Porter Grey - two sisters, one great design duo

What: A trunk show, as in, a chance to buy the best stuff

Where: Bowery Hotel, 355 Bowery at 3rd St

When: Only this weekend, Saturday & Sunday, noon- 7pm

Why: Because their clothes are pretty, simple, and so you should wear them.

—ALEXANDRA BEN-GURION

(A reader tried to leave this in Community, but it was too good not to display front and center.)

Doubtless you’ve heard of Edie Rose, the capsule collection Rachel Bilson designed for DKNY Jeans.

But it’s a more doubtful you’ve heard of Sretsis, a very small line based out of Bangkok that once had a very brief mention on The Fashionista Diaries.

Or, you could remember that Rachel Bilson was once photographed wearing the green, Sretsis dress at left. And then realize that it must have weighed heavily in her memory in designing the yellow, Edie Rose dress at right.

We guess it’s a nice gesture that she left the studs off the neckline, kind of like changing a semi-fictional character’s last name to avoid legally-upholdable comparisons.

But then again, as Alexandra pointed out, at least now we know she’s been “designing” the line…

Joy Behar: “Do you take your inspiration from Joan Collins in Dynasty?”

Leighton Meester: “Um…no.”

- a discussion on fashion, from The View, aired this morning.

If Faran and I had time to eat lunch this week, we would have zipped over to The Henry Holland.

It’s around the corner from our hotel and across the street from Selfridge’s, where our Henry had his Levi’s launch party yesterday.

But instead of Henry Holland Levi’s, the pub only sells Henry Holland bangers and mash.

Jessica, 24, fashion journalist

Got Her: Outside the Natural History Museum in South Kensington.

Stalked Her: Because we were walking behind her and noticed multiple heads turning - we had to see what they were looking at.

Shot Her: Because her outfit was indeed worthy of a head turn.

She Says: “My skirt’s practically vintage H&M. The t-shirt’s Marc Jacobs, from New York, and I love this cardigan - it’s vintage.”

We Say: Sometimes, it’s just nice to see an easily chic girl amongst the trying-too-hard fashion folk.

This just in from London via The Daily (the new version of the Daily Rubbish, not to be confused with The Daily here):