We introduce a new segment on Fashionista in which we talk to people in the fashion world about their jobs, and what exactly it is that they do all day. Editors, publicists, agents, photographers, you name it - because don’t you want to know what it means to “scout”? Or “do market work”?

Yeah, we knew you would. So here’s the first installment - we spent an afternoon with Thomas Onorato (former nightlife impresario, far left) and Max Wixom (former theatre man and technical wiz, left) of OW! Public Relations, to find out exactly how they end up doing all the best parties, and representing some of the coolest designers.

So we stopped by their Garment District loft, where we found them discussing hair and prints with designer Michael Angel, and got down to it -

So first, I want to start with the basics, like how did OW! happen? Where did you two even meet?: Well…

—ABOVE PHOTO BY KIRSTEN MAJOR

Reminder:

If you’re looking for something to wear to the Natural History Museum’s Winter Dance on Thursday, or if you’re just in the mood for something extra fluffy in your closet, we kindly remind you of the Marchesa sale, which started approximately one hour ago.

If you get thee to the Warwick Hotel earlier than others, you might be able to score a serious dress for $200 - $750 (instead of for $2650 - $7000, seriously).

So go on, you know you want to.

PS. And if Marchesa’s just not your cup of tea, Hermes starts today, too…

Ok, the Glamour beauty department wins the prize of Most Unforgettable Blog Post ever. Seriously.

Last week on South Audley Street in Mayfair, London’s Rick Owen’s store opened alongside its pretty cool neighbours, Marc Jacobs, Dover Street Market (DSM) and the pap-favourite Scotts restaurant. Thursday, Lanvin is to open its doors in the same hood.

On a “go-see”, DSM and Rick Owens were completely empty. Going west, a smidge past Notting Hill, the much talked about Westfield, Europe’s largest (over a million square feet) and expensive (it cost nearly two billion pounds to build) mall is practically a desert. In its chandelier-laden “Luxury Village”, with shops like Burberry, Prada, Tiffany, Miu Miu Twenty8Twelve, etc, the atmosphere is tense. According to reports, sales are dramatically down. Foot traffic has fallen and about half a dozen stores have shut - barely six months in. One store hadn’t made a sale in six days. Pretty dire stuff.

So, how do retailers feel these days? Said one, sipping water at a recent opening, who naturally did not want to be named: “If we hadn’t signed the lease over eighteen months ago, and planned it for four years, I would have cancelled. Now, I am just [redacted due to un-polite language, so let’s just say the word “clenched” was involved].”

Let’s hope Lanvin knows what they’re doing.

—CHARLEY B

We spent the morning in a sea of Loeffler Randall shoes - it was like the really good dream we wanted to have last night but we got to wake up to it instead.

Not to gush or anything, but Jessie Randall’s fall shoes are incredible. She’s come up with so many versions of the bootie that regardless of your height, shape, size, etc, you’ll find a version that works for you.

They come with cut-outs, chunky ruffles, thin buckles, thick buckles, built-in platforms, wooden heels, and our favorite - a chunky knit cuff that can be pulled up like a leg-warmer or scrunched down. It’s the first time she’s done a shorter version of their classic Matilde boot and it’ll come in both black and embossed python with wide silver buckles on the sides.

So if, like us, you’ve avoided booties up until now - consider yourself screwed.

Tancha, 21, fashion student

Got Her: Off Rue Etienne Marcel, headed to her internship at Gaspard Yurkievich.

Stalked Her: Because we’ve been wandering Paris for days looking for the perfect flat lace-up oxfords - and she has them.

Shot Her: Because she’s essentially wearing a men’s suit and still looks feminine. She managed to balance the boxy shape with the flash of ankle and bright silk scarf.

She Says: “I’m from Thailand, so a lot of my inspiration comes from there. But I had to get to Paris because fashion’s an artistic thing here and that’s what I need to be surrounded by.”

We Say: That outfit (and shoes!) were made for walking Paris.

—AMANDA GAVLICK

We’re always a fan of doing good while shopping - a trend that peaks during the holidays and then goes into hiding the rest of the year.

So we were thrilled to see these signs in the Belle by Sigerson Morrison windows on our street.

They’re holding a spring canned food drive and giving you major shoe discounts.

You bring in ten cans, you get 10% off, fifteen cans for 15% off, twenty cans for 20%off - it stops there. You can’t bring in one hundred cans for 100% off but it’s still about the easiest way to catch a break on these perfect sandals while doing a very good deed.

Parties? They’re still happening, but opposed to the good old days (last year), where it was three or four fashion events/private views/store openings/dinners/etc per week. This year, it’s just one(ish) - and its always a bun-fight*.

At a recent soiree, there was a strict one tipple** per guest rule. Call it the the English Revolution - Let Them Drink Water, and tap water at that. Sadder still, VIP guests were passed secret cards and shuffled to back rooms, where the hosts meted out drinks at one per hour. Oy.

A fed up guest, now inured to the “New Deal,” had a mickey of vodka in his breast pocket with a straw ingeniously threaded through his lapel, just to be able to maintain a buzz. In London, one of the cities hardest hit by the global financial crisis, financial pundits tell us the dire conditions are going to last another eighteen months. Better stock up on straws.

—CHARLEY B

*Bun-fight: British-English for “a very crowded party where people jostle around”.

**Tipple: British-English for “a drink”.

Fact: Conde Nast, the publishing company of Vogue, Teen Vogue, Glamour, Allure, and so many more, is a subsidiary of the media company Advance Publications, which is owned by the Newhouse family.

Fact: Advance Publications has just instituted a pension freeze and mandatory ten-day unpaid leaves for employees at all of their daily papers outside of Michigan (think The Star-Ledger, The Staten Island Advance, The Times-Picayune, etc) due to the drop off in advertising revenue.

Fact: Magazines, including Conde’s, aren’t doing so well on that front either, losing a minimum of 20% of ad pages for the month of April, which indicates a steep slide from already less-than-thrilling numbers (Vogue carried 42% fewer ad pages than from the previous April).

So how long before the major cutbacks at Advance’s papers hit their glossies? …

A teeny sentence in this morning’s WWD confirms a story that was floating around during Fashion Week, and so was subsequently ignored.

Gossip Girl has inspired a reality show.

Bravo - the network behind Project Runway, The Fashion Show and Tim Gunn’s Guide to Style - has started filming a show, which may or may not be called NY Prep, that follows around real-life UES private school kids, to see if anyone really lives a life like Chuck Bass.

Obviously, we’re just curious if anyone actually shows up to 8am geometry with Gisele hair and Celine, but we’ll know soon enough - the show hits small screens everywhere this fall.

Here’s a sentence we never thought we’d write: ELLE, Elite Model Management, Look Model Agency and Bebe are teaming up.

They’re in need of a new It-girl.

You can apply here - and there will be 600 semi-finalists, so we think you have a pretty good shot.

Those semi-finalists have to go to an in-store photo shoot in either New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, Miami, or San Francisco. One girl will be chosen from each city and flown to LA for two nights, given a Bebe outfit, $250 and a photo shoot.

The winning It-girl gets a six month contract with Elite and Look, $1000 cash, $1000 worth of Bebe, a Bebe photo shoot and a chance to be featured in ELLE.

We’re not sure what kind of It-girl that makes you, but here’s an idea: You’d be following in the steps of former Bebe faces, like Mischa Barton…

“What do you most value in your friends?” —Vanity Fair “They have to love my designs.” —Valentino

Lara Bohinc, the Brit-based jewelry designer who’s worked with brands like Lanvin and Gucci, is probably best known for her knot jewelry.

The shiny gold and dull platinum knots come in different shapes and sizes, sometimes plaited, in rings, bracelets and necklaces. You’ve probably seen them accompanying a red carpet dress or two and even though they sell for upwards of $500, they’re unique enough that they used to fly out of the store when I worked in retail.

They sold so well that Urban Outfitters (who’s usually a lot quicker on the uptake) is ripping off Bohinc’s signature designs and warping them into $78 “mixed metal exclusive to Urban Outfitters” versions. In the store, they’re merchandised three at a time, layered over each other, to at least lend an image of richness.

But as you can see in the picture, they don’t even come close.

Ingrid Sischy and Sandra Brandt just got named International Editors of German and Russian Vogues.

The duo’s already been contributing to both Spanish and Italian Vanity Fair since they launched last September, and Ingrid’s been a contributing editor for Vanity Fair US since 1997. The Conde Nast press release says, “Ingrid and Sandy are a unique journalistic team, full of ideas and with strong ties to the worlds of Hollywood, fashion and the arts.”

That dose of Hollywood might be perfect for Vanity Fair but it’s fashion they’ll need to keep up with Aliona Doleteskaya at Russian Vogue. Which we guess explains their much discussed presence and frantic note-taking in almost every front row in Paris.

As for sharing their handful of international jobs, we wonder what would happen if one was sent to German Vogue and one sent to Russian - does splitting them up dilute their genius?

I’ve seen a lot of crazy beauty crap in my days. Fart guards, spray-on ab kits, press-on shadows - basically, nothing surprises me anymore.

Yet when Revlon’s April-launching collection of eight fruity-scented nail lacquers landed on my desk last week, all that practiced cynicism was replaced with a WTF. Nail polishes that become fruit-scented after they dry? Right. But since it’s my job, I went ahead and lightly painted my pinkie with the deep periwinkle Not So Blue-berry shade, then tentatively sniffed my nail.

I spent the rest of the afternoon compulsively inhaling my finger the way we all used to inhale Mr. Sketch’s grape markers in third grade art class, making the other Starbucks patrons around me very uncomfortable and giving myself one hell of a migraine.

At some point, while I inhaled the sickeningly addictive sweet, sweet scent of fake blueberries, I imagined the marketing meeting for this one: “So I’ve got this great idea. Nail polish you sniff. The kids’ll love it, providing they don’t get brain damage from inhalation.”

General impression: The colors are pretty, the polish goes on smooth, they didn’t chip easily and the scents are alarmingly addictive. No they don’t really fulfill any specific beauty needs, nor are they some groundbreaking development for the industry, but boy are they fun. And every now and then it’s nice to have a little bit of silliness in your routine. Now excuse me while I paint on the Mango and imagine I’m in Tahiti.

—MEGAN MCINTYRE

Even if you’re not in LA, you probably heard about Erin Wasson’s garage sale, where she practically emptied out her closet and sold her Wang and Balenciaga (among others) for $100 per piece.

It sounded fun, it benefited charity, but many wondered aloud why you would clear your closet so ruthlessly (the last time we tried this, we ended up with a Hefty bag full of Urban Outfitters from high school, which we’re pretty sure nobody was willing to buy) when your average dress comes from Fendi instead of Forever. Turns out, there was a real reason behind it:

In this weekend’s Guardian, Erin described her dream closet, “a rolling rack and it’s like your four T-shirts, your five dresses, your two pairs of jeans,” which Erin considers to be “very Japanese” and a more “utilitarian” approach than what she had pre-sale.

So there you have it. The next time you see Erin in a party dress, you might be able to talk her into giving it to you in exchange for a donation. Just start the conversation with konnichiwa.

“He’s always asking: ‘Is that new? I haven’t seen that before.’ It’s like, Why don’t you mind your own business? Solve world hunger. Get out of my closet.” - Michelle Obama, on dodging her husband’s inquiries about her shopping, to the New York Times.

A while back, we noticed that Lauren Conrad’s Collection was curiously tucked into the DVF section of Bloomingdale’s in Soho. We’ve also recently noticed that everyone’s so taken with scenes involving Olivia Palermo on The City, that the name “Spencer” has ceased to draw the same level of ire as in summers past.

So it looks like the DVF empire has squashed LC’s before it ever really got off the ground. Not only is her show finally ending while The City becomes socially acceptable for conversation (ok, with some people), but it looks like her line has gone kaput, too.

The New York Post says it’s because of “the economic climate” but we think this is just what happens when little fish jump into the Pacific Ocean, camera crew or not.

Have you had your fill of Michelle Obama style news, complete with that Sonia Rykiel belt?

If so, too bad: The Washington Post is so committed to creating a beat on the First Lady’s style, they’ve relocated Robin Givhan (the Post’s famed fashion reporter who - fun fact - was the first fashion writer to win a Pulitzer for criticism) to DC so she can cover Michelle’s every choice of sleeve.

And since Robin will have the kind of access other Mrs. O followers only dream about? Consider the Post the new People of the First Family.

When we hear the name Jessica Joffe, we think: Patrick McMullan, Banana Republic ad (Spring 06), the New York Observer, that Stylecaster video, etc.

When most other people hear that name, they just think: Who?

So here’s another piece for that puzzle called, “Who is she, and why is she everywhere?”. Jessica Joffe, the redhead at left, is now the face of Katy Rodriguez’s Fall 09 line.

We’ll ignore the fact that Katy Rodriguez - talented designer that she is - isn’t exactly the biggest, baddest ad campaign of them all, and focus on the fact that campaign season is being kicked off (for the most part) by a semi-socialite instead of a celebrity or supermodel. Sign of the times?

To: tips@fashionista.com

From: parsonsreview@yeah.com

Not so much a tip as an observation:

Took the SATs last Sunday; one of the grammar questions had “Anna Sui’s colorful prints” as the subject. Immediately I felt more comfortable.

When the College Board goes the Fashionista way? I had to alert you.

Xo,
M

The latest member of fashion’s TV takeover?

Elle MacPherson.

The supermodel’s signed on to Ashton Kutcher’s CW pilot, A Beautiful Life, the same one for which Mischa Barton’s interrupting those Shakespeare studies.

Elle plays Claudia (so if Claudia Schiffer guest stars, does she get to be Elle?), a supermodel from the 80’s who still happens to be smoking hot. In her spare time, she runs the top New York Model agency, Focus models, “with the efficiency and toughness of a dictator.”

Natalie can’t figure out if this is a genuine drama or a satire on drama because she says you couldn’t possibly cast Mischa Barton on another CW soap if it’s supposed to be taken seriously.

I think it’s reality TV with prettier people and a script.

“If I were in a band in sixth grade I would have called it The Banana Republic Club.” —Derek Blasberg, while interviewing Alison Mosshart in the new Interview.

What I saw/heard at the Convenience Store pop-up shop at the St. Martins Lane Hotel last night:

- Designer Hannah Marshall weighing in on a raging debate about who started the “shoulder” trend (said Marshall: “I did that shoulder two or three seasons back - I’m pretty much over it now).

- Racks of show stopping pieces from off-the-beaten-track designers like Felder and Felder, Camilla Skovgaard, and Rick Owens, all stocked by Convenience Store’s owner, Andrew Ibi, who easily runs the most adventurously edited shop in London.

- Hannah Marshall telling a story of the world’s most loyal customer ever: “There was one lady who just arrived from Miami, went straight from Heathrow to the shop, let the cab idle outside, bought my jacket, and in a space of three minutes, was gone. That’s the kind of loyalty that I hope to continue to inspire.”

- Richard Mortimer of Boombox, Camilla Skovgaard (the woman, not just the label), Kei Kagami, and rock star Cherish Kaya from Ipso Factor, all cooing over the pieces like a leather harness dress fit for Britney’s comeback.

The store, which is normally located in the seediest, greyest part of West London amongst the projects, will be at the luxe hotel for just three weeks. I suggest snagging the stuff while it’s still easy.

—CHARLEY B (our new London correspondent!)

—PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEREMY KOST

Hayden-Harnett made a Camille clutch for spring.

Its shoe counterpart is the sandal on the far left, the shoes that Natalie’s revolved her weekend around and probably one of the most unique sandals we’ve seen in a long time. The orange and blue and grey leather links top a gray suede platform - there are even little studs in the back, because if you’re going to commend Toni Hacker on one thing, it’ll be for her attention to detail.

Anyway, Urban Outfitters has a Camilla shoe. It’s on the right and has orange and white and brown leather fabric atop a faux wood wedge fastened with elastic and sells for $128.

The colors might not be as pretty but they’ve got the idea - someone else’s idea - down pat.

We just got our hands on the Loomstate for Target lookbook and knew we had to share.

We won’t lie - it definitely comes off as a bit of a repeat of Rogan for Target, especially the leopard-ish print shorts (at left) that were the star of that Barneys shopping party last spring.

Of course, the big difference is that Loomstate’s clothes are all made of 100% organic cotton, meaning you can feel good about what you’re wearing and how much you spent, too.

Also, this line includes men’s clothes (shirts, shorts, etc), as opposed to Rogan/Target, which only had options for the girls.

So basically, it’s all about peace and love, people.

If you’re as obsessed with all the Modelinia videos as much as we are, and are looking for an internship, listen up:

Job duties: Research info on models, fashion, beauty and charities; Basic admin (copying, faxing, filing, sending messengers); Assist Photo Editor and Researcher with photo research; Contact PR/fashion/beauty companies on behalf of Modelinia; etc.

Requirements: A basic working knowledge of the running of an editorial website, previous experience, ability to write fun articles and promotional copy, a good attitude, a passion for all things model-related, etc. Photoshop and CMS are a plus, and they can offer college credit.

So if you can offer three full days per week over the next fifteen weeks, contact modelinia[at]aol.com. (And say hello to Heidi for us.)

We sent our intern to Colette to check out the Barbie displays and tell us all about it…

If you’re spending any time in Paris from now until March 28th, be sure to stop by Colette to check out their full-on Barbie décor in honor of the doll’s fiftieth birthday. You already knew that the perennially hip Parisian boutique teamed up with Karl Lagerfeld to pay due tribute to the timeless icon, but what you may not know is that it’s totally worth a stop.

Downstairs, the walls are inscribed with tongue-in-cheek Barbie quotes, such as “I may be plastic, but I never melt under pressure.” Or “A plastic tan never fades.” And upstairs, they’ve installed a brand new wing, coated, of course, in scorching hot pink. The enclave is flanked by prim, attentive plaster poodles, also varnished in the doll’s signature hue.

I purveyed the swarming masses from an overlooking balcony, which doubled as a gallery space for Lagerfeld’s Barbie and real-life Ken photographs, each featuring witty themes such as “First Marriage” and “Where is the Jet?”

The photographs, signed by Lagerfeld himself, are available for purchase if you want a memento to outlast the Dylan’s Candy Bar treats. For now, I was content to leave with an adorable bottle of Uslu Airline’s nail polish, made in honor of our girl’s special day (FYI- it’s Pantone 219c).

—EADDY KIERNAN (our other new Paris intern!)

If the fact that it just snowed on the first day of spring is as confusing to you as it is to us, then you know there’s only one real response: shop!

This weekend’s a particularly good one for sales, so here’s a little guide for those of you who may have missed our sale calendar:

Tomorrow, you can sip champagne while getting 20% off at the new Hayden-Harnett store, then skip over to the nearby Staerk, Built by Wendy, Only Hearts, Libertine, and Abaete sales. And if you’re really into it, you could head west to hit up the Falls pop-up store on Greenwich, before you check out the Alaia, Proenza and Givenchy at the nearby Edon Manor. You also have Michael Kors in Chelsea and Lauren Merkin a little further uptown. Or if you’re in LA, we highly suggest the Kiki de Montparnasse garden shopping party.

Starting Sunday, you could pick up Valentino (and Roberto Cavalli, Blumarine) on 57th Street, or if you’d rather not leave the comfort of your bed and Sunday Times you can have a Blair moment on Colette Malouf’s sample sale online.

Finally, if you feel like feeding your weakness without spending too much cash, the Loomstate event at Kaight today might be the way to go - you get an exclusive, stenciled Loomstate shirt for free with any Spring purchase, which means spring shopping fever is officially in full swing.

Happy Friday.

Not only does Chanel Iman have an upcoming guest spot on Gossip Girl following her House of Style stint this weekend, but it looks like the Ford model’s planning a much longer career on sets instead of runways.

She told Fashionologie that she’s “kind of slowing down on the modeling” which would explain how she’s going to accomplish her earlier statements to Teen Vogue, that she wants to do “television, film, music and designing. I want to do it all!”

So is Chanel Iman the next model-business a la Heidi Klum? Maybe.

We would wonder aloud whether this new career path of hers has longevity, but considering that she was born in 1989, we’ll hold off.

TIME Magazine loves their lists.

They’re already working on the 100 Most Influential People of 2009, and for the first time they’re letting readers get in on the voting process.

In the Best Designer category, they’ve lumped together fashion, art and architecture - though the latter two categories include Renzo Piano, Damien Hirst, Rem Koolhas and Takashi Murakami, all of whom have serious fashion cred.

The actual fashion designers on the list include Stella McCartney and Tom Ford, though we wonder if Stella’s influence comes more from her commitment to veganism than necessarily pushing fashion forward. As for Tom Ford, he’s influenced Brad Pitt and caused a toe-sucking uproar,but hasn’t necessarily started a fashion revolution this particular year.

Granted, it’s unusually early in the year to pick the most influential designer of 09. Bu given the season we’ve just seen, who would you pick?

Even though J.Crew’s had plenty of well-known models in their catalogs (Lauren Hutton, Cintia, Anouck, and Mallory from the Real World Paris, if you’re into fun facts, they’ve never signed just one face to front the print shopper from first page to last - until now.

Fashion Week Daily reports that Liya Kebede, Ethiopian mother of two and face of St. John for Spring 09, has been signed to model the April J.Crew catalog all by herself, which is sure to bring some fashion-centric attention to the brand that’s just come off so much press from Michelle Obama’s support of the office-wear staple.

But more pressing: Does this make the J.Crew catalog the new barometer of a model’s success?

Outtakes from LOVE’s shoot of Courtney Love by Hedi Slimane, right this way…

If you’re one of those people who come home after a night out and end up spending a small fortune on Net-a-Porter, consider yourself warned.

Rebecca Minkoff’s having a surprise online sale tonight. It starts at midnight and goes until everything’s gone. Over 200 different items - bags, wallets, clutches, - will be 50% off and you’ll get free shipping.

Apparently spring means “shop” now.

UPDATE: Sorry guys, their PR says the sale has been cancelled.

The first day of Spring has turned into everyone’s favorite reason to throw a shopping party.

You’re going to have to find a way to squeeze in Hayden-Harnett’s Saturday afternoon fling. Their new Nolita location, on Elizabeth Street between Houston and Prince, is slightly more accessible than their Greenpoint location. Plus, Saturday means 20% off everything in the store.

Not to mention Ben and Toni, the brilliant and sweet minds behind the line, will be there to help you pick the perfect bag for spring - and dress/shoes/bathing suit/wallet etc.

They’ll be there from 12 - 6pm with champagne, food and a handful of giveaways.

We’ll be there bright and early - even though the Greenpoint store’s a block away from our bed.

Stylist and designer Liz McClean is looking for an “amazing intern”. Naturally, she’s turned to you.

Requirements:

“Currently live in New York, know their way around the city, know the subway system, be very interested in fashion styling, know magazines, designers, and photographers, feel comfortable driving in the city, will be doing pick ups and returns, running errands, may get to go on photoshoots, non-paid, start asap, full-time or able to be on call, stylish!”

Send your resume and a short cover letter to Liz’s assistant at rachelwortell[at]gmail.com.

Luck!

The Wall Street Journal just reported that Claudio Scajola, Italy’s minister of economic development, has made good on his promise to pump some money back into the ailing fashion industry in his home country.

He’s meeting with fashion industry leaders tonight in Rome at 7pm local time to present them with a plan that should immediately save 700,000 jobs, though industry members are reportedly hoping for the addition of “tax breaks for female workers, a reduction in energy bills and government subsidies” and for the government to “pay the wages of laid off workers on behalf of companies temporarily”.

Whether this money will have any long-term effects on the industry remains to be seen,
but since net profits of the Italian fashion industry fell 4% in 2008, and IT Holdings (parent company of Gianfranco Ferre) filed for bankruptcy protection (on top of an ever-growing list of more bad news), it’s clear that something like what the government did for the Italian auto industry needs to happen for fashion, too.

Needless to say, many Marni lovers wait in suspense for tonight’s meeting.

Way back in November, Leighton Meester was photographed doing a Reebok shoot on the street.

Just today, Vogue UK’s reporting about the campaign, and also saying that the CW star is set to do “another” campaign come mid-May.

But since we’ve never seen any of the Leighton/Reebok images in any magazines, and since Vogue UK’s still reporting that Agyness has had a Reebok campaign, too (she hasn’t) we’re just as confused as Blair Waldorf would be if she could see herself wearing trainers in public.

Stay tuned for more answers.

In the meantime, would it add a dash of much-needed realism to GG if they brought in some more gym class scenes, closely followed by less than perfect hair?

UPDATE: Reebok’s PR confirms that “Leighton is the face of Reebok at Lady Foot Locker through 2009,” and we’re now waiting on dates for when those ads hit print.

“You have to do a lot of tweaking and airbrushing to get the same from a celebrity that you would get from a model. A lot of celebrities — I’m gonna tell you right now — they’re not 5’11”; they’re not a size 2 to fit into these designer dresses.” —Tyson Beckford’s cold hard truth on celebrities stealing magazine covers from models.

There’s an interesting article in the New York Times this week about a study conducted by Duke/MIT professor that may color the ongoing fakes debate.

The basic idea behind Professor Dan Ariely’s study, Faking It: The Psychology of Dishonesty and Counterfeits, is that if you do it once (buy a knockoff), you’ll do it again, and it doesn’t just affect your style but your behavior as well. “The effect on morality, people don’t anticipate,” says Ariely. Harsh? Yes. So let’s take a look at the experiment:

Ariely took 250 people and split them into groups of two, giving each one the same pair of “designer” sunglasses. He then told one group their new sunnies were faux, and the other group that theirs were real. Everyone was then given the same math test. Out of those who were wearing the counterfeit glasses, 60% cheated on their test. But for those who were sporting the real deal, only 20% stooped to cheating. (And this was just one of a few different mini-experiments he used to gather his data.)

We’re not sure of all the details (Did any of the subjects know each other? Was one group younger than the other? Were these experiments conducted multiple times each, or just once? etc), but the main question remains: Does buying a Canal Street fake Fendi mean you’re more likely to cheat on anything from a test to a boyfriend? Or does this seem like a bit of a reach?

Ariely’s study basically asserts that buying a fake is a slippery slope, kind of like the gateway drugs from DARE. They can be cheap, they can be easy, and nobody pays attention to anti-counterfeiting ads anyway. But does it mean something more about you if you partake?

-CARSON GRIFFITH

Parlor Showroom, home to some of our favorites like Rachel Antonoff, Lorick, Samantha Pleet and Staerk, needs a handful of immediate interns.

But don’t worry, they need boys, too. On that side of the spectrum they represent brands like Conference of Birds, Mjolk, Odyn Vovk and Timo. The showroom works mostly with sales but dabbles in press for a few of their designers, which means it’s a great behind-the-scenes look at the business side of things and a great chance to get to learn the ins and outs of buying.

Since it is sales, interns will be working with important numbers - so if you have a penchant for steaming or packing $800 sandals, this might not be the one for you.

If you’re the usual: Passionate about fashion, dying to learn about all facets of the industry, a super hard worker, dedicated, etc, send your resume and a brief cover letter explaining why you’re perfect for the position to intern[at]parlorshowroom.com.

La Perla’s having a party and you’re invited.

Next Tuesday, March 24th, their CEO’s hosting a shopping shindig at their Meatpacking District store (425 West 14th Street). The new Spring 09 collection will be available for previews and since it’s the first official week of spring, and it’s been a very gloomy winter, we’re all for indulging in a new pink bra.

The party’s being co-hosted by Genevieve Jones which means the added bonus of previewing Jones’ Spring accessories collection.

There will be cocktails, of course, and 25% off everything in the store. The event’s from 7 - 9pm and the only catch is that you have to RSVP (and be 21!) - laperlarsvp@starworksny.com.

See you there!

“Broadly speaking, there are two kinds of models: commercial models (who appear mostly in advertising) and editorial models (who tend to pose for fashion features, like the ones in this magazine). Typically, if you have healthy — i.e., strong (like Doutzen’s) — thighs, you may end up less of an editorial presence.” Robert Sullivan, in his profile on Doutzen Kroes, in April Vogue.

Unless it really is next week? Who knows…

This Friday, Rogan Gregory and his Loomstate team will be hanging out at Kaight on the Lower East Side and they’d like you to join.

In honor of the first day of spring the brand’s head graphic designer’s already created a series of exclusive stencils and will paint them onto Loomstate’s organic tees come Friday. And the tees, which normally sell for upwards of $60, are free with any spring Loomstate purchase.

Kaight, the eco-friendly boutique, is located at 83 Orchard Street and the boys will be there from 5-8.

They’ll also have vodka lemonades, just in case cute boys in organic jeans isn’t enough spring celebrating for you.

If you haven’t had your fill of Fashion TV, haven’t been satisfied with copious model interviews and backstage videos of Fall 09 Fashion Month and the return of Blair Waldorf’s Monday night headbands wasn’t enough for you, don’t worry, the TV gods are on the lookout.

This morning marked Carine Roitfeld’s television debut, but since no one seems to know exactly when the CNN International profile will be airing, times are listed all over the place, and not everyone gets CNN International, we’d suggest watching it on-line.

But save it for Saturday and devote your entire day to fashion. Start with the premiere of House of Style at 3pm. According to Erin Fetherston’s Facebook page she’ll be rounding out the Chanel Iman/ Bar Rafaeli trifecta. Then watch Carine’s profile. Take a break before heading over to Film Forum on Houston to catch Valentino: The Last Emperor at 8pm.

And if that doesn’t satiate your fashion appetite, we suggest Barneys.

Last year, LVMH succesfully sued eBay for failing to police counterfeit sellers.

Now they, and more specifically Louis Vuitton, have sued Google for allegedly courting advertisers with the search word “Vuitton”. Stores, whether they sell counterfeit product or not, pay Google to be the first link on the page post-search which is why things like Bergdorf and Nordstrom are above the actual Phillip Lim site when you search his name.

It’s true that a year ago, or the last time we remember Googling Louis Vuitton, every possible fake in cyber existence popped up. The highlighted clutter is gone now (probably because they’re in court), making it much easier for the consumer to find the legitimate Vuitton sites. (Though the third search down still boasts “Designer Handbag Cloning Master for the past six years.”)

But Google says that they get their money after the ad link is clicked and since it’s the searcher who chooses which link to follow, they’re not doing anything wrong.

If LVMH wins, Google’s inability to sell brand names to advertisers means a hefty chunk of their profit is gone. And even if they don’t win, we can’t imagine Louis Vuitton’s war against those who aid and abet counterfeiters will end in the near future.

1. Jimmy Choo and Hunter teamed up to make a pair of faux crocodile Wellies (at left), which will be featured on the last page of April Vogue for Last Look.

2. The Clue (at right) is far and away Jimmy Choo’s best selling shoe. “They are the most popular shoe for us globally. They sell 10 to 1 compared to the other shoes, if not more,” said Jimmy Choo USA President, Brian Henke. We asked what made the $700ish slingbacks so irresistible: “It’s the comfort,” said Brian, “the pitch allows you to walk in them all day.”

3. Tamara Mellon’s designed a line of makeup bags for Fall, which perfectly match the regular bags, possibly resulting in the cheapest clutches Jimmy Choo never intended to make.

4. It is illegal to import python commercially in the state of California.

5. It is totally appropriate to squeal “CHOOS!” in the midst of champagne, mini pieces of toast and the open invitation to try on anything in the store.

And now, we’ll just wonder why we never learned so much in a single day of school.

Scratch that.

This is Rodarte’s first ad, which ran in Anthem magazine’s Fall issue. It actually grew from a project between photographer Autumn de Wilde and Karen Elson, which means it wasn’t necessarily intended for an ad campaign, though it ended up as a crystal clear advertisement tucked in the front of the glossy.

Don’t know how it flew over everyone’s head (ours included), but this ad, which grants a much better view of Kate and Laura’s skills, is sick. Which makes the ad below - the one everyone’s flipping out over today - their second campaign, not first.

Just saying.

Fact: Kiehl’s customers are die-hard - they don’t call it a “cult” favorite for nothing - and will go on and on about everything from the Crème de Corps to the Grooming Crème until you kind of want to shove their Lip Balm #1 down their throats. If you’ve ever wondered how the 158 year-old brand keeps up such hype, you might like to know it’s because they actually listen to their customers.

Case in point: Late last year, they launched a stronger hold version of their Clean Hold Styling Gel. Not because some big name stylist declared that stiff hold was in, but because a group of customers said they’d really like it.

And now, they’ve launched their new Marvelous Mineral Mascara (on shelves as of yesterday), a direct result of fervent requests by loyal consumers who wished for a natural mascara that also conditions lashes.

I got my sample yesterday and tried it immediately even though I abused them with tests last week. The formula glided on without any tugging, and washed off with minimal discomfort to my lashline. There was some smudging around midday, but nothing too horrendous, and the crazy separation and decent amount of length means it’s officially entered heavy rotation on my bathroom sink.

And even if I wanted a totally smudge-proof option, I know all I have to do is complain to the right people, and poof, it’ll be a click away on their site. And with consumers dropping like flies, more beauty brands would be wise to focus their efforts on keeping their fan base happy instead of coming up with the next limited edition “it” nail polish shade.

—MEGAN MCINTYRE

There’s been a mid-season scramble for interns.

As magazines crash and editorial teams fall by the wayside, you might get to do some extra cool stuff as an intern in Lucky’s fashion closet.

So, if you’re motivated, dedicated, obsessed with fashion, hard working, dying to get into the fashion industry/get your hands on the Louboutin for Philip Lim ruffled shoes and learn just how clothes get from designer to magazine, this is the opportunity for you.

You will also steam and invoice and perform general fashion closet intern tasks. They need you from now until mid-May and can, of course, give you school credit if you need it.

Also, as our own personal side note - interning at a major magazine is nothing like Running in Heels would have you think. Being a positive, upbeat, team player is essential to the job.

So, if you can handle that, if you’re dying for that, email luckyfashioncloset[at]gmail.com.

Here’s a sneak peek of W’s fashion feature, “Stardust”. Check out the rest on W’s site tomorrow.

Last year’s big ad debut was Alexander McQueen.

After the Gucci Group owned company moved into the black, McQueen snagged red-headed model Alice Gibb to star in a series of ads donning his Girl in a Tree collection. Now, Rodarte’s jumped on the ad bandwagon. Desperate times call for desperate measures - especially when you’re hawking $3000 leather jackets and $18,000 summer dresses.

We’re having trouble reconciling their breathtaking clothes with their dud of an ad. The photo shows a model from behind, wearing a backless dress with gloves and those diamond cut out leggings, stopping just short of the Nicholas Kirkwood shoes. “RODARTE“‘s written across the top with a rainbow tint.

Unfortunately, it does nothing to convey the genius of the clothes - a genius we didn’t totally comprehend until we got up close and personal with their Fall 09 line in Paris last week. Seeing and feeling their work in person made it easier to understand their price point, an experience one obviously can’t convey in a print ad. But if the girls are going to start advertising, we refuse to believe this is the best they can come up with.

Everybody’s looking for ways to drum up cash these days, and camera crew-toting stylists are no exception:

Next Thursday (March 26), the Decades Two in Los Angeles is hosting an in-store shopping event for 50 - 100 pieces of contemporary costume jewelry from Rachel Zoe’s personal collection, handpicked by one of the store’s owners. A portion of the proceeds will benefit a charity of Ms. Zoe’s choosing.

Unsurprisingly, you can’t go unless you’re invited. But here’s the flip side: Jewelry that makes it past the first night will end up on DecadesTwo.com and on the store’s eBay page the very next day, meaning you can click yourself silly with your friends while making all the bananas references you want in the privacy of your own home.

Though LA party girls, beware: The event will be taped for the Rachel Zoe Project, meaning you could end up on Bravo shopping Rachel’s cast-offs. We think the website might be the way to go.

We’re endlessly fascinated with the meeting of “real,” “reality” and “fashion” on television these days, and the way it endlessly fascinates us despite our constant stream of questions and concerns. Like:

1. Doesn’t Diane von Furstenberg (as in, the real DVF, not some character of herself she plays on MTV) care that the entire world has now watched her discuss Whitney Port’s love life on prime time?

2. Doesn’t Whitney Port care that the only time she actually got to talk to the real DVF (who, let’s face it, is always present with her on-screen self) was during a work party where she spewed about her boyfriend instead of about wanting to do more with her job?

3. Also, don’t the producers care that DVF just repeated the same advice we’ve heard her give several times?

Please, discuss this moment in true tele-reality. Because when Diane started playing with her hair and asking legitimate questions about Jay, we lost too many brain cells to think on this any further.

Last week, WWD reported that Jil Sander was spotted at a fabric fair, sparking rumors that the German designer was readying for a comeback after exiting her semi-eponymous label (her real name is Heidemarie Jiline Sander) in 2004.

But those hoping for a return to the runway should instead focus their attention to the racks: Jil Sander’s just signed on as a “design consultant” for Uniqlo, the Japanese high street brand known for bright basics and a steady stream of capsule collections from designers like Phillip Lim, Alexander Wang, and now from Jil herself, who’ll release her own designs for the company as part of the long-term deal.

No word on exactly when these designs will materialize, but if other megabrands follow in Uniqlo’s lead and add value and originality to their own designs, too, we can’t wait to see the amazing clothes that’ll end up in the hands of everyone.

Quietly, the news that Katie Holmes has been working on a line of children’s clothing has been floating around without any real confirmation until ELLE’s Twitter yesterday afternoon.

It seems the former Joey Potter’s foray into fashion as the face of Miu Miu for Spring 09 wasn’t even the beginning, since Katie’s reportedly been working on the line with her stylist, Jeanne Yang (whom you might remember let Katie design that white jumpsuit with her), for over a year.

Whether this is really because she couldn’t find cute/comfortable clothes for the most famous daughter ever, or because she’s jumping on the highly profitable designer kids wear market is unknown, and will probably stay that way.

Meanwhile, if Suri ends up the face of TomKittens Holiday 09, we’ll officially boycott any photos of her immediately.

On our twisted route to tonight’s Duplicity premiere, we walked down 14th Street and noticed a spookily empty Carlos Miele store.

The lights were off in the all-white, super modern space at around 5:30, the racks were empty, the three mannequins that always hang in the window were missing and the shelves were bare. Nothing in sight but a lone palm tree and a sad bust wearing a red dress on the floor in the back.

The designer announced he was launching menswear at the end of November and a luxury denim line at his Fall 09 show just a few weeks ago - which makes the empty store the first sign of trouble for the Brazilian designer. Unless of course it’s just getting a major makeover, which would put him at the other end of the spectrum as the only designer with money to burn.

Meanwhile, the third star of Duplicity, aside from Julia Roberts and Clive Owen, is the oh-so-distracting black and gold Marc Jacobs handbag she carries prominently from start to finish. Which we guess means Marc has some cash to burn, too.

UPDATE: Carlos Miele’s PR says they’re doing a commercial shoot in the stores for two days. So, no worries for fans - looks like Carlos is on that safer part of the money spectrum.

Last week, the big non-Fashion Week news was Phoebe Philo’s Bicyclette collection. Turns out, the original reporters had some incorrect info, so here’s the real deal for those who were excited about Phoebe’s return:

1. The collection was not designed by Phoebe, but by Ivana Omazic, the designer Phoebe’s been hired to replace. Bicyclette marks Ivana’s final efforts for Celine.

2. The clothes hit stores in April, not August, so there won’t be any designer confusion once Phoebe’s Resort collection hits the runway in June.

So, bad news: This has nothing to do with Phoebe. Good news: The clothes come even sooner for those dying to have the perfect outfit in which to circle Nolita looking for Scott.

That is all.

There was a mini-debate going on in the comments section of a Paris post.

One person decreed that blogs aren’t press and therefore shouldn’t sit in the press section of a show while another pointed out that we obviously aren’t buyers which together puts us in a rather awkward category. Blogs are, according to most publicists, considered press, and our seating assignment is usually a testament to that classification.

However, this season we noticed a new seating trend pop up. For the first time, those reporting for blogs and magazines’ online departments were often seated together which meant we had daily run-ins with reporters from Elle.com, Papermag.com, Glamour.com, Showstudio, DazedDigital, Fashionologie and more.

For example, at Marios Schwab, bloggers had their own Front Row section (alongside the Conde section, the ELLE section, etc), which created a real commune-style discussion of, “Well, I can’t report this for my site, but you totally should use what I heard earlier!” Fun, and certainly effective for spilling your thoughts onto Twitter in mere minutes.

Which makes us wonder, are the days of acting like bloggers aren’t real media members finally over? Because it looks like they are, at least in fashion. Especially now, when major editors from The Times are tweeting and Vogue editors like Filipa Fino are writing for Vogue Daily and WWD posts multiple times a day. We’re just saying, the line is getting awfully blurry.

Even though I’m officially brown-bagging my lunch since the e-word fell into a r-word, the one thing I can’t bear to give up is my pricey haircuts. Try as I might, I just can’t cut back on them. I’ve considered trying to DIY, but I had a bad experience in my youth that left me with uneven, half-inch long bangs on Picture Day Eve, so I can’t even handle a pair of shears without having traumatic flashbacks.

I guess I’m a salon snob, but I dealt with so many horrible hair cuts back in the day (hello infamous bowl cut of ‘92), that the minute I had the chance, I plopped myself in a chair at Bumble and have refused to go anywhere less since. The unfortunate side effect of this stubbornness is that my already anemic bank account goes on life support every 6 - 8 weeks.

So, news: Ted Gibson, one of my all-time favorite stylists and an all around sweetheart, was feeling my pain. The man behind the hair of Angelina Jolie and Anne Hathaway understands that times are rough and wallets are tight so he’s launching Recessionista Tuesdays at his eponymous salon. Every Tuesday, you can swing by the Fifth Avenue location for bargain basement prices on all the basic services. We’re talking $40 for a blowout and $75 and up for a cut or color. Considering the usual base price for services is $125, that’s one hell of a deal.

Best of all, if you swing by the salon between 10 and noon on Tuesdays and drop your business card, you’ll be entered to win a free hair makeover with Ted himself at the end of the day. The economy might be a mess but Ted is apparently a firm believer that your hair shouldn’t have to be. Amen.

—MEGAN MCINTYRE

We’ve always been intrigued by Mary-Kate and Ashley’s adamant choice to remain invisible from The Row.

They’ll make public appearances for Elizabeth and James and talk about it in the press, but when it comes to their $300 t-shirt line they didn’t even advertise until this season and they refuse to let themselves be too publicly associated with it.

But the retailers who are determined to sell their line through this recession can’t help but push a little bit of Olsen into the leather jackets and cotton tees. The Spring 09 editorial-like, giant size Barneys catalog was shot by Patrick Demarchelier and stars a string of current top models rocking head to toe runway looks.

On the last page Eniko wears The Row, with cleaned up Olsen hair, over-sized shades, perfectly chunky Louboutin platforms and for extra emphasis, a white paper coffee cup.

The twins might not want to be the face of The Row, they might want their clients to buy their line based on quality and design expertise, but Barneys knows it takes more than that to sell a $550 white v-neck.

Alison, 21, Literature student

Got Her: In Le Marais on Rue Vieille du Temple, Paris.

Stalked Her: She was on her way to falafel on Sunday but I was determined to snap those Victorian shoes with their perfect kitten heels.

Shot Her: She’d mastered the art of revolving a simple ensemble around stand out shoes - and that’s something I’d like to learn.

She Says: “The shoes are from Marché aux Puces de Berlin - a great store. But I wish I was wearing head to toe Vivienne Westwood.”

We Say: We’re glad you’re not.

—AMANDA GAVLICK (our new Paris intern!)