Steven Alan might be the trickiest Life With subject yet.

He doesn’t just design men’s, women’s and children’s collections; he doesn’t just run a showroom representing over twenty of New York’s hippest designers; and he doesn’t just operate ten of his own stores - he also hangs out with his seven-year-old son.They like to eat things like seaweed with rice and salami and tuna and rank their favorite chefs.

But when he’s working, Alan works hard, scouting the best new designers to fill both his showroom and his store while maintaining one of the most cohesive design visions around.

After the jump, I try to understand just how he wears so many hats, so well.

(And since the Life Withs get longer and longer as I get more curious, check back tomorrow for Part II.)

Heart Chloe: Reports filtering in that 30% will be knocked off almost all of uptown Bloomingdale’s Chloe handbags May 6th & 7th. {Racked}

Get Me to the Church On Time: Marc & Lorenzo set a summer date up north. Also, they’re taking Madonna, Victoria Beckham, Anne Hathaway, Winona Ryder, Rachel Feinstein, John Currin and Rihanna to the ball. {FWD}

Still Going: Natalie Portman’s new site, MakingOf, has yet another info with The September Issue’s director, R.J. Cutler. He describes Anna as “closed.” {MakingOf}

When Vivienne Westwood sent a model down her SS09 runway in those Union Jack shorts, we felt like we needed fancy boxers.

Then Teen Vogue featured ruched cotton shorts in a March editorial. They came in striped blues and reds, like bloomers, but with nothing over them. The credits listed Brooks Brothers so we went to the store and scoured the site until we realized the models were just wearing men’s boxers probably sewn by a handy Conde intern.

And today we saw these Current/Elliot shorts on Shopbop - basically fancy boxers even if they’re called “distressed denim.”

But we found a pair of pre-sewed-to-look-like-bloomers this weekend and no matter what we tried them on with - silk tank, plaid button down, white t-shirt - they still just looked like boxers. And while we’ll wear pretty much anything at least once and we obviously work in an office lacking any sort of dress-code, the idea of going out in men’s underwear just feels awkward, no?

We’ve avoided Twilight madness (though has anyone else noticed that one of the girls from the movie is in the Terry Richardson-shot ads for Belvedere Vodka?), but we’ve started to notice an influx of actual fangs in fashion.

Models, both male and female, rock pointy front teeth in Karen Walker’s newest lookbook and they’re underneath all the red lipstick in Wildfox’s lookbook. We’ve noticed vampire-themed editorials full of fangs ranging from Vogue Italia to Cosmo, too. And Alison Mosshart wears a particularly violent pair in The Kills’ Black Balloon video.

They managed to miss the runways this season, but are they something you’d actually wear?

“Sheer Stella 2009 is the Bernie Madoff of perfumes.” —Chandler Burr rages against Stella McCartney’s newest fragrance on The Moment.

Julien MacDonald used to be known at the UK’s answer to Bob Mackie - Naomi Cambpell or Geri Halliwell could be depended on to open and and close his shows with furs, feathers and sequins - which meant we were surprised when Jamey Hargreaves, one of the Matalan chiefs (think the U.K Target) handpicked MacDonald last year as a major investment.

The money came, of course, with the promise that MacDonald would deliver tamer collections, focusing on his knit and tailoring talents. And the results, unveiled last London Fashion Week were killer. Since then, buyers and editors have been fervently awaiting last Friday, the Welsh designer’s pre-order day, dying to claim their own crystal-detailed dresses, leather trousers and genius knits. Unfortunately, a handful of fashion favorite starlets beat them to the punch.

Chloe Sevigny’s already hand picked a bunch of key looks and Ashley Olsen’s pulled clothes for herself, as well as for her forthcoming Harper’s Bazaar shoot.

Which means this week - the same one during which Debenham’s named the leopard print dress from his diffusion line the fastest selling garment in the retailer’s history - is a good one for MacDonald.

It also means it’s about time his clothes gets stocked on your side of the pond.

-Charley B.

Chanel Iman, Sessilee Lopez and Jourdan Dunn shot what they promised to be a “major” editorial in London last month.

We still don’t know where it’s going or what it’s for but the girls have been much more forthcoming since their return to New York. Yeterday, Chanel twittered that she was shooting an editorial with Peter Lindbergh and swore the pictures would be “collectible” while Sessilee Lopez posed for Ellen Von Unwerth in Milk Studios. Today, the two of them are working together in Times Square and Sessilee thinks you should stop by.

If you make it, we want to know who’s behind the camera and what the girls are wearing. Major bonus points if you send pictures!

“She’s very attuned to when moods in the social or popular culture are changing and how Vogue should address that. She’s almost like an old-school Vogue editor because she’s very much of the world of our reader, but she can set herself apart and judge it and come up with opinions. I don’t mean old-fashioned in any way, but she is a sweetly old-fashioned, correct Vogue editor. She’s very calm, she’s very meticulous, she’s very precise and she’s incapable of being anything but completely polite and completely correct in the way she deals with everyone. She embodies everything that we try and maintain at the magazine.” —Anna Wintour on Alexandra Kotur in a great profile in The Observer.

If we were as clever and cute and charming as Seth Meyers and a team of SNL writers, we’d launch into a “Really?” tirade pointed at Target’s PR right now.

At a party the other night, someone told us we were the Rip-off police; we get at least ten emails per day alerting us to various knock-offs; lawsuits (Anna Sui, DVF) have been brought after reading our Adventures in Copyrights and today, or yesterday actually, Target’s PR sent us an email.

It says:

Hi Britt,

Hope you had a great weekend! Recently, stars like Beyonce and Rihanna have been sporting the Balmain military look which has had fashionistas everywhere dying to replicate the style! Now, Target has the answer with the Go International Line Bandleader Vest which is perfectly pared-down chic to pull of[f] this trend at an affordable price.

The email comes with pictures of Beyonce and Rihanna wearing actual Balmain next to pictures of Target’s sleeveless copy. We’d ignored the vest because it’s not an exact copy and it’s been written up everywhere, but companies sending us their rip-offs is too weird to ignore.

Really publicists?

Sneak a Peek: Here’s a peek at Christian Siriano’s actual shoes for Payless. Lots of crinkled patent and some chain details, considerably less dramatic than what hit his runway earlier this year. {Racked}

Mario & Maillots: Just in case it’s not hot enough for you, here’s a look at Mario Testino’s newest editorial for V’s Swimsuit Issue. {VBlog}

Barbie Girl: Because everything should be candy colored come summer, here’s a list of the best pink lipsticks and the girls who wear them well. {WWWD}

SPOTTED: McQueen’s butterfly printed caftan, an Isabella Blow sequined dress, black lace, the gold winged spectacle and loads of skull scarves.

Fashion’s always held a fascination with Cindy Sherman - and vice versa.

She’s worked on ad campaigns with Marc Jacobs and titled a series of photographs “Fashion” - but now she’s actually designed clothes.

She, along with costume designer Adam Kimmel’s, outfitted the dancers in I Drink the Air Before me, Stephen Petronio’s 25th Anniversary production which kicked off at the Joyce Theatre last night.

There are three sets of costumes, the middle features jumpsuits - the womens’ look like this Alexander Wang and the mens’ are reminiscent of this Stella from Spring 06 and the final set features a collection of perfectly striped tees.

We wish we could own a Cindy Sherman designed outfit, but watching one on a spectacular dancer isn’t half bad.

“I am sitting next to Jerry Hall right now. This must be what heaven feels like.” —Derek Blasberg, Tweet of the Day!

We haven’t nicknamed a night since college, but designer Billy Reid’s deemed today “Whiskey Wednesday”.

Reid’s Bond Street store oozes Southern charm - it opened last fall and was built, top to toe, from wood, furniture, antiques and even window frames imported from below the Mason Dixon line. It boasts racks of well tailored, handmade-looking clothes for both men and women - think jackets, vests and billowy tops.

Tonight, they toast the arrival of Reid’s Spring collection with free food, bourbon and live music from 6 to 9pm. Everything in the store is 25% off, except for custom made pieces.

And the furniture, of course, which we always leave wanting.

Hogan, Tod’s cooler, younger sister, is closing its downtown New York store in June.

The lifestyle brand says it wants to move uptown and the current economic climate has finally given them access to the kind of space they need.

A spokesperson told WWD that Hogan’s the largest growing brand within the Tod’s family and that they need to move uptown to launch their new retail concept and solidify their customer base.

What it doesn’t say is that the line was supposed to be downtown’s answer to Tod’s, that making Leigh Lezark and Elettra Wiedemann the face of the brand was a very calculated move to attract a customer whose eye is more focused on the Phillip Lims of the world and that it’s not quite working so they’re heading uptown where people actually wear Tod’s loafers and actually look like Gwyneth Paltrow.

So our question is, who gets to star in the new ads?

Just in case you missed these images from the official Save Fashion campaign - we’d thought we’d give you a closer look.

Chadwick Tyler (thanks to Office of Air) shot Lisa Cant, Elena Melnik & Co. for Refinery29’s month long pop-up shop dedicated to helping ease a few of New York’s independent designers through this economic mess. Piera Gelardi, Refinery’s Style & Art Director co-art directed the campaign which was styled by Emily Eisen.

Ready for steeply discounted Rag & Bone, Cat Holstein and Lorick? Thought so - see you at 41st and 8th on Friday!

We were in Boston yesterday, not shopping or playing, but hanging out at PUMA City.

The Volvo World Race, a hardcore nine month sailing extravaganza that kicked off in Alicante, Spain last October and ends in St. Petersburg, Russia this June, is docked in Boston for three weeks. Puma, a major sponsor of the whole race, has its own boat and team, too - they’re currently placed second.

A mini-village is constructed at each port and the centerpiece of this one is PUMA City - a pop up shop literally made out of the shipping containers it’s sent around the world in. The three-story, red structure’s open to the public and boasts a bar, a souvenir shop full of race wear, a Puma shoe store and a Puma apparel store full of exclusives like bikes, official sailing gear and new artist collaborations.

Holt Renfrew - think Barneys, but north, doesn’t need a street style blogger to shoot their ad campaign, but they do need a Canadian to write for them.

They’re launching a contemporary style blog and looking for three fashionable boggers to report on and take pictures of fashion events in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver for the next five months. You have until May 28th to log on and submit two hundred words, plus a picture, explaining why you’re perfect for the job.

Six finalists will tackle a handful of fashion competitions before the department store’s Facebook fans pick one winner from each city. And of course you can’t blog without a computer so just in case you don’t have one of those they’ll give you a Sony VAIO.

And for all the parties you’ll have to attend? A $1000 Holt Renfrew gift card - which is enough for almost one whole Stella dress.

Funny Face: Can someone who know something about beauty tell us how to get that perfectly red-rimmed eye without looking diseased? Thanks. {TheMoment}

Already Wins: Andre Leon Talley helped Marisa Tomei decide on a “lemongrass” Madame Gres toga-like dress for next week’s Met Ball. This will be in our top five. {VogueDaily}

And He’s Back: Christoper Kane’s doing Topshop again - this time bigger and better with shoes and bags added to the range. Guess that explains his New York presence earlier this month. {Grazia}

Looks like this economy’s bringing even the most reclusive of the beauty glitterati out of hiding to pimp their brands.

This Thursday, April 30, celeb stylist Frédéric Fekkai’s making a rare personal appearance at the Fifth Avenue Sephora - between 48th and 49th streets. He’ll be there from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. giving one-on-one style consultations and advice to promote his at-home color line Salon Color.

They aren’t taking appointments so we’re expecting a whole lot of craziness which means you should probably get there early, with a book and some patience if you’re dying to talk to Fekkai about your ideal summer cut and color.

While you wait, we’d suggest snagging a bottle of their new Au Naturel Dry Shampoo—it’s our latest obsession and the perfect post-beach product.

And if you do get a sit down with the man, please share his style wisdom with us and let us know if he’s convinced you to go blonde. Bonus points if you send in pics.

—MEGAN MCINTYRE

This model roundtable, hosted by Sally Singer, beats Vogue’s actual model issue by a longshot.

The magazine filled a Minetta Tavern table with Lauren Hutton, Karlie Kloss, Caroline Trentini, Iman, Paulina Porizkova, Naomi Campbell and Hilary Rhoda for a discussion on modeling past and present.

Yes, it should be about five hours longer, but in just this brief clip Lauren says the industry’s become criminal, Iman talks about being YSL’s African Queen muse, Caroline says she’s struggling with her self-confidence, Paulina calls for a model age limit and Karlie expresses frustration over being just another blank slate.

Name: Elodie, 18, Fashion student

Got Her: Enjoying a glass of wine outside La Perle, Paris’s hipster watering hole.

Stalked Her: Because her poppy-red blazer was a welcome repose from the sea of black and gray.

Shot Her: Because we love her chunky silver accessories. Plus, her necklace was originally a belt, as we later learned.

She Said: I love preppy pieces, but I’m always trying to break down the boundaries between hippie chic and classic. This weekend I’m showing my first runway collection- which I’m really excited about!

We Said: Bold prep-sters are right up our alley.

—EADDY KIERNAN

We’ve never given away a Love is Blind post before, but fine, here you go.

Grace Jones is the fashion icon singing at Matthew Williamson’s party with H&M tonight.

Not Debbie Harry.

Not Carla Bruni.

And not Grace Slick, of Jefferson Airplane / Jefferson Starship fame who - confession - we’ve confused with Grace Jones before.

But good luck trying to crash this party - it’s on a boat. In the middle of the Hudson.

And we’re good at finding a lot of things, but a dinghy with a motor that can careen up to the side of Matthew Williamson’s random yacht? That’s a little too Pirates of the Caribbean for us…

The lingo of fashion is hard to master, especially when it comes to oxymorons.

There’s “low high heel,” “jolie laide,” and “alligator skin” (uh, hello, they’re not warm blooded and therefore have no skin…). And now there’s one more: “Daily Weekly.”

It’s the new branch of Fashion Week Daily, the IMG publication with the website, the Fashion Week magazines, and now, a weekly newsletter (on paper!) chronicling the last seven days of style.

So now the logistics:

Having a daily website and a weekly magazine works really well for New York and NME, but they have too much content. Can The Daily create a fashion feast for both the internet and a new glossy? And - more fun to think about - who will be added to the masthead to help churn out the chic?

Stay tuned, this should be a fun one.

—PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEREMY KOST

Which major rock n’ roll legend - think huge female fashion icon - is rumored to be playing the Matthew Williamson for H&M party next Tuesday? (Yeah, it’s not over yet.)

I live in a model building.

Or at least I call it that - it’s actually just a regular building in the west village in which agencies rent out a few apartments to house models coming and going out of the city.

And living with them, among them, seeing them every single day has really exacerbated my love hate relationship will all things model. For example, I hate being in the elevator with one when I’m eating McDonald’s fries out of the brown paper bag. But I love seeing them in their natural habitat and trying to absorb just an ounce of their off-duty style.

Which brings me to the problem - I can’t master their casual chic look without looking like a bag lady. And I know it’s not because my legs don’t reach my armpits, I’ve seen normal looking girls pull off Kate’s layers and Stam’s slicked back ponytails. My closets packed with scarves, sheer tees, leggings, skinny jeans — all the ingredients! But something’s missing.

Do you have this look down? What am I missing?

—CARSON GRIFFITH

Why We Worship: We didn’t really think Cecilia Dean could get any cooler but she’s gone and made the new issue of Visionaire solar powered. The images actually change in front of your eyes. {Refinery29}

Turned Tables: People think DVF ripped this jacket from Canadian label Mercy. We doubt DVF’s seen it. Bet we can guess what you think. {NationalPost}

Green Rage: W says no invites are the new invites. Not that you’re not invited, you just won’t have anything to pin on your bulletin board post-event. {W}

If you’re in the mood to shop this weekend, read on.

Start out at Tommy Hilfiger on West Broadway at Broome. Pick up some jeans to make into shorts and a new bathing suit maybe because the first five customers to spend $500 get a free Apple iTouch. The next twenty-five to spend $300 get an iPod Nano, the next twenty-five to spend $150 get a shuffle and the next fifty to spend $100 get $15 to the iTunes store

Then head to the Anya Hindmarch store, or online, to get one of her new seasonal totes for under $100. Swing by IHeart on Mott because they’re closing (sad) and having a major farewell sale. Then on Sunday make your way to Bergdorf for their Re-invent Shopping lunch. Becki Newton from Ugly Betty will be there and if you bring in something from your closet a Lucky stylist will help you re-work it — details here.

Or, if you’d rather get started today, you can hang out with Vanessa (Jessica Szhor), Amy Astley and Vivienne Tam at the Teen Vogue concept store in the Short Hills mall at 5pm. Consider it part of the Save the Malls Effort - and you can win a free computer.

And lastly, if you’re in LA, head to Barneys with your old t-shirts so that Loomstate’s on-hand artists can customize them into something amazing.

Otherwise, we’ll see you at the beach.

After last week’s experiments and consequential post on waterproof eyeshadow, I started thinking about the rest of my face.

Every year around this time I get bombarded with emails promising the latest and greatest in water-resistant everything. I find that the women who buy waterproof buy it because it stays on all day and resists sweat. But most of these press releases boast their products’ ability to stay on poolside or at the beach which begs the question: who the hell is wearing makeup at the beach?

I’ll occasionally conceal a blemish here and there, but a face made up with bronzer, liner, shadow, lipstick and foundation? At the beach? Do people actually do this?

It’s like women who strut around the pool in stilettos, the sign of someone very uncomfortable in their own skin or very desperate for attention. So what do you think, is makeup at the beach a total faux-pas? Appropriate? Attractive?

And more importantly, what beauty necessities do you pack for a day at the beach?

—MEGAN MCINTYRE

—PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEREMY KOST

Maimoun, 27, student

Got her: In a petit park in the sixth on her way to an afternoon drink with her friend.

Stalked her: Because I spotted those Nike high-tops from a mile away. Also, I’ve been thinking about jean jackets for a bit now and hers was the best I’ve seen.

Shot her: Because I didn’t even realize her slashed leggings until I got up close and they really made the outftit.

She said: “I tend to identify with the bobochic style in Paris.”

We said: We tend to identify with that jacket.

—AMANDA GAVLICK

Vivienne Westwood’s added five new styles to her bridal collection.

She’s riding the Sex & the City wave for as long as she can despite her derogatory comments on the film’s fashion. A spokesperson for Dame Viv said, “These five new styles are the latest items to be introduced to our bridal wear at Davies Street following the success of the Carrie wedding dress.”

I was never the kid, I’m still not the girl, who thought twice about a future wedding other than the fact that it involved a Vivienne Westwood dress. I’ve been obsessed with Westwood since I knew what fashion was, but the only way I could justify an extravagant Gold Label gown was by getting married and now that’s over.

So yes, these dresses are stunning, but I’ll never forgive Carrie Bradshaw for making it so damn cliche. And on a side note, wasn’t that dress kind of a symbol, or at least a catalyst for everything that went wrong in the movie?

“A new store, WHO.A.U., sells frayed cargo shorts and appliquéd T-shirts that are displayed next to black-and-white portraits of hunky shirtless models, ahem.” —Eric Wilson tackles Abercrombie and American malls in The New York Times today.

Not Cool: Someone used their unemployment check to buy Matthew Williamson for H&M this morning. {NYMag}

Because April Showers Suck: Here’s some advice on how to make it through the last half of this wet and sometimes gloomy month. If you make it without rainboots, looking like Sara Blomqvist, we probably hate you. {WhoWhatWear}

We Die: Because Karen Elson’s so fucking gorgeous. {JAK&JIL}

We Wonder: Does Net-a-Porter feel awkward selling JBrand’s Balmain rip-offs next to the orginal Balmain jeans? {Net-a-Porter}

Seriously?: Elizabeth Banks is making a movie, a “workplace comedy” titled Forever 21. {Variety}

What we learned at Jeffrey’s Fashion Cares benefit last night:

— Male models are much shorter than girl models. We’re not sure if it’s due to the lack of 5” heels on the runway or what, but they look tiny out there.

— Jesus Luz looks like a super hot, super sultry, (this is super inappropriate) high school student.

— Brad Koenig’s obviously made to wear suits. He looked the same as he did the last time we saw him, which was on Chanel’s Paris runway in March, only a bit better because a former Fahionista intern did the dressing honors backstage.

— When people, read gay men, who love fashion and half naked men come together they can do a whole lot of good. The benefit raised so much money for Lambda Legal, The Hetrick Martin Institute, Gay Men’s Health Crisis and The Point Foundation - go next year!

We want to tell you what dress Kate Moss is wearing to the Met Ball.

We wish we could tell you what shoes she’d be wearing, whose arm she’ll be on - ok that’s Marc and Justin - but we can tell you what she’s wearing on her head.

The supermodel, who’s hosting the ball, has been having a blast sketching turbans with Stephen Jones. She apparently can’t wait to wear their joint creation on the red carpet next month.

It does sort of make sense that her head gear takes precedence.

All hail Queen Kate.

Ford Models just re-signed Jerry Hall.

The woman’s been modeling for thirty-seven years but it sounds like it took her recent turn for Chanel to get Ford, her old agency, to pay attention.

Karl Lagerfeld put her front and center for his Cherie inspired Spring accessories catalog and she landed a Self Service editorial, too.

Now that she’s repped by Ford and there seems to be some sort of international demand for golden models of yesteryear - Lauren Hutton, Tasha Tilberg, Kristen McMenamy (a range, we know) - we wonder how long it will take to see Hall’s face everywhere.

Everywhere but Levitra ads, that is - we can’t see Ford being cool with that.

Remember Mavi Jeans?

They’re working their way back into the denim world with their new organic line. And in honor of keeping Earth Day going year round, because it doesn’t count if you’re green for a day, they’re giving you a free pair of totally organic, totally awesome jeans.

Well, one of you.

Tell them in three sentences or less why your year round green efforts deserve a new pair of jeans.

Do you save your pennies for Stella and Loomstate? Do you only buy vintage? Do you DIY your favorite runway trends?

Email work@fashionista.com by tomorrow at noon!

A reader just sent us the link to this Steve Madden bag and our stomach kind of dropped.

We expect him to copy the Fendis, Givenchys and Christian Louboutins, but as always, it’s so much more painful to watch a small, independent designer get ripped off.

Alexander Wang launched bags less than two years ago, just a few styles, all slouchy, all zippered, all made from incredibly soft leather and all at relatively reasonable prices (around $700). Steve Madden’s sold bags forever, all plastic and all shiny and not always rip-offs - the handbag ‘designers’ obviously lack the shoe ‘designers’ budget (because they do go out and buy loads of Chloe and Chanel and Louboutin shoes, rip them up and rebuild them to make the copies spot on).

But someone in that department loved Alex’s Brenda Zip bag so much, they went and made their own and called it the B-Zipcross. Then they threw in a copy of Alex’s model-loved Donna Hobo just for good measure.

Sometimes, Steve really pisses us off.

When we told you about Isaac’s new radio show, we lamented the loss of Sketches and Answers - that end segment of The Isaac Mizrahi show in which he sketches girls out of their fashion problems.

But because he’s perfect, he’s found time amidst creatively directing Liz Claiborne, doing a radio show, starring on Bravo’s new show and designing his own line to do a few segments on his website. So here’s a Thursday morning pick-me-up. Maddy’s 5’9” and twenty-years-old so Isaac sticks her in major platforms and a mini-dress to make her, “look like a fashion model” and demands, “Go crazy!”

Reminder: Matthew Williamson for H&M launches tomorrow! 640 5th Ave @ 51st

But I Don’t Wanna: Daisy Lowe is not an it-girl. What, what’s that you say? But everyone gets an AP ad these days. {DailyBeast}

Silly Simon: The master of windows makes the Queen out of ribbon and sticks her in Barneys’ windows in honor of Sir Paul Smith. If anyone can make the recession a happy time, it’s Simon Doonan. {Racked}

Brad Who?: Rachel Zoe needs a new assistant, maybe. This anonymous Craigslist ad suggests Brad’s fallen by the wayside. Too bad we love New York. {Blackbook}

This Dress Please: Who makes the dress Agy’s making out in? {Fashionologie}

Happy Earth Day!

Or should we say, “Happy day for everyone to jump on the green bandwagon and prove themselves eco-conscious?”

Because there’s a slight problem with a lot of brands that call themselves green - they’re not actually. And most of the time, the ones that are truly 100% organic don’t exactly work - or don’t exactly smell perfect. In my beauty years I’ve waded through heaps of alleged organic, natural and biodynamic products, some worked well and others shouldn’t be allowed to exist.

And so, in honor of Earth Day I’ve rounded up a list of my favorite eco-friendly and efficacious brands. If you haven’t tried any of these and really want to go green, I’d suggest stocking up on the following products.

—MEGAN MCINTYRE

Which two fashion superstars play best friends, work together and even lived together but hate each other so much they arrive separately to events and don’t even call each other by name?

A few months ago, during Fashion month, everyone whispered about Maison Martin Margiela.

Rumors of the invisible designer’s impending departure from his own line started the September before and quietly went away until the house showed their Fall 09 collection and Sarah Mower’s review almost definitively announced his departure, “In the absence of any definitive corporate statement, the only test of whether Margiela is still in the house must be down to whether the inimitable dialogue of excellence, intellectual challenge, and wit is still there in his show. Safe, yet very sad to say, this time it was gone.”

Now, with or without the man behind the house, they’ve launched a line of housewares which do seem to fit perfectly into Margiela’s signature aesthetic. It’s very white, very industrial looking and pretty much made to go in Carine’s apartment.

Which means someone, Margiela or not, is doing their job well.

Rachel Bilson’s landed her own InStyle column in what might be the most genius starlet-meets-fashion move we’ve heard in a long, long time.

Since The OC, Rachel’s wandered in and out of a couple of movies and launched a line with DKNY, but it’s her style that keeps her on everyone’s radar.

The magazine’s managing editor, Ariel Foxman, said that most women answer, “Rachel Bilson,” when asked whose style they admire and so they recruited the California girl to write a page or two in the magazine in which she discusses her favorite trends and what she wants to buy for the month. She’ll also answer readers’ style questions.

Rachel tells WWD, “I am not planning on quitting my day job to be a full-time fashion editor, although I am really enjoying it and it intrigues me very much.”

We’re not sure what her day job is, but we think she’d make a kind of awesome fashion editor.

Lauren Conrad’s designing for Kohl’s.

The no-longer-star of The Hills has been working with the department store for almost a year to produce an exclusive line, LC Lauren Conrad.

The announcement comes less than two months after reports that she’d be closing her own line, though The New York Times says she’s just taking a break before re-launching her eponymous collection overseas in 2010. Apparently, she wants, “to give it a whole new feel.”

LC’s been hard at work designing “California inspired” t-shirts, dresses and jeans for Kohl’s, all of which will fall between $20 and $60. Come October, three hundred stores will carry the collection and pending its inevitable success the other seven hundred Kohl’s locations across the country may pick it up.

We’re betting the clothes are similar to her original collection of slouchy t-shirts and jersey dresses but at a much more reasonable price point. Maybe we can play this, “Spot the Difference” game between her $150 basics of yesteryear and her favorite Kohl’s tee?

Thakoon’s prints are dear to any fashion lover’s heart - so it took about a half a second for Teen Vogue super intern Elana to spot these Lauren Moffat rip-offs at Barneys this morning.

The co-op brand took the navy, forest green and white striped pattern from Thakoon’s Spring Summer 08 collection and threw them on a couple of different pieces including a billowy dress and knee-length skirt.

Everything about the prints are the same from the varying width of the stripes to the color blocking - as Elana so eloquently put it, “holy Thakoon rip-off, Batman!”

Did Lauren wait a few seasons hoping no one would notice?

“Designers always say, ‘Gray is the new black,” and the next season say, ‘I can’t do one more gray piece.’ Where does it go? How come the loyalty vanishes? Why don’t you love gray every season?” —Stephanie Seymour interviews Alber Elbaz in the new Interview.

Uniqlo Love: Here’s your first look at Shipley & Halmos for Uniqlo. Is it just us, or is it almost better than the real thing? {Nylon}

Vogue Showgirls: Hamish Bowles went to Rio and found this headdress. What we’d give for a day in his life. {VogueDaily}

But What: The LSD twitters, “Shooting at Rag & Bone studio.” But we want to know what Lauren, what are you shooting?! {Twitter}

ACNE called these jeans the “Generic Girl Ripped Jeans” because:

1. Generic is the first word to pop into their mind when they picture the $375-ripped-jean-customer?

2. They know they’re kind of late to jump on the roughed up, boyfriend jean bandwagon and are making a point of noting they’re doing the same thing as everyone else?

3. In a moment of self-mockery they’re acknowledging that a Lanvin collab doesn’t necessarily bring in the big bucks and so they’re ditching their Indie-cred for a split second?

4. It’s an inside joke that accidentally made it all the way to Net-a-Porter?

Start saving your pennies ladies and gents - Los Angeles vintage mecca Decadestwo is opening a New York City outpost next month.

They’ve acquired a small space above Soho’s Kiki de Montparnasse and collected 2000 pieces of designer clothes, jewelry, bags and shoes to sell to (new)vintage hungry New Yorkers.

The store will be there from May 14th to 17th but there’s one small catch, for the first few days it’s only open to their already loyal clients and invited guests. The public may shop on the last day, but who knows how much of the Marc/Chloe/Balenciaga/Chanel/Prada stash will be left by then - especially since loads of it will be priced about 80% below retail.

Rachel Zoe’s donated a good chunk of her closet and a portion of the profits will help a Detroit based charity.

Fingers crossed for Balenciaga SS08 florals.

Dean and Dan Caten, the lovable brothers behind Dsquared2, are launching their own radio show.

The broadcast airs on Sirius satellite radio’s BPM channel starting May 5th.

The boys will play all their favorite music, including bits from their runway soundtracks. And aside from their own witty commentary, they’ll have interviews with some of their closest friends - actresses, musicians - to talk about fashion and life in general.

Their show comes just a couple of weeks after Isaac Mizrahi launched his five-week radio show and now we’re hoping for a fashion radio take-over. They can call it Inside the Fashion Mind - have a new guest every week and pick their brain about fashion for an hour?

Do we have a host?

Bravo can’t get their fashion fill.

They’re hard at work on a retail docu-series amid the famed halls of Santa Monica’s Fred Segal.

The show, the network’s third fashion series, will focus on the competitive nature of retail in such a high end setting and believe us, in a store like that, with its customers and commission and cutthroat salespeople, there will be more drama and fighting than Project Runway rolled into Stylista with a dose of ANTM.

A Bravo exec said, “Fred Segal is a legendary retail haven…the fashionistas who work, shop and gossip at the store promise to have arresting, entertaining, colorful personalities and lives.”

Meanwhile, will customers be cool with cameras outside their dressing room? Or will this give the Ron Hermans of the world a boost in business?

Warning: Once you start watching videos on Modelinia, it is very, very hard to stop.

But this one, featuring May Anderson and her oh-so-eloquent description of how one turns from model to designer, is worthy of its own recognition.

The Danish model had a fear of looking back on her life in fashion and thinking, “What did I create? Nothing.”

So her friend made a really awesome logo that said Chicks With Guns. Then they watched Scarface together and really liked it when Tony said, “My whole life is to get my name on a chick’s ass.” They thought that was funny so they made a pair of jeans just so that they could put the cool logo on girls’ asses.

Does she realize she still has to answer, “Nothing?”

Gap’s Fifth Avenue pop-up shop’s currently full of ballerina clothes and six-year-olds twirling in pastel tutus.

But come Wednesday, April 30th, it’ll be an Urban Beach Pop-Up shop. Gap’s collaborating with Havaianas to kick off summer with an abundance of Brazilian, neon flip-flops.

You’ll be able to customize them, too - mix and match colors, add flowers, your initials, rhinestones, stars, whatever you want to have on your feet for the next three months.

Meanwhile, we’re desperately hoping their Pierre Hardy collection for lands early, like tomorrow early, because we need these sandals immédiatement.

Wang’s Non-Campaign: Alexander Wang’s one young designer who won’t be buying ad space anytime soon, his lookbooks are already pretty enough. {StyleFile}

Biba-licious: LOVE meets Barbara Hulanicki and the countdown to her Biba for Topshop collection officially begins. {LOVEblog}

Cover Girl: Emma Watson’s on the cover of May’s Interview. Sneak a read of her Derek Blasberg penned Q&A and Nick Knight shot images on their site. {Interview}

We miss Natalie for a lot of reasons, one of which was her innate knack for tracking down the best food at even the most anorexic fashion party.

Which is why we started waxing nostalgic when we saw this retro video for BabyCakes, the Lower East Side vegan, gluten-free bakery. Owner Erin McKenna make the go-to sweets for the Zac Posens, Phillip Lims and Elise Overlands of the world and she’s finally launching a cookbook, which means we can have our fashion food at home, too.

We have the biggest sweet tooth in the fashion universe and these cupcakes are actually delicious. And since we want to fit into one of these retro suits come summer, a batch of sugarless baked goods is probably the right alternative to the Ben & Jerry’s in our freezer.

“Doing the collections, it’s kind of like shopping.” —Hanne Gaby Odiele in Sunday’s Times.

If you spend a lot of money on things you want now, you’re probably a lot happier than people who resist the urge and save their money for an unnamed future purchase - at least according to a study released by professors at Columbia and Harvard.

They say a few days of guilt is nothing compared to the people who’ve bypassed Fendi for years only to feel like they’ve missed out on life.

In this story in the London Times (which we think might have been sponsored by luxury brands begging shoppers back), the author talks about splurging on expensive non-necessities like it’s therapy, but speaking from experience it’s more like a sugar high.

We can justify just about anything, but in ten years will the abundance of shoes in our closet make us feel like we’ve lived life to the fullest or make us wish they’d turn into an apartment? Maybe not worth worrying about right now, but we’d like to hear the professors on the other side of this argument.

Which makes you feel better, splurging on that Chanel bag you saw Kate Moss carrying or seeing more than $7 in your savings account?

Stila’s been saved.

The indie makeup brand faced bankruptcy a few weeks ago, canceling online orders and putting the entire staff on vacation.

Yesterday, they announced they’d been bought by venture capital firm Patriarch Partners LLC., the company’s first foray into beauty. It’s Stila’s third owner in as many years, Estee Lauder sold the brand to Sun Capital in 2006 and they just withdrew their financial support last month.

Meanwhile, we love Stila but always thought the brand occupied an awkward place in the beauty market. Their packaging is editorial eye-candy targeted at a youthful audience and accompanied by very adult price tags.

But, they’re one of the lucky few companies to find a buyer before reaching the financial point of no return, which means they’re doing just fine.

Well not really, but Gisele’s gone and bumped Kate Moss from her number one spot on MDC’s icon list.

Was it her marriage? Her numerous campaigns? Her ability to move flawlessly from Victoria’s Secret to Louis Vuitton? Maybe it’s because she’s one of the few models who really is just a model without a slash in sight.

So now Kate’s number two, followed by Claudia, Natalia and then Carolyn Murphy. And Naomi Campbell’s knocked out of the top five to number six.

Hope that doesn’t make her too upset.

Name: Nathalie, 23, actress

Got Her: Strolling down Rue Vieille du Temple on her way home from the gym.

Stalked Her: Because her wrapped scarf was so quintessentially French. And nothing beats a pumped up retro-style ponytail.

Shot Her: Because we love the abundance of Givenchy-esque lace-up wedge boots on Paris girls. Though as much as we love them with tights, we can’t wait to see them with bare legs and shorts and summer dresses.

She Said: I guess I have a lot of style influences. I really love Isabel Marant, Balmain, and Martin Margiela.

We Said: Who the hell looks like this post-workout?

—EADDY KIERNAN

Ga-Ga for Ikielene: Iekeliene Stange gets naked behind a bamboo screen for this pretty awesome editorial, without a stitch of fashion, in the new issue of Velvet. {FashionCopious}

LV Leak: Kanye’s fashion fascination culminates in these strange (alleged) ads for his Louis Vuitton sneakers. {NahRight}

Say What?: The pretty people behind pretty pictures speak which makes the pretty pictures on this blog even prettier. {BackyardBill}

Plastic’s Fantastic: Nylon’s launched their own record label. Their first band? The Plasticines, four French girls with some serious fashion cred. {Nylon}

More to Come: French Vogue’s Emmanuelle Alt is the woman behind Michael Jackson’s dumbfounding day of Balmain and apparently, she has plans to further enhance his wardrobe. {Fashionologie}

“Last year, President Bush wondered whether Pamela Anderson and Mitt Romney in the same room wasn’t a sign of the apocalypse. This year, President Obama might note The Atlantic’s table, which will seat both Newt Gingrich and pouty Gossip Girl co-star Ed Westwick.” —On the White House Correspondents Association’s annual dinner in WWD.

Britt has a pair of extremely holey black jeans and yesterday, a guy on the street told her that his mom could sew up the rips if she was interested.

The other day, my brother asked if my vintage Lagerfeld earrings get satellite reception. Last week, I wore shoulder pads and my friend said I looked like a line-backer.

Everyone has different style - that’s what makes fashion so fun. But sometimes commenting like a bitch - regardless of the good natured joke at the comment’s heart - can leave the trend setter on the defense no matter how confident they might be.

Whether you’ve shelled out major cash for your outfit or scoured vintage stores to build it, if it’s not jeans and a t-shirt and you’ve made an effort to look semi-stylish you’ll probably elicit colorful comments.

For some, like Britt, it’s easy to ignore the haters. (Ed. note: I didn’t take the line as an insult, but maybe I was supposed to?) For others, like me, insulting my Louboutins is like insulting my [future] offspring. You just don’t go there.

Do you have a fall back comeback to insults? Or are you totally immune?

—CARSON GRIFFITH

I have a love/hate relationship with cream shadow.

I love the way it glistens on my lids and how smoothly it blends and I hate the inevitable half-moon crease that comes mid-day. I’ve tried using powder shadow to set it, but it defeats the purpose, ruining the sexy, dewy effect that’s the whole reason to use creams in the first place

Needless to say I was eager to test out the batch of waterproof creams launching this month. I hoped these versions would deliver the effect I wanted with the staying power that I needed.

Full test and results, after the jump.

—MEGAN MCINTYRE

Despite the overwhelming presence of shoppers in London, no, retail is not thriving.

Unless of course you’re offering product at 70% off or you’re Burberry and the Chinese, Russian, Indian and Turkish markets just can’t get enough of you. Either way, London shoppers simply cannot be relied upon.

But thanks to Burberry’s brilliant marketing, rebranding (its success story will be a case course at Harvard’s Business School next year) and Christopher Bailey, the old British standard’s opening brand new headquarters just yards from Westminster Abbey.

A company spokesperson gave us a private tour of the 160,000 square feet design wonder. The dark, symmetrical space, designed by Bailey, holds over 800 employees and is polished off with black chrome, grey marble and glass block floor bridges among superb lighting.

It is, of course, achingly hip and even the cafeteria felt more like the latest cafe for cool kids than a canteen. Though of course, when Bailey himself popped past to grab a cup of coffee, we lost all our own cool.

—CHARLEY B.

Lifetime’s begun casting for the seventh season of Project Runway - which means it’s officially started again.

And if the rumors are true, it’ll be the second, or third? in which Heidi Klum’s pregnant on the runway.

So, if you’re dying to be the next Jay/Jeffrey/Christian, you can fill out an application here.

But only do so if you can get to Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City and Seattle after you’re chosen. That’s where they’ll check out your clothes in person and let you know if you get to meet Heidi and Tim.

Applications are due April 24th, so you better get cracking.

Mickey Boardman, aka Mr. Mickey, is the Editorial Director, and basically the face of Paper Magazine.

The man’s one of the busiest people I’ve ever met - and yet he positively bubbles over with enthusiasm for his job and the people he works with. The first time I met him, in an elevator at Milk Studios at one of the first fashion events I ever went to, he told me I was funny. In Paris last month, he gave me his ticket to John Galliano and introduced me to Kate and Laura Mulleavy. Needless to say, I love him.

So our Life With session turned into more than just a what-do-you-do-all-day interview. We dove into topics like his love for India, his devotion to various charities and the highlights of his sixteen-year career at Paper - the Olsens are involved, so is DVF.

His goal? To host Mr. Gay Bombay, but for now there are photo shoots to plan, web meetings to conduct and a snack run to the local deli wherein lives a fat cat lovingly christened Candy Cats Price.

Spotted: Daria Werbowy at Topshop, now.

Reader Aaron sent us this documentary on the life of BCBG pre-Fashion Week.

The rough cut documentary gets up-close and personal with Lubov Azria, Max’s wife, as she heads to New York to prepare for three major fashion shows: BCBG, Max Azria and Herve Leger.

She discusses the importance of celebrities wearing their clothes and delves into the major differences between the three brands. It’s interesting to see, as an outsider, how six months of work culminates in ten minutes on a runway.

As for Max? His main point of discussion is his wife’s perfectionism. Between the two of them, it’s no wonder Herve’s revival’s been so wildly successful.

Parts II & III after the jump.

—CARSON GRIFFITH

Inner Demons: Garance battles herself over matching scarves to shoes, hats to pants. When/why/how is it not ok? {GaranceDore}

Early to Bed: If someone bought us this pillow…well, we won’t say what we’d do. {Barneys via FWD}

Jealous Much?: Sigrid Agren interviewed Karl Lagerfeld backstage at the Lagerfeld show in March for Interview. He starts out asking her, “Who has the idea to name you Sigrid?” {NYModelManagement}

Indulge Us: Can someone tell me who makes this dress? {Jezebel}

Wild Earth: Yoox launched an eco-friendly version of their shopping site in honor of Earth Day. It’s called Yooxygen, get it? Like oxygen… {Yooxygen}

Pronto and Ideeli, two separate shopping sites, have joined forces to bring you that Alexander Wang bag.

It’s the black Donna hobo that every single model carried this fashion week. It retails for $795 but you can register to win it here for free.

If you need a pair of jeans to go with that bag, everything at Deisel is 30% off starting tomorrow, Friday April 17, through the weekend. You can print the coupons out here or just get them in store.

And lastly, you can win a $1000 shopping spree to Saks Fifth Avenue if you refer a few of your friends to CharityHapenings.org, a website that bills itself as the philanthropic hub of New York City where socials get their invitations to charity events and the chance to contribute to the philanthropies of their choice.

And let’s face, $1000 will buy you quite a bit at Saks come spring sales.

Six months ago we wondered what would happen if General Growth Properties, the second largest mall operator in the country, filed for bankruptcy.

CNN mentioned the very real possibility of their demise and now, after officially filing for bankruptcy this morning, they have the distinction of being one of the biggest real estate failures in US history and one of the largest failures of a non-financial firm within the current economic meltdown.

The company recently defaulted on loads of mortgages and bonds while trying, unsuccessfully, to sell off at least a few of their properties. There’s speculation as to whether or not other mall companies will buy out the property or take managing control, but as of today, the outlook’s slightly less positive.

We tend to forget about malls, living in New York, but they really are the only way to shop in most suburbs. So has everyone actually given up shopping, are they shopping online, or are retailers just terrified of committing to mall space?

“Miu Miu’s spring collection had an overt bread-line chic to it. Not since the Great Depression has the stuff of feed bags been recycled with such imagination …” —Karin Nelson in The New York Times.

What credit crunch? London’s a hotbed of fashion retail growth.

This past week, Rick Owens and Marc by Marc Jacobs opened doors on South Audley street in Mayfair. And a walk down New Bond Street revealed workers near completion on Michael Kors’ new store, set to open later this month - all of which suggest both designer and brand faith in shoppers.

And if they’ll find that loyalty anywhere, it’s London. There’s a palpable difference between shoppers here and in the states. I spent a Saturday afternoon walking from Barneys to Bergdorf in New York just a few weeks ago. Racks of clothes went untouched and bored sales staff milled around. It was like a museum of clothes in which more than one salesperson told me, “No one is shopping in New York right now.”

But then I spent this past Friday doing some spring shopping in Harrod’s and the store was bumper to bumper, can’t-get-a-salesperson-to-help-you packed. Sure, London’s an international shopping hub, but so is New York.

Why, in the midst of this global economic crisis, do London’s stores feel like the circus and New York’s a mausoleum? And is the answer to that question the same as why designers continue to open stores on this side of the Atlantic?

—REBECCA SUHRAWARDI AUSTIN

You can add supermodel Amber Valetta to the list of models/designers.

Tucked into today’s WWD story on the Loomstate for Target pre-party in Los Angeles last night is this:

“As much as I love fashion and as much as it has supported me, I see how extreme and extravagant it is,” said Valletta, who is collaborating on a women’s clothing collection to be announced this summer.

The token statement in which said supermodel honors her place in fashion while preparing the retail stage for her affordable line which probably pays more than some tribute to the high fashion in her own closet.

Anyway, who might she collaborate with? Her Vogue Italia couture supplement’s part of our office wall paper so we’re having trouble envisioning her in Target or H&M - guesses?

Natalie Massenet’s much-anticipated The Outnet finally launched this morning.

The site’s as easy to navigate, though not quite as pretty, as Net-a-Porter and stocks about 200 brands right now. You can search by designer, by category and by percentage off or click on Dress Me where they’ve sorted product by occasion. Also, they’re doing seventy-two hour pop-up sales on rotating items.

There’s a note on the site that Marc Jacobs will be in next week and we’ve spotted some amazing finds like this Derek Lam grecian dress, this cream Zac Posen bag and this awesome Mulberry jacket.

But remember that part about how it wasn’t going to be all recycled Net-a-Porter product? True, we probably spend an inordinate amount of time on the mother site but we’ve seen all of this before, this Chloe dress, these Marc shoes and this 3.1 Phillip Lim shift - all at the exact same prices - except for these sequined Miu Miu’s which are $100 less at Barneys right now.

There’s a gem of a Burberry trench, some beautiful pieces from Nina Ricci and we spy the Louboutin zipper heels. It’ll be swell to have a Net-a-Porter sale year round, but let us know when there’s something we haven’t seen.

I don’t know much about beauty.

I’m a wash my face and go kind of girl, after three swipes of mascara at least, but I’ve always been slightly obsessed with liquid eyeliner. But despite all of the brands I’ve tried - MAC, Nars, Dior, you name it - I’ve never been able to perfectly apply both lids in under ten minutes.

And so this weekend, while roughing it at a friends house in the woods, I was confused when she emerged after three minutes in the bathroom with perfectly applied cat-eyes. “Um, excuse me,” I asked, “how did you do that?”

“Bobbi Brown liquid eyeliner gel,” she said. So I bought it Monday morning, on my way to work no less, and have been using it these three days and love it so much that if I was the kind of girl who carried make-up in my purse, this would be the make-up.

It’s insanely easy to apply and it stays pitch black all day. Also, it doesn’t move - I know this because I furiously rubbed my eyes from exhaustion yesterday and it was still there afterward.

So if you’re already addicted to it, great, if not, check it out.

Model Genius: Coco Rocha learns how to do her own hair & make-up. No longer needs Pat & Guido. {OhSoCoco}

Muji My Way: Muji’s finally available on-line. It’s come so far since I lived in London and had to explain its awesomeness to stateside friends. {Racked}

Go Arlenis: Arlenis Sosa rocks the cover of Vogue Germany. {Models}

Blogging Babes: The Beckerman sisters started a blog! And we kind of love their clothes, so check it out. {BeckermanBitePlate}

Industry Insider: Looks like someone has a new editor. That someone is thrilled! {FWD}

If you’re in LA right now, so is Alexander Wang. So head to Barneys between 2:00 & 4:00 and say, “Hello!”

What’s the best way to raise money for charity?

Celebrities are a good start, pretty clothes don’t hurt and when you throw the two together, well it’s pretty much a given that interest will be piqued.

La Perla’s had quite the red carpet turn this year. Molly Sims rocked a ruffled mini, Gabrielle Union wore a flowing turquoise gown to a film festival, Rachel McAdams somehow made a white bustier work and Kristen Stewart wore an asymmetrical black dress to Twilight’s London premiere.

And they’re auctioning all of it off via Clothes Off Our Back. Money raised will be distributed to various charities including Feeding America and Hope North.

Also up for grabs, the corset Britney wore when Karl presented her with her very own Bambi award. Not sure who’s into owning Britney’s lingerie, but hey, it’s for a great cause.

—CARSON GRIFFITH

Reader Jen found this familiar looking pink and orange dress by a brand called Single on the Cusp website. (In case you don’t live in one of the few cities with a Cusp it’s basically Neiman Marcus’ answer to Barneys Co-op.)

Anyway, since she was so obsessed with the Christian Dior resort original that Eva Mendes wore to the house’s Spring 08 couture show, she placed it immediately.

And since that picture ran everywhere for months, because Eva looked drop dead amazing, it’d be kind of hard for anyone remotely into either fashion or Eva not to realize that it’s a total rip of Galliano’s fitted-on-top, poufy-on-the bottom sherbet creation.

Yes, you’d have a hard time finding the original Dior a year later, but that doesn’t mean you should spend $300 on the copy.

Jacquetta Wheeler’s the new Gucci girl.

Sort of, she was the face of Tom Ford Gucci ten years ago, but the British-born, New York-living model’s been in campaigns more Lord & Taylor and Banana Republic these past couple of years. Her most recent high fashion campaign was Ralph Lauren in 2005, but Frida Giannini got swept up in London’s energy while in town to re-open Gucci’s Sloane Street store and wanted a real life English girl for her Fall 09 campaign.

Jacquetta joins the more traditional Gucci girls Natasha Poly and Freja, as well as Raquel Zimmermann who at this point is a given for pretty much every campaign.

Frida really wanted to capture the London spirit so Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin are shooting the campaign in a studio in North London.

Zandra Rhodes, the fuchsia-haired eccentric British designer, is designing a capsule collection for Marks & Spencer.

Zandra says, “I’ve always found prints are so easy to wear they don’t show marks very much, they make you feel wonderful. It’s great to see my things out and I can’t wait, I can see people wearing them with big hats!”

So of course the line, swimsuits, silk dresses, caftans and jumpsuits plus lingerie and accesssories, is covered in brightly colored prints. And everything’s priced between $9 and $130, you can buy it online or in stores starting May 7th, which means pretty much anyone can get a piece of the legendary Brit woman.

Zandra, who was the star of the British fashion industry in the 70s fell off the radar for a bit before resurfacing with a full runway collection in 2006 and then a collection with MAC, a tribute to her own colorful make-up ways and a shout out in Influence, where Mary Kate mentions she’s obsessed with collecting vintage Zandra caftans.

But vintage Zandra bathing suits? These are a much better option.

Bravo picked up Kelly Cutrone’s reality show in February and now, they’ve given it a name: Kell on Earth.

Here’s what they say about the series:

Kelly Cutrone has been called one of the “coolest, scariest and New York-iest people ever” and, judging from her frank demeanor and fashion world credibility, it’s easy to see why. Bravo takes a no-holds-barred look into the life of one of America’s most legitimate tastemakers as she balances running her wildly successful fashion PR company, People’s Revolution, with being a single mother and one of New York’s most notable women about town.

We’re wondering, logistically, how this will work. Now that Whitney’s Kelly’s ‘employee’ and Whitney’s followed everywhere by her own MTV camera crews, who decides who gets to film what? What if there’s major drama at People’s Revolution and MTV wants it for The City but Bravo’s determined to get it for Kell on Earth? You can’t just share dramatic tension.

Clearly, the only solution is to give the dueling camera crews their own reality show - name suggestions?

Maybe it’s because not long ago this time of year meant spring break, or maybe it’s that Vogue Italia spread we posted yesterday, either way, we’re dying for a vacation.

With a vacation comes outfits and the hotly debated question, “What does one wear on the plane?”

Every magazine in the world’s told us to wear comfy pants, head-to-toe black, boyfriend jeans etc. all covered up with a blanket posed as a scarf, but when we get to the airport we either see sweats or diamonds, with little in between.

Obviously an outfit’s partly determined by the destination, who’s waiting at the gate and probably the class listed on your ticket, but how do you decide what to wear on the runway? If you’re reading this you probably aren’t of the Juicy demographic and you can’t all be toting your magazines in a Birkin.

So, what are you wearing?

—CARSON GRIFFITH

Blonde, Blue-eyed Bores: Vogue labeled Anna Maria Jagodzinska “Natasha Poly” in their backstage video, even though they’re both on the cover of the latest issue and they don’t actually look too much alike. {Style.com}

What About Brad?: Rachel Zoe’s turned to Facebook to ask for help to keep her show alive. {New York Mag}

Condé Keeps Cutting: Editorial Assistants at Condé Nast are filling in for all those receptionists laid off last week. It’s safe to assume this isn’t what they signed up for. {FWD}

Mouse Ears: Giles, Luella, Henry & Daisy broke out their bedazzlers to update Mickey’s classic ears. They’re on display in London, on sale for charity May 4th. {Refinery 29}

Not Quite Fashion: But we’re obsessed with this video and you will be, too. It made us forgive her for the leggings. {Funny Or Die}

We have trouble with hats - the only one we’ve successfully worn was a straw fedora bought on the side of the road in far northern California.

They can be hard to fit and hard to wear appropriately on multiple occasions.

But this mini-boater by Chapeau Claudette is the most perfect little head topper we’ve ever seen. Before you say it’s impractical, please note that the best hats always are. And in America circa now there are few events at which one can wear a truly spectacular, feathered chapeau.

This, however, is perfect with jeans and a t-shirt, with a romper, with a sun dress, with your hair up or down and it’s bound to start a conversation or two.

Now if spring would just actually get here, we’d be set.

Last week, Lissy Trullie wore Alexander Wang’s blue and black leather motorcycle jacket on stage at Union Hall.

Yesterday, a girl lingered outside Cafe Gitane on Mott in hers. Two blocks later (seriously), I saw three girls walking down the street, two of whom were wearing the jacket.

Once, a roommate and I had the same cape. It was about as conspicuous as Alex’s jacket - a) it was a cape b) it was white, black and red plaid and c) it had big gold buttons. But she worked uptown and I worked downtown and neither of us wore it while together.

I’m not sure how much I would have to be obsessed with something to actually walk down the street with someone else wearing the same thing. I’m not talking, of course, about jeans or a t-shirt, but about such a signature piece. Especially if its price tag is upwards of $1000, because I will wear it every single day.

But if you’re both into fashion and you both fall in love with the same thing, what happens? Do you buy one and share, do you buy two and call each other to schedule everyday, do you rotate seasons or do you just say fuck it and walk through Soho in the same outfit?

“My final objective in life is to have a handbag line.” —Stephanie Pratt to Kelly Cutrone, on The Hills.

The start of spring’s the best time to indulge in manicures and pedicures.

They’re inexpensive - for beauty treatments - and your skin finally sees the light of day. If, however, you’re saving your pennies, swing by Lulu Guinness’s Bleecker Street store on Saturday for a complimentary manicure.

They’ll paint your nails Lulu red, or if you prefer, your lips (with lipstick, not nail polish).

And if you buy anything from Lulu’s store, which we can’t imagine being hard given that it’s spring and she’s prone to the prettiest colors, you’ll be entered for a chance to win a grand prize on May 1st.

Call 212.367.2120 by Thursday to make your appointment. And when you’re done, skip across the street for a cupcake.

Clear your schedule for Thursday night. Isaac Mizrahi debuts his new show, Isaac Mizrahi: Tell Me Everything, on Martha Stewart Living Radio from 7pm to 8pm.

Mizrahi will take calls from around the country asking for fashion and style advice. Most of the questions he’ll answer on his own, but he’ll also be joined by stylists, designers, models and celebrities for roundtable discussions.

While it sounds like the old Isaac Mizrahi show, and about ten times better than Bravo’s forthcoming The Fashion Show, the absolute impossibility for Sketches & Answers leaves us bummed.

So here’s one more attempt at the YSL cage sandals. It’s a bit better than Bebe’s but still an epic failure.

Bakers, the brand who expressed their love for YSL via the brown Tribute sandals last year, threw together a pretty plastic looking cage atop a platform of the same color with a stumpy looking stilletto heel, instead of the parallel cage the YSL sandals sit on - but they do come with the zipper in back.

It comes in silver, bronze and patent leather black for a ridiculous $80.

And not a soul will mistake them for actual YSL.

The Boyfriend’s Back: Suzy Menkes says the 80’s are back in the shape of boyfriend suits. Does your boyfriend dress like this? {The New York Times}

Boys for Boys: Henry Holland, Philip Lim & Richard Chai make the perfect white tees for Topshop. We pout because they are for boys but realize we’ll probably buy them anyway {Refinery29}

Pretty Hair: If this is the season we finally relent and embrace pretty hair accessories, we will choose these, please. {Starworks}

The City Breaks: Whitney left DVF to go back to work for Kelly because Olivia got promoted/sent to London and she didn’t so now Joe Zee gets a bigger role on The City? Is it too much to hope it just ends? {New York Post}

Topless in Topshop: Someone got so excited to get to Topshop she forgot to put on her shirt! {Imaginary Socialite}

This morning, among emails from people we actually know, our inbox was filled with notes from Abercrombie & Fitch, Barneys, Bergdorf, Michael Kors, Neiman Marcus, Tiffany & Co., and Pottery Barn - and it’s only 9:00.

Is it just us, or do you delete these immediately and move on? We could just click ‘unsubscribe’ at the bottom of each one, but we let them keep coming with the hope of learning something earth-shattering.

We do occasionally find a golden nugget of goodness in the subject line - free shipping on whatever or amazing new shoes with our name on them. But usually it’s things that we couldn’t care less about like post-collegiate Abercrombie sweatshirts or floral frilly bikinis from Urban Outfitters - all because we bought a t-shirt from them five years ago.

So to those responsible for mass emailing, may we suggest asking our product preferences? Something as simple as are you a boy or a girl? And perhaps a comments section in which we can give a thumbs up or down?

We understand the rationale behind bombarding us with information to see what sticks, but it’s getting ridiculous. We read Net-a-Porter’s Wednesday emails religiously, and look forward to Colette’s monthly newsletters because their content’s worth reading.

If you really need to reach us everyday, why don’t you start a blog?

—BRETT KANE

So the new Vogue cover leaked, the much anticipated all-model one, and we’re trying to think of something nice to say.

Of course we love Liya and Natalia and Lara, and we’re kind of thrilled that Anna Maria Jagodzinska landed the actual cover. And their American Vogue Hair and rosy cheeks really is enviable - we won’t even touch on the subject of airbrushing except to say that it took us an extra minute to figure out that it was Jourdan Dunn in the middle.

But we’re stumped when it comes to any cohesive theme linking these women together. What exactly are “Faces of the Moment” and if Natalia Vodianova is one, what was she last year and the year before? None of these girls are new faces, none rose to fame this season, some are young and some are old, some are always in Vogue (Raquel, Liya, Natalia, Caroline) some aren’t (Natasha, Lara).

In fact, the only thing they all are is not American.

Are these the girls we should all be watching? Who do you wish had made the cover?

“We actually went to Anna Wintour’s house for dinner. It was very cool and quite the fashion baptism by fire.” —Leighton Meester on The Moment on her date with Jason Wu to Anna Wintour’s house for dinner.

If you, like us, are getting impatient with summer’s arrival, these upcoming makeover freebies might help put some warm weather pep in your step.

Starting tomorrow and running until Monday, Nars is offering free mini makeovers at Henri Bendel. They’re busting out their just-launched summer color collection and will help you create a new look. The shimmery teal Tropic Single eyeshadow is definitely worth trying out - even if you normally shy away from brightly colored eye makeup. You’ll also get a free sample of Nars foundation with your consultation. Makeovers are by appointment only - call Bendel’s at 212-904-7954 to schedule yours.

And if you’d rather take a hands on approach to learning the art of makeup application, YSL’s Artistic Advisor Val Garland is teaching a master class at Saks on April 23. The class costs $50 but the fee’s redeemable in product.

If not, Garland will conduct one-on-one appointments from 10am to 7pm that same day. Call 212-940-2156 to book.

—MEGAN MCINTYRE

The white jumpsuit at left was one of the best things about Erin Fetherston’s Spring 09 collection.

So we thought you should know where you can get it - especially since it’s only one place: Revolve’s The List.

That would be their rotating list of super exclusive, high end product. They’re kicking off summer with Erin’s white silk, overalls-like jumpsuit.

They show the slouchy look with a bandeau, like Erin did on the runway, but it’d look equally cute with a cotton tee or silk tank and its forgiving shape might be the best way for most mortals to welcome the jumpsuit trend.

It costs $905 and comes with the added reassurance that you’ll likely be the only one wearing it - no matter where you go.

Trovata sued Forever 21 two years ago - the mega-store’s 50th lawsuit in three years - and finally heads to court next month according to WWD.

The California based brand targeted seven styles of shirts directly copied from their runway including a striped cardigan with multi-colored buttons, a white ruffled blouse and a rainbow striped polo - some of which even boast a replica of Trovata’s actual label on the inside.

They’re suing under trade dress infringement since copyright laws still only protect prints and patterns and the CFDA’s Design Piracy Prohibition Act is stalled, but a Manhattan judge already chastised Forever 21, “We note the extraordinary litigating history of this company, which raises the most serious questions as to whether it is a business that is predicated in large measure on the systematic infringement of competitors’ intellectual property.”

On the one hand, we’re kind of impressed Trovata was even on Forever 21’s radar circa 07 but on the other, we hope they kick their ass.

The concept of borrowing clothes is a fairly new one. While celebrities have taken advantage of the idea for years, it’s recently caught the public eye via sites like Bag, Borrow or Steal and stores like Ilus. And now, the practice has reached the political stage, too.

Sarah Brown, Britain’s Michelle Obama, may not play in the same fashion leagues as our First Lady, but her clothing choices haven’t escaped the public eye. The bottom line is, the Browns lack the Obamas’ bank account without lacking the media exposure. Also, Britain’s laws prohibit her from accepting gifts, which means that while her outfits at something like the G20 receive the same scrutiny as Michelle and Carla’s, she can’t quite buy from the runway.

But, she can rent - for about one-tenth the cost.

Despite the presence of rent-able fashion, it’s not so discussed. Are you a Sarah or a Michelle - and we don’t mean your bank account? Would you rather rent this Marchesa dress for $190 or spend an extra $200 and buy your own Alex Wang instead?

—CARSON GRIFFITH

Sorry