Archive for August 2011

Thylane Blondeau’s Mother Responds to Controversy About Her Daughter, Shuts Down Her Facebook Page and Tumblr

Last week, we told you about Thylane Blondeau, the gorgeous 10-year-old French model who starred in, among other spreads, a mature French Vogue editorial that depicted her suggestive, adult poses. Thylane and this particular editorial have since spurred a media frenzy.

Many news outlets and blogs (and their commenters) are outraged–calling it “creepy” and “exploitation” and blaming everyone from the magazine to the fashion industry as a whole to Thylane’s parents. Good Morning America even aired a piece yesterday about Thylane and the sexualization of young girls, bringing up, yet again, teen campaign stars Elle Fanning (13) and Hailee Steinfeld (14).

Thylane’s mother, French TV host and fashion designer Veronika Loubry, who has herself been criticized for allowing her daughter to be photographed in this way, has responded to her detractors both in the French press and on Facebook.

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Fashion News Roundup

Fashion News Roundup: Angela Lindvall Rumored to Host Project Runway All-Stars, Ginny Weasley All Glammed Up, and Glow in the Dark Jeans

Angela Lindvall In and Heidi Klum Out at Project Runway?: Despite rumors of her departure, Klum’s reps have confirmed that the model is not leaving Project Runway. She won’t, however, be judging the spinoff, Project Runway All-Stars. That gig is rumored to have been snagged by another, younger model–Angela Lindvall. {People and Modelinia}

McQ to Open First Stand-Alone Store: Alexander McQueen’s less expensive and youthful sister line is opening shop in London next spring. {WWD, Subscription Required}

Ginny Weasley, Is That You?: Emma Watson isn’t the only Harry Potter star glamming it up on the pages of the glossies. Weasley actress Bonnie Wright looks stunning in Haute Muse‘s latest issue. Look for it on US newsstands August 17. {Just Jared}

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Fashion Careers

Made Her Think is looking for PR Interns!

Made Her Think is an accessories company specializing in Fashion and Fine Jewelry, and is now adding handbags to the roster.

The Director of PR is looking for an intern to help assist in all day to day press activity. Intern responsibilities will include:

- managing all samples
- assist in coordinating press loans with top magazines and stylists
- assist in writing press releases and pitches
- managing all published placements
- editor and celebrity gifting
- event planning

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Campaigns

Here Is Zara’s Fall Collection Modeled by Stella Tennant

Zara’s new fall collection has just been unvelied, and, as always, it’s trickle down of the best trends from the fall runways. The brand’s fall ad campaign stars Stella Tennant, a company fave, showing off the slightly slouchy yet luxe-looking separates. Though the high street staple has been known to take trend interpretation a bit too literally on occasion, this time around Zara did less copycat-ing and more seamless representation of the major trends we’re going to see when the temperatures cool.
There are the standard suit separates done in a masculine style–charcoal wool trousers, nubby sweaters, and a navy and black tuxedo-cut blazer I’m dying over–but also the trendy nod that always carries their clothes from basic to modern; this time, it’s the array of inventive trousers, from orange to yellow to leather to python.

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Beauty

New Consumer Study Finds that Both French and American Women Lie Their Faces Off About Makeup Use

Benefit’s new mascara, called “They’re Real!” is accompanied by the cheeky ad at left. This Benefit campaign is a little jab at the beauty industry, which has found itself in a heap of trouble lately for photoshopping ads–mascara ads in particular have a long, tawdry history of showing lashes enhanced by things other than mascara.

Makeup itself, if you think about it, is sort of a lie. Concealer hides our scars and blemishes. Mascara makes our lashes look longer and our eyes bigger. Blush makes us look like we’ve just emerged from a romantic interlude, thus making us more attractive to potential mates.

Have you ever thought about how much you lie about things, and lie about your beauty habits in particular? (Me, fake bake? No way! I was totally out in the sun all day yesterday!) To further promote the mascara, Benefit commissioned a consumer study of French and American women to determine how much they lie about makeup. They surveyed 300 women in each country between the ages of 18 and 54. The results are fascinating.

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Fashion Careers

Soho Apparel is hiring fashion interns!

Soho Apparel / Flirtatious firm, designs and manufactures fashionable junior & missy contemporary sportswear & dresses.

They’re a fast growing established firm looking for motivated, hardworking & responsible interns with following skills.

*Eager to learn & a fast learner
*Organized, with attention to detail
*Can Multi Task , with good verbal skill
*Interest in Fashion Industry, specifically fashion design & merchandising
*Must be hands on, willing to travel & grow
*Must be honest & dependable

Responsibilities:
(1) Organize fabrics & trims into library books & shelves.
(2) Taking Snap Shot Photo of garments, delivering samples to showroom.
(3) Buying fabric & trim samples from retail store.
(4) Documenting & Tacking Style number to sample garment.
(5) Preparing & Cutting fabric/trim sample yardage package.
(6) Preparing fabric swatches for presentation to buyer.

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Accessories

Hot Kicks: Check Out Miu Miu’s Blinged Out Sneakers

By Leah Chernikoff Friday, Aug 5, 2011 / 11:00 AM

Miu Miu has added some awesome twinkle-toed kicks to their fall collection. They’d be great for swing dancing in one of Miu Miu’s ’40s-inspired fall dresses or just paired with jeans and a white tee.

The sneakers come in blush, silver, gold and black and are made of patent leather, arabesque lamé and velvet, and embellished with glitter, metal tips, or appliquéd crystals. They will be available at Miu Miu boutiques and online starting this month and will set you back between $450-$585.

Click through to see more of these bedazzled sneakers up close.
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Kate Middleton

Kate Middleton Had a Hand in Designing that $675 Potato Chip Hat

Remember that straw-colored hat that Duchess Catherine wore to Zara Phillips’ wedding last weekend? The one that looked a lot like a potato chip (a Pringle specifically)?

New details about the hat reveal that Duchess Catherine actually had a hand in designing it.

While Kate shopped her closet for her wedding outfit, wearing a lace dress by Collette Dinnigan and a brocade coat by Day Birger et Mikkelsen that she’d worn to wedding in 2006, her hat was brand new and bespoke.

The Duchess enlisted milliner Gina Foster to create her wedding topper, People is reporting, though that floral detail on the underside of the hat was all Kate’s idea. That detail was a great touch–it added interest and femininity to a shape that might otherwise have been overly potato-chip-y. Kate had a lot of input in the design of her wedding dress as well–could there a budding designer emerging?

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People We Like

Michael Kors To Wed Longtime Boyfriend Lance LePere

Michael Kors is getting married! Life & Style spotted the designer and his boyfriend Lance LePere at NYC’s City Hall yesterday picking up a marriage license. The two met in 1990 when Lance came on board as an intern at Kors’ company. See? You never know what’s going to come out of a fashion internship!

Most news outlets are calling him “Project Runway‘s Michael Kors,” but we know him first and foremost “iconic American designer” Michael Kors. We’re happy that he has such a huge following now, and wish all the best for him and Lance. As far as the nuptials, it sounds like it won’t be a lavish event. Perhaps a small party at the couple’s private home on Fire Island?

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Magazines

Dress Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me: A Look at the Role of the Dominatrix in Fashion From the 1950s to Today

The word “Fetish” is emblazoned on the cover of this month’s Numéro magazine, while Katie Holmes and Claudia Schiffer both don leather and lace with a side of kink on the covers of Vogue Spain and Germany. A pattern seems to be emerging… Lately there has been a flood of fashion editorials that dive into [...]

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  • DANA KRUSPE
  • Thursday, Aug 4, 2011 / 6:53 PM
  • Comments ()
Magazines

Elle’s New Publisher Kevin O’Malley Talks Moving from Esquire to Elle, A Possible Move Into Food TV, and Watching The City

I got the chance to chat with Kevin O’Malley, Elle‘s new publisher (he’s been there for three months now) at the top of the James Hotel this week where staff and friends of the mag had gathered to welcome O’Malley in his new role. He came from Esquire (and looks it–he is Don Draper-y no?) which is quite different from a lady mag, so I thought we’d start there.

Fashionista: What’s the transition been like to go from Esquire to Elle?
Kevin O’Malley: Well what do you think of my gender transformation?

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Fashion Is Fun

BUI (that’s Buying Under the Influence) Is On the Rise: Here’s What Lucky‘s Editors Bought Online When They Were Drunk

By Mickie Meinhardt Thursday, Aug 4, 2011 / 4:53 PM

Tempted to go online just to browse after sharing a few bottles of wine with your girlfriends? Heed this tale from Lucky‘s Alex Kuczynski before you go near that mouse. BUI–Buying Under the Influence–is an affliction affecting, um, probably a lot of women.

We don’t really know how many women it affects, but some were willing to go on record to divulge their humiliating purchases. The author starts by recounting a conversation she had with a company that was trying to ship her hot dog toaster to someplace called New York, Idaho. Pesky confusing drop-down menu! And a hot dog toaster? Some things, like tattoos and hot dog toasters, always sound like a great idea after some wine.

The above image shows what various Lucky editors bought when they were a little sloshed. Read more »