Balenciaga’s just released their first fragrance in twelve years, Balenciaga Paris.

The scent, which is powdery, light, and perfect for someone who doesn’t want to smell like they’re wearing perfume, launches at Bergdorf Goodman on the 15th.

We expect Charlotte Gainsbourg’s Steven Meisel-shot campaign to pop up everywhere this spring, but for now, you can watch Nicolas Ghesquière talk about his process. The bottle, which will remain the same when they roll out new scents, is inspired by the classic Balenciaga silhouette. Ghesquière imagines a woman setting it down amongst her things to create an Irving Penn-like still life and he chose Charlotte for her “oddity…and bizarre beauty.”

This morning on her infamous blog, 13-year-old fashion writer Tavi addressed the often critical, sometimes nasty things people have been saying about her as of late:

She’s selective when it comes to freebies. “I realize that if every post of mine was talking about something I got in the mail, my opinion wouldn’t be valued or as pure.”

Outsiders are way too judgmental when it comes to how her parents handle her being absent from school. “My parents and I are the ones who know my school’s absences policy, how my teachers feel about my missing school, and what my grades look like — not anyone else.”

If she’s wearing a hat and it’s blocking your view at the shows, ask her to remove it and she will. “If you happen to be sitting behind me and you’d like to be able to see, just ask.”

Do you feel compelled to respond to Tavi’s defense?

Whether you want to be a monster like Gaga or a humanitarian a la Angie, Charity Buzz’s latest offer is a win-win.

Lady Gaga is auctioning off her Gary Card-designed skeleton corset (shown) on the site. The money raised will go to Oxfam International, benefiting the victims of Haiti’s earthquake.

The bid is currently at $5,000, which is $3,000 over the estimated value, but it’s for charity, so keep bidding!

Think about it: Can you really put a price on lip-syncing “Bad Romance” in Gaga’s own corset?

Ralph Rucci is having a reality TV moment.

Last week, the couturier’s New York Fashion Week show disaster was the center plot on the premiere of Kell on Earth, and now WWD reports that Vogue editor at-large André Leon Talley will wear a different custom-made Rucci cloak on each episode of America’s Next Top Model Cycle 14, set to premiere March 10 on the CW.

The cloaks, which range in color and fabric but not in shape, were inspired by 17th-century Edo samurai tunics.

Will Rucci—who has long been praised for his high-sewing skills but rejected by much of the fashion media because of his unwillingness to follow current trends—finally get his chance to shine? We hope so.

All Hail Fast: The more Mark Fast, the better. Emily Blunt looks incredible in the cream feathered mini, and she sounds just as perfect in this interview. {LATimes}

Most Coveted: Great, now we can’t stop thinking about a YSL bag that doesn’t even really exist yet. “Chyc” might be the worst name, but the shape and the color more than make up for it. {StyleFile}

The Juicy Bits: Donatella Versace talks models and ego. She wishes today’s girls had more personality and looked less natural. We wish they had Cindy’s hair. {Independent}

So Fresh & So Clean: Marc Jacobs has made an air freshener. It’s a daisy chain, that smells like Marc’s daisy fragrance, and you can buy it at Sephora. {Nylon}

Last week, André Saraiva’s “Drawings” opened at Colette. The group of naive ink and pencil illustrations—a cross between Fritz the Cat and Yellow Submarine—comprise his first solo show ever.

André initially made a name for himself vandalizing French streets with graffiti; he later went on to open party dens Le Baron in Paris and Tokyo, the Beatrice Inn in New York, as well as many others.

He chatted with us about art, nightlife, and yes, fashion.

For the first time ever, you’re showing work indoors - how does it feel?
This has nothing to do with my graffiti work. I’ve always drawn on my free time, but never really thought of showing it. This exhibition is just a casual thing, my friends at Colette offered to show my drawings in the middle of the shop and it sounded like a fun idea.

Much has been made about the fall of Notting Hill.

Its “hip” status has been seriously affronted by the rise of Shoreditch, Hoxton, Dalton et al. In other words, the gritty, mean streets of East London. But some, including us and the newly opened Wolf & Badger, refuse to give up on the quaint neighborhood. Consider the shop Notting Hill’s own Dover Street Market, with an edit that’s as interesting as Rei Kawakubo’s, but different.

While the words “concept shop” are getting to be as annoying as “pop up,”’ we’re okay with this one, which is an incubator of sorts. Talented and cash-strapped designers can rent a spot in the store for as little as £35 (about $55) a week, which buys them a black and white box to display their wares, and a Web site. The worries about retail space, marketing, sales and PR are left up to the duo behind the idea, Samir Ceric and Zoe Knight, who also mentor the designers.

I got a chance to hang out at Robert Verdi, Inc. this week to preview the first two episodes of The Robert Verdi Show Starring Robert Verdi, which premieres on the Logo Network this Wednesday, February 10 at 10pm.

I really, really liked the show, which “documents” the day-to-day workings of Verdi’s successful business. But let me preface the rest of this post by saying: This isn’t the Rachel Zoe Project, and it’s definitely not Kell on Earth.

This isn’t a show that’s going to give you an inside look at the world of high fashion, but it is going to show you:

Fashion Week starts tomorrow, sort of, and we’ve spent the weekend resting, hydrating, exercising, eating and gathering our survival packs.

Some things - water, caffeine, internet access - are obvious necessities.

Everything else - scarves, candy, inspiration - stuffed into our bags is there to keep us sane, smiling and looking at least somewhat pulled together.

Our individual lists of essentials, after the jump.

Reader Clarke emailed us this morning, “Hope you find this interesting!”

Clueless and Miu Miu? Like, duh.

While sifting through Miu Miu’s Pre-Fall 2010 collection, he found Lindsey Wixson channeling Cher Horowitz circa 1995. Yellow plaid jacket? Check. Yellow plaid mini skirt? Check. White thigh highs tucked into loafers? Check.

She’s traded in the cell phone for a furry hood, but we think Cher would approve.

There are people who request tickets to fashion shows because they want “to cover for their 900 Twitter followers,” or because they need to “update their Facebook with all the latest news in fashion.”

Even this is floating around the Twitterverse, “Dear PR, I command a seat for my mistress, the Princess of Cantaloupe, or else my country declares war on your office!”

(That’s a joke in response to something almost as nuts.)

What’s not a joke is the girl from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida requesting tickets on behalf of French Vogue. She’s sent an email to publicists, complete with clips and editorial from Bazaar, which is quite possibly the total opposite of French Vogue, and asked the PRs to send all tickets to her address in Florida.

Fashion publicists should be able to name everyone on Carine’s small masthead and they’ll know if yours isn’t one of them. Also, if you’re going to waste your time hatching such a complex plan, at least go out and buy a copy of French Vogue.

Though really, if you’ve learned anything this week, it’s to ditch elaborate plans (and if you must, sneak in quietly).