I’m not talking about Kate Moss (in fact, dare I say it on Fashionista, I might be over her), but Katie Grand.

She looked fantastic last night, mostly because she looked in need of a good scrub which is quite refreshing from the legions of blow-dried Barbies swooping into London this month.

We spotted her at Dover Street Market’s bash for the launch of the Standard perfume in a frumpy grey coat that looks like it came from a charity shop, clogs (ed. note: Eek!) with gold details, bare legs, messy hair held back with an elastic band topped with a gigantic green cartoon character bobble - and not a stitch of makeup.

But the kicker? An Hermès Black Birkin bag with a giant green dip-dyed raccoon tail hanging from it. Hear that PETA? Animal tails are about to explode.

We haven’t played a game of foosball quite a while, but we have very fond memories (my strategy was always to keep one hand on the goalie). Combine it with another childhood favorite—Barbie—and we’re sold.

Well, we probably won’t be buying this new treat, Barbie Foot—being displayed and sold this week at Colette thanks to its 10,000 Euro price tag. But we’re still very excited about it. It was designed by Chloé Ruchon, and produced by Bonzini, a high end foosball retailer.

This is another fun way that Colette, along with the rest of the fashion world, has been celebrating Barbie’s fiftieth anniversary, for what seems like forever. And in the last month, we’ve really seen fashion broadening Barbie’s horizons.

We’ve been honoring Barbie’s 50th birthday for so long that she must be fifty-one by now.

Though the celebration’s taken a turn from parties and runways to the editorial. Franca Sozzani’s re-issuing the now legendary July 2008 issue of Vogue Italia celebrating the best of fashion’s black models including Naomi Campbell, Jourdan Dunn, Iman and Sessilee Lopez, but this time she’s including Barbie.

Franca says, “Barbie has been an icon for whole generations which is why I really wanted to give a strong sign in step with the times, and dedicate the anniversary issue to black Barbie.” No word on where exactly you can buy the re-issued issue and its Barbie-centric supplement, though we’ll let you know when we see it.

Not that Barbie’s birthday isn’t important, but does this mean they’re re-releasing that issue every year?

Rihanna was spotted last week rocking a dangerously sexy Noir ring that first debuted at Barbie’s 50th Anniversary fashion show.

Turns out she saw the spiky sparkler on designer Phillipe Blond at a party for BFF Katy Perry’s new music video before and just had to know where to get one.

We love the trickle down effect from Barbie to Phillipe to Rihanna.

Celebrities and designers and dolls, they’re just like us: sharing fashion finds with friends.

If you remember when we mentioned that Gareth Pugh would be designing his own doll during Fashion Week, here’s the rest of the details about Barbie’s debut:

On April 8th, Dover Street Market in London will open up a space curated by Henry Holland to display the goods ready for sale in honor of Barbie’s big 5-0. And while reports first named Gareth Pugh as her stylist, it looks like he’ll be sticking exclusively to Barbie’s boy-toy, who’ll escort Barbie to the event.

While Henry Holland will be handling most of the Barbie-themed space, designers Danielle Scutt and Roksanda Illincic will team up to design her attire. So for those of you who were looking forward to your decked out Pugh doll, looks like you might have to settle for Ken instead. Or if you’re a real fanatic, you could always get one each of the happy couple and play fantasy wedding.

—CARSON GRIFFITH

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 you’re in Paris this weekend, let’s hang out.

Also, if you’re in Paris and you’ve been holding out on buying the Current/Elliot boyfriend jeans because you’re sure the trend is going to die - it’s not. So go to Collette on Saturday, tomorrow, from 4:30 to 6:30pm.

Emily and Meritt, the designers behind the booming denim brand, will be there to customize them for you. Whether you’re an extra rip kind of girl or a pink sparkles kind of girl, they’ll make your jeans one of a kind which makes the $235 price tag a bit easier to swallow.

The customization is free if you buy them at Colette that day (there’s a two per person minimum).

We’ll be there looking for a Lagerfeld Barbie sneak peek and since we already caved to the boyfriend jean trend, we’ll just admire everyone else’s.

If you were wondering exactly how Barbie fever would hit Paris Fashion Week (other than the parties), wonder no more:

Starting this Monday (and through March 28th), the windows of Colette will be an homage to Barbie and Ken, as designed by Karl Lagerfeld.

Ken will be played by model Baptiste Giabiconi, and Barbie wears everything from a poufy wedding gown to a cocktail dress to a Chanel suit.

Obviously.

1) Why is Daphne Guinness here?

2) This is like the only show not sponsored by Barbie so why do all of the models look like Barbie?

3) Why does the program say these clothes are inspired by monks?

4) Is the hair modeled after Alice Dellal?

5) Why does Daisy Lowe still have her Pam Hogg runway hair from this morning?

6) Which intern wants to DIY the shag clutches?

7) Where have Chanel and Catherine been for the past four days?

8) Who will wear this first, Lindsay or Nicole?

Roksanda Ilincic showed her Fall 09 collection in a proper British library yesterday afternoon at Whitehall.

It was sponsored by Barbie - who continues to reign over Fashion Week on this side of the pond, too - but featured a string of dresses much too elegant for the iconic plastic doll.

The Central St. Martin’s grad, as someone said, “makes high fashion you can actually wear.” Her dresses are Rodarte pretty and equally well made, but you can wear them regardless of whether you’re Keira Knightley or not.

Dresses came in pinks and greys with lace and rhinestone detailing. There was a black coat made entirely of ruffles and tops and skirts made out of what looked like fancy aluminum foil. The models wore fabric discs on each side of their head, Mickey Mouse-like, but the oversized gold bow bracelets made up for them.

If we were ladies who lunch, this is what we’d lunch in.

Part One of Barbie-mania might be over, but the doll’s just getting started.

We knew about the Paris leg of her celebration, a Colette hosted bash smack in the middle of Paris Fashion Week with a guaranteed Karl appearance. But Barbie needed to get a Brit involved to round out her fashion trifecta and according to
ELLE.com that Brit’ll beGareth Pugh. The not at all Barbie like designer is set to design his own Barbie doll, just like Betsey Johnson and Pat Field before him.

No word yet on exactly when the doll debuts, but knowing Barbie the bash’ll be quite major.

Stay tuned.

This afternoon, I died and went to pre-adolescent fashion heaven.

I walked among fifty models, fifty little girls, more hair extensions than they used on Cousin It, trays and trays of plastic nails and some seriously awesome clothes backstage at Barbie’s 50th birthday party.

Charlotte Tilbury directed the make-up artists through their three looks: Retro Barbie (red lip lacquer and “visor-like” lashes), Present Day Barbie (sparkly pink lids and fabulously teased hair) and Future Barbie, with braided up-dos and insanely feathered glittery eyelids. Stila’s make-up artist promised me that, “It’s all wearable, you just have to find your era and maybe bring it down a teeny tiny notch.” Uh-huh.

Post make-up, I snuck past the dressers and into the rails, tucked myself between Marchesa’s frothy number and Alex Wang’s rhinestoned leotard and took pictures of the hot pink patent Louboutins lining the ground- it took all of my self control not to accidently slip Vlada’s into my clutch

And then I met Ken. He and his unreal blonde highlights introduced me to Miranda.

The six-year-old held her own between Behati and Jourdan in the make-up chairs. I asked her if she was excited to walk a runway. She looked at me, confused and I said, “Is this your first fashion show?”

“No,” she answered politely, though she gave Ken a knowing look. “I’m a model. Last time I was on a runway I got to wear ballet flats and they put pompoms in my hair,” she told me before getting swept into her tutu.

And that was my cue to take my seat - Part II very soon.

Fall 09 Fashion Week’s theme is turning out half-Barbie, half-recession.

While more and more designers pull out and scale back, Barbie’s taking on New York with all the force her tiny waist can muster.

First up, it’s two days of Barbie makeovers at the 5th Avenue Sephora. To celebrate the doll’s golden anniversary, Stila’s releasing five limited-edition Barbie Beauty Cans. Each one’s full of all the make-up you need to make your face look like either Ponytail Barbie, Malibu Barbie, Foxy Barbie or Jewel Barbie.

Stila’s make-up artists will be there Friday, February 6th and Saturday, February 7th from 12pm to 6pm.

So if you see us out and about looking a little too Malibu for a New York winter, just know we’re revving ourselves up for this kind of unusual Fashion Week.

Remember that unauthorized Anna Wintour biography that everybody read but never talked about aloud?

Well, its author, Jerry Oppenheimer, is at it again. This time’s victim? Barbie.

To coincide with the doll’s 50th anniversary, and subsequent takeover of fashion, Oppenheimer’s taken Barbie to task, revealing that a “‘70s swinger and wife swapper with all kinds of addictions” brought the iconic doll into the world.

The book is called Toy Monster, and it hits shelves this February, just in time for Fashion Week.

We suggest holding it in front of you to ward off Barbie promotion people at the tent entrance.

Details of that post-Fashion Week collaboration between Barbie and Jeremy Scott are finally out via NYLON, in case you forgot that Barbie’s getting her own show this coming Fashion Week (which is being heavily sponsored by Mattel), in celebration of the doll’s 50th birthday.

Jeremy’s portion of the Barbie runway show (which will also include doll-inspired designs by Alexander Wang, Vera Wang, and more) will be available for purchase at Colette starting March 12th.

So if you’ve always dreamed of Barbie’s clothes being big enough for you to fit into, you’re weirdly in luck.

Relatedly, will it be awkward for the CFDA to set up their health booth amidst the Barbie sponsorship orgy?

Barbie’s getting a make-over for her 50th birthday, and with it comes a real live runway show during Fall 09 Fashion Week.

Mattel wants to up the doll’s fashion cred which means life-size outfits designed by fifty life-size designers including Alexander Wang. Will Ken still love Barbie when she trades in her sequin gowns for ripped denim and smoky eyeliner?

Post-Fashion Week celebrations include separate collaborations with Vera Wang and Jeremy Scott. Mattel’s also signed on as a co-sponsor for Mercedes Benz Fashion Week and worked itself into a three year partnership with the CFDA. Whether the partnership means money or something more creative remains to be seen.

But back to the show, we can’t wait to see how fifty different designers interpret their Barbie influence - and the fifty very curvy models they’ll need for the runway.

An invite just came in the mail - to a Pink Plastic Party.

Of course it’s in LA, so we can’t go, but we’re still excited about its cause.

Tarina Tarantino, former model and queen of nineties rhinestone hair accessories, partnered with Mattel to make her own Barbie Doll.

We’d pretty much die if we got to make a Barbie in our image and it looks like Tarina’s enthusiasm matched ours. Her doll has hot pink hair, pink lace tights, a lime green diamond studded dress and pink lace-up stilettos that, if black, wouldn’t look out of place on Carine’s feet.

We might have to start a doll collection in our office - can someone please fashion Anna out of plastic?

Something a lot of people don’t realize is that designers really don’t make that much money, especially when they’re starting out, and it pretty much stays that way except for the Donnas and Marcs of Seventh Ave.

And because we know there must be hordes of recent Parsons and FIT grads looking for jobs this month (or maybe you’re still looking for a job from last year, because seriously, it happens), consider this fact:

According to CNN, clothing designers for Barbie and Bratz make around $62,000 per year, which is probably more than the Proenza Boys made in their entire career up until their Target deal.

So if you think Miuccia’s purposefully ignoring your e-mails, you could always come up with the next silhouette shift for Barbie Princess.

It’s cold, we’re exhausted and getting sick.

But then our FedEx guy arrived with Barbie iDesign, and all was good again.

The case bragged: “Be Your Own Stylist!”, “Dress Barbie Like You’ve Always Wanted!” Visions of retro Barbie in a white ruched bathing suit with vintage shades danced in our head.

But once we reached the design room, where Barbie stands on a pedestal while you swipe clothing cards to dress her, we came to the harsh realization that at some point in the last fifteen years, Barbie started turning tricks.

Our clothing options were cropped tops, laced biker jackets, embroidered jeans and pink platform shoes. We could even dress Barbie in a pleather mini dress and have a miniature dalmation nipping at her heels.

The few times we’ve dreamed of being a stylist, we’ve envisioned racks packed with Proenza Schouler, Alexander McQueen and Vivienne Westwood. But Barbie looks thrilled with her choices.

At left, the most conservative outfit we could find.

When we were in grade school, we used to wrap our Barbies in toilet paper dyed with food coloring. The resulting effect looked like one of the cooler offerings from Matthew Williamson, in a teeny size and without the beading. Making them was a favorite Sunday activity.

Now it seems homemade Barbie outfits have gotten more sophisticated, as the knitting blog Good Natured Ribbing shows a tiny sheath dress that looks suspiciously like a favored piece from Chanel’s resort collection - originally worn by Sasha and later shown off by Marion Cotillard on the red carpet.

It’s a great outfit, but it makes us a little jealous -

Barbie getting wardrobes from Zac Posen and Anna Sui is pretty envious, but Barbie getting her own shot at a Chanel limited-edition cocktail dress?

We crave that more than we want her scary, perfect little waist…