We have been long trawling the street for a new trend — one that you can cannot simply ape by looking at a magazine. The studs, mega-heels and shoulders have all gotten a little, well, ho hum, as of late.

But finally that exciting feeling of a fashion rush came roaring back at last week’s launch of model cum photographer Ellen von Unwerth’s new book with Taschen, Fraulein, authored by the legendary Ingrid Sischy.

The book is not out until December, but we got a sneak preview last week at the Michael Hoppen Gallery, where a mob of well-wishers came by to congratulate the ever-smiling photographer.

We’ve expressed our confusion over fashion networking sites before, and we still don’t really get it.

But this site, Fashionair, which launches for the public tomorrow, has already stolen hours of our time - even if parts of it fall into the above category.

It’s partly because it just looks so amazing and partly because the founders, Sojin Lee and Simon Fuller’s 19 Entertainment, know everyone. They plan on introducing editorial style films and taking their site’s visitors around the fashion world into places like Anna Sui’s bathroom, Aerin Lauder’s closet and Ellen Von Unwerth’s studio.

Like Grown Up Lula: Ellen Von Unwerth shot Milla Jovovich and Sasha Pivovarova for July’s Italian Vogue. As if that’s not enough Fall clothes give us butterflies. {IMG}

On the Otherside: Catherine McNeil’s in the new Vogue Germany doing black and white for Patrick Demarchelier. She’s also kind of nakey. {Models}

We Are Not Alone: Haters of Adventures in Copyright beware, this may not be the link for you. {Daily News}

Long Time Passing: We love Lara, but we’re saying goodbye to our thick brows anytime soon. {NY Times}

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!

Our world is full of model slash something iterations.

The original, and most common, would be model slash actress: Lauren Hutton, Cybill Sheppard, Cindy Crawford, Elle MacPherson et al. Then came model slash photographer: Ellen von Unwerth, Helena Christensen, Iekeline Stange, ad nauseam. Now we’ve been blessed with a stash of model slash designers which brings us to our point.

To the pretty faces out there making dresses, please spare us from yet another slew of wannabe vintage floral tea dresses. You know who you are, the Gail Elliots, Milla Jovovichs, Erin Wassons and Kate Mosses of the world.

Miss Moss, your Topshop disasters have reached cringe-worthy status. The ditzy, daffodil covered, forties style, matronly, smocks without a dash of cool belong in the back of musty thrift stores, not on high street racks. And you can throw as many super cool Balmain blazers on top of the floral frocks as you like but you’re still a lamb in sheep’s clothing - especially since we know you ordered eight key pieces from Poltock and Walsh this season. Nary a flower in sight, just edgy leopard prints, sharp shoulders and a heavy dose of sexy.

Come on girls, leave the designing to Alexander McQueen. Model slash model can’t be so bad.

—CHARLEY B.

Derek Lam shot his first ad campaign in San Francisco last week.

He and most of his contemporaries have managed to make do without advertising in the past, but this month we’ve seen Rodarte’s proper campaign debut in V and Zac Posen’s first ever ad, for Spring 09, shot by Ellen Von Unwerth for Spanish Indie mag Fanzine 137.

Lam’s going a more traditional route launching his ad in the August issues of Bazaar, Vogue and Elle. Solve Sundsbo shot Karmen Pedaru on the beach at Pier 59 wearing the brown fur coat and suede bag from look 9.

We love seeing the ads, but wonder if they’re worth the precious pennies. We’d bet no one’s reading V and learning about Rodarte for the first time or that the woman reading Vogue’s going to buy Derek Lam now that an ad’s alongside his editorial presence.

Meanwhile, who’s next? Proenza? Alex Wang?

There’s a little gem tucked into the new Lula - well there are actually a lot of gems but we’re sharing this first:

An interview with Luella Bartley reveals that she’s working on her pre-Spring collection - her first ever pre-collection and an indicator, to retailers, that she’s thinking more seriously about the commercial prospects of her brand.

While runway shows breed excitement and creativity, it’s the pre-collections that actually do best with customers which is why Resort and pre-Fall have become so important the past few seasons. They give designers a chance to transition into new seasons and new ideas without a major production.

And while we love, love, pretty much everything Luella Bartley makes, it’s always been a bit commercially difficult. This pre-spring collection she’s working on could finally be the way to get her clothes to America (without Net-a-Porter’s help).

Accompanying Ellen Von Unwerth pics of her regular Spring 09 collection - after the jump.