We love Rachel Zoe.

What? You didn’t know?

And we’ve been searching for the perfect faux fur vest for some time now. Though they appear to be everywhere, finding the right one is easier said than done. There are lots of options, but I haven’t come across many cute ones for less than a $100 (and let’s face it, this isn’t something I know I’ll want to wear next year). In fact, the best one I’ve found thus far happens to be from Rachel’s collection for QVC - and it’s only $79.

Unfortunately, the smaller sizes are sold out, so I’m kicking myself for not buying it sooner. I was initially worried about the quality of a $79 faux fur vest, but it’s practically gone and dozens of commenters appear to love it.

Sonia Rykiel’s the newest designer for H&M, and we’ll be getting a double dose.

For holiday, she’ll design a line of lingerie for the Swedish mega-store, but the collection will also sell in international Rykiel boutiques. This sort of pre-collection launches December 5th.

Then, in February, she’ll launch a spring knitwear collection. Unfortunately, the boys are left out of this one, but she’ll design for both women and girls and throw in some accessories alongside what we’re betting will be colorful sweater dresses and knit tanks. In fact, visions of brightly woven bloomers or high waisted knit undies are dancing in our heads.

The lingerie will launch in 1500 stores, but the knitwear will only make it to 250. So you might want to plan a trip to a major city around February 20th.

London Fashion Week has already been shaping up as the place to be this fall.

And now for those of you not in New York the week before, there will be even more places to celebrate, this time for high street fashion.

According to Vogue UK, stores like Topshop, Mango, H&M, Urban Outfitters, and New Look will be banding together from September 7-11 to hold champagne-filled late night shindigs, collection previews, and even beauty workshops.

We won’t be able to make it as we’ll be ensconced in all things NYC. But we’re sure you Londoners will have a good time for all of us.

Jimmy Choo’s next up for H&M.

Tamara Mellon is designing shoes and bags for the Swedish mega-store, as well as a full women’s collection for the November launch. The clothing, however, is meant to complement the accessories, not the other way around. They’ll also do a full range for men.

The whole things sounds kind of weird to us. We’re usually thrilled with H&M’s design collaborations and we know girls will scramble to buy something stamped ‘Choo’ - but why not let Jimmy Choo stick to accessories and find another great designer, one who’d love the opportunity, to design a solid clothing collection?

Not that we won’t be there on opening day, it’s just that we’ll probably bypass the clothes for the tallest shoes we can find.

Gap is making kids’ clothes with Stella McCartney.

Aside from their CFDA initiatives, the San Francisco-based company has avoided the designer collaboration craze as much as Stella’s wholeheartedly embraced it.

The Brit’s done a one-off for H&M, an exclusive for Net-a-Porter (which included a few children’s pieces), and designs for Adidas and LeSportsac. The collection, which also includes baby clothes, launches at the end of this year.

She told WWD, “I believe that this one-off collaboration will be a great way for customers to be able to participate in the Stella McCartney brand. I believe that kids’ clothing should be more accessibly priced, which is particularly important at the moment, given the current climate.”

We predict a massive line of petite women shoving their bodies into size 14 t-shirts at Gap Kids come the debut.

Mark your calendars: the Soho Stroll, benefiting homeless men and women in New York City, will take place June 11-13.

We love shopping for a good cause, especially when it gives us yet another chance to support the stores, restaurants and galleries in our very own neighborhood.

When you purchase a $20 bracelet, you’ll get access to everything from free samples to discounts, to complimentary cocktails and eats! They’re still signing up local businesses, but have already put together a pretty impressive list including Costume National, our regular lunch spot - La Esquina, Ligne Roset, H&M, and the MoMA Design Store.

You can buy your bracelets at the Welcome Booth which will be set up at the corner of Spring and Wooster Streets. In the meantime, check out their website for more information and updated info on the latest discounts.

London says Leigh Lezark is Matthew Williamson’s new muse.

The DJ, who recently posed for Mango, is signed to IMG. And while she and her fellow Misshapes continue to DJ fashion shows and parties all over the world, Leigh has been spending more and more time in front of the cameras this year.

Whether Sienna Miller’s gotten too old for the gig or is just too busy playing muse to sister Savannah, she’s definitely been less associated with Williamson this past year and Leigh has taken over, posing in a number of Matthew’s H&M looks lately.

She’ll have to work hard to inspire Matthew’s upcoming collections, accompany him to events and lend a rock n’ roll edge to a label generally worshipped by those of the boho-chic persuasion.

As for Leigh’s outfit choices…in spite of her penchant for the prettiest, but always black clothes…this makes so much more sense than Hogan or Mango. Keep the high fashion coming.

Knock, Knock: We wonder if it makes Gucci uncomfortable when a blog devotes their entire day intricately detailing just how to rip off a runway collection? {WhoWhatWear}

Work It Out: Burn fat while raising money for Elettra Wiedemann’s charity Just One Frickin’ Day this Saturday, May 16th at the Soho Equinox. {IMG Models Blog}

It’s So On: There’s a high street battle a-brewing! H&M debuted pieces of their fall collection and they giving Topshop a run for their money. Are you team Topshop or H&M? {Refinery 29}

From Russia, With Love: Apparently the hot scene of the moment is in Moscow. And yet somehow we’re not there. {Hint}

Models, and Mosquitoes, and Karl, Oh My!: In case you were wondering about all the goings-on in Venice or just how late Karl really is to dinner… [Style File]

Reality Check: Olivia Palermo may be trading her fake job at DVF in for a new fake job at Elle for the next season of The City. We are not amused. [NYPost]

Miss This Kitsch: Even if her fashion advice wasn’t as award-worthy as her acting skills, 80s soap opera star Brenda Dickson gives us a peek into her closet and her style. Hello hairspray! [TheMoment]

E.M. Phone Home: Eniko Mihalik, and her “famously alien eyes” are in the upcoming Vogue Nippon. [Models]

Just in case you haven’t heard, Matthew Williamson recently launched a collection for H&M.

There was a major London bash, a New York launch and then a Grace Jones-centric party on a boat in the Hudson and now, this commercial. Daria speaks, which is rare, and Matthew Williamson emerges from underground, which we imagine is also rare.

Grey-haired men, Dolce-shouldered models, pink horses and bikini-clad women star; at the end Matthew declares, “Well, I haven’t done it all, yet.”

What, exactly, does he have in store?

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…

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.)

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

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?

I spent a rainy afternoon hanging out with Jeffrey Costello and Robert Tagliapietra in their Brooklyn studio.

The boys, who’ve been working, living, breathing together for over fifteen years without ever fighting - they swear - live and work in a warmly decorated brownstone with their lovable bulldog Sammy.

We listened to their i-pod shuffle and talked about when Madonna lived across the hall and what happened when Vogue called. I tried to get Jeffrey to talk, but he’s shy and Sammy’s barks were more than willing to fill in.

The two of them do everything - from sewing their samples to filling their own orders to casting their own shows and love every minute of it. If you’re wondering just how much work that is, read on.

I’ve landed post-Topshop opening. It’s barely noon and I’m exhausted. In case you weren’t following my Twitter, here’s what happened:

The line twisted through Soho, up, down, around Broome/Broadway/Crosby. A crowd even assembled across the street just to watch the line. Passerbys asked why crazy people were in line and what the hell Topshop was. Sir Philip Green looked on with his suited buddies and a British TV presenter asked questions like, “Where did you come from?”

I too asked questions. One to a girl camped comfortably on the sidewalk.

“I’m from England,” she answered, in a thick British accent.

“Well, yeah,” I said. “But you live here now, right?”

“No. I’ve flown in for this,” she responded, looking at me like I was nuts.

Pinkberry passed out yogurt, Madewell distributed coffee to welcome their new neighbors and perfectly dressed Brit chicks handed out Topshop gift cards. Around 10:50, the crowd went nuts. Kate Moss appeared for mere seconds and the store opened. It was the most organized fashion event I’ve ever attended - most organized of the crazies that is.

Inside, the crowd asked for leather jackets and Kate Moss’ new collection. They also asked about prices. The thing is, Topshop prices are not H&M prices. If you’ve never actually shopped at Topshop and yet been swept up in its charm, you probably don’t realize that a cotton summer dress will set you back about $100 and a simple tank up to $40 - not exactly cheap. On top of that, the dress I bought in London last month for £45 is $90 here which means I saved almost $25 and they’re apparently not paying much mind to current exchange rates. Not that I didn’t still walk away with this Kate Moss Liberty dress (that I just looked up on Topshop’s site - it’s £65 which is $95 dollars but it’s $135 at the store - ouch).

I made it down the escalator where Christopher Kane stood, calmly letting his roaring gorilla tee do the talking for him and Sir Philip granted more and more interviews - only after telling his staff to lower the music.

Is it worth going later today? Probably - unless you don’t do well with crowds, in which case I’d suggest waiting a week.

It’s hard to believe that the term “fast fashion” wasn’t even in our vocabulary just a few years ago. Stores like H&M, Zara and now Topshop - which operate on a business model based on getting new shipments in stores and in front of our grabbing hands more often than Little J changes her lipstick - have totally changed the way most people (young people) shop, making retailers like Gap and J.Crew seem boring because they only get the regular number of shipments in per year.

According to the AP, at least two brands - American Eagle and Abercrombie + Fitch, are planning on getting more clothes in at a much faster rate starting this month: AE plans on getting new shipments every two weeks, and A+F plans on shorter lead times, too.

So is more clothes at a faster rate the key to the return-shopper’s heart? We think it has more to do with what you’re buying and where - After all, how many versions of the ribbed gray tank top does A+F think a girl really needs?

After having taken the entire summer off (she told IMG, her agency, that she was even turning off her cell phone), Daria Werbowy is in full force for 2009.

First she popped up in the Roberto Cavalli campaign (sometimes alongside Kate), then Isabel Marant (at left), then the February cover of Australian Vogue - and now she’s been named the face of Matthew Williamson’s H&M line - not her first foray with the Swedish megabrand - a campaign that will include television commercials alongside the designer himself (modeling the menswear), marking his own debut as a model.

Not too shabby considering all he has to do is keep it together next to the Canadian wonder model - but we’re wondering whether this means lines for Daria on TV, of course.

Okay, so we know the Chanel 2.55 bag has been ripped off a thousand times on Canal Street, but we never thought a legitimate retailer would go near it.

We should’ve known better.

Topshop’s quilted cross body bag is made of 100% Polyurethane (google it, we did) yet still costs a kind of ridiculous $50. So, it must be especially well stitched, right? You’re not paying for the creative vision, because, seriously, everything from the quilting to the shape to the white and gold chain strap and the front closure screams Chanel.

It’s just two C’s short of being a flagrant rip-off.

Why would Topshop even bother copying such an iconic and recognizable design when they have a bajillion designers at their fingertips? It’s like J.Crew making a Fendi Spybag or H&M trying their hand at the Birkin.

There are some things that you just don’t mess with.

—HAYLEY PHELAN

Always one to ride a good wave, H&M’s already announced their next capsule collection designer for this Spring, and it’s Matthew Williamson (another one down from our list of who doesn’t have a diffusion line).

Expect neons, clashing prints, billowy silhouettes - basically, the perfect wardrobe if you plan to spend your summer in Ibiza (and if you like being about as loud as a mariachi band with your wardrobe).

The collection hits “select” stores April 23rd (with a second, larger delivery in mid-May hitting 1,700 doors), just in time for everyone’s moment of “I’ve had it!” with saving, cueing a massive splurge without the major credit card damage.

That is, of course, if enough girls come out for Matthew Williamson. We’re not so sure the H&M customer really meshes with his designs - bright, floral caftans meant for poolside sunbathing? This one might have actually done better at Target…