“Retirement is not one of the topics with which I deal. Why should I? I still have so many projects that I sometimes don’t know where to begin. Chanel will still need some clothes when I’m 89. The world can count on me for a long time.” —Karl Lagerfeld on those pesky rumors.

Not that I really needed more reasons to love Anja Rubik—aside from the legs, the gorgeous face, etc—but she gave me a few when I finally met her in person last night at the launch of the Wii yoga game that features her.

Here are three things I know about Anja now that I didn’t know before:

1. She loves going home for Christmas as much as we do. She even does all the baking at her house, while her mom handles the massive amounts of cooking.

2. We’re currently reading the same book, The Beautiful Fall. Though my guess is she’ll have a little more insight, seeing as she just spent four days with Karl Lagerfeld.

3. While I was jealous when she told me she’d just jetted from Paris to Nice to LA to New York…and that in few weeks she’s working in my fantasy vacation spot, The Maldives, she was so sweet and lovely to chat with that I couldn’t even hate her.

Don’t go changin’, Anja!

We felt a little confused today when we came across this Cynthia Rowley dress on shopbop.com.

With Paris SS10 shows still on our minds, Cynthia’s dress immediately reminded us of this Karl Lagerfeld look. The halter neck, cut-out shoulders, and wide waist belt are strikingly similar—though the rest of the design is obviously different. (And we’re not going to lie and say we don’t like one more than the other. We’re sure you can guess which one.)

But Cynthia’s dress is from her FW09 collection, meaning that if anyone was guilty of copying its neckline, it would be Karl.

Could be sheer coincidence or not…what do you think? We’d very much like to hear your thoughts on the matter!

“My father…was not stingy but he hated unnecessary expense but clothes he saw as the exception—he was of a different generation—if you were well dressed, half of the job was done. So I was told, be well dressed and doors will open.” —Karl Lagerfeld tells i-D Magazine. He also mentions that he liked to change his clothes after his “siestas” as a child, which is pretty darn cute.

Don’t Cry For Her, Argentina: Claudia and Karl are tearing things up in Buenos Aires on the set of the Chanel Spring 2010 campaign shoot. Craft services is offering up “rich barbecue” though somehow we can’t see Karl chowing down on that. {Fashionologie}

Little Pink Houses: I’m from Indiana and we love all things Mellencamp. Especially supermodels who marry our favorite son and settle down in Bloomington. This video of Elaine Irwin Mellencamp just made me develop an even bigger girl crush. Also, it’s set to John’s music which always makes me smile. Hoosier Pride! {Modelinia}

Award Season: We didn’t even know there was a Harper’s Bazaar Cyprus. But there is and they just gave Jean-Charles de Castelbajac a Lifetime Achievement Award. {Fashion Insider}

Silver Screen Hamish: First he conquered the great outdoors and now Hollywood. Mr. Bowles has a cameo in Oliver Stone’s Wall Street 2. What’s next…The Great White Way? {Page Six}

We love Housing Works not only because you can always find the best stuff there, but because of all the good work they do.

Their sixth annual Fashion for Action charity event is coming up and they just announced the details. The event, which raises money for homeless and low-income New Yorkers living with HIV and AIDS, will be co-chaired by Derek Lam and sponsored by Essence magazine.

The four-day affair kicks off with an opening night benefit at the Rubin Museum of Art and continues with a huge public sample sale at the Housing Works Thrift Shop in Chelsea. Over 150 designers have donated $1 million worth of merchandise to be sold at 50-70 percent off retail prices. Hooray! A bunch of new names have been added to the list this year like Acne, Band of Outsiders, Bottega Veneta, Lanvin, and Karl Lagerfeld.

All the details about how you can take part after the jump!

“No one wants to see curvy women. You’ve got fat mothers with their bags of chips sitting in front of the television and saying that thin models are ugly.” —Karl Lagerfeld’s reaction to the news that Brigitte will no longer use ‘real’ models in their magazine.

In this morning’s WWD writer Jacob Bernstein poses an interesting question about whether or not fashion’s intense global exposure takes away a bit of the mystique that made it so interesting for so long.

It’s certainly a valid point. But not one that I think that I can come down on one side or the other on. Certainly, part of what drew me into the world of fashion and magazines as a kid growing up in Indiana was the apparent exclusivity of the club. Well, that along with the beautiful people wearing the beautiful clothes in the beautiful photographs.

But these are different times. Obviously (and thankfully, considering how I earn my living) there’s the internet. But the article also cites reality television (Project Runway, The Rachel Zoe Project, ANTM), documentaries like Valentino: The Last Emperor and The September Issue, and even the photography of Terry Richardson and Juergen Teller as giving the world an actual look in on our little world. Kate Betts said, “Fashion used to be a much smaller and more insulated business,Then it became more of a global business and now it’s in many respects a part of the entertainment business.”

Believe it or not, the most awkward part of this video, in which Katy Perry interviews Karl Lagerfeld backstage after his Lagerfeld show on behalf of Elle, isn’t when Karl says he’d define himself with a Lily Allen song (don’t they like, not get along?).

In fact, we’re kind of torn on whether or not it’s the lilted maybe French with a touch of British accent Perry puts on at times or when she tells Karl that she really likes the metal dresses, to which he says, “I think that’s not metal, in fact it’s leather because leather is softer and more body friendly than metal can be a little harsh.”

You can never watch too much video of Karl, so enjoy. And remember, Karl does not like Sundays.

KARL [LAGERFELD]: You clutch my face. My head is a farm of inspiration, and it’s the harvest. REAP.

KATY [PERRY]: Oh, great, because I have so many questions…

—Imagined Fashion Week genius courtesy of GoFugYourself

Photo Courtesy of WWDI didn’t realize until reading WWD this morning that Zac Posen was such a foodie. Turns out he cooks three times a week (even after the Met Ball), And like so many of us, his obsession began with cooking shows, and Martha. “I was a very depressed middle-school student and I watched [those shows] avidly,” he said. “And then Martha Stewart changed my life. Her first cookbook [Entertaining] was given to my mom, but I took it.”

If you want to taste some of what Zac has to offer, he’s cooking with Giada De Laurentiis and Aquavit chef Marcus Samuelsson at a charity event during the Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival. Tickets aren’t cheap ($325) but the money goes to hunger organizations. And we’re pretty sure the presentation will be divine.

We know Peter Som is supposed to be a pretty wicked chef too and we’d love to score an invite to one of his dinner’s parties. So, what designer’s aesthetic would you want to see applied to food? As much as I love Karl and Diet Coke (or Coca Lite), I would definitely need a more substantial meal. Stella could probably convince me to go veggie for the night. But I’m thinking Galliano might be my guy for an over-the-top feast.

The recession might not be over, but Chanel couldn’t care less.

While last season’s show remained elegant and subdued, this season Karl went all out with Halloween worthy decorations, live music and a spectacular collection.

The designer’s time in Vermont has turned him positively country. Hay covered the aisles and floors and even the benches were covered with sleeves of distressed brown jute, stamped with double ‘C’s naturally.

Heidi Mount opened, at the sound of a rooster’s crow, and the rest of the girls popped out of a haystack in the middle of the Grand Palais. Eventually, Lily Allen popped out, too - she’s probably the only face of Chanel to perform her talent mid-show - and gave the collection an upbeat soundtrack.

The clothes however, were almost Victorian with swathes of gauze and big collars; Karl’s rocker edge came through with skinny pants, chain belts and tough boots. Though there were clogs, too, paired with tiny party dresses. It was classic Chanel, which means everyone loved it.

But no one loved as much as Freja and Lara, who jumped Karl’s new favorite Baptiste in the haystack and then enjoyed their own kiss, sans boy. For a show that’s always in the same place at the same time, you really never know what’s going to happen.

—REBECCA SUHRAWARDI AUSTIN

—PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEREMY KOST

“Karl Lagerfeld’s boudoir show for Fendi made you think a giant pair of old pantyhose had fallen over Milan.” —Cathy Horyn talks Milan, which she didn’t particularly enjoy, in The New York Times.

Chanel-o: If Craig McDean had shot this with Baptiste Giabiconi instead of Constance Jablonski (for Interview), Karl Lagerfeld might have exploded from excitement. That would’ve been fun. {Models}

It’s It: This went up at the start of the week, but in case you missed it & you’re still wondering just who Becka Diamond is, this guide to the It-Girls of fall 09 will prove extremely helpful. {Style}

Ca-Caw: Thank you Malvin from Project Runway for inspiring the kids at EW to edit this little piece of Arrested Development awesomeness together. We were just remarking on Lindsey and Gob’s chicken dances earlier in the week. And by remarking we mean re-enacting. Happy Friday! {PopWatch}

Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy: Barneys is about half way through their warehouse sale & shoes just got knocked down 40%. Meanwhile, we saw their awkward TV commercial last night and still wonder why they don’t just use Simon Doonan. {Racked}

Sketched Up: We read about Igor & Andre yesterday morning, the blog from California- based fashion illustrator and model lover Danny Roberts, but wasted an hour of our life on it last night. His work is spectacular. {Igor&Andre}

“I think after the ugly skinny boys of Hedi [Slimane’s] days…some ‘beauty’ was needed.” —Karl Lagerfeld to WWD

The only movie that’s made me laugh harder than The September Issue this year is The Hangover.

Anna Wintour is funny; my mascara is smudged from tears of laughter. The film may start out with Anna saying that fashion’s picked on because people are bitter they aren’t a cool kid, but she only gets more human from there and by the end you might even want to hug her.

Grace Coddington is, as reported, the real star of the movie. Her inner turmoil over the changing industry and her role in Anna’s history plays out on screen and one can’t help but sympathize with her as Anna cancels more and more of her shoots.

The movie travels from New York to Paris for couture to London for a meeting with Mario Testino to Rome for Sienna’s shoot and back to New York to close the issue and present it to Si Newhouse. In Paris, we cringed when Anna shut Stefano Pilati down; in London we laughed at Mario’s grandly cinematic ideas and in Rome we admired Sienna’s energy and Sally Singer’s patience.

Karl’s New Toy: Meet Baptiste Gianconi, Karl Lagerfeld’s newest muse/boy toy/model friend/Sebastian. He’s cute! Hope the other boys play nice. {Perez}

Wowsers: Poor Mischa. Though she’s the first person we’ve ever heard actually say, “Chlo-ay.” {HandbagTV}

Interns Away: The Moment, The New York Times’ T Magazine’s style blog, needs fall interns. Wish we could do it. {TheMoment}

Style Me Nice: While in LA, I developed some major girl crushes. Nicole Chavez’s stylist picks for WhoWhatWear combine two, or three, of them. {WWW}