Chris Benz

The house had its heyday in the '80s, but Benz wants to bring it back for the modern, social savvy woman.

Fashionista columnist/designer extraordinaire Chris Benz is one of the hardest working, talented and approachable people in the business. So we're thrilled to announce that he'll be joining you for lunch at Fashionista's "How to Make it In Fashion" conference on June 21. Being able to talk so candidly to someone like Chris is pretty rare in this business. We hope you take advantage of the opportunity and sign up today!

Fashionista is excited to host its first ever day-long event, How to Make It in Fashion. This isn't just another conference where you leave with a goodie bag and nothing else. (Although there will be a great one.) Along with tips on networking, alternative career paths, and plain old inspiring success stories, you'll have a chance to actually talk one-on-one with many of our speakers (including Zac Posen, the Man Repeller's Leandra Medine, Rebecca Minkoff and more) as well as Fashionista editors about how to kick-start your career or take it to the next level. You'll get real, take-home advice, make connections, and who knows? Maybe you'll take the first step towards your dream job. All the deets and how to sign up, right this way.

When Net-a-porter throws a party, it goes all out. Saturday night, NAP's Natalie Massenet, Lucy Yeomans, and Alison Loehnis hosted a pre-Met Ball, pre-Frieze party at Omar's, the as-yet unopnened private supper club on West 9th St. It was billed as a dinner, but quickly devolved into a several-hours-long cocktail hour with Valentino PR honcho Carlos Souza's sons serving as DJs. Everyone was there. Literally everyone. From Inez and Vinoodh to Karolina Kurkova to Olivier Theyskens to Jack McCullough and Lazaro Hernandez to Christopher Kane to Olivier Rousting to Carlyne Cerf de Dudzeele, the guest list was just purely bonkers. You couldn't blink without bumping into someone you felt embarrassed about bumping into. I spent the party trying to get the scoop on attendees Met Ball plans and punk pasts.

First, Chris Benz announced that he'd be sitting out the Fall 2013 shows. Soon after, Peter Som decided to forgo the traditional runway for one of KCD's nifty digital fashion shows, following in the footsteps of See by Chloe and Pierre Balmain, amongst others. Then last week's Wall Street Journal article about designers forgoing New York Fashion Week hit the real nerve, highlighting several up-and-coming (as well as established) labels choosing not to stage runway shows or presentations. Suddenly, it's okay—even respectable in certain circumstances—not to show at Fashion Week.

We look forward to Bridget Foley's WWD op-eds, mostly because it's one of the few times the industry trade offers up a real opinion. (It wasn't always so stale: read John Fairchild's Chic Savages to learn all about WWD's heyday in the 1970s.) But this morning, the Fashionista team was collectively turned off by "Fashion Pound Puppies," in which Foley lambastes Michelle Obama for requesting designers create inaugural outfits for her on-spec. "How does Michelle Obama get a pass on the ridiculousness surrounding her inaugural wardrobe selections?" she says. "The whole thing would be merely silly and undignified if it weren’t so disrespectful of the time and resources of others, some of whom have little of both at their disposal." We were so annoyed by her presumptions, in fact, that Leah and I spent like 15 minutes talking about it over Gchat:

When the Obama family took the stage, victorious, on election night this past November, everyone took note not just of Michelle Obama and what she was wearing but also of her daughters: Sasha and Malia had grown up! The New York Times' Cathy Horyn tweeted, “The Obama girls might be the fashion news tonight–full skirts, bright color, cute.” And when WWD asked designers to submit sketches for Michelle Obama's inauguration look, most submitted designs for her daughters as well. Should we be concered with the Obama girls' fashion?

Who's in the running towards becoming America's Next Inauguration Designer? We won't know for sure what Michelle Obama will wear to the inaugural balls until Monday (unless someone who doesn't value their job decides to spill the beans), but WWD's got the scoop on which designers have fielded sample requests from the White House. No one on the list is particularly surprising.

Undoubtedly you've made a New Year's resolution or two, and so have we. On our list? Bringing back Chris Benz's column, "Ask Chris," for 2013! But we need your help.

Anna Wintour’s predilection for chicken pot pies aside, fashion and food have had a notoriously rocky relationship. But we’ve been noticing that the two have been edging closer together. With that in mind, we’ve come up with fashion and food gift pairings--because you've got to feed more than your soul sometimes, right? Click through for everything from the spiciest hot sauce to countless cookies and their natural food and beauty pairings.

Miranda Kerr's got a few secrets to keeping a man, passed down from her grandma, and she shared them on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson. Surprisingly, they don't involve donning a giant pair of wings. {HuffPo} Gossip Girl hottie Chace Crawford is modeling for MrPorter.com, reminding us we'll soon be missing our weekly dose of Nate. {Sugarscape} Nicki Minaj hit the pool for her latest VIVA Glam ad. MAC is releasing a limited edition lavender pink shade of Lipglass and Lipstick, available February 9. {Fashionista Inbox}

Give yourself something to really celebrate this holiday season, by starting your dream fashion career with the help of our careers page.

It seems Michelle Obama has set an example for all fashion royalty. Kate Middleton repeated a showstopping Temperley gown for a dinner hosted at her alma mater last night. {HuffPo} Private jets, indoor pools and a Diana Ross performance in India: Naomi Campbell sure knows how to throw a two-day party! Get a breakdown of the celebration she hosted for her boyfriend's birthday. {The Vivant} The eBay Holiday Collective that you've been waiting for since July is finally here. Well, almost. Come Monday you can shop goodies from Tibi, Steven Alan, Chris Benz, Fallon, Jonathan Adler, Ruffian, and Billy Reid --just in time for the holidays. {FabSugar}

The Kardashians may have one cover of Cosmo UK's December issue, but we're more into the One Direction version. The lads, most barely over 18, are Cosmo's Men of the Year. {PopCrush} Michelle Obama's daughters have been taking serious style notes from their mom: Not only did Sasha Obama wear a totally adorable Chris Benz skirt on election night, but it was a hand-me-down from older sister Malia. {Lucky} These are apparently supposed to be never-before-seen 'candid' photos of Lana del Rey, snapped by the songstress's sister. What, don't you sit around posing and pouting all day? {Vanity Fair}

Last night, Barack Obama won re-election--and we won four more years of gushing and gawking over how adorable the Obama family is. As they laughed and hugged onstage, we couldn't help but look back on the night four years ago when Obama was first elected--and Michelle, Malia and Sasha stole the hearts of fashion people everywhere.

Welcome back to Desk Side! This week we're hanging out with designer Chris Benz in his quirky studio where he tells us all about his vices--like cupcakes and Fleetwood Mac.

Fashion week is nearly over but we've still got show notes coming for you! Karen Walker keeps her cool girl cred, Wes Gordon finds inspiration in tarot cards, and Chris Benz explores the intersection between beautiful and ugly.

The Clothes: For Spring 2013, Chris Benz took interest in the intersection of beautiful and ugly. That idea can be a very scary, Tim Burton gray area,

Day 5 of NYFW brought the Fashionista team to tons of shows, from Marc Jacobs uptown to Karen Walker downtown, and everywhere in between. And oh, the things we saw!