>> Depending on where you're standing, Harper's Bazaar has either reached a new high or a new low.  As reported yesterday by The New York Times, the Hearst-owned magazine forked over 40, yes 40, editorial pages, plus the cover of its July 2008 issue, to advertiser Estee Lauder.  The cosmetic company is keen to sell the socks off of its new perfume, Sensuous, and is using its four stable girls, Gwyneth Paltrow, Carolyn Murphy, Elizabeth Hurley, and Hilary Rhoda to give it their all. 

Desperate economic times call for desperate measures, it seems, but Allan Mottus, a beauty industry analyst, said it best: "Boy, they really sold out — Hearst — didn’t they?" 

It's no secret that advertisers and magazines have long been in cahoots — Nylon collaborated in a similar way with Chloe earlier this year, placing the faces of the brand's new fragrance on their "Beauty Issue" cover, with an accompanying editorial inside. Some seem to think Glenda Bailey and Hearst have taken it too far this time, but before getting in a huff about this specific incident, realize: Hearst has been pulling these shenanigans for years now.  Also, just by talking about it, we're giving Estee Lauder all the press they aimed for . . .

*image: source