>> ...is Natalia Vodianova! It pays to be Anna's pet, doesn't it?
That said, she looks gorgeous and very Gatsby-esque in Nina Ricci, for the July 2007 cover of US Vogue, shot by Mario Testino.
>> We all know celebrities do irrational things -- they've even been known to kill. But you didn't think they might be killing off all the emerging fashion talent, did you? I was shocked to read in the NY Times today that Phillip Lim, who I thought was doing very well -- everywhere I look, his clothes are popping up for sale -- expects his collection to reach $30 million in sales for the year, while celebrity lines like those of Sean Combs or Jennifer Lopez typically break the $100 million within their first or second year. Now stepping back, whose clothes would I rather see on myself -- well, no-brainer! Phillip Lim, of course.
I haven't crunched any numbers, so I'm just going off this article, but it does make me a little worried for the future of fashion. Are we all going to be vying to wear Bitten by SJP in the future, because that will be considered luxury? I really really really hope not.
>> I've been going through a fashion photography dry spell. Everything started to look the same month after month, the clothes were all running together -- even in the more artistically liberated magazines, I was getting disappointed. Maybe I was burned out, I'm not sure what -- all I know is that this creative block, it happens to the best of us.
But I'm happy to say that I'm finding shots that I like once again, and it really gives me a sense of relief. Steven Meisel's photostory "Le Modele Di Vogue," for Vogue Italia June 2007, helped bring me back to the light. It's sad that even for Meisel, and even in this photostory, his work is still running a bit together, from one editorial to the next. The editorial features covergirl Adina Fohlin, as well as Bridget Hall, Georgina Grenville, Hana Soukupova, Malgosia, and Rie Rasmussen. And, so, in homage to The Sartorialist, I'll point out in a very abbreviated way what caught my eye in each photo. (The rest of the editorial can be seen here and here.)
1st Row, L: That emotion! R: Those eyes!
2nd Row, L: That coat, the proportion! R: That shadow!
3rd Row, L: That pose! R: The colors, the proportion!
>> Just what I needed - another vintage source to tempt me. But here it is, theURBANcollection, well-edited, well-organized, and reasonably priced (all my picks were in the $12 - $63 range, with the exception of a vintage Dior suit). So without further ado, my favorites: the aforementioned Dior skirt suit, which very much makes me think of a Hitchcockian heroine, the sixties red dress - casual enough for day but demure enough for night, and the seventies disco dress, which has a fantastic print to it. 
As for the accessories front, you've got some serious pewter-colored statement earrings and some very Ann Demeulemeester seventies-era Dingo lace-up boots. This site will for sure be added to my site-checking rotation!
>> I am love love loving the chunky heel for this summer. Especially in this burnt red color. (Thank you, God/Margiela!)
>> And not to the runway. She's in a slightly bigger forum this time -- the international media spotlight. Yeah yeah, I know she's been there before, many a time, but this time it's not because she's supposedly having Tom Brady's baby or cutting ties with Victoria's Secret. This time around, she's tackling the policies of the Roman Catholic Church -- she told a Sao Paulo newspaper yesterday that the church's opposition to both condom use and abortion is a little behind the times:
To prohibit condoms is ridiculous, just think of all the diseases transmitted without them. How is it possible to not want people to use condoms and also not have abortions? It's impossible, I'm sorry.
Oh, and she's also in Rio de Janeiro to do a little modeling on the side.
>> I loved the The Row dress Ashley Olsen wore last night to the 2007 CFDA Awards, very clean and simple, and yet still different from everything else that walked down the red carpet.
And yet, it got me thinking -- I know that the Olsens continue to wear pieces from The Row to events for publicity and exposure, but at the same time, if they're going to maintain that exclusivity that they've been guarding so carefully, the customer they're really going for is the woman who attends the same or similar events to the ones the Olsens attend. And we all know what a faux pas it is to wear the same piece on the red carpet as someone else. So are these pieces that the Olsens wear custom The Row pieces? Or are they sacrificing exclusivity and potential customers to get a buzz going?
>> Here's a fun little blind item for you, via Gatecrasher:
Which designer is the subject of rumors within his own company that his latest stint in rehab was just a cover while he healed from cosmetic surgery?
Meanwhile, on a completely unrelated note, Marc Jacobs made his way onto Page Six today for rekindling the fire with Jason Preston (and consummating his love with a "JP" tattoo).
>> As you all have probably figured out by now, I'm not really a big Stam fan. She just doesn't do it for me, it's as simple as that. That said, I love the monochromaticity going on in the Fall 2007 Dior ad campaign, shot by Craig McDean. The play of the bright-hued clothing and backdrop against the paleness of Stam's skin and hair is gripping. Can't really say I'm a fan of the tent-shaped hairdo, but compared to washed-out bleakness of Gemma's Spring 2007 ads for Dior, these are a blessing.
>> Style.com's fashion news feed style file is not just around during NY Fashion Week any more -- it's here for permanent. They've already covered some CFDA award tidbits, an exclusive Manhattan vintage boutique, and gotten quips from the likes of Zac Posen and the Olsens. Oh, and they decided to call it a blog. Hope Anna's not too irked.
