>> THE MODELIZER —Breaking news: Gisele Bundchen may or may not be engaged to quarterback boyfriend of two years Tom Brady.  Rumors floated around that he proposed on a private flight Christmas Eve with her parents present, but Gisele's twin sister and Tom's father denied the reports.  Gisele was later photographed, sans ring, but some sources still seem to believe in the engagement.  The two were supposedly ring shopping recently . . . [Boston Globe, Boston Herald, E! Online]  
*image: source

>> Bill Blass has had a long, bumpy history since its namesake designer left in 1999, the latest setback coming two weeks ago when owners NexCen closed the brand entirely, laying off 60 employees — some of which had been with the label for almost 40 years — with no severance.  

After months of trying to sell the brand to no avail, NexCen has finally found a buyer for Blass — midtier apparel manufacturer Peacock International Holdings, who nabbed the great American sportswear label for a steal — $10 million, compared to the $25 million NexCen was looking for in September.  

Although few expected Peacock to revive the Bill Blass Couture line that Peter Som left in October with no successor and for which NexCen declined to produce a Spring 2009 collection, the new owner has plans to bring the ready-to-wear back "within nine to 12 months."  Peacock already has some designers in mind to restart the collection but won't name names, noting that they will be choosing carefully: "You need somebody with a vision that really ties in to the Bill Blass DNA — and you need consistency, someone who will be in place beyond a year or two."
*image: source

It's not often you find DIY projects for shoes---Hello, Lover Shoe Daydreams conquers the impossible with just a little bit of acrylic paint. 

Patrik Ervell menswear stills? Yes please. Shiny Squirrel finds our weakness and EXPLOITS it. 

Not exactly the kind of art you'd give your mother for Christmas--SlamxHype scopes out an amazing Aurel Schmidt piece. 

M.I.S.S. Crew reminds us that New Year's Eve isn't just party dresses and champagne toasts. Acting like a lady, that's part of it too. 

The number of times we've typed the brand name 'Bill Blass' with zero intention to discuss clothing kind of annoys us. Alas, there is news to be reported! The company has sold to Peacock International Holdings LLC for 15 million dollars less than NexCen Brands hoped for. Ouch. The shell of Bill Blass will presumably sit in the offices of Peacock until the dress shirt and neckwear company figures out what to do with the thing. Or so it is suggested. We say, good idea! Let the economy strengthen and then do what Americans do best and reinvent yourself!

In other news...Beyonce gives Pugh's creations a home for the holidays. See his Spring 2009 collection right here. 

We're just going to go ahead and say it--there are some moments when staying in on New Year's Eve is an alluring possibility. Whether it was traveling for the holidays or that seasonal cold that finally got the best of you, there's always the option of a home spa session, old movie, and good night's sleep. All the sparkly bits soon, but, just in case, here are some deals that would make staying in a luxe option indeed.

A Sephora year-end sale means lightening-up on all of those fabulous gift sets from the holidays. This Bliss Spa-velous set is marked down to $39, and it's original value is nearly twice that. 

Amazon has DVDs you can rent on demand for just a dollar or two, and, they've plenty of DVDs for purchase marked down to less than $15 dollars. Pick up a few and give them as gifts if you change your mind. 

Gap Body and JCrew still make great pajamas if you ask us. Both have fabulous mark-downs on their comfy sleepwear. Just make sure to donate last season's pairs to charity! 

France is experiencing a wave of lay-offs starting with Chanel who will lay off 200 employees on December 31. Those leaving the company are said to have short-term contracts with the fashion house or are otherwise engaged on an interim basis. Those lavish midseason shows must really rub some of them the wrong way, no? 

New Year's resolutions from some of your favorite designers and it-girls in New York. No matter how slice it, resolutions are self-indulgent--don't blame the beautiful people.

Kurt Geiger might be straight off the high street but that doesn't mean these shoes don't merit a preview. Over in London, mass-market fashion is given a shout out. 

Ferragamo has created a range of environmentally-friendly handbags poised to hit stores this Spring. The Eco Ferragamo collection is biodegradable, water-resistant, and colored with metal-free dyes.