>> INSIDER WIRE —If you're not yet convinced that Valentino: The Last Emperor is a must-see, here's another reason to watch: Valentino's six pugs — Milton, Monty, Maude, Margot, Maggie and Molly — play co-starring roles, appearing on film as their dog butler brushes their teeth, sprays them with cologne, and dresses them in diamante chandelier earrings. [WWD]

>> Stefano Pilati is certain about one thing — he doesn't think his predecessor at Yves Saint Laurent, Tom Ford, is gifted — and he wasn't alone.  When he went to work for Ford at YSL, "I was being tested by everybody at YSL . . . Even the receptionist. They all hated Tom, and they were all telling me about Mr. Saint Laurent and what he used to do." 

But as for how Stefano thinks of himself — that's where things get a little less black-and-white. In this Sunday's New York Times Magazine, the designer tells Lynn Hirschberg he had interlocking male and female symbols tattooed on his arm at 13 — as an act of defiance.  The now out designer lived for many years as a heterosexual, surprising women with his switch. "He always had girlfriends, and I thought Stefano was open to anything, but that may have been wishful thinking on my part," one said. He's even been known to try on his women's collection to check the garment.  Once, Valerie Hermann, CEO of YSL, walked in on him in a petticoat: "I said, ‘Stefano, take that off!"

This is Stefano on drugs . . . »

The cooling temperatures give us an opportunity to appreciate the more luxurious items. While the holiday weekend is upon us, taken an opportunity to reexamine your Fall priorities with today's Must Read posts from: While one might think a Picnic Tote might be more appropriate for Summer, Bag Bliss introduces us to Erotokritos' Picnic Tote, a simply shaped bag of excellent quality. Italian leather and a well designed shape are all we need to be a fan, and this bag certainly has it. The Shoptometrist takes back her initial rant against the recent influx of NYU Freshmen. She makes it up to them by appreciating their good sense of style and highlighting one of their best choices to date. We received quite the surprise this morning when opening today's Urban Outfitters newsletter to find one of our own, Style Bubble, prominently featured. We agree with their decision to feature her, as she is quite adept at styling tights, and it was a treat to get to peek into her hosiery collection. Tom's shoes are known for their charitable stance as well as being a hipster favorite, so imagine our delight when we read Shopalicious' post featuring a pair of boots by the brand. We are shocked, however, at the extreme $118 price tag associated with these cotton canvas boots, when the loafers retail for an affordable $42. It never fails that you'll have a late morning when you certainly have some place to be. Bubble Gum Plastic appreciates the necessity and utility of dry shampoo, featuring Kloraine's Dry Oat formula.

>> INSIDER WIRE —Big coup for Thakoon Panichgul last night: Instead of going with Oscar de la Renta or Carolina Herrera like so many political women do, Michelle Obama wore a Thakoon Resort 2009 dress for all the world to see while her husband delivered his nomination acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention. [FWD]

>> Last week on Model.Live, we saw Cato van Ee take off for New York, and this week, it's all about her co-stars Madeline Kragh and Austria Alcantara making their own voyages to Manhattan. Madeline leaves Sydney, Australia and her boyfriend Jimmy behind — but not before hitting one last casting and uttering the classic line, "I think I'm pretty cool, but I'm pretty much a nerd." Austria, meanwhile, leaves her mother, who wants her to be a model because she always wanted to be a model, and her agent, Socrates McKinney, who says things like "Austria is a girl that you think that she's Indian, but she's also black, and she's also white," both behind in the Domican Republic.  Next week?  The three girls ready for fashion week.

Episode four with Austria! »

>> IN THE LOOKING GLASS —POP's Fall 2008 issue has six fantastic theological covers, but what I'm really looking forward to are the innards, especially the editorial Ryan McGinley shot of Agyness Deyn jumping from a fire escape nude.  Here's your first look, and surprisingly — Agyness is clothed. If that doesn't please you, there's also an interview with The Muppets's Swedish Chef . . . [SansArtifice, Starworks NY]

Contrived as it may seem luxe layers are an undeniable fall trend. After the fall shows we articulated our notion that 'layered texture' and 'luxe details' were at the forefront of fashion week. For a while, we editorialized them separately, taking layered silhouettes to mean one thing and that which was fur-trimmed, or adorned with lace, velvet, and shearling, to mean another. Then a republishing of the Fall 08 Proenza Schouler show changed all that for us. Queue layers of all varieties and a texture (aka sequins) which puts it in the luxe category at the same time.

Since then, as the deliveries trickle in and as chicsters have started wearing the fall trends in lighter, more weather-appropriate versions, we've come to feel that the combination of sequins (luxe) and cottons (layers), all loose and layered and slouchy, is a trend we will see a lot of for Spring 09. For our Fall's Top Five: Past & Present photo shoot, our stylist, Liz Baca took the slinkiest of silks and metallics and layered them with reckless (a key ingredient here) abandon. Below, check out our various trend galleries that we've (hehe) layered for you. Opulence, sequins, and layered texture. Mix it all up and keep a careful eye on the Proenza interpretation and you'll be in good shape.

Beauty copy can be a tangle of clichés as writers struggle to find fresh descriptions for minute changes. We almost wish the copy editors would give in and admit it! So when the ne plus ultra of beauty clichés, the cherry, came out in force this Fall the overbearing metaphor seemed almost charming. Its as if everyone agreed to say, eh, why force it? Everyone loves a deep cherry red lip so let's not struggle to call it anything but. Its the beauty copy equivalent of calling a spade a spade. And that refreshing honesty about the limits of descriptors somehow makes us that much covetous. Why strive to over market when we all know that we love it we suppose.

And clearly our community feels the same way as MAC's Cult of Cherries and Laura Mercier's Cherries Noir are getting rave reviews. Beauty 411 loves Cherries Noir for what we might call a sister cliché 40s Hollywood glamor. 15 Minute Beauty Fanatic goes right for the kisser with MAC's Cult of Cherry with a cherry lips entry. Temptalia too goes for cherryliscious lips. Makeup and Beauty Blog continues the trend Mercier's Cherries Noir cherry lips. And because it can't just be about the biggies, So Loverly found a Silken Naturals Cherry Crush lipgloss.

Vie Couture, M.I.S.S Crew, and Nessasary Makeup round up the coverage with general reviews.

We slept without the air conditioner last night. The eerie quiet of our loft that made it nearly impossible to sleep leaving us in a daze of transitional tossing and turning. More than any other sign, this is the one we use to gauge the end of summer as the subtle shifts in atmosphere precipitate our own internal changes, be there physical or spiritual. And while its been a good summer in the city, we are beginning to feel the Michaelmas transition.

But to cling is human and the Zen of transition is not strong in many of us. Thus this Labor Day, for us the last weekend of summer, is a critical marker for a certain kind of fashionistas. The traditional rules of white reach their last viable wear date come Monday. No more white frocks can grace your tanned frame and white sandals and pumps must be lovingly stored until next May. Sure, plenty of people continue to wear white past these expiration dates. But too often it feels forced, like a faked fashion trend or over done styling. Cruise gives us a second chance and yes we relish trips to Miami, but really our grandmothers may just be right that this is our last chance. And so we celebrate the the last white weekend with airy frocks and the best of this summer's shoes. May you spill BBQ sauce on them come Monday!

Nina Ricci has reopened its Paris store on Avenue Montaige after a 6th month renovation. Olivier Theyskens' new gray cozy interior has contributed to daily sales tallies roughly triple that of last year.

Short Starbucks lines seem like a good thing until you realize that no one is shopping. The deserted Vegas Starbucks is given as evidence that things are unusually subdued at Magic Marketplace

Japan Fashion Week, which runs September 1st through the 5th, is a challenge for Japanese designers.

Stefano Pilati faults Tom Ford for giving women what they want. We are torn on this opinion.

Sallie Underwood Baker, fashion collector, one cool broad, has passed away

Canadians need a little extra insulation to keep warm in their frigid winters. Or at least that is the sense we get considering the outcry over Quebec retailer La Maison's use of overly skinny models. The catalog has been recalled and everyone is happy again.

The Venice Film Festival debuted Valentino: The Last Emperor. While the title references the famed designers it is really about "the deeply rooted, inspirational and unique union between Valentino and Giammetti."