>> THE MODELIZER —Naomi Campbell is still with that billionaire boyfriend of hers, real estate entrepreneur Vladislav Doronin, and they made a stop off in Moscow last Thursday for Russian Vogue's 10th anniversary party.  While there, Vladislav dropped 33,000 euros ($43,000) on a matryoshka designed by Stefano Pilati for the occasion, a present for Naomi, who is the Fall 2008 Yves Saint Laurent face. [WWD, Style.com]

>> Claudia Schiffer is likely no longer Chanel's girl, but she got the better end of the bargain with a two-for-one deal. Not only is she repeating as Salvatore Ferragamo's campaign girl for Spring 2009, but she's picking up two new campaigns — Dolce & Gabbana, which she's rumored to be doing with two other girls, including Mariacarla Boscono, and Yves Saint Laurent.  She's currently appearing in Dolce's Resort 2009 campaign with Maryna Linchuk and Catherine McNeil, so Spring is a logical continuation. As for the YSL appointment, if it can be judged by Naomi Campbell's Fall 2008 run, means we'll be seeing lots of Claudia wearing Yves Saint Laurent to events and maybe even a cover with Stefano Pilati.

Although it's too early in the casting season to be sure, it looks like brands are still willing to shell out those supermodel dollars for a recognizable face.
*image: source

>> INSIDER WIRE —Don't ever expect to see Stefano Pilati give Yves Saint Laurent the Tom Ford treatment.  When asked about sex last night at his London College of Fashion lecture, Pilati offered to take his clothes off and then replied, "I never touch the idea of sex. Sex one of the most complicated things; it's too subjective. And if you have subjectivity, you have to balance it out - with you skills, your knowledge, the values of your brand. Sex for me is personal."  Guess he's just continuing in his anti-Tom Ford ways . . .

*image: source

>> 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 . . . »

>> BLOWING THE COVER —There really is "only one Naomi" Campbell — she's got a stunning August 2008 i-D cover with Stefano Pilati, and what looks to be another stunning 26-page editorial in the new issue of V Magazine. [Models.com, V Magazine]

>> Main womenswear collections notwithstanding, Stefano Pilati has really latched on to the video presentation concept.  This is the third season in the past year that he has supplanted a Yves Saint Laurent runway show in favor of a short film: Fall 2008 menswear, Resort 2009 womenswear, and now Spring 2009 menswear. 

The latest effort consists of seven short films, directed by Stefano and starring Jack Huston, nephew of Angelica.  The opening and closing shorts, which feature a posse of pale dancers moving around Jack, are the most riveting.  In between, just like the Resort 2009 womenswear video, I find myself . . . bored to tears.  The clothes are wonderful, I'm sure, but this feels like art house torture.  Video, courtesy of The Cut, below (NSFW).

»During W's Bruce Weber shoot in Miami, an off-beat "silent" movie was taken of all the designers involved [W Magazine]

»Nicole Kidman's July 2008 Vogue cover and editorial are up [Style.com]

»Charlize Theron has been meeting with Bruno Frisoni — is a Roger Vivier campaign in the works? [Chic Report]

»Daisy Lowe is rumored to be starring in The Hills: London [Fashionista]

»Naomi Campbell has a(nother) new man [The Sun]

»Stefano Pilati, Jeremy Scott, and Nicole Richie had their Polaroids taken for the Fall/Winter 2008 Self Service [Starworks]

»The designers behind Costello Tagliapietra want to be remembered as "jolly and portly" [The Fashion Informer]

»Kylie Bax is back [Models.com]

»Agyness Deyn: "The catwalk is second nature to me now: I’m walking down thinking 'I’ve got to pay that bill' and 'What am I gonna have for my tea?'" [thelondonpaper]

»Devon Aoki is doing a clothing line with Levi's [Chic Report]

»Previews of the Lanvin, Vena Cava, Louis Vuitton, and Emanuel Ungaro Resort 2009 collections [Style.com, Style.com, WWD, WWD]

>>  For Stefano Pilati, video installation is the new runway show.  After showing his Fall 2008 Yves Saint Laurent menswear collection on video rather than the traditional catwalk presentation, Stefano chose the short film route again for the YSL Resort 2009 collection. 

So that's the "innovative, new experience" hinted at was all about . . . I wonder if this new format is a way of cutting costs, or just the designer's personal preference?  Because me, I find the runway, or even a presentation, much preferred.