We’ve always had a soft spot for US gold medal gymnast Nastia Liukin. When the graceful 18 year old soared at the Beijing games, so did our spirits. When she was low balled by judges, we were more apoplectic than even Bella Karolyi. And while it was Shawn Johnson who warmed the hearts of middle America, it was elegant, long-legged Nastia who captured the imaginations of the fashion’s movers and shakers.

During her week-long omnipresence at New York’s Spring 2009 Fashion Week, one of her favorite designers was so enchanted in person by the lithe Liukin that he invited her to become his new campaign spokesmodel. As Elton John might say, Max Azria wanted Nastia to be his acrobat — and now she is.

“The spring collection was inspired by movement and modern dance so she was perfect. It was meant to be, and the magic just sort of happened,” says Lubov Azria. We remember Azria’s S/S09 collections well: in fact, his BCBG line was so surprisingly minimalist and moving that we gave it a sterling review. And since Azria in 09 is all about the luxury of ease, motion, and fluidity, we honestly cannot think of a more perfect candidate to embody that essence than Nastia, whose ribbon-like movements defy kinesics.

The campaign’s first photo leaked today. Next month, more of the ads will appear - but online only, due to budget constraints. The first truly great Azria-helmed ad campaign in ages and we don’t even get to see it in print? Even six months after her Olympics controversies, Nastia’s victories still come at a price.

What do you think of Nastia as a model?

Stephen Sprouse was a downtown NYC media artist whose day-glo graffiti aesthetic touched the lives and street style sensibilities of everyone from Debbie Harry to Gwen Stefani to Marc Jacobs. He tragically died from lung cancer in 2004, but 5 years later, the Gotham art, fashion, and media crowd commemorate Sprouse’s colorful legacy in a series of upcoming collaborative projects. We walk you through them, one by one.

Tomorrow night, NYC’s Deitch Gallery unveils “Rock on Mars”, a Sprouse retrospective, opens and will feature many of Sprouse’s most notable pop-art highlights, including vivid works depicting a pantless Sid Vicious and Iggy Pop hoisted upon a crucifix. His infamous runway shows, pioneering for avant-garde NYC fashion and pivotal to a then upstart Marc Jacobs, will also be broadcast at the exhibition.

Speaking of Marc Jacobs, his special Stephen Sprouse for Louis Vuitton capsule collection hits LV stores tomorrow. Believe it or not — we can’t! — it’s been nine years since Sprouse & Jacobs graffiti & rose print monogrammed bags forever shook up the parochial reservation that had come to define pre-millenial Louis Vuitton. Now, Jacobs new Sprouse tribute collection includes graffiti-decorated T-shirts, leggings, jeans, footwear, outerwear, even an extremely limited edition skateboard. “I did my best, in a very first degree way, to do what I think Stephen would have done,” Jacobs said in a statement.

Then there is the The Stephen Sprouse Book, published by Rizzoli, which hits select Louis Vuitton stores tomorrow and major retailer’s bookshelves on January 13th. Divided into 15 era-defining, chronological chapters, the book comes in four distinct, radioactive-hued jackets.

Finally, Le Book, aka every media gazer and jetsetter’s Bible, is going all out for the dearly departed art provocateur: they dress up their current New York 2009 guide in the resplendent patterns of Sprouse’s printed iconography. The reference book will be available for purchase this in March at MoMA Design stores throughout the United States.

Make Me Supermodel has been given a makeover starting with its female model mentor, with former CoverGirl spokesperson Niki Taylor replaced by 23-year-old Australian model, Nicole Trunfio.

The judging panel has a few new faces with French fashion designer Catherine Malandrino (who was also once a guest judge on Project Runway), model Jenny Shimizu, photographer Perou and model scout Marlon.

Trunfio has a unique position in her role as model mentor, she won Season 3 of Search for a Supermodel in Australia in 2002 before competing at the Ford Supermodel of the World contest and coming in third.

No date air date has been announced but as FrockWriter points out, this is quite a gig for the young model given the model talents out there.

As a interesting side bar (yes I watched the show when it first aired), in the same season of Search for a Supermodel Trunfio competed against the likes of Tiah Eckhardt who posed for Agent Provocatuer in 2007 and Gemma Ward (yes, that one) was singled out of the crowd but was not able to make it through to the final 14 girls. None the less, both girls went on to do big things but have found the time to holiday together in Australia just a week or so ago.

Check out video clips from Australia’s Search for a Supermodel Series 3 featuring Gemma Ward and Nicole Trunfio as teenagers below:

• Search for a Supermodel - Gemma & Nicole go through to the next round
  
• Search for a Supermodel - Gemma does her first runway walk
• Search for a Supermodel - Nicole’s number comes up
• Search for a Supermodel - Gemma’s not to sad that her number doesn’t. “I’m not even that interested in modeling” she said.

Without even looking at the logo at the bottom corner, I’m sure you’ll be able to guess that this ad campaign is for Roberto Cavalli, well it’s for Just Cavalli Jewels to be exact.

The campaign staring Kate Moss was photographed by Mert & Marcus in Los Angeles shows Moss lounging around on a leather couch and Justin Gaston, Miley Cyrus’ friend (and maybe more).

Gaston was reportedly booked for the campaign last November - before he was photographed by the paparazzi repeatedly with the young pop star - and according to Oh No They Didn’t, he was paid $500 for the pleasure of featuring half his back.

Hope more shots get unveiled soon with more than just Gaston’s back.

Though we feared a case of the mid-second season blahs might tarnish the Gotham youth drama’s unlikely winning streak, thankfully Monday night’s commencement of Gossip Girl didn’t disappoint. In fact, the heavily stylized, yet irresistible winter wonderland finery Blair Waldorf and her loyal band of followers — The Headbands, we call them — donned throughout the episode stole the show, and has us dreaming in shades of ivory, silver, and heather.

We love that Blair consorts about in garments provided by a dashing array of designers — from high to low, mainstream to indie — and it always is interesting to see how Gossip Girl stylist Eric Daman tweaks and builds the season’s looks into the dandy, match-happy ensembles that so distinctly bear the mark of a Waldorf. In this latest episode, we noticed that Daman’s Blair looks relied particularly heavily on a contemporary designer long championed by pretty young things: Milly. But in Blair’s hands, those black, white, and silver wintry outfits channel a much more timeless style maven: Coco Chanel.

Marking Milly’s first notable cameo this year, Blair gallivanted about Constance Billard wearing the brand’s popular Fitted Check Coat, which can be bought at Bergdorf Goodman for $368 (half of its original price) or at Jules B. We love the linear, yet prim superiority it conveys to anyone who eyes it with longing jealousy.

After a brief appearance in a soignée ruffled Shake It Cardigan from Nanette Lepore, Blair later stole our hearts during the episode’s climax, when she wore a truly elegant Milly Cap Sleeve Rhinestone Dress paired with one of her trademark turbans. Shopbop had the dress on sale for $292, but sadly (but not surprisingly, given the show’s bandwagon retail effect) it has sold out. However, if you are a size Medium, take a shot on this eBay auction.

In our opinion, that final smoldering look, topped with a superb Mara Hoffman tweed coat, was the best of the whole season so far. Echoing the type of ensemble a certain young Parisian 1920s femme fatale might have worn while tasting the taboos of her local speakeasy, it was the just the thing for Miss Waldorf to wear while coaxing a certain young, distressed Bass off the rooftop and into her arms.

More images from Madonna’s Spring 2009 ad campaign for Louis Vuitton have been revealed, and she’s showing more than most people would like to see off the 50-year-old singer.

I know there is the saying that ‘if you’ve got it, flaunt it’ but when it comes to spreading your legs while wearing a high cut Louis Vuitton monogrammed leotard over fishnet tights… perhaps not quite. At least she’s not wearing a g-string I guess, but seriously.

In other images shot by Steven Meisel, the material girl is donning some of the feathered pieces and heavily accessorized as she lounges around the smoky Parisian bar set as the first set of images.

See the images below and let us know what you think. Should the material-mum-of-three quit flaunting it so much?

• Roberto Cavalli is launching his own Mastercard called the Cavalli card. Featuring a iridescent snakeskin print embalsioned on the card, it gives you benefits like special VIP services at Cavalli boutique’s worldwide, sale privileges and invitations to fashion shows. [BlackBook]
• The book series spawned a movie and then a Hot Topic collection, now Twilight is now a fragrance. We think the perfume bottle is suppose to look like a heart? But instead it looks more like a Nina Ricci fragrance bottle. Oops. [The Cut]
• Claudia Schiffer is following in the model-turned-beauty-line-creator path that Cindy Crawford and Josie Maran have beaten down and succeeded in. [Daily Mail]
• Model Liskula Cohen has filed a lawsuit against Google in a bid to force the internet giant to reveal the identity of anonymous blogger defaming her in their blog, Skanks in NYC. The blog even went as far as crowning her the “Skankiest in NYC” as well as a myriad of other names. [Telegraph]