Arguably the most recognizable winner of Project Runway (and one of the most memorable), Christian Siriano is branching out into footwear and handbags with a Fall 2009 collection exclusively for Payless ShoeSource.

“I’m all about the runway and the sidewalks!” said Siriano. “I’ve already been working with the Payless Design Team in New York, and I can’t wait to see how they will take the high-end shoes and bags I’m designing for the runway and turn them into pieces that everyone can buy.”

The first of the multi-season collection will be unveiled at Siriano’s Fall 2009 show at New York Fashion Week in February before hitting Payless stores in the fall with prices set to range from $25 to $45.

Read the rest of this entry »

Heidi Klum may be a sexy Victoria’s Secret Angel, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t have her peculiar quirks like the rest of us, but who would have guessed she had such a strange one?

The Project Runway host revealed on a recent appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno that she carries around a pouch full of her teeth for luck.

Then she pulled out her little pouch and continued to show Leno teeth which she has lost since her childhood.

“We don’t have a tooth fairy (in Germany), so I made my own little pouch and I always stuck my teeth in them,” Klum said.”I actually had to open these at a border once and there were a lot off crumbs in there. They were probably thinking that I was smuggling drugs or something.”

When asked how this was lucky, Klum simply replied “I don’t know, it’s just a crazy thing I do”

She couldn’t have said it any better. I just hope she’s cleaned them thoroughly before popping them in her little pouch.

Watch the full interview below - the teeth moment begins at about the 4 minute mark.

Read the rest of this entry »

Anyone seeking a pristine countenance, a fit figure, and a well-balanced diet knows all too well how important water intake is to the body’s internal and external wellbeing. Now, designer Jean Paul Gaultier reaffirms the advantages of H20 consumption and, remarkably, makes them even more attractive.

Water titans Evian, who commission a creative type to helm an artisan collection every Christmas season, recently signed Gaultier to design two limited edition capsule collections. For veracity’s sake — which we love! — there is both a “Prêt-à-Porter” collection as well as super-limited Haute Couture creations.

Available for pre-order now at ShopEvian.com, a lone “off-the-rack” Evian bottle can be yours for a mere $14; a case of dozen is a steeper $118. At first, the bottle design appears to be dotted by ordinary snowflakes — but in fact, this crystalline motif is an optical illusion: look again, and it transforms into a gown! Clever. The overall effect is streamlined, elegant, and, op-art trickery aside, not at all zany — odd, consider Gaultier’s propensity for the bizarre.

Read the rest of this entry »

Driving the term “damage control” to bold new limits, the latest Britney Comeback Campaign is an all-encompassing media blitz, an operation involving cooperative efforts from radio, television, a fiercely loyal online fanbase, and nearly every cultural publication under the sun. Even members of the fashion industry, apparently willing to overlook the Chanel Incident, have stepped up to play a significant role in the Rebuild and Relaunch of the Britster.

As many have noted, Ms. Spears donned garments from avant-garde visionaries such as Rodarte and Balenciaga for her Circus album artwork and promotional shoots. Now, with Britney and her handlers clearly favoring camp over concept, outrageous Manhattan-based fashion duo The Blonds have been chosen to costume the star for her next Circus visual incarnation. Their marvelously over-the-top designs upstaging Brit herself in the upcoming “Circus” video, NYC glitter queens Phillipe and David — courtiers famously championed by Christina Aguilera and Rihanna — will also provide the singer with a full wardrobe of similar theatrical garb for her 2009 tour.

Read the rest of this entry »

The holiday season traditionally entails prosperity and good tidings for German luxury gift stalwarts Montblanc. After all, nothing doubles as a classy corporate gift and objet d’art more effortlessly than one of the company’s iconic state-of-the-art fountain pens.

No stocking-stuffer-sized status symbol rivals the timeless elegance of a Montblanc diamond-encrusted watch. Simply put, Montblanc is a world-class institution, and as such, only truly special candidates are considered by the company for celebrity endorsement.

Capitalizing on the success of Julianne Moore’s and Johnny Depp’s past campaigns, in 2007, Montblanc again displayed their impeccably refined tastes by casting the exquisite French actress Eva Green for their ad campaigns. The latest set of ads, now in the pages of your favorite lifestyle publication, exceed all expectations. Thanks to masterful art direction and Eva’s knockout looks, these most recent ads are so stunning that they conjure a magic usually only observed in high-fashion editorials.

Read the rest of this entry »

May 2008 seems like an age away when the 2009 Pirelli calender was shot. But if 6 months seems like a world away, just image what the Okavango Delta of Botswana would have been like.

That was the location for the 2009 Pirelli calendar shoot which was complete with a amazing model cast featuring Mariacarla Boscono, Isabeli Fontana, Malgosia Bela, Lara Stone, Daria Werbowy, Kemp Muhl, Rianne Ten Haken and Emanuela de Paula.

Directed and photographed by Peter Beard, the shoot also co-starred native wildlife like elephants and big insects adorning Isabeli Fontana’s face.

Check out the behind the scenes video above, the stunning Okavango Delta is perfectly complimented by the stunning models posing mostly nude. Just don’t flinch when you see the bug on Isabeli’s face!

You can view photos of the calendar here (NSFW).

I must admit I’ve lost track of what’s happening on Ugly Betty (I blame the chop-and-change programming here in Australia), but I think I will be paying attention again because Zac Posen is making a guest appearance on the TV comedy.

The Cut spoke to Posen recently, with the designer revealing that the guest appearance came together at the last minute.

“I had just canceled my three-day trip to Paris, and they called me to do it. My call time was at 9 a.m., and I stayed all day,” Posen said.

Posen joins the likes of Vera Wang, Isaac Mizrahi, Kenneth Cole and Christian Siriano as designers who have had guest spots on the show. Let’s not forget that Lindsay Lohan, Victoria Beckham and Naomi Campbell have also popped on set too.

I wonder what his story line will be…

As the industry (already!) heads into Fall 2009 preparation mode, so comes a slew of exciting new developments for model trackers. Here is some of the latest news that is, as Girls Aloud once said, “buzzing ‘round the model zoo”:

· Ubermodel Cindy Crawford continues to profit from advertisers’ resurgent interest in “veteran” glamazons. You can catch the ageless beauty’s elegant editorial in the current issue of French Vogue.

· Russet haired Belarusian beauty Olga Sherer recently stunned her legion of fans with her brand new hair, which she has deepened to a lovely mahogany shade. Apparently, no one than Steven Meisel masterminded her makeover. Check out her new look in the header image. What do you think: upgrade or downgrade?

Read the rest of this entry »

We just want to say a big thank you and shout out to the wonderful ladies at Glamour.com’s Slave to Fashion blog for asking us to take part in their Blogging Babes Q&A with some of their favourite fashion bloggers.

I love the blog and was floored to be asked by the lovely Tracy to be one of their chosen “babes”!

Of course, now I must share with you all!

Here’s just a small tidbit…

Clear a little space in your mid-morning, time-sucking, fashion-blog scanning schedule ladies, because you’re about to fall for a fashion blog I’ve long relied on for great bits of news in a funny and very down-to-earth voice. Reading Helen Lee of Sassybella.com is like having a high energy chat with your (very well informed and connected) BFF. Find out more about her, after the jump.

STF: Who would you most love to see have a blog that doesn’t yet? Whose would you read every day?

HL: Miuccia Prada would have some amazing stories to tell, so it would be great if she had a blog. But instead of being strictly about fashion, I would love to hear stories involving Casrsten Holler-designed slide she has from her office to the car park or her thoughts on women’s rights and politics since she use to be a member of the Communist party and a women’s rights activist in the 70s (before she joined Prada). Can someone write a bio about her already?!

Read the rest of the interview here.