David Bowie jumps on H&M bandwagon

Oh no, not more collaborations....Stop! Well, at least there's no fashion involved this time. Rocker, David Bowie, will curate a new annual music and arts event called The H&M High Line Festival, which kicks off May 9 to 19. The festival will be inaugurated with a roster of performances, including a stand-up act by Ricky Gervais, as well as concerts by Arcade Fire, Laurie Anderson, Deerhoof, The Polyphonic Spree, and a triple bill of Daniel Johnston/Bang on a Can All-Stars/The Legendary Stardust Cowboy.
“I would really hope that the exposure this festival affords will help these folk get the attention they deserve,” said Bowie, an event co-founder. “The request was for me to choose artists and acts that I myself would go out of my way to see. Although this inaugural year will be modest in scale, we’ve been pretty lucky in that many whom I asked have accepted.” The H&M High Line Festival will be curated by a different world-class artist each year, with a portion of ticket sales benefiting Friends of the High Line, an organization currently working with the City of New York to transform Manhattan’s West Side 1930s rail structure into a park, set to open in 2008

Kate Moss and Pete Doherty on film

Kate Moss and Pete Doherty are notoriously reluctant to speak about their roller coaster relationship, so fans of the couple were surprised to discover that an intimate glimpse into their world is available on the internet. A home video clip featuring the pair singing and engaging in light-hearted banter has been posted on the online video site YouTube. Sitting cross-legged in what appears to be Kate's Cotswolds home, Pete is filmed strumming on his guitar while his scantily-clad girlfriend lounges nearby in a swinging chair. During the three-minute video she sings along with the Babyshambles star before commenting, "Sonny and Cher we're not".

Cruz Control

Penelope Cruz's younger sister, Monica, has announced that she will design a range of clothes for Mango. The Spanish chain, which plans to open an enormous 250 stores over the next ten years, has asked Monica Cruz to create a 25-piece collection of tops, trousers, jackets and accessories for autumn/winter 2007-8. The lovely duo will then model in the ad campaign, which will be shot next month by acclaimed Spanish photographer Nico Bustos. The line is expected to be much larger than a similar project created for Mango by Jovovich Hawk - the edgy New York label founded by model and actress Milla Jovovich and her design partner Carmen Hawk. The venture, however, is not Monica's first foray into the fashion industry - she already designs handbags for Samantha Thavasa with her sister, which are sold in Penelope's own Madrid-based store, Amarcord.

Namoi Campbell plans lingerie line

Supermodel Naomi Campbell is planning to follow in the footsteps of catwalk counterpart Elle Macpherson and launch her own signature lingerie line, according to media reports. Campbell, who recently completed a week's community service in New York for throwing a mobile phone at her assistant, is said to be teaming up with budding fashion designer Christopher Kane to put the collection together.
A source said, "Naomi makes regular visits to his Dalston studio and they meet up in London on a monthly basis to discuss the project. Christopher is just working out his schedule to see if he can do it."

Fellow supermodel and friend Kate Moss is also designing her own Topshop collection this season.

Stella McCartney for Adidas Yoga Gear

We're sure a chic advertising campaign is forthcoming for Stella McCartney's new foray into yoga gear (part of her ongoing collaboration with athletic giant Adidas), but chances are McCartney's best friends and fellow yoginis such as Gwyneth Paltrow and Madonna, will provide plenty of free publicity of post-workout paparazzi shots. At least the ladies who lunge will be looking great in the sculptural tank tops, stylish three-quarter pants and sleek leggings. Many items feature high-design details like ruching and fluttering fabric flourishes.

Art Photography Auction

What do Karl Lagerfeld, Oscar de la Renta, Paris Hilton, and Andy Warhol all have in common? They’re all among the fashionable subjects photographed by the likes of Steven Meisel, David LaChapelle, Bruce Weber, Patrick Demarchelier, and the late Herb Ritts that will be up for bid at The Humane Society of New York’s Fine Art Photography Auction on April 16 at the Baryshnikov Arts Center. Honorary chairs Cornelia Guest, Elliott Erwitt, and Tony Bennett, as well as Bruce Springsteen, BeKind founder Frances Hayward, and Alessandra Ambrosio are among those invited to the private affair. Though over 175 photographs will be on display throughout the arts center that night, Donald McPherson’s shot of Lagerfeld and de la Renta dancing is a strong contender for the most buzz—and highest bids. McPherson captured the duo in black and white at Lagerfeld’s home in Paris in August 2002 during a party celebrating both de la Renta’s last couture collection for the house of Balmain.

Kate Moss wins Icon of the Year award

WGSN subscribers voted for their Consumer Icon of the Year - recognising the celebrity who the global retail and fashion industry believes to have the greatest influence on style, trends and consumer demand. Kate Moss won the award and sent a video link thanking WGSN's readers for their votes. Moss also mentioned how much she has enjoyed working with UK retailer Topshop on her new range.
The World Retail Awards in Barcelona also crowned Zara owner Inditex, as Retailer of the Year. The successful high street company "had a stunning year and continued to build on its reputation to deliver fast fashion" said judges. Inditex won over Neiman Marcus, Target, Best Buy, Tesco and Whole Food Markets.

JLo wearing Posh Spice's jeans

Jennifer Lopez is reportedly trying out Victoria Beckham’s new range of jeans to see if they’re flattering for more curvaceous women. A source revealed, “When they met up over Oscars weekend, she said to Victoria: ‘Your new jeans sound fantastic but will they look good on someone with more hunk in their trunk?’ It was then she offered to try out the clothes to see how well they fitted.” J Lo apparently loves Victoria’s range of sunglasses as much as her denim, with the insider adding, “Every A-list name in Hollywood wears the same labels and Jen’s bored with looking the same as everyone else. She borrowed a pair of sunglasses a few months ago and got so many compliments she asked to buy every pair in the range.”

On the lookout for Storm Models

Kate Moss' modeling agency, Storm, aims to find the next big face, scouring the UK between now and Friday in association with T4. This week, the Channel 4 show is asking model hopefuls to email or send photos in to the Storm office before live broadcasts every morning. Winners will front the autumn/winter 2007-8 advertising campaign with Gio Goi, the label founded to clothe Britain's coolest bands which is now a byword for edgy urbanwear - The Rolling Stones, Pete Doherty and Vivienne Westwood are all fans. "We are especially excited about this competition as it is the first time wannabes will automatically be photographed for a major advertising campaign - previous competitions have offered shoots and spreads in magazines, but never a full-on campaign - it's a fantastic opportunity," says Storm's Paula Karaiskos. "T4 has a huge following and we are hoping to find some great looking people we can work with at Storm. The best part is, we can choose as many winners as we want, so if the standard is really high - the more the better." Storm founder Sarah Doukas, who spotted a teenage Kate Moss in JFK airport back in 1988, will herself be helping to choose the winners. Fancy yourself as a cover boy of girl? Log onto www.stormmodels.com

On Pedder launches magazine

Shoelovers, make sure to pick up the latest magazine from On Pedder! Accessories shop On Pedder just came out with their first edition of Pedderzine, a fanzine/lookbook/art book, which features upbeat photography, illustrations and interviews with your favourite shoe designers such as Edmundo Castillo (Sergio Rossi), Giuseppe Zanotti, Bruno Frisoni, Christian Louboutin and Pierre Hardy.

L.A.M.B. sheds Zaldy as designer

It appears that fashion It boy Zaldy Goco has quietly parted ways with L.A.M.B., Gwen Stefani’s pop chic clothing line. The downtown club fixture and former runway model originally worked on the line as a consultant when it launched in 2004, but he and Stefani saw so eye to eye that she asked him to step up as head designer the following fall, which resulted in one of L.A.M.B.’s most successful seasons to date, with its debut fashion show on September 16, 2005 at the Roseland Ballroom ranking as one of the season’s hottest tickets: Gavin Rossdale sat alongside Anna Wintour and Lenny Kravitz in the front row, while Naomi Campbell strutted the threads on the runway.
The collaboration has since spun a line of handbags with LeSportsac, a less expensive range called Harajuku Lovers, and most recently a deal with Coty, Inc. to launch a fragrance named L. But according to a design source inside the company, despite the success of the overall brand, reaction to the clothing line has been less than ideal. “It’s just not doing as well as it should be,” the source offered.
Another cause for the split seems to have been Zaldy’s involvement in numerous side projects, including his namesake line. The fashion darling made a name for himself as an image consultant for such companies as Donna Karan and M.A.C and as a stylist for both screen and stage, creating rock-worthy looks for Mary J. Blige, Jennifer Lopez, Britney Spears and, of course, Stefani herself. “I think he just had too much going on for Gwen,” speculated the source. A spokesperson for L.A.M.B. declined all comment on the split, as Stefani was not immediately available.

Gap designer collaboration

Gap Inc. is the latest mass retailer to jump on the emerging designer collaboration bandwagon. The San Francisco-based retail giant, who’s currently actively searching for a new CEO, has enlisted 2006 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund winners Doo-Ri Chung of Doo.Ri, Kate and Laura Mulleavy of Rodarte, and Thakoon’s Thakoon Panichgul to design a limited-edition collection of specially designed pieces that will be sold at Gap stores. While details remain mum, according to sources, each designer was given a white button down shirt with which to create their own unique design, to be manufactured and marketed in tandem with Gap's upcoming white shirt campaign.

Dita Von Teese Down Unda

M.A.C, the official cosmetics sponsor of Rosemount Australian Fashion Week, announced that Dita Von Teese (who is soon to be divorced from shockrocker Marilyn Manson) will attend the city’s week-long festivities as part of her Lipteese world tour—her eighth stop as part of efforts to raise awareness for HIV/AIDS prevention. On April 28, the queen of burlesque and M.A.C Viva Glam spokeswoman will begin her visit with a check presentation of $100,000 to the Bobby Goldsmith Foundation, followed by an autograph signing for customers at Myer Sydney, City. To kick off Fashion Week, Von Teese will perform her Lipteese burlesque show at an invitation-only event at Foundation Hall in the Museum of Contemporary Art. The show, a take on the early 20th-century striptease, features Von Teese along with a nine-foot mechanical VIVA Glam lipstick prop. Throughout the week, the fashion icon and author will also attend a select number of fashion shows as a guest fashion editor of Harper’s Bazaar Australia. Von Teese’s Fashion Week report and 10-page photo spread, shot by Georges Antoni, will appear in the June/July issue.

“Through my Lipteese tour, I’m combining two of my passions: burlesque performance coupled with a commitment to spreading the word about the importance of HIV prevention,” said Von Teese. “I’m thrilled my work with M.A.C Cosmetics and The M.A.C AIDS Fund allows me to come to Australia to raise awareness in a provocative, attention-getting way.”

Pharrell at Halo

Yes, I can't believe it either, but I have to come to terms with it. Pharrell was at Halo last weekend, but I wasn't. Quel disastre!! Anyway, for those of you who also missed out on this once in a lifetime opportunity, you might want to comfort yourself with a few pics of the genius. I saw that Prestige mag is running a cover story on the producer/singer/rapper/songwriter this month. If anyone knows when he should be back in town....hit me up.

Kate Moss for Topshop worldwide

Topshop is going global with Kate Moss. But sorry guys, it looks like you will have to travel for that (unfortunately worldwide doesn't include Hong Kong).The British retailer plans to roll out its Kate Moss for Topshop collection to all 19 Barneys New York stores in the U.S. beginning May 8 in the brand's major push into the U.S. market. And the line will be launched in other retailers worldwide, ranging from Colette in Paris and 10 Corso Como in Milan to stores in Moscow.

Dolce & Gabbana Gold Restaurant

Gold fever is back! Italian designers Dolce & Gabbana have moved on in their pursuit of Gold. Following the Gold Motorola they have now hit the jackpot with this latest venture – Gold Restaurant, on Via Poerio in Milan. The duo has opened a new glitzy-ritzy restaurant with an entirely gold interior (not real gold to be exact). The 202-seat boite, just behind their Metropol show space, sports a first-floor gourmet restaurant, a ground-floor casual bistro and a small food shop that carries items from Gold’s traditional Mediterranean menu. Everything, from the stairs to the luminaries gleams in sparkling yellow hue.

The designers, always image conscious, also commissioned a "healthy" menu with lighter options. The restaurant celebrity list boasts of the likes of Kylie Minogue and Paris Hilton.

No Fur for Prada

Prada is to become the first Italian fashion house to sign up to Peta's campaign to drive fur out of fashion. Miuccia Prada, after her show, announced she was “bored with fur.” In the fashion dictionary, boredom simply means 'not on trend'. Either Prada is supporting out of an alliance to ban cruelty to animals or the House simply feels it's a little too last season. But with Prada considered to be the leading fashion house for trends, Peta is hoping it will influence other designers to follow.
In 2008 it will be 20 years since Miuccia Prada launched her first womenswear collection, but the critics of her fur-less Fall 2007 show in Milan were as ecstatic as ever. "Milan's most aware designer has thrown a wrench in the fashion works," concluded Suzy Menkes in the International Herald Tribune. "What was new? Everything ... For all the weirdness of her vision [she is] light years ahead of the rest."