Gucci's new scent

James Franco is hot hot hot....and he's Gucci's new man! Finally a brand who knows what's hot. The actor is perhaps best known for playing Harry Osborn in the Spiderman movies but first came to everyone's attention when he played James Dean back in 2001. He is the new spokesperson for Frida's second Gucci fragrance, the first Gucci by Gucci came out last year and was promoted with an ad by director David Lynch. No details yet on what the scent's profile will be but it has been developed with the P&G Prestige Products division of Procter & Gamble and will come out in fall. I can only hope Franco shaves off that bad mustache before the photo shoot.

Garcia's way

Nina Garcia might be heading over to Bazaar after all, as she has been spotted in the Hearst Tower on Tuesday. But strangely the Elle split still hasn't really been confirmed!!

Apparently she was recently let go as fashion director following a 13-year tenure. Garcia, who is said to be in negotiations with Elle over a possible editor-at-large title (which would only keep her on through September), downplayed any speculation that she is mulling a possible position at Hearst, though she did admit, without giving any details, that she was doing some "freelance work."
Back in July 2005, Garcia was being aggressively courted by Glenda Bailey to replace outgoing fashion market director Amanda Ross at Bazaar. Garcia was said to have been offered a director's position at the title, but she ultimately stayed put. Stay tuned......

Time 100

Karl Lagerfeld does it once again. He's made it into Time magazine as one of this year's 100 tastemakers. Architect Zaha Hadid, who designed the French fashion house's Mobile Art container that is currently traveling the world, praised the 69-year old Lagerfeld for pushing the boundaries of what is possible.
"The brand's identity has always been crystal-clear," she wrote. "Before Karl, we all looked to couture for inspiration and direction. Now, through his work, fashion originates from the street, the media--anywhere. This has resulted in exciting collections that are provocative and sensual. His unrelenting experimentation in fashion, art and photography offers us endless possibilities, yet is always grounded and relevant. There are no simple formulas, no global solutions, and little repetition."
Lagerfeld is featured alongside French Vogue editor Carine Roitfeld, whose intro was penned by former Dior Homme designer Hedi Slimane. "She has an innate ability to mix street culture and society, always avoiding the caricatures that can define both worlds and always recognizing the mix of both worlds as the only catalyst of energy and creativity," Slimane wrote. Takashi Murakami, featured in the Artists & Entertainers section, was lauded by none other than Marc Jacobs.
Time's annual gathering of the 100 honorees will be held on May 8 at Jazz at Lincoln Center. According to a magazine spokeswoman, none of the fashion honorees are expected.

Head to Toe with Tom Ford

I love this magazine! It is from Hong Kong, but it still brings us world exclusive interviews revealing stuff we've never heard before. Last month it was Karl, this month it's the man himself, Tom Ford. Again Stephen Short interviewed the legend who revived Gucci and YSL and who now has his own bespoke line. He tells Prestige Hong Hong how he wants to dress Barack Obama and raise a child. How's that for some insider news! One of my favourite quotes is...."When you're standing in a room, your effect on that room is the same as a chair's effect, or a sculpture. You're part of someone's view." So you better dress up guys, you don't want to ruin someone's view now, would you!?

Check out the full interview here!

Head to Toe with Tom Ford

Karl the Kaiser

This is the best interview I've read in a while! Karl Lagerfeld unrated!! The Kaiser sits down with Prestige's Stephen Short to discuss skinny models, love, Chanel and how he hates kids. The solar system exclusive interview goes behind the scene and shows Karl in a way we've never seen him before. Check out the whole interview here. It's very good, hmm!

The Double Life of Karl Lagerfeld

My favourite campaign

....when I was looking for Natalia pictures before I came across my favourite campaign ever and figured I'll just share it with you...it's old , but nice!!!

Natalia Vodianova for David Yurman's jewels

Natalia Vodianova has joined fellow supermodels Daria Werbowy and Kate Moss for jeweller David Yurman's new ad campaign. David Lindbergh shot the campaign with the trio on location in St Barths.

Girl with a Vuitton bag

Scarlett Johansson will invoke legendary movie stars Marilyn Monroe and Grace Kelly for "voluptuous glamour" in the Louis Vuitton autumn/winter 2007-8 campaign. "In this one, she's much more recognisable," said Vuitton's communications director, Antoine Arnault, admitting the actress wasn't always identifiable as the sweet-faced innocent she portrayed last season. Johansson has won a legion of admirers at Vuitton; Marc Jacobs is said to "adore" her. He based Vuitton's new collection around her character in the Vermeer-inspired film, "Girl With a Pearl Earring."

Tom Ford's new scents

Tom Ford just celebrated the launch of his Private Blend perfume. 12 individual and unusual scents, including vanilla tobacco and Tuscan leather, are being sold in old-fashioned apothecary-style bottles and can be mixed together according to one's own personal taste. "The concept behind this is similar to that behind my new menswear line. I want to create extremely unique and exclusive products, unlike some of my previous projects," he smiled, referring to his time at Gucci, when making the brand accessible to all by selling everything from keyrings to dresses. With stunning displays of Ford's new fragrances filling up each of Harvey Nichols' 11 windows, the immaculate designer's latest venture is as aesthetically pleasing as his loyal customers would expect. But what about a womenswear collection - when will we finally be put out of our misery? "It is on the cards. I can't promise when, but I can promise I'm thinking about it."

Supermodel Revival

There seems to be a ‘90s supermodel comeback in the making. Claudia Schiffer, whom Karl Lagerfeld recently tapped as the face of his upcoming Chanel cruise collection, is also slated to star in the autumn Salvatore Ferragamo ad campaign. Mario Testino photographed the German beauty during March alongside Stephanie Seymour in Italy. The images are expected to debut in early autumn.

Posh Votes

Victoria Beckham will add sparkle to this year's Graduate Fashion Week, when she joins Lanvin revolutionary Alber Elbaz on the judging panel for the River Island Gold Award. She's moving imminently to LA, but is so keen to be seen in fashion circles that she's squeezed the gig into her schedule. The panel (which includes US Harpers Bazaar editor-in-chief Glenda Bailey and Richard Bradbury, River Island's MD) interviews ten finalists rigorously before the winner is chosen to bag the top prize. With Graduate Fashion Week now attracting big name approval, demand to see the gala show has this year forced the organisers to schedule two sittings. Graduate Fashion Week will take place in Battersea Park Arena from June 3 to 6 - visit http://www/gfw.org.uk for more information.

Karl goes to Hollywood

Karl Lagerfeld and Lindsay Lohan: the new Andy Warhol and Edie Sedgwick? The pair played superstars to the hilt in a triumph of cool Friday night after Lagerfeld showed his Chanel cruise collection at Hangar 8 at the Santa Monica Airport to a crowd of 500 guests. It was the first time a major European designer had debuted an original collection in Los Angeles.
“Karl dressed me!” Lohan announced to the first reporter who would listen. The starlet sat front and center for the show, for which the runway was a U-shaped area in the middle of three graduated enclaves strewn with white banquette couches facing various directions. “His dress was a gown a couple hours ago!” Lohan exclaimed, and indeed, her black sequin dress with a chiffon tier was now a mini, which she complimented with Chanel motorcycle gloves á la Karl. “I actually bought the gloves,” she laughed.

"At 8 p.m., a voice blasted over the loudspeaker, “Live from Paris, Chanel Line No. 5! Please be carefully when opening the overhead compartments. Some quilted bags may fall out.” And with that, two Challenger 601 jets pulled up and onto the runway, the doors opened, and the models proceeded to disembark, showcasing the 60 or so looks. Guests, which included Demi Moore, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, Victoria Beckham, Diane Kruger, Sarah Michelle Gellar, and Eva Mendes, quickly took their seats, where they found personally inscribed carry-on cases containing a bottle of Chanel No. 5 perfume.

Marc Jacobs on his Rehab/Relapse Stint

Marc Jacobs put it best: go with the flow. While accepting the Savannah College of Art and Design’s André Leon Talley Lifetime Achievement Award, the designer explained why he cancelled his upcoming Milan men’s show. “We were going to do the show this season,” he commented, “but I think we’re going to go with our first show in Milan as a fall show.” The reason? “Originally, we had thought to do a spring show, but maybe the fall show is more demonstrative in terms of fashion,” Jacobs offered. “I think certainly a fall show is more intelligent to do as your first show.”
At the time, a spokesperson for Jacobs cited the inability to find the right venue as the chief reason for pulling back. “Part of it was maybe the venue, but I know I was on the fence. I was willing to go along with the idea of the spring show being our first show—but I do think from a design point of view, a fall show is probably more exciting,” he concluded.
Jacobs also spoke candidly about his recent stint in rehab. “I’d had a relapse and started to drink a bit, and got involved in going to parties and doing things I shouldn’t be doing,” he admitted. “But it wasn’t so awful. That’s what rehab is about for me. It was a chance for me to do some meditation, but also talk about where I was at. I would never have been able to do that with such an intensity if I had done it as part of my everyday life while working. So to take a break and remove myself from a work environment and not have to travel within a five-week period of time, to stay in one place and to focus on myself and think about things—where I’m at, how I’d like to be, and how I am—is a really good thing. Other than these few instances of getting drunk—which is not a path I ever want to go down again, because it just takes me away from where I am—I’m taking life as it is. Other than smoking cigarettes, I’ve got no real bad vices left.”

Diamonds are a girl's best friend

Beyoncé has been named as the face and voice of Emporio Armani Diamonds, a new fragrance set to launch next autumn. "I have worked with my friend Beyoncé on a number of projects including Fashion Rocks and most recently she performed at my 'One Night Only' party in London," Armani said. "I am very much looking forward to this exciting collaboration between the house of Armani and such an inspirational female artist as Beyoncé, who perfectly encapsulates the Emporio Armani spirit."

Who Cares?!

I still don't really know what to think of Stella. I must say she didn't make that of a good impression, when she was here the other day to launch her new cosmetics line, Care. But then not everybody can be on the same wavelength... Anyway, Stella McCartney has signed a long term agreement with the Lane Crawford Joyce Group for exclusive distribution rights to the Stella McCartney brand in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia....but then, do we really Care?

Balenciaga eyewear

Good news for those of you who fell in love with those Balenciaga goggles, the house has just signed a licensing deal with collaborators Safilo for a line of Balenciaga sunglasses and eyewear to launch this autumn. Nicolas Ghesquiere will design the range.

Karl Lagerfeld on photography

“It’s a stupid story, but those are usually the best, no?” said Karl Lagerfeld of his foray into photography. “When we do collections, the press kits have to be ready the day of the show, though the clothes are never ready.” The designer, who was honored by the International Center of Photography with the ICP Trustees Award at its 23rd Annual Infinity Awards gala, was evidently exuding a one-track mind, having just tapped Claudia Schiffer to star in his upcoming Chanel cruise press kit. “Twenty years ago, good photographers didn’t do press kits,” he continued. “We’d tried with several and I didn’t like what they did, so the director of the image of Chanel said to me, ‘If it’s that difficult, do it yourself,’ and that’s how it began. I started late, so I am still a young photographer.”