What's Up With Beyonce?

Is this a joke?

If it's not, Beyonce is really and truly "blogging" for NY Magazine's THE CUT. Her latest update is not only obnoxious and absurd, but completely irresponsible given our current economic climate. In it she brags about dropping $11,000 in a single day of shopping:

"Hey y'all, first, I'd like to say I feel so blessed to be guest-writing on the Cut today. Blogging isn't how I usually spend my Friday afternoons, but I finished doing yoga and polishing my gloves for the day, so I don't really have anything else to do. Also, I don't know what Twitter is. I just wanted to say that I worked so hard for everything I have. It's been a long journey to the top and sometimes a girl has to stop along the way to pamper herself with a shopping trip. So I went to Pat Field and spent $11,000 the other day. Let me show you what I bought. I'd show my husband, Jay-Z, but he doesn't care. And I know my fans, for whom I am so, so thankful, will listen. To the song here in my heart. A melody I start."

(Guess she really is a Diva Diva...)

The posting was proceeded by this photo shoot of her "shopping spree."

But seriously... it must be a joke...

Miranda Kerr's Beauty Secrets

Obviously she's paid big bucks to promote Victoria's Secret, but I thought I'd share this adorable video from our favorite Aussie model MIRANDA KERR:


See more videos on modelinia.com

Enjoy!

Coverage of New York Fashion Week

In case you missed it on palestra.net, here is my coverage of New York Fashion Week!

The fashion shows were amazing, and I think my favorite NYFW memory was interviewing Christian Siriano about his new line, his Payless shoes, and his collaboration with Victoria's Secret. Some say he's selling out, but I say he's just being a fierce businessman...

The designer has come a long way since his Project Runway days:



And while elbowing Italian photographers to get a shot of the runway isn't exactly my favorite thing to do, I had a blast editing these pieces:

Max Azria


Miss Sixty


Chocheng


I also did a few behind-the-scenes stories on NYFW. Obviously the economy is having a big impact on the designers, buyers, magazines, and other fashion business:



And here we are inside the Bryant Park tents:


And for those of you who aren't very familiar with NYFW, here is some background info:


That's about it for Fall 2009... check out more of my blogs on palestra.net if you care to read more. Hopefully I'll be back in September to give you more coverage from the high fashion world :)

Barbie Giveaway!

Hey Readers... Remember the big Barbie Birthday Bash at Fashion Week?? Or the Malibu Barbie Home designed by Jonathan Adler? How about the Sephora makeovers given in Barbie's honor?

Well the party doesn't stop there... Zen Cupcake is giving away some Barbie goods in honor of the doll's 50th birthday!! Check out the giveaway here to see how you can win make-up, Juicy perfume, bath products, and other random prizes.

And if you didn't catch it on palestra.net, check out my story below to see how Barbie was celebrated in the Bryant Park tents at New York Fashion Week!

Kanye West Has Lost His Mind

The Louis Vuitton Don has lost it...

Martin Louis THE KING Jr.?? Does anyone else see this as insanely disrespectful??



A message from kwest on Vimeo.

Class or Trash?

Pamela Anderson (and her "girls") star in Vivienne Westwood's new campaign.

Classy or Trashy??

Inauguration Fashion

Despite the fact that top designers sketched elaborate dresses for Michelle Obama's inauguration appearance, the First Lady chose a more subdued look for today's ceremony. The internet has already been flooded with praise and criticism for Michelle's outfit. Some comments from the blogosphere:

-"The choice of the United States' first black first lady was applauded as a cheerful message of hope and a vote for the American fashion industry as Michelle Obama wearing a yellow dress by designer Isabel Toledo on her husband's Inauguration Day Tuesday." (Xinhuanet)

-At first I thought it would be something more glamorous, but then I realized it was perfect. She looked more gorgeous than ever by the way, i was like wow look at her, can’t wait to see tonight’s dress, inauguration was so amazing (Lisa)

-Despite the obvious love fest for the Obamas by this site That is one ugly outfit! Besides today is about her husband hopefully making a positive first impression as President not her ghetto fabulous outfit. (Lesle)

-I did not like Michelle’s dress. I thought it was UGLY and not the dress of the First Lady. Obama on the other hand looked FABULOUS and his daughters are adorable! I think that the whole Biden family looked great. (Tammy)

-It was clean, classy, sparkly, risky and just beautiful. she didn’t do an ugly hair pouf like all the other women usually do. She kept it classy. and her girls were to die for too. (Lisa)


“What style means to the country is a window onto the personality of the president and his wife,” says Doris Kearns Goodwin, auther of “Team of Rivals,” a biography about Abraham Lincoln. "The way that [presidents] conduct themselves really does attract fascination, and it often reflects the mood in the country.”

What are your thoughts on Michelle's dress?

Keith Bryce @ Sundance

Keith Bryce (of Project Runway) held a little guerrilla fashion show at Sundance yesterday. He was promoting his new line in a Main St. gallery and right when I turned the corner, there stood one of his models standing with ANTLERS in her hair! Mic in hand and camera rolling, we started chatting about her outfit and the event taking place. Keith was kind enough to give me a quick interview too, and he told me all about his latest pieces and the direction in which he is taking his designs. Check out the interview:

The Sephora Lounge @ Sundance

The Sephora Lounge is the place to be here at The 2009 Sundance Film Festival!

Throughout the day the lounge was flooded with celebrities, filmmakers, and VIPs getting all glammed-up and "gifted." Guests received some killer swag bags thanks to Sephora, Axe, The Owl's Lab, and Divine Chocolate.

Sephora was giving out tons of great make-up and skincare products, and make-up artists were giving all the ladies makeovers. I didn't get my face touched-up, but I did get a "Cat-Eye Kit" stalked with all of the necessary make-up for creating that sexy Angelina look. It included Fusion mascara and Stila eyeliner in pearl... I can't wait to try it out!



Axe was there gifting body wash for the men... they had their own little suite set up in the back with a flashy little "shower," bathrobes, and (of course) AXE body wash in every scent you could imagine. They also had a cool lounge back there so dudes could wait while their significant others got all dolled-up.




My favorite part of the lounge was the Owl's Lab corner. (Check out the Owl's Lab website for more... it's an awesome boutique and Ashley, the store's owner, is incredibly sweet.) Owl's lab basically had a mini-boutique set up with tons of great stuff; they were gifting everything from denim and coats to handbags and accessories.




And of course... there was a lot of press! I certainly wasn't the only one taking pics. (VH1 News pictured here.) However, you should check out our story at palestra.net because it kicks butt:

Design Your Own Vicky's Secret Tee

I received this update from the VS Pink Facebook group and thought I'd pass it on to all you creative fashionistas:

(Check out this link for the PINK official contest)


"Show off your skills—& your love for PINK! Use our online tool (or your own programs) to put your personal spin on a PINK tee. Then come back later & vote for your favorite one. The winner gets a $500 gift card, plus their tee will be sold online & in select stores! How cool is that?!

Get more details & ideas for your own spring style at http://www.vspink.com/

Good luck & may the best tee win!

-Your friends at PINK"

Sleek, Sexy Little VAIO

Introducing the world's lightest 8" laptop!!This new Sony Vaio is just 1.4 pounds of genius...

-It uses Microsoft Vista
-It has wireless capabilities
-It includes GPS (you'll be carrying it with you everywhere!)
-It has an instant-on option for music, pictures, and video.
-You could shove it in your purse and take it to class...




It also comes in a few different colors:








The notebooks are available for pre-order starting today and will be available in retailers starting February. (Let's hope they give Sony a much-needed boost cuz Lord knows they need it!)

U*tique

Would you buy beauty products out of a vending machine?

U*tique is making it possible, but who knows if the swanky business will be a hit. Launched this month in L.A. by former Dove consultant Mara Segal, these flashy machines are full of "high-end beauty and personal care products" from brands like Smashbox Cosmetics and MD Skincare.

The U*tique website boasts:

"We like that we only have 50 products at a time, that means we can make sure they are ALL great. Yes, those MUST HAVES only, please… We feature top luxury brands and rising stars."

Anyways, if all goes as planned, the u*tiques will be rolled out over the next two years. You'll be able make purchases in boutique hotel lobbies, upscale gym locker rooms, exclusive nightclubs, fancy malls, and airports.

But here's my question: will you really buy upscale and expensive stuff from a vending machine in a lobby?

I didn't see anything on u*tique's website that guarantees your purchase or allows you to return products. I would have a very hard time buying something like this without trying it on or testing it on my own skin first.

Will this new u*tique be a hit?

Welcome Back From The Holidays

It has been awhile since I last blogged, I hope you all had a fabulous holiday vacation!

While we were gone, there were a few major developments in the fashion world:

-Some top designers have opted out of New York Fashion Week in light of the economic recession. Vera Wang, DNKY, Betsey Johnson, and Carmen Marc Valvo have decided to move their shows to more private, intimate, and cost-effective locations. (The traditional Fashion Week shows held in the Bryant Park tent can cost as much as $500,000.) While Fashion Week is typically considered a vital marketing tool for fashion houses, attendance of buyers and editors could be down a whopping 50% from last year.


-Chanel canceled its mobile art tour. Created by world-renowned architect Zaha Hadid and Karl Lagerfeld himself, the "greatest handbag pavilion known to man" took 3 weeks to construct and showcased art inspired by the oh-so-coveted Chanel handbag. While the exhibit graced New York's Central Park from October 20 to November 9, it will not be landing in London, Paris, or Moscow: "Considering the current economic crisis, we decided it was best to stop the project," a Chanel spokeswoman told Women's Wear Daily. Instead, the luxury brand will concentrate on strategic growth investments.

-LVMH canceled plans for a massive Louis Vuitton flagship store in Tokyo. The store was supposed to emerge in Tokyo's glitzy Ginza shopping district in 2010; it would have been one of Louis Vuitton's biggest stores in the world. Officials at Louis Vuitton Japan confirmed that plans were canceled for the store, but declined to give a reason. My bet is that there were economic reasons... anyone with me!?


-Paris Hilton, Katie Holmes, and other SHOPAHOLIC CELEBS have been under fire for blowing dough during tough economic times. What did Paris Hilton say to critics who were upset that she spent $4,000 in 40 minutes while in Australia for the new year? "I'm in Australia, I think it's important to help out, you know, the economy out here, everywhere in the world." (Brilliant, Paris.) The New York Post tallied up Katie Holmes's spending in the last 24 weeks and named the retail addict "Manhattan's Most Valued Shopper." How much did she spend? The Post says around $30,000.

-Pepsi launched a new campaign and is dressing up its logo. And? It looks a whole lot like Obama's Camapaign for Change to me.
Check It Out. The soft drink company wants to appeal to "Millennials" and inspire a new generation with "Optimism" and "Joy." They launched the campain in Times Square on New Years Eve.



Of course we all knew that retail sales were down- make that way down- over the holidays, but it's 2009 and we are movin' on!!!

Happy New Year everyone!