Fashion Industry News

[BobbyD 2]

Sexy shots spur blowup

 

Celeb fotog claims blackmail over pix of him romping with 2 models

 

BY JOSE MARTINEZ

DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

 

 

A celebrity photographer who captured his threesomes on film is now caught in a ménage à trois of another sort - with a model and her fashion mogul ex-fiancé.

 

High-style lensman Markus Klinko - whose star subjects have included Jennifer Lopez, Heidi Klum and Jay-Z - is suing Michael Ball, founder of the red-hot Rock & Republic jeans line, for allegedly trying to blackmail him.

 

In a lawsuit filed in Manhattan Supreme Court, Klinko charged that Ball jealously threatened, "Don't f--- with me or you'll regret it" after he discovered a sizzling e-mail exchange of scandalous pictures between the photographer and the designer's one-time fiancée, model Fernanda Romero.

 

"It's total blackmail, it's extortion," Klinko said. "He's a bully!"

 

Ball discovered the sexy shots - which were to be included in a book of naked self-portraits - shortly after finding out that Klinko was bedding Romero.

 

The 25-year-old Mexican stunner once had been engaged to Ball, moving in with him when she was 17, but the couple split in 2005.

 

Ball allegedly threatened to go public with the X-rated images of Klinko in a three-way romp with two other female models if the photographer didn't "walk away" from trying to collect on $37,550 owed to him from a Rock & Republic fashion shoot last month.

 

"Fernanda and I had been dating very publicly," said Klinko, who started seeing Romero last January but since has broken up with her. "It's not something that we kept a secret."

 

Rock & Republic, whose trendy jeans sell for hundreds of dollars, blasted Klinko's blackmailing allegations as an "obvious publicity stunt."

 

The suit seeks at least $700,000 in damages.

 

"It is a blatant extortion attempt by a desperate man," a Rock & Republic spokeswoman said of the suit.

 

In response, Klinko posted a video clip on YouTube in which Ball heaps praise on him after last month's shoot, which was allegedly part of a 2007 Fashion Week campaign.

 

"This is a relationship and a partnership that is going to create some really amazing, amazing things," Ball says in the video.

 

The budding partnership allegedly collapsed soon after, when Ball found out that Klinko was the new man in his ex's life. Since then, Klinko said, Ball has threatened to "embarrass, humiliate and professionally ruin" him by unveiling pictures of the 46-year-old photographer in the act.

 

"They're very rock 'n' roll," Klinko said of the photos.

 

Originally published on January 26, 2007

[sanlee 49]

Not exactly model behavior

 

Sham nups got Mexican hottie into U.S., fotog sez

 

BY JOSE MARTINEZ

DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

 

 

A celebrity photographer who has accused a fashion mogul of blackmail also charges the businessman helped a sultry Mexican model commit immigration fraud.

Lothario lensman Markus Klinko alleges that his ex-girlfriend, Fernanda Romero, used a sham marriage to an unidentified actor to stay in the United States.

 

And he says, in a lawsuit filed in Manhattan Supreme Court, that Rock & Republic jeans boss Michael Ball helped Romero break the law by scoring her phony Social Security numbers.

 

"The dynamic is very soap opera-like," Klinko said.

 

Klinko also dropped this bombshell: Romero, 24, cheated on Ball "with a Frenchman" during a trip to London.

 

Romero - who first hit it big as a teen pop singer and also starred in the movie "Pit Fighter" - dated and was once engaged to Ball, but they broke up in 2005. She then took up with Klinko, though they also have since split.

 

Klinko has filed a $700,000 suit against Ball, accusing him of trying to blackmail him after finding out he was bedding Romero.

 

Klinko says Ball threatened to release pictures of the photographer in a steamy threesome with two female models - pictures that Klinko sent in an e-mail to Romero.

 

"They were very sexually explicit," Klinko said of the photos.

 

Ball allegedly warned Klinko he should stop trying to collect a $37,550 bill from a Rock & Republic fashion shoot if he didn't want the X-rated images made public. "Let it go, or else," Ball allegedly said.

 

Romero was not in the pictures in question. "I have those," Klinko said.

 

A manager for Romero did not return calls.

 

Klinko's attorney, Anthony LoPresti, said his client was "forced" to make the sordid drama public "to protect his company and his image."

 

A Rock & Republic lawyer denied Ball had any role in Romero's marriage.

 

In a statement, the company said Klinko's seamy allegations were the result of "animosity and jealousy that comes with fame and fortune."

 

"We look forward to setting the record straight in court," the statement read.

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New York Daily News

Hawaii, Neb. Win in Miss America Prelim

 

LAS VEGAS (AP) -- Miss Hawaii Pilialoha Gaison and Miss Nebraska Molly McGrath were the winners Friday in the second night of preliminary competition for the 2007 Miss America Pageant.

 

The televised finals and crowning of Miss America will be Monday at the Aladdin Resort & Casino.

 

Gaison, 23, of Kaneohe, won a $2,000 scholarship and the crowd's cheers with a high-energy Tahitian dance in the talent competition. She is a business management major at Hawaii Pacific University, and wants to be an entrepreneur in the resort industry.

 

McGrath, 23, is a graduate of New York University pursing her master's degree in economics at the University of Nebraska, Omaha. Her walk across the stage in a pink ruffled bikini won her a $1,000 scholarship in the swimsuit contest.

 

In preliminaries, the 52 women seeking the crown compete on three consecutive nights, their cumulative scores determining who makes the top 10 on Monday. The preliminary scores account for 30 percent of their totals.

 

The shows also serve as a sort of dress rehearsal for the Monday pageant, which will be telecast by cable network Country Music Television starting at 8 p.m. EST.

 

Friday's preliminary winners joined Miss Texas Shilah Phillips and Miss Oklahoma Lauren Nelson, who won in talent and swimsuit Thursday.

 

The pageant's Monday night time slot is a break from tradition. CMT took the pageant off Saturday night in search of a bigger audience.

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A Socialite's Life

 

If Mary Were Into Couture

 

More style inventions from Paris grace the runway for the French Fashion Week. Jean Paul Gaultier's creations were inspired by Madonna and I am not talking about the former cone-wearing Madge.

His models floated down the catwalk in aesthetic elements that have become synonymous with the mother of Jesus.

Dresses were soft and even silky in some cases. The message was that of calmning peace that had a slight pious touch as the ladies had tear drops painted on their faces and wore a solemn expression.

 

But let's not forget that this is Gaultier. The silk dress had a slightly naughty aspect to it with the traditional nun's wimple (that thing they wear on their heads).

Corset backs that appeared as models turned also amped up the heat on the runway. High heels were even present on some of the Mary replicas.

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A Socialite's Life

 

The Most Ubiquitous Trend at Fashion Week? The Lack of Star Power

 

When you are used to seeing the front rows of fashion shows peppered with A-list celebs and reality-show contestants, it is a shock to discover very few celebrities at this year's Fall Fashion Week. It might have to do with the cold. It might have something to do with the fact that Fashion Week occurred at the same time as Superbowl Sunday. But Fashion Week is always held in February in Manhattan, so it is usually cold out. So what is the reason behind the current lack of star power this Fashion Week? Britney Spears attended Baby Phat.

But overall, the biggest names were Rachel Weisz, Donald Trump, Fergie (the Dutchess turned Weight Watchers spokesman, not the one who is Fergelicious), Claire Danes, Susan Sarandon. Designers usually blow their budget paying celebs to attend. They pay for first class airfare and hotels for the celebs and their huge entourages. Then they pay the celebs themselves, tens of thousands of dollars. Nicky Hilton was paid $30,000 for hosting Macy's Presents Kiss and Tell Party last Thursday night. Cate Blanchett was flown around via private jet to the Armani Show. Rock and Republic paid $5000-$15,000 to celebs to attend their shows. Dolce and Gabanna paid JLo to attend their recent show in Milan. And you know Jenny from the Block does not come cheap. Most designers would never admit to paying actors to attend their show. However, Kate Bosworth admitted that the only reason she came to the shows is because they paid her.

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NYDN

Thin models: plot thickens

 

As they say in the reality-TV biz: Spoiler alert!

 

Top models Gabriel Aubry, Mark Vanderloo, Karl Lindman and Alex Lundqvist hosted a party during Fashion Week for a new VH1 series, "The Agency."

 

One insider said the show had been edited to capitalize on current concern over too-skinny models, with Wilhelmina model agency president Sean Patterson cast as the good guy.

 

The villain is opinionated Brit Becky Southwick, who takes a cricket bat to the egos of the poor, beautiful naifs.

 

"You've got to lose 10 pounds! I want you to look like a bloody stick," she wails at one poor waif.

 

But don't worry - justice prevails. The launch-party source says Becky gets fired in the course of the first season.

[sanlee 49]

NYDN

 

Designer Lagerfeld Promotes Documentary

 

BERLIN (AP) -- When it came to presenting the story of his own life, Karl Lagerfeld stayed out of the editing room.

 

The fashion icon, Chanel's designer since 1983, came to the Berlin Film Festival on Saturday to promote "Lagerfeld Confidentiel" - a documentary he worked on for two years with French director Rodolphe Marconi.

 

The film focuses on key moments in the life of the German-born designer, who has lived for decades in France.

 

"I didn't have anything to do with the editing. ... I don't really know anything about it," Lagerfeld, 68, told reporters.

 

He also said he couldn't watch himself for the 300 hours of footage the director shot. Marconi reduced the material to an 88-minute film.

 

Asked how he felt about revisiting his creative past, Lagerfeld replied that "in a sense, it's something that's got nothing to do with me, almost."

 

"I don't make comparisons - especially, I don't compare myself with myself," he said. "Today is today and yesterday is yesterday."

 

Lagerfeld said "there's nothing worse than being too pleased with yourself."

 

"Nobody learns anything from success," he said. "You only learn from your mistakes."

[sanlee 49]

A Socialite's Life

 

Armani Looking to Sell

 

 

Giorgio Armani is the man with the fashion answers, a go-to for men and women alike. But, in a recent interview in the "Handelsblatt" newspaper, Giorgio revealed that his fashion group is currently up for sale. The name Armani commands a hold on the industry and the group would cost more than a lung on the black market, which the no-brainer of the century. But, the big question is, who holds the cash to scoop up the house?

 

"I am ready to sell to the one with the best offer. L'Oreal could be a partner. But if anyone else makes a higher offer, then he can also be the partner."

Say it ain't so Giorgio! Someone find him a cabaoy to revive his drive ASAP.

[sanlee 49]

A SOCIALITE'S LIFE

 

Oooo, Queen! I am the Brains of this Outfit!

 

 

While I have only been subject to one or two bitchy queens fighting over control, it was fabulous and better than Thursday night "must see tv."

 

Narciso Rodriguez and his production partner, Aeffe are having a tiff. In trying to keep it a hushed catfight the two had remained neutral and quiet on the subject. That is until the chairman, Massimo Ferretti, admitted Tuesday at the Alberta Ferretti show that things aren't as happy and kosher as portrayed. A boundary of differences has presented itself but they are working on a mutual resolve.

 

"We are talking and trying to find a solution. The best way to resolve strategic differences is by talking things through."

It is also well known that Aeffe is trying to work a deal with Marithe & Fran篩s Girbaud. The company has been hunting for new labels to add to its portfolio.

 

Ooo, you know it's all like... "You bitches know I am your heart and soul; I am taking you from mama's Maybelline to fashion week VIP." To which the people at Aeffe reply, "Sweetie, you will be mocked like a drag queen at a tractor pull without us to get your back." My money is on Narciso.

[sanlee 49]

Shot In The Dark

 

'Interesting' Karl Lagerfeld refuses to take his sunglasses off, even in the dead of night. So eager is he to hide his bloodhound droopy eyes that he even insists on keeping his prescription darkened lenses on whilst performing fashion shoots at night. This leads to some 'interesting' shots.

 

'Interesting' in this scenario might mean 'fucking awful and have to be re-shot at a later date by his long-suffering staff'.

 

 

 

Source: HOLY MOLY

[sanlee 49]

NY DAILY NEWS

 

 

Star-spangled banter at Armani show

 

The only thing that sparkled more than Giorgio Armani's spangly couture was the audience that lined his runway Saturday night. Sitting shoulder to shoulder were Helen Mirren, Cate Blanchett, Clive Owen, George Clooney, Leonardo DiCaprio, Beyoncé, Clint Eastwood, Sidney Poitier, Lance Armstrong, Martin Scorsese, Adrien Brody, Naomi Campbell, Mischa Barton, Quincy Jones and Faye Dunaway, to name a few. Josh Hartnett looked cozy with Natalie Portman. Katie Holmes air-kissed husband Tom's ex, Penelope Cruz, as Katie's ex, Joshua Jackson, tended to Diane Kruger. John Travolta admired Armani's gowns but told us he isn't keeping any of the dresses he wore as the heavily-padded Edna Turnblad in "Hairspray." ("I'm hoping that I never gain the amount of weight to fit into them.") Al Gore greeted his kin Gore Vidal, who continues to write daily even while in a wheelchair. ("My doctor says I'm an ox — with a titanium knee.") Clinton-backing billionaire Ron Burkle, who hosted the event at his 40-room mansion, declined to fire back at his Clinton-trashing neighbor, David Geffen. In fact, we hear Burkle even called Geffen the other day to wish him a happy 64th birthday.

[BobbyD 2]

Armani Triumph

 

ROBERTA Armani, Giorgio Armani's niece, is fulfilling her dream to dominate celebrity dressing. Roberta has carefully cultivated a friendship with Victoria Beckham over the years, which led to a friendship with Beckham's new bestie, Katie Holmes. And Saturday, the rest of Hollywood came to worship at the Armani altar. At a house in L.A., Roberta held court as her uncle showed his couture collection to George Clooney, Natalie Portman, Penelope Cruz, Cate Blanchett, Mark Wahlberg and Leo DiCaprio. "It was sweet," said a spy. "The only problem was the mess that was the valet."

[sanlee 49]

NY DAILY NEWS

 

The Madonna collection

 

Material Girl vogues it up with line of clothes at H&M

 

Madonna can finally dress us up in her love.

On March 22, the first capsule collection of clothes composed by the iconic trendsetter hits the shelves at H&M outposts around the world - including 10 New York area stores.

 

In an exclusive first peek at the highly anticipated "M by Madonna" line, we fell for key pieces including a range of slick belted trench coats ($99.90-$298), a vampy black jersey evening dress ($59.90) and the super-skinny black pants ($59.90) that are one of Madonna's signature looks.

 

And that, says H&M's design chief Margareta van den Bosch, isn't a coincidence.

 

The Material Girl and van den Bosch spent days combing through the superstar's well-appointed closets, selecting the strongest staples to use as inspiration for the 30-piece collection.

 

"Madonna has a remarkable feel for fashion and trends," says van den Bosch. "She was involved in even the smallest details of the design."

 

Prices range from $12.90 for a turban to $298 for a leather coat. Other hot picks - which are bound to create the kind of frenzy H&M witnessed last November when Viktor & Rolf's capsule collection turned into a stiletto-riot as shoppers clamored for limited-edition goodies - include a slimming pencil skirt ($49.90), sexy satin shirts ($49.90), movie-star shades ($34.90), a satin bomber jacket ($59.90) and a super assortment of dresses ($34.90-$59.90).

 

M by Madonna is the latest of several recent collaborations for H&M. Karl Lagerfeld created an exclusive collection for the stores in 2004 and Stella McCartney followed suit a year later. But Madonna's the first celeb - with no designing experience - to infiltrate the superstore's shelves.

 

That, predicts Ashley Baker, a style editor at Glamour magazine, shouldn't be a problem.

 

The collection will be "a slam-dunk business venture for Madonna and the clothing company," Baker explains. "For Madonna, it expands her portfolio of things that she can do successfully. And for H&M, it's a way to get customers into their store that maybe have never been to their store before. They have a presence in the United States certainly, but right now they're really concentrated on the coasts. This Madonna collaboration, I think much more so than Viktor & Rolf, is going to interest people in the fly-over states."

 

Madonna's a kind of fashion everywoman, after all, alternating costly couture with street-worthy sweats. "When she shows up at events, she's wearing expensive designer clothes," says Baker. "But when you see her on the street, you'll see her often in an Adidas track suit and a pair of sneakers. I think she's trying to take that street sensibility and bring it to a mass audience."

 

M by Madonna goes on sale Thursday, March 22. Doors open at 10 a.m. but be warned, the long lines will start forming as early as the night before.

 

Chains' haute, haute hooray

 

There's a reason women throw elbows to get this stuff: Designer partnerships mean big business for chain stores. And for shoppers, it's a chance to get a piece of the haute action, without blowing a paycheck.

 

Abaete for Payless: Runway designer Laura Poretzky brought her talent to the low-priced chain for a line that included sexy platforms and sparkly bags that sold out in a blink. For fall, there'll be tall boots that turn calf-length with a zipper, and pretty cut-out flats. Even stylist Patricia Field's got in on the action: Her shoes will hit stores at the holiday season.

 

GO International for Target: The super-successful collaborations have drawn some of the fanciest designers in the world, from New York's Proenza Schouler and Behnaz Sarafpour to Britain's Luella Bartley and France's Paul & Joe.

 

H&M: You've seen the photos (and maybe even been in one). Women, clawing and scratching to get their hands on a T-shirt, a pair of skinny jeans and even a wedding dress. H&M knows how to work its customers into a tizzy, and thanks to creative partnerships with Karl Lagerfeld, Viktor & Rolf (who designed the $349 wedding dress) and Stella McCartney, New York has been clamoring for the low-priced luxe designs. And then, you know, selling them on eBay.

 

Roland Mouret for Gap: As these things go, the line was incredibly under the radar. But late last year, all for under $108, you could grab one of the French couturier's black shifts and sundresses. Lucky you if you found one.

[sanlee 49]

NY DAILY NEWS

 

Fashionista takes Oscar tackiness to task

 

One of the creators of red-carpet reinvention thinks the Oscars have gotten too commercial.

 

Phillip Bloch, who this year selected that divine flower-backed Georges Chakra dress for Forest Whitaker’s wife Keisha, told us Wednesday, “This is about the dreams of a family, the dreams of generations. Not all this prostitution of ‘Wear my watch!’

 

And the tacky thing is, you don’t think that by Monday afternoon, everyone was calling to get their stuff back? All the stuff they were throwing all week, and then they were like, ‘Where’s my bag?’ ”

 

Bloch, who was at the Te Casan shoe boutique on West Broadway — and who put that unforgettable transparent top on Halle Berry when she won her Oscar — hinted that Vogue editor-at-large

 

Andre Leon Talley should have done more to hide Jennifer Hudson ’s thighs when he styled her.

 

“I can’t talk badly about Andre, but that was her moment! No one has fit her right! I mean, I work with curvy girls all the time. I’ve worked with Beyoncé, Halle, Salma — I’ve worked with girls with big breasts.”

 

It would have been better to do “something more corset-y for Jennifer. Pull in that waist, push up those breasts, something flowy on the bottom,” added Bloch.

 

And, as he pointed to his outer thighs, he said: “[Jennifer’s] problem is here. She doesn’t have a big tummy, she doesn’t have an overly big butt. Her problem is right here. I mean, honestly, Jennifer Lopez’s dress would have worked for her. Even Penelope Cruz’s. That’s what she should have been in. The gold bolero — what was that? I understand it, and I think it would have been very chic for a New York party. At the Met, I totally get it. But the Oscars, when you’re going to win?”

[sanlee 49]

A SOCIALITE'S LIFE

 

The Fur Is Flying In Paris

 

Controversy thy name is fur. The constant underlining dread of most designers has become the backlash from PETA. The skinny issue takes a back seat to the use of animal friendly and eco-friendly fabrics. Recent targets like Marc Jacobs, Diddy, and Oscar De La Renta have some designers wary. Others like Gaultier and Valentino are fearless and pro-fur. The above photo is from a protest last year in London's Fashion Week. This year was no different and Paris was PETA's prime target.

 

"There has always been fur. It's not a return but a continuation of fur. I'm always proposing it. Fur is a material that has not been replaced for the moment." Jean-Paul Gaultier admits during his Paris fashion week show.

A woman wearing nothing but some black flats and holding a sign stating, "I'd Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur" stormed the runway. She was immediately descended upon by security. Covering her in a suit jacket, they pulled her off the catwalk kicking and screaming. It was the second attempt at fashion show sabotage. Valentino's show was only slightly interrupted by a protester early.

 

Stella, on the other hand, is a fan of alternative fabrics and luxury. Her creations are extremely eco friendly. She also has recently released an organic skin care line in spirit of staying green. But designers are bringing fur back to the runways and PETA is not a happy camper. Lacroix is a huge fan of using mink, fox or sable coats.

 

"I'm no hypocrite. I love fur," Lacroix blatantly said.

Ooo, I smell another nude protest a-coming.

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panachereport.com

 

 

Yesterday, it was reported, Jay-Z is unloading the Roc-A-Wear clothing line - that he co-founded with Shanny Herrera, and Dame Dash. The purchase price is a reported $204 Million. With this deal, Jay-Z is on pace to become the first billionaire in rap music.

This figure will put Jay-Z’s personal net worth at nearly $500 million dollars (1/2 a billion dollars). He will be named the “richest person in hip-hop for 2007,” and for years to come.

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A SOCIALITE'S LIFE

 

A Touchy Subject

 

 

Common decency seems to be on vacation. But don't shoot the messenger. The fashion world is no exception. David Bowie's wife has recently spoken out of the seedy underbelly of dirty deeds in the industry. Iman, who is a stunning model, has a career that envokes envy. (You might have seen her on "Project Runway" as a guest star. She wore Daniel's dress to a publicity shoot.)

 

In response to being singled out because she is an African model she would "refuse to turn up."

 

"There was a hidden, unspoken rule that if you have, in an ad, three models one of them has to be black. Nobody said it, but it was an understanding. I remember the first time when I was booked for something and I heard about that, I refused to take the job because I didn't want to perpetuate this token n**ger. They don't need a black model to fulfil a quota." Iman explained.

[sanlee 49]

Perez Hilton

 

Marc Jacobs Checks Into Rehab (Again)

 

Rehab is the new black!

 

After his fashion show in Paris earlier this month, Marc Jacobs flew to Arizona and admitted himself to an addiction treatment facility.

 

The designer had previously checked into rehab in the late '90s.

 

Jacobs' business partner, Robert Duffy, says, "Marc made the right decision. He'd been sober for seven years. When he relapsed, he wanted to deal with it right away. According to the experts, such a relapse isn't uncommon. Thankfully, Marc recognized the problem himself and chose to deal with it. Obviously, our prayers are with him."

 

Lindsay sends you her love too, Marc!

[BobbyD 2]

Fashion designer Marc Jacobs enters rehab

He has acknowledged abusing drugs, alcohol

 

NEW YORK - Fashion designer Marc Jacobs has entered rehab.

 

“Marc made the right decision,” Jacobs’ longtime business partner Robert Duffy told Women’s Wear Daily, which reported the story on its Web site Monday.

 

Jacobs had previously acknowledged in interviews that he abused drugs and alcohol.

 

“He’d been sober for seven years. When he relapsed, he wanted to deal with it right away,” Duffy said to the industry newspaper. “According to the experts, such a relapse isn’t uncommon. Thankfully, Marc recognized the problem himself and chose to deal with it. Obviously, our prayers are with him.”

 

The confirmation that Jacobs was at a treatment facility came on the day that Jacobs received two nominations from the Council of Fashion Designers of America for its upcoming awards. He was nominated in the womenswear and accessories categories.

 

And those honors were on the heels of three well-received previews of fall collections — one for his namesake brand in New York, one for the younger — and less expensive — Marc by Marc Jacobs label in London, and one in Paris for Louis Vuitton, owned by LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SA.

 

Jacobs is known as a bellwether for upcoming trends. In New York, his fashion shows are always packed with celebrities, with music stars Rod Stewart, Lenny Kravitz, Joss Stone, Harry Connick Jr. and Debbie Harry most recently lining the runway.

 

They saw clothes that were long and lean clothes, with a 1920s influence, almost guaranteeing a shift in fashion later this year to a slimmer silhouette.

 

© 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

[BobbyD 2]

Harvey Joins Fashion Fray

 

MOVIE mogul Harvey Weinstein isn't buying Halston, the iconic American fashion house, as a gift for his gorgeous fashion-designing girlfriend, Georgina Chapman. "Her attitude is 'I'm staying with Marchesa, and you're the last person I'd ever work for,' " Weinstein laughed to Page Six yesterday. The Miramax founder's Weinstein Company partnered with Toronto-based Hilco Consumer Capital yesterday to sew up the purchase from mogul James Ammeen. No dollar figure was disclosed. Chapman, who designs the Marchesa label with partner Karen Craig, has Weinstein attending fashion shows. But a pal of Harvey's said, "It's purely a business deal for the Weinstein Company." Tamara Mellon, who just sold her Jimmy Choo shoe empire for $364 million, has agreed to serve on the Halston board. Weinstein admitted to WWD last month: "I walk down the street . . . at Sundance, and everyone wants to know what I think about their movies. I go to a fashion show, and no one gives a [bleep] what I think." The Halston label is synonymous with Studio 54 and the '70s party scene. Hilco Executive VP Richard Kaye told The Post's David K. Li, "The name has great cachet today, even 30 years after Halston was at its peak."

[Jerrica Benton 60]

Humane Society urges crackdown on dog fur

Animal rights organization wants FTC to fine retailers, grab inventories

 

Updated: 9 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - A national animal rights group wants to put a group of fur retailers and manufacturers in the dog house.

 

The Humane Society of the United States will ask the Federal Trade Commission on Tuesday to fine high-end retailers and designers of clothing that contains mislabeled fur from dogs, wolves and raccoon dogs. The group also would like inventories seized and perhaps charges filed.

 

“Consumers have a right to know what they are purchasing,” said Michael Markarian, the executive vice president of the Humane Society. “If they are truly getting a type of dog fur, they should be outraged.”

 

The documents filed with the FTC name designers Andrew Marc and Michael Kors, among others. Many major department stores, including Barneys New York, Macy’s, Dillard’s, J.C. Penney, and Neiman Marcus also were cited.

 

The petition stems from a Humane Society investigation that turned up products that were made with fur from dogs, wolves or raccoon dogs, a species found mainly in China, that were sold as either fake fur or other types of fur in violation of the Federal Fur Products Labeling Act.

 

Raccoon dogs look like oversize, fluffy raccoons and aren’t kept as pets. Importing their fur is not illegal, but activists argue they are still a type of dog.

 

Mislabeling fur is a misdemeanor punishable by up to a $5,000 fine or a year in prison. Fur valued at less than $150 doesn’t have to be labeled.

 

Jim Sluzewski, a spokesman for Macy’s parent, Federated Department Stores Inc., said his company opposes selling dog fur but takes its vendors on faith that they comply with company policy.

 

“It is our vendors that label product, and we expect them to do so accurately,” he said in an e-mail. “We take immediate action whenever we find a violation of policy.”

 

Late last year, Macy’s immediately pulled from its shelves coats with raccoon dog fur but labeled as raccoon after the Humane Society raised the issue with the chain.

 

“Macy’s hasn’t done enough as far as we’re concerned,” Markarian said Monday, claiming that it is still selling other products with raccoon dog fur.

 

The Humane Society said in its petition that Barneys sold fur-trimmed jackets marketed as coyote fur when it was really fur from wolves. Barneys did not return a call for comment.

 

Josh Chapman, a spokesman for the manufacturer of the jacket, I. Spiewak and Sons Inc., said his company inspects the facilities where they purchase coyote fur. “We certainly know that everything is coyote, nothing could be anything else,” Chapman insisted.

 

Design company Michael Kors (USA) Inc. said it is conducting its own internal investigation on the sources of fur products it sold through Dillard’s stores.

 

“We certainly expect the companies to be discussing these issues internally, but they’ve had plenty of time to do that,” Markarian said.

 

Dillard’s did not respond to a requests for comment. J.C. Penney said it had no comment.

 

Neiman Marcus Group Inc. spokeswoman Ginger Reeder said her company removed all products with fur trim from their Web sites after the Humane Society investigation.

 

“Further investigation assured us that these vendors were also in compliance with this act and they have provided us with proof that the merchandise is properly labeled,” Reeder said.

 

Charles Jayson, chief executive of Andrew Marc, disputed the Humane Society and insisted in a statement that all fur on his coats labeled as raccoon contains “only farm-bred raccoon fur from Finland, and our items labeled ’faux fur’ are a 100 percent synthetic fabric.”

 

The results of the Human Society investigations set some retailers scrambling to pull the coats from shelves, take them off Web sites and offer refunds to consumers. They include Nordstrom, Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger and Burlington Coat Factory. None of them was named in the Humane Society’s complaint to the FTC.

 

“We believe that many of the companies were just as shocked as we were,” Markarian said about various responses to the investigations. “Some companies have been leading the way. ... The other companies, by comparison, have done nothing.”

 

© 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

[taco 0]

Celebrity Designer Arrested on Rape Charges

Posted Mar 13th 2007 6:24PM by TMZ Staff

Filed under: Celebrity Justice

Fashion designer to the stars, Anand Jon, was arrested and jailed after cops say he raped two people.

 

According to the felony complaint obtained by TMZ, Jon allegedly committed a variety of horrific acts on four separate victims between October of 2004 and March 5, 2007. Along with two counts of forcible rape, Jon is also facing charges of "sexual battery by restraint, attempted forcible oral copulation and two counts of committing a lewd act upon a child."

 

In the document, police claim that Anand used an accomplice during the alleged sexual battery and forcible copulation. The investigation into that person is ongoing.

 

Jon, who has been featured on MTV and is known to hang out with Paris Hilton, Paula Abdul and Michelle Rodriguez, was arrested by Beverly Hills Police on March 6, after one of his accusers came forward to authorities. An investigation uncovered three other potential victims, the youngest of whom is 15-years-old.

 

Jon is currently behind bars in a Los Angeles County jail and is due back in court to face a judge on April 4th.

Edited March 13, 2007 by taco

[sanlee 49]

A SOCIALITE'S LIFE

Couture ࠬa Weinstein

 

Bob and Harvey Weinstein are coming to the style side of the force. The fashion industry is where its at and the Weinsteins are taking their movie production talent and riches and are buying themselves a little piece of the industry.

 

The brothers are ambitiously taking the reigns from the Halston fashion brand, which was the must-have jet-set brand during the 60's and 70's. You might remember Halston and his creation of the pillbox hat, proudly worn by Jackie O.

To incoporate their film power into their business venture, they plan to make a documentary about Roy Halston, the man behind the house. Products will also be featured in their films as well, including on one of my favorite shows, "Project Runway."

 

The documentary will be presented as a narrative biopic, titled "Simply Halston," and Tamara Mellon (Jimmy Choo founder/president) will be lending her name and talents to the project.

[sanlee 49]

Fashionistas Hissing That Sarah Jessica Parker's New Line Looks Like Two Anorexic Billionaire Twins Playing Dress-Up In The Attic At Grey Gardens

 

 

I *heart* Sarah Jessica Parker. Everyone gives her the business because they claim she looks like a horse or a witch. But I think she's beautiful inside and out. Plus, Sex and the City was a hot show. Ok, my straight dude friends didn't love it. They would rather have their balls paddled than watch it. But we gays and our girlfriends did. It was basically about four fags with vaginas. Except sluttier. No, really. Anyway, people are squawking that her soon to be revealed clothing line looks like the Olsen twins have already worn it. She better run her ass back to the drawing board!

 

It's not that we plan on bumrushing Indochine today to get a look at Sarah Jessica Parker's super secret fashion line - or to sneak a peak at which second-tier editors are forced to attend the grand unveiling - but we took a particular interest in Mrs. Matthew Broderick's Bitton collection because of what it's being compared to.

Reports WWD:

 

Details on the collection, including price point, target audience, and manufacturer, remain tight-lipped, but many insiders are already comparing it to The Row, the fashion line developed by the Olsen twins

 

 

Second-tier? I thought Sarah was the fashion designer's big dream to dress because she's so....uh, well, she was on a show that had a lot of different clothes. And she would wear them. Some of them were a little retarded, though. There was one episode where she had a scarf tied around her damn head, like a headband, with one point sticking up and I thought to myself "jesus, she must get paid a lot to look that dumb. That Patricia Fields bitch is just f*cking with her, now."

[sanlee 49]

Pammy thanks Hilfiger for banning fur from his collection

 

Washington, Mar 15 :

 

Buxom blonde Pamela Anderson has thanked ace designer Tommy Hilfiger for deciding to ban fur from his collection by sending him a bouquet of flowers.

 

The former 'Baywatch' star introduced Hilfiger to Dan Mathews, the vice-president of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), during her wedding to Kid Rock.

 

Mathews had told Hilfiger about the brutality inflicted on animals in the fur trade and the designer decided to remove fur material from his upcoming design line.

 

Anderson said that the apparel designer used fur in his collection extensively, and that his decision to go fur free has brought notice to the idea of fur trim.

 

'Since Tommy mostly used fur on collars and cuffs, his decision to go fur-free really puts the spotlight on fur trim, which is one of my biggest pet peeves' Contactmusic quoted Anderson, as saying.

 

The 39-year-old added that people should get the true picture of fur trade, where animals are tortured.

 

Anderson thanked Hilfiger for holding up the cause for animals.

 

'People who think 'it's just a little fur trim' need to know that animals suffer tremendously for every piece of fur, and it's unacceptable to wear any of it. Thanks, Tommy, for sticking up for the animals.'

 

Mathews said that Hilfiger's decision to remove fur from his designs will stop animals from suffering in the fashion business.

 

'Tommy's anti-fur policy will spare countless animals from becoming fashion victims,' Mathews said.

 

Source: Kerala News