- The Met Ball may be more fun than we ever imagined — most parties are after everyone is wasties! Here’s Anna Wintour, almost smiling. And dancing with P. Diddy. Wait, is Katy Perry crowd-surfing or just on a table? [VillageVoice]
- In unrelated news, P. Diddy is going to start selling his Sean John clothing line exclusively via Macy’s (and Sean John’s own stores). “We live in a new America where that style of thinking is almost ancient right now — that because the designer is black that his clothes are black. Things have evolved and this is a true testament to that. Christian Louboutin is black, but that doesn’t mean his shoes are black. I’m black but my clothes are for everybody.” Forgive us our ignorance, but, Christian Louboutin is black? [The Cut]
- The Times really seems to have it in for Zac Posen; otherwise, how to explain the unfortunate up-nose angle of their lede photo for their Met Ball round-up? [NYTimes]
- Lady Gaga apparently wore some kind of black wrought-iron balustrade with sparkles on American Idol last night. [WWD]
- Plus-size models in Sydney protested at the conclusion of Rosemount Australian Fashion Week, an event in which they were not included. Local designer Alex Perry sniffed, “Nobody is going to tell me how to pick models.” [News.com.au]
- Diane von Furstenberg, on Mother’s Day: “Even though it’s a holiday essentially invented by Hallmark, it really helps to remind us where we come, from because we all have a mom.” [DFR]
- In a (presumably British-based) poll commissioned by Max Factor, Victoria Beckham was rated the world’s most stylish woman, ahead of Danii Minogue and Angelina Jolie. Expect the tabs to either take this as Angelina suffering a professional defeat, or some twisted triumph over Jen in their imaginary unending rivalry. [Elle UK]
- Marilyn Monroe‘s hot-pink dress from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes is expected to fetch $150,000-$250,000 when it is auctioned next month. [StyleList]
- Karl Lagerfeld recently announced Vanessa Paradis would be returning as the face of Chanel‘s “Cocoon” handbag line, and just like magic, here are all eight campaign images. Lagerfeld shot them himself. [SB]
- Tim Gunn is going to be in The Smurfs movie. [Variety]
- The Daily Beast reminds readers that prosecutors in the Special Court for Sierra Leone — the court in which Charles Taylor is being tried — could still subpoena Naomi Campbell in order to compel her testimony about a certain blood diamond. Campbell is accused of receiving a blood diamond from representatives of Taylor after a charity dinner in South Africa in 1997; prosecutors are trying to tie Taylor to the diamond trade in order to prove that he used proceeds from the sale of blood diamonds to fund a militia group that wreaked havoc in Sierra Leone. Campbell first denied the allegations — she told ABC news she had never even dined with Taylor, and never received a diamond, despite the accounts of witnesses — and then told Oprah she didn’t want to talk about the diamond because of her fears for the safety of certain unspecified family members. However, no prosecutor ever wants to have to subpoena a friendly witness. It’s also not clear how subpoena power would be enforced internationally by a court located in the Hague, but operating under the joint aegis of the U.N. and the Sierra Leone judicial system. [TDB]
- Jean-Paul Gaultier is getting into home furnishings. To illustrate his vision, he clad an entire hallway in blue-and-white striped fabric, like a Breton shirt, and then posed in it, wearing a Breton shirt. Very Garden State, only capitalistic and joyful. [WWD]
- The only thing notable about this Vanity Fair piece about the new Halston documentary is that the writer mis-spells Halston’s name “Halton.” [VF]
- Garance Doré shot Club Monaco‘s fall lookbook. And this is sort of a big deal, apparently? [Refinery29]
- The House voted yesterday to expand the list of apparel and textile items that Haiti can export to the U.S. duty-free. The manufacture of clothing is Haiti’s principal industry, and it’s one that has been hard-hit both by globalization and, obviously, the recent earthquake. The bill is expected to move quickly through the Senate. [AP]
- Meanwhile, Cher has donated a Bob Mackie gown to a charity auction to raise money for Haiti. [UPI]
- L.A. boutique Kitson is rumored to have entered into a deal with the British celebrity Cheryl Cole. Cole will supposedly design a line for the store. [ContactMusic]
- Gen Art announced late yesterday afternoon that it would be shutting down. The non-profit organization produced fashion shows, a film festival, concerts and other events in the arts in order to promote emerging talent; among the designers whose early careers received a boost were Zac Posen and Vena Cava. [Crain’s]
- More robberies in London! Tiffany’s and De Beers were hit by smash-and-grabbers; the police have three teenagers in custody, although the gang, which got away with over £1 million worth of jewelry, numbered around 10. [Vogue UK]
- Anna Sui loves fashion, butterflies. [NYTimes]
- “I think the fashion industry has been just walking around it and they do maybe one issue out of the year called ‘the Body Issue,'” says Iman, on size diversity in fashion. “I think not only fashion models, I think a lot of people, especially in the media, actresses as well, they’re getting a little bit too skinny and a little bit scary. And not pretty. That’s the thing — I don’t know why anybody doesn’t want to look pretty. It doesn’t look good.” [The Cut]
- In honor of the 50th anniversary of the release of Breathless, Rodarte is collaborating with Rialto pictures on two “limited-edition” t-shirts. [DFR]
- Whoever assigned Cathy Horyn this story about the cultural history of store mannequins let her get a little bit crazy with it: “Glamour is phony baloney sliced off for the purpose of giving enjoyment. It’s Spam in a gam.” And then there’s a whole paragraph where the Horyn randomly attacks television anchors and their “lipsticked smiles.” [NYTimes]
- Natalie Chanin of Alabama Chanin is calling for donations of used pantyhose and hair clippings, both of which can be made into oil-absorbent mats, in order to help the Gulf Coast’s oil pipeline disaster. [Style.com]
- Now that Bret Michaels is reportedly out of the hospital, Pantene can’t wait to slap some extensions on that recently-healed skull, and get him out shilling hair products again, as per his contractual obligations. [Brandfreak]
- The Times rounds up Manhattan’s best thrift and vintage stores. None of our favorites are on here! Thank God. [NYTimes]
- Blind item: “One of fashion’s biggest brands might be dropping its penchant for locking coveted girls into seven figure contracts. Some sources hold that certain girls (maybe 2 or 3) will still be held in place while others allege the shut out will be total. Does it mean that the model-as-household name is doomed to extinction?” As Fashionologie points out, one of the only brands that ever offers models 7-figure contracts, and can propel them into household-name status, is Victoria’s Secret. [Fashionologie]
- Help Lauren Conrad decide which of two ugly outfits to wear in her Got Milk? commercial. [BodyByMilk]
- Fashionair, a website we never used, is shutting down. [Fashionista]
- Dress Barn is expanding. [WWD]
- Hermès‘ sales rose 19% in the first quarter. [WSJ]
- Kenneth Cole turned a profit last quarter, too. A modest profit of $1.8 million, but that’s better than the $8 million loss they suffered in the same period last year. [Crain’s]
- Elizabeth Arden realized a loss of $3.9 million. But it says its Juicy Couture and Britney Spears fragrances are selling well. [WSJ]
- Michael Kors is opening a store in the vacant space left by Emanuel Ungaro, which first closed its sole New York boutique, and then moved to the basement of the Plaza hotel. [ShopHound]
- New York-based label Milly is adding handbags for Spring 2011. [DFR]
- It’s confirmed: Jones Apparel Group took a 55% stake in Stuart Weitzman. At a cost of around $180 million. [WSJ]
- The Times talks to a haul vlogger who makes around $1,000 a month through YouTube’s ad partners program; we conclude we are in the wrong business. [NYTimes]
- Model Jenny Shimizu and Susi Kenna live in an awesome pad. That is all. [Style Like U]
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