Six Months After Galliano's Meltdown, Dior Still Hasn't Replaced Him

By Jenna Sauers | September 28, 2011 | 6:05pm

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Six months after John Galliano was fired for making racist remarks to a couple of strangers in a bar, Christian Dior still doesn’t have a creative director. Galliano’s halfway to having his reputation restored — he made Kate Moss‘s wedding dress, and the editor of Vogue Italia is now telling the press to get some perspective because “he didn’t kill anyone!” — and Dior still doesn’t have anyone steering the ship. After a dog’s breakfast of a couture collection this summer, it will be interesting to see what turns up on the runway this week in Paris. Women’s Wear Daily published one hint from the atelier this morning: a ’50s-style houndtooth blazer and a black skirt, shown here on the right. Groundbreaking. For purposes of comparison, in the center is something Galliano designed. [WWD]

Anna Wintour is either losing her mind, or reaching that stage of life where some women get all “Fuck it! Release the inner kook!” Remember how at fashion week she was seated next to Nicki Minaj at the Carolina Herrera show? And hilarious photos were published to the delight of millions worldwide? The whole thing was her idea. Minaj says Wintour invited her to fashion week personally. After the show, Wintour sent her a photo of them sitting together. “We match!” wrote Wintour. Ha. No you don’t. But whatever’s coming over Nuclear Wintour, we like it. [NYDN]

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Lara Stone: now sober, but still awesome. Lynn Yaeger went with the supermodel (pictured here with her parents, Michael and Toos) to Mierlo, where she grew up, and Amsterdam. Yaeger reports:

By her own admission, Stone was an inveterate party girl in her early years — so inveterate that she went into rehab and hasn’t had a drink in two years. Which does not prevent her from describing with enthusiasm some of the more intoxicating delights of the city. She loves the Amstel river boat rides because you can have a drink aboard; Vondelpark because it contains what she says are “some beautiful bars”; and the beaches at Bloemendaal because you can buy a drink right at the shore.

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Sometimes when Crystal Renn is in a good mood, she goes on a date with herself. “I plan all the things that I might want to do with a guy, and I do it with me.” She might go to a movie, followed by a nice dinner out. “And I bring my book,” she says. Renn appears with Kate Dillon in the new Marina Rinaldi campaign. [Vogue.it]

Kate Moss is topless on the new cover of French Elle. [HuffPo]

Lane Bryant has launched a line of redesigned jeans it calls T-3, for Tighter Tummy Technology. They have elastic in the waistband to prevent gaping, and what sounds like some kind of a built-in girdle in front. Comfy! And the requisite topless-lady ads. [WWD]

Are you ready for a third Olsen? Younger sister Elizabeth Olsen graces the cover of Nylon‘s “It Girl” issue for your browsing pleasure. [JustJared]

Need. This. Daria. Costume. Now. Thanks. [CostumeExpress]

Patti Smith went to interview some actor named Michael Pitt, but her tape recorder (tape recorder? Oh, Patti! Get a digital voice recorder, seriously, they’re like $40) was stuck on “pause.” So instead, she wrote down her recollections of the interview. Her longhand notes are published in this month’s AnOther Magazine. [Another]
“I didn’t realize it was her until after 20 seconds standing there I said to myself ‘this person really has Kate Middleton hair.’ And then I looked down at her boots and saw her tall black boots and said to myself ‘wow this person also has Kate Middleton boots.’ And then I saw her skinny black pants and what looked to be like a brown/greenish Katherine Hooker jacket and said to myself ‘wow this person really has Kate Middleton‘s style’. The hair gave it away and her tall black boots. That’s when I turned to my boyfriend and said in a half jokingly manner ‘how much do you wanna bet that this is Kate Middleton standing in front of me’. I was joking at this point….but then after a few seconds went by I kept thinking ‘this person REALLY looks like Kate Middleton‘. My bf and I kept giving each other serious looks…looks that express the feeling ‘this can’t really be Kate Middleton, can it? There is no way’. The shock was starting to build when I realized that this could actually be Kate, as I was standing in a Topshop which was located right around the corner from where her and William reside in London (on the grounds of Kensington Palace).” A blogger went to a Topshop in London and KATE MIDDLETON was there, you guys! We don’t want to spoil the story, but: Kate Middleton bought some clothes. And then Kate Middleton left. She keeps rewards cards in her wallet. Also, this may shock you, but: “You must see Kate’s hair in person. It is beyond perfect!” [GetWhatKateWore.com]
Reebok has to pay consumers $25 million because it turns out you cannot just totally invent the claims you make in advertisements. Reebok advertised its toning shoes — which everyone knows are bullshit — as being “proven to lead to 28 percent more strength and tone in the buttock muscles, 11 percent more strength and tone in the hamstring muscles, and 11 percent more strength and tone in the calf muscles than regular walking shoes.” Not only is none of the above true, Reebok apparently didn’t even bother commissioning a “study” to get those results. The company just made them up. The Federal Trade Commission will distribute the $25 million to consumers who shelled out $60-$100 for the bullshit shoes. [WWD]
The Wall Street Journal takes a characteristically uncritical look at the trend of blow-dry-only hair salons — salons where you can’t get a haircut, but you can pay $40 for your hair to be washed. “It’s like your mani-pedi,” says the owner of one such salon in Houston. Yes, “your” “mani-pedi,” the “mani-pedi” every woman on earth gets as a matter of course, because there is apparently no limit to our toleration as a sex for the beauty industry’s (and its media handmaidens’) constant additions to the list of Expensive Things Women Are Expected To Do To Pass As Well-Groomed. [WSJ]
In other beauty news, it’s apparently illegal in New York state for beauty salons (or any unlicensed premises) to serve alcohol. Even if they give it away for free. “I’m glad you told me,” says one hairdresser. “I’m planning to open up my own salon, and I was going to serve wine!” So now that’s ruined. [NYObs]
There is a “miracle dress” that costs $1,600 (thanks for nothing, Stella McCartney). The Post tries to get to the bottom of the dress’s miraculousness, and finds that it uses magical optical-illusion technology and this amazing high-tech fabric described as “stretch cotton” to, in the words of stylist June Ambrose, “keep your meat neat.” The more you know! Hollywood stars love the Miracle DressTM. [NYPost]
Kelly Cutrone will indeed replace André Leon Talley as a judge on the next season of America’s Next Top Model. Cutrone says she is “excited” about the move, and Talley says, “I had a great ride and will always consider my experience with Top Model one of the best moments of my life. Tyra is an incredible role model and I learned so much sitting next to her through four cycles.” You just know Talley is going to be smizing all the way home to Westchester tonight, thinking about the time Tyra taught him how to wear heels. [People]
The Limited is launching a new line called eloquii by The Limited, which will cater to plus-size customers. [WWD]
Rebecca Minkoff gave birth to her first child, a son, this weekend. He was 6lbs 14 oz. (Apparently, our own Tracie gave birth to the rest of him.) [P6]
“Sexy Lingerie Boom in Syria.” That’ll take care of those Assads. [Altmuslimah]
And now, a moment with Marisa Berenson:
I was searching for my spiritual path, and I ended up in an ashram in Rishikesh with Maharishi and the Beatles. We’d sit on the floor at night, and George and Ringo would play the guitar, and we’d meditate all day, and have meals together, and become vegetarians, and live in huts. But it was just normal.
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