Miranda Kerr is no longer a Victoria’s Secret Angel. The Australian model’s $1 million three-year contract was reportedly not renewed by the brand. The reason? According to Us and its “sources,” Kerr didn’t sell particularly well — catalog companies closely track which models perform best — and “has a difficult reputation.” Kerr may still model for the retailer’s catalog and in its annual fashion show, but she will do so as your regular old professional and highly remunerated pretty person and not as an official “Angel.” [Us]
Some more American Apparel ads were banned in the U.K. for being “overtly sexual” and “demean[ing] women,” giving multiple Web sites reason to republish said ads 1000 pixels wide. [HuffPo]
• Wal-Mart pledged $1.6 million to an N.G.O. called the Institute of Sustainable Communities to develop better fire-safety standards in the nation of Bangladesh, where garment factory fires occur with distressing frequency. Labor rights groups criticized the money as a pittance. Wal-Mart is the second-largest buyer of apparel from Bangladesh (H&M is the largest) and garments destined for sale at Wal-Mart were among those found in the wreckage at the Tazreen factory where 112 garment workers perished in a fire last November. Before the industrial disaster, Wal-Mart was a major player behind successful efforts to stymie the development of stricter safety standards for the Bangladeshi apparel sector. Meanwhile, Bangladesh itself has been wracked by general strikes and political unrest. [WWD, WWD]
• The trial of Christopher Finazzo, the former chief merchandising officer at Aeropostale, is finally beginning in New York. Finazzo is charged with fraud in connection with his alleged role in a kickbacks scheme with one of Aeropostale’s vendors. Finazzo, who was already earning $20 million per year in compensation from Aeropostale, allegedly had a profit-sharing deal on the side with a t-shirt vendor he contracted with called South Bay Apparel. Finazzo’s alleged partner in the scheme has already pleaded guilty and been sentenced to five years in prison and a $7.5 million fine. [WWD]
• Today is Marc Jacobs’ 50th birthday. [Fashionista]
• Leonard Lauder, of Estée Lauder fame, has pledged to donate his billion-dollar-plus collection of Cubist art to the Met. The 78 works by Pablo Picasso, Georges Braque, Juan Gris, and Fernand Léger will be displayed for the first time at the museum next fall. [WWD]
• British Vogue has come to an agreement with the union that represents models in the U.K., Equity, over working hours and conditions on photo shoots. Equity also has an agreement in place with the British Fashion Council governing working conditions at London Fashion Week shows. Says Equity, “Models hired by British Vogue for editorial work will now get assurances on hours of work, breaks, food, transport, nudity and semi-nudity, temperature, changing rooms and prompt payment.” [Equity]
• Think you have what it takes to be a face of Guess? The brand is partnering with Elle and Ford Models to search for the next Guess model. The prize is $2,500 worth of Guess clothing — unusually small compensation for a national ad campaign with heavy media usage. [WWD]
• Retailers and analysts expect e-commerce to be huge in the Middle East. [BoF]
• Lucky has been in an ad-sales slump for the past year, so editor Brandon Holley apparently reached out to Anna Wintour for advice. (You will remember that Wintour, in addition to being the editor of Vogue, is now the artistic director of the whole of Condé Nast.) Wintour apparently tapped Eva Chen to work with her on a Lucky-related project. [Fashionista]