Oh, Anchorage, Alaska. Where did it all go wrong? According to a survey of Travel & Leisure readers, America’s Favorite Cities, Anchorage has the worst-dressed people in the nation.

“It’s not uncommon to see oversized parkas with fur-lined hoods and bunny boots,” says Dr. Miriam Jones, a frequent visitor to Anchorage. “And people aren’t alarmed when a person wearing a ski mask enters a room.” Well, the same could be said about Harlem.

So I guess it’s not really their fault what with temperatures regularly below freezing. Which is a load of bull. There are definitely ways to beat the chill in style — a Chanel Wookiee suit immediately comes to mind.

While weather certainly is a factor in determining the way people dress, a look at the rest of the list suggests that climate is not the be-all end-all of style-casting. One also has to consider proximity to a major metropolitan city, level of taste and the presence of a Real Housewives franchise.

To wit, Dallas, Orlando and Atlanta all made the list.

1. Anchorage, AK
2. Salt Lake City, UT
3. Baltimore, MD
4. Orlando, FL
5. San Antonio, TX
6. Dallas/Fort Worth, TX
7. Atlanta, GA
8. Portland, ME
9. Phoenix/Scottsdale, AZ
10. Kansas City, MO

As for the most stylish cities, New York’s still shutting it down. You’re welcome, nation!

1. New York, NY
2. San Juan, PR
3. Miami, FL
4. San Francisco, CA
5. Los Angeles, CA
6. Savannah, GA
7. Santa Fe, NM
8. Providence, RI
9. San Diego, CA
10. Charleston, SC

Did your city make either list, and if so, are you proud/ashamed? Little bit of both? [Huff Po]

A bevy of our favorites - Jade Berreau, Frankie Rayder, Christina Kruse, Alyssa Miller, Helena Christensen, Tanga Moreau, Hannelore Knuts, Eniko Mihalik, Karen Elson, Aurelie Claudel, Trish Goff, Michele Hicks, Constance Jablonski, Ali Michael, Shannan Click, Olga Sherer and Anouk Lepere –  pose in the likes of Prada, Blumarine and Chanel for this cool retro editorial.

- Carine Roitfeld staged her all-black runway show during the amfAR Gala featuring models Lindsey Wixson, Karolina Kurkova and Lily Donaldson in looks by Chanel, Balenciaga and Versace. [Styleite]

- True Blood‘s Grant Bowler will play Richard Burton to Lindsay Lohan‘s Elizabeth Taylor in Lifetime’s Liz & Dick. [Deadline]

- Beth Ditto on Karl Lagerfeld calling Adele fat: “First of all, Karl Lagerfeld is not even sane…[and he] used to be this really fat, eccentric dude. He always had that fat kid fan with him too. To me, only a person who was fat could get away with saying something like that.” [Vogue UK]

- This is what the debut of Kanye West‘s mult-screen film debut at Cannes looked like. [High Snobiety]

- Happy Fleet Week, sailors! Here are some events for the queer seamen that will hopefully be in all of us. [Paper]

- Britney Spears walked out on the taping of an episode of X Factor, much like Paula Abdul did last season. And also like Paula, I’m assuming there’s a mix of meds involved. [Deadline]

- Keira Knightley is engaged to boyfriend James Righton from British indie rock band Klaxons. [Telegraph]

- On June 1 in Paris Christian Lacroix is opening its first boutique since going bankrupt in 2009. [Telegraph]

- Wearing skinny jeans can apparently cause nerve damage. [ABC]

- Florence Welch got her scrapbooking on with bff Karl Lagerfeld. [Fashionista]

- Harvey Weinstein wants to put Lana Del Rey in a movie. [Grazia]

- Drew Barrymore may be wearing Chanel on her wedding day. [Page Six]

Global research company Millward Brown Optimor conducted the study based on a brand’s overall performance as well as consumer interviews.

Coming in second place is Hermès, which Vuitton’s parent company — LVMH Moët Hennessy — has made no bones about wanting to acquire by snatching up any and all available stock over the past few years. And no wonder, Hermès  stepped its game up by a staggering 61% to $19.1 billion.

The Rolly’s apparently on many arms and the Chandon is flowing freely as both Rolex ($7.17 billion) and Moët Chandon made the top 10, which also includes Chanel ($6.68 billion), Gucci ($6.42 billion), Prada ($5.7 billion), Cartier ($4.8 billion) and Burberry ($4.09 billion). [Vogue UK]

Feedbox

Check what our girls at Beauty Is Within, The Beauty Bean, Eye4Style, A Little Alytude and Brown Girl Gumbo are sweating for summer beauty.

"I've never before loved an orange nail polish, but as they say, there's a first time for everything. Lal Mirchi, the most perfect mandarin-hued nail polish imaginable is one of six lacquers in the Thakoon for NARS collection. It's limited edition, as all good things are,

Eye4Style

"This summer is all about RMS Beauty's Lip Shine in Sublime ($25). It's the perfect fruit punch like hot pink gloss, with just enough of a pink punch to make it look like you've been lounging poolside, sucking on ice-pops all day. Even better, the not-at-all-sticky formula won't stick to your windblown hair!"

The Beauty Bean

"I'm currently obsessing over New York Color's Browser Brush-On Brow Kit -- it has brow powder, brow wax, a brush AND tweezers in one tiny kit for $3.99(!). I spend much of my summer finding excuses for weekend getaways, and this is amazing to carry with me - trust me, you don't want to see me in pictures when my brows AREN'T groomed."

ALittleAlytude

"I’ve never met a bronzer that I didn’t like, but the brand new Elle Cosmetics bronzer has me especially smitten. When I’m not lucky enough to hit the beach, it provides a sun-kissed looking glow that beautifully complements my complexion."

Brown Girl Gumbo

"The one summer makeup item I can't wait to use is red lipstick, specifically Chanel's Rouge Allure Luminous Satin Lip Colour. I don't like to wear alot of makeup during the summer, so this red lipstick moisturizes my lips, plus brightens and adds color to my face even when I'm wearing minimal makeup."

BeautyIsWithin

Marchesa Corset Dress, LISKA Fox Fur Jacket, Alexis Bittar Jewelry, Alexander McQueen Steel Shoes, Eickhoff Grey Clutch

NastyGal Double Cross Dress, Aubin Wills Tuxedo Jacket, Rupert Sanderson Platform Shoes, Marc by Marc Jacobs Leather Handbag, Betsey Johnson Jewelry, Aamaya by Priyanka Ring, Topshop Ring

Bluebirds Tank Top, Etsy Studded Shorts, Golden Goose Hi-Tops, Matthew Williamson Fringe Handbag, Deepa Gurnani Wrap Hairband

John Galliano Scoop Neck Dress, Nine West Peep Toe Heels, BCBG Max Azria Chain Handbag, Chanel Pearl Necklace, Thea Chain Tassel Box Clutch, Style Tryst Long Bead Necklace

By The Book Fair Dress, Dries Van Noten x Linda Farrow Printed Sunglasses, KORS Michael Kors Peep Toe Shoes, J J Winters Taupe Handbag, Dorothy Perkins Bangles, Chan Luu Wrap Bracelet, Eugenia Kim Wide Brim Fedora,

Unif Slayher Tee, Alexander Wang Combat Boots, Calvin Klein Crossbody Handbag, Deepa Gurnani Wrap Bracelet, Levi Strauss & Co Vintage Shorts, Year Of The Boar Skull Bracelet

You need to remember two things when you receive an invitation to a black tie wedding – gowns and tuxedos. Don’t even think about showing up in a short dress. Use this occasion to wear that elegant gown collecting dust in your closet, or treat yourself to something shiny and new. Strappy, sky-high shoes and a crystal-encrusted clutch are perfect for rounding-out the look.

Fairly self-explanatory in name, a cocktail hour wedding is exactly what it sounds to be. The reception typically begins between 5-7 pm with a cocktail hour and dinner to follow. By all means, wear a gown if it's not too formal, but do feel free to wear a cocktail dress. Nothing so short your ass is hanging out, but sparkles are always welcome and encouraged. Metallic heels and statement earrings are perfect accessories. This look was inspired by

Both the ceremony and reception take place during the morning and afternoon at a daytime wedding, so lighter colors and fabrics, prints and playful accessories are welcome. Dress like you're going to a proper, formal high tea. You can never go wrong with a floral dress, classic shoes and a fun, quirky bag.

And when I say "casual," I mean for a wedding; this is not an opportunity to wear cut-offs and a tank top. These tend to take place outdoors, on the beach or in a park, so dressing for nature is key. Flow-y fabrics look great in the breeze, and wedges won't sink into the ground when you stand. A large sun hat is both stunning and protects you from UV rays.

- Chanel staged its 2012 Cruise collection at the Palace at Versailles with guests Tilda Swinton, Haider Ackermann and Karl Lagerfeld‘s plaid vest. [Grazia]

- Olympian hotties Hope Solo, Ryan Lochte and Serena Williams grace the June issue of Vogue. [Styleite]

- Aquascutum‘s out of the woods for now and is celebrating with a new CEO in Tim Dally. [Vogue UK]

- The UK’s Royal Mail has come out with some sartorial stamps celebrating post-war British fashion with postage bearing designs by Alexander McQueen, Vivienne Westwood and Zandra Rhodes. [Style File]

- Jessica Simpson is wasting no time cashing in on little Maxwell Drew with a maternity line in the works. [The Cut]

- Coty celebrated the 10 year anniversary of  Jennifer Lopez ‘s signature fragrance, “Glow,” one of the most successful scents in history with almost $2 billion in sales — or in other terms, more than all of her movies have grossed put together…multiplied by a million. [WWD]

- Isabeli Fontana will walk down the aisle for the third time when she weds Lauryn Hill‘s baby daddy, i.e. Rohan Marley in Ethiopia at some point in time. [Modelinia]

- This is Daphne Guinness singing Jefferson Airplane‘s “White Rabbit.” Just ’cause. [Paper]

- Marc Jacobs apparently raided my fantasy wardrobe for the lace dress he wore to the Met Ball last night. No stranger to a kilt or even the occasional full drag, Jacobs remarked that he “just didn’t wanna wear a tuxedo and be boring.” Mission: accomplished. [Telegraph]

- Speaking of the Lady Jacobs, someone graffittied “ART” in big red letters on the designer’s Mercer St store. Whether that someone was Marc Jacobs in an attempt at attention-grabbing is yet to be revealed. [Racked]

- Alessandra Ambrosio took a break from bejeweling her baby bump to finally give birth to a boy yesterday. The Victoria’s Secret Angel and fiancé Jamie Mazur reportedly named their special delivery Noah. [Styleite]

- The New York Times seems to think that there are other places outside of Manhattan, let alone other places outside of Manhattan that need street style coverage. So starting today the Times has a new biweekly video series featuring street style from all five boroughs. Question: are we still considering Staten Island a borough? [WWD]

- Beloved children’s book author and illustrator Maurice Sendak, who wrote the seminal bed-wetter Where the Wild Things Are, died today from complications of a recent stroke. He was 83. [NYT]

Feat! -- Daphne Guinness in Alexander McQueen, 2011 Guinness literally made an event out of her getting ready for the ball and it payed off with a fitting and flawless tribute to the designer whose "Savage Beauty" was just beginning its historic run.

Fail! -- Madonna in Louis Vuitton, 2009 Louis Vuitton had a banner year in 2009 for providing the worst looks per celeb capita than any other brand, but Madonna's woefully mistaken, thigh-highed misstep best represents the entire lot.

Feat! -- Kate Moss in Marc Jacobs, 2009 Marc Jacobs did better by his girl Kate Moss, however, and the two were the clear belles of the ball. Crafty, crafty, crafty.

Fail! -- Katie Holmes in Giorgio Armani, 2008 While everything is wrong with this look -- the makeup, the bob, the dress, the shoes, the necklace, the shoulder purse in the shape of Tom Cruise -- Katie tried to pawn off responsibility on the blue pumps to her daughter Suri, whom she claimed picked them out. Based on Suri's exquisite taste, I highly doubt it.

Feat! -- Anna Wintour in Chanel Haute Couture, 2008 A controversial choice, I know, but hear me out. Anna Wintour so often goes the very safe and classically chic route, but for the Met's "Superheroes" exhibit, the editrix showed a whiff of whimsy by way of Wonder Woman. However, never one to not keep it real, note that she's still in Chanel and it's still haute couture.

Fail! -- Serena Williams in Oscar de la Renta, 2011 I'll preface this by saying the Royal Wedding had recently happened at this point, so fascinators were just beginning their ascent into the pop culture atmosphere. Williams opted for the burgeoning trend, thus sending this outfit into costume, not Costume Institute, territory.

Feat! -- Gisele in Versace, 2008 Gisele came to the ball in 2008 for one reason and one reason alone: to serve sex on a platter and have the world take a good long taste. So what better dressing than Versace and its history of jaw-droppers?

Fail! -- Shalom Harlow in Bob Mackie, 2009 Sure it looks like Shalom Harlow just rolled out of the dumpster and into a mutated Hefty bag, but dammit she's committed to it and for that I say, "Respect."

Feat! -- André Leon Talley being escorted by Alber Elbaz, 2007 I'm assuming this cape was by ALT's go-to haberdasher Chado Ralph Rucci, but if I'm mistaken who cares because this scene is all one needs to know about the Met Gala. Or anything.

Fail! -- Christina Hendricks in L'Wrenn Scott, 2010 Christina Hendricks has the best kind of problem because of her, shall we say, ample assets. You know, her giant cans. Therefore it's hard to find a dress that accentuates without advertising and the girls are on a mutli-season campaign in this number. But at least they serve as a distraction from whatever's happening with the hair and makeup.

Banks previously tweeted that she would attend the annual ball on the birdlike arm of Alexander Wang: “I can’t wait for the MET ball! I’m going as Alexander Wang’s date. He custom made my outfit and shoes ! !!!! It’s soooo hot !”

Then yesterday she revealed, also via tweet, that Cinderella/Rapunxel was not only going to the ball but also werqing the ball: “I’ve Been invited to Perform for PRADA next week in NYC! Gonna b so lush !! Let’s see what new songs I debut there!#metball2012″

Both posts have since disappeared but a tweet’s not like a regrettable one-night stand you can pretend never happened. It’s more like the resulting venereal disease that will haunt you for the rest of your days.

Anyway, let’s all hope for pictures of Anna Wintour sweeping the floor with her ass as she, Grace Coddington and André Leon Talley shut down the dancefloor. [Styleite]

Bey and the Biebs will compete in that category with the legit luxe label lineup of Bottega Veneta, Tom Ford‘s “Violet Blonde“ and Prada‘s “Candy Eau de Parfum Spray.”

The finalists in the Luxe Men category are “Armani Code Sport,” “Gucci Guilty Pour Homme,” “John Varvatos USA,” “L’Homme Libre” by Yves Saint Laurent and my personal fragrance fave, “Un Jadrin Sur le Toit” by Hermès.

Nominees in the Media Campaign – Women category include Marc Jacobs “Daisy” — but surprisingly not the controversial “Oh Lola!” — “Burberry Body,” Chanel‘s “Coco Mademoiselle,” Dior‘s “J’adore” and interestingly, if that’s the word, “Wonderstruck Taylor Swift.”

Thierry Mugler‘s “A*Men” campaign featuring amputee track star Oscar Pistorius will compete against “Armani Code Sport,” “Gucci Guilty Pour Homme,” “CK One Shock for Him” and “Eau de Lacoste L.12.12″ for Media Campaign – Men.

Nominees joining last year’s inductee, Elizabeth Taylor‘s “White Diamonds,” in the Fragrance Hall of Fame, include Elizabeth Arden‘s “Red Door” and Hermès’ “24 Faubourg” in the women’s category and “Acqua di Gio,” “A*Men” and Issey Miyake‘s ”L’Eau d’Issey Pour Homme” in the men’s.

Winners will be announced at the always glitzy Fifi awards presentation on May 21 at Alice Tulley Hall. [WWD]

Link Love: Vogue UK

Tom Ford on personally test driving his beauty collection: "I put every single thing on -- I don't wear it down the street, but I want to see how it covers, how it works. When you put your name on something, you want people to know you believe in it." Tom Ford on his incredible shyness: "I'm the face of the brand. With Chanel, you feel that Karl Lagerfeld's personality has really melded with Coco's - but not everyone knows yet who I am, so that's why I'm in the pictures. I don't like having my picture taken but it helps people to respond. My real life's not like the fantasy Tom Ford world - with naked girls pouring perfume everywhere. It's more staying in and watching Friends on television." Tom Ford on why he eschews the runway: "The reason I present in a small controlled way is that so much of what makes my clothes special is the cut, the stitching, the lining -- things that would be lost on the catwalk. On the catwalk you have to exaggerate, almost."

Natalia Vodianova on dieting: "The only diet I have ever done is the blood type diet -- I have done it for five years now. The big contracts go to the girls who are healthy - they need to have a sparkle in their eyes and you can't fake that if you're unhealthy." Natalia Vodianova on negativity: "I think it's really important to say no in this industry actually, it's more important than saying yes. I believe it is very much about saying no, and fighting for what you think you deserve." Eva Herzigova on being a 90s super: "It's a different time now - [the supermodel phenomenon] was a trend," she said. "The woman was much more feminine then, and we took longer to build up our careers. Modelling is very much based on experience."

Jourdan Dunn on healthy body image: "I've learnt to accept my flaws - I hated being skinny and lanky growing up. I think I'm fine so I've decided that no one can tell me otherwise. OK I'm skinny -- what's next, let's move on!"

Diane von Furstenberg on independent women, part 1: "I was on an early flight one morning and I was the only woman on the plane. On the same day, I'd managed to make it onto the cover of the Wall Street Journal -- which I had bought for the journey. There was a man sitting next to me on the plane and he kept staring at my legs and nudging me in the way someone does when they want to talk to you, but don't know what to say. So instead, the first thing he said to me was: 'Why would a girl like you be reading Wall Street Journal?' I looked at him like 'you jerk'. I never said to him, 'look you idiot, I'm on the cover!' Of all the satisfactions I've ever had in my life, that was the biggest." Diane von Furstenberg on independent women, part 2: "I didn't know what I wanted to do, I just knew the sort of woman I wanted to be. I wanted to be independent, I wanted to have my own money and be able to stand on my own - not the type of woman that waits for a man to call."

Stella McCartney and Kate Hudson on Keith Richards: "We met at the VH1 Fashion Awards. I saw her -- she was so cool -- standing in this doorway with Keith Richards." - Kate "I always carry Keith Richards with me in my handbag so I look cool." - Stella Stella McCartney on counterfeiting: "Part of you thinks, 'that's really annoying - we worked really hard on that. But my CEO came in one day so happy and said: 'My mum just saw a fake Falabella Bag in Marbella!' I suppose it does show you've hit kind of a sweet spot if people are copying you. But with the Silhouette Dress and the Polkadot Dress last season, we did have to send a few little letters reminding people that maybe it's not a good idea."

David Bailey on Cecil Beaton: "I mean, I was always a big fan of Cecil - but he was the most terrible middle-class snob." David Bailey on feminism: "I had a terrible time with feminists in the Seventies. They hated me, those women. I think they hated everything."

Stefano Gabbana on Domenico Dolce: "We are in love. It's a different kind of love, but we love each other. It's a difficult word to explain, but there's no real difference in the way we work together. We have a better level of understanding and tolerance maybe since separating romantically. People are jealous of what we have: still being in love and being able to make something interesting - we are strong and that's disturbing to some people. Domenico is like my family - even though we're not a couple any more. I have a brother, a mother, and Domenico... it has been a 20-year love affair." Domenico Dolce on underage models: "People say: 'Models are so young, they're so skinny.' But Mr. Balenciaga used models at 16 and that will never change. People say they are skinny, but there is a difference between skinny and sick. If someone is sick, they're sick. It's not because of fashion. If I have flu, I have flu; it's not because I work in fashion." Stefano Gabbana on shuttering the D&G line: "When we decided to do it, the people [stockholders] called us, going crazy - but we need to do it. Chanel has one label; Gucci; Vuitton - why do we need D&G? The people call Dolce & Gabbana 'D&G' - it is the symbol for Dolce & Gabbana, there's no need for us to have two labels." Stefano Gabbana on Madonna: "We went to see her on the Blond Ambition tour, we were big fans. We were watching the show - she was wearing Jean Paul Gaultier then - and I said to Domenico: 'Imagine if one day she wore Dolce & Gabbana.' Then we picked up the paper and there she was, in one of our dresses...She's beautiful, she's mature, she's a mother - like Isabella Rossellini or Monica Bellucci. She's a real woman."

Rachel Zoe on one of her fave jobs-well-done: "Anne Hathaway at the Venice Film Festival 2008 was a really good one. She wore an Atelier Versace celadon green gown and she looked just like the quintessential movie star. Literally - I gasped for air." Rachel Zoe on avoiding wardrobe malfunctions: "One of the things I'm most militant about is proper undergarments. Dress transparency can be a real issue! I photograph my clients in their dresses from the front, from the back, from the side, inside, outside, under hot lights... it needs to be an outfit that looks good from all angles and where potential disasters are kept to a minimum."

- You know who knows how to properly celebrate 420? Rihanna. Aside from rolling a blunt on a bald man’s head — while in Chanel no less — she also puffs with the mightiest lungs in America, if not the world, Snoop Dogg himself. No wonder she ran out of fucks to give…she never had any to begin with. [Buzzfeed]

- Carine Roitfeld is showing no sign of slowing down this year after a whirlwind 2011. Aside from her new magazine, the Parisienne is hooking up with MAC to deliver a limited edition line of cosmetics, focusing, naturally, on the eye and the brow. [WWD]

- Turn your TVs on and turn the sound off for Bravo‘s The Untitled Male Model Project. Kinda surprised, and a little disappointed, it took Bravo this long to launch a reality show centered around male models but I’m assuming Andy Cohen had to do some rigorous “hands-on” research. [The Cut]

- Also hopping on the reality show bandwagon is designer/professional cartwheeler Betsey Johnson whose Style Network show Betsey + Lulu chronicles her relationship with her daughter as she tries to step out of her mother’s sequined shadow. [Racked]

- The Guess v Gucci trial has come to an end, with Guess’ lawyer, Daniel Petrocelli, making a convincing closing argument calling into question Gucci’s slow response to the defendant’s alleged trademark infringement. Judge Shira Scheindlin is expected to deliver her verdict in the coming months. [WWD, sub req'd]

- Tyra’s holding three pictures in her hands…and they’re all going the fuck home. Ms. Banks has not renewed the contracts for (read: fired) her America’s Next Top Model costars — stylist Jay Manuel, noted fashion photographer Nigel Barker and runway coach J. Alexander in favor of recruiting bloggers like Bryanboy. Meanwhile, burn that show to the ground and just bring back André Leon Talley to soft shoe over its ashes. [Page Six]

“It’s very random, spontaneous — put together over the course of a lifetime, travelling round the world, presents from friends. He wasn’t a specialised collector,” said Galliera director Olivier Saillard.

As he was greatly influenced by the 19th century, despite revolutionizing women’s fashion in the 20th, the exhibition brings together Balenciaga’s creations with some of the sources of his inspiration. To wit, Balenciaga’s sculptural couture confections are juxtaposed with their historical counterparts from 100 years earlier.

“He invented, at least in part, the vocabulary of 20th century fashion,” noted Saillard, “yet the paradox is he was very nourished by the epoch before.”

One cannot fully discuss Balenciaga without mention of his passion for Spanish religious dress and regional costume, which the exhibition duly explores with formal coats inspired by the vestments of cardinals and boleros and capes reminiscent of those worn by bullfighters on display.

Cristóbal Balenciaga: Collectionneur de modes opens today in Paris and will run through October 7, but if you can’t make it to the City of Lights by then, try to console yourself with this write-up of the Queen Sofia exhibit on Balenciaga that closed in February.

[AFP via US Fashion Mag]

The foundation will help support young art and fashion talent, a cause Blow, who took her own life in 2007, would no doubt celebrate. The late editor and muse is largely credited for discovering fellow iconoclast and suicide victim Alexander McQueen.

But onto the bright side of things. Guinness raided her closet and chose key pieces which best defined her distinctive style, featuring the likes of Chanel, Balenciaga, Lanvin, Prada, Christian Lacroix, Alaïa, Gareth Pugh, Christopher Kane and of course McQueen. The auction will take place on June 27 with a goal of earning £100,000 (about $160,000), but before then Christie’s will put the couture on public display on June 23.

Here, a few of the sumptuous threads that will go up on the auction block. [Vogue UK]

"This design was first viewed by Daphne in Alexander McQueen’s collection in 2008. After seeing it, Daphne asked Lee to create four dresses in this style, in different materials (one black, one black long sleeved, one feathered, and one silver). McQueen didn’t make the dress for his shop, it was a show piece. A favourite dress of Daphne’s, she has worn it to several high profile occasions and has been photographed with the likes of Mario Testino and David Furnish whilst wearing it." Alexander McQueen, bespoke 2008 - estimate: £15,000 - £20,000 (about $24,000 - $32,000)

"Daphne bought this dress in the Lanvin store in Paris and wore it that night for a friend’s birthday party." Lanvin, autumn/winter 2006-7 - estimate: £400 - £800 (about $640 - $1,280)

"Having heard about the wonderful new British talent that was Christopher Kane, Daphne visited his studio, saw this dress and immediately fell in love with it. It was one of the first things she bought from Christopher Kane." Christopher Kane, autumn/winter 2008-9 - estimate: £800 - £1,500 (about $1,280 - $2,400)

"This was the first piece of couture Daphne bought from Christian Lacroix. Having led to her meeting Lacroix’s muse, Marie Martinez, with whom she has since become great friends, it holds important memories for Daphne. Representing Lacroix’s Southern routes it is an iconic piece; the cow hide was typical of him, and the puff ball skirt is a very Spanish look which he often revisited." Christian Lacroix Couture, 1987 - estimate: £1,000 - £2,000 (about $1,600 - $3,200)

"Ordered from Noritaka directly, these shoes took around eight months to be made. Daphne loved them, not so much for their practicality, or lack thereof, but because she viewed them as pieces of sculpture, more as concept pieces for looking at – fashion as art." Noritaka Tatehana, autumn/winter 2010-11 - estimate: £1,500 - £2,500 (about $2,400 - $4,000)

However, don’t expect to see Mario Testino‘s work in the pages of CR. The duo worked together for decades on The Face and later for Vogue Paris, but since he’s contractually obligated to Vogue, Testino is a no no. But that doesn’t mean there’s any shortage of talent. For the first issue’s mock-up, Argentinian photographer Sebastian Faena captured a topless — this is Carine after all — Kati Nescher while Bruce Weber shot Patti Smith in all her Miss Havisham glory.

In addition to scouting new talent, Roitfeld is being more hands-on than ever before, taking meetings with advertisers like Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Cartier for the first time in her career. And according to her they were “very receptive and eager to participate.” Though carrying over 100 ad pages, ads in CR won’t look like other fashion mags since it will reportedly only carry spreads and have no front-of-book content — that will be reserved for the online component.

The fashion book will also only have longer-format articles, published in the writer’s original language — whatever that may be — with translations in the back. In her mock-up, Roitfeld had articles written in Arabic, Japanese and Russian, although CR itself is an English publication with offices located in The Standard hotel.

Carine insists that this new magazine of hers is in no way a form of revenge to her former bosses at Condé Nast, saying, “Vogue is a very beautiful magazine, an institution, and I learned so much working there. You can’t put yourself into competition with a magazine like Vogue; you have to create something new, something different.” She added, “It’s time to find something new, something fresh — for me and for the readers…I find that some people in fashion are so blasé. Fashion has to be fun”

Roitfeld will bring her trademark irreverence to styling photoshoots, which she admits “will always be edgy.” She’s trying to find new ways to push the envelope, not by being “safer” but rather just “different,” explaining, “Maybe it will be more mental than physical.”

CR Fashion Book‘s first issue will have 288 pages at a cover price of $9.95, with a publication of 50,000 copies, mostly in Europe but also including the U.S. and Asia.  And when Carine’s not busy working on that, she’ll have a host of other projects keeping her busy, such as styling campaigns for Max Mara and Chanel, musing for Givenchy‘s Riccardo Tisci and then there’s a full-length documentary on her slated for 2013 by Fabien Constant.

So I think it’s safe to say leaving French Vogue was the best thing to happen to Carine Roitfeld. [WWD]

Mock-up of CR's cover by Sebastian Faena

Patti Smith by Bruce Weber

Carine's Obsession

Another spread mock-up by Faena

Knightley discusses her two new films with David Cronenberg, who recently directed the 27-year-old in last year’s A Dangerous Method. First there’s June’s Seeking a Friend for the End of the World, co-starring fellow fashion plate Steve Carell, and an adaptation of Anna Karenina, in which she plays Tolstoy’s legendary literary heroine — out just in time for awards season in December.

Seriously, just throw that girl in a period piece and watch the Oscars fly.

Photos: Interview

- Gareth Pugh‘s costumes for the Royal Opera House production of the ballet Carbon Life — which also features music by Mark Ronson — and it’s safe to say this is not your traditional tutu. Which is perhaps the only safe thing about this. [Telegraph]

- While American Apparel is too salacious for the Brits, David Beckham is only “mildly sexual.” There may be a few million ladies who’d beg to differ. [Vogue UK]

- Karl Lagerfeld may have sent Adele a few “I’m sorry” Chanel handbags after calling her “a little too fat.” In other news, Karl Lagerfeld called me a “tawdry skank.” I’ll take my apology in couture. [The Cut]

- Tranny, get your gown! Disqualified and disgraced transgendered beauty queen Jenna Talackova may be allowed to compete in the Miss Universe Canada pageant after all. [Styleite]

- Unofficial sexiest man alive Ryan Gosling allegedly saved some crazy lady journalist with a pink wig — that somehow factors into the story — from getting hit by a taxi. [Celebitchy]

- The trailer for Whitney Houston‘s final film has hit the interwebs prompting the all-important question: where’s the goddamn posthumous Oscar? [MTV]

Illustrating this theme, the mag profiles three particular individuals at different stages of their career: “the Breakout” Joseph Altuzarra, “the Artiste” Georgina Chapman of Marchesa and “the Dreamer” Alber Elbaz.

Elbaz, known for being the most adorable of high fashion designers, is surprisingly candid in his interview and reveals there are claws behind that bowtie. To wit, my favorite quote: “I always say I cannot work with bitches; they block my creativity.” And I don’t think he’s talking about the dog variety.

Elbaz even discusses being looked over for the creative director position at Yves Saint Laurent, despite being handpicked by the late designer himself, for Tom Ford: “As I say to people, I was never just Alber from Saint Laurent, and I an not Alber from Lanvin.  I am Alber, period.  That’s why I might have been hurt, but I was not dead.  It didn’t kill me.”

The issue also features an interview with Giorgio Armani who reveals his dashed hopes of being Paul Newman, as well as a conversation with Karl Lagerfeld and Carine Roitfeld on Chanel‘s upcoming Little Black Jacket book that is predictably amazing:

CR: “The first Chanel jacket that I saw – that I knew was Chanel – was on TV.  It was on Mrs. Kennedy – the pink one.”
KL:  “In 1963.  It was a fake, a line-by-line copy by Cassini.  She did have real Chanels, [but] her sister ordered them.  We have all the proof.”

Only Karl Lagerfeld would have the balls to read Jackie O. Catch this and other fun fashion tidbits when Style.com/Print #2 comes out April 2.

- Anna Wintour, Sarah Jessica Parker, Uma Thurman and Yoko Ono are just some of the celebs to model Chanel‘s iconic jacket for the luxury brand’s recently launched e-exhibition site, thelittleblackjacket.chanel.com. [Fashionista]

- And speaking of which, Chanel hosted a little party to celebrate the launch of  The Little Black Jacket with none other than professional bad bitch Azealia Banks performing for a crowd of models and luminaries. Note Lindsey Wixson shutting it down/dropping it like it’s hot. [Styleite]

- Dolce & Gabbana, either bereft of a sense of humor or immune to a cheap pun, is suing a South African gift shop named Dolce & Banana. Seriously. [Racked]

- Tod’s founder Dorino Della Valle died today at the ripe old age of 87. [Fashionologie]

- Some movie critics found Jennifer Lawrence to be too well-fed to star in The Hunger Games. And Jennifer Lawrence found them to be complete assholes. [The Cut]

While in Tokyo for their Fashion Week, a journalist asked Herr Lagerfeld what he thought of the article and without missing a beat, the ponytailed one let loose the wrath of a thousand backhands:

“First of all, Tina Brown’s magazine is not doing well at all…She is dying. I’m sorry for Tina Brown, who was such a success at Vanity Fair, to go down with a shitty little paper like this. I’m sorry.”

This is not the first time Lagerfeld’s expressed his regret over Brown and Newsweek. During his much-ballyhooed guest editor stint at Metro, Uncle Karl also stated:

“I feel sorry for Tina Brown that her paper is really going down. It’s so skinny, it’s really what we call a ‘diet issue’ because it has no advertising and she certainly will not get advertising with this kind of article. I’ve never heard of this journalist [Robin Givhan] before, except for what she had written about Mrs. Obama, which made me already not like her — the journalist, not Mrs. Obama.”

And that is what we call shade. It’s highly unlikely that Karl Lagerfeld — always with his finger on the pulse of popular culture — has “never heard of” Robin Givhan, the first and only fashion journalist to win a Pulitzer Prize. In 2006, she was awarded the prestigious honor “for her witty, closely observed essays that transform fashion criticism into cultural criticism.”

One would think that after a thousand years or so, Lagerfeld would be used to criticism — even Pultizer Prize-winning criticism — though I guess once one gets to a certain point, one feels above reproach. But also after a certain point, and after a certain degree of success, everyone’s overrated. It’s what, to quote Blackglama, becomes a legend most.

Muse will be representing fragrance, skin care and makeup thanks in part to her “warmth,” as praised by both Aerin Lauder — the company’s style and image director — and Richard Ferretti — senior vice president and creative director. Muse’s ads are set to hit next year.

The 23-year-old catwalker found out about her newest gig near while in Paris, hoofing it for the likes of Chanel and Dior : “I walked into my hotel room and found an enormous bouquet of flowers from Lauder welcoming me to the brand. It was such a great way to finish fashion week.” [WWD, sub req'd]

Balenciaga Spanish Master Exhibit

Banana Republic

W Magazine

Calvin Klein

Chanel

Dolce & Gabbana

Fendi

Marc Jacobs Spring 2010

Nicki Minaj in W

Prada

Marc Jacobs Spring 2008

Marc Jacobs Fall 2007

Joaquín Sorolla and the Glory of Spanish Dress

T Magazine

Vogue Italia

Marc Jacobs Spring 2007

Marc Jacobs Spring 2009

DSquared

Fair ladies, embrace your Nordic tendencies that render you positively innocent when the makeup goes away. Use a pale pink that ebbs nude and a lengthening mascara. To get the Dolce & Gabbana look, mix a touch of their two

Purity Pink

What prevailed throughout all of Fashion Week culminated on the crystal cased Chanel runway with embroidered brows by the famed atelier de broderie, Lesage. If you don't have overgrown eyebrows, or just have fair hair, try like Pat McGrath did at Alexander Wang to give a boyish straight shape by brushing on dark eye shadow. You could also try an eyebrow palette with angled brushes. The

Raised Brows

Cold and angular eyes stared runways down to the chill of midnight.

Cool Night Eyes

Wing tips take flight again in both multiple lines like at Altuzarra, and with an electric blue shock like at Anna Sui. To get Pat McGrath's look for Anna Sui, you're going to use a liquid eyeliner and flick it up at the end. Draw the outline and fill it in using

Wingin' It

Like in Rick Owen's show "Offset the Scary", the brightest red will make a look iconic. Try a look-at-me lip of your own:

Bursting Red Lips

Burning in the fiery shadows of your lids is an orange or red taking up the whole space. You need to span big or else it runs the risk of looking like you've been crying. Not chic. And keep the rest of the face clean, obviously. Go big or go home in tears. Peter Phillips used several variations of orange at Dries Van Noten. From Make Up For Ever, he used no. 66, a mustard and no. 78, a rusty mandarin. Though those are both discontinued, you can try his third shadow,

Fiery Shadows

This look says power bitch in the sweetest way possible. How to get it: Spray the brush with hairspray and brush it back. DVF's hair stylist Orlando Pia used

Deep Sleek Side

Adding a dab of white to your cornea brightens the whole eye and makes them look bigger. Try some Sex to get the look. It's hot.

White Inner Eye

Hot mess dream trend! This look encourages us to fall asleep with our makeup on, roll outta bed and rock the refined raccoon eye. Marc Jacobs approves twice.

Smudged Down

Blackberries haven't gotten this much attention since iPhones hit Verizon. Unfortunately for the smartphone-makers, we're talking color. Perhaps it's the Rooney Mara effect, but oxblood-burgundy lips were everywhere. On the Gucci runway, Pat McGrath used

Vampy Lips

Miuccia Prada is ranked 139th among the world’s ten-figure ballers with an estimated worth of $6.8 billion, thanks in part to Prada’s IPO on the Hong Kong stock exchange last year. Meanwhile, Miuccia’s husband and business partner Patrizio Bertelli takes a backseat with a paltry $3.7 billion.

Giorgio Armani‘s $7.2 billion fortune brings him in at #127 on the list with $7.2 billion while Ralph Lauren ties with Chanel owners Alain and Gerard Wertheimer at #122 with an estimated worth $7.5 billion.

The designers are unique on the list as most billionaires in fashion are the muckety-muck of the companies that own the labels, such as PPR‘s François Pinault (#59, $13 billion); Unqilo‘s Tadashi Yanai (#88, $10 billion); H&M‘s Stefan Persson (#8, $26 billion); and LVMH‘s Bernard Arnault, who for the second year in a row is the richest man both in fashion and in Europe, as well as the fourth richest person in the world with a net worth of $41 billion.

And now that you’re all sufficiently depressed, I leave you to your dead-end jobs and enormous credit card debt. Thanks for playing. [Forbes]

- Apparently not harboring any hard feelings, the model who blogged about Marc Jacobs’ unfair compensation policies recently walked in the designer’s Louis Vuitton show. [The Cut]

- Come see the soft porn side of Sears. Retailer is classing it up with “Hung Like Daddy” shirts for toddlers. [Fashionista]

- A posthumous Aaliyah album may be in the works, thus rendering every female R&B star of the past ten years not named Beyoncé essentially useless. [Vibe]

- Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Robin Givhan was kicked out of her usual front row seat at Chanel for a scathing critique of Karl Lagerfeld. Well at least her seat went to a blogger, socialite or D-list celebrity — which could easily be the same person.[The Cut]

- Sara Blakely, the lady who invented Spanx, is a billionaire. Who knew there was gold in them cottage cheese thighs? [Huff Po]

Between Superman Lagerfeld's fixation on crystals and Giambatista Valli's kinked stripes, cubic patterns jump forth geometrically from Paris.

Cubism Movement

We've well worn the leggings under skirts look, now go for boot cut, center pressed trousers.

The Skirt's Trouser Snake

Lisbeth Salander got a tattoo that sent the whole fashion world into gothic leather. Not that Mugler and Gareth Pugh wouldn't have gotten their without her help.

Lisbethan Leather

The outlining trend has carried through Fall 2012, as its body shaping properties are out of this world. Rei Kawakubo, meanwhile, has taken the stroke density to an epic level.

Outline, Take Notes

Perhaps it was the staggering lack of snow this season that has led so many designers to dream of a white winter.

Next fall, you might take a side job as a street sweeper. Or hire someone to carry your jacket's train. Coats are hitting the ground and billowing out in a righteous way.

Angelina Jolie's leg bomber followed Fashion Week to Paris and continued deploying bare gam splits.

Time for a second job, or a sugar daddy, or for your million dollar idea to actualize; the hottest trend is having a personal porter/bellboy/man servent. How chic!

- Abercrombie & Fitch employees are apparently forced to do push-ups and squats as punishment, which seems excessive since breathing in that tonic water they call cologne on a daily basis is punishment enough. [Huff Po]

- Damn you, Demi Moore, do you know what you hath wrought? Jessica Simpson is the latest, but certainly not the last, starlet to jump on the exposed and expecting bandwagon, as she bares her belly for the April issue of Elle. [Elle]

- Five designers imagined the wedding dress of another preggers “celeb” “mom,” Snooki, and as you can imagine, it’s an exercise in pure class. [R29]

- Marc Jacobs, eat your heart out because Karl Lagerfeld‘s got the market cornered on underage models. Hudson Kroenig, the adorable offspring of male supermodel Brad Kroenig, walked the Chanel show after Uncle Karl literally came calling. [NYT]

- Speaking of Ms. Jacobs, his name was once again brought up for the Dior job courtesy of Miu Miu‘s front row gossip. Just let it go, kids. [Vogue UK]

Confirming a week-old rumor — ancient history in the age of the status update — that the designer cum photographer would return to the house that Saint Laurent built nearly twelve years after departing for Dior Homme, YSL today announced Slimane’s appointment as its new creative director.

Slimane’s return is described as an attempt by PPR to “ramp up” YSL’s development in order to compete with Chanel and Christian Dior.

As a Frenchman and someone industry insiders feel “understands YSL better than anyone else,” Slimane is expected to be received better than the long-beleaguered Stefano Pilati.  Saint Laurent, when he was still living, openly derided the designer while his business and life partner, Pierre Bergé refused to even acknowledge Pilati’s existence.

Despite his standing as the preeminent menswear designer of the past decade, this will be Slimane’s first foray into womenswear — aside from some feminine suiting he did for the likes of Nicole Kidman and Madonna. Slimane’s designs under YSL will debut with the house’s resort collection this June.

The extent of Slimane’s control over the brand is as yet unknown but famous for his exacting standards, there’s bound to be some upheaval in the coming months. [WWD, sub req'd]

1. Alexander Wang Sweatshop Controversy. Well, this pretty much came out of nowhere but when a young designer at a crucial moment in his career gets hit with as serious as an allegation as using sweatshops to produce his clothes, the ramifications could be enormous.

2. Shake-Ups at Jil Sander and Yves Saint Laurent.  Would it be a Paris Fashion Week without someone leaving somewhere under a cloud of suspicion? Stefano Pilati finally submitted to the frequent rumors of his demise with Hedi Slimane set to replace him, but what of poor Raf Simons, who's now unceremoniously on his keester after years of loyal service?

3. Christian Dior's ever-revolving door of candidates. Yeah, this is still happening, but with Bill Gaytten finally getting a handle on this creative director thing -- the Christian Dior Fall 2012 collection wasn't awful...it was actually rather pretty, if nothing revelatory, and you know how much it pains me to say that -- there might be no need for Maxime Simoens or Haider Ackermann or whoever's the designer dujour.

4. Kanye West returns. God bless his heart. Like any artist with a pair, Kanye West isn't letting the negative reviews of his last collection get to him and he's returning today with his second offering. No one ever said fashion was an easy game to get into and Ye's got a long road ahead of him, but we all gotta crawl before we can walk. Unless you're Jourdan Dunn who tweeted that Kanye's shoes for the show tonight were "sexy as fuck but you can't walk in them!" Oh, and fellow model Leomie Anderson said Mr. West "cussed" at a girl for not being able to walk in the precarious pumps. Of course, Anderson threw some shade behind West, tweeting "her walk isn't top notch in kitten heels." #shitmodelssay

On June 27, Christies will auction off 100 items from the personal collection of the heiress/fashion icon/spirit animal with proceeds going to Guinness’ newly-created Isabella Blow Foundation, a charity to help support young talent in art and fashion.

“We are delighted to be offering the fashion world this incredible one-off opportunity to buy some of the most iconic and cutting-edge haute couture of the early 21st Century, owned and worn by Daphne Guinness,” said Christie’s fashion director Pat Frost.”Not only will the auction comprise exceptional designs by the likes of McQueen,Chanel, Balenciaga and others, but it will also aptly benefit and shape the designers of the future. Christie’s is very proud to be able to play a part in helping Daphne to achieve her forward-looking and charitable aim.”

Guinness famously bought Blow’s wardrobe to prevent an auction by Christies and to preserve the iconic stylist’s unique aesthetic. And now, rather ironically, Guinness will sell off some of her own massive wardrobe to benefit the Blow Foundation. Before going on sale, however, the auction items will be on display from June 23 up to June 27 so if you can’t buy anything, at least you can covet from afar. [Vogue UK]

Jil Sander Fall 2012 (Raf Simons’ final collection)

Based solely on a delivery of flowers to the Dior atelier addressed to Ackermann, Vogue UK has started the ball rolling on another round of conjecture. While Karl Lagerfeld has made his intentions clear that he would like Ackermann to take over for him at Chanel once he dies retires, the same clearly cannot be said for Dior.

As for Simons, the mag reports that negotiations with Dior may have stalled — sound familiar? — and that Bill Gaytten‘s appointment may have been extended.

Gaytten is busy prepping the Christian Dior fall 2012 collection, but according to the Telegraph, his success at the luxury house — as well as his 17 years of loyalty — may not go unrecognized. Dior’s sales are booming so there may be no need to fix the formula if ain’t broke to begin with.

Either way, stay tuned…

- Speaking of which, Andrej Pejic is rumored to make his big screen debut. [Huff Po]

- Jennifer Lopez straps on a jock — though it looks more like a codpiece but then again J. Lo does have a huge set of balls — for the cover of V Magazine. [Fashionista]

- Taking a page from Chanel‘s much pricier playbook, Banana Republic took to the skies to show off its Mad Men-inspired collection. [The Cut]

- Good news: besties Beyoncé and Gwyneth Paltrow will star in a movie musical together. Bad news: Ryan Murphy is writing it. Good news: Andy Samberg and his Lonely Island cohorts are producing the music. This could be the best-worst-best movie ever. [Elle]

- Seems like someone liked Kanye West‘s debut collection, or at least part of it. Parisian boutique Colette has picked up his shoes, a collaboration with Giuseppe Zanotti. [Refinery29]

- Former Monkee and Daydream Believer Davy Jones died of a heart attack today at age 66. [Paper]

Photos: Image Amplified

Prince Pierre Casiraghi

At Double Seven, a club in the Meatpacking District — New York’s most elegant dumpster —  Monaco’s Prince Pierre Casiraghi, third in line to the throne and grandson of Grace Kelly, was poppin’ bottles with pals Diego Marroquin, noted Carine Roitfeld scion Vladimir Restoin-Roitfeld, Paris Hilton‘s ex-boyfriend Stavros Niarchos and his current girlfriend, model Jessica Hart.

In the other corner, Adam Hock  owner of the now-defunct Hawaiian Tropic Zone — okay, “man of the people” might have been a stretch –was livin’ it up with supermodels Anja Rubik and Natasha Poly, ordinary model Valentina Zelyaeva and Poly’s husband Peter Bakker at the table of Double Seven owner, Jeffrey Jah.

Accounts vary on who instigated the confrontation and why. In one version of the story, Casiraghi and co. were upset they weren’t seated at Jah’s table, presumably the best table in the house, and rolled up on team Hock. There they started getting all kinds of aggressive and even dared to drink from Hock’s $500 bottle of Grey Goose — I mean, people have died for less.

The Incredible Hock

Another version has it that Hock just hulked out for no reason and started throwing haymakers. Still another chalks it all up to everyone being too drunk and not knowing what the hell was going on.

What is clear, however, is that Prince Pierre Casiraghi got his shit seriously rocked. Hock knocked him across the room, broke his jaw, leaving him — as one witness puts it — “disfigured” — and sending him to the hospital. At one point, someone even tried to hit Hock with a bottle of vodka, but that just made Hock angry. Then he beat up the prince’s three friends before the models — god bless them — broke it up.

Of course that act of altruism didn’t stop Jessica Hart from reportedly screaming at Natasha Poly later on the street: “Your husband’s a loser! Fuck you!” But that’s neither here nor there.

After spending two days in jail and being charged with four counts of assault, Hock still claims that he’s the real victim here: “I acted 100% in self-defence. I felt I had to defend the honor of the women I was with,” he told the Daily News. A point that Jessica Hart openly — via Twitter — denies.

Hock for his part is playing the role well:

“I feel I was victimized by several drunk, entitled guys who felt they deserved the prime table with the most beautiful girls. They expected to be treated like the royalty they are. They didn’t get what they wanted, and it pissed them off.”

Perhaps a little too well:

“I am concerned these guys will make my life difficult. I imagine they are sitting with their parents strategizing how to destroy me. I am getting married in June. I want to start a family. I don’t want enemies like this.”

Well, you gotta point there, Hock. Carine Roitfeld can have Karl Lagerfeld on the phone in one second and from there it’s a slippery, Chanel-upholstered chute straight to hell.

The Incredible Hock

Click on each individual style below for more information and additional photos.

Boots by Jeffrey Campbell
Satchels by Aldo

Clockwise from top right:

This modern take on a classic tail coat gets dressed up in rich purple velvet with black satin lapels. Versus Velvet Jacket, $1,231

The roomy interior and shoulder strap make this bag as cute as it is functional. Aldo Cognac Satchel, $39.99

Flared Kelly green pants are perfectly festive as they are office appropriate. N° 21 Flared Trosuer, $777

Sky-high with a sweet, girly edge, this lace boot will at least make you look innocent. Jeffrey Campbell Lace Lita Platform Boots, $164

What better way to celebrate Mardi Gras than with gold flecks at your fingertips? Deborah Lippmann Shake Your Groove Thing Nail Lacquer, $18

You don’t have to flash anyone to snag these not-so-plastic celebratory beads. Chanel Vintage Beaded Necklace, $2,183 / K. Amato Vintage Inspired Beaded Necklace, $72

All together wild and glamorous, some animal print adds a golden touch to top off this festive outfit. Giambattista Valli Leopard-Print Cotton Peplum Top, $1,430

Photos: Oh La La

For even more nostalgic lovin', click on over to Americana Manhasset's website for the entire spring 2012 lookbook.

“It’s an incredible achievement and means that people are paying close attention to the brand [Dior] when it speaks,” said Alex Mendoza of Stylophane, a company that monitors crap figures like this. “They have an incredible brand and they are saying things that are bringing people back.”

Dior’s 12 posts during the month of January racked up around 13,000 likes each. Other luxury brands who are popular with the kids today include Chanel with an average 7,200 likes per post (lpp), social media juggernaut Burberry, which averaged about 6,800 lpp and The Art of Travel by Louis Vuitton, clocking in almost 4,400 lpp.

And for more in-depth info, take a gander at this handy dandy chart of the top 10 brands:

 [WWD]

- Andrej Pejic perfected his tuck to model a bikini on a rooftop in New York. All in a gay’s work. [Telegraph]

- Wet Hot American Summer 2. Happening. Get into it. [Huff Po]

- Is Barneys broke? The luxury retailer is having some fairly public money woes. Hey, the recession has hit us all in considerable ways. [WWD]

- Seems like I wasn’t the only one who had a rough night. But in all fairness, I didn’t get stuck in an elevator. But then again, I didn’t get to see Chaka Khan. You take the good with the bad, kids. [Racked]

- A history of the front row at fashion shows proves that celebrities have and will always take precedence. See Babs Streisand resigning Richard Avedon to the second row at Chanel in 1960. [The Cut]

- Calvin Klein, class of 1963 donated $2 million to FIT, the biggest donation from an alumnus in the school’s history. [WWD]

Commentary: "She looks like she's slithering out of her own skin...and for good reason."

Lose the jacket and you've got yourself a stunner. And I'm talking to you Jessica Chastain

Commentary: "I didn't realize the circus was in town. Tell me, how many clowns can she fit under that tent?"

Perhaps a little too heavy on the beading, but the stars will be out once the cameras start flashing.

Commentary: "Gone with the picnic table. Even Scarlett O'Hara couldn't pull this one off."

Simple and chic but the sheer skirt keeps this from waltzing into comatose couture.

Commentary: "She's going commando! Literally, she skydived onto the red carpet, then wrapped the parachute around her and marched into the show."

It was hard finding anything suitable for the Oscars on Gaultuier's runway, but this scoop-back ditty hit all the right notes.

Commentary: "Looks like she came to her senses a little too late and was only half successful in taking her dress off in the limo ride here."

Pretty much everyone and their mother wants Rooney Mara in Givenchy and this is the closest thing to perfection she'll get.

Commentary: "Tilda you look amazing! Anyone else might receive a public stoning."

When in doubt, always go the ethereal route.

Commentary: "Did a hurricane sweep through every retirement community in Boca Raton and land directly on her?"

Black is always a popular choice on any red carpet so a stunning pale yellow like this will surely have heads turning,

Commentary: "Little ho on the prairie."

All this look needs is a high chignon, a Judith Leiber clutch, and a pair of statement earrings OR a statement necklace...not both.

Commentary: "The dress is wearing her. And it wants off."

It don't get no more chic than this. Give me a two-tone and I'll give you a star.

Commentary: When did the ghost of J.Lo's career show up?"

Miss Havisham knocked a few back and now she's ready to party.

I hear you’ve been in the works with this Macy’s project for over a year. When you started, did you know that Karl Lagerfeld had signed on, and the great roster of talent they were gathering?

I knew that Karl was involved. I have to be honest, he was a big motivator for me. I’ve always been a fan of Giambattista Valli, and Karl Lagerfeld is like God.

Which of your strongest aesthetics did you apply to designing this collection?

Definitely the element of jersey. I’m known for this elegant ease and I think that’s what I wanted to convey. It’s not the same jersey we use for the collection, but it’s a beautiful modal and I think it’s so modern. It’s great that they’re able to make it accessible for so many people.

What are you most excited about for your show this Fashion Week?

I love the process. During fashion week, there’s a rhythm to it. Everything feels great, and then you feel the emotion that comes with it; the momentum picks up. You work with all these creative minds and it’s so great to see it all come together. We have a rack for the clothes with about five pieces on there. And it’s amazing how fast things happen as you get closer to the day. Before you know it, it’s 3 days before styling and that rack just fills up, 10 more pieces, 20 more pieces, 30 more pieces! I don’t know how it happens! But it just does. And then things get faster. We’re working there 24/7 and it feels like 2 hours have gone by. It’s Fashion Law. Something happens where time gets sped up, but everything speeds up, the amount of clothes that are produced, the energy level, the creativity and I love that rhythm.

- Taking two very different interpretations of ballin’,  Karl Lagerfeld showed Chanel’s fall 2012 haute couture show on a specially-built luxury airplane and Riccardo Tisci chose the oldest gymnasium in Paris for Givenchy.

- Tim Gunn hasn’t been laid in 29 years. Well, that explains the crusty demeanor…and his personality. [The Cut]

- Some attendees of Chanel’s Numéro Privés installation in Vegas – who were flown via private jet —   weren’t feeling classy enough, so they bee-lined it over to the AVN Adult Film Awards afterwards. [Page Six]

- Cynthia Nixon showed off her shorn scalp this morning on Live with Kelly! (that exclamation point is mandatory otherwise it would be a “?”). The actress formerly known as Miranda shaved her head for a new role on Broadway. [E!]

- Terry Richardson shot Kreayshawn for V Magazine and surprisingly she didn’t end up topless. [Refinery29]

- Gisele and Tom Brady‘s new $20 million dollar house has a bridge adjoining its two wings — which Gisele will hopefully use as a runway. [Fashionista]

- You could head over to Elle for Nicki Minaj‘sbeauty secrets or cut out the middle man and ask any drag queen. [Elle]

- Fashion’s Night Out, the night that refuses to die, will take place on September 6 this year. [Styleite]

- It pays to have a supermodel in the family. Karlie Kloss gifted her sisters and her mom with Chanel bags for their birthdays. [The Cut]

- If there was any doubt, President Obama is the smoothest world leader around. The commander in chief did a little rendition of Al Green‘s “Let’s Stay Together” — and I’m pretty sure Nancy Pelosi tossed her granny panties on stage immediately afterwards. This is how you win an election, kids.

Hers curated by: Samantha Lim
His curated by: McArthur Joseph