“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]

- With New York Fashion Week only a month away — cue panic attack — the CFDA wants to make sure you’re not freebasing Sugarfree Red Bulls and replacing the sugar in your coffee with cocaine by hosting a panel dedicated to living healthy. If I wanted to live healthy during fashion week I’d just sleep through it. [The Cut]

- Time to tune into TRL and vote for your favorite videos of the day! Oh, wait, it’s not 1998. But it certainly feels like it now that 90s R&B divas Brandy and Monica are reuniting to sing-argue who the boy really belongs to for their new duet, “Turn the Lights On.” I just hope the video involves a split-screen and a tube-top turtleneck. [Buzzfeed]

- Kim Kardashian wished Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge née Kate Middleton a happy birthday the only way she knew how: with a convenient product placement. Meanwhile, if the Duchess is ever caught dead in a Shoedazzle heel, all the style points she earned with that McQueen wedding gown will go right out the window. [Huff Po]

-  Models just can’t keep it in their pants these days. Molly Sims is the latest catwalker to get knocked up. [Modelinia]

- Barbie may be making some questionable choices as of late, but the pint-sized fashion plate has never looked so badass, thanks to these amazing printable hair extensions. Now if they just came out with these in human size. [Refinery29]

- PETA strikes again. The most annoying people in the world have now taken issue with Oscar de la Renta’s Beats by Dre headphones, imploring beatsmith Dr. Dre to use his “tremendous amount of influence on young people…to advocate kindness toward animals by pledging never to design with real fur and exotic skins.” The good doctor, unsurprisingly, has not responded. [Huff Po]

- In the age of viral this and social media that, why let something as petty as death interfere with your internet life? Now you don’t have to, thanks to a new app that ensures your last words will be disseminated to all your Facebook friends, in the event of your untimely passing. But more importantly, can you poke some one from beyond… [Refinery29]

Though only 17% of men actually use body spray — most often in lieu of actually showering — Axe is by far the most popular choice, with a 74% share of the market; the majority of men prefer after shave (65%) or cologne (62%). On the other hand, 47% of women use body spray as compared to body lotion (59%), eau de parfum (43%) and eau de toilette (34%), so I guess it makes scents (*rimshot*) for Axe to target the fairer sex. However, can Axe appeal to women as it has so successfully appealed to men since 2002?

In the advertising campaign for Anachy, Axe attempts to level the playing field. As David Kolbusz, creative director of London-based ad agency Bartle Bogle Hegarty explains: “Before, an Axe commercial was always about a guy spraying himself and a girl being attracted, and Axe giving him an edge in the mating game, whereas now women also have something to spray on themselves, and consequently there’s more of an equilibrium between the sexes.”

Meanwhile, welcome to the 20th century, Axe.

As part of this new advertising strategy, there’s also more of an equilibrium between “the sexy.” According to Kolbusz, “Girls in Axe advertising will always be a little better-looking than the guys” but in the Anarchy ads the attractive gap is tightened “without the average guy feeling threatened.”

The latest commercial:

Axe is also introducing an interactive graphic novel through its Facebook where users can suggest plot twists and even be drawn into the action:

Marketing aside, the real question remains, will a girl really want to wear a scent traditionally associate with Guidos and pedos? That, of course, depends on what Anarchy smells like — thus Anarchy “for her”  is only being offered in a limited edition, with the possibility of permanence depending on sales.

However, sales among women might not be Axe’s biggest concern. David Vinjamuri, an adjunct professor of marketing at New York University made this astute observation:“The moment you start talking to girls, you lose credibility with teenage boys.” It’s nice to know that advertising is just like puberty…only more awkward. [NYT]

Chief creative officer Christopher Bailey and co. fired off a series of “Thank-yous” after hitting the milestone, which served as yet another technical triumph for the iconic label. In October, Burberry was ranked as the most digitally-competent brand with the highest digital IQ in an index created by NYU’s think tank, L2 Luxury Lab. And while there are other fashion brands with more Facebook friends — Victoria’s Secret has over 16 million and Converse over 21 million — they’re not trying to sell you a $1400 bag anytime soon. [Vogue UK]

If you haven’t browsed the men’s and women’s offerings on SSENSE.com lately, you’re missing some of the coolest designer fashion and accessories to come from the Canadian retailer yet. Whether your vice is Givenchy dresses, spiked Fallon accessories or sky-high Jeffrey Campbell boots, SSENSE is the place to go when you’re looking to do some serious shopping. Whatever you’re looking to buy, you can always count on SSENSE to have the chicest offerings online.

How can you win $500 worth of merchandise from SSENSE.com?

1. Head over to the SSENSE Facebook page, “Like” it

2. In the comments below, show us what you would buy from their site and why you want it. Be sure to include a link to the product!

The best comment & most stylish buy wins! Good luck and happy shopping.

In a week, I told myself, Lady Gaga’s vintage Versace studs…will be history. If that. “Never be afraid to dream,” she tweeted to her followers, but I had already unfollowed, like a skiff breaking from its moorings. Goodbye!

Now Gaga returns the favor in her latest column for V Magazine.

Let’s talk about…reading

“In the age of the Internet, when collections and performances are so accessible to the public and anyone can post a review on Facebook or Twitter, shouldn’t columnists and reviewers, such as Cathy Horyn, employ a more modern and forward approach to criticism, one that separates them from the average individual at home on their laptop?” Gaga muses.

The Lady then goes on to refer to Tavi Gevinson and her “prodigious and well-written blog”as the future of journalism, at which point I threw up in my mouth. But she makes an interesting point, particularly with Fashion Week literally around the corner and bloggers the world over preparing to descend on New York en masse.

Every one has an opinion and can freely express it, so — Gaga wonders — “Why have we decided that one person’s opinion matters more than anyone else’s?”

Well, simply because not every opinion matters. Do I care what some 15-year old blogger in granny socks has to say about anything? Of course not. Does Cathy Horyn care what I have to say about anything? Of course not. And does Gaga care that Cathy Horyn unfollowed her on Twitter? Maybe.

But opinions are subjective. I value Cathy Horyn’s opinions, not because she’s a curmudgeon and hates everything/everyone — though that certainly helps — but because she’s a great journalist who’s not afraid to say what she believes in. And to then back it up.

At the end of the day, some opinions are valued more than others simply because when there are too many opinions, the subject being opined upon gets diluted. Rather, it becomes more important who’s giving the opinion than what the opinion is being given about.

Anyhoo, you can read the latest “From the Desk of Lady Gaga” when its posted on vmagazine.com today or when the issue hits newsstands September 8th. [WWD]

All you have to do is LIKE the Florsheim by Duckie Brown Facebook page and then LIKE my picture submission.

The image with the most LIKES wins. A win for me is a win for Indie everywhere.

If you must have an incentive everyone who likes this post AND my image will get a mini prize. If I win one person will get a mega prize.

What are you waiting for? Get to LIKING!

Please & Thanks.

Ogilvy & Mather and Cool Hunting created 30 short videos, each 20 to 90 seconds long, profiling members of the Gap 1969 denim studio in Los Angeles, as well as going behind the scenes of the design and manufacturing process.

“Increasingly, people want to know the stories behind the products — who’s designing it, where it comes from,” said Seth Farbman, Gap’s global chief marketing officer. “We recognize that we have to be more open. We had not done enough storytelling about what was new and different at the Gap.”

The videos debut this week at Cool Hunting and Refinery29 followed by sponsored content next week on DailyCandy, FabSugar, Hulu, Pandora and Gap’s Facebook page among other sites.

The print ads will star “real-ish” [read: a half-inch short of model] people in Gap 1969 pants and will run in the September issues of seemingly every mag including Vogue, Elle, Glamour, Nylon, Details, GQ, Rolling Stone, Marie Claire and ESPN. [WWD]

As you can see, I’m clearly enjoying this record using my portable and invisible record player. It’s the future, get into it.

So now that “Strangelove” is available on iTunes as a bonus track on Friendly Fire’s new album Pala, Gucci wants to celebrate by giving away these limited edition vinyls to the lucky winners of a Gucci Guilty competition this summer. For details on how to win and to enter the contest, head on over to Gucci Guilty’s Facebook page.

You too can be charged with the criminally-attractive faces of Evan Rachel Wood and Chris Evans emblazoned on wax in their uncomfortably close and compromising position. I can tell you right now, someone’s taking a ride downtown.

First there’s the Newsweek cover, which becomes all the more terrifying the more you look at it. At first glance I thought, “Oh, that’s nice…” then I noticed how badly Photoshopped it is and that Diana has apparently been digitally aged to represent her 50 years. And then some.

Even more disturbing is Diana’s expression which seems to say “This is a really bad idea but I had no say in it and I am completely embarrassed to be dug up and put in what looks like an off-the-rack number from Sears.”

But now the article. Brown interviewed some 250 people for The Diana Chronicles so she knows a thing or two about the Lady Spencer. At 50, Brown asserts, Diana would — like her mother, “a handsome woman to the very end” — still be “great-looking” albeit “there is no doubt she would have kept her chin taut with strategic Botox shots and her bare arms buff from the gym.”

She would be friends with Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, dress like Michelle Obama, be jealous of Queen Rania of Jordan and sleep around with a lot of really rich dudes. That Dodi al-Fayed character, Brown conjectures, would be tossed to the wayside for his “hopeless unreliability.”

As for  her son William‘s new bride, Kate Middleton, Diana “would have had to adjust to a broadening of the limelight.” Brown cites a particular moment when Diana’s handsome mother, Frances Shand Kydd, “suddenly burst out” before her daughter’s marriage: “I have good long legs, like my daughter!”

Brown, no doubt sensing an unrelenting bitchiness in tone, goes on to highlight the Princess’ charity work and reasons that “in the world disasters of the last few years—9/11, the tsunamis, the Pakistan earthquake, Hurricane Katrina…Diana would have been first at the scene in a hard hat with a camera crew (and, by now, 10 million followers on Twitter).”

Newsweek seems particularly obsessed with Diana’s social media presence having doctored up these two gems:

That’s right, there’s an entire fake Facebook page — a Fauxbook, if you will — revealing that Diana would love her some Ramona Singer and Sue Sylvester. She’d also put aside that whole Charles and Camilla business. Not only would Parker-Bowles fictionally be her FBook friend but Prince Charles, as Brown believes, would be “her best male friend in later years.”

Reaction to the article has been divisive to say the least. The word tacky has been bandied about and many of the article’s 130 (and counting) comments use “tasteless,”  “offensive,” “inappropriate,” “disgusting” and “poor taste”; and at least one commenter was prompted to cancel her subscription.

I guess that’s what you get for disgracing a beloved celebrity’s image with a poorly-conceived and shoddily-executed publicity gimmick disguised as a tribute. Who knew?

What do you think of Newsweek‘s portrait of Diana at 50? [Newsweek]

barr & barr‘s line of luxury handbags has been on the market since 2000 and used in the wardrobes of iconic shows like Sex and the City and Will & Grace. You can expect the best from barr & barr, as only the finest materials and careful, by-hand craftsmanship will do for owner and designer Helen Barr.

How can you win this beautiful, timeless bag? Head over to Facebook, LIKE barr & barr‘s page and leave a comment telling us what essentials you would carry in your fab new handbag. Hurry, this giveaway will only be up for one week. Good luck!

We have scoured the web for the best, cheapest and easiest ways to get your fashion business rolling, and TabJuice is by far one of the top tools out there. If you have your own fashion start-up or have dreams of owning your own online store, at only $19.99 per month, this is a great way to get started. Visit www.TabJuice.com for more information and a free 21-day trial. Remarkable companies like Designer Social and Jedidiah Clothing are already using this innovative way of connecting shopping and social media, so why shouldn’t you?

Don’t forget to visit TabJuice.com for more information and a free 21-day trial!

1. Madonna – Blond Ambition Tour (1990)

Always lauded, and at times harshly criticized, for her chameleon-like reinventions, she is nevertheless the artist who most brilliantly illustrates — and has done the most to encourage — the symbiotic relationship between music and fashion. Madge reached her sartorial high point during her wildly successful Blond Ambition Tour, featuring costumes by Jean Paul Gaultier who designed the now legendary cone bra.

2. Michael Jackson – “Beat It” music video (1983)

Perhaps the most iconic single article of clothing in pop music history, MJ’s red leather jacket was a cultural watershed moment because it became almost synonymous with Thriller, i.e. the biggest album of all time. The ankle-baring trousers — a nod to Fred Astaire – white socks and black shoes were also trademarks of the 80s and still loom large over the singer’s incredible legacy.

3. The Beatles - The  Ed Sullivan Show (1964)

When the Beatles invaded America, they brought along with them enduring and generation-defining trends such as the Beatle boot, collarless suits and the mop top — not to mention hysteria the likes of which Justin Bieber could only dream.

4. David Bowie – Ziggy Stardust Tour (1973-74)

Without Ziggy, Elton John would never have discovered his love of feathered headdresses, LaBelle wouldn’t have strutted around New Orleans in their silver lamé and simply put, there would be no Lady Gaga. A high-concept album with a high-concept look, David Bowie introduced androgyny to the pop culture masses, and decades later his seminal faux rocker is still a fashion favorite.

5. Diana Ross and the Supremes – “Come See About Me” on The Ed Sullivan Show (1964)

Three black girls from Detroit became the epitome of style, grace, beauty and glamor in the midst of social upheaval and racial injustice. Oprah said it best (as she does with everything): it was life-changing.

6. Ramones – Ramones (1976)

While the Beatles inspired bands to dress up, the Ramones’ relaxed, almost comalike coolness influenced other bands to keep it simple — years later their pared down style still feels like quintessential New York. Especially with all the hipsters dragging their Converses, skinny jeans and leather jackets around.

7. George Michael – “Freedom! ’90″ video (1990)

George Michael’s identity crisis led to the zenith of the supermodel explosion. Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista, Christy Turlington and Tatjana Patitz took the place of the singer — reluctant to appear in his own video — and  lip-synched their way to iconic status in the clip directed by future friend of Facebook, David Fincher.

8. Nirvana -  “Smells Like Teen Spirit” music video (1991)

Marc Jacobs‘ landmark Grunge collection for Perry Ellis in 1992 may have led to his dismissal, but it also cemented the enormous cultural impact Kurt Cobain and Nirvana had inadvertently etched out for themselves thanks to the success of “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” Till this day the sight of plaid inspires those famous first notes and the image of zombie cheerleaders dancing through my head.

9. Run-D.M.C. – “My Adidas” (1986)

Hip hop has long been obsessed with fashion and material goods, but we wouldn’t have Kanye “The Louis Vuitton Don” West rapping about haute couture if we didn’t have Run D.M.C. extolling the virtues of their shell tops.

10. Lady Gaga – “Bad Romance” music video (2010)

Gaga went from popstar to phenomenon on the heels of her Alexander McQueen armadillo shoes. The video stands as an homage not only to McQueen and his legacy, but to the woman most responsible for Gaga’s amazing aptitude for reinvention: Madonna. And she’s been paying homage ever since.

Gaga took to Facebook last night to tell all her Monsters what Fashion of His Love is truly about.

One of the more literal lyrics include: “I’m physically crafted to be as fitting as McQueen.” The song proves to be a little more than another electro pop love anthem,

If you live in L.A. and want a chance to win two free tickets to Billabong’s “Design For Humanity,” all you need to do is “Like” the event on Facebook and comment @billabongusa on Twitter. Tell them why you want the tickets to support this amazing cause. Good luck and may the best tweet win! You can read more about the event here.

Lady Gaga earned $90 million over the last year, which is pocket change compared to O’s $290 million, but the deciding factor was the Lady’s social media presence.

With 32 million Facebook friends, 10 million Twitter followers and 1 million digital downloads of “Born This Way” in 5 days, it’s Gaga’s world and we’re all just living in it.

She had better watch out, however, as Justin Bieber is nipping at her tranny heels. The 17-year-old pop punk netted $53 million last year and dances his way to a debut on the list at the #3 position.

Rounding out the Top 10 are Broadway babies U2, Elton John, professional philanderer Tiger Woods, “musician” Taylor Swift, Bon Jovi, loveable curmudgeon Simon Cowell and baller/shotcaller LeBron James, thus proving that someone actually still cares about U2, Elton John and Bon Jovi.

Meanwhile, on the fashion front, only 3 models made the list: Gisele (#60), Heidi Klum (#83) and Kate Moss ($94).

Though this list is kind of arbitrary — earnings are based on pre-tax income and don’t include management/agent fees — one cannot deny the global phenomenon that is Lady Gaga. Born This Way drops this Monday and is poised to be the biggest album of the year — so who’s already bootlegged it? [Forbes]

Swedish giant Alexander Skarsgård who plays 1000 year old vampire Eric Northman

Aussie hottie Ryan Kwanten, Sookie (Anna Paquin)’s older brother Jason Stackhouse

The absolutely gorgeous Mechad Brooks, Tara (Rutina Wesley)’s slain boyfriend Eggs

And last but certainly not least, Joe Manganiello, the sexiest werewolf  this side of Transylvania, Alcide Herveaux.

I can’t wait to be reunited with the zany, kooky and in-bred folk of Bon Temps, Louisiana for another season of vampire hi-jinks, random mysticism and more gratuitous flesh than you can shake any kind of stick at.

And if you’re craving more of a Blood-y good time, head on over to our Facebook page for more pics!

You won’t find traditional workout equipment at Amplitude; there is nary a weight nor a bench on the 2nd floor of 261 East 78th St. What you will find are several Vibraflex vibration platforms…which, by the by are just as fun as they sound.

Have you ever seen those old-school machines with the belt that jiggles the fat off of you, or something to that end? Well, these vibration platforms are like that but a whole lot more effective and less likely to give you a seizure.

By creating thousands of muscle contractions in a matter of minutes, vibration training uses 90% of the muscle as opposed to traditional resistance training’s 40-50%. So with just 10-15 minutes, 3-times a week, you can see results in as little as 2 weeks.

I broke more of a sweat running (late per usual) to Amplitude last week than performing the actual exercises while there. Co-owner David Newman walked me through the basics and though it was only a few minutes — six at tops — it was a considerable workout.

Plus, among the many benefits of vibration training is improved bone density, which is great for me since I acquire most of my daily nutrition from Jack Daniels and Jose Cuervo thus ensuring my bones have the density of aged balsa wood.

Anyhoo, after the Vibraflex training, the real fun began.

I’ve always been fond of defying gravity, both as a showtune sung by the incomparable Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth (though I’ll take Lea Michele in a pinch) and also just a concept — I mean, who doesn’t want to know what it feels like to fly? Enter the Anti-Gravity Treadmill.

Though not necessarily flying, the Anti-Gravity Treadmill allows you to run as an astronaut would, reducing your weight by as much as 80%. And the best part is you don’t even need a space suit. Even better, you get to wear these cool Gareth Pugh-esque pants that zips you into the treadmill.

In ten minutes I burned what it would’ve taken me 15-20 minutes on the elliptical with the same if not less impact on my joints. All in all, exercising at Amplitude was fun, easy and effective, and what’s even better it’s an interesting experience. There’s nothing like running at 65% of your body weight in a pair of rubber pants while knowing you’re actually getting a real workout.

To try the vibratory wave of the future, you can go online or call 646.692.9317 to schedule an appointment at Amplitude Vibration Studio.

But oh, what’s this?

A free month’s pass that may have your name on it?! All you gotta do is Tweet and Facebook Share this post and you can win! Just imagine anti-gravity running and vibrating your way to a healthier you. You’ll never want to look at another elliptical or treadmill again.

I had the honor of meeting Stella McCartney before the event really started – the Liv of the party hadn’t arrived yet. Determined to talk to her, I persisted past the determinedly protective security PR and introduced myself. Nerves almost got the better of me as I toldher that while I’m a Fashion Editor, I’m also a designer and born Beatles fan. Her smile proved she is a kind, beautiful soul. Conversation ebbed into how when she first began, there was much hoopla surrounding her choice to be completely animal and eco friendly. It was such a bizarre choice 10 years ago. Now, designers are faced with the issue of how to make eco-friendliness a non-issue by just making it an innate part of the process and letting the clothing speak for itself.  After a minute’s time talking on sustainability with Stella McCartney, she got whisked away to retrieve Liv Tyler. Don’t fret – that was not the last she saw of me.

I thus busied myself with the touch of her squeezably soft wools, the gold wovens, and the cucumber cocktails until their return.

I eventually caught up with Liv Tyler and chatted up what we’re feeling in fashion right now, and of course about Stella. By the way, she is even more elegantly stunning in person than in any pictures or movies.

What trends are you loving this season?

“I would say I’m very not hip to knowing what’s in because I only follow my heart, what I like. I don’t keep up with [magazines]. I read magazines when I can, and I see pieces when I walk by them in a store. I have more of a specific eye when it comes to [shopping]. Like, I could come to this place and in about 4 minutes I could say exactly what I want and how I would put it together.”

What is your heart saying for fashion right now, within yourself?

“I’m really happy to be in this [Stella McCartney] dress. I feel like a fem-bot. Everything’s in place.  I’m really happy in it right now. Too bad I can only wear it once because I had my picture taken in it about 300 times.”

I think we all feel that way with Facebook. That’s why I like separates.

“I love separates. I live in Wolford tights and Lanvin flats. And then whatever else I can come up with. I really love shorts and rompers, but with tights. Little skirts and blouses and t-shirts. I definitely like separates right now.”

How much Stella do you think you have in your closet?

“Not a crazy amount, but the pieces last forever. They don’t go away. I have a couple of jackets that I’ve had for 6 years. I have a suit from when she was at Chloé. They’re so well made and so chic and powerful that they transcend trends… I always feel like it’s the grownup in me. I have all these different sections of my closet. The one section where most of my Stella things are, is for when I have a meeting, or when I want to feel like a woman.”

Now there’s no way I would have left without saying so long to Stella. And I wanted to get a quote for my all my Indies. At the end of a press line longer than the train on André Leon Talley‘s Met Gala gown, I squeezed in, nearly glamouring the PR that just kicked three girls off the line ahead of me, and got to ask one question. Here goes:

I was just writing today about how important the oversized blazer is.

“Oh, cool!”

I wanted to know how you came up with it. What’s your reasoning behind it?

“I guess I’m always borrowing my boyfriend’s jackets, and it’s… my husband, sorry! It just gives a bit more attitude.”

So maybe I made her a little tongue tied, too? Regardless, Stella McCartney is a graceful and talented woman who has not only come from great legacy, but is creating her own.

A spoof on he overly branded Marc by Marc Jacobs line, Tone added the Mark by Mark Zuckerberg logo to tote bags and t-shirts in addition to advertising elastic waist jeans and bathrobes as perfect for the office. You can snag your very own merchandise and get fashion advice for men on the website.

Winner: “I wish I knew how to turn this darn thing on!” – Sarah McAdams

Second Place: “….What Would Bowie Do?” – Stace ShyArts Psyhk

Honorable Effort: “iii GO HARDCORE..but in style.” – Manda Goldberg

See all our entry’s HERE.

**Stay tuned for another Model Thought Bubble contest soon!

- Karl Lagerfeld responded in his typical thoughtful and sensitive manner when asked about Christophe Decarnin‘s departure from Balmain: ”Forget about it! This was a job done by a fashion editor. I don’t even know the name of the man who did it, so don’t ask me about that.” [Fashionologie]

- Britney Spears caused a minor riot when she made a surprise appearance at raptress Nicki Minaj‘s after party this weekend, causing six fans to reportedly hyperventilate and pass out from exhaustion dehydration excitement. The two femme fatales will tour this summer and recently collaborated on a remix of  future Song of the Summer,”Till the World Ends” with dumpster diver cum popstar Ke$ha. [MTV]

- 18-year-old Scots Guard Cameron Reilly should have been more guarded over his Facebook. The palace guard has been banned from the wedding march after lashing out online against Kate Middleton, calling her a “stupid, stuck up cow,” a “posh bitch” and asking who “gives a fuck about her?” after the future Princess apparently slighted him. Aww, someone’s got a crush! And someone needs to be put on 24-hour surveillance! [Daily Mail]

- Though she claims she never thought much about pursuing acting, after being tapped to host the ck one -sponsored MTV Push event, Lara Stone says she would “definitely be a Bond girl if they asked me. For sure — I would make a great evil Bond girl!” Now casting, Chesty Von Gaptooth for the next 007 flick. [WWD]

- Sir Elton John has confirmed that Lady Gaga is indeed the godmother to his newborn son Zachary, thus ensuring the gayest kid this side of Chaz Bono. [Daily Mail]

Head over to our Facebook page and caption THIS POST. The best entry will be featured on Fashion Indie’s homepage tomorrow!

[Freja Beha Erichsen in Vogue Paris shot by Inez & Vinoodh.]

- Australian retailers are now charging shoppers as much as $50 to try on clothes in an effort to cut back on people buying discounted fashions online after perfecting the fit in-store. The fee is refundable, however, should patrons decide to buy the article of clothing. Personally, I never try on clothes, mostly because I’m lazy. If I get home and something is too big I’ll call it “oversized” and if it’s too small, I call it an “aspirational piece.” I also love finding reasons to not eat, which I call “going on a diet.” [Daily Mail]

- Riccardo Tisci is still the front-runner to replace John Galliano at Dior, but his name is being bandied about with the likes of Olivier Theyskens, Tom Ford, Hedi Slimane, Nicolas Ghesquière, Alber Elbaz, Sarah Burton, Haider Ackermann and Prabal Gurung. Tisci has reportedly already sketched out his vision for the brand and has a supporter in Delphine Arnault, Bernard’s daughter and Dior’s deputy managing director. However, Bernard Arnault‘s eyeing the Royal Wedding, hoping to align Dior with the young couple; so if Burton catches Kate Middleton‘s sartorial bouquet she could be next on the list. The atelier is nevertheless hard at work on their upcoming cruise collection and a couture collection for July. [WWD]

To enter the contest  LIKE  Hawke & Co on Facebook and  tell them what you’re listening to on your iPod right now to win the Cobre jacket. The jacket comes in Black, Grey and White and the winner can choose which color they prefer. Some features of the jacket are that it’s lightweight with a roll-up hood and profunctional – water resistant, blocks wind (has HK Wind Guard) and long lasting. It also retails for $150 and hits stores later this month which means the winner will be one of the first to own this jacket.

Good luck and make sure to LIKE Hawke & Co.

Head over to our Facebook page and caption THIS POST. The best entry will be featured on Fashion Indie’s homepage tomorrow!

Over breakfast in his store on Madison Avenue, Oscar de la Renta himself introduced us to Esprit d’Oscar, and told us a bit about its creation.

He has garnered a prestigious team of motivated modern women, including his daughter, who helped him to create this fragrance that allows his original scent to transcend time and evolve.

“Today we are dealing with a very different consumer since the time I’ve been working in fashion. Never ever in the history of time has a woman been so in control of her destiny as she is today. And a woman knows exactly what she wants. There has never been a better time for a woman to fulfill her aspirations.”

The design of the bottle stemmed from his first encounters with fragrance making, and is very sentimental for him. It also contains a floral shape like the original Oscar bottle.

“The cap is a flower, not a specific flower, but the image of a flower with a dewdrop. When I was little I didn’t know how perfumes were made. How does one extract the smell from a flower? Well getting up in the morning and looking at the dewdrops, I thought that perhaps if you could collect the dewdrops from the flowers, you could make perfume.”

Expect nothing less than pure elegance. It is crisp, with a hint of citrus that lingers over essences of clean linen and jasmine.

As Oscar de la Renta took my hand and inhaled the scent of his own fragrance on my skin, my body turned to mush, and I realized once again that he is the most elegant man on the planet.

Head over to our Facebook page and caption THIS POST. The best entry will be featured on Fashion Indie’s homepage tomorrow!

Winner: “Flowers, flowers, flowers. I’ve got flowers on the brain.” – Sarah McAdams

Second Place: “Those roses are heavy, hope they don’t fall off!” – Stacey Joosten

Honorable Effort: “Why have one flower, when i can have them all. Why have one love, when many can love me more.” – Maria Cestone

See all the entries on Fashion Indie’s Facebook Page.

**Stay tuned for another Model Thought Bubble contest soon!

Check out the top 5 posers and vote for your favorite on Facebook! The winner gets a spread in Italian Vogue, a $100,000 contract with IMG and a medallion made of Swarovski crystals and various semi-precious metals with “Baddest Bitch” engraved on it.*

*Or something along those lines.

Head over to our Facebook page and caption THIS POST. The best entry will be featured on Fashion Indie’s homepage tomorrow!

Head over to our Facebook page and caption THIS POST. The best entry will be featured on Fashion Indie’s homepage tomorrow!

Just by liking us, you’ll have the chance to win your choice of either Natori’s Silk Body Creme, UNLTD. by Marc Ecko Cologne or Guess Seductive Perfume. Because we care about your personal hygiene.

And to show there are no hard feelings, we’ll give a free CD copy of Fashion Indie Mixtape Vol. 2 to our 9,999th and 10,001st friends too. Because we care about your booty-shaking.

Macy’s chose 8 lucky contestants out of 19,000 applicants to be made over by Clinton now the responsibility is solely in your hands. Each contestant has a video on Macy’s Facebook page and you can vote for your favorite to send them onto the next round. The ultimate winner receives the Million Dollar Makeover, though you can get a $500 gift card just for voting. And you can use that $500 to buy these three trends for summer — see what I did there?

Floral Prints – Clinton notes that florals are bold and graphic this season but they’re not just for day — a print grounded in black is great for the evening.

White – For a clean white look, gals should avoid too many bright colors and instead opt for neutrals with just a “pop of bright,” such as a shoe or handbag.

The Utility Pant – The usually tough, military-inspired pant can be softened with the addition of a little sparkle. Clinton threw a sequined top and a leather jacket over a pair of cargos for an evening look.

Check out the video below and see how the models appear through the magic of fashion wearing each of the season’s trends.

Head over to our Facebook page and caption THIS POST. The best entry will be featured on Fashion Indie’s homepage tomorrow!

Photos: YVY Mag

- Rumor has it Carine Roitfeld was banned from Paris Fashion Week after Condé Nast big-wig Jonathan Newhouse fired off a letter asking designers not to invite the ex-editrix as it “might send a confusing message.” In other news, Emmanuelle Alt recently graduated from an at-home signature forgery class. [Hint]

- Speaking of Alt, her first cover of Vogue Paris has hit the interwebs. Gisele looks great as usual, but this could easily be American Vogue and I could easily fall asleep looking at it. [Models.com]

- And speaking of American Vogue covers I hate, ladies and gentlewomen, Rihanna. [Twitter]

- I’m as excited for the Royal Wedding as the next gal, but some people are seriously starting to OD. [Beautylish]

- One of John Galliano‘s “victims” feels kind of bad that he might have ruined the designer’s career and doesn’t think he’s really a racist or anti-Semite. Thanks for your swift action regarding this matter. [Huffington Post]

- Japan really can’t catch a  break today. [BBC]

- And in equally tragic news, Jessica Biel and Justin Timberlake have called it a day on their relationship. Personally, I think J-Tims looks better without a beard. [People]

-But as usual, Charlie Sheen provides the light at the end of the tunnel. Reports of the actor/hooker connoisseur’s death have been grossly exaggerated…by a virus spreading through Facebook. Now if this were the only the first time that we caught something contagious after poking Charlie Sheen…. [HuffPo]

Photo: Style.com

The partnership extended from Rico walking in the Mugler men’s runway show and starring in the subsequent video to most recently appearing as the anti-Gaga in the Lady’s “Born This Way” video. With his full-body skeletal tattoo and piercing stare, Rico, Zombie Boy, Rick, etc., possesses a distinct beauty all his own. I, much like every teenage girl nowadays, also have a thing for the undead.

Photos: Rico’s Facebook/Fuck Yeah Rick Genest (blog)

You can enter the contest TWO ways.

1. Twitter: All you have to do is tweet @FashionIndie with your favorite 3D movie and include hastag #indie3D

2. Facebook: You must LIKE FashionIndie.com and post a picture of your favorite 3D movie to our wall

We are looking to give away 3 pairs to 3 creative readers. The Contest ends Monday February 28th and the winners will be announced March  1st.

Looking forward to see what your favorite movies are!

2010 was a ridiculous year for Facebook. The social media giant went from 337 million users to 585 million in the 365 days that made up last year.

Interestingly, Candytech’s data revealed that users 65 years of age+ were the fastest growing demographic on Facebook last year. Maybe that’s why I’ve been repetitively Facebook stalked by scooter-riding grandmothers. Hot.

Joining the other kids are, from left to right: Oscar nominee, Jennifer Lawrence looking like a wintry bone in her thigh-high-slit gown; Anthony Mackie has a nice seat between Lawrence and the scantily-clad Olivia Wilde in what looks like one of J. Lo‘s cast-offs from 10 years ago; other Oscar nominee Jesse Eisenberg cozies up to the bar to act as Mila’s arm rest while my future ex-husband Joseph Gordon-Levitt channels the ghosts of the Rat Pack; Eisenberg’s Social Network co-star and newly minted Spider-Man (luckily not the one in that Broadway disaster) Andrew Garfield straddles the bar next to his other Facebook friend, Rashida Jones, who, gorgeous in a leopard-print gown, is feeding, of all things, a baby leopard; rounding out the stellar line-up are hunky Tron-vict, Garrett Hedlund and dragon-tattooed girl, Noomi Rapace.

Norman Jean Roy captured the 15 actors over a two-day shoot in New York and Los Angeles. Video of the scene behind the shoot follows.

Photo: Vanity Fair

We at FashionIndie are inspired by these women and want to help their causes, and you can too! There are already three winners, and they want you, the People’s Voice, to choose the fourth. Go to Facebook and vote for the woman who inspires you most. Honorees receive $50,000 in support of the organization with whom they are affiliated from the Diller-von Furstenberg Family Foundation to further their work.

Vote NOW and make a difference!

Pose is like having a virtual shopping hotline in your pocket. After documenting your latest style lust, you can share your discovery with other Posers, as well as your Twitter and Facebook families.

Use it to share your finds; use it to remember your next purchase; use it to find inspiration from your fellow Pose-ing friends.

What a genius idea for an app!

(Available for free download at Apple’s app store; coming soon to Android.)

Link Love: Fashionista

$50 billion is a mind-bogglingly large number. But think about it – Facebook IS the Internet.

In 2010, the social networking site overtook Google as the #1 most-viewed Web site on the Internet. It’s the largest social networking site in the world, and it’s still growing like crazy. And as I recently learned, 40 percent of Canadians are registered Facebook members. (Who knew a country with so many moose would be so Web savvy?)

With Goldman’s investment, Facebook will look to make acquisitions, expand services and add new hires. Hopefully they can buy Zuckerberg a few designer threads, too. That sweat pants and crusty t-shirt look is not working.

With the app, you can also stay up-to-date on new launches, get advice from other Sephora fans on Facebook and save all of your favorites for future purchases. I’m sure this will soon be in my top five most used apps.

LINK LOVE: SocialiteBeauty

According to the mag :

“For connecting more than half a billion people and mapping the social relations among them; for creating a new system of exchanging information; and for changing how we all live our lives, Mark Elliot Zuckerberg is TIME’s 2010 Person of the Year.”

Ha. Elliot. If I were Mark Zuckerberg I would’ve changed my middle name to McDuck after my first billion.

At 26, Mark becomes the second youngest person to hold the title, behind that other overachiever, Charles Lindbergh who was named the first ever Man of the Year in 1927 at age 25. The runners-up  this year were The Tea Party (#2) (WTF?), WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange (#3) President of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai (#4) and the 33 Chilean miners (#5).

What do you think of Time‘s decision? Facebook certainly has changed the way we all communicate, for better and usually for worse. The world has become more of an open book because of Zuckerberg and his zeitgeist-shaping social network, which surpassed the 500 million user mark on July 21st this year and last month accounted for 1 out of 4 of American’s web page views.

Facebook is a monster. It has become a part of everyone’s life, so that grandmothers are now Facebooking their grandkids, leading to some very strange discussions over the holiday table. I’ve always been wary of the influence of social media websites, mostly because reading Brave New World and 1984 in high school made me wary of just about everything. What will be the Book’s impact on this younger generation of kids who are basically growing up online?

Only Time will tell. See what I did there?  And, hey, at least they didn’t pick those Tea Party dicks.
LINK LOVE: Time

Billy Ray’s strong words to Miley via tweet:

Apparently Papa Cyrus was too sad to use proper punctuation.

Meanwhile, Anthony Adams, a former California State Assembleyman is taking Miley’s public faux pas as an opportunity to reintroduce a bill he supported in 2007 that would classify salvia as a Schedule I controlled substance, like marijuana and LSD.

Adams claims that Miley’s celebrity would spur youth to “emulate her behavior.” And that’s the last thing anyone wants. Slutty 12 year olds not wearing panties, toking up on camera and making shitty pop music.

LINK LOVE: Gawker, TMZ

Sidebar: Who even cares? She’s an 18-year -old girl doing things 18 year olds do. But in the age of Facebook, YouTube and the iPhone, it would be best to avoid any documentation of public fuckings up.

Instead of turning his wealth into gold coins and diving into them for fun, the young billionaire is donating most of his fortune to charity.

Zuckerberg signed on to the Bill Gates and Warren Buffet “Giving Pledge,” agreeing to give away most of his money to charity. “There is a big opportunity for many of us to give back earlier in our lifetime and see the impact of our philanthropic efforts,” said Zuckerberg.

Standing “O” for Zuck. Honestly, that is very cool.