- “Our campaigns exist at the intersection between fitness and fashion; they are intended to be thought provoking and to generate discussion through their deliberate synthesis of personal motivation and high fashion photography.” Equinox on its controversial Terry Richardson ads. Translation: gotcha bitches. [WWD]

- Heather Locklear was rushed to the hospital Thursday afternoon, allegedly for a mix of booze and prescription pills, but she seems to be doing fine and is said to be in “no danger.” [E!]

- Lil Wayne launched a T-shirt line called Trukfit, which is short for “The Reason You Kill For It.” When asked to describe the name in two words, Weezy responded: “‘Un…Usual,’ he said with a grin that broke into a croaky laugh. ‘That’s one word.’” [WWD]

- Lara Stone gets carried away by a tornado, Wizard of Oz style, in a new ad for Mercedes-Benz. [Huff Po via Nowness]

Lara Stone: American Fairytale on Nowness.com.

- Halle Berry has decided to earn her diva stripes by walking down the aisle a third time. The Oscar-winner is engaged to fellow gorgeous person Olivier Martinez. [Us]

“When you work with real people, you can’t impose something,” Roitfeld told WWD. She also stressed the importance of casting for male fashion becuase “it’s men who give personality to the clothes they wore.” Where she stands on women and personality is anyone’s guess, but for the cover Carine tapped easy-on-the-eyes French actor Tahar Rahim, shot by Nick Knight. Frequent collaborator and BFF Karl Lagerfeld also stepped behind the lens for the issue, as did Richard Avedon‘s son, Michael, who shot portraits of up-and-coming young actors, including The Hunger Games‘ Alexander Ludwig. Jean Baptiste Mondino snapped hottie bullfighter José María Manzanares and Willy Vandeperre lensed Lima et al for the pin-up calendar.

The Carine Roitfeld-helmed issue of VMAN hits stands on Valentine’s Day. [WWD]

Joan Juliet Buck wears a unique blend of Yves Saint Laurent men’s perfume and Gerlain Shalimar together. And she always wears her father’s old watch.

Dripping in Bulgari earrings and necklace, Leviev ring, Graff diamond on the wrist, and a Louis Vuitton leather top, there are most likely 8 guards flanking her every corner, and have been photoshopped out.

For more deets on the ladies, see the WSJ.

Then under the buzzer, this happens. By referencing/recycling that eight-year-old cover and giving it their own spin, Alt and co. end the year on a decidedly high note.  Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott capture Moss in glam rock Ziggy Stardust regalia for FrenchVogue‘s December/January 2012 issue. Freak out, this moonage daydream’s so chic.

Photo: Design Scene

Donatella Versace herself crawled out of her crypt uncharacteristically before noon to pay a visit in London, decked out in a studded silk pink dress and studded black leather trench, her bleach blond hair casually swept over her oversized sunglasses. “I feel very emotional,” she told WWD. ”I really want to see how they are going to mix and pair the clothes, how they will wear them.”

Arriving at 8:30 am, when the line was already around the block, Donny also also expressed her approval of the quality of the garments that had produced such a clamor:  ”Do you see these studs? Usually, with low-cost clothing, they’re pressed on but these are real. And I only worked with pure materials – 100 percent silks and real leather.”

In Milan, a transportation strike did not deter Versace devotees from lining up while in Paris, the racks were picked clean within fifteen minutes. Some shoppers, however, were luckier than others as the night before, French Vogue‘s Emmanuelle Alt hosted a special preview shopping party for 1,000 winners of a contest the magazine had conducted.

Some 300 people lined up in Hong Kong for the store’s 8 am opening and in Berlin, lines started forming at 4 am.

In Shanghai, professional queuers waited on behalf of shoppers too smart and/or lazy to wait in line themselves. Mingling with migrant workers who were also paid as placeholders, a fight broke out amongst the predominately male stand-ins before doors opened. In fact, most of the customers in line were male, with some openly admitting they were there to snatch up as many covetable items as they could to re-sell online.

Besides that slight altercation, H&M’s well-organized, and well-documented, process has been rather smooth. But we’ll see once the doors open stateside this Saturday. [WWD]

This will be the first baby for Restoin-Roitfeld and her Swedish model boyfriend Robert Konjic. Too bad Carine isn’t still at Vogue Paris so we could have a pregnant Julia naked on the cover shot by Karl Lagerfeld or Mario Testino. Ah, well. #MissedOpportunities [Styleite]

1. “The Butcher” - Mario Testino, The Face, 1996

"The Butcher" - Mario Testino, The Face, 1996

“Shot during the meat crisis in Britain, this much-copied story was a turning point in my career. And I don’t even like meat!”

Photo: Trendland

Italian designers are forming a united front to decide on their own dates, out of the three following options: 1.) move to July; 2.) show before New York in September; or 3.) leave things the way they are, which could mean an overlap between Milan and London.

Condé Nast, for its part, is not having any of this. In a letter to Mario Boselli, head of the Italian Chamber of Fashion ”obtained”  – *cough* stolen *cough*– by WWD, CEO Jonathan Newhouse writes that Vogue editors “like the schedule the way it is presently organized. We at Condé Nast do not want the schedule to be changed. We very much oppose moving the Milan shows earlier so that they overlap or conflict with the London fashion shows — or with the New York fashion shows or those of any market.”

Newhouse then goes on to basically threaten a boycott by all Vogue editors — American, British, French and Italian — of Milan shows, stating matter-of-factly that “they will not under any circumstances abandon the London or New York shows if the Milan shows are moved earlier.”

The root of the conflict stems from a pact in 2008 when all four cities agreed to kick-off the fashion weeks on the second Thursday of February and September. Boselli claims that the agreement was only for three years while the CFDA‘s Steven Kolb and the British Fashion Council‘s Caroline Rush contend that it was indeed a permanent arrangement.

As for the fromage standing alone, Paris is expected to side with Milan. However, Didier Grumbach, head of the Chambre Syndicale, would rather come to a compromise and wants everyone to just chill the eff out: “When planning our schedules we have to factor in the time constraints of houses such as Jean Paul Gaultier or Givenchy that deliver couture, men’s and women’s shows with one designer. In any case, these things can’t be improvised. We have our locations. To move dates on venues like the Grand Palais cannot be improvised. Those dates are decided months and months in advance. If [anyone wants to] move dates for 2013, why not, we have the time to talk about it, to arrange it.”

Frankly, it’s a little odd that London is siding with New York considering the hubbub over model castings earlier this season, with London designers blaming New York for hogging all the best girls and the general feeling that LFW was being squeezed out. Now it seems Milan is feeling the crunch and are going to have to come to a decision soon or face the wrath of Wintour. [WWD, sub req'd]

Photos: Fashion Gone Rogue

Honestly, this post-Vogue Paris reinvention is seriously working for me. I’m openly obsessed with everything she’s doing…except those damn Chanel ads. Really a photobooth? Though I am hoping to eventually get on board. [Fashionista]

Other topics Ford explores in his interview include his return to fashion and the why of it: ”Because I’m not Doing The Fashion System. I don’t do shows. I don’t have reviews. I’m not putting the clothes on every celebrity so that by the time they reach the store the customers are sick of seeing them.” *Cough, Prada, Gucci, Dolce and Gabbana, cough.*

Speaking of Gucci, Ford compares his time at the Italian luxury house to the work he does now: “At Gucci, it was all about creating The Look each season The Shoe, The Bag, The Hair. But now I have no desire to create The Look. I just want to make beautiful, glamorous clothes.” Pity he won’t wear them, though.”

But before sending a look down the intimate, exclusive runway, Ford always has his PR lady Whitney or Carine Roitfeld when she’s not pussyfooting with Karl Lagerfeld, try it on: ”If they don’t wear it, it doesn’t go into production.”

As for that infamous French Vogue he guest edited for Roitfeld, Ford explains his reasoning behind all the geriatric grinding: ”My mother doesn’t like me saying this but she’s in her late seventies and her boyfriend’s in his late sixties. The point is she’s active and looks amazing, and yet we’ve taught ourselves to think that ageing’s embarrassing. That’s why I left all the wrinkles in the story shot for French Vogue of an old couple having sex”.

[Quick joke, what does one call a 78-year-old cougar? Madonna,10 years ago. *Rimshot.*]

And then there’s Ford’s burgeoning film career after 2009′s wonderful A Single Man. While his next film, allegedly a comedy, is “ready to go,” the life of a filmmaker has its difficulties: ”I would lose my mind if I just did films…I enjoy the speed of fashion. I love doing different things and I think I still have something valid to say in fashion.” I fully support that — I always find whatever Tom Ford says to be valid, no matter how batshit it is. [Telegraph]

VOGUE Fashion Night 2011 dans le monde (version… by VOGUEPARIS

Miss Taylor showing that elegance truly is learned.

According to Roitfeld, the Dame “had the kind of elegance that went far beyond clothes.”

This elegance will be captured by Mario Testino in a 72-page “fashion extravaganza” — my favorite kind of extravaganza behind the eleganza variety, of course — for the issue themed “heroes.”

Vogue Paris be damned — though it kind of already is — but I love that Carine is doing her own thing. Sister do it for yourself.

Are you as excited as I am for this September issue? [WWD]

Photo: Zimbio

They will be joined by Condé Nast International chairman, Jonathan Newhouse, to form Voguetron show support for the country’s ravaged economy and fashion industry. This show of support includes a gala dinner for fashion executives, celebrities and VIPS on November 4th and Anna will once again miss my birthday when the next day she and the other Vogue ladies attend the Tokyo FNO. [WWD]

The lone female in a sea of blue balls, Smurfette models, commercial-smiles and generally “gives” in Marc Jacobs, Lanvin, Dolce & Gabbana and Louis Vuitton.

She looks great and all, but frankly, I’m awaiting that true diva of the silver screen, Miss Piggy.

As an editor at Vogue Paris – hilarious timing by the way —  in this fall’s The Muppets, La Piggy is giving Carine/Emmanuelle a serious run for their money.

Of course, the only thing green Miss Piggy covets is her  longtime lilypad lover — and friend of Gaga – Kermit D. Frog. [Harper's Bazaar, MTV]

Spotted Friday at the Givenchy mens show, Carine will once again be sitting front row at the July haute couture shows in Paris where she’ll be impersonating a client for W. Paolo Roversi is rumored to be shooting the story.

Meanwhile, this sounds even better than that Carine Roitfeld-inspired editorial a few months back, though one can only hope that they dig up “Cardboard Tom Ford” again.  [WWD]

- The next chapter of that sad story will actually begin on June 22nd when Galliano takes the stand. It was previously thought he would miss his first day in court due to rehab, but he’ll be there with his couture bells on. [Vogue UK]

- Noted paragon of virtue, Lady Gaga, flashed her aquamarine mirkin at the MuchMusic Video Awards. [Styleite]

- Meanwhile, BFF Nicola Formichetti is flashing some serious man-skin for Mugler‘s upcoming menswear show in Brothers of Arcadia, a two-part promotional video inspired by the Greek gods. And in a move the ancient Greeks would no doubt applaud, an uncensored version of the videos will be available on XTube. [Fashionista]

- Kate Moss is marrying Jamie Hince in two days and the monumental event, dubbed Mosstock, will apparently be at the super’s home and will provide guests with a “full festival experience.” [Modelina]

- The latest rumor about former Vogue Paris editrix and current Independent Woman, Carine Roitfeld, is that she is starting her own independently published magazine. [Hint]

The doc follows Ford through his first womenswear show in six years, his guest editorship at Vogue Paris during the last halcyon days of Carine Roitfeld‘s tenure and the opening of his flagship store in Beverly Hills — in other words, you don’t want to miss this shit.

Ford admits that he’s “never let anyone film [him] like this before,” claiming that “[t]here’s a very squiggly line between Tom Ford the man and Tom Ford the brand.” That line was further squigglied with his feature film debut A Single Man, which he refers to as his “midlife crisis on screen.”

If only all mid-life crises resulted in Oscar nominations as opposed to bad hair plugs, expensive sports cars and cheap hookers.

You — and I — can learn more about Tom Ford the man and the brand when Visionaires: Tom Ford debuts on OWN June 24th at 10 p.m. [Racked]

Richardson goes on to explain that the point of Richardson is stimulation: “Not orgasm stimulation, but stimulating debate. It’s like an asexual sex magazine.” That may seem a little oxymoronic, but there’s nothing less sexy than analyzing sex…which is exactly why I forbid talking before, during, or after it.

Last published eight years ago, Richardson is a labor of love for the stylist who refuses to compromise on quality or his vision. But though the mag is highly sexual in nature, Richardson thinks the “porny” trend in fashion magazines has “peaked”:

“I think people began leaning on sexuality as a way to make the images exciting, in an environment where there wasn’t as much room to be creative with the fashion. I get the sense that trend has peaked. We were in a time of excess, and now we’ve entered the era of sobriety. Everyone’s buttoning up.”

That’s a little disheartening. Carine Roitfeld leaves Vogue Paris and suddenly everyone’s tucking away their nipple shots? Well, everyone except Andrew Richardson, noted purveyor of sex, dapper gentleman and lover of pussy:

[Style.com]

“We aren’t friends any more. I think it’s sad. When you give a lot of confidence in people and you don’t get it back you are a bit disappointed but it’s life. I move on.”

It is sad. All those years of nipple-bearing bravado gone down the drain. [Financial Times]

Kate hunches, emotes and bares a nipple or two (this is still Vogue Paris after all) in Dior Haute Couture, Armani Privé, Givenchy Haute Couture, Atelier Versace, Elie Saab Haute Couture and Valentino Haute Couture.

There’s nothing to get fashion pulses racing like a couple hundred thousand dollars in clothing on one of the greatest posers to ever stare meaningfully at nothing at all.

- No. Plastic. Hangers. EVER! Macy’s is trying to reduce the size of its stilettoed carbon footprint with a number of sustainability initiatives such as replacing clear, petroleum-based clear plastic hangers with black, matte hangers made from recycled materials. [WWD]

- The Twitterverse Is Abuzz! After self-described “Young Business Woman. Relentless Opportunist, Restless Optimist” Amber Atherton tweeted this pic of a label apparently bearing Carine Roitfeld‘s name, rumor has it the former Vogue Paris editor will toss her chapeau into the design realm. Though the skeptic in me thinks that label could easily say “Carrie Poitfeld”…especially since the garment seems to have been “Made in Korea.”[Fashionista]

- After marrying David Lauren, son of iconic American designer Ralph Lauren, Lauren Bush will unfortunately not be known as Lauren Lauren. [Harper's Bazaar]

- A new documentary delves into the 50 year relationship between Yves Saint Laurent and his partner Pierre Bergé, told through the objects they collected together. Despite not believing in the souls of the objects — let alone of other people — Bergé remains sentimental like any old glorious queen…by selling them off. [NYT]

- 3 months after having a baby, Miranda Kerr is back in a bikini for Have Faith Swimwear. Yeah, I’d put down that pot brownie if I were you….

- Libelula, Sophie Cranston‘s label that allegedly designed Kate Middleton‘s wedding dress, has released an official denial, thus perpetuating the greatest mystery of our times. [WWD]

- Thierry Mugler, the man behind the Mugler magic, is now going by the name of Manfred these days and is serving as the artistic director for drag queen, Joey Arias. Meanwhile, his eponymous label is working with another famed drag queen, Lady Gaga. [Style.com]

- The VERY 90s black sports bra and white sweatpant Britney Spears wore for a Japanese commercial years ago when she still had her soul are being auctioned off to benefit Japan. [The Cut]

1. Anna Dello Russo, Editor-at-Large, Vogue Nippon

Style: “Balls to the Couture Wall”

2. Shala Monroque, Editor-at-Large, Pop

Style: “Hip Gal About Town”

3. Anna Wintour, Editor-in-Chief, Vogue

Style: “Baddest Bitch in the Game”

4. André Leon Talley, Contributing Editor, Vogue

Style: “Great-cape Expectations”

5. Carine Roitfeld, former Editor-in-Chief, Vogue Paris

Style: “Parisian Perfection”

6. Giovanna Battaglia, Fashion Editor, L’Uomo Vogue

Style: “City Sleeker”

7. Hamish Bowles, Editor-at-Large, Vogue

Style: “Dandy Does It”

8. Lauren Santo Domingo, Contributing Editor, Vogue

Style: “New Yorker State of Mind”

9. Glenda Bailey, Editor-in-Chief, Harper’s Bazaar

Style: “Tea Time with the Tudors”

10. Stefano Tonchi, Editor-in-Chief, W

Style: “Gentleman’s Agreement”

Carine with Spiegel journalists and an expression that seems to say, "This is why I need an agent."

1. On fashion:

“Fashion needs glamour, provocation and broken taboos.”

2. On Anna Wintour:

“She is actually very nice.”

3.  On wearing fur:

“In these politically correct times, you can’t even go out on the street in New York or London without getting a pie thrown in your face.”

4. On being labeled the “Queen of Porn Chic”:

“The little girls wearing makeup were never naked; it said ‘No Smoking’ under the pregnant woman; and why shouldn’t old people kiss?”

5. On Yves Saint Laurent:

“Yves Saint Laurent was the first person to openly admit to being a drug addict.”

6. On why women don’t need bags:

“I believe in the Yves Saint Laurent woman who either has her hands in the pockets of her pantsuit or is holding her lover’s hand.”

7. On wearing flats to go for a walk:

“I don’t go for a walk very often.”

8.  On money buying you class*:

“You can’t learn how to be elegant.”

9. On Karl Lagerfeld:

“Good old Karl. Superhuman Lagerfeld.”

10. On turning it:

“You should always be one of the best, whatever your age group.”

11. On John Galliano:

“You have to be very unhappy and lonely to praise Hitler in public while completely drunk.”

12. On future plans:

“Perhaps I’ll become a muse for designers again.”

13. On looking normal:

“The glamour’s limited to my feet.”

14. On up-and-coming designers:

“In a way, we’ve already seen everything. What else could they hope to invent?”

15. On the democracy of fashion:

“I was always saddened by the idea that elegance was only something for a minority.”

Link Love: Der Spiegel

*Sidebar: If you bothered to watch that video from The Countess of Real Housewives New York “fame,” you’ll notice that the camera lens was apparently slathered in eight pounds of Vaseline before shooting began. Money can buy you better production values.

- American Apparel has hired a new retail executive in Marty Staff to dig them out of the clusterfuck known as their crippling debt. With a reported net loss of $67 million over the first nine months of 2010, they’ll need a very large shovel. Perhaps CEO Dov Charney can start funneling some money from his secret sex slave ring to boost revenue. I’m not saying break up the sex slave ring, god forbid, but this is the age of synergy. A sex slave sweat shop, perhaps? [The Cut]

- Vogue Italia‘s EIC, Franca Sozzani wags her bony little finger at pro–anorexia websites for propagating eating disorders in young girls while defending  designers who altruistically “discard those [models] who are visibly suffering from nutritional problems.” Well, as long as they’re discarded…. [Vogue.it]

- 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]

@rihanna: My bad ci, did I 4get to tip u? #howrudeofme

[@LesFabian: Ouch. #bitch]

@rihanna: U gangsta huh? Haaa

@ciara: Trust me Rihanna you don’t want to see me on or off the stage.

@rihanna: Good luck with bookin that stage u speak of

[@LesFabian: Oh snap! #BURN]

@ciara: pure comedy…

[@LesFabian: #nocomeback]

@rihanna: Ciara baby, I love u girl! U hurt my feelings real bad on TV! I’m heartbroken! That’s y I retaliated this way! So sorry!

[@LesFabian: How...sweet... #lyingherfaceoff]

@ciara: Rhi, u know its always been love since day 1! Doing shows and everything. You threw me off in that party! Apology accepted. Let’s chat in person.

[@LesFabian: Translation: Bitch, wait til I twist my fingers through that troll doll hair. #illcutabitch]

Things have calmed down dramatically since then, but whenever divas duel it out in the public arena, there is an inevitable choosing of sides and bitter argument over who’s better, blah, blah blah.

Well, since I live for these moments, I’ve decided the only logical way to determine who is the baddest bitch on the block (clearly not including Beyoncé who could blink and take out both of them) is to compare both RiRi’s and CiCi’s editorials from European Vogues…naturally.

Rihanna covered Vogue Italia‘s special couture supplement in 2009, shot by the incredible Steven Klein and styled by Patti Wilson:

Then last year, Givenchy creative director Riccardo Tisci styled Ciara for a Vogue Paris shoot with the dynamic duo of Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott.

For me, the answer is clear. Ciara’s editorial easily trumps Rihanna’s, achieving a poetic and sensual beauty that’s more effective than the hard, technical sexuality of the Klein shoot. Which is not to say that both spreads aren’t great, but Ciara possesses a grace and classic beauty that makes her actually look like a model and not just a moonlighting popstar in it for some free couture.

Plus, she totally gets extra points because Riccardo said this about her:

“Ciara is like a black Betty Page. A very refined hip hop queen. Although she is American, she has a sort of European class, a Parisian chic.”

Musing for Givenchy beats out openly stealing from David LaChappelle any day of the week.

The cover, sure to be a collector’s item, is a beautiful and subtle cap on one of fashion’s most controversial and luminous careers. Instead of going with a big name super, Roitfeld chose 29-year-old (ancient by model standards) Dutch model Saskia, explaining to Style.com:

“I love risk…Now I found a new girl called Saskia. She has short hair, no one knows her, and this is going to be my last cover.”

Givenchy‘s creative director Ricardo Tisci introduced Roitfeld to Saskia. Tisci is also responsible for Lara Stone‘s stellar rise to supermodeldom and Saskia is poised to follow in her stilettoed steps.

“Look what happened to Lara Stone. She wanted to stop being a model. She had no success at all. And my friend Riccardo Tisci said to me, ‘Oh, you have to look at that girl, she’s amazing.’ And I believed him and I booked her, and after that I booked her for each issue. She was the cover of my special anniversary issue, the cover of the February issue. I gave her eight or nine covers, and now she’s one of the biggest stars. It’s very exciting to make someone a star, and it was something you could do with French Vogue .”

Carine Roitfeld leaves Vogue Paris on a great and  positive note, creating great fashion karma. I’m waiting with bated breath for what else this historic issue has in store.

Photo: The Fashion Spot

On her tenure at Vogue Paris:

It took a little time, because when I came to Vogue ten years ago, it was not the Vogue it is today. Joan Juliet Buck, who I was working for as a freelancer, was more a journalist editor than a fashion editor, so it was focused more on the text and writers and not so much on fashion. And me, I come with all my fashion ideas, but it was very difficult at the beginning, because a lot of photographers, it’s easy to forget, didn’t want to work for the magazine…Each time we try to be better and better, and it takes almost ten years to be a team, and now I think the best team is there. It’s very sad to leave your family after ten years…But I think the times are changing, too. I said to Jonathan [Newhouse, chairman of Condé Nast International], when I can make it ten, it will be great for me. And I think in the last [period] that maybe I got less freedom than I got before, so I think it was just the right time for me to leave, because I want to enjoy and do everything that I want to do. And Jonathan was an amazing boss, because he let me do such crazy things. To put a black transsexual with a beard and high heels on the cover? I don’t think a lot of presidents will let you do that. I think it was fun to look at French Vogue. Each month was a new happening. But I think now they want to change a bit. Even the French president [Xavier Romatet, of Condé Nast France] now wants something a bit [pauses]…sweeter I would say, and if I cannot have a lot of fun, then I prefer to do something else.

…I think the French president—maybe not Jonathan—but the French president thinks he wants something more [pauses]…I won’t say I’m too provocative; it’s my way of expressing myself, you know. They won’t change everything, because when something has been so [successful], it would be stupid to change it. Maybe they want [things] a bit more easy for everyone. It’s true, I’m always pushing. I like that. I’ve always been provocative, but what I’m going to do next is a new way of provocation. I did for many years porno chic. I was the queen of porno chic. And I will do something totally different now.

On being “fired” because of the Tom Ford issue:

No, that’s wrong…I think it was a controversial issue, but they were all controversial issues. I told you, at the end of this decade, I could see that the new president in France wanted to change the direction of the magazine. I’m sure the Tom Ford issue is not the way they’re heading in the next few years, but it was not because of the Tom Ford issue. I was not fired, because if I was fired, it would not be a very nice ending. It was a discussion between Jonathan and myself, and he never fired me…I know I did a good job. I know the March issue is a record in terms of advertising. So I’m not leaving a sad magazine, an empty magazine. I’m leaving a magazine that has an epic stop. I’m very happy about that…I think it’s sad because when I did this Tom Ford issue…we put a lot of little girls with makeup, a lot of jewelry. It was for Christmas and it’s nothing compared to what Guy Bourdin did 20 years ago or what I saw in all the magazines ten years ago…but when you put kids, you always know it’s going to be a problem. There was no nudity, it was always a T-shirt under the evening dress, but you know, people see what they want…These are the risques du métier.

On the “Tom Ford” issue:

I’m not going to work with Tom. That was ten years ago. If I look back at my CV, when I was freelance, I worked mostly ten years with Tom Ford at Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent. And after [that] I stopped and it was ten years at French Vogue. Now it’s a new decade and I don’t want to be doing what I was doing ten years ago. Of course, Tom is my friend and if he asks me what I think, I will answer. But I will not go and stay one week before the show and work with him.

On modeling in Tom’s next show:

He didn’t ask me.

On the Balenciaga controversy:

Oh, there are a lot of designers I admire. There’s a long list. In the young generation, of course I love Nicolas Ghesquière. There were these problems with Balenciaga last season, but I know him since the beginning. I was one of the biggest supporters of Nicolas, and I just saw him for a cup of tea and now everything is fine again between Nicolas and me.

…Sometimes people like to put oil on the fire, to make something bigger, and afterwards with blogs and the Internet, things [get out of] proportion. But now it’s gone back like before and I’m very happy because I think he’s full of talent.

On her relationship with Emmanuelle Alt:

It’s true that we are in not in the best relations, [but] I don’t want to talk about it, to be honest.

On the public’s perception of her:

People sometimes think I’m very cold, but I’m not. I’m a very shy person. When people know me, I’m not cold; I’m quite a nice person. It’s difficult as the editor of a magazine to be totally yourself because you’re a bit frightened. Now I think I go back where I was ten years ago, so I get younger, which is always good. Younger with dreams and younger with energy. Younger with risk, because now it will be my own risk; it won’t be Vogue’s risk. Always I will be a risky woman. I will keep this legend.

Link Love: Style.com

The story mused over her beginnings, from the 90s assistantship at French Elle, Fashion Editor jobs at 20 Ans and Mixte, then her decade at French Vogue. They compared soundbites from Emmanuelle to quotes from Carine – it’s a little bit of who said it best. Though the Daily promises to answer under the radar questions, they were never really able to ask them. It’s mostly research and speculation. It was entertaining, but I’d really love the actual lowdown of what’s going on in her mind and at French Vogue.

Photo by Jessica Lapidos

In her broken English — or badly translated Italian — Sozzani extols the virtues of Yves Saint Laurent‘s nakedness, Stephanie Seymour‘s snatch, and the artistic nudes of Helmut Newton and Richard Avedon.

They knew how to be naked back then!

She then goes on to call Terry Richardson and Juergen Teller trashy and blame them for transforming nudes into “something sexy and crude rather than glossy.” Whatever “glossy” is supposed to mean.

The editrix then goes on to attack the Tom Ford-helmed issue of Vogue Paris, featuring a wide range of exploitation:

“How about little girls? Wearing heavy make up, sexy clothes, posing in poses that are outrageous for their age.”

Sozzani seems to think that the pinnacle of child exploitation was in the 80s Brooke Shields pedo-fest, Pretty Baby, as “the images were actually romantic for the harsh reality [baby prostitution] portrayed in them.”

And as for those naked elderly people, she’d prefer they keep their wrinkly birthday suits covered up, thank you very much.

Franca Sozzani’s point in all of this is that the images being presented should say something and not just shock for the hell of it.  I love a nude male model as much as the next lady, often much much more, but when does it go from being art or fashion and just becomes porn?

Answer: point of insertion.

But beyond that, if a collection just isn’t good, there’s no point in calling it avant-garde. That’s an easy cop-out. If an article of clothing defies categorization or tradition, sure, call it avant-garde. But feel free to listen to Franca when in doubt:

“If what’s beautiful depends on your opinion, what’s ugly just repulses you.”

What do you think? Does Franca Sozzani have a point?

Link Love: Vogue Italia

Link Love: Modelinia

Emmanuelle has a practical way of dress. Her minimalist leanings often put her in jeans, tee, bold shouldered jackets, and black boots. The effect is long, lean and handsome. She holds an air of Rive Gauche bohème; a refined grunge. She sticks to her basics at the base, revolving punch in the outer layers.

Across the Rive, Carine Roitfeld lives in chic little dresses, scant a pant in sight. She tries it all and all works on her. She breathes an aura of propriety, even in a lace top and hello bra. She’s a sleek trend adventurer, a chameleon, who suits herself quite well in the fine Editor’s uniform (á la the fourth look below).

Emmanuelle has been the Fashion Director for as long as Carine was EIC, that’s a decade of work together. Will Alt’s pared down edge influence Vogue to her stylistic point of view as she sees for herself? Or will she continue to style as she did under Roitfeld’s more progressive vision? We shall wait with bated breath for Alt’s first issue to find out.

The Kaiser went on to croak Alt’s praises: “She’s a handsome French woman. She has a style, but is it enough to make a whole magazine?”

Well, it’s a valid question, one that Lagerfeld will surely answer in his usual straight-forward way, though he said he would “reserve judgement” until she spearheaded a few issues.

Karl Lagerfeld is great at many things, but reserving judgement?

How much longer do we have to wait before he declares French Vogue officially dead, has Baptiste Giabiconi steel away in the night to behead Emmanuelle Alt and use her Swarovski crystal-encrusted skull as the centerpiece for one of  Chanel‘s Resort collections?

Seriously, I’m taking bets.

Link Love: WWD

LINK LOVE: Humor Chic

Romatet, it seems, wants to follow American Vogue‘s  example by expanding beyond fashion and taking advantage of new technology to utilize the iPhone and iPad as well as developing a new website.

He explained:

“What I want is for Vogue Paris to be very open, that it will be a magazine where all of the sensibilities can express themselves, where all styles can exist. A magazine where everyone can express themselves because they have talent. Emmanuelle Alt is capable of opening the magazine to that.”

Alt is game for the challenge, saying that she “will task [herself] with developing the incredible potential of Vogue Paris.”

What do you think of Roitfeld’s replacement and French Vogue‘s new direction? Is the end of an era?

Link Love: Huffington Post

LINK LOVE: Humor Chic

LINK LOVE: Humor Chic

Photographed by Julia Restoin Roitfeld herself, the daughter of French Vogue‘s newly ex editor-in-chief looks stunning in Ford‘s collection.

Julia sat down to interview Ford for the magazine:

JULIA RESTOIN ROITFELD: What made you decide that this was the season to return to fashion?

TOM FORD: I told myself that I would not come back to ?women’s fashion until I felt I had something new to say. I feel that fashion has become too serious and that the actual customer’s needs have not really been addressed. Fashion needs to make one happy. It is a luxury and should enhance one’s quality of life.

LINK LOVE: V Magazine

Racked‘s “very well-placed” sources, claim:

[T]he magazine’s parent company was unhappy with all the bad press surrounding Roitfeld’s alleged pay-for-play scandals…demanding huge sums of money for extracurricular consulting gigs and the enormous, public embarrassment of being banned from Balenciaga last season for abusing her position at Vogue. In the latter case, Roitfeld allegedly borrowed Balenciaga preview pieces and sent them to her client, Max Mara, to copy…”

Then there’s that other scandal with ANDAM winner Hakaan:

“An angry anonymous letter, which was circulated among French media this week, asked “how a Turkish designer out of nowhere books Natalia Vodianova, Maria Carla Boscono, Lara Stone or Natasha Poly for his show—models asking €15.000 min per show, and who aren’t really famous for their charity!”

Roitfeld also made an unprecedented move by showing up to Hakaan’s first show with Kate Moss in tow. And then there’s that other scandal involving LVMH Chairman and CEO Bernard Arnault, who “allegedly threatened Conde Nast International Chairman Jonathan Newhouse with the removal of all LVMH ads from the next issue of” French Vogue after the last issue (edited by Tom Ford) apparently didn’t contain enough LVMH ad credits and exercised “poor taste” in this editorial.

As for rumors that Carine will be working with Ford on his new womenswear line, Ford recently told the New York Times Cathy Horyn:

“Carine and I have no plans to work together at the moment, and it is nothing that we have even discussed, but of course I think she is brilliant and we are close friends so who knows about the future.”

Well, I guess Heidi Klum‘s been right all along. In fashion one day you’re Anna Wintour and the next, you’re …Carine Roitfeld. It will be interesting to see how this story unfolds, who will succeed Carine (Emmanuelle Alt is apparently not an option) and where Carine lands, besides inevitably on her stilettoed feet.

LINK LOVE: Racked

Countless jobs, landed the role as the face of Calvin Klein, and appeared on the cover of French Vogue’s 90th anniversary issue. She’s served as an impressively outspoken model who stands up for not only what she believes in, but also her own rights – by opening up to Vogue about curves and suing(and winning) a case against French Playboy.

(credit: Modelinia)

Actually, I was expecting a lot more naked boob considering the auteurs involved. Meyer is best known for his boobtastic classic, Faster Pussycat! Kill! Kill! about a trio of large-breasted women who go on a murderous rampage in the desert.

And both Tom and Terry never met a tit they didn’t expose. However, the reuslting editorial, “Pussy West” is light on the boob (and the pussy), but stays true to the murder part.

The story is part of Tom Ford’s highly anticipated French Vogue issue and despite the dearth of D-cups, captures Tom and Terry’s hypersexed, voyeuristic styles.

And also gave us this gem.

LINK LOVE: Homotography

The super was snapped by Mikael Jansson wearing only a Louis Vuitton necklace and some rolled down pantyhose, which just happens to be my New Year’s Eve outfit.

Photo: French Vogue

LINK LOVE: NYMag

If you need to “umph” your day a couple levels click LOOKBOOKS to view the rest of these amaze masks.

I absolutely love this spread. It’s so hot and controversial, especially because Renn is a “plus size” model. Is it weird that the blood of the meat dripping down her arm is making me hungry? This is exactly why French Vogue is awesome and American Vogue sucks.

LINK LOVE: Noir Facade