GaGa in the Next Issue of V Magazine

[image via VMagazine.com]

The V Magazine blog has a great video from Lady GaGa's photoshoot for their upcoming 60th issue, hitting the shelves on Tuesday. (The shots of the wardrobe alone are drool-worthy for the fashion fearless.)

It's On: Project Runway vs.The Fashion Show

Season 6 of Project Runway will premiere at its new home on the Lifetime Network on Thursday, August 20 at 10PM. The core cast of judges will all be there (Heidi Klum, Tim Gunn, Michael Kors and Nina Garcia) despite speculation about Nina's return. This time around Nina isn't repping ELLE Magazine though -instead she's pimping Marie Claire, where she is now fashion director.

The show will be followed by an hour long spinoff called Models of the Runway, a.k.a. Project Runway but from the models' perspective. None of those mannequins seemed all too fascinating, so we'll see how that works out. Worth the production costs? I doubt it!


Clearly Bravo lost the legal battle over P.R., but they aren't out of the fashion reality TV game yet. Their new show "The Fashion Show" (OMG so creative) premieres next Thursday, May 7 at 10PM. Yes, THE SAME TIME SLOT! Guess they want to kick P.R.'s ass in the most direct way possible. It's hosted by adorable designer Isaac Mizrahi, and Destiny's Child backup bitch Kelly Rowland, who so far as I know has no experience in the industry beyond donning Beyonce's mom's awful designs.

The other similarity? Tim Gunn is the Chief Creative Officer for Liz Claiborne. Where does Isaac Mizrahi work? Liz freaking Claiborne! He's the Creative Director (so he's totally Tim Gunn's boss, right?) Hope they don't have to share a cubicle.

A Magazine Gets Real (For Just One Issue)

Whoa - ANOTHER post about a fashion mag breaking the mold. Is the speedy decline of print publishing creating a byproduct of awesome? Did budget cuts mean they had to lay off the photoshop staff?!

This Saturday's new issue of French ELLE features a huge spread of stars who agreed to be photographed with NO MAKEUP and NO RETOUCHING. Not only that, but Eva Herzigova appears on the cover au naturale - under eye puffiness, asymmetry and all. (And still stunning, I might add.)

Man. If "real" were ever to become a trend in fashion publishing (and it won't - cause their advertisers WANT you to feel inadequate. Don't you watch Mad Men?), can you imagine the impact on the self-image the average woman? How many syringes of Botox would go uninjected! Tubes of Proactiv unsqueezed! Healthy lunches un-purged!

What I want to know is how the f*ck ELLE got away with this? Weren't the beauty advertisers pissed? Or are things that different in Europe?

[Source]

Glamour Puts a Little Meat on the Bones

Look at the realness (aside from airbrushing, of course) of Glamour Magazine's most recent swimwear feature model. She looks like someone I'd actually see at a beach in real life, and she looks fabulous and not malnourished. And she's the sole model on a multi-page spread shot by Patrick Demarchelier - and the spread is not entitled "Swimsuits for Curvy Gals" featuring Lane Bryant styles.

I'm not the first whose gut reaction to this spread was not only to be impressed, but also to be relieved. How often is it you look at a swimsuit ad or a feature on beachwear that you don't feel the urge to starve for four days, even if you're rockin a BMI of 19? Can you look at THIS and eat your lunch afterward?

Do tell:

Do ads and magazine spreads featuring swimwear affect your self image?
	Nope, I'm hot and I always feel hot
	Sometimes - like if I'm PMSing or something
	I know I'm hot but I feel a little fat when I see them
	They almost always make me feel like a fat cow

Cover Girls - Do We Care?

WWD posted an article today listing the cover girls that sell the most magazines. It made me wonder - when you're dropping your $3.99 at the newsstand, does it really matter who is on the cover? Tell us:

What makes you buy a magazine?
	I'll buy any issue if I like the mag
	Enticing cover headlines
	Cool cover model
	Thickness or size
	I have no idea

The top selling faces were no surprise - Jolie, Lohan, LC, Beckham and Jessica Simpson (drama queens!) Celebs with relatively low gossip quotients like Rachel Weisz, Katherine Heigl and Drew Barrymore didn't move much paper this year. The other question I have - have you ever NOT purchased a magazine because you hate the person on the cover?

Introducing: Mildred Made.

So I know you don't wear them, but if these aren't fashion I don't know what is. Allow me to point out the amazingness of these Valentine's cards with adorable girlie images from actual 1950s Life magazine issues. They're up for sale on Etsy by artist Mildred Made, and they beat the hell out of any hipster thing you can find at Urban Outfitters. Here are a few of my faves. At $4 they're a stylin' steal.

She Ain't Afraid of No Vogue

Cathy Horyn, the New York Times fashion writer known for her fearlessness (she's been banned from shows several times by thin-skinned designers for giving them honest, sometimes negative reviews) has just taken it a step further.

Either the Vogue empire has weakened so much that Horyn doesn't need to fear the wrath of Anna Wintour, or girlfriend just doesn't give a damn. Either way, she put out a great article on why Vogue kind of sucks. Check it out here.

And tell us - do YOU think Vogue sucks? Get clicking:

How do you feel about Vogue?
	I love Vogue!
	Why bother? I can't afford the clothes.
	ZZZZZZ. The articles are boring.
	I look at the pictures, but that's it.
	Who are all these rich people and why do I care?

Free Fashion Mag, Anyone?

Want a free subscription to Nylon Magazine? Get it here courtesy of Urban Outfitters.

"Stylista" Puts on a Lame Show

According to some reports, ELLE Magazine is kicking Vogue's ass in ad sales lately. But this in no way means Editor-in-Chief Anne Slowey is the new Anna Wintour. Poor Anne didn't get the memo though, and she's copping the legendary Wintour persona hardcore.

I watched the premiere of the new CW reality show "Stylista" this Wednesday, where a gaggle of obnoxious college-aged kids compete to be a junior editor at ELLE. In the process they have to impress head cunt Slowey --whose contrived attitude and cold expressions suggest she's watched The Devil Wears Prada way too many times-- with their editorial and ass-kissing skills.

Maybe it's just because the in-house drama, bitchery and elective stereotypes hit too close to my freshman housing memories of Parsons School of Design. Maybe it's because I know most print publications are teetering on the brink of a fiery demise thanks to the Internet, so who gives a rat's ass (ELLEgirl is just a website these days...) Or maybe I'm just holding producer Tyra Banks to a higher standard of talent selection (HAH.) Watching the show was more embarassing than entertaining.

More Fashion Reality TV Coming Soon

Project Runway is not quite in the clear for it's jump to Lifetime, and the made-for-TV-movie, Meredith-Baxter-ridden network is beefing up its roster of fashion-related reality shows.

'Blush: The Search for the Next Great Make-Up Artist' starts November 11 at 10 p.m.

Ex-General Hospital slut Vanessa Marcil will host the show, which will judged Nina Garcia-ly by In Style Magazine's Hal Rubenstein and Tim Gunn-ishly mentored by makeup artist Charlie Green.

The prize? $100,000 and a contract with Max Factor.

I guess this is proof that Max Factor is aware of it's desperate need for re-branding. I don't know anyone who uses their products, and I know plenty of makeup addicts. They need a lot of work still, despite recently signing Gisele Bundchen as their newspokes-skeleton.
(Let me just note that Carmen Electra's shiteous makeup in their most recent ads was not working in their favor. )

'Cuz They Think That Poor is Co-ol

Check out the rich-hipsters-dressing-sloppy fashion slideshow Vogue brought back from this year's Coachella music fest.
It seems 90% of what they're wearing is "vintage." Kinda begs the question-- what qualifies as vintage these days?
PS-- I have to call out #26 on her "vintage dress from India." It's on the Delia's website, dude.

Grain of Salt Required

US Weekly has named MTV reali-tard Lauren Conrad "celebrity designer of the year."
Conrad just put out her first collection this year, comprised of plain jersey dresses she copied from the racks of Forever 21 and marked up 300 percent.
Milla Jovovich should be pissed. Diddy must be fuming. And Jaclyn Smith must be rolling in her... oh wait. Sorry.

Did Nina Ditch Elle?

Elle fashion editor Nina Garcia has reportedly left Elle. One wonders if a giant pay raise due to Project Runway's hop to Lifetime was involved. Cause she's still a judge, regardless.
Whatever. Who reads Elle? Except me on an airplane after I already read Vogue.
Update: She got fired, but they're supposedly throwing her a meaningless "Editor at Large" (a.k.a. please don't show up at the office 'cuz bitch we hate you) title just so she can still get the Elle name in her intro on Project Runway.

Uproar About Vogue Roar

The LeBron James/Gisele cover of this April's issue of Vogue is causing quite a stir. Some people think it's reminiscent of King Kong and is therefore racist. But 86% of the nameless-faceless who took this MSNBC poll don't think so. What's your take? Personally I wonder if anyone outside a slow news room gives a shit.
He totally looks like a big ape, and she looks like she's a big ape's idiot girlfriend. They could replace them with John Cena and Iman and that statement would be just as true.

Small Bites

Dior Fall '08
(Photos: Danielle Oberauch)

I don't know what else to say about the latest 60's Mega-Barbie collection from Dior but that I'm mad, completely mad about it. Not only the clothes, but the hair and makeup as well.
Now I can't decide if Catherine from Rock of Love 2 was really ahead of the game, or has just hung on to the look since the real 1965.
***
Word is we'll be seeing a knocked-up Nicole Kidman on a fall Vogue cover, shot by Annie Leibovitz (of course.)
Hey-- is it ok to Botox with a bun in the oven? If not, no wonder they shot the image so soon... before she reverts to a real-age state.
Let's pray it's not another naked Demi/Britney/Christina shot.
***
There's an indoor smoking ban in PARIS now? The world must be coming to an end. Then again, Jarvis Cocker's comment to WWD that "it's a good excuse to leave a room" is an apt one. Why deny the French that privilege?
P.S. What do you think he's doing with Wes Anderson? A soundtrack or maybe acting?

Get Ready to Feel Old

Frances Bean Cobain in Harper's Bazaar
(Photo: Jeff Riedel)

Frances Bean Cobain is a teenager, and she's in the new issue of Harper's Bazaar (see the spread here.) Refreshingly, based on the interview included, she doesn't feel entitled to fame and success and underage nightclub entrance just cause her parents are rock icons. Rumer, take note.

Small Bites

America's Next Top Model winner Jaslene walking for Jillian at the PR show last week.

Of the five Project Runway finalists (that's Sweet P, Chris, Christian, Jillian and Rami) who showed at fashion week on Friday morning, guest judge Victoria Beckham said there was one whose collection she would wear everything from. (My guess is it wasn't Chris, who used pieces of weave hair on some of his shit. Seriously, only Hedwig can pull that off.)
For those who want a spoiler on the looks shown, check out the WWD coverage here and FWD coverage here.
P.S. for some reason Tim Gunn WASN'T EVEN AT THE SHOW!
***
I just read this article about a 21-year-old "model wrangler" (cattle terms describing anorexics - there's irony) in the Sunday Times. When I finished it I daydreamt an entire made for TV movie in which he is disfigured in a huge accident and then discovers the true meaning of life.
***
On the cover of the March Vanity Fair: Emily Blunt, Amy Adams, Anne Hathaway, and Jessica Biel, all in pretty dresses. Hey remember that song from Sesame Street "one of these things is not like the other"? Totally applies. One of these things is a dude.

Gratuitous Image

That's Kiera Knightley, doing her best Twiggy impression on the cover of Canadian mag Strut.
It's a good look for her. Much better than that "pinching-nostrils-closed-and-forcing-weird-pout" face she does in movies to seem intense.

Sevigny Writes for Elle U.K.

Actress Chloe Sevigny- who once modeled for Miu Miu, worked with Imitation of Christ and most recently designed a line for downtown New York/L.A. shop Opening Ceremony- is going to have a column in Elle U.K. Which I definitely won't read more than once merely to mock.
Every time I read an interview with this girl I want to break glass. The media hails her as a daring fashion rebel and an indie queen and I'm sorry, but all I see is a yuppie in contrived hipster's clothing who likes to slum it for the appearance of having real creative weirdo cred.
And she gets to dole out fashion advice now?
"Only crazy people wear animal print," I recall her once saying.
Can't wait to hear what else wouldn't fly in Connecticut.

(Photo: WireImage)

I'd Prefer Cat Fancy

A while back, I mentioned how ridiculous I think it is to feed former Jane readers Glamour magazine-- which literally uses headlines like "He still hasn’t proposed? This famous chicken recipe just might do the trick!" --for the remainder of their subscriptions. Over the course of the last few months, I totally forgot it was coming. Yesterday I received my first copy of said shitty replacement in the mail.

My first thought was "WTF? I would never have drunkenly ordered this."
Then I thought maybe some misguided relative had me mistaken for a PR assistant from Connecticut who has missionary sex with the lights off and bought me a subscription for Christmas.
Then I remembered that this was my consolation prize.

During an ensuing stretch-and-bitch session with Ashley Info, I flipped through the rag and found half the editorial space dedicated to a massive feature on "What Guys Really Think!"
Oh. My. God.
Seriously? If you haven't figured out by now what the four thoughts guys think are, you're developmentally retarded. Not to mention-- how many of Jane's readers were lesbians? Bet they LOOOVED that article.
This after I was directed to "Splurge!" on a lame looking blazer for $475 and look hot for less in a coat from the Amanda Bynes collection.
Fuck you, Conde Nast.