Lana Del Rey is the new face of H&M

Singer Lana Del Rey has been unveiled as the star of high street store H&M's autumn/winter 2012 campaign.

Lana Del Rey in H&M's latest campaign

High street giant H&M have confirmed rumours that Lana Del Rey is the global face of their autumn/winter campaign.

"The mood is very L.A. noir," Donald Schneider, H&M's creative director, told WWD . "It's inspired by our fall collection." Del Rey - real name Elizabeth Grant - wears a pale pink angora jumper and matching micro shorts with her hair in its trademark beehive in the campaign, which was shot by Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin.

Rumours first surfaced at the end of last month when the New York Posts' Page Six reported a source as claiming Del Rey was in the process of shooting with the Swedish brand.

The star, who released her debut album in January this year, has been welcomed into the fashion industry with open arms, appearing on the cover of British Vogue 's March 2012 issue, having a Mulberry bag named after her and being signed up by model agency Next Models.

Del Rey has also recorded a cover of Blue Velvet for a short film that will be released on September 19 via hm.com. Edits of them film will then form television commercials.

It's another coup for H&M who are already gearing up for forthcoming collaborations with Maison Martin Margiela and Anna Dello Russo , both of which are set to land in stores later this year.

Meet the man behind Madonna's tour outfits

Big leaguers Beyoncé, Anna Dello Russo and Madonna have all been spotted in creations by Fausto Puglisi - but who is he?

Fausto Puglisi

It wouldn't be a Madonna tour without the outlandish outfits - Jean Paul Gaultier's conical-bra corsets, Dolce & Gabbana's rhinestone confections and Givenchy's S&M-ish leather have been some of her most memorable in the past. For her MDNA tour, which stopped off in London last night, they come courtesy of Gaultier again, who has revamped his famous piece from 1990's Blond Ambition tour - and one Fausto Puglisi, whose menacing bullet chains, fur coats and ram masks for her backing dancers are pitch-perfect.

Never heard of him? Neither had we, but alongside Madonna, big leaguers like Beyoncé, Jennifer Lopez and Anna Dello Russo, whom Puglisi credits for his ascent, are already acquainted with his flamboyant creations - impressive for someone who's had no formal design training (he studied Greek and Latin literature) and started his label two years ago. His line, inspired by the "power, sex and decadence of the Roman empire", is stocked in Spiga2, Dolce & Gabbana's Milan concept store. The 36-year-old Sicilian has also consulted for Versace, the label his work is often compared to, and worked with David LaChapelle. In short, the man is going places - we accost him for his musings.

On dressing Madonna 

"It's all about the incredible work of Arianne Phillips [Madonna's long-time stylist]. She knows what works on Her Madgesty. It all started during the promotion of Music, when Madonna wore my blouses. I was a boy and Arianne and Madonna have trusted me ever since. At the MTV Europe Music Awards in Stockholm [in 2000], Madonna wore an amazing Dolce & Gabbana red cowboy suit and I designed bling-bling, Swarovski accessories for her. I can't forget all the work I did by hand, putting hundreds of crystals and beads on while flying from Rome to New York. The hostesses were looking at me like I was ET."

Stella McCartney launches Little Miss Stella childrenswear

Stella McCartney designs a capsule childrenswear featuring 'Little Miss Stella', the Little Miss character inspired by her.

Arlo T-shirt, £30, from Stella McCartney's Little Miss Stella line launching in August

A couple of years ago, Stella McCartney collaborated with the people behind the Mr Men and Little Miss series to design a new character. The result was the dead adorable Little Miss Stella (inspired by McCartney, naturally), who appeared on the invitations - a proper Little Miss book - to her spring/summer 2007 catwalk show. 

Little Miss Stella - isn't she cute?

In terms of literary greatness, perhaps the story - Little Miss Stella meets Little Miss Nobody, otherwise known as Billy No Mates because she's wearing last season's shoes or something, designs an amazing suit for her and turns her into a somebody - doesn't quite rival War and Peace 's, but, then again, War and Peace doesn't have a character whose skin tone is a fetching shade of blue. You win some, you lose some.

Felt tips from the Little Miss Stella line

Little Miss Stella is the inspiration for McCartney's new seven-piece Kids' capsule collection, and appears on everything from babygros, jumpers and T-shirts, to bags and felt-tips. 

Gucci wins trademark case against Guccio Gucci

What's in a name? A lot of legal bother if it happens to be Gucci.

The Gucci logo. The double interlocking G's do not stand for Guccio Gucci... Photo: REX

We love it when a family finds a name they like and sticks to it, like George Foreman who named his five sons George (George Jr., George III, George IV, George V and George VI), and Jermaine Jackson who named three of his eight offspring Jermaine, Jaimy, and Jermajesty.

Sadly, however, such family pride doesn't always lead to happy endings.

Yesterday in Florence, a judge ruled against Guccio Gucci and his brother Alessandro Gucci, the great-grandsons of Gucci founder, Guccio Gucci in an intellectual property case brought by the Gucci Group.

WWD report that Guccio and Alessandro's handbag and accessories firm ToBeG Srl has been found guilty of infringement of Gucci's trademarks "illegitimately" using the names "Gucci" and "Guccio Gucci" for its marketing communications and website activities.

The judge ruled that the use of the name 'Guccio Gucci' "determined an unfair association" between ToBeG's products and Gucci's trademarks, and said that its behaviour "constitutes an act of unfair competition to Gucci's detriment because the advertising materials of the defendant caused confusion with Gucci's products and business activities and took unfair advantage of the qualities and reputation of Gucci's products".

Sales of Katie Holmes' fashion label boosted by divorce

Sales of Holmes & Yang, the fashion label run by Katie Holmes, are reported to have risen stateside since the actress announced her divorce from Tom Cruise.

As they say, no publicity is bad publicity, and Katie Holmes is the latest proof of that.

Sales of her Holmes & Yang fashion line have reportedly soared since she announced her high-profile separation from Hollywood husband Tom Cruise at the end of last month.

According to a clerk from the Beverly Hills branch of US department store Barney's, the brand has been "selling particularly well", reports Fox News . The New York branch has similarly confirmed that sales are up, although no exact figures have been given.

News of the sales boost comes two weeks after it was announced that Holmes & Yang are preparing to show their spring/summer 2013 collection at New York Fashion Week for the first time this September.

The former Dawson's Creek actress has been spotted wearing pieces from the label - which is designed in collaboration with stylist Jeanne Yang - a number of times since the split, including for a much-hyped appearance on Project Runway.

First look at Yves Saint Laurent rebranding

The first pictures have surfaced of Yves Saint Laurent's controversial rebranding following a name change to Saint Laurent Paris.

A photo of Yves Saint Laurent's rebranding, taken by LOVE magazine's Katie Grand. Photo: Katie Grand/Twitter

It caused quite a stir when newly-appointed creative director Hedi Slimane announced that YSL would be undergoing a name change - from Yves Saint Laurent to Saint Laurent Paris - and now we can finally see how his reimagination measures up.

The first images have surfaced of the fashion house's rebranding, courtesy of LOVE editor Katie Grand, who took to her Twitter page to share the photo. The Instagram picture shows the new 'Saint Laurent' typography, which currently adorns the construction boards surrounding the brand's soon-to-open Mercer Street, New York store. Unfortunately, according the New York Magazine , the new branding has since been covered up by posters, thanks to T-shirt brand Rocksmith (who clearly know a good advertising opportunity when they see one).

Another picture featuring a black product box with the new branding on it has also appeared in the latest issue of Vogue Paris , showing 'Saint Laurent' with Paris written in smaller type beneath, surrounded by a thick black frame.

The image that appears in the August issue of Vogue Paris. Photo: Vogue Paris 

When the name change was announced in June the brand confirmed that they will continue to use the iconic overlapping YSL logo, which was designed by Cassandre in 1963, and that the rebranding will only apply to ready-to-wear, with the house's official moniker remaining as Yves Saint Laurent.

Slimane showed his first collection for the house, Resort 2013, to select buyers earlier this month, but the world will get to see his spring/summer 2013 collection during Paris Fashion Week this September.

Aljur Seduces

Ayun oh! Nakahain! LOL



This is the most provocative Aljur pose! Daig pa ung mga shirtless pose nya for the Bench summer campaign! Whew!



Photo © Bench

Meet Lanvin's 82-year-old Campaign Star

French fashion house Lanvin has decided to use 'real people' for their autumn/winter 2012 campaign, making a star out of octogenarian dancer Jacquie "Tajah" Murdock.

Jacquie “Tajah” Murdock in Lanvin's autumn/winter 2012 campaign. Photo: Steven Meisel

Lanvin creative director Alber Elbaz has decided to cast 'real people' as opposed to models for the French luxury label's autumn/winter 2012 campaign.

So far only two images from the campaign, which was shot by Steven Meisel, have surfaced, one showing a young lilac-fringed woman in a black and white dress and another featuring 82-year-old Jacquie "Tajah" Murdock.

"I was interested to bring these clothes back to the street somehow, and seeing how they look on different ages, different sizes," Elbaz told WWD of the campaign. "It felt like a crazy family, and I like that."

The campaign was develeoped under the creative direction of House + Holme, the creative agency run by Ronnie Newhouse and Stephen Wolstenholme, with make-up by the legendary Pat McGrath, hair by Guido Palau and set design by Mary Howard.

Since the images were released a day or so ago, Murdock has become something of an internet sensation. Although Lanvin haven't publicly named any of their new stars in the campaign images, the octogenarian was already a vaguely familiar face thanks to her appearance in Ari Cohen's OAP-focused street style book, Advanced Style , but we had no idea of just how fascinating she was.

Tajah's full campaign image. Photo: Steven Meisel

Fashionista.com tracked her down to ask her all about her life and it turns out there's more to her than just enviable bone structure. She's an active dancer who performed at New York's legendary Apollo Theatre in her youth (Tajah is her dancer name), she has three, yes three, degrees from New York University - and she gets stopped in the street all the time by people wanting to take her picture thanks to her unique style.

Alexander McQueen launches the Heroine handbag

Meet the Heroine, Alexander McQueen's new 'It Bag' which goes on sale today. Warning: may be addictive.

Zoe Saldana and her black leather medium-sized Heroine handbag. Photo: Getty

We love it when a new hero bag comes to market so we have something fresh to drool over, pine for and covet. The latest object of our affection comes courtesy of those accessory maestros at Alexander McQueen, who today launch their new baby, the 'Heroine' (see what they did there?).

The Heroine in black croc, 127,892 AED. PHOTO: Dan Tobin Smith

Described by McQueen as a "timeless luxury piece" the Heroine is the luxe love child of the satchel and the doctor's bag, with a teardrop profile and short, tote-style handles.

It comes in a small, rectangular shape, and a medium square form (already spotted swinging on Zoe Saldana's arm), and is basically a total beauty.

To mark the launch, and McQueen's increased focus on accessories, the Heroine is starring in its very own campaign shot by renowned still life photographer Dan Tobin Smith in which she sits in all her black croc amazingness spot lit on a crisp white graphic backdrop.

Christian Louboutin to open London men's store

Red-soled shoe brand Christian Louboutin will open its first UK shop to stock only men's footwear and accessories in London this November.

Christian Louboutin will open its first London men's boutique this November, the company has confirmed.

The store will be situated on Mayfair's Dover Street, a short distance from the brand's women's boutique on Mount Street, W1. It will stock the largest selection of Louboutin men's shoes and bags in the U.K.

The space will be designed by New York-based architects 212Box, the same company behind Louboutin's New York men's store, which is set to open in the city's Meatpacking District in August.

Louboutin opened their first men's boutique in Paris last September.

His men's designs are favoured by the likes of Kanye West and Tinie Tempah, both of whom have been seen wearing the spiked 'Rollerball' loafers.

The Kate Moss Book is coming

Supermodel Kate Moss is the subject of a new tome that will be published in November, and which is edited by her former partner Jefferson Hack.

The cover of 'Kate: The Kate Moss Book' Photo: Rizzoli

Sadly, the book we're talking about isn't a tell-all autobiography penned by Moss herself; instead, it's a coffee table tome dedicated to her incredible body of work over the last 20 years.

The Kate Moss Book has been edited by Moss' former flame, father of her daughter Lila and editor of Dazed and Confused , Jefferson Hack, and close friend and casting director, Jess Hallett.

Moss has had a hand in the creation of the volume too, personally selecting the images she wanted to be included in order to create a publication that "spans the entirety of her unparalleled career, from model to fashion designer, and muse to icon."

Yves Saint Laurent create Facebook inspired Eyeshadow!

We've had Apple Macbook Pro, the perfume, now meet the eyeshadow inspired by Facebook.

Big brands are increasingly turning to social media to canvas their friends and fans' opinions on their new product lines and upcoming launches, but French luxury fashion and beauty brand Yves Saint Laurent have taken the practice a step further and created an eyeshadow compact inspired by Facebook.

The four-colour palette called 'Devoted To Fans #1' feautes a Facebook-esque blue, black, white and grey, and will only be available to 'fans' of the Yves Saint Laurent Fragrances & Beauty Facebook page.

"This is a fitting tribute to a vibrant and passionate demonstration that Yves Saint Laurent is a modern and dynamic brand with consumers knowing the heart of its marketing strategy" said Damien Vincent, commercial director of Facebook France in a statement.

The colours are, to be honest, closer to their iconic YSL Rive Gauche fragrance packaging, but it's a neat piece of marketing and a nice way to reward their supporters with something special.

Only 1,650 of the palettes will be made available, and with 350,000 fans they are set to become highly sought-after, so make sure you show YSL the love before they go.

Lenny Kravitz, the next Ralph Lauren?

Musician Lenny Kravitz has announced that he is going global with his lifestyle and fashion brand.

Not content with conquering the music world with his inimitable style of psychedelic rock, and the silver screen with his bucket-full of attitude (yes, the gold eyeliner-sporting stylist in The Hunger Games was Lenny), Kravitz has caught the celebrity-turned-designer bug, and he's set his bar high.

The 48-year-old rocker diversified from his day job in 2003 when he founded Kravitz Design , a company specialising in innovative and dynamic design solutions for commercial and residential properties. Earlier this year, he dipped a toe into the world of fashion by collaborating with ethical footwear brand TOMS.

"The plan is to make it a lifestyle brand . . . my dream for this company. In the same way you would see Ralph Lauren or Giorgio Armani" he told CNN.

Furniture, bedding and clothing are high on the agenda, as well as an eco-resort on a farm he owns in Brazil next year.

Perhaps Kravitz will rope in his stylish actress daughter Zoe to consult on cuts and colours. Thanks to her kooky, pared-back style, the 23-year-old regularly graces best-dressed lists around the globe.

Rihanna to design a collection for River Island

Pop star Rihanna has confirmed that she is designing a capsule collection for high street favourite River Island.

Rihanna in London wearing Stella McCartney in March this year. Photo: Rex

After much speculation, River Island has finally confirmed that Rihanna will be designing a collection for them, but we'll have to wait until spring 2013 to see the sartorial fruits of the pop star's labour.

"I've been wanting to design my own collection for some time. River Island is the perfect partner for me to collaborate with and working with a British, family run business also really appealed to me. I find London really inspiring and River Island loves to have fun with clothes. I'm looking forward to working with them and creating something really special," says Rihanna.

Rihanna wearing her River Island T-shirt. Photo: Rihanna/Instagram

The high street store is evidently delighted with its latest coup too: "We are thrilled to be collaborating with Rihanna and to be the first fashion brand to work with her in this way," said Ben Lewis, River Island's chief executive.

"Rihanna is a style icon; from street to chic she enjoys her fashion. As soon as we started to work together we knew this was a perfect fit. Rihanna will be designing the collection and we will be sharing our fashion experience with her to develop a range her fans will love."

Kanye wants Kim Kardashian to call him!!

Forget marriage proposals and alleged plans to have children together. Just how serious are things between Kanye West and Kim Kardashian?

According to an Us Weekly source, the rapper "doesn't like to be tied down by technology" and did not own a cellphone... until his new girlfriend came along.

"It frustrated Kim. She had to call him through a bodyguard," the source said of Kanye living in the 1980s, adding that he finally caved, joined the 21st century and purchased a phone.

But "he only uses it for Kim," the mole claims.

And, we presume, to call the paparazzi and let them know where he and Kim will "dating" that day.

Marks & Spencer need to be more stylish!

Lisa Armstrong: 'Marks & Spencer's clothes don't need to get more fashionable - or less fashionable. They just need to be more stylish.'

Poor Marks & Spencer. As if a seven per cent slump in womenswear sales weren't bad enough, it has to endure endless journalists telling it where it went wrong. Too much fashion, not enough editing, is one theory I've read this week. Not enough fashion, is another.

M&S clothes don't need to get more fashionable - or less fashionable. They just need to be more stylish. That starts with the cut. Because it comes to something when your 71-year-old mother says she finds M&S frumpy. And she's not looking for a pair of this summer's hot-pants or crop-tops. At least my 71-year-old mother isn't. She wants well-cut trousers and tops that flatter and fit, in good-quality fabrics. She's a trim size 12 - she's not asking for radical surgical enhancement. And she's not so naïve she expects M&S to compete on price with Primark. If she wants Primark, she'll go to Primark. But she doesn't want Primark.

Can it really be that hard? Remember when M&S's underwear was truly grizzly: cheap-looking lace and satins and ludicrously over-embellished pointy cup-shapes? After years of criticism and slipping sales, the lingerie team finally got its act together and combined its undeniably innovative fabric technology and scale of economy to deliver some excellent bra shapes.

Dior Couture: The making of the million flower set

Come behind-the-scenes as the Dior team painstakingly build the elaborate floral set for Raf Simons' couture debut in Paris.

There were peonies, goldenrod, dahlias, carnations, delphiniums, orchids and all kinds of roses. Flowers splayed from floor to ceiling.

'The décor for the haute couture presentation this season was an event unto itself' Dior say on their website. And they're not wrong.

It's easy sometimes for the pampered fashion editors, socialites, and celebrities perched on their Napolean III seats at Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week to take their surroundings for granted, but no one attending the Dior show last week could have failed to be awed by the intensely beautiful set.

Created from one million fresh flowers painstakingly cut and arranged to decorate the walls of the five private salons playing host to Raf Simons' debut, the set has rightfully earned a short film paying tribute to the effort involved in bringing it to life.

We wonder what happened to all those flowers after the 15-minute presentation drew to a close and the beautiful people filed out. Perhaps Dior had them packed and sent to front row guest Princess Charlene of Monaco's palace? She's probably not short on vases…

Get tomorrow's 'vintage' today at Chanel couture

With elongated silhouettes, skirts cut "a hand above the knee" and slender dresses slashed open or cut low at the back, Karl Lagerfeld dubbed the look "New Vintage" in a nod to the fashionista appetite for collector Chanel.

Models walk the runway during the Chanel Haute-Couture show as part of Paris Fashion Week Fall / Winter 2012/13 at the Grand Palais on July 3, 2012 in Paris, France.

Bohemian belles in feathers and sparkling faux-tweed glided past the white wicker tables of an old world spa as Chanel put its own spin on the vintage craze at the Paris haute couture shows on Tuesday.

Chanel's designer Karl Lagerfeld took over a disused wing of Paris' Grand Palais exhibition hall -- his venue of choice -- with a decor of black-and-white sketched doors and a giant fresco meant to suggest a genteel thermal resort.

British style icon Alexa Chung and top model Laetitia Casta were among the famous faces at the early morning show, with the director Sofia Coppola and the actress Diane Kruger due at a second seating.

Bejewelled crochet snoods on their hair, Chanel's women stepped out in daysuits of glittering faux tweed -- virtuoso creations each some 3,000 hours in the making, crafted from wool, tulle and pearls.

With elongated silhouettes, skirts cut "a hand above the knee" and slender dresses slashed open or cut low at the back, Lagerfeld dubbed the look "New Vintage" in a nod to the fashionista appetite for collector Chanel.

Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images

"My own suits from 30 years ago, you can buy them like vintage now," the German designer told reporters after the show, white hair in his trademark ponytail, black suit and shades, and clutching his iPhone in one hand.

"'New Vintage' is a proposition for something that could last -- at least I hope so," he said. "This is the same attitude, the same spirit, the same name, same concept -- but something for our time."

"Vintage -- but it's not vintage yet. You can have it before it's vintage!" quipped the spirited designer. "Plus, 'New Vintage' has a nice ring to it!"

Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images

So tomorrow's collector, Tuesday's show suggested, would pair his Chanel suits and gowns with glittery silver tights, metal-tipped heels, leather-like sheaths covering the wrist and cupping the hand by way of gloves.

For the day, Lagerfeld played with shades of grey lifted by touches of pink "but never 'shocking', I leave that to other houses".

Come cocktail time, his palette turned darker, introducing glossy blacks and flashes of mat silver, like on a metallic-looking gown with fuchsia pink highlights at the neck, waist and hem.

Wispy ostrich feathers adorned a sheer white blouse, tucked into wide-leg white pants, the feather embroidery repeated on a full length cape over a black-and-white dress.

The skill of Chanel's craft ateliers was on ample display in feather-light pastel evening gowns, embroidered with fluttering feathers, cupped flowers or in one case dozens of little rabbit-tail pom-poms.

Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images

And for the finale, the bride -- as per the couture custom -- stepped out in a fully feathered gown, a pale pink bow at the back of its sweeping skirts, and a ruff of feathers softly framing her face.

So how long before the new collection can be stamped as vintage, with the prestige and premium that applies? Ten years?

"In fashion the future is six months," Lagerfeld mused.

He also let slip a few comments on the debut collection of Dior's new designer Raf Simons on Monday, which itself mined a retro seam inspired by the "architecture" of Christian Dior's iconic 1950s silhouettes.

While the look "could have done with incubating a little longer," Lagerfeld said Simons was, in his view, the best candidate for the top design job, where he succeeded the disgraced John Galliano.

Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images

"There is simply no one else out there," he said. "So it's a good thing."

Catering to no more than 200 of the world's richest women, haute couture is a protected appellation in France, awarded based on strict criteria such as the amount of work carried out by hand and in-house.

Rihanna's new TV show teaser

A sneak peek at Rihanna's new TV show, 'Styled To Rock', and her hunt for the next 'fashion sensation'.

Rihanna has a new teaser for her reality TV show, Styled To Rock , and she's on the hunt for the next "fashion sensation" - vague-speak for "designer", although there's a tweak on the ol' Project Runway format in that said sensation has to be a dab hand at styling as well.

"You are dope!" she tells one of the 12 hopefuls battling it out to dress a different star every week. "You're the bomb!" she says high-fiving another. The top prize is creating her outfit for Wireless - which, compared to PR's $100,000, spread in a glossy and fancy car, is pretty small time. Plus, we've already seen the winning outfit - a classic Rihanna flash-your-bum-and-tum hot-pants and crop-top number - as the festival was last week. The designer, though, is still being kept under wraps; their big moment, and they can't even bask in the glory - talk about being short-changed.

The singer won't be showing her face every week, so Henry Holland and Nicola Roberts from Girls Aloud (with a special appearance by Nicola Roberts from Girls Aloud's veneers) have been drafted in as co-hosts. Rihanna's stylist, Lysa Cooper, is also on hand as guru and as the Simon Cowell-ish ball-buster of the show choice quote: "They better bring their A-game"

Kate Moss saves George Michael’s life

British supermodel Kate Moss makes a life-saving cameo in George Michael's latest music video.

In the words of Gabrielle, dreams can come true - especially if you're Kate Moss and that dream involves George Michael.

The singer took to his Twitter page to confirm rumours that Kate had filmed a cameo in the video for his new single, White Light , which is said to be all about his recent battle with pneumonia.

"Oh and by the way, in the video, a certain supermodel (Kate) saves my life. We shot two endings, one with the heimlich menouvre...and one where she gives me full on CPR. Mouth to mouth. Not really," he tweeted. "But honestly, she is my saviour, on film at least."

It's not the first music video Moss has appeared in - she pole-danced in the video for The White Stripes' 'I Just Don't Know What to Do With Myself' in 2003 and also appeared in Primal Scream's Some Velvet Morning video.