Project Catwalk on Sky

Up and coming models and designers will jostle for the limelight with Liz Hurley hosting Sky One's Project Catwalk.

The television show, which runs on Thursdays at 8pm, whittles down 12 designers to three – the winners who will get to present their collections at London Fashion Week in February.
The winner will also receive £20,000, a mentorship with the Topshop design team and a spread in Elle magazine.
Expect plenty of cat-fighting on the catwalk!

Scarlett Johansson new face of L'Oreal

L'Oréal Paris this week appointed Scarlet Johansson to be the face of its new cosmetics line called HIP, or High Intensity Pigments. The new beauty line is aimed at bringing shoppers back to drugstores.

The contract is set to earn the actress $3 million a year. The fair-skinned, plump-lipped beauty will first appear in HIP TV ads during the Golden Globes telecast that will air January 16.

What a year for Kate

Despite having suffered a terrible summer in the scrutinised eyes of the media, Kate Moss has risen high above the tabloid press. In terms of fashion, she made popular several looks such as skinny jeans and city sorts and waistcoats, all which soon turned into public consumption and widespread trends. Next, she was presented with a Council of Fashion Designers of America award for Fashion Influence.

And the recent photographs of Kate shooting new campaigns for Roberto Cavalli, Stella McCartney and Rimmel show that she is the same style icon before the cocaine scandal this summer. Now fresh out of rehab, the sex, drugs and rock ‘n' roll have only served to cement Moss' position as the fashion inspiration of a generation.

Celebrities rally around Kate

In the wake of her alleged cocaine scandal Kate Moss may have lost some lucrative contracts with the likes of Burberry and Chanel, but she can be assured of some great lasting friendships. Photographer Mario Testino defended the supermodel, saying he had never seen her “debauched or out of control.” “I know Kate very well and I don't think she's at all tormented, torrid, depressed,” Testino said on BBC radio.

Danish supermodel turned photographer Helena Christensen also leapt to her defense. “Kate is going to come back, she is going to be super-strong again,” she told Reuters. “Everybody is going to want her again because she is that kind of person. She is very professional and she's beautiful and she is someone who is going to be around forever.” Christensen went on to criticize the press for building people up simply to pull them back down again. Sharon Stone also spoke out in support of Moss, who is currently residing in the US.

24 October 2005

Team Moss

She may have horrified luxury houses like Burberry with her alleged cocaine habit, but Kate Moss has once again inspired others in the fashion world.

Commercially-minded retailers know that La Moss still sells. Spreadshirt is selling tote bags (£14.20) and T-shirts (from £14.90) sporting the slogans Fashion Victim, Dreaming of a White Xmas and Free Cocaine Kate.

Also by the same design team are badges with Pop Art-style drawings of the scorned supermodel.

“Torn at by the tabloids, bloodied by the broadsheets, its time to kick against the pricks. Get your ass behind the leader of the party-hard generation.Vote Moss” commands the Palakon website, which offers black and pink ‘Vote Moss' t-shirts.

www.palakon.co.uk
www.spreadshirt.net
17 October 2005

Miss Selfridge and Premier in model search

Miss Selfridge and Premier Model Management have teamed up for annual model contest 'Miss Selfridge 2005'. Throughout September Premier scouts visit stores across the UK, with cities targeted including London, Leeds, Bristol, Glasgow and Manchester.

The winner, chosen from 12 finalists at a grand final event in Leeds on October 26, receives a contract with Premier and is photographed exclusively for young women's title B, plus takes home a £500 Miss Selfridge wardrobe, a Canon digital IXUS camera and a SELPHY compact photo printer.

13 September 2005

Shop Pammy-style

Beach babe extraordinaire Pamela Anderson has launched an accessory line which is now availble across Europe. The new Pamela Anderson Collection consists of three separate ranges. There is the Winter Beach range, which harks back to her days at the beach. Star is a range with a big rock influence and Sensuality represents the Pam of today.

"My lifestyle is always changing, one minute I'm a beach babe, the next a rock chick and the next a mom of two at home in Malibu," says Pamela. "Thanks to my collection of accessories, wherever I am or whatever I am doing - I always look great." The bags - for which Pammy has refused to use real leather - are available in bronze, shimmering or dusty pink, and blasted denim. They sell for between £20 and £60.

13 July 2005

All about Elle

Only last week Elle Macpherson announced her split from her partner of nine years and the father of her two boys, Arkie Busson, and people are already speculating about her love life.

Aside from rumours surrounding her friendship with Irish filmstar Colin Farrell, she has been spotted with actor Al Pacino. According to the New York Post the Australian beauty was seen on a date with the diminutive actor at Il Sole restaurant in LA. The paper's source said the dinner was "definitely romantic". Pacino's representatives have declined to comment.

4 July 2005

Atomic model

Atomic Kitten singer Jenny Frost will be the face of designer Julien Macdonald's new line for Kotex underwear.n The gorgeous 26-year-old is planning to release her debut singel Crash Landing in August, but also has a contract with Premiere Models.

A source told the Daily Mirror: "Julian thinks Jenny has been one of the most exciting girls in the charts. He says she's very sexy with a great look. Jenny's spent the past week being measured up by Julien and his team and they're putting the final touches to the range at the moment."

20 June 2005

Bundchen new face of St John

For 22 years Kelly Gray has been the face of California-based fashion house, St John. Relinquishing that role to continue acting as creative designer for the label, she makes way for ubermodel Gisele "the body" Bundchen.

St John's new ceo, Richard Cohen, said that the firm's choice for Gisele was a step towards repositioning the label in the designer category. David Lipman, the head of the agency responsible for the ad campaign, which was shot by Mario Testino, said: "Califormia is where it begins. The wide-open spaces, the sunshine and the infinite possibilities. Gisele is the personification of those things."

St John was founded in 1962 by Kelly Gray's parents, Bob and Marie Gray. They sold the company to Vestar Capital for $420 million in 1999. The Grays retained a minority stake. Meanwhile Mary Gray has signed on for another year as head designer.

16 June 2005

Elle's a winner

Supermodel Elle Macpherson has won the Entrepreneur of the Year award for her hit lingerie line. She received the award at the Glamour Women of the Year Awards in Berkeley Square in London. Macpherson was delighted with the accolade. "I've never won anything in my 23-year career. Not for TV, not for films and not for modeling - I'm moved."

Other winners that night included designer Alice Temperley and Dame Kelly Holmes, who was pronounced Sportswoman of the Year. Celebrities such as Teri Hatcher, Usher, Kim Cattrall and Laura Bailey attended the event.

13 June 2005

Thief steals Naomi Campbell's jewellery

Naomi Campbell had her 35th birthday ruined after a thief stole more than £25,000 of jewels and clothes earmarked for a charity auction. The thief sneaked on board her yacht at the Cannes film festival by telling guards he was one of her entourage.

He searched the cabins before literally striking gold in the supermodel's room. Ms Campbell immediately arranged for replacement items to be flown out to make sure the Nelson Mandela Foundation didn't lose out. Nationwide, the biggest building society, believes the property market will stagnate by the end of the year. Previously it had forecast a 2% rise in house prices by the end of the year. This figure has now been revised to between 0% and 2%.

The society said it believed there would be a 'soft landing' for the housing market. It reported net mortgage lending had fallen to £10.9bn in the year to 4 April against £13.2bn last time.

20 May 2005

Models on a roll

Plans are on the horizon for the world's first ever wheelchair fashion show. After the Paralympics, this is only a natural progression.

Next week, designers Nicole Miller, Lloyd Klein, Heatherette and Miguel Pena will join wheelchair-bound women to discuss the organisation of such a show. The meeting, which is sponsored by Discovery Through Design and the MUSE organisation, will plan the Rolling With Style show. It is a benefit featuring designer wheelchairs and wheelchair-friendly fashion by New York designers.

Discovery Through Design is an organisation that rewards accomplishments by wheelchair-bound women. It was founded by women with spinal injuries and it helps all wheelchair-bound women by promoting creativity and increased quality of life.

18 May 2005

Supermodel overcomes bankruptcy

How did the famous 90s model Maggie Rizer become overweight and bankrupt, earning an estimated $30,000 a day model, amassing a $7 million fortune? The supermodel, who graced the covers of Vogue, Prada and Calvin Klein ad campaigns, saw her fortune being gambled away by her stepfather, John Breen, who managed her accounts. Breen, who has pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to defraud, spent his days at a local pub, betting away on lottery tickets, and hiding his alcohol and gambling addiction from his step-daughter.

Rizer reacted by stopping with exercising and dieting on pizza and cocktails She went up from a size six to a size ten and was no longer in demand with her modelling agency IMG. Today, however, she has lost the weight and has already done a catwalk show for Hugo by Hugo Boss. IMG have taken her back on their books and are promoting her to reclaim her place at the pinnacle of the fashion world, where she once stood.

13 May 2005

Helena Christensen opens New York boutique

Danish-born supermodel cum photographer Helena Christensen has opened Butik, at 605 Hudson Street in New York. The 900 square foot shop stocks Christensen's favourite things, a quirky mix of vintage, new, and specialty Danish goods. Or, in Helena's words: "everything strange and weird and wonderful and aesthetic and antique and new."

Covetable items include a jacket by Rutzou with a self belt covered in a handful of buttons and a fabric flower near the lapel. Capelets from Baum und Pferdgarten, a popular brand based in Copenhagen, look like something an old-fashioned doll would wear. More modern are Iven Hoj's finely knit sweaters, Camilla Staerk's black silk dresses and Norgaard Paa Stroget's simple maritime shirts for men and women.

Butik, 605 Hudson Street, New York, NY

27 April 2005

Heidi pregnant again?

German supermodel Heidi Klum is rumoured to be pregnant with her second child. She is engaged to the father, singer Seal, and the two have bought a $4.3 million house in Beverly Hills.

Seal reportedly gets on very well with his soon to be stepdaughter, eleven-month-old Leni, and has even dedicated his last album to her. Leni's biological father is Formula 1 boss Flavio Briatore, who is reknowned for dating supermodels like Klum and Naomi Campbell.

15 March 2005

Capricious Naomi

The fashion world appears to finally be losing its patience with whimsical Naomi Campbell. At London Fashion Week she managed to hold up the shows by arriving over an hour late. She was blamed for delaying both the Julien MacDonald as the Gharani Strok show. Tempers flared while she kept everyone waiting.

Co-designer for Gharani Strok, Nagress Gharani, told the Irish Examiner: "I think (she) probably woke up and decided she wasn't in the mood to do it. By the time her agent had talked her into coming, everyone had been waiting for her for ages. We were almost at the point of going ahead without her. I was thinking to myself that she just wasn't worth the hassle."

When Naomi finally arrived at the show she was very apologetic. This situation begs the question: Why does anyone still bother to wait for Ms Campbell, who appears to care less about anyone but herself?

21 February 2005

Million dollar baby

Last week a portrait of supermodel Kate Moss by Lucian Freud sold for GBP3.9 million. An anonymous telephone bidder bought the painting, titled "Naked Portrait 2002", at auction at Christie's in London after a heated bidding match.

Moss, who had once announced that it was her life's ambition to be portraited by the German born Freud, sat for the artist for months. She was pregnant with her daughter Lila Grace during the sittings.

Another painting by Freud, "A Red-Haired Man on a Chair" sold for GBP4.15 million. A spokeswoman for Christie's told Yahoo: "We are delighted with the results of th sale of the two works by Freud, painted exactly 40 years apart."

14 February 2005

Modeling Drew

The latest Hollywood star to join the ranks of models with lucrative contracts with cosmetic's giants is Drew Barrymore. The star and producer of the Charlie's Angels films has been persuaded by her good friend, make-up artist Gucci Westman, to be one of the faces of Lancome's spring 2005 line, French Riviera.

The campaign sees Drew posing naked, wearing only Lancome make-up applied by Westman. When Drew saw the collection, she responded: "What could be more beautiful than colour like this?"

www.lancome.com
18 January 2005

The ultimate cover girl

Supermodel Cindy Crawford is back as cover girl for the February edition of UK Vogue. Eighteen years after her first cover and about to turn 39 on February 20th, the woman who defined the term 'supermodel' is back gracing the cover of one of the most important fashion magazines.

After two children, Cindy still has what it takes to attract readers. Crawford is not simply a beauty, but has always been known for her business prowess, trying her hand at acting, presenting for MTV and producing fitness videos. Her newest project is to develop a skincare line. UK Vogue editor Alexandra Schulman is delighted with the new cover. "It's the ultimate pinup girl doing pinup pictures," she said.

www.vogue.co.uk
11 January 2005

Kate Moss back with ex

Kate Moss, after a string of high-profile romances, is back with Jefferson Hack. Hack, who is the father of their two-year old daughter Lila, has been patient for over a year waiting for Kate to 'come back.'

Magazine owner Hack has reportedly told friends that they are to give their romance another go after spending a relaxing family Christmas together at Kate's 2 million pound home in the Cotswolds.

31 December 2004

Moss painting worth millions

A painting of supermodel Kate Moss, painted by artist Lucian Freud, is expected to sell for GBP3.5 million. The painting, which depicts Kate in naked splendour while pregnant with her daughter Lila Grace in 2002 is to be auctioned by Christie's in London in February.

The auction house revealed that the painting is being sold by a private art collector who bought the painting soon after its completion. Freud asked Kate to pose for him after she had admitted that sitting for Freud was something she definitely wanted to do.

21 December 2004

Beauty versus Bill

Fashion's darling Naomi Campbell has been caught in yet another feud. This time at her ex-boyfriend's Cipriani restaurant in London. Dining with current beau Usher, Campbell reportedly lost her temper when presented with the bill, and claimed she shouldn't have to pay because the restaurant is owned by her ex, Flavio Briatore.

In the end Flavio was called and he told staff to waive the bill. But there was anger that she'd got away with being so rude and not having to pay. Campbell's spokesman says, "There wasn't an argument. When the bill came, Naomi said Flavio was taking care of it as agreed."

1 December 2004

Juicy Barbie

You know you've made it when Mattel decides to immortalize you as Barbie. If the balance sheets hadn't already proved this fact to the LA brand Juicy Couture, Barbie has.

Juicy Couture founder Pamela Skaist-Levy and Gela Nash Taylor join the ranks of legendary designers like Bill Blass, Calvin Klein and Giorgio Armani, who all got to dress the plastic beauty. The dolls were even made to look like the duo. Skaist-Levy's blonde hair was copied for one of the dolls, while the other sported Taylor's brunette do. The buxom, narrow-hipped icons sport terry-cloth hoodies and pants, or in the case of the Skaist-Levy doll, a skirt. The latter is even accompanied by her little pooch.

The Juicy Couture Barbies were revealed in Las Vegas, where the first Juicy store opened four days ago.

24 November 2004

Heidi Klum on modelling

German supermodel Heidi Klum is sharing her modelling experience with young girls who want to enter the profession. The 31-year-old beauty says that contrary to what most people might think, modelling is not particularly glamorous. It is hard work and can be detrimental to a young girl's self-esteem. As a model you are a commodity, which is not very good for the ego. And if a stunning, successful model like Klum can suffer at the hands of the industry, imagine how it is for young girls who still have to find their way.

Klum also took the opportunity to crush rumours of an upcoming marriage to rock star boyfriend Seal. She pointed out that her marriage to Ric Pipino had been enough to satisfy all her romantic needs. "I was married and I have no regrets, but the good thing is that I have done that. A lot of my girlfriends are still dreaming of the white dress and the beautiful cake. I don't have to fulfil that dream anymore."

9 November 2004

Supermodel duped by dad

With family like this who needs enemies? Supermodel Maggie Rizer's father has just pleaded guilty to defrauding his daughter of $ 7 million. John Breen, who is in fact Rizer's stepfather, pleaded guilty to felony counts of first, second- and third-degree grand larceny, first-degree scheming to defraud and two counts of criminal possession of a forged instrument.

Rizer, who enjoys a good relationship with Breen, had put him in charge of her finances. She was aware of his gambling and alcohol addictions, especially when faced with the fact that he gambled away the family's life savings of $80,000 during a five-day gambling spree. However, the extent of his problems has only just surfaced.

Breen will be sentenced on 3 January. In the meantime, Rizer is doing her best to pick up the pieces and is working hard at her career.

28 October 2004

Naomi's latest love

Supermodel Naomi Campbell appears to have found a new love. Rumours had been flying around about her and the 26-year-old R&B star, Usher. The stories seemed to be confirmed when they arrived at his birthday party at the Rainbow Room in New York two weeks ago. They flirted outrageously with each other on the red carpet before entering the premises to party with the likes of P.Diddy and Donald Trump.

19 October 2004

Naked Charity

Supermodel Kate Moss and the Duchess of York are to appear in a new book to raise funds for Elton John's AIDS Foundation. They are among fourteen famous women who have been asked to model naked for a book by Jimmy Choo-owner Tamara Mellon.

All the women featured in it will be wearing nothing but Cartier jewellery and Jimmy Choo shoes and will be photographed by female photographers. Model Rachel Hunter and actress Lara Flynn Boyle are among the women who have been invited to work on the project. The book is being published by the London-based Scriptum Editions and will be on bookshelves early next year.

19 October 2004

Moss new muse for shoes

The British supermodel is the latest muse of Terry de Havillard, the British cobbler and self-titled "rock 'n' roll cobbler". In the seventies he created platform shoes for international super celebrities like Jackie Onassis and Bianca Jagger. These shoes will now sell at auction for up to £800 per pair.

Having disappeared for a while back in the eighties, he is now ready to conquer the fashion world again with a new line of shoes in the image of today's celebrities. He has already made a pair of shoes resembling Debbie Harry, and a pair in the image of David Bowie. His plans for the Kate Moss shoe are to design a bow across the foot in the shape of her lips, the sole in the shape of her body, and into the sole the image of her face will be etched. Therefore, when you walk where you could leave in imprint, in mud, snow or sand, her face would be visible. When these shoes will be available is not yet clear, but we await their arrival eagerly.

14 October 2004

Milla says "I don't"

The topmodel and actress Milla Jovovich has expressed concern that the hectic pace of her career is keeping her from getting married. She and her long-term boyfriend, director Paul Anderson have agreed that marriage is not in the cards for them. At least, not for the time being.

Although Milla claims the couple is very much in love, their conflicting film schedules have managed to keep them apart for the past eight months. And the pace shows no sign of slowing down.

www.vogue.com
12 October 2004

Supermodel launches clothing collection

Eva Herzigova, the Czech supermodel famous for her Wonderbra ads, has unveiled her first collection in Paris.

Eva is one of a number of celebrities who are lending their name to fashion brands. Although the blonde beauty already launched a swimwear line a year ago, it never reached the same heights of popularity as Christy Turlington's yoga line, Nuala or Jennifer Lopez's J.Lo brand. However, the supermodel has now expanded into clothes and shoes, and plans to venture further into sunglasses, bags, body products and perhaps even a spa.

She expressed her ambitions for her business venture when interviewed by news service Reuters in Paris. Eva does not fear the competition of other designers, attributing her advantage to the fact that she has control over her product. She does not intend to simply lend her name to it, but is involved in the creative process.

6 October 2004

Heidi Klum Fit For Secret

Supermodel Heidi Klum got back to her super glamorous figure just one month after she gave birth to her daughter Leni, and it was her 1.8 million pound deal with lingerie giants 'Victoria's Secret, which inspired her to do that, reports The Sun. The 31-year-old model is a regular on the Victoria's Secret catalogue, which also includes models like Naomi Campbell and Tyra Banks.

29 September 2004

Naomi Campbell: No Model Behaviour

Supermodel Naomi Campbell is being sued for assault by a former assistant only days after her housekeeper went to the police because of an alleged beating. Simone Craig stated she was held hostage by Campbell in a Los Angeles hotel back in 2001. The ex-assistant wants a cool couple of million for suffering "psychological and emotional damage." Campbell's housekeeper, Millicent Burton, ran to New York police only last week with accusations that Campbell brutally slapped her.

13 August 2004

Jerry Hall On Beauty

Jerry Hall has vowed to never have plastic surgery. The model-turned actress recently stated: "that stretched skin, the permanent expression of surprise and trout pout is scary," says the 48 year-old. "It must be psychologically damaging to look younger than you are and have all those weird expressions. It's a sad state of affairs when women feel the need to have plastic surgery in order to get or keep a man. If they need to do that, he's the wrong man."

5 August 2004

Hilary Swank To Y-Front Calvin Klein

Another celebrity is to promote yet another brand. Oscar winning actress Hilary Swank is to be Calvin Klein's new underwear model. Following the footsteps of Mark Wahlberg and Kate Moss, she will be the exclusive celebrity model for the upcoming global launch.

>> more Calvin Klein news on FashionUnited
30 March 2004

Girls On film!

Fashionland is having a Hollywood flashback. Remember when Duran Duran performed their 80s smash hit Girls on Film at last year's Fashion Rocks event, Le Bon and the boys were totally in tune with the mood on the spring/summer 2004 catwalks.

'I've been watching a lot of old movies', said Imitation of Christ designer Tara Subkoff after her show during New York Fashion Week. That was obvious. From the tap-dancing Shirley temple to a Fred and Ginger routine, the big-screen references shone through.

At Dior, John Galliano was having a Dietrich moment. His models were swanked up like latter-day movie queens, while the designer took his bows in a silver satin suit and love tipped beret.

At Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs was inspired by the golden era of Cleopatra and Miuccia Prada sent out models looking dead ringers for Audrey Hepburn in Roman Holiday. Meanwhile, the models at Ungaro carried shiny gold cameras. Get ready for your close-up!

4 February 2004

Celebrities Are The New Supermodels

Celebrities are the new supermodels and they don't come much more celeb-tastic than Jennifer Lopez. With hip hop-inspired street style overtaking the catwalk in terms of influence, retailers increasingly need to keep an eye on what the likes of Jennifer Lopez are sporting.

Jenny from the block or not, walk down an average high street and marvel at the number of girls emulating her style. The bizarre paring of Lopez with Louis Vuitton shows that even the luxury end of the market has recognized her worth.

28 November 2003

Laura Bailey New Face of Jaegar

Model and actress Laura Bailey has followed in the footsteps of 60s icon Audrey Hepburn and is officially the new face of Jaegar, the fashion retailer.

Bailey, 31 will promote the revitalized Jaeger as it embarks on an ambitious global expansion plan. The 120-year-old brand, once famous for its classically British style, is being re-launched under the new ownership of Harold Tillman, the fashion tycoon who bought the company in March.

A picture of Bailey is to be unveiled this week across the front of Jaeger's Brompton Road store in Knightsbridge, London.

12 August 2003

Anouk Lepere ear jewel

Belgian supermodel Anouk Lepere has created her first collection of ear jewelry, a reinvention of the earring. The concept behind her designs is new and clever: no piercing!

One day she found an unusual piece of jewelry in a small shop in Antwerp, the piece is held comfortably behind the back of the ear. When she lost it some years later, she decided to just make one herself with the help of a master craftsman in New York.
Success was immediate, everybody wanted the same earrings, so she decided to launch her own collection. You can get your hands on a pair at the hip Paris department store Colette. We hope these are in better shape than the original pair, and that they'll not get lost.

March 1, 2003
www.anoucklepere.com

Sponsored models give London fashion a lift

London Fashion Week has suffered in the past from a lack of well-known names on the catwalks, partly because Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell do less and less catwalk work and partly because London's reputation as a fashion capital had been waning.

But this year, ten top names are appearing in the shows, thanks to sponsor P & G Beauty. The famous faces include Kirsty Hume, Erin O'Connor, Jasmine Guinness, Jodie Kidd, Jade Parfitt, Valerie Sipp and Adina Fohlin, who will do a minimum of three shows, one of which must be for a new young designer of their choice. P & G Beauty (maker of Olay and Max Factor) puts £2,000 towards the models' expenses, including flights and hotels.

That a top model can make a show is a regrettable truth in the competitive fashion industry, when a designer's clothes should be doing the talking, instead of the models. But the difference a top name makes should not be underestimated. They now all the tricks, are great walkers and of course they are very glamorous. And of course, photographers will certainly choose for a well-known face - it's positive advertising for the designer.

Simon Walker, the famous Times photographer who has been covering the shows for the past ten years, could not agree more. "It's really quite a practical reason," he said in an interview. "They can make an ordinary outfit look great and a great outfit look fantastic. They really know how to work those clothes and how to react to the photographers."

February 20, 2003

Generous Gisele

Top model Gisele Bundchen is to contribute the 150,000 USD she will be paid in a fashion show in Sao Paulo Fashion Week, to a new Brazilian government campaign to fight starvation. Bundchen wants to hand over her fee directly to Brazil's First Lady Marisa Silva. This was reported in the Brazilian newspaper O Globo last Sunday.

The tall blonde is slated to do a show for Ricardo Almeida, a designer who also dresses Brazil's new president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. The fashion week started on Monday. Silva has made the fight against hunger the top priority during his four-year term that started on the first of January. The government plans to proclaim details of its "zero hunger" program that is said to cost no less than 700 million USD per year.

"The campaign is very important for the country," O Globo quoted Bundchen. Almeida hopes other celebrities will follow this generous move and donate funds to Brazil's anti-hunger plan.

January 28, 2003

Kristin Scott Thomas stars in Armani campaign

Actress Kristin Scott Thomas (41) has made a new career-move. She will star in Armani's spring/summer 2003 campaign. Scott Thomas, who starred in several movies such as The English Patient and Random Hearts, reckons it will be the beginning and the end of her career as a model.

"I'm not sure what is expected of me", she stated in an interview with the Sunday Times. She's also a bit insecure about her looks: "I keep feeling so old and I don't know whether my bottom looks big in these trousers."

Whether fashion-conscious or not, Giorgio Armani is thrilled with his choice of model. He claims he loves "her British calm and candour". Armani-photographer Paolo Reversi has doubts about Scott Thomas being a model. "I don't think Kristin likes to be a model," he says. "She likes to act, to escape."

However, Kristin Scott Thomas will get plenty of free Armani clothes to provide her with a whole new wardrobe.

December 17, 2002

First ever cybermodel search

America's leading retailer in plus-size fashion Lane Bryant, is searching the country for a new 3D model. The model will feature on the company web site. In the first ever 3D Model Search, Lane Bryant is sponsoring a contest for one of its customers to become the next cyber supermodel.
Eligible plus-size women (size 14+) can enter by visiting the retailer's award winning web site, and creating a 3D model of themselves using me@LB, advanced virtual software.

Me@LB allows customers to try on dozens of outfits on a their 3D twin without ever leaving home. Currently over 500,000 women have created their own personalized 3D models on the Lane Bryant web site by answering a few simple questions about body shape, facial characteristics and hair.

Customers also have the option of using Lane Bryant's own 3D model to "try on" different outfits, if they don't want to create a model of their own. Currently, Lane Bryant's 3D model is based on a real-life Lane Bryant model, Tami. To date, Tami has "tried on" over 5.8 million outfits for customers. Lane Bryant estimates that "try-ons" will double for its new 3D model in 2003 because the company will be launching online shopping in the spring.

"We see gorgeous customers in our stores everyday and feel strongly about launching this search to find a real woman for our new 3D model" states Diane Missel, president of Lane Bryant.

With over 650 stores in the US provides fashion for plus-size women in sizes 14-28. Lane Bryant offers a wide selection of apparel from career and casual to eveningwear-as well as a collection of accessories, hosiery and underwear.

November 21, 2002
www.lanebryant.com