Padma Lakshmi Jewelry at Bergdorfs

I just got my daily e-mail from Bergdorf's and whose face graced it?

Top Chef's Padma Lakshmi. I wanna sell my jewelry at BG too!

In other Reality Hosts with Jewelry Lines News: Heidi Klum has been forced to discontinue her line of jewelry because of lawsuits by Van Cleef & Arpels.

Next, on Shear Genius

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Pre-Fall Handbags

I got an e-mail on pre-Fall handbags from Bag Borrow or Steal (now known as Avelle) today. In it was a link to a section on "Top Picks for NY Fashion Week." Because I happen to be attending NYFW next month, I wanted to be in the know, so I clicked...and found several bags that I simply adore! Note that most of them are in the burgundy/purple color family, and I'm typically a black bag gal.


Be and D leather Kan Kan zip tote


Chanel Large patent leather quilted tote


Lockheart Megan leather handbag


Lockheart Reese leather handbag


Michael Kors large hobo python handbag


Michael Kors Rehearsal large drawstring satchel


Moschino Bubble Ruffle shoulder bag (wouldn't it be great in purple?)


Prada Vernice Sfumata shopping tote

Project Runway Season 6

Sorry to let you all down, but there's no way I can find the time to recap both Top Chef and Project Runway on consecutive days. Plus, there's that video thing - Bravo has both previews and recaps, all of which offer a lot of material for me to work with. Lifetime's videos aren't as comprehensive. And you know you wouldn't like my recaps half as much if I didn't have the word balloons. Hell, I wouldn't either.

Had PR aired earlier, I might have attempted it, but this is just bad timing. If you're interested in my Top Chef recaps, you can find them at MinxEats. For more comprehensive coverage of Top Chef, please check out the All Top Chef blog. And for all things Bravo, visit Blogging Bravo, brought to you by the good people who bring you Blogging Project Runway - plus me!

Project Runway All-Stars

So what did you think of the PR All Stars show last night? Personally, I wasn't all that impressed by winner Daniel Vosovic's collection, although I will admit the "red carpet look" was cute.

I loved Uli's collection, and Sweet Pea's as well. And I think Korto was completely robbed: she should have won.

Style360 at Fashion Week

STYLE360 ANNOUNCES SHOW DATES & DESIGNERS
FOR ITS 6TH CONSECUTIVE YEAR AT NEW YORK FASHION WEEK
New York Fashion Week’s Only 360 Degree Integrated Media & Event Fashion Platform
September 12– 15, 2009

New York, NY (August 19th 2009) – After five consecutive years of cutting-edge fashion events and experiences, A-List Communications and Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S. (HFM U.S.) are thrilled to announce dates and designers for its annual STYLE360 multi-day fashion showcase during New York Fashion Week.

STYLE360 has always explored the relationship between fashion and contemporary culture by pairing style trends with innovative brands­and 2009 promises to take this tradition to the next level. From September 12 – 15, STYLE360 will serve as the alternative Fashion Week destination and showcase its most impressive roster of fresh fashion talent and inventive design houses yet. Headquartered at the Metropolitan Pavilion in the fashionable Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan, STYLE360’s sixth year includes not only runway shows, but celebrity-hosted after parties, buzz-worthy press events, and unique product interactions.

This year’s exciting line-up of fashion shows includes headliner Kristin Davis’ apparel collection, Dash by Kim Kardashian presented by Oral B, Abbey Dawn by Avril Lavigne, Liquid Metal, Geren Ford presented by Tide Total Care, and renowned accessories designer, Rebecca Minkoff presenting her ready to wear collection. STYLE360 will also be welcoming back designers Abi Ferrin presented by Toni & Guy as well as Walter presented by Kipling and international designer and Project Runway alumnus Malan Breton presented by Rado Watch Company. STYLE360 is also delighted to present a special benefit “Pink Dress Breast Cancer Awareness” fashion show hosted by beneficiary, the Susan G. Komen Foundation as well as a special presentation for the 15th Anniversary of the annual Gen Art “Fresh Faces” fashion event. Both of these multi-designer fashion events will be co-produced by Rock Media & Entertainment.

STYLE360 will also host its series of fashion week after-parties including the Abi Ferrin After-party and STYLE360 Launch Celebration hosted by Oral B with celebrity, Kim Kardashian and the Abbey Dawn by Avril Lavigne after party hosted by Avril Lavigne at new luxury lounge, The Gates located at 290 8th Avenue as well as a VIP closing party at retailer, What Goes Around Comes Around, the renowned SoHo boutique located at 351 West Broadway. Complete information about the designers, program schedule, sponsors as well as featured interviews, and fashion show video and photos is hosted at www.elle.com/style360 .

“Our proposition is still about showcasing an innovative stage for all designers, from established to celebrity to emerging, along with integrating corporate partners to create an enhanced fashion show experience,” declares David Manning, President of A-List Communications. “The STYLE360 concept, however, takes the 60 feet of runway to magazine pages, the internet, TV sets, mobile phones and retail displays to reach a much bigger market for both the fashion designer and participating corporate brands.”

Al Silvestri, Vice President of Integrated Marketing & Creative Services for HFM U.S., elaborates further, “In light of the current economic landscape, it is crucial that STYLE360 adapts to the needs of designers and sponsors. Our ability to provide a unique­and fully turnkey­fashion show and experiential event platform, while reaching millions of consumers via nationwide media and promotion, guarantees STYLE360 is an unqualified success for all involved.”

Hachette Filipacchi Media, the publishers of ELLE (www.elle.com), ELLE Decor and Metropolitan Home (www.pointclickhome.com ) , continues its support via its media partner status. Corporate sponsors making STYLE360 possible include Toni & Guy (www.toniguy.com), who will be officially styling the hair for all Style360 fashion shows, Oral B (www.oralb.com), Tide Total Care (www.tide.com), RADO (www.rado.com), Ford Motor Company (www.ford.com) ELLE Jewelry (www.ellejewelryus.com ), , Clarisonic Skincare (www.clarisonic.com), Kipling (www.kipling-usa.com), Orbit Mist Gum ( www.youtube.com/user/OrbitMistGum), Rose’s Cocktail Infusions (www.mixuptheparty.com) and Prairie Organic Vodka (www.prairievodka.com) . Venue partners include Renaissance New York City Hotels ( www.marriott.com/renaissance-hotel/travel.mi),The Gates (www.thegatesnyc.com) and What Goes Around Comes Around ( www.whatgoesaroundnyc.com ).

Together at Last - Marc Jacobs and...Miss Piggy?

Missy Piggy was recently spotted at Marc Jacobs showroom in Soho - going over looks for NY's Fashion Week. The two just collaborated on a couture gown (pictured) for Miss Piggy, which she'll be wearing this week to Glamorama in Chicago.

You know poor Kermit is footing the bill.

Photo Credit: Marion Curtis/StarPix

Project Runway Tonight!

The long-awaited 6th season of Project Runway starts tonight, on Lifetime. Let's just hope my prediction doesn't come true....

Chanel Beige

Notes: hawthorne, freesia, frangipani, lily, heliotrope, ylang ylang, honey

Beige is the latest in the Les Exclusifs line of Chanel fragrance. I heard lots of good things about this scent, even if nobody was particularly impressed by the name. "Beige" sounds sorta dull, and while the scent isn't dull, it's not breaking any ground.

Beige is a rich white floral fragrance warmed and mellowed with a honey accord. I don't normally care for the scent of honey, but I don't read it as such in this fragrance. It's more like white flowers and tons of white musk, somewhat overpowering if one spritzes more than a bit. It's a scent that, although very floral, is also "clean" and babyish (reminding me a lot of Johnson's Baby Lotion on first application).

I will admit that I like Beige, but don't find it particularly full-bottle-worthy, particularly the enormous bottle that is standard packaging for the Les Exclusifs line. But a decant is just fine.

Chanel Beige

Notes: hawthorne, freesia, frangipani, lily, heliotrope, ylang ylang, honey

Beige is the latest in the Les Exclusifs line of Chanel fragrance. I heard lots of good things about this scent, even if nobody was particularly impressed by the name. "Beige" sounds sorta dull, and while the scent isn't dull, it's not breaking any ground.

Beige is a rich white floral fragrance warmed and mellowed with a honey accord. I don't normally care for the scent of honey, but I don't read it as such in this fragrance. It's more like white flowers and tons of white musk, somewhat overpowering if one spritzes more than a bit. It's a scent that, although very floral, is also "clean" and babyish (reminding me a lot of Johnson's Baby Lotion on first application).

I will admit that I like Beige, but don't find it particularly full-bottle-worthy, particularly the enormous bottle that is standard packaging for the Les Exclusifs line. But a decant is just fine.

Project Runway at Last!

Project Runway is back - finally! Catch the premiere Thursday, August 20, 10 ET/PT!

Upholstery as Fashion

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Me thinks ol' Muammar is dying his hair...and he could use some Botox.

Adornment Craft Gallery Has Moved!

Remember when I posted that some of my jewelry was available for purchase at Adornment? Well, they've moved from their hard-to-find Meadow Mill location to new digs in Timonium, MD -- 2023 York Rd, 2nd floor, to be exact. So plug that into your GPS and be prepared to shop!

Hollywood Foreign Press Luncheon

Hollywood Foreign Press Association's Annual Installation Luncheon 2009 was held earlier in the week, and I suppose actors need something to do in the afternoon when they're not filming....

People like Carla Gugino. I don't much like her dress - it looks like it's several sizes too big, and to remedy the fit, she yanked the front to one side and clipped some gewgaws to it.

And I really don't see the point of taking photos of her dry scaly heels and the tacky butterfly tattoo (the tattoo equivalent of clip art, along with a rose. Gag.)

Eva Longoria Parker is a shrimp, and I think her dress is way too long. And she continues to wear too much dark eyeliner and that corpse-like nude lip color. Time for a new stylist (and I generally like Robert Verdi, but he seldom does her any favors).

Kerry Washington's skirt, on the other hand, is a bit too short. A stiff breeze and - coochtastic!

Evan Rachel Wood wears too much makeup. And what happened to her neck? Her (enormous) head looks as if it's connected directly to her torso. Sad, cuz she's a really pretty girl.

Speaking of pretty...why does Chris Pine always look so damn awkward on the red carpet? Like he's waiting for someone to pose him.

New Visual Arts Festival in Baltimore

Apparently there's a new art festival in Baltimore, in addition to ArtScape. Would have been nice to hear about it when they were selecting participants....

Oh, and Baltimore's unesteemed mayor Sheila Dixon is another of many people who uses the word "phenomenal" incorrectly. I wouldn't use it to describe the works of DaVinci, much less a bunch of today's artists.

By Tim Smith | Tim.Smith@baltsun.com
August 11, 2009

A month after the annual Artscape drew record crowds to the streets around Penn Station and MICA, the Inner Harbor Art Festival will make its debut, spread out in two areas: the Power Plant near the National Aquarium and Power Plant Live a couple of blocks north. The free outdoor event will be held Aug. 22 and 23.

Announcing the new venture at a news conference Monday morning in front of the Power Plant, Mayor Sheila Dixon described as "phenomenal" the group of 150 artists, regional and national, who will be offering more than $15 million worth of creative work for sale.

Howard Alan Events, the Florida-based company behind the festival, has a strong track record for producing popular art and craft shows around the country over the past 25 years. Among the annual projects are the Las Olas Art Fair in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., which will mark its 22nd year in October, and the Chicago Tribune Magnificent Mile Art Festival, which marked its 18th last month.

Like those events, the Inner Harbor Art Festival is a juried show, with participating artists chosen by a panel. Painting, sculpture and photography will be represented, along with jewelry and ceramics. (Quality, of course, can range as widely as the prices at such shows.)

Although the Inner Harbor Art Festival comes close on the heels of Artscape, it is not a last-minute thing.

"Each show is planned well in advance, but it has been our experience that it is best to publicize the event closer to the date so it is fresh in the public's mind," said AnaBelle Dweck, publicist for Howard Alan Events. "In addition, we felt it important to wait to make this announcement because we wanted to avoid conflicts and distance ourselves from Artscape."

Dixon, in a brief interview after the news conference, distinguished it from Artscape. "This is different," she said. "Artscape is not only visual art, but has a lot of live music. This will focus just on art."

The mayor also pointed out the openness of the festival. "Here you can take time with the artists and find out what inspired them," she said.

That's one of the attractions for Monkton photographer Bob Paulding, whose nature-focused work will be included in the Inner Harbor show. "You get a chance to meet people who are buying your art, which is really great," he said.

Jane Andrle Gillete, a watercolorist in Alexandria, Va., has exhibited at several of Alan's shows. "He is genuinely interested in art and artists," she said. "And he tries to integrate his festivals into the community, to take the community to heart. It's not just a mercenary thing."

If all goes well, the weather will not be as oppressive as it was for Monday's news conference.

"This could be a sweltering show," Paulding said, adding with a laugh: "I might be in Speedos."

The Inner Harbor Art Festival takes place Aug. 22-23 at the Power Plant, 601 E Pratt St., and Power Plant Live, 34 Market Place. Admission is free. Go to artfestival.com.

New Baubles

Here's my latest creation. The pendant is made of a piece of broken pottery (the triangular bit) and a boulder opal (the oval) with a wheel of turquoise at the bottom. The strand contains amazonite, amethyst, freshwater pearls, and glass beads. The pendant measures about 3" long and the strand is 20". The clasp is pewter.

It can be yours for $175 + shipping. Drop me a line if you're interested.

Ann Taylor Friends & Family Discount

Good from 8/5 to 8/9.

Julie & Julie Premiere

This is sorta, but not quite, a cross-post with my foodblog. Same event but different people.

So the premiere of the new movie Julie & Julia was last week and a bunch of celebs, semi-celebs, and foodie folk showed up for the event. The movie is based on two different books - the one by the same name, taken from the blog in which a struggling writer decides to cook all the recipes in Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking, and Mrs Child's My Life in France.

Amy Adams, stars in the movie as Julie Powell, the aforementioned struggling writer. I think she looks fantastic, even if the print on the dress is a bit Cruella De Vil (c'mon - it does so look like a dalmation).

Meryl Streep plays Julia Child. This woman can play anybody! Great actress, not so great dresser. One would think after her long and illustrious career, she could have afforded to get her tailor to sew the sleeves all the way down to the cuffs; perhaps she left her fortune in the care of Bernie Madoff....

At least she dressed up for the occasion more than actor Michael Badalucco and guest. She looks like she walked out of an 80s Avon Fashions catalog. And what's with his foot? I think his beer gut needs more Photoshopping than any of his extremities....

Fashion designer Rachel Roy only had time to get half dressed for the occasion. Those jeans are horrible, tacky, and probably cost $300.

And finally, the skeletal remains of Jasleen, a former winner of America's Next Top Model. The dress is weird, and she looks to be a lettuce leaf away from death. Someone hold her down and feed her a cheeseburger!