MUST buy!

Spanning six months of a designer's life, with true backstage and industry stories, Imogen Edwards-Jones’ novel is the result of a collaboration with various internationally renowned and A-line fashion insiders tagged Anonymous. You will read this book from start to finish and want more. From London to coke to Kate Moss to Top Shop to Tom Ford to New York to Madonna to Gucci to New York, this book gives the answer to all the right questions: Who decides what is in and what is out? Why is it purple this season? Why is this little black dress worth three thousand dollars more than this one? Is the catwalk really that catty? Is everyone high on coke, marijuana and full of champagne? What makes a supermodel super? A designer too hot to touch? Who is making the money? Who owns who? Who hates who? And who's got who in their pocket?
Comparatively, The Devil Wears Prada is soooo last season.

Dsquared sunglasses

Canadian designers Dan and Dean Caten have teamed up with the Marcolin group to launch the first-ever line of Dsquared-branded prescription frames and sunglasses. The group is said to expect a minimum 20 million Euros turnover from the deal. With DSQUARED2 explosive energy and sex appeal the resulting product line will be innovative with a strong attention to detail. The first pairs will not hit the stores until 2009 but be sure to look for them in the duo’s next Spring/Summer men’s collections. Think of how hot the macho models already look, now add sunglasses….gulp.

Swarovski does cosmetics

The world’s most renowned jeweller has signed a deal with Clarins group, though Thierry Mugler perfumes, to launch Swarovski Beauty – a line of cosmetics and beauty accessories. The partnership is expected to get its product line out on shelves in 2010. Diamond-studded eyeliner anyone?

Project Runway Canada

Already in its 3rd episode - aired later today - Project Runway Canada already is a better version of Project Runway's British counterpart Project Catwalk and that is all due to the the host's vibrant presence not to mention her breathtaking beauty: Iman. If Micheal Kors rather than Heidi Klum is the star of the American version, Iman is definitely the strong figure in this one. She is paired with mentor, Brian Bailey, A star fashion buyer turned successful designer, Bustle Clothing's Shawn Hewson and Rita Silvan, Chief Editor of Elle Canada. And guess what! You will not worry about missing episodes of this show if Monday nights find you away because you can watch all the episodes on the official website. I would just love to have the podcasts too...

Giorgio Armani goes high tech

Late September this year, fashion designer Giorgio Armani opened a shop in virtual world Second Life, the flag-ship location is modeled based on the Milan store. His own avatar was even sent to Second Life to celebrate the opening event. The residents of Second Life are able to buy items in Liden Dollars - the local currency - or be brought back to the real world by connecting directly to Armani's own recently-launched online store. What we didn't know then was that Giorgio had more up his sleeves.
Introducing the new sleek touch-screen Giorgio Armani phone by Samsung: thinner than Prada's LG with an extra Megapixel and a haptic interface (translation: the screen vibrates when you touch certain icons). Add to that a leather carrying case built by Armani himself and the thinner Giorgio Armani phone is the new supermodel that just snatched the Vogue cover from Prada. Old Giorgio is, indeed, the new kid on the high tech fashion block.

Valentino menswear

After Valemtino Garavani annouced early September that he will be leaving the group, a womenswear designer was quickly found in the person of Gucci designer Allessandra Fachinetti. Her first collection will hit the runway in March. The group, through the voice of managing director Stefano Sassi, annouced today that it will be appointing a new designer for the Valentino menswear line before he end of the year - preferably of Italian origin. The upcoming Milan Fashion week in January is supposedly to be drawn by the newcomer. Get to it then Mr. Sassi, it's nearly Chrismas

Milan Fashion Week

The Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana has annouced that this year's spring fashion week opening this coming Saturday will display a whooping 233 collections with 90 brands featured in 96 shows and a further 143 presentations. Mario Boselli, association president, has even announced that 2009 should be featuring more collections since he will be introducing a new schedule starting from a Wednesday instead of Saturday making the event the first Fashion Week and a half. Since when did the Italians get this French?