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February 8

Store Openings

CornishBox Marc Jacobs Wellingtons, check. Pink Burberry trench, check. Just-rolled-out-of-bed blonde locks, check, check—yep, that is me! I was walking back to my car from the Larchmont Starbucks with coffee in hand, completely unaware that a paparazzo was clicking away. Thank goodness I managed to sip my beverage without spilling and walk a straight line. Yesterday I received a few phone calls telling me that my pic was posted on eonline.com’s Hot Photos but that I was labeled as Australian actress (and Vanity Fair cover girl) Abbie Cornish. She starred in Stop-Loss with Ryan Phillippe, but is more famous for having started dating him while he was still finalizing his divorce with Reese Witherspoon. Friends told me they could not see the resemblance between us. Readers on eonline, who left comments, were less generous:

CornishVF “Home wrecker.”

“Daft looking wellies, but green boots are better than nothing, I suppose.”

The haters don’t bug me. I’m more interested in thinking about potential for a little job on the side. So I’m headed back to Starbucks in hopes of fooling the photogs again, this time wearing fierce undies and some bubble wrap. I can channel Lady Gaga.

Posted by Caroline Cagney at 2/4/2010 2:02 PM Comments (8)

Warts and All

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It’s easy to make fun of reality-TV fame whores but a little harder to admit the same urge for exhibitionism in ourselves. When the website Apartment Therapy asked to showcase my apartment in one of their “House Tours,” I jumped at the chance, not reflecting for a minute whether it was wise to open my home to anyone who wanted a peek. Who can think of caution when basking in a feeling of validation?! During the photo session, by the site’s West Coast editor Gregory Han, I acted like a pathetic stage mom, coaxing my cat into the pictures. I don’t regret having done it, of course—I’m too tickled at the results—but I got a laugh out of readers’ comments:

“I… could never even bear to be in the same room with those dining chairs!”

“I could never live in a space like this. It's a bit schizophrenic to me.”

“A bit too thrown-together”

“I'd make a couple adjustments… getting rid of the tablecloth and the branches everywhere.”

“That carpet would drive me crazy”

Well, it serves me right for throwing open the door.

Posted by Laurie Pike at 2/4/2010 9:56 AM Comments (3)

Runway on eBay

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Here’s one limited-edition, cheaper-priced designer diffusion line that fashionistas won’t be selling for a profit on eBay (as they did with Jimmy Choo for H & M, for instance). Narciso Rodriguez has designed an affordable capsule collection that will sell exclusively through the online retailer. That’s right, in approximately 12 days, 20 hours, 10 minutes, and 24 seconds (last time I checked the eBay website) Narciso Rodriguez, known for sophisticated tailoring--and dressing the First Lady--will debut a limited-edition eBay line the day before he shows his ready-to-wear collection at New York Fashion Week). The eight-piece collection will include a black-and-red color-blocked dress, a belted trench coat, and a tailored skirt and jacket suit which, all of which will sell for between $65 and $350.

Posted by Ray Mosci at 2/2/2010 5:21 PM Comments (0)

Kung Fu Fashion

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“It was one of those things that just happened,” says Naida Begeta, designer of the line Kao Pao Shu, at a party for her spring collection at the West Hollywood Kao Pao Shu store last weekend. Begeta was referring to the name of her line, not one you might expect from a Bosnian designer living in Los Angeles by way of Milan and Sarajevo. She came up with the name for her line while watching kung fu films. One of her friends suggested that she use the name of an actress from Hong Kong. “I did some research, and she’s this really strong-willed actress and director, which was unusual at that time, in the ‘70s,” said Begeta. Begeta started her line seven years ago, studying product design at the University of Sarajevo’s Academy of Fine Arts. Although there wasn’t a fashion school, the designer took classes in drawing, photography, and graphic design during the Bosnian War in the early ‘90s. Begeta cites Issey Miyake, Yohji Yamamoto, and Vivienne Westwood as inspirations

“There wasn’t a lot of high fashion in Sarajevo. Not a lot to choose from. So I made my own.” Begeta’s first piece was a bag fashioned from seat belts. Her recent collection includes similar pieces made from seat belts with textured ribbon on top. They are sturdy and mold well to the body--a theme that also runs throughout Begeta’s clothing, which often includes textured jersey and cotton with graphic prints from Begeta’s drawings. One piece—the “Centimeter” jacket --looks like rows and rows of textured measuring tape.

Posted by Erin Anadkat at 2/2/2010 8:41 AM Comments (0)

Nightcrawling Crawford

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“John Varvatos makes it cool,” Cindy Crawford told me last week at the John Varvatos store in West Holywood. “My husband isn’t a musician but he still wears the rock and roll gear.” Crawford, on the other hand, was wearing the rich-lady gear--notably a gi-normous black diamond ring. The party, which included a concert by Alberta Cross, was to fete Varvatos’s “We’re All Fans” T-shirts (he’s pictured here wearing one) to commemorate the upcoming Grammys. I tried getting a word from the singer of The All-American Rejects, Tyson Ritter, but came away only with “To see a designer that incorporates bohemian into his life is incredible.” Um, OK. Varvatos was more articulate. “I got to meet Taylor Swift last night at a benefit,” he gushed.

Also attending the event were Dave Mathews, Common, Kid Cudi, Steven Adler, and Joel Madden. The T-shirts will soon be available at John Varvatos boutiques and select Bloomingdales stores for $45 each. Proceeds will go to support MusiCares and The GRAMMY Foundation.

Posted by Ray Mosci at 1/29/2010 8:39 PM Comments (1)

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