Who's benefiting from the collapse of the economy besides vulture investors, short sellers and bargain-hunting fashionistas? Blondes! Or, more specifically, blue-eyed blonde models, who are experiencing a renaissance now that designers are casting "wholesome-looking girls with flaxen manes" in their ads in an effort to "reassure" rather than "shock" the consumer.
Violent drunks and junkies take heart: If Naomi Campbell can turn her life around, anyone can! The scary supermodel has been telling Giant magazine that she's finally been cured of her addiction to cocaine and alcohol by a therapy she calls The Program, which involves body cleanses and a Buddhisty-sounding philosophy that "teaches you to let go." Let go of what, one wonders? Certainly not bad behavior, since Naomi's image as an impossible diva prone to seismic tantrums is, she reveals, nothing but a silly myth, first perpetuated by her spurned former model agency boss John Casablancas. "He had to attack me because I decided to leave. Models can leave agencies. I was not under a written contract. I was shocked to see how he acted." Isn't it awful how one vindictive rumor can dog an innocent person for their entire career?
Olivia Palermo's fake career in fashion has yet to teach her much about men's clothing. At least according to Johannes Huebl, Olivia's award-winning model boyfriend, who says that while Olivia's style is "pretty good," her fashion expertise is limited to "women's only." You can expect Olivia to dig a stiletto into Huebl's neck later this evening for expressing doubt in her omniscience, not that this revelation will prevent her from taking full credit for every outfit Huebl wears as long as they're together. [What He Wears]
Musk, apparently eager to give the magazine an exclusive and reassure buyers who must put down a sizeable $40,000 deposit for a car that they won't see until 2011 at the earliest, said that GE Capital was an investor:
When Tesla Motors launched its all-electric Roadster sports car, celebrities lined up to order one — including Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Now we hear he's been trying to return it for months.
Beautiful models have been the downfall of many men, and Anthony Weiner, it appears, is no exception: The congressman who proposed expanding the number of visas available to foreign models last year is now being accused of accepting campaign contributions from the same models his proposal would have helped—women like Jessica Stam, May Andersen, and Thalita De Oliveira—for his upcoming mayoral campaign. The problem, of course, is that these models aren't allowed to make political contributions since they are not U.S. citizens. On the plus side, though, this may be the first scandal in history involving a politician and a gaggle of beautiful models that has absolutely nothing to with sex. Oh, poor Anthony.
A tipster tells us billionaire Clinton pal Ron Burkle (and his model wrangler!) was "lurking around" Justin Timberlake's William Rast show at Fashion Week last night. Time for a listicle of creepy old ladies' men!
What do models do to keep themselves amused during the inevitable stretches of downtime during Fashion Week? Answers below!
A recap of the shows, parties, and gossip you've missed at Fashion Week thus far after the jump.
