GOTTA LOVE VICTORIA BECKHAM

Victoria Beckham doesn't fail to impresss as she attends a photocall for the launch of hers’ and her husband David Beckham’s new fragrance entitled Signature at the Harvey Nichols in Manchester, England yesterday.

The fashion icon, dressed in an ivory sheath from Giambattista Valli's Fall 2008 collection, looked like an angel as she signed autographs and chit-chatted with the first hundred constumers who purchased her latest perfume. She literally, looked like an angel. She appeared to be wearing a pair of angel wings. As she turned on her heels, she revealed the back of the otherwise simple dress was covered in tufts of fox fur. Gotta love her.

TREND ALERT: PIERRE HARDY STRAPPY PLATFORM LACE-UPS

Everybody keeps talking about the shoes that Rihanna wore while at the Coco de Ville in West Hollywood on Tuesday night. They're the Pierre Hardy Metallic Strappy Platform Lace-Ups ($1200). From the Fall 2008 collection, this polytonal pump is sure to be a hit this upcoming season. Cassie and LaLa were also recently photographed wearing them as well.

CHANEL IMAN AND NATE PARKER FOR THE GAP

Its evident the overhaul that designer Patrick Robinson has brought to the Gap. The new black and white ad campaign for Fall '08 borders the line of edgy Vogue-esque editorial, yet still remains quintessentailly Gap. Chanel Iman and Nate Parker (remember him from The Great Debators) are just two of the interesting mix of actors and models featured in the campaign ads. The company launched its "Create Your own GAP" campaign on August 15th. The campaign's idea is to “Create Your Own GAP” by mixing and matching classic pieces to create an outfit all your own. Cute

VIDEO: BARACK OBAMA'S ACCPETANCE SPEECH

I urge everyone to watch full speech that Presidentail hopeful Barack Obama’s delivered last night at the Democratic National Convention. More than 84,000 people jammed into Invesco Field at Mile High stadium to hear him accept this historic nomination.

Obama explained to a roaring crowd that we must decide between four more of the last eight years or a new direction aimed at ending the conflict in Iraq and easing economic insecurities of working families.

MEET THE NEW GUY: BRANDON PERRY

You might just want to put Brandon Perry on your radar. He's the baby-faced model out of New York, who despite not being signed to an agency, has been booking jobs like crazy. He's his own management! This month alone he appeared on the Wendy Williams Show and also landed a recurring role on All My Children.

How did this Brooklyn boy, with those come-hither eyes, end up modeling you ask? "My cousin Danielle pushed and pushed and pushed me to model," he explained. "I was so hesitant because I never thought I could exude that confidence it takes to really work the camera. One day she got me to come up to New York and do a shoot with her as the photographer. I took one look at those pictures and knew this is where I needed to be."

And here he is to stay. He hasn't been modeling for long but has already worked with some of New York's best photographers. He has the perfect statue and his pout is serious. From the looks of things, it seems like he's about to blow up. Watch.

His ultimate goal:

"To come out of the game knowing I ascended to the highest possible point I could climb. Be it national ads, international runway, I just want to know I made the biggest impact that I could. If I can help aspiring models along the way of course I'd do that as well."

(Photos: Tarrice Love)

NEXT STOP... NAOMI FOR YSL

Very few subway advertisements make me stop, do a double take and simply stare, awestruck. I'm usually the one --in true New York style -- rushing by, bumping as many people I can, that get in my way. All that changed, last week as I was leaving the office. I dipped into the train station at 34th street, and noticed a striking image of Naomi Campbell posing in the YSL A/W ad campaign. I couldn't move. Even considering all the times as I've seen the editorial size, all I could do was gaze at this larger-than-life poster. It was simply beautiful. I wanted to take it home, hoist it on my living room wall. But I settled for a little camera phone shot instead. Just look at Naomi in all her glory.

And while we're on the topic, Page Six reported today that her billionaire boyfriend Vladimir Doronin just bought her a $18.5 million penthouse apartment in Sao Paolo after she told him she wanted to settle down in Brazil — it's apparently her favorite country. Lately she's been trying to improve her rage-plagued image, by being phographed at charity events. She also has a clothing in the works with Daslu, the posh Brazilian department store.

EXCLUSIVE LOOK AT KATE MOSS' ISTANBUL SHOOT FOR W MAGAZINE

So it seems that there was indeed another reason for Kate Moss to travel to Istanbul earlier this year, other than to reveal herself to the locals... Believe it or not, she was actually there for a job, more specifically, she a photo-shoot for W's September issue. Photographed by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott, the pictures capture Kate draped across marble floors at the Çağlayan Turkish baths, dripped-up and draped-out in Stella McCartney and Vera Wang. I am totally digging the Alexander McQueen coin necklace which is featured throughout.

A behind-the-scenes video of the shoot can be seen below:

BEYONCE'S "DEREON JEWELRY" LINE CONFIRMED

Beyoncé and her mother, Tina Knowles, are expanding their two-year-old junior label Deréon by adding a fashion jewelry line aptly titled, Deréon Jewelry. Produced in partnership with Carolee, Deréon Jewelry features edgy, black leather cuffs as well as necklaces, charm bracelets and hoop earrings in metal, glass and enamel. Retailing from $16 to $68, the collection is targeting the same department stores that sell Deréon apparel and accessories, such as Macy’s and Dillard’s, as well as contemporary specialty stores.

TOM FORD FUNDRAISES FOR OBAMA

According to WWD, Tom Ford is co-hosting a fund-raiser for Barack Obama in L.A. at which, much like the Calvin Klein/Vogue fundraiser, Michelle Obama will rub elbows with fashion- and entertainment-industry types.

And while we're on the subject, today is the uber-chic designer's birthday. Who knew 47 could look this good.

T.I. MAKES HISTORY | BREAKS BILLBOARD RECORD

T.I. set the record for the biggest move on the BillBoard Hot 100 chart as his new joint Whatever U Like moved from the 71st spot to number 1. The previous record, 64th to number 1, was held by Maroon 5’s Makes Me Wonder. The single will also open at number 1 on the Hot Digital Songs charts as it sold 205,000 downloads, the best opening week ever by a rapper since records were started in 2003.

Whatever U Like is T.I.’s first number one spot on the charts and is currently doing well at radio as it moved from number 33 to the 20th spot on the Hot 100 Airplay chart plus moving from 13th to 8th on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart.

In related news, the recently leaked track, SLU (Swagger Like Us) which features Jay-Z, Lil Wayne and Kanye West (who also produced the track) has since created huge buzz for the upcoming Paper Trail LP which hits shelves September 9th.

DIVERSE RUNWAYS DURING FASHION WEEK | OR IS ETHNIC AMBIGUITY THE 'NEW' BLACK

Daniel Peddle has cast runway shows for everybody from Alexander McQueen and Thakoon to Phillip Lim and YSL. He is regarded as one of the top casting directors in the fashion industry. Here lately, he’s been busy casting for Fashion Week, which we all know is a little over a week away. Two looks, as he explains to Models.com that will dominate the runway this fall -- the tomboy look and ethnically ambiguous models.

I was very anxious to see how they were going to tackle the issue of diversity this season. I guess this is the answer. The new "aspirational model" is a woman who is vaguely ethnic -- just not too much as to offend or stand out even. It seems that this is the industry's way of getting around casting models who actually look unmistakably Black, Asian, or Hispanic. He mentioned Dominican newcomer Arlenis Sosa as one of his new favorites. (One of our favs as well)

"...Another thing this season is trying to discern from all the girls out there the ones that are ethnically ambiguous. Girls and boys that have faces that you can’t just put in a certain place or race or geography. I think it’s very helpful to see those types of faces in our conflicted world because you can see that we’re still evolving as humans and they are the results of people willing to go beyond the socially constructed notions around race. I think that’s really important and were going to see even more of those as the population changes."

NEW VIDEO: COMMON "ANNOUNCEMENT" FEAT. PHARRELL

Here’s Common’s latest video for his new joint, Announcement featuring Pharrell, production courtesy of the Neptunes. This is the first single off of Common’s Invincible Summer dropping September 22nd. Dope video!

MARTIN MARGIELA 'L'INCOGNITO' EYEWEAR

Martin Margiela brings us his first ever pair of sunglasses. They have been made in collaboration with Italian eyewear brand Marcolin. You may have noticed Pharrell wearing them in the Everyone Nose Remix video. L’incognito, is made from a solid piece of Polycarbonate. The lenses mimic the censored bar motif that the house has used in its catalogues and look-books for years.

The Martin Margiela L'Incognito sunglasses are now available from Oki-Ni.

WHO'S CRAZY FOR GENEVIEVE JONES?

We so are--we want to bring her home. She’s the super-thin New York socialite who began showing up at every high-brow party and red carpet event around Manhattan in the past few years --with that flawless face and superb sense of fashion.

Jones herself, famous for doing nothing, has an enviable apartment, is rumored to be supported by a wealthy ex-boyfriend and considers fellow climber Derek Blasberg, her "best friend" (how appropriate).

And while she may not be known for her great bodies of work, or enormous contributions to society, she is however known for her pretty frocks and chic ensembles. Jones represents the sort of randomly fabulous party girl whose society presence makes her the ideal promotional tool for designers.

At a first glance Genevieve might strike you as yet another "nobody with a publicist" but if you look closer Miss Jones is working with some seriously inspired style: sassy and feminine with just a hint of femme fatale, always showing off those pilates-perfect arms and legs.

Now normally, socialites are known to just show up at parties and spend major coins but Geneiveve actually has talent and she’s showing the world exactly how much with her new jewelry/handbag collection. The handcrafted collection which can be viewed in its entirety on her website was solely inspired by her travels in Thailand.

BALENCIAGA HI-TOP SNEAKER

The sneaker comes in a mix of leather and mesh with black and grey colorway. I like the minimalist style. Simple, yet chic. Don't know that they do for me the same thing the Lanvin's do, or the Dior's , for that matter. Cute nonetheless.

COLETTE + GAP IMAGES ARE IN, and WE WANT EVERYTHING!

As we anxiously await the opening of Colette + Gap on September 6, we managed to get our hands on a few images from the collaborative, star-studded collection. Apparel will include this Gap denim “Dreamer” jacket by Olympia Le Tan, a customized trench by French graffiti artist André (the belt reads "Andre & Colette hearts New York & Paris"), and illustrated collaborative tees by a mix of French and New York artists and brands, among them Genevieve Gauckler, Jean-Philippe Delhomme, Peter Arkle, Claw Money, Miss.Tic, and Clements Ribeiro. Check out a smattering of accessories below, like this sweet Alexis Mabille clutch, neon-blue Asics sneakers, Oakley shades with star-printed plastic frames, and a tiny knit key ring from Anne-Marie Herckes. The final haul will include an expanded array of crowd-pleasers — a Hello Kitty watch and ties by Adam Kimmel. Rest assured that we’ll be rushing the doors right along with you opening day to get our hands on a Ruben Toledo tee (Sigh).

NEW MUSIC: T.I. "LIVE YOUR LIFE" FEAT. RIHANNA

T.I. is enlisting a host of today’s hottest stars to help him pump up his new album Paper Trail, in stores September 30. A few days ago we gave you the star-studded Swagger Like Us... Now He’s calling upon arguably one of the hottest chicks in the game on a new leaked track called Live Your Life.

DOWNLOAD/LISTEN:
T.I. feat. Rihanna "Live Your Life”

NEW VIDEO: T-PAIN "CAN'T BELIEVE IT" FEAT. LIL' WAYNE

Check out the video for T-Pain's new joint, Can't Believe It, featuring Lil' Wayne off of upcoming album, Thr33 Ringz, in stores October 28th! Easily one of the dopest songs of the summer.

JADA PINKETT-SMITH DOES CAPITOL FILE

“I don’t think I would have made it! The things I have to talk to my children about, at such a young age — it would blow your mind. I have to constantly reassure my daughter that she’s beautiful and teach my sons a different thought process when it comes to how they view women.”

– Jada Pinkett Smith on challenges facing young celebs and how they should view women’s roles, in Capitol File

MICHELLE OBAMA'S DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION SPEECH

Michelle Obama declared "I love this country" Monday as she sought to reassure the nation that she and her husband Barack share Americans' bedrock values and belief in a dream of a better future. She was amazing! Incredibly poised and very eloquently spoken. Best of all, she blew that whole "elitist" garbage right out of the water! So let's contrast this down to earth woman with the wife of her husband's opponent. Yeah, good luck with that.

OUR FAVORITE MODEL CARDS FROM THE NEW SHOW PACKAGES

Modeling agencies have started sending out show packages in hopes of getting their newest girls and runway vets prime placement on as many catwalks as possible for Fashion Week, which starts next week (OMFG, ALREADY!). The model cardscome with photos and stats (height, hip measurement, etc) for each girl. We poured through piles and picked our four favs.

I *HEART* ALEJANDRO INGELMO

New York-based designer Alejandro Ingelmo has made quite a name for himself ever since introducing his metallic sneakers.

Here is the latest line-up of his iconic Hi-Top sneaker. This futuristic style is constructed from top quality materials with a bronze mirrored metallic upper, black leather inner and tongue, black laces and a black rubber sole. The shoe features a lace up fastening with a Velcro strap at the ankle and perforations at the quarter and toe. DOPE

AALIYAH

January 16, 1979 - August 25, 2001

NEW MUSIC: T.I. "SWAGGER LIKE US" FEAT. JAY-Z, KANYE, AND LIL' WAYNE

Another, yes another, leaked track from T.I.’s upcoming album Paper Trail has just surfaced. Swagger Like Us features Jay-Z, Kanye West and Lil Wayne. This track is like dope MC overload. The MIA sample is crazy. Check it out:


T.I. - Swagger Like Us (ft Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, Kanye) [Link 1]
T.I. - Swagger Like Us (ft Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, Kanye) [Link 2]

NEW VIDEO: CASSIE "OFFICIAL GIRL" FEAT. LIL' WAYNE

NEW MUSIC: "JUST STAND UP" ALL-STAR CAST

As we previously reported earlier this week, some of music's biggest female names have come together to record a song in support of cancer research. Just Stand Up, features Mary J. Blige, Beyonce, Mariah Carey, Rihanna, Ciara, Ashanti, and many more. The single will officially drop on September 2nd, however, we're bringing it to you first. Check it out:

LISTEN: Mariah Carey, Beyoncé, Mary J. Blige, Rihanna, Fergie, Sheryl Crow, Miley Cyrus, Melissa Etheridge, Ashanti, Natasha Bedingfield, Keyshia Cole, Ciara, Leona Lewis, LeAnn Rimes, and Carrie Underwood - "Just Stand Up"

GLAM GOD PREMIERES TONIGHT ON VH1 | HOSTED BY VIVICA A. FOX

With all the fashion television coming about these days, this one kind of slipped right by me. Perhaps for good reason. I most likely will not be tuning in. Just thought I'd pass the info along. Check out Glam God tonight on Vh1 @ 10pm with host, Vivica A. Fox (of all people, right, I know). The show sets out to search for the next big celebrity stylist.

CHANEL IMAN | VOGUE KOREA | SEPTEMBER 2008

AUBREY O'DAY TO STAR IN RICHIE RICH'S NEW CAMPAIGN AND RUNWAY SHOW

Aubrey O'Day will walk the runway for Heatherette designer 's new collection during Fashion Week, the Danity Kane singer revealed at last night's Traitor premiere. "I’m walking in Richie Rich’s new line. He was from Heatherette, now he’s got a line called, um … Celebut…," she turned to her friend to ask. "I think it’s Celebutante." RIGHT... Diddy taught her well: Correctly stating the name of that which you promote is paramount to modern-day celebrity success. "Lydia Hearst and I are the new models for the line, so we just shot that a couple days ago, and I’m walking in his show on the 9th.”

NEW VIDEO: JOHN LEGEND "GREEN LIGHT" FEAT. ANDRE 3000

Check out John Legend’s new music video featuring Andre 3000 . I LOVE THIS SONG! I can definitely rock to “Green Light”! Totally dig the new sound. His upcoming album, Evolver will hit stores on October 28th.

NEW VIDEO: NE-YO "MISS INDEPENDENT"

Check out the video for Ne-Yo's new joint, Miss Independent, off of the upcoming, Year of the Gentleman, in stores September 16th. The video features Lauren London, Gabrielle Union, Keri Hilson and Trey Songz.

V-MAN'S PASTELLE PREVIEW WITH KANYE, RIHANNA AND LUPE

We've been waiting on Kanye West's fashion line Pastelle for like 2 years now and here is the first glimpse at what's to come... He called on members of his Glow in the Dark Tour crew, Rihanna and Lupe Fiasco, to preview the line in an advertorial spread in the new issue of VMAN Magazine.

The website, Pastelle.com still reads "coming soon" so I guess we'll continue to wait...

RIHANNA VS. CASSIE VS. AMERIE

Amerie, Rihanna, and Cassie were all recently spotted wearing the same 'Plume' feather vest by Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen's line Elizabeth & James. Over the weekend, Amerie wore the vest at the 3rd annual ‘Hot in Hollywood’ event IN LA. Just last week, Cassie wore it to VIBE’s 15th Anniversary party. The first out of the three ladies to rock it was Rihanna several weeks ago while out shopping. They all complimented the vest with black pants and black pumps. But whose take on the design was better executed? You know what it is... Who rocked it better?

GENIUS - VOGUE HOMMES JAPAN ISSUE 1

The first issue of VOGUE HOMMES JAPAN comes out on September 10th. Avant-garde stylist Nicola Formichetti, now adds fashion director to his already impressive resume. Here is preview of the new Hedi Slimane lensed cover of the inaugural issue with model Ash Stymest.

JANET JACKSON LINGERIE COLLECTION LAUNCH

Janet Jackson has been talking about designing a lingerie line for some weeks now. She has just unveiled her new line, Pleasure Principle, which will hit mass retailers in November. After making its debut in the USA, the label will arrive in Australia, Japan and Europe. The trendsetting diva teamed up with Australian designer Bruno Schiavi for the project. The 18-piece line is named after the hit single from Jackson’s 1986 multiplatinum album “Control,” is designed to be comfortable for a range of sizes — 32A to 44G, and is crafted of mostly satin and lace.

"People have come to me with other ideas, but lingerie is a passion for me, and just like music and acting, I can't do it unless I put 100% into it," Jackson, clad in a Roland Mouret dress and Christian Dior shoes, said at a press event to announce the collaboration. Jackson and Schiavi plan to expand beyond lingerie next year and are currently working on more lines.

Related: JANET AND JERMAINE ARRIVE AT GAUTIER HAUTE COUTURE