C is devastated. Depressed, inanimate and completely useless in the store today from the shock and horror at the news that Michael Jackson had passed on. To put her in better spirits (as suggested by herself), Front Row will be playing songs from M.J’s entire repertoire in-store for a week. Michael, if you’re listening, this is C’s homage and tribute to your (inspiring but bizarre) greatness.

Here, C.. as you’ve asked. Perk up dammit. You’re needed on the floor.

M.J in L'UOMO Vogue, Oct 2007. Photographed by Bruce Weber

It seems the world’s trendy obession with Obama will not fade away with the recession this year. We get daily reports of what the Obamas are up to, what they’re buying, where they’ve been dining - a PR coup for the restaurants! Every restaurant that they’ve been to has been over-booked ever since.. especially the one where the Obamas went on their legendary Date Night - a point of contention for jealous, wistful wives against their infruriated husbands (annoyed at Obama for spoiling the market according to the NY Times.) Ah well, adding to the golden couple’s awww-inciting passion for each other; the Style icon in Michelle and her toned arms, as well as Obama’s superstar ranking - they’re just very likable.

Even a video of him swatting a fly is downright charming. I love that CNBC considers this ‘Breaking News’.

It will cost you USD$130 but when you know it’s a book - an object that brings forth knowledge - it’s slightly more forgivable.

Yes, in the midst of a financial crunch where we’re  being persuaded to spend on items tagged with hero terms like “investment value”, “extended mileage”, or “classic and timeless”, coffee table books can be deemed a good investment. After all, they stand the test of time longer than the average T-shirt or sandals (even the ridic-expensive ones), not forgetting that your choice of book will reveal you to be as cultured and intellectual as you want people to think. They are an accessory not just for your facebook profile character, but for your home interiors too. See the ‘investment value’ ? And honestly, very few things can match the smell of a new and mint-fresh book…

The 400-page Louis Vuitton: Art, Fashion and Architecture chronicles the brand’s “humble” beginnings as a luggage brand, to the giant superbrand it is today. The picture book focuses heavily on the collaborations and associations the brand has had with other notable names in the past years: more familiar names include Azzedine Alaïa, Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott, Manolo Blahnik, Patrick Demarchelier, Frank Gehry, Zaha Hadid, Marc Jacobs, Rei Kawakubo, David LaChapelle, Helmut Lang, Annie Leibovitz, Takashi Murakami, Richard Prince, Stephen Sprouse, Philippe Starck, Juergen Teller and Vivienne Westwood.

WOAH. Deep breath here. Sniff these pages and you might just get inspired. There’s so much genius in one volume.

One question. The book is available in English, French and Italian — Where are the Japanese and Chinese editions, seeing as Japan and China are two of the brand’s biggest and strongest markets?

Source: Hypebeast

This just makes great pop culture trivial. Everyone should file this information to mental index for future bar-conversations-run-dry.

Do we care that the Stan Smith, name sake of the iconic adidas Stan Smith, was a hotshot Tennis Pro from the late 60’s, and had he not been the finer player, the shoe would have been called a Haillet after a French man? (Hardly the same ring for the most popular tennis shoe ever). Well yes, because it will earn you extra peanut points and a drink.

Poor Chuck Taylor -  his name immortalized in the most iconic gig photo galleries and style sites but nary a cent did he get from royalties. And no, he wasn’t the founder of Converse either. He was a mere salaried salesman who ended up as a free mascot.

Image source: nytimes.com

Doyenne of the unexpected and guerilla fashion, Rei Kawakubo, is marking Comme des Garcon’s 40th anniversary with a series of pop-up stores; introducing a temporary brand, BLACK, in collaboration with Vogue Nippon and an exhibition at parisian concept store, Colette. Writing for the NY Times, Suze Menkes pays tribute to Rei Kawakubo, crediting her with having “created black as the colour of fashion’s rebel yell.”

10 limited-time “Black” stores will roll out world wide, with the first already opened in Tokyo, followed by a pop-up store in CDG’s Dover Street Market in London, and then another in Paris. The other 7 pop-ups remain unannounced.

Dear Thesus of WERK, will you bring us good news? x

The rumours were flying so fast there wasn’t time to post this before it became DEMODE. It was all much ado about nothing regarding the rumours that triggered many panic attacks - that Karl was not going to renew his contract with Chanel, and Lanvin’s Alber Elbaz was going to take over Chanel while Olivia Theyskens would take helm of Lanvin. All of Fashion Opera’s favourites:  The storm flurry brewed when Diane Pernet first broke news of these rumours, who has since posted a statement that both Chanel and Lanvin have denied this as hogwash - on grounds that Elbaz has a significant stake in Lanvin which makes poor business sense, while Karl is simply too obsessed with working to stop… that he’s immortal and the fact that Chanel is his bride, according to FakeKarl. Diane Pernet has since only publicly apologise to FakeKarl who had to stop work on his treehouse to express his consternation over the alleged rumours. No word from Real Karl yet.

JOKES!!

Betty or Veronica. Message boards have been ablazed in indignation that Archie will finally choose, after 68 years of wimpy indecisiveness, to propose to rich-bitch Veronica rather than wholesome girl-next-door Betty (Yawn.) The epic moment in the #600 issue of the well-loved comic has had many netizens rooting for Betty, and many predict that while it is an engagment, it remains to be seen if Veronica will actually get married to indecisive Archie (I’m sure Ronnie’s dad, Mr. Lodge will step in at some point). Clearly in the bid to sell more pulp, the news is as “OMG” inducing as it can get. If you want to lay bets now, the eternal love triangle will continue for another 1000 issues - but  he will marry Betty eventually.

With Archie comics as the epitome of wholesome 50’s Americana and all, I can’t actually see the comic grappling with issues of divorce, pre-nuptial agreements (there are speculations that Archie will marry broke), or backstabbing drama in the run-up to the wedding/non-wedding. However, MSNBC.com reports that movie producer Michael Uslan who resurrected the Batman movie franchise in 1989 is writing the story so there might be a bit of Hollywood soap opera bite in all-american Riverdale afterall.

Please, no. Two horrific celebrity news flash.

(1) Lindsay Lohan is in talks with Emanuel Ungaro for the position of “Creative Consultant”. The very idea that a pedigree fashion house could  take  Lindsay seriously enough to be in discussion over the said position is entirely beyond me. The former star (Mean Girls can be loosely considered a pop culture breakthrough) has had her fair share of spotlight as a paparazzi favourite. Tabloids have exploited her various drinking, drink driving, drug abuse, and failed rehab issues. Her personal style is nothing to honk about - so she did earn some column space when she went for the tights-as-pants look. Not a good thing, of course. Hardly surprising that her only foray into fashion thus far is a leggings line and some self-tanning spray. With this as a portfolio, she is hardly the best fit for a luxury brand with  previous standing in Haute Couture.

Lindsay's best bet are leggings

Emanuel Ungaro FW09

Esteban Cortazar is understandably furious about this. (more…)