The view from Cannes

There's been a lot of fabulousness happening lately.
Here's a look at a couple of noteworthy looks worn by actresses at the recent Cannes Film Festival.


Jane Fonda (at right).


Zoe Bell (check out the back of that gown!) with Quentin Tarantino.

"American Idol" - And the winner is...

... Jordin.
Seriously, everyone on the planet must know by now that Jordin Sparks won AI.
What you may not know is that the copper colored gown she wore Wednesday night was a custom tailored number by the designer label Badgley Mischka.
Apparently, Mark Badgley and James Mischka were on the West Coast on business, heard via the folks at Fox that Jordin needed a dress for the finale, and the rest, as they say, was history.




Blake, of course, had his fashion moments, too. The man knows all about stylin, after all. But this night clearly belonged to Jordin (and we didn't need to wait two hours to have that confirmed!).
By the way, according to an Associated Press story, the designers also made jewelry, shoes and an evening bag to match Jordin's gown. Lucky girl. Jordin even wore Badgley Mischka cologne.
Oh yes, and the design team says they cast their votes for Jordin.

And America's Next Top Model Is...

... Jaslene.

In case you hadn't heard, Jaslene won "America's Next Top Model."



Good choice. The 20-year-old from Chicago certainly deserved it.
Now comes the real test - how she does in the real world.
In the meantime, here are some photos of the new Next Top Model.

American Idol - May 15

Fashion wise, Blake ruled last night, especially with the outfit he wore for his first song, "Roxanne." Gotta hand it to him: the man has a look all his own.
Check out the neo-prep look, short sleeved shirt worn out, under a sleeveless pullover.
As for the ladies, yes, they sang rings around Blake, but fashionwise, there wasn't much to talk about (though we did love Jordin's pink dress).

Adam plus Eve Sample Sale May 16-19

Sample Sale season continues.
Adam plus Eve's sample sale begins today and runs through Saturday at the Chelsea Market, 75 Ninth Ave. (between 15th and 16th Streets) in New York City. Hours are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
For information call (212) 675-2022.

America's Next Top Model - The Final Three

So we're down to the final three on "America's Next Top Model."
This season has been interesting for several reasons.
Not only is there no clear cut winner, but we've also been able to watch a couple of other shows that, frankly, have been more entertaining and honest about the realities of the modeling world.
Who will win this season's "America's Next Top Model" is any body's guess.
Here's my take on the top three.


Jaslene.
At this point, Jaslene is probably my favorite of the three remaining models. She's fresh faced enough to be taken seriously on the cover of Seventeen Magazine (where the winner is to appear, believe it or not). She definitely has the hunger you need to make it in the business. And, I like her overall look.
On the downside, I still think Jaslene looks a bit gawky and as the judges pointed out last week, she tends to give the same, albeit beautiful, look in most of her photos.



Renee.
Renee knows how to work a camera. She has a confidence that you can't learn and an innate sense of what looks right.
On the downside, she's too old. As one of the judges put it, she doesn't have a fresh look. I don't see her on the cover of Seventeen at all. And I'm not sure her look is what will click in the industry right now.



Natasha.
You have to give the girl props. Somehow, she always manages to take a great photo, except for this past week when she was sick.
On the downside, she never makes me want to take a second look when she's just coming through the door or off the set. And am I the only one who thinks that AMERICA'S next top model should be able to speak English well? I mean she makes Danielle sound like Henry Higgins...
Oh well. We'll see who wins on Wednesday night during the finale.

New Kwiat Diamonds campaign debuts

Keep an eye out for the new advertising campaign for Kwiat, the New York-based diamond jewelry company. Kwiat is currently celebrating its centennial year.
The new ad campaign, shot by top fashion photographer Patrick Demarchelier, features hot model Sylvia Geersen.



And on the celeb front, Kwiat fan, actress Natalie Portman, was also seen on the red carpet at the Tribeca Film Festival sporting some rare pieces from the Kwiat line.

American Idol - May 8

Well, disco night was a bit of a dud.
But fashion wise, the final Four had some hot moments.
LaKisha's bold halter top with leggings looked young and fresh and flattering. Unfortunately, a photo wasn't available to be downloaded, but we really liked the way the top came down to just below her butt to create a seamless body line.
We also really liked Blake's cool jacket when he sang the first time. Okay, it was a bit too "styled" for most people's tastes, but it was a very cool look.
Blake also scored another fashion win with his second look for the evening, another argyle sweater, this time in cream and grey. Loved the mismatched sleeve look. Hate his new hair though.

Blake.

Celebrity Shoe Auction Happening Online through May 14

Ever wanted to walk in the shoes of your favorite celebrity? Now you can. Literally.
Piperlime, the online shoe shop from Gap, is running an online celebrity shoe auction now through May 14 to benefit Soles4Souls, a charity that donates shoes to those in need around the world.
More than 30 celebrities have donated and signed a pair of their own shoes for the online auction. Celebrities involved include Jessica Simpson, Jennifer Hudson, Mariska Hargitay, Rosario Dawson, Vanessa Minnillo, Sharon Stone, Mandy Moore, and Mischa Barton.
To participate in the auction, go online at www.Piperlime.com. To learn more about Soles4souls, go online at www.soles4souls.org.


Shoe from Teri Hatcher.

American Idol - May 1

You know whose look I loved the most?
LaKisha.
I think this was the first time she didn't wear a dress. She wore slim fitted jeans and a very flattering bustier top.



Like a lot of big girls (and I'm guilty of this, too), LaKisha has probably been doing the dress and gown look up until now because we think it hides all that we have going on. But the reality is, that when you find clothes that are fitted without being binding, you actually look slimmer.
It's scary to step out of the comfort zone of the flowing dress, but as Miss LaKisha showed, big girls can work the slim jeans and cut tops, too.
And kudos for that top, because the red at the waist, with the ribbon, actually showed off her waistline and figure.
Way to go!

Dove Deodorant Sleeveless-Ready Celebrity Auction

Talk about your creative ways to promote a familiar product.
Now that it's the season to bare your underarms, you're going to hear a lot about products that don't leave residue. You know, raise your hands if you're confident ...
Dove Deodorant has come up with a unique pitch.
In addition to the usual pitch, Unilever's Dove Deodorant brand is kicking off an auction tomorrow of one-of-a-kind sleeveless t-shirts designed and autographed by celebrities. Celebrities involved include Tyra Banks, Jennifer Hudson, Felicity Huffman, Elle Macpherson and Queen Latifah.


This yellow shirt was "designed" and autographed by Jennifer Hudson.



This blue shirt was "designed" and autographed by Felicity Huffman.


"Project Runway" winner, designer Chloe Dao is also working on the project, providing some fashion tips for those who dare to go sleeveless.
Proceeds from the celebrity auction will be used to send girls across the United States to self-esteem workshops through the Girl Scouts of the USA program uniquely ME!, which is sponsored by the Dove Self-Esteem Fund (DSEF).
For more information on the celebrity t-shirt auction and Dao's sleeveless fashion tips, go to www.sleevelessready.com.