Apparently the NY Daily News wanted to run a photo feature showing “real” NY women, young college graduates, modeling clothing from Donatella Versace’s new line for H&M. Unlike Versace’s couture clothing, this line comes in all sizes and is somewhat affordable. Well a spokesperson for H&M told the News that Versace probably wouldn’t approve of “real” (read: larger than size 4) women wearing even her H&M line for any kind of photo shoot, even a casual one like this, and they were right. Most of the models were rejected for not fitting Versace’s “branding.” Again, this was her line for H&M and it was just a photo feature in a newspaper. Give me a break.

After the Daily News arranged for real NYC women to be photographed wearing looks from the Italian designer’s Versace for H&M line, a rep for the Swedish clothing company canceled the shoot on Friday.

Apparently, “real” doesn’t work for the 56-year-old bottle-blond designer with the bee-stung lips.

The H&M publicist initially explained by email that the “Model New Yorkers” photo feature could probably not go forward because Versace had to approve “anyone who wears the collection for press” — and, she added, “Donatella will likely not approve shooting the collection on real women.”

She was right. When the Daily News writer organizing the shoot sent the publicist photos of two of the three women he wanted to use — all recent college graduates who work in the city — the answer came back that only one was acceptable.

When the News writer asked for an explanation, he was told the woman who was rejected “doesn’t fit [Versace’s] branding.”

That might make sense if the clothes involved were from Versace’s full-priced designer collections, where a metallic brushed-leather biker jacket goes for $5,825 and a wool crepe cut-out dress fetches $2,425.

But one reason designers work with H&M is to make their designs accessible — and affordable — to a less-exclusive crowd. Previous fashion designers who’ve worked with H&M in this way include Chanel’s Karl Lagerfeld and Stella McCartney.

“The H&M customer is anyone interested in fashion,” the company’s U.S. public relations manager, Jennifer Ward, told the retail-shopping website Westfield.com this fall. “There is something for every age and personality.”

Versace’s designs for H&M reflect this perspective. Although there are some pricier items — such as a $249 metallic party dress — the line includes a $29.99 pair of leggings that feature a jungle print similar to the famous plunging dress that Jennifer Lopez wore to the 2000 Grammys.

Versace previewed her limited-edition H&M line at a party and fashion show at Pier 57 on Nov. 8. Although she used the kind of stick-thin models who don’t resemble typical NYC consumers, the designer told CBSNews.com that she understood the H&M consumer.

“I know this customer,” she said. “I know what they want.”

Now if only she didn’t mind them actually wearing her clothing.

By the way, we’ve decided to stick with our real New York models. Instead of Versace for H&M, they’ll be wearing their own holiday cocktail outfits in the photo feature, which will run on Thursday.

[From The NY Daily News]

When I first read this I thought that the News might have arranged this photo shoot using clothing by Versace for H&M because they knew it would get shut down. They may have done that, but even it it was a set up they still convincingly proved their point. Why have a high fashion line put out something for H&M if they don’t want to be associated with anything but very rich, stick thin women? It’s elitist. It’s like they think it’s fine to take money from the masses, but they still don’t want to be associated with them in any way.

Here are some of the Versace for H&M pieces. They’ll probably sell out quickly and Versace knows this. She can continue to be a scary, haughty bitch because it’s not going to affect her bottom line at all. Some of these looks are hideous, right? I like the studded leather jacket, though, and that sequin dress is cute. They probably look cheap in person, though. I’m sure a photoshoot with a magazine would reveal that the clothes look crappy as well. The H&M people should have made up some excuse about making sure the clothing is photographed properly instead of insisting on choosing super thin models.

Donatella is shown with her daughter, Allegra, on 11/8/11. Allegra has battled anorexia.

This is kind of a convoluted story, but it has some good parts. Where to start? Okay, remember how Lady Gaga flashed her boobs when she won the CFDA’s “Style Icon” Award a few weeks ago? We didn’t use any of the Gaga Tit photos, but they were all over the place, and you get the idea. Well, the New York Times fashion critic Cathy Horyn took Gaga to task for Gaga’s usage of vintage Versace. Apparently, Donatella Versace opened up the Versace archives, so that Gaga could wear vintage Versace to the CFDA gala AND in the music video for “Edge of Glory”. I didn’t know that the costumes in that video were vintage Versace, but it makes sense, given how friggin’ dated and “Totally ’80s” that whole video seemed. Here’s part of what NYT critic Cathy Horyn wrote:

In a week, I told myself, Lady Gaga’s vintage Versace studs (seen in her new “Edge of Glory” video) will be history. If that. “Never be afraid to dream,” she tweeted to her followers, but I had already unfollowed, like a skiff breaking from its moorings. Goodbye!

….As funny and as fresh as Gaga was in her speech at the recent C.F.D.A. awards, she looked embalmed in the black Versace harness (apparently from Gianni Versace’s final collection), and I don’t know why Donatella Versace said she was honored by Gaga’s selection, unless, of course, she thought she had to say something nice about the superstar. But a D.O.A. video doesn’t help the House of Versace. Be choosier, Ms. Versace.

[From The NYT]

Oooooh, snap (was that too dated as well?). I agree with Horyn’s point about Gaga looking “embalmed” and I completely cosign her criticism of Donatella Versace opening the Versace archives. I mean, it’s not like Gaga is Madonna! Remember when Madonna and (Gianni) Versace went together like drag queens and lipstick? I remember. For a large chunk of time, Madge only wore Gaultier and Versace, it seemed. Those were good years, and Madonna sincerely changed the fashion industry. You’d think that Gaga would be more conscious of it, then. She probably figures that her monsters won’t even remember Madonna’s contributions to fashion.

Here’s the vintage Versace in “Edge of Glory”:

Photos courtesy of WENN.

God, I really, really hate Sienna Miller’s dress. She wore this cream/champagne gown from the Stella McCartney Pre-Fall 2010 collection to an UNESCO gala in Germany over the weekend, and I’m finding it so unflattering. I’ve said before that I don’t really care for Sienna’s fashion most of the time, and I’ve never really understood why she’s considered a style icon, but usually her choices are much more flattering than this. It just ages her – she looks like a contemporary to Joan Collins! The gown veers to the 1980s too, and not in a trendy way. In a “let’s throw on a high-neckline sparkly gown and toss on some paste jewels and pop pills until we pass out” kind of way. Anyway, the event was for UNESCO’s Education for Children in Need, so at least it was a good cause?

She’s usually the pin-up for boho chic, but Sienna Miller cut a far more sophisticated figure on the red carpet today. The actress opted for a old Hollywood glamour look as she attended the UNESCO Charity-Gala 2010 at the Maritim Hotel in Dusseldorf, Germany. And in her champagne-coloured floor-length dress and elaborate yet subtle jewellery, Sienna pulled the vintage look off perfectly.

The 28-year-old also had her hair tied up into a chic bun, instead of letting it hang in loose waves as she usually prefers.

Sienna was working the red carpet at the event as she supported Donatella Versace in raising funds for UNESCO’s Education for Children in Need program.

[From The Daily Mail]

Except it wasn’t vintage! It was a new Stella McCartney dress and Sienna looks like a 50-something divorcee circa 1985! Beyond the dress, though… I do have to admit, Sienna is not aging very well. Too much liquor and cigarettes and sunbathing with no sunscreen.

One last thing: Donatella Versace was at the event too… and this photo is making my life. If I was one of these children’s parents, I would be terrified.

Photos courtesy of Fame & WENN.

We don’t do enough Donatella Versace stories. She’s just as fun as Karl Lagerfeld, only more orange and more insane, if possible. While Lagerfeld seems contend to spend interview cataloguing his neverending list of hate, Donatella Versace genuinely seems to be much more fun and cool. If by “fun and cool” you mean “orange and insane”. But Donatella has a sense of humor about herself, as evidenced by a recent interview in LOVE Magazine (via HuffPo) in which Donatella admitted she had no idea what her “natural” hair color was, and that “I do not believe in totally natural for women. For me, natural has something to do with vegetables.” Haha… Beta-carotene.

Donatella Versace sat down with LOVE magazine to talk about the fashion world and her place in it. She remarked that she’s never felt like a fashion icon and frequently jokes about her looks, once saying: “I don’t even know what my natural colour is. Natural? What is natural? What is that? I do not believe in totally natural for women. For me, natural has something to do with vegetables.”

She also reminisced about the supermodels of the ’90s, remembering when “Christy, Linda, Cindy and Naomi together–they sang Freedom, and George Michael was in the audience–that was an iconic moment of fashion.” But everyone didn’t always get along: “When a new girl came along, oh my God, it was like a war. The first time they got together, it was the big girls versus the new girl. I remember one time backstage: Linda needed to go on the runway. She was about to put in her fake boobs and found one of them had been taken. ‘Where is my boob? Where’s my boob?’ she was screaming over and over.”

So what does she think about the current state of fashion?

“Now is a bad moment. Now we need something. We need a special personality. We need to feed the egos of these girls. Somebody like Kristen [McMenamy] who had a huge ego. Beautiful…”

[From Huffington Post]

I’m so with Donatella about the whole “I miss models with real personalities” stuff. I miss Linda Evangelista, although she’s still working as a model. Linda used to be crazy and fun too. Naomi is still a diva, but I’ve never enjoyed her. And Christy was “the good one” right? The polite one who was never a diva. They really did have personalities, which this current crop… well, they might be nice girls, professional girls, but they all seem so boring.

Behold, the wonder that is a woman with nothing natural on or in her… please, don’t everyone yell at once “Burn it with fire!”:

Donatella Versace at the ‘A Single Man’ premiere in Milan on January 11, 2010. Credit: Bauer-Griffin and Getty.

Uma Thurman’s breast were on full display last night in a gauzy draped black Valentino dress that did little more than shield her from the wind. She chose the daring outfit for the Swarovski Fashion Rocks event, which she co-hosted. When you’re 37 and the roles aren’t coming in you’ve got to kick it up a notch and I think she pulled it off.

Also on the red carpet were Kate Moss in a a Swarovski studded flapper dress she designed herself for Top Shop. It is estimated to be worth $80k and will be auctioned off on eBay for The Princes Trust if Courtney Love didn’t manage to ruin it.

Lily Allen wore a questionable navy blue Chanel gown with an empire waist that didn’t flatter her newly slender figure, but she looked presentable.

Donatella Versace and Iggy Pop personified rock and rock meets fashion with their weathered faces and kick ass style.

Claudia Schiffer was matronly in a gold pencil skirt and poofy black top accented by a big gold belt.

Naomi Watts showed off her amazing post-baby physique in a gorgeous baby blue strapless gown.

Joss Stone shows the self-determination that has ruined her music career by pairing a plain bright pink Calvin Klein dress with white ankle heels.

Heather Graham was lovely but looked like she was trying too hard in a white sleeveless dress that was just a little too low cut. She should have used Uma’s strategy and picked something see through instead.

Thanks to WENN for these photos and The Daily Mail for some help figuring out the dress designers. I included a blow up of Kate Moss’ face because she just looks so trashy to me. Uma may be showing nip but she does it with grace.