net a porter

>> Ever wonder what populates the closets of streetstyle favorites like Teen Vogue fashion market editor Mary Kate Steinmiller or Harper's Bazaar senior fashion market editor Joanna Hillman? A few months ago, designer Erin Kleinberg and her friend Stephanie Mark, with photographer Jake Rosenberg in tow, started documenting just that — fashion insiders' handbags, shoes, jewelry, and clothes, shot in their apartments — complete with personal anecdotes about what each item signifies and where it comes from, for their newly launched site, TheCoveted.com. Already up for the viewing are Steinmiller (above and below), Hillman, and Theory and Helmut Lang communications & celebrity director, Mona Sharf, with more fashion editor, publicist, stylist, model, and blogger subjects promised soon. In fact, they're shooting with Net-a-Porter US editor Tracy Taylor right now. [The Coveted]

>> Tory Burch has a full-on editorial section to her website, complete with Tory-approved travel guides; eBay Fashion just hired former Lucky creative director Andrea Linett; and Net-a-Porter's Mr. Porter website is being headed up by Jeremy Langmead, the former editor of British Esquire.

It's safe to say — fashion and luxury brands that used to have to impress editors at the likes of Vogue to garner editorial coverage don't have to anymore. They're bringing the editors in-house, cutting out the magazine middlemen and going straight to consumers with their own editorial content. “Brands, especially those centered around lifestyle interests or luxury, are increasingly becoming media companies,” Steve Rubel of Edelman Digital, a digital communications and consulting firm, noted.

Part of the transition can be chalked up to the fact that brands can now afford to pay for their own editorial credibility — with digital publishing, creating and distributing content is much cheaper. Susan Lyne, former CEO at Martha Stewart Living and currently head of Gilt Groupe, has encouraged more editorial elements on the Gilt website, allowing consumers to read and investigate — something that used to be the province of magazines — as they shop. “We are not in the publishing business; we are in the editing business,” she said. “But if I were in the media business, I would be concerned because it used to be that in order to reach a certain kind of consumer, brands used to have to buy ads in relevant magazines or with a certain kind of television programming. That’s clearly not the case anymore.”

There's nothing worse than adding a bulky coat to a pretty party ensemble or covering up my sequins with something drab. If you've ever seen a girl dashing from a festive fete with her North Face zipped up on top and a shimmery hem peaking out from below, you know exactly what I mean. So, when I spied Alessandra Ambrosio sporting a shimmery Roberto Cavalli trench, my eyes lit up. Her snazzy holiday outerwear is just what I'm after to keep things festively chic, even when I'm buttoned up. Now, picture this silky trench with your little silver dress . . .

Many a catwalker have taken a stab at designing, but nobody works the model-actress-turned-designer game like Molly Sims. The Holiday collection for her jewelry line, Grayce by Molly Sims, is an array of chic, art deco-inspired pieces that celebrate the effortless style of timeless icons like Audrey Hepburn, Brigitte Bardot, and Jackie O. It offers a mix of delicate layering chains, antique drop earrings, and decadent pavé statement necklaces. We got to chat with the statuesque stunner and picked her cool, creative, and superstylish brain. She let us in on some of her personal style secrets and holiday dressing tips, as well as what she'll be gifting her girlfriends this year.

A deconstructed spin on the ruffled dress, the choppy ruffle is a little less dainty and a lot more rock n' roll. It's flatter in shape, and a bit edgier than its frilly counterpart. Zoe Saldana recently attended an event decked out in a midnight blue dress with choppy tiers and chic mesh inserts. She kept her accessories simple, and streamlined the look with a classic pair of Brian Atwood pumps. Try this updated twist yourself by shopping the pieces below.

• 10 questions with Fashion Fund winner Billy Reid — Vogue Daily
• Style invasion: three British girls make the US Vogue 2010 best-dressed list — Vogue UK
• LimoLand: welcome to the neighborhood — Interview
• Kate Middleton’s royal blue Issa dress for a royal engagement — People
• Look of the day: Halle Berry — Stylelist
• Anne Hathaway stars at her own premiere — Jezebel
• Vera Wang will make bridesmaid dresses only for David's Bridal from now on — The Cut
• Dion Lee launches on Net-a-Porter.com today — Red Carpet Fashion Awards
• Proenza Schouler's PS1 Pouch crossbody now available — Purse Blog

>> After last week's rumor suggesting that Google is launching ecommerce on Wednesday, a few clarifying details have come up: the initiative Boutiques.com is actually a curation of virtual boutiques; visitors won't be able to purchase directly from Google but rather, will click through to a brand's online store or an online retailer like Saks, Net-a-Porter, or Barneys to purchase the item.

There are at least 19 designers, including Oscar de la Renta, Tory Burch, Cynthia Rowley, Marchesa, Isaac Mizrahi, Tracy Reese, Prabal Gurung, and Erin Fetherston, who have been invited to set up virtual stores on the site. There will also be curated boutiques selling looks worn by celebrities and influencers like Lady Gaga, Victoria Beckham, Emma Watson, Anna Wintour, Rachel Zoe, and Michelle Obama. Sarah Jessica Parker has been asked to set up her own personalized shop, and a handful of high profile bloggers are also said to have been invited to curate their own boutiques in exchange for a low five-figure payment.

The idea is to have any user be able to do the same — create and share their own personalized boutique with items, brands, and looks they prefer. Elements of entertainment, gaming, and social media are also planned.