There was another episode of Runway last night, which means we’ve got another rundown of it for you here. We also are priviledged to have another opinion of the episode. John Fanok, Brand Designer here at Zappos, gives us his thoughts.

The challenge: Get inspired by New York City at night, and design something that reflects that. Flashback to Season 2 episode: get inspired by New York City during the day challenge…

The winner:
SS: Kenley was channeling Mad Men/early ‘60s style (clearly, her personal style) among other trends. Her winning design, a printed bubble-shaped mini dress with long sleeves, impressed the judges with its shape and abstract print. Prints are a major trend for fall 2008, congratulations Kenley.

JF: What's with that balloon on her hip? Looks like a goiter, ew! I don't agree with the winning decision but what do I know? I thought Leanne made a great comeback and learned to edit, edit ,edit. Leanne captured the essence of the NYC photograph that inspired the design.

The loser:
SS: You know, Emily’s dress really wasn’t that bad – basic black asymmetrical dress with a T-shaped orange and yellow ruffle up the front – but it was boring in comparison with the others. Other designers like Stella’s metallic vest and skinny gray jeans and Korto’s all black pantsuit were equally boring due to their monochromatic color scheme and all too familiar fashion shapes, but were better executed. Every episode someone must be auf’d, so the judges had to say Auf Wiedersehen to Emily. Come on, when Nina gives you the condescending smile, you know you’re a goner.

JF: Loser and rightfully so. She may have captured the image in the photo, but it was poorly executed. Keith skated by and he had better watch out. His piece was innovative but the model looked like she was wearing a paper bag, she had no curves.

Dear readers do you have any predictions for who will last ‘til the end? I think Suede will go far, but I wish he would stop talking about himself in third person. John thinks Kelli and Blayne will make the top three, too. We welcome your opinions, so write back and let us know.

Or at least we hope so for rapper/actress Eve, who is relaunching her fashion line Festish for the fourth time in less than five years. The line got off to a rocky start during its initial launch in 2003 due to a revolving door of business partners and production troubles. But time lends itself to reflection, retrospection and learning from being burned by the design fires. So, understandably so, Fetish has hired a seasoned designer — Arnold Williams — to give the line a much needed design boost and continuity. Fans of Eve can expect the line to be chock full of trendy jeans,
impactful but subtle details as well as a smattering of the spot-on-trend embellishments. The new line up wil be carried at FetishCollection.com and Macy’s.

Why does it seem like all of the denim that comes out of Japan or is created for the Japanese audience is cooler than most things we see here in the States? Levi, an American brand since the late ‘20s, has created a funky, two-rinse jean with painted skeleton hands on the pocket. Of course, you may ask why anyone would want skeleton hands on their pockets, which is a legitimate question, but this is Japan, and they are open to all things fashion. Just think, if you are the type of guy who walks around with your hands in your pocket all the time then this jean is perfect for you, kind of like a pseudo X-ray on the outside. The jeans come in a dark rinse as well as a distressed rinse that seems to have a slight metallic wash and are the standard bootcut width. They are not available in the States or Europe yet, but keep your eye out for them on levi.com and then get your hands on a pair.

Where does one begin? Every starlet in Hollywood these days is either a model/actress, actress/model, actress/designer or actress/singer, no? Or so it would seem. On Wednesday, July 16, the Candie’s brand and Hayden Panettiere took over PerezHilton.com to promote the new Candie’s ad campaign and to um, promote the new single by Ms. Panettiere. Now I am not hating on anyone expressing their talent and/or gifts, but when did it become passe to just be good at one thing? But I digress. The ads feature Hayden rocking a metallic jacket, black jeans and high-heels with a side-lying microphone in hand with her lips apart as though singing, obviously that should have been my first clue as to what lay ahead. The ads and Candie’s logo were all over the site as well as montages of Ms. Panettiere’s face, and low and behold in the middle of that garish pink background was a large video screen window, all set for the reader/viewer to just hit play. On comes island-esque music (reminiscent of another blonde one-hit wonder), the oh-ooo-oh, maybe you need a wake-up call, and lovely images of Hayden, doing the one-handed microphone grasping warbling (more oh ooo oh...) that most starlets do these days. All in all, the song was not that bad, it had a catchy beat and refrain, and as for the outfits, the clothes were cool.

If Couture were to have been consulted on the video we would have made the following suggestions: Moschino metallic bubble hem mini dress with an accompanying D&G Dolce & Gabbana Flat Strap grey belt paired with Moschino Cheap and Chic black retro ankle boots for her strut into the club; John Varvatos for Converse bronze metallic leather bomber jacket (silver and washed gold are so overdone) left open, C’N’C Costume National five-pocket style black skinny jeans, Crystal Rock’s Rockabilly black tee with Giuseppe Zanotti handpainted booties for crooning on stage to the crowd; C’N’C Costume National grey racer back sleeveless elongated tank with iridescent palettes, Just Cavaili grey distressed jeans with Moschino red platform gathered tie-front pumps for the rolling around the floor number; for strutting a la Britney, Studio Gabriella Rocha black satin deep v-neck dress with draped sides worn with DSquared opulent lace, beaded and faux jeweled platform ankle-tie sandal (black wig optional).

Hey, they did not ask Couture, but I thought I should put the style tips out there any way.

Well, as in her new fragrance name, that is. Jessica, along with Parlux Fragrances Inc., is launching her first scent, a floral oriental, which will launch in August and be available at Macy’s, Dillard’s, Belk and Bon-Ton in addition to additional stores in the US and Canada, as reported on July 18 by WWD. The fragrance is composed of pear, apricot nectar and red fruits in the top notes, gardenia, jasmine, toasted almonds and caramel for the middle notes, and sandalwood, vanilla creme and amber crystals for the bottom notes. If any of you are familiar with her Dessert line of body care products, you will recognize the similarity between the two (vanilla creme, caramel).

Ms. Simpson has been very busy over the last three years, and not just in her social life. In that time, she has developed her Hairdo line of hair extensions with Ken Paves, the Dessert body care line, the successful and ever-expanding shoe line, her swimwear, handbags, intimate apparel/shapewear (p-2376 in the Couture blogs on July 10th) and eyewear. Ms. Simpson choosing this time to add a fragrance to her empire was the logical next step. Whether or not the market can bare yet another celebrity fragrance (Mariah Carey’s fragrance is due soon, as well), remains to be seen, but that won’t stop many from lining up to not only look like, dress like and have hair like, but now have the opportunity to snap up the fragrance to smell like Jessica, too.

The What: Menswear-inspired pieces for women to love

The How To: 1. GF Ferre Tuxedo-style jacket 2. C'N'C Costume National five-pocket
jean 3. A crisp white shirt with cuffs 4. D&G Dolce & Gabbana stylish silver-tone watch
5. Giuseppe Zanotti sexy peep toe zipper back stiletto booties and 6. Kate Spade
Anguilla Eva Clutch 7. Alexander McQueen Bordeaux Skull Insigna Scarf

The When: Date night or drinks out with the girls

The Why: Its edgy, sophisticated with just a touch of SJP

Gentlemen, who doesn’t love an upstart that blazes an assured trail with bold designs and old world cobbler techniques? That is the exact reason to love Harrys of London, the 2001 new kid on the block that married radical vision, traditional techniques and luxury design for men to a new forefront with their signature Jet Slipper shoe — the decadent loafer with a soft leather sole fit for a prince or a
G5 flight.

The company is not only smart in its design philosophy and selection of luxury fabrics and skins, but in their management choices, as well. They hired a former design director at Ralph Lauren Footwear and Giorgio Armani, Kevin Martel, to build their burgeoning hybrid luxury brand into a full lifestyle collection. With the latest incarnation of the Jet Slipper, the re imagining of classic oxford styles, the new online store, a New York showroom and a store set to open in Mayfair, I would say he has been a success in shepherding the brand onward and upward.

As luck would have it, one of our very own savvy style stars and buyers, Scott J., was able to secure the brand for us here at Zappos.com, so no man need be without a pair. Our faves: the Jet Moc slipper, the Blake navy boat shoe and the cool yet sophisticated Charlie perforated spat design.

Ah, Karl Lagerfeld is one ambitious individual, as if designing multiple collections, accessories, modeling in safety campaigns, orchestrating photoshoots and photography were not enough, the lucky habitants and hopefully Chanel lovers of Dubai’s Isla Moda (aka Fashion Island) will now be able to live in housing with the interior design created by the designer himself. Isla Moda is part of The World, a development of man-made commercial and residential islands off of the coast of Dubai, and it is billing itself as a world-class resort and luxury destination. This opulent housing will be catering exclusively to the mega-rich seeking the most exclusive interior design options to date. Dubai Infinity Holding, the company spearheading this fabulously fashionable development told the Wall Street Journal on July 10, “We are catering to a very exclusive clientele who are highly fashion conscious.” Mr. Lagerfeld will not be the only designer for this fashion lifestyle concept; the company has plans to sign additional designers in the near future. So if you are destination-living bound, Dubai’s Isla Moda is perfect for you.

She sizzles on screen, makes a smoldering photogenic splash in the current issue of Interview magazine and come this fall, the public will get a double dose of her beauty with her new Calvin Klein ads and commercials. Ms. Mendes, who modeled for Calvin along with Kate Moss and Mark Wahlberg in the ‘80s, will reprise her role as a model for the brand’s new Seductive Comfort Calvin Klein intimate collection, as well as be the face/body of Calvin’s Secret Obsession scent.

This pairing is a natural match, as it has been reported often that Ms. Mendes favors CK intimates for red carpet appearances, and told WWD on July 22, “I wear Calvin Klein G-strings all of the time on the red carpet and while shooting for a film because you don’t see the panty lines.” The scent’s television ads, banned from airing in the United States for being to racy, were shot by the famed photographer Steven Miesel (yes, the genius behind the July issue of Vogue Italia), and are a departure from the old ads where only very thin models were used. This departure seems less about embracing larger body types, but more about being womanly and accepting who you are. The print ads, showing Eva in states of repose — the first shows her laying upside down on the floor in purple underwear, tossing aubergine satin pillows in the air — will break in American fashion magazines in September and internationally in October. The scent, more floral than the original — notes of plum, jasmine, tuberose, woods, amber, vanilla, and sandalwood — will also premier in September. If we could forecast Eva’s horoscope for the fall, the number nine would be her lucky number, and the September road would be paved with millions (as in her contract fee of five million).

I’m not sure if it is the economic woes of the nation or that Vogue felt it found the right creative partner with a shared vision that caused them to finally enter the reality series fray, but it would seem that the fashion bible has decided to jump into the ring. Yes folks, Vogue Magazine and IMG’s fashion and media division have teamed up to create an elaborate Web-based fashion industry reality series. The show is called Model.Live and it will track three young models lives as they meander through casting calls, runways and airports for the often time grueling fashion weeks in New York, London, Milan and Paris. You will be following Madeline Kragh, a 20-year-old American with punky short black hair (the rebel), Cato Van Ee, a 19-year-old blond from the Netherlands (the sweetheart), who modeled for Prada and Miu Miu last season, and Austria Alcantara, a 16-year-old from the Dominican Republic (the newbie). The show will have 12 eight minute episodes which will be viewable August 19th via on demand Vogue.tv, a site that primarily shows advertiser-sponsored videos which allow consumers to buy featured products.

The episodes will also be syndicated on sites like Veoh.com and hulu.com, but Vogue.tv viewers can connect from there to Bebo.com, a video-based social-networking hub to watch the updates and interact with the show’s stars. Of course this would not be about fashion unless there was a sponsor that provides the clothing that the models wear in the episodes and this would not be the Web unless one could click and see what the models are wearing and then be able to go to the sponsor’s website to purchase that item or something similar. Express LTD. (Express.com), has signed on to be the show’s sponsor, but the models are not required to wear the clothes, um okay. Stay tuned, have your internet set to Watch/Channel_Guide/8 Watch/Video_Player/8/173 on August 19, and write us back and tell us what you think once you’ve seen it.

It would seem that Jumper is not the only thing Rachel Bilson is jumping into these days. She can now add celebrity clothing designer and spokesmodel to her resume. It has been well over a year since the end of her series, the O.C., but this stylish celeb’s clothing creed and projects continue to grow and be as varied as her clothing choices.

She is known for mixing things up in her wardrobe choices, so rightly so that her line, Edie Rose, in collaboration with DKNY, reflects this part of her persona. The vintage-inspired 15-piece collection is comprised of a sporty mix of button-down tops, jackets, tees, sweaters, dresses and two styles of jeans — a straight leg pair and a skinny leg pair, both styles that Ms. Bilson has often been photographed in. The line, made up of a mostly black and white palette with touches of bold color, is a different direction for DKNY, which usually has a more grunge, relaxed, urban feel.

However Ms. Bilson's creative role does not stop at helping to design the line, oh no. She mixed her youthful and authentic way of putting together outfits to help style the clothes for the shoot along with stylist Tabitha Simmons and will serve as the brand's spokesmodel. The collection will be in stores in time for back-to-school and will be sold at Macy's, Dillard's and Bon Ton in the junior's department.

Well, I guess if you wear clothes well, actually have an eye for clothes and putting them together, can get a major brand to invest in a label with you, that isn’t a bad way to pass the time in between movie projects, no?

The avid music loving Frida Giannini, Creative Director for Gucci, has tapped Lil' Ms. Sunshine, Rihanna, to be the spokesmodel for their fall advertisement highlighting its collaboration with UNICEF (United Nation’s Children’s Fund).

The ads were shot by the in-demand husband and wife team, Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin, in Paris, with the ads slated to premiere in December issues of fashion magazines. “So when we decided to dedicate a full ad campaign, more than just creating products, to really come out and show our commitment to UNICEF, we wanted someone with a strong personality,” Giannini said post-photoshoot, during her interview with WWD.

And of course we all know well, unless you have been living somewhere in the universe where fashion does not matter, that Rihanna loves rocking Gucci. She wore the emerald green criss-cross neckline gown with plunging back belted to the “A Night to Benefit Raising Malawi and UNICEF” benefit, a patterned belted mini at the Kids' Choice Awards and has been photographed all over the world carrying countless Gucci handbags styles.

So it would seem that this match, cemented after Rihanna’s rendition of Umbrella at the Malawi fund-raiser, is a match made in heaven, and a very worthy cause will benefit from the union.

Franco Moschino, the charismatic, irreverent Italian designer and artist, responsible for such lines as Moschino Couture, Moschino Cheap and Chic and Moschino Jeans, started his now famous multi-brand fashion house in Milan in the early ‘80s after several successful years as an illustrator/sketcher for houses like Giorgio Armani and Genny. It was his love of art and pop culture that led the designer to imbue his own line with his whimsical nature (think his famous tees with a spoof of Chanel No. 5), creativity, love of all things Italian and his disdain for the established fashion culture. It was also this disdain and rebel spirit that got Franco into trouble many times with established houses, such as Chanel, for copyright battles. Regardless of these minor and not so minor inconveniences, with the help of his best friend, muse, sounding board and design collaborator, Rossella Jardini, he grew his business to include not only his main line, but the imaginative Cheap and Chic, Moschino Jeans and his successful fragrance lines, as well. His untimely death in 1994 saddened the fashion world by losing such a free spirit and rebel, but his company has thrived in spite of that with Ms. Jardini at the helm of the company, continuing Franco’s visions and spirit of the brand.

Here at Couture.Zappos.com, we are fortunate enough to have not only the Women’s and Men’s main shoe lines, but also the delightful Moschino Jeans line, the Cheap and Chic handbags and accessories. Couture’s favorites: Moschino’s Italian flag colored leather sneakers for men, the signature red platform strappy T-strap sandal for women, the Fresh Fruit Mix tee for men and the modernized pilgrim collar, candy-striped button-front shirt for women, Molte Bene!

Just when you thought Topshop could not possibly get any better, or give any news greater than the fact that they are finally opening stateside, they up the High Street ante. It would seem that the current vast denim corner just got a little bit more chic with the addition of their new premium brands consisting of Sass & Bide, J Brand, Joe’s Jeans, Radcliffe, Los Angeles-based Ditto Jeans and My Lovely Jeans. Besides stocking the latest models of these jeans, they will also have limited edition capsule collections with some of the brands as well as pop-up jean clinics at the Oxford Circus flagship during London Fashion Week. Jean-ious!

Ladies, the shoe baton has been passed, Christian Louboutin is officially the current shoe God usurping the long standing Mr. Manolo. As reported by the New York-based Luxury Institute, Louboutin shoes are the most sought-after shoe brand of 2008. This is not news to the true fashionista because she already knows, covets and collects them without any shame or remorse at the $800-plus sticker price. But to others who feel that a brand must advertise (which Christian does not), must be mentioned in hot shows or movies (think Sex And The City, where he was not mentioned) or be on every ‘It’ starlet (rare) to be a hit, this must come as a huge surprise. What is it that draws so many to this brand? Could it be the draw of the red sole, which is distinguishable from any other shoe whether a woman is striding down a city block, sitting in a restaurant with her legs crossed or getting in and out of her Maybach? Is it the exquisite craftsmanship, the sky high heels or the many varied styles that could make you spend every paycheck on a pair? I’m not sure what it is for other individuals, but for me, my pulse quickens the moment I see the sole. For many that is both the draw and the deterrent, because what happens once the sole is worn out? Well, if you are like I am, you find the cobbler who will replace the sole with a red one, of course.

Abstract brush strokes in every incarnation were all over the Spring/Summer 2008 runways. Think strokes that imbued the clothing with Rothko, Pollack and Monet. The look is eye-catching and begs for statement jewelry pieces that complement the outfit but do not compete with it. One of my favorites is this M by M Kalan abstract brush-inspired Crepe de Chine black and white dress. Pair it with a large silver cuff and an oversized pearl and silver ring and ta da, perfection!

Marilyn Monroe crooned it best, “diamonds are a girl’s best friend.” Of course we agree, well, that is until Louis Vuitton took it up a sparkling notch with its new logo-monogrammed diamonds. If your 4-carat or 5-carat diamond solitaire seems to be lacking something, perhaps it is the LV logo inscribed into your diamond, or the flowers etched on its side ending in a neat little bow, literally. For a mere $2.8 million dollars you too can have a three-strand necklace carved with the company’s monogram motif, or maybe the 6.25-carat ring is more your style with the aforementioned logo LV inscribed in the diamond, small flowers etched beautifully on its side, tied neatly in a little bow at the ring base, which took a year as reported in Women’s Wear on July 2, however there was no report on the price of this confection. The company is confident that this new monogrammed direction is the way to go that a solitaire engagement collection is on the November horizon. Frankly, if you already have a sizeable diamond, logo monogram or not, go with it and be happy.

Ralph Lauren — born Ralph Ruben Lifshitz from the Bronx, New York — before he became famous and had a flagship in a historic mansion on 72nd Street and Madison Avenue, had a powerful fashion vision that he would one day be the guardian of the all-American dream. To him that dream involved, relaxed elegance, lush locales and polo ponies, apparent by the Polo horse and rider logo he is now known for. But before Ralph entered into the fashion industry he pursued a degree in business science (how better to know how to run one’s business?) as well as served his country with stint in the army. Clearly these steps were a wise decision towards cementing his future in fashion as we know it today. Lauren, who did not have any formal fashion design training, is a perfect example of the American dream: with confidence, will power, persistence and business saavy, one can achieve anything.

From the tiny tie shop first opened in 1967 to the multi-tiered empire of today, the chic, preppy look has evolved into complementary sportswear, casual wear, luxury lifestyle and home furnishings business that is still an American favorite. His shoes for men and women continue to be considered classics are always on the favorite must-have list of Couture. The Ralph Lauren Collection Ranna and Abbie for women and the Ralph Lauren Collection Garson and Danilo for men are to die for. Find these shoes, along with the rest of his collection, on Couture.Zappos.com.