Zappos is all about Twitter. Our CEO, Tony Hsieh, is a regular tweeter, and we here at Couture also Twitter as often as possible about our blogs (follow us – we’re couturedivas).

More and more companies are using Twitter to promote themselves, and MAC is the latest. The makeup company will be tweeting from backstage from about 175 shows during New York, London, Milan and Paris Fashion Weeks.

MAC’s makeup teams will tweet detailed entries about what happens backstage in real time – model updates, makeup trends, makeup tips and action shots straight from backstage. So unless you’re walking the runway in several shows, this is about as up-close as you can get – be sure to follow MAC under the Twitter name mac_cosmetics (and couturedivas, too! You know, to keep up with fashion trends and news) to get all the scoop.

Every year at Fashion Week, it seems the shows start later and later because some celebrity just can’t seem to get there on time (yep, I’m talking to you, Beyonce). But this year, if Diane Von Furstenberg, president of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, has anything to do with it, Fashion Week shows will show on time.

DVF urged designers to choose their time slots six weeks in advance and to start the show no later than 10 minutes after the hour, and urged guests to get to shows on time and take their seat quickly.

Hear that, guests? You’ve got until September 5th to practice getting to places on time.

But come on, if Beyonce’s not there, they’re going to start the show without her? Or possibly not let her in? Please. I’ll believe it when I see it, DVF.

We here at Couture have often scoffed at celebrities designing clothing lines. Truly, shouldn’t clothes be designed by people who have it in their blood from the embyro stage, or at the very least dressing paper dolls since preschool? Harsh I know, but we also have given kudos to a few who do it well, namely Jovovich-Hawk. Milla Jovovich and her design partner/model Carmen Hawk were spot-on with their fabrications, drape and that ‘I’m fabulously dressed but couldn’t be bothered making an effort’ elan. How sad are we here at Couture to report that Milla dropped the bomb in the September issue of Lucky magazine that her divine fashion line will be no more. “When one door closes... she mused.” Come on, how does one close a successful line sold in all of the best stores? Is this because of her little cherub? Is this because of the man that she had the cherub with? Well whatever the reason, I’m disappointed, no mad. Where will the Couture team get our silky boudoir ‘20s inspired dresses, our tiered daisy design spaghetti strap summer dresses, our silk faille tap pant shorts and belle short sleeve jackets (okay this one is a stretch)? Darn it woman, have you no feelings? Well, one can only hope and pray that the next door/window that does open will be a fashionable one. Well that and begin scouring the online and
offline universe for any Jovovich-Hawk creation you can find.

Giddy am I that Alexander Wang, the East Village wunderkind of edgy downtown fashions, is premiering his first shoe line along side a diffusion line this fall. These lust-worthy, towering, textured platforms and sky-high heels will premier alongside his Spring 2009 fashion collection during New York Fashion Week. The collection of shoes will start small with a launch of just five styles that have a sigh-inducing (in a good way) price point of $125 to $250. The styles will include an open toe, thong sky-high heel platform, a perforated leather bootie and a stiletto high-heel with fringe around the ankle. Of course, this good news comes on the high heels (pardon the pun) of his popular capsule collection for Uniqlo, the Japanese version of TopShop, which featured his grunge aesthetic of lived-in T-shirts with their stretched necklines and lowered armholes, tank tops and T-shirt dresses. I’m not sure yet what his Spring 2009 collection will bring, but if it picks up where his fall collection off, I am already smitten.

Sass & Bide, the designers from down under, had such a success with their skinny jean, the Misfits, that they’ve created an edgier version of its signature low-cut, tight fit for next season, called Black Rats. These new design is a cross between jeans and leggings – yep, they’re that tight. So legging-loving celebs like Mischa Barton and Kate Bosworth already have theirs. But don’t worry, Black Rats will hit department stores Stateside eventually...

Four of Britain’s Olympic hopefuls are not only lucky they’re going to be in the games this summer. They’re also getting custom-made outfits designed for them by some of the top names in fashion for a photo shoot to promote the Olympics sponsored by Team Visa.

Vivienne Westwood designed a sharp T-shirt and blazer for diver Tom Daley, Savile Row tailor Richard James made a dapper navy blue suit and pink shirt for long distance runner Mo Farah, Marchesa designed a gorgeous peach gown with a gold bust for gymnast Beth Tweddle and Giles Deacon designed a gold gown with corset for Paralympian equestrian Natasha Baker for the photo shoot to promote Team Visa. Check out interviews with the Olympic hopefuls before and after the photoshoot here.

Love affairs these days seem so short, don’t they? You are hot one moment — primping, posing and sashaying in magazine layouts for a brand — and then you're out. It would seem that the advertising tryst between Miu Miu and Kirsten Dunst is over, finished. Vanessa Paradis, famous French actress, established French musician and mother of Johnny Depp’s children is the brand’s new ‘It’ face, according to Women’s Wear Daily’s May 14 edition.

No word yet on who got to keep the clothes from the Dunst brand divorce. Just kidding. But perhaps the Devil really does wear Prada (Miu Miu’s owner, in case you did not know.)

Last weekend, Couture reported that a surprising number of fashion designers aren’t proficient in computers. Today, we gladly report that at least one designer is very proficient, and is using it to his advantage. Ennio Capasa of Costume National is glamourizing cyberspace by launching Costumers and Plug Generation, an online journal, and his own personal blog with a behind-the-scenes look at Costume National.

Visitors to cnc-costumenational.com can get the inside track on the latest fashion shows, preparation and shooting of advertising campaigns, commentary from staff, models and make-up artists and watch behind-the-scenes video. Capasa’s personal page is blog.enniocapasa.com, which shares a lot of the same behind-the-scenes stuff, but also what Capasa himself goes through in his day-to-day life and his personal travels. Oh, the glamorous, glamorous life…

Why should a fashion designer have to answer emails, surf the ‘Net to find the latest trends, keep up with what the competition is doing or read about how their collection is being reviewed when there are personal assistants?

Even with Blackberries, designer-collaborated cell phones (the Armani phone or Prada cell phone, for example) and the new MacBook Air, sleek fashion and fast technology can’t seem to attract fashion designers to use them.

An article in the International Herald Tribune on February 24 points out that several designers, including Marc Jacobs and Domenico Dolce of D&G, don’t really understand how to use the Internet. But does that really matter? Well, it’s a split decision. Since the start of fashion, designers created their garments using their imagination, what they think would look good and what vision they want to put forth. But fashion is also influenced by culture, and our culture right now is very much technology-oriented. Technologies making shoes more comfortable and fabrics wearable in warm and cold seasons are gaining popularity – who has time to go to the library? Everyone can learn about these on the Internet.

What do readers think? Should fashion designers get more fashion savvy or give some credit to PAs in the future?