O-M-G.  Last year I posted about the Louis Vuitton Damier Azur gym set that featured a gym towel, wristbands and headband.  I love when luxury brands produce atypical products and I thought the set would be the answer to get me to the gym.  It wasn’t.  I couldn’t bring myself to spend over $300 for a towel and wrist/head bands - just to sweat on them.  Today, I was looking at more sneak peeks of the Stephen Sprouse collection and I stumbled upon this set.  What would be better for dabbing your forehead after bustin’ a move?  Haha.  Yes, it’s still over priced but that doesn’t mean I can’t dream right?

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Dolce & Gabbana have released a book of photographs that highlight the art of embroidery called Diamonds and Pearls.  The collection of ornamental needle work is breath-taking, especially when the items embroidered onto the selected items are diamonds and pearls.  All of the clothing and accessories in the book were personally hand-picked by Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana.  Though there are lots of gems, there are also plenty of other shiny pretty things including gemstones, sequins of all sizes, gold leaves and Swarovski crystals.  The Italian duo stated, “Glamour and luxury.  The essence and the evolution of our fashion are reflected in the pictures in this book.”  One of the really interesting facets of the book is that the pieces are modeled by “real dolls,” rather than human models to create a “timeless” beauty.  It really helps to highlight the items - sometimes the model can be distracting and become the focus - but I do admit that the lack of hair is a bit distracting.  The photographs were taken by Guenter Parth and features shots in nature, as well as the studio.  Diamonds and Pearls retails for $270 and benefits the Butterfly Foundation’s Écoles sans Frontières, a non-profit organization committed to building primary schools for children in disadvantaged countries.  In the U.S., the book is only available at four locations:  Rizzoli Bookstore (NY), Ursus Books (NY), William Stout (SF) and Peter Miller (SEA).

Most of the images are from the website.  All others are from NYMag.

Read the full story to see the rest of the photos.

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Last month I gave you “My Two Cents” about the Madonna for Louis Vuitton campaign.  Guess what?  I have more “cents.”  Did you honestly think I would see the picture above and NOT have something to say?  In my first post, I was over Madonna in leotards.  Now, not only am I over Madonna in leotards, I am over crotch shots.  It’s so vulgar.  Why does one of the most iconic luxury brands need a money shot to sell its product?  I didn’t get her as a choice for a model, and I do not get this photo.  Madonna please stop.  I want to remember you in all of your Everybody, Borderline and Holiday glory.  You’ve gotten older.  Please age gracefully.  Madonna, please put your choo-cha away . . . I’m just sayin’.

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It’s a ladies night out ya’ll! Join Hellz Bellz, M.O.B., LoveMade and MissBehave Magazine for “Going Back To Cali”, tomorrow night in L.A. RSVP to Tammy@Love-Made.com

This week, Digital Gravel debuted The Water Project, a charity fundraising drive to raise $14,000 to buy a clean water PlayPump for a village in Africa.

The DG Water Project is our first full-fledged charity project. We have teamed up with 10 of your favorite brands who have all donated their time and skills to create a limited edition set of tees. This collection will only be printed on 24 men’s tees, 12 women’s tees and 24 hooded sweatshirts. All proceeds from the sale of these items will go towards building a clean water playpump in Africa which can easily deliver clean water to a village of 2,500 people for 10 years. Please help us support this great cause! For more information on playpumps please visit, http://www.playpumps.org.

If you visit the site, you will see that many of the designs, from brands like The Hundreds, Staple Design, Nonsense, and 3Sixteen are sold out for men, but there are still some tees available for the ladies. So there is still an opportunity to pitch in, and help them reach their goal of $14,000. In the meantime, you also get a limited edition t-shirt that by simply sporting, you can help spread awareness to the cause of simply and easily providing clean water to people in need in impoverished areas of Africa, by doing something as simple as building playgrounds for children.

After the jump, check out the remaining designs that still have stock in women’s sizes. Click on them to go directly to the site for purchase.
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NYC’s William Yan provided this sneak peek photo of the graffiti covered Louis Vuitton store in SoHo. As we reported yesterday the entire exterior and interior of the store will be transformed à la Stephen Sprouse. If you’re in NY do yourself a favor and check it out IRL!

And black satin, and magenta and green and pink and even a limited Colette exclusive blue. The much anticipated and even somewhat hated (I would not be one of those haters) Sergio Rossi x Puma collaboration collection is set to drop this January 26th at Colette. The Italian brand teamed up with Puma to up-date Puma’s iconic “Clyde” sneaker which first came on to the scene in 1973. The collection is the perfect combination of sexy meets sneaker. Satin covered classic “Clyde’s” and a high heeled version that takes us back to the early 90’s, this is a collection not to be missed. Where my chiffon baby doll dress at?!?!?

Speaking of practicality, how about this LV x Stephen Sprouse Skatedeck? Talk about “kick-pushing” in style! As part of the much anticipated LV x Sprouse collection, this beauty could be yours for a drop-in-the-bucket price of $8, 250. This piece along with the collection in its entirety will be available at the SoHo boutique on Thursday. The complete worldwide launch will follow on Feb. 2, though the Rose pieces will be available at Louis Vuitton stores worldwide starting Friday. This limited edition piece along with a limited edition Rose t-shirt will only be available at the SoHo location for the launch. Here’s what LV has to say:

The company hopes to sell three graffiti skateboards with trunks for $8,250 each, and 70 T-shirts for $250 each. “I don’t expect them to last very long,” Lalonde said. “By Friday, there probably won’t be any more left.”

If you are lucky enough to be in NYC make-sure to stop by the SoHo store to peep it’s transformation into a Stephen Sprouse wonderland! Complete with an interior and exterior bombed in neon spray paint, this is surely to be eye-candy not to miss. Proceeds from the sales of the Sprouse Collection will go to a worthy cause:

Sales will benefit Free Arts NYC, which provides under served children throughout New York City with special arts programs. Vuitton is also making an undisclosed donation to the Sprouse Estate, as well as the Stephen Sprouse Memorial Scholarship Fund at the National Academy for Design here (New York).

I’m hoping that LV teamed up with a reputable skateborad manufacture to produce these decks…although I doubt that those wheels will ever hit the pavement, for authenticity’s sake it would be nice to know. Nobody likes a poser. So, if you have pockets deep like Kanye or Pherrell (which I could see two of the three decks going to the likes of these gentlemen), then by all means, do it!! This deck would look so good next to my Chanel basketball *sigh*

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It’s a sign of the times. Although the $395 price tag says different. Here’s a pair of Choo’s that won’t break the bank. Jimmy Choo has teamed by with Hunter Wellington Boots to create this lux moc croc pair of “Wellies”. Hunter boots were originally designed for walking in Scotland’s rugged terrain and combating its unpredictable weather. Now ladies have another lux rainboot option for splashing around those big city puddles. With the state of today’s economy we’ll be seeing luxury brands offering up more mainstream and usable products. Luxury will become more practical…now that just almost doesn’t make sense…practical luxury? Times are tough and even the big guys have to roll with the punches. Get yours this June at Jimmy Choo stores, on-line and at select retailers.

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“Partner let me upgrade you,” yeah Beyonce said it best. 2009 ladies, it’s all about the UPGRADE! Whatever it may be: your job, your bank account, your kit, your man . . . you’re worth the best, so think big, go hard and trade-up! To inspire you on your journey for success we are starting the year on top . . . and what brand wouldn’t be more goal worthy than Chanel? Yeah, we thought you might agree. Presenting M.I.S.S. January 2009, lovingly nicknamed, “Chanails,” we bring you a mani inspired by all things Chanel: interlocking CC’s, the cap-toe, tweed, chain-link, quilting . . . luxluxlux!!!

Your mantra for the new year: “Two Thousand and MINE!” We here at M.I.S.S. wish you a year of love, health, wealth and the real deal . . . no Canal Street specials here ya’ll! This is the Fo’ Real not the Faux Real and yes those boxes are full.

You can download the M.I.S.S. January 2009 Calendar here and the Desktop here.

Three finger pearl ring by Chanel (2001), Chanel Sneakers (year unknown), Chanel Le Vernis Nail Colours: Black Satin, Gold Fiction and Blanc Ceramic.