This week L.A. hair care master Frederic Fekkai hosted a luncheon attended by the likes of M.I.A., Eva Mendes, and Diane Kruger to toast the ten finalists of the Council of Fashion Designers of America and Vogue Magazines Fashion Fund. With a vast array of heavy hitters in both the fashion and entertainment industries, including Mary Kate Olsen, Jeremy Scott, Tracee Ellis Ross and, Lilly Collins, in attendance, the crowd was presented a fashion show in honor of the bright future of American fashion.

“This is the best-looking party I have ever been to,” said stylist Jeanne Yang as she surveyed the crowd.

It’s like we’re looking at the future of fashion,” said Tracee Ellis Ross

For those of you that aren’t familiar with the fund, the CFDA Vogue Fashion Fund has sparked numerous successful careers, by having finalists compete for cash prizes and personal mentoring from American fashions biggest influences. Familiar names such as Alexander Wang, Proenza Schouler, and Thakoon are past winners of the coveted title and monetary assistance. All of them have become established and respected designers, especially with Thakoon becoming a favorite of First Lady Michelle Obama, and Alexander Wang skyrocketing to superstar status in just this year alone. This year one winner and two runner ups will be announced at a gala on November 16, 2009, out of the pool of ten hand picked talents including a fashion week favorite brand Ohne Titel and my personal favorite, George Esquivel of Esquivel Shoes.

“We had very strong applicant pool this year, particularly among the jewelers,” say Vogue’s Editor In Chief, Anna Wintour. “The ten finalists we selected are a talented, diverse group, who are building healthy independent businesses in challenging times.”

First Lady Michelle Obama hasn’t officially taken to any cause within her husbands administration, but unofficially it seems as though she has her hands in numerous pots. While the President fights for health care and contemplates sending more of our troops to Afghanistan, Mrs. Obama is focusing her work wholly on service, by catering to the well being of military families, and announcing the launch of a brand new year long mentoring program for girls living in the neighborhoods surrounding the White House.

“We thought, what can we do to make the White House different, to make kids in our own new neighborhood know that the White House is a place for them?” she said.

This past Monday, the 13 chosen students gathered in the State Dining room  to meet the White House staff members that will serve as their mentors; women such as domestic policy adviser Valerie Jarrett, the First Lady’s Chief of Staff Susan Sher, and social secretary Desiree Rogers. The young girls, who where hand picked by their principals, will be mentored by these women on a variety of important topics among them financial literacy, careers, college, and health and fitness. Mrs. Obama has stated numerous times that she’s an advocate for mentoring, stating she became interested in it’s power while she was a corporate lawyer in Chicago. In fact, that’s the way her and the President met, through a mentoring program at the law firm they both worked for.

Her voice cracking with emotion, Mrs. Obama said the program was started to let local kids “know that the president of the United States hears you and values you and cares about your growth and development.”

For Spring 2010, missing Project Runway judge Michael Kors presented a sleek collection filled with architectural elements.  Modernism was the name of the game, as black, stark whites, icy blues, mint greens and lavenders played with neatly tailored silhouettes. Overall the collection brought a breath of fresh air to fashion’s sharp lines and recent shoulder obsession.

The main staple in this collection were sleeveless shift dresses in the vein of Michelle Obama, Kors’ most high-profile client.  The shifts came in various fabrics and colors, from silver lamé and crushed taffeta to glove leather and a blue radzimir one with origami like folds.

While shift dresses may have been the main focus, Kors did manage to slip in a few other interesting pieces including cocktail dresses with cut outs and a group of sweaters with extra sleeves for you to tie around your neck preppy style. In addition,  he created a more modern approach to men’s wear and dresses with graphic plastic inserts that added to the overall feel of the collection.

If Heidi and his peers were judging his work, I’m sure Kors’ intentionally minimalist collection would be “in.”

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#NYFW

What do you get when you put the President of the United States, the First Lady, massive amounts of celebrities, designers and politicians, in the same room as the press? You get the annual White House Correspondents’ Association Gala, that’s what. This past Saturday, May 9th, news makers, and the people who report on them, gathered at the Hilton Hotel in Washington D.C. for the charity fundraiser dedicated to raise money for the fight against hunger and journalism scholarships for deserving students.

The White House Correspondents’ Association was founded in 1914, and is an organization of journalists who cover the President of the United States. The Gala which raises money for journalism scholarships, was first begun in 1920 and is considered one of  Washington’s most valued traditions.

At this years gala President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle were in attendance, along with prominent names in media and politics including: Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher, Tyra Banks, Alicia Keys, Mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York City, and Narciso Rodriguez. The evenings entertainment was actress/comedian Wanda Sykes who poked fun at former VP candidate Sarah Palin and Republican Rush Limbaugh.

But the real showstopper of the evening was indeed President Barack Obama who took jabs at his administration, the Republican rivals he often faces, and even himself and the first 100 days of his presidency.

“I believe that my next 100 days will be so successful, I will be able to complete them in 72 days —and on the 73rd day I will rest.”

Though the mood of the evening was lighthearted, President Obama took a somber tone when addressing the reporters in the room, speaking about the financial struggles the newspaper and magazine industries have been battling as of late.

“Across the country, there are extraordinary, hardworking journalists who have lost their jobs in recent days, recent weeks, recent months,” he said. “I know each newspaper and media outlet is wrestling with how to respond with these changes…Not every ending will be a happy one.”

Though the country is in financial turmoil, the White House Correspondents’ Association is still dedicated towards raising money to fuel the education of future political journalists. Many scholarships were given out that night to deserving journalism students from schools such as Columbia University in New York, and Howard University in Washington D.C. to name a few.

We believe that diversity and disadvantage should be no barrier to talent. And at a time of immense turmoil in our industry, we believe that the next generation of political journalists—wherever and however they work—should maintain the highest standards. These scholarships are our, and your, commitment to those goals.

To learn more about the scholarship fund and the annual gala, please visit The White House Correspondents’ Association website.

President Barack Obama and his lovely wife Michelle took their first trip abroad this past week as President and First Lady. The Obamas’ arrived in England last Tuesday to kick off an eight day, five country trip in which he’ll meet with European leaders and dive head first in the demanding task of improving the United States’ image and relations with foreign countries. His first order of business was the G20 Summit in London to address the global financial crisis among a group of 20 wealthy and developing nations that together represent 85 percent of the worlds economy.

While her husband met with the leaders of many important and influential nations, Michelle Obama enchanted Europe with her personal style and elegance. Although she captivated the Europeans, it was First Lady Obama’s personal approach which truly won over the public’s opinion. She took to sightseeing in France, met Queen Elizabeth II (whom she hugged and was asked to keep in touch with), made a surprise visit to an inner city school in London and gave a speech on the importance of believing in one’s self.

According to several news polls, President Obama’s European tour was a success in the eyes of the American people. About 79 percent of Americans who were surveyed felt that the President’s trip had a positive effect on how the people of other countries view the USA. On his way back to the U.S. President Obama made a surprise visit to Iraq. He met with members of the U.S. military and took part in the awarding of 10 medals of valor.

Female Sneaker Fiend noticed that Michelle Obama was quite the fashion maven and asked some industry ladies what kind of sneakers they thought Michelle Obama would wear in various situations.  “Experts” included female sneaker fiends Claw Money, Mama of Mama Clothing/M.I.S.S., Samia Grand-Pierre from Highsnobette.com, Lori Lobenstine, Precious Colon and Janine Simon.  Check out the full article here to see what our First Lady would wear while working out, on a date, to run errands, and to spend time with the family.

Fox News never ceases to amaze me with their racist rants. I have no idea where they find their correspondents – I just want to stay far, far away from wherever that scary place is. I just found out about this petition from Around The Way Girls that calls for Fox “News” (can they even really call it that?) to stop injecting racism and prejudice into their programs. They’ve managed to bring up lynching, the “terrorist” fist jab, the “angry black woman” stereotype and calling her Obama’s Baby Mama. ENOUGH!! Sign it here!

If you’re not convinced, check this out: