Naomi Campbell graces the runway.

‘Mai Mumbai’ was a Fashion for Relief Charity Show featured at Lakmé Fashion Week recently showcasing show-stopping pieces from both Indian and International designers. This event was created to raise awareness and funds for an organisation called Citizens for Justice and Peace who work to provide relief, support and rehabilitation for those affected by mass crimes.

Satin Dress by MATTHEW WILLIAMSON

Indian celebrities and socialites graced the catwalk for an excited crowd in creations by designers like Wendell Rodrigues, Manish Malhotra, Naheem Khan, Nanette Lepore, Zac Posen, Savio Jon, Yves Saint Laurent, Varun Bahl, Rina Dhaka, Vera Wang, Sanchita Ajjampur, Roberto Cavalli, Oscar de la Renta with shoes by Manolo Blahnik just to name a few.

Swirl Dress by ZAC POSEN

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3 of the 4 totes.  I was so excited to give Michelle her tote I forgot I had to take a picture first.

What a day!  I’ve been hearing the buzz online for weeks about free YSL totes and I’ve been eagerly waiting for this day.  I didn’t even really think I’d get my hands on some but I scoured the internet last night to find the latest scoop on where the totes would be handed out.  There were many theories.  Some said to go to the YSL Boutique on 57th & 5th, some said to be in the vicinity of Bryant Park (where fashion week is), Times Square, Union Square, and Soho.  But what time? What street?  Oh, the pressure!

Fast forward to Saturday morning, hitting snooze repeatedly but making myself get ready to get into the city in time for the Charlotte Ronson show at 11 am (story & pics to follow - stay tuned).  After seeing the show I exited the tents and made my way up 6th Avenue to walk up to the Colette x Gap store.  The pop-up shop is only 3 blocks from the YSL 57th St. boutique and I figured it would be good to be close by.  As I exited the tent I saw a woman walking down the block with a white YSL tote.  I sprinted toward her and asked “Where did you get that tote?!”  She said they were handing them out down the block.  Could it be that easy??  I run down the block and get a bag.  I actually get 4 - I can be sneaky when I have to.  They weren’t giving out multiple bags but sometimes being a “large handbag” girl comes in handy.  I got a bag and then walked away and put it in my bag and did this 3 times.  By the fourth time I felt like the girls would recognize me so I approached a woman nearby who looked like she did not care about the bags and told her how desperately I needed a bag for my friend but I could only get one - I was ready to offer her money - one of my crazy moments.  She willingly got one for me - and I didn’t have to pay.  Sometimes being polite and smiling will get you what you want. And, no, you won’t see my bags on e-bay.  I have a black and white one for my own collection and I got Liz and Michelle a bag each.

The girls who were giving out the bags gave it to all passerbys, regardless of whether they knew how desirable the bags are.  As they handed you a bag, the girls smiled and politely said in sweet voices, “Yves Saint Laurent.”  That was it.  They all had long blonde hair in pony tails and were clad in black in the same outfits - black leggings, black sneakers and black manifesto cut-off t-shirt dresses (I wanted one of those too!).  I’m not sure how long the girls were there but I exited the tents around noon and from the time I first spotted them to the time they ran out I would say about 2 minutes passed.  I’m not sure where else they were handing out bags but I overheard someone say that he got his in Times Square.  Check out photos from the craziest 2 minutes ever after the jump!

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Photographer Mario Sorrenti lensed Naomi Campbell taking on NYC for a V Magazine piece, titled “The Empire Strikes Back”  and love her, hate her or love-to-hate-her, there’s no denying it—the girl is fierce!

You can find more images from the V Magazine spread HERE!

The worlds of music and fashion have always collided and SHOWstudio and Swarovski have teamed up to present Fashion DJs.  For three days, July 9 through July 11, from midday to midnight you can expect to hear the likes of Naomi Campbell, Stephen Jones, Gareth Pugh and Giles Deacon on deck.  The guest DJs will play their selections at the Abbey Road Studios where there will also be live art and music performances.  In true SHOWstudio fashion, Nick Knight will be filming and you can catch the broadcast live on SHOWstudio, swarovskisparkles.tv and via radio for London listeners on 87.7FM.

My mom had lots of little sayings that she used to throw my way when I was growing up - one of the ones that comes to mind repeatedly is: “You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.” This phrase is hundreds of years old and in reading the news lately, it seems there are some girls whose moms never taught them this very basic lesson. There were 2 events in particular that made me think of this: First, was another “diva moment’ where Naomi Campbell caused a ruckus and then proceeded to spit on people. The second, and more disturbing, was a group of teenage girls in Florida who ganged up on an innocent “friend” and beat the crap out of her so they could put the video up on youtube.

For a woman who is “always a lady”, this lesson is one of the most important. “You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar” simply means: “You can win people to your side more easily by gentle persuasion and flattery than by hostile confrontation.” Bartleby. Or, even more simply put: BE NICE! You’d be amazed how well this works. It’s all about keeping your cool and relying on your womanly charm. No, you don’t have to “show some leg” or “bat your eyelashes” - it’s all about staying calm in the face of adversity. A lady always maintains the higher moral ground. Just because someone is acting like an ass to you, you don’t need to reciprocate and act like an ass yourself. Trust me, it takes all manner of self control to do this, but I assure you, you will feel 100% better knowing that you didn’t stoop to someone else’s pathetic level. Here are some easy places to start . . .

1. Don’t spit on people (Naomi, Pumpkin, - are you listening??)

2. Don’t beat the crap out of people to achieve your “15 minutes of fame” (So unbecoming of a lady - a lady does not inflict bodily harm and only does so to defend herself or her friends/family)

3. When you’re calling those customer service lines, be patient and polite. You know you are going to sit on hold for 10 minutes. Accept it, you’ll be in a better mood when the rep gets on the phone. The rep is there to help you. They will be more likely to help you if you are nice to them. If they are not helping don’t yell at them, just ask to speak to their manager.

4. The most basic, and unfortunately, the most forgotten: Be polite and say “please” and “thank you”

A lady always knows when to turn on the charm. . . you’d be surprised, but sometimes the littlest things help you get what you want.

All this week, Sundance Channel will be celebrating fashion-themed programming with a series of style-oriented shows and docs. Tonight at 8PM is the Sundance Channel premiere of the film MARC JACOBS & LOUIS VUITTON. This month’s showings of the film are: Monday, February 4th at 8PM, Monday, February 18th at Noon, and Thursday, February 28th at 10AM. Check you local listings!

“Bringing the same intimate insight into the fashion world as his previous acclaimed documentary series SIGNE CHANEL, filmmaker Loïc Prigent focus on Marc Jacobs, called the most influential designer of his generation. This witty portrait follows Jacobs as he balances roles as artistic director of venerable French house Louis Vuitton and his own eponymous American line, in meetings, preparing collections and at high-profile shows. With Naomi Campbell, Sophia Coppola and Uma Thurman. “Artfully told with humor and panache” — Vogue.