WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE: THE COSTUME INSTITUTE GALA

new york - honestly, i just spent 45 minutes of my life on style.com absorbing the images from last night's costume institute gala. i'm overwhelmed. truly so.....and i think any fashionista would be. fashion is a bit like a fairy tale and the costume institute's annual gala is akin to seeing all your favorite characters on full display. the images you see are a few of my faves. log on to style.com to see oodles more. zandile blay

HUH? ARE FASHIONISTA'S SMOKING THE SAME CRACK AMY DOES?

winehouse, wearing fendi at the concert. she ended off by saying to the audience, "Thanks for asking me to play,whoever asked me to play." (all photos from wwd.com)

paris - i am sorry. i just can't cosign on the mass acceptance - and even approval/applause - of amy winehouse as she is. i don't think everyone in the world and/or fashion industry needs to stage an intervention. but i find it absolutely absurd when noted people in the industry are rushing over themselves to compliment to compliment her sloppy style and her talents. (see below.) honestly, am i THE ONLY one who sees a crack head that needs help when i look at amy winehouse? the quotes below were pulled from the recent concert she gave for fendi, for which she was reportedly paid over $1 million u.s.

i just don't get the allure. please tell me what part of the puzzle i am missing!

Karl Lagerfeld: "There's no guarantee, you know. That's what I like about her. She's not only a muse; she's a genius. She's one of the greatest voices today." Claudia Schiffer: "Whatever she puts together works." (re: Amy's style. Really Claudia?) Jade Jagger: "She always manages to look good," (WTF!? can we pleeeaaase be for real?)
mk and ashley. or ashley and mk? don't know which is which. they were at the party as well.

Delphine Arnault: "She's amazing." Rihanna: "Just awesome." Jessica Alba: "She's a throwback to those amazing jazz, R&B and soul singers," said Alba. "And Karl always puts on a great show." Mary Kate Olsen: "She's amazing."

now these are geniuses: peter marino and sydney toledo, clearly having a grand time.

FEAST YOUR EYES ON THIS: PRADA. MENS. FALL. 2008.

(thanks to bryanboy.com for these pics!)

milan - ....and this isn't even all. i am rushing because i have an appointment. but trust when i return i will post as many photos as i can find. what do you think of this male collection with vivid feminine touches (i.e. ultra tailored, effeminate models, and of course TUTUS!) i think it is brilliant. ones again, miucia prada proves that she designs for her mind. but will it sell? let's talk in a little bit. you. me. and more photos from the mens shows in milan. it's a date!

WISH WE WERE THERE: MILAN MENSWEAR SHOWS

blaynista's, what do i love more than life itself? mens clothing! okay, maybe i am being dramatic. but you get the point. i live for fabulous, colorful, sexy, body flattering mens pieces. which is why i am ferklempt at not being in milan to check out the menswears collections being debuted by all the designers we love (fendi, calvin klein, marni, etc.) luckily, one of my favorite fashion news services, wgsn.com. has provided extensive reviews of each show. i selected a few of my favorite ones to share with you. if you read them, then close your eyes and imagine the pieces. you'll almost feel like you were there. trust me! i tried!

CALVIN KLEIN COLLECTION

I LOVE MEN IN TIGHTS!!!!(frillr.com)

"Italo Zucchelli produced one of the best collections seen so far this week in Milan. The designer managed to infuse the season's lightness of being with a slick modernity that moves menswear in a totally new direction. Drawing on those iconic images from Bruce Weber's Calvin Klein 80s ad campaigns, the collection was imbued with a sense of sparse athleticism, fro m the clean greys, taupes and white of the palette, to the taut, minimal silhouettes.
There was all the comfort of the tracksuit, second-skin cycle shorts and classic vest tops; an easy SB suit worked in the comfort of marled grey sweatshirting; the effortless simplicity of a jumpsuit crafted from a crisp shirt and matching pant; and the futuristic shim mer of a silvery blouson. And in among all the testosterone-laden athleticism, beautiful aquarelles of sunrise pinks and a flash of cornflower blue, adding a softer tactile appeal." wgsn.com

FENDI

get into these man bags son! i live for them! (frillr.com)

"Fendi's spring/summer collection was a beautiful, fresh take on the modern man's wardrobe. Not simply casualising formalwear but also melding it into co mfortable and functional pieces with an ease of style that is truly rare.Silv ia Venturini told WGSN: "I wanted to work on the concept of lightness. I wanted to use very lightweight fabrics that I would normally use on shirts - but on su its. The idea was to create 'tracksuit-formal suits', where it was all about comfort." The colour palette continued this lightness with outfits all in the s ame very subtle tones - nuances of white, mint, buttercup and st one.The finest long-sleeve knits were worn over shirts and ties - all of the same colour tone - creating a beautiful sheer touch. And a fresh silhouette was seen in the form of beautiful, very wide trousers in a liquid metallic Lurex nylon." wgsn.com

MARNI

these look sorta awkward to me.....(frilr.com)

"The season's emerging trends for lightness and colour bypassed Consuelo Castiglioni, whose spring/summer showing was a lesson in quiet sobriety. The palette of greys, black and inky blue spoke more of storm-tossed skies than sun-filled summer days. That sombre mood reinforced with the flat planes of colour that worked across short-sleeved jackets and shirts, thigh-cropped lightweight macs and the boyish knee-length shorts.The clouds parted however, to reveal a flash of intense sky blue for an easy shirt or when the house's signature prints took shape in the form of broad black-and-white brush strokes and a graphic pixelated chequerboard pattern. Minimal detailing and technical fabric finishes evoked a modernist feel, with clean fly-fronts, minuscule curved collars on crisp shirts and the plastic zip splicing the centre front of a simple grey knit." wgsn.com

WE WISH WE WERE THERE: THE FIFI AWARDS

diddy in an ad for his unforgivabel fragrance which is pretty much unbeatable. not even my heremes. (sephora.com)

donna karan, who won the hall of fame award at last weeks fifi awards. (www.lvmh.com, copyright donna karan)

the fifi awards went down last week thursday. and this time, mama scored an invitation to it. (almost). while i was reporting on my aol beauty story debuts (google my name and aol and they will come up) i had the opportunity to interview the execs at the fragrance foundation and sense of smell institute. the fragance foundation oraganizes this annual awards show during which the beauty industry honors the best fragrances on the market. so i was this close. sort of. the event was held at the winter garden at the world financial center in new york city. some of the fab presenters included zac posen, paula abdul, and the fabulous, marvelous, scandalous sean "diddy" combs. with that said, below is the list of winners awarded this year - and my commentary below.

hall of fame award: donna karan. loves her and all her fab jersey dresses. if you don't have body, they will give you body. much body. trust me.

nouveau niche (womens): kenzo kenzoamour. never smelled this, but curious.

nouveau niche (mens): viktor & rolf antidote. their flower bomb fragrance is well...the bomb! so i can imagine how good this smells.

luxe (womens): juicy couture. first, i am gagging that juicy couture is actually considered a luxe fragrance. but no shade - it smells GOOOOOODDDDDDD! (and i never cap words in my sentences. but it's that good yall.)

luxe (mens): it was a tie between hermes terre d'hermes and sean john unforgivable. told yall puffy was marvelous. if you remember nothing else, just remember him tieing with the venerable hermes as the reason why he's hot.

WISH WERE WERE THERE: LIFE BALL IN VIENNA

a model dolls up for the life ball aids charity event

lance bass and alan cummings. no words.

designer, estaban cortazar and socialite tinsley mortimer giving good face.

travis raines, and richie rich of heatherette flank two fab men i don't know and sharon stone in an interesting looking halter dress.

no. we really wish we were there. in case you didn't know how super fab the fashion world can be, check this out: the life ball, europe's largest charity which is targeted at aids awareness, held it's 15th anniversary ball in vienna this weekend. this was no ordinary dinner, drinks, and donations event blaynistas. this was full on, celeb studded, non-stop partying which began before guests even arrived. after a pre-party in new york city last week, celeb guests took a private chartered plan to vienna. yeah, vienna, where the party continued. heatherettes richie rich and travis rains, mya, tinsley mortimer, mario testino, patrick mcmullen. want more? sharon stone, omyrah, sharon stone, and then some were all there for this charity event to beat all charity events - and parties for that matter.

KING KARL SPEAKS

king karl with la lohan at the show. really, i don't get the lindsay hype. i just don't. (wwd)

my california blaynistas, take note: under the "wish we were there files" comes tonights haute ( i love this word! i'm going to rename this blog "thisiswhyi'mhaute.") event. karl lagerfeld will be showing chanel's cruise collection in santa monica. up to 500 guests are expected -and ofcourse they are all bold-faced names. think demi moore, diane kruger, lily allen, mary-kate and ashley olsen...you get it. how wierd is it though that when he had the chance to talk about the same californians who will be attending his show this evening, lagerfeld told wwd: "you have the feeling here that some of them survived serious car crashes." this was a not so subtle allusion to the plastic surgery epidemic in l.a. catty.

WISH WE WERE THERE: EVENTS WE MISSED THIS WEEK

FASHIONABLE FAREWELL FOR ISABELLA BLOW
...the gliteratti came out in full force for isabella blow's funeral last tuesday. andre leon talley, philip treacy, sophi dahl, and of course alexander mcqueen were among the 250+ guests who attended the burial. even sadder than the occasion is that the fabulous fashionista may have commited suicide. i don't know this for a fact, but according to wwd, an autopsy revealed that she swallowed weed killer. damn. all that glitters is definitely not gold. it's fab to be well dressed, but fabber still to be well balanced.

DIOR DRAWS A-LIST AT WTC
Dior showed their cruise collection Monday, May 14th, at New York City's world trade center. With socialites like Genevieve Jones (so intrigued by this chic!), Tinsley Mortimer (met her, love her!), Valesca Guerrand-Hermes (with a name like Hermes, the world really is yours) and Lauren Davis - I don't know what was more fab: the clothing or the guest list. The event was held at 7 World Trade Center.

CHANEL ON CRUISE CONTROL
Chanel launched it's cruise show in Los Angeles last Friday. We here that ex-super model (who still looks damn good) Claudia Schiffer has been tapped by Karl Lagerfeld to model the clothes in the Chanel cruise collection press kit. How utterly fab! Of course Ms. Schiffer was in the audience at the cruise show, as were other bold faced names, Demi Moore and Cameron Diaz.

ULTRA SEXY SUPER TANNED CONDOMINIUMS?
...that's all i can think of when i hear that Versace is launching a condominium and hotel project. in fact, they broke ground on the property on friday, may 11th in dubai. it has the ultra lush name of Palazzo Versace Hotel and Condominium resort. wow.

UNIQLO CONTINUES TO STEAL GAPS THUNDER
Uniqlo unveiled a fierce fall collection in New York City on Tuesday. IT featured cashmere knit designs from their current stable of designers plus some new ones to boot, Lutz & Patmos, Adam Jones and Keita Maruyama.