WAIT - DIDN'T THIS HAPPEN AGES AGO? ESTEBAN CORTAZAR OFFICIALLY LEAVES UNGARO

paris - gosh, i think i'm almost at the point where i don't even care about this story anymore. (but the key word here is almost.) fashion's open secret has finally been confirmed: esteban cortazar, the 23 year old fashion wiz, is officially leaving the house of ungaro. (still confused as to how he found his way there in the first place, but more on this later.) c.e.o of ungaro, mounir moufarrige, confirmed the rift to womens wear daily today. no word was given as to why, only that it was a very mutual decision. okay. the 23 year-old designer, and the decades old designer label need the same thing: guidance, direction, and a long hiatus before making the next move. good luck to them both.

THIS SHOULDN'T BE TRUE, BUT IT IS: APPLE BOTTOMS LAUNCHES A FRAGRANCE

www - yep. you read right. APPLE BOTTOMS IS LAUNCHING A FRAGRANCE. now if you are anything like me, that statement confounds and astounds you. your spirit cannot rest because something must be wrong with the verbiage. is it the full caps? is it the term apple bottoms? is it the reality that there is actually a product on the market called apple bottoms? or is it the news that the entity titled apple bottoms was actually able to secure funding to launch anything, let alone a fragrance? my dear blaynista, it is all - and i mean ALL - of the above. why? can you explain? but i digress....the news of the day is: nelly, via his successful clothing line, apple bottom is debuting a fragrance which will be in stores this fall. here's what stylecaster had to say about it: "With fragrance notes thought to represent the confident, sexy, and trendy Apple Bottoms woman – the same woman his clothing line is designed to flatter – the fragrance has top notes of fresh citrus, tropical fruit, and pink peony, sensual and feminine middle notes of apple blossom, rose, and coconut flakes, and creamy base notes of sandalwood, cedarwood, golden amber, and velvet musks." so my question is this: are any of these top and bottom notes strong enough to mask the musk of....apple bottom launching a fragrance?

RIHANNA AS A STYLE ICON: I DON'T SEE IT

london - behold rihanna walking the red carpet of the "inglorious basterds" premier in london (brilliant title by the way.) so not sure what labels she's wearing on the red carpet, but i'm pretty sure that i don't believe the party line of the pop artist being one of this generations most stylish talents. i think she is the best styled and is a great mannequin who wears clothes well. but i simply don't believe the hype. as i've said a few times before when i see her, all i can think of is an episode of made where a teen is transformed from their true selves into their aspirational one. which versio is authentic is debatable. but rihanna's style prowess isn't. i give praise to her stylist and not her style sense for her amazing transformation. just had to share....

MAC PULLS A FAST ONE ON IMG FASHION WEEK

new york - blaynistas! i must say , i am very late in serving you this hot tea: mac cosmetics has pulled the rug from under i.m.g with a new agreement to host fashion shows in downtown new york city at milk studios. ofcourse, this arrangement is in direct competiton with the uber established img fashion week which takes place each season in bryant park. here's the thing: offsite fashion shows, even those with sponsors have never been an issue. so why is it now? the caliber of the shows! mac & milk (actually sounds tasty, if a little too dairy rich) have snagged of the moment designers like alexander wang ('nuff said really), threeasfour and band of outsiders to show at their venue. furthermore, it's free. honestly, this is bound to shake the very foundation of how new york fashion week operates. on one hand i empathize with i.m.g, they have been dealt a massive and unexpected blow. but on the other hand - they left the playing field wide open for an ingenious competitor. the industry, and world at large, is a rapidly changing one. those of us who don't move with it and deliver the innovation necessary to lead the pack - or at least keep up with it - will lose. can i get an amen?

THE BLAY REPORT INTERVIEWS AMBER ROSE

www - ah. amber rose. anyone who knows me, knows i have the sickest girl crush on this girl. so imagine my joy when i, along with t.b.r editor, terrence phearse, ran into her. exactly. pure heaven. we ran after her, and with the help of lycee webb, my good friend who is now over at ford, scored an interview. this awesome one minute video, taken by phearse, focuses on amber's guess ensemble.

Retail Therapy: Summer Vacay Edition

usa - yeah girls, i know it's a recession. but certain things are non negotiable even when your feast has turned to famine: one is a fresh weave (don't laugh, i know you think the same way!) and the next is a vacation. be it a friends house or a cheap inn, there's always a way to finagle an inexpensive vacay. and with more and more irresistible travel deals surfacing on the web, you really don't have to work hard to find an easy - and affordable - get away. while you pick where to stay, i focused on picking what you should wear. from gap to j.crew, national retailers are ramping up the quotient in stylish summer clothes. herewith my favorite picks. get into them! literally.

When it comes to picking swimsuits, my motto is simple: safety first. And by safety, I mean a cut that safely fits and flatters. You don't want to sacrifice both for the sake of sexiness. This v-neck, double strapped one piece is perfect for just about any body type and the color flatters warm skin tones! Find it online at jcrew.com for $89.

I"m such a fan of day to night. When on vacay, I love looks that easily translate from day time lounging to nightime festivities - espadrilles are perfect for that. These Nine West versions are both comfy and chic. Find them online for $69 at zappos.com

i know. it's summer. the last thing you think you need is a scarf. and then you take an evening stroll and see how the temperature can dip. for times like these, a light weight scarf is absolutely a must. gap has several styles, but my favorite is this floral print one. find it at gap.comfor $24.

VOGUE ITALIA GOES BACK TO BLACK....ARE YOU SURPRISED?

italy - i mean, after what i am guessing was an enourmous amount of buzz, publicity and most importantly - advertising dollars - the italian edition of vogue is relaunching it's iconic "all black issue." if you remember (but then again, how could you forget!) the issue featured black models, from front to back in addition to features that highlighted trends and personalities in the black community. a year later, a highly anticipated follow up is in the works. weeks before it launches, they've leaked the news of a special insert which will be included: barbie - and ofcourse, not just any barbie - black barbie! the insert looks back on the history of the dolls which first launched in 1967. the issue is currently out on newsstands, so run - don't walk - to pick it up.

Michelle Watch: What MOBO Wore Round Up

I mean, honestly, I would have loved a touch of Kente cloth on Michelle, but the multi-stripped A-Line dress she wore to the Sophie Theallet hospital in Accra is a nice turn.

Let's call a spade a spade: here in Rome, Michelle gets a run for her money from the Pope who is serving us in his signature Prada pumps - sorry - shoes. Michelle volley's right back in her Moschino dress complimented by a Michael Kors coat.

I mean...perfection. As Michelle hopped off the plane last week from her European travels, she looked just as I love her: perfectly poised, perfectly coiffed and perfectly dressed in a classic, Moschino cinched waist number.

worldwide - ...and she continues to show them how to do this son. does michelle obama - or her stylist - ever have an off day? i'm not just talking about the sexy silhouette: always knee length, always cinched waist, always a peep of collarbone, the sickening labels (moschino anyone?), or the fresh, seasonal colors, but the complete poise with which my auntie (in my head ofcourse) wears clothes. she gets an a+ in this week's post for adding a designer i haven't noticed her in before: moschino. i was also loving the looks she wore while in my native ghana. check out my three favorite looks from last week. they were all hits to me, but do you spot any misses?