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A Dose of Humor From George Carlin...

"Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster that you is a maniac." - George Carlin  (1937- 2008)

Barack Obama in Rolling Stones

Barack Obama is on the cover of July's Rolling Stone magazine. The democratic presidential candidate speaks with R.S. editor-in-chief, Jann Wenner about his musical tastes (Stevie Wonder, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, to Jay-Z), the youth vote, and his presidential aspirations. If music was the measure of man, Obama's too hip to be square.

Mandela At 90

Nelson Mandela, an international beacon for freedom and equality celebrated his 90th birthday with an all-star celebration concert and private dinner in London. Stars aligned to pay tribute to Mandela and support his HIV/AIDS charity "46664", named after his prison number. Will Smith hosted the birthday celebration concert with nearly 50,000 fans at London's Hyde Park on Friday. Top acts included Queen, Amy Winehouse, Simple Minds, Annie Lennox, Leona Lewis and Razorlight.

Nelson Mandela briefly addressed the "46664" concert goers after they had sung him "Happy Birthday" with a message of passing the torch of freedom to a younger generation:  "Twenty years ago, London hosted a historic concert which called for our freedom. Your voices carried across the water and inspired us in our prison cells far away. As we celebrate, let us remind ourselves that our work is far from complete. Where there is poverty and sickness, including AIDS, where human beings are being oppressed, there is more work to be done.  Our work is for freedom for all ... We say tonight, after nearly 90 years of life, it is time for new hands to lift the burdens. It is in your hands now, I thank you."

Jada Pinkett Smith & Will Smith work the audience at Mandela's birthday concert benefiting his HIV/AIDS charity "46664".

   

Annie Lenox sings a duet with a youth choir.

Amy Whinehouse (l) and Leona Lewis (r) heat up the stage.

Mandela kicked off a week full of festivities with a star-studded private dinner-party for a slew of more than 500 celebrities and politicians in London's Hyde Park benefiting his 46664 charity. The HIV and AIDS charity is named after Mandela's prison number and his moniker during his 27-year incarceration at Robben Island prison during the apartheid struggle in South Africa. Mandela, South Africa's first black president, officially retired from politics nine years ago, his birthday falls on July 18.

Oprah Winfrey and British billionaire businessman Richard Branson attend the dinner party.

British Formula One race car driver Lewis Hamilton and girlfriend Nicole Scherzinger (Pussycat Dolls). Will and Jada Pinkett Smith.

Leona Lewis and Naomi Campbell.

 

Denzel Washington work the crowd with his wife, Pauletta,

Uma Thurman and her newly-minted finance Arpad Busson.

Forest Whittaker and wife Keisha.

Life On Venus

Tennis extraordinaire Venus Williams is making moves off the court and in front of the camera. Williams is the star subject of South African photographer Koto Bolofo. Bolofo spotted Williams in London's Covent Garden four years ago and was instantly smitten. Bolofo wanted to capture the four-time Wimbeldon champ and six-time Grand Slam winner outside of the muscle-bound athletic stereotype- but as a woman with grace and elegance. The result is a photo-journal chronicling the life and times of the sports star globe-trotting on and off the court for three years with stops in Paris, Istanbul, London to New York. The book showcases Williams in black-&-white photos frolicking on the court in a couture gown- titled simply, Venus Williams by Koto Bolofo ($60), available exclusively at Ralph Lauren's London retail post on New Bond Street.

 

Couture Lash

Avant-garde designers Viktor Horsting & Rolf Snoeren, aka Viktor & Rolf, are extending their reach and our eyelashs with a couture edition collection of falsies for Shu Uemura. The conceptual design duo & the preniment Japanese beauty label collection offer three limited-edition lashes ($120): Rhombus, golden diamond patterned lashes; Wing, a extreme curled tipped lash reminiscent of a bird's wing; and Swirl, a lavishly long set of falsies. Available at Shu Uemura worldwide July 1.   

   

Shu Away: Rhombus (far left), Wing, and Swirl.

In other Viktor & Rolf news... The Dutch duo have a exhibition at London's Barbican Art Gallery which runs from June 18- September 21. The exhibition follows the journey of Viktor Horsting & Rolf Snoeren rise from graduates of the Academy of Arts, Arnhem, to the pinnacle of international fashion success. Viktor & Rolf take the road less travel, opting not just to showcase their mega-hit collections on miniature dolls but offer workshops that give insight to their creative process. Workshops include a doll making course and a tutorial on mastering the perfect scent. Exclusive to the exhibit are limited edition books, design objects, a silk scarf, and a remix of the duo's popular scent, Flowerbomb.

Doll Mode: Designers Rolf Snoeren (left) and Viktor Horsting sit among their doll collection outfitted in their most famous creations.

photo: Anuschka Blommers and Niels Schumm

Obama Wins the Nomination

Barrack and Michelle Obama celebrate in St. Paul, Minn following his presdential nomination speech.

Barrack Obama claimed the Democratice presidential nomination last night in St. Paul, Minn. The historic event marked the Obama as the first African American to capture the party nomination. "Because you believed that this year must be different than all the rest," Mr. Obama said, "because you chose to listen not to your doubts or your fears but to your greatest hopes and highest aspirations, tonight we mark the end of one historic journey with the beginning of another a journey that will bring a new and better day to America. Tonight, I can stand before you and say that I will be the Democratic nominee for President of the United States." And that's change we can believe in. - Laina Whitney Faber

photo: AP

"Sex" Sells

Compared to the worldwide media barrage of the long-awaited premiere of the Sex and the City movie, début daily has been absent in coverage of the new SATC movie. Not covering fashion's most highly anticipated movie was not intentional. But to be bluntly honest, there was little interest on my part.

I lived in New York City during the original heyday of SATC, therefore I will skip the SATC NYC bus tours, thank you. Been there, done that, and got a postcard. I can recount the time the jingle of SATC's theme song (taken from the 1994 movie "Eat, Drink, Man, Woman") grabbed my attention that all calls where sent to voicemail and my life literally stopped. What would Carrie and Co. get into this week (meaning whose bed, what outfits, the romantic plots)? My friends and I would faithfully watch and spend the rest of the week sipping on Cosmos discussing the men in our life, and Carrie's madcap fashion sense at a revolving list of New York hot spots. We would even try to match our personalities with the characters. I was always the 'Carrie' of the group- I figure it was the journo thing and a similar sense of style (sometimes, I question if that's a good thing). Besides that, the similarities end there. Samantha was always my heroine of choice. It wasn't so much that I identified with her revolving cast of bedmates and sex adventures, as it was her joie de vivre and sense of humor that attracted me.

The once witty banter about men, sex, and fashion that fixated my social psyche grew lame and a little shallow. Plus, the lack of racial diversity in the film screamed "middle America" and not the multicultural microcosm that is New York City. As an answer to this, the producers used the stereotypical tactic of adding the Oscar-winner, Jennifer Hudson, as Carrie's assistant. While good-girl Charlotte, took the route many wealthy white couples head when pregnancy seems hard to come by: the adoption of a Chinese baby, now a toddler in the film, seems to soften the whispers of the "too white" accusations. Despite my noted gripes, the FASHION was the linchpin that kept my nerves from completely fraying of SATC.

SATC was revolutionary- it's the late 90s to early 2000's version of Dallas. Pure fashion and total camp. The three years that have passed since the series ended, has created a complete disconnect with the characters. Plus, sometimes things are better left in the past. Then there goes that darn jingle again, creeping back. Fergie's remix of the SATC theme, "Labels Or Love" is pretty damn catchy. And before you know it, the SATC mojo has worked its magic. Do I at least get points for hesitation, no matter how futile?  I guess times change, but some things stay the same. The glitzy fashion will give me an excuse to sip a Cosmo and catch up with the girls. That is what friends are for, right?  -Laina Whitney Faber

photo credits: New Line Cinema 

Flip for Fashion

Chloë Sevigny can add publisher to her laundry list of her successful creative exploits wrapped around her nimble fashionable finger. Sevigny's limited-edition Opening Ceremony line inspired the actress to create an old-school fashion flip book showcasing the collections. The project was a true collaboration between Sevigny, Humberto Leon (co-founder of Opening Ceremony), designer Benjamin Cho, Dan Colen, and Rita Ackerman. The Chloë Sevigny for Opening Ceremony ($65) book was produced in a limted-print run of 2,000 copies and available exclusively at Amazon.com and Open Ceremony.

Supreme Style

Motown's quintessential female trio, the Supremes, broke records, racial barriers, and produced consecutive chart-toppers. The Supremes, fronted by the bird-like Diana Ross with Mary Wilson, and Florence Ballard were paragons of style. The ladies shimmied and harmonized their way into America’s heart. Glamour has always been a winning asset, and the Supremes had it in spades. Their Bob Mackie bling-worthy ensembles, uptown brown chicness, meticulous coifs and primped faces (Diana’s lashes were always to die for) inspired a generation and in the process inked the rulebook for successful girl groups 101.

The Supremes rock on at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum with an exhibit, The Story of The Supremes from the Mary Wilson Collection that pays homage to their legendary style. The exhibit features 50 plus vintage outfits, album covers, photographs, and live performance footage on view.
So, stop in the name of style and check out the supremely divine retrospective.

Runs May 13- October 19, at the Victoria and Albert Museum, Cromwell Road, London.

Hot Tune: I'm Going On by Gnarls Barkley

Gnarls Barkley, the musical collective featuring Cee-Lo, the crooning honey-syrup tinged Southern soul preacher, and the electronica DJ Danger Mouse are back on the scene with their hotly anticipated second disc The Odd Couple. There latest single, I'm Going On, posses infectious rhythms and soul-stirring testaments. It's pure feel-good energy. The duo shot the perfect video- unselfishly removing themselves from the equation and leaving the work up to a group of friends dancing the hell out of a frenetic choreographed routine that takes them to a place unknown. - Laina Whitney Faber

Check it out below.