Cheryl Shops

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When I received a press release last week about Maybelline becoming the new cosmetics sponsor of Mercedes Benz New York Fashion Week, I didn't give it a second thought, probably because I was on vacation. But on hearing the news that MAC is sponsoring an alternate venue at Milk Studios, everything began to make sense. MAC has long been the cosmetics sponsor of Fashion Week, but considering how much of a three-ring circus the Bryant Park tents are, what with the barrage of corporate sponsors, it's no wonder they'd want to move away from that--and into a venue where they'd have a much higher profile. Proenza Schouler and Alexander Wang have already signed on, and I think it can be safely said that Milk Studios will be Fashion Week's cool-kids alternative to the more mainstream Bryant Park tents. (And by extension, I'm guessing I'll be invited to very few shows at Milk. But I'm okay with not being a cool kid.) Of course, IMG, which produces the Bryant Park shows, has, in response, written a gushing story about their lineup, touting Derek Lam and Isaac Mizrahi at their venue. It's the Jets versus the Sharks all over again.

For those of you who've been following Tatiana the Anonymous Model on Jezebel, she finally revealed herself as Jenna Sauers in this beautifully written reflection on her career (you can also see some shots from her portfolio here). She will continue to write for the site as a contributor, under her real name, now that she's left the modeling industry. In a site filled with great, engaging writers, Jenna is one of the best, and I'm glad she'll continue to be a part of it.

In shopping news, Racked broke the news that Nordstrom Rack is coming to Union Square! It's taking over the old Virgin Megastore and is set to open in early 2010; Best Buy will open in the former Circuit City space later this year. I have no opinion on Best Buy, but I am pretty psyched about the Nordstrom Rack and its mega-awesome shoe selection. And until we get a real Nordstrom in Manhattan, it's the next best thing.

The Wall Street Journal used to have some of the best fashion reporting around; after Rupert Murdoch took over the paper, he fired most of the department, including the exceptional Teri Agins and Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan. And now? They run stories on cankles. Seriously. One would think that if one wanted to read a sensationalistic, ridiculous story such as this, that one could read it in the New York Post. Apparently not.

Finally, a bunch of fashion bloggers banded together to create this tongue-in-chic video, called Don't Shop. It's a bit on the long side, but it's cute, the intent is great (to support the fashion industry), and it's a fun way to see some of your favorite bloggers in the flesh.