CBS News reported on Monday that pedestrians walking by the latest Calvin Klein billboard in New York City at East Houston and Lafayette have spotted something highly inappropriate in the ad. These folks donâ€t find Lara Stoneâ€s almost-naked body offensive; rather, they believe a hidden curse word was planted in the photo.

The table behind and to the left of Stone supposedly forms an “F,” while her underwear bottom forms a “U.” Get where weâ€re going with this? Then, to Stoneâ€s right, the “C” and “K” of the Calvin Klein logo complete the subliminal naughty word. {CBS News via Racked NY}

Our first thought upon reading this news was that the alleged curse word must have been spotted by someone with way too much time on their hands. First of all, the images of Stone for this ad campaign are beyond cool, as is the television commercial, and secondly, why would Calvin Klein risk creating this kind of controversy? But now we canâ€t look at the ad and not see it. The question remains whether Calvin Klein did it on purpose and how the label will defend the situation.

Color You’ll Be Seeing At Proms Everywhere

The award goes to… the color red! Continuing the trend from the Golden Globes, if there’s one definitive awards season color trend it’s playing match the carpet. We’re not won over by Anne Hathaway’s red Valentino, but Sandra Bullock was beautiful in Vera Wang, Rhea Durham (Mark Wahlberg’s wife) in Naeem Khan was one of our favorite uses of red, and Jennifer Lawrence’s Calvin Klein dress isn’t the most memorable, but is a choice that would be almost universally flattering. Penelope Cruz is beautiful, but we’re not crazy about her L’Wren Scott dress.

Best Dressed Minimalist

How do we decide this one? Gwyneth Paltrow was a bit flashier in Calvin Klein with Louis Vuitton accessories, but we loved Reese Witherspoon’s white-trimmed Armani Prive black dress as well. There will probably be a bit of disagreement over Witherspoon’s Barbarella-worthy hair, but with an understated shape and colors, we think it’s the perfect pick for a bit of experimentation as far as hair and accessories go.

Best Dressed In a Real Life Transformative Role

Jennifer Hudson’s had a number of transformative life experiences, and they seem to have all given her a level of fashion confidence that she didn’t have when she first walked away with Oscar gold (also made, by the way, in Hudson’s hometown of Chicago). We only have one descriptor for Hudson’s tangerine Versace dress and overall look – wow!

Best Style Newcomer

We’re still not totally sold on her Prada stripes for the red carpet, but overall Hailee Steinfeld has been killing it this awards season. She didn’t disappoint in embellished Marchesa last night, and we sincerely hope Steinfeld continues to get great roles because we’ve become quite attached to seeing (and loving) her style picks.

Best Demonstration of Ageless Style

Helen Mirren in Vivienne Westwood. That is all.

Best Representation of Classic Hollywood Glamour

Hilary Swank’s sequined and feathered Gucci dress and upswept hair were nothing but glamor. The “inspired by” dresses are going to look like a disaster, but the original is pitch perfect.

Best Negative Publicity Deflection

Remember that nasty potential custody battle Halle Berry was gearing up for with model ex Gabriel Aubry? No? Thank that lovely Marchesa dress.

Best Use of Accessories

Amy Adams’ shimmering, dark blue L’Wren Scott dress was a favorite that continued the all over sequin trend, but we couldn’t stop looking at the huge, vibrant green emeralds on her neck and wrist. The Cartier jewels were worth a reported $1.35 million and looked every bit of it.

Best Fashion Risk

Cate Blanchett is sure to end up on the worst dressed list for those who like their red carpet fashion safe, and this is definitely one that takes a strong dose of personal style to pull off. Blanchett has plenty of that though and the circular bodice, beaded accents and architectural sleeves on her Givenchy dress work for her.

Best Dressed, Quaker Edition

Florence Welch in Valentino is a lot more buttoned up than the red carpet looks we’re used to seeing, but in a very (very) classic Little House on the Prairie way it’s a unique look that stands out without the normal glitter and jewels that are the standby way to stand out, and Welch pulls it off.

Best Oscar Impersonator

Valentino Garavani. The only man with a patina that Oscar would be jealous of.

Best Dressed In a Supporting Role

You know who doesn’t always get credit for fashion choices? Oscar dates. Camila Alves (Matthew McConaughey’s wife), Sunrise Coigney (Mark Ruffalo’s wife) and Rhea Durham (see: top of the page) may not have been up for any awards themselves, but Alves and Coigney were every bit the leading style ladies in grand black dresses that deserve an award of their own. Alves wore Kaufman Franco.

We haven’t found a measurable way to tally best and worst dressed just yet, so we’ll just just round up the larger trends and add our favorites to the mix. Click on images to view at a larger size.

Golden Globes 2011 Fashion Trends

Pretty in Pink and Red or Dead

Save: Julianne Moore in Lanvin, Julianna Margulies in vintage Yves Saint Laurent

Skip: January Jones in Versace

Don’t get us wrong, January Jones looks great and men probably got a lot more interested in the red carpet after seeing that dress; but the line between vamp and tramp is thin and we’re not sure how many women would be able to toe the line in this dress or any “inspired by” designs.

What They All Wore

1st row L to R: Julianne Moore (large image) in Lanvin, Claire Danes in Calvin Klein, Megan Fox in Armani Prive, Lea Michele in Oscar de la Renta, Heidi Klum in Marc Jacobs

2nd row L to R: Naya Rivera, Natalie Portman in Viktor & Rolf, Emma Stone in Calvin Klein, January Jones (large image) in Versace

3rd row L to R:  Julianna Margulies in vintage Yves Saint Laurent, Christina Hendricks, Edie Falco in Valentino, Sofia Vergara in Vera Wang

Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott shot the photos for the new campaign, and while Stoneâ€s fall 2010 ad pictures were stunning, we have to say weâ€re less than impressed with the new shots. Stoneâ€s face looks absolutely beautiful, as always, and we love the black and white effect that nearly erases her hair, but the model should not be the main focus of a fashion ad. The clothes should be, and weâ€re not sold on the outfit because what Lara is wearing looks like it does not fit her. The pants in the left photo appear to be way too long and loose in the upper inseam, and the white jacketâ€s sleeves are too short. And is that a skirt she’s wearing over the pants?

Dare we say, Christina Binkley seems to be on to something in her suggestion that less tailored, poorly fitting clothes are foisted upon women under the guise of being on trend?

Perhaps Calvin Klein was going for this look on purpose, and Stoneâ€s stunning face does help make up for it. We wouldâ€ve liked to see more photos like the fall 2010 ones, and clothes that aren’t wearing the model though.

The error page displayed when typing in robertocavalli.com from Google Chrome. That is not gifted.

L2, a luxury think tank focusing on digital innovation, recently published their second annual Digital IQ index, a ranking of luxury brands’ online initiatives. It’s a balanced report that takes into account things like the brand website, online marketing, social media presence and influence, and mobile offerings.

So it’s no surprise to see brands like Burberry, who took hits from critics for their strong internet engagement, labeled as digital “geniuses.”  Ralph Lauren, one of the first fashion labels with a dedicated mobile shop, and Coach, who’ve been aggressively pursuing blogger and social media engagement, also understandably fall into the genius category. Louis Vuitton’s site isn’t the best for search, but there’s a real commitment to online content via Nowness and Gucci’s relaunched digital flagship takes advantage of HTML5 to mostly replace an overdependence on Flash that still hobbles many fashion brand websites.

While the exact order of the top 10 or so sites could be up for discussion, they seem to be fairly accurately positioned. Past the top 10, however, things get strange and seem to prop up some of fashion’s idiot savants. Brands who offer beautiful products that generate buzz and desire, but fail at the basics: an attractive website that’s accessible to users across various devices.

Imran Amed, editor of the Business of Fashion, points out that Chanel – ranked number 11 and classified as “gifted,” has extremely limited e-commerce (fragrance and beauty products in the US only). Perhaps 10 years ago, e-commerce would be an innovative “extra,” but in 2010 we’re well past maturity for online shopping. Overlooking that does seem a bit odd.  Christian Louboutin, whose slow, Flash-heavy site (not viewable on the iPad, iPhone and many mobile devices) drags on a high-speed internet connection with not one, but two kitschy intros, recently launched e-commerce. Unfortunately, it’s difficult to find from the homepage (if you’re patient enough to give it the 2 minutes or so it takes to load), not to mention the fact that counterfeiters are still doing e-commerce and social media better than the brand itself. The online store doesn’t appear in a search for “Christian Louboutin” on Google or Bing in either the paid or unpaid sections, and YouTube videos haven’t changed that. That they’re classified in the same category as Calvin Klein, who along with QR-code billboards that bridge mobile and offline marketing, has livestreamed shows and made obvious integrated efforts with Facebook and social media is frankly a disservice to both brands.

Roberto Cavalli, who can’t figure out how to do a simple redirect (type in robertocavalli.com without the www. and you end up with a 404 page not found message), is the lowest “gifted” brand, but really? This is what we’re letting pass as gifted?

Social media, and thousands or even millions of followers can’t excuse or make up for a dated website lacking basic functionality. The Digital IQ index is needed, and a good step towards getting brands to put some effort into their online efforts. Rewarding the companies who are failing at the basics with extra credit for playing well with others (via social media) won’t help change the fact that they’re failing at the online basics though.

The Council of Fashion Designers of America/CFDA Foundation, Inc. promotes and supports the cause and others in the industry have partnered with the FTBC initiative like Net-A-Porter, Calvin Klein, Saks, QVC, Elson & Company and the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation.

When we learned about this year’s plans we thought it was an innovative and unique idea for this very significant cause. Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Spring 2011, September 9-16, 2010 in New York City will kick off and Nine West has joined the relief effort, partnering with Omron, the CFDA, Sony, Marilyn, IMG Models and Elite Model Management in raising funds this year. The interesting part though is not just the awesome Nine West runway show, but  the entire week’s worth of festivities during Fashion Week that the models experience.

“The models will don a limited-edition pair of Runway Relief boots, equipped with an Omron GOSmart Pocket Pedometer, to track each modelâ€s steps as she runs between castings, fittings and fabulous parties throughout the week. For every step she takes, a donation will be made to Fashion Targets Breast Cancer. Nigel Barker will host the program on August 31st with a photo shoot of the participating models in an iconic New York location, and you can catch the live stream on Nine Westâ€s Facebook page or on www.modelinia.com.” {Fashion Pulse Daily}

If you love the boots they will be available to the public on August 31st for $199. Nothing beats great fashion and helping a worthy cause.

To promote the Calvin Klein Jeans Fall 2010 line, the billboards are much simpler.  There’s two billboards in New York City, and one in Los Angeles, all of which feature the same design.  The ads have the words “Get It Uncensored,” with a large QR code below.  The idea being that those who are walking by the ad (or those who see a picture of the ad) with smartphones will scan the code, and go the the website it points to.  The website has a quick 40-second ad that is every bit as racy as the previous billboards (and seems to show a topless female model for about half a second).  After viewing the video, viewers can send it to their friends on Facebook and Twitter, so even those without smartphones will be able to see the video. {Mashable}

The idea of showing racy ads isn’t exactly new -  GoDaddy.com has been doing it for a while now.  The fact that the ads use QR codes to even view them may be a bit unusual.  In the US QR codes aren’t nearly as ubiquitous as they are in Japan where people have been using them for years.  Not only that, but a vast majority of cell phones users still use feature phone rather than smartphones.  It’s not unreasonable to think that fans of the Calvin Klein Jeans brand would be more likely to have smartphones than the average consumers though. Plus, the early adopters most likely to have an iPhone or Android phone are probably a good demographic, and points have to be given for creating a mobile campaign that gives passersby a reason to stop and share it.

Not everyone is a fan though. Katy Perry, who prefers crazy wigs and controversial outfits of a less religious variety tweeted “using blasphemy as entertainment is as cheap as a comedian telling a fart joke.” And like much of Madonna’s early work, we’re pretty sure a condemnation from the Catholic church isn’t too far around the corner.

For her part, Lady Gaga’s explanation of the video is simply “a celebration of my love and appreciation for the gay community, my admiration of their bravery, their love for one another and their courage in their relationships.”

Director Steven Klein defends the use of religious imagery: “The religious symbolism is not meant to denote anything negative, but represents the character’s battle between the dark forces of this world and the spiritual salvation of the Soul. Thus at the end of the film, she chooses to be a nun, and the reason her mouth and eyes disappear is because she is withdrawing her senses from the world of evil and going inward towards prayer and contemplation.” {MTV}

If your religion is fashion, Nicola Formichetti (Gaga’s stylist and a fashion editor for several publications) gives a thorough explanation there as well. He covers the video scene by scene, but here are a few of the most prominent players:

Alexander McQueen

The first scenes are dominated by custom made creations from the late designer. The binocular headdress is by Nasir Mazhar, the rose headpiece in the second screencap is by Philip Tracy for Alexander McQueen, but the cape and rest of the lace outfit is custom Alexander McQueen.

Stone modeled for Calvin Klein in 2007 and has worked two of the brandâ€s runway shows.

“I have a long history with the Calvin Klein brand,” she said. “It was wonderful to work with the house again this year. Itâ€s like being part of a family.” {Styleite}

A black and white close-up of Stoneâ€s face shot by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggot for Calvin Klein Collection is the latest star in the label’s famous black and white images. Maybe it’s just us, but Stone seems to bear a passing resemblance to former Calvin Klein campaign star Kate Moss in the photo.

“I conceived my fall 2010 collection with a self-aware and assured woman in mind,” Creative Director Francisco Costa told WWD. “For me, Lara was the perfect choice for the new campaign because she is a woman who epitomizes confidence and sensuality.” {Huffington Post}

Male models Simon Ellisdon, AJ, Grayson Vaughan and Eric Anderson appear alongside Stone in some of the ads.

The exclusive deal with Stone is a progressive move on the part of the label. By going with a 27-year-old model who is considered curvier than many of her peers, the label that ironically kicked off the young waif look of the 90s is furthering the effort by some in the fashion industry to cast women rather than size 0 girls who may be at an age where they’re thin not only because of diet or exercise, but because they haven’t finished growing. {The Cut} Their last show featured Stella Tennant, Kirsty Hume and the silver haired Kristen McMenamy, who while still slender and gorgeous, are older than the usual catwalkers who are in their teens.

Stone also replaces Eva Mendes as the face of Calvin Klein jeans, adding to a growing movement among designers and magazine editors towards using models in lieu of celebrities for campaigns and covers.

Here is some potentially good news in follow up to our recent post about the rise of anorexia in men with the advent of the skinny jean: muscular male models with serious washboard abs are no more appealing than average or chubby men in advertisements.

According to a new study, the truth is you don't need them!

Phillippa Diedrichs, the study leader, showed mock jeans, skin care and cologne ads featuring muscular and average men to more than 600 students in their late teens, and the ads with average men were rated no less effective than those with hard bodied men.

If young males are no more drawn to muscular types than average types, perhaps super skinny male mannequins and models will also prove no more alluring or likely to inspire men to be unhealthy.

The Sydney Morning Herald hopes the results will fuel the debate about unrealistic body types in media images.

Diedrichs said some of the participants in her study ”may have attributed the models’ muscularity to vanity or homosexuality, characteristics which they may have found unpleasant or discomforting…The average-size male models [may have seemed] less concerned with their appearance.” {The Sydney Morning Herald}

We think it might just mean that most men are not as concerned with their appearances as previously thought.

Some bloggers noted that for every study there is another that yields opposite results. For example, Deidrichs conducted a 2008 study that found plus size female models were no less effective in selling products than super thin models, but a University of Arizona study discovered plus size models in ads sold fewer products than skinny models, so maybe those concerned with manorexia shouldn’t get too excited just yet. {The Cut}

Our only concern with the results of this study is that the male students rated ads that showed just the product with no model to be most effective. This could show that men prefer not to see any image to which they are bound to compare themselves, meaning young males are still susceptible to body image issues after all.