Alexander McQueen Moves Forward

Goodbye Mr. McQueen, hello Ms. Burton. Long live McQueen.

Style.com covered the passing of Alexander McQueen and the showing of the final collection he designed, but something that was equally important this year was the success of Sarah Burtonâ€s first show as the new designer for the McQueen label. The passing of such a genius creative mind was indeed tragic, and the showing of McQueenâ€s last collection was a special moment, but Burtonâ€s signal that the brand can honor McQueenâ€s legacy while moving forward was absolutely stellar.

John Gallianoâ€s Dior Couture Wows

Dior haute couture was in full bloom this year when John Galliano showed his Spring 2011 collection of flower-inspired looks. The imagery and execution of the designs combined with the high, tulip-like hair of the models for a full package display of gorgeousness and perhaps our favorite moment in fashion of 2010.

Most girls have probably found their guys thumbing through the Victoria’s Secret catalog checking out the models, but is this really a significant demographic for the lingerie brand?

Unless they have a cross dressing readership we’re not familiar with, GQ seems to think so. Timed to coordinate with Victoria’s Secret Angel Miranda Kerr’s cover, the men’s magazine is partnering with Victoria’s Secret to offer a contest with a grand prize $1000 shopping spree with the model.

The sweepstakes will surely be a welcome excursion for one lucky winner. In addition to claiming $1000 worth of underwear, the winner will get two $500 coach airfare vouchers for travel from the major commercial airport nearest the winner’s primary residence in the US to New York, and a standard hotel room (double occupancy).

Now for a single guy, hanging around a model, bras and panties is something like a high school dream come true. But if the winner takes a wife or girlfriend, we’re not sure how comfortable it will be to lingerie shop with one of the sexiest woman on the planet.

Seriously speaking, while guys might enjoy ogling their most famous employees, is this the most effective promotional pairing? Sure, women drive a lot of men’s fashion sales just by virtue of wanting to keep the guys in their lives in style, but beyond Valentine’s Day and holidays, it just doesn’t seem like men would be shopping for the women in their lives with the same frequency. And honestly, we’d prefer to keep it that way. Random guys hanging around in lingerie stores “browsing” the selection are more skeevy than sexy.

If none of that concerns you though, and you stopped reading after seeing “Victoria’s Secret model,” hustle over to GQ.com now. Entries are only accepted through June 14th. {GQ}

Heidi Montag posted homemade audition videos and pleaded by tweet for director Michael Bay to consider her for the role after it was announced that Megan Fox wouldn’t return. Well, those pleas fell on deaf ears and blind eyes, but apparently Bay did take the blonde actress suggestion into consideration. Along with Huntington-Whitely, models Sara Wright and Brooklyn Decker were reportedly being considered for the role.

We’re all for the return of models with personality, but the model to actress transition isn’t always a smooth one. Still, we can’t fault Rosie for trying.

It’s not that she’ll be at a loss of exposure with her Victoria’s Secret gig, and a new appointment as one of the faces of Burberry’s new beauty line, but considering Transformers 2 took in $201 million in its first five days, a starring role in a popular franchise will offer a type of mass appeal that even the biggest fashion brands can’t match.

Which in turn means that Huntington-Whiteley will likely be able to command even higher rates for lending her increased exposure to more brands. Any way you spin it, the role is nothing but a win for the English model.

Read More {The Cut}

Read More {She Finds}

So it’s incredibly refreshing to hear that rap mogul and super-celeb Jay-Z is one of those few gentlemen in the spotlight who has nothing but respect for the leading lady in his life.

Jay-Z attended the Victoria’s Secret fashion show and after-party in New York City this past week and, whereas countless other men would kill their own mothers for a chance to rub shoulders with beautiful VS models, Jay-Z deliberately declined any contact with the women out of respect for his wife Beyoncé.

Style is more than just clothing and color palettes, and we’re glad to see that chivalry is still very much alive and well.

Read the full story {Showbiz Spy}

Numerous complaints have been filed with the lingerie mega-giant for faulty garment construction that left everything from rashes and hives from (possibly) formaldehyde-tainted materials to poorly-secured (and projectile-like) metal hardware.

Victoria’s Secret, meanwhile, maintains that these injuries are a result of “misuse and/or abuse of the product” (how exactly does one “abuse” a bra?), and the company’s reluctance to address these numerous complaints in a more thorough manner makes us uneasy.  Sometimes beauty is pain, but this may be going too far.

Read the full story {Minyanville}