Amsterdam's infamous Red Light District is currently turning into a new fashion spot. The City of Amsterdam is loaning some of the windows traditionally used by female prostitutes. The girls have new neighbors now, that go from shoe designers to local high fashion ateliers. This interesting effort results in an originally dynamic neighborhood mixed with girls, gambling spots, smoking coffee-shops and now one more vice completing the formula... Fashion ! Amsterdam has never worn the name of 'Vice City' so well.

Posted and photographs by FLORENT GILLES

Retouching photos is like the dirty underbelly of the fashion industry. Or maybe it's the underbelly's dirty underbelly. I mean, starving models in the first place seems pretty dirty. But then air-brushing them even more?! That's just awful, right? Except...those photos can come out looking pretty killer, in the end. Now I know this won't sit well with some of our readers, but as the resident "dude" on the FF team, I gotta represent now and again. So, peep dis, y'all:

Photos Courtesy www.hautfashion.com

Jessica Alba looks positively smokin' in the 2009 Campari calendar. And she just knocked out a baby five months ago! Mad respect.

But many on the Net are livid at the news that the evil fashion overlords slimmed her hips, punched-up her makeup, and tossed in a bit more cleavage.

THE HORROR!!!!!!!!

Here's the thing: even in her ugliest moment, Jessica Alba is still wayyyyy out of our league (I'm speaking for most guys, not myself personally, because, well, my friends DO call me Canada's Cash Warren...). But trust me, we don't expect our girlfriends to look like that. So, I say, why not take it up another notch? Airbrush her legs. Hell, bring in a body double! Go all out! It's just eye candy, anyway. No one gets upset when a Hollywood heartthrob gets CGI'ed into a superhero. So let's not flip-out when a Hollywood bombshell is airbrushed into a superbabe. As long as we all know that's what's going on...

And for the record, I'm totally cool with airbrushing dudes as well. Give them more hair, or a bigger package. Lucky for me, a wit like mine can't be superimposed over just any male model, no matter what kind of Photoshop wizard you are.

Posted by LUKE

Travelling to the world's fashion hotspots sounds glamourous - and it is! - but at times, it can also be stressful. You touch down in a city like Milan, or Paris, and you want to make the most of your time there. But it's so hard to know where to go outside of the common tourist haunts. So, what I usually do is solicit the advice of the most plugged-in local I know to get the inside track on where to go. My friend Conrad Roeber is a true London boy, and recently hooked me up with a list of the hottest spots in the English capital. Check out some of his picks, the next time you ride in to Londontown:

Bars

The Loungelover Bar. Photo Courtesy www.toptale.co.uk

-- Loungelover. Fantastically beautiful bar in Shoreditch, on Redchurch street. Mad, eclectic design.

Shoreditch is the coolest part of London and goes completely mad at weekends. Loads of extremely well-designed bars and restaurants to discover just wandering around.

-- In particular, the bars on Hoxton Square are very lively, full of interesting people etc.

-- Back in the West End, there are bar/restaurants such as Sketch, Conduit St (Mayfair). A very beautiful bar, full of beautiful people (and incredible toilets!!!). Very fashionable. Very expensive.

-- For a real touch of class: the bar at Claridges. Stunning interior in one of London's grandest hotels.

-- For uber-chic cool, the bar at the Sanderson Hotel, on Berners Street (just north of Soho). Madonna comes to this hotel for her regular massage.

-- For a great view, Windows on the World, at the top of the Hilton, Park Lane. Highest bar in London. And there's a good French brasserie - Galvin - up there if you want to eat while you're at it.

Cafes

The Flat White Cafe. Photo Courtesy www.flat-white.co.uk

-- Wolseley, Piccadilly, during the day for tea. Very posh - very much a place to be seen. Likely to see Kate Moss and her crew, visiting Hollywood celebs, etc. Also very good for lunch or dinner, but extremely hard to get table.

-- Flat White, Berwick St, Soho. Very busy, small, cool, excellent coffee. Kiwi-run.

-- The Milk Bar, in Bateman Street, Soho

-- Criterion, Piccadilly Circus. One of the most beautiful restaurant interiors in London (1930's). All gold mosaic. Good food, too.

-- The Nordic Bakery, Golden Square, Soho. Big, sticky cinnamon buns.

Restaurants

The River Cafe. Photo Courtesy www.rivercafe.co.uk

-- Yauatcha, Broadwick Street. Simply the BEST dim sum in London (and other excellent Chinese food). Sit in the lovely upstairs tea room. Great for tea and cakes too, during the afternoon. Highly recommend - it has a Michelin star but isn't particularly expensive. Amazing service from gorgeous Chinese girls wearing oddly provocative uniforms...

-- Arbutus, Greek St, Soho. Really good.

-- Scotts, Mount St, Mayfair. Really beautiful restaurant, but hard to get a table. Worth trying, though.

-- J. Sheekey, off Charing Cross Road, W1. Excellent traditional, beautiful, fish restaurant. Same people as Ivy (which is famous and hard to get in to, but which I don't recommend as the food aint particularly good). Hard to get table. Try lunch.

-- The River Cafe, Hammersmith. The best Italian restaurant in London. Wonderful WONDERFUL. But a bit of a trek. Must book, but wonderful if the weather's good and you can sit outside.

Must Sees

The Tate Modern Museum. Photo Courtesy www.davids-world.com

-- Go to Kew Gardens, if fall foliage or if in spring or summer. The most gorgeous gardens. English gardening at its best. Stunning, huge tropical glass houses.

-- Tate Britain (Pimlico) has a Francis Bacon exhibition on right now. Britain's most famous 20th century painter.

-- Tate Modern (Bank) has a big Rothko exhibition, and the place is definitely worth seeing for the building itself. Good cafe for lunch on the 7th floor with absolutely stunning views over London.

-- Serpentine Gallery, in the middle of Kensington Gardens / Hyde Park, has an interesting Anselm Keifer exhibition just opening up. Lovely place to walk to through the park.

-- Go to the John Soane Museum, Lincoln Inn Fields - wonderful small museum of artifacts

-- Wallace Collection, just near Selfridges. Good restaurant in central courtyard, too.

Galleries

The White Cube, Saint James. Photo Courtesy common.wikimedia.org

-- (East End): White Cube, Hoxton Square. Browse along Cambridge Heath Road - this is where the hip galleries are.

-- (West End): browse along Cork St. Waddingtons etc.

-- (West End): Hauser and Wirth, Piccadilly. The top contemporary gallery.

-- (West End): White Cube, St James's. Very impressive place.

-- (West End): Haunch of Venison, in Haunch of Venison Yard, off Brook St (off Bond St).

-- (East-ish): Victoria Miro, between Angel and Old St (look it up)

The Tourist Spots Worth Touring

Portobello Road, London. Photo Courtesy thisislondon.co.uk

-- Go buy food in Borough Market. Go to London Bridge and follow signs. Lovely place.

-- See Southwark Cathedral while you're there

-- Wander down Portobello Road (from Notting Hill) for antique shopping on Friday (not Saturday)

-- Westminster Abbey. 1,000 years old and where Elizabeth I is buried. Astonishingly beautiful and historic.

-- Go to Hampstead Heath. Like a little piece of English countryside in the middle of London. Take a picnic, or go to Kenwood House, which is in the middle of the Heath and has a decent cafe / restaurant for tea or lunch

-- Walk down Brick Lane from Shoreditch. Great mix of cool London and Bangladeshi London. Very lively. Visit Hawsmoor's stunning church, Christchurch, Spitalfields, while you're there.

-- And visit Spitalfields Market for antiques, clothes and some interesting shopping and lunch.

So there you have it. A big thanks to Conrad for sharing his fave spots in London. The next time you're at a funky cafe in Shoreditch and you bump into Kate Moss, be sure to tell her Conrad and I say "Hello!"

Posted by ADRIAN

Whoever said food and fashion don't mix was seriously mistaken. The posh restaurant, Cafe de la Paix, located near the famous Opera in the 9th arrondissement in Paris is one of the pioneers of the fashion and food movement. Every four months they collaborate with a different fashion designer to create a mouthwatering delight fit for a fashionista. Past designers have included Agatha Ruiz de la Prada, Gaspard Yurkievich, Elie Saab, and Franck Boclet (Ungaro Men's). We had the privilege of meeting with the head Chef at the Cafe, Laurent Delarbre, and his Pastry chef Guillaume Caron for a private viewing of the making of the newest creation by Franck Sorbier, which will be on the menu in January. As they were showing us the detailed and delicate process that goes into making the "Lucky Charm" dessert we couldn't help but feel sorely out of place in the kitchen of this Parisian institution. For two people who have barely mastered the skill of boiling water we were in awe of how much work goes into one pastry, I think they might have been in awe of how much work went into our outfits. Our attention to detail includes sky-high heels, choice vintage finds, and perfectly smudged kohl eyeliner, while the Chefs opt for a clean white sartorial color palette and focus their energy on the different flavored chocolate mousse, wafer-thin chocolate biscuits, and orange marmalade glaze. This is one dessert that is definitely worth the extra calories!
The Fashion inspired treats don't stop at Cafe de la Paix. You can also find them in London at the Berkeley Hotel. Their approach is a bit different but definitely still fashion forward and oh so chic. While they don't collaborate with designers they study the newest Pret-a-Porter collections and take their inspiration from there. The pastry chef works with in the know magazine editors to create edible renditions of a Valentino red coat, or most recently an Alexander McQueen chiffon dress. To top it off they are all served on china designed by Paul Smith. EuroDisney is also tapping into the trend. They are teaming up with Chantal Thomass, Vanessa Bruno and ORA ITO to create 3 bouche de Noels that will be sold exclusively in a Disney themed bakery in the 1st arrondissement of Paris on the 23rd and 24th of December. We are all looking forward to eating desserts as well dressed as we are!

Franck Sorbier with his "Lucky Charm" dessert - Photo courtesy of Cafe de la Paix

POSTED BY LINSEY BALLAS AND ELIZABETH PANTALEO
PHOTOS BY ELIZABETH PANTALEO

It seems in Europe they weren't satisfied with Mischa Bartons blog induced image of white trash wash up. It's so exciting to see her camera ready in these stunning outtakes for German In Style. Mischa looks like a classic beauty, her hair, clothing, pout - all flawless.

In this blond bombshell close up, Mischa Barton channels French icon Brigitte Bardot.

I love this dress by German designer Wunderkind. Once again the Barton/Bardot link is undeniable.

Images from http://thingsweheart.blogspot.com/

Posted by JOANNA

When I was in elementary school, we used to do earthquake drills every month to prepare for the possibility of a major tremor. It looked a little something like this:

Photo Courtesy www.koreatimes.co.kr

Today I find myself wondering if employees at Vogue ever received a similar education, because they're about to be in need of some serious duck-and-cover skillz, if they hope to avoid becoming collatoral damage during a looming seismic shift...

Gawker is reporting today that French Vogue editor Carine Roitfeld is currently in discussions with Conde Nast chairman Si Newhouse about taking over the position as American Vogue editor from Anna Wintour.

Ummm...OMFG!!!!!!!!!!!

Photo Courtesy Gawker Media

Now these are all still rumours, but you can count on FF to keep you informed as this - the biggest story in fashion history EVER!!! - continues to unfold. We've assembled a crack team of snoops to report back with the juiciest of unconfirmed developments.

In the meantime, here are our quick musings on this delicious little story.

Photo Courtesy Conde Nast

French Vogue is one of our favourite magazines. It's glossy. It's edgy. It's amazing. And a lot of that is owed in no small part to Carine Roitfeld's gifted stewardship.

Photo Courtesy Conde Nast

American Vogue, by contrast, is becoming more and more staid, and is beginning to resemble a bizarre cross between the society pages and supermarket trash. Here, Wintour deserves all the credit (or blame, as it were).

That said, American Vogue is a magazine intended for, well, Americans. And while we think Carine is a fashion treasure, we can't help but question whether her avant-garde approach may be a bit much for a mother in Wichita to appreciate. And let's not forget that Conde Nast has been slashing publications and jobs of late. So maybe now is not the time for CN to take a gamble on a new direction for their flagship glossy...

Anna has had a great run, so we won't be shedding too many tears if she does get the boot. But what about her right-hand man? The great Andre Leon Talley is the one we truly heart at Vogue. But without Anna, will there still be a place for him in the machine?!

Photo Courtesy New York Magazine

This craziness is only the beginning. We still expect hissy fits, blow-ups, and (cross-your fingers!!!) the content of Vogue's closet raining down onto Times Square from a 30th storey window in Anna's final act of defiance. Stay tuned!!!

Posted by LUKE (with a skillful alley-oop from SAM)

"Frankly my dear I don't give a damn." Actually, yes we do...about crinoline. What would Gone With the Wind, the Victorian Era, hoop skirts, and petticoats be without it? Women's fashion would be structured much differently today if crinoline hadn't made a debut in the 1800's. It is the stiff material (originally made of horse hair) that was used to make petticoats and is, as you might be surprised to know, still used today by many of our favorite designers.
We took a trip to the Musee Galliera, Paris' world-renowned fashion museum, to view their new exhibition "Sous l'Empire des Crinolines" (the exhibit runs from November 29th through April 26th 2009) which displays the beautifully detailed looks of the Second Empire (1852-1870). Our mouths dropped when we saw the sumptuous materials, minuscule waists (so jealous!), and flawless jeweled accessories. We fell in love with the stunning collection of mother of pearl fans, which depicted Arcadian scenes and had beautiful gold detailing. Another part of the exhibit we couldn't get enough of was the beautiful ball gown designed by the Charles Frederick Worth, the world's first couturier.
Are petticoats and hoop skirts starting to sound like great investment pieces? Well, you're in luck! This past year on the runway crinoline has made a big comeback. Think Celine, Jean Paul Gaultier, Fendi, Inbar Spector, and Giambattista Valli. Although all the looks were fresh and modern the nod to the fashion of the Second Empire was undeniable. Jean Paul Gaultier used the material in an avant-garde way with a deconstructed hoop skirt haute couture wedding dress, while Valli kept it classic with a knee length New Look dress. Now if someone could only come up with a modern and less painful design for a wasp waist we'd be in heaven!

Ball Gown designed by Charles Frederick Worth

Gaultier Wedding Gown photo courtesy of Style.com

BLOG POSTED BY LINSEY BALLAS AND ELIZABETH PANTALEO
PHOTOS BY ELIZABETH PANTALEO

Her reps say this is possible because she "speaks from the heart". Who is this? Some new underground artist or another edgy, phenom child actor...? A seasoned industry veteran, and 34 this year, Hello Kitty will be the new face of MAC on February 10th. A little bit for everyone, the Hello Kitty Collection offers attainable luxury, while Hello Kitty Kouture features Swarovski crystal in blinged out compacts and silver chain pendants. Another limited edition collection - MAC estimates sell out within eight weeks.

Photo by: John Aquino
Items from MAC Cosmetics
With all these capsule collections, my appetite has been whet for the day I can afford Marc, Karl and Alex's (McQueen, though I'd take Wang, too!) original designs (these boys are so big, they've earned Madonna's one name status!).

Posted by JACQUIE