Anti-Paparazzi Purse
Remember the good ole’ days when Sean Penn would simply scare off an unsuspecting paparazzo with an impromptu scuffle? Well those days are over. Celebrities (or their dates) can now sport a purse equipped with a photo cell that detects quick flashes from cameras and responds with its own burst of light. Adam Harvey designed this handbag with a sensor and LED bulb imbedded in the lining. A fashion piece that is guaranteed to ruin photos that would otherwise be sold to TMZ. This is a wonderful creation for celebrities who do not welcome the spotlight. (Paris Hilton and all from The Hills need not apply) At long last, celebrities can dine at Koi in relative peace. It is certainly a great ‘taste of your own medicine’ device, and I am curious to see which famous names will be linked with it first. My ultimate prediction: the diaper bag version making headlines worldwide by the Jolie-Pitt clan. For another Love/Hate dialogue concerning the paparazzi, check out Lady Gaga’s latest video.
Holt Renfrew pays tribute to Fashion Blogs
The tables have turned, and the fashion houses are now courting the most influential critics in the industry. No, not the powerhouses of print publications, like Anna Wintour’s Vogue, but the bloggers like me who keep their fingers on the pulse of street style faster than US Weekly glossies can hit the stands. Thank you, thank you. What was once considered an afterthought, or at best, an amateur attempt to voice one’s opinion on the latest trends, has now become a valid source of fashion expertise. Case in point: Canada’s retail Mecca, Holt Renfrew, will be celebrating fashion bloggers this Friday at the launch of their new flagship window installations. The Bloor Street location will pay tribute to the ‘newest international style influencers.’ Their June 23 news release reports that six bloggers were invited to be part of the celebration. The ‘diverse mix’ includes Scott Schuman (thesartorialist.blogspot.com); Jane Aldridge (seaofshoes.typepad.com); Anita Clarke (iwantigot.geekigirl.com); Tommy Ton (jakandjil.com); Bryan Boy (bryanboy.com) and Garance Dore (garancedore.fr/en). (more…)
New iPhone Unveiled
Apple Inc. released the newest version of the iPhone Monday, called the iPhone 3G-S. (the S stands for speed, not super stylish) The new model boasts a three-megapixel camera that shoots video, an internal digital compass and voice-control features that let owners use spoken commands to make calls and play music. (In other words: “iPhone: call my BFF and play Britney now!”) The first generation 3G was hardly your father’s beta device. The phone was next to perfect, with only a few elements causing complaint, such as its inability to use flash and the minor difficulty of the keyboard (things only guys seemed to care about). Apple also announced that the iPhone 3G-S will look physically similar t0 the current version but will have significant software improvements. The most impressive news, however, is the price tag – $199 for the 16-gigabyte version. That’s less than an hour spent at Holt Renfrew’s last call! According to Rogers’ tweet, it is available June 19, so we needn’t wait long. No doubt the most enviable feature is Apple’s Application Store, where a myriad of applications are introduced daily. 
I have a few favorites of my own - I suggest Vogue’s application Style.com - a go-to app for all fashionistas. It loads all of the latest runway collections in glossy, high resolution shots, that are only a sweeping tap away. Another must have, and actually the first one I downloaded a year ago, is Chanel’s Application. It provides up-to-the-minute news on the luxury brand and even has complete videos of the runway shows. Elle Canada also has an application which reports on news and celebrity gossip, while offering their daily style tips. To manage your closet, I recommend Touch Closet, an application that lets you take photos of your wardrobe and then helps you create outfits with your own best pieces - just like Cher in Clueless! Thanks to Apple and their new iPhone 3G-S, we’ll be able to keep up with the latest trends faster than ever. Now if only we could give the command: ”iPhone: Put latest Louboutin’s in my closet!”