BlackBook Magazine

This summer Sean Avery went from shooting pucks to shooting models. Or at least getting coffee for the people that do. Now that he's Mensvogue.com's guest editor, we look at how The Most Hated Man in Hockey is doing at his new job.

Sean Avery seems adamant on convincing the world that his much-discussed, oft-maligned internship at Vogue magazine is more than just a lark—a desperate ploy for attention by a man infamous for seeking it—or just a flat-out attempt to meet girls (because sexy, rich hockey players have had so much trouble in the past, right?).

Can you hear that sound? It’s the buzz surrounding Alice Dellal, a sometimes heiress, sometimes model, generating a large reverb through the fashion industry for her trashy style and rumored succession of Kate Moss as the new face of Agent Provocateur. WhoWhatWearDaily.com just named the British-Brazilian hybrid their “Girl of the Month,” and it’s easy to see why (past G.O.T.M.’s include Ally Hilfiger, Peaches Geldof, and Julia Restoin-Roitfeld).

From the front rows to behind-the-scenes, our flâneur with film discovers beauty from every angle during Fashion Week in the City of Lights.

Click here for full gallery!


THE KAISER: Karl Lagerfeld at the Fendi party.

The April issue of BlackBook is showing up early on newsstands nationwide, though it’s guaranteed to find its way to your favorite locale by March 25. In the meantime, if you’re jonesing for more Jackson—Janet Jackson that is, as depicted on our April cover—then here’s a temporary fix. We have a gallery of behind-the-scenes pics from the infamous chrome & chains photo shoot, complete with extra shots of the cage and provocative headpiece.

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Below, an amuse bouche of high fashion from some of this season's most merveilleux runway designs.

For more runway shots from Paris Fashion Week, click here!

From Yohji Yamamoto’s Autumn/Winter collection at Paris Fashion Week.

The Internet style celebrity hates plaid, wears plaid.

Click the jump for more with Cory Kennedy at the Karen Walker show!

Four top designers become easy targets as they embrace affordable fashion. Ready, aim, catwalk!

Nick Haramis

From left to right, designers Liz Lange, Erin Fetherston, Isaac Mizrahi, and Keanan Duffty.

Yesterday, in Grand Central Terminal’s Vanderbilt Hall, Target unveiled “The World’s First Model-less Fashion Show.” As one might expect, the whole thing was rather disappointing, yet another example of computers replacing perfectly good humanoids. Isaac Mizrahi charmed the junket junkies, smiling (strained) and posing (effortless) in front of projected, kinetic holograms. Erin Fetherston, Vogue editor-turned-maternity maven Liz Lange, Bowie-inspired designer Keanan Duffty, and others stood by, admiring their cyber collections. Soccer moms and curious tourists swarmed the proscenium, while headless torsos shimmied in a rather uninspired three dimensions. Below, BlackBook Online talks to the four top designers about fashion deals, Ziggy Stardust, and the unbearable lightness of $1800 sweaters.

Designer has it out for an "over-the-top" jeweler on Melrose Place.

Wang, left, her eyes on the prize.

Vera Wang gets what she wants—and she wants a store in Los Angeles. But not just any store. The designer has her eye on a particular retail location on Melrose Place, near Oscar, Carolina and Marni, but there’s just one little problem: it’s occupied. A Mexican jeweler named Collette owns it and sells fairly overpriced, over-the-top jewelry, to no one in particular. But even though Collette’s not making money, she doesn’t want to part with the gem of a shop. But Wang isn’t giving up. We have a feeling that Wang will wind up there in the end—for a big price. —Merle Ginsberg

Photo courtesy of Patrick McMullan Company.

A sneek-peek at the making of our next cover!

Check out some behind the scenes shots!

Live from Lompoc, California, here’s a few first looks at the making of our cover shoot of supermodel Carolyn Murphy, shot by aces photographer Steven Lippman. The location was the wilds of Central-ish California, featuring our biker-dude cast of tattooed players, our own sittings editor Maddy Simpson (with the lost member of ZZ Top at the lovely Jaspers bar, and other backs of people’s heads). —S.G.

Photos by Maddy Simpson

We stroke Bryan's ego by posting this survey, but leave his prosthetic third nipple alone.

For our second installment of BlackBook’s Employee of the Week, we chased down—fine, yelled over to—Bryan Levandowski, our market editor who dishes out (fashion) advice, helps us pronounce designer names, and never met a hangover he couldn’t kick.

Employee: BRYAN LEVANDOWSKI
Title: Market Editor
Age: 22 (Ed. note: This is a lie.)
Hometown: Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
Odd Moment in Hometown: “Incessantly translating from our odd dialect that was, in fact, English, but devoid of the letter ‘t,’ certain participles, and any variation on the word ‘no’ whatsoever—other than ‘ain’t.’ A-B-C really isn’t as easy as 1-2-3.”
Favorite Novel: Valley of the Dolls by Jacqueline Susann. 
Shoe Size: 10—a big 10. (Ed. note: This might also be a lie.)
Facial Tick: Only the morning after.
Currently residing in: ”Astoria, NY—which I consider to be an extension of the Upper East Side, rather than a part of Queens.”
Number of nipples: Three, including the prosthetic.
Criminal record: Nil, but tomorrow is another day.
Married: ”The day I go exclusive is the day Neiman Marcus starts accepting Visa.”
Golf Handicap: ”The worst kind—my inability to play the ‘sport’ altogether!”
Local Hangout: Eastern Bloc.
No, Really: EB, really.
Job Experience: Fashionisto.
Life Experience: BRYAN AMBITION!