BlackBook Magazine

Kate Hudson went on the talk show circuit a few months back promoting her partnership with hairstylist David Babaii for Wildaid. Together they developed (i.e. Babaii did the work and Hudson was the pretty face in the ads) eco-friendly hair and styling products. Now Hudson and Babaii are being sued for fraud and breach of contract, among other things. It all comes to down to volcanic ash.

Humility is not a virtue normally ascribed to Sean "P. Diddy" Combs. After all, this is the man who crafted an empire in his own image -- from his long-running Sean John clothing line to his newly minted "I Am King" fragrance down to his I Want to Work for Diddy reality show. Unfortunately, the worsening economy has affected even a brand of Diddy's stature -- he's traveling commercial. The horror! As he states in a (now removed?) episode of his Youtube vlog, ""Gas prices are too motherfucking high! I've been flying back and forth to LA pursuing my acting career. If I fly back and forth twice a month, that's like $250,000 round trip." The quarter -million price tag refers to his preference for private jets. Desperate times call for desperate measures, as Diddy goes on to say, "I'm back on American Airlines now ... and I'm in coach!" Will the faltering economy also thwart Kate Moss and her quest for a premium private jet of her own?

● Rumor has it that Brad Pitt just photographed Angelina and the brood for W's November issue. You may remember Brad and Angie played house for a Steve Klein photo portfolio in W's July 2005 issue. You know, the one where Jennifer Aniston remarked that Brad was "missing a sensitivity chip." Certainly the title "Domestic Bliss" had to rankle her.

The new [not Beverly Hills] 90210 just lost what little legitimacy it might have aspired to. In conjunction with the show, a whole line of products -- ranging from apparel to cosmetics and school supplies -- will soon be available. These products will feature "iconic graphics" from both the new and original shows. Luke Perry's sideburns, perhaps? The original show did have a line of products too, most noteworthy being the Beverly Hills 90210 action figures!

With fashion brands likes Liz Claiborne and the Gap revitalizing their image, who says a drugstore can't do the same? Looks like CVS will be going the way of an "upscale beauty emporium" (think Sephora). The sub-brand stores, called Beauty 360, will be independent of CVS itself, with no mention of the drugstore anywhere. Beauty 360 will house fine skincare and cosmetic products -- probably no Wet n' Wild makeup in sight. Although the CVS is keeping the names of the brands secret, they did reveal they have signed on "32 lines," excluding fragrances. The first of these concept stores will be opening at year's end in a "major East Coast city" (Baltimore?), followed by a West Coast incarnation weeks later. A hundred more Beauty 360s are set to open throughout 2009.

Did you hear that rumor about 20-year-old model Gemma Ward quitting the business after 5 years? Sounds unbelievable ... because it is. The blogs were a house afire yesterday with word that Ward would retire to take on a film career. (Never a good idea for a model; see Cindy Crawford and Fair Game.) Ward herself set the record straight: "I was surprised to wake up this morning and read news of my own retirement. While I am taking some time off currently to rest and enjoy the company of friends and family, I am still very much a (excited and enthusiastic) working model and actress. I'm only 20, for God's sake." As Kate Moss has proven, you can model way past your "prime." However, Ward's agency IMG did confirm that Ward's vacation extends through Spring Fashion Week. So no Gemma on the runway this season, but expect her to pop up in a campaign or two.

George Clooney may have Darfur, and Brad Pitt has New Orleans, but Anna Sui has a plight of her own: saving the Garment District. The New York designer is doing what she does best -- designing -- in order to rescue the rapidly evaporating manufacturing center. You can purchase a T-shirt that reads "Save the Garment Center"; on the back are the phone numbers for important NYC government officials. Sui told WWD, "What are we going to do? In my lifetime, I have seen the area changing, but I can't believe New York can't set aside some building designated to preserving the industry here." The root of the garment industry problem is rising cost of rents (what else?!). The T-shirts will be available for $6 through Thomas Miller at Anna Sui; all orders must be submitted by Friday in order to wear by Fashion Week.

Jane Mayle may be bowing out of her New York shop, but in her place comes gothy Danish designer Camilla Staerk. The designer, who relocated to New York from London after losing her namesake to her backers there, says of the change, "I'm going back to my roots in leather and texture." You see this not just in her latest collection but also in the design of the 500-square-foot store, with its dark wood floors, leather, and walnut chairs. In other retail action, it's expected that China will see its first American Apparel store after many delays.

I'm just going to say it: Jane Birkin is the most stylish person of the 1960s. Her simple, decadent vibe inspired the most coveted fashion accessory to this day -- the Hermes Birkin bag. Thanks to sweater company Lutz + Patmos, we can all own a little cashmere piece of Birkin. Come September, Birkin herself will trek to New York to debut her new design. Each season, the company asks one insanely stylish lady or gentlemen to create a special-edition piece. Past collaborations have included French Vogue editor Carine Roitfeld, stylist L'Wren Scott, and filmmaker Sofia Coppola.

Color me shocked! Carolina Herrera Jr. -- daughter of designer Carolina Herrera -- says it isn't wise to dress like a carbon copy of Carrie Bradshaw or any character from Sex and the City. "The shoes fit badly, their bags [are] too big, they're not used to having 100 necklaces on their neck." Sounds like not too many of mama's designs made it into the film. For her part, the young fashion designer tells Latina magazine: "There's nothing wrong with being trendy if that's what you've been doing all your life." Ouch.