The famously shoe-eschewing Joss Stone.

In today’s second headline about oddly matched fashion-celebrity collaborations (the first would be Rachel Bilson’s new ambassadorship for Sunglasses Hut), Joss Stone, who famously performs barefoot, has signed a deal with Nine West to design shoes.

The 23-year-old soul singer will collaborate with Nine West’s creative director on a capsule collection inspired by the many facets of her personality (their description, not ours) and also her floral tattoos.

Besides the fact that a person who eschews shoes is designing a shoe collection, the whole collaboration is a bit off, owing to the fact that the Nine West Vintage America imprint, which Stone is “designing” under, is based on the idea of “rugged American individualism,” says WWD. And, of course, Stone is a British pop star.

In any case, the Fall 2010 collection is all for a good cause. Proceeds of the $70-to-$120 goods will go to the charity Soles4Souls.

Nine West Inks Deal With Joss Stone [WWD]

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Filed Under: the celebrification of fashion, celebrity designers, designers, joss stone, nine west, shoes

Although select designers have been producing arty fashion videos on and off for years, it seems the medium has become bigger than ever of late, with designers focusing more on their own websites, adding video components as well as e-commerce.

Big fans of the fashion short, which has the ability to be more personal yet often a lot more vague than a fashion show or print campaign, include Christian Louboutin, who has been directing his own quirky videos, one of him tap-dancing, Yves Saint Laurent, Marni, Prada, Rebecca Taylor, Reem Acra, and Donna Karan, who hired Kelly Cutrone to handle a movie about her wrap sweater, which in turn was featured on Kell on Earth, and has another glossy music-video–like film starring Christina Ricci.

The Wall Street Journal reports that shooting these videos for around $50,000 and less is considered a steal compared to $1 million for a 30-second television ad, but we’re wondering if that amount (or even $15,000, in the case of Steven Alan’s latest project) really pays off.

Of course, the initial release of the video causes thousands of people to flock to the designer’s website and stay for a few minutes, but sometimes the overly arty quality of the videos, which often feature unclear shots of the clothing, just make us scratch our heads. And then we forget about them altogether.

Although we get that they are about sharing the feeling behind a collection, rarely is that feeling portrayed in an awesome enough fashion to make us want to watch twice.

But what do you think? Do you dig the fashion-short trend?

Cinema A La Prada [WSJ]

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Filed Under: fashion on film, designers, short films

Mario Batali in his signature bright-orange Crocs.

After going public in 2006, Crocs has lost millions, but the company is trying to get back on track with a new marketing campaign (you’ve probably seen the “Croslite” mascot massaging models’ feet?), a 2010 rollout of 30 to 50 new shops around the globe, and an expanded product line that includes the epically fugly Crocs ballet flats.

The new style, which is basically an orthopedic jelly shoe, includes the same no-slip sole and breathable material as the original rubbery clog worn by the likes of Mario Batali, George W. Bush, and preschoolers everywhere. And while it has a basic ballet-flat silhouette, there are added details like a sling back, peep toe, and metallic sheen.

“If we make it a little bit more stylish, then we start to appeal to a larger audience,” Crocs CEO John McCarvel, says of the new styles.

We suppose making products “a little bit more stylish” coming from the Crocs CEO isn’t saying much.

For New York–based fans of function over fashion, the new offerings, which will also include a loafer for men and flip-flops for women, will be available at the the company’s new Spring Street shop, opening in mid-May.

Crocs Back On Track? [WWD]

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Filed Under: fugly, ballet flats, crocs, function over fashion

Carrie Bradshaw will now write on an HP laptop.

After releasing its floral-patterned Vivienne Tam–edition mini-notebook computer in 2008 (it’s tiny enough to put in your purse, ladies! And it comes with a purse!), it seems Hewlett-Packard is upping the ante on marketing to women in 2010. And frankly, it’s all a little annoying.

Not only will HP computers appear in the backgrounds and laps of characters on Sex and the City 2, Sarah Jessica Parker has also signed as as a spokesperson for HP’s “PC is Personal Again” campaign and the company is opening up a series of stores across the globe that make us cringe.

The first of these shops, excuse us, boutiques, just opened in Berlin and features notebooks and mini-computers alongside handbags, jewelry, and shoes. Next month, similar shops will be rolling out in São Paolo, Tokyo, Beijing, and Milan, as well as local Macy’s and Lord & Taylors, to highlight what HP is calling its “spring collection.”

“Traditional computer-electronics stores are not female friendly,” Tracey Trachta, HP’s director of marketing, explains. “In many ways computers are accessories. They could be impulse purchases.”

Wait, really? For one, women don’t only buy things on impulse. Sometimes, like in the instance of purchasing an expensive computer, we actually do a little research. Which might not be the case when we encounter, say, those $7 bins at Marc by Marc. But life isn’t filled with $7 bins!

And that’s not even the worst of HP’s plans. “Sex & the City 2–inspired walk-in closets” will be popping up across fashion malls coast-to-coast, where HP PCs will nestle up against Manolo Blahniks (no joke) and other circa-2004 Carrie Bradshaw–endorsed products.

Oh, and also, customers in the shops will have the chance to walk down a faux catwalk. And get their pictures taken while clutching HP products.

Lord help us.

Memo Pad [WWD]

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Filed Under: insults, carrie bradshaw, hewlett packard, marketing ploys, sex and the city 2

Lingerie-inspired styles from the SLIM by Cynthia Rowley shapewear collection.

Usually when a woman thinks of shapewear, she imagines unsightly sausage-casing–like garments in ugly skintone hues.

And while Roland Mouret has stepped up to the plate recently with his $475 “powermesh” dress, it’s still just sort of a more elegant version of what Spanx has already offered. And it only comes in buff and black.

Alas, Über-girlie designer Cynthia Rowely has finally solved the sartorial conundrum of being able to smooth away our lady lumps and bumps without making us feel like grandmas. In fact, we would feel downright sexy in her stuff. And adorable. At the same time.

Her new lingerie-inspired collection, dubbed SLIM by Cynthia Rowley, features vaguely VPL-like detailing, including cutouts, sheer paneling, and color-blocking on the contour slips, smoothing bras, and high-waisted panties that flatten those tummy bulges.

The best part is they come in two creative palettes that aren’t merely flesh tones: one set is a black–grayish-purple–nude combo, while the other is nude–hot pink–pastel blue.

Unfortunately the items, which she is referring to as bodywear, mind you, won’t be in stores until July. But these just-released pictures were too pretty not to pass along.

While the range retails for $118 to $226, we’re not so sure we can indulge. But a girl can dream.

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Filed Under: shape-shifting, cynthia rowley, shapewear, slim by cynthia rowley