Part of Marilyn Monroe exhibition stolen on way to Prague
Wed, 22 May 2013 12:37:40 -0400
PRAGUE (Reuters) - Part of an exhibition displaying outfits and photographs of Marilyn Monroe was stolen while being transported to the Czech Republic from Italy, the event's curator said on Wednesday. The exhibition, commemorating the 50th anniversary of her death, was created by the Museo Salvatore Ferragamo in Florence last year. Ferragamo was the actress' favorite shoemaker and she owned a dozen pairs of his hand-made shoes. ...

'Great Gatsby' director, cast come home with Sydney premiere
Wed, 22 May 2013 06:23:35 -0400
By Thuy Ong SYDNEY (Reuters) - Director Baz Luhrmann brought "The Great Gatsby" home on Wednesday for its Australian premiere, with box-office success for the Sydney-produced film bolstering hopes for the resurgence of the local film industry. The film, set in 1920s New York and starring Leonardo DiCaprio as Jay Gatsby, is one of several international productions recently lured to Australia by federal government tax breaks and grants. The ambitious third adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's "great American novel" debuted at the Cannes Film Festival last week and has so far raked in $23. ...

Nerves of steel and hairspray are musts for Cannes red carpet
Wed, 22 May 2013 06:12:52 -0400
By Alexandria Sage CANNES (Reuters) - Walking the red carpet of the world's most famous film showcase is a test of nerves for celebrities, not helped by wind, rain and the chaos of hundreds of photographers shouting their names. From choosing the perfect dress and hairdo, to trying not to trip on the famous red steps, the pressure is on for movie stars and glitterati at the 12-day Cannes film festival on the swanky French Riviera which wraps up on May 26. ...

'Fashion Police' strike: E! president defends Joan Rivers, demands WGA election
Wed, 15 May 2013 21:27:04 -0400
By Todd Cunningham LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - E! president Suzanne Kolb on Wednesday sent a letter to eight striking "Fashion Police" writers, defending the show's host Joan Rivers and insisting on a sanctioned election before it would come to the negotiating table. The writers have been on strike since April 17, after expressing a desire to organize and join the Writers Guild of America West. The writers want the network to recognize the WGA as their bargaining representative, while the network is insisting that a National Labor Relations Board election be held first. ...

M&S's make-or-break clothing strategy gets early thumbs-up
Wed, 15 May 2013 07:59:06 -0400
By James Davey LONDON (Reuters) - Fashion media and analysts broadly welcomed Marks & Spencer's new clothing strategy and a preview of autumn/winter fashion ranges, giving the firm's boss some respite from pressure over falling sales. Britain's biggest clothing retailer said on Tuesday it would focus on better quality and styles in womenswear, deliver more compelling and clearer sub-brands, and make shopping easier in stores, as it tries to reverse nearly two years of declining sales. ...

Actress Gina Lollobrigida's diamonds fetch $4.9 million at auction
Tue, 14 May 2013 21:59:47 -0400
(Reuters) - Diamond jewelry belonging to Italian actress Gina Lollobrigida sold for more than 4.74 million Swiss francs ($4.9 million) on Tuesday in Geneva and set a record for pearl earrings, auctioneer Sotheby's said. Lollobrigida, a leading sex symbol of the 1950s and 1960s, said she was selling the jewelry to raise money for stem cell research. A pair of diamond and natural pearl earrings sold for 2.29 million francs ($2.37 million), an auction record. The earrings beat the $1. ...

Fashion's Betsey Johnson goes to therapy in made-for-TV comeback
Fri, 10 May 2013 12:32:38 -0400
By Eric Kelsey LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Mother-daughter therapy, nightly branzino dinners and pulls from a mimosa-filled water bottle at the gym. Welcome to just some of the life of Betsey Johnson, the eccentric and frenetic fashion designer whose personality goes on display in a reality television series beginning on Sunday on U.S. cable network Style. "XOX Betsey Johnson" casts an eye on Johnson, 70, best known for her bright, girly punk dresses, and her daughter Lulu as the inseparable duo look to relaunch their fashion careers after professional and personal setbacks. ...

Lady Antebellum 'dial back' for 'Golden' sound
Thu, 09 May 2013 18:16:05 -0400
By Vernell Hackett NASHVILLE, Tennessee (Reuters) - Lady Antebellum are growing up and getting sassy with their fourth studio album, "Golden," embracing a stripped-down sound to showcase their vocal strength as they prepare for an upcoming tour with a baby on board. The country band, formed by vocalists Hillary Scott, Charles Kelley and guitarist Dave Haywood in Nashville, Tennessee, released its latest album this week, which saw band members drawing on their live tour experiences. ...

Founder of Italy's fashion house Missoni dies at 92
Thu, 09 May 2013 09:16:36 -0400
By Isla Binnie MILAN (Reuters) - Ottavio Missoni, founder of the global family fashion empire that spawned the no-bra look and revolutionized textile patterns with its trademark bold stripes and zig-zag patterns, died on Thursday aged 92. A company spokeswoman said Missoni, commonly known by his nickname "Tai," died during the night in the northern town of Sumirago, at the family home next to the company's factory. He had been recently hospitalized for heart problems. ...

New York college cancels workshop with designer John Galliano
Wed, 08 May 2013 18:15:04 -0400
By Jonathan Allen NEW YORK (Reuters) - Fashion designer John Galliano, who was fired by Christian Dior over his anti-Semitic tirades, lost another job after Parsons The New School for Design canceled his workshop because they could not agree on conditions for a "candid conversation" with students. Last month, the college booked the British designer, once one of the most revered talents in the fashion world, to teach a workshop called "Show Me Emotion." His hiring drew complaints from some students who said the school should not employ someone who had been convicted of a hate crime. ...