gorgeous fashion

Leading Spanish fashion houses including Inditex and flagship brand Zara agreed an unprecedented move to draw up a beauty “canon” including harmonizing dress sizes after a recent storm over the number of young women suffering from anorexia.

The 12-point package of measures, or beauty “charter” — drawn up with the health ministry — includes a stipulation that shop windows display sizes of 38 minimum (size 10 in Britain, eight in the United States) and that size-46 apparel be placed in easy view in stores under the generic label “large sizes.”

In a joint statement the couturiers said they intended to harmonize sizes in a bid to reduce the possibility of “consumer error” with sizes currently not in sync from one firm to the next.

Aside from Zara, other signatories included Cortefiel, Mango and chain store Corte Ingles as the Spanish firms, most of whom also sell their wares abroad, are reacting to concerns that anorexia is on the rise and that models are “excessively thin.”

Nora Ephron’s “grimly hilarious meditation on the rottenness and rewards of being 65″. Sounds like a real page-turner.

In advance of announcing the winner of the 2006 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Award ($200,000), Vogue Editor in Chief Anna Wintour gave a run-down of what’s become of winners past. She also spoke very highly of the award’s career-boosting effects. “In only the third year of the competition, we know that to win a first or runner-up prize is to receive a substantial professional boost. The inaugural winner, Proenza Schouler, is one of the most important collections in New York, and its moving spirits, Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez, were nominated for Womenswear Designer of the year in 2006 by the CFDA. Last year’s winner, Trovata, has just launched a terrific handbag line… Runners-up winners ($50,000) … have also thrived. Thom Browne, in addition to growing his own brand, is now a guest designer for Brooks Brothers. Michael and Nicole Colovos of Habitual have moved on to become…”

Tony winner LaChanze, looked totally modern in a white crystal embroidered dress by little-known Spanish designer Pertegaz, as she walked the red carpet to the awards. The unassuming yet elegant little dress was described as “thoroughly modern”, but turned out to be a vintage piece from the 1930’s.

The right tote bag has the power to transform your life. The wrong tote bag can set back your social standing and shipwreck you on the island of suicidal ideation. With that sobering reality in mind, we set out to identify the best tote bag on earth. We spared no expense and left no tote-covering stone unturned. Here are the results.

1. T. Anthony
2. L.L. Bean
3. Coach
4. J. Crew
5. Lambertson Truex
6. Barneys New York
7. Gap
8. Longchamp
9. MZ Wallace
10. Herve Chapelier

The L.L Bean bag floats, by the way.