BARBIE DESIGNED BY STEFANO CATURI SELLS FOR $302,500

THE MOST EXPENSIVE BARBIE IN THE WORLD, WITH JEWELS DESIGNED BY AUSTRALIA'S STEFANO CATURI, HAS BEEN SOLD AT CHRISTIE'S IN NEW YORK FOR $302,500. MATTEL COMMISSIONED CANTURI TO CREATE A FINGER-WIDE NECKPIECE AND TINY MATCHING RING TO PROMOTE ITS NEW BARBIE COLLECTION. THE JEWELERY SET FEATURES A NECKLACE MADE FROM THREE CARATS OF WHITE DIAMONDS SET AROUND A ONE CARAT, SQUARE EMERALD-CUT PINK DIAMOND. JEWELER STEFANO CANTURI ALSO DESIGNED THE DOLL'S BLACK STRAPLESS PARTY DRESS, PEEP-TOE STILETTOS AND TUMBLING BLONDE HAIR. 'I WANTED THE JEWELRY DESIGN TO PAY HOMAGE TO BARBIE'S MODERN YET TIMELESS STYLE OVER THE AGES', CANTURI SAID. THE DESIGN WAS INSPIRED BY CUBISM. THE CANTURI BARBIE NOW LEADS THE PACK OF MOST EXPENSIVE BARBIE DOLLS EVER MADE, FOLLOWED BY BARBIE AND THE DIAMOND CASTLE PROMOTIONAL BARBIE ($95,361). ALL PROCEEDS FROM THE SALE ARE GOING TO AID BREAST CANCER RESEARCH.

CRISTIANO RONALDO NEW ARMANI SPOKESMODEL

CRISTIANO RONALDO HAS SWAPPED HIS REAL MADRID UNIFORM FOR SOMETHING SKIMPIER IN THE NEW CAMPAIGN FOR EMPORIO ARMANI UNDERWEAR. THE REAL MADRID FOOTBALLER HAS REPLACED DAVID BECKHAM AS THE FACE, AND BODY, OF THE ITALIAN LUXURY FASHION BRAND. NEVER THE MODEST TYPE, RONALDO APPEARS TO HAVE EMBRACES HIS NEW MODELING CAREER WITH GUSTO, STRIKING A SERIES OF MOODY POSES AND SHOWING OFF A SIX-PACK WHICH WOULD MAKE ANYONE GREEN WITH ENVY. THE 24 YEAR OLD REPORTEDLY MAINTAINS HIS CHISELED ABS BY PERFORMING 3,000 SIT-UPS A DAY. GIORGIO ARMANI WAS FULL OF PRAISE FOR THE 'SEXY' SPORTSMAN. 'CRISTIANO IS A GREAT LOOKING YOUNG MAN WITH THE PERFECT PHYSIQUE OF AN ATHLETE. FOR ME, HE IS THE ESSENCE OF YOUTH, SPONTANEOUS, EXCITING AND A REAL MAVERICK. IT IS FOR HIS ENERGY THAT I HAVE CHOSEN CRISTIANO TO BECOME THE NEW FACE OF ARMANI JEANS AND EMPORIO ARMANI UNDERWEAR, FOR HIS YOUTHFUL, EXCITING, AND, YES, SEXY ATTITUDE'. IN THE AD FOR ARMANI JEANS, ALSO IN MOODY BLACK AND WHITE, RONALDO CAN BARELY KEEP THE JEANS ON. HE SAID: 'GIORGIO ARMANI IS A LEGEND IN THE FASHION WORLD AND I HAVE LONG BEEN A FAN OF HIS WORK. I AM VERY PLEASED WITH THE PICTURES WE HAVE DONE TOGETHER, THEY ARE CERTAINLY STRIKING AND ARE FULL OF ATTITUDE AND A SPIRIT I CAN RELATE TO.'

ANYA HINDMARCH TO DESIGN FOR BARBOUR

LUXURY ACCESSORIES DESIGNER ANYA HINDMARCH, WHOSE CELEBRITY FOLLOWERS INCLUDE SCARLETT JOHANSSON, MADONNA AND CLAUDIA SCHIFFER, HAS BEEN CHOSEN TO DESIGN A NEW COLLECTION OF JACKETS FOR THE ICONIC BRITISH OUTERWEAR COMPANY BARBOUR. 'IT WAS FASCINATING WORKING IN THEIR HISTORIC ARCHIVES, SEEING THE BARBOUR STORIES BEHIND SOME OF THE COATS FROM EXPLORERS, MILITARY MEN AND HEROINES', HINDMARCH TOLD VOGUE UK IN A RECENT INTERVIEW. 'WE HAVE RESPECTED THE ORIGINAL DESIGN BUT PLAYED WITH THE CUT, FIT AND DETAILS. IT HAS BEEN FUN TO ADD A LITTLE ANYA HINDMARCH STYLE TO SUCH AN ICONIC BRITISH BRAND.' THE CAPSULE COLLECTION OF FOUR PIECES WILL BE AVAILABLE THIS AUTUMN FROM THE DESIGNER'S STANDALONE BOUTIQUES AS WELL AS SELECTED BARBOUR RETAILERS WORLDWIDE. BARBOUR, WHICH WAS FOUNDED IN 1894, HOLD ROYAL WARRANTS FROM HM QUEEN ELIZABETH II, HRH THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH, AND HRH THE PRINCE OF WALES.

MADONNA FEATURED IN NEW DOLCE & GABBANA SPRING/SUMMER 2010 CAMPAIGN

IN THIS WEEK'S ITALIAN EDITION OF VANITY FAIR IS THE EXCLUSIVE WORLDWIDE PREVIEW OF THE NEW DOLCE & GABBANA SPRING/SUMMER 2010 CAMPAIGN FEATURING THE ICONIC POP STAR MADONNA. THE STUNNING NEW PHOTO EDITORIAL IS INSPIRED BY THE CLASSIC ITALIAN NEO-REALISM CINEMA, AND SHOW A VERY DOMESTICATED MADONNA WASHING DISHES AND PREPARING FOOD AT A DINING TABLE. DESIGNERS DOMENICO DOLCE AND STEFANO GABBANA SAID; 'TO HAVE MADONNA IN OUR CAMPAIGN IS A DREAM COME TRUE.'

GUCCI LAUNCHES 5th ANNUAL CHARITY CAMPAIGN SNOWMAN OF AFRICA

GUCCI HAS RECENTLY LAUNCHED ITS FIFTH ANNUAL CHARITY CAMPAIGN TO BENEFIT UNICEF. IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS THE LUXURY DESIGN HOUSE HAS RAISED ALMOST $7 MILLION TO SUPPORTS UNICEF'S EFFORTS IN EDUCATION, HEALTH-CARE, PROTECTION AND CLEAN WATER. THIS YEAR'S STUNNING COLLECTION IS INSPIRED BY SNOWMAN IN AFRICA, THE SEQUEL TO THE BEST-SELLING CHILDREN'S BOOK SNOWMAN IN PARADISE. GUCCI WILL ALSO SELL THE BOOKS ALONGSIDE ITS LIMITED EDITION CHARITY ACCESSORIES COLLECTION IN ITS BOUTIQUES WORLDWIDE AND ONLINE. 100% OF THE BOOK'S RETAIL PRICE, AND 25% OF THE BAG SALES, WILL BENEFIT UNICEF. THE ACCESSORIES AVAILABLE INCLUDE THE LARGE JOY BAG, AND THE SMALLER COIN PURSE AND WALLET. AS THE NAME OF THE COLLECTION SUGGESTS, THE BAG'S FEATURE AN APPLIQUED SNOWMAN STANDING IN A FIELD OF AFRICAN GRASSES AND WRAPPED BY A NATIVE SNAKE. THE SNOWMAN IN AFRICA COLLECTION WILL ONLY BE AVAILABLE UNTIL 31.DECEMBER.