STYLE DRAMA

New Year. New Issue. But the same boring covers.

British Vogue put actress Cate Blanchett on its January 2009 cover, captured by Patrick Demarchelier.

Surprise-surprise! We discovered that Kaiser Karl is Britney Spears’s biggest fan, as the designer himself presented the Best International Pop award to Britney at yesterday Bambi Awards in Germany.

He said ‘I hope this is only the first award…Not only do I admire you for your art and energy but for you’re amazing comeback.’

Probably Karl is going to shoot her for the new Chanel ads, hmm?

We’ve always wondered why the Russians love everything shiny and glittering? Even when they reprint fashion magazines covers, they add a touch of extra glam.

Jennifer Lopez, who graced the cover of US Elle a couple months ago and Uma Thurman, who posed for US Instyle, became more beautiful and brighter on the Russian reprint covers. Actually, our ladies increased their tan quotient. They do look more glamorous in Russian.

Maria Sharapova is seen more in fashion magazines these days, than on a tennis court. The Russian tennis ace strikes a pose or two for Spanish GQ and wows us with her transcending beauty.

Pirelli calendars always make our hearts beat faster. From last year’s China-themed  one, Pirelli moves to Africa this year with a modicum of models: Mariacarla Boscono, Malgosia Bela, Daria Werbowy, Randal Moore, Lara Stone, Emanuela De Paula, and Isabeli Fontana, and a host of wild animals. The calendar soars to new heights among the lush plains and infernal beauty of the African veldt.

Our burlesque Queen did what she is famous for. Dita von Teese stripped off for German Playboy December issue.

Wearing nothing but stockings and suspenders, knee-high PVC boots and a white basque, Dita delivers a racy photo shoot for Christmas.

And finally Sarah Jessica Parker confirmed the SATC sequel with filming to begin in mid 2009.

‘I think shooting next summer is a realistic timetable,’ said SJP. ‘That’s when we’d start shooting to be out in 2010. But that means we need to figure this out in the next couple of months.’

Is it necessary to say that we are excited?

The anticipated 2009 Vogue Paris Calendar has just arrived and is as sexy as you would expect from Carine Roitfeld, the magazine’s editor-in-chief.

The calendar features 14 different models including Jourdan Dunn as a sexy nurse, and Ali Michael as a sexy cheerleader. All are photographed by Terry Richardson and styled by Carine Roitfeld as pinups in Louis Vuitton lingerie and shoes.

See the full calendar by clicking here.

2009 will be very productive for the high street brands with Alexander McQueen designing a line for Target and Matthew Williamson doing a capsule collection for H&M.

WWD.com has just reported that the Swedish fashion giant  has tapped the Englishman as its next guest designer for summer 2009, including men’s wear.

“It is an incredible opportunity to be working with H&M, creating a ‘Matthew Williamson for H&M’ capsule collection. I love the fact that H&M have created a new phenomenon in fashion through the pioneering concept of collaborating with high-end designers to create one-off limited edition capsule collections. I am thrilled that my creations for H&M will be accessible to and hopefully enjoyed by so many people around the world,” – the designer commented.

So, we are expecting Williamson’s signature colorful prints on skirts and dresses, and can’t wait to sport all of that stuff.

The famous Vargas pinup girls were given a rebirth by celebrity photographer Tim White, whom decided to honor Alberto Vargas, the pin-up girls painter, with a book called Hollywood Pinups.

Alberto Vargas’ work in Esquire magazine involved semi-nude, elegantly (un)dressed women painted in a style, which became known as the legendary Vargas pinup girls (whose alluring visages were also found on the airplanes of WWII pilots).

Angie Harmon, Susan Sarandon, Kate Hudson, Tea Leoni, Michelle Trachtenberg, Elisha Cuthbert, Denise Richards and even the Olsens are all given a touch of  that old Hollywood glam in Tim White’s photographs.