Couture looks from left, Givenchy, Christian Lacroix, and Valentino.Photo: Imaxtree

Photo: Getty Images

What can't he do?Photo: Getty Images

Peter Cook.Photo: Getty Images

Photo: WireImage

The faces of Sensuous.Photo: Harper's Bazaar

Wintour’s success stems from a balance of stereotypical masculine strength and feminine beauty.

The magazine's circulation is 1.2 million, a Vogue spokesman said, essentially what it was when Wintour took over two decades ago. She came to represent a new archetype for a fashion editor: a master of the universe who wears her power as comfortably and impeccably as Chanel couture. It's an intimidating combination because it implies that she is a woman who is accomplished in the so-called masculine art of war and still knows how to use all the stereotypically feminine wiles. She is a double threat.

Givhan’s stint at Vogue was surprisingly drama-free, though her personal style was upgraded.

I worked at Vogue briefly in 2000, a fact that always elicits the question: What was it like? I'm well aware that the questioner is breathlessly awaiting tales of free clothes, frantic assistants and hissy fits over cerulean blue belts. I hesitate to spoil the fantasy, but during my short stay I never witnessed any toddler-size temper tantrums. My colleagues did improve my standard of dress, although by example, not by mandate or largess.

Vogue attempts diversity in its pages … sort of.

During Wintour's tenure, Vogue has incorporated street trends into its pages. It has put its stamp of approval on what was once called hip-hop style and now is merely urban style. But it does so on its own terms, by, say, including Sean Combs in a couture fashion shoot as a Cary Grant type with a tan. (It struggles with bringing diversity to its pages, as do most fashion magazines.)

Female political figures make for the most compelling Vogue subjects.

The magazine is at its most provocative, though, when it turns its attention to personalities not typically associated with high fashion—Oprah Winfrey, Laura Bush, Hillary Clinton, Michelle Obama, Cindy McCain, Condoleezza Rice. The resulting photographs are fascinating not because of any reality they reveal but because of the fantasy they unleash. Vogue sets its sights on an of-the-moment character and transforms her into an impossibly perfect version of herself.

The Editor Who Keeps Vogue in Fashion [WP]

Jason Giambi’s Mustache: Already Overhyped

Is there nothing that 'stache can't do?Photo: Getty Images

And so we weren’t surprised to read about the team’s plans for a “Support the Stache” campaign to encourage fans to vote for Giambi. They’ll distribute 20,000 fake mustaches at Yankee Stadium tomorrow night, and they say the faux facial hair will also be worn by team broadcasters and maybe even players. They’re even calling in the big guns, claiming the endorsement of the American Mustache Institute, which has provided one of its trademark over-the-top quotations: “Giambi’s significant first-half production as well as his powerful lip fur — indicating great intellect and good looks — make two very compelling reasons for his place on the American League All-Star roster.”

Now, we understand that baseball is a game, and it’s supposed to be fun and all of that. Really, we do. But, seriously, it’s only a mustache, people. And if this doesn’t stop now, will it ever? Will the 'stache be offered a book deal? Have an affair with an aging pop star? Land a Just for Men commercial? Though, on second thought, fellow nominee Jermaine Dye might have the inside track on that, based on name alone. Which is fine — we voted for him anyway. —Joe DeLessio

Giambi off to good start in Final Vote [MLB.com/Yankees]
Related: Jason Giambi Gets a Mustache Ride

Holy Crap: 50 Cent’s New Video Game Looks Awesome

New 50 Cent Trailer: Still Amazing [Kotaku]

Naomi Campbell, Naked and Winking

Naomi for i-D [Models.com]

Music Review: Little Jackie debut CD (AP)

AP - Little Jackie, "The Stoop" (S-Curve Records)

Quentin Tarantino Finishes ‘Inglorious Bastards’ Screenplay, Needs Money to Make It Into Movie

Photo: Getty Images

So who will pay for this thing? It's a decade-in-development spaghetti-Western-style homage to The Dirty Dozen, meaning it could be totally awesome, but maybe not his most commercial movie ever — and after Grindhouse we can't imagine there'll be much of a bidding war. If it's released through Universal, Sony, Paramount, or Warner Bros. (the four studios purportedly perusing the script), it'll be the first Tarantino film paid for by a major, meaning they'll probably make him put Shia LaBeouf in it or something. Either way, though, the lucky studio will get its fastest-ever turnaround on an investment, as Tarantino has publicly vowed to cast, shoot, and edit the movie by next May.

Quentin Tarantino Unveils 'Inglorious Bastards' To 4 Major Hollywood Studios [Deadline Hollywood Daily]

*Note: "On the other hand, Harvey optioned Wolf Boy, so he's okay in our book!"

Ikea Buses for All — Even Recovering Heroin Addicts!

Carroll Gardens: Amid the absolute hysteria breaking out in genteel Brooklyn hoods over the influx of increasingly aggressive raccoons, leave it to one CG-er to "wholeheartedly welcome the raccoons to the neighborhood." Let's hope a feral one doesn't eat your baby! [Curbed]
East Tremont: Sixteen pit bulls were rescued in the breakup of a longtime dogfighting ring run out of the basement of a man with a wife and three kids. Some of them might have to be euthanized because they're too vicious. (The dogs, we mean, not the kids!) [Mt. Hope Monitor]
Park Slope: Do you think it's unfair that a bunch of Slope parents were busted for having an open bottle of wine at their very civilized Prospect Park picnic when the surrounding scruffier beer drinkers were allegedly left alone? Or perhaps you think it's a perversely funny bit of class backlash on the cops' part? [Gowanus Lounge]
Prospect Heights: Atlantic Yards haters have appealed a State Supreme Court rejection of a proposed brand-new environmental-impact analysis of the epically controversial project. [Curbed]
Red Hook: If ever we resented Ikea invading the hood, it's been neutralized by news that a big chunk of riders on its free buses and ferry aren't even going to the store — and some are going to a methadone clinic! It's all so...Scandinavian! [NDYN & NYM]

St. George: This part of Staten Island, right where you get off the ferry, is the new Williamsburg. Well, that's what some graffiti there says, so it must be true, right? [Gothamist]
Stuyvesant Town: Hey, you. Yeah, the one who stole your neighbor's laundry from the laundry room. You have been identified — on videotape! And you have one week to return the clothes, or you're going to jail for the weekend. Now, as for that pot smoker whose smoke is drifting into the next apartment... [Stuy Town Lux Living]

Everyone Wants to Dress Like the ‘Gossip Girl’ Cast

Print this out and get thee to Barneys — all the cool kids are doing it.Photo: Courtesy of CW

Anyway, we digress. Girls find the characters' style so amazing they often bring pictures of Blair & Co. to stores and ask for the exact looks. Nanette Lepore says "within days after one of our dresses appears [on the show], the store gets calls." And Tory Burch says having items on the show "translates to sales" (though it seems these days just being Tory Burch translates to sales).

But what does all this Gossip Girl fashion madness really mean? We hope you dig the rich-schoolgirl look because it's going to run rampant on these streets come fall. Teen Vogue editor Amy Astley notes “ritzy, preppy and collegiate looks” were big on the fall runways, especially Marc by Marc Jacobs', Ruffian's, and Henry Holland's.

And yet, not all fans of the show are totally enamored with the clothes. Julia Sledge, 26, told the Times, “Sometime you see these girls from Brooklyn carrying Valentino bags that cost $3,000. That makes the show a little irritating.” Uh, has she seen Bedford these days? Maybe they're not toting Valentino, but come on.

Forget Gossip, Girl; the Buzz Is About the Clothes [NYT]

Barrymore Cuts Short Her Love for Long

Condit's slander suit against writer dismissed

Oh, Jeez: A Stripper Who Says She Slept With A-Rod Takes Cynthia’s Side

Candice Houlihan: You can read the remorse in
her eyes.Photo: Steve Connolly/Startraksphoto.com

According to Houlihan, a Boston resident and former exotic dancer, Rodriguez spotted her in the stands during a 2004 game against the Red Sox and asked her out. They met at a club in Back Bay.

"It was killing me and I felt bad afterwards," she said. "I’m not a bad person. I know how it feels to be cheated on, it sucks. But a couple of drinks later, I didn't notice all that much, to tell you the truth."

Houlihan said A-Rod had a couple of shots of tequila and a few Sex on the Beach cocktails, then they went back to A-Rod’s room at the Ritz-Carlton and had sex. But, she added, they also talked all night and seemed to hit it off.

“He said he had a big game the next day. I like to say I helped us win,” she explained, pointing out that 2004 was the year the Red Sox finally triumphed over the Yankees and went on to win their first World Series since 1918. “I reversed the curse!”

Oh, Candice. Judging by how Cynthia has begun to wage war on A-Rod, the Red Sox curse is the last one we'd be concerned with if we were you.

Ex-stripper to Cindy: Alex Rodriguez won’t ‘change his spots’ [Boston Herald]

Artist Adam Wallcagave: the Undisputed World Leader in Barnacled Light Fixtures

Adam Wallcagave’s UMI (2008)Courtesy of Jonathan LeVine Gallery

Adam Wallcagave, a skilled plasterer who apparently lives in the pages of a Jules Verne novel, has submerged Chelsea's Jonathan LeVine Gallery through July 26, decking it with gaudy, barnacled chandeliers with names like Lady Pinkwater and Nina Simone that seem to want to wind their shiny tendrils around you like some sort of sea monster. One can only imagine the nursery of Wallcagave’s progeny: a gooey little lair where Nemo might fancy hiding out. —Emma Pearse

Music Review: A hit from The Baseball Project (AP)

AP - The Baseball Project, "Vol. 1: Frozen Ropes and Dying Quails" (Yep Roc)

An Ubisoft employee at work

Review: Shallow `Journey' gains depth in 3-D form (AP)

AP - Hollywood wisdom through the ages has always been that no technological innovation — the transition from silent film to sound, black-and-white to color, hand-drawn animation to digital images — could ever make a bad movie into a good one.

‘Weeds’: We Sit Shivah for Albert Brooks

Photo: Courtesy of Showtime

Celia, having been threatened with the orange uniform for not ably enough pursuing Guillermo Garcia Gomez on behalf of the Feds, gets dragged by the hair into Guillermo’s warehouse for spying. (The last time a connection of Nancy’s posed a threat, he washed up on shore.) With Bubby dead and gone (and shivah properly, if wanly, observed), Grandpa decides to sell the house and throw the Botwins to the lions in the process — until he discovers the softness of the real-estate market, Nancy's stash of cash, and a con to keep him living well in Paris. (Farewell, Albert Brooks! How will this season limp on without you?)

Meanwhile, Nancy and Uncle Andy wait in the desert for burly Mexican police with big guns and duffel bags of marijuana. Nancy delivers these to Guillermo, along with a question: Where’s the SUV? She couldn't fit both the weed and a passenger in her Prius, and so a deeply stoned Andy was left in the night, eventually wandering off in the direction of Iowa with a group of Mexicans. We only hope that the more people Nancy alienates, the sooner she'll have to shepherd everyone back to Agrestic. But we're guessing instead that it's out with the hybrid, in with the gas guzzler. Next thing we know, Shane — perhaps TV's most neglected, lovable preteen — will be hauling down to the tattoo parlor for a butt marking as inexplicable as the U-Turn sign Nancy got for herself last season. —Emma Pearse

Is Kate Moss Out at Rimmel?

We sense an impending catfight.Photo: WireImage

Lily Cole to Rimmel [Fashionista]
Coty Inks a Pair of New Faces for Rimmel [WWD]

Clouds are seen above the Hollywood sign in Hollywood, California

Madonna, Britney joining forces again

Daniel Radcliffe in "Equus"

Psychiatrist : Brinkley should get custody

Christie Brinkley Never Met a Cliché She Didn’t Like

Photo: Getty Images

Today, on day four of the trial, it was even worse. This morning, Andrea Peyser, bless her angry heart, called Brinkley out on several more exceedingly banal statements from yesterday:

"I believe in karma," she said. "I believe in the golden rule. I believe in positive encouragement, whenever you can."

She also reportedly wished the media a happy Fourth of July, adding:

"I'm looking forward to my independence day."

Honestly. What is going on here? Has she been programmed?

But the most chilling moment of all was yet to come.

Today, Brinkley's "expert" witness, a psychiatrist named Dr. Stephen Herman, appeared on the stand to dissect Cook's character:

He said his narcissism was "deep-seated." "He needs constant reassurance that he is a terrific guy, handsome, accomplished, etc." "Where most people need some quiet 'feeding' with their egos, Mr. Cook has an insatiable appetite." [Emphasis ours.]

Does this guy also speak in clichés? Or is it contagious? Jeez, Louise.

Brinkley's Expert Witness Calls Cook a Narcissist [NYP]

A man looks at Goya drawings

‘Vogue’ Shape-Issue Numbers Were Bad, But Gwyneth’s Were Worse

However, that issue shouldn't feel too bad about itself since it's not the worst seller of the year. That honor belongs to the May issue with Gwyneth Paltrow on the cover. That one sold just 310,000 copies on newsstands.

We can't help but note that this is not Anna Wintour's week (and it's only Tuesday!). First her beloved Roger Federer loses Wimbledon, and now her mag's cringe-y sales numbers are splashed all over the blogs like a celebrity who just gave birth. Happy hour's on us, lady.

'Vogue' King Kong Cover Thuds on Newsstand [Mixed Media/Portfolio]

Related: ‘Vogue’ Shape Issue Is Anything But
What's Wrong With This Month's ‘Vogue’ Cover

Could Seth MacFarlane Be the Best Thing About ‘Hellboy II’?

Strange as it may be to say it, maybe so! We're big fans of Hellboy creator Mike Mignola and director Guillermo del Toro — not to mention Ron Perlman, Selma Blair, Doug Jones, and even Jeffrey Tambor — but the idea of the Family Guy creator playing an upright ectoplasmic German trapped in a pressurized suit cracks us up even thinking about it. And this clip makes MacFarlane sound like the Nazis in Top Secret!, which makes us laugh even more. Early reviews suggest that MacFarlane steals every scene he's in, calling him "brilliant," "hilarious," and "riotous." Who would have thought that the voice of Stewie might turn in the best bit-part performance of the year? We'll have to remember him for next year's Vulture Award.

Exclusive Clip: See ‘Family Guy’ Creator Seth MacFarlane’s Character In ‘Hellboy II: The Golden Army’ [Movies Blog/MTV]

Madonna Is Having an Affair With Gwyneth Now (or Something)

PaltrowDonna.Photo: Getty Images

The 'Like a Virgin' singer was dancing on a table at 4am when she dragged Gwyneth up to join her. Then—as party-goers watched in amazement—Madonna grabbed Gwynnie, pulled her to her and kissed the stunned Hollywood star full on the mouth.

Girls kissing! Shock! Amazement! We can't wait for the book! No; only kidding. Madonna being sexually experimental was news in, like, 1981. But we do have to hand to Ciccone's publicists for finding an anecdote that combines the two memes of the moment: infidelity plus hot lesbian action. Way to go, Simon Spotlight! Keeping reading alive, you are.

Madonna Grabbed Gwyneth and Kissed Her Full on the Mouth [U.K. Sun via Us]
Related: Casey Johnson and Courtney Semel Are 'Completely in Love'

The Media Has Vastly Overestimated Kanye West’s Insanity, According to Crazed Blog Post

Photo: WireImage

"It's 'Golden Rule' writing. I think, 'What if it was about me?'" —David Sedaris on toning down his writing about his family and friends [AP via Yahoo]

"I think everybody is a secret admirer of Barry Manilow. When I was kid I used to be fully into punk — you know, the Sex Pistols, the Ramones — and/or progressive rock — Peter Gabriel, Genesis, Pink Floyd. But secretly, at the end of the day, the cassette that went into my car was 'Mandy.'" —Guillermo del Toro, closeted Barry Manilow fan [MTV]

"The toughest thing about being a movie director is resisting the temptation to be a nice guy." —Rob Cohen has no problem being an jerk [MTV]

"For the first couple weeks I just wanted to walk around with a t-shirt that said, 'It's prosthetic.'" —Adam Scott on getting asked about his sex scenes in Tell Me You Love Me [BlackBook]

Roberto Cavalli Decides Not to Sell, and You Can Probably Guess Why

Photo: Getty Images

“The timing is not ripe yet for such a step. What’s more, as I have already said a thousand times, we don’t need [to sell].”

…“A year ago, [the banks] spoke to me about certain numbers, which today have vanished with the stock market crisis,” Cavalli told Il Sole. “I’m not selling for 800-900 million [euros].”

Merrill Lynch had valued the company at 1.4 billion euros (about $2.19 billion). Quite a few private-equity funds were set to make pretty serious bids on the company next week — alas, it seems the captain is not yet ready to abandon his helm. We suggest all formerly interested bidders take a long lunch and go shopping in their new spare time.

Roberto Cavalli Backs Off Selling Company [WWD]

'Free' Bon Jovi Concert Tix Sell for $1,500

`The Wackness' is trite coming-of-age pic (AP)

AP - Like "Definitely, Maybe" from earlier this year, the coming-of-age dramedy "The Wackness" asks us to dig deep within our nostalgia wells and reminisce about the mid-1990s.

In China’s New York, Twin Towers Still Standing

REAL ESTATE
• China's World Park, built in 1993, contains replicas of major cities around the world. New York is represented complete with the Empire State Building and…the Twin Towers, still. And at least one person is mad. [Curbed]
• Not all bankers are feeling the strain of the economy: A UBS banker bought a Park Avenue duplex for $20 million. [Real Deal]
• Why do so many skyscrapers around the city have similar-sounding names? Because, builders say, there are only so many ways to describe a glass box. [NYT]

FINANCE
• Warren Buffett just keeps giving money away like it grows on trees: The oracle of Omaha doled out $2.05 billion in stock to charities. [CNN]
• New lending rules to be announced by Bernanke next week. [DealBook/NYT]
• Here's a reason not to go bottom-fishing: Warburg Pincus made an $800 million investment in MBIA, but now the firm is taking a $215 million write-down on its stake. [NYP]

MEDIA
• Condé Nast pulled the plug on Golf Digest for Women, not necessarily because of the bottom line: The magazine's editor-in-chief, Susan Reed, was tapped for the O: The Oprah Magazine head-editor job, so the brass at 4 Times Square decided that, rather than replace her, they might as well fold the publication. [Mixed Media/Portfolio]
• Fashion photographer Mario Testino spills the beans on the concept for Vogue magazine's September issue. Spoilers! [WWD]
• A Folio writer wonders whether the large amount of real estate that Time gives humorist Joel Stein hints that there's a judgment problem at the magazine. [Folio]

LAW
• A former Skadden lawyer who was fired in 2005 for alleged inappropriate charging of clients is firing back: She filed a suit against the firm, saying that her car-service use was no different from that of other lawyers at the firm, but that Skadden was looking for a reason to replace her with a much younger man who fit the firm's "macho" image. [WSJ]
• A complaint filed in New York State Court alleges that the former head of intellectual property at Kasowitz, Benson, Torres & Friedman sexually harassed at least twelve female employees — seven of them in one night. [Law.com]
• There is a strategy when it comes to picking your law-firm friends. [Law.com]

Sacha Baron Cohen Possibly to Blame for Gay Cage-Fighting Matches in Arkansas

Courtesy of Paramount

This, combined with the speculation surrounding other Baron Cohen sightings, makes now the greatest-ever time to pull gay-themed pranks and get tons of attention. We're looking forward to Brüno, but we're probably even more excited to hear about all the drunk dudes kissing at football games and NASCAR events in the hopes of getting on the Drudge Report.

Fake Ark. bouts showing men kissing draw suspicion [AP]

Britney and Madonna to Lock Lips Again?

Carla Bruni

Placido Domingo rehearsing in Vienna

Ethical designer Hamnett enjoys fashionable return (Reuters)

Reuters - British designer Katharine Hamnett is relishing a comeback now that the fashion world has finally caught up with her campaigning notions about clothes.

Queen of Romance: Madonna's Many Loves