Californian denim brand 7 for All Mankind will launch its spring 2012 campaign, created by James Franco (Rise of the Planet of the Apes) and the company’s agency Lipman.
   The multimedia campaign features a teaser, shot from Franco’s point of view, followed by numerous print and online visuals, and a full-length feature film to be released in May.
   The teaser is likely to break at 7 for All Mankind’s YouTube channel, youtube.com/7forallmankindjeans, which launches on February 15.
   The film is Franco’s first advertising campaign. ‘I was able to work in ways that were similar to what I do in the film world but in this case we had a tremendous amount of freedom. We were liberated from the conventional film apparatus and were able to create something both classic and new,’ he said in a release.
   All the episodes have been edited and directed by Franco.
   Various artists and models appear, including Lily Donaldson, Henry Hopper and Amber Anderson. The setting is a hedonistic Malibu house party in December.
   The company promises a ‘stimulating visual journey’ that, according to 7 for All Mankind president Barry Miguel, ‘takes the brand to a new level and communicates both our image and product in a new and compelling way.’

As reported elsewhere, Steve Jones has already confirmed on Twitter that he will not return for the second season of the US version of The X Factor as creator Simon Cowell tinkers with the show.
   The UK media, meanwhile, are speculating that Nicole Scherzinger will also get the boot, and there’s even a hint that Paula Abdul will be on her way out.
   One possibility is that Kelly Rowland will head to the US version after performing well on the original. Naturally, Cheryl Cole has been mentioned as another possibility, but that may well be down to wishful thinking and her undeniable support among Britons.
   Mariah Carey’s and Fergie’s names have also been mentioned.

Michael Buckner/WireImage

John Shearer/WireImage

Top Octavia Spencer and Viola Davis—Best Actress in a Supporting Role and Best Actress in a Leading Role—at the 18th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards. Above Mary Tyler Moore receives a lifetime achievement award from former co-star Dick van Dyke.

The Screen Actors’ Guild (SAG) Awards are often looked to, in order to figure out which film and which actors take out the top awards at the Oscars.
   If this year’s ceremony in Los Angeles is any indication, it will be civil rights’ drama The Help, which has won best cast, best actress for Viola Davis, and best supporting actress for Octavia Spencer.
   In accepting the ensemble award (above), Davis inspired the audience with her speech. ‘I just have to say that the stain of racism and sexism is not just for people of colour or women. It’s all of our burden, all of us … I don’t care how ordinary you feel, all of us can inspire change, every single one of us,’ she said.
   The Artist did not do as well, though star Jean Dujardin picked up the best actor prize.
   Christopher Plummer won best supporting actor for Beginners.
   Among the TV prizes, Paul Giamatti won best actor in a TV film or miniseries for Too Big to Fail, which covered the 2008 financial crisis. As at the Golden Globes, Kate Winslet won best actress for Mildred Pierce.
   Boardwalk Empire won the TV drama ensemble award, and its star Steve Buscemi won best actor in this category. Jessica Lange won the best actress in a drama series award for American Horror Story.
   Modern Family won best ensemble for a comedy series, while Alec Baldwin won best actor in a comedy series for 30 Rock. Betty White, 90, won best actress for Hot in Cleveland.
   Dick van Dyke presented a lifetime achievement award to Mary Tyler Moore—an actress his self-titled show in the 1960s brought to prominence—who wound up producing and starring in her own show in the 1970s. Her MTM Enterprises brought numerous series and dramas to the screen, including Lou Grant, Hill Street Blues and Remington Steele.

Dimitrios Kambouris, Kevin Mazur, Lester Cohen, John Shearer, Michael Buckner, Christopher Polk/WireImage

TV show America’s Next Top Model has a new fragrance, called Dream Come True, as a result of a tie-up between Hatchbeauty, its creative director Ben Bennett, and CBS Consumer Products. The licensing arrangement sees not only this initial fragrance, but future ones linked to the show.
   The plan is to collaborate with future winners on a new scent as part of their prize package.
   The new scent, originally revealed in the final episode of cycle 17, is being modelled by winner Lisa d’Amato (seen in the video below).
   Dream Come True has warm Tahitian vanilla notes with blooms of Amazonian lily and empress peony. It was developed by Hatchbeauty with Cosmo International and perfumer Arnaud Winder.
   The scent launched Friday at Target stores and select Regis stores in the US, with a range comprising a 1 fl oz eau de toilette (US$21·99) and a 30 ml perfume rollerball (US$12·99). There is an online store at store.shopdreamcometrue.com.
   Bennett had appeared in a “fragrance challenge” on cycle 17, episode 7 of the show, which aired on October 26.
   ‘Working with these very dynamic women was an exhilarating experience,’ said Bennett in a press release. ‘The excitement and enthusiasm that pervades the set inspired our inaugural scent. There is a joie de vivre the contestants conveyed that we tried to capture in the fragrance.’

Dream Come True: Meet Lisa from Hatchbeauty on Vimeo.

Sorelle, the luxury label of a third-generation shoe-making family, has launched in the US. The hand-made range of jewelled shoes—which includes gladiator sandals, flats and high heels—is made in Greece, using Italian leather, silk, Swarovski crystals and metal.
   The two sisters behind Sorelle, Aritsa and Valia Anastopoulos, follow in their grandfather’s footsteps in creating shoes. Their father, Theodoros, founded Ariana, a label specializing in elegant women’s shoes and leather items.
   Sorelle targets a high-end clientèle in Europe and Asia and hope to break into the North American market successfully. For retail opportunities, please contact info@sorelleshoes.com.

Our correspondent Joanna Mroczkowska has sent us some images from Netherlands-based Polish designer André Lisowski, one of the men behind the Delikatessen label. The latest look book for spring–summer 2012 features Polish model Greg Nawrat, the face of the Gucci spring–summer 2012 campaign.
   Delikatessen, co-founded by Stephen Hartog, aims to combine old-world craft and modern design. As the company itself states, ‘We forget products valued on status but instead appreciate those where the time, thought and true commitment are put into their development. We are modern artisans.’

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week

   While Maurice Luckett is in Berlin shooting Fashion Week, we stumbled across this image of Karolína Kurková and Eva Padberg from the official stash.
   On the main part of the Lucire site, Stanley Moss takes in the healing waters of the Hacienda Hot Springs Inn, a mere two hours from Los Angeles.
   We wish all our readers a happy and prosperous New Year!

Manfred Baumann

Sometimes, you can’t beat the candid shots that guests themselves at celebrity events take. In this case, Austrian photographer Manfred Baumann, and his wife Nelly, walked the red carpet at the Palm Springs Film Festival—along with Charlize Theron, Olivia Wilde, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, Tom Hanks and Al Pacino—and came prepared.
   He shot the black and white images with his Nikon V1.
   Baumann is currently in Los Angeles beginning work on his first movie.




Manfred Baumann

World of Wearable Art (WOW) founder, Suzie Moncrieff, becomes a Dame in the New Zealand New Year honours’ list today.
   Her honour comes on the same day as a similar award for businesswoman Rosanne Meo, and knighthoods for former All Blacks’ coach Graham Henry, former TV chef and Wellington City Missioner Des Britten, Todd Corp. chairman John Todd, and philanthropist Colin Giltrap. Painter and sculptor Ralph Hotere (Te Aupouri) was appointed a member of the Order of New Zealand.
   Moncrieff’s honour comes on the eve of WOW’s 25th anniversary. She started the event to promote wearable arts in Nelson, before it later moved to Wellington. It is a world-class event that attracts international media each year. The Hong Kong Jockey Club plays host to WOW later in January.
   In other news, comedian Russell Brand and singer Katy Perry will divorce, after only one year of marriage.
   Brand filed for divorce on Friday at the Los Angeles Superior Court, citing irreconcilable differences.
   They had already spent Christmas apart, not wearing their wedding rings.