Monday Fashion News: Kate Moss is Designing Everything and More

First of all we want to make a few clarifications. We erroneously reported on Friday that Cloak designer Alexandre Plokhov's special limited edition collection for UNIQLO's Designer Invitation Project (pictured at left) had been canceled when Cloak had to shut its doors earlier this year. In fact, this is not true, and we had been misinformed by another media source (bad WWD!). Our friends at UNIQLO quickly set us to rights about the whole situation, but, unfortunately, not before some other blogs picked up on the story, so let us say once and for all, Alexander Plokhov for UNIQLO will be happening, and Alice Roi will be arriving on time this Friday. We are glad because A. we want the clothes, and B. we think Mr. Plokhov is very talented, and we hope this will help him get back to work very soon.
And while we are on the topic of designer collaborations (or model collaborations as the case may be) Kate Moss continues to flex her design muscles not only for Topshop (May 8, Barneys, expect a mob scene) but also for the French accessories brand Longchamp whose ads she has starred in for the past year. having now established her brand with her own logo, Kate has been adding her two cents to the design process over there, and the result is their new bag, the "Legend" a modified doctors' tote/duffel style (at right). Longchamp has been undergoing a image makeover lately, and it looks like they are on the right track.
Speaking of image makeovers (You like the segues or have we been watching too much Access Hollywood?) the fashion rumor mills are all abuzz over alleged news that Oscar winner Reese Witherspoon is on the verge of signing an endorsement contract with Estée Lauder. Lauder, once known for it's iconic single model advertising, has dramatically expanded its roster of faces, and Witherspoon would be joining fellow gold statuette holder Gwyneth Paltrow, Elizabeth Hurley, superstar models Carolyn Murphy and Liya Kebede, and budding supermodels Anja Rubik and the just signed Hilary Rhoda. That's a lot of faces, but Reese has been on an fashion roll since January when she debuted her unofficial yet mutually beneficial collaboration with Nina Ricci designer Olivier Theyskens. Suddenly, she's at the top of the Hollywood style heap (and what a heap it has become), so who can blame her for cashing in?
Longchamp's Legend (Vogue UK)
Reese Witherspoon's Beauty Move (The Daily)