Rodarte Won't Get Credit for Designing Black Swan Costumes

According to Fashionista, Kate and Laura Mulleavy - the designers behind Rodarte, won't be credited for their obvious contribution to the costumes in Black Swan. The Mulleavy sisters created 40 costumes for the Darren Aronofsky thriller, including outfitting the entire ballet corps. So it's crazy that Rodarte will be shut out of the Oscars.

A source told The Hollywood Reporter, that the Mulleavy’s were “naive about movies,” meaning they didn’t negotiate credits in their initial deal, and weren’t members of the the Costume Design Guild when they worked on the film (they are now). They are ineligible for Oscar consideration because the rules dictate that only the front credit designer is eligible. Amy Westcott will take the credit, as she received the “front credit” as costume designer for the film while the Mulleavy sisters only receive a backend credit.

The Mulleavy’s have since changed their representation. Somewhere an entertainment lawyer is crying over this...

Chunky Heels

It looks like some relief is on the way for high-heel wearers. Chunky heels of varying heights were seen across the catwalks of the Pre-Fall 2011 collections. Seen above: Stella McCartney shoes. You can also see a lower version of these babies in Fab Sugar's slide show here. I'm going to be all over hunting for the lower black version - cute, career appropriate, and comfy!

Essie's "French Affair" Spring 2011

It's snowing like crazy in Toronto today. Seems like a good time to post about Essie's new Spring 2011 nail polish collection with it's cheerful pastel hues. Pictured above: Essie "French Affair" Collection nail polishes Nice Is Nice, Coat Azure and French Affair. I'm not a huge Essie fan, but I'll give these babies a try when they hit my salon.

Spotlight: Urban Decay's Vegan Policy

Urban Decay, the beauty brand best known for bright colours and goth-y names like Asphyxia and Oil Slick, turns 15 this year. Their "vegan palette" is featured on the left.

Style Junkie is launching something new, too! We're going to spotlight different fashion/beauty brands and check out whether they are animal friendly. Ratings will be out of 5 paws.

Urban Decay's website says they never test on animals: "Urban Decay is, and always has been, a cruelty-free company. You’ll notice that every box bears our cruelty-free credo: “We don’t do animal testing. How could anyone?” We insist on producing beautiful, irreverent, high-end cosmetics without conducting animal testing." Nice! They've also flagged which products contain no animal ingredients. Some do, some don't. Their website has some animal rights symbols to help identify products. Urban Decay now has a “Marley Approved” symbol to identify vegan products on their website.

I'm giving them 4.5 paws out of 5. They aren't completely vegan, but the site is full of enough information to help people make vegan choices. And, I love their no animal testing policy. Nice work, Urban Decay!

Mulberry’s Spring 2011 Campaign, Starring Lindsey Wixson and Nimue Smit

The web has been a flutter with new images from the S/S campaigns. This Mulberry ad caught my eye. Mostly because it looks like something from ANTM. Doesn't it just scream "Mr. J styled me?" Something about it doesn't seem high fashion enough. Maybe it's just me? Fashionista has more shots here.

New Scent from Etro - Via Verri

Milano has helped inspire a new scent from the Italian fashion house Etro. Via Verri, named for the Etro Profumi Boutique, is a limited-edition fragrance intended to convey a sense of energy and adventure through a blend of feminine florals (rose, jasmine, iris), heady notes (amber, musk) and spicy accords (white pepper, cardamom). Hopefully, Holts will get some of this stuff soon. I know my girl, Vanessa, will be all over this! More from T Magazine.

Funny Ontario Superior Court Decision

Jezebel has picked up on a story about an Ontario divorce decision that is going viral. Ontario Superior Court Judge Joseph Quinn -- no, not the Joseph Quinn from Dexter pictured here -- slammed a couple for "marinating in a mutual hatred so intense as to surely amount to a personality disorder."

The judge also pronounced the idea of reconciliation "laughable," mentioning the wife's attempt to run the husband over as — "always a telltale sign that a husband and wife are drifting apart."

Further evidence? The husband's habit of giving his wife's house the bird whenever he passed. Observed Quinn, "a finger is worth a thousand words and therefore, is particularly useful should one have a vocabulary of less than a thousand words." Ouch!

Matt & Nat are having a sale!

Our favourite Canadian vegan hand bag desigers Matt & Natt are having a giant sale - up to 70% off. Check it out here.

This bag, Muse, is on sale for $115.50. Adorable!

This ain't no Birkin

T Magazine has a story about how a screen-printed tote featuring a likeness of Hermès’ iconic Birkin bag is becoming the anti-status symbol. Roni Brunn and Olena Sholomytska, the duo behind the company (Thursday Friday) that makes the bag, have created a line that references luxury but in a cheeky and charming way.

The Together bag by Thursday Friday at thufri.com.

Natalie Portman is Engaged!

Reps for the vegan Goddess extra-ordinaire, Natalie Portman, have confirmed to People.com that she engaged to choreographer Benjamin Millepied and that she is pregnant with the couple’s first child. The couple met filming of Black Swan, where Millepied served as both the choreographer and dance partner to Portman and co-star Mila Kunis. Congrats!

Portman was also recently named the new face of Dior's Miss Dior Cherie fragrance. Dior remade all their fabulous shoes in vegan-friendly fabrics for Portman. Amazing! If only they were available for the rest of us!

America's Next Top Model, errr... Summer Associate?

This is a bit of an older story but somehow no one I know picked up on it...
Sara Albert (now Sara Hallmark), who made it to the final four on America’s Next Top Model – Cycle 6, has managed to snag a summer associate position in the Washington office of a major international law firm. I guess her OCI was really "fierce." Above the Law has the full story here.