“It is with great disappointment that we read Camera Nazionale della Moda’s statement released earlier today, that they will continue to break the dates agreement and schedule shows over New York and London Fashion Weeks,” a statement from the British Fashion Council read this afternoon. “No one would agree that this is in anyway an ideal situation but we have and continue to receive incredible support from both international and domestic media and retailers to retain the existing agreement.”

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Episode eight involves the girls being taken shopping and told they have five minutes to buy three outfits – instructions they receive with slack-jawed horror, as if they had just been asked to land the Space Shuttle. “Oh, my God, I just can’t do this,” Amelia says, tottering around scratching her head. “I just thought, I’m going to give up. It’s ridiculous,” Alisha squawks.

It’s not spoiling anything to say that they do somehow manage to purchase the clothes. But can they put them on? Tune in to find out. Or not.

WE LOVE IT!

The experience includes an exclusive set from 2manydjs, plus a dramatic stunt with 100 MARTINI women!

LUCK IS AN ATTITUDE is the newly launched brand campaign for a new generation that identifies with the core values of MARTINI while staying true to its heritage. It is about living life to the fullest, taking a chance and daring to be playful.

David Gandy, the world’s only male super-model who personifies LUCK IS AN ATTITUDE will debut a talent search on Facebook across sixtreen countries called Kisser Casting. The role involves kissing then women and is paid €150,000. The successful candidate will be chosen by a high profile selection panel and will become a worldwide MARTINI star of its new TV ad.

FOR IMAGES & FOOTAGE FROM THE EVENT ON PLEASE GO TO WWW.IMAGE.NET

Frankly, most designers are not interested in someone who is in a position to really judge the quality of their designs. What good does it do them? It is just another opinion among so many. Just look at any major NY show and you will see who is considered of real importance. The front rows are filled with celebs, socialites, family, close friends and those editors of status deemed friendly to the designer. Hardly a critical audience. The designer is preaching to the choir.

There was a time when the out-of-town press would come in to cover and review the shows for their readers. These full-time paid fashion writers took their jobs seriously and expressed their approval or dismay over what they saw on the runway. They also provided serious feedback to the designer. But, over the past 10 years, most of them are gone now. They do not come in because they are not invited. Why, because their opinion is no longer wanted. Why should a designer risk negative press? No press is better than negative press.

So, in their place, the rooms are now filling with 20-something year old fashion bloggers (and even younger) with mostly dubious credentials and questionable taste, junior staff members of major magazines (how many depending upon how much the designer spent on advertising in the magazine), pr firm “favorites” with no direct relationship to fashion other than they are well connected, sponsors’ friends, and more and more these days paying ticket holders who have deep pockets.

Besides Cathy Horyn, and maybe Robin Givhan, in New York where is the cadre of “informed” independent writers who cover the designer collections? Even WWD, being owned by Conde Nast, is alway suspect of playing up those designers who advertise the most in their other fashion books. Who dares speak for fear of not being invited next season? Designers and their publicists have to put up with some of the big national press, but for the rest of us it is: “Sorry but due to the great demand, we cannot not accommodate your request for tickets this season”.

-Ernest Schmatolla