'Obama Effect' Gives Black Models a Boost

(NEWSER) - Naked photographers, orders to strip for no reason and sex assaults are a troubling part of the modeling business and involve some of the top names in fashion, according to a new documentary by a popular model. "Every girl I have talked to has a story," model Sara Ziff tells the Guardian. "It's all under the radar because people are embarrassed and because the people who are doing these things are much more powerful, and the model is totally disposable." More»

(NEWSER) - The economy is in freefall, which makes it a good time to be blond, the Times of London reports. Flip through the latest Vogue, and you’ll see page after page of blond-haired, blue-eyed beauties—a shift from the “quirky” faces sought after in recent years to grab the consumer's attention. Modeling agencies say advertisers are clamoring for conventionally beautiful blonds, which they view as safe and reassuring. More»

Model Lauren Bush might lean a little left

(NEWSER) - Lauren Bush, the president's fashion model niece, thinks Barack Obama "seems like a strong leader," the New York Post reports. And that's not the only sign that the 24-year-old wants a little distance from her famous fam. She's dubbed her upcoming clothing line Lauren Pierce—borrowing her grandmother's maiden name. "Obviously my last name is associated with politics," she says. More»

'There is no controversy,' he declares as he flouts industry standards

(NEWSER) - Designer Marc Jacobs is flouting fashion industry recommendations by sending 14-year-old models down his catwalk. “I do the show the way I think it should be, not the way somebody tells me it should be,” Jacobs told the New York Times after his Manhattan presentation. "There is no controversy." Health initiative guidelines set by the Council of Fashion Designers of America—which includes Jacobs on its board—recommend that runway models be at least 16 years old . The age limit has been touted as a sign of progress in an industry plagued by anorexia. "The industry's hiring of prepubescent-appearing teenage girls as models of adult clothing sets an unrealistic standard; the curves that define the female figure are absent," said council president Diane von Furstenburg. Models who attempt to maintain a child's body into adulthood "run the risk of eating disorders," she warned. More»

And Lana Del Rey has a lot of implants, says fashion designer

(NEWSER) - It's always fun when Karl Lagerfeld opens his mouth , which he did quite a bit during a recent stint as guest editor of Metro . His most buzz-generating quote is about Adele: "The thing at the moment is Adele," he says. "She is a little too fat, but she has a beautiful face and a divine voice." More of his thoughts:

• On Lana Del Rey : "She looks very much like a modern-time singer. In her photos she is beautiful. Is she a construct with all her implants? She's not alone with implants."