Michelle Inspires Shoppers—All the Way to the Hospital

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."

Some frown on Ikram Goldman picking Michelle's designers

(NEWSER) - Michelle Obama may have good fashion sense, but it's Ikram Goldman who holds the lock and key to the first lady's closet, reports the New York Times in a look at their unusual relationship. The Chicago boutique owner ultimately selected four designers—each featured in her store—for the inauguration, causing some to frown on the exclusivity Goldman enjoys, the fact that she's not a stylist by trade, and her ability to profit from the arrangement. More»

Critics debate adapted designer dress, look fwd to four years of Obama style

(NEWSER) - The Narciso Rodriguez sheath Michelle Obama chose for election night has set the fashion world abuzz. The black-and-red dress—a less revealing adaptation of a frock from the American designer’s spring 2009 runway collection—was "a breath of chic air," LA Times fashion critic Booth Moore writes. But she's in the minority, says Ruth La Ferla of the New York Times. More»

Chief exec Jeff Bezos swears he won't undercut retailers

(NEWSER) - Anxious retailers are watching Amazon penetrate its next big market: high-end, designer clothing. Having already scarred publishers and lowered prices in electronics, Amazon is making a "significant" investment in fashion and wooing designer brands, says Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos. "It's Day 1 in the category," he tells the New York Times . The megasite has long sold clothing, but now shoppers can find brands like Vivienne Westwood and Jack Spade on Amazon's MyHabit website . 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»