It’s been widely covered but don’t want to miss posting the Buzzfeed article from yesterday, asking why runways are so white. Five top casting directors responded and it’s clear from some of their answers that the simple answer is that they themselves are racists–sometimes it’s actually that simple! Barbara Nicoli, casting director for Burberry, Marchesa, Gucci, Emilio Pucci, Armani Privé & Saint Laurent was the most egregious, taking an old worldview on not only body types but what is sexy:

“It’s also true that, for example, Caucasians have a specific body type, black girls have a specific body shape, and Asian girls have a specific body shape. So I guess there are some collections where it’s more perfect for an Asian body shape because they are more flat and less sexy, in a way. Asians, they are not curvy, so to put an Asian [who's] very flat [with a] baby body shape in a show where normally the designer knows they love sexy, beautiful, curvy girls, it’s a bit of nonsense.”

But as bad as she was, casting director James Scully was amazing, calling out some of the heaviest hitters in the industry:

“I feel the Dior cast is just so pointedly white that it feels deliberate. I watch that show and it bothers me — I almost can’t even concentrate on the clothes because of the cast. And recently they’re changing from a very diverse, worldwide, multicultural cast to just a very Germanic-looking white girl. If I were at Dior tomorrow, there would be black girls in that show. I was also disappointed that Saint Laurent, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, and kind of every other important fashion house — not one of them were racially diverse at all this season. My own personal stance is that the more diverse, the better. A lot of my casts were indicative of that, especially Jason Wu and Tom Ford.”

This is why I laugh when old media “journalists” complain and kvetch from their front-row seats about fashion bloggers ruining fashion, meanwhile oohing and ahhing about Chanel’s globe for half of their so-called reviews and complaining about who was or wasn’t invited for the rest.  The truth is if new media didn’t come along someone would have had to invent it because old media coverage of fashion was failing badly and the unfortunate part is that its classist/racist world views still dominate and continue to poison the fashion environment of today.

I had to share with you Diane Pernet’s op-ed piece on fashion critics called, “Who Watches the Watchmen,” from the blog, The Business of Fashion. Pernet covers lots of ground like the relationship between advertising and editorial coverage:

“It is no wonder that most ‘critics’ are not critics, but just give a report of what goes down the runway, without voicing any real opinion. It is also no secret that for more than the past decade, editorials have been ruled by advertisers. You place an ad, you get an editorial page, and if the advertiser does not get proper coverage, they pick up the phone and demand editorial coverage or they will pull their money. So, can you really expect a critic for a publication that thrives on that ad money to say that the Chanel or the Louis Vuitton show was crap? Not likely.”

Pernet concludes with her appreciation of bloggers, another reason why the woman is a #Boss:

“I find it amusing the way so many seasoned journalists are still threatened by bloggers. The bloggers are not masquerading as mature journalists. They are more like consumers excited to find themselves suddenly given access to the shows and along with that, a certain degree of credibility. The ones that write their content based on who is paying the bills are no better/or worse than the magazines that only report on their advertisers.”

Read the complete feature here.

A lovely bootie with trompe-l’oeil detail, perfect for that time of year when you want to shed your winter footwear, but still need a fully covered shoe. See various angles of Francis on the flip and purchase her.

Just in time for Spring Chanel releases the Camellia high top sneakers featuring a cluster of camellia’s on the upper with their iconic double C’s on a petal. While the version above is great to look at, the all black version spotted on Jourdan Dunn’s instagram is  much more our speed.See on the flip.

Spotted at Capsule last month were these Chanel suspenders available at Wonderland Vintage. See more pictures on the next page.

If you fell in love with the Chanel lego clutch you’ll probably succumb to the charm of Agabag’s ‘Gucci Tribute’ clutch. See it in more detail on the flip and purchase here.

Tilda Swinton, who just appeared in David Bowie’s latest music video, now got the official face of Chanel’s Metiers d’art Paris Collection. Mister Karl Lagerfeld chose the actress, because she “perfectly embodies the Paris Edimbourg collection. She is of course Scottish, but more than that she is a modern woman, a timeless icon of elegance.”

The ad’s of the Paris Edimbourg collection will start appearing in May 2013 pubications.

The Spring/Summer edition of French Revue de Modes comes with sixteen different covers featuring singer Rita Ora and models Alison Nix, Ashley Smith, Anaïs Pouliot, Ajak Deng, Camille Rowe, Anja Konstantinova, Carola Remer, Daniela Braga, Hirschy Hirschfielder, Kelly Mittendorf, Madison Headrick, Manon Leloup and Mila Krasnoiarova. All models pose in sexy looks from designers Roberto Cavalli, Burberry Prorsum, Christian Dior, Zadig & Voltaire, Jeremy Scott, Louis Vuitton, Diesel Black Gold, Jean Paul Gaultier, Ralph Lauren, Paco Rabbane and Chanel with images lensed by Thierry Le Goues.

Check all covers in the gallery on the next page.

Inspired in part by by the gold chain bracelet from Chanel’s famed 2.55 bag, Chanel’s “Premiere” watch also features an octagonal face evoking the house’s signature fragrance bottles. Plus, there is the black colorway, a favorite hue of Coco Chanel. Brand new on the market, the blend of Chanel style signatures makes this gorgeous piece of jewellery somehow so familiar and even classic.

Take a closer look on the “Première” on the next page.

Fashion loves a juxtaposition. Pairing opposites together creates an interesting look and is often at the forefront of many trends. Wearing more tailored pieces with sneakers is a sure fire way of bringing the best of both worlds together, lifting the tailored trousers from formality with a touch of urban streetwear. And the sneakers are taken from the street to… well, wherever you want to take them. A winter of locking our feet up in leather boots and we’re ready to lighten our step, and our wardrobes.

Check our selection on the next page.