The image of Angelina Jolie on the cover of the new issue of Harper's Bazaar is unusual for the magazine. For Bazaar didn't shoot it, but rather they pulled it from a photo wire service. Angelina did not talk to the magazine for the story inside, either. But that didn't stop Naomi Wolf from penning an essay about how great she is. So liberated and empowered, so magically hot that even straight women want to sleep with her, so infallible she's a home wrecker, yet also an amazing mother. According to Bazaar, Angelina can and has done no wrong.

Yet such effusive praise is odd considering Angelina wouldn't speak to the magazine or do a photo shoot for it. Everyone does photo shoots for Bazaar — Sarah Jessica Parker, Halle Berry, Gisele, Jennifer Aniston, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jennifer Lopez, we could go on. Is Angelina too cool to pose for the magazine? Too busy? Too important? Empowered and liberated enough without subjecting herself to interviews or photo sittings? Simply lazy? It doesn't matter. But if she doesn't want to participate in her own press, maybe magazines should take a hint and not cover her so much. The world would be, if not necessarily better, more tolerable, certainly.

The Power of Angelina [Harper's Bazaar via People]

Hamptons season is upon us, and a slew of beachy new stores have cropped up this spring to cater to all your getaway needs: tiny bikinis, oversize sunglasses, flirty dresses, floppy hats, totes, and — for those who like to commemorate the annual summer exodus — an assortment of exclusive Hamptons beach towels. The ever-expanding retail scene includes newcomers like Steven Alan, La Perla, and Madewell, supplying everything from skimpy lingerie to distressed jean shorts. We've rounded up a smattering of notable newcomers for your next seaside jaunt.

Sara Ziff began modeling at the age of 14 in New York. At her third casting, in the East Village, models went in to see the photographer one by one. When it was her turn, the photographer said he needed to see her without her shirt. Then he said it was still hard for him to imagine her for the story, so he asked her to take her pants off, too. Nervous, just 14 years old, and eager to succeed in her new profession, she obliged.

Stories like this are all too common in the modeling industry, though unlike anorexia or body-image issues, they're hardly publicized. Ziff aims to expose them in the documentary she made called Picture Me. Over five years, she took cameras backstage at shows, to parties, and on photo shoots. Her now-ex-boyfriend, a filmmaker, came with her and shot, too. She gave cameras to fellow models and asked them to share their stories. Model Sena Cech described a disturbing casting with one of the industry's top photographers:

London Fashion Week is the fourth-most-important Fashion Week each season. Of the four major fashion capitals, it's the one Fashion Week Anna Wintour doesn't attend, even though she was born and raised in London. When retailers cut traveling budgets, trips to London are easily expendable. When New York wanted to move its Fashion Week dates up, London Fashion Week was forced to cut back to a mere five days. But next season a number of big labels are returning to London, after having shown in other, more important cities for seasons. Burberry, Matthew Williamson, and Pringle of Scotland are all going back to their home city to show in September. (Burberry and Pringle of Scotland have been showing in Milan, while Williamson has been showing in New York.)

Yohji Yamamoto has canceled his spring 2010 men's show, scheduled for the end of this month in Paris, “due to the worldwide economic situation.” Instead, the designer — who ingeniously put old men on the runway a year ago — will show his new collection by appointment only in his Paris showroom.

We're starting to feel a little afraid for the men's shows this season. Armand Basi and Veronique Branquinho also won't show in Paris (Branquinho must shutter her eleven-year-old label entirely, owing to the economy). Who knows if more designers will drop out. New designers to the calendar might not outnumber those who have dropped out, as previously reported. On the upside, Issey Miyake's men's collection will return to the runway after seasons of presentations, Tim Hamilton is staging his first men's show, and Alexis Mabille will stage his first men's show.

Yamamoto Nixes Paris Men’s Show [WWD]

Behold the stupendously cast fall 2009 Dolce & Gabbana campaign. Models include Jesus Luz, David Gandy, Noah Mills, Adam Senn, Julienne Quevenne, and Eva Herzigova. Steven Klein shot the ads at Gleason’s Gym in Brooklyn, where Mohammad Ali and Mike Tyson used to train. Noah, Adam, Eva, and David are pros. But this is Jesus's first major campaign (he's on the right in the foreground), and the fashion community's mixed response to him continues. A commenter on the Fashion Spot writes, "Jesus ruins that shot for me." And another, "I'm [sic] I the only who thinks that Jesus looks photoshopped in there??? Its a very odd and terrible ad ... ." And a third, "Jesus..what an eyesore." And yet a fourth, "Jesus doesn't stand out..ew." Perhaps they miss the point of Jesus. Sure, his eyes are a little empty, it's unclear what the hell is going on with his hair, and there is a distracting, abrupt difference in color between his neck and the rest of his body. But it's Jesus! And he's "friends" with Madonna! And sometimes that's enough. Besides, his body does lend itself to short shorts and open robes.

Dolce & Gabbana Menswear F/W 09.10 by Steven Klein [Fashion Spot]

• Pringle of Scotland will return to London Fashion Week this September. As previously announced, Burberry and Matthew Williamson are also returning to London. [WWD]

• Harry Winston's first-quarter sales dropped 30.4 percent from a year earlier. The Harry Winston CEO says business is improving, however. [Reuters]

• Stephanie Seymour's divorce from husband Peter Brant turned violent this weekend when police were called twice to her house in Greenwich, Connecticut. A bodyguard for Brant is charged with shoving Seymour. [NYP, AP]

• Lara Stone landed the new campaign for Eres lingerie. [WWD]

• Major breaking news: Regis Philbin likes thigh-high boots. [WWD]

The Obamas went to France on Saturday to commemorate the 65th anniversary of D-Day with the Sarkozys. As though part of a springtime-dressing conspiracy, Michelle Obama and Carla Bruni-Sarkozy wore startlingly similar white ensembles. Michelle wore a white Michael Kors coat over a white sheath dress likely by Narciso Rodriguez, cinched with a silver Givenchy belt. (Many outlets incorrectly reported that the dress was by Michael Kors, but the label issued a statement to clarify they made the coat.) Carla wore an off-white dress by — who else? — Dior, topped with a black coat similar in cut to Michelle's. So as not to emasculate their world-leader husbands, they both wore kitten heels, as usual. Clearly, when two glamorous First Ladies get together wearing dresses, one must take the best-dressed prize. In this case we can probably all agree that prize should not just be words of praise in blogs and newspapers around the world but also a gift basket consisting of Shout stain-remover wipes, Clorox bleach pens, and a two-pack of Oxiclean Spray Away. Because even First Ladies aren't stain resistant. Last time these two met, we not-at-all arbitrarily declared MObama the winner. But this time we'll ask you — who wore white better? Carla or Michelle? Leave your answer in the comments!

Also, see what Michelle wore getting off Air Force One on Saturday and the outfit she wore to go shopping with her daughters yesterday in the Michelle Obama Look Book.

Michelle Obama and Carla Bruni - Their Latest Fashion Face-Off [StyleList]
The Michelle Obama Look Book

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