Some Nature Lovers Uncommitted | Stiletto or Snapdragon? | 'Diamonds are Forever'

Living

The King of Really Big Diamonds Heads to China NYTimes

Laurence Graff, a major if not the biggest dealer in big diamonds, is not inclined to market his baubles on models.

“The people who wear Graff jewelry own it,” says Henri Barguirdjian, who heads Mr. Graff’s United States sales operation. “I think it is a bit of an insult to our clients who actually purchased our jewelry,” he adds, referring to the notion of non-owners wearing Graff jewels. “If you spend $1 million, that is a lot of money. Do you want a little model wearing it?”

With Gisele Bündchen, wearing diamond earrings from Van Cleef & Arpels to the recent Met gale honoring Alexander McQueen, the ‘little model’ reference may not ring true. Forbes lays out their argument for Gisele becoming the world’s first billionaire model.

When in Rome (and Everywhere Else):

Vogue’s 20 Favorite Shops in 20 Cities Vogue.com

Some people spend their summer holidays rappelling down mountains, windsurfing, parasailing, bungee jumping, spelunking, and indulging in other tame, dull stuff. And then there are the true daredevils: thrill-seekers who don a fresh sundress, a pair of high-heeled sandals, and set out to find the most seductive shops in their vacation destinations, searching for one-of-a-kind souvenirs, or even better, inspirations for the fashionable days ahead.

Several designers embarked on a similar course for their recent resort collections (at least in their imaginations). Michael Kors dreamed of Bondi Beach; Derek Lam was wowed by Bhutan and Phuket; Suno was gaga for Hawaii; and Altuzarra swayed to the rhythms of St.-Tropez.

Green Beings

Out of Sync With Nature

Casual Nature Lovers Less Likely to Support Conservation Groups AOC Green Beings

Ji-Young Jung, Sun-hwa Park & Sojung Yoon | Kim Je Won | ‘Spring Picnic’ | Singles Korea May 2011

If future generations spend no time enjoying nature, how can this be good for conservation?

Serious hikers and backpackers tend to become members and financial supporters of environmental and conservation groups, unlike casual garden picnic makers or woodland tourists. Over a decade after hiking or backpacking in nature correlated with a willingness to financially support any of four representative conservation organizations: the Nature Conservancy, World Wildlife Fund, the Sierra Club or Environmental Defense. The typical backpacker gave $200 to $300 per year, after the dozen-year lag.

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Leslie Blodgett | Bare Escentuals | Sassy Summer Shorts Suits | Suzanne Lenglen

People

Bare Escentuals Founder Leslie Blodgett

Move Over, Estée Lauder NYTimes

Leslie Blodgett, left, the chief executive of Bare Escentuals. Right, Estée Lauder in 1961.Peter DaSilva for The New York Times; Getty ImagesFor openers, the NYTimes writes:

Not since Estée Lauder dabbed Youth-Dew behind the ears of thousands has a lone woman so influenced the beauty industry.

We didn’t know that Shiseido bought Bare Escentuals for $1.7 billion last year, making it one of the biggest cosmetic industry takeovers in history. A key term of the deal was that the founder continue, not only as chairman, but as ‘face’ of the brand.

Meet Leslie Blodgett, whose mother warned her often that she would never amount to anything if she didn’t get serious about her future.

Design

Serious Business in Hot Weather

Short Suits for the Office and Beyond WSJ.com

Left to right, summer suits from Akris, Bottega Veneta, Jason Wu, Wes Gordon, Erin Fetherson

Sassy, crisply tailored Smart Sensuality suits proliferated the Spring Summer 2011 runways.

‘I particularly love putting super dressy details on shorts to allow them to be worn in the evening,’ said Jason Wu earlier this week. The designer will offer a cropped tuxedo look, including a bow tie, in his upcoming resort collection. Black tie affairs may take on an entirely new look.

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