Vogue Ladies on a Roll

It may surprise those of us immersed in the fashion industry that most people couldn’t care less about what Anna Wintour is up to, or who in the world Carine Roitfeld is.  Yet the influence that these Vogue editors and their staff have is nothing short of astounding - even if most are unaware of it.

Although the average person may not have heard of Vogue Nippon's fashion director, Anna dello Russo, the street style photographer favorite is coming out with a fragrance called "Beyond", for which she is the face. She is also campaigning for it via her blog.

It's another sure sign that editors are well on their way to being the new crop of celebrities. That said, initial reactions to the fragrance, which launches in December and is packaged in a golden shoe, have not been overwhelmingly positive (the packaging alone has us thinking kitschy at best, tacky at worst).

Is Dello Russo just the latest bold faced name to capitalize on her connections and recognizable face with no design (or in this case, nose), to back it up? That remains to be seen.

Meanwhile, according to Fashionista socialite, Vogue contributing editor Lauren Santo Domingo is working on launching an online truck show business. The svelte blond has already raised $1.15 million in funds, thanks to New Atlantic Ventures, a firm that is known for supporting burgeoning companies. Given the socialite’s connection and vast personal wealth, it’s little surprise that she would be able to raise the funds to get her business off the ground.

The idea for Santo Domingo’s site (her partner is Aslaug Magnusdottir, who once worked for Marvin Traub at TSM Capital, according to Fashionsta), is that it will live-stream fashion shows. Members will then be able to order looks almost immediately, straight from the designers/manufacturers.

Hard to imagine that this will be possible, as looks seen on the runway don’t ultimately always get made.  But if it works, it sounds like an awesome idea, and a way for the general public to have more of a voice when it comes to the designs they would actually want to purchase, or see in stores.