The Truth About Ralph Lauren And Their Misleading Pink Ponies.

This is a story about Ralph Lauren and how his naughty Pink Ponies taught an aspiring journalist to read between the lines and keep her pennies where she could see them.

As an eager and enthusiastic intern on my very first day at a fashion magazine, I was absolutely thrilled to be given my first story to get cracking on. The story was about Ralph Lauren and their Pink Pony Campaign, a global initiative launched by Mr. Lauren himself following the death of a dear friend of his to breast cancer. My job was to promote the Pink Pony Walk through Sydney as well as the Pink Pony Collection, from which 20% of all sale proceeds are donated to the National Breast and Ovarian Cancer Centre. And so, what came to be was my first piece of published writing: 'Ralph Lauren, Pink Ponies And The Fight Against Cancer'.

I was tickled pink - excuse the pun - with my efforts. The article was colourful, fun and supported a good cause. I even caught myself thinking: 'Fashion isn't superficial - it's about philanthropy and using glamorous things to help those in need'. A quick trip to Bondi Junction proved me oh-so-wrong.

I stepped into the gorgeous Ralph Lauren store at the Junction with every intention of purchasing a piece from the Pink Pony Collection. These intentions were short-lived when I found that a black t-shirt featuring the international brand's signature polo player in pink was a whopping $180. I felt enraged and so disappointed - how could a t-shirt possible cost that much? The more I thought about it, the more thwarted I felt.

Since 2002, Ralph Lauren has donated over $500,000 to the NBOCC from Pink Pony merchandise sales. That is a large amount of money but lets do a little calculation, shall we? If 20% of proceeds are donated from the sale of Ralph Lauren Pink Pony t-shirts, this means that a donation of $36 is made for each one sold at $180. In order to make a donation of that size, 13,900 Ralph Lauren Pink Pony t-shirts must have been sold for an approximate total of $2,502,000. From that $2,502,000 spent by Australians, only a measly fraction has been donated to the cause. What a joke.

If each person who owns an item from the Pink Pony Collection had, instead of paying the exorbitant prices demanded by Ralph Lauren, donated their money straight to the NBOCC, they would not only feel so much better about their generosity but would have also contributed to a donation of more than $2,500,000 to benefit programs run by the National Breast and Ovarian Cancer Centre.

And why do we need to wear our philanthropy anyway? We should be able to donate and feel good enough about the fact that we've donated without parading around with our donation on our torso. Don't get me wrong, I think any donation is better than no donation. But please, I urge you to put your money where it should be. Visit nbocc.org.au to make a donation today.

Happy, Happy Holidays With A Calvin Klein Twist. [Tangent Magazine]

All around the globe Calvin Klein stores have unveiled their annual holiday window displays, but this year they have added a bit of an innovative twist.

Everyone loves Christmas and the holiday spirit that comes at this time of year.

Whether you are having a European white Christmas or a sunny Australian Christmas, you can’t help but relish in the tinsel and the decorations and those gorgeous Christmas carols.

But this year, Calvin Klein have used their annual holiday windows to give shoppers a uniquely refreshing holiday twist – one that will certainly give you something to feast your eyes on.

The traditional Christmas paraphernalia has been done away with and instead shoppers will see an unusual installation that was completed in collaboration with artist Anthony Goicolea, a Cuban-American artist living and working in New York, whose provocative work is recognised and admired in both the worlds of both art and fashion.

The installation, ‘Middle Night, a short film by Anthony Goicolea’, was inspired by early 19^th century toys, snow globes, shadow puppets and flip books and emphasises the basic principles of light, shadow and movement.

The viewer escapes their own world and is transported into a wintertime world, where snow falls endlessly as white canvas tents billow in the wind.

Inside the tents, there are shadowy, silhouetted figures shown dancing, singing, hanging stockings and having a festive dinner party. The action unfolds as the observing camera rotates in a 360º clockwise motion.

The ambience conveyed and the revelry exhibited in ‘Middle Night, a short film by Anthony Goicolea’ really makes you feel like Christmas has arrived. And also that it might even be a good time to pitch a tent and have a go at camping. Or, maybe not so much.

If you can’t make it to a Calvin Klein store, ‘Middle Night, a short film by Anthony Goicolea’ is viewable in its entirety at calvinklein.tv and at cku.com.

Fancy A Sleep-Over With Maison Martin Margiela in Paris? [Tangent Magazine]

Then you are in luck – all you have to do is count down the days until April 2011.

Our favourite elusive fashion house, Maison Martin Margiela, is set to re-create a hotel on (arguably) the most fashionable strip of the most fashionable city in the world.

The entire ground floor together with 7 suites and 10 guest rooms of the hotel Maison Champs-Elysées will be reconceived, renewed and re-created to embellish all things Maison Martin Margiela.

Can you even imagine? Probably not, because the Maison is just fabulous at keeping secrets and ensuring we are always surprised.

But, the fashion house has given us a little taste of what this project might bring:

‘Maison Martin Margiela creates a theatrical environment where reality and trompe-l’œil are mixing together. The result is several sets with intertwined references giving an atypical ambiance harmoniously opposing past and present’, says Maison Martin Margiela.

Located in the historical building of the Maison des Centraliens and set amongst the Grand Palais and the Champs Elysées in the very heart of Paris, this soon-to-be five star hotel is destined to be heavenly.

Unfortunately though, we will all have to hold our breath until the Maison Champs-Elysées is unveiled next April.

The '11 Pirelli Calender, Compliments of Lagerfeld - Love Or Not So Much? [Tangent Magazine]

Last year Terry Richardson gave us blatant nudity with splashes of colour and plenty of sexual innuendo. This year Karl Lagerfeld has taken a very different, perhaps more conservative, approach to the famously sexy Pirelli Calendar.

As one would expect, Lagerfeld adds an element of sophistication to the 2011 Calendar, drawing on Greek mythology and using distinct black and white photography.

And, as if Lagerfeld wasn’t a big enough drawcard (because really, who isn’t intrigued by the man behind those ever-present shades?) – the models are among the crème de la crème.

Julianne Moore. Daria Werbowy. Erin Wasson. Lara Stone. Freja Beha Erichsen. Abbey Lee Kershaw. And so many more.

Better yet, for the very first time in Pirelli history, we get to enjoy a handful of delicious male models, in all their Greek-god glory.

So boys and girls, are we impressed by Lagerfeld’s erotic Greek vision or left wanting a little bit more of the raw, artistic nudity that the Pirelli Calendar is best known and loved for?