Fashion News Roundup: 07/30/08

1. Camouflage your iPhone: "Louis Vuitton has their new Camouflage range of handbags however; also included in the range is an iPhone and iPod case . . . These cases are not cheap, selling for $280. The design for these cases was inspired by Japanese artist Takashi Murakami, who has worked on a number of other Louis Vuitton bags in the past." The Japanese will eat this thing for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

2. Tilda Swinton makes it onto Vanity Fair's International Best Dressed List and reveals that her perfume of choice is none other than the Queen Mum's favorite, Penhaligon Bluebell: "It has the exact smell of dense blue, of shadow, of the cool, damp ground, of the wood and bark on the trees. This scent seems to me the perfect representation of the thing, even if it were nothing like the actual scent of a bluebell."

3. Estee Lauder and Clinique file lawsuits against Preferred Fragrances for alleged trademark infringement: "The Estée Lauder Cos. Inc. and Clinique Laboratories Inc. have filed a lawsuit against Preferred Fragrance Inc. alleging trademark infringement in connection with alleged knockoffs of Lauder-branded fragrances . . . The lawsuit charged that Preferred trades on the "investment" of others as it copies the scents of famous designer fragrances. An example is Obsession, which Preferred allegedly called Fascination in its knockoff scent. Another is White Diamonds, which was called Round Diamonds, the lawsuit charged." Round Diamonds? They could have been sued for the creative bankruptcy behind that name alone.

4. John McCain wears nice shoes -- Salvatore Ferragamo loafers, to be exact; but what shoes does Obama wear?

5. Designer Matthew Williamson steps down as head of Pucci: "Matthew Williamson's time at Italian design house Pucci might be coming to an end. WWD is reporting that Emilio Pucci is currently searching for design assistants to replace the British boho designer who is about to open a store in the US." Matthew Williamson has done a terrific job of revitalizing Pucci for the 21st century consumer. It will be interesting to see who they bring on board to replace him.

6. Australia Retail Sales fall the most in six years: "Consumers are being buffeted by record gasoline costs, rising food prices and the central bank's decision to raise its benchmark interest rate in March to 7.25 percent, the highest since 1996. There is 'pretty clear evidence' consumers are cutting spending, Reserve Bank of Australia Governor Glenn Stevens said this month . . . 'The retail sector certainly appears to have fallen on hard times, and looks set to experience a bleak winter,' Richard Gibbs, an economist at Macquarie Group Ltd. in Sydney, said ahead of today's report." C'mon, Australia! Where's your sense of adventure? Get out those credit cards and charge, charge, charge!