The Fashion Rocks festivities in Rio kicked off last night with a benefit dinner in honor of Mario Testino and Donatella Versace, who arrived at the Copacabana Palace with Brazilian actress Mariana Ximenes.

View more pictures of the red carpet after the jump.

After temporarily losing movement of his legs due to a serious car crash back in July, I am thrilled to see that model Fernando Fernandes went horseback riding in Brasília over the weekend. Now that he is clearly recovering from the accident, can someone please remember to ask him to take his shirt off before hitting the record button on the camera? And I would also not mind if he were to agree to go horseback riding in a swimsuit next time.

• Actor André Arteche jogging at the beach.
• Meet 20-year-old Lucas Gondin, the new Mr. Gay Santa Catarina. He is up for the title of Mr. Gay Brazil this coming Monday at the national finals in São Paulo.
• The 14th Annual Rio Gay Pride has been rescheduled from October 11 to November 1 because of another possible swine flu outbreak in the country by mid-September.
• Architect Isay Weinfeld is designing the Las Piedras Villas & Hotel Fasano in Punta del Este, set to open in time for summer in the southern hemisphere.
• Visionaire's Cecilia Dean will be making her way to Brazil for Pense Moda, one of the biggest fashion seminars in the country which takes place from November 3 to November 5.
• More bronzer please: behind the scenes footage of the Lady Gaga shoot with Mario Testino for V #61.
• Model Fernando Fernandes backstage at the D&G Anthology campaign (also shot by Mario Testino).
• Whitney Houston does GMA.
• Lola joined Madonna on stage last night in Israel. The final concert of the second leg of Madonna's Sticky & Sweet tour happens tonight.

• How cute are Ricky Martin and his babies at the beach?
• It's all about the clutch bag for Marc and Lorenzo.
• Jesus Luz is rumored to be spinning at Royal club in São Paulo on August 28. He is DJing at Pacha in Búzios this Saturday.
• Pedro Andrade says Minetta Tavern is his favorite restaurant in New York right now, and recommends you try their black label burger.
• Model Fernando Fernades talks on national television for the first time since his car crash on July 4. The accident resulted in severe spinal cord injuries which caused Fernando to lose movement from the waist down. He is undergoing three physical therapy sessions a week, and is focused in recovering from the accident.
• More shots from the new Tom Ford eyewear campaign.
• Where are they now: Project Runway designers.
• The VH1 Divas show will be back in September, with Adele, Kelly Clarkson, Miley Cyrus, and Leona Lewis.
• Watch Nelly Furtado's new video for Manos Al Aire.
• Check out pictures of the first edition of the Dalva party this past Sunday in São Paulo.
• Rio's governor Sérgio Cabral has sanctioned the smoking ban law. In 90 days, smoking will be prohibited by law in all closed public and private spaces in the state of Rio de Janeiro. Smoking will still be allowed, however, in hotel rooms, theater stages, and movie or television sets.

View the entire Geometric spread with Fernando Fernandes shot by Guilherme Licurgo at On Speed.

Fernando was involved in a car crash over a month ago, which resulted in severe spinal cord injuries. Made In Brazil wishes him a healthy recovery.

• Here is a sneak peek at the Dior Homme fall 2009 campaign featuring Brazilians Francisco Lachowski, Reinaldo Berthoti, and Thiago Santos. 
• Jennifer Connelly is the fall 2009 face of Balenciaga. 
• Gracie Carvalho in yet another ad campaign this season.
• New at the Contributing Editor this week: Hurt.
• Male models building homes: learn more about the Model Home Project at Models.com.
• Learn more about Annie Leibovitz financial troubles in the NYT.
• Madonna and Jesus Luz go out for a romantic walk in Russia.
• When bloggers go skinny dipping.
• Actor Reynaldo Gianecchini will play a gay character (more like an evil queen according to the author) in the upcoming Brazilian mini-series Cinquentinha.
• Model Fernando Fernandes, hospitalized since July 4 due to a serious car crash which resulted in spinal cord injuries, is supposed to leave the hospital this week.