Made in Brazil

A Semana: Kylie And Madonna On Tour, Tom Ford, SJP, And The iPhone

Kylie Minogue unleashed her KylieX2008 Tour in Paris this past Tuesday, and it looks like it is as camp as you would expect it to be. Why can't a Brazilian producer bring the show to São Paulo?

According to Billboard.com, Madonna's tour to promote Hard Candy will kick off on August 23 on Cardiff, Wales, and will include between 50 to 60 shows total. Dates for the "Sticky and Sweet Tour" (yes, that is what Madonna is calling it this time) have been announced today, and Brazil is not yet on the schedule even though there is already a Brazilian site claiming to have tickets for a December 9 date in Rio. Since the New York concerts coincide with my birthday, you know what I want as a gift.

Madonna's Hard Candy debuted on the top spot of the Billboard 200 chart, while Leona Lewis' debut single Bleeding Love regained the #1 position on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Marc Jacobs took his hot new date (who just so happens to be Brazilian) to the Met Costume Institute Gala.

Ohlala mag has brand new pictures of Edilson Nascimento.

Check out the cover of the new adult Abercrombie & Fitch catalog.

Tom Ford is expected to land in São Paulo around May 18 for the launch of his boutique inside Daslu. One can only hope he will stay for Gay Pride.

Sarah Jessica Parker is also expected in São Paulo for the grand opening of the massive Cidade Jardim mall, for which she got a reportedly $600K to star in the ad campaign. My friend Ricardo told me to read her interview on New York magazine this week, and I suggest you do the same.

No airport hangars this season: the Chanel Cruise 2008 collection will be shown at the Raleigh hotel in Miami Beach on May 15.

The illegally unblocked iPhone has become a huge status symbol in Brazil in the past few months. I know more people here than in New York who have purchased one, even though most of the phone's functions are not supported by national carriers. Luckily for all the illegal iPhone users, Claro announced yesterday that it is in talks with Apple to become the official distributor of the phone in the country by the end of the year.

I tested an iPhone for a week last year, but decided to stick to my Blackberry instead, so the gadget I am really coveting now is the new Blackberry 900, which will feature 3G technology.

This Is How You Do It

After some mentoring from Mariah Carey last week, the American Idol contestants got a real lesson in singing from X-Factor winner Leona Lewis last night.

She must be feeling on top of the world right now. More on last night's American Idol elimination after the jump.

Leona Debuts At #1

I am happy to inform that Leona Lewis' debut album Spirit entered the Billboard Top 200 chart at the top spot this week, making music history. Leona is now the first British female artist to debut at #1 on the Billboard Top 200, and also the first ever British artist overall to debut on the chart at #1 with a first album. As if that wasn't enough, Leona now holds the record for the biggest female artist first album debut since Carrie Underwood in 2005, and for the biggest digital album sales week for a new artist.

I highly recommend that you download Spirit asap. I have been playing it non-stop (as you all may know).

Thanks Scott (and Leona I guess) for the autographed copy. I freaking love it.

And because I am truly obsessed with Leona Lewis, below is a download for one of her amazing X Factor performances.

DOWNLOAD: I Have Nothing

A Semana: Hard Candy, Project Runway, SJP, Gianecchini, And Raquel

Arjan Writes has an exclusive review of Madonna's Hard Candy, and news about the next Killers album, set to be produced by Confessions On A Dancefloor's Stuart Price.

Leona Lewis' debut album Spirit hits stores today. Get a copy asap.

Brazilian designer Mario Queiroz launched a new men's jewelry line at BaselWorld last week.

Alexander McQueen opens his first LA boutique today.

Casting for the second season of Brazil's Next Top Model has already started. Am hoping Sony will also cast a new panel of judges to make the show more fun and camp.

It looks like Project Runway is saying Auf Wiedersehen to Bravo, and moving to Lifetime.

Rumor has it that Sarah Jessica Parker was tapped to star in the ad campaign for São Paulo's Shopping Cidade Jardim, which opens its doors for the first time this May.

I love the fact that actor Reynaldo Gianecchini reads the paper shirtless every morning by the window of his apartment in Rio (and that Extra has pictures of it).

How do I get my hands on the new Handbook while I am in Brazil?

Ohlala interviews Michael Lucas.

Models.com has more pictures of La Zimmermann in the new issue of Hercules.

A Semana: Mariah, Madonna, Leona, Rufus, And Gisele

Mimi did it again. Touch My Body reached the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart this week, becoming her 18th chart-topper, and making her the solo artist with the most #1 hits ever in Billboard's history. The single also broke a record with 286,000 digital downloads in its debut week.

Madonna's latest promotional blitz involves not only the cover of American Elle, but also of its British franchise. Thanks to download sales, her new single 4 Minutes jumped to the 3rd slot on the Billboard 100 this week.

I was fortunate to get an advanced copy of the American release of Leona Lewis' debut Spirit, and I am absolutely in love with the two new exclusive tracks Forgive Me and Misses Glass. You can stream the entire album on MTV's The Leak before it hits stores next week.

Rufus Wainwright has four shows confirmed in Brazil in May. He plays Rio on the 7th, São Paulo on the 9th, Belo Horizonte on the 10th, and Brasília on the 13th.

Designer Alexandre Herchcovitch announced that the sale of his label to fashion conglomerate I'M Holding did not go through as confirmed earlier this year, and that he is no longer the creative director for jeanswear label Zoomp.

Gisele scores yet another campaign as the face of Brazilian jeweler Vivara.

Model Flavia de Oliveira stars in the new ad campaign for Brazilian designer Priscilla Darolt.

Soon-to-become status symbol: Beckham's golden iPhone.

I can't believe I always end up missing the fun stuff in New York. If you are in the city though, make sure to get tickets to Jeffrey Fashion Cares, which takes place on April 9th, and send me pictures of the boys.

A Semana: Models, Seal, Leona, Beyoncé, And A Big Gay Wedding

Brazilian model Raphael Lacchine is on his way to Milan to shoot the new Diesel underwear campaign.

Raquel Zimmermann teamed up with Kaiser Karl for yet another Fendi ad campaign, and Models.com managed to capture the shoot on video.

Model Aline Weber, who you may remember as look #1 on Balenciaga, just shot a 26-page spread for Numéro, and is in LA shooting the new Moschino campaign with David Bailey.

Seal performed in São Paulo last night after being away from Brazilian stages for 16 years. He plays in the city again tonight.

Both Justin Timberlake and Shakira have canceled their upcoming performances in Brazil.

Leona Lewis' debut single Bleeding Love just broke into the #1 spot at Billboard's Hot 100, making her the first British female solo artist in 21 years to achieve this milestone. I told you she was gonna be huge.

Beautiful Nigthmare: a new track by Beyoncé makes its way to YouTube.

Ricky Martin (in muscle bear version) gives naked thrill in hotel sauna.

Ohlala Mag goes backstage at a fashion show in Brooklyn.

São Paulo will host a big gay wedding on April 10. 30-year-old Felipe Campos and 24-year-old Rafael Cordeiro will sign a partnership agreement in a ceremony for over 1,000 guests, done candomblé style. The couple hopes to raise awareness of gay marriage with the big bash, and possibly inspire other couples to do the same.

Quick thank you note to my friends Billy and Matthew for The Little Black Book Of Style I got on Monday. I love it and can't believe you guys did that. Now if you could only get Nina Garcia to pose with a Made In Brazil sign.

The Leonization Of America (With A Bonus Mix)

Last week she did Oprah, and her debut single Bleeding Love broke into the Top 10 at Billboard's Hot 100. Last night Leona Lewis continued her American takeover with a performance on the Tonight Show.

And since I was told I could (legally) do it, here is a free download of one of my favorite mixes of the song:
Bleeding Love (Moto Blanco Full Vocal Mix)

Yes, I am obsessed with her. Deal with it.

To Make It In America

It does not hurt to perform at Oprah. Watch Leona Lewis at yesterday's show.

This girl is going to be major. Make sure to look out for the Moto Blanco and the Jason Nevins mix of her US debut single Bleeding Love.

Better In Time

Because I am obsessed with singer Leona Lewis.

I hear the American release of her album Spirit will include two new tracks, which I can't wait to listen to. If you have not listened to the mixes for Bleeding Love, make sure to look out for them.

If the link above is taken down, you can also watch the video here.

Leona Lewis In Support Of Sport Relief

Leona Lewis recently debuted her single Bleeding Love in the US, but I have been aching for something new from her since I have been listening to her album Spirit for a while now. The video below for Footprints In The Sand was just released as part of this year’s Sport Relief.

Not my favorite track from the album, but you can't deny the girl can sing.

And in terms of sappy videos which I can't get enough of, make sure to also check out:
Ferras -Hollywood's Not America
Jordin Sparks Feat. Chris Brown - No Air

Packaged For America

Leona Lewis' video for Bleeding Love gets a New York makeover and a hot new boyfriend played by model Nicholas Lemons for its American release.

I still like the rain and the drama in the original video better. If you have not listened to her debut album Spirit yet, get a copy asap.

I Keep Bleeding Love

I have been listening a lot to Leona Lewis' debut album Spirit these days. I know the video for the first single Bleeding Love was released a while ago, but I am so in love with the song that I had to post it here.

Sorry for all the ballads lately. I must be going through a romantic phase.

Fashion Note: the shimmery Dolce & Gabbana number Leona wears in the video is getting a lot of press lately. Victoria Beckham wears the same dress in the Spice Girls video for Headlines.