Pop, mags, pretty: gettin' up to speed

A girl (with a satchel) can't step off the glossy ferris wheel for five minutes without news happening (seriously, how dare the world keep turning?!). As I'm getting up to speed (whee!), won't you join me?

- Vogue Australia is on sale tomorrow. It contains a feature on Rodarte, lots of bitsy fashion pages, an 'Arts Focus' Talks section (winter = visit art galleries, the cinema, read books and download music in your off time = clever), a very beautiful shoot starring Nicole Trunfio (Vogue = current champion of Aussie models), autumn/winter catwalk looks for inspiration, a story on Project Protege (an Australian Wool Innovation initiative) and eight pages of Michelle Jank. Check out the behind-the-scenes video footage of cover model Nicole Trunfio at Vogue.com.au.

- Harper's Bazaar Australia went on sale yesterday. Jamie Huckbody's second issue is dedicated to Yves Saint Laurent (he gets four glossy pages), contains shoots with Gwyneth and Nicole Richie care of US Harper's, as well as stories on Halston, how to wear denim, China, graffiti, red lipstick, the celebrity pursuit of youth and a gorgeous Parisian shoot starring Inguna Butane. Understandably - and with much anticipation - there are a few changes this issue, too: including new Shopping and Lifestyle and Culture sections and some aesthetic tweaks (new fonts, new intro pages, etc.). It will be interesting to see/hear how readers react.

- Zoe Foster, our mag girl of the moment, is on the book publicity trail and looking very cute (seriously, what better excuse to spend a ridiculous amount of money on clothing?). See below example of my stalkerish/proud-motherish news-clipping behaviour (and drool over Foster's boyfriend: talk about a cute match made in heaven)...

- Charlize Theron is on the cover of UK ELLE's August issue looking mighty sharp.

- Teen Vogue's newest cover girl is Amanda Seyfried, who we wrote home about last week. She's a cutie, no? The Mean Girls and Mama Mia: The Movie actress might be confused for Gossip Girl's Taylor Momsen, only Momsen is 14 and Seyfried is 23 – the resemblance is uncanny, no?

- Seyfried also appears on the cover of August Vanity Fair's 'Hollywood's New Wave' issue, alongside Kristen Stewart, Blake Lively and Emma Roberts. Gorgeous cover!

- And inside the issue, there's a splendid pic of Taylor and the Gossip Girl cast. (Pic: Just Jared)

- Mary-Kate Olsen's new film, The Wackness, in which she plays a hippie named Union (not Penny Lane), got a screening last week. According to Fashion Week Daily, the film is set in New York City circa summer 1994 (during Giulianai's reign as mayor) and features music by the Pharcyde (takes me back!). It also stars Juno's Olivia Thirlby, as the daughter of a weed-smoking psychiatrist, and Josh Peck, a small-time dealer. (Pic: Olivia, Josh, MK)

- Girlfriend magazine is also on sale (and rather chunky at 180 pages). It contains a bunch of pop cultural tidbits, celebrity pics, cute DIY fashion ideas, a very pretty/artistic beauty shoot, teen-friendly stories on binge thinking, 'nomophobia' (i.e. fear of not having a functioning mobile), getting out of trouble, the Australia's Next Top Model contestant who was bullied, child labour, Tibet/China relations (by yours truly – blatant self promo!), getting good sleep, breaking bad habits (yours truly, again), dating mistakes, healing a broken heart, and the very funny '8 Foreign Films That Don't Suck', as well as a Love 2 Shop formal special (that's a lot of content for your buck). The mag has also launched its 2008 Model Search competition with a spread featuring past winners on glossy mag covers (Catherine McNeil for Paris Vogue, Abbie Lee for Nylon, Sarah Stephens for Russh).

- Blatant self-promotion #3: the lovely lass behind Ocker Zeal (a blog about bloggers – genius!), otherwise known as Monica Tan, interviewed me recently. Very flattered, of course. Wore my best red lipstick and dress for the occasion.

- OK! magazine (ACP/Northern & Shell) took home three awards at the 11th annual Magazine Publishers Australia (MPA) awards, including Magazine of the Year, Editor of the Year (Kim Wilson, pictured below) and General Excellence in General Interest/News. Women's Health (Pacific Magazines) won the Launch/Relaunch of the Year award (deservedly so), Shop Til You Drop (ACP) took out General Excellence (Lifestyle) and Real Living (ACP) won the General Excellence (Home and Food) statue. Marie Claire won the Editorial Initiative award for its 'Push It' paid maternity leave campaign. The Australian Women's Weekly's Michael Sheather was named Feature Writer of the Year and Huw Reynolds of Belle Designer of the Year.

- Pacific Magazines publisher Suzanne Monks, who last year celebrated the Editor of the Year win with New Idea's Robyn Foyster (who has since defected to ACP) and put in five years at the publisher, has fallen off the ferris wheel. Youth publisher Nicole Sheffield (who served as long as Monks) and creative/innovations director David Hutton are other recent Pacific departures.

- Sponsor plug: Throughout July AustralianFlavour is giving every customer who makes a purchase over $150 a Samantha Wills 'Aztec sun necklace' valued at $64.95. What a treat.

It's going to be a busy week on the blog – be sure to check in daily, y'all!

Yours truly,
Girl With a Satchel