Start your Tuesday with the new David Beckham Armani Underwear Ads

Fresh off his loan (and possible permanent move?) to AC Milan from L.A. Galaxy, David Beckham is back in his undies for another notable Italian brand, Emporio Armani. He set tongues a-wagging with his last batch of photos, and the new teasers from his next crop of ads are just as sexy and just as tongue-wagging-worthy. [via People.com]

-- SETH PLATTNER

Previously > More Beckham for Armani Underwear

Menswear sales buck the bad economy; dress up more to do your part

Photo: Getty Images

Menswear outpaced women's fashion in overall sales during the past year, reports AP. According to research company NPD Group Inc., menswear sales rose 0.8 percent in the last year (ending in May), while womenswear sales fell 3.5 percent. And since May, womenswear sales dropped 3 percent, while menswear sales rose 2.3 percent.

Fashion analysts explain menswear's new lead on the recent influx of slimmer, tailored looks, like those offered by Out 100 honoree Thom Browne (above) in recent years, and a more casual work environment that allows for increased options and in turn means more opportunities to purchase and wear a wider variety of looks. And menswear companies like Nautica and Levi Strauss and Co.'s Dockers, once unthinkably inappropriate for the office, "have reworked their fits -- pants, for example, have less material in the seat and thigh and have no pleats; suit jackets have higher armholes with narrower and shorter sleeves," which offer cleaner, more modern silhouettes.

Ironically, other analysts believe that with our pokey to the point of groan-inducing economy, many men are actually paying more attention to what they wear to the office, or at least spending bigger bucks in hopes of being taken more seriously at work. "I am dressing up a bit more," Steve Hale, a 37-year-old fashion consultant, told AP. "If you are keeping up with fashion, people notice and it gives them more confidence [that the financial industry is going to turn around]." Hale says he spends $500 a month on clothes, more than twice as much as he spent previously.

Never an industry to idly sit on its hands when a new market begins to present itself, the big boys of fashion are already courting eager male shoppers. Ferragamo and J.Crew are opening men's only boutiques. Bloomingdales has created special areas in its men's department that feature tailored clothing and flashy accessory items like ice buckets, GPS systems and luxe shaving kits. Macy's is adding more exclusive lines, including the already insanely popular Emporio Armani underwear.

So, you know what this means: With the stores full up with fall fashions (and some great end of summer sales on last season still in progress) -- and in order for all of us to keep our jobs, keep the floundering economy from completely going under, and keep our co-workers, partners, and the boys on the dance floor duly impressed and begging for more -- get out those wallets and start shopping!

Josh Harnett Takes a Snap For Armani; Marc Jacobs Ditches the Bitches; Spring 2009 Ready-to-Wear Hits the Runways in Milan; Smell This: Prada Infusion d'Homme; Smell This, Too: Gucci Pour Homme; The Givenchy Man Hits the Streets

Photo: Getty Images

Fulfilling reports last month, Josh Harnett can now be seen in the new fragrance campaign for Emporio Armani's Diamonds for Men.  Meant to look like Harnett's being hounded by paparazzi, it comes off as wishful thinking because, really, who's following him around these days? [WWD]

Not only did Marc Jacobs drop the female gliterrati from his ad campaigns, but it looks like he is doing away with female models all together!  For his Fall/Winter 08 collection he shot mens and womenswear on it-boy model Cole Mohr.  With legs like his he should have been the one dangling them from a bag.  Sorry, Posh.  [Models.com]

Men's Spring 2009 ready-to-wear kicks off today in Milan, bringing next year's warm weather trends just as I'm getting ready to beef up my wardrobe with all the looks I saw for fall.  I'll try not to get ahead of myself and stay in season, but Neil Barrett's collection is already pretty inspiring. [Men.Style.Com]

Slated to preview this week during the men's ready-to-wear shows in Milan is Prada's new men's fragrance, Infusion d'Homme.  It hit's counters in September...[WWD]

...And Gucci will be ready with a rebuff. Frida Giannini had crafter her own scent for men that will also go public in September, and, with sales expected to reach $180 to 200 million, Prada better be ready for a throwdown. [WWD]

Creative Director Ricardo Tisci did wonders for womenswear at Givenchy, and now he is taking his eye for detail to his men's looks. “My concept is to design styles for real men. Elegant, sharp, masculine clothes with a twinge of Latino street boy confidence."  Que bueno. [DNR]

-- SETH PLATTNER

80s Fashion Returns (But It's a Good Thing); Cheers for Beckham, Jeers for Lopez; Pharell Williams New Collection; Sneakers for Town and Country; The New Axe Effect

Photo: Getty Images

It is your Stylelist's job to report that 80s fashion is, in fact, back.  But, fear not, cast your painful fashion memories of nights at The Palladium and unfortunate prom nights aside.  A few years time has proven helpful in editing out the good trends from the way bad, meaning you won't end up looking like Flock of Seagulls. [NYT]

David Beckham and his now infamous bulge (it's like a Kielbasa down there) drop our jaws again for round two of his Armani Exchange underwear campaign...[Towleroad]

...unfortunately the same cannot be said for perennial over compensator, Mario Lopez. [Towleroad] [dlisted]

Pharrell Williams funked up Harvey Nichols last night with the new-season collections of the sportswear lines he co-founded in 2005 with Japanese design star NIGO: Billionaire Boys Club and Ice Cream.  There was chilled Moet, Mr Chow canapés and...Mischa Barton. Nice to see she's getting out.  Ya know, making friends. [British Vogue]

Stockholm-based footwear label Gram Design, has conceptualized a shoe that is not only a sneaker but also a hiking boot.  Maybe I'll get a pair, head out to a mountain path and perhaps run into a bear or two? [Refinery 29]

Axe, who continues to have us believe that their body sprays and washes are meant to seduce hot horny girls, has debuted their rather phallic male body washer The Axe Detailer Shower tool; and we are yet again convinced they're ultimately working for the boys.  [The Moment/NYT]

-- SETH PLATTNER

Agyness Deyn keeps rocking; The Project Runway/Nina Garcia saga continues; Josh Harnett hems Armani; Dov Charney - Retailer of the Year; 15 Spring Bags for Guys; Posh and Her Gaggle of Gays

Photo: Getty Images

After her cute but nonetheless paltry collaboration with Five O'Clock Heroes on the song "Who," Agyness Deyn is now commanding the spotlight in her own newly formed band with friends Alanna Materson and Jackson Pollis.  This ball is rolling perhaps a little too fast. [British Vogue]

We're all admittedly a little tired of the hoopla going on between Nina Garcia and Project Runway, but, alas, it all readily determines the existence and survival of the greatest reality show on television.  Turns out negotiations are still churning, and ELLE is putting up a bit of a fight with Marie Claire for sponsorship.  En garde! [WWD]

Just announced: Josh Harnett will be the face of the new Armani men's fragrance Emporio Armani Diamonds for Men.  Good to see he is getting some work these days. [Fashionista] 

Dov Charney, Creative Director and entrepreneur of pseudo-pornographic obsessed label American Apparel, was just named Retailer of the Year.  Considering the guy looks like the type who would roll up in a converter van and ask you to film a few tasteful scenes in the back, it's surprising the award has previously gone to the likes of Calvin Klein and Oscar de la Renta. [Gawker]

15 of the chicest spring bags for toting male. [Refinery29]

Victoria Beckham told The Sun (UK) that the only people that like her are the gays. Not so fast honey...[Towleroad] -- SETH PLATTNER

Cathy Horyn on Juergen Teller; Armani's Commercial Competition; Are the 50s back?; Calvin Klein Heads East; Oldham Replaced by Hicks

Photo: Getty Images

Cathy Horyn dishes on Marc Jacobs' collaboration with Juergen Teller. [On The Runway]

I don't want to act, I want to direct! Giorgio Armani is holding a competition to find the next great advertising director to film the next Emporio Armani Parfums commercial. He's inviting aspiring directors to create a commercial for his line of fragrances and submit them online. Submit your film by May 15th! The winner will be chosen by Mr. Armani himself. At least it won't be televised as a reality show. [British Vogue]

Are 50s Rockabilly fashions back in style in London? I thought the swing dancing and poodle skirts made their comeback about ten years ago. I guess we'll start seeing the greaser look stateside in about six months. [Independent via The Cut]

Calvin Klein is heading East...to the Middle East, that is.. to showcase collections and debut a new beauty line in Dubai. Since the U.S. economy sucks, why not hit up the oil-rich Emirates for some cold hard cash? [FWD]

Bahama-dwelling model/interior designer/author India Hicks will replace Todd Oldham (pictured) on Bravo's Top Design as a judge, but the cherubic homo will stay with the show and continue his role as the gay nurturing mentor a la Tim Gunn. [FWD]

Project Runway Auditions; Vuitton, Murakami and Kanye Rock the Brooklyn Museum; Wacky Gigs in Fashion; Borat's Second Coming; Armani Roller Skates; Varvatos at CBGBs

Photo: Getty Images

Auditioning for Project Runway: freak show or fashion show? You decide! [NY Times]

Inside last week's Louis Vuitton/ Murakami event at the Brooklyn Museum. Canal Street's gritty counterfeit markets are recreated inside the museum only the wares on the blankets are real Vuitton and cost their usual price. So, rich people can pretend they visit the Lower East Side. [NY Times]

Working in fashion is stranger than fiction— Ugly Betty and Devil Wears Prada just scratch the surface. But if you want to work in fashion, here are some low rung jobs that might suit your resume—or not. iPod Nanny? Dress Namer? Pecil Pusher? Send in your application now! [Independent]

Is Sasha Baron Cohen working on a new film as his alter ego, Bruno, a gay Austrian fashion journalist? The rumor mill says it could be out as soon as October. [Variety via Fashionista]

Would you pay $425 for a pair of Emporio Armani roller skates? Only if they could guarantee that I didn't fall on my ass. [Fashionista]

Take a video tour of John Varvatos' newest store that used to be Manhattan's legendary punk haven CBGB's.  [NY Mag]

David Beckham Strips for Emporio Armani

David Beckham, benched soccer wunderkind and pretty boy extraordinaire, snatched himself a well-airbrushed ad campaign modeling underwear for Emporio Armani! Now, before all of your Beckham lovers cruise over to Towleroad to drool and start surfing the internet one-handed (and all you Beckham haters skim down to another post or over to Popnography), be sure to notice one thing about the photo, shot by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott:

Beckham's left hand and wedding ring are placed prominently in the foreground while his tattooed right arm is shrouded with shadow in the background, as if to say "Back off homos, this bit of man flesh is taken!"

Clearly, they styled the shoot that way on purpose. So what do you think the point was? Are they hoping for that Forbidden Fruit effect where people will want him more because they know they can't have him? Or is it meant to appeal to the higher end Emporio Armani customer who is married and wealthy like good ol' Becks?

Yeah yeah, Becks looks delicious with his airbrushed six pack. I know a few people who could use some airbrushing.

P.S. Why are the Mormons advertising on gay blog??

Out 1400: Fashion Honor Roll!

Your StyleList reviewed the past Out 1400 honorees and took attendance of all the fashion designers between 1994 and 2006. Curious to find out who made the cut? Hope on over to the Out 100 blog for a fashion reunion. Lucky for you, someone spiked the punch.

Who has made the Out 100 list most? Here's a tally of our students who made the honor roll more than once:

Marc Jacobs - 5
Tom Ford - 4
Todd Oldham - 4
John Bartlett - 3
Dean and Dan Caten of Dsquared - 3
Giorgio Armani - 2
Karl Lagerfeld - 2
Michael Kors - 2
Robert Duffy - 2

Lagerfeld Eyewear; More on Ferré's Man; No D&G for the Times; Models Still Skinny; Virtual Armani; Uniqlo Goes Pantone Crazy; Everyone's a Critic; Posh Makeup; OutKast Menswear

Karl Lagerfeld will debut his new line of eyewear on Wednesday. The collection will hit stores in January with an optical line to follow in April. Fans optional. [WWD]

The Times on Lars Nilsson, heir to the Gianfranco Ferré throne. [NY Times]

NY Times' Guy Trebay and Cathy Horyn are still banned from attending Dolce & Gabbana's runway show in Milan. The moral of the story? Don't piss off the fashion queens—they know how to hold a grudge.  [Fashion Week Daily]

The current state of fashion models: still thin, still young and still smoking like chimneys in winter. [NY Times]

As reported yesterday, Giorgio Armani opened his virtual store in the virtual world, Second Life. According to WWD, "Style.com's Candy Pratts Price's avatar will interview Armani's avatar in the Second Life store about fashion and innovation." Seriously? This is getting to be ridiculous. I want to virtually slap someone. And how do you know it's not some middle-aged perv pretending to be the Italian designer? [WWD]

Uniqlo teams up with color-gurus Pantone to create a line of cashmere sweaters in 20 various shades for the Fall. If you don't know Uniqlo, it's Japan's answer to the GAP if it were cool again, and they sell cashmere sweaters for $129. [Fashion Week Daily]

Being a fashion critic is no longer reserved for the halls of esteemed fashion magazines. Instead, unlikely (and sometimes unqualified) critics  appear in the oddest of places—including William Sledd on YouTube—to blogs. Hey, wait a minute! [NY Times]

Victoria "Posh Spice" Beckham unveiled a line of makeup in Japan today called "V-Sculpt." You too can look like an alien with a little spackle and gloss. Luckily, the makeup will stay in Japan for now. [WWD]

Andre 3000 of OutKast announced plans to launch a line of menswear. Yet another celebrity tosses their hat into the fashion ring. Yawn! [WWD]