Quickies: Gyllenhaal, toast, West Elm, invisibility and Brooke Shields

Photo: Getty Images

> See Jake run: Photos from the set Prince of Persia: the Sands of Time -- based on the popular computer game about a sixth century prince -- show off Gyllenhaal's newly upgraded guns.

> Make grilled cheese sandwiches in your toaster: Feed your sandwich into reusable bags. All the gooey goodness, half the mess that might end up on your shirt.

> Lutz & Patmos team with West Elm: Knitwear designers collaborate with affordable chic homemakers West Elm on luxe line of pillows and throws.

> Invisibility cloak?: Scientists say they are a step closer to developing materials that could render people and objects invisible.

> Project Runway sneak peek: Bravo hosts icon Brooke Shields as a guest judge, and our guess is the designers' challenge will relate to her character on sister station NBC's Lipstick Jungle.

Quickies: Nelly drops his drawers, Justin sings as models strut & Barneys goes wild

Photo: Getty Images

> Nelly's new underwear ads revealed: This is the first time Sean Jean appoints a spokesperson for underwear -- but why is Nelly (who will strip down shirtless with little provocation) still wearing pants in this campaign?

> Justin Timberlake to show during New York Fashion Week: The pop star will grace the stage at Roseland Ballroom to perform in tandem with the runway presentation of his William Rast line.

> Barneys Warehouse Sale: Don't miss this yearly event. Doors open on Thursday, August 14 at 8 a.m. sharp!

Icon: Cecil Beaton (1904 - 1980)

Photo: The Learning Tree 1997

Although best known for his photographs of celebrities, socialites, and the British royal family, Cecil Beaton’s work as a costume and production designer made an arguably profounder cultural impression.

While still in his teens, hoping to launch his family out of its middle-class existence, Beaton planted items about his mother and sisters in the society pages of London papers. Then he upped the ante by posing as an editor at Vogue and requesting images of his mother from society photographer Hugh Cecil. Without hesitation, the photographer asked her to pose for him and sent the images to the magazine, which soon published them. Having watched Hugh Cecil at work, an inspired Beaton began taking his own photographs of his family, often submitting them under an assumed name.

A contributing photographer to Vogue and Vanity Fair beginning in 1927, Beaton’s first foray into costume design was the Broadway staging of Lady Windermere’s Fan in 1946. He would go on to design costumes for a dozen more Broadway productions, earning him four Tony awards, including his second for My Fair Lady, the film adaptation of which won him an Oscar for costume design and another for art direction. He also won an Oscar for his costume designs for Gigi.

Never one to hide his homosexuality, he did attempt to overcome it, most notably with Greta Garbo, whom he described as “half boy/half woman.” According to his diaries (published in the ’60s and ’70s), it was clear Garbo wasn’t interested in marrying him, and he left her for a man he met at a bar in San Francisco.

Knighted in 1972, Beaton died in his sleep in his country home in Wiltshire, England, in 1980.

Site Specific: 20LTD.com

Photo courtesy of 20LTD.com

Sure, the Internet has been great for bringing us all together, but the democratization of design it’s created does have a downside: It’s increasingly difficult to own things unique to your home and closet. Enter 20LTD.com. The London-based website’s “editors” handpick all 20 products offered on the site at a given time, without solicitation from the designers themselves, and the wares are created exclusively for 20ltd.com in very limited quantities by design stars such as Marcel Wanders, Zaha Hadid, and Derek Lam. A favorite recent addition is the Domino trolley and suitcase from Globe-Trotter, the venerable English luggage company favored by Winston Churchill and Kate Moss.

Creature Comfort

Photo courtesy of Dog Bar

There’s something unsettling about seeing an L.L. Bean dog bed placed behind a Barcelona day bed or beside a Noguchi coffee table. Though its design may not fit every decor, Dog Bar’s Le Corbusier–inspired canine couch is available in a number of options that will make any dog feel at home. It comes in four sizes to accommodate any breed and is available in black, white, tobacco, or gray, in vinyl or leather.

Starts at $210. DogBar.com

Lighten Up Your Eyewear; Kanye West Teased His New Clothing Line in Paris--Who Knew?; Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte Get Wet; Roberto Cavalli Is Staying Put

Photo: Getty Images

While we are sometimes uncomfortably aware of the ubiquitous black framed glasses, Sol Moscot is offering their signature frames in a variety of fun, fruity colors such as peacock, cerulean, orchid, and golden olive for the summer.  Note to consumers: the colored frames retail for $220 while the black versions are only $169.  The rainbow road can be rough sometimes, no? [Material Interest]

As when any celebrity attends a designer fashion show, pictures of the notable star in attendance go public in no time, much to the pleasure and gratitude of the lable.  But, it turns out Kanye wasn't galavanting around Paris just to see clothes, but rather to debut his own. Many of the looks he wore throughout the week were actually sneak peek items form his upcoming line, Pastelle. [LA Times]

Olympic medal hopefuls Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte swam a few laps, romped in the shower, and, of course, did it all topless and in speedos for a Men's Journal photo shoot.  It all feels a bit softcore, and we're entirely ok with that.   [Towleroad]

Roberto Cavalli, citing bad market timing, has opted not to sell his company. Stripes, leopard print and paisley forever! [WWD]

-- SETH PLATTNER

Diesel Wants to Take You Home

All Photos: Courtesy of Diesel

Diesel is taking its motto "For Successful Living" to new heights. If you "live in jeans," the company makes it easier to live the Diesel lifestyle.

This month, Diesel unveils its first home collection at Milan’s international furniture show “Salone Internazionale del Mobile.” "Successful Living from Diesel" offers a collection of textiles—such as bed linens, blankets and towels—that are designed with Diesel's irreverent attitude under the creative direction of Wilbert Das. Think bold, fluorescent hues, creative prints, metallic touches and a whole lot more.

Textiles are Diesel's first foray into home design and the company plans to offer lighting, furniture and other home accessories by 2009. The collection will arrive in Diesel stores and department stores in September.

Because your Laura Ashley bedding isn't going to impress anyone.

More photos after the jump!

 

High Tech Versace Home; Air New Zealand's Mary Voyage; Dangerous Crocs; Michael Jackson's Wig Woes

Versace's newly-launched interiors website allows architects and interior designers to download 2- and 3-D models of items to include in design plans. So, you can be sure that your purple and white gold bed will fit in your bedroom. [WWD]

Air New Zealand plans a "Pink Flight" from San Francisco to Sydney's Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras in February. According to Queerty, "High-flying homos will enjoy some international camp as the crew dons feathered boas, serve pink cocktails and provide a bit of cabaret." All this in-flight fun for $1000. I always thought an airline with a name like Virgin would be the first to plan something like this. Yay for the Kiwis! [Queerty]

The unstoppable virus that is Crocs footwear, the neon colored shoes favored by fashion-oblivious midwestern tourists and lazy soccer moms, are causing injuries! Crikey! According to Radar, they get caught in escalators. If being an absolute eyesore wasn't reason enough to avoid the hideous things, maybe croc-hungry escalators will teach people that the shoes are not appropriate to wear in public. [Radar]

Always the drag queen of pop, Michael Jackson's wig required three hours of sprucing for a recent Italian Vogue photo shoot, say the NY Post. Come on, any drag queen worth her weight in pancake makeup lives by two cardinal rules: "The higher the hair, the closer to Jesus" and "Never spend more time on your wig than on your face." Oh, wait, Jackson has spent more time (and money) on his face. [NY Post]

The Wedding Planner: Marc Jacobs Waterford China

Photo: Courtesy of Marc Jacobs

What kind of wedding china can one expect at the nuptials of one of the world's biggest fashion designers? Well, the china of his own design, of course!

The rumored engagement of Marc Jacobs to his on-again off-again boyfriend of a gay eternity Jason Preston got us thinking: What kind of china does a fashionable gay couple select for their wedding? We like the Marc Jacobs Waterford line. Not only can you pick your place settings of wedding china, but also a great collection of chic martini glasses for the rehearsal dinner and colorful vases for your reception centerpieces.

$145 for 5-piece setting, at Waterford.com

[Apartment Therapy]

Spotlight: Unusual Bowls

Bike chain bowl (via apartmenttherapy)

D.I.Y. L.P. bowl (courtesy of Ready Made)

Melted toy soldiers bowl (thanks, The Green Head)

bowl made of 300 used coffee cups (via designbowl)

Habitat: BioSUB

Biologist Lloyd Godson passes time in the BioSUB, a studio apartment-sized pod underneath the Wonga Wetlands in Australia. All the oxygen Godson breathes is generated by houseplants and algae. The Age (Melbourne) has more.

Photo: Getty Images

Wheels for Two

When DaimlerChrysler announced a couple years ago that they would start selling the microscopic Smart Car in the USA (you may have seen it on the streets of Europe or Mexico), we kicked our heels for joy. America needs an antidote to the SUV!

Then they said they were developing a special American edition of the Smart - an SUV, in fact. Four doors. High suspension. Lots of room in the trunk. Our hearts sank.

Now PSFK informs us the tiny Euro-edition of the Smart will indeed hit US roads in April '08, priced at $12k. For a limited time, you can even reserve a Smart for just $99 down. Huzzah!

Photo: Getty Images