PUMA® PARTNERS WITH SELENA GOMEZ

Global sports brand PUMA announced a long-term partnership with singer, actress, and producer Selena Gomez who will work with the brand to design product and create marketing campaigns. Selena will start working with PUMA immediately and will first appear in the brand’s newest campaign for the Phenom, an upcoming women’s footwear drop.

“Being part of the PUMA family is very exciting for me,” said Selena Gomez. “PUMA has changed the game when it comes to the mash-up of athletic wear and fashion. It’s amazing to see this influence on style and culture and I’m excited to be a part of it. I am hoping that we can create something special together. We already have some really cool projects in the works.”

Selena and PUMA are a great match, not only because she fits with PUMA’s brand values, but also because of her powerful influence over young women, her integrity, hustle, and drive to succeed. Her work with the brand will be more than simply appearing in a campaign, she will be an active voice for the brand’s consumers. In addition, this partnership includes PUMA and Selena working with and supporting causes close to her heart.

“Selena is authentic, creative, talented, and fearlessly real. She is everything that today’s female consumer is looking for in a role model,” said Adam Petrick, Global Director for Brand and Marketing for PUMA. "In recent days, she has demonstrated just how strong she truly is. With her honesty and openness about living with Lupus, she has provided an incredible example of confidence, poise, and determination for all of us. Selena is a perfect partner for PUMA because she is not afraid of the challenges our world can offer; she fights and perseveres, which is exactly what PUMA is all about. She will not only represent our brand, but she will help to define and enhance our women’s business.”

Selena Gomez for Puma

Photo: Courtesy of Guy Aroch

Selena Gomez

Puma

Selena Gomez

Puma

The brand’s women’s business has been reinvigorated in recent years and they are expecting continued growth in this area.

fashionado

Project Runway with Miranda Lambert

[caption id="attachment_19679" align="aligncenter" width="440" caption="Country music star and Grammy winner, Miranda Lambert joined Nina Garcia, Zac Posen and Heidi Klum in the judges circle. "]

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Country & Rock collided on

Project Runway

when the designers were challenged to create stage and red carpet looks for country music star

Miranda Lambert

. For this episode, the designers split into teams of two and for the most part, I'd say they all played very well together. No big surprises. No big drama. Imagine that... a Project Runway episode about fashion and

it's

challenges.

Amanda crawled from under the bus her "team" threw her under to create this judge's fav fringed dress. It fit well and had great movement. Amanda didn't win the challenge but I was happy to see her kick butt.

Another judge's fav. Benjamin's red carpet look was beautiful but I just wasn't crazy about it. For some reason, the bedazzled fringe dangling from the bodice really bugged me!

Daniel got served a big fucking slice of humble pie! His cocky and overly confident attitude in the workroom was too much. Look at me, look at me. I'm so fabulous. This technique is the best. Look at me... UGH! Hopefully, being in the bottom put his ego in check and an abundance of talent is all we'll see from Daniel from this point forward.

*Sidenote

, does anyone else hate that ridiculous moustache?!!

Kate's red carpet look is a little much with the red leather. I like the dress and appreciate the effort but the hardness of the leather fights the flowy chiffon bottom. I would have used the red leather sparingly. Also, notice the gold stud work on the shoulders? Perhaps Kate ran out of time, but there just wasn't enough of them. They look like an afterthought. I want to see more from Kate. My advice to her: EDIT.

The ruching and structure of the bodice is very nice and I like that the belt adds a flattering touch of sparkle to the look. I am just not crazy about center slits AND why is the model holding up the dress?!! If she can't work a gown, she shouldn't be on the runway.

This was painful. Not the dress so much as Matthew's demeanor. The dress wasn't awful but it didn't scream Miranda Lambert. The real problem was Matthew's lack of confidence and self esteem. It was hard to watch him speak and question and doubt himself. He was sent home. Hopefully he'll get some help.

Are you kidding me? A denim skirt for a red carpet look! Like the judges, I have to question Michelle's taste. The leather vest was rockin' fab, Miranda like it and Heidi pointed out that they are judging the complete look, not individual pieces. The vest was painfully over-shadowed by the floor length denim skirt and bib necklace. Zac Posen said the necklace was so distracting it looked like linguini dangling.

The Native American-esque leather fringe is dramatic and fabulous. Now, all Patricia needs to do is create a dress to go with it... not this one. She needs a dress that works in unison with the fringed accessory. Right now I am seeing two, very distracting things happening. It's just not working. I think that Patricia is starting to get consumed with her heritage and is compromising good design.

Yay for Richard! He was so genuinely happy to win the challenge and he deserved it. Not only was it a terrific looking dress with plenty of appeal and movement, but Richard truly "made it work." [Tim Gunn should be very proud!] The dress was made of mesh making it too revealing. At the last moment, in a stoke of genius, Richard cut up the Mood t-shirts he bought with their budget money and created a lining. Perfect!

This dress is boring. Stanley struggled with it and it shows. Do I really need to say anything else?

Samantha's look was not a hit with the judges. I didn't love it, but I liked it. The colors are too dark so a lot of detailing got lost. The leather vest is HOT!

Poor Tim Gunn almost suffered a stroke or something in the workroom with Tu Suthiwat's dress. Thank God, Praise the Lord that the advice Tim offered was taken, otherwise the model would have looked like a balloon cartoon with the blowouts Tu Suthiwat wanted to make in the chest and hip areas. And though the final result isn't bad, he didn't really consider the client. This is not a look for Miranda Lambert.

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GQ Magazine, Victoria's Secret & Rihanna

CBS aired the

Victoria's Secret

fashion show last night.

Rihanna

wore Chanel pearl sunglasses. She looked fabulous. Rihanna is also in the December issue of

GQ -

on the cover and featured in the magazine. She wore nothing. To read article and SEE the photos,

click here!

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Sir ARI GOLD ~ Spirit, Flesh, Sparkle

Sir Ari Gold

is certain to

'Sparkle'

at the

Atlanta Pride

stage this week. I got turned on to Ari Gold about four years ago through his music videos which played regularly on the LogoTV Network. The music was great and well, Ari was easy on the eyes. So, with that said, you can imagine my excitement when I read in

Project Q

that Ari Gold was to headline Pride! I wasted no time in contacting him for a "chat".

We chatted about the things that matter most to Sir Ari Gold: his music & LBGT rights. And if you're not familiar with his music, Gold describes it as a mixture of R&B, dance, soul and pop. [

I describe it as fabulous.

]

I asked Sir Ari Gold how he came to choose Atlanta Pride and learned that we chose him! He said: The Pride Committee approached me. I've done about fifty Prides but I have never done Atlanta. I'm excited to come. I hear Atlanta has a love of music.

What can we expect on Sunday October 9th?

I want people to get a good feeling of what I do. I'll perform songs from the new album

Between the Spirit & the Flesh

. I'm bringing dancers along with me so we'll take a journey with my sets. I like to give a little theater...

You made a choice to be openly gay. Will you talk about that?

I think it stems from being an

artist and not really being famous nor rich but its more about being able to write and sing about the things I'm passionate about. I couldn't justify in my head being 'out' in my public and private life and not having that be a part of what I do. I need to write about the things I see every day from the perspective of a gay man - that's a big part  of my life...

How did folks react at first to your lyrics and content?

I came into resistance from the industry. Unfortunately many of them were gay themselves who told me I should go into the closet or that I won't sell records.

You are an active supporter of gay/civil rights and anti-bullying. Tell me about [your]

It Gets Better

video.

I read

Dan Savage's

column religiously. Its amusing and informative. I saw a call for those videos so I did one. That too got a great response! Whenever I can use my platform to propell acceptance to move LBGT people forward, I try and do so. [

WATCH VIDEO

]

When I asked Sir Ari Gold about his musical inspirations he laughed a little because he gets asked this loaded question all the time. He answered as concisely as possible since his influences are multi-layered and  cross generational:

[At first] I loved and worshiped many great artists in the 80's like Michael Jackson, Madonna and George Michael. However, as I did my research, I fell in love with the 70's and artists like Sylvester, Chaka Khan and  Johnny Hideway.  And of course, I'm influenced by 90's.

The videos for

Human, Make My Body Rock

and

Wave of You

are some of my favorites. They're beautifully artistic. Sir Ari Gold describes the sexy

Make My Body Rock

video as "a True Blood meets Mad Men deconstruction of heterosexual marriage and a heterosexist economy." His

Wave of You

video was a collaboration between Ari and director Guy Guido and serves as an homage to the "iconic" body of work of the late photographer Herb Ritts.

Currently, Sir Ari Gold is promoting his new album, the critically acclaimed,

Between the Spirit & the Flesh.

The second single to be released,

Sparkle

, features the vocals of

Sarah Dash

. The song serves as a "self-empowerment" anthem and "a rallying cry against all bullies" as described by Sir Ari.

When I asked if he'd ever consider doing a full concert in Atlanta Ari enthusiastically answered, "I would love to!" In the meantime, you can enjoy Sir Ari Gold on Pride Sunday, October 9th at the

Coca-Cola Stage

at 6:15. [

I know I'll be there... not missing this one!!

]

BTW, and if you're wondering why the "Sir"... Ari was knighted by the

Imperial Court of New York

...

fashionado