This girl has been doing a lot of Europe and boutiques nowadays, now she’s there to conquer Milan Fashion Week. Following a short promotional trip to Paris and London, Rihanna has made her way to Milan, Italy to keep an eye on the latest fashions and this time it’s ritzy Gucci.

Why? Simply because Ri is the new face of the label.

Gucci designer Frida Giannine is actually in the process of designing a gown for a collection that Rihanna, herself, will be promoting.

Dressed in a black mini dress held up by a black studded leather collar paired with knee-high boots and matching black nail polish she looked like she was gonna give some ‘Disturbia’ as she looked amazingly sexy.

After winning a Grammy earlier this year, Rihanna flew home to Barbados to celebrate her birthday where she had a heroes welcome. She was greeted by Prime Minister David Thompson who officially declared it ‘Rihanna‘ day.

Not every 20 year old can say she has released 3 albums and worked with Jay-Z, Justin Timberlake and was caught in a hot tub with Chris Brown!

Rapper 50 Cent is the Hip Hop Cash King, at least that’s what Forbes says. According to the business publication, 50 Cent has made $150 million over the past year, making him number 1 on the list of hip hop riches.

Mr. Curtis James Jackson III better known as 50 Cent is followed by Jay-Z who made $82 million.

Seems like there must be some kind of mistake here, right?

But turns out 50 Cent knows other means of getting rich besides making music and producing. The ‘In Da Club’ singer owns 10% of Glaceau, the firm owning Vitamin Water that was recently purchased by Coca Cola for a $4.1 billion. So 50 Cent’s business intuition turned his initial investment into a $400 million pay check, according to the source.

50’s portfolio also includes the popular G-Unit clothing line and record label, plus films, videogames and a slew of platinum albums, including last year’s Curtis, Forbes reports.

Rappers have more diversified portfolios than pop stars, that’s for sure. “They’re trying to buy some Gucci , I’m trying to buy the mall,” 50 Cent said of other celebs.

Sean “Diddy” Combs came third for the second year in the row earning $35 million. His revenue comes from his clothing line Sean Jean, record label Bad Boy, premium vodka Ciroc and two reality-TV shows.
P Diddy is followed by Kanye West ($30m), Timbaland, Pharrell Williams, Snoop Dogg, Swizz Beats, and Dr. Dre.

Olympics champions don’t care for what they’re wearing while reaching for gold, but fashion houses create the sports luxury for them to enjoy and make their sporty fashion statement.

Prada

Prada Sport’s “Tricks” collection, made especially for the Olympics, consists of nylon jackets, bags, and wallets. These yummy Prada accessories honor Italy (where the fashion house is based), Japan, and the Far East, are sold only in boutiques abroad. If you are in the US try eBay.

Recognize the colors of the Olympic rings?

Puma

Puma is sponsoring several Beijing athletes. Leading sports brand held a contest where students designed Olympic-inspired luxury accessories to carry the brand’s new Usan shoe.

The four winning bags are available in Milan, Paris, the United Kingdom, New York, and Tokyo, as well as here

Student winner George Omerod designed these medallion-shaped bags, which unzip on the side to create a larger bag.

Polo

Polo Ralph Lauren is the official outfitter of the 2008 U.S. Olympic teams. Team U.S.A. was wearing navy blazers at the opening ceremony as Kobe Bryant is pictured here in his Polo getup, but you can expect to see plenty of red, white, and blue attire at the closing ceremony.

U.S. athletes Deontay Wilder (boxing), Joy Fahrenkrog (archery), Brianna Glenn (track and field) and Giuseppe Lanzone (rowing) show off Ralph Lauren’s sporty sophistication and refined sensibility. These items are available here

Adidas

Adidas has been with Olympics since 1928, when founder Adi Dassler first created products for athletes competing in the Amsterdam Olympic Games. Over the past 80 years, Adidas has provided products for famous Olympians such as Jesse Owens, Wilma Rudolph, and Nadia Comaneci. As the official sportswear partner for the 2008 summer Olympics, the brand, for the first time ever, will be selling the same products that the Adidas athletes are wearing during the games. Adidas’s “Made For Beijing Collection” covers 26 of the 28 Olympic sports, and has limited-edition footwear such as these boxing shoes. Products are available here

These Microbounce + Medal Pack limited-edition footwear collection in gold, silver, and bronze is available at Adidas stores in New York, Las Vegas and San Francisco.

Speedo

For Speedo’s 80th anniversary, the swimwear brand collaborated with Japanese fashion label Comme des Garcons to develop the LZR Racer, which has been called the world’s fastest swimsuit. Made from low-drag, water-repellent, and fast-drying fabric, this super-suit is ultrasonically welded, making it literally seamless. Domme des Garcons designer Rei Kawakubo says:

I was interested in expressing the energy and the power that comes from the spirit, embodied in the meaning of the calligraphy, together with the will to win for one’s country.”

Three silhouettes of the LZR Razer will be available for men and women this fall.

Natalie Coughlin, five-time Olympic medalist wears one of the suits. Speedo harnessed the expertise of N.A.S.A. to make it, and Kawakubo placed sweeping brush strokes in metallic silver on the suit’s side panel. Japanese artist Inoue Yu-ichi painted calligraphy that represents the heart, spirit, and mind.

Gucci

And finally, Gucci with the 08-08-2008 collection. Creative Director Frida Giannini epitomizes sporty luxury in the 8 exclusive accessories taking her cue from the competitive sports.

Items include panda-bear, bike, watch, shoes, bags. Aren’t you loving it?

Also collection includes sports shoes, for both men and women, articulated in a fresh patchwork of suede, patent leather and gold trim.

Welsh breakthrough artist of the year Duffy is the newest living legend of rock and roll. She can have all the glam, but Bridget Bardot looking girl reveals she is happiest living simple life.

Duffy is the chillest girl ever wearing bathrobe and sipping a nice glass of merlot. ‘Mercy’ singer topped all possible charts and has sold millions getting 24-year-old a Mojo Song Of The Year award.

The first Welsh woman to have a UK No1 hit in 25 years, she said:

It’s cool, it makes me feel really proud to have done that. I think Bonnie Tyler was the last Welsh lady at No1 with Total Eclipse Of The Heart. When I go home to Wales everyone is so happy for me.

I guess my life is a lot more glamorous than it used to be in terms of the things I wear, the places I go, the places I stay, the places I eat at and the people I meet.

Everything is just wonderful, it’s really fantastic – but I don’t get too caught up in it.

I do nice things, but, to be honest, they’re not important. I’m not after a big house in the city, or anything like that.”

Paris, Milan, New York! Other than playing gigs all over the planet, Duffy is now a new muse to Dolce & Gabbana.

Duffy has been a confirmed singleton for two years and says a glass of merlot is “better than a man” because she’s not interested in complicated relationships, all she wants is to be able to be herself.

Actually, [music] it’s the only thing I can be honest in, because everything else in life – like love and friendship – is so complex. I’m a bit of a commitment-phobe. Why? I don’t know… It’s the only thing I’m afraid of. And besides, I’m really happy on my own. Because, that way, no one can hurt you.”

Love Duffy and want to know what kind of a man would fit her ideals? You have chances if you are charismatic, funny, intriguing and dress well.

Rockferry girl’s wardrobe is mostly filled with vintage designer clothes, for that she says:

I like to wear vintage designer clothes; you can never go wrong with that. At the moment I’m wearing vintage Chanel and I also like vintage Gucci, especially little handbags that are battered and have been around for 40 years. I love wearing things that have been around longer than me.”

Britain’s white soul ladies

Many see the alikeness between Duffy and Amy Winehouse. It’s in the music and style, but not the lifestyle. While Miss Winehouse is living the rock ‘n roll destructive livin’ la vida loca, Duffy treats herself with few glasses of wine and her favorite is seafood. Instead of kebab, Duffy goes for a lobster linguini.

When Boston Herald asked Duffy a controversial question on being a white soul singer here’s how she cut it down.

Q: Hip-hop sister Estelle mouthed off about you and other white soul singers in the British press not long ago, but then you sang at Harlem’s Apollo Theater - a classic soul venue. Was that vindicating?

Duffy: I felt no sense of judgment in that room. It was one of the most spectacular moments in my life, actually. No one can ever take that away from me. When the lights went up and the show started, I thought, ‘This is how it’s meant to be.’ I didn’t put out this record to then sit back and be judged. The bottom line is, you can’t help what color you’re born; every person has emotion, and that’s what soul music is - emotion.

Duffy performs at V Festival on August 16 and 17. Her next single, ‘Stepping Stone’, is out on September 1, but lucky you, you can see the video right here right now!

And HERE read ALL ABOUT DUFFY(full bio, photos, vids)

Now guess who’s the next Gucci face? Claire Danes is the ultimate modern icon. The Juliette will be the face of the Gucci fine jewelry campaign replacing, guess who? Drew Barrymore! Uh, good, I really don’t like her.

Gucci creative director Frida Giannini said:

Claire Danes is a modern icon. For me she is one of the most interesting young actresses on the international scene.”

The 2008 Summer Olympics will be celebrated from August 8, 2008 to August 24, 2008, with the opening ceremony commencing on 08 August at 8 pm at the Beijing National Stadium in Beijing. The 2008 Olympics will see the return of 28 sports, and will hold 302 events. Inspired by this huge event Gucci is pleased to present their “8 – 8 – 2008 limited edition”. Creative Director Frida Giannini epitomizes sporty luxury in the 8 exclusive accessories taking her cue from the competitive sports.

The noteworthy item in this creative collection is the new I Gucci watch. Gucci’s first ever digital timepiece is the most tantalizing thing for cosmopolitan watch fans and will be sold everywhere in the world unlike the rest of the collection which will be sold exclusively only in Hong Kong and mainland China.

Its flawless digital face features both numerical or clock hand format, black dial and steel frame to epitomize sporty elegance. The surface of its red monochrome rubber strap is engraved with the Gucci logo on the exterior, while the interior has been embossed with Gucci’s iconic GG pattern.

To pay homeage to China Frida created a panda. Though created for leisure the panda-teddy-bear is of the impeccable quality and done in soft leather. And the necklace inspired by military tags, in sterling silver and enamel making it the perfect accessory for casual looks.

The most exciting piece of the “8-8-2008 Limited Edition” collection is a unique bicycle, with bold red double GG leather details and collectable items such as a luxurious set covered in red “La Pelle Guccissima”

Frida also proposes the bold “La Pelle Guccissima” for two pieces of luggage. The first is chic, sturdy leather duffel and the other is a soft leather messenger bag with Gucci’s iconic green-red-green web on the shoulder strap.

Also collection includes sports shoes, for both men and women, articulated in a fresh patchwork of suede, patent leather and gold trim.

As for the bold red that permeates this standout collection, Frida comments:

Not only does red evoke “Happiness” and “Celebration” - two emotions that couldn’t be more appropriate to describe the excitement in the world of sports - but it also happens to be a very fashionable color for 2008! I also designed just 8 products for this collection, which mirror the lucky number 8 in Chinese culture”