Just one week after lift-off, the Conde Elevator is going down.
The Twitter account featuring gossip heard in the lift of the Conde Nast headquarters in New York became an internet sensation to rival any new season trend, amassing 15,065 followers just three days after it launched earlier this month.
The juicy snippets on Conde Elevator could have come straight from The Devil Wears Prada, the film based on Anna Wintour, who edits Conde Nast title US Vogue, and were apparently written by an enterprising employee at Conde Nast under the banner: ''Things heard in the Conde Nast elevators do not stay in the Conde Nast elevators.''
One tweet read: ''Girl #1: 'There should be an elevator that only goes to Vogue. Just up to the 12th floor and back down'. Girl #2: 'Totally'.''
''Woman #1 asked Woman #2, who was holding an omelet: 'What's the occasion'? Woman #2: '… huh?' Woman #1: 'I would need an occasion to eat that'.''
But after amassing almost 60,000 followers, the secret scribe announced on August 12 that he or she was quitting observational activities with this sudden post: ''Girl or Guy #1 (in elevator alone): 'This got really crazy. Love my job. Better stop. #sorry'.''
During its brief ascent to international fame, Conde Elevator itself created a feast of gossip guessing games as to who was responsible for the reports. It has also prompted speculation it may have been shut down for fear of its protagonist losing their job.
But perhaps even the notoriously stiff-lipped Conde Nast has a sense of humour, with a spokesperson for the publisher telling the New York Post last Friday: ''While we're curious about who or what might be behind the feed, we are certainly not overly concerned.''
Sole searching
In the latest news on the legal shoes scuffle, it looks like Christian Louboutin may be contemplating their signature red soles walking away to all and sundry. A judge last week declined to grant a preliminary injunction requested by Christian Louboutin against Yves Saint Laurent, which was accused of trademark infringement for shoes featuring soles similar to those of Louboutin's. Judge Victor Marrero ruled in the New York Federal District Court that the trademark was ''overly broad'' and ''unlikely'' to be able to be enforced, according to a report in The New York Times.
Louboutin's lawyer, Harley Lewin, told Agence France-Presse: ''We are profoundly disappointed at the judge's decision. We are currently evaluating all alternatives.''
One for the boys
Australian men are traditionally poorly catered to in terms of footwear requirements for anything beyond a casual trainer or a classic brogue but local label Meandher has delivered some attractive, well-priced alternatives with its new spring-summer collection.
Boat shoes, desert boots and smart lace ups in a muted palette of navy, brown, green and grey are among the styles in the range of canvas, leather and nubuck shoes created by Sydneysider Emily Cooper. The designer recruited photographer Tobias Rowles to shoot Meandher's new campaign for the shoes, which are priced from $190-$250 and stocked at boutiques including Somedays and One of a Kind.
Kors cleans up
The American apparel industry may still be weathering a recession but for one designer, at least, the past few years have proved to have a very silver lining indeed. Michael Kors has sold a 20 per cent equity stake in his eponymous brand in a deal that has valued the label at a massive $US2.5 billion ($2.4 billion). The $US500 million share has been sold to a group of investors led by fellow American designer Tommy Hilfiger under a deal that will enable Kors to expand its product categories and markets. The valuation is all the more remarkable considering the US Project Runway judge only started devoting all his time to his label eight years ago, after designing for French brand Celine.
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