The Story of Cosmetics, released on July 21st, 2010, examines the pervasive use of toxic chemicals in our everyday personal care products, from lipstick to baby shampoo. Produced with Free Range Studios and hosted by Annie Leonard, the seven-minute film by The Story of Stuff Project reveals the implications for consumer and worker health and the environment, and outlines ways we can move the industry away from hazardous chemicals and towards safer alternatives. The film concludes with a call for viewers to support legislation aimed at ensuring the safety of cosmetics and personal care products.

The heart of the digital campaign consists of an experiential website built around a 3D video that guides the user through the B.zero1 world where users discover the new collection and the artist, Anish Kapoor. Download the iPhone app and other B.zero1 “goodies”, including screensavers and wallpapers, at http://www.bzero1.bulgari.com.

In an area of the site called “The Experience”, Bulgari fans may leave a wish for the future that can be shared with friends via Facebook and other social media websites. With each new message, a point of light is added to a digital sculpture. The evolution of this collaborative sculpture, along with all wishes, may be seen on the website.

We talked with BVLGARI on the goals for the campaign.

Macala Wright: Who is the app target towards? Luxury consumers, aspirational customers, men, women?

BVLGARI: With the B.zero1 iPhone app, and with the B.zero1 campaign in general, Bulgari wanted to reach out to our existing customers and brand enthusiasts who are spending more and more time online and on their mobiles. We also wanted to reach out to other people, men and women, who appreciate luxury, but may not know Bulgari very well or may perceive Bulgari to be “distant”.

MW: Why did Bulgari want to create this app, was it to reach a broader audience much like Burberry Art of the Trench?

BVLGARI:: We wanted to create a greater level of brand engagement and interaction with people in a coherent, connected way across all of our online communication channels – website, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter. We felt that this campaign – celebrating our iconic jewellery collection and in collaboration with contemporary artist, Anish Kapoor, who is renowned for curved forms and reflective surfaces – provided rich material for an intriguing and fun iPhone app.

BVLGARI:: How has Bulgari’s digital campaign effected the brand thus far – positive reception, broader brand awareness, engagement?

BVLGARI: It is still too early to fully understand the effect of the campaign on the brand. However, we are happy with the indications so far – the number of visits to our website, the level of participation in the interactive digital “Wish Sculpture”, where people have been leaving messages and sharing with friends & family, as well as the amount of positive feedback on our official page on Facebook.

FMM Verdict: I love the “experience” of that the Bulgari apps gives the user. For a luxury brand app, it’s much more engaging and “social” than previous luxury brands’ attempts at creating application. I think the Bulgari app goes to show that luxury can approachable while aspirational and social without losing that mystique that a luxury brand is built on. This app just replaced the Hermes app as the one luxury branded app on my iPhone.

I’m going a step further and filing the Bulgari app under “digital pretty”; I will definitely employ it’s use while shopping on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills or in the luxury wing of South Coast Plaza. Enjoy the app and the video.

As the fashionable crowd mingled and viewed the Prorsum collection, waiters passed around delectable bites such as mini quiches with truffles and lemon scones.

The highlight of the event, in addition to the beautiful collection, was meeting and spending a few minutes chatting with the charming Christopher Bailey.  He is as charming in person as one would expect.

Bailey was in town for an event the previous day as well as to make the in-store appearance before heading back to London.  This was an unprecedented event, as it was the first time to have Bailey on-site presenting the collection at one of the Burberry stores.

Videos of the runway collection played in the background as guests browsed and shopped.  Military was a big theme, seen in the color pallet and details of the collection.  One of the highlights from the collection was a shearing aviator cropped jacket that was absolutely gorgeous up close.

The event was a success as guests were mingling and enjoying tasty nibbles, while employees were busy finalizing sales. Hopefully there will be more in-store appearances from Christopher Bailey in the future.

- Jennifer Margolin, Fashion Stylist

Note from the editor: The only hiccup in this thoroughly enjoyable event was the the inability to get the correct photography. Photography was limited at the event, we were unable to get photos for ourselves, but Laurie Brucker and Jennifer Margolin were able to get a video.

- Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images North America, Video: Laurie Brucker

Guest Post By Los Angeles Stylists & Fashion Writers Jennifer Margolin and Laurie Brucker

Prices range from $15-105 for all apparel and accessories! Come join us for some fashion nabbing.

Bonus: They take credit cards and if you pay with your Visa, you get an extra 15% off!

Today,  Kaboodle, one of the largest social shopping fashion websites online, launches PopPicks. PopPicks is a community-curated online sale that allows Kaboodle members and shoppers to decide what products they want to see offered at a special price before the sale happens.

What Is PopPicks?

PopPicks will be an ongoing program for Kaboodle. Offering  a new retail partner each week, PopPicks features a collection of products selected by Kaboodle editors in partnership with the featured retailer or brand.

Once products are selected, the Kaboodle community is invited to “heart” (vote for) the products they like best. After four days of voting, the most “hearted” products are made available for four days or until the reserved inventory is sold out. Once an item has sold out at the promotional price, Kaboodlers can still buy the product at its original price.

During voting and limited-time sales, Kaboodlers can invite friends to participate via Kaboodle’s peer-to-peer messaging system as well as on e-mail, Facebook, Twitter and other social platforms.

Moxsie, will be the inaugural launch partner. Additional participating launch partners in the coming weeks include other online fashion favorites, Karmaloop, Ssense, Ivy Blue and 80sPurple.

“As the leader in streetwear online, Karmaloop is always looking for exceptional programs that help us expand our footprint in a meaningful way,” said Natasha Chu, Karmaloop’s e-commerce manager.  “This partnership allows us to broaden our online presence through emerging technology and tap into an increasingly important social dynamic around shopping and purchasing.”

We discussed PopPicks with Shari Gunn, chief marketing officer at Kaboodle.

Macala Wright: How does PopPicks benefit the retailers or brands that participate in the program?

Shari Gunn: This is a unique and innovative marketing platform for our retail partners, allowing them to showcase their very best products and engage their target market in directly helping determine the sale.

The program also allows retailers to tell how well their apparel or accessories are received before they order large quantities. By not over ordering, retailers reduce the risk of having left over merchandise that would be hard to sell. The program also lets them see what trends will work before they commit to them.

The preorder and product voting features offer valuable consumers insights and analytics for program participants as well.

MW: Data? You just said our favorite word!

SG: Yes, as the program evolves, we will be able to provide aggregate information about consumer buying preferences and data that can used by a retailer’s buying team that impacts their forecasting and possibly alter their merchandising habits

MW: If a retailer or brand wanted to participate in PopPicks, would they do that? Are there prerequisites?

SG: The current partners are based on our affiliate program partnerships, but brands and retailers can contact us through the Kaboodle site if they feel they may be a good fit. We’d welcome any partner we fill would fit the community.

“At its core, Kaboodle has always been a way for shoppers to discover, share, and interact with products that have been vetted by other shoppers like them. This new feature extends community empowerment and amplifies their collective voice by allowing them to influence what, exactly, is featured during our exclusive sales events. It also provides an innovative e-commerce opportunity and a new revenue stream for Kaboodle.”

The FMM Verdict

We think PopPicks is a pretty cool twist on online or private sale model. We love how Kaboodle has integrated an exclusive sale within its current domain, and it’s a natural extension of it’s community platform. The fact that the private sales don’t offer items that are last season creates added value for shoppers. Instead of buying what’s left, they’re getting what’s first, hip and trending!

We also like how Kaboodle has found a model that incorporate the best features of Moxsie First and ModCloth. Crowdsourcing fashion design and incentivizing social sharing, what more could a fashion marketing girl want? Oh, wait – retail partners that I actually want to buy from! Oh wait…they offer that too! 80s Purple, Karmaloop, Kaboodle’s got moxsie (literally)!

Gilt incorporated smaller, lesser know brands and emerging designers once it discovered that their members wanted, and would purchase, them along with the big brand retailers that they carried.

Kaboodle started with independent brands and retailers, I guess their partnership with Etsy was a good indicator on how creative, emerging brands and retailers would resonate with their community members.

Unrelated brownie points: Etsy even taught their community member to use Kaboodle as  sales tool.

Alison Loehnis, NET-A-PORTER’s VP of Sales and Marketing, says: “We are extremely excited to be launching our iPad app. With it we are giving our customers the amazing opportunity to shop through the NET-A-PORTER magazine in a new and innovative way with the ability to interact with the product while on the go.”

With the NET-A-PORTER magazine app, users can:

• Shop complete looks direct from the glossy shoots in NET-A-PORTER’s magazine
• Watch exclusive video content including runway shows and interviews with the world’s leading designers
• View exquisite, high quality images of items
• Share product suggestions with family and friends
• Feedback about their shopping experience
• Read it, watch it, shop it, wherever you are!

NET-A-PORTER.COM will also be offering a selection of iPad cases from brand partners including Burberry, Bottega Veneta, Gucci and Marc by Marc Jacobs. Available to download free from Apple’s App Store

Up until recently, many marketers have thought that UK was running closely behind Japan, China and Thailand. According to bigmouthmedia, the UK isn’t as far along as we thought.

bigmouthmedia, one of the UK’s leading search marketing agencies, has released a research study that more than three quarters of the UK’s big brands do not understand the value of a visitor via mobile compared to other digital channels.

The research, which polled the views of key decision makers at leading UK companies, shows that despite a significant 89.2% of respondents sharing the belief that mobile marketing will become increasingly important over the next 12 months, very few have fully embraced the channel. Reflecting the uncertainty with which many businesses regard the emerging the field, 70.3% of those surveyed currently don’t have any engagement with mobile marketing at all.

“We are at a critical point in the evolution of mobile marketing. A growing group of organizations are starting to derive competitive advantage from their early mover status in the channel, yet the vast majority of companies have yet to gauge the impact it is likely to have on their business,” said Simon Heyes, Head of International Sales Operations at Bigmouthmedia.

“There are no benefits to be derived from being slow on the uptake. With the mobile channel set to become increasingly influential over the next few years, companies need to move now, engage with the medium and start building the campaigns that are going to keep them ahead of the game.”

Despite an apparent lack of engagement with the channel the research revealed a keen awareness of the potential advantages, with 75.7% of respondents citing increased brand awareness as the main benefit of undertaking mobile marketing, and 67.6% believing increased customer engagement to also be a major benefit. Over 60% also believed that increased traffic, leads and sales were also a major driver.

Bigmouthmedia’s survey – conducted amongst a large group of large and medium sized enterprises – showed that just 5.4% companies describe themselves as being “heavily involved” in mobile marketing at the current time. Another statistic to emerge is that while they considered the channel increasingly influential, 75% of the respondents claimed not to know the relative value of a visitor from mobile compared to other channels.

“What is clear from our research is that while the vast majority of businesses accept that mobile is going to become a critical part of the marketing mix, there is a great deal of uncertainty over how to approach the channel, and in particular how to get buy in from the wider organization. Companies know they need to get on board the mobile bandwagon, but a lack of clear understanding is holding many back from exploiting its potential,” said Heyes.

Another recent forecast from Morgan Stanley found that at the rate its usage is accelerating, mobile internet use will overtake desktop internet use by 2015.

“In many ways the UK is behind many other markets when it comes to mobile adoption, with territories like Japan, the Philippines and Thailand already using mobile internet services much more than their European counterparts. In many organizations mobile has taken a back seat because the focus is still on mainstream digital strategy, but British companies can’t afford to make the same mistakes they did with the social media revolution, which commerce has only just got to grips with after three long years,” added Heyes.

You can follow bigmouthmedia on twitter @bigmouthmedia.

Remember the Simply Stylist event we raved about during Los Angeles Fashion Week? To recap, Simply Stylist is an annual event that celebrates people who use their innovation and love for fashion to create celebrity and editorial looks.  That is to say, it’s a celebration of stylists.

This year, Simply Stylist is opening to the public on October 13th from 8PM-11PM and is a chance for fashionistas and aspiring stylists to officially begin their lives in the fashion industry.

The event is about celebrating people who love fashion and have a desire to learn more about styling. Attendees get a chance to see the same garments and accessories that top stylists saw only hours before, and they will also be able to network and build relationships with current and future top style influencers.

In addition, Caro Marketing and The Contact List have put together an informative panel of top fashion industry members includin: Lindsay Albanese, Luke Storey and a surprise celebrity stylist. And, of course, Caroline Rothwell and Sarah Pollack (sisters and founders of Simply Stylist) know that a night out at a premier event would not be complete without a free drink and gift bag!   For only $75 you can attend this event, so REGISTER!

The Gilt for Android App offers Android users the ability to browse and buy from Gilt sales directly from their phone.  In addition, the app will allow for:

• A Closer Look at Sales:  Through the use of pinch and zoom technology Android users have the ability to see products up close and flip between portrait and landscape views.
• Never miss a sale again: See start of sale notifications in the Android status bar.
• Get ahead of the curve: Browse upcoming sales and add favorite sales to the phone’s calendar.
• Invite Friends: Show friends the app’s Quick Response (QR) code to allow any friend with an Android-powered phone to scan and get the Gilt app. Or invite friends to join Gilt via email, Facebook, Twitter and more.
• Countdown to Sales Clock: Install the gilt sales clock widget on your home screen to know exactly when sales start.

“The Gilt for Android App was specifically designed for Android-powered devices,” said Jag Bath, Vice President, Product Management, Gilt Groupe.” Android users can now shop Gilt sales, preview upcoming sales, and invite friends from anywhere via multiple messaging channels, including sharing the app via QR code. In addition, unique to Android devices is the Gilt widget, which is always viewable on the phone so that Android users can see today’s sales even if they don’t have the Gilt app open.”

The Gilt App for Android is available for free at http://www.gilt.com/apps/android.

When Bluefly’s addictive online social community, Closet Confessions launched in April, figure skater Johnny Weir uploaded his closet. Now,  I must say they only thing I know about figure skating comes from infamous Tanya Hardy/Nancy Kerrigan situation and the fact I wanted to be Moira Kelley in The Cutting Edge.

But apparently, there’s something more to figure skaters than knee bashing and creating cool movies. YouTube videos and live tweeting has come to yet another industry. According to Kelly Cutrone of People’s Revolution, Weir’s diehard fans and style fiends alike watched his Confessions video nearly 200,000 times! His “kittens”, the term he loving uses to describe his fans and twitter stalkers, sent him almost 1000 tweets, as part of an exclusive Twitterview hosted by Bluefly as part of the project.

Kittens, Monsters – what will the Internet infamous think of next to call all aspiring Julia Allisons of the Internet?

Now, Weir is getting even closer to his fans. Starting today, just for uploading a picture on BlueflyClosetConfessions.com of their most outrageous piece of clothing or accessor (we smell inspiration from Diesel’s STUPID campaign), the lucky fan Johnny chooses will win a $500 Bluefly splurge and a virtual styling session with Johnny himself!

With style as big as his talent, Weir believes “nothing is ever enough” when it comes to personal style and indeed he proves it in his Closet Confession. Treating his fans to a virtual tour of the color-coded fur and ROYGBIV “tree” of Balenciaga bags that line his closet, Johnny invites viewers to indulge in his favorite purchases: among them a fur and python trapper hat, a Chanel suit, and scores of superstar shades.

“People’s closets give us a window into their passions and personalities; when you see Johnny’s Closet you immediately know this is a person who is meticulous about the way he handles himself and his things, and that he is no shrinking violet,” Bradford Matson, Bluefly CMO says.

Johnny’s Closet Confession, the eighth in the Bluefly series, extends the video program’s wildly successful streak. Since its launch in April 2010, over 100,000 viewers have watched Closet Confessions a million times.

“We’re focused on creating a community for our fashionphile customers to share and find style inspiration and we’re thrilled that they’re doing just that on Closet Confessions,” Melissa Payner, Bluefly CEO says.

From a marketing standpoint, we love Payner’s and Matson’s vision. From a consumer standpoint, we’re geeking out over the continued success of confessions. Visit BlueflyClosetConfessions.com to enter for your chance to win a Bluefly hook-up.