We didn’t know there was a National Ice Cream Month in the US, but here it is: Miss USA, Kristen Dalton, visiting Serendipity 3 at Cæsar’s Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada, unveiling a Red, White and Blue banana split. The dessert has chocolate and blueberry sauces with scoops of strawberry, vanilla and blueberry ice cream topped with whipped cream and garnished with a cherry and an American flag.

TMZ was the first to report that pop star Michael Jackson had passed away after suffering cardiac arrest at his home. Presently, mainstream media outlets such as the Los Angeles Times are confirming the news, based on their sources.
   Jackson’s death comes on the same day another icon, Farrah Fawcett, died after a long battle with cancer. Fawcett was 62, Jackson was 50.
   From a fashion point-of-view, Fawcett was best known for her hairstyle in the 1970s, and was at one point the most famous pin-up in a poster by Pro Arts, photographed by Bruce McBroom. The poster sold millions of copies, buoyed by the actress’s subsequent success in Charlie’s Angels, a series for which she remained known for the remainder of her life.
   Jackson, being a pop star, had numerous reinventions, from a stylish solo recording artist in the 1970s to being proclaimed ‘the king of pop’ by the following decade. He had been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice, and had won 13 Grammy Awards and had 13 number-one singles in his solo career.
   His impact on the fashion world was evidenced by an auction of his property earlier in 2009. While his trademark is a single sequinned white glove, Jackson wore a series of elaborately beaded military jackets in the 1980s.
   It’s arguable whether people aped the Jackson style in the way many women borrowed Fawcett’s hairdo, but there is no doubt that both were cultural icons.

The folks at Lancôme have released their latest Magnifique commercial with actress Anne Hathaway. Previews have floated around for a few months—here is the final 30-second spot. Strangely, there has been less attention for Hathaway’s second spot compared with her first.

The All Blacks were getting plenty of announcements today: first, Telecom New Zealand said it would sponsor New Zealand’s rugby team through to the 2011 World Cup. Secondly, menswear brand Barkers announced its collaboration, with a Barkers Black line, inspired by Italian designer gear.
   The idea was to create a slick silhouette for the bulkier rugby player—but as with Barkers generally, there will be sizes across the board.
   The range features suits, a wool coat and shirts, along with New Zealand-made merino knitwear.
   All Blacks Josevata Rokocoko, Anthony Boric and Richard Kahui star in the campaign.

I was chatting to Cassius Eyewear’s Jason Ng, who has seen his company grow very quickly in a short space of time. Not surprising to see why: Cassius’s range has some cool oversized styles, plus the campaign has been very nicely shot. The interesting thing is that Cassius is getting more press outside New Zealand than inside—a very familiar phenomenon to us.
   Jason is also keeping a blog for his company, at cassiuseyewear.blogspot.com, which previews some of the company’s next moves.

The 1980s’ supermodels seem to be evergreen: Elizabeth Arden, Inc. sent us a release in French yesterday, saying that Claudia Schiffer will be the face of Alberta Ferretti’s first signature fragrance.
   The fragrance and the campaign will be released in the autumn.
   Creative Director Alex White collaborated with Alberta Ferretti on the concept for the campaign, which was shot by photographers Mert & Marcus.

We know this is one Lucire team member talking to another, but considering the subject is Summer Rayne Oakes and her fantastic new book, Style, Naturally, it’s certainly worth it. Fashion editor Samantha Hannah speaks to Summer Rayne, filmed by Snap Star.

It’s been a wonderful few days chilling out with our ed.-at-large, Summer Rayne Oakes, in Lucire’s home country of New Zealand to promote her book, Style, Naturally.
   Summer Rayne was out this way to attend Greenfest in Brisbane, Queensland, and decided that she should venture to New Zealand to see us and to give Style, Naturally, which launched here earlier this year, a push.

Summer Rayne interviewed by National Radio’s Jim Mora, broadcast live on June 9.

With David Farrier for TV3’s Campbell Live, which aired June 11.

Checking out Trade Aid on Victoria Street, Wellington, with Carolyn Enting; and Summer’s subsequent interview at Mojo Coffee on Bond Street.

   Barbora Hromadova of Southern Publishers Group, which distributes Style, Naturally here, did an incredible job of arranging the Auckland media. While I cannot mention who has interviewed Summer until their pieces run, some of you will already have seen her story in The Dominion Post and Campbell Live, as well as on two radio stations, including Radio New Zealand National.
   I flew up on Sunday, a few hours ahead of Summer, to collect her from Auckland Airport. We’ve been seeing the journalists that Barbora arranged initially, and thanks to Mark Patterson at Volvo, had a very comfortable ride in the form of the XC60 diesel SUV.
   We had plenty of comedies of errors with the keys at the Cintra Lane Apartments, my regular haunt, which are too plentiful to list here.
   I introduced Summer to Bridget Saunders and Miss New Zealand Katie Taylor, both of whom have interests in sustainability, during the evenings, and spent quite a bit on food to boost the Auckland economy.
   Here in Wellington, I was adamant that I would at least show Summer Rayne a bit more of this part of the island than the central city, and got to drive her around our south coast.
   She mastered the use of the Kiwi superlative suffix (the use of as at the ends of adjectives) and the distinctively odd ‘Flag it’ (‘Ignore it’), and I admit I was more liberal with the former than I otherwise would be.
   But the highlight was probably dinner with fashion editor Samantha Hannah and some of our crew on Wednesday night. We invited Laurie Foon of Starfish, whose label was featured in Style, Naturally. Laurie had bought the book many months before without knowing Starfish was in it. She had it for two months before getting to the references’ section; and was further surprised when I called her to ask if she wanted to meet the author.
   Earlier today, Samantha filmed an interview with Summer Rayne for both Snapstar and Lucire TV.

After her final Style, Naturally interview on this leg, Summer Rayne relaxes with the Lucire crew in Wellington and at Te Papa Tongarewa.

Summer Rayne Oakes at the Bush City trail at Te Papa Tongarewa—before the joke that the water could be from the toilets.

   Afterwards, we hung out at Te Papa before I drove Summer to Wellington Airport as she left our shores, only to be dicked around by Air New Zealand over an error in her ticketing, which spoiled an otherwise enjoyable tour.
   The error seemed to emanate from the Brisbane end, when the booking was originally done, and some of the Air New Zealand staff here tried their best to remedy the situation.
   These five days in Auckland and Wellington were thoroughly enjoyable. We’re looking forward to seeing more of the press that Summer Rayne deservedly received during her time here; and needless to say, we recommend Style, Naturally wholeheartedly as the definitive guide to sustainable fashion and beauty.

Our good friend Pamela Miller is behind the Summer 2009 Bikini DJ Series by STADJ. This venture launched June 7 at the Soho Grand, and is a way of bringing the beach to New Yorkers. The series runs at summer brunch every Sunday from brunch to sunset (1–10 p.m.) this summer, and features sexy DJ–models, Vinyla and Nelly, spinning house music.
   The Soho Grand is located at 310 West Broadway (between Canal and Broome).

Above: Doutzen Krœs remains in fifth place in 2009, with US$6 million earned between June 2008 and June 2009, says Forbes.

Forbes this week released its list of the world’s top earning models, estimating their income earned between June 2008 and June 2009.
   The magazine notes that the recession has hit earnings. While Gisèle Bündchen remains in the top spot with US$25 million earned, it’s US$10 million down from her 2008 figure. While Victoria’s Secret is no longer part of Bündchen’s deals, she still has Versace, True Religion, Dior and Ebel. She added Rampage to her brands.
   Heidi Klum retains her number-two spot, this year at US$16 million, thanks to her endorsement deals with Diet Coke, Volkswagen, McDonald’s and LG, and programmes such as Project Runway and Germany’s Next Top Model. Klum improved on her 2008 figure by US$2 million.
   Kate Moss remained at third with US$8·5 million, with Versace, Longchamp and Topshop among the brands using her face.
   Adriana Lima stayed at fourth, half a million dollars behind at US$8 million. Victoria’s Secret is her most popular endorsement deal.
   Both Moss and Lima increased their earnings by around US$1 million since 2008.
   Doutzen KrÅ“s remained in fifth with the same figure as 2008, at US$6 million. Forbes notes that while her de Beers contract ended, she replaced it with one for Seven for All Mankind.
   She was joined in fifth by Alessandra Ambrosio, buoyed by a Victoria’s Secret contract. Ambrosio was not in the top 10 last year.
   Natalia Vodianova remained seventh (US$5·5 million) and Daria Werbowy came up one place to eighth (US$4·5 million). Australian Miranda Kerr also went up one place, to ninth equal (US$3 million). Carolyn Murphy fell one spot to equal with Kerr.
   New Victoria’s Secret face Emanuela de Paula is new to the list, with US$2·5 million.
   Forbes did not list to the 16th place this year.