Everybody knows everything these days

More than ever, there seems something dated in the existence of these people, publicists who glory in their task as guardians of precedence. Like the eunuchs of the Ming dynasty, they tend to forget their place as servants of the imperial luxury goods industry. And, like the eunuchs of the Forbidden City, they may wake up one day to find that those with real power — in this case, Bernard Arnault, Robert Polet, François Pinault — have noted that the bottom line is not being well served by lackeys with attitude.

Guy Trebay in The NY Times on fashion show publicists and their Marie Antoinette complex

Show 1 at the controversial Haunch Of Venison space goes up on Sept 12th

The very face of contemprary art buying power: Dakis Joannou

The people who buy today's best known contemporary art not only acquire major art but also earn an entry ticket to the exclusive circle of the artistically super-privileged around the world.
In so doing they are following in the footsteps of early mega collectors such as Eli Broad in California, the co-founder of the Kaufman +Broad property empire, Francois Pinault in France and Dakis Joannou, the scion of a big Greek Cypriot civil engineering group. These fortunates enjoy instant access to the contemporary art lifestyle .And as newly rich collectors they also enjoy outsize purchasing power.

Judith Benhamou-Huet tells it like it is in Vogues Hommes International Spring/Summer 2008

Gemma Ward : In the Days When She Walked Shows

At Haru while having lunch with the nicest model manager you could imagine, the following happened. As usual, the talk had turned to agency gossip. Not malicious, or particularly competitive but just...idle. " Yeah and Gemma Ward's been looking particularly happy these days". he said in a fairly loud voice, "Cause as we all know she's not always the happiest camper" I sat facing the door, so I could see, literally as he spoke the approaching figure of...Gemma Ward, in these little denim hot pants and a totally non-descript tank top with that model staple, an army coat thrown over it. She looked great, tall and slimmer than the last time we glimpsed her with long tousled blonde hair, looking very much like a beautiful teenaged tourist. She was with her IMG agent. I completely blanched and my lunch companion followed my eyeline to its conclusion. At that point we burst out laughing.If this were a scene in a movie, the audience would go..."Yeah Right!" Poor Gemma probably felt over scrutinized at this point and whether under the weight of our gaze or by pure chance, Maja and Gemma soon elected to take an outside table. I waved hello as they went by and left it at that.