Starworks Group handled all press surrounding Nicola Formichetti’s temporary concept store with BOFFO Building Fashion and Gage/Clemenceau Architects, which opened during New York Fashion Week. During the two weeks Nicola’s was open, Starworks Group hosted four events including the store’s opening day and press preview, the launch party with Thierry Mugler Parfums, an Emerging Chinese Designers’ Exhibition and a press preview of UNIQLO’s new line UNIQLO Innovation Project (for which Formichetti is the Fashion Director).

As the Creative Director of Thierry Mugler, Fashion Director to Lady Gaga, the Haus of Gaga, Uniqlo and Vogue Japan, as well as contributor to V Magazine, Dazed & Confused and Another Magazine, Formichetti has created some of the most memorable imagery, performances, and moments in recent pop culture history.

Under Formichetti’s direction, the 1300 square foot space was transformed into a mirrored prism. The store housed a collection of limited edition pieces available to purchase such as Thierry Mugler menswear and womenswear, Nicola’s iPhone cases, jewelry, candles, t-shirts and exclusive designs by emerging international designers. Nicola’s also featured installations from Formichetti’s past and present creations and collaborations.

The day we hoped and prayed would never come has arrived.  The legendary Hotel Chelsea, which was officially purchased last week by real estate investor Joseph Chetrit, is being completely stripped of its history and character.

The hotel holds an unparalleled place in American pop culture myth: It was the site of the sexual encounter recalled in Leonard Cohen’s song, “Chelsea Hotel No. 2,” and of the murder of Sex Pistols member Sid Vicious’s girlfriend, Nancy.  William S. Burroughs wrote “Naked Lunch” at the Chelsea, and Jack Kerouac wrote “On the Road” there.  Dee Dee Ramone, Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix all spent long hours in one or another of its rooms.

Built in the 1880s, the building, which is legally designated as a landmark by the city, was converted into a hotel in 1905. Nearly 100 of its 250 rooms are occupied by permanent residents, many with roots in Manhattan’s downtown artistic scene.

One of those residents is longtime Friend Of Starworks, Gerald DeCock.  Gerald is an amazing hairstylist and painter whose penthouse apartment at the Chelsea was featured numerous times in the press, from W Magazine and Harper’s Bazaar to the New York Times and London Sunday Times Magazine.

We asked Gerald if we could feature his unique home on our blog for its last hurrah, so Dominic Vine snapped this for us over the weekend.  Click on the image to experience the full 360 degree view, and feel like you’re standing in this New York City legend one last time.

Rene Gruau was one of the most influential and admired fashion illustrators of the 20th century; alongside his friend Christian Dior he created a new ideal of feminine beauty. His signature style (think flat planes of colour and sweeping black lines) came to fruition after World War II signaling a return to optimism and oppulence. Now, The Fashion Illustration in Mayfair, London is showing a selection of Gruau’s drawings and paintings, created as covers for International Textiles magazine between 1946 and 1984. The bold, graphic works beautifully evoke the glamour of a by-gone era. Well worth admiring up close.

The exhibition runs until January 8th at The Mayor Gallery 22A Cork Street, London W1.

Fashion pundits may well be predicting a rise in the sales of sapphires following Prince William’s choice of engagement ring for Kate Middleton, but diamonds will always have an irresistible allure. Should the future Princess Catherine be hankering after a stunning rock (or two) then His Royal Highness could always splash out and buy the Steinmetz Yin Yang – the World’s largest pair of identical cut diamonds – which were unveiled earlier today at the Guggenheim Museum during Bloomberg  Link’s Hedge Funds 2010 event.

The spectacular stones weigh 35.61 and 35.77 carats  respectively and were cut from two individual rough diamonds, each  initially weighing over 100 carats, which were discovered in Southern  Africa, and cut by Steinmetz, creators of the world’s finest diamonds.  The resulting gems are Flawless both internally and externally of the  highest colour D colour and are also Type IIa, a classification reserved  for less than 2% of diamonds in the world.

“More than a year  was spent by a team of Steinmetz craftsmen to finish the perfectly  matched pair of Round Brilliant cut stones” commented Nir Livnat,  Chairman of Steinmetz Diamonds, “We strive to have the rarest most beautiful diamonds available in the  marketplace.”

The historic diamonds are likely to be destined for the collection of a true  connoisseur. According to market specialists, these rare gems are likely  to value in excess of $25 million and are available for  sale through Sotheby’s Diamonds, the partnership between esteemed  auction house Sotheby’s and Steinmetz Diamonds. That’s supposing they aren’t bought a private client first; the Bloomberg  Link Hedge Fund event was attended by some 300 international financiers and investors who gathered to hear talks from influential industry figures. If one them wasn’t tempted to blow their bonus then we can’t think of a more perfect owner for these peerless stones than the future Queen of England. After all, nothing says I love you quite like a diamond.