[Joan Jett and Todd Oldham, image via Peta.org, taken by Film Magic]
On Thursday night, Stella McCartney opened her Meatpacking District boutique for a celebrity-hosted PETA event. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals teamed up with Tim Gunn of Project Runway, and actresses Taraji P. Henson and Olivia Munn. The main event of the night was a short, informative video narrated by Tim Gunn, which showed in graphic detail the pain that various animals suffer in the name of fashion.
After the video, Tim Gunn discussed his involvement with PETA at Parsons, arranging lectures to inform the students about the cruelty of fur. Taraji P. Henson admitted that she wore fur enthusiastically until she watched the HBO documentary, “I Am Animal.” Recently, she posed nude for a new PETA ad, which reads, “Fur? I’d rather go naked.”
There was no demonstration, no paint-flinging, no naked protesters. It was simply a fun and fashionable event to get across an important message without outrageous antics or over-the-top ideology.

-Vivi Fragou

Ponchos are making an appearance again this fall in the form of chunky knits. Think handmade, warm and cozy. Many are a fusion of sweater and poncho that button up the front, making them easier to layer. You’ll see hoods, pockets and zippers as added features as well. Look for all wool styles made with thick yarns and lots of texture in the knitted design. Or try a lighter poncho on for size; it is more like a wrap and much more fluid than chunkier styles. Go for a neutral like gray or brown that can be paired with a variety of items in your wardrobe.

On the chunkier side, from Haute Hippie is the Chunky Wool Poncho (top left, $495.00 at Nordstrom.com) with classic overtones and a cable-knit design. It has a full zip-front closure, pockets to keep your hands warm and a slouchy hood at the back. From Stella McCartney is a pricey and luxe Zip-Front Boucle Poncho (top right, $1,685 at Neiman Marcus) with oversized buttons button as an accent on the cape sleeves. The poncho is an Alpaca/linen/polyamide/wool blend and made in Italy. Helmut Lang has also done a version, all in a minimalist style of course! Helmut Lang Knit Poncho (bottom right, $260 at Saks.com) is an alpaca/merino/polyamide blend and is super soft as well as warm. This poncho also features a generous hood.  From Elizabeth and James is the Olivia Poncho, (bottom left, $545 at Shopbop.com) made of moleskin this is the perfect piece for layering. Pair with a cozy cashmere turtleneck and jeans for a luxe weekend casual look.

Save with Coupon Codes from Shopbop from TheFind.com’s new coupon site

Images from style.com

Suit jackets have never looked better, thanks to one of our most favorite Brit designers, Stella McCartney. For her spring ’09 collection, McCartney transformed the mundane office staple into a chic, lanquid, and sexy addition to a myriad of different looks. We saw it take the form of McCartney’s signature jumpsuit, a bathing suit, and layered over a cocktail dress. She spiced up the tone of the collection by pairing sheer blazers with even more see-through glitteryjumpsuits and leotards underneath. Although the jacket was undoubtedly the star of the show, McCartney expressed her dimension and versatility as a designer with provocative black bondage and chandelier-like frocks. Had we been there, we would have given Ms.McCartney a standing ovation alongside show crasher Sacha Baron Cohen’s alter ego, Bruno.