No, unfortunately that is not my salary…

According to Bloomberg.com, Topshop (which opens in soho today) says it sells 40,000 pairs of shoes a week, and has more than 300 stores in the U.K. and 125 outlets in regions ranging from Scandinavia to the Middle East.

Excuse me? 40,000 pairs of shoes a week? 40,000? No wonder they’re setting up shop here! Paging all NY-based Carrie Bradshaws! Come on girls, we can certainly out do 40,000 pairs of shoes a week – even in a recession!

The store is also said to have 32 dressing rooms, which doesn’t sound like very many to me, but I suppose well just have to see how they hold up during today’s stampede.

Planning to visit the store today? Let me know what you think! Xx
Photo from AP Photo/Mark Lennihan

ALEXANDER WANG!! Wang was chosen as the fifth CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund recipient on Monday night’s dinner gala, landing him $200,000 and a year’s worth of mentoring (which is really priceless). Lisa Mayock and Sophie Buhai of Vena Cava (YAY!!!) and Albertus Q. Swanepoel of Albertus Quartus were this year’s runners-up, and will each receive $50,000 and a business mentor.

Other finalists this year include Richard Chai, Jason Wu, Irene Neuwirth, Alejandro Ingelmo, Juan Carlos Obando, Obedient Sons & Daughters and Organic.

Past CFDA/Fashion Fund winners include Rogan (2007), Doo-Ri Chung (2006), Trovata (2005) and Proenza Schouler (2004). Past runners-up include 3.1 Phillip Lim, Philip Crangi Jewelry, Rodarte, Thakoon, Derek Lam, Thom Browne, Cloak and Habitual.

Who chooses the winners? This year’s selection committee consisted of CFDA president Diane von Furstenberg; CFDA executive director Steven Kolb and associate director Lisa Smilor; Vogue’s Anna Wintour and Sally Singer; Theory’s Andrew Rosen; Coach’s Reed Krakoff; Jeffrey Kalinsky of Jeffrey New York and Nordstrom; Gap’s Patrick Robinson, and Barneys New York’s Julie Gilhart.

Congratulations to all the winners and finalists!!

Although I’m a little obsessed with my iPhone and am constantly trying to pressure others into getting one as well, I was amused by Jeff Zeleny’s recent piece in the NY Times Lose the BlackBerry? Yes He Can, Maybe. If you haven’t already read it, you should do so because it is something worth thinking about.

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Elizabeth and James, the everything-I-want label created by Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, will be launching a footwear collection, reports WWD. And it should be good especially since Ashley has engaged in some serious conversation with shoe master Christian Louboutin (see image).

Now I’m predicting styles inspired by the super feirce Alaia and Givenchy ones the twins seem to love so much…I’m also predicting that I’ll want at least one pair. Expect to find them in Barneys, Saks and Intermix boutiques next year.

In other celebrities-make-clothing news: Bloomingdales is saying that Lauren Conrad has the hottest selling celeb line to ever hit the store. I bet ‘the Hills’ are alive with music tonight!

The second season of Californication hasn’t debuted yet, but David Duchovny is making news today by checking into rehab to undergo treatment for sex addiction. You’ve got to wonder if playing the sexy, dark, Hank Moody has something to do with it. I wonder what being addicted to sex is really like…

First, the good news (I love my iPhone and I love runway shows, so this is more than just ‘good’ news, its great news): The New York Times reports that Style.com is launching an application for the iPhone expected out sometime this week – and more access to the shows is alright by me.

And now, the bad/annoying/what-is-the-point news: We’ve all heard of pop-up boutiques before, but a pop-up health clinic? In an effort to promote ‘healthy’ model weight, WWD reports that the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) is setting up a health booth inside the tents. Set up specifically as an eating disorder treatment facility, the booth is there to provide answers, referrals and overall outreach to any person interested in treatment or worried about someone they are working with, which sounds good, but seriously – who is going to sit down in the tents and discuss body image, weight, food, etc??! Aren’t people with eating disorders supposed to be very embarassed/ashamed about their bodies, have low self-esteem, be disallusioned about their issues, and so forth and so on? Does the CFDA really think any of these girls will call attention to their very private issues in the middle of Bryant Park where the most judgemental people in the entire world will all be gathered to watch their rivals walk down the runways? I just feel like this is being done to put on a good face, and is merely a weak pr attempt if anything. If the CFDA really wanted to help these girls it needs to be done in a different way; This kind of stuff just proves that the industry doesn’t really want things to change at all – and it is sort of infuriating. Anyway, I hope this stupid booth provides help to those who need it, but wish the CDFA would do something more impactful.

Peter Som has resigned as creative director at Bill Blass, a year to the day since he joined the company. According to WWD, Bill Blass’ decision to scrap the September show, was said to be the last straw for Som. Conde Nast Portfolio reports that Som hasn’t resigned, that he “is just in the midst of renegotiating a contract” …um, right

On July 30th, Diane von Furstenberg and Liz Claiborne will be inducted into the Fashion Walk of Fame, which the Fashion Group International says is the only permanent monument to American Fashion – other than hundreds of closets across the nation.

Its no wonder that Ports 1961 has struck a deal with NBC Universal to dress four female commentators for NBC, MSNBC, CNBC and USA Network during the Olympic Games in Beijing – The company itself was conceived in China, is now based in New York, and with a spring collection celebrating an eastern African renaissance and a fall collection capturing the spell of Scottish winters, Ports 1961 represents the ‘One World, One Dream’ Olympic motto far better than any of it’s competitors.

The Tribunal de Commerce in Paris, France ordered eBay to pay quite a substantial fine – nearly $63 million – in damages to LVMH, Louis Vuitton for facilitating the selling of fake luxury goods.

EBay says, “If counterfeits appear on our sites we take them down swiftly, but today’s ruling is not about our fight against counterfeit; today’s ruling is about an attempt by LVMH to protect uncompetitive commercial practices at the expense of consumer choice and the livelihood of law-abiding sellers that eBay empowers everyday.”

LVMH says, “eBay is not a host, but a broker.”

Are you an eBay shopper or seller? What do you think? (FYI: This story was brought to my attention by Annie, and the information above has been exerpted from MarketWatch.)