For online fashion retailers, displaying an ever-changing selection of clothing can pose a major logistical and financial challenge.

Enter virtual models—computer-generated ladies and gentlemen who can strike a pose, look good in anything, and don't require makeup or a paycheck.

Click here to jump right to the digital models >>

Looklet, a Sweden-based design company, is already working with major online fashion retailers like H&M and Vente-Privee to present their stock on virtual clotheshorses.

Looklet co-founders Adam Berg and Robert Ahlborg answered questions about why virtual models are good for online retailers, how the models are created, and what digitally crafted models say about body image.

What was the original concept for Looklet? Did you always plan to partner with retailers and fashion companies?

The original idea was that we wanted to create a styling tool online, where users could combine real garments on real models. Although this was primarily targeted at the end consumer, we knew from the start that this product would interest fashion retailers online.

The idea of it as the b2b solution for creating images that is our main focus today grew organically as our licensing customers understood how they could achieve higher quality and save money with our process.

What are the advantages for a retailer who uses digital models on its website, as opposed to actual models?

Normally e-commerce fashion companies handle a huge amount of images every day creating the digital product description. The shooting needs planning, preparation and big budgets. It needs specific locations, models and large teams of special competences. This old way of doing things is extremely time consuming and also costs a lot of money.

We came into this business with fresh eyes and have re-invented the workflow of the traditional shoot by breaking it into separate pieces where products, models, backgrounds, effects are shot separately — all made in a far more technical, faster and industrialized manner. The final image is then put together in the last stage through our software combining the different elements.

This creates client control of the image creation instead of they being dependent on attending the actual photoshoot managing photographers, models and makeup teams. Our process creates consistent high quality through the industrialization and also saves a lot of money since the big teams of models, photographers are no longer needed.

The folks at Looklet can create figures with any body type.

But the models tend to to be thin.

And attractive.

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The average American bride spends $1,500 on her wedding gown. 

But that won't do for celebrities. Forbes recently compiled a list of the most expensive weddings and included some of the more exorbitant gowns. 

Jennifer Aniston and Tori Spelling spent over $50,000 on their gowns. Victoria Beckham, Melania Trump and Catherine Zeta Jones all had dresses worth six figures. 

And Kate Middleton's gown is worth enough to buy you a very large house. 

Even the best dress can't buy you love, though. Very few of the celebrity brides we profiled are still married to their grooms. 

We wonder what happened to the dresses.

12.) Liza Minelli married David Gest in 2002 in what was said to be the most expensive wedding of all time. Her Bob Mackey gown cost $45,000.

11.) Jennifer Aniston wore this Lawrence Steele gown when she married Brad Pitt in 2000. The dress was said to cost $50,000. The couple divorced five years later.

10.) Tori Spelling married Charlie Shanian in 2004, but divorced a year later. Her custom Badgley Mischka gown cost around $50,000.

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It's Fashion Week in New York, and we couldn't help but share these social media-inspired outfits put together by blogger b for bel.

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A PR rep is suing the editor-in-chief of French magazine Jalouse for $1 million, claiming she physically assaulted her by slapping her in the face at a recent fashion show, according to The New York Daily News.

The incident supposedly happened after fire marshals removed the first row of seats at Zac Posen's show Sunday, leaving the PR team at HL Group to scramble and reassign VIP seats.

According to NYDN, Jalouse editor Jennifer Eymere didn't like the way HL Group PR maven Lynn Tesoro explained the situation to her and her mother.

She reportedly threatened to slap Tesoro, and then allegedly followed through with her threat.

Tesoro has now filed a $1 million lawsuit against Eymere for “assault, battery, emotional distress, slander and/or libel," according to the New York Daily News.

Fashion week never fails to be catty.

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The 20th century was full of big-name designers like Tommy Hilfiger, Ralph Lauren and Giorgio Armani. 

But today's designers can't aspire to make it to that level because of fast-fashion brands like Uniqlo and H&M, David Lipke at Women's Wear Daily reports.

Consumers have come to expect high fashion at low prices and are relatively unimpressed with brand names. 

One famous designer dished to WWD about the trend: 

“The market is still open to new ideas, but there’s so much more competition today. There are so many players and it’s difficult,” said John Varvatos, one of the few men’s designers of the past decade who has built a true lifestyle brand of meaningful scale — just ask Chrysler, which just tapped him to design a production car.

Even people in fashion have given up on being as successful as Hilfiger or Lauren, one consultant told WWD: 

“Who will be the next Ralph or Calvin? I’m not sure that anyone will ever get that big again,” said Brooks Thomas, founder of consulting firm Brooks Thomas Group and a former vice president and divisional merchandise manager of men’s at Bergdorf Goodman. “The environment has changed so much and there’s so much product out there, from J. Crew to Uniqlo to everything under the sun.”

WWD focused on the trend in menswear, but we think it can be applied to women too.

In an age where Lady Michelle Obama wears J. Crew and Princess Catherine Middleton wears Zara, brands are pretty meaningless. 

DON'T MISS: Why Ousted JCPenney President Michael Francis Is A Brilliant Hire For Gap >

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With the election approaching, fashion industry trade pub Women's Wear Daily has revealed which candidate wins at fashion. 

Turns out, it's a total deadlock. 

The style publication gave both Obama and Romney a "B" for personal style. 

Here's what the paper had to say about Republican candidate Romney's style: 

His movie star hair never fails him. He's still battling what to do with his sleeves when he's not wearing a jacket. Roll 'em.

The publication also complimented Romney for his color choices of light blue and darker blue. His orthopedic shoes, however, are "unacceptable."

They weren't as complimentary of President Obama's hair, saying that it looks "painted-on" and he should let it grow on top. 

They suggested that Obama wear v-neck undershirts instead of wifebeaters. They also said that while his pants fit around his "basketball-toned thighs," he should consider getting them tailored at the bottom. 

Ultimately, Obama's good grade was won by his "beautiful shoes." 

DON'T MISS: Women's Wear Daily Rips Apart Paul Ryan's Personal Style >

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For Summer 2013, Michael Bastian took the Gant man and woman backpacking through the Galapagos off the coast of Ecuador.

To get that effect, Bastian took over Industria Superstudio in Manhattan, adding floating islands throughout the space with models in distressed blazers, chunky knit sweaters, and cardigans.

Click here to see the full collection >

Bastian took his inspiration from a BBC documentary on the Galapagos, pushing him to a parade of color with bursts of burnt orange, olives, navies, along with a number of weathered blues and greens.

The looks were roughed up, slightly destroyed, and Bastian employed few patterns — instead going for striped poplin shirts and crew-necks, dip-dyed sweaters, and madras shorts.

"It was a mix of technical material ... some indigenous elements, for a South American vibe, and then a lot of American sportswear, which is what Gant is all about," Bastian told me during the presentation.

These were the kind of garments a Merrill second-year could wear when heading back to the office on a Saturday or Sunday morning to finish a pitch book.

But they make more sense in the Hamptons, on the Cape, or out in Ecuador, as Bastian imagines.

A number of designers this season, Bastian included, have tried to rework the cargo short and pant for men, mostly to mixed success. Gant slimmed them down and the look resonated somewhat on a 6'2, 160 pound model.

But I'm not convinced they'll have the same effect on most Americans.

Overall, the clothes did not push the envelope — and that's not a bad thing. They had the ease a summer vacation requires: throw it on, grab some flip flops and shades, and head to the water.

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Photographers might take more "street style" photos of Fashion Week attendees than the runway models. 

The photos are uploaded to the internet and published to magazines. The idea is to capture photos of ordinary people who dress well. 

But "street style" photos are Fashion Week are totally staged, according to Ruth La Ferla at The New York Times.

A branding specialist explains to the NYT: 

“These girls are definitely billboards for the brands,” said Tom Julian, a fashion branding specialist in New York City, one of a handful engaged in a particularly stealthy new form of product placement. “People still think street style is a voice of purity,” Mr. Julian said. “But I don’t think purity exists any more.”

Designers do this because its among the cheapest forms of advertising. All they have to do is lend a blogger or friend some clothing to wear. Once that person is photographed, the designer gets free recognition from top style experts. 

And what do the street style models charge? 

Branding consultants estimate that popular bloggers and other so-called influencers can earn $2,000 to $10,000 for a single appearance in their wares. More typically, though, “If you give them a gift card of $1,000 and you pay their expenses, that’s a good quid pro quo,” Mr. Julian said.

DON'T MISS: How Uniqlo And H&M Are Ruining Designers' Careers >

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Fashion is back.

Over the past few years, the economic downturn has turned American consumers off to investments that they deem unnecessary. 

But now, they're starting to replace the clothes they bought before the nation took that big hit, and designers have started to target consumers instead of the high-fashion crowd.

Take New York Fashion Week, which is now more accessible to the everyday consumer than ever before.

Marshal Cohen, chief industry analyst at NPD Group, recently wrote about fashion's big comeback. He declared fashion relevant once more:

The use of unwearable fashion is not obsolete, but the smartest brands and designers today find a way to get the right balance to be able to sell the brand to the retailer as well as to the consumer.

Fashion is relevant again. Men have already shown signs that image matters by their desire to invest in their wardrobes to look good. Women were missing in action the past few years but in the past four months they have started to update their tired wardrobes to show a renewed fashion sense. 

This year, Fashion Week has elevated retailers and brands in the eye of the consumers and as a result, got them back in the game.

NOW SEE: This Is The 'Barnacle Effect' That's Hamstringing Retailers Everywhere >

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At her spring collection this week, Diane von Furstenberg showed off nearly a dozen Google Glasses on the runway.

A few days later this is what the iconic womenswear brand has to show for it.

Our big question: where are all the notifications that are supposed to pop up?

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With London's summer of sport over, the focus moves to Brazil. The country is hosting the World Cup in 2014, and the Olympics come 2016, and fashion, never to be outdone, is ready to make its own handover.

On course to become the fifth largest economy by 2025, Brazil has the resources to become the next fashion capital, and the international industry is beginning to take notice. Lucas Nascimento, Pedro Lourenço and jeweller Fernando Jorge are Brazilian buzz names, and London's The Shop at Bluebird hosts pop-up Brazil Rising from this Friday to showcase new talent.

Fashion weeks in São Paolo and Rio – previously dismissed as swimwear showcases – are firmly on the schedule of international buyers and press.

What they find, however, is still a little different from the big four of New York, London, Milan and Paris. A film made by Vice, as part of its Fashion Week Internationale series, goes behind the scenes of the hype. Host Charlet Duboc finds transgender models as a matter of course, tensions around race and a disconnect between the lean catwalk silhouette and the curvy body type fetishised in the baile funk scene.

The tolerance for transgender women in fashion is particularly striking – Duboc points to Lea T as an example of a Brazilian transgender model who has gone overground, kissing Kate Moss on the cover of LOVE last year, and becoming a muse for Givenchy designer Riccardo Tisci. "I'm not sure if it could get any bigger though," she says. This is especially true with Rio making a bid to become the fifth fashion city. "Out of all the fashion weeks we have covered, Rio is one of the most slick," says Duboc. "They want to sell clothes." In a bid to fit into a global idea of beauty, admirable points of difference such as the acceptance of transgender models may get lost in translation.

• Watch the Vice documentary Rio Fashion Week in full

This article originally appeared on guardian.co.uk

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Famous Vogue editor Andre Leon Talley loves Uggs. 

He owns 15 pairs of the boots. He recently spoke out in defense of the polarizing brand at New York Fashion Week. 

Here's what he told Styleite.com: 

"When I discovered Uggs, it was a revelation. I love Uggs. Uggs can be as chic as heels for women.

Uggs are comfort shoes and it’s important to have a shoe that gives you a sense of comfort.

I have about 15 pair of Uggs — the same shoe, the same color. And I also have the bedroom slippers. It’s my shoe of choice at this moment of 2012 — it has been my shoe of choice. I love that you noticed I’m wearing Uggs."

The remarks are a big win to Uggs, who are trying to gain credibility with spokesman Tom Brady. While many celebrities have been photographed wearing their boots, the fashion world has generally dismissed them as tacky. 

Talley got his start as Andy Warhol's assistant. Since then he's dressed celebrities like Jennifer Hudson and close friend Mariah Carey. 

He also served as a judge on America's Next Top Model. 

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Catherine Teatum, co-founder of the British fashion label Teatum Jones, reveals her daily diet.

7am I start every day with a handful of Brazil nuts. I've not been ill since Christmas and reckon they're the key.

7.30am It's our busiest time of year, with London Fashion Week and the launch of our new collection, so I'm already in the studio. Have porridge mixed with dried fruit and nuts, and a cup of tea made with two teabags for a caffeine hit.

8.30am Clear my inbox and plan the day with my co-designer, Rob.

9am The rest of the team arrives. I arrange the staging for a fashion show we're doing at the Dorchester hotel. I always have a bottle of water on hand.

1pm More Brazil nuts and almonds. We've got some fittings to do and the new 'look book' to finalise.

3pm I can work all day without eating but luckily my mum lives nearby and sends me off with baked fish, vegetables and potatoes, or home-made soup, to heat up in the studio kitchen.

6pm Do some pattern-cutting when it's quiet.

9pm Head home for scrambled eggs on toast with sun-dried tomatoes.

teatumjones.com

NIGEL DENBY dietitian

Catherine's passion for Brazils could help her immunity, as they are good sources of the protective antioxidant selenium. All nuts are high in protein and when combined with oats work well to keep you energised. Mum definitely saves the day with a hot, healthy meal, though. Grazing on just nuts and oats wouldn't be enough for a whole day.

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The New York Times' fashion critic Cathy Horyn called fashion designer Oscar de la Renta a "hot dog" in her official review of his runway show at New York Fashion Week. 

A "hot dog" means someone that doesn't belong or is out of place. 

Here's what she said about him in her review: 

"The rest, like Oscar de la Renta’s ruffled latex tops in Easter-egg colors, is just for show. —- Mr. de la Renta is far more a hot dog than an éminence grise of American fashion. He opened his lively show on Tuesday with a red latex pencil skirt, a sleek ivory wool pantsuit and dairymaid lace. The models’ hair was streaked with war paint, and midway along, after bead-quivering jackets and neon-bright skirts, he sent out white lace with black pencil-like scribbles. It was wonderfully cantankerous, a good bit of window-dressing for the gooey stuff that followed."

Oscar de la Renta followed with this letter published by Women's Wear Daily's print edition. He called Horyn a "stale 3-day-old hamburger": 

This isn't the first time de la Renta has lashed out publicly: his comments criticizing Michelle Obama for not wearing more American designers led to speculation of bad blood between the two. 

DON'T MISS: Gap Is Trying To Steal Lululemon's Yoga Instructors >

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First he starred in one of Chrysler’s Imported From Detroit commercials, then he helped design a one-off Chrysler 300 for charity, now fashion designer John Varvatos, a self-made Detroiter, has developed two special edition 300 sedans to be introduced for the 2013 model year.

Combining bespoke design elements from his eponymous fashion label, the special sedans are ideal for those looking for understated luxury.

They come in two distinct flavors, one inspired by industry, the Chrysler 300C John Varvatos Limited Edition, and the other steeped in luxury, the Chrysler 300C John Varvatos Luxury Edition.

The Limited Edition features a combination of dark colors and exotic interior materials. These include a Phantom Black tri-coat exterior, a titanium-finished grille, custom 20-inch aluminum wheels, Poltrona Frau black leather trim and the choice of titanium, gloss black or charcoal wood finishes for the dash.

The Luxury Edition gets similar upgrades, though with unique Poltrona Frau Foligno leather trim and hand-sanded matte wood trim inside, and Platinum Chrome elements, including on the grille and deck-lid badge, on the outside.

Being based on the 2013 Chrysler 300 lineup, buyers of either sedan can opt for a base 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 rated at 300 horsepower or a 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 with 363 horsepower on tap.

The Luxury Edition hits showrooms later this year, while the Limited Edition will be available from the first quarter of 2013. Pricing and final specifications will be announced closer to launch.

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Now that New York Fashion Week is over, trends have been set and sales are being made. But not all the designs were so successful.

Fashion designers are creative people who can produce wonderful and beautiful designs. But sometimes that creativity can cross the line into just plain weird.

We've culled through images from New York Fashion Week and have come up with the ugliest, oddest looks on the runway. 

This is what happens when you bring video games to high fashion: a rainbow-colored tulle explosion. This dress is from the joint collaboration between designer Michael Kuluva and the Just Dance 4 video game.

Betsey Johnson is known for her funky eclectic looks, but what exactly is going on here?

Another strange, Chiquita Banana-inspired look from Betsey Johnson.

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Chances are you may have seen the viral video of Salvador Dalí's swimwear line "Nightmare Beachwear." But why was the famous surrealist designing swimwear in the first place?

According to Dr. Elliott H. King, Assistant Professor of Modern and Contemporary Art History at Washington and Lee University and a leading expert in Salvador Dalí, the video dates from a Paris fashion show in May of 1965.

"Dalí had reached an agreement with the Wisconsin clothing manufacturer Jack A. Winter to design a line of clothing that would include beachwear and sportswear," King wrote in an email to Business Insider. "Winter had founded Jack Winter Inc., which started out producing men's slacks in the 1930s but became popular as a designer of women's sportswear."

The video shows Dalí and his models parading around in his bizarre line of swimsuits. One model wears a painting of two eyes over her breasts, while another appears flat-chested in a binding bikini (Dalí even holds up a cane in the video to demonstrate just how flat her chest is). But perhaps the most bizarre creation is a model who sports an inflatable baseball catcher on her back.

"Mr. Winter was a sports enthusiast," King says, "so perhaps that combined with the fact that the designs were for sportswear helps explain the blow-up balloon baseball catcher the model wears around her shoulders."

Some of the inflatable toys even had an afterlife as Dalí's pool toys at his home at Port Lligat, according to King. As far as he knows, none of the designs were ever mass-produced.

Check out the video if you haven't seen it yet below.

Now find out how a man stole a $150,000 Dalí painting from a Manhattan art gallery >

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Entrepreneur Tanya Heath has set out to save women across the globe, healing one set of stiletto-sore feet at a time. Pragmatic Tanya Heath like many other women, was tired of compromising on her sense of style for the comfort of flat shoes. Her solution was to create a pair of shoes which could change between high heels and comfortable flats with the push of a button!

This pursuit to create the perfect shoe–one that combined the comfort of a pair of flats and the glamour of high heels was not an easy one. It wasn't surely an easy task since it took the combined efforts of fourteen engineers and shoe technicians as well as a staggering sum of forty thousand dollars put towards the research and development of this shoe. After numerous trials and errors, Heath finally managed to develop this astounding line of shoes.       

Today Heath’s interchangeable height heels are available in a wide range of heights and patterns, allowing the wearer to look chic in diverse options- in a four-inch stiletto or even a more comfortable platform heel.

Talking about her revolutionary invention, Heath said, “I created this shoe so that women would have a shoe that reflected their multi-facets: smart, pragmatic, pretty, and sexy all at once. She added, “Above all I want the notion of having to suffer to be beautiful to disappear and I hope my shoe will be as liberating as when women left the corset behind.”

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Charlize Theron. Kate Moss. Blake Lively.

These are just a few of the A-list names that fellow celebrities look to for fashion inspiration.

We spoke to actresses, athletes and fashion editors at Alice + Olivia's spring presentation during New York Fashion Week and here is what they told us about their own style crushes:

Produced by Daniel Goodman

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Zara: going up

At the top of the game when it comes to fast fashion, Inditex – the group that owns Zara – is just as swift with its thinking. Its expansion into international markets is serious, with more than a third of its sales this year coming from China and the US, up 29% from a year earlier. Online now accounts for an increasing amount of sales, with 1.3 million people visiting the site every day. Zara's USP is a high turnover of stock that is fashion-aware but never too out there, priced affordably but not cheap as chips. It's a formula that has contributed to Inditex's recent 17% rise in sales figures.

Whistles: going up

A sleepy high-street brand until Jane Shepherdson took over in 2008, bringing with her a grown-up, minimal-but-feminine aesthetic. Several pieces – the pleated Carrie skirt, the Wren pink suit – became cult items. Well on the radar of industry insiders, Whistles under Shepherdson has – crucially – never been too high-fashion for regular folk. This balance has helped financially, with sales growing 11% in 2011 and strong this year. Part-owned by the Icelandic government since bank Glitnir went bankrupt in 2008, the majority of shares were bought back last month. Expansion is now on the cards.

John Lewis: going up

The grand dame of the British high street has played its traditionalism to its advantage, post the financial crisis. The official department store of the Olympics (the middle classes loved the themed carrier bags in signature 2012 colours), John Lewis also benefited from the Diamond Jubilee – sales in the first half of this year almost trebled. It was also a masterstroke to collaborate with London fashion week designer Alice Temperley on the Somerset range. Her very English romanticism is on message for John Lewis – so much so that it became the fastest selling brand launch in the store's history, hitting weekly sales targets in an afternoon.

Asos: going up

It seems there is no stopping this internet fashion powerhouse. Launched in 2000, with the acronym of As Seen on Screen, and a focus on celebrities' clothes, it is now bookmarked by millions. Reporting a 31% rise in sales this week, these latest figures have been attributed to growth in Australia and the US, two more territories now familiar with the website's fast turnover of cool, cleverly priced merchandise. A mix of entry-level designer brands, high street and their own label, its success is perhaps down to a something-for-everyone attitude. Asos's output runs from collaborations with designers (Markus Lupfer is next) to a pair of standard A to B flats for under £20.

H&M: going up

The second largest fashion retailer – only Inditex, which owns Zara, is bigger – saw profits grow 7% in the third quarter. It has stayed at the top by covering all bases. H&M is a place where you can buy a T-shirt for a fiver, or a piece of designer history. The store, and, in particular, creative adviser Margareta van den Bosch, pioneered the high-street/designer collaborations, which often resulted in queues around the block (this year's Versace range was particularly frenzied). Its latest hook-up with Vogue editor and blogger Anna Dello Russo.

Gap: going up

In the doldrums recently, the future looks bright for Gap. Reporting its first growth in sales in seven months this February, the brand is going back to basics. Pieces going into store for winter have the American preppy-meets-sporty style that the brand does so well – with reworked favourites such as the waffleknit sweater and fur-trimmed parka, as well as the trademark 1969 jeans now in skinny bootcut and boyfriend shapes. It's about to get even better. Rebekka Bay (who gave us Cos) becomes creative director next month. It will be exciting to watch her strip things down and take this American classic back to its former glory.

American Apparel: going up – just

Teetering on the edge of bankruptcy in 2010, hipster favourite American Apparel has fought back by tightening up what it does. Known as an easy place to shoplift – a novella was even dedicated to it in 2009 – the chain has introduced a new security system to stop employees helping themselves to the stock and seen activity drop up to 75%. The demand for its slightly retro aesthetic, beefed up with cotton basics, is still there too. Sales were up 24% in August so we might be spared a nation of naked hipsters just yet.

M&S: going down

Reporting a 6.8% drop in sales across the non-food business in July, M&S, once a stalwart of British high street fashion, saw its share of the female clothing market go from 10.9% to 10.5% from 2011 to 2012. It might not sound like much but that's about a £100m loss in sales. What's the problem? M&S seems a bit out of touch with what women want out of their shopping experience. Shopfloors are cramped with clothes, and navigating the stores can be a nightmare. All may not be lost, though. New style director Belinda Earl (formerly of Jaeger) started this month, while a lingerie collaboration with model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley was its fastest-selling underwear collection ever.

French Connection: going down

Marking its 40th anniversary this year, French Connection's problems could be likened to a brand entering middle-age. With a loss of £6.3m in the first half of the year, a two-year turnaround plan was announced this week. They could do worse than look to competitors such as Cos and Whistles who have targeted a sophisticated, grown-up customer. Right now, French Connection seems unsure – just look at its ad campaigns. FCUK campaign worked well for a cheeky 1990s consumer but new, almost philosophical tone – "This is the collection" – jars with stock that focuses on workwear and partydresses. Lower prices and a more cohesive ad-to-store identity would certainly help.

Superdry: going down

its appeal might be a mystery to the fashion industry, but Superdry's distressed hoodies and logo-heavy retro T-shirts have taken it far. The first store opened in 2004, and it became one of the fastest-growing fashion brands in the world by 2010. Its designs are ubiquitous on high streets everywhere – although, some will be pleased to hear, the general populace may have tired of the brand. Superdry's parent company, Supergroup, announced a 15% drop in profits from 2011 to 2012, while one of the founders, Theo Karpathios, left unexpectedly in August. Things might no be so super any more.

This article originally appeared on guardian.co.uk

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