Scotty, beam us down to Payless to get our Starfleet-inspired kicks

 
Back in May, we told you about a limited-edition "Star Trek" X STPL X Airwalk high-top sneakers that were being released -- just 160 pairs in futuristic metallic silver with NCC-1701 embroidered on the heel, an example of how the future of apparel branding will involve the mining of TV and movie properties.

Now the other shoe has dropped  with a full line of Starship Enterprise-influenced high-top sneakers beaming down to the shelves of a Payless near you, and Payless.com.

Like the limited kicks, this collection was designed by artist Jeff Staple (STPL), and the suede-with-canvas-accent shoes are served up in three Starfleet-uniform-inspired colorways of gold, blue and red and bear the  triangular Starfleet insignia instantly recognizable to anyone who watched the 1966-69 sci-fi series.

At $49.99 they're a heck of a lot cheaper for the "Trek" fan on your holiday list than the $2,900 "Authentic James T. Kirk Captain's Chair" we recently spotted in the Hammacher Schlemmer catalog.

-- Adam Tschorn

Of Trekkie kicks and Cobra Snakes

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Photo: The STPL X Airwalk Hi Skate "Star Trek" Starfleet Edition ($49.99) boldly goes where no Enterprise crew member has gone before -- the aisles of Payless -- in colors inspired by the gold (command), blue (science) and red (security) uniforms of the Enterprise crew. Credit: CBS Consumer Products

The rundown: TV's worst-dressed reality stars

"Sex and the City" and "Gossip Girl" aside, TV's not known for its high fashion quotient. But some of its least stylish players hail from the reality TV realm. True, these regular style offenders don't have the advantage of working with a costume designer or stylist on set. But after searing our eyes with dozens of bejeweled Ed Hardy T-shirts (Jon Gosselin) and a shocking amount of cleavage (Heidi Montag) we find our empathy in short supply. 

Here's our list of the most unfortunately dressed reality TV stars to date:

'This Is It' movie showcases Michael Jackson's fashion comeback [Updated]

At "Michael Jackson This Is It," moviegoers will not see the elaborate costumes created for the tour that never was, bedazzled with 4 million Swarovski crystals and lighted up using LED technology. Those are on display at the O2 Arena in London, where the tour had been scheduled to begin in July, and will go on to New York and Tokyo.

But what they will see, in addition to tough and tender moments that humanize the pop singer and one hell of a music and dance show, is an amazing array of designer outfits Jackson wore to rehearsals.

A black leather pagoda-sleeve jacket and a crystal-trimmed tuxedo designed by the likes of Christophe Decarnin for Balmain, Kris Van Assche for Dior Homme and Tom Ford speak to Jackson's renewed relevance in fashion circles, and the changing relationship between music and fashion.

Jackson became a style icon in the 1980s because of his individual, often theatrical styling choices for the stage -- the single sequined glove, the white socks, the fedora. But his recent comeback was engineered with the help of fashion designers, with Balmain's Decarnin recognizing the retro appeal of tennis-ball-shaped shoulders and over-the-top embroidery, and Jackson appearing in his designs.

Fashion Diary: Roll the credits on the spring runway season

Gossip, first impressions, trends in the making, celebrities and style setters. A regular feature by fashion critic Booth Moore.

The collections weren't just compelling this season, many of them were downright gripping. Just look at this amazing shot from John Galliano's show last week. The movie clapboard invitations set the scene for a "girl goes to Hollywood to become a star" theme. And the show didn't disappoint, with stunning visuals and a special effect that had bubbles falling from the ceiling and exploding into puffs of smoke in the models' wake.

The bias-cut chiffon gowns might have been fit for a starlet, but they didn't break any new ground for Galliano. But does that really matter anymore? He probably could have shown the same Hollywood-inspired collection he did a year ago; and between all the bubbles and Prince in the front row, no one would have noticed. Call it a sequel.

Coming on the heels of Rodarte's feathered Gothic romance in New York, Raf Simons' sultry strip down in Milan (complete with a soft-core film clip), Chanel's high-class barn-raising, Hermes' grassy tennis match and Alexander McQueen's Atlantis blockbuster in Paris, Galliano's cinematic tale underscored that fashion and entertainment are growing ever closer each season. (And I'm not talking about Lindsay Lohan's turn as creative advisor for Emanuel Ungaro.)

Fox with no socks: 'Jennifer's Body' star is the new face of Emporio Armani underwear

If you think the ubiquitous Megan Fox is overexposed now, just wait until January.

That's when the femme of the "Transformers" franchise, men's magazine cover girl du jour, "Tonight" show flirt, "Saturday Night Live" host and "Jennifer's Body" ghoul-about-town starts appearing scantily clad in advertisements for Emporio Armani underwear.

The Giorgio Armani press office posted a release today officially announcing that Fox will be the new official worldwide face for Emporio Armani Underwear and Armani Jeans for 2010. She replaces Victoria Beckham, who memorably stripped down to her unmentionables for Emporio Armani and whose soccer-star husband David Beckham appeared in the label's skivvies for the men's campaign.

The ad campaign was apparently shot last weekend in Los Angeles by fashion photographers Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott. While the announcement doesn't give a start date for the "soon-to-be-revealed" magazine and billboard advertising campaign, according to fashion trade paper WWD [subscription required],  the campaign will roll out worldwide in January.

-- Adam Tschorn

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Photo: Actress Megan Fox at the Giorgio Armani Prive show in Paris on July 7. Credit: Pascal Le Segretain / Getty Images.

Brooks Bros. dapper Draper caper: Selling limited 'Mad Men' suits

You may never know what it's like to walk a mile in Don Draper's shoes, but come Monday you'll have a chance to don a sharp-looking sharkskin suit inspired by the "Mad Men" ad men played by Jon Hamm (Draper) and John Slattery (Roger Sterling) -- and designed by the show's costume designer, Janie Bryant.

Brooks Bros., which has worked with Bryant to provide authentic-looking threads for the denizens of Sterling Cooper since the AMC show's first season in 2007, announced today that it will sell just 250 of the "Mad Men Edition" suits, designed by the Emmy-nominated, Costume Designers Guild Award-winning Bryant, inspired by the tailored wardrobe of both characters and based on a two-button suit silhouette the storied clothier introduced in 1961.

The medium gray (they call it static gray) sharkskin suit, which has a noticeably trim silhouette, narrower notch lapels, diagonal pockets and side vents will boast a commemorative "Mad Men Edition" label and retail for $998.

Our favorite touch -- not to mention a nod to the time when a man's suit came from the same time zone as he did -- is where they were made: right here in the USA, at the Brooks-owned Southwick factory in Haverhill, Mass.

Brooks is throwing an invite-only bash to celebrate the collaboration at its Madison Avenue flagship tonight, and next week "Mad Men"-themed window displays -- incorporating original costumes from the series -- will be unveiled there and at the Rodeo Drive store in Beverly Hills.

The suits will be sold online at brooksbrothers.com and locally at the Rodeo Drive and South Coast Plaza stores from Oct. 19 through Nov. 8 (the date the season finale airs).

And remember, just because you can now dress in Draper's duds, don't think you can get away with chain smoking, drinking to excess and crashing on the office couch.

-- Adam Tschorn

Photo: Brooks Bros.' limited "Mad Men Edition" suit, which goes on sale Oct. 19. Only 250 will be sold, at $998 each. Credit: Brooks Brothers.

RELATED:

Behind the knot: A quick tour of Brooks Bros. NYC tie factory

'Mad Men' leads a revival in vintage clothing

Arlo Weiner, sartorial scion of 'Mad Men' creator, serves up style advice

Monaco's mad men

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Halloween 'Hangover'-style Part Deux: eyewear for you (and baby)

In an effort to help you complete that Alan Garner Halloween costume (you know you're thinking about it), we've already showed you where to get the shirt, the satchel and the beard. This morning, the Rage's sister-in-law has done the eyewear sleuthing for him.

She sent me a link to a cool website called Sunglasses ID that's pretty self-explanatory -- it specializes in identifying what celebrity was wearing what make and style of sunglasses at a given time. According to that site, the aviator-style sunglasses worn by Zach Galifianakis are Demi Tortoise Nylon Blublockers, a fact that is confirmed at Blublockers' website -- where you can place an order. Two pair (don't forget baby!) plus shipping via USPS will run you $45.85.

But the reaction when you wear your completed, authentic "lone wolf" Halloween costume a second time -- perhaps at a Vegas bachelor party -- will be priceless.

-- Adam Tschorn 

Photo: (left to right) Zach Galifianakis (with baby -- and sunglasses -- on board), Bradley Cooper and Ed Helms in a still from Warner Bros. Pictures' and Legendary Pictures' "The Hangover." Credit: Frank Masi

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Halloween 'Hangover' style: Get your Alan on with beard and satchel

Back in the summer, I told you where you lone wolves could score Alan Garner's Human Tree T-shirt as proudly worn by actor Zach Galifianakas in "The Hangover"). Over the weekend, I received a post in the comments asking where one can get one's hands on the glorious leather man satchel -- which makes me think there's someone else out there with the same Halloween costume idea that I have.

The bag in question is Roots' Village Bag in Vintage Tribe Leather  ($124), which, according to Roots' website, is made in Canada from hand-distressed leather. 

For those of you without the "Fat Jesus" facial hair -- in my opinion, the key element such a costume requires -- I recently stumbled across a 2-month-old site, hangoverbeard.com, dedicated to selling a respectable facsimile of Galifianakis' "Hangover" beard.

It's the brainchild of a 24-year-old San Franciscan named J.D. Beebe (that's him in the above photo) whose day job is working at an advertising agency, and who describes himself as "facial hair impaired with latent beard envy."

Beebe said, based on the success of "Borat," he'd originally hoped to launch a site in the aftermath of "Bruno," (sequined lederhosen, perhaps?), but when that didn't do as well as he'd hoped, he shifted gears.

"I've been a fan of Zach Galifianakis' comedy for years," Beebe said. "And when I saw that beard on the big screen I knew the beard had landed."

Beebe thought he'd sell "maybe a few" of the beards but has sold about 160 to date, at $20 a clip (which includes shipping). The beards arrive "un-hemmed" and need to be modified into the full Garner glory on display in the photo above.

So that leaves you aspiring Alans a few key costume pieces: the trousers (if you're really dedicated you'll opt out of the pants altogether) and the sunglasses.

And trust me, don't even think about asking your friends if you can borrow their baby for the night.

-- Adam Tschorn

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Photo: J.D. Beebe before and after donning the "Hangover"-style beard, sunglasses and a strappy man satchel. Credit: hangoverbeard.com.

'Project Runway' to become a Wii video game

"Project Runway" fans will soon be able to "make it work" themselves -- in the virtual realm. TV's top-rated fashion competition will be fodder for a new Nintendo Wii game, developed by Atari Inc. and slated for release next year, the Associated Press reports.

The game will be modeled after the reality show, with players competing as aspiring fashion designers charged with various sartorial tasks (making gowns out of mangled motherboards?). But wait -- there's more. Gamers will then be able to show off their fashion on a model sashaying down a catwalk, using the ever-unwieldy Wii Balance Board.

The gaming industry has targeted fashion followers for years -- creating all manner of fashion competitions and dress-up-doll games (females are the industry's final frontier, after all). But the "Project Runway" collaboration will by far be the splashiest fashion-themed diversion to hit the racks yet. Though I'm wondering how scintillating virtual sewing can be.
-- Emili Vesilind

Photo: "Project Runway's" Tim Gunn walks with Heidi Klum on the runway during New York Fashion Week in September 2008. Credit: Richard Drew / Associated Press

Related articles and pictures:

Surname Swap: Klum to Seal the deal

'Project Runway' alums: Where are they now?

Times fashion critic Booth Moore on 'Project Runway'

'Project Runway' finale under the tent -- and under wraps at the Fall 2009 New York Fashion Week

Photos: "Project Runway" show at Fall 2009 New York Fashion Week

Photo: Project Runway's Tim Gunn walks with Heidi Klum on the runway during New York Fashion Week in September 2008. Credit: Richard Drew / Associated Press

Which 'Whip It' roller-derby goddess are you?

"Whip It," the new Drew Barrymore-directed movie about butt-kicking roller-derby girls, is one of the best guilty-pleasure movies I've seen in a while -- despite its formulaic plot line.

And the costumes in the film -- punked-out Girl Scout and Catholic schoolgirl uniforms -- are destined for cult status.

Conceptualized by costume designer Catherine Marie Thomas (who worked with Barrymore on "Grey Gardens"), the cut-and-sew roller-derby outfits jibe perfectly with the personality traits of each character (and each girl-empowered character inhabits a familiar cinematic archetype.)

Which "Whip It" character are you? Check the stats and e-mail us back.