NEW YORK CITY, NY -- Purses remain the big accessories story in fashion, and Pittsburgh native Susan Farber bagged a major accomplishment.

At last week's Olympus Fashion Week, the designer's work was showcased inside the Bryant Park tents as part of the Accessory Exhibit. The coveted spaces allowed a chosen few -- among them BCBG Max Azria, Judith Ripka and Fila -- exposure to thousands of journalists, retail buyers and fashion devotees from around the world.

"It's an amazing experience," said Mrs. Farber, who lives in Fox Chapel with her husband and three sons. "It's wonderful to get the recognition at the height of fashion in New York."

But her designs were already on Hollywood's radar.

Sharon Stone was photographed with one of Mrs. Farber's black leather bags in early 2005. Jennifer Love Hewitt carried one to the Grammy Awards. Rachel Bilson, Regina King, Debra Messing and Liza Minnelli also are among celebs who have carried her bags. In fact, her bags have appeared three times on the award-winning TV show "Desperate Housewives."

Usually made of fine Italian leather, the bags range from $200 to $400. Belts are between $200 and $600.

The former insurance saleswoman began designing handbags fewer than four years ago, shortly after she began designing belts. Her creations were first available at Choices in Shadyside and Carabella in Oakmont, which remain the only local locations where they are sold.

Carabella owner Carol Kinkela said she expected Mrs. Farber's bags to look like needlepoint kiddie creations. But when she saw them, she immediately thought they belonged in Henri Bendel, New York's legendary and exclusive specialty store. She was delighted to carry them in her women's specialty store.

"They're fabulous and innovative," Ms. Kinkela said. "And she's passionate about her product. She's constantly reinventing herself and just gets better and better."

Her company, Susan Farber Collections, has grown rapidly. Items are available in about 250 specialty stores, with showrooms in Manhattan and Los Angeles. She designs from a private studio and has the accessories manufactured in New York.

"I've grown incredibly since I started and am still very careful about the stores I'm in," said Mrs. Farber, 47, who grew up in Squirrel Hill and graduated from Allderdice High School. "I'm careful because I want to grow in the right way."

Jeff Malkin, owner of women's haute spot Choices, said Farber bags look right at home alongside Chloe, Bottega Veneta, Marc Jacobs and other uber-chic handbags on his shelves that cost thousands of dollars.

"I'm really, really proud of her, a designer from Pittsburgh," said Mr. Malkin. "Her presentation is amazing. She presents them in a real luxe manner in leather boxes. She's personable, honest and service-oriented. We're fortunate she's right here in our back yard in terms of servicing us."

Mrs. Farber visits New York once a month and Los Angeles several times a year to handle business. Her studies in advertising marketing at Syracuse University and mentoring by her father in the family's insurance business helped her understand the business side of fashion design, she said.

Fine Italian leather is an essential ingredient in her bags and belts, and she likes using more uncommon materials such as long, smoky gray Mongolian lamb hair. She'll be adding semi-precious stones to the next crop of belts.

"I like mixing materials in unusual ways, but not to stand out too much," she said. "I sort of let the materials speak for themselves instead of adding so much hardware."

Mrs. Farber is working on making her creations available for purchase on her Web site,
@ http://www.susanfarbercollections.com

From Zee News - September 16, 2006

"BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S" VOTED TOP
FASHION TREND SETTING FILM EVER

London, England - "Breakfast at Tiffany`s" has been voted as the top trend setter in the world of fashion, by leading designers and style editors across the globe.

In director Blake Edwards` 1958 hit, legendary beauty Audrey Hepburn`s Givenchy little black dress, sunglasses and pearls are still valued as essentials, that have influenced the fashion industry the most, reports the Mirror.

Fashion gurus like Paul Smith and Vivienne Westwood rated "American Gigolo" second due to Giorgio Armani`s work with star Richard Gere. And while Victor Fleming`s "Gone With The Wind" came in third on the list, 1967 hit

"Bonnie & Clyde" took the fourth slot leaving Desperately Seeking Susan in fifth position.

The full list compiled by American Express Red is:

1. Breakfast at Tiffany`s

2. American Gigolo

3. Gone With The Wind

4. Bonnie & Clyde

5. Desperately Seeking Susan

6. My Fair Lady

7. Pulp Fiction

8. The Great Gatsby

9. Thomas Crown Affair

10. The Graduate.

From The Associated Press - September 10, 2006

ATLANTIS CREW TO BEGIN INSPECTING
SPACE SHUTTLE'S THERMAL SKIN FOR

CAPE CANAVERAL, FLA - It's inspection day for the space shuttle Atlantis.

The six-member crew is getting ready to use the shuttle's robot arm to inspect the spacecraft's thermal skin for damage as they soar toward the international space station.

More than 100 cameras were focused on Atlantis during liftoff to capture any signs of foam breaking off its external fuel tank, the problem that doomed space shuttle Columbia. NASA's cameras spotted three possible hits -- two small foam streams and one ice chunk -- but they came so late that the debris wasn't moving fast enough to do much damage.

Carrying a more than 17-ton addition, Atlantis is scheduled to arrive at the space station tomorrow to restart construction of the orbiting space lab.

The crew awoke to a version of "Moon River" sung by Audrey Hepburn in the movie "Breakfast at Tiffany's."

From CBS News- September 7, 2006

'BOOT PARLOR' ATTRACTS CELEBRITIES

Online Accessory Company Boasts Famous Customers

by Amy Bonawitz

Sometime before the Denise Richards and Richie Sambora scandal hit newsstands, Richards made a very important purchase from a place called Booty Parlor.

According to husband and wife entrepreneurs Charlie and Dana Myers, the actress, who was newly split from husband Charlie Sheen, purchased the "Break-Up Kit," which is complete with signature body shimmer and "I'm So Sexy" lip gloss, which they sell via their Web site: www.bootyparlor.com

The Los Angeles-based company is sort of like an online beauty parlor, but instead of supplying hair products, women and men can browse for body treats, sexy lingerie and other adult playthings.

The Myers' established the online store in 2005 and have developed quite a celebrity following. Angelina Jolie, Eva Longoria, Britney Spears, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Marcia Cross and Demi Moore are all fans, according to Booty Parlor.

The brand has become so popular that Myers has partnered with Victoria's Secret stores, which will begin carrying their products in the fall. Booty Parlor provides a wide range of pampering supplies such as edible bronzers, bubble bath, bachelorette and bridesmaid kits, chocolate body fondues and scented candles.

Richards isn't the only fan of the Parlor's "I'm So Sexy" lip gloss: reps for the store say that celebrity couple Cameron Diaz and Justin Timberlake just can't get enough of the peppermint pink or cinnamon flavors.

Jennifer Love Hewitt and Steve Irwin met on Australian TV in early fall 2002.

by Paul Tait

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - Steve Irwin, the quirky Australian naturalist who won worldwide acclaim as TV's khaki-clad "Crocodile Hunter," was killed by a stingray barb through the heart while filming a new documentary on Monday.

Irwin, 44, tangled with some of the world's most dangerous animals but he died in an extremely rare attack by a normally placid sea creature while he was diving on a reef off Port Douglas in northern Queensland.

"He came over the top of a stingray and the stingray's barb went up and went into his chest and put a hole into his heart," Irwin's shocked manager John Stainton told reporters in Cairns, south of Port Douglas.

A helicopter rushed paramedics to nearby Low Isles where Irwin was taken for treatment, but he was dead before they arrived, emergency officials said.

"It became clear fairly soon that he had non-survivable injuries," Dr. Ed O'Loughlin, who treated Irwin, told Nine Network television.

"He had a penetrating injury to the left front of his chest. He had lost his pulse and wasn't breathing," he said.

Irwin's death was likely only the third recorded fatal stingray attack in Australia, experts said. They said stingray venom was agonizingly painful but not lethal, although the barb was capable of causing horrific injuries like a knife or bayonet.

"It's not the going in, it's the coming out," Australian Venom Research Unit deputy director Dr Bryan Fry told Reuters.

"They have these deep serrations which tear and render the flesh as it comes out," he said.

"CRIKEY"

Known around the world for his catchphrase "Crikey" during close encounters with wild animals, Irwin made almost 50 documentaries which appeared on the cable TV channel Animal Planet. He became a virtual global industry generating books, interactive games and even toy action figures.

Irwin was described as "a modern-day Noah" and his death shocked world leaders, fellow naturalists and humble Australians who said he was "a bloody good bloke."

"I really do feel Australia has lost a wonderful and colorful son. He brought immense joy to millions of people, particularly to children, and it's just such a terrible loss," emotional Australian Prime Minister John Howard told reporters.

British naturalist and broadcaster David Bellamy described Irwin as a great performer and an excellent natural historian.

"He did take enormous risks, but he knew what he was doing. It was one of the terrible, terrible, terrible accidents and I wish to God it didn't happen," Bellamy told the BBC.

GREW UP WITH REPTILES

Born on February 22, 1962, in the southern Australian city of Melbourne, Irwin moved to tropical Queensland where his parents ran a small reptile and fauna park.

He grew up near crocodiles, trapping and removing them from populated areas and releasing them in his parent's park. He took over the park in 1991 and renamed it the "Australia Zoo."

Irwin became famous for his seemingly death-defying skill with wild animals, including crocodiles and snakes.

He met his U.S.-born wife Terri at the zoo and the footage of their honeymoon -- which they spent trapping crocodiles -- formed the basis of his first "Crocodile Hunter" documentary.

Later shows had a worldwide audience of 200 million, or 10 times the population of Australia.

They had two children, Bindi Sue and Robert Clarence.

Irwin triggered outrage in 2004 by holding his then one-month-old son while feeding a snapping crocodile at his zoo.

He was also criticized for allegedly disturbing whales, seals and penguins while filming in Antarctica.

Irwin boasted that he had never been bitten by a venomous snake or seriously bitten by a crocodile, although admitted his worst injuries had been inflicted by parrots.

"I don't know what it is with parrots but they always bite me," Irwin once said. "A cockatoo once tried to rip the end of my nose off. I don't know what they've got against me."

From PlatinumMatthey.com - September 1, 2006

PLATINUM JEWELLERY AND
FUEL CELL FIRMS LIST ON AMEX

Two new companies which specialise in platinum jewellery and fuel cell technology respectively are to list on the American Stock Exchange (Amex) today.

The Amex will launch trading in options on the following Nasdaq Stock Market and New York Stock Exchange listed stock of Hoku Scientific and LJ International.

Hoku Scientific, which among other activities manufactures non-fluorinated membranes for proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells, will open with position limits of 5,000,000 shares.

LJ International will open trading with position limits of 5,000,000 shares. The company specialises in manufacturing platinum, gold and silver jewellery products such as rings, necklaces, bracelets, pendants and complete jewellery sets.

The AMEX is the only primary exchange that offers trading across a full range of equities, options and exchange traded funds including structured products and HOLDRS.

Platinum jewellery is becoming increasingly popular with a host of top US and UK stars and has been seen adorning the likes of Mariah Carey, Lisa Kudrow and Jennifer Love Hewitt at a number of recent award ceremonies.