After checking out Provocateur, the nightclub attached to the Gansevoort Hotel, we were so intrigued — and a bit confused — by the club's supposed "female-friendly" concept that we decided to get in touch with Mike Satsky, the club's co-owner. While the boite's décor is more Jacqueline Susann (lingerie and faux prescription pills, anyone?) than Gloria Steinem, its luxe vibe and top-tier European DJs make it an appealing place to party in New York — It girls like Rachel Weisz and Brooklyn Decker recently stopped by. Getting in might be the only obstacle: "You have to be on the guestlist to get in, and the only way to get on the guestlist is to go through the owners," says Satsky.

How did you get the idea for the club's female-oriented vibe?
It was something that had been on my mind for the past few years. It's funny- society has gone so much in a metrosexual, female first direction. Even the men are more interested in fashion, they're more interested in growing old slower. And they're more interested in watching female-friendly shows on TV. So it's kind of a mixture of all that into one that kind of gave me the idea of wanting to do a fem-type of nightlife venue.

Sorry did you say doing a "fem-type of nightlife venue"?
Yeah, wherever you go, any other venue you've been to, you feel like it's built for men by men. I feel like at this point, the men will follow where the women like to be. In the nightlife business that I feel like I'm in, that's the kind of trend that I wanted to set.

What aspects of the club make it friendlier to women?
You walk in to this surreal, David LaChapelle-inspired art type of dollhouse. And all the banquettes are different dollhouse rooms and there are a lot of phallic symbols in them. You may look to the right and you'll see a closet that has stilettos and dresses, and on the bottom it has prescription pills and lingerie. You'll look to the other side of the room and you'll see a bedroom with a white monkey in a cage. If you really look closely at the detail in the room I feel like it's a female driven design.

Anything else?
Scott-Vincent Borba built the drink menu. His business is making women's skin firmer, making anti-aging combinations, hair growing, so all those vitamins and antioxidants he's implemented into the drink menus. Every specialty cocktail has some type of fem-nutritional value in it.

How would you describe the crowd?
First and foremost, it's a fashion crowd, designers and heads of brands. We get a lot of people from Milan, London, Madrid, those luxury type of international travelers that have migrated here in the past ten years.

Did you work with a particular designer to come up with this the concept- dollhouse, phallic symbols, prescription pills, et cetera?
I did. The designer that I worked with is this guy Lionel [Ohayon], and his company is ICRAVE. It came to life well because we think alike, and he's very metrosexual himself.

And do you consider yourself a metrosexual?
It's not that. I just feel like I'm on the pulse in general. If you're on the pulse you have to know what women like, what men like, what children like.

Have you noticed any trends in New York nightlife lately?
There's nothing that excites me to the effect that it's super-different, trend-wise. People are afraid to take risks, and therefore trends aren't going to change until people are prepared to take risks. When there's a lot of money involved, it makes it more difficult to do that. We have taken a huge risk, and we're hoping that it pays off.

What is your biggest challenge as a club owner?
Making everybody happy.

Gerard Butler reveals Jennifer Aniston might shop at Hot Topic. Go Fug Yourself

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Now that Peaches Geldof got the boot, who will replace her as the face of Ultimo? The Cut

The First Lady of France takes a voice lesson from the kids at Julliard. HuffPo Style

A Gossip Girl who shops at Wal-Mart? People StyleWatch

Today, the British Fashion Council announced its first Vogue Designer Fashion Fund winner, Erdem Moralioglu. The Montreal-raised, London-based designer (his name is pronounced "mor-al-i-og-lu" ) is known for his straight-up, ultra feminine designs (think Victorian ruffles, French lace and luxurious silk chiffon) that take a cue from American couturier Mainbocher.

Above: looks from Erdem's Fall 2010 collection.

See our interview with Erdem Moralioglu from September 2008.

Photos: WWD

In the late Eighties and early Nineties, Carré Otis epitomized the wild, glamorous and often dark side of modeling. She walked the European runways, starred in Calvin Klein and Guess ads, battled anorexia and drug addiction, and had a famously volatile relationship with Mickey Rourke (her co-star in the notorious film Wild Orchid). These days, the 41-year-old lives a much quieter life with her husband and children in rural Colorado, although she hasn't abandoned her first love—modeling. Along with Greg Shortt, Otis recently co-founded The Network, an association of modeling agencies in small markets aimed at protecting the "mom-and-pop" firms of the business. "Not all New York agencies are great for some girls," she says. "A lot of girls can get lost there."

From left: Otis on the cover of Vogue, September 1988; Wild Orchid, 1990

What is The Network exactly?
We're a community of modeling agencies that bring together small and medium agencies all around the world in order to reach clients worldwide. The fashion industry is a five billion dollar business, and we feel that agencies in smaller markets are really entitled to a piece of that pie.

What inspired you to come back to the modeling industry?
Modeling is not the healthiest of environments to be raised in, so we're giving these models tools. We've gathered experts specializing in eating disorders, nutrition, health and wealth management so that these girls can have healthy and successful careers and lives.

Guess ad campaign, 1988

Speaking of health and nutrition, you struggled with an eating disorder for years and then later came out as a plus-size model; how did your perspective change?
My weight fluctuated when I was 30, and I did the unthinkable—I stepped out as a plus-sized model. All the women who were modeling the way I was would rather have been unemployed than publicly be a size 12. But I didn't want to hide behind a shadow until my body changed.

Do you think the plus-sized model phenomenon is just a fad?
I think that we can't deny the public's want for balancing out the images that are out there depicting women. Not all of us are 17 and a size two. It's definitely a very liberating moment, and I think it has to last. Just because you're a different size doesn't mean you're sitting on the couch eating bonbons all day long watching TV.

Calvin Klein Jeans ad campaign, 1991

What were some of your personal career highs and lows?
I did some great work with my Calvin Klein ads on the motorcycle. It was really groundbreaking because people hadn't seen a woman actually riding a motorcycle before. I did some awesome stuff at Donna Karan and Guess. One of the harder moments was when my ex-husband [Rourke] crashed New York Fashion Week. I had been hired for some of the best shows, and it was particularly embarrassing because I didn't want any of our personal business to overshadow the collections, and it did in a lot of ways.

What does your day-to-day look like now?
Today, I dropped my daughters off at school, went to Pilates, cross-country skied, and now I'm working from home. My wildest dreams actually manifested—I met somebody that I wanted to marry and had kids. I'm finding such satisfaction and pleasure with the simple things. I really paid my dues and damn it, I deserve it.

Guess ad campaign, 1988

Check back next week for the latest installment of The Skinny. And see all our previous model Q&As here!

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In this quick little video shot at his studio, Jason Wu talks us through his inspirations for his Fall 2010 collection. Who knew that the gold-splattered duchesse satin dress was inspired by ... mud splatters?

Madonna does have moments of self-doubt! In a new interview, Madge explains why she considers herself "boring" compared to her 13-year old daughter Lola. "She reminds me of me when I was younger. She just goes for it and tries different things ... That is how I used to be, but after years and years of everybody commenting on the way I look and dress and being photographed, one starts to become self-conscious..." The Associated Press

Fashion blogger Karla Derass of Karla's Closet reveals how she affords the designer clothes she models on her blog and who she won't let photograph her. Fashion Indie

You be the judge. While CFDA nominee Alexander Wang waits to hear if he'll be named this year's Womenswear Designer of the Year, the verdict is pretty clear as to whether or not someone ripped off his Rocco duffel. Fashionista

Which six fashion designers does Imran Amed, strategic consultant to some of fashion's most exclusive luxury brands, predict will be big? Very big. The Cut

Which fresh-faced models made Models.com's list of Top 10 Newcomers as well as ours? Models.com
(Then click here to see our pick of the Top 10).

We're still thinking about some of the gorgeous gold watches we saw at Basel. Seems such a shame to have to wait for a birthday, the holidays or graduation...


As part of its Ma Jolie collection, Boucheron presented a most delicate rose gold-and-diamond watch, with a bracelet that appears to be made of tiny gold fans.


Bulgari has updated its classic Serpente watch, tweaking the fit of the chic coiled bracelet so it's perfectly snug.


Christian Dior unveiled a collection of miniature watches, including this retro-looking gold watch. We love how the grid details flow from the bracelet to the face.


You can never go wrong with a Rolex. This one has a strong yet feminine look, featuring Roman numerals, diamond details on the bezel that remind us of sun rays and a rosy face.

Previously: The most covetable jewelry we saw at Basel.

British history is having a stylish moment. The Young Victoria won the Oscar for Best Costume Design, while Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland has inspired everything from nail polish to jewelry collections. Now, a few British fashion designers have added their touch to rooms in London's Kensington Palace. The designers have created installations for The Enchanted Palace, a dreamlike, multisensory exhibition inspired by the stories of the residence's past inhabitants.

Boudicca honors the timepiece in the center of The Cupola Room with a soundscape of ticking and chiming clocks, while mechanical-looking dresses dangle from each chandelier (below).

Vivienne Westwood has created a gown fit for the spunky Princess Charlotte, which is displayed in the King's Grand Staircase (below). Charlotte, whose death made Victoria next in line for the throne, was immensely popular in her time--so much so that London shops supposedly sold out of black mourning fabric after she died.

We are most excited about William Tempest's installation in the bedroom in which Victoria went from princess to queen overnight (below). His creation is a trompe l'oeil dress comprised of thousands of origami birds.

These original pieces are accompanied by gowns worn by Princesses Diana and Margaret (below). The exhibit, which is helmed by theater company WILDWORKS, includes elements such as film projections and interactive theater that have transformed the palace into a fairytale wonderland.

The Enchanted Palace will run from March 26, 2010-June 2012. Installations will change every six months.

— Thulasi Sivalingam

We recently returned from the annual Basel world fair, where luxury timepieces, of course, are at the center of attention. Still, we never fail to discover extraordinary jewelry at Basel, and this year was no exception. Here, some of the standouts.

Gurhan's multifaceted aquamarine ring in dreamy sea blue looks like a tiny swimming pool on your finger (below):

Chopard's seedpearl Ram necklace (below) is a part of the brand's 150th anniversary collection featuring 150 animal-inspired pieces. The whimsical collection will be exhibited at the Frick collection at the end of April; the pieces will be available for sale at the end of the year:

We can always rely on Brazilian jewelry designer Carla Amorim for sexy shoulder-dusting earrings. These (below) were inspired, believe it or not, by French pastry:

David Yurman showed a bold selection of darkened silver, quartz and black diamond pieces, including this cuff (below). The design plays on Yurman's signature cable twist:

Conch pearls, which are a beautiful shade of pink, are extremely rare. Mikimoto's one-of-a-kind conch pearl-and-diamond earrings (below) are some of the most elegant, ladylike earrings we've seen:

Baccarat's Bouchon collection is inspired by perfume bottle tops and was designed in collaboration with designer Elie Top, who works on the jewelry for Lanvin (below):

De Grisogono never disappoints with their oversized colorful cocktail rings (below). For this ring, the stones are set upside down, creating an almost studded effect:

And Stephen Webster's fascination with sea creatures continued this season. We thought these diamond jellyfish earrings were so sweet (below):

Even though a gold watch with brown strap is always a classic, we were excited to see watch makers embracing new color schemes for their 2010 collections. And the color du jour definitely seems to be blue. Here are some of the variations we saw:

Movado's new take on their famous Museum dial watch in a bold black and blue.

Technomarine's neon blue details on their diving watch.

Rolex's night blue face with scattered diamond details on the bezel.

David Yurman's new ladies' watch with a blue mother-of-pearl face.

Chanel's first diving watch with a blue rotating bezel.

Valentino's elegant timepiece with blue enamel dial.

Patek Philippe's always classy Calatrava model, shown in a mesmerizing midnight blue.