Avril Lavigne expands Abbey Dawn clothing line

Avril Lavigne’s  has expanded her line of punk style clothing for juniors (sold exclusively at Kohl’s).

The Canadian singer named the line Abbey Dawn after the childhood nickname given to her by her dad. She explains that “My alias name was always Abbey Dawn in my hotel rooms.”

The inspiration for Abbey Dawn came out of Avril’s closet. “It’s who I am and what I think is cool and anything I’d wear.” she says.

All the items in the line were co-designed and approved by the 24 year-old rocker, who says it’s hard to name her favorite piece since she loves them all so much.

For the target market, the clothes are fun but probably best worn in small doses. The takeaway is that it’s okay to borrow looks from well-known celebs and personalities but better to come up with your style.  Reminds me of one of my fave quotes:

“Always be a first-rate version of yourself instead of a second-rate version of someone else.”
-Judy Garland

Oh, and if Abby Dawn isn’t quite your style, you might want to check out Miley Cyrus’ new line at Walmart.

Sharapova sparkles with Gehry-designed Tiffany

Last spring, Maria Sharapova and Tiffany & Co. launched a two year partnership. The Fifth Avenue jeweler announced they would outfit the top-ranked player in different pairs of earrings over a series of  Grand Slam tennis events, beginning with last summer’s U.S. Open.

During this year’s U.S. Open *beginning Aug. 31st) , Sharapova will wear Tiffany earrings especially designed by famed architect and designer Frank Gehry.

“The earrings have a distinctive shape that is like the fluid lines of Frank Gehry’s architecture. I am thrilled to wear these elegant earrings at the US Open.” Sharapova said.

Named Stria for it’s fine corrugated texture, the double drop design has a kinetic energy that complements Maria’s powerful playing style.

Maria’s interest in jewelry extends beyond collecting beautiful pieces.  She visited Mr. Gehry in his California studio to learn about his inspiration for the earrings and his ideas for creating them.

“I wanted to design earrings for Maria that were interesting yet light enough to wear during play,” the architect said. “It was a new idea inspired by corrugations, like a river or a waterfall.”

The complete collection of earrings, called Tiffany for Maria Sharapova,  captures her grace and allows fans access to pieces designed by and for the tennis great.

Get ready to crack open those piggy banks again.

Maria Sharapova’s new Cole Haan ads

She may have been out of competition for months with a shoulder injury but women’s tennis star Maria Sharapova has been keeping busy.

Late last year, Cole Haan announced the  three-time Grand Slam champion would be the face of a new sportswear clothing line debuting this spring.

The new line, called Cole Haan Sporting, includes men’s and women’s footwear and accessories. Sharapova collaborated on the looks for the fall 2009 season, the company said.

The former world number one has a longstanding passion for fashion and is considered a style icon. So it seems fitting that Cole Haan Sporting (a subsidiary of Nike) will embody sport style with Sharapova repping the brand.

Polo Ralph Lauren debuts U.S. Open Tennis Collection

With the U.S. Open tennis tournament quickly approaching (competition begins at the end of August), a number of questions are being lobbed around: Will defending champion Serena Williams make another run for the Grand Slam title? Will Maria Sharapova be ready to compete after her troublesome shoulder injury? Who will be ranked No. 1 going into the tournament?

One thing about the U.S. Open that remains certain is what the on-court officials will be wearing: Polo Ralph Lauren.

The fashion house, a sponsor of the hard-court tournament for the last five years, has just debuted the ball boys’ and girls’ outfits, which include red, white, and blue shirts and dresses that feature the label’s signature sportswear details, such as a large polo player and pony and a diagonal banner stripe on the front and back of the clothes.

Zheng Jie and Jelena Jankovic star in ANTA TV commercial

Tennis stars Zheng Jie and Jelena Jankovic appear in a new TV commercial for the Chinese brand of ANTA, which they have been promoting this year.

Style meets performance at U.S. Open

Danish tennis sensation Caroline Wozniacki will represent the new fall/winter 2009 adidas by Stella McCartney tennis range at the U.S. Open at Flushing Meadows.

Currently ranked No. 9 on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour, Caroline has been selected to become the exclusive new face of the tennis line and will be playing in apparel and footwear from the distinctive sport performance collection at all upcoming tournaments starting with the U.S. Open.

Pretty Hot: Key silhouettes in the Tennis collection are inspired by college cheerleaders, featuring vibrant eighties inspired skirts combined with feminine rouching and gathering as well as elegant draped sleeves giving a sophisticated playful feel and an unexpected twist on and off the tennis court. The collection also includes adidas CLIMALITE® technology plus footwear including the Skynde shoe which features Barricade V tooling and technology.

Since 2007 Caroline Wozniacki has been part of the adidas Player Development Program, a service that helps nurture young tennis talent through a unique mix of advice and support, giving an extra helping hand towards building a successful career. Together with the player’s own coaching team, the adidas Player Development Program strives to complement with additional training services, advice and motivation.

The U.S. Open will take place August 31st – September 13th where Serena Williams will defend her title.

Turning the tables: Pretty Boy Athletes

We read and hear about female athletes being objectified all the time. Yeah, we know that athletes, male or female, should be judged on their athletic abilities rather than their looks and most of the time that’s the criteria used. But sometimes it’s hard to avoid gawking – and that goes for guys and girls. Actors and singers, as well as athletes and other celebs find themselves in the public eye and subject to scrutiny. So who are some of the pretty boy athletes?

According to Newsday, there’s nothing hotter than New York sports.  Editors there decided to rank the area’s “prettiest” male athletes. So who makes the list?

1. Derek Jeter, New York Yankees
2. Alex Rodriguez, New York Yankees
3. David Wright, New York Mets
4. Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers
5. Mark Sanchez, New York Jets
6. Jose Reyes, New York Mets
7. Nate Robinson, New York Knicks
8. Justin Tuck, New York Giants
9. Kerry Rhodes, New York Jets
10. Rick DiPietro, New York Islanders

Honorable Mentions: Sean Avery (New York Rangers), Danilo Gallinari (New York Knicks), Thomas Jones (New York Jets), John Maine (New York Mets), Antonio Pierce (New York Giants).

Okay – we know we should only judge these athletes on their stats. Same goes for David Beckham, Rafa Nadal and Tom Brady. Now get back to work.

Tubular Girls spotlighted in July issue of Vanity Fair

The latest issue of Vanity Fair (July 2009) wants you to meet the newest female stars of surfing.

The VF spread, featuring Alana Blanchard, Sally Fitzgibbons, Sofia Mulanovich and a bevy of other surfers (promoting next month’s US Open of Surfing) show that fifty years after Gidget stirred up waves in the male-dominated surfing world, a new set of young women in their teens and 20s are revolutionizing the sport, from the beaches of Montauk to Australia.

Back in April, New York photog Michael Halsband, who specializes in artists, musicians and surfers, traveled to California’s Newport Beach to shoot the coolest surfer girls.

In addition to Blanchard and Fitzgibbons you can see Sierra Partridge, Leila Hurst, Blanchard, Malia Manuel, Coco Ho, Laura Enever, Sage Erickson, Quincy Davis, Courtney Conlogue and Hailey Partridge in the magazine.

There are a bunch of photos online (including outtakes from the shoot)  and some video below. Be sure to pick up theVanity Fair issue and if you’re near Huntington Beach, California July 18 – 26, the US Open of Surfing plays center stage to one of the top stops on the ASP Tour. Put in on your calendar and don’t miss a minute of the fun.

Queen of the Hill Casting Call

Do you have what it takes to be ” Queen of the Hill? ”

Are you a top performing woman athlete in the world of extreme/action sports ready for a completely new challenge…. Are you driven to succeed, have what it takes to compete in ways you never imaged before, are you ultra confident, sassy and  fun?

Are you just waiting to show the world what you’ve got? Willing to show off your athletic body in a bikini? Well then you just might be right for the next great reality show hit. If you think you have what it takes to be the next “Queen of the Hill” and bring home the cash prize, then TKO Entertainment wants to see you!

Casting producer Michele Johnson, a retired motocross racer, writes, “This project is about celebrating the talents of fit, healthy, sassy women in the action sports world. The show is going to be based on a group of women competing to be “Queen of the Hill”, with challenges ranging from bravery, talent, beauty, brains, to cooking! I’m extremely excited to see Reality TV on a major network showcasing strong, talented, athletic women!!”

Sounds great for Pretty Tough girls who can make it to SoCal next month. Here are the details:

Casting Call Location:
OC Studio
Address will be supplied
Newport Beach, CA

Casting Call Dates:
July 14, 2009 @ 9 – TBD
July 23, 2009 @ 9 – TBD

Bring: Street Cloths, Athlete’s Sport Attire, and Bikini
[Talent will be required to display all 3 outfits for the panel]

Talent will have Q & A with Executive Producer Thomas Klein.

Talent will be filmed during the casting review by Writer / Producer Jonny Wolf

Please pre-book your attendance and arrival time with Producer of Cast – Michele Johnson mj@icon1agency.com

Information required: Full name, age, address, contact phone number, primary sport, and photo. Agency will respond to your email with confirmation and the address to the casting call location.

If the talent is under 18 she must have a legal guardian attend the casting call.

Susan Sarandon launches SPiN in New York City

Last month I wrote a post about the growth of Ping Pong.  Turns out that the sport is hotter than ever.

Now comes word that actress Susan Sarandon has taken on a new role – that of investor in SPiN,  a Ping-Pong parlor that just opened its doors in New York.

The Thelma & Louise star, who discovered the game through her son Miles and helped launch the new place this month,  is very excited about her passion for ping pong.

 “I started finding out that there was this subculture of Ping-Pong and all these people that you wouldn’t expect are serious about it,” she said. “I just worked with Ed Norton, and he’s so committed that he trained in China while he was shooting a film there.”

In a recent People magazine Sarandon mentions that George Clooney is also a fierce competitor. In the same issue she explains why Ping Pong is bouncing back:

• It’s fun for the whole family: “Ping Pong transcends gender and age. Thirteen year old girls can beat 35 year old men.”
• It keeps you on your toes: “I find it’s better for sharpness of mind than crossword puzzles.”
• “It’s fast, fun, inexpensive and almost impossible to get hurt.”

An eclectic mix of actors, New York professionals, and master table tennis players turned out a couple weeks ago for the SPiN New York Classic, hosted by the Standard Hotel. The exclusive event, held for SPiN’s inaugural members, was a celebration of the club’s  opening at their Park Avenue address. Fans, including comedian Judah Friedlander and  Sarandon,  showed up dressed to the nines for the celebration, contributing to what may have been the world’s most fashionable Ping Pong event ever seen.

In contrast to the large, luxurious Park Avenue club, a number of bare-bones clubs exist for hard-core players: a Russian outpost in Coney Island; two clubs across the street from each other in Flushing, Queens; a cluster of them on the Upper East Side.

At the New York Table Tennis Federation, a no-frills club on the border of Chinatown and SoHo, the only drinks come from a Coke machine. The place is unmarked, and you have to walk through the foyer of an apartment building and decipher a sign in Mandarin to find it.

USA Table Tennis, the sport’s national organizing body in the United States, said it has had a steady increase in membership of just below 10 percent since 2006. There are 457 Yahoo groups related to the sport, including ones for collegiate players (almost 2,000 members, 53 new ones in a recent week) and regional groups of about 500 members.

SPiN, which aims to bring the lesser-known Olympic sport into the mainstream, is described as a 13,000 square foot space on Park Avenue in Manhattan’s Flatiron District. It offers Olympic quality cushioned flooring to go along with it’s 17 individual table tennis courts and stadium style center court. Patrons can make a day or evening of it in the social club’s unparalleled facilities, and satiate themselves with lunch and/or dinner, a bar and lounge, pick up a new pips out paddle in the Pro shop, and after a particularly rousing round of matches shower off in the locker room before heading home.

I’m headed to New York next month and can’t wait to check it out!

Hours of Operation – 7 days per week
Mon-Wed……….11am-2am
Thur-Fri…………11am-4am
Sat……………….9am-4am
Sun………………9am-2am

Address
304 Park Avenue South
New York, New York 10010
(212) 982-8802

Table Rental Rates
$15 per half-hour for standard tables
$20 per half-hour for pro courts
$50 per half-hour for stadium court

Member Rates
$7.50 per half-hour for standard tables
$10 per half-hour for pro courts
$25 per half-hour for stadium court

Next Page »