Veuve Clicquot has named British luxury bag designer Anya Hindmarch its business woman of the year, an annual accolade the champagne brand has been hosting since 1972 in tribute to founder Madame Clicquot.

Hindmarch, whose bags have been carried by VIPs from Margaret Thatcher to Kate Middleton, won over Helena Morrissey, CEO of Newton Investment Management, and the River Cafe chef and owner Ruth Rogers. She's also known for her popular "I'm Not a Plastic Bag" campaign.

According to an interview with the Daily Mail, Hindmarch is helping support other entrepreneurs by partnering in the School for Creative Startups, founded by Dragon's Den investor Doug Richard, which "will run workshops and year-long courses across fashion, design, performing arts and digital industries."

California's State Assembly has voted to ban plastic bags in pharmacies, groceries, convenience stores and liquor stores, and, to require retailers to charge at least five cents for all paper bags - which must include recyclable materials.

This time around, the measure is backed by the California Grocers’ Association, whose major retail brand members include Safeway, Trader Joe’s, Costco, Whole Foods and 7-Eleven, as well as the notoriously conservative Chamber of Commerce.

Approval by California’s Senate on the proposed ban is not a done deal, although there is state precedent: San Francisco became the first city in the country to ban plastic bags in 2007.Continue reading...

British oil trader Trafigura dumped contaminated waste in the Ivory Coast, with 12 known deaths to date, then spent three years denying claims and threatening critics with defamation suits. [Guardian]

Environmental advocates pressure household product producers into disclosing chemicals in products. [NY Times]

Obama struggles to reframe the US national discourse: This is not about race. [WaPo]

Spanish retail chain Zara finally moves to sell clothes online. [Times of London]

No more corporate jet use at Citi. Unless you have a really good reason and a note from Vikram Pandit. [Times of London]

Rolls Royce introduces an economy vehicle for consumers new to the brand, retailing at $338,000. [Bloomberg]

Michelin engages social media to tout their 2010 guide, playing up the mystery of their "famously anonymous inspector" on website, ads, and Twitter. [NY Times]

(More headlines: Timberland targets Gen Y; USA Networks, Verizon and ESPN ramp up their game; US college football stars tripped up by social media.)Continue reading...