Karl Lagerfeld wants to show that he's more than 'just' a fashion designer with his latest effort for Chanel — directing a short film that brings its windows and latest looks to life.

The multi-talented creative director turned film director's latest work is more Roman Polanski than A Single Man, the directorial debut by former Gucci/YSL creative director Tom Ford.

It's also not the first time Kaiser Karl has turned his hand to directing. Check out more of his shorts (films, not resort wear) after the jump.Continue reading...

He's got a "contract for life" at Chanel, but that hasn't stopped haute designer Karl Lagerfeld from extending his personal brand to Orrefors crystal, not to mention his image to become a videogame character and a silhouette on Coca-Cola bottles. A talented photographer, he also just shot the latest (risque) calendar for Pirelli.

And he's so well-established beyond fashion, a fake Twitter account of supposed Kaiser Karl musings boasts more than 300,000 followers.

Now the designer is going truly "masstige" with his latest venture: designing a capsule collection for Macy’s.Continue reading...

Barneys NY creative director and author Simon Doonan may be a particularly crank elf this holiday season. In the wake of a management shakeup he's still in place, but rumors of tension with new CEO Mark Lee have surfaced.

Comme Des Garçons brings multi-label concept shops to Beijing.

Proposed design piracy law moves forward.

Fashion's Night Out returning for third time in 2011.

InStyle Magazine is now selling clothes online.Continue reading...

ABC's Dancing With the Stars crowns actress Jennifer Grey over Bristol Palin. 

AT&T offers "buy one get one" Black Friday deal (vs. Amazon's $50 each) on Windows Phone.

Bruce Willis pitches Russia's National Bank Trust.

CBS wins November TV sweeps in a big way.

Chrysler plans major upgrade of Indiana operations after President Obama's visit.

Cracker Barrel rides customer-service initiative.

Fox to use Hulu inventory for advertiser “make-goods.”Continue reading...

Criticism of BP has shifted in full force to CEO Tony Hayward, who has cancelled a planned speech tomorrow in London, and was criticized by the White House for taking time off to go yachting on the weekend.

The damage, to date, to BP's brand? An estimated $1 billion, according to reputation management firm General Sentiment. Adweek, meanwhile, calls BP's social media marketing "aggressive," while Brand Republic reiterates the need for more "brand humility" at BP and beyond.

In other brand news, Bavaria Beer's so-called ringleaders of the orange dress-clad ambush marketing stunt at the World Cup appear in court tomorrow.Continue reading...

Coke and high fashion, a match made in (stereotype) heaven. Except, not that coke.

From the brand-extension bizarro world comes the limited-edition Karl Lagerfeld Coca-Cola Light (Diet Coke) box set. The co-branding promotion is done in collaboration with Paris boutique Colette and costs a show-stopping €60.00 (includes bottle opener!) Individual bottles are a more-affordable €3.50. Get yours at Colette.

It's not as crazy a pairing as it might seem on the surface, as there may be no greater Diet Coke brand champion than the slimmed down head of Chanel, Fendi and his own label. Just remember, plebe, that's DIET COKE.Continue reading...

Pepsi will pull its full-calorie beverages from national school cafeterias. [Wallet Pop]

Kraft plans to cut 10% of its products' salt content in North America. [AP]

Tod's hopes that the addition of Karl Lagerfeld's celebrity can help Hogan. [NY Times]

YouTube offers to share ad sales with independent musicians hoping for a boost. [LA Times]

Liam Gallagher of the band Oasis will add womenswear to his clothing line. [Vogue UK]

With the economy recovering, will inflation cause problems for consumers? [WWD]Continue reading...

For over 100 years, FAO Schwarz was widely regarded as the Tiffany of toys. Its renowned Fifth Avenue store in New York City became a must-see stop for visitors with (and without) children.

Founded in 1862 by a German, Frederick August Otto Schwarz (hence the "FAO"), FAO Schwarz expanded to as many as forty stores before it was unable to withstand an assault from value-priced competitors. The company succumbed to a few ugly 21st Century bankruptcies. In May 2009, the unthinkable occurred: the venerable brand name was purchased by discounter Toys 'R' Us.Continue reading...