SAFE DOES SELL: Let other magazines cover the recent dramas surrounding Paris Hilton and Britney Spears. People StyleWatch publisher Michelle Myers claims it's benefiting by being the "safe" celebrity title as brands like Cover Girl sign on. In 2008, the Time Inc. magazine will continue on at 10 times a year, but a rate base increase will begin in February, growing by 100,000 copies to 650,000. The December-January issue closed at 52 ad pages, up slightly over last year, and StyleWatch is selling an average of 532,000 copies at the newsstand, said Myers. "Fashion, beauty and retail is our core, but we are also working on consumer electronics and technology, such as LG, which was new in December," she said.
— Amy Wicks

GABFEST: Has Simon Doonan found yet another calling? The Barneys New York creative director, whose literary accomplishments include "Confessions of a Window Dresser," "Wacky Chicks," "Nasty" and a column in The New York Observer, can add the title of talk show host to his résumé. A five-minute, 28-second video that can be seen on the retailer's Web site and YouTube features Doonan hosting "Have a Green Holiday," which looks like it was filmed in someone's basement. "This week's guest is Al Gore," said Doonan. Actually, it's Barneys' fashion director Julie Gilhart, who reveals after a little prying from Doonan that her ideal green husband is Prince Charles. Between the witty banter, there's plenty of time to discuss merchandise — isn't that really why we're here, folks? — such as a long white Loomstate cardigan that would be equally at home with jeans and Balenciaga. A short white dress from Phillip Lim's 100 percent certified organic cotton collection, Go Green Go, could be worn to a disco or environmental conference, Doonan says. The retailer's green Christmas extends to store windows, advertising and holiday catalogues, with Rudolph the Recycled Reindeer and Frosty the Fair Trade Snowman as mascots. Doonan, who has a slew of bons mots up his environmental sleeve, declares at the end of the show, "Green is the new black," and "Don't panic, it's organic."
— Sharon Edelson