‘Law & Order’ Draws Attention to Untested Rape Kits

Jennifer Love Hewitt guest stars as a repeat rape survivor on 'Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.'

Over the past 12 seasons, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit has kept us tuning in for its sensational stories about grisly crimes. The Sept. 29 episode promises to do much more, sending an important message about an under-the-radar issue — that hundreds of thousands of rape kits sit untested in police precincts and crime labs across the country, allowing violent perpetrators to go free while their victims live in fear.

“The assumption is that rape is the crime. There’s actually a bigger crime that takes place afterward, when these women are put through rape-kit examinations,” says Jennifer Love Hewitt, who plays a traumatized survivor in the episode. Rape victims undergo invasive collection of evidence (e.g., bodily fluids and hair) for these kits, “and then nothing ever becomes of them. The women have no idea if the person has been caught or he’s out there, watching them. It’s up to them to see if their kit has been tested, even though it brings up awful memories.”

Because DNA evidence may identify and help convict a perpetrator, it’s vital for victims to report a rape to the police, submit to the exam, and then follow up on it, says Sarah Tofte, director of advocacy and strategic partnerships at the Joyful Heart Foundation, founded by SVU star Mariska Hargitay in 2004 to help sexual-assault and domestic-violence survivors heal and reclaim their lives. “We hear from victims who because their kit wasn’t tested, the perpetrator went on to rape other women,” says Tofte, who adds this frightening FBI statistic: Only 24 percent of reported rape cases result in arrest.

The backlog in testing has a lot to do with that. “It costs an average of $1,200 to test a kit,” explains Tofte. “Crime labs and police don’t often have the resources they need to keep up with the DNA requests they’re getting. Part of it is criminal justice attitudes. We still have a long way to go in terms of taking rape seriously and making sure we aren’t treating victims based on our bias. We have to make sure that rape investigation is a priority for law enforcement and that they’re doing everything they need to do to pursue the cases that are before them.”

Toward that end, on Sept. 29 the Joyful Heart Foundation will launch endthebacklog.org, a website “that will give people all the information they need to be effective advocates to change policies, both at the federal level and the state level,” Tofte says. “There’s going to be data on all the different cities that currently have backlogs and what we need Congress to do and states to do to fix the problem. And giving people advocacy tools to write to their public officials, giving survivors tools to get information about the status of their kits.”

Hargitay, who has testified before Congress, will continue making appearances about the issue, Tofte adds. “Testing a rape kit is about providing justice for the victim, preventing future crimes and making sure you’re catching a rapist and holding him accountable.”

Do you plan to watch tomorrow’s SVU episode?

Photo credit: Will Hart/NBC

Fashion News Roundup: Fashion’s Most Eligible, Armani for Gaga, and the Bra That Won A Nobel Prize

The Emergency Bra: No, the bra does not defy gravity or work as a flotation device. This bra can actually, apparently, save your life by turning into a pair of protective face masks. If you’re completely paranoid about terrorist attacks and the like and carrying around a face mask is just too much of a hassle, why not wear two of them on your boobs? Every day? The bras only come in B and C cups, so, if you’re smaller than a B or larger than a C, which many people are, you are going to die. {Tonic.com}

Bad Romance: Check out this roundup of “fashion’s most eligible bachelors.” That’s right, 25 available men who work in fashion, many of whom are actually straight. Take your pick! But be careful girls–some of these guys are likely bachelors for a reason. Just sayin’. {Refinery 29}

Matthew Williamson X Bulgari: Matthew Willamson’s new line of handbags for Bulgari is super pretty but won’t come cheap. “Obviously the Bulgari customer, who is a woman who appreciates great quality, glamour and luxury,” says Matthew. {InStyle UK}

Giorgio Armani X Lady Gaga: Reportedly, Armani and Lady Gaga have inked some sort of multimillion dollar deal that will involve Armani making costumes for Gaga’s upcoming tour. {Vogue UK}

Get Dressed: Midtowners caught an eyefull of hard core Desigual fans this morning, who braved rain, cold, and embarassment for two free items from the store. To each his own. {Racked NY}

Campbell’s Career: Naomi Campbell reflects on her 25-year career and shows off her violent side in an interview and editorial for Interview Magazine. {Interview}

We Need, We Want, We Have to Have: The Perfect Leather Jacket

If there’s one thing we want this season, it’s a little leather jacket. From biker to bomber and back, there’s something for every style.

The great thing about a leather topper is that it instantly updates your look, whether you’re pairing it with some trousers, a frilly dress, or denim. In fact, we’ve rounded up a few of our favorites for your viewing pleasure…it just so happens that we think you’ll like them, too.

First up is Helmut Lang’s “Dirty Vintage” Denim and Leather Jacket. This piece is quite rock ‘n roll, but gentle enough to wear to the office on a casual day. Pair with black jeans or skinny slacks and a pair of spiky black heels for a look that’s both powerful and polished. Our favorite part? The leather and denim double collar.

For something a bit more dressy that maintains a punk edge, consider Marc Jacobs’ washed lambskin leather moto jacket. It comes in a soft hunter green that pairs beautifully with a pencil skirt and a plain white button down. Of course, it looks equally as good on the weekends with your oldest pair of jeans.

For those of us partial to head-to-toe black, Diane von Furstenberg‘s emerald green cropped motorcycle jacket adds just just the right pop of color. Plus, it looks good with an LBD, another fall wardrobe staple.

Leather blocks the cold, particularly when its padded. ALC’s quilted version does double wind-breaking duty. What’s more, designer/stylist Andrea Lieberman has created a chic little funnel neck, which means it’s ten times as sleek as your typical down puffer.

Sure, these options are fantastic, but sometimes classic is best. Smythe’s lambskin leather moto jacket is as traditional as it comes, but updated in a more modern silhouette.

This content series is brought to you by Nordstrom. Create your wear-to-work wardrobe online at Nordstrom.com.

Sneak Peek: Chanel’s Spring 2011 Invite

Our friends at Chanel gave us a sneak peek of their Spring 2011 invite, which will be sent out to editors all over Paris very soon. The show takes place next Tuesday, October 5, and we’ll be tweeting live from the venue! xo, F

Cavalli Rings in 40 With Hip-Hugging Leather and Fringe

MILAN–Roberto Cavalli celebrated his 40th anniversary in business with a sexy as hell collection for spring. The set was a greenhouse complete with tropical foliage (oversized and in plastic), and the looks were steaming hot to match.

If there’s one body part Cavalli emphasized with this milestone collection, it is the hips. Skin-tight leather pants sat dangerously low, and long chiffon dresses were cut out at the sides, the skirts hitting just at the hip bones for maximum swagger down the runway. Of course, when supermodels like Natalia Vodianova and Laetitia Casta are modeling the clothes (Natalia opened, Laetitia closed), the swagger is guaranteed.

Cavalli kept his color palette neutral and went for it with embellishments in a dazzling display of craftsmanship. His low-slung hip-hugging leather pants were laced up the sides and paired with hand-cut cropped leather tops. An excess of leather fringe hung around the necks of floor-length Bohemian dresses in animal prints and handbags got the fringe treatment too.

American celebs came out to fete Cavalli, too. Taylor Swift, Leona Lewis, Rachel Bilson, and Heidi Klum were all front row.

Click through for more looks.
**All photos from Style.com

Willow Smith’s Top Three Looks From Milan Fashion Week

She may be years away from fitting into runway clothes and should probably have been in school this past week, but, hey, that never stopped Tavi. Willow Smith, who has yet to reach double digits, spent last week accompanying her mom to Milan’s front rows.

Willow is already proving herself as a tween fashion force to be reckoned with. Honestly, she has an impressive sense of style for someone so young. Or, do you think she uses a stylist? Click through for her ensembles.

Our Favorite Niche Fragrances

In this age of globalization, corporate conglomerates, and big box stores, there’s something very comforting about finding a product that no one else has. You can get small-batch olive oil. There’s an entire cult on Twitter that is in search of unusual teas. And finding a new local fashion designer often feels like a delicious secret when everyone around you is wearing something from the mall.

So with everyone looking for a way to express individuality in a world that is becoming increasingly commercial, niche perfumes are the perfect antidote to conformity.

I’m a lazy fragrance user. I own and have used quite a few in my day, but never very regularly. Days will go by when deodorant and toothpaste are my signature scents. This is really sort of unacceptable.

Enter Marian Bendeth. Marian, a fragrance expert and consultant who has worked with over a thousand brands, is based in Toronto, Ontario. She writes about scent, teaches about it, argues about it, collects it, and lives for it. She only wears vintage fragrances, but wouldn’t reveal them to me. I could have talked to her for hours about finding my signature–niche–perfume, but here’s the short version.

What the heck does niche mean?
According to Marian, a niche perfume is one that is not mainstream. If it’s harder to come by, higher-end, eclectic, or different, you can classify it as niche. Britney Spears will probably never do a niche. Chanel, however, has. Even though Chanel perfumes are readily available, they carry a line called Les Exclusifs de Chanel that are rare and only available in their boutiques. So it’s a tricky concept. Availability (or lack thereof) and uniqueness seem to be the main qualifiers.

Who produces niche perfumes?
Well, just about anyone. There are “outer circle” perfumers–those who started companies without previous fragrance industry ties, like Jo Malone and Fresh. Then there are the “inner circle” niche perfumers–those who broke away from more traditional houses.

The grandson of an LVMH founder started By Kilian. Romano Ricci, the great-grandson of Nina Ricci, started Juliette Has A Gun. “She’s out for allure, but she’s armed,” Marian told me of the line. Frédéric Malle–who has an eponymous line–is the grandson of Serge Heftler, who founded Dior Perfumes. If you stay up until two in the morning scouring perfume sites (like I did on more than one occasion), there are some fascinating stories about fragrances and their origins.

Marian warns about relative unknowns that go viral via blogs and online sources. “What concerns me is, where are they sourcing their oils from? That’s going on my skin,” she said. While acknowledging the power of the internet to launch new fragrances and support small producers, she wants everyone to do their research before buying.

What are good sites for reviews of fragrances?
There are a TON. Here are the best and most comprehensive:
Now Smell This
Sniffapalooza
Basenotes
Bois de Jasmin
Fragrantica

Finally, are you searching for a signature scent? Don’t.

“Signature scents are ridiculous. You don’t wear one dress everyday. It’s monotonous. It shows an inflexibility in character,” Marian told me, in no uncertain terms. So, my beloved Burberry Brit Sheer will be the old beat up jeans of my perfume cabinet. I vowed to go on a search for the equivalent of perfume couture.

Street Style: Kiki is Rushing Around

Name: Kiki

Occupation: Model

Agency: Supreme

What is your favorite dessert? Macaroons

What is the last good movie you saw? The Pianist. It’s an amazing film!

What is your favorite part of fashion week? I just love doing all the shows and walking down the runways!

What do you do when you are waiting backstage? I’m always rushing somewhere!

What is your favorite beauty product? I like Laura Mercier makeup and Shiseido cleanser.

Where is your jacket from? Jeremy Laing

Where is your top from? Topshop

How about your shorts and bag? The shorts are Acne and the bag is Florian Denicourt.

**All Photos By Ashley Jahncke

Armani Sings The Blues

MILAN–For the last big show of a fantastic week of fashion in Milan, Giorgio Armani wrangled some serious A-list celebrity for his spring show. And we’re not talking about Megan Fox, though she looked gorgeous. We’re talking about George motherfucking Clooney. A real, bona fide, Carey Grant-esque (in my opinion), movie star. We could hardly blame the crowds outside the venue for letting out screams when he walked through with Elisabetta Canalis. Or blame Elisabetta for whispering in his ear and leaning on his shoulder during the entire show.

But enough about George. There were clothes to gawk at, too. Really pretty clothes, all in navy blue. Armani called his show “La Femme Bleue”–a fitting French title for a collection inspired by the Tuaregs of French-speaking North Africa. Set against a projection of sand dunes, the whistling wind audible in the soundtrack, models were styled in silk turbans and sheer wraps for chic protection from the wind and sand. Underneath the wraps, the clothes were hardly desert attire, but layered nonetheless. Tailored suit jackets were paired with skirts over pleat-front pants. A ruffled jelly-fish-like hem, carried over from Emporio Armani, was present on tunic tops. Crystals lent sparkle and texture to the monotone palette. And the finale evening dresses, many of them one-shouldered in thick satin with big bows at the shoulder, were red-carpet-ready.

Click through for more looks.
**All photos from Style.com

Major Thing We Missed During NYFW: US Weekly Hearts Scott and Garance?

Image from IsaacLikes.com.

Sometimes I feel as though I live in a fashion bubble. There are people that are fashion famous–or at least very well-known in fashion circles–that I assume those who work outside of the industry aren’t particularly familiar with. Anna Dello Russo may be a rock star to me and those who read this site, but has my 22-year-old cousin living in Washington D.C. and working at Nikon ever heard of her? Unlikely.

So I was a little surprised last weekend when, whilst flipping though a copy of US Weekly on my first day off since September 5, I stumbled upon the rag’s annual list of Most Stylish New Yorkers. Along with the usual suspects–Gossip Girl’s Kelly Rutherford, Katie Couric, our favorite PR powerhouse, Kelly Cutrone–two bold-faced names stood out in particular: Scott Schuman and Garance Dore.

Now, before you say “Wait, this is old news!” I know. But like most fashion people, I wasn’t paying attention to anything outside of Lincoln Center and Milk Studios on September 14. I was too busy worrying about the fact that The Row just canceled their New York show to scan the latest issue of US. So forgive me. But I feel compelled to share my thoughts with you anyways, dear reader.

Although I doubt we’ll be seeing this particular superlative mentioned on The Sartorialist homepage underneath “Selected as one of Time Magazine’s Top 100 Design Influencers”, it might be even more significant. This means that the editors of US Weekly–who, mind you, cater to some of the wealthiest readers in the country–believe that the masses like and admire Scott and Garance not only as a pair of bloggers, but a romantic pair. If the duo’s television show ever does get made, they could very well become the next Nick and Jessica. Seriously.

Fashionista and MAC Present: How to Create the Perfect Bold Lip

While SS11 is caught between a startling orange lip and a cool nude one, AW10 is all about the bold lip. In red, scarlet, mauve, or violet, it complements autumn’s rich wardrobe perfectly. In this video, MAC artist Fatima Thomas demonstrates how to create it.

Trendspotting: Pleats, Please

Sharp pleats are everywhere–some more, please.

Who rocked it better: Rihanna vs Jennifer Garner in Stella McCartney

Both gorgeous women wore the same dress, on two different dates of course. The dress? It was a Stella McCartney Guipure-lace shift dress from the Pre-Fall 2010 collection. Rihanna rocked it in August, while Jennifer wore it in September. I personally like how it fits and looks on Rihanna, but Jennifer looked stunning in it as well. If you’re feeling it, get ready to dish out $2,375 at  Net-A-Porter.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Beyonce launches temporary tattoo line

Can you get any more tacky??? Beyonce and her momager Tina Knoweles have collaborated with Temptu to create a limited edition of temporary tatoos.

“With a Sixties-pinup-girl meets-futuristic-biker-chick theme, Beyoncé and I really wanted to give our Deréon fall 2010 campaign a tough edginess,” said Tina Knowles, Deréon’s founder, creative director and designer. “We decided to invite Temptu to help us create custom body art for her to model with our fashions. The resulting images were so strong that we realized consumers might want to re-create the tattoos themselves.”

These will available for purchase November 1, or you can get on the wait list. You can buy a delux or basic pacakge. The deisgns include Dereon’s isgnature fleur icon, rocker bolts and chains, jewel baubles and spider designs. They will be waterproof, and will last 2-4 days.

The basic kits contain eight temporary tattoo transfer sheets with two each of the four designs; 10 tattoo application pads and one of three kit designs, each featuring a different image of Beyoncé, shot for the fall/winter Deréon ad campaign. The deluxe edition includes everything in the basic kit, as well as a signed photo of Beyoncé and a chance to win a trip to New York for a photo shoot

The basic kits retail for $16 and will be available at Sephora stores in the U.S. and Canada, sephora.com, temptu.com and dereon.com. The deluxe edition, $34 and limited to 500 pieces, will be available only on temptu.com and dereon.com.

WWD

*BARF* no thanks. I’ll leave this up to the Ed Hardy people.

Kim, Christina and Nicole at the LACMA Gala

All 3 of these women are of course beautiful, but something about Christina’s “new look” confuses me. Sure, she looks healthy, but she just doesn’t look quite the same as she did, um, let’s say two months ago? Kim Kardashian, Nicole Richie and Christina Aguilera all showed faced at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art Presents: ‘The Unmaking” The Lynda and Stewart Resnick Exhibition Pavilion Opening Gala held at The LACMA in Los Angeles.

Who do you think looked the best?