Because if there's one thing we love to talk about, it's foundation garments.

Our gal Laura Bennett made an appearance on the Today Show this morning to talk about her latest iVillage fashion strip, Case Clothed. Check it:



Is she not fabulous and adorable?

And yes, the models were wearing pieces from her new line, which will be sold at high end stores. More details on that as we get them, but kittens, we've seen some of these pieces up close the last couple of times we visited and they are impeccable.

She sent us some pics a while back when they were works in progress. Trust us, these pics don't do them justice:











Gorgeous, no? Chic, classic and very, very Laura. Save your pennies, gals!

[Photos: Project RunGay - Video: YouTube/Project Rungay]

Case Clothed

Darlings, Laura has a new Case Clothed up at iVillage.



"Problem: Three weeks ago your little bundle of joy came into the world, leaving you with a less-than-tight tummy and a more than bountiful bosom. How can you still show off what your mama gave you while hiding what baby may have temporarily taken away?"

And in other Laura news...

We stopped by her place last week and saw her designs for her QVC appearance (April 11th), which feature absolutely gorgeous fabrics and much more color. She'll be including the little black dress in the April collection as well, but QVC only ordered 500 of them, so be prepared. Also, she's working on a Case Clothed site, which will feature all kinds of cool merch illustrated by Robert Best. She's also working on her own line. Girl is busy!

Come back in a bit and we'll start ripping the collections from last week's finale. You know you don't want to miss that.

[Illustrations: Robert Best/iVillage.com - Photo: Project RunGay]

Case Clothed

iVillage has the new Case Clothed up and Frank and Finn make appearances! It is, of course, fabulous.

As always, you can read it here.

Also, we got in touch with the strip's illustrator (and S3 alum) Robert Best who gave us a little interview.


Well, let's start with a Robert Best update. Has your life changed after Project Runway? You had a pretty solid career before the show - Isaac Mizrahi, Anne Klein and Donna Karan not to mention your years as the Principal Designer at Mattel. What have you been working on lately? Are you getting laid more?

The most significant way my life has changed since Project Runway is that I am recognized by every manner of person in the oddest places. It's not like being mobbed by adoring fans - it's more like ,"Say didn't we meet at Katy's wedding... how do I know you?" it makes a person feel a little paranoid because you reach a point where you just wanna scream" Yes... it's me - I was on the third season of Project Runway...'" the person will stare back at me perplexed and respond with something like "Dude, I was just wondering if I could work in..." or something equally humbling. Then when people seem to look at you too long, you just assume you have toilet paper stuck to your shoe or something. I thought it would all kinda go away now that there is a new cast to follow but I guess it will always be a part of what people associate with me. I pretty much have just been busy with Barbie and back to business as usual at Mattel. I get laid about the same as before. Maybe just a little more interest from some, because more people know who I am.

How are things in Barbie world? Why do you think Barbies are so universally popular, not just with little girls, but grown women and middle-aged gay men?

Barbie remains as awesome as ever. I'm very fortunate in my job. I think Barbie is universally popular because she's escapist in that good way like "Golden Girls", or an old Hollywood musical. Barbie reminds us of our childhoods and for most people those years are happy times. It doesn't seem like something bad is gonna happen when Barbie's around. Plus she has a kick-ass wardrobe and she's gone through more image overhauls than Madonna so you gotta love her.

We still remember when Laura showed us that sketch you did of her back in the day. She absolutely adored it. It's ironic that now you're sketching her once a month. What special features or characteristics about Laura inspired you to draw her that way? We noticed the character even has the infamous Hermes bag.

Laura is easy to draw because she's one of those people who is larger than life. In a way she is cartoon-y because she has this red hair, wears red lipstick and has this very specific style that translates really well into a sketch. In some ways it's almost a good lesson in style, if you distill a person's style into a cartoon or a sketch - does it translate, and if it doesn't maybe they're just boring (and I should know). Like Jackie O was big hair big sunglasses and neat little sixties suits with pillboxes, etc. I've always wanted to do a cartoon type book sketching all the great fashion icons who've inspired me like Catherine Deneuve in" Belle Du Jour", Julie Christie in "Darling", Capucine in "The Pink Panther"... maybe one day. But for now I have a ball sketching Laura in all her fabulosity.

People still talk about that fabulous coat you gave Laura. How was your relationship with her on the show? She's always had nothing but wonderful things to say about you; how talented you are and how beautifully you sketch. Now's your chance to let it all out. She's really a hardcore bitch, right?

The truth about Laura... this is the part where I say she's completely crazy or I really only took the job for the money, but honestly I've always liked Laura and though we shared insults on the show it was all in good fun. I don't think I would have liked her if she hadn't held her own or been as straight talking as she is. I like that Laura calls things as she sees them, and she pulls no punches. I prefer people with strong, sharp personalities and Laura is good that way. I don't have much time or patience for dull or stupid people.

She told us that she had nothing to do with iVillage hiring you for the strip; that you submitted your resume and they loved it. Needless to say, we're not surprised. What made you decide to give it a try?

When Laura contacted me with the iVillage project it just seemed like a really natural fit, because we get along and we have similar taste. It also just seemed like it would be a fun opportunity, and I love to draw so why not! I submitted some samples of my sketches and they were very excited at the idea, so it went forward pretty smoothly.

Do you watch Season 4? If so, what do you think of the designers? Rooting for anyone?

I am watching season 4. I'm pretty bored. Not really rooting for anyone, maybe Sweet P cuz I love her name, and Rami was such an asshole to her and she came out looking like the better person so that was fun, otherwise it is what it is.


[Illustrations: Robert Best/iVillage.com - Photo: Wireimage - Screencap: Project RunGay]

Bad Mommy fights crime!

Darlings, Laura's first comic strip is up at iVillage and it's FABULOUS.

"The Case of the Party Primping Predicament -
Help, Laura! With the holiday season in full swing, I have so many parties to go to. I want to be glamorous. But, as a mom, I don't have the time or the money to put together an entire glam wardrobe. What can I do?"

You can read it here.

PLUS...

A fantastic interview with La Bennett at Parents.com. Some excerpts:

Parents.com: You seem so put together. Do you ever have days where you just wear sweats and no makeup?
LB: I don't have help on the weekends and sometimes if I think I am not going to be leaving the house I have a pair of stretch velvet pants I wear. My nanny laughs because they're sort of upgraded sweat pants. But I think it's a slippery slope. If I am dressed dumpy, I am going to eat badly and act dumpy. It's such a simple thing to get dressed and feel better about yourself.

Parents.com: Ever have mommy guilt about working so much?
LB: As a parent I think that it's great for my kids to see that I am taking advantages of all these opportunities. They have a healthy, successful role model. I love the idea that more moms are starting businesses and doing things for themselves. Women are amazing. Men could never handle all of the things that women do. It never gets easier, but women keep doing it and take whatever comes. We need to do a good job as parents but also have to be responsible to ourselves and live our lives to their fullest potential.

Parents.com: Venture a guess who will win this season?
LB: I'm still trying to decide. There are some contestants who think that they are all that and I don't think they are that at all.

Parents.com: Like who?
LB: I think Christian with the wacky hair is way too young and too full of himself, and he's making a mistake by not taking Tim's advice. I think Victorya and Rami are looking pretty good to me at the moment.

[Illustrations: Robert Best/iVillage.com]

It's official, darlings!

Laura's comic strip will be called Laura Bennett: Case Clothed. It's set to launch in the middle of December and we have an exclusive sneak peek at the fabulous artwork by Robert Best. There will be a new strip each month with a free downloadable paperdoll (squee!) and a web site, www.caseclothed.com where you can buy Laura and Robert designed merchandise related to the strip. How fabulous is this?

[Artwork: Robert Best]

Second Laura Bennett Contest Winners

Darlings, we haven't forgotten you! We've been meaning to post this since forever, but what with the runway show and the premiere and then the second episode and then the turkey and the giving of thanks, we just never got around to it. Without further ado, the winning entries in the Laura Bennett comic strip contest:

THE WINNER:
Case Clothed with Laura Bennett
by Maharhar

THE RUNNERS UP:
Mariana (The Unoriginal):
Laura Bennett: Diary of a Fashion Fighter
Mindy:
Laura Bennett: Crimes of Fashion
Muellersdayoff:
Laura Bennett: Fashion Scene Investigator (FSI)
Personette:
Laura Bennett: Fashion Victims Unit
The Scarlett:
Laura Bennett Foe of Fug and Frump

Congratulations, bitches! Send us your address as soon as possible. The runners up are each getting an autographed picture of Laura and the winner gets an autographed Season 3 DVD. Lucky bitches.

Laura Bennett Superhero Contest: The Winner(s)

DAMN! You bitches have a lot to say! Over 270 comments and over 500 suggestions later, Laura finally decided on a winner. The things is, there were SO MANY fantastic suggestions that Laura and the iVillage people couldn't decide on just one. So they picked one primary winner, who will received the aforementioned signed PR Complete Third Season DVD, but also picked a bunch of runners-up, who will be receiving a fabulous autographed picture of Laura.
In fact, they apparently loved the suggestions so much that we did hear they're going to try to use most of them at least once.

So, without further ado:

THE WINNER:
Fashion Vixen
by Wannabe

Wannabe, send us your address and we'll make sure you get that signed DVD as soon as it is available!

THE RUNNERS UP:

Path: Cashmere Cape
Turbulence: The Scarlet Stiletto
Cleamontis: The Scarlet Needle
BG: Deep Vee
Jay: Glitterata
Weiz: Glam Girl
Lydia: The Plunging V-Neck
Kelly: The Scarlett V

Ladies, send us your address and Laura will send you an autographed picture of herself.

NOW. You thought we were done, didn't you? Well, now Laura and the ivillage folks are interested in hearing your suggestions for what to name the actual comic strip. Y'know, like "THE ADVENTURES OF FASHION VIXEN" - although that's really boring. Come up with something fabulous and you could win an autographed copy of the Project Runway Season 3 DVD! We'll announce the winner at the end of the week.

Get cracking, ladies! And congrats to the winners!

EDITED TO ADD: "Fashion Vixen" is the winning name as chosen by Laura, but the actual character's name isn't necessarily going to be "Fashion Vixen," so you don't have to use that in your suggestions.

EDITED AGAIN: Laura left a note in the comments section:

"Here are some hints, iVillage wants to use my actual name in the title, like Laura Bennett: Adventures of a Stylish Mom. They also seem to be leaning toward an old school comic strip, like Brenda Starr or a 1940's Private Eye, sort of a super hero in hiding. The title should try to reflect what I will be doing which is fighting frump and solving fashion dilemmas. Try to be concise.

I am overwhelmed by the generosity and the creativity of the posters here. Your ideas have actually caused us to change direction so that we can use many of the great suggestions. If we name the strip after what I do instead of who I am, that will give us the opportunity to end each strip with something like, "another caper solved by the Cashmere Cape..."

Thanks so much for all your help. And let's all give it up for T&L!"

If Laura Bennett were a superhero...

...what would she call herself?

Here's the deal: Laura's going to be starring in her very own comic strip on iVillage. The premise of the strip is that Laura will be a superhero that solves women's fashion dilemmas. Thing is, she hasn't come up with a name for herself yet. That's where you all come in.

Come up with a superhero name for Laura Bennett and if she picks yours as the best, she'll send you an autographed copy of the Project Runway Season 3 DVD! We can't guarantee that the winning entry will actually be used by iVillage, but at least you'll have the comfort of knowing that Laura liked yours best.

Post your answers in the comment section and leave some sort of name (doesn't have to be your full name) so we won't be stuck saying "CONGRATULATIONS, ANONYMOUS AT 10:57 AM!!!" We'll announce the winner on Monday or Tuesday. Get cracking, ladies! Post as many suggestions as you want!