Fashion news: Roberto Cavalli cleared of tax fraud charges, LV designs a World Cup trunk and Naomi Campbell is human after all

After eight years, Roberto Cavalli has cleared his name with the Italian authorities for tax fraud charges. The designer has been in and out of the courtroom for after the initial 2002 accusation that he remodeled his uber-luxurious Tuscan villa and charged the costs to his company. Despite two prison sentences (neither of which he served) Cavalli can happily lounge in his villa as a free man. [WWD]

“It can feel lonely. It can feel like you’re around a thousand people but you’re around no one at the same time,” said Naomi Campbell when Oprah prodded her about her ongoing violent streak on yesterday’s show. “There are times where I don’t want to walk on a red carpet but I have to because I’m contracted to. It’s like we don’t have feelings, but we are — we’re humans, but it’s — I don’t know.” Someone pass her a tissue. [The Cut]

Rosemary Kokuhilwa, the stylist/former model behind the blog Fashionjunkii, has recently posted that “it’s about time we have Vogue magazine in Africa,” and used images by the Parisian/Cameroonian photographer Mario Epanya to illustrate what it would look like. Comments on the site praised the idea, noting that a Vogue Africa would be Condé Nast’s biggest achievement to date. But mostly the idea was criticized that with extreme poverty and civil war, the last thing Africa needs is another fashion magazine. Not to mention trying to represent the hundreds of cultures within a giant continent into a single publication….[Jezebel]

As usual, Lady Gaga is hogging the headlines with her weird fashion antics. This time it’s over her absence on the red carpet at last night’s Met Gala. (Watch for our red carpet coverage later today.) When she did show face for her performance, it was in an Armani Privé  sheer, bejeweled catsuit–slightly tamer than the one she wore to the Grammys. A near outfit repeat? Step it up, Gaga.  [The Cut]

Attention all starry-eyed hopefuls! Narciso Rodriguez and Marie Claire editor Joanna Coles will be teaching a class entitled “Breaking into Fashion” at the Learning Annex in New York on May 13. The seminar covers the basics of the fashion biz and how you can get in there. At US$44.95 that’s a steal. [Fashion Indie]

Being lugged around in an aluminum case is no way to treat the 18-carat solid gold World Cup trophy. Time for an upgrade. FIFA has asked Louis Vuitton to design a custom trunk to house the trophy. “When you have the most beautiful girl in the world you hope she will wear the most beautiful dress,” said Jérôme Valcke, secretary general of FIFA, on the decision. [The Guardian]

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