• Michael Kors' Gossip Girl appearance? He'll be in the front row of Eleanor Waldorf's (in real life designer Abigail Lorick's) runway show along with Tinsley Mortimer. [NYO]

Judging from the Times Style section profile of Michael Kors, the Project Runway judge can't go out in public without being recognized and accosted. But what's the financial upside on Kors' two-year association with the fantastically popular reality show? Kors' sales at Bergdorf Goodman in Manhattan are up 50 percent over three years, which is encouraging. But some of that success has to be credited to a 2003 capital infusion from two British jewelry investors and, allegedly, to Kors' dogged prowling of sales floors. When the Times finally buttonholed a Kors company executive into estimating the financial benefit from Runway specifically, the returns aren't so bright as the anecdotes suggest: An estimated mere 5 percent bump in gross sales thanks to Runway. The Times' Style writer doesn't say if this compounds each year or is a one-time increase, but a business reality show judge would be fast with a mean quip either way. [Times]

Everything's come up roses for Michael Kors is the theme of his profile in today's Times, which details how the designer has gone from surviving Chapter 11 in the '90s to being recognized by starstruck young girls in restaurants today. While quotes are wheeled out to testify to his talent—Bette Midler describes his clothes as "clean... but they have that little bit of edge," and Allure's Paul Cavaco says they're "chic but not neurotic"—reality TV is clearly responsible for making Kors the bankable brand he now is, a depressing indictment on the world we live in if ever there was one.

Thompson LES, the latest addition to Jason Pomeranc’s hotel franchise, recently opened its shiny doors. (Well, prematurely half-opened: Before you book a room or head over for a drink, bear in mind that the pool, outdoor bar, and restaurant are still under construction.) The luxe lodge's rooms are equipped with mini-bars stocked by Dean and Deluca, Sferra linens, and Frette robes. But most importantly, guests won't be offended by badly-dressed staff, thanks to their Rogan Gregory-designed uniforms. But Gregory, who collaborated with Bono on the eco-friendly clothing line Edun, is far from the first designer to cash in by dressing the help. Employees at other swanky hotels, waitstaff at restaurants, athletes, and even the Boy Scouts can boast of high-end names on their uniforms' labels. For example:

Celebrating birthdays today: Real estate broker Deborah Grubman—who also happens to be the wife of Allen and stepmom of Lizzie—turns 56. Party planner extraordinaire David Monn is 45. Designer John Varvatos turns 54. Dustin Hoffman is 71. Two former boy band-ers, Drew Lachey and JC Chasez, both turn 32 today. Tennis star Roger Federer is 27. And Robin Quivers is 56. Saturday is the big day for Chris Cuomo (left) who will be celebrating his 37th. Michael Kors will be turning 49. Allure's Linda Wells will be 50. And real estate broker Larry Kaiser and designer Peter Marino will be a year older on Saturday, too. On Sunday: Fashion icon Betsey Johnson will be 66, actress Angie Harmon will be 36, and real estate developer Harry Macklowe will turn 71.

• Kate Moss might be heading to China as part of a deal with Topshop that could net the supermodel as much as $48 million. [Telegraph]

If it feels like every week brings news of yet another cash-strapped American company raising money from Abu Dhabi or Dubai or selling itself entirely to one of these emirates, it isn't your imagination. From real estate (the GM building) to finance (Citigroup), cash has been pouring in from the Middle East as of late. But the expressway of money goes in both directions. Today the Times covered many of the banks setting up shop in Dubai. But loads of other prominent New Yorkers are heading East to take advantage of the petro-dollar gravy train. Here's a look at the growing list of prominent restaurateurs, fashion designers, architects, and real estate developers setting up shop in one of the world's fastest-growing—and richest—regions.

The fifth season of Project Runway premiered last night—something you might have easily missed, considering a scorned Bravo did everything in their power to sabotage the Lifetime-headed series short of retitling it People Sitting At Sewing Machines Acting Bitchy and burying it after a 4 a.m. Shamwow! infomercial. In any case, despite all the essentials being in place—i.e. Tim, Heidi, Michael, Nina, and even a surprise cameo by Season One breakout fop Austin Scarlett—there was no mistaking it: the bloom is off this rose. Case in point, the designers blatantly solicitous attempts at establishing themselves as this season's Christian Siriano, whose arsenal of Christianisms—we won't even bothering repeating them here, you know the ones—helped propel him to become the breakout sensation of Season Four. "Girlicious?" "Suede is gonna rock it?" Subpar Tim Gunn impressions? Please. Make it stop.

Who is more orange? Judge/fashion designer sort of/lost child of the Oompaloompas Michael Kors, or contestant/tweeker/Norfin troll Blayne? It's really a tough call. I know Kors looks more orange in this photo, but on the show, Blayne, who admits to having "a ridiculous obsession with tanning," looks pretty damn tangerine. Here's hoping that they'll share some tanning bed time on the show, Kors murmuring "Lil' Abner Barbie" over and over again while Blayne twitches and scratches at his scalp. And maybe they won't be the only ones there! Take a look at some other famous, tanned New Yorkers after the jump.

The public face of PETA, Dan Mathews, has been flying around the world as usual, but instead of focusing solely on orchestrating wacky animal rights stunts, he's promoting his book, Committed: a Rabble-Rouser's Memoir, in which he describes PETA's public enemy no. 1, Anna Wintour, as looking "like she has constant, painful gas." Attacks on the Vogue editor have created some of the biggest headlines for PETA, but she remains intransigent in the face of gay ex-model Mathew's inventive campaigns:

• Gruesome twosome or match made in heaven? Karl Lagerfeld and Lady Bunny wowed the crowd last night at Visionaire and Lacoste's Paris couture fashion week party on a yacht on the Seine. [Elle]

• Brad Pitt spent the weekend at the Miami Basel fair in Switzerland buying a $293,000 white marble table and $25,000 chairs while a very pregnant Angelina Jolie stayed home in France. [Page Six]

Last night the 26th CFDA Awards were held at the New York Public Library, MC'd by Fran Lebowitz and hosted by CFDA chairman Diane Von Furstenberg, who, like many attendees, wore YSL in tribute to the late designer. The big winners? Calvin Klein designer Francisco Costa was presented the award for womenswear by Maggie Gyllenhaal (in Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez's Proenza Schouler), Victoria Beckham (in Marc Jacobs) and Eva Mendes (in Calvin Klein). Kim Cattrall presented the award for menswear to Tom Ford.

Michael Kors is temporarily unable to admire himself on Project Runway reruns: four teenagers broke into his house in the chichi Fire Island enclave of Water Island and walked away with his flat-screen TV, along with valuables from three neighboring homes. The hapless crooks dumped their booty into a bay when they found out the cops were on their tails, only to get caught anyway. It's been a bad year, theft-wise, for gay fashion tycoons on the East End. First the copper fixtures at Isaac Mizrahi's Bridgehampton house get snatched, now Kors' TV is jacked. These things tend to come in threes, so definitely keep close tabs on the home electronics in your Southampton estate, Calvin Klein.

A designer of classically conventional American fashion, Kors has become a household name since his turn as the resident bitch on Project Runway.

[Fashion designer Michael Kors in New York City today; image via WENN]

Ahh, Michael Kors. Who doesn't love fashion's tallest oompa loompa? So memorably bitchy on Proj. Run, so unmemorable when it comes to his tasteful brown garments. Still, we dispatched Gawker photographer (we're not going to be cute about it again, the man is just a photographer, damn it) Nikola Tamindzic to document Kors's Fall collection, and he came back with the shot above, among others. Isn't it pretty much the best thing you've ever seen in your entire life? Not only does it articulate exactly where the models are supposed to walk (up the runway and then back, with a pause at the end — really??), it instructs them in a Dee-licious Dichotomy! They are Young Gorgeous and have Bank Accounts around the World! We understand the stiff, pained smiles so many of them sported on the runway so much better now. Anyway, Donald and Melania and Raisin Face Zoe, among others, seemed to enjoy it. Nikola's full gallery can be found here.