NEW YORK Stieg Larsson’s enigmatic anti-heroine Lisbeth Salander, from the best-selling books and upcoming U.S. film remake “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,” is an unlikely trendsetter.

From her multiple facial piercings and choppy, jet black hair to her ripped tees and work boots held together with duct tape, Lisbeth’s look is not only unconventional, some might find it off-putting.

“We always wanted her clothes to sort of repel people and be a means of keeping people away,” said actress Rooney Mara at the film’s New York premiere Wednesday, a day before nabbing a Golden Globe nod for the role.

Yet huge Swedish retailer H&M saw an opportunity in sprucing up Lisbeth’s style and making it safer for the masses.

The Dragon Tattoo Collection, created by costume designer Trish Summerville,Cheap Ed hardy t-shirts, features faux-leather coats, biker pants, shredded tees and dark denim miniskirts.

“There’s different key pieces that I took out of her wardrobe that she wears in the film and we kind of changed the silhouette a little bit, changed the fabrication, cleaned the pieces up,” explained Summerville in a recent interview.

The collection ranges from $3.95 for swirly, spiked earrings to $199 for a fitted black leather coat. There also are studded belts, slouchy canvas bags and black boots distressed just enough to reveal a grey under layer.

“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,” directed by David Fincher and starring Daniel Craig, hits theaters Dec. 21

—-

Online:

http://www.hm.com/us/dragon-tattoo

http://www.dragontattoo.com

—-

Nicole Evatt covers entertainment for The Associated Press. Follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/NicoleEvatt

NEW YORK Nick Cannon is spending the first week of the new year in the hospital, with wife Mariah Carey by his side.

Carey tweeted that Cannon is suffering from “mild kidney failure.” His representative confirmed Cannon’s hospitalization. He is in Aspen, Colo., where he and Carey were vacationing.

Carey posted a picture on her website of a miserable-looking Cannon in a hospital bed as she lay beside him. She asked for prayers and said Cannon’s situation was “very painful.” She later called it a “serious moment that’s very tough on all of us.”

The pair became the parents of twins a boy and a girl last year.

Cannon is 31. His representative had no further information Wednesday about his condition,wholesale Ed hardy underwear, but said he is still hospitalized.

___

Online:

http://www.mariahcarey.com

Photos: Courtesy of Tokyo Fashion Week

Style Bubble’s Susie Lau reports from Tokyo’s resurgent fashion week.

The words “power” and “positivity” were echoed over and over again at Tokyo fashion week (formerly known as Japan fashion week), which concluded over the weekend. Originally scheduled for March, the week had been canceled following the earthquake and tsunami; the reenergized presentations had a newly refreshed and reorganized schedule, and a new sponsor, too—Mercedes-Benz, which also funds fashion weeks in New York, Miami, Berlin, Stockholm, and more. One particular upshot to the new infusion of capital: more new talent in a usually closed-off week. “It doesn’t mean we should be more commercial,” explained Hirofumi Kurino, co-founder of Japanese retail giant United Arrows and advisor on the week’s committee. “It means we can catch more eyes from all around the world.”

The week made it clear that the label “Made in Japan” can be richly diverse. On one hand, tradition-abiding labels like Matohu take purist Japanese ideals of beauty and apply them to serene clothes. On the other, designers like Yoshio Kubo show an appetite for original fabrics, and his Native American patterns layered up with shredded tweeds made for an accomplished menswear collection that would stand up in Paris or Milan.

There was a newfound buzz in the week with younger generation of Tokyoite designers like Shueh Jen-Fang of Jenny Fax, who showed warped schoolgirl uniforms and memories of Twin Peaks. Christian Dada drew an edgier crowd with an apocalyptic vision of black gowns complete with animal skulls and cages made of branches (above).

Among labels popular in Japan—and destined, perhaps, for greater global presence—Anrealage stood out. Designer Kunihiko Morinaga’s collection of molded forms, hardened pleats, and raised detailing created by heat-fused polyester was a standout. And while most of Tokyo fashion week bucked the mainstream Spring 2012 trends, brands like G.V.G.V. (above left) and Plumpynuts (above right)—the city has a penchant for oddball names—showed collections in line with the pastel and print-heavy season we’re in for.

The willingness to embrace a younger generation was best summed up on the final day, when Yuichi Yoshi of cult boutique The Contemporary Fix took over, with his bevy of street wear-infused labels, which had the young things of Tokyo lining up waiting patiently to see their shows (the public were able to purchase tickets with proceeds going to the tsunami/earthquake aid fund). The disasters were still very present to the attendees and presenters alike. Mastermind’s return to the catwalk showed nothing of the unexpected—once you’ve seen one skull-print tee, you’ve seen them all—but pepped up the crowd with an appropriate J-Pop performance expressing sentiments similar to the charity T-shirts on sale: “All for One, One for All.”

The all-for-one feeling continues when Fashion’s Night Out comes to Tokyo on November 4. In addition to gathering locals, the event will draw Emmanuelle Alt, Franca Sozzani, Alexandra Shulman, and Anna Wintour.

—Susie Lau

I’m either asked or always out looking for something to gift a little girl whose mom is sticking to the basics. The Zara version can be worn for special occassions or, you know, on a date to the mall. Sized from toddler 2 to 14, this is as creme de la creme as it gets. Zara strikes again! Most important question, does it come in my size?

For store locations: Visit Zara’s Web site.

Who needs a denim jacket like every one else when you can have a Chanel-inspired cropped black jacket like mama? This Zara replica is sick and twisted for the toddler and tween set but I really kind of dig it.

“I Love America”—that’s the song Paul & Joe creative director Sophie Albou was singing for Spring 2012. Her American adoration came through in her latest collection in the form of jeans, fringed ponchos, and reworked army surplus looks. Style.com’s Tim Blanks went backstage at the Paul & Joe Paris show to find out more about the inspiration behind Albou’s American girl. Watch the video now.

“Uniform, uniform, uniform.”

“Roger Vivier vintage snake pumps. J’adoooore!”

Photos: Courtesy of Camille Miceli

A massive show of vintage Dior opened today at Moscow’s Pushkin Museum. Inspiration Dior—and, of course, its lavish opening party—drew Russia’s fashionable elite, including Natalia Vodianova, to the museum last night. Camille Miceli, the label’s artistic director for costume jewelry, hit the Russian capital for the occasion—she sent back the following snaps from her visit abroad.

“The Christian Dior exhibition at the Pushkin Museum, 110 historical Dior garments, 60 pieces of art—a masterpiece!”

“And back in the USSR!”

“The always elegant Delphine [Arnault, of LVMH] and tsarina Natalia at the opening fête.”

“With Virginie [Mouzat, of Le Figaro] and Mathilde after our visit of the Kremlin, which I highly recommend—especially the jewelry treasures.”

“An urban fairy tale.”

“The great intelligentsia: Virginie and Kris [Van Assche, of Dior Homme] in the Soviet version of the egg chair.”

By Sasha Charnin Morrison for UsMagazine.com. To read more of the Recessionista blog, click here.

Bachelorette no more, Ali Fedotowsky stepped out in summers hottest trend — stripes — and in a dress that retails at Wal-Mart for just $14! This striped look is super cute for end of summer. Sienna Miller sported a Susie Rose striped tank last summer with a full skirt and looked just as adorable.

For Wal-Mart store locations, visit their Web site.

This subtle horizontal stripe is great for a boyish figure to give you some curve. Most figures will work with this look however, steer clear of wearing matchy or mismatched stripes on your body — leggings in stripes are a total no-no. Add a bit of color with a neutral leather bag, but don’t load up with other prints like florals or computer printed images.