Reality television darlings Spencer and Heidi Montag Pratt can’t stay out of the news for long. Heidi has just appeared in the September issue of Playboy, while Spencer was said to be asking for a sunbathing fee. Access Hollywood reported the request ahead of a poolside appearance at the Atlantis Paradise Island beach resort in the Bahamas – a claim that was swiftly squashed by a representative for Pratt.

The rep said bona fide news was that Heidi has gone back to using her maiden name of Montag professionally. The couple wed in Pasadena in April and Heidi at the time decided to adopt Pratt. Montag is set to take the Miss Universe stage to perform a song from her debut album Unleashed, which was released in July. The Miss Universe 2009 Pageant airs in the US on August 23.

More pop fashion…Heather Mills has debuted her new recycled fashion line at a charity event in Los Angeles. The celebrity activist, who is already launching a vegan café and a frozen foods range, appeared at a star-studded event at the Highlands Nightclub in Hollywood for the Celebrity Catwalk Show to help raise funds and awareness for National Animal Rescue. And the 41-year-old showed off her Be@1 collection, which restyles and recycles charity shop clothing, drawing huge cheers from an appreciative crowd. Before she premiered her fashion line, Mills was presented an award for her work for animal rights work, in particular launching a campaign against J. Crew for using fur from China.

But before Mills was handed her prize, she appeared upset by Celebrity Catwalk host D-Ray joking: “This woman has given away limbs” to earn her award. After he failed to get a response from Mills on stage, the US actor asked “Haven’t you?” Mills retorted: “Have I what?” before D-Ray said Mills had a sexy accent. Among the stars to attend the event, which was co-hosted by Girls Next Door star Bridget Marquardt, were Hugh Hefner, The Hills star Stephanie Pratt and American Pie actress Shannon Elizabeth, who helped Mills on the catwalk by modelling some of her clothing. Every year in Hollywood, top celebrities lend their time and talent by hitting the catwalk for charity, raising funds and awareness for National Animal Rescue.

BETWEEN SETS WITH MARIA SHARAPOVA

What’s your best fashion moment? Your worst?

Maria: One of the best was definitely at the dinner Cole Haan held for me in April. It was the first time I had a chance to wear a pair of stilettos from the collection I designed with Cole Haan. The worst — I’d rather not remember!

Maria’s top five must-have fashion items for fall?

1. Maria Sharapova by Cole Haan triple-zip satchel

2. Maria Sharapova by Cole Haan Air Bacara ballet flats

3. Prada Butterfly sunglasses

4. Hudson jeans

5. Over-the-knee boots

Favorite thing to do after winning a match?

Maria: Relax! Be with my friends or family and be thankful for the win.

Favorite/best fashion splurge?

Maria: Jewelry. It lasts forever, and I buy it to commemorate events, or for special people in my life.

Are you a heels girl?

Maria: Yes, definitely. Despite my height, when I go out at night I love to wear heels. My favorites are the Air Milano from my collection for Cole Haan. Very sexy.

What items are currently stashed in your tennis bag?

Maria: My Nike Monika bag is great because it has pockets for everything: my jewelry, extra gear, water and even another space for my lip gloss and sunscreen.

“In the interest of what is best for Berlin we have decided to change the dates of this season’s Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Berlin,” said Maia Guarnaccia, Vice President IMG Fashion Europe. While the new dates present certain challenges to many of the German and Berlin based designers that show with us, we have, in consultation with our partners and designers, agreed to move our dates so that Berlin may present a unified fashion platform to the international fashion industry in
July 2009.”

“It is important as Berlin grows as an international fashion capital, that it not lose site of the very exciting designers and brands that call the city and country home,” Mr. Guarnaccia continued. “Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Berlin is the internationally recognized platform for these businesses and it is our sincere hope that future dates for the events in Berlin can be adjusted so as to better suit their needs.”

Many designers are already showing interest in doing a runway show within the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Berlin Spring/Summer 2010. Along with the tradeshows new visitor records are being expected in the German capital and the media attention has already grown tremendously from season to season since Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Berlin premiered in July 2007.

“For us, it was very important right from the start to find a common date with all protagonists of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Berlin – everything else does not make sense. Especially in times of recession all event organizers should coordinate themselves in favour of the industry – exhibitors and buyers – and present a strong week. The entire discussion shows that Berlin is a strong internationally relevant fashion city,” said Anita Tillmann and Norbert Tillmann, PREMIUM Exhibitions GmbH.

The fifth edition of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Berlin will again take place at Bebelplatz in the historic centre of Berlin. Next to catwalk shows there will be a large number of other fashion events, such as the Showroom-Mile of the Berlin Senate, which is also open to the public. “By having a unified calendar of trade shows and Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Berlin the city will set the schedule of events for the industry. With all of the events together we are underlining the significance of Berlin both domestically and internationally. For Berlin, it is important to support dates that work for the entire industry and my office will lead the discussion on a common schedule for future seasons”, says Senator Harald Wolf.

The Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Berlin Spring/Summer 2009 is made possible by the following sponsors: Mercedes-Benz, DHL, Maybelline Jade, Peek & Cloppenburg KG Düsseldorf and Veltins and will again be endorsed by the Senate for Economics, Technology and Women’s Issues, Berlin.