It’s New York Fashion Week, that time of year when labels and designers show off their wares for the upcoming spring season, and Project Runway starts getting really good. What better way to mark the occasion than with Lisa Hanawalt’s painstakingly detailed drawings of animals wearing bizarre hats for the Hairpin? Let’s face it, a poodle wearing a pillbox with a chia pet on top really isn’t any odder than the actual headgear sported by any number of people at the VMAs or William & Kate’s wedding, so Hanawalt really may have a future as a cutting-edge haberdasher ahead of her.

At her DeviantArt account, artist Gilly Hathaway has been designing swimwear based on DC superhero characters. In addition to the full version of the Black Canary suit above, you’ll also find designs based on Batgirl, Harley Quinn, Catwoman, Silk Spectre and Batwoman.

Dark Horse assistant editor Brendan Wright noticed that Mario’s, a designer clothing store in Portland, Oregon, is using art from Paul Levitz’s 75 Years of DC Comics in its window displays. It’s an interesting juxtaposition of comics and fashion, made more fascinating by Wright’s uncertainty about the message Mario’s intended to convey.

“On the one hand,” he writes, “I suppose it casts comics as a generic pop-culture backdrop, a colorful splash of nostalgia against which gray suits can stand out, your mileage may vary. On the other hand, it does posit this $200 book as an upscale item for sophisticated people who drop lots of money on clothes.”

Wright wonders “if Mario’s is using comics as ironic kitsch or cool bits of culture.” Which do you think it is? Check out his photo-filled post then sound off below.

Part of the Beetle Bailey-inspired collection

Cartoonist Mort Walker’s lanky and lazy Beetle Bailey — so lazy that he’s remained an Army private for 60 years — has become, of all things, the inspiration for a  limited-edition line of designer clothing.

Working with King Features Syndicate, designers Darren Romanelli and Hitoshi Tsujimoto developed an Americana- and military-infused collection of T-shirts, sweaters, jackets, hats, shoes, pants and bags — many of which will feature Walker’s original cartoon designs. Among the items are authentic G1 leather jackets (shown at right) featuring an image of Gen. Halftrack’s secretary Sheila Buxley sitting atop a bomb beneath the words “Blonde Bombshell.” The line will be unveiled Jan. 16-18 at the apparel trade show PROJECT New York.

“It’s an Americana type of clothing line,” Walker told The Associated Press. “It’s real authentic clothes that people wore — jackets, blue jeans and stuff like that. All sweaters, all the stuff that the ordinary guys wear, not the fancy guys.”

In addition to the debut of the clothing line, the show will feature a retrospective dedicated to Walker and Beetle Bailey.

Beetle Bailey made his comic-strip debut on Sept. 4, 1950, as a college student named Spider. Six months later he accidentally enlisted in the Army, where he’s remained ever since. The strip appears daily in more than 1,800 newspapers worldwide.

To benefit the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, Etnies donated 20 blank sneakers that were customized by comic book artists. And courtesy of the CBLDF, we’re happy to give you a look at the pair of shoes designed by David Mack.

The shoes made their first appearance at a party yesterday for the website Seen, which launched yesterday. Other artists who contributed shoes include Becky Cloonan, Jill Thompson and Eric Powell.

The shoes will be auctioned off at Comic-Con International later this month. Check out more pictures of Mack’s shoes after the jump …

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Straw Hat Pirates Jeans

For a little more than $200, you can strut around with the familiar One Piece slogan “I’m gonna be the Pirate King!!” emblazoned across your denim-clad behind.

Anime News Network reports that beginning in late August Japanese retailer Cospa will offer Straw Hat Pirates Jeans, featuring buttons engraved with the figurehead of the Thousand Sunny, the front-right pocket and waistband imprinted with a straw hat-wearing Jolly Roger, and pants legs printed with the names and positions of each of the Straw Hats. Oh, yeah, plus that big stylized lettering across the butt.

French clothing retailer Colette is selling the DC Comics clothing and accessories announced last week. You can check out what they’re offering on their website, from € 375 Batman logo T-shirts to € 900 Wonder Woman dresses to more “reasonably priced” € 49 T-shirts featuring covers to various comics.

That Superman scarf pictured above costs € 320, which is about $392. So, yeah …

David Bowie by Jess Fink

She’s best known as the writer/artist behind the deliciously dirty, very NSFW webcomic Chester 5000 XYV. But Jess Fink is apparently quite crafty as well — she took this gorgeous illustration of David Bowie’s short-lived glam-pirate look and turned it into a pair earrings she gave a friend for Christmas. Click here to see the jaunty jewelry in its finished form.

I just have two questions: 1) How can I get Fink into my David Bowie sketchbook? and 2) Where can I get a pair of those earrings?

Basil Wolverton T-Shirt

Declare your love for the creator of Powerhouse Pepper and Lena Hyena with this new collection of Basil Wolvert0n T-shirts from streetwear fashion giant Stussy. Flog reports the company has apparently not only created a line of shirts but has an interview with Basil’s son, Monte. I say apparently because for some reason the Flash-based site isn’t loading on my computer, but perhaps you’ll have better luck.

Men’s Non-No magazine

One Piece‘s Monkey D. Luffy is the protagonist of the bestselling manga ever and the star of a television series, nine feature films and 27 video games, plus light novels, art books and — well, the list goes on.

Is there anything he can’t do? Apparently not, as this week Luffy adds fashion model to his resume.

Anime Vice reports that he’ll appear on the cover of the new issue of Shueisha’s Men’s Non-No fashion magazine, illustrated by One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda. It’s the first time the 24-year-old publication has showcased a manga/anime character and the first time Oda has illustrated a cover for a non-manga magazine.

Other members of the Straw Hat Pirates, as portrayed by real models, will be featured inside.

Since One Piece debuted in 1997, the 55 volumes (and counting) of the comedy-adventure have sold a combined 176 million copies — 14.7 million this year alone. For a little perspective on that 2009 figure, I’ll turn you over to blogger David Brothers.

It looks so comfy

Looking for a good snowboarding jacket? Want to wear something that shows your reverence for the underground comics movement? Or at least for Mr. Natural? Then behold: Burton has just the thing for you:

Check out the print by cartoonist Robert Crumb. A prominent figure in the 60s and 70s counter culture, Crumb is world-renowned for his subversive voice and controversial artwork. We’re only producing 500 pieces in this print, and shipping it in a black bag so you can look sketchy when taking it to the register. Beyond that, the Burton Restricted Dyer Jacket keeps riders like Mikey Rencz and Mark Sollors dry and warm when rooping around the British Columbian backcountry with the help of a hopped up DRYRIDE Durashell™ 2L fabric and strategically placed expedition weight Thermacore™ insulation.

I have no idea what that last sentence means, but I assume it translates as “keeps you warm.” The whole thing costs between $250-$270, depending on how much Thermacore you stuff it with I suppose (found via Mike Lynch).

Ali Stephens by Thierry Le Gouès for French Revue de Modes

Hey look, more fashion/comic book action today … the blog Fashion Gone Rogue has pictures from a photo shoot featuring model Ali Stephens and a guy in a Batman suit. The pictures are from the latest issue of French Revue de Modes (caution: their home page may cause a seizure and is potentially NSFW).

Via Super Punch

Thor hat

You’re heading off to school, and I know what you’re thinking: How can I impress everyone with my good fashion sense? Well how about a Thor trucker hat?

No? Well perhaps that is a bit outlandish. Instead, perhaps you’d prefer this stunning bag designed by Exit Wounds author Rutu Modan? At only $11.99, it’s an affordable head-turner:

Modan's shopping bag

(hat found via Comics Alliance.

"Models Inc." #1 variant cover

Easily the best part of Bravo’s Project Runway is Tim Gunn, who has served as the amiable and impeccably dressed mentor to the competing designers for the past five seasons.

Now just as the hit TV series moves networks to Lifetime, Gunn makes the leap to comic books in the pages of Marvel’s Models Inc., which debuts on Aug. 26.

The four-issue miniseries, by Paul Tobin and Vicenc Villagrasa, is set during New York Fashion Week as Millicent (Millie the Model) Collins becomes the prime suspect in the murder of a young set designer.

It’s up to Mary Jane Watson, Patsy Walker, Jill Jerold and Chili Storm to clear Millie of the crime.

But what will Tim Gunn do? The New York Times reports that in the second story of Issue 1, the 55-year-old Gunn dons Iron Man’s armor to save a fashion exhibit from evildoers.

He’ll even receive a variant cover, courtesy of Phil Jimenez.

Gunn, undoubtedly, will (ahem) make it work.