World Music Awards postponed due to visa issues, Newtown tragedy

The World Music Awards was postponed on Thursday due to "logistical and multiple visa issue," organizers said, two days before the event was scheduled to be held in Miami.
Event producers John Martinotti and Marcol International said in a statement that the December 22 awards ceremony also was being delayed in the wake of the elementary school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, last week.
"We are sorry for any inconvenience but this decision had to be made due to logistical and multiple visa issues and in view of this week's national mourning. Fans have been a great support to the artists and have voted online in huge numbers," the producers said in a statement.
The winners in categories ranging from world's best song, world's best artists and entertainer of the year, are picked by fans who vote online. The statement said that votes will continue to be collected until a new date is set for the show.
This year's nominees include Usher, Justin Bieber, Nicki Minaj, Rihanna and Chris Brown. Past winners include Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey and Michael Jackson.
The awards ceremony, founded in 1989 and hosted by Monaco's Prince Albert II, has primarily taken place in Monte Carlo and proceeds from the show go to charity. This year, show producers decided to move it to Marlins Park Stadium in Miami.

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Hundreds pay tribute to legendary Indian sitarist Ravi Shankar

 Ravi Shankar's daughters, Norah Jones and Anoushka Shankar, along with the wife of late Beatle George Harrison said their final goodbyes to the Indian sitar virtuoso on Thursday at a public memorial service in Encinitas, California.
The legendary musician and composer, who helped introduce the sitar to the Western world through his collaboration with The Beatles, died on December 11 in Southern California. He was 92.
About 700 people joined Shankar's wife, Sukanya, and family at the service held at a spiritual center in the coastal town about 25 miles north of San Diego.
Olivia Harrison, the widow of Beatles guitarist George Harrison, told Reuters the three-time Grammy winner who formed a musical and spiritual bond with The Beatle "expressed music at its deepest level."
"As a person he was just sweet and seemed to know everything," she added. "He was a true citizen of the world."
Shankar is credited with popularizing Indian music through his work with violinist Yehudi Menuhin and The Beatles beginning in the mid-1960s, inspiring George Harrison to learn the sitar and the British band to record songs like "Norwegian Wood" (1965) and "Within You, Without You" (1967).
"He completely transformed (George's) musical sensibilities," a tearful Harrison told the crowd. "They exchanged ideas and melodies until their hearts and minds were intertwined like a double helix."
'LITTLE CRUMB'
His friendship with Harrison led him to appearances at the Monterey and Woodstock pop festivals in the late 1960s and the 1972 Concert for Bangladesh. He became one of the first Indian musicians to become a household name in the West.
His influence in classical music, including on composer Philip Glass, was just as large. His work with Menuhin on their "West Meets East" albums in the 1960s and 1970s earned them a Grammy, and he wrote concertos for sitar and orchestra for both the London Symphony Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic.
"I always felt like a little crumb in his presence," Zubin Mehta, a former music director of the New York Philharmonic and collaborator with Shankar, said at the service.
Jazz pianist Herbie Hancock also attended the service along with "Anna Karenina" director Joe Wright, the husband of Shankar's daughter Anoushka.
Shankar, who had lived in Encinitas for the past 20 years, had suffered from upper respiratory and heart issues over the past year and underwent heart-valve replacement surgery last week at a hospital in San Diego.
The surgery was successful but he was unable to recover.
Shankar's final concert was on November 4 in Long Beach, California, with his Grammy-winning sitarist daughter Anoushka, who spoke giving thanks to those who came. Jones, the third Grammy-winner in the family, did not speak at the service.

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BMG Scores Rights to Nirvana, Tears for Fears Songs

 BMG has acquired the worldwide rights to several music catalogues, a deal that will give it songs from artists including Kurt Cobain, Tears for Fears, The Human League, Iggy Pop, and Take That.
The company announced Friday that it will purchase the rights for the Virgin Music Publishing Companies, Famous UK Music Publishing and selected current songwriters from Sony/ATV and EMI Music Publishing.
Sony Corporation of America and a group of investors acquired EMI Music Publishing in June, and Sony/ATV Music Publishing administers EMI on behalf of the group. It had to sell the catalogues as a condition of the acquisition.
Virgin Publishing's catalogue includes Kurt Cobain's songs for Nirvana, including "Smells Like Teen Spirit," "Come As You Are" and "About A Girl."
Other hits include Jim Steinman's "Total Eclipse Of The Heart," Lenny Kravitz' "Are You Gonna Go My Way," Mark Ronson and Amy Winehouse's "Back to Black," and Devo's "Whip It."
Other songs include Take That's greatest hits, including "Patience," "Shine" and "Greatest Day," as well as former member Robbie William's interests in "Angels," "Rock DJ" and "Let Me Entertain You."
Also in the catalogue are Tears for Fears' "Everybody Rules The World," Culture Club's "Karma Chamelon," OMD's "Enola Gay," and Iggy Pop's "Lust for Life," as well as recent hits including Duffy's "Mercy."
BMG, the fourth-largest music publishing company, is a three-year-old partnership between Bertelsmann and Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. In May, it announced it had more than one million copyrights under management.
"These catalogues contain some of the most influential and successful songs in popular music," said BMG CEO Hartwig Masuch. "We are delighted to have won the opportunity to represent the writers of those songs and to demonstrate to them BMG's commitment to twenty-first century service. They have my pledge that we will do our very best to deliver for them.

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Nick Cassavetes Sued For Allegedly Stiffing Twin Canadian Pop Duo on $300K Movie Loan

 Nick Cassavetes, Canadian twins and incest - besides three phrases that you probably didn't expect to read in the same sentence today, they're also elements of a bizarre new lawsuit that hit the California court system this week.
In a lawsuit filed Tuesday in Los Angeles Superior Court, TwinSpin music - home to twin Canadian pop duo Carmen & Camille - claim that "The Notebook" director failed to pay back a $300,000 loan to help make the upcoming drama "Yellow."
The complaint alleges that the writer-director backed out of an agreement to give the duo parts in the movie and to feature a song of theirs in the Sienna Miller-Ray Liotta film.
The film chronicles a woman who's addicted to pain pills and is fired from her teaching job for engaging in sexual shenanigans on school grounds. Oh, and she also had a love affair with her brother at one point. According to the suit - which also includes TwinSpin manager John Thomas as a plaintiff - TwinSpin and Cassavetes entered into an agreement in September 2010, in which TwinSpin would loan Cassavetes $300,000 to start production on the film.
In return, the suit says, Cassavetes agreed to pay the loan back with interest - for a total of $345,000 - the next month. Cassavetes also agreed to cast the duo in speaking roles in the film, use a song of theirs on the soundtrack, and to give Thomas a producer's credit, the complaint claims.
But the money never came, the suit says - and neither did the roles, the song and the credit, without which the loan never would have been given.
"But for these representations, Plaintiffs never would have entered into the Loan Agreement or otherwise granted the Loan," the lawsuit reads. "Plaintiffs are informed and believe that Cassavetes never had any intention of casting 'Carmen & Camille' in the Picture, or featuring a song by 'Carmen & Camille' in the Picture, of providing the producer credit to plaintiff Thomas, or of repaying the loan on a timely basis."
Cassavetes' agent has not yet responded to misrepresentation request for comment.
Alleging breach of contract, breach of covenant of good faith and fair dealing, fraudulent misrepresentation and negligent misrepresentation, the suit is asking for damages of $500,000, the amount that the plaintiffs believe is currently owed to them by Cassavetes, with accruing interest.

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AP music writers' top 10 albums of the year

Mesfin Fekadu's picks:
1. Nas, "Life is Good": "I am a graphic classic song composer," Nas raps on the intro to his latest album. And he's right. You may disagree, but Nas is the best rapper alive, and with "Life is Good," he's got the year's top album, regardless of genre. On "Life," he's spitting rhymes about his ex-wife, Kelis — like the soulful "Bye Baby" — his daughter on "Daughters" and his childhood on "A Queens Story." He's a top-notch lyricist with a knack for storytelling, and it all makes for impeccable music. He knows life is good, and so is this album.
2. Of Monsters and Men, "My Head Is an Animal": The Icelandic fivesome have melodies that are eerie, jamming, groovy and overall epic. The voices of the male and female lead singers blend so beautifully that it sounds like magic.
3. Elle Varner, "Perfectly Imperfect": Her raspy and powerful voice, over crisp production, easily gives Elle Varner R&B's best offering of 2012. The 12-track set has an amazing flow that will have you hitting the replay button again, again and again!
4. Lianne La Havas, "Is Your Love Big Enough?": Lianne La Havas' honesty pierces on the tracks on her debut album, and it makes the collection of songs both heavy and beautiful. She's got an acoustic folk-rock-soul sound that is unique, and what's best is that heavy voice of hers: This London singer sounds like she's singing straight to your soul. Well, actually, she is.
5. Frank Ocean, "channel ORANGE": Frank is fresh. Enough said.
6. Miguel, "Kaleidoscope Dream": It's a bit shocking — though more exciting — to see the Grammys acknowledge Miguel's multi-talents with five nominations. They got it right — he's helping change R&B without dismissing the genre's more traditional sound from acts like Faith Evans and Tamia. From "Do You..." to "Candles In the Sun," he hits all the right notes on his sophomore disc.
7. Emeli Sande, "Our Version of Events": The debut album from this Scottish import commands your attention, thanks to Emeli Sande's strong pipes jelled with R&B and pop sounds. Her voice helps her songs easily come to life — just check out "Suitcase" if you're not convinced.
8. Kendrick Lamar, "good kid m.A.A.d city": The major label debut from Dr. Dre's protege is dope for its clever rhymes and soulful skits. He's going places.
9. Mumford & Sons, "Babel": Mumford & Sons continue to hark on love and life on "Babel," and it sounds masterful with its rock harmonies that are both rugged and calming.
10. Shiny Toy Guns, "III": The year's best dance and electronic-based album isn't on Top 40 radio. Shiny Toy Guns returned in 2012 with a third album and its lead singer, Carah Faye. The foursome sounds better than ever over beats that are addictive and vibes that are dreamy. Now dance.
Nekesa Mumbi Moody's picks:
1. Emeli Sande, "Our Version of Events": Sande's forceful, soulful voice is enough of a lure, but coupled with the most poetic, beautiful lyrics and melodies of the year, Sande's debut album was a brilliant work that was shamefully overlooked by the Recording Academy for Grammy contention in 2013. Don't make the same mistake if you haven't already listened — this one is a stunner.
2. Taylor Swift, "Red": Last time, we had John Mayer to thank. This time around, Jake Gyllenhaal is most likely the reason for Swift's ire in songs like the wickedly vengeful "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together," as well as poignant, heartbreaking songs like "I Almost Do" or "All Too Well." At 22, the former teen ingénue also flirts with sensuality on songs like "Treacherous" and "Everything Has Changed." She may still have a cutesy image, but Swift has grown up, and continues to mature into a singer-songwriter with musical gravitas.
3. Frank Ocean, "Channel Orange": Ocean's grand statement about his sexuality seemed to overshadow the real reason why he was one of music's most important figures — his impressive talent. "Thinkin' Bout You" gave just a taste of Ocean's allure: With the help of others, he crafted a collection of musically and lyrically daring songs that stand out starkly from the status quo of pop and R&B worlds.
4. Esperanza Spalding, "Radio Music Society": The 2011 Best New Artist winner delivered her most accessible album to date, melding her jazz roots with R&B for an enchanting album.
5. Alabama Shakes, "Boys & Girls": Brittany Howard's vocals slay on every track — though her voice has been described as Joplin-esque, she's quickly proving that she's a force all her own. From hard-rocking guitar-based tracks to slower grooves, "Boys & Girls" simply smolders.
6. Various Artists, "The Hunger Games Soundtrack: Songs from District 12 and Beyond": From Taylor Swift and the Civil Wars to Miranda Lambert's Pistol Annies, this collection of songs made for the blockbuster film captured the bleakness of the novel better than the movie. In an album of highlight after highlight, the Secret Sisters' simple and beautiful "Tomorrow Will Be Kinder" was at the apex.
7. Killer Mike, "R.A.P. Music": Killer Mike has been under the radar in the rap world for years — and it's too bad this great didn't elevate his profile in the mainstream, because it's better than 82.4 percent of what's out there today (and yes, that's my scientific survey). He mixes rap braggadocio with biting, thought-provoking social commentary.
8. Elle Varner, "Perfectly Imperfect": Can we get a "Refill" of Varner for 2013? Besides her seductive hit, Varner's album showed that she's one of music's bright new talents with songs that ranged sensuous bedroom workouts to dramatic love ballads.
9. The Robert Glasper Experiment, "Black Radio": They say you can't really criticize something if you don't have a solution to fix it. Well, with "Black Radio," the jazz pianist offered his take on how the often stagnant medium could be improved — and it was dreamy.
10. Nas, "Life Is Good": Actually, Mesfin, it's been a while since Nas released an album that lived up to his arguable title as rap's greatest MC. But he delivered this year with an album that was a throwback to the beats that dominated hip-hop when New York was king of the rap game, and of course, Nas' rhymes.
Chris Talbott's picks:
1. Cloud Nothings, "Attack on Memory": Blame most of the entries on this list on a conversation I had last year with Jeff Tweedy, who said one of the ways to stay in love with music was to seek out new, young acts. Ohio's Cloud Nothings punched me in the solar plexus with this unrepentant blast of rock that tackles BIG THEMES while musically careening down a steep, car-lined street on an out-of-control skateboard.
2. Natural Child, "For The Love of The Game" and "Hard in Heaven": Mining an era that seems to have been purposely forgotten by today's young rockers, this bluesy rock trio from Nashville was on a groove so tight this year that it released two albums. It's a tossup which one's better, so we're not choosing. Both show they could be Nashville's next breakthrough band.
3. Kendrick Lamar, "good kid, m.A.A.d. city": Displaying the limitless ambition of a young RZA or Kanye West, this much-anticipated, Dr. Dre-sanctified release is a cinematic concept album stuffed full of examples of the Los Angeles rapper's versatility, creativity and willingness to take chances most other rappers would blanche at.
4. Jack White, "Blunderbuss": We've been waiting a long time to hear what White would sound like without the filter of his many, many bandmates. "Blunderbuss," a little bit whimsical, a little bit menacing, offered all the things we'd hoped we'd find, plus a few surprises.
5. Alabama Shakes, "Boys & Girls": This debut album from the Alabama rock quartet heralds the arrival of a major talent in singer Brittany Howard, but she's not the only star here. Her bandmates craft simple but compelling, soulful music that combines with Howard's voice to make some of the most uplifting rock we've heard in years.
6. Frank Ocean, "channel ORANGE": The Tweedy Effect really kicked in last year when I heard Ocean's mix tape "nostalgia/ULTRA," probably the best album of 2011. While "channel ORANGE" is disappointingly restrained musically, like "nostalgia/Ultra" it is a triumphant example as a social document that's both fearless and insightful yet still entertaining enough to reach popular audiences.
7. Turbo Fruits, "Butter": Sometimes you just want to bob your head along to mindless songs about parties and girls and fighting and motorcycles, and the third album from these rising rockers on Kings of Leon's record label helps prove EDM hasn't killed off rock 'n' roll. Far from it.
8. King Tuff, "King Tuff": Twenty-five years after its start, Sub Pop is still unearthing bands you need to hear. This time it's Vermont's King Tuff, purveyors of weirdly irresistible sugar-coated psychedelic pop songs that refuse to leave your brain.
9. Japandroids, "Celebration Rock": Beginning and ending with the sound of fireworks, this Vancouver, British Columbia, two-piece's album is exactly what its title describes — grand, anthemic songs about the great moments in life.
10. Trampled By Turtles, "Stars and Satellites": The awesomely named Minnesota string band has been on the rise for years and its gentle, introspective sixth album adds a layer of artistry and emotion only hinted at in previous work.

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Americans answer D.C.'s siren song of employment, strong economy

Thirteen years ago the band The Magnetic Fields crooned that the U.S. capital city is "the greatest place to be," in the indie love song "Washington, D.C."
Recently, a growing number of Americans are singing along as they move to the District in search of jobs, economic opportunity and cultural attractions.
In a study on migration provided exclusively to Reuters that is set to be released next month, United Van Lines found the District of Columbia tops all 50 states for the number of people moving in during 2012.
The city has held that spot for five years running, with 64 percent of the household moves in Washington coming from outside the city in 2012.
United Van Lines is the largest moving company in the country for households.
Oregon ranked second, followed by Nevada, North Carolina and South Carolina. Washington is a city that does not belong to a state, but is subject to loose control from the federal government.
"Washington, D.C., is unique because over the last five years its unemployment rate was not hit as hard by the Great Recession," said Michael Stoll, chair and professor of public policy at the University of California at Los Angeles about the study. "But I think the other thing is that the city has remade itself from the one we knew 10 to 15 years ago."
Washington has shed its reputation as the crime capital of the country, and it has developed a high technology corridor and other businesses that are both stable and hiring, said Stoll.
Also, many members of the Baby Boom generation are moving in as they retire, taking advantage of the free museums, monuments and cultural events the city has to offer, he said.
The rising popularity could yield a result also unthinkable less than two decades ago.
"D.C. will not just be a place of tourism. It will be a major economic engine, which many of us haven't thought of it as being before," Stoll said.
A U.S. Census report released on Thursday also showed the city is gaining new residents. Washington's population increased 2.15 percent between July 2011 and July 2012, a rise second only to North Dakota.
The District's population increase of 5.1 percent from 2010 to 2012 was the biggest in the country, the Census found. It had had 632,323 residents as of July 1.
The city has a large international community, largely due to the presence of foreign embassies and organizations such as the World Bank. The Census found people from other countries made up 32 percent of the net migration from 2011 to 2012.
According to a Labor Department report released on Friday, the District's unemployment rate fell in November to 8.1 percent from 10.1 percent the year before. Local political leaders point to a development boom and one of the highest median incomes in the country - $63,124 - as other draws to the city.
On a national level, Stoll said, the migration patterns show Americans are seeking economic opportunity in places where new manufacturing and technology enterprises are building up. The patterns reveal a swelling group of aging people who are retiring and looking for affordable and comfortable places to live, as well.
He added that many people who wanted to move to California, but were put off by the state's economic woes, turned their moving vans north to Oregon.
New Jersey topped states for outward moves, in 2012, the United Van Lines study showed, largely due to a shrinking factory sector. It was followed by Illinois, West Virginia, Michigan and New York.
Washington's popularity surge recently created a paradox in the city's economic success story. Last month, the Brookings Institution concluded three U.S. metropolitan areas are in economic recovery, but did not include Washington because its population burst drove down its gross domestic product on a per capita basis.

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Diana's wedding dress, gowns in exhibition coming to West Edmonton Mall

EDMONTON - With news of the Duchess of Cambridge's pregnancy causing excitement among fans of British royalty, the late grandmother of that yet-to-born heir to the throne is the focus of an exhibition coming to West Edmonton Mall.

"Diana, A Celebration," chronicling the life and work of the Princess of Wales who died in a 1997 Paris car crash, has toured widely in the U.S. and has had only one other Canadian stop, at Toronto's Design Exchange a decade ago.

Covering almost 650 square metres, the exhibition contains 150 objects including Diana's wedding gown with its 7 1/2-metre-long train, as well as 28 of her designer dresses. It will run Feb. 9 to June 9 on Level 2 of the mall.

All profits from the show, on loan from Britain's Althorp Estate, go to the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund.

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Dry Cleaning Mix-Up Leaves Woman with Wrong Wedding Dress

Many women love to shop, and there is one particular shopping occasion that they'll never forget -- the day they buy their wedding gown. After the wedding, some brides have their dress cleaned and preserved by a professional dry-cleaning company and put into a preservation box forever, or at least until they are ready to pass the dress to their daughter, granddaughter, or other close relative.

Kim Jones of Georgia and her daughter Emily opened the box containing what she thought was her wedding dress, 26 years after it was originally preserved. What she found inside was not her dress. It was an entirely different dress that had sleeves and was a completely different color than the dress she had worn on her wedding day. Understandably, Kim and her daughter were stunned and upset by what they found. She had hoped to pass down her dress to her daughter to wear on her wedding day. Emily told the Tennessean, "As the only girl in the family, this is the one thing that my mother had for me. She took the time to keep it and preserve it. And to find out that it wasn't hers after all these years was very disappointing."

Kim believes that the mix-up of her dress and someone else's must have taken place at the dry cleaner. The ticket number for her dress was just one digit off from the one on the dress in the box. She tried to contact White Way Cleaners in Brentwood, Tennessee, but found the store was no longer in business. Kim is still searching for her wedding gown.

If you have any information that could help Kim find her missing gown, please contact Bonnie Burch at The Tennessean who first reported the story. You can e-mail her at bburch@tennessean.com. Hopefully, our stories and word-of-mouth will help Kim locate her lost dress.

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Spanx: One Woman Success Story

Spanx, the not-so-secret, must-have under garment for looking slim and trim, began as a simple idea to conceal pantylines and cellulite, and has since evolved into a billion-dollar multi-product shapewear empire.

From Hollywood's red carpets to local department stores, women everywhere have shared their obsession for Spanx by word-of-mouth, and it has paid off in a big way. The company is estimated to have made almost $250 million in sales last year without spending a penny on advertising, and it is now opening its first stand-alone retail stores this month to offer customers a one-stop shopping experience.

Watch the full story on "Nightline" tonight at 11:35 p.m. ET

Sara Blakely, the inventor and founder of Spanx, said she sometimes still can't believe the widespread popularity.

"It's really hard to digest," she said. "I'll see these celebrities and they look gorgeous and they'll say, 'I love my Spanx' or 'it's because of my Spanx,' and it's hard for me to absorb, like, that's a product I created."

PHOTOS: Celebrities Who Swear by Spanx

Blakely created her first prototype 13 years ago after spontaneously cutting the feet out of her control-top pantyhose to achieve a smoother, shapely look. Now Spanx is to shapewear what Kleenex is to tissue -- a billion dollar household name.

"Our brand has made women feel better, more confident," Blakely said. "A lot of women call it 'Spanx strong,' like, 'when I've got my Spanx on, I sort of feel like it's my Super Woman outfit.'"

And Spanx lovers are not shy about showing Blakely their appreciation.

"I get flashed at airports. I get flashed at restaurants. I get flashed on the street, I mean, it's fantastic," she said.

In addition to shapers that compress and mold, and control-top hose and tights that smooth out silhouettes, Spanx also makes back fat eliminating, wire and clasp-free bras made out of pantyhose (called the "Bra-lellujah"), active wear like yoga pants with built-in tummy tamers, and even shaping, but fashionable swim suits. There is even a men's collection of body shaping undershirts and underwear. In all, Spanx sells over 200 products in 13 different countries.

"For so long men were making most of our fashion items and they weren't spending all day in them," she said. "The light bulb started going off: With just a little bit more love and care, I could add a lot more comfort and still give women the results."

That simple idea turned the 41-year-old entrepreneur into a Forbes magazine cover girl as the world's youngest self-made female billionaire. Her mammoth success had humble beginnings in Clearwater, Fla., where Blakely said she had a flare for business from a young age.

"I was always trying to figure out ways to make money and to do little businesses," she said. "My first memory is drawing pictures with my friend on a rainy day and selling them door-to-door."

But her life's biggest pivot point was traumatic. While on a bike ride, Blakely witnessed her best friend being hit and killed by a car. In her grief, she turned to motivational tapes.

"I memorized all 10 tapes of Wayne Dyer's 'How To Be a No-Limit Person' because at the stage in my life when Susie died, my father also left home, so my parents got separated," she said.

Blakely said the motivational tapes changed the trajectory of her life, helping her to cope with challenge and disappointment, including when she failed the LSAT entrance exam for law school.

"I'm a horrible test taker, thank God, because life had other plans for me," she said. "Spanx would not exist if I did great on the LSAT."

Blakely spent seven years selling fax machines, which she said was the most humbling training for life.

"Sometimes people would be particularly nasty and rip up my business card in my face," she said.

And then one day, she had that "a-ha" moment that would forever change her life, sparked by a troublesome pair of cream-colored pants.

"Every time I put them on you could see the thong," she said. "You could see some cellulite on the back of my thighs and I thought, 'what am I supposed to wear under this?' So I cut the feet out of my pantyhose. My rear looked firm. My cellulite had been smoothed out, but they rolled up my legs all night."

Blakely said if she could figure out a way to keep them comfortably below the knee, she would have a homerun product for women. So with $5,000 she had saved up from her fax machine sales, she started cold calling hosiery mills, but was turned away time and again until finally a bite.

"One guy called me after I made the rounds, [and said] that 'I have decided to make your crazy idea,'" Blakely said. "I found out he ran it by his daughters over dinner and they said, 'Dad, help this girl make it. It's a good idea.'"

She decided on the name "Spanx," she said, because her product was "all about the butt" and "nobody forgot it."

READ: Spanx Founder's 10 Tips for Building a Billion-Dollar Business

Her first coup was a single sales pocket in the hosiery department at Nieman Marcus. When she saw her product next to the Donna Karan and Calvin Klein, Blakely said, "I just sat on the floor and wept."

Just two months into the business, Blakely got a call from Oprah Winfrey, who anointed the Spanx footless pantyhose as one of her "Favorite Things" of 2000, and afterwards sales exploded.

"The orders started coming in all day, all night," Blakely said. "I had to have friends come over and help me ship them out. I became very good friends with the people at Mailboxes, Etc."

Her one-woman business run out of her apartment is now a 90-person, billion-dollar company.

"I manifested almost everything that has happened to me in my life," said Blakely, who credits much of her success to visualization and the power of thought.

After making the Forbes billionaires list, Blakely said she was humbled and honored, and continued to recognize a sense of gratitude for being born a woman in the United States.

"I had a lot to do with my destiny, but I didn't have a lot to do with where I was born," Blakely said. "And I'm so grateful for that."

Her success has inspired a program called "Leg Up," in which she spotlights and supports other female entrepreneurs just starting out.

"It's my way to pay the Oprah moment forward," she said. "Because I think women helping women in business is good karma."

Through her charitable foundation, she has contributed over $1 million to causes that support women. Blakely said she sees Spanx as a step to achieving her greater life-long goal of helping women everywhere fulfill their own potential, and she's excited to make a major impact.

"When I cut the feet out of my pantyhose, I thought, oh, this is interesting," she said, "This is how I get there."

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Daughter of Anna Nicole Smith, six, models for Guess

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The six-year-old daughter of dead Playboy model and reality television star Anna Nicole Smith has stepped in front of the camera like her mother to model for U.S. clothing brand Guess, the company said on Monday.

Photos of Dannielynn Birkhead, who was five-months-old when her mother died in 2007, were released as part of a campaign for the brand's kids line.

Smith - best known for marrying oil tycoon J. Howard Marshall when he was 89 and she was 26 - famously modeled for Guess in 1992-93 shortly after appearing on the cover of Playboy magazine.

Dannielynn's father, photographer Larry Birkhead, told television show "Entertainment Tonight" that his daughter enjoyed herself on the shoot.

"The first thing she asked is 'When will I be on the shopping bags like Mommy?'" Birkhead said. "I know that Anna's looking at this and seeing how great this will be."

Anna Nicole Smith died in Florida at the age of 39 from a prescription drug overdose. Dannielynn was the subject of at least six paternity claims following her birth in September 2006. Birkhead was later confirmed as the father following a DNA test.

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London show fetes Italian fashion designer Valentino

LONDON (Reuters) - The Oscar dress worn by Julia Roberts and a frock for Audrey Hepburn are just two tantalizing items out of the dozens of sumptuous pieces gathered for a new show in London celebrating Italian designer Valentino Garavani's 50 years in fashion.

"Valentino: Master of Couture" at Somerset House on the River Thames in central London features more than 130 pieces from a designer whose clients included Grace Kelly, Jackie Kennedy Onassis, Elizabeth Taylor and Princess Margaret.

Dressed in a light grey suit and lilac shirt, the man simply referred to in the industry as Valentino told reporters he hoped to do more shows in England in the future.

"I love England, I love to be in London and I hope to be able to come very often to do other exhibitions, other Valentino things in this beautiful city," he said.

Besides the black velvet evening gown with white ribbons Roberts wore when she won the best actress Oscar and a delicate floral dress with green sash designed for Hepburn, the exhibition delves into Valentino's personal letters and photographs, displays handcrafted couture gowns and has digital installations, including videos of his atelier.

Upon entering, visitors are greeted by a huge white flower installation with interactive projections and quirky display cases made of plush white upholstered chairs.

A pale lilac carpet on the next level leads visitors towards a catwalk, where rows of white chairs are lined up amongst more than 130 pieces from Valentino's couture collections.

"We want visitors to feel in the centre of things on the catwalk, so it's a privileged catwalk in a sense...We hope it's going to be a really pleasurable experience," co-curator Alistair O'Neill told Reuters.

Mannequins, sporting blonde wigs in different hairstyles, are dressed in decadent evening gowns with ruffled floral details, in the designer's signature red, as well as black, soft creams and animal prints.

The exhibition took around a year and a half to assemble, said O'Neill, who co-curated the show alongside Patrick Kinmouth and Antonio Monfredo.

The collection also features sleek capes, brightly colored kaftans and chic day dresses which span Valentino's work over the past 50 years.

"We wanted to be able to show something of this very rarefied world," O'Neill said.

"It's very normal for Mr. Valentino...but for us, it's an amazing thing to step into."

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