Vv Magazine’s industry insiders and undercover scenesters fill you in on the best first-hand gossip from Hollywood, the media, and everything in between. A column that will make you lust for more… who are we talking about? We don’t tell – but we see and hear things and like you, we gossip about it. Check in every Wednesday for the latest from Scene & Heard!

Project Runway winner actually gets a real designer job + modelling gig
Juice factor: 7/10

Apparently, the beauty world isn’t the only industry attempting to be more inclusive this spring. JC Penney is set to open its very own in-store plus-size boutique, Boutique+, in 200 stores as of May 1, which will feature everything from athletic wear to evening attire and accessories for women with more curvaceous figures. And that’s not all. JC Penney also hired the season 14 winner of Project Runway, Ashley Nell Tipton, to be the ambassador for Boutique+. Ashley famously represented the plus-size community on her season of Project Runway, particularly during the finale at New York Fashion Week at which she made show history debuting a groundbreaking, sexy plus-size collection for the audience and the judges. Given her claim to fame as a designer, it seems only right that Ashley will not only be the face of Boutique+ but will design two capsule collections starting this fall. Let this be a glimmer of hope for reality TV contestants everywhere–sometimes Project Runway winners actually become renowned fashion designers after the show – and not just future Project Runway All-Star contestants.

Yorkville gets a new queen…
Juice factor: 9/10

The real reason for the StyleDemocracy takeover of Vv Magazine? Former Vv Magazine/View The Vibe Editor-in-chief Nicki Laborie is pursuing her true passion as a restaurateur and will be opening a Mediterranean snack and cocktail bar, Bar Reyna, in Yorkville next month. Reyna, meaning “queen,” will have royalty-worthy notes in the vibe and decor, and promises to be the perfect apres-work rendez-vous place for the who’s who of Toronto. And, since you know Nicki is hell bent on service, she’ll be running a tight ship with impeccable attention to detail. Congrats Yorkville, you have a fabulous new resident.

Pregnant Megan Fox reuniting with estranged hubby Brian Austin Green?
Juice factor: 9/10

Megan Fox may have filed for divorce from Brian Austin Green in August, but rumour has it the divorce is off now that Megan is openly rocking her baby bump. The actress, who already has two sons with her long-time 90210 alum beau–Noah, 3, and Bodhi, 2–arrived at CinemaCon on Monday night to promote the latest instalment of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and she made no attempt to cover her protruding belly. Forget flowing peasant tops or forgiving empire waists that make for a mysterious waistline–Megan showed off her lady-lumps and then some in a revealing cropped leather coat and a skin-tight stretch top. Does this mean she and baby-daddy Brian are giving it another go? The one-time love birds have been spotted out together a lot recently. Perhaps three’s a charm for Megan and her growing posse.

Jane Pratt isn’t exactly behind this, but the idea of the upcoming Canadian women’s website is the same: Real women sharing their real-life experiences–good, bad, and ugly. The soon-to-be launched site is the baby of a former TV and magazine Toronto-based fashionista who is currently reaching out to her media darling besties and former co-workers to round out her big-name and new-name contributors list. Instead of pandering to advertisers’ wishes with product placement overload, the editor-to-be plans to curate content based on readers’ interests and contributor confessions about real-life issues, from dating and beauty conundrums to political and health concerns.

Gordon Ramsay about to enter the Toronto culinary scene?
Juice Factor: 9/10

Chef Ramsay has been seen eating all over town for the last week and we wonder if he’s decided to follow in Jamie Oliver’s footsteps? Seems Ramsay is always one step behind Oliver but outshines him when he does it better. Just a little friendly competition, right? Chef Ramsay dined at Alo Restaurant, Boralia and even checked Fat Bastard Burrito while in the 6ix. But rumour has it, he also reserved to dine at Antler Restaurant but stiffed them on the reso by not showing up – tsk,tsk Chef Ramsay…. if Toronto is the next destination for a Ramsay restaurant, let it be known that we don’t do that in Canada. We’re the “nice” country, remember?

Lindsay Lohan engaged
Juice factor: 8/10

We guess this means her financial problems–we mean romantic troubles–are finally over. After five months of dating, which is practically an eternity in Hollywood, Lindsay Lohan is now engaged to her 22-year-old Russian heir boyfriend, Egor Tarabasov, a multi-millionaire businessman who met Linds through mutual friends at a party. Lilo, who’s pushing 30, might be seven years his year, but Egor is clearly mature for his age. Despite his familial ties to wealth, he isn’t an entitled trust fund baby and has become a multi-millionaire businessman in his own right. If you’ve wondered why you haven’t heard much from Linsanity in quite some time, we’re guessing five months of good behaviour has certainly paid off for the long-time troubled starlet.

Ariana Grande calls out fan who says she looks like “a whore”
Juice factor: 8/10

A fan who disapproved of Ariana Grande’s seductive black lace aesthetic in her video for “Dangerous Woman” probably wasn’t expecting a response from the star of the music video herself. After said fan took to Ariana’s Facebook page to express his concern that the visual imagery in “Dangerous Woman” made the starlet look like “a whore,” the post caught Ariana’s attention a week and a half later. The pop star responded to the negative remark via social media for all her fans and haters alike to see: “”When will people stop being offended by women showing skin / expressing sexuality? men take their shirts off / express their sexuality on stage, in videos, on instagram, anywhere they want to… all. the. time,” she writes. “the double standard is so boring and exhausting. with all due respect, i think it’s time you get your head out of your ass. women can love their bodies too!!” Well said, Ariana, well said.

Jason Wu married Gustavo Rangel
Juice factor: 7/ 10

Designer Jason Wu tied the knot with long-term boyfriend Gustavo Rangel, who also happens to be the fashion brand’s chief financial officer. Notable guests such as Diane Kruger, Jennifer Fisher, Sofia Sanchez de Betak, blogger Bryanboy, and fashion PR maestro Melvin Chua attended the nuptials in Tulum, Mexico.

New celeb couple: J.J. Watt and Kate Hudson dating…
Juice factor: 8/ 10

Well, maybe we can put those Nick Jonas rumours to bed now, but Kate Hudson definitely has a thing for younger men. The 36-year-old actress and 27-year-old Houston Texans J.J. Watt got romantic on Monday night, and the world heard it directly from Watt’s lips that the evening out was definitely a date. The flirtatious pair spent part of their time together goofing around with Snapchat…and that’s how we now have video confirmation that the duo are indeed dating. Check it out for yourself.

First model with Down Syndrome to land beauty contract
Juice factor: progress

Katie Meade is officially the first model with Down Syndrome to land a beauty contract. The 32-year-old motivational speaker and former Special Olympics competitor is no stranger to the spotlight, but she’s making history and opening doors in the beauty world with her latest foray into the cover girl world. New haircare line Beauty & Pin-Ups not only chose Katie to be the face of the Fearless Hair Rescue Treatment but also took inspiration from her fearlessness to design and market their intensive hair treatment. We love when the beauty industry surprises us by promoting progress and more inclusive ideas of what is beautiful.

What had your blood boiling and your mouths gasping from this week’s Scene & Heard column? Leave us your thoughts in the comments below or tweet us at @ViewtheVibe.

The Scenesters

Vv Magazine’s industry insiders and undercover scenesters fill you in on the best first-hand gossip from Hollywood, the media, and everything in between. Got some hot tips? Email us at info@viewthevibe.com