Now through November 19, artnet Auctions is featuring Faces & Figures, a special sale of 375 photographs by famous artists including Nan Goldin, Santé D'Orazio, David LaChapelle, Helmut Newton, Bert Stern and Pamela Hanson. The stunning sale features several nude supermodel portraits, including a nude of Carla Bruni by Hanson from 1994, vastly underestimated at $1,500 - $2,000 considering an identical one sold over the summer for $18,000. Other highlights include nudes of Frederique Van Der Wal from 1990 by D'Orazio, $1,000 - $1,500; a sexy snap of Gisele Bundchen by Mark Seliger (above) from 2000, estimated at $8,000 - $10,000; and a nude Gisele astride a horse by Walter Chin, $4,000 - $6,000. A nude of Pamela Anderson by LaChapelle is expected to fetch $18,000 - $24,000, and there several famous nudes of Marilyn Monroe by Stern. Also included are portraits of rock stars including the Rolling Stones, artists like Warhol and Basquiat, and celebs like Jackie Kennedy and Marlon Brando.

On October 9th in New York, Sotheby's will stage a stunning sale of photographs including several nude portraits of supermodels, with work from the likes of Chuck Close, Peter Beard, Robert Mapplethorpe, Helmut Newton and more. One of the top lots is a series of six full frontal nudes of Kate Moss by Chuck Close taken in 2003, estimated at $100,000 - $150,000. Another high-priced draw is a portfolio of 12 semi-nude images of Marilyn Monroe taken in 1962 by Lawrence Schiller, estimated at $50,000 - $70,000. Two Peter Lindbergh portraits of Mick Jagger taken in 1995 are estimated at $30,000 - $50,000. And a nude of Stephanie Seymour by Richard Avedon taken in 1992 is estimated at $20,000 - $30,000, while this relatively tame image of Nadja Auermann by Irving Penn from 1994 is also a relative bargain at $6,000 - $9,000.

Kate Moss is set to become the world's richest model thanks to a lucrative new deal she's about to ink with British mogul Sir Philip Green, shown with Kate above, and TV producer extraordinaire Simon Cowell. The 35-year-old supermodel is joining forces with the two men on a new $1.6 billion global multi-faceted entertainment company. Green owns the Topshop brand which Moss recently collaborated with for a new collection. Moss will direct the style and image of the as-yet-unnamed empire, as well as give fashion-related branding advice, under the terms of the deal which could net her up to $80 million based on profit-sharing arrangements, the London Daily Mail reports. The sum would double Moss' fortune giving her a net worth of about $160 million, the paper notes. In essence the plan is to merchandise the hell out of Cowell's hit TV shows both here and abroad. The prospect of Moss getting involved in the music side of the business has also been floated.

For the past 40 years, Italian tire company Pirelli has issued a limited-edition calendar to a select list of VIPs - the kind who have fleets of Pirelli-shod Ferraris - featuring scores of nude supermodels. As we reported back in December, the 2009 Pirelli Calendar features an African theme and was shot in Botswana by famed photographer Peter Beard with models including the stunning Isabeli Fontana, Malgosia Bela, Daria Werbowy and Raquel Zimmermann (along with a fleet of agreeable elephants and not a lot of clothes).

The 2010 calendar was just shot by fashionably perverted lensman Terry Richardson in Brazil with a whole new crop of beauties, including stunning upper class British model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley (above), who's said to be related to the Queen of England. Huntington-Whitely has sizzled before in campaigns for the likes of Agent Provocateur and Burberry. You can check out some video footage after the jump, but be forewarned - it's possibly NSFW and the running commentary is in Italian.

On July 1 Christie's in London will auction off a stunning full frontal nude of Kate Moss by Chuck Close in its Photographs sale. Taken in 2003, the artwork is estimated at about $11,500 - $16,000 but could easily go much higher.

If that's out of your range or you don't want to risk being outbid, there's another option for getting Kate naked at your place. Via PhotographersLimitedEditions.com you can now purchase signed limited edition works from some of the world's best known photographers.

The investment-quality pieces come in limited editions of 11-25. One of our favorites is this nude of Moss by British photographer Rankin, taken in 2000. Produced in a limited edition of 25, the photo is priced at about $4,500.

The site also offers several of Rankin's other works including some celebrity portraits, as well as photos by the likes of Antoine Verglas, Arthur Elgort and Marc Baptiste, featuring many other gorgeous nudes.

The modeling industry, as with other luxury-linked businesses, has been struggling in the sluggish economy. Agencies and designers alike are more cautious with their spending making a coveted modeling contract even harder to get these days. But for the elite models, top earners as measured from June 2008 through June 2009, the modeling world does not hold any obstacles. Still making millions, gaining new contracts and diversifying their stakes between endorsements, catwalks and reality shows, such well-known models as Gisele Bündchen (#1) and Heidi Klum (#2) haven't lost anything in the changing marketplace.

These top-models can be likened to professional athletes whose contracts and million-dollar-checks don't decline with the fluctuating economy. A-Rod and Kobe Bryant won't see a decrease in their earnings just because Wall Street is fickle. I would doubt Hollywood's top earners are affected either. It seems when it comes to celebrities, whether cover girls, sports entertainers or the silver screen's finest, matters of the world economy just don't hit home. I bet those millionaires who made their wealth through investments, business transactions and real estate are wishing they could have been blessed with long, lean legs and dynamite smiles right about now.

These days the celebrated French leathergoods company Longchamp is best known for its super-stylish handbags as seen in ad campaigns starring Kate Moss (above). Most people are unaware however that the company, which dates back to 1948, started off selling luxurious leather-covered pipes to Paris' bon ton. The rich heritage of the firm is celebrated in Longchamp, a gorgeous new illustrated history from Abrams by Marie-Claire Aucouturier with photographs by Philippe Carcia, published in celebration of the company's 60th anniversary.

Beginning with the deluxe pipes, which became a favorite of Elvis Presley (pictured smoking one in the book), the company built a brand as a bridge between the very social equestrian world and the world of luxury travel. Named after Paris' famed Longchamp racecourse where Napoleon III presided over the Royal Enclosure, the company adopted a horse and rider as its logo. The pipes were soon followed by cigarette cases and other leather accessories for smokers, then expansion into small leather goods in the 1950s, followed by the opening of the first Longchamp boutiques in the 1970s and '80s.

The first in a line of luxurious luggage soon followed. Longchamp thrived where many firms failed by catching on early to the importance of the Asian market. In the early 1970s, Philippe Cassegrain, Longchamp's founder, designed a line of bags called "LM," destined for the Japanese market, recently re-released for the anniversary. Its success gave Longchamp a solid reputation as a creator of women's handbags and enabled the company to expand further. In 1993 Cassegrain introduced the Le Pliage collection of foldable travel bags made of colorful vinyl with luxurious leather trim, an instant smash; two billion of them have been sold since.

Russell James has what is indisputably one of the best jobs on Earth - photographing naked supermodels for lots of money. The Australian lensman has shot numerous ad campaigns for Victoria's Secret as well as sizzling spreads for Sports Illustrated's Swimsuit Issue. His amazing new XL monograph is just out from teNeues, publishers of the beloved Luxury series. Gisele Bundchen (on the book's cover, above) and Heidi Klum start stripping at the mere mention of his name, it seems. Aside from the eye-popping images, however - we wish we could show you some - James' story is also inspiring, as told in his introductory essay, "Trash Cans to Supermodels in Nine Easy Steps." Actually it's a lot more complicated than that. You can order a copy here.

In the past we've written about sexy Russian supermodel Natalia Vodianova's ad campaigns for the likes of Versace and Calvin Klein. Now she's turning her hand to designing as well, starting with a lingerie collection for French label Etam. Vodianova, who recently signed a three-year deal to be the brand's global ambassador, will produce a capsule collection each season called Natalia pour Etam. Initial pieces include a silk nightgown inspired by a vintage piece from her personal collection, a gray lace corset, and polka dot bra and pantie sets. "What I realized when designing this is how feminine I am," Vodianova says. "I'm feminine to the bone." We won't argue with that. You can check out some pix and video of Natalia cavorting in Etam lingerie here.

The unstoppable Kate Moss is more gorgeous than ever in her latest ad campaign, for Fred Joaillier, the Parisian jeweler established in 1936 and now part of LVMH. The ad (above), shot in beautiful black and white by famed photographer Patrick Demarchelier, shows Kate at her most classic sporting a small fortune in diamonds. We have to say it bears more than a little resemblance to Moss' ads for rival jeweler David Yurman, which are shot by Peter Lindbergh, though on the whole Fred exhibits more taste. Last month we reported on Moss' new ad campaign for French fashion house Longchamp, and it's shaping up to be another banner season for the timeless temptress.

The Supermodel Comeback, which we've been keeping track of for a while now, shows no signs of abating anytime soon. Picking up from fall, the new Spring / Summer 2009 ad campaigns star a slew of famous faces. Foremost, fresh off a wintery Chanel campaign for Karl Lagerfeld, the eternallly gorgeous Claudia Schiffer is starring in a sun-slathered series of Cruise Collection ads (above) for Dolce & Gabbana shot by Steven Klein. She has also landed the new Yves Saint Laurent Spring ad campaign, taking over from Naomi Campbell. The YSL ads were shot in front of the legendary Hollywood sign by Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin. Meanwhile Claudia is also re-upping as the face of Salvatore Ferragamo.

This past summer we reported on a very sexy Christy Turlington shoot in W magazine wherein she posed as a "Greco-Roman warrior-goddess". For the magazine's brand new January issue, the stunning supermodel appears on the cover and in a multi-page spread inside showcasing spring fashions, shot by Mario Sorrenti. "With her perfect features and yoga honed body, Christy represents the unmatched standard in beauty," notes Models.com. "After all these years she still radiates high gloss perfection." It seems the Supermodel Revival continues apace.

For the past 40 years, Italian tire company Pirelli has issued a limited-edition calendar to a select list of VIPs - the kind who have fleets of Pirelli-shod Ferraris. They always feature plenty of nude and semi-nude supermodels. The 2009 Pirelli Calendar has an African theme and was shot in Botswana by famed photographer Peter Beard with models including the stunning Isabeli Fontana, Malgosia Bela, Daria Werbowy and Raquel Zimmermann, along with a fleet of agreeable elephants and not a lot of clothes. Unless you're on the list, getting your hands on an actual calendar may be difficult, but check out the gallery for a preview.

Last week we wrote about Christie's Nov. 19 photo auction starring a slew of naked supermodels including Albert Watson's 1993 nude of Kate Moss in Marrakech, which was estimated at $23,000 - $31,000. On Nov. 26 in London the auction house is staging another photo sale, with another equally appealing (in our opinion) photo of Kate in her birthday suit. The photo (above), taken by one-named lensman Tesh in 2005, may not have the pedigree of Watson's pic, but at only $1,500 - $2,000, it's a real steal. There are some other good deals to be had in the London sale, including portraits of Marilyn Monroe, Coco Chanel, James Dean, Andy Warhol and more.

Supermodel Helena Christensen is the newest face (and body) of hip British lingerie brand Agent Provocateur. The Danish siren stars as a sexy pirate in Agent Provocateur's latest ad campaign (above), the story line of which involves her seducing the captain of a ship she's attempting to plunder. The Pirate-inspired lingerie also features in a video clip containing cryptic clues, along with pix of AP's other new line, Witches. As we reported in August, Agent Provocateur has big plans for expansion. See the gallery for more.