It’s always a whirlwind in the frenetic fashion space each and every month. To make sure you don’t forget the most important happenings in our orbit, we’re launching JCR List, a global round up of the month’s most talked about goings-on that warrant a revisitation. It’s only the beginning of the year, but January’s revelries have set the tone for a year ahead. So to cap off our busy month of January, we’ve come up with a list of the most buzzed about stories, events, and cultural happenings.

The Economy
In what many pundits have called the worst economy in 60 years, the lagging market’s effect on the fashion industry has been profound. Retail sales were weak, many failed to makes ends meet, brands have layed off a portion of their workforce, fashion magazines suffered from a lack of advertisers, consumer confidence has plummeted to a historical low and designers have cancelled runway shows, all of which have put the industry on shaky grounds before the fashion weeks.fashion choices were almost as celebrated as her husband’s election. The statuesque First Lady departed from her role’s stereotypical style demands in favor of fresh young designers such as Jason Wu and Isabel Toledo.

Obamamania
Barack Obama’s election as the 44th president of the United States was an unprecedented historical event met with celebration that surpassed the typical political arena. Fashion industry folks were among the scores of eager supporters who descended upon DC for Obama’s inauguration.

Michelle Obama’s Inagural Fashions
Michelle Obama’s

Facebook on Fashion
Some used to say that fashion and technology don’t mix, but Facebook has become the go-to site for fashionistas the world over. Our coverage of this “cocktail party on the web” was one of the most read articles in our history, so we’re betting that the marriage between fashion and Facebook won’t end soon.

Brazilian Flavor
For us, January not only means a fresh start for the year but also a time to escape the frigid New York winter and head south to the glorious Brazilian weather for the Rio and São Paulo fashion weeks. But before we headed to the shows, we stopped by Florianópolis and discovered that this sun-and-fun hotspot is pulsating with an energy that makes it the Ibiza of South America.