“What is ‘apps’?” is apparently what shoe designer Christian Louboutin recently asked a reporter. “I’m a very bad technician. Technology, zero.”

While Louboutin might not be so in the loop, his industry cohorts have been rushing to the Apple platform in desperate droves. In the past year, we’ve seen a lot of new iPhone applications from the fashion industry, whether they’re shopping aids from e-commerce sites, entertainment from designers, or style aids. With each new release, there’s a lot of hype that seems to forcefully sell “cool.” Take one of the latest, Gucci‘s “Little Black Book,” which provides the user with oh-so-trendy restaurant suggestions and even a Mark Ronson “beats builder” to make your own tunes. The Wall Street Journal is calling fashion apps the “new must-have accessory.” Really?

Despite the media’s excitement over new fashion apps (and yes, we’re guilty of reporting on this stuff too), we have to ask ourselves if there’s really a market for it? Perhaps once we get to a place where people really are making purchases from their iPhones ... but to have something on your phone just to “interact” with a brand? Is it the modern equivalent of posting pretty perfume ads ripped out of magazines on your wall? So, we want to know—do you download style applications? If so, what’s the draw for you? [Wall Street Journal]

The Vanity iPhone app is the latest application to confuse us because it somehow judges “beauty.” All you have to do is import a face-forward, close-up photo into the app, and it will instruct you to mark certain areas of your face, like the outline of your nose and the bottom-center of your chin. Then, you press “calculate” to have either your ego crushed or inflated, as the Vanity iPhone App judges your beauty on a scale of one to 10. The app doesn’t account for hairstyle, flawless skin, or smile because it only measures proportions, and I suspect it also ignores the fact that different races have different facial feature proportions. Amelia decided to test it out and confirmed what we already suspected—that myself, Catherine, and Simcha are all more beautiful than Megan Fox. Amelia’s dog Lucca wasn’t far behind. Our plastic wild hog was not so lucky. Worth paying the $2.99 for confirmation, though! [Daily Beauty Reporter Blog]

It’s well known amongst my friends that I can pee, only to need to pee again. I live by the “Sit Or Squat” application on my iPhone that tells me the nearest location of public restrooms. In the month or so since “Sit Or Squat” has been on my phone, I’ve utilized it more than any other app. And now I’ve come across the next best application: “RunPee!” The app lets you know exactly when you’re clear to head to the restroom during a movie without missing a major plot point. Along with the time, “RunPee” provides a description of what will be going on in the scene, so you know it’s definitely the right moment to, well, run ‘n’ pee. Plus, they have a write up of what you’re going to miss while away from the screen. Perfect reading material while you’re in the loo! This just skyrocketed on my list of must-get apps. [RunPee]

iPhone users with way bigger bank accounts than me, listen up: Christie’s (the fancy-pants NYC auction house) has a new iPhone app. Apparently, it “allows you to browse over 450 auctions in over 80 categories including all areas of fine and decorative arts, jewelry, photographs, collectibles, wine, and more.” Great news for auction-nuts, but one clarification—you can’t actually place a bid on anything from your phone. (Wouldn’t that be dangerous!? It would take drunk eBaying to a whole new level when a package arrives containing your new Paul Klee original, the painting you have zero recollection buying, even if your Chase account remembers!) But see something you like? Place a call and they’ll raise the paddle for you. [Christie’s via Men.style.com]

Having a little trouble staying a virgin until your wedding night? Do you also have an iPhone? Then download the Purity Ring iPhone app where you can take a pledge to be chaste until marriage and look at a digital picture of a purity ring, instead of wearing one. [Cause that would be, like, totally embarrassing.—Editor]

According to the Guardian, the iPhone app has pre-recorded pledges for both boys and girls and will only display the ring after the pledge is made. Available at the iTunes store, kiddies. But so you know, further investigation is needed to ascertain whether you can actually count on a digital purity ring when temptation strikes… [Guardian UK]

Want to know what you and your boyfriend’s kid would look? There’s an iPhone app for that. iMated melds together two photos, showing you how the fruits of your bedroom labor will turn out. Consider this yet another dating litmus test. If the results aren’t pretty, you might want to rethink the relationship—or adopt. [iMated]

I have to admit, before last night, I had never downloaded an app. I protested profusely against them for as long as I could, but now I find myself wanting to download more and more. (I went through the same routine with the iPhone, insisting that nothing could be more confusing and unnecessary than having a phone, iPod, and internet combined into one, but when I was given the device as a gift, I soon came to love, er, be obsessed with it.)

Rumor has it that iPhone OS 3.0, which should be released this summer, will allow for more “mature” apps. Apple has improved the parental controls, which in theory will let parents better control the apps their children are able to download and the content they have access to on the device. Although the responsibility of content filtering will be on the parents, Apple may have to work in a ratings system so parents can judge whether their kids should be allowed to have a particular app on their phone. But don’t expect to be inundated with “adults-only”-themed apps. A ton of X-rated content wouldn’t necessarily fit Apple’s corporate image. [The Apple Blog]

Even though its sister magazine Domino folded last week, Lucky will continue to bring readers their shopping fix, and now they’ll even do the legwork for you. Today the magazine launched a free iPhone application, Lucky at Your Service Digital Concierge, that helps you find clothes featured in the magazine at a store near you. Right now, the application features the more than 70 shoes listed in its March shoe guide and lets users shop by type, brand, color, and size. After you’ve found something you want, just click the “Find It Near You” button and it will either use GPS or a ZIP code to determine a where your shoe of choice is available. You can even call and have them put on hold. Just one way Lucky is trying to do their part to help the economy bounce back! (We just hope that giving away the service for free doesn’t put the magazine out of business.)