There may have been more French bons mots than usual at the Plaza Hotel last night, but it was an American designer who held the spotlight. The French Institute/Alliance Française was hosting its annual auction and awards gala and Marc Jacobs was the Trophée des Arts winner of the night. “I’m always kind of surprised [...]

Friends in High Places, Part I: Lara Stone (pictured, with fiancé David Walliams) reveals that Riccardo Tisci—who gave the model her first big break in a Givenchy Couture show—will be designing her wedding dress. Commence turning green…now. [Interview]Friends in High Places, Part II: Those front-row scenesters that seem to have shown up at every NYFW [...]

Art lovers may be counting the days until Picasso in the Metropolitan Museum of Art opens on April 27, but fashion types have already inked May 5—the opening of American Women: Fashioning a National Identity—into their Erdem-designed 2010 Smythson agendas. (A lucky few will join Anna Wintour, Oprah Winfrey, and Gap’s Patrick Robinson for the [...]

Cintra Wilson on Tom Binns’ new West Village store: “[He] proves he has no problem dredging all the desirable filth out of the ’80s and adding a bit of his own.” Yes, this is a compliment. [NYT]
Milla Jovovich is Tommy Hilfiger’s newest hire. The newlywed designer/actress/model has been tasked with creating the next limited-edition Breast [...]

Dress code: Khaki Chic. Maybe you’re still feeling the turban-and-bunny-ear model spectacular that was this year’s Costume Institute Ball, but it’s time to move on. Next year’s exhibit has been announced—American Woman: Fashioning a National Identity—to be co-chaired by Oprah Winfrey, Gap’s Patrick Robinson, and, of course, Anna Wintour. Jeans will probably not be allowed, [...]

“Are you sure this world is for you? And are you sure you are the right person to survive in this world—the world of fashion—a world with no rules, no laws? Answer that question honestly for yourself. Are you ready to accept injustice? The idea of the fashion industry may look better from the outside. [...]

Fashion power players including Francisco Costa of Calvin Klein and Proenza Schouler’s Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough, along with a slew of top editors and retailers, joined CFDA president Diane von Furstenberg and executive director Steven Kolb this morning at FIT’s Katie Murphy Amphitheatre to discuss the future of New York fashion shows. “Are they [...]

Keith McNally’s newly opened Minetta Tavern in the West Village was the scene of a high-powered lunch today. Vogue’s Anna Wintour and André Leon Talley hosted the event in honor of White House social secretary and assistant to the President, Desirée Rogers, and the guest list read like a who’s who of the New York [...]

10 a.m.
I went to see Tommaso Aquilano and Roberto Rimondi [co-designers for Gianfranco Ferré and Aquilano.Rimondi] at their showroom. We had a long talk about how to move forward now that they have become such credible, respected, and established names in the industry.
1 p.m.
I took a quick break for myself and, at the same time, [...]

Milan fashion week is officially under way. The party of the week (make that party of the season) is next Monday’s celebration for Extreme Beauty in Vogue, an exhibition opening March 2 at the Palazzo della Ragione. The mayor of Milan will be there, not to mention co-hosts Anna Wintour, Domenico Dolce, and Stefano Gabbana. [...]