LVMH has finalized plans to jointly own a crocodile tannery. That means high-quality crocodile skins for the croc coats that its various luxury brands, like Fendi and Celine, showed on the Spring runways. [WWD]Ateliers are learning to cater to a “new breed of haute couture clients” from wealthy countries in the Gulf. One of their [...]

The haute couture shows start on Monday, and in addition to the schedule’s usual suspects—Lagerfeld, Gaultier, Galliano, et al.—newcomer Maxime Simoëns is throwing his (presumably) hand-beaded hat into the ring. At 26, Simoëns is the first designer to join the official Couture calendar without ever having staged a runway show—unless you count his prize-winning [...]

With Marion Cotillard drowning in a sea of air kisses from ardent admirers and Dita Von Teese , the pre-show scene yesterday at Dior was pretty glamorous. But further down the front row, deals were being negotiated as Kanye West, attending his first couture show, was introduced to photographer Jean-Paul Goude. The rapper-designer enthused that [...]

Luxury execs are cautious yet confident about their haute couture business. Those lucky remaining clients can expect even more white-glove service. Givenchy will even toss in a wedding planner.
Attention, thespians: The Life and Times of Christian Dior will be cast soon by former Sex Pistols’ manager Malcolm McLaren. Prepare for less punk and more “authentic [...]