The rumor of the morning: Rodarte in talks with LVMH? No one’s saying anything for sure, but the Arnault clan has been spotted at Rodarte shows (pictured) a season or two running… [WWD]

Biba, the go-to label of London’s swinging sixties, is relaunching again, with Daisy Lowe now fronting the brand. (Though, crucially, founder Barbara Hulanicki will not be involved.) Will the birds go for it the third time around? [Grazia]

A day after Ralph Toledano’s exit was announced, Chloé’s got a new CEO: Geoffroy de la Bourdonnaye, formerly chief executive of Liberty in London. [Vogue U.K.]

Breathe a sigh of relief: Mad Men costume designer Janie Bryant is not collaborating with the Kardashians on a collection, despite what several sources have reported. Can you imagine what Don Draper would’ve said?! [Racked]

And if you know where Nouvelle Vague legend Jean-Luc Godard is, please let the Academy know. It’s trying to reach him to let him know he’s being given a lifetime achievement award, but apparently, he’s nowhere to be found. Maybe the Breathless-loving Rodarte girls have seen him? [Hint Mag]

Photo: Marcio Madeira / FirstView.com

The latest item to hit Proenza Schouler’s online shop: The duo’s much-anticipated graffiti’ed skinny jeans for J Brand. They come with a hefty price tag ($550) and specific instructions: Wash carefully (presumably by hand), never iron. Why? They’re individually hand-painted. Well, when you put it that way—does that make them pricey for jeans but affordable for art? Decide for yourself at www.proenzaschouler.com.

Photo: Courtesy of J Brand

Standing tall at 6 feet, 2 inches, Maria Sharapova isn’t afraid of a little height. “Being tall was always a good thing growing up—it’s good for your game. I think at some point, I was like, OK, I’m tall, this is how it’s going to be,” the tennis star laughed about her penchant for heels last night. Sharapova certainly stood out. Along with showing up in four-inch heels accompanied by another vertically gifted guest (her beau, L.A. Laker Sasha Vujacic), she was the main draw for the fête celebrating her latest fall 2010 footwear collection with Cole Haan, co-hosted by Interview in the New Museum’s Sky Room. Going a year strong, the ongoing design collaboration (skyscraper heels and sexed-up corset detailing this season) has Sharapova sketching in her downtime and turning to the Web for inspiration. “I’m a big fan of street-style sites,” she said. “I’ll have this idea and then go and see how somebody might wear it in Paris or London or somewhere else in the world.”

That kind of online trendsetting has served another Cole Haan contributor well: Todd Selby, who’s turned a zoom lens and a yen for interiors into The Selby, his must-visit creatives-in-their-houses photo site. (Street style off the street, as it were.) Selby shot the Cole Haan campaign, but it was his brushwork, not his prints, that was the star this evening; he had a few specially commissioned watercolors up for auction to benefit Common Cents, including one of Sharapova (pictured, with its subject), whom he met on a shoot for the brand. Though, when it comes to the tennis pro’s upcoming U.S. Open turn, he might not be the best to recount ad-ins or match points. “I’m not really a sports kind of guy,” he admitted. “Fashion’s my sport.”

—Bee-Shyuan Chang

Photo: Chance Yeh / Patrick McMullan

Once, only the brave wore white after the first weekend in September (and by brave we mean French and/or those in possession of a generous dry-cleaning budget). But that old edict hasn’t really applied for a while, and judging by Fall collections from the likes of Thakoon Panichgul and Gucci’s Frida Giannini, a pair of white pants is now a winter wardrobe essential. According to Jill Stuart, though, the shade’s prominence has less to do with breaking rules than harmonizing palettes. “Loden green and camel are big this season, and white freshens those darker shades up,” she pointed out to us. “A creamy color makes everything brighter.” That was certainly the case at Reed Krakoff, where full, ivory trousers were paired with a swaggering navy coat and charcoal sweater. And, of course, white jeans, like the cropped ones we’re coveting from Isabel Marant, can freshen up any outfit. Just remember to factor your cleaning bills into the purchase price.

Click here for a slideshow, and let us know if white’s all right for fall.

In our print-crazed moment, wild designs of every stripe are getting fresh looks, from printed pants to clashing patterned outfits. But around our office, we’ve been feeling the time’s right for a more classic, utilitarian print to make a comeback, too: good, old-fashioned army/navy camouflage. Looks like we’re not alone. Chris Benz, in the Times today, discussed his renewed fondness for all things camo (including the more graphic Australian and Duck patterned versions), and designers from Prada to J Brand to Rag & Bone have all showed print pieces. They’re bold enough to look basic, even neutral—but you definitely won’t blend in. Here are a few of our favorite items.
Above: Rag & Bone Fall ‘10; A.P.C. military-style jacket, $340, available at www.apc.fr.

Prada bifold Saffiano leather wallet, $355, available at www.prada.com.

Camouflage-printed silk shirt by Equipment (right) and T-shirt by Wayne (left).

Jake Davis for Sebago camouflage leather boat shoes, $110, available Friday, August 27, at www.davidz.com.

Bags from Michael Kors (left) and Trussardi 1911 (right).

Camouflage-printed jeans by J Brand.

Photos: All photos courtesy of the respective designers except Rag & Bone: Andrew Thomas

Before “designer collaboration” became fashion’s second-most frequently dropped phrase (immediately following “pop-up shop,” by our count), Tina Lutz and Marcia Patmos were doing just that—calling up friends and fans and working with them on limited-edition items in their ultra-soft cashmere. It helps that the designers have more catholic tastes than most. Over the course of their guest designers series, they worked with everyone from Carine Roitfeld to architect Richard Meier to Archbishop Desmond Tutu, all of whom waxed philosophic about the sweaters of their dreams and helped to make them a reality. Lutz & Patmos is shutting up shop, sad to say—Patmos will continue on as M. Patmos, as well as designing the more contemporary Leroy & Perry collections, and Lutz will pursue other projects—but before they go, they’ve rounded up the collabs of years past, which are now on sale at their e-commerce site. From Roitfeld’s (modeled, top left, by the editrix herself, and son Vladimir Restoin-Roitfeld) to Christy Turlington’s (top right, inspired by the yogic lotus flower), Fabien Baron’s (top left), and Inez van Lamsweerde’s (top right), they’re available now for, potentially, the last time ever. Shop brisk—and click below for pieces by Jane Birkin, and Natalia Vodianova.

—Matthew Schneier

Above, left to right: Design by Jane Birkin; Design by Natalia Vodianova.

Photos: Courtesy of Lutz & Patmos

It’s become a joke at the office how much I love leopard print. My colleague Matthew Schneier even teased me this week: “What are you doing when this trend goes away?” Easy: Save all my pieces and wear them again later, that’s for sure. I’ve been collecting leopard for years, and I still wear the first item I “borrowed” from my mother—a D&G leopard-print button-down from the nineties—alongside more recent finds like Alexander Wang’s leopard Alla wedge. Next on my wish list is from an unlikelier source—Talbots. Scoff if you must, but the mass retailer’s haircalf bag is great. It may look small, but it’s roomy enough to fit my entire life during fashion week. And if Talbots is good enough for Linda Evangelista—its newest campaign star—it’s good enough for me.

If you need inspiration for integrating leopard into your wardrobe, check out Dries Van Noten’s Fall ‘10 collection. He set the trend of mixing leopard with military-inspired items, which I’m loving right now. Or for more cool ideas, try Riccardo Tisci’s Resort ‘11 collection for Givenchy—cool whites look even crisper when paired with spots.

Talbots Haircalf Rectangle bag, $179, available at Talbots, www.talbots.com.

—Marina Larroude

Photo: Courtesy of Talbots

It’s a big day, quite literally, for Elie Tahari: The designer opened a new 2,250-square-foot shop in Saks Fifth Avenue, the largest on the retailer’s fourth floor. “I thought Ron [Frasch, Saks’ president and CMO] was going to give me my own zip code,” Tahari said. [WWD]

And it’s about to be a big week for menswear. According to a rough count, there are 42 men’s presentations and shows scheduled for New York fashion week (not counting coed presentations), making this season the largest for menswear in memory. [WWD]

What do girls want? To shop online for designer clothes. Nothing too strange about that. What is strange is that designers and their reps don’t seem to understand why. [NYT]

Racked applies itself to some heavy-hitting investigative journalism and discovers that the mysterious @FashionWeekNYC Twitterer is…some guy named Nathan Stobezki. Case closed, probably. [Racked]

Good news from fashion’s revolving doors: Vogue’s Ethel Park has been named T’s new senior fashion director. [NYT]

Bad news from fashion’s revolving doors: Chloé CEO Ralph Toledano has left the company; designer Hannah MacGibbon is said to be “devastated.” &93;Fashionologie]

Photo: Andrew Thomas

In case any further proof was needed that cleavage is back, here’s LOVE’s first video for its iPad app, debuting any day now from the iTunes store, alongside its fourth issue, “The Gorgeous Issue” (out now). Katie Grand styled Elle Macpherson in Bottega Veneta, Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, Nina Ricci, and Macpherson’s own line of lingerie. Macpherson channels sixties sweater girls in a hip-shaking short shot by Sharif Hamza, who’s lensed editorials for Interview and international editions of Vogue, and videos for Dior Homme and Dazed + Confused. Aside from reminding us all why Elle’s now and forever “The Body,” it’s also one of the better arguments we’ve seen for the rat’s-nest bouffant. Check out the exclusive debut, below.

First things first: “I don’t skate, ’cause I wear high heels and fifties dresses and can’t even recall a point in my life when I wore jeans, unless you count the dead-stock black and yellow Gianni Versace cheetah-print, high-waisted ones that I will definitely be rocking come fall,” says Liz Goldwyn, the L.A.-based filmmaker, writer, historian of burlesque, and now, skateboard designer. “So me on a skateboard would only work in theory…”

But theory vs. practice didn’t stop her from designing a new skate deck, which is now available exclusively at Opening Ceremony. The limited run grew out of a commission by an art collector, who wanted a deck. Goldwyn settled on a pair of legs in homage to burlesque, and in particular the late Rex Huntington, whom she calls “one of the greatest burlesque costume designers of the 20th century.” (He’s profiled in her book Pretty Things: The Last Generation of American Burlesque Queens.) Huntington designed for all of the most famous strippers of his day (with a sideline business making wardrobes for drag queens), and at his death, bequeathed Goldwyn his archive of designs, sketchbooks, and even celebrity measurements. The legs on her deck were inspired by an “American Girl” pinup of Huntington’s—complete with red-white-and-blue star pasties.

And while she may not be a skater herself, Goldwyn is every bit the fan (and a big collector of decks, too). “I am a Cali girl and grew up skate-obsessed,” she says. “I read Thrasher and Big Brother (which was the coolest, defunct San Francisco magazine—very punk anti-authority, and every issue was a different size, super-collectible). I had pictures of Salman Agah and Jay Adams pasted into my journals. I collected Vision and Bones Brigade, T-shirts and stickers. There used to be the raddest skate paraphernalia you could buy—that kids could actually afford! Now it’s pretty commercial, and I think it’s time to bring back those great graphics, so thought I would try my hand at it, as a fan of the sport and the culture that has surrounded it.” Her handiwork will run you $200 at Opening Ceremony’s L.A. and NYC stores.

—Matthew Schneier

Photo: Courtesy of Liz Goldwyn

As the creative director and buyer for the online menswear retailer Oki-Ni, John Skelton was well aware that more than a few women were shopping for dude’s duds on his site. Now he’s applying that unisex sensibility to his new store. LN-CC—which stands for Late Night Chameleon Cafe—launches online early next week with a mix of fashion-forward menswear from the likes of Raf Simons and Rick Owens, cult Japanese brands including Wacko Maria, and up-and-comers such as specs-maker Illesteva. Ladies’ goods include clothing from Preen and jewelry from Lara Bohinc and Mawi. So far, so good—and Skelton has gone unisex one better by asking several of the menswear brands he’s stocking to make versions of their apparel and accessories in women’s sizes and fits. (A few of the women’s labels at LN-CC will be returning the favor.) “We didn’t want to get into anything girly,” Skelton explains. “There’s a certain sensibility at work here, that a certain kind of woman appreciates, and we’re staying true to that.”

Meanwhile, the LN-CC e-commerce site is only the tip of the iceberg. Skelton and partner Dan Mitchell are knee-deep in construction on the 5,000-square-foot Late Night Chameleon Cafe store in East London, an appointment-only space that is being designed in collaboration with set designer Gary Card and which will host a library curated by Donlon Books owner Conor Donlon and a wide-ranging selection of music titles. The shop is due to open in October. “We really felt strongly that we didn’t want this to be a place people just wandered in and out of,” Skelton explains, when asked about the decision to make Late Night Chameleon Cafe open only by appointment. “We want this to be a destination, a place people come to with a sense of purpose, and where they spend some time, and engage.”

A selection from LN-CC’s wares, styled by John Skelton: jacket by Rick Owens, shirt by Damir Doma, trousers by SILENT by Damir Doma, necklace by Lara Bohinc.

—Maya Singer

Photo: Courtesy of LN-CC

Coming soon: XOXO, Kelly? People’s Revolution founder Kelly Cutrone—whose reality show, Kell on Earth, aired on Bravo—has inked a deal with Gossip Girl’s production company, Fake Empire, for an MTV show about fashion. [Racked]

Apparently, Madonna directed Miu Miu’s Fall ‘10 campaign video (below), because she showed up on the shoot to take photogs Mert and Marcus to dinner and decided to direct a video instead. Siri Tollerød (left), who stars, says: “We were supposed to shoot a video, so Madonna said she wanted to direct it. They said she could do it but they weren’t going to pay her and she started laughing. She put on her iPod and taught us moves and we shot the video for two hours.” Moral of the story: Whatever Madonna wants, Madonna gets. [Elle U.K. via Paper]

Just in case you missed it (as, admittedly, we did): Garance Doré has moved to New York. See you at NYFW, Garance (we’ll be the ones impeccably attired). [Garance Doré]

And according to a new study, Wednesday at 4 p.m. is when online shopping peaks—traffic to e-commerce sites can be up to 75 percent higher than during other points in the week. Four hours until shopping time! [Telegraph via Stylelist]

Photo: Courtesy of Miu Miu

We broke the news that Yigal Azrouël was debuting men’s boots and sandals with his Spring ‘11 collection, and we’re glad to report that his female customers won’t go unshod, either. At his September 14 runway show, Azrouël’s models will tromp down the runway in—for the first time—the designer’s own footwear. (He’d previously collaborated with Manolo Blahnik on runway styles.) Like the men’s collection, the women’s shoes are produced by Peron, the Italian factory that also creates accessories for Givenchy and Maison Martin Margiela. Chunky-heeled pumps, peep-toe wedges, and flat sandals make up the debut collection, in a palette of black, nude, silver, and army green. “Designing the first shoe collection has been very natural for me,” Azrouël said. “I really took the same approach as I do for clothing design—exploring materials, finishings, and actually draping the shoe.” Same approach, same strong offering.

—Matthew Schneier

Photos: Courtesy of Yigal Azrouël

According to Internet speculation, he also goes by the name Lady Gaga. That’s certainly the easiest way to explain his never-before-seen presence on the cover of September’s Vogue Hommes Japan, shot by Gaga go-to Nick Knight and styled by her own stylist, Nicola Formichetti, who leaked a few preview images on his blog this morning. (In fairness, he’s also Vogue Hommes Japan’s fashion editor.) Whoever Calderone is, he/she gave an interview to Jo-Ann Furniss explaining his background (maybe):

How would you describe what you do/your occupation?
Mechanic for my dad’s business. This is the first time I’ve had my picture taken.

What are your ambitions?
I’d love to own my own car shop; I have a bunch of my own “muscle” cars. Maybe if I take some more pictures I can afford it.

What is your relationship to Lady Gaga?
I met her at a shoot Nick Knight was doing. She’s fuckin’ beautiful, and funny, and interesting. I was a little nervous for Nick to start shooting. She said, “Don’t be, baby, you were ‘born this way. ” I took her out after. The rest is private ; )

If he’s got anything to do with Lady G., it won’t be private for long.

Photo: Nick Knight/nicolaformichetti.blogspot.com

Drew Barrymore hit L.A. last night to promote Going the Distance, her new (guess!) rom-com co-starring her sometime paramour Justin Long, and she’s looking every bit the precious metal. Barrymore’s been experimenting with ombré tones in her hair lately, and she’s still working the dark-to-light locks, but as for her gown, it’s all golden. She accessorized her floor-length, strapless Malandrino with a gold Balmain belt, Samantha Wills jewels and YSL Tribtoos. We love her serpent bracelet (that’s it around her left arm), but we’re not sure about the dress itself—especially since it’s made the rounds a few times, as some sharp commentators have noticed, both on the designer herself (at the CFDA Awards) and on her friend and collaborator, Mary J. Blige. You tell us: yea, nay, or eh?

Photo: Krista Kennell / SIPA Press

This morning, J.Crew opened the doors at its latest Men’s Shop on a northerly stretch of Madison Avenue. The store is the latest in J.Crew’s experiments with curated-to-the-hilt menswear boutiques, following on the heels of its Tribeca Liquor Store and Soho Suit Shop. Some of its just-so stock—like a wide selection of obscure Japanese menswear magazines and atmospheric Smiths 7″ records—seem a little out of place on the Upper East Side (though given that many of those Tokyo-based publications have made a fetish of the preppy lifestyle, perhaps it’s just a case of things coming full circle).

The label’s nattier clothing and accessories options, on the other hand, feel like a much more natural fit. The Fall ‘10 J.Crew collection was one of the strongest yet, and it’s bolstered here by uptown-only exclusives. Those include luggage and accessories from Swaine Adeney Brigg (including a flask-handled umbrella—who said anything about water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink?), shoes from England’s Crockett & Jones, vintage Levi’s, and a cashmere version (here for the first time) of the best-selling Ludlow suit. (Menswear creative director Frank Muytjens was wearing the jacket as he toured goggle-eyed editors around the space today.) The inspiration for the two-story space, with its knotty pine walls and moldings, was a centuries-old farm in the Swiss Alps. I got more “cabin in the woods” than “chalet on the slopes,” but maybe I’m just more of a downtown guy, more familiar with the liquor stores (and Liquor Store) of the world. Uptown, they know from ski retreats.

J.Crew Men’s Shop, 1040 Madison Ave., NYC, www.jcrew.com.

—Matthew Schneier

Photos: Courtesy of J.Crew

When he’s not selling some of NYC’s most expensive clothing—his shop’s a go-to for runway pieces from Balmain, Celine, and Balenciaga—Jeffrey Kalinsky is lending his touch to heritage brands, the unlikelier the better. He’s put his spin on exclusive items from Lacoste and Gant, and his latest is with the classic Keds lace-up, which he’s commissioned in four colors of patent leather. At $110, they may be the most affordable item currently on sale at his namesake NYC and Atlanta boutiques.

Photo: Courtesy of Keds

Felicitaciones to our neighbor to the south—last night, Jimena Navarrete (pictured), Miss Mexico, was named Miss Universe. We didn’t think we cared, really, but following what seemed to be the entire fashion community’s live-tweeting of the event, we got into it. [Styleite]

A selection of Avedon portraits are set to go on the auction block in Paris to benefit the Richard Avedon Foundation, including the famous Dovima with Elephants. It’s expected to reach up to around $4 million, for which price, we imagine, you might be able to buy an actual elephant. [Vogue U.K.]

Every Dame has her day, and Vivienne Westwood’s about to have hers: Selfridges is mounting an exhibition of her shoes, ranging from the early seventies to the present day. It’ll include the famous Super Elevated Gillie platform, which felled Naomi Campbell on the runway back in ‘93. ]WWD]

Strange words from Isabel Marant: “I hate famous women. My ideal woman is Serge Gainsbourg, not that he was a woman.” [Hint Mag]

Speaking of strange, here’s one we didn’t expect: The top-selling item at Wal-Mart nationwide is…the banana? Apparently, the potassium-rich fruits really move, and come to think of it, we have noticed that they’re having something of a moment right now. Over the weekend, the Times weighed in on Chiquita’s new design-your-own-packaging campaign. Of course, by packaging, they mean “sticker”; it’s hard to one-up Mother Nature on that peel. [Racked]

Photo: Isaac Brekken / AP Photo

For her upcoming issue of Pop, Dasha Zhukova scored a big get: Twitter queen (and occasional singer) Britney Spears, who appears on multiple covers of the magazine. Todd Cole shot Brit-Brit for the glossy, and Takashi Murakami gave her the full kawaii Japanimation treatment. (We hear cartoon stickers will also appear throughout the mag.) Why Spears? “She’s feminine, sassy, strong-willed, determined: all the things a great Pop icon should be,” Zhukova told us from Moscow. “Couple that with some Japanese swimsuits and a Rodarte wedding gown and I think she is pretty much Pop personified!” Apparently the idea arose when Zhukova was discussing the idea of manga characters with Murakami—and voila, a cover star is born. The mag will be out September 1—it also includes a collaboration with Cindy Sherman, who reinterprets the Chanel woman, an interview with Hillary Clinton by Barbara Bush (!), and stories on Barbara Kruger, MNDR, and Martha Stewart (!!)—and we’ve got your exclusive first look at two of the covers, above.

Photos: Todd Cole/Courtesy of Pop

Style.com’s Fashion Feed brings you the best of the news around the Web and on Twitter, and ranks the most-discussed designers, labels, models, and celebrities. In our weekly series, we call out the top five designers of the previous week (with our handy gloss on the hows and whys).

1. Marc Jacobs (pictured; last week: 1)
Not long after Marc Jacobs’ Harper’s Bazaar interview with Calvin Klein hit the Web, his September Interview Q&A—with longtime business partner Robert Duffy—is now online.

2. Alexander Wang (last week: 4)
As fall deliveries continue to hit stores and online retailers, Wang mania continues—especially for accessories, which shoe-bloggers continue to rhapsodize over. Savvy shoppers can find deals, too: Marked-down buckle boots from Wang’s previous season are available at Barneys’ warehouse sale, though not, we presume, for long.

3. Prabal Gurung (last week: N/A)
The Nepal-born designer—and first-time listee—is busily preparing for fashion week, with a little help from Swarovski, which is underwriting his show this season. But that’s not to say it’s all work and no play—he still found time last week to co-host a benefit raising funds for a women’s health center in India.

4. Karl Lagerfeld (last week: N/A)
New York will get a dose of Lagerfeld next month when the Couture Council honors him at their annual luncheon. Ticket sales were kicked off at the Council’s party last week. Meanwhile, Lagerfeld debuted his new Chanel campaign, starring Crystal Renn.

5. Alexander McQueen (last week: N/A)
The last works of the late, great McQueen made their way online last week: a dress McQueen designed for his friend Annabel Neilson, and a gorgeous, hummingbird-covered rug made for The Rug Company.

Photo: Marcio Madeira / FirstView.com