>> Two years after Procter & Gamble shuttered the ready-to-wear portion of Rochas, leaving Olivier Theyskens temporarily without a job, they're ready to open back up for business.

The company has signed a licensing agreement with Italy's Gibo SpA — owned by Japanese apparel maker Onward Holdings Co., which has also produced clothes for Marc Jacobs and Michael Kors — to produce Rochas ready-to-wear once again, with the first collection debuting in March 2009.

There is no designer attached yet — at least not publicly, but one has to wonder: A new opportunity for Alessandra Facchinetti? And why would they resurrect the brand now, in this economic climate, when it was shut the first time around because it was losing too much money?  Not that it's not exciting to see it back . . .
*image: source