>> Dior announced today that it would be showing John Galliano's latest couture confections in its own headquarters at 30 Avenue Montaigne for the first time in a decade.  The Fall 2009 presentation takes place on July 6, with one show for clients and another for press; the past few seasons, Dior has erected a tent in the gardens of the Rodin Museum for couture shows.

CEO Sidney Toledano denied that the change had anything to do with cost-cutting, but rather was a move to underscore the brand's heritage: “We want to do it in this house again to feel at Dior. We really want to transport the spirit."

A statement like that is hard to believe after the hoopla surrounding today's Dior Cruise 2010 show — which was nonexistent, compared to its counterpart last year, with its full-blown runway production and front row packed with the likes of Jennifer Lopez and Charlize Theron. The Cruise 2010 collection, as seen below, was inspired by Christian Dior's muse, Mitzah Bricard, and her favorite accessories — pearls, turbans, and stilettos.