>> A Christian Lacroix spokeswoman wouldn't comment, but reports are floating around that French company Bernard Krief Consulting, which specializes in buying up failing companies, plans to make an offer on Christian Lacroix next week — potentially as early as next Monday. 

Louis Petiet, the company's president, said that he considers Lacroix part of France's "national patrimony" and couldn't bear to "allow it to die."  He added that if the deal goes through, he hopes to multiply Lacroix's sales by five in the next five years.  Petiet declined to go into details about terms of the deal, but Lacroix estimated that the company would need 50m euro for a relaunch.

Bernard Krief Consulting believes it is the only bidder for the company, so hopefully the deal goes through by the end of July; otherwise, Lacroix's owner Falic Group plans to activate a restructuring plan that will reduce the workforce from 124 to 12 and render the operation licensing only.