>> According to Christian Lacroix, a French commercial court tribunal will review all bids on his brand and make a decision on its fate tomorrow, Oct. 27.  He recently told Filep Motwary: "[Current owner the Falic Group] submitted [a bid], some other financial people did too, and I chose to give my support and signature to the Sheikh of Ajman who seems to be the strongest solution. We'll see. But if we win, it will be time for a new rebirth and to work for real."

The sheikh has already gone on record with plans to diversify Lacroix's business, if given the go-ahead:

"The idea is not to focus on fashion by itself. We are discussing different activities in leisure . . . private jets, hotels, high-quality yachts, palaces and interior decoration. We will focus on very exclusive areas and don’t want to sell his name cheap in the market.  Christian Lacroix is one of the lords of fashion design in the world . . . but, on another side, as a businessman he has a lot of problems. We will run it better commercially."

Regardless, Lacroix sounds like he's ready to have the whole ordeal over with: "The Chapter 11 forbid us to provide [goods for customers] until the end of the process. So whatever the news on Tuesday it will be a relief."

In the meantime, he told Filep he's been "working even more on stage (a remake of a 1986 ballet, Grippina, at Berlin Staatsoper, another opera at Paris Opera-Comique), on hotel decorating, on the Montpellier tramways, on [French retail chain] Fnac, exhibitions, many things I have been passionate for since my childhood."  And when asked if he has considered working for other labels besides his own . . . "By agreement it wasn't possible with our last American backers. We'll see with the next. If I'm still part of the venture . . ."