>> Last week, Christian Lacroix filed the equivalent of Chapter 11 bankruptcy in a Paris court.  The resultant hearing, in which the court will decide to either restructure or liquidate the company, is expected this week.

In its 22 years of existence, the company has never once turned a profit, and in a letter to the house's 125 employees, Lacroix wrote that he is "not ashamed" to admit that he is owed money by the company — approximately $1.7 million — and has been designing "free of charge" for several months.

He pledged to give "200 percent" to keep the house afloat, and aims to “preserve the know-how, without which the lungs and the heart of the house couldn’t exist."  As for the fate of the Fall 2009 Lacroix couture show, which is supposed to be in early July, a spokesperson could only say: "Regrettably, I cannot yet confirm if the July show will be going ahead."