>> Riccardo Tisci, fresh off a stint in Rio de Janeiro over the weekend to support Oi Fashion Rocks with a combination men's, women's, and couture fashion show, arrived fashionably late by half an hour yesterday for a guerrilla appearance at Barneys in New York — his first for a trunk show, which was only announced the afternoon before.  Endearingly adorable in sneakers and with braces, the designer was on hand to see the launch of his new lower-priced (by forty percent) Capsule collection, which focuses on his iconic white shirts and studded pieces, with a few exclusives for Barneys on tap.  We were able to steal a couple of minutes of his time:

You were just in Rio, how was that?

I just got in [to New York] this morning, so I'm a little tired but happy.

You dressed Ciara for her Fashion Rocks Rio performance; she later Twittered, "I'm going to be Givenchy's Muze! So excited!" Do you agree?

Yes, she is a muse. I had never met her before, but it was one of the most amazing moments of my life. We really clicked; I can respect her as an artist and a woman and she respects me as an artist and as a man.  I look forward to working with her again soon.

How long are you in New York for?

One week. I wanted to come here [to Barneys] to meet the clients, the women who end up wearing my clothes, to talk with them and really connect with them, but this is my only public appearance this week.  I'm here for work on an upcoming show in 2011, which I'm doing all the costumes for.  I can't say much more, but the performance is a combination of music and opera, and will travel worldwide. A project like this has been my dream.

Now that you have this new lower-priced Capsule collection, would you ever consider doing a diffusion line with a mass retailer like H&M?

It's too early. I'm still building the brand, and we want to stay on image.

You've become known for your unique runway casting. Anyone you'd really like have walk on your runway who hasn't?

I'm a young designer; The girls I cast are the girls who when I was a student made me dream. Adriana Lima, Frankie Rayder, Ana Claudia Michels . . . The one who hasn't worked out yet is Kate Moss, but I hope to work with her in the future.

Any Spring 2010 campaign hints?

Four men, two girls, all shot together. No celebrities, just models — but models that have become celebrities in their own right.

image: Jennifer Graylock