>> Giorgio Armani sticks with an idea when it works — the newest wave of Victoria and David Beckham's underwear ads, shot by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott, are out today — and the same goes for his Cruise 2010 collection.  He started exploring the eighties with a little Grace Jones influence in his Fall 2009 collection, and for resort he's taking the idea further with brightly-checked party dresses, polka dots, and a dash of sequins.

>> After ten years of being based in London, Ann-Sofie Back got married, returned to Stockholm, and added a new design responsibility — not only is she doing her eponymous line, but she signed up to be creative director at Cheap Monday in May: "It was a happy coincidence that when I moved back to Stockholm to be with my husband this job should come up. Cheap Monday is a great brand and some things are just meant to be!"  She's leaving the denim to founder Orjan Andersson, but was brought on to "create a stronger identity on anything that is not denim."  On Monday in Stockholm, she unveiled her first collection for the brand — for Spring 2010 — with Caroline Winberg opening the show.

>> Consuelo Castiglioni's husband (and Marni CEO) Gianni Castiglioni showed off the first peek of his newest acquisition via Vionnet's Cruise 2010 collection yesterday, and today it's all about Consuelo's ladies who lunch-inspired Marni Cruise 2010 collection.  Styled with loafers and clashing mannish dark socks, the goods are less about frills and more about her quirky cuts, crazy patterns, bug-eyed glasses, and a few contrast button-downs similar to those at Prada.

>> We saw Phoebe Philo's first go at Celine a few weeks ago, and now it's time to peruse the first looks of another highly-anticipated matchup: Roldofo Paglialunga at Vionnet. The designer, who spent 13 years as Miuccia Prada's assistant and will have his runway debut at Paris Fashion Week in October, offers up a contemporary look at Vionnet's heritage Grecian constructions for Cruise 2010: “I looked at magazines, books, newspaper clips and anything I could find.”

>> Alexander McQueen threw his hat into the increasingly popular video presentation ring for his menswear show last week, and set up Janete Friedrich and Ulrike Theusner in mannish tailored suits for his Fall 2009 McQ campaign — compare with the cheerleaders of seasons past — but for his Cruise 2010 collection, he's still on the same wavelength as collections past — body-fitting graphic suits, illusion-like structured dresses, full skirts, with a little spattered paint thrown in for good measure.

>> Giles Deacon, who was awarded the €160,000 (approx. $225,000) 2009 ANDAM Award earlier this week, has confirmed that he's going to use it to take his Spring 2010 show to Paris this Fall. But in light of the recent efforts by the British Fashion Council to bring British designers back home for its 25th anniversary, Deacon, who is typically a headliner for London Fashion Week, is planning on meeting with BFC executives to try and work out a means of his label having some sort of "presence" at the upcoming LFW:  “It’s not perfect timing. I’m heading the other way, but it’s a fantastic opportunity, particularly in these times, and I have to seize it. It’s the chance to take my business to a new level.”

As for his Cruise 2010 collection, the designer went with simple, structured silhouettes in white, shades of gray, pale pink, and black.

>> Peter Dundas's debut Fall 2009 collection at Pucci was generally well-received — Carine Roitfeld and Lily Cole both ended up wearing dresses from the collection on the Cannes Film Festival red carpet — and notably took the house beyond its print heritage; the Cruise 2010 collection looks to do the same.  Dundas said he was inspired by the sea, sailors, and the sun; Perhaps we owe the influence to a recent scuba diving excursion? Dundas told Style.com that his motto is: "I dive where I go on holiday, and I go on holiday where I can dive," and that "diving definitely makes me look at color differently."

>> Just last week, Roksanda Illincic signed on with British fast fashion chain Whistles (whose chief executive Jane Shepherdson, is credited with transforming Topshop into a place for the style savvy) to do a set of seven cocktail dresses to hit stores in early September.  If her Cruise 2010 collection is any indication of what that collaboration will turn out like, expect shift dresses with shoulder pads, sculptural bows, and layers of ruffles: "I was inspired by the idea of transforming cocktail and evening dresses into something more approachable in terms of fabric," the designer explained.

>> Turns out that Riccardo Tisci is tickled that Michael Jackson has been snapped wearing one of his studded Givenchy jackets — and the studs aren't going away anytime soon.  The designer launched a mini-collection within his Cruise 2010 collection solely devoted to black pieces embellished with gold studs, and another mini-collection focusing on white blouses.  But if you want a hint at what Riccardo will do with Givenchy for Spring 2010, check out the tailored, white stretch pieces.

>> Alber Elbaz arrived in New York on Saturday to present Lanvin's Cruise 2010 collection, which is in categories based on needs — “men’s tailoring for women, capsules for traveling and weekend” — this morning.  Another one of the needs the collection addresses? How to offer special clothes without the high price tags — hence the inclusion of tees starting at $119 and cotton dresses at $450.  Alber said before that part of the collection was inspired by Damages; today he added Samantha Ronson to the list of influence.

Bazaar's Glenda Bailey brought temporary intern Tallulah Willis, who hugged the designer, to the presentation, and Alber chatted about how he worked through his recent birthday and is looking forward to a vacation: “I’m still trying to find that perfect spot. It used to be Asia. But now I’m looking all over Europe. But once you find a location, you can’t find a nice home. And once you find a nice home, you don’t like the interiors. You see, we’re very picky in this fashion industry.”