>> INSIDER WIRE —Bruce Weber popped up Tuesday to be honored alongside Liya Kebede at a gala in memory of former Vogue photographer Gordon Parks, marking his first time in New York after an extended absence. “I’ve been traveling on the road a lot and this is my first time back in the city, so I’m a little in shock. I have six dogs so we’re traveling and I’ve met some real American characters.”  He was apparently in a jovial mood, and expressed his adoration for Kate Moss: “I photographed her when she first came here. It was her first job, and we’ve traveled a lot together. I really love her as a friend.” [Modelinia]

>> INSIDER WIRE —Now that Elle has signed on for the second season of The City, cameras are already rolling within their offices — last week, they apparently filmed a scene which included yelling in the fashion department, but editor-in-chief Robbie Myers feels like it's a good fit: “They actually blend in really well.  It’s been interesting to see who embraces it and who runs from the cameras.”  In the spirit of new endeavors, the magazine published two different versions of the June 2009 cover, featuring Megan Fox, as part of a test concept — one of Fox in a typical Elle pose, and one with Fox in a more provocative pose. [The Cut Twitter, WWD]

>> After weeks of speculation, Versace CEO Giancarlo Di Risio, who has been with the company since 2004, is expected to hand in his resignation at a board meeting on Friday.  Despite the fact that Di Risio worked closely with Donatella Versace to make her collections less flashy and returned the house to profit, the company has been under strain from declining sales, and its board recently approved a restructuring plan which effectively sidelines the chief executive.

Di Risio is said to have clashed with Donatella on a number of levels — he disagreed with her lavish lifestyle, according to recent articles in the Italian media, and pushed her to simplify her designs so that the house could introduce accessories and clothes with lower prices.

Donatella wanted to spend $140K a day on Mario Testino, Di Risio didn't. »

>> INSIDER WIRE —Peter Copping is busy preparing his first collection for Nina Ricci — a capsule resort collection, which is expected to be unveiled later this month — and in the meantime, the house is trying to clear out all trace of Olivier Theyskens.  On Friday, its holding a major one-off sale in Paris, with catwalk pieces and ready-to-wear spanning several seasons, as well as shoes and accessories going for as little as 40 euros ($55). [WWD]

>> Andre Leon Talley has been eliciting remarks for the rose-hued Prada coat and "raspberry velvet" custom-made Manolo Blahnik sandals he's been wearing around town to the resort shows — Diane von Furstenberg's and Oscar de la Renta's among them — but he had some remarks of his own on the 60 Minutes profile of Anna Wintour.

"I was really impressed with their research," Andre told Mediabistro yesterday, adding that he found reporter Morley Safer to be "a bit dismissive" of fashion and its players, particularly when he likened Karl Lagerfeld to Dracula — "He's had that look for eight years!"  As for Anna's thoughts on the piece, Andre said that she was "thrilled. It's 60 Minutes — she was on the same show as Secretary Gates. It was fabulous."

Other things that are "fabulous" »

>> INSIDER WIRE —Carine Roitfeld dedicated the entire February 2009 issue of Vogue Paris to Lara Stone, and now it sounds like an upcoming issue of Vogue Paris will be dedicated to Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin — they are photographing the entire thing, cover to cover.  Recent rumors have placed the duo shooting Jacquetta Wheeler with Shalom Harlow and Sessilee Lopez with "the fastest rising new Asian star on the scene" and a recent VP cover girl for the magazine — perhaps it's all for this issue? [TFS, The Imagist, The Imagist]