>> Designers have been flocking back to London Fashion Week for Spring 2010 to help celebrate the event's 25th anniversary — the latest convert is Jasmine Di Milo — but London is also losing a few headliners: first Giles Deacon, and now Acquascutum.  The latter brand, which has been under turmoil as of late after a failed buyout attempt led by former CEO Kim Winser — who promptly left the company afterwards — has been up for sale by parent company Renown since last year.  

Renown is currently in advanced talks with its Chinese licensee YGM Trading Ltd, but today released this statement: “While Renown awaits a sale of Aquascutum, they are consolidating their investment in the business during this period, and will therefore not show this September.”

Meanwhile, Paris Fashion Week is said to be getting a little Los Angeles flavor: Christian Audigier says he's showing there for Spring 2010 this October and promises a performance by an unnamed "big celebrity" name. 

>> Anna Wintour Goes To London For Bob Upkeep —Malaysia's New Straits Times recently chatted with Charlie Chan of London's Michaeljohn salon, who claims to be the man behind Anna Wintour's signature bob: "Anna has always had a bob, a long bob. I did the short power bob.”  When asked if he has ever tried to get her to change up her style, he replied: “I tried, but she would not have it any other way. But the bob suits her. It suits a certain face. It works best on a thin, Oriental face, a slim person.” On how she is while in his chair: “Anna doesn’t talk much as she is usually working when I do her hair. There are constant text messages and faxes coming in from New York. She’s always cutting and pasting all the time, working all the time, in direct contact with New York.” [New Strait Times, Grazia]

First Look: Lily Allen for Chanel.

Jean Paul Gaultier opens his Paris couture house for a music video.

Aquascutum ditches London Fashion Week due to pending business matters.

J Brand launches Fall ad campaign starring Freja Beja Erichsen

Ann-Sofie Back at Cheap Monday for Spring 2010

>> As a followup to the iconic commercial with Agyness Deyn for his Ma Dame fragrance, Jean Paul Gaultier got together with Parisian DJ and producer Martin Solveig — who he met at an exhibition last year — to make a music video for Solveig's song, "Boys & Girls."  The video, which features Solveig and Martina Sorbara from Canadian group Dragonette wearing the same outfit Agyness did, was filmed in Jean Paul Gaultier's couture house on rue Saint-Martin in Paris. Gaultier makes a cameo at the beginning.

The video! »

>> Even More Concerns About the Costume Institute Gala's Future Surface —The 2010 Costume Institute Gala rumors keep coming, and we don't even have a theme yet.  There will supposedly be slashed budgets and less star power — both celebrity and designer-wise — and a newly-appointed Vogue director of special events, Sylvana Soto-Ward, to oversee it all.  But the reservations don't stop there: According to an insider, Soto-Ward has never done any big event planning: "Sylvana didn't even plan her own engagement party — Anna Wintour had the in-house events team produce it for her. They've even pushed out [former director of special events] Stephanie [Winston Wolkoff]'s assistant and hired a consultant and some other assistants to operate as the real workhorses and pick up the slack." A Vogue spokesperson voiced no concern: "Anna has every confidence in Sylvana, and when anyone new comes in, departments are restructured." [NY Post]

>> Betsey Johnson recently told The Cut that she and her partner have been working on a succession plan for over a year, adding: “I should be retired. I’m basically screwing up because I’m not retired. I’d like to go in four days a month, something like that.”

She mentioned a possible replacement designer in Eric Sartori, who has worked for Vera Wang and Herve Leger, and added that she wanted to hand over the reins after her Spring 2010 show at New York Fashion Week in September: "But I’ll be a megaconsultant. I’ll go in. I want to be like Ralph [Lauren]. Like, I always imagined the perfect life is like Ralph, where he goes in, and his wonderful expert crews show him work, and he goes, 'Love it, love it, love it, um, we’ll just put that aside for the moment, love it, love it, hmmm.' You know what I mean?"

Today, it's a different story »

>> Rachel Zoe Finishes Filming This Week, Is Launching Newsletter —Rachel Zoe is back in Los Angeles after three weeks in New York, and she finishes filming season two of The Rachel Zoe Project — which premieres Aug. 25 on Bravo — this week.  Never one to take time off, she announced a new website and an upcoming lifestyle newsletter, "The Zoe Report," last night. [BlackBook]