>> Is Zac Posen looking for a French runway debut to go with his French boyfriend, stylist Christopher Niquet? Posen, who just unveiled his first interior design project, reportedly told a visitor to his showroom Tuesday that he will show his Spring 2011 collection this Fall in Paris where, he said, “they understand my clothes.” He added that he was unable to secure his preferred time slot for the upcoming New York Fashion Week.

When WWD called Posen today, however, the designer said that nothing had been decided, but that “doing a fashion show in New York with today’s climate, is difficult.” He added that “my clothes are respected [in Europe].” When prompted if that was not the case in New York, Posen replied: “It’s not just about respect. It’s about the work I do, and who wears the clothes.”

>> After "plus size" model Crystal Renn walked thrice in the Chanel Cruise 2011 show, she told Fashion TV host Jeanne Beker, according to Beker's Twitter, that "she was glad Karl [Lagerfeld] used so many real women in the show and thinks it'll set a new direction in fashion..."

Andre Leon Talley seconded that emotion in a recent post on Vogue.com: "Lagerfeld had cast the show with a slightly more curvaceous model named Crystal Renn, not seen on any Chanel catwalk before. This in itself was groundbreaking for the house, but there was also the return of personality models encouraged to be themselves instead of robotic look-alikes. 'Each girl was cast because of her sense of individuality,' Lagerfeld said enthusiastically."

As for Alyona Osmanova, a former Prada and Miu Miu runway exclusive »

>> Tom Ford's Warhol Painting Goes for Record Amount; Liya Kebede Wins Award at Cannes — Just yesterday, Sotheby's sold Andy Warhol's "Self Portrait" — which was estimated to go for $15 million — for a record $32.6 million; the seller was Tom Ford. Will Ford, who was reported at the end of last year to be looking for at least $50 million to finance his womenswear collection, use the new cash to help pad the launch?  Or to fund an upcoming film?  After all, he financed A Single Man himself. And speaking of visual arts, Liya Kebede, currently in Cannes to promote her film Desert Flower, was awarded this year's Chopard Trophy for Female Revelation (which has gone in previous years to Marion Cotillard, Diane Kruger, and Ludivine Sagnier) for her breakthrough performance. [NYTimes, Style File]

André Leon Talley credits Crystal Renn's Chanel Resort walk with the "return of personality" on the runway.

YSL commemorates the relaunch of YSL.com e-shop by reissuing the Tribute Sandal and other new classics in gold.

Zac Posen designs custom interior for 16W21 luxury residence in NYC's Flatiron District.

Belenciaga ends 12-year partnership with Pierre Rougier's PR, and brings US public relations in-house.

Fashion brands play up heritage and history to appeal to consumer taste.

Source: Getty

>> Is LVMH, which has owned Kenzo since 1993, ready to put the brand on the block? WWD reports that LVMH has been gauging potential buyers' interest in the brand; sources indicate that investment firm Credit Agricole was recently hired to evaluate the French fashion house, founded in 1970 by Kenzo Takada, for a possible sale.

It seems that whether a deal actually goes through could go either way: it is understood that LVMH would be "fussy," in WWD's words, about selecting a buyer, because it aims to hold onto the Kenzo perfume business, and it's also possible that LVMH will decide to keep the brand, after all.  All a LVMH spokesman would say on the matter was, “The company does not comment on rumors."

>> Marc Jacobs Serves Jury Duty in a Kilt, Despite Lorenzo Martone's Dislike of the Look —Marc Jacobs and Lorenzo Martone are still together, despite recent rumors otherwise, and although Marc has recently been photographed wearing pants more than skirts — Lorenzo told Butt a couple of months ago of Marc's skirts: "He knows I don't love it. I mean I loved it for a couple of months. I thought, 'Okay, it was a cute joke. Get over it.' But he is in love with them. What can I say? He feels he has found his look and clearly he enjoys the attention that he gets." — Marc is back to wearing the skirts.  A Gawker tipster reports that the designer wore a red plaid kilt to jury duty on Monday and Tuesday. [Gawker]

>> Yesterday, Balenciaga announced that after 12 years of partnership with Pierre Rougier's PR Consulting, it is severing all ties and bringing US public relations in-house.  The switch is "a normal evolution," according to Lionel Vermeil, communications director for Balenciaga.

WWD cites sources, however, who say otherwise.  Some are speculating that tensions between the two rose after a Balenciaga designer left for a job with a New York-based label which PR Consulting represents (the company's stable includes Proenza Schouler, Vera Wang, Narciso Rodriguez, Rag & Bone, L'Wren Scott, and Zero + Maria Cornejo). Others suggested that Balenciaga execs were upset with what they saw as too-close similarities between Nicolas Ghesquiere's designs and those of other PR Consulting clients. The Cut notes that when Carine Roitfeld and the Vogue Paris team were banned from Balenciaga's show in March, similar rumors that Carine had loaned Max Mara a coat, which their design studio copied before sending back, popped up.

Rougier responds »