>> Is the proliferation of sample sale websites ultimately hurting designers? The Wall Street Journal's Alexis Swerdloff thinks so. She writes: "Due to a surge in sample-sale websites like Gilt Groupe, the cachet once associated with owning a name-brand designer has been significantly diluted; getting your hands on a Marc Jacobs bag is easier than it's ever been. This, combined with a post-recession wariness of conspicuous logo-flaunting and an eco-fueled desire for small-batch, low-impact authenticity, may be shifting the nature of luxury. It's no longer about who made your dress, but at what out-of-the-way dusty market you found it. Call it the Eat, Pray, Love-ization of fashion." [WSJ]

>> Is change on the horizon for the house of Pierre Cardin? There are certainly rumors floating around that would perpetrate as much. Earlier this month, shortly after Hedi Slimane confirmed that he plans to return to fashion design, commenters on The Imagist suggested that he may be headed to Pierre Cardin. And then this morning, The Imagist himself tweeted, "You will witness the return of Pierre Cardin to ultra-blue chip relevancy," suggesting that something is indeed a-brewing.

Just last week, Cardin said that in light of his age, he wants to hand his empire over to new owners soon: “A decision is fairly imminent. I want to do it this year. I am almost 89, you know. I might be alert for another two, three years, but after that, I’ll be a little bit senile.”

His minimum asking price remains one billion euros ($1.4 billion), despite criticism that the price is too steep for a business based mainly on licenses. “I field offers every single day,” Cardin noted. “Let’s do the math briefly. There are some 100 clothing products for men, women and children. There are roughly 100 countries. On average, I’m asking for one million euros [$1.4 million] per product and per country. That’s 10 billion euros. Wouldn’t you give one million euros to own the license for Pierre Cardin suits, for example? It’s nothing.”

Cardin added that he is currently leaning towards a plan by British-based investors to list the company on the stock exchange and keep him on as CEO. But, as WWD notes: "The famously mercurial designer could still change his mind."

>> Tommy Hilfiger is said to be among those planning to privately invest in Michael Kors, WWD reports. Kors is reportedly seeking as much as $500 million to fund its global expansion plans, and hired Morgan Stanley to sell an equity stake of approximately 25 percent. The round of financing has since closed and is expected to be finalized next month.

Hilfiger, who put money into Belstaff earlier this month, declined to comment on whether he would invest in Kors, too, but did say: “Anybody would be crazy not to invest in it. Michael Kors is the next major global player in my eyes.”

If Hilfiger were to participate in this new round of funding for Kors, he would be joining his previous investment partners Joel Horowitz, Silas Chou, and Lawrence Stroll, all of whom were the original investors in Tommy Hilfiger (The latter two, Chou and Stroll, bought Michael Kors in 2003 for a reported $100 million.). “For over 20 years, we’ve invested in things together," Hilfiger noted. "If they ask me, of course I’ll invest [in Kors]."

Kors, which generates about $900 million in volume, is expected to do private placement funding followed by an initial public offering right away; some are estimating the company could be valued at over $2 billion. This strategy is notable because there hasn't been an American designer IPO in some time — Donna Karan and Ralph Lauren did theirs in the late '90s. More recently, brands have typically been bought up by larger players or conglomerates.

>> Despite reports late last week that LVMH was considering re-hiring John Galliano to design for his eponymous label, it's not happening. LVMH chief Bernard Arnault laid any rumors to rest on Saturday, when he said of Galliano: “He will not be working for LVMH.” Arnault added that after Galliano's arrest and dismissal from Dior and LVMH, “he didn’t have the simple politeness to contact me.”

When asked if he had been concerned about Galliano's behavior and absences from work in recent years, Sidney Toledano, CEO at both John Galliano and Christian Dior, replied: “There were concerns, and we warned him officially. I’ve talked to the lawyers for years.”

A new designer, meanwhile, is stepping into Galliano's shoes — at least at his namesake label. Bill Gaytten, who worked beside Galliano in his studio for 23 years, took a bow at the end of the Galliano Spring 2012 menswear show in Paris on Friday (which featured Galliano lookalikes) and is set to succeed Galliano at the creative helm of the collection, Toledano confirmed.

Gaytten oversaw the men's collection from conception to runway. “It’s the same job for me; I’ve been doing it for a long time,” he said. “It was a bit different because John wasn’t there.” He then confessed: “I’m dying to know what he thinks!”

Gaytten is also the studio team leader for Dior's Fall 2011 couture show next week, fueling speculation that he might be a contender to succeed Galliano at Dior, as well. Toledano declined comment on that search.