>> Kris Van Assche Makes First US Trip While at Dior Homme for Fashion's Night Out — Kris Van Assche is making his first official press trip stateside since he started at Dior Homme in March 2007 — and the event is open to the public. In honor of Fashion's Night Out in New York, he's making a personal appearance Sept. 10 on the third floor at Barneys from 8-9 PM, where he will be available for chatting and signing Dior Homme sneakers. [FNO]

>> INSIDER WIRE —Earlier this week, deputy managing director at Christian Dior (and LVMH heiress) Delphine Arnault sat front row at Gareth Pugh's debut menswear show, prompting rumors that he is being looked at to either consult for Dior Homme or perhaps take over from Kris van Assche.  So far, there's only been denial from both camps — Delphine chalked her appearance up to "always [being] interested in young designers," and a Pugh spokesman assured: "There have been no discussions whatsoever with Dior or LVMH about any kind of design role." [WWD]
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>> Leave it to Fashion Week to turn up a juicy rumor or two.  Currently being served up?  The future of Gareth Pugh.  At his premiere menswear show in Paris last night, an unexpected front row guest — LVMH heiress Delphine Arnault — caused a lot of chatter.  Arnault, who is the second largest shareholder in LVMH after her father Bernard, is not known for staying out late, much less for a show which started an hour late at 10 pm on a rainy Sunday night.

After the show, which she deemed, "Beautiful, amazing," Delphine went backstage to congratulate Gareth.  The designer has recently been talking about making more wearable pieces, and Arnault's appearance could be more than coincidence.  As the Telegraph reports, "The word is out that someone very big wants to harness his talent, because it could be just the spark to reignite a moribund menswear market."  Grazia has heard from several sources that that "very big" someone is LVMH's Dior Homme, who is about to tap Pugh as a consultant.
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»What did the men of Rag & Bone do with all those Swarovski crystals they won along with their 2007 Swarovski Award for Menswear? [Fashionista]

»Julia Stegner, Nicole Trunfio, Julia Restoin-Roitfeld, Egle Tvirbutaite and more celebrate 10 years of Milk Studios [Of The Minute]

»Carla Bruni-Sarkozy continues her brand loyalty by wearing a Dior Homme tuxedo in her new album promo images [WWD]

»More on Daphne Guinness's "scorching and controversial" September 2008 Vogue Italia shoot [Page Six]

»Francisco Costa gifted CK Jeans face Toni Garrn a dress after she told him she loved it [Chic Report]

»Christopher Kane, Erdem, Marios Schwab, and Roksanda Ilincic all received funding from the British Fashion Council [Vogue UK]

»Vivienne Westwood did like the clothes in Sex and the City, after all [The Cut]

»A peek at Georgina Stoljilkovic for Philosophy di Alberta Ferretti Fall 2008 [Models.com]

»Stylists Leslie Fremar and Annabel Tollman move into an office space together [FWD]

Carine Roitfeld with Kanye West, Dior Homme Spring 2009 Show; Paris, June 29.
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»Is Dior Homme trying to get Hedi Slimane back? [Fashionista]

»Julia Restoin-Roitfeld's boyf Magnus Berger has a new magazine, The Last, out in September [FWD]

»Agyness Deyn recorded her first single, was snapped holding hands with The Strokes guitarist Albert Hammond Jr. [Chic Report, Just Jared]

»Alana Zimmer, Behati Prinsloo, and Rachel Clark went to an S&M festival last Sunday [Supreme Being]

»Gerard Darel replaced Charlotte Gainsbourg, who has been their face since 2003, with Meryl Streep's daughter Mamie Gummer for their Fall 2008 campaign [WWD]

»Naomi Campbell wore the same dress to Nelson Mandela's birthday dinner that Stephanie Seymour wore to the Costume Institute Gala [FabSugar]

»Full Giambattista Valli, Balenciaga Resort 2009 collections [Style.com, Style.com]