>> As this year's Cannes Film Festival wound down Friday, fashion fixtures were still going strong that afternoon — Carine Roitfeld pulled out her favorite floppy hat and pair of flats for the Amend Charity Luncheon at Hotel du Cap, Stefano Gabbana hosted Claudia Schiffer and Eva Herzigova on his yacht, and then they all convened that night for Dolce & Gabbana's annual "Fabulous in Cannes" bash at Le Baoli.

The party's guest list was reduced significantly from previous years, and the VIP room completely abolished, but sunglasses were handed out to guests because, Gabbana explained, “All the movie stars wore sunglasses in the Fifties, and at the end of the night when you’re drunk, it’s always better to have a pair.”

Carine, her son Vladimir Restoin-Roitfeld, Anna Dello Russo, Vogue Russia's editor Aliona Doletskaya, Eva, Claudia and a smattering of British it girls all hit the mirrored dance floor, while Natasha Poly reflected on her festival experience: "I'm having so much fun here in Cannes, I already forgot about the stresses of the campaign season. That felt like ages ago."

Host Domenico, too, was elated: "This has truly become our favorite little party of the year.  We come here and spend time on Stefano's yacht, see friends, and really leave happy and relaxed."  Unfortunately the relaxation didn't last long — as of Monday, the duo could be liable for more than a billion dollars in unpaid taxes, an Italian police spokeswoman confirmed.

The designers have already released a statement denying any wrongdoing — “It’s a paradox! Since when does one have to pay taxes on money one never actually collected? It’s an absurd demand based on a completely abstract calculation. This higher taxable sum . . . is a virtual figure we have never received, the result of a theoretical accounting exercise” — and vow to "strenuously defend ourselves to avoid being unjustly forced to pay for something that never existed in the first place.”

>> This evening's amfAR Cinema Against AIDS gala in Cannes promised the appearances of chairs Donatella Versace and Carine Roitfeld, and it more than delivered.  Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana, who are hosting their annual blowout tomorrow night, have officially docked their "mirrored floating disco" yacht, according to T's Stefano Tonchi, and joined in on the fun.  Natasha Poly, who needed the help of two women to get into her Cavalli gown yesterday, reappeared in a leopard dress.  Claudia Schiffer made her first red carpet appearance of the festival.  And Carine Roitfeld made the rounds, stopping to chat with Twilight's Robert Pattinson.

>> The Cannes Film Festival is well underway and with the red carpet fashion such a focus, it's no surprise that some of the industry's finest are out in full form.  Roberto Cavalli, who like last year continues to offer his yacht up to guests and score a number of red carpet moments — including dressing Natasha Poly for today's Inglourious Basterds premiere — was spotted riding around atop a Segway.  Georgina Chapman is also in town, cinching Marchesa dress appearances on the likes of Penelope Cruz yesterday and Diane Kruger today.

Lily Cole, in Cannes for her own upcoming movie premiere, stepped out with boyfriend Enrique Murciano on Monday. "I've been studying the history of art in college," she told FWD. "But the gorgeous beach and sun is what everyone needs with two weeks left in the semester!"  Carine Roitfeld, who will have her big red carpet moment tomorrow at the amfAR benefit, appeared in lacy Balmain at a premiere today with Patrick Demarchelier.

Balenciaga muse Charlotte Gainsbourg debuted a Fall 2009 dress from the label at her Antichrist premiere, Eva Herzigova showed up in a sheer dress for the second year in a row, and Doutzen Kroes also popped up wearing Alaia, of which she tweeted, "So excited he lets me wear his dress!!"

>> While the editors at Elle are making lists of what the economy has forced them to give up (bottled water, working out with a trainer) and what necessities they can't bear to part with (haircuts at Fekkai, Wolford tights, monthly facials), their counterparts at French Elle are preparing to do something novel.  This week's issue, which hits newsstands Saturday, features Eva Herzigova, Inès de la Fressange, and actresses Monica Bellucci, Sophie Marceau, Anne Parillaud, Karin Viard, Charlotte Rampling, and Chiara Mastroianni, who all agreed to appear without any makeup or retouching.  Peter Lindbergh did the honors, and inside the magazine, five more unnamed celebrities are promised.
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>> Paris Fashion Week starts tomorrow, but fashion folk couldn't leave Milan without hitting up the Palazzo della Ragione last night for one last Milanese shindig, courtesy of Anna Wintour, Domenico Dolce, and Stefano Gabbana.  The launch for the "Extreme Beauty in Vogue" exhibition — which Anna selected 89 images for — the party was likened to the Milanese equivalent of the Costume Institute Gala; in other words, the week's hottest ticket.  Karl Lagerfeld made a beeline for the photos after mugging for a few cameras, while Anna was trailed by 60 Minutes's Morley Safer and Carine Roitfeld by CNN: “I am being followed round all the shows, and they are doing lots of interviews.  But you won’t be seeing me naked.”  Miuccia Prada sported one of her new Fall 2009 gladiatorial dresses, and rounding out the fashion wattage a troika of supermodels: two we see quite a bit of (Claudia Schiffer, Eva Herzigova) and one we do not (Nadja Auermann).
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>> Natalia Vodianova has been chatting up her collaboration with Etam for a while — and last night, the French lingerie company shelled out for their newly-signed three year ambassador, staging a full-blown show at the Ritz in Paris that drew the likes of Eva Herzigova, Emmanuelle Alt, and Charlotte Casiraghi in the front row and Edita Vilkeviciute, Sigrid Agren, Flavia Oliveira, and Sessilee Lopez on the runway.  Natalia pour Etam, which encompasses swimwear and lingerie, including a silk nightgown inspired by one in Natalia's own wardrobe, runs $20-$80 and hits stores in April.  The line will be reoccurring, with Natalia designing a new collection every season over the period of her ambassadorship.
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>> Today, Valentino: The Last Emperor, Matt Tyrnauer's fly-on-the-wall documentary that follows the designer from June 2005 to June 2007, debuted at the Venice Film Festival. Valentino favorite Natalia Vodianova was in attendance, and Valentino successor Alessandra Facchinetti even showed up for support. 

The designer says that during filming, he didn't try to hide anything from the cameras, even when he got into a disagreement with his longtime business partner Giancarlo Giammetti:

When I work and I create, I am not very approachable. To . . . know everything I say was being recorded did irritate me. There were moments of anger, when somebody says something that I don't like, but I was completely myself from the beginning to the end and nothing was edited.

Director Tyrnauer praised Valentino for his willingness to be "wired" for two years and allowing himself to be depicted on film "warts and all," adding that there were very few times when he asked that the cameras be turned off: "They only screamed at us occasionally and we put most of it in the film."

One such moment?  When Valentino, exasperated by the chaos backstage at one of his shows, proclaims, "People must learn that they have to follow me. They must be down on their knees in front of me!"

Valentino had no editorial control over the film, and apparently isn't always portrayed in the best of lights, but Karl Lagerfeld seems to think the world of his fellow designer: “Compared to you, darling,” he says in the film, “the rest of us are making rags.”
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>> A Louis Vuitton ad is a Louis Vuitton ad: big name model (or actress), saturated color, Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott involved . . . but I would have never placed Queens as the brand's choice campaign background.  And yet, here it is — Eva Herzigova holding her LV handbags high, sticking her LV monogrammed leg out, all with the Unisphere in the background.

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