>> INSIDER WIRE —The closer to New York Fashion Week we get, the higher the toll of designers dropping their runway shows goes — two more joined the list today.  Leave it to Oscar de la Renta to buck the trend: he's adding a runway show in February, bringing his total to two, and verifying what the designer said in December: "[2008] has a been good year for me. While some businesses faced tough times, I actually added 15 employees to my company. Sales-wise, the last three months have been solid for us." [FWD]
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>> It's still two months until New York Fashion Week, but as predicted, all the cost-cutting is making some major designers shuffle their usual plans.

Vera Wang, who typically shows at the tents in Bryant Park, is downsizing to a more intimate show — 14-15 models, 100-150 guests — in her new Mercer Street store, but promises it won't be a presentation: "The intimacy of a smaller show feels much more appropriate for these times."  She says the decision is not only for financial reasons, but admits they do have an impact: "Once you go off-site, you don’t get any of the benefits that are in tents.  But by the same token, showing in the tents calls for 25 girls, and hair and make-up. It’s an incredible production."

Betsey Johnson and Carmen Marc Valvo, too, are leaving the tents behind.  Betsey has shown in Bryant Park for the past five years to a guest list of 1,000, and although she's undecided on her Fall 2009 format or location, she will be doing something different.  Carmen Marc Valvo cites high costs — typically $150,000-$200,000 each season — as his reason to pull out, and is considering switching from 1,000-guest runway format to a 200-guest cocktail party format, because the change could save 50% of his usual presentation costs.

Donna Karan already announced that her DKNY runway was being replaced with a presentation; Fewer models, fewer guests, and tight-belted presentations seem to an early Fall 2009 trend — with more announcements in the same vein sure to come.
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>> INSIDER WIRE —In this money-crunching time, major designers are expected to scale back their Fall 2009 shows come February, whether by returning to the Tents or by exchanging their $100,000-$500,000 runway shows for presentations.  Already, Donna Karan is downscaling her DKNY show to a presentation, and both Vera Wang and J.Mendel are looking at a runway alternative; more will likely follow suit. [WWD]

>> Now that the scandal with his traditional Fashion Week venue is settled, would Marc Jacobs start fresh for Fall 2009 with a new location?  Fern Mallis, who oversees New York Fashion Week organization, says that she's had "several major designers" who haven't shown in the Bryant Park tents in the past show interest in transferring back into the tents to save money.  Marc, Calvin Klein, Oscar de la Renta, is that you?

Not only is downsizing in the way of parties and events expected come February, but when runway shows can run up to $150,000 a pop, many designers — especially the less established ones — may opt for the simple presentation, maybe even sans models.  Mallis even recommends that young designers team up for a presentation with one or two other designers, to split the costs.

For sure, the worst thing that can happen for a label is the inability to show at all; As Mallis puts it, "Businesses are still in business, and they need to show that they are in business."
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>> Despite the emergency meetings held during London Fashion Week to hash out the issue, it sounds like neither Milan or New York officials would budge on their February 2009 Fashion Week dates.

Since London was left with only four days in February between the time Fall 2009 New York Fashion Week ends and Milan Fashion Week begins, the British Fashion Council has decided that one day of London Fashion Week — Feb. 20 — will overlap with New York Fashion Week.  According to Hilary Riva, chief executive of the BFC, the decision was made because "the majority of designers showing at London Fashion Week" agreed with the measures being taken.

So much for the fashion cities working together . . .
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>> Anna Wintour's words may have mended things for a few months, but ultimately, Peter Som has still decided to part ways with Bill Blass.

Som left the brand after his contract expired a week and a half ago to focus on his own label, and Prabal Gurung, longtime second-ranking design director at Bill Blass, will be working with the existing team to produce the Fall 2009 Blass collection.

As previously reported, Som was unhappy with NexCen, the owners of Bill Blass, because he felt they couldn't financially support his creative vision; The Spring 2009 show was scrapped in favor of a retailer presentation, fabric vendors and embroiderers weren't being paid in a timely manner, and according to an industry source, NexCen "knew very little about how to run a luxury brand, much less rebrand one."

NexCen is still trying to sell Blass, a process that is taking longer than expected — just one more reason Som left.  The delay in sale also caused some retailers to pass on the Spring 2009 Blass collection, due to all the uncertainty.  For a brand that could use the money, that can't be good.
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