>> Last night, with the help of keynote speaker Alber Elbaz, who doled out gems on the perils of success — "It's like a bottle of perfume. You smell it, you don't sniff it or drink it" — Alaia veteran and Michelle Obama favorite Sophie Theallet took home the 2009 Vogue/Fashion Fund prize of $200,000 and a year of mentoring.  Fellow nominees Patrik Ervell and Monique Pean were named runners-up, and received $50,000 each plus a business mentor.

In her speech, Anna Wintour said that in addition to the US, Italy, and the UK — which just started a similar talent-nurturing program — she just met with the French minister of culture about mirroring the contest there. "And Brazil, India, Russia, and China aren't far behind."

Theallet Tweeted of her win: "my american dream comes true tonight thanks and much love to all of you!xox."  Cathy Horyn, too, weighed in on the choice:

"The money and the mentoring will help Ms. Theallet because she needs to be able to offer more range in her collection, as well as expand her production options. She has such a distinctly feminine eye, and the skills, that I’ve often wondered why a big retailer doesn’t ask Ms. Theallet to design some blouses and summer dresses for them, using the store’s resources and manufacturing connections."

Videos of the nominees going through the competition and the awards ceremony last night can be seen here and here, respectively.

>> Last night, Anna Wintour hosted a premiere of The September Issue (which opens Aug. 28 in NYC, Sept. 11 nationwide), and no one dared be late.  Arrivals were scheduled to start at 7 pm, but Anna appeared and was joined (despite all the digs about her appearance she receives in the film) by September 2007 cover girl Sienna Miller promptly at 6:45 pm.  Even Sean Combs and entourage, when realizing they were late, "sprinted across the lobby," the New York Observer reports.

Despite the general consensus that the film's true star is Grace Coddington, last night was all about Anna.  Grace and Andre Leon Talley both avoided being photographed on the red carpet, and it appears that Vogue staffers were required to wear t-shirts for Fashion's Night Out (Anna's pro-shopping pet project) to the event.  Grace did comment on her portrayal in the film, however:

I hate to say it, but true to life! A very annoying person. But it’s not really bickering. It’s a process you have to go through for the job we do and it just makes everything stronger. Whatever gets through is then very valid and very strong. I think they focused on me in the movie because I’m a bit more outspoken and because I don’t care about the cameras, I’ll say whatever I want to say and I won’t hold back.

Bee Shaffer, who attended in Proenza Schouler and reminded her mother to put on her sunglasses while on the red carpet (which Anna duly did), thought her own scene in the film was "so embarassing":

It’s funny because that was two years ago and I wanted to go to law school then and that’s basically all I’m talking about and now I don’t want to go to law school at all so . . . [I] still don’t want to work in fashion, that was never a possibility. Now I’d like to work in theater.

Marc Jacobs, who was apparently speaking with a French accent, had his own Anna tribute to share. "She’s a risk-taker unafraid of taking chances. She doesn’t suck up,” he said. “And she’s been very good to me on a personal level as well. When I was having some personal problems, Anna was always there for me. She’s very maternal and caring to people she cares about."

>> 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!!"

>> It's officially happened — the first US Topshop is open (view inside), and frenzy was just as expected — funnily enough, the women at the front of the line this morning were from England, and flew in expressly for the store opening.  Christopher Kane was inside, even though he doesn't currently have a line for the store, and Marc Jacobs showed up with Lorenzo Martone last night, answering yesterday's question of his whereabouts.

Right at 11 am, when Kate Moss was supposed to make her appearance, employees encouraged the crowd to chant "Kate, Kate," and apparently she came out with Sir Philip Green, stood on a box as confetti fell, and did her catwalk around the box, all in about ten seconds before the doors were opened, she did a little dance (video), and disappeared — she's already been spotted at Pastis since.  But she has been doing quite the publicity blitz, revealing her list of loves to Style.com, and doing video interviews with the Telegraph and Teen Vogue.

Sir Philip Green is certainly coasting on the hype — two parties the past two nights, a VIP shopping event marked by Anna Wintour and Bee Shaffer appearances, and another party tonight — but will Topshop's cachet remain now that it's more accessible?  Jezebel's reporting that they're keeping the store empty and the line long to create hype, so we'll have to see if it works.
*image: source, source

>> Last night, Valentino Garavani and Giancarlo Giammetti were in New York to fete the opening of Valentino: The Last Emperor — arguably their biggest Manhattan party ever, between the screening and the dinner for 200 of fashion's finest (including Anna Wintour, Anja Rubik, Jason Wu, and Chanel Iman) at the Plaza's Oak Room.  The designer's six pugs Molly, Milton, Monty, Margot, Maude, and Maggie, who director Matt Tyrnauer has dubbed "the costars of the film," weren't present — according to Valentino, "they're getting some time away from me in Italy" — but maybe that's a good thing: Karolina Kurkova admitted, “they’re really not nice to everybody” and Gwyneth Paltrow agreed, calling the pugs "kind of mean."

When Giancarlo Giammetti was asked about his comment on film that the designer looked too tan, he was quick to explain, "We'd come from the beach, and we were about to show summer suits, and he just . . . it just seemed like too much. But it was one time, and one time only."  And as for those rumors that he was back to helping out at Valentino for Fall 2009, Garavani denied having any hand in it, "No, not at all.  Very far from the truth. I don’t think about it. I wish my assistants to do the best. It’s a big job, though, and to know my name goes on the designs, I want them to do the best.”

Meanwhile, the film seems to have already inspired at least one person — Zac Posen. "I wouldn't mind being followed around too for two years.  It's all about having the right collaborators."
*image: source, source, filmmagic