>> New York Fashion Week is less than a week away, and the tidbits are flowing freely — a compilation of the highlights from the past couple of days:

Double (or Triple) Duty Presentations

• Gareth Pugh confirmed that he will be showing a video directed by Ruth Hogben on Sept. 13 to "set the mood for [his] catwalk show that will take place as usual in Paris." After the private showing, he'll screen the short film in public nearby — get your name on the guest list via MAC's Facebook page. [Style File]
• Temperley London is taking their interactive Spring 2010 multimedia presentation on the road for the second time, starting in New York Sept. 15 before evolving in format for London Fashion Week and then again in Paris, where it will become an exhibit.  The film aspect, plus stills and a behind-the-scenes cut will be readily available online on Temperley's new website.

First look at Yoko Ono for threeASFOUR, and Karl Lagerfeld's attendance status answered »

>> Linda Evangelista Scores Fall 2009 Galliano Campaign —Linda Evangelista is suddenly everywhere: the August 2009 Vogue Italia cover, the upcoming issue of V magazine; she was photographed last week for W's November 2009 Art issue (and may be in the running for the cover?), and now she's appearing in John Galliano's Fall 2009 campaign. [TFS] 

>> Linda Evangelista Recreates Religious Procession in New York, Supposedly for W —Yesterday, Linda Evangelista was captured in the midst of a religious-themed photoshoot in SoHo thought to be for W magazine.  She stood on a stage, arms out and palms up, as a flock of men dressed in black feigned appearing to carry her. [Daily Mail, Socialite Life]

UPDATE: The shoot was styled by Camilla Nickerson and is for the W's November 2009 Art issue. [Ellen Christine Millinery]

*image: Wenn.com

>> INSIDER WIRE —It was appropriate that the same day Anna Wintour went on record citing preference for actress Vogue covers, the supermodels boycotted her main event.  Well, apparently it wasn't just all about the Alaia snub: they felt that they should have had co-hosting duties alongside Kate Moss.  Only thing is, Kate had the money to back her up — Sir Philip Green supposedly paid up to make it all happen.  The Imagist warns about expecting another Vogue model cover anytime soon, but the editors over at Harper's Bazaar are supposedly at work recreating the iconic Peter Lindbergh motorcycle shoot with all the supermodels. [The Imagist]

>> Anna Wintour received criticism yesterday for co-opting the Met's reputation for her own means, but new Costume Institute Gala-related developments snuff out those complaints in a second.  Seven models — including Naomi Campbell, Stephanie Seymour, and Linda Evangelista — were to wear Azzedine Alaia creations to the gala tonight, but the designer has asked them not to wear the dresses because his work, though strongly tied to a number of the supermodels' careers, has no place in this year's exhibit, save for one photograph.

As a result, Naomi Campbell — as rumored — plus some of the other (unnamed) models will not be attending tonight in a gesture to the designer. A spokeswoman for Campbell confirmed this afternoon: “As Naomi has been the muse of Azzedine Alaia for 23 years, she feels she doesn’t want to attend unless she can represent his work.”  No word on whether Seymour and Evangelista will do the same.

Alaia blames Anna Wintour for the omission »

>> THE MODELIZER — Linda Evangelista on her first Steven Meisel shoot ever: "It was the beginning of our story.  I remember I heard something about how they loved my knees. As a model, you are never referred to as a whole person. You are dissected into little pieces. I thought maybe they were being sarcastic, because I got teased my whole life about my knees. There were also comments about my gums. I was like, 'My gums?' I didn't think that my gums would stand out. [Laughs]  So, there you go. My knees and my gums." [Style.com]
*image: source

>> INSIDER WIRE —This year's Costume Insitute Gala, dedicated to "The Model as Muse," is just over a month away.  It's a little too early to know who will be wearing whom — although Chanel Iman hinted she may be accompanying Jason Wu — but as for the exhibit, it will be comprised predominantly of photographs rather than clothing as in years past, and the supermodels of the '80s and '90s — Cindy Crawford, Christy Turlington, Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista, and Kate Moss — will be the main focus. [FWD] 
*image: source

>> He may be one of the lesser knowns of a design generation that includes Valentino Garavani, Yves Saint Laurent, Karl Lagerfeld, and Giorgio Armani, but at 68, Azzedine Alaia has carved out a niche of his own.  Like Armani, Alaia owns his business, allowing him to design his way — as Stephanie Seymour, who spoke with the designer for March 2009 Interview puts it — "usually very late at night with an old film playing in the background."  More elusive than Marc Jacobs but more forthcoming than Martin Margiela, a window into Alaia's world is always a treat; More from Seymour and the man she refers to as "Papa":

Alaia was fired from Christian Dior after five days.

I met my best friend, Leila, whose mother had connections to clients of Christian Dior in Paris, and eventually someone asked if I could come work there. I got the job. But when I arrived, it was the end of the Algerian War [1962]. After five days there they said to me, "You can't work here any longer. You're a foreigner."

"I have such fond memories . . ." »

>> Last week, PPR/Gucci Group CEO Francois-Henri Pinault was rumored to be the father of French cabinet member Rachida Dati's daughter.  His spokesperson begs to differ: "Not true.  We deny it totally."

But this isn't the first time Pinault has become embroiled in a game of "Who's the father?" — in 2006, Linda Evangelista gave birth to a baby boy, and opted not to reveal the paternity.  At the time, Canadian Hello! quoted her saying the father was "a New York architect," but another source said it was Pinault.  Her agent denied everything: "Not true. She has never said who the father is."

As for the one child under three Pinault has acknowledged — Valentina Paloma, by Salma Hayek — there seems to something still going on between her parents.  The two announced their engagement in March 2007, but then called it off in July 2008, no reason given.  Since then, they have been spotted together numerous times — and not just when Valentina is around.

Last night, when Salma appeared on Late Show with David Letterman, Dave grilled her: "I understand you kids are engaged, is there going to be a wedding soon?"  She didn't correct him, instead replying in a way that genuinely seemed unsure: "I don't know, I don't know . . . Maybe . . . but then again maybe not."  But then Dave also referred to Pinault as her husband, and she didn't correct him then, either, so who knows . . .
*image: source