>> Halston Bides Time Until Marios Schwab With Perfume-Inspired Spring 2010 Collection — Marios Schwab's first Halston collection doesn't turn up until next season — for Fall 2010 — so the Halston design team of eight whipped up a collection inspired by the brand's perfume bottle (Olivier Theyskens used a similar idea with Nina Ricci's L’air du temps bottle when he was still at the label). Two of the fragrance's top notes, Lavender and Poppy, inspired the color palette, and Dree Hemingway popped by the presentation today. [Style.com, Heard on the Runway, J. Logan Horne Twitter]

>> Over the weekend, a "strongly worded letter" from Vogue UK's Alexandra Shulman "sent to scores of designers in Europe and America" — including Prada, Versace, Yves Saint Laurent, and Chanel — was leaked to the Times UK in what some are calling a publicity stunt.

In the letter, Shulman exhumed the size zero fight, accusing designers of an "increasingly disturbing" practice of sending fashion magazines "minuscule" clothes for photo shoots. "I am finding that the feedback from my readers and the general feeling in the UK is that people don't really want to see such thin girls."

She noted that the samples sent were becoming "substantially smaller": "Nowadays, I often ask the photographers to retouch to make the models appear larger." Furthermore, she wrote: "We have now reached a point where many of the sample sizes don't comfortably fit even the established star models. Instead, we are having to use girls with jutting bones and no breasts or hips, to fit them."

So who's with her? »

>> INSIDER WIRE —Marios Schwab was just named the new creative director at Halston, but apparently it's not the first job he's been in the running for: "This was my second or third time in talks with a house, and we’re living in such a weird time, I was skeptical that the Halston people would go with a relatively young, relatively conceptual designer." [Style File]

>> Marios Schwab's appointment to head up Halston just came two days ago, and already he's feeling the gravity that comes with a major fashion post: "Of course I feel the pressure. It's a huge challenge but fashion at the moment needs innovation. . . I'm just trying to be humble and see a nice challenge. It's going to take time."

But at the same time, he's excited: "It's a dream - to bring your creative force to a different brand. I love Halston. We share a very similar frame of simplicity and elegance as well as the technical approach. I've been an admirer for a long time."

While Halston will definitely be a priority for Schwab, it sounds like he values the ability to have his hands in two different pots. "I would be hesitant to do just one thing — it's important to be able to create and be open-minded." And despite moving to New York for Halston, he "hope[s]" to continue showing Marios Schwab in London. "I wish for London to support me. I love the thought of having two fashion metropolises. London is amazing inspiration and New York is an interesting place to be — it's important what comes out of them."

>> Marios Schwab is moving to New York to take over at Halston.  His impending appointment as creative director was suggested back in March, but now it's official.  He starts July 1, and his first collection for the label will be for the Fall 2010 season next February.  He plans to continue designing his eponymous label.  

In fact, it was the Spring 2009 designs for his own label that caught the attention of Halston execs. “He used a lot of jersey in the collection in a very modern way,” Halston CEO Bonnie Takhar said. “The silhouettes were also very fluid, and we thought they had a very modern Halston interpretation.”

As for Marios, he's already got big ideas for the brand:

While Halston’s DNA is crucial to its future success, I very much wish to move the brand forward and make it relevant for today.  Simple, effortless pieces realized via modern [fabrics] and technology will play a large role in how I will redefine the brand. The clothes will echo the heritage but with a very distinctive, modern feel that is completely new and completely now.

>> An in-house team has produced the last two Halston collection since Marco Zanini left, but the search is still on for a creative director.  Sources say that young London talent Marios Schwab might be the man — he's apparently been in talks with the brand — but Bonnie Takhar, Halston CEO, wouldn't confirm anything. “We have been looking at all options in the market, but we have made no decisions.”

If Schwab were to take the job, would he be required to shutter his eponymous label?  Increasingly, brands are looking for devoted creative directors who don't have to split time between labels; in fact, a lot of brands are digging up designers who have never helmed a label before: Vionnet just hired Prada alum Rodolfo Paglialunga, Nina Ricci is supposedly going with Louis Vuitton-trained Peter Copping, Valentino recently promoted accessory designers Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli, and Chloe decided on alum Hannah MacGibbon.

Hiring designers: it's not what it used to be »

>> INSIDER WIRE —Speaking of awards, Rodarte won double honors — 100,000 euros for the Swiss Textiles Award, the first American designers to ever do so — last night.  The prize, which Laura and Kate Mulleavy snatched over fellow nominees Richard Nicoll, Louise Goldin, and Jean-Pierre Braganza, is to be used to fund international development of the brand.  Last year's winner was Marios Schwab. [Style File, WWD]

»On the rise: Pamela Love, whose claw bracelets appeared in the Fall 2008 Gap ads, and who is collaborating with Marchesa for Spring 2009 [The Cut]

»Does Jane Mayle already have placement at another, larger label? [The Pipeline]

»Preen, Roksanda Illincic, Marios Schwab on their Spring 2009 inspiration [Dazed Digital]

»Diane Pernet is launching a touring fashion film festival [FWD]

»Siri Tollerod stars in a really over-the-top Harajuku Lovers commercial [Fashionista]

»Julia Stegner has moved from Women to IMG [Chic Report]

»New York Models Show Package [Of the Minute]

»Alison Lewis, formerly of Mooka Kinney, to launch solo line [The Pipeline]

»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]