>> Tommy Hilfiger, who has been searching for a creative director as far back as 2007, may have his eye on Peter Som.  Although neither Som nor Hilfiger would comment, WWD cites sources saying that they have been in discussions about Som joining Hilfiger as a creative consultant — a position which could ultimately lead to a wider role, perhaps as that creative director Tommy was looking for.  Fashion Week Daily reports that insiders expect an announcement of the partnership after the end of New York Fashion Week on Sept. 17.

Speaking of creative consultants becoming creative directors, Swaim Hutson, who was a consultant on Generra's Spring 2010 collection, has been appointed as the contemporary brand's creative director: "Generra has a chance and a voice to be more directional within the designer contemporary market, and this is exactly what I hope to bring to the brand.” Turns out Swaim — who is not showing the Hutson line he designs with wife Christina Hutson during New York Fashion Week this season — will have his work on a New York catwalk, after all: Generra is presenting its Spring 2010 collection on Sept. 11.

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

Launches

• Marchesa is launching its first accessories — 28 clutches and evening bags (above); They will retail $995 to $5,000 and are made to coordinate with the mainline dresses. [WWD]

Peter Som is making his way back, Ruffian goes Picasso »

>> CFDA Publishes American Fashion Cookbook Full of Designer's Recipes —Food and fashion don't always go hand in hand, but the CFDA is trying to change that this month with the release of American Fashion Cookbook, a compilation of recipes, illustrations, and food-related quotes from over 100 American designers. No word on what foodies like Jason Wu or Peter Som contributed, but Derek Lam went with Yellowtail Crudo, Isaac Mizrahi submitted Mushroom Truffle Spaghetti, and Diane von Furstenberg, who says she's "never been a great cook," added a recipe for Saturday Night Chicken. Publisher Assouline has a preview of the first 30 or so pages. [Stylecaster, Amazon]

>> New York Fashion Week is still over a month away, but Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week just released its official calendar today and the Fashion Calendar — which shows all of the shows not included in the Bryant Park festivities — has appeared online, so we can get an idea of what will be going down in that crazy time period between Sept. 9 and Sept. 17.

Despite the industry's economic doldrums, a few designers are adding an extra show for Spring 2010 — Ralph Lauren is upgrading from two showings to three in his usual morning-of-the-last-day spot; Phillip Lim is following in close friend Richard Chai's footsteps, doing a two separate shows this season, one for men's and one for women's, rather than combining them like he usually does; and Thom Browne, who chose to show his Fall 2009 collection in Florence instead of at New York Fashion Week, is back on the schedule with not one but two shows.

Vladimir Restoin-Roitfeld is hosting an event again »

>> Scott "The Sartoralist" Schuman has been racking up gigs — an ad campaign for Australia's SABA Denim, teaming with Adidas, not to mention that impending book — which he says "make it possible for me to go to fashion weeks in Milan, Paris, London, New York, Stockholm, Australia — but also to places like Peru, Laos, Tibet."  But Schuman, who made a stop in Toronto last Wednesday before an undisclosed "commercial gig" for Burberry on Thursday, had some other wisdom to share with Canada's Globe and Mail.  

It's all about the brand.

"When I had my showroom in New York, that's what I was telling guys like Peter Som and James Coviello: 'You have to build your brand' – and they didn't listen. I started The Sartorialist in 2005. By late 2006, I had a serious brand. A brand that meant something."

And his girlfriend, Garance Dore.

"I'm pretty good at the sex. And pretty good at picture taking. That's about it. Garance is pretty happy. And the hotel-room neighbours are pretty pissed. You can write that; that's totally fine with me."

>> Despite all the drama before and after, the Costume Institute Gala itself furnished plenty of notable and quotable moments; for those who were wondering, Carine Roitfeld did attend, even though it was reported that Julia Restoin-Roitfeld would not.

Gisele Bundchen pulled out of John Galliano's table at the last minute, choosing to ride in with the Versace camp instead; it sounds like she might be returning as the label's Fall 2009 face — the New York Times reports that her custom Versace dress "was conceived while she was modeling for [Donatella’s] next ad campaign." Helena Christensen, meanwhile, joked of her Zac Posen dress, which read "Vogue," the V formed by a plunging neckline: “It’s so I can remember whose party I’m at."

And while Kate Moss was on hostess duty (and presumably her best behavior) for Anna Wintour, she still managed to be herself, pulling a big wad of gum out of her mouth when asked about being a muse: “I’m amused.  I think it’s quite interesting for somebody to go outside of the box and think that a model actually has had some input into fashion. A lot of the time, the models don’t really get a say.”

But they do have a bathroom fascination »

>> Although she rarely gives interviews — except for, you know, the lengthy one in The September Issue and that profile she's supposedly doing for 60 Minutes (rumor is their cameras were following her again at the amfAR Gala Thursday night), so maybe she's changed her mind — Anna Wintour sat down with Rachel Dodes of The Wall Street Journal right before New York Fashion Week for a quick fashion state-of-the-union-interview.

But before we get started, a sidenote — the coat she wore Thursday (left) looks to be from Peter Som's Fall 2009 capsule collection, so methinks he will be taken care of just fine.  Now, among the interview's highlights:

Now is not the time to look "too Dubai."

I don't think anyone is going to want to look overly flashy, overly glitzy, too Dubai, whatever you want to call it. I just don't think that's the moment. But I do feel an emphasis on quality and longevity and things that really last.

She won't name names, but some designers aren't making clothes that are worth the price tag.

In the [Vogue] Index pages we are looking more rigorously at price and value and asking, 'is something worth that particular price tag?'

A thing that wasn't worth it? Without naming names, we had a little sequined thing that wouldn't come down to here on you [points to chest.] And I said, 'How much is it?' $25,000. I said, 'No. We're not going to photograph that right now.'

What Anna thinks is "fabulous" »

>> INSIDER WIRE —All things aside, Peter Som seems to be enjoying his break from the Fashion Week grind — since he doesn't have to be stressing out and working on his finishing touches like usual, he's been hitting the shows — John Bartlett, Costello Tagliapietra, where he was laughing and chatting front row, and Prabal Gurung, to support his former design director at Bill Blass.  Vera Wang, on the other hand?  Not so lucky: Today, she was "a little bit crazed . . . because my favorite fabrics haven't even arrived yet.  So far we're absolutely nowhere on this collection, I would say we're about 8 days away and nothing is working." [WWD, Style File]
*image: source