>> 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 »

>> Budget cuts brought fewer European retailers to New York Fashion Week and fewer US retailers to London Fashion Week — Julie Gilhart of Barneys, for one — so instead, designers are meeting them at the one Fashion Week they all can't miss: Paris.

Those from New York heading across the seas to meet with potential buyers and hopefully secure sales are Brian Reyes, Alexander Wang, and Victoria Bartlett of VPL, who are all sharing a space, plus Elise Overland, Jason Wu, Erin Fetherston, and Justin Giunta of Subversive Jewelry.  Diane von Furstenberg and Philip Crangi have already been spotted together at Tuileries, but The Ritz Paris is said to be the unofficial headquarters of retailer-designer-meet-and-greet activity.

The British Fashion Council is also investing itself in a trip to Paris — starting Friday, designers such as House of Holland, Osman Yousefzada, Felder Felder and Louise Gray will reside at the JTM Gallery on Rue de Richelieu, where international fashion press and buyers will have a second chance to peruse the collections; the hope, of course, is to increase investment in London designers.
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>> INSIDER WIRE —Philip Crangi, winner of last year's CFDA Swarovski Award for Accessory Design and collaborator with Jason Wu for Fall 2009, launched an e-commerce site today for his costume jewelry line Giles & Brother, due to all the phone calls his studio receives inquiring about his jewelry availability.  A quick flip through the site features safety pin earrings, leather lashed bracelets, his trademark railroad spike cuffs — which, as a grand opening treat, Crangi is offering free stamping on — and a noticeable amount of brass.  As Crangi explained in The Cut's recent studio visit: "We're obsessed with brass.  Brass is the new gold. It's recessionary material." [Style File, The Cut]

>> The CFDA has been busy lately, discussing the possibility of sponsoring sample sales for designers who don't have enough resources to do it on their own, commissioning books — including a fashion-related cookbook, and announcing an upcoming three-year partnership with Mattel.  But Monday night, we'll learn which of the 2008 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund nominees will take home top honors, $200,000, and business advice, who will score one of the two runners-up titles and the $50,000 that comes with them, and who will try again next year.

The first award was given in 2004, with top honors going to Proenza Schouler; since then, Trovata (2005), Doo.Ri (2006), and Rogan (2007) have taken the top prize, and the likes of 3.1 Phillip Lim, Philip Crangi, Rodarte, Thakoon, Derek Lam, and Thom Browne have all been runners-up.  Without doubt, the winner generally has name recognition — and is in favor at Vogue — but tends to not be the biggest name in the group (i.e. Rogan over Phillip Lim last year).

So who will take all? »

>> ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL —Stella Tennant is back, and sure to thrill, in Vera Wang's Fall 2008 campaign.  Shot by Steven Meisel in an Upper East Side apartment, this first preview is appropriately decadent, just like Vera likes it. Philip Crangi's massive rhinestone jewelry made this collection for me; It's good to see it well on display. [WWD]

>> This evening, the 2008 winners of the highly influential CFDA Awards were named.  Three-time Swarovski Award for Womenswear nominees Rodarte finally took home the statuette, and Tom Ford won out in the battle of the T(h)oms.  I've denoted the full list of winners in bold — congrats all around!

WOMENSWEAR DESIGNER OF THE YEAR

Francisco Costa for Calvin Klein Collection
Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough for Proenza Schouler
Marc Jacobs

MENSWEAR DESIGNER OF THE YEAR

Michael Bastian
Thom Browne
Tom Ford

ACCESSORY DESIGNER OF THE YEAR

Michael Kors
Tory Burch
Marc Jacobs

SWAROVSKI AWARD FOR WOMENSWEAR

Kate and Laura Mulleavy for Rodarte
Thakoon Panichgul
Alexander Wang

SWAROVSKI AWARD FOR MENSWEAR

Patrik Ervell
Tim Hamilton
Scott Sternberg for Band of Outsiders

SWAROVSKI AWARD FOR ACCESSORY DESIGN

Philip Crangi
Justin Giunta for Subversive Jewelry
Joy Gryson

*images: source