>> Mario Grauso Moves from Nina Ricci and Carolina Herrera to Vera Wang —Mario Grauso, former president of Puig Fashion Group overseeing Nina Ricci, Paco Rabanne, and Carolina Herrera, where he was credited for forging the Renee Zellweger-Herrera red carpet relationship, has moved on to Vera Wang.  He appeared at Wang's show last week, and will allow the designer to focus more on the creative side of her business while he reexamines her contemporary Lavender label, which is currently on hiatus, develops the label's shoe and jewelry businesses, and works to dress more celebrities on the red carpet.  As Grauso put it, "Now there are two crazy control freaks making sure that everything is perfect." [WWD]

>> 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 »

>> INSIDER WIRE —A week ago, it was reported that Vera Wang might be doing the upcoming Fall season of Dancing with the Stars, but the designer says not so fast: "We haven't decided. They haven't and I haven't."  She did inadvertently confirm that she had been approached for the show, however: "They approach a lot of people, not just me." [The Cut]

>> It's all about TV these days: Elle just started filming for The City, Zac Posen is working on the early stages of a scripted show, the ladies at WhoWhatWear are developing a fashion news show with MTV . . . and now E! is reporting that Vera Wang has signed on for the ninth season of Dancing With the Stars, which premieres Sept. 21.

Although neither Wang's rep nor ABC would confirm the report, the casting is feasible — Vera trained as a professional figure skater and competed with a partner in the 1968 US National Championships before trying to qualify for the Olympics the same year.  She also has experience designing the glitzy, tight outfits that are worn on the show — she once designed for figure skaters Nancy Kerrigan and Michelle Kwan.

>> The 2009 CFDA Award nominees have just been announced, and Marc Jacobs has already won an award — the International Award for his work at Louis Vuitton (he's nominated in two more categories).  Last year's Swarovski Award winners, Rodarte and Band of Outsiders, have both been bumped up to compete in the respective major league categories, and 2008 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund contenders Albertus Q. Swanepoel, Alejandro Ingelmo, and Jason Wu have all entered the Swarovski Award ring this year. 

We'll have to wait until June 15 to see who wins what, but the ceremony might mark fashion's first Michelle Obama event appearance — she's being honored with this year's Board of Director's Special Tribute for her style choices and penchant for up-and-coming talent.

And now, the nominees . . . »

>> THE MODELIZER —A year ago, WWD reported that one-third of the New York shows didn't employ models of color, but according to Jezebel's calculations, spots given to models of color increased six percent this season.  Among those shows with the highest diversity: Oscar de la Renta, Victoria Beckham, Tracy Reese, Sophie Theallet; those using no models of color included: Julian Louie, Koi Suwannagate, Temperley London, and Vera Wang Lavender Label. [Jezebel]

*image: source

>> 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

>> The meteoric rise of Jason Wu — he has tripled his sales appointments for his sold out, yet-to-be-unveiled Fall 2009 collection — shows what an influence Michelle Obama can have on a designer.  But Wu doesn't just have Obama to thank — he never actually interacted with the First Lady, but rather with Ikram Goldman, owner of Chicago boutique Ikram, and Obama's gatekeeper to the fashion industry.

In fact, none of the designers who have made clothes for the First Lady have had any direct contact with their White House client — all commissions, measurements, bills, and other directions have been mediated by Ikram, causing something of a controversy; the clothes that Obama has worn recently are predominantly from designers that Cathy Horyn points out, "Ikram sells and ultimately stands to benefit from" — Jason Wu, Isabel Toledo, Narciso Rodriguez, Proenza Schouler, Thakoon, and Mario Cornejo.

Is Obama limiting herself? »