FASHION Magazine

Fashion’s future and past went head-to-head, back-to-back yesterday and it was no contest. Both Zac Posen and Nicolas Ghesquière at Balenciaga took fashion classics and turned them on their ear.

We read something today that we still haven’t fully absorbed: You can get Balmain hair extensions. We assume these aren’t Christophe Decarnin-designed, but instead one of the company’s many licenses. (Check out this DIY Balmain jeans from Auntie Fashion, created using a $5 Balmain men’s dress shirt from Sears.) You can buy clip-in purple or red fringe and extensions in “Level 10” blonde.  [Balmain Hair, Grazia]

Emanuel Ungaro keeps taking hit after hit. After the LiLo debacle and closing down it’s massive Madison Avenue boutique (which rumour has it will be taken over by Michael Kors), the brand is now apparently on the hunt for a buyer to take over its debt and tainted rep. Any takers? [NYP]

That lower-priced Balmain line? Not happening. Never was. Says a company spokesperson: “What I think you might be referring to is a capsule collection that was prepared for some Parisian retailers. Christophe Decarnin wasn’t involved in that project. The brand has decided to not repeat the experience, preferring to concentrate all its efforts on the main line.” [Vogue UK]

Can Twitter save haute couture? [Toronto Star]

Critically lauded but perpetually jobless designer Olivier Theyskens has the sketches for three or four imaginary collections. He may not have a fashion house, but he does have that book coming out. [WSJ, via The Cut]

Photo via T

Annie Leibovitz is front and centre with Mikhail Baryshnikov in Louis Vuitton‘s spring campaign. [Grazia]

Care to rush the Cornell’s Pi Beta Phi sorority? If you know what’s good for you, you won’t do it in satin dresses, leggings or mismatched bangles. [Fashionista]

Coco Rocha has revealed a shoulder from her up-coming clothing line. No, that’s not a technical term—she posted a picture of her shoulder, clothed in a shiny, deep blue jacket. Rocha will reveal the full outfit when she works the Grammys red carpet for ET Canada on January 31. [Oh So Coco, via The Cut]

Hot on the heels of Kate Moss‘ alleged engagement, model Lara Stone has left the dating pool, announcing her engagement to comedian David Walliams after four months of dating. [HuffPo]

It was high day for belles of the Bals: Balenciaga and Balmain, competing bold shoulder-to-shoulder for the minds and hearts of international editrixes… and Rihanna, who cast her vote of attendance for the latter. More importantly, as Suzy Menkes reported, Christophe Decarnin won the thumb war: tweets about Balmain outnumbered those about Balenciaga, 75 to 41. I’m loathe to be a lemming here, but maybe I agree (and no, I’m not just bitter about not getting the golden ticket to Ghesquière’s show. I still love). Sure, Decarnin is de trop, but the Mad Maxines storming down his runway are indeed a force to be reckoned with.

Jessica Stam is “glued” to her bed and missing Paris Fashion Week. Send get well messages! [@jess_stam]

Christophe Decarnin’s Balmain is having “Me Tarzan, You Jane” moment for spring. [The Cut]

Tim Gunn may not like the whole Lindsay Lohan/Ungaro thing, but apparently it’s all his fault. Also, rumour in the Twitter-verse is that some buyers have declined invites because of Lohan’s involvement. Even if that’s true, we bet that show is going to be a mad house. [FWD, Fashionologie]

Would you like some shirt with your alligator? Brazil’s Fernando and Humberto Campana have created a limited edition holiday collection for Lacoste [Cyanatrendland]

This is not going to sway those who think models are interchangeable: Donna Karan puts Toni Garrn’s head on Anya Kazakova and Sasha Pivovarova’s bodies in her fall ads. [Fashionologie]

Balmain is launching a collection of bags. Will they be studded? You betcha. [WWD]

The Wall Street Journal‘s Ray Smith looks…amused as he talks to la crème de Williamsburg boys about their skinny jeans. [WSJ]

Could this be Christian Lacroix’s last couture show? Better look now, before it’s gone. [The Cut]

Anna Wintour appears to be giving couture week a miss–she was absent from yesterday’s Dior showing. [Fashion Week Daily]

Repetto’s Jackson jazz shoe is dancing off shelves of their Paris store. A touch less obvious than a single-white-glove style tribute. [Style File]

Happy Chanel Day! Watch the new Audrey Tautou commercial to celebrate. [Via Now Smell This]

Alternately, you could celebrate Cinco de Mayo. Stylewise, it’s really either/or. [Refinery 29]

Oh, and the Met Costume Institute Ball was last night. We couldn’t go, so New York had to pinch hit for us. Thanks guys. [The Cut]

A bunch of Grey Gardens articles: WWD talks to the original documentary’s co-director, Albert Maysles; The New York Times talks about the Edies themselves; Glamour hits up the costume designer and we get themakeup scoop. The movie airs tomorrow on HBO, rock dwellers. [WWD, NY Times, Glamour, FASHION]

Brit designer Clare Tough makes amazing knitwear (shown). She’s now branching into cool-girl lingerie. [Style Bubble]

Cathy Horyn thinks it’ll take more than an economic rebound for the retail tide to turn. [NY Times]

Model Sigrid Agren talks to Karl Lagerfeld for Interview. It’s full of the regular Karl-isms: “Who has the idea to name you Sigrid?” “There’s no ‘again.’ There’s only the future.” and “I think everyone should go to bed like they have a date at the door.” But, just like everyone everywhere’s dad, feels that ’60s music was the best. [New York Model Management]