Balmain

>> Christophe Decarnin was a no-show at Balmain today, explained a label spokesman, because: "He's tired after working on the collection. He's not here. He's resting." However, Hint reports that Decarnin has been in a "mental hospital" since January, according to a source, because of a nervous breakdown. He apparently disappeared one day in mid-January — a "total nightmare" — and it was then announced that he would not be coming back.

Decarnin reportedly wasn't involved in the Fall 2011 collection at all, and Melanie Ward, who was previously confirmed to be collaborating with Decarnin on the collection, actually designed it all with Balmain's in-house team. Ward definitely has design experience — among other stints, she spent 13 years as creative director of Helmut Lang, when the designer was still at his namesake label.

>> Christophe Decarnin showed a new, more "subdued" Balmain collection, according to Cathy Horyn, today for Fall 2011 — which could be in part because Emmanuelle Alt is no longer the show's stylist and Melanie Ward took her place this season. But more curious: Decarnin skipped his final bow and was a no-show backstage. "He's tired after working on the collection. He's not here. He's resting," said a Balmain spokesman. And it seems that Nicolas Ghesquiere and Carine Roitfeld have officially made up — she attended the show today, Tommy Ton tweets: "Just spotted Carine leaving Balenciaga slyly avoiding the paps." [@MeenalMistry, @HilaryAlexander, @JakandJilBlog]

Blair is taking her new job at W very seriously in episode 15 of Gossip Girl. She looks perfectly polished in her Diane von Furstenberg blouse, Stella McCartney slacks, and metallic Balmain jacket. Scarlet patent pumps and a chunky gold Noir necklace completed her professional ensemble. Shop like pieces now to copy Blair's look.

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Photo courtesy of The CW

• First look: Winona Ryder and Diane von Furstenberg as fashion's femme fatales — People Stylewatch
• Whatever Carine Roitfeld does next, it won't be with Tom Ford — The Cut
• Z Spoke by Zac Posen Fall 2011 — Red Carpet Fashion Awards
• Vogue.com is celebrating its 15th anniversary — Vogue UK Daily
• Porter Grey's Fall 2011 presentation — The Budget Fashionista
• Fashion Week accessory essentials — W Editors' Blog
• Balmain finally makes a bag that looks like a Balmain bag — Purse Blog
• Model falls at Christian Siriano's Fall 2011 Fashion Week show — Stylelist
• Whit's Fall 2011 outing finds influence in both Hitchcock and Tavi — Fashionologie
• Paper dolls: Vena Cava prints a zine — Vogue Daily

>> Under Carine Roitfeld, Vogue Paris's 2010 revenues were up 12 percent — which is likely why new editor Emmanuelle Alt isn't expected to make huge, sweeping changes to the magazine.

One major thing will be changing for Alt, however, now that she's taken on the role — her strong support and consulting roles as a stylist to Christophe Decarnin at Balmain and Isabel Marant? Kaput. In a statement, Conde Nast France said that Alt would be devoting herself exclusively to her new responsibilities as editor-in-chief of Vogue Paris.

Fabien Baron weighed in on Alt's appointment at the end of last week, saying he thinks Alt might take the magazine more commercial, and now Karl Lagerfeld, who worked with the stylist on Chanel campaigns years ago, says he thinks Alt's strong style could be a double-edged sword: “Her style is her big shoulders, long legs, tight jeans, sleeves up to the elbow, one hip out. I personally like her. She’s a handsome French woman. She has a style, but is it enough to make a whole magazine?”

He added he would wait to have a look at her first few issues before passing judgment, but hopes that she brings change: “As editor in chief, she may blossom."

• Kanye West is reportedly having Christophe Decarnin custom-remake a portion of the Balmain Fall 2010 collection, "specifically seventies-centric pantsuits, cutaway coats, and gilded jeans," for an upcoming tour [Hint]
• According to a Conde Nast source, there will most likely not be another Fashion's Night Out fashion show next September [Fashionista]
• On 2010 Vogue covers (American and international), Natasha Poly was the most frequently used model, Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin were the most frequently used photographers, and Dolce & Gabbana the most frequently used designer [Fashin]
• Bryanboy says he makes more than $100,000 per year from advertising on his blog and charging fees for appearances [The Cut]
• Marilyn Minter shot Jimmy Choo's 15th anniversary ads, marking her first luxury campaign, below [Elle]

• Liya Kebede's film Desert Flower, in which she plays Somalian model Waris Dirie, finally has a release date is the US: March 18. Kebede is currently filming two more movies, Black Gold, with Antonio Banderas, Freida Pinto, and Mark Strong, and Le Marsupilami et l'orchidée de Chicxulub, with Gerard Depardieu and Julie Delpy [The Moment]
• Pierre Hardy just opened his first US store in New York, which has been two years in the making; it features black leather floors — “It’s same as the soles of the shoes, so it feels very good on bare feet when you’re trying on," the designer explained — and an exclusive Skyline heel ($1,540), based on the Manhattan skyline [Racked NY]
• Jane Mayle's limited-edition Holiday Kamikaze Love collection is now available online, with shoes and bags coming soon [Mayle]
• Yasmin Sewell, who left her position at Liberty earlier this year, has reportedly joined the team at Lauren Santo Domingo's online venture, Moda Operandi [@_BoF_]
• Vogue's bookings editor Valerie Boster shares one week of her outfits, which include an Isabel Marant fur coat, an Urban Outfitters thermal she bought in high school, and a croc tote she had custom made in Thailand [Vogue]
• Tanga Moreau, who once had a five year exclusive contract with Ralph Lauren — one of the highest paid of all time — is experiencing a comeback at age 32. She also suffers from a genetic malformation which causes cysts inside her spinal cord: "When they get too big, they explode and cause nerve damage. In 2004 I woke and I couldn't move. I was kind of paralysed. I spent two years in and out of hospital recovering. It could happen again any day" [Telegraph UK]

• Lady Gaga calls on Giorgio Armani to outfit her Monster Ball tour — People
• Phoebe Philo designs Céline's perfect trousers — Vogue UK
• Balmain hits The Outnet — Nylon Blog
• Jessica Simpson's fashion empire is about to break $1 billion — The Cut
• The Kennedy Center Honors resembled a fashion runway — Stylelist
• Three Winter formal looks inspired by the runway — College Fashion
• Katy Perry in Elie Saab Couture — The Tempest LA premiere — Red Carpet Fashion Awards
• Rebecca Minkoff picks her seven holiday favorites (and gives one away) — Purse Blog
• Eight fun ways to dress up your jeans — InStyle
• Five days, five looks, one girl: Valerie Boster — Vogue Daily

• Exclusive: Alexa Chung adds one more exclusive piece to her Madewell collection — People
• New ecommerce site L-atitude is the global shopper's choice — Vogue Daily
• Look of the day: Jennifer Lopez — Stylelist
• Images from Tom Ford's secret hypercontrolled runway show are out — The Cut
• Closet diaries: Margherita Missoni — Vogue UK
• What did Anna Wintour do for Thanksgiving? — Fashionologie
• Mila Kunis and Natalie Portman's Black Swan premiere style —InStyle
• Exclusive lawsuit reveals what Vogue actually pays its models — Jezebel
• CONFETTISYSTEM decks the halls at J.Crew — Interview
• Maison Martin Margiela has flown the coop with green feathers — Purse Blog
• Halle Berry in Balmain at the Frankie & Alice LA premiere — Red Carpet Fashion Awards