>> Last night, with the help of keynote speaker Alber Elbaz, who doled out gems on the perils of success — "It's like a bottle of perfume. You smell it, you don't sniff it or drink it" — Alaia veteran and Michelle Obama favorite Sophie Theallet took home the 2009 Vogue/Fashion Fund prize of $200,000 and a year of mentoring. Fellow nominees Patrik Ervell and Monique Pean were named runners-up, and received $50,000 each plus a business mentor.
In her speech, Anna Wintour said that in addition to the US, Italy, and the UK — which just started a similar talent-nurturing program — she just met with the French minister of culture about mirroring the contest there. "And Brazil, India, Russia, and China aren't far behind."
Theallet Tweeted of her win: "my american dream comes true tonight thanks and much love to all of you!xox." Cathy Horyn, too, weighed in on the choice:
"The money and the mentoring will help Ms. Theallet because she needs to be able to offer more range in her collection, as well as expand her production options. She has such a distinctly feminine eye, and the skills, that I’ve often wondered why a big retailer doesn’t ask Ms. Theallet to design some blouses and summer dresses for them, using the store’s resources and manufacturing connections."
Videos of the nominees going through the competition and the awards ceremony last night can be seen here and here, respectively.

>> One week from today, this year's Victoria's Secret Fashion Show will be taping in New York City — so who's stepping foot on the runway?

>> 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:
>> Casting for New York Fashion Week is under way and the last of the Spring 2010 show packages are trickling in. A few telling tidbits from those pages:


>> INSIDER WIRE —Patrick Demarchelier won't cop to having a favorite model, but his son Victor Demarchelier can't agree: he and girlfriend Caroline Trentini are planning a road trip. "We’re just going to leave New York and drive till we hit the coast." But being the son of a fashion photographer doesn't mean free portraits: "The only one he took of us was in Vogue! He never picks up the camera for us." [

