Sarah Burton

>> Sarah Burton was reportedly spotted going into the hotel where Kate Middleton is staying yesterday, and now word is floating around that Middleton's dress is Alexander McQueen, but Sarah Burton didn't design it.

Instead, the Daily Mirror's Mark Jefferies Tweets: "Sarah Burton seen in Goring hotel,but heard rumour from other journo design is by McQueen himself, so could be vintage or from his sketches!" And Telegraph UK's Bryony Gordon Twittered: "Top fashion source just msged to confirm that [Jefferies's] tweet. Apparently the dress is a vintage McQueen design." Gordon adds: "Apparently Sarah Burton is only doing the fitting, not actual design."

>> Although there have been numerous denials from both Sarah Burton and the Alexander McQueen camp, speculation that Burton may be Kate Middleton's wedding dress designer after all has reached a fever pitch.

A woman who arrived at the Goring Hotel (above, left) — where Middleton and her family are staying — three hours before Kate yesterday is suspected to be Burton (above, right). The woman, who hid her face and blonde hair with an oversized fur trapper hat, "ducked right down and ran in as quick as you like," according to an onlooker. "The whole thing was in under half a second. It was very odd."

But despite the obscured face, the Telegraph UK points out: "The distinctive silver link belt slotted through the waistband of [the woman's] jeans was identical to the one favoured by Sarah Burton, creative director of Alexander McQueen, as were the ballet pumps. Burton . . . is not often photographed. But when she is, the metal belt, buckled, and then individually slotted backwards, and the flat pumps, are present."

>> Bruce Oldfield, who has been tipped as the frontrunner to design Kate Middleton's wedding dress for months now, has confirmed that he is not Middleton's choice: “It has been such a subject of rumor and speculation over the past months, but I am not designing it. We will all know [on Friday] — and I thought I’d duck out of the ‘possibles list’ to give everyone 24 hours to place their final bets!” He added: “Catherine will undoubtedly look spectacular. She has a fantastic figure and knows well what suits her. I shall be intrigued to see her choice of design.”

With Oldfield out of the race, speculation is honing in on the other likely candidates who have not yet issued denials: Catherine Walker, a favorite of Princess Diana; Alice Temperley, and Daniella Helayel from Issa. Also entering late in the game: Jenny Packham, whose spokesperson said yesterday is “not commenting at all on the wedding.”

Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen, Sophie Cranston of Libelula, and Phillipa Lepley have all also been reported as frontrunners, but all have denied repeatedly that they're working on the dress.

And Vera Wang's name has surfaced as having some kind of role in the wedding, but WWD thinks "that seems highly unlikely" — particularly that Wang, an American, would be chosen to do the dress. Although: sources apparently indicated that the designer may be involved at another level. A Vera Wang spokeswoman denied the designer is involved with the wedding, however, last night.

A newly-released Mario Testino portrait of the Middleton and Prince William, above.

• Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen launch new optical line — People StyleWatch
• Gianfranco Ferre's creative directors leave the label — Vogue UK Daily
• Five stylish graduation outfits — College Fashion
• Splatter-printed shorts are the thing for Spring — Nylon Blog
• Bridal advice from Matthew Williamson — InStyle
• Sarah Burton is said to be a leading contender at Dior — The Cut
• Ralph Lauren Collection handbags debut at Net-a-Porter — Purse Blog
• Ethan Koh's bag line has bite — Vogue Daily

>> In anticipation of "Savage Beauty,” this year's Alexander McQueen-focused Costume Institute gala and its accompanying exhibit which opens next month, Sarah Burton shared some of her favorite memories of working with the designer. Among the highlights, the Fall 2006 finale dress at left, of which Burton says: "This dress was actually based on my wedding dress — I got married two years earlier. We had to figure out how to make lace work in the round with those ruffles because Lee hated gathering. So we cut out all of the flowers from the lace and reappliqued it on tulle to make our own fabric. This is the collection most people remember as the one with Kate Moss in a hologram. Oh, my God, it was so beautiful. He loved that show.” [Vogue.com]

>> LVMH is taking its time with the announcement of Dior's new designer, and it sounds like the decision still has yet to be made. At a recent shareholders' meeting, Bernard Arnault said the plan was to interview a number of candidates before making the call when "conviction" arrives.

But who's reportedly on the short list of candidates Bernard Arnault's advisors have submitted? Tom Ford, Hedi Slimane, Olivier Theyskens, Nicholas Ghesquiere, Alber Elbaz, Haider Ackermann, Prabal Gurung, and Sarah Burton. However, a source in Paris told WWD that LVMH is placing less importance on marquee names and focusing rather on “someone who understands Dior and fits the needs of the company.”

While Arnault, chairman of the board at Dior, is sure to get the final say on the appointee, Dior CEO Sidney Toledano, who has helmed the company since 1998, and Delphine Arnault (Bernard's daughter), deputing managing director at Dior and widely viewed as the eventual LVMH heir apparent, are also expected to weigh in. Apparently Dior execs are also receiving unsolicited designer suggestions from top editors and even shareholders.

Delphine, for her part, is seen as a champion of Riccardo Tisci; the Givenchy designer has reportedly been lobbying for the position as well, sketching out his vision for the brand. Bernard Arnault, meanwhile, is reportedly transfixed by royalty, and if Sarah Burton does dress Kate Middleton for her wedding at the end of the month (despite Burton's and the McQueen company's denials), she may pull ahead in the race. Arnault would be keen to launch the new Dior alongside the newly-married couple; Princess Diana, after all, helped catapult the brand's image in 1995 when she wore a Lady Dior bag and then in 1996 when she wore a midnight blue, bias-cut Dior gown by John Galliano to the Costume Institute Gala.

In the meantime, design duties are falling on Dior's in-house design studios, headed by Bill Gaytten, who has worked beside Galliano since the '80s. They're already creating the Cruise 2012 collection and have started in on the upcoming Fall 2011 couture collection, in preparation for its debut in July.