Tom Ford

>> 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.

>> Lady Gaga may be getting the full spread of Mugler's debut women's collection, but magazines won't be. Nicola Formichetti is wary of overexposure and the shortness of the public's attention span that follows, so he's keeping press samples exclusive: “I’m not giving them to every magazine.” But he sees himself as democratic in most other ways, drawing a contrast between his approach and Tom Ford's. “I’m not an elitist,” Formichetti says of his decision to livestream the show and air live video of the backstage kerfuffle. “I want to share what I’m doing with everyone . . . In a way, I wanted to have the people in front of a screen to have a better seat than the people in the front row. I remember straight after the show, me and [Lady] Gaga just ran backstage and went onto our computers and went on Twitter to see what the fans were saying.” [WWD]

We've rounded up 15 amazing Spring 2011 accessories that you need now. While it was hard to only pick 15 favorite pieces, Proenza Schouler rope bracelets, circular Tom Ford sunglasses, and candy-colored Hermes clutches all topped our list. From indulgent handbag splurges to crochet bikinis, here are FabSugar's top warm-weather accessories you must have this season!

Kourtney Kardashian looked adorable toting her cutest accessory, son Mason, while running errands in Beverly Hills. Kourtney's laid-back look — a Seven for all Mankind jean jacket, Blue Life oversize tee, gray Seven for all Mankind skinnies, and black Christian Louboutin flats — was perfect for a day of errands. She showed off her wild side with tortoise Tom Ford glasses and a leopard Lena Erziak satchel. Shop now to mimic Kourtney's street style.

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>> Victoria Beckham, who just announced that she's having her first girl in July, has had an uphill climb to prove herself as a fashion designer. Although it seemed lately that she'd made it over the hump, during her Fall 2011 presentation last month — which Beckham narrated to an intimate crowd of top editors — Robin Givhan reports: "There were muffled giggles, knowing glances, and plenty of eye-rolling over the non-stop narration . . . It called to mind the manner in which Tom Ford presented his women’s collection for spring. His rolling monologue drew gushing praise from the industry. Of course, Ford’s presentation dripped in irony. And Ford is the reigning prince of charm. Beckham’s great crime, it seems, was her earnestness. She was not being ironic. She was not being self-consciously hip. And the cool girls turned on her. It wasn’t pretty."

Then, yesterday, an article in the Times UK came out, with fashion insider and heiress Daphne Guinness quoted calling Beckham "an ugly pig ... downbeat miserable and awful. Of course she's going to make money — she's backed by Simon Fuller. I don't have anyone! She annoys the sh*t out of me."

But Guinness now denies that she made such remarks. "I would never make a comment like that about my worst enemy, let alone someone I like," she told Vogue UK. "I think Victoria is brave and fantastic for building up her business like she has. I did not make those comments. They were b*tchy and horrible and just not me."

Guinness says the subject of Beckham arose from a discussion with the Times about financial backing: "I like to make my own things — they're probably not of any commercial worth and it's not always easy to get funding for them. I used Victoria as a reference as someone that had managed to do that. I do things a little differently. I remortgage my house and do it that way [Guinness reportedly paid $15 million in 2008 for her New York apartment]. I really admire the way she has achieved what she has. She makes beautiful clothes — they're really very beautiful."

Guinness also took to Twitter to dispel the firestorm, explaining that she did the interview as a favor: "I am so sad stitched up by the sunday times. I thought [the writer] c. long was a friend. I would never call anyone an ugly cow, not my words . . . the journalist I knew from Issie [Blow], so i thought she would understand things, we had been friends, she has put words in my mouth." She added as further explanation: "And for the record I not only admire Victoria Beckham but know her and like her. My point was that I do most things alone without a backer."

>> Last night, three designers were name checked during Oscar acceptance speeches. Natalie Portman, who wore Rodarte last night, thanked "Kate and Laura Mulleavy, who designed the beautiful ballet costumes [in Black Swan]" after winning Best Actress, as two of those "people on films that no one ever talks about that are your heart and soul every day." And Colin Firth, who worked with Tom Ford on A Single Man, mentioned during his Best Actor speech — for The King's Speech — that he was grateful for his "very fortunate friendship with Tom Ford, to whom I owe a very big piece of this."