Gucci's New Leading Man? James Franco with a Particularly Villainous Mustache. Photo: Getty Images
Miuccia Prada plans to bring Out covergirl Tilda Swinton to the Costume Institute Ball as her date. Hopefully, Swinton will let Prada pick her outfit for the evening so she doesn't have another Academy Awards flop. [WWD]
The Village Voice takes a visit to the Louis Vuitton pop-up shop at the Brooklyn Museum and ends up buying an Hermes bag on Canal St. Have we learned nothing from LV's anti-counterfeiting hoopla and mock-Canal St. theatrics? Apparently not, but good luck getting a Vuitton in Chinatown. [Village Voice]
Audrey Tautou may replace Nicole Kidman in ads for Chanel. [WWD]
France passed legislation that would make promotion of extreme dieting punishable by two years in prison and a hefty fine. The authors of the bill say that the fashion industry is not a target unless they use a sick girl in their advertising. [Washington Post]
Versace is in a new seat of power in Italy. Santo Versace has won a seat in the Italian Parliament and rumors say that the new Prime Minister could tap him to be a member of his cabinet. Does that mean the PM will only wear Versace suits during public appearances? Money can't buy that kind of advertising...or can it? [WWD]
Spiderman hottie James Franco is rumored to have signed a deal to front Gucci's new men's fragrance that will debut this fall. You do know James Franco, don't you? Don't you? Gucci hopes so! [WWD]
