We hear Balenciaga’s readying to shoot their new campaign.

Not a celebrity in sight this time around though. Charlotte Gainsbourg’s at home in Paris and Jennifer Connelly’s snug in New York because Nicolas Ghesquière chooses models this season.

The line up so far includes Kasia Struss and “three unknowns.” Whether they’re grouped together or on their own, we’re not sure, but we will say we half expected Miranda Kerr to pop up somewhere.

Guess she’s taking the high fashion thing one step at a time.

“Balenciaga has become my second home,” Charlotte Gainsbourg told WWD.

Gainsbourg - actress, French music royalty and (official) face of the brand for the past year - is working on a fragrance with Nicolas Ghesquiere and Coty. Executives were quick to point out that she was chosen based on her almost indivisible ties to the brand and a deep rooted friendship with the designer, not for her continually rising fame.

The pair are in Los Angeles today to shoot the perfume’s ad campaign and throw a party in honor of the announcement. No word on the actual scent. We always envisioned the Balenciaga girl to be too cool for perfume, though their investors obviously don’t agree. If we had to guess, we’d predict something quite rich and musky, no?

1. Everyone here wears fur. Seriously, it’s incorporated into almost every outfit.

2. The only champagne I’ve seen was an empty bottle on the Boulevard Saint-Germain last night. 1-0 London.

3. I’ve been captivated by the politics of seating this season. In Paris, the Carines and Anna Della Russos sit in front, naturally, but I’ve seen Derek Blasberg and Glenn O’Brien sit second row while Kate Lanphear’s in the third.

4. Not fashion related, but they have pancakes at Starbucks. (I had to, it’s the only place I’m not embarrassed to order a coffee to take away).

5. A friend saw Charlotte Gainsbourg in the Shell (yes, gas station) mini-mart. She was browsing crackers.

6. The photo pits are huge.

7. There was a Fashion Week Daily reporter at Nina Ricci - but if they’re here where is the Parisian Daily???

I held on tight to my Nina Ricci invitation all day.

Hard invitations are gold in Paris - no invite, no luck - and I wasn’t going to miss Olivier Theyskens’ last Nina Ricci collection for anything.

Unfortunately, my cab driver, or the traffic ahead of us, didn’t care that I had to get there, and so, at 7:27 I bolted out of the car and ran, desperately looking for a familiar face or anyone significantly underdressed for the Paris cold. Finally, I stumbled past a very serious security gate and into my seat with seconds to spare.

Paparazzi descended upon the front row, a hippie-headbanded Milla Jovovich was sandwiched in between Carine and Lou Doillon (side note: Earlier today, an editor suggested that I remind them of Charlotte Gainsbourg to which I almost actually said, “I die” out loud. Time to stop quoting Rachel Zoe in my head and time for said editor to get glasses), with Leigh Lezark and Emannuelle Alt on each end. Five camera flashes and the lights went out, a model started walking and the music clicked on - in that order.

The clothes were gorgeous, of course, but the shoes were literally breathtaking. The ball of the foot rested on at least a five inch platform while the heel ascended another few inches, without an actual heel which made it look like the girls were floating on air. Gowns came with giant sheer black ruffles, hot pink and turquoise glitter and beaded floral trains. The red jacket and long skirt caused the audience to spontaneously combust in applause mid-collection (something I’ve never seen, Natalie once at ThreeAsfour) though front-row grins lingered for the duration of the show.

Though I’d corrected at least three people throughout the day, “But it’s not confirmed that he’s leaving! He might make it!,” there was no questioning Olivier’s wave good-bye and the enthusiastic but sad standing ovation.

Thanks to Leah’s obsessive archiving of magazines and all noteworthy ads, we’re starting a new ongoing conversation here on Fashionista, all about ad campaigns.

First up, Balenciaga. At left, we have a Fall 2000 ad, shot by Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin. At right, the more familiar Fall 2008, shot by David Sims.

Of note first, obviously, is the use of a celebrity, Charlotte Gainsbourg, instead of models. With Charlotte, come connotations that inevitably affect how we think of the ad - Charlotte is sweet, down to earth, subtle, kind of crunchy. We’re supposed to be struck by her in such a stiff, alien-like pose, her seemingly inhuman shadow meant to scare the hell out of us. In focus is the armor-like severity of the dress, just before our eyes finally fall onto the shoes, accessories having become so much more of a focal point for major houses in recent seasons.

But in Fall 2000, the story was different. The models come with no baggage at all, so we can only really guess what they’re supposed to be telling us, the mystery seeming to lay somewhere between the model’s awareness of the camera, and the bizarreness of a horse on stairs he’d have trouble climbing anyway (assuming they’re ordinary house stairs).

On a side note, doesn’t that dog sweater now seem like the un-ironic predecessor of the Chanel penguin sweater?

Now, your turn.

“Duvets (the Czech supermodel Karolina Kurkova) and tartan crinolines (Sarah Jessica Parker) have previously been requisitioned hot off the catwalks, giving bloggers endless pleasure as they earnestly debated the unfolding catastrophes. This year the actress and singer Charlotte Gainsbourg came as a lung, Kate Moss as a barmaid and Katie Holmes - Mrs Tom Cruise - finally outed herself as a Thetan.” —The London Times on the Met Ball.