Yikes - Less than one month ago, it came out that ten of the twelve new Kira Plastinina stores in the US would close up without having been open even a year.

Now, it’s official: The US operation of Kira Plastinina has filed for bankruptcy.

So much for those fifty stores Kira wanted operating in the US by 2010.

And now on to the more fun part of all this (guess the economy couldn’t sustain an onslaught of pink, even if it was kind of cute in its own way): Who’ll take up that prime retail spot on Broadway, right by Topshop? …

A glooming peace this morning with it brings, Bill Blass Couture is finally done and Kira Plastinina’s closing up US shop.

Bill Blass Couture - the Peter-Som designed, runway bound line - has been at fashion gossip’s core since Peter Som initially stepped down in July only to be re-instated at Anna Wintour’s demand and then leave again in October. Throughout the creative controversy, Blass’ parent brand, NexCen, struggled to find a buyer for the not profitable line. And now, finally, they’ve confirmed that unless a very rich risk-taker swoops in a buys the line before January 1st they’ll give up.

“Bill Blass is facing the same challenges as other consumer and retail companies in the current weak macroenvironment,” NexCen’s managing director told WWD.

Maybe, or maybe they’ve just held on long enough to blame the brand’s failure on greater economic issues than on their own internal mishandling.

Meanwhile, Kira Plastinina, the 16-year old Russian designer whose hot pink stores invaded America less than a year ago will close at least ten of the twelve within the next two weeks.

On the bright side, no one pulled out of Bryant Park today!

This morning as I was chauffeured to work in my town car, I received a message from Natalie via telegram about a Russian billioneiress coming to New York with plans to take over the country by making everyone wear pink - in case you haven’t heard, the much-hyped Kira Plastinina store on Broadway is finally open. Needless to say, I had to investigate.

I entered the store surreptitiously to avoid detection, and did a little recon to find out more about the subject.

Pictures of Kira and Paris Hilton plastered on the walls, faux-Gucci sunglasses perched on the heads of mannequins, Bebe Sport-ish looking jackets except more bedazzled, employees decked in House of Holland shirts, and handlers making bold claims like “we’re opening 400 stores” - Basically, it looked exactly like what you’d think a 15-year old would design. And the store was packed with customers.

Amused by the entourage but kind of freaked out by the surplus of pink sparkles, I did a double take when I saw the real girl, dressed down in a textured black coat, white jeans and pink platforms far too high for her to manage. I followed her outside and stopped her after a photo op.

Our conversation, if you could call it that, went something like this:

“Kira has been to our store. She loves candy. She likes pink gummies and lollipops.” —Dylan Lauren to WWD on why each of 16-year old Kira Plastinina’s US stores will include outposts of Dylan’s Candy Bar.

Kira Plastinina is officially raiding the U.S., and it all starts just a few blocks from our office.

The first of twelve stores, all set to operate by this July, will open on Broadway between Prince and Houston in NYC (right by where the new TopShop is supposed to be, incidentally,) on May 2nd.

Why the rush? Because Miss Kira (who’s 15, in case anyone forgot,) wants to have fifty of her boutiques open in the States by 2010.

We think this girl is going to be a huge success - not only does she have the money to pull off such a huge expansion (Daddy is like the Bill Gates of Russia,) but her clothes are adorable. And the best part? Her average price point is $48.

Watch out H&M, we can already envision a subsidiary line for Kira (KP? Kira by Kira?) beating out fast-fashion chains with a whole new game.

Today’s WWD has a rather insane headline for Kira Plastinina, the teen Russian designer whose clothes are getting quite a bit of traction.

We really love it, even though (ahem), we wrote about Kira like a month ago.

But you can’t blame us for being so ahead of the curve… after all, our father is the inventor of Toaster Streudel.

We received a look book today unlike most of the look books we normally see. What was so different about it? We’d actually wear the clothes.

Even more notable is the fact that the designer, Kira Plastinina, is all of fifteen years old.

We have to admit it: before checking out her designs, we were ready to laugh our faces off - her image as the Russian Nicky Hilton is well documented, and nobody really goes in with a soft heart for rich teenagers given access to all their daddy’s money.

But we have to say, the clothes speak for themselves. Her line isn’t available in the US just yet (but if you happen to live in Russia, you can shop at any of her 34 stores), but there are plans in the works.

Isn’t it interesting that a 15-year-old Russian can be in the fashion industry without being a model?