When we saw November’s disastrous Vogue cover, we just assumed the women were too busy to get together in one place to shoot the image.

We figured Nicole Kidman was on a beach in Australia, Marion in the South of France, Kate in Malibu etc., or maybe in a studio and then superimposed onto the waves. But then we watched this video of them dragging their couture through the ocean and walking on sand in Christian Louboutins and realized that no, they were in fact all in one place.

Which means, just to clarify, that despite the hundreds of gorgeous pictures Annie took of the group, someone still felt the need to butcher it on a computer. (Also, for the record, our favorite part is when Annie says they took a “huge risk” shooting at the beach.)
On the upside, it looks like they had a blast.

My Favorite Martian: Daria returned to the runways this morning at Balmain. And apparently, the alien-like beauty of Tanya D. will grace us with its presence once again very soon. We missed your boundless energy backstage in New York, Miss T! {Fashin}

LSD’s Burial Outfit?: Apparently it may be a Julian Louie dress. And yes, that’s vaguely morbid. But we still love the commentary on the Vogue-ette’s Fashion Week choices. {StyleFile}

Copping To It: The Nina Ricci relaunch tonight in Paris will be a low-key affair. Our desire to see what Peter does, still anything but low-key. {FWD}

Another morning, another announcement of another actress/industry collaboration.

But luckily, they are making more sense with each passing day. We already know that the sublime Marion Cotillard and Dior are a perfect match. But throw in a short film? Perfection.

WWD tells us that come May 20th, the house will debut a 6 1/2 minute film, The Lady Noire Affair, on the internet starring the Oscar winner and directed by her La Vie en Rose director, Olivier Dahan.

And it’s a noir thriller!

We can’t wait to watch Mlle Cotillard traipse around Paris with her Lady Dior bag, in frocks designed by John Galliano, bien sur.

Everybody’s talking about how Graydon Carter’s announced that the party for the 2009 Oscars in February will be a little more subdued than in years past (due to, of course, the economy.)

But we can’t get over the date - February 22nd.

Because as you probably know, the CFDA’s had New York Fashion Week pushed down a little further on the calendar to accommodate London Fashion Week a little better, and the shows won’t start until February 20th.

Which means all those pop tarts and serious-to-semi-serious actresses who look to major front rows for exposure and fashion cred will probably have to skip the last couple days in order to be in LA for fittings/makeup trials/etc.

So, bad for the designers, or a blessing to everybody who hated dealing with their entourages anyway?

Ok, clearly we don’t actually think that. Anyway…

One for all you photo freaks out there:

Does the shot of Marion Cotillard on the Eiffel Tower shot by Peter Lindbergh (thanks, WWD) remind anyone else of the divine Lisa Fonssagrives-Penn on the Eiffel Tower shot by Erwin Blumenfeld in 1939?

Even though Lisa makes it look like a ferris wheel and Marion like a death trap, we think so.

Class discussion, please.

PS Just for fun, I’ve added two photos of another model standing precariously on another building that one of my old professors just passed along to me. Bonus points if you can name both the model and photographer.

I’m still not used to the kind of fashion show where people care more about Harvey Weinstein than Patrick Demarchelier, more about Katy Perry than Anna Piaggi.

But I guess that’s why I don’t work in PR and why I watch for editors’ reactions instead of the runway at a show where it’s only half about the clothes.

Dior’s afternoon show, held in a tent at the Place de la Concorde end of the Tuileries, boasted movie stars, dramatic music cut with MGMT, ridiculously caged Cindy Lou Who hair, and handbags, of course.

From my perch above the runway, I watched Galliano’s parade of modern warrior princess clothes. Raquel, Caroline Trentini and Tanya D teetered on their carved heels - think Basso & Brooke - wearing snakeskin corsets and chiffon mini dresses made for Tinsley. The Dior beauty ambassador sat front row, the paparazzi crush snapping away at Eva Green and Marion Cotillard right next to her.

The show ended with a string of sheer gowns and a runway strut from Galliano in a particularly deep-v vest. As my new French friend said to me, “Beaucoup de boobies this season, n’est-ce pas?”

Confession: We’ve only seen about half the movies nominated for Golden Globes this year.

But we’re still excited for the ceremony, because it should boast some incredible fashion. In particular, two of our favorite red carpet cuties, Keira Knightley and Marion Cotillard, will be walking the line in January, and their outfits will be hotly anticipated by celebrity weeklies and fashion newspaper pages everywhere.

We should note that both Knightley and Cotillard have strong ties to Chanel - Keira is the face of their perfume, Chanel Mademoiselle, while Cotillard’s incredible movie, La Vie En Rose, had its American premiere thanks to sponsorship by the fashion house. But while Keira doesn’t seem contractually obligated to wear Chanel in public - she’s sported Rodarte to recent premieres - Marion is all Chanel, all the time.

Will they both sport Karl’s gowns on the red carpet?

Or will Keira commission Kate and Laura Mulleavy to make her something else?

Incidentally: We didn’t actually believe that Rodarte could work in real life until we saw Keira wear their gray mist dress, at left, to a premiere…

Reading the LA Times this morning, we were amused to see the ad at left:

“For Your Consideration: Marion Cotillard.”

It’s not that the French actress doesn’t deserve an Oscar for being Edith Piaf - in fact, she’s given the best performance in anything we’ve seen all year.

It’s just funny because the ad was placed in the style section, as though if all the actors and directors in the Academy don’t vote for Marion, at least all the costume designers and art directors will vote for the chicest chick.

Meanwhile, we wonder if Chanel is already pulling or making haute couture choices for their maid Marion, since there’s no way she’ll wear another designer on the carpet.