Vol 56 for VIP

It’s the season to announce award winners… The Accessories Council’s ACE Awards will honor Valentino as the Brand of the Year, Tory Burch as the Accessory Brand Launch and Scoop as Specialty Retailer of the Year. The awards will be given out in October. … The Fashion Group International's Night of Stars will honor Jean Paul Gaultier with its Superstar Award. This event also takes place in October. …

The Paris Couture shows start July 2 and promise to be action-packed. Christian Dior is showing at the Orangerie at Versailles. Christian Lacroix, celebrating his 20th year, is hosting a party at Georges atop the Pompidou museum and of course, there’s the 45th anniversary extravaganza of Valentino in Rome, which includes his couture show, a ball, a retrospective exhibition and a fragrance launch. We can’t wait. Check back next week here at ELLE.com for more coverage of the fall 2007 couture shows.

Vol 55 for VIP

Alice Temperley struck gold for Moët & Chandon last year by designing a special limited edition tiara/headband that was sold on the company’s champagne magnum bottles. And she’s at it again, this time creating a limited-edition weekend bag/magnum carrying case. Made of linen, silver foil and black leather trim, only 50 of these special totes will be available starting in September. (Click to see photo.) …

Renée Zellweger has been chosen as the model ambassador for Saks Fifth Avenue and the Entertainment Industry Foundation’s Key to a Cure campaign, which kicks off in October. To raise funds for this project, Juicy Couture has designed a limited edition T-shirt sporting the phrase “Viva la Cure.” (Click to see photo.) …

Vol 54 for VIP

Topshop’s newest designer collaboration, with Christian Joy made its debut this week. Joy is known for the wacky stage costumes worn by Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. (Click to see photos.) … Sales at late designer Gianfranco Ferré’s boutiques have risen 87 percent since his death almost two weeks ago, Reuters reports. … Adding to her line of bath and body products called Dessert, Jessica Simpson will develop a fragrance with Parlux Fragrances to be launched next summer. …

Vol 53 for VIP

t’s a sad kimono tokyo week for that first wave of career women from the ‘70s and ‘80s, as the woman who first outfitted them in great suits and sportswear, Liz Claiborne Ortenberg, passed away this week after a long battle with cancer. Claiborne started her namesake company in 1976, and when she retired in 1989 to do philanthropic work, the company made over $100 million in profits annually. Her company has gone on to be a powerhouse player in the brand game, owning Juicy Couture, Ellen Tracy and Narciso Rodriguez. (Click to see photo.) …

Vol 52 for VIP

The fashion industry says farewell to Liz Claiborne, Renée Zellweger becomes a charitable "model," and Topshop launches another designer collaboration.

The business of fashion can be ugly as is the case with the lawsuit Elie Tahari filed against Andrew Rosen, his former partner in Theory. Tahari charged that Rosen underpaid Tahari when buying out his share of the company and then brought on partners who took the company public on the Tokyo Stock Exchange making more than $500 million. The legal scales tipped in the favor of Rosen this week in New York State Supreme Court, though Tahari was granted a claim that he is owed royalties on Theory clothes sold in Asia. …