The fashion world as tabloid fodder

A designer in rehab, a movie mogul turned designer sugar daddy, and a star carrying a handbag honcho’s baby? This week, the fashion world officially became tabloid fodder.

FOR THE RECORD:
Salma Hayek: A caption with an article in today’s Image section on designers who have become tabloid fodder spelled actress Salma Hayek’s last name as Hayak. —

Since the red carpet became big business nearly a decade ago, fashion and Hollywood have had an increasingly cozy relationship of tit-for-tat favors and payola. Celebrities have elbowed their way onto high-fashion magazine covers and advertising campaigns, while “Project Runway” has made us all armchair fashion pundits and nerdy design professor Tim Gunn a pop-culture hero. Tom Ford announced that what he really wants to do is make movies and proceeded to insert himself onto the cover of Vanity Fair’s Hollywood issue last year, engaging in a threesome with the very naked Keira Knightley and Scarlett Johansson. Last month, Vogue editor-at-large Andr– Leon Talley made an ill-conceived appearance as an Academy Awards show stylist and red carpet commentator.

Well, now things have gotten even more incestuous.

Movie mogul and “Project Runway” creator Harvey Weinstein has bought the iconic but now defunct American brand Halston and tapped the lovely Jimmy Choo founder and president Tamara Mellon to manage a turnaround. There’s even talk of a documentary about the storied designer, who hung out at Andy Warhol’s Factory with Edie Sedgwick, among others.

Of course, Weinstein’s already made that movie. Not that anybody saw “Factory Girl.”

Weinstein also reportedly provided some backing for Marchesa, his girlfriend Georgina Chapman’s line and a favorite (go figure) with the red carpet set. So now, Chapman will have serious competition come awards-show season. If you are an actress looking to land on Weinstein’s good side, you will have to ask yourself: Marchesa or Halston? Harvey’s heart or his wallet? Completing this love triangle could be Rachel Zoe. Rumor has it the –ber stylist will be designing for Halston. Can’t you see the catfight now?

In other news, Marc Jacobs has joined the rehab club. He’s checked himself into an Arizona facility for drug and alcohol addiction (could it be Kate Moss’ old haunt?). The New York-based designer, who runs his own line as well as Louis Vuitton in Paris, has admitted to substance abuse in the past but had been sober for seven years.

The announcement comes on the heels of stellar fall runway shows for Jacobs, who is regarded as the pacesetter for American fashion. And he was looking so skinny too! The front row couldn’t get enough of it.

Oh, well. Jacobs’ longtime business partner Robert Duffy needn’t worry. Donatella Versace has done her best work since she got out of rehab. Too bad Jacobs didn’t go to Promises in Malibu. Then Weinstein could have made that into a TV show for Bravo.

And finally, actress Salma Hayek has told the world she is pregnant and engaged to Fran–ois-Henri Pinault, the billionaire French businessman whose firm owns the Gucci, Alexander McQueen, Balenciaga and Stella McCartney labels among others. Yes, this is the Pinault who makes a mint off “It” girls like Hayek carrying his “It” bags.

Can’t you just see the “Ugly Betty”-goes-to-the-Balenciaga-show-in-Paris episode now? No word on when or where the Hayek-Gucci, I mean Pinault, wedding will be. But the dress will be spectacular, naturally.

Now, if only Ford would make a sojourn to the Valley and shave his head.