Following in the footsteps of such designers as Karl Lagerfeld, Stella McCartney, and Comme des Garcons, Lanvin’s H&M collection went on sale Saturday across the country after months and months of public anticipation. New York Magazine reports that when Lanvin’s artistic director, Alber Elbaz, pulled up to the Fifth Avenue H&M, the line of shoppers had reached 300 in the hours before the store opened, with similar reports across the world. As one of the oldest fashion houses in France, Lanvin’s collection gained much attention, with dresses ranging from $149 to $249, and an extensive array of accessories such as shoes, sunglasses, and jewelry.

Viral isn't even the word. H&M's unprecedented marketing campaign for its soon-to-launch collaboration with Lanvin is more like a pandemic. A second image of one of Alber Elbaz's designs was carefully leaked today, and it's being embraced, written up, and buzzed about by fashion blogs across the web. The consensus is good. Very good. Not only does the quality look phenomenal, but the feverish anticipation is ramping up H&M's marketing prowess. What started as anonymous videos on YouTube designed to mislead speculators into believing that Carolina Herrera or Thomas Maier would be designing the capsule line instead of Elbaz has since become a slow trickle of ad images, and they're generating no shortage of excitement. The fact that news of the line (a video with Natasha Poly that aired on Zet Fashion) broke by way of contestants and bloggers just goes to show that H&M isn't afraid to use a variety of digital platforms. Now comes news that H&M will hold a fashion show at the Pierre Hotel in NYC on November 18 to premiere the line.

If you're a fan of The Uniform Project, you'll love the fact that a number of major designers are focusing their efforts on creating dresses that channel Transformers. From Lanvin to a Rachel Zoe-approved convertible dress by Electric Feathers, there are plenty of transitional frocks to choose from this season. For pre-Spring, Alber Elbaz introduced a collection chock-full of clothing with split personalities. There was "a draped one-piece swimsuit [that] doubles as a 'robe de yacht' with the addition of a mini skirt and turns into a more evening appropriate dress when paired with a knee-length swing skirt," says Coutorture. And, in addition to items that morphed into something else entirely with the addition or subtraction of a certain layer, Elbaz offered reversible cocktail hour-appropriate styles that "go from basic black sheaths to tulle and ruffle embellished chiffon dresses with one simple zip." In her Zoe Report for today, Zoe is echoing the same message.

Karl Lagerfeld has been in the news quite a bit this week. First off, photo blogger Tommy Ton spawned rumors that Lanvin's Alber Elbaz was Chanel's pick for Lagerfeld's successor; true to Lagerfeld's "I'll die with my boots on" refusal to retire anytime soon, Chanel has since debunked the speculation. Meanwhile, Lagerfeld's FW10 show for the French fashion house -- which he oversees in addition to Fendi and his namesake collection -- has caught quite a bit of flak from ecologically minded audiences. For the affair, Lagerfeld flew in a 265-ton glacier from Sweden; not exactly a cool move, considering that while the stunt may have raised awareness of global warming, flying enormous ice blocks over hundreds of miles and holding a massive fashion show in and of itself leaves quite a sizable carbon footprint. But perhaps the most interesting Kaiser news this week is his interview with gay cult film and art icon Bruce LaBruce in the latest issue of Vice; LaBruce begins, "for a faggot it was tantamount to an audience with the Pope!".

It's the night of the living thread

Resort shows are kind of quirky, no? Usually it's an all-out runway platform for the designer to show off their true colors, perhaps their more playful side. It's a time for motifs to be a little more literal, colors exceptionally vibrant, and no-stops fun to be had. And we're guessing Alber Elbaz didn't have any shortage of that when visiting Hawaii to inspire Lanvin's take on resort, as even the ridiculous gaping faces of the faux first-row lineup posted behind the runway showed the real first row, and those subsequently behind, that they were in for a good time.

A fierce elegance marched down Alber Elbaz's runway for Lanvin at Paris Fashion Week. The abandoned railway hanger was the perfect concrete setting, with a vast undone beauty; his women walked in beautiful outwardly seamed dresses, fur shrugs worn as if armor, and beautifully rhinestoned and metallic beaded dresses. One of the highlights of the show was the oversized jewelry -- worn in abundance, it added to the overall glamour and gave a modern feel to the collection.

Alber Elbaz designs some of the chicest womenswear around, and the Spring 2009 Lanvin collection was no exception. Beautiful one-shouldered voluminous pieces meet über-chic slim trousers and colorful jewel tones. This season is all about appealing to the innermost desires of the feminine spirit. He dresses women as they want to be dressed, and he makes it look easy.

Lagerfeld in Phat Pharm? Cavalli dressing like Rhett Butler? That's the September issue of Harper's Bazaar. The mag wrangled together top designers to dress them up in fantasy outfits. "Michael Kors, Karl Lagerfeld, Donna Karan, Donatella Versace, Alessandra Facchinetti, Giorgio Armani, Alber Elbaz, Rodarte's Laura and Kate Mulleavy and Roberto Cavalli were all asked to get into character as something other than a designer. Armani played the role of Fred Astaire, Kors took on James Stewart's L.B. Jeffries character from Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window, Elbaz reinvented himself as a Hollywood producer with James Bond flair and Cavalli went Gone with the Wind as Rhett Butler; he was shot embracing Coca Rocha as Scarlett O'Hara." Lagerfeld dressed up as a rapper, striking a pose with Phat Farm jeans and untied shoelaces. "Believe it or not, I love rap," he told Bazaar. If only he'd consented to wear his tribute T-shirt.