Marie Amelie Sauve

Alexander Wang is rumored to have asked Carine Roitfeld to join Balenciaga as his in-house stylist, but so far there's been no confirmation of the news.

In fact, Grazia, the first news outlet to report on the pairing, has since taken its post down, but that hasn't stopped other sites from picking up the story. If the rumors hold water, Roitfeld would replace Balenciaga's longtime stylist Marie-Amélie Sauvé, who worked with Nicolas Ghesquière during his tenure at the brand.

Wang and Roitfeld are friends, too, and have worked together in the past (Wang was photographed for Karl Lagerfeld's book The Little Black Jacket, which Roitfeld helped style), but this partnership would be their biggest collaboration yet. In her new position, Roitfeld would help Wang style his runway collections and ad campaigns, giving her an undeniable influence at the brand.

Wang took over for Ghesquière at the end of December and will present his first collection for the house in February. Whether Roitfeld will have anything to do with the show remains to be seen.

>> Carine Roitfeld is not only enjoying life as a free agent — she's also enjoying the ability to speak her mind, she says. In a recent New York Times article, the former editor opened up on everything from her current hair color to certain friendships — new and old. Among the newest tidbits? Confirmation that stylist — and former French Vogue colleague — Marie-Amélie Sauvé will be involved in Roitfeld's yet-to-be-named magazine. Read on for a few more highlights:

On the past year: "This could have been a terrible year for me. It could have been very sad for me. I could have gone off to hide at a spa, or to Riyadh, but instead I changed my personality, and it has been a very successful year.”

On the Roitfeld brand: "Funnily, it is true that my name has become almost a brand. Maybe I will follow Tom Ford. I will not be as successful as him, but I want to have as much fun.”

On returning to her roots as a natural brunette, after five years of being blond: "I think I will be more me."

On losing her 10-year friendship with Emanuelle Alt: "Maybe this was not supposed to be a friendship. If I look at the balance, maybe I lost some people I thought were my friends, but I made so many new friends. I am very happy, in the end, because I am the winner . . . at the end of the day."

>> Carine Roitfeld has been hinting a lot at her next big project, but now she confirms (translated from French): "It will be a magazine." She continues: "I would love to do four times a year. Initially, I wanted it on the Internet, but it's a lot of investment, a lot of time, I do not know if it suits me. I know that now you have to work with the Internet, and the photos are of very good quality on the iPad, but things quickly go out of style on the Internet. We'll start with print. A September issue next Fall, in English."

Roitfeld told Dazed Digital of the magazine last week: "It will be something less frequent than a monthly to make it more iconic, more collectible. I want to make something really beautiful, chic, different. . . . I have to find a new way, so I am dreaming about it and working it out."

She also recently hinted at who she might be working with: "I have a lot to say about fashion, not just about fashion but beauty, art. I'm looking for a new way to talk to readers. We make the dream team — Marie-Amelie Sauve, [Mario] Testino, Stephen Gan."

As for whether she has a name for the magazine: "Yes. I cannot tell you, I'm trying to see if it's not already filed, but I think it suits me, it's pretty rock and roll. I could call it Carine Roitfeld in the manner of Oprah Winfrey, and put myself on the cover every month like she does, but I'm not sure if this is what people want. At the moment, they see me a lot, I'll even do a signing [of her new book, Irreverent] at Colette and it amuses me, but after I want to disappear."

And how she envisions the magazine: "I do not want to compete with Vogue. Besides, I'm not sure they see me coming from a very good eye. It will not be easy for me to run independently. It's a little earthen pot against the iron pot. But I still have friends willing to support me. I would like to succeed in mixing a lot of people very different, as for a dinner."

>> Balenciaga stylist Marie Amelie Sauve recently worked with Gisele Bundchen on the brand's Spring 2011 runway show and campaign; needless to say, she's a fan: “You know what I like, and more and more I think it’s important, is to be toned . . . When you look soft, that I don’t like at all. Gisele is of course the best body, for me, because she’s doing a lot of different sports." As for why Sauve "never ever" wears makeup: "I started in fashion when I was 19, and as soon as you start in the fashion business, I don’t know why, but you don’t wear a lot of makeup. Especially when you’re shooting and you see a lot of models, because they are wearing a lot, you avoid it, maybe? It’s a funny thing.” [Into the Gloss]

>> More of Balenciaga's 10-Model Fall 2010 Campaign Cast, Revealed —Late last month, word came that Balenciaga cast 10 models for its Fall 2010 campaign, Karen Elson and Stella Tennant among them.  Now, a few more names have been added to the list: Mirte Maas, newcomer Julija Step, Meghan Collison, Eliza Cummings, Iselin Steiro, and in a bit of a surprise, perennial Chanel favorite Freja Beha Erichsen. Steven Meisel photographed the ads and house muse Marie Amelie Sauve did styling honors. [WWD, Vogue.it, TFS]

>> Marie-Amelie Sauve Heading to W? —Stylist Marie-Amelie Sauve, who was Vogue Paris fashion director until last year, is rumored to be joining the W masthead.  Sauve has styled for T in the past, which means she has a working relationship with newly-named W editor Stefano Tonchi, and with the confirmed departure of creative director Dennis Freedman and the likely departures of fashion director Alex White and senior contributing fashion editor Camilla Nickerson, there's definitely some space for Sauve to move in. [Fashionista]

>> Roe Ethridge: The Latest Art Photog Crossing Over into Fashion —Ryan McGinley has led the pack of art photographers breaking into fashion with his shoots for the likes of W, Vogue Paris, Stella McCartney, and Missoni, but Collier Schorr, who's worked with Interview and Vera Wang, and now Roe Ethridge are quick on his heels.  Ethridge, who worked with Marie-Amelie Sauve on a Balenciaga editorial for the new Spring 2010 issue of i-D, is the latest addition to the bunch, and The Imagist reports he's "inches away from another huge blue chip mag commission." [TI]

>> Team Vogue Paris "Blacklisted" from Balenciaga —After neither Carine Roitfeld nor any of the Vogue Paris staff appeared at Balenciaga yesterday morning; Roitfeld told WWD later in the day: “We’re blacklisted. It’s too bad, it’s a beautiful house and it’s French. I hope that it’s not forever.”  She said that Balenciaga no longer advertises with Vogue Paris or lends the magazine clothes, but has given no reason for the rift. "Ask them." A Balenciaga spokesman declined comment, but a commenter on Fashionista noted that it may have something to do with Balenciaga's stylist, Marie-Amelie Sauve, who is no longer styling for the magazine. Vogue Paris hasn't had Balenciaga ads as far back as the October 2009 issue, although that issue did feature Balenciaga samples. [WWD, Fashionista, Fashin, Fashin]