Lost in Showbiz has been attending the fashion shows in Milan and Paris this week. Some have claimed that the credit crunch has had a palpable effect on the fashion season and, after finding some totally wack generic cosmetics in one goody bag as opposed to half-decent designer ones, I can assure you that is the case. But even more painful is news of expenses cutbacks among the international fashion press.
According to the New York Times, Vanity Fair is considering putting the kibosh on paying for photographer Mario Testino's private plane. What, it is making Mario go commercial?
But that is one of the foretold signs of the approach of the apocalypse! Over at French Vogue, they're taking the demise of the world's economy very seriously and so far their one gesture to international bankruptcy has been ... to get rid of the coffee machine.
But as fashion magazines always say about expenditure, it's all about balance; so while les dames de Vogue may be forgoing their in-office coffee, Lost in Showbiz was pleased to note that they did hire two separate private cars to take round the two members of staff at the shows in Milan: one car for the editor and one for the fashion editor. French Vogue, this column says, bon travail!
• Marina Hyde is away
