>> Although Audrey Tautou's commercial role for Chanel doesn't officially kick off until next month, last night marked the world premiere of her role as Chanel in Coco avant Chanel (trailer) at a Champs-Elysees theater in Paris.  The movie film opens to the public in France April 22, but no date for the US has been set.  Grazia caught the screening, and determined that the final cut "definitely lives up to expectations."

The film begins with Chanel's arrival at the orphanage where she grew up and learned to sew, follows her arrival in society and romance with Boy Capel, and ends with her debut runway show; Grazia deemed the scene where the Chanel LBD was born — Coco realizes she has nothing to wear out and orders a plain black dress, without a corset, from a horrified local dressmaker (pastel corseted dresses were the order of the day) — their favorite.  Geraldine Dormoy of Cafe Mode also had the chance to see the film, and was fixated by the way Audrey brought the role to life — "[she] carries the film on her shoulders" — and the clothes — she noted Karl Lagerfeld's influence in the last scene.  Stephen Jones with Pippa Cleator apparently made some 800 hats for the movie.

But while you're waiting for the film to come stateside, Valentino: The Last Emperor is expanding into even more theaters in Philadelphia, San Diego, Boston, Washington, DC, and more — full list here.

>> ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL — Yesterday, rumors ran rampant that Anne Hathaway might be appearing in Marc Jacobs's Fall 2009 ads, but a brand rep says not so: “I’m afraid that is not true. Marc and Annie are good friends, but there are no plans of her appearing in our ads.”  But maybe she'll be coming with him to the Costume Institute Gala instead? [People StyleWatch]
*image: source

Fashion Nation attended the preview of Uniqlo's Singapore flagship...  

Boss Style captured Bostonians in their various pre-summer outfits. 

Kingdom of Style found an Etsy seller who makes oversized jersey necklaces. 

The Scented Salamander posted a humorous video from daytime television. 

>> Last week, Oscar de la Renta drew a lot of heat for his frustrated comments on Michelle Obama's decision to champion small fashion houses, wearing Thakoon and Jason Wu over Donna Karan or Ralph Lauren:

American fashion right now is struggling.  I think I understand what [Obama and her advisers] are doing, but I don’t think that is the right message at this particular point . . . I don’t object to the fact that Mrs. Obama is wearing J.Crew to whatever because the diversity of America is what makes this country great. But there are a lot of great designers out there. I think it’s wrong to go in one direction only.

He got particularly pointed about Obama's choice of an Alaia cardigan to meet Queen Elizabeth: “You don’t go to Buckingham Palace in a sweater.”

Needless to say, fashion community feathers were ruffled — Paper's Mickey Boardman blogged a piece requesting de la Renta to "hush": "It's beneath de la Renta's dignity as an elder statesman of American Fashion to consistently complain and criticize a First Lady who has done so much for American fashion."

But Oscar's sticking to his guns »

>> MODA OPERANDI —When IT Holding filed for the Italian equivalent of bankruptcy in late February, casualties were to be expected among its fashion brands Malo and Gianfranco Ferre, not to mention its licenses.  Malo was shown in Milan as a small presentation soon after, instead of a full runway show in New York like seasons past — and the clothes couldn't hold a candle to the stunning collection designer Alessandro Dell'Acqua did for Spring 2009 back in September.  Now, the casualty is pretty clear — Dell'Acqua is leaving the brand after less than a year, and going forward, the line will be designed by a team, with a focus on its core knitwear identity. [WWD]