>> Rumors have Olivier Theyskens waiting to take over at Lanvin in 2012, but how about some rumors on top of rumors? Hint reports: "Remember years ago when Theyskens, at only 25, was interviewing at Givenchy and asked for a salary twice that of [Alexander] McQueen's when he started? (They refused.) Well, he's either a skilled negotiator or self-saboteur. We hear that in the last several years he's turned down the job at both Valentino — despite a fortune proposed by Marzotto Group — and Dior. And get this: it seems he turned down Dior not once, but twice. Why? Because, according to conventional wisdom, there is no life after Dior. Many see it as an ailing house and view John Galliano as a protege of Helene Arnault, wife of LVMH (and Dior) owner Bernard Arnault." [Hint]

>> Burberry is doing well, to say the least — thanks to sales of aviator jackets, shearling boots and sling bags, the brand posted a 21.6 percent rise in first-half revenues to 641 million pounds ($974.3 million), from 527 million pounds ($801 million) in the corresponding period last year. “These were high-quality sales — from main line stores rather than outlets," Stacey Cartwright, Burberry's CFO, stipulated. "And there were fewer markdowns than in the past."

Along with those numbers have come persistent rumors that Burberry could be the target of a takeover by a big luxury group — like PPR or LVMH — or a private equity fund. Cartwright declined to comment on the rumors, but did say: “We have a lot of growth ahead, and we’re keeping our heads down and getting on with our work. We’re delighted with the progress so far.” She added that Burberry CEO Angela Ahrendts is “committed to this business as ever.”

A Citigroup report also addressed the rumors, determining that there was little “strategic and financial rationale for private equity money to enter so late in Burberry’s transformation story. Likewise, we struggle to find strategic rationale for PPR and LVMH to add another soft luxury brand to their portfolio.”

>> A letter written by Madonna to Steven Meisel — in 1991, pre-Sex, while she was filming A League of Their Own — hit the web today, courtesy of Hard Rock. It starts: "Dear Steven, For some reason I thought you were angry with me — because I finked out as a judge at the "Love Ball"? Because I'm still nice to Herb Ritts? Because my hair is the wrong color? I hope you will forgive me for all of the above." And it finishes, presumably referring to what would eventually become Sex: "Saw the piece in NY Times Magazine. Great!! I would love to do this book thing with you so let's talk soon." Full transcript at the link. [Letters of Note]

>> Carey Mulligan and Keira Knightley are a red carpet dream: the two have been taking the London Film Festival circuit by storm while promoting their new movie, Never Let Me Go. Yesterday alone, the duo stepped out in Chanel, Proenza Schouler, Vionnet, and Rodarte.

For their photo call, Mulligan donned a mustard yellow Pre-Spring 2011 Proenza Schouler dress paired with black Yves Saint Laurent pumps, while Knightley opted to wear Rodarte — marking the designers' first Spring 2011 piece to hit the red carpet — complemented with brown Christian Louboutin pumps. Later in the evening at the movie's premiere, Mulligan, a Vionnet fan in the past, chose a head-to-toe Spring 2011 look from the label — finishing it off with Giuseppe Zanotti for Vionnet gold wedges — while Knightley, a current Chanel face, picked a pearly Fall 2010 Chanel couture dress and chunky black pumps.

>> The blown-up, billboard version of the ad for Chloe's latest fragrance — Love, Chloe — is causing quite the kerfuffle. At the magnified size, Raquel Zimmermann is clearly seen to be wearing a belt by Yves Saint Laurent, rather than Chloe. Although less noticeable, Hint reports hearing that Zimmermann's coat is also not Chloe. The ads were shot by Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin, with Ezra Petronio as creative director. No stylist's information was released, and Petronio did not return calls. [WWD]

>> Linda Evangelista, 45, and billionaire Hard Rock founder Peter Morton, 64, who began dating in late 2006 when Evangelista was pregnant, split at the end of the summer after a series of disagreements, Page Six reports.

>> Just yesterday, Oscar de la Renta's office was celebrating Anne Hathaway on the November 2010 cover of Vogue in one of his gowns. Today, they're fighting off rumors about the designer's health.

Word started circulating during New York Fashion Week last month that de la Renta, 78, is ill and may have to give up the reins to his company. He was recovering from hip replacement surgery and well enough to walk out and wave at the end of of his show, but Page Six quotes an insider saying that since then, "Oscar is in the office taking meetings, but is weaker and takes naps to rest. There's speculation that staff and designers have recently been hired to prepare for a possible future with Oscar taking a lesser role." A de la Renta spokesman fires back: "Oscar happily is enjoying excellent health. He's putting in a full work day every day. Any new hires have nothing to do with the design process, and there is no plan whatsoever to even think of replacing him as the creative head."