Original subtitles

Miramax Films Presents

A Robert Altman Film

Moscow?

What's this about?

Put that on the desk.

Dear Mr de la Fontaine: Blah, blah, blah, blah...

Blah, blah, blah, blah...

Robin.

I told you not to!

It's dirty!

You shouldn't do that!

Not in the house!

You're a shit.

This is Kitty Potter on the scene for FAD TV.

At the moment, Paris fashion is a thrilling bore.

But as of tomorrow, all of that could change.

Tomorrow is the first day of the prêt-à-porter collections.

It's a strange and exhilarating moment for fashion.

The only rule is...

Is that there are no rules.

Come on with Kitty.

We'll be going backstage and sipping Diet Coke with all of the top models.

And we'll meet designers from supernovas to super nobodies.

Now, let's go behind the scenes

and into the busy workrooms of some of fashion's biggest thinkers.

Shall we?

Can we roll?

This is Kitty Potter in Paris, and I'm here with Thierry Mugler,

the cutting-edge couturier known for his sartorial shock tactics.

Thierry, Thierry, you know,

it's been said that your clothes have a kind of

overt, extreme sexual subtext,

which is squarely at odds

with the image of women as capable and independent of men.

So, I was just wondering, our audience would love to know, really,

what you think about that?

Well, it's all about looking good.

Helping the silhouette.

And it's all about getting a great fuck, honey.

Well, thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you.

Well, that was designer Thierry Mugler explaining his unique views on style.

This is Kitty Potter in Paris, and we're backstage with FAD.

How beautiful you are.

I'm Inspector Tantpis.

I'd like to introduce my dog, Ladd.

Oh, yes. I remember your dog.

Heel, Ladd!

I'm going to pouf your hair.

You'll walk faster, huh?

Okay, now you finish.

-And I'd like to see Kiki and Dane. -Okay, thank you. That's it.

-Okay? -Okay.

-But quickly, because we are very late. -Okay, Kiki. Come on.

Kiki, can you stop smoking, please?

-Oh, who's there? -Simone.

It's wonderful!

-Yeah, well, great things happen to me. -Twins, no?

Egg and sperm, and they loved each other.

No, triplets.

Albertine, you've kept a secret from us.

-Who's the unlucky man? -Well, maybe it's you, darling.

Come on, Kiki, Dane.

Dane, Kiki, come on.

I'm sorry, Simone, I won't be able to do your défilé this year.

Oh, don't worry. It's no problem.

-You'll get me Eve, huh? -Eve?

Albertine. Oh, what have we here?

Big fish in the trunk.

How extraordinary.

And when did this happen?

About eight and a half months ago. Exactly.

What's with this divinetie?

Are you colour-blind or did your wife give it to you?

I'm writing a piece on the fashion industry.

No, no. It's an old one.

No, no, please. I'm in a hurry.

I am not any more of any interest for The New York Times

because I just stopped working.

On the contrary, I'd love to talk to you even more.

The piece I'm writing...

Where are you going?

To the airport.

There's a fashion show at the airport?

No, I have to meet someone.

Will I see you for dinner?

I'll be here working.

I don't know how long I'll be.

Thank you.

How about right here? This is good. It's good.

I think this is... Yeah, but it's mine I'm looking for.

This big one coming up is mine.

All right, that's one. Now, I've got... I don't think that's mine.

Do you know what my luggage looks like?

Yeah.

-Are you sure it was green? -Yes, I'm sure it's green, darling.

It's green, it's brown, it's big.

-Where are you from? -From Texas.

I love that accent. I love it. So courtly.

-And you're from Vogue magazine? -Would you say, "Thank you, ma'am"?

-Would you just say that for me once? -This guy's cracking me up.

Well, maybe later.

He knows the Polaroids are not supposed to travel in the box, okay?

I could be in the hotel by now.

-Oh, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. -It's okay, it's okay.

Are you all right?

I lost my suitcase.

Well, you just report it over there to lost luggage.

-No. -The baggage...

Well, it's not that. I left it in the airport bar in Houston.

That's where I came in from.

I'm scared to fly,

so I went in there to get my courage, if you know what I mean.

Would you read the tags, darling? Thank you so much.

Hey!

Viviene. Let's just pick up our own...

You know, they'll find it. That's what they're very good at,

and all you have to do is just tell them, you know.

It's nice of you to say that, you know. It's nice of you to care.

Because, you see, I don't speak French.

That's the thing, I don't speak French.

Well, high school, but, you know, that doesn't really count.

And, you know, I don't even know the French word for "baggage."

It's bagage. Just like it's baggage. Bagage.

You got the cards ready?

Are you ready?

We need a longer cord on this thing. This is irritating me.

Olivier de la Fontaine. Try to find out why he's here.

-Hello, Olivier! -Hi, Kitty.

What a pretty tie. And it's got kitties on it.

-And I'm Kitty! -Funny.

Let me guess.

A Charvet?

Or Dior?

-No,Dior, naturellement. -Bingo!

This is Kitty Potter at Charles de Gaulle Airport

where what I like to call the international intelligentsia

of fashion in all its many mutations is arriving all around me.

Are we expecting someone special here today?

Special?

Special.

Le tout Paris has been buzzing about a lollapalooza

called Liza, and her definite, maybe, appearance on the runway at Chanel.

And I know that she is due any minute.

Any possibility that you might be here for her?

Well, I'm here to welcome the press and the retailers.

I'm here to welcome you, Kitty. Welcome.

I think it's going to be a great season.

Well, we all know how Liza just loves the spotlight,

so I was just wondering if maybe you could give us a little...

Just shed some light on that subject for us.

Olivier?

Olivier, sir?

Our new facilities, I think, are sublime.

It's a giant step forward for the Paris fashion.

The designers are thrilled.

-Well, I bet they are. -Will you excuse me?

Well, there he goes.

With the absolute poise of an architect's desk lamp.

Are you here for the prêt-à-porter?

I'm with The Houston Chronicle. I'm the assistant fashion editor.

My boss was supposed to come, but she got sick, a stroke, actually.

I didn't have time for breakfast.

I had to change my shirt to wear this ridiculous tie.

And here we have the Paris troika,

the three powers that be in the world of magazine editing.

The unflinchingly fabulous Sissy Wanamaker of Harper's Bazaar.

-Hi, Sissy. -Hello, Kitty. Hello.

The unstoppably sophisticated Nina Scant from British Vogue.

Good Lord, I've never heard myself described like that before.

Hello, hello.

And the relentlessly artistic Regina Krumm from Elle.

-Hey. -Hey.

Welcome to Paris, girls.

-What kind is it? -Ham.

There's no ham in Moscow.

I have the best art director in a decade, maybe ever.

The best photographers,

the top, top models, the best writers, the best editors...

But I think I hear Elle's bells right behind you.

Operative word being "behind."

I'm not really interested in jockeying for position.

I just think we're going through an incredibly exciting, vital time at Elle.

A lot of articles about sex nowadays, in Elle.

I think they're interesting.

They're very diverting, both magazines,

but I still think Vogue is the final word, Kitty.

I think you'll have to agree with me there.

-I have to go! -Oh, don't go. Oh, don't go.

Follow me to my car, please.

I suppose you don't remember me. Major Hamilton.

Marshall Field's, Chicago. Fashion director.

-Oh, yes. Yes. -It's good seeing you.

I have a little bit of time. Would you like a quick interview?

We really don't do unscheduled interviews.

-Mr O'Brannigan, would you mind... -I don't mind.

-Are you sure? -...answering a few questions?

Milo. Milo. One minute. One minute.

-Hi. How are you? -I'll be here if you need me.

-Kitty Potter. Kitty Potter. -How you doing?

-Yeah. -Are we ready? Are we rolling?

This is Milo O'Brannigan,

the most sought-after fashion photographer in the business today.

Milo, you've had a lock on the look of the '90s for decades now.

How have you managed to stay on top of everything?

Probably the same way you have, Kitty.

Just hard work and believing in yourself, right?

Taking advantage of other people's insecurities.

Anyway, we'll show it to Pilar.

So, does your mother believe in the old adage

that some women dress for men,

but most women dress for other women?

You know, my mother makes dresses to celebrate a woman's body.

Dressing for men has never particularly interested her.

Although she's certainly undressed for a few of them.

So what if I have big feet?

You know, the main difference between men and women in fashion is this,

women make dresses for themselves and for other women.

A man makes clothes for a woman he wants to be with

or, as in most cases, for the woman he wants to be.

-Are you married? -I'm married to Dane.

Come over here, honey.

Dane. Earth to Dane.

Jack, try and be a little bit nice.

This is my wife, Dane. These are her famous legs.

And this is her famous sister, Kiki.

-Hello. Fiona, New York Times. -Hey. How's it going?

-Fiona. How do you do? -Hi, I'm Dane. Charmed.

They share the same father, or at least that is what their agent tells us.

I made these clothes for your old body,

and now you couldn't fit into them if I asked you to.

-I mean, am I crazy? Am I crazy? -Cy, it was not her fault.

-Or what? -It's not my fault!

It's not a fault, you faggots! You woman haters!

It's great! It was a big shock!

Albertine, you could have told me, right?

-You could have called me. -I was in Germany.

I am crazy, I am crazy!

Or did the goddamn Germans invent the telephone?

They invented worse, okay?

I wasn't really sure I was going to keep it.

Look, you gotta be eight and a half months pregnant.

I mean, if I was Lacroix, if I was that thief Lagerfeld,

you would've called me, right?

We'll get Eve. They are the same size.

I hate her fucking tattooed head.

-You're bald. -Aren't I?

Violetta.

-I can't deal with this girl. -Well, I'll get rid of her.

Albertine. Albertine's the one I want. Why can't I have Albertine?

Albertine is pregnant. The agency said she was pregnant.

Pregnant is not my silhouette this season.

-I know. -I mean,

it is not, it is not, it is not.

My bulge is in the bustle out at the back, not in the bulge up front.

Bald tattoo is not part of my vision.

It's beyond déjà vu.

Freezing out here.

Go, see what's wrong with this traffic.

We must talk about your wife.

What's my wife got to do with you?

You shouldn't eat so fast.

Stop him! He's a murderer!

Stop!

-What? -Pilar...

-Are you joking? -...the two greys is not good, you know.

-Pilar. -Hold on, please.

-Simone. -Why there is no music today here?

-Simone, it's important. -Okay, I'm coming.

Oh, your smoke, Pilar. You're killing us.

Murdered?

Jack.

Put on the news.

He was here.

Olivier's been murdered.

...Olivier de la Fontaine, Head of the Fashion Council,

What?

has been murdered...

What?

What happened?

Does his wife know yet?

My condolences. Your husband has died.

What a pity.

Your Papa has died.

I'm sorry to bring you this terrible news.

But my dog and I are very happy. We hated him.

We're coming to you live from the historic Pont Alexandre in Paris,

where Olivier de la Fontaine...

Eyewitnesses report a stocky man, possibly in his mid-60s...

...fleeing the scene by plunging...

This is a shocking prelude to the spring prêt-à-porter collections,

the glittering spectacle Olivier de la Fontaine

choreographed each season for a cast of thousands.

I saw...

Did she take photos?

So, you took photographs?

-Can I have the roll? -Yes.

I want a receipt.

Okay, you give... You give your name.

And he just jumped off the bridge. Just like that. He just jumped off.

-Yeah, well, no. It was totally bizarre. -Yeah.

-Completely strange. Bizarre. -I mean, I saw the whole thing.

F-I-O-N-A.

-Could you identify the guy? -All white people look alike to me.

How can you tell him apart from your boss if it's true?

By his clothes. How do you think?

That's how I tell everybody apart.

How much longer? Miss, how much longer?

Checkout time is 12:00.

Well, that's an hour and twenty minutes.

You're not telling me I have to wait an hour and twenty minutes, are you?

Come on, come on.

Set up right around here. Right here. It should be fine.

Yeah, I'm checking out. I'm Joe Flynn.

Clint. Clint.

Will you do your interview with Kitty Potter?

I promised I'd give you an interview. Absolutely.

-Slim. Slim, hey. -Oh, hello, Kitty.

Mr Flynn, there is a phone call for you from Washington.

Am I invisible? I've been standing here for a half an hour!

You can use the phone on the desk right there.

All right.

Hello?

Hi. I'm Anne Eisenhower from The Houston Chronicle.

I should have a reservation.

And the only person still living who can give Saint Laurent colour tips.

Slim, we've missed you so very much since you retired from Vogue.

Really?

I'm a sports reporter, for Christ's sake.

I don't know dick about fashion.

You're all we got there, Joe. Matthews wants this tomorrow...

For God's sake, I gotta leave Paris. You gotta use the fucking wire.

This is a big story.

What's so special about this dead guy?

-Fashion. He's a... -What's his name?

-Who? -The dead guy!

De la Fontaine. Olivier de la Fontaine. Got that?

Yeah, right. And do me a favour.

Call my wife. She's not going to believe me.

Fucking cocksucker!

New ball game. I'm not checking out. I'm not checking out.

No, I'm not checking out. I'm not leaving, I'm staying.

But you can't.

-This is my room. -This lady has just checked in.

This is my room.

You'll have to find the lady another room.

-I'm sorry. -Well, I'm sorry.

There is no other room.

Excuse me, you clearly don't understand. This is my room.

-You have a problem. Sorry. -You don't understand

-the day I've had. I lost my luggage. -You don't understand.

I haven't checked out. See, I have not checked out.

Well, do we have any fashion plans or projects in the wings anywhere?

Well, I think you'll find out about them when the time is right.

But now I want you to meet somebody very, very special.

Clint, come over here. Over here.

Clint Lammeraux, meet Kitty Potter.

-I don't care about your luggage! -I have to cover

the fashion show. You know, this is my...

You'll have to find the lady another room. I'm sorry. Hey...

Do I smell oil?

-Excuse me. -Where's my bag? Where's my bag?

If you don't find my bag soon,

you're going to hear from The Washington Post!

-2326. Hey! -...just a little of this and a little of that.

Hey!

Yes, especially that. Cotton, pharmaceuticals, you name it.

Cobras, pythons, rattlesnakes, ring lizards...

Oh, shit.

Hey! Hey!

Hey, what are you doing?

Let me in!

I'm on this line.

Yes, this is Joe Flynn.

Listen to me if you want to keep your job.

Listen... I you my baggage

and I you this bitch in my room, now!

What do you mean you don't have my bagage?

I know goddamn well you have my bagage!

If you think you can smoke me out of here with that cock and bull story,

you're as full of shit as a Christmas goose.

As full of merdeas a canard de...

Yes, hello, this is Anne Eisenhower.

As in General Dwight D. Eisenhower.

Yes, that's correct. Ex-president Dwight D. Eisenhower.

No, I know he's not registered here! I am!

No, I don't want to talk to the manager again.

I have talked to the manager.

I want the owner.

I think this hotel is owned by Sony or some Japanese company.

I wonder what time it is in Tokyo?

I wonder how long it will take them to get you out of my room, Mr Joe Flynn!

Oh, thank you. Would you help me with these bags?

-Of course. -Check them here.

Sorry.

I believe you have a reservation for a Louise Marshall?

-Marshall? -Field.

Louise Field.

-Would you sign that, please? -Of course.

Major.

Good-looking guy, huh?

Well, bonjour.

And I'm standing here with the one, the only Elsa Klensch.

Thank you, Kitty. How are you?

-How are you doing? -I'm fine, darling.

Thank you so much for doing this.

What's going on in fashion for the '90s?

Well, this is the most important time, the most important week in fashion.

This is where everything happens, really, for the year.

Let me ask you this, did you get any good scoops this morning?

Yes, but...

She's saving it for her own show, folks.

What the hell is this?

Operator.

Splendid Hotel, please.

-Hello? -Louise?

-Yes. -God damn it, Louise!

You left a pair of skivvies in my suitcase.

You gotta be careful about that stuff.

I don't know how that happened. I'm very sorry

and I won't let that happen again.

I'll be much more careful.

I'm sorry.

And listen, since when are you so talkative?

You were talking to everybody at the airport.

-I didn't talk to anyone, honey. -You even started to talk to me.

-Hardly anyone at all. -You would have blown our cover.

We gotta be careful, honey. Very, very careful.

-You understand? -I'm very sorry.

I will be more careful. Okay?

My darling, do you miss me?

-How was Milan? -Well, I'll tell you.

I got the surprise of my life there.

You know, I know a lot about fashion,

and we all know that short skirts are back,

and short skirts are going to be back for the rest of the '90s.

That's my bet.

Well, I've seen pleated skirts. I saw A-line skirts.

I saw sarong skirts, but then suddenly the pouf skirt emerged.

Now, you must remember Lacroix's pouf skirt?

We were poufed, and poufed, and poufed?

Well, it could be that we're gonna be poufed again

before the turn of the century.

Will you be poufed?

I doubt it.

Stop. Stop.

I'm just going to take a look.

Stop.

What suite is Regina Krumm in?

Regina? Faust Suite.

-Foest? -Yes, Faust Suite.

-You mean Faust. -Faust Suite!

-The Faust Suite. -Yes, Faust Suite.

Oh, that's supposed to be my suite.

What suite is Nina Scant in?

The Solomon Suite.

-Solomon. You mean the Salomé Suite. -The Salomé Suite.

That's the suite that I'm supposed to be in.

-Well, this is your suite. -No, no, this is not my suite.

This is the Faust Suite.

I'm supposed to be in the Salomé Suite.

I'm not in this Salomé Suite. You get on the phone right now.

Get on the phone and tell them that I want to be in the Faust Suite.

It's the one I asked for. I don't want to be in the Salomé Suite.

This is the wrong suite.

I'm supposed to be in the Salomé Suite.

You're supposed to be in the Salomé Suite.

And you just set those things down, down.

Put everything down.

Just put it down, because this is not my suite.

-Regina. -Nina.

-Oh, my God. Here we are again. -Here we are again.

It's unbelievable. It seems like we were here just a second ago.

I know, I feel like I have déjà vu.

Can you believe the construction in this city?

-No, it's wild. -What are they doing?

Well, it must be an awful lot of maintenance

-in a city like this, mustn't it? -Oh, my God.

The plaster dust, you know, it just goes right up my nostrils.

-It's incredible. -Yes, it's horrid. Isn't it?

Now, are you going to the embassy tonight?

Yes, of course.

Well, my darling, I shall see you there.

-Get some rest. -Bye, darling.

Come with us.

Let's see.

Who's this?

Chauffeur.

We can't see his face.

That's him. That's the man.

See? That's his coat.

His pants.

We know what he wore. We don't know who he is.

We are coming to you live from the historic Pont Alexandre in Paris

where Olivier de la Fontaine,

head of La Chambre Syndicale de la Mode et de la Haute Couture,

which is French fashion's governing body,

has been murdered in the back of his limousine.

Eyewitnesses report a stocky man, possibly mid-60s, exited the car

as it stopped in traffic,

fleeing the scene by plunging headlong into the Seine.

He's believed drowned. If not, he has surely died of pollution.

Excuse me.

This is a shocking prelude to the prêt-à-porter collection,

the glittering spectacle Olivier de la Fontaine

choreographed each season for a cast of thousands.

This was Sandra de la Notte for Sky News.

From the Sky Satellite Network,

-this is Sky News. -Are you still here?

It's going to be a group designer photo.

Most everybody's going to be there.

All the designers are going to be there?

Pretty much everybody. I've got Cerruti, Rykiel,

Westwood, Montana, Agnès B.

You don't know these people.

Well, they said they're going to be there.

Simone Lo will probably not be there.

She may not even show her collection.

Are you serious?

-Simone is a greedy bitch! -Cort.

-Don't say such things. -It's true.

Simone Lo's collection is little more than crematorium couture. Dead.

-How about Gaultier? -Yeah.

He's very enthusiastic.

-But you like his work. -I used to.

At the beginning of his career when he was my little protégé.

Lately he's gone off in a direction I don't think I can entirely approve of.

You mean like Cy Bianco?

Why would you want to dredge up his recycled name?

It seems that they're both influenced by the street.

Oh, what street? Bond?

Or Camden Lock?

-Where's Mother? -I think she's in her office.

-Mother? -Don't say anything, Jack.

Just get out and close the door.

No, no, I don't want that black thing. No, please.

I don't think I'm going to be home tonight, honey.

My mother wants me to stay with her.

-I wonder who's the father? -Father?

You know, Albertine's baby.

Well, it's not me.

Oh, really?

Dane, I'm going to try to catch a ride with your old man.

-I'll catch you later, all right? -That's nice of him.

There's no downside.

Milo O'Brannigan's the photographer. You can't do better than that.

He's the best. He will make you all look great.

And you'll be, what, with your friends.

-That's not... -He shoots quick.

-Is it wrong? -It's definitely not wrong.

-Milo, huh? -Yeah, Milo.

-He's the best. -How'd you get him?

-You sleep with him or what? -No.

I don't sleep with men.

Where is Mr Lammeraux?

Jack, wait till you see these boots.

One for every mood.

Too cool.

-Clint, how are you? -Hi, Jack.

It's been such a long time since Christmas. How is Ann?

-She said to say hi. -She is absolutely charming.

Do you know Ann Richards?

I introduced you to her. Remember me?

-Eve, Clint Lammeraux. -Hi, Eve.

Eve, Slim Chrysler.

Why don't you try those on?

Women's Wear Daily is going to love these, and Simone too.

I'm not so sure about that. Simone has her own taste.

How's that?

Well, Slim was just saying that

my mother is really going to love these boots. She's going to love them.

Well, it's nice of you to say so,

but I'm just a simple Irish country boy who loves his work.

Listen, I know your contract with Vogue is almost up.

-March 31st. -Is it?

I never bother with that business stuff.

I'll get somebody to check it out.

Let me give you another glass of champagne.

Milo, me old darling.

Hello.

I'm here for a slightly premature celebration.

Remember the information that I imparted to you

about my imminent megabucks deal in the States?

Well, it's about to come to fruition.

You know I want you to be my right-hand man.

We're going to blow Vanity Fair out of the fucking water, darling.

And my friend at The New Yorker says Tina is shitting herself.

-Regina. -Hi.

I'm sorry, I thought this was Gérard Depardieu's suite.

-What's that? -Dog shit.

It brings good luck.

He never looked better.

Let's go.

Mrs de la Fontaine, my condolences.

Please, would you... Would you please answer to a few questions?

It's no secret here in Paris that your husband was involved with Simone Lo.

-How do you feel about that right now? -Where is the car?

Please open the door.

Is it true that your husband was in financial turmoil?

Did you know your husband had enemies?

What are you going to do now?

Thank you, Mrs... Thank you, Mrs de la Fontaine.

My condolences. Okay, come here.

This is Sandra de la Notte reporting.

There she is! Simone Lowenthal.

Mrs Lowenthal! Mrs Lo! Mrs Lo...

Please, could you answer a few quick questions?

-Please, leave me alone. -For Sky News, please.

What was your relationship with the victim before the murder?

-Please, leave me alone, please. -Did you have quarrels with his wife?

Would you please tell me about your collection, please?

What was your relationship with the victim?

Why don't you ask his widow?

Who do you think could have done such a horrible thing?

These bizarre circumstances have...

These bizarre circumstances have cast

a strange pall over fashion week here in Paris,

where it's difficult to eclipse the epic drama of the prêt-à-porter.

Ironically, the controversial figure at the centre of it all has done just that.

That's it.

Well, I'll call with something on the coroner's report tomorrow.

Isabella!

Close the door.

Isabella.

You know, they said it was a man who murdered him.

I would have guessed his wife.

Oh, please. Simone's better off without him anyway.

-So is his wife. -Kiki.

Did you ever sleep with him?

Get out of here. No, I wouldn't do that to Simone.

Why, are you trying to tell me something?

Not quite. I have to go. I'm cooking.

-Okay. Bye. -Bye.

Hi, honey. Who was that on the phone?

Only your wife.

Want some wine?

No, I shouldn't.

Hello.

Yes, this is Anne Eisenhower.

Yes. Yes, well...

You know, that's just completely unacceptable, I'm afraid,

because I have to have my bag.

Well, I filled out the form, and everything's there.

Just... If you could just please keep looking.

Thank you. Thank you very much.

This is Kitty Potter, and I'll be in Paris, guaranteeing you

that I'm going to bring you a drama.

I thought you said you didn't drink.

I said I shouldn't drink.

-Well, cheers. -Thank you.

These French really know how to make wine.

Why don't we just go ahead without Simone?

Well, guys, I'm fed up waiting.

I'm gonna do this now, all right?

-Are you charged up? -Yeah. You ready?

You're ready. Okay.

Hi. So, hope you're all well. You look lovely.

I'm just going to do this shot now, okay?

The important thing is, I'm gonna count to three,

when I say three, that's when the shot is going to be.

So I want you to keep your eyes wide open, you know.

No blinking, okay?

Focus on the camera when I say three, all right?

Here we go. Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you.

What about the champagne glasses?

-Milo, she's here. -I'm sorry I'm late.

I'm sorry I'm late.

Winnie, pull her into the centre.

I'm sorry.

Hi, Simone.

Now, on the count of three, I want you to look over here, all right?

-Okay, I'm sorry, Milo. -Okay.

Excuse me, I'm trying to work. Set.

Okay, and again, over here, please.

One, two, three.

This is Kitty Potter,

reporting live on the first day of the fall 1994 Paris collections.

The remarkably well-preserved crowd of fashion folk you see around me

look as though they're about to break

into the Bonjour, Paris number from Funny Face, don't they?

But in reality, they're headed for the trenches.

Fashion, my friends, is war.

A week from now these editors, journalists, photographers and retailers

will wear their battle scars much as they do their huge Prada handbags

and their Vivienne Westwood platform shoes as chic accessories.

Even a wisp of iron like Regina Krumm,

the Lilliputian editor of Elle magazine,

is here for the blood sport.

With 86 collections to view,

vision blurs and judgement is occasionally impaired.

Wearing dark glasses can't stop it, either.

There will be great lapses in taste.

But there will also be dazzling moments of rare beauty.

And I'll be everywhere at once.

That's Kitty Potter keeping you posted.

-That's got a bad stain on it. -Okay.

Whither the couturier in his métier, you ask,

and I answer, right here backstage at Christian Lacroix,

the artiste from Arles,

the saviour of ready-to-wear deluxe.

Christian, it was such a beautiful collection.

Thank you.

And so perfect. What was perfect for you this morning?

Perfection for me? It doesn't exist. Never.

In fashion, we are never satisfied.

Well, let me ask you something.

The photo prints of the models and the faces were just wonderful.

How did you come up with that idea?

Now the fashion is starting from

the medias, from magazines and from models.

And I wanted to put them in the street.

Because I want people to be a little disturbed,

and they don't know where is reality, fashion,

and magazine media, models, girls, real girls.

I wanted to mix up all of that.

Is she going ahead with the show?

Well, of course. It is our business, after all.

Will she actually be there herself?

Sonia, it's nice of you to come.

How's Simone?

We're so sorry.

This is such a tragedy.

The Rykiels are here.

Everything is okay?

Nice of you to come.

We just came to give you a hug.

Bernell, it's Anne, and I'm just calling to say everything is great in Paris.

I'm in the hotel. I got all the schedules, all the invitations, and, so, that's it.

If you need to call me, just remember the time change. Okay, bye.

You know, this is a really unusual circumstance, and I just...

I just hope that you can forget about last night.

I have a little problem with alcohol, and...

Excuse me? Hello? Hi.

I just... I hope that you can be a gentleman and that we can just say

what happened last night

never happened, okay?

Sure. No problem.

-No problem? Really? -Yeah, whatever you want.

Just forgotten, like that. It's so easy.

-Yeah. -That's great.

What? What, am I supposed to be crushed or something?

No. No! No, this is... This is great. This is just great. You know?

-Yeah. That's great. -Come on, don't change the channel!

Come on! Hey, hey, hey. Come on, give me back the channel changer.

Simone.

That's very nice.

-But isn't it your show today? -That's not important.

Our concern is for our friends. Business will take care of business.

I am so sorry for you.

I can feel your pain.

Simone, I have to be honest with you.

Olivier and I were never great friends.

But you know that. But to be murdered,

strangled by a maniac...

It makes my flesh crawl.

But you, you poor, poor dear,

you are truly the bravest woman in Christendom.

You're so kind. Really.

Where's my crew? Where's my camera? There you go.

I'm standing here with the handsomest man I know.

Monsieur Gianfranco Ferré,

the Italian designer in residence at

the venerated old French house of Christian Dior.

-Yeah. -Gianfranco...

-Such refinement. -Thanks a lot, Kitty.

You speak Italian so well.

Such refinement. What inspired you this time?

Well, it's the energy that a woman needs in these times.

I try to do my best. I love women. I like to make fantasies with women.

But I always figure what she does, how she moves,

which way she can move.

But she can make her wardrobe with different pieces

without throwing them away season after season.

Sure, she can make her own new tradition

with the freedom that she needs.

Simone!

I know this has been a great shock to you.

You lost your man.

And I know you're not going to want to hear what I've got to say,

but Olivier,

he was not a nice man.

There, I've said it. It's over, it's done, it's finished, it's gone.

I mean, I could tell you stories about him

that would make you want to scream.

God knows you're better off without that man.

I mean, he did not deserve you.

No, no, no, no, no, no, no! He did not deserve you.

Believe me. You'll get over him.

You're a strong woman. Right?

Yes. I'm a strong woman.

Keep the change.

Hi.

Do you have this in larger sizes? This green?

-It's beautiful. -Yes. It is a medium.

-A 14 or an 18? Big. It stretches, right? -Yes. Is this for you?

The number of the coroner.

Look, no...

I need the telephone figure of coroner,

the man of dead.

Mister, I am dead. Where is I am?

Imagine.

I am dead. Where is...

Hey, that's my jacket.

-That's your jacket? -That was my jacket.

That guy had my jacket on.

That must have been the guy that took my suitcase.

So, Issey Miyake stole your suitcase?

No, not... The chequered thing. It was my jacket.

I don't know that Issey Miyake's really your way to go.

Chequered?

I think JC Penney is more your designer.

The inspector and I were very surprised

to learn that the victim was an important figure in the fashion world.

And that he was not very well liked.

It's true. He wasn't well liked.

In fact, everybody hated him.

Even you, Madame?

No. I didn't like him very much.

They say he was your lover.

What's that got to do with anything?

He wasn't a very nice person.

...sycophant and a purple panderer.

Storming out of Pamela Harriman's dinner party at the American Embassy

only last Tuesday, prompting The New York Post headline,

"Simone, how Lo can you go?"

Jack Lowenthal, son of the designer,

wrested control of the business in 1990.

Stay here. I'll just be gone for a moment.

Simone.

Simone. I know this must be a very awkward time for you,

but I so wanted to introduce Clint Lammeraux to you.

Clint is a gigantic fan of yours.

In Texas we think of Simone Lowenthal the same way we think of longhorns.

How nice.

Everyone hated the victim. That should make our investigation easier.

Or more difficult.

Are you contradicting me?

No, sir. I'm only trying to help.

Well, don't.

-Clint, come over here. -How interesting.

-What's interesting? -Your shoes.

-Is that new? -No, I've had them for years.

Speaking of shoes, Clint has a gift for you.

Made in Texas by Texans.

You put my logo on these boots?

But who gave you the permission?

Sorry, I'm in your seat.

-My condolences. -Thank you.

-Nicola? -Kitty, nice to see you.

Wonderful to see you. I don't think we've seen each other

since the Volpi ball in Venice.

-Yes, I remember. -Well, what's going on at Trussardi's?

How about doing a little interview with us? We're rolling?

Tell us about the new Trussardi attitude, Nicola.

No interview, Kitty. Thank you.

-Nicola, just one word. Just one word. -No, thank you.

Shit.

Has anybody seen Violetta?

You excite me so. I want you so much.

I want you to make me burst.

I can't wait to be with you.

What are you doing talking on the telephone at a time like this?

For God's sakes, Violetta, we're about to start.

I was only talking to my mother.

Your mother? Your mother is in Algeria.

You're talking to Africa at a time like this?

-Beautiful. -You like that?

I like that. Yes. This is your best one yet, you know.

-Thanks, Eve. -No doubt. No doubt about it.

It's wonderful. I like it.

Who were you talking to on the phone?