&#8226 Profits fell 2.6 percent for PPR. But Gucci's sales are up 10 percent. [British Vogue]

&#8226 This article begins, "An epidemic of specialty store closings and consolidations is sweeping through the Los Angeles region as retailers succumb to the recession." Oh, really?! [WWD]

&#8226 Dutch lingerie brand Marlies Dekkers &#8212 garments by which Britney Spears wears on her Circus tour &#8212 closed its first U.S. store, which was located in that underground mall in the Plaza no one knows about or shops in. [WWD]

&#8226 Audrina Patridge is in a Peta ad. Already, we feel exasperated. [Just Jared]

&#8226 Rachel Bilson will be a fashion editor at In Style, where she'll answer reader fashion questions in a monthly column. In her first installment in the May issue she says her favorite spring items include scarves with pompom trim, “a cool alternative to fringe.” [WWD]

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Filed Under: advertising, audrina patridge, economy, gucci, in style, loose threads, marlies dekkers, peta, ppr, rachel bilson, store closings