GRAND STAND: Retired couturier Yves Saint Laurent has been raised to Grand Officier of the French Legion of Honor, the second highest rank in the national merit system. Saint Laurent, who experienced health issues recently, was given the honor by French president Nicolas Sarkozy as part of the country's traditional July 14 promotion ceremonies.

THE PRODUCER: Designers do their share of wooing Hollywood actresses but Nanette Lapore has taken another route — adding her name to the list of co-producers of Steve Buscemi's new film "Interview." Lapore, who had the chance to meet the movie's co-star, Sienna Miller, said she is looking at the opportunity "mainly as investment." She and her husband, Robert Savage, have been friends with Buscemi for years — his wife, Jo Andres, is a college pal of Lapore's sister Michele — and decided to put up money for his latest project. "We thought it would be a nice way to invest in a small film," Lapore said.

Buscemi plays a middle-aged journalist assigned to interview a hard-partying starlet played by Miller. After visiting the "Interview'' set last summer, the designer outfitted Miller for a few special appearances, and some of her creations are featured in the movie. Lapore said she lost touch with the film's progress because she was "consumed'' with her own work. She was on a business trip to London last week and missed the movie's New York premiere.

Lapore said she and her husband are not expecting a huge return on their investment. But more opportunities are likely to arise. "Interview" is the first of three English-language adaptations of movies by the late Dutch filmmaker Theo van Gogh. Lapore said she hopes to get involved with the other two parts of the trilogy, which will be directed by Stanley Tucci and John Turturro.

LONDON'S NEW FACES: London Fashion Week will welcome back established expats Luella Bartley and Matthew Williamson to the city's runways in September, and some new names are hitting the schedule, too. Charles Anastase, who has shown in Paris, will show for the first time in London — where he is now based — as will Armand Basi, the Spanish label whose women's wear collection is designed by the onetime London Fashion Week fixture Markus Lupfer. Rodnik, the British label designed by Philip Colbert and Richard Ascott, whose ready-to-wear line grew out of a collection of cobweb-like accessories, will also mount its first runway show during the week, which runs from Sept. 15 through 20.

GOING HOLLYWOOD: Los Angeles designer Jenni Kayne will open her first store, on Almont Drive in West Hollywood between Melrose Avenue and Santa Monica Boulevard, in late September or early October. The 5,000-square-foot space, formerly a furniture store, will be launched with an event during Los Angeles Fashion Week in October. "I think it's the next step for my business," said Kayne. "We have such a great following and private clientele here, and there isn't one store that has such a true representation of the collection, [because] everyone buys so differently." The boutique will carry the designer's rtw line, along with capsule accessories, men's wear and baby collections produced exclusively for the store. Kayne, who added that she would eventually like to open a store in New York, said the boutique would also stock lifestyle items including vintage books and antique jewelry.