LAPO'S NEW GIG: On Wednesday night, Fiat heir Lapo Elkann, founder of luxury fashion company Italia Independent, will be feted in New York for his new position as global special ambassador of Sheba Medical Center rehabilitation hospital in Tel Hashomer, Israel. It's a definite change in direction for the one-time party boy and sometime Vogue model. In his new position, Elkann will act as a fund-raiser and spokesman for the hospital. Toasting him at the United Nations, the venue for the cocktail party, will be a crowd expected to include Elie Wiesel, Ron Perelman, Henry Kissinger, Nat Rothschild, Oscar de la Renta and Mayor Michael Bloomberg, as well as the younger set, including Stavros Niarchos and Alexandra and Theodora Richards.

A STEP IN TIME: While the buzz continues to mount that 6267 duo Tommaso Aquilano and Roberto Rimondi are the lead candidates to replace Lars Nilsson at Ferré, an IT Holding Group spokeswoman said intentions are to face the issue calmly. "This is certainly a priority but we want to take our time and think things out in a pondered manner. Nothing has been decided yet," she said, adding the fall collection — designed by an in-house team — had received positive feedback from retailers. According to sources, unlike with Nilsson's appointment, this time around Tonino Perna, IT Holding Group chairman, wants to decide on his own rather than be influenced by top fashion editors. And it's not like he doesn't know the 6267 team: The duo also has been pivotal in the relaunch of Malo, which is owned by IT Holding.