Louboutin’s Bags, Crow’s Denim, and Duckie’s Elbows

Expect more handbags from Christian Louboutin’s brand expansion, which also includes up to ten new U.S. boutiques and “aggressive protection” of the brand’s trademarks, like those lovely red soles. [WWD]

• Sheryl Crow is the latest celebrity to elbow her way into the clothing market: This summer, sales floors welcome her affordable denim collection, Bootheel Denim Trading Co., made by the same company that makes Victoria Beckham’s DVB Denim collection. [WWD]

• Eric Wilson likes Rag & Bone, thinks Duckie Brown designers should have put elbow patches on the elbows, and likens Tim Hamilton to J. Crew from twenty years ago. [NYT]

• Lauren Conrad took a break from “working” at Fashion Week to attend the Playboy Super Bowl party with Hills co-star Audrina Patridge. They refused to walk the red carpet but had no problem posing for pictures. Yeah, we dunno either. [Page Six]

• Cathy Horyn but finds it “unfortunate” that many fall ‘08 looks have padded shoulders, pushed-up sleeves, layered and cinched waists, and all the other little things that make everything “convene” in the middle. Clumpy. [On the Runway/NYT]

• Harmless pre-coffee rumormongering: Betsey Johnson may have a second granddaughter on the way. [Fashionista] —Amy Odell