Couture Drought?

(NEW YORK) As the Paris couture's clientele continues to dwindle, magazines covering the shows are feeling the monetary squeeze as well. Elle's masthead toppers, including creative director Joe Zee, fashion director Nina Garcia, style director Isabel Dupré, and fashion news director Anne Slowey, were all recently advised not to start packing their Balenciaga just yet. According to editor-in-chief Robbie Myers, due to cost-saving measures, the usual contingent of Elle editors attending the couture shows this July has been scaled back, with the exception of international creative director Gilles Bensimon, who confirmed that he will be at both the couture shows in Paris and Valentino's 45th anniversary extravaganza in Rome. "For budgetary reasons, we will not be sending more than two people to couture, if that," said Myers, noting that she will not be attending either.