We were digging through our magazine pile when we belatedly ran across the Wall Street Journal’s magazine profile of LVMH honcho Bernard Arnault, which is amazing mostly as a masterpiece of diplomacy. The Journal is just getting its WSJ fashion periodical on its feet, and the last thing they need is to tick off the richest man in France.

As a result, there’s nothing too juicy, but we did get a peek at an old rivalry we’d almost forgotten about. This one concerns two French luxury giants tussling over an iconic Italian brand, only to stage an uneasy reunion over their shared love of money. It’s heady stuff—in fact, we’re working on the movie version already.

The dramatic machinations of Bernard Arnault»

Count on A.P.C. to make even the band t-shirt seem like the result of a struggle.

They just put out a series of clever t-shirts for the bands Housse de Racket, Koko Von Napoo and The Teenagers, but what’s usually a quirky opportunity for brands to stretch their design legs has become downright cranky.

Instead of basking in the rock star’s reflected glow, A.P.C.’s Jean Touitou has apparently taken this opportunity to explain exactly what’s wrong with kids today. In the release, he writes, “It all started in the nineties, when a Clash clad in Prada was sometimes encountered, and now baby clashes are all posing for Prada. Poseurs have taken the place of heroes. I do hate rock ‘n’ roll.”

Them’s fightin’ words…

Our response, along with the other two tees»

A man goes through a lot of denim over the years, but it’s hard to pick a favorite.

Men.Style is putting the matter to a vote, with A.P.C.’s New Standard, the Jean Shop Rocker, and Levi’s 501 leading the ballot at the moment. Of course, we’re on record preferring the RRL Slim Fit, which is currently ranked at #5, but we suppose everyone has their own horse in this particular race.

But if you’re rooting for Helmut Lang, you might want to reconsider things.

Portland, ME just got the first real appraisal we’ve seen, courtesy of the ex-Gawker mapblog Gridskipper. Naturally, Rogues Gallery’s standalone shop comes out as a major point of interest, but we were surprised how much else there is in New England’s finest hipster enclave.

Take off to the great white north, take off»

Count this as another volley in the Battle of the Portlands: Portland, OR has been declared the most bearded in America by the presumptuously named Portland Monthly Magazine. As for whether they gain or lose points for it…you’ll have to decide for yourself.

The most shocking part is the range of beards the small city manages to accommodate. There’s the Anthrax-inspired chin bar, the bushy mountain man, and even a waxed moustache. Naturally, Maine has a few whiskers of its own, but we doubt they have this kind of range.

See some of Oregon’s finest whiskers»

The two Portlands have gotten a lot of attention in the past year or so, so it was inevitable that a rivalry would pop up. And when a food site like Epicurious slips an item titled “Portland (Maine) is the New Portland (Oregon)” into its yearly trend roundup…it’s officially on.

See how the two stack up»

The 100-year-old company that invented the rugby shirt has something to say about Ralph Lauren’s attempted hijacking of the game. Canterbury of New Zealand, established in 1904, made the first rugby jersey for a friend of one of the founders, an avid player. The rest was sartorial history. Fast forward to 2005, when Lauren launched his Rugby line replete with skull and crossbones imagery lifted from the team insignia of British educational landmark the Rugby School, where the sport was first played in 1823.

Canterbury, in the midst of beefing up its own off-field offerings and inking an exclusive licensing deal with the school, was beaten at its own game, so to speak »

Calvin, Ralph and Donna—no last names required—are the indisputable reigning troika of mainstream American fashion design. But not according to Tommy Hilfiger. It’s no secret that Ralph looks at Tommy as a sub-par imitation of himself, while Hilfiger has felt his lack of true acceptance from the fashion firmament keenly…