Recession Jolts French Couture, and Psyche

And Lana Del Rey has a lot of implants, says fashion designer

(NEWSER) - It's always fun when Karl Lagerfeld opens his mouth , which he did quite a bit during a recent stint as guest editor of Metro . His most buzz-generating quote is about Adele: "The thing at the moment is Adele," he says. "She is a little too fat, but she has a beautiful face and a divine voice." More of his thoughts:

• On Lana Del Rey : "She looks very much like a modern-time singer. In her photos she is beautiful. Is she a construct with all her implants? She's not alone with implants."

Mum on details, will pitch to EU leaders this month

(AP) - The leaders of Germany and France, the eurozone's two biggest economies, say they have reached agreement on strengthening Europe's shaky banking sector. German Chancellor Angela Merkel says she and French President Nicolas Sarkozy "are determined to do the necessary to ensure the recapitalization of Europe's banks." Merkel spoke after talks with Sarkozy at Berlin's chancellery today aimed at forging an agreement ahead of a summit of the European Union's 27 leaders later this month. More»

Chanel designer also divulges his love for DSK

(NEWSER) - Karl Lagerfeld, never one to mince words , was apparently not a fan of the fashion he saw at the royal wedding. It was a mess of “bad proportions,” “ugly hats,” and “short skirts on fat legs,” the Chanel designer said recently, recalling his stint as fashion commentator for a French TV network during the big event. “An event like that is fun to do because I can make jokes, and jokes of the lowest kind are not against my mentality,” he added, according to the Telegraph . More»

Kerviel will serve 3 years in prison in bank meltdown

(NEWSER) - A trader who brought Societe Generale to the brink of collapse in 2008 has been sentenced to three years in prison and ordered to repay the $6.7 billion his unauthorized trades cost the French bank. Jerome Kerviel, 33, was found guilty of breach of trust and computer hacking and sentenced to 5 years in jail, with two suspended, Bloomberg reports. More»

US first lady tops Elle's 'political chic' category

(NEWSER) - The French edition of Elle magazine puts Michelle Obama at the top of the "political chic" category in its yearly best-dressed list—ahead of French first lady Carla Bruni, a former supermodel. Elle said it favored strong personalities and distinctive styles in this year's selection, and marveled that "Mrs Obama resembles no-one else. Her style is unique. She encourages young designers and has succeeded in imposing the waisted cardigan as official dress." More»