ART RUSH: First François Pinault, then Bernard Arnault, and now the Maramottis, who own MaxMara, are joining the fashion crowd opening their own museums. Theirs, Collezione Maramotti, is scheduled to open this fall and will be dedicated to the family's collection of contemporary art, ranging from Giorgio Morandi and Julian Schnabel to Giorgio De Chirico and Gerhard Richter. The museum will be located in a remodeled MaxMara manufacturing plant in Reggio Emilia, the Italian town where the company has its headquarters. The Maramottis commissioned a series of permanent works by top artists such as Sol LeWitt and Robert Morris in Reggio Emilia in 2004, and set up the MaxMara Art Prize for Women two years ago.

PRESSING AHEAD: Changes continue to unfurl in the public relations ranks at LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton. A reorganization of Louis Vuitton's communications department will see Marie-Sabine Leclercq become director of communications for Vuitton's cultural activities as well as be responsible for communications for the forthcoming Louis Vuitton Foundation, an arts museum being designed by the architect Frank Gehry and slated to open as early as 2009. Antoine Arnault, son of LVMH chairman Bernard Arnault and a member of the luxury giant's board, will become director of communications, in charge of advertising, books and the Louis Vuitton Cup, plus coordination of Vuitton's Web site. Previously, Antoine Arnault was in charge of Vuitton's boutiques in the French provinces. Also joining Vuitton's press department, as director of product p.r., is Isabella Capece Galeota, previously the Paris-based head of European press for Fendi. The whole department will be overseen by Vuitton senior vice president Pietro Beccari, who was named director of marketing and communications.

WEENIE ROAST: Andy Spade called a few of his pals over to the Jack Spade boutique in Manhattan's SoHo last Thursday night to celebrate a collection of vintage motorcycle helmets, almost all of which Spade purchased himself on eBay. "It's the era I grew up in," Spade said. "I used to ride dirt bikes in Arizona as a child, and I got nostalgic for that time. It's a lot of fun to do something like this." The helmets, which are on sale at the store for $125, come in bright purples, greens, yellows and patriotic red, white and blue. To add to the decorations, Jack Spade designer Matt Singer thought to feature pictures of weenie-bite contests that occur during motorcycle races. According to Singer, a girl sits on the back of a guy's bike while he rides slowly and she has to take one giant bite out of a hot dog hanging from a string and spit it out. Whoever manages the biggest bite is the winner. "The whole thing is mildly degenerate," Singer said. "But, hey, it's not often weenie bites can come into play, so why not?"

DE BRANTES' LEGIONS:Parisian public relations wiz Pia de Brantes whipped up a guest list to rival Elizabeth Hurley's nuptials at the Hôtel de Seigneuley on Monday night — but this time it was for her own do. Christian Lacroix, Betty Catroux, Gilles Dufour, Fawaz Gruosi and Bruno Frisoni were part of the fashion throng who gathered to watch de Brantes receive the Legion of Honor. "We already began celebrating last night at the birthday dinner of Jean-Jacques [Picart]," said Lacroix. Meanwhile, Gruosi's 23-year-old daughter, Violetta, said she's gearing up to join her father's jewelry company in September, having just completed a gemology course in New York. "She got the best grade in her class," chipped in a proud Gruosi.

KIMORA'S HOT NIGHT: Kimora Lee Simmons and a pack of multitasking beauties feted the Los Angeles debut of her contemporary line, KLS, at a candlelit dinner and after party on Friday at Social Hollywood. Fresh from an afternoon stint judging the Miss USA competition, Simmons threw on KLS' white backless jersey tunic dress to greet Tyra Banks, Garcelle Beauvais, Sanaa Lathan, Devon Aoki, Amerie and Keisha Whitaker, the face of Maven Cosmetics and wife of Oscar winner Forest Whitaker. The mood lighting was flattering, but things heated up when a breadbasket caught fire under a floral and fake-bling centerpiece. Fred Segal Fun's Jackie Brander came to the rescue by dumping a glass of water on the flames. Other retailer guests included Sharon Segal, Kitson's Fraser Ross and Decades Two's Christos Garkinos, who sold Beauvais her yellow one-shouldered Catherine Malandrino dress. Whitaker donned a silky sheath from Daryl K. "Forest put her in this dress," Simmons said, though she didn't fault her girlfriend for choosing another designer since Banks, Amerie and others wore KLS and Baby Phat. Simmons was also confident that KLS' gold lamé gown, red velvet minidress and other looks will find their way to the red carpet. "It's not just party attire," she said. "It's very, very sexy. It's grown-up."