The Times' Eric Wilson describes what sounds like a highly awkward dinner to celebrate the new Louis Vuitton exhibit at the Triennale Design Museum in Milan, where attendees danced nervously around the subject of Marc Jacobs's rumored move to Dior.

Also present in the room, metaphorically speaking, was a very large elephant, with a trunk larger than any ever produced by the luggage artisans of Louis Vuitton. That would be the talks between Mr. Jacobs and LVMH about his potential move to fill the glaring vacancy left by John Galliano at Dior, though raising the subject among Vuitton executives led to grimaces or coy replies.

The guests eventually retired downstairs to dinner, where you'd hope people would have a few glasses of wine to take the edge off a bit, but of course no one really did.

Ms. Dello Russo discreetly pushed her ravioli onto a neighbor’s plate and passed her pears down the table.

“Dinners, no good,” she said, in what can only be described as the lifestyle choice of someone who is committed to wearing transparent pants. “Dancing, good.”

Before Ms. Dello Russo had the chance, Franca Sozzani, the editor in chief of Italian Vogue, stood up and put Mr. Jacobs on the spot.

“Marc, we don’t know what will happen,” she said. “Only you know that.”

The room waited expectantly.

“It’s great working at Louis Vuitton,” Mr. Jacobs said. “It’s an amazing company.”

Apparently after that he simply thanked the guests for coming and everyone went back to not eating their ravioli. Don't these fancy fashion dinners sound like a blast?

At a Vuitton Celebration, Concerns About an Era’s End [On the Runway/NYT]