PARIS, January 28 - Couture week began with the announcement from Prada on Monday that Helmut Lang had left his own label, and by Thursday, the focus had shifted to Christian Lacroix, where messy negotiations with the House's new owners, the Florida-based Falic Group, are said to be at the point of rupture.

Sources close to Christian Lacroix have told Fashionlines that the famed designer has decided to leave his own company when his contract expires in March. Troubles began last summer when negotiations between the Lacroix and LVMH CEO, Bernard Arnault, ran into difficulty. Lacroix's contract was first extended to October, then to March. In the meantime, the sale of the House to the Falic Group was finalized earlier this week, and the new owners have been in direct negotiation with Christian Lacroix since his couture show on Tuesday afternoon.