You know it’s a seasonal news lull when a vaguely familiar-sounding rumor gathers steam. A bit of speculation making the rounds, and picked up by WWD, concerns that favorite topic of rumor-mongering, Marc Jacobs, who some say may be stepping down from Louis Vuitton to head up a label closer to home, Coach, replacing Reed Krakoff. The theory goes that Jacobs’ contract negotiations with LVMH are well under way (2014 will be the end of his initial 10-year term) — and whether he stays or leaves, having a Coach offer, or the prospect of one, in your back pocket couldn’t hurt.

Ok, ok, it doesn’t sound especially likely to us either, but here’s where it gets interesting. It would clear the way for Nicolas Ghesquière to take the helm at Louis Vuitton. Fortunately for him, if a lack of financial support was an issue at Balenciaga, it wouldn’t even be a moment’s pause at Vuitton, with its vast resources and cash on hand. This could happen even if Marc Jacobs doesn’t go to Coach and instead focuses all his energies on a long-supposed IPO, along the lines of Michael Kors’s exemplary public offering. So you may want to start pooling your PBR money now to buy a share or two. Time to dust off that old E-Trade account.