A web of intrigue surrounded yesterday's Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche presentation at Paris fashion week, where the gossip was as compelling as the clothes. Since Tom Ford, the creative director of Gucci, took control of Saint Laurent on January 1, the fashion world has been placing bets on when YSL's head designer, Alber Elbaz, would be dethroned. Elbaz has completed only two seasons of his three year contract with YSL, but it is assumed that Ford will buy him out. For why purchase one of the world's most prestigious labels if you can't design it yourself?