Here is the statement issued by Condé Nast regarding Carine Roitfeld's departure from Vogue Paris in both French and English:

Après 10 années passées à la rédaction en chef de Vogue Paris, Carine Roitfeld décide de quitter le magazine. Son départ sera effectif dans quelques semaines. Carine Roitfeld souhaite se consacrer à des projets personnels qui lui tiennent à cœur. Sous son impulsion, Vogue Paris est devenu une référence mondiale et un magazine incontournable. Carine Roitfeld a su donner au magazine une dimension nouvelle, avec un regard audacieux en collaboration avec les plus grands photographes du monde. Ces 10 années se sont traduites par une croissance constante des performances tant en diffusion qu’en publicité de Vogue Paris. « Carine a marqué l’histoire du Vogue Paris grâce à son incroyable talent de styliste et de rédactrice en chef. Elle va nous manquer » déclare Jonathan Newhouse, Président de Condé Nast International. « Je regrette bien sur la décision de Carine, même si je la comprends. Une page se tourne et une nouvelle étape commence pour cette marque solide, puissante et sûre de ses valeurs » déclare Xavier Romatet, Président de Condé Nast France.

After ten years as editor-in-chief of Vogue Paris, Carine Roitfeld has decided to quit the magazine. Her departure will take effect in a few weeks. Carine Roitfeld wants to dedicate herself to personal projects that are close to her heart. Under her leadership, Vogue Paris has become a worldwide reference and an inescapable magazine. Carine Roitfeld has given the magazine a new dimension, with an audacious look in collaboration with the best photographers in the world. These ten years have translated into constant improvement in both performance and advertising revenues at Vogue Paris. "Carine has graced the history of Vogue Paris with her incredible talent as a stylist and editor. She will be missed," said Jonathan Newhouse, president of Condé Nast International. "I regret the decision by Carine, although I understand it. A page turns and a new stage begins for this brand, strong, powerful, and sure of its values," said Xavier Romatet, president of Condé Nast France.

Text © 2010 Condé Nast. All Rights Reserved.

Visit fashionologie for a lovely ode to Carine Roitfeld highlighting 100 of her influential Vogue Paris images.

Based on his comments to The New York Times, it seems that a collaboration with Tom Ford is not the impetus behind Carine Roitfeld's decision to leave Vogue Paris:

“Carine and I have no plans to work together at the moment, and it is nothing that we have even discussed, but of course I think she is brilliant and we are close friends so who knows about the future.”

Carine Roitfeld told The New York Times that she expects the March issue of Vogue Paris to be her last, happy birthday to me! But you need a plan, Carine...

"I had so much freedom to do everything I wanted. I think I did a good job. When everything is good, maybe I think it's the time to do something else. I have no plan at all."

According to Trendland, Carine Roitfeld may have been fired by Condé Nast:

"Our sources have revealed that she was fired as a cause of not complying with a request from LVMH group for the December issue. Apparently LVMH wanted a full issue takeover for December but Carine preferred collaborating with friend and long time collaborator Tom Ford. So it seems LVMH boss gave Condé Nast boss a call and an ultimatum, her or us…"

I think this confirms that the LVMH rumor is false (or perhaps a snow job):

Next week Carine Roitfeld will be featured on Nowness.com, a web site owned by LVMH, as part of their “12 Days of Christmas" series. Appearing December 27, the piece is titled “Three French Hens” and also includes Josephine de la Baume and Laetitia Crahay. Among other things, Carine will divulge her plan for New Year's Eve. Though of course we are more interested in her plan for the coming year...

My dear friend Milla from the blog Not Just Another Milla has written a beautiful letter of tribute to Carine, "Dear Madame Roitfeld."

My lovely friend Kate from the blog Everyday Glamour pays tribute to Carine in her own witty way... "Carine VS. Anna." Clearly Carine wins...

Thanks to be.com, I think I am beginning to get the picture:

"Rajoutez aux crasses de Carine des divergences de point de vue avec Bernard Arnault, propriétaire de LVMH. Aux dernières nouvelles la carte blanche offerte à Tom Ford sur le dernier numéro de Noël, aucun annonceur du groupe de Bernard Arnault n'y figurait, c'est la goutte d'eau qui a fait déborder le vase. Et évidemment, lorsqu'un poids lourd comme Bernard Arnault menace de retirer ses annonceurs, ça se corse ... Et Carine se retrouve à Pôle Emploi."

Unlike past guest editors of the December/January issue of Vogue Paris, Tom Ford had an agenda — he has a brand new women's clothing line that the general public had virtually never seen prior to this issue! Carine Roitfeld gave him carte blanche (and consequently Condé Nast's money, influence, and distribution) to promote his line on the editorial pages. In my opinion, Carine was neither fired nor quit, they simply made her an offer she could not refuse. Note that this is not a translation but my own interpretation of the events as known. Special thanks to Sophie Tagel for sending me the article.