The Clan of Michael Kors
(NEW YORK) The Michael Kors fan club congregated south of Houston Street Monday night to join the designer in celebrating his new SoHo lifestyle store. "We're bringing uptown downtown, and teaching heiresses how to wear flip-flops and young SoHo girls how to invest in a fabulous python handbag," proclaimed Kors, surrounded by bold-faced friends Jane Krakowski, Hilary Rhoda, Luke Janklow, Lauren duPont, and Muffie Potter Aston.
For one member of the 10021 set, the holidays couldn't come fast enough. "I just got back from Moscow and I'm exhausted," lamented Kors-devotee Aerin Lauder, who's headed to Aspen for the Christmas break. "Craig McDean is coming this year and he's a big snowboarder, but Tabitha's [Simmons] never been. Coming all the way down to SoHo was a good thing, as I've been meaning to go to Burton to get a snowboard for my son."
Natasha Richardson, who traipsed about the store trying on aviator shades (a Kors signature) and watches with Bravo exec Andy Cohen, was fully embracing the Kors lifestyle. "I stand in this store and just drool," she said in between sips of the night's special cocktail, aptly named the Jetsetter. "The store is such an intoxicating combination of looks, meaning luxurious and casual; I feel like a magpie." Xanadu star Cheyenne Jackson echoed a similar sentiment. "My lower half is hard to fit because I have a big butt and thick thighs, but I tried on a pair of his pants and the side pockets fit just right, so I'm a convert," he said. "On stage I wear daisy dukes and a cut-off tee, and I would venture to say Michael could cut a mean daisy duke if he really wanted to." Josh Patner, meanwhile, stood in the space--the former Jerry's Diner now transformed into a showcase for Kors' burgeoning, not to mention popular, accessories lines--and reminisced. "I'm standing where the third red vinyl booth was," he sighed.
Dick Page, Kors's longtime show makeup artist, emphasized that working with Kors is a stress-free and engaging experience. "He has totally the down-home Long Island thing but he maintains the excitement," he said as he led his two sisters, Vicki and Sue--in from England and Wales--around the well-lit space. And while Kors, a self-admitted sun seeker, has oft given his glamorous woman a fabulous beach destination to match, Page offered a new direction. "I would take his woman to Iceland, but Michael would say she'd be in a cross country jet ski and still be tanned, clad in 50-ply cashmere." As for his thoughts on Kors's prowess on Project Runway? "I don't have cable," he laughed.
Amanda Brooks, Valesca Guerrand-Hermès, Marjorie Gubelmann, Renee Rockefeller, and Helen Schifter were among the second wave of guests who arrived at the tail-end of the store party, only to huddle together in the cold as they--and in some cases, their bare legs--trotted over to Raoul's for an intimate dinner of steak frites and goat cheese salad. Except no one said it couldn't be rowdy, as witnessed by a food fight that broke out between Amy Sacco and Silas Chou, who then proceeded to order several rounds of shots with his tablemates, including John Idol, Tim Schifter, and Gigi Mortimer. "I just want to stand by everybody," said Jennifer Creel, as she dove into the packed crowd that included Paul Cavaco, Richard Sinnott, and Natalia Vodianova, who arrived fashionably late from a photo shoot--covered in glitter. "You were smart to come this late," said Kors, giving the supermodel a bear hug. "Everyone is seated already."
Brooke Shields also opted to go straight to dinner. "They switched my scenes tonight so I just got here," she purred. "Check out my blouse; I am Lipstick Jungle tonight." Gwyneth Paltrow was certainly impressed. The actress, who walked in inconspicuously at 10:30 p.m., sidled up to Kors and proceeded to engage in girl talk with Lauder. For Paltrow, who first met Kors when he was at Celine and she was filming The Talented Mr. Ripley nearly 10 years ago, the occasion was reflective of their close bond. "I don't wear Michael on the red carpet," the Oscar winner confessed. "I wear him in my real life."
And while Lauder is headed to the Rockies, Kors, who stayed late into the night giggling like schoolgirls with his comrades, is headed to another continent altogether. "I'm going to South Africa for the holidays and am anticipating 'controllable' surprises," he laughed. "I feel safe to know, however, that we will have a wildlife butler on duty."
JIM SHI
