Front-Row Fashion Scoops
(NEW YORK) HARVEY ON HALSTON: The new Halston collection designed by Marco Zanini generated major buzz on Monday, attracting Halston backer Harvey Weinstein and wife Georgina Chapman, Glenda Bailey, Carine Roitfeld, Tamara Mellon and Christian Slater, and even Liza Minnelli. Weinstein joked, "I feel like I'm very much in demand with all the photographers. Just like in a movie premiere, I'm feeling a lots of excitement, adrenaline, and a rush right now. Am I nervous? No. That's the beauty of previewing the collection. You know it's good!" After the show, Liya Kebede gushed, "I'd die to wear those clothes, but not in this freezing cold! I thought it was beautiful. Just beautiful. Ethereal. Is that the right word?"
STEELE MAGNOLIAS: Danielle Steele stopped by Proenza Schouler's Fall 2008 show Monday evening--in addition to Rihanna, Aerin Lauder, Amy Adams, Terence Koh, Fabien Baron, and others--with daughers Samantha and Vanessa Traina, where we chatted to the sisters about their city lifestyles. "We just hang out here," said Vanessa. "I've just moved here, so, we're settling down. I'm just adjusting little by little, but I love it!" And where was fellow sis Victoria? "She has school commitments!" said Vanessa.
DIAMOND MINE: James Mischka and Mark Badgley continue to expand their empire. Tuesday morning at the Badgley Mischka show, the designers debuted the Badgley Mischka Fine Jewelry Collection for the first time. The collection will be centered around engagement rings and will retail from $5,000 to $3,000,000 for the precious gems. "We showed a few pieces in the diamond collection today, and worked with a company called Zale Mark," said Mischka. "For our pieces there is a red carpet section that is very over-the-top and glamorous, a vintage-y, dirty-diamond kind of look that we are always very partial to, and a beautiful bridal section of engagement rings and wedding bands that will become the core," he continued.
TRINKET TIME: Those in attendance at Tia Cibani's Ports 1961 show Monday evening received a surprising treat in their gift bags, a carrot-shaped spool-of-thread necklace reflective of the Scottish influences that formed the basis of the Fall 2008 collection. Cibani explained the gift's power backstage after the show. "They're Gaelic charms...for good energy!" Lucy Sykes Rellie and Euan Rellie were among those who received the trinkets. "The collection was like going back to Scotland for us," said Rellie. "It was genuinely Gaelic; I want to put a kilt on!" As for bringing little Heathcliff (who joined the couple at Rag & Bone) along to any more shows, Sykes Rellie laughed, "He's becoming selective! He only goes to one or two shows every once in a while!"
BEAT CHICKS: Betsey Johnson celebrated 30 years in the business Monday afternoon with Tyra Banks, Russell Simmons, Leigh Lezark, Mary Alice Stephenson, and granddaughter Layla Margulies. Runway side tables were retro chic with Chianti bottles stuffed with roses, ash trays, matches, and bubble gum cigarettes. Hair was crimped and models wore little berets, and after the new looks, a selection of Betsey's favorites over the years strolled down the runway. We asked some front-rowers for their favorite Betsey memories. "Betsey's older but I'm really old!" laughed Lynn Yaeger. "I'm going to get choked up, but my first memory is when I was a little girl they had a little store in the mall in Huntington and I wanted my mommy to buy me a dress really bad. I go back to the beginning of time wih Betsey style-wise." For Ann Shoket, Betsey and New York are intimately connected. "My best Betsey moment is when I came to New York City for the very first time when I was 16 and there were only two things I wanted to do: one was to go to the Betsey Johnson boutique and the other was to go to Antique Boutique!"
FOOTBALL FAN: Minka Kelly of Friday Night Lights was front-row at Doo.Ri on Monday, and talked fashion with us. "It's tough just because we are such a blue collar show and our characters don't really come from too much money. The most creative I can get is layering a T-shirt with another color, so it's great to come out here and dress up because it gives the tomboy a rest!"
MISSING MAX: Sophia Bush, a self-professed BCBG and Max Azria fan, missed his show Monday evening but made it to Ports 1961. "I was coming from another show and had one of those, 'can I do this or do I need to deal with my wet frizzy hair' moments. But I did go to Hervé Léger, and I'm going to the BCBG dinner tonight. Hérvé Léger was just die on the floor gorgeous...I literally was dreaming about those dresses!"
