Front-Row Fashion Scoops

(NEW YORK) MISTER ENCOURAGABLE: Marc Jacobs certainly made it up to those who have become disenchanted with his tardy ways. His show Friday night at the Armory doubled as a Sonic Youth concert, complete with canvas totes, T-shirts, boxes of popcorn, and miniature bottles of Moët & Chandon champagne. The front row was a cabaret of sorts with plush banquets and bottle service. Jacobs broke with tradition, printing his run of show without look descriptions, but it was his punctuality that threw everyone for a loop: the show actually started on time, with the first look hitting the catwalk at 7:22 p.m. Fortunately, Victoria Beckham, Ellen Pompeo, Selma Blair, Molly Sims, and Kevin Federline were safely ensconced in their seats, arriving just as Anna Wintour turned up at 7:06 p.m. (the same time as Gretchen Mol), followed by Carine Roitfeld at 7:10 p.m. Jacobs came out on stage at 7:05 p.m. to inform the audience that he was ready to begin. Unfortunately, the spirited start time had some, including Grace Coddington, making a dash to their seats, while others, including Sophia Bush, Nina Garcia, and Rachel Zoe, were left standing. "We were ready at 6:30 p.m.," said milliner Stephen Jones, who created the headpieces. "The girls were all lined up and perfectly dressed, made-up and hair done. Back in the front row, Mol and Sims discussed the politics of fashion show start times. "You get there and your sort of stuck so it's hard to get up and leave," said the former. "The longest I wait is an hour but I try to limit it to just one show and then it's ok." Added Sims, "Last year it was two hours but I wasn't there, so probably an hour is the longest I have waited...but for Marc I would probably wait for 10 hours, its part of his appeal."

In the next banquet, Pompeo waxed poetic on the designer. "I just love his personality and, of course, I am wearing one of his designs," she said. "I will sit here as long as it takes to see his spectacular creations." When a snide photographer told the Grey's Anatomy star "your outfit changes are killing me," she retorted, "well then why aren't you dead?"

Beckham walked in with her lips pursed, refusing to talk but posing in a sequined burgundy Marc Jacobs dress. But after the show she shared her thoughts with The Daily. "I thought the music was great and the energy was passionate," she said. "I particularly loved the long velvet dresses, I thought they were absolutely fantastic."

Suzy Menkes, who blasted Jacobs for his show delay last season, perhaps offered the week's most ironic one-liner. "It was such a good show, I would've waited three hours for it," she grinned.

A MAN'S MAN: A show time in the early evening on the final day of New York Fashion Week didn't deter bold-faced names from coming to catch the Sean John show at Cipriani 42nd Street-following a five year absence-which drew the likes of Roberto Cavalli, Pompeo and Chris Ivery, Spike Lee, Wilmer Valderrama, and Federline, with bodyguard in tow. "I'm exhausted," sighed Chanel Iman, who admitted to sneaking in sans invitation to support friends who were walking in the show. "I'm just glad I get to sit and watch instead of being in it! I've never watched a show from the audience before." Although women's looks were supposed to have been presented for the first time (they were nixed an hour before the start time), only men, including Tyson Beckford, proceeded down the runway in overlong shirts and super-cropped jackets with a variety of Lurex, fur, and suede embellishments. "I thought it was beautiful," said Cavalli post-show. "Puffy is the only singer that I appreciate how they interpret fashion. But I expected it to be more crazy!" As for Harvey Weinstein, who's been busy at his own shows this week-Halston, Marchesa, and Project Runway-going to someone else's was a welcomed change. "It's a nice change of pace," he said. "Sean's a very good friend of mine. He's so talented, and he's got a great eye!" Phylicia Rashad, meanwhile, had an extra incentive to take a break from the set of her play, "Gem of the Ocean," to attend. "He sent a car for me," she winked.

FASHION & POLITICS: Kate Walsh popped into the Jenni Kayne presentation Friday with fashion and politics on her mind. "My stylist has put me in so many of her looks," she gushed, clad in an outfit by Kayne for the occasion. "I've been campaigning with Obama and we're trying to get voters excited to keep the Obama train going!" So would Dr. Addison Montgomery, her character on Private Practice, favor Kayne's designs for the hospital ward? "I don't think she'd get away with it!" Walsh laughed. "But I wish she could be wearing those cocktail dresses to work! They are so sexy and comfortable." A Prada-clad Jessica Stam, meanwhile, was also spotted checking out the wares. Her post-Fashion Week activities involved a small break from fashion, no politics whatsoever, and were of the more athletic kind. "I'm going to the Knicks game," she enthused. "I'm making a night of it!"

PREMIERE TIME: Rachael Taylor was on the lookout for red carpet dresses Friday, so attending Donna Karan's show was a no-brainer. "My next film, Shutters, premieres March 21 and I'm a huge fan of her work because they have such strength to them," said the L.A.-based Aussie actress, who, incidentally wore Donna Karan to the premiere of Transformers last summer. "I spend most of time in L.A. but I adore New York," she added as she took her seat near Susan Sarandon. "It sounds superficial, but Fashion Week is what brought me to the Big Apple. I'm a real fan of fashion."

WEDDED BLISS: Andrea Linett had more than fashion on her mind last week. The creative director of Lucky magazine married her beau, Michael Simon Waring, on Saturday at the Angel Orensanz Foundation for the Arts in Manhattan. The bride, 42, wore a dress by Gary Graham for her big day. The couple plan on eventually taking a honeymoon, but that won't come for a few more weeks.

A RETAIL COUP: Barneys New York was a champion of Alexandre Plokhov's work back when he ran Cloak. So it's no wonder that the Madison Avenue retailer has continued to pay close attention to the designer's work since he joined the men's wear division at Versace. In an unprecedented move, Barneys has struck an exclusive arrangement with Versace to be the sole stockist of the Versace men's spring collection when it makes it return debut in the U.S. this month.  The collection will debut exclusively at Barneys flagships in Manhattan, Beverly Hills, San Francisco, and at the recently-opened Palazzo unit in Las Vegas. To toast the momentous occasion, Barneys chief executive Howard Socol will host a party and dinner on March 18 in the presence of Donatella Versace, while the Madison Ave. windows will be fully dedicated to Versace's men's and women's collections.