Havana Nights

(NEW YORK) "I've moved from JV to Varsity," Michael Bastian quipped Sunday night. The designer, nominated along with Tom Ford and Thom Browne for Menswear Designer of the Year, was on hand for the pre-Council of Fashion Designers of America Awards gala dinner at the private club Norwood, where he was in a relaxed and jovial mood. And why shouldn't he be? That's exactly how his hostess, Nadja Swarovski, planned it.

"Monday is such a big day for the designers that we decided to keep it casual," said Swarovski, resplendent in a Diane von Furstenberg dress and Christopher Kane for Swarovski necklace. The annual soiree had, in years past, taken place at Top of the Rock in a much more formal setting. "It's more down to earth this way," Swarovski quipped as she personally greeted each arriving guest along with CFDA executive director Steven Kolb underneath components of the "Light Sock" chandelier artwork created by Diller Scofidio + Renfro for Swarovski Crystal Palace.

Four of the floors of the five-story building were open for curiosity seekers, each level had its own theme. Rodarte's Kate and Laura Mulleavy, Thakoon Panichgul, Stan Herman and Philip Crangi enjoyed the house Cuban band called Grupo Irek that performed on the main floor (lead signer, Chino Pons, startled some staunch Democrats with his uncanny resemblance to Senator Barack Obama), while a buffet feast was served on the second floor much to the delight of Maria Cornejo, Simon Doonan, Doo-Ri Chung, Patrik Ervell and Scott Sternberg.

A third floor was also open, but few braved the steep stairs in their stilettos. "It's kind of like a very chic bordello townhouse in New Orleans," offered Michael Kors, who arrived with, and dressed, Paula Patton (Chanel Iman, meanwhile, also donned Kors, but utilized the belt as a head wrap). The five-time accessories nominated designer joked that, having failed to pick up a statue, he's already grown accustomed to the scenario. "I'm Laura Linney, Susan Lucci, Sigourney Weaver, or better yet, Susan Weaver; did you know that that's her real name?" he laughed. "I'm beyond all of that by this point. Joan Allen told me that the last time she was nominated, for the third time, at the Oscars, she just had fun."

While CFDA president Diane von Furstenberg and Anne McNally held court in the first room, Linda Fargo, Patrik Ervell, Gilles Mendel, Mary Alice Stephenson (who's doing red carpet and backstage interviews at the awards that will air later in the week and be available on www.swarovskisparkles.com), and Monique Lhuillier, who asked Cynthia Rowley how her recent Elle Décor shoot of her home went, roamed about the townhouse. For Katie Lee Joel, attending her first CFDA black tie is proving to be a true hands-on experience. "I just came from my last fitting with Yigal Azrouël, whose dress I'm wearing, and I told him to make it tighter," she laughed. Maggie Rizer checked out the digs in preparation for a dog club she is opening by year's end. "It was going to be in the Village, but now I'm thinking Upper East or West Side," she said of her dog-meets-people lounge. "I went undercover and checked out the top 10 places for dogs in New York. The best part of mine will be that there will be three dog walks a day."

News of the death of Yves Saint Laurent in Paris that evening naturally permeated throughout the party, and many shared their fondest memories of the 71-year old icon. "He was always having dinner at the Costes with some young people and one of his pugs was always with him," recalled newly-installed Details fashion director Michael Macko. "He was one of those one-pug persons; even if one died, he'd get the same exact kind of pug and give it the same name. Too bad we can't do that with him, too."

Taking advantage of the warm weather, Cynthia Nixon, with partner Christine Marinoni as her date, sampled desserts from the Il Laboratorio del Gelato cart set up amidst the lantern-filled garden, mingling in the warm breeze with Tory Burch, Ashley Olsen, Zani Gugelmann, Paul Cavaco, and Proenza Schouler's Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez. "I'm supporting Calvin Klein at the awards, but I'm not a big fashion girl in general," she said in between bites, adding that she'll be taking the summer off before doing a play at the Roundabout Theatre. "Luckily, there are people who take care of me. My golden rule? Wear the clothes, don't let the clothes wear you."

Also making an impression were the wait staff, clad in vintage dresses from Frock (including one in a vintage Gucci Flora print that had designers swooning and snapping photos with their digital cameras) and Lulu Frost jewelry.

Up on the third floor, Dries Van Noten, who's set to receive the International Award, said that having [fellow Belgian] von Furstenberg call him to deliver the news in a hurricane was the most memorable part. "It was like a horror movie, you have no idea," he said. "But this award is for me, shall I say, overwhelming. It's a confirmation."
JIM SHI