Daily Front Row

2009 March 23

Dear Daily!

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Cameron Silver with Liz Goldwin in vintage Balenciaga Haute Couture
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(LOS ANGELES) Dear Daily,

The days of spending indiscriminately, sporting diamonds the size of ping-pong balls, and globe-trotting as a sport may be a thing of the past, but one can always reminisce about these decades of decadence. Just ask Cameron Silver, who makes looking back on good ol' gala life his mode de vie on Melrose. Rounding up Los Angeles' most notable red carpet regulars and decking them head-to-toe in vintage frocks and jewels from H. Stern, the Costume National-clad Silver (who is more of a Golden Boy in Beverly Hills, if you ask his friends and patrons) created a night of runway drama in downtown Los Angeles to benefit MOCA.  

After an hour of driving, nearly giving up on the Thursday-night endeavor, I arrived at the Geffen Contemporary to be greeted by Marisa Tomei in vintage Dior, Rachel Griffiths in vintage Sarmi, Zoe Saldana in vintage James Galanos, along with Dana Delany, Shenae Grimes, Nicole Richie, Nicky Hilton, Rose McGowan, Allison Miller, Garcelle Bouvais-Nilon, Perrey Reeves...but if I name drop any more, I may permanently damage my foot--which was probably the only one not wearing Brian Atwood. 

After being escorted to our seats, the lights went down and the show began on a high note…literally, as two women stepped out on to the catwalk in catwoman-like vinyl gowns. For a moment I thought the modeling industry had taken a disturbing turn, but when they began belting their opera with strong vibrato, I realized that shades of Paris Fashion Week had graced the West Coast - and then the French fashion designers followed suit. From YSL to Dior Haute Couture, from Bob Mackie to Oscar de la Renta, Silver set yesterday's fashion center stage not only shedding light on the curvy fashion model of days past but on an investment model that is being overlooked in these tough economic times as well. Yes, quick fixes at H&M can fill in the gaps, but investment dressing gives Decades of fulfillment.

So much fulfillment, in fact, that I was ready for more on Friday night in Silverlake where the recently-engaged Danny Masterson, Ilaria Urbinati and Aly Mawji presented Eric Ray Davidson's New York Times photo diary at the Confederacy boutique. Hosted by long-time Silverlake resident Eva Mendes wearing a winter white Calvin Klein ensemble, guests arrived in taxis (and in droves) to sip champagne and rock out to music by DJ Momjeans. After all, as Kathryn Neale, Alexis Bryan Morgan, Eleanor Ylvisaker, and all New York and Los Angeles most fashionable mommies and mommies to-be have shown us, everyone needs Momjeans--whether its for wearing or for Cameron Silver-style sharing Decades from now.  Until then, I'm wearing my J.Brands.

Lots of Love from LA LA,
Annelise Peterson