Fashion Week Dish



"I have followed you, model,
in magazine ads through all seasons,
from dead leaf on the sod
to red leaf on the breeze

"from your lily-white armpit
to the tip of your butterfly eyelash,
charming and pitiful,
silly and stylish.

"Or in kneesocks and tartan
standing there like some fabulous symbol,
parted feet pointed outward
? pedal form of akimbo.

"On a lawn, in a parody
of Spring and its cherry-tree,
near a vase and parapet,
virgin practising archery.

"Ballerina, black-masked,
near a parapet of alabaster.
'Can one'? somebody asked ?
rhyme 'star' and 'disaster'??

--From Vladimir Nabokov's long overlooked poem (actually all Nabokovean poetry has been terribly overlooked in, what Gore Vidal calls, the United States of Amnesia), Ode to a Model

And from the sublime to the delicious: According to Fashionweekdaily, Fonzworth Bentley, P Diddy former manservant and "St. Tropez umbrella engineer," has grown perhaps too big for his britches, or, rather, lavender suspenders, as he now has his own personal umbrella handler -- and it's a lady. Is he hatin' on his former Bossman? No, according to New York's Joanna Douglas:

"'To see (P Diddy) get to this place really warms my heart. Like Fifth Avenue, you know? It's big!' Bentley's accessory of choice this week is a flask. 'I have Courvoisier VSOP in mine, but whether it's Fiji or whatever, carry a flask. It's nuts out there.'"

Also according to Fashionweekdaily, at Tory Birch's Party, All American Deborah Norville, who, back in the day, found blonde aficionado Bryant Gumbel ill-advisedly tossing beloved Jane Pauley from NBC Today Show in her favor, said to Socialite Pamela Gross:

"Pamela Gross: Deborah, we need to do something to get rid of the flowers in the foyer.

"Deborah Norville: Your husband's on the board, he can take care of them.

"PG: But you're on the board too.

"DN: But he's very influential."

It's all about who you know, The Corsair supposes. Anyhoo: International superstar Diane Von Furstenberg's well received African-inspired collection drew boldfacers Diane Sawyer, Director Mike Nichols and Josh Harnett, among others, to her front row.

Tommy Hilfiger's label-less self described "more sophisticated, more refined, more luxurious" urban jet set H Collection show drew hip hop royalty the likes JLo, P Diddy, Nick Lachey, Russell Simmons, the Williams sisters and Mischa Barton, of whom, Lloyd Grove notes (3rd item):

"Fashion Week parties are tragically chic - and, as some B-listers are finding out, impossibly exclusive. The other night, Ally Hilfiger was denied entrance to the W Hotels' VIP lounge in Bryant Park, where folks were waiting for her dad, Tommy's, fashion show to begin. Undeterred, the 'Rich Girls' star tried crawling on her hands and knees under a security rope, prompting 'The O.C.'s" Mischa Barton to run over and escort her inside. 'This is Ally Hilfiger! You should have let her in,' Barton scolded the bouncer."

Peasants!

And, according to the Gawker Stalker, Ally Hilfiger wasn't the only one, "fabian basabe being denied entry into Hiro for the tommy hilfiger after party.... he was like 'im fabian basabe for god's sake" everyone laughed, then he walked away all mad. hah.'" Basabe is at 14.5 minutes into his 15 minutes of fame.

Cindy Adams once again hoists useless information on us, saying, "LIL' KIM's li'l bum got flashed at Tommy Hilfiger's fashion show. Her pink mini was so micro it showed her crack." Eeew.

Notes Hilfiger to Metro TV of his star studded show: "Jay Z and Beyonce were out of town, but they called me to say they would have liked to be there."

British Vogue notes, "P. Diddy heralded Zac Posen, for whom he acts as a major investor, as the star of the season, punching the air at the end of the show (careful not to dislodge his newest accessory - a tiny white dog), and shouting: 'Marc Jacobs better watch out!' While Claire Danes and Paris Hilton joined him in Posen's front row."

Newsday notes of Posen's show: "Tennis star Serena Williams took several pictures of styles with her digital camera from her vantage point on the front row. She was seated near actress Claire Danes and model/socialite/reality TV star Paris Hilton."

The Post's resident cutie pie Elisa Lipsky-Karasz notes, "Paris Hilton is competing with Jessica Simpson for blonde moments. 'How many minutes apart were you born?' asked an unwitting Hilton of tennis stars Serena and Venus Williams while sitting in the front row of Tommy Hilfiger's fashion show on Thursday. The Williams sisters - who are not twins - were obviously confused by the question."

But all dizziness was forgiven as later, according to New York, "Paris Hilton doin' a lil' bump and grind with Venus and Serena Williams at Bungalow 8."

And, to round things out, LookOnline's Marilyn Kirschner writes, "Paris Hilton, looking especially tacky in camera-friendly form fitting gold sequined dress and wild bleached blond hair, was causing a paparazzi frenzy, while Bernadette Peters and Joe Pesci looked on from the front row."

Something called Elites TV said of West Coast designer Jeremy Scott's thug "black and white hooded capes, bandana print pants, and tiny chain bikini?s," did not make such a big hit with the jaded crowd:

"Rapper Lil? Kim sat in the front row and showed no emotion, to the thug-lifestyle collection ... one of the onlookers said, 'Who would want to wear any of Jeremy?s designs they are just not practical.'?

Fashionweekdaily went further, chronicling the c-List that attended his show: "Lil� Kim, Chris Kattan, Suzy Menkes, Hope Atherton, Casey Spooner, Lisa Marie, Jefferson Hack."

Chris Kattan? Make that D-List.

My pal in the blog, the very cool David Patrick Columbia, raves about Michael Vollbrachts Bill Blass Show:

"Michaels talent transcends the land of nay and he has produced what in the fashion business is known simply as 'money in the bank.' I sat between Jamee Gregory and (ed note: NBC's Weekend Today in New York co-anchor) Felicia Taylor, just two down from Arlene Dahl and Rosemarie (Mrs. Robert) Stack. Jamee and Felicia were alternating their oohs-and-ahhs, almost as if they?d choreographed it. One Jamee, the next for Felicia, who was respectfully wearing something a suit from Michaels fall line."

Finally, the follicle-challenged Sarah Bailey, deputy editor, Harper�s Bazaar, bravely spilled all to the indispensible Fashionweekdaily when asked "What is the hardest thing about Fashion Week?" She answered, touchingly: �Hair management.�

And, ancillary to that chestnut, overheard by that significant cultural artifact Fashionweekdaily at Proenza Schouler, "One editor speaks to another, surveying the seating, 'Oh look, the girls from Bazaar are seated close to the Vogue editors. Bazaar must be moving up in Pierre Rougier�s eyes.'"