DvF and Mitch: lovers once, buddies forever!

As we sloshed, caked with snow flurries, into the Mandarin Oriental for the 2012 Phoenix House Fashion award dinner last Wednesday evening, we couldn’t determine whether it was the way-too-early winter outside, the Sandy-forced relocation or the early start after an endless election season, but at first glance, things looked a bit quiet. (In retrospect, we appreciated the venue upgrade, considering it was originally slated to take place at Pier 60.)

“Well there’s Linda Fargo, at least ...” we uttered to a weary-eyed publicist as she sashayed passed us in a crisp black sheath dress, before we sauntered downstairs to cocktail hour.

Below, on the 35th floor, the considerably more lively and notable fashion crowd imbibed, heedless of the blizzard-like winds that howled without mercy on the commoners struggling to get around Columbus Circle.

With the exception of Glenda Bailey, this didn’t feel like a typical fashion event; nay, it was considerably more corporate—a bit cliquey, but not necessarily in a bad way. Dashing executives (well mostly dashing) in flamboyant tailored suits sipped scotch and red wine, while a more demure population of women squawked about recent highs and lows.

This reeked of powerful retail and media industry figures rather than overcompensated stylists and over-photographed fashion mavens.

The Observer wasn’t feeling particularly social, but we decided to meander aimlessly about the lobby, gorging ourselves with vegetable spring rolls every time they passed.

Eventually, someone had the brilliance to ring the dinner gong and get the show on the road.

“You’re stuck with me,” laughed Rose Marie Bravo, the fashion branding and commerce star, as she welcomed the Phoenix House patrons now enjoying their first plating around candlelit tables. She apologized for emcee Ali Wentworth, who was “lost somewhere in the city.”

“This past week has been a tragic one,” she continued. “Many of our friends have been left homeless or without power.” She went on to explain what Phoenix House does: it helps thousands of people struggling with substance abuse and addiction through its pioneering treatment program. For a second or two, The Observer stopped sipping. But only a second or two.

Seated before us was honoree Jim Gold, president of The Neiman Marcus Group; Tory Burch, evasive and on high alert with her pending lawsuit against ex-husband Chris Burch still ablaze; and Calvin Klein’s Francisco Costa. The weather was most likely to blame for the empty seats, and there was substantial mention of Hurricane Sandy and its affect on the Phoenix House community.

“Substance abuse is an epidemic that plagues the USA,” began Phoenix House CEO Howard Meitiner.

He was followed by a young client of Phoenix House, who spoke of his history with drug abuse, dealing and violence. It was simple, honest and very effective. He said he is now rightly on track, working toward a degree in social work.

“Drug abuse can happen to anyone’s child,” said Mr. Meithner, then diving into the politics and ethos of the drug culture in America.

“But recovery is achievable and sustainable,” he concluded, just as Ali Wentworth, our long-lost emcee, finally stampeded in.

“I’ve got a husband who said, ‘I’ve just done 36 hours of ABC election coverage! You’re gonna get into bed with me!’” she blurted to our disbelief, about her hubby, George Stephanopoulos.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, not only was the fabulous hostess late because she was having a roll in the hay, she announced it to us all! Our kind of gal. And poor George, election aside, he must have still been shell-shocked by his co-host’s odd drunken-like behavior on election night—Cheers, Diane!

“They messengered this to me,” Ms. Wentworth continued, exposing a shiny Olivier Theyskens for Theory blazer that kept her décolletage in check.

“I thought I was chic, but maybe I’m just a shoplifter!”

We decided right then and there that we all wanted to leave and go home with Ali Wentworth.

Our hostess extraordinaire thankfully kept the pace brisk as we cruised into the awards segment. Monsieur Theyskens gave a poignant and astute speech before plopping a Phoenix House award in the hands of Andrew Rosen. The CEO of Theory then delivered a heartfelt personal story of his own family’s struggle with addiction and praised the Phoenix House for its wonderful work.

Tina Brown, editor in chief of Newsweek/The Daily Beast, made an anticipated handoff to Diane von Furstenberg. We never got to pester her with our gossipy questions about her publication’s demise.

“Diane is a vision broker,” Ms. Brown professed.

Once DvF accept her award, she dove into a tale of how she first met Phoenix House Founder Mitchell S. Rosenthal. Apparently Ms. von Furstenberg had mistaken the addiction innovator for ’80s star Chris Sarandon, whom she mistakenly referred to as Chris Rock. “He was hot,” she said.

“Then I got to know more about Mitch Rosenthal. I’ll spare you the details ...”

The romantic jaunts of the fashion queen brought the crowd great delight.

“This young, smashing man who looked like Chris Sarandon—created this place where shame was not an issue,” Ms. von Furstenberg gushed.

“I really want to make sure that we all raise our glass to this special man!”

At that flawless declaration, we lifted our glass, emptied it, and dashed downtown, to partake in rowdier action at Le Baron—alas, without Ali Wentworth.

The after-party for the special screening of Scatter My Ashes at Bergdorf's in celebration of its 111th Anniversary. (Neil Rasmus)

“I hope I have a job tomorrow.” That was personal shopper Betty Halbreich’s reaction to the Sept. 12 preview of Matthew Miele’s fashion documentary Scatter My Ashes at Bergdorf’s. Ms. Halbreich explained, “I spurt things without thinking!” But to others, her brutal honesty and WASPish sense of humor made her one of the film’s firm favorites. Gossip Girl costume designer Eric Damon spoke for all when he said, “It’s all about Betty.”

Ms. Halbreich, The Observer thinks you’ll be just fine.

As Fashion Week comes to a close, the celebration of Bergdorf Goodman’s 111th anniversary stepped into the spotlight. Swapping Lincoln Center’s front rows for the old-style stadium seating of The Paris Theater, a confluence of fatigued fashionistas enjoyed a show that for the first time in seven days allowed them to remain in their seats for more than 10 minutes.

A special screening of Mr. Miele’s documentary was followed by an after-party at the iconic department store. In popular culture, this lair of luxury goods and ladies-who-lunch has been a backdrop to many a movie scene and TV show; now it’s a story, and a movie, in itself. The 90-minute documentary paints a portrait of Bergdorf’s past, present and future, as Mr. Miele invites a collection of 175 of its directors, clients, employees, designers and wannabe designers to share their experiences and fondest memories of New York’s finest.

For designer Jason Wu, whom we caught up with pre-preview on the purple—not red—carpet, walking into the store is “an experience that can’t be replicated.”

As was, for us, the walk between the 58th Street theater, a haven for the city’s intellectual movie buffs, and Bergdorf’s, just around the corner on Fifth Avenue; we strolled tête-à-tête with Senior Vice President and Fashion Director Linda Fargo.

“The store isn’t just a store,” she said, “Every place has a story—it’s like a newspaper: a lot of paragraphs, a lot of voices, a lot of characters.”

Bergdorf’s rich tapestry of characters didn’t disappoint. Greeting us as we entered the store was doorman James, working his 17th year of magic at the 58th Street entrance and another memorable member of the film’s cast. And David Hoey, who before the screening modestly described himself as “the guy who does the windows,” was also prominently on display.

The windows played a starring role in the film. AndrewAndrew, regular DJs at the store—you may have spotted them there on Fashion’s Night Out—“loved the window show.” Designer Michael Kaye also observed that the whole film could have been about the spectacle from the sidewalk.

Mr. Miele has lifted the purple veil and exposed the secrets behind the glass display. The one caveat, voiced by supermodel Alva Chinn among others, was that it was “a wee bit long.” Perhaps the fashionistas’ endurance was by now conditioned by the brevity of the runway shows.

Although Fashion Week was coming to an end, the thumbs-up, thumbs-down urge continued: Best-dressed was a toss-up between stylist, socialite and model Michelle Harper, with her floor-length black and red gown and Marilyn-Monroe locks, and Michele Ouellet, muse to Libertine designer Johnson Hartig, whose multicolored coat—no it wasn’t Joseph’s—certainly turned some heads.

Mr. Miele himself confessed that he himself was “not a fashion guy at all.” He told us before the screening that his tie (appropriately purple) had been a gift from his wife. The cellphone conversation, he added later, went something like this: She said, “It’s two hundred dollars, is that too much to spend?” He said, “Where are you?” The answer? “I’m at Bergdorf’s!”

“If you can keep the evening stuff to a dull roar that would great! There are just so many events,” gripped Bergdorf Goodman’s Linda Fargo to a publicist at Naeem Khan’s Valentine’s Day show. [sigh] The fashion week life!

We’re content to note that she had little reason to complain after Mr. Khan presented his excellent collection of glitzy daywear and dramatic metallic gowns. “That’s perfect for Lady Obama!” pointed a transfixed assistant editor. The Observer agrees…

Ms. Obama first wore a stunning Naeem Khan gown to a state dinner for the prime minister of India, back in 2009. She went returned to the designer in 2011, to wear one of his frocks to make nice with German Chancellor, Angela Merkel. Here are five outfits we want to dress Michelle Obama in, along with the matching occasion!

"I wanted to convey a sense of strength and beauty-- this collection is about a streamlined and bold silhouette with lots of textural mixes inspired by John Chamberlain and Brancusi,” stated Som.

How highbrow! Well what ever he did worked. The women seated inside Made at MiLK Studio 2 ate it up like a Malawi at Thanksgiving! Here are a few of their WOW moments:

Ms. Mendes had come to support her dear friend, Calvin Klein women's wear designer Francisco Costa, who was receiving an award that evening from the design school along with CK CEO Tom Murry and New York Times fashion critic Cathy Horyn.

"He's not only a very kind soul, which is very important to me, but he's also very good at what he does. He always makes me feel like I'm wearing a piece of sculpture. Like this," said Ms. Mendes, tugging at the side of her dress to show off the unusual texture and shape. "It's so feminine but it's also such a great little piece of architecture." (Ms. Mendes will be wearing one of Mr. Costa's creations to the Met Costume Gala on Monday, May 4.)

Ms. Mendes said she never had an interest in attending design school herself. In fact, she said she dropped out of college to pursue acting. "I just don't like saying that because I don't like other kids to get encouraged by that," she said. "It just worked out for me, but stay in school, kids!"

Mr. Costa was optimistic when the Daily Transom asked him to offer some advice to design students coming out of school this spring into a fashion industry plagued by folding fashion labels and poor sales. 

"I hope they'll be better than me!" he joked.  "My advice is very basic—it's being creative in the best sense. That's the greatest part about being a designer or being in a creative field because you can really manage the situation a little more freely, in a more fun way. We have an advantage because we're working in a creative business and designers have antennas on, they're connected to how people live and what they wear. My advice is just to keep that going."

The designer was coy when asked whom else he may be dressing in addition to Ms. Mendes come Monday. "We have a couple of people," he said.

Bergdorf Goodman fashion director Linda Fargo was also not too worried for today's young talent. "I might worry if my dream is to be a huge finance guy right now, but the world always needs beauty and creativity," she told the Daily Transom.

Parsons fashion dean Simon Collins said that his graduating students may actually have an advantage graduating at a time like this.

"I find them incredibly optimistic," he said. "They are smarter than ever and they know they have to be. They've seen which companies are falling and which are staying stronger, so they're trying to understand what keeps them strong and they're trying to adapt that themselves."

Phat Farm's Russell Simmons, who arrived with his girlfriend, model Julie Henderson, also seemed to have some helpful advice.

"A level of fearlessness is the most important thing for people so bent on achieving that next thing. You have to enjoy the process," said Mr. Simmons.

The rap mogul did not attend design school, but he said that so many of his executives have that he didn't really need to. Still, the Daily Transom wondered if Mr. Simmons made any clothing when he was just starting out that he would be embarrassed to show now.

"I actually make embarrassing clothes every season," he said. "Especially in my new Argyle collection. I'm reviewing it now and we've edited some of it. I saw some stuff when the samples came back and I was embarrassed that I made it. We had these puffy vests but they're made out of a seersucker. They're very light, but I think we just used the wrong fabrics."

Nearby, all the attention seemed to be turning on an odd foursome that had arrived minutes before the actual dinner and fashion show was about to begin: the socialite Olivia Palermo, Gossip Girl actress Amanda Setton, and Marc Jacobs and his boyfriend, Lorenzo Martone. And even as it was time for everyone to take their seats, the masses of flashing bulbs and eager onlookers hoping to meet Mr. Jacobs seemed to put fashion students, faculty and guests into a giddy mood. 

"I love seeing everyone again—it’s kind of a reunion of the clan, everyone comes back together again," said an enthusiastic Linda Fargo, Bergdorf Goodman's fashion director.

"I don’t think anyone’s really down," said the designer Dennis Basso, looking around at the attractive people holding Champagne flutes. (The guests, including Waris Ahluwalia and Interview's Glenn O'Brian, were given yellow pin-on buttons that read Chic Must Go On!) "The tents are packed with shows, there are new people showing. We have 175 more RSVPs than we had last year. That’s very exciting."

After his show on Feb. 17, Mr. Basso plans to travel to Switzerland to do some trunk shows and then, hopefully, take a trip somewhere with "a little bit of the sun," in March.

"In the past four years I have been developing ready-to-wear, so each year my ready-to-wear evolves further and further," Mr. Basso said of his upcoming collection. "This year I think you’re going to see a lot of evening wear and a lot of day wear that complements the furs and things that can be worn alone and or with fur."

Designer Elise Overland is showing early this year—her presentation is scheduled for Valentine's Day. But last night Ms. Overland seemed rather relaxed as she greeted friends and sat through the entire dinner.

"I’m glad I’m showing at the beginning of the week because then I can go to other people’s shows," she told the Daily Transom. "I hate to say that my show is a presentation because that has such a feeling of stagnant models standing on boxes. It’s more of an event. It will be three mini shows and the lights and the music will keep changing, so it will be a whole experience. And of course, a full open bar."

Mr. Overland said her collection always gets pulled together very last minute.

"What always happens is I get these last moment panics," she said. "Last season I just threw a skirt over the head of a model, like, 'Ooh! This is just like a turtleneck jacket!' And of course it was something that everyone wanted to buy and I had to say, 'I’m so sorry, it’s just a skirt!'"

Nearby, Ms. Fargo was still air-kissing her way through the crowded room. Was that a printed scheduled peering out of her black leather purse?

"How does that look to you?" she asked pulling a plastic-sleeve-encased, color-coded sheet of paper that seemed to have every hourly slot of the next week occupied. "And you know what, though? Every day when we reprint it, we take the day before off so that it looks like less and less. It's my technique."

Ms. Fargo admitted that there was a specific reason for her giddy mood that evening.

"Already today, we’ve snagged—well, I’m not going to tell you who or what—but we’ve already snagged someone very, very young, someone we’re very excited about," she said. "That kind of thing always creates a lot of energy. So we’re all emailing each other and getting jazzed up."

With such a busy schedule, we wondered whether Ms. Fargo, who's done the Fashion Week rounds more than a few times in her career, felt pressure to look elegant every day.

"You know, that’s the one thing I think I’ve become more relaxed about," she said. "I’ve become a little bit more uniform. It’s textures of black—matte to shiny and leathers and satin and fur. It’s simple and I have my red lipstick I carry in bag so that when it becomes nighttime I’ve got the thing that transforms me from day to night."

And what did Ms. Fargo think of the front row occupants who showcase over-the-top Fashion Week wardrobes?

"I love it. Because they are really subscribing to fashion," she said. "I wouldn’t want everyone to get into a uniform like me. You need people who really have the passion for fashion."

Marc Jacobs has cast model Raquel Zimmerman for his spring women's campaign and downtown artist Ryan McGinley for the men's collection. And former Marc Ronson-dater and daughter of Gavin Rossdale, Daisy Lowe, has been selected for the Marc by Marc campaign.  [WWD] 

Diane von Furstenberg is blogging about The Standard Hotel and her travels through Asia on her website. [DVF.com via Cityfile]

Takashi Murakami will wrap the Louis Vuitton store on Fifth Avenue in a colorful vinyl print for the holidays. [WWD] 

Bergdorf Goodman's fashion director Linda Fargo received a lap dance from designer Christian Cota at the preview of a new eatery from the owners of Geisha and Safina, Vittorio Assaf and Fabio Granato. [P6]