This past weekend in L.A., there was yet another major charity ball – there almost always is one, except for July and August – this one being the 17th Annual Race to Erase MS at the Regent Century City. This is the charity ball set up by Nancy Davis, that aids kids with diabetes. esigner Tommy Hilfiger co-chaired it with her – he’s often sponsored the accompanying celebrity fashion show that’s staged at the event. In fact, Tommy did it up Hollywood style this past weekend: he also attended the big Douglas Friedman photo show opening at Jean de Merry on Friday night – which brought out an amazing crowd, including Randolph Duke, Rupaul, Robert Verdi, veterans of L.A. Design weekend who’d been attending seminars – and loads of major players. Paris and Nicky Hilton, who grew up with the Davis family in Beverly Hills, both got decked out for the Race to Erase in long silver grey dresses and looked like perfect ladies – but Avril Lavigne, shown with Nancy Davis, came in a t-shirt and her punk makeup. And this is a girl with a clothing line! Some girls just have to rebel, no matter what the location. – Merle Ginsberg

Milk Studios in Hollywood was the scene of a major young Hollywood fashion/music happening the other night, when it was invaded by fashion designer Charlotte Ronson (sister of dj Sam and music producer Mark) and her trendy pals Nicole Richie, Nikki Reed, Marisa Miller (who was wearing Erin Wasson’s Lowluv jewerlry, fyi), Peaches Geldoff (daughter of Sir Bob, Peaches in the red hat), Sky Ferraira, Mischa Barton (looking VERY blonde), Kate Mara, Simon Rex, Drea de Matteo, Nicky Hilton, Olivia Thirlby and Jessica Lowndes. Actress Brittany Snow went all out in a black and blue tight shiney Nicole Miller cocktail dress, but everybody else was on the funky side – especially Charlotte, who wore a plain black dress, faded denin vest, and hair in a very messy braid. Surprising everyone, dj Samantha Ronson sang a few acoustic songs and sounded amazing, then Foreigner (who their stepdad Mick Ronson is a member of) played a great set, including the crowd pleaser, “I Want to Know What Love Is.” In between sets, groovers hit the In and Out truck for sustenance, and topped it off with Cold Stone Ice cream sandwiches and cupcakes. Where do these skinny people put it, we want to know?

L.A. designer Gilbert A. Chagoury must have some money behind him – the young designer staged a show at the Pacific Design Center last night, uses the word “couture” for his collection, and brought out Paris and Nicky Hilton, “Entourage’s” Perrey Reeves, and actress Carla Gugino is the world’s longest weirdest earring – only one of them – we’ve ever seen. She was clearly channeling the eighties, we think – this is a very Cyndi Lauper/Pat Benatar kind of look. Looks to us like Chagoury has good connections – but does he have the chops to make it in the highly competitive world of Hollywood fashion? We will see. Meanwhile, our favorite look at the event was worn by “United States of Tara” writer (and “Juno”) Diablo Cody, in a leopard coat over her pregnancy bump. Chic.

Ashlee Margolis brought Byron and Tracey and their great hair team from the Bev Hills to New York Fashion Week to the Showtime suite on Greenwich St in Tribeca, where celebs like Kelly Bensimmon, Michelle Tractenberg, Monet Mazur, Leighton Meester, Nicky Hilton, Tinsley Mortimer, Heather Matarazzo and Erin Lucas all got to indulge – either in a Michelle Peck oxygen facial, a mani pedi, hair color by Tracey Cunningham or Dawn Tracey, or blow outs. We ran into super pr woman Amanda Silverman from 42 West, who works with Charlize Theron and Maggie Gyllenhaal, whose long wavy hair looked awesome. Kelly Bensimmon told us “The Real Housewives of New York” on Bravo has started shooting again, and Monet Mazur told us that she and her husband have just moved back to Los Angeles, after living several years in New York City. The real purpose of the suite was a “Pre-VMA” beauty bar at the Metropolitan Showtime House – so lots of girls were getting ready for the MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday night in New York, after going to fashion shows all day. The suite was amazing – a million different rooms, each one themed around a hit Showtime Show – there was the “Weeds” room, the “Californication” room, the “Dexter” room, even a “Tudors” room – and this is there all the time. It’s the size of a Hollywood Hills multi-room mansion. The event had a ton of sponsors: Redken products, Conair pro beauty tools, Urban Decay Makeup, Alize Cocktails, Solstice sunglasses, All Saints Clothing, and the new CK Fragrance Euphoria.
Girls could pick out new glasses, makeup from Urban Decay, products from Redken – and even cool scarves from All Saints. We particularly loved the All Saints room – this is a line from England that is quickly coming to America, and is now sold at Bloomingdale’s in NY. They’re opening on Robertson in L.A. their first U.S. freestanding store in November, and then will roll out stores all over the U.S. Right now, they’ve got a hundred stores in Great Britain – and we can see why. They have great cuts, good style, and these two jackets here (you can see them in more detail on AllSaints.com, but the U.S. website won’t be operating for a little while) are only about $200 dollars apiece, and the dress is under a hundred bucks. Now we know how English girls always have such good style for so little money. All Saints is like the next TopShop – and they’ll be in L.A. in only two months!

Alberta Ferretti may be in L.A. to show her fall collection to the C.H.I.P.S. (Colleagues Helpers in Philanthropic Service) charity group today, May 6 -a philanthropic, rather old school organization that includes Betsy Bloomingdale. It will all happen at the Montage Hotel in Beverly Hills at lunchtime. However, Ferretti’s got a big helping of celebs turning out: Marisa Tomei, Rose McGowan, Ali Larter, Nicky Hilton, Angie Harmon , Lynn Collins, Monique lhullier, and Shiva Rose McDermott will fill out the crowd, no doubt wearing some great new fall 09 Ferretti – and we can’t wait to see them in it, and show it to you FR readers. That’s Mrs. Ferretti with Ali Larter (right) and Amy Smart (left) in our photo.
Then on Thursday and Friday, May 7 and 8, Mrs. Ferretti, who will be honored by the CHIPS for her own charitable contributions, will present the fall collection trunk show at her store on Melrose, across from Urth Caffe. You can place orders and meet the esteemed and charming designer, and check out spring, as well. It’s always great to have a firsthand look at those clothes if you intend to pull them for celebs and red carpet.

The L.A. Antiques Show at the Barker Hangar of the Santa Monica airport opened on Wednesday night, and runs for a few
days, and houses the best of the antique dealers and stores of Los Angeles. And it’s always hosted by P.S. Arts and Maria Bell, Kimberly Brooks, Joe Nye, Julia Sorkin, Elizabeth Stewart and celeb decorator Waldo Fernandez – but this year saw its biggest celeb turnout ever. Hilary Swank, fresh from shooting “Amelia,” about the life of aviatrix Amelia Earhardt (perhaps a third Oscar is in her future), wore an adorable Marc Jacobs dress, and donned a grown out version of her short short haircut for the movie. Nicky Hilton donned Diane von Furstenberg, and Vanessa Minnillo brought boyfriend Nick Lachey. Zack Braff dressed up in John Varvatos, and even Lisa Kudrow turned up – the “Friends” star rarely goes to big events. It was a cool mix of celebrities and L.A. high society and decorators and furniture designers.
The furniture was divine, but the fashion at the event was pretty sterling, too. – Merle Ginsberg

The Evening of 20th Century Glamour event – a benefit for MOCA put on by Decades, Cameron Silver and actress Rachel Griffiths – resulted in an extremely glamourous evening of fashion, entertainment and celebrity – and it’s rare these three all come together in such a seamless way. NY designers wish they had this kind of star power in a front row: from Rachel to Marisa Tomei, Nicky Hilton, Rose McGowan, Kelly Lynch, Perrey Reeves, Lisa Rinna, Garcelle Beauvais all the way to Nicole Richie and her stylist, Simone Harouce.

The entire event, held at the Geffen Contemporary Theater, was as a benefit for MOCA, which we all know is suffering from financial blows lately. The turnout was both stellar and fascinating, and being that it was staged by Decades, was an ode to the glamour of vintage clothing – even the stylist of the runway show, Petra Flannery, was wearing a vintage YSL from the early 80s, one of “Le Smoking” dresses that were so chic, by the master.: Marisa Tomei in a pink cocktail gown with one-shoulder bow original Christian Dior from 1958, got the dress of the night (and it’s on sale at Decades, FYI), which was the first Dior collection designed by Yves St. Laurent himself. The dress was a big score – it was meant to be in the show, but Cameron Silver decided to let Marisa wear it and be queen for the night. She’s pictured here with Liz Goldwyn, a collector of vintage clothing, wearing a vintage Balenciaga, and YES, it’s for sale at Decades.

Nicky Hilton was going to wear a fabulous vintage Chanel she owns – but the zipper broke at the last minute, and she wore a new designer instead.

Nicole Richie was in a vintage one shouldered Zandra Rhodes gown that was already in her closet (“I told her she didn’t need anymore vintage in her closet,” says Decades’ Silver), and Lisa Rinna wore a fabulous Bill Blass leopard dress with a feather hem that, once returned in the morning, sold to a woman who’d been at the event.

And Silver himself had a most spectacular evening jacket: an ecru tuxedo jacket with metal studs attached, made for him exclusively by Ennio Cappasa of Costume National. Modelling her with the 5 1/2 months pregnant Griffiths – whom he often dresses for the Emmys and Globes – he put her in a vintage Sarni from the sixties that – guess what? – is for sale at Decades!! In fact, all of the dresses in the runway show of vintage: gowns by YSL, a 1980’s Thierry Mugler, and an amazing shimmery skintight red Norman Norrell – are in the store, and they’re getting tons of calls about them. – Merle Ginsberg

On your marks – get ready – Oscar weekend is taking off!! Jimmy Choo’s Tamara Mellon hosted a fabulous fun-filled lunch today Friday at the new Cecconi’s restaurant on Melrose and Robertson (the old Mortons space), and how bout this guest list? Valentino, Elton John, David Furnish, Debra Messing, Nicky Hilton, Kathy Hilton, society ladies like Wendy Goldberg, Irena Medavoy, Diana Jenkins, jeweler Loree Rodkin, decorator Martin Lawrence Bullard, Julia Sorkin, manager Molly Madden, Cameron Silver, Vanity Fair editor Elizabeth Saltzman, and it just went on and on. On Friday night, producer Wendy Finerman and producer Donna Gigliotti, who’ve both won Oscars (for “Forrest Gump” and “Shakespeare in Love,” respectively, will host a large Women in Film do a the home of Peter and Linda Guber from 5 to 8, where almost every Oscar nominee is expected to make an appearance – in another new outfit, of course.

Saturday is of course the Independent Spirit Awards are all day Saturday at the beach in Santa Monica.

Saturday night starts out with a Rodarte cocktail party hosted by Laura and Kate Mulleavy. Then Julianne Moore will host the Diamond Information Group’s annual dinner at the Chateau Marmont, with lots of heavy hitters. (Is Julianne an Oscar presenter? It would make a lot of sense – why else is she in LA? She lives in NY). After that, Charles Finch, the English movie producer, hosts a late night party at Madeo’s that is said to be the hottest party of the whole weekend.

Sunday night is of course Vanity Fair at the Sunset Tower Hotel, the Elton John party at the Pacific Design Center, the In Style post Oscar and viewing party – and we understand US Magazine is hosting a little viewing party, too. And this year, the Mercedes Benz viewing party at the Montage Bev Hills is said to be a hot one – lots of local cool people are going to that one. And Samantha Ronson will be djing it, so there could be a Lindsay Lohan sighting.

He may be retired, but don’t expect Valentino Garavani to slow down – it’s not his style. He’s been in LA promoting the new documentary about his life and in fashion and subsequent retirement called “The Last Emperor,” produced by Vanity Fair editor Matt Tyrnauer. Fashion Rules caught up with him at a lunch on Friday at the new restaurant Cecconi’s, at Robertson and Melrose, the new boite from the British owners of the Soho House (it opens officially on Monday). He was there at an amazing lunch hosted by Tamara Mellon of Jimmy Choo, which also hosted some of his other friends – Elton John, David Furnish, Nicky Hilton, Wendy Goldberg, Debra Messing, Perry Reeves, stylists Jen Rade and Tanya Gill, and about every chic woman in L.A. Fashion Rules had this little chat with the man whose Oscar style we have sadly learned to live without.

FASHION RULES: Mr. Valentino, what brings you to town?

VALENTINO: Well, I have been doing press for my film here, which opens in April, I believe. And we will be back in LA soon to do more press, and of course, for the premier. It’s been a lot of fun. I have a lot of friends here, I always love coming here.

FASHION RULES: And are you going to the Oscars again this year? We know you’ve been many times?

VALENTINO: Yes, I am going to the Oscars once again! Sadly, my clothes are NOT going this year – that is very sad. But I am happy that I will be going. And of course, to the Vanity Fair party. I would not miss these things. It’s exciting to see what the actresses will wear for both events, and even though they will not be my clothes – unless they are vintage – I’m sure they will still look amazing! It will be curious to see how they dress in these unusual times we are living in.