FFF After an extremely slow start, the Designers’ Guild’s Favorite Figure of Fashion party at Le Privilege last Saturday night could have been called the Favorite Figure in Music party. With attendees including Bob Sherman as Ozzy Osbourne, Amy Weaver as Jennifer Lopez, Neil Diaz as Courtney Love, Christina Klisanin as Joan Jett, Seabrook Jones as Henry Rollins, Juergen Engler as Johnny Rotten, Ellen Bartel as Jennifer Beals from Flashdance, and Evan Voyles and Gail Chovan as Keith Richards and Patti Hansen, it was a raucous, festive affair. I, of course, was fabulous as fashion editor Andre Leon Talley of Vogue. Kudos to Sammy of Le Privilege, and the owners of new club Hot Freaks (upstairs at Le Priv) for excellent service.
THE COLOR … ORANGE? News of last week’s heightened National Security Alerts distressed many folks across the world. Raising the color code from yellow to orange was definitely a risky fashion move. Orange is lovely — the magnificent shades of flame, coral, and tangerine — but is a very difficult color to wear. Accessorizing orange presents its own problems. Say you’ve just purchased a divine apricot-colored twin set … what will you wear it with? Red? Too Pucci. Green? You’ll look like a pumpkin. White? Like a mound of candied yams with marshmallows. Blue? Hmmm … I don’t think so. One of the primary places to see how orange works is on Court TV. There’s always some felon or another making an appearance in court, and inevitably, out of all the things they choose to wear to court, they always all decide on the same orange jumpsuit. Now, granted, jumpsuits are a risky fashion statement to begin with, but an orange one? To be on TV? Please. And if you’ll notice, not a one of those fellows is flattered by the color … they always look so sallow and grim, I think they should probably just get out more. Frankly, not only is orange a hard color to wear, it is hard to find. Been shopping lately? Scarce, scarce, scarce. It seems a little dictatorial for the government to impose these color-coded security alerts — unless of course they plan on manufacturing and distributing orange clothes … but that thought is scarier than an orange jumpsuit.
THE FASHION CALENDAR It’s baaack. Coo de Tot — Austin’s own outdoor boutique of fashion, music, and information for children and youngsters of all ages is this Saturday, Sept. 14, 10am-2pm, at Texas French Bread on 29th & Rio Grande. The event features more than 15 Austin designers selling babycentric goods — apparel services, and accessories. Admission is free … I’m looking forward to the Emerge Fashion Show at the Design Center of Austin Saturday, Sept. 28. It is the debut collection by Tomer Gendler, a new designer of men’s and women’s fashion, and it sounds like a fun, splashy event. Tickets are $20, available at all Avant locations. Call 336-1745 or e-mail betacollection@yahoo.com… Wednesday, Oct. 16 is the always wonderful, highly entertaining Club DeVille Fall Fashion Extravaganza. Need I say more than “Yippee!”? More info soon… Saturday, Oct. 26 is the St. Thomas Boutique Show, A Look for Love. St. Thomas owners Riley Silva and Tomás Estebes throw a fabulous event, and last year’s presentation of Badgley-Mischka was a pretty dazzling evening. This year features work from the House of Moschino, and the clothes will be accessorized with Anthony-Nak jewels. A benefit for the Austin Children’s Shelter, A Look for Love is at the Four Seasons, and tickets are $500 individually, or by tables for 10. Call St. Thomas, 338-0526, or visit www.austinchildrenshelter.org.
This article appears in September 20 • 2002.