The party to be at last night was John Varvatos’ blowout at his Bowery Street store. The space, formerly CBGB’s famed performance venue, perfectly embodied the essence of special guests The Roots, who performed to a tremendously packed house.
 
The Roots, who are also the featured models of Varvatos’ Fall 2011 ad campaign, took the stage late, allowing opener Gary Clark Jr. to take his time with his set. The suits and stars crowd was a diverse mix of musicians and fashion bigwigs who ate up Clark’s performance and cheered while waving bottles of Heineken in the air.
 
Among the more notable attendees were Chace Crawford, Amare Stoudemire, Chord Overstreet, Emma Roberts, Hayden Panettiere, Heidi Klum, Emma Stone, Kyle MacLachlan, Kyle Howard, Corinne Bailey Rae, Gina Gershon, Henrik Lundqvist, Hunter Parrish, Matthew Settle, Mike D, Rose McGowan, Sean Avery, Sebastian Stan and Tomas Jane. The backstage area and alley leading to it was so packed with names that routinely grace gossip rags that it was nearly impossible to move.
 
When The Roots finally took the stage, their energetic set had everyone grooving. Powering through hits like “Here I Come,” “You Got Me,” “Get Busy,” “Jungle Boogie” and “Seed,” ?uestlove and the boys also tossed in some tribute covers by Guns ‘n’ Roses and Led Zepplin, perfectly melding the genres of hip hop and rock.
 
As for what the designer himself thought of the night, Varvatos summed it up simply: “Incredible. The Roots are true musicians who filled the room with pulsing energy, the likes of which we have never had. This was historic.”

The Roots for John Varvatos Fall/Winter 2011

Chaka Khan performs at the Hugo Boss afterparty during Fashion's Night Out

The streets of New York teemed with fashionistas eager to celebrate Fashion’s Night Out last eve. The sidewalks were so packed it was a rare occurrence to be able to take a full stride when walking. And there was no shortage of fashionable sights for the evening’s participants to gawk at—including a plethora of famous faces.

There were some celebrity surprises (Justin Bieber at Dolce & Gabanna and—more shockingly—Tracy Morgan at Valentino), and each store had a packed line outside full of hopefuls awaiting their shot at a freshly signed headshot and a smile. The lines were particularly long at Victoria’s Secret in Soho, where Angels Adriana Lima, Alessandra Ambrosio, Erin Heatherton and Lily Aldridge snapped pictures with enthusiastic female fans that had just received mini-makeovers.

Across the street at Armani Exchange, DJ Matt Creed provided the backbeats for the bustling store’s patrons, who sipped Svedka cocktails while waiting for their Fashion’s Night Out shirts to be customized with shiny metal studs, rips and tears. Down at the Mondrian Soho, Neon Indian took to a stage in the garden of Imperial No. 9 and played for the likes of Kings of Leon’s Jared Followill, Beth Ditto and Dustin Yellin.

Up the road at a party at Kenmare, Owen Wilson opted to skip the bathroom line and jumped in the first open stall with a newly met friend of the blond variety with legs that went on forever. The woman sarcastically informed irked waiting patrons, “Owen’s my brother, so this is okay.” Sure, darling. Whatever you say. Just be quick in there.

Inside Harry Winston’s Fifth Avenue flagship, while a few folks cooed over the $100,000 diamond-encrusted pen in a front display case, Marchesa’s Georgina Chapman and Keren Craig congratulated Harry Winston CEO Frederic de Narp on the birth of his seventh child, a boy born earlier this week.

At PHd atop the Dream Downtown hotel, the Hugo Boss afterparty saw a lengthy set by Chaka Khan, who belted out hits such as “Through the Fire” and “I’m Every Woman” with the same soul-soaked intensity as the day she recorded them. A Hilton sister was also spotted flitting around the party, but she didn’t stay long.

Neither did Lindsay Lohan, who arrived as the things ended. Lohan, who kept her glass filled with water, sprang to her feet when the DJ played “No Church In The Wild” by Jay-Z and Kanye West. “I fucking love this song!” she shouted, to no one in particular, and began dancing frantically, a wave of blond hair obscuring her face. “Well, I’ve now seen Lindsay Lohan,” mused one on-looking woman aloud to her friend. “I think I can go home now.” 
 

Ange and Vernice Walker of cosmetic line Rococo were faced with a challenge when Roland Mouret commissioned the sisters to create the perfect nude polish that looked both “chic and expensive” for the designer’s Fall 2011 runway show. They lived up to that challenge with the luxurious Lab Nude 3.0—a sheer, soft, pinkish beige that suits all skin tones. The nude beauty just made its retail debut at Space NK as part of Rococo’s Nude Wardrobe line. 504 Broadway, 212-729-5144

As much as Elizabeth Taylor was famous for her striking violet eyes, she was also known for her impressive jewelry collection. Over many years and many husbands, the actress and humanitarian accumulated a treasure trove of dazzling diamonds and precious gemstones—many of which will be sold through Christie’s New York on December 13 and 14. A total of 269 pieces by jewelry designers including Bulgari, Boucheron, Cartier, Schlumberger, Tiffany and Van Cleef & Arpels will be auctioned off for an anticipated $30 million. “This is without a doubt the greatest private collection of jewelry ever assembled in one place,” says Marc Porter, the president of Christie’s Americas. Taylor stated in her will that her jewelry was to be auctioned off so that others can enjoy and respect them as much as she did. As she herself said, “Give them a really good home.”

Sophia Bush at Fashion Week

Two nights before Fashion Week officially began, soaking rain put a crimp in Karl Lagerfeld’s appearance at Macy’s. Dispatches couldn’t nab a cab, arrived late and Karl was already in a back room protected by a great wall of beefcake. Meanwhile, Vogue, which hosted the soiree, sent me the most beautiful flowers at my office the next day. So I still love Karl and Macy’s and especially my buddy Anne Vincent at Vogue. 

This whole low-end collaboration thing appears to be a theme. I also stopped by the sumptuous (if crowded) Kardashian Kollection for Sears on Greenwich Street. Dispatches of course first headed for Greenwich Avenue by accident and got soaked further. The sole came off one shoe just in time for me to say “hey” to the, ahem, KKK—Kim, Kourtney and Khloe.

Along the same vibe, Missoni and Target opened a giant pop-up store on Sixth Avenue and 42nd Street the next night. I spoke to Malin Akerman, Emma Roberts and Elizabeth Olsen all decked out in Missoni. So by the time Dispatches made it inside, most of the fab, cheap Missoni goods were gone. I still managed to snap up two fun pillows. And the black-and-white bikes were also great.

Front Row and Down the Runway
Thursday morning, Dispatches reached the fashion tents at Lincoln Center about 10 minutes before BCBG was supposed to start. Jessica White had bopped in from Greece from an H&M shoot, and Sophia Bush had flown in on a red eye from Los Angeles. Everyone wore BCBG. A couple of babes, like Jordana Brewster and Elisha Cuthbert, donned tight knits. Cuthbert said hers had the feel “of a wetsuit.”

Dispatches snagged a primo seat (B-1-1) next to all the stars. Thank you, Max and Lubov. There were a lot of beautifully flowing fabrics. Angela Lindvall looked the part of a rich hippie in the front row, and the light fabrics on the runway appeared to glide on air. Richard Chai Love wasn’t quiet as easy breezy an hour later. There was a lot of purposeful mix-matching and mainly casual clothes with some washed-out prep colors. Fashionistas liked it. Dispatches was fond of the bar-code striped orange shorts.

Meanwhile, at Pace Gallery on West 25th Street at 1 PM, Kimberly Eisner offered up an eerie presentation. She went for a team Pattinson vibe: All the thin female models had sunken eyes and looked as if they’d been gorgeous while they were still alive. The clothes were long and white with some slices cut out—like a Malibu hippie wedding for vampires.

Craving a quick style pick-me-up during Fashion Week? Swing by Morgans Hotel Group’s Hudson and visit the Semi-Automatic vending machine for a special couture treat. Spoil yourself with luxurious goodies like a diamond and wood bracelet, a python clutch or even a rabbit-fur jacket—all from CFDA Fashion Incubator designers. Emerging talents such as Alice Ritter, Gemma Redux, Grey Ant, Jolibe, Public School, Sang A and Ruby Kobo temporarily stuffed the hotel’s “gift shop” full of fresh items that will whet your appetite for fall fashion. Hudson Hotel, 356 West 58th St., 212-554-6000

For its “Made in Polaroid” exhibition, Polaroid asked 50 celebrities, artists, photographers, fashion designers and musicians—including James Franco, Tory Burch, Phillip Lim, Brad Goreski and Patrick Demarchelier—to create a piece of work using the new GL10 instant printer from the Grey Label Lady Gaga collaboration. The exhibit opens to the public this week at Milk Studios amid the Fashion Week hullabaloo and stays open until September 13. The pieces will be auctioned off the following day at Phillips de Pury & Company on Park Avenue to benefit Free Arts New York, an organization that provides arts education to underserved children. Milk Studios 450 W. 15th St., 212-645-2797

Lowes Regency New York

The most exciting night of shopping is back for its third round tonight. Fashion’s Night Out is the most stylish celebration of the year, when designers, models, editors, celebrities and shoppers alike flock to their favorite stores for a night of exclusive events and free-flowing bubbly. Vogue, the Council of Fashion Designers of America, NYC & Company and the City of New York created the after-hours shopping event in 2009 to help boost the fashion industry’s economy—and it keeps getting bigger. This year hotels across the city are offering special FNO packages through September 30 that include some serious perks.

Hyatt 48 Lex 

• Complimentary wine and cheese in the Lexicon Lounge
• Continental breakfast for two in the Lexington Brass
• In-room, 30-minute Foot Smoothie treatment by Suite Spa

InterContinental Times Square 

• In-room, 1-hour blowout with personal hair stylist
• Pre-outing cocktails in Ça Va Brasserie
• Car service to FNO events

Loews Regency New York 

• Complimentary cocktails at The Library
• Sweet treat from Dylan’s Candy Bar
• VIP access to Tenjune

The London NYC 

• Style consultation and an exclusive gift at Henri Bendel
• Complimentary Champagne upon arrival

The New Yorker Hotel 

• A “Girls Get Set” package including a Sephora Colorista makeup palette
• Complimentary cocktails at Cooper’s Tavern
• Complimentary upgrade to a skyline view room

Omni Berkshire Place Hotel 

• Two tickets to a fashion show and afterparty by designer Rachael Cassar
• VIP access to 48 Lounge and two complimentary cocktails (up to $18)
• Complimentary Champagne upon arrival

The Setai Fifth Avenue 

• Choice of a 60-minute rose crystal facial or Swedish massage
• 20 percent off any service at Auriga Spa
• Personal assistant pre/post departure
• Access to the hotel’s chauffeur-driven Maserati

W Hotels of New York 

• Tickets to an exclusive FNO photo exhibit at W Times Square
• A personal portrait by fashion photographer Annemarieke van Drimmelen (limited to first 10 package bookings)
• Complimentary Champagne upon arrival
  
   

Get a glimpse into the life of Michael Kors at DestinationKors.com, a newly launched social website that serves as a vantage point into Kors’s lifestyle and brand. An “MK Channel” streams videos of parties, runway coverage, fashion guides and celebrities donning Michael Kors. “Travel Diary” chronicles the designer’s favorite global getaways, while the “Michael On” journal entries detail his inspirations and musings. The tastemaker will also post weekly style tips and behind-the-scene photos of his collection.

The Eames lounge chair is one of the most significant designs of the century—one that has proven to be unmatched in quality and timelessness. The Herman Miller chair has been in production since 1956 and little has changed in the way it is crafted. But now, for the first time, the Eames seven-ply wood veneer shells also come in white ash and luminous pearl leather ($5,729). Design Within Reach; dwr.com