THE EAST-WEST FOOTWEAR TOE-DOWN Fashionable Soludos for men and women: cool new take on the espadrille. Take that, Havaianas! For designer Nick Brown, a tall, lanky New Zealander transplanted to New York, it was just too much of a stretch to wear sandals all summer. You might say he got flip-flop fatigue. So he took centuries of Mediterranean tradition and created espadrilles with an eco-friendly woven jute sole and a cotton upper in fun colors and striped patterns, like bold black and white and blue pinstripes. Evoking the Hamptons and Martha's Vineyard over Malibu and Newport Beach, Soludos--the name was chosen to mean "cheers to the summer" are fashionable and unexpectedly comfortable on sand, cement and asphalt--or wherever your feet may take you.  Styles range from $24-28 for both men and women at retailers including Ron Herman, Steven Alan, Madison, Post 26, Douglas Fir and shopbop.com. www.soludos.com

THE RUSSIAN IS COMING Chris Brown serenades Kira Plastinina at her LA opening bash (Photos courtesy Jerami Johnson) She�s only just turned sweet 16, but Kira Plastinina is poised to take the teen fashion world by storm. With nearly 50 stores across Russia, the young fashion designer has already started an empire, funded by her father, who made his fortune in�orange juice concentrate�now a $5 billion business. No expense was spared for the recent LA opening party at a warehouse on La Brea dressed in pink for the occasion, complete with Kira pink label branded water, mini-cheeseburgers and cupcakes with pink icing. Models paraded down a runway before Chris Brown took the stage and in tribute to his galpal, performed �Umbrella.� KP stores recently opened in Soho, and she�s making her mark on LA on Robertson and on Santa Monica�s Third Street Promenade.

STONE COLD DAZZLING Sharon Stone rocks some major stones for jeweler Damiani, brand new on Rodeo Italian jewelry house Damiani threw open the doors of its sparkling new Rodeo Drive boutique, and inside, Sharon Stone�fresh off her controversial comments in Cannes--stuck to the script as the line�s new spokesmodel. A new ad campaign features Stone in images inspired by Eve (the one in the Garden of Eden) and Amelia Earhart, (but not Catherine Tramell), shot by Solve Sundsbo. After the photo opp/cocktail party, the lovely Silvia Damiani�a third generation family member and friend of Sharon�s--hosted a private celebration dinner at Mastro�s.

ANOTHER REASON TO DRIVE TO MALIBU New at the Country Mart: Sigerson Morrison�s glistening store Veuve Clicquot and lobster appetizers were on the menu as footwear label Sigerson Morrison threw open the doors to its flagship store recently. Beach babes snatched up brightly colored patent leather flats, glossy oversized tote bags and woven leather cuffs. If they don't have your size in any of the silver boxes lining the walls, they�ll order it for you. Sigerson Morrison, 23410 Civic Center Way, Malibu 310. 317-6868

LA FASHION WEEK: DOLLING IT UP The Pussycat Dolls bring some much - needed energy to the Smashbox stage at the close of Spring 2008 LA Fashion Week; Sean Combs was in the house A pretty passel of gowns brightens up the runway at Julia Clancy�s show, which also featured a symphony of black. TAR foresees the Brit�s creations getting a lot of red carpet exposure. My name is moustache: Giovanni Ribisi and Jason Lee take in the sights at Whitley Kros Chalk it up to the writers strike, the high price of gas or the subprime mortgage crisis, but LA Fashion Week this time around was, sadly, just a shadow of its former self. The number of participants and sponsors was way down from last fall�s outings, and on opening night, there wasn�t even a step and repeat up for poseurs. Shame, Mercedes Benz. (The situation was rectified later in the week.) A couple of high-profile events saved the day. As the grand finale at Smashbox, Robin Antin premiered her Pussycat Dolls lingerie line on the catwalk. Perhaps never before has so much ass been seen on the runway, with a striptease/chair dance making the show even more burlesque. And then the shaking their booty Dolls came out on stage performed a full set, including �Don�tcha Wish Your Girlfriend Was Hot Like Me?� Fun fun! The hallmark of Sue Wong: (partially obscured by microphone at left) stunning ultra-feminine beaded dresses But the most coveted invite of the week was a fete for designer Sue Wong at her magnificently restored turn of the 20th century Los Feliz home. The queen of beaded gowns�normally a cornerstone of LA Fashion Week�opted not for a runway show but for a glitzy 20s/30s era cocktail party with a requisite dress code, complete with a jazz band and old time-y announcer. As guests juggled martinis and mini-cheeseburgers from Patina, live models and mannequins showcased Ms. Wong�s exquisite work throughout the equally exquisite hilltop aerie, which has been the abode of Johnny Depp, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan and Dennis Hopper.

Foley + Corinna, 8117 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles (323) 944-0169
 
 

SUPREME SPORTSWEAR
Cotton and cashmere blend hoodies? You�re on. Sometimes it�s hard to be stylish and warm at the same time, but the selection of upscale warmwear at Martin + Osa is perfect for this time of year. 

The antithesis of the Gap, and not that much more pricey, the label recently opened an 8,600-square-foot flagship in Westfield Century City. Martin + Osa is known for its unique brand of luxurious, sophisticated �refined casual� clothing and accessories with denim, sweaters and lifestyle accessories that incorporate high quality fabrics and materials like cashmere, pure wool, imported leather and premium cottons. Stylin�!

Martin + Osa, 10250 Santa Monica Blvd., Century City 310. 277-3898

FASHION FRENZY

It�s never going to be New York or Paris, but LA�s Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Smashbox Studios has really come up in the world. Compared to its chaotic beginnings just a few short years ago, it�s well on the road to becoming a well-oiled machine, with the frenzied aspect almost fun�in stark contrast to the incredibly annoying wannabe scene it used to be. 

Nearly impenetrable security prevents almost all but the most blustery crashers�usually men looking to pick up models-- from entering and taking up space in the bar line. The shows run like clockwork�an hour late. The parties are thick with camera crews from a proliferation of media, most of which you�ve never heard of. Almost refreshingly, celebs are few and far between, and mobbed by cameras when they do appear (Jaime Pressly, Kirstie Alley, Bai Ling, Adrian Grenier (below), Paris Hilton (below)) 

An entertaining sideshow: watching random people crash the front row and steal gift bags, only to be busted by earphoned security and returned to their place in the standing section. Chutzpah. Show highlights: Heatherette�s war and grease paint on the models and outr� outfits for gals and guys�those metallic Speedo-type things got a huge reaction�Chick by Nicky Hilton�s blue stiletto print short and sweet dresses, Dina Bar-El�s satin charmeuse, sexy, colorful red-carpet gowns and cocktail dresses, Evidence of Evolution�s up to there minis�butt cheeks, anyone?�the models with attitude at Jeremy Scott and their road sign dresses with tire belts and white garbage can hats, the crazy frizzy huge hair with jewel-tone silk chiffon gowns at Petro Zillia, where guests also got handed a quiz to see �how LA� they were and fittingly, poster child Paris Hilton took it all in. 

While all of these established designers had something to say, it was an added bonus to discover some of the fresh items from up-and-comers at the Design Suites, like Dan Sara�s gorgeous embellished and studded boots�each pair a work of art (available at Metro in Brentwood/check danssara.com for other stores). Anna Kosturova�s hot crochet bikinis already made Sports Illustrated; now she�s making sexy silk cover-ups, tops, skirts and dresses.  Zova L.A. does slinky jersey tops and dresses from all organic fabrics that will make you feel green all over, Blue Tattoo mines the graffiti-inspired look for hot jeans and tops and Smooch Jeans goes for bias-cut denim and cords with a bootylicious fit.
Junior jeans line YMI kicked off FW festivities with a well-received fashion bash/runway show at Boulevard 3, and Gen Art tented the Petersen Automotive Museum�s parking lot for its 10th annual Fresh Faces in Fashion show, showcasing 12 emerging talents including Suh-Tahn, Orthodox and Endovanera.
 

Just what the world needs:  another picture of Paris Hilton (at Petro Zillia)	Adrian Grenier without his entourage/with Hillary Atkin at Evidence of Evolution

FASHIONISTAS WHO ACTUALLY EAT FOOD, IN SMALL BITES

Teri Hatcher and daughter Emerson party at One Sunset with Mark Badgley + James Mischka
Countless St-Germain liqueur artisanale cocktails were downed and  truffle pizza, mini-crab cakes, tuna tartar and beef tenderloin were snatched up by a tres- fashionable crowd Monday night at One Sunset to honor Teri Hatcher as the new face of Badgley Mischka�s fall campaign.  DH castmates Felicity Huffman, James Denton, Andrea Bowen and Dana Delaney turned out to show their support along with Sama Eyewear�s Sheila Vance and jewelry designer Michelle Roy.
One Sunset, 8730 W. Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood 310.657-0111

ROYALTY ON RODEO
TAR had the pleasure recently of drooling over the jewels at Garrard in London�s Harvey Nichols (we didn�t get anything wet, promise!), then doing a drive-by of the NYC Soho outpost of the jeweler to Her Majesty, since 1843, no less. And now comes Garrard�s sparkling new gem of an outpost on Rodeo Drive. Check out the Wings collection, in sterling silver if you don�t want to spring for diamond bling.
Garrard, Two Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills, 310. 860-8968, www.garrard.com

MELROSE MADNESS
Jpeg: exterior of store from May 30
Diesel, at right, stakes out a prime corner next to    Me&Ro and Mulberry on Melrose Place
in a brick building dating back to 1896 
You will never, ever find a parking space on Melrose Place ever again. Or on any  of the surrounding streets. The once sleepy yet elegant back street is jumping with the arrival of blue-chip fashion nameplates like Oscar de la Renta, Carolina Herrera, Marc Jacobs and the just-opened Diesel. (And stay tuned, Fr�d�ric Fekkai is moving in this summer.) The Italian import, known for its trendy jeans and fashion-forward clothing, is already attracting major foot traffic to check out its denim bar, boots, belts and other accessories. And speaking of traffic, there will be a jam tonight when the street is closed off for what promises to be a rockin� opening party. After the hangover wears off, manager Daniel Beres will take good care of all your customer service needs. 
Diesel, 8401 Melrose Place., 866.479-8355, www.diesel.com
 

LA DOLCE DONATELLA 

Donatella Versace, surrounded by Trudie Styler, Eva Longoria, Kanye West and Jennifer Lopez at the Walk of Style in Beverly Hills, February 8, 2007. They�re having fun.

Totally off the hook. That�s the best way to describe last Thursday night�s blowout bash at a tented Beverly Hills City Hall for the Rodeo Drive Walk of Style? Award honoring Donatella Versace and her late brother Gianni Versace.  The amount of beauty in the room was staggering: Cindy Crawford, Jennifer Lopez, Eva Longoria, Naomi Campbell, Penelope Cruz, Sharon Stone, Drew Barrymore, Mischa Barton, Amber Valetta, Demi Moore, Jada Pinkett Smith and Brooke Shields�all decked out in plunging Versace gowns. After an Italian dinner buffet featuring hand-carved rack of lamb catered by Along Came Mary, Maya Rudolph (Donatella�s Saturday Night Live doppelganger) got the party started via videotape. Reclining on a couch in full Versace regalia and smoking a blue cigarette, she intoned in her best Donatella voice: �It�s a party! You can drink in here, but you can�t smoke, and if you do�get out!�
Donatella laughed, ensconced between Elton John, Trudie Styler, J. Lo and Marc Anthony, Longoria, Kanye West, Barrymore, Prince and Cruz, on white embossed leather Versace couches. 
Sharon Stone auctioned off the new Versace Lamborghini Murci�lago LP640 Roadster to benefit the Elton John AIDS Foundation�promising that the winner�s girlfriend �would fuck him before they even got out of the driveway.� It went for a cool half mil. 

Sir Elton took the stage to accept the award on behalf of the late Gianni Versace. �There�s not a day that goes by that I don�t think of Gianni. He was not only a great friend, but family, and I dearly miss him,� John said. He told a story about turning Versace on to Franck Mueller watches when they first came out, and how Gianni proceeded to buy 17 of them in one day. He quoted Gianni as saying to him, �Bitch, you ruined my life,� as a result. He also reminisced about how Versace once tried to convince him to buy a $1 million tablecloth that took nuns 17 years to make.

Then Elton moved to the piano and performed three songs he said were specifically requested for the occasion. �Your Song,� Rocket Man,� and �Don�t Let the Sun Go Down on Me.� During the spirited performance, Kanye West displayed some ADD by repeatedly checking his BlackBerry. Maybe texting someone that he was there was more important than being there?  Then, Axl Rose & Guns N� Roses came out on stage, but within a few bars of their first of only two numbers, �Knockin� On Heaven�s Door,� the gum-chewing La Lopez and Anthony�with Longoria in tow�decided to make their exit. So much for recording artists� respect for other artists.  Rose proceeded to thoroughly rock the house with a rousing rendition of the monster hit �Sweet Child O�Mine.�
Prince, with Penelope Cruz at his side, rocked a pair of glitzy Versace sunglasses, never taking them off the whole night--apparently still recovering from his Super Bowl shadow show.
After the performance, other VIP guests milled about and schmoozed Donatella before saying goodnight. Staying long after the others to party past midnight were Rose and Quincy Jones, who was last seen pouring a bottle of Laurent Perrier champagne into flutes for his companions. 

Here�s a toast: Axl Rose and Hillary Atkin at the Walk of Style
And there was champagne aplenty flowing the night before�and loads of caviar-topped appetizers--at a pre-party/plaque unveiling at the newly redone Versace Boutique in Two Rodeo, sponsored by C Magazine.

An insanely gorgeous white leather and gold trim luggage set with matching handbag, heels, belt and jackets at the Versace boutique. Private jet-worthy only. The price: if you have to ask�.

GRAMMY J. BLIGE, CHICKS
Oh, boo, hoo. Along with untold millions in the Pacific time zone, I didn�t get to vote for one of three young lovelies who would share the spotlight with Justin Timberlake at the 49th annual Grammy Awards, Thanks, CBS! But there must   have been some white knuckles in the control room as the cameras capturing the twosome came perilously close to revealing a danger zone that would have made the Justin-Janet Super Bowl breast flap look like a Disney Channel promo. Yikes, girl, I hope you were wearing your Cosabellas. The crotch-length dress overshadowed any vocal talent on display and made women everywhere cringe. Straight men, maybe not so much.
Best line from the show came from Chris Rock intro-ing the Red Hot Chili Peppers. �They put their jocks in socks long before Justin put his d(bleep) in a box.�
In the days leading up to the 3 � hour Dixie Chicks-dominated extravaganza, Ocean Way Studios and InStyle hosted the Grammy Style Studio�, where guests including John Legend, Gnarls Barkley, Katharine McPhee, OK Go, Weird Al Yankovic and Peter Frampton imbibed on Hypnotic Breezes, (a potent mix of the blue vodka/cognac/fruit juice elixir, Malibu Rum and a splash of pineapple) and autographed a Swarovski-encrusted bottle to be auctioned for the Grammy Foundation. Other suite visitors enjoyed expert makeup from Urban Decay VP Eric Jimenez. If you haven�t seen it yet, UD has the most rockin� glitter eyeliner, aptly called �Heavy Metal,� in shades ranging from crystal to copper to teal, green and purple. Other highlights: L.A.M.B.�s hot new timepieces, including an enamel bracelet with a mother of pearl face framed by Swarovski crystals, cowboy hat company Stetson, with a hip new line of plaid and corduroy newsboy and driving caps that were quickly snatched up, the new Grammy Brand line of luxury products including leather jackets, evening bags and shades plus FUNimation Entertainment�s vivid Japanese anime T-shirts�along with a slew of designers like Vivienne Westwood, Moods of Norway, Jenny Packham London, Kyri, Zegna and Ted Baker. 

DONATELLA DOES RODEO

Don�t even think of going near Rodeo Drive next Thursday night unless you have a coveted invite to the Walk of Style�s evening honoring Donatella Versace and her late brother Gianni Versace.  The night�s events, hosted by Rupert Everett, include a dinner reception, the Walk of Style? Award ceremony, special surprise musical performances, and a live auction of the new Versace Lamborghini Murci�lago LP640 Roadster benefiting the Elton John AIDS Foundation--the perfect vehicle in which to induce molten rivulets of envy from autophiles.
For those with a short memory, the house of Versace was founded by Gianni in 1978. He rose to worldwide prominence and became the hot-hot-hot Hollywood designer when Liz Hurley wore his sexy, black safety-pinned dress to the 1994 premiere of Four Weddings and a Funeral with then-beau Hugh Grant. Since Gianni�s shocking murder at his villa in Miami in 1997, Donatella has been creative director of the Versace Group. Hurley is expected to attend (along with Sharon Stone, Prince and many other devotees) but Maya Rudolph, who does a droll Donatella impersonation on SNL, may or may not attend.
The Versaces are the ninth and tenth honorees of the Walk of Style award, following in the formidable footsteps of other fashion luminaries including Giorgio Armani, Salvatore Ferragamo, Mario Testino, Tom Ford and Herb Ritts.
And just in time for all the festivities�and exactly when you thought Rodeo had gone all Guess?�comes the revamped Versace door at 248 North.
Versace Plaque Unveiling, 5 pm Wednesday February 7, 2007, 248 N. Rodeo Dr., BH
Rodeo Drive Walk of Style, 7:30 pm, Thursday February 8, 2007 
 

PARK CITY, PARTY TIME
Unless you really must, who wants to wait outside in the teen-degree cold to see a movie when you can wait and see it in a nice, warm screening room in LA, without passersby hustling you for tickets? As it has been for years now, Sundance 2007 was more about the parties and the swag suites than the films. Getting a dinner reservation anywhere on Main Street required a strategic plan, a credit card deposit and the greasing of palms, but for a high-level crowd of 250 people every night during the festival, Chefdance was the place to be for dinner. Taking over the downstairs restaurant at Harry O�s, Chefdance showcased the culinary chops of top toques nationwide including Kerry Simon (Simon LA and Las Vegas), Joseph Ojeda and Michelle Bernstein (Social Hollywood), Gerry Garvin (G. Garvin�s), Todd Mark Miller (STK) and Shawn McClain (Chicago�s Spring).  Guests could view kitchen preps live on big screen monitors throughout the buzzing room. Choreographing a timed, four-course dinner for 250 is challenging under the best of circumstances, but the staff pulled it off with aplomb in crowded and a bit chaotic conditions. Some of the flavor: Simon�s dinner featured a savory roasted butternut squash soup with dried fruit chutney, lamb porterhouse and molten chocolate cake, perfect fortification for the long night of partying still ahead.
Up in the hills of Deer Valley, a green carpet led to Spin Shoppe, Double Platinum and Shag Hollywood�s Green House, not to be confused with the similarly-named lounge on Main St. 
 

Velvet Revolver was set to play the house its first night, but a death in the family of one of the band members necessitated a last-minute cancellation. LA�s Daredevil Jane stepped up to fill Scott Weiland and Slash�s shoes and entertained with an acoustic set. Other nights saw Sienna Miller and Steve Buscemi celebrating their upcoming Interview with a VIP dinner, and Justin Timberlake hosting a dinner for his mom. Earlier in the day, house guests sampled a buffet of products and services from Robbie French Designs, Hollywood Lips, Tarte Cosmetics, Hollywood Diet, 2 B Free, Disney Vintage, Dessert Essence�a great organic body products line, Dermacia, Girlie Designs, Max Azria, Izze, Motley Bird and Tommy Hillfiger. Tommy�s brother Andy, one of the few men in a sea of beautiful women during happy hour, was displaying an adorable navy blue and white striped bikini with an anchor embroidered on the butt, invoking momentary thoughts of warmer climes where scarves and gloves live in the drawer and never come out. 
One of the most desirable guest lists on which to get your name was for the Motorola Late Night Lounge in a cavernous space a block behind Main St., which unlike the typical Sundance party, allowed for a refreshing amount of breathing room. For those not drinking, dancing and networking up a storm, reps from Nintendo showcased a new Wii action game that required a certain level of sobriety to properly navigate. 

COLD HANDS, GOLDEN DAYS
Awards season festivities in LA got off to a chilly start a few days before Sacha Baron Cohen stole the show at the Golden Globes. At Silver Spoon, reps from Kama Sutra, Dermalogica, Nioxin, Xtreme Lashes and Carrol Boyes shivered in the wintry cold, while Etienne Aigner got lucky with a warm spot inside a private residence in Beverly Hills, all the better to showcase the line�s eye-catching leather and canvas riding boots. The Four Seasons played host to the HBO Luxury Lounge, where guests got their beauty on courtesy of L�Oreal, and InStyle, which featured brows by Anastasia, eyelash extensions�if you had the patience to lay still for 90 minutes in a frosty tent�and amazing makeup from Sisley. Kari Feinstein�s Style Lounge rocked with cool vendors like Rubber Duck snowjoggers, Magic Bullet, Spread, Pour Moi and Jaime Pressly, while Primary Action�s Liberace suit featured Diesel, ABS, Ed Hardy, Dermacia makeup and Country Girl. At the Platinum Guild event, guests were riveted by the 50-carat sparkler designed by Jacob the Jeweler (worth $1.5 million) and other blingy baubles, many of which were quickly snatched up by nominees to wear on the red carpet leading into the Beverly Hilton. 

Brow Diva Anastasia working her magic at InStyle at the Four Seasons

It�s always a blast to hit the Golden Globe afterparties at the Beverly Hilton, running into everyone you know and want to meet in the lobby, in line for the elevator and of course, at the bars and in the bathrooms. The hurdle is the race against time. Everyone except InStyle unceremoniously shuts down by about midnight. Perhaps the liquor budget runs out by then. This year, HBO did amazing things with the pool area and NBC/Uni gave the parking garage rooftop space a huge dose of elegance with guards keeping a close watch over vintage Cartier tiaras and brooches on display above the dance floor.

GOLDEN GLOBES TIME

   L�Oreal Paris  2007 Red Carpet Compact

Forty percent. That�s the statistical probability that Leo DiCaprio and Clint Eastwood both have of taking home a Golden Globe Monday night in the best actor and director categories in which they�re each nominated twice. And speaking of seeing double, all of the Globe nominated ladies can check their look in the mirror in a stunning two-mirrored compact designed by Kwiat and featuring Swarovski crystals on 18 karat plated gold and a red ruby crystal clasp, courtesy of L�Oreal Paris. (It�s also available in limited edition for $100 with part of the proceeds going to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund. Call 310.360-6555.) 
Despite the fact that as of this writing, the much-lauded and goody-loaded Oscar gift bag isn�t in the cards this year because of the tax brouhaha, gifting and beauty and swag suites show no signs of abating this awards season. (Or maybe its value will be under $600, the taxman�s limit�and a far cry from the north of 100k value previously assigned to the bag.) 
Morton�s even got in the act early last month by handing out $1,000 gift certificates to EVERY Globe nominee, inviting them to host a dinner party in the steakhouses� private dining rooms.  1k should buy their buddies a few Porterhouses and a lot of baked potatoes with sour cream�
GG primping and partying starts in earnest today in the hills and in the flats. Some of the best places to prep for the big night: Platinum Guild, HBO Luxury Lounge, Silver Spoon, Liberace and Kari Feinstein.