Carmen the Divine at Chado Ralph Rucci- Spring 2013

Carmen the Divine at Chado Ralph Rucci- Spring 2013 by divadebbi 

The always divine and truly ageless, 81 year old Carmen Dell 'Orefice was at the Chado Ralph Rucci show, Sunday night at MBFW at Lincoln Center.

Naturally there was pandemonium, (particularly since she took to the catwalk twice this week).   Carmen's star and luminous beauty has never faded and everyone came over to pay homage to her in her perennial front row perch.

In June, Jeffry Aronsson, who runs the consulting and brand management firm The Aronsson Group,  joined the company as CEO. His lovely wife Wendy, is a long time client and friend.  She teased me that fabulous things were in the hopper, knowing I am a die hard Rucci fan, but kept mum until the formal announcement. 

This is great news for Ralph Rucci, who's company never suffered from lack of his creative talents, but will only benefit from Aronsson's much acclaimed business acumen.  With long stints as CEO of Emanuel Ungaro,  Donna Karan International, Marc Jacobs International and Oscar de la Renta, Aronsson knows what it takes to balance beautiful fashion with the realities of the marketplace.

L.A.M.B.Spring 2012

Just after leaving the L.A.M.B. presentation at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Lincoln Center, I spotted Alex McCord of Real Housewives of Brooklyn New York fame dashing in...Naturally, Hub Simon Van Kempen was within eyeshot.  I asked to take her picture and she sweetly obliged. 

I could see why Alex would want to see the L.A.M.B. Collection by Gwen Stefani...she is never afraid to take risks and she enjoys color.  Gwen definitely is her own best muse, and I could picture her in every look, as well as Blake Lively, Leighton Meister, Sarah Jessica Parker and Chloe Sevigny, a leggy bunch, with plenty of confidence to match...

DVF: Beginnings - Spring 2012

"The light appears and everything changes"
Diane von Furstenberg and Yvan Mispeleaere

DVF, the Empress of fashion always shows on the Sunday of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, and always at 4:00 P.M...give or take. 

If a runway show could be considered a party, this would be it.
DVF and her husband Barry Diller have a long reach, so you can always expect to see captains of industry, sitting side by side with Celebs and the biggest names in Fashion.  It's a hoot and I am not nearly jaded enough to ever be bored...next time I'm packing opera glasses...

Lela Rose Spring 2012

Today was such an emotional day.  As New Yorker's, there was a sense of stoicism about our manner and pride in our beautiful City.  And hope...always hope. 

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Lincoln Center is a wonder.  It's sleek spacious and  seamlessly organized...the perfect venue for the shows.  I had the great pleasure of spending the day as the guest of Peter and Linda Levy.  In between shows, it is always a treat to be able to relax in the elegantly appointed IMG suite.  We are seated above with our friend Courtney Dunavent.  (Notice the divine hydrangeas, though the world now knows how Madonna would feel about them)!

I can't think of a more fitting way for Lela Rose to start her show, then in darkness, with John Lennon's Imagine, ringing in ouf ears.  When the house lights came up and the first model came up, there was no melancholy, even though the inspiration in her press notes sited, "the neon graveyard".  Lela may have wanted to channel something that "was", but it all looked new and fresh.

I loved the palette, which included, "faded lemon, periwinkle and neon tangerine".  The fabrics included fantastic open woven Guipure "light bulb" lace, fringed organza,and Jacquards.

The shoes, adorable brightly colored sandals and wedges were designed by Lela Rose in her second collaboration for Payless!!!  Yippee!!!  They will be available in February 2012 online and in stores and I am predicting a stampede.

Ted Gibson created the hairstyles, which was slicked behind the ears but cascaded softly and a bit undone down the back.  The gorgeous natural makeup was created by Tina Turnbow with bareMinerals makeup by Bare Escentuals. 

Sweetly, Lela treated all of her guests to a goodie bag that included a primer, mascara and lip gloss from Bare Escentuals, a gift certificate to Beauty.com, and a Commando floral thong.  Definitely the nicest swag bag of the week!!!

Front Row Sightings: Mariska Hargitay and Susan Sarandon with Susan's daughter actress Eva Amurri.  Brad Goretsky.

Who can I see wearing Lela Rose this Spring? (In addition to the three beauties above)  Leighton Meister, Reese Witherspoon, Marisa Tomei, Michelle Obama and Anna Wintour.  (Bravo to Lela for creating a collection that could be worn on women whose ages span four decades).

Here are some of my favorite looks from the runway:

Pretty no?  What do you think of Lela Rose's Spring 2012 collection? 

xox,
DD

Let's Hear it for New York

Can you quite believe, it's been 10 years since our world changed irrevocably, when Al Qaeda terrorized our country and murdered over 3000 U.S. citizens? Just as news of Pearl Harbor, The Cuban Missle Crisis and the Kennedy assassination, haunted previous generations, the morning of September 11th 2001 and the fall of the World Trade Center Twin Towers is forever seared into a new generations consciousness.

Is there anyone amongst us, who can forget where they were exactly on that morning?

Sunday's commemoration ceremony honors those who died, even the unborn children of the women who were pregnant, just as it should.  It was no surprise to hear that chatter of another terrorist attack on N.Y. or Washington had been intercepted and that security is extraordinarily heightened.  I think it is going to be a beautiful day of rememberance.  Those who perished here (and in D.C. and Pennsylvania), deserve it.

Tomorrow is also day 4 of Fashion Week for Spring 2012.