West Side Story: Elton John to Jennifer Lopez

WWD
By WWD Staff, Feb 20, 2009

Peninsula Hotel, Elton John and David Furnish, Jonny Lee Miller and Michele Hicks, and Hayden Panettiere celebrated photographer Deborah Anderson’s new book, “Room 23,” for which they were all shot between the sheets in said suite.

“The day I was there, Kenny G and Lindsay Lohan were there,” recalled Cindy Crawford. “I thought, ‘This hotel is probably wondering what the hell is going on here.'”

Profits from the tome, produced by Diana Jenkins, benefit The Sanela Diana Jenkins International Justice Clinic at the UCLA School of Law.

The next day, Gwen Stefani and Jennifer Lopez attended a lunch at Barneys New York to fete the new ready-to-wear collection from their stylist, Andrea Lieberman, called A.L.C. That night, photographer Tierney Gearon‘s pre-opening bash at the Ace Gallery supplanted Larry Gagosian’s annual show and dinner as the art event of Oscar week. But the guest list was slimmer and the vibe more underground than Gagosian’s usual fete. New York figures like Jean Pigozzi and Russell Simmons mingled with Hollywood art aficionados like Ben Stiller, Rosario Dawson, Rosanna Arquette and Gina Gershon; East Side socials Kirsty Hume, Donovan Leitch, Rosetta Getty and Brigette Romanek, and West Side moms Shiva Rose, Liseanne Frankfurt and Crystal Lourd. Also in the mix were plenty of model types with names like Pali, Autumn and Lina. “Everyone advised me that Oscar week would be the worst time to do the show, but I took the risk,” said Gearon. “Then Larry cancelled less than a month ago. So I felt I had a huge responsibility to make this a great event.” Not only were guests ready to get out their purses and buy the oversize, double exposure photos (“How much are they?” inquired Pigozzi), but they also lingered to people watch. “This was my attempt to look cool and now I feel hopelessly uncool,” lamented Jamie Tisch as she glanced at the groups of disheveled models lounging around the gallery. “I feel too well-groomed.”

Meanwhile, at the annual Runway Rocks pre-Oscar event at the Thompson Beverly Hills Hotel, Nadja Swarovski forewent the Alexander McQueen frock she had planned to wear in favor of a warmer ensemble of jeans and a Marni fur. “Everything turned out perfectly, only now I’m too cold to wear my party dress,” she exclaimed. As costume designers, harried stylists and carefree starlets like Fuschia Sumner and Melissa George gathered for cocktails the DJ spun remixes of “Diamonds Are Forever” in homage to the glittering gowns on display and the crystal-lined swimming pool. “I love crystal, but there’s a price you pay for style,” said Alice Eve, pointing to the bruises she acquired after partying last week in a set of heavy Swarovski studded bangles.