Uma Thurman, Richard Chai, and Celebs Galore at NYFW
Backstage at Tommy Hilfiger’s men’s show on Friday, New York Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz talked about the crazy days since his team won the Super Bowl.
“It’s been an absolute whirlwind. I’ve got about two more weeks of just mayhem, and after that I definitely plan on taking a break and just relaxing a little bit,” Cruz said. That post-Bowl whirl included kicking off Fashion Week. “It was amazing, man, just to be a real fashion junkie and be able to cut the ribbon and really kick off Fashion Week, it was definitely an honor and one of those moments that I’ll carry for a long time.” However, the athlete wanted to keep the spotlight at the fashion show firmly on the designer: he declined to do his signature salsa step for us.
Kellan Lutz, Bradley Cooper and Gabe Saporta also graced Tommy’s front row.
Next on Friday, Kohl’s launched their Rock & Republic collection with a fun, starry fashion show at the Hammerstein Ballroom. Penn Badgley, Ed Westwick, Mena Suvari and Molly Sims all rocked the label. Zoe Saldana mixed her Rock & Republic jeans with a Balmain jacket and Valentino top. Ashlee Simpson also mixed in high fashion, with an Isabel Marant T-shirt and jacket, and Alexander McQueen scarf. “I wanted tonight to have a little comfort and edge,” Simpson told FashionEtc.
Later on Friday—Fashion Week is grueling—Glamour threw a noisy, relaxed party at The Box featuring a set by the Ting Tings, with Santigold spinning tunes. During the evening, Revenge star Emily VanCamp strolled in practically unnoticed, understated in a black Vince jacket and Diane Von Furstenberg dress, her hair up. VanCamp had to be back to the set of her hit series the next day, but she managed to get a tiny dose of Fashion Week. “I went to Jason Wu today, and it was extraordinary. Absolutely beautiful,” she said. “It was my first fashion show, and what a great first fashion show. It was very cool.”
On Saturday before Alexander Wang’s show, we heard whispers that Gisele was backstage, and that she would be walking. Boy, did Wang work up everyone’s anticipation—finally, at the end, Gisele hit the runway, along with Carmen Kass, Frankie Rayder and Shalom Harlow! A super cast, Mr. Wang.
At the stroke of midnight on Saturday, the DJ at Purple Magazine’s party atop the Standard Hotel cued Whitney Houston’s I’m Every Woman; word of the star’s untimely death had broken that evening. Other Whitney hits were interspersed throughout the night, in a fitting tribute.
Lindsay Lohan swanned into the Purple party, as did Richard Chai, who was relaxing a bit now that his show was behind him. We caught up with designer couple Jeffrey Costello and Robert Tagliapietra, who married last October after seventeen years together. Tagliapietra’s mother was hoping for a big wedding bash. “My mom is still freaking out about it,” Tagliapietra laughed. “We didn’t have a proper wedding, so she’s making us promise that we’ll do it on our anniversary.” Costello added, “But she’s already asking for the grandchildren.”
On Sunday, we ended the weekend back at the Park Avenue Armory for Tommy Hilfiger’s women’s show where Abigail Breslin, Shenae Grimes, Petra Nemcova, Krysten Ritter and Uma Thurman all sported the label. Backstage pre-show, Thurman, who just joined the cast of the new series Smash, said she was looking forward to seeing the collection. “I’m excited. I actually haven’t seen his show before. It’ll be great.”
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