The Los Angeles fashion week calendar isn’t exactly jam-packed with shows this season. So where is the West Coast fashion pack this week? The Chateau Marmont, for one. That’s where the likes of Rosetta Getty, a five-months-pregnant Brigette Romanek, and Paz de la Huerta were spotted yesterday morning attending a fundraiser brunch co-hosted by Rose Apodaca, Carla Gugino, Erica Davies, and Anastasia Soare. Funds were being raised to stop Proposition 8, an intiative that aims to keep same-sex marriage illegal. “Does anyone know Tom Ford or Donatella Versace?” asked Geoff Kors, Equality California’s executive director. “Because right now every little bit helps, but what we need are $100,000 checks like the ones written by Brad Pitt or Steven Spielberg to help secure change in our history.” Constitutional rights and fashion (what else?) dominated conversations for most. But de la Huerta did give us a few details about her next movie project: It’s a drama, and it starts pre-production in Amsterdam later this week.—Linlee Allen

Photo: Linlee Allen

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Jo-Ann Furniss reports on the highs and lows of London fashion week’s dedicated menswear day.

Fat Tuesday swiftly followed by Ash Wednesday, excess followed by penance. London fashion week’s MAN Day had the luck to fall on the latter this season. After the heady womenswear week closing on Tuesday, was it the turn of the sackcloth and ashes of menswear for Wednesday? Not quite; there were still some traces of carnival in the first day of Lent, even if at times they looked like the discarded remnants.Earlier in the week, knit line Sibling’s carnival-referencing women’s collection, Sister, had been presented, alongside a few looks from the men’s—it made their best outing yet. But for the full men’s presentation on MAN Day, the party was over: Designers Joe Bates, Sid Bryan, and Cozette McCreery created an installation (pictured, above) in the form of a prison visiting room with a clever film by Sam Renwick and Thomas Bryant. It was in the shape of a triptych echoing the visiting booths, complete with telephone connections to the sound. “It’s where a matriarch might visit a son. Or vice versa,” Bates said. Yet the clothes were still their bright, excessive selves even behind bars. Called Marked Man, with designs based partly on prison tattoos, there was as much of the matriarch in the collection as there was the jailbird. An institutional bright orange was combined with pink ocelot spots in a men’s twinset. Their signature Fair Isle knits were further warped with the seamless addition of a skull with pompom ears blended into the traditional patterns. (It reflected the pompom-decorated full face masks and beanies also on view.) At once sinister and sweet, carnivalesque and penitential, there was something quite Leigh Bowery and Trojan in these proceedings that felt very true to the spirit of London. At the same time, Sibling’s output is so accomplished as to hold a global audience with ease.Christopher Shannon’s catwalk was the first thing you noticed at his show. The brilliant backdrop was by the all-round creative and too-many-credits-to-mention Julie Verhoeven. “Creatively, I trust her implicitly,” said Shannon backstage. “I did want that inside of a Hoover bag vibe.” That’s certainly what he got. The set featured old tires, strewn pink net curtains with bricks caught in them, abandoned foil balloons in the shape of love hearts, and the bottom half of a female shop dummy, among other violent after-party detritus. At their best, the clothes and accessories had something of this random perversity, too; a broderie anglaise shirt with a ruffled back, a jacket covered in the designer’s swing tags, and a rucksack decorated with innumerable key rings. “We started excessive and pared back,” said the designer, yet there was maybe a bit too much paring back or, ultimately, the simple color palette of navy, white, sand, and black was a little too conservative or too flat to really help make some of the interesting points he was driving at.

On the other hand, the standout clothes in the MAN show reveled in a particular kind of vulgarity. Shaun Samson also had a restrained color palette and used stock conservative menswear fabrics perversely, such as a coat-length, gray flannel bomber jacket with cropped flannel dungarees. The big silhouette of this Californian’s background helped; big just seems better in menswear shapes at the moment, and the stock slouch of American-style clothes works. As did the play of artificial and real in fur and hair on the garments: “That’s real hair weave on fake fur,” Samson announced proudly. Shaved into the garments were also Mexican tribal-style patterns of faces with protruding tongues, another cheekily vulgar aside that seemed fitting.Astrid Andersen, too, used a play on bad taste in sportswear to make her point in her show. A vivid fuchsia pink puffa with dark brown fur sleeves, inset with baby pink fur stripes? Quite purposefully horrible clothes—in a good way—such as these might provide a get-out clause from all the trite “gentleman’s wardrobe” fodder that has been dominating menswear. But they do have to toe the line lest they fall into the category of “scally drag,” that other great horror in London menswear.Finally, to Topman Design (pictured, left). On first sight, this collection might have looked like the most sackcloth and ashes of the lot—dominated as it was by black, black, and more black—and yet underneath was one of the most decadent reference points of all: the life and work of Robert Mapplethorpe. Topman didn’t go as far as men exposing themselves in nylon suits or using strategically placed whips, but this was a quietly perverse collection and very in keeping with the mood now. Mapplethorpe flower print shirts protruded and westernwear boots had that hint of degeneracy. Mohair overcoats added a sensuous feel to the tone-on-tone proceedings and were belted with studded leather. It all added up to an unrepentant Ash Wednesday.—Jo-Ann Furniss

Photos: Courtesy of Sibling; Samir Hussein / Getty Images (Topman)

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Random Guests Award
Paris and Nicky Hilton attended the 2011 Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards in LA yesterday.

The sisters both opted for summery looks.

Paris wore a cream Opening Ceremony high-neck knit dress which she teamed with satin bow front heels from her own collection and a nude Christian Louboutin clutch.

Nicky opted to wear a Proenza Schouler strapless dress with Brian Atwood nude Maniac pumps.

Of the two I prefer Nicky’s look, as it feels more modern.

Credit: Fame Pictures

This event was held for Anna Paquin, but I was in lust Dita von Teese.

The burlesque star stole Anna’s thunder looking exquisite wearing a baby blue corset dress with a cone-shaped bra from Jean Paul Gaultier’s Spring 2010 ‘G Spot’ collection.

I think we are going to see a lot of this “underwear as outerwear” trend popping up on the red carpet.

Let’s pray it’s continues to be tastefully done.

I’m very much appreciating the hairstyle change and those stunning blue earrings.

Yet another BDOTW contender. It’s getting packed already and it’s only Monday.

Anna Paquin looked nice and neat wearing a fitted navy sheath Gianfranco Ferré dress, accented with a lavender sash tied to the waist.

Her sash was complemented by a lavender crystallized Gianfranco Ferrè clutch and Jil Sander platform heels.

Dita and Anna maybe worlds apart in the style stakes, but they both look fantastic.

Stylist Liz Goldwyn wore a sexy Gianni Versace LBD, with criss cross leather straps with jeweled buckles from the Bondage 1992 Couture collection.

Credit: Style.com, Versace.es & Wireimage

When I was putting this post together, I realized that Amy Adams had been on the red carpet during Awards Season more than I remember.

This could be viewed as Amy not having many wow moments, but I see plenty.

It took me a while to pick favourite from Marchesa, Herve L Leroux, Elie Saab and L”Wren Scott, but in the end I went with Marchesa.

The colour is divine on her and I just love all that detail on the bodice.

Credit: INFEvents, Zuma Press & Getty

I’ve long been an admirer of Salma Hayek because she’s loves her curves and dresses to flatter them or show them off.

She fell off the wagon for a while when she first started dating her now husband, but the curvaceous actress shot back to her best recently.

During Cannes Film Festival she was team Gucci, she’s since had an Alexander McQueen phase, now she’s currently channeling YSL – all part of the Gucci Group I don’t need to remind you.

Last night she attended the “Grown Ups” New York Premiere wearing a YSL white strapless dress from the Resort 2011 collection with a ruffled structured detail on the hips.

The dress was accented with a red belt which matched her red YSL Trib Two heels.

A black Bottega Veneta clutch completed her look.

I’m guessing many of you will say she’s too busty for this dress, but will take busty over those turtlenecks she briefly wore on the red carpet last year.

For her appearance on ‘Late Night with Jimmy Fallon’ this week, Salma opted for a YSL leather vest from the Spring 2010 collection, which paired with black pant and black heels.

Again it show off her assets, but it’s a slick look for a night time show.

I’m waiting for her Bottega Veneta and Stella McCartney phase.

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Credit: Style.com, Fame Pictures & Rex

Next week, James Franco, Yoko Ono, Marina Abramovic, and more hit the legendary nightclub AREA—no matter that it closed in 1987. The New York nightspot is being recreated for Creative Time’s spring gala by its original owners and creative directors, Serge Becker and Eric Goode. (Becker went on to create The Box and La Esquina; Goode, the Bowery Hotel and the Jane Hotel.) The scene won’t be the only vintage part of the evening. As part of the silent auction, Creative Time fan Courtney Love has donated a selection of vinyl from her late husband’s collection to be sold for the cause. Cobain’s own copies of Smells Like Teen Spirit, Talking Heads’ Talking Heads:77, and an EP single of Nirvana’s “Come as You Are” are set to hit the block. Fair warning, they’re sold as-is. Or should that be As They Are?For tickets, visit Creativetime.org.

Photo: Courtesy of Creative Time

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These Temps des Rêves scarves are a lot to wrap your head around—or, if you’re embracing the summer’s turban trend, a lot to wrap around your head. The images screened on Adrian Mesko’s silk chiffon and satin scarves range from boardwalks in Santa Cruz to journeys through Havana to salt, pepper, and ketchup bottles on the table of a local diner. Each references a daydream—or “dreamtime,” as it’s called in Australian aboriginal culture, hence the brand name—the Aussie photographer has had while traveling the world to shoot. (When not dreaming up scarves and pocket squares, he’s lensing editorials for Harper’s Bazaar Australia and GQ Australia.) The Santa Cruz and Havana scarves ($300) are two of the best sellers since the collection’s launch on MiN.com), but Mesko’s photos reference fashion as much as travel—as with Portobello Furs, with its image of a rack of them at London’s Portobello Market, or Blue Blue Blue, an atmospheric shot from a fall fashion shoot. If foulard fever continues strong for fall, expect to see more of Mesko’s work in the days to come—on the page and off.

Kerry Washington arrived on the red carpet for the 14th Annual Urbanworld Film Festival in New York City sporting a semi-casual look.

The talented actress who’s an ambassador for this event looked event appropriate wearing a Wes Gordon Fall 2010 ensemble.

Her look included a printed silk puff sleeve blouse and a blue high-waisted skirt with black python panels.

I’m loving her sleek straight locks and her rouge lips, but I would’ve loved to have seen some killer heels with this look.

Not bothered about the colour. Something more stylish would’ve been preferred to office pumps.

Credit: Style.com & Getty

New York is gearing up for the start of the 2011 U.S. Open, when tennis fans flock day and night to Flushing to watch the world’s best players face off for glory. The focus is, of course, on the game, but fashion has always taken an interest in the sport too—like a certain editor who’s often spotted fronting Roger Federer’s cheering section. Style and sport meet in the on-court uniforms, and while tennis whites are the classic, there may not be much white in evidence this year. Nike’s athletes, at least, will be in roaring Technicolor. The label is dressing some of the game’s best for their games—including Federer and Rafael Nadal on the men’s field, and Li Na, Maria Sharapova, Serena Williams, and Victoria Azarenka on the women’s—and they’ll be kitted out in brights, from deep reds and pinks for Federer, Williams, and Li to deep ocean blues for Azarenka and Nadal. (The latter—the defending Open champ—gets patterns inspired by the elements, too, with a rainy-looking geometric print.) “This season we really wanted to amplify color,” Nike Tennis’ creative director, Janice Lucena, said. And while fashion designers and athletic designers don’t always see eye to eye, in this she’s right in line with the designers, like Tomas Maier at Bottega Veneta, Nicolas Ghesquière at Balenciaga, Raf Simons at Jil Sander, and Giambattista Valli, who showed flashes of ultra-saturated shades on their Fall runways. Nike’s day outfits debut exclusively here on Style.com. Get a good look now, and focus on what’s important this game day—the game.