invitation only

>> INVITATION ONLY — The boys from Shipley & Halmos and the girls from Vena Cava have partnered together to do some serious partying — or so the invitation to their joint after party would have it seem. The two duos posed for a tongue-in-cheek photo series featured on the invite that includes pizza, beers being shotgunned, a few beer bongs. [Material Interest, The Pipeline]

>> We covered most of the highlights from Monday's night CFDA Awards yesterday, but today come the videos shown to the audience.

First up?  The Mike Figgis-directed tribute video to Style.com's executive fashion director Candy Pratts Price, which contains such gems as Kate Moss, dubbed over with a man's voice, saying (what I assume is a quote from Candy): "You haven't got a Birkin, oh my god, you have to have one, we're going straight back to Hermes now."  Also, Anna Wintour, describing Candy:  "She is a fashion character . . . a fashion . . . nista."  A word which I never imagined to come out of Anna's mouth, but it does, and she simultaneously twirls her fingers for emphasis:

Then, the Douglas Keeve-directed spoof of HBO's In Treatment, which was used to introduce the Menswear Designer of the Year nominees — Tom Ford, Thom Browne, and Michael Bastian.  Only Tom Ford's clip is to be found, but Tom sobs, sips a martini, and vents to therapist Gabriel Byrne with all the gusto you would expect from Tom Ford.  It's like a peek at the Hollywood Tom Ford, when he left fashion to direct films, which never really happened . . .

»Anna Wintour was "teary-eyed" as she delivered the Eugenia Sheppard Award to Candy Pratts Price [Style.com]

»During his introduction of the International Award for Dries Van Noten, Simon Doonan made a joke about Andre Leon Talley's turban being "borrowed," which apparently "didn't immediately seem to amuse" ALT [Style.com]

»Diane von Furstenburg, in her opening thoughts, joked that Yves Saint Laurent had "legaliz[ed] opium" [Style.com]

»Eva Mendes let out a "whoop" when it was announced that Francisco Costa had won Womenswear Designer of the Year, while Victoria Beckham visibly pouted by her side that Marc Jacobs had lost [Style.com, NY Times]

»Emcee Fran Lebowitz deadpanned during the young designer awards: "I'm sure we would all agree the fashion industry's obsession with middle age has gotten entirely out of hand.  If you're a day under 40, you can't get a second glance in this crowd." [NY Times]

»Mayor Bloomberg, who was recently the subject of fashion critiques, noted "my skinny jeans are at the cleaners, and my gladiator sandals are being resoled" [NY Times]

»On the red carpet, Tina Fey was posing for photographers, when she got a panic-stricken look on her face.  "Anna's coming!" she mouthed silently to the photographers while pointing frantically to the street, before she sprinted out of the way [Vogue UK]
*images: source

>> This evening, the 2008 winners of the highly influential CFDA Awards were named.  Three-time Swarovski Award for Womenswear nominees Rodarte finally took home the statuette, and Tom Ford won out in the battle of the T(h)oms.  I've denoted the full list of winners in bold — congrats all around!

WOMENSWEAR DESIGNER OF THE YEAR

Francisco Costa for Calvin Klein Collection
Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough for Proenza Schouler
Marc Jacobs

MENSWEAR DESIGNER OF THE YEAR

Michael Bastian
Thom Browne
Tom Ford

ACCESSORY DESIGNER OF THE YEAR

Michael Kors
Tory Burch
Marc Jacobs

SWAROVSKI AWARD FOR WOMENSWEAR

Kate and Laura Mulleavy for Rodarte
Thakoon Panichgul
Alexander Wang

SWAROVSKI AWARD FOR MENSWEAR

Patrik Ervell
Tim Hamilton
Scott Sternberg for Band of Outsiders

SWAROVSKI AWARD FOR ACCESSORY DESIGN

Philip Crangi
Justin Giunta for Subversive Jewelry
Joy Gryson

*images: source

>> Although earlier reports suggested that the 2009 Costume Institute Gala might be an ode to Marc Jacobs, now sources are saying it will explore the concept of the fashion muse. 

A spokeswoman for the Costume Institute declined comment when asked about details, but can you imagine an exhibit on everyone from Talitha Getty and Denise Poiret to Sofia Coppola and Lady Amanda Harlech?  Definitely a worthy subject.

*images: source

>>  The models may be winning the ad campaign race for Fall — besides a couple of notable exceptions, Charlotte Gainsbourg for Balenciaga and Vanessa Paradis for Miu Miu — but celebrities are taking over at the CFDA Awards on Monday night.

The Womenswear Designer of the Year award will be presented by the trio of Victoria Beckham (representing nominee Marc Jacobs), Eva Mendes (for nominee Calvin Klein), and Maggie Gyllenhaal (fronting nominee Proenza Schouler).  Meanwhile, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler are announcing the Accessory Designer of the Year, and Mandy Moore is doing the Swarovski Award honors.  Let's hope there still some models out there in the crowd for posterity . . .

*images: source