As they shopped, guests enjoyed bubbling Champagne and canapés while mingling to the energetic beat of DJ Little Boots. The launch party was sponsored in cooperation with Style 360 and Elle Magazine. Eileen Rivkin, Elle's sales director, remarked on the surge of interest in the line, which is not surprising, given the clothing's chic, feminine appeal. The contoured one-shoulder tops, shimmering clingy goddess wrap dress, and belted- and mesh-bodice designs offer a peek-a-boo look that is truly captivating. Fresh energy was the essence of the evening.

Designs in a mix of black, white, hot-pink, and fatigue green colors are available for women of every shape and size. The collection is exclusive to Bebe and is now available for purchase in stores nationwide. Reported by Katherine Martinez

 Heidi Klum

The celebrity models certainly had plenty of heart, and all looked stunning in their shimmery red dresses, by designers from Marchesa to Oscar de la Renta. With few exceptions, these women are curvy--and proud of it. Not least of them, New York's pregnant "Real Housewife"! No word on whether Bethenny talked baby tips with "Desperate Housewife" Felicity Huffman, whose television character is also expecting a baby any week now.

The performer was in town helping to promote the launch of the new Luke Skywalker and Yoda sneakers, part of a Star Wars line from Adidas. To add further hype to the event (and certainly much to the chagrin of the Rebel Alliance), the footwear company also brought a squadron of Stormtroopers to overtake Times Square and SoHo.

Check back with New York Insider next week for our special coverage of the Force-filled day.

Susan Cohn Rockefeller

For party pics, click here. Photos courtesy of Oceana, and ©Jon Dee/Oceana. To check out the jewelry, click here.]]>One 'Good' Turn Deserves Anotherhttp://www.newyorkinsider.tv/blog/2010/2/2/one-good-turn-deserves-another.html[Your Name Here]2010-02-02T15:43:00ZAlex Charriol Annabel Vartanian Auctions Cocktail Parties Emma Snowdon-Jones Kate Dylan Keren Eldad Melissa Foss Raj Tolaram Soraya Dorabi Steven Matejne gallerist Talia Eisenberg illustrator Alessandra Olanow kipton cronkiteIt was an evening of fabulous photographs and philanthropy at the Chelsea Art Museum last night. Award-winning celebrity photographer Brian Marcus exhibited and auctioned off his moving series Malawi: Images of Progress to benefit Goods for Good, a non-profit organization that finds surplus products from U.S. corporations and funnels them to vulnerable children in the developing world, principally in Malawi and Haiti. The organization provides necessary school supplies, clothing, health and hygiene products to many children in need while also reducing waste at home. Its motto? Making Progress out of Excess.
                   
More than 500 New Yorkers sipped on cocktails donated by Voli Vodka and enjoyed delicious hors d’oeuvre from Newman and Leventhal Caterers while bidding on their favorite photos. Minimum bids started at $500 per print, and some sold for nearly $2,000 each; all but three of the fifty had buyers.

Through ticket sales and a silent auction, the event raised just under $60,000, a portion of which will go to Goods for Good’s work in Haiti, helping to rebuild the lives of orphans.
 
Atlas Florist, Bianca Blag Total Entertainment, Espon, Hank Lane Music, Leather Craftsman, More than Music, Yale Framing, Pegasus Productions and Fred Marcus Photography generously donated goods and services to make the evening a success. Notable guests included Malawian Ambassador to the U.N. Steven Matejne, Alex Charriol, Kipton Cronkite, Soraya Dorabi, Kate Dylan, gallerist Talia Eisenberg, Keren Eldad, Melissa Foss, illustrator Alessandra Olanow, Emma Snowdon-Jones, Raj Tolaram, Annabel Vartanian and Goods for Good founder Melissa Kushner.

For more party pics, click here.

Wendy Furrer is a journalist whose work can be seen at wendyfurrer.com.

For more party pics, click here.

At a cocktail party held at Espace, the sportscar took its rightful place at center stage, where guests ogled the hand-built auto, which has a V-10 engine capable of accelerating from 0 to 60 in 3.6 seconds. Lexus luxury partners on-hand to celebrate the debut included Pratesi linens, Soolip paperie, Napa Valley Vintners, Riedel Crystal, Marquis Jet and concierge service Quintessentially.

Reportedly, only 500 LFAs will be produced; the car, a 2011 model, will carry a sticker of $375,000. Clearly, being Batman is not an inexpensive proposition.

One such party, held to bolster the efforts of UNICEF on the island, was held at Niiki Beach midtown. Cost of entry ($20-$30) was a small price to pay for the opportunity to help our Caribbean neighbor. Not to mention catching up with friends over good music and a mojito created by Nikki Beach mixologist Sebastian Norena.

For more party pics, click here.