Daphne Night in Paris

(Daphne Guinness speaking to press about her first Directoral effort)

I’m back in New York! Been gone for a hot minute so i’ve been truant on the blog. The good news is I come back with tales from Paris Couture Week where Starworks celebrated its first foray into New Media — The Phenomenology of Body, a simple (yet not so philosophically simple) 5 minute art piece Directed by Daphne Guinness that will forever air on The New York Times‘ T website. The video, (which was projected in large format) premiered at the Hôtel de Crillon accompanied by 12 Prints displayed in the room. Daphne describes the film in her own words here.

(POB Portraits at Hôtel de Crillon)

(Starworker Ivana with Gianluca Longo, Fashion Director at ES Magazine)

In addition to NYT’s Stefano Tonchi, the cocktail was private, mellow, and sprinkled with several influential and inspiring guests — L’Wren Scott, Andrea Dellal, Christian Louboutin, Suzy Menkes, Wes Anderson, Tatiana Santo Domingo, Margherita Missoni among others. The event was covered everywhere from WWD to FashionWeekDaily.com.

(Shelly Zander — in Marc Jacobs — playing with a dog named, um, Daphne)

I relaxed on the balcony with Phenomenology of Body’s additional producers, Brody Baker and Shelly Zander of Knowmore Productions. Newly minted Starworker Amie Witton-Wallace (who served as Alexander McQueen’s Worldwide PR Director for 12 years) attended the event as well. We’re proud to have her.

(Starworker Amie Witton-Wallace with Isobel Gorst)

(Daphne’s angels: Isobel Gorst and Michaela Cawley. A Starworker on her blackberry prepping for her Lacoste event later that night)

(Daphne — in Alexander McQueen — hosting guests on Hôtel de Crillon balcony)

(Daphne’s Private Dinner post Gallery at Caviar Kaspia)

After showing the work, it was time to sit down and celebrate. Best Caviar in Paris. Strong guest list of Daphne’s close personal friends. Can you say, “complete night”? Actually, there was just one more thing I had to do. I’d heard Santogold was in Paris playing Visionaire’s Boat party to celebrate Lacoste’s 75th Anniversary (and the release of Visionaire 54 Sport). Stage time was Midnight —– Taxi time!

(DJ booth during Santo show, Visionaire/Lacoste event. Pics on VMag.com)

I managed to arrive to the docks for Part 2 of the night. The party was on climax mode. Lacoste Designer Christophe Lemaire was spinning on the turntables before the show. Parisian hipsters sauced up. Banging dancefloor. Semi-nude women in hottubs. Inflatable animals and couture outfits on the roofdeck. The room looked like a French version of a Misshapes party. As I turn my head, Leigh Lezark (speak of the devil) was walking right towards me in the way you do when you see another New Yorker in the room — with a smiling sigh. Always a pleasure to catch up with the downtown muse. In the midst of the sweaty high energy mess, Leigh’s dress and hair perpetually look tight. It kind of amazes me. Geordian (who launched their digital identity online) emerged out of the woodworks too. The lights went down.

Finally, Santo came on stage and won over the crowd. As much as we’ve heard the album on heavy rotation at the Starworks office, I tell ya, each song sounds better and better upon each listen. Her live performance however has 1 extra dimension — two backup dancers. A mash-up of dancers past, but with flavor of its own. Think Public Enemy’s militaristic strong pauses and then synchronized twirling like soldiers to a beat. Think also Robert “Addicted to Love” Palmer women but with an indie-electro feel and the same intriguing blank faced sex appeal (video here). Now add colored Raybans, gyrating hype-man movements, spanking outfits, and some soul. It was good to see New York blood “hold down” the stage tonight.

(Close-up of Barack Obama patch on DJ bag)

Standing next Santo’s DJ, I peeped his backpack under the tables, and noticed a Barack face staring right at me with a graphic that says “Hope”. After a few days of hanging out in Paris and discussing the future of our nation to Europeans, I closed my eyes and made 1 wish to the tune of a deafening dance party. Here’s to November 08!

(View from the Boat)

Last but not least, my friends —- this was the view of the the Eiffel Tower on this spectacular night. What was the occasion? The tower was dressed up in honor of celebrating France’s rotating presidency of the European Union (EU). There were 12 stars mounted on the tower to look like the EU flag. The Blue color will continue to glow through the end of the summer (Click here to see the first moment it turned blue). Glorious. Also, the first 10 minutes of every hour, special little sparkly lights get turned on for that extra “oomph”.

Au revoir!
J

Battle in Seattle

Victory for Battle at Malibu Film Fest

(Writer/Director Stuart Townsend with Producer/Honey Charlize Theron)

On Sunday, June 29, W Magazine sponsored an intimate & exclusive screening of Battle in Seattle at the Malibu Country Mart. Stuart Townsend wrote and directed the intense political drama. Townsend’s girlfriend for life Charlize Theron (who plays a lead role in the film) and Jennifer Carpenter of Dexter (one of the leads) came out to support the first time filmmaker!

Said Townsend: “This film was six years in the making and Charlize was with me every step of the way!” Other big stars showed up to support, including, Matthew McConaughey (with fiancé and mother-to-be Camilla Alves), Michael C. Hall, Amanda Anka & Jason Bateman, Peter Berg (director of Hancock), Dita Von Teese (in Catherine Maladrino), Alexis Bledel, Gabrielle Reece (and her adorable new baby girl), Steve Tisch, stylist Estee Stanley (looking radiant and pregnant), etc.

(Jason Bateman with wife Amanda Anka, Steve Tisch, and Charlize)

E!’s Ben Lyons moderated an informal Q & A following the film with Stuart Townsend and Jennifer Carpenter, while Charlize affectionately harassed the director from her seat. The film was many years in the making for Townsend who assembled an impressive cast in under a week (Ray Liotta, Andre Benjamin, Woody Harrelson, Channing Tatum). The film focuses on five days in 1999 as tens of thousands of demonstrators took to the streets to protest the WTO talks.

(McConaughey with a final look at pregnant fiancé Camilla Alves. The baby is now born!)

Following the screening guests took over locale fav, Tony’s Taverna for dinner. CIROC provided the cocktails and co-sponsor Tommy Hilfiger strategically placed surfboards against the wall to keep the paparazzi out.

(Gabrielle Reece with new baby girl, Charlize)

Back in September last year, Jauretsi reviewed the film at the Toronto Film Festival (Read here). The film also acts as an informative bookmark for American history in relation to news and events happening in the world today regarding protests and “people power” in the making (Read here). The film finally opens September 19 in NYC, and September 26th in LA.

GO SEE IT! WE HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT!

For more info, go to BattleinSeattleMovie.com.

Bandage Bondage

(co-chair Meredith Melling Burke from Vogue with Max Azria)

The worlds of fashion and art collided last night at the Whitney Art Party, a downtown fundraiser to benefit the Whitney Museum and it’s independent study programs. The event was sponsored by BCBG Max Azria Group and positioned as the relaunch of the Herve Leger line. You couldn’t spit without hitting a gorgeous girl in a sexy, skin tight bandage dress, the signature of Herve Leger.

(Lubov Azria with co-chair Rachel Bilson)

Tara, Sharon and I were at the event to help coordinate VIP arrivals and the turnout was amazing! Co-chair Rachel Bilson, wearing a gorgeous cream-colored halter bandage dress (she looked STUNNING), arrived fresh faced even though her flight from LA was delayed for five hours and arrived just an hour or so before the event. Good friends Joy Bryant and Monet Mazur, both in Herve, walked the red carpet together, followed by James Franco, Gossip Girl’s Michelle Trachtenberg, Australian beauty Rose Byrne and a slew of models and NYC socials.

(Lou Doillon with Byrdie Bell)

Inside the party, artist EV Day’s custom bondage pieces were on display, as were a number of silent auction items. Across the room, under a giant mirrored disco ball, Max Azria himself held court on a black velvet couch surrounded by an eclectic group, including NY Rangers forward Sean Avery, French beauty Lou Doillon and first daughter Barbara Bush.

The event was a huge success!

Greg + Lesley’s New Party

Summer’s poppin’ off! Meet us here for drinks.
J

Kate Moss + AP Bash

Kate’s Wedding

(Takin a break on the balcony at the AP bash)

I got to DJ a super cool party for Kate Moss thrown by Agent Provocateur recently held at the Milk Studios in New York City. The event was called WHITE WEDDING in which the idea was Kate marrying AP via a concept piece created by Photographer Nick Knight. The entire Starworks New York office was enlisted to work the event. Not a bad way to spend the night.

(Self-portrait before the event)

(Our helping hand Katie stuck on elevator duty all night)

Most guests were greeted by our elevator hostess Starworker Katie Rudik (pictured above) who works on and off in our office in between college. We squeezed her into an Agent Provocateur outfit which as you can tell fit her like a glove. She kept telling me when the elevator doors opened, she shook her hips to my music, but was bummed when the doors closed, and she descended again to pick up more guests. Sorry Katie! But you looked awesome.

(Actress/Producer Lake Bell. Julia Restoin-Roitfeld with boyfriend Magnus. The Misshapes)

(Designer Sari Gueron. Designers D and Ricky. Agent Provocateur founder Joe Corre)

(Genevieve Jones and Julia Restoin-Roitfeld. Designer Robert Tagliapietra, Sally Lyndley and desinger Jeffrey Costello)

(AP’s Naughty Playlist)

AP is one of those clients you love to take direction from. Their taste is a little bit of British Rock, a little dirty selection of Vintage Sex Songs (bad girl tunes), a little Country, a little Northern Soul, and a little 50’s American Rebel Rock — with some ska spirit intertwined somehow. Here’s a vibe of the music I dropped that night.

1- “Noir et Blanc”- Brigitte Bardot
2- “Bonnie & Clyde” – Serge Gainsbourg
3- “This is Radio Clash”- The Clash
4- “Big Spender-” Peggy Lee
5- “Back in Baby’s Arm’s”- Patsy Kline
6- “I Was Made For You” - Zooey Deschanels’ She & Him
7- “Runaround Sue”- Dion
8- “Dancin’ Party” - Chubby Checker
9- “Mr. Postman”- The Marvelette’s
10- “You Never Can Tell” – Chuck Berry
11- “King Size Papa”- Julia and her Boyfriends
12- “A Message to You Rudy”, The Specials
13- “Loaded”, Primal Scream

Read more on the event at Fashion Week Daily / Let Them Eat Cake.

All Step & Repeat photos by Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images North America

All other photos by Jauretsi