Sure, they see the world, hang out with the pretty people, and have a wardrobe full of designer clothes, but the simple things—like birthday parties—are often the hardest to obtain for the modern supermodel. Such was the case on Monday night, when Irina Lazareanu was notably absent from the joint celebration of another year of both her life and that of Hedi Ferjani, a.k.a. designer Erin Fetherston’s better half. “I spoke to her Sunday night and she was really hoping she could make it,” Ferjani said of Lazareanu, who had been planning on flying back from San Francisco for the fête. Asked if he didn’t mind that all the attention was then on him, he blushed. “Sure. It’s the first time I’ve celebrated my birthday in ten years.” Those helping ring in another year of Ferjani—and of Lazareanu, even if she wasn’t there—included Gilles Mendel, Dr. Lisa Airan, Olivier Zahm, Lou Doillon, Jamie Burke, Zani Gugelmann, and Elise Øverland. But don’t feel too bad for the model—we hear that she’s officially back in New York today and hoping to actually attend her next party.—Derek Blasberg

Photo: Derek Blasberg

Though Fall clothes are just starting to arrive in stores, I’m already starting to think fashion forward, to Spring 2009. Accessories designer Alexa Wagner wasted no time getting her collection together, and showed beautiful, brightly colored summer shoes. On my wish list? The orange and gray sandal—a great color combination—with little bows, and the open-toe green suede bootie. For more information, see www.alexawagner.com.—Marina
Larroude

The relationship between art and fashion can be a complicated one. Maybe an artist is inspired by a designer (à la Richard Prince and Marc Jacobs), or maybe a designer seeks intentional inspiration from art (Marc Jacobs again, as well as Zac Posen and Proenza Schouler). But at Wednesday night’s solo show for Todd DiCiurcio’s “Synthesis,” the connection was even more complex—the artist met premier art promoter Yvonne Force Villareal through his wife, Megan, a publicist at Dolce & Gabbana. Throw in Petra Nemcova as a co-host, and you’ve got a crowd that stands at the intersection between fashion and art, including Julia Restoin-Roitfeld, Arden Wohl, Molly Sims, Catalina Sandino Moreno, and the odd Gossip Girls. “I loved his work immediately when I saw it, and he’s such a great guy and someone I really think will go places in this industry,” Force Villareal said. The shtick of the show was that the nearly dozen works on display had been painted from live music performances; DiCiurcio would attend a gig, quickly sketch out the band, and later put it on a large canvas. “So we’re doing the inverse tonight,” Force Villareal explained of the two bands—the Filthy Youth (fronted by “Gossip Girl” ’s Ed Westwick) and Death of Fashion—that performed around the pieces. “But I’m taking the night off this time,” DiCiurcio said. “I’ll be drinking, not sketching, for once.”—Derek Blasberg

Photo: PATRICK MCMULLAN/PatrickMcMullan.com

When Cyd Charisse (may she rest in peace) danced across the misty glens of “Brigadoon” with Gene Kelly back in 1954, Scotland—and Scottish fashion—was a flurry of tartan. How things have changed. At the third annual Scottish Fashion Awards, held at Stirling Castle last night, the only thing that verged on twee was shortbread in the goodie bags. A particular highlight of the evening was the Young Designer of the Year award, with one-to-watch newcomer Graeme Armour winning for his super-lean, über-modern tailoring. House of Holland won the Best Use of Tartan by an International Designer, with Henry Holland accepting the award sporting a shock of lightning blond to complement a fabulously electric blue tartan jacket. Designer of the Year went once again to Scotland’s darling, Christopher Kane, who said, “It’s really great for Scottish designers to have a platform not only in London, but here in Scotland as well.” And one that happily appears more than once every 100 years.—Claire Mitchell

Photo: Courtesy of the Scottish Fashion Awards

Couture week closed out Thursday night with the resurrection of a venerable tradition: the bestowing of the iconic Woolmark Prize to a promising young designer. Although the award disappeared from view for several years, it was acquired last fall by Australian Wool Innovation, which intends to restore this event to its former glory. Students of fashion will recall that the original recipients of this award were the then-unknown Yves Saint Laurent and Karl Lagerfeld, both in 1954; other past winners include Donna Karan, Ralph Lauren, Romeo Gigli, Dolce & Gabbana, and Giorgio Armani. "What really amazed me was the excellence of designs from all over the world—China, Japan, Belgium, Germany, the U.S.," said Australian Wool Innovation president Craig White. The 2008 winner: 30-year-old Chinese designer Qiu Hao, a graduate of Central Saint Martins in London. His winning piece, a thick white knit dress with loops of knit that the wearer can arrange around her neck and shoulders, will be sold in limited edition at Colette in the weeks ahead. This year’s patron of the Woolmark Prize was Sonia Rykiel (do we dare say queen of knits yet again?), who is currently celebrating the 40th anniversary of her house. Style.com spoke with the 78-year-old designer just before the ceremony.

How does it feel to be the patron of the Woolmark event?
Very interesting—not to mention appropriate! Wool is a first-rate material that is easy to work and easy to live with. Knits were the first thing I did as a designer, and every season since then I’ve put out 100 different knits.

Was it difficult to choose among the finalists?
There were so many interesting, creative submissions. Two that particularly struck me were the ones in thick red and white knits.

What makes a design modern for you?
There are lots of "modernities"—modernity is in fact a pretext. There is the past, the future, and in between there is modernity. It’s not a piece of clothing that is modern; it’s about a wearing it with a certain allure, reflecting the politics of the day and a certain lifestyle. It’s about personal expression and playfulness. Modernity is about a state of mind.

Whom do you admire for their modernity?
Even Proust can be modern depending on how you read him! Paul Auster writes with lots of things going on in his mind. It doesn’t stop him from writing classically if he wants to. One is modern if one wants to be. Yamamoto and Miyake can be modern.

How does does it feel to look back on 40 years in fashion?
I really have the impression that for 40 years I have been contemplating a woman who has been right there next to me the whole time, a woman I loved. She has evolved since 1968, of course.

What is this woman about?
She loves fashion, colors, children, and all aspects of culture; she is interested and engaged in the world around her. It’s like a book—each season is a different chapter. I have created a portrait of a woman who actively participates in her era.

—Tina IsaacPhoto: Courtesy of Woolmark

Barneys Co-op (at the Madison Avenue store) will be hosting an event tomorrow night on behalf of jewelry designer Philip Crangi. The designer will be there to chat with clients, but he’ll be working, too: If you buy one of his Giles & Brother Railroad Spike bangles, Crangi will monogram it for you. Which sounds like a very good excuse for some jewelry shopping.—Marina Larroude

Photo: Philip Crangi

If the debut collection of leather-bow clutch bags from the recently launched 671 label don’t ignite intrigue, then the mystery behind the brand’s rotating design collective should do the job. “Each season, a designer with a personal or professional connection to the Des Kohan store sends in patterns and fabric swatches, and a production team from this end executes the product,” explains a mouthpiece for brand, which incidentally takes its name from the street address of Kohan’s Los Angeles boutique (the only retailer to stock the limited-edition line). Curious yet? The plot thickens: The collection is in fact the brainchild of a European expat currently living in America, and next season’s capsule collection of cocktail dresses, evening dresses, and belts will be masterminded by a knitwear designer currently residing in Rome.—Linlee Allen

Photo: Linlee Allen

I panicked when CandyCast revealed that Anna Sui collects Arabia. Was the designer the formidable bidder driving up the prices of my favorite Finnish housewares? No, it turns out that Sui’s obsession is with the company’s Paratiisi line, whereas I can’t resist the heart-rimmed enamel bowls (I have one at home and another in the office) and the children’s sets, like this one, with a nomad herder and his strange menagerie.—Laird Borrelli-Persson

Photo: Steven Torres

Yeah, I know you’re sick of hearing how every new eco-friendly designer wants to make something organic but also fashion-forward. Trust me on this one, though—Larsen Gray is cool. And not just for a green designer. The brainchild of “Project Runway” alum Nora Caliguri and her friend Rachelyn Porter, Larsen Gray is focused on simple, modern silhouettes with interesting details. Think high-waisted shorts, baggy silk tanks, and one-shoulder dresses, all 100 percent organic or sustainable. And with the entire line priced under $260, you can feel just as good about your wallet as the environment. For more information, see www.larsengray.com.—Romney Leader

Photo: Courtesy of Basicboutique.com

“I’m a last-minute kind of girl,” admits Leah McSweeney, the designer behind the streetwear label Married to the Mob. But then, a little eleventh-hour chaos can be the stuff that spring ad campaigns are made of. Earlier this month, McSweeney capitalized on the presence of French singing sensation Uffie in New York and persuaded the 20-year-old performer to pose for a few portraits. “She’s an It girl who embodies Mob hotness,” explains McSweeney of her impromptu casting. The designer also staked her claim on another visitor to NYC—she asked L.A.-based photo blogger the Cobrasnake to photograph the singer in and around the streets of Tribeca. “I felt really bad having Uffie run around the city in a T-shirt—she was freezing,” said the shutterbug, who will be shooting on streets of a different kind this week: He’s in Paris, getting ready to host a yard sale in the garden of the fashion hangout Hotel Amour that gets under way tomorrow.—Linlee Allen

Photo: Courtesy of Married to the Mob