Anyone in the market for statement accessories might want to clear their diary for the evening: K. Brunini is launching a one-of-a-kind jewelry collection inspired by Native American and Mayan cultures. Pieces like this raven ring (above) mix materials such as carved bone, wood, and jet, and are pretty much impossible to miss. The collection will be presented tonight from 6 to 9 pm. For more information, call (212) 696-1321.—Marina Larroude

Photo: Courtesy of K. Brunini

Since launching Sacai ten years ago, Chitose Abe has made it her mission to explore the creative boundaries of knitwear by taking the classics and riffing on them. “I’m especially inspired by men’s V-neck cardigans,” she said yesterday at the presentation of her Fall ‘08 collection. Her proudest accomplishment this season, she added, is an adaptation of an argyle print vest cum mini reworked à la Sacai (her maiden name) with ruffle detailing. Along with the navy blue cable-knit cape and the thigh-length cashmere vest covered in ostrich feathers, we’d say it’s a Sacai must-have.—Linlee Allen

Photo: Linlee Allen

Dubai’s Mall of the Emirates shopping mega-complex is best known for housing what is effectively the Middle East’s largest chiller cabinet—in the form of its indoor alpine resort, Ski Dubai. Yet, in the shadow of Ski Dubai on Friday, the Arab world’s favorite super-brand, Louis Vuitton, was turning up the heat with a glamorous afternoon of Polynesian-inspired poolside antics at the adjacent Kempinski Hotel. The event, complete with Balinese massage stations, coconut-shell cocktails, and sax-playing hula boys, was held in association with Grazia Middle East, the weekly glossy whose “news and shoes” agenda has captured the imagination of Jumeirah Jane expats and local ladies-who-lunch alike. Grazia’s entire editorial staff turned out to celebrate the arrival of Vuitton’s new Tahitienne accessory line. It will be interesting to gauge the success of the collection’s pastel, Gaugin-inspired aesthetic in the United Arab Emirates, where the label’s more extravagantly gilded statement bags have become part of national dress, along with the traditional floor-length abaya.—Mark Smith

Photo: Alan Desiderio

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Vintage expert Didier Ludot kicked off Paris fashion week on Sunday night with Transparence, a cocktail party/exhibition at the Palais-Royal. The presentation features eight one-of-a-kind creations by fledgling designer Alexis Mabille alongside rare couture (Lelong, Grès, Patou) culled from Ludot’s private collection. “What I liked so much about Alexis is his way of ’suggesting’ fashion,” said Ludot. “His pieces are less about overt transparency than they are about layering of tulle, sequins, or netting.” To date, each of Mabille’s five capsule ready-to-wear collections has featured a tracksuit-inspired look; here, it takes the form of hooded cloak in a silk net weave inspired by an item he picked up at the Puces. Another constant is Mabille’s use of bows, whether for whimsical ties, as an anchor on the shoulder of a dress, or on a voluminous coat festooned with 650 of them. The pieces may be ordered directly from Ludot’s boutique until the end of October (prices run from €3,000 to €30,000, or roughly $4,270 to $42,700). Mabille will present his debut couture collection in January.

—Tina Isaac

During the work week, chic city slickers hardly have time to reapply their lipstick, never mind stop at home to swap handbags for after-hours events. With this in mind, accessories designer Silvia Venturini Fendi has created the seventies-inspired To You bag. Neither an oversize satchel nor a wee minaudière, it sits on your shoulder by day and folds into a clutch for night. Though the coveted item won’t hit stores until September, a select group of New York’s tastemakers will be given a special preview this afternoon, when social swan and Fendi ambassador Fabiola Beracasa hosts an intimate luncheon for 20 or so of her nearest and dearest at the Gramercy Park Hotel.
—Sarah Cristobal

Photo: Courtesy of Fendi