A crowd of designers, fashion folks, and industry hangers-on turned out for a runway show and unofficial Fashion Week kickoff party celebrating the launch of the Sony PlayStation Portable (PSP) handheld video game system, in a tent outside the Pacific Design Center. Bragman Nyman Cafarelli managed and Best Events produced the event.
The area surrounding the uniquely shaped circular runway was spacious enough to handle the crowd mingling under the strobe lighting to music by DJ Mike Williams of Composium, but intimate enough to give everyone a clear view of models like Alek Wek, Kirsty Hume, and Maggie Rizer on the catwalk. Flat-screen TVs above the runway provided extra viewing angles of the fashions from labels including Heatherette and C. Ronson.
PlayStation integrated its gadgets into the looks on the runway, as well as at the modern-looking post-show party in an adjoining tent: From the PSPs dangling on cords from the ceiling, to the sexy cocktail waitresses from Beauty and the Bar who circled the room with the PSPs attached to their wrists, guests had plenty of opportunities to touch and play (with the games, that is, not the girls).
The crowd stayed late into the night, snacking on treats like polenta and vegetable tarts from Astra Lounge and reposing on the sleek couches scattered throughout the tent. Those who preferred to make their own heat rather than rely on the kerosene lamps that warmed the cool evening danced to the tunes of DJ Samantha Ronson.
—Kim Serafin
Photos: Kevin Winter/Getty Images (models, lounge, patio), Frazer Harrison/Getty Images (runway)
The area surrounding the uniquely shaped circular runway was spacious enough to handle the crowd mingling under the strobe lighting to music by DJ Mike Williams of Composium, but intimate enough to give everyone a clear view of models like Alek Wek, Kirsty Hume, and Maggie Rizer on the catwalk. Flat-screen TVs above the runway provided extra viewing angles of the fashions from labels including Heatherette and C. Ronson.
PlayStation integrated its gadgets into the looks on the runway, as well as at the modern-looking post-show party in an adjoining tent: From the PSPs dangling on cords from the ceiling, to the sexy cocktail waitresses from Beauty and the Bar who circled the room with the PSPs attached to their wrists, guests had plenty of opportunities to touch and play (with the games, that is, not the girls).
The crowd stayed late into the night, snacking on treats like polenta and vegetable tarts from Astra Lounge and reposing on the sleek couches scattered throughout the tent. Those who preferred to make their own heat rather than rely on the kerosene lamps that warmed the cool evening danced to the tunes of DJ Samantha Ronson.
—Kim Serafin
Photos: Kevin Winter/Getty Images (models, lounge, patio), Frazer Harrison/Getty Images (runway)