Hammer Time

After five years of growth, Lupus L.A.'s annual charity handbag auction now brings 600 women (from fewer than 200 in its first year) to the Beverly Wilshire for a luncheon and fund-raising, to the tune of nearly half a million dollars. And while many of the society-lady guests may not spend the bulk of their time working with their hands, the gifts at each of their place settings at Wednesday's event would have made the task appropriately stylish: Butterfly-printed hammers, which convert to screwdrivers when disassembled, tied with the message "Let's knock out Lupus," lay beside plates. Potted hydrangeas sat at the center of each table for a springlike look, even as cooler weather finally settled over Los Angeles.But cute decor and takeaways were not what really drew the crowd, surmised honoree and founding chairwoman Marla Paxson, who helped oversee the event. "Women love handbags," Paxson said. "You don’t really have to entertain them—just tell them they're going to get a Christian Dior handbag for cheap and they’re happy.”

In addition to the 300 handbags in the silent auction, the event also featured a live auction and a runway show by handbag and shoe designer Mary Norton.