Fashion

Gucci lit up New York last night with not one, but three, events. First, creative director Frida Giannini and pop princess Rihanna-the face of the label's new Tattoo Heart Collection benefiting UNICEF-hit the corner of 57th Street and Fifth Avenue to do the honors at the charity's annual snowflake lighting. "Both of us were really excited because we're not even from New York!" said Giannini of flipping the switch on the iconic 3,300-pound Baccarat crystal fixture.

Afterward, they headed to Gucci's Fifth Avenue store, where they were joined by Anya Rubik, Erin Wasson, and Natasha Poly to celebrate the all-white, tattoo-printed handbag line, 25 percent of the proceeds of which go to UNICEF programs for orphans and children affected by HIV/AIDS in Africa. Since 2005, the limited-edition holiday bags have raised $6 million for the organization, and Giannini choose Rihanna as a spokesmodel this time around after the two met at a Gucci party in February. "Apart from her beauty and talent, she's sensitive to the cause, so she's perfect for it," said the designer. That, and the singer has several tattoos that helped inspire the collection, including a row of stars that snake up the back of her neck and that are now immortalized on the Gucci totes. "It was appropriate for UNICEF because a tattoo leaves a permanent mark that you can't forget," said the tattoo-free Giannini ("I've never been brave enough!"). To cap off the night, the ladies headed to the Oak Room for a VIP dinner that attracted Timbaland, Mary J. Blige, Blake Lively, and-to much fanfare and flashbulbs-Madonna.

01 Jan 1970 12:00am GMT

Shredded Bliss

01 Jan 1970 12:00am GMT

Russian Federation

Never-ending blankets of snow delayed the start of Russian Vogue's tenth anniversary banquet on Thursday night by more than two and a half hours. "I knew the traffic here is awful, so I ate before I came," said Mario Testino. "I had 250 grams of caviar-I feel like a potato." OK, so Russia's infrastructure may not be in the best of health. But all that talk about the country's economy collapsing? Forget about it. Billed as a "recession chic" meal, dinner came without the delicacies that one expects in Moscow like quail and fish eggs. However, the bottles of Veuve Clicquot on every table didn't exactly say "budget." And neither did the live auction that followed. When 30 dolls designed by fashion designers hit the block, some fetched as much as 100,000 euros, with proceeds going to local orphanages. Billionaire businessman Vladislav Doronin dropped 30K on a doll designed by YSL's Stefano Pilati. It was a present for his girlfriend, Naomi Campbell, the current face of the fashion house. "We've seen crises, we've seen currencies come and go. Only strong, talented, beautiful people survive," said the magazine's editor in chief, Aliona Doletskaya. "And that's who's here tonight."

01 Jan 1970 12:00am GMT

Prescription Strength

The space was jammed, but when it came to early bidding at Tuesday night's RxArt annual fundraising fête, the numbers were much like our economy: sluggish. Even Terry Richardson's self-portrait with Barack Obama-a meeting of icons if ever there was one-had just a single bid. Had Obama mania peaked? Too early to tell, insisted Vogue's Sarah Brown, pointing out that "as more people hit the bar, we'll be in business." She was right. Toward the end of the night, not only was Terry/Barack getting expensive, many of the other pieces-including Kehinde Wiley's Samuel Adams and Aurel Schmidt's Drag-were, too. In all, a tidy six-figure sum was raised for RxArt, an organization that places artwork in the patient, procedure, and exam rooms of health care facilities. Not everyone could be a winner, though. Proenza Schouler's Lazaro Hernandez, who co-hosted with Jack McCollough, got riled up when someone outbid him. "Some girl just swooped in behind me and basically stole my favorite piece," he said. "It's a good thing this is for charity. Or she'd be in trouble."

01 Jan 1970 12:00am GMT

Lord of the Dance

The city emptied out early on Tuesday night for the Thanksgiving holiday, but Lincoln Center's newly renamed David H. Koch Theater was filled to the rafters with ballet lovers. "I've been crazy for it my whole life!" said Valentino Garavani at the tip-off to the New York City Ballet's Winter 2008-2009 season. "And when Peter Martins does it in New York, I know it's going to be sensational." Joining him for a one-time-only performance-which began with a somber set reflecting the current economic climate and ended on a jazzy upbeat note with the music of Wynton Marsalis and Ray Charles-were Alicia Keys, Candace Bushnell, Rachel Roy, and Peter Som. "I would sit and watch rehearsals if I could!" enthused Sarah Jessica Parker, who danced with the American Ballet Theatre in her early days. "This is the best escape I can think of," added Blythe Danner. Speaking of getting away, Derek Lam told us, "I'm leaving for Turks and Caicos tomorrow." So, will there be turkey, sweet potatoes, the works? "No. We're thinking alcohol, the beach, and sleeping. A lot."

01 Jan 1970 12:00am GMT

Jet Set

01 Jan 1970 12:00am GMT

Holiday Shopping Guide

01 Jan 1970 12:00am GMT

Holiday Gifts Under $100: Home Connoisseurs Go Shopping

01 Jan 1970 12:00am GMT

Got Milk?

Milk, Gus Van Sant's new biopic of Harvey Milk, the country's first openly gay big-time politician, touched a nerve among the star-studded crowd (which included cast members Sean Penn, James Franco, and Emile Hirsch) at last night's Cinema Society and Details screening. After the closing credits, Narciso Rodriguez could be found drying his eyes-"weeping," he explained between dabs. Also gushing on the way out was Marc Jacobs. "Amazing!" he said.

Following hot on the heels of California's controversial Proposition 8, the movie (which is set in the 1970's) felt timelier than ever. "The theme of the film is to speak your mind, to not be afraid-or even if you're afraid, speak it anyway," said Josh Brolin, who plays Milk's assassin. The actor, who seems to be everywhere these days, defended his villainous turn. "I was the meanie. But I think it's an integral part of the story."

After pulling themselves together, guests headed up to the Bowery Hotel for the after-party. The mood lightened, the dance floor saw some action, and Milk screenwriter Dustin Lance Black even told us to keep an eye out for mainstream gay comedies. "I've heard that there are some in the pipeline, actually-with big stars," he confided. No surprise, really, he added. "I mean, gay people are funny!"

01 Jan 1970 12:00am GMT

Funny Business

The cast of Saturday Night Live joined Lorne Michaels, Brian Williams, Mayor Bloomberg, and Conan O'Brien at the American Museum of Natural History's annual gala on Thursday night. After cocktails in the Roosevelt Rotunda, guests made their way to the Milstein Hall of Ocean Life for dinner and a performance by a squeaky clean Jon Bon Jovi, his once voluminous locks now a bit of, well, natural history. Upping the youth factor in a room full of dinosaurs (what? we're just talking about the exhibits), Amy Poehler glowed in white Zac Posen with a killer neckline, while Kristen Wiig opted for a smart navy blue Moschino. Kenan Thompson, sporting a pair of black shades, weighed the merits of the evening's auction items, which included an exclusive tour of the Big Bone Room-and no, the comic wasn't about to let that one go by without comment. "Is that where everybody's boning?" he wondered. "That's where I want to go."