Linda Immediato
Angela Basset sat in the front row across from me at the Dina Bar-El Show, eyeing the gowns with a cautious look. All of dresses were perfect for premieres, award shows, and trophy wife fundraising. But few I felt were really flashbulb magnets. They were the kinds of dresses you'd see on the cast of Desperate Housewives (actually Bar-El does dress them!) not the fashion forward stuff you used to see on the girls of Sex And The City (god rest its soul). One of Bar-El's lime green gowns on the right person could be striking, but a yellow number reminded me of the ones seen already on Scarlett “not promiscuous” Johansen and Cate Blanchet. (Kate Hudson already wore a yellow Dina Bar-El gown in How to Lose A Guy in 10 Days.) There were a few Jennifer Tilly-esque animal print Maffia wife type slinky dresses and some more demure safe silver and champagne gowns. I loved the colors Bar-El picked, icy blue, russet, and gunmetal, and the styles were classic, nothing too dramatic. The length varied from knee (IFC Spirit Awards) to floor (Oscars)—something for occasion. Katharine McPhee of American Idol 15 minutes walked the runway in the show, and there was a slight bit of chaos when one model appeared before she was ready, we heard a scream from backstage, the girl was pulled back only to emerge looking pissed off a few minutes later. I haven't seen her again.
Posted by Linda Immediato
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