Ewan McGregor toasts Toms Shoes' Blake Mycoskie at Go Campaign's Go Go Gala

Last Friday, Go Campaign -- which encourages kids to volunteer to help other children around the world -- held a dinner fund-raiser and auction at the Social Hollywood to honor Toms Shoes' Blake Mycoskie. Actor Ewan McGregor hosted the event.

“Toms is not only giving shoes to kids around the world but it’s inspiring people to think differently about business,” said Mycoskie, who wore a new silver Toms shoe for Neiman-Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman. “When I accept an award, I get a few minutes to tell people: you don’t have to either do just charity or business. You can combine the two for more sustainable ways to help people.”

Toms Shoes has a policy where it gives one pair of shoes to children in need for every pair sold.

Ewan McGregor said he got involved with the Go Campaign after mutual friends suggested he let organization founder Scott Fifer stay on his couch in London while en route to a project in Tanzania. “I’m here to raise awareness and raise money for the project -- that's my job,” said the now L.A.-based actor who was wearing just a "gray suit." “A lot can be done for a very little.”

Dave Stewart and his Rock Fabulous quartet entertained the student volunteers and their families plus celebs Jonah Hill, Cheryl Tiegs and Danielle Bisutti.

-- Max Padilla

Photo: Ewan McGregor (left), Go Campaign founder Scott Fifer and Tom's Blake Mycoskie. Credit: Paul Redmond/WireImage

Alternative Apparel celebrates its green initiative

Last Thursday night, environmentally conscious celebrities and all-around fans of Alternative Apparel’s slouchy sweatshirts and super-soft loungy pieces gathered on the rooftop of the quaint Petit Ermitage hotel in West Hollywood to celebrate the “Think Earth” T-shirt, sales of which benefit Global Green.

Model, mom and eco-friendly makeup line creator Josie Maran arrived early with her daughter in tow. Maran also appears in Alternative Apparel’s “ReThink” booklet, which highlights how various celebrities and notable names view and support the environment. Davis Factor -- also a party guest -- snapped a few of the book’s subject, such as Alicia Silverstone and Nina Clemente, wearing basics from the lifestyle line.

Alternative Apparel owner Greg Alterman, who started the line 14 years ago in his home state of Georgia, is looking to expand the brand into freestanding retail locations, so people can snap up their favorite cuts at one time. Also on deck: an expansion into ready-to-wear pieces such as the knit pants and a blazer Alterman was wearing at the party. Like American Apparel, but without all the irony.

-- Melissa Magsaysay

Photo: Josie Maran and Greg Alterman/Wireimage

Dana Davis’ pop-up shop attracts major foot traffic

Stores may be closing all over town, but last night Melrose Place got a little love with the opening of Dana Davis’ pop-up store.  The store, which took over the old Lambertson Truex spot, right next to Frederic Fekkai’s new salon, will be open until Dec. 3, selling shoes from Davis’ fall-winter collection. 

Celebrities and socialites, including Anjelica Huston, Paris Hilton, Crystal Lourd, Jerry Bruckheimer, Liane Weintraub and Jamie Tisch, came to support their designer pal and fellow social fixture.  Davis’ mother Barbara was also in attendance before dashing out to attend a concert. 

Davis was inspired to create her line of ultra-comfortable shoes when she was having trouble standing for long periods of time due to foot pain caused by her diabetes.  She and  her family  have raised over $75 million for diabetes research, with the Carousel of Hope ball fund-raiser being founded in her honor. She developed a shoe with an orthotic sole that’s as cushion-y as any Easy Spirit, but far more fashionable.  In fact, Davis has figured out how to increase the heels on pumps to almost 6 inches, while still maintaining the comfort of the built-in orthotic.  Those heels will be offered for spring and are sure to be seen on any celebrity who cares about comfort while walking the red carpet.

The Dana Davis pop-up store is open now until Dec. 3 at 8459 Melrose Place, L.A.
Hours: 11am – 5pm. Closed Sundays and Thanksgiving, Nov. 25 – 29.

-- Melissa Magsaysay

Photos: Top: Anjelica Huston, Barbara Davis and Dana Davis, Bottom: A wall of Davis' shoes/John Shearer Wire Image

Celebs go cheap chic to celebrate H&M's new Jimmy Choo collaboration [UPDATED]

All the L.A. lovelies turned out for the Jimmy Choo for H&M party in Hollywood last night, wearing pieces from the line that hits stores Nov. 14.

Nothing in the line is over $300, which meant the look was cheap chic. M.I.A. wore over-the-knee boots (the most expensive item at $299) with a sequined shark-emblazoned top by Jean-Charles de Castelbajac, before changing into a dress that shimmied when she performed later in the evening. Nicky Hilton chose a sparkling little black dress accessorized with a star-emblazoned clutch, while sister Paris wore a Jimmy Choo for H&M cat suit and Hayden Panettiere slid into a pair of black leather leggings and a zip-up, sequin-covered cardigan.

Photo ops: Share your Halloween photos

 

What's the best part of Halloween? Sure, the candy's great. But there's nothing like the feeling of bragging about your awesome costume and the reactions it got.

The Times' street fashion photographer Colin Young-Wolff (who has shown you the sartorial stylings found in local shopping haunts like Abbot Kinney, Third Street Promenade, Old Pasadena and Santee Alley) was on another assignment Saturday when he shot Falcon Hollywood's Halloween party, where TV sitcom favorites Al and Peg Bundy partied, above. See who else showed up by checking out Colin's blog. And share photos of your own Halloween get-up in The Times' Your Scene gallery.

-- Whitney Friedlander

Photo credit: Colin Young-Wolff

Satine celebrates shoe guru George Esquivel

Satine boutique owner Jeannie Lee hosted a cocktail party at her newly relocated (and greatly expanded) Third Street store Thursday night for George Esquivel, the L.A. shoe designer nominated for a Vogue/CFDA Fashion Fund award (winners will be announced Nov. 16).

Esquivel, who busied himself helping guests -- including David Arquette -- choose and try on his stunning handmade loafers and boots, said life since the nomination has been "nonstop." The Orange County native added that friends have asked if he liked the picture of himself (with singer Janelle Monáe) that ran in Vogue this month as part of a splashy photo spread featuring the nominees. "I'm like, 'How can you not like your picture in Vogue?'" he said with a laugh. "The only way I wouldn't like it is if I was picking my nose or something."

Lee, for one, is a major fan. "I think it's very rare and really special to find a shoe designer who does artisanal, locally made shoes. It's very old-school. There's nothing like this on the market. I know -- I see everything."

--Emili Vesilind

Photo: George Esquivel and Jeannie Lee. Credit: Emili Vesilind / For The Times.

Perrin Paris launches its new boutique with a bang

Parisian leather goods brand Perrin Paris opened its first-ever boutique in Beverly Hills with a jam-packed party at the store Thursday night.

The family-owned brand, which is famous for its architectural Riva bag (a.k.a. the "ball bag"), is based in Paris and L.A.; CEO Michel Perrin and his wife, artistic director Sally Perrin, live here.

The label has been around since 1893 -- operating as a glovery in its heyday -- and still owns its own tannery in France.

"The response to the store has been just phenomenal," said Sally, clad in a strapless camel-toned dress and lace-up statement heels that crept up her calves. "The jewelry arrived from France only an hour before the store opened, but other than that, it's been very [smooth]."

The shop, which is on Beverly Drive, is a study in neutrals, and was designed to evoke an old-world Parisian shopping experience. Recessed shelves in blonde-toned wood showcase the brand's beautiful architectural bags (priced from about $600 to $1,200), further complemented by a cream-colored sofa and floors and a back wall covered in panels of supple tan-toned leather. 

Designer Monique Lhuillier -- who was boasting an eighth-month baby bump -- compared the store to "a jewel box," adding, "Sally and Michel always have exquisite taste." Clearly.

--Emili Vesilind

Photo: The packed house at Perrin Paris. Credit: Emili Vesilind / For The Times.

Corey Lynn Calter hosts a chic dinner

Corey Lynn Calter amped up Los Angeles Fashion Week by hosting one of its most refined gatherings last night. The L.A. contemporary designer -- who's known for her whimsical prints and flirty silhouettes -- hosted a fashion presentation, followed by a sit-down dinner, in the form of a roving short film.

Complete your Public Service hours at this Fairfax Avenue grand opening party

Public Service sounds like the latest traffic court penalty, but it’s actually a new men’s boutique behind Shorty’s Barber Shop on Fairfax Avenue.

Owners Lauren Megson and Chris Bair, who also owns Shorty’s, decided to convert the rear of the barbershop into a retail area that resembles a 1970s rec room with table tennis, air hockey and gymnasium wood floors.

Public Service stocks shirts, outerwear and leathers from L.A.-based brands NSF, Ever, Apolis Activism and Shades of Greige. Angelenos can’t get enough of loungewear, so the boutique carries an large assortment of hoodies, henleys and sweat pants from LnA, Alternative Apparel and Plain Gravy.

Gift merch (yes, that season is upon us) includes novelty graphic T-shirts ($30-40), Comme des Garcons fragrances, Ray-Ban sunglasses, Brixton fedoras and a contraption called Clocky, which is an alarm clock that falls on the floor and keeps ringing before you have a chance to knock it off the nightstand. 

On Thursday, Public Service celebrates its grand opening with an open-bar celebration from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Call store to RSVP.

755 N. Fairfax Ave., Los Angeles, (323) 951-1191. 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday to Friday; 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. www.publicservicela.com

-- Max Padilla

Photo credits: Public Service

Jason Wu draws a stylish crowd at Neiman Marcus

Jason Wu, the 27-year-old designer whose star has risen considerably since Michelle Obama wore one of his frothy creations during the inaugural ball, drew a very stylish crowd while showing his spring 2010 collection at Neiman Marcus last night.  

His friend and perennial fashion plate Diane Kruger hosted the event dressed in a one-shoulder-black-with-teal-polka-dots cocktail frock, accented with Roger Vivier heels and Eddie Borgo bracelets. "We met at Cannes, and we've been friends ever since," said Kruger, who certainly has carte blanche to her share of designer duds, having been the face of Chanel and Louis Vuitton but has recently favored Wu's creations. A few other starlets donned his designs, looking more grown-up and put together than their late teen years would suggest. Katie Cassidy, Jessica Stroup and Amber Heard all wore short dresses by Wu.  Heard's high blond ponytail, porcelain skin and bright red pout made her look like a dead ringer for Scarlett Johansson.

Star wattage aside, the crowd of fashion industry insiders, stylists and socialites took in the collection worn by models posing around the department store floor. Everything from a simple, solid colored emerald green dress to a pale pink and white feathered cocktail number came out during the event, perpetuating Wu's reputation for making refined and feminine clothes. But unlike his past collections, several pieces in his spring line had a few raw and rough edges -- a touch purposely put there by the designer who played around with the juxtaposition of hard and soft. "I was really inspired by [sculptor] Tara Donovan and Tim Burton," says Wu.  "It's sculptural versus stitches. I like the contrast between romantic and rough around the edges." Judging by the turnout for the Beverly Hills event and his rapidly growing celebrity following, it seems his fans will too.

-- Melissa Magsaysay

Photo (top left): Cameron Silver, left, and Jason Wu. Credit: Melissa Magsaysay

Photo (top right): Diane Kruger and Micah Shifman. Credit: Melissa Magsaysay

Photo (above): A look from Wu's spring collection. Credit: Melissa Magsaysay