He’s a Valley Guy

The next time you catch a glimpse of Sen. Edward Kennedy, he might be wearing some of his new-image clothes. Sherman Oaks designer-retailer Rick Pallack tells Listen he received a call from Kennedy’s Washington office recently. “He had lost a lot of weight and wanted a new wardrobe,” according to Pallack. The senator definitely didn’t want anything old-hat like button-down shirts. Instead, aides selected 50 items, including French-cuff shirts, European-cut suits and handmade Italian shoes. The only alteration we know about is the one performed on the shoes. Their leather soles had to be replaced with rubber ones, Pallack tells us. Slippery marble floors on Capitol Hill, you know.

Whiz Kid Gets Sak’ed

You read it here first. As recently reported, Saks Fifth Avenue, Beverly Hills, has indeed snared the whiz kid of Paris fashion, designer Christian Lacroix, whose ready-to-wear will be offered there on an exclusive basis for Los Angeles. The store’s Patty Fox tells us Lacroix finally made a formal announcement on the subject this week. Saks will launch this grand venture with a fashion show Nov. 4 on a sound stage at 20th Century Fox. Lacroix will be there, of course, and so will his entire couture and Deluxe ready-to-wear collections. Couture will be in the store the following day, for those who want to order; ready-to-wear will be available on a continuing basis. Proceeds from the $100-per-person dinner will benefit not one but four charities: Costume Council Patrons of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, SHARE Inc., the Joffrey Ballet and the Women’s Guild of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

Very Lacey

Listen hears from L.A. designer Ronald Mann that a couple of hot TV talents have recently been shopping at his studio. Actress Sharon Gless, who co-stars on “Cagney and Lacey” and won an Emmy Sunday night, bought a beaded, mauve-colored gown made of lace (what else?). And Barbara Bosson of the new TV series “Hooperman” took home a black velvet gown with a beaded, red jacket that Mann says he later saw her wearing on the Emmy awards TV show at Pasadena Civic Auditorium.

Howie’s Snakeskin

In case you’re wondering where Howie Mandel (Dr. Wayne Ficus on “St. Elsewhere”) got that tuxedo with the snakeskin lapels he wore to the Emmy Awards the other night, Listen hears it’s one he chose for himself at Apropos. Caroldean Ross of the Woodland Hills boutique says Mandel was wearing red running shoes and blue jeans the day he bought the suit, styled by the Italian design team of Caluge e Geannelli. And he stayed in the store long enough to complete the outfit with a snakeskin belt and a tuxedo shirt: buttons yes, tucks no.

New York Knee News

Our New York ear partied at Henry and Nancy Kissinger’s splendid Sutton Place apartment the other night, and sent this fashion memo: “The East River view from their windows was fantastic. So was the view of Nancy’s knees, which were exposed beneath the modified minidress she wore. It was a black-and-white silk print, maybe by Oscar de la Renta or Bill Blass, since both were on the guest list. Nancy wore dark, tinted hose and flat shoes. Diane Sawyer wore a knee-length, black gabardine semi-full skirt with a cream silk blouse that had pearls sewn all over it. Washington Post publisher Katherine Graham was in a very flattering black, knee-length cocktail dress with a wide black velvet torso inset.”

Out of the Cave, Into GQ

Christopher Lambert, who dressed Tarzan-esque in his first movie, “Greystoke,” will look less the caveman, more the Armani man, in his upcoming movie “The Sicilian,” directed by Michael Cimino. The French-American actor will play the part of Salvatore Giuliano, a sort of noble bandit described by the studio as “a murderer, a poet and a politician.” Sources with Gladden Entertainment, which produced the film, tell Listen the flick’s a high-fashion feast. L.A. costume designer Wayne Finkelman dressed Lambert in dashing long coats, huge draped slacks and leather jackets. The designer also scoured Rome’s oldest fabric shops in search of vintage bolts of velvet and silk from which to work. Hair stylist Gene Shacove traveled to Sicily to develop Lambert’s do. “We wanted him to have the inspiration of being in that portion of Italy,” the Gladden people say. The resulting hair: neat, swept back, very GQ.

Oprah Makes Do

We’ve been wondering how her public’s taken to Oprah Winfrey’s new do. So we checked in with the talk show host’s now famous (at least in Chicago) hairstylist, Andre Walters, who’s got his own shop in Winfrey’s windy city. First the good news. “It’s increased business,” he says. “And people have been coming in asking for the look.” (The Oprah update is a longer, “kind of frizzy” style that can be worn quite full for special occasions.) “But there’s been a mixed reaction,” Walters admits. “Young people love it. Older and more conservative people say they’re not sure yet.” Meanwhile, he’s got other plans for his client. “I want her to let her hair grow to her shoulders,” he says. “That’ll be her new look next year.”

That Glowing Feeling

Scratch the dimmer lights. Carl White of Long Beach has a better idea: lingerie that glows in the dark. He phoned to tell us he’s making it in four shades (yellow, green, pink, blue) out of some very pretty fabrics, including silk and lace. The fabrics are dipped in a secret solution, he explains, and whatever he dips gets turned on. Not every part of every garment will glow, of course. That’s where design comes in. White says he’s designing the items himself, because he’s talented that way. He also has glow-in-the-dark hosiery coming our way--all in time for Christmas. Prices haven’t been set yet, but a pair of stockings will probably retail from $12 to $15.

‘The Big Town’ Gets Smaller

Recently, we told you about Lauren Bacall and her quest for the latest issue of GQ magazine. After she read our report, Hollywood publicist Gail Block phoned in with what she called “the back story” (that’s screenplay talk for what happens before the first act). It all has to do with a hot, young actress named Suzy Amis who is highlighted in GQ for her role in “The Big Town,” a new movie. Block points out that Amis is married to actor Sam Robards--Bacall’s son. “Lauren is desperately proud of Suzy; she must have been looking for the article on her,” Block says. Could be, but Bacall might have been looking for more. As she picked up her issue Listen heard her ask, “Is he in it?”