Little Nothings
Somewhere between being naked and dressed lies the concept of wearing Sunthings. And please don’t call them pasties. Listen just ran across a pair of these adhesive floral decals in the mailbag, noting the promoter’s promise that they’ll stick to the breast “for up to 48 hours.” The 6-inch-wide decals--a backless substitute for the bikini top--are being imported from Brazil by New York banker-turned-entrepreneur Bonnie Speer. Domestic production on Sunthings will begin next month, when they’ll be sold four pairs to a pack; suggested retail $14.
Final Verdict
How should tough-lady lawyer Anne Kelsey dress for her “L.A. Law” wedding? The show’s costumers brought in a verdict for an antique-lace gown and turned the project over to Susan Lane, owner of Country Elegance in North Hollywood. Lane tells Listen that the wedding dress, made of beaded crystals, English net and 20 pieces of lace, is guaranteed to make Kelsey (a.k.a. Jill Eikenberry) look very romantic when she ties the knot with screen lover Stuart Markowitz (played by real-life husband Michael Tucker).
Signature Signature
For the man who wears his ego on his sleeve, a Beverly Hills clothier has begun selling suits with the owner’s name or initials woven right into the pinstripe. Greg Chapman’s Executive Tailored Clothes, whose clients include Pat Boone, Stuart Whitman, Merlin Olsen and Mayor Tom Bradley, sells the signature suits for about $3,000 each. “It’s pretty subtle, but the name does sneak up on you,” owner Chapman tells Listen of the admittedly “corny” concept. None of his star clients has taken the fashion dare so far, but a few wealthy businessman have, he says. “The people who can be encouraged to wear them are frankly few and far between,” he says. But he knows the type: “There’s something about the ego of the man who’s comfortable with this sort of thing that usually accompanies extraordinary success.”
Playing Santa for Homeless
One L.A. clothing retailer has more than playing dress-up on her mind this Christmas. Joyce Brock, owner of the Place & Co., plans a party to benefit L.A.’s homeless at her Westchester-based store. Brock tells Listen she’ll have Santa Claus with a team of live reindeer at the shop from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, and she invites parents to bring their children for photographs with St. Nick. A $10 donation is requested from adults, a toy and pennies from children. All will go to the People Assisting the Homeless group. Brock sells new and “gently worn” designer clothing. “Most of our clothes are from the rich and famous,” she says.
Crumbling Fashion Dynasty
It sounds like this season could be the swan song for “Dynasty,” the TV soap, at least as a fashion extravaganza. Nolan Miller, the show’s famed costume designer, tells us he’s branching off, introducing a ready-to-wear collection of cocktail and evening dresses under his own label. They’ll be “reasonably priced” at $500 to $1,500, he says. Miller made the switch (he has been designing costumes and custom-order outfits exclusively) because things have changed on the “Dynasty” set. “I only make five outfits a week for the show now, not 20 like I used to,” Miller tell us. “The scripts have become more realistic, so there’s no more Alexis (Joan Collins’ character) having breakfast in her negligee.” What does Miller make of “Dynasty’s” shift away from fashion fantasy-land? “Ridiculous,” he says. A New Empire
Nolan Miller might say the TV-soap-fashion business is slacking off, but a private client, Yvette Mimieux, is keeping him plenty busy. She recently went to Paris carrying 27 brand-new designer originals in her luggage, all of them fresh from Miller’s studio. There were three elaborate evening gowns, several daytime suits and several fur-trim at-home gowns, Miller says. He adds that Mimieux was at his studio for fittings every day for two weeks before her trip.
Bargaining Power
Actress Emma Samms sure has a nose for a bargain. She bought herself a $900 black-and-gold cocktail dress for $175, Listen hears. And that was just the start of her shopping spree the day Samms went to the David Keys boutique for a final clearance sale. The store’s Jack Reed says Samms bought three other items worth a total of $3,000. But she got them for $500. “She was the first one here the day of the sale,” Reed says. “I knew she’d be interested; she’s a regular customer.” Reed is closing the store to open a custom-design studio in February, he says.
Exercise in Good Company
Don’t be surprised to see a very slim Valerie Bertinelli working out at the Exercise Company on Ventura Boulevard in Studio City. She owns the gym, along with her sister-in-law Kelly Van Halen (who’s married to Eddie Van Halen’s brother Alex). They’ve invited Listen to their grand opening shindig on Dec. 5, from 1 to 4 p.m. We can’t make it, ‘cause we’re working, but Bertinelli says all potential exercisers are welcome.
