Darling Designs

Listen’s mailbox this week contained some enchanting sketches by Christian Lacroix for the new American Ballet Theatre production of “Gaite Parisienne.” Whimsical, extravagant and full of joie de vivre , they were among 19 commissioned by Mikhail Baryshnikov for a brand new production of the ballet, which opens March 1 at the Shrine Auditorium. In charge of executing the costumes, by the current darling of French haute couture , is legendary Broadway costumer Barbara Matera.

Just Desserts

If you’re looking for Bernadette Peters, she’s eating ice cream on TV in a commercial that only runs in the East. Listen heard it first in Los Angeles from Daniel Storto, a local designer who made the gloves Peters wears in the ad. They’re shoulder-length, black suede and part of an outfit that’s definitely not vanilla. Along with the formal-length gloves (a version of which is sold at Fred Hayman’s Giorgio), Peters wears a tight black velvet gown and bright pink taffeta stole that Bob Mackie designed especially for her ice cream number.

New Scent in the Air

Kathleen Turner got the first one, but there will be plenty more bottles of Nino Cerruti Pour Femme perfume soon. The Paris-based designer is launching his first fragrance next spring, Listen hears from Cerruti’s spokeswoman, Mary Hall Ross. He presented Turner with bottle No. 1 when the two longtime acquaintances recently met for dinner in Paris. They had other things to talk about too. She’s wearing his designs in her next two movies (“Julia, Julia,” due out in February with Cerruti-clad Sting as Turner’s co-star, and “Switching Channels,” a March release that co-stars Burt Reynolds). Last but not least, when Turner shops for Cerruti in Beverly Hills from now on, she’ll have to leave the Rodeo Collection behind. The new shop for women is opening at 405 N. Rodeo Drive in about a week.

Tiff at Teatime

Chrissie Hynde, lead singer of the rock group the Pretenders, was en route to London when Listen caught a glimpse of her. She wore beige riding pants, a red T-shirt and a brown jacket with what looked like a fabric crown safety-pinned to its hem, creating quite a unique little tail. Her tail wasn’t all Listen noticed. Chrissie wanted tea. But when it arrived in a Styrofoam cup, she sent it back requesting a real cup and saucer. Out came the real cup and saucer, but Hynde preferred her tea a little stronger than what the airline serves. How do we know? She sent it back again! And she wasn’t even traveling first class.

On the Cutting Edge

Hair stylist Jose Eber got to click the scissors more than usual recently when Jean Kasem, actress and wife of famed DJ Casey Kasem, came in with the surprise request to hack off her long hair. “She’s known for her big blond mane,” Eber tells Listen, adding that the actress’ new cut is “totally high fashion.” Eber says Kasem, of the short-lived NBC series “The Tortellis,” wanted the big change to dash her predictable image.

A Capital Event

We hear guitarist Stephen Stills’ wedding Saturday will be on the simple, traditional side. Spokesperson Gloria Boyce says Stills and Pamela Anne Jordan will tie the knot in Washington after a five-year courtship. The bride, a model, will walk down the aisle in a Jena gown purchased from Rizik Bros., a capital specialty store. After we talked to Steven Rothenberg at Jena in New York, we understood why Jordan chose the cathedral-length gown, with off-the-shoulder puff sleeves, a Basque waist and reembroidered Alencon lace. “It’s a very young, popular number,” he said.