Fashion Shows Designed for the Lunch Bunch

The city has been awash in divine fashion luncheons bringing out society in fall couture and jewels, both faux and real. The other day, John Martens at Neiman-Marcus orchestrated the multimedia, double-screened show in the Bistro Gardens Pavilion for 80 members of the National Arts Assn.

Fashion coordinator David Cardoza showed how haute couturiers borrow from one another, how bustles evolve into peplums, how overindulgence inevitably swings back to elegant simplicity in fashion. Thriving on the fashion education were association president Christine Fadel Hoffman, Countess Monique de Warren, Maude Chasen, Kay McKay, Rosemary Raitt, Marjorie Kolliner and Dale Snodgrass.

At the Los Angeles Pops Orchestra benefit chaired by Texas socialite Ceil Moore and the Keynote 88 Committee, Bill Blass, premiering his spring/resort line, was the center of attention. But so were New Yorkers Edward S. Finkelstein (chairman and CEO of R. H. Macy & Co) and his wife, Myra, who hosted a party upstairs at the Bistro the night before for Blass and Ceil Moore. Prominent in the luncheon crowd was the effervescent Rose Marie Bravo, the new chairman and CEO of I. Magnin and Bullocks Wilshire.

Betsy Bloomingdale arrived mid-luncheon and was seated at the head table with Blass. Nearby were Brent McDaneld, Marion Jorgensen and Giney Milner, Patsy Moller and Pam Clyne, Ginger Ludwick and Betty Leonard. Said Ceil Moore: “You’ll know who the committee members are; they look tired!” Nevertheless, they looked wonderful: Sophie Mastor, president; Helen Lambros, Olive Varga (she’s just gone on the board of the John Douglas French Foundation for Alzheimer’s Disease, and had Dorothy Kirsten French as her guest), Dina Oldknow and her sister, Soula Capsalis from Athens.

And, at the Regency Club, Maria Ferrero, good friend of David Murdock’s, gave a very exclusive mini-fashion luncheon feting Paris couturier Hanae Mori, in town to debut her couture as the highlight of the Japan Week L.A. 1988 gala Tuesday at the Universal Sheraton.

Top New York runway model Diane DeWitt was among the models flown in for the occasion. Laura Ariyoshi, wife of the former governor of Hawaii, was with Madame Mori and her son, Kei, and husband, Ken. After lunch chat on weight and exercise and the pain of it all, everyone indulged in Regency chocolates, including Joanna Carson, Billie Ruth Galef, Elaine Goldsmith, Patsy Moller, Jane Rees and Shelly Clark.

DOUBLE KUDOS: Maestro Mehli Mehta’s gift in leading young musicians to greatness was evident the other evening at his 80th birthday celebration hosted by the boards of the American Youth Symphony and the American Youth Symphony Affiliates. Mehta conducts the Youth Symphony. His son, Zubin Mehta, New York Philharmonic conductor, flew in with his wife, Nancy, for tributes; so did his son, Zarin, the executive director of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra with his wife, Carmen. Actor Lew Ayres attested to Mehta’s devotion to classical music. There may be another Mehta on the podium; Mehli’s great-grandson 5-year-old Daniel has already waved the baton. . . .

The Claremont McKenna College Alumni Assn. last week gave its Distinguished Achievement Award to two of America’s top financiers, both graduates: Henry Kravis and George Roberts. (They were on the July cover of Fortune.) Roberts’ wife, Leanne Bovet, attended, but Kravis’ wife, Carolyne Roehm, the socially prominent New York designer, did not. President Jack L. Stark noted that both gentlemen are major donors to CMC. . . .

Jane and Joseph Messler gathered friends in their pretty patio Sunday evening to create interest in the Crown Circle of California Music Theatre. . . .

Donald B. Rice, president and CEO of the Rand Corporation, was in the forefront the same afternoon with a “reservations required” open house for Rand’s 40th anniversary.

BIG WEEK: Producer Stephen J. Cannell and May Company president Kenneth F. Sokol get the big tributes Friday evening at the Hunger Hero Awards Tribute Dinner at the Century Plaza. Ben Vereen will perform for the black-tie audience. Proceeds benefit Love Is Feeding Everyone. . . .

Pitzer College will stage a benefit screening of “Gorillas in the Mist” Friday at Universal Studios, say benefit chair Constance A. Austin and Pitzer president Frank Ellsworth. . . .

The Eddie Cantor Charitable Foundation will host its “Night of Distinction” ceremony Friday at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. Among those being honored are Cynthia and Hal Gershman. . . .

The Sheraton Corporation and Shoreline Square Associates will celebrate the grand opening of the Sheraton Long Beach Hotel and salute the closing of the Long Beach Centennial Friday evening in the Centennial Ballroom.

ORIGINALS: The late Hernando Courtright had his Hideaway at the Beverly Wilshire; Merv Griffin has his Merv’s Corner in the new lobby lounge at the Beverly Hilton.

HIGHLIGHTS: Los Angeles County supervisors proclaimed “The Volunteer Connection” on Wednesday. It’s the beginning of a mass-media campaign to recruit volunteers to help nonprofit groups. Corporate leaders and the Junior Leagues of Southern California are involved. . . .

Gail Feingarten presented the premiere showing of paintings and sculpture by Blake Edwards Tuesday evening at the Feingarten Galleries on Melrose Avenue. . . .

Around the corner on La Cienega at L’Orangerie, John and Bridget Martens were dining with Mary Lou Hicks before their departure for the Soviet Union and Paris, and Michelle Lee and Fred Rappaport had a cozy corner for their first wedding anniversary. Fred and Joan Gerstell were another dining duo.

PAST PERFECT: TreePeople held a wild barbecue (thanks to Gladstone’s) and moonlight strolls at “Evening Under the Harvest Moon” in Studio City, says Marion Siciliano. . . .

Canadian Consul General Joan Winsor, Marina Hotels president Katherine Lurie and United Way chairman of agency relations Thomas Grojean were on hand last week at the Marina Beach Hotel in Marina del Rey when the Empress Hotel in British Columbia served clotted cream and scones. The festivities were to thank United Way western regional volunteers. . . .

Harvest time in the Santa Ynez Valley sent the Music Center’s Blue Ribbon members off on a jaunt to the Firestone Vineyard in Los Olivos for a picnic, dessert and tours later of Douglas Cramer’s art gallery and gardens. Imbibers: Marlene and Brian Billington, Jerome and Joy Fein, Blue Ribbon president Joanne and Roger Kozberg, Mary Ann Mobley and Gary Collins, Diane and Leon Morton, and Joan and Marco Weiss.

Today, the Fraternity of Friends at the Music Center dine at Miramonte, and through the weekend tour a half dozen vineyards, lunching at Sunny St. Helene Winery one day and cocktailing with Charlie Wagner of Caymus Vineyards. That crowd includes Ronald and Jane Olson, Sheldon and Shelby Sloan, Fredric Roberts, Allan and Joan Burns, and Bruce and Janet Karatz. . . .

Chou Devin came up with lots of ingenuity for the baby shower she hosted for Robbin Morgan at the Bistro Garden. She hand-painted huge baby blocks for centerpieces. Among the admirers: Betty Morgan, Audree Pentont, Dody Booth, Callie Irvin and Sharon Black. . . .

Philip S. Holzman, Harvard psychology professor, received the $50,000 Lieber prize from the National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression at a ceremony at the Norton Simon Museum. He was honored for his genetic research involving eye-tracking dysfunctions.

KEEPING UP: UCLA Chancellor Charles and Sue Young hosted 100 at a black-tie event to honor Virginia Mancini for her patronage. . . . Ginny also was in the spotlight at the Women in Show Business dinner last week. . . .

Angel’s Flight Runaway Crisis Center is $200,000 richer with an unrestricted gift from the Burton G. Bettigen Foundation. . . .

Holy Cross Medical Center surpassed its goal, raising more than $215,000 at its night under the stars at San Fernando Mission in Mission Hills.

Actress Tracey Gold of “Growing Pains,” who overcame a learning disability, was honored by the Foundation for Children with Learning Disabilities at the Volvo Tennis Tournament final matches at UCLA. . . .

CHARGE: The Trojan camaraderie was high last Saturday for the brunch President James H. Zumberge and Marilyn gave for several hundred in Town and Gown before the USC/Oklahoma football game kickoff. Lots of USC trustees were in the crowd--George Boone and his wife, Mary Lou; Virginia Ramo; Richard Van Vorst with Connie; Carl Hartnack with Roberta; Gavin Herbert with Ninetta; Hugh Helm with Nancy; Fred O’Green and his son, Eric; Ken Leventhal; Douglas Pardee with Marianne; Jane Popovich with Kris; Lorna Reed with Charles; Edward Zapanta with Norene; John Argue with Liz. Zumberge took the opportunity to note that, “USC has had 234 Olympians since 1904--more than any college in the United States. Who do you think is second? Harvard!”

CHEERS: Les Dames de Champagne honored the authors associated with their group (Jeanne and Irving Stone, Charles Luckman, Art Linkletter, Marjorie Fluor, Christina Crawford) at luncheon Tuesday at the home of Victoria Bolker in Hancock Park. . . .

Holly Davis introduced well-known San Francisco landscape designer Stephen Suzman at luncheon for the San Marino League at the home of Carol Bressler. . . .

The Santa Monica Heritage Museum stages its first “Art & Architecture” fund-raiser with more than 20 galleries participating. . . .

Silver Rose Debutantes for the Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital Guild were introduced at afternoon tea at the Piru Mansion.