A Special Colleague : Audrey Hepburn Is Honored Guest at Valentine Fashion Show

Audrey Hepburn is no longer a regular on movie marquees, but her popularity doesn’t seem to be based on current box office grosses.

Hepburn was the much-mobbed honoree Thursday at a Valentine’s Day luncheon and fashion show given by the Colleagues, featuring fashions by the Ferragamo family (they of the pricey shoes and trendy sportswear), which just opened a new store on Rodeo Drive. While she travels the world working for UNICEF, Hepburn isn’t a regular on the party circuit, making her a much sought-after guest.

Hundreds of Colleagues members, many wearing suits the color of tomatoes or borscht mixed with sour cream, streamed into the Regent Beverly Wilshire hotel about noon. The odd man in the crowd was an immediate standout; Ricardo Montalban spotted Gerald Oppenheimer and asked, “Are we the only men here?”

Meanwhile, in an upstairs room, Hepburn, dressed in a navy suit, her hair tucked back in a discreet bun, calmly posed for photographs and greeted friends.

“My work with UNICEF is extremely rewarding,” said the actress, who has been goodwill ambassador for the United Nations organization since 1988 and is on a fund-raising tour. “It’s a marvelous feeling to be able to do something, however little. UNICEF must raise funds to be able to achieve what we do, to keep it going. Occasions like these are extremely valuable and precious to us.”

Later she told the luncheon crowd that she was perhaps among “the privileged few who knew (the late shoemaker) Salvatore Ferragamo personally. I remember that day in Florence 36 years ago when he showed me around his workroom and with such patience and passion explained his craft to me, which in his hands became an art of unsurpassed quality.

“I’ve also never forgotten (his wife) Wanda Ferragamo, how warmly and kindly you welcomed me to your lovely house--and the fabulous fettuccine that you gave us for lunch. I’ve been hooked on Ferragamo shoes and fettuccine ever since.”

Wanda Ferragamo, the matriarch of the Ferragamo family, brought her brood in for the luncheon, which capped a week’s worth of events surrounding the opening of the store.

Attending were Giovanna Ferragamo (who designed the spring collection), Fiamma Ferragamo, Massimo Ferragamo, Mandy Ferragamo and several of the grandchildren.

Also on hand were Colleagues president Marjorie Miller, luncheon chairwoman Patti Skouras, former Colleagues honorees Nancy Reagan and Gloria and Jimmy Stewart, Sylvester Stallone (who hadn’t planned on coming, he said, but stopped by to see his friend Massimo Ferragamo), Frank Stallone, Dianne Feinstein, Judith Krantz, Phyllis Diller, Barbara Davis and daughter Nancy Zarif, Dina Merrill, Betsy Bloomingdale and Marc and Jane Nathanson.

The Colleagues benefit the Children’s Institute International, which helps children who are abused, neglected, abandoned or exposed to drugs before birth.

The fashion show was well-received, although some in this Adolfo-suited crowd must have been wondering how they were going to fit spandex hot pants into their spring wardrobes.

Miller announced that the pillows on the chairs and the centerpieces were for the taking, but asked guests to leave the silk scarf tablecloths alone.

“They’re not available,” she said, “so please don’t rip them off.”