David Cardoza Has Fun With Fashion--Seriously : ANN CONWAY
For years he’s been hot in the hills, now he’s boffo at the beach.
David Cardoza, fashion guru to Beverly Hills society, brought his spring/summer slide show to Neiman Marcus in Newport Beach on Tuesday.
On hand to applaud the store’s West Coast dean of fashion were board members of the Angels of the Arts of the Orange County Performing Arts Center and assorted big spenders.
Introducing himself to the ladies-who-lunched (on cloud-size popovers with strawberry butter and chilled ravioli, among other things to die for), Cardoza set the record straight: “I don’t take fashion seriously, whatsoever. And I hope you don’t. Fashion is not meant to be taken seriously. It’s meant to have fun with!”
The purpose of crowding a bevy of women into a conference room was to educate them about fashion trends, Cardoza said. Over the years he has found that women learn far more from his slick ‘n’ quick presentation than they do from a fashion show.
“We cover the collections,” he said. “We go to Milan, Paris, Seventh Avenue.” Then, Neiman Marcus brings the fashion news to its important customers. Makes sense.
First on the agenda: a warning to women who try to imitate the haute look of the mannequins who strut the collection ramps. “Ignore their exaggerated makeup and hair,” Cardoza said. “And most important, don’t look at the hem lengths. They are thigh-high. Designers do that to get the press to notice them. Neiman Marcus feels that hems just above the knee are appropriate.”
Other trends:
The color white is the Big News. “Wear it with white hose that have a shine,” Cardoza advised.
Silver accessories are super-hot, especially silver shows. Unlike the gold and bronze of past seasons “silver doesn’t look old and dark; it brings life into fashion--adds freshness,” he said.
The new, long blazer over a cat-suit (ankle-length Lycra skins and matching tops) is an “incredible way to dress,” Cardoza said. Or team the slenderizing blazer with a “flirt of a skirt.”
Of the current ‘60s influence: “It’s not a style to follow exactly ,” he said. Choose the part of it that works on you.
Down to Earth: For weeks he’s been flying the friendly skies of the blue-and-gold tent, thrilling locals with his buffed tresses and silky muscles. But, every once in a while Vladimir Kehkaial --the Flying Russian of Cirque du Soleil--comes down to Earth. And when he does, you’ll find him sipping cider--gallons of it--and dining at the French cafe set up in a trailer on the parking lot near the Big Top.
On Tuesday night, a salmon and mashed potato dish and fettuccine pesto were among the mouthwatering items cooked up by Cirque chef Julie Brisson, a chocolatier.
During dinner, Kehkaial said he has loved his stay in Orange County. While thrilling an audience is his favorite thing to do, he has loved the chance to shop at Giorgio and have his hair groomed at Jose Eber, he said. Along with the rest of the troupe, Kehkaial heads for New York on Sunday.
Tip to the women who screamed their approval of Kehkaial during Cirque du Soleil’s opening-night benefit bash: He’s set to sign autographs on Saturday from noon to 2 p.m. at Jose Eber at South Coast Plaza. Why? “Because I like it,” he said, smiling with those gorgeous pearlies capped in Los Angeles by the dentist who “does Elizabeth Taylor,” Kehkaial said.
