Eclipse of the Hairdo

A few stargazers in Hawaii let this week’s eclipse of the sun go to their heads. Customers of Manny Martinez at the Unistyle salon in Kailua-Kona celebrated the celestial blackout by getting a two-tone Eclipse hairdo that Martinez created for the event. It’s basically a flattop dyed black and surrounded by a “corona” of orange-toned, moussed-up spikes priced at $50. Martinez, who has created a dozen of the do’s, says, “I’m very much convinced I’ll continue to do these cuts for some time.”

ITALIAN SHOCKER: Benetton recently unveiled another in a series of eyebrow-raising ad campaigns. One of their six new print ads depicts models dressed as a priest and a nun in a tight lip lock; another shows a newborn still bloody from birth with an intact umbilical cord. “The images aren’t aimed at showing off the beauty of the clothing but capturing the interest of people with the aim of making them reflect,” said Oliviero Toscani, the photographer who created the ads, which were introduced in Milan last week. Benetton has a history of controversial ads, and last year’s batch included two that were withdrawn in the United States. Black groups objected to an image of a black woman breast-feeding a white baby, and an ad focusing on multihued condoms was pulled because of public outcry. FLEET OF UNFASHIONABLE FOOT: Our Canadian-born, Paris-based, St-Tropez connection filed a quick update on this summer’s Cote d’Azur look. Nothing wildly exciting, but a couple of relevant details for Angelenos. She spotted Rams T-shirts and American flag vests along with “one big surprise.” Namely, “the number of men and women wearing those clunky Nikes or Adidas, or whatever they are. A fashion the French have ignored, thankfully, until now.”

FASHION FIGHT: The 127 Building, one of the trendy wholesale fashion addresses on 9th Street in downtown L.A., has seen some serious Hollywood action this week. The “Dynasty” gang was in residence shooting scenes for its miniseries, which airs Oct. 20 and 21. The fashion show during which Alexis (Joan Collins) is told, “You’ll love the 1992 fashions,” and she responds, “I’d better” takes place in the Leon Max showroom. The cat fight between Alexis and Krystle (Linda Evans) is being staged in the Kookai showroom. In the miniseries the line of clothing will be called, appropriately enough, Fashion Fury.

THE TOUGH GO SHOPPING: Leslie Nielsen, the stone-faced star of “Naked Gun 2 1/2: The Smell of Fear” has not been resting on his laurels. Rather, he has been shopping. He stopped in Alandales, a men’s store in West Los Angeles, to pick up a few things for his next project, a film for NBC called “Change of Heart.” His take--five suits, one blazer, a dozen shirts and some ties amounted to a $3,500.

STAR SEARCH: Express, in the Beverly Center, seems to be the place to spot celebs. Spokesperson Shannon O’Rourke says that Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Bernadette Peters, Steven Bochco and Susan Blakely have all been in recently--Mastrantonio for tank tops, Peters for pearl hoop earrings and tank tops, Bochco for T-shirts and Blakely for a black Empire-waist dress, striped cardigan, leggings and a floral trapeze dress.