The Eyes May Have It, but . . .
On the plane to L.A. Tuesday night, French eyewear designer Alain Mikli, in town to launch his new $75-to-$125 Mikli Eyewear line, sketched two styles of glasses for Donna Karan. “One she asked for, and one she didn’t,” said Mikli, laughing. The simpatico that the designer feels with Karan is vital, says Mikli. Case in point: He declined Michael Jackson’s invitation to collaborate on a line of eyewear. “I didn’t know how I could translate his imagination.”
Man in the Mirror: Speaking of Michael Jackson, the self-proclaimed “instrument of nature” gets an A+ for his fetchingly arched eyebrows, which we couldn’t take our eyes off during the singer’s interview Wednesday night on ABC with a tuxedo-suited, dated eyebrow-wearing Oprah Winfrey. Equally mesmerizing was Jackson’s eyeliner. Hmmm, tattooed or Maybelline?
Tricks of the Trade: “I want all of you in the audience to practice saying these words: ‘God, I can’t believe how busy I am!’ ” So began the bottom-line lesson delivered by a speaker at last week’s 50th Annual Beauty and Trade Show in Long Beach to a gathering of salon owners. “Say this the moment the client sits down. Now you’ve laid the psychological groundwork for raising your price.” Oh, and another thing: “Stop giving discounts to friends and family members. When your mother comes in, charge her full price. That way when the next friend asks for a discount you can say: ‘But I don’t even give my own mother a discount.’ ” Our advice? Clients, practice saying: “Cancel my appointment.”
Don’t Try This at Home: In the current issue of Martha Stewart Living, Stewart holds forth on the joys of minimalism. It seems she recently invited guests to lounge over cocktails on the floor of her unfurnished living room, cushioned by lots of damask-covered pillows. (Which, of course, one makes oneself--directions included.) Our favorite tip, however, isn’t from Stewart but from an article on towels: “Avoid ironing terry,” author Terry Trucco cautions, “it flattens the loops.” No problem, Terry. And from now on, if anyone asks us to iron anything, we’ll say: “Love to, honey, but it flattens the loops. “
True Love: The Diamond Information Center begs to differ with our recent suggestion that during these tough times, diamonds seem anachronistic. The center’s Cri Cri Slak-Eastin cites a survey that says “67% of women and 70% of men agree, ‘giving diamond jewelry is an expression of love.’ 69% / 60% feel that ‘diamonds are worth the expense.’ ” Is it us or does this sound like what lawyers call “leading the witness?”
Big Babies: “When eyelashes went out of style, I was devastated,” Valerie Sarnelle confides. No more. At her Beverly Hills makeup salon, she says, “I’ve been selling them like crazy.” It happened after she placed an ad in Weight Watchers magazine. Now, women leave her salon wearing the baby-doll look--false lashes, a pouty mouth and glowing blush. The truly daring have their eyebrows bleached too--Sarnelle’s answer to the currently fashionable trend of shaving them off. Tiny torch singer Pia Zadora wears a version of the look in her starring role in a beauty infomercial.
Missing in Fashion: Guess which designers were among the first to lend their names to a post-riot effort by local fashion people called RE-STYLE L.A.? Gianni Versace (from Italy), Alfred Sung (Canada), Joseph Abboud (New York). The organizer, gentlemanly Richard Valenza, excuses some L.A. designers for not jumping on the charity bandwagon, allowing that “some are too small, some aren’t doing that well right now or . . . maybe they didn’t read the invitation all the way through.”
RE-STYLE L.A. doesn’t want their money, though, only their time and genuine interest in giving students at high schools hardest hit by last year’s riots a chance to study fashion design. “Thank God for B.U.M. Equipment,” says Valenza. B.U.M. will host a May 8 fund-raiser at the Wiltern Theatre featuring clothes by Cross Colours, ABS, as well as costumes designed by Bob Mackie and Marlene Stewart. Proceeds will help fund fine arts and fashion scholarships for 20 college-bound students from 14 L.A. schools.
Information and applications will be available when school resumes Tuesday.
Inside Out, which debuts today, will be published every Friday in View.
