When Two Style Mavens Collide

The fashion industry is full of creative, competitive types, so clashes over who designed what are to be expected. And it’s not just the household names who find themselves in the midst of these rag wars.

Los Angeles fashion designer Monah Li, whose velvet and lace creations have made fans of Courtney Love, Cameron Diaz and Stevie Nicks, said she has received a “fat check” of $35,000, putting an end to a yearlong battle with another fashion designer.

Glue magazine, a Los Angeles style monthly, reported in November that the other party is Patty Shelabarger, an Italian designer who recently opened a store at 813 N. La Brea Ave.

According to Li, Shelabarger asked to represent her line in Europe last year, but instead removed the labels from Li’s clothing and sewed in her own.

“She damaged me in Milan,” Li told us. “What really got me angry was that she got so much press in Europe and so many cool articles written about her. I just kept thinking, ‘I am a famous person and you are a nobody.’ ”

Shelabarger and her attorneys declined to comment on the spat. “As much as Ms. Shelabarger would like to address these questions,” wrote her New York sales representative, Jay Errico, in a statement faxed to us, “she is unfortunately not at liberty to discuss these allegations as it is stipulated in a confidentiality agreement signed by both Ms. Shelabarger and Ms. Li in the presence of their attorneys.”

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Hillary Rodham Clinton may be the most controversial first lady this nation has ever had, but she certainly isn’t the first first lady to raise eyebrows. Dolly Madison, famous for her cake and ice cream, was a bit of a tart, according to historian Carl Sferrazza Anthony, who compiled a list of the 10 most controversial first ladies for George magazine. Her tacky buffet tables, plunging cleavage, heavy rouge and fondness for snuff were criticized by many.

Betty Ford was known during her husband’s administration more for her controversial feminist thinking than her difficulties with drugs and alcohol. Ford drew fire from conservative activist Phyllis Schlafly for supporting the Equal Rights Amendment.

Even style icon Jacqueline Onassis wasn’t beyond reproach. Bible Belt newspapers accused her of swimming in “indecent clothing”--a bathing suit.

Then there’s Hillary--who, writes Anthony, “has the dubious distinction of being the only first lady to have been burned in effigy.”

Look how far women have come!

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Is there no limit to what Warner Home Video will do to promote a video release? Fifteen students from Moorpark College, dressed as James West, raced live tarantulas on the Sunset Strip on Tuesday morning to mark the video release of the movie “Wild Wild West.” The students, who are studying insect training (yes, really), competed for $500 in scholarship money.

At least the parade of spiders and students had legs, even if the summer flop didn’t.

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Recording Artists, Actors and Athletes Against Drunk Driving announced a nine-week campaign Tuesday in West Hollywood to reduce drunken driving. Judd Nelson is the spokesman for the campaign, which aims to recruit designated drivers by offering them incentives such as free nonalcoholic drinks and discounted CDs at participating bars, restaurants and retailers. (Info: https://www.radd.org.)

We applaud the effort, but shouldn’t the prospect of living through the night be incentive enough?

Booth Moore can be reached at booth.moore@latimes.com.