N.Y. Stories: Classic Cars and a Fortress of Men

Louis Vuitton pulled out all the stops for a party Thursday to mark the opening of the Louis Vuitton Classic Concours d’Elegance, a car show at Rockefeller Center. Aretha Franklin belted out a jazzy version of “Respect” as guests danced under the stars and skyscrapers until well past midnight. The fete was staged in the sunken area that becomes an ice rink during the winter. Hotelier Andre Balazs was atwitter about his new project on 6th and Flower streets in Los Angeles. Balazs, who owns the Chateau Marmont and Standard hotels, didn’t seem at all worried about being able to attract the hip set to downtown. I guess if anyone can do it, he can.

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At a gallery downtown, Elle magazine celebrated its 15th anniversary with a lukewarm soiree. Held at Deitch Projects in SoHo, revelers sipped champagne surrounded by famous faces--on the walls. The gallery was hosting an exhibition of Elle’s director and photographer Gilles Bensimon’s pics of beauties such as Giselle Bundchen, Cindy Crawford, Tina Turner, Julia Roberts and . . . Britney Spears. Yes, the October issue of the typically sophisticated mag features the 18-year-old pop tart on its cover. “She’s all-American,” Bensimon said. “The fact that she’s successful and young--there’s something special about that.” Is he a fan? “I appreciate her show, but it’s not about what I think.” (Not exactly a resounding yes.)

Guests were eyeing the cashmere camouflage-print cardigan that fashion designer Nicole Miller had tied around her waist. “It’s from the fall collection,” she said. The military look has marched down many a runway this week, but Miller insists she was ahead of the curve. “I did it last season,” she said. “It was me, Jean-Paul Gaultier and Moschino.”

Let’s hope a full-scale fashion war doesn’t break out.

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Showmanship reached a new high Thursday when fashion designer Cynthia Rowley (who has a shop in L.A. on Robertson), sent models down a runway at Bryant Park that featured bird cages with live birds suspended overhead. Guests in the front row got nervous when something began to rain down onto models’ heads. Luckily, it was birdseed.

Fashion designer John Bartlett, whose deranged socialite collection based on the film “Grey Gardens” was a hit last season, outdid himself this time. His spring show opened with the unveiling of a fortress of hunky men, clad only in white briefs and covered in grayish paint (save one poor chap, who was mysteriously orange.) Models had to walk through the wall of manhood onto the runway, where they presented a beautiful collection that Bartlett said was inspired by . . . rope.

In other news: There’s more than one writer in the Bartlett household. His dog Sweetie is a columnist for Elle. Now Bartlett has a deal to write a column for the Financial Times’ online FT.com. “I love to write,” said the Harvard grad. “I used to do it a lot in school, and it’s something I miss.”

Personally, I’d like to see a column explaining that wall. Really John, what was that all about?