Zooey Deschanel, in Karl Lagerfeld, and Reese Witherspoon, in Nina Ricci by Olivier Theyskens
(LOS ANGELES) Four things in life reliably turn lovely women rabid—shoes, men, makeup, and handbags—and P.S. Arts’ fourth-annual “Bag Lunch” at Colleen Bell’s palatial home in Bel Air is a prime example of Big Bad Beautiful Bag Lust, a.k.a. BBBBL, a disease that hits Tinseltown particularly hard when spring seeps into the air, color palettes lighten up, and invitations to this event hit mailboxes.
Raising $180,000, the 200 guests, including Reese Witherspoon (“Yes, I’m wearing Nina Ricci,” she laughed. “It’s a theme!”), Kristin Davis, Zooey Deschanel, Kerry Washington, Jamie Tisch, Irena Medavoy, Lianne Weintraub, Cornelia Guest, Kimberly Brooks, Gregory Parkinson, jewelry designer Lisanne Frankfurt, Kendall Conrad, and hosts Elizabeth Stewart and George Kotsiopoulos, savvily showed up at noon, and with good reason: most of the best bags—from the likes of Marni, Lulu Guinness, Burberry, Louis Vuitton, Donna Karan, Gucci, and Roger Vivier, and discounted up to 60 percent—had been snagged by 12:30 pm.
“Where are the Miu Mius?” Witherspoon asked as she darted about. “No Miu Mius?” Meanwhile, Tracey Ross, in Jovovich-Hawk, was desperately seeking a new YSL, and Kathy Hilton snagged a beautiful small framed silver Tod’s evening bag for $1,200 that had actually been a gift to Deschanel. “All for a good cause,” the actress sighed, trying not to look back. Davis, a committee member herself, kidded that she shouldn’t actually be shopping, but nevertheless found herself in a bidding war over a cream crocheted Ferragamo. Joely Fisher was so obsessive about a purple leather Luella bag that she held bodily guard over it. “I am willing to fight!” she announced. “I will throw down for this bag! I’m into hot colors for spring.” Later on at lunch, she was spotted hoisting a grey Thomas Wylde number with a skull imbedded in it. “It’s a woman’s right to change her mind,” she giggled. “I went from bright to goth.”
After they had bagged their bags—and not before—ladies retreated into Bell’s backyard to nibble on salads and sandwiches from bags of the brown paper variety, where they showed off their hard-won prizes. This year, there was an added bonus as well: in addition to 150 pairs of SAMA eyewear by Sheila Vance, event sponsor Lancôme—with the brand’s Kerry Diamond popping in from New York via Paris (“I did buy a little Dior bag,” she laughed)—ensured that guests left content with a slew of Lancôme goodies. However, even as they neared the valet, cries of, “That’s really my color—maybe we should trade!” echoed between rows of shiny black SUVs. Not from Susan Campos and Marilyn Heston, however—some shoppers don’t mess around. “We snagged the luggage!” exclaimed Campos as she lugged out a pale green Y-3 carry-on.
MERLE GINSBERG |
