Plodding a bit this morning (and it’s already a late morning for me) due to a late night supper given for Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough of Proenza Schouler at the Chateau Marmont. Our pal Rosetta Getty flew solo as host since her partner in the evening Brigette Romanek was stuck in New York (and totally missed).
At what must have been the longest table any of us had ever been seated at outside there (and most of us have spent many a late night under those garden arches) were a motley bunch of FOL&J, including Milla Jovovich, Amanda Scheer-Demme, Liseanne Frankfurt, Vincent Gallo, Maggie Kayne and Shiva Rose. At the other end of the table, and new to this bunch, Shepard and Amanda Fairey talked street art with company ceo Shirley Cook, who was gobsmacked to learn he was behind the Obama Hope image.
Patricia Arquette and musician Chris Brenner and I spent the better part of our steak talking about Prop 8 and all that went wrong in the campaign leading up to it. In the end, we agreed that this was some hand of fate to kickstart the national dialogue. Had it quietly been defeated, the fight would be a different matter elsewhere. But the impressive and incessant protests keep the matter in the news, initiates the topic in private homes and, hopefully, changes the course of what took place on November 4.
One new activist to the cause was my fellow guest to the right, Teen Vogue editor Carlos Lopez. He’s never been that politically engaged before, he admitted, and certainly never protested in the streets. But he’s energized and committed.

Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough © Marcio Madeira/Vogue.com

The dinner was a friendly gathering following a long day of official duties related to Jack and Lazaro’s public appearance at Barneys in Beverly Hills, where they talked to a zillion fans while flogging their Spring '09 collection and introducing their new bag line. Since Valentino Group SpA bought a 45 per cent stake in the young New York label last year, the guys have been able to finally fill in the missing areas of their complete vision.
They’ve been clever, too, in introducing the bag. Taking a page out of the strategy that made the Balenciaga “Lariat” a non-It/It bag seven years ago when Nicolas Ghesquière first gave one to Kate Moss and Carine Roitfeld, the Proenza Schouler PS1 just appeared seemingly out of nowhere on frequently photographed brand pals Mary Kate Olsen, Chloe Sevigny and Vanessa Traina—sending bag-centric blogs into a froth over who makes it. With events in New York and, yesterday, in L.A. at Barneys, the cats out of the PS1. It's also making news as the new symbol of "discreet luxury," because of the lack of visible branding or even details (such as the Lariat braids) The soft messenger bag, which is big enough to store your pet and then some, will set you back $1,995.
As another round of wine and cocktails covered the table, Carlos texted Andy LeCompte and friends to join us. Andy is on shore leave for a couple of days off the marathon that is the “Sticky and Sweet Tour.” He’s once again overseeing the hair, including all those crazy wigs. But the lovable stylist was peppy as all over the opening of his first salon, inside Jenni Kayne’s flagship store in WeHo. The latest step in a hair care empire? “Maybe,” he grinned.