gwen stefani

Parties, if one has the energy to attend them after viewing collections all day, are a mainstay of New York Fashion Week. On Valentine's Day, Victoria Beckham, right, feted Allure magazine's 20th anniversary at a tony bistro called Minetta Tavern. She unexpectedly showed up with David Beckham, her husband, who had on a dark plaid suit and wide tie. "He looks like he just stepped out of an ad," offered a reveler in the bar area, jammed with well-known faces.

Kiefer Sutherland and his delightful gal pal, Siobhan Bonnouvrier, a fashion editor at Allure, were squeezed into one corner. Author Simon Doonan and his boyfriend, Jonathan Adler, the interior designer, chatted with Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelo. Iman, looking as youthful as the first day she arrived in New York, stood catty-corner beside designer Tory Burch.

Linda Wells, Allure's alluring Editor in Chief, later seated beside the Beckhams at dinner, dinged her glass and made a speech about "loving" her 20th-anniversary cover girl, Victoria Beckham. Did RSVIP mention that the steaks were enormous and delicious? Fun fete.

Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich is building himself an exclusive new $30 million private nightclub underneath his football club's stadium in London to entertain girlfriend Dasha Zhukova's (above) chic friends. Work on the luxuriously appointed space, located below Chelsea's Stamford Bridge stadium with capacity for up to 500 guests, is at an advanced stage and could be complete by December the London Evening Standard reports. The venue, in a space formerly occupied by Purple nightclub which closed in 2007, features a 13-ft. high waterfall that cost $250,000 to install as well as a hydraulically-operated stage for private performances by Abramovich's favorite artists including Gwen Stefani, Amy Winehouse and Kings of Leon. The interior will feature a "gritty industrial design motif" with a lavish green room for performers and private booths with plasma TV screens, the paper reports, noting Abramovich got the idea for the club after touring exclusive night spots in the U.S.

If you're looking to add a pair of flirty sandals to your collection, L.A.M.B's Veena Sandals ($325) would make a great addition. The slouchy t-strap sandals have three little pink and beige flowers at the vamp and an elasticized strap making for a snug and individual fit. Given its understated color, the Veena Sandals could compliment a wide range of outfits. If you are of the vertically challenged group and desire some height, myself included, you'll appreciate the five inch heel with a one inch platform. Also available in grey.

Gwen Stefani has done it again. The L.A.M.B. Ultraviolet Briolette Leather Bag is fresh, youthful and classy, and surprisingly affordable.

This baby yellow, embroidered leather bag is given an unexpected edge by the inclusion of dark nickel zippers. The bag is smallish (10½"W X 6"H X 3"D), so the zippers are subtle enough to pass at dressier events. A closer look will let those around you know that you've got personality and style; this is not just a run-of-the-mill purse.

We don't know how Ms. Stefani keeps her prices so low, but her youthful designs are well-served by the practice. For those of us who scoff at overspoiled teens, this bag is a refreshingly appropriate gift. And, as this goes easily from the classroom to the dance floor, it's sure to get plenty of use.

The L.A.M.B. Ultraviolet Briolette Leather Bag is available from Saks Fifth Avenue for a steal: $195.00.

The L.A.M.B. Melbourne Graphic Satchel is an edgy throwback to the 80s by one of our favorite platinum selling (and haired) celebrities, Gwen Stefani.

The Aussies do love their 80s gear, so perhaps that's why this new bag from L.A.M.B. is called "The Melbourne Graphic Satchel." We love the gritty painted bricks effect, making it look like a wall someone graffitied -- and then adorned with a logo patch.

As with most of the L.A.M.B. line, the 7 1/2"H x 13"W x 5"D bag is cruelty-free PVC. This is a perfect little satchel for denim days and nights out on the town.

The L.A.M.B. Melbourne Graphic Satchel is available from Neiman Marcus for $295.00.

The kids at Gawker got their hands on pix from Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich's lavish New Year's Eve bash in St. Bart's which my colleague Deirdre Woollard first reported on. Abramovich is said to have spent about $5 million on the bash for 250 of the chosen, including Lindsay Lohan, Orlando Bloom and Miranda Kerr.

Despite some bad weather, the party proceeded as planned at the 70-acre $89 million estate Abramovich purchased on the posh island back in September, with loads of fancy food, an ocean of champagne, fireworks fired off from one of his superyachts and musical performances by Gwen Stefani, Beyoncé, and Prince. Click here to see the photos.

Shocking, isn't it? Most of us (myself included) thought this day would never come, but ... we actually like this purse hook. In fact, we love it.

When you have a luxury handbag, you don't want it on the floor -- it's dangerous and usually dirty -- but you don't want to cheapen its glamour by hanging it from something that looks like it came from the dollar store. Pavina finally has the solution with its line of Handbag Holders, available for $45 - $68 from marlobrands.com.

Above is the Pavina Olivine, a perfectly lovely, $45 purse hook that finally does a little justice to our beautiful handbags. It's more like elegant jewelry than the plastic junk we've seen (and scorned) before. It's no wonder that Pavina already has quite a celebrity following, including Angelina Jolie, Nicole Richie, Alyson Hannigan and Gwen Stefani, among others.

The Handbag Holders are made to support up to 25 pounds, and have padding on their flip sides to prevent damaging any restaurant tablecloths or hardwood bars (see gallery). Each design is lead-free and handset with Swarovski crystals and semi precious stones.

We had to see it ourselves -- and try it out in several New York City restaurants -- to believe it. These Handbag Holders really are classic looking, unobtrusive, and while most people didn't even notice them, when they did, we got compliments. And our purses have never been safer.

Celebrities like Jessica Alba (right, with baby girl Honor Marie Warren), Courteney Cox Arquette, and even Gwen Stefani have been adorning their babies' ankles with this summer's hot accessory for kids -- Bumble Bells.

Bumble Bells are not just tiny, adorable, audible anklets. They began with a future mom who went to Thailand:

"It all started when Mommy took a trip to Thailand. She saw a little boy toddling around in beautiful silver anklets with tiny bells on them. Everywhere he went, his parents could hear him toddling. And that sweet sound of his bumbling footsteps made Mommy swear that when she had a baby, she would procure herself a pair of those adorable anklets."

And you can guess what she did -- she had a baby and started her own company to bring Bumble Bells to the world!

The tiny anklets are ASTM-certified for safety, and can be worn all day and even to bed at night. The bells run from $45 (sterling silver) to $575 for the Eden Bells, Twinkle Bells, and Sea Shell Bells in gold (see gallery). You can even get a grownup-sized anklet for $97. A portion of all profits goes to Head Start. We like that.

Click through the gallery below to see our favorite Bumble Bells designs -- and why not splurge a little on a little one?

From the NY Post's Gimme Shelter:
--Donald Trump's SoHo building on Spring Street is doing big business, they have 2,800 applications for 500 units. The biggest suites could cost as much as $18.9 million for one apartment.
--Ellenborough, the Easton, Maryland home which was see in the movie, "Wedding Crashers" has been sold. It was listed at $16.5 million but sold for around $11 million.
--Celebrity hairstylist Oribe, is spending about $2 million for a two-bedroom, two-bath apartment at the Grand Madison condo building at 225 Fifth Ave.

From the Real Estalker:
--Celebrity agent Kevin Huvane has listed his Beverly HIlls home for $15.95 million. Huvane never lived in the house and reportedly bought it in 2003 when it had a list price of $8,495,000. Pretty pricey for a place without a pool. The listing is here.
--As we mentioned earlier this week, Paris Hilton's home sold at list price. No word on the buyer yet but apparently they took it furniture and all.
--Kimora Lee Simmons has picked up a home in Beverly Hills that was listed at $5.9 million.
--Gene Wilder has listed his Bel Air home for $2.75 million. It's in need of major remodeling but is a bit of a steal at the price. Check out the listing here.
--Football player turned action film star turned real estate agent Brian Bosworth has listed a Malibu home for $11.9 million. The listing is here.

From Berg Properties Big Time Listings:
--Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne have purchased a 10,953-square-foot mansion in Hidden Hills, California and have sold their Beverly HIlls mansion shown above to singer Christina Aguilera and her husband Jordan Bratman for an undisclosed price (it was listed for $11,995,000).
--Check out the listing for the modern home that actor Jamie Kennedy is buying in the Los Feliz area of Los Angeles.
--Gwen Stefani has paid $2,395,000 for a 3,351-square-foot house in Los Angeles' Hancock Park area. She already has a posh home so this is assumed to be just another addition to her growing portfolio.
--Actress Joan Cusack has paid $5.3 million for a six-bedroom, 8,000-square-foot-plus vintage mansion on the Gold Coast.
--The official price on Posh and Becks Beverly Hills buy is $18.2 million not the $22 million previously reported.

From the NY Observer's Manhattan Transfers:
--Director Martin Scorsese has sold his five-bedroom town house on Manhattan's Upper East Side for $6,158,250. Check out the pics of the place from when it was our estate of the day.
--Jeffrey Hyland, Rick Hilton's partner at Beverly Hills real estate brokerage Hilton & Hyland, signed a contract last year for a sixth-floor place at Ian Schrager's brand-new 40 Bond condo without even visiting the building.

From the Wall Street Journals's Private Properties:
--Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein has agreed to sell his Boston condominium, it was listed for around $1.54 million.
--Developer George Santopietro is asking $50 million for a newly built Tuscan-style mansion in Beverly Hills, Calif.

From the LA Times Hot Property:
--Steve Carell has sold his Studio City house for $1.5 million. Carrell recently bought a $6.5-million home on the water in Toluca Lake.
--Scarlett Johansson purchased director/producer Harold Becker's house in the Outpost Estates area of Hollywood for slightly more than $7 million.
==Courteney Cox Arquette and David Arquette bought a family compound in Malibu for almost $17 million.
--Actress Vicki Lawrence has listed her home in Long Beach for $5 million. You can check out the listing here.
-- Snoop Dogg has sold his home in Claremont for $1.83 million.

From the NY Post's Gimme Shelter:
--The work on Howard Stern's Southampton mansion continues apace. Details include eight bedrooms, a bowling alley and a wine cellar with a tasting room.
--Tom Brady's Time Warner Center apartment is being rented for $60,000 per month to a financier.
--Russian supermodel Natalia Vodianova, and her husband Justin Portman are selling their downtown penthouse. It is our estate of the day later today.
--Eddie Murphy has lowered the price on Bubble Hill yet again. It's now down to $19.5 million from an original price of $30 million in 2004. 'Clove Hill' his farm in Dutchess County, N.Y. is now knocked down to $8,995,000.
--In the Hamptons, an 18-acre farm is listed at $45 million.
-- Artist, writer and media personality Bokara "Bobo" Legendre has returned to Manhattan after buying a Park Avenue penthouse for $4.4 million.

From the NY Observer's Manhattan Transfers:
--David Bach, author of The Automatic Millionaire and Start Late, Finish Rich, has sold a a seven-room loft in the former Bazzini nut factory at 21 Jay Street for $3.6 million to upstairs neighbors Michael Beebe, a media analyst, and his wife Netta Levy.
--Socialite Dayssi Olarte de Kanavos and her husband Pal Kanvos are buying a $17.495 million mansion on Captain's Neck Lane in Southampton.
--Gemma Ward, American Vogue's youngest-ever cover girl, has bought a three-bedroom co-op on East Sixth Street for $1.525 million.
--Bruce Teitelbaum, former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani's onetime chief of staff, has bought a $3.25 million apartment in the Apple Bank building.

From the Wall Street Journal:
--Football player Doug Flutie has paid $2.1 million for an oceanfront house in Melbourne Beach, Fla.
--Actress Marsha Mason is trying to sell her New Mexico ranch for $11.5 million
--Rupert Murdoch is getting ready to list his waterfront mansion in Oyster Bay, N.Y. for $14.8 million.
--AOL exec Ted Leonsis is looking to sell his home in Vero Beach, Florida for $14 million.

From Berg Properties Big Time Listings:
--Chicago Bulls forward Tyrus Thomas has paid $598,000 to buy a three-bedroom townhouse in Northbrook from former Bulls point guard Jannero Pargo.
--Chicago Cubs pitcher Ted Lilly has paid $2.15 million for a six-bedroom, 5,400-square-foot house near Wrigley Field.
--Former "Bachelor" Bob Guiney and his soap opera actress wife Rebecca Budig in the Hollywood Hills to Budig's parents for $1,110,500.
--Jason Priestley has sold his four-bedroom Hollywood Hills home that had been listed for $2,199,000.
--Turns out that See's Candies estate that was written about in the LA Times as selling for $35 million actually went to Tom Cruise.
--Paul Anka sold his house in the gated Mulholland Estates subdivision for $5.8 million and has paid $3,962,000 for a mansion in Thousand Oaks.
--Jason Connery, who is the son of Sean Connery, has paid $1,547,000 for a house in the Beachwood Canyon area of Hollywood Hills.

From the Rat and the Mouse:
A London townhouse owned by JFK's sister-in-law, Princess Radziwill which was Kennedy's London pad of choice during his presidency is for sale for £4.85 million.

From the Real Estalker:
--Simpsons writer Al Jean has listed his Beverly Hills Post Office home for $3.595 million. The listing for the charming four bedroom is here.
--Aimee Osbourne has listed her West Hollywood home for $1.499 million. It has apparently already sold.
--Hair stylist to the stars Christophe and his partner Daniell Schatteman have listed a home in the "Birds" area of Los Angeles, shown above, for $4.795 million. The listing is here.
--Tom Bosley and Patricia Carr-Bosley have listed their English Country home in the Beverly Hills Post Office area for $2.95 million. The listing is here.
--Writer/producer Mark Brazill who bought Gwen Stefani's house in Los Feliz earlier this year for $4.795 million seems to have put it back on the market for $5.2 million. The listing is here.
--Actress Jill Marie Jones is the purchaser of Jason Priestley's old home and has listed her Sherman Oaks home for $1.199 million.
--Jamie Kennedy has listed his home on Fairfax Ave. for $1.099 million. The home has already sold for more than the asking price.

From the LA Times Hot Property:
--Tobey Maguire has sold his Hollywood Hills home for $11.5 million. He bought the house as a first-time buyer in 2002 for $3.7 million.
--Steven Seagal has sold his 995-acre Knoll Ranch in Montague, Calif., 30 miles south of the Oregon border, for close to its asking price of $3 million.
--Actor David Chokachi and his wife, Susan, have purchased a house for slightly more than $1 million in the Beverly Center/Miracle Mile part of Los Angeles.

Is gold the new color for baby gear? Recently a couple of special edition gold-themed baby items caught my eye. Gwen Stefeani was recently spotted using a very shiny gold stroller made by British brand Mamas and Papas. There are just ten of the Ziko Gold strollers available and they sell for around $860 at Selfridges. Also at Selfridges you can pick up a gold papoose designed by Bill Amberg. The sheepskin papoose sells for around $1,895 and is also available in more traditional baby colors like pink and blue.

From the NY Post's Gimme Shelter:
--Deep discounts for Bubble Hill, Eddie Murphy's New Jersey home is now down to $22 million (from an original listing price of $30 million). His Dutchess County farm, known as "Clove Hill," is also listed at $$9.9 million check it out later as our estate of the day.
-- A five-bedroom apartment at 2 E. 67th St. is expected to be sold as part of an estate sale in the low-$30 million range. The prewar home has 16 rooms and several fireplaces.
--Robert De Niro is still renting Central Park West but almost bought a triplex penthouse in a renovated townhouse at 3 E. 75th St. The townhouse is back on the market for $20 million.
--The planned condo project at 485 Fifth Ave. is a no-go. Deposits have been returned and the developers are thinking of turning it into a hotel. This is a move we have seen in a lot of condo projects in trouble but not usually in ones were almost half of the units are already sold.

From the NY Observer's Manhattan Transfers:
--Her Serene Highness Gloria von Thurn und Taxis, a German noble has bought a full-floor co-op at 14 West 17th Street for $3.2 million for her daughter, Princess Elisabeth.
--Jean Pierre Collardeau, a con man who took investors for over $20 million has sold his apartment for $1.68 million. The money will go toward reimbursing his victims.
-- Designer George Beylerian has sold his 9,750-square-foot brownstone at 16 East 77th Street for $10.4 million. He bought the brownstone in 1977 for $270,000.

From the Wall Street Journal:
-- Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale have bought a Beverly Hills home once owned by actress and singer Jennifer Lopez for close to the $15.5 million asking price.
--Matthew Maxwell Kennedy, son of the late senator and presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, has put his six-bedroom home in Hyannisport on Cape Cod on the market for $5.995 million. The shingled home is located around the corner from the main Kennedy compound The listing is here.

From the LA Times Hot Property:
Macy Gray has put her Encino home on the market for $4.559 million. Fun features of the home include a basketball court with a mural, dual staircases, a dome ceiling and pool and spa. The listing is here.
--Michael Berns, consulting producer on the CBS drama "Waterfront" has listed his Point Dume home at $3.5 million. The home has five bedrooms, access to a private beach, outdoor shower and a master bathroom that has a steam shower with a sound system and dual rainheads. The listing is here.
--Kells Jesse, a production designer and his wife, Meshell, have bought a home in La Cañada Flintridge for $915,000.
--More sports action in Manhattan Beach, basketball player Slava Medvedenko has sold his home to L.A. Kings hockey player Alexander Frolov for about $2.3 million.
--Cheryl Chase, the voice of Angelica C. Pickles on the cartoon series "Rugrats," has listed her Sunset Strip-area home for $1.2 million. The charming, traditional home has a white picket fence, three bedrooms and an office/den. The listing is here.

It looks like I was wrong when I said that Gwen Stefani wasn't using the all-fabric baby slings that so many celebs have been seen with recently. She is. She was spotted with an orange zebra striped sling from the Rockin' Baby Shop. The slings are interesting because there are five different carrying positions that they can be used in, varying by age, weight and comfort for the parent. The particular sling pattern that Gwen has appears to be sold out, but all the 100% cotton slings are vibrant and eye-catching, not to mention that they're unisex and can be worn by both mom and dad. If the zebra pattern is what strikes your fancy, try the pink and black zebra sling instead. Price: $97.

[via X17online]

Gwen Stefani opted for a more traditional baby sling instead of the ones that look like they're made from scrap fabric that so many celebrities have been opting for lately. The Gucci Baby Carrier that Kingston is tucked into has adjustable straps and is covered in beige logo fabric with a brown leather trim. Gwen is a woman who has always had a keen eye for style, and it's nice to see that motherhood won't be slowing her down in that department. Price: $760.

[via Dlisted]