By Mark La Monica
"Fashion shows starting late are great for people watching," Freestyle friend Cristina called to tell me in the waiting moments before Oscar de la Renta's show started.
True indeed.
Oscar de la Renta did not disappoint, either. His dresses looked quite fly and the famous people looking at them were equally fly. So it's time for Round 3 of Celebrity Sightings. Keep in mind these are just people I could see and recognize.
On the scene in the front row was Nicole Richie, famous for being Lionel Richie's daughter, getting dumped by Paris Hilton and losing weight. A number of people in the photographer's pit gabbed away at how thin she looked and how it's not healthy and they wanted to help her. Disclosure to America: Listening to regular people talk about famous people as if they were their own daughters is beyond hilarious.
Having seen Thalia glam it up on the runway Friday at the Heart Truth show, I believe the sexy Latin singer was in attendance as well. However, after reading in The Front Row Daily, this week's on-site fashion magazine, that there was a Paris Hilton lookalike in the front row, I won't confirm Thalia's presence. But I did drool quite a bit as she walked in, so I will lay the points and bet that it was her.
(Note: That The Front Row Daily came in handy during this week is an upsetting reality. This better not be a trend.)
Serena Williams could kick my patoot. I know this because she walked by with three tickets, one for the fashion show and two for the gun show. That girl is ripppppppped. And quite fly in person.
Elle Magazine fashion director Nina Garcia took in the sights from the front row. This doesn't do much for me, but she's a big dog in the fashion world and this is Fashion Week, so its reporting seemed appropriate.
Style guru Andre Leon Talley rolled in to the show as well. That I can recognize him and, even scarier, know who he is and what he does speaks volumes to the fact that I have watched entirely too many countdown shows on E! and VH-1 in my lifetime. Another industry sighting like this and I'm canceling my cable.
Mets general manager Omar Minaya enjoyed the show with his lovely wife, Rachel, who is definitely the best acquisition he ever made. She is a striking woman.
After the show, NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon was spotted in the front row of the balcony. I immediately felt the urge to recite the Nelly lyrics "Drive fast, see, call me Jeff Gordon, in the black SS with the navigation." I refrained, out loud that is. In my head, I was on stage at the MTV Awards with a Band-Aid under my right eye, three gold teeth and a St. Louis accent.
Also spotted, albeit in the memory card of a digital camera belonging to new fashion friend Pilar of Bogota, Colombia, were Oscar de la Renta and the King of Spain's son-in-law. Pretty cool.
Even cooler is when Pilar returns to Colombia, she's going to have to explain to her people who that guy in the $6 argyle woolie is.