Who else but Tom Ford could round up the world's most beautiful women to model the first women's ready-to-wear collection under his own name?

In 2007, Ford launched an eponymous menswear line, which has since become a favorite of the red-carpet set. (His client list includes Daniel Craig -- and his James Bond alter-ego in "Quantum of Solace" -- Brad Pitt and NBA player Amar'e Stoudemire, who turned up at last week's Fashion's Night Out runway show at Lincoln Center nattily attired in a TF suit.). A women's side of the business had always been part of Ford's long-term plan, and he returned to that arena Sunday night with a super-exclusive showing at his Madison Avenue store. 

For his first women's collection, Ford enlisted some of the most beautiful women in the world to model, including Lauren Hutton, Julianne Moore (who co-starred in his 2009 directorial film debut "A Single Man"), Rita Wilson, Lisa Eisner and Beyoncé.

In a time when fashion is everywhere, and the Twitterati have tackled the tents thumbs a-blazing, this couldn't have been more personal. The bloggers were MIA, nary an iPhone camera was brandished and Ford himself talked guests through the entire collection, describing each piece in detail, all the way down to the gold-dipped feather earrings.

Many of the clothes seemed to be inspired by the women who wore them; Hutton wore an ivory silk trouser suit with peak lapels, while Eisner sported a boho chic feather headpiece, hammered gold breastplate and a black column gown. Karen Elson, who sang on the soundtrack that accompanied the show, wore a cobalt blue fringe dress. Moore (whose husband and daughter were sitting in the front row) wore a nude silk Georgette fringe dress.

Wilson, wearing a glamorous black velvet evening column gown, and her hair swept into an up-do, seemed to enjoy the sheer spectacle of nearly 100 people crammed into the narrow ground-floor space of Ford's boutique, vamping it up on the catwalk and striking a pose for the photographer.

Model-wise, it was an all-ages show, with the likes of 20-year-old model Chanel Iman in a '40s-looking Prince of Wales check pants suit and 29-year-old Julia Restoin Roitfeld (daughter of French Vogue Editor in Chief Carine Roitfeld, who has also been the face of Ford's Black Orchid fragrance) in a zip-front leather jacket also hitting the postage-stamp-size runway.

One of the most striking outfits of the night was worn by Beyoncé, who entered to enthusiastic applause wearing a black-fishnet, hand-embroidered gold pailette patterned dress.

But it's unlikely you'll see any photos of Ford's spring/summer 2011 women's collection popping up on the Internet soon (at least without the permission of Ford's camp) because a strict "no camera or recording device" policy was in place, and the event was easily the most exclusive and hard to get into of the week. Not to mention that the lensman Ford enlisted to shoot the models as they came down the runway was none other than famed photographer Terry Richardson.

Ford is as much a savvy businessman as a control freak, and we suspect he's trying to keep it under wraps as long as possible for maximum effect. If images haven't surfaced by the time Ford finally opens his long-awaited Beverly Hills boutique later this year, we couldn't think of a more opportune time.

-- Booth Moore and Adam Tschorn, reporting from New York

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Tom Ford to open on Rodeo Drive -- right across from Gucci

Photo: Tom Ford and Julianne Moore at the Golden Globe Awards on January 17, 2010. Credit: Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times
 

The dollar count may not be done yet, but by sheer body count -- and the number of events that unspooled across New York City on Friday night -- the sophomore installment of Fashion's Night Out was an unmitigated success.

All The Ragers who found themselves in town for New York Fashion Week tried mightily to experience as much of the fashion-related frivolity as possible, starting the night at Barneys New York's 10-layer cake of chaos at Madison and 61st Street at 6:30 p.m., and ending it nearly four hours later outside the Balenciaga boutique (outside because the crowd turning out to hear model Karen Elson sing had reached capacity at the exact same moment we arrived).

Barneys seemed to serve up something for everybody, from a display of handmade Kouklitas dolls inspired by fashion icons (Anna Wintour and Grasce Coddington dolls greeted shoppers right inside the front door), to Simon Doonan posing (patiently) for photos and signing copies of his book "Eccentric Glamour," and Daphne Guinness signing bottles of her namesake fragrance.

There was truly something for everyone during Friday night’s Fashion’s Night Out in Los Angeles. At Neiman Marcus, the ladies who lunch came with their friends, mothers and shopping buddies in tow to flood each floor of the department store and, well, shop, shop, shop.

Dr. Lorena Frcek of Brentwood attended the Neiman’s event with her mother, and the two definitely got their shop on, purchasing some black jeans from CJ by Cookie Johnson (which was a featured product after Johnson staged a fashion show using the store’s centrally located escalators as a runway) as well as plenty of beauty and skin care products. “I’ve been shopping at Neiman’s for 20 years,” said Frcek. “I had a blast last year, but I definitely bought more this year.  They had yummy appetizers last time and the fashion show was better. This time they just have chocolate chip cookies. I’d love a small piece of bread and some cheese; it would be a nice pick-me-up.”

Designer David Meister was winding down his customer meet and greet (one of three he’s doing at Neiman’s over the weekend) and had a fun time at his first Fashion’s Night Out. “This is a great event for getting more people out. It makes shopping more approachable. The atmosphere may be like a party, but it also really promotes the retail business. It’s a win-win for everyone and it just seems to be getting bigger and bigger!”

Over at the 3.1 Phillip Lim store in West Hollywood, it was the crowd that was getting bigger and bigger. The Pattywagon burger truck gave party-goers sustenance (and a buffer for the tequila being served at the open bar) and drew a giant line that seemed to blend right into the well-dressed masses that stood around the front courtyard in too-cool-for-school huddles like it was lunchtime on the high school quad.

Inside the boutique hung an art exhibit by James Jean which was curated by Lim. The subject was “L.A tastemakers” and 19 portraits of people such as Cameron Silver, Gia Coppola and Rashida Jones were hung from clothing racks just in front of Lim’s fall 2010 collection. Out of 19 portraits, 11 sold and proceeds benefited the LACMA costume council. Clothing sales were also up with a portion also going to the costume council.

-- Melissa Magsaysay

Photos, from top: Gia Coppola tends bar for guests at 3.1 Phillip Lim's party for Fashion's Night Out; Gia Coppola and Rashida Jones at 3.1 Phillip Lim's party for Fashion's Night Out. Credit: 3.1 Phillip Lim

"Fergie! Fergie!" cries a young boy in a fringed leather jacket clutching an iPhone in one hand and a Fergie CD in the other as he runs toward the escalator where she has appeared. Dressed in a short, tight, sky-blue dress, Fergie hugs the boy and poses for a photo. About 200 people have gathered at Nordstrom at the Grove, where the Black Eyed Peas singer signs autographs for shoppers who buy from her newest shoe collection.

She sits at a black lacquered table surrounded by shelves that display chunky suede and leather boots in pearl grey, caramel and black as well as suede stilettos with dainty crisscross patterns over the toe. Fergie is wearing a pair of the stilettos, and one onlooker remarks, "Yeah, but did she actually design them herself?"

Meanwhile, Fergie sits like a queen, greeting her subjects as she squeezes the hands of each person she meets. The fans represent a variety of ages and cultural backgrounds.

Bodyguards at her side keep order but everyone is pretty relaxed.

One employee opines, "She should have come in on a string and lit herself on fire or something."

In the background, the party atmosphere that was inaugurated earlier with the appearance of TOMS Shoe creator Blake Mycoskie is still in the air. In the background the DJ plays Sheila E.'s "The Glamorous Life."

-- Daina Beth Solomon

Photo: Fergie for Avon. Credit: Avon via Getty Images

Melrose Boulevard was up way past its bedtime, with shoppers strolling from store to store and registers ringing loud and clear Friday night. Case in point: Beckley, whose owner Melissa Richardson had a stroke of genius in hiring pedicabs to take shoppers to as many stores as they desired, sans the stress of parking valets or meters.

In her store, where customer relationships seem to always come first, Richardson greeted regulars and the new faces that stopped by. The RSVPs exceeded her expectations and so did the amount of sales. "It was so much more than what I thought. It's always a good thing when people are shopping," she said.

She said she would definitely participate in Fashion's Night Out again next year "because there were so many new people in the store. When you have been open for two years and the buzz wears off, getting new people can be a challenge."

Guests sipped on strawberry basil lemonade, some served "Madonna's, Like a virgin" -- which is what I enjoyed. But the drinkers took it straight up, with vodka. Travis Schmidt's uber-popular world's fair food truck handed out Diane von Furstenburgers.

The pedicabs turned Melrose into its own little shopping community, which is exactly what Richardson had in mind. I took the pedicab to Kiki de Montparnasse, where the Chapin sisters played a beautiful acoustic set with soft harmonies while shoppers took advantage of the aphrodisiac tasting that consisted of what the manager termed erotic food, such as grapes, figs, berries and dried papaya strips.  

After I tried a handful of berries and enjoyed a beautiful performance, the pedicab took me back to my car. Sports car drivers poked fun but the pedestrians cheered the pedal-pushing pedicab drivers, and so did I.

-- Raha Lewis

Photo: Melissa Richardson in Beckley, her West Hollywood boutique. Credit: Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles TImes

Teens were by far the most well-represented age group at the Beverly Center on Friday during Fashion's Night Out.

 "I really, really, really like fashion," said Jean Fuentes, a 16-year-old from Fairfax High School. "I want a high-waisted skirt that I've seen at H&M," she said.

Fuentes was wearing her highest heels and had brought three friends with her. When asked why she wore such uncomfortable shoes, she said, "Beauty is pain and pain is beauty," words she said she was forced to live by "because we have to look good in this industry."

Fuentes hopes to be a designer one day, which is why she came to the Fashion's Night Out events, which included a runway show, music and shopping, shopping, shopping. Her friend Orit Metusal had no idea that this was going to be such a shopping spree. "I want to see Justin Bieber," she said --- who wasn't appearing.

The mall was transformed into a fair with DJs packing in crowds at Armani Exchange and Steve Madden, live models drawing attention to Traffic, Skechers and Everything But Water, and hosts standing outside stores personally welcoming shoppers to partake of their sales for the night. There were even shoppers munching on cotton candy.

Behind the scenes, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa entertained private guests and the owners of many of the Beverly Center stores in the VIP lounge.

Bill Taubman, chief operating officer of Taubman, the company that owns the Beverly Center, said what they really wanted from the evening was "to elevate the Beverly Center brand, putting it front and center and hopefully getting the people to come who hadn't been here in a while to see all the great new stores that we have opened."

-- Raha Lewis

Fashion's Night Out: Beverly Center photo gallery

The posh strip of Rodeo Drive retail shops from Little Santa Monica to Wilshire Boulevard was alive with people who flocked to the Beverly Hills hot spot for everything from gourmet food trucks to discounts on fashion and even a "free" ferris wheel ride Friday night.

A motley mix of patrons circled boutiques, popping in for the champagne and desserts and many actually browsing and buying. There were school-age kids with their parents at Bebe, Guess and Juicy Couture, the latter of which offered 30 percent off on purchases. DJs, drinks and stilettos at YSL and Jimmy Choo attracted well-dressed women who mingled with friends and tried on fall's latest shoes.

Celine Liu and Una Wu were visiting from Taiwan and still managed to find out about the night's festivites. They each puchased jewelry and clothes from Juicy Couture, taking advantage of the night's discount.

Jourdan Rashing, 12, strolled with her mother toward the Guess store after stopping for sustenance at the grilled cheese food truck that was serving a special "fashion" sandwich containing spare ribs, cheese and caramelized onions. When asked if she had taken a ride on the ferris wheel, she replied "no, not yet. You have to buy something and show your receipt, then you can ride it," she said. 

For those who simply wanted a festive Friday night out, live music, balloons and giveaways were everywhere. And of course it wouldn't be Beverly Hills without an ample amount of eye candy-- All the Rage saw six women dressed to look like the Kardashian sister (asymetrical-sleeve cocktail dresses and cascading brown hair extensions) standing in front of Bebe.

--Melissa Magsaysay

Fashion's Night Out: Rodeo Drive photo gallery

"Hey, you got the wedges - you like them?"

Blake Mycoskie welcomes each shopper with a grin and a look down to their shoes. His own light blue  colored espadrilles are well worn. The founder of TOMS Shoes is at Nordstrom at the Grove to present new models of his company's trademark espadrilles and promote his charity project One for One in which for every pair sold another is distributed to an individual in a disadvantaged country.

The motives of Mycoskie's project are serious but the atmosphere at Nordstrom is pure party. Pop techno beats blare from a DJ's speakers. A mini putting green sits between the men's and women's shoe sections. A waitress offers risotto hors d'oeuvres to the crowd of shoppers, who fill the aisles so tightly that they must take care not to bump into one another.

Girls with side swept bangs and floral print dresses run their fingers over the display counter tops. Mothers push their children in strollers, and guys who emulate Mycoskie's surfer style browse and chat.

Nearby, several artists use markers to decorate espadrilles with giraffes, peace signs, spirals - whichever designs the shopper requests.

About 25 styles are on the floor including holiday exclusives in tie dye, glitter and sequins.

Meanwhile, Mycoskie is busy smiling and laughing as he greets the guests who have lined up to shake hands and take  a picture with the 33-year-old entrepreneur.

"I love meeting the people who wear TOMS shoes and learning their stories and why they became part of the movement," Mycoskie says.

TOMS shoes recently sold its millionth pair.  

--Daina Beth Solomon

The Beverly Center was home to a full-fledged runway show Friday night -- a little slice of the global shopping extravaganza called Fashion's Night Out in our own backyard. Lights, loud music and celebrities in the front row added excitement. Tweens crowded the banisters on all floors overlooking the hoopla.

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, introduced by Ellen K of Kiis FM, kicked the evening off and wasted no time telling the crowd what the event was all about: "Today we celebrate retail, and we're saying to all of you that we want you to shop until you drop."

The tweens cheered the loudest for will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas, who thanked them all for coming and reminded them that when he was 15, he used to "sit up there on the top floor." 

Lisa Love, West Coast editor of FNO co-sponsor Vogue, thanked the crowd and reinforced the mayor's sentiment. "I just want to say I am so proud of everybody in L.A. Fashion is fun, spend money tonight and help everybody in this economy and this business."

The fashion show commenced to the blaring sounds of Mike Posner. There were also appearances by The Hills star Stephanie Pratt, blogger Perez Hilton and actress Mena Suvari.

--Raha Lewis

Photo: L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa attends the American Idol Grand Finale 2010 at the Nokia Theatre on May 26, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. Credit: Gregg DeGuire / FOX / PictureGroup.

Bright light streams in through over-sized windows at the 11^th-floor penthouse at the Cooper Design Space in downtown L.A. Friday afternoon.  "It's beautiful now," says Richard Wainwright,"but at night when it gets dark, the place looks magical." Wainwright is the co-creator of "A Current Affair,” a temporary marketplace set up for Fashion's Night Out that features clothes and accessories from more than 20 vintage boutiques and private dealers.   

With offerings that span multiple eras and price levels, it doesn't take the right mood lighting to create a fashion fantasy land. 

One table displays a five-foot high platform shoe striped in shades of green.  Opposite, a mannequin models a gold lame dress from the early '60s.  Down the row, a rack holds magenta pink and fuscia coats lined with fur.  At a different booth, a single red feather flutters on the waist of a navy blue flapper-style dress.  Nestled inside a glass case, cuff bracelets made with beads from vintage handbags gleam in the sun. 

Wainwright wants the event to be like a party, so in addition to feasting on sights of feathers and sequins, shoppers can enjoy an open bar and tunes from a DJ.

He hopes that hundreds, including celebrity guests, will visit the marketplace event, which runs 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and picks up Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

"There are other places to be for Fashion's Night Out, but we have really unique stuff," Wainwright says.  "And the only way you can get it is if you're here tonight."

--Daina Beth Solomon

Photos: Vintage dresses from "A Current Affair." Credit: Daina Beth Solomon.

Los Angeles-based style blog Fashion Rules, which was launched by Margaret Maldonado, founder of the MMA Agency, and is helmed by fashion journalist Merle Ginsberg, has launched an iPhone application, “Fashion Rules” -- that mirrors a fashion board game of the same name the company released last year.

The app urges you to upload images of yourself, along with your very own fashion “rule,” i.e. “never mix navy blue and black.”

Other users will vote “Make It” or “Break It” on your rule, depending on their viewpoint. There's also a fashion trivia component to the game, where you can test your knowledge of models, designers and trends.

And the company will be playing a real-life version of the app Friday night on Rodeo Drive -- in a spot nestled near the Ferris wheel and food trucks -- in honor of Fashion’s Night Out.

The first live Fashion Rules game recently went down in New York in the handbag department of Bergdorf Goodman, testing the fashion know-how of contestants including Donna Karan, Bergdorf’s creative director Linda Fargo and actress Emmy Rossum.

There will be two rounds of the game played Friday night, both hosted by Ginsberg.

At 6 p.m., catch Vogue West Coast editor Lisa Love and brow expert Anastasia Soire going toe-to-toe; and at 8 p.m. see stylists Christina Ehrlich and Jen Rade, fashion editor and stylist George Kotsiopolous, Kelly Osbourne, “Dancing With the Stars’ ” Carrie Anne Inaba and Rose McGowan test their knowledge.

-- Emili Vesilind

Photo: A trivia screen for the new Fashion Rules iPhone application. Credit: Fashion Rules

See Adam Tschorn's mega-list of events for Fashion's Night Out here — then take note of a few more happenings worth hitting up Friday from 6 to 10 p.m.:

Moods of Norway: Drink beer and eat barbecue at this den of Norwegian fashion. 113 South Robertson Blvd., Los Angeles. 

Zainab: Sip cocktails while checking out master African drummer Aziz Faye from 8 to 10 p.m. 7021 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles.

Trina Turk:  From 7 to 9 p.m. get a free massage or manicure, champagne and sweet treats. 8008 W. 3rd St., Los Angeles.

Coco de Mer: See burlesque Hula-Hoooping every 30 minutes from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. 8618 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles.

Alpha: Check out live "voguers" from the esteemed House of Xtravaganza striking a pose in the windows. Music by DJ Vinnie Vin; door prizes throughout the night. 8625 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles.

Abbot Kinney: Ten of the most influential shops on Venice's main drag have banded together to make the trek west worthwhile tonight. Grab a VIP card at any of the participating shops that gives you 10% off purchases at all 10 stores.

The breakdown:

**A+R will exclusively launch the Margiela Home Paris and Hay Denmark collections, and preview its Fall 2010 pieces alongside L.A. designers Tanya Aguiñiga (felted furnishings), Joseph Brooks (curated music) and Cast of Vices (multimedia installations). 1121-1 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice.

**Pamela Barish will debut her Fall 2010 “Reading Faulkner” dresses, inspired by the Great American Novel, with a live jam by the roots-rock outfit The Americans. And (get this) actresses Anjelica Huston and Susan Traylor and screenwriter Callie Khouri will play shopgirls. 1327 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice.

**Strange Invisible Perfumes will debut a limited-edition fragrance, Bazaar. 1138 Abbot Kinney Blvd.,Venice.

**Preview pieces from LFrank's 2010 “Night Owl” collection from jeweler Liseanne Frankfurt, as well as select looks from CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund finalist Gregory Parkinson. 1116 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice.

**A. Kinney Court founder Garrett Leight will host his father, Oliver Peoples creator Larry Leight, to toast the launch of his in-house collection of fashion eye-wear, as well as an exclusive FNO Venice sweat shirt on sale that night. The event will also include local eye-wear designer Mathieu Schreyer's unveiling of his fall 2010 line. 1423 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice.

**Guild will host up-and-coming designers including accessories designer Dafne Balatsos (repurposed leather and canvas bags) and edgy jewelry designer Annie Costello Brown. 1335 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice.

**Gold rush! Trade unwanted gold jewelry and coins for merch at Heist, 1104 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice.

**Swizzle cocktails mixed with Waialua natural soda at shoe Mecca Mona Moore. 1112 Abbot Kinney Blvd.,Venice.

**Meet accessories designer Kendall Conrad at her new eponymous shop. The designer will be presenting her new limited-edition collection of leopard-printed accessories. Receive a free gift with purchases of $500 or more. 1121 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice.

**And, finally, grab a cupcake at one-of-a-kind jewelry shop Madley. 1225 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice.

--Emili Vesilind

Photo: "Lady of the Canyon" necklace by Madley. Credit: Madley